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We had fun at the circus yesterday. Now, before you get all worked up about cruelty to tiggers and hephalumps, bear in mind that this was Cirque Eloize, an animal-free "circus." It's similar to Cirque du Soleil, only smaller, and uses only human performers in a theater setting. We were roped into going by several folks from the Samurai's dojo, who turned out to be very clever, indeed. Sitting in the dim theater, in my comfy seat, gasping in wonder at the feline grace and lithe power of those amazing performers was just the ticket for my poor, abraded psyche. With haunting music and gorgeous theatrical effects added, it was a sensory feast. The best part was the absolute joy radiating from the performers. They positively glowed with delight, and seeing them do what they loved made me happy, too. It was definitely an evening for our inner children. The Samurai laughed so hard at the clowns that I feared for what's left of his sanity. I needed my renewed energy today, for a protracted meeting involving pitched battle over locker assignments for next year. I even volunteered for this committee. I truly don't know what I was thinking. One good thing to come out of it was the decision to ban students from carrying backpacks inside our building next year. They can still carry them to and from school, but during the day, they have to carry their books and notebooks in their arms. Since they get locker time every two bells, this isn't as bad as it sounds. They'll be forced to carry only essentials (no Gameboy, CD player, water bottle, food, toys, extra shoes, gallon bottles of lotion, knives, guns, or plastic explosives) and stay organized (no multiple layers of paper in the bottom of the bookbag). They won't have their hands free in the hall to play grabsies, and they won't have each other's backpacks to grab (a frequent cause of injury). I won't be tripping over backpacks in my room, and no one will need to pack up the bookbag early, while I'm still trying to teach. I can't wait! Backpack-free bliss! Another cool development is that many of our newer textbooks are available to our students in their entirety online, when we supply them with a password. For students with computer access, this means that the heavy book can stay in the school locker. I love technology! |
 
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Cirque