IASAS Next Week

And I thought I was busy last week...this coming week will be the busiest for me. JIS is hosting both cross country and volleyball. I will be in charge of all the photography which means team photos, action photos, team posters, and a big slide show. On top of all of that, I still have my SCUBA class, Photoshop class twice a week, my regular classes, and grades are due on Monday. Argggggh...wake me up when it is all over, please? The photo above is one I took last week of some of the girl's soccer team....some really great kids.

Tonight, Tom, Butch and I are hosting the first annual JIS Quiz night. We have worked really hard the past two months setting it up, writing the questions, and planning the night. It should be some good fun. I will grab some photos tonight to share.

Too Cute

Kayla had us in stitches last night while watching part of the Miss World Competition on TV. I asked her to walk like the girls on the show, and she immediately walked down the living room floor like it was a fashion runway placing one foot in front of the other like models do. How did she know that models walked like that? We then asked her to walk like Mommy....she then made up some strange walk, and had me laughing so hard my belly ached. She then did a different walk for all of us in the room....man, it was funny. This little girl has a lot of personality, let me tell you....

I Want You

It is that time of year again for the "I want you" posters for Gene's Basketball team. Every year, the senior girls get their face on the posters which are posted all over the school. The above photo is one of last year's posters. It has become a tradition, and the girl's get to keep their posters at the end of the year.

I had probably the worse day of golf ever yesterday. I shot a record 113, and that doesn't count some of the putts that didn't roll in...it was probably more like a 120. BAD, VERY BAD. I truly wonder at times why I play the stupid game. Last time I played, I shot an 85. I just don't get it, I am the same person. Dad shoots a 69. Can't you pass those genes on to me?

A bunch of us went to the Krystal Hotel last night to watch the final round of the Ryder Cup (It wasn't on our cable). It was very disappointing. I don't know what has happened to our Americans...we got our butts kicked. Oh well.

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday, Dad!! I sure wish you would stop having those things.

It was a long day yesterday. I had three classes to teach, then a department meeting right after school, and then I had to rush off to teach my first three-hour Photoshop course. I have 16 teachers taking the class. Right after class, Tika and I had to rush down town to meet our architect and one of the contractors bidding on our house. Burhan, our architect was going through his detailed list of every part and piece of our house, and trying to squeeze the contractor on his prices. We have a lot of work to do to bring down the price to where we can manage it. We will meet the other contractor (the one I want) soon.

IASAS Leadership

The traveling is done for some time now. I got back from Singapore yesterday afternoon, and I am beat after a trip to the states, two days of school, and then a trip to Singapore.

The leadership retreat went well. It is an event totally student run. Singapore American School did a fantastic job as the host. The big event was on Saturday where they set up "The Amazing Race" bouncing the students all over the city on the MRT (the subway system). They were given clues and things to find, taste, and to take photos of...they had a great time. As sponsors, there was not much for us to do, so I had a lot of free time to visit my favorite spots....the Apple Store, Border's Books, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Brew works (my favorite spot for a burger and brew), and people gazing on Orchard Road. It is my kind of trip to be a sponsor for...

Back to the normal routine today. Our softball league starts tonight, so got a game at 8:00 tonight. I start teaching my Photoshop course tomorrow night, and will do that twice a week for 10 weeks. So that is three nights a week I will be busy. AND...I am taking 19 ninth graders to Papua for a dive trip, and we have to certify all of them before we leave (they will do their open water dives in Papua). So Mike and I will be very busy getting 19 kids in the pool and getting them certified. With all of that, plus school stuff, I will be a very busy guy.

Dad's Blog

Ok Ok, Tika was a bit upset about the things that had to stay in Vegas. I tried hard to hide the fact I lost 30 thousand dollars at the black jack table, and well, the dancing girls left all their lipstick on my shirt. Man, how do wives find these things out? I guess I need practice at the "keeping things in Vegas" thing. It really was a good conference.....really.

Congrats on the new vaccum cleaner, Dad. I can just picture the joy on your face when that new monster cruises the carpets.

Happy Belated Birthday, Tika

While I was in Vegas, Tika's birthday passed (Sept. 7th), so we celebrated today. The big hit was Mom and Dad's present...a necklace and bracelet (picture above)...Tika and Kayla went wild over the new jewelry. I bought her a new Crystal thing a ma jig, but it took second seat to Mom and Dad's gift...you done good Mom and Dad.

I am off to Singapore for yet another school trip tomorrow after school for a student government leadership conference. I am escorting the high school's top kids to the student run conference. All the 6 IASAS schools will be there with their top kids. We take the four presidents of the classes, and then two more from leadership positions. It is usually a very well run conference...the kids do a great job setting it all up. We might be hosting the conference next year, so our kids need to pay close attention. I will get back on Sunday, and that should be it for travel until November....I think.

Back From Vegas

I am back. It was a long trip. The conference was incredible. The best conference I have ever been to...It was very organized, all the sessions were entertaining and educational, and you wouldn't believe the professionals they had teaching the sessions. All the big names in Photoshop, and some big names in the photography world such as Vincent Versace, Moose Peterson, Jay Maisel, John Paul Caponigro, Joe Mcnally, Eddie Tapp, Jim Divitale, and many more. I got to meet them all face to face, and they shared so many great ideas. I can't say enough good things, and I am very happy I went.

I also saw the Circus while there, and what a show it was. I must have said, "wow" a thousand times. The stage was like nothing I had ever seen.....it was a huge pool with people diving in and out, acrobats flipping through the air....too amazing to describe. We couldn't afford the regular 150 dollar tickets so had to settle for seats on the side of the stage for 93 dollars.....but we were only 4 rows back. We couldn't see the back of the stage, but other than that, I think we had great seats. I was and still am in awe.

There was no time for anything else. I arrived at 6:00 pm last Tuesday, rented a car, and stayed with my buddy, Frank, who is teaching at a public school in Vegas. (his stories reminded me of my days in Miami....not good conditions). I started the conference the next morning at 7:00....and it lasted all day. My routine involved going to the Excalibur for Krispy Kreme donuts, and then the conference all day long, and then crashing at Frank's house at 9:00 pm....I started falling asleep around 4 or 5 every day with the jet lag, but managed to stay awake to drive to Frank's. Anyway, the conference was full blast for 4 days, and I left early Sunday morning to make the long flight back.

More later.....gotta get some work done.

Friends of Web

We had a big golf tournament today in honor of our good friend, Rob Weber, who died two months ago. 36 of us played, and it was a great day of golf. I shot an 85 with a record (for me) 40 on the front nine. That is the first time I have ever done better than 41 for 9 holes. I would have broken 40 if it weren't for a 4-foot putt I just lipped out of the hole...Oh well, I was still very happy with the way I played. I ended up with the 3rd best net score, and our group came in 4th place overall.

I am off to Vegas tomorrow night. I spend the night in Singapore, and then fly to Vegas. I will try to keep the blog going while there, but it will depend on computer access, of course. See ya.