Donating Blood For The Shoreland Drive.

 That is correct!   I donated blood today.   This will be the second time I did such an uncomfortable thing! And although I know the second time you do anything it is supposed to get easier....  It is still not something I would want to do on a regular basis. 

Did you know people sell their blood for money?   I wonder just how desperate I would have to be to do such a thing.   Seriously!   I don't know if there is a price  high enough to consistently sell off parts of my body!

But there I was.. GIVING it away... for FREE!   No wonder I failed at my first five business endeavors.  I'm terrible at math and business.  (Which might explain a lot about how I got to where I am at the moment.) 

I am serious that the blood donating was terrible.   But!   There was a silver lining.  Free Treats! 

I ate two chocolate donuts, drank two cans of Sprite, and had  two small snack bags of Doritos!  ( Cool Ranch!)   I also grabbed a bag of Nutterbutters for the road.   Because giving blood makes you hungry.... or something.    I don't know, I wasn't really listening.   All I DO know is that there were treats and I felt like I had earned them.   

Apparently,   I just saved three lives.    The vampire ladies tried to "up-sell" me by getting me to donate just my platelets and jamming my plasma back into my veins.   

No thanks!   Once it leaves the body, you can keep it.   And that did not sound like a pleasant experience.  Already having a needle jammed into my arm  is painful enough.  But having the siphon switched over to reverse sounds even MORE painful.   And unhealthy...  Or unnatural.   

I figure I will be happy with saving three lives at the moment.    You can't save everyone off of the Titanic... But if you can save three people.....  At least that is better than none. 

Alright... enough of patting myself on the back for enduring that rather uncomfortable experience.  I'm trying to get comfortable with the uncomfortable. I just wanted to blog about it because I barely left the building and someone from the agency called and asked me to set up a time to donate.   Now I'm on a Call list!

I informed her that I just gave at the school blood drive and didn't think I could give another pint "right away"...  ( Not that I was in the mood to do such a thing.... No matter how many cookies they bribed me with. ) She was nice and thanked me for my donation.   We even made each other laugh.  

Tomorrow is Friday!   A Day 5!  ( Which is a rough day for me.)   Day five I have all of the afternoon sets back to back!  5, 6, 7, and 8!  That means I have to carry all my Earth science stuff along with my Physical Science stuff with me through the afternoon.  Kind of like  a Marathon of Teaching. 

And the weather is supposed to be nice tomorrow.  Meaning the kids are going to be squirrely!  I have a Lab scheduled and we shall see how things go.   I heard it will be a lab that is supposed to be done over several days so that might keep some of the kids who are more "hands on"  busy and occupied.  We will  see how it turns out when I get there.   And hopefully,  I will have something good to blog about.  

Besides the blood donating,  it was a busy day for me today.   I had a bunch of "moving parts" that I was very excited about, but ended up falling far from the mark I had envisioned.  My Tier 2 class was not as involved as I had hoped, and I fear that their test retakes are not going to be much better than their last ones.   But hopefully,   some of them will pick up their grades and actually retain some of the information I have presented them.   I'm sure  a better teacher would have them all in the A+ range with  science trophies for the family mantle. 

But all they have is me at the moment.   And although I try to get better,  I fear the year will end before I have any signs of improvement.  (By ME!)   But there has to be a reason I am here.   All of those zigs and zags that brought me to the place...  And I find myself praying more and actually looking forward to tomorrow with ideas on how I can improve in one area or another. ( even though they seem to fall short lately)  I am encouraged every so slightly by a few people who cheer me on and wish me luck.  May God give me more days like this. 

This blog post is a little longer than I had originally intended.  Sometimes entries take on a life of their own.  I should probably sign off and get some sleep because tomorrow is a new day.   And every second counts.

The Painting of the Fish

 Having caught up on my work on Friday,  I had all day today to rest up and I wanted to spend it on the fish that has been haunting me for the last 6 months.  I think this will be the third time I have painted it.  Each time, there is something about it that does not work for me.  

