School Bike Ride

So tomorrow Newton High School Bike Club. I am the sponsor of the NHS bike club, and I have a group of about 25 kids who are currently in the club. Right now, we are just doing short 40 minute rides during the during school club time. We have a mix of kids who are solid cyclist who commute on bikes by choice, kids who ride occasionally, and special needs kids who are riding in a group for the first time ever. It is quite a challenge to keep all the kids happy with what the club is doing. We are going to have elections for officers the next club when the weather sucks. Tomorrow the weather is going to be high 60's and sunny. Tomorrow is the teachers meeting after school where we have to do some sort of school improvement activity. One of our goals is to be a healthier school. I have been losing weight pretty steady since last October (07). I am at 97 lbs lost at this time as Monday at my weight watcher meeting. So the school is offering many different options for tomorrow's meetings dealing with wellness. I asked for an option for us to do a group bike ride instead of the lame choices they were giving us. I know I have about 5 people who are going to ride. It is only an hour but it is an hour riding when I would have to be inside doing something lame. That makes about 100 minutes of riding and depending on who shows up it could be a rocking 100 minutes or at worst a slow mellow time to ride and visit with my friends. I like cycling so much. It is hard to describe how cool it is. I rode this morning in the freaking cold for 40 minutes on the way to school and it was amazing even in the cold. It makes me feel awesome whenever I ride. The more I ride the better I feel.

On the Debate side of my life. Freaking stress starts now. I think I will ride more, it helps with stress.

Debate Tournament

Newton is hosting the 10th annual Newton HS Alma "Momma" Moore invitational debate tournament. This tournament is Kansas Debate Coaches Invitational qualifier in the Varsity division. One bid at quarters and 2 bids for finals. We are looking for judges. Experience is not required but preferred. We are short Friday night rounds.
dwilliam@newton.k12.ks.us
Email me if you are in the Wichita/Newton ,KS area and want some free eats and to watch some good policy debate.
On the bike front. I rode 30 miles (2 hours 35 minutes) this past weekend. Weather was sunny and cool Saturday with a little wind, but Sunday was terrific with very little wind and even warmer. Ray and I did 30 miles total about 15 each day. I woke up Monday morning to rain and cold, so I did not bike to work. I also woke up to an incredible pain in my hip/lower back. If I overdid the ride, I never noticed being tired or an injury of any kind. It sucked yesterday as I hobbled around in pain all day. I got some heat on it and some aleeve and feel much better now but still rainy. I also had weigh in on Monday and lost another pound.
I am now at 227. Down from 365 (spring of 2003) and down 94 lbs since last October. I am trying to get down to 220 before Thanksgiving, but with the hip issue, it may be impossible.

Election

The election is satisfying to say the least. I stayed up watching the results, and I really enjoyed how most everyone knew what was about to happen. I think even the republicans knew. Weather they will admit it or not, many REP. are excited about the historical significance involved with election 2008.
I really like John McCain. In a another situation, he would have been my choice.

We are heading out to Valley Center and Moundridge for Debate this weekend. I have many students wanting to attend tournaments now. It is good problem to have, but several kids have waited too long to attend their tournaments. Now I have kids who have attended who want to keep going. I told kids to get out and travel with the team early as I reserve later tournaments for those kids who want to travel more extensively. Should I let some debater who will never be in debate again take the spot of kids who want to get better for the years to come.

Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but the thing dies in the process and the innards are discouraging to any but the pure scientific mind.
- E. B. White

Election Day Eve

I am really excited about the election tomorrow. For the longest time, I thought that McCain would have been an awesome president when he first started running. Of all the Republicans running, I knew he was the only one I could vote for. As a democrat in the world of Red state central of Kansas, I feel like my vote may be wasted no matter what I do. Let me finish. McCain changed so much since he started running for president. I liked how stood out in the sea of republican hopefuls.
Unfortunately, what made me like him, made many republicans dislike him. In comes the great republican election machine to mold him into someone the great conservative base could live with.
Now I cannot vote for him. I am not sure who he is. I like Obama. I always have. I like his message and his stance on Education. As a teacher, I just hope he can do something about this No Child Left Behind fiasco given to us by the Bush administration. So tomorrow morning I will cast vote for Obama and be a part of History. It is time for this change. I hope whoever wins, can turn around this crazy economy and put us all back to work. I will be commuting on my bike to go vote as well as to work tomorrow. Now for the really important stuff....I can't forget that it is trash day.