if there's one thing my team is good at, it's finding bargains. (i should note that they are good at volleyball, too, and they are getting much better at playing as a team...but that's not my point right now.) the other day when we were just waiting around in a gym, we got into a discussion about the amount of skill it takes to be a well-dressed, bargain-finding woman. (sidenote: they think i'm a good dresser. i told them to wait until winter when i drag myself out of bed and throw on the closest piece of clothing i can find. THEN they will know the truth about my dressing skills. i'm always a poser in the beginning of a school year.) after talking to the girls about good deals, i discovered i need to be shopping with these girls! they find the best deals! example: one girl bought her homecoming dress for a dollar. a dollar!! the same girl also found a cute pair of shoes for around 7 cents.
sooo, today we are going shopping as a team. but it's more than shopping. last friday we had to have a very LONG discussion about playing as a team, decision-making, working together on the court and off, liking eachother (or at least acting like it) and celebrating good things (even if they don't happen to us, personally.) i think the girls figured out a lot through the discussion, and we also came up with some teambuilding activities that will allow us to see the good in eachother. one of them: shopping! so, for practice today we'll be bargain-hunting for eachother at the battlefield mall (and probably chowing down afterward...you know, shopping takes a lot out of you!).
yep. i'm excited. now if only coacher would tell me what to get him for his b-day. (besides a chi...i'm not joking; that's what he said.)
Friday, September 26, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
real questions i've been asked today and things i learned last week
1 -- Is the World Trade Center and the Twin Towers the same thing?
2 -- Is Mississippi a state?
3 -- Is New Orleans in Indiana?
We need a little help with US geography. It's true. (And I thought I was bad...)
Now, things I learned last week:
1 -- a "slap" is a car. at least that's what one of my students told me. she is probably trying to make me feel stupid.
2 -- "big bootie" is the name of a game girls are playing these days. apparently it's educational because it helps with memory. that's all i know.
3 -- i need a chi. short hair requires it. no joke.
4 -- playing volleyball in a gym all day long is quite a bit more fun than watching it all day long. God bless my parents for doing that for me so many years.
5 -- students who dress like girls but have male parts must use the nurse's bathroom. (sparing the details, let's just say friday was interesting.) Locker room adjustments are TBA.
2 -- Is Mississippi a state?
3 -- Is New Orleans in Indiana?
We need a little help with US geography. It's true. (And I thought I was bad...)
Now, things I learned last week:
1 -- a "slap" is a car. at least that's what one of my students told me. she is probably trying to make me feel stupid.
2 -- "big bootie" is the name of a game girls are playing these days. apparently it's educational because it helps with memory. that's all i know.
3 -- i need a chi. short hair requires it. no joke.
4 -- playing volleyball in a gym all day long is quite a bit more fun than watching it all day long. God bless my parents for doing that for me so many years.
5 -- students who dress like girls but have male parts must use the nurse's bathroom. (sparing the details, let's just say friday was interesting.) Locker room adjustments are TBA.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
life in the fast lane
Busy, busy, busy. We've had three games a week this week and last, with tourneys on both Saturdays. Next Saturday is a frosh tourney (and I get to ride the bus...lovely), and the next Saturday after is another JV and Varsity tourney. You better believe I'll be sleeping in Oct. 11. Possibly sleeping all day, actually.
Also, I'm taking an online class. Why? Because I'm a glutton for punishment and I have to finish my master's this year to move up the pay scale. (If we are going to be taking trips to CR--which I am overwhelmingly excited about--I am going to have to start bringing home more bacon. Except for the fact that I don't cook or even like bacon. You get the point.)
I got my hair whacked off on Sunday. It was scary at the time, but I love it now. Coacher picked out the cut, but he didn't think I'd follow through with it. That'll teach him to doubt my 'extremeness.' It's not supershort, but short enough that when I wash it I wonder whose hair I'm washing. (And it doesn't take me 40 minutes to brush it out when it's wet...shew!) (Pics are coming as soon as I get a moment or two.)
