arizona today..

yup- i'm heading out to arizona today..just getting the last few things together before i go. double checking everything, because i don't want to forget.


so it's gonna take all together about 34 hours to drive...but i'm stoppin in dallas at a friend's house so i don't have to get a hotel on tuesday.

here i come road!

education

i'm trying to figure out why everything these days in the u.s. has to be politically correct. why is it that students in grand rapids, michigan, are given an "H" instead of an F when they don't complete their work? the h stands for "held". they say it allows students who don't complete their work up to par a second chance to correct it. umm...what on earth makes you think a student who doesn't care in the first place is going to DO THE WORK ALL OVER AGAIN? are they going to say, "man, i really messed up. i was lazy, i didn't take notes, i didn't read my workbook- good thing i got an H, now i can apply myself, and get a good grade." no- of course not. they aren't going to care the first time, or the 12th. but all this does is set up our next generation of leaders for failure. when they get done hangin out at the corner store, or ridin around on skateboards, or playing sports, or being really good looking, they are going to realize they can't get by with what they have been doing, and they need to make some money. they need to do something with their life. but they are NOT going to know what to do. and when they fail, in real life, there's no "H" being handed to them. they're gonna get a big fat F.

teachers need to begin instilling values, and morals, and personal drive into the students of today. we need to stop teaching them "it's okay to fail, you can try hard next time." no, we need to teach this next generation of leaders how to dedicate themselves to something of importance. find a way to integrate history into their everyday lives, in order for them to understand and make it interesting to them. we must help them strive to want to make a difference not only in their own life, but in this world.

the great thing about this country is that you can do anything, and make a difference. look at all the people that are inluenced by sports. by music. by art. by comedy. by technology. by fashion. by television. by THE INTERNET! people dedicate their lives to emulating people in these areas. people are motivated by choices that other people have made in their own lives- people who did not settle for an "H". and i'm not just saying in grade school. they may not have done well in school, but they did find something and some way to apply themselves greatly, and improve not only themselves, but others around them, and around the world.

and that doesn't mean that we quit trying to educate them. if we give them a good foundation, maybe they will take that and better someone else along the way. but, if we just sit back and give each failing kid a pat on the back, and a nice little hug, this society is going nowhere. we must find a way to create a desire in them to be the best at whatEVER they do. but it all starts with the classroom. if they learn anything there, at the very least it should be that.