Miscellaneous Missives

I started using myfitnesspal (app) on Sunday.  At the end of Sunday I was 185 calories over because I wanted a Butterfinger candy bar (270 calories).  Yesterday I had 411 calories left at the end of the day, and I was given a message about not eating enough.  Today I am 18 calories below (only eating half the Butterfinger helped).  My goal is to lose eleven pounds.  It seems to be that this is not possible in the five suggested weeks.  If I don't eat enough, I get a message warning me that weight loss is going to be difficult.  If I eat enough or too much, it tells me I'll lose (probably) seven pounds (or less) in the five weeks.  Losing ten pounds will make me happy, but I'm not sure I can follow through for five plus weeks.  I'm going to give it a try for a couple weeks and see how it goes.  Wish me luck! Although I should probably worry about eating more healthy instead of watching calories, I'll give this a try for now.

If you are a closed-minded Republican, you should probably not read today's post... just saying. This weekend I had a text conversation with a friend.  It went like this: M- I'm putting a bumper sticker in the mail for you on Tuesday.  Enjoy F- Obama 2012? M- No but I have an extra one of those I can mail too. M- Do u need Obama 2012? F- Yes- I sent two to J and didn't keep one for myself. M- OK... I'll send that too. F- Is the other an NRA sticker? M- Keep your laws off my guns and on my body. F- I'll put it in my back window between the gun rack and the sticker that says, "If it flies, it dies."  The confederate flag is on the other side of the gun rack. F- I hate gays M- Marriage is between a man and a woman M- How did u get a gun rack in such a small window? M- Only sinners wear mixed fibers... Bible says so F- Only sinners eat animals with a cloven hoof.  Says so in the Bible. M- Damn, there goes my grilled pork chop I was plann...

  Can You Imagine?   For example, what the trees do not only in lightening storms or the watery dark of a summer's night or under the white nets of winter but now, and now, and now - whenever we're not looking.  Surely you can't imagine they don't dance, from the root up, wishing to travel a little, not cramped so much as wanting a better view, or more sun, or just as avidly more shade - surely you can't imagine they just stand there loving every minute of it, the birds or the emptiness, the dark rings of the years slowly and without a sound thickening, and nothing different unless the wind, and then only in its own mood, comes to visit, surely you can't imagine patience, and happiness, like that.   ~ Mary Oliver ~   I appreciate rainy days especially rainy days with thunder and lightening.  We had both this morning, and I look forward to more of the same this afternoon.  At least the rain held while I was at the farmers' mar...

I am less than happy with our current dean of students.  Without giving an specifics, I will say that he makes my job more difficult.  Our last dean had high expectations for and the respect of the students.  Today as I started my first class, a couple of students said that they had seen the past dean in the entrance of our building.  "I miss Mr. ____,"  I mentioned.  "He got things done," a student mentioned.  Amen!  He got things done.  Students really do have an idea about what's going on.  The student that mentioned this is not a student that gets in trouble and has probably never been to the dean's office, yet he knows that the past dean "got things done".  I bet he also knows that the current dean doesn't. 

Today I had my PT appointment.  I had a "catch" in my lower back.  Since I was worried about going to the chiropractor because I thought it might adversely affect my hip joint healing, I asked my PT to use her elbows and take care of it.  As I expected, she hurt me with her elbows and completely took care of the pain in my back.  Usual practice is that after she works me over she checks my gate by making me walk.  Today she exclaimed, "... and you're filling out your pants."  During my visit earlier in the month I told her that I was upset by the fact that I work out all the time yet am still jiggly like Jello.  Then today she says that I'm filling out my pants.  Oh my!  My feelings were hurt, and my face must have shown this.  It seems she was speaking of my butt.  We've been working on getting my "glutes to fire" through this entire process.  My glutes are getting stronger and filling out my pants.  It's her way of s...

This weekend I had the opportunity to stay at my dad's and listen to the coyotes calling in the distance.  I'm not sure if this is a positive or negative experience, but it was a new experience.  Waking up to the sound of pheasants, ducks, geese, and croaking frogs is certainly a pleasant experience even if it's at five in the morning.  It reminds me of the simple things that many take for granted (including myself). I also had the opportunity to converse with two long-time friends.  Both are experiencing family challenges.  As I talked to them, I felt a sadness and an awe.  My friends are tenacious women with wonderful spirits.  Although I can't assure either one of them that things will progress as they would like, I can assure them both that they will survive and perhaps even come out stronger.  They remind me of this tree on my dad's lane.  Although it's been knocked over and looks like it is having some major difficulties, it is sti...

Yesterday my students did a poetry slam in each of their classes.  They put their heart and soul into these poems.  I will admit that I was a bit disappointed at the end of the day until I started talking about their poems with a colleague.  Then I remembered how hard they worked and how well they really did.  Not only were they brave, but their poems were awesome.  We had several guests come to our room to watch, and the guests were very complimentary.  Today we had workshop, and a couple of these guest (whom I really respect) once again said great things about the slam.   This evening I started downloading the poems from the video camera to iMovie.   After reviewing the first two classes, I realize that my expectations weren't too high.  They really did a great job yesterday; I was too stressed, wanting everything to be perfect, to realize it at the time. About thirteen years ago (IDK) when I was teaching in another building, I had a s...

