Sad Morning

Yesterday, Ryan Meyers, a second grader at my school, lost his lifelong battle with cancer. It's been a tough day. I want to hug Matthew all day, not spend my day distracted and mournful in the classroom.

--End--

SO Beautiful

The universe is such a beautiful place.

Scientists agree. I haven't listened to all the sound clips yet (I'm at work), but these pictures are worth more than their requisite thousand words all on their own.

--End--

Do and Die

This poem has struck me, today.

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

---

Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade! "Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade!" Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew Someone had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred. Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air, Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian Reel'd from the sabre stroke Shatter'd and sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred. When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honor the charge they made, Honor the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred.

--End--

Odd To-Do List

I've been stage managing a local production of Ken Ludwig's Moon Over Buffalo (and yeah, the legalese section in the script stipulates that I use the author's name before the title in all promotion of the show). It's been twelve different kinds of awesome.

But, we're approaching the end. "Crunch week" is what the folks 'round these parts call it. Coming from the back-stage side of theatre, I've always called it "Tech Week." And, since I'm in charge once we move in (We cannot rehearse in our performance space, and will be moving in on May 9th. The show opens May 15th.), I can call it whatever I want.

It's a small production, and it's community theatre. I wear many hats -- stage manager, props mistress, co- set designer, set dresser, lobby display and marquee designer, costume and hair researcher, part-time assistant director, and cookie baker.

So, I have an interesting to-do list coming into the next week:

• Hand-write five letters in envelopes from George to his daughter, Rosalind
• Finish assembling four copies of Variety using the full-sized front and back covers I've already created in Publisher
• Gather some faux fruit
• Find my puffy shirt
• Pick up an ottoman from one of the actors
• Create a Performance Schedule for the stage-right wall of the set
• Find an appropriate notepad and two pens for the side table onstage
• Attach a china marker to a string for the onstage bulletin board
• Rummage in the attic to find the coat rack I know I have, to use on-set
• Send marquee photos to SnapFish for printing
• Buy several gallons of paint based on the paint chips I picked up last week
• Begin pencilling in cues in my performance Book
• Ask again if anyone knows where the headsets are

Set painting should start on Tuesday and end on Thursday if all goes well. And move-in is next Saturday. Then the Tech Week fun begins!!! Wheee!

--End--

Sign of the Times

This morning, the kids discussed the upcoming Ice Cream Truck season....

Matthew: I have a dollar, that will be enough for two things.
Emily: I don't know if that will be enough.
Matthew: Well, last year a dollar could get two things.
Emily: Yeah, but prices may have gone up. You know ... *dramatic pause* ... economy problems.

Sheesh!

And, yes, they really talk like that.

--End--

Patience...

I'm not very good at waiting for stuff.

My ever-enduring husband is used to this. He has received so many Christmas presents in October, it's not even funny. "But it's just perfect and you're going to love it, and it's really unique and special and perfect and amazing, and I can't wait until Christmas morning to see the look on your face!" He sighs, and then holds out a hand for the gift.

I develop elaborate countdowns (paper chains with a link for each day left until our Disney World trip), mental strategies for helping my inner dialogue delude me into thinking events are coming sooner than they really are ("Tomorrow, I can say to myself, 'Tomorrow!'"), even changing terminology to make time move faster ("Only two days and a wake-up. It's not actually three days.")

Whether it's a trip somewhere ("Less than two weeks....which is far less time than 13 days!"), a holiday ("this month is my birthday...that's soon!"), or seeing someone I miss ... I anticipate activities with the longing and enthusiasm of a four-year old.

That said, I adore surprises. I am the planner/organizer/cruise director of my family. So, I know about our itineraries, exactly what's inside each wrapped gift under the tree, everything. So when someone actually plans, orchestrates and carries off a surprise without me lifting a finger or becoming aware ... it's sheer bliss!

I'm not feeling particularly patient today. Waiting for some events, trips, birthday, theatrical rehearsals...*sigh*

All in good time, all in good time.....

--End--

Santa -- Yes! Easter Bunny -- No.

Through a highly-scientific survey process (read as: I asked a couple of teachers and students during recess yesterday), I have determined the following:

The Easter Bunny is downright creepy.

