Random Thoughts for a Monday . . . .

*Mom and Dad had a garage sale (they have garage sales in IL) on Friday and Saturday. They were able to get rid of quite a bit of stuff. And, make a little extra money. They are starting to get ready to sell the house soon and travel full-time in a RV.
*My sister went to see the Goo-Goo Dolls over the weekend. She's a member of the fan club and won a meet and greet. Yes, she met the Goo in person! She called me on Saturday from her cell phone so I could hear the concert - well, one song anyway! She was so excited!
*I got an email from Traci. She's back from her honeymoon and they had a wonderful time in Aruba. Once little incident of a stolen wallet but overall it sounds like she had a wonderful time. I can't wait to see some pictures.
*A week from Tuesday, I go back to school. Still have all sorts of mixed feelings. Excited. Scared. Etc. Having to start over again at a new school isn't exactly where I saw myself six months ago. But, life throws you a curve ball and you have to go with it. I'm trying to stay positive and upbeat about this starting over thing but it's tough.
*I'm meeting Janet and Lauren tonight for a birthday celebration dinner. It's always so nice to get together with my girls! :-)
*Weekend was pretty low key. I worked on Friday and Saturday.
*I've come to the conclusion that my life is pretty boring. Lonely. This not having a male in my life is starting to bother me. At 35, I thought I would be married by now. I'm so scared to meet someone. I'm soooo not normal!

That's it for my random thoughts.

Any random thoughts that you want to share?????

Happy Birthday Jacob!!!!

Corey is on the left and Jacob is on the right of Spongebob!

Happy Birthday to Jacob! Jacob is the son of my friend Cheryl - Cheryl is a friend from those crazy days at Hall High School! Cheryl is a great Mom! Her boys are amazing!

Wishing Jacob a very happy birthday and lots of hugs!

It's almost time to go back to school . . . . .

It's so hard to believe that in 11 days, I'll be back in school again. My last day of school was June 26th. It was so nice having the month of July off. Usually by August, I'm very ready to go back to school.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been working on my new curriculum for my honors US History class. It's been a little more challenging than I originally thought. I haven't taught an honors class in four years so I really need to be on my toes!

I am planning on going into Boston next week and walk the Freedom Trail. I want to take pictures and take tours so that I can incorporate the material into my lessons. I'm hoping for a nice weather day next week. I lucked out with my road trip to Concord and Lexington. I've done the Freedom Trail a few times in the past but never took pictures.

I've also been doing some cleaning around the condo. Personal stuff and school stuff. This is my 8th year in teaching and it's amazing how much material you accumulate after a short amount of time in education.

Today, I work at Paws 1-5. Short day. Not that I want to jinx myself but I think the tourists are slowly going away. A sure sign to the end of summer. We had two customers that came into the store yesterday from Texas. They both commented on how much cooler it is here in New England compared to Texas (one was from the Austin area and the other was from Dallas). I told them they should've been here a few weeks ago! :-)

Birthday Shout Outs!!!!

I just wanted to give a shout-out to a few folks that have birthdays today:
Aunt Jenence and Sherri N.

Unfortunately, I have no recent pictures to post of them (Well, maybe they will be happy that I didn't have a picture to post).

But, it's their extra special day!

Aunt J is my Mom's sister. Some of you that read this blog know her.

Sherri N. is a friend from high school. Her nickname was Mooner. You can guess on why that was her nickname. She's been a great friend and I'm so happy that we've kept in touch again after all these years.

Ladies - enjoy your day! You both deserve it!

Go Rolling Stone Magazine!!!!

I read a ton of blogs in the morning. Some blogs are written by friends, some blogs are about education or History, and others are just blogs that I enjoy reading for the hell of it. I found this article on this blog.

Is President Bush the worst President in history????

Any thoughts or comments??????

Happy reading folks!

Not much new to write about . . . .

Not too much to write about today.

I haven't really been doing too much lately. I worked all weekend. Besides that, nothing is going on with me.

Just wanted to let ya all know that I'm here. I'm alive. I'm kicking.

I just have nothing exciting to write about -

Congratulations to Mark and Traci!

Today, Mark and Traci are getting married!

Congratulations!

I wish that I could be in IL with you on your special day.

I wish you both much love and happiness in your lives together -

Enjoy that wonderful honeymoon!!!

Love Ya's!!!!!

My Day in Concord and Lexington

You couldn't have asked for a more gorgeous day for my little educational field trip. The weather was perfect!
I started out in Concord. I visited the Concord Museum to brush up on the town history. Because I'm a member of the MTA (Massachusetts Teacher Association) I didn't have to pay the entrance fee to get into the museum. They has some nice exhibits on the early colonial period. They also claim to have one of the lanterns that hung in the church steeple on the night of Paul Revere's ride.

Afterwards, I checked out the Louisa May Alcott house - Orchard House. I've done the tour of the house a million times so I just took a photo of the house.

Picture of Orchard House in Concord.

I then made my journey to the Old North Bridge - the shot heard around the world. There have been some changes since the last time I've been here. First, the path that leads to the bridge from the parking lot is now fenced off. Second, the bridge was just recently rebuilt. I noticed that someone put fresh flowers at the graves of British soldiers.

Picture of the grave of British soldiers.

Picture of Old North Bridge.

It was so peaceful and serene here. Since I went during the week, there were not a lot of tourists so it was pretty quiet. I even found a nice spot under a tree near the bridge and read my book 1776. I figured that this was probably the most appropriate places to read this book. As a visual learner, I try and imagine what it must have been like on April 19, 1775 at this spot. These men died for our freedom and for that I will always be grateful.

I also checked out the Old Manse. Again, I was able to take a free tour because of my MTA card. The house was owned by the Emerson family. Nanthaniel Hawthorne lived here for a period of time as well.

Picture of the Old Manse.

I started to make my way over to Lexington. I parked at the visitor's center at Minuteman National Park and walked a few miles of the Battle Road. It's a great trail that has various plagues and memorials along the way.

This is a picture of the trail from the Battle Road.

This picture is the site where Paul Revere was captured.

A picture of a British soldiers grave.

Overall, I really enjoyed my day. It was educational yet fun. I was able to get some exercise in by walking some of the Battle Road. I took a ton of pictures so I'll be able to incorporate the pictures into my PowerPoint's for school.

Happy Birthday Mark!

This is a picture of Mark and his son Jeffrey. Mark is going to marry my friend Traci on Saturday. I'll post their engagement photo on Saturday.

Happy Birthday Mark!

To a great daddy!

Enjoy your day with your family!

Hugs!

:-)

Top Ten List

I will post my pics and adventures from Lexington and Concord later on but here's a top ten list.

Top ten list of favorite movies:
10) Grease (the first one)
9) Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Actually, any John Hughes films from the 80's)
8) Chicago
7) Fever Pitch
6) Schindler's List (World War II/Holocaust)
5) Bridget Jones's Diary (1st and 2nd)
4) Pirates of the Caribbean - The Curse of the Black Pearl
3) Glory (Civil War)
2) Saving Private Ryan (World War II)
1) The Band of Brother's Series (World War II)

OK, I know this selection seems rather eclectic and strange. You are correct.

What are some of your favorite movies of all time?????

Plan of attack for today ....

Well, I'm getting ready to head out to Concord and Lexington for the day. I want to take some photos of some of the historical stuff for my US History class. I figured that I could use the pictures in my PowerPoint presentations for class.

I have my digital camera and a notebook to take some notes.

It's a beautiful day today in New England. Sunny. Temps in the high 70's. A perfect day for being a tourist!

Hope everyone is enjoying their Tuesday -

Happy Birthday Dorky Paul!

My Mom and Dorky Paul at a club at WIU. All my friends and family went out the night before graduation and had "a little fun."

Happy Birthday Dorky Paul!

