Tuesday...the fire alarms scream 1st period; students (and teacher) nearly jump out of their skin and look at one another. "This is not a drill...let's go...we got to get out of the building." The building is evacuated, my class meets in its designated area (yea, we all made it out alive), and we wait and wonder as fire trucks race into the school lot. Roughly twenty minutes later administration waves students and teachers back into the building. Announcement: "For your information, the fire alarms were triggered by an experiment taking place in one of the science rooms. We will proceed with our normal day."
Thursday...the fire alarms scream 4th period; teachers look at one another, curse the science department and continue to sit. We wait for an announcement that the science department has once again triggered the alarm. No announcement is made and students are being evacuated from the building. DAMN! I take my time; grab my coat and an umbrella. We stand in the cold rain for a little longer than 30 minutes; four students from my fourth hour class find me (this class has a split lunch)...I hope the remaining eight made it out of the building. Rumor has it there was a fire in one of the art classrooms. Finally, we get clearance to go inside...students have never looked so excited to walk into a school building! No announcement has been made to the entire school, but a credible source has informed me that there was smoke in an art classroom...smoke from a burnt bag of popcorn. Grrr...
The positive...well, at least we know the alarm system works well, that our kids can get themselves out of the building in a short amount of time, and the fire department responds very quickly.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Warm fuzzies
This is why I stay in education...a former student just popped into my room and said she had a question for me. Considering she is a senior, I automatically started to think reference letters, etc., but instead she proceeds to tell me that for volleyball each girl had to choose a favorite teacher and she chose me. She came to personally invite me to her volleyball game tomorrow night...ahhh...there really is no greater compliment than moments like these!
A new home...
I think I may have found a new home! I just need to get a few things finalized with the owner and then make arrangements to get all my crap moved. What a relief! Keep your fingers crossed for me that all goes smoothly!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Space filler...
Here's an entry that I "borrowed" from another...I thought it was really good and I've not posted for awhile because I'm working on an important post that I just can't seem to get right.
Ten Things I Wish I Could Say to Ten Different People Right Now:
1. I wish our relationship didn't feel so one-sided, so much of the time.
2. I need me some Avery time...I miss you so much!
3. It is so interesting how God works...how he places people in our lives. Who would have ever thought that an ex boyfriend(for me)/husband(for you) would be the one to do that!
4. I miss those daily hugs I got last year.
5. Seeing you a couple weekends ago brightened my life!!
6. I am the luckiest sister/daughter in the whole world. Had I the opportunity to choose, I would have chosen you myself.
7. You have such a pure heart and I am blessed to call you my friend.
8. When are we meeting up for that drink?
9. Don't be bitter...you're just not right for the job.
10. You deserve sooo much better and I want to punch her in the face for hurting you like this!
Nine Things About Myself:
1. I am tired of looking for a new apartment and packing...I'd actually just like for someone to make all decisions for me from here on out (concerning my living space, anyway).
2. I am jealous that my mom and sister are on vacation right now and I am sitting in a classroom.
3. Politically, I consider myself an Independent.
4. The book I read at least once a year is called The Education of Little Tree.
5. I wore braces for 14 months and had to have several permanent teeth removed.
6. I had my wisdom teeth out during my junior year of high school...my mom was nice and scheduled the surgery the day after Christmas (she didn't want me to miss school...thanks ma!)
7. The majority of my best friends have been male.
8. I still think I would love to interview and study serial killers.
9. I never remember my dreams (if I actually dream).
Eight Ways to Win My Heart:
1. Be patient, with me and with other people.
2. Take pleasure in small things.
3. Respect me, my life experiences, and my opinions.
4. Be able to laugh at yourself (and my dumb jokes).
5. Be sarcastic, but never mean.
6. Be able to look me in the eyes when you talk.
7. Be a life long learner and able to admit when you don't know or understand something.
8. Understand that you can't always be first in my life...oddly, it will make you even more important in my eyes.
Seven Things That Cross My Mind a Lot:
1. Family
2. Friends
3. School
4. The future
5. Work
6. Travel
7. Money
Six Things I Do Before I Fall Asleep:
1. Read (at least try to)
2. Turn on a fan (for noise)
3. Love on Daly (my cat)
4. Turn on and check my alarms
5. Push the pillow up against the headboard and flip to my stomach
6. Think...think...think...think...think...yes, it's annoying!
Five People Who Mean a Lot:
1. Mom
2. Dad
3. Suzi
4. B
5. Kim
Four Things I'm Wearing Right Now:
1. black pants
2. long-sleeved blue and black striped shirt (my power shirt!)
3. black heels...I'll probably tower over most of the parents that come to see me tonight
4. watch and earrings
Three Songs I Listen to a Lot: [at the moment]
1. Broken by Lifehouse
2. Kindly Unspoken by Kate Voegle
3. Free Fallin' performed by John Mayer
Two Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
1. Have a family of my own; be blessed with children, either my own or through adoption.
2. See more of the world.
One Confession:
1. One of my guilty pleasures is the show One Tree Hill.
Ten Things I Wish I Could Say to Ten Different People Right Now:
1. I wish our relationship didn't feel so one-sided, so much of the time.
2. I need me some Avery time...I miss you so much!
3. It is so interesting how God works...how he places people in our lives. Who would have ever thought that an ex boyfriend(for me)/husband(for you) would be the one to do that!
4. I miss those daily hugs I got last year.
5. Seeing you a couple weekends ago brightened my life!!
6. I am the luckiest sister/daughter in the whole world. Had I the opportunity to choose, I would have chosen you myself.
7. You have such a pure heart and I am blessed to call you my friend.
8. When are we meeting up for that drink?
9. Don't be bitter...you're just not right for the job.
10. You deserve sooo much better and I want to punch her in the face for hurting you like this!
Nine Things About Myself:
1. I am tired of looking for a new apartment and packing...I'd actually just like for someone to make all decisions for me from here on out (concerning my living space, anyway).
2. I am jealous that my mom and sister are on vacation right now and I am sitting in a classroom.
3. Politically, I consider myself an Independent.
4. The book I read at least once a year is called The Education of Little Tree.
5. I wore braces for 14 months and had to have several permanent teeth removed.
6. I had my wisdom teeth out during my junior year of high school...my mom was nice and scheduled the surgery the day after Christmas (she didn't want me to miss school...thanks ma!)
7. The majority of my best friends have been male.
8. I still think I would love to interview and study serial killers.
9. I never remember my dreams (if I actually dream).
Eight Ways to Win My Heart:
1. Be patient, with me and with other people.
2. Take pleasure in small things.
3. Respect me, my life experiences, and my opinions.
4. Be able to laugh at yourself (and my dumb jokes).
5. Be sarcastic, but never mean.
6. Be able to look me in the eyes when you talk.
7. Be a life long learner and able to admit when you don't know or understand something.
8. Understand that you can't always be first in my life...oddly, it will make you even more important in my eyes.
Seven Things That Cross My Mind a Lot:
1. Family
2. Friends
3. School
4. The future
5. Work
6. Travel
7. Money
Six Things I Do Before I Fall Asleep:
1. Read (at least try to)
2. Turn on a fan (for noise)
3. Love on Daly (my cat)
4. Turn on and check my alarms
5. Push the pillow up against the headboard and flip to my stomach
6. Think...think...think...think...think...yes, it's annoying!
Five People Who Mean a Lot:
1. Mom
2. Dad
3. Suzi
4. B
5. Kim
Four Things I'm Wearing Right Now:
1. black pants
2. long-sleeved blue and black striped shirt (my power shirt!)
