Miscellaneous Missives

This morning I am drinking my juice and thinking I can finish this week because of students like JP. Yesterday as I was walking through desks making sure everyone was working on the beginning exercise, three students ask if they can go get materials from their locker. "No," I respond to each student trying to start class. "Rule #3," says a little girl in the back. "What?" I ask puzzled and wondering if she is talking about the exercise we're doing on conventions (punctuation, capitalization, spelling, etc.). "It's rule #3," she says obviously frustrated yet trying to tell me something. "What is rule #3?" I ask as I sit down next to her group. "Prepared. It's rule #3!" she answers with her angelic smile. "I'm teaching back here with the smart kids," I reply chuckling to myself. If only life were this easy. I go to my cupboard, toss JP a piece of candy, smile, and continue class. We have class standa...

An advantage of these long dark days... My Christmas cactus is blooming!

This morning I was listening to the radio on my way to work. A story caught my attention. It seems a lady in Colorado hung a wreath in the shape of a peace sign and irritated others in her homeowners association. She was asked to take it down or pay a fine of $25 a day. They said it was divisive. How can a peace sign be divisive?!

My Dad is starting to build a house for himself on his small farm in Iowa where I grew up. I talked to him twice after work today. The first time he told me he talked to "my friend" who was able to get him a permit. Later he called back because he forgot to tell me he also talked with LT (not LaDanian Tomlinson or Lawrence Taylor) another name from the past. Both of these gentelmen asked Dad about how I was doing. It's ironic that I know both of these men because "back in the day" they were friends of my romantic interests. Because of my romantic interest (each at a different time in my life), I spent time with these two guys. It's somewhat entertaining that my father talked to both of them today. I really don't think he'll be finding anymore friends of a romantic interest while he is building the house. Right?!

This weekend I read Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. The premise is basic in the fact that people should pay more attention to what they put in their body. After all eating is more important than sex (his idea not mine). From the beginning I learned information that I should have already known especially growing up in Iowa. In fact in the first section which explains how virtually all of our processed food contains corn I actually called my father to check Pollan's comment about the corn welfare. Even Dad who has a small corn crop agreed that the checks were basically welfare checks. I was thoroughly intrigued by the first section as I know processed food is not the healthy. My struggle is with the alternative (knowledge, cost, and time). The second section talking about organic food was equally informative. Lately I have been purchasing more organic food at Whole Foods (again availabity and time). Although it is still probably mo...

Today I wore this sweater to church. "You look so Minnesotan in that sweater," commented S. "I love your sweater. It looks so nordic," said the next lady who sat by me. Maybe after living in Minnesota for over ten years, I'm starting to "look Minnesotan." Is this an insult or compliment?

It wasn't until I looked at Treehugger.com this morning that I realized yesterday was " Buy Nothing Day " In my opininion not buying anything yesterday wouldn't really accommplish anything. The important thing probably is buying less during the holiday season. I am guilty of buying more than I should each holiday season. This year I probably have done better since I am trying to save money for my new condo. For example, some people at work will not be getting the small (or any) gifts from me this season. My only lapse in trying to purchase less this year came with my brother and Holly, but they deserve to open some small fun things as well as the gifts requested on their lists. Overall, I fairly proud of minimizing my spending and amount purchased. I am also quite thrilled that I did 90% from my living room, used only one "big box" store, and paid little for shipping! The best news is that I am basically finished with my shopping. All I need to do ...

My dad left this morning, so he could get back home in time to shoot (archery) Bambi or perhaps Bambi's father. I decided to run a couple of errands, but I couldn't locate my remote for the garage door opener. I searched the house and even retraced our earlier steps around the neighborhood to find it. After searching for thirty minutes I called Dad to see if he had any ideas on the remote's location. He suggested the cup holders (in the car) where I typically keep the remote. I tried to explain that my car was in the garage and the door was closed therefore the remote was outside of the vehicle and garage. He was no help. After looking through my apartment one more time, I remembered that I had taken the garbage out after we finished breakfast. With no other choice, I went to the dumpster. Of course I was the only one to use the dumpster since it was emptied this morning, my bags were at the bottom. I piled some boxes which were outside of the dumpster, so I could...

