Summer Renovations at Lithia Springs High School: The Case of the Missing Cafetorium

The following pictures were taken between June 29 and July 2, 2012. The first picture was taken in the cafeteria in front of the bathrooms facing the new auditorium entrance. Notice the new wall to the left separating the cafeteria from the auditorium.

The next picture gives a better look at the new wall.

The third picture was taken from right inside the new auditorium entrance looking down toward the stage.

This is the view across the auditorium.

This is the view our student performers will have from center stage.

This might be a familiar view for Mrs. Winnette, Mrs. Vinsant, Coach Parker, Dr. Waller, and Mr. Freeman. This is where we usually stand when we are supervising the halls either before school or between classes.

This picture displays the new look for our old elevator near the media center.

The rest of the pictures show the new wall around our media center.

New Teachers! Abridged Reflections and Whatever Else.

It has been a year since I have posted anything on here. There are several reasons for that. The biggest reason for the lack of posting is the post-doctoral depression. Note I wrote depression. I, in now way, experienced withdrawals...more on that later. At any rate, I just sent the Lithia Springs High School master schedule, room assignments, and school maps to our new hires. I cannot help but wonder if they open the attachments with excitement. It is exciting for me to end them, some of whom I have met and even interviewed. Some of the topics I would like to explore in the future via this blawg:

My true feelings about earning a doctorate and LMU
The new renovations taking place at Lithia Springs
Being a dad to my babies
College football
The Olympics
Big Brother
What I'm reading
Music

Goodwin’s Team of Rivals via a “Senge-ian” Lens: A Reflection

Before a successful attempt to reflect on Senge’s and Goodwin’s book in relation to the topic of organizational learning can be accomplished, I must indulge myself a couple of things in hopes my dissatisfaction will not hang over and color each word I write. To be honest, this may be one of the most painful writing assignments I have ever endured. Senge’s book does not attract me in any way as I begin to write this paper. In contrast to Gardner’s Leading Minds, Northouse’s Leadership, Myers’s Gifts Differing, Shafritz’s, Classics…, Senge does not leave me wishing I had more time to spend understanding the material and internalizing the concepts. I simply do not get it, and I have no intrinsic desire to get it. There are several points with which I have experienced considerably difficulty: vocabulary, structure, and style. If it were Senge’s desire was to keep his audience at arm’s length, he succeeded by his unnecessary use of jargon and created phrases such as “technologies.” His stringing together of words and phrases, which almost undermine each other, is evident in his explanation of disabilities and the "delusion" of learning from experience. He writes, “Traditionally, organizations attempt to surmount the difficulty of coping with the breadth of impact from decisions by breaking themselves into components” (Senge, 2006, p. 24). This passage reminds me of the kindergarten song about the hole in the bottom of the sea. His Poe-esque style shows when he condescends with his explanation of the words “mastery” and “discipline.” Basically, this text was difficult for me to read, and I really do not have a good explanation. I understand Senge’s scholarly position. I am just frustrated that valuable material is hidden behind elevated speech and style unnecessarily.

When reflecting on Senge’s Organizational Theory in regards to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals his component technologies may become apparent. This case study’s intent will review Lincoln’s decisions as outlined by Goodwin and Dr. Hubbard through the writings of Senge. The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization is a book by Peter Senge that focuses on group problem solving using the systems thinking method in order to convert companies into learning organizations. The five disciplines represent approaches (theories and methods) for developing three core learning capabilities: fostering aspiration, developing reflective conversation, and understanding complexity (The Fifth Discipline, 2010). The question becomes whether or not Lincoln was able to convert his cabinet into a true learning organization.

Lincoln was unaware of leadership theory, organization theory, and the idea of learning organizations since they had not been discovered, researched, and/or written about. This fact makes it even more amazing that he was able to accomplish much of what he did almost as if he had an executive leadership handbook in his possession. Much has been written about Lincoln’s approach with his generals (Borritt, 1994; Davis, 1999; Donald, 1995; Gienapp, 2002; Leidner, 2002; Markley, 2006; Phillips, 1992; Williams, 2002; Williams, Pederson, & Marsala, 1994) and although Senge’s ideas could be applied to Lincoln regarding the military and the American public, I will take a purposive approach rather than an exhaustive one and limit this discussion to his cabinet due to the nature of Goodwin’s book to answer the question. Smith states that for Senge the dimension that distinguishes learning from more traditional organizations is the mastery of certain basic disciplines or “component technologies” (2001). The five components (Systems thinking, Personal mastery, Mental models, Building shared vision, and Team learning) that Peter Senge identifies are said to be “converging to innovate learning organizations” (2006, p. 6). I will look at each of these components as I discuss Lincoln’s decisions concerning the make-up of his cabinet.

Hubbard (2010) and Goodwin (2005) agree that Lincoln carefully selected his cabinet and both seem to support his choices during the creation of his cabinet. There are some differences in their opinions, but they seem to hang on the semantics of the word friend. It seems to be more important to Goodwin that Lincoln and his cabinet members were true friends while Hubbard maintains that Lincoln guarded himself to the point that he kept himself from really have what would be called a friend by today’s standards. It is true that because of his choices he was able to accomplish more than he could have by himself or otherwise, and he was also able to elevate the work and accomplishments of those in his cabinet. According to Hubbard’s speech (2010) Lincoln had several strong supporters who lobbied the delegates at the nominating convention, and their goal was for Lincoln to make no enemies and be everyone’s second choice. He needed to placate people from different regions and people who had different politics. He made sure to have appointees from as many states as possible: Burlingame, a Republican with free soil and know-nothing roots, from Massachusetts via Michigan and Ohio; Clay, a passionate abolitionist/Republican, and Speed, a Republican/former-Whig, from Kentucky; Wells, a democrat from Maine; Seward (Republican) from New York; Chase (Republican) from Ohio; Cameron, a Republican/peoples-party member, from Pennsylvania; and Bates, a sort-of-Republican, in that he never officially became a Republican (Goodwin, 2005, p. 26), with Whig roots, from Missouri via Maryland and Virginia. For this paper, I intend on focusing on Seward, Chase, Bates, and Stanton, even though Stanton was not one of his original appointees.

According to Goodwin (2005), Seward, a senator for decades and governor for two terms, was the “favorite” candidate for the 1860 nomination not Lincoln. Seward needed a first-ballot victory at the 1860 Chicago convention. But, Seward had some problems. He had enemies. Seward made the statement “call upon the ‘higher law’ not the Constitution” referring to God, which stamped Seward as a radical in the western states and ended up giving Lincoln the advantage when the election of 1860 came. He had met Lincoln twelve years earlier where he ironically encouraged Lincoln to clarify and intensify his moderate position on slavery. Besides being involved in public service, Goodwin (2005) points out other qualities: admirable, political courage, unquestionable integrity, impressive intelligence, good nature, genial deposition, kind, lenient, frank, reliable, patriotic, leader of anti-slavery. She still acknowledges some weaknesses: he had enemies in other states and in his home state of NY, assumed he would be nominated, prepared resignation for Senate before ballot announcement, negative, flamboyant, enjoyed celebrity, shifting ground to strengthen his own ambition, radical, opportunistic, and jealous.
His strategy was to win the nomination on 1st ballot.

