Update

I'm not sure why I am posting today. I suppose it's largely that I couldn't help but notice that this blog has now lasted a full calender year. I don't know if that is something that I should be proud of or if it is horrifying. After my last real post, in November, I decided that posting my classroom experiences in a public blog that bears my likeness would be the most fundamentally stupid thing I could ever do so, no more. Currently, I am working as a substitute teacher in area high schools. I have also agreed to be the assistant baseball coach for the JV team at my old high school. I'm going back to school yet again in a post bacheloriate teacher preparation program. It's roughly 30 credit hours in education methods and pedagogy so that I can be certified to teach secondary ed. This is necessary because neither of my degrees are in education which means that I can be certified to substitute (which is babysitting) but not to be a full time teacher. That last sentence was for Filan.

I recently attended a coaches conference where most of the high school coaches in the state were in attendance. I worked the room a little bit. In order to get hired as a teacher for the 07'-08' school year I would need to be hired on a contingency basis. This means they hire you with the understanding that you will complete all certification classwork within one year. I think the best chance for this to happen is for some baseball coach to go to his principle and say, "look, there is an opening in the English department and I need to fill a vacancy on my coaching staff. I'd like you to talk to Pudge."

I'm having a blast being on the field again. I love talking baseball with the coaches. I love being able to pass on knowledge to the players. I love hitting fungos. I love being outside when it's 70 and sunny wearing wind pants and turf shoes and spitting sunflower seeds all over the place. I love that I am able to throw a very hittable fastball over the plate 99 times out of a hundred, which means I throw the best batting practice ever.

I have been overseeing pitchers bullpen work during our current preseason mini-camp. I spend most of the time watching pitchers throw and looking for flaws in their mechanics. Yesterday, I stopped a kid after he threw three straight pitches over his catcher's head. I told him that after he comes set he breaks his hands low and as a result his arm was still trailing his body when his stride foot landed. I demonstrated and told him, "after you break your hands make sure you get into your L position by the time your front foot lands. This will allow you to get over your front thigh and release the ball out in front of your body. Your fastball will come down into the zone and your curve ball will break down in the dirt." He made the adjustment and started pumping strikes. After his session was completed he smiled and said, "Thanks Coach." and I loved it.

PS. My hair is short. Pic was taken at "Christmas in June" Party.