Last weekend we took some of our boys down to SpringHill Camp for a junior high weekend.

We had a great time! While I was there I realized how much I love being around junior high youth. I got a chance to reconnect with some old friends and I got a chance to meet some new ones. The best part was the time to just hang out with our guys!

Our speaker for the weekend was Ben Glenn, The Chalk Guy. He does chalk drawing on sheets. He was pretty amazing. Here’s one odd fact we found out – he likes his sheets to be 50% cotton and 50% polyster.

Throughout the weekend I found myself thinking a lot about my daughter becoming a middle school’er even though that is years away. It made me a little sad. I don’t want her to grow up so fast!

On the brighter side, one of our jh guys found his long lost twin. Check it out!

My long lost twin

SpringHill has been a really great camp that I highly recommend. Check ‘em out!

Today I finished my tenure at Decatur Middle School, where I taught general music for nine years. I love my job! I love the relationships that have been developed with the staff. Over this period of time I have also come to realize that I love middle school students too.

What does one accumulate in nine years? A bunch of junk! However, I’m good!!! I fit it all into 7 boxes. I get home, rather proud of my 7 boxes, and tell my wife. What was her response? “So where do we put seven boxes?” Go figure, I just can’t win.

What do I do next? Honestly, I don’t know.

Fortunately, I do have a job at an elementary school but I’m not sure if I have the same passion for that age group. I anticipate trying to find another job as either a music teacher or working with a church in youth or music ministry.

Please pray for me in this time of transition.

I teach middle school and I love it. One of the things that I enjoy so much is that I can be myself and they’re okay with it. I can be really weird. Anyone who knows you will confirm that!

One moment I can be carrying on a normal conversation and then crack a joke. I might start laughing at a comment I thought in my head. I might walk by a student and tap them on one shoulder and run the other way. One of my favorites is to accidentally bump them while they’re writing. I’m asking for it then because their writing is so sloppy, but it’s fun. It eases the tension and allows me to be me and hopefully it allows them to relax.

Just to be fair, I don’t do this to everyone – just most of them. All kidding aside, I want to make sure that I don’t humiliate them so I do try to be very aware of how they might respond. I will never intentionally humiliate a student. However, a little embarrassment can sometimes be good for the soul.

I’ve been known to miss my stool and fall on the floor!

I’ve been known to throw tennis balls at students. Usually they are paying attention!

I’ve even been known to spew coffee all over the front row if I start laughing too hard. That one, by the way, was not done on purpose!

The more I write the more I realize this post is begging for some philosophical explanation but I’m going to resist for now. All I want to do is share a few of the humorous thoughts that I have found and used over time. Only one of them is mine and I have no clue where the others came from. But I’ve certainly enjoyed them!

And now onto the humor…

If you say the word “yellow” slow enough it sounds like the word “gullible.”

When does 1×1=12?

Which is correct grammar? Seven plus five IS thirteen or seven plus five ARE thirteen?

“I see said the blind man to the deaf dog as he picked up his hammer and saw.”

Never argue with a dumb person. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

And my personal favorite:

Ask me if I’m a tree. When you ask me, by the way, the answer is no.

You can’t say you weren’t warned!

If you don’t know the answer to some of those leave me a comment and maybe I’ll enlighten you.

Either way, enjoy your week!