Pruned

I got my head pruned yesterday but no one will be able to tell (except me) because A) I wear it up all the time and B) I only got the dead ends - about an inch - taken off. My goal is to just keep it long but let the long layers grow out and be just one length. We'll see how long I can handle that. I'll get the color done in about a month - before the holidays.

Had weird dreams last night. First I had a dream that some high ranking general in the army harassed me and tortured me and I was suing the U.S. military. Weird. Then I had a dream about a family that lived in my neighborhood growing up - the Saba's. Crazy. Not sure why I would dream of them.

I had a meeting yesterday during early release at school and I can't tell you how pissed I was sitting there wasting my time on shit that even the administration doesn't seem to have a grasp on. It's some stupid shit about district literacy and after three hour long meetings in the last month or so, I still can't tell you what the point of it all is. And yesterday we basically sat around doing the administration's job. We wrote on sticky notes the topics that interested us the most. From there, the next six months will be "teacher led" meetings. Oh and the teachers have no idea what they're supposed to be leading. So stupid. Why can't they come up with shit that isn't such a waste. I could come up with ideas that would benefit teachers but the administration obviously don't think we, as professionals will be professional. Assholes.

What else? The stink bugs are out of control. Thankfully, however, they haven't been in the house (knock on wood).

Speaking of knocking on wood - I was watching something the other day and someone said, instead of "knock on wood", "touch wood". It was an Australian, I think. That's funny. And a little dirty here in the USA.

Okay - I'd best mosey. So happy it's Friday Eve! Happy Thursday. Later!

Bad Evening

I thought I had my sewing machine working but after about 10 minutes using, it started it's old tricks again. I will try one last time to get the correct bobbins - I got some at Joann but had to buy a slightly different type than recommended by my machine because of course they didn't carry the ones I needed. I ordered the right set from Amazon last night but of course I won't get them until Thursday. I'm getting my hairs cut after school and from their I'll run down to Walmart and see if they have the right bobbins. If all of that fails to work - I'm at a loss as to what to do and really out of time to get the quilt complete in time for Mom. She needs it by the 12th which is a week from today...ugh!

So all of that left me in a FOUL mood last night and all I wanted to do was lay on the couch and yell F&%K!!! I didn't...well in my head I did...and now I've woken up with a massive headache. I'll pop some naproxen here in a minute and hope that helps.

I mentioned I'm getting my hair cut and I can't WAIT! It is a rats nest - you can't even imagine. I brush it and it tangles up in seconds. It's nearly impossible to brush through in the shower when I condition. I'll wait to color for a month or so.

And that's all I've got. Kids are on the fence about West Side Story...they can't get on board with all the dancing but at least they're alert and watching.

Oh, and when I went to Joann's after school yesterday, I stopped at Half Price to get the next novel we'll start in a week or so and of course they didn't have one copy. DOUBLE F*&K! Man it just isn't my day/week.

K - I'm out. Here's hoping today will be a good day. But I don't hold out hope because early release is another round of the Literacy framework bullshit that's a waste of my time. UGH! Sorry about my negative Nancy attitude. Later! Oh, happy Wednesday!

Sleepless In Loveland

I fell asleep just fine but then woke up around 2:30 and slept fitfully (if at all) for the rest of the night. One of the things on my mind was my stupid sewing machine. I tried for about an hour and a half yesterday after school to try and fix the issue with looping and bunching on the underside and just couldn't get it right. Which means the quilting I was hoping to start and finish yesterday didn't even get started. I'll go to Joann's after school today and try the only thing that could be the problem - I need special Singer bobbins. Otherwise I up a creek. I'll let you know, Mom.

My IEP went well yesterday. No issues but the mother is they type of person who tries so hard to act educated and so talks a LOT and tries to use big words but ends up using them incorrectly. Somewhat painful but I managed to move her along and get the meeting concluded in less than an hour. At this point my next IEP isn't due until November 3rd...I'll actually email home today about scheduling.

Jim actually mowed the lawn yesterday! I think that's his first time this season. Crazy. I do love mowing the lawn but was okay with him doing it yesterday since I was "sewing". Of course looking back I should have switched with him.

And that's all I've got for now. It's Jersey day at school for Homecoming Dress up week. I'm wearing my new A.J. Green jersey.  Any reason to wear jeans.

K - happy Tuesday. It's West Side Story in LA and a test in history. Later!

Dream Visit

I love dreaming of my passed pups. And normally it's Bubba...I don't know why I seldom see Zeke but thankfully last night was an exception. It was so sweet too. I was at PIB and my mom was there and Anne. They were getting ready to leave the island and so we were looking around to ensure they hadn't forgotten anything and I moved the rocker to look behind it and in front of the fireplace, sacked out laid Zekey Zoo. I got down on my knees, he sat up and we just hugged. And his hug was so sweet, he had his head on my shoulder and as I squeezed him he nuzzled further into my neck and just sighed. I didn't want to let go. That was an awesome dream to wake up to and start a Monday.

Oh, and the PIB part of the dream - Mom and Anne never got to leave the island because the remnants of hurricane Matthew hit and the waves were insane. Ferries had no chance of running. The waves were so big they broke the windows of the cottage. (Which wasn't a bad thing since they need to be replaced anyway!)

Okay - so this week: I have an IEP today - shouldn't be a big deal. I'm in the last 10 minutes of Romeo and Juliet for my LA classes and will then move on to West Side Story. They kids are going to either love or hate that movie. I don't care though...theses little heathens need some culture! History - we're finishing up a chapter and then moving onto the next. Headed toward WWI...exciting.

I'll be finishing the quilt in the next two days - provided I get the quilting done today. I basted yesterday and so I'm in the home stretch. I should be able to get it in the mail to Mom on by Friday - latest.

And that's all I've got. Nothing too exciting. Happy Monday. Later!

Jim Ruins Another One

So Jim's the king of movie quoting and as a result, I can't watch Forrest Gump anymore. Well, he's done it again. With It's A Wonderful Life. And in a horrible way. So first of all the quote he keeps saying is, "My mouth's bleeding Bert! My mouth's bleeding!" Well there we are watching the news this morning and there was a commercial for some medicine and one of the side effects is "rectal bleeding" and you can imagine Jim's reaction. "Bert! Would you look at that! My rectum's bleeding! My rectum's bleeding!" So wrong. I think we laughed for a solid 5 minutes about that. However, the result is that movie will never be the same for me again.

Went to dinner last night at Cooper's Hawk last night. It was so delicious! I got short rib risotto (I'm a sucker for short rib anything). Lauren's meal got messed up so the manager ended up paying for her meal and then buying the table a bottle of wine. BAM! That's customer service. I look forward to going there with Jim...he'll love it. It had very expensive meals but really reasonably priced meals as well. Their sandwiches and burgers looked great and they have a lite menu too. YUM!

Today, with no Bengals game, I'll crank out a quilt. I've got it pieced together and my goal is to baste it today and at least start the quilting. Then all I have to do is the binding (the edges).

And that's it...time for breakfast and a mimosa. Later!

Phew...Made It!

Just have to get through today. I think I can.

I didn't end up watching the Bengals. I was exhausted yesterday and fell asleep before the game even started. Oh well...at least they won. I did wake up around 9:30 and the TV was on the game. Before turning it off (because Jim was snoozing too) I peeked at the score and saw they were ahead.

Still rainy here. That's fine though. We need the rain.

I started a quilt yesterday that I'm doing for my mom. Well, not FOR my mom but for her to give to someone else. It's for a baby so I'm hoping to complete it this Sunday. Thankfully the Bengals don't play Sunday so I should be able to crank it out. The pieces are already cut I just need to sew them, layer it and then quilt away. Fingers crossed I'll get it done in time.

And that's all I've got. Jim's getting overtime today for pretty much the whole day. That's good though I'm a little over him working so much. Thankfully he won't have to go in Saturday. We need to get to Party Source to replenish our kegs...they're both out. And...I'm nearly out of champs! I think I only have 3 bottles left. Scary when I get that low. Hee hee.

K - best get a move on. Later!

Rain & Kooks!

Man oh man did it rain yesterday! And of course I didn't take my umbrella into school. Oh well. Can't complain about the rain because we needed it badly but I can complain about my own stupidity. Actually I'll blame the weather people because they said the rain yesterday wouldn't be really widespread until around 4:00.

I started the movie version of Romeo and Juliet yesterday (I think I've mentioned that). And before I hit play, I warned the kids that at some point they would see an ass shot of Romeo and there was a flash of Juliet boob. I warned them because of Dezi and how freaking immature and stupid he is. When I announced it, he acted exactly like I knew he would. Mouth wide open, laughing and saying, "WAIT WHAT!? WAIT - UH...WHAT - UH!?" Such a freak. I then told him that if he reacted like he just had when it occurs in the movie, I would kick him out of the room so fast his head would spin! ARG!

Oh, here's a funny - I don't know if I mentioned this in my post yesterday about Dezi. This week the high school is doing an LGBT awareness thing. Kids are wearing tie dyes and there are stickers they can wear as well. So Dezi comes in yesterday and he has a sticker on and he shows it to me, "UH, Mrs. Hanke uh, look...look...did uh you uh see this uh?!" And I say, "Yes, that's great!" And he says, "I love the gays!" He drives me crazy but he cracks me up sometimes too.

And that's all I've got for today. Jim's already out...he had to be in Hyde Park at 6:00. He won't get a day off tomorrow but that just means he'll get overtime. I doubt he'll have to work Saturday though so that's good.

