A Fair is a Veritable Smorgasbord

Yesterday for our staff development activity we went to the opening day of the Central Washington State Fair and did a scavenger hunt. My team was way too competitive considering the fact that we all knew our principal had no intention of actually checking. The winners were the ones who made the farthest flying paper airplane with their sheet. But it was really cool to be at a real state fair. We saw animals and plants and all sorts of things. Students from our school had an art exhibit there, which was really cool. I wanted to go on more of the carnival rides, but my roommates weren't really feeling it. I need to get back there and go on the tilt-a-whirl before the fair is gone. That used to be my favorite ride when Mrs. Nell would take us to the Our Lady of Peace fair.

So I'm in week two of a five week retreat with my parish out here. I'm doing the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, which is a very true to life and contemplative form of prayer. So far the first week has been good, but at the end of the five weeks I have to decide if I'm doing the whole year retreat. It's a huge commitment, but I have a feeling that it would be pretty life-changing. But for the next five Saturdays I go to the church and meet with my small group. I think it will be really rewarding.

I've had a rough week at school. One kid called me Emily during class, and we had some quality time together after school. Another got detention for behavior in class, and one of my students gave another one a panic attack. Neither were in school the next day, the one because he was still so traumatized and the other because he was suspended. This class is about 12 times harder to teach than my class last year, and that one wasn't easy either. Oh well. We shall overcome.

Autumn is beginning here, which is a fun time with all the harvesting and such.