chatter from the Library Monkey

a big bruise

Another sporting injury. I was pitching and one of my best athletes drilled me with a line drive off my calf. It hit me so hard that it hit my left leg then bonced off my right leg and that hurt too, though not as bad. At the end of practice I rolled up my pant leg and it had swollen to the size of a softball

I iced it down for an hour and took the ibuprofen. That helped. I also went and played volleyball, which I think turned out to be a good thing.

The Detroit Tigers have a two game win streak and are in second place. Hard to keep up with Cleveland who have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games.

The radio station that covers the tigers also covers the the Red Wings and they are playing the playoff game against San Jose. fun…but I think it is going to end in a few minutes.

Gratitude (3)

Here is something I never understand: After a few days of the kids acting like jerks and me having to put down the hammer (so to speak), I expect them to be worse, but almost always they are better.

The mother of one of the actors in the high school play asked me what I thought of the play…I hate lying and said: “for Indian Lake, I thought it was good.” She went on and was trying to get me to say they were good. She was even going so far to say it was good.

One of the things I would have to say about the play — which is neither good or bad — the sound was way different depending on where you were sitting. I moved and sat in a different spot after the first half and heard 100 percent better in the new location. This was because there was some sound reinforcement from the stage, but the way the speakers are in the auditorium it is a world of difference. So much so, that I think you should not do theatre in the auditorium.

My aide also gave the play a compliment, saying that since the kids were so busy it was good considering. I understand they are busy, as far as softball practice and all, but other schools are busy and they pull it off. The school next to us put on a really good fun show. Less kids, but pretty much grads 6-12 participated. They aren’t as busy because the director there schedules the performance when there isn’t a sport season going — as far as games. That is something we could do and I am not sure why we don’t.

And, if the kids are too busy, pick an easier play. As it was there were nine kids for a 10 person play. Since one of the kids had not been to practice, they took his part out..

My assistant coach compliment the director, which I am not sure if I should do or not. The assistant didn’t see the show and just said: “I heard it was a great show.” Since I was standing there the director was a bit non-committal. She has said that she gets compliments when she knows a play is bad and wonders what kind of compliment that is….

First softball game tomorrow. We are playing a team we beat three times last year. If it is the same team (their ‘b’ team) we have a pretty good chance to win. It would be a good way to start the season.

I wish this was a little more organized and coherent after a couple nights off…but it is what it is…

the long drive is coming

Because the landlord is spending Sunday in the school town — in her house — I have to spend the night in the hometown. It means a 1.5 hour drive in the morning. Fortunately I have arranged that drive in ways to make my life good. I think I have only done the Monday morning drive about about five times and most were when I started working.

I think my thoughts about the drive has changed. My first thought was that I would be making it a lot more than I do and that it wouldn’t be that bad. As it is, I have a strong dislike for it. I okay with it in the evening, like I wouldn’t mind making it now (at 8:42 p.m.) than to have to get up at 5 a.m. tomorrow.

There are teachers at my school that make the drive every day — a total of three hours round trip. On Friday the science teacher did it twice. During the school day, then she came back to watch the high school play. I really admire that. She also had her two kids in tow. Of course I think she should make that drive. If I suffer though a mediocre performance, so should the rest of the staff.

It dawned on me today one of the really bad aspects of the Friday performance. The lead girl is the sister of the girl who was a lead two years ago. Their performances were similar. It didn’t make sense — the don’t look alike and their voices are fairly different. It finally dawned on me why their deliveries were exactly the same. The sound as if they are reading the script, not presenting it.

Hopefully à la Boum Boum will be better.

Gratitude (3)

• I am grateful for a Tiger victory after two losses.
• I am grateful for for an un-flooded basement — when the sub-pump isn’t working so well
• I am grateful for the ability to make some delicious cream of broccoli soup.
  

