What if I Had A Backpack That Looked Like Me?

I don’t even know what to do while watching this video.  Laugh or cry?

Passion

The world definitely needs more passionate teachers.  I’m lucky that I’ve been surrounded by them for the past three years.  And I think me and Ms. Schwartz would get along.

“student: why do you want to be a teacher ms. schwartz?
me: have you meet you? you're awesome. i get to hang out with kids like you all day!
student: okay but why do other teachers want to be teachers?
me: probably for the same reason, because kids are awesome.
student: that's not true. you're the only teacher i have who likes us.”

This sounds like something I would say to a kid.  I’d hope that they wouldn’t respond the same way.

Hopefully, in a few weeks, I’ll be able to let you all know how I’m cashing in my chips to follow my passion.  Unless you have inside (and new) information, it’s probably not what you think.

Wicked Awesome Wednesday

This morning, I was at a bar at 6:45 in the morning.  There was a soccer game to watch.  Although, some people didn’t realize that just because they were watching sports at a bar, it was still too early to drink and smoke.  There was a good crowd of people from work there, all trying to make something out of the summer.  It’s a huge difference between our school year and the summer. 

The U.S./Algeria game was one of the most exciting sporting events that I’ve watched somewhere between a stadium and my living room.  I was on the edge of my seat, feeling nervous, and so overjoyed when the U.S. scored to win.

We stuck around to watch the never-ending tennis match at Wimbledon.  We left the bar at around 10:30, when the score was 38-37.  We migrated to AL’s to watch the second pair of games.  DVR makes it so that we watch these things whenever we want. 

Thus, while we were checking in on Wimbledon (which was eventually suspended for darkness at 59-59 in the fifth set), KMc instructed us to cover the bottom of the screen – the score scroll- so as to continue watching the soccer games in suspense.  Young Kirby on the floor would have been doing it too if he was awake.

 

And eventually, even summer vacation gets tiring.

Here’s to my Cali friends, who always make sure I’m included.  I love them lots.

Concern

I haven't used my credit card in a full week. Shouldn't my credit card company call me to make sure I'm alive?

Subconscious

This morning, I woke up with "Stairway To Heaven" in my head because yesterday, that was the only thing one student wrote on his/her #6. All the lyrics, with pictures.

Grading the AP Stats tests is actually a blast. I've graded over 500 number sixes, and I don't find it boring or tedious at all. Each paper is an opportunity for a student to show me what they know. So far, they are doing fairly well, considering that #6 is typically the hardest on the exam.

There are 130,495 exams and 570 readers. I'll grade at least 1300 problems over the week I'm here in Daytona to do my part. It's possible that I'll see exams from my 40 test takers, but not probable. I hope I do though.I'm so interested in what was in their brains for those 3 hours on May 4.

I'm loving the humidity here in Florida, but hating the air conditioning. I think it's unreasonable to have entirely different outfits, depending on whether I'm inside or outside. I asked if the temperature could be increased slightly and was told, "No, we lost someone a few years ago during grading." What?!?! Someone died? Do we really think it was only the fault of the temperature?

I'm sitting at the beach, watching the sunrise, listening to the waves crash, and loving the zephyr that keeps it pleasant. My roommate is from Dallas, so I'll probably come home talking like I'm on Friday Night Lights. I'll definitely come home with a callous (so?) on my right middle finger.

Go Celtics!

Working

Here's what work looks like so far today:

Watching the World Cup with a bunch of our kids. Yup, it's a school-wide event.

Love this place!

Oh The Places I'll Go

Only three more days until summer. It was "cold" here until about Memorial Day weekend, so just in time for the heat (and a Gates Foundation visit), our A/C wasn't working and I'm making summer plans like crazy. Summer starts around 8pm on Friday, after our graduation. Then, we're off to the races. I don't remember the Seuss book that so many people get at graduation, but it probably went something like this:

-One week in Daytona grading AP Statistics exams. I wonder how I'll feel at the end of this week, but I'm excited for the opportunity. It will be lots of grading in a hotel, and maybe some fun in the sun. I wonder if I'll want to read books after long days of reading silly answers to AP problems.

-One week in Chicago with my sister. We're celebrating my 30th. Last year, when I had a bummer of a 29th birthday and was all alone, I knew I needed to fix that before the 3-0. Luckily, my sister feels some obligation to help with that and is super sweet in letting me hang with her in Chi Town and forcing me to book the flights.

-Five days at home for a wedding. Two of my former colleagues are getting hitched and the wedding will be a big dance party. Can't wait. I will be dancing non-stop.

-Ten days in Ecuador - split between the Galapagos and Quito. I just booked this today. I'm journeying with one of my favorite women at school. She's a math teacher like me and I envy how much she's traveled. Yesterday, she said, "Do you want to go to the Galapagos this summer?" (NK had already The great thing about friends is that I would never have thought to go to the Galapagos and as soon as I tell anyone about it, they say, "I've been dying to go there!" I guess this was the 30th birthday trip I've been meaning to plan, but didn't know it was what I wanted.

-Ten days at home again for Newport and family reunion. I booked this back in October, well before I knew I was coming back east. Oh well.

-Then a two week road trip through the northern states on my way to Boston. I'm spending money like I'm made of it (hemorrhaging, as Ali would say), apparently, but this move and the age I'm about to hit are making me feel the need for lots of distractions.

Somewhere in there, I'm hoping to work in some Cali stuff (although I will either have to save that stuff for future visits or I'll do day trips here and there). And if the Lakers lose, I have to go to Huntington Beach to make good on a bet.

Hopefully, by the time Sept 1 is here, I'll be able to get my brain back in work mode. But, I'll worry about that later.