Just a Side Note

It is remarkable how much work I am getting done now that I have NO time to sit around and chat with my buddies. Instead of gossiping for an hour after school and then getting ready for the next day, I am busting my ass to get my schedule up and my things organized before rushing out the door. And although there are some things that aren't happening (grading, for one) I am pretty much keeping things running as usual. I don't think the kids have noticed a great change in how the class runs. Parents will notice a differnce when I don't sent home work reports on Friday, though.

Big Fish

We just finished watching the movie, Big Fish, and it caused one of those eye opening moments that puts you smack dab in the middle of someone else's shoes. You see, it is the story of a man whose father is dying. Everything this man knows about his father comes from the tall tales he has heard all his life. As he says goodbye to his father, he struggles to tell the real from the fantasy and finds that they might not be as different as he once thought. But that doesn't really have anything to do with my moment of revelation.

There is a scene in which the dying man is soaking up water in the bathtub. His wife, with whom he is obviously very much in love, climbs in with him. Both fully dressed, he holds her as she struggles to control her tears. She is trying valiantly to keep up a brave front as the man she loves prepares to leave her forever.

I have had 3 grandfathers die of various illnesses. All were taken much younger than they should have been and each left behind a widow - 3 of my grandmothers. Previously, I have always thought of these men as grandfathers. They were the guys who wore thin white undershirts, let me slather their shaving cream all over my face, and built things with their own hands. They were old and grandfatherly.

Suddenly, I realized that they didn't think of themselves that way. Just as I don't often remember that I am an adult and not a teenager, I'm sure they didn't feel like old men. And each of my grandmothers had to face the very thing that this man's wife was facing. Although was never privy to it, or even thought about it, for that matter, I'm sure each couple had their own version of the bathtub scene. A moment (or more) when they had to acknowledge what was right around the corner.

My grandmothers are each strong women in their own way, and they have each carried on with their lives over time. I would never presume to know what was in their heads, but I suspect that moment was one of the hardest in their lives. I hope I never have to find out for myself just how hard. They have passed on many wonderful qualities, but I don't think there is enough strength in the world to get me through losing my Mikey.

A Request

Since the computer switch, I have been without my e-mail, passwords, or ICQ numbers - all of which were hidden away in the depths of my old system. Today, we managed to go in and dig most of the necessary information out to get me reconnected to the world as I previously knew it. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy the list of people who I talk to on ICQ. So here's the request...

Send me an ICQ message, so I can add you to my list again. I miss talking to y'all, but I was so reliant on the ICQ system that I have no idea how to find you in the search thingy. Have you ANY idea how many people there are with the nickname of "turtle"?

Belly news

A couple of things to share regarding my belly...

1. It's been awhile since t'all have seen me, so here's a picture of what I looked like this morning.



Actually, it was Twin Day at school, and I was dressed up like my pal, D, who is 10 weeks away from having her first child. I told her I would make her feel skinny for a day, and boy did I! The funniest part was seeing the looks on the faces of kids and parents who were in my class last year. Jaws were dropping all over the place. A couple of my kids from this year even asked, "Is that real?". All of the blood drained from Mikey's face at the mere thought of me looking like that.

2. My real belly is actually giving me some trouble. There is a spot just above the right end of my insicion that is paining me. When I sneeze it suddenly feels like it did just a few weeks after the surgery. I can't really lean on anything without discomfort. I am going to put myself on "couchrest" for the whole weekend, and if that doesn't make it get better, I will be calling my coordinator on Monday. I suspect that I just overdid something and pulled a muscle, though. What a pain.

Solidarity

Stormy Weather

I took these the other day at school and on my way home. It was a funny weather day - the kind that would have had me looking for tornadoes if I were in MN. Here everyone says "Must be an earthquake coming".





This one was taken later that same night.

We went walkies!

More pics from around our neighborhood:


This scruffy looking fella lives down the street from us. We occasionally see him in our yard.


Purty.


More purty. When I got home from school yesterday, a little girl was dancing in the drifting petals falling from the tree her mom was shaking.


Mikey is always looking for the unique perspective.


I like the detail in this one.


I am obsessed with pictures of the sun. Hmmm. I wonder why?

Have a Happy Day

It's fun when you go to the mailbox and find a package with your name on it and when you open it there is cute paper for various uses because paper rocks and can be used for things and this paper has my initials on it and happy little people dancing so I will have to find something to do with it so I can share its cuteness with the world. Do you like my run-on sentence because I am pretty sure reading 30 stories filled iwth sentences like this is considered some kind of torture and I could probably get workers comp for the damage it has done to my brain and my own writing ability but I won't because I'm just glad that my spelling skills seem to be intact and our insurance sucks anyway which is why we are working contract hours only so hopefully I will recover from reading all the 4th grade sentences while I am doing something OTHER than grading papers.

