I'm going for it

I have decided to start looking for another teaching position in another school.  Right now I am working in a private school environment and it's not a good fit.  I don't mind the "private, parent pay tuition" part.  What I do mind is the lack of accountability for curriculum and instruction.  I actually WANT to be held accountable.  I like structure, deadlines and procedures.  Doesn't everybody?  If you were assigning a class project, wouldn't you provide details and deadlines?  Uh, YES.  Because if you didn't detail the assignment, give the rubric and the date due then students would feel confused, frustrated and just blow off the whole darn thing.

And that's how it is at my current school.

I've told Ironman more than once, "if that's how the administration likes things to run, then that's fine.  But it's just not for me.  I have too much training, experience and expertise to settle for mediocracy."

So I have been working on my resume.  I had a working resume from several years ago.  Therefore I don't have to start from scratch.  I'm just tweaking it, polishing it, etc.

Every once in a while I get a flash in the back of my head, "What if it's not greener on the other side"  Go away Mr. Doubt.  I'm not especially looking for greener, I'm looking for a better fit.  My plan is to have my resume complete and spiffy by tomorrow evening.  Tuesday afternoon I am going to drop it by several schools.  I hope they file it away and actually remember it when hiring season comes.   In fact, after spring break I am going to mail my resume again to the same schools with a cover letter explaining that I'm still interested.  I haven't seen an announcement of a spring job fair but if they have one, I will be the first one in line.  I am looking forward to it.

Public schools offer more money and better benefits.  I would be thrilled with both.

It's not all doom and gloom in America's schools.  Teachers aren't there for the money.  I could make more money cleaning hotel rooms.  (I said that recently and Ironman  said he did NOT want me taking a job at a hotel.  I did entertain a house cleaning business, though, as I enjoy cleaning and organizing.)

I will let you know.

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Saturday was my weigh and measure day.  As you recall I began P90 workouts in December before Christmas.  That's right.  I did not wait until after the holidays.  That's how determined I was.   Every Saturday I weigh and measure.  Do you want to know the stats?

Weight:  I've lost 7 pounds.  Hey, I'll take it!
Inches:  17 1/2.  YES  SEVENTEEN AND A HALF!!  I've lost 6 inches across the middle.
I've lost 1 1/2 inches in each thigh.  I've lost 1 1/2 inches in each KNEE.  Isn't that wild?  My knees have gotten thinner and shapelier.  Yes, MY KNEES!  Ha  Let's keep going.  I've lost 3 inches in my waist, 2 inches in my hips, 2 inches in my chest, and 3/4 inch in each calf.  My arms have stayed the same which surprises me but let me tell you this, they are firm.  I see definition and muscles that make them look like somebody else's arms!   Today is Day 43 (I think.  I don't have the calendar right here)  I just know that I'm right at the half way point.  I'm not stopping now.  I have to see how far I can go!

Woop Woop

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Friday Feelings

Hello blog.

Today is Friday.  Let me repeat that.  TODAY IS FRIDAY!!  And to make it even nicer, today is Friday before a 3 day weekend.  

Whew.

Things at work are as crazy and strange as ever.  Yesterday was particularly chaotic.  The teacher I am partnered with is a difficult one.  Personalities don't clash as I can control my side of that.  But the training and methods sure do.  Chaos begats chaos.  That is fo' sho'.

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Dancer Girl's science fair project was a monster.  We didn't anticipate it to be such a booger.  We never got it to operate correctly.  She built a model wind turbine with magnets and bare copper wire.  The actual turbine spins beautifully when you turn on the fan.  The frame is sturdy and it's neato mosquito.  But one little thing:  no matter what we tried we could not get the magnet field to produce any electricity.  Nada.  We tried everything we knew.  The Engineer spent hours on the internet looking for advice.  He even got his physics textbook for help.

Since today is the fair, we had to throw in the towel for now.  Last night Dancer Girl was preparing her display board and I got the idea to google our dilemna.

