M-S Continues Painting

M-S painted the downstairs hall today - on her day off! She does a great job, and looks at the walls of our home as a blank canvas. When we moved into this house, it had just been built - so all the walls were off white. She enjoys picking out the color schemes, and the first floor is really coming together. The kitchen and dining rooms are next on her list, and then I think she will be heading to the rooms upstairs. She's simply awesome. Time to go get ready for the dozen or so trick or treaters we'll have tonight.
~MET

Searching for a New Boss

The big event for me today will take place at 3pm, as the search committee for an interim superintendent of schools meets for the first time. I've no idea how large the group is, or how it will do its work, but it should be interesting. I'll be on the committee to represent the staff from the 3 Winslow schools. Our current leader's last day is Nov. 30, so we have some quick work to do. Its been kind of a controversial issue in town - mostly because the outgoing super had her own ideas of who should replace her...that kind of met with mixed reactions...to say the least.
~MET

Ummm...Yuck - Click on the Pic and Take the Quiz

3,235,680How Many Germs Live On Your Keyboard?

die Monatsmahlzeit Meines Elternteils - Oktoberfest!

Mom and Dad came today for their monthly themed meal, and today was Oktoberfest. We started with bagel pieces with German cheese, pickles, and mustard. The main course included two kinds of bratwurst with sauerkraut, veggies, and warm German potato salad. It was all really good - but filling. Its always a treat to cook for my parents, and to visit with them and Murph. The other pictures are from our walk this morning - Burt, M-S, and the colors of the fall. ~MET

Soggy Samoset Saturday

Today I went to another Maine Education Association leadership conference. The MEA moves their meetings around the state, but about half of them are in Rockport at the Samoset Resort. Its a great venue, and only about 35 miles from my house. These conferences are always very helpful, and always make me feel like a professional. I usually come away with some very good ideas, and charged up to help the educational professionals in Winslow feel more empowered. I work with some truly exceptional teachers, and through the leadership position I hold I want to make them feel valued, and let them know that I think they are doing an outstanding job.

~MET

New Laptop...Getting Used to It is a Pain

I'm playing with my new toy, and I must say I miss the Gateway. I still have it - but I'm trying to transition to the MacBook. There are still some Microsoft programs to be added, and to be honest I can't wait until I can access the programs I am used to using. But, free is free - thanks to all you wonderful Maine taxpayers! Hope all is well.
~MET

A Dog You Can't Capture on Film

I have a rather important meeting at 6pm tonight, so I stopped in to see my parents before the fun started. I wanted to take a picture and write a bit about their dog: Malachi Murphy Thurston. Everyone calls him Murph. Its impossible to take a picture of this very black cocker spaniel, you just can't capture any definition of his very cute face. I tried using black and white film this time...to no avail. He reminds me of Odie from the Garfield comic strip - he's just a spastic goof. He'll be spending Suz's wedding weekend with M-S and Burt, and I think my wife has her hands full. He's a sweet dog, though not exactly gifted.
~MET

Mom Update

I haven't written about my Mom's health for a while, so I'll just briefly catch some of you up. There are no diagnosis changes, but she seems very interested in the new cancer center in Augusta for her future needs. The many docs in her charge have determined that she should hold off on the treatments until symptoms show up in a more aggressive manner. Of course, my wish is that those symptoms take several years to do so. Many of my readers only know my mother from this blog...but understand this: my mother is a saint. She deserves the best because she is the best. Don't be afraid to think a good thought, drop a quick prayer, or whatever you do in your life that might send a positive vibe toward my Mom. Thanks in advance to those who do. I'll never be able to express what my parents mean to me, and I am in hopes that all will work out for the best.

~MET

November is Going to Be Nuts!

Fall has been my favorite time of year for as long as I can remember. As far as I'm concerned, all 12 months should be just like October and November. As this month winds down I can't help but be excited for what lies ahead. I have fewer meetings thanks to the holidays, I count only 5 that are scheduled, but I'll most likely have a couple added. The first weekend I'll be heading to Atlanta for a conference. Having never set foot in the deep south, I'm really looking forward to it. The 2nd weekend its off to DC for the nuptials of Suz and Grant. That will be great fun: brunches, concerts, etc. The only down side is that I have parent-conferences the night after I drive back...I'll be tired. The next week, of course, is Thanksgiving - by far my favorite holiday. I love preparing the meal, finding different things to add to the menu, and just the time spent with family. Its a very big deal to me. THIS YEAR James will be here with a couple of his good friends in tow, and M-S's brother may join us, so we might have around 12. Not an outrageous number, but more than usual. I'll be posting each day, so tune in to see all the fall fun.
~MET

H-A-R With a V, V-A-R With a D, Harvard, Harvard, Harvard!