Sorry about that. I have been too tired to make coherent thoughts since about 5:00 this afternoon after our union meeting. I will be able to start taking naps with my free time now that I will be leaving school (and all related schoolwork) behind at exactly 3:30. I promise to be more interesting tomorrow.

The Old Switcharoo

Sometimes I wonder if there isn't an actual switch buried deep inside me, controlled by my hormones. I can always tell when my hormones are in flux, because I flip from one personality to another within seconds. Last Thursday, I suddenly became the Green Menace in the middle of the day. I ranted and raved over the smallest things that my students did. I expected them to toe the line BEFORE they even knew where the damn line was. Today, I turned into a big ol' marshmallow midway through the day, gazing adoringly at my little monsters as I gently asked them to "please lower your voices" for the 127th time in 5 minutes. No wonder they can't seem to figure out the rules. Their too young to realize that the rules are strongly tied to the calendar.

Disclaimer: I have always hated the "I have PMS" excuse and this is in no way supposed to be a justification for my crazy moodswings. Rather, it is an observation and hopefully a way of monitoring myself more closely. However, I don't suggest you take it for granted that I have learned any self-control during my more deadly moments. I take full responsibility, but that might not help you after I have disemboweled you and eaten your liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti.

Emergency!

Last week my kidney model (the one we were using for a bathroom pass) was broken. I don't know how because the little urchin who broke it just put it back where it belongs and has yet to 'fess up. Since this is the second bathroom pass they have lost/broken, I told my class that we would no longer be using the restroom during class time. Of course, I make exceptions for this rule based on the look of urgency in their eyes when they ask, but for the most part, pee breaks have been limited to recess and lunch.

This afternoon, I almost had to break this new rule myself. My remaining kidney seems to be working just fine and it was all I could do to get the last kid out the door before I went racing down the hall to the nearest bathroom. Which is exactly why I will never be able to apply an "Absolutely No Bathroom Breaks During Class Time" rule in my room. You never know when those beans are going to start working overtime!

Subversive

I tried in vain to leave a comment on Chellee's blog, Telling Deeds. She is a teacher and she was accused of being "subversive" by a friend recently. I was trying to tell her just how welcome she would be in our little group. We are always the team in the back of the room plotting our escape or venting our displeasure at the way things are being handled. Don't get me wrong, we are also the ones who are first to volunteer to help get things done. We know that it is up to us to take action if we want change, but we get great pleasure out of sitting in the back sniggering into our sleaves and covering our handouts with inappropriate doodles. It's what gets us through the day.

So, Chellee, don't let that student teacher leave you without a good dose of subversiveness! If we're gonna light a fire under public education, we need all the matches we can get. :) And I hope you feel better soon.

Shutterbugs

Mikey and I have been taking lots of pictures with the new camera lately. Some of them are even kinda nice to look at...


I took this picture as I was leaving school last week. I was quite happy to see that carrying the camera with me all the time was going to pay off!


These are the trees just off our property. They loved all the rain we got this month.


Bonsai was kind enough to pose in this great natural light one afternoon. I took about a million pictures while he just snoozed.


The pictures below are all from our walk this afternoon.

We found this green patch of land on the other side of a future construction sight. More plants liking the rainy month we've had.


I am especially proud of this picture. I had to lay on the ground to get it, but it was very worth it.


Another shot from the construction site. They cleared out all the brush over 3 years ago and left it to erode away.

The New Arrivals

You have already heard mention of this little baby...



Once the new monitor arrives, I will show you my classy new desk setup.

This guy is one of 3 new fish in the tank...



He is an algea eating fishy and his name is Jay Edgar. Betcha you can figure out why.
The other new fishies are still a little camera shy - two guppies, one red and one blue-ish black. They haven't told us their names as of yet. As soon as Jay Edgar gets the tank cleaned up a bit I'll try capturing their visages again.

New Baby

Hehehe. I love typing titles like that, just because of the heartattacks I know it induces in some. I'm mean that way.

Anyway, you can't tell it from where YOU are, but I am typing this post on the newest addition to our humble abode - an adorable little MiniMac. The whole computer takes up about 84 cubic inches on my desk, and it's SO CUTE! So, I am, as of now, a Mac user. From what I have experienced in the last 2 hours, I am quite happy in my new role. The old PC tower is still standing loyally next to my desk, should I change my mind, but I have a feeling it will only be booted up long enough to retrieve a few things before being retired to the Old Computer's Home.

