Trading Places

On the radio this morning they posed the question: If you could steal anyone's identity for one day, and live as them for 24 hours, who would it be?

I have thought about this for a bit now. I think I'd like to experience what it is like to be Jodi Piccoult. Lately I have been on a huge kick of reading her books. She is such a great story teller that I would love to be in her head for 24 hours. Not to mention maybe I would actually learn a thing or two that would improve my own writing when I became myself again. It would be interesting and exciting to see what it is like to live the life of an author if only for one day.

Don't Facebook Me!

I am so tired of parents of my students contacting me inappropriate ways and thinking it is ok or the correct way to go about things.

A few years ago I had a parent who lived a few doors down from my mom and dad. She came MORE THAN ONCE to their door looking for me! Mind you that I don't live there. She then went to my boss complaining that she contacted me and that I neglected to contact her back! Nevermind that I hadn't talked to my parents since she'd been there so I had no idea! Nevermind that that was so out of line that I couldn't even begin to tell you the multiple ways that made me feel wronged. I mean seriously!!

Today I get home from a somewhat rough end to the day and do my typical log on to Facebook to catch up with friends and get my Fish World fix (yes it is dumb but I'm addicted). Anyway, my inbox shows I have a message. I assume it is from one of the moms I am friends with at T-man's school. Nope! It is a mom of a student! (Ok I did graduate high school with her but we are NOT friends by ANY means of the word - LONG story for another day). So her son forgot to turn in his homework and is all upset and "what should she tell him" and "what should he do?" (Ok first off he is in MIDDLE school can't he handle this himself? Time to cut the apron strings mom! He has to learn how to deal with his issues/problems himself at some point. Now is as good a time as any!) Why is she contacting me through Facebook? I have a school email!!!! THAT is how you contact a teacher - NOT Facebook! I don't have a "public" page. You aren't my friend. Don't message me. I have a right to a personal life. I have a right to have a Facebook account to contact friends and play games without being accosted by parents.

I told her the answer to her questions and requested politely that in the future it would be best if she contacted me at my work email, gave her the email addy, and assured her that I check it regularly (I even emailed a parent back at 8:00 last night!) I am sure she won't like my request. Will probably go to my principal. But I feel I was polite and have a right to be contacted appropriately. Just because I'm a public employee doesn't mean I am public domain 24-7.

Jury Duty

It's funny, whenever someone I know gets jury duty they have to seek me out to tell me their story. I guess it is because I was a "professional juror" for about a year and a half a few years ago. Yes, you read right I said PROFESSIONAL juror. I can say that because somehow I was chosen to have the "honor" of serving on a federal grand jury.

Usually when one gets jury duty you serve a couple days and you are done. In fact the first time I had jury duty I never even saw the courtroom - just the waiting room!

However, a federal grand jury works very differently. Grand juries don't simply hear one case and are done as most juries do. Grand juries rather hear the evidence in cases that the federal prosecutors are ready to indict. They don't find the defendent guilty or not guilty. In fact they don't even hear the defenses side of the case. The job of a grand jury is to hear all of the prosecution's evidence in a case and decide whether or not there is probable cause (meaning is it possible that the defendent committed the crime).

Since it takes a while to train a grand jury and you might actually hear the same case over months (while still hearing other cases also) grand juries serve six months actively. For six months you serve 3 days a week for 2 weeks a month. For a total of six days a month. After that you can be recalled up to 4 days a month for the next year!

As you can imagine, this was really quite annoying for many of us. There was 2 other teachers beside myself who had to be out of the classroom constantly. There were people who if they didn't go to work that day didn't get paid for that day. Yes, we received a stipend for the day but let's face it - it was the government it wasn't much!

It is very amusing that anytime a coworker gets jury duty they have to seek me out to commiserate. As if there one or two days (at the most) makes us have a shared experience. When their life is completely taken over by jury duty. When they spend more time there than at work at time. Then they can say we have something in common. Until then they should just be happy they got a short term sentence!

Need for Time!

Ever since going back to work I have been struggling with finding the time. Finding the time to clean my house. Finding the time to read. Finding the time to do laundry. Finding the time to go for a walk. Finding the time to blog!

I just feel so overwhelmed this year so early on in the school year. I feel like started day one at full on sprint and haven't stopped since.

We are up before the sun. Rush out the door to work/school and then rush home again to grab some food and head off to one of countless night obligations/plans. Everynight there seems to be something! Three times a week hockey, meetings, appointments, etc. Last night we actually had THREE places we had to be all at the same time! All three were things for T-man. I only have one child how can he have three places to be at the same time??? How do people with more than one child do it? I mean I had to call in reinforcements to cover bases with one LOL

I miss my casual summer life. I look forward to visiting with it again in the future. It is so laid back and easy going compared to it's cousin, Real Life. Real Life could learn a thing or two from Summer Life. Wonder if that will ever happen?

