The Blockies

It's the end of the quarter and I have to say that I am going to miss you guys. I think we all got to know each other really well these past 10 weeks and have built relationships that will extend beyond our time at tOSU.


I was recently inspired when I was thinking of appropriate topics for my last blog of the quarter. Looking back over the block, there were many fun times and good moments, some of them worthy of an award...


So without further ado, lets kick off the First (not so) Annual Blockies Awards! The stars are starting to walk the red carpet.


And here's your host for the evening, John Lindsey. (As I walk out on stage...)



(Actually, it's more like this, but I'm trying to feed my ego a little.)









Our first award for the evening is for best SAE Project Ever.

And the winner is... This should come as no suprise to you, Gregg Homan who raised chinchillas for their fur! Congratulations Gregg!




The next award of the evening goes for the Best YouTube video.

Running away with the votes is Kayla Weaver. Here it is. Listen to her go. Weird Al Yankovic, eat your heart out.




The third award goes to the Best Duet of the block.

Dr. Cano and Dr. Whittington could not be here to accept the award tonight. On the front of the bus on our way back to Ohio from PA, some of us were treated to a rousing rendition of The Auctioneer, oringinally by Leroy Vandyke, made better (not really) by Drs. Cano and Whittington.




Next up is Best Behavior Among Triplets during the block.

The winners are... Brandon Thomas, Jena Freisner and Katrina (or is it Sabrina?) Swinehart. Brothers and sisters always fight, but these FU triplets got along remarkably well. Good kids.



Now we'll announce the winner for the Why Haven't They Fired Me Yet, I Never Come To Work? award.

This goes to Aaron Harter, without a doubt, for missing at least half his shifts at CABS this quarter. Way to go, Aaron! Your ability to remain employed without working is actually very impressive.



Next is the award for Best Drink.

Let's give it up for Shalie Terrill and her Vanilla Coke. Is there anything better than a Vanilla Coke with a tall glass of ice? Yes, but probably not in the drink world.



Now we'll find out who won the award for Best Ability to Shake "Friendly" Women.

Without a doubt, Jed Bookman in PA. Jed would like to dedicate this award to Aaron Carter Harter. Congratulations Jed, and sorry, Aaron.



The next award of the evening is for the Best Cook of the block.

Katie Miller brought us way too many treats on our trips. Thanks to Katie and some of her food, I think we all gained a little more weight this quarter.



Next up is the Miss Chick award.

The winner is... Maria Goubeaux. In case you didn't know it, Goubeaux farms used to be the largest poultry-something this side of the Mississippi. Ask Maria about it sometime (but do it when Jed or Gregg is around).



The Be Careful About Playing Euchre With Her Because She Will Win, Seriously award is next.

Courtney Moenter walks away with the honor! Seriously, she is good. And it's kind of embarassing when she beats you pretty bad.



The final award of the evening is the How The Heck Did He Get Through AEE 531 award.

The winner is... Jeremy Ryan. Seriously, I had 3 years of FFA in high school and struggled with a lot of things in that class. This was his first exposure to a lot of the topics covered. I'm impressed.



In my closing remarks, I would like to thank each of you for making the block a good experience. I'm glad I had the chance to get to know each of you better and look forward to being your future colleague. Even though I am looking forward to summer like you wouldn't believe, I will miss seeing you guys. Have a great summer and a great student teaching experience.

Big News?

What a day. Before my potential big news announcement, I want to review my day a little. Bear with me.

I did my teaching today at New Lexington HS for our bioscience unit. I decided to get pretty involved with mine and squeeze a lot of stuff into an hour and a half. The whole lesson started yesterday when I made biodiesel in my kitchen in about 10 minutes. Biodiesel needs to sit for about 24 hours to separate from the glycerine, so I had to have some ready for the lesson today.