  The ibuprofen and lots of rest has seemed to have done the trick with my cold

  The Detroit Tigers stopped a two game skid with a 4-3 win over the Twins tonight. Needed that win for many reasons. The first being to stop a losing streak, the second to stop Minnesota from winning. The third being they need to win some of those close games. Tonight it was Brandon Inge’s homer in the ninth. That is exciting.

  The Tigs need to win those games if they are to be a championship team. Another thing that is good about a 4-3 win, is they (the relievers) didn’t give up a bunch of runs in the late innings.

  Good ol’ softball starts this week. I am down to 10 players. One is out with an injury, another is ineligible. Actually two are ineligible, but it is a player I haven’t been expecting to make it into a uniform. All the kids have to do to stay eligible is to do their homework and they have a couple chances to get it in. In fact the way the system is working — one player, who is eligible — is flunking a course, but doesn’t matter she must be doing her homework.

  

  • pushups = 0

  • crunches = 0
  • squats = 0
  • bike = 0

better — still tired

When I went out — I was out. A nice eight hours of sleep.

What is with the posturing of this country. There is a guy on the air discussing mistakes tht the CIA has made in the Iraq war. All related to George Tenent. He is saying that the CIA did four things right, the only thing they got wrong was the Weapons of Mass Distractions (WMD). He is saying that the CIA only said there were WMDs. I seem to remember them saying, if there were WMDs Saddam would only use it if we attacked him. Actually they didn’t say it, they presented reports

The high school fare was kind of typical of my school. For one thing it wasn’t an especially good play for a small high school to do. But it was a good play for an English teacher to do — “Little Women.” One of the problems with it is the fact that our best male actor, seems to think on stage he should be a flaming gay man. Consequently the guy who is flirting with two of the sisters doesn’t jib well with a flaming gay man.

I take a little petty pride in this fact since the student has told me that I don’t understand humor. Here is the guy who has become self-appointed king of humor, yet he doesn’t know how to play a part. I think he has also lost the fact that if people are laughing at you because you have forgotten your lines, it isn’t because you are a genius comic-actor.

I guess the forgotten lines are the biggest problem I have with my school’s theatre department. When people forgot their lines on stage it seems like a funny accomplishment. I am thinking that they need to understand that it is a mistake. I am not saying this as a writer, but as a director. Soon everyone is laughing and just as quickly no one has respect for what they are doing. I think I am going to present that to the cast of “Romance à la Boum Boum.”

Now the talk on radio is the home runs and steroids. Barry Bonds and Sammy Sosa.

“Romance à la Boum Boum.”

What I need to do is explain to the kids that if they are mediocre they will continue a trend. A trend that I am not going to be part of. My aide was telling me that the older students were kind of discussing the play and mainly finding a way to find fault in the librarian.

The good is of the 19 actors in the play, 17 showed up for rehearsal last week. The tough thing about the two that did not show up is the fact that they only had to make two rehearsals. If I am going to squeeze my time, they need to know I am expecting the same.

The bad is the two that missed practice. One told me he couldn’t come because he had a baseball game, but that game was canceled.

My nose isn’t running non-stop, but I am tired and it is only 9:13 a.m. I will be napping soon.

two naps later and I am feeling better.

Gratitude (3)

• I am grateful for the fact that — in politics — facts eventually come out
• I am grateful for the fact that my catcher’s injury will only hold her back for one game.
• I am grateful for the nibble on a summer job
  

  

  • pushups = 0
  • crunches = 0
  • squats = 0

woe is me

I am suffering with a small cold and at the loss of the tigers. They had a 3-1 lead in the eight and lose 5-3 in the ninth. Again the bull pen falters.

I guess I can leave it at that — I need sleep. I might read a little than konk out.

did all I thought I would. The play wasn’t that bad but then it wasn’t that good.

Gratitude (3)

• I am grateful for theatre — good or bad
• I am grateful for the ability to know good or bad theatre
• I am grateful for having a second computer to use in the hometown.
  

  

  • pushups = 0

  • crunches = 0
  • squats = 0
  • kayak = hour