Can I Get an Amen?!

Classroom Focus blog post from Indianapolis Star

Things I Wish I Could Wear

We all know how much I love a good bow.

The Highs

My last few posts have taken the form of bulleted lists. My brain works best this way, so I'll just stick with it for now. Here are the highlights of my Christmas break (so far):

• Discovering The First 48 online
• Quality sister time
• Kitty!
• Family Christmas party
• Picking up Koro from airport
• Finding money in my car
• Tiger game with my papa
• Free Danver's roast beef because the Tigers won
• View of the Mississippi/Memphis skyline
• NO PAPER GRADING
• Mimi's sausage bread
• Papa Croft's eggs on toast
• Papa Croft spraying the belts on my car so they don't wake up the entire neighborhood when I start my car in the mornings
• Recovering about a dozen of my books my sister has been hoarding

P.S. These are in no particular order--ranking them would require more brain effort than I'm willing to exert right now.

A Non-Resolution, of sorts

I'm not really one for New Year's Resolutions...but I am one for setting goals. So, we're going to peg this list as a goal, NOT a resolution. Over winter break, I realized I had a long list of books in my head that I desperately want to read. The problem comes in when I further realize that I actually have no time to read, and when I do, I can't for the life of me think of one of the books on my list. For that reason, I've typed it out here, and fully intend to mark these books off my list as the year progresses. Here they are (divided categorically, of course):

Good Life Books
Commitment to Excellence by Vince Lombardi

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Our Chosen Faith by John A. Buehrens and Forrest Church

Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game by Michael Lewis

Teacher Books

Because Writing Matters: Improving Student Writing in Our Schools by the National Writing Project and Carl Nagin

The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African-American Children by Gloria Ladson-Billings

We Can't Teach What We Don't Know: White Teachers, Multiracial Schools by Gary Howard

Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4-12 by Janet Allen

Holler If You Hear Me by Gregory Michie

Teach Like You Hair's on Fire by Rafe Esquith

Teacher Man: A Memoir by Frank McCourt

Children's Books

Harry Potter (all of them) by J.K. Rowling

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

Stepping on the Cracks by Mary Downing Hahn

Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Holes by Louis Sachar

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Frindle by L.G. Minasean

Sounder by Jeanette Sanderson

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Tale of Desperaux by Kate DiCamillo

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

Sweet Success!

I know it's been a while since I've posted anything of any real substance. But so goes my life. Lately it's been a flurry of paper grading and holiday partying (rough, I know).

I DO, however, want to update everyone on my most recent life success: 5K RUNNING! The best things about this include:

• I ran the whole thing.
• They gave us medals.
• Within 30 minutes of arriving in Memphis, we witnessed drunk man being arrested before our very eyes.
• Finish time? 36:18 (Not too shabby for this first-timer.)
• Lauryn was a CHAMP.
• Long sleeved t-shirt for free.
• Finishing on the field at Autozone.
• I have the absolute best friends a girl could ask for (more on that later).

Following the advice of my many advisers, I smiled as we crossed the finish line! Sadly, I later discovered that some lame-o stole our glam shot, and there's no photographic evidence of our crossing the finish line. We did. Take my word for it. And I've got a medal for proof.

East TN stories NEVER get old

Cows Lick Home, Owner Calls Sheriff

Be sure you read all the way to the last line.

Couldn't say it better myself...

Memphis and Music: The Story of Why I Miss My Hometown

Addendum

As an addition to my previous post, here's something about Alabama. It's okay...they "wasn't gunna lurn nothin neway".

What It Was, Was Football

Family fave. We listen to it on "albums" (slash records) at almost every holiday gathering.

Extreme Makeover: Classroom Edition

Extreme Makeover: Classroom Edition

My students could really use your help! DonorsChoose.org allows donors (like YOU) to help us meet needs for our students. The fact is, I was given $200 to spend on my classroom this year. That was gone before the students even walked through the door in August.

I'm asking that you send this to anyone you know who might be able to help us.

LOVE!

Whoa, Black Friday

My sister tried her damndest to get me up and shopping with her at 4am. Though I love nothing more than a great deal, large crowds send me into fits of panic. Needless to say, I did not join her. But that didn't keep me from doing a little shopping later in the day! Just got home from Banana Republic, where I finally purchased a dress for a wedding I'm going to in January. It's possible that I'm experiencing a bit of buyer's remorse because I'm not sure it's suitable wedding attire.

Here's a pic of it. I think I'm going to belt it and wear black tights and heels, but in the end it's still a white and black dress. I'm reaching out to all my southern belles (and style fashionistas) out there to guide me on this. To wear or return? That's the question.

New low(s)

My life hit all kinds of new lows this weekend. Including: 3 hours of "Say Yes to the Dress", Taco Bell, leftover Sweet Ce-Ce's, DVRed Lifetime movies, TV alone in the dark. All on a Friday night. Ladies and gentlemen, I know you're jealous of my glamorous life. But seriously, I loved every second of it.

Sometimes I get going and never stop and forget what it's like to just sit back and collect myself. I love being around others and partying it up, don't get me wrong. But sometimes those nights in are just what the doctor ordered.

In other news, I signed up for the 5K! Lauryn's running with me and I can't even wait (well, I sort of can because I'm not finished training yet). Countdown: 13 days!

Somewhere-Someone

by the Rev. Thomas Carruth

The Kingdom of Love is coming because:
Somewhere someone is kind when others are unkind.
Somewhere someone shares with another in need.
Somewhere someone refuses to hate, while others hate.
Somewhere someone is patient, and waits in love.
Somewhere someone returns good for evil.
Somewhere someone serves another, in love.
Somewhere someone is calm in a storm.
Somewhere someone is loving everybody.
Is that someone you?

My new words to live by.

Great Article

About a high school football coach winning on the field while battling ALS.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

They found a man on the side of a road in East Tennessee with a mostly empty jar of moonshine tucked into the pocket of his overalls and a loaded rifle lying across his chest. Though I don't know him, I'll go ahead and assume that he represents best aspects of Tennessee country living.

