Between TAKS and PMS I am T-I-R-E-D (Truly Incapable of Real Exercise and Diet).
157 this morning.
I am going to wear my olive colored wool pants and a warm sweater (the navy flower jacquard one, I think). It is supposed to be cold today and I have recess duty. Still need to do lesson plans - and grades are due tomorrow (though I think I have enough already).
I'm so tired, I'm miserable. I need Spring Break!
Monday, February 28, 2005
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Van Damme movies
Have you ever noticed that if you replaced all the fighting with sex in VanDamme-type movies that you'd be left with nothing but a regular ole porn movie? Honestly, the plot (term for what you're SUPPOSED to think the movie is about) is usually about as thinly stupid, and the dialog is almost word for word the same except for the situations being proposed.
Friday, February 25, 2005
Yep, TAKS took its toll
Combination of TAKS overeating/no exercise (due to exhaustion)/and PMS week has me back up to 158 this morning. And I am craving pie or cheesecake or something right now..even though I am having SlimFast for breakfast every morning and have pretty much cut out coffee, and I had salad like 3 times this week -- I just have to start exercising again.
I did find out that I am going to have to tutor math from now until mid-April, but at least the majority of my stress over the Reading TAKS is over. Most of the kids worked until after 1pm, so I am hopeful. I need to spend this weekend getting caught up on grades, and doing lesson plans for next week (before Spring Break). Then I need to be ready to tutor my bilingual kids somehow, because I fully expect that at least one of them will fail the reading test.
My house is filthy...I'm so tired of it. I really want this school year to just be over with...it has been exhausting, non-stop insanity. We have had such horrible problems with kids and parents this year that I am completely fed up and depressed (another reason for the overeating and weight gain).
I did find out that I am going to have to tutor math from now until mid-April, but at least the majority of my stress over the Reading TAKS is over. Most of the kids worked until after 1pm, so I am hopeful. I need to spend this weekend getting caught up on grades, and doing lesson plans for next week (before Spring Break). Then I need to be ready to tutor my bilingual kids somehow, because I fully expect that at least one of them will fail the reading test.
My house is filthy...I'm so tired of it. I really want this school year to just be over with...it has been exhausting, non-stop insanity. We have had such horrible problems with kids and parents this year that I am completely fed up and depressed (another reason for the overeating and weight gain).
Monday, February 21, 2005
Idol Worship
Not since the first season have I given a rat's butt about the outcome of this show. But while flipping through channels I heard Moon River done by Anwar Robinson -- not only is he easy to look at, but this is the most awesome version of MOON FREAKING RIVER FOR CRYING OUT LOUD that I have ever heard.
Hope this he wins...he took a huge risk with that corny old song and it was great!
Hope this he wins...he took a huge risk with that corny old song and it was great!
Friday, February 18, 2005
Who can you trust with a busload of teenage boys?
Me, apparently.
One of the JV soccer boys got hurt in the game right before Thunderduck and Moondoggie's game (they're both on varsity now). He was hurt badly enough that they had to have EMS take him to the hospital for x-rays. SOOOO the JV coach ended up having to go with him in the ambulance to the hospital. He was searching the stands for a district employee to ride back on the bus with the boys and take them to dinner. There were 3 possibilities...I think because I have so many teenage boys of my own, I was the most logical choice. It actually wasn't too bad. When I went down to the sidelines to get the tax form and $ for dinner about 5 of the boys started jumping up and down and shouting -- they were all kids I had taught and they were way excited. After some joking about "let's go to Hooter's for dinner", we finally found DQ open and ate there. Let me tell you -- if you ever need to eat in Wimberly Texas on a Friday night after 8pm you are SOL! It was DQ or Pizza Hut -- I'm not lying -- EVERYTHING ELSE WAS CLOSED!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a small town! I also ended up being a major hero because there were 3 girls in DQ that a bunch of the boys kept ogling -- I helped the boys get their phone #s.
