Ten on Tuesday

Ten Predictions for the Next 4 Years (mine are more like hopes)

1. NCLB is improved if not scrapped altogether.
2. Raises for teachers.
3. The war in Iraq/Afghanistan will end.
4. Gas prices will rise again, but not as much as $4. Sheesh.
5. Americans become less hated in other countries (i.e. stop being so obnoxious...sheesh)
6. Unemployment rates will rise in the near future, then begin to go down.
7. Major health care improvements. Maybe not national health care, but at least some regulation of the insurance companies. Sheesh.
8. Medicare changes. Good, bad, indifferent something has to change.
9. Major economy changes. (I hope.)
   
10. Gay rights will become a hot button issue, again.

P.S. The tax break we were told about for buying our Pri.us? Phased out in 2007. SON OF A B! I'm beyond ticked.

Midnight?

So, LMP is eagerly anticipating the new Twi.light movie.

Me?

I've never read the books. They SOUND like my kind of book. I had just never heard of them until this summer when we were at the beach, beating the heat in a Books.A.Million and they were advertising the release of the last book. It sounded like as big a deal as a new Jan.et Evanovich book. But again, I haven't read the book.

Maybe I'll put them on my list for this year's beach trip. If we go to the beach this year. Money is tight, we may have to skip it. Which will stink because I was really looking forward to going again and perhaps taking LMP.

Does anyone know anything about a tax break for Pri.us owners? That may pay for our week at the beach.

Stuck in my head

Ever since I caught this on Y.ouT.ube it's been stuck in my head.

How amazing would it be to work at that school? I probably couldn't do it though. I'm struggling with daily di.fferentiation. Or so I'm told. For now I would settle for attending his conference. That would be inspirational to say the least.

How many days until Christmas break?

If you need the lyrics, check here.

TGIF

Thank goodness it's Friday. Has it seemed like the longest week ever to anyone else?

I went to LMP's play again tonight. She did a great job, I'm so proud. LMK wasn't bad either. Ok, ok, I laughed my tush off. Who knew Loui.s Car.roll was so funny!?

The meeting with the admin was ok too. They're still pissed about something we did a month ago. MOVE ON. Sheesh. Sounds like others are in hot water too, but it still stinks.

Just when I thought

things couldn't get worse, they do.

Meeting tomorrow with admin.

Socks is in the kitty hospital.

Life sucks.

Now something completely different

Before the different stuff, I would just like to point out that even the janitor commented today that no one smiles, no one is happy, no one says hello anymore. The morale, she is dropping!

My room was a sauna today and I literally cannot open my windows. They're so heavy I can't lift them. It was 80 in there before I muscled it open.

Also, am I the only one that got sniffley when Barack Obama thanked his wife and kids and promised them a puppy? I'm so weird.

Now.

Enough about school!

I thought I would share my tv obsession with you. TV seems to be my escape these days. I can just turn my mind off for hours at a time.

New (at least to me) Shows I Love

• The Big Bang Theory
• Privileged (I've loved Jo.Anna Garcia since R.eba)
• 17 and Counting
• The Starter Wife
  

New (at least to me) Shows I Like, but could live without

• Gossip Girl (LMP loves it, I have my issues with it, but I watch it with her)
• The Ex List

Oldies but Goodies - Shows I Love

• How I Met Your Mother
• Samantha Who?
• America's Next Top Model/Top Design/Project Runway/Top Chef
• Desperate Housewives
• Amazing Race
• The Soup
• Ugly Betty
• Survivor

Shows I Like but contemplate not watching

• Jon and Kate, Plus 8 - I can't seem to shake some of the things I've read and seen about the show. I enjoy watching the kids, but at what price? Plus, I'm tired of seeing all the great things they get to do with a family of 10 that I can't do with a family of 2 (now 3).
  
• The Ex List - Booooooooooooring. It better start getting good quickly.
• House - He's so mean and everybody dies! I must be a masocist.
  

