I'm Moving!

As if I couldn't get enough of the moving, I'm moving blogs now, too. Head over to smileintrouble.wordpress.com to check out all of the new things to come this summer. Since I've got some free time, there will be more frequent updates! (I know you're as excited as I am.)

Cheshire Cat

One thing I'm going to miss in 7 days is my daily serving of hot chocolate. The Life Skills class at school brings around hot chocolate and coffee to us every morning around 10:30. In exchange for their services, I pay them with a "$1 bill" printed on a sheet of paper. They collect this money from alllllll the teachers and then are able to use it to purchase things in their own little community! My love for this process is two-fold:

1. I get hot chocolate no matter the outdoor temperature!! (watered down and soapy tasting as it might be)
2. They bring me the money to pay them with. And I don't even technically work for it!! (I like to pretend it's my own trust fund. Provided by the LMS Life Skills students.)

For some unknown reason, they have begun drawing designs on my styrofoam hot chocolate cup. It's always been labeled with my name. BUT NOW is has a picture of.......wait for it.......the Cheshire Cat!!! (I know what it is because they always label their pictures.)

Only problem: I can't for the life of my figure out what this animal has to do with me or my hot chocolate. Any ideas?

(If I'm supposed to be offended by this, please enlighten me.)

Think Again

Next time you're thinking that water is not that powerful, take a look at this video. In. Sane.

Gifts

Everybody has their own little way of helping out. For T. Swift, that means donating $500k through the telethon. For my minister, it means making phone calls and providing mental health services to flood victims. For police officers, it means asking each person turning into the River Plantation subdivision (which was devastated beyond belief) if they need directions to somebody's house to help out. For me, it means being "in the trenches".

I want to rip up the floor, pack the china, and lay the clothes out to dry. I just do.

Everybody has their own gift. Mine is not organizing clothing drives, baking copious batches of delicious sweets, or giving money. I want to be there, getting my hands dirty and helping to pick people up.

That's why today was so difficult for me personally. In fact, it was probably the most difficult day for me since we realized how bad the flooding was really going to be. I had to report to work, but my students weren't there. I want so desperately to see each one of them, give them a hug, and be assured that they are, in fact, okay. And I know that some of them aren't.

If I'm not able to hug and speak with them, then at least let me be out helping people I know who have lost so much.

I am infinitely grateful to have not lost any personal belongings in the flood. But let's not pretend that this means we're all okay.

Nashville will recover, and I want to be out there helping to make it happen.

Why don't we?

Too Much Water

Donavon Frankenreiter

I went to a party.
We were having a good time.
And people were talkin'.
And drinking some wine.
But the best thing that happened...
I got lost in my mind

Too much water in one place,
Not enough somewhere else.

Too much water in one place,
Not enough somewhere else.
And then she called me on the telephone.
It was late last night.
Ah, she sounded so strange.
I said, 'is everything alright'?
She said,

Too much water in one place,
Not enough somewhere else.

Too much water in one place,
Not enough somewhere else.

Ah, there's so much we can give.
Ah, there's so much life to live.
So why don't we, ah, why don't we?

And then I fell asleep and had a dream.
It was the 4th of July.
And there were kids runnin' round and round.
Ah, the ground was so dry.

Too much water in one place,
Not enough somewhere else.

I Love Nashville

Enough said.

Other Situation 2010

Television message from the Government

Schools are closed, water is being conserved, and emergency messages are all over the television. Earlier in the year, we had "THE Situation 2010". But the "Other Situation 2010" that has just occurred has been significantly more devastating than anything you could imagine. This is truly something I never thought I would witness. Many people have lost power, possessions, and even life.

If you are interested in seeing pictures of the Nashville area, take a look at the Tennessean Photo Gallery (photo #48 is the Kroger across the street from our house). Luckily, our house and property made it through unscathed. Now, I'm anxiously awaiting news on friends, coworkers, church members, and students.

Refrigerated section at Publix
(the only store open of the three by our house, but they lost power yesterday morning and could sell non-refrigerated items only)

Landlocked

It's things like this that make me love, love, love Nashville.

(Not the biblical rainfall--the songwriting.)

Memphis Tiger Basketball

If there's one thing my hometown loves, it's Tiger Basketball. This love of mine has been well-documented here, so I know this comes as no surprise. One of my favorite Commercial Appeal columnists, Geoff Calkins, has a pretty entertaining story about the city's love for their Tigers. This is SERIOUS BUSINESS.