:-)
One of the JV soccer boys got hurt in the game right before Thunderduck and Moondoggie's game (they're both on varsity now). He was hurt badly enough that they had to have EMS take him to the hospital for x-rays. SOOOO the JV coach ended up having to go with him in the ambulance to the hospital. He was searching the stands for a district employee to ride back on the bus with the boys and take them to dinner. There were 3 possibilities...I think because I have so many teenage boys of my own, I was the most logical choice. It actually wasn't too bad. When I went down to the sidelines to get the tax form and $ for dinner about 5 of the boys started jumping up and down and shouting -- they were all kids I had taught and they were way excited. After some joking about "let's go to Hooter's for dinner", we finally found DQ open and ate there. Let me tell you -- if you ever need to eat in Wimberly Texas on a Friday night after 8pm you are SOL! It was DQ or Pizza Hut -- I'm not lying -- EVERYTHING ELSE WAS CLOSED!!!!!!!!!! Talk about a small town! I also ended up being a major hero because there were 3 girls in DQ that a bunch of the boys kept ogling -- I helped the boys get their phone #s.
:-)
Monday, February 14, 2005
Sick and Tired on Valentine's Day
I've had a cold/sinus infection for the past 4-5 days. Consequently, I've eaten very little -- can't taste it, cold medicine keeps me asleep anyway. I'm down to 156 with my pj's on. If I exercise tonight or tomorrow (still need to recuperate a day I think!), I might can keep it off. I have no appetite again this morning. Yesterday I had MyPoolBoy go get me some grilled chicken and MADE myself eat it. I just didn't want to eat anything. If I could just get under 155 -- the half-way mark -- I'd feel SOOOO much better!
Went shopping for a little while yesterday with MyPoolBoy and the boys. We got some new shoes for Thunderduck and TrainWreck and Lurch, and went clothes shopping. They went to Half-Price Books, but I stayed in the car because I was feeling so bad. We then went and ate and I came home and took some sinus meds and crashed. I was in bed almost all day Saturday, too. Whatever this was really kicked my butt.
7 school days until TAKS. Usually by this time, I am boasting about how relaxed I am compared to other teachers -- because usually by this time I KNOW all my kids will be fine. There are so many "maybes" this year....that might be part of the reason I'm sick -- I'm just flat out too stressed! I'm fixing to do lesson plans...mostly TAKS review. I feel really sorry for the kids who already know it. They are stuck with a panicked teacher and these stupid review sheets. OH! Semi-good news: One of the teachers from the other elementary in town emailed my partner about the treats for TAKS issue and said they were told by higher-ups that it was not allowed. I'm crossing my fingers that it's true! I hate to be such a stick in the mud, but I really think that it is a disservice to the kids and their teachers next year to make them expect rewards for something that they should do anyway.
Ok, gotta finish. I still need to hit Walmart for Valentine's treats before we head off to school.
Went shopping for a little while yesterday with MyPoolBoy and the boys. We got some new shoes for Thunderduck and TrainWreck and Lurch, and went clothes shopping. They went to Half-Price Books, but I stayed in the car because I was feeling so bad. We then went and ate and I came home and took some sinus meds and crashed. I was in bed almost all day Saturday, too. Whatever this was really kicked my butt.
7 school days until TAKS. Usually by this time, I am boasting about how relaxed I am compared to other teachers -- because usually by this time I KNOW all my kids will be fine. There are so many "maybes" this year....that might be part of the reason I'm sick -- I'm just flat out too stressed! I'm fixing to do lesson plans...mostly TAKS review. I feel really sorry for the kids who already know it. They are stuck with a panicked teacher and these stupid review sheets. OH! Semi-good news: One of the teachers from the other elementary in town emailed my partner about the treats for TAKS issue and said they were told by higher-ups that it was not allowed. I'm crossing my fingers that it's true! I hate to be such a stick in the mud, but I really think that it is a disservice to the kids and their teachers next year to make them expect rewards for something that they should do anyway.
Ok, gotta finish. I still need to hit Walmart for Valentine's treats before we head off to school.
Labels:
boys,
MagicNumber,
school
Monday, February 07, 2005
Down by 1
Well, really 2...but I'm being cautious...I've been so up and down lately...so I'm calling it at 157 (even though at one point today it was 155.5!)
I wore my black jeans and little boot shoes and that denim jacket/blouse with black piping trim today.
I had a tiring day. Everything got done for lesson planning, etc. but right off the bat this morning I got a phone call from an irate mom that was upset because Felix and I are making her angel do here homework at recess, and are writing her up for unreasonable reasons ...um, excuse me? This child is not telling the exact truth to mom about why she is getting in trouble in the first place. It may be unreasonable to write-up a child for bringing too many blankets to the read-in. It is NOT unreasonable to write her up for shoving another child out of his chair -- oh, whoops, Mom...she forgot to tell you THAT part. So, I didn't get the copies done that I wanted and had to scramble to get what I needed to get by on before 7:45.
Day went ok, most of the work got done...12 more school days (11 after today) until the test. THEN I found out that I had to go to a dad-gum ESL testing meeting. Now, what aggravates me is that I am not ESL certified...I do not WANT to be ESL certified ON PURPOSE. They gave me ESL/LEP/BIL kids anyway (whatever their label is this year -- the state changes it so much!). The parents have denied services so they are getting NO HELP FROM ESL -- only what I can do in the classroom and whatever tutoring and pull-out stuff I can get them -- yet I am still ultimately responsible for their TAKS scores. Oh, no, let's not hold the PARENTS WHO DENIED SERVICES RESPONSIBLE AT ALL! SO I go to this training/meeting this afternoon and find out that I have to submit 3-5 writing samples before March 14 -- ummmm, ok, that's 5 weeks... you people are getting THREE. I have a TAKS test to get ready for during THREE of those FIVE weeks, you idiots.
At the end of the day, I got a call from the trainer at the HS -- Lurch cut his shin REALLY bad -- down to the bone...and needed stitches. Well, since I had the meeting I called MyPoolBoy and had him go get him and take him to the emergency room. When I got home, I tried to make dinner and relax a minute, folded a little laundry. MyPoolBoy called while I was cooking and proceeds to scream at me about how the emergency room is wanting full payment and he hopes that I wasn't planning on eating or doing anything else for the next week...in front of Lurch, and Lurch came home feeling horribly guilty about getting hurt in the first place. I swear, I get so pissed at that man! He is so unnecessarily negative so much of the time. Here I am fighting depression on a daily basis, always trying to turn the other cheek and keep my spirits up and he spews forth negativity every time he opens his mouth. He can't just phrase stuff in a calm way and punctuate it with "everything will be ok, though." What a jerk. And he wonders why I can't be all hyperly in love with him. He is a large cause of my depression. It is bad enough that he brings me down by lying to me or not telling me about 1/2 of all he says and does, but the half that he DOES tell me he is overreacting or dramatizing something and making me worry as much or more about the unknown.
Well, to console myself and the boys from his blow-up I baked a few dozen cookies...there goes my 1 (or 2) pounds, probably. DANGIT!
Now I have a headache. I'm going to go to bed and try to work in the morning.
I wore my black jeans and little boot shoes and that denim jacket/blouse with black piping trim today.
I had a tiring day. Everything got done for lesson planning, etc. but right off the bat this morning I got a phone call from an irate mom that was upset because Felix and I are making her angel do here homework at recess, and are writing her up for unreasonable reasons ...um, excuse me? This child is not telling the exact truth to mom about why she is getting in trouble in the first place. It may be unreasonable to write-up a child for bringing too many blankets to the read-in. It is NOT unreasonable to write her up for shoving another child out of his chair -- oh, whoops, Mom...she forgot to tell you THAT part. So, I didn't get the copies done that I wanted and had to scramble to get what I needed to get by on before 7:45.
Day went ok, most of the work got done...12 more school days (11 after today) until the test. THEN I found out that I had to go to a dad-gum ESL testing meeting. Now, what aggravates me is that I am not ESL certified...I do not WANT to be ESL certified ON PURPOSE. They gave me ESL/LEP/BIL kids anyway (whatever their label is this year -- the state changes it so much!). The parents have denied services so they are getting NO HELP FROM ESL -- only what I can do in the classroom and whatever tutoring and pull-out stuff I can get them -- yet I am still ultimately responsible for their TAKS scores. Oh, no, let's not hold the PARENTS WHO DENIED SERVICES RESPONSIBLE AT ALL! SO I go to this training/meeting this afternoon and find out that I have to submit 3-5 writing samples before March 14 -- ummmm, ok, that's 5 weeks... you people are getting THREE. I have a TAKS test to get ready for during THREE of those FIVE weeks, you idiots.
At the end of the day, I got a call from the trainer at the HS -- Lurch cut his shin REALLY bad -- down to the bone...and needed stitches. Well, since I had the meeting I called MyPoolBoy and had him go get him and take him to the emergency room. When I got home, I tried to make dinner and relax a minute, folded a little laundry. MyPoolBoy called while I was cooking and proceeds to scream at me about how the emergency room is wanting full payment and he hopes that I wasn't planning on eating or doing anything else for the next week...in front of Lurch, and Lurch came home feeling horribly guilty about getting hurt in the first place. I swear, I get so pissed at that man! He is so unnecessarily negative so much of the time. Here I am fighting depression on a daily basis, always trying to turn the other cheek and keep my spirits up and he spews forth negativity every time he opens his mouth. He can't just phrase stuff in a calm way and punctuate it with "everything will be ok, though." What a jerk. And he wonders why I can't be all hyperly in love with him. He is a large cause of my depression. It is bad enough that he brings me down by lying to me or not telling me about 1/2 of all he says and does, but the half that he DOES tell me he is overreacting or dramatizing something and making me worry as much or more about the unknown.
Well, to console myself and the boys from his blow-up I baked a few dozen cookies...there goes my 1 (or 2) pounds, probably. DANGIT!
Now I have a headache. I'm going to go to bed and try to work in the morning.
Labels:
boys,
MagicNumber,
school,
whine
Sunday, February 06, 2005
well...
Tried to post this yesterday. I absolutely have to start remembering to save a copy/draft before I try to publish because it is totally erasing everything I type when I hit the publish button. My uploading has been slow on the website, too.
I did a lot of graphics switching around on the website the past few days. I'm trying to get as many of the graphics as possible from one CD to simplify things. So I actually have been able to delete a couple of folders. I'm also making some more custom cursors so that I can get rid of the Comet Cursors on all the pages. I probably need to update my school site too. I want to get the Learning Links sections saved as html on my little clippy disk so that I can use them again next year by just pasting the code into the page.
Yesterday, was relatively quiet for our anniversary, but we didn't go anywhere or even sit together and watch TV. Lurch was at a powerlifting meet, l had a basketball game and a birthday party, TrainWreck went to a friend's house, and Thunderduck went to spend the night at a friend's house. Ample opportunity to spend a few minutes together, but I think MyPoolBoy is still uncomfortable with me because of all the crap that's happened.
YUM! I'm having a cup of homemade cappuccino and Bailey's while I type. So I should be pretty relaxed in a few minutes LOL!
As far as school goes...good cow! I still think that I have about 7 or 8 kids that might not pull through because of apathy. I finally broke down and bribed them with homework passes on our last Kamico quiz and they did fabulous. All the other third grade teachers were saying "we told you they'd come around" and "just wait until the real test when we offer the toys and rewards". But I now have whored myself out for test results -- which I have NEVER done. I've always been able to get the kids to do it for themselves or, at the very least, to do it for me...never for toys and homework passes. I think when this year is over I will mention to them how hard it is for the fourth grade teachers to get these kids to do work when there's not a reward at stake. I really think we are sending them the wrong message...and the upper grades have to deal with this ploy of giving them toys for results...it makes it tough for the fourth grade teachers. Hopefully, though, the second grade teachers are going to send us kids that are much more ready for the third grade to begin with and it will be easier.
Stuff I want to do today (don't laugh)
Finish cleaning house and do some laundry
Put up Christmas decorations (I told you, don't laugh!)
Do lesson plans and grade a few sets of papers
Go over budget and bills with MyPoolBoy
Update the school website
Do some more graphics updating on our website
I think I'll make a Top Ten list and break it down by hour -- starting in about 30 minutes so I can finish my coffee!
