Quote of the Day

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. -John Wooden

CJSF Central Region Spring Conference

California Junior Scholarship Federation

Founded in 1967, CJSF fosters high standards of scholarship, service and citizenship in the Junior High School grades.

The 2010 Central Region Spring Conference was held at Fresno Pacific University on Saturday March 27. The title of the conference was "A Day at the Fair" and included fair themed sessions and events at lunch.

A few of the sessions for the day included: "No Clowns Allowed! Make-up techniques and tips", "FPU Campus Tour", "Your Ticket to the Big Time: College Planning", "It's Magic!"

It was a great mixture of different activities. Lunch was in FPU cafeteria and then after lunch they had cotton candy, popcorn, and snowcones outside on the lawn. While they were serving the treats outside the students had the chance to play a few rounds of a cake walk game. My students walked away with almost all of the prizes from the cake walk. So we had treats to eat in the vans on the way back home after the last event was over.

The closing ceremony included a game of Brain Brawl between two High School CSF teams. My students loved watching that and commented about how they hope to do this when they are in high school. Then the CJSF Huhn nominees were announced. After all 15 nominees were introduced and a short bio read on each one then the five winners were announced. This was followed by the CSF Seymour Award winner being announced. It was then time to say our goodbyes and head home for the day. All the students agreed it was a fun day and the 7th grade students asked if we would be returning again next year. I said we would have to wait and see when the conference is held and were it is held next year but if possible then yes we would return again in the future.

Cake Walk Take

Tenor Giants

John Coltrane

John Coltrane was always surrounded by music. He started off playing the E flat horn and clarinet and then in high school influenced by the likes of Lester Young and Johnny Hodges he switched to the alto saxophone. He was called to military service during WWII, where he performed in the U.S. Navy Band in Hawaii.

After the war he began playing the tenor saxophone. His work with the Miles Davis Quintet in 1958 would lead to his own musical evolution. " Miles music gave me plenty of freedom," he once said. During that period, he became known for using the three-on-one chord approach, and what has been called the ‘sheets of sound,’ a method of playing multiple notes at one time. By 1960 Coltrane had formed his own quartet which included pianist McCoy Tyner, drummer Elvin Jones, and bassist Jimmy Garrison.

Stan Getz

In 1940 his dad bought him an alto saxophone for $35.00 when Stan was 13 years old. He moved on quickly to play all of the saxophones, as well as the clarinet. But he really loved the sound of the tenor saxophone.

Stan was hired by Stan Kenton and was able to play with his idol Lester Young. He worked with the likes of Lionel Hampton, Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and Woody Herman.

Check out this YouTube video of John Coltrane and Stan Getz

John Coltrane, tenor; Stan Getz, tenor; Oscar Peterson, piano; Jimmy Cobb, drums.

Julian "Cannonball" Adderley

Cannonball Adderley was a jazz alto saxophonist from Tampa, Florida (1928 - 1975). He moved to New York in the 1950's and it was at this time that his jazz career began. He joined the Miles Davis sextet in 1957 just prior to John Coltrane returning to the group. After leaving the Miles Davis sextet he formed a group with his brother Nat Adderley.

Check out this YouTube video of the Cannonball Adderley Sextet:

"Work Song" performed by Cannonball Adderley, alto sax and Nat Adderly, trumpet. Also in the group Yusef Lateef, tenor sax, oboe, flute; Joe Zawinal, piano; Sam Jones, bass; Louis Hayes, drums.

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Hi (Friend Name), Take a look at this great video I found called: "Work Song" You can view it here: http://www.jazzonthetube.com/page/54.html Thanks, (Your Name)

Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck

Dave Brubeck is an American Jazz pianist best known for his West Coast Jazz style. In 1951 he formed the Dave Brubeck Quartet with long time partner saxophonist Paul Desmond.

In 1959, the Dave Brubeck Quartet recorded "Time Out", an album their label was enthusiastic about yet hesitant to release. It featured the album art of Neil Fujita. The album contained all original compositions and almost none of them were in common time; 9/8, 5/4, 3/4, and 6/4 were all used. However on the strength of these unusual time signatures it quickly went platinum. The album included "Take Five", "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Three To Get Ready".

The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Brubeck as a Kennedy Center Honoree in September 2009. The Kennedy Center Honors Gala took place on Sunday December 6 (Brubeck's 89th birthday) and was broadcast nationwide.

