frisbee, teaching, and ministry

let's face it

2006-11-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

so i haven't really posted nearly as much on blogger. sorry. therefore, i'm directing you to my xanga site, which is more frequently updated.

http://www.xanga.com/grantfranke

enjoy the postings and feel free to comment. just as you had to sign up for blogger, you need to sign up for xanga in order to comment. there's no fee or stupid emails. if you don't want to comment, you don't have to sign up. enjoy!!

pigeon

2006-10-13T10:23:00.000-07:00

i caught a pigeon yesterday.

i was on my grading period break at school, and i went down to the boys' bathroom. while doing my business, i heard some strange noises. next to the bathroom is the boiler room and janitor supply room. as i walked inside and turned on the light, i found something i didn't expect. it was a pigeon. a live, noisy, and very poopy pigeon. i have no idea how it got in, but it was there, and it pooped all over the floor.

of course, my school concentration went down the tubes, and it was my goal to figure out how to capture and release it. i found a garbage can, and carefully made my way in its direction. The pigeon froze, and so did i. for a moment, i saw the confused terror in its eyes. before either could blink, i lunged towards the pigeon and enveloped it with the garbage can! it was captured, and the task nearly done. i found a piece of carboard, slid it underneath, and started to carry it ouside. on the way, i had to lift it over the heads of preschoolers. "what's that mr. franke?" "oh, nothing. i just like carrying garbage cans around school." :)

i finally let it free outisde the front door of the school. all the students in a nearby classroom say me, and then they were completely distracted from their studies. oh well. all in all, it was a pretty adventurous free period. much better than grading papers.

teaching

2006-10-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

howdy everybody!

two months later, 35 students, and 6 1/2 weeks of teaching are under my belt for the 2006-07 school year. things are shaping up well, but there have been many hurdles to leap over since the year started.

you'd think that your second year would be easier than your first. generally, i believe this is a true statement. unfortunately, i'm not part of the the general criteria.

teaching has been crazy because of all the new tasks and expectations my principal has established. first of all, my school does not have any "grades." yep. the students took tests, and they were divided into five groups according to their math and reading ability. the idea is that students are grouped with people of like-ability so they can move at the same pace. it's proven different and theoretically sound, but i'm unsure of it thus far.

secondly, i don't have the same books to teach from. my students are learning from a new set of social studies materials, and all my notes, lessons, tests, and other plans from last year will not be used. also, this new set of books did not come with any teacher resources b/c the school couldn't afford them. dang it.

bah. i just gotta stop blabbing. basically, it's been a much different year from the first, but i'm maintaining and adjusting fairly well.

things with kristin and i have been great! she's currently living in indianapolis, IN, and we travel between there and cleveland regularly. she recently visited cleveland, and it was quite a good visit. she came to school on friday (oct. 6) and was my hott assistant. (btw, thanks for helping!) we also made a trip to little italy, walked on the beach, and went to the west side market.

:)

anywho, back to school and the life of a teacher. now that i've posted again, it'll be happening more frequently again. thanks to all my faithful viewers!

peace and joy,
grant

engaged!

2006-08-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

here are the long awaited updates...

summer school for LEAPS is over!!!
and now i have my second year of teaching to look forward to. i'm excited.

the other big news is...

i'm engaged!
i asked kristin huang to marry me on august 09, 2006, and she said yes. :)

here's the longer story:
kristin and i have been friends for over 2 years now, though we have
only been dating for the past six months. things have been going so
well that we indeed decided it was time to get married. :)

here's how i proposed:
on wednesday night, august 09, 2006, i took kristin to the top of the
vuca on valpo's campus. yes, we climbed up the side of it and sat on
the roof. i brought a backpack with a blanket, homemade cheesecake,
strawberries, wine, candles, and a scrapbook inside. after eating
cheesecake and having some wine, i took out the scrapbook i made (of the
two of us) and showed it to her. as we drew near the end, there was a
page that had a picture of a ring. kristin told me that i needed to
"get on top of that," and i said, "well, speaking of which..." i pulled
out a ring and started to propose. and to make things more interesting,
i propsed in french. (i had kristin's french professor help with the
translation). she fittingly responded, "oui!"

it was a fun night.

here are some picture of us...

you can't change it

2006-07-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

well folks, i've done enough talking, and i'm sure you've had enough. i went ahead and simply did it.

did what?

i got a tatoo. :)

indeed i did. after approximately five years or so of debating and weighing it out, i finally went for it. my two biggest qualms with a tatoo were the permanancy and the fact that my mom was worried i might develop hepatitis. so far i cannot wrap my mind around the next 70 years of displaying a tatoo, and i don't feel the symptoms of hepatitis (though you could go months before ever noticing that!).

first of all, you might ask what it is. it's a kokopelli. (Koh-koh-pell-ee) The kokopelli is generally considered a symbol of joy and mirth and adventure to life. It stems from the early southwest native american tribes such as the pueblo and anasazi. however, it also happens to be a representation of a fertility god. i think that's my favorite part to tell people because of the reaction i get to see on their faces. ;)

not only did i get a tatoo, but the beautiful kristin huang also sprung for one. we had this crazy idea to live out a kenny chesney song called summertime. the song references a number of joys to experience during the summer, and kristin and i attempted to try them out. we drank yoohoo, wore cheap shades, had the windows down and the radio loud, found a swimming hole (had the shimmy effect), and definitely got the tatoo! talk about fun...

here's the pictures:

this is my post tatoo bandage

this is my shaved left leg

here's an upclose version

here's kristin's pre-design in pen

here's her foot bandage

here's the final product!

the trapeze artist

2006-06-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

i recently made my way back to rockford, IL to see my family and work on the house we are trying to sell soon. one of the crazy jobs that needed to be tackled was cleaning the gutters.

one problem: i'm afraid of heights.

you might be saying, "grant, why the heck did you volunteer to clean the gutters then?!" well, the rest of my family has the same problem i do. since i'm the one that climbs buildings for fun on valparaiso's campus, there was little excuse for me to decline the job. i should also add that heights are not so much the problem, but it's ladders. ladders are mobile, buildings are not. :)

my dad and i spent 4-5 hours of our monday finishing this task. he held the ladder while i climbed up it and did the dirty work. we did, however, come up with a good pulley system of a rope and bucket to control the gutter waste. you may be able to notice the small white object with me on the ladder in the pictures below.

i'll leave you with the news that i am alive and well, though my knocking knees have seen better days. ;)

last day of school!!!

2006-06-15T18:39:00.000-07:00

today, thursday, june 15, 2006, i have officially completed my first year of teaching.

this year has been one of the most memorable, most adventurous, most challenging, most sleepless, most puzzling, most encouraging, most angering, and most spiritual years of my 23 years of life thus far.

i worked hard.
i laughed much.
i prayed daily.
i failed fashionably.
i reflected regularly.
i lived gracefully.

1: basketball team coached.
4: roommates that survived together.
7: the classes daily taught.
38: number of students impacted.
185: scripture lessons created
1,274: hours spent in a classroom with students.
1,295: lesson plans created
infinite: value of the relationships created and the wisdom gained.

i look forward to a brief break, but i also look forward to doing it all over again. please continue to pray for me and all the other teachers that love on kids and people.

summer address

2006-06-13T08:22:00.000-07:00

i finally found out what my summer address will be while i'm taking education classes in valpo! feel free to write or visit me at:

grant franke
2230 Chicago St.
apt. #202
valparaiso, IN 46383

NOTE: the address has slightly changed. the LEAPS administration goofed again and forwarded the wrong address. (change: 2232 became 2230)

every rose has its thorn

2006-06-02T13:36:00.000-07:00

here's a small sampling of what is abundantly growing in my backyard right now.

hammond and dyer

2006-05-31T09:57:00.000-07:00

this past weekend, i took a little trip west. most of my time was spent in hammond and the dyer area of indiana. i sincerely thank jonathan boggs and his family for inviting me stay in their home and eat their food. they are an amazing group of people, and i hope their days will be blessed.

highlights:
trip to the dunes with kristin (minus the sunburn)
a friend's graduation party (it even involved an inflatable, bouncy cage thing)
seeing nigel's new condo, decked out with the latest technology, ikea furniture, and a flippin' sweet dog named baxter.
a trip to the diamond store for "you are loved" pins and sizings ;)
simply driving around with good music and even better company.

for all those wondering about kristin and i, settle down. we'll let you know any "big news" if the time comes. secondly, settle down. :p

disc golf updates

2006-05-31T09:22:00.000-07:00

the frisbee guys of cleveland, and parma, OH have some good news. we are many steps closer to our goal of creating an official disc golf course to be located in veteran's memorial park in parma.

this last week, we met with several city officials that stuck around to listen to our ideas and answer questions. all three guys seem convinced to pursue a disc golf course, though many details still need to be hammered out.

if anyone wants to know what a disc golf course is, please visit the pro disc golf association's website.

also, you can check out an arial view of the park using google maps or any other maps program. i recommend downloading google earth. look for state road park or veteran's memorial park in parma, OH.

in the meantime, here are a couple of pictures of us disc golfers. the first is us after a cold day at the recently opened ice cream shop near the park.

the second picture is kristin huang playing disc golf at anna page park in rockford, IL. she's pretty hot. :)

3 words 8 letters

2006-05-23T02:01:00.000-07:00

"i love you."

