This means a day off for me, and multiple days off for the girls. Yay for Catholic school. Today was a total layabout day. I did venture forth (through the potentially hazardous weather, of which I don't think I saw two raindrops) to get my monthly haircut.
Wetsuit came yesterday. I immediately tried it on, and it fits quite well. I can even get into it myself, but will need an assist with the back zipper. Not real flattering, but I didn't expect it to be. Better than I hoped for, though, whatever that means.
As usual, I plan to go to the Easter Vigil tomorrow night. Truly the "new year's eve" of the church year, with blessings of fire, water and oils, lots of majestic prayers, and welcoming new members, just as I was 17 years ago. Which means the oldest is about to turn that magical age. Yikes.
And in school news, one week until TCAP, and six weeks to go until the end of the year. Surprise surprise from the school board, though. To make up for our one inclement weather day, instead of making it up per the calendar, they sent word yesterday that school will be extended 45 minutes for the next 2 weeks to offset it. I can see the reasoning - most kids won't remember to come back after the Memorial Day weekend, it eliminates a day of bus transportation, breakfasts and lunches for students. And in the long run, most parents will pick the kids up at the normal time anyhow. Not sure how this is going to play out for us teachers, though...it is like an 8th period during the day. Well, we will get all of Monday to figure it out.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Crash and burn
Yesterday my computer froze up. Usually not a problem, just turn it off and reboot.
This was a problem. Got the "blue-screen-of-death" saying the computer was shut down to prevent irreparable damage to the computer, etc. etc. So, I try to reboot in safe mode. Nope. Reboot to last workable configuration. Nope. Reboot from installation disk. Nope.
So had it taken to the local computer repair place. I trust them, they run a tight ship and are nice geeks, like me. We have good conversations. Anyhow, my hard drive was fried. No reason, they sometimes burn out. Luckily they were able to transfer all the files to the new drive, that they installed. yay!
In the meantime - well, last night - I took stock of how much I do on the computer, and how much I could do without. In the past few months, via NetFlix, we have been spending about a night or two a week watching DVDs, which is fun. Without the computer, I would do more of that, although I do time-shift some programs that I miss. Of course, I miss them because I am playing on the computer.
If the hard drive had not been able to be saved, I would have started over with a pristine, unformatted drive. And as a result, I probably would have cut out a lot of things that are currently on my drive, and found new things to be doing with my time.
This was a problem. Got the "blue-screen-of-death" saying the computer was shut down to prevent irreparable damage to the computer, etc. etc. So, I try to reboot in safe mode. Nope. Reboot to last workable configuration. Nope. Reboot from installation disk. Nope.
So had it taken to the local computer repair place. I trust them, they run a tight ship and are nice geeks, like me. We have good conversations. Anyhow, my hard drive was fried. No reason, they sometimes burn out. Luckily they were able to transfer all the files to the new drive, that they installed. yay!
In the meantime - well, last night - I took stock of how much I do on the computer, and how much I could do without. In the past few months, via NetFlix, we have been spending about a night or two a week watching DVDs, which is fun. Without the computer, I would do more of that, although I do time-shift some programs that I miss. Of course, I miss them because I am playing on the computer.
If the hard drive had not been able to be saved, I would have started over with a pristine, unformatted drive. And as a result, I probably would have cut out a lot of things that are currently on my drive, and found new things to be doing with my time.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Getting older
The gym still treats me right, and I have increased my routine by a few minutes each time. However, the pesky scale tells me nothing has changed. Not that I care - I feel better, and am more flexible, and have a lot more energy. Spring is like that, too, but over the winter I forgot to stay in shape - or really just got lazy.
As far as the age thing, I broke down and bought a pair of 1.5 magnifying eyeglasses for reading and the computer. Helps me to not squinch my eyes all the time. And I can slide them down my nose, the same way I do with my sunglasses when I am inside, to keep them out of my "normal" vision.
Still, going to fight this age thing as best I can. Fitness is a first step, but for the most part people never guess my age within a decade when they first meet me. I guess that childlike sense of adventure. yeah, right.
As far as the age thing, I broke down and bought a pair of 1.5 magnifying eyeglasses for reading and the computer. Helps me to not squinch my eyes all the time. And I can slide them down my nose, the same way I do with my sunglasses when I am inside, to keep them out of my "normal" vision.
Still, going to fight this age thing as best I can. Fitness is a first step, but for the most part people never guess my age within a decade when they first meet me. I guess that childlike sense of adventure. yeah, right.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Spring...fever
Never had hayfever growing up. Maybe I was tougher, maybe the pollen wasn't so thick as to layer your car with a green/yellow coat.
Doing the lawns yesterday was not fun. Tiring, but the worst was the sweat dripping into my already weeping eyes. This morning my eyes were like creme brulee. Not fun.
Better now, and I have been wearing glasses more for routine things, since I need magnifying glasses to read most things now (with these new test contacts...)
