Monday I started my second week of school. I forgot how much fun teaching can be.
Wednesday Susan and I celebrated 31 years of marriage with a Cincinnati date: barbequed ribs at the Montgomery Inn, and ice cream at Graeters. We reminisced about old times, and wondered what the next 31 might bring.
Wednesday and Friday I rode my bike to school. It’s 18 miles through the city, but I’ve worked out a pretty good route: mostly residential streets, birds singing and all that. It’s pretty hilly and really dark (I have to leave by 5:40.) It usually takes an hour and 10 minutes, you know, stop lights and all, but Friday I made it home in 57 minutes.
Saturday I mailed the oven range vent hood I “sold” on Ebay. In the end it cost me 10 bucks to send it to some guy in Denver. The height of my Ebay fiasco was hoisting it onto the trunk of my car, (too big to fit inside) strapping a rope around it, and easing my way to the UPS store. At least it’s gone.
Sunday I got inspired to clean up and organize all my stuff in the basement (since that damn vent hood is gone.) I’m beginning to get control of my life again.
Today I joined the select group of Americans who have had a rational discussion about health care. Susan and I worked it all out over supper. If you want the solution just ask.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Day One
Today was my first day of teaching at College Hill Fundamental Academy. This is going to be as good as I thought it might be – the students are bright-eyed and the staff is great. Our principal is a true leader and the atmosphere is positive.
I’m used to memorizing lots of new names, but it’s really hard here because the names aren’t familiar. For example, you can’t believe how many variations there are on the names Shawn and Asia – Deshawn, Dashawn, T’Shawn, Shawntae, Ashawntae, Breasia, Deasia, Ti’asia, Azsia. Nice names but difficult to put to memory.
The students, all ages, loved playing the xylophone I brought from the mountains in Mexico made from rocks. No one can imagine how beautiful it is going to sound – clear and ringing, sort of like glass. They all love the acoustic bass and guitarron.
We are in a “borrowed school” while our building is being remodeled. My room is a storage closet off the cafetorium. There is no air conditioning, no windows. Today it was 90 degrees outside and humid. I completely sweat through my shirt twice with a little drying off session at lunch. A colleague saw me after school and donated a fan. I’m surprised how little it bothered me, I just want to teach these young rascals. In few weeks it will cool off.
Now I have to work out riding my bike to school…
I’m used to memorizing lots of new names, but it’s really hard here because the names aren’t familiar. For example, you can’t believe how many variations there are on the names Shawn and Asia – Deshawn, Dashawn, T’Shawn, Shawntae, Ashawntae, Breasia, Deasia, Ti’asia, Azsia. Nice names but difficult to put to memory.
The students, all ages, loved playing the xylophone I brought from the mountains in Mexico made from rocks. No one can imagine how beautiful it is going to sound – clear and ringing, sort of like glass. They all love the acoustic bass and guitarron.
We are in a “borrowed school” while our building is being remodeled. My room is a storage closet off the cafetorium. There is no air conditioning, no windows. Today it was 90 degrees outside and humid. I completely sweat through my shirt twice with a little drying off session at lunch. A colleague saw me after school and donated a fan. I’m surprised how little it bothered me, I just want to teach these young rascals. In few weeks it will cool off.
Now I have to work out riding my bike to school…
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