I did a lot of graphics switching around on the website the past few days. I'm trying to get as many of the graphics as possible from one CD to simplify things. So I actually have been able to delete a couple of folders. I'm also making some more custom cursors so that I can get rid of the Comet Cursors on all the pages. I probably need to update my school site too. I want to get the Learning Links sections saved as html on my little clippy disk so that I can use them again next year by just pasting the code into the page.
Yesterday, was relatively quiet for our anniversary, but we didn't go anywhere or even sit together and watch TV. Lurch was at a powerlifting meet, l had a basketball game and a birthday party, TrainWreck went to a friend's house, and Thunderduck went to spend the night at a friend's house. Ample opportunity to spend a few minutes together, but I think MyPoolBoy is still uncomfortable with me because of all the crap that's happened.
YUM! I'm having a cup of homemade cappuccino and Bailey's while I type. So I should be pretty relaxed in a few minutes LOL!
As far as school goes...good cow! I still think that I have about 7 or 8 kids that might not pull through because of apathy. I finally broke down and bribed them with homework passes on our last Kamico quiz and they did fabulous. All the other third grade teachers were saying "we told you they'd come around" and "just wait until the real test when we offer the toys and rewards". But I now have whored myself out for test results -- which I have NEVER done. I've always been able to get the kids to do it for themselves or, at the very least, to do it for me...never for toys and homework passes. I think when this year is over I will mention to them how hard it is for the fourth grade teachers to get these kids to do work when there's not a reward at stake. I really think we are sending them the wrong message...and the upper grades have to deal with this ploy of giving them toys for results...it makes it tough for the fourth grade teachers. Hopefully, though, the second grade teachers are going to send us kids that are much more ready for the third grade to begin with and it will be easier.
Stuff I want to do today (don't laugh)
Finish cleaning house and do some laundry
Put up Christmas decorations (I told you, don't laugh!)
Do lesson plans and grade a few sets of papers
Go over budget and bills with MyPoolBoy
Update the school website
Do some more graphics updating on our website
I think I'll make a Top Ten list and break it down by hour -- starting in about 30 minutes so I can finish my coffee!
Saturday, February 05, 2005
well...ok
It's so frustrating to need to take care of myself and have chaos at school keeping me exhausted and without enough time to do it.
Only 12 more school days until the damn test is over and I can have about 75% of my life back. I fully expect 1/4 of my kids to not pass the test. They are THAT apathetic...what was encouraging on Friday, though, was that I whored myself out and bribed them with homework passes to do all their strategies on a Kamico quiz...I had one class with almost all 100's and the low class had over half of them 100s. The other 3 teachers on my grade level were all "see, we told you they could do it" but it just really crossed a line for me...I've NEVER had to bribe kids to try. The other teachers don't understand how frustrating it is at the upper grade level to get these kids that EXPECT a reward for doing what they are supposed to be doing anyway...it was so tough to get them from the lower grade level and have to teach them that they weren't going to get a prize for doing something they are supposed to be doing anyway. We are even going so far as to order TOYS for them for TAKS day. I'm just FLABBERGASTED. I'm not gonna fight it this year, but I will probably mention it before we start things next year. Just to let them know what a struggle it creates for the grade level above us. I'm hopeful that we will get them from the grade below us a little more prepared this year, etc. Alright, that rant's over.
Chunk is at a birthday party at the mini-golf place right now. TrainWreck just went over to a friend's house to play video games. Lurch is at a weightlifting meet. Thunderduck MIGHT be fixin to go to a friend's house to spend the night. MyPoolBoy and I might actually have a little time to talk just by ourselves since it's our anniversary and we are A) going nowhere B) doing nothing and C) still uncomfortable around each other because of MyPoolBoy's latest fiasco.
I've been working on the website a lot the last 2 days, and I've managed to move some of the clipart CD that I have into folders on the website. I'm wanting to replace as much of the graphics as I can with that CD's graphics exclusively (streamlining my folders on the site). Also took a nap today to catch up on the rest that I'm not getting every morning by getting up at 4 am. Speaking of...I did some housecleaning today, too, so I feel a little less guilty about THAT.
The bunny is out hopping around and just came to see me. He's such a sweet little rabbit.
Ok. I'm outta here for now.
