I've been married for 2 1/2 years. My husband and I met at the middle school that I had been teaching at for 3 years....I kept hearing about this 'hot history teacher' and I kept telling people I was IN A RELATIONSHIP and needed no distractions.
Then I walked into the library and it was all over. Literally, our eyes met across the room and it was 'a moment'. I ended up teasing the crap out of him later, which lead to me handing out my phone number (to let him know when we played volleyball...which he sucked at) and the rest is history.
That was 5 years ago.
Getting married is fun. Gifts, attention, good food, honeymoon.....
Being married - entirely different story.
Being legally and religiously linked to someone does something to people. Well, that and signing an inch thick mortgage agreement.
I went though so many stages....losing who I was, then gaining her back, then wondering how the hell this was ever going to work....now, as is with work, I appear to be finding my niche in my own marriage. There are things that I do and he does. He gets out of school earlier and is closer so he comes home and plays with the dog and usually takes care of dinner. I come home, straighten up and bug him. On weekend, it flips around and he goes out to play in the shed while I putter around the house with the vacuum cleaner. While there are still changes that I would like to see, it seems as if somehow, this is working out. Like the kids at school, he did get under my skin and TRUST ME, he still does from time to time....but somehow it doesn't bother me as badly. There are still some things that I need to get across to him....and he's learning.
But we've got time.....
Right now, he's curled up next to me, buried in blankets and pillows....ear plugs in and the doggie boo nestled at his feet,
It's good :)
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Need....mental....break....
My head has been so full of things I have wanted to write about yet when I actually find time....at 7:45 on a Sunday morning....I end up staring at this blank box and wonder what focus I should commit to.
I know I need to write more. As a child and up until about 7 years ago, I was an avid journal writer. I always had a 'diary' where I recorded the events of my life, mused on thoughts that passed through my head and was able to express feelings that would never verbalize themselves in conversation. It was good for me....as someone who routinely has to deal with anxiety and depression, journal writing was a way that I felt I was able to keep in touch with my inner self. Yet, I cannot seem to make that commitment to myself...because I am so freaking busy.
School has calmed down a little....I am beginning to budget my time a little more wisely and get more work done at school without staying really late. The first nine weeks is over....and I am now starting to figure out the kids that know the material and then the kids that are just really good at faking that they know the material. That means it's time for new seating charts and a renewed focus on those kids....and looking for more challenging opportunities for the kids that finish their work quickly or understand the material right away. It's a new fun thing in education called differentiating your lesson....which on paper makes sense....make sure you are teaching your lessons so that everyone is challenged and understands the material. Well, when you have a kid in your room who reads on an 11th grade level sitting next to a kid who read at a 3rd grade level, that can make things interesting....and don't think that I can have the higher kid help the lower one....middle school remember? Cooperation doesn't exist in middle school.
With school beginning to slow down, I am working hard on getting a gym schedule worked back into my routine. I have gained weight slowly as school started and that SUCKS. Like it sucks on so many levels. Everyone in my family is pretty thin and in good shape....I look at pictures of us and I stand out as the one with the rounder figure and face...and I hate it. But with the crazy schedule I have had and the added stress of everything, getting to the gym has not happened....and I haven't been eating healthy either because I've been so freaking busy. I'm being pulled between the 'home' direction so that I can see my husband and dog and cats whenever I can and then school is the other polarizing part of my life...I spend at least 9 hours a day there. I have to start cutting one down...and it really shouldn't be home. I did make it to the gym yesterday and did the treadmill for 35 minutes on constantly changing inclines....let's just say 17 sucks and my legs paid dearly for it.
So here I sit. My husband is still asleep, the dog it sitting next to me and I'm wondering what else I could write. Since nothing substantial comes to mind, here are a few random observations that I just need to get out of my head...
I baked yesterday - a pumpkin roll....and aside from accidentally spilling more lemon juice than what was needed, it actually tastes okay.
Our dog is just getting over a bacterial infection....dogs with diarrhea are not fun to have around....so after $120 at the vet and meds galore, he finally pooped this morning something looking remotely normal....aside from this entry, it has been a highlight.
I am finally getting on a higher level coed volleyball team....one of my friends got together some of the best people we've played with to form a 'super team' for the winter season....while I am probably one of the weaker ones on the team, I know it will help me grow as a player and keep me motivated to improve the shape I'm in. As long as I don't get hit in the face....
The holidays are coming up. While I am excited to see family, it's a lot of traveling and I hate that. I dream of a day where we can spend a holiday in our own house.
I miss my friends back home and wish things were different.
Well, the dog just farted in my face so I'm going to MOVE. And try harder to write.
I know I need to write more. As a child and up until about 7 years ago, I was an avid journal writer. I always had a 'diary' where I recorded the events of my life, mused on thoughts that passed through my head and was able to express feelings that would never verbalize themselves in conversation. It was good for me....as someone who routinely has to deal with anxiety and depression, journal writing was a way that I felt I was able to keep in touch with my inner self. Yet, I cannot seem to make that commitment to myself...because I am so freaking busy.
School has calmed down a little....I am beginning to budget my time a little more wisely and get more work done at school without staying really late. The first nine weeks is over....and I am now starting to figure out the kids that know the material and then the kids that are just really good at faking that they know the material. That means it's time for new seating charts and a renewed focus on those kids....and looking for more challenging opportunities for the kids that finish their work quickly or understand the material right away. It's a new fun thing in education called differentiating your lesson....which on paper makes sense....make sure you are teaching your lessons so that everyone is challenged and understands the material. Well, when you have a kid in your room who reads on an 11th grade level sitting next to a kid who read at a 3rd grade level, that can make things interesting....and don't think that I can have the higher kid help the lower one....middle school remember? Cooperation doesn't exist in middle school.
With school beginning to slow down, I am working hard on getting a gym schedule worked back into my routine. I have gained weight slowly as school started and that SUCKS. Like it sucks on so many levels. Everyone in my family is pretty thin and in good shape....I look at pictures of us and I stand out as the one with the rounder figure and face...and I hate it. But with the crazy schedule I have had and the added stress of everything, getting to the gym has not happened....and I haven't been eating healthy either because I've been so freaking busy. I'm being pulled between the 'home' direction so that I can see my husband and dog and cats whenever I can and then school is the other polarizing part of my life...I spend at least 9 hours a day there. I have to start cutting one down...and it really shouldn't be home. I did make it to the gym yesterday and did the treadmill for 35 minutes on constantly changing inclines....let's just say 17 sucks and my legs paid dearly for it.
So here I sit. My husband is still asleep, the dog it sitting next to me and I'm wondering what else I could write. Since nothing substantial comes to mind, here are a few random observations that I just need to get out of my head...
I baked yesterday - a pumpkin roll....and aside from accidentally spilling more lemon juice than what was needed, it actually tastes okay.
