hold on people, i get a little riled

We're getting ready to run a couple of errands and then meet up with some people at CC Reservoir this afternoon.  There should be food and bocce ball, maybe volleyball and hopefully sun.  So far, so good. 

I've been crossing off day-by-day on my school calendar and realized this morning that I forgot to cross off yesterday.  Since the calendar is on my desk at school, I won't be able to cross it off until Tuesday.  That means I'll get to cross off Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  I am looking forward to this.  That will leave 4 and a half school days left.  To say I'm excited is an understatement.

That boy with the violent plans has been suspended through the end of the school year.  He left a threatening note on a teacher's computer, clearly intended for her specifically.  Now I don't know what happens with him.  Big sigh.

I mentioned in my last post that I would be talking about our country in all its power.  At the awards ceremony the other night, the lieutenant governor spoke about how powerful and well-off our country is.  Essentially he was telling the students about how we need to continue dominating the world, and that it will soon be in their hands.  It made me think about what God says about that.  A lot of times Christianity and conservative patriotic politics go hand-in-hand.  I am not saying this is wrong, and I am not saying this is right.  I really don't intend to start a political "conversation" in writing this.  I just think sometimes (okay, a lot of times) American Christians (most of our country classifies themselves this way) emphasize more the need to be on top and to stay true to our country (our wallets, ourselves) over the vision of Jesus: to give, love others, focus not on yourself, etc..  Benjamin Franklin coined the "God helps those that help themselves" motto, NOT Jesus.  This could not be more contrary to the message of the Bible, and yet this is how many of us live.  We're Americans.  We have an American dream.  Catholics worry most about abortion.  Protestants worry most about homosexuality. Others worry about higher taxes, or socialized healthcare.  I must have missed those great commands. (I realize those are incredibly sweeping statements that I know aren't the case for every Catholic, every Protestant, every Christian.) The way I see it, we're called to love God, love others.  We're not called to worry about how to get ahead, or stay ahead.  We're not called to make it our life's goal to tell others how awful and wrong they are. We're not called to "help ourselves."  So in this Christian nation, how is it that we've managed to become so wealthy and so unhelpful?  Some will say that that statement is inaccurate and unfair.  I know a load of Christians, and non-Christians that do a wonderful job of living out (what I believe to be) our true calling, but on the whole, I don't believe it to be an unfair statement.

Let me reign it in a little, because as I mentioned earlier, I really don't want this to be a long political/religious rant.  I want to teach our kids and our nation that God doesn't help those who help themselves, He challenges us to help each other (next door and across the world).

Alright, I'm going to click on Publish Post before I chicken out and delete this whole thing.   I love our country, I love Jesus, and I try to love others (and a lot of days I miss the mark).  

415!

Whew! I did it.  Last night I spoke in front of what I counted to be 415 people.  I sat on stage facing them for almost two hours, so naturally I counted them.  I have never spoken to that many people at one time before.  I was pretty nervous most of the afternoon, and regretfully snapped at Gabe for no good reason just before leaving the house for the ceremony.  It was really fun to see all the kids so dressed up and on their best behavior.  As the various awards were presented, I kept thinking of Gabe as the students walked across the stage past us.  Very often, when Gabe and I are in public, he enjoys embarrassing me by walking without moving his arms. It's actually pretty funny to watch.  This is exactly how 90% of the kids walked across the stage to accept their awards.  Once on stage my nerves calmed, which seems weird, and returned only briefly when it was my turn at the mic next. It was a really nice ceremony. The former lieutenant governor gave the opening speech, the school band played, the choir sang, and my kids loved receiving their plaques. A couple of them mentioned that the plaque was the best surprise of the night (as opposed to the acknowledgment or the honor).  So, all in all, a great evening.

I have some more to write about retirement (not mine, yet), our country in all its power, and probably a few other things that will pop into my mind, but we're about to eat dinner, so I'm signing off for now.

