Amazing connections

I had to go to a meeting today over at the new High School. I wasn't looking forward to it, except for seeing the brand new classrooms. Otherwise, we were all just there to get a bunch of irrelevant information (an e-mail would have been sufficient). But anyway, I walked into this art classroom and I was a bit early, so the teacher just let me sit and wait while she was talking to this other art teacher.

So I wait, and she introduces me to the new art teacher. I KNOW HER! I met her 3 years ago when I went to the recruitment fair for international schools. In fact we rode in the same van to the airport in Boston. At first we didn't know what our connection was. But we both felt that we knew each other. We both were struggling to figure it out. And that's what it was. Turns out she was in Hong Kong! It's such a small world. I remember her being really nice, and we talked while we were at the fair. So this is great. It's amazing how people end up going in and out of your life, and then coming back in again!

Tomorrow I'm off to Rilo Kiley at the 9:30 club. Should be a fun show, too bad it may rain, so the walking to and from the club may be a little wet. I'm just hoping my sister shows up on time.

The week has finally lapsed

I'm so glad the week is over. It's been good for the most part. Little hiccups in the road of life. Like my front right tire. Last weekend it was going flat, then it went flat towards the end of this work week. So today I took it into my dealer. They also changed the oil, but told me my tire needed to be replaced...but, they couldn't replace it. So they shipped me off to the NTB place. Well, they changed it. But it's on the wrong part of my car. The new tire is on the back right, not the front right, and mysteriously there is now a nail in the front left tire. Did they replace the wrong one, did they rotate it? What happened? So I have to go back early in the morning tomorrow...yuck. So as soon as they look at my tire, I hope they say it's just been rotated. The bad news is that I'm probably going to buy a second tire. Yes, I guess I'm giving myself tires for my birthday.

However there are bright spots. Saturday I'm going to Arlington to hang out with some friends (new friends), then on Sunday I'm headed out 66 to go to a winery with J. So excited, it's going to be a good time. J and I always have a good time.

This week at school was hectic too. We had some students get shifted around. Some went to another place, parents came to visit, I made kids start to draw a still life (very ambitious of me). I'm a little disheartened by my job this year. I think that comes with any job, it's my second year, I'm used to a bunch of other things, and I don't have to deal with the other principal. But, it opens other chances for me to see what is really going on. The system can only do so much to help these kids. There needs to be some kind of halfway house between the D-home and their "normal"lives. It's sad to see kids learn skills, and be proud of themselves, only to find that they have no where to turn, so they might as well just live life how they used to. I really do love my job, and I'm glad I have it now. If this were 7 years ago I'd be sad, bewildered, and upset about it all. I am upset, but I just want to do the best job I can to make the students I have feel safe. Give them an opportunity to grow and learn. I'm never gonna know what really happens to these kids. I can only offer them my knowledge and my care. Sure, I wish some of them would get over themselves, crawl out from their respective attitudes, and get out of my face (occasionally and rarely), but for the most part I really like them.

So bring on the fall. I'm hoping that this last weekend will end summer. I want next weekend to feel like fall, and I want the leaves to start changing. I want to wear sweaters and jackets.. I want to feel cozy and warm. I feel warm, but not cozy.

Ahh----weekend........enjoy

Concerned thought of the day..

I hate that many of my students feel that the only choice they have in life is to join the Army...... Granted, my kids need discipline, and consistency etc......but is this really necessary? How about letting a student earn a high school diploma first? I mean, really....... Is the army really volunteer? I guess Walmart and the Army are on the same frequency....

Unfortunate realization

You can't carry green chili on the plane anymore.....

Fall is in the air

Oh, it's been so nice today. This morning I had the windows down on the way to work, then this afternoon I was out and about...and now there's no hum of the loud air conditioning unit, and no fans. Just a nice breeze, fresh air, and a happy me.

School is on right now, and I'm trying to get used to the students right now. There too many kids uninterested in expressing themselves, so I'm trying to come up with some many alternatives. But I want them to have some skills. (not computer hacking skills...)

I can actually see myself making it through the year this time. It's about damn time!!!!

If there was one crazy thing I could change right now, it would be to still have cheap summer fruit. But I guess it's almost fall, I have to make way for apples and cider (yum...cider)

Still painting away, but nothing is finished. I have a couple of things in mind, but I had a run in with some really unsavory sales people at Micheal's. I know, shouldn't have gone there in the first place. They made dents in the canvases I brought up to the register, and thought I was crazy for trying to not buy them. I don't want things I paint on to have dents.... CRAZY! So I moved on and went to Pearl. Pearl is an art supply store, but in the past they've been so idiotic it's driven me to drink. However, now they know me, they give me the discount without asking... so I will now only go to them. Unless I happen to be downtown (never happens), I'll go to Utrecht.

Ok, there are so many stories that I've been keeping track of in my head. For example, the student that refused to give me any information about himself, or sign anything. Yeah, he didn't want to do it, so I offered to write it in for him, and then he could sign off on the info.... I go through the questions: name, address, etc... Then: When is your birthday? His answer: September 30th. I asked him to say that again..... he said: September 30th. I said: That's my birthday... So from then on he's been an angel. Signing things, participating in class. It's great. That might be my answer for any kid: That's my birthday too!

No, I wouldn't do that....

Ok, on to preparing for tomorrow...

A mini reunion

As many of you know, I have no high school anymore, but it doesn't really matter because you keep in touch with who you want anyway. Well, here are two of my best friends. All we were missing was Thayna.. -sniff-

I used to be shorter than both of them....

Don't hate me...but...

I like Lily Allen. I know I'm not supposed to. But it's the fun factor. It's the same reason why I like the Streets.

I promise I'll make up for it by downloading someone completely abstract.....or maybe not. We'll see.

I'm ready

Ok, new school year. And I'm ready. And I'm here to kick it off with illuminated manuscripts. I'm asking my students to tell me a story! Hopefully they will. I made a good introductory presentation, I think they'll understand it and get good ideas. I hope it will be completed within a week.... that's the plan.

Did I mention my awesome schedule? I have no first period, and no last period. Now, I think I'll have some extra responsibilities..... but that's awesome. I'm so glad that I have time to set up and clean up. Start my day teaching later, and then it's all compressed, but then I have prep time to clean up and get out of there in a good amount of time.. YES! Just what I've always wanted.

Weather Wonderful!

It's so beautiful! You couldn't ask for anything better. Blue skies. Low humidity. Moderate temperatures. I wish it could stay like this forever. Unfortunately, just because it's finally September doesn't mean that 90's will go away. I think the next few weeks will be pretty warm (but after that I'll ask myself where summer went). But really, it's just so nice.

Saturday I practically lived outside. Mostly under a tree in a park. Watched people, walked around, talked a lot with my friends. Everyone I came across was smiling.

GW parkway was amazing. It was so clear you could see all the monuments, the capitol building. I love it. I really do think it's one of the best drives in America. I know I haven't been on the Pacific coast highway (and I'm sure that's amazing), but I really love driving and seeing all of DC, the trees, the water. It's definitely a welcome sight. It feels like home.

So, school officially begins next week. The Art League donated hundreds and hundreds of oil paints. Of course, I have nothing for the students to paint on yet, but I have to create a list of needs, and I have this parent/volunteer/artist who's going to help me. AMAZING!

I don't know, maybe things are finally putting themselves in order.