My current obsession is Scrapblog, this online scrapbooking software. I haven't figured out all the bells and whistles yet, but I made this:
B and I went out last night to unwind from the week. Some friends of ours were playing, and we decided to go see them. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm all for having a few drinks on a weekend and just having fun. However, after my bar experience last night, I felt that I should create some bar rules for girls. They are...
1. I know you are a size 2 and have great legs. Wear that mini-dress, honey. But, please don't bend over (ever). It doesn't matter how hot you are, nobody wants to see your hoo hah.
2. Always steer clear of spandex.
3. I see that you and your boy toy are SOOOOO in love (gag). That doesn't mean you should swap sloppy kisses or grab anything on your partner below the waist. Personal space still applies when you're drunk.
4. Just because a rap song comes on the radio, that doesn't mean you suddenly have dance skills.
and, finally...
5. No grinding.
Please follow these rules and
A. I will not have to slap you, and...
B. this won't be you:
1. I know you are a size 2 and have great legs. Wear that mini-dress, honey. But, please don't bend over (ever). It doesn't matter how hot you are, nobody wants to see your hoo hah.
2. Always steer clear of spandex.
3. I see that you and your boy toy are SOOOOO in love (gag). That doesn't mean you should swap sloppy kisses or grab anything on your partner below the waist. Personal space still applies when you're drunk.
4. Just because a rap song comes on the radio, that doesn't mean you suddenly have dance skills.
and, finally...
5. No grinding.
Please follow these rules and
A. I will not have to slap you, and...
B. this won't be you:
-Yesterday, I had my very first cavity filled. It wasn’t that bad, except afterward my face felt like it was melting off (funny) and when I talked I sounded like I had a speech impediment (not funny).
-Yesterday was also Piper Mortimer Duncan’s first birthday. Since I am a bad catmother, I completely forgot until I was in bed about to go to sleep. We decided to let her stay in there with us for the night (it was her birthday, after all) until she started attacking our hands and feet. Before you start feeling sorry for her, I do not think she realized it was a special day; she doesn’t speak English, after all.
-A couple of girls from work asked me to start walking with them sometimes. I am so excited! It made me feel good and included in the work crowd.
-A friend gave me some back issues of Time magazine, and I have been slowly catching up. According to Time’s article “CT Scans: Just How Safe Are They?”, new medical research says that CT scans can expose you to large amounts of radiation (45 millisieverts – the typical chest x-ray delivers .02 millisieverts) and can actually make malignancies worse. Another article (“Gardasil: Vaccine Battle?”) says Gardasil may cause side effects, including seizures, fainting, and even death. HOWEVER (on both the CT scan and the Gardasil front), McSister (my sister doctor) checked medical journals and we are in fact going to live even if we’ve had a CT scan and the Gardasil shot. You can rest easily.
-Tomorrow = last working day of the month = pay day! WOO HOO!
-Yesterday was also Piper Mortimer Duncan’s first birthday. Since I am a bad catmother, I completely forgot until I was in bed about to go to sleep. We decided to let her stay in there with us for the night (it was her birthday, after all) until she started attacking our hands and feet. Before you start feeling sorry for her, I do not think she realized it was a special day; she doesn’t speak English, after all.
-A couple of girls from work asked me to start walking with them sometimes. I am so excited! It made me feel good and included in the work crowd.
-A friend gave me some back issues of Time magazine, and I have been slowly catching up. According to Time’s article “CT Scans: Just How Safe Are They?”, new medical research says that CT scans can expose you to large amounts of radiation (45 millisieverts – the typical chest x-ray delivers .02 millisieverts) and can actually make malignancies worse. Another article (“Gardasil: Vaccine Battle?”) says Gardasil may cause side effects, including seizures, fainting, and even death. HOWEVER (on both the CT scan and the Gardasil front), McSister (my sister doctor) checked medical journals and we are in fact going to live even if we’ve had a CT scan and the Gardasil shot. You can rest easily.
