Usually this pedometer geek writes one response to the Carrot Ranch prompt, but this is the second 99 word (no more, no less) piece written using the rock star prompt.
Geology 101
Dr. Wright taught geology. It was his passion; it was his life. He loved his subject, teaching college students the rudimentary elements of igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. He taught them how mountains formed, about the shifting of fault lines, and about volcanic lava forming scoria and obsidian as it spewed forth from inside the earth.
At the end of the quarter, he took his students on a field trip to one of the local quarries. He handed them all tiny bottles of hydrochloric acid which reacted with the sedimentary rock, limestone.
This geologist truly was a rock star.
Nancy Brady, 2019
Check out all of the flash fiction at http://www.carrotranch.com.
Dr. Wright was a cool professor. He suggested that the best way to study for his exams was to explain the material to someone who had not heard his lectures. If that person understood what you were telling them about the subject, then you probably would do well on the exam.
For the first exam, I couldn’t feel comfortable speaking about the subject so studied the old-fashioned way, reading my notes and textbook; it was just too embarrassing (and my grade reflected it).
On the second exam, I talked to my boss about what we had covered, about the different kinds of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic). Not only did this study method help with my performance on the essay exam, but my boss seemed to enjoy the subject.
It was probably a good thing that I had practiced with her because on the third and final exam, Dr, Wright decided instead of grading an essay exam that it was to be an oral exam. To my recollection, that was the first (and only) oral exam I ever took, but it was an eye-opening experience.
nbsmithblog...random digressions and musings 
A very original interpretation of the prompt.
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How gneiss of you to comment. Thanks Robert. ~nan
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You’re welcome
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I like to collect rocks… but I just don’t know enough about them – though I have found out about some. Like a rock that was once coral! You can see a ‘regular’ rock with the coral ‘dot’s on it and it has a special name too…
I may have to do a second piece… because it is related to a charity… It’ll be up at CR soon. I just have to write it first.
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I took this course between my freshman and sophomore year of college strictly for the credits. Because I took it at a different university, only the credit transferred, not the grade. I needed to have a passing grade in the course for the credit to transfer. The last exam was an oral exam, and one of his questions during the exam was, “What grade do you think you deserve and why?” I wasn’t sure how well I was doing with the oral exam, but I knew what my two other exams were. I knew my other two exams put me squarely in the B category (the first a C, the second a high A), but I really didn’t care as long as the credit transferred. I cared more about the material I learned, but he must have liked my answer because I passed with a B. It was one of my favorite courses I ever took, and I learned so much, but I have to say, I had a harder time answering that question than his question about how mountains form…or any other question I have been tested upon. I know, TMI!
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🙂
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Here it is: Shining Bright
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I read it and it was so positive. Volunteers are rock stars, as are you. ~nan
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