It was a mad rush to get from Columbus to the school this morning, and also to pick up some supplies at home and at my sister's house on the way. After I got to NLHS, I had my dad take me to the fairgrounds. I stole one of the tractors and took it to the school, then hooked it up to the dyno. After I got everything set-up for my teaching, I learned that I was going to have significantly more students than I originally planned for. I expected to teach about 15 kids two times. I ended up with the teachers combining the classes on me (about 30 kids) and then bringing a science class down to take part as well (another 20), for a grand total of about 50-60 kids. I expected 30 for the whole day! The second go-around, I had two ag classes and the science class again, but there were only about 35 or so this time.

I started with a discussion about biodiesel basics and the chemistry of biodiese. We talked about some advantages and disadvantages of using biodiesel, then moved on to discuss safety and the process of making biodiesel. Finally, we split into groups and the kids made biodiesel. The process of making biodiesel is very simple. If anyone has any questions about it, feel free to ask me (I'm a seasoned pro - I've done it twice now). It is a very cool activity for students to do that they will remember. I used the biodiesel to open a network to other bio fuels and other biotechnologies.

The last activity that we did was the coolest part. I mixed the biodiesel that I made yesterday with some petro diesel in about a 50-50 mix. I pulled the fuel line off the tank and ran it into the bottle of B50 (50% biodiesel, 50% petro). We started the tractor and made a dyno run to get our baseline horsepower. After the system had switched to B50, we made another dyno pull to get our numbers on B50. The tractor picked up 2hp on B50. For the second class, the biodiesel, which was now B75 due to how I mixed it, made 1hp less than petro diesel.

I was very happy with the results. Everything went smoothly and a bunch of the kids really enjoyed this. I have a feeling that when I'm teaching, this will be an activity that I will be doing with my kids. It is simple, works great and really gets the attention of many of the students.

Now for the announcement of my big news! My big news is that next week's blog should be interesting for each of you blockers. If I get the time, I will have something special in my blog. If I don't have time, then I'm sorry you took the time to read this paragraph.

Also, keep feeding the fish. They have been getting neglected lately.

What is red and itchy?

I am.



As much as I look forward to summer, without fail, I end up buring myself at least once in the sun.









It's not so bad for a few days. A little touchy when changing my shirts, but nothing horrible. After two or three days, however, the itching starts. Thats what I hate. I can deal with the pain of the burn and the distinct redness of shame, but the itching is unbearable.
This time, I got burnt spending half the day Friday and all day Saturday working at the fairgrounds. Most of the cause was from Saturday. I worked ground in the horse arena then fixed fence for most of the day. After work Saturday, I went to the New Lexington FFA Truck and Tractor Pull.
This is the second pull of the year for the Chapter. I grew up around the pull, so it seems natural to me that New Lex FFA puts on a monthly pull. When you stop to think about it, however, it is pretty extraordinary. NL FFA members plan for and facilitate their own truck and tractor pulls with some help from their Alumni chapter. It's really pretty amazing.
New Lex FFA partnered with the Perry County Gun Club to put on pulls. In exchange for nearly unlimited use of the grounds and facilities, NL FFA cares for all grounds and facilities. They are in charge of maintenance and handle some upgrades to the Gun Club.
NL FFA built their own transfer sled, uses the school's 4430 JD to pull back, new JD scraper tractor and the school's backhoe to make the pull happen. Students operate the logistics of the pull including sign-up, all money, working the gate, announcing, grading the track and running the pull-back tractor. Mr. Blosser (one of their teachers) runs the sled, and two alumni members handle flagging and teching vehicles.
I think this is one of the coolest activities that an FFA Chapter can put on. If you are free for any of the up-coming pulls, please come to Perrydise and support this great FFA Chapter.

By the way, as you can see the fish are doing well. I didn't name them yet, though. While I like the names suggested by Jena, Shalie knows how special Vanilla Coke is. I don't know what to do...