Below is a Youtube Video of the Dave Brubeck Quartet playing one of their most famous piece's "Take Five"

Values

The Greatest Handicap - FEAR

The Best Day - TODAY

Easiest Thing To Do - FIND FAULT

Most Useless Asset - PRIDE

The Greatest Mistake - GIVING UP

The Greatest Stumbling Block - EGOTISM

The Greatest Comfort - WORK WELL DONE

Most Disagreeable Person - THE COMPLAINER

Worst Bankruptcy - LOSS OF ENTHUSIASM

Best Teacher - ONE WHO MAKES YOU WANT TO LEARN

Greatest Need - COMMON SENSE

Meanest Feeling - REGRET AT ANOTHER'S SUCCESS

Best Gift - FORGIVENESS

Greatest Knowledge - GOD

Greatest Thing In The World - LOVE

Habit

I am your constant companion, I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am at your command. Half of the tasks that you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will do them quickly and correctly.

I am easily managed, you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done; after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the servant of all great people and alas of all failures as well. Those who are great I have made great, those who are failures I have made failures.

I am not a machine, but I work with all the precision of a machine, plus the intelligence of a person. Now you may run me for profit or you may run me for ruin. It makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will lay the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.

Who am I? I am called Habit.

author unknown

No Child Left Behind

How Much Can Obama Screw Up Education?

During his radio address on Saturday Obama announced that he would be sending to Congress on Monday his blueprint for sweeping changes to No Child Left Behind. While I agree that changes need to be made in No Child Left Behind when I first read about the news of this today I was not jumping for joy until I heard what was in this blueprint. Will these changes be for the better or will they take a bad plan and make it worse.

Then I read the article in the LA Times and I must say I'm concerned about what this blueprint is going to look like because of a few things stated in the times.

Some teachers' union officials, who have previewed the plan to be unveiled Monday, said it could end up just rewarding the top 10% of schools. Obama did not detail Saturday how his proposal would affect teachers, but education groups were offering comments -- pro and con -- on the role it envisions for teachers.

In an initial review of Obama's plan, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said it made teachers the sole "scapegoat" if students' test scores did not improve -- much more so than principals, school administrators, parents and the students themselves.

"This blueprint places 100% of the responsibility on teachers and gives them zero percent authority," Weingarten said. "For a law affecting millions of schoolchildren and their teachers, it just doesn't make sense to have teachers -- and teachers alone -- bear the responsibility for school and student success."

Weingarten added that the federation was "surprised and disappointed" by the Obama plan and that the group plans to gather input from teachers around the nation before deciding how to officially respond to the proposals.

So if you think teachers are teaching to the test now, you just wait and see what happens if you are going to make the teacher 100% to blame and every thing based on test scores. There will be nothing happening in the class room except teaching what is on the test.

I will wait and reserve my full judgment until Monday when we have a chance to see what is really passed on to Congress. But the early report does not sound good for education.

Old Glory

A Cut Above

I am your flag. I have been kicked, trampled, burned, and shot full of holes. I have fought battles,but I prefer the untroubled air of a world at peace.

I am your flag. I represent the freedom of humanity, and I shall fly high, thundering in silence for the whole world to hear. My gentle rustling in the breeze sounds out the warning to all who would bury me forever that below stands a population dedicated to liberty.

For those who have perished for my right to freedom of flight, for those who will die, and indeed, for those who will live, I stand as a symbol of freedom-loving people.

I have been carried into battle in faraway lands, always for the cause of freedom. I am bloodstained, torn, and many times wearied and saddened by the thousands who have paid the supreme sacrifice. Do not let it all be for nothing. Tell me the brave have all died for a worthwhile cause. Be proud of what I represent, and display me for all to see.

Whether you call me "Old Glory", "Stars and Stripes" or "Star Spangled Banner", I shall fly forever as a symbol of your freedom, as I did for your ancestor, and as I shall be for your heirs.

I am YOUR flag.

Stand Up For Schools

• In the last two years, $17 billion was cut from schools and colleges.

• Entire art, music and PE programs were eliminated.


• More than 16,000 educators were laid off.


• And large California corporations enjoyed tax breaks.

In Exeter, CA the day started off with teachers, Elementary School Board Members, classified staff, and district office personnel all coming together to show their support and stand up for our schools. The next step is to put the pressure of Sacramento that they can not keep making the largest cuts in the state budget to education. In the last several years the largest percentage of the state budget cuts have come to education.