With regards to Chase’s political strengths, Goodwin (2005) points out that he was the Ohio Senator and Governor; he helped with the formation of the national Republican Party, he dressed meticulously; he had daily scripture readings with family; he was punctual; he was a massive contributor to formation of Republican Party; and he argued antislavery principles in Biblical terms. It also important to note that he, having never met Lincoln, campaigned for Lincoln and the Republican Party in Illinois in 1858. Some of his weaknesses were that he was more radical than Seward, and he suffered from presidential fever; he believed he owed it to the country and the country owed it to him, and it was evident in his lack of a campaign. His strategy was simple: To prevent Seward from getting nominated on 1st ballot.

Bates also had several political strengths according to Goodwin (2005). He was an elder statesman, a delegate to the convention, and he formed the Missouri Constitution. He was a congressman whose opinion on national matters were widely sought. He also served as judge of St. Louis land court. He valued family and declined offers to run for public government offices. Bates was a former slaveholder who emancipated his slaves while opposing both radical abolition in the North and proslavery in the South. He acknowledges that he never joined the Republican Party officially. He believed that slavery must be restricted to the states where it already existed and that is was necessary to prevent the expansion of slavery. Goodwin (2005) describes him as a peacemaker. He and Lincoln met briefly when Lincoln sat in the audience as Bates delivered a mesmerizing speech to the River/Harbor Convention. Some of his weaknesses are that was reluctant to allow his name to be entered for nomination because he felt he stood in second place. His strategy was to return the nation to peace, progress and prosperity.

Next, it is important to discuss Senge’s five component technologies (Systems thinking, Personal mastery, Mental models, Building shared vision, and Team learning) as it pertains to Lincoln’s cabinet.

Systems thinking is the fifth discipline. It is, according to Senge (2006), where all four of the other components converge. It is a conceptual framework, a body of knowledge and tools that has been developed over the past fifty years, to make the full patterns clear, and to help us see how to change them effectively. There is the on-going debate of whether or not Lincoln acted deliberately to dictate outcomes, or if he just reacts successfully to events. There are several examples. Did he force the first shot at Sumter or was it just “dumb-luck?” Was the issuing of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation deliberate or happenstance? Was his selection of generals arbitrary, and most importantly, were the selections for his cabinet well-crafted or merely coincidental. If one were to look at each of the events during Lincoln’s tenure in isolation, one might be able to say that these events being successful were coincidental, but when one looks at the bigger picture, as Senge would have his audience do, the most logical response is that he had an uncanny ability to predict all of the possible outcomes. It is almost as if he dictated the outcomes. Lincoln used his habit of reflection, his ability to mold the perception of his contemporaries, his gift for efficiently incorporating the story of others into his own vision, and his affinity for synergy to create an evolving learning organization (albeit a work in progress) within his cabinet. These were Lincoln’s “component technologies.” Lincoln had refined and practically applied Senge’s organizational learning theories one hundred and thirty years before Senge first published them.

The first of the four converging components is Personal mastery which is the discipline of continually clarifying and deepening our personal vision, of focusing our energies, of developing patience, and of seeing reality objectively. According to Senge (2006) this is an essential cornerstone of organizational learning. Lincoln believed firmly in the art of reflection. There is ample evidence of the importance President Lincoln put on the habit of reflection (Lincoln, 1953). A simple search shows more than fifty references from Lincoln himself to reflection. He even refers to Douglas’s affinity for becoming wiser in his “House-divided Speech in 1858 by offering a critique. Senge believes that people with a high level of personal mastery are able to consistently realize the results that matter most deeply to them. (Senge, 2006, p. 7).

An organization's commitment to learning and capacity for learning can be no greater than that of its members. Lincoln began with himself and created an expectation for others by holding them accountable to their actions and words.
Mental Models are deeply ingrained assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures or images that influence how people understand the world and how they take action. One can only assume what Lincoln’s cabinet members viewed symbolically, but it is safe to say Lincoln was able to help mold their perceptions via his communication skills. He was able to identify those common threads from among much diversity by identifying and accentuating the positive that each had to offer. A perfect example is how he handled Seward early in his presidency. According to Phillips (1994), Seward thought he would be able to lead the country and even select the remainder of Lincoln’s cabinet, but Lincoln firmly handled the situation by gaining Seward’s trust. He did the same thing with Stanton upon the death of Stanton’s child (Hubbard, 2010). Both men honored Lincoln with their words. Seward, in a letter to his wife, indicated that Lincoln is “the best of us” (Thomas, 1952, p. 269). And, Stanton is the one who is credited with saying, “Now, he belongs to the ages” which is the epitome of the mental model.

Perhaps Lincoln’s strongest gift was his ability to reaffirm the vision he shared with cabinet members. Building Shared Vision, according to Senge (2006) is the capacity to hold a shared picture of the future we seek to create. People excel and learn, not because they are told to, but because they want to. Senge likens the phenomenon to sexual desire. Several sources discuss Lincoln’s ability to share the vision. Phillips (1994, p.165) points out that Lincoln preached the vision throughout the four years of his administration. He made sure that is was clear and concise. Lincoln shared this vision through speeches, letters, and conversations. This practice of shared vision involves the skills of unearthing shared “pictures of the future” that foster genuine commitment and enrollment rather than compliance. Lincoln is reported to spend hours at the home of Seward, at the offices of the War Department with Stanton (Goodwin, 2005).

Team Learning is another of Lincoln’s best attributes. Hubbard (2010) points out that they, Lincoln and his cabinet, accomplished more together than they could have ever accomplished individually. Senge (2006) tells us that when teams are truly learning, not only are they producing extraordinary results, but the individual members are growing more rapidly than could have occurred otherwise. The discipline of team learning starts with “dialogue.” The capacity of members of a team to suspend assumptions and enter into genuine “thinking together.”

Lincoln definitely encountered learning disabilities or roadblocks. He was able to turn most of them into advantages through careful analysis and pragmatic decision making. With Seward he battled the “I am my own position.” It is when people focus only on their position within the organization and have little sense of responsibility for the results produced. He confronted the roadblock Senge calls “The enemy is out there” by taking responsibility and allowing the blame placers to confront each other. An example can be seen in 1863 when Lincoln allows Chase to outed. There syndrome is when we focus only on our position; we do not see how our own actions extend beyond the boundary of that position. Lincoln tackles“The illusion of taking charge” by appointing Stanton and learning about strategy. “The parable of the boiled frog” is handled classically in Lincoln’s dealing with his cabinet and the respective releases of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and the actual one. Lincoln is also careful to not be the boiled frog. This is illustrated when he accepts the resignation letters of both Seward and Chase, but does not act on them right away. He calls them pumpkins in each saddle bag (Hubbard, 2010). This roadblock is in relation to the maladaptation of organizations, according to Senge to recognize gradually building threats to survival; just as the frog placed in a pot of water brought to boiling temperature will not attempt to jump out of the pot but adjusts to the temperature and slowly dies (2005).

Lincoln’strategies were successful. His main strategies were to balance his cabinet, both politically and geographically, and to give as much, information, pressure, etcetera, as could be handled by his cabinet members and the American public. He embraced, without knowing it, Senge’s strategy of “Starting Where You Are with Whoever Is There.” He also was able to “build learning communities” before it was popular. He was able to build relationships and have “Conversations with Heart and Meaning.” It can be argued that Lincoln was the father of the small learning community that is a popular trend in public schools. Another successful strategy that Lincoln employed was “Working with the Other - Building Bridges to Traditional Nonpartners.”

