Ahh...the weekend is just around the corner!

I am so ready for the weekend, even though I know I won't get any rest. The first week back--whether it is at the very beginning of school or after a break--is always so tiring. Monday was a professional development day, so it wasn't a hard day. That meant that Tuesday was the first "real" work day this week. Anytime I have a Monday that isn't a regular school day, the rest of the week seems to last F-O-R-E-V-E-R. I don't think I'm the only one who feels that way, either.

The new term has gotten off to a good start. My seniors have been introduced to the DRP--the Dreaded Research Project. lol It will be a lot better for them this year (and for me, too!) because they are getting to choose their topics instead of having to do a paper on a British author. Misty and I developed a list for them to choose from, so there have been some parameters set. A couple of students have requested topics which weren't on the list, and since they were really good topics, I approved them. One of my guys begged to let him do his paper on the history of Alabama football, and as much as I would love to read a paper on that topic, I had to deny it. That doesn't quite fit into what Misty and I are trying to have them do.

The juniors haven't been introduced to their research project yet. I have given them a brief--a VERY brief--overview of what it will entail, but I haven't gotten them started yet. I figured I needed to get the seniors going first. The juniors will be doing a career portfolio. They will be required to research an educational institution and the program requirements for their particular career choice, write a personal essay about why they chose the particular institution and the career, conduct an interview with someone who is in the field of study they plan to pursue, and create either a PowerPoint presentation or a 3-fold display. I think it will be really good for them. Some of them think they know exactly what they want to do when they "grow up" but they haven't ever really put much thought into what goes into becoming a doctor or a lawyer or a teacher. Others have only a vague idea of what they want to do, so this kind of forces them to focus on something. Misty used to do this years ago with her seniors. One of them just knew what he wanted to do, but after doing the research, he realized the career wasn't at all what he thought. I'm sure his parents were glad he discovered this before they put tons of money into his education only to have him change his mind halfway through. :) (Not that there is anything wrong with changing your mind if you discover you really don't what to continue that path...)

Anyway, about the weekend and no rest...Bama and Ole Miss play at 2:30 on Saturday, and I am going to get there early enough to go to the Walk of Champions. We've talked about going to it for years, but we just never have made it over to the stadium for it. That is at 12:30, so we'll need to leave home by 8:30. 8:30 isn't all that early, but it's early enough that I won't get to sleep in. :) Since it's a CBS game (and CBS takes the LONGEST commercial breaks in the history of commercial breaks) the game probably won't be over until 6. At the earliest, we'll be home by 10. So...a long day.

Andy, who is in charge of the football contest I'm a part of, is a HUGE Auburn fan. When he sends out the picks for the week's games, he always has comments about the previous week's games, and he will sometimes comment about the upcoming week. He had a comment about Auburn's chances this weekend. He guarantees that Auburn won't lose this weekend -- Auburn doesn't play this weekend. I had to chuckle. Of course, if I said that, I'd be an obnoxious Alabama fan. (Nope, I'll probably never let that comment die. However, that was the week I decided I had better things to do with my time than read a particular blog. I can PROUDLY say I've read it only twice in about a month.)

That's about it for now. I have touch-up painting waiting for me. FUN!