Last week, I realized soon I was going to be in deep doo-doo with the athletes in my classes. I even had a student who was sleeping through class. When I would give an open note quiz, he would fail spectacularly--a 33%.
So, what I did was cover my butt. I wrote a long email to the coach (who is also the athletics director.) I told him all I wanted was our students to learn the material--hopefully before the test and not after baseball season.
I have a fairly strict late policy--absolutely none accepted. When I was deathly sick and missed a lot of school, I did give a "get out of jail free" day. Any late work would be accepted within a 24 hour period.
However, I don't like the old 80% if one day late, 70% if two days late etc. I have many students who will settle for "just passing."
The athletes were going to fail the six weeks if I didn't do something drastic. I couldn't give a "get out jail day free" day--I can't justify it.
So I made a deal--serve detention after school making the work up and I would accept the work. This way I seem flexible, the kid does the assignment and learns, gets full credit, and serves a consequence for not doing the homework.
The new policy created a room full of baseball players anxiously making up work. And what helped is that the coach showed up to check to see who was there.
Hopefully, this will work. Keep your fingers crossed!!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Dress Code
I'm writing more and more--and sticking posts in drafts and my email instead of posting. That way I get all the venting out and on paper and I can let the problems go.
But still there are a few happy things going on. Last Friday, one of sweetest 1st period students came up to me at 8 am. I am barely awake and walking around directing students to pass out work folders and graded papers and handouts.
Fridays irritate me because students get to wear hats indoors. However, we cannot do anything about it because the principal brokered the deal before most of us arrived at the school.
This student loves baseball. All assignments possible are written about and spoken about baseball. He is now on the varsity baseball team. He would do anything for his baseball team. And Friday, all the baseball players were to wear their new baseball jackets and hats.
This student comes up to me and says "Miss, I didn't wear my hat to class because I know how much it bothers you."
Wow.
I can imagine this kid standing at home ready to put his hat on to look, you know, good, for the girls. And he thought of me.
Wow.
But still there are a few happy things going on. Last Friday, one of sweetest 1st period students came up to me at 8 am. I am barely awake and walking around directing students to pass out work folders and graded papers and handouts.
Fridays irritate me because students get to wear hats indoors. However, we cannot do anything about it because the principal brokered the deal before most of us arrived at the school.
This student loves baseball. All assignments possible are written about and spoken about baseball. He is now on the varsity baseball team. He would do anything for his baseball team. And Friday, all the baseball players were to wear their new baseball jackets and hats.
This student comes up to me and says "Miss, I didn't wear my hat to class because I know how much it bothers you."
Wow.
I can imagine this kid standing at home ready to put his hat on to look, you know, good, for the girls. And he thought of me.
Wow.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
This post was a vent that I wrote a couple months ago about the drama at our school about the freshmen leaving the high school. I have "drank the kool aid" I guess and reconciled the fact that this is going to happen. But this is why I didn't post much...this was very much on my mind the whole year. And it is sad...the frustration and the uncertinty took away my time to be a good teacher. Sometimes, I think administrations don't realize that the comfort level of their staff is sometimes the best resource they can have...
Anyway...this was my year....
The week back to school from Spring Break has been hard. With the time change and actually having to get up in the morning, I am dragging. However, this week has been very good. But there is always drama. Drama. Drama. Drama.
One of the reasons this year has been tough is that our school board decided to move freshmen to the middle school. They decided this out of the blue and the teachers did not see the change coming. I don't think the principals saw the change coming. At first, I was so what. Then I started thinking.
One teacher from each core area would have to move to the middle school. That solution would be the most fair and most logical.
I am not middle school material.
And my paranoia started to attack. What if I had to go to middle school? What if part of my classes were at the middle school and the other part were out the high school (about a mile and half apart)? What if they just fire or not renew one of the high school teacher's contracts in each core area?
Which was a real possibility we soon learned. Soon, we started hearing rumors that the middle school split up all the classes, freshmen included, and did not need to add any more staff. Our principal told us no, that is not the way is was going to work. All our jobs were safe. But, increasing, the middle school teachers would tell us that they were "all set" and needed no extra staff to move to their school.
