* The solar panels have been put on hold due to our inability to procure satisfactory funding. We're currently saving up as fast as we can (drat - no more eating out) and if we miss the current tax rebate window (they expire on 12/31) then we'll just wait for the bigger and better one that President Obama is going to put together. :)
* My back is at about 90%. I can still feel stiffness and my range of motion isn't what it once was, but the pain is under control. In fact, I haven't had one flare up since my appointment a week ago. I haven't been able to say that since the beginning of July.
* The new fridge is beautiful and does its job well. It was worth the wait.
Time to get to work. I have Back 2 School presentations to give this evening and I'm trying to get a PhotoStory set up so that all I have to do is press "play". :)
Thursday, August 21, 2008
School Days
I've been back at school for 3 days now. We're starting to get into the swing of things. A couple of notes about my class...
1. They are GREAT direction followers. I have been very impressed with how well they can stick with me as I am rushing through things trying to get everything done. When I ask for their attention, I get it.
2. They are still a little shaky on the organizational side, but I'm going to pick up some 3 ring binders and some dividers to share with some of them and then I think things will be better.
3. They seem to be able to handle a little extra freedom without letting it go to their heads. I can give them choices and trust that they will stick to the parameters I have set up and not go crazy.
4. They need LOTS of encouragement to participate in class discussions. This class seems to be made up primarily of those kids who normally just watch what's going on. They are paying close attention and they are learning, they just aren't being as overt in showing it. I'm working on changing that. Gotta get 'em verbalizing more (especially the English Learners).
5. On the other hand, in a very wierd paradox, they are VERY chatty. Lots of sharing ideas with neighbors and talking amongst themselves. I can already tell that I will be fighting a losing battle if I try to stop it completely. Since they seem to be able to get work done while they chat, I am going to plan lots of group work for this bunch. We just need to work on volume at this point.
This was an odd beginning of the year for me. I spent TONS of time in my room beforehand, but felt very unprepared on the first day. It took me nearly 2 days to get into the groove of being "the teacher" again. Conversely, I learned the names of my students by the second day. It typically takes me at least a week know remember all of them correctly. Of course the fact that I only have 29 students helps some.
I tend to be very individualistic when it comes to teaching. I am somewhat picky about how things are done (I can just hear Mikey saying, "SOMEWHAT?" when he reads this!) and I am not great at delegating work. I don't usually have a ton of support, so I have learned how to do it all myself. This year, I have an aide in my room full time AND I am going to have a student teacher starting Monday. YIKES! I'm having to learn how to include other adults in my own private little party. I'll keep you posted. For now, I can sum it up by saying that I am having a SUPER year.
1. They are GREAT direction followers. I have been very impressed with how well they can stick with me as I am rushing through things trying to get everything done. When I ask for their attention, I get it.
2. They are still a little shaky on the organizational side, but I'm going to pick up some 3 ring binders and some dividers to share with some of them and then I think things will be better.
3. They seem to be able to handle a little extra freedom without letting it go to their heads. I can give them choices and trust that they will stick to the parameters I have set up and not go crazy.
4. They need LOTS of encouragement to participate in class discussions. This class seems to be made up primarily of those kids who normally just watch what's going on. They are paying close attention and they are learning, they just aren't being as overt in showing it. I'm working on changing that. Gotta get 'em verbalizing more (especially the English Learners).
5. On the other hand, in a very wierd paradox, they are VERY chatty. Lots of sharing ideas with neighbors and talking amongst themselves. I can already tell that I will be fighting a losing battle if I try to stop it completely. Since they seem to be able to get work done while they chat, I am going to plan lots of group work for this bunch. We just need to work on volume at this point.
This was an odd beginning of the year for me. I spent TONS of time in my room beforehand, but felt very unprepared on the first day. It took me nearly 2 days to get into the groove of being "the teacher" again. Conversely, I learned the names of my students by the second day. It typically takes me at least a week know remember all of them correctly. Of course the fact that I only have 29 students helps some.
I tend to be very individualistic when it comes to teaching. I am somewhat picky about how things are done (I can just hear Mikey saying, "SOMEWHAT?" when he reads this!) and I am not great at delegating work. I don't usually have a ton of support, so I have learned how to do it all myself. This year, I have an aide in my room full time AND I am going to have a student teacher starting Monday. YIKES! I'm having to learn how to include other adults in my own private little party. I'll keep you posted. For now, I can sum it up by saying that I am having a SUPER year.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Solar Flares
Just for the record, I hate Bank of America. They apparently have baboons setting up their programs. I have yet to try to accomplish something beyond basic deposits and withdrawals without ending up in a blind rage.
This time it's because we spent 3 weeks jumping through hoops, faxing various bits of information, and WAITING...always waiting before they told us that we couldn't have a home equity line of credit due to the fact that our home is of the manufactured variety. When asked why it took them so long (and 3 phone conversations with us) to come to this decision, they told us that it was because they had just gotten the paperwork that stated it was a manufactured home. DUH. I could have told them that. If this is something that automatically excludes you, shouldn't it be one of the FIRST things you ask about? I would prefer not to share all my tax info with the baboons running your office just for the fun of it.
Anyway. This all means that we are starting over from step one. Although I now know to ask them if they will work with our manufactured home status right up front. Mikey and I are going around and around on how much of a financial cushion we need to have, who we should talk to next, how much money we really need to borrow, how long it will take us to pay things back, etc, etc, etc. We have several options open to us (none that make us both happy) and I guess I should consider this a learning opportunity. The thing is...I never really WANTED to learn about this crap.
The most frustrating thing about this whole process is that we are just trying to do the right thing. We aren't doing it for the money (we'll be saving a whopping $50 a month). We just want to be doing something that will have a positive effect on our world and our fellow human beings. Using the sun to power things in Southern California is just the RIGHT THING TO DO. Why does it have to be so damn hard??
This time it's because we spent 3 weeks jumping through hoops, faxing various bits of information, and WAITING...always waiting before they told us that we couldn't have a home equity line of credit due to the fact that our home is of the manufactured variety. When asked why it took them so long (and 3 phone conversations with us) to come to this decision, they told us that it was because they had just gotten the paperwork that stated it was a manufactured home. DUH. I could have told them that. If this is something that automatically excludes you, shouldn't it be one of the FIRST things you ask about? I would prefer not to share all my tax info with the baboons running your office just for the fun of it.
Anyway. This all means that we are starting over from step one. Although I now know to ask them if they will work with our manufactured home status right up front. Mikey and I are going around and around on how much of a financial cushion we need to have, who we should talk to next, how much money we really need to borrow, how long it will take us to pay things back, etc, etc, etc. We have several options open to us (none that make us both happy) and I guess I should consider this a learning opportunity. The thing is...I never really WANTED to learn about this crap.
The most frustrating thing about this whole process is that we are just trying to do the right thing. We aren't doing it for the money (we'll be saving a whopping $50 a month). We just want to be doing something that will have a positive effect on our world and our fellow human beings. Using the sun to power things in Southern California is just the RIGHT THING TO DO. Why does it have to be so damn hard??
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