I have so many things to be thankful for although lately I seem to perseverate on the frustrations of my life. I'm thankful for... the sun which is shining this morning. my brother and my dear Holly whom are too far away to spend the day with me. my father who will stay with me a couple of days and is even willing to watch Grey's with me tonight although he has never seen it. the opportunity to have my own place even though it's a year out. the wonderful people whom remembered my birthday even though I'm not a fan of the day. that S will allow Dad and I to join her family for dinner this holiday. that I live close to the water, so I can walk around the lake this weekend. friends whom I am able to keep in touch with even though our lives are constantly busy. friends whom I am frequently able to share dinner. colleagues who have become much more than friends. teaching which although I vent about the frustrations, it's still a great job. shopping via internet, so I can...

This was a three day week although I feel as though I taught all five. Monday was horrific. I sent five students out of my classroom. One of those students stayed two hours after school with me getting help for the work he refused to do in my class. It's amazing how friendly and polite he was after school with no one for whom to "show off." Other members on my team had a similar day. Tuesday a.m. I was very irritable at our seven a.m. team meeting. Later in the a.m., I walked into my principal's office and explained that I didn't know if I was going to make it through the week let alone through the rest of the year. I continued by saying that I would perhaps take up heavy drinking, and check myself into a rehab program. I let him know that this wasn't a bad idea. Afterall, I have enough sick days and insurance would have to cover it. Tuesday actually went well after my initial temper tantrums at team and in my principal's office. Again I staye...

Phenomenal is a word that describes Keith Olberman. Each time I listen to him I get more enthralled. Honestly, I always listen/watch his videos twice because I am so awestruck. I would love to share a bottle of wine and conversation with the man. Obviously, I would need to make sure he had the majority of the wine and did the majority of the talking, so I wouldn't look completely foolish. Truthout.org has his video Lessons from Vietnam . If you can't watch the video, put the volume and mute and read the text!

I actually got up at 5am when my alarm went off and made it to the gym. Of course T let me know she was worried something had happened to me. My explanation wasn't that good, but it was the truth. Since I had maintained my weight and body fat percentage for the last three weeks, it was difficult to get out of bed when it is cold and dark outside. The alarm clock excuse didn't enter our conversation because that wasn't really set in reality. I also explained that work has been extremely difficult this year. She was a bit humored when I explained that I had set my alarm at least three days a week and still wasn't getting out of bad. When she asked what made me get up today to work out, I was sad to admit the truth. The truth is I felt a bit tired after my walks around the lake this weekend. The truth is that even though I am not gaining any weight I am also not helping my heart and lungs any, and at my age I really need to take care of my health. When I exercise...

Yesterday was my birthday, and I hate my birthday. Typically I like it when my birthday is on a weekday, so it is a normal day. With my birthday on a Saturday, I decided if I did shopping for others, I would not be feeling sorry for myself for turning another year older. This is when I realized how difficult this holiday season is going to be for me and perhaps my family. My hope is that my brother and his lovely girlfriend will have each other, so the impact of my parents' recent divorce won't tarnish their holidays. It also should help that they are in LA instead of the midwest and that mother hasn't ostracized them as she has me. Of course, I will be there for my father. As I was shopping and noticing all of the holiday decorations, it really hit me that my family is no longer the same. Even though there hasn't been a death in the family, my mother still is distant and not a part of my life. Several times I noticed something that she might like and realized ...

The sticker on my Caribou "Feel the Twinkle" Gift Card tells me to register my card (an extremely grand gift from a great, generous girl!!) to "protect my balance." Maybe I'm pessimistic, but I really don't think they want to protect as much as they want to follow my purchasing habits. For some reason I do take the time to register although it's not my typical behavior. Before I have registered, they already have the purchase date and the first time I used the card. This for some reason actually suprises me. I am also a bit surprised that it doesn't actually tell the time of my purchase. They could track my timeliness as I stop to get breakfast on the way to work.