Ooh...Who dey! Tonight the Bengals play. And I forgot to put on Bengals wear! Hmmm....maybe I'll change really quick.

K - I'm out. Later!

A Little Down Time

Now that my kids have taken their R&J test (only one kid failed!!! All other tests were A's and B's) I will have about a week of moving watching. First the original R&J and then West Side Story. From there we'll do some comparison worksheets for the two movies and then I'll be about a week (maybe less) from the end of the first quarter. We'll probably do a writing assignment (UGH!!! I hate writing) and after that we'll start a new book. Hopefully Fever 1793.

My IEP went well yesterday. No biggie.

Jim worked a 15-16 hour day yesterday. He didn't get home until 11:00. Poor thing. And he has to work in Sabina today (a town just past Wilmington). Yuck. Hopefully, however, he will have his 40 hours by Thursday and he can take Friday off. Otherwise...more overtime.

Saturday is a girls night out, celebrating former neighbor Christy's birthday. We're headed to Cooper Hawk in Montgomery/Kenwood area. Looks delicious. Can't wait.

What else? Nada. Guess that's my cue to get ready and head to work. Happy Wednesday...later!

My Two Cents

I watched the whole debate and then some (it's going to be a rough day although I feel fine and well rested...now). A few of my thoughts: Donald was his typical self. He skirted around issues; he touted his own "achievements"; he denied the horrific things he's said about women, pregnancy, climate change, the war in Iraq, the birther movement and more; but most of all, Donald proved over and over, with each sip of his water and each sniff of the nose and each shake of his head that he would be a poor leader because he's an awful person who outright lies. He's a racist misogynistic ass. I'm so glad that the true Donald showed up last night and though it had me disgusted and my blood pressure was most likely sky high, he proved he just doesn't have the temperament to lead this GREAT country.

In terms of Lester - seems he's getting an unfair shake. There was really only one time (maybe 2) where I raised my voice so Lester could hear me to stop the madness of DT talking over HC and interrupting choosing his own topics to rant about. People are saying he was absent from the debate and should have stopped the candidates from interrupting and droning on and getting off topic (DT) but I didn't mind because it only helped the American public (world public) to see the kind of maniac DT is.

And that's all I will say for now.

I had a dream last night that I called for an Uber and the guy who showed up didn't have a car but a bike and I was supposed to ride in a baby stroller he had attached to the back. And he expected me to pay $17! Fool!

And that's all I've got. Time to get to work. I have an IEP around 9:30 but beyond that - movie day for LA. YAY!!!  Happy Tuesday! Later!

Cooler Temps On The Way

Currently it's approximately 66 degrees. This time tomorrow, it's supposed to be in the 40s. I'm excited especially since my husband is being a bear about the AC not being on. And the only reason he's bitching is because he's been running around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to find his steel brush and then bringing in the recycling bins and then cleaning his paint brushes. Of course he's sweating like a fool! And then he bitches because he says he was sweating when he got out of the shower. Well, fool, don't take a 120 degree shower with the door closed. Arg!

Yesterday was fun but I was DONE by the time the game was over. Unfortunately, the neighbor had leftover pulled pork and we couldn't eat until after 6:00. Compound that with the fact that I had to head said pork up and shread it...Done DONE!!! I was finally able to come in around 7:00 and take a bath and go to sleep.

Tonight is the first debate and I'm quite anxious. I've got it set to record but I'm sure I'll probably watch at least the first part. It should prove to be interesting. I expect to see DT start out reserved and then show his true colors but without a cheering/leering audience - who knows if he'll have the fuel to give us the person we've all come to expect when given a platform. It will be very interesting to see if he's got any answers about policy other than his normal ego-filled rhetoric. Without a teleprompter I'm not sure how far he can go. However, we all have been witness to him coming out well so...UGH!

I have an IEP tomorrow morning. No big deal. Other than that, the week will be about showing Romeo and Juliet and preparing for my next read in LA.

And that's all I've got. Time to get a move on. Jim's already gone - he had to get to work early because he has his 6 month dermatology check today down at UC. Fingers crossed. Happy Monday. Later!

TGIF!!!

Yay! I made it! It's Friday and I'm psyched. This time next week, the temp will be in the 70s! And there will be a day or two with highs in the upper 60s. I'm so sick of 90 degree weather! It's September 23rd!!! Come on!

Yesterday was quite lovely - regardless of the high temp - and I managed to get the backyard mowed (I mowed the front on Wednesday) as well as spray the house (exterior) with home defense. I'm hoping it will limit the number of stink bugs. I was wondering if they would even show up this year but alas, they've finally shown their ugly faces. The biggest issue, though are the giant spiders. I mean they are reminiscent of Aragog, they're so big. Yowza.

I just took the "What is your Patronus" on Pottermore and it came out with Tonkinese cat. I'll have to look into that and see what qualities make that animal right for me.

This weekend will be nice but a little lonely since Jimmy has to work tomorrow. I'll clean the house and ride my bike; watch the Bengals and just relax. Exciting, huh?

Okay - gotta head up and out...need to get gas on my way. Happy Friday...later.

AAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!  I just got beamed in the head by a giant moth! I hate that! Scared the hell out of me and Sami. Jaysus! It just beamed me again! Dammit!

No Title

I'm trying to figure out something to write about but I just can't think. Hmm...

Well, I did have a funny dream. I was Bernadette from Big Bang. Can't remember much more of that.

I also had a dream that I had to take my bike in to get fixed and I took it to some junk yard. Place was a MESS and I was afraid I wasn't going to get my bike back. Ugh.

We'll finish up Romeo and Juliet today in LA. Another student was added into my 1st period, starting today. She's one of the Mexican girls that came to our district about 2 years ago...adopted after a horrible childhood. This one is the oldest (I have the middle sister in my 6th period) who found her mother dead on the streets of Mexico. The police apparently wouldn't do anything about her death (investigate etc.) because she was poor a druggie. Ugh!

What else? I finished my IEP for next Tuesday. Exciting, huh?

Jim's got to work again Saturday. Bums me out but he'll get more overtime which is good for the wallet as the holidays approach. He'll be fairly close too (Pfeiffer) so that's good. I think we'll go out to dinner on Saturday - I have a gift card for Maggiano's so there you go.

And that's all I've got. Time to finish my toilette. Later.

Clueless Jimmy

I came downstairs from my shower to make breakfast and Jim says loudly, "NO ONE CARES!!!" I said, "What's going on?" He said, "Why do they think we care about Brad and Jolene!?" I said, "Who's Jolene?" He said, "What's her name?" I said, "Angelina." Jim: "Whatever. Who cares?" Jim doesn't care, that's for sure.

News about Schroeder (my ADHD kid): He was in good form yesterday. Did his work, wasn't too terribly obnoxious. And then I get an email from my colleague who has him on his caseload. Apparently Schroeder is willing to step up his game and do work. I was asked if he could make up two things that were missing/not done. I compromised on one of those things. We'll see how long this lasts. If I don't have it by tomorrow, I won't accept it. I think that's pretty big of me considering.

I made tuna rollups for dinner last night. This is a dish that I grew up (not) eating. (When I was a kid, I didn't like these but as my tastes improved, I came around.) Anyway - I emailed my mom to ensure I had the recipe right in my head. In her email, after the recipe she said, "Recently I have brushed top of rollup with hogwash and sprained on parm." I then had to email her back and ask for the "hogwash" recipe. Hee hee. My mom's inability to spell check makes for interesting reading, that's for sure. (And in case you weren't sure - she meant "eggwash".)

It's Wednesday! Wow. Can I just tell you that I'm SICK of this stupid hot weather!? It's time for fall, dammit! Well, okay, Thursday is Fall but it's going to be in the 80s for at least another 7-10 days they said. WTF!?

Okay - that's all I've got. Happy Wednesday. Later!

Hmm...

Trying to think of something to write about. It's been a pretty boring couple of days - which I'm not complaining about. Things at school are moving along and I'm getting acclimated to these kids. I've almost become numb when it comes to the ADHD kid I've got in LA - I think I'll nickname him Schroeder (though that is an insult to Schroeder). It just sucks so bad that I have to consciously tell myself to be nice to him and try to treat him with unbiased hands. I have to remember that he can't always help how he acts. Like yesterday - I probably told him to get back in his seat 8 or 9 times and I'm NOT exagerrating. Part of this was him needing to look at the clock. He got up to look at 1:21 and then up again at 1:22. I constantly need to tell myself that he isn't being purposely disrespectful toward me but then I'm not sure. I don't give a shit if he likes me or not but I don't want him to NOT like me because I'm mean. I'm okay if it's because I'm tough on him - he obviously needs that - but it's a fine line. UGH! I know as a teacher one shouldn't have favorites (and that's a hard enough thing to avoid) but it's just as hard to not have those you loathe. And I'll tell you - it's been a LONG time since I've had a kid I've disliked this much. UGH! I just need to remember that there's a back story to every person that I'll probably never know about his.

In other news - I'm sending in the paperwork for my absentee ballot today. Early voting starts on Nov. 1st so that's an option too. I haven't decided if I'll vote early or not. It's going to be crazy at the polls so we'll see. I'll see what Jim wants to do. 

And that's all I've got. Hot here and I'm ready for Fall! I was sitting in the family room last night thinking about our first fire this year. I can't wait. 

K - well, best mosey. Happy Tuesday! Later!

