Day 93

Well, we are closing on 100 days.  We are nearing the 1/3 of the deployment mark (120 days) - about the end of the month.

There are seven more weeks of classes left.  I am sure it will fly by quickly.  As of today, I think I have everything squared away.  My 25 page paper is turned in, my lessons are written, my materials are all ready to be made into copies, my finals are created and ready to be printed.  I think I have one last evaluation visit.  Thank god.  I have been evaluated/observed more times than I care to remember.  I know it is there to make sure that I am a good teacher.  I know there are a bunch of cool activities that I could have done - but I will roll those into next year.  If there is a next year.  Not even sure what sort of classes I will be teaching.  But I have not gotten a pink slip yet.  I guess that is a good sign.  Then again, the budget and the negotiation process is not completed yet.  I think I might go to the special budget meeting this week.  We will see.

This weekend I also spent part of my time doing yard work.  This was mainly Andy's department.  I rarely did work outside unless it was to water plants, or plant some plants.  I did nothing dealing with dirt moving because of drainage issues, mowing or yeah...nothing outside.  I spent part of the afternoon laying down patch seed in some of our larger grass-less areas. (Needless to say, today I noticed a whole bunch of other grass less areas I could have worked on.)  I still ache today.  My legs and my back are slow moving today.  I was going to attack some of the taller grass by getting out the weed wacker - but I think that will need to wait for another day - next weekend or something like that.  I think though that I will get Blueville to do most of the yard work for the season - because there is no way that I can handle it myself without breaking the lawn mower or the weed wacker.  I am also thinking about having a pest management company come in and lay out some coverage.  Has anyone done this before (outside of having their apartment complex do pest control)?  I have no idea what sort of prices would be appropriate.

I have finished Song of Susannah (Book 6 of Dark Tower).  It's a good story.  I don't think it has captured me like some other stories, but it is entertaining.  So I am on to the final book.  It's weird - I think the story might have really latched on more if - say I had to wait for the next books in the series - like Harry Potter.  Then it would be better.  But I got in - after the epic had ended.  We will see how it ends.  A note:  King's like of Harry Potter did make it into this series.  The Wolves of Calla had Sneetches (Harry Potter model) in them.  So I thought that was interesting.

I am entertaining the thought of getting an Ipad.  I am thinking about 3G version.  Then I could work it on the road trip.  I wouldn't have to carry around a load of paperback books.  They would all be in one spot.  I could watch movies, write email, or work on school things without having to bring the laptop with me.  Not sure.  I am going to give a little while longer before deciding on it.  I would like to play around with one as well.  

Wrapping it up here - I have some other little tasks I want to finish today.  I am so looking forward to a week where I all need to do is grade papers.  Excited because GLEE will come back on this week - I've missed having a singfest once a week.