A wonderful time yesterday, as 3 generations of Thurston men spent some time strolling through the ancient walkways of Harvard Yard. Quite by accident, we picked a day that was filled with activity. We arrived at Harvard at around 10am, and all of Cambridge was abuzz. The first thing we saw was the Princeton Band (pic above) playing and acting foolish through the busy streets. We then spent some time at the old Harvard Yard - which really needs to be seen this time of year to be truly appreciated. After a short visit to the COOP, we had a great lunch at an UNO pizza place. That's where we found out that the 43rd Head of the Charles Regatta was also going on all day. Its the largest rowing event in the world - over 8000 rowers from 600 colleges and universities. To get to the football game we had to cross a VERY CROWDED bridge over the Charles, so we saw some of the action. We also stumbled across perhaps the world's largest dog while on the bridge. (pic) His owner told us he weighs 220 pounds, and eats a 40 pound bag of food every week. We then went to the very historic Harvard Stadium for the 100th meeting of Princeton and Harvard. The Roman-like coliseum was built in 1903 (but really appears much older), at a time when the Ivy League WAS college athletics. It looks very much like an old prison from the outside, but inside it looks like you might be attending the chariot races. What amazed the 3 of us was the make up of the crowd of around 12,000 people. There were very few students, but tons of well dressed and well mannered alumni. I don't believe I will ever attend another football game where the majority of the male fans sport a jacket and tie...preferably a bow-tie. Add to all of this excitement the fact that we where on campus for the 400th birthday of John Harvard himself. We had a great time, and I would really like to go back next year for the Harvard-Yale game to get a sense of how crazy that must be. And, Harvard won the game 27-10 - Lets Go Crimson!

~MET

Pizza as Art

After school today I'm going to get Chris, and we will be going to Augusta for a visit with my parents. We will then be ordering a pizza assortment and bringing it back to Whitefield where my parents, M-S, Kori, Alex, Chris, James, and his good friend Deanna will enjoy the gourmet stylings of Al's Pizza. I really like good pizza, and the more strange the recipe the better. In the Waterville area Grand Central Cafe is the place to go for the weird stuff. When I was a kid it was always sausage or hamburg. Now, I like things like shrimp pizza with cocktail sauce, eggplant pizza, greek, or most anything that's a little different. I had a really good mixed seafood pizza at Steve's in the Old Port once. Tonight I think I'm in the mood for something with mushrooms, and perhaps a different kind of sauce and cheese. What are your favorite pizza toppings?

~MET

My Little Sister is Getting Married!

Sarah, Chris, and I will be heading to DC in November to attend the long weekend festivities as my sister, Suzanne marries her longtime significant dude, Grant. It looks to be an awesome weekend with lots of entertainment and fun. I don't think All Souls Church in DC looks anything like the picture I included. Go here to learn more: http://www.mywedding.com/suzanneandgrant/

They are truly an amazing couple with a wonderful journey ahead.
Congratulations to you both,
~MET

