Some strange things have been happening at my school this past week. You may know that this is red ribbon week - a week in which we focus on drug use prevention. I have a discussion with each of my class periods about drug use and I always seem to get some pretty interesting conversations.
I was pretty disturbed, but not surprised, at the large number of students who said, "When my dad gets drunk..." not "one time my dad got drunk..." but "when". For my geometry classes I discussed high school and college temptations. I told them that this was the time in their lives where they could choose who they would be. They should choose now the kind of person they want to be so that when they are in those situations, they have already made their decision. I told them that I decided to never get drunk. That meant that when people invited me to drink in college, I didn't have to think under pressure. I just knew that I would say no.
This was my speech I gave on Monday and apparently I should have given it on Friday. On Friday six students at my school, six beautiful girls, decided to take ecstasy while on campus. One of them was a sweet girl I had last year and the other is a really cool kid I have this year in geometry! I'm so mad! What could they possibly be thinking? I'm just so overwhelmed by the sin in the world. People make such stupid choices and they can have such long term repercussions. I hope that these students learn from this and decide to never do this again.
As an empath, this hurts. I told my kids that if I heard that they were doing any drugs, I would hunt them down and yell at them. Now that I really have this situation in front of me, I don't know how to respond. Drugs suck!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Determining your levels of fatigue
I am tired. This is a common thing for me. I do too much and I don't sleep. Plus, I haven't been exercising, which just exacerbates the problem. Since I always seem to complain of being tired (my Grandpa Dempsey used to ask if I was bitten by a TsiTsi fly when I was in high school) I thought it would be helpful to create a set of sleepiness levels.
Level 1: tired
This is when you've had a long day and you put your feet up after a long day of work and think, "Man, I had a long day." You don't feel so very tired, but just a little after a long day of work
Level 2: nappy
Your eyes won't stay open and you just want to close them. If you need to get up and do something you can, but you might not want to.
Level 3: slow
It seems that everything goes just a bit slower; waking up, getting ready, starting your day, even speaking. It all is a little slower than normal
Level 4: eyes hurting, light burning, no waking...
The alarm is evil, your eyes won't open and you think that maybe you can get ready in 30 minutes instead of an hour. Suddenly, doing hair and make-up seem insignificant.
Level 5: counting down to sitting down
You prep yourself with, "If I just get through the next hour, I can sit down and rest for five minutes." You go through this for the whole day. The drive home takes too long and you can't wait to not do anything but sit and rest.
Level 6: Emotional and physical breakdown
Words don't form complete sentences and sense making is not what you are doing. This making you sad and worried and emotional and stuff...much difficult when your job is speak and teach. So tired...no words...want sleep...
I really reached level 6 on Wednesday. I even cancelled my two/three normal Wednesday activities after school. I did have to drive to Target to buy cards, cheese, crackers, and soda for a work party the next day. I was really mad that I had to go when I felt so tired. I nearly got into a car accident and I grumbled the whole time. I did buy myself a People magazine (for the first time in 8 years or so) about High School Musical 3. That made me a little happier. I also started doing yoga again and I think that the stretching is helping me sleep better and then maybe I'll only be at a level 2. Here's hoping...
Level 1: tired
This is when you've had a long day and you put your feet up after a long day of work and think, "Man, I had a long day." You don't feel so very tired, but just a little after a long day of work
Level 2: nappy
Your eyes won't stay open and you just want to close them. If you need to get up and do something you can, but you might not want to.
Level 3: slow
It seems that everything goes just a bit slower; waking up, getting ready, starting your day, even speaking. It all is a little slower than normal
Level 4: eyes hurting, light burning, no waking...
The alarm is evil, your eyes won't open and you think that maybe you can get ready in 30 minutes instead of an hour. Suddenly, doing hair and make-up seem insignificant.
Level 5: counting down to sitting down
You prep yourself with, "If I just get through the next hour, I can sit down and rest for five minutes." You go through this for the whole day. The drive home takes too long and you can't wait to not do anything but sit and rest.