Paul and I have been friends since 1992 - it's an interesting story of how we became friends. We met at Western Illinois University (for those of you that don't know WIU - it's where I got my BA in History). We were both living in Tanner Hall - an upperclassmen dorm. Paul lived on the floor above me. He used to bounce a basketball at all times of the day and night. Do you see where I'm going with this story? I finally got fed up with this asshole bouncing a ball over my head ever night so I finally went upstairs and confronted him. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! :-)

Eventually, Paul moved to the fifth floor (the same floor as me). I could harass him anytime I wanted now (and vice versa)! I have so many memories from our days in Tanner Hall and WIU:

*My mom used to buy me macaroni and cheese (I was addicted to it and it was a VERY cheap meal). We had a kitchen on my floor so sometimes a bunch of us would cook group dinners. Paul used to come down to my room all the time because I always had food in my room. My mom was excellent about making sure I always had care packages and food. Paul used to prepare the mac and cheese without the milk and butter. He added water to the sauce. It used to totally gross me out.

*We used to call Paul Dorky Paul because sometimes he acted like a dork! And, it was easier to distinguish between my friend Dorky Paul and my boyfriend Paul (I later will become engaged to him).

*Our late night chats about life, love, and what the hell do we want to be when we grow up?

*Politics - Paul was a republican back in the day so we used to get into these heated discussions. I'm a devoted democrat and VERY liberal!

*When Paul got his apartment off campus, I would hang out with him and his friends. We had some great parties!!!!!

*Dorky Paul was so supportive when my then boyfriend Paul studied in England for a semester. DP listened to me cry and vent.

*When Dorky Paul dated Little Lorie. Yes, we had names for everyone in college.

*The night before graduation, Dorky Paul and his folks, my folks, and friends all partied together! Dorky Paul danced on stage with the band at one of the clubs. Have another drink?

*Graduation day - May 1994. Both us in our cap and gowns. So hopeful of what our future would/could be for both of us.

We've had some amazing times together. I am so grateful and blessed to have you in my life. We are always there for each other - through illnesses of parents, relationships, career changes, etc. You are in Chicago and I am here in Boston. But we still are together -

I love Ya Dorky!

I survived Yankee Homecoming!

YES!

I did it!

My body is killing me from standing on my feet all day, heavy lifting, and being out in the sun. It was a busy week.

Today is the official last day of Yankee Homecoming. No, I will not be anywhere near Newburyport today. The parade happens at 12:30 pm. Yesterday, when I was driving into Newburyport, people already had their chairs lined up along the parade route. What's so funny about this is that no one touches or moves the chairs. It's like this sacred tradition. People line up the chairs and attach rope or string from chair to chair to let folks know that that "spot" is taken. It's the funniest sight to see.

Life goes back to normal. At least summer normal anyway.

Today, the plan is to relax. I may run out to do a few errands. Overall, I'm keeping my day low key.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend -

Happy Birthday Traci!

Happy Birthday Traci!

Traci and I have been friends since high school. She's one of the very few folks that still keeps in touch with me. We've been through quite a bit throughout the years.

Traci - I am so blessed to have you in my life. Your support and love means the world to me. I'm so happy for you that you have "your boys" in your life. Thank you for your friendship.

Hugs and love!!!!

The pic above is Traci and her handsome son Jeffrey!

Happy Birthday Lauren!

Go over and wish Lauren a very happy birthday!

Lauren - You've been a great friend. It seems like forever since we first met at Pagenet. Remember those days???? Eating lunch in the lunchroom???? Chatting with Janet.

You've been there for me through everything and I'm so grateful to have you in my life. Thank you for being such a huge support to me.

Enjoy your day -

Love Ya!!!!!!

Exhausted!

Not much to write about today.

I'm so exhausted from working that I'm taking the day off. Well, it was a planned day off.

I need to rest because I work tomorrow -

I have Sunday off - thank goodness!

My back and legs are killing me - I've been standing on my feet for over eight hours. And, on cement. Plus heavy lifting.

It finally cooled down in the afternoon yesterday. Today, it's raining. But much cooler than it's been for days!

So, I'm still in my PJ's and watching old DVD's.

Hope everyone has a nice Friday and a good weekend-

Dreadful heat and humidity in New England

It's all over the news here. I'm officially tired of the heat and humidity. Make it go away please.

I have to work 2-9 today in this crazy weather. It's Yankee Homecoming week in Newburyport and the entire downtown area will become a tent city. It's sidewalk sales. So, part of my shift will be in a tent on a nice humid day. Joy!

Someone check to see if I'm passed out from the heat at some point today, OK?????? You have my permission to hose me down too! :-)

Goals for the upcoming school year

I am a very goal orientated kind of person. As a teacher, I need to plan everything I do in my classroom. The federal and state governments tell me that I need to teach the curriculum from this point in history to the next point in history. So in a sense, my goals in teaching my curriculum are already set for me by the higher powers (government). But, there are goals that I can work on as a teacher and as a person.

I always have professional goals:
*Work on pacing in my curriculum.
*Attend a few workshops or seminars.
*Work on my organizational skills.
*Keep up with my correcting (This one is hard to do!)

This year, I want to focus on some personal goals:
*I don't want my job to control my life. For seven years, my life has revolved around my job. This is not a healthy thing and after what happened last school year, I need to focus on getting a life outside of school.
*I need to get out there more. What exactly does this mean? It means that M-Dawg needs to start meeting men! Dating! I haven't been on a date in almost seven years!
*To not take life so seriously. Laugh about the ups and downs of life.
*Get involved in something outside of education. I don't know what that is yet but I would like to maybe volunteer at a shelter or something like that.
*Build up my savings. Emergencies happen.

I know. This seems like a lot of goals. I feel that by working on these goals, M-Dawg will become a better human being and teacher.

Do you have goals? What are those goals and do they change as you grow as a person?

1st day of School Work

Today I started working on some school stuff.

I've been reading 1776 by David McCullough to brush up on my American Revolution History. So far, I'm enjoying the book. I really like how McCullough writes his books - I've read John Adams a few years and really enjoyed that as well. He shares more personal insight and stories on each individual person so you feel like you actually know that historical figure.

I spent the morning doing research on the Internet and typing up some activities and lessons.

I'm very strong in World History - I've been teaching World History for eight years! It's hard to believe that I'm entering into my eighth year in teaching. I'm not too worried or concerned about the curriculum for that course.

My weakness, as I have mentioned in previous posts, is the material prior to the Civil War. This time period in US History tends to be rather boring (in my personal opinion). I feel like I'm at an advantage on some level because a lot of the history I'll be teaching is right here in New England. I'm hoping maybe I can jazz up some of the material by either taking a few field trips (money is always an issue) or if I take some photos of some of this historical stuff and incorporate it into a PowerPoint so that it might help make the material more interesting. I was thinking that next week, I may take a road trip to Concord and Lexington and take some pictures of some of the historical stuff (I'm working crazy hours at the doggie place this week and the humidity is way too high to be outside taking photographs).

I remember three summers ago my former department chair at Timberlane asked me to come with him to Salem, MA to help him videotape the maritime history. We took turns holding the video camera and adding commentary at various historical sites. He teaches AP US History and wanted to add to his curriculum. He knew the school didn't have the money to do field trips so he figured he'd bring the field trip to the students! I don't have a video camera but I figured my digital camera will work just as good! And, I can incorporate all the pics into PowerPoints.

It's almost that time of the year again . . . . .

You know it's back to school time when . . . . . . . . . .

1) The Staples commercial is being broadcasted over and over again - you know the one. Parents are dancing in the isles because their kids are going back to school. "It's the most wonderful time of the year . . . . ."

2) The ads in the Sunday Boston Globe contain back to school sale flyers.

3) Your to-do list for the summer is still sitting there unfinished. Maybe I overplanned? Again?

4) Even Ellie the Cat is sick of looking at me and having me around the house.

5) I'm bored! Yes, you heard me. I'm bored! I guess I'm ready to go back to the crazy work schedule again.

I don't go back to school until the end of August. I told myself that I would take the month of July off to rest and relax and focus on ME. I've been trying to get stuff done around the condo that I normally don't have time to complete during the school year.

So, starting tomorrow, August 1st, I will start doing some school work every day. I really need to get myself organized and focused.

Do you think I'll overplan? Again? :-)

Sick of Heat and Humidity!

Make it go away!

No more humidity or heat!

Sick of it!

Dreading getting my electric bill - the A/C has been running every day. I turn it off at night to save money.

OK, I'm done venting. Thanks for listening!