My Daughter is 20 Today

20 years ago today while most of the world was riveted to their television sets watching the aftermath of the rescue of "Baby Jessica" McClure, I was in the hospital in Waterville impatiently waiting for the arrival of my first child. Most people will tell you that I have a tremendously bad memory...but I can recall everything that happened in terrific detail over the two days we spent trying to encourage Sarah to join us. When I think about that day, what jumps out most immediately (aside from Sarah's stubbornness to leave the womb), is how she looked and what she did during her first moments of life. Right after she was born they put Sarah on a table to clean off some of the gook, and I was shocked at the way she appeared. She was so healthy looking: pink, round head, full head of brown hair, fingers already grasping at the air. She also opened her eyes after about 10 seconds, and looked right at me. I have no idea if she could see yet, or focus, but I like to think that I was her first image on earth. After they moved her to the nursery no one in my family could stop watching her. I remember asking myself if I was just being a normal father by thinking that Sarah was obviously the most beautiful baby in the hospital...that every father there was thinking the same thing about his child. But, looking back - it was the simple truth. She was in the middle of the nursery surrounded by infants who, by comparison, looked like aliens. They were bald, blue, had pointed heads, underweight, and wrapped like moths in little blankets. There was my daughter - pink, perfect weight, and kicking up a storm, so no blanket could contain her. Not only was she gorgeous, but obviously the most talented. And that hair! Everyone told us it would fall out after a few days, but it never did. By the time she was one, she had flowing curly brown hair that fell to the middle of her back. The most obvious evidence that she was the best and brightest was that the nurses were practically ignoring the little lizards in the other beds, so they could spend more time with Sarah. Combing her hair, holding her, and letting her grasp their fingers.

What makes me smile the most is that my daughter has not changed a bit. She is still the most talented and beautiful girl I know. Her independent spirit, her eagerness to take a chance, her ever developing work ethic, and her willingness to accept people for who they are makes me, on this day especially, an exceptionally proud man.

Happy Birthday Sarah,

~MET

A New Blog

My son Chris has added himself to the web by launching a blog. I have posted about him several times, so I'm sure you recognize him as the young man in the middle in the pic above from a recent hike with friends. I'm very pleased that I can now keep track of both of my children as they transition to adulthood. Click on his link once in a while to see what my boy is up to.
~MET

Campfire & Golf

Fab & I played a round of golf today at Martindale Country Club in Auburn. Its a really pretty course, and even though I played awful, it was a very good time. Last night he came by for a fire, and we got ready for golf by smashing some stuff to burn in the pit. Good stories, a couple of cigars, and we even saw the end of the Red Sox marathon.

1st Government Relations Meeting

Today I went to my first MEA Government Relations Committee meeting at the MEA headquarters in Augusta. It was very interesting, and I am looking forward to working with this group during the year. We were briefed today on the 80 education bills before the Legislature this year, and the status of the bills the MEA introduced last session. We also had a lengthy discussion of how the MEA will endorse candidates for the elections in 2008. Lots of work ahead, but it is stuff that really interests me.
~ MET

The Value of My Blog

My blog is worth $2,822.70.
How much is your blog worth?

If you go to this site and punch in your URL it will (somehow) calculate how much your site is worth. I have no idea how they come up with this figure, but give it a try. Goldsmith & I were giving each other a hard time this morning about our blogs, and I remembered this site...click on the "how much is your blog worth?" link above.

~MET

Mira-Su's Jericho

My wife is truly remarkable. She got up on her day off at 5:30 to rebuild the wall by herself to get rid of the gaps that were bothering her from the first construction. (see pics from a couple of days ago) She wanted to get it done before the loam was delivered. You can really begin to see how nice it will look with the flowers. The only thing now is to spread the rest of the dirt and seed the chunk of lawn that was destroyed by the West Wing construction. M-S is a marvel, and the hardest working person I know.

~MET

Ahhh, 1978...

You're not going to believe this...but this poster was on my bedroom wall in 1978. Mine - and EVERY other American male teen's wall. By today's standards its pretty tame...but in the late 70's it was quite a thrill. It is also another example of my generation's "shared experience". Today's young people have to work at finding stuff they share. My friends and I watched the same shows, listened to the same music, went to the same movies, and actually had the same POSTERS. Its really quite comforting to talk to men my age and reminisce about those days. If I mention anything from that time - we can talk for hours. Well, anyway...got to go...going to put some Clapton in the 8-track, watch some Gilligan's Island, and maybe see if Yaz can get a hit against the Yankees. Talk to you soon.
~MET

Fall Golf is the Best

A very enjoyable day of golf with Ladd and Fab at Sheepscot Links...Whitefield's very best course. Laddy is a VERY GOOD golfer, and Fab is better than me, but I had a pretty good day - and didn't entirely embarrass myself. It was a cool October day, and I was not as sore as I thought I would be. I have not played in over a month, so it was really great to be out there again - especially with a couple of exceptional friends. Hopefully, we will be out there again next week!
~MET

Building a Wall & Baked Beans

M-S and I built the retaining wall for the flower bed...very tough job. There are still a few loose ends, but you can picture it with grass in the front and flowers behind. My family came by this evening for baked beans. I used my regular recipe, but left out the bacon. They were still very good. We also had all the traditional trimmings: brown bread, slaw, and polish sausage. I'm sore and tired - but a very good day.