Yesterday I got two pans of brownies and a sheet cake (all from my vb girls) for my birthday, none of which I even had a chance to eat. (My point is, these girls are so sweet!) Then Coacher treated me like a lady when I got home. (I could not be more happy than I am when I'm with him.) A nice dinner at Nakato's (sans the Japanese birthday song...I don't like to be the center of attention, and for all I know they could be singing, "We wish you a rotten birthday filled with snakes and cold weather without a blanket in sight." Seriously...) Then "Baby Mama." I'm not sure what the resident movie critics have to say about the movie, but I thought it was pretty funny (mostly because it mocks almost everything). "Time for your playdate with Wingspan and Banjo!" Classic line.
The weather is getting cooler, which means Coacher is a little giddy and watching deer hunt footage in much of his spare time. (Maybe it's okay that I'm busy right now.)
On a bit of a different note, I am pretty sure I like my teaching gig. The first few weeks were rough (not necessarily because of the kids...) The kids are pretty good; most of them have some crazy home situations. For example, you may have heard about the guy who is now being charged for murder after kicking a hospital security guard in the back of the head. He's the father of a girl I have in class for three hours every day. She acts like it doesn't bother her much...I can't imagine.
That's all my thoughts.
Also, I'm taking an online class. Why? Because I'm a glutton for punishment and I have to finish my master's this year to move up the pay scale. (If we are going to be taking trips to CR--which I am overwhelmingly excited about--I am going to have to start bringing home more bacon. Except for the fact that I don't cook or even like bacon. You get the point.)
I got my hair whacked off on Sunday. It was scary at the time, but I love it now. Coacher picked out the cut, but he didn't think I'd follow through with it. That'll teach him to doubt my 'extremeness.' It's not supershort, but short enough that when I wash it I wonder whose hair I'm washing. (And it doesn't take me 40 minutes to brush it out when it's wet...shew!) (Pics are coming as soon as I get a moment or two.)
Yesterday I got two pans of brownies and a sheet cake (all from my vb girls) for my birthday, none of which I even had a chance to eat. (My point is, these girls are so sweet!) Then Coacher treated me like a lady when I got home. (I could not be more happy than I am when I'm with him.) A nice dinner at Nakato's (sans the Japanese birthday song...I don't like to be the center of attention, and for all I know they could be singing, "We wish you a rotten birthday filled with snakes and cold weather without a blanket in sight." Seriously...) Then "Baby Mama." I'm not sure what the resident movie critics have to say about the movie, but I thought it was pretty funny (mostly because it mocks almost everything). "Time for your playdate with Wingspan and Banjo!" Classic line.
The weather is getting cooler, which means Coacher is a little giddy and watching deer hunt footage in much of his spare time. (Maybe it's okay that I'm busy right now.)
On a bit of a different note, I am pretty sure I like my teaching gig. The first few weeks were rough (not necessarily because of the kids...) The kids are pretty good; most of them have some crazy home situations. For example, you may have heard about the guy who is now being charged for murder after kicking a hospital security guard in the back of the head. He's the father of a girl I have in class for three hours every day. She acts like it doesn't bother her much...I can't imagine.
That's all my thoughts.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
lovely
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things honest, whatsoever things just, whatsoever things pure, whatsoever things lovely, whatsoever things of good report; if any virtue, and if any praise, think on these things." - Philippians 4:8
these are the best things to think about anyway, right? this advice seems so logical, yet at times it can be so hard to live by. lately, i have needed constant reminders to focus on good, particularly the good in people, so i put this here (and on my desk at school) to provide just that. i have this nasty tendancy to get bogged down in circumstances. i let them stress me out, produce knots in my shoulder, wake me up at 4 AM, not enjoy simply relaxing with people i love, etc. throughout the circumstances i know that i need the eyes of my loving Father, yet i continue to try to wade through the filth on my own without noticing the gems along the way. i know it makes me stronger, so i am thankful, but in the midst of it my focus is off.
here's to focusing on the lovely things in life.
(on a side note, circumstances alluded to above have nothing to do with students or with marriage. those are the lovely things.)
these are the best things to think about anyway, right? this advice seems so logical, yet at times it can be so hard to live by. lately, i have needed constant reminders to focus on good, particularly the good in people, so i put this here (and on my desk at school) to provide just that. i have this nasty tendancy to get bogged down in circumstances. i let them stress me out, produce knots in my shoulder, wake me up at 4 AM, not enjoy simply relaxing with people i love, etc. throughout the circumstances i know that i need the eyes of my loving Father, yet i continue to try to wade through the filth on my own without noticing the gems along the way. i know it makes me stronger, so i am thankful, but in the midst of it my focus is off.
here's to focusing on the lovely things in life.
