I didn’t have much in the way of homework today, so my wife made a list of activities for me to do (thanks!).  First stop was to put my son’s old cell phone back on our wireless plan because my daughter now has a need for a cell phone – two of her teachers are using cell phones in class.  When I got to the AT&T place, I was told that there would be a 45 minute wait.  This gave me time to look around.  In that 45 minutes, I learned more about the capabilities of the iPad, and more about my own iPhone.  It turns out, that I can use my iPhone as a presentation device with a $20 cord and a $10 application.  Sold!  I bought them on Amazon using my iPhone while waiting.  I also noticed that the “old” iPhone 4S was now half the price I had paid for mine.  For just $100, Courtney could get a modern and very useful iPhone, rather than use the three-year-old Samsung relic in my back pocket (which I then “unlocked” when I got home — I can use it as a “burner” phone for overseas travel).  I made a snap decision to spend the extra $100.  One of the main reasons for this is that Courtney already has an iTouch and is very familiar with how Apple products work.  She will also have the added benefit of keeping all her applications (and we as parents know how to operate her phone as well — we were never able to figure out Jeffrey’s!).  It just made sense.  Well, I purchased the phone and off I went.  It was lunchtime, so I went home to eat (bringing home a lunch from the nearby Happi House!).

After lunch, I played with my new “Keynote” application for presentation and learned about “Dropbox,” a nifty free tool that keeps your stuff accessible anywhere (and required for Keynote).  Shortly before the kids got home, I was to get groceries and propane for our gas grill.  The Shell station on the corner didn’t have propane, even though they have a large, white “propane-like” container on-site.  It is used for compressed air instead.  I would have to go to the Shell on the other side of town.  I got the groceries and as soon as I got home, I was to teach my son some bass parts before he headed off to a driving lesson and then to band practice.  Well, as soon as we sat down, Jeffrey’s driving instructor called.  The guy was 15 minutes early.  Jeffrey went off to his lesson, and I wrote-out the more difficult bass parts for him, since I would be gone before he got back.  I ate and left for school.

School was sort of loosely structured tonight; we didn’t get much accomplished.  Near the end of class, we were given a group activity called “bragging rights,” a piece where we were to brag about some accomplishment.  There was a list of about eight categories to choose from.  The first two tables did pretty well.  All were simple accomplishments, since these “kids” had very little life experience.  Then it was my turn.  I talked about my world travels and some of the gross foods I have eaten over the years.  No one in the next two tables wanted to talk after me (pointing to me saying “how can we top that?”).  I think maybe two others spoke after me, after much coercion from the teacher.  I effectively silenced the class.  This was not my intention, but I have lived a very rich life, so I had a lot to talk about!  The teacher filled in the rest of the time by telling us about her gambling addiction.

I tried to get propane on the way home, but they close the tank down at 8PM.  I guess I’ll have to come back tomorrow.