-Tomorrow = last working day of the month = pay day! WOO HOO!
Tonight, I decided to go back and read my old (years ago) online journal. Some random clippings (from most recent to least recent because I don't know how to fix it):
April 4th, 2006:
kellybeth1225: go to work tomorrow and figure out what is wrong with me
hayleyc99: hiv
hayleyc99: gonoherpesyphilaids
hayleyc99: mono?
hayleyc99: or possibly a torn ACL
hayleyc99: I'll work on it
kellybeth1225: definitely ACL
hayleyc99: well, I have seen a lot of those lately so I'm pretty good at diagnosing them, especially over AIM
__________
March 6, 2006:
Today I pulled up to Wal*Mart and there was a man walking through the parking lot with a bat. Also, I saw a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the ghost of Christmas past. You know, you just never know what you'll see these days.
I will leave you with a quote that one of my friends said about Bruce Springsteen:
"I really, really think that 80's TV show "Who's the Boss?" would've been so much better if they would've cast Bruce as the lead role instead of that lame Tony Danza. I mean, they'd probably have to change the title and everything. Because, it would be senseless to ask who's the boss when everyone KNOWS it's Bruce. C'mon. The title would look more like "I'm The Boss, Bitch!"
__________
January 30, 2006:
"I want to give a really bad party. I mean it. I want to give a party where there's a brawl and seductions and people going home with their feelings hurt and women passed out in the cabinet de toilette. You wait and see." -Diver, from Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night
__________
Jan 22, 2006:
This Hemingway business isn't as bad as I thought. It's really very good. But, he always writes run-on sentences, and it's annoying. Also, he doesn't put commas after sequential words that open sentences (ex. Then,...) or before "too" to end a sentence. I wonder what that's all about. I wonder if I'll ever find someone who is interested in the same things I am. I wonder if that would even be a good thing?
The people in the Crimson White FINALLY wrote an article about Foster Auditorium. That seems so silly that I get so worked up about something like that, but I can't help it. It's the most historically important site on the campus, and we're just letting it rot. Something is wrong with that. Where are all the loaded alumni who think the preservation of history is important?
By then I knew that everything good and bad left an emptiness when it stopped. But if it was bad, the emptiness filled up by itself. If it was good you could only fill it by finding something better. -Hemingway, from Moveable Feast
[COMMENT: I was extremely happy when I read this one, because Blaine might be one of the only people on the planet that would be interested in the meaning of the grammar in a Hemingway novel.]
_________
January 24, 2006:
I get my clinical packet tomorrow, telling me which school I will be placed at. I hope I'm a good teacher. I hope I don't hate it.
_________
January 10th, 2006
"I wonder about all the roads not taken and am moved to quote Frost...but won't. It is sad to be able only to mouth other poets. I want someone to mouth me." -Sylvia Plath
"I also don't believe in "owning" people--like a good whore or a pet canary." -Sylvia Plath
________
December 28th, 2005
The dog kissed me on the lips yesterday. I think she wants more out of the relationship than I am willing to give. I told her I wanted to take it slow, but she's just not listening to me.
_______
December 14th, 2005:
Year in Review: Take the first sentence from each month in your journal, and post it.
January: So I've downloaded around 20 songs (including the Fall Out Boy Christmas song you let us listen to yesterday, Meg... are you proud?) and I'm so pumped up about making this CD, and then I realize I'm out of blank CD's.
February: Well, I know it's probably been six months since I've updated, so I thought I'd start this weekend.
March: Today is Stevie's Birthday and here is a picture for your viewing pleasure :
April: Hey cowgirls - see the grass? don't eat it
May: Something drastic happened today. I broke down and went to the library.
June: Wow, that's quite a title you've got. What is your major again?
July: Right. So i tried to update the other day but the computer was being entirely ridiculous so i couldn't.
August: Stand on my left, boo I know you ain't right
September: So it seems like every time I do a private entry it ends up being about...
October: Francesco Petrarca's SONGBOOK sonnet # 132
November: I went shopping today and bought entirely too much stuff.
December: Tonight freaking rocked. Lowkey party turned out to be just the fun I needed.
OK, I'll stop there. It goes back way farther, but I really got a kick out of reading what I had written at a different point in my life. I realized I used to read better books and think about them more. Maybe I can work on that. Any suggestions?
April 4th, 2006:
kellybeth1225: go to work tomorrow and figure out what is wrong with me
hayleyc99: hiv
hayleyc99: gonoherpesyphilaids
hayleyc99: mono?
hayleyc99: or possibly a torn ACL
hayleyc99: I'll work on it
kellybeth1225: definitely ACL
hayleyc99: well, I have seen a lot of those lately so I'm pretty good at diagnosing them, especially over AIM
__________
March 6, 2006:
Today I pulled up to Wal*Mart and there was a man walking through the parking lot with a bat. Also, I saw a woman who bears a striking resemblance to the ghost of Christmas past. You know, you just never know what you'll see these days.
I will leave you with a quote that one of my friends said about Bruce Springsteen:
"I really, really think that 80's TV show "Who's the Boss?" would've been so much better if they would've cast Bruce as the lead role instead of that lame Tony Danza. I mean, they'd probably have to change the title and everything. Because, it would be senseless to ask who's the boss when everyone KNOWS it's Bruce. C'mon. The title would look more like "I'm The Boss, Bitch!"
__________
January 30, 2006:
"I want to give a really bad party. I mean it. I want to give a party where there's a brawl and seductions and people going home with their feelings hurt and women passed out in the cabinet de toilette. You wait and see." -Diver, from Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night
__________
Jan 22, 2006:
This Hemingway business isn't as bad as I thought. It's really very good. But, he always writes run-on sentences, and it's annoying. Also, he doesn't put commas after sequential words that open sentences (ex. Then,...) or before "too" to end a sentence. I wonder what that's all about. I wonder if I'll ever find someone who is interested in the same things I am. I wonder if that would even be a good thing?
The people in the Crimson White FINALLY wrote an article about Foster Auditorium. That seems so silly that I get so worked up about something like that, but I can't help it. It's the most historically important site on the campus, and we're just letting it rot. Something is wrong with that. Where are all the loaded alumni who think the preservation of history is important?
By then I knew that everything good and bad left an emptiness when it stopped. But if it was bad, the emptiness filled up by itself. If it was good you could only fill it by finding something better. -Hemingway, from Moveable Feast
[COMMENT: I was extremely happy when I read this one, because Blaine might be one of the only people on the planet that would be interested in the meaning of the grammar in a Hemingway novel.]
_________
January 24, 2006:
I get my clinical packet tomorrow, telling me which school I will be placed at. I hope I'm a good teacher. I hope I don't hate it.
_________
January 10th, 2006
"I wonder about all the roads not taken and am moved to quote Frost...but won't. It is sad to be able only to mouth other poets. I want someone to mouth me." -Sylvia Plath
"I also don't believe in "owning" people--like a good whore or a pet canary." -Sylvia Plath
________
December 28th, 2005
The dog kissed me on the lips yesterday. I think she wants more out of the relationship than I am willing to give. I told her I wanted to take it slow, but she's just not listening to me.
_______
December 14th, 2005:
Year in Review: Take the first sentence from each month in your journal, and post it.
January: So I've downloaded around 20 songs (including the Fall Out Boy Christmas song you let us listen to yesterday, Meg... are you proud?) and I'm so pumped up about making this CD, and then I realize I'm out of blank CD's.
February: Well, I know it's probably been six months since I've updated, so I thought I'd start this weekend.
March: Today is Stevie's Birthday and here is a picture for your viewing pleasure :
April: Hey cowgirls - see the grass? don't eat it
May: Something drastic happened today. I broke down and went to the library.
