Ramblings for the Evening (10/01/06)

Highs and lows.
Life is essentially made of those.
Everyday has, in some way, highs and lows.
You get the idea.
So, without further ado: HOP TO THE LEFT!
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The Wee One and his New Friend:
My wife, my son, and I were fortunate enough to have a professional photographer come to our home today to take some fabulous photos of Poozer.
Margaret came out to Robbinsdale (a FAR CRY from Minneapolis). This is the first time I have met a fellow blogger. A person who I felt I knew pretty well, but had never met in the flesh before today.
It was fantastic. Little Leab was his usual cute self, and the weather actually stayed nice enough so we could take pictures outside.
Margaret was great. Here I was expecting a quick trip out, and she ended up staying for two hours. Never once rolled her eyes or anything. It showed incredible patience.
I was also very happy with how my cats acted. Very polite.
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Homecoming:
Tonight was the Homecoming Dance at my school.
Times have changed since I was in high school. First of all, there were cops. My school did not have cops walking the floor, my school didn't have to have the students patted down, and my school certainly had more men working the dance (including myself, there were two).
I ended up working the door most of the night. Why? Well, for one they wanted a guy up front, and the other reason is that I know almost all the kids' names. So there I stood, side by side with a cop, for most of the night.
At one point, however, I ended up on the dance floor to check and make sure the kids were dancing "appropriately." If we saw kids grinding and such, we were to separate them and shine a light on them. I brought my own: a lovely halogen flashlight that blinds. Cops love it.
Of course there were kids who danced inappropriately. We warned them not to, so they can't complain about us making them leave.
There were two very fascinating points on the night, however.
1. As soon as ten hit, the faculty bolted. They got the kids out, and then left. I was the last one to leave. Why? Well, I helped the DJ pack up his stuff, and I stayed while the last few kids waited for their parents. We couldn't leave them there alone, could we?
2. My principal has no idea about my life. She and I get along very well. Hell, she stole my wallet photo of my kid from me yesterday, because she finds him so darn cute.
In the course of our talking tonight, she really had no idea that I:
Couldn't hear last week.
Drive a half an hour each way everyday to and from work.
That I was closer to 30 than 20.

These are just examples. She then proceeded to utterly depress me by telling me that if the referendum does not pass in St. Paul, she will be forced to release teachers. MANY teachers. Then she made an indication toward me.
As for the rest of my colleagues, they were all bored. No one smiled.
There's a group of kids who like to tell me that I'm the best teacher in the school. I know they're wrong. There are many teachers much better than me, but the idea, I think, is not that I educate them so well (though I try). No, the idea is I am available and willing to talk. I stay late to talk to students. I work with multiple clubs. I say,"hello," to everybody. Not all the faculty do.
Back to the point.
When I was in high school, the Homecoming dance was a great deal more formal. The faculty and the students worked to look gooood. I didn't get that sense from many of the kids tonight.
Again, I go back to the cops. We didn't have police officers trolling the grounds and walking the gym in order to keep the peace.
And a little tip for the students who I know read this: When the dance starts at 7, and the ticket says no one gets in an hour after the start, don't show up after an hour. We won't let you in no matter how much you beg or what sob story you tell.
When all was said and done, I had a nice, quiet drive home, which led to...
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Late Night Groceries:
On my way home, I decided that my wife and son would already be asleep, so I would make her life a little easier and pick up groceries. I stopped at the Byerly's in Golden Valley.
It was 11 PM, but the place was dead. I walked the aisles whistling to myself. What fascinated me was the cop who kept watching me as I shopped. Maybe it was because I was whistling. I don't know.
It's also amazing to me how peoples' demeanors change. No one was angry or quiet. As I whistled near another patron, he joined in.
When I checked out at the register, I bagged my own groceries and discussed the Twins with the cashier.
I even bagged the next's guys groceries, because it was only one bag's worth. He and I discussed Spanish cheeses as we walked out.
It's so different shopping in the dead of night.
Kind of nice.
Only problem is that I have no clue if I bought everything that my wife and I needed. I guess I'll know once morning comes.
That's it for me; I'm out.
Namaste.