http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6155178
This is a great article. It says I'm ok having my coffee every morning. I was worried about it because my sleep habits. But I'm good.... Now if I could just curb my chocolate habit.
Ahh anyway, I also survived the storm last night, and my car did too. I was worried that a tree might fall on it. My neighborhood is older and trees go down. But we all survived. I guess it ushered in the new fall weather, because it was a little chilly this morning. NICE! I'm so happy it's fall. I've been waiting for it for years (well at least 2). It's truly the best season. The colors really haven't started changing around here. I'm not sure if they'll get to bright this year, because it was kind of a dry summer, but a little is better than none. This weekend I'm headed up to my parent's house and I plan on stopping by the roadside stand to pick up some cider and apples, and whatever fall-like items I can get my hands on.
Yesterday I went to this strange cocktail party with my housemate. It really wasn't my scene, but she was invited to go and she offered to take me. So we go, in the middle of this storm to this restaurant, wind blowing everywhere, getting rained on, no power in half the places. The place it filled with random people. Anyway, I was going for free food and wine. My housemate was looking for a date apparently. So, realizing that was the goal I just kind of faded into the background. I didn't really want to be there, and given the age of the people, and the fact that it seemed to be kind of like an employee party, I felt really out of place. Ahh, well, at least I didn't have to sit in the dark at home.
We ventured back home and there was still no power. So I just lit a bunch of candles and happily read my book and turned in early. I was happy about it. The lights finally were put back on, I got up and turned them back off. Sleep-- it's such a good thing.
Well, back to organizing my grades and getting everything settled before the weekend gets here.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Ok, I'm convinced
I need to move out. Even though the space is nice, and I like the set up. It's just not working and it's just not worth the money I'm paying for it. So I'm going to start looking. It's not that I don't get along with them, it's all that other stuff. The dirty kitchen with ants every, the child slamming doors, and the dog not getting taken care of. It's just not worth my energy. Plus I need my own kitchen. I don't really know why I tried without one.
We'll see what happens. I'm looking at a place I used to live, and a few other places. The good thing about this is I have time. I'm not locked into anything because I don't have an official lease.. Which is a good thing.
Other then that, school continues to be more busy than I ever expected with a lot of expectations placed on seemingly perfect paperwork. I thought I was just a teacher, but now I'm an administrative assistant too. It seems to me like there is too much stuff for one person to do for their class. The goodness is, I have tomorrow and Friday without students. We do have parent conferences, but I think not too many every come. So that's fine.
Argh.. Now I have to get to an art meeting, to discuss what my expectations will be for that too.. Yeah, not only that but I have a commitment to what I teach, how I teach and a stupid PEP binder.... You don't even want to know what I have to do for that. And I have to sign up for a professional development something...
It is almost the weekend, and even though they go fast, I enjoy them, so I can't complain. So....I guess I won't. I'll just leave it at that.
Beautiful fall weather is here. It's sunny, very cool in the mornings, but warms up during the day, not hot anymore, or humid. This weekend looks great. I've missed a lot of falls....But now it's back to them..Hip Hip--- hurray!!!
Pictures will try to be added soon, because I did go to Alaska, I bet none of you believe me that I went.....
We'll see what happens. I'm looking at a place I used to live, and a few other places. The good thing about this is I have time. I'm not locked into anything because I don't have an official lease.. Which is a good thing.
Other then that, school continues to be more busy than I ever expected with a lot of expectations placed on seemingly perfect paperwork. I thought I was just a teacher, but now I'm an administrative assistant too. It seems to me like there is too much stuff for one person to do for their class. The goodness is, I have tomorrow and Friday without students. We do have parent conferences, but I think not too many every come. So that's fine.
Argh.. Now I have to get to an art meeting, to discuss what my expectations will be for that too.. Yeah, not only that but I have a commitment to what I teach, how I teach and a stupid PEP binder.... You don't even want to know what I have to do for that. And I have to sign up for a professional development something...
It is almost the weekend, and even though they go fast, I enjoy them, so I can't complain. So....I guess I won't. I'll just leave it at that.
Beautiful fall weather is here. It's sunny, very cool in the mornings, but warms up during the day, not hot anymore, or humid. This weekend looks great. I've missed a lot of falls....But now it's back to them..Hip Hip--- hurray!!!
Pictures will try to be added soon, because I did go to Alaska, I bet none of you believe me that I went.....
Monday, September 25, 2006
Another week passes
Its been a crazy week. I had to enter all my grades in the computer twice. The first time all my files on the server became corrupt. How that's possible when it's only my stuff..... I have no idea. They're supposed to come and look at it all today. So hopefully I won't have to do it again.