June: Wow, that's quite a title you've got. What is your major again?
July: Right. So i tried to update the other day but the computer was being entirely ridiculous so i couldn't.
August: Stand on my left, boo I know you ain't right
September: So it seems like every time I do a private entry it ends up being about...
October: Francesco Petrarca's SONGBOOK sonnet # 132
November: I went shopping today and bought entirely too much stuff.
December: Tonight freaking rocked. Lowkey party turned out to be just the fun I needed.
OK, I'll stop there. It goes back way farther, but I really got a kick out of reading what I had written at a different point in my life. I realized I used to read better books and think about them more. Maybe I can work on that. Any suggestions?
After I win the HGTV Dream Home and then have to sell it because I cannot afford the taxes, I plan to buy the following things:
-an easel and loads of art supplies to start my “cute-stuff business” (let me know if you have suggestions for business names)
-someone to whip me into shape ----> preferably, a female personal trainer who has never, ever painted her nails
(I will also need this to go with my personal trainer.)
-complete Fiestaware set in Cobalt Blue
-a steel guitar for my hubby to play with
-a Kitchenaid stand mixer (in red)
-this adorable denim dress from Ann Taylor. While I am at it, I will buy one of each item in the store that I always love but can never afford
-bedroom furniture from the Pottery Barn Farmhouse Collection (all pieces in antique honey)
-“No Fear Shakespeare” class sets for Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and Hamlet
-a never-ending supply of Vera Wang Princess perfume
-Yamaha PSR-295 keyboard stand and bench
-all kinds of sheet music
-Sopranos Series Box Set
and
-everything associated with this home movie theater:
-an easel and loads of art supplies to start my “cute-stuff business” (let me know if you have suggestions for business names)
-someone to whip me into shape ----> preferably, a female personal trainer who has never, ever painted her nails
(I will also need this to go with my personal trainer.)
-complete Fiestaware set in Cobalt Blue
-a steel guitar for my hubby to play with
-a Kitchenaid stand mixer (in red)
-this adorable denim dress from Ann Taylor. While I am at it, I will buy one of each item in the store that I always love but can never afford
-bedroom furniture from the Pottery Barn Farmhouse Collection (all pieces in antique honey)
-“No Fear Shakespeare” class sets for Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, and Hamlet
-a never-ending supply of Vera Wang Princess perfume
-Yamaha PSR-295 keyboard stand and bench
-all kinds of sheet music
-Sopranos Series Box Set
and
-everything associated with this home movie theater:
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about love. I guess it has been in the back of my mind anyway, and then I read the latest post on a blog I regularly follow. The author Jodi always has things to say that make me think, but I was very interested in what she had to say in this post...
“I find it hard to love Chip when the kids have drained my energy for the day and he walks into the house after work and finds me tired and short-tempered. I find that more often than not, love is not an easy thing for me to do- unless I am consciously making the effort to show love. I am realizing more and more that most of the things I do- my "acts of love" for my family- are so routine that they end up being overlooked. I am sure if I quit doing laundry for a few days, the piles of dirty clothes would start to make a statement. But in doing daily loads of laundry, it just becomes a "chore" and nobody 'sees' it as love. It's expected and it just gets done.”
There seems to be such a disparity between loving someone and showing that you love. Is this a disconnect for every single person? And if everyone is different in the transition from loving to showing it, how do you possibly get on the same page?
Also, I watched the movie Vicki Cristina Barcelona last night. In the movie, the characters are all trying desperately to find a kind of love that suits them. Some of them have a plan, some are open to anything, some attempt to change their very identities in the efforts to find this elusive, loving happiness. The saddest/most interesting part to me is that even though the characters find themselves in changing, chaotic situations, they all end up the same in the end with the same ideas about love as they did in the beginning. Can you change the way you love/the kind of love you are looking for?
