March 30, 2016

 This morning we didn't test because we didn't get the go-ahead until late in the morning. I spent my morning with classes in the lab and editing a photo. I also spent a little time looking at audio mixers. I don't need one but for some reason in the last few days I've spent a lot of time researching them. I think it is partially due to my interest in audio stuff but mostly due to a need for a mental escape from schoolwork.

This afternoon we had three classes test at 1:30PM. Both fifth grade classes tested on iPads and one of the third grade classes tested in the lab. And it went flawlessly. Minus the fact that only one section of the test could be taken because there is still that long delay in between sections. It is probably for the best because I think it is better on the kids not having to answer so many questions in one sitting, but that is how it should have been billed to us in the first place. Not that we would be administering two sections during each testing session, because that has really messed up the overall testing schedule. Oh well. Life goes on.

After lunch I was out in the hall talking with the principal about testing stuff when we both stopped talking at the same moment. We had both heard the piano in the music room, which was emanating with the sound of fast-paced ragtime music. We walked over and the principal opened the door to reveal the substitute band teacher absolutely destroying the piano. It was incredible. And it would have been impressive regardless of who was playing but the substitute is the really old guy, at least in the high seventies and maybe older, that kind of shuffles around and seems slightly confused most of the time. But then he sits down at the piano and completely kills it. It almost felt like one of those prank videos where they dress up a young athlete as a senior citizen and have them run circles around regular people playing sports. I was waiting for him to pull off the mask. That never happened, however. He's just an old dude with crazy piano skills. Even writing it now I can't quite believe it.

On my way home I got Chipotle and a Powerball ticket. The lady making my burrito bowl kind of screwed me over and I ended up eating the whole bowl instead of half because there wasn't much to it. On a slightly positive note, the girl at the register tried entering the order two different ways and by going with the cheaper one, saved me about twenty cents. I'll take it. We'll ignore the fact that eating the bowl in one sitting instead of two effectively doubled the price of my meal because the cost wasn't being spread out over two meals. We're focusing on saving twenty cents.

I didn't play any videos after dinner because I only had a couple this week and I needed to read school stuff. I managed two long articles and the setup for the group project in my technology class. Tomorrow I should be able to read the chapters and another article for that class. There is a longer article that she assigned that I am interested in reading but it is seventy-three pages long and because of that she made it optional. I'll at least skim it. I also need to hopefully knock out a couple of the discussion posts for this week. I head down for class on Friday so it would be nice to get the bulk of my weekly work done by tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

While leaning back in my chair and reading one of those articles tonight I saw something just above me, slowly floating into my field of view. I figured it was a random piece of fluff so without even looking I blew towards it and kept reading. It didn't move away like it should have, however, and when I actually looked at it, I saw that it was a tiny spider. I continued blowing in order to direct it onto my desk, where I was able to coax it onto a piece of paper, and then walk it outside to release it. I then spent the next several minutes staring at the ceiling to make sure he didn't have friends up there waiting to descend on me. It was the same size as all the ones that showed up in my bathroom and I was afraid that they only rolled in groups at least fifty deep. This one appears to have been working alone. At least I am going to tell myself that because I didn't see any more and I don't want to think that there are a bunch around that I can't see. That is a disconcerting thought and I actually want to fall asleep tonight.

Now I'm gong to watch a few videos and go to bed. A solid plan.