The Recap

The weekend was pretty boring and that's just the way I like it. Friday we hung out for a bit with the neighbors...played some hearts and had a couple cocktails. It tried to rain on us but Mother Nature ended up skirting around us. We were in bed by the time it was dark (hard to play cards in the dark) which was good since Jim had to work Saturday. He was up and out by 6:30 and home by about 2:00. I just took a nice bike ride, grocery shopped and picked up my neighbors oldest girl from a track meet (they took a quick trip to D.C. and with 4 of their 5 kids playing sports and "Grammy" the only one in charge, she needed a hand).

Saturday evening, Jim and I had a nice dinner at Eddie Merlot's. Sunday we did the usual during football season - watched the game in the circle with the neighbors. Jim's friend Dan joined us. Unfortunately the refs were not on our side and for one reason or another - we were unsuccessful against those cheating Steelers. Pot roast for dinner - although neither of us were very hungry - and early to bed.

This week should be fairly easy. Nothing big happening. I have another IEP next week but I've nearly finished writing it. I'll complete it today and send home a draft. In terms of IEPs, I have one due at the beginning of October and then not until November. November and December, however, are going to be crazy busy.

I've almost finished reading Romeo & Juliet with the kids. We'll wrap it up this week and the kids will test next. After that, I'll show the play on film (Zeffirelli's) and then West Side Story. That's a solid week of movie watching which will be a much needed break for me as I plan our next novel. It will either be To Kill a Mockingbird or Fever 1793. I'd like it to be Fever 1793 but I need to A) finish the book and put together chapter questions and B) see if I can purchase the number of books I'll need for the kids. It's short enough to take me through 2nd quarter.

Okay well, I'd best mosey. Happy Monday. Later!

The Good, The Bad & Wasting My Time

I want to have a positive attitude about this in-service day today but it's hard when the people who set these days up NEVER take into consideration those of us it just doesn't pertain to. We're being trained today to use a program called Grade Cam which basically allows teachers to create test answer forms on plain paper (saving the district money because they won't have to buy scantrons - see left which is great but I DON'T USE THESE!!!). Then the questions you create can be linked to state standard and you can transfer scores to our grade book. So f*^king what! I mean, what are art teachers going to do with the training today? What kind of a waste of time is this going to be for me?  I could be sitting at my desk getting actual SHIT DONE if they let me! And - this day of in-servces? Really will last from 8-10 and after that we'll have time on our own to "create" assessments. So apparently the administration thinks we're all going to sit there for 3 hours and play with this shit? Yay, no. Which is why I'm not bitching seriously because I'll have the ability after lunch to work on real things. And I get lunch out. Woot! (I could do this any old day but that's not how I roll. It always shocks me the number of teachers that seem to go out for lunch almost every day! The expense!)

In other news - I got up this morning and went to go downstairs. Sami was, as usual, sacked out in Jim's bathroom. Usually as I walk toward the stairs she wakes up. Not today. I knelt down and pet her for about 2 minutes and she still didn't wake up. I finally shook her but nothing. So I started saying, "Saaaaammmmiii? Time to get up." She finally popped up and stretched big and trotted down to get her morning treat. Silly girl.

This weekend will be relaxing. We'll see if we can watch the Bengals in the circle or not. We're expecting rain in the morning so it all depends how fast it moves out.

And I best mosey. I'm sure traffic will suck since I'm leaving about 45 minutes later than normal. TGIF and happy Friday! Later!

Kids Are Assholes

I have a kid on my caseload who was admitted at Children's Monday evening because of depression...makes me sad just thinking of that. Then I find out that his mother had emailed his guidance counselor LAST FRIDAY with concerns and a request that he talk to her son. He didn't. He didn't even read her email until I told him Tuesday about the hospitalization (though he knew the email was sitting in his inbox). Disgusted. THEN I find out from the social worker that my student finally revealed part of reason for his depression: another student (the ADHD student I've been having such a hard time with) was telling him that he should kill himself. UGH!!! When I went to the administration and guidance counselor about this - I found out that ADHD kid's father died 2 days ago. (The thing about this, however, is the kid apparently has no contact with his dad and didn't seem to care...didn't even miss school.) I'm not sure what will happen from here on out or how the administration will deal with the ADHD kid. Kids are such assholes sometimes! What is wrong with them!?

Jim has to work Saturday. Downtown. Blows. I think this happened last year during Oktoberfest too. Oh well...he said he'll get down there around 7:00 to beat the crowds and inflated parking. I hope he can manage that.  At least it's overtime though.

Went to Costco yesterday and got some cute sweatshirts. Can't wait for weather that I can wear them. I also got Canadian bacon and made egg McMuffins this morning. They were delicious.

K - well, it's my sort of Friday today. We have an in-service tomorrow so I still have to go in but at least I'll have a bonus day without those asshole kids. Wearing jeans today too...exciting, huh?

Happy Thursday! Later!

Here's Hoping For A Better Day!

Yesterday was a doozy! I had to deal with an asinine teacher (Erving) who I had to put in his place after he spoke to me like I was some sort of idiot. Then my ADHD kid was at his absolute WORST yesterday and I sort of lost my shit and had to kick him out of my class. Even the other students were over his shit. Compound that with one of our sweeter students who got her period and wouldn't take a jacket to cover her accident - needless to say, I had a glass of wine last night. I also took a nice bike ride after school to clear my head which helped a LOT! I'm hoping that today will be a better, less eventful Wednesday.

Quotes of the day:
This from Diane - "You know when someone lets a stinker and it sounds wet?" Gross Diane - thanks for that image/sound in my head!

This from Dezi who was watching a presentation on cyper safety: "I'M WORRIED!!!" (BTW, his "r"s are pronounced like "w"s) "What if a computer tries to make love to me!?" Uh...I have news for you...NO ONE wants to make love to you! You freak!

Headed to Costco after school today...for the basics.

Meatball hoagies for dinner...yummy!

Rain today - I was hoping for a bike ride after school but I'm not sure if I'll make it before the rain begins. Oh well.

And that's all I've got. Time to get to school. Is it May yet!? UGH! Later!

Ah...The Stupidity!

So I'm teaching yesterday and we're talking about the U.S. becoming an industrial giant and the build up of the meat-packing industry lalalala. And one of the bits of info talks about Chicago and I say, "Who knows what state Chicago is in?" My new student raised his hand and correctly answered "Indiana" (just kidding - Illinois). So then I asked, "Who knows what lake Chicago is on? And here's a hint, it's one of the Great Lakes!" Immediately a hand shoots in the air and so I call on him, "Lake Isabella!" Me: "Yeah, no...that's the lake just down the road...off 275...you pay to fish. Not the lake that CHICAGO is located on!" Jeez! These kids are DUMB sometimes! And this is why Geography should still be required in school.

I had crazy dreams last night. I made my own sailboat and was travelling the world with it. In my dream I stopped somewhere to stock up on beer. Hee hee. BTW - totally unrealistic dream as I'm NOT a fan of sailboats. They scare me a bit. I'm sure I'll be in one and it will tip over.

What else? Oh, I got an email from one of my parents (freshman student) and she was letting me know that her son has been hospitalized. I'm not sure what's going on but it feels like (from her email) he's been hospitalized for mental reasons. This is a kid I really like and tries so hard is so quiet and respectful. I could definitely see him suffering from depression, however (hindsight).  The weird thing was, yesterday when we were sharing our weekends, he raised his hand and said he spent most of Saturday at the hospital. When I asked if he had been sick he said no. When I asked if he was there visiting someone he said no. I moved on at that point figuring something was up. Apparently it was. Poor kid. I hope he gets back soon.

And that's all I've got. Time to get ready for work. Later!

Lovely Weekend

I have to say that my lovely weekend had everything to do with how sweet and easy Eva is. The only issue I had all weekend was sleeping Saturday into Sunday because SOMEONE - I won't name who but her name starts with an "E" and ends with "A" - is a bed hog! I did get a warning, however. Prior to turning off the light Saturday, Eva said, "Just a warning...I'm going to sleep really close to you tonight." I don't know if it was a result of her missing her mommy or what but in a king sized bed, I had about a foots width to sleep. I woke up 3 times and had to move Eva but of course she eventually moseyed her way back over so that I was on the edge. Whatever though...I didn't care.

The weekend was quite fun. Highlights were: Swimming Saturday morning for about an hour; lots of game playing (mostly Hi-Ho Cherry-o and Zingo!); playing with Bussie; cookie making and just chillin', watching TV. I know Maggie missed her girl and Eva missed her mommy, but she was a trooper. Facetime is a wonderful thing.

This week should be fairly easy. It will be a 4-day week with kids and then a day of PD on Friday. I'm not exactly sure what we'll be doing but as of now, we're (the sped department) is scheduled to spend a full day wasting time. There's some stupid training that isn't pertinent to us but of course they can't just let us do a PD day with the department because they think we just waste our time. Whatever though, at least we won't have to spend the day with crazy kids.

The new neighbors moved in this weekend. They are very nice and yesterday was either going to be a make or break day for them on the "island". We did our normal football Sunday and BONUS, the neighborhood civic group rented a soft serve ice cream truck so basically a hundred kids were out and about walking up the street to get their fair share. Although it was a crazy day, the neighbors felt like the red carpet had been rolled out for them. I mean, who wouldn't love this place to live? I know I'm biased but truly...for a young couple with kids?

Jim and I had ice cream for dinner, by the way. After snacking all day and then having ice cream at 5:00, I wasn't hungry and so we decided to forego the meal I had planned. Hee hee.

