Bits and Pieces

Ungraded papers are beginning to pile up, the laundry is still wet and I have ditched choir practice to remedy this situation. (And here I sit in my pajamas.)

Early voting in my state - it only took me an hour and twenty minutes on Monday; people, it's not over until it's over. I saw all kinds of people waiting to vote, including all the over 75 people going to the front of the line.

My team has three parent conferences tomorrow because of three ne'er do wells. I can't wait.

This past Sunday, I overheard the following conversation.
"Hey, BrownBear, let's go see High School Musical 3. I'll take you."
Sweeter words have never been spoken. They got to go and I didn't have to be involved at all.

I had my observation on Tuesday and my principal got to observe me previewing math vocabulary words - no dog and pony show, but exactly what the county wants going on.

PrepGirl had her fall conference yesterday and during it, she said that she was looking for a big party school for college. Uh, great. That's what everyone is looking for but not what everyone says outloud to advisors and parents. Today, I started looking for some small girls' schools.

And Halloween? I could live without it. Can't wait for it to be over.

Music Memory

Apparently, music memory is a strong thing. This Christmas, ChoirGuy has us singing Vivaldi's Gloria. Nice ditty. I sang it once before, many, many years ago, as a freshman in college.

People, this is like a walk through the twilight zone. I am singing from memory. It seems like just yesterday that I put this music down. And as we are singing along, I am having the oddest memories and cravings. Nickel beer, for one. And crazy freshmen fantasies.

Youth is wasted on the young.

Is Anyone Really Surprised?

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Jackie!

You are a Jackie. "I do everything the right way."

Jackies are realistic, conscientious, and principled. They strive to live up to their high ideals.

How to Get Along with Me

* Take your share of the responsibility so I don't end up with all the work.

* Acknowledge my achievements.

* I'm hard on myself. Reassure me that I'm fine the way I am.

* Tell me that you value my advice.

* Be fair and considerate, as I am.

* Apologize if you have been unthoughtful. It will help me to forgive.

* Gently encourage me to lighten up and to laugh at myself when I get uptight, but hear my worries first.

What I Like About Being a Jackie

* Being self-disciplined and able to accomplish a great deal

* Working hard to make the world a better place

* Having high standards and ethics; not compromising myself

* Being reasonable, responsible, and dedicated in everything I do

* Being able to put facts together, coming to good understandings, and figuring out wise solutions

* Being the best I can be and bringing out the best in other people

What's Hard About Being a Jackie

* Being disappointed with myself or others when my expectations are not met

* Feeling burdened by too much responsibility

* Thinking that what I do is never good enough

* Not being appreciated for what I do for people

* Being upset because others aren't trying as hard as I am

* Obsessing about what I did or what I should do

* Being tense, anxious, and taking things too seriously

Jackies as Children Often

* Criticize themselves in anticipation of criticism from others

* Refrain from doing things that they think might not come out perfect

* Focus on living up to the expectations of their parents and teachers

* Are very responsible; may assume the role of parent

* Hold back negative emotions ("good children aren't angry")

Jackies as Parents

* Teach their children responsibility and strong moral values

* Are consistent and fair

* Discipline firmly

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Early Release Day

Mindless, wasted day. School ends at 12:10. Must include Art and Lunch. Must give at least an hour for the Math PreTest (which most everyone BOMBED). Bathroom breaks. Oh, yes. It is also PICTURE DAY!!!!! Are you kidding me? Guess how much genuine instruction I got in? That would be none.

After school was dismissed, we had to take the faculty picture on the playscape (0n which I climbed to the top because I wore my khaki walking shorts and tennis shoes - hey, don't judge, it's 86 freaking degrees here!!! and it was jean day) and then we had PROFESSIONAL LEARNING.

I've had about all the professional learning I can take. We had to read and "jigsaw" (fancy term for reading and giving a book report) a chapter about data and data teams; we had to meet as a grade level team about data and then we had to meet in the big group and report on data. We didn't leave until nearly four o'clock. That's three hours I'll never get back.

