This against Des Moines East, North, Urbandale, Des Moines Hoover and a couple of other city schools, I forget who!
Friday, May 2, 2008
I have a thin man inside of me screaming to get out....I can usually shut him up with a brownie!
Friday is here and that is a good thing. I am not sure about the weather for today. I think we are going to get rain but it may be going to the south of us. I have no idea what is in store for the weekend.
I guess the weather here in the midwest is always a topic of discussion. If I lived in a kick ass place like San Diego, where it is sunny and mild every day, what would I start the blog with. "Well it is sunny and nice here again today.....". You know what, who cares, I would still rather be there.
Well, I didn't get shot last night but dang is that place scary. I swear every 10 minutes a cop car or ambulance would be screaming by. The place really is like a prison and the track is not very nice. They don't have a clock and they are just kind of unorganized. It really isn't a very good meet.
Jess had an ok night. She got 4th in the longjump, 1st in the 400, 1st in the 800 and the Sprint Med got 4th. They put crappy girls in the Sprint Med and by the time Jess got the baton they were in 7th place and the lead girls were almost a half lap ahead of her. That suck! That relay hadn't lost all year and Jess was ticked that the coach kind of pissed it away. Oh well, she ended up running 59.11 in the open 400 and that is the best time of the year for her. There was a pretty good wind blowing against them the last 100 of the race so she really has the potential to get a good time at conference and district.
Drew has a track meet tonight so depending on where the rain falls will determine if they have it. This is the last meet of the year for him. I think he is glad. He doesn't really like track so he is glad to have it over. He has a baseball game next Thursday. The one on Monday got postponed.
So Drew wants to do Band next year. This has been kind of a tough call becuase the damn instruments are so expensive. I don't want him to do it because his friends are. He really needs to want to do it if I am going to shell out the money. We had a talk last night and he really wants to do it. I told him it would be a three year committment for sure and he was fine with it. So I am letting him do it next year.
Band is good for kids and it will be good for him but I am not going to pay if he is going to just do it for a social club. He told me he heard band is fun and he wants to learn to play an instrument. He also wants to go to the summer lessons so I guess that is what we will do.
Prom is Saturday and Jess is excited. They plan to go to one of the girl's houses and get ready and then the big night starts at 6:30. They have it at the high school and they have a "Walk In". They have each couple line up outside of the gym, which is all decorated and people from the community and parents all come and sit in the bleachers. Anyway, they turn off the lights and have a spot light. They announce each couple, one at a time and they walk into the gym with the spotlight on them. It is kind of cool. The parents and community really like it and the students think it is cool.
They ask some of the Sophmore parents to help out at prom and then the current Junior class donates money to the Sophmore class for Prom for next year. So I am in the parking lot helping organize parking. Whoo-hoo!!! I hope it isn't raining.
In Central Iowa we have a little town called Pella and they are a Dutch community that has little windmill buildings and the architecture in the town is really like a Dutch community. Anyway, every year they have a Tulip festivel. They have thousands of Tulips and a big celebration and all kind of activities. This weekend is the festivel and it is kind of a big deal here in Iowa. I think it would be kind of fun to go but not fun enough that I am actually going. Nancy has Tuplips in her yard so if I want to smell one, I can just walk over there.
The countdown to the end of the school year continues. It is good to be in the last month. May 30th is the big day.
Have a good weekend.
I guess the weather here in the midwest is always a topic of discussion. If I lived in a kick ass place like San Diego, where it is sunny and mild every day, what would I start the blog with. "Well it is sunny and nice here again today.....". You know what, who cares, I would still rather be there.
Well, I didn't get shot last night but dang is that place scary. I swear every 10 minutes a cop car or ambulance would be screaming by. The place really is like a prison and the track is not very nice. They don't have a clock and they are just kind of unorganized. It really isn't a very good meet.
Jess had an ok night. She got 4th in the longjump, 1st in the 400, 1st in the 800 and the Sprint Med got 4th. They put crappy girls in the Sprint Med and by the time Jess got the baton they were in 7th place and the lead girls were almost a half lap ahead of her. That suck! That relay hadn't lost all year and Jess was ticked that the coach kind of pissed it away. Oh well, she ended up running 59.11 in the open 400 and that is the best time of the year for her. There was a pretty good wind blowing against them the last 100 of the race so she really has the potential to get a good time at conference and district.