5.21.06
1001 homer court kitchen
totally romantic
:)

fun testing

2006-05-18T13:09:00.000-07:00

today i took the jung typology test. i'm an ENFP, otherwise known as extroverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving. this is categorized as an advocate/champion idealist. you can read all about me below.

The Champion Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in accomplishing their aims, and informative and extraverted when relating with others. For Champions, nothing occurs which does not have some deep ethical significance, and this, coupled with their uncanny sense of the motivations of others, gives them a talent for seeing life as an exciting drama, pregnant with possibilities for both good and evil. This type is found in only about 3 percent of the general population, but they have great influence because of their extraordinary impact on others.

Champions are inclined to go everywhere and look into everything that has to do with the advance of good and the retreat of evil in the world. They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives. And then they are eager to relate the stories they've uncovered, hoping to disclose the "truth" of people and issues, and to advocate causes. This strong drive to unveil current events can make them tireless in conversing with others, like fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all out.

Champions consider intense emotional experiences as being vital to a full life, although they can never quite shake the feeling that a part of themselves is split off, uninvolved in the experience. Thus, while they strive for emotional congruency, they often see themselves in some danger of losing touch with their real feelings, which Champions possess in a wide range and variety. In the same vein, Champions strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, Champions fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing.

take the test here:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm

pray pray pray

2006-05-16T18:24:00.000-07:00

just a heads up for some friends and family out there, here's a mini prayer list:

my family. the padres are getting divorced this month, and they are selling the house. sad times for sure.

cleveland leaps. community stresses and difficulties figuring out a place to stay for next year.

my students. some seem to be getting out of control and pushing the boundries further than ever as the year comes to a close.

my grading. i just want to get it all done!

kristin. our relationship continues to be totally sweet. pray that we would receive some sense and guidance in relation to anything about the future. we're nuts. (kristin might say i'm nuts, but she's clearly part of the mischief and adventure!)

joy. joy to live each day from the moment up to the moment my head hits the pillow. there's beauty to be experienced and lives to impact.

thanks friends and family!

pastor woes

2006-05-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

i have trouble respecting a certain pastor, and therefore, hate attending his church.

don't get me wrong though. a pastor's job is one of utmost importance: ministering to and leading the flocks to know Jesus Christ. but because a pastor has such an important role, they are also locked into great responsibility. (remember spiderman, "with great power comes great responsibility.") since the stakes are higher, the pastor is also called to higher moral and character integrity. right?

well, there's this pastor i know that's basically missing the mark. he doesn't minister to the people in the church, and he's way too tied up with other obligations. granted, pastors will always be busy with activities, but they usually make sure their own flock is taken care of first. at this rate, the church will close down soon, and another community will be scattered to the wind.

what to do then? i'm not quite sure. as i type, i'm stirring in my seat to jump up and let it all out in one big spillover of words and feelings. but here's my start:

"pastor, God loves you. i love you. you are forgiven. you are forgiven of your neglect. you are forgiven of your drunken habits. you are forgiven for hurting those close to you. you are forgiven of your hypocratic lifestyle. you are forgiven for wearing masks and making false promises...there is life ahead. the light is shining in the darkness. renew your hope in the Lord, for He is good."

well now, with that said, i'm going to take the plank out of my own eye. we all make mistakes. thank God for His infinite love!

dreary days

2006-05-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

it's quite ugly outside, and it's the weekend.

the dilemma: get to work on all my school assignments for valpo and west park lutheran or play frisbee and relax on my hammock.

i think God just decided by sending an onslaught of rain and dark skies. rain on God! refresh the earth and get my butt in gear!

"let my teaching fall like rain,
and my words descend like dew,
like showers on a new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants."
-deuteronomy 32:2 niv

(though the scripture is referring to God's teachings, i liked the rain reference.)

random visits

2006-05-11T12:16:00.000-07:00

last week, kristin huang visited me in cleveland.

time of valpo departure: thursday 4:45pm
time of cleveland arrival: thursday 10:15pm

hang out time: thursday 10pm to friday 3pm

time of cleveland departure: friday 3pm
time of valpo arrival: friday: 6:45pm

what did we do during our approximately 17 hours together?
say hello
walk n' talk
play on swings and slides and other non-20-something activities
drink chardonney (i do not recommend red biciclette) :(
hung out on a porch and hammock
piggyback rides
read the bible (matthew)
pray together
eat an extravagant breakfast with teachers (provided by parents!)
hang out with students
do a walk-a-thon from campus to campus (about 4 miles)
have a picnic
practice gymnastics
play water games with students; the water war got a bit out of control. whoops!
throw frisbees
say goodbye

and who said you never had enough time to enjoy life?!
i know that i did. :)

finishing sentences

2006-04-29T18:32:00.000-07:00

i like to copy kristin and lori, because i want to be a girl (j/k)...

Finish the sentence.

My ex is...
a teacher moving to tennessee, a substitute in texas, going to graduate from bradley soon.

Maybe I should...
fold my laundry instead of letting it pile up in wrinkled masses on the floor.

I love...
Jesus. and sitting in my hammock on the porch, reading nothing that pertains to school, yet has everything to do with enjoyment and entertainment.

I don't understand...
how to successfully eat sunflower seeds with shells on. it's just too darn difficult.

I lost my...
nalgene bottle. fortunately, a significantly gorgeous girl found it for me and will give it back without ransom. ;)

People would say that I'm...
batman! however, other common responses are joyful, friendly, and lacking a sufficient filter.

Love is...
simply complicated and wonderful; the most powerful of all devices and emotions

I will always...
set aside time for frisbee. or cheesecake eaten off a frisbee.

Forever is...
something i can't wrap my mind around, but should be pretty sweet to experience.

I never want to...
swim in a pool filled with crawling maggots or any other crawly thing.

I think the current President...
needs an icepack...after i punch him in the face.

When I wake up in the morning...
i wish i went to be sooner the night before, yet spring to action anyway.

Life is full of...
whole grain oat flour, sugar, corn flour, whole wheat flour, rice flour and other difficultly pronounced ingredients.

My past is incredibly...
behind me, yet remembered.

I get annoyed...
with people that don't care about the environment or even do small things like: leave lights on, waste paper, don't recycle, or generally conserve.

Parties are...
totally sweet when everyone comes in hawaiian outfits, ready to play frisbee and drink 'jungle juice.'

I wish...
men only grew hair on the top of their heads, which never fell out.

My dog is...
dead. his name was benny and i used to ride him like a horse when i was little.

My cats are...
thankfully outdoor barn cats since i'm allergic to them.

Kisses are the worst when...
you have morning breath

Tomorrow I'm going to...
go to church and play frisbee. maybe i'll do some school work. ;)

I really want...
to hit the reset button on my family.

I have low tolerance for people who...
sell door-to-door promises for cookies and don't ever deliver them. bastards.

If I had a million dollars...
i'd still live like i didn't...mostly.

If i were to travel...
i'd probably be going with kristin to south america to explore the land and meet the people and be incredibly adventurous. oh wait, that's actually happening relatively soon. :)

frisbee obsessions

2006-04-25T19:23:00.000-07:00

i'm obsessed with frisbee.

holy criznap

2006-04-23T18:30:00.001-07:00

wow!

it's almost been a month since i updated my blog. sorry folks.

here's the skinny:
i went on some crazy trips
frisbee has been consuming my non-teaching life

to further whet your tender tasties, here's a brief story:

a few weeks ago i went on a trip to earlham college. you might be asking where in the united states that may be? heck, you may even be thinking that it's located in the central wilderness of australia where the kangaroos meet with the wallabies at wild n' crazy kids tea parties that end in bright green slime baths and participatory prizes.

that last thought may have been a stretch. i'll put an end to your inqueries. earlham is a small quaker college on the border of indiana and ohio where hippies play buku (bookoo) amounts of frisbee. (ie, ultimate) i too was hailed to the calling of the tournament known as flavafest.

basically, i joined the valpo tourny team in a whirlwind of weekend games. it was a blast and our team ended up taking second after losing a close championship game 11-9. besides the play, i also enjoyed the many memories: 16 people in two hotel rooms, my viewing of the 50 year-old hippie frisbee player rapping "i like, horizontal; that's right, horizontal" (believe me, it was creepy), chinese buffets, frisbee parties, frisbee videos, frisbee catch, frisbee tacos, frisbee hula dancing, and zoo attractions featuring frisbee-tossing monkeys... (the latter three may or may not have really happened)

on top of it all, i even received a nickname: "assman" though i'm glad it has no reference to my job (remember seinfeld?), it is a bit disturbing. for more information, please contact me on my cellphone. :)

finally, thanks to all frisbee lovers and players, especially my valpo huckers. i love you guys and applaud all efforts to increase disc play. thanks especially to laura for putting up with my offensiveness and for not discovring kristin and i in the backseat. ;)

fist fight

2006-03-27T18:34:00.000-08:00

quick crazy story:

i sometimes go to starbucks (darn world dominating coffee chain the often indirectly oppresses the poor) to do school lesson plans and grading. sunday night was one of those nights. while in the store, i met a small group of middle school students, and they were shocked and stoked to find out that i was only 23 and teaching.

