A few thoughts on Thursday during the longest week of the year

Why is it the longest week of the year? Well, as the sun passes by the equator at a 4-degree angle the light is refracted in a way that enhances its brightness enough to create a longer day, which in turn causes the Earth to slow its pace at a rate of 0.000000000001 miles per second, which in the expanse of space is a big deal. This happens about this time every January in years ending in 6. If that sounds confusing to you, it should, because I just made that all up right now. Its actually the longest week of the year, I think, because my body is still operating on vacation time.

I got really frustrated with my 5th period today and this is, more or less, what I told them in a very calm voice:

I think everyone in this class falls in one of three categories. Some of you don't set school as a priority because you either don't care, don't see its value, or have some other issue that is effecting your life right now. Others of you want to pass, graduate and maybe get good grades. However, you want to accomplish that with as little effort as possible because your final goal is grades. Most of you in these first two categories operate mostly on the thought that you want to meet your needs right at this moment. "Right now I want to talk to my friend, right now I want to write a note, right now I want to party, right now I want to get drunk, right now I want to get high." You don't think that what might make you happy right now will make you sad later. The rest of you see that there is something a little more and actually want to learn and do better. You may not be getting an A or a B or even a C, but you are trying to get better. Grades are important to you, but so is learning. You know that although doing homework may not be as fun as going to the movies, but that in the end you will be happier in the future when you use these skills. Now let me also make it clear that whatever category you are in does not make you a bad person. You are all still young and meeting your needs right now is what you do. Even adults have moments where they meet their needs "right now." Sometimes they go home and say "I really want a beer right now" so they drink a beer. But they know that they have work the next day so, although they may want another, they stop because they know they will be happier in the future if they get to work on time and get a paycheck. I am saying all of this to you because I think a lot of you are not doing as good as you could be doing. You are smart enough to do better. Once you are done here you get to the real world and, for some of you, that world is going to pass right by you. Other people will get the money you could get, other people are going to make rules for you that you don't like, and other people are going to take advantage of you because you don't even know it happening. Those who take the opportunity that this school gives you and learn to read a newspaper and understand it enough to say "this is a bunch of crap" or "this is a great idea" will be able to make yourself happier. The rest will just hope that other people don't screw you over. I hope that you guys can look at how you act in this class, in other classes, and just how you act anywhere and decide what category you are in.

Damn, now that I am writing this it seems like I said a lot. I had one student stay after and ask me, "Do you think that is why Sylmar is poor because people are getting screwed because they don't even know what is going on around them?" I said that I thought that was part of the problem and she said something about wanting to change that. In any case, I posted this in the hope that it would make sense to someone else so I don't feel like I completely insulted my students.

In other news, I found a few funny things on the internet today during lunch. First, it turns out that the most recent Oprah Book Club book is not exactly non-fiction as the author claims. Although I have yet to read A Million Little Pieces and I have heard it is really good, it is less likely that I am going to read it now knowing that it is partly made-up or embellished.

Also, this Boston Review article talks about the tendency of conservative judges to turn liberal. Its pretty long and I haven't read the whole thing yet, but this is what I have said is my feeling about John Roberts. Alito is a whole different story.

Have you heard about the lady that wanted to be able to drive in the carpool lane because she was pregnant? Well, she lost her case today. The judge was smart enough to not base his ruling on whether or not the fetus counted as a person. He said that the intent of the carpool lane was to fill empty space in the car, thus disallowing a fetus. So does that mean I can take a dog with me and use the carpool lane? You didn't think of that did you Judge Dennis Freeman?

Anyways, I think things between the city of Bakersfield and the staff here at EToWJB have calmed down. I would describe it as a form of detente, which is not complete peace, but is more of a cooling down. Maybe I'll turn my attention to Fresno now in an attempt to insult every white-trash town in California.

Finally, be ready for a charity drive of unprecedented proportions based here at the Evil Twin of William Jennings Bryan Headquarters. I have not obtained permission from the effected party, but if you have not heard yet about this, you will. This is not a matter of life or death, but I hope to help this person out as much as we can. More on this later.