Our dog is just getting over a bacterial infection....dogs with diarrhea are not fun to have around....so after $120 at the vet and meds galore, he finally pooped this morning something looking remotely normal....aside from this entry, it has been a highlight.
I am finally getting on a higher level coed volleyball team....one of my friends got together some of the best people we've played with to form a 'super team' for the winter season....while I am probably one of the weaker ones on the team, I know it will help me grow as a player and keep me motivated to improve the shape I'm in. As long as I don't get hit in the face....
The holidays are coming up. While I am excited to see family, it's a lot of traveling and I hate that. I dream of a day where we can spend a holiday in our own house.
I miss my friends back home and wish things were different.
Well, the dog just farted in my face so I'm going to MOVE. And try harder to write.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Up for Air
So I think back to when I was a kid. I grew up in Ohio and going to the pool every summer....and when I say going, I mean living. We were there like, every day. We would go early in the morning, late at night, all afternoon. It's amazing that my blond hair isn't green.
This is going somewhere.
We used to play this game with my mom where she would throw a quarter and we would have to go find it on the bottom of the pool. My sisters and I would scramble, bobbing in and out of the water to try and find this quarter. My lungs would be almost bursting from lack of oxygen from popping up quickly, taking a deep breath and going back under.
That is precisely how I feel at this very moment.
This entry is my gasp for oxygen before going back underwater....the water metaphorically being school, volleyball and staying caught up at home. Not even sleep is a reprieve from my schedule...I end up dreaming about being at volleyball or walking the halls of school, looking for a copier that works. I wake up amazed that my alarm is going off and wonder what day it is. My time online to just screw around and relax has dropped to almost nill, I don't come home in time enough to truly spend time with my husband (who has been amazingly fantastic through my oxygen-deprived days) and I feel disconnected. I don't really have a social group that I hang out with on a regular basis....which is a while other issue we can explore later....so my time online is the way that I feel I can connect to people.
It's very frustrating. I don't even really have time to call people anymore....my family is currently just as busy as I am, my best friend from college doesn't even speak to me anymore (for reasons still unknown...so I have placed him in the asshole category) and my other close friend from college is currently just as..and actually more busy than I am....juggling a PhD program and a child....and dog....etc. Not that I fault these people at all....I am also so freaking busy, to find a moment to talk would be a blessing.....
I just want to find the balance in my life that I know existed. I have too many other things on my mind at the moment to be this busy....there has to be a way.....
This is going somewhere.
We used to play this game with my mom where she would throw a quarter and we would have to go find it on the bottom of the pool. My sisters and I would scramble, bobbing in and out of the water to try and find this quarter. My lungs would be almost bursting from lack of oxygen from popping up quickly, taking a deep breath and going back under.
That is precisely how I feel at this very moment.
This entry is my gasp for oxygen before going back underwater....the water metaphorically being school, volleyball and staying caught up at home. Not even sleep is a reprieve from my schedule...I end up dreaming about being at volleyball or walking the halls of school, looking for a copier that works. I wake up amazed that my alarm is going off and wonder what day it is. My time online to just screw around and relax has dropped to almost nill, I don't come home in time enough to truly spend time with my husband (who has been amazingly fantastic through my oxygen-deprived days) and I feel disconnected. I don't really have a social group that I hang out with on a regular basis....which is a while other issue we can explore later....so my time online is the way that I feel I can connect to people.
It's very frustrating. I don't even really have time to call people anymore....my family is currently just as busy as I am, my best friend from college doesn't even speak to me anymore (for reasons still unknown...so I have placed him in the asshole category) and my other close friend from college is currently just as..and actually more busy than I am....juggling a PhD program and a child....and dog....etc. Not that I fault these people at all....I am also so freaking busy, to find a moment to talk would be a blessing.....
I just want to find the balance in my life that I know existed. I have too many other things on my mind at the moment to be this busy....there has to be a way.....
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Open House Night
I seriously got home less than an hour ago.
I arrived at school this morning at 7:30. I left at 8:42.
It was open house tonight where hmmm....9 parents decided to come out to meet teachers.
Sigh.
I know people work. I know it was raining. I know that some parents don't care.
Seriously though - 9?
There are so many times throughout the school year where I either talk to parents, watch my students, or both and raise my eyes to heaven and thank God that I was blessed with parents that had the good sense to take on the challenge of being good parents. Over the last 8 years, I have lamented with other teachers as to why our job is getting more and more difficult....and every time, the answer comes back to the parents.
When I was 4, my mom was making worksheets for me to read, match colors, shapes, learn to write my letters...she was listening to NPR in the car, she had me watch Sesame Street, Mr. Rodgers and then booted my butt outside where I was left to my own imagination. My mom and dad said NO a lot...but I learned my boundaries. School was extremely important and I was expected to do well...and I didn't want to find out what would happen if I didn't. I was stubborn and probably a total pain in the ass...and I spent a lot of time sitting in the steps thinking about how much I couldn't stand my parents for not letting me wear short skirts, get weird piercings, stay out late with people they didn't know...or get an allowance.
But look at me.
I have a master's degree (almost), I read all the time, I listen to NPR in the car, I appreciate the things that I have because I worked for them. I am an intelligent human being that is successful and self-sustaining. I have the self-esteem to have married a wonderful man and to not let people get to me (too much at least).
I look at my students and after getting over how pissed I am at them for driving me crazy that day, I feel sorry for them. Some of them have parents like mine - that work hard to be PARENTS. That know what's best for their kids and although it's hard and unpleasant sometimes, they make the difficult choices that will help them later in life when they are my age and will appreciate it.
I look at the rest who act up because they want attention. Who go home to all the things that they ever wanted because their parents didn't have the stamina to stand up to them and say no. Who sit in a chair and say ' I don't care - call my mom' because even though I do....they don't have the energy to punish them or don't know how or don't care enough to. I hate those lazy parents....it makes my job harder yes - but these kids didn't choose this...they are like this because you couldn't handle being the adult in your child's life. It was more important that they like you and stopped bothering you.
Sigh. I wonder how long I will be able to do this job.
I arrived at school this morning at 7:30. I left at 8:42.
It was open house tonight where hmmm....9 parents decided to come out to meet teachers.
Sigh.
I know people work. I know it was raining. I know that some parents don't care.
Seriously though - 9?
There are so many times throughout the school year where I either talk to parents, watch my students, or both and raise my eyes to heaven and thank God that I was blessed with parents that had the good sense to take on the challenge of being good parents. Over the last 8 years, I have lamented with other teachers as to why our job is getting more and more difficult....and every time, the answer comes back to the parents.
When I was 4, my mom was making worksheets for me to read, match colors, shapes, learn to write my letters...she was listening to NPR in the car, she had me watch Sesame Street, Mr. Rodgers and then booted my butt outside where I was left to my own imagination. My mom and dad said NO a lot...but I learned my boundaries. School was extremely important and I was expected to do well...and I didn't want to find out what would happen if I didn't. I was stubborn and probably a total pain in the ass...and I spent a lot of time sitting in the steps thinking about how much I couldn't stand my parents for not letting me wear short skirts, get weird piercings, stay out late with people they didn't know...or get an allowance.
But look at me.
I have a master's degree (almost), I read all the time, I listen to NPR in the car, I appreciate the things that I have because I worked for them. I am an intelligent human being that is successful and self-sustaining. I have the self-esteem to have married a wonderful man and to not let people get to me (too much at least).
I look at my students and after getting over how pissed I am at them for driving me crazy that day, I feel sorry for them. Some of them have parents like mine - that work hard to be PARENTS. That know what's best for their kids and although it's hard and unpleasant sometimes, they make the difficult choices that will help them later in life when they are my age and will appreciate it.
I look at the rest who act up because they want attention. Who go home to all the things that they ever wanted because their parents didn't have the stamina to stand up to them and say no. Who sit in a chair and say ' I don't care - call my mom' because even though I do....they don't have the energy to punish them or don't know how or don't care enough to. I hate those lazy parents....it makes my job harder yes - but these kids didn't choose this...they are like this because you couldn't handle being the adult in your child's life. It was more important that they like you and stopped bothering you.
Sigh. I wonder how long I will be able to do this job.
Monday, September 19, 2011
ARG
Tonight was one of the nights where I wish I had chosen another career path...
While being in my new district has massive improvements over the last one, I have managed to get all my classes under control except my last period of the day. Within that class, is one of the most frustrating groups of children I have ever faced. Honestly, they are all probably fine one on one but the particular mixture of students which I face every day is a nightmare. They all have insane issues with practically everything - they wait until the very minute to which I start speaking to start asking questions, wanting to go to the bathroom, wanting papers they are missing, wanting to talk, wanting to go to their locker....it's absolutely maddening. I have spoken to the class time and time again to take care of these things before they come to class because all I am going to say is NO....yet they continue to drive me CRAZY.
Today I had to deal with one particular lady who has been a reoccurring issue over and over again....not just with me but with other teachers as well. She manages to try to get away with whatever she can in class and then argues to no end about whether or not she is going to do it and the million reasons why she will not.
It's insane....and it makes me want to pull my hair out.
I have spoken to mom, who was very clear in letting me know that she wanted to know if there were any other issues.
Evidently, I was incorrect.
Anyways, class went horribly wrong and there were more lovely confrontations with her, the last of which ended with 'my mom's gonna come up here and talk to the principal and get you fired'...which is where I pretty much lost it and told her that I truly was scared now....
Not the most mature response....but I was DONE
I called mom later to let her know and left a message....she called me back quickly when I first spoke to her so I tried her again when I left school ( at 7:45 at night). I left another quick message asking her to call me....to which she did and the conversation ended with 'I'll be up there tomorrow before school starts'.
Lovely.
Needless to say, I was not in a good mood when I finally got home at 8:45.
I promptly screamed at both my husband and dog and whatever cat was closest and then broke down into a pretty hysterical crying fit....which lasted over an hour, until my husband put me in a bath and made me watch something on Netflix to calm me down.
I feel like I am 23 again - helpless and alone in my first year of teaching - I have not wanted to quit my job again as badly as that entire first year. I got used to being bitched out at my old district but I had been there so long, people knew me and knew that I did everything that I could to help my students and backed me up. Now, I'm somewhere new, where no one knows me or what I do to try and make sure my students walk out smarter than they were at the beginning of the year. I am scared as to what this woman who 'wants my job' is going to bring tomorrow with her nasty nasty daughter. I'm afraid I am going to turn back into the meek, compliant, apologetic person that I was my first year instead of sticking up for myself and taking it to the chest because I know I'm right.
I'm not going to sleep well tonight....
While being in my new district has massive improvements over the last one, I have managed to get all my classes under control except my last period of the day. Within that class, is one of the most frustrating groups of children I have ever faced. Honestly, they are all probably fine one on one but the particular mixture of students which I face every day is a nightmare. They all have insane issues with practically everything - they wait until the very minute to which I start speaking to start asking questions, wanting to go to the bathroom, wanting papers they are missing, wanting to talk, wanting to go to their locker....it's absolutely maddening. I have spoken to the class time and time again to take care of these things before they come to class because all I am going to say is NO....yet they continue to drive me CRAZY.
Today I had to deal with one particular lady who has been a reoccurring issue over and over again....not just with me but with other teachers as well. She manages to try to get away with whatever she can in class and then argues to no end about whether or not she is going to do it and the million reasons why she will not.
It's insane....and it makes me want to pull my hair out.
I have spoken to mom, who was very clear in letting me know that she wanted to know if there were any other issues.
Evidently, I was incorrect.
Anyways, class went horribly wrong and there were more lovely confrontations with her, the last of which ended with 'my mom's gonna come up here and talk to the principal and get you fired'...which is where I pretty much lost it and told her that I truly was scared now....
Not the most mature response....but I was DONE
I called mom later to let her know and left a message....she called me back quickly when I first spoke to her so I tried her again when I left school ( at 7:45 at night). I left another quick message asking her to call me....to which she did and the conversation ended with 'I'll be up there tomorrow before school starts'.
Lovely.
Needless to say, I was not in a good mood when I finally got home at 8:45.
I promptly screamed at both my husband and dog and whatever cat was closest and then broke down into a pretty hysterical crying fit....which lasted over an hour, until my husband put me in a bath and made me watch something on Netflix to calm me down.
I feel like I am 23 again - helpless and alone in my first year of teaching - I have not wanted to quit my job again as badly as that entire first year. I got used to being bitched out at my old district but I had been there so long, people knew me and knew that I did everything that I could to help my students and backed me up. Now, I'm somewhere new, where no one knows me or what I do to try and make sure my students walk out smarter than they were at the beginning of the year. I am scared as to what this woman who 'wants my job' is going to bring tomorrow with her nasty nasty daughter. I'm afraid I am going to turn back into the meek, compliant, apologetic person that I was my first year instead of sticking up for myself and taking it to the chest because I know I'm right.
I'm not going to sleep well tonight....
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
New School, New Outlook on My Job...
It's been awhile....but I felt compelled tonight to write because I made several parent phone calls tonight and ALL of them were good...okay, one was because the kid pulled his jeans down to expose his lovely under-garments....BUT the rest were positive.
As a teacher, it's very hard to remind yourself that the kids that you usually have an issue with have parents that have been hearing this for a long time. I try so very very hard to make as many positive phone calls early in the year (sometimes before I run out of positive things to say) so that I create a 'team' feeling around that child - meaning, both the parent and I are on the 'same side' and the kid won't be able to play one against the other.
This year, I really want to start off on the right foot in my new school and with my new, more active parents. I called several parents and just raved about their kids. They were stunned and so happy and were so appreciative that I had called so early in the year. One of my students, who lost his father last year, was beginning to have some trouble so I spoke to him mom to let her know that I was keeping an eye on him and would do my best to make sure he had a good year. She explained how the last year had been and was just so wonderful and grateful that I had called her. Every phone call ended with me with a smile on my face and a good feeling inside.
