Ding Dong the Witch is Dead!

Found out today a grade-level coworker I can NOT tolerate has been assigned to teach another grade. Her students are being divided among the rest of the grade level so I am getting 6 new students come Monday.

The trade-off is completely worth it.

Clay Nation

What's with the new hairdo?
http://www.clayaiken.com/news.php

Fact Worse than Fiction

Anyone who knows me knows I have school nightmares every year before school starts back. Today I had a real-life nightmare at school when the superintendent decided to pay a surprise visit to our school. It was fourth grade recess time and we were having recess in the classroom .... my kids (primarily Hispanic and Black) were exercising to a video ...... a Richard Simmons video. Doesn't get any scarier than that!

Are you kidding me?

Is it just me or does driving 10 mph below the posted speed limit and taking swigs from a flask with a cell phone glued to your head seem just a little bit FREAKING CRAZY to anyone?

We Remember 9-11-01

This date makes me sad.

My heart always starts to feel heavy a few days before September 11. For me it's one of those dates that I'll always remember where I was and what I was doing.

As an educator it's hard to balance the need to cover the history and the sadness I still feel. (even though I didn't actually lose anyone in the events of that day) So today we made "heart flags" with yellow ribbons that just said "We Remember 9-11-01" The truth is, fortunately for them, most of my students know about it, but don't remember it because they were only 4 or 5 at the time.

I've heard on the radio today those talking about how we shouldn't let terrorists win; some saying that since we're all scared they've already won. I don't know about all of that. I just know that 9-11 changed me, because terrorism was suddenly a reality. I don't walk around scared all the time, but I do sometimes feel suspicious of some people and situations now more than before. Terrorism is no longer something that happens "over there" and any underlying belief that this is a completely safe country is gone. I think that there are a lot of subtle changes that I'm not always aware of, but that pop up now and again.

One very prominent change: we flew the flag at half-mast today. Another day of mourning for our country was added 5 years ago today.

On a more positive note - that female officer that went missing the day before she was supposed to come home to N.C. was found. Good news for a change.

The Return of the Crud

I've been sick since Thursday night. I get this stuff every year around this time and through October. Last year I was sick for almost 2 months.

I starts with a sore throat due to severe post-nasal drip. Then there's a couple of days of head cold symptons - stuffy nose and the like. The final stage (and the one that can last forever) is the congested chest/coughing up phlem stage. In my family we call it "the crud".

Currently I'm in stage 3, hacking my lungs out. This will either clear up in a few days or it will linger until it's a bronchial infection and I'm coughing up green stuff. At that point I'm usually able to convince the doctor I'm sick when I hand him/her a tissue full and then I finally get the coveted antibiotic.

This year I'm not waiting 8 weeks until the green. If this isn't gone by the end of this week, I'm off to see the wizard, uh, er - doctor. And I WILL come home with drugs.

Visiting Home

Went home this weekend for my dad's 74th birthday and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by how good he looked! I don't think any of us had been led to believe that the surgery he had was going to make him feel any better, but it seems to have. He's back to getting out, teaching his Sunday school class, and even drove us to dinner Friday night. (mom had taken over all the driving due to his dizzy spells - which still aren't completely resolved but are occurring less frequently)

But besides all that - he just looks better. It's strange, but he actually looked younger - maybe he's resting better or something and just looks more refreshed. It was nice to see him nearly back to his old self.

Sigh

No particular reason for the title - just the first thing that came to mind.

Andrea is sooo good about keeping up with her blog postings. I'm just slack.

Sigh.

Good news on the home front. Dad made it through his surgery with flying colors, so says the doc. He spent one night in the hospital and has been home recovering on only Tylenol ... the only pain killer he would consent to take. He should do an ad for them. I've made it a point to check in every couple of days and though he was not feeling well and in pain for about a week, this past week has been good. In fact, he says he thinks he overdid it. He and mom went out to dinner three times last week. They had all but stopped their little outings because dad was feeling so poorly before surgery. Now he thinks he may need to have a tube put in his ear to help relieve some of the dizzy spells he is having. I'm heading home this Friday for his 74th birthday. Wish my brother could come, too.

Sigh.

School is back in session and I'm generally sleeping better since I'm so tired, though last night I had nightmares. Don't remember any of them, though. This year's class is less talkative, but more challenging to teach. I'll save that for another day.

Grad school is back in session, too. We have the maniac professor again who thinks we have nothing to do but grad work. This time, though, I'm not scared of her. I have a bit of a short-timer's attitude since after this class, there are only three more! (yippee)

Oh - reality tv updates:
Yea Benji!
Go Janelle!
Boo, Hell's Kitchen.
When does Amazing Race start?

LOL