Bohemian Rhapsody

You know, I have never quite understood the obsession some people exhibit concerning Bohemian Rhapsody. However, when my dad sent me this link of the Cal Men's Octet singing the classic, I came a little closer to understanding. It is enough to make Andy Bernard jealous!

And we think they look "good"?

This morning, I was just browsing the web reading some quality People.com when I ran across this slideshow of celebrity mug shots. Some of them are downright disturbing, but others are more respectable. Please be sure you look at #60 (Akon).

Ugh.

I'm supposed to be moving on Friday, and I just can't seem to get myself motivated to pack. I have always said that there's only one thing I hate more than packing: unpacking. But, I can't even get to that first stage right now. Part of this is that I'm not sure what I'll be needing to use over the next couple of days, particularly in the kitchen. I certainly don't want to be eating fast food for the next three days!

Christine is supposed to come over tomorrow, and hopefully I will find some motivation when there is someone watching to hold me accountable.

In short, my apartment is an official disaster, but I seem to have no desire to fix it. Perhaps moving during my first official week of summer was a poor decision...

Why so SMART?

Lately, I've noticed a new trend in products. Okay, maybe it's not completely "new", but it is an interesting phenomenon. Everything seems to be "SMART" these days. Here is a listing of just a few items I could think of off the top of my head...I'm sure the list is considerably longer!

1. The Smart Car. These miniature-sized cars are hugely popular in Europe due to their small size. The small size allows for better fuel economy and more convenience when maneuvering into tiny parking spaces or down narrow roads. Smart cars are supposed to be better for the environment, but they are NOT hybrid vehicles. They simply get better mileage and use less gasoline than traditional sedans. They've recently become available for sale in the US, but I'm still a little unsure of the safety issue here....

2. The "SmartPhone". It can do everything--in phone form. You can keep your calendar, organize your address book, surf the web, navigate to unknown places, play games, take pictures, take videos, write and send emails, text message, compose and edit word processing documents, and play music. Oh, and make a phone call.

3. Smart Water. This is one that I completely don't understand. After a bit of research, I have discovered that it is supposedly more pure than filtered spring water. It seems that the company has recreated the natural process that produces water, and they use this process to "make" water that has had no contact with possible contaminates. Then, they add some electrolytes to it (electrolytes are the important part of Gatorade that help keep you hydrated). Smart Water is an option, but I'm still a firm believer that "there ain't no water like Memphis water".


4. SMARTBoard. One of my favorite educational products, and I want one so bad I can taste it. These are interactive whiteboards, which allow teachers and students to touch the board to write and move things around with their fingertips. Okay, you can do that on a chalkboard, right? Well, yes. But you CAN'T save that chalkboard "end product" and use it tomorrow, or create that chalkboard setup ahead of time and flash it up there, or create an interactive slide show, or type something and see it on the board, or show an animated 3-D model of a molecule that students can manipulate on the board. These things will run you about $1,200, but studies show that they can increase student engagement and help increase test scores. And someday I intend to work at a school where I can use one full-time.

5. The Mac "Genius". Mac took it a step further when they started calling their in-store repair people "Geniuses". That's so much better than the name I would propose: "Smart People Who May or May Not Be Able To Fix Your Computer" (or SPWMMNBATFYC for short). Now, I am a life long Mac user who will use a Mac until they either no longer exist or I can no longer type on a keyboard. However, I will be the first to admit that these so called "Geniuses" have failed me on a couple of occasions. I'll still go to them because they have helped me too.
6. Smarties. One of my childhood favorites, this "smart" product has been around much longer than all the rest. I would like to think this whole fad began with this sugary delicacy.

Confession

I let a student play "Rocky Top" in my classroom today.

This is something that's difficult to admit, but it happened, so there's no point in denying it. He asked me this morning if he could perform for the class on his cello, and I promised him I would make a time for it this afternoon. When the time came for him to play, he introduced his two songs: "Star Spangled Banner" and "Rocky Top". At first I told him he could only play the National Anthem, but this seemed to slightly crush his spirit. I simply had to allow him to play both songs, but made it clear to the entire class that it was really not what I would prefer to have played in the classroom. They proceeded to watch me throughout the song, simply to see how I would react. One student had the gall to "woo" at the specified point in the song, but I gave him quite a stern look, and he didn't venture there again. He's quite the baseball fan, so I invited him out to Hawkins this weekend, where he will surely see his beloved team go down. Muaaahahahaha!

Not my proudest moment as a Vanderbilt alum.

Places you'll never find me

1. 5am Boot Camp class at the Y
2. Tornado Spotters training session
3. Victoria's Secret with another person
4. Mariah Carey concert
5. As a contestant at a Pickle Eating Competition