"What should I do if my science fair project fails?"

Bingo.

I located a blog from a young lady in high school with just that problem.  She actually won her school science fair with a project that didn't work.  YES!  I couldn't wait to read her post.  She explained that it's not the successful project that makes the fair, it's your presentation and proving what you learned.  She provided 5 questions to ask yourself as guidelines for your presentation before judges.  So Dancer Girl and I read through them, thought about the answers and D.G. typed them up as part of her display. We also added that we will continue to tweak this turbine until we FINALLY get it to work and then we are going to bring it back to school and show everybody!  She was happy.  I was happy.

My daughter also googled and found a quote from Thomas Edison about failure and added it to her board.  Brilliant.

Interesting, but out of all the science projects I've done over the years this one was the most educational for all of us.  That's a good thing.  (But the best thing is that it'll be over with today at noon!)

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The Engineer returned to college yesterday.  He also has been approved and recommended for graduation in May.  WOOP!

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Speaking of graduation, my P90 workouts are going strong.  I've heard about exercise endorphins but I've never experienced the surge until I began working out to these DVDs. I.am.hooked.   The results are fast just like the advertisements boasts.

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Now to today's dilemna:

There are some forms to be completed by my partner concerning some special services for a child in our class.  They have been on her desk for over a week.  The Occupational Therapist came by the school Tuesday to get them and I was embarrassed to tell her they were incomplete.  In fact, they had not even been opened by Mrs. S.  O.T was very nice about it and said she didn't really need them until next week and that she would be at our school anyway, so she'd swing by and get them then.  She told me it would be Tuesday morning.

Where are the papers?  Right where I left them.  Unopened.

And so I've decided to wait until this afternoon.  Mrs. S. is taking this afternoon off.  If the papers are not completed by the time she leaves I'm going to do them.  Yes it may cause problems.  But I'm telling you, I do not want to be embarrassed again when it's time to turn them over to the specialist.  Monday is a holiday.  They must be completed today.  (back in the fall she was given papers to complete for the same student and never did it.  The Director came by and we filled everything out together so they could be turned in on time)  It's this kind of irresponsibility that is driving me bonkers.

What do you do when a coworker is inefficient (to say the least)?  

Wednesday - the worst day of my week

I guess everybody has one day of the week that is their favorite.  Friday?  Saturday?  Sunday?  Yes for me.  All 3 of those.  But when it comes to the WORST day of the week, for me it's definitely Wednesdays.

And today is Wednesday.

The ice storm wasn't as bad as predicted so schools are open.   We don't do ice well here in Louisiana.  But today will start out cold and the ice should melt by 2pm.

Off to work I go.

Wednesdays are loonnngggg days for me.  After school today Dancer Girl and I are going to run some errands to buy the final touches for her science fair project.  Then this thing will be OVER.  Complete, turned in, science fair is Friday.  D.O.N.E.  Thank goodness The Engineer was here to help us.  It was a monster.

College App deadline has passed.  So the last minute scramble to get everything turned in with I.T. girl is complete.  Now we await the decisions.

Ironman and I bought a dishwasher yesterday.  It is set to be installed next week.  I KNOW!!  Why does it take so stinkin' long?  We'll see how this one works out.

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Today is Day 32 of P90 workout schedule.  It's amazing the results I'm seeing in 30 days.   Amazing.

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Last night I made pizza with cauliflower crust.  I found the recipe online.  You brown the cauliflower in a skillet until crisp.  It took about 15 minutes.  In the bowl of a cuisinart you put 2 eggs, 1/2 cup cornmeal, seasonings, and the crisp chopped cauliflower.  It comes out the consistency of cornbread batter.  I poured it onto a pizza pan covered with parchment paper.  Baked it for 20 minutes.  The crust was golden brown and crispy.  Ironman topped it was vegetables, etc.  Verdict?  The consistency was nice.  I like thin and crispy and that's how it was.  The taste was just okay.  And the smell?  I could not eat it because of the smell.  It smelled like, well, cauliflower!  Ironman gobbled it up.  