One hand in my pocket

After leaving school today, I realized that my pants pockets were still stuffed with school junk. I normally make a habit of clearing out my pockets before I leave, but that simply didn't happen today. What had my pockets overflowing, you ask? Well....

• 2 paperclips
• 2 Sharpies (one confiscated, one of my own)
• a pink polka-dotted pen (it's the only writing utensil the boys won't steal off my desk...bwahahaha)
• 11 USA State Bingo cards (did you know that New Hampshire markets itself as "The Granite State"?)
• 2 blingin super-cute earrings (mine)
• a similarly as cute blingin ring (mine)
• annnnnd quite a bit of pocket lint.
  

These contents pretty much sum up my life. You know it's true.

Hey-oooooo!!!

Booze it up, kids!

(Not really. This sounds like a terribly horrific idea. But funny, nonetheless.)

Update

I've reached new heights of worthlessness. I'm watching GAC and doing nothing productive. Just call it "Spring Break Hangover" (it has nothing to do with alcohol consumption. promise). Lesson plans and paper grading are looming...and it's midnight. It's just the price you pay for a few days in paradise.

More on that later!

What about Rex?

You just need to watch until the end. This is also why I'm rooting for Kentucky to win the National Championship...so that they have to give it back. Misery loves company.

Kentucky Violated NCAA Rules While Recruiting Basketball-Playing Dog

Mamaw and Papaw

Got to see them today. They are the happiest homebound elderly couple I know. Sure, they live about 10 miles from civilization, but when their *favorite* granddaughter shows up to take Mamaw to Wal-Mart, they perk right up.

I know you want to go visit, so here are the directions:

1. Turn left off the interstate.
2. Turn right between the John Deere and Case dealerships.
3. Go until it dead ends.
   
4. Turn right.
5. Take the bypass toward Jackson.
6. Turn left at the giant blue warehouse.
7. Take the second gravel-like road.
8. Theirs is the square house with a tin roof in the middle of the field with no trees (but sometimes corn, cotton, or wheat).

Cracks me up every time.

They chose to move out there about 15 years ago to live on the land my Papaw grew up on. They didn't know at the time that he would become unable to drive within 5 years of their moving there. Now, they rely out my Papaw's second cousin, my uncle, and my family to get to Wal-Mart and doctors' appointments. I don't get to go very often, but when I do, I'm always glad I did. Even when it takes my Mamaw a billion gazillion years to get through Wal-Mart.

Even though Papaw usually doesn't watch TV during the day, he let me watch the end of the Miss. State-Kentucky game (WOW!), all the while informing me that he typically watches five hours of television at night. As we speak, he's watching HeeHaw, Crook and Chase, and probably an episode of Baseball Tonight (it's genetic). This nighttime TV watching is strangely important to him. He's earned the right to have strange habits, so I'm okay with it. He's been around the block a time or two.

Big shout out to the g-parents!

I always have liked peaches

No, really. They're my favorite fruit. And fruit is my favorite food. So basically, peaches are the best thing ever.

Consider that a sidenote, because the real purpose of this post is to update you on the progress toward my non-resolution. In case you don't remember, I made quite the list of books I wanted to read this year. It's really nice to have them written down to refer back to as needed.

I read James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl during our independent reading time at school, and finished it a couple of weeks ago. I know it's a classic, but something about it just wasn't that great. I found myself constantly wishing for something better and more exciting to happen....and then the book ended.

A discussion my students and I often have is about connecting with the book and the characters. We talk about reasons you connect with characters (i.e. you have something in common or you think you might want to be their friend). Perhaps the reason I didn't really like this book is because I never was able to connect with any of the characters. I felt like it was a stream of events, without ever really giving a "feel" for their personalities. Sure, Roald Dahl does a great job of telling you what each character's faults are, but these aren't effectively shown.

So, I've never lived in a peach. Basically this is why I didn't like James...or the book, really. Glad I've finally read it, though. Something tells me I read it as a child, but it didn't make an impact on me, and now I can see why.

On to my next book...Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli. Loving it so much that I did an impromptu read aloud from it on Thursday, and the kiddos were spellbound! I'll let you know what I think at the end of it.

Love!

What do you make?

I know that many of you have probably seen this before, but I thought it might be worth sharing here. It comes through my email inbox every few months, and I always like that it makes me think.

WHAT DO TEACHERS MAKE?

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.

One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

To stress his point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher, Barbara. Be honest. What do you make?"

Barbara, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...)

"Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor to a child who has done his/her best.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without an I Pod, Game Cube or movie rental.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table)

I make kids wonder.

I make them question.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write. Keyboarding isn't everything.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math. They use their God given brain, not the man-made calculator.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know about English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

I make my students stand, placing their hand over their heart to say the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag,
One Nation Under God, because we live in the United States of America.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life ( Barbara paused one last time and then continued.)

Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, with me knowing money isn't everything, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make Mr. CEO?

His jaw dropped, he went silent.

Emotional

This morning as I was frantically grading journal entries, one in particular struck me. This kid has been the very definition of "little hellion". I will be the first to admit that he has very little control over anything that he does. From the outside looking in, the story is incredibly sad and depressing. From my position, everything about it is frustrating. Daily.

However, he left me a downright gem in his reading journal this week. His entry went something like this:

Ms. C,
I really liked the book I am reading this week. It is kind of scary, and I like scary books. Thank you so much for everything you have done for me. I know you are trying really hard.

Love,
(Kiddo)

Those last two sentences brought me to tears at 8am this morning. For this kid, who has written only one previous journal entry, putting that into words is H.U.G.E. And he thanked me?! **


It's times like those that I can look back on when I think I'm doing nothing right. Even when I'm yelling and angry and frustrated and impatient, maybe a kid is seeing that I care. Because I do. Otherwise I wouldn't have the energy to yell and be angry and frustrated and impatient. Although I'm making a conscious effort to do/feel those things less frequently (updates on that later).

Now there's a little food for thought for you.

After reading that journal entry and having myself a healthy little cry, this Martina McBride song came on my Jason Aldean Pandora station (Pandora at school is highly illegal....just call me a rebel....and don't tell).



**It should also be noted that he wrote this journal entry because I bribed him with the "privilege" of sitting under my desk with a pillow. Do Whatever It Takes. DWIT, if you will. (Major props for getting this reference)

Nashville Love

FML moment of the day? Leaving my phone at school. If you've never been stranded phoneless for a night, you should try it. Okay, okay, if we're friends, I wouldn't wish that upon you. It drudges up feelings of helplessness, dependency, and general anxiety. Sounds pretty horrible, right? Now you know why I don't wish for you to experience it.

Since my phone is also busted (read: the screen has chunks missing from it), I have yet to get a new ringtone. One of these days, I'll decide it's worth shelling out the $50 deductible for a shiny new BBerry. Until then, I'm living in the classless world of Busted BBerry Users. BUT, when I do shell out for that ridiculous deductible (I am paying for insurance, after all), I'll also shell out the $1.99 for a new ringtone.

I know you're waiting on the edge of your seats to find out the jam of choice, so I've included it below. Nothing like a little Jason Aldean to get me in the mood for a phone convo. This song just sums up my love for the Nash so well.



I suppose this post would also be an apropos time to mention my recent misfortune of overpaying the phone bill by $500. Verizon and I have always had a love-love relationship. Until they denied my refund.

Now I'm off to ponder my recent and striking lack of luck in the cell phone department....

Moving On

It's Senior Day for each of my teams. Even though these guys are technically younger than me, it seems that all of them have been around forever. This is one of those times when sports drive me to tears. It's also one of those times when I realize why I love college sports so much more than the pros. These guys come in to a program from far away and become part of the school, culture, and community of their respective cities.

Over at MemphisRoar, the guys have posted an article about the hardships Tiger senior Doneal Mack faced in Memphis. My favorite quotes include:

“This program has done wonders for me. I’ve given blood, sweat and tears back to the program, so this is going to be an emotional day…My blood is blue. I overcame a lot of adversity,” reflected Mack. “I think about how Cal used to treat us and us being sad and arguing. It’s good that I’ve overcome all of those adversities and I can stand here today and say, ‘I have no regrets.’ ”

Wish I could be in Memphis for the Doneal Mack/Willie Kemp festivities. But at least I'll be in Nashville for the Dolla Beal ceremony.

And in case you need a good laugh to start off your day, check this out.

Untitled

This week, I got up every morning at 4:40 and went to the Y. Who am I and what have you done with my sleep schedule?