Pics from Newport trip

Newport, Rhode Island is such a beautiful place to visit. You have the mansions, miles and miles of scenic coastline with amazing walking paths, cobblestone streets with quaint shops, and you could even charter a yacht for the day.

I really wanted to do a tour of the Newport Mansions. Most of the mansions are located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport. After much discussion, we decided on a tour of The Breakers. The Breakers was the summer "cottage" of the Cornelius Vanderbilt family. The photo to the left is the back of The Breakers. You are not allowed to take pictures inside the house so all I was able to get was photos from the outside. I just couldn't get over how this 70 room house was a summer cottage! The Breakers overlooks Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean so the view is one of the most spectacular views you'll see on your trip here. Today, the mansion is a museum - no one lives in it. The Breakers was bought by The Preservation Society of Newport County in 1972 from the Vanderbilt family.

Carla wanted to check out the casino so we headed here. She went in with $20 and left with $35. I'm not much of a gambler but I enjoyed watching Carla play the slots!

We then decided to go back and shower and change and get ready for a night out on the town and some dinner.

We ate here for dinner. Yummy! I had seafood alfredo and Carla had lobster quesadilla.

We walked around a bit - we were going to stop in here for a drink but I was really tired! They had a live band and it looked like fun but it had been a long day.

The next day, we got up early to do the Cliff Walk. The walk was so beautiful! It was very warm and sunny so I got a little sunburned! Here are a few of the pictures from the walk.

Carla had an appointment to get a tattoo at Noon at this place so we had to get back to downtown Newport. Carla wanted to get her Mom and Dad's name on her wrist - sorta like a bracelet. Her parents died when she was young so I thought it was a nice way to memorialize them. It came out great! I couldn't take a picture because it needs to be covered up with a bandage for a while.

Afterwards, we ate lunch here. I had a very yummy Thai Chicken Wrap with Irish Peanut Sauce and Carla had the Shrimp Wrap.

It was a fun trip but Carla had to head back to Maine. Newport is only 2 hours away from where I live so I would love to go back for another visit! Anyone up for it???

Fun time in Newport, Rhode Island!

Well, I spent a few days in the land of the rich! My friend Carla and I decided to do a road trip down to Newport.

I just got back from Newport, Rhode Island. What an amazing place!

I got a little sunburned from walking around. I did put sunscreen on myself but the sun found my lovely pale- glow- in- the- dark- skin attractive. The joy of not being able to tan.

I'll post pics soon!

I'm a little tired tonight so I'll write more tomorrow - just wanted to say hi!

Working Girl!

OK, the title of this post has the potential to be X-rated. It's not - I promise!

I had a very busy weekend at my part-time job. I was scheduled to work on Friday and Saturday. The owner called me in early on Friday - she had an appointment so she had to leave early and asked me to cover part of her shift. Weekends tend to be extremely busy in downtown Newburyport. And, the rude tourists are out of control. One of the gals that I alternate with on Sundays called in sick so I had to open the store and work until 3:00.

So, I was a busy working gal! And, my patience dealing with rude tourists has officially reached capacity!

A special sorry goes out to my friend Annette. I was supposed to meet her for lunch at Sunday and had to cancel at the last minute. Sorry A -

Friday's List of Happies

I haven't done this in awhile because to be perfectly honest, there wasn't really a lot to be happy about.

So, here is my happy/grateful list:

1) For Ellie the Cat - can I just say how much this cat cracks me up? Her personality brightens my day and for that, I adore my little baby girl!

2) The support of my friends. With all the ups and downs that life can bring, my friends definitely brighten my day!

3) A new job. I'm feeling both excited and scared at the same time about starting my new teaching position at Salem High School. I know I'll be fine but I can't help feel this up and down going around feeling in my stomach.

4) The summer. A break from all the craziness that ended at the end of the school year. A time to ponder and relax. A time to reflect about why I'm a teacher. A time to stay up late and sleep in! :-)

5) The love of my family. As much as I piss them off, they still love me! I hope! :-)

What is your list of happies?

Anti- Bush Anyone????

My sister just emailed me this link.

Check it out!

It cooled down! Yeah!

Thank God!

The weather has officially cooled down a bit here in New England.

I wonder if I'm getting old or too sensitive about the weather. When I grew up in Illinois, the summers were always hot, humid and gross.

What's happened to me?

I just can't deal with the heat and humidity anymore -

Yesterday was absolutely gorgeous - went for a walk along the waterfront in Newburyport.

Here's hoping for more days like that -

On a side note: I've been reading up on my pre-colonial US History. I'm going to be teaching a US History class this year that begins with pre-colonial and ends at Reconstruction. Pre-colonial is my weakness in US History. I've always taught the Civil War to the Present in US History.

It's good for me to be challenged, right?

Hanging out by the pool!

Yesterday, I got invited by one of my friends (Pat) to hang out by her inground pool for the day -let me tell ya, it was such a hot day so it was so worth it! Pat also invited our friend Jane too! Let me tell ya, it's so relaxing to hang out in a pool with great company.

The temps reached 100 degrees! Ughy!

I got to her place around 1:00 and didn't leave until 7:00 than evening. The water felt great!

The heat finally let up today, thank goodness! I'm must be getting old because I can't deal with heat and humidity.

Also, last night, I spoke with one of my Timberlane babies - Kerri Ann! It's great to hear from her! When I was at Timberlane, I sorta adopted her as my child. She's had some bumps in the road the past year but she's bouncing back and I'm so very proud of her!

Good times with good friends!

Last night I met up with Janet and Lauren at the Cheesecake Factory in Burlington, MA. Yummy food! I had the Chinese Chicken Salad - I highly recommend it!

Thank you ladies for a fun night! And, let's hope that we survive all of our dysfunctional relationships in our lives! :-)

Weekend Summary

Well, so far I'm surviving this heat wave. It's tough to move, talk, and even breathe in this crazy humid weather. We still have a few more days of the hot and humid stuff before it finally cools down.

Friday: I worked at Pawsitively Best Friends during the day. Pam, the owner of the store, is working on the new web site. It's still under construction but eventually she will have products that you can purchase online and newsletters and other cool stuff. The store was pretty busy - mostly demanding and rude tourists. I decided to stay at home for the night and watch DVD's. I went to my public library and checked out a few movies. I felt like relaxing for the night.

Saturday: I hung out with my friend and former roommate Chris for the day. We decided to go to the beach. We ate lobsters for an early dinner. Yummy! Afterwards, we drove up to Portsmouth, NH. We walked around the downtown area - it's so beautiful. We ended up at Prescott Park. This place is so gorgeous. It's an outdoor theatre right on the water. They have beautiful gardens with quaint little pathways around the area. The musical that is being performed is Oliver! We didn't stay for the musical - they had these barber shop groups perform called the Yankee Clipper Chorus (male) & Sounds of the Seacoast (female). We stayed for about an hour listening to the music. It started to rain so we left. I really want to go back at some point this summer and check out the musical.

Sunday: I worked at Paws for the day. In the evening, I met up with my friend Aileen. We went to the Screening Room in Newburyport to see this. It's a Robert Altman film. I thought it was hysterical! Lily Tomlin, Woody Harrelson, Kevin Kline, and Meryl Streep are just a few of the big names that perform in the film. The Screening Room is known to play independent and foreign films.

So, overall, it was a busy yet relaxing and fun weekend.

What did you do this weekend?

Heat Wave in New England!

The humidity here is around 70 - ughy! Icky! Disgusting! Makes me feel like I'm back in IL!

I'm supposed to meet my former roommate, Chris, today. The plan is to go to the beach and eat lobster for dinner! This is the joy of only living 10 minutes away from the beach and ocean.

Yummy! LOBSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope that the beach isn't that crowded - huh! It's the height of tourist season M-Dawg - what the hell are you thinking???? Yes, the beach will be crowded with annoying tourists!

Stay cool everyone - it's going to be hot and humid until at least Tuesday of next week. Ughy!

Happy Belated B-Day Joann!

Happy Birthday Joann!

This photo was taken back in April when Joann and Lea came out here for a visit (Plum Island, Newburyport, MA).