So what shows are you loving/hating/enjoying? Really! We're getting another tv and I'm going to have even MORE dvr-ing ability. Mwahahahahaha!

I did, did you?

Did you? We got up early and didn't have to wait at all. I'm saving my sticker to show my kids tomorrow.

In other news, rumor is we're to note diff.erenti.ation EVERY DAY in our lesson plans. Seriously? Seriously! What happened to, "This is going to take time?" or "We're not expecting you to start doing this all at once."

I love it when people talk out of both sides of their mouth. Just one more reason to vote and make your voice heard.

Day 3

Woohoo! I'm still in this.

Today was uneventful. We took the quarterly writing test in the morning and went to see LMK and LMP in their play in the afternoon. I also sent all my plans for the next week or two to the admin. and I met with the gifted coordinator just to play CYA. I'm learning CYA is a way of life around here.

The play? Very fun. There were minor mistakes here and there, but it was great and my students LOVED it. They've all got a crush on one of the cards now. Oy vey.

Have I mentioned the hamster? LMP got a hamster back in September. She's a cute little thing. Socks is in love with her. Actually, I think he just wants to eat her. Either way, he spends a heck of a lot of time mesmerized by Pheebs.

Almost lost it

On the second day!

Sheesh. Spent most of the day at play practice watching LMK and LMP (Lawn Mower Princess as the younger daughter has now been dubbed). They are in the school play.

It was fun to see and I wanted to check things out since my kids are going on their first field trip tomorrow. To see the play.

It ought to be interesting.

Why do I think the administration will be in to observe me tomorrow? Just to mess with me.

NaBloPoMo

I know, I know it's been more than a month. I apologize. DRAMA.

What the hell. Let's give it another whirl.

Allow me to sum up my week.

I suck.

Wait, my mother doesn't read this. I'll use my away message for IM (that has since been banned by my mother). "LMQ sucks at her job. Tell your friends. "

No really, my meeting with the administration (both of them) after Wednesday's informal observation boiled down to you're sucking - we know you can do better. Do better!

Um. Thanks? I knew that last year.

It doesn't help that my friend got observed the day after doing the same thing with one minor tweak and received a glowing evaluation.

What the hell? Seriously. What. the. hell.

Anyone with great suggestions on "challenging the gifties" would be my bestest friend.

Now, it's back to googling.

Di.ffere.ntiation can bite my shiny metal ass.

It's going to be a long month.

Camera Critters - Guilt

Tonight, in what I thought was a regular conversation with my parents they dropped a bombshell. About a month ago, Lucy was in a freak but potentially fatal accident. She's on the mend and getting back to being her old self, but it doesn't make it any easier.

So, if you have time today, say a little prayer for my Lucy - who is almost back to 100%, my parents - who are still upset over the situation, and then go hug your pets. In the blink of an eye, they could be gone.

Career Crisis

I never thought there would be days that I hate my job this much or that they'd happen so often.

Maybe I wasn't cut out to teach. I already spend my days feeling like I'm letting my kids down. Now, I have parents complaining their gifted child is bored. SO AM I!? We're reviewing, it's boring. I didn't know I was supposed to get up in the front of the room and dance.

Since a parent went to the principal and complained (without coming to me mind you) that their little angel is bored, I now have an official negative evaluation. Great. It's not formal, but its still written down.

I'm seriously at a loss. I'm told 90% of my students are expected to pass the state tests. If that didn't sound unreasonable enough...let me break it down by numbers. That means I can have EXACTLY 1 student fail. I've got 7 working below grade level, 3 of those are at least two grade levels behind, and 3 potentially gifted students.

I keep my homeroom for reading in which they must be taught on grade level. As I understand that, it means everyone is presented the same information. However, I am supposed to be differentiating.

I have one student at an 11th grade math level. What the hell do I do with him?

