Weekly Update

I'm sitting here at parent/teacher conferences, and I actually have a little break. That's a total miracle. Tuesday I did not move my butt from my chair for 3 1/2 hours. That was a long night. For fall conferences at my school, all the teachers sit at tables in the commons, and parents move from table to table, visiting the teachers they need to see. I had a line waiting in front of my table for the whole night on Tuesday. It's been a steady stream tonight so far, but I've actually had some time to breathe in between conferences, so that's been refreshing.

This week has been completely crazy. Monday was our only normal day... well, as normal as you can get with middle school. It was an especially long day for me because I'd been up very late Sunday night finishing grades. I stayed at school until 1:30 a.m., and I don't mind doing that because it's quiet and I get a lot done, but it makes a very short night's sleep.

Tuesday was an early dismissal due to conferences. After school, I worked like mad getting ready for Wednesday staff development, which I was in charge of, along with my associate principal. I grabbed something to eat and quickly let the dog out before heading back to school for conferences. After conferences, I had rehearsal until 10:45, which would have been enough, right? Well... I had stuff to finish for the morning, so I went back to school after that. Another short night of sleep.

I was at school by 7 a.m. on Wednesday to prep for staff development (on a normal day, I'm not even up by that time), and even though I was tired, it was totally worth it. Kelly, my associate principal, and I had planned different learning stations for our colleagues to learn some new strategies for differentiating instruction for all learners. Our planning really paid off. Everything went so smoothly, and so many people came up to me afterward to say that they really got a lot out of the experience. Wednesday night I had choir, and then rehearsal after that until about 11.

Today, we had another early dismissal because of conferences. And now, here I am. I have rehearsal when I leave here, probably until 10:30 or 11. And then... drum roll please... I GET TO SLEEP LATE TOMORROW!!!! I can't tell you how I'm looking forward to that. Is it bad to look so forward to sleep??? Having Friday off is the best part of conference week.

Tomorrow I'm having a special rehearsal at 1:30, and then I'm meeting up with a friend of mine who is coming into town for the weekend. I hear about what Emily is up to through Facebook and through her mom who is in my Centering Prayer group, but I haven't actually seen her in a few years, so I'm looking forward to it.

Saturday is the big day at the Governor's mansion. Dad and Alice are going with me, and the other two teachers in my district who earned National Board Certification last year will be there with their families too. I don't really know what to expect, but I'm excited.

Choir sings on Sunday, but I don't have to teach Sunday school. That combined with turning the clocks back will hopefully catch me up on all the sleep I missed this week. I'm hoping!

Someone (Tracy maybe?) sent me a pretty funny website this week. If you're a Republican, don't bother, but it's so funny that I wish they'd actually do the same thing for all the candidates. Check it out at www.palinaspresident.com. I'm actually really looking forward to Election Day. It's that A.P. Government nerd in me. Whenever I vote, I think of Mr. Tobias. His class was a highlight of my junior year. That was the 1988-1989 school year, with the George Bush/Michael Dukakis campaign. Mr. T worked it out for our class to be at the courthouse on Election night. We got to tally and run totals to the newspapers and TV stations. It was a total blast. It also instilled in me a passion for voting and the whole election process. Thanks, Mr. T. I'll be thinking of you on Tuesday.

I am Not a Techie; I am a Diva

I just spent the afternoon painting set for The Lion in Winter. And I will reiterate, I AM NOT A TECHIE; I AM A DIVA. I don't care how it's built, where the lights are hung, who sewed the costume, or who freaking painted the set... I just want to step out in the spotlight, look wonderful, and be adored. Is that too much to ask?

OK. I'm better. It's just that all of that was brewing inside for a few hours, and I had to let it out. I did my share with a smile on my face. None of them needed to know what was going on inside my head.

And pray for me this week, everyone. Parent/teacher conferences. Enough said.

Opie and Richie for Obama

Tracy sent me this ad this week.  I was entertained...

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

It's Why I Love My Job

My 8th grade GOAL students are just finishing up their unit on the Holocaust. I'd say I was disappointed overall in what they got from the unit. They read several different Holocaust novels in literature circles, we read the play of The Diary of Ann Frank," and we watched a movie with historical footage and survivor accounts. The discussions just didn't get very deep, and they just didn't seem to be moved at all by the stories we studied. I've learned over the years of teaching middle school students to not take this personally. Some adolescents are just more ready than others to think deeply. Plus, you can never really know how much they're internalizing as they sit and shrug their shoulders in class. Today was a perfect example of that.

