With a headache and a stomach ache.
But, I did get to finish reading “A Single Shard,” a Newbery award winning I’ve been stuck in the middle of for a month or two.
Seriously. The flame seared crust was so good that I cleaned every inch of it off of my huge chop since I new the crispy chewiness would be lost by refrigerating the leftovers.
The meat was so tender I cut through it with a fork.
The apple sauce and herb cream sauce served with the chop were an awesome counterpoint to the pork.
And, the chop was so big that the leftovers became pulled pork for dinner.
Amazing.
As many of you know, I’ve had terrible feet for years. When I lived in Wisconsin I went from walking eight miles per week to nothing because my feet fell apart.
Since then, I’ve landed some sweet orthotic inserts for my shoes, which were recently refurbished.
This weekend I took another big step to healthy feet. I gave up my stupid brand loyalty. Everyone who know anything about feet has been making fun of my loyalty to Reebok athletic shoes.
Everyone is right. The wife and I headed to one of the high-end athletic shoe stores in town to get some shoes that will do right by our growing fitness efforts. The nice man there matched me up with a pair of Saucony shoes. One workout in, I’m sold. Sure, there was foot pain. There will always be some foot pain. But there was so much less. And I’m not all achy now that I’m done. Huzzah!
Met with the school district HR yesterday.
It was all rote, but went well. I signed way too many forms. They’re running a background check. I need to spend the next week getting a TB test, getting fingerprinted, getting an official college transcript and the like.
So it is an ongoing process that should be done by the end of next week or early the week after. Then new teacher inservice starts on Aug. 5, although additional training is possible in July.
![So I finally bought and listened to Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” Then I listened to it again. And again.
It truly is an amazing album, but I feel like I am listening to it at the wrong moment in time. Had I picked it up in ‘98 when it came out and when I was a college student, it probably would have been the defining album of my college experience (right now that’s held in a tie between Old 97’s “Fight Songs,” The Refreshments’ “Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy,” Barenaked Ladies’ “Stunt” and Ben Folds Five’s “Whatever and Ever Amen”) [“Ruby Vroom” fails to make the list because it was released in ‘94, before I was in college.].
Instead, hearing “In the Aeroplane” for the first time in 2009, I’m left knowing this is an amazing album — one, in fact, that I will listen to dozens and dozens of times — but it isn’t an album that will speak to where I am right now or have a lasting impact in my musical influences.](http://15.media.tumblr.com/TuKlWkthCp6zutucrdEqs5Wyo1_400.jpg)
So I finally bought and listened to Neutral Milk Hotel’s “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea.” Then I listened to it again. And again.
It truly is an amazing album, but I feel like I am listening to it at the wrong moment in time. Had I picked it up in ‘98 when it came out and when I was a college student, it probably would have been the defining album of my college experience (right now that’s held in a tie between Old 97’s “Fight Songs,” The Refreshments’ “Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy,” Barenaked Ladies’ “Stunt” and Ben Folds Five’s “Whatever and Ever Amen”) [“Ruby Vroom” fails to make the list because it was released in ‘94, before I was in college.].
Instead, hearing “In the Aeroplane” for the first time in 2009, I’m left knowing this is an amazing album — one, in fact, that I will listen to dozens and dozens of times — but it isn’t an album that will speak to where I am right now or have a lasting impact in my musical influences.
We’re thinking about getting a digital single-lens reflex camera. Right now the leader may be the Olympus E-520. I can’t find a single bad review on it.
Any advice from you photogs out there?
I’m spending my days this week at a camp for children with disabilities run by United Cerebral Palsy. Can I just say I’m having a great time.
Each camper has one or two volunteers to work with him or her while we do crafts, watch shows (magician, puppet show, zoo show), play sports and, generally, just have a fun day.
My camper doesn’t talk too much, but we are having a blast. He loves to play basketball and soccer (indoors, thankfully, given the heat), and I’m so content to spend half an hour just pulling down boards or playing keeper.
Obviously this isn’t a perfect approximation of what teaching will be like. Not even close. But I’m truly enjoying working with my camper and some of the other campers who he has befriended.
In other words, I think I could get use to this. Once this week is over, I’m going into overdrive to get ready for the school year.
