Friday, July 27, 2012

Where has the time gone?

It's been over five months since I last posted. Although, not a lot has changed there have been some. At the end of March I passed my insurance license test for life, health and accident then I contracted with Aflac to begin selling their products.

It has not gone as well as I would have hoped to do but it is making a little progress. The hardest thing has been signing up that first new client. I've done well going out with other agents to their enrollments but I sure would like to gain a couple of new clients even if they are small.

My mom and my father-in-law have both been having some serious health issues which has caused some concern. In the middle of all of this, my oldest daughter and son-in-law have taken new jobs at Tulia ISD. It's a little further away than Petersburg, but not that bad, maybe 15 more miles. During their moving, I've spent a lot of time with the granddaughters babysitting so mom and dad could work at both houses. My youngest daughter also is changing schools again. She'll be teaching junior high math at Smyer ISD. She also has became engaged with a wedding planned for right after Christmas. Her fiancee is an ex-Marine who is studying to become an RN.

The nice part about this time of the year is football is just around the corner. Nick Long and I along with Jordan Herrod will be the broadcast team for the Plainview HS Bulldogs and we will also continue doing the Friday Night Live Scoreboard show with Mike Roden. Mike who manages the Texas Panhandle Sports Network, the parent of FNL, will be in the studios of KGNC-AM in Amarillo while Nick and I along with Jordan will do our part of the show from whatever football stadium we are at on Friday night. We will broadcast five shows from Plainview's Bulldog Stadium, once each from Canyon, Hereford and San Angelo and four other shows from Nick's home office. Those four nights are because of Plainview's open Friday and two Thursday night games and the first week of the playoffs. (If Plainview makes the playoffs, we'll have to see where that show will be broadcast from.)

Red Raider football also is just around the corner but this year all the games will be observed from home, either on the radio or the television. Unfortunately, season tickets just weren't in the budget this year. Maybe we'll get to one game in person.

The Texas Rangers are still rolling along and it looks like they will make the playoffs again. Pitching injuries have plagued them this year, but the strength of the lineup allows them to score plenty of runs but they need some strong pitching to make a run to their third consecutive World Series.

My closing thought for the day is: "The whole of life is but a moment of time. It is our duty, therefore to use it, not to misuse it." -- Plutarch

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. -- Psalms 55:22 (NASB)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Two months into retirement

Dec. 21, 2011 was my last day as a public educator. It's hard to believe that I've spent 25 years involved in education from Texas Tech as a dispatcher and graduate assistant to Seagraves as a computer science and journalism teacher to Lockney as the technology director. There's been lots of interesting challenges over that time, not the least was the keeping up with the ever changing world of technology.

So, two months into retirement it's time I get serious about a few things:
  1. Spend more time studying and preparing sermons and chapter studies for my church
  2. Develop my new blog: http://walkinginthenarrowway.blogspot.com/
  3. Develop my high school sports blog: http://westtexashighschoolsports.blogspot.com/
  4. Expand my high school sports website: http://www.wthssports.info/
  5. Be more consistent with my blogging on this site
  6. Find at least a part-time job to supplement my retirement
  7. And, whatever else that I need to get more serious about
Now that national signing day and the biennial UIL realignment are over, it's time to focus on the upcoming Texas Ranger and Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball seasons. Hopefully the Rangers can get back to the series for a third year in a row and then complete the job that they were so close to completing this past year. I also hope the Red Raiders can get into the college world series. They have the depth to do that this year if the injury bug doesn't bite them like it's done to the football and basketball teams.

Texas is still in the middle of a drought so we can only hope and pray that things don't get as bad as they were last year with the lack of moisture and with wildfires. I'm looking forward to following the storm chasers online as they chase around the country (if I had the time and funds, I might like to do that sometime). On Feb. 4, the storm chaser community lost one of the top young chasers, Andy Gabrielson, when a wrong way driver collide head-on with Andy near Tulsa as he was returning home following a chase in Texas. This year of chasing has been dedicated to Andy.

