It's not working.

...the fitness plan, I mean.

I can't get enough sleep, so I end up "sleeping in" until 6am, and driving to work.

Gotta change some things.

--groovygrrl, queen of personal reflection

Monday Morning Coffee Buzz

...it's a good thing.

Aaah. Monday morning. The guy on the radio just said, "Mostly sunny and 70 today." Eat your heart out, Iowans. I drove as far as Broadway today, when I realized that I forgot my office keys at home. Good thing I left early. I walked to work 4 days last week, so my keys were still in my backpack. Since I drove today, I took my purse. I still don't have my rhythm down for transferring keys. Go figure. It's Monday.

This weather has me longing for summer break. I get to have one, this year, because of the wisdom of my advisor/professor at the University. She brought up, in their weekly faculty meeting, that she thought I had enough internship hours, and why were they making me do another one? They all agreed that I have spent more than enough time and money convincing them that I can teach, and they waived the elementary internship for me. That means I don't have to do it this summer. Whee!

That doesn't get me out of the class I'm taking now. It is both stupid and brutal. It has a ton of work each week, and much of it is repeated from my previous years in graduate school. I have to finish it, however, because it means another endorsement to my teaching license. I still have a few more years to teach before I can quit, therefore I need this endorsement. *sigh*

On a lighter note, my baby has started saying actual words. They aren't perfectly formed, but she knows what she is saying. Her words? "Brush" and "bye-bye." She says "bsh" for brush, and makes a movement to brush her hair. If I then give her the brush, she says "bsh!" and actually brushes her hair. So cute! My mom taught her to say "bye-bye" and wave, just this weekend! She has been clapping a lot, too. She is just a precious little monkey.

One more item of note for today: I am sitting in for our student advisor at school today. She needed a paperwork day, so they asked me to fill in. That means I will be the one to deal with all the kids who are sent out of class for disruptions and general tomfoolery. As Homer Simpson once said, "I got a hankerin' for some spankerin'!" No, no. We don't spank the children. Much. :)



--groovygrrl, queen of starbucks

The Moral Obligation of Stupid People

...is to either wise up, or shut up.

So I was talking to my girlfriend, S. the other day. She was telling me this small story about her crazy sister. This sister is a quite intolerant sort, and happens to be an evangelical Christain, to boot. She is a self-professed homophobe, among other things. Just a short history, for reference.

The big point that made me put my head in my hands was this: The sister, B. said to S., "Have you gone to see The Passion of the Christ yet?"

S. replied, "No, I don't think I want to. It looks pretty gruesome."

Then B. said, (I am not kidding)" S., it is your moral obligation to God to see this movie!"

S. was a bit shocked by this statement, since she didn't generally rely on her sister for moral or spiritual guidance. S. replied to her sister, "Well, that may be, but I don't know if I want to support a film that is potentially Anti-Semitic."

Now, here's the "head in her hands" moment. B. replied,"What does that mean?"

S. said, "What? What does what mean?"

B. said, "Anti-Semitic. What is that?"

*big open eyes from me...shaking my head...putting my head in my hands*

Yep. That does it. If you are smart, and want to proselytize, go for it. I'll probably not talk to you, anyway, but at least you'll understand the word "proselytize," and will probably be gracious about it when I tell you I would rather not discuss your issues.


If you are and evangelical Christian, and do not know what the term "Anti-Semitism" means, then your moral obligation to society is to shut the hell up.

Does this make me appear intolerant? Perhaps. However, I would like to state that B. has every right to follow whatever spiritual path she wants. My point is, if you are stupid, then perhaps you shouldn't follow a spiritual path that demands you recruit for your cause, because you are going to end up looking stupider than you are.

Of course, if you have read this far and are actually stupid, then I bet you have a puzzled look on your face. No problem. I'll fix it for you:

Hey! Stupid people! Zip it!


--groovygrrl, queen of intolerant rants

Walking, Gardening, and Tae Bo, oh my.

...it's a tall order.

So I get this email from my friend A. "It's time to register for summer softball!" Good grief! I'm still recovering from last year's softball season. Granted, it was only a few months after I had my baby, and I probably had no business out on the field. It was fun while it lasted, but my muscles were so sore the next day!

So! I have decided, because I am a lunatic, to train for softball this year. My plan? Walking to school at least 4 days per week, lots of gardening (some in the evenings and some on the weekends), and Tae Bo whenever I can. Yeah. That oughta do it.

Now, I don't know how soon all of this can be phased in. I mean, I'm a busy person. However, my husband was looking at some photos the other day, and commented about his own appearance, saying, "Man. I've gotta lose weight." So, I have someone that I can encourage along with me. We'll see. I hope all of you who know me now have a mental image of me with my husband, fake-kickboxing in the basement, along with Billy Blanks. Yes, you should be laughing.

Perhaps I'll get him to help with the gardening, first.

--groovygrrl, queen of fitness

What kindofa log is this?

...my last post was on Monday!

And here we are, at Friday, and I finally have one minute (literally) to spend on blogging. Such is the life of a teacher, and I hate it more and more each day. The stupid politics. The incessant gossip. The ridiculous requirements for employment, either initial or continued.

Every day, I am closer and closer to chucking it all.

I think my posts make me appear manic-depressive (bipolar?). Unfortunately, that is not the case. If I were bipolar, I could take medication to help me get through this. Unfortunately, if I were to do that right now, it would not be considered "helping, it would be considered "drinking on the job."

I'm not at that point. :)


--groovygrrl, queen of ribaldry

I need an Art Day

...a serious one.

This Friday night, I am going to a class for my sewing machine. The class came free with the purchase (It should be free! This thing is expensive!). I am looking forward to it for a couple of reasons:

a) It' free
and
b) It has nothing to do with my job.

I will miss my baby for a bit, but I am excited to learn all the things this machine can do. I'm almost done with the quilt for Baby Girl. I know this class is going to be fun.

So I've got that on my mind, and I was watching HGTV the other day, when this woman starts showing how to use copper tubing to create a trellis for the garden. It is so easy! I mean, the soldering might put some people off, but because I am skilled with stained glass work, it appears very very easy. I then got the idea to make some triangle/tipi/pyramid shaped flower trellises, with straight sides, and one snaky spiral of some skinny copper tubing wrapping around it, up to the top. Plant some morning glories, moonflowers, or other climby-viney things (clematis!), then sit back and watch the fireworks. I like it!

So. When will I find the time to do this? It is very much like taking a day off from school: I need a day off from my life, to do this! I am plagued with cool ideas, and no time in which to bring them to fruition. *sigh*

--groovygrrl, queen of unfinished projects

What Happened Last Week

...I'll just post the emails.

What follows are the emails (names omitted) that went back-and-forth from me to the teacher who completely lost all decorum and freaked out while I was teaching. I don't know if it will be clear to all what happened, or not. To teachers, it will be clear and appalling. To the rest of you, it goes like this: there is an unwritten rule of classroom management, in which if one teacher/administrator tells a student to do something, any other teacher just butts out and lets that person handle it. That way, the students get a clear idea that the adults have solidarity, and they can't play one off the other. It is very important to be this way in a middle school.

*sigh* Anyway, here are the emails, in order. I wrote the first one, and she wrote me back. Then I wrote one more, and that's been it so far. Please note the dearth of apology on her part.

A-----,

I had asked to speak with you privately, because what I had to say was not appropriate to say in front of the children. Therefore, I will tell you via email.

1. I was beginning the class, and you were not there. Therefore, I had to make decisions about how the class was going to move forward. I had asked Raysha to leave, because she had said, "F---you," to another student. I told her to wait for me. I was going to deal with her when I got a minute.

2. I then asked N----- to join her, because she called M------ a "stupid retard." I was going to deal with her when I got a minute.

3. That is the way I work, when I am running a class. You made it very clear to me, and to the whole class, that you feel I cannot control the class, and that you would rather they answer to you. You made this clear by bringing those children back in, and dressing me down in front of the class, after I had asked them to stay out and wait for me. You made it even more clear when you began to lecture them about wasting time, and asking them to apologize to me. You also made it clear, to the class and to me, that you do not think I am capable of teaching the class, because you came back in and started dictating what we were going to do.