The paperwork is crazy for this joint. It would be simple if everyone could get everything on the computer. But when one or more people have problems, then it holds everything up.
Did a stupid thing... I had kids make contour line drawings (not the stupid part) of their hands (the stupid part). Yes, they did make gang symbols with their hands. Although some of them, I don't think they meant to, it just happens to look like it. So now, pretty much all my students are going to get in trouble.. Note to self, have students do contour line drawings of their shoes... Oh no wait, if they tie their shoes a strange way that might mean something too.. AHHHH!
Seriously though, Anything can pretty much be a symbol of gangs these days. I know that in my place of work now it can't and shouldn't be taken lightly, but come on....
It's ok, this week we're doing tessellation, I wonder what they'll hide in those. Next up, one-point perspective... oh no... Buildings.
Anyway, had a better weekend. I went out to eat in DC on Friday. It was so good. One of the best meals I've had in a really long time. The place was called the Blue Duck Tavern, I think. It's in the Park Hyatt hotel. It was a nice restaurant, got all dressed up for once in my life. I had a vegetarian dish made of (this is going to sound strange to some of you) grits, with cheese, chantarelle mushrooms, and some greens. We also had side dishes of garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, arugula with lemon vinaigrette, and snap peas. And it didn't stop there, I had a plum and blackberry crisp with hand-churned vanilla ice cream for desert, along with a cappucino. It was so good. After dinner we just walked around the Foggy Bottom a little bit and headed back. It was a great night though. Beautiful weather.
Then Saturday, my sister came to visit. We had a really nice time. Low-key, I don't think either one of us felt like going out. So we went to Georgetown (I got lost) then had a nice dinner at a Thai place and came back and watched a movie. She then treated me to breakfast the next day and headed back to PA.
You really have to watch the weekends. They just seem to disappear around here. It's not fair. I didn't go hiking this weekend, either... But I had my last day of Yoga on Saturday, and now I wish I'd signed up for the next 6 weeks. Oh well.
This week looks like it will be much like the same. School is school, and I think we'll have a few parent meetings. But not much else. This weekend I'm going to a wine festival and then maybe pop on up to Gettysburg to see my parents... and the Lhotse.
Have to start looking for my own apartment. I just wish I had more time, and the internet at home... That would be good.
The paperwork is crazy for this joint. It would be simple if everyone could get everything on the computer. But when one or more people have problems, then it holds everything up.
Did a stupid thing... I had kids make contour line drawings (not the stupid part) of their hands (the stupid part). Yes, they did make gang symbols with their hands. Although some of them, I don't think they meant to, it just happens to look like it. So now, pretty much all my students are going to get in trouble.. Note to self, have students do contour line drawings of their shoes... Oh no wait, if they tie their shoes a strange way that might mean something too.. AHHHH!
Seriously though, Anything can pretty much be a symbol of gangs these days. I know that in my place of work now it can't and shouldn't be taken lightly, but come on....
It's ok, this week we're doing tessellation, I wonder what they'll hide in those. Next up, one-point perspective... oh no... Buildings.
Anyway, had a better weekend. I went out to eat in DC on Friday. It was so good. One of the best meals I've had in a really long time. The place was called the Blue Duck Tavern, I think. It's in the Park Hyatt hotel. It was a nice restaurant, got all dressed up for once in my life. I had a vegetarian dish made of (this is going to sound strange to some of you) grits, with cheese, chantarelle mushrooms, and some greens. We also had side dishes of garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, arugula with lemon vinaigrette, and snap peas. And it didn't stop there, I had a plum and blackberry crisp with hand-churned vanilla ice cream for desert, along with a cappucino. It was so good. After dinner we just walked around the Foggy Bottom a little bit and headed back. It was a great night though. Beautiful weather.
Then Saturday, my sister came to visit. We had a really nice time. Low-key, I don't think either one of us felt like going out. So we went to Georgetown (I got lost) then had a nice dinner at a Thai place and came back and watched a movie. She then treated me to breakfast the next day and headed back to PA.
You really have to watch the weekends. They just seem to disappear around here. It's not fair. I didn't go hiking this weekend, either... But I had my last day of Yoga on Saturday, and now I wish I'd signed up for the next 6 weeks. Oh well.
This week looks like it will be much like the same. School is school, and I think we'll have a few parent meetings. But not much else. This weekend I'm going to a wine festival and then maybe pop on up to Gettysburg to see my parents... and the Lhotse.
