Really?

"OUR RECOMMENDATION FOR HOLIDAYS/GRADUATION"

This is the first line of a lovely letter I received today addressed to "the Parents of Clarissa M Ann Trapp"  from the alumni association here.

Any guesses on the recommendation? 

Well, here's what it said:

"Parents call every year for advice on meaningful gifts for their soon-to-be graduates.  We understand their concern--the perfect gift should be a reward for hard work, but it should also have some practical use in the "real world."

To solve this probem, we authorized one manufacturer last year to had-craft diploma frames exclusively for the Colorado State University diploma."

It continues for the rest of the page.  Also enclosed:  "A Note from Mom"

"My daughter was surprised when she found a diploma frame under the Christmas tree!  We had given diploma frames to our older sons after graduation, so she probably expected the same.  But when she saw that we were already looking forward to her gradution, she was really pleased!"

This gem also continues on for a bit. 

Ummmm....what!?!  As to the daughter's surprise, I bet she was very surprised and thought, "Seriously?  Am I this hard to shop for?"

Domotor

While leaving a comment on another friend's blog I was asked to enter the security word in order to complete my posting.  Today the word was "domotor".  Usually these words are nonsense, and some may argue this is, too.  However, images of motor homes immediately entered my my mind.  Strange?  Yes, but let's think about this. 
"Dom": House, abode, as in domicile
"Motor": as in getting around, power, motion, etc.
"Domotor": a house on the move, a motorhome

Admit it.
I'm brilliant, right?!

War!

I'm grading papers.  They are not so great over all.  However, as the book they are supposed to review is about a war, I've been getting some people who feel the need to tell me how they feel about war instead of what they think of the author's arguments.  While some have been condemning, others have been celebratory of this particular war and its soldiers.  Generally, it's annoying either way, since I don't know the writers of these papers as friends, but sometimes it's really funny.  For example, one writer told me in his paper that he loved the book and would recommended it to anyone who "loved war".  Yeah, war's awesome, hunh?  I'm pretty sure he meant military history.  Still, in my mind, he's the "war monger" until I come up with something better. 

Success!

Today I had to lead class.  I was not alone.  I had a partner-an amazing partner!  I don't think I've ever had an experience (in school) where my partner actually contributed. (Definately comes with being the 'smart kid'.)  Outside of experiences at my last job, I have never had a chance to be part of a successful school-related collaboration.  It was entirely refreshing.  Now, I have no idea what our grade will be, but it was so awesome to not be the only one contrubuting.  I like this part of grad school.

Bowie (not knife)

So I watched "Labyrinth" for the first time this weekend. 

After seeing it....I find myself at a loss for words to describe it.  The movie is hilarious and wierd.  (Very 1980s)  Jim Henson created the puppets for the movie.  Jennifer Connaly is the main character.  I think David Bowie as the Goblin King might have been my favorite part of the entire movie. He's so....strange.

While the movie is ridiculous and should NEVER win ANY awards, I had a great time watching it.  I recommend it to fans of "Goonies" or crappy kid movies from the 80s.  It's a 'classic'.

A Not-so-good First

Today I handed back the tests my students took a week ago.  Overall, they conformed to a bell curve of results.  However, that meant some of them definately failed--as in they got less than fifty percent of the points possible.  Bummer.

After class today, I encountered my first crying student.  Yep, she failed, and she was devastated.  It was awful.  I felt really bad for her.  I know that I feel awful for her because I would have felt the same way, and I remember every 'F' I have ever received.  I could see she'd tried really hard and just not quite "gotten it".  We talked.  I still feel bad for her.
Sometimes I wonder if students understand I want them to succeed very badly.  The only poor grades I "enjoyed" giving out were to students who didn't show up to class until the day of the test.  The others who did poorly left me feeling like somehow I'd failed them.  I know it's really not like that, but I have been evaluating the merits and problems of every test question for the last week as I grade tests.  I want to be a good teacher who makes it possible for students to succeed in my classes.  I don't want everyone to hate hisory, right?  I want people to like it because I love it.

Snow

There's lots of snow outside.  It's pretty, but I wish it had waited a few weeks to visit.  I would take a picture--it's a lovely scene, but I don't want to go outside.  It's cold. 
Yesterday, while huddled under blankets, Jimmy and I decided that 1) it was cold in our apartment, and 2) it was okay to turn on the heat if the outside temperature had been below 32 degrees for several days in a row.  So we turned on the heat. 
This week the temperature is supposed to climb back into the sixties.  That's a happy thought at this moment.

My life is complete

Yesterday I purchase a microwave.  That means I can eat left over food.  This is a good thing, but it does not complete my life.  My new potato masher is what completes my life.

I saw it at Target.  I noticed its stainless steel construction.  It wasn't plastic (which breaks), and it didn't come apart (which allows bits of food and moisture to get inside and allow for mold and bacteria growth).  It's handy spatula-like design also means that after smashing potatoes, I could scoop them out of the pan--only one dirty utensil!!! The person who came up with this deserves a raise if one was not immediately conferred by an admiring group of company executives. 
(sigh of happiness)

Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do?

I live in a quite neighborhood.  My apartment complex is in a very middle class part of town.  But today...

Right outside my windows this afternoon I heard, "Get down on the ground!" (Sound of feet pounding)  Dear Husband and I looked out the window to see a plainclothes policeman chasing a very overweight man. About thirty yards from our window the policeman overtook the man (grabbing for his side arm, nonethless), made him lay on the ground, handcuffed the man, and then called in to wherever policemen in this town radio in to. After a few minutes, he got the man up, and off they went in his car. 
I felt sort of like I was watching COPS or something.  I also decided that Dawg the Bounty Hunter could have made this small excitement into some wonderfully trashy TV.  I'm not a reality TV watcher, and I hate cop shows, but this was very entertaining. 

I think that the little thrill I felt watching this unfold may have something to do with my love of Victorian sensational literature.  Petty criminals! Where?  If only we could have discovered why the fat man was arrested....