I know that these calls are creating 'money in the bank' for later in the year when I do begin to have issues with certain students. And while they take a lot of planning and thought, it is completely worth the time. I want these kids to know that I mean business and there is no way they are coming in and screwing around when we have work to do. I am making the MOST of this year.
The backlash of this entire week is that I am exhausted. I feel like it's my first year again. Maneuvering through new paperwork, new computer programs that DON'T work, different procedures....it's a maze of craziness and challenges. I end up feeling very frustrated, not because of the kids, but because I feel like I am bothering people so much with my constant questions and ignorance to what is going on. I feel helpless and slightly blind...and blind-sighted sometimes....
I am exhausted.
To anyone who reads this who isn't a teacher but has children....please reward your child's teachers (unless they completely suck and don't deserve it) and let them know that you appreciate everything they do, or try to do. There are teacher appreciation gifts out there for a reason!
Good night!
As a teacher, it's very hard to remind yourself that the kids that you usually have an issue with have parents that have been hearing this for a long time. I try so very very hard to make as many positive phone calls early in the year (sometimes before I run out of positive things to say) so that I create a 'team' feeling around that child - meaning, both the parent and I are on the 'same side' and the kid won't be able to play one against the other.
This year, I really want to start off on the right foot in my new school and with my new, more active parents. I called several parents and just raved about their kids. They were stunned and so happy and were so appreciative that I had called so early in the year. One of my students, who lost his father last year, was beginning to have some trouble so I spoke to him mom to let her know that I was keeping an eye on him and would do my best to make sure he had a good year. She explained how the last year had been and was just so wonderful and grateful that I had called her. Every phone call ended with me with a smile on my face and a good feeling inside.
I know that these calls are creating 'money in the bank' for later in the year when I do begin to have issues with certain students. And while they take a lot of planning and thought, it is completely worth the time. I want these kids to know that I mean business and there is no way they are coming in and screwing around when we have work to do. I am making the MOST of this year.
The backlash of this entire week is that I am exhausted. I feel like it's my first year again. Maneuvering through new paperwork, new computer programs that DON'T work, different procedures....it's a maze of craziness and challenges. I end up feeling very frustrated, not because of the kids, but because I feel like I am bothering people so much with my constant questions and ignorance to what is going on. I feel helpless and slightly blind...and blind-sighted sometimes....
I am exhausted.
To anyone who reads this who isn't a teacher but has children....please reward your child's teachers (unless they completely suck and don't deserve it) and let them know that you appreciate everything they do, or try to do. There are teacher appreciation gifts out there for a reason!
Good night!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Aftermath of Irene
It's been awhile since I have updated....The week before this one was extremely busy. Aside from being at school and preparing for the upcoming school year, we were also preparing for Irene, the hurricane that was creeping up the coast towards us. Lowe's, grocery stores, drugstores....empty of essentials...bread, milk, ice, anything that could be eaten without refrigeration..as well as flashlights, batteries, etc.
It was crazy to see this happening and honestly, I didn't really understand why everyone was getting so hyped up.
Well, then the storm hit.
I was actually gone for the weekend - my husband was home alone to face the storm with our dog and two cats. I was at a bachelorette party in the mountains, where we experienced rain and some wind but not much else. He, on the other hand, experienced hours of strong winds, heavy rainfall and watching trees and power lines fall as if they were twigs and string. We lost power at some point during Saturday evening...and we have yet to get it back.
I felt horrible for being gone but would have regretted not going. Being Catholic though, it's hard to avoid the guilt of being gone during such a frightening time. When I arrived home on Sunday, I had already stopped at Wal-Mart to re-stock on things that we may need in the coming days. Josh (husband) was already raking the yard of the leaves that had fallen and covered our yard...he had about 12-14 large piles, along with some very large branches. Luckily, the only casualties to the storm were one piece of siding and our power. Everything else was shaken up and the trees are surprisingly bare for just the end of summer, but fine.
While our neighborhood was okay, the roads throughout our county were littered with downed trees, power lines trapped below them, and houses that had fared much more damage than us. For the last few days, we have not done much - schools are either flooded or closed due to electricity issues - we have stayed a night at family's house and go over to shower and cool down in her air conditioning. We've gone to Panera or libraries periodically to charge up the computers or cell phones but there just isn't a lot to do....that we can do.
So this is how I ended up in the neighborhood library. I got one of the last tables on the second floor and am watching the Red Cross pass out free lunches to the people in this community. Everything is charging up and I am cooling down as time passes. I can only hope that our power returns soon...I am in need of some down time with air conditioning in my own home....a shower without driving somewhere...and a refrigerator that doesn't smell like spoiled food.
Sigh....
It was crazy to see this happening and honestly, I didn't really understand why everyone was getting so hyped up.
Well, then the storm hit.
I was actually gone for the weekend - my husband was home alone to face the storm with our dog and two cats. I was at a bachelorette party in the mountains, where we experienced rain and some wind but not much else. He, on the other hand, experienced hours of strong winds, heavy rainfall and watching trees and power lines fall as if they were twigs and string. We lost power at some point during Saturday evening...and we have yet to get it back.
I felt horrible for being gone but would have regretted not going. Being Catholic though, it's hard to avoid the guilt of being gone during such a frightening time. When I arrived home on Sunday, I had already stopped at Wal-Mart to re-stock on things that we may need in the coming days. Josh (husband) was already raking the yard of the leaves that had fallen and covered our yard...he had about 12-14 large piles, along with some very large branches. Luckily, the only casualties to the storm were one piece of siding and our power. Everything else was shaken up and the trees are surprisingly bare for just the end of summer, but fine.
While our neighborhood was okay, the roads throughout our county were littered with downed trees, power lines trapped below them, and houses that had fared much more damage than us. For the last few days, we have not done much - schools are either flooded or closed due to electricity issues - we have stayed a night at family's house and go over to shower and cool down in her air conditioning. We've gone to Panera or libraries periodically to charge up the computers or cell phones but there just isn't a lot to do....that we can do.
So this is how I ended up in the neighborhood library. I got one of the last tables on the second floor and am watching the Red Cross pass out free lunches to the people in this community. Everything is charging up and I am cooling down as time passes. I can only hope that our power returns soon...I am in need of some down time with air conditioning in my own home....a shower without driving somewhere...and a refrigerator that doesn't smell like spoiled food.
Sigh....
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
New school, new atmosphere...same old school supplies
I am EXHAUSTED
It is amazing how much being back at a job you haven't worked really hard at in three months can wear you out. That is why this entry will be short and sweet.
I am THRILLED with my new school and my new school district. Everyone is so positive and helpful. Technology is highly emphasized and there are a TON of resources that we have at our disposal to access it with our students. I have been totally floored in the last few days by the amazing organization and expectations that the people in this district possess. It is just unspeakable how awesome it is.
