My Soap Box

In my “retirement” I find myself driving a school bus. The most common reaction I hear from folks is, “Oh, I could never do that!” I imagine that comment arises from the general perception that kids these days are completely out of control. I won’t kid you, it can be trying at times. Indeed,... Sign in to see full entry.

I was going to say election time is upon us, but that seems to have been the case for the past year, at least. At least we get to vote on local and state issues pretty soon, probably the only place our votes really count. Most of the ballot items here in Washington revolve around taxes. Should we... Sign in to see full entry.

Brian Williams, news anchor is the latest celebrity to step on his tongue. When I heard the story, I didn’t think he was telling it to brag himself up, it seemed the point was to applaud the servicemen and women that he alleged came to their rescue. So did he “mis-recall” the incident or did he... Sign in to see full entry.

War. We have an unimaginable capacity to inflict damage and death on those whose ideals don’t match ours. Are humans really the most intelligent species or just the most clever when it comes to instruments of war? Suppose we do decide to turn the other cheek? There are groups out there for whom that... Sign in to see full entry.

Maybe we should keep track of who gets their campaign signs that litter every yard and inch of roadside space taken down the quickest and vote for them next time. It proves they know how to get things done. Now that there has been a changing of the guard, so to speak, (after all, a politician, of... Sign in to see full entry.

In response to the ever-expanding waistline of the American driving public, safety engineers are making crash test humanoid replacements (sounds much more fancier than dummies) reflect our passion for food and our dispassion for exercise. I don’t know if this is good or bad. Do the plus-sized among... Sign in to see full entry.

That is the question. The answer lies in the availability of time. Where once I was awash in time, having reached the ripe old age of drawing social security and being disabled, now I am feeling better and have returned to part-time work. That work is a special needs school bus driver and as such I... Sign in to see full entry.

I have a lot less time for things like Blogging. I have never had to be so professional in my approach to work and the work itself. Every day as I look at my little charges in the passenger mirror, it reminds me that these are someone’s children and grandchildren. I know that may seem silly, of... Sign in to see full entry.

Just a month ago, I was hired as a bus driver. So this old dog had to learn to drive a school bus, get a commercial drivers license and learn the ropes of driving a special needs bus pretty much all at once. It was an intense time, filled with self-doubt. Could I really do all these things... Sign in to see full entry.

We’ve heard a lot about “conversation” these days. Politicians seem to place a high stake on “having a conversation” about their differences. But when they converse with journalists, the brunt of the conversation is affixing blame on anyone but themselves. So, just what the heck is a conversation?... Sign in to see full entry.