Level 6: Emotional and physical breakdown
Words don't form complete sentences and sense making is not what you are doing. This making you sad and worried and emotional and stuff...much difficult when your job is speak and teach. So tired...no words...want sleep...
I really reached level 6 on Wednesday. I even cancelled my two/three normal Wednesday activities after school. I did have to drive to Target to buy cards, cheese, crackers, and soda for a work party the next day. I was really mad that I had to go when I felt so tired. I nearly got into a car accident and I grumbled the whole time. I did buy myself a People magazine (for the first time in 8 years or so) about High School Musical 3. That made me a little happier. I also started doing yoga again and I think that the stretching is helping me sleep better and then maybe I'll only be at a level 2. Here's hoping...
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Reasons why I love my job.
I love my job. I know that doesn't surprise some of you. In fact, I heard someone say, "You'd love your job no matter what it was." That's possibly true. But there's a difference between looking for the joy in your job and having your job throw joy at you daily. That's how my job is. I love it and there are few jobs that I could love better. Here are some reasons why:
1) I am greeted every day with smiling faces, hello's and general well wishes by dozens of kids.
2) I get to speak all day. To a captive audience.
3) I get to create systems and then implement them.
4) My students think I'm funny and they politely laugh at my stupid jokes.
5) I get to read teen fiction and watch the Disney channel and claim that I'm doing it to keep in touch with what my kids are into.
6) There are students who offer to help me every day. They clean over-heads, wipe the board, will carry things, and even will purchase my ice cream for me on Tuesdays (if I give them the cash).
7) I get to help kids feel better about themselves in so many ways.
8) I can makes kids see how they're smart.
9) I get to dress up for Halloween.
10) Everyday is a challenge that I can usually overcome. So I feel both challenged and successful almost every day.
11) I get to wear cute work clothes.
12) I have a giant office with two big windows. I do share it with 180, sometimes lacking in deoderant, pre-teens, but it certainly is spacious.
13) I don't sit at a computer all day.
14) There is very little down time so my day goes by really fast.
15) Everyday I feel like I've done a little bit to make the world a little bit better.
16) I get major holidays and two months off in the summer.
17) I get to expose my kids to new music, books, and cultures every day.
I wish that everyone could have a job that they loved as much as I love mine. May your job throw joy at you this week.
1) I am greeted every day with smiling faces, hello's and general well wishes by dozens of kids.
2) I get to speak all day. To a captive audience.
3) I get to create systems and then implement them.
4) My students think I'm funny and they politely laugh at my stupid jokes.
5) I get to read teen fiction and watch the Disney channel and claim that I'm doing it to keep in touch with what my kids are into.
6) There are students who offer to help me every day. They clean over-heads, wipe the board, will carry things, and even will purchase my ice cream for me on Tuesdays (if I give them the cash).
7) I get to help kids feel better about themselves in so many ways.
8) I can makes kids see how they're smart.
9) I get to dress up for Halloween.
10) Everyday is a challenge that I can usually overcome. So I feel both challenged and successful almost every day.
11) I get to wear cute work clothes.
12) I have a giant office with two big windows. I do share it with 180, sometimes lacking in deoderant, pre-teens, but it certainly is spacious.
13) I don't sit at a computer all day.
14) There is very little down time so my day goes by really fast.
15) Everyday I feel like I've done a little bit to make the world a little bit better.
16) I get major holidays and two months off in the summer.
17) I get to expose my kids to new music, books, and cultures every day.
I wish that everyone could have a job that they loved as much as I love mine. May your job throw joy at you this week.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Jeopardy! was funny tonight!
Yeah, you read that right. Jeopardy! was funny. There's a new champion who has now won three times. His name is Erik and he plays like he is not only bored, but intensly annoyed at Alex for forcing him to choose another category. He would give his answers with a complete blase response, "What is gestation?" like he was stifling a yawn. The other contestants tried to hide how intimidated they were, but they were definitely nervous.