The whole situation reached a climax when the district scheduled a professional professional day to solve all issues. Also, on that day all the administrators of the school (principals, etc) left town to go to a meeting in Austin.
So all the English teachers from kindergarten to the 12th grade met in the elementary school library. We will tasked with listing the problems/logistics of the move and solve them. Of course, our first thought was staffing. All the middle school teachers started insisting "they were all set" and needed no more teachers. Their principal told them to figure it out and they were all set.
Saintteacher brought up the question are any of them certified to teach 9th grade. None of them were. But one lady spoke up immediately and insisted she could teach 9th grade while getting certified. I really don't know how to describe this woman. I thought she was defensive and defending her future job and really counted on teaching 9th grade. The other high school English teachers thought she was scared and put on the spot. (Is there a difference in connotation in those two different sentences? I feel there is. Mine take was she was just rude and arrogant. Their take was that she was scared and not backed up by her colleagues.) We asked if they were prepared to teach pre AP and our curriculum to get them ready for the AYP determining test when they were sophomores. All that came out of the middle school teachers was that they were "all set."
Oldteacher says that in Texas an uncertified teacher cannot teach a course when there are certified teachers available. She basically says they can't do this. Of course, no administers around to answer our questions. At the high school, we do not know our teaching assignments until a week before we teach. The decision of assignments is up to the principals and usually the teachers have little say in their assignments or schedule. Obviously, that's not the way it works at the middle school.
For a while, as the high school and the middle school was going back and forth, (the elementary school was very quiet and a couple elementary school teachers were doing some serious texting) I seriously thought I was going to have to mud wrestle for my job. We kept asking questions and the middle school kept saying they were "all set."
At my table, my business background sense is seriously pricking. I felt extremely uncomfortable and told the other high school teachers is that you never let the the employees determine staffing needs. That is a manager/administer responsibility. I said this does not feel right and we do not have information to make these decisions. The tension was really bad in the room between the middle school and us.
I have to really give credit to the leader of the English department (who is an elementary teacher.) She stopped the whole thing. I think she really didn't want the blood all over the elementary school library. We just decided we didn't have enough information and this just wasn't our job to decide staffing.
We all went back to our campuses, not relieved, but even more unsettled.
A week later, our principals made all the staffing decisions.
Newbie Teacher was chosen to be sent to the middle school. This makes sense since she teaches freshmen. Of course, she doesn't like middle school any more than I do. She told the principals this. The disturbing thing (and totally out of character) is that one of the principal kept calling the move a "promotion." Newbie teacher did not fall for this.
A couple of days later, the superintendent comes in my classroom during prep time. He goes, nonchalantly, "I hear you are leaving us."
(Excuse the language.) I lost my shit in my head, but I kept it cool. Inside, I am FREAKING. I know I NEVER EVER said to ANYONE I wanted to leave.
I just was like confused and said no I don't want to leave. I asked him his source. He said the administers.
I still my first year was great, last year was tough, and this year was great, except for the politics. He thought about that one for a while.
He just said that he was hoping I wouldn't leave because I was very valued by the school district.
He left the room and I waited until I could talk coherently. And slowly got very angry. But I kept my attitude as calm as I could.....
....and went searching for a principal. Outside the principal's office, the superintendent approached me again. He said, "Oh, it wasn't you. It was New Teacher."
Didn't apologize. Didn't elaborate. Went back to his other conversation.
I honestly cannot fathom this whole situation and administration's attitute in this whole ordeal. I love my job. This is honestly the best job I have ever had. I have a lot of freedom in my teaching and the students honestly (even with all my whining) are awesome and most are respectful. Just apathic. But what teenager isn't?
I can't sum up the situation. I don't what to leave, but I am so tired of politics. I did not sign up to reorganize schools. I have never seen a department of any business I have ever worked in act like the middle school.
Supposely, this change is for the benefit of the students. I can't honestly see any benefit to the students. Yes, freshmen need to be isolated from the rest of the population of students. However, we can just house them in a wing of the high school. This whole business will have to cost the school the fortune. Keeping the freshmen at the high school would seriously save the district a ton of money in hard times.