So far, I have played with the calendar, downloaded some pictures and made a slideshow (complete with classy fading from one to the next AND background music), downloaded updates, and set it so the buttons on the bottom inflate when I scroll over them. WHeeee! Not only that, but this posting I'm doing - ALL WIRELESS. WHHHhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeee!

Although this was really a business purchase (Hamumu Software will soon be porting games to Mac), it has been decided that it will also be my home computer, since I have been patiently using business hand-me-downs for a long time. Mikey even bought me a sweet LCD monitor to go with it. This has yet to arrive, but I know it will be great compared to the mammoth thing I am using now.

It's time to tear myself away from the new computer and get some work done around here. I'll let you know about my week it a bit.

Laz-E-Girl

We had hoped that I would be able to get back to the gym soon after my surgery, figuring it would be good for my recovery and provide Mikey with the company he needs for his own workout. I even went twice before going back to work. Now that I am working every day I just don't have the energy to go work out for the sake of working out in the afternoons. At least that is what I am telling myself. We're even considering cancelling our membership in favor of a daily meander through the neighborhood instead. Cheaper, but also less beneficial. Something to ponder, I guess.

"I Have a Dream"

It is my understanding that public schools have a choice regarding Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. They can either take the day off in memory of him, or they are required to spend the day discussing Dr. King and his civil rights efforts. My school opted for the day off, but my class spent some time on Friday talking about who Martin Luther King, Jr. was, what he did, and why we remember him 50 years after the fact. See if you can pick out the things I focused on by reading the following essays.

Some of the best essays are here in their complete form. Lest you think I am a horrible teacher, please understand that I was focusing on the content, not the grammar or spelling. We had just about 30 minutes to talk and write at the same time, so there was no editing done.(I have tried to type them exactly as written by my students, providing translations in parenthasis.)

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a smart non-vilonet minster. Also he was a civil rights leader. And he was mistred (mistreated) because of his bleaves (beliefs). He was assassinated by James Eral Ray. I really like him because he worked for PEACE! I really like him just for who he is. ~Jack

I agry with him we should have peace on earth. and I agry we should be treted equally. I do not like the other people that roend (ruined) his house. he dide (died) because of that. I do not just like him because his birthday lets us have no school. I like him for who he is. ~Jessica

I really look up to Martin luther king because He changed the world to make the earth a better place. He is one of my biggest heros. One time I even had a dream about him. Martin luther King wanted to work for peace. He was awarded the nobel peace prize. That is why I love martin luther King. ~Garrett

I like how he wanted ALL people to be treated equally. Now that he did that I can play with my friend Ariana. She is black, I feel bad for Martin Luther king that he died. He was shot in the head by James Earl Ray. He was thrown in jail without any light just because he maid a speech. His speech was called I HAVE A DREAM. They all mistreaded him. They all threw rocks at his house. They set his house on fire. Martin Luther king did not believe in violent. He only worked for peace. He always treated people nicely. He never did violence. He was a minister and lived in Alabama. That is why I like Martin Luther King. ~Sierra

He was a great man and he worked for peace. Whene he made that speech I felt great. His house was destroed and that was horrible. Soon he was assassinated by James Earl Ray. I'll never forget him because he was a great man. All in all, He was a man of the peace that why he's a hero. ~Jesse

I agrey that racisom is a stuped resen to hate echother. I think Marten Luther King was a god man, and I think that it dosint mater if you are black, white, or tan you should still be nice to other people. I think peopel should be treated equwele. I think that going to difirint schools becausa of your coler is stuped. I agrey with every ting King said. ~Jacob

I agree with Martin Luther King Jr. because all humans should be treeted equaly just like he said. Martin Luther Kind was a non violent person. He has a speech called, I Have a Dream, and it is a great speech. He was killed by James Earl Ray. The think I like about Martin Luther king Jr. is that he worked for peace. That is why I like Martin Luther King Jr. ~Deanna

1972 Martin Luther King Jr. was wanting to be a minister like his father. Martin Luther King Jr. was non-vilent. He wanted all people to be treated equally. He wanted to work for peace. King was 15 years old when he was in collage so he was pretty smart. He was assassinated by James Earl Ray. Thats how he (Ray) got famous. As you can see, Martin Luther King Jr. Loved every body even if they were violent. But he wanted everybody to be non-vilent. He didn't mean to make people hate him. ~Ashley

Some of the kids said things that were either very funny or touching.

He used his life to save the people from attcking each other. ~Justin

It doesn't madder about your skin it matters about your heart. ~Johnathan

I doent like James Earl Ray for Killing him. But I remember Martin Luther King because he worked for Peace. ~Cristian

I'd hate the days back then. ~Anonymous (grrr...no name papers...the scourge of my existence!)