4. When I tried to talk with you about this, you indicated that you did not want to talk about it. This tells me that you did not approve of the way I was doing things.

5. I had previously received E----'s email about students in the hall. However, I was about to proceed with the lesson in such a way that I could go deal with the situation. I was handling it in my way.

6. My conclusions, after this interaction are that you:

a. think I have no control over the class.
b. are not comfortable with me teaching your class.
and c. would rather I wasn't there.


I would like to conclude by letting you know that I feel insulted by your actions today.


Her response to me is as follows (please note that her first comment about mediation came from her conversation with the principal. I had gone to him, letting him know that I might need mediation in this matter):


A--,

I do not think mediation is necessary. I do, however, think it is important that are methods of resolution are similar. I do not think it is ever appropriate to have students out of the hall without being supervised. I usually send them to Mr. H----, our student advisor, or remove them from the group. We can discuss if this is okay with you, but is important that we are on the same page. I also think it would be good for you to have more opportunities for instruction, so the students will become accustomed to your teaching style. I address issue to build communication/relationship; not to demean anyone.

As far as the two situations, M------ admitted to the fact that he started the whole incident between he and N-----. N----- was merely repeating what he said. M------ apologized to N-----, and they worked it out.

R----- did admit to saying profanity and she apologize to A------ for saying that to her. She also wrote a letter of apology to me for being disruptive in class. She remained with Mr. H---- for the remaining of the period.

Hopefully this experience will allow an opportunity for us to collaborate and figure out ways to resolve issues, which are similar, regardless of whether both of us are in the room or not.

Have a good day,

A-----


*fuming, even as I am reading this again*

Ok, and my most current response:

A--,

I do not think mediation is necessary. I do, however, think it is important that are methods of resolution are similar. I do not think it is ever appropriate to have students out of the hall without being supervised.I usually send them to Mr. H----, our student advisor, or remove them from the group. We can discuss if this is okay with you, but is important that we are on the same page.

Since you do not think it is "ever appropriate" to have students in the hall without being supervised, then I don't think we will come to an agreement on that. However, when there are two of us in the room, then there is never a need to have a student alone in the hallway, is there? I made a decision as the only teacher in the room at the time. I am not complaining about that, I am just stating it as a fact that pertains to my issue.

When I am the only teacher, and someone needs to be removed, I either send them to the office, or send them to the hall to wait for me to conference with them. They were not sent to the hall indefinitely. I sent them there to wait for me, so I could talk with them privately, and to send the message to the students that a person may not remain in the room if they are behaving badly. That is how I usually do things, when I am the only teacher in the room, making the decisions. I did not have the chance to handle that situation today, because you took over.

That is my issue here: that you took over the situation when I was teaching. I had made a decision, and you swooped in and usurped it. That sends the message to the children that they don't have to follow my directions.


I also think it would be good for you to have more opportunities for instruction, so the students will become accustomed to your teaching style.

Many of these students experience my teaching style during other classes. Others know my teaching style because I am the teacher during period 3, when you have a sub. They know how I work, because they have had that experience several times. Each time, they behaved differently, but each time I handled it.


I address issue to build communication/relationship; not to demean anyone.

I felt demeaned when you addressed this issue in front of the children,and in the middle of instruction.

As far as the two situations, M------ admitted to the fact that he started the whole incident between he and N-----. N----- was merely repeating what he said. M------apologized to N-----, and they worked it out.

R----- did admit to saying profanity and she apologize to A------ for saying that to her. She also wrote a letter of apology to me for being disruptive in class. She remained with Mr. H---- for the remaining of the period.

I would have found out what actually happened, had I been allowed to handle the situation myself. As it stands, I did not have the chance. Can you imagine my frustration, when a student who had just said the "f" word was led back into class, and you then told me that she "needed to be there?" What was I supposed to do? Question your authority in front of the students? I will not do that, to any teacher.


Hopefully this experience will allow an opportunity for us to collaborate and figure out ways to resolve issues, which are similar, regardless of whether both of us are in the room or not.


I suspect that we do not see the situation the same way, since your email did not address my issues, which I thought were very clear. Perhaps not. I'll be more explicit:

I feel incredibly insulted by the entire experience, because my authority as the teacher was usurped in the middle of instruction, and I was belittled in front of the children. That is my issue.




Now, as far as resolving issues when both of us are in the room, I can answer that one for you: I am there to serve my students with special needs. When problems arise, I'm happy to help with them. When shared reading time comes, I'm happy to read. I am also happy to simply assist the students with special needs, and remain otherwise silent, if you would prefer.

Right now, I cannot get over my anger at being belittled in front of children. Since you did not apologize for it before, I presume you don't think you did anything wrong. The fact remains that I feel insulted, no matter how you perceived the situation.

E---- has informed me that he would like to observe me during period 3 on Monday. I don't have time today to have a face-to-face conversation with you, because my schedule is tight, as usual. At this point, I guess I'll just have to roll with whatever comes my way on Monday. I feel this is still unresolved.


And THAT is why I couldn't write about it last week. Now, I did have my observation today, after talking with E----, the principal. You won't believe what happened: During the lesson that we had agreed I would teach, she interrupts, saying, "I've been trying to remain silent, but..." and then proceeds to teach for the next 5 minutes. The content she was teaching was what I was just going to say, to boot. After the class, in the hallway, the principal said to me," That was nice of her, to interject and then teach for 5 minutes, wasn't it?" being sarcastic. I am so glad he was there to see it.

*sigh* *rolls eyes*

Do you people now see why I have to get out of here?








--groovygrrl, queen of cranky emails

Ideas, please.

...somebody get me outta here.

I started to post the event that happened to me today, but deleted it. I just can't live through it again. I'm still stunned, and somewhat reeling. It wasn't a good kind of stunned, either.

So, instead of reliving the horrifying events of today, I am going to make a list of...

Things I Would Rather Do Than Teach In That Woman's Class Again

1. Watch "Survivor."
2. Get a bikini waxing.
3. Watch anything on Fox. (Actually, I am into the "Celebrity Spelling Bee." Fox got a word wrong! "Supersede." Carol Liefer spelled it "supercede" and they said she was right! WRONG! Check the dictionary, Fox! I already emailed them a letter. Yes, I am a geek.)
4. Drive through Nebraska.
5. Drive through Houston during rush hour.
6. Milk a goat.
7. Bite myself.
8. Stub all my toes at once.
9. Get a UTI.
10. Gouge out my eyes with a white-hot poker covered in fire ants.

--groovygrrl, queen of clarity

I hope you have this experience someday.

...so heartwarming.

Last night, I googled a friend, to see if there were any photos of him on the web. He's an actor, and I am out of contact with him. I was hoping to see if he had been doing anything important enough to be photographed.

I found some imgaes of him! However, the photos were from many years ago, in college. It was from this theatre group we had at the University of Iowa, called No Shame Theatre. Every Friday night, at 11:00pm, we would pack ourselves into Theatre B, paying $1.00 for the pleasure of actors trying out their personal works. Most of these pieces we viewed were funny. Some were dramatic, some were meant to provoke thought. The pieces performed were submitted at 10:30pm, and there were largely no rules about who could perform. You just couldn't mess up the theatre.

In any case, I was looking through the No Shame (Iowa City) website, and found their archives. This surprised me , because when I was doing the No Shame thing, the internet was just beginning to be a reality (1988-1992). Most of their archives are just notes from the order of the performances. Very few scripts exist from back then; if they do, it is because the writer/actor submitted them within the last few years.

I was intrigued by all of this, and set out to find my name. I performed a few times in No Shame Theatre, and wondered if it was logged. I couldn't believe what I found.

In some notes that a woman took from back then, were these words:

"...wonderfully enticing limericks from a beautiful young woman...who is that woman in blue??? (sounds like A-- H---)."

She was talking about me. I was the one with the limericks. I had this schtick where I would pretend to give a poetry lesson, and then completely botch whatever form of poetry it was. The people found it funny, I remember that. It worked at the time.

What I didn't know was some woman I had never met thought I was a beautiful young woman. She also thought enough of me to add my name (spelled incorrectly, but she had only heard it, not read it), and ask herself who I might be, in her journal that she kept of the performances.

I am stunned and happy. My heart is 3 times the size it was yesterday.

Someone thought I was the beautiful young woman in blue.
Someone thought I was funny and intriguing.
Someone thought I was important enough to literally take note.

And I never knew it.


--groovygrrl, queen of nostalgia

It was Punny.

...what he said.

So I'm in class today, teaching with S., who loves puns. I generally don't. Generally, I find them eyeroll-worthy. However, today he made one that made me laugh out loud.

We were discussing myths and mythology with our 7th grade students. S. says to the class, but I know he's really talking to me, "So! Why was Medusa really hip?"

And the kids responded, "Huh?"

And S. said, "Medusa. You know, monster in Greek mythology, snakes for hair. Why was she hip?"

And the kids responded, "I don't know." ..and their eyes glazed over.

And then S. said, "...because she got her Gorgon."

And I busted out laughing.


--groovygrrl, queen of tomfoolery

Baby Girl eats!

...film at eleven.

I think it will be hard for me to explain the unfettered joy I felt when I learned that my Baby Girl was eating again. Unless you have a child, or are particularly attached to an animal who has been ill, you might not get it.

My baby was ill, as I had written before. We took her to the doctor on Friday, and he said she had a run-of-the-mill bug, and we needed to just wait it out. We were doing everything right: lots of fluids, the B.R.A.T. diet, etc. She just wasn't eating much at all. She would have 3 bites at breakfast, and the rest of the day, she would drink apple juice.

I really started to worry when I picked her up from her nap on Saturday, and she felt cold. Last week a fever, and this week? 95.7 degrees. She was scaring me.

Therefore, I was completely rejuvenated yesterday morning, when she had a huge poopy diaper that was semi-solid, for once! Woo hoo! I thought she might be recovering, and she was. Papa reported to me that she had been hungry all day, and was eating a lot at each meal. She even sat with me in the evening, and had a snack after her dinner, while I ate mine.

*phew*

I've never been so happy to see another person eat.





--groovygrrl, queen of motherhood

What do you do when...

...you feel constantly insulted?

I think I am going to have a serious problem going to school tomorrow. Getting there physically isn't the problem, I mean mentally and emotionally it will be difficult. More and more, I hate the job.

So jaded! So cynical I am! So talking like Yoda I am! See? See what public schools do to a person?

Seriously...to get myself through, I am going to focus on subversion. I will have to subvert the act of teaching into something meaningful. I believe I will start with a moderately-sized, handmade sign, taped to the wall above my computer. It will read, "Do you care?" To others, it will appear that I am an advocacy zealot, constantly reminding myself that I am a teacher because I care.

Of course, I will know, and now you know, I will post it there so I can remind myself, "No, I do not care, and I don't have to care. I just have to do a good job and go home." Which is what I will tell myself everytime I look at it.

"So sad, Amy! That is such a sad story!" you opine.

"Zip it, Freakshow!" I reply. "I care about my family! I have cared about everybody else's family for my entire career! Doesn't my family deserve my care?"

"Well, jeezy creezy, when you put it that way, I kinda feel like an ass," you say to me.

"Well, you should," I say back. Then I stomp off, trying to shake off the guilt that years of indentured servitude have impressed upon me. Then I grumble, "Sorry. You are not an ass."

I am trying not to feel like one, myself. THIS is what public school does to a person. It makes a person feel bad for wanting to take care of her own family.



--groovygrrl, queen of free agency

I teach and teach and teach

...and then I come home and collapse.

Most days, that's how it goes. I wonder if my day seems normal to anyone. So, here goes:

A Day In The Life of Amy, Teacher/Public Servant

4:45am: Alarm rings. This is the alarm on my cell phone, as Baby Girl smashed my wonderful Zen alarm clock that woke me with a gentle *ding! .......ding!* each morning. She didn't know any better....'twas my own fault.

4:50am: I shut off the snooze feature, and get up. Pee. Brush teeth. Et cetera.

5:15am: Breakfast. Sometimes.

5:30am: Dress

5:40am: Breastfeed Baby Girl. This part of the plan is slowly receding. Some days she wants to, and some days she wants to sit in her crib and talk to Monkey. Whatever, Girly!

6:00am: Leave house to either a) catch the bus or b) walk to work. Either way, I get there on time. It pretty much depends on how cold it is. Cold=bus.

6:45-6:50am: Arrive at school.

7:00am: Power up computer. Situate my outerwear. Get water. Email S. See that he is coming to my office to talk. Finish my email, anyway. Talk w/S about the movie we are writing. Sometimes we plan for class.

7:25am: Go to 1st period. Stand in hallway and greet students for the morning. Receive varying comments, the range of which is: "Good Morning, Ms. K!" to , "uuuunnngh."

7:30am: Period 1. Math class w/K.

8:15am: Period 2. My planning period. I either a) plan for my day in my office, doing paperwork, emailing folks, creating work for kids, meet w/team members to plan for classes, meet w/parents or b) go to Starbuck's w/S, and plan with him on the way.

9:12am: Head upstairs to...

9:15am: Period 3. Reading class w/A.

10:07am: Stand in hallway and tell the 8th graders to get it together, do they think this behavior will get them anywhere in high school, and would you please pull up your damned pants?

10:11am: Work with kids w/autism on writing and keyboarding skills, until

11:00am: My lunch, during which I am usually a)working. There is no b) eating, unless I am c) apathetic, at which point I will put my feet up and b) along with d) reading a good book.

11:53am: Period 6: My resource class. Work w/7th grade kids on their homework. Tell the 6th graders to shut it. More homework w/7th graders. Tell the two 6th graders to shut it, already, they are on their last warning. More homework, some whining from 7th graders, send one of the 6th graders downstairs, document the action, and then that's about time for...

12:45pm: The bell.

12:49pm: Period 7. Language arts w/S. Teach teach teach. Until...

1:38pm: The bell. My IEP time. Time to write IEPs, meet w/parents, call parents, email parents, email people downtown who are supposed to help me, realize that I have a new kiddo with an IEP, go to the file to get it, but it isn't there because the school hasn't sent it yet, so how am I supposed to teach this new kid, well don't worry about it, Amy, he's suspended already, anyway.

2:30pm: Last bell. School's out. Sit in my office and do work until

3pm: Time to go home. If there isn't a meeting, and there usually is.

Let's assume I do get to leave. Well, I don't go home, now, do I? I either

a) go to a class that I hate, which I have done before, and don't even want

or

b) go home, feed my baby, then at

4:30pm: run off to

c) my college class that I'm teaching. Teach teach teach. Become exhausted.

8:30pm Arrive home. Collapse.


Now, someone help me. Does everyone do this? That's a Thursday I just described, where I get up at 4:45am and get home at 8:30pm. Does everyone live like this? Is it just me?

Oh, and don't PAY me what I deserve, either!!!

*crankcrankcrank*

--groovygrrl, queen of crankiness

My Baby is Ill

...and I am very sad.

I was out and about today. I had a lot of reading to do (homework for the class I hate, but I can't bring myself to slack off...too much pride, I guess. Nah, stupidity), and sat in Starbucks for a few hours, nursing my Venti-Soy-NoWhip-Mocha. Yum. I was not enjoying the activity, but was thoroughly enjoying my time by myself. I don't often have a moment that is all to myself. It was refreshing.

I finished reading. Got in my car. Drove on down the road and realized: I haven't been to the dentist in a long time! I thought this because I was driving right by the dentist office. So I stopped in and made an appointment. Good for me.

Went to Target after that, and spent some birthday money (thanks, mom) on some coteure (sp?). Clothes, people! I can't spell in French! Mon dieu!

