Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 5K 2012

This year I had only one daughter at home for Thanksgiving. For

Me in high school

the past few years we have gone go my sister's in-laws family to celebrate Thanksgiving. Until last year I brought all 3 of my daughters. Last year my middle daughter decided not to come home from San Diego. This year Jayne stayed in San Diego, and Lindsey is teaching ESL in Korea so it was only Sarah and I. I decided it would be fun to drive down to Arizona and have Thanksgiving with my mom. On Monday night Sarah and I stayed in a hotel in Modesto, CA and I taught in a school on Tuesday morning. It was fun to have Sarah come with me, it was like, "Take Your Daughter to Work" day. After one other stop we drove south. Sarah drove a lot and we had a 7 hour drive to Las Vegas.

Thanksgiving 5k 2011

After getting to Vegas around 7 we got settled into a hotel room and walked the strip for 3 hours from 8 - 11. My legs were killing me after walking up and down the stairs and looking at all the hotel casinos. It was fun for both of us to see how much the strip has grown.

We stayed in the Excalibur.

The next morning we got up early and drove to the Grand Canyon. I was hoping to drive over the Hoover Dam, which I had always done in the past, but they changed the route and had us drive over a different bridge. I was a little disheartened, but the drive was fun and we enjoyed the scenery. We got to the Grand Canyon around 3pm and looked for about an hour and then drove to Grandma's house which we got to around 7pm.

In Arizona outside Vegas

The next morning at 6:30 I left for a 5K run, my second of the month. I thought I ran really bad, but when I looked at my time it was my second fastest time this year. I have 2 more races to go this year to reach my goal of 2 a month (with a *). We had a great time during dinner on Thanksgiving and then Sarah got a text message that her science group decided to work on Saturday rather than Sunday like they had planned and she needed to go home on Friday so she could do their group work on making putting together a chicken skeleton. The drive back on Friday started around 1pm and we got home at 10pm. It was a nice drive and I drove half way and Sarah drove the other half. Over all it was a great weekend and Sarah and I enjoyed seeing my mom!

Fountains in Vegas

Vegas Angels

Outside one of the casinos

I'm back ...

At Grand Canyon with Sarah Nov. 2012

I haven't written in almost months. I was going to start after one month, but I got a little busy and didn't have enough passion to write. I can't write if I don't feel like it. I am writing right now because I have all sorts of things to talk about and couldn't wait for 6 days like I was going to. I won't write all I have to say at once or I will run out again. I like things boiling over until I have to write something or I can't stop thinking about it. When I write I never know if I should talk about what has happened most recently or things that happened a while ago. I guess I will start recent and work my way back when I can't think of other things to talk about.

Sarah at Grand Canyon

In October and November I worked in the Central County Occupational Center (CCOC). I talked to over 700 students about jobs and careers and their aptitudes and interests. I had almost 40 sessions with the students. This was like my hiatus before I hit the road again. There were two weeks that I drove over 3000 miles around northern California. Tomorrow I start on the road again. In the next two weeks I will drive to Livermore, Fremont, Lodi, San Luis Obispo, Vallejo, Susanville, Oroville, Clovis, Castro Valley, Brentwood, Sacramento, Modesto, and Etna. After that I get a 2 week rest where I will do paperwork and talk to train people to do what I do (so I don't have to drive so much in the future).

Today Sarah had an orthodontist appointment. I was busy and couldn't make it at the same time she could so I had her drive herself and handle things at the orthodontist. Everything went fine. She is now officially independent. It feels strange that my youngest daughter doesn't need me to take her places. It also feels good that my youngest daughter doesn't need me to take her places. One thing I'm worried about is that the same thing will happen when her older sisters have gotten their independence and stopped seeing me so much. I don't mind her getting independence if she stays in touch and lets me know what is going on in her life.I wonder if my kids know how much I love them!

Welcome to Angels Camp, CA.

Today I drove a lot. I drove almost 3 hours east and worked at a school in a town called Angels Camp. Angels Camp is famous for having a Jumping Frog Contest in the Spring. It is a funny story how that contest got started. Mark Twain wrote a short story about some guys getting drunk in a bar and making a bet whose frog could jump the furthest. (the story can be read at: http://www.angelfire.com/nb/classillus/images/jumping/jumping.html) After the story was written people kept going to the town to find out when the next contest was going to be.

The town has a walk of fame for frogs.

 This town is in the area where they used to mine for gold, so they needed to find a way to attract tourists. The big event of the year in this area is the frog jumping contest. The frog that jumps the furthest gets his name and where he is from on the Walk of Fame in downtown. Sort of like the Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It is also kept very realistic as an old western town with wooden sidewalks.

Downtown Angels Camp.

It is sort of like the town I grew up in, fun for tourists, but not for people that have to live there. I really enjoyed visiting and taking pictures. The school was really nice to work in, of course the high school mascot was a Bullfrog. After working there I drove 3.5 hours northwest to Clearlake. It is beautiful here and I got here right at sundown.