Finally, Lincoln’s choices were deliberate and fit well within Senge’s theories. His choices and methods also fit within several concepts encountered within the EdD program. He recognizes his story, the embedded stories, and by incorporating those into his own he is successful (Gardner, 1995). He is able to use efficiently Bolman and Deals frames of organizational theory especially the symbolic frame. He knew his own strengths and weaknesses and chose people to complement him. Goodwin (2005) points out the following:

“He has called around him in counsel,” the [Charleston, South Carolina]Mercury marveled, “the ablest and most earnest men of his country. Where he has lacked individual ability, experience or statesmanship, he has sought it, and found it.… Force, energy, brains, earnestness, he has collected around him in every department.”

Lincoln did not mind being challenged. His legacy and place in history was important to him. He wanted to make sure that he put the best people in the best position. Again, Goodwin (2005, p. 318) shows that his confidence allowed him to take such risks:
Lincoln’s “first decision was one of great courage and self-reliance.” Each of his rivals was “sure to feel that the wrong man had been nominated.” A less confident man might have surrounded himself with personal supporters who would never question his authority. Pp. 318 319

The thing that Lincoln adds to modern leadership theory is his sixth sense. His ability to forecast the outcome of events. He did so without tea leaves or crystal balls. He did so with powerful analytical skills and a didactic nature that almost seemed to allow him to repel mistakes. He was able to turn them into positive outcomes. Goodwin (2005, p. 104) aggrees when she says“His crowning gift of political diagnosis was due to his sympathy … which gave him the power to forecast with uncanny accuracy what his opponents were likely to do.”
A great deal of growth has occurred since I began to complete this assignment. I am deliberately leaving the introduction the way it is. I have a better appreciation of Senge’s work and now sincerely feel as though the ideas he presents are worth internalizing. I have even noticed the Phillips’s book; specifically the last chapter about preaching a (shared) vision draws from or at least has been indirectly influenced by Senge .

References

Borritt, G. S. (Ed.). (1994). Lincoln’s Generals. New York: Oxford University Press.
Davis, W. C. (1999). Lincoln’s men: How President Lincoln became father to an army and a nation. New York: The Free Press.
Donald, D. H. (1995). Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
The Fifth Discipline. (2010, May 25). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 15:26, July 6, 2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Fifth_Discipline&oldid=364099659
Gardner, H. (1995). Leading minds: An anatomy of leadership. New York: Basic Books
Gienapp, W.E. (2002). Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: A biography. New York: Oxford University Press.
Goodwin, D. K. (2005). Team of rivals: The political genius of Abraham Lincoln. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
Hubbard, C. M. (2010, June). Lincoln and the selection of his cabinet. Speech presented in organizational development class for Lincoln Memorial University's EdD in executive leadership, Harrogate, TN.
Leidner, G. (2002, Fall). Lincoln as a transformation leader. The Lincoln Herald, 104 (3), 97 – 118.
Lincoln, A. (1953). The collected works of Abraham Lincoln (R.P. Basler, Ed.). (Vols. 1-8). New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Retrieved from http://quod.lib.umich.edu/l/lincoln/
Manzke, T. (2008). Listening and responding through storytelling: How Abraham Lincoln used short stories during his presidency. (Ph.D. dissertation, Cardinal Stritch University, United States – Wisconsin). Retrieved July 18, 2009, from Dissertations & Theses: Full Text.(Publication No. AAT 3343538).
Markley, D. L. (2006) Contemporary leadership theory applied to Lincoln’s relationship with select Union generals. The Lincoln Herald, 108 (3), 104-118.
Phillips, D. T. (1992). Lincoln on leadership: Executive strategies for tough times. New York: Warner Books.
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. New York: Doubleday.
Smith, M. K. (2001). Peter Senge and the learning organization. The encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/senge.htm
Thomas, B. P. (1952). Abraham Lincoln. New York: Knopf.
Williams, F. J. (2002). Judging Lincoln. Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois University Press.
Williams, F. J., Pederson, W. D., & Marsala, V. J. (Eds.). (1994). Abraham Lincoln: Sources and style of leadership. NewYork: Greenwood Publishing.

A Pretty Good Day

There is nothing like spending time with my girls. Sometimes I miscalculate the good time though. Today's miscalculation involved storytelling at the Wren's Nest, the home of Joel Chandler Harris. He is the author of the children's book about Br'er Rabbit. We thought the little girls would love the storytelling, but the highlight of their day was the Frosted Orange at the Varsity. The house is beautiful and interesting.












We got there just in time for Mrs. Nannie and then the storyteller. We (Anna, Chesni, and I) enjoyed it, but the little girls were ready to go precisely when we arrived. The biography of the author is more interesting than the stories.

It is kind of sad that the significance of Harris' work, especially during the latter half of the 20th century has been denigrated due to controversies surrounding his southern plantation themes, narrative structure, collection of African-American folklore, use of dialect, and Uncle Remus character. I do not believe the Disney movies are even released in the United States. The argument is that some scholars are skeptical of the validity of the stories collected by a white man, citing the difficulty that many white folklorists had in persuading African-Americans to divulge their folklore. Other critical scholars cite Uncle Remus as a problematic and contradictory figure: sometimes a mouthpiece for white paternalism, sometimes a stereotype of the black entertainer, and sometimes poetically subversive. Apparently he stuttered, was shy, and was consumed by his own illegitimacy. He felt most comfortable around slaves who did not judge his speech, red hair, or his lack of money. So, according to the tour guide, Miss Nannie, he spent much of his time with them where he listened to their stories and eventually recorded them. I do not think the man harbored any malice.



Before getting lost we made it the Varsity...Man, their fried peach pies are something else.

I got to hang out with Anna and the girls...Still waiting for Leejay to get home.

6/25/10 – Friday day 13

I will not be posting tomorrow 6/25/10 – Friday day 13.

The schedule is as follows:

08:00-09:00 Pack-up and turn in keys
09:00-10:00 Field based portfolios
10:00-11:00 Research/Wrap-up
11:00-11:30 pictures
11:30-12:15 Group meeting
12:15-01:00 lunch (optional)

I hope you all have a good time, and I hope this blog has help you get ready some.

I am sure you all will knock it out of the park.

Here is a better website for the Dr. Brown's discussion from yesterday.

http://www.learnerassociates.net/dissthes/

Don't do it. - 6/24/10 – Thursday day 12

One more day

Dont do presentations without representation. If asked to share a few minutes, of one's dissertation to the big dogs, simply pass.

On a not-so-serious note, the entire event reminds me of when Jeff Spicoli ordered the pizza in Mr. Hand’s class.












[Spicoli has had a pizza delivered to class]
Mr. Hand: Am I hallucinating here? Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?
Jeff Spicoli: Learning about Cuba, and having some food.























EDL 822 (Ind. & Org. Dev.) – Dr. Hubbard spoke on Lincoln for the Case Study.

New Word – none for the day
New Idea – none for the day


EDL 831 (Doc. Seminar II) – Talked about Chapters 4 and 5 of the dissertations. Dr. Brown says that Chapter 5 is the part of our dissertations that people will read first.

Here is from where much of the content came: http://psych.hanover.edu/classes/PSY220/ResultDisc.htm

Brownism – None for the day


Lunch Sammiches...The Melungeons were on campus today.