My closing thought for the day is: Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished: if you're alive, it isn't. -- Richard Bach

“For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;” 1 John 3:11 NASB

Sunday, August 14, 2011

School year 2011-2012 begins

Another school year is about to begin and it is a school year of change. The new high school is finally ready for staff and students. I've still got a few technology things to do but overall, it's ready for the first day Aug. 22.

The other big change this year is that I will be retiring from education at the end of first semester. I've got 25 years in education and now is a good time to make a change and start drawing retirement pay. I'm not sure what I'll be doing after the first of the year but I'm looking at some possibilities although I'm open to suggestions or offers if you have any!

High school football is less that two weeks away and that means time for the best scoreboard show in West Texas. There are some changes with the show also. The TPSN High School Scoreboard show is NOW Friday Night Live Scoreboard Show. Nick Long is still the main host but this year he will be joined by Kelly James. Also, Nick will be in the studios of one of the network affiliates in Lubbock, KTTU-FM 104.3 (better known as Double T 104.3) and Kelly will be in the studios of the flagship station in Amarillo, KGNC-AM 710. Other network affiliates include KGNC-FM in Amarillo, KEYE-FM in Perryton, KLSR-FM in Memphis, KKYN-FM and KREW-AM in Plainview and KSSL-FM in Slaton/Post. Join us on Friday nights from 10 PM to midnight. If you're not in the range of one of these stations, several of them stream it from their website including www.kgncam.com.

Sept. 3 is the first Texas Tech Red Raiders football game when they play host to Texas State. I'm looking forward to seeing what will happen in Coach Tuberville's second year. Seth Doege from Frenship is set to take the helm of the offense at quarterback. Coach Chad Glasgow has taken over the defense so I hope there's marked improvement on that side of the ball, of course after last year, there's no place to go except UP!!! WRECK 'EM TECH!!!!!

My closing thought for the day is: Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss by going too fast - you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. -- Eddie Cantor

“If they hear and serve Him, They will end their days in prosperity And their years in pleasures. Job 36:11

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Summer 2011

My thought from West Texas today is simple ... IT IS HOT & DRY!!!

We haven't had significant moisture since October and now we had over 25 days of 100 degrees or higher temps!! I'm really looking forward to some time in Ruidoso where it's about 20 degrees cooler.

Of course, this is the summer that Lockney moves into the new High School. Construction is nearly complete and the crew has begun moving furniture into the building. My network electronic installers will be here on July 18 and then I'll begin the process of setting up 65 computers. It's a daunting task but it will get done! The new building is so nice and it will be great to be back in the building. 

Well it's less than seven weeks till high school football starts and less than eight weeks till college football starts. It's always an exciting time of the year and this year is no different. Expectations are hopeful for all the high school and college players as a new season starts. The big thing this year is so far there is no settlement in the NFL lockout so the question is still ... will there be pro football this year?

My closing thought for the day: The man or woman who keeps looking up, will seldom ever feel down. If you walk around with your head down, you will seldom see anything except dirt and other people's rubbish. - David Robinson of Northern Ireland

“For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6 (NASB)

Friday, November 12, 2010

Trying to catch up

It's been three months since I've posted here. I guess I've been either too busy or too tired or just without anything to say.

Football season is winding down. High school playoffs started last night with some exciting games around the state. Of the three teams I had personal interest in, Lockney, Petersburg and Rule, only Lockney didn't make the playoffs. Rule lost last night 46-0 to Newcastle so their playoff run is over. Petersburg plays Meadow tonight for the second time this year. The scoreboard show will have it's final 2010 show tonight with 56 games to track down. Texas Tech football has had it's ups and downs this year. I guess it's "getting to know you" kind of year. With three games to go, it would be nice to pull out two wins and that's quite likely. Recruiting for 2011 is looking good but we will see how it comes out in February. I won't even talk about Dallas Cowboy football because there is nothing to talk about. My fantasy team is in the middle of the pack but maybe it can still make the playoffs. I just wished I had a running back to go with Aaron Rodgers.

It sure was fun to watch the Texas Rangers make a run to the World Series. I wished they could have pulled it all out but just making it there made everyone in Texas excited about baseball for a short time.

