Stein's Rant

Hey, How Was Your Summer Vacation?

The answer:  Non-existent.
Awesome picture, by the way…

This summer has been so busy.  As a part of my busy summer, a fraction really, I will begin my new job as a teacher in southwest Ohio instead of north-central Ohio Monday.  That is the first of 3 teacher work days.  Then Thursday I get started in my regular routine of teaching, at least while football season is going on.

This would be great, but I never had a day off between when I ended school last year and when I’m going to start the new year at a new school.  I had, perhaps, a total of 7 days of rest.  There were a couple of days between the end of the 2009-2010 school year and the ONU Summer Music Camp.  The day after the final concert at camp I had my first interview at my new school.  A couple of days later I had a second interview, meeting several of my soon-to-be students and parents.  Then it was time to pack and head off to “home” for my marriage/honeymoon.  While at home I got the call offering me my new job, with me accepting.  Then came the marriage and honeymoon.  While on the honeymoon my new bride’s stepfather passed, and we went to her hometown to attend the viewing and funeral when we got back to Ohio.  Then we had to pack for the move south.  The actual move came on July 15th and the first day of pre-camp with the new band was July 19th.

I don’t feel that I need to complain.  Wait, yes I do.  I love to complain, just ask my mom!  (Or wife now, I’ll bet…)  I am grateful for the new life ahead of me.  Next summer, though, I hope to actually RELAX during my summer vacation.  Next summer we might be taking a drive out to my uncle’s wedding in New Jersey.  Maybe we’ll take a vacation closer to home, or a day vacation.  Whatever the decision may be, I’m sure it will be less eventful.

Here are a list of things I’m happy about currently through photos:
The Wizard of Oz show

The Reds’ 7-game win streak

Frank and Sonny, respectively

My wife’s cute new car, 2009 Chevy Aveo

9/2 Ohio State Football Season

9/12 Cleveland Browns Season

No Thanks, I’m Allergic

Many of you feel my pain with today’s topic.  Allergies stink!!!  Going from July to August many people start feeling the discomfort of seasonal allergies.  Recently I have begun to cough and feel the itch starting in my lungs.  My wife had a sneezing fit a few days ago that was only stopped after taking over-the-counter allergy medication.  Why does our physical body allow for such stupid occurances?!  No, Mom, I don’t need that sciency answer that is out there.  I want to know the reason why the science answer exists.  I feel like a fool coughing with no reason or purpose!  Unfortunately, the allergies don’t end there.

As many of you know, I have an unfortunate food allergy as well.  All of my life I have not experienced the “joys” of peanut butter, or any nut product for that matter.  I have a very severe allergy to peanuts, and a moderate allergy to tree-nuts.  This picture gives just a small example of what I can’t eat:
<——-I can not eat one bit of this.
If such a disaster should occur, I would need to take certain measures depending on the type of nut touched and in what way.  Worst case scenario is I get a peanut in my mouth or swallow it.  Then I would need to inject myself with Epinephrine and go to a hospital emergency room.  Most other cases require Benadryl and some rest.  It’s quite an awful experience.

Those of you with the allergies, I feel your pain.  To add insult to injury, I’m allergic to penicillin and its branching related medications.  If you are sick of allergies out there, let me hear it.  I am always amazed at the various things people can, and are, allergic towards.

Big Changes

First order of business: I would like to express my apologies to those readers out there that have been anxiously awaiting the next rant/post.  I have been extremely busy and will explain in this post.  I have basically 3 main changes that have all come really close together.

Change#1: Meet MRS. Stein (and I don’t mean my mother or grandmother)
On June 26th my love and I were married in my home parish in front of some of our friends and family.  The wedding was beautiful, the reception was crazy and fun, and the honeymoon was greatly relaxing.  I could put many pictures on here if I really wanted to, but you can just take a look at my favorite…
Isn’t my bride beautiful?  You can tell just how happy we are.
It took a lot of planning and made both of our summers very busy up until very recently, but it’s worth it to be together.

Change#2: The new gig
Just about 3 days before our “big day” I received a call from Covington’s principals offering me the job as band and choir director.  I took the job, for several reasons.  I did not leave South Central due to the students or really the faculty.  I will cherish my time teaching all of my students there.  There will be a part of me that will always be an SCTrojan.  No students chased me away, and I was not fired or asked to resign.  (I have no clue what kind of rumors are floating.)  This was not a decision that came easily, either.  However, I am looking forward to what awaits me at Covington.  The “rookie camp” has already started, and I can tell just how well trained the students have been.  The band still needs to get used to my… unique personality.  (SC students, remember our first days of camp together?)  I’ve already said some bizarre references and placed nicknames on people accidentally.  The kids know their basics, they know their pregame and some stands tunes, and I can’t wait to move forward.  There are some crazy traditions that are a lot of fun, too.  It’s a nice way to keep everything loose.

