Penguins and ham sandwiches.

“Because it’s impossible to be unhappy when looking at a penguin.”

My T.A. came in and asked me to Google “Penguin” under images.  As the screen brought up several pictures of these admittedly cute little creatures I asked him “And why are we looking at these?”  He spit out the quote above and then went to his desk and started doing his work.  I was dumbfounded, confused and speechless.  But I wasn’t unhappy.

The other day he came into class and we had the following conversation:

T.A.: “A ham sandwich is better than nothing, right?”

Me: “Right”

T.A.: “And nothing is better than eternal happiness, so doesn’t that make a ham sandwich better than eternal happiness?”

Me; “Uh, um, uh, well, uh…”

He left me speechless again when he came in and pronounced “Clocks and corndogs; the answer to life.”  He did admit that there was a story behind that statement, but was not inclined to explain.  I let it slide because, frankly, I was a little afraid to press it.

Seriously folks, I’m not creative enough to make these things up.

P.S. – JURY DUTY UPDATE.  No jurors needed tomorrow and my obligation is over, I don’t even need to check in again.  Figures, when I’m willing, and even kind of interest in being on a jury, and in a position where I won’t lose any pay for the days I miss, I don’t even get called.  Just my luck.

Before and After.

For explanation, read comments to this post.

BEFORETaken Monday, April 4^th, 2011

AFTERTaken Wednesday, April 6^th, 2011

Jury Duty

I swore I mentioned that I had been called for jury duty in an earlier post, but couldn’t find it.  Oh well.  I was.  And this week was my week to show up.  So, since last Friday, I have been calling every evening after 5:00 PM to see if I need to show up in the morning.  Here’s the responses so far:

• Friday (for Monday) : No jurors needed.
• Monday (for Tue) : Jurors #001 through 052 need to show up at 8:15 in the morning.
• Tue: Jurors #053 through 168.

I figured that since the number called was increasing every day that they would certainly go beyond my #287.  I got everything in my classroom ready, informed the main secretary that I was pretty sure I would be out tomorrow and locked away all the valuables that kids tend to get into when I have a substitute (pencils, pens, markers, diet coke, paper, tennis balls, golf balls, other various toys. Y’know, real valuables).

• Wed: Jurors #169 through 192.

Not a lot of crime in Salt Lake City right now I guess.  Now, I’m not even sure I’ll be called on Friday.  Heh, we’ll see.

One if…

This week’s Thematic Photographic theme is “By land, sea or air.”  If you’ve never heard of Thematic Photographic, or just want to see all the other entries for this week, click the banner at the bottom of this post.  If not, hopefully you’ll like the few pictures I have here.

I have to admit I didn’t take this first one, although it’s been in my “collection” since the 70’s.  My father is an avid outdoorsman, in his seventies he still is not against going camping once in a while.  that is one of the reasons my parents decided to relocate from Boston out to Utah when I was 14.  He has traveled thousands of miles of out-in-the-middle-of-nowhere roads in Southern Utah, and came across this sign down there.  He’s on the right, with the bandage on his forehead.  I have no idea where this was taken, but I do know that it is not on Highway 163.

Waverunners on Lake Powell.  Kind of like motorcycles of the sea.

A remote controlled sail boat on the pond in Sugarhouse Park.

And finally, air.  Planes taking off and/or landing at sunset.

Bring it on.

I’ve been fighting a cold for the last couple days, still am, so I didn’t expect last night working at the Chevron to be a very good night.  Well, despite feeling like crap, it turned out to be a good night, since when I got there I had an envelope with a $100 bill in it.

See, there are huge fines attached to both employee and employer when someone is caught selling either tobacco or alcohol to a minor.  So at my Chevron we get a little reward when we pass a tobacco or alcohol sting, and since I was the one that refused to sell smokes to a minor I got a $100 bonus.

Where to spend it gave me something to think about as I lay in bed all day today nursing this stupid spring cold.  And now I have to go call and see if I have to show up for Jury duty Monday morning…

P.S. – I don’t need to show up at court Monday morning.  I do have to check again that night to see about the next morning.