Not the concept of the Easter bunny. Not the idea of jellybeans, Peeps, Cadbury Creme Eggs, colored eggs. No, it's the actual bunny.

Folks dressed up in bunny suits for children's events, in particular.

I get a lot of e-mail. A lot. I'm not that popular a person, but I sign up for mailing lists, free offers, coupons, that sort of thing. Recently, every restaurant, tourist information board, Chamber of Commerce I've ever had any contact with has been contacting me with various bunny-related activities. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Welcome the Easter Bunny to the Mall, Brunch with the Easter Bunny, Steam Train Ride with the Easter Bunny, Car Wash with the Easter Bunny, Lap-Dance with the Easter Bunny ... (OK, maybe I made up one or two of those)

And, we all know what these events will entail ... a giant bunny-suited individual who may or may not talk through a bewhiskered, screened-in mouth frozen in a rictus of Easter-loving joy. An eight-foot, bowtied, tailcoated horror in fluffy white faux fur.

They're downright creepy.

I understand the need to "make fantasy come alive" for children. I understand the props and costumes and so forth to make Santa and Rudolph and all "real" for our kids. I take the kids to see Santa. I encourage the letter writing. I make sure we leave out cookies and milk and that they're at least partially consumed by morning. But ... the Easter Bunny?

I don't get it. And more than that ... it's creepy. I can't find a better word for it. OK, well, maybe I can. Disturbing. It's disturbing.

Some big sweaty men with fursuit fetishes are taking advantage of our children, and I don't care for it, not one little bit. And somehow, the "face" suit bunnies are even weirder. You know the type ... some perfectly genial intern or college student (usually female) dresses up in a pastel jacket, waistcoat (with obligatory pocket watch), plaid pants. Then there are obscenely large furry feet and mitts sticking out of the ends of the garments. Odd, wired-shaped ears stick up from a crooked headband or hood-like contraption. Then there's the biggest ick-factor ... the nose/whiskers/buck teeth prosthesis. There's nothing about this that says, "Trust me, I'm loveable and mean you no harm."

Beware the Bunny, friends.

--End--

ps. I'm not the only one to think so. I just Googled easter bunny creepy and found a lot of back-up. Like this gallery, or this Flickr image.

So, I've Been Unwell....

Right off the bat ... Thanks to all for their love and care and support!

Last week I developed a nasty infection in a delicate area (enough said). I wound up in the emergency room on Wednesday night, feverish and weak, having minor surgery. They sent me home with prescriptions for percocet (which alarmed me ... did they anticipate that much pain in my future???) and an antibiotic (no big surprise).

Since then, I've been dealing with swelling, tenderness, pain (yes, I took some of the percocet), and a couple of unsutured incisions that have yet to actually knit and clot. (ick) My fever is gone, which is good, and I think things are improving. But, it's been all kinds of not-fun.

I went to see my doctor (actually my certified nurse midwife, for those keeping score at home) on Thursday and I was all, "Hey ... it's no biggie, but they said I should see you..." And she was all, "Um. NO. It is very much a biggie. You have an infection in your body. You have wounds that need to heal. I want you off your feet for the foreseeable future. You can go to your workshop on Monday only if you stay off your feet. And come back and see me Monday afternoon."

sigh

Bored. So bored. Been watching a lot of movies (on a Kevin Kline jag at the moment...don't ask). Been rather uncomfortable, sitting on pillows, lying down, shifting positions all the time and what-not.

Talked to my CNM again this morning with some concerns and she said she may want me out of work another couple of days, depending on how things go when I see her tomorrow. ARG! I absolutely loathe developing sub plans.

Plans I had for the weekend got all messed up. We've been able to postpone for another time in a few weeks, but I'm just trying to heal as quickly as I can and get back to my real life.

This is all more frustrating than I can even describe.

--End--

Haiku for Spring

Written by a friend, this just makes me smile:

Wind rustling trees.

My kitten, playful, happy.

Springtime in the air!

--End--

Update on School Stuff

Well, the measure has passed the first school board vote. Article here. For those keeping score at home, I am absolutely one of the six teachers in jeopardy if we merged the districts, as mentioned on page two.

