Close Shave

For the most part, I'm not much of a talker, especially with folks I don't know, and so things like getting my teeth cleaned, or having my toenails done, or getting my hair cut can sometimes be a little awkward. Where I am perfectly happy to sit in companionable silence, the person who is performing the service frequently has other ideas.

In the case of the dentist, it is literally impossible for me to reply, so that's not usually a problem. At the nail salon, you are free to move your head as you please, and so a magazine or electronic device can provide a distraction, but when you are in the barber's chair, not only is there nowhere else to turn your attention, there are also mirrors, so that the person behind you can make eye contact. that's where I found myself this morning.

"So are you ready for the holiday?" my stylist asked.

I smiled and shrugged. "Sort of," I told her. And then I used the trick that my six-year-old goddaughter taught me so long ago. "How about you?"

And I never had to say another word.

Deer Neighbors

Our housing complex is tucked into a pretty densely populated area: more than 20,000 souls reside in the two square miles surrounding us. Still, we are buffered with an illusion of nature provided by a thin strip of woods just across the way that separates us from the county utility lot and an elementary school right up the hill.

It was in this sparse little forest that I took a neighbor's dog to take care of her business this morning, and where the two of us had to hop over several big piles of fresh deer scat.

A little later in the day, another neighbor told us of her experience just last night. Taking her own dog out for the last time, the two of them strolled up the stairs by our unit, and making the turn past our door and into the courtyard, were confronted by a six-point buck. As they slowly backed up, retracing their steps, he continued confidently forward.

And then bounded off toward the woods-- obviously to poop!

Election Results

In this fraught election season full of disputes and recounts, some evidence that our national polarization is trickling down:

Four of our team students ran for student council. Two had most of the votes, one with a marginal plurality, but neither with a majority, and so we held a run-off. The results were 50.5% to 49.5%, or in this case, victory by a single vote.

On the same ballot, the students voted for the t-shirt design. Of four choices, there was a 3-way tie for second, and a winner by 3 votes.

It seems like there might be a lot of unhappy sixth graders out there.

On the bright side, we had 90% participation.

Hopefully, this is not where voter disillusionment starts.

Bad Call

Will they or won't they? was the question on everyone's mind this morning. The first measurable snow of the season was predicted to begin between 6 and 7 am, but the forecast was iffy. Our larger neighbors to the west and north preemptively called a delayed opening, and districts a little farther out were closed.

When we got up at 5:30, there was just a little sleet and no news about any change in the school's operation. We shrugged it off, and continued with our morning routine. By the time Lucy and I stepped out for our morning walk, fat snowflakes were falling fast, and a little while later we actually had to brush off the car in order to go to school.

The snow was beautiful, steady and strong as we drove, and the grass was more than coated on campus when we arrived. And so it continued throughout the morning and into the afternoon, causing all kinds of havoc.

In the end, central office issued an apology and canceled all after school events. It was hard to be upset, safe and snug as I was in my classroom, plus I knew that they owed us at least one, and I expect them to err on the side of the caution for the rest of the winter.

Stay a While

The day began with defiance. One of my homeroom students refused to put his winter coat in his locker, even though we had discussed it yesterday. "I'm just going to say 'No' to that," he told me.

"Then you're just going to have go to the office and talk to the assistant principal about it," I answered.

"I'm going to stay here with my coat on," he said firmly.

We were at an impasse, and so I called the AP. When she arrived, she had a similar conversation, except that hers ended when the bell rang. "I'm just going to go to my next class with my coat on," the student said as he walked out the door.

Tensions were high, but the situation was above my pay grade and out of my hands, and I had another class to teach. I looked up to see that a few kids had entered the room and had been watching the drama unfold, including one kid who had given me a lot of pushback about his coat the day before.

He caught my eye as he headed for the door. "I'm just going to put my coat in my locker," he assured me.

"Good decision!" I said.

Paid Vacation

 After ten days away, I returned to work today rested, recharged, and ready for anything. Or so I thought.

The discipline I had spent the whole first quarter building into my students seemed considerably lacking. The room was in disarray and my rocking chair was broken. Several were wearing coats and hoods, despite our school's dress code. Many others were without books, pencils, and/or iPads. It was a challenge to get the group to focus on even the most routine of tasks.

Still, I greeted each group with a hearty smile. "I missed you guys!" I told them, which was entirely true. "I'm so glad to be back!" I continued, which was not.

Dog Tired

After eight days on vacation, it seemed like Lucy was feeling a little down today. Maybe she missed having a houseful of pups and people to play with, or maybe she missed starting and ending each day with a sprint down the beach and a romp by the sea.

Or maybe she was just exhausted!