though, as i was packing up, another small group of slightly older students (freshmen in high school?) charged in. the next thing i know, two guys start pounding each other! one of the kids got a fatty sock to the eye. suddenly, another customer and i step in to stop it, but we only succeed in sending it outside. once outside, the starbucks manager comes out too, and the three of us are able to divert further fighting. ahhh!! crazy.

it's not too often that i witness fist fights, especially inside starbucks. my adreniline was pumping and i was a bit worried one of the kids was going to take a whack at me. thankfully, no punches were thrown in my direction.

it all happened pretty fast, but afterwards i had a chance to reflect a bit. my first thought was how pathetic the whole scene was. watching these kids resort to fighting and ganging up on each other seemed so irrational. but what stuck with me was the rage in one of the kid's eyes. it was almost as if time briefly stopped as he stared me down, wondering whether or not he should swing at a random stranger. i had a moment to search for something and even throw a brief prayer at Jesus to help him.

before anything else could happen, he took off running with his lackies. i'm not sure what will ever come of the whole thing. maybe nothing at all. who knows?! i'm just glad to have helped another kid or two from getting hurt any worse. i hope and pray that the majority of kids aren't that violent.

the other insane thoughts i had revolve around the reaction of the rest of the customers inside of starbucks. they just sat there, still drinking there espresso beverages, while idly staring at the strange commotion going on outside. what the heck?! were they scared of a handful of little twits? do people see a need to go out of their way to bring peace? are we so accustomed to violence that it's almost entertaining?

anyway, those are some brief questions. i'm done.
do my readers have any thoughts or comments?
what would you have done in that situation?
were you the sitter or the peacemaker?
let me know.

raging

2006-03-23T10:14:00.000-08:00

today i'm just trying to keep my calm. it's been a week full of craziness and student behavior problems. there have been more student suspensions lately than the rest of the year. it's so frustrating trying to teach when there is an abundance of school drama. then again, this is exactly the situation that i signed up for when joining LEAPS.

on the bright side, there are still students that make my day. each grade has their own that push forth day and day again, trying to excell despite the disruptions. sometimes i get a student that says something like, "mr. franke's the coolest!" or "i totally understand that better!" or "that was such a good class!" gosh, i'm happy for the students that simply do their homework.

maybe it's just the day or the end of the week. the day will be over. the weekend is here (faculty in-service tomorrow). a fresh day and week will be here soon. :)

mismatch day

2006-03-16T12:43:00.000-08:00

this week my school has been celebrating lutheran school's week, even though it was officially last week. monday was school spirit day, tuesday was dress like a twin day, wednesday was funny hat day, and today was mismatch day. it was pretty fun seeing all the students dress up like their closet puked on them. here's a couple shots of mrs. hinks, some students as well as a self-portrait.

mrs. ida hinks

the students

mr. grant franke

morgan addams and the washington tower

2006-03-14T16:20:00.000-08:00

in case you read my last post, you might have noticed that i took a trip this past weekend to gettysburg, pa. this much is true. however, i also took a crazy trip to washington dc this very same weekend for another monumental tour and for a very special 21st birthday celebration.

again, being the good social studies teacher that i am, i visited some of our nation's most prized monuments and icons. all the classics made it into my memory and photo collection: the lincoln memorial, the washington monument, the vietnam wall, the white house, the capitol building, and much more.

though this was totally amazing, my favorite parts of the trip were the people i met up with and the unexpected surprises along the way. steven wilco, kim sawusch, kim christman, and kristin huang were my co-conspirators to overthrow president bush and make m2: murder at 1600, the final battle. actually, we did no such thing, but had a rather fun and adventurous time touring the district.

fun moments:
kristin's mispronunciations of addams-morgan and the washington monument (please see blog title)
my misunderstanding of the mall actually being a large grassy field that connects the monuments in dc rather than an annoying shopping haven
frisbee on the mall
the long walk under the budding cherry blossoms next to the tidal basin
looking for 50 state license plates and realizing dc's plate proclaims, "taxation without representation"
looking for a parking place (there are none)
meeting up with some unexpected friends: megan nelson, kat peters, dan piper, and ali pigon at madam's organ bar and club
interacting with steven's mom
watching steven's church intern give the children's sermon, read from notecards, and speak beyond the four kids' comprehension. i swear he was an alien or at least a serial killer.
hitting on old ladies at steven's church
listening to fun tunes while being slightly irresponsible in the car
sharing it all with kristin.

again, here are some pretty sweet pictures to give my super readers a better idea of what went on.

the group in front of the lincoln memorial

the sixteenth man

classic washington monument over the reflective pool (note the chinese protesters setting up for a call to help the citizens renouncing the chinese communist party - ccp)

the comtemplative and reflective vietnam wall memorial

the white house, 1600 pennsylvania ave

korean memorial

the unexpected surprises that met up with us in dc's madam's organ bar

a 'shopper' onlooking the mall from the washington 'tower'

21 and beautiful

southeast pennsylvania

2006-03-14T15:40:00.000-08:00

i had the great pleasure of viewing one of the most memorable sites of the civil war this past weekend - gettysburg.

there were so many sites to see, and i only had about 12 hours (including sleep) to do it! however, i had the help of the newest professional gettysburg tour guides, charles and sharon brooks. they kindly took me in the care of their home, and woke up early on a saturday to give me a 'whirlwind tour.'

i was moved by the scenes, and it's...unsettling to know the price our country paid for sake of unity and freedom. so much blood was shed, and so many families were torn apart by the brutality of civil war. unfortunately, it seems like our country is again divided by war and the issue of freedom, but this time abroad in iraq. when will our country and leaders remember to learn from history?

in the meantime, here are a couple clips of my visit.

battlefield memorial

typical cannon

the platform

the man that used the platform for the gettysburg address

revamping

2006-03-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

teachers always need new taeching resources and fresh materials. it's always fun to discover a different technique or try catering to another style of learning. that's exactly what's happening in the social studies department at my school, west park lutheran. i received free samples from five different companies that cover all middle school social studies. however, there are drawbacks to this as well...

the picture shows what i need to sort through in the next month or so. if there are any social studies teachers out there, please come and help! 12826 Lorain, Cleveland, OH 44111

international auto show

2006-03-06T10:06:00.000-08:00

1 brett + 1 free ticket + 1 weekend night = grant's first auto show ever.

cleveland hosted an international auto show this past weekend at the IX center. i wasn't sure what to expect, but i sure had a great time checking out the new and vintage cars, sitting in them, and hanging out with mr. iafigliola and mr. matt schwartz.

now i can officially say that i've seen a mclaren, a maserati, the new aston martins, and some cool concept cars. i sat in many totally sweet cars, and my favorite happened to be the infantry carrier tank. and though the section was small, my absolute favorite part of the auto show was honda. i can't wait to buy a new civic si or hybrid!

i forgot my camera, but here's a couple pictures courtesy of brett.

the jeep course:

my future new honda:

the best class ever

2006-03-03T13:51:00.000-08:00

my fifth grade students have not been known for their above average ability. they have struggled through some particularly tough families and pasts. not to mention, their previous teachers in the school were well below teacher par (they have since been let go).

however, these fifth graders have been showing tremendous change and improvement! i've been trying a few new techniques, more quiz games, precision teaching, and have been giving crazy mad encouragement. i rarely get a glimpse of the impact, but today was overwhelming.

i had the students so excited to participate that they literally were jumping out of their seats and falling on the ground trying to answer questions - all of them. they were so stoked to learn, that i realized they could probably take their test a day early. when i told them, they (no joke) CHEERED, CLAPPED, and REJOICED that they could prove their knowledge!

when it was all done, one student told me (while going down the stairs to lunch), "mr. franke, that was the best i have ever had!"

there's no doubt that i had one of the best classes and days of the year.

up up and away!

2006-02-28T21:32:00.000-08:00

cheers to my hero! (squirt, squirt)

75th birthdays

2006-02-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

this past weekend was my grandma's 75th birthday party in lake geneva, wisconsin. it was better than rad. it was more rockin' than a motley crue concert. it was family. i really enjoyed seeing all my relatives, and it reminds me of how special these times are that we experience together. first, i want you to picture this sweet ole lady just below.

now, i found out some interesting things about her that i either forgot or i was too young to be exposed to such...non-grandma. (warning: mature audiences only) first of all, she has a picture with her four daughters, and they're modeling their bras! agh!! secondly, i guess my grandma got into a little bathtub episode with one of her nursing college roommates. (creepy.) then, i hear about her female club called "bitch and stitch." i guess they all gathered to talk, laugh, and sew. (crazy!) and to top it all off, i found out that my grandma has experienced the blowjob (the shot). she was caught on camera doing a no-hander! how could this be my grandma?!! however, can you blame her when she looked like this?

regardless of what my grandma did or looks like, i'm still very proud of her. she's an awesome person, and i'm glad that she had a stellar weekend. not to mention that she's pretty good at euchre. :) happy 75th birthday and would-be 50th anniversary!!

shins part deux

2006-02-25T21:04:00.000-08:00

as promised, here's the shins picture. as you can see, i'm in the process of healing, yet it's not stopping my quest for 1000 miles!

the shins

2006-02-23T21:33:00.000-08:00

no, not the band, but my real and fleshy shins.

i'm only 97 miles into my 1000 mile year, yet i am already a victim of shin splints. what are they exactly? according to jump usa, shin splints are "pain in the lower legs, normally in the front of the shin (anterior tibialis) or on the inside of the shin (posterior tibialis)."

