Drenching Rain

But fortunately not on Science Night. Annually in October, the students and faculty of the local community college put on a science festival. Science teachers are a bit like big kids many of them, and they bring out their toys. Behind the Physical Sciences building they set up the trebuchet and launch pumpkins. There is a bubble room where all their human ingenuity is dedicated to making exceptional bubbles: bubbles that kids can stand inside, sheet bubbles you can stick your hand through, flash frozen bubbles. Outside in another direction are air cannons that blow smoke rings, leaf blowers repurposed to levitate playground balls. There are chemistry magic shows and a room where gummi bears demonstrate scientific principles at great personal expense. My favorite was the reptile room. I got to hold a corn snake and it made my night.

I've been cleaning house all week in preparation for an introductory play date earlier the same day with another homeschooling family. No one bled or even cried and another date was set before they left so I count it a rousing success, and my house is still remarkably tidy. Yet, I am stressed. I must deal with political candidates and tell them what they may or may not say in a particular venue:

Yes: I will strive not to suck!

No: My opponent sucks.

Some of them have a campaign based on the latter, and have some difficulty disengaging such sentiments from their message. I feel silly for finding this stressful. There is no reason for it, except for the feeling generally incompetent and then misspelling their names.