Had a great fatherhood night during the storm last week. Sam traditionally wakes up for storms and comes in to our bedroom (also letting the damn cat in). So, when the storm was coming at bedtime, I volunteered to lay with him for 15 minutes until he got to sleep. He suggested that we lay in my bed so we could watch the lightening. I used to do that as a kid, too, cause I love a storm. He asked questions about electrons and how you burn from lightening and wind and molecules until he was satisfied and drifted off. I love that.
And I had a great teaching night at the open house. Old students looked me in the eye and shook my hand, new, excited students nodded appreciatively at my attempts to comfort them, and proud parents of both smiled at the men and women their children were becoming. Nice work if you can get it. We have three really great new teachers this year and I'm ready to be back in the saddle.
Did you hear Obama speak? I wonder what you thought of him. I like his cry to stop besmirching a person's loyalty, character, or patriotism if they disagree on a matter of philosophy or policy. I'm disgusted by rhetoric that accuses someone of high crimes just for disagreeing...doesn't seem right in a democracy.
I made a rare purchase for myself of a shirt. It’s one I saw at Valley Fair on my first trip there. It says, in small letters, "I'm very excited to be here". Come on, what occasion can you not wear that shirt for? I also commissioned a charature of Andrew, Sam and their almost cousin Jack. It turned out well, they appear as members of a future rock band. While they got painted, I slipped away with Chuck and did the ride the kids refused to do; Tower Power drop. Its the only ride that has absolutely THRILLED me every single time I've tried it. Heart pounding, sweaty handed, involuntary exclamation thrill. Fun.
A little peek at my recent canoe camping trip. The following was written back and forth in e-mails from my friends. These are guys who know my soul and aren't afraid to give me crap. They have a slightly different vision of me than I have of myself, but I find most people do. By the way, I don't fashion myself a fisherman and didn't bring a rod on the trip. I've always been drawn to fly-fishing though and I was trying it for my first time.
"I laugh when I think about Scotto fly casting. It was liking he was
whipping someone to death. Very impressive line speed. A lot of fly
fisherman would kill to be able to cast that fast."
"I was scared."
"His faced was fitted with a scowl, muscles were bulging, and line was
snapping like a whip. Scary."
"I may have hear him whisper "take that, motherf****r"."
The picture that triggered the story was remarkably benign. Its at the top of this post.
And the last regular feature I propose is a list. I’ll take suggestions, if you like, but my pick this week is 10 things I like now that I already liked when I graduated from high school.
Charles Dickens
My mother’s pork roast
My father’s sailboat
Prince
Coca Cola Classic
Oak trees
The planet Venus
Times New Roman
Baseball caps
The Renaissance Festival
My best to you this week.
