Go Philae Go

Tomorrow if all goes as planned

A spaceship called Philae will land

On a comet - what fun!

Cause it’s never been done

Although sadly the mission’s unmanned

(If you're interested, you can click here for a site with a lot of good information about the mission!)

Another Award

So my boss has been writing away
With apparently nice things to say
Cause today I was floored
By another award
It’s for best Science teacher! Hooray!

Explanation - recently my boss has apparently been nominating me for as many awards as he can find. A few weeks ago, I found out that I would be receiving the Teacher of the Year award from the Fort Wayne chapter of the Air Force Association (which focuses on teachers of STEM and aerospace topics). Then today at lunchtime, in front of the whole class, he announced that I would be receiving the Education Award from Fort Wayne Business Weekly in the Science K-12 category. (The issue with the winners should come out by the end of the week.) I'm a little overwhelmed and so thankful that I have such a supportive boss! Thanks, Scott!

Lego Crimefighters

Tonight's limerick is brought to you courtesy of this news story I just read. Is there nothing these things can't do?

In '91 someone was killed

And today the police are all thrilled

They found new evidence

On some Legos were prints

A conviction's the new thing to build!

Tut

On November 4, 1922, Howard Carter and George Herbert discovered the tomb of King Tut. Today a news report (promoting an upcoming documentary) claims he died because of a chariot accident and a botched embalming job caused his corpse to spontaneously combust! It's stained glass-style just because I felt like it.

Back To Work!

I’ve been waiting for weeks

Here with nothing to do

And today is the day

That my wishes came true

I went back to work

Yes, the furlough is done

I can get back to teaching

And having some fun

So today I got up

While the sky was still dark

Took my coffee in hand

For that sweet caffeine spark

And the rest of the day

We just tried to catch up

Printing books, calling schools

Drinking cup after cup

So now I’m back home

In my back there’s an ache

It’s been a good day

Now it’s time for a break

Shutdown, Day 13

Lately, with the shutdown, I just wait to go to work

Every day I hope the Congress clears away the murk

The President should lead and try to reach a compromise

Harry Reid and Boehner need to learn to share the prize

And while they fuss and argue, I just sit around and rot

Rooted to the couch and rarely moving from my spot

Getting nothing done is not the way to spend my Fall

You guys better hurry or I’ll never move at all!

Shutdown, Day 5

October 5 is Do Something Nice Day and World Teacher Day. In light of what's been going on recently, I thought they tied together nicely...

Today is the day to go do something nice

And you don’t have to stop, you can then do it twice

And if you’re in doubt who to do something for

It’s World Teacher Day, they’re the ones to adore

So Congress, in honor of both of these days

Let me go back to work, please, with no more delays!

Shutdown, Day 1

I should have been leading a classroom today

It’s the end of our class, and I don’t mean to grouch

But a nice graduation where videos play

Was cancelled, instead I sat home on the couch

We should have been mapping and seeing the planes

And building a circuit board out of some shapes

But the government’s yanked on our old funding reins

Where there should have been honey there’s now sour grapes

And I get why they argue and put on their show

The House says, “We won’t fund this law, it’s just dumb”

Then the Senate replies with a petulant “No!”

In the meantime I’m squashed under government’s thumb

So tomorrow another class misses the end

And the kids for the rest of the week go without

Their program finale, while I will just spend

All my time on my couch ‘til they sort it all out

(Note: The program where I work is funded through the Department of Defense, so we're not allowed to go to work or have any of our student groups come in as long as this shutdown continues. Since our schedule is full for the entire school year, I don't know when or if these kids will get to make up their missed program days. Won't somebody think of the children!)

Another Day at the Circus

Look at the funny animals and their crazy tricks!

A Trip To The Mall

“Let’s go to the mall,” my wife said

(That phrase always fills me with dread)

But the scene got more dire

When the Mall caught on fire!

So we all went to Target instead

(True story - we were there when the alarms went off, we smelled the smoke and saw the workers locking up the stores and we were walking out the door as the firefighters were stretching the yellow tape across. We're all fine and nobody was hurt, but it was a more exciting day than I had anticipated.)

Here's one news report: http://www.wane.com/news/local/fire-breaks-out-at-glenbrook-mall

Here's another: http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/Fire-Breaks-Out-at-Glenbrook-Mall-225654451.html


Bonus! Here's a little video I shot as we were driving away: