calling smiley girl

“can you drop me an email with your contact info on it. i have tara's and coyote13's info. i've got evrything planned out just about. i just got back from rei. bought some warm clothing for up there. i hear it's going to be cold.”

“i just did. check your e-mail.”

“Thank gawd, I thought she got lost in Tiger Stadium again. :)”

“got it.thank you. i look forward to meeting all of you when i come up...i'm going to have some time to kill on wednesday. is there anything really cool that i should go see in the area?”

“Naw, Buddha, just lost mentally today. Its been a depressing day.

Bbinkley, I have class on Wednesday, so I can't play. What kind of stuff you looking for? Maybe we can get Reformed Lurker to set up a quick hike that night. I could make that.”

“looking for something in the city. i have an appointment at 12:30 to 3:00. But after that i was looking for some cool places to check out in the city or detroit...wherever...is there like a downtown district that has some cool eateries or breweries or some cool shopping places? i'm open to about anything.”

“Go to Windsor, head to Jason's, tell em' Buddha Bear sent ya.”

“What do I get if I tell them you sent me?”

“??????????”

“any ideas?”

“Take the boat ride up and down the Detroit River. It's called the Diamond Jack. I'm not sure how late in the season they run, but it's a really nice narrated cruise of the history of the waterfront. It costs $20. It left from a dock at Hart Plaza last time I did it. Then, you can go to Windsor at night and get nice neighborhoods, restaurants, bars and awesome views of the city lit up.

I'd also check out the museum district. The Museum of African American History is great, great, great. The Detroit Institute of Art has a first rate collection, including frescoes by Diego Rivera. The Detroit Science Center has just been refurbished.

I'll see if I can get a link to the Metro Times for some good clubbing.

Oh, and there are some reasonably good hikes within an hour of the city.

And stay away from the suburbs. They have a bad reputation.”

“RL is generally the tour guide of the group. He gives good advice!”

“Check out:

www.metrotimes.com”

“this is good info.. winsor sounds great. is that like a downtown area...not interested in any clubs though...sports bar might be cool though.. thanks for help lurk.”

“For a different spin, check out www.detroityes.com”

“thanks...”

“Windsor is a city of about 200,000 in Ontario, Canada. Detroit was built along the river, so the best views are from outside the country. If you want big city views without Detroit's raw edges, go there. Bring a birth certificate or passport. It doesn't take too long to get across.

Of course, Detroit has raw energy. It doesn't look pretty, but it's still one of the most dynamic cities in the country (city, suburbs, etc.). And it doesn't have the decorative fencing and big city gentrification of a place like Chicago. It is a teeming, seething city with lots and lots of ethnic identity.”

“Maybe we can all have dinner in Greektown or Mexican Town on Wednesday? Anyone interested?”

“i'm in for that(dinner). lurker if you've been to chicago. is something like a michigan avenue area in detroit or windsor?”

“uh, no. sorry.”

“oh not that fancy..gotcha...what's greektown or mexican town? is that in canada or mich.?”

“Ooo....do Greektown. I've been there, it was great...”

“Both are in Detroit. Greektown has the casinos. I've never actually been to Mexican Town myself.”

“YOU SAID THE MAGIC WORD....CASINo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! let's go to greek town”

“I might be able to do a late dinner. I'm running an after school activity until about 5PM.”

“Hey bbinkley!

The regular schedule of the boat tours is over, but they are doing the fall color tour on Sunday.

Here's the info:

"Diamond Jacks has finished its regular scheduled public tours except for the annual Color Tour. The Color tour is by reservation only and departs from Stroh's dock at 10am on Sunday Oct 13 cruising down river passing downtown Detroit, Steamer Columbia, Wyandotte, Grosse Ile Lighthouse. Then Cruises down the Livingstone Chanel into Lake Erie. Turning upbound a buffet lunch is included passing Bob-Lo Island Amherstburg, sailing east of Fighting Island past LaSalle through the Ojibway anchorage along the Canadian shore past downtown Windsor returning to the Stroh's dock at 3 pm. For information call Diamond Jack office Monday - Friday, 313-843-9376."

It's well worth the trip if you have the time.

Mike”

“thanks mike”

“Guys, I'm out for Wednesday. I'm way behind on my homework, the weekend was super busy. I don't get out of class on Wednesday until 7:30 anyway.”

“Hey punkin'!

Just wanted to tell ya that "talant toon'd" is Middle English. Talant = talon. Toon = toe.

Impress those kids with your superior language skills, girlfriend!

Um... are you still gonna read "Rat" to the young'uns btw? heh...”

“hey there!

I had a kid ask me something about "the" being some sort of a preposition....I kinda stood there like a deer in headlights, trying to come up with some BS. I told him to go look it up! I'm such a bad teacher!!!!


Yep, I've got the story on my computer at work, so someday when I'm feeling nice I'll read the story. I hope they get as much of a kick out of it as I do!”

“That routine about a preposition being "what a squirrel does to a tree" always seemed more than a little suggestive, even back then.

You know you're in trouble when you have to call Kleetn in for a consult ---”

“Tilt, I have no idea what you're talking about!

I was an engineer for a reason, and I'm a math/science teacher for a reason. English just isn't my favorite subject.

But, its 7th grade, and other than the odd random question from one of the smartest kids in the school, I'm doing just fine with it. Now, if I could only land a full-time job somewhere!”

“Ah... the fog is clearing, [G]


So, what is a preposition?

(it's worse than I thought, LOL)

Just check out the list --- !”

“Smelly -
You shoulda taught engineering! heh...

I taught Construction for a reason (or two). After 20 years in the industry, high schoolers couldn't get up early enough to stump me.

We would occasionally play "Stump the Chump". I would have them consult the glossarys of our textbooks and ask me to define any term they came across - "Ampere", "OSB", "Head Joint", "Seal Cock", "Plot Plan", "Face Plate", "Hot Patch" - you name it.

Don't get me wrong - I learned a thing or two from them, too. Perhaps three... lol!”

“gojo - define castellated beam without using the internet for help!”

“The first 12-week sub job I had, I did teach engineering. It was a lot of fun. This time, I'm stuck with journalism!”

“Those dang SE's - always pulling out that castellated beam definition question! Harrumph!”

“Is it crenelated in any way?”

“You enginerds get out of my thread!!! I got a PE behind my name, and literally, its all behind me!

Acutally, I'm tossing around the idea of doing some part-time work at a local firm. I need a summer job. I have very low confidence in my skills, though. What's a lowly PE/math and science teacher to do??”

“Know anything about traffic? I'm swamped right now! Maybe you could take over for me while I'm hiking [half of] the JMT this summer....”

“I've done a traffic count once - will that be enough experience??? LOL!”

““gojo - define castellated beam without using the internet for help!”
~dayhiker

Cite the high school textbook from whence the term comes, and I'll be glad to... :)”

“One traffic count.

You're hired!!”