California is now ranked 46th in education spending, $2,400 below the national average. K-12 schools have suffered 60% of the state budget cuts - hurting an entire generation of children. Summer school has been canceled in districts across the state.

Education accounts for the largest part of the state budget so it is the easiest and quickest thing for the legislature to cut when time get tough. Well they have cut and cut and cut the last few years and it is time to find some place else to make those cuts.

It is also time to put someone up there in Sacramento at the top advising what is needed most for education someone that knows education best. Instead of it being some suite it needs to be a seasoned teacher up there that understands education and kids. Maybe then you will have that education reform everyone is always talking but we never get.

Quote of the Day

Albert Einstein said "insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Debt Snowball

Debt Snowball in Action

I have been selling some things on eBay recently and was able to use the extra money I made to pay off my JC Penney account today. To make it a little sweeter I took a pair of scissors with so after I had written out my check and the lady at the register finished processing the check I cut-up the credit card in front of everyone at the counter. I did this with a BIG smile on my face and said 'I have been ready to do this for months and it sure feels good'.

With Penney's down the next card to go is Best Buy which with added what I was paying normally on Penney's to Best Buy's payment will take 2 months to clear it off the books. I do have some more things to list on eBay so if they sell it could be less than 2 months to knock Best Buy off the books.

Life Is Precious

Life Is Precious

Life is precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a gift, Every person a treasure.
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.

Life is Precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a chance to show someone you love them
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.

Even when the raindrops fall,
beyond the clouds the sun is rising
Even when the trees are bare,
the bud is there prepare to bloom.

Life is precious, Life is Beautiful,
Everyday a gift, Every person a treasure.
Life is fleeting, Life is fragile,
So live each day as the gift that it is.
So live each day as the gift that it is (Life is Precious)

by Ruth Elaine Schram

Nothing can bring a tear to my eyes faster than the combination of a great song sung by the pure voices of a middle school choir. "Life is Precious" is a piece I have done before with my middle school choir and I pulled it out over the winter break thinking it would be a piece we could use for sight reading when we came back in January. I did not realize how much the students would fall in love with it this year or because of some life circumstances how much the words would speak to me.

Since we have started working on this piece a good friends husband has died in a helicopter crash, another friend has lost her mother, and a third friends dad has had his leg amputated and is still in the hospital.

I learned how precious and fleeting life is 22 years ago after having lunch with my dad not realizing that would be the last time I would see him alive as he was murder in his office a few hours later. I have learned to live each day as a gift and not take people for granted especially family.

Today I was thankful for a wonderful group of middle school students and a composer that gave us such a wonderful piece of music to sing.

I'd encourage you to Check out Ruth Elaine Schram's Web Site to see more music she has to offer

Quote of the Day

There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.

Peter F. Drucker

"The Total Money Makeover" Review

"The Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey

If you will live like no one else,
later you can LIVE like no one else.

Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach.

Okay, folks, do you want to turn those fat and flabby expenses into well-toned budget? Do you want to transform your sad and skinny little bank account into a bulked-up cash machine? Then get with the program, people. There's one sure way to whip your finances into shape, and that's with "The Total Money Makeover!"

This is from the back of the dust jacket of the book and if are thinking it reads more like a self help book than a book on finances well I would agree. The total money makeover reads more like a self help book than your typical book on finance. But that is one of the appeals of this book. You don't get so bogged down in technical jargon like you do in some financial books that you just want throw the book out the window.

The book is filled with stories of other peoples success. How they learned how to get control of their finances and tame the debt beast. The first few chapters cover Debt Myths and Money Myths along with the issue of why we should not try and keep up with the Joneses.

Next Dave covers what he calls his seven step to getting out of debt and financial peace.

1. $1,000 to start an emergency fund - first step is to save $1,000 in an emergency fund because rainy days will come

2. Debt Snowball - Pay off all Debt using the Debt Snowball - pay off the smallest debt first, pay minimum on all accounts expect what you own least amount to and pay as much to that account as possible until paid off - then apply what you have spent on that account to next smallest account

3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in emergency savings - after paying off all debts built emergency savings

4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-Tax retirement fund

5. College funding for children

6. Pay off your house early

7. Build wealth and give


If you are looking for a technical guide on how to invest money this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a motivating book on how to get out of debt and stay out of debt in today's World this is the book you want to pick up and read. Dave Ramsey also has a radio show and is well respected in the financial world. He has helped millions of people secede with getting out of debt. I wish I had been turned on to this book 3 years ago when I started working on my debt situation because I think I would be out of debt by know. I changed the way I was paying off my debts when I started reading this book and have shaved off several months on my debt being cleared. So if you are living in Debt pick up this book and give Dave a try.

