Received the call at 5:00 am that we had no school today due to the impending snow storm.
I'm sure it helped that I did the naked snow/must have a day off of school dance last night . . . . ha, ha, ha!!!! :-)
Not really much to report. Started the Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution unit with my freshman last week. I'm looking forward to teaching the French Revolution (it's one of my favorite units to teach). My Honors will be starting a 3rd quarter research paper next week. Also have a new group of students for my local history class (it's an elective). I have 25 students in the class - mostly 11th and 12th graders. They seem to be a good group thus far.
So, what are my big plans for the snow day? Let's see . . . .
*Grocery shopping (I have NO food in the house).
*Catch up on reading blogs.
*Filing - the stack of papers in the to be filed pile is so high that Ellie the Cat can't see a thing over them.
*Periodically dig out car so plow guy can dig me out.
*Watch some movies.
*Probably should do some correcting but really just want to enjoy the day off. :-)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
MLK Jr. Day and Barack Obama
Tomorrow marks an historical event: the swearing in of the 1st African-American as President of the United States.Barack Obama wouldn't be where he is today if it went not for individuals like Martin Luther King, Jr. and the other civil rights folks. The Civil Rights Movement worked hard - blood, sweat, and tears - for the rights of African-Americans in our nation.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2009, we will be seeing the fruits of that labor with the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States.
In honor of MLK Day and the Inauguration, here are a few lesson plan/activities teachers can use in their classroom. I mixed it up with K-12 activities.
The city of Philadelphia provided this great site for their teachers (PDF files):
Jointly Produced by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) (PDF Files)
Education World does a nice job with some lessons on MLK.
Teachable Moments web site is amazing; they have some great stuff on here.
Source of Picture:
PS: My apologies for the messy appearance; blogger wasn't being nice to me. :-)
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Happy 2009!
Greetings and Happy New Year to all!
Just a few updates:
*Made it safe and sound to IL. Had a lovely time with my family. Stayed at my sister's new townhouse -it's gorgeous! My sister and I threw my parents a surprise retirement party and a great time was had by all that attended. My Mom, sister, and I shopped on one day at the outlets. Even spent an evening with some friends from high school. Overall, it was a nice break and felt awesome to just get away and relax.
*Mom, Dad, and Mia the Yorkie left IL on Jan 3rd for FL. They are taking their time getting down there with a stop in Alabama at a campground on the gulf coast. They are enjoying the warmer weather so far.
*Went back to school on Monday. We have midterm exams starting on Monday. 2nd quarter is shorter because of MCAS. My colleagues and I didn't get through all the World curriculum that needed to get taught for the midterm. We've been pushing our head teacher to talk to the Asst. Superintendent about changing the World curriculum (we teach two years worth of curriculum in one year due to the change in state testing). And, the state doesn't even test on World History - US History only. My dept (and I) are pushing that we eliminate the first part of World History (the kids are being taught this in the middle school anyway) and start with the Enlightenment and work our way to the present day.
*I'm debating on the direction of where this blog needs to go. It's time for a change. I've usually mixed it up with both. I either will keep it personal or keep it strictly professional. I'm leaning towards keeping it professional and talking only about teaching stuff. I'm feeling a bit burnt out after ten years of teaching and feel that maybe if I focus on positive teaching styles and activities and educational stuff that maybe I can get those creative juices flowing again. :-)
*The other main reason why I'm leaning towards keeping this blog professional is that I would like to keep the personal MDawg personal. I have a lot of issues (as does everyone else out there) and I find that I'm way too negative about my personal life.
So, I wish everyone a happy 2009!
Just a few updates:
*Made it safe and sound to IL. Had a lovely time with my family. Stayed at my sister's new townhouse -it's gorgeous! My sister and I threw my parents a surprise retirement party and a great time was had by all that attended. My Mom, sister, and I shopped on one day at the outlets. Even spent an evening with some friends from high school. Overall, it was a nice break and felt awesome to just get away and relax.
*Mom, Dad, and Mia the Yorkie left IL on Jan 3rd for FL. They are taking their time getting down there with a stop in Alabama at a campground on the gulf coast. They are enjoying the warmer weather so far.
