No idea why since I had an entertaining weekend. Doesn't change the fact that today I came to school angry. Here is a list of things I find myself wanting to tell people:
1. I can't take care of your classroom and my own.
2. I can't prepare your lessons and my own.
3. I can't spend the next two weeks preparing the tenth grade students for a high school exit exam.
4. I can't make the review slideshow you gave me to present in homeroom interesting.
5. I can't understand why the conversation you are having with your high school girlfriend is more important than you being in class.
6. I can't get behind your decision to paint graffiti for the rest of your life rather than at least graduate high school.
7. I can't help that you signed up for drama class, have been in it all year and now you decide that you don't want to participate.
8. I can't help you if you don't listen or ask questions.
9. I can't believe that you know everything when I don't even know everything.
10. I can't let you out of English class so you can take care of something for science, math, music, history, art etc. especially when I know you aren't going to make up the time missed in my class.
11. I can't let you work on other work for another class when I have assigned to you a task.
12. I can't give you an A just because you show up for class.
13. I can't let you keep Maus much as I'd like to- it's a $14 book making it the most expensive one in the bookroom.
14. I can't deal with your complete and utter apathy towards acts of genocide.
15. I can't understand why you're wasting my time by wanting to fail.
16. I can't improve this school's tests scores in the next month.
ok... maybe now it's out of my system. Let's hope so, or the ican't list may turn into things I have told my coworkers and students.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Saturday, February 28, 2009
My responsibilities for Prom
Yeah so I didn't really get into Prom in high school but now I'm helping prepare it-
1. Making invitations
2. Buying favors
3. Buying 6 tiarras
4. Getting 5 sashes for the prom court males
5. Having my mom ship out a guys crown
6. Coming up with a decoration for the entryway of Prom
Let prom season begin!
1. Making invitations
2. Buying favors
3. Buying 6 tiarras
4. Getting 5 sashes for the prom court males
5. Having my mom ship out a guys crown
6. Coming up with a decoration for the entryway of Prom
Let prom season begin!
Monday, February 16, 2009
Spiritual Guidance
I am a spiritual person, and a religious person. I believe in the power of religion to change the world (both good and bad). But I haven't found a church home out here yet. Yesterday I took some time to find some spiritual inspiration. Here is a list of what I most turn to:
1. The Color Purple:
"Here's the thing... The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow, lord. Feeling like shit.
...
Yeah It. God ain't a he or a she, but a It.
...
Don't look like nothing... It ain't a picture show. It ain't something you can look at apart from anything else, including yourself. I believe God is everything. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that and be happy to feel that, you've found It.
My first step from the old white man was trees. Then air. Then birds, Then other people. But one day when I was sitting quiet and feeling like a motherless child, which I was, it come to me: that feeling of being part of everything, not separate at all. I knew that if I cut a tree, my arm would bleed.
...
God love everthing you love-- and a mess of stuff you don't. But more than anything else God love admiration.
...
[God] not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.
...
People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see It always trying to please us back.
2. From the Bible:
Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute,
if there is any excellence,
and if anything is worthy of praise
dwell on these things
The things you have learned and received and heard in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.
3. Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others
May you find the spirit within you this day and with that find peace in the world.
1. The Color Purple:
"Here's the thing... The thing I believe. God is inside you and inside everybody else. You come into the world with God. But only them that search for it inside find it. And sometimes it just manifest itself even if you not looking, or don't know what you looking for. Trouble do it for most folks, I think. Sorrow, lord. Feeling like shit.
...
Yeah It. God ain't a he or a she, but a It.
...
Don't look like nothing... It ain't a picture show. It ain't something you can look at apart from anything else, including yourself. I believe God is everything. Everything that is or ever was or ever will be. And when you can feel that and be happy to feel that, you've found It.
My first step from the old white man was trees. Then air. Then birds, Then other people. But one day when I was sitting quiet and feeling like a motherless child, which I was, it come to me: that feeling of being part of everything, not separate at all. I knew that if I cut a tree, my arm would bleed.
...
God love everthing you love-- and a mess of stuff you don't. But more than anything else God love admiration.
...
[God] not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.
...
People think pleasing God is all God care about. But any fool living in the world can see It always trying to please us back.
2. From the Bible:
Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, whatever is true,
whatever is honorable,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is of good repute,
if there is any excellence,
and if anything is worthy of praise
dwell on these things
The things you have learned and received and heard in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you.
3. Marianne Williamson
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others
May you find the spirit within you this day and with that find peace in the world.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Reasons to Celebrate in February
Who knew the shortest month of the year would have so much reason to celebrate?
1. 6 months ago today, I got in the car and started my trip here.
2. February 6th is the last day of my first semester as a teacher.
3. February 7th I'll be going to an Academic Decathlon event in preparation for me taking over as half of the coaching.
4. February 12th is Lincoln's 200th birthday and because I'm the teacher, we're doing a set of lessons to lead us there.
5. February 16th I get a day off of school for President's day. Being from Illinois, this will be my first President's day off (we always got Lincoln's Birthday.)
6. February 22nd is the oscars and then hopefully the insane commercials pushing movies for the oscars will stop :)
1. 6 months ago today, I got in the car and started my trip here.