Thank Jo for your friendship and support - we've been through so much all these years! Lots of ups and downs in our relationships with men. I guess I need to thank your cousin Joe for bringing us together as friends. Although my relationship with Joe didn't last, our friendship did last. For that, I will always be grateful.

I hope you enjoyed your special day - you deserve so much happiness!

Love Ya Kiddo! :-)

Saw the new Pirates movie last night -

Last night, Carla and saw this at The Loop in Methuen, MA.

I liked it. There were a few scenes that scared the *&%$ out me. Overall, I thought it was a good movie.

They even set up the ending for the third movie.

Of course, looking at Johnny Depp on the big screen is always an added bonus!

Summer is in full swing in New England

OK, here in New England, a lot of us were bitching that we were sick of the rain and the colder weather. Sick of this unseasonable crap! Where's the sun? Where's the heat?

Well, it's official! Summer is here. Humidity and all!

I'm very fortunate that my condo is in the lower level. Sorta like the basement. So, it stays reasonable cool most of the time. However, every once in a while, I have to turn on my A/C.

Lots of reasons to be happy for summer. One: no correcting or grading papers for at least two months. Don't get me wrong, I adore my job but the correcting gets to be rather tedious at times. Second: I can sleep in on some days. Well, I am working a part-time job - I'm not totally being a lazy bum this summer. Third: I'm starting to get excited about my new teaching new job. Ok, not summer related but I had to share the fact that I'm excited about something in a long time!

Oh -Mom and Mandy came out for a visit - they were here from June 30th to July 4th. I felt bad for them because they had a horrible experience flying out here. Long story but let me offer this advice: Avoid LaGuardia Airport! I took them to Hull, MA on Saturday. It is so beautiful down there but they agreed it could get quite lonely and isolating down there after a while. We ate lunch at this place. Yummy seafood! As we drove back north, we stopped at a few shopping places. My sister loves to shop! :-) We stopped here. We didn't find any good deals. On Sunday, I drove them up to the Tilton Outlets in NH. We ate lunch at the Tilton Diner. This place is so cool - it's an old diner that serves cheap but great food! Mom enjoyed it because they play music from the 1950's and 1960's. On Monday, we met Carla up in Portland, Maine. I love hanging out in Old Port. They have these amazing shops and restaurants. We ate lunch here. The restaurant was converted from a car ferry. The restaurant is right on the water and we ate outside. I had a yummy lobster roll - so did Mandy! Her first! We had a fun but busy visit. I forgot to take my camera so no pics. I felt bad for them because their flight left at 6:00 am out of Boston on July 4th. Going back to Chicago - no problems or delays this time. They had a non-stop flight going back.

So, this has been my excitement. I've also been working at Pawsitively Best Friends.

What have you been doing this summer?

Where will M-Dawg be teaching at in the fall?

Drum role please??????

Salem High School in Salem, MA. Home of the Witches!

This journey has been an up and down battle on so many levels for me. Thank you to all my family and friends who stuck by me and supported me during this crazy time. I know it wasn't easy to be near me or to listen to me cry, rant and rave, or just vent. I do appreciate everyone just being there for me.

Teaching at Salem will allow me to stay in Amesbury. At least for now.

I will be teaching (4) World Studies (Middle Ages to the Present in World History) and (1) US History (Early Colonial to Reconstruction). I'll have one honors class in World Studies and US History. It's been a long time since I've taught an honors class. The rest of the courses are college prep. Teaching World Studies, I'll be working on a freshman team. The team consists of a Math, English, and Science teacher. We will have common planning time to work on interdisciplinary units. The team approach also allows for joint parents meetings when necessary.

I pick up my teaching materials on Monday -

It's Over . . . . .

Today was my last day at Newburyport High School.

What can I say? It was sad.

I cleaned and packed the majority of my classroom last week -the only items I had to take home with me today were my plants. All I had to do was to finish entering my grades into the system and have administrators sign me out verifying that I completed all my work, cleaned my classroom, and turned in my keys.

I said my good-byes to my students all last week. It was this emotional rollarcoaster ride that I really can't explain. Students from the past three years stopped by my room to give me flowers, cards, letters, hugs, etc. Of course, I cried. They cried. These kids have so much instability in their lives and here is another adult in their life that won't be there for them. It's so screwed up!

The English/History Departments did a party today for myself and two other colleagues that are leaving. Again, very emotional for me. Peter, my dept chair, gave me a book (It's a tradition in the department that anyone leaves receives a book about history). The book is called Death in the Haymarket by James Green - it's about Chicago and the first labor movement.

I did send out the following email at school to the faculty and staff:

"I just wanted to thank everyone for their support during this very difficult time. A special thanks goes out to the English/History Depts - especially Susie and Peter. This group has been my strength for the past two months and I will forever be grateful for your kindness and support. Hugs, cards, emails, or just asking how I was doing meant so much to me - thank you. You are an amazing group of people and I will miss you. I wish you all much luck next school year - Keep in touch - Hugs- Lori"

I received a ton of responses from the faculty - mostly well-wishes and wanting to keep in touch stuff. I've also received a ton of positive comments about how well I handled this situation and how professional I was until the end. Let me tell ya folks, it was hard! It took every ounce of my being to not tell my Principal to go to hell! I'm the first one to admit that I wasn't the best teacher that I could be the past few months with my students. This is something that I will always have to live with for the rest of my life -that for the first time in my career, I didn't give my all in my job.

Oh, I'm sure you are all wondering if my Principal said anything to me today. The answer is NO! Not that I would expect him to talk to me all of a sudden. The man of no emotion wouldn't even look at me let alone talk to me.

So, life moves on . . . .

What will the next chapter hold for M-Dawg?

How Blessed Am I?

Last night, I hung out with Janet and Lauren. We ate some pizza and had Janet's yummy pumpkin pie for dessert! Let me tell ya folks, Janet's pumpkin pie is the bestest!!!!!

Thank you ladies for a wonderful evening! I desperately needed a gal's night out! I am so blessed to have such great friends in my life!

Hugs and love! :-)

Correcting final exams!

Can't really say too much in this post -

Just want to let everyone know that I'm alive and kicking -

And, I'm in correcting hell!

What the %&#$ was I thinking of making up a 25 page final exam in World History? Plus, an essay!

Duh!

The Waiting Game

I wish that I could report good news to everyone.

First can I just say how wonderful and supportive all of my "peeps" (aka friends) have been with the comments and emails! You guys absolutely rock!

I found out on Friday that I didn't get the Medfield and Bromfield positions. Double whammy! These were my first and second choices. This process has been so emotionally draining. I know my folks are worried about me (my peeps too). I'm trying to keep a positive attitude but it's getting harder the longer the process continues.

Still haven't heard from Hull yet. There is a little bit of drama behind this one that I really don't want to share yet.

On a happier note, I have an interview on Monday at Rye Junior High School in Rye, NH. It's a grade 7 history position. This school is only 20 minutes north from me. And, I have an interview at Salem High School in MA on June 23rd. This is a World History position. Salem is about 45 minutes south from me. PS This is the same Salem of the infamous 1692 Witch Trials - historically, this could be a great place to work!

And, to top if off, I'm trying to finish up the school year and my curriculum. I'm finishing up with World War I - unfortunately, I'm not doing it the justice it deserves! It's my favorite topic to teach in World History. Plus, I'm packing everything up in my classroom. I'm such a pack rat - I think as a History teacher, I'm so afraid of throwing anything away. I figure now is a good time to get rid of some stuff so I'm donating some materials to the History/English depts, school library, and other colleagues that might have a use for some of my stuff.

So, this is my life. Nuts! Crazy! Busy! Upsetting!

Off to another interview . . . . . . .

This afternoon, I have a second interview at Medfield High School in Medfield, MA. They have a team teaching interdisciplinary class that they would like me to observe before meeting with the Principal. I have three years experience with team teaching at Timberlane. I really miss it because it's great to make those connections in history and literature. The student population is around 850 - small.

Tomorrow morning, I have a second interview at Hull High School in Hull, MA. I have to teach a 45 minute lesson. If all goes well, they will offer me the position. I'm teaching a lesson in US History on the Cold War. The location of this school is absolutely amazing! Hull is located on a peninsula that stinks right out into Boston Harbor. The high school is literally right at the tip of the peninsula. So, one side of the building, your view is the Atlantic Ocean and the other side is the Boston skyline and Boston harbor. Absolutely gorgeous! I'm going to try and remember to bring my camera this time to take photos! The student population is 400 students.