Ditto

The last couple of days have been a struggle to say the least. You could describe my life as being in shambles. It's not really anything I can write on here, so I'll just leave you with a reminder of a post I made last August. This week hasn't been quite this crazy, but it's coming in a very close second.

Love, love, love

Love, Love, Love
Tristan Prettyman

Cause this life is a beautiful one.
And though I've seen it comin undone,
I know most definitely
That it’s gonna be you,
It’s gonna be me.
So baby keep your head up,
Keep it on the up and up
Cause you've got all my
Love love love.

One City. One Team. One Name.

I just got finished reading some great articles about Tiger basketball, and I'm SO PUMPED for the season to begin! It's no Final Four-caliber team, but I can't wait for the excitement to start (even if we are less successful than we have been in recent years).

Here's the slogan from the promotional posters they'll be handing out. Sums it up well, I think.

From the Field House to the FedExForum, it's a winning tradition that's a way of life. Yet, it's more than that, it's what we live for -- every time the ball goes up the city stops. A common bond with an uncommon power found nowhere else. Over 18,000 in the stands, hundreds of thousands more tuned in -- an entire town on the edge of their seats. In this city, we don't wear our hearts on our sleeves. It's worn on the front of a basketball jersey. Memphis. One City. One Team. One Name.

What're you?

A list of my favorite holidays (in order of favoritism):

1. Independence Day
2. Christmas
3. Thanksgiving
4. Opening Day (for baseball, of course)
5. Homecoming
   
6. New Year's
7. Easter
8. Labor Day
9. Memorial Day
10. MLK Day
11. Valentine's Day
12. Last Day of School
    
13. President's Day
14. Columbus Day
15. First Day of School
    
16. Halloween

So, it's really no surprise when I was less than pumped about Halloween. I feel so much pressure to come up with a great costume! I had two stipulations for a costume: (a) must be readily apparent what I'm supposed to be and (b) must be free. After quite the quest (including the ideas of being Alice in Wonderland and Beth Chapman), I remembered something that my friend Kayela dressed up as for a theme party in college: a Trophy Wife.

Decision. Made. With a little help from Nan's 6th grade basketball skillz, Meghan's blingin' ring from a previous theatre production, and my previously-assembled Vandy girl wardrobe, we had a costume!

All in all, it turned out to be a glorious weekend!

Black or White

I'll just start this one off by saying that I should have been in bed an hour ago. Alas, I am here giving you a post I know you've been so anxiously awaiting. Just spent an hour on Facebook, which is a rare treat. (My life is more exciting than you can even begin to imagine.)

Something I've recently discovered about myself is my affinity for things that are clear cut.

Right or wrong.
Black or white.
Up or down.
Now or later.
Yes or no.

I've always pegged myself as a "rule-follower" (dates back to my days as SADD president at good ole' GHS), but now it's at a whole new level. I find myself extremely annoyed when other people don't follow the rules and procedures that I value so dearly (I am the QUEEN of the three-second-rollback at stop signs...still can't understand why other people have trouble with this). Nowhere are my rule-following ways more apparent than at work. Schools simply don't run with out rules, and I am expected to uphold those rules no matter what. I like rules because they are clear. Either you're following them or you're not.

Someday, I aspire to be a rebel. You know, somebody who can say "To hell with the rules! I do what I want." I'm pretty much the opposite of that person right now, but I'm working on it.

For now, I am a self-described prude. In a cardigan.

Just call me Mizzzzz

As I posted earlier in the summer, I started teaching a new grade at a new school this year. Although I miss my old co-workers so much, I have found teaching at this new school to be a really rewarding experience. Those crazy kids have given me my share of stress, don't get me wrong. It could be said that they have driven me to drinking. Would this t-shirt be inappropriate professional attire? Maybe it would send a solid message.

When I first got into my classroom, all I could think about was how happy I was to have central heat and air (it's the little things in life). But, alas, it's not all there is. My mom and sister came up to help me get everything ready in my room. That involved chalkboard painting much of the back wall, and painting a great bookshelf for my classroom library. I know you've been waiting on the edge of your seats, so here are the photos!

Half of my beloved classroom library. It has real, fancy basket labels now, as opposed to Post-its. Perhaps I'll remember to take you an updated picture.

View as you walk in the door.

Look to the left as you walk in, and you see this fabulous sight. The desks are in groups now, if anyone cares.

View from my desk in the back. Do you know YOUR proper editing marks?

A Little Less Talk

Sorry for the GIANT lapse in posts! Things have been absolutely off-the-chain crazy. Here's a brief run-down:

• 14 hour work days,
  
• flu battle (not sure if it was this kind),
  
• tailgates,
  
• football games,
  
• Memphis trips,
  
• paper grading,
  
• flu shots,
  
• excruciating sunburn,
  
• wine parties,
  
• Wicked performances,
  
• and (drum roll please)......

5K TRAINING!

Yup, I did it. I'm not there yet, but should be by December 5th! It took me a while to recover from the flu and get started, but I managed to do it.

My roommate Katy ended up telling me about the Couch to 5K app for my iPod Touch, and it has been amazing! I had to download an update to be able to use the app, so the whole process ended up setting me back about $9 and 2 hours. TOTALLY worth it!! It allows me to play my own playlist while operating the app that tells me when to walk and when to run.

I "trained" three days last week (run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds) and went last night for the first night of the second week (run 90 seconds, walk 2 minutes). I'm proud to say that I am still alive and kicking!

Thanks so much for all of the responses to my last post. Everybody else knowing about this and cheering me on is making it so much easier to stay on track! My next task: get some real-person running shoes. Suggestions welcomed.

P.S. If you can't tell, I'm prettttttttty pumped.

Life Goals

I'm going to run a 5K.

Okay, I haven't decided precisely when this is going to happen, but it will. Perhaps when I'm 30. Ideally it would be before that, though. I've been doing really well with my general workout routine and quite enjoy a good gym visit. Suffice it to say that I am significantly more fit now than I have been in a good long while.