Dear Martin Luther King Jr., Im glad that you let everybody even the black people go to school. ~Jose

When Martin luther king, Jr Baby He sleeped in a jrow (drawer). A few weeks later he got a cribe. He and his brother and sisters usto (used to) play jokes on people. ~Danielle

When Martin Luther King Jr. was only 27 years old, he lead the boycott that stopped segregation. ~Emily

Reading these you would think that I spent the whole time talking about James Earl Ray, but I really only mentioned him in passing. I think that 4th grade is right about the first time they can really comprehend the concept of assassination and they are facinated by it. I spent most of the conversation focusing on the non-violent aspect of King's revolution. We talked about all the horrible things that were done against King and his supporters and how they used boycotts, sit ins, and protest marches instead of guns and bricks to make their voices heard.

I read out of a book about King and at the end of the blurb it stated that "King's message lives on." I was nearly in tears as I explained to my class that THEY are how that message lives. I told them that I was doing what I could to make the world better than my parents had it, but that there would still be lots for them to do to make it better than I have it. Many in my class expressed the idea that equality had been reached (unfortunately, I think we spend way too much time patting ourselves on the back as we teach this topic). One of my students told us about moving to Temecula. She said that as they were unpacking, their TV was stolen out of their car and eggs were thrown at her house. The kids were appalled. They were quite adament that this was unacceptable and should never happen again.

I hope you are enjoying your Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, whether you have it off work or not. No matter what you are doing today, take a moment to think about how far we have come and how far we have left to go. This is, of course, my entire reason for being a teacher - and a very large part of my reason for being at all.

Shirts I would like to have...

I'm blogging this.

It's not my fault you suck.

I (heart) my geek.

(front) {geek} (back) {/geek}

Insufficient Memory

42

Obey Gravity! It's the Law.

How does your garden grow?

I have finally pulled all the dying, rotting vegetation out of my garden. I whipped the Morning Glory back into an imitation of control, and used a pitchfork to turn both beds. The next step is to mix in the beautiful mulch created in our very own compost. I am hoping to plant some lettuce and colder weather veggies very soon. I usually wait too long and everything gets stunted by 100+ temps.

Any suggestions on what I should put in now? FYI - it is typically about 70 during the day and as cold as 35 at night. This is our rainy season, too. I'm thinking lettuce, radishes, and onions (because they take FOREVER to grow). Your thoughts?

Good or Bad?

The Good:

I have learned that I am not just a suspicious, vindictive bitch who holds a grudge against an innocent someone because they were part of a tough transition in my life. Nor am I just crazy. I am RIGHT.

The Bad:

I am right. My suspicions have been seconded and that someone is not nearly as innocent as they would have me believe, which makes me feel even more vindictive.

Kid Power

My class has raised nearly $100 in change for the Red Cross Tsunami relief in the last two weeks. Our school has raised $2000 so far. IN CHANGE. Awesome! We continue to collect change for as long as we can get it coming in.

Granted

My pal, D, and I have been talking about lousy boyfriends a lot lately. Oh, not our own...we both have terrific husbands...but those belonging to some other friends. It made us both sit back and say "Wow...we really have it good, don't we?" It is so easy to forget that and take the one who stands by you in thick or thin or kidney surgery or pouring week long rain storm that is likely to drive you out of your freakin' mind. Much too easy.

So, this is for YOU, Mikey.

THANK YOU!

For the rest of you? Who is your rock? You know, the one who is down there every day making sure you are standing on solid ground? And, more importantly, have you told them thank you lately?

Whoa!

I don't often buy DVDs. Why waste the money when I can get anything I want from NetFlix? Especially since there are very few movies I am interested in seeing more than once. Last night, I watched a movie that immediately went on the Must Own list.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (possible spoilers on this page...don't scroll down if you want to be surprised in any way when you watch) is probably one of the BEST love stories ever written. Not only did I find the interactions realistic in their heat, both loving and angry, but I absolutely adored the ending. It was perfect - perfectly real, if a tiny bit idealistic. And you better believe that I am slapping the awkward, should-have-shaved-yesterday Jim Carry right up in the top of my Hottie List. Yowza! So much better than that rediculous Ace Venture crap he used to do (in looks AND quality). And Charlie Kaufmann doesn't just hand the plot to you in a McDonald's bag. The story is told in a unique, charming way that keeps you thinking, but never leaves you behind. Loverly.

I strongly recommend this movie. I will be watching it again as soon as I can get my mitts on a copy to keep. The best thing about watching this movie was the flood of thoughts/ideas/revelations I had regarding relationships and love. If my computer had been on, I would have posted them...as it is, you will have to wait until I can wrangle them back into something resembling coherence. In the meantime, watch the movie!

PS
Amy,
You friend Elijah is in it too, but I thought his character was totally lame and I hated him. Plus he is sporting a dopey little beard thingy that doesn't add to his appearance in my opinion. But perhaps you feel differently...just thought I would point out his presence!

Wednesday Giggle

You must see...

George W. Bush Quotations in Which the Words "God" or "The Almighty" or "The Almighty God" Are Replaced by Famous Names Chosen at Random From the '80s Edition of Trivial Pursuit.

Thanks to Chellee over at Telling Deeds for the link.

Back in the Saddle Again

My first day back was a smashing success! Despite my jitters at coming back after such a long absence (I always worry that maybe I lost the magic), I got through the day without looking too adle-brained. I managed to find almost everything that the sub used and put back differently (differently, mind you, not badly), and what I couldn't find, I managed to do without.

The kids - even my normally stoic boys - were quite generous with their hugs and notes of adoration. Between the excitement of my return and the frustration of a week+ of rain, they were chattier than I like, but that will smooth itself out as they adjust to me again. I was called by my sub's name repeatedly, but that, too, shall pass.

I had a hard time confining myself to my little stool by my desk. Normally, I wander around the room constantly. After about an hour of that, I realized that I was going to have to pace myself. Each time I realized that I was just wandering, I would tell myself to go back to my desk. It would work for a few minutes and then I would find myself wandering around again. It's a good thing I am on the teacher side of the whole classroom situation! The principal came in after lunch to check on how I was doing and remind the kids to make me take it easy. They will, too!

I have already used the kidney to get something I wanted from the kids. (All in fun, of course!) One little boy was complaining that he had to do something and I told him "Think of my poor kidney!" It worked like a charm. He laughed and did as he was asked. I suspect that for the rest of the year all requests will be coming from ghost of my kidney. "Please get out your math - the kindey ghost wants to see it."

Oh, and one more funny thing. While I was gone, they lost the bathroom pass. My ever-creative sub told them to use the model of a kidney that we received from the visiting nephrologist. Now, when they have to pee, they go walking down the hall carrying a kidney. And they don't just grab it and go - they carry it reverently by the base, keeping it upright and safe. It is quite a sight to see!

I am feeling quite good, but I definitely noticed a decline in my energy level by lunchtime. I warned the kids to be extra good in the afternoons, since I will have less energy and consequently less patience. We'll see how that goes! Mostly, I just have to make sure that I get home early and take it easy in the evenings. It feels good to be just about back to normal again.

Why?

Why did I have to pick the day that I wore a thick wool sweater, had a malfunctioning heater (it had to have been 80 in my room), and was the recipient of many congradulatory hugs to forget deoderant?

Sheesh. You can't take me anywhere.

I blame it on too many weeks of not having to go out in public.

Flashback

I'll give you three guess as to what the weather is doing outside right now, and the first two don't count!

Just Do It

Okay...here's your chance to help even more than you already have! All you have to do is go over to Michele's blog and leave a comment. Just say that Soleil sent you. You don't even have to be witty or anything.

"But...", you are stammering, "I don't know Michele. And I much prefer to lurk. Why would I comment on a strange site?"

You will comment there because for every comment that Michele gets to the post entitles "The Tsunami Devestation" her pal from Sigmund, Carl, and Alfred is going to donate a dollar. Last I saw, there were 96 comments. Let's do what we can to increase that number, shall we?

Pretty please? :)

Dear Weatherman,

I understand that we are often suffering from droughts in this area of the world. I also understand that it technically IS the rainy season. I was just wondering if maybe we could get one day...heck, even half a day...of pure, unadulterated sunshine sometime soon. My batteries are running low and I am in danger of serious malfunction if they don't get recharged soon. Might I suggest spreading the downpours out? One a week during the winter months would be perfect. Anything to avoid a repeat of the solid week of rain we are currently "enjoying".

Longing for some dry heat,
Soleil

Illusions

Woke up with the vaguest of yicky feelings. I can't really pinpoint anything that feels bad, but it's there. You know that optical illusion where it shows you a bunch of squares and you see things at the corners that aren't really there and disappear when you look directly at them? That is how I feel. If I concentrate on any particular body part, it feels fine, but when I just unfocus my attention, I feel crappy.

Off to the couch. Have a nice day everyone.

More Pictures

Knitting:

Here's my very first knitting project! I am pretty proud of how neat and tidy my stitches are, but I obviously had no clue what I was doing as I flipflopped back and forth between styles.


And here is my cute little cell phone holder. The strap loops around the strap of my purse. I don't know how I ever lived without one. :)


Other Stuff:

Here's my new bedding. The sheets are wonderfully satin-licious and the comforter is super snuggly.