Downtown Angels Camp.

I have been in this area before, but never in this city. I will definitely stay here again since I like the hotel I'm staying at because it is right on the water. Tomorrow I go to the school with a drum set in the library!

Fishing at sunset on Clear Lake.

The PERFECT diet!

Let others eat!

I have been struggling with my weight for a long time. When I graduated from college I weighed 165. When I was in the Army I was at the maximum of 201 for many years and often had to be weighed in again because I was at the limit. I ran 2 miles every morning with my unit and that helped keep the weight down. At my first unit I met a guy that convinced me to drink diet sodas and I have ever since then. I like the taste of diet sodas, and I like the zero calories.

Me and brother in law in Korean Hanboks.

If you ask my kids what they do with extra food on their plate the would say, "Feed it to Dad!". I guess I look like a bear because they treat me like a bear! I realize that I don't eat when I'm hungry, I eat when I see food. I don't like to leave food on a plate. If there is food I eat it until the plate is empty. When I was in Korea I found out their manners was different than ours. In the USA we are polite when we eat at someones house and we clean our plate.

Bixby bridge in

In Korea it is polite for the hostess to never let let your plate be empty. One year I was at my mother-in-law's house in Korea and I ate this dish that Koreans RAVE about. The think it tastes great, but I didn't like the taste. My upbringing taught me to eat it all, and tell them I enjoyed the taste. I ate it all, smiling while I complimented on the meal. After I finished eating it I turned around and said something to my daughter and when I faced the dish again it was FULL! I asked my wife if I had to eat it and she laughed and explained the Korea manners.

Jousting at the Ren Faire.

This week I realized that is the best answer for a diet. Eat when I'm hungry and when I am not hungry stop eating. Sounds easy, but it is kind of enlightening. Always leave food on the plate, because if you eat like a bear you will look like a bear. If my kids want me to eat their leftovers, I will ... because I'm their dad. It is a thing my kid's father does, so I don't want to disappoint them. I would rather be fat as a bear, and loved like a dad than thin like a sleek cat and disappointing.

18 Races finished!

Before the race that started at 8:45 PM.

Last night I did my 18th race this year. I try to do different things when I do my races. I have done 2 races on the same weekend, I have run in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, I have run in a different state (in mud), I have run in the mountains in Santa Cruz, I have run along the ocean and along San Francisco Bay, I have run in a patriotic race (on the 4th of July before the parade), I have run the same course in different directions, I have run around a baseball park, I have run in Dublin on St. Patrick's Day, and now I have run at night under the moon!

Starting the race.

I have 3 more months to finish my promise to run 2 races a month. I already have October and November mapped out. October I will run in San Francisco on a Monday morning and then I'm not sure if I will run in Santa Cruz or Tracy. I'm wondering if my last race will be on New Year's Eve or a couple days before. I also don't know what I will do next year, maybe a 10K each month. Any suggestions?

What it looks like to run at night!

Finished!

My knees still hurts, with my ankles too now. I am thinking of running twice a day. Yesterday morning I ran 2 miles before I ran the 5K at night.

My knee HURTS!

Running the extreme 5k in Idaho.

When people hear that I run 5K races they always ask me if I hurt my knees because of my age. I guess when people run a lot when they are younger their knees hurt them when they are young. That is why I was reluctant to run when I was young. Now that I am over 50 I run and my knees don't hurt me. My knee is killing me right now, but I attribute that to me now running for a week.

Extreme 5K through the mud!

 When I stop running is when my knees or ankles hurt. I find that if I sit around too much my body hurts more than if I run every day. I have been trying to wake up and hour early every day so I can run then. I haven't been successful lately and as the school year wears on I will be able to less and less.

This is why they call it EXTREME!

 I find when I run in the morning my whole day is better. I guess it is that endorphin thing kicking in. I have never drunk coffee in the morning an I wonder if I could drink coffee to get the same feeling as running in the morning! I don't think I will try that. I think it is interesting that I learn more about my body as I get older. I wish I knew some of this stuff many years ago. Maybe by the time I die I will know better ways to have improved my life.

Get up an Hour Early

Horse Ranch

Today I drove home from Paradise, California today. I worked at Paradise High for a couple hours in the morning. I really like when I work at schools and the people that invited me are very happy with what I do. Many people ask me what I do and I tell them to go to www.asvabprogram.com to see what I do.
This morning I work up an hour early like I have all week.

More rice in California.

The rest of the week I have been in the gym before work. I knew I wasn't going to be able to run this morning, so I walked 3 miles last night before I went to bed. Tomorrow morning I will continue getting up early. I am going to make this a habit if it kills me!!

CHP waiting for a speeder.

Paradise High mailbox!

Driving through Northern California

Many things on the side of the road!