*Went back to school on Monday. We have midterm exams starting on Monday. 2nd quarter is shorter because of MCAS. My colleagues and I didn't get through all the World curriculum that needed to get taught for the midterm. We've been pushing our head teacher to talk to the Asst. Superintendent about changing the World curriculum (we teach two years worth of curriculum in one year due to the change in state testing). And, the state doesn't even test on World History - US History only. My dept (and I) are pushing that we eliminate the first part of World History (the kids are being taught this in the middle school anyway) and start with the Enlightenment and work our way to the present day.
*I'm debating on the direction of where this blog needs to go. It's time for a change. I've usually mixed it up with both. I either will keep it personal or keep it strictly professional. I'm leaning towards keeping it professional and talking only about teaching stuff. I'm feeling a bit burnt out after ten years of teaching and feel that maybe if I focus on positive teaching styles and activities and educational stuff that maybe I can get those creative juices flowing again. :-)
*The other main reason why I'm leaning towards keeping this blog professional is that I would like to keep the personal MDawg personal. I have a lot of issues (as does everyone else out there) and I find that I'm way too negative about my personal life.
So, I wish everyone a happy 2009!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Officially on Christmas break
It's official. I am on Christmas break. No school until January 5th.
I leave for Chicago tomorrow to spend the break with my family and friends (weather pending - weather in New England is OK; it's Chicago that may be the problem). Just finished packing my suitcase. I can almost guarantee that I will get the fee for over 50 pounds in my luggage. Ugh.
Probably won't be blogging much over the break.
A very Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to all.
And, here is hoping that 2009 is a fabulous and happy new year . . . . . . . for everyone!
I leave for Chicago tomorrow to spend the break with my family and friends (weather pending - weather in New England is OK; it's Chicago that may be the problem). Just finished packing my suitcase. I can almost guarantee that I will get the fee for over 50 pounds in my luggage. Ugh.
Probably won't be blogging much over the break.
A very Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to all.
And, here is hoping that 2009 is a fabulous and happy new year . . . . . . . for everyone!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Snow day!
My superintendent called off school for today. He actually made the call on Thursday. The weather reports are predicting at least 12-15 inches of snow here in New England for this first round of storms. We are supposed to get another storm on Sunday with an additional 12-15 inches of snow.
However, the snow didn't start until 3:00 today. So, maybe we should've had school today.
Don't get me wrong . . . I like a good snow day like any teacher or kid. Ha! :-)
It will suck in June when we have to make up this day.
I guess he was siding with caution since last year when we had a terrible winter storm, it took folks like me that live 45 minutes away from school over six hours to drive home. Even better, elementary kids were stuck on school buses for over 4 hours because my super claims that he can't issue an early release due to weather. Every school in the state did early release except for us that day. Parents called and emailed him for days complaining about how he handled the situation.
Don't get me wrong, you couldn't pay me enough to do his job. But, don't you need to think it out a little bit more and NOT overreact?????? Most of the teachers at my school were complaining because we have all this curriculum that needs to get taught before midterm exams so we are all panicking. And, because of MCAS in the spring, we lost two weeks 2nd quarter to get curriculum taught.
Oh, well. I got to sleep in and relax for the day. :-) I ran to the post office and bought some stamps so I can do my Christmas cards. Went to bank to deposit a check and get quarters to do laundry.
It's 4:15 pm and the storm is starting to get nasty. The wind is picking up and the snow is falling at a rate of about 2 inches an hour.
The joy of living in New England . . . . . .
However, the snow didn't start until 3:00 today. So, maybe we should've had school today.
Don't get me wrong . . . I like a good snow day like any teacher or kid. Ha! :-)
It will suck in June when we have to make up this day.
I guess he was siding with caution since last year when we had a terrible winter storm, it took folks like me that live 45 minutes away from school over six hours to drive home. Even better, elementary kids were stuck on school buses for over 4 hours because my super claims that he can't issue an early release due to weather. Every school in the state did early release except for us that day. Parents called and emailed him for days complaining about how he handled the situation.
Don't get me wrong, you couldn't pay me enough to do his job. But, don't you need to think it out a little bit more and NOT overreact?????? Most of the teachers at my school were complaining because we have all this curriculum that needs to get taught before midterm exams so we are all panicking. And, because of MCAS in the spring, we lost two weeks 2nd quarter to get curriculum taught.
Oh, well. I got to sleep in and relax for the day. :-) I ran to the post office and bought some stamps so I can do my Christmas cards. Went to bank to deposit a check and get quarters to do laundry.
