Tuesdays Are Better

I have never been a great friend of Monday, but yesterday, I really hated Monday.  There was a time, during my morning coffee, when I had no real opinion on the day.  It was shortly before I left for work that the day began its turn for the worse. 

I needed to print out a shipping label, but for some reason neither computer could communicate with the printer.  Try as I might I could not figure out how to make the darned things work.  I had to cancel the on-line shipping and then go ship via the post office.  This and my inattention to details like lunch and other things made me a little late to work.

It got worse.  I could not locate my plans for the day.  I CAN shoot from the hip, but life is easier if I have a plan...I finally located a plan a few minutes before the bell rang.  To top it off, i was told my class could be a hand full. The last sub had had a very bad day indeed.  I endeavor NOT to be that kind sub.  So, there was another stress.

As it turned out, the class WAS a bit of a hand full.  By the end of the day I had sent one kid to the principal, and had two more in time-out, they missed PE.  There were other things that proved to me that Monday sucked, but I need not bore you with the sordid details.  Suffice it to say, Monday sucked.

Today is better, though.  I feel it.  It helps that i have a fairly self guided class that does not see three students at my arm every minute to ask how to do something.  They are comparatively well behaved, too.  I had great sub plans and an easy day is lined up ahead of me...this is going to be a good day.

I still have a dentist appointment at the end of the day, but since I think it is a cleaning, it can't be too bad.  This day is SOOOOO much better than yesterday!

Oh, and lunch is nearing!  I love this day!

Of course, it COULD change suddenly, like a hungry lion could burst into the classroom and devour two or three students before I make it to the door.  However, since there doesn't seem to be a huge chance of that, I will continue to hold out hope that this will indeed prove to be a good day.     

Does It Add Up?

I was in a math class yesterday.  Enjoyed it, as the kids were teaching each other math and I had very little to do with it.  We DID correct a few problems.  The math teacher was kind enough to leave the answers.  I would have just put the answers: 2, 3, 1,4 up on the board.  But, I got the idea to have the students come up and show how they got it...good thing too, since their equations contained wood and other materials...well, it said LOG.  Anyway, so they took upwards of ten minutes to put the equation and answer on the bored to just come up with a simple number 2.  Well, that's not completely true.  One kid came up with 1.999.  I told him he was wrong.  He started to get ruffled.  I cut him off before he could explain Rifkin's 32nd Law or some such thing, and told him, "I show 2."  Then he realized he was being had and we all got a chuckle out of it.

I spent awhile last night looking for a few things.  Aircraft crashes that I was unaware of, to be exact.  It's funny how Google will put in new things once in awhile without mentioning it to you.  I found you can look things up in news papers.  All you do it type in your search parameters, then click the "NEWS" button at the top.  Some helpful person has scanned in A LOT of newspapers from over the years.  Last time I had checked you had to get subscriptions and pay to look at old newspapers online.  I'm not sure how it works, but these computer programs are pretty damned nifty when it comes to looking for things!

I have Google searching everyday for the words "Ship" and "Decommissioning."  You see, the decommissioning of the first 688 class submarine built came as a surprise to me back in January.  I would like some warning about such things...hence the search.

I also have it searching for something related to the FICON project from the 1950s.  I have a feeling that the GRB-36 bombers and the small fighters they carried were actually breaking into Soviet airspace, but I have no specific proof, just supposition by me and others, and the US government would never mention it.  On the other hand, some veteran MIGHT step up and mention it...I want to be ready when he does.

I get to teach at an elementary today.  Beyond that I know not what I am doing.  The teacher had yet to enter that information.

Teeth

I have horrible teeth. I assume mostly due to DNA since I do my best to keep them presentable. I had one crack the other day and had to go in and get a temporary crown put on it today. Feels better now, except for the bill...which remains to be seen. I understand that dentists and dental techs and all those other ladies milling around in there need to eat, but can't I be on a special list of people who only have to pay $25.00 for whatever I want?

Oh, and the dentist and the dental assistant got into a mock argument over my open mouth. The Dentist had a syringe in his hand and asked me if I agreed with him...given the proximity of the sharp object (IN MY JAW) I did my best to communicate my complete and utter agreement with him. He chuckled and said all of his patients agree with him...no doubt. On the bright side, I no longer have to be careful about which side of my mouth I chew on.

I have another day of mowing ahead of me. We have two guys on vacation. There are two of us left. I am doing one of their jobs and the other guy is doing the other guy's work and his own (Which should not be a problem, because two weeks ago he did it all in three days). Still, the one that remains wanted me to help him out today instead of what I had planned...too bad for him, I had a dentist appointment. I still have to finish what I started today, so he'll just have to make do. I am a busy man!

I made tacos tonight and used tomatoes, cilantro, and tomatillos from our garden to make salsa...yum!

Monday Morning Malice, but a Good Day...

I taught at the HS again...finally. I have a certification to teach the older kids, it's nice to get out there and practice teaching that age group. The start of the day was, shall we say, inauspicious.

My first class of the day. A kid comes up and explains he has to have me initial a sheet at the end of the day to prove to whomever that he was good in class. OK...that's not bad, I know him, he'll be fine. I busy myself getting ready. I am talking to kids I know, answering questions, and telling them "NO (they always try to get something out of the sub) ." The bell rings and the kids head for their desks. All of a sudden I see movement where there shouldn't be any, and a binder shoots out into the middle of the floor, trailing loose papers like smoke. There is an angry young man standing over another, issuing, I can only assume, threats to his well-being. As I begin my move toward these two, hoping there will not be any violence, but steeling myself for the event, a larger kid, in front of the abused, stands up and calmly places his hand on the aggressor's chest and gently moves him away. It has such an interesting effect, I almost pause to watch. He does it with no malice, and no obvious effort. The aggressor glances up at him and seems to do the calculations I think all of us are doing. He obviously comes to the same conclusion and goes back to his seat, suddenly less aggressive. I look at him, and simply say the word, "Office." He gathers his books and disappears. I make the call, explaining briefly why he is coming for an office visit, and return to my day.

The rest of the day went well. I endured the screams of my fan club...the kids who call my name out in the hall and want to know who I am teaching for. I answer as I can. Often this is accompanied with one student saying to another, "HAH! I've got him 5th period!" Jeez, it sounds like I am bragging, but I should really take a recording of it...it's a bit embarrassing (inner smile).

After work I went and got groceries. Then we had tacos for dinner. My lovely wife is sitting within reach. Yeah, it's been a good day for me. I can't help but think it's a good day whenever she's around.