Change #3: The move
After my bride and I got back from Virginia Beach we immediately started planning and packing for our move from Norwalk to Troy.  Troy is a bit bigger and closer to Cincinnati, for those Reds fans out there you understand.  There is stuff to do here, I’m sure.  We haven’t figured out exactly what yet, still feeling out the territory and such.  I received, from a new student, restaurant advice.

Not much ranting in this post, I know.  Trust me, more will come.  I can rant on several topics.  Moving comes to mind at present.  Expect more, and come back to comment.

P.S. My wife and I got two young kittens named Frank and Sonny.  Frank is a boy and Sonny is a girl.  There are pictures and a movie on my facebook profile if you’re into that sort of thing.  They are hilariously clumsy.

Top Ten Today

I guess it’s been a while since I updated this.  My apologies.  Those who know me well know that I’ve been under a great deal of stress and confusion.  So here is what I’m ranting on right now.  What’s in your top ten?

1. People believe that teachers have the whole summer off to do nothing having to do with working.  I will have basically 3-4 weeks of summer vacation.  The rest of my summer is consumed by music camp, marching band camp, parades, and etc.  This “vacation time” is, by the way, not considered as paid leave.  Teachers merely have contracts for the other weeks through the year that are spread over 52 weeks to even things out.  LAME!!!

2. Money.  Money is not as grand as movies and tv make it out to be.  Those who crave money for money’s sake, why?!  Life would be much easier if it were like on Star Trek and monitary systems were abolished.

3. Wedding planning.  I have had more struggles with planning the ceremony than I could have possibly imagined.  Good news is come June 27th it won’t matter.

4. The St. Louis Cardinals.  Stupid Cardinals!  The Reds have played decently well over their stretch, but not as well as the Cardinals have ever since the Reds took away first place from them.  Now they are tied, again, for first place in the NL Central.  Bring up Justin Lehr!!!!

5. Dust.  Just as a general statement, dust has no place in my life.  Be gone with ye!

6. Exercising is painful.  It doesn’t matter if you do every single thing right.  It is recommended that everybody gets an aerobic workout to keep their heart-rate up at an individually specific rate for 25 minutes a day for 5 days per week.  If this is done, it is taxing on your body.  I realize that this helps my overall health, and will help me in the future.  However, it stinks!!!

7. Gas prices.  Seriously, have you seen the trend?

8. Living alone so far away from any family.  The portion about living alone will be remedied after June 26th.  However, living so far away from the family makes it feel as if I miss out on things.  I have to clear a lot of time just to visit with my own family.  I suppose this is part of being my own adult, but I don’t like it!

9. Sweat.  I sweat way too much and way too often.  If I think about warm weather or exercise and it starts.  Maybe I should do that procedure, you know, botox my armpits.  I’ve heard it works well…

10. People don’t comment.  I am never sure whether or not people actually read this blog.  The lack of audience participation causes me to wonder if I should close down the ole SteinRant blog for good.  Nah, I’ll keep doing this.  Just comment on it in some way!!!!

Responsibility’s For The Birds!

Responsibility is a topic complained about way too frequently without people actually understanding what it means.  This blog is not about the responsibility of parents, despite the hilarious picture above.  Instead, this is about the sense of responsibility each of us possesses in some way.

The dictionary definition of “responsibility” is reliability or dependability.  Other similar definitions may be found at dictionary.com.

This past weekend was Memorial Day weekend.  (Hopefully all were able to remember those who have paid for our freedom with their lives.)  For many fellow band directors out there, we understand what this means.  Instead of a relaxing 3-day weekend of picnics and family time, this means that school graduation is on Sunday followed by a Memorial Day parade, or parades in my case, on Monday.  These performances are, obviously, at the end of the school year.  In my particular case, it is the last time that I will see my high school students before the summer vacation begins.  Despite the obvious necessity of these performances, a majority of the group was blown off by a select few.

I am not using this blog to complain about this event.  However, this particular event is only representative of many events in which people feel that they can ignore their responsibilities for their own desires.  I have heard stories of students skipping school because a new video game is out.  There have been rumors that athletes skip practice to have a smoke.  Kids are too busy to do homework at home.  They have too much to do to learn how to cook, do some laundry, do some dishes, have a meal with their families.

We all have lapses in our responsibilities.  Nobody is perfect.  I implore you, all the steinrant readers out there, to do your best to stick to your responsibilities.  Follow through with what you are expected to do.  Give your effort towards a goal.  You will find that reaching that goal is much more rewarding than beating a level in a video game.

Throw In The Towel

There is a startling trend among school-age kids that I am beginning to notice.  More and more students are wishing to do nothing.  What is worse is that after teachers/directors/coaches work really hard to get the interest in their particular program, the kid will quit after very little time or effort.  This new craze of quitting is becoming a major issue.

I’m not sure when this became “ok” as a conclusion.  It was not that long ago that I was in high school myself, and I do not remember quitting as a clear option.  If I became a part of a program, no matter what that program may be, I was expected to put every effort into it as possible.  If I didn’t put the effort in, I wasn’t going to be good enough to be a part of the program.  If I decided it was just too tough, I had to work through it for at least the portion of a year or more.  Has this concept been thrown to the dumpster?