It's 4:15 pm and the storm is starting to get nasty. The wind is picking up and the snow is falling at a rate of about 2 inches an hour.
The joy of living in New England . . . . . .
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Lots of excitement in the world of MDawg
Let's see . . . . where do I start?
Busy week. Had a ton of meetings and lots of late nights at school this past week. School Council meeting, parent conferences, National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, etc.
The best part of my week: I come home after a long day at work to find the common hallway of my condo building flooded - with sewage and water. In front of my door. Ugh. A drain was clogged and a plumber had to be called in to fix the problem.
Luckily, my unit only received minimal damage. And, the condo association needs to pay for the clean up and fix the pipes. They had to tear up the carpeting in the main hallway. And, I had to stay in a hotel one night (the association is paying for it). Ellie the Cat had to be moved out for a day too.
The smell has been lovely to say the least. :-(
The good news: had all my rugs professionally cleaned and I didn't have to pay for it. Bad news: won't know until the summer on a hot day how "clean" my place really will be . . . .
Oh, and I didn't miss any school because of this drama. I've been getting pulled out of classes for mandated training a lot this month so I really couldn't afford to lose a day of curriculum.
The joy of teaching to a test - thanks No Child Left Behind!
Busy week. Had a ton of meetings and lots of late nights at school this past week. School Council meeting, parent conferences, National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, etc.
The best part of my week: I come home after a long day at work to find the common hallway of my condo building flooded - with sewage and water. In front of my door. Ugh. A drain was clogged and a plumber had to be called in to fix the problem.
Luckily, my unit only received minimal damage. And, the condo association needs to pay for the clean up and fix the pipes. They had to tear up the carpeting in the main hallway. And, I had to stay in a hotel one night (the association is paying for it). Ellie the Cat had to be moved out for a day too.
The smell has been lovely to say the least. :-(
The good news: had all my rugs professionally cleaned and I didn't have to pay for it. Bad news: won't know until the summer on a hot day how "clean" my place really will be . . . .
Oh, and I didn't miss any school because of this drama. I've been getting pulled out of classes for mandated training a lot this month so I really couldn't afford to lose a day of curriculum.
The joy of teaching to a test - thanks No Child Left Behind!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941
No . . . I didn't forget about Pearl Harbor Day.
"A day that will live in infamy." These words would be spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt about the historical event that would bring the United States into World War II.
I always think about the men and women that died on that day. And, the men and women that would die in World War II for my freedom.
To hear FDR's speech, check out the link here (scan to the bottom of the page and click on the media that best suits your computer).
To read/learn more about Pearl Harbor, I would suggest the following resources:
*National Park Service (Attention teachers: they have some great oral histories to use in the classroom with your students - even an oral history from a Japanese pilot and his interpretation of the attack).
*National Geographic - They have a great interactive map of the event.
*ERIC - Remembering Pearl Harbor Lesson Plan - you can download the teaching document in a PDF file. Some decent teaching activities.
*Free Federal Resources for Educational Excellence - Some great teaching resources from the Library of Congress and National Archives.
Remember Pearl Harbor . . . . .
"A day that will live in infamy." These words would be spoken by Franklin D. Roosevelt about the historical event that would bring the United States into World War II.
I always think about the men and women that died on that day. And, the men and women that would die in World War II for my freedom.
To hear FDR's speech, check out the link here (scan to the bottom of the page and click on the media that best suits your computer).
To read/learn more about Pearl Harbor, I would suggest the following resources:
*National Park Service (Attention teachers: they have some great oral histories to use in the classroom with your students - even an oral history from a Japanese pilot and his interpretation of the attack).
*National Geographic - They have a great interactive map of the event.
*ERIC - Remembering Pearl Harbor Lesson Plan - you can download the teaching document in a PDF file. Some decent teaching activities.
*Free Federal Resources for Educational Excellence - Some great teaching resources from the Library of Congress and National Archives.
Remember Pearl Harbor . . . . .
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Happy Birthday Cheryl!
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A picture of Cheryl and her family - 2002.Happy B-day Cheryl! I've been friends with Cheryl since high school. We had some amazing times together over the years. She's an amazing Mom and person.
Enjoy your day kiddo! Lots of hugs! :-)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
Good day all -
I just wanted to wish you and your families a lovely, restful, and blessed Thanksgiving. There is so much to be grateful for this year:
*A job - on most days - I enjoy, love, and appreciate.
*A family that loves and supports me - no matter what decisions I make.
*Friends that love and support me.
*Ellie the Cat. :-)
Eat lots of turkey and enjoy the good company and conversations that go along with this fine day.
I just wanted to wish you and your families a lovely, restful, and blessed Thanksgiving. There is so much to be grateful for this year:
*A job - on most days - I enjoy, love, and appreciate.
*A family that loves and supports me - no matter what decisions I make.
*Friends that love and support me.
*Ellie the Cat. :-)
Eat lots of turkey and enjoy the good company and conversations that go along with this fine day.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Crazy random thoughts by: MDawg
*It's hard to believe that I've been blogging since November 2005. I enjoy blogging for many reasons but the best part is to just vent about life in general. I think we all go through those up and down spells in our life. A blog allows us to release those frustrations and good things in life through writing. So, happy blogiversary (if there is such a word) to MDawg! :-)
*Is there anyone else out there in the teaching world that is frustrated with all the state mandated testing and teaching to a test thing???? My school keeps putting more on us (curriculum) and it seems like we are just spinning our wheels. Ugh.
*I have a fab SPED co-teacher this year! She is amazing! She's so hands-on with the kids. And, the best part: for the first time in three years that I've been teaching at this school, my SPED kids all passed 1st quarter! I truly believe it's because they are finally getting all of their accommodations met by herself and me. We work together great!
*Had a rough start to the school year with this year's freshman but FINALLY . . . we might have worked all the bugs out of their system and the transition to high school is working. Yah! :-)
*Dad is officially retired as of Saturday. Mom will be retired on Wednesday. They both have worked so hard for their dream of traveling around the country in a camper. The house is sold. The car is sold. Most of their belongings are either sold, in storage, or given to my sister or I. Mom and Dad will move in with my sister over this next weekend (for the month of December). I fly out to Chicago on the 24th of December and will be out there until Jan 3rd. After the 3rd (Mom and Dad will drop me off at Midway Airport), Mom and Dad will take the camper out of storage and leave for FL. I'm excited for their new adventure!
*Shorten week at school: we are officially in Spirit Week. Monday is pajama day. Tuesday is dress as a class day. Wednesday is school spirit day with a pep rally and early release (we get out at 11:00 am). I'm soooo wearing PJ's tomorrow! :-) Oh, since I'm no longer a class advisor, I can now enjoy Spirit Week! :-)
*Spending Thanksgiving with friends and their families. I'm so blessed to have wonderful people in my life that adopt me over the holidays. :-)
Oh, list out one thing you are grateful for this year. (I'm grateful for my family and friends and the love and support they give me - and Ellie the Cat!) :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
*Is there anyone else out there in the teaching world that is frustrated with all the state mandated testing and teaching to a test thing???? My school keeps putting more on us (curriculum) and it seems like we are just spinning our wheels. Ugh.
*I have a fab SPED co-teacher this year! She is amazing! She's so hands-on with the kids. And, the best part: for the first time in three years that I've been teaching at this school, my SPED kids all passed 1st quarter! I truly believe it's because they are finally getting all of their accommodations met by herself and me. We work together great!
*Had a rough start to the school year with this year's freshman but FINALLY . . . we might have worked all the bugs out of their system and the transition to high school is working. Yah! :-)
*Dad is officially retired as of Saturday. Mom will be retired on Wednesday. They both have worked so hard for their dream of traveling around the country in a camper. The house is sold. The car is sold. Most of their belongings are either sold, in storage, or given to my sister or I. Mom and Dad will move in with my sister over this next weekend (for the month of December). I fly out to Chicago on the 24th of December and will be out there until Jan 3rd. After the 3rd (Mom and Dad will drop me off at Midway Airport), Mom and Dad will take the camper out of storage and leave for FL. I'm excited for their new adventure!
*Shorten week at school: we are officially in Spirit Week. Monday is pajama day. Tuesday is dress as a class day. Wednesday is school spirit day with a pep rally and early release (we get out at 11:00 am). I'm soooo wearing PJ's tomorrow! :-) Oh, since I'm no longer a class advisor, I can now enjoy Spirit Week! :-)
*Spending Thanksgiving with friends and their families. I'm so blessed to have wonderful people in my life that adopt me over the holidays. :-)
Oh, list out one thing you are grateful for this year. (I'm grateful for my family and friends and the love and support they give me - and Ellie the Cat!) :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Happy Birthday Mom!!!
Happy Birthday to my Mom!Mom - you've been a fabulous Momma is me and Mandy. You always support us, love us, and accept us NO MATTER what we do or how we live our lives.
Hope you were able to enjoy your day -
Love ya lots!
PS Sorry about the old picture - I think we need some recent pictures! Maybe when I'm out in IL for Christmas we should take some photos. :-)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure to attend a showing of a documentary called Traces of the Trade at the House of Seven Gables. The documentary is about filmmaker Katrina Browne's discovery that her New England ancestors were the largest slave-trading family in U.S. history. From 1769 to 1820, the DeWolf family was involved in the slave trade (Interesting fact: In 1808, a law was passed prohibiting the importation of slaves and it wasn't until 1820 that participating in the slave trade was an act of piracy and punishable by death).
The film follows Browne and nine members of her family on a journey that retraces the steps of her ancestors and their involvement with the Triangle Trade. They start their journey in Bristol, Rhode Island, move on to slave forts in Ghana, and then onto Havana, Cuba to visit the ruins of a family plantation.
I found the film interesting since we have been taught to believe in our history that it was the Southern states that were the evil ones when it came to the topic of slavery. The film forces us to stop and think about our history and the damage that has been done to African-Americans and the involvement and the role of the Northerners during this time period.
After we viewed the film, we had a walking tour - compliments of the National Park Service - throughout Salem. As we walked through Salem, there was visual evidence of the role of historical "Salemites" and their involvement in the Triangle Trade. For example, the Derby family is a HUGE historical name in Salem. The Derby family made their wealth off of the slave trade. Again, makes you stop and think about our history and how we should be teaching it to our students.
This past week, I purchased this book. The book is about the unique story of Thomas Norman DeWolf's experiences during the making of the documentary feature film Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. The book is a nice companion to go with the film. I highly recommend reading the book if you are interested in this topic.
One of the reasons why I enjoy History so much is that it makes you think and question our past. Attending this seminar last Saturday did just that - made me question and think about the involvement of North and South during the slave trade. The film also made me question what is the legacy of slavery and what history do we inherit as individuals and as citizens. Also, how does the Northern involvement make this topic much more complex? And, finally, the topic of reparations - should African-Americans receive some form of payment?
If there happens to be a screening of the film, please check it out. Also, check with PBS. They were showing the film throughout the summer.
The film follows Browne and nine members of her family on a journey that retraces the steps of her ancestors and their involvement with the Triangle Trade. They start their journey in Bristol, Rhode Island, move on to slave forts in Ghana, and then onto Havana, Cuba to visit the ruins of a family plantation.
I found the film interesting since we have been taught to believe in our history that it was the Southern states that were the evil ones when it came to the topic of slavery. The film forces us to stop and think about our history and the damage that has been done to African-Americans and the involvement and the role of the Northerners during this time period.
After we viewed the film, we had a walking tour - compliments of the National Park Service - throughout Salem. As we walked through Salem, there was visual evidence of the role of historical "Salemites" and their involvement in the Triangle Trade. For example, the Derby family is a HUGE historical name in Salem. The Derby family made their wealth off of the slave trade. Again, makes you stop and think about our history and how we should be teaching it to our students.
This past week, I purchased this book. The book is about the unique story of Thomas Norman DeWolf's experiences during the making of the documentary feature film Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North. The book is a nice companion to go with the film. I highly recommend reading the book if you are interested in this topic.
One of the reasons why I enjoy History so much is that it makes you think and question our past. Attending this seminar last Saturday did just that - made me question and think about the involvement of North and South during the slave trade. The film also made me question what is the legacy of slavery and what history do we inherit as individuals and as citizens. Also, how does the Northern involvement make this topic much more complex? And, finally, the topic of reparations - should African-Americans receive some form of payment?
If there happens to be a screening of the film, please check it out. Also, check with PBS. They were showing the film throughout the summer.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veteran's Day
American Cemetery in Normandy, France. Personal Photo - July 2005.This photo is what Veteran's Day is all about . . . men and women that gave up their lives for MY freedom.
Don't forget to thank a Vet for what you have today!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Remember to get out there and VOTE on Tuesday!