And that's all I've got. The weather is lovely and I'm hoping to ride my bike after school. Happy Monday! Here's hoping the week flies by. Later!

I'm Out!

Heading to Columbus after school today - hopefully I'll get out around 2:00. Maggie and Charlie are headed to WV and this is the first time Maggie will be away from Eva. Not that she wouldn't have gone before - there was really never an "opportunity" before this. I mean, they take her to the Dominican every year and all other vacations are taken as a family. Plus Eva is so much fun, why wouldn't you want her there!? Anyway - they'll leave tomorrow and be home Sunday. I don't have plans other than making cookies with my girl and hanging out. The weather isn't supposed to be very good so I envision a lot of playing inside. 

My IEP went well yesterday. I was in and out in less than a 1/2 hour. Today's meeting will take a bit longer since it includes an ETR too (evaluation). Shouldn't be too bad, however. Easy parents. Although the student is a senior and we need to figure out what we're going to do after her senior year. She really needs to defer her diploma and either go to the career center or participate in a year-long program with a local nursing home. We'll see.

Slept like a baby last night and woke up to the alarm while I was dreaming I was a student racing to get to my 7th period class without being late. And of course I couldn't remember what room my class was in. I hate that. 

Dezi gouged me with his pencil yesterday - the little f&%ker! There was also an incident apparently with his "junk". I'm not going to go into it but lets just say A) he needs to stay away from the girls and B) I'm glad he's not on my caseload because that isn't a conversation I would want to have with his parents. UGH! 

Okay - need to finish getting ready and packing. Later and I'll post next on Monday.

Wow! Wednesday Already!

Which means I have to come home today and do laundry so I can pack for Maggie's because tomorrow, I head to Columbus after school. Which menas I have to get gas on the way home and get cash for Jimmy and man did this creep up on me. No complaints, however. The faster the week goes the better.

I've got an IEP meeting today at 9:30 which should be easy. 

Um...what else? Nothing. The kids were fine yesterday. Although I've got one kid who is HIGHLY ADHD and there is no question about the days he doesn't take his meds. Aside from the fact that kids tell me ahead of time, he is out of his seat about 13 times in a class period. Yesterday he got up to sharpen his pencil twice; got up to look at the clock three times; I had to have him sit correctly in his seat twice; sit up once and get to work about 41 times. I really like this kid personally but he makes me want to run from the room screaming from frustration. And when I email home I usually get no response. Awesome. I know kids need to be responsible and by the time they get into high school they should be able to take their own meds but THEY HAVE ADHD! They are so scattered it isn't going to happen! Get it together parents! You're setting your kid and me up to fail!

And I'm done bitching. Sticky, nasty weather for the next several days. I cannot wait for Fall. This weather blows. I'm sick of my non-flowering flowers (I want to pull all them out of their boxes). I'm sick up having to walk poor Sami in 90 degree heat. I'm ready for cool, lovely weather. 

K - I'd best mosey...make sure I've got it together for my meeting. Happy Wednesday! Later!

Lovely Weekend

Friends, cookout, bike rides, beers, fireworks (viewed in the circle), new TV, relaxation and a Harry Potter weekend to boot! The weather was perfect and I'll now be able to get through my 3-day week!

This week will include my first 2 IEPs and I'll be happy to have them out of the way. They certainly won't be an issue but it's always nice to get the first couple under my belt. Other than that, my week should be easy. I'll head up to Columbus after school on Thursday, returning Sunday in time for the Bengals game.

Speaking of the Bengals game, the projector I got just didn't cut it during the daytime so I'll be returning that today. Jim and I went out and bought a 48" Smart TV instead. We'll use that to view the games and all I'll need to do is sign in to my Time Warner cable app and watch live TV. AND when my TV upstairs dies, I've got a replacement. Bam! And it was a great price so there you go!

What else? Nothing. Jim's working in Loveland this week which is nice.

And...that's it. Time to get to school and finish an IEP. Happy Tuesday! Here's to a short week. Later!

Light...Tunnel...End!!!

The car saga is nearly at an end...I hope. I'm afraid to jinx it. Jim went down to Smyth yesterday to find out where the part was and found out that it was shipped when it was supposed to be but the delivery address was wrong. It even arrived Tuesday. So...because it didn't arrive by Wednesday and then Thursday, they re-ordered and it is going to be in today. We won't have to pay the overnight charge either. The thing that pisses me off is that they didn't just let us know that information. But who knows when they figured it all out. Anyway - Jim will pick me up as close to 2:30 as possible today (he better if he knows what good for him) and then he'll go pick up the parts (he also has to get the bolts at Hyundai). Once thats done, it should only take about 20 minutes for the fix to be made. Phew and yay!

So ready for a long weekend. I'm sick of these 7 AM meetings (I have another one today) as well as 5-day weeks! YUCK! Next week will be 4-day for me (Labor Day) and then the next week will be 4-day with kids (we have a Friday PD day). And then it's just a hop skip and a jump to my PIB weekend!

My meeting today is with a parent who has a few kids in the district. The kids are their adopted kids. They adopted them about, oh, 5 years ago from Mexico. They are three girls who had been raised in horrible conditions - from what I understand, there was a lot of sexual abuse, as well as physical. They never stepped into a school or were educated in any way until their current parents got them. The could could barely speak their own language much less English. The youngest (still in elementary) is the most affected. She has major issues and is often hospitalized. The unfortunate thing about that is, when she has an episode, it involves the whole family...to the point that all the girls get dragged to the hospital...sometimes forced to be there all night. The middle kid - who I have - seems good. The problem I've noticed is her mother who is constantly making excuses for her in anticipation for not being able to study or not being able to do her homework. My issue is, lets not expect a failure...lets deal with that IF it happens. Lets set her up for success rather than trying to cushion a failure that may never come.  I know she's had a rough life and may have set-backs and may struggle but I don't want to give her the idea that (as her mother told her), "If she doesn't understand something, she doesn't have to do it." That doesn't work for me. We'll see how it goes today.

And that's all I've got. I'm hoping for a lot of hanging out this weekend with neighbors and enjoying this awesome weather. Happy Friday! Later!

Long Week & Still Not Over

This week can't end soon enough. With the three 7:00 AM meetings I've had and the car issues with Jim, I can tell you my week hasn't been "dry". It's hard NOT to drink with all this car shit. I mean, why can't people just do their job and what they said they're going to do?! Needless to say, Jim's part that was supposed to be overnighted (on Monday) did not get delivered. Which means Jim's car did not get fixed. And of course Jim's brain, when frustrated and overwhelmed, doesn't think logically. Oh, and Jim also found out that he would need special bolts for the piece that's being replaced and of course these bolts had to be ordered and won't be in until Friday. So that means that he won't be able to fix his car until at the earliest, Saturday. And I'm telling you right now, I am NOT staying at school until 4:00 on Friday waiting for Jim to pick me up! He can just figure it out himself. After last night and all the shit I had to put up with from him - I'm done putting myself out!

And it's not Friday yet! ARGGGGG!!!!

This morning we'll have a meeting at work to discuss Dezi's bullshit behavior. Should be interesting. Hopefully it will be quick, people can discuss clearly and concisely the facts and we can figure out a plan.

Horshack, my other autistic kid got a cavity filled yesterday. He came in late with a numb mouth and was a ridiculous mess. He refused to move his mouth to talk (even though he could move it) and he continually slurped his spit because he wouldn't swallow and wouldn't close his mouth. During his study hall, he got up, pretty much every 60 seconds to either look in the mirror, tell me some stupid shit ("Mrs. Hanke"...mumbling through a non-moving mouth which I could barely understand..."Maybe I should eat soft food at lunch.") Eventually I told him to stop being a drama queen after he stood in front of my desk (with me TRYING to ignore him) taking deep breaths. Ridiculous. And then - when he got back from lunch, and every time he entered the room until the end of the day, he'd say, "I think my lips aren't swollen anymore!" His lips were NEVER swollen - they were numb.

Here's hoping these kids act normal today!

Okay well, guess I need to head to work. Later!

Pretty Proud

I gave my first quiz yesterday in LA and for the most part, my kids did really well. Of course Andy bombed it with a 30%. He only managed to answer four of the matching vocab (there were 10 words). When I asked him about it he said, "Uhhhh...THOSE WERE THE ONLY ANSWERS I KNEW" (I use all caps becasue he always talks loudly.) Of course the four words he did match were wrong. Oh Andy. I probably had one D, a smattering of C's and then lots of A's and B's. Cletus didn't do so well so I had him come sit with me and go through the quiz with me reading it. At one point he got frustrated and said, "I remember! I just don't know the answer!" This is a good example of how these freshman brains work. Completely senseless.

Oh, and I had to lay into Cletus yesterday. We were doing review in history using Kahoot (an interactive quiz where the kids can use their iphones or ipads to take quizzes).  He kept answering without looking at the questions choices so Diane said, "Cletus...are you sure you know how to play this game?" And he got alllllllll pissy. Basically yelled at her saying, "QUIT TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" I said, "HEY! You do NOT speak to adults like that!" He doesn't get it.

In regard to Andy - the meeting we had yesterday went well. If his parents are in favor of the change, he'll move to the MD classroom for LA, math and social studies (which means I won't have him anymore). Woot. No more making him cry and prattle on about Mommy and Daddy.

