April 30, 2008

1. I practiced today with the chorus kids for the cabaret this weekend.  I’ll be in the opening number and announce the acts.  I think there are other teachers singing.  I wish I had a number, vanity of vanities.
2. I took a Blackboard class today. Blackboard is program that helps you post assignments and do all sorts of groovy stuff.  There is a neat feature that helps you find links for your subjects and for Sociology and geography I found a site where you can see the census stats for any zip code, and even compare zip codes.
3. I was ready to carry on with the discernment committee tonight, but it had to be canceled.  Boo!
4. Violet keeps trying to shoehorn in on my lap here.
5. Dinner with Commander Dave last night was fun, and even though I think the computer was a little overwhelming for him, I have high hopes for him.  The nicest thing was, totally unrelated to the computer, that he saw how I framed the picture of his dad’s that he had given us on a previous visit.  He seemed really pleased by it. (His Dad and grandmother were both artists and he has boxes of beautiful drawings and pastels by his dad.)

April 28, 2008

1. I’m updating Commander Dave’s computer for tomorrow’s pick-up.  This is a customer at the shop who is reluctantly entering the computer age.  Like, we will be starting with the “how to use a mouse” tutorial.  When I ordered my new computer, I ordered one for him too, which Paul had encouraged him to do.  It should be fun.  He wants google earth, which I showed him at the shop one day.  He travels alot, so I think he will really enjoy looking at all the places he has been and those places he still wants to go.  Minor problem is that I set up and email for him, and now I am having trouble remembering the user name, and (of course) can’t find the little paper on which I wrote it.
2. SconeFest was good.  I recomend everyone have the church tea mafia over once in a while.  They talk sandwiches and fix each other with steely eyes if high maintence sandwiches are suggested.  A real treat was when two of my students stopped by!  THey are very sweet girls, and I had told them about the festivities, so since one lives in the neighborhood they came.  It was really great.  It made me feel like maybe they don’t all think I am a wierdo.  Of course, I was having a thing called Sconefest, so the weirdo label could be even more appropriate now.
3. This is teacher music week, so we get to choose the songs for the morning announcements.
4. I feel like I might be losing control of my calendar again.  Seems like there is alot to do this week, and I also have to make all those scones.
5. Oh, and I am supposed to be the MC for some coffee house//cabaret thing at school Friday and Saturday night.  Damn my showman’s ego.  See, I’ve been thinking I was baking Friday, but that is clearly not right.  I’d better get this sorted out.  I keep saying I am going to come home and do it, and then I get distracted by other things.  And of course, I need to clean my desk at school.  As always.

April 25, 2008

1. This has been a really good day.  The Spartan workout was a moderate success.  It was nice to get outside.  For each station they had a reading and then for the Athenian stations something to sit and ponder or discuss and for the Spartan stations, push-ups or sit-ups.  The kids actually said I should have made them do more, like run from station to station.  Maybe next year it will be a race, or relay. 
2. The other good thing about today was my lecture on apartheid.  I was able to reference a protest the kids were having, segregation in Arlington, colonialsm, and the power of forgiveness.  I was ON baby! 
3. I’ve felt a return to that general feeling of happiness that doesn’t go with a particular event, but simply is.  I was definitely in a malaise there for a while.
4. Kevin is a funny cat.  And funny weird, not funny ha-ha.  Paul is away for a few days, and Kevin, instead of his usual downstairs hanging out was up on the bed most of the evening.  He never does that.  Does he so much like Paul’s company that he can’t stand the living room without him?  Weird.
5. SconeFest tonight!  Hooray!  I’m about to leave school and pick up the ingredients.  I’m really glad I cleaned up last night.

April 24, 2008

1. The International dinner tonight was great.  The kids really outdid themselves with the food and some other teachers were also contributors, and came to the events as well.  Even D,C, and A came!  We agreed it was the best $10 meal deal in town.
2. After a day of 8th graders outdoing themselves to be mean to one another, it was really nice to see kids working together and being nice.  The principal said this was us at our best.  Very true.  I wish we could be at our best more often.
3. Came home and tidied up for Sconefest 2008.
4. Tomorrow’s Ancent Civ class is going to be the Spartan workout/Athenian study.  I am going to set up stations outside where there is information about the difference between Athens and Sparta on various points, and a summary of the Peloponnesian War.  They will alternate between reading and discussing (Athens), or reading and doing push-ups! (Sparta)  Good times!
5. “Tomorrow they learn in hell!”