Currently I am watching Oprah and the cast of Grey's Anatomy . I love these shows! In reality, they are the only two shows besides sports that I watch on TV. Many days I am not home in time to watch Oprah. Today I didn't make it in time for the start, but I only missed about ten minutes. The first thing I heard was Oprah say, "If you're not watching Grey's, you're nowhere." Hee Hee... It looks like I'm somewhere. I also liked Meredith's (I don't know her real name.) quote, "Once I get control of the classroom, I can get something done." Amen! Gotta go watch the rest.

I can summarize my day with two incidents. Although these two incidents will leave out details such as the student who threatened, with the tough guy chest out, another student in my class (by saying, "...I'll fuck you up.") or the card with extremely kind handwritten words and candy bar left on my chair, they will show the highs and lows. Maybe I've already described the highs and lows. I was actually thinking about two events that sandwiched my day of work. I didn't purchase gas on my way to work this morning even though my "gas light" came on because it was too cold. Ater work I needed to stop for gas because the light had been on since I left for work. When I filled up, gas was ten cents more expensive than it had been when I needed gas this morning. This is was the low. I stopped in my principal's office after school to get a form signed (extra pay for a special assignment), and he told me my team needed to write more referrals. Yes, he t...

Gee Fox and O.J., they seem like a perfect couple. O.J. is coming out with a book that "hypothetically" describes how he would have killed his ex-wife. I can't remember her name which is probably a good sign. If I was a member of her family, I would be "hypothetically" planning (and paying for) an accident (death) to happen to O.J. Why am I not surprised that Fox is promoting this? If it wasn't for NFL football, I would have Fox blocked from my TV.

I am stressed out! I am stressed out because I just stepped on the cat's tail while I was trying to get something out of the refrigerator. He is stresssed out because it hurt, and he went screaming across the kitchen. I am stressed out because I am overwhelmed with school stuff. I am stressed out because four or five students can make the difference between a positive day and a not so positive day. I am stressed out because I take on extra duties at school (such as rewriting the spelling bee sentences to make them more diverse) without thinking twice. I am stressed out because I stay late after school to help students who don't use their class time wisely. I am stressed out because I have no money, and my bills are piling up. I am stressed out because I want to be able to buy nice and expensive gifts for people while I can't afford to pay my current bills. I am stressed out because my father really wants me initiate some kind of conversation with my mother who has contin...

Last week I commented on enjoying Seneca Wallace's start for Seattle. This certainly needs clarification. Although I am still a little pleased he is doing well, I am basically distressed. First I didn't want Seattle to win last week because they are in the Rams' division. I certainly do not want him to continue to do as well as he is doing today against the Rams. If the Rams lose today, they basically will NOT be part of the playoffs. I am listening to the game since I never get to watch them play in Minneapolis. It's hard to tell because I don't have a visual, but it seems like we don't have a defense. Did the entire Rams's defense stay in St. Louis? It certainly sounds that way. Maybe they had to find people off the street to wear the jersey's of our defense, so they could actually play the game. I will admit we are ahead 10-7 as I post, but it is only thanks to Seattle's silly mistakes not our masterful play.

When our book club decided to read In Cold Blood, I thought I remembered reading it in middle school or high school. The used copy I bought has the same cover I remember being on our bookshelf as I grew up. After reading it I still think I read it before, but I also think I must have been more patient as a youth. This time I found it riddled with too much detail. For some reason I appreciated the details when the men were captured, but I was bored by all of the details while they were on the run. My favorite part of the book was the commentary on the death penalty at the end. Capote did an excellent job opposing the death penalty while illuminating both sides. At least I found it an opposition to the death penalty. I enjoyed the way he used quotes from the Bible for both sides. It reminds me of how the Neocons find verses to argue any issue.

I do not really like to shop. Online shopping really is my preference. When I have visited the outlet mall in Medford, I usually have good luck. I find something that fits at either The Gap or Eddie Bauer at a decent price because I hate to pay extreme prices for clothing. Since the outlet mall in Albertville is much larger, approximately one mile driving distance from one end to the other using my odometer, I asked a friend if she wanted to go there this afternoon. To my amazement, it was packed. We had to park off the side of the road to find a spot. Getting in and out of the parking lot required long waits and lots of patience. Like many other people we faced the cold and wind to go shopping. Everytime we would go into a new shop I was overwhelmed by the hoards of people. Certainly it was too early for holiday shopping. Every store seemed to be having a sale. Actually everything was on sale except for the pants I bought! Even though we had fun, I would never had made th...