Drew has a track meet tonight so depending on where the rain falls will determine if they have it. This is the last meet of the year for him. I think he is glad. He doesn't really like track so he is glad to have it over. He has a baseball game next Thursday. The one on Monday got postponed.
So Drew wants to do Band next year. This has been kind of a tough call becuase the damn instruments are so expensive. I don't want him to do it because his friends are. He really needs to want to do it if I am going to shell out the money. We had a talk last night and he really wants to do it. I told him it would be a three year committment for sure and he was fine with it. So I am letting him do it next year.
Band is good for kids and it will be good for him but I am not going to pay if he is going to just do it for a social club. He told me he heard band is fun and he wants to learn to play an instrument. He also wants to go to the summer lessons so I guess that is what we will do.
Prom is Saturday and Jess is excited. They plan to go to one of the girl's houses and get ready and then the big night starts at 6:30. They have it at the high school and they have a "Walk In". They have each couple line up outside of the gym, which is all decorated and people from the community and parents all come and sit in the bleachers. Anyway, they turn off the lights and have a spot light. They announce each couple, one at a time and they walk into the gym with the spotlight on them. It is kind of cool. The parents and community really like it and the students think it is cool.
They ask some of the Sophmore parents to help out at prom and then the current Junior class donates money to the Sophmore class for Prom for next year. So I am in the parking lot helping organize parking. Whoo-hoo!!! I hope it isn't raining.
In Central Iowa we have a little town called Pella and they are a Dutch community that has little windmill buildings and the architecture in the town is really like a Dutch community. Anyway, every year they have a Tulip festivel. They have thousands of Tulips and a big celebration and all kind of activities. This weekend is the festivel and it is kind of a big deal here in Iowa. I think it would be kind of fun to go but not fun enough that I am actually going. Nancy has Tuplips in her yard so if I want to smell one, I can just walk over there.
The countdown to the end of the school year continues. It is good to be in the last month. May 30th is the big day.
Have a good weekend.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Iowans consume less wine per capita than any other state in the nation.
I think I made it through the crappy part of my week.....how about me!
The weather is going to be good today. The rain is going to hold off until late tonight or tomorrow so the track meet should be a go. I hope I don't get shot!
The adjunct party last night was pretty nice. I kind of hung out with one of the guys that is on the adjunct counsel with me and he was in charge of pouring the wine. What was cool about it was that he knew quite a bit about wine. He was telling be about brands and why Iowa wine is sweeter than the California wine, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, I asked him how he knew so much about wine and he said he dated a girl from Italy that was really into wine. I think maybe her parents had a vineyard or something but he said he learned most of the stuff from her.
I also asked him what he does during the day and he said "nothing". He is in between his Masters degree and his PHD and is using the nights to teach so he can pay his bills. He was an interesting person.
So they had name cards on the tables so we didn't just sit where we wanted. I was put with two women. One was a computer teacher like me and the other was a full time English Lit instructor. They seemed nice. I think when you teach the day classes you have a completely different experience than teaching at night. The students during the day are usually full time students. Night students are usually working adults. A much different set of issues with day students.
One of the adjuncts is a published poet and she read some of her poetry for the group. It was not my cup of tea but I found some of her words, and analogies to be very interesting. For example, she wrote about her first time teaching a group of college students and how she was washed with the feelings you get in that position. I can tell you from experience that fear is one of those emotions. Anyway, she said she was working so hard to get them to learn what she could share from her professional experience and they would just sit and look at her in a glazed over type trance.
In her poem she wrote about that experience and these words stuck with me. "I am the sacrifice to your alter of apathy." I can't tell you how that line hit me as so true. I think parents can feel this emotion at times as well. Her name is Victoria Smith and she is a business law instructor. She is an well established attorney in Des Moines.
We also had another speaker he was more funny but also said something that kind of stuck with me. He said "Experience is the harshed of instructors. She gives the test first and the lessons are learned after." I thought it rang true. Of course I had already consume three glasses of wine at this point so what the hell do I know.
Tonight Jess has her track meet. Drew has one tomorrow, weather permitting and then Jess goes to prom on Saturday.
Monday is the conference track meet. I think the weather is supposed to be good for that day.
Ok, enough of my ramblings today. I have to get the trash out for the ladies to pickup.
The weather is going to be good today. The rain is going to hold off until late tonight or tomorrow so the track meet should be a go. I hope I don't get shot!