Meet Bubbles! He's the newest member of our household. He particularly likes riding the current created by the water filter. Unfortunately, he is, like all fish, a horrible liar.

Game Time!

Okay...the idea is to identify as many of the objects on the table as you can. Post your answers in the comments. Good luck! :)

Irony is...

...calling your nurse to get a note authorizing your return to work on the day that you feel LEAST capable of doing anything. Yep, it's time to get back to the classroom on Monday. I have been feeling great and I wasn't worried at all...until today. I think I have pushing too hard this week, what with the cleaning and vacuuming and visiting and going to the gym. Today was the first day in weeks that I actually had to take a nap, and it wasn't that I just wanted to...I really HAD to. I couldn't keep my eyes open for another second. So, tomorrow and Sunday will be dedicated to nothing but eating and sleeping (I heard from an expert on the subject that that was the way to feel better.), so that I can be in top form on Monday. I spent time today planning and organizing so that I will at least have half a clue what I am doing when I get there. Wish me luck!

Knitting Update

I have now completed a whole scarf and a cell phone holder. The scarf is either going to be bronzed in gold as my first knitting accomplishment or given to someone as a gift. Depends on whether I can find someone who would actually enjoy it (perhaps my neice?). The cell phone holder is attached to my purse and doing its job spectacularly. Hooray for learning a new talent! My next new talent should be learning how to operate the download function for the new camera. Then I could show you the fruits of my knitting labor in all their glory.

Simply Beautiful

Household Goal ~ Work on getting rid of unnecessary items in each room.

Living Room - check!
Hall Closets - check!
Guest Bath - check!
Master Bath - check!
Pantry - check!

I have been a whirlwind around here. All the rooms above have been cleansed of things that we don't use on a regular basis, including (but not limited to!) a peanut butter maker, 339 half-empty bottles of lotion/shower gel/hand soap/shampoo/expired prescriptions, several miles of phone cord and cable wires each, and about 7 old toothbrushes. Each room has also gotten a thorough going over with a dustrag and the vacuum. I have cleaned places that haven't seen daylight since we moved in. We may not be living a "simple" life just yet, but we're getting closer, and in the meantime, it looks DAMN GOOD in here!

Multiple Choice Pop Quiz (or Yes, I'm feeling a little bitter today. Why do you ask?)

This quiz has been carelessly created just for you, so we may determine your understanding of the arbitrary standards that we here at Testing Headquarters have decided are important. Our research shows that the best way to manipulate the system in our financial favor test understanding is to use poorly worded multiple choice questions with complicated and contradictory directions. So, please remember to bubble in the circle that corresponds with the correct answer completely with a #2 green pen purchased within a mile of a McDonald's (Failure to follow all directions fully will result in automatic public embarassment and the feeding of your test to a wild goat.). Your future acceptance here at Rambling with Isha will be greatly affected by the outcome of this test for which you have been ill-prepared, but we here at Testing Headquarters hope that you will forget about that for the moment and do your very best. We don't want the substantial reward of a million dollars for success or the horrifying punishment of lifetime banishment to affect your thinking process in any way. Good luck. :)

Soleil did not forget to attend a meeting about "at-risk" students. She presented the following query: "So what do I DO for those students who don't qualify for help academically? How do I help the ones who are failing because of the particulars of their home lives?" Please circle the the answer that you think is the least wrong.

A. "Well, we are working on getting a system set up that will help us identify these students earlier and gathering some data that will help us provide the assistance that is most beneficial to the greatest number of students."

3. "Kids like that fall through the cracks. There isn't much we can do."

<>. "Here's a list of county and state programs that are in place. If you need help communicating this information to the parents, let me know and we will arrange a meeting time that is convenient for all of us."

@. "The home life of a student is really the parents' responsibility."


**Please note that if you have a problem with the topic, editing, phrasing, or level of this question or its answer choices, you should know that we don't care. We here at Testing Headquarters know that it couldn't possibly be a problem with our test, so it must be you. Are you stupid or what? I'm sure that your local blog test agency would be happy to provide you with assistance, provided that you can prove there is an academic basis for your failure. Lack of success due to emotional, social, or economic issues are your problem. Good luck. :)

Props

C.Monks dedicated his latest post to Sandra Bullock, because of her incredible generosity. I am hoping that there are others with large amounts of money that they don't need (pretty much anyone who has been in a major motion picture or anyone who has made a top 40 hit) who step up to the plate as well.

