Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Three students cannot completely enroll because they still have unsettled accounts with the mechanics lab. These are the students who were responsible for borrowing the equipment on the day they had an experiment where their group lost one of the materials, namely a one centimeter diameter metal ball.

These students should have been forced to complete their requirements before their course cards (and grades) in the mechanics lab were given two weeks ago, but due to lack of coordination with lab teacher David (who gave out his course cards early anyway) it was too late to threaten them with that after finding out their grades.

There was a second opportunity during the mechanics lecture course card distribution, but again due to a lack of coordination between me and my memory, the course cards were handed out before they could be withheld for the owing students.

In fact, last Monday, when students were allowed to start paying their tuition for the first term of schoolyear 2004-2005, I was just a little bit too late in giving the list of three students to the Registrars Office. One of them had already partially paid.

But the two others have not yet even begun to pay. I already had the opportunity to warn them that their assessment in withheld until they complete their requirements.

There is a slight blooper involved with that actaully: one of the students has a twin brother who is only now enrolling to study here. Last Monday I told the twin (who I mistook to be my student) that he could not enroll unless he replaces the ball.

I guess his face at that point mirrored my expression of surprise when I was told that he wasn't who I thought he was.

Yesterday also, the student assistant at the Registrars office asked if it was only a matter of paying to the science lab's breakages account before they can be allowed to enroll. I wish it was that simple, and I am in the process of making it that simple. But for now there is as yet no account number in the accounting office that corresponds to where the students can pay for breakages, so it will have to be an eye for an eye until further notice.

With the Chemistry laboratory in operation for the coming term, the monetary compensation for responsibility has to be set up properly though.

FYI: there will be a total lunar eclipse visible early tomorrow morning. An hour or so before sunrise to be exact. Since this only occurs during full moon this means that it will be visible in the west.

Unfortunately, due to the circumstances of the phenomenon happening before the campus opens and the fact that there are very few students that can be notified anyway (because of the summer vacation, despite enrollment) I guess those who do get informed about it will have to view it themselves from the comfort of their own backyard, and without the aid of the school's telescope.

It won't be the last though. There'll be more in the future that we can all catch together.