The adjunct party last night was pretty nice. I kind of hung out with one of the guys that is on the adjunct counsel with me and he was in charge of pouring the wine. What was cool about it was that he knew quite a bit about wine. He was telling be about brands and why Iowa wine is sweeter than the California wine, blah, blah, blah. Anyway, I asked him how he knew so much about wine and he said he dated a girl from Italy that was really into wine. I think maybe her parents had a vineyard or something but he said he learned most of the stuff from her.
I also asked him what he does during the day and he said "nothing". He is in between his Masters degree and his PHD and is using the nights to teach so he can pay his bills. He was an interesting person.
So they had name cards on the tables so we didn't just sit where we wanted. I was put with two women. One was a computer teacher like me and the other was a full time English Lit instructor. They seemed nice. I think when you teach the day classes you have a completely different experience than teaching at night. The students during the day are usually full time students. Night students are usually working adults. A much different set of issues with day students.
One of the adjuncts is a published poet and she read some of her poetry for the group. It was not my cup of tea but I found some of her words, and analogies to be very interesting. For example, she wrote about her first time teaching a group of college students and how she was washed with the feelings you get in that position. I can tell you from experience that fear is one of those emotions. Anyway, she said she was working so hard to get them to learn what she could share from her professional experience and they would just sit and look at her in a glazed over type trance.
In her poem she wrote about that experience and these words stuck with me. "I am the sacrifice to your alter of apathy." I can't tell you how that line hit me as so true. I think parents can feel this emotion at times as well. Her name is Victoria Smith and she is a business law instructor. She is an well established attorney in Des Moines.
We also had another speaker he was more funny but also said something that kind of stuck with me. He said "Experience is the harshed of instructors. She gives the test first and the lessons are learned after." I thought it rang true. Of course I had already consume three glasses of wine at this point so what the hell do I know.
Tonight Jess has her track meet. Drew has one tomorrow, weather permitting and then Jess goes to prom on Saturday.
Monday is the conference track meet. I think the weather is supposed to be good for that day.
Ok, enough of my ramblings today. I have to get the trash out for the ladies to pickup.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Somewhere between interesting and rambling
The weather is going to be good today. Just today. Rain is in the forecast for tomorrow and we are still well below the normal high for this time of year.
The track meet that Drew had last night was a boy/girl track meet so they didn't let everyone run an event. Drew didn't have an event but went to the meet anyway to cheer for the boys that did. There were quite a few kids that didn't have an event. I think they let the 8th grade boys have the slots and then the top 7th grade runners get what's left.
Tonight I go to Des Moines for the "Evening with Adjuncts". I really don't want to go but feel an obligation. Jess had a softball meeting tonight and I wanted to talk to the coach but I guess I will have to catch her next week. I wanted to talk about softball practice during track season. Jess will go to state unless something unforeseen happens so I really don't want her sliding during softball. I also don't want her to have hard physical practices before the regional meet and state meets. I hope the coach is supportive of that.
She needs to practice becuase they have games right after the state track meet.
Jess has a track meet Thursday and it is at Des Moines East. Now Des Moines East is like an inner city school that is in a bad neighborhood. We were there for a volleyball tournament this year and it is like a prison in the school. I mean it is kind of scary to be in that building. Anyway, they were told the track meet has to be done before dark becuase they worry about SHOOTINGS!!! There is barb wire on the top of the fence that surrounds the track/football field. WHAT?
If I don't post Friday morning, check the Des Moines police reports!
Nancy and I took a trip to Ames yesterday for a meeting with one of our vendors. We took a school vehicle so I didn't have to spend the money on gas and such. It was a decent trip. We looked at a blade server and heard the good old sales pitch. The best parts of going was getting out of the office and eating at Taco Bell.
Today, I have a dental appointment. Dawn's dad retires this year so I am getting my last free checkup. I also have to present at the inservice at the elementary and then the adjunct thing tonight. I haven't looked ahead to Thursday but I think I only have one meeting and then I am hoping, nothing for Friday.
Awhile back I was fortunate enough to get a copy of a journal my great, great, great (not sure how many greats) grandfather had written about his journey to America and his travels and eventual settling in Nebraska. I was thinking yesterday that maybe someday one of my great, great, ect grandkids might want to read my blog. Now, the blog is a bit duller than great...... grandad's journal but it may be of interest to them. I should probably keep a hard copy of this somewhere. I doubt, this blog site will be around in 3010.
Ok, off to start the day.
The track meet that Drew had last night was a boy/girl track meet so they didn't let everyone run an event. Drew didn't have an event but went to the meet anyway to cheer for the boys that did. There were quite a few kids that didn't have an event. I think they let the 8th grade boys have the slots and then the top 7th grade runners get what's left.
