In 1982 my brother-in-law, Virgil LaFerney and I decided to purchase our very first "personal computer". I had no cash so I visited a bank and put up my wife's car as collateral for my $2K loan. We each walked away with an Apple 2E computer. This amazing machine had a whopping 640K of RAM, TWO 5-1/4" floppy drives, a fixed keyboard, and a green phosphate monochrome monitor. I had an Apple DOS boot disk and a program called "AppleWorks" (database, spreadsheet, and word processor). I got the machine home, connected all the wires, and plugged it in. I waited and waited until it booted (2 minutes or more). The only program I knew how to run was one called Kaleidoscope. I watched it for a while and then said out loud "now what?" Some 30 years later, that single decision has had the greatest impact on my professional life than any other. Thank you, Steve Jobs for answering the question "now what?" Your vision will be sorely missed. Today I ask it again, Now What?

Just got home after seeing the docu-movie "Thunder Soul"; the story of Conrad "Prof" Johnson and the Kashmere High School Stage Band of the 70's. I highly recommend the film. I was pleasantly surprised to see my own picture as the lead Alto player for our competing Jazz Band at San Angelo Central High School and the fact that my high school band/jazz director, Mr. Gary Wylie, was a contributor to the film and was interviewed throughout the feature. What a thrill! Every educator needs to watch this film. The key take away for me was the phrase by Prof: "don't take the music out of the school." Amen.

I don't know how long this will last, but I frequently have something to say; even if it is only to myself. This "Spreading the Cheeze" blog is intended to be my place to simply say something. Perhaps nobody will listen, but I will certainly feel better for saying it!