***Gabe laughed at me when I got home last night because of the ridiculousness of my snap at him.  He then enjoyed bringing it up a few more times as the night wore on. I deserved it. It was pretty funny.

goodbye, art club and my life comes full circle (sort of)

Hmmm...what to write about? I'm sitting at my desk at work for "Art Club" which has evolved into a pretty lack-luster weekly event in my life. Art Club used to be cool. Today is the last day we'll meet for the year, and I have to say I have completely indone myself with our finale. There are six devoted kids here, and two of them are actually doing some art. Three are doing projects for other classes, and one is making a sign for the 8th grade dance--which does involve some cutting and gluing. Basically I'm hosting a glorified homework club, minus any glory.

Tonight my life will come full circle. Kind of. I had to really push to be a part of tonight's 8th grade awards ceremony. I was told a number of times in a number of ways that traditionally this has always been strictly an academic awards ceremony. And over and over I said as tactfully as I could, that I simply didn't care. I will be awarding five outstanding art students of mine with plaques this evening. A) I received a plaque for artistic achievement at my 8th grade "graduation" fifteen years ago (hence the "full circle" comment), and B) just because Art is not recognized as one of the scholarly pursuits of middle school, there are students here that have blown me away with their talent, creativity, depth and intelligence displayed in ART. Einstein said something about creativity/imagination being much more valuable than knowledge because knowledge is finite. Especially in this day and age when anyone (including their grandmas) can obtain just about any information their little hearts desire on the internet. If scientists and mathmaticians and writers and teachers and doctors aren't able to approach their work/fields with creativity, then nothing new comes to be known. I don't mean to devalue academic achievement, but I also won't allow students who have acheived a great deal in the visual arts to be devalued for their successes. So, after ruffling a few feathers, I am happy to say that five students will be honored for their brain's ability to create and inspire. Stickin' it to the man any way I can, sort of. Actually I really dislike rocking any proverbial boat, and generally try to avoid any and all boat-rocking and feather-ruffling. An exception just had to be made this time.

bzzzzzz

This morning I arrived at school, made my way to my classroom, sat down at my computer to check my email. A minute later, I heard a bee at the window in front of me, shooed it out the door to the courtyard (couple yards from my desk), sat back down, heard a bee, shooed it out, heard another bee, shooed it out...repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, etc., etc., etc.. Around the fifth or sixth time, I began to think this was no coincidence. I looked outside and saw that one story up, near the window directly above mine was a swarm of bees. Somehow they were entering the building through the brick wall and making their way into my classroom, as well as the one above me. All day I repeatedly heard a bee, or three or four or five at a time, and calmly shooed them out the door. My AP came in a little panicked asking if I wanted them sprayed. I told her no, it really wasn't a problem (they just wanted out) and I wasn't too concerned, they were all at the back corner area of the room away from the students. I kept thinking about the bees of the world mysteriously disappearing and didn't want to contribute to the world being unable to grow food because all the bees have disappeared and therefore stopped pollinating plants. So all day I shooed bees back out into the world, and I suspect many of them flew right back into the building and into my room. Either way, my conscience remained clean by the time I shooed my last bee and left around 4:20. I estimate I either saved (at least until tomorrow when the district comes and napalms their little beehinds) upwards of 100 bees today, or I saved the same 5 bees over and over and over.

Today it was summer. I don't know when the calendar says summer begins, and I don't care. Today was BEEEEEAAAAUUUUTIFUL. I love summer. Nine and a half days until vacation!!! Yeah, baby.

ducklings, parent phone calls, and a clean closet

Yesterday, after I finished my lunch, I gave Gabe a ride to the church. We had just turned off of our road when up ahead we saw some guy walking really slowly across the street and he looked to be dragging something behind him. As we got closer we realized the guy was a mechanic from the auto shop on the left (he was probably in his early 20's, he had on a grimy baseball cap and coveralls) and wasn't dragging anything, but rather escorting a mama duck and her dozen or more ducklings across the street to safety. They were SO tiny, and it was so sweet to see this guy taking the time to walk at a snail's pace in order to make sure some wacko didn't mow a dozen ducklings over with his car.

