We have been very fortunate the last few days because the weather has been nice. We had a little bit of rain overnight but other than that it has been very nice. I guess the bad weather makes me really appreciate this nice weather.
Drew had baseball practice last night and has a game on Thursday night here in Perry. The team is actually pretty decent and I think they will do fine this year.
Jess had her first softball practice last night. They had a extremely hard track practice and then she had to go to softball. The big regional track meet is Friday so I would imagine tonight's practice will be hard and Thursday will be an easy one.
The countdown to the last day of school continues. I am not sure who is more happy about it, the kids or me. I am in the process of getting all of the summer work lined up and deciding what projects we need to do. The month of June will be prep for all the work to be done in July and August.
I teach class tonight. I have a DMACC class that is for an organization call Crisis Intervention. I think it is a group that helps women that are in a bad place in life and gets them into the work force. Anyway, I have done a class for them before and tonight we are covering Microsoft Word Level 2. This class meets tonight and tomorrow night from 5:30 - 8:30. I also have them in next week on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday, Wednesday - I forget for sure but have it on my calendar.
Once these classes are done, I am finished teaching until Fall. That is a very good thing. I like teaching but when things get busy, either at work or with kids activities, it can seem like a bit much to take on.
I have a meeting today with a difficult parent. It is a student that has "Special Needs", well not really but the parent thinks so. This parent is a real handful and always wants the school to buy technology for his child. The HS and MS guidance counselors and I are meeting with them today and I am not looking forward to it. To be honest, I feel bad for the child.
I took some video of the track meet I am thinking of putting it online so you can see it but I am not sure how I want to do it yet. Once I get it published, I will let you know.
Ok, off to start the day.
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
It must be the chocolate chip pancakes
The weather isn't too bad today. We are going to be warm and a little bit of rain tonight into tomorrow. Drew has a baseball game on Thursday and Jess has her regional track meet on Friday.
Last night the weather was perfect for the track meet. There was a pretty good wind but it was not too bad. Jess had probably the best track meet of her career.
She started at the long jump and scratched her first attempt. She actually had a huge jump but was over by just the tip of her shoe. The second jump she hit the board way too early and jumped 13 something. The third jump she hit it very well and jumped 15 feet 10 inches. Her best ever and good enough for 1st place and the Gold Medal.
Her second event was the 400. She broke her own school record and ran a time of 58.11 seconds. This was a great time and she looked strong the whole way. Gold number 2.
Third event was the 800. She ran with the pack the first lap and then took the lead and won by a pretty good margin. Gold number 3.
The last event was the Sprint Med and the coaches, once again, put in a very slow 100 runner. By the time Jess got the batton, she was in last place (8th) and the leader had probably 70 meters on her. She caught them and WON! She ran another 58.13 split on her 400 and caught the pack, passed them down the stretch and won the race. Gold number 4.
Four conference titles, 2 personal bests, a school record and an amazing run in the relay. It was quite a night.
Up next is regionals and that meet is where she qualifies for state. She has a good chance of making it in 3 events.
Off to start my day.
Last night the weather was perfect for the track meet. There was a pretty good wind but it was not too bad. Jess had probably the best track meet of her career.
She started at the long jump and scratched her first attempt. She actually had a huge jump but was over by just the tip of her shoe. The second jump she hit the board way too early and jumped 13 something. The third jump she hit it very well and jumped 15 feet 10 inches. Her best ever and good enough for 1st place and the Gold Medal.
Her second event was the 400. She broke her own school record and ran a time of 58.11 seconds. This was a great time and she looked strong the whole way. Gold number 2.
Third event was the 800. She ran with the pack the first lap and then took the lead and won by a pretty good margin. Gold number 3.
The last event was the Sprint Med and the coaches, once again, put in a very slow 100 runner. By the time Jess got the batton, she was in last place (8th) and the leader had probably 70 meters on her. She caught them and WON! She ran another 58.13 split on her 400 and caught the pack, passed them down the stretch and won the race. Gold number 4.
Four conference titles, 2 personal bests, a school record and an amazing run in the relay. It was quite a night.
Up next is regionals and that meet is where she qualifies for state. She has a good chance of making it in 3 events.
Off to start my day.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Cino De Mayo - Hell, I barely know her!
The weather today is going to be awesome! in the 70's and no or light wind. It should be a good day for a track meet.
This weekend went well. Jess went to prom Saturday and had a really good time. They do an after-prom party at the elementary school that goes from 12:30 to 4:30. They have casino games and a bunch of activities and then they had a hypnotist. Jess was telling me about it and it sounded very funny.
Drew went to a Power Team demonstration on Friday night. This group is a bunch of strong men that break boards, bend steel rods, tear phone books and stuff like that. He really enjoyed it and then he had a friend spend the night.
Sunday we had a father son scrimmage with the baseball team. We played for over two hours and I am really sore today. It was fun but dang, I am out of shape. I get winded running the bases.
Last night we had a track team unity. I made a lasagna type dish and baked macaroni anch cheese. We had 16 girls attend and they seemed to have a good time.
Today is the conference track meet. I am hoping the team does well. We have a chance to win the conference as a team if everyone runs well. Jess should win the 400, 800 and they have a good shot at winning the sprint med. I am not sure how the long jump will go. She should place but it could be anywhere from 1st to 4th.
The meet starts at 4:30 so I have to leave work around 3:30 or so to get changed and get to the meet.
Check out the video clip below. I recorded this at the last track meet. She is running against the city schools and really dominated. She ran her best time of the year so far and had a wind in her face the last 100. I am hoping she breaks 59 today. I think she can break 58 by State. Weather always plays a factor though.
I hope the sun is shining where you are.
This weekend went well. Jess went to prom Saturday and had a really good time. They do an after-prom party at the elementary school that goes from 12:30 to 4:30. They have casino games and a bunch of activities and then they had a hypnotist. Jess was telling me about it and it sounded very funny.
Drew went to a Power Team demonstration on Friday night. This group is a bunch of strong men that break boards, bend steel rods, tear phone books and stuff like that. He really enjoyed it and then he had a friend spend the night.
Sunday we had a father son scrimmage with the baseball team. We played for over two hours and I am really sore today. It was fun but dang, I am out of shape. I get winded running the bases.
Last night we had a track team unity. I made a lasagna type dish and baked macaroni anch cheese. We had 16 girls attend and they seemed to have a good time.
Today is the conference track meet. I am hoping the team does well. We have a chance to win the conference as a team if everyone runs well. Jess should win the 400, 800 and they have a good shot at winning the sprint med. I am not sure how the long jump will go. She should place but it could be anywhere from 1st to 4th.
The meet starts at 4:30 so I have to leave work around 3:30 or so to get changed and get to the meet.
Check out the video clip below. I recorded this at the last track meet. She is running against the city schools and really dominated. She ran her best time of the year so far and had a wind in her face the last 100. I am hoping she breaks 59 today. I think she can break 58 by State. Weather always plays a factor though.
I hope the sun is shining where you are.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Just another day at the office for Jess
This against Des Moines East, North, Urbandale, Des Moines Hoover and a couple of other city schools, I forget who!
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.
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