Only 12 more school days until the damn test is over and I can have about 75% of my life back. I fully expect 1/4 of my kids to not pass the test. They are THAT apathetic...what was encouraging on Friday, though, was that I whored myself out and bribed them with homework passes to do all their strategies on a Kamico quiz...I had one class with almost all 100's and the low class had over half of them 100s. The other 3 teachers on my grade level were all "see, we told you they could do it" but it just really crossed a line for me...I've NEVER had to bribe kids to try. The other teachers don't understand how frustrating it is at the upper grade level to get these kids that EXPECT a reward for doing what they are supposed to be doing anyway...it was so tough to get them from the lower grade level and have to teach them that they weren't going to get a prize for doing something they are supposed to be doing anyway. We are even going so far as to order TOYS for them for TAKS day. I'm just FLABBERGASTED. I'm not gonna fight it this year, but I will probably mention it before we start things next year. Just to let them know what a struggle it creates for the grade level above us. I'm hopeful that we will get them from the grade below us a little more prepared this year, etc. Alright, that rant's over.
Chunk is at a birthday party at the mini-golf place right now. TrainWreck just went over to a friend's house to play video games. Lurch is at a weightlifting meet. Thunderduck MIGHT be fixin to go to a friend's house to spend the night. MyPoolBoy and I might actually have a little time to talk just by ourselves since it's our anniversary and we are A) going nowhere B) doing nothing and C) still uncomfortable around each other because of MyPoolBoy's latest fiasco.
I've been working on the website a lot the last 2 days, and I've managed to move some of the clipart CD that I have into folders on the website. I'm wanting to replace as much of the graphics as I can with that CD's graphics exclusively (streamlining my folders on the site). Also took a nap today to catch up on the rest that I'm not getting every morning by getting up at 4 am. Speaking of...I did some housecleaning today, too, so I feel a little less guilty about THAT.
The bunny is out hopping around and just came to see me. He's such a sweet little rabbit.
Ok. I'm outta here for now.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Progress
OMG it is FREEZING and drizzly -- totally gross weather!
Got some more website stuff caught up last night and this morning. I even did a round of minor chores this morning (no sweeping/mopping/etc.) and had boys to school in time for weight-lifting and zero hour, etc.
School was ok...I'm a little behind where I want to be for writing and on the basal reader story that we are doing, but I'm ok on grading and have a little bit of paperwork that I can manage to do in the morning in about 30 minutes time or so. After-school tutoring was aggravating though because I had two little darlings who were playing and talking. I reamed 'em out and sent a letter home to be signed and returned. I also talked to the principal and I am going to send them to the office first thing in the morning. It's like I said the other day...I have some who WILL NOT pass TAKS -- it has nothing to do with ability...they must really like being in this grade enough to stay another year. I really don't think they believe that they will fail if they don't pass it.
I need to wash my face and put on moisturizer - the boys (Lurch and Chunk) are fixin' to bathe the little dogs...this is gonna be hilarious! Thunderduck and TrainWreck are at a soccer game -- it was just too darn cold and rainy today for me to want to drag my exhausted self out of town to go watch.
OK...gonna work on website stuff for a while...
Got some more website stuff caught up last night and this morning. I even did a round of minor chores this morning (no sweeping/mopping/etc.) and had boys to school in time for weight-lifting and zero hour, etc.
School was ok...I'm a little behind where I want to be for writing and on the basal reader story that we are doing, but I'm ok on grading and have a little bit of paperwork that I can manage to do in the morning in about 30 minutes time or so. After-school tutoring was aggravating though because I had two little darlings who were playing and talking. I reamed 'em out and sent a letter home to be signed and returned. I also talked to the principal and I am going to send them to the office first thing in the morning. It's like I said the other day...I have some who WILL NOT pass TAKS -- it has nothing to do with ability...they must really like being in this grade enough to stay another year. I really don't think they believe that they will fail if they don't pass it.
I need to wash my face and put on moisturizer - the boys (Lurch and Chunk) are fixin' to bathe the little dogs...this is gonna be hilarious! Thunderduck and TrainWreck are at a soccer game -- it was just too darn cold and rainy today for me to want to drag my exhausted self out of town to go watch.
OK...gonna work on website stuff for a while...
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