May rant today is based on my particular music program.  I would love nothing more than to build a program that the students and community can benefit from by making great music.  I have found that when students create good quality music, they enjoy the process.  However, some students don’t want to give this opportunity even the slightest effort.  Apparently students need to focus on one particular thing when they are 12.

Children, as students, should be able to experience as many different opportunities as possible.  They should be involved!  Students should be in music, in sports, in student government, 4H, FFA, DECA, and any other organization.  The student who stays involved will be more likely to maintain their grades.  The bottom line is to keep at it.  Quitting has never solved problems.

Education is Key, and It Starts at Home

I apologize for my recent absence from the realms of tumblr.  I have been rather busy, lately.  I have completed two concerts, attended the high school choir concert, and continued planning for the upcoming June wedding.

I would like to spend time, as a teacher, talking about education.  Everyone, for the most part, understands just how important education is to one’s life.  An educated individual leads to a great deal of positives.  Some of these positives include: good manners, social acceptability, good speaking skills, hard-working attitude, the ability to set goals and work towards their success, etc.

Where does this education begin?  THE HOME.  A child learns 85% of what they need to know for the rest of their lives by the time they are 5 years old.  The child learns how to walk, talk, count, color-code, eat, bathe, all before they begin their primary education.  This means that a child will learn fine motor skills, speech skills, visual skills, personal hygiene, personal well-being, all at home.

Problems arise when parents are unable in some way to teach their children these things.  Perhaps the parents are incapacitated.  Maybe the child has no real parents, or experiences neglect from them in some way.  Whatever the case may be, the responsibility is then placed upon the teachers.  Teachers are then asked to educate 22+ children in one classroom during a limited period of time.  Instead of learning the reading, math, and so on that is expected of children, they must be taught how to properly speak, count, etc.  This is a near impossible task.

The schools should not be put in this ridiculous position.  Teachers are held to an already high standard with very little pay.  (I am, obviously, biased based on my profession.)  Then you add the responsibility of teaching children the things they are expected to have learned from their home lives.  AGALSD!!! RABBLE!!!!

I know that when I am a father that I will take care of my child/children with the responsibility and attention they deserve, as all children deserve.  I just wish all parents had that kind of insight into parenting.  I have very little room to tell someone when they are wrong in this topic, as I do not currently have children.  However, children deserve to be loved, cared for, and be given the opportunity to learn at home.  Young children crave that early learning, wanting to put on their own clothes, feed themselves, sort things by color, talking a lot.  By having fun, the children are learning.  Take some responsibility, parents, and have fun with your children!!!

P.S. Chuck is fantastic.

The Doldrums of May

Every year since I was little I have had a horrible feeling when May rolls around.  It’s that feeling that summer is right around the corner, yet there is still so much work to do.  The end of the school year approaches, and is fairly close, yet I must keep at it to the very end.  Students sometimes feel that teachers want school to go on forever.  However, sometimes the teachers feel like this…

Some people call this feeling “senioritis” due to the lack of effort from seniors.  I have found, in my brief amount of experience, that this feeling exists in school-bound people of all ages.  (I never understood the concept of “the inflamation of the senior” anyhow.)  I feel that seniors actually have a different level of respect for closing out their high school careers.  Either that or I have been blessed with a tremendous class of 2010.

I would like to thank my students for the 2009-2010 school year.  You have helped make my job easy.  It’s always easy to be a band director when the band accepts your directions.  The high school band has worked incredibly hard all year, and only has the graduation ceremony and Memorial Day parades left to perform before they get their well-deserved break.  The 7th/8th grade band has improved immensely from August to now.  I hope that those students realize their tremendous talent and potential and continue to grow musically.  Tomorrow night the 5th grade band and 6th grade band will be performing for the community.  The 5th grade has taken the year to learn instruments they have never even touched before and can now perform recognizable works.  The 6th grade band has a HUGE amount of potential, and some of it is being realized in their performance tomorrow.

Necklace or Serpent?

How many of you have heard of Jane Seymour’s open-hearts collection?  This is a pricey line of jewelry from Kay Jewelers.  For those who don’t know, Jane Seymour is a widely popular actress best known for her title role in the television show “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.”  This show was very popular in the early ’90s and shot Seymour’s career through the roof.  She is also known for her role as the Gerber mother.

I would like for you to look at the form each piece of jewelry is shaped.  The intent is to look like two hearts that are each missing a side, thus being open.
Does this not look like a cobra to you?!
Yeah, pretty close.
I was also told by a close friend that the open-hearts look like butts.  Stop buying these stupid-looking jewelry sets so that the whole collection can go away.

Shout out!!!
I want to give a shout out to my school’s band concert.  My high band and 7/8 grade band did really well despite there being a tornado warning in our county while we performed.