I'm still waiting to hear from Londonderry HS, Ayer HS, and the Bromfield School. Dartmouth called me on Friday and said they offered the position to another candidate.

That's the scoop -

Selective hearing?

Today I proctored SAT's at my school. It's an easy money maker to be honest. I sit there and make sure the little stinkers don't cheat or take pictures of the test with their cell phones (the latest security risk with the cell phones that have camera's) - all for the magic price of $95! I'm at school for about four hours so it's easy money. I usually bring my papers to correct while I'm proctoring. I've gotten behind in my correcting since I've been out interviewing for the past three weeks. I was extremely productive today!

So, I read from this script that the SAT folks give the proctors. It's basically directions and the what you are not supposed to do things during the test. At three points in the directions, I stated that ALL cell phones were to be turned off - not on vibe or volume turned down - OFF!!! And, they need to be kept away -either in a purse or bookbag or pants pocket. Out of sight, out of mind! Does this sound like brain surgery? Is this a complicated thing to hear or follow? Apparently not! Not less than twenty minutes into the test - guess what happens? You guessed it! A cell phone starts to ring! Everyone in the classroom turns around to look at the criminal - he states, "I didn't know we had to turn them off!" Before I could even say anything (code for rip the kids head off!), another student in the classroom says, "Dude, she like said it a million times to turn off all cell phones! Didn't you hear her? Are you an idiot?" At that point, all I could do was smile. The rest of the kids agreed by nodding their heads. He turns off his cell phone and I swipe it from him and I tell him that he can have it back after the test. Huh! I showed him! The little shit!

You've just read probably the best example of selective hearing that I could give you as a teacher. Gotta love teenagers! :-)

List of happies

I really need to do this list. It's been such a rough few weeks for me emotionally and spiritually. It would seem that I can't be/get positive or happy. So, here it goes - a list of happies!

1) It's Friday! And, a pay day! Gotta love direct deposit!

2) Support and love of family and friends during a very tough time in my life.

3) Ellie the Cat - she's my baby girl!

4) That I've been interviewing like crazy the past three weeks. As long as I keep interviewing, there's hope for getting a job!

Back to school after a long weekend

Back to school tomorrow. It's been a long, relaxing weekend. I had to work at the doggie place on Sunday - there was a huge festival going on in the downtown area and the store was packed!

Rest of the weekend was spent relaxing and doing laundry.

It's so sad but I actually dread going into school now. See what getting burned does to you? I used to love my job and the kids. Now, I just don't want to go into school or be bothered. We don't get out until June 26th now due to the flooding and rain we had a few weeks ago.

I'm still trying to hold the students accountable and try and teach them the curriculum that needs to be taught by the end of the school year. I start World War I this week and it's my favorite unit to teach. Hopefully, I will get some joy out of teaching this unit. It's so hard to stay focused!

I'm hoping that by having the summer off and relaxing that I will get that love of teaching back.

I'll be using one sick day this week because I have two job interviews on Wednesday. I still haven't heard from all the other interviews from the past few weeks. Supposedly, this week I hear from all of them on if I have a job offer.

My goal is to have a job by the time I get out of school at the end of June. We shall see. . . . . .

Happy Memorial Day

This post is dedicated to all the men and women who have or are dedicating their lives for our freedom.

These photos were taken at the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France. I was there last summer on one of my trips to Europe.

It's so emotional to walk around this cemetery and see all the crosses and Star of David's - these men risked their lives for OUR freedom on D-Day in 1944. There are 9,387 men buried in this cemetery.

Thank you for sacrificing your life for my freedom!

To my Cousin Danny over in Kuwait - thank you! I love ya Cousin!

Job Interview Today

Had a job interview at The Bromfield School in Harvard, MA today. I think it went well. Sometimes, I think the interview goes well and they want to hire me and it doesn't work out. I hate getting my hopes up high and then to have them tumbled down. I'm sick of my emotions being all over the place -

This has been an emotional roller coaster ride for me the past month and a half - and who do I have to thank for it? My Principal for not renewing my contract? Or myself? Because I obviously did something to upset or piss him off so he won't renew my contract! As you can see, I'm still angry!

Everyone keeps telling me that things happen for a reason - I KNOW! I just wish that I would stop getting screwed all the time. If one more person tells me this, I will scream!

I think I need to look into selling the condo - things are not looking good for the job situation and I need to be prepared to move on. I know that I will end up losing money on the condo -

One good thing about this: I've lost a shit load of weight from the stress! And, I continue to lose more weight as the pressure of not having a job next school year -

I've learned a lot the past month and a half:
*Don't trust your administrators!
*Don't trust anyone!
*Don't get too attached to a job that you love!
*Don't emotionally invest yourself into your school until after three years!
*I have some great colleagues in the English/History depts that have been so supportive to me throughout this whole mess!
*My parents have been amazingly supportive to me too!
*My freshman are annoying the hell out of me! :-)
*And finally - to not let my job revolve or control my life and to not take it so seriously!

Happy Birthday to my Sister, Mandy!

Mandy and I at Cheers in Boston, MA (1996).

Mandy and I in Billerica, MA (1999).

Wishing my sister, Amanda, a very happy birthday today!

Mandy - you are a wonderful sister and I love ya kiddo!

Love Ya-

Lori :-)

Would a school just hire me already?????

Yes . . . it's been very frustrating. Finding a job is never any fun. I spend all my Sunday's going through The Boston Globe looking for teaching jobs. I then have to put together the famous packet of teaching materials: cover letter, resume, copies of three recommendation letters, copy of my certification, copies of all college transcripts, and sometimes, schools want me to provide evidence that I'm "Highly Qualified" (This is a No Child Left Behind requirement). On Monday, I'm off to the Post Office to mail these huge envelopes off to the various schools that I'm applying for a teaching job. Postage is adding up! I'm keeping all my receipts - I was told that I could write off looking for a job on my taxes next year. Joy!

Update on Interviews:
*Had my third interview at Londonderry High School in NH with the Principal. It went very well! I will find out next week if they will offer me the job. Remember, I would take a huge cut in pay if I take this position.
*I have an interview at The Bromfield School in Harvard, MA on Wednesday. This school usually scores very high on the MCAS (They usually score in the top five in the state) so the academic standards are quite high. It's also an affluent community.
*I have an interview at Ayer High School in Ayer, MA on Friday. Ayer is located out near Fitchburg where I went to Graduate school.
*Dartmouth High School wants to interview me on Wednesday but I have the other interview on that day. I'm going to try and ask if Dartmouth could interview me in the morning. Dartmouth is located south of Boston so I need to allow enough time for traveling.
*Salem Academy Charter School in Salem, MA also wants to interview me - they do a phone interview first for about 30 minutes and then decide from there if they want to bring you in to meet with the hiring team.

So, as you can all see, I've got a lot going on right now. Finding a job is like a second job. Everyday, I check the MA Dept of Education web site, EdJobsNH.com, regional high school web sites for job postings, etc. It's crazy!

Happy Job Hunting! :-)

Flooding . . . . .

As you can see from this photo, the flooding is out of control here. I didn't have school on Monday - most schools in Northern MA and Southern NH were cancelled yesterday and today. My school was the only school opened today in the area.

The downtown areas of the cities of Lawrence, Lowell, and Haverhill are submerged under water. All these cities, including Amesbury and Newburport, are located on the Merrimack River.

In the city of Haverhill, officials were working to repair a sewage pipe that continued to dump waste at 35 million gallons a day into the Merrimack River.

Ughy!

It's Raining Cats and Dogs!

Well, the rain saga continues here in New England . . . . . .

The Merrimack River is swelled and cresting . . . . .

School was cancelled today due to the heavy flooding and wash outs of roads and sink holes . . . .

Over 58 schools in Northern MA and Southern NH cancelled school today.

Spring is officially here!

I think Noah had the right idea - probably should start building that ark!

I'm hoping there is an end to this rain - the last prediction was it was supposed to stop raining by Friday.

Cross your fingers!