Anyway...this was my year....
The week back to school from Spring Break has been hard. With the time change and actually having to get up in the morning, I am dragging. However, this week has been very good. But there is always drama. Drama. Drama. Drama.
One of the reasons this year has been tough is that our school board decided to move freshmen to the middle school. They decided this out of the blue and the teachers did not see the change coming. I don't think the principals saw the change coming. At first, I was so what. Then I started thinking.
One teacher from each core area would have to move to the middle school. That solution would be the most fair and most logical.
I am not middle school material.
And my paranoia started to attack. What if I had to go to middle school? What if part of my classes were at the middle school and the other part were out the high school (about a mile and half apart)? What if they just fire or not renew one of the high school teacher's contracts in each core area?
Which was a real possibility we soon learned. Soon, we started hearing rumors that the middle school split up all the classes, freshmen included, and did not need to add any more staff. Our principal told us no, that is not the way is was going to work. All our jobs were safe. But, increasing, the middle school teachers would tell us that they were "all set" and needed no extra staff to move to their school.
The whole situation reached a climax when the district scheduled a professional professional day to solve all issues. Also, on that day all the administrators of the school (principals, etc) left town to go to a meeting in Austin.
So all the English teachers from kindergarten to the 12th grade met in the elementary school library. We will tasked with listing the problems/logistics of the move and solve them. Of course, our first thought was staffing. All the middle school teachers started insisting "they were all set" and needed no more teachers. Their principal told them to figure it out and they were all set.
Saintteacher brought up the question are any of them certified to teach 9th grade. None of them were. But one lady spoke up immediately and insisted she could teach 9th grade while getting certified. I really don't know how to describe this woman. I thought she was defensive and defending her future job and really counted on teaching 9th grade. The other high school English teachers thought she was scared and put on the spot. (Is there a difference in connotation in those two different sentences? I feel there is. Mine take was she was just rude and arrogant. Their take was that she was scared and not backed up by her colleagues.) We asked if they were prepared to teach pre AP and our curriculum to get them ready for the AYP determining test when they were sophomores. All that came out of the middle school teachers was that they were "all set."
Oldteacher says that in Texas an uncertified teacher cannot teach a course when there are certified teachers available. She basically says they can't do this. Of course, no administers around to answer our questions. At the high school, we do not know our teaching assignments until a week before we teach. The decision of assignments is up to the principals and usually the teachers have little say in their assignments or schedule. Obviously, that's not the way it works at the middle school.
For a while, as the high school and the middle school was going back and forth, (the elementary school was very quiet and a couple elementary school teachers were doing some serious texting) I seriously thought I was going to have to mud wrestle for my job. We kept asking questions and the middle school kept saying they were "all set."
At my table, my business background sense is seriously pricking. I felt extremely uncomfortable and told the other high school teachers is that you never let the the employees determine staffing needs. That is a manager/administer responsibility. I said this does not feel right and we do not have information to make these decisions. The tension was really bad in the room between the middle school and us.
I have to really give credit to the leader of the English department (who is an elementary teacher.) She stopped the whole thing. I think she really didn't want the blood all over the elementary school library. We just decided we didn't have enough information and this just wasn't our job to decide staffing.
We all went back to our campuses, not relieved, but even more unsettled.
A week later, our principals made all the staffing decisions.
Newbie Teacher was chosen to be sent to the middle school. This makes sense since she teaches freshmen. Of course, she doesn't like middle school any more than I do. She told the principals this. The disturbing thing (and totally out of character) is that one of the principal kept calling the move a "promotion." Newbie teacher did not fall for this.
A couple of days later, the superintendent comes in my classroom during prep time. He goes, nonchalantly, "I hear you are leaving us."
(Excuse the language.) I lost my shit in my head, but I kept it cool. Inside, I am FREAKING. I know I NEVER EVER said to ANYONE I wanted to leave.
I just was like confused and said no I don't want to leave. I asked him his source. He said the administers.
I still my first year was great, last year was tough, and this year was great, except for the politics. He thought about that one for a while.
He just said that he was hoping I wouldn't leave because I was very valued by the school district.
He left the room and I waited until I could talk coherently. And slowly got very angry. But I kept my attitude as calm as I could.....
....and went searching for a principal. Outside the principal's office, the superintendent approached me again. He said, "Oh, it wasn't you. It was New Teacher."
Didn't apologize. Didn't elaborate. Went back to his other conversation.
I honestly cannot fathom this whole situation and administration's attitute in this whole ordeal. I love my job. This is honestly the best job I have ever had. I have a lot of freedom in my teaching and the students honestly (even with all my whining) are awesome and most are respectful. Just apathic. But what teenager isn't?
I can't sum up the situation. I don't what to leave, but I am so tired of politics. I did not sign up to reorganize schools. I have never seen a department of any business I have ever worked in act like the middle school.
Supposely, this change is for the benefit of the students. I can't honestly see any benefit to the students. Yes, freshmen need to be isolated from the rest of the population of students. However, we can just house them in a wing of the high school. This whole business will have to cost the school the fortune. Keeping the freshmen at the high school would seriously save the district a ton of money in hard times.
Friday, March 13, 2009
School--The TAKS, Revisiting Doorknob girl,, The flood and drug deals
The last post was pretty much about just my spring break. Don't worry. I have three MONTHS of material. One thing about teenagers they always surprise you. Sometimes they surprise you in a bad way. Most of the time, in a good way.
To recap this blog to this point, I am a third year older teacher in southwest Texas. So southwest Texas it should be Mexico. Sometimes the kids try to convince me I am in Mexico and it is pretty useless to teach English in Mexico.
Then Texas reminds us, we are not only in Texas, but the United States of America by requiring us to administer the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) exam in ENGLISH.
This test is the test that at the sophomore level determines whether we are an acceptable school by the Federal Government under Nickleby (NCLB) and at the junior level whether the student graduates from high school.
I have a master's and a BA in history from a respectable state university. In most states, you will not teach history at the high school level unless 1. you are a coach and 2. well, you are a coach. Being a middle aged book worm with little breath to make the walk to my car every morning, it is pretty obvious I am not going to get a job teaching history since ...I ...can...not ...coach...anything. I am kinda bitter about the whole coaching thing. Especially with the two history teachers (and won the state football championships for 10 years in a row! donchaknow) idiots I had to student teach under.
(Not saying all history teachers are like this...I am not sure where she teaches, but Miss A takes her history teaching very, very seriously. And is very, very good at it. HER current student teacher is very very lucky. He is not going to have to sit through 10 movies in 2 months, like I did.)
So I am teaching English, my minor. (Which DID start as my major, until I realized English teachers are CRAZY. Now I know why.)
Anyhoo. I taught my first year of English to freshmen and the school did not bother to tell me that it really doesn't matter if freshmen fail TAKS because freshmen do not count in the big scheme of accountability in Texas. 89% of my freshmen passed the ELA exam. Up from 60% the year before and 40% the year before that one.
They moved me up with the same kids last year so I taught sophomores last year and had mostly the same kids. I started to teach pre-Advance Placement. 85% of my on level students passed the ELA exam last year. (They included many very low ESL students in on the test for the first time so our scores fell.)
OK, we fell to unacceptable status because the math and science tests only got a 40- 60% of our students passed the exam. Let me repeat that, our high school is rated unacceptable because our students cannot pass the math and science tests.
So, that brings me to this year. What can I say about this year? One month into the school year, the Rio Grande at our bend starts to flood. It floods the Mexican town on the other side of the river. The international port is closed. Teachers, students, and employees of the town cannot get over here. School attendance plummets. Amazing how many students were "just visiting" over there when the bridge closed.
(I do have to say it breaks my heart to hear one of my best students say he was "visiting" his parents in Mexico the night before and border patrol was slow in processing people over the bridge. That people have to lie to receive a decent education is very sad and very heart breaking.)
After the flood waters cleared and the school started to organize itself, one of my fellow teachers came to see me. Remember door knob girl? Go here to my worst nightmare ever.
Ok, now you remember? Door knob girl is now known as the girl who tried to kill a teacher with her laptop. (ok maybe kill is too strong a word, but listen to this...)