Hi folks!Just want to do a quick reminder to those few of you that are still reading my blog. :-)
Please get out there and VOTE. It is so important to voice your opinion in this election. It has been a very long battle for the White House. Hopefully as of Tuesday, it will be all over. Educate yourself about all the candidates (I'm speaking of local elections and topics as well) and make an educated vote.
Spoken like a true History teacher . . . .
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Etc, etc, etc. . . . . .
It's been a productive yet insanely busy few weeks in the life of M-Dawg.
Where do I begin?
*Volleyball season officially ended on Friday with a rematch for varsity against our rival. We won! Life will settle down a bit for a while. No more riding on a school bus with 40 screaming teenage girls trying to sing the Barney song at the top of their lungs. Are you not just so jealous of me as you read this?
*Had a fund raiser for Harvard Model Congress on Saturday. A local business donates their parking lot to our school to charge tourists during the month of October that are visiting our lovely city. We made $880! All money raised will deter the costs of the conference over Feb break. It was a little chilly on Saturday - I sat outside 8-5 all day. I was so numb that I thought my fingers would break off.
*Still enjoying having my weekends off. I'm still doing stuff on the weekends - like proctoring SAT's or doing fund raising stuff for my groups that I advise but it's different. I'm not stressing out about it or getting annoyed which is a good thing.
*My former roommate from a few years ago is living with me until Jan 1st. She's looking for a place to live permanently. She sold her house to her son and daughter-in-law. Today, we went looking at places and I think she found a place that she likes and is reasonably priced.
*I signed up for a local history seminar on Wednesday that I'm excited about and they are paying $125! Bonus!
*The ecomony is soooo depressing . . . how's everyone holding up?
*Wish I had some news on the love front. If anyone has any suggestions on how to meet a nice guy, let me know.
OK, that's about it for updates. I somewhat have limited of computer access since my roommate is using the second bedroom (my computer is located in that room).
Where do I begin?
*Volleyball season officially ended on Friday with a rematch for varsity against our rival. We won! Life will settle down a bit for a while. No more riding on a school bus with 40 screaming teenage girls trying to sing the Barney song at the top of their lungs. Are you not just so jealous of me as you read this?
*Had a fund raiser for Harvard Model Congress on Saturday. A local business donates their parking lot to our school to charge tourists during the month of October that are visiting our lovely city. We made $880! All money raised will deter the costs of the conference over Feb break. It was a little chilly on Saturday - I sat outside 8-5 all day. I was so numb that I thought my fingers would break off.
*Still enjoying having my weekends off. I'm still doing stuff on the weekends - like proctoring SAT's or doing fund raising stuff for my groups that I advise but it's different. I'm not stressing out about it or getting annoyed which is a good thing.
*My former roommate from a few years ago is living with me until Jan 1st. She's looking for a place to live permanently. She sold her house to her son and daughter-in-law. Today, we went looking at places and I think she found a place that she likes and is reasonably priced.
*I signed up for a local history seminar on Wednesday that I'm excited about and they are paying $125! Bonus!
*The ecomony is soooo depressing . . . how's everyone holding up?
*Wish I had some news on the love front. If anyone has any suggestions on how to meet a nice guy, let me know.
OK, that's about it for updates. I somewhat have limited of computer access since my roommate is using the second bedroom (my computer is located in that room).
Monday, October 13, 2008
Here is Maddy!!!!
This is Maddy!!!! My sister adopted her a few weeks ago. Maddy is half Yorkie and Havanese. Isn't my niece just the cutest thing you've ever seen?????????Sunday, October 12, 2008
Where do I begin with my crazy schedule and life?
It's been a crazy few weeks at school and at home. Where do I begin?
*Volleyball season is almost over - I have two more games this week and my JV season will be over. Varsity will have to play in tournament so I'm expected to help out with varsity practices and games. It's been a wonderful yet exhausting experience. I will probably coach again next year (the varsity coach already told me he wants me back).
*It's been a weird school year thus far. The freshman this year are interesting - especially on my team. We have a lot of kids that can't read or write. Behavior is out of control (had one of my 14 year old boys' suspended out of school for carrying a huge bottle of vodka and bag of pot in his back pack). We have four students that "suck their thumbs" (they are 14 years old). Add to this that I was already formally evaluated, have had way too many meetings with parents, and administration is finally holding teachers accountable (I'm not knocking it but it creates for a more stressful working environment). Luckily, I'm a teacher that follows rules but I'm still afraid that I'm going to mess up.