So far it looks as though I keep my job in the plan for next year. After that, it's absolutely completely up in the air.

--End--

Links for a Friday

Sci-Fi Movie Generator flowchart here.

A cute, belated office supplies Valentine trick here.

And who doesn't love the Gashlycrumb Tinies? It's been a coffee-table staple in my house since...well, since before we had a house.

This has been around awhile, and I've known about it for awhile, but in case anyone's still out of the loop, you really ought to check out the Literal Music Video of Aha's Take On Me.

--End--

Stress at Work

There's been so much stress at work this whole year. Every job I had before becoming a teacher I would wake up fairly regularly and lie there thinking, "This could be a sick day...why not?" Teaching hasn't been like that. I've generally felt fulfilled and needed. This year, however, has been one continuing wave of stress after another. At the start of the school year we had to all write formal curriculum guides in our grade/subject areas. I personally and all on my own had to write two of them ... one for grades K-5, and one for grades 6-8. These amount to two separate 80+ page documents outlining what I intend to teach and how it will ensure I cover all of the NJCCCS (New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards -- the state Dept of Ed requirements for what must be taught in each and every subject area). No one else does anything with technology, so I was on my own here.

After that, the school was "QSAC-ed." (Quality Single Accountability Continuum ... the field of education, being a government-run entity, just ADORES acronyms) This process happens to every single school in NJ on a three-year cycle. This was our year. It meant that representatives from the state came and inspected our school -- the physical structure of it (safety issues, making sure we don't use extension cords, that the room numbers are clearly labeled, etc), the teaching (classrooms were observed in action, and teachers were interviewed regarding "best practices" and other topics), the administration (our principal and head teacher were basically given the third degree on a million different topics), and the curriculum (remember those guides we wrote...yeah, they actually checked a few of them randomly to make sure we were doing what they said we'd be doing, and that we're meeting the Standards). It was several days of stress and anxiousness.

And now, the clincher ... we're going through a bunch of drama about whether or not (and if so, how so) Stow Creek and Greenwich Township schools will "share services" or merge in some fashion. (Article here.) The students are upset and agitated, the teachers feel as though we've had no input or say in what's going to happen to us, and that all our jobs are in jeopardy, the administrators are overwhelmed. Supposedly, the two administrators (principals and superintendents in one, in effect) of both schools have been meeting for months now and had submitted three plans to the two Boards of Ed. The Boards allegedly rejected all three of those plans and came up with the plan outlined in the article. I'm generally an upbeat, positive person (you may have noticed), but I can't help but think that this plan 1) does not delay the state and/or county taking action to merge the schools in some more drastic fashion in another year or three anyway, 2) does not put the welfare of the students first, and 3) pretty much only ensures that all 18 Board of Ed members for both schools keep their positions of "power." I think everything should be left alone and Greenwich (which next year will have fewer than 60 students in nine grades K-8) will just have to keep muddling through somehow.

Each county is being appointed an Executive County Superintendent who will have the power to do whatever they want to the schools in their counties (budgetary decisions, whether or not schools may add staff, all sorts of things). These execs will be specifically charged with consolidating small schools into large schools. Apparently the ideal size for a school district (K-12, all students) is roughly 5,000. If all the schools which send up to Cumberland Regional and the high school were all merged into one school district, we'd still have only about 3,700 students. So, we're obviously going to have HUGE targets painted on us for action. But ... for whatever reason, Cumberland County hasn't had their exec appointed yet. So, we don't have someone doing that yet. So, the two Boards of Ed decided that taking this action will "maintain local control" and give the state the impression that we're trying to fix the problem, buying us more time to be who we are the way we are. (in my opnion, this is utter bullshit ... they'll do what they want to us even after we take whatever action we take)

At issue is something called the Administrative Cap. Each school district is only permitted to spend so many dollars per student on Administrative costs (this includes principal, superintendent, custodial, and secretarial salaries; office supplies, utilities, etc ... everything not directly spent on student instruction (teacher salaries, books, etc)). Greenwich is required to have their administrator in the classroom 40% of her week, so that 40% of her salary can come out of the "instructional" budget rather than the "administrative" budget. This causes no end of difficulties, as you can imagine. Stow Creek is close to, but not yet having problems with our cap. So, the thought is by "sharing services" (the don't want to actually merge the school districts ... in my opinion this is because then we'd only need one school board) we'd come in under the cap and the state would ignore us for awhile.

