Bits and pieces

1. This morning as I was putting on my running shorts, I noticed a sore spot high on my thigh, a couple of inches below my hip. I later realized that I had them on both legs, and that they were turning purple. They're bruises, apparently, from hauling my new bookcase across the street and up my stairs--as gracelessly as possible--propped on my quads. The neighbor at whose yard sale I bought it kindly helped me haul the matching desk up; it was only slightly heavier, but much less wieldy. The pair were $15. They're the usual laminated particle board and not terribly attractive, but are solid, functional, and at least $30 less than they would have been at the thrift store I hit the other day.

2. I ran four miles and then taught for eight hours. My Sunday schedule is a bit on the insane side; the classes are just 30 minutes apart, which is tight anyway, but since today was the first day of class, one set of parents was wanting to talk to me after class while the next group was already arriving to drop off their kids. I didn't have a single minute alone in the classroom, let alone a chance to grab a bite to eat. Still, my class of middle-schoolers (which meets from 4:45 to 7:15, pretty much the most awkward time frame ever) was awesome. There were only nine of them, and they were well-behaved, relatively energetic and willing to participate, and even funny.

3. Last night I headed to the Lagoon to watch Labyrinth on the big screen (David Bowie in all his 1986 leather-pantsed glory*!), but when I realized it was the same price as the new films, and that I was already late, I decided to watch Sicko (starting 10 minutes later) instead. It was sad, funny, outrageous--your standard Michael Moore film. It was a bit long, and a bit rambling, but over all I did really enjoy it--especially the bits about France.

4. A few nights ago I got 10 Items or Less at Redbox, and was sorely disappointed. Even Morgan Freeman and Paz Vega couldn't redeem the saccharine excuse for a plot. My recommendation: save your time, even if you can see it for free.

5. My first class today was my four- and five-year olds. In Week One we read Caps for Sale, and the kids act out the end of the story, half of them in the role of the peddler, and half in the role of the monkeys. They rocked it so hard, I'm still sort of grinning.

*I was hoping for a googlewhack on that one, but there are already two hits for it, with quotation marks...