Punching the core...

I spent this past weekend in Wichita with my cousin's family. Stuart, Sally, and Lindsey traveled to the Northwoods for the week while Nicolas stayed behind because of a class he's taking. The two of us had some fun playing games and hanging out. I introduced him to the world of Browncoats and his friend got us into X-Men 3 for free!

Nicolas' friend, Chris, is a manager at what might just be the nicest movie theatre in the United States, the Warren East. It's incredible! Take the bathrooms, for example. Normally I don't write home about bathrooms, but these bathrooms have marble interiors and there is a waiting area nearby complete with leather furniture and a fireplace. Absolutely amazing.

Anyway...I drove back yesterday through the best weather that Kansas has to offer. Heavy rain, strong winds, and hail. Even so, it was a bit disappointing. Three years in Kansas and I still haven't seen a tornado.

Where are these things? Do they really exist?

Deadliest Catch...

In a leap of faith, I have forced myself to take a week off. I have been reading Blue Like Jazz and have caught several episodes of Deadliest Catch, both of which I love.

Blue Like Jazz is a book I need to read. It is not a book I would recommend to all, but it is a book for me. I'm not sure why, and I don't know if I could ever put my thoughts into words, but the book is speaking to me where I stand at this point in my walk.

Deadliest Catch is a Discovery show on crab fishing in the Bering Sea. Unbelievable. These guys are insane! I had worked with a guy at the Pole who had done this for a couple of seasons, he was pretty hard core, and he said it was the scariest thing he has ever done. This show only proves it. People died in the first episode.

In other news...the original Star Wars are coming out on DVD. Mom, is it too early to be thinking ahead for my birthday?

Firefly...

It's official...I'm a Browncoat.

My roommate, Ryan, and I just finished watching the last of the Firefly DVDs. How on earth this show was cancelled is beyond me.

Mountains of trees...

I enjoy teaching.

My students took their final exam today. I was blessed with a good group of students this semester. This particular course, Human Geography, was likely the last one I will teach here at K-State and it went well. I have recieved a number of complements this semester: the students applauded after my Antarctic presentation Friday (last class...that could have been the real reason), a number of e-mails over the past two weeks saying "thanks" (trying to improve their grades?), and even a handshake or two (which is always a good sign). But now the real work begins.

Every semester I ask myself, "How is it that I have so much grading to do?" My room has become a field of "trees" (or rather, "former trees"). As much as I despise them, scantrons look better and better every year.

But I know the end is in sight. Summer is just around the corner and I will soon again be looking forward to my next opportunity to step in front of a group of young impressionable students to mess with their minds.

The true joy of teaching.

GEEK!

Through the years, I, being the big loving brother that I am, took it upon myself to find new and creative ways to "express my love" to my sister. Tackling her in the yard (and then snapping her bra, pinching her butt, and giving her a kiss on the cheek), cutting in on dances (it's a wonder she ever got married), and spitting on her food (to claim it as my own) were all used to express this special kinship I held with my one and only sibling.


Somewhere along the way, my sister and I adopted the pet name "Geek!" for one another and it is a term that we still use to this day (Note: don't try using it...it only works with her). Today happens to be her special day...Happy Birthday, GEEK!