My honors class drives me crazy.  They're whiny and not that smart.  A friend of mine has a daughter that would refer to them as try hards instead of intelligent students.  In reality, they don't really even try hard.  Most of them are in honors because they're the suck ups.  When they are actually challenged their grades suffer, and their parents call with excuses.  Today I needed to have a colleague cover this class while I sat in on an interview committee.  I spent the first five minutes of the class trying to get them to have the appropriate materials on their desks and to be quiet.  When I finally had the class ready to start, my colleague came in.  The class was finishing Louder than a Bomb .  "Don't you just love this movie?" she asked them.  As they were loudly (because they can't use normal voices) saying yes, one student asked me, "Why aren't you energetic like the people who cover your class?"  Really?  Inst...

See Yourself in Others All being tremble before violence All fear death All love life See Yourself in others Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? He who seeks happiness By hurting those who seek happiness Will never find happiness For your brother is like you He wants to be happy Never harm him You too will find happiness In this life and after you leave this life ~Buddha Today on the way to church I passed by a man on the side of the road.  He was begging for change.  It looked like he was using  paper or an old napkin to blow his nose.  "It looks like you could use a soft tissue,"  I said as I rolled down my window and offered him several tissues from my box of Puffs.  He was thankful to quite thankful and explained that he had allergies.  "I understand," I shared.  My Puffs and compassion were more than enough.  People merely need to know that someone understands.

Although I am not necessarily a rule follower, I often let guilt control my decisions.  Today all of the teachers had a full-size candy bar in their box with a note, "Teacher Appreciation Week- Thanks for all you do for Valley View!!- The Office Staff :)"  I was a bit disappointed to find Starbursts in my box.  A colleague, who I knew was gone today,  had Peanut M & Ms in her box, so I traded my Starbursts for her M&Ms.  When I returned to my room, I felt guilty enough to call the office staff and tell them what I had done.  After a few minutes I felt even more guilty and returned to switch the candies back and of course told the office staff that I had returned them.  Because of my honesty (guilt), later in the day, the office staff put Peanut M&Ms in my box, so I had two candy bars today.

Last night I spent my entire evening watching Harmon on the eagle cam (Minnesota not Iowa although I do prefer the Iowa cam ) while watching The Voice.  I would say it was because I was sick, but I was truly happy when I found out Harmon's parents had returned to him and the nest.  Tonight I may sit on the couch and do the exact same thing. My voice has been doing interesting things all day.  During my fourth class it ranged from low to high.  I told the students I was going through puberty.  Today my last class of the day is a class for struggling readers.  One boy, who is particularly troublesome, was laughing at my voice.  Instead of being a mature adult, I told him that he was jealous that my voice was lower than his.  My hope is that my voice and energy level return soon and that the congestion and pain leave.  Until then I'm comfortable to quite comfortable on the couch.

Today was a whirlwind.  I taught three classes with little voice and a handful of tissues.  After the first three classes I went to J's funeral and returned to teach my last two classes.  I did have help with two of the classes, so I could leave early and come late.  Actually, it went well until my Puffs ran out, and I had to scramble to get more tissues.  When school was over, I attended a portion of a meeting trying to expound on the importance of literacy and reading books (yeah they're the same yet different).  This was followed by a trip to the physical therapist who wiped down everything I touched.  She mentioned that my eyes were a bit red (a funeral and cold symptoms will do that to you).  Now I'm trying to post although I have nothing to say except that literacy is as important as technology... just saying.  Plus, I'm sick, and I wish I had footie pajamas.

When we went to Chicago for NCTE this year, my colleagues went to see Louder than a Bomb .   I went to an adequate (not good or great) session.  They returned pumped up and excited.  I returned ready for a better session and saddened by my choice.  Each year we do a poetry slam in our classes for the seventh graders.  It's not a true slam because we do not have judges rating each student's poem.  After all, according to Louder than a Bomb , "The points are not the point.. the point is the poetry."  Most of our kids excel with this and some are seriously frightened for days about sharing their poem with the class.  Poetry Slam week (or two weeks) is one of my favorite weeks of the year.  This year we're incorporating the movie, Louder than a Bomb .  The plan is to show part of the movie each day and concentrate on an aspect of the reading (voice, gestures, eye contact, articulation, etc.).  Since I didn't see it in Chicago, I wa...

Today is May Day and although it may seem odd, I feel that it was a good day for my friend Jolynn to pass on to a new life.  Her last two years have been difficult, so in some ways today is a blessing.  In other ways it is shocking and unbelievable.  Honestly, I'm not sure I have the words to honor her life on Earth, but I thought I should write something.  She was a fellow reader, diner and traveler.  Our trips took us as close as Chisholm and as far as Montana and Mexico.  She always traveled as she lived, "in style".  In some ways I've missed her for the last two years as she's not quite been herself while in other ways I miss her tonight.  I still remember sitting on my deck two years ago when she told me of the brain tumor.  It's crazy how it seems like it was last summer.