I told you so. . .

I told my students at the beginning of the year that I could beat them collectively in anything involving Harry Potter trivia and that they could try and come up with a question I can't answer about the series, but that I doubted they could do it since I've never lost a game of Harry Potter trivia and don't intend to start.

A few of them have taken me up on the offer, but mostly with off the cuff kinds of questions that most people who've read the books in the class would also remember. Until yesterday when a student in my last class came up to me after obviously putting in at least a little more thought as to what might stump me:

Student: "You know how you said that you'd be able to answer any Harry Potter question? Well, I think I have one that you won't know the answer to."

Me: "Go ahead."

Student: "What is Harry's vault number in the bank?"

Me: "713."

Student: "Dang it."

Rules for Survival

I had my students make a list of "Rules for Survival" recently. They could pick whatever topic they felt expert in - a sport, sharing a bathroom, getting through the halls, or (as two students picked): Women.

Their advice is surprisingly mature. I think you will appreciate the combined list I made:

1. Show respect
2. Be nice to them
3. Avoid eye contact
4. Pretend to care
5. Don't let them get on the phone
6. Compliment their legs
7. While they're talking, nod but don't listen.

Amazing.