The silly Phillies didn't repeat, sorry to say, but making it two years in a row is quite an accomplishment. Next year. They need pitching. Consistent pitching.

The move is on. I am going to be moving to Palmyra over Thanksgiving vacation. Not looking forward to it.

I am going golfing tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Nate Graybeal has a Phillies shirt on. Go Nate.

There are so many things I'd like to say. I think the testing that we force kids to do which is supposed to measure their achievement in certain areas is for the most part unreliable. The more we test, the less we teach. I'm not stupid. Most of my kids aren't going to be English teachers or English majors. I want them to read because reading is good for them and makes them better people, but we make reading and writing punitive and that makes them hate it.

Schools. Parents. We do the best we can. I'm reading this book by Alan Sitomer. He's teacher of the year in California. He says that the best thing we can do is be honest with kids and tell them life kicks you in the gut sometimes and it's best if you know how to deal with that. To me that means that a deadline is a deadline, an assignment is an assignment, and responsibility is responsibility. Second, third, fourth chances send a wrong message. Sure, you get a bunch of times to take your driver's test, but if you get drunk, drive and kill someone, there's no do-over. No second chance. I will do my best as a teacher to try and relate information to a student at his or her level, but eventually he or she has to do something as well. I am often stunned when kids tell me they don't get something but have really put forth no effort to get it. Sometimes you just have to read with a dictionary open beside you. Sometimes you just have to figure stuff out. I've put together a few gas grills in my day, and I've had to take them apart and reassemble them because I didn't "get" the directions the first time.

Be accountable for your actions.