Sunday 31 January 2010

A rock has no detectable opinion about gravity.

January draws to a close, two weeks remain until half-term break, the bank account is filling up nicely, the days are getting longer, and the weather is improving. Life is good.

Still, I should really explain the last two weeks. The week beginning on the 18th was pretty laid-back, it being my light week and all. I got all of my planing sorted through to the end of the term, learnt a few more of my students names, and finished the week off with a few drinks of the Friday night and saw Sherlock Holmes on Saturday. I thought it was pretty good but I haven't read the books so had no reference there. Nice action and intelligent humour, although the demonstrations of his deductive reasoning seemed geared towards your typical American movie-goer.

This week was full-on in comparison. Started the week with a busy day then went to the pub after the gym for game night. Tuesday was year nine parents evening and I saw bout 20 parents, trying to explain to them pathways which I barely understand (3 is top set, 1 is bottom. How does that make sense?), and the difference between double and triple science (No, double does not they only do two of either chemistry, biology, or physics). Wednesday night saw me taking the train in to London just to take it back out to Hertford (an hour train journey which is 30 minutes by car). All just so I could have a couple of pints in a car while reading my book then getting a card photocopied. Today I Bought myself some new suits to mix up my look a bit and then went to the Galleria with a view to seeing a movie but upon arriving discovered there was nothing good on until late so I walked the ~5km home.

As for my Sunday, revision is on the cards. I really need to get my chemistry down so that my older students can not stump me with questions I am unable to answer. I should probably do some cleaning as well. Oh and also, a cunning plan is brewing. More details once it is put into action.

Sunday 17 January 2010

Sodomy non sapiens

Yet another day off due to snow this week, so that is 6 days work in the last fortnight. Lets hope I actually get a full weeks work in this time. Although I have now met all my students. Most are pretty good but I can already see some that will give me trouble. Best learn their names and thrash them early. Otherwise settling in alright, finding my place and getting into the routine.

I have discovered that I should not buy books. Because I immediately drop everything and read them. First the second Gears of War book, Jacintos Remnant by Karen Traviss. Based immediately after Gears of War 2 and deals with the evacuation of Jacinto and the deployment of the Hammer of Dawn. An interesting read, but lacked the emotional impact of the first one. The last Saturday night I sat down with Mort by Terry Pratchett, next thing I know it is 3am. So I went to bed and finished it when I woke up. Very funny and interesting book all about Death taking on an apprentice then going on holiday, now there is only another 20 or so to go. Followed that up with Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. A boy goes of to battle school at 6 and learns to fight aliens and deal with other students. Very good concept this one, with an interesting twist at the end. Most recently I took Old Mans War by John Scalzi with me on my trip to Chelmsford for a medical. Almost managed to finish it on the train too. Another military sci-fi and a very interesting thing. Basic plot is This man reaches the age of 75, goes off to space, gets a new green body, becomes a soldier, and then fights aliens off-world. It also had some great humour to it.

Oh, on the RPG front, the last game got called off. This round its post-apocalyptic England with dragons/demons/etc and I am a military medical experiment that became a brilliant engineer/doctor who wanders the wastelands fixing people and stuff. So far I have ingratiated myself into a community by patching up several people and created a gas mask for fighting dragons. Fun so far.

Sunday 10 January 2010

Beginnings

Spent New Years Eve at O'Neills as planned, had maybe a bit more whiskey then sensible, but still, had a pretty good night. 2010 started off pretty well with clear weather but very cold. Cold that continued to the new term and has meant that I had two days work before the school was closed due to snow. Since the school closed the temperature hasn't risen above 0.

Kings Langley School is pretty good, the students are pretty well behaved, if a bit talkative and the staff and friendly and easy going. I even have my own laptop and classroom, more or less. The commute isn't too bad either. takes 30 minutes with one of the other science staff giving me a lift. Still, I should probably reserve judgment until I have spent more than two days there.

You would think I would enjoy a five day weekend, but with snow everywhere makes it hard to get anything done. Hopefully this cold weather eases soon so I can get things done.