Met w/Sherri after that, for some lunchy lunchy. It was very refreshing (again with the refreshing?) to sit with her and catch up on things. We decided, since she still had some time before going to work, that we would meet at the Apple store, to drool over computers.

No such luck. I checked my voicemail, and Israel had called. My baby had vomited twice, and had an explosive blowout of diarrhea. Eep! I drove to the store for some electrolyte sugar water stuff and popsicles.

My poor baby! She had yet another poopy blowout, vomited again, and has a fever! Don't worry, I have checked with the medical professionals, and I am handling it as best as can be at this moment. Poor little chicken took 3 naps today, and is already in bed. I expect she will wake up tonight, dehydrated. Poor, poor, chicken.

Israel is also feeling ill! Therefore, I am taking tomorrow off from work to care for Baby Girl. I guess Israel is on his own.


--groovygrrl, queen of healing

President's Day Break

..in which Amy sleeps in until 6:30am, watches Teletubbies and has a stroke...

One of the only benefits of teaching in public schools are the breaks. Today is one of them. We get today off because it is President's Day, and we get tomorrow off because of budget cuts. Whatever. I get a 4-day weekend, during which I can relax, refresh my mind, and spend time with my family.

"Ha!," you shriek, as you point at me, accusingly,"You're full of crapola! I know you are working while you're home! You can't just sit and relax! You teach in public schools! Liar! Liar!"


......oooooh, you're right. I am doing work this weekend. However, my husband is sleeping in at the moment, and I'm spending time with my baby girl, who is currently watching Sesame Street. We both dig on Sesame Street, especially the "Journey to Ernie" segment and, of course, "Elmo's World." Unfortunately, I turned the tv on a little early (I don't know when SS is on! I work all day!), and the Teletubbies were there.


*blinkblink* Ok, folks. Have you seen this show? Frankly, it frightens me. There's this baby face inside the sun, that looks down on the Teletubbies, like some freakish, infantile Big Brother. It laughs at them. I don't like it.

Furthermore, these Teletubbies don't quite speak. They say something that sounds like, "Uh oh!" and "bye bye!" They also said, "Do it again!" when one Teletubbie (named Flippy-dippy, I think) broadcast this little scene of kids doing crafts. Well, Flippy-Dippy actually broadcast it...again! They showed the same little crafty segment twice! Then they danced around and said, "Flippy dippy! Poo! Pee Diaper! Wee Wee!" proclaiming their names, said good-bye, and jumped down their rabbit hole.

Yaaaaaaaah! I cannot deal with this! I can deal with the fact that Flippy-Dippy is gay. I don't care about that. I worry that they are DERANGED! And that damned Baby-sun god freaks me out!

So now, we are groovin' on Sesame Street. They are singing karaoke at Hooper's store today. All together now: "Who are the people in your neighborhood? In your neighborhood? .....we are the people in your neighborhood. We're the people that you meet, when you're walkin' down the street, we're the people that you meeeeet, eeeeach daaaaaaaay!"

Unlike those Teletubbies. *shudder*


--groovygrrl, queen of days off

Valentine's Day Social

Teenagers and Modern Love-Fests

Yes, you should be cringing by now. Today was the Valentine's Social. 400 12-14-year-olds in a darkened gym, with DJ music blaring, streamers streaming, and teachers "on duty." My duty wasn't too bad: I was helping sell pizza, soda, pickles, and candy, which was in the adjoining gym. Hectic, but not unbearable.

Steve had detention duty. Some students didn't even make it to the social. I would count them among the "lucky few." They got to sit up in the cafeteria and do their homework. Steve got to sit there and watch them. This would be considered the "easy" duty.

Then there are the other teachers who were actually in the dance area of the social. I suppose their duty could be called, "Grope Detail." Not fun. It's hot in there, the kids are all acting like fools, and it's a modern cultural "love day." Please!

It's just grody, you know? All these sweaty, pubescent boys and girls, "dancing" with each other.


EEEeeeeewwww. It's just eew.

I'm glad I'm finally home for a 4-day weekend.


--groovygrrl, queen of valentine's day

New Link

Someone reallly likes me!