Today I set up on-line information to view my credit card statements and bank statement. I need to keep track of my finances. My plan for today was to make chili, so I wouldn't feel the need for take-out. I bought beef chunks (stew meat) instead of hamburger because it may cost more, but I appreciate it more. Since I like my chili hot, I added chili powder and tabasco. No, that's not true; I added cinnamon and tabasco. Of course I realized my mistake before I ate it but not before I added it to all of the other ingredients. My guess is that after I went out to get new ingredients and start over, it didn't help my finances as I had planned.

Today George gave the Medal of Honor to the family of a young man killed in Iraq. Does anyone think the Medal of Honor makes up for a life? On KARE 11 tonight a young veteran spoke to people/students in his hometown. He mentioned that although he knew many people were not behind the war, they were behind the warriors. I agree with this statement. When a negative ad saying _______ (can't remember who) would think about reinstating the draft was used during the election, I was shocked. No one wants the draft reinstated, but I understand the sentiment. My guess is most of the young men and young women sent oversees to Iraq are from a low socio-economic background. A draft would ensure that the millionaire's sons/daughters are fighting along side the people who look at the armed forces as their only option. Veteran's Day should be a day to remember those who fought for our country. It should also remind us that going to war is a very serious endeavor. Keith Olberman ta...

Today I decided to "peel" the pomegranate I bought. A friend has brought me some for lunch several days. The seeds are wonderful. I am quite pleased I know what the seeds looked like before I took on the task of retrieving them from the outer shell. J and H both have given me tips into the process. Basically they both told me to peel the outer layer and pick the seeds out of the inner membrane. I will admit I was hesitant when I started, but it was actually quite easy. My major dilemma was the juice squirting out from the seeds. The staining capability of pomegranate juice is not lost on me. My new shoes have a small stain from spilling juice earlier this year. It still amazed me as I was cleaning from todays pomegranate. I cleaned spots on the wall, counter, dishes, anything in the area after I had all the seeds in a container. When I enter my kitchen later today, I'm sure I'll still find reddish purple spots of pomegrante. BTW after I was done, I loo...

HeeHee! I will admit I'm a bit giddy with the excitement of the election results and Rummy leaving. It is so exciting to have a majority in Congress, yes the House and Senate. A message has been sent. It's time to find out who is listening. I will also admit that I am disappointed with the re-election of Pawlenty (MN-R) as governor. Although a wise woman pointed out this morning that with a majority of Democrats he will have difficulties. It's amazing how he now wants "unity" and is "humble." The good news he was the only Republican running for state office in Minnesota who won. I would also like to send out congrats to the South Dakota voters who voted against making abortion illegal. Michelle Bachman is still a bitch. Her comments about the majority not getting their way was rude. Money may buy her the position, but it won't buy her manners. BTW, how many times did Bush or his cronies come to Minnesota to raise money for her campaign? H...

My alarm clock is broke. It's been broken since I changed it back for daylight savings time. Since it has a battery back-up, I typically change the 9 volt battery twice a year when we move the time back and when we move the time forward. This time I didn't change the battery. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with it, but all I know is that it hasn't worked since the time change. For the last week and a half I have set the alarm for 5am, but I haven't gotten out of bed until 6am. The alarm being broken is a difficulty because I haven't been able to go to the gym before school. Now I need to figure out how to fix the alarm clock.

I am quite aware that this post will mean nothing to most people who have access to my blog, but I am thrilled to be watching tonight's pregame show. Actually I am a fan of the ESPN crew and always watch the Monday Night Countdown on MNF (Monday Night Football). Tonight has been extra special. First, Seneca Wallace, former Iowa State University quarterback, is starting tonight. Second, Brian Bosworth, The Boz, was interviewed during pregame and will be in the booth during the game. Are you excited?

