States I will travel through

On my way to L.A. we will drive through
1. Illinois
2. Missouri
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas
5. New Mexico
6. Arizona
7. CALIFORNIA!

Things I notice watching CNN's Reclaiming the Dream

1. It annoyed me that they cut off Juliane Malveaux in the opening panel about the lack of married black couples with children when she suggested that maybe the effort shouldn't be about getting these couples to marry.
2. In fact it annoyed me every time Malveaux brought up that there were larger issues that often get swept under the rug for short term solutions and people would cut her off. She brings up really good points. I really liked the points she brought up.
3. I DVRed this so I'm not watching the commercials (and I DVRed the 3 am version) but certainly with the next new Black in America I'll be interested to see what commercials they have.
4. It annoys me that the website cnn has for this show doesn't have their panel.
5. The principal of the Excellence Charter Schools, Jabali Sawicki, refers to all of his students as scholars. While I don't believe that schools by gender are the answer, I was really fascinated by this. Also I found his reasoning for why his school will work the best I've heard for this kind of separation- (loosely quoted) "When you walk into my school, you find a black male as first chair violin, and a black male is the smartest kid in the class..." and then goes on to talk about how that changes culture.

I realized I grossly underestimated

I couldn't remember the movies that I watched in the theaters the other day and I've seen twice as many as I remembered...
1. Iron Man
2. Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Ark and Crystal Skull)
3. Wall*E
4. Get Smart
5. And just last night The Dark Knight

(Tomorrow Mamma Mia)

so far, only one on the list I probably won't bother to see ever again in my life. Can you guess which one?

Place to live crossed off...

Important Dates coming up:
1. July 23rd math night at the migrant school.
2. July 25th UI visit for migrant school.
3. July 31st last day of classes for the students.
4. August 1st day I get in the car and start driving to LA
5. August 4th my parents' anniversary and the day we should arrive in LA approximately

My mind is a little one track these days.

Things to consider in my current teaching job

1. The kids really need the social time. While they can talk in the fields, it's not really a lot of time to be social.
2. The kids need math help, but they already feel like they've failed it.
3. The kids can use writing help, but they wouldn't know it since they can pass the TAKS test.
4. Many of the kids are there because they have nothing better to do at night.

The simple pleasures

It's the time for simple pleasures, so what makes my list of simple pleasures?
1. Sprecher's Root Beer.
2. Ice cream that has chocolate chunks in it.
3. Seeing my suitcase when I arrive at an airport.
4. The salsa at Dos.
5. My washed car (the washed part being the simple part)
6. Random facebook wall posts.
7. A good purple pen.
8. When students remember to say Ms. rather than Mrs.
9. My mom making dinner.
10. When people don't talk to me in the morning.
11. When people talk to me at night.
12. Spelling a word correctly- especially when I spell lots of words correctly.
13. Going out for custard after a game of softball.

Things that need to happen before I move

1. I need to find a place to live.
2. I need to finish this grant for I-CHASS.
3. I need to clean/pack.
4. Mikey needs to have a birthday.
5. Katie and I need to celebrate the end of her night shift and the end of my time in Illinois.
6. I have children's sermon duties three more times.
7. I need to teach at the migrant school.
8. I have to put in three more weeks of being the church janitor.
9. I have to clean up the room in Rantoul.
10. I should read at least Tipping Point.

That's not too bad of a list in a month....