Doorknob girl and other girls on the volleyball team could not go to a game because they missed practice. Something about having hangovers and having to spend time with their boyfriends. Said girls got mad and the coach told them they could make it up by doing a proscribed number of jump ropes. Well, Doorknob girl cheated and the coach called her on it. Doorknob girl threw her (school supplied) laptop computer (valued at $1000 each) at the teacher and hit him.
Let me repeat that: Doorknob girl threw her (school supplied) laptop computer (valued at $1000 each) at the teacher and hit him.
Doorknob girl got suspended for 3 days...and tried to get the coach fired. Her parents went to the superintendent.
Of course, the attempt to get the coach fired did not work. But he and his wife were worried and are still worried about their jobs. Evidently, Doorknob's little brother (a lovely little freshman) is going up behind her and flicking her on the back of the head.
(Funny note...Technology director, when told the story, the first words out of her mouth was "What happened to the computer!")
My take on the whole incident was #1 Thank god Doorknob girl is taking Dual Credit (College) classes so the English department does not have to deal with her. #2 Thank God Doorknob's little brother is getting thrown out of AP next year so I won't have to ever teach him. #3 If Doorknob was a boy and part of a different family, her butt would be in jail for assault right now #4 The coach has a real big heart because Doorknob stayed on the volleyball team and went on to be on the basketball team and track team.
About that time, an issue appeared in our issue bin. Our issue bin is sorta of a complaint bin which is anonymous. One teacher complained about the fact that our boys at lunch will go to the bathroom in groups and hung out in there. He or she went on saying this implied drug deals. Basically, the students are acting suspicious and was our administration going to do anything about it. (To say there is no drug smuggling in our community is ridiculous, considering we are a border town with Mexico.)
One of the science teachers got a posse of male teachers and assistant principals and hung out in the boy's bathroom one day during lunch. He said they saw nothing and asked the boys why they hung out in there...."It smells like pee," he said.
Well, I couple of months later nothing was done. So another issue went up. This time, the issue named names. I still haven't seen any change in how the boys go to the bathroom.
To be continued.....
To recap this blog to this point, I am a third year older teacher in southwest Texas. So southwest Texas it should be Mexico. Sometimes the kids try to convince me I am in Mexico and it is pretty useless to teach English in Mexico.
Then Texas reminds us, we are not only in Texas, but the United States of America by requiring us to administer the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) exam in ENGLISH.
This test is the test that at the sophomore level determines whether we are an acceptable school by the Federal Government under Nickleby (NCLB) and at the junior level whether the student graduates from high school.
I have a master's and a BA in history from a respectable state university. In most states, you will not teach history at the high school level unless 1. you are a coach and 2. well, you are a coach. Being a middle aged book worm with little breath to make the walk to my car every morning, it is pretty obvious I am not going to get a job teaching history since ...I ...can...not ...coach...anything. I am kinda bitter about the whole coaching thing. Especially with the two history teachers (and won the state football championships for 10 years in a row! donchaknow) idiots I had to student teach under.
(Not saying all history teachers are like this...I am not sure where she teaches, but Miss A takes her history teaching very, very seriously. And is very, very good at it. HER current student teacher is very very lucky. He is not going to have to sit through 10 movies in 2 months, like I did.)
So I am teaching English, my minor. (Which DID start as my major, until I realized English teachers are CRAZY. Now I know why.)
Anyhoo. I taught my first year of English to freshmen and the school did not bother to tell me that it really doesn't matter if freshmen fail TAKS because freshmen do not count in the big scheme of accountability in Texas. 89% of my freshmen passed the ELA exam. Up from 60% the year before and 40% the year before that one.
They moved me up with the same kids last year so I taught sophomores last year and had mostly the same kids. I started to teach pre-Advance Placement. 85% of my on level students passed the ELA exam last year. (They included many very low ESL students in on the test for the first time so our scores fell.)
OK, we fell to unacceptable status because the math and science tests only got a 40- 60% of our students passed the exam. Let me repeat that, our high school is rated unacceptable because our students cannot pass the math and science tests.
