*sigh*  Well, regardless of my fears and the lack of a potential Mrs. Jones, at the very least I had an enjoyable Friday. Gary, probably the teacher at our school to whom I've grown the closest, has for the last several months been practicing with some friends to form a rock band called Breakdown. Friday night was their first official gig, held at Marty's in New London.

Amelia picked Sheldon (fellow Academy teachers) and I up for the drive, and we had a great time. Gary and the others in the band were nervous at first, but about halfway through their first set they started to calm down, relax, and have fun.

At this school, like my last one, we listen to a lot of music in my classroom. Gary and I record CD's to the computer media player, and while in the lab tunes play between classes and during in-class "guided practice." The kids I've taught really like it... music seems to bridge age-gaps and makes math a bit more enjoyable. Gary knows the music I like from what I play in the computer lab, and during Breakdown's third set, he got to the mike and dedicated a song for me, "Mark, this one's for you." Never Again from Nickelback... a song about a wife-beater getting his just deserts.

Well, I should head over to school and see how I can warp those fragile little minds today. It was good unloading here. I still feel sort of overwhelmed and tentative... a little afraid to engage life... but at least you're up-to-date on what's going on here and know I'm still alive.