my favorite is cheer

Today's oddball title was stolen from a student I had this morning who was 'fat fingering' in a mail message to send to a partner. I was showing them how to use Outlook Express as documented in Windows 2000 Module II form Computer Prep. He intended to say something about enjoying cherry pie. But when he spelled cherry wrong, he didn't know how to correct it. So he just stopped typing. This simple phrase gave me a chuckle on an otherwise ho-hum day.

I was dreading coming back to this location in the forest this morning. Once I was here it wasn't so bad. I only had two students for my morning class. And they were pretty good students. They learned a little bit about folder structuring, file names, and even a few tidbits about e-mail. I am now between classes and dreading my 4 to 8 PM class. I all ready have about 8 people in the class, and there will be a 9th tonight. Trying to do simple labs becomes difficult when nearly all of your students have a hard time interpreting instructions. It gets even tougher when they begin reaching over and helping each other out. In fact, I had a guy Tuesday night look at the background properties of windows and tell his partner "you can have this thing look for new wallpaper on your computer". "How?", she asked. "You click there where it says search", he yells back. That got my attention. Had he discovered some new feature? Then the girl hollers back to him, "Uhm ... that says *stretch*". They're not all bright bulbs.

I have spent my day rather well. I just put a good hour into my resume and cover letter for a position I am applying for. I know it's not good to obsess over something like this ... but that's how I am. Perhaps it's part of that manic depressive living deep inside of me. Once i start thinking about something I want, it won't go away. Now I am spending endless hours of time working toward it. It's going to turn into depression when I find out that this position has all ready been filled. But I'm going to try and imagine that's not the case. I have to be optimistic. Even so, I will have worked pretty hard on a resume. And that's a good first step to admitting it's time to do something else with my career.

I like training. If I get out of it, there will be things I will miss. Namely the performance. When you teach to a group, you are like the star of your own show. You have all their attention. They are hanging on your every word. What you are saying is so important, that they take notes. There is a certain satisfaction in that. And I just like teaching people something new.

I'm really sleepy now. I think I will have Audrey play me some ambient Moby tracks while I get some shut eye between classes.