EDL 823 (Ch. & Ent.) – Poster Presentations.

PLP/Field Study – Dr. Norris went over the Portfolio with us and discussed the portfolio defense

Research Groups – We got to work with Methodologist individually and Dr. Brown went over Writing and Presenting your Dissertation. See http://www.facebook.com/pages/Writing-and-Presenting-Your-Thesis-or-Dissertation/112349848788439

Evening – Beer for my horses.

If you got something to say to me, say it to my face! - My Obligation to Subtitle. 6/23/10 – Wednesday day 11

That is one of my least favorite expressions in the world. It makes me laugh. I am not sure I want people to always say things to my face because, then, I feel obligated to say something back about my grandaddy being older than someone else's grandaddy. I also do not know why I feel obligated to use subtitles. They never have anything to do with title-title. I just like the thought of having a subtitle. I guess it is comparable to those people who have to have a bunch of extra pillows on their beds that are never used. The difference is that the color my blog-pillows do not match any of the other pillows or sheets or the comforter. Which leads me to what I really want to discuss and that is my comforter. If you don't like my subtitles, I guess you can just say it to my face.


EDL 822 (Ind. & Org. Dev.) – Yesterday, we started out with student led presentations for the system archetypes (pronounced arka-tipes) for the The Water of Ayole. I am considering using this film, which originally made me a little angry, for professional development. It would be a good way to discuss goals and effectiveness. Today, now keep in mind I may have already disconnected, but I do not think we touched on anything new. We did discuss the Obama/McChrystal situation. The class discussion was ironic in that there seemed to be a consensus among the class that McChrystal should be fired...that he must go...because that is just the way it is. While I sit in class, I try to keep things on track with leadership in my own mind at least. So, I kept asking myself if the same rules should apply to any subordinate who criticizes his/her leader. Should they be fired? Should teachers be reprimanded who openly criticize their department heads or administrators? And, would it extend to message boards like topix.net (which brings up an entirely new topic that I will address sometime in future)? That just doesn't sit well with me. Although I personally detest being criticized when I can't offer a rebuttal, I do not want to work in an environment where teachers feel they have to walk on pins and needles wondering if they will be reprimanded because of an off-hand comment that was made with no malice. However, I do wish those who are critical of me would talk with me. I don't bite anymore. The whole thing reminds me of a writing lesson I used to share with students where I repeated the phrase, "If you got something to say to me, say it my face." I would make a sweeping motion with my hand right after the word "me" to indicate the comma. Then, I would switch the independent clause and the dependent clause without indicating the comma. It was cool to see students saying it back to themselves during standardized testing when trying to decide how to punctuate complex sentences.

New Word – McChrystalized The definition - To get fired for talking shat about one's boss.
ex: I shouldn't have said that about my boss. It is no wonder I got McChrystalized.

This fellow looks angry.
New Idea – If subordinates are critical of their leaders, they have to be let go. See Article 88 - Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.

Click and follow links if you are interested.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/06/how_to_punish_mcchrystal.html

The links do not seem to be working.

One more thing, and I will quit beating this dead mule. Why in the world would he replace McChrystal (that is hard to type) with Petreaus? He is sick as a dog. His back hurts and he just passed out. Click here to see what I am talking about:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/06/petraeus-passes-out-briefly-at.html?hpid=topnews

You will just have to copy and paste the links.



EDL 831 (Doc. Seminar II) – Henderson is a teacher.

Brownism – When asked if there were a dissertation czar, Brown replies, “I cannot be revealed.”


Lunch - I ate vienna sausages in the room. The food is subpar this summer. Which is a shame.
















EDL 823 (Ch. & Ent.) – It is safe to say what one thinks is an “artifact” is really an “artifact."

I do not like the word "hate." I hate the figure of speech "sucks," but my hatred of power points supercedes my linguistic snobbery. Power points suck.

Here is my poster presentation. I am not sure I would use it as an example.
















PLP/Field Study – Yesterday, Jackie Tison from the July group came up and re-administered the Bar-On EQI. I have seemed to grow. I guess that means I am less emotionally attached than I was a year ago. She worked really hard to get results back to us. It was good seeing her.

Research Groups – Yesterday, the time period was less structured and that is exactly what many of us needed. I did not get any time with Brown, Peevley, Henderson, or Rogers, but it seems as if many did. I do wish there was more of that. I have no idea what happened today.

Evening – All I have left that is due before I leave is Chapter 3 (Brown), the Tri-fold Poster Presentation (Harrison), The Group paper (Harrison). When I get home I have two article critiques and the ToR Case Study (Carter) and the Case Study (Harrison).

If I am ever lucky enough to teach again, I will mitigate the amount of homework I assign. There has got to be a more creative way to learn. I might give practice options, but I do not think I would hang the balance of the learning on outside assignments.

"Well grits is just ground up corn, and my mama used to make the best grits."

If you don't like grits, say it to my face.

This is all for today.

I want to see these people.

Are you laughing with me or at me? When the Tree Falls - Day 9 - 6/21/10

Do you know why an Eskimo washes his clothes in Tide?

Where to start. To make a short story long, I have had the best day. I got a phone call from work, so I left class a little early to take care of that. I looked at my watch and saw that I had just enough time to stop by the campus book store to buy my wife a t-shirt. . I found a couple of LMU shirts, a hot pink one and a grey one, for my wife. I wasn’t hungry so I drove back to my dorm room at lunch. There was only one parking space and it was close to the dorm, and it was shaded by the most beautiful old tree. When I got out of the car I thought about how long that tree had been there. I thought about all of the young couples that have passed by that tree during their stay here on this scenic campus. I admired its majestic size. I thought what a complex creation…proof of God. I grabbed my bags and made my way to the dorm.

Have you ever had one of those days where you keep locking yourself outside? Well good. That makes me feel better. I have only done that twice today. I grabbed my keys and ran out of the dorm to my car to get my books. It was only 92 degrees and muggy. I found out that I had grabbed my school keys instead of my car keys, so I run (well, I didn’t actually run. You should know me better than that) back to the dorm. That’s right. I couldn’t get back in. I couldn’t get in my car and I couldn’t get back in the dorm. I waited for a while, and then Darnell saw me sweating outside the basement door of the dorm so he came to my rescue and let me in. I thought, just to be sure, I would do it all over again. I went back into my dorm room and apparently forgot what I was doing, but I did remember that I needed a certain book so I left my room door open and headed toward my car. Yes, I remembered I need to get my car keys as the door closed. With white finger tips I tried to will the door open but it just was not to be. However, today is my lucky day. One the maintenance/custodial people was leaving, so I played it off like I had just gotten to the door as she left.

I finally got back into my room with all of my books, and since my car started cutting out yesterday, I decided not to drive my car any more until I left for home. I have been thinking that it is bad gas, and since I am almost out, I would just wait to fill up before I go home. I called Stephanie, an elementary school principal from the county where I teach, and made arrangements to ride with her to class. After class we stopped by the library and commented on how crazy the sky looked and how hard the wind was blowing. As we left the library my phone began ringing, but I was distracted by the sheet metal stop signs shaking wildly. I accidently hung up on the caller when I tried to answer, and looked down at my phone trying to figure out who was calling. I got another call. I answered. That is why I didn’t immediately notice the tree limb sticking out of the soft top on my little car. It was then, too, that I noticed the 20 ft. tree (yes I am probably exaggerating) that had just fallen on my car from about 40 or 50 feet up in the air. My heart only hurt for a minute. Notice the limb sticking out of my top.