Dezi will be getting a behavior plan as well. I made mention to FW (department head) that Slacker (useless sped teacher) needed to do something...if something weren't done about Dezi's behavior, he was going to inappropriately touch/scare/molest some girl. Should be interesting.

Jim's car should be getting fixed today. The part will hopefully be in by the time he gets off work. Our neighbor offered his car up to Jim today as well so he won't have to take me to work and pick me up. His Loveland job won't begin until tomorrow so he's still in Norwood. Love my neighbors. Here's hoping Jim doesn't wreck his car.

And that's all I've got. Can't wait for the cool down! Should be here this time tomorrow. Should be a lovely 3-day weekend. Happy humpday! Later!

The Good News Is...

...Jim's off 2nd shift! WOOT! He finished the job he was on in Florence last night. I felt him get into bed at 1:00. The bad news is - he's back on 1st shift with only 4 hours sleep and his car still isn't fixed. The part he found to complete the brake job yesterday ended up being the wrong part and of course the right part had to be ordered and won't be in until (most likely) tomorrow. All isn't lost, however, because I have to be at school late today (executive council meeting that doesn't start until 4:00) and so Jim can drive me to work and pick me up when I'm done. I'll get some needed "alone" time at my desk. Tomorrow he starts a job in Loveland so he can, again, take me to work and pick me up and it won't be a haul. I'm doing my utmost to be flexible and not annoyed. And really it isn't hard because things have worked out okay. What're you going to do?
School news: I have a 7:00 AM meeting today regarding Andy. It will be interesting to see how BFC (detested sped teacher) reacts to the attempt to getting this kid in a couple of her classes. Not sure this will work out or not, schedule wise but we'll see. I guess we can all agree as much as we want to but in the end, the parents will have the final choice. I'm not too sure they are much smarter than their kid, however. Hopefully they'll see that Andy would benefit much more from some functional living skills rather than reading about Romeo and Juliet. We'll see.

What else? I dreamt about Bubba last night. He and I were cuddling in what was Maggie's old room at Raeburn. He kept sticking his Frito-smelling paws in my face. I sure do miss that boy!

Dezi - whacked out autistic kid - is getting on everyone's nerves. He needs a behavior plan and consequences for his antics but he unfortunately has the most inept intervention specialist. There's going to end up being some bad sexual harassment thing happen with him and a girl, you watch.

Okay well I need to finish getting ready and let Jim sit in the passenger seat while I drive myself to school. Happy Tuesday...can't wait for a 3-day weekend. Can't wait to eat dinner with my hubby tonight! Later!

A Lot Of Rain

Last night the rain started around 7:00 and holy shit! I've never seen water in my front yard flow like that. Normally it's the back yard that feels the wrath of rain but there was no escaping from the deluge last night. When I looked out the upstairs window at the backyard, there was a current that had me worrried about even letting Sami out...crazy! Thankfully we did not suffer any damage but those in St. Bernard and Norwood...wow! School closed and streets still closed. Ugh!

Jim's car is out of commission until he and Jordan can finish the brake job they started on Saturday. In removing the brakes to replace on the front passenger side, a bolt snapped in two and of course no one carries the replacement part on site. He'll try to get the bracket directly from Hyundai today. Thankfully he is still on 2nd shift. He'll take me to work today and be able to take care of business.

The weekend was relaxing. Saturday Jim and I did our normal morning thing and then headed out to lunch at the Yard House and to the Party Source to replenish our cocktails. We got two new kegs - Sam Adams Boston Lager and Honkers Ale from Goose Island - champagne, and more beer. After that we headed to Autozone to get Jim's new brakes and then hung out the rest of the day. Sunday we went for a bike ride and then I laid out while Jim napped.

Not sure how long Jim will be on 2nd shift this week - probably through Tuesday. The week at school should be normal. I'm supposed to have a meeting regarding Andy - the student who was formerly in the MH classroom. We need to figure out a more appropriate placement for him.

And that's all I've got for now. Time to get ready and head out. Happy Monday. Can't wait for a long weekend this week and then a short week next. Actually after this week, I'll have short weeks two weeks in a row. Woot! K - Later!

Mission Accomplished

Last night was pretty much a success. How can an "Open House" be a success, you ask? Well, I managed to get a fair amount done (graded all my papers, organized materials for writing the two IEPs I have scheduled, nearly completed one of said IEPs) and I only have 4 parents show up for my 6 classes. Woot. The one set of parents that always come came, of course. I was feeling as though they were a bit "off" me of late (they never answer emails with even a "thank you" or a "got it") but alas, they aren't. In fact, the dad even came in and gave me a big hug. These are parents who have the potential to be a pain in the ass so I like to ensure they are happy. (I make sure all my parents are happy but you know what I mean).

I was home last night by 8:15, which isn't too bad. I took care of my girl and then climbed into bed to relax and watch some Big Brother. What I expected to happen, happened. Then I read for a while and probably turned out the light around 10:30. I'm not feeling too terribly tired (now) but I'm sure these kids will exhaust me by bell 2! So...my plan today is to complete act I in Romeo and Juliet and then give the kids silent seat work for LA. In US, we'll watch a show - the Frontier House. Sometimes you just need down time.

Oh, yeah and Jim has to work tonight. Sucks. I was hoping - for him especially - that he would be able to take tonight off but that didn't end up panning out for this job. Sucks especially that he's STILL on 2nd shift. (Very apropos that I always accidentally type 2nd shit.)

The quilt I made for my former student was received by her yesterday (that took less than a day for her to get!). She loved it and I'm so happy she does. I wish I could stockpile quilts to give as gifts like that.  Maybe I'll quit my job and do that. Of course, I won't be able to "gift" them if I quit. And I'll have to sell them for thousands of dollars just to make up my income. Hmm...maybe not such a good idea.

So I had a dream last night - about Big Brother. Last night - in real life - they started a competition for Head of Household and at the same time they allowed 1 of the last 5 former players to try and get back in the house (I'm not going to give anything away here). So in my dream, the player that ended up returning was Steve Austin. You know - the Six Million Dollar Man. It was so weird. Why would I dream about that? So in my dream he got back in the game but the person who was head of household was James - in my dream. He managed to win because Maggie - yes apparently she was playing - started a fire and everyone ran to her rescue except James who was the "last man standing" in the competition. Nice going Maggie!

Okay well, I best mosey...finish getting ready. I'm so happy it's Friday and I'm so excited to have a drink or 10 tonight! Woot!  Happy Friday - Later!

Long Day

Today is Open House at school. It starts at 6 PM and I'm required to be there until 8 PM. I've decided, with the amount of work I need to catch up on, I'll just stay there after school and get some shit done! Since Jim is still on 2nd shift, this won't be an issue for Sami so why not? I'll leave to get dinner - maybe Chiptole? - but that's it. Normally I go and get a coffee at Starbucks in Great Wolf but apparently it's no longer there. Weird, huh? I'm sure part of the problem was it was tucked in the fartherst corner of the place, in the back of the gift shop. Oh well.

Yesterday was a better day at school. Most of my kids got their work done or made up. I've got to keep telling myself that they are as low as they are and have been seriously babied in the past at school. My expectations, I'm sure, are quite a shock to them. I also need to keep reminding myself that Dezi - whacky autistic kid that joined us mid-year last year - is SERIOUSLY autistic and hasn't had exposure to a public school setting before. I'm VERY strict with him but I need to remember to be strict, not MEAN!

I'm going to be bald within a couple weeks, however!

What else? Nothing much. Jim's taking Friday off. Considering he worked 6 days last week (overtime) and has been on 2nd shift for 3 weeks or so, he deserves it. This will allow him to go to Party Source too so that frees our Saturday up a bit.

And that's all I've got. Time to get moving. Happy Thursday! So excited for Friday (and a cocktail! Yes, I've managed NOT to drink again all week...I'm very proud of myself!).  Later!

These Kids!

As I've mentioned, it's been a long time (maybe never) since I've taught such a large bunch of low kids. I'm now going to add immature to the equation. And by immature, I mean like preschoolers. And I say preschoolers because I didn't want to put them ahead of or on the same plane with Eva who I don't think, as a kindergartner would act the way some of these kids are acting.

Yesterday was a very telling day. In both LA and history, there were several students who didn't finish their work in class and so they needed to do their work at home. It's called HOMEWORK and it's very common to have when in school. Especially HIGH school. (This is a discussion I will be having in class today.) So, at the end of the day when a couple of kids (lets call them Cletus - because he looks like the Simpsons character - and Andy - because his eyebrows rival Andy Rooney's) were leaving, I told them to get their binders to take home to do homework. They pitched a FIT! The one came up to my desk and told me, "I can't do homework because daddy has to give me a bath!" Jeez! The other threw his binders into the shelves and gave me 'tude and then pouted apparently during the next period telling Kim he was "NOT HAPPY about having homework." I'm going to have a "come to Jesus" talk with the little f%&kers today because I'm telling you, I have enough on my teaching plate trying to figure out how to "dumb down" my material so these kids can learn!

I also had a little issue with Erving yesterday. (It's been a while since he's annoyed me.) He actually called me about some stupid non-issue and when I didn't answer - because I was TEACHING - he came down to my room, during my class (and a time when he's supposed to be in a class) - and started in on me about said issue. I basically told him to settle down, relax and leave me alone. I didn't say that last part but I'm sure by the shitty look on my face and the fact that I was turning bright red with anger he knew what I was thinking. Asshole.

