Palindromes for the day, 1/12/2011.

So, what's more fun that having the school get put on "hard lockdown" five minutes before the bell rings because of a potential escaped convict with a handgun who might be on campus--and then sitting in the dark in the classroom (supposedly in "duck and cover" mode) for another 1.5 hours with no outside communication (besides the constantly buzzing cell phones--why fight it?) and a kid behind my lectern who actually pees his pants he has to go so bad?

Finding a new palindrome, that's what. Like most, it doesn't make much sense. But where's the fun in making sense?

Frustration? No, I tart surf.

I've got to figure out what else to add to that, or I need to find out what "tart surfing" is. Is it like channel surfing? Web surfing? (Seriously, when was the last time you heard someone using the phrase "surf the web" without a touch of irony? Say it to yourself: "Well, Oprah's over. I'm going to go surf the web!")

Here's one from the name brand on the teachers' toilet seat:

Olsonite: E.T. in Oslo.

Is this palindrome fixation a gift or a curse? (Just noticed "fixation" could be broken into "No, I tax if..." ).

Truth be told, I'm avoiding grading.

End of the Year/Beginning of the Year Reading Report.

This past year, I decided to keep track of all the books I read in 2010. It went well enough, until I lost the notebook, started keeping track elsewhere, then found the book and wasn't terribly consistent. I have some written down for previous years, but, like the lost notebook of this past year, I wasn't consistent enough to really make it a list. My intention was to post a "Quarterly Reading Report." That passed. Then it was to become the "Bi-Annual Reading Report." But summer was too much fun. I probably don't need to mention I missed the 3rd quarter, too. So, here it is, my reading list for the past year. I won't editorialize too much, unless I feel the book warrants it.

Palindromes for the day.

Is Yaris a Toyota, sir? Ay. Si!

This one doesn't mean anything, but I loved the sound:

Stratford: Dr. of Tarts.

Official Photo

Oh man, oh man, oh man, oh man!!!
There's a party in my BRAIN!

Veterans' Day

We went to the parade.

There's a Party in my City.

One of my last vestiges of cool with my students is that I can tell them about my friend Ben, who is not only related to the Bat Commander of Aquabats fame, but actually played with the Aquabats for a period. Why ska is still considered cool at this point at all is certainly up for debate, but my students continue to be seduced by its syncopated wiles.

Ska past aside, Ben is still a pretty cool cat, and he is one of the producers of the hit kids show "Yo Gabba Gabba", which my kids are fans of (of which my kids are fans), and which most any parent would agree is a googolplex times better than listening to Barney and the Wiggles. We were supposed to connect with Ben and his family at some point over Thanksgiving--either on their way to or from their Thanksgiving destination--but because of traffic and other stormy factors, it was not convenient for them to stop over. Ben called, though, and told us that Yo Gabba Gabba Live was coming to town and asked if we'd like to be on the guest list. "Does the Pope wear a funny hat?" was our immediate reply, and this past Thursday, we went to the show.

Birds!

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the large number of birds on their way through to warmer southern climates. We have an electrical substation just kitty-corner from our house, and in the early afternoon, it's almost always completely covered in chirping birds. I wish I had some better pictures of them in flight (when they all take off at once, it's pretty spectacular), but I'll have to live with having just a few pictures of them just chilling.




I wish this one turned out better, but I like the curved wire at the top:



Of course, all of this reminds me of my favorite Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn vehicle, Bird on a Wire.