Today I called Verizon to get rid of the text message option on my phone. While I was talking to the customer service agent, I asked how many minutes I had and how many I had used. He told me both numbers. Next he explained how I could get my minutes off my phone. When I explained that I didn't think it would be helpful to know how many minutes I used because I never remember how many minutes I can use, the representative laughed at me. "Are you laughing at me?" I questioned. He admitted he was laughing at me and tried to explain it by saying many people don't know how many minutes they have. Even with his explanation it didn't necessarily make me feel better. At least he only tried to give a weak explanation and not a lame apology. I could tell he would laugh again if the same comment was made. Maybe I should just start looking up my information on line.

My life is pathetic. Instead of going to church, I stayed home and did weekend type errands, so I could go to one last session at the NUA "Achieve to Believe" conference. When my phone rang prior to the session saying the Rams were behing by 14 points because of two turnovers (in a row), I knew I had made the right decision. After the session had gone on for ten minutes, I realized I had not made the right decision. Feeling discouraged and unmotivated, I went home and turned on my computer. My plan was to read my e-mails and blogs before taxing my brain on grades and my retention/social promotion research. Of course, it was merely a procrastination tool. I have several trusty "liberal garbage" blogs that I like to browse. It was frightening when Americablog.blogspot.com had a post entitled "Vote Republican." At this point, I almost crawled back into bed knowing that the afternoon was disasterous. Out of curiosity, I clicked on the link and fou...

A colleague and I have spent the last two days at the NUA's "Believe to Achieve" conference. This morning Jonathon Kozol energized an audience of "school people." For those not involved with public education, Kozol is known for looking at the problems with inner-city schools. Each evening I have come home exhausted yet enthusiastic. In many ways I feel validated. I am doing many good things in my classroom and with my students. On the other hand, I see many things I would like to change. One thing I would like to change is my honors class. This is nothing new. Ever since I've taught language arts in my district, I've been concerned with the way students are chosen for honors classes. After being at the conference, I feel even more strongly about changing the honors class. Tonight I looked at the demographics of this class. Of the 25 students - 18 white/7 students of color - 17 girls/8 boys. I also made a list of students I would like to add ...

Today I finished Marley and Me . Thanks to a group of fellow teachers at school who gave the ending away, the last half of the book was intense. I AM NOW GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE ENDING, SO QUIT READING THIS POST IF YOU PLAN ON READING THE BOOK. While we were eating lunch one day, I mentioned reading the book and asked if anyone else had read it. Since I grew up with labs, I found the book extremely true and hilarious. Each lab we had while I was growing up including the lab I had while I taught in Iowa came to mind as I read the book. Nalo, my Dad's dog, was maybe the most like Marley since his file with the vet is an inch thick. In the middle of the conversation, someone mentioned something about the sad ending. "Does he die?" I asked. "It's a dog book," J so kindly put it. Oh! The book continued to be heartwarming and hilarious, but each time another incident happened to or with the dog, I waited for the dog to die. It was excruciating. Tonight...

This afternoon I talked with Ham Burgeress. One thing we discussed was John Kerry's mistake made during his joke meant to criticize Bush and not the troops. It's amazing how the press and Republicans have taken advantage of this and conveniently forgot about Bush's MANY MISTAKES. Of course, Keith Olberman is able to say it much better than I. Please take twelve minutes to watch this video found on truthout.org .

Although I'm not finding much reading time, I am reading Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope . I read his first book. At the time I said, "He will never be president because he is a black (mixed) man who admits to using drugs." It has been two or three years since I read the first book, but my opinion has changed. My current opinion is that Barack Obama could actually be the first black President. Today I read a book review for The Audacity of Hope . Although I don't necessarily agree with the entire review, I do agree with most. I feel the same way about Obama in the role of President. It would be wonderful to see the first black President, and I am a fan of having a Democrat in the White House. My concern is that he is not as progressive (liberal) as I would like. The advantage of this is he might be able to unite the country. Take time to read the review. You might want to follow up by reading the book. I hope soon to be finished with my copy. Wh...