OH!!!! I should have opened with this: I got my desks! I opened my classroom door yesterday morning and TA DA!!! There they were! So happy! Lisa who was already there hadn't even noticed! Jeez!

And that's all I've got. Time to head to school. Happy Humpday!!! So happy it's early release! Gotta go to Costco after school. Later!

Picture Day

It's picture day at school. I don't think I've had my picture taken for school in about 3 years. I was going to get all gussied up - straighten my hair and all that. Then I decided - f&%k it. Who cares? I certainly don't. So what that my pic will be posted on the wall of the school and I'll probably look like a greasy headed fat arse (my hair will be wet). Not like anyone ever looks at those photos.

We STILL don't have our desks in our room. I emailed Ringo first thing when I got in yesterday ("Hi...just wondering about the status of our desks...sorry to be a nuisance but I don't want us to fall by the wayside.") I got a response back that we wouldn't be forgotten and they would have been done last Friday but the head custodian was out. So...they would DEFINITELY be in yesterday. I then got an update around lunchtime that the head custodian at the junior high would be taking care of them. (Nice...now if it isn't done, the JH guy will get the blame.) By 3:00 they still weren't in. I'll be shocked and pleasantly surprised if I walk in today to desks rather than tables.

Jim's on 2nd shift - AGAIN - much of this week (or who knows...maybe all week). The only benefit to this is...well there are a several. A) Sami isn't alone much B) Jim walks Sami which frees me up in the after school hours C) 2nd shift is a shorter shift (7 hours instead of 8) D) Jim can do a lot of the jobs that I've let go i.e. cleaning, mowing, etc.

I came home yesterday and took a lovely bike ride. I only went about 6 miles but every little bit helps, right? I'd love to come home and do the same thing today but it's the first day for Loveland schools and I'm sure the buses will be all over the place and still trying to get used to their routes. I'll mow the front yard instead. That's a workout in itself.

I'm slowly finding out all the things some of our kids CAN'T do. One of my kids who was previously in the MH classroom is my biggest hurdle. I found out yesterday that he can't really fill in the blanks for my history class. SO...I'll have him highlight instead. UGH. I mean, how much is this kid really going to get out of my class. He needs to be learning how to write legibly and in a normal size. He needs to learn to go down a staircase (he goes sideways, one step at a time). Well, we'll figure it out.

And that's all I've got. Time to pretty myself up as much as I can...Happy Tuesday. Later!

Back In The Saddle

Jim and I biked yesterday for the first time in two weeks. (It was more like three for Jim.) It felt great to get back on the bike but I'm sore today. I pushed it extra hard and my thighs and arse are feeling it. We managed about 8 miles and Jim not only kept up but he led the way until the last 1/2 mile. YAY! I was hoping to make this a routine in the afternoons before dinner but alas, Jim's back on 2nd shift, at least for tonight. Blows.

The weekend was quite relaxing. Friday we just hung out. Got Chinese for dinner and then watched TV. Jim worked Saturday until about 2 and I finished a quilt. (It's going to a former student who's having a shower this Saturday. I'm not going but wanted to send her something anyway.) Saturday night I just made dinner and we watched TV. It was much needed after last weeks craziness.

This week at school, I'll just be trying to catch up with all that needs to be done. I feel like I'm ahead of the game in comparison to last year. We also have Open House on Thursday and I'll probably just stay at work so that I can get more done. We'll see though...really depends on Jim's schedule. Although I can ask my neighbors to let Sami out if need be.

And that's all I have. I need to get a move on, make Jim a list for the grocery and get to school...try and start an actual lesson today.

Happy Monday...here's hoping this week flies by. Later!

A Pleasant Surprise

I was expecting to not see Jim until tomorrow but I got a text from him yesterday saying he only had to work from about 2-9 last night and starting today, he's back on 1st shift. WOOT! That makes me happy. I do feel bad, however, that I won't be cooking for him tonight but I'll let him choose whatever he wants.

Day 2 was a LITTLE less hectic at school. I managed to get most of my kids assessed for LA. I have one left  to do in 1st which should be interesting. This is a kid who I believe may be the bane of my existence this year. He's a defiant little f&%ker (and not just a little defiant) and doesn't like to do anything that he doesn't think is relevant to him. Which is probably going to be everything since the only thing he wants to talk about is his world travelling (he went to Columbus this summer!) and his dreams for owning a go-kart track. He detailed that for me during history class as I was talking about the word "reservation" (in terms of Native Americans). He managed to connect the plight of the NA's to go-carting in an amazing way. He said, "If I were a NA and I were give a large piece of land, first I would put in a pool. Then I would build a HUGE go-cart track so that..." and then I cut him off and said, US history and go-carting don't go together. He's an arguer too. He has to comment on every little thing that comes out of my mouth. Example:

Me: "Everyone should have their binder and a pencil when the bell rings."
(I think I'll call him Howdy as in Howdy Doody) Howdy: "I have a pen!"
Me: "Nope a pencil."
Howdy: "I have a pen!"
Me: "Did you say you need a pencil?"
Howdy: "No. I have a pen."
Me: "And I said you should have a pencil. What do you think I need you to do?"
Howdy: "Use a pen instead?"
Me: "Not if you don't want to get on my bad side."
Howdy: "I'll just use my pen."
Me: "GET A PENCIL"
Howdy: "FINE!"
Me: "Thank you"
Howdy: Don't know why I need a pencil
Me: Because I prefer you use a pencil
Howdy: Don't know why you prefer a pencil
Me: So if you make a mistake
Howdy: I never make a mistake
Me: (walking away) Mmm hmm
Howdy: Don't know why I have to use a pencil

And then he makes little annoying noises with his mouth (aside from him talking). Little squeaks and chirps and OH MY GOD I feel like I'm teaching 2nd graders (no offense to 2nd graders!)

Other than that, mostly things were fine and I'm getting organized and starting to get caught up on what needs to be done. That will take a solid 2-3 weeks though. I need to start contacting parents, however, to set IEP meetings. UGH! I think I have 2 or 3 in September. YUCK! But at least they'll be out of the way.

Okay well, I best mosey. Happy Friday!!! Can't wait to have a glass of wine tonight! I've been so good and haven't had a drink all week! YAY ME! Later!

The Art Of Shaming

I don't know that I actually SHAMED my admin to cave but whatever was done, it worked! I'm no longer co-teaching this year! I was actually given a guided intervention (my original suggestion).

If you'll recall, I was put willy nilly first into a Biology class and then into a World Studies class. This did not make me happy as I hate co-teaching, it was done without thought and after the deadline for teaching assignments. Then, yesterday my union president (who I had asked to intervene with my principal, really just to school him on the contract) came to me and told me my principal (lets call him Ringo - explanation coming) had an idea. There are 3 GI's 7th period and a couple of them are packed. Wouldn't it be a grand idea to have me do another GI and filter some of those other kids to me?! My GOD! Why didn't I think of that!? That's freaking BRRRRRRILIANT! And bonus, I'll be in my room. Since Lisa already has a GI in there, I'll just take a couple kids from her, a couple from Lil and bing bang boom we're all satisfied.

When I went to talk to Ringo about this, I was very humble and did tell him I appreciated his flexibility on this and understanding. (I know, I almost threw up hearing myself). But truly, he didn't have to do this. I also told him this couldn't happen until I GOT MY F&%KING DESKS!!! When I said that he said, "You don't have your desks yet?" NO!!! GD IT! I have students without a seat! Get it together. I'm sure it will be another week before that happens.

Nickname explanation: My principal has 5 kids and he calls them the "Fab five" so I thought, fab five, fab four, he has a scraggly beard (new) and sort of resembles Ringo Starr.

In other news - I'm a little sick of not seeing Jim who's been on 2nd shift all week. I've seen him in the dark twice since Tuesday. I look forward to the weekend.

Now, onto the first day. Let me just tell you - I've not seen a bunch of kids this LOW in...probably ever. I'm not kidding you this must be what it's like to be a kindergarten teacher!

SPEAKING OF WHICH!!! It's Eva's first day of kindergarten! I can't wait to get her picture today! I'll post it tomorrow! She's so excited and I'm so excited for her. She's going to LOVE it!

Back to the kids - they are very needy. I'll be doing reading assessments today but from what I've read, I have about 3 or 4 freshmen who are basic readers - meaning they aren't even 1st grade readers yet. UGH! One of them resembles the Simpson character at left (without the tattoo, of course). I have another who has been in the multi-handicapped room for all of his life until now and I'm not sure he is going to get a thing out of my class. There are so many of them and we only have Kim and Diane to chase them around. These kids always seem to walk out a door and wander in about 18 different directions. Or in circles. Crazy. We'll see how long our laughing and smiles last.

Okay well I need to get a move on...try and get something done before school starts. Happy Thursday - so glad it's almost over. Later!

Here We GO!

Surprisingly I slept well last night. That's always good! A tired Muwee does not make for a happy Mrs. Hanke. I forgot how NOT drinking makes me sleep like a baby rock!

The real question here is - Am I ready for the first day? Yes and no. I could have used another 8 hours in my room preparing but with the help of Kim and Diane I got a ton of needed shizz done! I do have questionaires for the the kids in LA but I'm not quite ready for US history. However, that isn't until 3rd period so I'll work on it this morning and then wing it. I (Kim and Diane) got my binders ready for all my classes which is huge since it's such tedious work. But really it's just about getting to know the kids these first few days and then easing us all back in. I won't start any lessons until Monday (LA - Romeo and Juliet; US - Western expansion).

