This is Omar’s blog

Songs keep popping up on shuffle that I just love and I wonder why I wasn’t listening to them sooner. Example 1 - Depeche Mode - In this house (Gabriel and Dresden mix). It’s been on repeat lately.

Then on Thursday shuffle threw up a a Matisyahu (you know the Jewish reggae singer) and so I’ve been listening to the album a whole lot recently and it’s really good. In a sort of uplifting, unusual way.

The thing is, it makes me not want to delete anything else from my iPod. You know, just in case I delete something I don’t realise I like.

Coffee was good, I used two pods and it just fit in a mug (under the mug setting, who would have guessed!!). I read you can use a single cup after a mug and it comes ok, will test that next!

I’ll stop posting now and go outside.

(One last thing, I like to have music on in the classroom. Before or after the children are there. The thing is, it absolutely can’t have an swearing in. So, it’s either the radio or Sigur Ros or the piano covers of Radiohead I have.)

They have three challenges at the gym. Easy, moderate and hard. Tonight for circuits we did all three…

(bigger version)

We did it for an hour but I choose to finish.

The hard bits were - the 50 shoulder presses, in the end I was doing them singularly, the second seated row (this close to being sick) and the final run.
The easy(er) bits - the 50 press ups weren’t too bad, the rowing was tolerable, the sit ups were good.

Edit: Also, the person who normally does circuits at GL1 is leaving next week - bigger and better things. Which is a bit disappointing, as in some regards it’s the highlight of my week, as that class is the reason that I’m cancelled my gym membership at Riverside. Always the way, I just get bored of going to the gym. Whereas I’m still not bored of circuits, I just liked that it was more focused on Sundays and not just random exercises you went round.

As is the way with these things, I’ve just started talking to people. Pah.

I am undecided how I feel today. If I had to answer, I’d whisper “both”.

There was a bit in the story (it’s not high-literature by any means but I could read them forever, I like the characters and I’ve got a soft spot for magic. It’s the fact that it has elements of real life in but also a bit of the arcane.) where they were discussing that to keep your skill in something you need to keep practicing the basics. The things that you take for granted, in whatever you do. That it is important to do so. It grounds you, reminds you where you started from and benefits the high level skills you’re now capable of. For me it’s my writing. I mean I can use a full stop and capital letters, but it doesn’t hurt to think about using conjunctions or punctuation every now and again.

More pictures - I’ve gone ‘Facebook’ on the photos.
Def: Facebook: to include all photos taken regardless of quality
Words and video to follow.

Barack Obama’s election night photos

It’s things like this that just make me go ‘wow’. It’s a measure of him and his campaign that it just doesn’t feel cynical and horrible and icky. If Brown did it, I would probably feel all those things.

See also > http://www.change.gov/

Throughout the Presidential Transition Project, this website will be your source for the latest news, events, and announcements so that you can follow the setting up of the Obama Administration. And just as this historic campaign was, from the beginning, about you — the transition process will offer you opportunities to participate in redefining our government.

Come back often as we define new programs and possibilities to engage and be part of this administration.

Han came into school today to help me with my Jack and the Beanstalk display!