I wonder if you could use any old vegetable with similar results minus the smell.  Would carrots work? Carrot pizza crust?  I should experiment.  Let me jot that down on my to do list.  

I also made pizza crust from Vegan for Carnivores cookbook which is my go to recipe.  Came out perfect and tasty.  My kids ate that, of course.

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Let my Wednesday begin!

Sears - we are never, ever, ever getting back together

Do you know what just happened?  I CANCELED my order with Sears for a new dishwasher.  And sistah, I NEED a new dishwasher.  This one I'm  about to blow up  tolerating has been on the blink for months.  We had a repairman take a look and he told us flat out it's not worth fixing.  It would cost just as much to fix it as it would to replace it.  And even then I waited several months.  It was holiday time and I just couldn't swing the money.

On January 5 we had no choice.  The crazy thing was leaking.  It began making a loud rumbling sound during the dry cycle.  And the worst thing of all:  Our dishes came out dirty.

Goodbye Mrs. Dishwasher.

Or so I thought.

I went to Sears.  Identified a Kenmore, reasonably priced (cough cough) dishwasher.  Good.  Deliver it, please.  Oh, it'll be a week.  This dishwasher is not in stock here but we will ship one here and someone will notify you when it arrives in the store.

Okey Dokey

Thursday, January 10 I called to check the status.  I was told the dishwasher was set to arrive in my friendly neighborhood Sears by Monday.  Someone will call you to schedule delivery.

YIPPEE

Well, it's Monday.  AND it's MY BIRTHDAY PEOPLE!  I called Mr. Sears to inquire about my order.  The box has been LOST.  The dishwasher is misplaced.  They have no idea where it is or who is washing dishes with it.  All I know is it's Not me!

The young man with the strong accent assured me that someone will email me with the status within 48 hours.

48 hours?  I don't think so.

Goodbye.  I called back and canceled my order.

Tomorrow Ironman and I will go buy a dishwasher and bring it home with us. We will not buy it from Sears.  

Well, it happened

Today Ironman and I took our youngest child to high school open house.  Yes, high school.  She will complete the 8th grade in May, the last grade in her middle school.  Next year she will move up to high school.  In our parish, students have a choice of high schools.  Each high school has a "personality".  There's the football powerhouse school, the academic achievement school, the performing arts school, etc.  Obviously each school must provide the educational standards so it's the extras that make schools attractive.

Dancer Girl could not wait for the assembly to finish. We visited the dance department, the fencing team classroom,  and the lacrosse team area set up outside the gym.  We spoke with the gymnastics coach and the choir director.  After about an hour I asked her if she thought we should visit an academic classroom.  :)  Not interesting.

This is the same school I.T. girl attends and will graduate from in May, so we already got the drill down.

Wasn't it just yesterday we went to kindergarten open house??

Earlier in the day I served in the preschool area at church while the adults attended the worship service. I thoroughly enjoyed it.  It's fast paced and creative and time just flies.  I don't think I would enjoy doing it every Sunday but I feel privileged that they trust me to serve once every 5 weeks.  So, thanks.

Ironman grilled turkey burgers for lunch.  We gulped them down because Open House began at 2.

I was so tired that I took a long nap.  Sunday afternoon naps are the best.

I had planned to make pizza with the cauliflower crust but I just didn't get around to it.  Have you ever had crust made from toasted cauliflower?  Me either.   I'm way behind the times because I've been hearing raves about it for a couple of years.  Today was going to the day.  It'll have to wait for another day when I have more energy.

I weighed and measured yesterday after my workout.  Day 30 of Power90.
Results:  I've lost 11 inches.  4 of those are from my tummy.  That measurement that goes straight around your belly button.

Oh, I told you that already?  That I've lost ELEVEN INCHES?  And I'm DOWN A PANT SIZE?  In 30 days?  OH, hate to keep repeating myself.