Tonight I go to Des Moines for the "Evening with Adjuncts". I really don't want to go but feel an obligation. Jess had a softball meeting tonight and I wanted to talk to the coach but I guess I will have to catch her next week. I wanted to talk about softball practice during track season. Jess will go to state unless something unforeseen happens so I really don't want her sliding during softball. I also don't want her to have hard physical practices before the regional meet and state meets. I hope the coach is supportive of that.
She needs to practice becuase they have games right after the state track meet.
Jess has a track meet Thursday and it is at Des Moines East. Now Des Moines East is like an inner city school that is in a bad neighborhood. We were there for a volleyball tournament this year and it is like a prison in the school. I mean it is kind of scary to be in that building. Anyway, they were told the track meet has to be done before dark becuase they worry about SHOOTINGS!!! There is barb wire on the top of the fence that surrounds the track/football field. WHAT?
If I don't post Friday morning, check the Des Moines police reports!
Nancy and I took a trip to Ames yesterday for a meeting with one of our vendors. We took a school vehicle so I didn't have to spend the money on gas and such. It was a decent trip. We looked at a blade server and heard the good old sales pitch. The best parts of going was getting out of the office and eating at Taco Bell.
Today, I have a dental appointment. Dawn's dad retires this year so I am getting my last free checkup. I also have to present at the inservice at the elementary and then the adjunct thing tonight. I haven't looked ahead to Thursday but I think I only have one meeting and then I am hoping, nothing for Friday.
Awhile back I was fortunate enough to get a copy of a journal my great, great, great (not sure how many greats) grandfather had written about his journey to America and his travels and eventual settling in Nebraska. I was thinking yesterday that maybe someday one of my great, great, ect grandkids might want to read my blog. Now, the blog is a bit duller than great...... grandad's journal but it may be of interest to them. I should probably keep a hard copy of this somewhere. I doubt, this blog site will be around in 3010.
Ok, off to start the day.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Maybe Mother Natured died and was succeeded by her mean sister
We are in a freeze advisory this morning. What the HELL is that all about? Freezing! Give me a break.
Drew ran in a track meet last night. He did the high jump, the open 100 and the 4x100. Since he is not the speediest fellow in the land, I told him he needs to shoot for personal bests and improve each time and use this time for conditioning for summer and fall sports. He doesn't really like to lose but I think he just likes participating for the most part.
He has another track meet tonight and one on Friday.
Jess ran at her track meet last night. She got 2nd in the long jump, I think she jumped 15 ft even. 1st in the 400, 1st in the 800 and 1st in the sprint med. Three golds and a silver. No too bad since they were running against Des Moines East and Des Moines North high schools as well as Saydel. Her next meet is Thursday.
Last night was the last night of my Monday night DMACC class. The final test took them a lot longer than I thought it would. It took most of them 3 hours and a couple of them 4. It is a long night sitting there at the computer for 4 hours. All I have to do now is grade the finals and enter the grades into the system.
I have learned a great deal from this experience and will do things differently next term. I will be much more organized and efficient next term since I have already taught the class once. It will really be easy if they use the same books.
I have some pictures to put up but it probably won't happen until this weekend. I was pretty good at taking pictures but have gotten lazy lately. One of my favorite things of the blog is to look back at the pictures. I need to do a better job of putting more up.
I have to say one more thing about this damn weather. Last weekend, I saw people out mowing their lawn in WINTER COATS!!!! This completely sucks!
I have a busy day today with proctoring tests this morning and a meeting in Ames this afternoon. I really am not in the mood to drive to Ames but it probably will be good to get out of the office for half a day.
So I started reading this book called "Into the Wild" maybe it is Wilderness, I am not sure and I am not going to check so whatever. Anyway, it is about a young guy from the west coast who leaves all his belongings and heads up to Alaska to live off the land for a couple of years. So I am on the hopper this morning thinking this is going to be some kind of inspirational story about survival and the struggle against nature. Well I think he died! Within the first 30 pages they find his body. Apparently starved to death. Good thing I was where I was when I read that.
Ok, off to start my day.
Drew ran in a track meet last night. He did the high jump, the open 100 and the 4x100. Since he is not the speediest fellow in the land, I told him he needs to shoot for personal bests and improve each time and use this time for conditioning for summer and fall sports. He doesn't really like to lose but I think he just likes participating for the most part.
