Guest Post: Update From Jesse

Bonnie asked me to update the audience on my life outside the home. I offered to create a spin-off blog called Daddy's Diatribe, but she wouldn't agree to that. Here are some things that happened in my life since going back to work in August:

Trying to Teach
I am struggling to adjust to dealing with hormonal 8th graders on a daily basis. Teaching 8th grade reminds me of the movie Groundhog Day in the worst possible way. Everyday the kids come in clueless and I have to try to reign them in and make them be successful and productive young people. That being said, the successes that we have in the classroom are awesome and rewarding.

Comic Book Club
After talking to several of my young people at the beginning of the school year, I decided to start a Comic Book Club. This has been an awesome time and I am very proud to have started this for the kids. I have about ten or twelve young men and women that come on a weekly basis to geek out about new comic books and play trivia.

Our sweatshirt I designed

Failing to Fit-In
Bonnie also wanted me to mention that I was involved in my first ever Secret Santa. I feel totally out of place with my new staff and figured participation in this social activity would be just the thing I needed to get me plugged in with my middle school colleagues. Well, that didn't work out, but Bonnie made a snowflake headband.

My Secret Santa requested "a snowflake headband to help me glisten"

Fresh Ink
I've been wanting to get another tattoo basically since I left the shop after my first one last year. After checking out lots of local artists in the Charlotte area all year, I decided to get in touch with a guy who has been tattooing in my hometown. His art looked just as good as anyone tattooing in Charlotte. He was also more accessible and cut me a good deal because he's trying to get his name established in the area.

My number one idea for new ink has been an old-school-style cardinal with "Esse quam videri"--which is our state motto as well as the motto of Bonnie and my alma mater. After two hours of sitting for this tattoo, I told him I'd like to add in the text at a later date. Hopefully I'll be able to get that done over break, too, without Bonnie having a complete meltdown on me.

Greatest Achievement
I have a 29 - 5 record on Trivia Crack. That's probably my proudest accomplishment in life to date.

Ukulele
I like to play the ukulele. I told Bonnie I didn't want to brag about my seemingly miraculous achievement, but I have mastered every song in the known universe.