But I am tired. All three days this week, outside of training, have been spent moving boxes from my house to my classroom, cleaning up the junk from the previous teacher, and unpacking everything....and finding a spot. I find myself doing the same thing that I did when I worked at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium....just walking around in circles, picking up stuff, placing it somewhere and doing it over and over again.
I am working with what appears to be a fantastic staff so far - I've made a few wonderful friends so far and am so glad that I worked my butt off to get this position. I feel very privileged to be working in my current district and no matter how horrible the kids are, I have a feeling that I am going to be the most happy that I have been in years with my job. I know that all this optimism might change as the year progresses, but I am going in with light shoulders and an open mind!
I will post again soon....but not anymore tonight :) I am falling asleep!
It is amazing how much being back at a job you haven't worked really hard at in three months can wear you out. That is why this entry will be short and sweet.
I am THRILLED with my new school and my new school district. Everyone is so positive and helpful. Technology is highly emphasized and there are a TON of resources that we have at our disposal to access it with our students. I have been totally floored in the last few days by the amazing organization and expectations that the people in this district possess. It is just unspeakable how awesome it is.
But I am tired. All three days this week, outside of training, have been spent moving boxes from my house to my classroom, cleaning up the junk from the previous teacher, and unpacking everything....and finding a spot. I find myself doing the same thing that I did when I worked at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium....just walking around in circles, picking up stuff, placing it somewhere and doing it over and over again.
I am working with what appears to be a fantastic staff so far - I've made a few wonderful friends so far and am so glad that I worked my butt off to get this position. I feel very privileged to be working in my current district and no matter how horrible the kids are, I have a feeling that I am going to be the most happy that I have been in years with my job. I know that all this optimism might change as the year progresses, but I am going in with light shoulders and an open mind!
I will post again soon....but not anymore tonight :) I am falling asleep!
Sunday, August 21, 2011
The Importance of Personal Time
As the hours begin to wane down before returning to a school building, I was reminded today of how important personal time is to a person, especially me.
I am the oldest child in my family ( I almost said was but no, it's still true) and being that, for some reason, I ended up spending a good deal of time by myself as a child. I guess I was a bit of a bully to my next younger sister and when my youngest sister was born, they formed a bond that between the two of them. I don't think it was intentional; it's just when I was getting older and dealing with growing up first and 'breaking down those barriers' (ex. sleepovers, curfews, dating boys, etc), they shared a room and A LOT of time together.
I actually didn't mind it that much. I spent a good many hours reading, listening to music, making tapes, riding my bike to the library, drawing, bossing people around...I don't know how many people actually know this about me but I am actually very shy. I have a terrible time initiating contact with people, I am horrible on the telephone and unless I feel like I have a considerable advantage in whatever the activity is or have been placed in charge, I am usually extremely quiet. I imagine some of the people that read this laughing because I know that's not how I come off a lot of the time....I am very adept at using humor to deflect people picking up on my shyness but ask me to call you back? Go out with you alone...? It's not that I don't think you're awesome and I would love to talk to you - It's just hard for me to place myself in social situations because I feel so uncomfortable and insecure about so many aspects of myself.
Anyways...the moral of the story is that I require personal time in order to function. Seriously. I begin to go crazy if I don't get it and the reason I know that is because when my husband and I began dating, we spent A LOT of time together....this also happened when we first got married. Both of these times, while lovely because I was with a person that I loved, got very difficult as time went on. I got irritable and angry that I wasn't able to spend some time on my own...doing anything - reading , organizing or cleaning something, watching a show that I wanted to watch for a little bit. This has been a difficult thing for my husband to grasp sometimes because I think that to him, time spent apart means that we are fighting...while to me, it is a necessary detail of my life.
This weekend, my husband is out of town with friends. And while I do miss him very much (but I'm sure not as much as the dog), I am reveling in the time I have to myself. I got up late today ( and I got to sleep across the entire bed!), watched a few things on Netflix, took a shower, took the dog for the walk and then headed out with nothing on my schedule except head north and see a movie at some point in the afternoon. I found a Panera, had a long relaxing lunch, half reading my book and half listening to the conversations around me and then went to see 'The Help', which was AMAZING. Please go see that movie - I can only hope that it will affect you as deeply as it did me.
Then I went to Sweet Frog. That was a religious experience that I cannot even describe....so I won't even try.
It was a wonderful day. I feel empowered knowing that I am still a strong enough person to spend an entire day entertained simply by whatever I choose and on my own. This is am important part of who I am as a person. I moved to Virginia alone to begin teaching 7 years ago and that was a very difficult thing to do - creating a whole new life for myself. I feel like when I got married, I lost some of who I was as an individual...which you do....but this part of my personality is important to the well-being of my mind and therefore, my marriage.
So today's take-away lesson....( got to get back in the swing of things) - don't be afraid to spend some time on your own. You can do something cheap, like disappear into your favorite wifi spot for a few hours, or splurge a little and hit up a movie. If you're really brave, go to a restaurant and order a drink or two for yourself. Just be prepared for people to start talking to you...unless you are on your phone or look crazy by talking to yourself ( I have found that both work equally well).
PS: Have you seen 'The Help' yet? Seriously, why are you still here....?
PPS: What do you mean you haven't heard of Sweet Frog. Okay, now this is just sad....
I am the oldest child in my family ( I almost said was but no, it's still true) and being that, for some reason, I ended up spending a good deal of time by myself as a child. I guess I was a bit of a bully to my next younger sister and when my youngest sister was born, they formed a bond that between the two of them. I don't think it was intentional; it's just when I was getting older and dealing with growing up first and 'breaking down those barriers' (ex. sleepovers, curfews, dating boys, etc), they shared a room and A LOT of time together.
I actually didn't mind it that much. I spent a good many hours reading, listening to music, making tapes, riding my bike to the library, drawing, bossing people around...I don't know how many people actually know this about me but I am actually very shy. I have a terrible time initiating contact with people, I am horrible on the telephone and unless I feel like I have a considerable advantage in whatever the activity is or have been placed in charge, I am usually extremely quiet. I imagine some of the people that read this laughing because I know that's not how I come off a lot of the time....I am very adept at using humor to deflect people picking up on my shyness but ask me to call you back? Go out with you alone...? It's not that I don't think you're awesome and I would love to talk to you - It's just hard for me to place myself in social situations because I feel so uncomfortable and insecure about so many aspects of myself.
Anyways...the moral of the story is that I require personal time in order to function. Seriously. I begin to go crazy if I don't get it and the reason I know that is because when my husband and I began dating, we spent A LOT of time together....this also happened when we first got married. Both of these times, while lovely because I was with a person that I loved, got very difficult as time went on. I got irritable and angry that I wasn't able to spend some time on my own...doing anything - reading , organizing or cleaning something, watching a show that I wanted to watch for a little bit. This has been a difficult thing for my husband to grasp sometimes because I think that to him, time spent apart means that we are fighting...while to me, it is a necessary detail of my life.