So, that brings me to this year. What can I say about this year? One month into the school year, the Rio Grande at our bend starts to flood. It floods the Mexican town on the other side of the river. The international port is closed. Teachers, students, and employees of the town cannot get over here. School attendance plummets. Amazing how many students were "just visiting" over there when the bridge closed.
(I do have to say it breaks my heart to hear one of my best students say he was "visiting" his parents in Mexico the night before and border patrol was slow in processing people over the bridge. That people have to lie to receive a decent education is very sad and very heart breaking.)
After the flood waters cleared and the school started to organize itself, one of my fellow teachers came to see me. Remember door knob girl? Go here to my worst nightmare ever.
Ok, now you remember? Door knob girl is now known as the girl who tried to kill a teacher with her laptop. (ok maybe kill is too strong a word, but listen to this...)
Doorknob girl and other girls on the volleyball team could not go to a game because they missed practice. Something about having hangovers and having to spend time with their boyfriends. Said girls got mad and the coach told them they could make it up by doing a proscribed number of jump ropes. Well, Doorknob girl cheated and the coach called her on it. Doorknob girl threw her (school supplied) laptop computer (valued at $1000 each) at the teacher and hit him.
Let me repeat that: Doorknob girl threw her (school supplied) laptop computer (valued at $1000 each) at the teacher and hit him.
Doorknob girl got suspended for 3 days...and tried to get the coach fired. Her parents went to the superintendent.
Of course, the attempt to get the coach fired did not work. But he and his wife were worried and are still worried about their jobs. Evidently, Doorknob's little brother (a lovely little freshman) is going up behind her and flicking her on the back of the head.
(Funny note...Technology director, when told the story, the first words out of her mouth was "What happened to the computer!")
My take on the whole incident was #1 Thank god Doorknob girl is taking Dual Credit (College) classes so the English department does not have to deal with her. #2 Thank God Doorknob's little brother is getting thrown out of AP next year so I won't have to ever teach him. #3 If Doorknob was a boy and part of a different family, her butt would be in jail for assault right now #4 The coach has a real big heart because Doorknob stayed on the volleyball team and went on to be on the basketball team and track team.
About that time, an issue appeared in our issue bin. Our issue bin is sorta of a complaint bin which is anonymous. One teacher complained about the fact that our boys at lunch will go to the bathroom in groups and hung out in there. He or she went on saying this implied drug deals. Basically, the students are acting suspicious and was our administration going to do anything about it. (To say there is no drug smuggling in our community is ridiculous, considering we are a border town with Mexico.)
One of the science teachers got a posse of male teachers and assistant principals and hung out in the boy's bathroom one day during lunch. He said they saw nothing and asked the boys why they hung out in there...."It smells like pee," he said.
Well, I couple of months later nothing was done. So another issue went up. This time, the issue named names. I still haven't seen any change in how the boys go to the bathroom.
To be continued.....
Spring Break
Ok...I know...I know...to apologize for being gone for so long is supposed to be very bad blogger manners.
However, I do apologize to the wonderful 6 people who read this...checking vainly for updates on my "exciting" and important life on a weekly basis. (I think one is my mom. Thanks, Mom!) I really do not have excuses. I could write. I just chalk my lack of writing to:
#1 The writing would be a bunch of whines and rants. I am having a tough year. I recognize that now. I started the blog to whine and rant, but I also don't want to get fired from the best job I ever had.
#2 The writing would be important and relevant to me, but not to all of you. I don't want to be a whining bitch.
Since I now recognize that I need a outlet for my feelings about school and my life, I just will write. I would put a password on my blog, but then I would be like humiliated by the lack of responses for the password.
Anyhoo...this is my life since I talked to you last....
IT....IS....SPRING...BREAK! This is the Friday of it and so far none of the work I wanted to get done for school is done. What have I done?...
I planned/outlined (basically laid in bed and daydreamed) how to revamp the BBC's Torchwood TV series. (Russell Davies..call me!)
I did the dishes.
I rearranged the living room to reflect I no longer watch TV and plan to read alot more. (Yeah, right. I read one book last Saturday...something about country music. That Hank Williams guy...he had a really sad life and died at 29 years old! OMG, younger than me and still did more than me and he was drunk most of time!)
I crocheted a little on an afghan (that I started **2** years ago) while catching up on "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice." Last time I watched Denny was back and Isobel was talking to the dead guy, which I thought was captivating and romantic. Now, I think I missed an episode, because all they could talk about was brain worms (which don't get me wrong, I LOVE) but what happened to Denny? I liked him. They should bring him back. Oh yeah, he's dead. Well, that wouldn't really be a problem on "Torchwood."
Going through "Lost" withdraw since there is no episode this week. Instead, I found this blog written by "Hurley" on the show. It is fascinating. Today's entry about the guy passed out in his yard reminded me of when I lived up north and the homeless would pass out or pee or try to have sex drunk on the property I rented. One time I called 911 because there were 5 or so people passed out on the grass in back of the house and the city sent 5 police cars. Good times. (not really, I'm being sarcastic)I would have left a comment on his blog about my experiences, but he gets like hundreds and hundreds of comments and I wouldn't want to waste his time just writing about me.
I downloaded like tons of songs from Itunes. Oh, God....I am so addicted to Itunes. I lost my laptop for like a month and almost had the DTs. I downloaded new Dolly Parton, "Rattlin Bones" by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson (which is awesome!) Jamey Jameson, and a band I never heard of called "Torando Magnet." I know, pretty country. But please consider that I have been on a total Celtic music kick lately and I needed a break from the 8 million versions of "Loch Lomand."
I found out I have a weird affiliation for the song "Loch Lomand." You know the song..."You take the high road and I'll take the low road and I will be in Scotland before you." I listen to it over and over. I have no idea why. Mom, was that the song on the toy radio I tried to flush down the toilet when I was like three years old? It's strange. I don't even think I am part Scottish. There is a Scotland town where I grew up...I don't know.
Vada, the dog, is happy I am home and spending time with her. She is a little upset that I don't let her run with the "pack" of dogs that run around the teacher apartments. But she liked the pizza we had for lunch today. She has figured that she can pull papers off the desk and rip them up and I will chase her. I have to explain very patiently that even if the bills are ripped up, I still have to pay them. I appreciate the effort though.
She didn't appreciate the daydreaming time yesterday, but today she is busy making sure I do not go back to bed. As I made the bed (yes, the bed is MADE, miracles!) she sat spread legged sitting as though she was going to spring if I made ANY move to put my butt on it or in it. Of course, this defensive posture makes it impossible to make it. So I asked for her "rope" and she raced off to find it. I think she figured out the ruse and came back (without the rope) and jumped on the bed again and growled. The growl sounded like "so help me if I have spend another day watching you sleep I am not responsible for all the messes I'll make."
Needless to say, I am blogging today and she is watching me.
I watched Bill Maher's "Religulous" It was an excellent and I was trying to wrack my brain in ways to use it in the classroom. Bill Maher's a jerk, but he's really my kind of jerk. At least, he knows what he is. His mentality really reminds me of my student's mentality. I don't agree with all he has to say about religion, but, hell, I've been where he is now. Sometimes he takes pot shots at religions, but he asks the difficult questions. The end rant is awesome in the sense that it is awe inspiring of saying let's just all grow up. I don't know if I agree with him. But then again, the majority of people on this don't make it past high school in maturity. (me included.) So the human race can afford to do a little growing up. However, he forgets that sometimes to truly be spiritual, you are beyond being grown up and know yourself and do not have to prove anything to anyone anymore. Isn't that truly being grown up and spiritual? I think that is what I am striving for. (but fall very short of all the time.)
However, I do apologize to the wonderful 6 people who read this...checking vainly for updates on my "exciting" and important life on a weekly basis. (I think one is my mom. Thanks, Mom!) I really do not have excuses. I could write. I just chalk my lack of writing to:
#1 The writing would be a bunch of whines and rants. I am having a tough year. I recognize that now. I started the blog to whine and rant, but I also don't want to get fired from the best job I ever had.
#2 The writing would be important and relevant to me, but not to all of you. I don't want to be a whining bitch.
Since I now recognize that I need a outlet for my feelings about school and my life, I just will write. I would put a password on my blog, but then I would be like humiliated by the lack of responses for the password.
Anyhoo...this is my life since I talked to you last....
IT....IS....SPRING...BREAK! This is the Friday of it and so far none of the work I wanted to get done for school is done. What have I done?...
I planned/outlined (basically laid in bed and daydreamed) how to revamp the BBC's Torchwood TV series. (Russell Davies..call me!)
I did the dishes.
I rearranged the living room to reflect I no longer watch TV and plan to read alot more. (Yeah, right. I read one book last Saturday...something about country music. That Hank Williams guy...he had a really sad life and died at 29 years old! OMG, younger than me and still did more than me and he was drunk most of time!)
I crocheted a little on an afghan (that I started **2** years ago) while catching up on "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice." Last time I watched Denny was back and Isobel was talking to the dead guy, which I thought was captivating and romantic. Now, I think I missed an episode, because all they could talk about was brain worms (which don't get me wrong, I LOVE) but what happened to Denny? I liked him. They should bring him back. Oh yeah, he's dead. Well, that wouldn't really be a problem on "Torchwood."
Going through "Lost" withdraw since there is no episode this week. Instead, I found this blog written by "Hurley" on the show. It is fascinating. Today's entry about the guy passed out in his yard reminded me of when I lived up north and the homeless would pass out or pee or try to have sex drunk on the property I rented. One time I called 911 because there were 5 or so people passed out on the grass in back of the house and the city sent 5 police cars. Good times. (not really, I'm being sarcastic)I would have left a comment on his blog about my experiences, but he gets like hundreds and hundreds of comments and I wouldn't want to waste his time just writing about me.
I downloaded like tons of songs from Itunes. Oh, God....I am so addicted to Itunes. I lost my laptop for like a month and almost had the DTs. I downloaded new Dolly Parton, "Rattlin Bones" by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson (which is awesome!) Jamey Jameson, and a band I never heard of called "Torando Magnet." I know, pretty country. But please consider that I have been on a total Celtic music kick lately and I needed a break from the 8 million versions of "Loch Lomand."
I found out I have a weird affiliation for the song "Loch Lomand." You know the song..."You take the high road and I'll take the low road and I will be in Scotland before you." I listen to it over and over. I have no idea why. Mom, was that the song on the toy radio I tried to flush down the toilet when I was like three years old? It's strange. I don't even think I am part Scottish. There is a Scotland town where I grew up...I don't know.
Vada, the dog, is happy I am home and spending time with her. She is a little upset that I don't let her run with the "pack" of dogs that run around the teacher apartments. But she liked the pizza we had for lunch today. She has figured that she can pull papers off the desk and rip them up and I will chase her. I have to explain very patiently that even if the bills are ripped up, I still have to pay them. I appreciate the effort though.
She didn't appreciate the daydreaming time yesterday, but today she is busy making sure I do not go back to bed. As I made the bed (yes, the bed is MADE, miracles!) she sat spread legged sitting as though she was going to spring if I made ANY move to put my butt on it or in it. Of course, this defensive posture makes it impossible to make it. So I asked for her "rope" and she raced off to find it. I think she figured out the ruse and came back (without the rope) and jumped on the bed again and growled. The growl sounded like "so help me if I have spend another day watching you sleep I am not responsible for all the messes I'll make."
Needless to say, I am blogging today and she is watching me.
I watched Bill Maher's "Religulous" It was an excellent and I was trying to wrack my brain in ways to use it in the classroom. Bill Maher's a jerk, but he's really my kind of jerk. At least, he knows what he is. His mentality really reminds me of my student's mentality. I don't agree with all he has to say about religion, but, hell, I've been where he is now. Sometimes he takes pot shots at religions, but he asks the difficult questions. The end rant is awesome in the sense that it is awe inspiring of saying let's just all grow up. I don't know if I agree with him. But then again, the majority of people on this don't make it past high school in maturity. (me included.) So the human race can afford to do a little growing up. However, he forgets that sometimes to truly be spiritual, you are beyond being grown up and know yourself and do not have to prove anything to anyone anymore. Isn't that truly being grown up and spiritual? I think that is what I am striving for. (but fall very short of all the time.)
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