Back at it

My feet are sore already. It's my second day back at school, and it takes at least a week for the feet to reaccustom themselves to 6 hours of marching up and down the aisles of a classroom.

So far, so good, however. No jokers in the mix as yet, though Simone and several other teachers have warned me about Laurindo, a boy with a rap sheet slightly longer than my arm, but still falling short of Steve's remarkable prehensile member, commonly referred to by his deceased father as a 'tail'. I've been at the top of my game so far, strutting around like a prima donna with my flashy new set of eyes - eyes that students can see finally see without the distortion of thick transition lenses, eyes that convey a spirit that means business and the motto of every good Nazi soldier: "Take no prisoners." After only the second day, my meek- and mild-mannered first period class whimpered to Mrs. Khan, their social studies teacher, that they were terrified of mean, old Mr. Brunner and hankered longingly for easy-going Mr. Knap and Ms. Lagao, their sixth grade teachers. I admit to feeling a tiny glimmer of sympathy; most every teacher wants to be liked, after all; but business is business, and my business is to teach them how to conduct themselves like professionals. And when they step over the line, I quietly but sternly let them know: "I give only one warning, and this is it." "Never talk back to Mr. Brunner. If you do, this is what happens." "Time wasted in class, you make up on your time - lunch or after school." And so on.

Living a sweaty existence

Since my return from Salt Lake, it has taken me three days to figure out how to control the temperature on my shower. No matter how far right I turned the knob, all that poured out of the nozzle was hot water. You can imagine, I hope, how after a workout you long for a cold shower to cool off the body. But, no, hot, hot, hot. Then, I'd sit at the kitchen table without air conditioning but the windows and doors all wide open and eat and sweat and drink and sweat and read and sweat. I mean for an hour after the shower water would run down my face and back and ribs in little rivulets, like rain down a window. And then, finally the body would cool off and the sweat would chill and all would be pleasant, like after a rain storm. Now, the cause of the sweating is the damned hot shower after the workout. Today I figure out what had gone wrong and fixed the problem. The knob for heat control goes round and round, so I rewound the bloody thing about three circuits and - walla- cool and then cold water. So my question now is, how did the thing get so wound up in the first place? Must have been one of my bursts of impatience during our rather chilly spring, when I spun the dial over and over in search of hot water. Lesson learned.
Caveman coach commented today that I should change my shirt more often. Hell of a thing for one caveman to say to another. I confess that I was giving my T-shirt a second chance to prove itself worthy of me and my vigorous workouts. I also confess that I didn't give the shirt a second glance when I threw it in my workout bag in the dark early this morning. When I looked it over after the coach's comment, I recognized the crazy, white, river-like patterns crisscrossing the shoulders and chest and back and belly where salt from sweat had crystallized all over the black color of the shirt. So I learned another lesson. Next time I'll wear a white shirt and see if I can get away wearing it a week or two. Hey, I'm not unhygenic, just cheap - I do my washing in a busy coin laundry overrun with immigrant housewives and workers, and to get my wash done and be out in an hour I have to show up a good ten minutes before the laundromat opens at 7:00 Saturday or Sunday. That cuts into my biking time - when I bike, and I haven't biked in a year. But I like keeping my weekends open for biking just in case.

John

Look, there you are too! I'm not interested in computers, but I am functional. That will be nice if Charlie is up there too (at the cabin). If it is this hot there is no way will be going to the races, but I am sure it will cool down a little by then - I hope!! Takaya, I am not sure if you ever received the email I sent you after Christmas, but that pie you made was incredible. Darren and I both thought it was really one of the best pies we've ever had. Your secret talent is out, you'll be busy now...

Great idea

Hi everyone
I too have never blogged before, but I really like the idea. Amanda, I was very impressed with you getting on the blog site and even posting a picture. I will have to learn how to do that. We will try to be in Port Alberni if you are going to be here. Your cousin Charlie will be in town from the 8th until the 13th, so who knows, maybe he will be here too.

Right now, Lorne and Ayana are up here at the lake with us. Dani and Jacob will join us tonight and we will all stay until Wednesday. It is supposed to get to 37 degrees (about 90 for you Americans) today. It is so hot that we are hiding in the cabin watching "Little Mermaid" Don't tell anyone!

Well, I really look forward to all the exciting news the family has to share. Steve wanted John to know that he dead lifted 191 pounds today (when he got out of bed!)

Love cindy

hi

Blogging is a new experience for me, but here I am! This is probably a great idea. Cindy, if you read this we are going to the drag races in Port Alberni on August 9th and were thinking of coming over to the cabin in the afternoon, do you think you will be there? Nothing else too exciting, other than my first attempt at growing tomatoes has been quite prolific, and we will probably sample them tonight! Amanda.

Introduction To the Brunner Family Blog

Everybody,
Here is the kick off message from the Brunner family blog. This is a place where any one of us can log in and keep each other updated. Feel free to write anything you want the rest of the family to know i.e., work updates, children updates, engagement updates, interesting occurrences, amount of weight you lifted at Strong 101 etc. Blogging, as opposed to email exchanges, are less tedious and allows the readers to peruse updates at their own leisure.

This is a free alternative, but if it becomes more and more popular we might want to look into creating a family website where we can host pictures and have family updates etc. I'll look into this, but why don't we have a free trial run first?

Remember that a resource like this is very powerful, but the content is dictated by those that contribute to it. Look forward to everybody's updates!

Takaya