So what's the problem, you ask? Welp...I can currently run about 50 yards. Those 50 yards are shortly followed by overwhelming nausea, dehydration, jelly legs, and debilitating shortness of breath. THAT, you see, is the problem.

If this were a 5K of ellipticalling, I would straight up rock that! (Why hasn't anyone invented that yet?) Unfortunately it's not. I need some pointers on how to begin a running regimen. I've looked some stuff up and talked to my running-savvy friends, but still don't feel like I have any sort of concrete idea of how to begin.

Time for a little less talk and a lot more action. Let's do this.

"How much do souls go for in Lexington, anyway?"

During the spring of my senior year at Vandy, I had the opportunity to live the college lifestyle without attending classes for a couple of months. Because I had completed half of my student teaching over the summer, I was finished by Spring Break with almost all of my requirements for my degree (save that pesky little independent study project). So from Spring Break on, it was my mission to go anywhere, do anything, and party like it was 1999. I did just that.

The best part of it all was that my Tigers made it to the Final Four that year. All of the festivities were going to be held in good ole San Antonio, Texas, where my friend Audra is from. As soon as I found out Memphis had won their Elite Eight game, Audra called and we booked our flight.

That Final Four experience was one of the best times of my life. If you're a sports fan, you owe it to yourself to go to a Final Four sometime, particularly if your team is playing. We didn't even have tickets to the actual games, but we ate dinner with Dickie V, had countless coach/player sightings, did Tiger spell-outs through the streets, and saw Taylor Swift perform. We were there.


All of this makes the recent ruling from the NCAA even more frustrating/annoying/disheartening. According to them, one of our star players didn't pass his own SAT. He took it three times, and on the fourth time, miraculously passed. Suspicious? Yes. But the NCAA told the UofM that he was eligible to play. And boy, did he ever! He helped our team win 38 games that year, make a Final Four appearance, and come withing 2 minutes of winning a National Championship (another story for another time).

There were many, many clever articles, tweets, and message board comments about this event, but here's my favorite. Pick 10 Memphians off the street and ask them what they think about John Calipari. I can't guarantee what all 10 of them would say, but I'll venture as far as to guess that at least half of them wouldn't be fit to print. The guy's a lying scumbag. If you're being backed up as an "upstanding guy" by a politician (and since when does the governor comment on things like this?), that's a new low.

Reflections

Today I got frustrated. Like really, really frustrated for a large majority of the day. There were a lot of things that went wrong and I allowed them to get to me in a way I don't normally. I made a kid cry yesterday and today (different kids). The one today was the kind of cry where he was so emotional about everything going on that I sent him over the edge. I wasn't any meaner than normal, maybe I was even nicer. But when I told him to come tell me what was wrong, he just wrapped his arms around me and hung on me like kids do to their moms. It was the kind of hug/cry that meant he was truly, deeply upset about something. He said it was because I wouldn't let him have his colored pencils, but I don't know. It shouldn't have happened.

There were also times today when my students apologized to me for things they shouldn't have had to apologize for. They were having trouble opening their lockers, and I managed to make them feel incompetent, which was not at all my intention. I also had them feeling bad about things like sitting at the wrong lunch table, asking me questions, or forgetting which books they needed. My patience wore thin.

After school was over and I was sitting in my classroom trying to keep myself together, I started questioning what I was doing. I didn't do a job today that I'm proud of and may have harmed the egos of some kids in the process. For the first time, I really, truly thought about quitting. I have had bad days at school before, but never have I genuinely thought about what my life would be if I weren't teaching. Thinking about it today scared me. A lot.

It was then that I realized I couldn't stop teaching. I honestly don't know what I would do if I weren't doing this. I feel amazingly lucky to have found my passion so early in my life, and to have known for so long what I was meant to do. When people ask me what my dreams are, I have a hard time answering. For most of my life, one of my dreams was to become a teacher and help children. I have started to see that dream come true, and for that I am proud and grateful.

I have to go into tomorrow knowing that it will be a better day. On the way home tonight, I practiced what I was going to say in the morning. It will be a great day. I got some colored pencils to give back to the kid who was upset, I have a revised plan to deal with the bully in the class, and I have an attack plan for "Operation Work a Locker". The fourth day of school kind of sucked, but the fifth can't get worse!

This Girl's Faves

Today, Meghan posted a blog about her five (ahem, six) favorite things right now and challenged me to do the same. There are some things I'm particularly obsessed with right now, mostly including my new planner I just bought at Franklin Covey. I'm feeling lost because I had to order the pages online and they have yet to be shipped. Not that I'm checking the shipping info every two hours or anything.... Anyway, here are five things that I am currently crushing on:

Animal print flats. I have determined that I'm buying a pair as soon as my classroom stops eating my paychecks. (This pair is available at Ann Taylor)


Denim trousers, particularly these from Banana. Not really the best shape for my body type, but, hey, a girl can dream, right?


Monograms in the home. Let's be honest, I always love a good monogram. You can get this wall sticker monogram at threehipchicks.com


Last Friday, we painted most of my classroom with chalkboard paint. I wish I had this idea from Martha Stewart (no, really) before I commenced that project. Super neat!


And because we all know I can't have a list of favorite things without including my beloved Tigers, here's a shirt my sister has promised to buy me for Christmas. It reads "Memphis Basketball 'Our Coach is Hotter Than Your Coach'". Check him out!


Now it's your turn! Dessa? Audra? Favorite away!!

Summer Lovin

As I was at school today, I was reliving the glory of this summer. It was a quite successful one, if I do say so. Here's a rundown:

Big move from the hood to Kenner (complete with helpful move crew and creepy alien truck)

Trip to Hoover, AL to watch the 8th seeded Dores make their way to the SEC Championship game (where they lost to the eventual National Champs...not too shabby!)

KCrews' bachelorette!