This weekend, my husband is out of town with friends. And while I do miss him very much (but I'm sure not as much as the dog), I am reveling in the time I have to myself. I got up late today ( and I got to sleep across the entire bed!), watched a few things on Netflix, took a shower, took the dog for the walk and then headed out with nothing on my schedule except head north and see a movie at some point in the afternoon. I found a Panera, had a long relaxing lunch, half reading my book and half listening to the conversations around me and then went to see 'The Help', which was AMAZING. Please go see that movie - I can only hope that it will affect you as deeply as it did me.
Then I went to Sweet Frog. That was a religious experience that I cannot even describe....so I won't even try.
It was a wonderful day. I feel empowered knowing that I am still a strong enough person to spend an entire day entertained simply by whatever I choose and on my own. This is am important part of who I am as a person. I moved to Virginia alone to begin teaching 7 years ago and that was a very difficult thing to do - creating a whole new life for myself. I feel like when I got married, I lost some of who I was as an individual...which you do....but this part of my personality is important to the well-being of my mind and therefore, my marriage.
So today's take-away lesson....( got to get back in the swing of things) - don't be afraid to spend some time on your own. You can do something cheap, like disappear into your favorite wifi spot for a few hours, or splurge a little and hit up a movie. If you're really brave, go to a restaurant and order a drink or two for yourself. Just be prepared for people to start talking to you...unless you are on your phone or look crazy by talking to yourself ( I have found that both work equally well).
PS: Have you seen 'The Help' yet? Seriously, why are you still here....?
PPS: What do you mean you haven't heard of Sweet Frog. Okay, now this is just sad....
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Being a teacher is like buying a CD at a bank.....
First of all, let me just start this entry with the FACT that the toothpaste/toothbrush 'WISP' things are quite possibly the most awesome invention this century. Besides the fact that it is totally affordable (unlike the many other totally awesome inventions this century), it works! I used one when I was in NYC and took the overnight Chinabus to get there ( that's another story for another entry) and couldn't get the courage to brush my teeth in a public restroom....and I used another one tonight on my way to volleyball and I just felt gross mouth-wise (might of had something to do with that onion-laden meatloaf I had tonight....)
Anyways, the title of tonight's entry is perfect for the last Thursday before heading back to school next week. After 7 years in the same district, I will be switching to a new school system and begin new teacher training next week. It is a very big change for me....I started as a teacher in this first district and while it was extremely difficult a lot of the time to find reasons to stay, they did help me develop into the teacher I am now.
I went into teaching because I wanted to make a difference.
Duh
That's what we all say isn't it? No one tells people they wanted to go into teaching because they just didn't feel like wearing a uniform but do the same work as a prison guard....or that they loved being told on a week to week basis by numerous people (administration, parents, students, LAWMAKERS) that they just weren't that important and had no idea what they were doing.
No - we are called to this profession because we want to make a difference. In the lives of children. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in the last few years of teaching is that when you 'make a difference' in the life of a child, you are making an investment....sometimes one that you will never see again....and sometimes one that will eventually cash out and pay off....usually in a time that you really need it.
Where am I going with this?
Okay, so I was in Walgreen's tonight picking up pictures from some disposable cameras that I found in a drawer ( kind of scared to look at them). This Walgreen's happens to be the one closest to me and also is located in the same community that I taught in for 7 years. I started teaching 7th graders in middle school and stayed there for 5 years. The past 2 years I was moved up to the high school and had the opportunity to teach ( and teach and teach) some of the same students. I also got the chance to see the first two classes of 7th graders that I taught graduate (I won't go into the number of them that actually made it...our high school had a 56% graduation rate).
In my last year at the high school, my 7th year of teaching, one of my kids from my first year teaching saw me at Walgreen's. He got excited and came up to me and asked if I remembered him. I told him of course and to prove it, I said his full name. He grinned - I asked what he was up to. He said that he was graduating this year and that he was working for a year and then would be going to community college. I said that I was so proud of him and seeing that he had a uniform on, I asked him if he was working at Walgreen's. He said that he was doing stocking but was hoping to get a better position permanently in the store. He looked around and said that he needed to get back to work and I told him good luck and went on my way.
Did I remember this kid? Oh yes.
It was my first year teaching...and it was HORRIBLE. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. This school system is ROUGH. Low income kids, kids with no parents, parents in jail, just everything....and I had NO idea how to connect with them.
It was my second day at school. SECOND DAY and I was attempting to walk my class back from lunch. This particular class had a lot of students that did not make it to graduation....and they showed it. They were all over the hall, shouting, punching each other....and here are other teachers, not looking at them in disgust but at ME in disgust because I obviously had no idea what I was doing. I was assigned to take them to the bathroom after lunch in the 7th grade hall but I just wanted them back in the classroom where the evidence of my incompetence could be well hidden. I ended up letting them go in groups (first mistake) to the bathroom while I worked with the rest of those idiots in the classroom. One particular group of boys somehow made it past me into the restroom without me being able to pick out the ones that I should have known couldn't handle being a small space on their own (second mistake).
The next thing I know, I'm in the hallway, watching for them to come back and this particular boy, who had been a new student (poor soul) to the system, walked around the corner, his shirt covered in blood and continuing to stream out his nose. I have never been so scared in my life - he walked down the hall, trying to hold his nose shut and I panicked! I asked him what happened and he said that he had been jumped in the bathroom by a few of the other boys. I was in disbelief! This actually happened to kids? Are you kidding me?
The worst part was that I had NO IDEA what to do. My 7th grade classroom was the furthest in the school away from the office (not kidding). I didn't know the number to the office and I couldn't leave my students unattended ( I probably wouldn't have had a classroom to come back to). So I continued to panic....I kept the boy outside my room with some paper towels and ran down to the next science teacher's room who was my friend and was almost crying by the time she answered the door. All I did was point to the poor boy in the hall, bleeding into this paper towels. She looked at me and asked "Did you press the button?"
Button?
"Button?" I asked in puzzlement. "What button?"
"The panic button to contact the office" she replied calmly and walked down to my room to show me a small back button in the top corner of my room.
Are you freaking kidding me? A PANIC BUTTON? Where the hell was I teaching????
Anyways, the situation was eventually handled. I made it through the year ( and pressed that button so many times it was embarrassing) and eventually got to a point in my teaching that I would make it almost the entire year without pressing it for emergencies.
So I remembered this kid.
Back to my trip to Walgreen's tonight. I am picking up my pictures and I look up to the wall and see his picture - grinning at me like always - as a member of the photo staff. It was a wonderful feeling.
I may not have 'saved that kid's life' or made a huge difference but he made a big one in mine. And here he was, graduated and ready to start making his own difference in life.