[the pain is definitely there.]

causes. continuing with jump usa, "shin splints can be caused by physical factors: faulty posterior alignment, flat feet (hyperpronation), or exercise factors: muscle fatigue, overuse."

[although improper alignment sounds befuddling, i think it might be an exercise factor such as overuse and not enough sleep (fatigue).]

treatment. icing, resting, taping, orthotics and cushioning (shoe inserts), stretching, and muscle strengthening.

[i think i'll go buy some inserts and maybe sleep more. as soon as i find my cord, i'll post a picture.]

however, there is one treatment that was not listed, and that is prayer. after collapsing on my porch tonight, all i could say was, "i get it God, i'm only human. i'm dust and to dust i shall return. quit humbling me!" i don't know if God is trying to cast me down, but he at least might be sending me a reminder that i should care for my body, rest, and still trust in Him.

wowing weekend

2006-02-20T20:54:00.000-08:00

wow.

i definitely had way too much fun in valpo this weekend. here are the highlights starting with the ladies that roadtripped to cleveland for one night - kristin and laura

a pink tiara with candy and light up features
enter the worship circle concert and 40 miles north concert
salty windshields and manual washings at 75 mph
the mountain goats
camembert cheese, raspberries, bistro crackers and chardonnay...(ahem)
late nights, heavy eyelids, and early risings
dune running
engineers and nurses formal, featuring a lame comedian and goofy dancing
a couple movies and unforeseen 'friendly' gestures
ole burritos and $3168 classical guitars with jonny b and nigel
megan, kelley, and bear the cat
giggling (and not in my sleep this time)

here's the group at the formal

shhh, here's the source of most of my adventures

bouncing back

2006-02-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

i have some of the greatest friends. on top of that, they are some of the strangest - you could even call some of them "nutty" if you will. last week i received an anonymous note in the mail. well, note doesn't quite cut it. there was the oddest package sticking out of my cheap, gilded mailbox.

behold, i give you...

my orb of glowing wisps!!

i only found out who the ultimately nutty friend was when i received a phone call a few days later wondering if i had received a package in the mail.

silly kristin...you should go to the post office next time so you don't have to worry if the crazy load of stamps you put on the package would cover cost! nevertheless, it is a noble gesture, and it is presently reminding me to "be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances." (1 thessalonians 5:16-18) plus, it gives me ammo to throw at the students who are disrupting class!

a witty wedding

2006-02-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

i went to a wedding this past weekend. it just happens that my friends of old, josh and stacy witt, were married in good shepherd baptist's church. i remember the good old days when we all went to gccs (greater cleveland christian school). this weekend was great to catch up and see what stacy's family have been up too lately.

actually, this is what all the people at the wedding thought. i never went to gccs, nor did i ever meet josh and stacy until the day they were married. however, it was fun to be the random date (for two girls might i add...), and i especially enjoyed chatting with the senior citizens. they always seem to have crazy, wild stories to tell.

here's one of my favorite pictures from the wedding of ami hinks and the flower girl.

ps, something weird happened while dancing. i met the woman, mrs. mcarthur, who substitute taught for me back in december. she said i had great lesson plans, and that she remembers me because i kept sandals underneath my desk. the stranger part was that i was dancing with her daughter, megan, when she approached me...small world, eh?

paella

2006-02-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

spanish class has been excellent this past week. my three spanish classes all made the authentic spanish dish called "paella." it was a definite success. this pictures above are from my third and final try. i would have shown you filled pans and the complete dish, but my batteries died. :(

here's what you would have seen. the big skillet on the left was filled with some of the most colorful, grilled vegetables, while the smaller skillet on the right had sauteed shrimp. the pot in the back was filled with rice, and the flat pan has chicken and sausage on it.

traditionally, paella is made all in the same pan/dish, but we had to make the ingredients separately due to lack of time. we had fun mixing them together at the end and, it still tasted good. here's the feedback from my students:

today i was rated on a scale of 1-10, and i received an average of 8! also, i had a number of students go back for THIRDS!! this says a lot considering the diet of fatty, preserved, and prepackaged food most generally eat at home and during lunch.

for the rest of you who didn't get a taste test, be adventurouos and find a recipe online! i'll even teach you if you'd like, but you need to make a visit to cleveland. :)

ducking for cover

2006-02-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

do you know what this animal is? of course it's a dog! but what kind?

a rotweiler! yes, it is. a large, vicious, and carnivorous beast. it's quite an accurate description of the bohemouth. but why am i telling you about this monster of a creature? and why am i so negative about it? here's the story:

late last night, on one of my many runs to come this year, i was trekking down the empty neighborhood streets of cleveland. as usual, i passed houses where dogs come barrelling at the fences that graciously separate them from me. it's a funny sight watching each dog bash its head against the steel chain links and bark itself hoarse. in fact, i often laugh at their dense actions. ha ha!

but the rotweiler had the last laugh on this dark and crisp evening. the usual barking and running happened, but this time there was no fence. a large rotty charges past a pine tree heading for my knee caps. at this point, i yell, "oh shit!" (excuse me) and take off in a sprint...running to the next porch, i took the steps 4 at a time and climbed on top of the tallest object on the porch.

luckily, the nasty abomination stops short of the stairs and slowly retreats. interestingly, the man of the house notices me on his porch and peers through his blinds. in typical grant fashion, i wave and give a nod of safety (though he probably was freaked out by a stranger on his front porch at 10pm), and i took off running again, heart pounding faster than ever.

moral of the story: learn to run fast, and maybe carry a stun gun for these precarious instances.

buckeye chuck and un mil

2006-02-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

it's official. the state of ohio will have a short winter, and spring is on the way! the states official groundhog, buckeye chuck, wavered at first, but then came around to give a clear response to the onlookers. however, all true groundhog lovers out there know that punxsutawney phil is the true source of all winter weather predictions, and he calls for at least another six weeks. :(

on a completely different note, i forgot to mention to most on my blog that i made a news years resolution with my commrade, kristin huang. i know that we're crazy, "nuts" in fact, but who would have thought we would each attempt to run 1000 miles this year! in case you don't know, that comes to 2.73 miles each day. currently, i am behind the pace, but i'm still proud of my 44 miles. only 956 to go! thankfully, i purchased a new pair of running shoes tonight to wear down the streets and park lawns with.

on a briefer, teacher note, it's been a pretty decent week of education. my attitude is staying up despite some crazy instances that have happened. please keep praying for our students that seem to be overly independent and rude 'shouting-boxes.' though draining, i'm learning a lot about many things including: behavior management, confrontations, and covering my rear end to combat dishonest people.

keep leaving comments and encouraging me on my journey through frisbee, teaching, and ministry!

past but not forgotten

2006-01-26T10:09:00.000-08:00

i almost forgot to mention the time that i gathered together with a holland-bound graphic designer and the bridge building and bridge moving super genious. their names are mike marich and brett iafigliola.

it was a great night eating bbq/texan food on plates that were much too big for the portions. if only i had a picture... we also encountered brett's old high school classmate (our server) who was instantly embarrassed once she realized that she was obliterated at their last meeting (a high school reunion). and take note that if anyone ever needs a box or logo designed for them that mr. marich is the one to call.

here's a picture of the superstar trio.

red sweaters and daily mail

2006-01-26T10:04:00.000-08:00

today my students told me that i remind them of mr. rogers.

this insight might be derived from my obsession of changing shoes before and after school. or maybe it was the sweater i wore yesterday? or maybe my mannerisms and love of strangers?

i'm not buying it, but what do you think?

a visit from afar

2006-01-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

i love it when friends visit me in cleveland. in fact, it's great to have company almost anytime and anywhere.

the boggs of jonathan, jared swifty, justice league jon, and andy the wild and crazy hispano-euro pk all joined forces to "take pollution down to zero..." (a little captain planet moment)

we had a great time relaxing, having mildly out-of-control pillow fights, listening to iron and wine and some michael jackson wanna-be with a herbie hancock influence, rockin' the dowtown at the rocket shaft library and at the harry buffalo, and spent many moments in the underworld of brokeback mountain... eh?

here's some of our weird shots pretending to be uncomfortable.

thanks again for coming guys!

porky pig

2006-01-07T10:09:00.000-08:00

mr. brett iafigliola is a man of many talents. and so was his grandpa.

last thursday i went over to brett's grandma's house to embark on a saw-toothed adventure. before brett's grandpa died, he began teaching mr. iafigliola the trade of woodworking. it's a hobby that requires little skill, small amounts of patience, and everyone can learn in a matter of minutes.

if you just read that last sentence without questioning me, please go to jail and you do not collect $200. woodworking, actually, is one of the most tedious things i've ever tried to do. brett presented me with some creative wood project options, all of which i thought were rather simple and childish. 2 hours later, i'm just finishing up my first "simple and childish" project.