Have to start looking for my own apartment. I just wish I had more time, and the internet at home... That would be good.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Not cooking anymore
Ok, so there's an ant problem in the kitchen, I can't eat spinach anymore because someone can't irrigate the water safely. And I'm doomed to get salmonella poisoning...Why? You may ask. I don't eat chicken, meat, or even fish (well occasionally). Last night I was fixing "dinner" (consisting of a sandwich). And I'm sitting down at the table watching my housemate make her meal for herself, daughter, and daughter's friends. She is chopping raw chicken on a cutting board. No problem, people do it all the time, the only problem I have is the fact that she cut it, and didn't clean the board. She took a sponge and swiped it across the surface. That's it. WHAT? That's it? Needless to say, I won't be using the cutting board ever again, and now I really will be searching for a new place. Proof that I just need my own kitchen. Seriously, if I invited you over for dinner, would you want to eat what I had made since you know my kitchen status? The answer is no. No you wouldn't. Because I don't even want to eat there, and I live there.
So....Here's a little link for you, although, you are probably not the one that needs it, my housemate does.
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbsam.htm
When I leave her house, and move somewhere else and she asks me why I'm moving maybe I'll just hand her a book about kitchen safety.
Looks like I can post pictures. I'll try it soon.
In other news, I'm putting 2 students on independent study in art. Should be kind of fun for me. These kids are really excited about art, and really have a lot of good ideas. I need to help them formulate a plan so they can make a decent portfolio. Hopefully when they leave here, they'll have a body of work to show someone and get some more guidance. We'll see, teenagers are known for having big ideas, but aren't quite sure how to follow through on things. I hope I don't end up doing most of the work for them. I'm just happy to be teaching older students. I don't think I ever want to go back to the little guys.... Not that I don't like the little ones, just that maybe I needed a break from them for a while, and this is it.
Ok, enough for today.
So....Here's a little link for you, although, you are probably not the one that needs it, my housemate does.
http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/hb/hbsam.htm
When I leave her house, and move somewhere else and she asks me why I'm moving maybe I'll just hand her a book about kitchen safety.
Looks like I can post pictures. I'll try it soon.
In other news, I'm putting 2 students on independent study in art. Should be kind of fun for me. These kids are really excited about art, and really have a lot of good ideas. I need to help them formulate a plan so they can make a decent portfolio. Hopefully when they leave here, they'll have a body of work to show someone and get some more guidance. We'll see, teenagers are known for having big ideas, but aren't quite sure how to follow through on things. I hope I don't end up doing most of the work for them. I'm just happy to be teaching older students. I don't think I ever want to go back to the little guys.... Not that I don't like the little ones, just that maybe I needed a break from them for a while, and this is it.
Ok, enough for today.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Weekends go too fast
One good thing about this Monday is that I no longer have to set up my classroom. Yes I'm art on the cart, but they put new cafeteria like tables in all the lounges. So no unstacking tables and no lifting chairs. It was getting really old really fast. I thought to myself, if I were older, out of shape, and unhappy with my job I wouldn't care, and I wouldn't set up the tables... So now I don't have to think about that. Not that I think I'm going to stay here until I'm 60, but one never knows. I can't really imagine staying any place longer than a 2 year span. :-)
Caught up on massive quantities of Lost. For those of you who are going to be watching the second season abroad this year, I will not spoil.. But I will say this, it's good. It's so good, it makes me want to watch it over and over again. I can't wait for Season 3... I have dreams about it all. I really do. I have about 3 more episodes to finish!
Doing something great by being art penpals with my friend Ellen. We start a piece of art and then send it to each other to have the other one finish it. Then I guess we send it back once it's finished and do it again. I send mine out today. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but at least it's something... And that's good.
Can't believe that my housemate asked me if I had anything in the fridge that was old and smelly... Sister, please.... Why no, as a matter of fact, because nothing in there is mine. Whatever...... I keep telling myself it's all for the greater good. But I don't know... We'll see if I make it through.
Last week I had a strange hiking experience. This old man asked me what time it was and then all of a sudden he had me locked into some kind of storytelling session. Which wasn't good because I didn't know how to get out of it. And then he kept coming closer and closer. And then finally these people passed by and I told him I had to go catch up with them. Maybe I should rethink the whole hiking alone thing. I probably won't though. I'll just try to go with friends.....
Caught up on massive quantities of Lost. For those of you who are going to be watching the second season abroad this year, I will not spoil.. But I will say this, it's good. It's so good, it makes me want to watch it over and over again. I can't wait for Season 3... I have dreams about it all. I really do. I have about 3 more episodes to finish!
Doing something great by being art penpals with my friend Ellen. We start a piece of art and then send it to each other to have the other one finish it. Then I guess we send it back once it's finished and do it again. I send mine out today. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but at least it's something... And that's good.
Can't believe that my housemate asked me if I had anything in the fridge that was old and smelly... Sister, please.... Why no, as a matter of fact, because nothing in there is mine. Whatever...... I keep telling myself it's all for the greater good. But I don't know... We'll see if I make it through.