I say that was a payoff :-)
Anyways, the title of tonight's entry is perfect for the last Thursday before heading back to school next week. After 7 years in the same district, I will be switching to a new school system and begin new teacher training next week. It is a very big change for me....I started as a teacher in this first district and while it was extremely difficult a lot of the time to find reasons to stay, they did help me develop into the teacher I am now.
I went into teaching because I wanted to make a difference.
Duh
That's what we all say isn't it? No one tells people they wanted to go into teaching because they just didn't feel like wearing a uniform but do the same work as a prison guard....or that they loved being told on a week to week basis by numerous people (administration, parents, students, LAWMAKERS) that they just weren't that important and had no idea what they were doing.
No - we are called to this profession because we want to make a difference. In the lives of children. One of the biggest lessons I have learned in the last few years of teaching is that when you 'make a difference' in the life of a child, you are making an investment....sometimes one that you will never see again....and sometimes one that will eventually cash out and pay off....usually in a time that you really need it.
Where am I going with this?
Okay, so I was in Walgreen's tonight picking up pictures from some disposable cameras that I found in a drawer ( kind of scared to look at them). This Walgreen's happens to be the one closest to me and also is located in the same community that I taught in for 7 years. I started teaching 7th graders in middle school and stayed there for 5 years. The past 2 years I was moved up to the high school and had the opportunity to teach ( and teach and teach) some of the same students. I also got the chance to see the first two classes of 7th graders that I taught graduate (I won't go into the number of them that actually made it...our high school had a 56% graduation rate).
In my last year at the high school, my 7th year of teaching, one of my kids from my first year teaching saw me at Walgreen's. He got excited and came up to me and asked if I remembered him. I told him of course and to prove it, I said his full name. He grinned - I asked what he was up to. He said that he was graduating this year and that he was working for a year and then would be going to community college. I said that I was so proud of him and seeing that he had a uniform on, I asked him if he was working at Walgreen's. He said that he was doing stocking but was hoping to get a better position permanently in the store. He looked around and said that he needed to get back to work and I told him good luck and went on my way.
Did I remember this kid? Oh yes.
It was my first year teaching...and it was HORRIBLE. I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. This school system is ROUGH. Low income kids, kids with no parents, parents in jail, just everything....and I had NO idea how to connect with them.
It was my second day at school. SECOND DAY and I was attempting to walk my class back from lunch. This particular class had a lot of students that did not make it to graduation....and they showed it. They were all over the hall, shouting, punching each other....and here are other teachers, not looking at them in disgust but at ME in disgust because I obviously had no idea what I was doing. I was assigned to take them to the bathroom after lunch in the 7th grade hall but I just wanted them back in the classroom where the evidence of my incompetence could be well hidden. I ended up letting them go in groups (first mistake) to the bathroom while I worked with the rest of those idiots in the classroom. One particular group of boys somehow made it past me into the restroom without me being able to pick out the ones that I should have known couldn't handle being a small space on their own (second mistake).
The next thing I know, I'm in the hallway, watching for them to come back and this particular boy, who had been a new student (poor soul) to the system, walked around the corner, his shirt covered in blood and continuing to stream out his nose. I have never been so scared in my life - he walked down the hall, trying to hold his nose shut and I panicked! I asked him what happened and he said that he had been jumped in the bathroom by a few of the other boys. I was in disbelief! This actually happened to kids? Are you kidding me?
The worst part was that I had NO IDEA what to do. My 7th grade classroom was the furthest in the school away from the office (not kidding). I didn't know the number to the office and I couldn't leave my students unattended ( I probably wouldn't have had a classroom to come back to). So I continued to panic....I kept the boy outside my room with some paper towels and ran down to the next science teacher's room who was my friend and was almost crying by the time she answered the door. All I did was point to the poor boy in the hall, bleeding into this paper towels. She looked at me and asked "Did you press the button?"
Button?
"Button?" I asked in puzzlement. "What button?"
"The panic button to contact the office" she replied calmly and walked down to my room to show me a small back button in the top corner of my room.
Are you freaking kidding me? A PANIC BUTTON? Where the hell was I teaching????
Anyways, the situation was eventually handled. I made it through the year ( and pressed that button so many times it was embarrassing) and eventually got to a point in my teaching that I would make it almost the entire year without pressing it for emergencies.
So I remembered this kid.
Back to my trip to Walgreen's tonight. I am picking up my pictures and I look up to the wall and see his picture - grinning at me like always - as a member of the photo staff. It was a wonderful feeling.
I may not have 'saved that kid's life' or made a huge difference but he made a big one in mine. And here he was, graduated and ready to start making his own difference in life.
I say that was a payoff :-)
Thinking 'bout the house....
First of all, before anything else, if you are looking for a laugh...check out this link.... it will make you at least smile!
http://www.happyplace.com/4286/brilliantly-sarcastic-responses-to-completely-well-meaning-signs
It's Thursday and there was a small incident that has made me look at our house in a different light than before.
We have a dog - a wire-fox terrier who answers to the name of Bo. Now, Bo is a bit spastic sometimes and so we try to take him for a walk every night. We live in a neighborhood that has a park down the street so we usually take him there where he can run his happy little heart out until we're ready to go back home. My husband and I both walked down the street and upon entering the park, noticed an alarming amount of cars there. Next to the shelter were several kids, over 10, crowded around two boys that were rolling around on the ground, beating the living crap out of each other. Adding to the chaos were 2 more boys with their cell phones out, filming the entire thing. We immediately turned around (against our natural reactions, which as teachers, is to go over and break up whatever is happening) and began to return home. I guess some of the kids were freaked out that they had been caught because a few minutes later, two of the cars that were parked there flew down the street, over 40 mph. We managed to get both the plates and when we got back home, my husband called the police to let them know what was going on. We sat on the steps of our house, sipping a glass of wine and watched as 3 police cruisers came down the street about 5 minutes later and proceeded to clear out the park....which we knew, because all the cars left the subdivision and groups of kids walked back down the street, scattered from their hangout place.
This entire incident left me with the distinct feeling that we need to move out of here as soon as possible....which will be awhile, since we bought the house only 2 years ago and need to stay at least another year to fulfill our agreement to the government (that $8000 incentive program). This is not the first time we have called the police for things happening in our neighborhood....and we are tired of the constant drama of crap that seems to surround our address. I fear the day that someone gets up the gumption to let us know how they feel about us meddling in their questionable business....and have a feeling it will involve new front windows.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done before we can even think of someone purchasing this house. The carpets needs to be replaced, the woodwork needs to be painted with the doors as well, windows should probably be replaced and we have no grass....seriously. No grass.
Please don't ask me why we bought this house in the first place!
We do love it - it has a beautiful great room in the middle of the floor plan, a large kitchen, a great deck and screened-in porch and a pool which has just been replaced as well (long story). Our two cats and Bo love lounging around, and we really do enjoy calling this home. But it is still difficult to walk outside and feel trapped within the subdivision...and by the crappy crap that happens constantly. I grew up in a neighborhood where you could ride your bike to the library, the store or school if you wanted to. The busy road outside of our entrance stops all hopes of that being a reality here. But it is a good home....and it is temporary for the time being. It is truly a "fixer-upper" and has been a good provider of practicing home repair. We have learned a lot about houses while we have lived here and now know what to look for in our next house.
