St. Patrick's Days Bizarreities

1. Boy in first period informs me I look like a Christmas tree today because I'm wearing a green shirt and have red hair. (Not a girl leprechaun or anything - a Christmas tree).

2. Extra credit on term final for anyone wearing green today! You wouldn't believe the number of students uninhibited enough to shout out to the class and their teacher what color of under-roos they are wearing. And no, please don't show me. Oops, won't do that again.

3. Lunch lady confuses me for a student, and in quite a demanding manner informs me that she cannot let me pass by her in the lunch line without taking a serving of yicky, over-cooked green beans. It's the law. You will eat a square meal!

4. So a student asks me why we celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the United States anyway, I make some off-handed comment about how it is an excuse for some people to drink - it's like the 2nd highest day of beer consumption in the U.S. or something like that. So this same student goes to his next class--seminary. And informs the entire class that I said St. Patrick's Day is for drinking alcohol and in fact a the 2nd most popular day for beer consumption. Thank you student for making your entire seminary class think I drink. How did I find out about this you ask? Of course someone in that seminary class had me for their next class and announced to my whole 3rd period class.......I had to stop and take a moment and inform all my other classes today that I have never, not once, had even one little sip of alcohol.

Ah, a day in the life.

My First Digital Camera

You probably think I am kidding, but I'm not. I've never owned a digital camera. It's 2011 and I teach journalism for heaven's sake, and have travelled all over the world and don't own a digital camera. Granted I have cameras at my disposal to use, and I do, but I've never owned my own. Until now. I am going to break down and buy my first digital camera.

I set a pretty tough personal goal for myself a few months ago and recently accomplished it! The rewards of goal-accomplishment were enough, so I havn't rewarded myself with the camera I said I would if I conquered, but in setting new goals I realized something. If I don't actually reward myself the way I say I am going to, what will motivate me to accomplish my next goal? So now I am setting out to buy a digital camera, and I need your adivce. What do you have? What do you like? What brand, large or small do you think is the right fit?