A number of you have asked me how my student with the murder plans is doing. He was doing really well for about a week, but was out of class the last couple of days. He had befriended two nice boys in my class. All three of them really enjoy drawing, so I let him pull his chair up to their desks and they had daily been talking and laughing and drawing together. I spoke with the behavior (problems) teacher yesterday and he said that A was really emotional the last few days and refused to leave the behavior ed room all day. Bummer. He seemed to be adjusting so well. I guess everything needs to be taken in stride. Hopefully he'll be feeling up to coming back next week.

I spoke with one of my student's mothers earlier this week regarding the ATTITUDE her son has been giving me the last two or three weeks. It finally was too much, so I gave his mom a call. I explained that Jamal had, since the beginning of the semester been one of the most polite, helpful students in that class. I was basically calling to say, "WHAT THE HECK?!" only in much more diplomatic, parent-friendly terms. She (home for health related issues, by the way) explained that J's dad was in and out of his life on a very sporadic basis, and currently (for the last few weeks) had been back. Apparently this disrupts the whole family's balance (totally understandable) and that she has been having trouble with him disrespecting her because Dad-of-the-year tells his kids they don't need to respect mom, because she's only a WOMAN! So am I! So thanks J's Dad for attempting to turn your son into a chauvinist, but I'm sorry, he actually gave me a very sincere apology yesterday and is back to his normal nice self. Your poison has been rendered ineffective. Maybe you should stop messing with your own kid.

I have made two other parent phone calls in the last two weeks. Both were from the same class as the boy in the story above. All of the parent conversations were wonderful and completely enlightening--which does NOT always happen. One mom explained that she is a single mom raising these two twin 8th grade boys who are increasingly testing their limits. She said she felt like she had always been too easy on them and now they're turning into little monsters (not so little), so she was cracking down and they weren't loving it. She had taken away their video games until they both brought up their grades, and they were now expected to share in housework and cooking. Yeah Mom! I encouraged her to stay strong and consistent and that she'll thank herself later when they finally start to realize she means business and is not caving.

The other was about a boy that is so hot-and-cold with his behavior it drives me a little nuts. I spoke with who I thought was his father, but actually his uncle who, along with his wife are raising this boy. Apparently they told him he is not going to the 9th grade unless he brings up his grades and matures enough to be in high school. And he's getting a job this summer. To pay for his own summer school. Explanation for M being in a pretty bad mood. So now M and I have talked and he's mostly on board for raising his grade in my class.

Since speaking with all of these parents, this class with all these boys is doing much better (translation: they are back to being nice to me again, which is what all teachers really want :)--which means I spend less time disciplining and more time teaching, which means their work is better, which means their grades are getting better, which means their parents are happier, which means they get to be happier, which means everybody wins. The end.

Now, it's Saturday, so I'm done talking about school.

Last night I reorganized and cleaned out our office/guest room/storage closet. It was a mammoth task, but it is done. This morning when I got up, before I even when down for breakfast, I had to go look at the pretty closet again. Sigh. Consequently, I discovered I have accumulated enough art supplies and craft materials to start my own store, so be looking for that in the summer months.

Gabe has finally started a blog, so I'm going to give him the computer now. Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!

quick bit

Home for a quick lunch, and I'm tired of opening my blog to check for new comments and seeing the brown snake. So I don't have time to write much, but thought I would write a quick little bit before I head back for the afternoon. Later skaters.

aaahhh...back to blogging :)

before...


after...

I meant to post this weeks ago, it's from last quarter. Sixth graders made Mexican style Alebrijes. This particular student chose to do a snake, and also chose brown as his base color. I couldn't resist snapping this first picture. Maybe I have the mind of a adolescent boy, but doesn't it look a lot like...you know? Poo. He had no idea. So I couldn't redirect his art, he wanted a brown snake.

So Gabe and I have been walking places lately. We've realized that despite our regular grumbling about our neighborhood's...downfalls, we are probably more conveniently located then we will ever be again. So in efforts to get exercise, spend quality time together, do our part for the environment, and save money, we walk. Within easily one square mile of our home, you'll find: Target, 3 different grocery stores, our bank, a great sushi place, a great Thai place, Chipotle, Lowe's, RedBox (McDonald's), the reservoir, and a few other less notable places. A few evenings ago we walked to a couple of those places and on our walk had a few funny things happen. They are probably the type of things that really won't seem very funny because you weren't there, so you'll have to just trust. Trust me, we laughed a lot on this particular walk.