(on a side note, circumstances alluded to above have nothing to do with students or with marriage. those are the lovely things.)
Friday, August 29, 2008
snippets #2, and i made it through
see, i used to be an english teacher...
anyway, i am almost through my first week of school, and i have to be honest; it has been a rough one. actually, it has been a rough week-and-a-half. i will not go into detail, because then i would be complaining (and i don't really appreciate complainers...thanks to coacher and my "mommy" i can get my complaining out of my system before i have to have real, positive conversations with other people.) let me just say that this has been the week of passing the buck, and i'm not doing the passing. also, last week i (along with some of my vb girls) moved approximately 500-ish books and binders from a perfectly-equipped classroom in one hallway to a classroom in another hallway that did not even have bookshelves. what did we do with the books? they were on students' desks until about 5 pm last friday, when another bookshelf came in and my mom and i rearranged them and put them on shelves. (5 pm last friday, by the way, i was SUPPOSED to be coaching a vb practice. i had to make my assistant coaches do it instead.) anyway, in short, when i left last friday i had a classroom full of books and was still waiting on a storage cabinet for the rest of the materials, and i had 8 computers sitting in desks with their cords in knots. by monday morning, i still had no computers hooked up for students, nor did i have the CURRICULUM i was supposed to be giving students. (did i say i wasn't going to complain? don't worry, i'm not. i'm simply reporting the happenings.) yesterday i finally got hooked up to the network attendence system, but i still have no access to a gradebook, and i have a random printer, a tv, and a computer monitor sitting on the floor waiting to be taken somewhere else.
that--and the passing of the buck disease that seems to be spreading around these parts-- aside, i really like my job, and i really like my kids. the vb stresses me out because i sometimes feel inadequate, but i like the girls and think it will be an exciting season. as for the teaching job, the kids i work with can be difficult at times, but so far i have found that they are pretty good kids who will work hard when they need to get things done. i like to say hi to them in the hallways, and one of my girls has a very cute little boy who i can go visit in the nursery if i feel like it. i also have three asian kids who all sit together and whisper to try to figure out words (that's my guess, because they are working on their curriculum). they are fun. they sometimes look guilty, though, so i just look at them and they smile at me, saying, "ok." they are hilarious.
as for a snippet, here is one more for you:
after a long class period, during which probably 50 people knocked on my door, called to ask me a question, gave me a package, etc, one of my students said, "wow, you're like the hot new neighbor that everyone wants to get in good with." that made me laugh, which was a good thing for that day.
also, i told the kids that it wasn't a good idea to talk about illegal things they'd done, because i don't want to hear it and i would tell on them if i heard. seems to have done the trick.
i guess the important part is that the week is almost over, we have a 3-day weekend, and i will come back to work on tuesday ready for good things.
anyway, i am almost through my first week of school, and i have to be honest; it has been a rough one. actually, it has been a rough week-and-a-half. i will not go into detail, because then i would be complaining (and i don't really appreciate complainers...thanks to coacher and my "mommy" i can get my complaining out of my system before i have to have real, positive conversations with other people.) let me just say that this has been the week of passing the buck, and i'm not doing the passing. also, last week i (along with some of my vb girls) moved approximately 500-ish books and binders from a perfectly-equipped classroom in one hallway to a classroom in another hallway that did not even have bookshelves. what did we do with the books? they were on students' desks until about 5 pm last friday, when another bookshelf came in and my mom and i rearranged them and put them on shelves. (5 pm last friday, by the way, i was SUPPOSED to be coaching a vb practice. i had to make my assistant coaches do it instead.) anyway, in short, when i left last friday i had a classroom full of books and was still waiting on a storage cabinet for the rest of the materials, and i had 8 computers sitting in desks with their cords in knots. by monday morning, i still had no computers hooked up for students, nor did i have the CURRICULUM i was supposed to be giving students. (did i say i wasn't going to complain? don't worry, i'm not. i'm simply reporting the happenings.) yesterday i finally got hooked up to the network attendence system, but i still have no access to a gradebook, and i have a random printer, a tv, and a computer monitor sitting on the floor waiting to be taken somewhere else.