EDL 822 (Ind. & Org. Dev.) – I should not get fixated when people mis-pronounce words. I am not sure if it my English background or my linguistic background that forces me to notice these things and dwell on them much too long, but I just can’t help it. Dr. Carter pronounces archetype so that it rhymes with march-type instead of mark-type, the way it is supposed to be pronounced. The "ch" in archetype is a transliteration of the Greek chi (χ) and is most commonly articulated in English as a "k". Transliteration is opposed to transcription, which specifically maps the sounds of one language to the best matching script of another language. Anywho, my articulation professor never told me that dwelling on such things would cause 500 lb. tree limbs to fall on one’s car.

New Word – Tree limb
New Idea – Parking-in-the-Shade Theory


EDL 831 (Doc. Seminar II) –

Brownism – There was a good one, but I can’t remember it. Between the time I heard it and now, a tree fell on my car.

Michael Land remembered the Brownism for the day - Charts and graphs are like children, some you are so proud for everyone to see and others you just leaving playing in the back yard.

Lunch – I was busy parking in the shade.

EDL 823 (Ch. & Ent.) – I can’t remember a thing. Harrison does a great job, but it seems as though he feels he is evaluated on the number of words he says during a class period, so he tries to break his record from the day before. HE is really knowledgeable for a young guy. I enjoy his class, but I can’t really remember much from today because a tree fell on my car.

PLP/Field Study – Idk, but the wind was really blowing hard today.

Research Groups – I made a breakthrough with my Lincoln research. I found a biography and a diary from one of Lincoln’s closest advisors, Senator Orville Browning.

Evening – This INFP is staying in. Remember to hug your cars tonight.

It's too cold Out tide.

Here Leneda - 6/20/10 Sunday, day 8

Research Groups 8-10:30 - I overslept accidentally on purpose in honor of Father's Day.

Independent library research – I will work on the poster project.

Ropes Course – I probably won’t do this. I really need to write. (I didn't do it.)

I went to Pelancho's in M'boro and ate and missed the announcement that the concert would start at 7:00 instead of 7:30. I got there at 7:15 and decided to not go in late.

Concert – Review to come. (sorry)

The Same, Just Different - 6/19/10 Saturday, day 7

Research groups 8-10:30 – One of the best sessions I have participated in. 10 Qualitative researchers and writers in one room discussing rhetoric, categories, strategies. No extraneous materials. No t tests, no multiple regressions, no correlations.
Data Management 10:30-11:30 – Dr. Carter showed us how to set defaults, running head and page numbers. And, now we know how to find and replace! She also mentions that 2 spaces after a period are acceptable if one is consistent. I think D. Freeman from the July cohort asked that question back in the Fall.
Lincoln 12:30-1:30 – The speaker is Steve Wilson.



I could not understand some of his words.


Lincoln 2-4 – Stimulating discussion. I picked up a couple of books, one by Dr. Charles Hubbard.









Editing with Dr. Norris 4-5 - I listened but I haven’t looked at the materials.
Dinner 6:30 – Country Fried Steak, mashed potatoes and GRAVY!
09 Skits 7:00 – The skits on MBTI were very creative. June is a very talented group. I am staying in tonight and writing. 

GEE HAW (or the Hooey Stick)- Playing Well w/ Others – 6/18/10 Friday, day 6

Do you know what a hooey stick is? It how different parts work together that makes the do-hickey on the end work/spin. Too many times we try to make the do-hickey turn in isolation and we create work for ourselves when there is no need for all the extra effort.

My theme for today is Collaboration. It is one of the hardest things for me to do. There are so many factors that go into the process that I cannot control. Why can’t this thing be easy? There are many times in the course of a day or period of time where I ask why another person and I are not gee hawing the way I would like. Used in olden days in reference to working oxen or horses, Gee meant to turn to the right. Haw meant to turn to the left. Also, it is used in correlation to getting along or being able to work together. G-haul used in correlation as above in similar with getting along, in parts of the South or Deep South.

EDL 822 (Ind. & Org. Dev.) – Watched a video…It made me angry, but I am investigating why I might be insensitive or if I am being insensitive. Other people’s systems tend to make us uncomfortable if they do not geehaw with our own system. Does rivalry breed development? Competition vs. Collaboration…Is competition a kind of collaboration. Do they exist on a continuum where one evolves from one to the other or are the two ideas mutually exclusive? Capacity becomes key. Whether or not things exist in harmony depends on capacity, and all of that is relative. One is thing is for sure…Dogmatism is not very collaborative. Here is the link to the video if you would like to view it ahead of time in order to super prepared. As you watch it, or if you watch it, ask yourself how could the collaboration between all parties improve.

Here is a link to the video.http://wms.andrew.cmu.edu:81/nmvideo/Ayole_video.mov

New Word – Guinea Worm
New Idea – ROI from Ron (This is my new source for new ideas).

EDL 831 (Doc. Seminar II) – ANOVA – differences in means of more than 2 groups. Again, and I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but Brown and Henderson collaborate well.

Brownism – “Don’t get curious beyond our knowledge.”

Lunch – eh…the cafeteria was so much better last summer. I do not know why I originally wrote yesterday. I am not sure if it is because there are so many people here this summer with the two new cohorts and the upward bound program. It is also important to not that the bookstore is closed when we are free to go there. it is closed during lunch and then it closes again at 4.

EDL 823 (Ch. & Ent.) – Friday afternoon is tough. I do not feel as though I collaborated well.

PLP/Field Study – Work on Meyers-B skit. Collaborated. I do not collaborate well with people. It really causes me anxiety even with fantastic people.

Research Groups – Coding for qualitative researchers - not much collaboration

Evening – Skits, Mexican night - student products exhibiting collaboration.

By the way, this is a hooey stick

You are Such a Sweat Dud: Falling Victim to One’s Negativity Bias - 6/17/10 - Day 5

You are Such a Sweat Dud: Falling Victim to One’s Negativity Bias - 6/17/10 - Day 5

When I was in the 8th grade, a little girl named Kim (she is now a principal in Hamblen County, Tennessee) wrote in my yearbook, “You are such a sweat dud.” It took me about four years to realize she meant “sweet dude.” It was then I felt guilty about the negativity that I had harbored for her. I couldn’t believe she thought I was a dud. I judged her for her last worst performance rather than on all of the pleasant experiences we had shared through middle school. I am sure she is used to that by now. That is usually how administrators are judged. I can’t remember specifics, but I am pretty sure I was mean to her when the opportunity presented itself. That brings me to the negativity that I feel right now; that I know I shouldn’t feel.

Tomorrow is my little girl’s birthday. She will be 11 years old. This will be the first birthday I have ever missed for one of my kids. I feel negatively about this.












I am falling victim to my negativity bias. I can’t help but think about what I am missing out on these two weeks: time with my family, my little girl’s birthday tomorrow, the season premiere of Trueblood on HBO (my wife and I love to watch it…for completely different reasons), my dogs, looney tunes, my bed, falling asleep with Anna, and waking up with Anna, Chloe, Celie, a dog, and running down the steps for granola. I really should be focusing on what I am gaining over the next couple of weeks. Any ideas?

