Friday, March 31, 2006

Thursday

I woke-up this Thursday morning feeling exhausted. I'd gone to sleep pretty early Wednesday night, but it felt like I hadn't. I made it through the day without to many problems. I decided that I just was too tired to go to dinner and my AA meeting. Jack called and I went to dinner with him at a local place that just reopened after a big fire had destroyed it earlier in the year. It is just a few minutes away and is called Johnny Russo's Place. Fairly good food, close and I hadn't seen Jack in awhile. After dinner I went home and just relaxed with the dogs in my lap and watched TV. I felt bad about ditching AA, but I was just exhausted.

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Masonic Compass


compass
Originally uploaded by Adam_lah.
A symbol of the Masonic Lodge

Up Side Down


upsidedown
Originally uploaded by Stephan Segraves.
I don't agree with it.

Wednesday and Public Speaking

Yesterday was another half day. It was quiet at school, nothing happened. I've been invited to give a speech tonight at the Yucaipa Masonic Lodge. I was told to expect between 150 to 200 people to attend. The focus of the speech is having vision and I am talking about Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues.

Franklin's 13 virtues are as follows:

Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloths, or habitation.

Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

I arrived early, about 30 minutes before the dinner/program started. I was told it was going to be a program for kids, but it looked like alot of old people to me. That made me nervous, since I've never spoken publicly before any adult groups. The hall was fixed up pretty nice, and they sat me at the head table. I'd arranged to have another friend, Glen Jacobs, speak also. They wanted us to both talk for about 10 minutes. I had everything planned out, and had practiced my speech a few times. I was still nervous, and was even made more nervous, when I was told that the local newspaper was present. Glen has spoken many times before, and is a natural, so he was going to go after I got done to wrap things up. I got up when it was my time and I spoke for 12 minutes. I really ran out of things to say, so I had to just wing it for a few minutes. I thought I was going to really blow it, but I managed to give a pretty good speech. Atleast that's what I was told. I saw a few people I knew, so maybe that helped to calm me down alittle. Looking back at it, I'm glad I agreed to speak, so that maybe the next time I am called to speak it will be alittle easier.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Tuesday

Today the students walked out in protest students voiced their displeasure with House Resolution 4437, which was being discussed Monday in Washington, D.C. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department reported two peaceful student protests in Moreno Valley.
The students were well organized because they were communicating through the myspace.com Web site. Many wrapped themselves in Mexican flags and hoisted handwritten placards with slogans supporting immigrants' rights. I didn't get involved, I just stayed in my classroom. Debbie and Britty left this morning for Phoenix, AZ. They'll be gone until late Friday evening. I came home after school and just relaxed.

The last few days and catch-up

I woke-up early Saturday morning and went to early service. Debbie and Britty didn't go to church, they slept in. I sat in the balcony by myself. It was Communion and things just weren't right with me. I took Communion, but I sure didn't feel very close with God. I'm sure he was there for me, I just wasn't available for him. I came home feeling upset with Debbie and Britty. I went to work in the yard to work the anger out of me. I hadn't been in the yard for awhile so I had alot of work to do. It took me about six hours to get everything done. They went out shopping and when they got back, I felt much better. Not else happened much that day and I went to sleep late.

Sunday, was a pretty good day. I BBQ'd some really good chicken for dinner. We relaxed most of the day spending time reading and I played some SWAT-4 online.

Monday, was okay. Everyone was excited about the threat of protest by Hispanic students. Debbie and Britty both have the entire week off. They are leaving for a week long softball tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. I went off to work and everything went well. Nothing happened at work. We had a parent meeting after school, but that's about it. After work I came home and worked on a few things before going to sleep early.