it was a great time though, and it brought me back to pinewood derby days. while in cub scouts, my dad and i created small wooden cars to race in scout competitions. well, my dad created the cars, while i put the paint job on. i guess i never really worked with wood as much as i first suspected. either way, it is a great and rewarding hobby. here are some pictures of my first creation.

the dusty armadillo

2006-01-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

tonight i went country line dancing at the dusty armadillo near akron, OH.

it was a great, reminiscing experience of dc's country junction of lowell, IN. i remember the good ole valpo days of getting dressed up in tight jeans, a slick shirt, some boots, and a hat (when available) to dance with some of the meanest varments around. it was always a wonderful evening of pretending like i knew how to dance, watching large, long-bearded, country folk drink pitchers of beer by the gallon, and walking away black-lunged with my friends to our compact cars swimming in the sea of trucks.

the dusty A was a very similar experience. the same music, the same people, the same rowdy atmosphere, and the same gravel lot filled to capacity with large HD hemi trucks with a towing capability good enough for a small fleet of planes.

did i learn how to dance yet? not really, but i sure had a great time trying. long live line dancing... and the ability to leave once you've had enough. :)

da new year

2006-01-02T19:49:00.000-08:00

happy new year!

i'm back and roaring to go in cleveland.
it was a great break, and i'll have stories and pictures on the way in the next couple of days.

thanks for the phone calls and christmas wishes. :)

renewing the aged

2005-12-20T12:46:00.000-08:00

my dad has been in the antiquing business for most of his life. i too have had the chance to grow up learning about stoneware, tins, country furniture wood grains, and lots of other random old things.

now that i've had some time to grow up (not too much though!), and since i'm a history teacher (among other things), i can really appreciate the past. there's so much to learn from it, and it's just plain crazy the way... well, here's an example.

the american coastline's "forests were so dense that, a squirrel could travel from maine to florida without ever touching the ground." :) (one of things i read in my 5th grade history book today)

the other "antique-like" thing that inspired this blog was an old bible of mine. actually, it is the first bible i ever really read, and it was a gift from an old friend beth tinsley. i just cracked it open for the first time since it was replaced 5 years ago. it's amazing how my mind was flooded with memories simply by looking at the notes and highlights.

it is also reminding me of the rigorous and joyous time i spent studying and discovering the bible for the first time. since i'm all about learning from the past, i've decided to try to study as intensively as i once did. i'm not in a seminary in nairobi, kenya or anything, but it's a start.

"Lord, grant me a thirst to know you more each day, all day."

and the tally is in

2005-12-15T03:30:00.000-08:00

on wednesday this week, the students voted me as the meanest teacher in the school.

all right!
this means three things:
i'm not really mean, but i discipline my kids.
two, i am keeping them occupied almost every minute of every class so they don't have time to talk with one another or do crazy things.
three, other teachers also hear a lot of positive comments about my teaching and interaction with the students. it just depends on which students are sharing and what the day is like.

crazy middle schoolers...

"Lord Jesus, help me pour out love to each of the students. may they feel not feel burdened, but simply disciplined. keep me strong and able to endure such trite comments. your opinion of me is what matters most. Amen."

teacher quote

2005-12-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

i recently reread a teacher quote that struck me.

"failing to plan is planning to fail."

i seemed to have forgotten myself

2005-12-11T08:23:00.000-08:00

it's been much too long since my last post. here's what i've been up to these days.

this last week of teaching was a blast. mainly there were four things made it kick butt. first, i worked hard, and had some kickbutt lessons. secondly, i had one of the most annointed social studies lessons with my eighth graders. we spent 30 minutes actively discussing the existance of Jesus and 10 minutes doing social studies. i practically had to tie their hands to the desk because they wanted to talk so bad. thirdly, this last friday was a snow day. snow days are a great perk to teaching, although i hear they are few and far between. the only drawback to snowdays: there's still work to do for a teacher, and they are encouraged to go into school anyway.

the other stellar from this past week? my mom's birthday. :) just hearing she had a fantastic day made my day. thanks mom, and i love you.

four highlights from this weekend:
1. new fish for my aquarium
2. seeing my ex-dog, cleveland (he's beautiful and all grown up!)
3. going to "a christmas carol" musical version
4. katie describing to me what "ass pants" are

and what's to come still? frisbee!
...and the gruelling LEAPS projects and finals for my online course.

be blessed.

leaps retreat

2005-12-04T18:06:00.000-08:00

ping pong, homemade cookies, downhill snow tubing, fires, coffee, tea, indoor basketball, guitars, and over 30 people in a remote corner of michigan. this was the winter leaps retreat weekend.

it was wonderful socially. i enjoyed seeing my teaching companions and hearing their stories. all together it was inspiring, and i really enjoyed praying for a couple of my 'cohorts,' but it was mixed with frustration with the administration and shallow ministry.

i was reminded of how contrived and trite many aspects of religion are. i mean, how can our group sing songs of praise and send up prayers to Jesus, while i struggle with the desire to run away and shout, "shut-up you fools!"? worshipping Jesus and mightily praying from the depths of my soul are my lifelines, but the RELIGION of churches kills the awe and power in these lifelines. agh!!

on the other hand, i have been deeply refreshed through some prayer time at IHOP as well as frisbee time at west creek park. oh, and the bears won today too, beating packers 19-7!! bragging rights this week... (even though i'm not really into football) :)

engagement

2005-12-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

these two recently had an engagement...a marriage engagement! congrats.

explosion

2005-12-01T09:50:00.000-08:00

my friend, roommate, and colleague blew up part of her classroom the other day. luckily, it happened after school let out. the short story is that her projector light caught on fire and proceeded to burn up the entire projector. pictures and the full story can be found at:

http://www.katiejoy713.blogspot.com

teacher thoughts these days

2005-11-30T09:53:00.000-08:00

although i had a fantastic break with my family back in illinois, there are still teacher issues i'm working through. for example, i'm still struggling to teach my spanish classes. i found out that it really takes a completely different style of teaching compared to social studies. in reality, foreign language teachers are a "whole new breed" of teachers according to my principal, mrs. clark. :)

on the bright side, every day is a brand spankin' new opportunity to improve and try new ideas. i just need to get my act and time management together to capitalize on each's days opportunities. for those interested, please continue to pray for diligence and creativity in my lesson plans. also, please pray that i can be more of an encourager in my classroom. i'm realizing how tough of a teacher i am, and i don't want to discourage the students, but rather encourage them to kick butt.

i love and miss all that read this, but i know that i'm where God wants me: in a life of beautiful service to His children (literally).

snowy

2005-11-25T15:35:00.000-08:00

i'm in the middle of experiencing the first snow of rockford, IL. it's wonderful, and i haven't heard of anyone that has been in an accident. even better, i'm at home, able to enjoy time with my family.

thanksgiving was stellar. lots of food, although the yams were particularly delicious. the dogs were even better. (to play with, not eat) and we all enjoyed some invigorating games of apples to apples.

simon, thanks for the thanksgiving insights on your blog. i agree. ps, it'd be awesome to see goats whenever i walked to school.

peace and blessings,
grant

psalm 51

2005-11-21T10:15:00.000-08:00

lately, i've been feeling burdened with my sin.
last night, i came across psalm 51 while at IHOP (international house of prayer).
just as i finished reading it, the worship leader starting singing "in Jesus there is freedom, be free"

psalm 51
(of david, recently after the bathsheba incident)

"have mercy on me oh God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
was away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
for i know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.
against you, you only, have i sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.
surely i was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
cleanse me with hyssop, and i will be clean; wash me, and i will be whiter than snow.
let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
create in me a pure heart, oh God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
then i will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
save me from bloodguilt, oh God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
oh Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
you do not delight in sacrifice, or i would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, oh God, you will not despise.
in your good pleasure make zion prosper; build up the walls of jerusalem.
then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar."

joys and ruts

2005-11-17T15:04:00.000-08:00

here's a little list of some joys and ruts that i'm experiencing lately.

joys
friends ami and kim baked me chocolate chip cookies today
i saw my first cleveland snow
many of my students have recently been receiving better grades
various friends have sent me encouraging phone calls, letters, or emails
my family rocks! (especially those physics teacher uncles)
i figured out a word jumble set in less than five minutes
soft pants
c.s. lewis and his space trilogy
thanksgiving is nearly here

ruts
i'm experiencing an overall teaching low
realizing some of my students have larger home/personal problems than first assumed
cold temperatures
being far away from family and good friends (i wish illinois, valpo, arizona, colorado, kansas, and virginia were 15 minutes away)
having a gay man hit on you at a bar
pickles

remembering though...
God is good, all the time, and all the time, God is good.
"if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it."
luke 9:23-24

golfers of the disc

2005-11-13T18:22:00.000-08:00

here's a good one of me and the guys going disc golfing at a course near cleveland. it was a fun day. lowest score of the day...71 (me) :) from left: brett iafigliola, joe, jeff, matt (upper), mike (lower), joe, grant (in the goofy hat)

anger management

2005-11-12T08:15:00.000-08:00

meet the adam sandler equivalent in childhood form, and you've suddenly met one of my fifth grade students.