April 23, 2008

1. In a virtually unprecendented feat of self-control, I baked over a 100 cookies tonight and I didn’t eat one!  I know I will be able to have some at the dinner tomorrow night, and somehow I managed not to do multiple taste tests.
2. I’m working on a new prototype for the coffee sleeve.  I’m trying to neaten up the closure.  Also, I discovered that if you put one color thread on the bobbin and another on the spool you can have different colors on the bottom and top of a project.  This may be pretty common knowledge, but it was a satisfying discovery, none the less.  I bought some very fun fabrics this weekend.  I am feeling a sort of tacky retro 70s big flower vibe.
3. Tired.  Up too late baking and sewing.
4. Do I sound domestic or what.
5. This week is crawling like molasses.

April 23, 2008

1. So that kid got the job.  Are you kidding me?  This explains alot about customer service in our society.  Oh, and he still hasn’t turned in his project.
2. I am very happy that my neighbor has sold his house, but a little dissappointed that he seems to have forgotten that he promised he would take out or fix the fan in his place that creates an annoying humming noise up here.  Now I can torture myself with the idea of asking the new person to do something about it.  I’m already planning on being a very welcoming neighbor, but if I show up with a plate of cookies and a request to do something about the fan, I don’t think that looks very nice.  It just looks like I am bringing the cookies to get some action on the fan, when we all know that I am bringing the cookies so they won’t hate Paul and I because of the squeaky floorboards when we walk. (The last neighbors were extremely sensitive about any kind of noise, and I was always paranoid about that, event though none of the past residents have ever said a thing. And really they didn’t either, but there were enough other noises, real and imagined, that they mentioned, that I became paranoid about everything.) I guess I should just resolve that the fan is exchange for the floorboards, and when this guy moves, try again.  Argh!  I thought I had the perfect plan.  He (former neighbor) even offered to pay me for the things they were asking me to do in the selling, and I said, oh no, don’t worry about it, just take out the fan, and he was fine with that.  I think he just forgot, and I asked again once, and it didn’t happen, and he is lovely and I am just going to drop it.
3. Speaking of cookies, I am making gingersnaps tonight to offer tomorrow at the International Dinner sponsored by the english as a second language group at our school.  I consulted with them about the event, offering some chili bowl type ideas, and said I would take a table.  So Aunt Zelt’s gingersnaps will take the world stage next to the papusas and njera, etc.  Oklahoma is international!  I hope they have a good turn-out, it is a fundraiser for their New York Trip.
4. In further cooking news I am going to test out the scone recipe for the Altar Guild Tea this Friday.  Anyone within the sound of my blog can come to my house between 6 and 8 to have a scone!  AC and RC are especially invited, seeing as how they are the Maginot line of tea treats.
5. This of course means people that know me.  If you are some crazy blog stalker and have not been properly introduced, I am not sure that would be appropriate.

April 20, 2008

1. I did alot of walking yesterday.  From home to church, from church to Stelmos, from Stelmos to Ali’s, (ride home) from home to a store to another store then back home again.15,000 steps!
2. I was intending to hide from Nora from the coffee shop, because I haven’t made any new coffee sleeves, but I was discovered, in fact she asked Ali where I was, so I reported to her, and she said people were asking for them.  I had bought some new fabric for spring a while ago, but just hadn’t done it, but sat down this afternoon and turned them out.  I bought flannel, but I am not sure I like it.  The colors don’t hold as crisp as cotton, and there was a little pilling that I had to scrape off.  I’ll pick up some cotton next week and try that.  Hopefully I can find some fun big prints like I did in the flannel.
3. Today, more acolyte training.  Chaotic again, a little too noisy with two groups training, note to self, split groups into separate days in the future.  Still fun.
4. Bought some nice cotton fabric at the store today.  Some had little coffee cups on them, the others weird polka dots and flowers.  My tastes are very different than what they were in my quilting phase.  Then it was blues with small flowers, now it is oranges, pinks and brown with abstract patterns or big flowers.
5. Day three( holy cow, three days of sticking to something) of the core plan and things have gone really well.  It is a completely different mindset to think about eating certain things, not certain points.  I’ve had a lot more variety of foods, and have felt much better, physically and mentally.  The old pangs are still there of course, I think they always will be: wanting to eat when stressed, or sad, craving sugar, etc.  It would be a pleasant surprise if this works, and then the real challenge would be to keep it up another week. 
6. Speaking of food NOT on my list, I need to have a scone practice run next weekend.  Or maybe a weeknight.  I am in charge of the scones for the Altar Guild tea, and will need to produce 200 the first weekend in May.  I want to try a recipe from the woman who has made them before.  There may be a random call for tasting sometime in the next two weeks.  Plan your lives accordingly.