*I now have a roommate in my condo. My former roommate sold her house to her oldest son and wife and needed a temporary place to live until she finds somewhere to live. The extra money will be nice but I didn't realize how small my place really is until you get another person in it.
*The economy has me (and everyone else in the world) all stressed out. I'm so afraid of looking at my 403B - I'm sure I lost a ton of money the past few weeks. Good thing I won't be needing my retirement money any time soon.
*Mom and Dad finally had the closing on their house last week. So they are officially living in the camper full time now. It just seems weird to me that they will be retired soon and traveling full time. This is their dream and I'm happy for them but I'm still having a tough time dealing with it.
*A lot of my friends at school are pregnant. Although I'm happy for them, makes me feel lonely and sad about my own relationship status. Sometimes, it still bothers me that I don't have a wonderful guy in my life. On a funny note: we think there may be something in the water at my school since everyone is getting pregnant. :-)
*Really miss my friends. I'm feeling isolated and lonely. It seems forever since I've chatted or seen a lot of them and I could really use a quality gal's night out soon.
*So far, I've been able to financially survive by not working on the weekends at the doggie store. I've been able to find other forms of income to help out. Proctoring SAT's and PSAT's, babysitting, and the coaching has been good. I was thinking maybe during the month of December working on Sundays only but I don't know if the owner would go for that or not. I'm concerned about having money for Christmas which is why I might work on Sundays. I've been looking for other jobs but there is not much out there since the economy is so bad.
*Volleyball season is almost over - I have two more games this week and my JV season will be over. Varsity will have to play in tournament so I'm expected to help out with varsity practices and games. It's been a wonderful yet exhausting experience. I will probably coach again next year (the varsity coach already told me he wants me back).
*It's been a weird school year thus far. The freshman this year are interesting - especially on my team. We have a lot of kids that can't read or write. Behavior is out of control (had one of my 14 year old boys' suspended out of school for carrying a huge bottle of vodka and bag of pot in his back pack). We have four students that "suck their thumbs" (they are 14 years old). Add to this that I was already formally evaluated, have had way too many meetings with parents, and administration is finally holding teachers accountable (I'm not knocking it but it creates for a more stressful working environment). Luckily, I'm a teacher that follows rules but I'm still afraid that I'm going to mess up.
*I now have a roommate in my condo. My former roommate sold her house to her oldest son and wife and needed a temporary place to live until she finds somewhere to live. The extra money will be nice but I didn't realize how small my place really is until you get another person in it.
*The economy has me (and everyone else in the world) all stressed out. I'm so afraid of looking at my 403B - I'm sure I lost a ton of money the past few weeks. Good thing I won't be needing my retirement money any time soon.
*Mom and Dad finally had the closing on their house last week. So they are officially living in the camper full time now. It just seems weird to me that they will be retired soon and traveling full time. This is their dream and I'm happy for them but I'm still having a tough time dealing with it.
*A lot of my friends at school are pregnant. Although I'm happy for them, makes me feel lonely and sad about my own relationship status. Sometimes, it still bothers me that I don't have a wonderful guy in my life. On a funny note: we think there may be something in the water at my school since everyone is getting pregnant. :-)
*Really miss my friends. I'm feeling isolated and lonely. It seems forever since I've chatted or seen a lot of them and I could really use a quality gal's night out soon.
*So far, I've been able to financially survive by not working on the weekends at the doggie store. I've been able to find other forms of income to help out. Proctoring SAT's and PSAT's, babysitting, and the coaching has been good. I was thinking maybe during the month of December working on Sundays only but I don't know if the owner would go for that or not. I'm concerned about having money for Christmas which is why I might work on Sundays. I've been looking for other jobs but there is not much out there since the economy is so bad.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
My head spins just thinking about my schedule for the month of October!
It's going to be a busy month. Volleyball, HMC stuff (Harvard Model Congress), and school stuff will keep me quite insane.
Progress grades are due this week (Wednesday). I have done NO correcting since the beginning of the school year. Ugh. And I have a volleyball game on Tuesday.
If you don't hear from me, it's because I'm officially changing my mailing address and sleeping at school. :-)
So, does anyone have any relaxation techniques they are willing to share with me? I may need something soon - the lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me.
Progress grades are due this week (Wednesday). I have done NO correcting since the beginning of the school year. Ugh. And I have a volleyball game on Tuesday.