Family trip (without the padre) to Orlando and Disney World

KCrews got hitched (I was there, though I don't personally own any photographic evidence)

A trip to Michigan, which I have determined must happen ASAP

My first Cubs game

Kayela got hitched in a fabulous Kentucky affair

Lots of classroom construction both in my room and in Lauryn's

There were other things that were fabulous, including a Grand Ole Opry trip, Sounds games, trips to Memphis, cookouts, house parties, and much more! I'm excited to be starting a new school year, but also bummed that all of this is over. The planning for next summer has already begun....I'm thinking tropical....

Don't worry....I've found heaven

I've always said that I want to retire on a ranch in Montana (or Wyoming....I don't know enough to know the difference). This place makes retirement sound much too long to wait. The idea of glamorous camping, or "glamping", makes me swoon. I'm not much of one for adventurous, outdoorsy things, but this place makes it seem downright amazing. I love pretty much everything it has to offer. Who's in for a trip to Montana soon?

The Resort at Paws Up

Beale Street Flippers

I had heard some buzz about something the Beale Street Flippers did on America's Got Talent (a show I've never seen). The Flippers perform on Beale Street doing tricks for tips (not that kind of trick....), and also as entertainment at different events around the city. I've seen them several times as halftime entertainment at basketball games, and have always found them incredibly entertaining.

I'm pretty pumped that they made such a great impression on America's Got Talent. They're reppin M-town well!

Here's the link to see the video. (YouTube wouldn't let me embed it here)

What's up, Lane?

Audra just sent me this picture and I think it's pretty much the best thing ever. Be sure to take a close look at who the cameras are surrounding. Good stuff.

UU Beliefs

From an early age, I have gotten many questions about my religion and what it means to be a Unitarian Universalist. I've always told people that it can best be summed up in the Francis David quote, "We need not think alike to love alike." It's true that this gives a very surface level summary of our beliefs, but it goes deeper than that. No member of our church is required to profess certain beliefs to gain membership--there is no creed to sign or doctrine to memorize. Instead, members must commit to upholding our seven principles...they are more of a "guiding light", as opposed to a standard set of beliefs.

The sermon on Sunday got me really thinking about these principles, and I decided to share them here, in case anyone was interested. These go deeper into what UUs believe and really provide the foundation. So, for all of you wonderers out there, here they are:

There are seven principles which Unitarian Universalist congregations affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;
• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

Who's ready for Commodore football?

I know I am. This video is somewhat humorous (the acting could be of higher caliber...), but still serves to get me pumped for football season!

Being a Filler, not a Dipper

A few months ago, I made a post about my positive thinking epiphany. I also asked for any recommendations for books to read on this topic. My friend Lauryn suggested I read a book entitled How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton. When I needed some airport reading on the way back from Orlando a little while ago, I decided to take it on. I started reading when we boarded the plane and was finished by the time we landed--it's no novel. However, the theories presented in the book have become a central part of what I've been thinking about lately.

The authors suggest that we all have a bucket to collect water (or positive thoughts). We all have the power to fill the buckets of others with positive interactions--and when we fill other people's buckets, ours are filled as well. At the same time, we have the power to be "dippers" and take from other people's buckets with negative interactions. Negative thoughts about others and ourselves also serve to empty our own buckets. It's quite the interesting model.

I've been really, really focusing on trying to be a bucket-filler. It has certainly been difficult at times to banish the negative thoughts that I sometimes have about others and myself, particularly during conflict. I will say that having made the commitment to create positive energy has transformed the ways I view certain people and interactions with them. Still a struggle, but I'm feeling better and better about my ability to fill buckets.

As we approach the school year, I will have more challenges in filling buckets. Stress has a way of wearing me down. Hopefully, I can continue to keep this model in mind.

In the end, this book is a quick read that can really transform how you think, if you latch onto the ideas presented. I would recommend it for anyone, as it is applicable in both personal and professional settings. If you're a teacher, be sure to purchase the Educator's Edition--it includes classroom resources. I'm also looking for more ways to integrate the bucket model into my classroom, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

People are dumb

We went to play trivia last night and this was a conversation I overheard:

Trivia Jockey: "What animated Disney movie starts with Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor?"
Table behind us: "What's a box?"

As a music teacher, my dad was appalled by their stupidity.

Nothing endures but change

This year was a great first year of teaching, despite what some of my other posts might indicate. I loved the school I was at, the teachers I taught with, my administrators, and (yes, even) the students. Though I was originally not psyched about the prospect of teaching 6th grade, things really worked out for the best.

All summer, I had planned to keep my position at this school and continue teaching just as I had been. On Tuesday, however, I got a call from my principal informing me that our enrollment was going down, and my position had to be taken away. I am now a "displaced teacher". This means that I am at the mercy of the school system to find me another position.

Luckily, my assistant principal had been transferred to another school and decided to request that I come to his new school to teach. This change became official today. I'm not sure what grade I'll be teaching, or if I will be teaching on a team, but I do know that I have a job with at least one administrator I am familiar with. The new school is much smaller than my previous school and is in a slightly "worse" area of town. I like the idea of a smaller school, because you are more able to learn the other teachers and students. We also know that I've never been one to shy away from working with "bad kids".

Overall, the situation sucks. But, if we're looking at the bright side, I do think that I have been able to find a place that will work for me. It could be worse! Tomorrow, I'm going to see my classroom and begin moving things from one school to the other.

P.S. If you're in town and wouldn't mind doing some lifting, you'd better give me a call!

Giants, Wizards, and Dwarfs

This is a game I never played as a child, and have a hard time understanding how to play as an adult. However, that doesn't diminish the power of this little story by Robert Fulghum (author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten). It's one of my favorites as a teacher!

Giants, Wizards, and Dwarfs was the game to play. Being left in charge of about eighty children seven to ten years old, while their parents were off doing parenty things, I mustered my troops in the church social hall and explained the game. It's a large scale version of Rock, Paper, Scissors, and involves some intellectual decision making. But the real purpose of the game is to make a lot of noise and run around chasing people until nobody knows which side you are on or who won.