How I wanted to just paint the entire thing brown.   But upon looking at Walleye pictures from google,  I see that the actual color is made up of a number of yellow dots with black and brown tips around each scale.   Kind of a pain to paint.  

But!   I had all after noon and figured I might as well spend it trying to find my moment of zen.  

Several hours later,   I mostly have the dots and a second coat of a slightly darker shade of brown.   We shall see if I have time to play around with things tomorrow.  

Other than that,  it is late.  And I have some lesson plans to look over and prepare for.  Hopefully the weather will break here in the upcoming weeks so I can attempt to go outside for a little bit.   Maybe even a run sometime.  (When was the last time I went out for a run...) 

I also had plans for a more challenging Origami project,  but the fish painting took longer than I had anticipated.   I guess there is always tomorrow or next week if I have the energy after school ( Which I rarely do!}  I just wanted to post this short update and get these pictures on the blog for future reference.   I will have to look back to see when I even started this project.   

I hope the dance went well for the kids at Shoreland.   Being a chaperon did not sound like something I would  enjoy.   Let alone be any good at doing!   But there was a curiosity on how things like that look and turn out.   You see,  I have never been to a dance.   I never went to one  in college and there were Verboten!   at MLS.  So there is a part of me that would brave the social awkwardness of being unable to dance...  just to check it out and see what the appeal is.  But alas!  It will have to wait until next year.    ( Or whenever the next is on the schedule....)  In the mean time..   Time is precious.  And every second counts.

The Lighting Of The Lanterns...

 Last night,  I was able to finally fulfill a wish of mine.   To release paper lanterns into the night sky.  

I know... sounds so simple.   And really,  why have I never done this before?    I guess the short answer is... I just never seemed to have the right conditions for it.   I mean,  I certainly have my own child-like qualities that I have done in the past.   Making Giant Bubbles and flying extreme kites are just a couple of examples that come to mind.(Let's not forget the Chalk Art!)    But never have I had the opportunity to create a paper lantern and release it into the sky.   

Until now!  

 

The Winter dance is tomorrow... and the theme is Tangled...  The Disney Movie about Rapunzel.   And there is a part in the movie where the romantic love birds release paper lanterns into the air.   How lovely!  

But I just want to see the science behind warm air rising on an extremely cold day! (Or night!)   You see... the Air molecules are excited by the heat produced by the fire.   And as the molecules move faster and faster... they rise!   Science Baby!  

That is all well and good, but the cold did make the experience memorable.   And not necessarily in a "good" way.   After one lantern,  I was ready to head into the warmth of the building.   But the Kids were out there with no hats or gloves on... laughing and cheering as each lantern gained altitude.   It must be nice being young!   ( If only I could remember those days....)   Ah... Who am I kidding,  I remember those days very well.  And I kind of miss them.  

Abraham and I managed to get one lantern airborne.  And there were several groups who managed to launch several lanterns successfully.   I only witnessed one that could not get off the ground due to some damage. ( Good job, Aiden!)  

The only down side to the event was that it was after the Boys basketball game.   And that means it was late.   Normally I skip the Varsity game because it goes on after my bed time. But since we had no classes today,  I decided to spend the extra sleep points on the lifetime wish event...  I think it was a fair trade.  

As for the boys basketball.   It was a night of heart break.   JV2 team lost.   JV team won. (  I think...) But the real tragedy was the varsity.   A shot at the buzzer and sealed the fate.   I always hope for that moment where the game is tied up and a buzzer shot decides the game...  But it is not fun when your team is not the one that makes the shot! 

Other than that,  This week went by... And I managed to survive again. I celebrated with a visit to the Clubhouse for Friday Fish night.   At this point in my life,  few things are better than a tasty fish and chips platter with a beer and Origami.   Therapy at its best!   

Next week is a long week.   And The teachers are already mumbling about the "Dog Days" of winter.  Having never experienced the "Dog Days" of winter as a teacher, I can only imagine the horrors and challenges I will have to face in the coming months.    I made the analogy of crossing the Himalayas, and reaching 20,000 feet elevation where the air is already thin.   And as  you are gasping for breath,  the guide and other climbers are talking about the next barrier that you are going to have to climb before you are able to finish.  

