Break Your Back Mountain of Books

All these. And one more - TKAM (I forgot to add to the pile and so it is pictured by itself). The end is near and I am glad. I maintain that this semester was less taxing than last fall, but it isn't over yet. One major paper complete - two projects to go, one more paper and a unit plan.

I cannot remember looking more forward to a summer. 70 or so degrees here today and beautiful. Nice little bike ride with Molly to kick off our new season.

Back to the books. I can really see the light now. With the completion of this semester, I will only have one more semester of "regular" classes (and one of those will be another independent study) and then student teaching.

Knowing that I only have one more semester, like I've been having, is just what I will need in order to keep it up. That and not having a summer class should be great!

Anyway, just a little recap while I enter the final stretch for this semester.

just a little something

I maintain that this semester is less taxing than the last one; however, things have quickened. Between the hours of 10:00 PM and 4:30 AM I wrote an 8 page research paper. Work has been rough.

Just a little shout out.

Good News for the Neighborhood

no - not a new Applebees (that would be extraordinary news)

and no the Mormons aren't coming around again

Our neighborhood is initiating a recycling program that will hopefully spread throughout the city. Interestingly, this effort was managed by a couple of elderly ladies - we just had to sign something. A city this size with nothing bigger around for 60 or so miles hasn’t had to worry about running out of or filling up landfills – not an excuse not to recycle, but it has not applied that extra pressure for the city to do something.

There are a few places around town that accept items for recycling, but as you can imagine – many people do not. We were spoiled in Minneapolis. Here, we take items to the ISU recycling facility. It is pretty slick and has worked for us, but it will be nice to be able to take care of the recycling on a weekly basis.

Soon, a company called Republic will pick up our items and take them for sorting by the good folks at Goodwill. Everything except glass – which we will continue to drop off at ISU.

It’ll be great if this catches on and other neighborhoods join in. The fee is small, $5 a month, and if it does grow – glass may be added to the mix.

Something New

State Flower of Alabama

Super Tuesday was super boring - I am referring specifically to various "news" teams. CNN, Fox, Katie C. - it is treated like sports news teams - hec it might as well be Terry and Howie and Jimmie blabbing dogma and theories.

Romney was "hoping for a surge" that never happened in California. On one hand the masses (asses as we are) can be affected to an extent by what happened in another state, but give us (the human race) a little more credit. We just don't gallop to where the biggest pile of sugar is, do we?

Confession: I do not understand super delegate at all and sometimes I understand the whole system LESS than I did just a moment ago.

I really do not like the band Chicago. I tried to like Saturday in the Park for many years, and maybe I did for a couple of months. But that band, they should be dismissed from the realm of music.

The Suns freak out because of Gasol - and Shaq is back - for a two year 20 million buyout from the Heat and poor Hilary is digging into her own precious pockets for a mere five million to keep her ass afloat!? Shaq should be giving it up to H-Rod -

I am taking English Teaching Methods on MWF at 2:00 - great great class taught by an amazing man - and nearly making by so called education classes irrelevant. Our major project this semester is an entire Unit - the idea being that not only can we use this in our attempts at earning employment, but far more importantly we will actually be able to USE it as an actual unit in the classroom. I am doing my unit over Drama, so Dan - I may be asking you some questions from time to time.

Also - Grammar for English teachers on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 - very weird, flashbacks to middle school - it is amazing how very complicated it all can be - same professor as last semester's History of English, which ended up being my most difficult and taxing class so far at Indiana State.

And then my independent study, we meet once a week over coffee and discuss Irish Literature (before 1800) and the evolving idea of Ireland as a country, or culture, or state of mind, entity - whatever you might think it is. Great class - still early going, didn't really start until the third week of classes.

Molly is going to be in her first talent show with two other friends, I guess they are going to dress in jeans, white t-shirts and do a dance routine to "I Love Rock'n'Roll." Our little photo-journal project continues.

Trista is working on her licensure and digging her counseling at ISU.

I just stopped.

King New Year

as crowned by Molly

defeated and put away this guy:

Happy New Year Everybody!

Not Working On Paper and Update

The scary pirate needed to be replaced with the real thing.

Molly and I at our "spot."

Making Acorn Delights.

Oh My Osage!

Her favorite tree.

Brown County State Park.

I am seriously putting off finishing my 10 page paper on Ebonics - gots to get going!

Anyway - MN for Thanksgiving and back - saw Dan for a brew and a short, but sweet visit. Shook hands with the Subway guy. This semester has by far been the most difficult - will be glad when it is over - very soon now.

Short post - but needed an update of sorts - enjoy pictures.

Hallowed Be Thy Ween