that--and the passing of the buck disease that seems to be spreading around these parts-- aside, i really like my job, and i really like my kids. the vb stresses me out because i sometimes feel inadequate, but i like the girls and think it will be an exciting season. as for the teaching job, the kids i work with can be difficult at times, but so far i have found that they are pretty good kids who will work hard when they need to get things done. i like to say hi to them in the hallways, and one of my girls has a very cute little boy who i can go visit in the nursery if i feel like it. i also have three asian kids who all sit together and whisper to try to figure out words (that's my guess, because they are working on their curriculum). they are fun. they sometimes look guilty, though, so i just look at them and they smile at me, saying, "ok." they are hilarious.
as for a snippet, here is one more for you:
after a long class period, during which probably 50 people knocked on my door, called to ask me a question, gave me a package, etc, one of my students said, "wow, you're like the hot new neighbor that everyone wants to get in good with." that made me laugh, which was a good thing for that day.
also, i told the kids that it wasn't a good idea to talk about illegal things they'd done, because i don't want to hear it and i would tell on them if i heard. seems to have done the trick.
i guess the important part is that the week is almost over, we have a 3-day weekend, and i will come back to work on tuesday ready for good things.
Monday, August 25, 2008
snippets
a few of the conversational bits and pieces i have heard today (my "official" day one of the new teaching gig):
1 -- they are keeping their eyes on me for anger problems.
2 -- man, i had the worst night last night. (pause for dramatic effect) i got arrested.
3 -- is he the one who bought the alcohol? (speaking of someone's relative or another student, i believe)
4 -- my mom kicked me out again. (other kid: man, i hate that. it's so annoying to deal with new schedules and everything.) my dad called me later to tell me that my mom wanted me to live with him. permanently.
5 -- when i used my id for the first time...
6 -- i went to midnight rodeo the other night. you ever been there? (following this was a comment about "buns," at which comment i said, ok that's plenty of information from you.
7 -- yep...got a girl in nixa, a girl at parkview...
8 -- at ____, if you buy a parking permit they can test you for drugs and stuff. forget that.
i will leave it at that. i think you get the idea.
it will be an adventure. (and we all know i like adventure...)
1 -- they are keeping their eyes on me for anger problems.
2 -- man, i had the worst night last night. (pause for dramatic effect) i got arrested.
3 -- is he the one who bought the alcohol? (speaking of someone's relative or another student, i believe)
4 -- my mom kicked me out again. (other kid: man, i hate that. it's so annoying to deal with new schedules and everything.) my dad called me later to tell me that my mom wanted me to live with him. permanently.
5 -- when i used my id for the first time...
6 -- i went to midnight rodeo the other night. you ever been there? (following this was a comment about "buns," at which comment i said, ok that's plenty of information from you.
7 -- yep...got a girl in nixa, a girl at parkview...
8 -- at ____, if you buy a parking permit they can test you for drugs and stuff. forget that.
i will leave it at that. i think you get the idea.
it will be an adventure. (and we all know i like adventure...)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Answer: 90-40
Question: What is the range of temperatures you will experience when you walk into a building in the summer?
(90 degrees outside, 40 inside.)
here is my idea (and it is my own idea this time): let's turn the inside AC temp WAY up. (I mean, is 74 degrees too much to ask anyway?) I have come up with seveal reasons to do this, but here are my top three:
1. We will save OODLES of money. (Particilarly if certain big companies, school districts, etc. put this into practice. Schools, in particular, would benefit from this in that teachers would a) not have to bring English-teacher-like sweaters to class in August; and b) more money could go to their paychecks OR to their classrooms.)
2. My body aches from the shivering, and my fingers don't move as quickly when I type.
3. I don't have any winter coats that look cute with summer clothes.
(90 degrees outside, 40 inside.)
here is my idea (and it is my own idea this time): let's turn the inside AC temp WAY up. (I mean, is 74 degrees too much to ask anyway?) I have come up with seveal reasons to do this, but here are my top three:
1. We will save OODLES of money. (Particilarly if certain big companies, school districts, etc. put this into practice. Schools, in particular, would benefit from this in that teachers would a) not have to bring English-teacher-like sweaters to class in August; and b) more money could go to their paychecks OR to their classrooms.)
2. My body aches from the shivering, and my fingers don't move as quickly when I type.
3. I don't have any winter coats that look cute with summer clothes.
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