Science we were asked to increase use of the interactive notebooks. I've been using them all year. I'm pretty darn proud I've stuck with them this long - they're B-O-R-I-N-G! But oh no, the gifties are bored.

Oh, don't use paper. We're trying to reduce copying costs and we make far too many copies.

I just don't know what to do. I feel like no matter what I do, it's wrong. I look around and I hear/see all these great teachers and I honestly wonder how they do it.

For a job that everyone tells me I am a natural at - I suck. I am the most educated on my team, but I feel like the kid who is below grade level. I feel like I've forgotten everything in the four years I spent subbing. My mentor is no help. He uses the textbook more than me. The other 4th grade teacher is in the same boat, but she's smarter than me. She has great ideas. Me. Not so much.

Maybe subbing is the way to go. No thinking, just following someone else's plans. THAT I can do and do well.

Suggestions? Anyone? Anything? I'm really kind of desperate at this point. It usually takes more than a month of school to break me. Hey, last year I made it to October.

As far as I can tell, I have two choices. Get a technology job - which I think I would be good at (but hey, I thought I could be a good teacher), or get out of this district. Out of Virginia.

Are there any other jobs out there for teacher with 2 years teaching experience who just can't hack it? Target is looking better and better all the time.

Camera Critters #Uh...

It's been a while since I've done CC, but I'm trying to be a better blogger. This week is a barn cat. Well, a former barn cat. Don't tell the others, but she was my favorite. She had quite an attitude, but she was just beautiful. Sometimes, I wonder what happened to her when we moved. I choose to believe she moved down the road to the next farm where she could get fed reliably. That's what I choose to believe.
I still feel guilty for leaving all my barn cats. Animals are defenseless, if I could I'd save them all. But I can't. And that breaks my heart.

Did I mention we got a hamster last weekend? Hokie, Ollie, and Socks are thrilled - an interactive toy!

One week down

My first week of school with kids went well. I have a nice group of children even though they are a chatty bunch. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk. Sheesh! There are worse things to deal with. Slowly I am trying to figure out how to meet all the changes that were thrust upon us a week before school started. I'm hoping I will have everything running smoothly by the end of the first quarter. Time will tell.

The cats got fleas. *scratch, scratch, scratch* $400 later *scratch, scratch, scratch* everyone seems to be doing ok. *scratch, scratch, scratch* Ollie became anemic from it. *scratch, scratch, scratch* When we took him to the vet he only weighed 9 pounds. *scratch, scratch, scratch* He looks so skinny. *scratch, scratch, scratch* He scares me. *scratch, scratch, scratch* Poor baby.

Younger Daughter...can I call her Lawn Mower Princess?... I'll need to think of an official name for her and her "sister" is all moved into school. She doesn't have much. LMK and I went out and bought her some necessities. You know, like towels. Her mom is shipping her stuff and it should arrive tomorrow, but I'm not sure exactly what belongings will be coming.

There is much to come in the future. Living with us. Lots of questions that need answered.

For example:

• Do we leave her in the "guest bedroom" down the hall from us that has the closet with all my clothes in it?
• If we move her, where are we going to find a bed?
  
• Where do I move my clothes? The only other closet upstairs is LMK's.
  
• Where do we put his clothes?
  
• Do we move her from the guest room with no lock on the door to the soon to be old computer room that has deadbolt locks and a chain lock on the doors? I really don't like the thought of her being able to barricade herself into her room. :o)
  
• Can I do this? Raising a child you've known since birth is one thing. What about a child you met a year and a half ago and haven't seen for a year. She's a good kid, but how is this going to work?
  

Only time will tell, I suppose. Only time.

Busy, busy, busy

So, my birthday was uneventful. LMK took me here. It was a new and different experience that I really enjoyed. So much so that I really would like to go back.

Let's see, I guess it's official...kinda. I'm a mom. Of a teenager. Heaven help me.

Younger Daughter finally got the ok to attend LMK's school again. She flew in Tuesday and we picked her up at the airport. She's staying with us for the week and a half until school starts. I love having her around.

