So, the English Department is in a pedometer contest against the Math Department.  We're seeing which group can log the most steps during a one-week period.  To keep track, we log into a website that shows us our hike around the United States by way of the state capitols.  Both groups started in Augusta, Maine, and we're proceeding counter clockwise across our great nation.

I hate to say this, but even after three days, it's pretty clear that the Mathletes are the ones who can log the most steps during a one-week period.  They have passed through Augusta, Montpelier, Albany, Harrisburg, Charleston, Columbus, Frankfort, Nashville, and are now just steps from Indianapolis.  The English peeps, however, are still several miles from Frankfort.

This is a bummer for me because I love winning.  I don't love winning as much, however, as Joanne from the Math department.  Even during our practice week, Joanne kept asking me how many steps I had and then making fun of me because she had more.  She came into my classroom and jogged with her arm around my shoulders while telling the students that I was going down.  Then she gave me a high five.  The kids keep asking me how many steps I have and encouraging me to walk in circles around the room or march in place while I give minilessons in order to raise my step total.  "Joanne is beating you," they say, with gravity in their tones.

This morning, I saw Joanne at our faculty meeting.  "How many did you do yesterday?" she demanded.

"Oh," I said.  "Only 7,100."

"That's sad and pathetic," Joanne spat.  "I got 18,000."

I'm just trying to run my own race at this point.  Let's just try to make it through a few more states, English teachers.  Let's just do our best.