Organizing a roomful of wired-up gradeschoolers into two teams, explaining the rudiments of the game, achieving consensus on group identity-all this is no mean accomplishment, but we did it with a right good will and were ready to go.

The excitement of the chase had reached a critical mass. I yelled out: "You have to decide now which you are--a GIANT, a WIZARD, or a DWARF!" While the groups huddled in frenzied, whispered consultation, a tug came at my pants leg. A small child stands there looking up and asks in a small, concerned voice, "Where do the Mermaids stand?"

Where do the Mermaids stand?

A long pause. A very long pause. "Where do the Mermaids stand?" says I.

"Yes. You see, I am a Mermaid."

"There are no such things as Mermaids."

"Oh, yes, I am one!"

She did not relate to being a Giant, a Wizard, or a Dwarf. She knew her category. Mermaid. And was not about to leave the game and go over and stand against the wall where a loser would stand. She intended to participate, wherever Mermaids fit into our scheme of things. Without giving up dignity or identity. She took it for granted that there was a place for Mermaids and that I would know just where.

Well, where DO the Mermaids stand? All the "Mermaids"--all those who are different, who do not fit the norm and who do not accept the available boxes and pigeonholes? Answer that question and you can build a school, a nation, or a world on it. What was my answer at the moment? Every once in a while I say the right thing.

"The Mermaid stands right here by the King of the Sea!" says I. (Yes, right here by the King's Fool, I thought to myself.)

So we stood there hand in hand, reviewing the troops of Wizards and Giants and Dwarfs as they rolled by in wild disarray. It is not true, by the way, that mermaids do not exist. I know at lease one personally. I have held her hand.

Say it ain't so

We all know that I love baseball and everything surrounding it...the smell of the fresh cut grass, the sound of the ball popping into the catcher's mitt, those Pronto Pups, and, of course, the terrible in-game entertainment. The Famous Chicken is a huge part of this for me. I found him to be the most hilarious mascot in existence when I was around age 5 and he came to a Memphis Chicks game. Now, with the news that he may retire, I'm a bit saddened. It's like a bit of Americana (and my childhood) won't be around any more. Sad day.

In case you're not familiar with him, here's a clip to give you a little taste.

Shame on me

I have been absolutely terrible about updating lately. Since the last post, I have moved, painted, attended a two-week long math institute, celebrated a birthday, celebrated a bachelorette, attended many a baseball game, and had a great start to summer. Highlights:

SEC Baseball Tournament in Hoover, AL. We decided to go on a whim, and ended up having a great time! Vandy was the last team to qualify for the tournament (and the lowest seed), but we ended up making it to the championship game. Love it!

This was my room painting crew. It was supposed to be painted a grey color called "Winter Calm". Apparently wintertime occurs in lavender, though. My room has a slightly purple tint...

Move crew. We were strong and able to move a queen size mattress on our own. I'm pretty proud of that accomplishment. Take note of the giant alien on the side of the truck.

More fun at Lonnie's to celebrate our birthdays! Kels and I are officially a year older now :(

Then I attended an amazing night at the Opry with Lorrie Morgan, Little Big Town, Charlie Daniels, Ricky Skaggs, Carrie Underwood, and (of course) Little Jimmie Dickens. We sat in the last row of the top balcony (literally), but it all sounds the same!

This week I get to finally enjoy some summertime. I slept in today and have only a few errands on the list. I'm predicting I'll have some time to sit on the porch and finish reading To Kill a Mockingbird!

Bohemian Rhapsody

You know, I have never quite understood the obsession some people exhibit concerning Bohemian Rhapsody. However, when my dad sent me this link of the Cal Men's Octet singing the classic, I came a little closer to understanding. It is enough to make Andy Bernard jealous!

And we think they look "good"?

This morning, I was just browsing the web reading some quality People.com when I ran across this slideshow of celebrity mug shots. Some of them are downright disturbing, but others are more respectable. Please be sure you look at #60 (Akon).

Ugh.

I'm supposed to be moving on Friday, and I just can't seem to get myself motivated to pack. I have always said that there's only one thing I hate more than packing: unpacking. But, I can't even get to that first stage right now. Part of this is that I'm not sure what I'll be needing to use over the next couple of days, particularly in the kitchen. I certainly don't want to be eating fast food for the next three days!

Christine is supposed to come over tomorrow, and hopefully I will find some motivation when there is someone watching to hold me accountable.

In short, my apartment is an official disaster, but I seem to have no desire to fix it. Perhaps moving during my first official week of summer was a poor decision...

Why so SMART?

Lately, I've noticed a new trend in products. Okay, maybe it's not completely "new", but it is an interesting phenomenon. Everything seems to be "SMART" these days. Here is a listing of just a few items I could think of off the top of my head...I'm sure the list is considerably longer!

1. The Smart Car. These miniature-sized cars are hugely popular in Europe due to their small size. The small size allows for better fuel economy and more convenience when maneuvering into tiny parking spaces or down narrow roads. Smart cars are supposed to be better for the environment, but they are NOT hybrid vehicles. They simply get better mileage and use less gasoline than traditional sedans. They've recently become available for sale in the US, but I'm still a little unsure of the safety issue here....

2. The "SmartPhone". It can do everything--in phone form. You can keep your calendar, organize your address book, surf the web, navigate to unknown places, play games, take pictures, take videos, write and send emails, text message, compose and edit word processing documents, and play music. Oh, and make a phone call.

3. Smart Water. This is one that I completely don't understand. After a bit of research, I have discovered that it is supposedly more pure than filtered spring water. It seems that the company has recreated the natural process that produces water, and they use this process to "make" water that has had no contact with possible contaminates. Then, they add some electrolytes to it (electrolytes are the important part of Gatorade that help keep you hydrated). Smart Water is an option, but I'm still a firm believer that "there ain't no water like Memphis water".