Last week I had a strange hiking experience. This old man asked me what time it was and then all of a sudden he had me locked into some kind of storytelling session. Which wasn't good because I didn't know how to get out of it. And then he kept coming closer and closer. And then finally these people passed by and I told him I had to go catch up with them. Maybe I should rethink the whole hiking alone thing. I probably won't though. I'll just try to go with friends.....
Friday, September 15, 2006
Meet the parents
Last night we had a parents night at the D-home. It was very interesting. We had a few that showed up, and considering we only have about 42 kids right now, we saw about 12 parents. It was interesting to meet with one parent, who right off bugged me and you could immediately figure out why their kid was in there. I was trying to pay the student a compliment to his parent and the parent immediately compared the kid to a sibling. WHAT! NO WONDER! There was one parent I really liked, gentle, caring, the student probably just finally got caught doing the wrong thing. The student is smart intelligent, and pretty outspoken..Which is nice for a change. I hate wishy-washy.
It went well, I hate speaking in front of adults, especially parents. I always manage to turn red. In front of kids, not so much.
I can't believe it's starting to turn into fall. I'm already wearing long sleeve shirts and jeans. It's nice, but I have a feeling that this winter is going to be brutal for me. The nights are nice and cool right now, which is definitely a big change from Egypt. I don't miss those hot nights, with the old, barely working, loud air conditioner.
Think I'll be heading out to Kansas City in November to visit my friends. I'm excited to go somewhere I've never been. I love travel, although I wish I could jus beam myself there instead of flying. Such is life.
It went well, I hate speaking in front of adults, especially parents. I always manage to turn red. In front of kids, not so much.
I can't believe it's starting to turn into fall. I'm already wearing long sleeve shirts and jeans. It's nice, but I have a feeling that this winter is going to be brutal for me. The nights are nice and cool right now, which is definitely a big change from Egypt. I don't miss those hot nights, with the old, barely working, loud air conditioner.
Think I'll be heading out to Kansas City in November to visit my friends. I'm excited to go somewhere I've never been. I love travel, although I wish I could jus beam myself there instead of flying. Such is life.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
A new start
Since I have a hard time updating the other blog, I'm switching again. This will make it easier for me to write. I only have internet at school, and I can get on this website.
There's a lot going on, but at the same time there is not. I am enjoying my job, my life, it seems like it's on track lately.
I feel very free to do what I want (except cook a lot, which won't change until I get up the gumption to move...I'm just to lazy right now).
So, things I'm looking forward to:
The wine festival
Hiking weekly
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins ( I can go to shows now!)
School is fine. We have only about 42 students right now, but I have a unit with girls, and one of them is just pushing my buttons. And it doesn't help that the female d-home staff isn't that great....Don't get me started. I do like working with this population, it's secure and makes me feel a little claustrophobic sometimes, but it will work for now. If I could save enough money to buy a place here, I would...But I don't think that's going to happen. Getting coaxed to move to Kansass City from my great friends, but I don't know. I don't think I would make a great mid-westerner.
On another note.... a lemur will be leading that stupid rockstar band. Oh well. I got sucked in and denied. Oh well. Time to get engrossed into other "reality" type shows...right? Let's hope not. I would like to stay off my couch for now. Except to watch LOST!!
Ok, I better run and see who I can actually send this out to.. sorry for the change in this. I don't think I can post pictures here either, but that's ok. I don't think I'll be doing much picture taking in the near future......
There's a lot going on, but at the same time there is not. I am enjoying my job, my life, it seems like it's on track lately.
I feel very free to do what I want (except cook a lot, which won't change until I get up the gumption to move...I'm just to lazy right now).
So, things I'm looking forward to:
The wine festival
Hiking weekly
Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins ( I can go to shows now!)
School is fine. We have only about 42 students right now, but I have a unit with girls, and one of them is just pushing my buttons. And it doesn't help that the female d-home staff isn't that great....Don't get me started. I do like working with this population, it's secure and makes me feel a little claustrophobic sometimes, but it will work for now. If I could save enough money to buy a place here, I would...But I don't think that's going to happen. Getting coaxed to move to Kansass City from my great friends, but I don't know. I don't think I would make a great mid-westerner.
On another note.... a lemur will be leading that stupid rockstar band. Oh well. I got sucked in and denied. Oh well. Time to get engrossed into other "reality" type shows...right? Let's hope not. I would like to stay off my couch for now. Except to watch LOST!!
Ok, I better run and see who I can actually send this out to.. sorry for the change in this. I don't think I can post pictures here either, but that's ok. I don't think I'll be doing much picture taking in the near future......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)