Alex only said one demeaning thing the whole night which was when the other guy (loser #1) responded to the clue with, "What are Muslims?" when the correct response (which Erik gave) was "Who is Muhammad?" Alex said, "HE" in an attempt to shaming the guy into understanding the proper pronouns leading to the correct answer. What a jerk he can be sometimes.
One guy did a true daily double (we always chant, "Be a man!" when people get a daily double), but didn't say, "I'd like to make it a true daily double, Alex," as we all dream of saying one day. He instead just wagered his entire numeric amount. Maybe Alex was right to chastise the man earlier.
The funniest moment was when a clue was talking about how the Lord of the Rings extended version wasn't boring despite its 4 and half hour length. Julie and I simultaneously responded, "So true!"
Julie did raise an important, provoking question. What would your Jeopardy! fact about yourself be? You know how they always talk to the contestants after the first commercial break and say something about their lives and you feel the uncomfortable lack of laughter as Alex tries to be funny and condecending. Well, what would your fact be? Mine would probably be that I had malaria. It's always a safe bet to just list something obscure about yourself that has a short story attached. You don't have to try to be funny and people know how to respond to that. This is in direct opposition to tonight's winner of the awkward award:
Alex: Talk about false labor. What happened when your mother was pregnant with you?
Girl loser: She thought she had a tapeworm for 4 months.
Alex: Why did she think she had a tapeworm?
Girl loser: I don't know...
(awkward silence)
Seriously, that's the most interesting thing about you? I guess that would be funny in some contexts, but on national television? Strangly it bears a striking resemblance to mine (I actually had a parasite and was not pregnant) but can you recognize the subtile differences that make mine a better choice? What would yours be?
Alex only said one demeaning thing the whole night which was when the other guy (loser #1) responded to the clue with, "What are Muslims?" when the correct response (which Erik gave) was "Who is Muhammad?" Alex said, "HE" in an attempt to shaming the guy into understanding the proper pronouns leading to the correct answer. What a jerk he can be sometimes.
One guy did a true daily double (we always chant, "Be a man!" when people get a daily double), but didn't say, "I'd like to make it a true daily double, Alex," as we all dream of saying one day. He instead just wagered his entire numeric amount. Maybe Alex was right to chastise the man earlier.
The funniest moment was when a clue was talking about how the Lord of the Rings extended version wasn't boring despite its 4 and half hour length. Julie and I simultaneously responded, "So true!"
Julie did raise an important, provoking question. What would your Jeopardy! fact about yourself be? You know how they always talk to the contestants after the first commercial break and say something about their lives and you feel the uncomfortable lack of laughter as Alex tries to be funny and condecending. Well, what would your fact be? Mine would probably be that I had malaria. It's always a safe bet to just list something obscure about yourself that has a short story attached. You don't have to try to be funny and people know how to respond to that. This is in direct opposition to tonight's winner of the awkward award:
Alex: Talk about false labor. What happened when your mother was pregnant with you?
Girl loser: She thought she had a tapeworm for 4 months.
Alex: Why did she think she had a tapeworm?
Girl loser: I don't know...
(awkward silence)
Seriously, that's the most interesting thing about you? I guess that would be funny in some contexts, but on national television? Strangly it bears a striking resemblance to mine (I actually had a parasite and was not pregnant) but can you recognize the subtile differences that make mine a better choice? What would yours be?
Sunday, October 5, 2008
my hit counter
Man, I wish I was more computer saavy than I am. I took AP computer programming and I have a million programmers in my family, but I can't seem to be able to insert a simple free html code for a hit counter on my blogspot page. So instead I will insert it in this blog and hope that it works. What's funny is the most of the hits are just me checking to see if the hit counter works. What's funnier is that I only inserted a hit counter because my cousins have them on their blogs and I want to be as cool as they are...except they can write the code themselves...in several programming languages...in 3D if they wanted...in five minutes...I'll never be as cool
hit counter
Free Counter
hit counter
Free Counter
Friday, October 3, 2008
Pollyanna and Grumplestilskin
I have had a roller coaster of emotions today- and not in the hormonal sense. I had a great day at work. My kids were cool, I had good lessons, I have nice coworkers, I got my work done and the sun started shining. This is a good day.
