I'm trying

Of all her subjects chemistry was the worst. Mr. Vogt's tortuous high school classes didn't help one bit. Her best friend used to make fun of him, saying he talked like Beaker on the Muppets. It didn't help that he would spend half the class explaining a complicated equation only to find at the very end it didn't balance. He'd slap his head, turn his back and then try to figure out his error. The class would laugh.

When she got to university things were even worse. She often fell asleep during lectures even though she forced herself to sit in the front row to prevent this very problem. She couldn't memorize the periodic table. She couldn't balance equations. She couldn't no matter how hard she tried, understand organic chemistry. Physics, Calculus, Biology, English: A. Chemistry: C-.

After graduation she still couldn't figure it out. Why was it that sometimes the equations balanced easily without trying, though the chemicals were mismatched? But when she made an effort with the correct elements the reaction would fizzle out? How could someone who was so bad at chemistry make such great pies?

1. Miss A. who screams, "YAYYYYY", and jumps up and down everytime I say we're learning something new.

2. The tire that didn't go flat on the highway but later in the parking lot at work.

3. Dancing shows.

4. Cleo, the ultimate lap cat, who hates meat but loves gingersnaps.

5. Wonderful Opera friends who know the right things to say.

*Update* The problem is solved! Thank you Mickey!

So, I usually use Firefox as my main browser. Well, for every site except my blog things look normal. But with the Opera site, everything is in miniature. There is no problem viewing it correctly with Opera and IE. What gives? Any ideas? I haven't changed any settings.

CFL semis tomorrow. A classic West vs. East game fueling a friendly rivalry. No bets regarding painting my face blue, (though it would be nice to hear someone singing again ) as my team is matched against the best team with the best record in the CFL this season. What's the name of that team again?

But, I may not be able to watch it at home though as I don't subscribe to that particular channel. Curses! Maybe I can find a live stream somehow. Don't really feel like going to a sports bar either.



Are you hosting the party this year Louis?

One of my most difficult students is severely dyslexic, suffers from anxiety and has attention deficit disorder. However, he is very bright and an exellent athlete. I've been teaching him for three years now. He takes all my patience sometimes, and truthfully I don't really look forward to lessons with him. He's really personable though and can talk a blue streak, but he often does this in order to avoid working. His teachers at school don't like him because they don't understand dyslexia and his other problems. All they see is this little boy who talks too much in class, doesn't finish his work, doesn't follow directions and is at times defient. Can you imagine how it feels for a kid with dyslexia to be told to read aloud in front of the class? Some teachers are so ignorant. Anyway, at times I really push this student because I know he can be lazy, and frankly, his lack of progress sometimes is so frustrating. And yet he loves coming to his lessons with me. At least that's what he tells his mom.

Well, today his mom came in and took me aside and told me that dad has cancer. The prognosis is not totally clear, but she said it doesn't look good. Shit. SHIT!

And so today, I decided to take a different approach with him. I let him talk, and I listened. Then we worked a little bit and you know what? He actually made more progress today, one day, than in the past month. Best of all. He left with a smile on his face.