2. February 6th is the last day of my first semester as a teacher.
3. February 7th I'll be going to an Academic Decathlon event in preparation for me taking over as half of the coaching.
4. February 12th is Lincoln's 200th birthday and because I'm the teacher, we're doing a set of lessons to lead us there.
5. February 16th I get a day off of school for President's day. Being from Illinois, this will be my first President's day off (we always got Lincoln's Birthday.)
6. February 22nd is the oscars and then hopefully the insane commercials pushing movies for the oscars will stop :)
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Things that make me excited about Illinois Basketball this year
Yes, I love Illinois Basketball. Yes, I bring it up to my students when Illinois plays and wins. (I feel justified in teaching them that there are universities past USC, UCLA and CSUN that they can consider.) So why do I love them so much this year?
1. We don't have anyone going to the NBA. I think it's obnoxious when teams recruit one-and-done players to get the championship. Who doesn't want to see an underdog team win?
2. Along the same lines, we were supposed to be bad. Last year we were bad, and this year we were supposed to be bad, but we put in the practice and now we're getting noticed.
3. They took the names off the jerseys. I used to think this was a cheap trick. I mean who really cares if the last name is on the back of the jersey? But hey it's been working and who am I to argue with something that could have been taught in psych 101?
4. Chester Fraizer is awesome. I know it hasn't been the most popular thing to say (neither was saying that you liked Derron Williams until his junior year,) but I like that he proves his worth in ways other than scoring. I think when players are good in ways other than scoring it improves the game of basketball. I also like that he makes no pretenses about what he wants to and can do- he wants to coach. Good fit.
5. We're deep. We have four guys on our team that average over 10 points a game and they aren't our 4 starters. National Championship team was great and the Flying Illini were great, but it's cool to celebrate the whole team.
6. Our fans stopped booing. That was embarressing and frankly those people who booed our team in Assembly Hall shouldn't be allowed into Assembly Hall. If you're that upset, boycott the game. Let your empty seat show your disgrace. This year? The booing has stopped.
7. We play the whole game. Nothing more frustrating than watching a team self-destruct in the final 10 minutes of a hard fought game. It's nice to see us lasting the entire time.
Go Illini!
1. We don't have anyone going to the NBA. I think it's obnoxious when teams recruit one-and-done players to get the championship. Who doesn't want to see an underdog team win?
2. Along the same lines, we were supposed to be bad. Last year we were bad, and this year we were supposed to be bad, but we put in the practice and now we're getting noticed.
3. They took the names off the jerseys. I used to think this was a cheap trick. I mean who really cares if the last name is on the back of the jersey? But hey it's been working and who am I to argue with something that could have been taught in psych 101?
4. Chester Fraizer is awesome. I know it hasn't been the most popular thing to say (neither was saying that you liked Derron Williams until his junior year,) but I like that he proves his worth in ways other than scoring. I think when players are good in ways other than scoring it improves the game of basketball. I also like that he makes no pretenses about what he wants to and can do- he wants to coach. Good fit.
5. We're deep. We have four guys on our team that average over 10 points a game and they aren't our 4 starters. National Championship team was great and the Flying Illini were great, but it's cool to celebrate the whole team.
6. Our fans stopped booing. That was embarressing and frankly those people who booed our team in Assembly Hall shouldn't be allowed into Assembly Hall. If you're that upset, boycott the game. Let your empty seat show your disgrace. This year? The booing has stopped.
7. We play the whole game. Nothing more frustrating than watching a team self-destruct in the final 10 minutes of a hard fought game. It's nice to see us lasting the entire time.
Go Illini!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Things I want to try in LA this year
Now I feel like I've done the basics of moving in (finally have car insurance set up!) so here is a list of the things I want to do to really get settled:
1. Find a community theater to be a part of.
2. Take an acting class.
3. Try out for a symphonic band.
4. Find a spiritual community.
5. Take a ballroom dance class.
6. Go camping.
7. Visit LACMA.
8. Go to Berkeley/San Francisco
9. Learn at least five places to take people to that are more off the beaten trail.
10. Get more people to come visit- COME VISIT!!!
1. Find a community theater to be a part of.
2. Take an acting class.
3. Try out for a symphonic band.
4. Find a spiritual community.
5. Take a ballroom dance class.
6. Go camping.
7. Visit LACMA.
8. Go to Berkeley/San Francisco
9. Learn at least five places to take people to that are more off the beaten trail.
10. Get more people to come visit- COME VISIT!!!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Things that were not on my to do list
I'm at home but quite a few things have come up that I was not planning on...
1. My plane was landing in Chicago when oops! there is too much snow on the long runway. Let's go to St. Louis to refuel and land a couple hours late (I am glad that I landed safely)
2. First night here, the pipes froze in our upstairs. Odd since the house was built 4 years ago. We have no idea if they broke.
3. My hard drive died. Now the question, is it worth the $199 to get what I'm missing? Haven't decided on that one yet. (and that is only if they can get the stuff off)
1. My plane was landing in Chicago when oops! there is too much snow on the long runway. Let's go to St. Louis to refuel and land a couple hours late (I am glad that I landed safely)
2. First night here, the pipes froze in our upstairs. Odd since the house was built 4 years ago. We have no idea if they broke.
3. My hard drive died. Now the question, is it worth the $199 to get what I'm missing? Haven't decided on that one yet. (and that is only if they can get the stuff off)
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