I have always found it easy (probably too easy) to care about people. I often am too attached to situations/relationships, and I chronically over-do it. I over-do it to the point that, like Jodi, sometimes I think my efforts at love are overlooked and feel routine. Even though I am sure that can be annoying to the people who are close to me, it is not the main problem to me. The most destructive loving habit that I have is expecting people around me to love me in the way I love them. Maybe it sounds selfish/needy, but I need to be reassured (very) often that love is still there, that I am a priority, and that I am appreciated.
Because I expect too much, I usually miss the subtleties and small ways that people show me they care. It can make me feel very alienated when I do not get what I think I need love-wise. I end up feeling unloved. The most depressing part is that I know in large part I am doing it to myself. I am hoping that as I get older I will begin to be more open-minded to love of all kinds.
“I find it hard to love Chip when the kids have drained my energy for the day and he walks into the house after work and finds me tired and short-tempered. I find that more often than not, love is not an easy thing for me to do- unless I am consciously making the effort to show love. I am realizing more and more that most of the things I do- my "acts of love" for my family- are so routine that they end up being overlooked. I am sure if I quit doing laundry for a few days, the piles of dirty clothes would start to make a statement. But in doing daily loads of laundry, it just becomes a "chore" and nobody 'sees' it as love. It's expected and it just gets done.”
There seems to be such a disparity between loving someone and showing that you love. Is this a disconnect for every single person? And if everyone is different in the transition from loving to showing it, how do you possibly get on the same page?
Also, I watched the movie Vicki Cristina Barcelona last night. In the movie, the characters are all trying desperately to find a kind of love that suits them. Some of them have a plan, some are open to anything, some attempt to change their very identities in the efforts to find this elusive, loving happiness. The saddest/most interesting part to me is that even though the characters find themselves in changing, chaotic situations, they all end up the same in the end with the same ideas about love as they did in the beginning. Can you change the way you love/the kind of love you are looking for?
I have always found it easy (probably too easy) to care about people. I often am too attached to situations/relationships, and I chronically over-do it. I over-do it to the point that, like Jodi, sometimes I think my efforts at love are overlooked and feel routine. Even though I am sure that can be annoying to the people who are close to me, it is not the main problem to me. The most destructive loving habit that I have is expecting people around me to love me in the way I love them. Maybe it sounds selfish/needy, but I need to be reassured (very) often that love is still there, that I am a priority, and that I am appreciated.
Because I expect too much, I usually miss the subtleties and small ways that people show me they care. It can make me feel very alienated when I do not get what I think I need love-wise. I end up feeling unloved. The most depressing part is that I know in large part I am doing it to myself. I am hoping that as I get older I will begin to be more open-minded to love of all kinds.
I am frustrated with the (lack of) grammatical knowledge my ninth-graders have. I reviewed parts of speech during the first six weeks, because I wanted them to have a good review before we start harder concepts like subject-verb agreement, sentence structure, style, etc. I realize that for all those who are not grammar nerds, it can be a little boring. So, I came up with (what I thought were) effective, entertaining ways to learn parts of speech. For example, after we learned pronouns, I played "Can't Buy Me Love" and had them pick out the pronouns. Also, after we did adjectives, we played a game to see which group could come up with the most adjective for everyday objects. They were very involved and seemed to understand it at the time.
Fast forward to today when I'm grading their six weeks exams. THEY DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS. You can just forget about pronouns and adjectives. They can tell you every single word to every single Gucci Mane song, but they have no idea which of the words in the song are nouns.
I re-taught what should've been a review, reviewed the review, and then tested. These are primary concepts, and yet they still don't know them. What gives?
Fast forward to today when I'm grading their six weeks exams. THEY DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COMMON AND PROPER NOUNS. You can just forget about pronouns and adjectives. They can tell you every single word to every single Gucci Mane song, but they have no idea which of the words in the song are nouns.
I re-taught what should've been a review, reviewed the review, and then tested. These are primary concepts, and yet they still don't know them. What gives?
