Saturday, October 29, 2011

All heil the weekend [99/130]

Sucks that I couldn't crack the 100 mark this week. Ah well.

Busy week, even though I only worked half. A busy half mind you.

One thing stands out. Old people. OK, I won't generalize, but old people who can't realize the outside world.

Was at a meeting this week and a bunch of older people went off on saying how poor the younger generation's grammar is.

There was some good debate. And by good I mean nobody would listen to reason. I believe a lot of good grammar is going by the wayside, but to say that a style of communication will never change is just ludicrous. I asked them if the grammar they use today is the same 20 years ago, 50 years etc... they said no, but wouldn't relent on their facts.
Again, there is a lot of work needed these days with students and proper grammar, but to be ignorant that a language is a dynamic entity is even more absurd.

Then the conversation took a turn for the worse. They started to blame teachers. I won't get into that argument, but I felt like punching people. Felt like Mike Harris was in the room.

Anyways, its the weekend. I'm trying to relax... with $80 worth of candy shouldn't be too hard.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Basic Chemistry and Biking

How could I forget...

I complain about how hard it has been to bike... like peddling through mud.  Oi.

Then I remembered a little bit of chemistry...

the ideal gas law [simplified]

PV = nRT
P - pressure
V - volume
n - moles of gas
R - gas constant
T - temperature

the volume of the tube in the tire remains constant, and it's sealed [hopefully] so n should be the same as well.  So if I reduce T as it has been lately, then obviously P will go down too...

To increase P then would be then to either decrease volume [not possible], increase T [I wish, but I can't], R can never change, so the only way would be to increase n... i.e. put more air in the tire!!

I get home and use my compressor [because there's no such thing as free air pumps anymore] and put a few more pumps into it [the gauge on the compressor doesn't show anymore, and I didn't feel like breaking out my hand gauge] and do a lap around the block.  Much easier.

There ya go... used my chemistry knowledge once today!  I feel good now that I've spent so much on that degree.

Break out the toque [98/127]

Okay, I haven't broken out the toque yet [hard to wear under the biking helmet], but I definitely made sure to wear the warmer biking pants, mitts, neckwarmer and a 2nd shirt.




I wanted to say this is the first time I biked with a negative, but I posted the other day with it being -4 or something... ah, well.


Still cold.


Still sitting here with the sweat kinda cooling - should probably change out.

Monday, October 24, 2011

Not-a-sick Weekend - Bachelor Week [97/126]

Apparently, the last couple of Monday posts I've written how I've had a terrible weekend and was sick.

Now I won't lie and say I had the best of health, as I did feel sniffles all weekend.  But I didn't let it stop me.

Dean and I had an awesome weekend.

Soccer has been awesome for him.  He really enjoys it, and really has become the teacher's pet. Li'l Kicks gets a full recommendation from me.  It's good to see him so active and happy to run around.



That was Saturday... on Sunday we went to his swimming lessons - now I wonder a little bit about the instructor... but she gets the job done.  Dean likes swimming, maybe not the lessons, but Anna is also there.  So it's a good time for him.



After swimming we left mommy alone to finish some sewing so we went to the Hoito.  Now it wasn't Dean's first time, but it was the first time we sat at the counter together.  For good reason apparently.  Dean's just a wee bit too small for that and it was hard for him to try to lean in and not fall.


Aside from those we enjoyed some highland heritage with the MacGillivrary pipe band's annual whiskey tasting event.  Such tasty appetizers... really.  There was smoked white fish and lake trout... oyster dip, lots of crackers and cheeses... yum!  And I got to sit with some teachers and ... who knows, maybe I'll get some more supply day calls.  Here's hoping.



Well, now after all those Mandy and Dean got ready for their trip.

Mandy and Dean are tagging along with Grammy and Grandpa Moore on the trip to Minneapolis.  Mandy got a few days off and ... why not.  Especially as this Toddler Tuesday at the MoA is Hallowe'en themed.  Gets Mandy a chance to show off Dean's costume [sort of a trial run for next weekend].

Okay, back to work for me.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

Now that was cold [96/125]

Cold biking today.  Not sure if it's causing an ear ache or what... but ow.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Heavy wind [95/121]

Holy smokes ,that's some crazy wind. Should have that re-thought biking today.
Not sure of you can see the wind sock there, but it is blowing straight east, and I'm at the part where I start biking west.
After a crappy weekend where I didn't feel well, biking probably wasn't the best idea; now throw in the cold and heavy wind...

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Friday, October 14, 2011

Need to slow down and regroup [94/120]

Okay, that depressed me - I've dipped below 80% officially.
Ouch.  Next week I know I can't do 3 days [so that'll make it 96/125]


Anyways... needing to regroup.  Holy smokes.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Teaching... or the absence thereof

Just went for a quick pop into the mall for a mid-afternoon break and I ran into a past student of mine.
Immediately she recognized me, and said hello.  We caught up a bit and I asked her what she was doing etc...

But what really caught me was that she did say that she enjoyed my class and how I made the subject matter relevant and easy to understand.

*sigh*

This is just after I had learned that I wasn't a successful candidate for a teaching position.  It's really sad, to have these anecdotal evidences of how proficient I am in a job, yet cannot fully realize that option.

How to deal with that?  I dunno... it was a real kick when she said before I walked away "at least you're still teaching", and it was hard not to walk back and have that long discussion about teaching and the "profession".

Another sick weekend [90/112]

Didn't I just post about this?  Yeah... I also meant to post mid-week, but that never happened, so it seems like it just happened.

Anyways, yeah - went all week and was pretty ok.  No problems.  Then Friday night I started to have 'sniffles' and then it was a real runny nose.

Mandy, you're awesome, for not killing me - she was quite the trooper and took care of Dean the entire weekend while I just convalesced in bed.  Seriously - I was in bed all weekend, until around Sunday 3pm when she went to work.

Jarron had another photoshoot Sunday night - when these calendars come out I think y'all will be quite impressed.  And you better buy one!!