Mindless Diversion to Keep the Masses Settled

One of my favorite things to do is surf the blogs. I rarely leave comments, but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate those things I read. When I read this at HollowSquirrel, I realized I had hit the mother load. (Or is it mother lode? I don't know. I'm not a miner.)

I laughed until I cried and then I called Prep and BrownBear and read it outloud to them. I only did it to freak them out, too. You see, when they were little (and still to this day) , they had an aversion to eyeballs. They have always been afraid that their own would fall out and have always hated the Halloween eyeball thingys. Being a somewhat bad mother, I have always had an eyeball gumball or two laying around, and I also have a Halloween eyeball bracelet that they cannot STAND to look at. And these are nearly grown girls. As children, they were completely freaked out by eyeballs. I once threatened to dress as an eyeball for Halloween and I thought they were going to call the Department of Children's Services and turn me in as a child abuser.

I think it all started with a simple broken blood vessel in someone's eye - and it has been downhill since.

Thanks to Stacy's story, I don't think they'll be able to go into Panera's anymore.

Perhaps It's a Curse

As I was reading today's paper, I stumbled upon this little gem concerning the Atlanta City Public Schools being honored for meeting academic goals.

I am sure they want to be considered as public schools but, alas, the newspaper has other ideas. I wonder how many people just read along and their minds just let them read the word as public. I am wired entirely differently. Diet Coke nearly came out of my nose as I read this one.

I Thought They'd Fired This Idiot

If you know me and have followed me for a while, you know how I feel about him. LawyerBoy was channel surfing tonight and landed on MSNBC and the one who shall not be named. Of course, there was ranting and raving - I swear, I think there was spit flying. I nearly had a stroke, trying to wrestle the remote from LB and changing the channel at the same time.

I'm Lucky I'm Sleeping At All

"A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have."
-Thomas Jefferson

In other news, the game of the year was Friday night and my word, people, it was an amazing thing to watch. Our team was unranked and they beat - beat - the number two team. Prep was in her element. The cheerleaders from both schools were the half time show - they worked up a dance/stunt/tumbling routine. They were phenomenal. (I know. I am her mother. A cheer mom.) At the end of the game, as the cheerleaders ran out on the field, one of the referees handed Prep the game ball. She said she nearly fainted. Granted, she had to hand it over to the coaches, but she got to carry it for a while.

I hope she is able to translate all this enthusiasm and turn it into something profitable as a grown person. At least I hope she is able to look back on this night and remember how much fun she had and how excited she was.

Gas, Gold and Groceries

Back in the saddle and the damned horse just keeps on going.

Thank you for your sweet comments about BrownBear and her trip. She had a fabulous time, but, alas, got cold and wet. "I didn't pack my Northface jacket because my mother told me not to," she rasped to me after she got home. Oh well. No one said I was going to be mother of the year. She had mighty great adventures that she will remember for a lifetime.

Down here in the deep South, we are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ike. Uh huh. I said Ike. Some kind of crap about the pipeline and... weeks later, we are still sitting in freaking gas lines. I kid you not.

I went on a girls' weekend to the middle of Nowhere, Alabama. I swear. There was one blinking traffic light in the middle of town. Swear. On the way, I realized I was running out of gas in Prep's car. So, I began stopping for gas at every station that had gas. Not many had gas and those that did were only letting you buy so much. Let me just say that I made sure that Prep's car was FULL of gas before I got home so I wouldn't have to worry about finding it here.

So that brings me to this.

One of our teachers has a brother who is a financial advisor. This teacher told us that his brother sent a message to his clients who weren't inclined to panic and this message said to keep your car full of gas, several hundred dollars in cash and your pantry full. I am inclined to panic; I would have been the first person in "It's a Wonderful Life" to go get my money from Jimmy Stewart. This gas thing has been enough to push me over the edge. If you think those words of wisdom were comforting, think again.

I've got $40 in my wallet and some spaghetti sauce in the pantry. While I doubt that would tide us over in a real panic, it is better than I usually do.