Well,  I shall face that challenge when I get to it and I know God will continue to be by my side. With him,  all things are possible.   And he has already given me so much,  How can I ever doubt him?   Every day is a gift.    And every second counts!  

Cookies, Basketball and Fish Tacos! The Week In Review.

The snow day was a great way to break up the week.  It gave me time to catch up on things and even have a little time to do something special for Valentines Day.   Some of the Freshmen asked if they could bring cookies to class and enjoy them on Friday.   I figured it would be a simple enough way to celebrate a small holiday, so I approved.   I also wanted to make sure the other sets had something, so I made a few of my peanut butter star cookies  to make sure there was enough for everyone.  

Dave has been  out of town since Wednesday,  so it was just Hyan and I for the remainder of the week.   I asked him if he wanted to help out. 

He did!    Nothing like making cookies to break up the boredom.   

I think he actually enjoyed it.   And it was nice to have the help.   Cookies take a bit of time to make and it is nice having someone there to keep track of things so you don't burn a batch.  I'm not sure if he has ever done anything like this before.   Or anything else in the kitchen!   He mostly knows how to warm things up in the microwave...   Make noodles...   And put ketchup on everything.   And I mean EVERYTHING!  

Hey,  Everyone is entitled to their own gourmet taste.  And to be fair,  I like ketchup too.   Just not on my Chicken Alfredo. 

The cookies were a little off for some reason.   I think I may have missed the 1/4 teaspoon of Baking Soda that gives them that chewy texture....  But they still tasted good.   I'll see if I can improve the next batch.  If the opportunity presents itself.  

That same night there was a basketball game.   The girls lost and it was tough to watch.   The opposing team consistently read the plays over and over again and just stepped in, stole the ball, and ran for an easy layup.   I think they girls lost by 20-30 points.   I did not hang around of the varsity game  ( Because cookies had to be made before it got too late!)  

And finally,  Friday Night Fish Fry!   ( I believe I'm falling in love Wisconsin!) The Clubhouse has a wonderful Friday Special of Lake Perch and chips for $15!  There are several other pubs that have a similar special but I like the Clubhouse because the bartender knows me and knows my my order.  But recently,  they introduced a new Friday Special:  Fish Tacos!  

To be honest,  sometimes the serving size for the regular perch is a little  too much for me.   So I figured I would shake things up a bit and try something new.   Besides,   I like fish tacos  and they were a little cheaper.  ($10)

The only draw back was that they were made from Tilapia.    And even though I was an aquaculture guy back in Michigan State.   I still am from the Midwest, where some of the best tasting fish species are plentiful and readily available.  It's a thing you don't fully understand unless you move to Iowa for 12 years and suddenly have only catfish on the menu.  

That being said,   the Tilapia Taco was not bad.   I don't know if I will seek it out again, but it was a fun change of pace from my usual order.   I usually sip  a beer,  talk to Lidia ( the bartender)  and fold Origami while I watch sports on one of the many big screens.  It is usually a peaceful way to spend a Friday night after a long week.   ( Or even a short week!)  

The snow continues!   And now they are warning about the temps dropping this next week.    The good news is that I only have to make it to Thursday,  since we have no school on Friday because of a  teacher's meeting.  (Half day with  Free Breakfast!) 

The bad news is that I have to watch the lunch room.    I thought I was on lunch room duty last week, but turns out I was a week ahead.   THIS week is my week.   And, having never done it before, I'm expecting a little anxiety and apprehension.   But that has become all too common this inaugural year of high school teaching.  I am now mostly prepared for the unprepared. 
( I should stress the "Mostly")  There are still many things that come up that I have no clue on how to deal with them.   But God is helping me every day.  And I shall continue to seek his assistance and help. I know there is a reason for my being here,  even if God has not fully revealed it to me just yet. 

And every second counts.