I'm Not Weird...I'm a Gifted Pen Klepto

Okay, Here's My Deal...

This entry contains a salute to my Buckeye friend.

I just got back from my state's Gifted Education Conference. It was two days long and I got some good information and ideas for not only my classes, but for my regular education colleagues. I bought a couple of books for my peronal library and will be asked the coordinator for gifted ed in my district to buy some other materials for our professional library.

However, conferences like this are a hosting ground for my pen/pencil/assorted classroom materials kleptomania. Yes, I admit it--I have a thing for scoring as many free promotional pens/pencils/assorted classroom materials as I can during a conference...often times going back to exhibitors three and four times a day if I can fit it in between my sessions.

Well, this conference was a great success for my habit. I would guess over the course of the two days, I scored at least 100 pens and pencils. Two magnifying book marks (one to send to my Buckeye friend), three or four long skinny notepads, three or four shorter notepads and some smiley face gumballs for my oldest son. Oh, and a free fabric bag.

But, my salute to my Buckeye friend is this: I had a vision of something that I would not put past us to do the next time we are at a conference together and I laughed out loud!! In any of the rooms that had tables, the hotel staff put out a piece of paper and a pen that we could use to take notes. Rooms that did not have tables, were not given such amenities. Anyway, as I strolled past one empty room (on my way to the exhibits to steal--I mean, score--more pens) where there were several spots from which participants did NOT take their pens (a concept I have to admit is foreign to me) and I could just envision my friend and I glancing at each other, then looking in all directions to see if it was safe and bolting into the room to completely clear it out of pens and then walking away as fast as possible...to the exhibits of course to get more, well, pens.

I miss our conference adventures, my friend. Remember the corn incident in Platteville?!?!?!

Oh, and I won a prize at one of my sessions! For ansswering the following question. Try it and leave me a comment to see if you are correct:

6 farmers each have 6 baskets which each have 6 cats which each has 6 kittens. How many legs are there in all? Don't forget to add in the farmers' legs.