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published: 9/4/2010 12:00:00 AM
Earlier this week, I had to explain to my three children that their grandmother (my mom) had to be rushed to the hospital because of complication from her cancer treatment. When my youngest son asked if we could go visit her in the hospital, I had to explain that she was still very sick and that we would try and visit her the next day, depending on how she was doing. I just wasn’t sure....
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 8/28/2010 12:00:00 AM
I have known this day was coming for about three-and-a-half years now, but I still wasn’t prepared when it finally arrived. As the father of two young sons, I was prepared for the start of football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and Cub Scouts (although chess club and piano kind of took me by surprise). I was eager for my boys to start all of these sports and for them to join scouting. Heck, I looked forward ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 8/21/2010 12:00:00 AM
Although they did not know it until recently, I have given each of my children a weekly allowance. Since the day they were born, I have put five dollars a week into their savings accounts. I know this isn’t much, but I wanted to put a little something away for them and I wanted to get in the habit of budgeting in their allowances before I actually had to lay down the cold, hard cash. ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 8/14/2010 12:00:00 AM
Let’s face it; I have been accused of being sarcastic all of my life. Although I realize that I have a dry sense of humor and that I have been known, on occasion, to make a sarcastic comment, and that I appreciate sarcasm in others, I really don’t think I am all that sarcastic (especially considering that I bite my tongue on about 90% of want I actually want to say). Okay, okay, I admit ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 8/7/2010 12:00:00 AM
As the new school year rapidly approaches, I find myself in a quandary. For the past three years, I have been lucky enough to have two different families who were willing to pick my boys up from school and watch them until I can pick them up. I can’t pick them up from school because they get out almost an hour before I do. When you add in my drive time, the boys usually have ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 7/31/2010 12:00:00 AM
I am not ready! Really, I am not ready and I am quickly running out of time. I can’t believe it is almost and I have done absolutely nothing to prepare. Seriously, where did this summer go?
Like most teachers, who have the summer off, I always have big plans. I am going to rest up and get rejuvenated. I am going to spend more time with my kids, we are going on a ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 7/24/2010 12:00:00 AM
Have you ever been to a book signing? Have you ever been to an event were an author talks about his or her work and then signs copies of their book? I attended my first book signing last Saturday and I didn’t know what to expect. Do authors talk about their books or do they just make small talk before signing? What do they sign in the books? What do they sign with? Do a ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 7/17/2010 12:00:00 AM
Earlier this week, I spent three days and two nights at Cub Scout camp with my oldest son and eight of his best friends. As the Den Leader, I was pretty much required to be at camp full-time with the boys, but I was fortunate enough to have four other dads who volunteered to join me for the entire camp experience, as well as two others who joined us for at least a day. Needless ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 7/10/2010 12:00:00 AM
This weekend, I have the honor to attend my oldest niece’s wedding. I am honored to attend the wedding and I am very happy for her, but I can’t help but feel a little old. Yes, I said old. Feeling old has nothing to do with the fact that she is actually getting married, or that she recently graduated from college, or the fact that she met a great guy who she seems head-over-heels in ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 7/3/2010 12:00:00 AM
Every Fourth of July, my sister-in-law invites each of her brothers and sisters and their families over for a cookout. Once the sun goes down, we head out for the local fireworks display. This works out great because they have a swimming pool in their backyard, so the kids get to cool off at the pool, they get to shoot off some fireworks, they get to see a fireworks display, and they get to spend ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 6/26/2010 12:00:00 AM
We arrived at the ball field about 7:45, met up with the rest of the team and began warming up for the games. We took infield practice, then outfield practice, while the pitcher got ready. The coach huddled the kids together and gave them their pep talk, went over positions and the batting order, and gave out final instructions. When the umpires were ready, our first batter stepped into the box and took the first ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 6/19/2010 12:00:00 AM
This past week was supposed to be a busy baseball week for my family. We were supposed to have baseball practice last Saturday, which was rained out. We did get practice in on Monday, but our Tuesday night game was rained out. The game was rescheduled for Wednesday night and guess what, it was rained out. The game has been rescheduled for Sunday evening, which of course, is Father’s Day.
The problem is, we ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 6/12/2010 12:00:00 AM
As most of you know, Father’s Day is right around the corner. For all of you moms and kids who are struggling to figure out what to get your dads for Father’s Day, I am here to offer a gift suggestion. This year’s suggestion is the same one I wrote about in my blog last year around Father’s Day: a t-shirt. Of course, I don’t mean any old t-shirt (where is the fun in that). ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 6/5/2010 12:00:00 AM
My grades are turned in, my classroom is clean, my textbooks have been turned in, and all my meetings are over. I am now officially on Summer Vacation (the three best things about teaching are June, July, and August). I don’t have much time to relax though because my summer job also begins today; in fact, it started about 15 minutes after I left school and picked up my sons from grandma and grandpa’s house. ...
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by: James Wilcox
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published: 5/31/2010 12:00:00 PM
As the end of another school year quickly approaches, I am left confused by some of the “end of year” routines. I get to experience the end of the school year as both a parent and as a teacher and let me assure everyone right now: teacher look forward to the end of school just as much; no, even more, than the kids do. I also admit up front that I am jealous of all ...
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by: James Wilcox