Art Teacher Retires, Former Student Shrugs

I knew this guy.

I had Mr. Rodriguez as an art teacher during my time at Calla High School. He had a sleepy demeanor and loose classroom rules that students appreciated. There enough stiff pricks at that school that any teacher who didn't goose-step through the place looking for a way to stick it to some unsuspecting stoner gets an immediate bump in karma points from me. On the other hand, since his classroom shared a wall with the school's main john, he was known to commando through the door and try to catch a punk with a ciggie in his lips. Karma negated...

His and my relationship was of such little substance that it can barely be called such. He wasn't a bad guy, I can say that. I was interested in art and tried to tweeze some techniques out of him, but I didn't learn much. No real fault of his, I haven't learned much since, either, and what I have picked has been slow going. Sometimes, things just don't click.

There were a few folks on staff at the school that had a significant and beneficial impact on me there, he just wasn't one of them. I'm sure he touched some students in a deep and positive manner, just not me. Then again, as much as I hated my entire pre-college scholastic experience, it is more than a lukewarm statement to say that his was not a contribution that added to that hate. I'm content to settle for that.

So, he's hanging up the smock. Good for him.

Don't do it, Daffy!

I went out to feed our chickens and ducks this morning, and found one of them trying to hang himself. He had his head caught in a loop of the bailing string that holds open the automatic feeder. I eased him out of it and let him go, but he must have been in it a while. He started to waddle off in a very crooked line, obviously disoriented. I picked him up and held him for a couple minutes, letting him breathe and get some blood into his brain. He seemed all right after that.

I would have snapped a picture, but I left my phone in the house! Darn it!

Saving the world, one duck at a time...

Memorial Day, not Labor Day

Our Memorial Day weekend was not the three-day relaxfest the more-optimistic among us might have envisioned.

Saturday, we spent a very pleasant 45 minutes barbecuing with Ken & Judie before lugging materials and digging post-holes to help construct a chicken pen.

Sunday, we moved a cord or two of firewood for Mary, giving her back the concrete porch that it had covered, and cut up some logs that were too big to burn in the fireplace.

Saturday and Sunday were both spent helping people who never hesitated to help us when we needed it, so I'm not complaining. Well, maybe just a little, but it's only because I'm petty and have a lousy perspective. That's all.

The Iceman Goeth

Wow - amazing night last night, not that I saw it myself. I read on UFC's website that Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell fell to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson last night on the Pay-per-View event that I didn't have the time or money to view.

Amazing. Chuck Liddell puts the "bad" in bad-ass, and yet Rampage took it to him. I eagerly await the recounting of the fight in the news media, which is as yet absent this morning. I also await the trickling down of the fight to free TV (I love the UFC on SpikeTV).

Liddell/Jackson was just one in a long line of upsets last night, at least in my mind, and I imagine it was a worthy evening for Pay-per-Viewers. Chris "The Crippler" Leben, a UFC hero of mine, lost a decision. It was his third loss in four fights and not representative of his power and ability. Ivan Salaverry, nearly superhuman in the fights of his that I've seen, lost a TKO in the first round. Sean Salmon, who I saw perform impressively in the past against Rashad Evans until what I consider a lucky kick to the head separated him from his senses, lost in the first round last night as well.

Conventional wisdom and expectation were on hiatus last night, as almost every fighter I would have confidently picked as a winner lost, and lost quickly. Some outcomes that were not surprising included a successful Karo "The Heat" Parisyan. I just got done watching his tremendous fight against Diego Sanchez in a rerun on SpikeTV - although Karo could not find a way to beat Diego and ultimately lost this past fight, he fought tenaciously, with the heart of a warrior. Just an animal, and I am not amazed at all to see him doing well.

I must remember to send flowers to my nephew Chad, whose MySpace page sports some eye-popping media and an "Iceman" Liddell makeover. I am sure he is more stunned this morning than I am.