In terms of my room - when I left, I still had 6 tables and no individual desks. I was told they would be there today but I won't hold my breath. The problem with this is, I have 13 kids in my 1st period class and only 12 seats. UGH! I did manage to get two kids out of my LA classes and was then able to even out my numbers. That makes me breath a little easier. (And the two kids I got out of my class were lazy asses who obviously shouldn't have been there in the first place.)

Regarding my co-teaching assignment - I'm no longer in the Biology class but rather the World Studies. Certainly better but still bullshit. They just stuck me wherever because they're fools. And - they left it up to me to tell the history teacher (a new guy who had NEVER met me and doens't know me from Adam) that he would now have to co-teach. A bit of bullshit but whatever - I'll make it work. My job is to make this new guys job a little easier in terms of his sped load. Hopefully he doesn't resent me being there. He wasn't very receptive when I told him but whatever...I'm sure he was slightly taken aback. (Maybe he's heard stories about me!)

And that's it. I'm going to go in extra early today to get shit done. Drink an extra cup of coffee...hopefully arrange 15 new desks in my room (HA!)

Happy Wednesday (Ooh, and we have early release today!!!) Wish me luck! It's going to be a shit storm (in a good way)! Later!

TRYING To Make The Best Of Things

Yesterday was okay. District Meeting: Boring. Building Meeting: Boring. Time to Work In My Room: Not Enough. Getting Screwed by the Admin: Expected. I am trying - at least for the sake of the new general ed teacher - to make the best of things but I certainly let my principal know that he was lacking in communication and respectfulness.

Explanation: As expected - my principal filled my schedule with a co-teaching Biology assignment. Here's my issue with it: If I were ever asked (and I think I have been) what teaching assignment would make me most uncomfortable (because of my lack of knowledge) and what I would least like to do, it would be co-teaching Biology. I HATE the damn subject and I'm not highly qualified (which means I'll probably have to take a GD course to become so). To make it worse, I never found out about my assignment from an administrator. It isn't listed in our computer system either. AND!!! I was NOT given my assignment by the time the contract states I need to have it (July 31st). Finally - the thing that really gets my goat is they just placed me willy nilly anywhere I could "fit". The other 4 co-teaching Bio classes (taught by an established team) have anywhere from 9-12 sped students in it. Mine - 5. And these aren't students who were slated for co-teaching. They just stuck me anywhere. Bullshit.

My original thought was to give me 3 study halls (everyone typically has only 2). The reason this would have been perfect was - it would have reduced the large numbers in a lot of the sped teachers study halls and it would give better options for scheduling. Now, we don't even have a 3rd period study hall. Total crap. What are students going to do if they have to leave the classroom to take a test during 3rd period? UGH!

Oh well - what are you going to do?

Today I'll just be working my ass off to get ready for tomorrow and the week. I'll probably stay later than normal since Jim is on 2nd shift again today too. I'll try to stay focused as well and not get caught up in bullshit.

Okay - here's to making it work. On a positive note - I managed, even after my annoyances throughout the day, to NOT have a drink last night. YAY me!!!

K - happy Tuesday. Wish me luck. I'm out!

It's Not Just Raining...

...it's freaking POURING! I do NOT want to drive in this (and die on my way to work on the 1st day back)! That said, I'll certainly wait until it lets up a bit before leaving. I mean, IT. IS. RAINING!

I managed to get some sleep last night. I woke up a couple of times but fell back to sleep immediately. Thank the baby Jesus.

Additionally, I woke up to a couple of emails from one of the guidance counselors saying she removed the student NOT on an IEP from my study hall. Good!

Yesterday I got all my IEPs sent which is a huge time saver.

I still have NO idea what I'm going to do during the period where I have no class but I'm sure it's going to suck. I think they should allow me to do IEP stuff. I could even do it for the other sped teachers. I could organize all their paperwork after an IEP is complete and get it turned in to EMIS (how they track services and how we get money from state). Since this is a continual problem for some teachers, it wouldn't be a waste of time. That's my idea. But I'm sure I'll get stuck somewhere else where it'll be a total waste of time.

Sorry about all the complaints. But you know this happens every year. Part of getting back into the swing of things.

And it's still raining. But I'd better finish getting ready. Happy Monday. Later!

Sleepless In Loveland

Didn't sleep great last night - partly because I kept waking up thinking about school. Here are the things currently on my mind:

• I'm supposed to have 15 desks in my room - replacing the tables that were in there last year. The tables only allowed for 12 students which wouldn't have accommodated the number of students we will have this year. Of course the 15 desks, as of last week, were not there. This is a request (must) I made our VP aware of at the end of the school year last year. I explained that with the inflated numbers we've got, we have to have more seating. I emailed said VP over a week ago asking if they were there. I got NO response. So of course I'm thinking of that.
• I will be teaching 2 LA classes (again) this year. My 1st period is completely full (for the "desks" I'll have) with only a few slots left in my 6th period. So of course, I woke up thinking about emailing the guidance counselors.
• Speaking of counselors, I had to email one because for some reason, she made a change and had a NON special ed student placed in one of my study halls. This same student was put in one of my study halls last year - to ease him in - with the understanding this wouldn't happen in the future. He's a nice kid, I like him but I'm not a baby sitter. I have too many students in my class already to accommodate someone who doesn't qualify. I think the better place for him sounds like the guidance office. I emailed her and asked he be taken out since he did not qualify for services and then I emailed my department head to ensure she hadn't arranged something. BULLSHIT! 
• My inflated LA numbers are partly due to students who SHOULDN'T be in there but apparently my principal went over our expertise and protocol to put them in. They are credit deficient and from what I was told - those students would be put in a credit recovery class to help catch them up. More bullshit.
• I still don't have a full schedule. I have two periods that are blank - one will be my prep period but the other? Who knows. Interestingly, I was never given a teaching assignment either. This is something that, according to our contract, should be in my hands by July 31st. I have NOT gotten a teaching assignment for anything, technically but what are you going to do? Should be interesting. 

And that's it - for now. I'll be getting up to make breakfast and make a quick trip to Kroger before the church goers get there. Hopefully I'll sleep better tonight but thankfully I'll have two days at school to take care of some of this shit. Wish me luck. Later!

On The 7th Day...

I think my body is telling me to rest today. Originally I was going to go for a ride but last night I had a serious aching in my right leg/hip and I think it was a signal that after 6 days of riding - just over 60 miles - it's time for a break. I'm pretty sure too that Jim will want to rest as well. He's had a crick in his neck for the last several days and he's been on 2nd shift all week. He didn't get home until after midnight last night so I think he needs a break (he's not even up yet). Thankfully it's Friday! Wish it were Saturday so I could have a mimosa. Well, if we're wishing, I wish it were Monday and I were on my way to PIB. Again, I sure wish Jimmy were going with me but at least he'll be able to love on my girl while I'm away. She gives him a ton of grief, however, when I'm not around. It's kind of funny. 

So I'm reading a really good book (One Good Dog). I was up way too late last night reading...a feel good book about a dog and human who find each other and help each other to pull themselves out of the shit. Of course I'm also reading HP but I'm reading that during the day or in the bath since it's a hard copy. I'm almost done with it.

I do NOT like Billy Bush who has just recently joined the Today Show. He annoys me and is a total snot. We'll see how this goes. I think Matt hates him already. 

What else. Nothing. The series I started watching - Stranger Things - is really good. Winona Ryder does a really good job and the kids in it are great. 

And that's all I've got. Jim's up so I'll make breakfast. Happy Friday! Later!

Stranger Things

Last night was a boring night on TV.  BB was on but it's a snooze fest this year! Of course I'm still watching - just not with much enthusiasm and fast forwarding through much of the filler. I'm telling you the edit for prime time must be a struggle with so much nothing happening in the house. They announced this past week that BB19 will be aired in the fall right after the current one ends. Lets hope or future excitement from that one...maybe some game players who are interested in the money rather than a showmance that will never last. Anyway - I decided to start watching a series I'd heard about on Netflix - Stranger Things with Winona Ryder. I only watched the first episode but it was really good...well done and left me wanting more. 

I'm nearly done with HP. It's good. Not as good as J.K.'s books but then she didn't write this so there you go. I'll be interested if they eventually do a movie for it.

Today's plans: I'll go on a bike ride around the neighborhood today, solo. Jim's had a stiff neck for the last few days and today seems to be the worst. He needs a rest. We went on a 12.5 mile ride yesterday and it was lovely. We took the bike trail down to the powder factory in Kings (near my school) - one of my fave routes. Speaking of which, I can't wait to see what they do there. I've read that some developers are interested in the site for some luxury condos and shops but it will all depend on how the clean up goes. There's no new information on the web about it though. Hmm. Other than a ride - who knows. I'll maybe do some more prep work for school. I did some "first day" things yesterday. I'll look at IEP stuff today.

And that's all I've got. Nothing too exciting. Happy Thursday! Later!

On A Roll

Yawn...slept like a little baby rock last night. I didn't wake up until I heard Sami grunting at the side of my bed just before 7:00. Jim said he slept just as good, too. Which will hopefully make him pumped up and ready for a ride today! I went by myself yesterday and went my farthest yet - 15.73 miles. Woot! The last mile was a toughy - I'm sure if my ass hadn't been so numb it would have hurt - but I made it. My goal today is to go on a 11-12 mile ride. With Jim. Hope he's ready.