Concert Etiquette

Concert Etiquette

While performers do appreciate that you have attended their concerts and hope that you enjoy the performance. Your enjoyment of the performance as well as others is directly impacted by each audience members concert etiquette or behavior.

This was especially highlighted to me last night as I attended the California Band Directors Association All-State Band Junior High Concerts in Fresno. Sitting in the row in front of me was a family with a young child about 3 years old. This child talk, wiggled in his seat, clapped his hands during performances, and tried handing me his gum for than once. It was such a distraction that in between songs during the second bands performance my friend and I got up out of our seats and moved to different seats.

So I would like to list a few basic guidelines for good concert etiquette;

1. Arrive on Time

• If you arrive late please enter quietly between selections from the rear of the hall

2. Turn off Cell Phone and Pagers

3. Small Children

• Small children and infants, especially, have a difficult time sitting quietly in formal concerts. It is probably best to leave them at home.
• If you MUST bring a small child or infant, please sit at the rear of the hall so that a quick, easy and discreet exit may be made if/when necessary. and discreet exit may be made if/when necessary.

4. Do Not Exit the Concert Until Intermission Unless there is an Emergency

5. Applause

• Hold applause until the end of multi-movement works
• This is a concert not a sport event no yelling, whistle or loud cheering save that for the sport arena.
  

The Blind Side

The Blind Side

Teenager Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) is surviving on his own, virtually homeless, when he is spotted on the street by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock). Learning that the young man is one of her daughter's classmates, Leigh Anne insists that Michael - wearing shorts and a t-shirt in the dead of winter - come out of the cold. Without a moment's hesitation, she invites him to stay at the Tuohy home for the night. What starts out as a gesture of kindness turns into something more as Michael becomes part of the Tuohy family despite the differences in their backgrounds.

Living in his new environment, the teen faces a completely different set of challenges to overcome. And as the family helps Michael fulfill his potential, both on and off the football field, Michael's presence in the Tuohys' lives leads them to some insightful self-discoveries of their own.

Sandra Bullock has been nominated for her first Oscar for her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in the Blind Side and I for one hope she wins as she did a fabulous job in her role in this film. This has been my favorite movie in the last few years. It is due to be released on DVD in March and for me it is a must have for my DVD collection.

This team is your family and you have to protect them…
Tony is your quarterback. You protect his blind side.
When you look at him think of me. How you have my back.
Leigh Anne Tuohy in “The Blind Side”

Quote of the Day

Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

Mark Twain

If You Could See Me Now

If You Could See Me Now

Our prayers have all been answered.

I finally arrived.

The healing that had been delayed has now been realized.

No one's in a hurry.

There's no schedule to keep.

We're all enjoying Jesus, just sitting at His feet.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.

If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole.

If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.

If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,

If you could only see me now.

My light and temporary trials have worked out for my good,

To know it brought Him glory when I misunderstood.

Though we've had our sorrows, they never can compare.

What Jesus has in store for us, no language can ever share.

If you could see me now, I'm walking streets of gold.

If you could see me now, I'm standing tall and whole.

If you could see me now, you'd know I've seen His face.

If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased.

You wouldn't want me to ever leave this place,

If you could only see me now.

If you could only see me now.

The song lyrics above were written by Kim Noblitt in 1992. My favorite line is "If you could see me now, you'd know the pain is erased." What a great promise we have in Christ. If we believe in Him that when this life ends in Heaven we face an eternity that is pain free. I was introduced to this song when teaching by a student that was dying from Leukemia and he wanted this song to be performed at his funeral as an encouragement to those left behind that he was going on to a better place so we should not be sad for him. When someone dies we are sadden because of our lose because we will never get to talk with that person again in this world. But if the person was suffering and they know the Lord then they are going on to a better place they have just left their earthly bodies behind and we can take comfort in this fact and know they are walking the streets of gold.

Quote of the Day

We too often love things and use people when we should be using things and loving people.

-Reuel L. Howe