Lesson to learn: Do a lot of research before buying a house and know the neighborhood. Especially if you hate fights in the local park.
http://www.happyplace.com/4286/brilliantly-sarcastic-responses-to-completely-well-meaning-signs
It's Thursday and there was a small incident that has made me look at our house in a different light than before.
We have a dog - a wire-fox terrier who answers to the name of Bo. Now, Bo is a bit spastic sometimes and so we try to take him for a walk every night. We live in a neighborhood that has a park down the street so we usually take him there where he can run his happy little heart out until we're ready to go back home. My husband and I both walked down the street and upon entering the park, noticed an alarming amount of cars there. Next to the shelter were several kids, over 10, crowded around two boys that were rolling around on the ground, beating the living crap out of each other. Adding to the chaos were 2 more boys with their cell phones out, filming the entire thing. We immediately turned around (against our natural reactions, which as teachers, is to go over and break up whatever is happening) and began to return home. I guess some of the kids were freaked out that they had been caught because a few minutes later, two of the cars that were parked there flew down the street, over 40 mph. We managed to get both the plates and when we got back home, my husband called the police to let them know what was going on. We sat on the steps of our house, sipping a glass of wine and watched as 3 police cruisers came down the street about 5 minutes later and proceeded to clear out the park....which we knew, because all the cars left the subdivision and groups of kids walked back down the street, scattered from their hangout place.
This entire incident left me with the distinct feeling that we need to move out of here as soon as possible....which will be awhile, since we bought the house only 2 years ago and need to stay at least another year to fulfill our agreement to the government (that $8000 incentive program). This is not the first time we have called the police for things happening in our neighborhood....and we are tired of the constant drama of crap that seems to surround our address. I fear the day that someone gets up the gumption to let us know how they feel about us meddling in their questionable business....and have a feeling it will involve new front windows.
There is a lot of work that needs to be done before we can even think of someone purchasing this house. The carpets needs to be replaced, the woodwork needs to be painted with the doors as well, windows should probably be replaced and we have no grass....seriously. No grass.
Please don't ask me why we bought this house in the first place!
We do love it - it has a beautiful great room in the middle of the floor plan, a large kitchen, a great deck and screened-in porch and a pool which has just been replaced as well (long story). Our two cats and Bo love lounging around, and we really do enjoy calling this home. But it is still difficult to walk outside and feel trapped within the subdivision...and by the crappy crap that happens constantly. I grew up in a neighborhood where you could ride your bike to the library, the store or school if you wanted to. The busy road outside of our entrance stops all hopes of that being a reality here. But it is a good home....and it is temporary for the time being. It is truly a "fixer-upper" and has been a good provider of practicing home repair. We have learned a lot about houses while we have lived here and now know what to look for in our next house.
Lesson to learn: Do a lot of research before buying a house and know the neighborhood. Especially if you hate fights in the local park.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Introduction
Well it's that magical time of the year again....August. Not the most favorite month of teachers....well, I lie a bit. If you are a teacher who has truly been called to this job (and if you are, then you know that you had to be CALLED by a higher power), then you are also getting excited....but just a little bit.
August is bittersweet. It's the beginning of a whole new year - new kids, new lessons, a new outlook on teaching that is untainted by nasty parents, ignorant administrators and kids that get that....well, look on their face that you can just tell you are being compared to a TV show...and losing terribly.
August is also the END of that magical time of year that is summer. The time of the year where you can finally take out that list and see what you need to do because you won't be busy making lessons, grading papers or drinking a (few) glasses of wine to forget what happened between the hours of 8 and 3. The time of year where you can breathe without getting that tight feeling in your chest that is the knowledge that you have ___ number of days before June....
But I digress....
I am again making an attempt at creating a blog that will not only being humorous and useful to my mental health, but will also help others....maybe. In being a teacher, I obviously feel like I have things to say that are important....but that is only my opinion. I really wanted to make a VERY anonymous blog about what it is REALLY like to be a teacher in today's public school systems but after seeing what is happening to people and their jobs when it comes to opinion, I figured I would try this instead. But it's a huge part of my life...trust me, it will come up. No names or details...but it will come up.
I want to write about a lot of different things....how to save money, how to fix stuff, how to take care of yourself and others around you. I feel like these are important things....
My husband and I are both teachers. In case you don't know, we are NOT paid well. Don't get me wrong, some teachers make very good money...in states with a union. We aren't in one of those states. My husband and I both started in a district where the TOP pay...for someone with a bachelor's degree...was $56,550....and that's after 30 years of service. Now is that really fair? So a lot of this blog will involve the things that both he and I do to save money on bills, groceries, cleaning supplies, etc. I also try to be as "green" as possible so I am sure that will show up as well.
It's hard to live in such a materialistic and self-centered world sometimes, especially when you aren't a materialistic person....and you are a teacher....so in the words of my dear mother, that's why.....good taste is such a drag...
August is bittersweet. It's the beginning of a whole new year - new kids, new lessons, a new outlook on teaching that is untainted by nasty parents, ignorant administrators and kids that get that....well, look on their face that you can just tell you are being compared to a TV show...and losing terribly.
August is also the END of that magical time of year that is summer. The time of the year where you can finally take out that list and see what you need to do because you won't be busy making lessons, grading papers or drinking a (few) glasses of wine to forget what happened between the hours of 8 and 3. The time of year where you can breathe without getting that tight feeling in your chest that is the knowledge that you have ___ number of days before June....
But I digress....
I am again making an attempt at creating a blog that will not only being humorous and useful to my mental health, but will also help others....maybe. In being a teacher, I obviously feel like I have things to say that are important....but that is only my opinion. I really wanted to make a VERY anonymous blog about what it is REALLY like to be a teacher in today's public school systems but after seeing what is happening to people and their jobs when it comes to opinion, I figured I would try this instead. But it's a huge part of my life...trust me, it will come up. No names or details...but it will come up.
I want to write about a lot of different things....how to save money, how to fix stuff, how to take care of yourself and others around you. I feel like these are important things....
My husband and I are both teachers. In case you don't know, we are NOT paid well. Don't get me wrong, some teachers make very good money...in states with a union. We aren't in one of those states. My husband and I both started in a district where the TOP pay...for someone with a bachelor's degree...was $56,550....and that's after 30 years of service. Now is that really fair? So a lot of this blog will involve the things that both he and I do to save money on bills, groceries, cleaning supplies, etc. I also try to be as "green" as possible so I am sure that will show up as well.
It's hard to live in such a materialistic and self-centered world sometimes, especially when you aren't a materialistic person....and you are a teacher....so in the words of my dear mother, that's why.....good taste is such a drag...
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