EDL 822 (Ind. & Org. Dev.) - I try to work at night, but I am too tired…not exhausted, just tired of thinking by the time evening comes. What I have been doing for the past few days is wake up at 3 or 4 am when my mind is clear and complete as much as I can. I love turning things in on Blackboard as opposed to livetext. Thank you Dr. Carter. There are some considerations. She asks that when we turn things in to Blackboard or Livetext that we name the documents in the following manner

firstname.lastname – name of assignment

lee.collins – case study

This is probably something we should have been doing all along (it could just be my negativity coming out again). On a positive note, she is allowing us to choose our own articles (2 total). I am thinking I may modify one I have already done. Another thing I am noticing is that this class and the Change and Entrepreneur class are really similar. When I finally got around to completing my assignment I realized that I could not discern the problems we discussed in the 8 o’clock class from the 1 o’clock class. Just keep that in mind as you take notes in those two classes.

NEW WORD FOR THE DAY: Blamestorming
NEW IDEA FOR THE DAY: Negative Dominance Theory – The theory that states people put a greater value on losses than we do on gains.



















EDL 831 (doctoral sem. II) –

I enjoy Dr. Brown’s introductions. I am sure it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I feel he is truly trying to make an impact on us and make a connection with us. Today we are discussing whey we are doing what we are doing, and then Dr. Henderson is going over multiple regression.

Dr. Brown’s Quote of the DAY – Doing nothing can be fun, but the more you learn the less you want to do nothing, and we can make you really miserable if we just teach you enough.

A close second would be… “Mathematics can be empowering. You can predict what people are going to do before they do it. He does it too. Look at Dr. Henderson. He just sits around and grins about it.”

Lunch – not so hot. If the theme last year was gravy, the theme this year is Ukranian Lasagna. Lasagnenko.










EDL 823 (Change & Entrep.) – Systems Principles. Dr. Harrison was nice enough to pick up tri-fold display boards for one of our assignments, The Presentation of Change Model posters. I am pretty sure the cost is $6.25. You may want to bring one if you don’t want in on the fun, and remember if you are going to change the individual, you have to change the system.

PLP/Field Study – We tried again to input the data for the MBTI or the MTBI. It didn’t work for me. Hopefully, they will have it streamlined by the end of this session.

Research Groups – I need research time I think I will take it tonight.

Evening – I am feeling a little anti-social. During the last half I felt as though I needed to INFP. I do not know if my negativity bias is controlling my feelings or what. I think I am going to INFP right now. If I wait any longer, I may INFP all over myself. I am foregoing dinner and going back to my room and going to bed so I can wake up later and write.



Happy birthday, Chesni. I love you as big as the world.


- Lee Collins, one sweat dud

PowerPoint is the new Filmstrip: Nothing funny. Nothing new. Blawg Day 4 – We. 6/16/10

If you read this leave a comment…just a “got it” or even and emoticon to let me know if you read it or if its helpful. Also, if you have a blog on Blogspot let me know or follow mine so I can read yours.



I love a good Powerpoint as much as anyone, and that is all I am going to say about that.

Nothing funny. Nothing new. However it is odd having the new folk here. I sat this morning and listened to a conversation among three young ladies (one from Oak Ridge and the other two from Metro Atlanta) who sound much like we did last summer. It is an odd feeling to move perspectives so quickly.


EDL 822, Ind. & Org. Development – We received a new assignment list because Dr. Carter had to make adjustments. Apparently we are leaving by noon on Friday, and she originally had something planned for that last Friday. Today, the topic is Prisoners of the System or Prisoners of Our Own Thinking and we will learn more about the Left-Hand Column activity which is due tomorrow. Class discussion got me to thinking, so I wrote this poem for you.

those: without the ousity and ness

i m everything i ve ever known
from mother s heart to fog this morning
how we re different s opaquely clear
enough to know but depth curious
a silhouette provokes androgenous
sex, culture, shared ambiguous
slow to write from guilt
why s it hard to value difference
we hide our parts like eve & adam
arbitrary choice excludes aquellos
just in case avoids the confrontation
slow to intimate from guilt

child or adult comfortable

Apparently, we have more similarities than differences. It seems as if we have a tendency to find differences which can be a difficult exercise. We add suffixes…I think from a sense of guilt that we will be judged harshly for getting the offensive joke, or maybe even liking it.




BREAKING NEWS: Apparently we have to read Team of Rivals to do an assignment for the Development (Carter) class and write a 10 page paper that is due 11 days (July 7) after the last day of the summer session. There is a bit of concern regarding the practicality of such an assignment; it has 900 + pages. Dr. Carter implied that Team of Rivals is required reading and we should have known that.





BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: No worries…The program is buying twenty copies that will be located in the library. Only have to read the first four chapters to complete the assignment (case study). We will see. Due date is the same.

I am about to start feeling negatively. I will try to omit the tone of that as I write.





EDL 831, Doctoral Seminar II –

The topic of the day: Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r)

Dr. Brown’s quote of the day: “When you don’t understand something, you say, ‘I am not satisfied with what I found.’”

Brown highly recommends a book for quantitative researchers…Statistics in a Nutshell by Boslaugh and Watters. He says it is the best one he has ever found because it is readable. Something else (he sais today) makes me wonder why it is so difficult to talk about students with disabilities. I just don’t get that. I understand that it is beneficial to me to be careful how I phrase things (modifier first, nominative first). I liked it when people who did stupid things were just stupid people. If I wanted to structure my speech they way Spanish speakers, sorry I mean speakers of Spanish, do, I would have chosen to be born in Mexico.

I sincerely wish that I would have taken this class first. It may have made a difference in some of the decisions I have made concerning my dissertation. For me, the explanations have


LUNCH – not good

























EDL 823, Change and Entrepreneurship – Again, from Wikipedia Knowledge management (KM) comprises a range of strategies and practices used in an organization to identify, create, represent, distribute, and enable adoption of insights and experiences. Such insights and experiences comprise knowledge, either embodied in individuals or embedded in organizational processes or practice.

SWOT – Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
































PLP/Field Study

Edited to remove the yawn. Groups met to discuss skits based on MBTI. Fun...interesting. Our two groups consist of good people. They are funny. But refrain from the use of certain expressions like crack pot.

Research Groups

To boycott or not to boycott. That is the question. Apparently Qualitative and Quantitative are meeting together to focus on Quan. Qual is feeling a little left out. We are actually running correlations with data from the Florida DOE website. A yawn for me, ,but I hope to not even have to number my pages.

Evening

I would love to have some time to work on my diss. Have you ever taught two classes at the very same time? I feel like I am taking two at the very same time. The trick is figuring out which one to focus on.

I miss Anna, Chesni, Leejay, Chloe, and Celie….badly.

Will you continue to pick up the bat? Or Where’s the Gravy Or The World is Bumpy- Day 3, Tuesday, 6/15/10

I really can’t think of a title. Dr. Blawg. That is a good title.

When I was about 8 years old, I had no idea I wasn’t going to play in the major leagues. I thought I was good, and, relative to my peers, I was good. I would always pick up the bat, and whether or not I struck out, I always felt as if I did well. Looking back I know it is because I felt safe. The kind of “safe” that Harry Wong mentions in his book. Today, I literally pass on batting...every time. Figuratively, I pass on the opportunity to bat a lot.

