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  When I decided to transition from writing to teaching, I had to earn a couple of certifications. Before that, I volunteered to teach online English students in the Ukraine and Gaza, for experience. Even now, while carrying a full teaching load, I'm still studying for two more certifications, which I'll hopefully get in the next couple of months. After that, I'll be looking into a master's degree in education (to make me feel better after that master's program I abandoned in the Philippines? Probably. Who knows?) My point is, we SHOULD take our jobs seriously (especially something as critical as, well, I don't know--Senator??). God knows I have -- after 20+ years as a professional. And that's the operative word here, isn't it? PROFESSIONAL. Please, please, please, let's vote for qualified and competent candidates in the upcoming midterm elections. We've tolerated these clowns for the longest time.

This was me with Señor Manuel many years ago, when I first visited Mexico. Coming from a tropical country where the summer heat can literally kill you, I wasn't used to the relative cold of Mexico City in winter, and you can see the difference here in the way we were dressed -- it's hilarious.  He took me out one evening, along with my wife, Diana -- his youngest daughter -- to the best taqueria in town.I didn't speak a lick of Spanish at that time, and it was a pleasant surprise when Señor Manuel spoke to me in fluent English after graciously playing the piano for me after dinner one night in their home. He talked to me about his career as a music teacher that spanned many decades, and it never failed to amaze me to hear stories from his own former students -- many of whom would still call him on his birthday or on Christmas day after all these years -- about how inspiring a teacher he was to them. Some of these students we would chance upon on the street while we were wal...