Congratulations Manuel Johnson

With the 229th pick of the 2009 NFL Draft, The Dallas Cowboys selected Wide Receiver, Manuel Johnson from the University of Oklahoma!

Why would I care about the 229th pick of the NFL Draft? Manuel Johnson is a former student of mine. I was his 8th Grade U.S. History teacher at Bruce Jr. High School in Gilmer, TX. Manuel is a bright student and a superb athlete. As with almost all of my former students, I sort of think of Manuel as being an extension of my own family. I watched the NFL Draft in its entirety for the first time ever, just looking for his name. Finally he was chosen by the Dallas Cowboys.

Manuel has grown into an excellent young man. I pray that he continues to work hard and that he doesn't forget his small town roots. I am proud of him. 

Maybe he can get me some tickets to watch him play at the new Cowboys Stadium. Tickets there are very expensive.

In the Mafia & Job Update

As a member of Facebook, I am often asked to join many of the application games that Facebook & Friends has to offer. I have turned down many of them, but one I joined recently is Mafia Wars. It is yet another very addictive game, much like Mouse Hunt. Currently I am at level 13 and trying to fend off various mob attacks from rival mobs. I have 14 members in my family, counting me. 

I am still working part-time at Mardel Christian Stores in Longview and I have put out several applications at local school districts. I am hoping to take the Math certification test in June so I can teach Math. If I pass that test, I will almost certainly be able to choose which school I wish to work for, as all the local districts are looking for good Math teachers. 

I am so Sore

I started my new, part-time, job yesterday. I now work for Mardel Christian Stores. We are in the process of opening a new store in Longview. We hope to open the doors on May 4th. We are currently putting together and setting up all the display shelves and unloading large heavy pallets from the supply trucks. It is a lot of heavy lifting. My poor muscles haven't worked that hard in a long time and they are sore. It is a good kind of sore though; after all I am working for the Lord in all that I do. 

I still hope to get a job in the school district my kids go to, but until then I am working hard for Mardel. 

10 Upcoming Movies I Would Like to See

The blockbuster movie season is upon us and there are just a few I would like to see before the end of the season. Here is my list of the Top 10 (so far)!

1. X-Men Origins: Wolverine -- I have always like the character Wolverine; plus the special effects of the three previous films were great.

2. Star Trek -- Yep, I'm a Trekkie or Trekker, depending on which one does not wear Star Trek costumes to the film opening in the theaters.

3. Up! -- The 10th Pixar film. I love these guys, they make great movies.

4. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince -- This movie was on my list last year but the release date was postponed due the successful release of Twilight.

5. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen -- I loved them as a cartoon and I loved the first film. I hope this one is as good as the first one.

6. Terminator Salvation -- I've watched all the other Terminator films, I might as well watch this one; plus it's does good to see humans beat up on machines.

7. Night at the Museum: Battle for the Smithsonian -- The first film was a great family movie, I am hoping this one is just as fun and great as the first one.

8. Land of the Lost -- I loved this television show when I was a kid. I am sure that Will Farrell will do it some justice anyway.

9. Earth by Disney -- I love these documentary films about our great planet God has created. I just wish they would give God a little more credit in the movies.

10. Where the Wild Things Are -- Such a cool kids book, now (I hope) a cool kids movie. Go Max!

Which movies do you want to see this summer season?

Moving On

Yesterday, the family and I returned from visiting Jamie's family and the LTC competitions in Dallas. The kids did very well. 

Today, I have my first job interview after leaving my previous job. Wish me luck. 

It seems while I was away the Rangers lost badly to the Detroit Tigers. The bullpen needs to support the great outings of the starting pitchers if they want to reach the playoffs. I will have to watch them take on the Orioles tonight. 

I Am Now Currently Unemployed.

I went to work this morning expecting to do what I always do, make as many contacts as possible to try and fill marriage education classes with couples waiting to get married or couples who seek to improve their marriages. I came to work despite the fact that on Monday I found out that I would no longer be a full-time employee for Twogether in Texas, or the Longview Wellness Center (soon to be called Wellness Pointe), at the end of the month. 

At 8:50 a.m. I was called into my Program Director's office and told that I am being let go NOW. Why? The reason I got was that I had just shown signs of "losing heart and the desire to finish out my job in a proper fashion." What the .....? What do you mean I have lost heart. I just added three more couples to a class yesterday. I even spoke to another potential provider. 

They said because I had started organizing my files and e-mailing them to my Project Director, with more than a week left before I was supposed to be let go, it showed that I was already showing signs of trying to let other people do my job for me. I thought I was just being courteous and trying to give people a "heads up" to things they may want to be aware of after I left. I was still keeping those files updated and correct and I would have until the last day I was working there. Apparently that day was today. 

They were also upset that I had already taken some steps to start trying to help myself find another job. They found out that I had signed up to take a test to try and get certified to teach Math and that it played a part in me not accepting a part-time paid consultant job they offered me in lieu of not being able to keep me full-time. You were letting me go right? I do have the right to try and make myself as marketable as possible to help me find another job, right?

So, I turned in my computer, cell-phone, and my last pay-check will be mailed to me next week. They at least told me they would not contest me filing for unemployment and they would write letters of recommendation for me. I am waiting to fill out the exit-interview form before I write something very ugly on it. 

I still think very highly of marriage education and what the mission statement is for Twogether in Texas. I, at least at the moment, do not think very highly of how the past few days have transpired. I never lost my desire to do my job to the fullest, I think they just couldn't stand to see me there taking any more money than I had to when they could use it somewhere else.

Now I am sitting at home, looking over job openings in the Longview area and beyond. I plan to make job hunting my new career after I return from the Easter weekend visit to my in-laws and LTC in Dallas. Wish me luck!