I have been informed that Susie Q. has linked to my site. Since she is a teacher, and we folk tend to stick together, even if we don't know each other, I am adding her blog to my links, as well. I hope you enjoy us both.



--groovygrrl, queen of parity

Goober Central

Not everything regarding teaching is bad.

My favorite quotes from students:

1. (While I was eating chips, after school): Miss! You can't eat with your mouth full!
My response: Really? How do you eat?

2. (After a discussion about whether or not their dad was present when they were born): Yeah, my dad wasn't there when I was born. My mom wasn't there, either.

3. (This is proof that they listen to every word you say...when she was urging a kid to open his book and get started, this student said): Dude, use the two brain cells you have to rub together!

4. (Our perennial annoying favorite, which happens almost every day): Do we have to write this down? Our response, every freaking day: If I write it down, then it's probably important enough for you to write it down.

5. (Aaaaand this is probably my personal favorite): Miss! I'm not late, my stuff was here!

Coming Soon: 803 Reasons Why Teaching In Public School Will Kill You Slowly

--groovygrrl, queen of snappy comebacks

What I Figured Out The Other Day

It Happened During a Math Meeting

While sitting in an all-day math meeting (don't even think about it, folks. Seriously. We don't need any more of us even contemplating it), bored as usual, I began to make a plan. The plan is for me to quit teaching.

"No, Amy! You can't quit!" I heard all of you shouting.

"Shut up!" I shouted back in my head, "I can't make my business plan with all this badgering!"

"But Amy! You can't quit teaching! You are so good at it! And you will miss the kids! Isn't that why you are a teacher? Because of the kids?"

" I thought I told you to SHUT IT!" I shouted back in my head, even louder. And I continued to make my plan.

This plan of action involves me becoming a freelance commercial writer. I want to be paid for something I enjoy. I don't mean paid here-and-there. I mean, paid so that my bills are covered and my baby's butt is covered by some clothes, and I don't have to wonder about where it's coming from. I mean, paid so that we can go out to eat once per month, and not worry that our budget is going to suffer, and on the 30th of the month we'll have to eat rice three times per day. I don't want that. I want real money.

I've read up on it. I recommend a book titled The Well Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. It is easy to read, and full of practical advice about becoming a writer that actually gets paid. Ok, and thanks to my friend L., who first recommended the book to me, and got me started with blogging. She's part of this insanity, too.

Details on all that, later. So I'm sitting there in the all-day math meeting ("Fun For The Whole Family"), not listening, happy to have a break from school in any form, and making calculations. This is what I came up with:

1. Realistically, I need to make $This Amount per year to pay my bills, feed my family, and have some savings. That's with very little credit card debt, either, folks. And I own my car outright, so no lectures. Thank you.

2. I cut that number in half, to be realistic. That number is $HalfTheAmount. That's the amount of money I want to make by writing, part-time.

3. I multiplied that number by 5 years (my goal for quitting teaching) and got $5xTheAmount. That's the amount of money I can save in 5 years, if I save all my writing money.

4. I multiplied that number by .66, in order to be real about us spending some of the savings. I am now at $5xtimes2/3TheAmount.

When I have that much money saved, I'm quitting teaching. It's possible. For those of you who know me, you know I'm not afraid of hard work. If I bust my rear on getting writing jobs as hard as I bust my rear getting an education I don't even want, imagine how much money I'll make. For those of you who don't know me, then send me a comment! We'll talk.

"But, Amy!" you still cajole me,"Why on earth would you want to quit teaching? It's such a noble profession!"

No. I disagree. Nobility has nothing to do with taking the scraps that are thrown to me from a bureaucrat's table. There is no nobility in enduring the indignity of public school teaching. Nobility does have something to do with taking care of one's family, and raising one's own children with care. I'm tired of taking care of everyone else's children, instead of mine.

"Amy! You are so cranky! What happened to you?" you whine.

I woke up.


--groovygrrl, queen of dignity

I really am quite a pleasant person...

...really, I am!

Really. I'm just crabby today.

--groovygrrl, queen in charge of niceness