*sigh*

I don't make tenure until next fall. I'm one of the newest teachers in both schools. Those facts don't bode well for me. However, I do already teach at both schools and they don't really have anyone else who could teach technology. But, there's no requirement that there actually be a technology teacher. They could decide that the classroom teachers can get enough tech stuff into the kids' brains without having a specifically designated teacher to do it.

Hence...the stress.

Have I rambled on enough for one morning? Yes. Is it past time I got off my duff and got ready for work? Yes. Is this even remotely something that interests anyone outside the two schools? Probably not.

--End--

Senior Year Thingy, 1989 for me

Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!! REPOST with name of high school and graduating year in the subject box. Tag folks, etc.

1. Did you date someone from your school? Yep, Tony DeFigio for two years-ish

2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No, no, no

3. Did you car pool to school? Rode the bus almost every day. Drove a few times senior year, I think. Probably mostly to lug big stuff to school on random occasions.

4. What kind of car did you have? Didn't. My folks had a Mazda 626.

5. What kind of car do you have now? 2004 Mazda Protege

6. Its Friday night...where were you? In the fall, sitting in bleachers with the marching band. Rest of the year, probably either with Tony or on the phone with him.

7. What clubs were you in? Nat'l Honor Society, Student Council, Hi-Q, Model UN (and I'm in senior yearbook pictures for "Student Forum" and "Student Cabinet," but I don't remember what those mean...something ro Student Council, probably?)

8. What kind of job did you have in high school? Dairy Delight in McKean, Chi-Chi's, um ... Camp Counselor the summer after graduation

9. What kind of job do you do now? Technology Teacher

11. Were you considered a flirt? I don't think so.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Yep, marching band, concert band, and jazz band (senior year). Didn't sing then.

13. Were you a nerd? Oh, absolutely.

14. Did you get suspended or expelled? Nope

15. Can you sing the fight song? Yeah, sorta. I remember Damon Sink teaching it to the marching band.

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s) in high school? Mr. Jenkins, Mr. Milligan, M, Mr. Berlin

17. Where did you sit during lunch senior year? Senior year? I have no idea. With Sue, Missy, Melinda and Shelley, probably.

18. What was your school's full name? General McLane High School

19. When did you graduate? 1989

20. What was your school mascot? Lancer

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? Not most of it, but there are several things I'd like a mulligan for.

22. Did you have fun at Prom? Both of them, yeah. Went both times with friends and had a pretty fun time. Still love to dance.

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? On Facebook, some.

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? If the scheduling works out. Looking like a very busy summer.

25. Do you still talk to people from school? A few in real-life, several on FB.

--End--

Wow ... been awhile.

I didn't mean for it to be so long between blog posts. Really. Honest!

But, between painting sets for All Shook Up, traveling to Washington to lobby Congress on educational issues and the many memes, activities and chats on Facebook and Twitter ... I just don't feel like I've much time to write, nor much left to say that I haven't already said.

I have a bunch of pictures I should get off the camera and blog about. Kids in snow, me in DC, et.

In the meantime, enjoy these old pics from the 80s and very early 90s. I did a bunch of scanning and uploading the other day.

--End--

150%

Joe was grading statistics homework and quizzes last night. He's teaching a 10 day winter session course. These are usually students who excel mightily and just squeeze this in at the community college before heading back to their four-year colleges and universities, or ... people who just found out over Christmas that they failed stats in the fall and have to complete the course before spring semester begins.

The following story seems to be about one of the latter students.

Joe started ranting out of the blue. "150%? Seriously? Can she seriously mean 150%?" He faded off into a disgruntled mutter.

"150% of what?" I ventured.

"This student is saying there's a 150% chance of something happening! Seriously? I mean, even if you don't get the math, apply some logic!" he ranted on.

I tried to appeal to his imagination. "Well, maybe she's a sci-fi fan."