Happy paddling! :-)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mom's out there - including mine!

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

I Love Ya Momma!

:-)

Life Goes On . . . . .

It's been a very emotional week for me. I had a job interview on Monday morning with Londonderry High School. I met with the Social Studies Coordinator and she really liked me and wanted me to come back. So, I met with her and a few members of the social studies department this morning. It went very well. I was also given an idea of what the salary would be and it would be over a $10,000 cut in my salary of what I'm making now. So, do I sell the condo in Amesbury and move up to Londonderry and go back to renting and take the cut? I just don't know what to do - I don't want to take the first job offer but I'm in a position where I have to pay my bills and a mortgage. I just don't know what to do. Any suggestions from my blogging buds would be helpful! Please keep in mind that I make crap for money to begin with because I'm a teacher! :-)

I had an interview with Salem High School in NH on Thursday after school. It didn't really go that well. As I was waiting to be called into the conference room for the interview, the candidate before me was being "high-fived" by the male members of the dept and the chair. The chair seemed to want to go out of his way to accommodate this candidate. And, the dept chair was trying to find the Principal to introduce this candidate to him - it just seemed like the dept chair wants that candidate for the position. So, I finally get into the conference room and they start asking me questions. The dept chair sat there and yawned throughout the interview! Can you believe it? I was horrified! At the end of the interview, the dept chair says to me that they will be having retirements in two years and that I should I apply then! Two years! Waste my time! Such the "old boys" network -

I'm trying to put myself in a better mind set the past few weeks but it's so hard and discouraging when you are losing something you love so much.

Happier news - I'm chaperoning the Prom on Saturday so that should be fun! I love seeing the kids all dressed up - they clean up good! :-) I'm taking my camera so I'll take tons of pics.

I'm also meeting Lauren tonight - we are seeing a movie. I'm looking forward to seeing her because it's been a long time since I've seen her. She's been having a tough time - her Cousin Denise just recently died.

Have a great weekend everyone -

Update on Interview

My interview today was with Londonderry High School in Londonderry, NH. They are looking for a US History and Economics teacher.

The interview went well. The Social Studies Coordinator wants me to come back on Friday morning to meet with members of the department. If this part goes well, then I meet with the Principal for the final stage.

I received a tour of the building - they just completed a huge renovation project three years ago so everything is relatively new. It's a huge building - they have almost 1800 students in the building. Everyone I met seemed nice.

We shall see . . . . .

The drive took me about half an hour - I thought it would take me at least an hour to get up there.

And, I have an interview on Thursday at Salem High School in Salem, NH at 3:00 pm.

Keep ya posted on that one too!

Wish me Luck!

I have a job interview this morning at 9:00 am -

So, be sending those positive vibes in my direction!

Thanks -

:-)

I've been a BAD blogger!

I know. I've been bad. I haven't been good about posting on my blog for the past month. I've been in a funk. I'm trying to get myself out it. Duh - it's for obvious reasons! :-)

Some updates:
*I have a job interview on Monday for a high school position in NH. I'm not too keen about teaching in NH again (lower salary, crappy retirement system, etc.) but it would be a job. I was getting a little worried since I've been sending out applications for the past month and haven't heard anything from any schools. I know a lot of schools are waiting on budget approvals so the waiting will continue. My goal is to have a job by June 23rd. Why the 23rd? Because it's the last day of school for me at NHS and I would like to feel proud of myself that I found a job before I got the hell out of there!
*I changed my mind on the formal evaluation by my Principal. I didn't want to go through the negativity and possible unprofessional of my Principal. Having that observation would not make a difference of whether or not I stay or leave my school. Why put my heart and soul into putting together this great lesson and have him put me down just to put me down? I need to move forward and learn from this shitty experience. Trust me, I've learned a lot so far!
*My friend Lauren lost her good friend Denise to cancer a few weeks ago. Lauren has been struggling with the loss. To lose someone so young to cancer is so wrong on so many levels. Pop over to her blog if you get a chance.
*My cousin Danny is home for 15 days from Kuwait. He went to a Cubs game with my Dad and Mandy this past week. I'm sure he's enjoying his down time - back to the desert!
*Received an email from a former student at Timberlane this past week. She is a junior almost senior at UNH. It was such a nice reminder of why I teach. She told me that I'm one of the reasons why she is going to college to be a teacher. Sometimes when times are bad, you need those reminders!

Weekend plans:
*Crash on Friday. Rented DVD's.
*Proctor SAT's on Saturday morning and work at the Paws from 2-8. Might go out with Carla to a movie or something.
*On Sunday, I'm meeting a friend to help her work on a scrapbook that she's making for one of her students. Her student is graduating from high school and she wants to make a nice gift for him. She's never made a scrapbook before so she's looking for some help.

What are your plans or updates in your lives?

Flu bug kicks my butt!

Hello. I know. It's been so long since I've posted. Please forgive me. Once you read this post, you will so understand why!

Here's the scoop:

Tuesday morning at school, I started to feel very icky! When I mean icky. . . . I mean icky! The school nurse had to drive me home because it was that bad. I spent the next three days vomiting and diarrhea and sleeping on the bathroom floor. Not a pleasant experience. School nurse and Dr. informs me that this icky thing is going around the school systems. GREAT!

I already had a scheduled Dr's appt on Thursday for "other" stuff. The Dr. told me that I was "dangerously dehydrated". Great! Just what I need. And, I've lost over 30 pounds with all the stress and sickness. Double great! Not the way I want to lose much needed weight but I'll take it.

Update on evaluation: Since I've been out sick, on Friday, I went to my Principal and requested that we move the evaluation to next week. He told me to see him early in the week and we can reschedule.

Update on job situation: Nothing new to report except I've been applying to teaching jobs all over MA and southern NH. No interviews yet. Stress level at an all-time high at this point.

Oh . . . . my saving grace . . . watching the Soprano's on DVD! :-) I'm working my way through season four!

Formal Evaluation?

Get this. . .

As you ALL know, I've been formally let go by my high school at the end of the school year. Yes, I have to act like nothing is wrong until June 23rd.

I go to my mailbox at the end of the day today and what do I find? A formal evaluation form to fill out. With it - attached a note from the Principal stated that "under the circumstances" I can forego the formal evaluation to be completed by him. HELL NO! I want him to come into my classroom! I showed Peter, my dept chair the note and Peter's response, "What do you have to lose?"

I just can't get over the fact that my Principal has never come into my classroom formally to observe me and made the decision to not renew my contract.

I don't claim to be the best teacher in the world - I'm a good teacher who is always looking for improvements and honest critique.

I've decided to have my principal do the formal evaluation. I have a few concerns regarding his professionalism and the evaluation.

I have a pre-conference meeting on Friday at 8:00 am and the formal observation takes place on Monday, 9:00-10:30 am. Should be interesting to see how this all plays out . . . . . . .

The End of April Vacation

Well, it's been an interesting week here at the homestead.

Lea and Joann left on Tuesday. We had such a nice visit. I took them into Boston on Friday, Newburyport on Saturday, Salem and Kittery Outlets on Monday, and the beach on Tuesday before they left for IL. On Wednesday, I had a dentist appt - fillings for cavities. I've been good for so long with my teeth and all of sudden - WHAM! On Thursday, I got new tires for the car ($320.00). Ughy lots of money! Worked in the afternoon at my doggie place. Had Book Club that evening. Today, I had to have a plumber come and unplug my tub - it wouldn't drain. I tried everything - Liquid Plumber, this real industrial stuff from Home Depot, nothing worked! Final Cost - $250! Ughy! The joys of owning your own property.

Not much to report on the job search. I'm really stressing about it. There isn't a lot out there. Plus, schools are cutting back their budgets so I'm almost too expensive to hire. I'm fine financially until the end of August. After that, I'm totally screwed!

Please be thinking lots of happy and positive thoughts for me!

And, if you see a position for a high school history or social studies teacher, let me know!

Pictures from Visit

Joann, Carla, Lea, and I at Warren's - Kittery, Maine.

Joann and I at the beach - Plum Island, Newburyport, MA.

Joann, Lea, and I at Old North Church in Boston, MA.

Happy Easter All!

Happy Easter Everyone!