Doing the lawns yesterday was not fun. Tiring, but the worst was the sweat dripping into my already weeping eyes. This morning my eyes were like creme brulee. Not fun.
Better now, and I have been wearing glasses more for routine things, since I need magnifying glasses to read most things now (with these new test contacts...)
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Working weekend
Today was quite a physical strain. Up early for teaching my monthly math morning. But before I left, got a nice email from Australia. Looks like the dates will be June 2 - 29, paperwork to follow. A nice semi-sunny bike ride to the school, and prep for class.
In the four months my class has shrunk from 20 to 11 to 9 to 7 today. 20 was actually a manageable group, since I am used to closer to 30. Having 7 was kind of strange, but other classrooms are similarly bare, and our Asst. Principal confirmed that we had about 1/3 of the registered attendance from our school. Stuck around for an extra 1/2 hour to make sure I was at the computer for the closing of the auction for my RAF jacket. Yay! Pretty well outfitted now.
Bike ride home, I felt a lot stronger than usual. I think some is the non-bike leg training at the gym. I get to work muscles that cooperate with my riding muscles, but give the main ones a rest.
Once home, mowing the front, then the back yards. Got to sit down finally at about 3pm. Wife and girls also did some yard work, edging the front sidewalks and curb, and sweeping up, so we are a tired bunch right now.
And just got ANOTHER email from Australia asking if it is possible for me to fly out of Nashville. This is not uncommon, as the 3 hour drive can cut quite a bit off fares, due to more competition in the market. Just might be a situation of taking a 3 hour drive to take a 26 hour series of flights, then a 10 hour bus ride (there might not be a flight from Perth to Monkey Mia on the day I arrive, so a bus would get me there sooner - but going home I probably get to fly, and even have a small layover).
In the four months my class has shrunk from 20 to 11 to 9 to 7 today. 20 was actually a manageable group, since I am used to closer to 30. Having 7 was kind of strange, but other classrooms are similarly bare, and our Asst. Principal confirmed that we had about 1/3 of the registered attendance from our school. Stuck around for an extra 1/2 hour to make sure I was at the computer for the closing of the auction for my RAF jacket. Yay! Pretty well outfitted now.
Bike ride home, I felt a lot stronger than usual. I think some is the non-bike leg training at the gym. I get to work muscles that cooperate with my riding muscles, but give the main ones a rest.
Once home, mowing the front, then the back yards. Got to sit down finally at about 3pm. Wife and girls also did some yard work, edging the front sidewalks and curb, and sweeping up, so we are a tired bunch right now.
And just got ANOTHER email from Australia asking if it is possible for me to fly out of Nashville. This is not uncommon, as the 3 hour drive can cut quite a bit off fares, due to more competition in the market. Just might be a situation of taking a 3 hour drive to take a 26 hour series of flights, then a 10 hour bus ride (there might not be a flight from Perth to Monkey Mia on the day I arrive, so a bus would get me there sooner - but going home I probably get to fly, and even have a small layover).
Friday, April 3, 2009
Weird end to the week
School could have been a nightmare today, but as recommended by the principal, I "shook things up" with my most troublesome class. Yesterday they gave me fits, asking redundant questions to try to press my buttons. Today, I turned the tables. Had them all stand up, then moved them around so the "learners" were in the front and could hear and pay attention, and the disruptions were in the back. The ratio is about 10 good:16 not so good. There was grumbling and two of my most vocal shit-stirrers' hands shot up. I let them stay up, and they started to complain that I wasn't calling on them. I let them know I wasn't obligated to call on anyone, or interrupt my teaching, but if their question was important, they could write it down, then raise their hand and I would take the note, read it and answer when the chance came. That really stopped them in their tracks.
All my grading is done for this week, just have to put it online, which I hate because parents think this will be a final grade. I admit, I have been lax lately, so I am a couple of weeks behind. Grades close next week for the penultimate report card (the final one gets mailed). It won't take long, I hope, to input the information, then start the process of tweaking it so the 60% of my kids who didn't do a simple project given a week to do it won't fail due to a zero for 20% of their grade.
On a disturbing note, I seem to have lost a good friend. Not dead, but certainly a strange reaction. On Tuesday I got to play chauffeur (wow, I can still spell that first try) for my oldest and her friend to see a concert in mid-town. My good friend, the art teacher at my school, lives near there. Sometimes we get together for a movie or she vents about life and I listen. Well, I phoned from a couple of blocks away and got her voicemail. I left a message saying I was sitting in front of her house "stalking her"...if you know anything about me (which I thought she did) you would know that was a joke. When I actually got there, I saw her light was on, and thought I saw her in the window, so I honked once. I figured she might check her phone and call back. I went up and knocked on the door and she kind of went ballistic - this is HER time and how dare I stop by and never joke about stalking and now GO AWAY. Haven't spoken to her since then, and she seems to be avoiding even coming down my hall on the way in in the mornings. Just noticed she dropped me from FaceBook friends....
