How in the hell is it only the end of the first quarter? I feel like I've been pulled through a knot hole backward, as Papa would say, and we've got to do this three more times?!
And we had a faculty meeting today?
End of the Quarter
Month: October 2023
Getting Ready for the Trip
The Boy is going on his first solo camping trip this weekend. He and seven other scouts are hiking in to the first site Friday afternoon, getting up Saturday, hiking most of the day, then setting up another site for the night. Sunday, they'll head back out.
This is not the camping he's used to, with a car nearby, potable water on tap within walking distance, and the ability to carry whatever kind of food one wants. It's all dehydrated meals and the like, and filtration for water after his initial supply is gone.
He's very excited about it.
Using Tragedy
Of course, this asshole has been prophecying Jesus's imminent return -- complete with dates -- for about five years now. He sets a date, the date passes, and he sets another date. Over and over and over and over.
John Rock
Clearing
My Girl
Another Big Win
We were spoiled last year: with the number one hitter in the state on our team (number 11 in the nation, as memory serves) and another hitter who was a powerhouse coupled with a libero who made the kind of diving saves that make highlight reels, we went into most games expecting our girls to win. And win they did, all the way to the state finals.
This year, we thought it would be a tough year with some major losses, and we have seen our girls humbled a few times. But they've held their own, winning against teams who'd beaten them earlier in the year, winning games that began with a lost first set, and generally showing grit.
Tonight, they played JL Mann, who'd beaten them earlier this year. We beat them in straight sets both times we met last year, but as I said, that was last year, this is this year.
We lost the first set 17-25, and we were playing so clumsily that I was worried we would lose the game in straight sets. But if there's anything I've learned in watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn around instantly. Our girls pulled themselves together and JL Mann partially fell apart, and we took the second set 25-13.
The third set would be decisive, I thought. I guess I'm just a pessimist: perhaps they could have lost the third set and still won the match, but I don't know. They haven't won a lot of five-set matches. As it turned out, they won the third set 25-21, which seemed about right considering they'd both pummeled the other team completely once: it suggested they were fairly evenly matched.
Then we had the fourth set, and before we knew it, our girls were up 17-11. But if I've learned anything watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn around instantly. Suddenly, it was 17-15, and JL Mann looked like they had all the momentum. But if there's anything I've learned watching girls' volleyball, it's this: things can turn back around instantly, and within moments, our girls were up 20-16. They managed to maintain that lead and add one more to it, winning the decisive fourth set 25-20.
This Evening
Bloom
Action Shot
"Let me get an action shot!" I said. They stopped their conversation (itself, an action shot) and posed...