laughter

A week or so ago, we had a big gathering at a corn maze outside of Atlanta. It was a great deal of fun. Courtney, Emily and Christy and I went racing through the maze, trying to scare each other, and acting like kids. And just generally being the goofball that you need to be on the weekend to let all the stress out.


I like this shot because it makes Christy look devious, and she and I were the instigators of racing around corners and jumping out at Emily and Courtney. The maze was a bit too easy, and when I could tell that the path was a circuit, I raced ahead, and ran down an adjacent path, listening to them say, "Where's Kate? I think we lost her." And then it was my favorite when I raced up behind them and scared the living daylights out of them. It was good times all around, and I think I yelled and screamed enough to deserve the sore throat I now have.

I have been particularly stressed lately, and I finally got sick on Thursday evening this week. I guess I should have known it was coming. Besides the fact that everyone and their dog at school was getting a virus, I started to be loopy last period on Thursday. I couldn't seem to spell anything right on the board, and then when a kid said something funny, I just lost it, really lost it in front of my students.

But what would you do if a kid said that Bob Marley was the ghost who had his head on the knocker of Scrooge's door? The image was just too much for me.
We really weren't laughing at my student. I don't think he thought that. But once those words escaped his lips, and we all realized what he had said, we all had such a mental image in his head, and I could not get through a sentence of the story for at least five minutes.

football

I've managed to keep from complaining about football this season on this blog, which is a pretty good sign. Actually, it's been pretty ok here. There have been a few spotty moments, but I've come around pretty well.

But this made me laugh out loud so hard, and me laughing at a joke within football culture is a very good and healthy thing for me to do, so I must share with you all and let you know that hard feelings might be subsiding.

all in jest...
(I hope these guys don't mind me publishing their works;)

Jonathan:
Well the Iron Bowl is again upon us and I haven't heard of a place to watch it yet, so how about mine and Will's place? Game is at 3:30p, come over around 2:30 if you want. Maybe we can cook out if we feel like it. So if you are for Auburn or Alabama or your team has tanked this season and you want a decent team to cheer for, come on out for the battle of the titans.

Ryan:
I am coming back from L.A. on Saturday, but I should be back by half time. I would love to come over and watch Alabama whip up on Auburn. I will go ahead and forecast a 24-21 Victory.

Should I apologize ahead of time for any crude comments I may make to the Auburn people on Saturday? I am sure I have some good cow tipping/manure tossing jokes about Auburn.

(It's not funny yet...just wait.)

Shannon:
I agree, Ryan, roll tide! Auburn stinks! Blehh! Shannon

Shannon - 3 hours later:
Alright folks. You can CERTAINLY dismiss that last email that "I" sent--A. Miller seized control of my account and sent out that previous memo of slanderous blasphemy. That's what I get for leaving my email inbox open and vulnerable in an apartment with a Georgia bulldog pacing around the premises. What a fool I was.

THIS is what I meant to respond with:

Tuscaloosa, AL
Associated Press -- Nov. 15, 2005

The University of Alabama football practice was delayed nearly two hours yesterday after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field.

The head coach, Mike Shula, immediately suspended practice while Tuscaloosa police officers, Alabama State Troopers, and federal investigators were called in to investigate.

After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to the players was the goal line.

Practice was resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again this year.

Mike Shula told investigators, "We haven't seen too much of that this year, it just kind of caught us off guard."

firsts

I'm reading my first Agatha Christie right now.
It took me a while to get into it, keep all the characters straight and get past the French expressions, but I'm caught up in it now.

And (I hestiate to say,) I'm reading my first Dickens novel.

My students were duly shocked that I am an English teacher and haven't read him. I have tried. But never successfully.

I'm taking my eighth graders to see a production of A Christmas Carol at the end of November, and so I'm reading it aloud to them now.

Lots of good vocabulary words.