I've been sitting in a hospital in Lubbock waiting for a myriad of doctors to decide what is wrong with my wife. It appears that it is her gall bladder so maybe today they'll decide when to take it out and life can get back to normal for everyone. I'm kind of glad I'm not going to be outside today as it is raining and cold. I hope anyone going to a playoff game will dress appropriately tonight. Amarillo, which is 120 miles north, has received an inch of snow so far today.

My closing thought for the day: Have patience with all things, but chiefly have patience with yourself. Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections but instantly set about remedying them–every day begin the task anew. -Saint Francis de Sales

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,”-- Colossians 1:9 (NASB)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

August is here and that means ...

August is here and that means that school is about to start again and FOOTBALL is about to start again, High School, College and Professional!!! If it's football, then I'm all for watching it. I really enjoy high school and college most of all. On Friday nights, I will go watch the first half of Lockney's home games but this year I will probably go to Petersburg occasionally to watch some 6-man football (and of course, SEE the Grand daughters!!!) but come 9 PM, I'll be online tracking down football scores from all corners of West Texas. I track down the scores for the TPSN High School Scoreboard Show where my good friends, Nick Long and Adam Cox, host the best scoreboard show in West Texas.

The Scoreboard runs from 10 PM to midnight every Friday night from week zero (Aug. 27) to the first week of the playoffs (Nov.12). The show is produced and broadcast from the flagship station, KGNC-AM 710 in Amarillo and broadcast throughout West Texas on network stations including: KGNC FM - Amarillo; KEYE FM - Perryton; KKYN FM - Plainview; KCTX FM - Childress; KLSR FM - Memphis; KJDL FM - Lubbock; KJDL AM - Lubbock; and KBST FM - Big Spring. The Internet stream can be found at www.kgncam.com.

Texas Tech Football starts Sunday, Sept. 5 at 2:30 PM when the Red Raiders, under new coach Tommy Tuberville, hosts the SMU Mustangs. I'm ready to see what the new coaching staff brings to the table, I know what the returning players can do, but now it's time to see how everything comes together! The big question is who will win the starting QB job: Steven Sheffield or Taylor Potts? It is nice having this problem and I believe it will just make the team better. WRECK 'EM TECH!!!!!

My closing thought for the day: "Life is not about countless days, it's about countless blessings. We are truly blessed!" Written in 2010 by Dimple Singh --- India

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. -- 1 Samuel 16:7 (NIV)

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Okay, I'm not very consistent

So my daily postings haven't even been weekly postings lately but let's see if I can revive this at least for a couple of weeks until vacation. This week has been one of those weeks. We woke up Monday morning to a flooded sun porch. After going to school and making sure all the servers came back up because of a power outage Sunday night during the electrical storm and 4.25" of rain, I spent 2.5 hours vacuuming up water and barely made a dent in the wetness of the carpet. After working for a few hours, I came back and continued the process. Tuesday I got to work where a clogged drain line on the rooftop A/C was causing it to leak into my office/server room. The A/C company worked on it and it appeared to be solved BUT Wednesday morning I walked in and several ceiling tiles had fell in due to the drain not being completely cleaned out!! What a mess! I really hope it's not leaking Thursday morning.

The most exciting news from the last couple of weeks is that my youngest daughter has been offered and accepted a job with Rule ISD as the Family and Consumer Science teacher and Technology Coordinator. She's excited and ready to get going. We're going to look for a rental housing on Monday and she plans to move down after the first of August.

Twelve days till our Ruidoso vacation with the whole family. My son, who lives in the DFW area figured out it was better to fly into Roswell on a 'puddle jumper' plane than drive for over 10 hours. I hope the weather is good so we can enjoy just sitting around outside. At least, it should be cooler than West Texas.

I got to play and learn about the iPad a couple of weeks ago. I wouldn't mind having one but with Cisco introducing the Cius and HP/Microsoft collaborating on a pad device, I may wait for the second generation and the price to come down.

My closing thought for the day: " We are all unique in God's eyes... Don't let anyone change who you are." -- Unknown.


The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. — Zechariah 14:9 (NIV)