Almost starting a zoo

So, I thought I was going to add a new animal to my little pond out back--a nice painter turtle.

Then I noticed it was floating in the water. And not moving. After further examination, it became clear that it was dead. So, either someone put a dead turtle in my pond, the turtle walked there to die (how did he find it?), or the turtle walked there to chill (how did he find it?) and my evil frog killed it, leaving no visible marks of anything foul.

Still no signs of my fish, which I assume is a good thing. There's so much algae in the little pond that he could stay at the bottom for weeks and not go hungry.

I need to get a life.

Dance to the music

With the help of spring break, I was able to go to Jazz Kitchen last night. Now, there weren't many follows in attendance, but one in particular who's pretty good. Anyway, we were dancing one song, and I was listening to the music, and as best you can with jazz, got the feeling the song was going to end soon. So, I tried to work in a dip, and completely nailed it with the end of the song. The follow responded with, "well, that worked out well," in a somewhat surprised voice. Of course it did--I planned it that way. :) Good for the ego she liked the ending, bad for the ego that she seemed surprised by me hitting it... Overall, though, there was a raucous, old crowd, which is the best--they love the music and good dancing, and are free with their praise of both.

Anyway, question for all you nature lovers out there--do frogs eat fish? In particular, a fish that might eat the algae out of my little water hole out back? I'm thinking of getting one, but since a frog has taken up residence there, is it futile?

The life of a teacher

Got to sleep in this morning....until 5:50. That's when I woke up. Fortunately, I was finally able to get back to sleep, but it took a little time. *sigh*

Anyway, while I actually was sleeping, I had a weird dream. For some reason (that wasn't completely clear), I had to go back to Taylor for the spring semester, and I had to live in the dorm--Gerig, in particular (of course). Now, weirdness starts to follow. First, my roommate was some kind of foreign exchange student from Europe...I want to say Germany, but I don't remember for sure. We had the middle room in the big suite. O'Rourke (if you remember him from many years ago) was next door. Oh, and the PA? Yeah, one of my high school students, who also played basketball. What?!? I spent most of yesterday working on my yard, including putting dirt down and planting grass seed, so clearly I was doing some of that at Taylor. But, when I got up the next morning for breakfast (at 6am, just like a normal school day for me now, not then), there were a ton of people in line for food, and the main course (for breakfast) seemed to be carved roast beef, but turkey was an option. Of course, you could get all the fixin's with it--mashed potatoes, green beans, etc. Did I mention that was for breakfast?

Finally, on a completely different note, an offer was made on my house, which I accepted. Woohoo!!! Now, there's still the inspection process and then a new response then and all that stuff, but this is definitely promising. Hopefully by the end of April I will no longer be a homesowner. :)

The most important part of any mathematics curriculum

My geometry classes are going to watch Donald Duck in Mathmagicland today! Woohoo!

Let us pray, let us pray

So, a really cool thing happened at school today. A couple of my students want to start praying before school, like once a week. And real prayer, not phony, cheesy crap that you sometimes get for other school-related stuff. They asked me to host it, so to speak. So, for the low low price a few early mornings, I get to help build up the Church in Sullivan and do some serious spiritual battle at school...in a completely legal fashion. That's a price I think I can pay. :)

Justification

Had our first practice of the year today. We played nine holes, and I tried to circulate around the groups and play with most of them throughout the nine. Plus, that means I got to show them a little bit about how I play. Which, of course, is quite nerve-wracking, but I performed well, I think. I hit some great shots, a few shaky ones, and some really nice drives, but all in all proved that I know what I'm doing and really am a decent golfer. So, even though I don't really need to vindicate/justify myself as the coach, it's nice to be able to do so nonetheless. And I got my first birdie of the year (a tap-in, no less), which was nice.

And secondly

I hate Daylight Savings Time.

I completely forgot about it, only to remember an hour twenty minutes before my meeting this afternoon. One problem: the meeting was in Bloomington, and I was in Terre Haute. Who needs lunch? I was trying to lose weight anyway....

Hello?!?!

Indiana is a 7 seed.
Texas Tech is a 10 seed.
7 seeds play 10 seeds.
Texas Tech is coached by Robert Montgomery Knight.
Said Coach Knight was fired from IU after questionable and controversial incidents.

So, IU opens up the tournament by playing....

Gonzaga.

How can you do that?

Rough day

For starters, my voice was majorly messed up. It doesn't get very loud, was very scratchy, and very very low. So basically, teaching for more than 5 minutes was out, because my voice couldn't take it.

Then, we had a WIC awards banquet I went to. I was following the bus, though I thought I knew how to get to the HS is was held at (Owen Valley). So, when we get to Spencer, I stop and get some gas because we're a little early and I need it. But, the bus doesn't go to the HS, it goes somewhere else in town that I don't know because I'm not following it. Of course, I don't know this right away....I wait at the HS for a few minutes. Then I call our head coach, who didn't answer his cell. So I called our JV coach, who told me it was at McCormick's Creek State Park, where it was held last year (I know how to get here, but it's outside of town). So, as I'm pulling into the park, the head coach calls me, asks where I am, and then tells me it's not at the park, but back in town, very close to where I was. *sigh*

Then, during dinner, I get told all these relationships suggestions like 1) buy a sports car/boat/etc before you get married (I will probably never buy anything like that in my life, married or single) and 2) live with my potential spouse for at least 6 months before getting married (which will never happen). How do you explain to your bosses and colleagues that you don't agree with much of anything they say?

So, afterwards, I had to attend a rules meeting in Btown (sorry to all I didn't visit, but I just wanted to get home), and now am finally at home, about 14 or 15 hours after I left. Oh, and I still can't talk. :)

Melting

Funny thing happens when it gets warmer out--snow and ice melts. Now, we had a lot of snow and ice, and it has to go somewhere. So, where does it go? Apparently that big lake in my backyard. The water level is....a little high. For instance:



You will notice the large amount of trees growing out of the water. Not the usual way that trees grow.





In fact, in the little gully on the right side of my background, it's almost completely full of water.





If you look at my little deck, you will also notice that it is almost floating on the lake...





...in fact, a corner of it is actually under water. How cold you think that water is?





Maybe flood insurance isn't such a bad thing after all... :)