4. SMARTBoard. One of my favorite educational products, and I want one so bad I can taste it. These are interactive whiteboards, which allow teachers and students to touch the board to write and move things around with their fingertips. Okay, you can do that on a chalkboard, right? Well, yes. But you CAN'T save that chalkboard "end product" and use it tomorrow, or create that chalkboard setup ahead of time and flash it up there, or create an interactive slide show, or type something and see it on the board, or show an animated 3-D model of a molecule that students can manipulate on the board. These things will run you about $1,200, but studies show that they can increase student engagement and help increase test scores. And someday I intend to work at a school where I can use one full-time.

5. The Mac "Genius". Mac took it a step further when they started calling their in-store repair people "Geniuses". That's so much better than the name I would propose: "Smart People Who May or May Not Be Able To Fix Your Computer" (or SPWMMNBATFYC for short). Now, I am a life long Mac user who will use a Mac until they either no longer exist or I can no longer type on a keyboard. However, I will be the first to admit that these so called "Geniuses" have failed me on a couple of occasions. I'll still go to them because they have helped me too.
6. Smarties. One of my childhood favorites, this "smart" product has been around much longer than all the rest. I would like to think this whole fad began with this sugary delicacy.

Confession

I let a student play "Rocky Top" in my classroom today.

This is something that's difficult to admit, but it happened, so there's no point in denying it. He asked me this morning if he could perform for the class on his cello, and I promised him I would make a time for it this afternoon. When the time came for him to play, he introduced his two songs: "Star Spangled Banner" and "Rocky Top". At first I told him he could only play the National Anthem, but this seemed to slightly crush his spirit. I simply had to allow him to play both songs, but made it clear to the entire class that it was really not what I would prefer to have played in the classroom. They proceeded to watch me throughout the song, simply to see how I would react. One student had the gall to "woo" at the specified point in the song, but I gave him quite a stern look, and he didn't venture there again. He's quite the baseball fan, so I invited him out to Hawkins this weekend, where he will surely see his beloved team go down. Muaaahahahaha!

Not my proudest moment as a Vanderbilt alum.

Places you'll never find me

1. 5am Boot Camp class at the Y
2. Tornado Spotters training session
3. Victoria's Secret with another person
4. Mariah Carey concert
5. As a contestant at a Pickle Eating Competition

Lester

LESTER

Lester was given a magic wish
By the goblin who lives in the banyan tree,
And with his wish he wished for two more wishes--
So now instead of just one wish, he cleverly had three.
And with each one of these
He simply wished for three more wishes,
Which gave him three old wishes, plus nine new.
And with each of these twelve
He slyly wished for three more wishes,
Which added up to forty-six--or is it fifty-two?
Well anyway, he used each wish
To wish for wishes 'til he had
Five billion, seven million, eighteen thousand thirty-four.
And then he spread them on the ground
And clapped his hands and danced around
And skipped and sang, and then sat down
And wished for more.
And more...and more...they multiplied
While other people smiled and cried
And loved and reached and touched and felt.
Lester sat amid his wealth
Stacked mountain-high like stacks of gold,
Sat and counted--and grew old.
And then one Thursday night they found him
Dead--with his wishes piled around him.
And they counted the lot and found that not
A single one was missing.
All shiny and new--here, take a few
And think of Lester as you do.
In a world of apples and kisses and shoes
He wasted his wishes on wishing.

-Shel Silverstein

Most exciting play in baseball

You NEVER see this. It is seriously exciting.

It's the Climb

Something you should know about me: I love my job. Despite the fact that I often complain about the awkward 12 year olds, I know that what I'm doing is important. There are a few aspects that I don't particularly love, though.

I have always been a very goal-oriented person. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than completing my daily to-do list or finishing a report. Yesterday, I came to the realization that my profession is not particularly suited to people who thrive on short-term goals. My students will not be "finished products" by the time they leave me in five weeks. Will they have grown? Yes. Will they be better than they were before? Hopefully. But they won't be something that I have helped to complete. That sense of accomplishment I enjoy so much won't be there.

Maybe I should reframe this (yeah, HOD) to think about it in a different way, but I have a really hard time. Our big standardized test is next week, and I am terrified that my students won't "make the grade". Next year, the standards will be raised even higher and we will be adding subjects to be tested. I can't help but feel like I am working against....nothing. We're raising the standards, and it feels like we are constantly working to make it harder on ourselves. Don't get me wrong--I think that we should keep the standards high and expect challenging things. At the same time, I can do the best job I have ever done. I can put in more time than any other teacher in the district and can teach my heart out while I have the students in my care. I can do all of that and STILL not make the grade. It's not dependent on me, it's dependent on them. I can't control their ability/willingness to meet the goals we have set forth for them.

For any goal-oriented control freak (like myself), this is the scariest possible position.

Positivity

I've recently realized the power of positive thinking. A few weeks ago, I was able to attend a fabulous training for teachers. At this training, we were told to practice some things that we (especially I) weren't particularly good at. Normally, I am easily discouraged and tend to be overflowing with complaints--you and I both know this is true. The leader required us to say "This is easy" every time we were unsuccessful with the difficult task. I found myself being more and more interested in persevering with the activity, even though I was absolutely terrible.

It just so happened that we were working with fractions when I got back to school, and I was able to teach this technique to my students. (In case you don't know, the word "fraction" strikes fear in the very soul of any 6th grade child.) They really took to it--every time they were feeling frustrated, they would stop and say this phrase aloud. It was crazy! They even requested that we turn this phrase into a poster, which now is permanently displayed in my classroom. We can all tell when a student is feeling particularly frustrated with something, because they will look over at that sign and say the phrase. It's just a simple reminder that this WILL BE easy really, really soon--you just have to get the hang of it first.

The recent introduction of the new Memphis head coach (Go Tigers!) brought positive thinking to the top of my list again. Our new coach, Josh Pastner, really focused on this concept. There are some sayings that he repeated more than once during his introductory press conference which demonstrate this idea of positive thinking.