Sharing

It is harder to adjust to having a student teacher than I thought it would be. In theory it is exciting to think of somebody else "doing your job" while you still reap the income. In reality it isn't quite like that.

First off, you have to explain EVERYTHING. Nothing is just routine anymore.

And the talking! Oh the talking... Even on my P&C I don't get a second of silence to just think or relax. Today she actually followed me to the restroom. I was afraid she was going to come in with me! LOL I'm used to turning on my iPod and jamming away at the work. That can't happen when you have a student teacher. Nor can you get a moment to call your husband/mother. In some ways it is like having a toddler!

Although I do have to say she is VERY enthusiastic and has a good rapport so far with the students (not an easy task in middle school). She obviously has some areas to work on but she'll get there. I have loads of faith in her.

I just wish for a quiet moment now and then. And a solo trip to the restroom!

Countries

Well I did better with countries then colors but still disappointed in myself. These things are addicting though! LOL

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Colors

Ok so I took this quiz where you are given 5 minutes to name as many colors as you can. I really thought I would have done better! Geesh was it difficult for me for some reason. And time went SO fast!

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Addicted to Blogging?

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Grandparents Day

In honor of Grandparents' Day I thought I would share some quotes I've found that I especially like about grandparents.


n honor of Grandparents' Day I thought I would share some quotes I've found that I especially like about grandparents.

A child needs a grandparent, anybody's grandparent, to grow a little more securely into an unfamiliar world. ~Charles and Ann Morse

Being grandparents sufficiently removes us from the responsibilities so that we can be friends. ~Allan Frome

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete. ~Marcy DeMaree

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our hearts forever. ~Author Unknown

Sometimes our grandmas and grandpas are like grand-angels. ~Lexie Saige

A grandfather is someone with silver in his hair and gold in his heart. ~Author Unknown

They say genes skip generations. Maybe that's why grandparents find their grandchildren so likeable. ~Joan McIntosh

My grandkids believe I'm the oldest thing in the world. And after two or three hours with them, I believe it, too. ~Gene Perret

If nothing is going well, call your grandmother. ~Italian Proverb

No cowboy was ever faster on the draw than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet. ~Author Unknown

My granddaughter came to spend a few weeks with me, and I decided to teach her to sew. After I had gone through a lengthy explanation of how to thread the machine, she stepped back, put her hands on her hips, and said in disbelief, "You mean you can do all that, but you can't play my Game Boy?" ~Author Unknown

Grandparents are there to help the child get into mischief they haven't thought of yet. ~Gene Perret

One of the most powerful handclasps is that of a new grandbaby around the finger of a grandfather. ~Joy Hargrove

MomDot - Small Talk Six - Chocolate!

Today's topic is to list 6 things that would taste better with chocolate on it.

Here's my six:

1.) Strawberries

2.) Pretzels

3.) Cherries

4.) peanut butter

5.) desert pizza

6.) nuts

Does Administration = Head Up Your A$$?

I do NOT understand the administration of my school district. Yes, I realize that they have a job to balance the budget. However, how do they think that cutting ALL sports, cutting all of the arts, and privatizing all of the services are the answer?

Tonight the school board is meeting and on the agenda is cutting almost all sports - all as of the winter season, cutting elementary band, music, art and gym. Also, plans to cut all technology courses at the elementary level. How does that help our students? How does that make them able to compete against others later in life? for college? for jobs?

They also hauled away our heavy duty copy machines today! Hello? How are we supposed to make copies? This might not be as detrimental for subjects like math, social studies, or science where they have a textbook they can teach from. They just won't be able to supplement with worsheets/handouts. However, I teach English! I DO NOT HAVE A TEXTBOOK!!!! My course IS handouts/worksheets! How the heck am I supposed to do my job????

Of course the big whigs all got raises last year. Ones that "can't be gone back on". Yet somehow we can make all these cuts. Not to mention our salaries (which did NOT receive raises!) can be gone back on obviously as they want to give us a 9% pay cut!! Did I mention WE have NOT had a raise of ANY kind in years? And that THEY have?

Ugh! Schmucks. It does NOT feel like they remember what the basis of our profession is.

