First Post in October *hangs head in shame*

It's been a pretty decent month that's included more fun than usual and here I am not blogging until October 20th.    In my defense, my workload got pretty intense and will be so until mid December.   I've done some grading today already but will admit I slept in way too long.   

So here is the skinny on what's been happening in life:

• I finally got to attend Valley Scare and it did not disappoint (except for my ass being too big for some of the rides).    The scary attractions were well done and plentiful and it was worth the money.   I will admit I was exhausted by the time we went through the last haunted site (Zombie High School).    Props to Alissa for driving all the way back into Iowa and Cedar Falls when everyone else fell asleep in the car.   
• While on the topic of haunted ventures, Alissa and I enjoyed Slaughterhouse in Des Moines.   It was very well done and very scary.    I hadn't been to an attraction with such good live actors but also electronic monsters and scare too.   We went to Zombie Burger afterwards, it was probably only my third visit to the original location.   Oddly enough it wasn't my burger I was wowed by but the indulgent milkshake I got to go--Crunch Berry shake.   Never been a fan of that cereal but I guess if you mix it with ice cream it's the bomb.
• In terms of the house, the front is officially decorated for the holiday.    The inside of the house is decorated too but things will be moved around a bit for the party.    I spent all of last Saturday unpacking and organizing the office in the house.    It looks so much better.    I was able to throw a lot of stuff away too.   I still need to redo my filing cabinets so that's the next task.   Regardless, I can keep the doors open during the party and not be horribly embarrassed.  
• Both teaching jobs are going quite well.    Yes I'm buried in grading but everything is under control.    I'm especially happy with a change I made in my class for future secondary health teachers.   Each Thursday two groups of students go to Ames High School and lead action-based health activities with students.    If the health teacher likes the activities we give him a copy of all materials, etc.   I just like the students being able to "practice" with actual students before they student teach and experience the attitudes and behaviors of teenagers.   
• The cats are doing very well and cohabitate nicely for the most part.   The kitten still plays a lot and is energetic.  Jinx will play and wrestle for a bit but Jinx reaches a threshold and gets pretty angry.    She usually turns it up a notch and beats the shit out the kitten to make a point that she wants to be left alone.   

I guess that's the jist of what I have going on right now---thought I had more to report on.