I normally don't post things this "deep", but I'm trying it out for once. This is something I find really powerful in my life, and would like to continue working on. I know there are several well-written books out there on this topic, and would like any suggestions you might have! Right now, I'm reading Tuesdays with Morrie, which contains some interesting viewpoints on positivity. That book will be over soon, and I'll need another...

Haircut from Hell

Yesterday, I went to get my hair cut. In case you don't know, I have had quite a hard time finding a good salon and stylist since moving to Nashville. The same woman has cut my hair since I was about 4 years old, until now. I even drove home for a haircut throughout college. After much CitySearch searching, and a couple of not-so-great experiences, I thought I had found my place. It's a nice salon close to school, with a really nice stylist who gave me a great cut last time. It was so good that I pre-booked my next appointment (which I never do--I can't think that far in advance).

I went back yesterday. She rushed me to get my hair washed and then started cutting before I told her what I wanted. I stopped her, showed her the picture I printed off and explained that I didn't just want it trimmed, I wanted to change the style a little bit. She gave me a great cut and then started to style it. She put in some sort of product that was supposed to make it not frizzy and then went to town with the hairdryer and round brush. During this process, she scorched my scalp in several places. It still hurts. Then, she revealed to me that the product "wasn't agreeing with my hair", so she needed to go rinse it out. Mind you, she had been burning my scalp for the past 30 minutes trying to dry out this product. I said okay, let's do it.

She washed it and dryed it again (further injuring my scalp), only to discover that this substance does NOT wash out. My hair looked disgusting. I had to go home and cover it with a baseball cap to be seen in public. Last night, I shampooed FIVE TIMES trying to get this goop out of my hair, to no avail. I can't wear a baseball cap to work on Monday, so I'm open to any and all suggestions of how to get this out of my hair. This was a frustrating experience, to say the least.

AND TONIGHT IS OPENING NIGHT, so I'm not really all that bent out of shape. I have peace and happiness in my future.

My Apologies

I promised a post last Thursday night about the Disney portion of my trip. After quite the disappointing Thursday evening (Thank you, Tigers...), I didn't feel up to posting. I was going to post them last night, but former "Coach" Calipari ripped my heart out. Trust me, I have so many opinions about this, but I can't post them here....they are laced with profanity.

Let's just ignore all that and talk about the Happiest Place on Earth! I hadn't seen Koro for about a year, so I was really excited to get to hang out with him. I got there Tuesday night, and we just watched Dreamgirls and ordered pizza. It was great to just chill out after a looooong day of flying. No pictures from that (St. Patrick's) day.

The second day we went to the parks. Koro actually got called in to work that morning, so I went with his roommate Nina. He did a show that morning before we got there, and we were excited to see him do the second show. Sadly, he was sick and they wouldn't let him do it. We had fun, nonetheless. Going to Disney with people who work there is the way to go! They know how to get around all the lame stuff and what time everything is and where to go and where not to go and I highly recommend it.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the time at Disney:




With that, TTFN.

Opening Day: 4 DAYS

Spriiiiiing Break

First on the list: San Francisco to visit Emily and Nick. On Saturday, Emily had to take a teacher test, so Nick and I explored the city. This is the view from Coit Tower.

On our city adventure, we visited the St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. I was disappointed by the lack of marching bands in the parade. However, this "drunk pen" kept me entertained. To buy beer and drink it there, you were supposed to stand inside these fences. That didn't stop most people, though. Don't worry.

On Sunday, we decided to take a little road trip about an hour south to Santa Cruz. It was beautiful in every possible way. This is just before I touched the Pacific!! I don't have any pictures where I don't look like a complete dork, so please forgive my ridiculous expression.

There was even a real, live Boardwalk! I didn't know these things existed. I wanted to ride this ferris wheel, but we ended up riding a really fun roller coaster instead.

Because she's the best hostess ever, Emily took a personal day on Monday. First thing, she drove me down (past Candlestick Park) to AT&T Park where the Giants play. She doesn't know the first thing about the Giants, but I taught her! This picture is me trying to grab the hand of Willie Mays. Thank you to Emily for the fabulous photography from my most flattering angle.
I left the Bay Area really, really (really) early the next morning. It was still dark when we took off, but the sun started rising just as we were crossing over the Rockies. Amazing? I think so.

Hopefully I will be able to post some info from the rest of my trip tomorrow! This was seriously the bestspringbreakever.

Opening Day: 10 DAYS

(Go Tigers Go)

It's a Celebration!

I was SO happy to go on Spring Break last week. I got to visit good friends who I haven't seen in far too long. Started in San Francisco to visit Emily and Nick, then to Orlando to see Koro, and finally to Atlanta, where I got to see Kati (and Jenny and Ebeth!). Whirlwind? Yes. Tiring? No. I loved every second of it. In fact, I would do it again tomorrow, if I could.

The new Disney marketing campaign is that "everything's worth celebrating". So, we got "I'm Celebrating!" buttons and decided that this Spring Break was to celebrate my first one as a real, grown-up teacher. It also celebrates that I am officially 3/4 through my first year. The finish line is in sight!

If anything, this last week made me miss all of the people who were such a big part of my life during college (and high school, I suppose). It is a little bit sad to have to leave them, because I was reminded of how important they are to me.

That's my semi-annual sappy post. I'll post pics tomorrow night, if all goes as planned.

Opening Day: 14 DAYS (But I'm watching the World Baseball Classic right now, so I'm pretty much in heaven.)

Full Moon

Today, the chilruns was crazy. While I don't usually like chain emails or forwards, this one was pretty good. Especially because I knew that today was a full moon before looking it up to confirm my hunch.

Jeff Foxworthy on School Employees

1. YOU might be a school employee if you believe the playground should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick.

2. YOU might be a school employee if you want to slap the next person who says, 'Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off.

3. YOU might be a school employee if it is difficult to name your own child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't bring high blood pressure as it is uttered.