I am going try to give those people a little love here in the next few days. Not that that will mean anything to them, but it's better than not thanking them at all. Please let me know if there is anyone who is deserving - famous or not. This is my list so far:

Amber and Ryan Hunt - Despite having two kids to raise (a common excuse for those who don't give - kids ARE expensive, after all), they managed to part with a substantial chunk of their earnings. Amber is also giving what spiritual assistance she can. Thank you, both.

Hamumu Software - It may not add up to the same as the big name companies can give, but Humumu is donating 25% of all sales for the month of January.

No Substance Software - I admit that I don't know much about this company, but what I have seen so far, impresses me. I have heard good things about the game, but what I really like is their attempts at improving the world.

Sandra Bullock - Just imagine if everyone who could afford it, gave this much...

Dooce.com - Dooce has the Google AdSense program set up on her blog. Through BlogAid, she will be giving all she earns in January to Red Cross. If you have a blog, you may want to think about joining her.

Wow. Poking around BlogAid, I found a list of blogs who are donating. I don't know most of these folks, but I want to give a big "THANK YOU" to all of them for caring.

If you are interested in donating:

BlogAid's list of agencies
Google's list of agencies
CNN's list of agencies
One click donating at Amazon.com

As Dooce (and I am sure many others) pointed out, the world supported us in our time of need, and now is the time for us to continue to circle. I know that there are always bills to pay and mouths to feed, but take a moment to compare what you have to what those in those devestated countries have right now. Please give what you can.

UPDATE: While I was in my favorite little ice cream shop (killing time before going to the gym, I'll have you know!), I learned that Doctors Without Borders has stopped taking donations for their tsunami relief fund. They said it was important for them to spend the money the way you intended and the $20 MILLION they have already received is all they can handle for this particular fund. They are asking those who still wish to donate to give to one of their many other funds. How honest. And how amazing. $20 million dollars. It's times like these when I actually like my species! :)

Helping Hand...

Obviously, my father knew what my goals were going to be and planned my Christmas present accordingly. I know this because I got a package in the mail today. It contained one perfect copy of Rise Up, Singing, a music fakebook I have been wanting for some time. This is going to help me a great deal with my guitar practice, because it contains just about every song I remember hearing played at friendly jam sessions with my family.

You see, I am a musical nitwit in an amalgamation of musical families. My father can sing. My mother can sing and play piano and dulcimer. My uncles and my daddy can sing and play a variety of guitars. My sister can play the flute, one brother can play the drums, and the other, the guitar. My parents friends - the adults I grew up with - can play drums and guitars and mandolins and saxaphones.

Although I took flute lessons and piano lessons and (as an adult) guitar lessons, I have always felt like the musical ugly duckling amongst my relatives. That didn't stop me from relishing the sing alongs that invariably began whenever people got together - often beside a roaring bonfire. Some of my best memories from my youth are of resting my head on my mother's lap, listening to folk songs fading one into the other. There are snippets of songs from Arlo Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Sally Rogers, and John Prine the bubble up in my head from time to time that I KNOW most people of my generation have never heard. For example:

It was late one night in the pale moonlight
and all the vegetables went on a spree.
They put out a sign that said "Dancin' at nine"
and all the admission was free.
...
Little tomato, agitator
shook the shimmey with the sweet potato.
And old man Garlic dropped dead with the colic
down at the barnyard dance - this morning -
down at the barnyard - early this morning -
down at the barnyard dance!

How many 26 year olds do YOU know that have even heard this song, much less had it running through their heads?

Um. What was my point? Oh, yeah. Despite always feeling slightly dim-witted about music, I have not given up on my attempts at learning a musical instrument. I know that I will never be great, but I have promised myself that I will eventually be capable of playing some of my old favorites on guitar. Thanks to my father, I now have a book-ful of those songs boiled down to their simplest. This is gonna be fun!

Bad Belly

Can I just tell you how irritating it is that my stomach chooses to tell me that it is hungry and I should eat by making me feel nauseated? As if that makes me want to eat! Stupid stomach.

Mayfly Revisited

OOh! How apropriate! As I started this post I was hearing these words...

Long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last.
~The Counting Crows~

Last year I participated in a little activity that asked you to sum up your year in 20 words or less. I found it while looking for last year's goals and I thought it might be fun to try it again.

I summed up 2003 like this.

2004
Things coming together. Family. Friends. Life.
Accidental balance. Coincidental joy.
Finding Peace within. Fighting Hate without.
Hope. Love. Growth. Bonsai.

The activity started here. I know it's not there anymore, but I wanted to give credit where credit was due as best I could.

GOAL!!!!!