5 Things I am Happy About Today:
1. I have been really trying to stick to working out/walking at least three times a week. I have lost three pounds! I know that is not a lot, but I feel better and my pants buttoned this morning. Score one for the home team.
2. The 7 (yes, 7) boxes of Girl Scout cookies Blaine and I ordered came in today. Scratch out number 1.
3. I am going to have sushi tonight!
4. I have been the master of time management today (Again, it must be that day off that helps me regain motivation). I am completely caught up on lesson planning and grading - woo hoo!
5. Happy birthday to my beautiful mother!
A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories. ~Honoré de Balzac
1. I have been really trying to stick to working out/walking at least three times a week. I have lost three pounds! I know that is not a lot, but I feel better and my pants buttoned this morning. Score one for the home team.
2. The 7 (yes, 7) boxes of Girl Scout cookies Blaine and I ordered came in today. Scratch out number 1.
3. I am going to have sushi tonight!
4. I have been the master of time management today (Again, it must be that day off that helps me regain motivation). I am completely caught up on lesson planning and grading - woo hoo!
5. Happy birthday to my beautiful mother!
A mother's happiness is like a beacon, lighting up the future but reflected also on the past in the guise of fond memories. ~Honoré de Balzac
I AM SO HAPPY TO BE ENTERING INTO A LONG WEEKEND! This weekend is going to be great. Saturday is Mom's birthday celebration and Valentine's Day (we're going for appetizers and desserts and then bowling). Plus, we get to see H, F, and the sweet babies. Then on Sunday Blaine and I are having a belated Valentine's Day gathering (hopefully) complete with a heart-shaped pizza from Papa John's, wine, and Scrabble. All my favorite things! Last but (most definitely) not least, we have Monday off of work. I hope it's warm!
Last night was very fun. See?...
The Lookers (minus Hams Bagsbys) and Blaine Duncan played a show at the Lakeside Dining Hall on campus:
Elliot McPherson of the Dexateens and Buhl, Alabama opened for them:
Then, Lindsey and I showed the guys how to play darts (for that one game, the only one that counts):
***UPDATE:
yummmm
Last night was very fun. See?...
The Lookers (minus Hams Bagsbys) and Blaine Duncan played a show at the Lakeside Dining Hall on campus:
Elliot McPherson of the Dexateens and Buhl, Alabama opened for them:
Then, Lindsey and I showed the guys how to play darts (for that one game, the only one that counts):
***UPDATE:
yummmm
Since today is the last school day before Valentine's Day, I had the kids make Valetine's cards with haiku poems in them. They were able to choose the recipient and create a haiku with any tone they liked (funny, serious, loving, etc.)
They REALLY liked it; they generally like anything that allows them to use crayons. (Side note: So do I. I guess you never really grow out of that.) Anyway, I was impressed at what they came up with. Some of them did an outstanding job, and (nearly) all of them knew what a haiku was by the time they left. Right before the bell, I reminded them to give their cards to their Valentines. One little boy came up to me and had made me a card (sweet!). This was the haiku inside:
"Happy Valentines
Come to the movies with me
Don't tell your husband"
HAHA!
I love stuff that examines how language is used or manipulated:
...Because he understands on a profound level that language is the way to hearts and minds, it makes sense to observe his word choice and manner of speaking very closely. In terms of style, Obama has a new way with words. Obamantics, maybe?
It's not just that he uses everyday expressions, such as "screwed up" and "folks." He relies on simple language to explicate — um, explain — complex ideas. He often begins sentences with the words "listen" or "look"...
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
...Because he understands on a profound level that language is the way to hearts and minds, it makes sense to observe his word choice and manner of speaking very closely. In terms of style, Obama has a new way with words. Obamantics, maybe?
It's not just that he uses everyday expressions, such as "screwed up" and "folks." He relies on simple language to explicate — um, explain — complex ideas. He often begins sentences with the words "listen" or "look"...