At one point we saw a parked car with the license plate BRWNSGR. Without a second thought I commented on how strange it was for someone to put "braunschwager" on a license plate. Braunschwager, for those who aren't familiar (as Gabe was not) is made from pork liver and pork heart and can be fashioned into a dip. I ate this growing up and liked it. I also did not know it was made of livers and hearts. Pretty sure that would have squelched my appetite for braunschwager. We kept walking and I kept talking about possible reasons for putting braunschwager on a license plate out of all the foods and all the words in the world. Gabe, in a very Gabe way, says, "I think it's supposed to be brown sugar." Which seems like the most obvious answer. So why did my mind immediately go to braunschwager? Weird.

One of our stops was to the grocery store. For those of you who don't shop in Colorado grocery stores, let me explain that there are no front doors. There is a front entrance/doorWAY, but no opening-closing doors. I thought this was really strange when I first moved here. Anyhoo, because of this there are large fans blowing on you as you pass in and out in order to keep the outside temperature out, and the inside temperature in. It's kind of loud. On the sidewalk just outside the doorway was some guy asking for signatures for some something or other. He asked if we were Colorado residents. I heard him, but Gabe could not. I was also trying to say something to Gabe, so it was kind of like when you're on the phone and someone is trying to talk to you that is in the same room while the person you're on the phone with is talking to you, too. His attention was divided and kind of mumbled a "huh?" to the guy while kind of looking at me with the same question. The guy repeated, "Are you a Colorado resident?" to which Gabe hurriedly replied, "No, not today." Thinking he asked a question that would warrant that answer. The guy kind of looked at him like, thanks, jerk. I laughed at him and explained what the guy really asked. By then we were too far away to give an appropriate response. Good times.

I talk to myself quite a lot. Gabe has made me aware of this (and did on our walk when I "thoulked" something), as have a number of my students. If you hear me mumbling, don't bother asking me what I said. Chances are it wasn't meant for you to hear. If I'm not looking at you, and you can't hear me, it's me thinking out loud. To myself. F your I. Thank you, and I'm sorry in advance.

We stopped at RedBox (vending machine that lets you rent movies for $1!) and rented 'Amazing Grace.' It was good, we both liked it a lot. It's worth a watch. Since then, I also talked Gabe into renting 'P.S. I Love You' and p.s. I loved it. It's hard to not get a little morbid and worry about your own spouse passing away at a young age, but if you can get past that, it is a good flick. Woo, I cried, don't get me wrong, but sometimes that's what makes a good movie.

i've ridden a camel & is bribery really so bad when it could be a matter of life or death?

We received some old photos in the mail from my mom today, thanks Mom!  **Side note: Could it be considered cruelty or neglect to let an unknowing adolescent have long stringy hair and a perm?  Anyhoo, moving on.  Apparently I've ridden a camel.  If you asked me yesterday, "Have you ever ridden a camel?"  I would have indubitably answered, "No."

 I have no memory of ever being on a camel, and yet here I am, on a camel.  I can't think of any motivation for my mom to have doctored a photo to falsely accuse me of riding a camel, yet I don't have any memory of this.

Another lost memory: Melissa, Peter, Mom and I are walking -somewhere-, all wearing blue ribbons.  Who took this picture?  Did we win first prize in some competition? Why don't I remember this?
I can't say I remember this particular evening, but I DO remember our back porch.  I used to LOVE sitting out, sleeping out, being out on our screened porch in the woods in Iowa. Cool evenings with noisy bugs and humidity.  Does it get any better? (And that's Granny on the right)
I put this photo in because of the shorts I'm wearing (and because my cousin Emma was -is- so cute).  You can't see it here, but they were white denim with metallic silver stars all over.  I loved them so.  They started out as full length jeans, and then transformed into shorts.  I remember when you bought me these Granny.  Thank you for allowing me to happily violate all fashion sense :)
And this last photo is because I was just talking about this mini-car experience with peeps from the Gathering!  I had always wanted one of these cars, but never got one of my own.  However, Emma had one (age appropriately), and when I visited one year I finally got my chance.  Notice my gangly leg/knee jutting out the side.  I was probably like a year away from getting my permit to drive big people cars, but it really didn't matter in this moment. I remember thinking, how does Emma not want to drive this ALL THE TIME?  She sat in it for like a minute, while I was fulfilling a childhood dream...
I realize this walk down memory lane (or lost memory lane) is probably not nearly as interesting to anyone but me, but that's all I've got tonight friends. I hope you can go and dig through some of your old photos and do some reminiscing of your own.  