And then I got into my car. Ever since I've been back from Africa, I've had a problem with my car. Don't get me wrong, my mini is still as loved as ever, it's just that I somehow moved my seat. You know how it can take some time to get that perfect seat arrangement in your car? Well, I've lost mine and I can't seem to find it. For weeks now I've tried various changes and it's just getting worse. My right leg is cramping up, my knee is hurting, I have to wear my wrist brace to drive and I have cramps in my neck that are causing me to not sleep as well.
So just entering my car causes a sense of dread. And then I hit the traffic. You know those days when it seems that you are behind every person going 20 on the freeway or texting and getting distracted - that was today. I was behind a woman who made a left hand turn going 10 miles an hour and never sped up after the turn was complete. Sadly, we were headed toward the same freeway entrance, so I couldn't pass her or anything. I grumbled at her and took the lane next to her on the freeway entrance.
I was then barely cut off. The guy was going a normal speed and changed lanes in front of me with a decent amount of space, but it meant that he was one metered car ahead of me and I felt like he had already made his choice, so I was mad again.
Everyone was ridiculously slow on the freeway and Beach. I was stopped behind some cars at a green light and when they finally went forward, the light turned yellow and I had to wait through another round of lights. Ahhh!!! I don't know why I was in such a rush, except that each minute in the car was another minute of my legs cramping and fitting uncomfortably in my seat.
I was grumbling and being angry at everyone and I realized how quickly I could go from Pollyanna to Grumplestilskin. I realize that by calling myself 'Grumplestilskin' I am revealing that I am still a Pollyanna, but seriously, I even said, "Crap"!
I cancelled any plans that I had tonight that required me driving anywhere. And I'm not going to get in my car for as long as possible. I'm going to try to get a massage tomorrow, thanks to my birthday present gift certificate, and eventually I'm sure I'll get my seat arranged properly. I'll stop hating the world by the morning, but I tell ya', I'm almost ready to start biking to work...I just need to get a bike and some will power.
And then I got into my car. Ever since I've been back from Africa, I've had a problem with my car. Don't get me wrong, my mini is still as loved as ever, it's just that I somehow moved my seat. You know how it can take some time to get that perfect seat arrangement in your car? Well, I've lost mine and I can't seem to find it. For weeks now I've tried various changes and it's just getting worse. My right leg is cramping up, my knee is hurting, I have to wear my wrist brace to drive and I have cramps in my neck that are causing me to not sleep as well.
So just entering my car causes a sense of dread. And then I hit the traffic. You know those days when it seems that you are behind every person going 20 on the freeway or texting and getting distracted - that was today. I was behind a woman who made a left hand turn going 10 miles an hour and never sped up after the turn was complete. Sadly, we were headed toward the same freeway entrance, so I couldn't pass her or anything. I grumbled at her and took the lane next to her on the freeway entrance.
I was then barely cut off. The guy was going a normal speed and changed lanes in front of me with a decent amount of space, but it meant that he was one metered car ahead of me and I felt like he had already made his choice, so I was mad again.
Everyone was ridiculously slow on the freeway and Beach. I was stopped behind some cars at a green light and when they finally went forward, the light turned yellow and I had to wait through another round of lights. Ahhh!!! I don't know why I was in such a rush, except that each minute in the car was another minute of my legs cramping and fitting uncomfortably in my seat.
I was grumbling and being angry at everyone and I realized how quickly I could go from Pollyanna to Grumplestilskin. I realize that by calling myself 'Grumplestilskin' I am revealing that I am still a Pollyanna, but seriously, I even said, "Crap"!
I cancelled any plans that I had tonight that required me driving anywhere. And I'm not going to get in my car for as long as possible. I'm going to try to get a massage tomorrow, thanks to my birthday present gift certificate, and eventually I'm sure I'll get my seat arranged properly. I'll stop hating the world by the morning, but I tell ya', I'm almost ready to start biking to work...I just need to get a bike and some will power.
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