Bachelor Pad

I finished moving all my things into my new apartment this weekend. While not the biggest place, it is rather roomy and I didn't realize it would feel this nice to have a place that was ALL MINE--no roommates (sorry Steve n Smokey), no family (sorry guys), no wife (sorry Amy), no kids (well on weekends).
What's fun about living on my own now that I am in my 30's as opposed to earlier in life is that I have a pretty decent job and despite certain financial obligations, I think this place will be screaming "Bachelor Pad" within a few weeks--plasma screen, surround sound, PS 3, mini bar, disco ball hanging from the ceiling, as opposed to having to scrounge things from Salvation Army like I did in my college/grad school years.
So the next time you happen to find yourself in Central New York, stop on in "casa de los Santos" is always open.

Being Stalked

Ok so maybe not a stalker but as I mentioned I did receive a threat at my office about 2 weeks ago.
Well Wednesday while I was out teaching three redneckish looking types (sorry Jess) in a truck came to where I live and totally scared my landlord screaming obscenities and claiming that it was my fault his (the guy I assume made the previous threat) girlfriend won't talk to him anymore. My landlord said they were young guys and it was only one who was trying to get into my place demanding to know where I was and that he reeked of liquor. Fortunately I was already scheduled to move out into a place of my own ( I have a roommate now) so it seems rather fortuitous that I was able to already have somewhere to go.
This of course has left me angry and with the urge to announce to my classes "If there is anyone here who has a psycho boyfriend, a psycho ex boyfriend, or a psycho who wants to hook up with you please, please drop my class now!"

Stuff

For those of you who are my Facebook friends, I did not delete you. I deactivated my account. I received an anonymous threat at my office last week, it mentioned some of the stuff I posted on facebook so to be safe I deactivated my account for a while.

Normally Tax time is a happy time because I have always gotten SOMETHING back. Well for the 1st time EVER, I owe taxes. Yep kids, a home nothing saved me this time. I guess I will ask for a pay cut or something right? Or maybe I'll just walk into a Chrysler dealership and drive off in a Town and Country because after all, it is MY MONEY that is keeping them in business.

Finally another 1st, I am finally moving into my own place. I am 36 years old and I will finally live alone. even though I left home a long time ago I have always lived with roommates or my wife and kids. Since the separation I have been renting a room but I think I finally am ready to venture out on my own.

Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what's to come. But that night, I think we knew it was time to let go of what had been, and look ahead to what would be. Other days. New days. Days to come. The thing is, we didn't have to hate each other for getting older. We just had to forgive ourselves... for growing up.
--Kevin, The Wonder Years

I've been tagged, so here are my answers.

20 Years Ago....
1. I was 16 years old.
2. I was in the 11th grade.
3. I had a crush on Emily.
4. I was living in Palm Desert, California at 74295 Goleta.

10 Years Ago....
1. I graduated from BYU with a BA in History.
2. I worked at the MTC.
3. I moved to San Diego.
4. My dad died.

5 Years Ago....
1. I was married to Amy.
2. I had 2 kids, Rachel, 3 and Roman, 1.
3. I was in my 2nd year of teaching @ CVHS.
4. My mom died.

3 Years Ago....
1. I finished my MA in Spanish from SDSU.
2. I got a job doing what I always wanted.
3. I packed up my family and moved them across the country to NY.
4. I experienced my first “real” winter.

1 Year Ago....
1. My wife and I separated
2. I had been working at MVCC for 2 years
3. I was still hurting
4. I got my “mojo” back ;)

So far this year....
1. I went to Spain, AGAIN.
2. I’ve met some amazing people.
3. I've been through hell and back
4. Have re-connected with the amazing people I went to high school with.

Yesterday I.....
1. Spent X-mas with my kids
2. Watched “Valkyrie”
3. Tried to sleep in

Today I.....
1. Went shopping
2. Took a HOT shower.
3. Did laundry
4. Spent time with the kids

In the next year I'll.....
1. Teach fewer classes
2. Go to Italy
3. Meet someone who I can spend time with?
4. Attend a conference

Gracias Presidente Bush

I gassed up today, $1.96/ gallon. I was in shock. I put 9 gallons of gas in and paid less than $18. How is this possible? Back in July I paid $4.17 per gallon. Here’s my theory-
George W. Bush. Yes President Bush is responsible. Ridiculous you say? It makes sense to me; everybody blames him when prices go up, why not give him credit when prices go down? Of course I am not that naïve. I believe this is his way of trying to redeem at least ONE good thing from the past eight years. Here’s my theory. The national average for a gallon of gas on January 20th 2001 was around $1.47 per gallon. Gas will continue to drop until it reaches that price or even lower. So when President Bush bids farewell on January 20th 2009 he will stand there with that goofy grin of his and let us know how the price for gas is the same as it was when he entered. He will think that we are stupid enough to buy it and forget all the crap from the past 8 yrs. The sad thing is that he’ll be right, most of us have bought the BS he’s been shoveling (I include myself here) and there are at least 27% or so (whatever his approval rating is) who still do. Of course the oil companies are in on this. He is buddies with all the oil companies who I’m sure don’t mind doing this little favor. Despite the sorry state of the economy oil companies are always turning record profits so providing cheap gas isn’t hurting them that much. Ridiculous you say? Paranoid? Maybe, maybe not. So buy up all the gas you can, save it in those red containers because I am almost certain that on January 21st 2009-prices will go up again.

