Sorry that I haven't blogged in awhile. I know that I said somewhere else that my muse has had a busy-signal lately, but the fact is that she usually calls me up early in the morning when I don't have a computer or a pad of paper handy. Like, when I'm driving to work.

Anyway.

I want to say "Thank you" to a few people.

First, to Mr. Mike Gardner. I wish that I had looked you up and knew what you were doing now. I'm sure that you are retired. I remember mostly your bearing that was different than that of the other teachers. I found out from you that it was because you were a Marine Captain in your previous career.

While I may have made the choice to join the Marines even without your example, let me say that you were a heavy influence on that choice that I finally made. And I appreciate it, because it had a profound effect on who I've become in life.

Mr. Erickson, Mr. Hanson, Mr. Hersh, and Mr. Flanagan for teaching me history, government, and psychology, and making it interesting. Long live Zardoz!

Mrs. Logan -- as much math as the school could take. Thank you.

Mrs. Hayden-Willings -- thank you for introducing me to Shakespeare, and for giving me that $5 to go to the dance that one time. I'm really sorry that I blew off that term paper for your class.

Mrs. Dorsch, for teaching me French. While I no longer use it, I always appreciate it. I still remember being in your second period class when the Challenger blew up. I also got the chance to try caviar and Brie and Camembert for the first time.

Mr. Ziegenhagen -- you made biology interesting. Thank you.

Mr. Caramella. A quick search of the high school website shows that you are still teaching at the same school along with Messrs. Hanson, Flanagan, and Hersh. Heh. It's been almost twenty years and you were all veterans then. Even though I already loved science, thank you for keeping it interesting and for putting up with my adolescent philosophical-science discussions.

Mrs. Wood -- Thank you for teaching me how to type. On a typewriter, no less! I still remember your crush on Tom Selleck.

And the other high school teachers who influenced me but whose names I cannot remember off hand. Unlike many of my peers, there were no teachers that I didn't like. I loved you all.

Now, back further where the names are even fuzzier...

Mr. Hayes -- eighth grade English teacher. Thank you for introducing me to Jimmy Buffet. "He Went to Paris" and "Son of a Son of a Sailor". Even though you grilled me on whether I knew what the word "lust" meant in a poem (it rhymed with "thrust" which had nothing to do with erotica -- it was about a vampire killer!) I still remember your classes.

Mrs. Schoneboom. I think I got your name right -- and it's an appropriate name for a music teacher. Thank you for giving me the bible with my name engraved on it. I may not have become religious in later life, but it was still a very special gift. Almost as good as the gift of music that you also gave me.

My sixth grade teacher -- I don't remember your name, but I remember your face. And I remember your love for model rockets and science, and how much of that we did in your class. I thank you, sir.

Heh. To my fifth grade teacher (who I had a crush on), I'm sorry that during that one class period I took some words from a tampon box that I had found in the bathroom at home. I couldn't even pronounce the word "vagina" correctly, but at least the whole class was laughing! I know that I had tears in my eyes at the time. Thank you for taking it all in stride and not chastising me for my inappropriate behavior.

I don't remember many earlier teachers... but they were still very important to me.

One of my earliest memories, I don't remember if it was in foster care or what, but I had this small but thick hardbound book about a tiger. That's when I learned to read. I remember the lady always had some kind of brown folder to track my progress.

Sigh. Sometimes I wish that I was better with kids than I am. I really enjoy sharing knowledge with others. But I vacillate so much between being too permissive and being too much of a disciplinarian that it would never work out. Imparting knowledge is one thing, keeping their attention is quite another.

Which is another reason that I appreciate teachers. Bless you all.