Breaking Bad….or missing Walter White

I loved/hated the five seasons of Breaking Bad.  I couldn't stop watching, but, some of the time, I had a blanket over my head and fingers in my ears.

Walter White thought he was so, so smart.

I worry about people who always think they're right.  ALWAYS!  The rest of us are a bunch of fools in their eyes.  Where do you get a self-concept like that?

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Teaching and learning is a fluid field.  The knowledge base continually changes.  What we know about how people/children actually learn is increasing at a statistically significant rate.  I am more concerned about what a child learns than how the teacher teaches it….that's a fact, Jack.

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We've always done it this way doesn't cut it with me.

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Losers make excuses, winners make commitments.  This might be my personal mantra when things get tough.  No excuses.  Step up to the plate.  Swing for the home run.

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Walter was one heck of a chemistry teacher.  He was bright, he was student focused, his administration loved him--Walter was just going to make enough money to take care of his family.   But Walter got greedy.  He wanted what he wanted, when he wanted it.  Walter liked the power.  Walter loved the power.  Walter thrived on the power.

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And the downfall began.

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I've been watching the Walter White's of this world.  Good overcomes evil….but justice sometimes rides a slow, slow horse.

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If this was a story in 9th grade English, your teacher would be asking you for the author's underlying theme.  So, boys and girls, is this really about Breaking Bad?

He wasn't a saint

I've been doing laundry today.  I'm back on half-time and I am not working in the office this week.  I wanted to get back to the garage, unpacking boxes, watching TLC, eating crackers and cheese for lunch…you know, vacation for a school person.

I've been doing lots of laundry….lots of towels.    AND laughing.

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Memories

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Our family has fun.  We laugh.  We play jokes.  We dress up pets.  We punked each other before punking was cool.  Nothing mean.  Nothing nasty.  Good clean fun.

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Late 1990's

I had finished taking a bath.  It had been a long day.  I had soaked my weary bones.  Washed my hair.  Used bubble bath.  And look--there were fluffy fresh towels that had been put out just waiting for me.  Oh, those towels looked nice.  I wrapped one around my wet hair and started drying off with the other one.

Then….. I smelled it.

Wet dog.  I was drying off with the towels that had been used to dry Doc, our sweet Brittany Spaniel….who had been bathed in the same tub where I was bathing….and I was using dog towels.  AND I SMELLED LIKE A WET DOG!

I smelled of "Ode de Wet Dog."  I yelled, "Mike Weaver!"  He was laughing like a wild man-- yep, he'd hung those towels ever so carefully so that I'd smell like dog.  A wet dog.  And old wet dog.   It was a grand prank.

Mike was still laughing after my second shower and second set of CLEAN towels.  And he started watching over his shoulder for what I was going to do in return….he knew it would be coming.  He just didn't know when.


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Three months later, Sally, the calico cat, gave birth to seven kittens in Mike's bed.  Under the covers.

Touche.

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p.s.  I always smell the towels before drying off.  Always.