However, I hardly ever pass on the gravy. I haven’t mentioned this yet, but there really are no snacks provided in the dorm. I miss them there snacks, but who doesn't miss snacks. Last summer, I felt exhilarated to run nude down the stairs for a cold drink and a granola bar. Of course, I am kidding. I just think it is a good idea to include a test every once in a while to see if people are actually reading. People who really know me know I would not run down the stairs.

My wife and kids are in Florida today at a wildlife park looking at hippos and gators. I thought the only hippos indigenous to Florida were…nevermind. I guess there is no way to go to Florida without seeing a few hippos. Anyoldwho, I miss them immensely, deeply. I like those people. My wife looks good in person, but she really looks good when I haven’t seen her in a few days.

Hey Gravy-lovers! I finally got some real gravy... not that weak au jus or asian garlic sauce. It ain’t my Granny’s gravy, but it will do. There wasn’t much fruit for breakfast. I love apple butter. It is one of God’s gifts to be sure. Now, I am not talking about smooth, dark apple sauce. I am talking about apple butter. Smucker’s is pretty good. We have to be in there between 7 and 7:30 because all four million upward-bound kids arrive at 7:30.

For EDL 822, Organization and Personal Development, we went over Chapters 1 and 2 of The Fifth Discipline.



Dr. Karen Carter allows space for a great class discussion. I think she have felt as though she let things go on a tangent, but I actually learned something about inter/intrapersonal relationships. One of the slides in her presentation really caught my interest. It said, “The more you learn, the more you acutely aware you become of your own ignorance.”



She did remove an assignment (the one about the left hand column). For tomorrow, we just need to read chapters 3 & 4 from Senge. Dr. Carter also needs to tell me what this puffy turtle sticker on my ID means. She handed them out the first day without an explanation. Maybe I just missed it.

EDL 831, Doctoral Seminar II started off with an introduction by Dr. Brown. He says Doc or rather being called doc is a good thing. He spoke for a while about success consisting of believing one can achieve. I guess this stems from the confidence you will get from attaining and EdD. He says or implies that it gives you a license to take risks and occasionally fail. “The only way you won’t strike out,” he says “is if you don’t pick up a bat.” He says the program is trying to re-engineer us about the perspectives we have regarding our own abilities.
Dr. Henderson includes a bit of history about Guinness. Who knew? You can check it out here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T_test



He does do an excellent job of teaching the T test. I believe he is making the powerpoint available. Brown and Henderson seem like the best team (teaching) so far. The complement each other very well. I hope the two get paired up more often. This lecture will be very valuable for those who are doing a quantitative or mixed methodology. It might be one of the best lectures we have had concerning the topic. He shows us how to use Excel to do it. And, I was glad when the class was over. T test, t bag, tea party.

I forgot to mention that yesterday on the first day of class. Dr. Rogers shared poetry with us and sat cross-legged on the front table. It was beautiful. That makes me like him although I enjoy him in a large group much more than one-on-one. He wants us to who are writing a qualitative piece to create a piece of art.

For lunch – Hamburgers and fries or Pizza. It is really hard for me to determine where the line starts and ends. You will see what I mean when you get here.

For EDL 823, Change and Entrepreneurship, Dr. Harrison tackled the topic of Knowledge Management. He also gave us an option with regards to the group project. We can either do it as it stands in the syllabus or we can work within our groups by identifying issues in our respective schools, then identify common issues that the member’s of our group has, and then figure out how each other approaches the problems, and then we can write that up. We also watch a 48 minute video with Tom Friedman (The World is Flat 3.0 http://ocw.mit.edu), and followed it with a pretty decent class discussion. Dr. Hubbard showed up and let us know that the world is bumpy…not flat. So there you go.



For the research groups July-ers might want to get some things together…i.e. drafts (several copies), research (interview transcriptions, coded data etc.). The plan is to do some peer review, and I am not ready to contribute. I have nothing for them to look at. I can’t find where I coded my Lincoln stuff.

This evening I plan on eating supper. I hear we are having turkey dressing and GRAVY. We will see. After that I am work on my coding, the Skit, my table of contents, and read the assignments for Carter and Harrison. I may even watch O-bama from the O-val office.

Update: We had Gravy!

Btw, All four groups are staying in the same dorms we stayed in last year. If you have specific questions, respond to the link on facebook on the LMU page with your question(s), and someone else may answer it before I do. I can’t remember if I have told you or not, but Bob Downs formerly of Sprayberry HS…currently with Wheeler HS from the July group is up here with me.

Back to the bat…Joel, just keep picking up the bat, so you can knock this thing out of the park.

No gravy - Day 2

There was no gravy at Dinner. I believe there was lasagna. I wan't really hungry, but I do suggest the ice cream with the Rolo candy in it. I did not blog yesterday because I went to bed at 7 pm. I woke up at four and completed one assignment and started on the Skit. Yesterday was very productive, if not for me, for the program.



I am traveling with Group B and we began with EDL 822 (8-10), Individual and Organizational Development with Dr. Karen Carter. We are only using livetext for two assignments. We are using blackboard for the rest of them. Blackboard seems to be a lot more user friendly. However, I saved it instead of submitting it and then when I went back in to submit it is said that I had already submitted it. I hope it got submitted. Either way I am fine with it. The first assignment was difficult for me. According to Dr. Carter and the directions, it should have taken about an hour to complete, but it took me an hour and a half. It seems like one of those things everyone should do every once in a while, but for the purposes of this program it seems a little redundant. Sometimes I wonder how familiar the professors are with the program. I thought must of us developed our vision/mission as part of the application/interview process.

After a short break, we headed to EDL 831 (10:15-12:15)Doctoral seminar with Drs. Brown, Rogers, and Henderson. Dr. Brown explained that he is most interested in getting our Chapter 3, and since this class is p/f there is no need to focus on anything else but Ch. 3. Brown's quote of the day: An EdD gives one a confidence where ignorance can't stop you from thinking you know everything. His take on variables is interesting.

He also went on to say that he used to think he knew more than he did, but that he now thinks he knows less than he really does which is probably a better place to be. I like Dr. Brown. I love his delivery. However, I would prefer that he not assign any more grades for me. He really beat me up last term on the article review he graded. Of course he was right, but before grading I like to be criticized, but when the grade is assigned I want to be loved on. I would have liked to get the articles graded before the last week of the semester. I like re-dos. I think I am too much of a teacher to be involved in higher education.

Lunch was really good. There was Pork Stir-fry that was made to order right in front of me. In the other line was cabbage, okra, ham and cornbread. Cornbread is a good thing.

Speaking of professors who just might be able to teach...Dr. John Harrison, the professor of our next class, EDL 823 (1:00-3:00)Change & Entrpreneurship, might just be able to teach. He seems really young. I am little afraid to ask him how old he is. He seems like a genuinely good guy. I wonder if he energy is authentic. He did look at his phone for a few moments while someone was answering his question or giving an introduction (I can't remember which). And he seemed a little awkward when one of the class members explained that she lost her job due to recent cuts. I think he said..."Things will work out for you." It seemed a little bit Benny-Hinnish to me. Again, I think he will be just fine. I do not expect for him to tell us he has 6 figures in the bank, or that he is a bow-tie kinda guy, or that he might win a self-nominated award for being something that he is not. Wow, he looks 23 years old. He did mention he has a daughter.



