News

I guess it is time to let the proverbial cat out of the bag. I will be staying at my place of business for at least 2 more years. That is a great burden off of my shoulders, I can worry about that later. I really didn't think we would come out on top, and it led to a downward spiral with the mortgage on my house and my wife's work. Plus my boss was really, really good to me when I had the stroke. I didn't want to leave him. But now all that is settled and I won't have to do any sort of thing like that... for 2 more years anyway.

And in even bigger news my wife got accepted to a Master's administration cohort sponsored by the district. Well, not fully sponsored, but they are paying for half, and we will have to come up with the other half. Basically the only thing more that my wife can do is get her PhD or move up in administration. This will let her do that. Even though she already has her Master's in Literacy, if you do the math it works out like this:

PhD in Literacy $40,000
Master's in Administration $6,000

Both will get you into a leadership role (vice-principal or principal) but the obvious choice is in admin. I think this is a great investment by the county in its future and it shows her that they value her, and that is great. Also that works out good with my two year plan because she will graduate in two years as well. So it is good news for us both on the work front. On to kids, animals, movies, music... you know the important stuff!

Voting... A Look Back

"Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one." Thomas Paine

I can't help but wonder, a week after election day, what all this means and if anything will really change. I mean half of the ballot I turned in there was only one person to vote for. So is that really a choice? We can say goodbye to Joy Logan, I guess that is a good thing, but I'm looking for more. I felt some of the other positions were a toss up... the State Treasurer? Superintendent of Education? Agriculture Commissioner? What do these people do? I mean really do? Earn a salary and that is pretty much it? Or am I woefully uneducated/uninformed? 

I think there should have been something in the newspapers about these positions, but at best I found either a press piece written by the candidate or an outright commercial for the candidate at worst nothing at all. I know we need government, but how much... that I don't know, and how I can affect any change in the government is also in question. Nobody came and talked to me and honestly if they did, I would write it off as lip service only anyway. So in a way, even though I did vote, I'm starting to wonder why... I really don't know and wish that I did. I hold about the same power as a non-voter. And I know that is not good.

Change That Back Again

So I had to do a quick about face on the central AC thing. You see, it was nice, but it was making everyone sick. I think the pollen and everything was just too much. Everybody was snotting and coughing and had watery eyes. I had enough. I closed all the windows, and put the air conditioning back on.

We are slowly on the mend now. Who is to say, maybe in time we would have started feeling better anyway. It was a decision we had to make, and really no electric bill is going to make up for doctor visits, so we had to change back. The weather is still phenomenal, it doesn't seem like the AC kicks on that much anyway, but we can all breath easier. At least it feels like we can.

Nice Weather Huh?

This spring, my wife and I have decided to cut back on our electricity a bit. Now I don't think we will be suffering when it is 95 degrees outside, at least I don't think so. But while the weather is nice we have opened windows and turned on fans, and left the AC off. It has been pretty good thus far. Now we have had phenomenal weather, and that is what makes all the difference.

When I was little we lived in a very tiny house (800 sq ft) and it had an attic fan. I now live in a house that could fit two of those old houses in it and then some. But I miss the attic fan. It was in the main hallway and when you pulled the string/cord to turn it on, the flaps would strain against you, and you could see the blades and pulley and fan belt start to turn. It looked like you were starting a lawn mower or something, but that was likely the age of me thinking that... not the actual way it was.

I do remember that if you didn't open a window or door you could make your house implode if you turn on the attic fan. That was likely an old wives' tale, but it just added to the mysticism of using the thing. It was really loud too. Again, I can't explain why, because a central AC is by far better, but sterile. You don't have to pull the cord hard, you don't have to make sure the windows are open, it isn't loud.

Maybe it is nicer to just remember, than to actually relive. I don't think my current house would work with an attic fan anyway. Hell, they (Centex) told us to always leave the AC on all the time. And I agree, unless we are never going to turn the unit on. Now they said mildew and mold could propagate, but there is always mold and mildew, regardless of whether or not the AC is on. So I will take advantage of this nice weather, turn the AC off, and enjoy the coolish nights with the windows open... while they last. I know eventually we will have to crank up the AC but until then...