I gave up on New Year's resolutions a long time ago. Setting a goal and then spending a year failing at it isn't my idea of a good time. However, for the last several years I have been taking time to pen a few goals. The important difference being that I don't have to flog myself with a wet noodle if I don't reach my goal. Even a little progress is something to be proud of. So, with no further ado, here are my goals for 2005:

Household Goals
~ Continue using the allowance system to get chores done. We seem to have found a system that gets enough done to keep me sane without causing strife between our two VERY DIFFERING ideas about how clean things should be.
~ Work on getting rid of unnecessary items in each room. I have a tendency to hoard things, mostly for sentimental reasons. Do I really need to keep that bottle of body wash that I don't like just because a very sweet student gave it to me as a gift? I don't think so, and it is time to do something about it.

Relationship Goals
~ Improve communications with family using the schedule that I developed some time ago. Rather than feeling obligated to use the telephone (which I hate), I should be using my newly freed up evenings to write letters and make cards.
~ Continue the monthly "game night" we started with friends. Who would have thought that "going out" and "doing things" could be so fun?? :)

Teaching Goals
~ Complete BTSA (new teacher training program) and renew CA teaching credential. (Look into renewing WI cred. as well.) This includes talking to the credential expert at the district to make sure that I have fulfilled all requirements.
~ Take a class on how to teach writing, especially narrative writing. This is a consistent weak spot for my teaching. I have confidence in my ability to make social studies and science interesting. I trust myself to instill a love of reading, and I have even developed a surprising competence with teaching math (understanding their confusion and fear helps a bunch!). Teaching the art of writing, however, leaves me in a cold sweat. I have this sneaking suspicion that the 5th grade teachers can all recognize students who were in my class by their rambling prose.

Learning Goals
~ Continue to study Spanish at home. I want to keep this informal and relaxed, since I know exactly what will happen if I start feeling pressured. I have very little patience for my own failures.
~ Resume taking formal guitar lessons, with the specific intent of learning to play "Happy Birthday" and a patriotic song (preferably My County 'Tis of Thee or America the Beautiful) that I can use in my class. This has to be formal because I don't have the knowledge base to teach myself and I have yet to find a computer program that will do the job.

Health Goals
~ Maintain weight. I am not unhappy with where I am (especially since I lost about 5 pounds in the process of giving the kidney), but I don't really want to gain anything.
~ Work out 3 times weekly. We were doing a good job of going to the gym fairly regularly before the surgery and it is time to pick that up again.
~ Continue vegetarian diet for another year. I have started taking a multi-vitamin so that I don't have to worry about my iron levels. We have also decided to start using our cookbooks more often so that we aren't stuck in the Spaghetti/Macaroni/Frozen Ravioli/Canned Soup rut anymore.

Financial Goals
(personal)
~ Earn at least $25 dollars spending money through chores each week. This is easy as long as I actually DO some chores, rather than sitting around on my lazy butt all weekend.
~ Set aside 1/2 of weekly earnings for donations/gifts to others.
(household)
~ Donate more money to charity. This is pretty vague, but we haven't gone over our finances closely enough to set an actual amount. This WILL be happening soon.
~ Adjust finances to find current income and revamp savings plan. This is something we do every January. I am actually quite impressed with our ability to plan financially.

Fun Goals
~ Have at least one craft project going at all times. I am going to use the time previously wasted on television for something useful and creative. Current projects include knitting and cross-stitching.
~ Take a trip to Mexico during spring break. I truly enjoyed being in Mexico the two times I went with my family, but this time we are going to be as un-touristy as possible. I want to see Mexico, not the inside of a resort designed to look like home.


**I spent some time searching my January archives, looking for my previous goals, and I can't find them. But I did find that I had some interesting things to say on a variety of subjects. How woulda thunk it? Of course, by "interesting" I mean "I wrote some stuff that doesn't sound stupid to me a year or two later". You might think differently.

Sol-cicle

I am really wondering what temperature you all set your thermostats at. We are having a bit of a debate about where ours should be. The trouble is balancing the need to limit the amount of fossil fuels we are burning up with the need to maintain a semi-comfortable body temp. I don't mind wearing layers, but I draw the line at beaking out my Mukluks for indoor use. Please tell me what is normal so we can figure out which of us is being unreasonable.

Feelin' Groovy

Things I noticed today:

1. On our trip around the block, I was standing completely upright and walking at my normal speed.

2. It doesn't feel like I am pressing on bruised muscles when I sit.

3. My stomach feels (but doesn't really look) smaller.

4. I can sit up using only my stomach muscles.

It has taken nearly 5 whole weeks, but the muscles in my abdomen seem to be returning to normal. Everything else has been wonderful for weeks, so this is really the last thing keeping me from being my old self. Hooray! I can now spend the next week working up my stamina a bit and I will be happy as a clam when I return to school.