Grapes near Stockton.

Today was the first day this school year that I have driven much. I started in San Jose, drove to Sacramento then to Stockton. I worked for an hour in Stockton then drove back to Sacramento to pick up a packet and then drove to Paradise (city in California) to stay the night so I can work there in the morning then I will drive back home. On my way to Paradise I stopped in Oroville to see the Oro Dam and take pictures.

Rice North of Sacramento.

I love the diversity in California. I drove through big cities, drove past grape vineyards and peach orchards and then drove past rice for 2 hours. I also drove past horse farms and factories that make trailers. I love having the opportunity to drive through California. Today it was 5 hours north, next week I will drive 5 hours south. Soon I will have to drive 7 hours north and then I will have to drive through the desert to get to the south east portion of the state which is 8 hours east.

Dam in Oroville

 I only regret that I am given a very small car. I walked 2 miles when I got here this evening to try to get rid of all the soreness in my body from being cooped up. I sort of feel like the man in the animation film "Incredibles" where the big guy has to fold himself into his tiny little car.

Hills in Butte County.

Lemon driving a lemon.

House made of a Shoe!

As I drive I stop periodically and take pictures. These are just random pictures that show "Americana". Nothing special nor noteworthy. I try to get pictures of normal everyday things that people see all the time, but don't really take notice. As I write my blogs I will try to include a bunch of pictures.

Paradise city hall

Never know what is around the corner.

Challenging ESL Students

Christmas Party!

When I teach I like to challenge my students. I like giving them work that is difficult and then they feel a sense of accomplishment when they complete it. I like knowing I taught them something they can use and they know they couldn't do it before. Like having my students have to puzzle something out and find the solution. The problem I found was ESL students find it challenging to do anything in English. Having them have a conversation is often challenging to them as much as debating something. Talking on the phone in English is one of the most challenging things to an ESL student. They can rely on no other clues besides the tone of the voice and the words.

Teaching my class to play softball.

One of my students that wants to be a teacher sent me her lesson plan today for her final practicum. She wanted her students to debate whether students should wear uniforms or not. I was thinking that was something that might be done in a US school and she didn't want to teach "down" to her students, she wanted to give them something challenging. She is forgetting that the "challenging" part of it is doing it in English, not what they do. I think teachers need to remember the Objective of their course, not just try to make things challenging.

Sarah visiting my class

I often tell my student teachers, "If you don't laugh you don't learn". I also tell them if the students aren't happy with the teacher then they will go to another school. It isn't like high school or college where they were trying to get a good grade. It is more like students going to the most popular movie and next week they will go to another movie if your movie isn't fun and entertaining. Even though the students are adults doesn't mean they don't like to have fun, it is just the difference in what they find fun. Some people find debating fun, but more people are on the football team than the debate team for a reason. You need to make the class fun for the masses not the geeks that find debate fun!

My class in 2006

Just Do It!!

Night before the race in Monterey.

This morning I got up at 6:45, drove to the gym, and ran 2 miles on the treadmill. I then came home and took care of the cats and vacuumed (for the first time in 3 months)! I would love it if I could make that a "habit". I guess the secret of making it a habit is doing it again tomorrow, and forcing myself to do it the next day. No matter where I am or what I have to do I need to force myself to get up early, exercise, and then do something around the house. I need to force myself until it becomes a habit. I have made myself have habits before.

Lover's Point on race day.

I have been able to loose weight because it had become a habit to eat half as much as I usually do and exercise twice as much as I usually do. I have been able to run 2 races a month this year because it has become habit, I have often thought of abandoning my idea of running 2 races a month. But, then I know how I would feel if I didn't run the second race. I don't know if I can do this same thing next year. I will finish this year because it has become a habit to think about it. I can do it if I really want to!!

September Class

In summer put your tree on the balcony!

This month I am teaching my weekend class in Berkeley, at the student union of the UCB campus. I have 11 students this month. Two are Koreans (one is working for a company as a Japanese translator), one is from Afghanistan (he wants to teach in Middle East) , a couple of students want to teach in Europe, a couple want to go to Korea, and a couple want to go to South America. Like every class this class has an unbelievable diversity that is fun to work with.

Mission District of SF

Last weekend I had a group of visiting ESL students, twice as many ESL guests as students in my class. It was a great experience for the future teachers and the ESL students learned a lot about Americans. I showed my students how to be innovative and dynamic. After we found out they were coming we made a quick scavenger hunt so the ESL students could see the Berkeley campus and my students got to interact with them on a one to one basis. After they looked around the campus and had lunch I taught a class, demonstrating to my students how easy it is to make a class fun and how students learn better if they laugh!

Streets of San Francisco

After my lesson my students taught 15 minute lessons, using the teaching strategies I taught them the day before. The ESL students had a blast and so did my class. Everyone learned a little and had a great experience. I really love my job, and I know I'm making a difference in LIVES!