Dear Friends,
Tuesday’s are a day that usually starts out with a trip to the library for my students, but it is closed today. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to take 27 or 28 fourth graders into a 3000 square foot room filled with books and tables and chairs and rugs and such, today is your lucky day. I’m about to tell you.
First, the entrance is directly across from my classroom door. I like the convenience a lot because I like the little library we have. Our librarian is very cool and easy going and the kids seem to really dig her. She doesn’t say a whole lot, but she’s always wearing old school vans and that’s always a plus for me.
In the last few months, my kids finally figured out that because it’s about 10 feet across the hall to the library door, we need to have two door holders on library day. Door holder, for some reason, is a sought after job in the fourth grade. I let the door holder pick their helper on library day sometimes, too. They love it.
My kids are great for the first five minutes of library time. This is when they find a seat and get settled while I put out their library cards. The quietest table gets to go look for their new book first. Early on in the year, it was always a girls table that would get to go first, but the last six weeks or so, the boys have gotten it together.
The shit hits fan once about a dozen kids are looking for books. Then the library becomes an indoor playground for some. I have to walk around telling little people to cool it. They say “okay” and as soon as they think I am out of earshot, they go back to being excited and a little noisy.
I have one student who likes to walk around stealing the small step stools that in there for the really smalls to reach the top shelf. At some point, I get a “Mr. R! He stole the stool again” call. I tell him to give it back and he tells me he didn’t mean to steal it. It’s a little dance we do.
I try to get a little work done during the half hour we are there, but I never do. Last week, I didn’t even bother taking my computer. There are about a half dozen students who bring me each of the books they are thinking about checking out. There is also a couple who ask me as many questions as I will allow.
For the last ten minutes or so we are in there, the kids are huddled at their tables again with their books. There is one table that is super chatty, but they’ve learned that if I come stand by them, they better shut it down. At 9:30am, I start to dismiss the quietest tables to line up first and then we take the long walk back to the classroom for ten more minutes of quiet reading time.
I’ve got them trained to push in their chairs and say “thank you” to the librarian, too. We all feel a little better and it’s a nice way to start Tuesdays. Today, though, we will have to change it up a bit. I’ve got a plan, though.
*****
Decent first quarter from the Suns last night. They weren’t playing super well, but they were able to keep the Nuggets from going on any type of run or get a rhythm. I think Durant is not 100% physically. He’s not looking very sure of himself on his feet.
Ol’ Monty was living a little dangerously at the start of the second quarter. Ish, Cam Payne, and Torrey Craig on the floor at the same time. The Nuggets were able to cheat a lot on D. It bit him on the ass, too, although the refs were pretty helpful in that capacity as well. Booker got fouled by two different guys on one drive and no call was made.
He must talk a lot of shit on the court the refs. That’s got to be the reason he gets very little respect or help from them. Playoffs or not, he gets hit a lot. For a guy who is so fun to watch, you’d think the NBA would want him to get a little more love from the dudes in gray.
The rest of the game, of course, I thought was probably going to be another bout of stupid, stupid, stupid Suns. They hung in there for three quarters, but my heart of hearts says they are probably toast. This Nuggets team is just better. I hope they can figure out a way to get a little deeper next year. If they can't, they will not be able to get to the top of the mountain with KD either.
Booker did his best, of course. He kept them close but then the Nuggets just doubled him and no one else could help out. He can't do it by himself. Again, I think Durant is playing hurt. If not, the Suns got fleeced by the Nets.
CP3 and Ayton are playing their way right out of town in this series, too. There were so many CP3 shots last night that were short. Is he worn out? I thought he was before he got injured, but now he is probably done for the year. Ayton couldn't stay out of foul trouble, either.
Oh well. They play again this weekend. If the Suns can take care of homecourt, there will be hope. Hopefully they can get more than 6 points from anyone not named Ayton, Booker, Durant, and Paul. 10-27 shooting for Durant, too.
Stupid, stupid, stupid Suns. Stupid James Jones for gutting the team. Stupid Monty Williams for not giving Ross or Warren a chance. Stupid Chris Paul's groin. Stupid refs.
Negative Nancy here. Negative Nancy.
See you tomorrow.
Guess who?
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