P.S

Pray for me: we just got a new student who was expelled from his old school for many reasons, including constructing a detailed plan for killing his parents and two teachers.  So far he's been very polite to me and has shown a ton of skill in drawing.  I, of course, have been giving him lots of chocolate and money...just kidding, but don't think it hasn't crossed my mind.  In all seriousness, though, it sounds like he's been through a LOT of garbage and has major stuff going on.  Hopefully I can provide a safe place for him to feel good for a little bit everyday.  Like I said, he's a very good artist, and I've been told it's his favorite activity.  So I've got that going for me.

P.P.S.

We watched 'Lars and the Real Girl' the other night. Loved it. Recommend it. Think I might watch it again tonight.

P.P.P.S.

What do the "p" and "s" stand for?  please see? perhaps s'mor? pretty sure-this-is-the-last-thing?  probably should-include?

some things

Alright, we're back from the Springs, I've had a nap and now G is at a baseball game with Charlie.  Time to complete my tag...

5 Things I've always wanted to do:

1. Ride in a hot-air balloon (much more my speed than sky-diving or any other equally exhilarating and terrifying activity, I am not an adrenaline junky) 

2. Walk on the Great Wall of China

3. Speak another language fluently

4. Write and illustrate a children's book...or series

5. Win a shopping spree (remember in the 80's there was some show where kids were given a shopping cart in a toy store and like a minute and half on the clock to fill their carts?  or the grocery store show, what was that called? I loved those.)

5 Things I'm into right now:

1. I'm really enjoying blogging and reading all of your blogs and comments--kinda lame, but true

2. Being more environmentally friendly, as always

3. Day-dreaming about having a baby

4. umm...maybe I'm going through a boring phase and should get some new hobbies soon. I vow to do so beginning June 4th, my first day of summer vacation.  So consider this post "to be continued" until I have the time and motivation to be a little more...enriched.

5. Gabe

So here are some things I'd like to be into soon:

1. Making art like it's nobody's business

2. Cooking like it's nobody's business

3. Going to see live music

4. Reading books again

5. Committing frequent random acts of kindness 

6. Hiking and camping and spending lots of time outdoors

7. Attending theaters (live and movie)

tag

I left my camera at Lexi's the other night, but I got it back, so here are a couple of pictures of her munchkins:

Melissa tagged me after being tagged by Marla.  Here are my five favorite things to be found in my room:  

This was  a gift from Gabe during our first year of marriage.  He wrote out our vows and framed them with cool paper.

A few weeks ago we replaced our ripped-up rice paper shades (that blocked ZERO light) with these nice new wide blinds.  Every time I look at them I get a little happier.  They look SO much nicer and work SO much better.
This is the picture I have on my bedside table.  It's Gabe before we knew each other. I just really like it, that's all. 
This is an antique that has been in my house since as long as I can remember.  My mom said they originally used it to keep thread in.  Now it's a little seat by our window.
This is a head-scratcher/massager.  It's almost too much, but it feels amazing.  Goosebumps every time.  Go out and get one now.
5 things found in my purse:
This is my low-tech, homemade calendar "roll":

Receipts, receipts, and more receipts:
J.Crew wallet from Vickie.  Love it:
There are still two more parts to this tag, but we're heading down to the Springs, so I'll have to complete this later.  Til then...

Happy Friday!

Tag Brooke and Kristi (both). Feel free to wait until I finish the tag myself...or feel free to not do it at all.