Why?!?

Over the years, I've had several people (mostly strangers, or new acquaintances) ask me "Why do you teach high school?" Pretty much they think you've got to be completely nuts to choose to spend a day with teenagers. Well, there are several reasons, not least of which is teens are pretty darned funny & as I see it - I'm getting paid for a day's worth of entertainment & in return I have to enlighten the masses about chemistry & anatomy. Seems like a pretty fair trade. However, some days are pretty craptastic (thanks for that word, HollyJo!) & others remind you why you stick with the profession.

For the past couple of weeks my objective has been to teach my students about the gas laws & how gases, in general, behave. It's always a plus when the kids can do more than regurgitate the information back at me. So - imagine my joy when this is how class began yesterday -

5th Hour Student: "Oh Most Honorable Chemistry Teacher, you won't believe what happened to me the other day on the way home!"

Me (ready for some sort of teenage drama): "No, Most Obedient Student, please share."

5th Hour Student: "So I was walking home & instead of complaining how cold it was, I said to my boyfriend 'Boy, these gas molecules sure are moving slowly!!'"

Pick me off the floor & shut my mouth! This student was actually listening! More than that - she actually learned something & applied her new found knowledge outside of class in a totally new way!

Wow - if she's thinking about chemistry on her own time, I must be doing something right. Yes - I do love my job!

By the way - for those of you who haven't studied chemistry in a while. Basic Kinetic Molecular Theory of Matter states that the velocity of gas particles is directly related to the temperature. So - when it's cold (lack of thermal energy) - gas particles move more slowly than when it's warm. Remember - we're talking about Anchorage, Alaska!

Knitting news: Frogged stole due to new error & desire to obtain pointier needles. Just a couple of more inches to do on the back of the sweater & sock #1 of 'Teatime' (The Knitter Sock of The Month pattern) is well into the gusset....

HaZaa!

I'm in! I finally received my invitation to Ravelry. Oh - what more can be said about Ravelry? It is soooooo cool! I've been 'stalking' the site to see where I was on the list. One day I was at 333, and then boom! my invitation arrived! Man, it's like being the nerdiest kid in school and being asked to the Prom by the cutest, smartest, and nicest boy in town. Very cool. My name on Ravelry is "Arctic Knitter" (duh) - hope to see you around! If you haven't received your invite, yet - be patient (like I'm one to give that advice) - it'll arrive soon...

As you can see from the photo above, fall is in the air around here. For us that means - cooler evenings, shorter days, and school is in full swing. I'm blaming my lack of posting on school - even though I reduced my teaching schedule to 80% to accommodate taking my sons to school, my work load certainly hasn't seemed to decrease. 100% means teaching 5 different classes - right now I'm teaching 4. Last year, one of my classes was math - this year, all 4 are lab-based science classes. Prep work for Alg. II was much less rigorous than prepping for chemistry or anatomy. Oh well... the kids are great - certainly keeps me entertained. :0)

Returning to school also means returning to the "germ factory". Let's face it, schools are full of all sorts of wonderful germs. I keep soap and Germ-X available in my classroom, and am almost OCD regarding hand washing. Still - I can't hover over every student who enters my room & inspect their hands. Needless to say - it's bound to happen that teachers catch 'something' during the year. I usually have a pretty strong immune system, but this year the 'bug' seems stronger than usual. Couple that with the fact I was exhausted after spending a night w/200 high school students during our annual retreat, and you have the perfect recipe for getting sick. Fortunately I didn't have to take a day off from work (which is more work than actually being there) - but I did have to alter plans so that I could rest my voice. By the end of the day my voice was practically gone - not so good when you're in the teaching profession. Some of my colleagues & friends called it my "sexy, sultry" voice; my students said I sounded like a man - not very sexy, or sultry at all when your all of 5 foot 2. (Unless that man happens to be Brad Pitt, Michael Ballack, or John Taylor (of Duran Duran).

OTN:

My Monkey Socks for my Monkey Sock Swap pal. I'd post a photo, but DH as absconded with the camera on his afternoon bike ride. I've worked through the 4th repeat on the leg (requires 6) and am working them via the Magic Loop Method (surprise, surprise) - 2 at a time. No Second Sock Syndrome for me! My pal lives down south, so I'm using Sockotta - a cotton, wool, nylon blend. Not my choice of yarn, but it is knitting up softly & should be comfortable in the warm environs of the south.

I've cast on for my Minimalist Cardigan. The pattern can be found in the 2007 Interweave Knits issue. I'm using Cascade 220 Superwash - quite the workhorse for knits, and a favorite of my dear friend Margaret. Although, I have to agree with Holly Jo in that the pattern is pretty mind-numbing (LOTS of moss stitch) and it takes work just to keep plugging away. I keep telling myself the sweater will be beautiful when it's done, and it'll be a good knit for in front of the telly.

Speaking of good TV - The Women's World Cup is currently underway. The US is doing well with a relatively new/young team. Abby Wambach is still playing - pretty amazing since at 27 she's considered an 'old' soccer player. For the record, let's all agree that 27 is NOT old by any stretch of the imagination. However, good ol' Abby is just amazing - during their game against Sweden, she scored one PK, and one very incredible half-volley goal from an over the head pass from Kristine Lilly (36 years old!). Just makes me want to be back on the pitch. Next match is against Nigeria, which should be an easy one for them & assure the US a #1 ranking in their group & a spot in the quarter finals.

Also - Survivor season premiere is this week (good knitting time) don't know about the return of The Amazing Race - another fave. Grey's Anatomy starts soon too. AND - big news - the new Duran Duran album, Red Carpet Massacre, will be released in the U.S. Nov. 13th - let the countdown begin! :0)

More pics next time... off to knit...