:: p-dog ::

Orchids! I've wanted some for years, and now I've got them. And hopefully won't kill them.

:: Leslie H - 6:28 PM - ::

I have had such a good weekend--I've just got to write about it so this blog is something more than bitching and bad news.

Last Friday I was at school till about 7:30, mostly checking classwork in the kids' folders. This week, I instituted a system where I pay out tickets (the "admit one" sort that come in rolls from Office Max) to students for being on task, starting work promptly, picking up trash, etc. They can trade them in for things like time on the computer, sitting in the bean bag chairs, bathroom passes, etc. I also pay for helping out outside of class. So, for the low low price of a handful of tickets, I had two students stay after school for an hour+, checking folders and grading spelling tests for me. I was done and out of there by 5. And all it took was minting my own money.

Bryan published an ode to friday nights on overt, so I won't rehash their glory. But they're dreamy. Broiling some excellent steaks, watching the first (triumphant) half of Braveheart, in bed by 10.

Saturday morning I slept in, then got up for a bit of grading (end-of-quarter tests: did they learn what an adverb was? verdict: sort of). Then we headed off to a nearby farmers market with friend Hannah, and picked up some excellent produce. The artichokes were picked that morning, and the strawberries were so fragrant they perfumed our whole kitchen. After a leisurely afternoon, we made another smashing dinner (artichokes, then roast pork, green beans, and sourdough, and finally, strawberry crepes). And at 10--usually bedtime--we headed off for a TFA-dominated Halloween party.

No one seems to have Halloween parties on the day itself; everyone goes to the city. I'll let you know how that goes, but it's supposed to be wild.


Amy, an elementary school teacher, I'm a Texan (we were hard-pressed for costumes), Johanna as a cheerleader, and Jenn as a "blonde chick with an afro"

We stayed till 1:30, and I had more good old-fashioned fun than I've had in quite awhile.

Today, of course, it's back to reality. Time to finish grading papers and enter them all into excel. Time to lesson plan for the week. Time to figure out some new tactic to tame my 13-year-olds. Time to write 7 pages for one of my credentialling classes (lest we forget, I am also taking 15 hours of graduate classes!). On the bright side, my Monday-Wednesday are shortened days--30 minute classes. So that's a plus. And we only have one more week of October, so it will, you know, end someday.

I remarked to Bryan yesterday that, pretty much no matter what I do next year, it's likely to be the best of my life.

But this weekend, this weekend has been wonderful.

:: Leslie H - 10:21 AM - ::

Tomorrow, October 25, I will be equidistant from the first day of school and Christmas.

On the upside, this is the downhill of the fall.

On the downside, I think it's supposed to be better than this by now.

But Christmas doesn't seem so theoretical anymore.

:: Leslie H - 9:35 AM - ::

[sing to the tune of "badgers badgers badgers"]

Oh, I, hate my life I hate my life I hate my life I hate my life I hate my life I hate my life.

Mushroom! Mushroom!


At least whimsy has not left me.

who has the link to that site?

:: Leslie H - 10:05 PM - ::

Taking a sick day. I've had a sore throat for a few days now, and my energy has been flagging. I'm not sure if this is oncoming illness or more of a spiritual run-down, but I'm feeling pretty crappy today. I feel bad, because substitutes refuse to come to our school (we have a reputation...), so other teachers have to cover me during their off-periods. But, hell, they volunteer, and get paid, and I really couldn't prop myself up there today.

Unfortunately, staying at home lost a big part of its appeal when Bryan went to work. Gotta say, I'm getting a glimpse of how tough it was just staying home all the time, even in the best apartment in the world, for a stretch of months. After fantasizing about not working, I'm tasting a very, very tiny portion of the monotony of it.

Life and work in general is going a smidge better, I think. That is, I still don't want to go in the morning, and my classroom has not really improved in management or education, but I'm feeling generally less miserable. I have this unfounded feeling that progress is in some way being made, even if imperceptible. October is the hardest month, they say. It's got some work to do to beat September (which lasted approx. a year and a half), but I'll let you know in a few weeks.

I wonder who's teaching my class right now.

:: Leslie H - 12:43 PM - ::

A few more pictures in the "Bopping Around the Bay" album, from this weekend. TFA treated us to a Saturday in the Santa Cruz mountains. Three helpful workshops, a free massage, socializing, a bonfire, big trees, and an 11:00 bedtime for all us crazy teachers.

:: Leslie H - 12:15 PM - ::

I had a dream that one day, I would live in a state where my vote would not be on the losing side of every issue. That my politics would not be so counterculture. That my leader would not be a Republican.

Alas. An my governor is an action hero.

At least he's got better hair than Rick Perry.

(sigh)

:: Leslie H - 9:07 PM - ::

New pics on gallery. Check them out.

:: Leslie H - 9:29 PM - ::

I'm eating oatmeal cookies and took a lavendar shower. Thank you, Delia, for the care package. :)

:: Leslie H - 2:34 PM - ::