I have Joann and Lea out here visiting from IL.

The menu for Easter: spiral ham, Green Rice, Greenbean casserole, crossants, salad, chocolate cake, cookies, etc. Yummy!

Enjoy your day -

Trying to Move On . . . .

This has been the toughest week for me.

Thank God for my wonderful family, friends, and work colleagues for being there and helping me get through this - I'm so blessed to have such a strong support system.

Monday was hard. I was very emotional all day. The kids knew something was up. I was told to not tell them yet. I'm not ready to tell them either. My colleagues kept checking in on me all day long. Everybody is so emotional and depressed right now. The morale in the building is pretty low right now.

I took up the offer of that recommendation letter from my Principal. When you read it, you want to ask yourself, "If I'm such a wonderful teacher according to this letter, then why the hell are you letting me go?" It makes absolutely no sense at all.

Peter, my dept. Chair, wrote my a great letter too! He's been so wonderful about everything! Again, very blessed that I have a dept chair who really truly cares!

I've been calling in a few favors to some of my parents of the students I have taught - they work at other school systems in the area and have asked for their help in trying to find a new job. I've also asked a few of them to write me a recommendation letter. All the parents I've spoken with are in absolute shock about me leaving. They want me to stay. I want to stay. But, fate has something else in store for me.

Oh, and get this one! My Principal is leaving next year. He received a job offer at another school for more money! That's what makes this even more mean and hurtful! Part of me wonders is the "problem" with him or another administrator in the building.

Again, thank you everyone that has responded to the last post. Your support and strength is what will get me through this horrible bump in my life!

I Love Ya All!

Life just sucks!

I know it's been a while since I've posted on my blog. The initial reason was that softball season started up and I've been very busy with that. However, I received some devastating news on Friday.

I've been trying to muster up the nerve to share this information so here it goes:

I was pulled out of my classroom at the end of the day on Friday to be told by my Principal that I would not be coming back next school year. I was numb. I was upset. I was sick to my stomach. I asked why and his response is that he legally can't tell me why because I'm within the first three years. Yes, I've been fired. I thought I was a good teacher. I thought I was doing everything right. Apparently not. Thank God for my colleagues in the History/English Office. They were completely shocked by this news - it makes not sense they tell me. They tell me I'm dedicated, caring, and a good teacher. What makes this even worse is that the principal (who hardly ever "works" with me or seen me teach) overrided my Dept Chair's decision. Peter, my chair, fought hard to keep me. Peter works with me everyday. He's seen me in the classroom many times! My formal evaluations are great from Peter and the other administrators in the building. I have received no formal evaluation from my Principal in the three years I've been in the school. Unfortunately, the union can't do anything because of the law so their hands are tied. How am I supposed to grow as an educator and learn from this experience if I'm not told what I did wrong?

The students knew something was up today because I looked like crap (I haven't slept all weekend and everything I eat comes up). Kids are very perceptive! I was told to wait a while to tell them I'm leaving. They are going to freak out! I don't like having to lie to them.

Can I just say how blessed I am to have such great friends and family in my life? Everybody has been so supportive to me during this very difficult time.

I'm feeling a lot right now: anger, what the hell did I do wrong?, scared, confusion, etc. I just don't understand why I was let go. I also know that I can't wrack my brain and overanalyze this or I'll go crazy.

As I've posted in prior posts, I'm very dedicated and emotionally connected to my school. I'm invested! So, I'm taking this very hard. I just don't get it. I probably will never find out why I was let go. All I can do is move forward.

I have many concerns right now. First, is my mortgage and other bills. Second, health insurance. I'm also worried that because I have seven years experience, I'm almost too expensive to hire. We are having major budget cuts out here in MA in education so I keep thinking if I'll be able to find a job.

I also need to re-evaluate my professional life. I adore teaching. But, maybe this a wakeup call for me to stop having my job focus around my life. It's so easy for me to throw myself into my job. After Paul and I broke up, I literally threw myself into my job because I didn't want to feel all that hurt. Being a workaholic is not a good thing in the field of education because people can take advantage of you. So, I pose a question: how do I maintain a level of being the best history teacher that I can be, but also have a life outside of school?

Today, I resigned from the softball coach position. I can't be an effective coach and look for a job at the same time. I felt bad for the varsity coach to leave her on short notice but I need to do what it is best for me. I put everyone else ahead of my own feelings that I never think of myself. That changed today. Luckily, the athletic director and the varsity coach were very supportive. They are both in shock of me being let go too.

My parents have been great. Of course, one of the comments out of the mouth was: "You can always come back to IL." I've been out here since 1994. Moving back to IL would not solve my problems. I'm happy here. Even though I continue to have these small set backs, I'm still happy here. I do the best I can. I just wish that my parents would realize that.

So, after this huge book that I just babbled out to the cyber world, this is the reason why I haven't been blogging a lot lately.

Trip to NYC

My trip to NYC was fun! My colleagues Matt, Ken, and Wendy and I took 25 teenagers to NYC to the Model UN Conference.

Here's the scoop -

Wednesday - We left school around 7:45 am on a chartered bus. The bus had a DVD player so the kids watched one of the Harry Potter films and part of Pride and Prejudice. First let me say that there were 21 girls and 4 males on this trip! So, the chick flicks went over very well with the females on the bus. Wendy and I chatted the entire ride down to NYC so we didn't even watch the movies. We stayed at The Hilton . After the kids got settled in their rooms, we left for the Opening ceremonies. The opening ceremonies were at the United Nations that evening. The security to get in was very tight! One of our students (a exchange student from Turkmenistan) was searched by security. I felt really bad for him because when you look at him, his skin tones are Middle Eastern. The kids got to sit in the General Assembly where all the ambassadors from all over the world sit to discuss world problems. The guest speaker discussed how the kids can make a difference in the world by participating in events like Model UN. Bed checks were at 12:30 am! Can I just say how old I am that I can't even stay awake that late anymore? We had two kids that decided it was OK to walk down to Times Square and walk around at 1:00 am! They broke curfew so they were "grounded" for the rest of the trip.

Thursday - the students were in committee meetings all day. We had to check on them to see if they had any questions or concerns. The adults then could do whatever we wanted. Ken and I headed to Times Square to walk around and check out the heart of the city. We ate lunch at Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. The food was amazing! In the late afternoon, Wendy and I walked around Central Park and shared a pretzel. I did sit on some of the committee meetings - some of the topics were more interesting than others. For example, the League of Arab Nations meeting was discussing the impact of oil and the world economy. They also were trying to figure out a way to conserve oil. The World Bank meeting was rather boring.

Friday - the students were in meetings all day again. Wendy and I decided to check out MoMA (Museum of Modern Art). They had a great exhibit on Edvard Munch (think the Screamer painting). Afterwards, we walked down to Rockefeller Center for a quick lunch at this organic restaurant. We did a group dinner at this place. They had great pizza! After dinner, a bunch of the girls and I ran to the Carnegie Deli for cheesecake - oh my goodness - the cheesecake was huge and amazing! Yummy! I really couldn't finish it all. I'm so happy that I could "work off" that cheesecake later on in the evening. There was a dance on Friday night for the students. Matt, Wendy, and I "busted a move" on the dance floor with the kids. I think they got a nice chuckle out of their teachers dancing! Curfew this night was 1:00 am! I'm getting way too old for staying up so late!

Saturday - We were able to sleep in a bit because our bus wasn't picking us up until noon. Wendy and I did a nice buffet all you could breakfast at the hotel. We had been doing on the go breakfast the past few days and thought it would be nice to just sit and relax and enjoy our breakfast. The bus arrived at noon to pick us up at the hotel. It took us almost five hours to get home - we ran into a bit of traffic.

Overall, it was a fun experience! I would definitely do it again. The kids for the most part were pretty well behaved. I didn't really know a lot of the kids but by the end of the trip, I got to know most of them. It's such a great learning experience to get to know your students outside of the classroom.

Fun time in NYC!

Hi!

Sorry I didn't blog before I left for my trip - I tried to post something before I left but blogger was having technical difficulties and wouldn't allow me to post anything!

Had a fun time - I just got back from a five hour bus ride so I post more on Sunday. Very tired! Being on call 24/7 for four days can be exhausting for a gal!