At 3:15 we made it to Dr. High's and Dr. C. Norris's Personal Leadership Plan/Field Study. We did not meet long as a large group. We broke into our smaller (Dr. High) groups to work on our skits. I was adopted by Susan, Sandi, Tracy, and Michael.

At 4:10 we broke into three research groups (Qual, Quan, and Mixed). I went with the qualitative group and Dr. Rogers.

My biggest question is whether or not we are having gravy tonight.

Don't forget pillows, toliet paper, and underwear. Day 1

That's right I forgot three of the four most important items in the world. There is nothing like a visit to the local Wal-mart to help one get acclimated.

At any rate, at 5:00 there was a forum/panel of 2nd year students for the 1st year students to ask questions. I would love to tell you all about it, but I failed to make the trip.

The banquet was interesting and hot (not Paris Hilton hot...just straight up hot). It probably would not have seemed as long had the AC been blowing. It was interesting for several reasons. We got to meet the LMU's new president, Dr. James Dawson. He made brief comments about this program improving our nation and got the hell out as soon as it was over. There seemed to be a motif. Maybe there is a new "mission" at LMU that includes national improvement. Each table had an American Flag as a center peice. We also got to meet the dean of the school of education, Dr. David Hand. It put me in the mind of the Mr. Hand from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and since we were all there he took his "time." He read the trite list of excuses that some parents write. You know the ones about missing due to administrating. He also mentioned how our program will improve the nation. Anywho, Dr. Emberton is leaving. I do not know who that is. I remember her speaking in Knoxville when I was in a particulary offendable mood, so she is for ever on my left hand list. She did receive a painting of a horse. It had a very nice frame.

I did get a chance to meet Dr. Luke Wood. He seems like a very amicable fellow. He will be teaching the ethics class so we will not get to spend much time with him. My overall impression of him is positive. He walked me back to the dorm and we discussed the idea of the researcher as an instrument. He seems like a sharp guy. There is more information about him here:

http://www.lincolncenter.asu.edu/centerprg_appeel_bio_wood

The speaker, Dr. Edna Greene Medford,

was great, but your opinion of that may be relative to your fondness for Lincoln.

I miss the July folks. If you have any questions, let me know.

For Abby - About Happiness Part II

You earned my respect by being authentic and genuine. You showed me respect when we, on the surface, had nothing in common. You also affected me in a way that few students do. A. C. had a similar effect with me, but ofcourse, he came from a completely different direction that you. You gave more than I did, and I give quite a bit...so, strangely, I am grateful.
I am saying that everyone is geared for happiness. It is just that some of are more skeptical and others of us are so empathetic that we wear others' pain and fold in, in some way, their suffering into our own experience. I think the latter is you and I. I like to think that is quite a sophisticated way to be. It is a beautiful thing, in its intent. The problem are the side effects...the insomnia, the obsessions, the complusions, the manifestations on our eating habits, sleeping habits. It forces us to have conflicts that others don't seem to experience (at least when they do, the duration is shorter) with politics, sexuality, and religion (all of the things one is not supposed to talk about in social situations). Let's start calling them less-positive emotions rather than negative ones. The suffering is the thing that makes great people great. In A Separate Peace, when Gene tries to assert that WWII is real, Finny ignores him. In an attempt to shatter Finny's fantasy world, Gene asks why Finny is so much more special than everyone else and knows that the war is a fake. He responds bitterly, "Because I've suffered." The two do not forget this shared moment, since it reveals a darker side of Finny that Gene had not seen before. Suffering is proof that you get it. "Getting it" is a powerful thing. I hate to quote the movie Spider-man, but isn't it his uncle who says that with great power comes great responsibility. SO that is how one who gets it is capable of more. They understand more...they know more...they have this gift of empathy that requires them to experience things differently, and that is why he is capable of accomplishing more.
"Irrational" may erroneously have a negative connotation. I like irrational. If one is irrational it implies that he/she does not necessarily the consequences or that they accept those consequences. One of my favorite quotes has been credited to George Bernard Shaw. "The rational man looks into the world and sees it for what it is. He then conforms himself to it and makes the best of it. The irrational man looks into the world and sees what he wants. He then conforms the world to his vision. Thus all progress relies on the irrational man."
What you have to remember is that Krakauer is an excellent writer who writes for a general audience and consumer consumption. That brings with it certain implications. For example, movies for popular consumption intend to make you laugh or cry. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. I like crying at sad movies. I enjoy it even. It is sort of like an involuntary baptism. What embracing it requires is distance. Are you being had? With Krakauer, you are probably not. I think what he does in that book is try to show that those feelings that McCandless has are not unique. The desire to "truly" experience life is quite common, but most people get caught up with relationships and credit to act on those feelings. You may at another point in your life read that book differently. You may revisit it to see that Krakauer is actually quite critical of McCandless. I have that experience with several writers: L. Hughes, T. Capote, Dostoyevky...
One can do all of those things (appreciate the luxuries taken for granted, understand the importance of loved ones, become a better person, see more of the world) without putting one's self in harms way. I might even say that McCandless was being a little selfish (Maybe that is why he gave his money away). I haven't read Yankoski's book, but he seems to have a better handle on doing the transcendental thing...you know going out in to the woods to live life deliberately.
I have always considered going to Africa to experience something real. Maybe that is the thing you should do. Missionary work...peace corps...I don't know either. I think you owe it to yourself to be clear on what your true intentions are. Let me know what you think. Do you think I am missing something?
You have always been on a journey. You started out on a journey.

For Abby - About Happiness Part I

Part I - My lack of response is just that. I have no response. I so want to have the right answer that I lie prostrate at the ground of such a question from someone I have so much respect for. My answers ought to mean something. Had someone else asked me, I would have give the old three-prong answer. Happiness is a cold beer, loose shoes, and a warm place to use the restroom, but I am sure that kind of answer would not suffice for you.
Basically, I am of the opinion that there is nothing but happiness. Different levels of course, but only happiness. Sadness or despair is but an initial level of happiness. Willima Blake, the English poet, painter, and printmaker, believed in world of opposites. In other words, good could not exist lest it be juxtaposed with bad. I sort of agree with that.
In baseball or any athletic endeavor, barring death, nothing bad happens. Humility is part of the thing, and one or rather most have the ability to choose their reaction. If one strikes out, does he/she have it in him to be things in the proper perspective. I guess the one who cannot can be classified as unhappy. The pain you and I feel is only an opportunity to distinguish ourselves. Pain is proof of life just like music and dirt. So, the question is really is life a good or bad thing. I just do not see how one can misconsture it as bad. Now, as I type that I think of children dying in Burkina Faso or war or natural disasters. I think the thing we cannot do is confuse tragedy with permanent sadness.
The key is to understand your own predispositions and preferences. For example, most people think that being extroverted carries with it a positive connotation. I did too until I realized that, although I love people, I do not enjoy being around them too much. I like being with me or just one or two other people I genuinely care about. So, at one time I was conflicted. I thought there was something wrong with me. When I was able to understand that my introversion is only a preference and not a negative character trait, I was able to "get over" that dilemma.
There are a lot of really dumb happy people. The conflict that many misinterpret as sadness is really a gift. So, the more conflict you feel the more you are capable of. Abraham Lincoln experienced melancholy. Winston Churchill suffered from depression. Here is an interesting list:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_who_have_suffered_from_depression