Indispensable Men

I think it was Charles DeGaulle who said "the cemeteries of France are filled with indispensable men." This quote has been playing in my head recently as I ponder the lines between being an advocate, being zealous, being grandiose, and being a martyr. I am guilty of being some or all of them. I look at the deck stacked against so many of our young people and realize the promise of "equal opportunity" is really just a joke to the oligarchs in my world. An economic status quo is now being reinvented and my students are odd man out. The education we are trying to provide is dangerous because it will make them useful. I have no interest in studying the replicability of my ideas. I just need a platform and some youthful volunteers who are interested in taking control of their lives and fighting "the Long Defeat."

To Know - To Care - To Act

I am so proud of how far Anthony has come. He, like other young people who have joined our armed forces in a time of war, represents the best of what this country has to offer.

Knee surgery

I have a torn quad tendon that will require surgery. This is not what I wanted to have happen at the age of 50. I had planned to be better than ever. I will choose not to look at this as a setback to that goal. I intend to be a more regular blogger, begin "my book" in earnest, lose bodyfat, plan my future, learn more patience, work on my EFT and Reiki, and enhance my creativity by figuring out how to exercise around this roadblock.

I'm back!

It's been too long but with an exchange student, a new baby, an adopted teenager, and a new high school, there have been a bunch of things to do.

We had a wonderful trip in March to Senegal. There were 13 high school students and we worked on a micro garden for AIDS patients. I believe that teenagers really want to be challenged. It's clear that they want excitement and some danger. Programs that combine these elements are essential.

EMT training, community fitness instructors, microenterprise advisers, and English tutors are just some of the things I've got lined up for them.

Nice people

I just wanted to say "hi" to Bud Jeffries and his wife and Jason Ferrugia. Not only were they kind enough to take time to check out my blog but they also put out excellent fitness materials that are helping me fight off middle age.

High School Reality

We're now up to 48 students! They are refugees from different places and different things. There was an interesting study in Britain that linked increased truancy with an increase in bullying. Our students know that they will be safe and respected. It's tough for me to turn anyone away - even the 16yr. old with five credits. I know that I should maybe counsel them to get their GED but might it not also be true that with even a year of "real" school under their belts they are more likely to complete some kind of degree program? The 16-24yr. old age group is now the one that many people are concerned about as far as dropping out.

I didn't feel like working out yesterday but I did a bodyweight circuit of burpees (with a pullup), jumping jacks, grasshoppers, and mountain climbers. It worked my muscular AND cardio systems. then I finished with yoga. Who needs running!

A new school year

We've got another group of 18 students. We're up to 36 for our second year and it's a good mix of young people. This will not be a school where we worry only about what's "covered" - we're interested in depth more than breadth. This will not be a school where our major focus is on "student achievement" - because those of us in the game know that this only means higher scores on standardized tests. Our mission is to create an elite. They will not only save themselves but they will do their best to save the world. Our motto is "To Know, To Care, To Act."