There is talk of her parents giving us legal guardianship for the spring semester so she can live with us and go to LMK's school cheaper. The monetary aspect of that concerns me, but we'll make it work somehow. I really want her to stay.

Older Daughter is coming to visit tomorrow along with a boy who likes Younger Daughter. LMK has soccer camp. Something is going on with her. Both girls think I don't know, but I know. Or I think I know. They'll come to me when and if they're ready. Until then, I'm biding my time. I wonder now how much my mother knew when I was a teenager. Yikes!

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Did I mention school starts Monday and I am completely unprepared?

I'm FAMOUS!

That's right, lil `ol me. I'm famous! True, I won't be rubbing elbows with Brange.lina or Benn.ifer any time soon, but my name is mentioned in a national magazine - and it's not because I'm going to jail or drunk or high!

I sent in something to that person I tried to hate, but cannot's magazine and they published it!

I only bought two extra copies.

If you want to know what I submitted or have your own copy of aforementioned magazine and want to check it out, send me an email (lawnqueen[at]gmail[dot]com) and I will give you the details. Provided of course I know you or have deemed your potential stalker level is low.

We're back!

We're home...back. I don't say home because Northern Virginia has never really felt like home. Yes, we live and work here, but it's just not home. I don't fit in around here. I have different thought processes and different things are important to me. That being said, we've met some great people living here and I've made friends that I hope will be for life, but it's just not home.

A part of me will always consider Ohio home. My family is there. My friends are there. My history is there. However, LMK and I realized something over the past two days. Black.sburg is home too. Almost as much as Ohio is home for me. I like being there. I like the people. I like the scenery.

Mark my words people. Someday, we're moving home. Whether that home is in Virginia or in Ohio - one way or another, I'm going home.


Tomorrow we discuss what journalists I will no longer watch and who I will faithfully watch after talking with friends about their handling of the April 1.6th events.

We're home

You know, again...

While my 215 pictures download... Did I mention we went to Colonial Williamsburg? Well, we did. LMK went to a conference or as he puts it, "Math Camp" and I went sight seeing.



Have I mentioned my extreme fear of going to public places alone? Well, I'm afeared of it. I don't care who goes with me generally, I just don't want to be alone. Well, readers...well, Misty and anyone else who still comes here after my year of silence, I did it! I went to Jamestown AND Yorktown AND Yankee Candle AND several gift shops in between ALL ON MY OWN! Are you impressed? I am.

Now, I need help. Do I send a complaint letter to the hotel we stayed at? Would you if the following happened to you?

• Upon check in, hotel had no record of school's credit card information that LMK personally faxed them and that we confirmed earlier in the week. Gave them our personal credit card until the situation could be resolved.
  
• Finally got to room and realized that our a/c didn't work (it's in the high 90s each day). Asked if it could be fixed. Sent "engineering" who had no idea what was wrong and recommended we change rooms.
• New room smells...odd.
• View from new room is a roof. Sounds normal right, check out the picture below.
  
• New room has smoke detector hanging from wiring. Not sure if it works, decide not to push luck with room changing.
• Finally got credit card information straightened around three days into our stay.
• The maids STOLE MY FEBREEZE! STOLE IT!
• Did not receive LMK's wake up call twice.
• Everyone on the staff was really nice...yet incompetent at times.

Thoughts?

Camera Critters - More Turtles!

Still fascinated by these little buggers.

Finished!

New Office Painting
Originally uploaded by h0kieerin.

The new office is finally finished. Well, the painting is finished. Honestly? It looks great. I'm so pleased with it. So pleased that I mentioned something to LMK about painting our bedroom since we have all the painting stuff we need. I thought he might strike me. Heh.

The second and third pictures look a lot alike. HOWEVER! If you look at the door and the base boards in each picture, I think you'll notice a difference. I notice a HUGE difference in the room and I'm so glad I insisted on painting the trim white.