chatter from the Library Monkey

crushing

i just sat down and I miss the internet. Maybe beer and pizza will help me to forget. Or maybe not.

I thought my drive would wake me up.

It’s the second time I’ve been in the home town in about a month and the second time I ran into the young woman from my plays. She was just a kid when we started, now I think she is in her 20’s maybe not, but her friend was buying beer. Said woman has a reputation of drinking too much, so I am not sure if I should be judgmental or not

after all she might be like me, drank one beer opened the second and fell asleep. She probably didn’t eat too much pizza though.

Up early and thinking too much. I decided that the kayak I loaded in my truck was not needed, so I took it out and in the process broke a porch window… Yet another summer project. I took the pizza box and kind of blocked the window…I just can’t get get that white trash look down.

The Tigers won the fourth in a row last night, pretty cool. It would be a turning point if they could win again tonight.

My back is kind of sore, from sleeping on the floor and hauling stuff around — and the long drive probably didn’t help. The fact I am running around handing out water will likely be difficult as well.

This is the first time I have handing out water when the racers are going towards my school town. I think it has worked out that this is the third time I have done it — first even year.

I changed the insoles in my shoes because my plantar fisticus is really flaring up. I never think that I could wear those things out, but when I compared them to another set they looked kind of beat.

During my year end review two weeks ago, my principal said I was doing ‘outstanding.’ If only I felt that way. I think I feel that way because of the inability to motivate my high school staff and the main teacher I work with in the middle school is retiring.

We had a rally for the retiring teacher and so many things were clear. First ’star’ did not get up and say anything the other English teacher who has worked with the retiring teacher and she wouldn’t say anything. The social studies teacher got up and mumbled about how she was someone he looked to as an example of how to teach. I took an unhumble delight in the fact that I was the only one who was asked for a copy of what I said. This might have been because I was the only one that had a piece of paper in my hand when I spoke.

During my yearend review, the principal said the only I could do was maybe present at conferences. I so wanted to say: “To be a presenter you really need to have a staff that will work with you so you can have good practices to use as a presentation.

A fellow SLMS who went to U@B presented at the last conference — Poetry Slams. I am sure he does an okay job, but he has several staff members who help him out. That actually do encouraging things — like bonus points. I asked the high school staff it would be possible to give out bonus points for returning books (at the end of the quarters). The response was as if I asked for a bare midriff day (for either the students or teachers — some of the teachers have a lot of midriff to bare).

• I am grateful for broccoli prizza
• I am grateful for a multi-game win streak by the Tigers
• I am grateful for the ability to write a good speech

We need a winner

The Tigers now have a four game losing streak

There was an interesting turn of events this week — things I have been saying for months and years, seem to have become popular.

bonus day

There was no school today — a surprise to me, I thought we would be lucky to get a two hour delay. I don’t know how ice it is outside, since I never ventured out. The weather was really a mix to day. At one point it was still s leeting — around 8 a.m. or earlier. Then it seemed to be nice and everything had melted off the trees — around 11 a.m. After noon it was blustery and it seemed like snow was coming down. It’s 24 degrees right now… I would like for winter to be over.

Since I didn’t go outside, I exercised a lot — to burn energy. I must have done 200 curls with the dumbbells. I did more squats and crunches than I list, but I didn’t keep track very well. It’s why I don’t count curls, I always lose track, so the number would likely be wrong — if I wrote it down.

Regardless — I am going to have some tight/sore shoulders tomorrow. I will be using the ibuprofen.

It worked out for me, I wasn’t mentally ready to teach a lesson the second period of the day. I have to do it tomorrow, but for some reason an extra day is better — even though I didn’t much more to prepare. For the most part I did the lesson two weeks ago, but I need to refresh what I am doing to remember.

I have a site meter that lets me know a little about mostly their city, not much more. Occasionally it is the coordinates (latitude/longitude) of the company that the IP is based at, but not where the service is at. I did the coordinates (45.5184, -122.6554) for one and put it into Google Earth and it took me to a building.

This Google Earth is amazing, you can look weather, find pictures people have taken…on and on. It’s 21 degrees at the Grand Canyon. I can’t figure out if I want to go there and camp when it might be the same temp I keep it in my apartment 52°.

I read some today and I made a little graphic that I can use to add up my pages — in increments of 100. I have done the challenge that ’star’ is in charge of (but I do much of the work) and I always finish about three pages short. And I cheat too. I always throw in one or two books on tape — that way I can play on the internet and listen. I listened to about 50 pages of: “The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do” organized by Samantha Ettus. And during DEAR time I read a sixth grader book….and a graphic novel at that.

I figure if I am going to be reading at work it should serve me at several levels. I need to read books that I will recommend to kids, I am reading the sequel of “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid,” by Jeff Kinney. I recommended it to the oddball kid at school. The one the aide says him and I are two peas in a pod. We both enjoy the book. I also like books at a lower level because I can set it down and pick it up without losing what is going on. Something I have to do a lot since kids are still coming and going in the library when they should be reading. That is because they don’t have a book and need to get one.

Took a wonderful nap today.

Wrapping up the night with Cracker on archive.org

The Tigers won two games in one day. The team was split up and beat both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. The hardest part of the two wins was a) the Justin Verlander was not broadcast and b) the Yorman Bazardo was by some lame-0 Pittsburgh announcers.

I need to end and get some reading and some sleep in.

Gratitude (3)

writing before bed

I didn’t do much for Winter Carnival. I walked to the palace and watched the parade. Fortunately this cold happens after the parade. I used to think I did a good job announcing the parade, but boy did the women who announced it yesterday do a baaaaad job. Goofy stupid things like announcing: “Looks like it is going to snow,” after it has been snowing for about 10 minutes.

But beyond that the parade was pretty good. I watched it with a couple friends, though I would prefer to walk around. I was dressed just about right for the event. I was nippy at the end, but after going inside for about 10 minutes I was okay and walked back to a nap.

I was pretty sleepy yesterday and I think it is because I was taking the Loratadine (claritin). It did help me deal with the pack of animals they have where I was staying (three dogs and four ferrets)

I didn’t see the palace at night, but maybe that will happen in eight days when I take care of my appointments. I did get most of what I wanted to do. I couldn’t get to Radio Shack, they opened later than I had time to visit today. That is something that will be easy to do on the 18 or the 21st when I go book shopping and eye doctor town.

It is spirit week next week and I get to dress up most of the days, which is kind of easy for me. o o well night

Gratitude (3)