When Gifted Kids Pass Notes

This is a note I picked up from my students mid-year, but I never got around to sharing it with you.  Technically, I didn't take it from them: they surrendered it to me willingly.  I think they were rather proud of themselves. The text of the note reads....

 What must I do
for a Blue Mountain Dew?

There's nothing to do
The Dews not for you

Y Not
How much u got?

Just enough for me!
So please let me be!

Don't make me bawl
I'm having withdrawl!

My heart wouls sure sink
If I gave away my blue drink

Why give it away
if cash I pay?

It would cost you alot, an arm and a calf
or maybe a dollar, a dollar and a half

Maybe a dollar?
change is a bother

You have a deal.
In this not, please conceal.

That's what Dillon owes me
If you want a dollar, ask he,
Unless you take credit
because I have debit.

At you I must scoff
The deal is now off

Maybe two dollars on Tuesday
I swear I'll pay!

I do not concur
No dew for you, sir.

Spring

A poem I've been thinking on since last spring....

Spring arrives shyly
          blushing
embarrassed to be caught dressing
uncertain of the fancy gown
          prepared for her party
thinking perhaps that people may laugh
         if she does something wrong
         takes a wrong step in the dance
         allows a petticoat to show
                  a jewel to drop to the ground
                  her corsage to droop.

She's not done this before.
          Older sisters have; they've given instruction

The blush fades
         she takes a deep breath
She shakes out her locks
         golden and green
Dons slippers of purple and white
         a waistcoat of white and yellow-green
         a gown of innumerable blossoms, delicately embroidered
         a blazon of pinks to be-ribbon her hair

Stunning
Beautiful
the belle of the ball

She retires
         the blossoms fall to the ground.
She rests
         and begins to prepare her younger sister.

It's almost like being in Michigan

If you read the blogs of any other Virginians, you'll know this already, but we're the lucky recipients of a TON of snow this year, and we're all hunkered down for another storm right now.

I've been really really enjoying the snow this year, but not so much the effects on the greater DC area.  You Northerners may scoff all you want, but 2" of snow can really shut things down around these parts!  We don't have the same response teams and manpower available for clearing roads and parking lots.

...however, I digress.

This weekend brings us the second storm of the year that is supposed to drop more than a foot of snow.  THE SECOND!  The first was way back in aught nine :) just before Christmas, December 19, 2009.

Sunrise, Dec 20

Jimmy went hunting, and brought back this beauty.

All told, our yard held about 16" of snow, but the official number for our county was 21", I think.  I hadn't seen that much snow since 1998, when we got a blizzard right in the middle of a work day.  (It was such a bizarre experience that I even wrote a short story about it for one of my college courses.)

The December storm was amazing.  It was beautiful!  We took our friends sledding, and found out it was the first time they'd ever been.  That surprised me, but hey -- we are in the South, right?  I enjoyed every minute of that snow before we left for our trip to Michigan to see family.  It almost felt like "the old days"!  (haha)

I was sad when it melted.  In fact, there were a few days in January when it was so warm I didn't even need my coat!  

Then -- Winter returned.

Last weekend, just after exams ended: it snowed.  We had one church service Sunday for those who could make it, but no school Monday or Tuesday.  Tuesday night:  more snow.  No school Wednesday and a 2hr delay on Thursday.  Thursday afternoon, the superintendent decided not to take a chance with our incoming storm for this weekend, and he canceled today's classes, too.  

The kids and I celebrated by going shopping and eating lunch at Wendy's, but now the snow is starting to fall.  It's pretty, I have nowhere to be, and my exams are all graded.  It's really beautiful.  I keep telling myself that it's going to get nasty later, but for now:  for now, it's just pretty.  Who cares if NOAA says we could get more than 2 feet of snow by morning?!  It's pretty and I'm ready for it.

I took a few pictures of my favorite branch in the front yard:

 

Glistening droplets

The snow begins to stick

I'll let you know how much snow we actually get, but what's really interesting about this is that it's supposed to snow again next Tuesday and Wednesday.  AND - as if that's not enough - there's another 4 systems lined up after that one that could bring us even more snow.

I may never get to teach again until Spring at this rate!  

I love the snow.  It makes it feel as if it's really winter and 

not just a "dead" season around here.  Let it fall!

The first, The best, The only: ROGUE

I love RPGs.  They are, by far, my favorite type of video game, and the love started a long, long, long time ago (the 1980s).

Until recently, though, I could never remember the name of that very first PC game that started my love on dungeon exploration, weapon acquisition, and monster bashing.  I did a little wandering about the web, and I found it:  ROGUE.  Yes, yes!  I was so excited!  Here's the cover of the manual from EPYX Computer Software:

Doesn't it look exciting?!  In this game, you fight your way through level after level of dungeons, looking for armor and weapons to help you on your quest to find the Amulet of Yendor.  You can read Rogue's whole story at RougeLikeDevelopment.org where I found these pictures.  It's a fantastic journey of adventure and excitement! 

BTW - the actual screenshot looks like this:

I played this game for HOURS.  Days, even.  It was truly, truly AWESOME, and I thank you, Michael Toy, Glenn Wichman, and Ken Arnold for using the computers at UC Santa Cruz and UC Berkley to inspire a whole division of video games that have kept be happy for my whole entire life.

Thank you.

PS.  Want to see what it's like to play Rogue?  (sorta)  Try out the web-hosted Hexatron Rogue.  But, don't blame me if you get addicted.

(aaaah)

Have you ever noticed how many different ways this sound is used?

If someone is hurt, we say, "Aw, you poor thing!"
If we are frightened, we yell, "AH!"
If we are impressed, we breathe, "Oooo.... Aaah..."
If we think something is cute, we coo, "Awwww!" with that squeaky sound at the end.
If we are fighting, we fiercely bellow, "AAAAARGH!"
If we figure something out, we let out a triumphant "Aah!" or "Ah-Hah!"
If we step in a puddle of water in our socks, we sqeual, "Aagh!"

I love the weird things our language can do.

What makes you go, "Aaah!"?

Surprise!

I have a new blog: Good Food, Gluten Free.


I told you I was plotting! I've always been a thinker. I think and I think and I plan and I plot. Eventually, I get around to taking action.  Eventually has officially arrived.

I have taken all the food posts from this blog, copied them into the new blog, and from here on out, that's where all the food posts will stay.  If you're a follower here for gluten-free reasons, please switch right on over with me!  Who knows?  There may be something in it for you if you're the first follower...  hint-hint!

If you're here because of my charming personality (or just because you're stuck with me because we're related), have no fear!  Here's What Let's Do is not going away!  Now that I have decided for real and for true what I'm doing out here in blog-land, posts will be forthcoming...  eventually.  (ha!)

See you on the flip side.

Greetings, Followers!

I have not been ignoring you, I promise! Rather, I have been burying myself in a combination of way too much work and way too much video gaming. It's a lovely combination. -sigh-

It's a combo that also makes my family wonder if I've fallen off the face of the earth! (Hi, family)

In addition to work and play, I have also been scheming, plotting, and entering random bloggy contests. Hang tight, loyal followers. I'll be back soon. In the meantime, please enjoy some of this tasty happy goodness from my Winter Break vacation: