Generic Greeting

For all you who do read this blog. I'm sorry, you're lame, because I never write anything. It was brought to my attention by a dear friend. So here I am. Chronicling my life has never been harder. I'm teaching all day and going to school most nights. Just to go home and do it all over again. I can't wait until I'm done. Not teaching, but going to school. I could generalize and go on and say how much teaching is such a great experience, but I won't. 

the grind

i'm just realizing that i haven't fulfilled my christmas break resolutions: to read up on world history that i'll be teaching this spring. i have one more day. i helped my bestest move in her new place this weekend. i am so "escited" for her and fiance. well, her fiance is living there until they're married. anyways. she literally began looking for a place sunday and she was moving on Friday. her landlord is a pastor at a local church and lowered his rent because of the recession. He works in wondrous ways. 

El Rico

I hesitate to write this. My mom told me a story about a boy today that blatantly said that he wasn't going to have a Christmas. My mom works at a magnet school that is in historic Annapolis and caters to the creative arts, but some of the kids that go there are there by proximity. After she had talked to the school psychologist and the boy himself. She realized that he wouldn't have a Christmas that most of us experience. He will experience waking up in a dorm with other foster kids to another morning. He's under the warrant of the state. His mother is out of state and will not likely return due to her status with the state. I feel so compelled to write this just for prayer. I tried looking up the place, East Point, where he is living, but apparently Maryland wants that concealed. Just pray for him as he encounters another lonely Christmas and somehow realize that he is not alone. 

Slumdog Millionaire.

I found this movie oh so lovely. I knew that it was highly rated but I didn't know that it would be oh so awesome. The kids in this story epitomize the children of India and after about seeing them run around for 5 minutes, I wanted to adopt one. Danny Boyle never lets his audience down. 

Janet Jackson

Night number two of our annual church Christmas performance and this year I am in the production. I'm dancing and stomping to the beat of a garbage cans. Last night, I set the standard (the lowest standard, that is) and ripped my pants as I did a squat move in front of the gazing eyes of our audience. I was mortified and hurried off stage. Tonight I came to the show late, on purpose, hoping that everyone would just have forgotten about this wardrobe malfunction. But I was completely WRONG, people that hardly even know me came up to me and gave me a huge smile and said "got a good pair of pants!" AND on top of it all the people in the audience that saw this flaw apparently were all men. A couple of them told me. Even my pastor approached me with a grin from ear to ear. What a memorable night for them. I must say, I took the comments like a champ. 

Random

One of my kids said "QUEFF" in a loud, high pitched voice today in class. The class laughed. I told him "inappropriate!" 

I wanted to laugh too. 

Adulthood

Sometimes when I'm teaching, I'll hear under someone's breath, "Why do I need to know this?" I'll turn to them and explain that one day they'll understand that the Virginia Plan took the form of the House of Representatives and the New Jersey Plan was conceptualized to form the Senate, but really deep down I want to say, "there is going to be a lot of crappy things that you'll have to do in your life and doing this reading and worksheet is going to prepare you for it." As I was reading an article for one of my classes today I came across this quote from John Ogbu: "whatever else education may be, from the standpoint of society it is preparation of children for adult life as adults in their society conceive it." We have high and noble expectations, but really when is anyone going to ask you about the Great Compromise? We want to conceive adulthood as a chance to use what we've learned, but really it's just working, paying the bills, eating, and sleeping...at least for some of my students. Whose adult life are we talking about? 

Satan's Day

I woke up this morning at quarter to five to get to work by 6 for black friday.

 People in general aren't right. Waking up at an ungodly hour to get the "best" deal on black friday. I told a friend at work that today is Satan's day. People turn ugly, bust through the store doors, not wanting to be helped, and then yell at you if you are helped. It's ridiculous. Case in point, my friend was trying to help a lady and told her that she "didn't want any help! and the music was too loud!" Awesome. 

I shouldn't have had that second clementine...

Ohhh. My stummy feels funny. 

You know what sucks. Imagine. Walking into your room ready to undress and unwind from a day full of middle schoolers and uppity bath and body works customers to only find an old, withered man in your bed!! Come on! Sleep in your own freaking bed Dad! He claims that he sleeps better in my bed because my mattress is superior to his.

Watch It!

After my presentation on Emotional and Behavioral Disorders tonight, I decided to skip the additional 2 hours of presentations. As I was riding my bike throughout the parking lot I almost got hit...twice! It was like I was invisible or something. I must bring a light with me now on because it is getting darker. But I mean, come on, drivers need to respect. One guy was busting through a stop sign and the other just plain cut me off. 

I was flipping through some blogs and found this sweet little number. What a beauty and lightweight. Most importantly hand-made with love.

Hmm

This weekend I went to my sister's condo after I took my exam and basically stayed there until 2 in the morning. It was like Quarantine but not. First when I entered, the walls and door were just painted so it smelt of fumes, then they're electricity went out in the entire complex, and then it started pouring. Now, it wouldn't have been so bad, but we had to open the windows to let out the fumes and the rain came in. Needless to say, this was beautifully planned. So Leah and I just sat on the couch and talked. It was much needed. After about an hour the electricity came on.

Praxis Deux

Praxis what?? I've been studying for on and off today for the last big exam I'll ever have to do to become a teacher. If I don't passed, then I'm in deep weeds. My friend, Jenn, cut, I mean, chopped my hair off. Literally. She took the scissors and went at it. She did a wonderful job. Now, to just get rid of this cold sore and write that paper and finish up that presentation, and begin on another, the list never ends. 

I interrupt your usual program...

I now ask the obvious and obnoxious question of the day:

Did you vote? If not, too late.

Gooooee

I'm sick ya'll. I started middle school today and they are going to suck the living daylights out of me. On the bright side, I got a flu shot today. YAh for no throwing up and feeling achy!

My, My, my.

This month has been flying by. It's midterm time and I have the battle scars to prove it...acne. Not too bad, but a few days ago there were some gangbusters on my face. I'm all done student-teaching at Northwestern High and will be moving on to Samuel Ogle middle which is awesome because it's so much closer to home and ma sista! I'll probably/hopefully be staying some nights with her to get some second opinions on lesson plans. My new mentor teacher, I hear, isn't that fabulous. She's closer to her retirement year and just makes her kids do busy work. Well, hopefully that will be changed when I'm on. So, I bid you all adieu. Off to bath and body works to rub lotion on strangers.

On the Radio

So recently my mom has gone into the kick of playing the radio while in the kitchen. (Blame it on the Bailout Bill--we were listening to the House and Senate meeting on NPR) Then we would listen to the mellow music afterwards. I mean it's cool and all but Kenny G all the time can drive a girl mad. It can be calming but for me, I'm sorry it doesn't cut it. I know this is a lame post, but that's what I'm hearing now. 

Marie Antoinette

I just happened upon this movie Marie Antoinette. Although the dialogue is lacking, the screenplay is wonderful. 

Cockroaches!

I had a meeting this morning with my Social Studies cohort and before I went in, I went to the ladies room. I went into the stall and to my surprise was a cockroach on the wall next to me. It fluttered it's wings at me as if it was it's way of bidding me "good morning." I jumped out of my skin and screamed. The girls in the other stalls inquired and I told them with much disgust. Then as I was washing my hands and explaining to the girl what had happened, she spotted another roach by my foot!! I ran out of the bathroom and just thinking about it gives me the chills. 

Documentary

I actually watched some TV tonight. Since I've been home, I've been putting my nose to the grind with all the makeup work and planning. I saw a wonderful program on "American Masters" tonight about the Warner Bros. I think it's a 3 night documentary about the evolution of the Warner Bros. movies. 

Anyways, Las Vegas was intense. I didn't sleep and when I did it was only for a short bit. I lost some money but eh, it's Vegas. I saw Mystere, my favorite of all 2 Cirque du Soleil shows that I've seen. It was so dry and hot there it was outrageous. And I realized that since we had room service last year that I was parched for the most part. Plus in Las Vegas there isn't a water fountain to be found. They will use it for displaying the water show in front of the Bellagio or a fountain portraying Julius Caesar in Caesar's Palace, but no drinking fountain anywhere. It's the only place where they can charge $3 for water without a person thinking that's crazy! What you do for water. 

Vegas!!

I leave for Vegas in a couple of hours and I'm still packing and last minute homework assignments. I really don't want to do it when I get back so I'm trying to do it NOW. I'll be staying with Kim, a long friend of mine from Camp. Her mom gets comps and she gives the free room to Kimmy. We're staying at El Cortez is downtown, dirty Vegas. Thats where all the wedding Chapels are. Fun Fun. Hopefully I'll get to eat at In-N-Out Burger. From my sister's and neighbor's experience, they love it. Good things. Mazel tov.