Where has all the time gone???

Two posts in one day? Crazy, I know.

I was doing some planning for the upcoming week tonight and looking at upcoming test dates and such. This year has gone by so fast! It seems like just last week I was moving to O-town and just last month I was starting off a new school year! I'm not sure where all the time has gone. Before I know it, we'll be doing end of level testing and I'll be saying goodbye to the students I've taught for two years.

It's been a stressful week but I am glad that I have a job that allows me to make a difference. I feel very blessed to have a job that I love and challenges me in ways I never anticipated.

Go see

I finally saw The Butler and The Book Thief this weekend. Both were wonderful films. Go see them!

That is all.

Where do we go from here...

Day Two post metaphorical fast ball out of left field.

I was so worried last night about the possible repercussions that I had to take a sleeping pill to finally fall asleep. And when I did manage to drop off I ended up having lovely school related anxiety dreams.

Today I talked with my principle and while the situation hasn't really been resolved, I'm not anxious about it in the same way. It's still going to be a challenge moving forward but I hope that all parties involved will be able to put this behind us and move forward in a professional and courteous manner.

Also, in completely unrelated news...it's Lisa's birthday. Happiest of happy birthdays to my bestest of best friends! I'm sad I can't be up in frigid, freezing Idaho to celebrate with you!

Ouch...!

Sorry in advance for the general vagueness of this post, but deal with it.

Today at work I was faced with a fast ball that came right out of left field for me. Man! Did it pack a wallup! My job is not at risk but I am facing a potentially awkward and uncomfortable environment at work. This is partially due to my own error, a coworker and some serious miscommunication. I'm not sure how this is all going to pan out, but holy moly! I wish I had an off button for my brain tonight.

Photographic evidence...

I'm at the public library making use of their free wifi. I can blog on my phone just fine but I haven't figured out how to add photos.  Here's a couple from the last couple of months...

Thanksgiving

Waiting for The Nutcracker...we're a little strange.

Thanksgiving Feast

Ringing in the New Year in frigid, freezing, snowy Idaho with the best friend.

Sweat it out...

I've never been one to actually like and/or enjoy working out. I still don't. Tonight I sat and watched a movie while I mentally debated with myself about whether or not I was going to let the devil woman (formally known as Jillian Micheals) torture me again. Jillian won this round. I will say this, each time I do it, the workout gets slightly (and I mean by a minuscule amount)  easier. I don't like sweating (yes, I'm that person) but I do like improving. Chatting with my mom about it she said maybe I should start with something that wasn't going to kill me. I may or may not have been whining at the time. While I don't necessarily enjoy every workout, I am happy that it has been noticeably easier each time...meaning my body is changing and getting stronger. Now THAT makes the sweat and sore muscles worth it.

A question to the universe..,

Why must Mondays be so difficult? There is a preponderance of evidence that supports this notion. Evidence gathered today included:

1. Oversleeping and have to rush through my morning routine
2. Three students commented on my appearance and asked if I had overslept and/or was I feeling ok because I didn't look it.
3. School wifi wouldn't let my students connect
4. Students can't seem to ever remember their email/password logins and then expect me to remember.
5. A gaggle of students came to my room after school to do make up work because it's all due tomorrow. They stayed until almost 5.
6. Same gaggle of students needed help with their math homework. The math teacher had left for the day. Slope is rise over run, yes...?

I knew I was saving that chocolate orange for a reason and boy am I glad I did!!

Ummm, guys...?

Two things...

One: one of my most difficult students reached a huge milestone today. He started 8th grade at a third grade reading level. Today he tested at a 9th grade reading level! This royal pain in my rear that I love and has caused countless headaches and groans of frustration, is now reading on grade level! (How's that for a run on sentence??) I almost cried when he showed me!

And two: how sore is too sore? Jillian Michaels is kicking my trash!

Feel the burn...

A while back I bought the Jillian Micheals 30 Day Shred DVD. HOLY CRAP ON TOAST!!! She says you can drop up to 20 pounds in 30 days. You know how??? She nearly kills you in every workout, that's how!! I just did the first one tonight and I'm not sure how long it's going to take me to pull myself off my livingroom floor. It's quite cozy down here, I just may sleep right here were I collapsed. The workout uses hand weights. Holy cow am I glad I went with the 3 pounders instead of the 5s!!

The joy of faculty meeting...

I got a shout out today during our Faculty Meeting because of some data analysis that I worked really hard on. I didn't do it to get attention, I did it to make sense of the mountain of student data that has been thrown at me. My principle was impressed and wanted to recognize the hard work and effort I had put into it. A coworker, semi-jokingly, rubbed her nose (as in brown noser) at me. Why do we have to be so competitive with each other? Why are we do hard on ourselves and each other? I would say that I am a fairly ambitious individual. I have set goals and worked hard to achieve them. However, I don't (I hope) achieve my goals at the expense of others. Why do we have to be so competitive?

Reach, my dear, reach!

Recently I've had two separate conversations about settling & reaching (marrying up) in dating. Up to this point I've always been a settler in many respects. Now, there are reasons for this but for now, that's irrelevant. For the most part I've been with men that weren't quite on the same page in one way or another. More than one lived with mom/siblings/uncles etc., hadn't finished/started school, didn't have a clear plan for the future...you get the point. It works for a while but inevitably it ends. Maybe that's part of the issue. I settle when I should reach. Mind you, what constitutes as "reaching" and "settling" is different for everyone. I went to Idaho for New Years to visit Lisa. I got to spend some time getting to know her boyfriend, "Bruce". They both think that they're the reacher in the relationship. I need to stop settling and start reaching. Although, the prospect is a little terrifying.

First World Problems...

Since moving to Ogden, I've been debating about whether or not I want to get the internet set up in my new place. As I'm currently writing this on my phone, it's evident I have not gotten internet yet. Now, I'm sure there are many out there experiencing a wee bit of shock. How can you live without internet??? What about Netflix? Hulu? Facebook? Random internet surfing? I'm starting to think I like not being quite so connected all the time. And, yes. I do have my iPhone and that lets me do the basics. But I guess the question is, do I need more? Right now I'm reading more, cleaning/cooking/organizing more, planning more. I may change my mind once summer rolls around, but for now, I'm cutting the cord.