this girl is one of the sweetest things, and she sure knows her scripture. however, there is also the dark side. she's the west park school anikon skywalker from star wars I. there's intelligence and ability to be great, but the balance is teetering towards the other side.

i might be exaggerating a bit, but here's a couple stories. first, i noticed this girl had a tendency to pout and distract the class. then, i started separating her from the students. finally, the top exploded off the bottle, and she attempted to push me down the stairs with a headbutt to the stomach!

life settled down for a spell, but this past week, the darkness returned. first, she threw a stack of books, all of which hit me. the following day, she proceeded to throw a chair across the room and let out a blood curdling scream of "Oh, God!!"

i'm not sure what to do with her, but i'm just going to keep on teaching. i suppose this just comes with the territory, but it would be nice to stop some of these temper tantrums. any suggestions?

lastly, no worries about me. teaching is excellent overall. i'm doing pretty well considering all the circumstances, and the kids are learning. keep on praying and sending out some love. it's all being received in open arms, and i hope to keep passing it on.

love,
grant

ps, please pray for charles and sharon brooks. they have been good friends and guides for me these past couple of years. however, while at a job interview in pennsylvania, charles caught pneumonia twice, and it is affecting his heart. he's had heart trouble for the last 20 years, and now it has left him on life support. they're stranded and weary, but prayer is powerful.

indoor soccer...not quite frisbee

2005-11-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

humbled.

that is what happened to me tonight. it was the first game of the indoor men's soccer league that i signed up for. clearly, i was the worst player out there. i realized a number of things: first, i'm out of shape; second, i still have bad foot skills; third, i'm way better at frisbee; and lastly, i'm definitely out of shape.

however, i'm going to stick it out, and i think that it is motivating me to try a little bit harder to manage my time to fit in more exercise and more sleep. also, i think it gives me a taste of what it feels like to be the inexperienced dude again. i might have quit the soccer league tonight if my random teammates were jerks or tore me down. conclusion: i hope that all new frisbee (or 'insert sport') players are treated with respect and highly encouraged to play no matter the skill level. it's about the fun and exercise!

ballin' it up

2005-11-09T10:09:00.000-08:00

not only am i a middle school teacher, but now i'm also the boys' basketball coach. it's going well so far, and my favorite part is the conditioning. if any of you have ideas for plays or drills for 5-8th graders, let me know. either post a comment or send them to grant.franke@valpo.edu or gfranke@westparkschool.org

in the words of jewish jared, "shalom."

my birthday crown

2005-11-07T09:52:00.000-08:00

here's the fabulous crown that the pre-school teacher gave me to wear today. i've worn it for all of my classes. it's been a wonderful day, and i am stinkin' blessed to have so many friends...scott, i better hear from you! :)

smiling faces

2005-11-07T09:43:00.000-08:00

this is one of my favorite pictures of just a handful of students. i really like to see them laughing and goofing off. more photos of students to come...

free time

2005-11-06T16:48:00.000-08:00

here's a picture after the big trip to niagara falls. we decided to stop by downtown cleveland and "hang out" on the free stamp. we also played some frisbee on the lawn around it. from left: laura, adam, kristin, and seth.

insulate

2005-11-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

one recommendation: never choose to insulate your house unless absolutely necessary. i did it this past weekend, and my lungs have seen better days. just think if i weren't wearing a mask!!

on a funny note: i was having a lil' glass of sangria last night. nearing the end of my glass, i happened to fall asleep while sitting and holding the glass in my hand (which was also up in the air). not surprisingly, i spilled it all over my face and shirt, which also happened to wake me up with quite the start. my roommate krishna was watching, and he had a long laugh.

advice: don't drink and insulate. it saves lives (and sangria).

bon weekend

2005-10-31T12:41:00.000-08:00

wow, what a weekend i had!

kristin huang, adam ortman, laura van't land, and seth nelson arrived on my front porch late friday night. the bull rush of screaming and rejoicing set off a crazy chain of events that has left me happily drained this monday.

my valpo vagabonds intended to come to cleveland for a switchfoot concert and see me on the side (seth). however, this simple road trip turned into an even more glorious adventure.

the winds of marco polo and leif erikson carried us far past the house of blues to the very doorstep or canada. it all started with getting kicked out of my house.

some of my readers may not know, but there are more than a few rifts between the males roommates and i. luckily, my school was totally sweet and gave me the keys to a house-like building that had plenty of couch space, a full kitchen, and bathrooms. while shootin' the breeze and playin' guitar at this church house, we decided to take a late night trip into downtown cleveland. once on the road though, our plans exponentially grew.

the next thing i knew was that we were at my school printing out directions for niagara falls! we left for the falls around 2am saturday and made it in plenty of time for the sunrise. we actually made it to canada, but we were soon deported because laura didn't have the proper identification. nevertheless, the falls from the u.s. side were pretty sweet.

before the sunrise, we relieved ourselves in the quality inn and pretended to be part of a cribbage tourny. afterwards, we decided to make our way to niagara and leave our mark in the water. a mysterious round disc with our pseudonyms scrawled on it somehow made its way into the very mouth of the bestial falls.

after much rejoicing, we explored goat island, the horseshoe falls, 2 denny's and a shady all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. we thankfully made it home, but not before we tapped bumpers with a camry and spotted mike juell driving 95 mph.

in brief, here's the rest of the weekend:

day of the dead festival
orange chai at an art exhibition
"free" stamp free-climbing
frisbee tossing on a downtown lawn
a reeveoliver, eisley, and switchfoot concert at the house of blues
omelets for eating and donuts for tossing

(thanks amigos for the absolutely crazy fun weekend...come again!)

it's me

2005-10-24T19:20:00.000-07:00

i figured i needed to post a picture of me sometime. this is what i like to call my "repaired face" picture in reference to my recovery after a bike accident.

movin' mountains

2005-10-23T18:10:00.000-07:00

this weekend i put myself aside and finally spent some time giving back to the community. i mean, i give of myself every day to my middle school students, but i usually keep my weekends self-servingly sacred.

i had a blast on saturday building with habitat for humanity. mr. brett iafigliola has been asking me to join him on a saturday since i came to cleveland, and i finally caved. i forgot how amazing and refreshing a day of building and serving the community is. basically, i spent the day moving dirt, painting walls, and shootin' the breeze with old men. i think this should be a regular thing, even though my sore back might say otherwise. ;)

also, this has been a phenomenal weekend of prayer. i've spent some choice time in the word and praying for various groups and people. i realized that i have been spending a lot of my prayer time just trying to know God, confessing, and praying for Him to give me strength each day at school. but this weekend has been for others, and it has been proven to be quite invigorating. (kind of like those zest commercials)

switchfoot countdown at the house of blues in cleveland: 6 days

freaky friday

2005-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

this week and the day were weird, but amen that it's friday!

after some recent events, i think that there is some truth to the effects of the full moon on people's behavior. however, it seemed to culminate to this day.

first, the kids were all nuts.
then, the pizza wasn't delivered for pizza lunch day.
not long after, three students were somehow locked inside the boys bathroom that aparently doesn't have a key to open the lock. (we ended up hammering out the whole door handle!)
and before the day was out, one student's bike was stolen from our courtyard.
finally, the bell rings, and i think it's all over.

nope.

one of the girls serving detention neglected to tell her parents that she would need a ride afterwards (she usually takes the bus), and i had to trek her across town. argh.

however, the day is now officially over, and i'm about to go home finally. yay! enjoy the weekend. i know that i will.

official switchfoot countdown: 8 days

crazed parents and raging thoughts

2005-10-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

some parents can be the teacher's best enforcement of learning and the most supportive of teachers' policies. i breathe deeply the aroma of their pleasant frangrance. and then there's the nasty, horrible mutant of a creature of whom i will refer to as mrs. oblivioustorealityandthestateofherchild.

mrs. oblivioustorealityandthestateofherchild has been a constant threat to the stability of west park school and of each teacher's general well-being.

the situation is this: her youngest child in fifth grade is an average student that frequent interrupts others while talking, gets out of her seat to seeminly dance, half-completes her homework, suffers from paranoia, and is a fabricator of lies.

this is the opinion of mrs. oblivioustorealityandthestateofherchild: she is an angel that is ever truthful, is the brightest student in her grade, and suffers from the negative environment she encounters at school. (and i paraphrase/quote) "your school is supposed to be a christian environment, but you lack the grace of Jesus and you foster an oppressive environment that is severely hurting the emotional well-being of my child."

i wanted to kick the [crap] out of that mom.

the west park staff has done more to support and help this child than nearly all the other children. the mother thinks that the gospel of Jesus isn't present. well i begin each period with scripture, prayer, and a brief discussion about life with Jesus. mrs. oblivioustorealityandthestateofherchild thinks students are belittling her angel. well, we've captured every note that passed through students' hands, and not one has ever even mentioned this child. she thinks her student is bright. well, i calculated her grades and showed her samples of work. ha sucker!!

that freakin' mom has been silenced since our parent-teacher conferance, and i have rejoiced in her much anticipated downfall.

and what is her humbled response?! today west park received a letter indicated that the 'chosen one' will be pulled from our school as of this friday and will be returning to home-schooling. HALLELUJAH!! i can freely breathe now that i won't be constantly defending myself from that punk of a lady.

i pray that her child won't turn into the typical home-schooled person that seems to be socially awkward and incapable of ever leaving home. i also pray that God will reign down His grace (for the sake of all sane and level-headed people) to prevent this child from ever becoming like her mother.

my current status: done venting and ready to relax.

mmm...