It was their last day in class to work on their project, basically a reflection of what they've learned during the unit about the characters in their books, how the Holocaust affected the world, and what lessons there are to learn today from studying the Holocaust. The classroom was quiet, and they were working hard because the deadline is looming. One of my students (I tell her she tests me... she's just one of those kids who needs to know why we're doing everything we're doing... it's good for me, but she tests me) raised her hand and quietly said, "I just don't get why there is war." 8 sets of eyes looked in my direction for answers. This led to the most meaningful discussion I've had with them so far this year.

We talked about reasons for war, and as with most good discussions, every question led to 10 more. I played Devil's Advocate, and they debated and discussed and questioned. Oil dependency. Vietnam. Islam. Holocaust survivors. The Crusades. Freedom. I teared up. I'm not kidding. I told them that if they left my class in May thinking about these kinds of questions, not just eating up what other people feed them about important issues, that I will have considered my time with them a success.

These kids are the leaders of tomorrow, and hopefully, they're going to grow up into adults with consciences who think about how their actions affect others and how they can solve the problems we've handed them on a silver platter. We didn't come up with a single answer today. I'm sure they left my room with 100 more questions than when they walked in. But they're thinking, and they're thinking deep. This is why I love my job.

Four Days of Ups and Downs, Part 2

Blogger was being a bit of a pain, and I wasn't feeling up to the battle last night, so I'll finish posting about the weekend now.  Saturday night was the big event, and I was looking forward to wearing 8.91 again (That's another story all of its own, but that's the name of my formal gown).  The online invitation said that formal wear like tuxes and gowns was welcomed and encouraged.  Well, I was overdressed for the rest of the clientele, but I FOLLOW DIRECTIONS, DARNIT!  And, I looked really good, so who cares what everyone else was wearing, right?  Now, I had convinced my friend Tom (my "+ guest" for the evening) to wear his tux.  I could tell he was a little uncomfortable since no one else had the guts to follow the directions, but he and I looked great together, so again... who cares?  Plus, since Jeff was part of the wedding party, he was all spiffed up in his tux, so I just stayed close to him after Tom left (I released him from his duties after dinner and 1 dance... I just did NOT want to sit by myself during the wedding or at dinner).  Here are some pictures of Duane, Jeff, and me before the wedding.

The wedding was in the Stephen Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts, and it was beautiful.  I'd never seen a wedding on stage before, and it was quite a production, with a whole "set" done in reds and blacks.  The reception was in the convention side of the Fairfield Arts and Convention Center, and it was stunning.  This picture is a little blurry, but you can get the idea.  

There were so many candles!  We had a delicious meal, and then the dancing started under the red lanterns and lights hung from this 11 foot high creation built by the bride's father just for the occasion.  It was a great night.  Jeff sounded awesome with our friend Emily who had flown in from her school in Idaho just for the wedding.  It was a beautiful night.

Before we left, we went on stage and had our pictures taken on the "set."  I'm so glad Jeff and Duane came down.  It was an awesome weekend, and it was even worth being sick for in the end.  I know I should have rested Saturday, but I wouldn't have missed time with Jeff and Duane for anything.

For Jeff's take on the weekend (his is much more detailed, but I don't feel good, people... take what you can get) and for different pictures (including a pretty funny one involving my cleavage), see his snarky librarian blog.

Four Days of Ups and Downs

The downs first... I have been completely knocked on my butt by bronchitis and sinus infection.  I have missed two days of school.  I've had a fever until this afternoon.  I've been coughing my guts out.  My head feels like it's going to explode.  And let's not even talk about the stuff I'm blowing out... I'll just drop it there.  I really can't remember the last time I was this sick.  I finally broke down and went to the doctor yesterday, and he gave me a powerful antibiotic.  It had BETTER be powerful, considering my copay price was $100, and there are only 5 pills in the bottle!!!!  He also refilled my cough medicine which was the main reason I went.  I cannot sleep without it these days.  I had been working on this illness at the end of last week, but I just refused to be sick while Jeff and Duane were here for Mandie's wedding.

Jeff got into town on Thursday, and then Duane arrived on Friday, so we all had some fun quality time together outside of the wedding.  Saturday was especially nice.  We started with coffee at Revelations and then did some strolling around the square.  I had to buy incense for Sunday School (don't ask), so that warranted a lovely stop at Thymely Solutions.  We also enjoyed the At Home Store and The Chocolate Cafe, as always.  We went back to Revelations for wood fired pizzas for lunch, and I discovered that The Florentine may be my new favorite, nudging out my tried and true shrimp/pesto/sundried tomato.  After that, we picked up Avery and had a beautiful walk at Jefferson County Park.

Bite Me

OK, this cracked me up... thanks for sending this one, Gay!