And in the center ring....

Why didn't I name this blog "And in the center ring!" ?
Some days feel like I should have a big nose and be riding a bicycle with a little dog steering.

I started the day in decent shape. Came awake before the alarms, as usual now, and the coffee was already brewing when the first alarm went off. Now that I have more reason to live, laying in bed just doesn't seem to be the answer anymore.

Arriving at school, I dreamed up a new 'task' to assign that will keep the little buggers... er.... little 'angels' busy for a day or two. It's fairly simple... perform three visual emissions inspections and make note of certain vehicle and test information. I'm going away for a day or so, and need to leave my partner with enough work to swamp the little buggers..... I mean angels.
Since I use a worksheet based task system I devised, each new task means creating a new document, always giving foresight to the questions that will be coming up and giving them note on the worksheet. Twenty times a day I silently point to something printed on the worksheet... and have been doing so daily since school began.

Doing that, and getting all my grading material entered and printed out, took me till coffee time...
Which I darn near spilled as I was running to break up a fist fight in our shop.
Oh boy..... ain't we got fun now!
I stopped the fight with the simple expedient of inserting myself between the combatants, taking my glasses off, and telling them "If either of you have the balls, give it your best shot, here I am!". Instant downcast eyes and a step back from both.

The genesis of the fight.... one of the youngens is judged to be the culprit in some shop thefts, and the cause of a serious lack of enjoyment lately. I suspect peer pressure is being applied.
Both combatants got a few days off without pay, and one has some issues to answer for... like what is expected to be found in his backpack when his locker is opened by the nice officers on the days he returns. If it follows through as likely, he will be leaving with the nice officer.

Later.... I began teaching the emission certification section.
Now... I teach a double class with a partner. Down the hall is another automotive class.
Every one of his students needs emissions certification too. So.... I got all of his as well.
My partner drained off ten students to run some demonstrations for tour groups, and that effectively left me teaching three classes worth of students, about three times more than I am allowed by regulation. We'll just keep that between us, Okay? That kept me going till lunch... when I thought about maybe laying down on the floor for a while.

After lunch, task work with the students and non-stop mental challenges.
"Why YES! That IS an EGR valve! Now, what does it do and why does it do it?"
"Yes... I know the book says that, but the book is wrong! Do you think what the book says makes sense? No? Then what IS the answer?"
My job is to make their brains hurt. I love my job.

On the way home.... I decided I needed a steak. I earned it..... and I had mushrooms that were lonely. For dinner I seared off a fine piece of cow and laid it to rest on a plate full of sauted mushrooms.

For dessert, I paid the car insurance. Making the call, I find it's paid up in full.
Hmm... not what I was told. Okay... guess I'll work with that. It leaves enough extra in the budget to pay for the fuel I'll use on this long weekend.

On the whole.... not a bad day. The fires were small ones and easily dealt with. The surprises were small and pleasant. Busy... tiring... but rewarding. Not a bad day at all......