Feed My Fish

Some of you may notice the fish I recently acquired on the right side of your screen. They are a little clingy to the curser, but for a bunch of fish, they really aren't all that bad. I was unsure about these fish from the start, but they are kinda growing on me. Fish are, after all, pretty gross animals when you think about it. Swimming around in their own filth all the time, eating other fish, smelling like a fish does. Maybe thats why I kinda like these ones - they are clean, have no odor, and only eat the food that you give them.
That reminds me of my first task for you: feed my fish! You'll notice that the fish tend to follow the curser around a little. If you left click in their "pond" you can drop little fish foods for them. The best part is when they fight a little bit to get the food. If only I could get some turtles for my little aquaculture center... (That one's for you, Jed and Brandon.) On the other hand, having turtles around might just attract this guy.
It just doesn't seem right that a guy should have a herd of fish (they're too cool for school) without names. Here's where you come in again. I took the pleasure of naming a couple of them already. The white fish (yes, there's a white fish in there, it's just hard to see) will be named Snowflake, in honor of the greatest fish of all time. The blue fish will be named John. I struggled with whether or not to name a lowly fish after myself, but since it is a blue fish, it is the most deserving of that name. There is still a green fish, a red fish and a gray (or is it grey?) fish that need to be named. Post your comments below and I will choose the best names for these fish.

Forever

The other night during a very competitive game of Balls In Cones, CABS Edition (if you don't know what this is, are you really living life?), I had a pretty deep discussion with one of the drivers/players, Mikey. It's something that I've thought of before, but this time it really has me perplexed.
The Columbus weather was pretty clear, but you could barely see any stars in the sky. Both of us are from the country and we started talking about how a clear sky at home looks. Our discussion turned toward the vastness of the universe and how amazing the notion of never-ending really is. Then Mikey said something that really got me thinking: Forever.
When you stop to think how little you are in proportion to the entire universe, it is overwhelming. When you begin to think about how short your time on earth is in relation to forever, it is absolutely unthinkable. Not just a forever that continues on after you die, but a forever that has always existed. Truely amazing, whether you are religious or not.
Throughout my life in church, I have heard about how God created a universe without bounds and that our time after life will be spent either as an eternity in Heaven, or an eternity in Hell. So why this short discussion during the heat of competition (and intense work if my boss asks) has me thinking so much is beyond me.
I think that there are some things that we, as people, should not spent too much time dwelling on, and this may be one of those things. On the other hand, I think it is good to reflect on this from time to time to help keep some things in perspective.
Thinking of forever can easily lead into thinking about life on earth after you are gone. After I die, what, if anything, will I be remembered for? What did I do on this Earth to make a difference? These concepts motivate me to do more good in my life and leave a lasting impression, however my name will most likely not be remembered for too many years after I'm gone.
Without preaching too much, I think the one answer to all of this is God. By giving your life to Him you have a greater ability and more opportunities to make a difference in so many ways. While your name may not go down into history, you will discover the true meaning of life, and along with it, true happiness. Who knew Balls In Cones could provide so much more than a little entertainment.

Mr. Skinner

One of my proudest moments in my life came very unexpectedly during my senior year in high school. The same moment was the culmination for many of the decisions that I have made throughout my life after that point. It has been the inspiration for many of my goals and aspirations.
I didn't take ag class until I was a sophomore in high school. For some reason, I felt that I would be out of place in ag, although many of my friends were already in the class. After coming to my senses a year late (I have always been a late bloomer), I came to really love the subjects and my teachers. Sheridan FFA was split into Ag 100 (freshmen), Ag 200 (sophomores), and Ag 400 (juniors and seniors, rotating curriculum each year). After taking Ag 100, my junior year I skipped Ag 200 and took Ag 400 for 2 years.
My teacher for those last 2 years was Mr. Mike Skinner. We didn't have too much in common, but we got along really well. Looking back, I wish I would have done even more in that class, and especially in FFA. I always had a lot of respect for Mr. Skinner and that didn't change as we developed a friendship that still stands today. Although I don't get to see him nearly as often as I would like, I am sure that he will stay a friend of mine thorughout the years and we will stay in contact.
Back to the moment that changed my life. During my senior awards banquet, I was seated in the very last seat. Out of 300-something guests, members, family, and friends, I was the only person there without a door prize at my seat. Small details, but it's funny what you remember as time goes on.
As the banquet neared the end, awards and scholarships were handed out. I won a few and lost a few. Mr. Skinner stood to give his award and scholarship, in honor of his late father, Don. to a senior student that he felt was deserving. As he started his speech, it became clearer and clearer to me that I was going to win the most coveted award of the night. I don't remember what all he said, but two things stuck with me. The first was that I "chose agriculture. Agriculture did not chose (me)." I did not come from a substantial farming operation. This simple statement has provided me with motivation throughout my years (and years) of college.
The second thing Mr. Skinner said was something that meant much, much more. In front of a packed room, he said that he was impressed with me. The guy that I had grown to respect more than almost anyone else in this world was impressed with me. I was a chubby (I was always skinny, I just started filling out my senior year of high school) 18 year old who had no idea what I wanted to do with my life, who wasn't very involved in his FFA. But something I had done along the way impressed Mr. Skinner. Afterward, he told my parents and me how much he really was a fan my mine. I was floored.
It's amazing the impact that a teacher can have on a student. It's hard to tell where I would be today without the influence that Mr. Skinner had on me. That one man had such an impact on where I am today and things that I have done since meeting him as a sophomore. Realizing the impact that Mr. Skinner had on me is a chief reason that I want to become an ag teacher. Hopefully I can have half the impact on a student that he had on me.