4. YOU might be a school employee if you can tell it's a full moon or if it going to rain, snow, hail....anything!!! Without ever looking outside.

5. YOU might be a school employee if you believe, 'shallow gene pool' should have its own box on a report card.

6. YOU might be a school employee if you believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says, 'Boy, the kids sure are mellow today.'

7. YOU might be a school employee if when out in public, you feel the urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct their behavior.

8. YOU might be a school employee if you have no social life between August and June.

9. YOU might be a school employee if you think people should have a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.

10.. YOU might be a school employee if you wonder how some parents MANAGED to reproduce.

11.. YOU might be a school employee if you laugh uncontrollably when people refer to the staff room as the 'lounge.'

12. YOU might be a school employee if you encourage an obnoxious parent to check into charter schools or home schooling and are willing to donate the U-HAUL boxes should they decided to move out of district.

13. YOU might be a school employee if you think caffeine should be available in intravenous form.

14. YOU might be a school employee if you can't imagine how the ACLU could think that covering your students chair with Velcro and then requiring uniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever be misunderstood by the public.

15. YOU might be a school employee if meeting a child's parent instantly answers this question, 'Why is this kid like this?'

16. YOU might be a school employee if you would choose a root canal over a parent conference.

17. YOU might be a school employee if you think someone should invent antibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for that matter!

18. YOU might be a school employee if the words 'I have college debt for this?' have ever come out of your mouth.

19. YOU might be a school employee if you know how many days, minutes, and seconds are left in the school year!

Is that comfortable?

I have been eagerly awaiting President Obama's speech tonight. Because I am not particularly good at managing money (like to shop too much...), I have been freaking out about this economy business. I'm watching now, and hope that I am beginning to understand how this plan will actually help.

However, I can't help but be distracted by the constant clapping and standing ovations. Isn't it a bit tiring to stand up/sit down/stand up/sit down/stand up/sit down? Sadly, these are the things that distract me from understanding economics....

Faboulous surprise!

Back in November, I wrote a post about a student stealing my iPod. I was not a happy camper (to say the least), but managed to get it back from this student the next day, which was nice. The student who stole it from me was a student I had become very close to. He needed a lot of help with a lot of things--I can't imagine living through some of the things he has survived. On the last day before Thanksgiving break, we had a heart-to-heart about how disappointed I was that he would steal from me, of all people. Then I had the school police officer talk to him about how serious this could have been. (I think I may have previously written another post about this student--he's the one who requested to stay in my class instead of move to an "easier" group of teachers.)

That was the last day he came to school in Nashville. He ended up going home to Louisiana, and decided not to come back here. I talked to his grandmother several times right after this, just figuring out whether or not he would be back. In the end, I gave her my school phone number and told her to have him call me and let me know how he was doing. I doubted that I would ever hear from him again, but I truly did want to hear how he was.

Well, after three months, he called my classroom on Thursday! I was teaching a class and picked up the phone simply because I thought it was another teacher asking a question or something. But, no. It was him! He said that he is living with his mom in Louisiana and they put him back in the 4th grade (he turns 13 on Tuesday). He promised me that he was keeping out of trouble, and informed me that he is planning to come back to Nashville this summer and stay here for the next school year. I told him to stay out of trouble, and that I hoped to see him back at our school next year.

It was so wonderful to hear from him and know that he thought to call and let me know how he was doing--that's a HUGE step for this kid!!

Concern

These last few days have been positively wonderful weather-wise. That's alllll about to hit the fan tomorrow. They are calling for severe weather in the middle of the day. In case you don't know, there are two things that can send me into somewhat severe panic attacks: cockroaches and tornadoes. I have managed to learn how to contain my panic when there are roaches in my classroom. It took a while, but I just make some kid pick up the foul insect. Now, I can see one and only mildly freak out. The standing on tables while crying and rubbing my palms raw is DONE (at least when there's someone around to kill the creature).

Tomorrow, I may not be so lucky. Within a week of beginning my job at this school, I contemplated how the hallways would turn into giant wind tunnels if the windows were to blow out. Hopefully tomorrow that won't happen. Having a panic attack in front of 6th graders would be hella embarrassing.

Pitchers and catchers: 4 days
Opening Night: 54 days

Seriously, dude?

This morning during church, the guy next to me texted throughout the entire service. I realize that we are Unitarian, so it's not exactly considered "the house of God" (which brings up the question--how would the Big Guy feel about texting during the prayer?). But I go there to relax and listen to the sermons and the stories and the music. You can hear while texting, yes. But you can't listen while texting.

Why did this guy even waste his time? All he did was stress me out during an otherwise delightful service.


Pitchers and Catchers: 6 days
Opening Night: 56 days

Google YOURself

I'm not sure the last time I Googled myself, but it has obviously been a while. It's a good time. It was nice to find out that I have mastered some form of karate, written a book about self defense for women, done some sweet research on malaria, and had a baby in December of last year (according to the registry). Anybody know how to block people from having your name?

Excess

A girl's gotta have dreams. Though I've never considered myself a materialistic person, there are some things that I want. Really, really bad. One of these things I'm determined to own before I die are a pair of Christian Louboutin shoes. I love shoes alot, but I find even these to be a bit excessive (hence why I don't own a pair--not to mention they cost more than I pay in rent). The ones I have pictured here will set you back $795. But aren't they hot?


On another note of excess, I just got back from grocery shopping. The woman put every item I purchased in a separate bag. Only the pork and bacon were allowed to share a bag.

It occurred to me to let her know that the strawberries would be perfectly happy sharing a bag with the oranges. And to let her know that each of the bags she was giving me would never fully break down into their original organic state.

I decided against bringing up both of these things. Not only would she likely think I'm crazy, but also she would likely not understand what I'm saying. It's okay because I will recycle them. But I can pretty much guarantee the people in front of and behind me in line (who received more bags that I did) will not. Bummer.

Also,
Pitchers and Catchers: 13 days
Opening Day: 65 days