April 18, 2008

1. This is the new hot thing, and very funny: Engineers guide to cats
2. So.  If you skip my class? If you skip my class on the day a project is due? If you skip my class on the day a project is due and when I see you in the hall you flee, rather than coming to talk to me?   You might want to hope that the job that you gave my name as a reference for, doesn’t call me that night.  I mean I felt bad about it, and I tried to skirt it with the “When he is interested in something he does a good job,” line, but when she came out and said “Would you hire him,”  I couldn’t lie.  Terrible feeling, but talk about your natural consequences.  I think he was actually throwing a watermelon off the roof or something.  Hope that was a good time, dude!
3. It was the physics fair today, which would explain the watermelon, but he doesn’t actually take physics, so it was an unsanctioned watermelon I believe.
4. The really depressing part is he is not the only one.  I think there were at least 5 skippers.  I tracked several down, stalking the halls with a vengeance, and the standard response was “I didn’t have it done, so I thought it would be better not to come.”  Oh please.  What really bugs me is that I know they wouldn’t pull this with the AP teacher they are scared of.  The assignment was not that hard, and they had plenty of time to do it  AND I gave them a class day to work on it!  Evildoers!  I do hope they enjoyed their time, because as of Monday, pushover Eleanor is getting out her can of whup-ass, and the policy will now be “No late work.”  Zero.  No credit.  Enjoy.
5. I finished Season 3 of Battlestar Galactica, and there was a big reveal at the end which was pretty exciting, and the spoiler I saw has now been uncovered, so I am ready to star watching season 4 online.  I suspect I could have watched season 3 that way, a long time ago.  Oh well. 

April 17, 2008

1. Becky Barker was a mighty fine lady, and will be greatly missed.  She was always very kind to me.  I think she was that way to everyone.  I thought twice about calling this weekend and didn’t, and I regret that very very much.
2. I talk to much.
3. I never thought I would be that way.
4. There is a woman at school who is always trying to convince me to come to various social events, some that are “singles” oriented.  I always refuse.  She switched up her tactics today, having another teacher invite me.  Please.  I don’t think they know who they are dealing with here.  Like I can be taken in by such a bush league ploy.  I’m always prepared.  “I have plans; company’s coming;  I’m working with the poor; I’m sick; my roommate is sick; my cat is sick; ; I have allergies; It’s a school night; I have to clean my house; I have to wash my hair; I’ve got a doctor’s appointment; I’ve got a loanshark appointment; I have a rash; my car is in the shop; My grandfather fought in World War II.”  (that last one is from “The Office,” but how can you argue with it?
5. I’m going to try the core plan on Weight Watchers for a while.  I need a change.  The gist is that instead of counting points you eat off a list of nice healthy things, stopping when you are satisfied, rather than a calorie point.  I think it is on the Atkins model: few carbs, more natural foods.  We shall see.

April 15, 2008

1. I think there were some issues that disturbed me tonight at vestry, but there didn’t seem to be much room to discuss them.  This was disturbing as well.  Now I have to seek people out.  Boo.  I don’t like seeking.  I have bad follow through.
2. I did complete an entire scarf during the meeting.  Nice!
3. I am thinking of starting a blog of teacher tips and essays.  Mostly tips.  Organization, paper control, etc.  I can’t ever seem to pull off these great ideas, but I know what they are, and maybe other people know things too and would share them.  I know there is “mommy-blogging”  so there must be a teacher blogging set out there.  I am also thinking of doing a site with ads, just because it might be interesting to see if that made any money.  I doubt it, I mean I am the person with a) no follow through and b) no free time, so I’d probably miss some step or not do enough or whatever, but if by some chance I did do it right I think it could be good. Quality, I mean.
4. The last disk of season three battlestar came in, and Paul and I watched episode 1 when I got home, and shamefully, I fell asleep.  I lay this at the feet of the vestry.  Not that it is anyone person’s fault, it is all business and it has to be done, but that is why I wasn’t nestled on my couch doing the important work of tv watching earlier in the evening.
5. These pictures were posted on Cute Overload, and this frequent commenter wrote some excellent dialog.  I particularly recommend, “Baroness von Possum’s Ordeal” and “Elsewhere on the von Possum Estate”  Actually they all go together, just read from the bottom up.