Jobs.

In my classes I sometimes talk about job experiences I've had to help explain some topic or another. I've had a lot of jobs. So I've been meaning to make the list for months, and today - I just did it:

cooked hamburgers (Wendy's), landscaper, house painter, delivered newspapers, quality control in a foundry, lifeguard, convenience store cashier, bank teller, cashier again, tutored college football players, book rush in a textbook store (seasonally), History grad assistant (Western Civ.), cook in a chicken wing restaurant, US Army Intelligence Analyst and Russian Linguist, chicken wing cook (again), (Turned down the CIA to go to Russia with Pepsi), Restaurant manager (Pepsico/Taco Bell), (Turned down State Dept. interview, same reason, but my group didn't get the Ruskie job...), Honors Dorm Director, campus convenience store manager, taught University P.E. classes, high school football grad assistant (6A state champs 1997), Tour Guide at State Park, sporting goods store for xmas, weekend cashier - campus convenience store, computer teacher/coach in Moundville,AL, history teacher/coach in Gulf Shores,AL, history teacher/coach in Decatur, AL, radio announcer for high school sports

I had several of these simultaneously - i.e. Dorm Director, PE Classes, football coach, cashier. It does seem like an awful lot, but it was from 1981 until now.

Dark Indeed

-We saw Dark Knight last night at the Monaco. The movie was excellent. It moved beyond comicbook movie to a serious consideration of themes concerning vigilantism, terrorism, civic duty, the ends justifying the means, and heroism. The late Heath Ledger definitely finished strong. His performance was mesmerizing. In a way the movie is about the story arc of DA Harvey Dent, portrayed by a seething Aaron Eckhart. I understand that temper just beneath the positive public exterior very well.
-The Monaco is a stylish theater that certainly let's you forget you're in Alabama. The place is beautifully designed, even if the staff is a little weak in some spots. Having a Stella Artois while watching a first-run movie was exactly what I had hoped for. It also reminds me of the dates I had with Tobermory at the Pitcher Show in Tuscaloosa, to see Cotton Club and No Way Out.

TabMixPlus

The add-on TabMixPlus makes Firefox a much better browser. It's not been updated and the with the new version of Firefox and it has been driving me crazy. While cruising a scifi editor's site, http://www.johnjosephadams.com/ I saw where he had overcome the problem, asked for an explanation and got a quick response. Life is indeed good.

A sci-fi fix

io9 has turned out to be a good source, mostly of movie and tv stuff.
tor.com just arrived - a lot of great book and short story oriented stuff (they are a publisher, after all).

Our Starbucks are not closing

The List

Saturday Already?

- I met with N.W., and AP History expert and tried to glean what i could. I've spent time yesterday & today sorting .docs & .pdfs hoping to bring order to chaos and find tweh things that can help my students the most.
- Took Ada to the vet Thursday and Friday & finally got her spayed. She was up, but stoned out of her gourd, all night. In a week & a half she'll go outside in her own doggy hotel.
- I've worked out consistently, but have fallen behind in walking the dogs, what with everyone going to the vet & working out evening - must improve.
- We had a Christopher Guest double feature a few days back, watching Best in Show and For Your Consideration.
- Finally watched the end of Last Restaurant Standing. The jerky Royal Marine cook and his weepy wife won, but it seems that they didn't last very long once they opened the real restaurant.

Wednesday

- "The Plan" is growing, I've got topics & videos, and now I'm adding specific lessons I liek to do and will start vocab lists. AP Essays and documents are next.

Exercise

38 minutes on the elliptical today. A mile with Ada and Thisbe this evening. Got that (heavy) dog pen today. We'll see how it works out.

We finally watched the end of Last Restaurant Standing. The best cook (the royal marine) won, but not the best people (the twins). The winners apparently left the restaurant they got to open after only a few months.

A New Dog

Tobermory and I took in a Rat Terrier from the Pet Rescue guy who comes to PetSmart. He's a boy, Pyramus, to go along with Thisbe. Ada, who has gotten quite big, will become an outside dog. She spent yesterday evening in the pen in back. However she was persistent in slipping through the gap by the gate. When I finally shackled the gate tight (about 11pm), she went over the top (about 1am). We'll be looking at a new dog fence/kennel today.

A Fine Friday

- Walked both dogs tonight - a mile.
- Lifted yesterday - R.S. is working out in the evenings for now.
- New Barnes & Noble at Bridge Street is standard issue, but does have DVD's - found a quality alternate route to get there from Madison.
- Added a Pixie Frog to the menagerie. He loves to eat.
- Washed almost all of Tobermory's clothes yesterday. I'm a good house husband (for 3 more weeks).
- Jason's Deli, the food bar. I approve.
- A ton of things left to do.

Back to the Salt Mine (by choice this time)

- A little elliptical and strength training this morning.
- A few chores around the house.
- Returned to my room at school after a week away from it.
- Lunch with Tobermory in the Starbucks/Target Cafe.
- Worked in my room til 6pm.
- Target household shopping
- Computer digital cleanup
- A little SimCity Classic.
- A few chores & then bed.

Update: I took Ada and Thisbe (our dogs) for a mile walk 'round midnight. I love summer vacation.

New Day Rising

Had a great week with Clyde Frog visiting - and Bromide visited Sat. & Sun. Got the turtle table done, got the front room interior walls covered in canvas, got all the grass mowed at least once. Made a dent in the clothes washing. There was an awful lot of Law & Order Criminal Intent and Special Victims Unit. Worked out Thursday, but missed the weekend walk - back to the gym 7:30am Monday.

I'd offer you some: Jefferson Bible, and a great Abtruse Goose comic.

Vacation

- Summer School ended Friday. I think the last time I was that happy to end a job was the day in the summer of 1985 when I walked out of the Columbus Foundry for the last time.
- Clyde Frog is visiting and we've been working to get things done.
-- Turtle table constructed.
-- The pasture is finally mowed.
- Coach S. & I have been working out consistently. My muscles seem to be recovering from being long dormant and, most importantly, I hit 34 minutes on the evil elliptical machine today.

- The Sam Adams quote below kicks ass.

Brewer, Patriot

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains set lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen. "
-Samuel Adams