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Today during my planning block, I was working on some lesson plans when I heard a knock at the door. I opened the door, and there stood three girls I taught last semester. They all gave giggly hellos and told me that they missed my class. I was happy and welcomed their energy. I am surprised that they came by, epecially since last semester they were all demonic contributers to a hellish class. I got to talk with them for a couple of minutes about what was going on in their lives and how their semesters were going, and I found that I really missed them, too. What a nice surprise!
In my British Lit class, we started Canterbury Tales today - one of my favorites! That Wife of Bath is saucy. Here is a link to a very nerdy rap version of The Pardoner's Tale:
bustin' a rhyme
In my British Lit class, we started Canterbury Tales today - one of my favorites! That Wife of Bath is saucy. Here is a link to a very nerdy rap version of The Pardoner's Tale:
bustin' a rhyme
This is a little game going around the blog world, so here goes. Basically, I chose the letter ‘S’, so I need to name 10 things I love that begin with that letter and explain why I love them.
S's
1. Stacy London - It took me a while to warm up to Stacy. At first, I thought she was harsh and even rude. But now, I love her; she has just enough sass and sarcasm to make me giggle. I recently found out that she owns over 300 pairs of shoes. Shut up! Many days, I find myself "channelling my inner Stacy" (as they say).
2.
stability - I love it when things are stable. When I was younger, a doctor told me that I had "problems adjusting to change." Tell me about it! This year has been more unstable than ever with economical issues and job layoffs and transitioning into married life.
3. Sopranos - Even though Tony is the loudest breather in the history of the world, I cannot get over how awesome this series was. I didn't watch it when it was on the tele for the first run, but I recently watched the whole series on DVD and loved every minute of it. I got attached to the characters and truly did not know what was coming next. My favorite things Soprano: Adriana's wardrobe, Carmella's strength, Christopher (period), Sylvio's hair, and Jenny Sack's mole (a little joke for all you Sopranos fans).
4. Simon (not Garfunkel) - "The Only Living Boy in New York", "Cecilia", and "Homeward Bound" top my list of favorite S&G songs. I like his solo stuff, too, but admittedly not as much. I'm a sucker for the harmonies.
5. seester - My sister is the best in the history of sisters. She is smart, supportive, witty, and loving. I love her!
6. school - Even though I have bad days at work sometimes, I really do beleive that public education is a good thing. My reasons don't have much to do with the content or the graduation exams and definitely not the bureacracy. It makes me very happy to know that every day we are giving kids the opportunity to develop intellectually and socially. (NOTE: I would also like to be a professional student. I'm just saying.)
7. South Park - Respect my authority.
8. Stevie Nicks - I watched this Behind the Music special on the making of Rumours, and they did this thing on "Gold Dust Woman" where they stripped everything away except for Stevie Nicks's background part. It was the creepiest thing I have ever heard; it sounded a lot like the parts in The Exorcist where the demon is intelligible. I love Stevie's goat-like voice, though.
9. salsa (the food, not the dance) - Chips y salsa is my favorite meal. It was a tight race between salsa and all foods Italian, but there was a clear winner. Yum.
10. snuggling - FIRST PLACE: Piper - SECOND PLACE: Blaine
Honorable mentions: Springsteen, Scrubs, skittles, skinny jeans, Saturdays, and sweets
S's
1. Stacy London - It took me a while to warm up to Stacy. At first, I thought she was harsh and even rude. But now, I love her; she has just enough sass and sarcasm to make me giggle. I recently found out that she owns over 300 pairs of shoes. Shut up! Many days, I find myself "channelling my inner Stacy" (as they say).
2.
stability - I love it when things are stable. When I was younger, a doctor told me that I had "problems adjusting to change." Tell me about it! This year has been more unstable than ever with economical issues and job layoffs and transitioning into married life.