I suppose if she is a good friend she will settle down. If not, it wasn't friendship and it will pass. Or maybe there is some factor I don't have a clue about, and I shouldn't try to understand.
All my grading is done for this week, just have to put it online, which I hate because parents think this will be a final grade. I admit, I have been lax lately, so I am a couple of weeks behind. Grades close next week for the penultimate report card (the final one gets mailed). It won't take long, I hope, to input the information, then start the process of tweaking it so the 60% of my kids who didn't do a simple project given a week to do it won't fail due to a zero for 20% of their grade.
On a disturbing note, I seem to have lost a good friend. Not dead, but certainly a strange reaction. On Tuesday I got to play chauffeur (wow, I can still spell that first try) for my oldest and her friend to see a concert in mid-town. My good friend, the art teacher at my school, lives near there. Sometimes we get together for a movie or she vents about life and I listen. Well, I phoned from a couple of blocks away and got her voicemail. I left a message saying I was sitting in front of her house "stalking her"...if you know anything about me (which I thought she did) you would know that was a joke. When I actually got there, I saw her light was on, and thought I saw her in the window, so I honked once. I figured she might check her phone and call back. I went up and knocked on the door and she kind of went ballistic - this is HER time and how dare I stop by and never joke about stalking and now GO AWAY. Haven't spoken to her since then, and she seems to be avoiding even coming down my hall on the way in in the mornings. Just noticed she dropped me from FaceBook friends....
I suppose if she is a good friend she will settle down. If not, it wasn't friendship and it will pass. Or maybe there is some factor I don't have a clue about, and I shouldn't try to understand.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Mid-Week
Crazy times, for sure. In the 40s pre-dawn, and the 70s for the ride home. Yesterday rainy, tomorrow stormy. Just beautiful right now, except if you happen to be stuck at a railroad crossing waiting for one of the myriad rush-hour trains to clear. Sometimes the precious little bastards stop for a few minutes, to let us know who the boss is. Had to laugh at the graffiti on one chemical tanker car (please don't derail)...a figure labeled Homeland Security with X'd out eyes. Yeah, I don't think rail lines are too secure.
So just sitting here killing time, wearing a pair of cast-off magnifying glasses, since my contacts suck ass at seeing near. My right eye is a lot weaker than the left, so it has a stronger lens, but the images are smaller, to me anyhow. This is no big deal for distance stuff...crystal clear. But it is always just a little off indoors, and for reading I have to struggle. Right now, since the glasses are missing one bow, I look like Sawyer from season one of Lost, with his cobbled together glasses.
Today is also day 5 or 6 of not taking Prilosec. I have horrible reflux, and have been taking the OTC stuff for months and months. Ran out sometime last week, and have been risking it. Reflux is there, but not constant, and not unmanageable...or maybe the neck pain radiating down my right arm is making it pale by comparison.
Weekend will be busy...Saturday I have another of my math teaching gigs. Next to last one for the regular year (there will be a week long one in July, by all probability). As the weather gets nicer, the kids kind of forget they are supposed to come. Last time I had 9 students. This time??? The good thing, though, is I get paid. And pretty well...7 hours for teaching 9 - noon, since they pay for planning time too. $25 an hour is nothing to sneeze at, but I hear the checks come significantly after the program is over, which means I won't have disposable cash for any trip needs.
Ebay finally smiled on me, and I grabbed up a wetsuit on the cheap last night. Now all that remains is my storm gear and a tent, and maybe an underwater digital camera.
So just sitting here killing time, wearing a pair of cast-off magnifying glasses, since my contacts suck ass at seeing near. My right eye is a lot weaker than the left, so it has a stronger lens, but the images are smaller, to me anyhow. This is no big deal for distance stuff...crystal clear. But it is always just a little off indoors, and for reading I have to struggle. Right now, since the glasses are missing one bow, I look like Sawyer from season one of Lost, with his cobbled together glasses.
Today is also day 5 or 6 of not taking Prilosec. I have horrible reflux, and have been taking the OTC stuff for months and months. Ran out sometime last week, and have been risking it. Reflux is there, but not constant, and not unmanageable...or maybe the neck pain radiating down my right arm is making it pale by comparison.
Weekend will be busy...Saturday I have another of my math teaching gigs. Next to last one for the regular year (there will be a week long one in July, by all probability). As the weather gets nicer, the kids kind of forget they are supposed to come. Last time I had 9 students. This time??? The good thing, though, is I get paid. And pretty well...7 hours for teaching 9 - noon, since they pay for planning time too. $25 an hour is nothing to sneeze at, but I hear the checks come significantly after the program is over, which means I won't have disposable cash for any trip needs.
Ebay finally smiled on me, and I grabbed up a wetsuit on the cheap last night. Now all that remains is my storm gear and a tent, and maybe an underwater digital camera.
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