Obama in by Christmas

Ok so Obama won the election. He mentioned in his acceptance address that there is only one administration at a time which I feel is a very honorable and noble sentiment. Of course he is preparing for the transition naming various staff members and of the course the rumors about Hillary, Bill Richardson and all that show us that while he is doing something he will not overstep his bounds. Unfortunately the current administration has decided to quit. Seriously, George Bush has given a new meaning to the term “lame duck”. Back when I was a missionary in Argentina, we called it being “trunky”. George W. Bush is the epitome of “trunkiness”. I am honestly surprised to still see him in Washington, I figured he’d already be in Crawford cutting trees and huntin. OK so what to do for the next 6 weeks or so? Obama really can’t do anything and Bush won’t do anything. We still have a financial mess. Foreclosures, business failures, the economy SUCKS, crises around the world. Wars going on in Iraq and Afghanistan: and now this mess in India. What to do? Let me propose something. For those Obama supporters, spread the word and get him in sooner. For those die hard conservatives, seriously, if Bush does this he will be remembered for doing something for the good of the country ahead of his own interests (for once). Have Dick Cheney resign immediately. I’m sure like Bush he’s doing nothing already, send him back to Wyoming so he can hunt pheasants, ducks, and lawyers-whatever. Then appoint Obama VP. After a day or so, George W. Bush resigns. The Obama Administration begins. Smooth transition, everyone benefits: So simple yet so genius. It’s not as if the Republicans haven’t done this before (Nixon-Agnew-Ford) to get out of trouble. You would think that they would be anxious to dump all these problems on the Democrats and begin regrouping for 2010 (mid-term elections) and of course for 2012. So write to your Congressperson, Senator, Oprah, Rush, O’Reilly, Hannity, Arnold, SNL, The View, whoever and let’s get Obama in by Christmas.

Ok so I’m a dad. I have 3 kids-Rachel, Roman, and Tommy; ages 7, 6, 3 respectively. I can appreciate the dilemma most parents go through in wanting the best for your kids and wanting to provide them with the best opportunities possible. I want my children to succeed and be happy. Of course at their age they are not completely aware of all the good and bad that is out there so I do my best to help and protect them. I also realize that the day will come when I will no longer do that and that I must let my kids decide for themselves. I must let them stumble and make their own mistakes. I can only hope that they will learn from them and that they will know that I am here to support them. This message is directed to those parents who refuse to acknowledge this. And there are soooooo many out there it is ridiculous. I teach at the college level. And I still have parents calling me asking me to excuse their kids’ lateness, absence etc. I had a mother call and say she needed to schedule an appointment for her son. How old is the son? 19. 19 years old. I kindly explained that since he was an ADULT, he needed to contact me himself. She became rather upset, telling me that he was still immature and didn’t know what he wanted so she was going to make sure he didn’t make any mistakes in scheduling classes. Hmmm OK. Well I told her that when she finished feeding him and changing his diaper she could bring him down to my office during my office hours. (Not really) but it got me thinking, how incapable is this kid? Do I really want someone like this in my classes? Someone who needs his mommy to do things for him?

I guess I have little patience for people like this because

1. I was the first in my family to attend college. I had no previous experience in the whole application process. No experience with financial aid. Parents who did not speak English well. Parents who did not go to college, in fact they never went to high school. I had no experience in the whole registration, picking majors, classes etc. I think I did pretty good. So how come someone with English-speaking, college-educated parents can’t do something simple like register for classes without mommy?

2. My father died when I was 25. My mother before I was 30. I pretty much have had to figure out a lot of the “grown up” things on my own. Yes I have had great advice from people and I had a good wife for 7 ½ yrs who helped me out too but having mommy or daddy hold my hand? Yeah right.

3. I knew what I wanted. I knew what classes would get me there. I can NEVER imagine a situation where I would let someone else dictate my education for me; whether parents, counselors, spouse whatever. So I cannot understand how someone can sit there and allow mommy to choose classes. Even worse, someone who sits there and lets ME choose their classes. ME what the heck do I know? (I know a lot but seriously I still shouldn’t be picking your classes)