2005-10-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

i like coffee.

quoting my roommate katie, "i have to admit, i'm somewhat of a coffee snob."

enjoy coffee.
drink it responsibly.
and buy fair trade.

weekends and meetings and notes oh my

2005-10-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

***in response for a highly requested post, here it is***

this past weekend was a blast and a much needed break in the chaotic life of school. i basically showed up to valpo as a vagabond without even a place to stay. no real plans were made either, and i tried hard not to tell people i was arriving.

here is a list and description of the adventures that unraveled:

1. i arrived and received a prompt phone call from jon boggs who happened to be travelling with jared swift, megan nelson, and mike rosenwinkel. together, we made banjo music, admired ikea's creations, and reenacted instant replays from life.

2. that night i stayed in jared's place and awoke to a heaping pile of fruit pancakes and a great conversation with his mom gayle. she's also a teacher in the LEAPS program and we were able to swap stories and encourage one another.

3. later that day, i ran in a 5K race for valpo's homecoming (10th place, 19:39 minutes), and then i went on to play some ultimate alumni frisbee. in between that though, i was able to have lunch with the kristin huang at panera and caught up a good friendship.

4. when it was all done, i was rushed in a car to the dunes train station. inside the car was adam britt, mike hansen, jenny siebert, and megan nelson. megan invited me to her apartment in chicago to spend the night, talk, and then get up to watch the chicago marathon. before that night was over though, we had an amazing vietnamese experience in the "tank noodle" restaurant of little saigon, which had the most spontaneous and erratic servers.

5. and lastly, i was able to watch the chicago marathon. it was one of the most marvelous sights i've witnessed to this date. i stood on a brick wall between miles 7 and 8, and there was an 'endless' sea of bouncing heads spanning the four lane road. it's nearly impossible to imagine 35,000 people running at the same time, and it's well worth the sight next year. and my favorite part was when i actually found a few friends and ran with them in the race when i was standing between miles 16 and 17. wow, it was pretty stinkin' sweet.

well, that about ends my chicago story. i headed back in a big huang van with the valpo kids that ran the marathon and then made it back to valpo that night. however, there was a lot more that i wish i could have done. there were friends i wish i could've seen, and i wish there was more time. but, i used my time the best i could, and it was well worth it.

since this entry is fantastically long, i better hold the 'meetings' and 'notes' stories for later. goodnight.

homecoming

2005-10-07T11:02:00.000-07:00

i'm going to valpo soon!!

wish me well, and if you're in town, give me a phone call. 815.978.8553
my plans are to visit people, to play frisbee, and to watch (run?!) the chicago marathon.

peace and love and more updates later,
grant

headgear and a disc of two sorts

2005-10-03T20:22:00.000-07:00

i'm wearing my recently obtained (and first ever!) bike helmet while typing and doing school work. i can only imagine what this may look like as i type at my dining room table. just think though, i should be safe tomorrow while riding on a 25 mile trip down the ohio-erie canal path.

also, the first disc i speak of is a frisbee disc. i played again this past sunday, and it was a 'fantastic voyage' of a time. (reference to my roommates new vintage hip hop cd which includes a hit from coolio) the ground was slightly mushy, so it was great to dive and get really muddy!

the other disc is the new sigur rós cd that i bought. it's quite possibly one of the most interesting cd purchases i have made to this date. wish me well on all my new and regular ventures.

locusts and honey

2005-10-02T18:28:00.000-07:00

more of You and less of me...

(He must become greater; i must become less. -john 3:30)

teacher boost

2005-09-28T16:04:00.000-07:00

today i received some unexpected affirmation from my children. students seem to most often send out encouragement when it's least expected. and when it does come, i had to sit back and simply soak it in. then, i was totally anxious to share it with the first teacher that crossed my path. (maybe out of joy, maybe out of pride, maybe both...)

the whole thing started when a student brought up a comment about her progress report. i wrote, "you need to pay more attention during lectures." (this much is very true!) anywho, we started talking about my lectures and the way i run class. after some student-student debate, they basically came to these solutions (in this order): my class is tough, i don't cut them any breaks, i draw them into the material through lecture and discussion, they are learning, and that i shouldn't change.

amazing. i couldn't have asked for any better confirmation from anyone else. my students made my day, and i think i captured one of those rare moments when students honestly tell you how class is going and, in so many words, thank you.

some days the world is upside down

2005-09-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

please pray for my family and i.
we're going through some rather rough times.

more specifically, my dad's hand and arm need healing.
my brother's heart needs mending.
and my house could use a bit more than a coat of paint.
my mom could use some help and a vacation from caregiving.
i could use some cash and time off to visit my family.

these sound vague, but this online blog just can't capture the words and feelings.
thank you for your prayers.

CNN frisbee

2005-09-21T17:51:00.000-07:00

according to one of our media giants,

"ultimate frisbee is no walk in the park. it's a fast, furious and fiercely competitive sport!"

awesome.

happy is a yuppie word

2005-09-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

"i'm looking for a bridge i can't burn down
i don't believe the emptiness
i'm looking for the kingdom coming down"

-switchfoot

procrastinatin'

2005-09-18T23:52:00.000-07:00

there's nothing like procrastinating on a late sunday night when you should actually be in bed sleeping!

it was a great weekend though - full of fun, shopping for teacher clothes, mucho grading, and good exercise. the best part was playing frisbee today and feeling completely excellent. however, i did miss out on the kick butt bears game and a football party for the browns. (crazy clevelanders)

oh well, next time i'll just have to organize my time better. for now, wish me luck tomorrow when my leaps administrators are visiting. i've spent some extra time trying to prepare lesson plans and such. yikes!

TGIF

2005-09-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

thank God it's friday! i think this week just needed to end, and i needed some time to recooperate and figure some things out.

thanks for those of you who have been praying for me and my students and family. please know that i'm doing a bit better the last couple of days.

also, we found a home for my puppy, who will not be put to sleep. one of my fellow teachers is going to take the dog and take good care of him. maybe we can even still visit every now and then?!

rollercoasters

2005-09-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

ya know, one day or week and everything's rollin' along. life's not a problem (generally speaking), and the attitude is enthusiastic about life, and...

BAM!!!

darn walls. you can hit a bad day quicker than flapjacks can cook over white hot coals. and it's like you didn't even know it was coming. no time to prepare. no time to board up the home or to even let the dog out for a pee. just a raw deal smothering itself across the four corners of life.

it was a long day. test taking, after school care, 'lectures' from the principal, my dog broke his leg, animal hospital bills, bad internet connection, insensitive and blood-sucking roommates, and no time to get my lectures and slide shows ready for school/grandparent's day. (yes, i know the official day was this past sunday, and i did call my grandma.)

but thanks be to God for His love, the ability to cry, the warm touch of a hand, and some unexpected smiles, and finally a flicker of encouragement from my principal. and now if only i could get a good night's sleep, life would be much better.

i need your prayers. and i need Jesus most of all. peace.

ps, my family could also use some prayers as a terribly bad storm did some major damage to our home in rockford, IL.

tests

2005-09-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

my students are all taking their first social studies tests!
send up a prayer for them. :)

complicated

2005-09-11T11:47:00.000-07:00

how wonderful life would be if school meant i only had to teach?!

on a different note

2005-09-09T22:07:00.000-07:00

i just returned to my pad in cleveland and was able to review my last blog post. it was rather depressing, but still honest.

however, these last four days proven the perfect medicine for a frustrated heart.

i spent this week in the cuyahoga national park with all of my middle school students. there's this totally sweet education center in the park that partners with schools to provide outdoor education for young students. together, we spent time hiking through meadows and forests, exploring riverbeds, investigating ponds, and learning how to build an environmentally sound building that helps to preserve and protect the land.

we even went so far as to practice eliminating food waste during meal times by sharing food, and setting goals. what i mean by this is that we weighed the amount of waste/leftovers and tried to minimize it. by the end of the week, our goal was to have zero food and liquid waste. the students and staff almost reached it by only having 1/2 pound of food and 1/4 pound of liquid waste. not bad!

other high notes include major bonding with the students. only in a setting like camp could a teacher like myself be able to show his true colors. the students saw me in real clothes, heard me talk about many things besides school stuff, witnessed that i can kick butt in sports, and i could be weird by eating random things like apple cores, tofu, and orange peels. :)

however, there were some tough moments at camp. there was no free time to refocus and simply breathe. also, there were a number of kids that either were homesick, refused to eat anything, were always freaked out by nature, were bullies to other students, or just plain acted in defiance towards me. but each incident was handled one at a time and we all made it out alive and better in the end.

overall: a very good week, and i'm in quite the good mood.

housing woes

2005-09-05T20:01:00.000-07:00

sometimes living in a house with people that have very different personalities just plain sucks.

it's been a lonely day, and i've been wanting to be around some familiar faces. however, i guess i just have to take a deep breath and deal with it. i'll get through it, but it's never fun to go through.

wish me luck and blessings.

bikin' again

2005-09-04T10:29:00.000-07:00

oh yes, i've been trailblazin' again!

for all those concerned since my bike accident that happened less than two weeks ago, please know that i am nearly healed. there will be little scarring on my face (if any), and i have full range of mobility again in all my limbs and fingers. :)

something i may not have told you is that my bike ate the pavement just as bad as i did. i was basically left with a bent frame, wobbly tires, and a wheel that exploded a few days later.

yet the Lord is amazing! i am healing, and a guy from church recently gave his bike to me. he said that he ran his last race a couple weekends ago and is getting too old to keep going. how ironic is it that one's man demise can be another man's rising from the ashes?!

thanks for your prayers, and thanks be to God that i can ride again as well as run, play frisbee, and live an active life!!

love

2005-08-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

love.

love those who love you.
love those that hate you.
and love all those who are in the middle
they usually fall between the cracks
they seldom affect you enough to even think about impacting their lives

the point: intentionally love.