Check back on Sunday and I'll have some pictures for ya's!

Happy B-Day Carla!

Happy Birthday to Carla!

I used to teach with Carla at Timberlane - we used to team-teach World Studies together.

We became great friends and I truly value and appreciate her friendship!

Thanks Carla Lou for always being there for me! Enjoy your day - you deserve it!

Love Ya! :-)

Take me out to the ball game . . . .

It's official!

Softball season starts today!

If I don't post a lot on my blog or email you right away it's because I will be living, sleeping, and eating softball from now until May 24th.

I will try and take pictures of some of my games this year and post them on the blog.

Let the games begin . . . . . . . . . . .

To Do List

Things to do today, Sunday, March 19, 2006:

*Return videos (PG-13 folks - keep your mind out of the gutter!)

*Super Wal-Mart - need a light bulb for my bedroom - I've been in the dark for three days. (Again, keep it clean folks!)

*Pack for New York City -leave for Model UN Conference in three days!

*Get organized for softball season (Starting on Monday, my life goes from busy to chaotic!)

*Rest??????

As you can see, I'm a list person. I make lists all day long at school. What needs to be accomplished in my day is very important in teaching. I need to watch my pacing of the curriculum so I can get everything taught that needs to get taught by the end of the school year.

Will I complete my list by the end of the day?????

Da Vinci Code Movie Released?

There has been a lot of hoopla around the releasing of the new movie, The Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown, the author of the book, is being accused of copying the work of two authors.

So, because of the trial, the movie can not be released until the court case is settled.

I was in Paris when they (Ron Howard and his crew) were filming the movie last summer. I'm so excited to see the film adoptation of the book. I loved the book so I'm curious to see how Ron Howard depicts this story.

The trial officially ends on Monday so hopefully we will have some closure soon and the movie will be released!

Happy St. Paddy's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my Irish friends out there!

Enjoy some green beer and some cornbeef and cabbage!

Busy Day - Busy Life!

My goodness! No time! No time to blog. No time to relax. No time to breathe! :-)

Today, I had a faculty meeting after school, a parent meeting after that, School Council meeting at 5:30, and then I went to the Faculty-Student Basketball game to support my colleagues at 6:30 pm. I got home around 8:00 pm. Long day!

This week has been so busy between meetings, working at my part-time job, and more meetings. I really would love to clone myself so I could be in two places at the same time. I'm sure other folks out there feel the same way.

On Monday of next week, I start coaching softball. I coach freshman softball. Now, I still have to work at my part-time job on top of coaching. Here is my schedule for next week:
Monday - Softball practice 3-5
Tuesday - Work 3-5, Softball practice 5:15-7:15.
Wednesday thru Saturday - I'm chaperoning a Model UN trip to New York City for my school. Now, it will be fun. No doubt! However, you still have to babysit a group of 25 teenagers in NYC! From what I understand from the advisors, it's a very exhausting trip. Long days! I'm still very excited about chaperoning. I haven't been to NYC since the summer of 2002 so it should be a fun trip!

So, that's a summary of my crazy busy life.

How many more days until summer vacation????? :-)

The Cutest Baby Ever!

Meet Jeffrey! Traci and Mark's little guy! Isn't he just the cutest baby?

And, he's a good baby too! They totally lucked out!

They are very blessed to have such a wonderful little guy!

How true!

This came from my friend Cheryl and her son Corey:

Corey's teacher sent home a paper with the following quotation from E.C. McKennzie:
"School teachers are not appreciated by parents until it rains all day Saturday".

Need I say more? :-)

Blaming the Student

Saw this article and it gave me food for thought -

Happy reading folks!

The Game of Education

Teaching the youth of America can be a challenge. Most teenagers that I teach are very happy and very adjusted kids. Some of them even want to learn some great history! A few of them have some "issues" that they must deal with on a daily basis. No Child Left Behind, the Massachusetts Frameworks, and my district tells me that I am responsible for teaching the content and skills to my 9th graders on a daily basis.

What do I do when a student doesn't want to be in school or learn? I know. It's the age old question that teachers have been asking themselves for generations. A teacher can only do what a teacher can do.

I have a few students this year that are quite a challenge. No matter what I do or say, they just don't want to do well in school. They continue to shut down and not want to deal with their schooling at any level. It's frustrating. It's sad. It's hard to watch a teenager set themselves up to fail. Now granted, these students have other "issues" going on in their lives that have nothing to do with school or learning. When I call or email the parents, the response is: "You deal with them; they are YOUR problem!" Look folks, if you didn't want the responsibility of children, why did you bring them into the world? Sometimes I feel like I'm more of a parent to these kids then the actual parents!

It's like you are banging your head against a wall trying to help a kid out that doesn't want to be helped or cared about. I guess that's the problem. Maybe I care too much?

I see so much potential in these kids. I've realized that I can believe in them all I want but if they don't believe in themselves, how far will they get in life?

I truly love my job and I love the kids that I work with on a daily basis. I just wish that I could save them all and I can't!

This game of back and forth blame between students and parents and teachers is getting old. Let's throw out the blame and let's start working on the priority here: the kid!

Just call me tired!

I'm so tired that even my hair follicles are tired.

Is this normal?

Is it Friday yet?

OK. Yes, I've had a pretty easy few weeks. Yes, I had most of last week off for jury duty. Yes, I had the week before that off from school. BUT, I need a vacation!

My stress level has increased tremendously the past few days. Of course, I have grades due on Friday. That may be the reason why I'm so stressed out. I start coaching freshman softball on the 20th and it really has me stressed out. I'm wondering how I can manage teaching, working a second job, and coaching all at the same time. I can't quit the second job - I really need the money right now. The bills never go away - trust me - I tried to wish them away and it doesn't work!

Can I stop being a responsible adult yet?????

Enough venting!

My students are the ones that really keep me laughing! They say the silliest things in class. As shitty as the pay is in teaching, my students really make it worth coming to work.

My principal came into my A3 class today to do an informal observation. I was a little freaked at first because he never mentioned that he was coming in. Luckily, my plans for the block were pretty straight forward. I'm still in the French Revolution and we are currently storming the Bastille. As I have mentioned in previous posts, this is my third year and it is a vital year - meaning that I receive professional status or what was formally known as tenure. I really enjoy teaching at Newburyport High School but I keep waiting for the bottom to fall. Again, my negative thinking.

Ughy!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Lea!

Happy Birthday Lea!!!

This is a picture of Lea and her Mom from when I was out in IL back over the holidays.

Lea- You have been such a wonderful friend to me over the years. It seems like only yesterday we started working at Taco Bell together and hanging out and partying. Way too many good times to mention (and the fact that I really have to keep this blog PG-13 for all the crap we used to get into together). We've been through so much together. I'm so grateful to have you in my life.

Thank you for your friendship and the laughs!

Love Ya Fishy! :-)

My Civil Duty is Officially Over!

It's official! I've finished jury duty.

The trial was in Lawrence, MA at the Superior Court House. The case dealt with fraud. And, yes - we, the jury, found the guy guilty!

It was a VERY LONG week! I was sworn to not discuss the case - even with my Mom. :-)

The whole trial process was very educational and interesting. I can definitely see why lawyers get paid so much money! I learned a great deal and was able to take back some of the experience and share it with my students.

Since I was on Feb break last week and had jury duty until Thursday, my first official day back to school was today. It felt strange being back to school. I missed the kids so much! I'm really behind in my curriculum now since I was out all those days.

Next Monday, I have to kick it up and try and get caught up with my content.

Softball season starts on Monday, March 20th. My life will get crazy busy again once softball season starts.

The joy of being a teacher . . . . . .

Jury Duty Calls!

OK ladies and gentleman -

I'm going to be out of commission for a while. I was chosen today for jury duty. The judge said to plan on being in court until at least Thursday!

I had to go into school tonight and prepare three days of sub plans. I hate being out of school. Mostly because it means more work for me. And, I've been on a role and hate the idea of not connecting with the students this entire time.

I know. I'm providing my civil duty. Which I'm happy about and glad that I can be a good citizen. However, the courts don't understand that I'm in the middle of the French Revolution!

Viva la resistance! :-)