grapes that can be nasally fitted

Yes, I know. I'm 27. And after 24 and a half years of life on this earth, I should have grown up at least a little.

And, you know, I'm not mentioning any names, but I will say that I managed to get two (2) people who are almost as old as me, and who by all rights should be roughly as mature as me, to stick grapes up their noses for a quarter each.

It's silly, I know. But I really had not laughed so hard in forever.

It was absolutely worth fifty cents.

When you're poor, you make your own cheap fun.

Speaking of which, I went to a free Folk Music Fesitival at the University of Chicago on Saturday. It was so good. I picked up poetry writing again while I was there. I had been missing it lately, focusing mainly on short stories and my two books. I bought a rainbow-colored hemp hat that Michael hates and I love. I learned about modal keys on guitar, and I've been having fun experimenting with it since. Plus, Daena and I went to a clogging workshop. Clogging is difficult on its own. I was wearing snow boots.

Sunday, we went as a community to a Chocolate Festival at the Garfield Park Conservitory. It was also free. Free festivals rock. Especially when there is music or free chocolate samples, and especially when you get to look at weird plants and dinosaur bones. They had one exibit called a 'Daliasaur', where they had melted dinorsaur bones to create a Melting Clocks-esque dinosaur. I didn't have my camera, and was a bit angry.

Things are going well at work. My CCP lab students started their second week today. They're still coming, and are still excited about "school". One of them said today, "Doesn't it feel good when you get the answers right? I mean, I don't want to sound gay or nothin', but I like it when I learn something." They're working on Algebra right now, and doing quite well with it.

One of them, N, has a reading disability of some sort. I haven't yet had the opportunity to read his file to find out what it is, and he doesn't know what it is called. He's got a sharp brain, but if he gets caught on instructions because he doesn't know a word, he lets his temper get the better of him rather than just asking what the word is. His mentor, Marco, suggested to me that I preemptively tell him to ask for help- let him know what is expected of him. I tried that today, and it worked pretty well. J is very charismatic, hyperactive, and sharp. The hardest part of this class is going to be for him to sit still and actually get his work done.

Once they're started, you can't stop them. That goes for working, and acting up.

But they're so much fun. I am really enjoying working with them. Every day brings a fun new conversation or two. I'm not quite sure they're printable, though.

But I'm excited when I go into work, and I'm in a good mood when I head home. That is definitely the way to live.