"this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters...let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth"

(1 john 3:16,18)

una hamoca

2005-08-28T20:48:00.000-07:00

today i put up a hammock on my front porch.
i bought it while in mexico.
it's cozy.

simon cunningham showed up today. he's leaving friday for nairobi, kenya.

bike-cicleta accidente muscularis

2005-08-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

yesterday i was in a freakish bike accident...with myself.

after biking about 22 miles, seeing the sunset over lake erie, and chilling at caribou coffee, i encounted something far worse than being struck by lightning - falling off my bike at 20 mi/hr.

i now have 19 open wounds on my body including achy muscles and a mildly sprained wrist. i suppose though that it could have been worse.

for those worrying, my face will eventually not be deformed, and i'm still able to teach. please pray for healing and less stupidity while biking. also pray for all the people who drove past me, saw my mutilated and bloody form, and did not stop to help or even ask if i were alright.

i love you all, and may God's peace be with you.

that darned ring

2005-08-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

i played some ultimate frisbee this past sunday within the cleveland metro park system (aka, the emerald necklace). after a couple games, a middle-aged woman started calling us over to the creek. she was nearly hysterical. why? she lost her diamond wedding ring in the murky, nasty creek while fiddling with it.

everyone is reluctant to go in, but one man, brett iafigliola to be exact, reminds me that i'm the craziest person he knows. therefore, i should get in and search the depths.

without much reluctance, i realize he's right, and i take off my shoes. while getting into the creek, i'm praying i don't step on some random needle and get a disease. not to mention, i have some open wounds on my heals. (i can feel my mother/nurse cringing at the thought.)

the good part: i found the ring in under 30 seconds without getting punctured! call it luck. call it a miracle. either way, the lady was happy, and i was glad to help and get out of there.

another great day of frisbee and good deeds. you never know where the disc will lead you.

first day of school

2005-08-22T19:00:00.000-07:00

it's 7:15am, and i'm sitting at my desk preparing some last minute items. i'm the only one in the building. after feeding my fish, arranging the desks, opening windows, and downing some coffee, i realize that no one ever arranged the cafeteria tables!

i rush down to the cafeteria, and begin to frantically set up. i finally finish at 7:35, only 10 minutes before the school was to open, and i'm sweating profusely. strangely enough, only one other person entered the building in that time - my roommate krishna.

at 7:50, we're still the only ones around, and the first parents begin to show up. where are all the teachers!! we're 4 people and a secretary short!

turns out that there was an opening ceremony at the other school building (2 miles away), and it didn't start until 9am. dang it! i wish someone would have informed krishna and i!

we take our time getting there, and upon arrival, there are more surprises. i find out i'm supposed to get my feet washed by the pastor. our school theme is "we do feet," and it's based on john 13:14-15 (Jesus' footwashing at the last supper).

anywho, i made it through the day. i was a wee bit nervous early on, but confindence found its way to my brain and heart. the kids are great; even the ones with sass.

i'm about ready for tomorrow. wish me luck for another good day!

comments

2005-08-21T11:57:00.000-07:00

i would like to at least see my first comment on my blog.

any takers?

landlords

2005-08-20T22:42:00.000-07:00

what do you do when you have a major problem with your landlord?

your house is still damaged, molding, and in disarray.
you send the landlord a list.
you show him the problems.
and he ignores it.

what next?

you're christian, agreed to live simply, yet fed up with substandard housing. well, i'll tell you something. this guy is going to have something coming to him soon. wish me and my roommates luck as we tackle the texan pastor while trying to maintain good terms for the next two years.

parent orientation

2005-08-19T22:04:00.000-07:00

earlier tonight i had parent orientation at my school (west park lutheran). it started a little shaky, but after getting over my initial nervousness, it was phenomenal!

my classroom is ready and colorful, yet organized.
i have technology.
and tomorrow my big decision is to choose which fish i want to put in my fishtank.

i'm excited about the first day of school, which is this coming monday (aug. 22), and tonight's parent orientation was a good indicator of how i hope the year will go.

wish me luck and continue to pray for my teaching ministry with children. they are wonderful and need lots of love.

btw, i need some quick healing for my heels. there are some major blisters and sores that formed after frisbee this last sunday. never again should i play with cletes without socks!

returning to cuyahoga county

2005-08-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

just made a quick trip back to rock-ford, land of the rockfordians and all other cycloptic creatures.

it was exhausting, but very much worth seeing the fam and meeting up with mr. garret of roscoe, land of the northern illinois redneck brigade. roscoe, btw, is also home to the movie car musuem (such as the batmobile) as well as home to jessica's restaurant.

since i left, it doesn't look like much has improved in our cleveland house. though, katie did rock out in painting her basement room! in order to make a dent in the amount of work to be done (as well as fulfill a previous appointment), i met up with mr. brett iafigliola who accompanied me in putting up new bathroom drywall and spackling the holes and rough areas. it was a good night indeed.

2005-08-07T23:27:00.000-07:00

sad.

world view community church

2005-08-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

i went to world view today on recommendation from a new cleveland acquaintence.
it was your run-of-the-mill big, modern, power point, young worship band, middle aged preacher trying to be hip, upper class attendance kind of church.

it's funny how you are treated as a newcomer.
i was met with surprise, a new instrumental cd, and a large man saying, "i'll make some time for you later this week so we can get starbucks."
me, "oh, ok, sure, but i don't know what my schedule will be like. i'll get back to you sometime later."

just didn't feel like part of the community.
i don't like to conform to churches like that.
and starbucks is definitely a no go.

oh, well. my search for a church will continue, although i know that i won't ever find a church without a few problems.

peace and a good sabbath to you.

cleveland rocks!

2005-08-04T13:37:00.000-07:00

yo!

i'm in cleveland, and i finally have some internet access.
the deal:

house was a pit and filled with stuff/crap from ages ago.
i think we're up to approximately 90 hours of house cleaning labor between katie bolling, krishna ramjattan, and i. (katie krishna and gerardo are my roomies.)

worst house spots:
layer of mold covering EVERYTHING!
kaite found mushrooms growing on her bathroom floor today
the garage/shanty is about to fall over
i have to redrywall the bathroom
i think our yard was previously used as a dumping grounds

bright spots of the house:
huge front porch that will have a hammock on it
my own bedroom
ginormous, old oak trees lining my street

cleveland's treasures:
the emerald necklace - metro park system that surrounds the city
extensive theater/arts district
fun downtown square and lakefront
simply being in the thick of a city

the dog is doing quite well, and is helping us make neighbor friends.
oh, the neighbors are friendly so far and want to help with our house.

anywho, tis all.
come visit.
and keep praying for me, my roomies, cleveland, and the school system.

peace,
grant

nearly free

2005-07-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

i only have one last essay to write before i'll have finished my first summer of classes for the LEAPS program!!

the first things i'm doing when i'm done:

1. having a beer with the group tonight
2. waiting until tomorrow to do the rest
3. spending some quality time with God and my puppy
4. going running to the morning sunshine
5. playing a round of frisbee golf

currently, i have a little petty going in the background to keep me zoned in on the mood i should be having.

ahhh, life's good.

family reunion and vacation

2005-07-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

i love door county!

i just spent the past four days living it up with my family and extended relatives in the beautiful land of wisconsin. i have actually gone to door county, wi for the last 21 of 22 years! woo wee!!

it's such a blessing to have family to share with and relatives that get along. they (and our vacation spot) have a permanent spot in my heart, and i hope to take a road trip there with someone willing (and when there's time).

everybody limbo!

2005-07-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

one of the most frustrating times in life is when you're hanging in the balance. it's that in-between time, otherwise known as the limbo - sadly, i'm not talking about party time and roller skates limbo.

more than anything i want to jump up and get moving with life. but right now, i need every ounce of patience stored up in my soul to be still and let life happen for a small period of time.

i'm speaking vaguely right now because i simply don't know. that's just it - i'm in limbo. please pray that i can let go of my perception of time and just spend it with God, reminding myself of His presence. it seems that focusing on Him is a good way to help the time pass. He is my Rock and my Foundation.