I have never been as dissatisfied with my job as I am right now this early (first week) in the school year! Usually I am only this frustrated in about June!

blah blah blah

I am so tired of politicians and the smoke they try to blow up our asses! Do they really think that they are the only intelligent people on the earth? Do they really think that they are all that? They screw us all with a smile and expect us to smile back while thanking them. grrrrrrrrr

Melrose

Ok I admit it. I recorded Melrose Place that was on last night and watched it today after work. I used to watch the old version years ago with my college roommates so I was intrigued enough to check out the new show. It honestly wasn't that bad! I don't know how long I'll actually watch but I might DVR next week too. I was especially pleased to see the guy who was Josh Madden on All My Children! I was so sad when they killed him off of there - talk about nice eye candy! ;-D

Exhausting

Well I forgot how exhausting work could be. After not working since the middle of June tday was my first day back and I am spent! I was up before the sun and on the road as it rose in the sky. The funny thing is I didn't even have students today! What's going to happen tomorrow when there are kids in the seats in my room? Or the next day when they are actually there for the whole day!?!? I'm going to be a complete zombie by this coming weekend LOL! I'm too old for this stuff...

The Time Has Come

Well that day I have been in denial about has finally come. It's back to school day. Which for me means back to work as I am a teacher. No longer can I sleep in til 8 or 9 and then lie around reading for an hour or so until I get up. (For those of you with small children there does come a day when they are able to get their own breakfast! Just thought you might need a glimpse of the light at the end of the tunnel.) No longer can I read blogs or Facebook during lunch or between (I mean instead of) household chores. No longer can I stay up as long as I wish or in my jammies til noon. Those pleasures will need to be put away for the next nine months.

Now I get to get up early, keep on the boy to make sure he is doing as he should, drive in crazy traffice 35 minutes to work, and teach precious children.

Life is good. And I need to leave, better get going. I wouldn't want to be late on the first day :)

(oh! and instead of my usual night before going back to work nightmares of problem students from the past this year I had nightmares of the problem parents! LOL)

Successful Socializing

So if you have read my previous post (Anxiety) you know that I suffer from anxiety in relation to social situations. The idea of it makes me sick. Literally at times.

Well yesterday was a very successful day for me. At lunch time I took T-man and we went to the local Pizza Hut where we met two moms of kids in his grade. After lunch one of the moms and I took our kids on to bowling. Where they bowled three games. LOTS of socializing. I was fine. I didn't get nervous and I had a great time!

Then yesterday evening T-man had hockey. Usually I wouldn't go since it was just a practice. I take that as my alone time and watch things the guys don't like (chick flicks, Army Wives, etc.) while having a glass of wine. But last night I decided to go instead. I knew that Friday nights is a busy night at the rink and their would be a lot of people there that I "know". (I put it in quotes because while I know them and am friendly with them it isn't like have been really close or what have you with them.)

I didn't even take my book! That's my security. That or my camera. If all else fails or I get overwhelmed or need to hide behind something I will either stick my nose in a book or hide behind my camera. That way I don't feel bad when I don't put myself out there to talk to people and well it just makes me feel safe for some reason.

So last night I didn't take it. Instead I watched a little of practice and when I couldn't take anymore of the control freak, doesn't know anything but I am going to act like I do, nasally manager of son's team anymore ventured into the bar area to see if anyone I knew was in there.

Two mom's from T-man's team last year was and I sat and visited with them. Mind you I had to go up to them since they were already there and were playing cards. (I know it sounds dumb but that was major for me and I am oh so PROUD of myself!) I sat and visited with them for a long while then. Other moms/dads came in as other practices finished and that is where the Hubby found me to collect me to leave.

Sounds silly to many I'm sure but yesterday was a very fun day. Not only that but it really showed progress for me!

Why?

Why is everyone paying so much attention to Levi Johnston and what he says about Sarah Palin? Yes, I know that probably she is different that what we see. So is everyone else who is in the public eye! We don't really know those people! Don't you act somewhat differently when out in public? When with strangers then you do when you are with family who you know loves you - faults and all?

But why? WHY? are we giving this spoiled brat, angry, out to see what he can get TEENAGER so much clout? Why is everyone believing him? He's angry! Which he probably has some right to be. His relationship ended. Most of us aren't great friends with out exes. That's part of the reason they became an ex for goodness sake! To top it off his ex has his son! That as many of us know makes hard feelings and tense relationships even more so!

I'm just so darn sick of hearing him given so much publicity and credit from the media. Doesn't anyone think that he might feel he has to keep topping the last thing that he said to keep the media coming back for more? To keep eyes and attention on him? I mean look at the pay off for him! GQ spread and interview, modeling gigs (he isn't even that good looking IMHO), he gets to go to award shows with celebrities, he gets countless national interviews, among other things. Hmmmm wonder why he might find more and more stuff to say?