If you don't hear from me, it's because I'm officially changing my mailing address and sleeping at school. :-)
So, does anyone have any relaxation techniques they are willing to share with me? I may need something soon - the lack of sleep is starting to catch up with me.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Happy Birthday Lorie!
Just wanted to wish my friend Lorie a very happy birthday today!
Lorie and I met at Western Illinois University and we lived in the dorms together. Our group used to call her Little Lorie (since I'm tall Lori and she was short Lorie).
We had some fun and amazing times in college. Too many memories to write down here but I will always remember how Lorie was (is) always a good friend to me.
Lorie has a great hubby and two kids (girls). She's been very blessed to have a great family.
Happy b-day kiddo! Lots of hugs!
Lorie and I met at Western Illinois University and we lived in the dorms together. Our group used to call her Little Lorie (since I'm tall Lori and she was short Lorie).
We had some fun and amazing times in college. Too many memories to write down here but I will always remember how Lorie was (is) always a good friend to me.
Lorie has a great hubby and two kids (girls). She's been very blessed to have a great family.
Happy b-day kiddo! Lots of hugs!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
I live for weekends! :-)
I have to admit it's been nice having weekends off. No second job. Just relax. Enjoy time with friends. Enjoy time with Ellie the Cat. Enjoy time with me. :-)
Other news:
*My sister adopted a dog! A friend of hers had a friend who's boss just had a baby and they were having a tough time with the baby and the dog. The dog is two years old. It's a half Yorkie, half Havanese mix. She tells me Maddy is a cutie pie! My sis said she would email me a pic of her baby soon. My sister (like me) is a HUGE dog person so she's going to make a GREAT MOM! How cute is this: My sister Mandy now has a Maddy baby! :-)
*School is good but busy. My colleagues are amazing and so supportive (not that they were not supportive in past years). Being in the freshman house is such a great support for me. We all look out for each other. My school has a different feel this year - almost like we are a REAL school. It's a good thing since there have been a lot of issues that the school needed to work on regarding teachers, students, and administration. Here is hoping to a wonderful school year.
*Volleyball is good too. My girls are improving and getting better each day. Last night we had a match and actually played three games (we play best out of three at the JV level). They were SO excited that I can't begin to describe it. I'm proud of them. They are happy and so am I. :-)
*Lots of old friends are contacting me through my Facebook account. Especially my high school friends. I only started the Facebook account when my former students from my first school encouraged me to set up an account. It's been nice getting in touch again with old friends (even a few old boyfriends!) :-)
*Ellie the Cat is wearing her new Halloween collar and she looks boooeatiful! :-)
Plans for the weekend: Going to go yard sale shopping with my friend Aileen today and do some cleaning around the condo. Sunday: rest and relax. Do some school work. I'm behind in my correcting. Ugh.
What are your exciting plans for the weekend????
Other news:
*My sister adopted a dog! A friend of hers had a friend who's boss just had a baby and they were having a tough time with the baby and the dog. The dog is two years old. It's a half Yorkie, half Havanese mix. She tells me Maddy is a cutie pie! My sis said she would email me a pic of her baby soon. My sister (like me) is a HUGE dog person so she's going to make a GREAT MOM! How cute is this: My sister Mandy now has a Maddy baby! :-)
*School is good but busy. My colleagues are amazing and so supportive (not that they were not supportive in past years). Being in the freshman house is such a great support for me. We all look out for each other. My school has a different feel this year - almost like we are a REAL school. It's a good thing since there have been a lot of issues that the school needed to work on regarding teachers, students, and administration. Here is hoping to a wonderful school year.
*Volleyball is good too. My girls are improving and getting better each day. Last night we had a match and actually played three games (we play best out of three at the JV level). They were SO excited that I can't begin to describe it. I'm proud of them. They are happy and so am I. :-)
*Lots of old friends are contacting me through my Facebook account. Especially my high school friends. I only started the Facebook account when my former students from my first school encouraged me to set up an account. It's been nice getting in touch again with old friends (even a few old boyfriends!) :-)
*Ellie the Cat is wearing her new Halloween collar and she looks boooeatiful! :-)
Plans for the weekend: Going to go yard sale shopping with my friend Aileen today and do some cleaning around the condo. Sunday: rest and relax. Do some school work. I'm behind in my correcting. Ugh.
What are your exciting plans for the weekend????
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