~MET

Much Accomplished Today

The only way to describe this day is to make a list:

• I went to the dump to get rid of some of the bigger stuff that has been collecting, but can't fit in a bag.
• I mowed the lawn.
• Mom, Dad, and Suz came by for coffee...Sarah showed us what she has been learning in piano class. (it looks like my mom is smoking...she quit 20 years ago)
• We have vinyl siding - never needs painting - but you have to wash it every few years with a scrub brush...did half the house today.
• M-S has a vision for a flower bed next to the "West Wing" with a nice retaining wall. She started the digging for it, and has done most of that work thus far. I helped her dig today, and we talked about how we would lay it down tomorrow. I think it will look great, especially when all the planting is finished in the spring.
• We have alot to do tomorrow, but I want to get a bunch done this weekend, so Fab and I can play some golf and have some fun next week.
• More on the chores tomorrow!

~ MET

Making Good Use of Taxpayer Dollars

Good news! We did get our laptops today!! I chose to spend my time making foolish pictures of myself with the software. More to come later...the school still has to do some updating, so we can't have them for the weekend.
~MET

Busy Weekend Ahead

A workshop day today at Winslow. We are supposed to get our new laptops...but I'll believe that when I see it. After work I'm going to get Chris, then he and I will head up to UMaine to pick up Sarah. Both kids have a little break until Wednesday. It will be nice to have them here - and its been quite a stretch since they have seen Kori and Alex, my parents, etc. This weekend I'll be mowing the lawn for the last time this season, and then M-S and I have several projects to do around the house before it gets too cold. Landscaping around the "West Wing", washing parts of the siding, washing windows...all the fun stuff. I'll be listening to the 5-0 Winslow Black Raider football team taking on the 5-0 Gardiner Tigers while we work. I think its still Don Brown doing the play by play. I think he's 127 years old now. I'll post some pictures of the kids and our work over the next couple of days.
~MET

What a Dork

Most people who know anything about me know that I really enjoy studying the Supreme Court. I am teaching a unit on the Court right now in my Government & Law class, and a student asked if there were any justices who I did not find truly fascinating. My honest answer is that I think 8 of the 9 are outstanding. I don't agree with the "originalist" approach of Scalia - but I think he is a legal genius. I don't understand the opinions of Chief Justice Roberts - but I know from where the approach stems. Clarence Thomas is just a putz. He was below the dignity of the Court 16 years ago at his confirmation hearings...and he is proving once again that he might just be the worst justice of the past 100 years. His new book is a vain attempt to repair his pathetic judicial record, and it has stirred up the Anita Hill stories all over again. I like to listen to oral arguments from the Supreme Court (I have listened to well over 200), and Clarence Thomas barely speaks at these events. Scalia - though very conservative - is a great jurist during oral argument. Thomas seems to be too unsure to take part most of the time. The BIG reason I can't help but despise Justice Thomas is that he took the place of my favorite justice of all time: Thurgood Marshall. (see my hero series for more). Thurgood Marshall is an icon. Clarence Thomas is an embarrassment to the what I believe is the best branch of government. My favorite justice now is John Paul Stevens - an 87 year old Ford nominee who sees the Constitution as the living document it was meant to be.
~MET

An End to Another Baseball Season

The Washington Nationals have ended their third season in DC, and by all accounts one must consider this campaign an enormous success. This was supposed to be the worst team in baseball history. Instead, they finished with more wins than last year - and out of the cellar of the NL-East. In fact, the Nats finished with a better record than Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Kansas City, the Chicago White Sox, Florida, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and San Francisco. I know many of you Boston Yankees fans will brag about the AL-East champs, but I'd much rather watch a team trying to build from within with young talent than overspending on head cases and prima donnas. The team of the curly 'W' exceeded all expectations, and are on the road to building something special. They went 15-11 in September - never packing the season in until the last day, and single handily knocked the Mets out of first place. Next year we can look forward to a brand new stadium, some moves over the summer to slowly improve the franchise, and the same brand of fundamental baseball. I can't wait for opening day.
~ MET