(Please leave a comment below if you got Rick Roll'd.)

No More NAPA

As many of you know, I have several occupations. I am very blessed with my employment opportunites, especially in such hard economic times across the country.
Most recently, I became the maintenance supervisor at the Perry County Fairgrounds. I like this job because it not only pays a lot more than my other jobs, but it allows me to work whenever I want to, as long as all the events at the fairgrounds have their needs met.
I am also the Service Crew Supervisor at CABS, for OSU. I started as a driver for CABS in September 2008, and was promoted to supervisor in September 2009. I have learned so much about leadership with this job. The hours arn't the greatest (5pm-11pm Sunday through Friday), but most of the time it doesn't interfere with my class schedule. Plus, I can usually get time off if I need it.
While I love these jobs (I actually do enjoy both very much), it is my job at NAPA that means the most to me. I have been at Thornville NAPA for the past 7 years. I worked there through high school and stayed on to work weekends through college. I got to know 2 of the greatest friends a guy could ask for in my bosses, Wes and Phil Harlan; learned about parts and how to work on cars/trucks/tractors/boats/etc; learned how a small business operates; and have built relationships with so many people from Thornville and surrounding communities. Working at NAPA has been an experience that is truely invaluable to me.
Last week, I called to order a muffler for a truck that I have been working on for my dad's friend. Wes let me know that they hired his son Lukas to start working at NAPA after school and on Saturdays. What this means for me is that I have been forced into retirement from NAPA. It's kinda funny that I have replaced by a 15 year-old sophomore in high school with very little experience.
Most people would be upset about losing a job that they love to some snot-nosed kid, but not this guy. (editor's note: He's actually a great kid, I watched him grow up.) Wes and Phil seem like family to me, and I know the decisions that they made were with my best interests in mind. I also knew that the time was coming when Lukas would replace me- I just hadn't thought about it lately, which is why this kinda caught me by surprise. The money I make at NAPA is barely enough to cover my fuel money to get to work and back. Wes and Phil know that I make more money at my other jobs, so this will allow me to work at my higher-paying jobs.
I haven't pushed for a raise at NAPA for several reasons:

1. NAPA doesn't seem like a job to me. It's more like a 6 hour-long social event during which I occasionally have to help people.
2. I can get off any time I want with little or no notice. They are very flexible with giving me time off when I need it (and I'm a few minutes late for work nearly every Saturday and they never say anything about it).
3. Most importantly, I work for the discount. It might be accurate to say that on average, I spend my entire paycheck on parts. After I'm gone, Wes and Phil said they will keep my discount as long as possible.

So this Saturday will be my last day at NAPA. It will feel so weird to get up Saturday morning and make the 11 minute drive to NAPA for the last time as an employee. I know that as long as I live in or around Perry-dise, I will be a customer of theirs, but that store that I have spent thousands of hours in will never be the same. Whether they realize it or not, though, I will keep my key because it is so handy to get in there whenever I want.