Melt Bar and Grilled

This afternoon, Megan and I went to a restaurant called Melt Bar and Grilled. I had seen a spotlight of the restaurant on Good Company over the summer and have wanted to drive to Lakewood, Ohio ever since.

Lunch was a great experience. Even though we had to wait almost an hour and a half to eat, it was well worth it. The decor is eclectic with an array of junk and Cleveland memorabilia. Even though the place was small, it was still a comfortable atmosphere.

The menu itself is small, but the food looked, smelled, and tasted amazing. Melt Bar and Grilled specializes in gourmet grilled cheeses. That's right, a spin on America's favorite sandwich. I had the Smokey Russian; turkey, sauerkraut, Gouda cheese, and Russian dressing. Megan had the Big Popper; beer battered, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, and herb cream cheese. Also on the menu are burgers (on grilled cheese bread, too) and an awesome breakfast selection that includes gourmet waffles.

The drink list was bigger than the actual menu. With over 100 types of imported and domestic beers and an assortment of other alcoholic drinks, Melt Bar and Grilled covers all of the bases.

Two thumbs up!

That's a Lucky Day

Perry: Day 1

Well, my first day at Perry is in the books!

I really enjoyed my first teaching day. The whole experience has been really positive and I think I may have found a good fit at Perry.

First, a little background.

Last Tuesday, I attended an all-day mentoring meeting. This program is designed to assist first-year teachers and new teachers to the district as he/she transitions to the school system. Part of the mentoring meeting was a bus tour around Perry Township. Amazingly, Perry has a poverty rate around 40 percent. It was really beneficial to see where the kids are coming from. Then, on Thursday, I completed my mandatory work day. This is a day for teachers to finish organizing, complete paperwork, and set up his/her classroom. It usually takes many hours to get the room ready for new students. Next, Friday involved convocation and meetings. I was introduced to the district staff as a new employee in the morning and the rest of the day consisted of meetings and room preparation. Finally, on Sunday, I attended a four hour coaching clinic that will complete my coaching licensure.

Today, I woke up at 5:45 and was at school by 6:30. Students arrive at 7:45 and the first bell rings at 8:00. Teachers are contractually required to be there from 7:15 to 2:45. I really enjoy my schedule, the students, and the new colleagues I have worked with thus far. Everyone has definitely helped me during this adjustment.

My schedule looks like this (each period is 45 minutes long):

Academic Assist
1st Period (Planning)
2nd Period (6th grade Social Studies)
3rd Period (6th grade Social Studies)
4th Period (7th grade Social Studies)
5th Period (Lunch)
6th Period (7th grade Social Studies)
7th Period (6th grade Social Studies)
8th Period (6th grade Social Studies)

Overall, it was a great first day. It has been a lot of hours, but I can't complain! Perry seems very family oriented. They seem to take care of their employees and the Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent are great guys that really encourage you to be at your best.

Go Panthers!

Next Step

On a side note, I graduated. This past Saturday I officially graduated from the University of Akron with a Master's Degree in Education Administration with an emphasis on the Principalship. I finished the 30 credit hour program (as shown below) in a little under three years and graduated with a GPA of 3.95 (darn A-).

Master’s Courses - 30 credits
5100:600 (3) Philosophies of Education
5100:624 (3) Educational Psychology
5100:604 (3) Topical Seminar: Cultural Foundations of Education
5100:640 (3) Techniques of Research
5170:601 (3) Organizational Leadership
5170:604 (3) School/Community Relations
5170:607 (3) School Law
5170:610 (3) Supervision of Instruction
5170:620 (3) School Culture and Governance
5170:615 (3) Learners With Special Needs

I really enjoyed the program. It really solidified my desire to enter the administration field of education. The most interesting class was definitely School Law.

Anyways, it's on to the next chapter in my schooling career. During the 2009-2010 school year, I will be participating in an internship program that will eventually lead to a license that allows me to practice as an administrator. The internship will consist of 300 hours of professional practice (150 hrs. per semester) and a supplemental class on Resource Management. In order to obtain my license, I will have to complete the 12 credits, pass the Praxis licensure test, and give my statement of Good Moral Character.

Will this ever end???

Softball 2009

Well, softball is unfortunately over (season went from May 13 - August 12) and it was definitely a "learning" year.

This was my first year playing on a team that my friend (Andrew) and I put together. It was a lot more fun playing with guys that I knew (my brother, Cory, is also on the team). Our goal is to keep a good core group of guys around that plays year after year. Next year, with the group of guys we have committed to playing, it definitely looks better :) This year our team was 4-18. Therefore, there is only room for improvement, right?

Anyways, here are my stats (not like anyone would care) for the 2009 season (this is basically for my personal records):

Hits: 23 AB: 53 AVG: .434 2B: 1 3B: 2 HR: 2 BB: 1 RBI: 13

Usain Bolt: 9.58 and 19.19 seconds?!?!

I don't even know what to write.

Usain Bolt might be the best athlete in the world...amazing...

Bolt set the World Record in the 100 meter dash at 9.58 seconds. He beat the previous record, which he also owned, by 0.11 seconds. How is that even possible? The guy didn't even break a sweat. Tyson Gay, America's fastest man, set the American record with a time of 9.71 and was BLOWN away by Bolt.

Now, my PR (personal record) is only 1.42 seconds off the world record :P



Update:

19.19 seconds in the 200m dash! Bolt beat the previous world record (19.30) by 0.11 seconds. Does this guy have a ceiling?

Ocean City, MD (Part III)

Good Friends, Good Times

Meg, Kayley, and I



Andrew and Kristen




Mark and Linda

Ocean City, MD (Part II)

Ocean City, MD

Kayley and Suri

Recently, I (we) have gotten several comments that our daughter, Kayley, looks very similar to Suri Cruise (the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes).

What do you think?