Watched Bachelor in Paradise last night and it proved to be as much of a shit show as I'd hoped. And - BONUS - it's on 2 days a week! This makes me so happy.

I also watched Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel on the IOC and the shit show that is the Olympics. Shocking how crooked it all is. If you get a chance to watch it - do...terrible...puts a whole new spin on the Olympics.

And now it's time for breakfast. Gotta get Jimmy motivated. Happy Wednesday. Later!

On My Way Out

I'm headed out the door for a ride but thought I'd give the fog a little while longer to dissipate...lucky you.

Turns out Jim will be on 2nd shift for the rest of the week. Apparently a guy who works for Flannery died of a heroin overdose and they're short handed. Oh well...just means that Jim and I will get lots of time together this week before I head north next week. He will not, however, go on a ride with me. He's still a bit sore from yesterday. I'm going to try for another 13 today...we'll see how I do.

I'm about 100 pages into Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and I'm loving it. It is in script form but easy to read and visualize. It basically jumps back and forth between Harry and friends (Ron, Hermione and Ginny) and his middle child, Albus. I highly recommend (so far at least). It's broken down into parts one and two and each part has 2 acts. I've read the first act (of part one). And that's all I'll say...don't want to ruin anything.

Finished watching the Bachelorette and was happy with the ending. I was worried there for a bit that she was going to choose the douche bag. We'll see if it lasts. I'm pulling for them though. And now we move on to Bachelor in Paradise which starts tonight. So excited for the shit show that it.

And that's all I have. Time to get a move on before I lose gumption. Happy Tuesday...later!

Slipped My Mind!

I totally forgot to post this morning! We can blame it on Jimmy though. See, he has to work a 2nd shift today and when I got up, he was still here and so I was confused. Oh well, better late than never.

So with Jim at home for the day we decided to make it a Monday Funday! First we got up, watched the news, I walked Sami and the made breakfast (avocado toast...I'm addicted...so delicious!). Afterward we headed down to the trail and took a bike ride. We were meant to ride from Loveland to Newtown but Jim's hip started hurting and we cut it short by about a mile. We ended up doing 13 miles and I was pumped! Mainly because that's the longest ride for me this season but mostly I was excited that my ass didn't kill! Additionally, after a short rest and water before turning back toward home, Jim's hip was feeling better. My goal is to keep that boy motivated and exercising. I think he'll fare much better if he can keep it up.

When we got home, we both showered and then I did a grocery shop. From there we went to lunch at the Root Beer Stand (in Sharonville). It was delicious! I had a double cheeseburger and a root beer and Jim had a Chattanooga burger (a burger with pulled pork) and a root beer float. YUMMY!

When we got home, Jim napped and I watched TV until...ding...I got the text that my copy of HP had been delivered. It's currently sitting here at my side waiting for me to start it. I flipped through and it is literally the script to the play which has just opened in London. I'll update on my thoughts! Can't wait.

Tonight is the finale of the Bachelorette so I'll head to Cari's to tune in. I'm pretty sure JoJo is going to choose the wrong guy but realistically, I question whether she'd make it with either one. Oh well...live, love and learn.

K- well, like I said, HP is calling my name. And by the way - I've also got it on in the background on TV (HP and Part 1 of the Deathly Hallows). Happy Monday...this time next week I'll be in PIB...I sure wish Jimmy could go but such is life. At least Sami will be happy with him home. Later!

Inspired

I watched much of the Democratic convention last night and the night before and I'm truly hoping that the momentum that Hillary and those others who gave such stirring speeches will continue on to November. I know that many don't see Hillary's character as likable and I really don't get that. People talk about trust but I completely trust her judgement and her experience. I trust her word about putting those in need first but most of all, I trust the democracy of the United States. I trust the checks and balances, the separation of powers that we've set up to ensure that no one person has too much power. And I believe there can be CONTINUED progress in this country. Continued because there HAS been progress under Obama and you can't deny that. You can't look at the economy and NOT see the progress in auto industry and housing industry and that the unemployment rate is the lowest it's been in 8 years. I can't look at a person like Hillary Clinton who has stated over and over what's important to her (kids and families) and then has SHOWN through her ACTIONS exactly that. I'm with her not because she's the lesser of two evils. I'm with her because I don't think she's evil. I think she stands for me and will fight for those things she says she will fight for. Just like she's done throughout her - not just career - but LIFE!   I think her intentions are good. I don't question them and to me that is everything. Her quote: “Do all the good you can, for all the people you can, in all the ways you can, as long as ever you can," says it all. She didn't enter this fight on a whim. She's been in this fight since she was a teenager. She's in this fight to do all she can do to for as many of us as possible because that is her passion and her life's work. 

Favorite quotes: 

• "A man you can bait with a tweet is not a man you can trust with nuclear weapons."
• "When there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit."
• "Now Donald Trump says, and this is a quote, "I know more about ISIS than the generals do...."No, Donald, you don't."
• "I'm not here to repeal the 2nd Amendment. I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place."
• “Let our legacy be about planting seeds in a garden you never get to see. That’s why we’re here — not just in this hall, but on this earth.”

And now that I'm off my soapbox, I think Sami deserves some Mommy time. I'll be hanging out here at home and doing some school work...which means I'll be on the computer most of the day - yuck! 

TGIF (not that it matters to me)...later!

Still Steamy

Jim and I went for a bike ride at 8:30 yesterday and holy shiz it was crazy hot. Today is just as bad - already 80 degrees - and so steamy...I haven't decided yet if I'll bike but I better get moving after this post and get Sami her walk. UGH.

The weekend was spent hanging out...wait for it...OUTSIDE and playing cards or just chatting with the neighbors. Saturday we weren't too smart in how we hung out (sweating our asses off and getting eaten by bugs) but yesterday we brought out our industrial fans and sat in front of those for relief. Kept the bugs away and drowned out the screaming kids and locusts. We all went out to dinner together to El Picante (kids eat for 99 cents on Sundays) which was delicious and ended up throwing more cards before heading in around 9:00.

So obviously I'm not headed to Columbus today. I decided that the better days are Tuesday and Wednesday so I'll head up and out tomorrow morning, early. Can't wait to be in a pool during this stupid heat.

Not much is happening with me here. I'll be cleaning a bit today, doing laundry, packing and doing some more school prep work. I managed to get all my schedules tweaked and sent off to our guidance secretary. Hopefully she will not hate me and will make the changes that need to be made in a timely manner. I've also started getting my many "lists" complete for the beginning of school. It's a time-consuming task so with it be gloomy and (hopefully) rainy today, I'll tackle some of that.

And now I best get a move on. Happy Monday. I most likely won't post tomorrow since I'll be busy trying to get out the door early...I'll see you Thursday or Friday. K - later!

Power Crazy

We never lose power here at my house. Ever since Duke took over from CG&E, we've had great luck. So when the power went out twice this week we were boggled. Turns out - and this is weird - both outages were caused by telephone poles getting all busted up. The first outage happened because a car hit a pole up the street and last night - around 8:00 - a tree fell and hit a pole. We were actually hanging out outside with the neighbors (sweating our ASSES off) so we didn't realize the power had gone out until the kids ran out freaking out. Jim was seriously freaking out too because he was hot and grumpy and worried about sweating his ass off inside. I told him that it was fine - it wouldn't be sweltering for hours inside. Originally we were told it would be 11:00 before the power came on. Then they moved it up to 1:00. In the end, however, it was around 10:00...maybe a bit before. Phew!

Yesterday Jim and I went biking around the neighborhood. I told him I was going to lead the way and asked if he would keep up. He assured me he would. Within 1 mile - I lost Jim. I don't know why he's so lame but it sort of irritated me. I mean, I'm not one to talk and chit chat while biking with someone but come on! He can't even keep up with me in the first mile? I wasn't going fast. LAME! Today when we bike I'll be sure to make him stick with me.

Lets see...what else? This heat is ridiculous. It hasn't gotten this hot here in several years and I'm not a fan. I ended up taking a cold shower before bed last night which really helped but this heat and humidity can't go away fast enough. Unfortunately, I think we'll be pretty hot for the next couple days still. Oh well.

In terms of heading to Columbus - I think Tuesday and Wednesday look like my best bet weather-wise. We'll see.

Not sure what today has in store other than a bike ride. It's just too hot to hang outside so maybe we'll take a trip to Shooters. We'll see. That would certainly make Jimmy happy.

K - I'm out. Happy Sunday. Later!

Long Day Ahead

I've got a long day ahead of me working out schedules today. UGH! I started looking at my kids' schedules yesterday and just got so frustrated that I couldn't stand it. Not knowing if they were still tweaking things I didn't want to waste my time. However, texting with Lisa, seems the guidance secretary would appreciate any changes that need to be made. I've certainly got my work cut out for me to ensure schedules for kids on my caseload are correct. My butt and hips are going to be pissed!

My neighbors house is finally "pending". They had the inspection yesterday and the closing is September 8th. Apparently he (the husband) is from this area (Blue Ash) so they aren't just getting transferred here with the possibility of moving again in a few years. He works from home for a bank. Excited to get to know them.

I made kabobs last night for dinner and they were deeeelicious! Steak and chicken with zucchini and mushrooms. I also had "Yum Yum" sauce for dipping...Jimmy loved it. Can't remember what I've got going for tonight - I'll have to check my menu.

And that's it. I need to get a move on before the real heat hits if I want to get a bike ride in.  Hopefully I won't get lost in my own neighborhood again.

Happy - YAY - Friday! Later!