3. Sopranos - Even though Tony is the loudest breather in the history of the world, I cannot get over how awesome this series was. I didn't watch it when it was on the tele for the first run, but I recently watched the whole series on DVD and loved every minute of it. I got attached to the characters and truly did not know what was coming next. My favorite things Soprano: Adriana's wardrobe, Carmella's strength, Christopher (period), Sylvio's hair, and Jenny Sack's mole (a little joke for all you Sopranos fans).
4. Simon (not Garfunkel) - "The Only Living Boy in New York", "Cecilia", and "Homeward Bound" top my list of favorite S&G songs. I like his solo stuff, too, but admittedly not as much. I'm a sucker for the harmonies.
5. seester - My sister is the best in the history of sisters. She is smart, supportive, witty, and loving. I love her!
6. school - Even though I have bad days at work sometimes, I really do beleive that public education is a good thing. My reasons don't have much to do with the content or the graduation exams and definitely not the bureacracy. It makes me very happy to know that every day we are giving kids the opportunity to develop intellectually and socially. (NOTE: I would also like to be a professional student. I'm just saying.)
7. South Park - Respect my authority.
8. Stevie Nicks - I watched this Behind the Music special on the making of Rumours, and they did this thing on "Gold Dust Woman" where they stripped everything away except for Stevie Nicks's background part. It was the creepiest thing I have ever heard; it sounded a lot like the parts in The Exorcist where the demon is intelligible. I love Stevie's goat-like voice, though.
9. salsa (the food, not the dance) - Chips y salsa is my favorite meal. It was a tight race between salsa and all foods Italian, but there was a clear winner. Yum.
10. snuggling - FIRST PLACE: Piper - SECOND PLACE: Blaine
Honorable mentions: Springsteen, Scrubs, skittles, skinny jeans, Saturdays, and sweets
FYI -
I originally started this blog to help me reflect on my teaching practices. However, I keep thinking about stuff that I want to say that doesn't have a thing to do with education. I guess I'll make this blog into a hodgepodge. How else could I post this picture?
I originally started this blog to help me reflect on my teaching practices. However, I keep thinking about stuff that I want to say that doesn't have a thing to do with education. I guess I'll make this blog into a hodgepodge. How else could I post this picture?
With all of the following hanging over our heads:
-national economy down the drain
-state funding ridiculously inadequate
-local funding no help
-jobs in jeopardy
-stocking up on ramen noodles
It is hard not to think about this:
click here to learn more
-national economy down the drain
-state funding ridiculously inadequate
-local funding no help
-jobs in jeopardy
-stocking up on ramen noodles
It is hard not to think about this:
click here to learn more
I took a "mental health day" last Friday (see this site), and it was well worth it. I was able to clear my head and regain momentum for this week. I have been so productive in the past three days, and I am certain it is because I took that day off last Friday. Ahh.
There is something that has been on my mind for a while now, and I just recently got the courage to say something. Many of the students will talk to each other casually and they will respond with, "that's gay," or the ultimate "that's SO gay." Yesterday, one of my 12th graders said it to a friend, and I was feeling fiesty, so I just asked him, "What do you mean when you say that?" I know it caught him off guard and a little clarification had to go on, but he finally said, "I don't know, I guess I mean what he said was weird or strange." So I said to the student, "why didn't you just say, 'that was weird,' then?" By that time, we had the whole class's attention and had a very civil, productive conversation about saying what we mean.
We talked about using a label like "gay" or "queer" as an insult and how it can be offensive and disrespectful. None of them got angry, and none of them acted like they used it in a hateful way. I was glad I brought it up, though, because they were all interested in the conversation and most of them looked surprised to explore what they had all been saying. One student pointed out that by equating gay to weird or strange, you're automatically making a judgement. Given, she didn't say it exactly like that, but that was her point. Another person brought up that it's not only sexuality you have to be respectful about, it's also religion, politics, etc. I don't know if it will do any good or not, but I hope it at least got them thinking...