3. black heels...I'll probably tower over most of the parents that come to see me tonight
4. watch and earrings
Three Songs I Listen to a Lot: [at the moment]
1. Broken by Lifehouse
2. Kindly Unspoken by Kate Voegle
3. Free Fallin' performed by John Mayer
Two Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
1. Have a family of my own; be blessed with children, either my own or through adoption.
2. See more of the world.
One Confession:
1. One of my guilty pleasures is the show One Tree Hill.
Friday, October 3, 2008
Stress and disappointment
There have been a lot of things going on in my life as of late...much that has left me probably more stressed than I have been in years (it's comparable to those semesters of two sports, 18 hours of classes, and a failing relationship).
First and foremost right now is the decision to get out of my current apartment lease due to the negligence of the property management to maintain safe and appropriate living conditions (i.e. they won't fix the things going wrong; I've had a mold problem for over a month). It's been frustrating to say the least, and that the maintenance and ownership take no responsibility is beyond aggravating. At this point I am talking to some lawyer friends and seeing whether or not I should expect more than the termination of my lease and the return of my deposit. It is very much out of my character to "go after" anyone, but I feel like the complex has a responsibility to me, the renter. I doubt that anything more will come of this, but my competitive nature and overall sense of fairness makes me exhaust every option in order to feel better about the situation. So, this leaves me with the daunting task of finding and securing a new place to live, packing, and moving within the next thirty days...in the midst of the school year. (If you find yourself free the last weekend in October, feel free to volunteer your services to assist me in moving! Oh, and if you ever move to (or seek a new location) StL, make sure to ask me where not to live!)
Next on the list of stresses...school. The year is going great, but I always seem to be so far behind in grading. The quarter ends next week, so that always brings about a bit more stress as there is so much to get finished before that time. It doesn't help that most of my brain (and time) seems to be filled with thoughts of moving therefore any free time I do find, I don't want to sit and grade papers (hmmm...I sit here and blog instead of grade papers).
If I didn't have such a great group of kids and wonderful people to work with, it might be too much at the moment!!
Lastly, on top of the aforementioned stresses, I feel like I've been disrespected by the new guy in my life. I won't go into detail here now because a discussion needs to be had...at the moment I'm feeling more than a little hurt and disappointed.
Oddly enough, this is my horoscope for the day: Make any decisions you have to in order to avoid feeling unsettled. Get busy making those changes to your home. Don't overlook that fact that someone you care about may be hiding something.
First and foremost right now is the decision to get out of my current apartment lease due to the negligence of the property management to maintain safe and appropriate living conditions (i.e. they won't fix the things going wrong; I've had a mold problem for over a month). It's been frustrating to say the least, and that the maintenance and ownership take no responsibility is beyond aggravating. At this point I am talking to some lawyer friends and seeing whether or not I should expect more than the termination of my lease and the return of my deposit. It is very much out of my character to "go after" anyone, but I feel like the complex has a responsibility to me, the renter. I doubt that anything more will come of this, but my competitive nature and overall sense of fairness makes me exhaust every option in order to feel better about the situation. So, this leaves me with the daunting task of finding and securing a new place to live, packing, and moving within the next thirty days...in the midst of the school year. (If you find yourself free the last weekend in October, feel free to volunteer your services to assist me in moving! Oh, and if you ever move to (or seek a new location) StL, make sure to ask me where not to live!)
Next on the list of stresses...school. The year is going great, but I always seem to be so far behind in grading. The quarter ends next week, so that always brings about a bit more stress as there is so much to get finished before that time. It doesn't help that most of my brain (and time) seems to be filled with thoughts of moving therefore any free time I do find, I don't want to sit and grade papers (hmmm...I sit here and blog instead of grade papers).
If I didn't have such a great group of kids and wonderful people to work with, it might be too much at the moment!!
Lastly, on top of the aforementioned stresses, I feel like I've been disrespected by the new guy in my life. I won't go into detail here now because a discussion needs to be had...at the moment I'm feeling more than a little hurt and disappointed.
Oddly enough, this is my horoscope for the day: Make any decisions you have to in order to avoid feeling unsettled. Get busy making those changes to your home. Don't overlook that fact that someone you care about may be hiding something.
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