He has another track meet tonight and one on Friday.
Jess ran at her track meet last night. She got 2nd in the long jump, I think she jumped 15 ft even. 1st in the 400, 1st in the 800 and 1st in the sprint med. Three golds and a silver. No too bad since they were running against Des Moines East and Des Moines North high schools as well as Saydel. Her next meet is Thursday.
Last night was the last night of my Monday night DMACC class. The final test took them a lot longer than I thought it would. It took most of them 3 hours and a couple of them 4. It is a long night sitting there at the computer for 4 hours. All I have to do now is grade the finals and enter the grades into the system.
I have learned a great deal from this experience and will do things differently next term. I will be much more organized and efficient next term since I have already taught the class once. It will really be easy if they use the same books.
I have some pictures to put up but it probably won't happen until this weekend. I was pretty good at taking pictures but have gotten lazy lately. One of my favorite things of the blog is to look back at the pictures. I need to do a better job of putting more up.
I have to say one more thing about this damn weather. Last weekend, I saw people out mowing their lawn in WINTER COATS!!!! This completely sucks!
I have a busy day today with proctoring tests this morning and a meeting in Ames this afternoon. I really am not in the mood to drive to Ames but it probably will be good to get out of the office for half a day.
So I started reading this book called "Into the Wild" maybe it is Wilderness, I am not sure and I am not going to check so whatever. Anyway, it is about a young guy from the west coast who leaves all his belongings and heads up to Alaska to live off the land for a couple of years. So I am on the hopper this morning thinking this is going to be some kind of inspirational story about survival and the struggle against nature. Well I think he died! Within the first 30 pages they find his body. Apparently starved to death. Good thing I was where I was when I read that.
Ok, off to start my day.
Monday, April 28, 2008
The birds don't care that it is Monday..They sing like it's Friday.
I really am not a fan of Monday. It is cold, AGAIN, and I think the end of the week is going to be be rainy and chilly.
The weekend was uneventful. Jess got her prom dress. Drew and I went to the grocery store and then to the driving range in the afternoon. Yesterday, we played in a father/son baseball scrimmage, again. It started at 6:30 pm, which was a little late for my taste. We didn't get done until about 8:45.
Today is the last night of my Monday night DMACC class. They take the final and that will be it. I am part of the Adjunct council at DMACC and we have this end of the year event Wednesday. It is called, an evening with adjuncts. We will have wine, music and a couple of perfomances from some of the adjuncts. I really don't feel much like going but since I am on the council it would look bad if I didn't.
Sports wise this week - Jess and Drew both have track meets tonight. Tomorrow, Drew has another track meet. Thursday, Jess has a meet and Friday Drew has another meet. Track is in full bloom. I think the Middle School is done with track this week. Jess has meets this week and next Monday is Conference and that Friday is Regionals. The following weekend will be State.
It is getting close to the end of the school year but with the weather being so poor, it doesn't feel like it. I don't think anyone has "Spring Fever" yet becuase the weather is just a crapfest.
Dawn head for Chicago on Tuesday and will be gone until Friday evening sometime.
I don't have any meeting scheduled for today. Which is a good thing on a Monday. I am just not in the mood.
I will let you know how my day turns out.
The weekend was uneventful. Jess got her prom dress. Drew and I went to the grocery store and then to the driving range in the afternoon. Yesterday, we played in a father/son baseball scrimmage, again. It started at 6:30 pm, which was a little late for my taste. We didn't get done until about 8:45.
Today is the last night of my Monday night DMACC class. They take the final and that will be it. I am part of the Adjunct council at DMACC and we have this end of the year event Wednesday. It is called, an evening with adjuncts. We will have wine, music and a couple of perfomances from some of the adjuncts. I really don't feel much like going but since I am on the council it would look bad if I didn't.
Sports wise this week - Jess and Drew both have track meets tonight. Tomorrow, Drew has another track meet. Thursday, Jess has a meet and Friday Drew has another meet. Track is in full bloom. I think the Middle School is done with track this week. Jess has meets this week and next Monday is Conference and that Friday is Regionals. The following weekend will be State.
It is getting close to the end of the school year but with the weather being so poor, it doesn't feel like it. I don't think anyone has "Spring Fever" yet becuase the weather is just a crapfest.
Dawn head for Chicago on Tuesday and will be gone until Friday evening sometime.
I don't have any meeting scheduled for today. Which is a good thing on a Monday. I am just not in the mood.
I will let you know how my day turns out.
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