*pause*

"Yeah, maybe this thing has such a huge percent chance of happening, that it's absolutely guaranteed to happen in our reality and it carries over to have a 50% chance of also happening in an alternate reality." I giggled.

He rapidly got on board, "Yeah, like I have a 100% chance of doing something and it's such a strong likelihood that it forces someone else to also have a 50% chance of being forced to do it to."

This went back and forth for an embarrassingly long time.

Never debate actual statistical realities with sci-fi fans.

--End--

R.I.P.

Ricardo Montalban

November 25, 1920 - January 14, 2009

Weekend Filled!

We filled our wide open weekend by rather spontaneously jaunting up to the Poconos. The lure of the forecasted (and received) 6-10" of fresh snow was more than we (read: I and then Joe with some convincing by me) could resist.

We watched Doctor Who on DVD, we played board games, we watched the Eagles-Giants game (WHOOO!), and ... yeah ... played in the snow!

To quote my dear, dear friend, Jodi, "Superman has his yellow sun, and you have snow." Yes!

We're heading back up there on Friday for the 3-day weekend. I already can't wait. :)

--End--

Open Weekend and Weird Food

I'm actually staring straight ahead into a wide-open weekend. I know....I'm shocked, too.

I'll probably wind up painting canvases, etc for community theatre. Or maybe hunting for props. And, I can always manage to fill time at the Goodwill (I visited the Salvation Army near my mom's house three times in a 7-day visit. I was smitten ... they chromatically arrange all their clothes! Seriously ... nine feet of red turtlenecks on a rack, followed by the whole OYGBIV. Then long-sleeved shirts, then short-sleeved. Corduroys ... a rainbow of corduroys! How could I not?)

*ahem*

We're "supposed to" take down all our Christmas lights and outdoor decorations. But as our weekend forecast looks like a whole lots of Blech with some Eeeew thrown in, I don't see it happening. We'll likely wind up playing a lot of board games. Which is all good.

Maybe I'll make some ridiculously creative food that will take so long to prepare and plate that I won't then allow anyone to touch it, let alone consume it. (I'm especially unclear what's going on in this one, but it's definitely about to get unpleasant for someone involved. And does this have some hidden meaning that's eluding me?

I should dig up pics of my Spam sculpture of Duquense University theatre professor, John Lane. Maybe I could submit them for inclusion.

Looked just like him, honest.

--End--

PS. Also this Stories told in just Six Words intrigues me a lot. Some famous folks in there, too.

Wednesdays are a Bit of All Right

I have always kind of liked Wednesdays. I usually still have enough energy saved up from over the weekend, and I'm in the groove of working and I get stuff done.

But, this term Wednesdays are going to be by far the longest day of my week. Joe is in classes up at Drexel until 9p.m. Once he gets to the parking lot and drives home, it'll be well after 10. Ten o'clock is usually when i start thinking about wrapping up my evening and going to bed.

And as Joe is still asleep when i leave for work in the morning ... I'm gonna miss him.

So, although I always rather liked Wednesdays, now I'm feeling kind of conflicted about them. One thing's for sure ... after these long Wednesdays, Thursdays are going to draaa-a-a-aa--g.

Bleah.

--End--

Oldie but a Goodie!

Why Parents Drink

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent but had not phoned in sick one day. Needing to have an urgent problem with one of the main computers resolved, he dialed the employee’s home phone number and was greeted with a child’s whisper. "Hello ?"

"Is your daddy home?" he asked.

"Yes," whispered the small voice.

"May I talk with him?"

The child whispered, "No."

Surprised and wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your Mommy there?"

"Yes"

"May I talk with her?"

Again the small voice whispered, "No."

Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, "Is anybody else there"

"Yes,"whispered the child, "a policeman."

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee’s home, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman"

"No, he’s busy," whispered the child.

"Busy doing what?"

"Talking to Daddy and Mummy and the Fireman," came the whispered answer.

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background through the earpiece on the phone, the boss asked, "What is that noise?"

"A helicopter," answered the whispering voice.

"What is going on there?" demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive.

Again, whispering, the child answered, "The search team just landed a helicopter."

Alarmed, concerned and a little frustrated the boss asked, "What are they searching for?"

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle…

"ME."

--End--

ps. Go, Eagles!