Darth Tater

I am winning over some students, while losing others. I don't know if that's progress, or just inevitable. Nothing more on the subject.

I went to the gym today! I of course came home and ate a small bowl of light alfredo noodles, but go me! 40 minutes of cardio and I've got about a 1/4 of my book left that is my "gym" book. I don't read it any other time, hoping that will inspire me to keep going to the gym so I can find out what's next. "Ancestors of Avalon"...a prequel to "Mists of Avalon." It's actually not too bad; better than what I've read lately.

I have surprisingly little to do tonight, other than write another poem for my juniors. I'll probably stare at my story some more and see if it's willing to talk to me. Or I could do laundry. Or clean my room. But the latter don't sound very exciting, do they? Of course, the former might drive my precariously-balanced mind that much further over the edge.

My father is playing a song called "Perfectly Good Guitar" by John Hiatt right now. I shall post the lyrics as an adieu:

Well he threw one down form the top of the stairs
Beautiful women were standing everywhere
They all got wet when he smashed that thing
But off in the dark you could hear somebody sing

Chorus:
Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don’t know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good guitar

It started back in 1963
His momma wouldn’t buy him
That new red harmony
He settled fgor a sunburt with a crack
But he’s stI’ll trying to break his momma’s back

Chorus

He loved that guitar just like a girlfriend
But ever good thing comes to an end
Now he just sits in his room all day
Whistling every note he used to play

There out to be a law with no bail
Smash a guitar and you go to jail
With no chance for early parole
You don’t get out tI’ll you get some soul

Chorus

Late at night the end of the road
He wished he stI’ll had the old guitar to hold
He’d rock it like a baby in his arms
Never let it come ot any harm

Chorus

The Grind

Not to be confused with the creepy movie that Sar & Kelly saw. This is "the grind" that typically refers to the 9-5, M-F workweek so many of us are forced to endure. My day is usually 6:45-3, but whatever. Anyway, I don't want to go back to work tomorrow. Not in the I-hate-my-job-I'm-quitting sense, just in the vague-indefinable-fear sense.

Did absolutely nothing of use today after I dropped Ms. Kelly off at the airport, until my mother went home and we went grocery shopping. I can't believe what a lazy weekend this was. Sure, we went to the casino and shopped, but I feel like I somehow let my guest down with the lack of excitement. Then again, it is CT and we do, after all, have jack shit to do.

I have to write some sample poems for my juniors right now, to give them an idea of what I'm looking for. Not that I'm feeling particularly inspired or anything, but the show must go on. Maybe after the poetry, I'll feel the urge to write some prose. I need to get on a writing regimen of some kind, along with getting back on track with the gym. If only I could write while working out, wouldn't that be ideal? Well, I think so.

If I don't go to the gym tomorrow, someone please...I dunno, do something to me that forces me to.

I was going to comment on the comments from 2 posts previous, but have decided I don't know what to say.

I took this quiz, and don't understand the result. Anyone care to explain?


Heart of Crystal


What is Your Heart REALLY Made of?
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Of Course

You're a Glass of Wine!


What Type of Alcoholic Beverage Are You?
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A week

It has now been a week since I set foot inside the gym. Oy. I was going to go this afternoon, but didn't leave work until 3:20 and figured by the time I got to the gym and changed (4 o'clock) I would have not been able to work out as much as I wanted to, because I would have had to come home, shower, and get in the car again to go pick up Bulky, 'cause she's coming to see me. So instead I came home, am going to shower, finish making a space on my floor for the mattress said Bulky will sleep on, and THEN go off ot pick her up.

Change of cycle today--issued I believe 7 detentions. Got my grades done, almost. One slacker kid still owes me something, and he's lucky that he's got until Monday now, instead of 3 o'clock this afternoon. I feel no sympathy for my students because I do not think I'm being unreasonable, just challenging.

Have introduced a new character into my still-still-untitled Gathering Tale. It needed a little more depth than the one story line I had created. This character is not based on anyone in particular, sort of the wild-card, which deviates from the original intent of the story, but whatever. She (Phalin) is actually much easier to write because I'm not trying to "capture" anyone with her.

I bought a battery for my laptop, so I will be able to travel and write in February, as well as this summer, when I'm bundled up in front of Stonehenge. I have 3 capes; I could bring one for each of us to wear and have our pictures taken in. Only one is white, so I might not bring that one. Anyway.

Hope everyone has a faboo weekend, and that the Odd-Goddess-Out enjoys her time alone.

Another day in June

My father is right; we should just hold off planning our trip until sometime in July. They can't make me work into July. Can they?

So far I have planned exactly one day of lessons for my juniors and watched Van Helsing. I know some people didn't like this movie but...whatever. At the end, Van Helsing reminded me of Derek Sagan from Star of the Guardians in a very loose way. This, of course, only made me want to read the books again. Because I don't have anything else to do or read, right? So far, I'm resisting the urge, but it's very tough. Now I'm wondering if Hugh Jackman could play Sagan if they ever made a movie. Not that they would, but if they could do Lord of the Rings, why not SotG?

My new Hollywood crush is Gerard Butler. I just wanted to share that with everyone.

My friend Amanda is writing at the moment. I tried to do that this morning when I first found out about the snow day, but was feeling totally uninspired. Still am, really. I may have to break out ye-olde-outlining skills to see if I can't make some headway on the story I started for the Texas trip that has since taken on a life of it's own. Well, a half-life of its own; it wants to exist, but it doesn't want to do anything profound.

Bulky will be at my house in just a few days, barring unforseen weather disasters. That is SO cool. Of course, this means I have to find a space for the mattress on my floor, but that's really besides the point, I think. I mean, why else would God have given us the ability to make piles if He didn't intend for them to exist?

I'm going to attempt to teach Whitman & Dickinson to my juniors when I get them back. This may be a complete fiasco, but at the moment, I don't want to teach them a book because that's like pulling teeth. Poetry is short and sweet, and then I might have them write some of their own. I've got a few that'll probably jump at the chance.

Nothing but really bad jokes, courtesy of cousin

1. Two antennas meet on a roof, fall in love and get married. The ceremony wasn't much, but the reception was excellent.

2. Two hydrogen atoms walk into a bar. One says, "I've lost my electron." The other says, "Are you sure?" The first replies, "Yes, I'm positive..."

3. A jumper cable walks into a bar. The bartender says, "I'll serve you, but don't start anything."

4. Two peanuts walk into a bar, and one was a salted.

5. A dyslexic man walks into a bra.

6. A man walks into a bar with a slab of asphalt under his arm and says: "A beer please, and one for the road."

7. A sandwich walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Sorry we don't serve food in here."

8. "Doc, I can't stop singing 'The Green, Green Grass of Home.'" "That sounds like Tom Jones Syndrome." "Is it common?" "It's Not Unusual."

9. Two cows standing next to each other in a field: Daisy says to Dolly, "I was artificially inseminated this morning." "I don't believe you," said Dolly. "It's true, no bull!" exclaimed Daisy.

10. An invisible man marries an invisible woman. The kids were nothing to look at either.

11. Deja Moo: The feeling that you've heard this bull before.

12. A man takes his Rottweiler to the vet and says, "My dog's cross-eyed, is there anything you can do for him?" "Well," says the vet, "let's have a look at him." So he picks the dog up and examines his eyes, then checks his teeth. Finally, he says, "I'm going to have to put him down." "What?! Because he's cross-eyed?" "No, because he's really heavy."

13. I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.

14. I went to the butcher's the other day and I bet him 50 bucks that he couldn't reach the meat off the top shelf. He said, "No, the steaks are too high."

15. I went to a seafood disco last week... and pulled a mussel.

16. What do you call a fish with no eyes? A fsh.

17. Two termites walk into a bar. One asks, "Is the bar tender here?"

F'ing Patriots

I scored a 65.8 at this purity test site. My score has not dropped over much since I first took one in college. I'm boring, but that's okay.

I have not abandonned Hamlet, per se, but have decided that showing the movie will be a lot more simple, while still exposing the students to said story. I'm going to make them write an essay on it when they're done, so the onus is on them to pay attention and ask questions. The few that were paying attention said it was easier to listen and watch then have their classmates read it. Well, okay, whatever works right? Next up for them...I don't know. Something shop-related that won't require me to do a lot of work once I do the planning. That's not lazy, it's "authentic learning." At least, this is what I tell myself.

Total side-bar: my brother just came in here because he couldn't plug his car charger into his new cell phone. He handed me both things and said "Bet you never thought this would happen." My brother, the electrician, came to me for mechanical/electrical assistance. Funny.

I should have gone to the gym today, but knew I would come home and go online, so I figured I could only allow myself one do-nothing break today and while on the computer at home, I can multi-task. 'Tis very hard to grade papers whilst on the mill of tread. Trust me on this.

I actually am sick of grading and what I really want to do is plan. Planning, for me, while time consuming, is MUCH more rewarding than actual grading. The type-A in me likes to organize everything, and planning is just that.

Brother reaks of cologne again. Oh. My. God. I hope there's a girl out there who finds this smell appealing, 'cause I sure as hell don't.

Is it February break yet?

'Cause correcting is NOT what I want to do

A – Accent: Not-so-much with that. I tend to sing British though. *shrugs*
B - Breast size: 36C
C - Chore you hate: Making salad
D - Dad's name: Marvin. Like the Martian
E - Essential make-up item: chapstick
F - Favorite perfume: None. They make me sneeze
G - Gold or silver: Either, really. Sparklies are good
H - Hometown: Technically? Meriden
I - Insomnia: Getting really bad sleep
J - Job title: Borer of teenagers, secondary English
K - Kids: I have 2 cats
L - Living arrangements: The homestead
M - Mom's birthplace: Meriden
N - Number of apples you've eaten: About 5 this week.
O - Overnight hospital stays: Just the initial "Welcome to the world" one
P - Phobia: No fears of that level
Q - Quiet or Loud: quiet with bouts of exuberant noise
R - Religious affiliation: Laxidasical (sp) Congregationalist
S - Siblings: Mon frere
T - Time you wake up: 5:45 AM
U - Unnatural hair colors you've worn: It was only unnatural on me-blonde
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat: Artichokes, and cooked carrots
W - Worst habit: Pick one. Seriously
X - X-rays you've had: All sorts of dentals
Y - Yummy foods you make: Taco salad; and I am the Lasagna Queen
Z - Zodiac sign: Sagittarius

He's here, the Phantom of the Opera

Went to see "Phantom" last night with the bf. It had been a REALLY long time since I'd listened to the soundtrack, so I forgot awhole bunch of songs that were in it. Needless to say, I came away feeling that Raoul was NOT a putz (as previously reported), feeling bad for the Phantom (as always) and loving Webber's music. I was a little peeved about the chandilier dropping being, uh, rescheduled, but I think it was a good decision. Mini Driver was a SCREAM as Carlotta. And the guy playing the Phantom...well, he's no Michael Crawford with his voice, but he wasn't really hard to look at, and his singing didn't hurt my ears, so I approve, although Antonio Banderas would have been a good choice.

Waiting for the impending snow. We're going to get a lot of it. Good thing I brought home a whole bunch of paper work, eh?

Hope everyone has a splendiferous weekend. Go Steelers!

Oh! For a "You might be from CT" list, check out Amanda's blog. I laughed. You will too.

TGIF

Why didn't I go to the gym after work? Sitting here now, I know I should have gone. I came home and ate way more than I needed to, for no other reason than...I don't know. I can't figure out what emotion it is that I'm feeling that caused me to eat.

Boredom?
Frustration?
Anxiety?

I just don't know. I shouldn't have eaten what I did, if I ate anything at all, as I did consume an apple after school today. I haven't been to the gym all week...no wait, I went Tuesday. I haven't done weights in over a week (and a half?). I'm gonna put on all that weight I was so good about losing.

Now there are the logistics of going to the gym. Even if I go in 20 minutes (after my food has digested), how packed will it be? Or, because it's Friday, will no one go and I'll still get a treadmill to bust my ass on?

These past couple of days have been real downers. Had some work-related stress that was partially self-induced, but it's been harder to fix than I thought and now the paranoid part of me is like "Oh crap, they'll fire me 'cause of this." Not that I did anything really bad, but still...I'm not secure. I'm never secure. You all knew that, but I guess admitting it is what..half the battle?

Did they finally decide how much snow we're going to get? When it is going to start/end? Is anyone else as sick of winter as I am? 'Cause, seriously, I could go for some bathing suit weather right about now.

My hands got so dry yesterday they actually cracked and bled. How disgusting is that? I was both astounded and disturbed.

No other profound words from the Lady Vader. Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Look...quizzies!

You Are a Visionary Soul

You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connect to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

You Are a Life Blogger!

Your blog is the story of your life - a living diary. If it happens, you blog it. And make it as entertaining as possible.

What kind of blogger are you?

MLK Jr Day

There is a deep profoundness in the fact that I have accomplished very little today. Oh sure, I corrected some papers and planned a few lessons, but...I have spent most of my day staring at the televison watching "The X-Files" mini-marathon that is currently running. That's all Anathema's fault, because she told me about the marathon, and I probably wouldn't have known about it if she had not provided the information.

I started re-reading the story I began writing for the Gathering and have added all of one paragraph. I think my little story is pretty good. I mean, sometimes I re-read my stuff and think, "Wow, this is crap," but then every once in awhile I read something and I go "Hey, that's not too bad." I love it when I surprise myself, which happens occassionaly if I haven't looked at a story in some time. Either that means I have a really bad memory or I'm fascinatingly unpredictable. Probably the former. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am as predictable as the sunrise or bad fanfiction.

The last episode of the marathon is the one where Mulder & Scully have a movie made about them. I wonder what they did with the bureau credit card that Skinner gave them. Probably a million fanfictions about it. I never wrote that one, however. I have no ideas that aren't terribly, well, predictable, so I guess I won't write it.

However, watching "The X-Files" is bringing back my college days and my roommate. I wonder how she's doing, and if she still watches. During "Triangle," I could almost see the two of us repeating the lines to each other at random moments during meals in the dining hall and getting very strange looks from everyone with in a 3-table radius. I guess I miss college a little bit.

My cat, Cleo, is just staring up at me right now from my lap, with occassional glances at Sparcy, who is trying to drag her 16-year-old kitty butt up onto my bed. I love having cats because they provide hours of entertainment as well as confidantes and stress relievers. Plus, they're just so darn cute.

Whether or not you had the day off, I hope it was good for you.

Football sadness

I watched two football games today that made absolutely no sense. Defied explanation. The fact that there were SEVERAL penalties not called against the Pats notwithstanding, the Colts did not play like the Colts. They played like...I dunno, like the Browns or 49ers or something. And the Vikings...I freakin' hate Randy Moss. There are no words for my detest of the man.

Now I'm into my second glass of conciliatory champagne but I still have a few words for the NFL about those satan-spawn Patriots.

Not much to say

Had a very blah day; am glad I have a long weekend.

Here, a quiz.


Which LotR Male are You Compatible with Sexually?
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Space-Time-Continuum Flux

I'm sorry, something must have gone horribly awry. Because with all this fog, I'm rather certain I've been transported OUT of New England and to the moors of Scotland. Does anyone see Heathcliff wandering around aimlessly? Hear the bag pipes? Or perhaps I'm actually in Salisbury, England, and if I turn the corner at the top of the hill, Stonehenge will magically appear.

Went to see "Finding Neverland" last night. Even Tusc was impressed and said it was the best movie he'd seen in a year. Of course, Johnny Depp was astoundingly beautiful, but the child actor who played Peter was very good as well, Kate Winslet was lovely, and of course the movie was just spectacular to look at.

Went to the gym today, but couldn't focus on anything, so after doing 2 types of arm weights and 3 sets of leg weights, I left. Now I'm here typing at a very high pace, eating (because I have PMS, oh joy) and avoiding the lessons I need to be planning for tomorrow. Tomorrow is a a really bad schedule...5 class periods straight, then lunch, then the second half of a double with Juniors. It doesn't sound that bad, until you realize that my lunch is pushed back about an hour on this day, and I get very cranky after not having eaten for that long.

The cats are circling, and Cleo is being particularly vocal. They probably want food or something. Guess I should go feed them, yes? (Sneezed, and one cat bolted. Hee hee.)

Anyway, Kelly is on her way home, and Sar is unreachable, so I hope everyone is okay.

Revisiting an old "friend"

In case anyone out there is attempting to lose weight, visit Workout and Food Log. I used this about 2 1/2 years ago when I was first trying to drop weight. They say you should keep a log of what you eat, and why not keep one that gives you calories too, and helps you calculate your totals after a workout?

It has its faults, because a lot of weirder foods (soy stuff) aren't on there, but it's a good indication.

Anyway, with my 90 minut delay, I thought I'd share that.

Winter in New England

I'm really hoping that I don't actually have a snow day tomorrow, because I don't want to be in school at the end of June, quite frankly. So let's hope for the late arrival, followed by the early dismissal for the professional development day. Apparently, this has been done before at my school, so it would be ideal. Classes would be what...25 minutes long? So other than the kids being wound for freakin' sound, that's a pretty sweet deal. 'Course, I gotta go over the midterm with them, but whatever.

Didn't go to the gym today on account of the weather, but I did go yesterday and beat myself up on the treadmill. Still not having a lot of luck with the food temptations, but one thing at a time. I can see myself putting on the weight, so I've got to do something.

All right, off to grade papers.

Holy....

AND THE VIKINGS WIN!

An honest-to-God win. 14 points. We're going to lose next week to the Eagles but. Holy cow!

Is it jealousy or concern?

Okay, so last summer I was really lucky after I left TX in that I lived alone in a house for two weeks, responsible for purchasing my own food, with no stuff in the house that shouldn't be there. I, therefore, lost weight. Yay me. However, being back at home (and especially the holidays) has found me subjec to all sorts of temptations. I am going to the gym fairly regularly at least, but the scale is creeping up again. Mother keeps saying "You don't have to worry about your weight anymore," but I'm still not where I want to be. Yeah, I'm starting to look a lot better, but not great. I might just be paranoid, but it feels like there is some conspiracy presenting me with things to which I cannot say no. I think Mom is worried I'm going to go on some anoerixic binge (is that an oxymoron? I think so.) or something, which isn't possible because I like food too much. And part of it is what we eat at home. Not that it is inherently bad, but there's been a lot of stuff of late that I probably shouldn't have been eating, what with the cholesterol and all.

So I don't know what to do. I just feel very...blech. I mean, I'm proud of myself for my gym attendance (going after I finish this post, actually) but I feel like I'm shooting myself in the foot because I cannot get my food temptations under control.

Ah the rollercoaster that is the Lady Vader.

A small personal breakthrough

I realized the other day what is wrong with my writing--I am not adhering to the most basic of rules "Write what you know." A lot of my ideas call for exotic (or at least foreign) locales and I've never been to any of the places that I want to write about. Or I haven't been there since I was 5 years old and really have no memory strong enough to build my story off.

I think this is perhaps why Refractions just sputters along. I had an idea for another story the other night, but I've never been to Greece. I could, of course, pick my friend Amanda's brain about the place, but it isn't quite the same. With out-and-out Fantasy or Sci-Fi, it's different of course, because you can just make up stuff, as long as it sorta makes sense. But my reality, or real world, based writing suffers from my inability to paint accurate pictures.

So that leads me to my next question--wtf do I do about it? I can't very well write foreign travel off on my taxes as a "work expense" although wouldn't that be lovely? Part of me is really itching for some travel--real travel. Sure, I've done Texas, California, Maine, Canada, D.C. ...but I need something different, something awe-inspiring. Something that will make me feel as if I have to write about it if I want to continue functioning as a person.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

ADD Induced Miscellany

First, the lyrics to "Party Like a Rock Star" by JTXperience...'cause it's a cool song.

Got a broken heart again
It must be the millionth time
You're out with all your friends
And I'm home alone and crying
You said we'd last forever
Forever came at noon
Tonight there's only one thing to do

[Chorus]
I'm gonna party like a rock star
Hit a bunch of strip bars
Wake up naked in a hotel room
Throw my TV out the window
Smoke a bunch of endo
Anything to get my mind off of you
Find a telephone pole to wrap around my car
And party like a rock star.

After all the nights we spent cuddling on the couch
And all the parties I passed up cause you didn't feel like going out
I guarentee you Steven Tyler didn't put up with crap like this
Tonight I'm makin' up for what I missed

[Chorus]

[Instrumental]

And the more I think about it
The less it hurts inside
Cause tonight I'm wanted dead or alive

[Chorus x 2]

Party like a rock star
We gonna
We gonna
We gonna
Party like a rock star
Everybody say Party
Everybody say Party, like a rock star
Dude looks like a lady

Next, a dream I had: I was at a nursing home that was actually a renovated old Victorian house with two other people. We had to call an ambulance because my grandmother (the one who's been dead for 30 years) wanted some information on a friend of hers, plus was having some sort of health problem. I had to wait in the living room for the ambulance to show up. Anyway, she's okay, and then the house is all of a sudden a B&B in the Scottish highlands, owned by this black heiress. In said B&B, some sort of family wedding is going on (not my own) and all of my father's family is there. Then myself and the heiress are riding through the highlands with a German shepard (presumably mine) and we are approached on horse back by a group of men (black) who want to attack us. Some sort of fight ensues, I think I fell off my horse, then I passed out. When I awoke in a big comfy bed, I asked about my dog and the heiress brought me this little puppy instead. I started crying. That's when I woke up.

According to dreammoods.com:

Grandmother-To see your grandmother in your dream, represents nurturance, protection, and unconditional love. Consider the qualities and characteristics that exist in your own grandmother.

House-To see a house in your dream, represents your own soul and self. Specific rooms in the house indicate a specific aspect of your psyche. To dream that you are in the living room, represents the image that you portray to others and the way which you go about your life. It is representative of your basic beliefs about yourself and who you are.

Telephone-To see or hear a telephone in your dream, signifies a message from your unconscious or some sort of telepathic communication. You may be forced to confront issues which you have tried to avoid.

Hotel-To see a hotel in your dream, signifies a new state of mind or a shift in personal identity. You need to move away from your old habits and old way of thinking.

African American-To see an African American in your dream, signifies your roots and heritage. You may need to discover the soul within your own self. Additionally, you are ready to be more expressive and creative.

Family-To see your own family in high spirits in your dream, symbolizes harmony and happiness.

Wedding-To see a wedding in your dream, symbolizes a new beginning or transition in your current life. Dreams involving weddings are generally negative and highlight some anxiety or fear. It often refers to feelings of bitterness, sorrow, or death. Alternatively, wedding dreams reflect your issues about commitment and independence.

Horseback Riding-To dream that you are riding a horse, denotes that you will achieve success through underhanded means.

Hills-To dream that you are climbing a hill, signifies your struggles in achieving a goal. To dream that you are standing on top of a hill, signifies that you have succeeded in your endeavors or that you have now have the resources to complete a task at hand.

Fighting-To dream that you participate in a fight, indicates inner turmoil. Some aspect of yourself is in conflict with another aspect of yourself. Perhaps an unresolved or unacknowledged part is fighting for its right to be heard. It may also parallel a fight or struggle that you are going through in your waking life.

Dog- To see a dog in your dream, indicate a skill that you have ignored or forgotten, but needs to be activated. Alternatively, dogs may symbolize intuition, loyalty, generosity, protection, and fidelity. Your own values and intentions will enable you to go forward in the world and succeed. If the dog is dead or dying, then it indicates a loss of a good friend. Alternatively, it represents a deterioration of your instincts.

Bed-If you are waking up in different and/or unknown beds, then it represents the consequences of the decisions you have made.

So I'm in inner turmoil, will succeed through devious means, need some nurturing, have lost a good friend and my insticts are decaying. My, isn't that pleasant?

Oh, and just to piss me off, my trip to TX is starting to get both more complicated and more expensive than planned. I am so pissed off about that.

Early Dismissal

You know, all days involving snow are both good and bad as a teacher.

Snow Day = Good, no kids but Bad, another day in June
Late Arrival = Good, more sleep and shorter classes but Bad, kids are wound up in the morning
Early Dismissal = Good, going home early but Bad, kids are wound up towards the end of the day.

Still, I had a decent drive home, without too many other motorists who forgot how to drive since last Monday.

But I DID get my formal observation in this morning and my freshmen were SUPERB! I wanted to hug them all when it was done, but that would, of course, have broken all sorts of rules. So I just thanked them profusely. They actually said to me "Did we do good? Will you not get fired?" Maybe I'll give 'em a treat whenever I see them next (be it tomorrow or Friday). They just made me so FREAKING happy. If only my second class of seniors hadn't been such morons...anyway.

Oh, get this. One of my freshmen boys (of The Boys class) asks me if he can go to his locker yesterday b/c he found a poster in his closet he thought I'd like. Turns out it was a poster from Episode I that they had hung in a movie store--it has to be six feet long. So he leaves it there, and I'm thinking "was this my first gift as a teacher?" So today I tell him he left it and one of the other boys says "Ms. T, I think he gave it to you." So I asked him. And he said "Well, I don't have a place to put it; you should hang it up here." Cute or what? This is the same kid who was bummed he didn't have my class before Xmas vacation.

Another story from yesterday--one of my other freshmen boys (from the observation class) is late to class after lunch yesterday. I question him about it and he says "Ms. T, I bought you an apple, but they gave me a detention 'cause I tried to take it out of the cafe." How do you yell at a kid who says that to you?

I'm not sure if my faith in my teaching career is restored, but I did have a couple of good classes today. Even my first group of seniors was more or less acceptable; less hellish than the other group at any rate.

Hope everyone gets what they want with the snow.

New year, new discipline

It seems I have to come up with a new set of rules/consequences/procdures, etc. for my classes. I got micro-managed by my v.p. today, so now I have to do everything he says. So I'm re-arranging seats for everyone, standing at the door and refusing to let anyone in with food or a hooded sweat shirt, and giving detentions for everything. I don't know how this is supposed to be effective, but that's what they're telling me.

As I was driving home, I thought more about something that Leila said awhile back about being a professor. I think that's the kind of teacher I'd love to be. Because discipline problems are pretty freakin' negligible in college--if they don't want to be there, they just don't show up. But that would require more schooling and more money on my part and...well, I think I might just be frustrated at the moment. I guess I'll try being a hard-ass tomorrow and see what happens. I think I'm going to get observed on Wednesday (but with my freshmen) so hopefully they'll be good. Actually, with this particular class, if I tell them it's going to happen, I'll bet they behave for me. Good kids, love 'em, they're my favorites.

Was supposed to go to the gym today, but as I got out of work late, I figured the place'd be packed and so I opted, instead, to simply come home and unwind for a bit.

Hope everyone's Monday was better than mine.

F'ing Vikings.

They lost. To the Redskins. I could have just reposted my angry entry from last January when they lost to the Cardinals. Assholes. They're like the Mets of baseball; they tease you with the belief that they'll get there and then they...choke. Or get abducted by aliens. Or...I don't know. Addendum: they made it to the playoffs, but only because someone else lost. Morons.

Anyway, I was a good girl and went to the gym this morning and did my weights routine. It actually wasn't too busy, considering it's the new year and everyone has got their resolutions. Of course, I was there at 8:30 in the morning. After that I went to see "Ocean's Twelve" with the bf, then came back to the house and started planning lessons for my seniors. I'm working on Lesson 4, which translates into either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on which of my two classes we're talking about. I'm going to take the first week to do Act I, but after that I might start assigning some of it for homework, because otherwise I'll be teaching "Hamlet" for the rest of the freaking year. And even I would find that tedious after awhile.

Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend.

Bonne anne, mes amis!

Well, it's offical...2005. I changed my wall calendar a few minutes ago. Now I'm sitting in my room (with an internet connection, because Andrew at SBC rocks my world) and am getting ready to do the work I've been avoiding since LAST Thursday afternoon. The Thursday that was in 2004. Wow. I think Anathema is right, we need 2 weeks of vacation--one to unwind and one to get your work done. I don't feel ready to go back to work.

I only finished two books over this vacation, and I'm trying to figure out why so few. I mean, I spent a LOT of time reading, and yet...only two. Granted, neither book was terribly interesting, so boredom might have been a factor. I just started the book Ancestors of Avalon, which is a spin-off of The Mists of Avalon, although not written by Bradley because she's, you know, dead. So far, I'm not really thrilled with it. Nothing I read lately seems to thrill me. And it's not like I'm reading the same type of stuff; my reading pallete has expanded recently. Perhaps because I'm not getting stimulated by the texts at work; how much young adult fiction can a person read, I ask you? Once in awhile, it's all good, but by this time my freshmen year, I had already read Jane Eyre and Romeo and Juliet. My students? Short stories and two YA novels of not much excitement. We have to teach them what they'll read, because getting them reading is what's most important, but isn't school about expanding your horizons, doing things that are a little uncomfortable and growing on account of it? I think I might torture my seniors with Hamlet because I think they'll like it. If only I can get them to understand the language. I'm going to have to back track and figure that out. Shakespeare is an acquired taste (as most of you know); once you get it, it's really easy to do another play, but getting it is the problem. I figure 90% of 'em have done R&J as freshmen or sophomores, so this shouldn't be COMPLETELY foreign. I dunno, what do you all think? I'm taking suggestions.

Wow, this post got to be a lot longer than I had planned on. I sure hope a few people read it all the way through. Not that I blog for the attention (totally) but it's nice to know that something you've written has been acknowledged.

Hope the first weekend of '05 goes swimmingly for all.