This week:
I will get The Engineer organized and ready to return to college for his last semester.
I will go behind Dancer Girl and make sure her science fair project is complete and ready.
I will complete the Cap and Gown form......... okay, I'll basically just give I.T girl the money and she can order her own Cap and Gown.  Yes, they order their own?  That's what she said.  I don't know the drill.
I will continue my Power90 workouts that I've come to look forward to and enjoy.

Operation:  Day 31 - 60  How many inches can I lose this time???

I have a few questions

Do you go out on the town regularly with people from work?  

Every Thursday and Friday it's weekend plans time in my classroom.  Faculty and Staff tend to gather right there at the door and discuss where to go and what time to arrive.  Dinner and Drinks is the most frequent idea.  I know that they may agree to meet between 5:30 and 6, but they do not leave the restaurant until the manager turns off the lights and cleaning crew arrives.  They have been known to stay well past 2am.

I have never joined them.  Oh sure, I've been invited and included and that is nice.  I always respectively take a rain check.  By Friday I am T.I.R.E.D. of people.  I am ready to go home to my den and burrow with my husband and kids.  To be completely candid, I don't find any pleasure in drinking and eating too much and gossip and being loud in a public place (which, yes, I'm sure they all are).  I don't want to flirt with the men at the bar.  I don't find it appealing to watch grown women act ridiculous.  I'm sure that's how they act.  I get the blow by blow on Mondays.  Do I work with teens?  Nope.  These are grown women in their mid 40s - early 50s.

I do offer to be their taxi.  So call me if you have had way too much.

Do you ever feel your parenting standards (for lack of a better word) are far different from others?

One day last week I caught a clip of Kurt Cameron's appearance on The Piers Morgan Show.  The subject with homosexuality.  Piers asked Kurt what his reaction would be if one of his sons came to him and said, "Dad.  I'm gay"  Obviously the rest of the conversation (or from Piers' standpoint, the ARGUMENT) was contentious to say the least.  Maybe it was because they were discussing gay marriage a very hot button topic nowadays.  But as I watched it I was more offended and indignant about Kurt's parenting being attacked.  Does anyone have the right to interfere with a Dad's decision?  Even if you disagree with it?

This came up yesterday on the playground.  Ah, the playground.  A place where you hear all kinds of stuff from both kids and teachers.  A teacher told me that one of the boys in her class has candy waiting for him in Mom's car every single day after school.  The teacher helps him climb up into his carseat in the carpool line, gets him all buckled in and safe, then Mom turns and offers the boy a ring pop.  Or a bag of skittles.  Or a mini M&M tube.   Her reaction was "Oh My Gosh.  Is she crazy?  He's going to have rotten teeth"  I'm sure she was surprised by mine.  "If Mom chooses to bring him an after school treat, then Mom can bring him an afternoon treat."   I am not here to insult her.

**Once when my two eldest children were finishing up their first day of school in August I had treats waiting for them in the car.  The teacher helping them in from the carpool line made a smarty comment about the sugary drinks and crackers there.  I was HIGHLY INSULTED.  If I want to bring my kids a treat after school ANY DAY I will do it.

Do  you make up your bed daily?

I make up my bed every morning.  I also empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, and many times fold starts a load or fold a load.


If you had a $50 Pier One gift card that was expiring next week, what would you buy?

Just wondering.....

Deadline Approaching

Monday was back to work day for me.  I'm happy it was only faculty and staff present.  (Students start back today after the holiday break)  Is there anything more dull  than a faculty meeting?  Time ticks by...... tick, tick, tick.  The same things are said over and over and over.  And sometimes many words are spoken but nothing is really SAID.  I don't know which annoys me more.  Oh yes I do.  What annoys me the most is the speaker who WALKS as he talks.  You know, kinda paces back and forth and stares at the ceiling as he talks.  And chuckles at his own humour.  All the while not really saying anything at all.  I moved from a full faculty meeting, to a division faculty meeting, to CPR refresher.   A full day at school and I didn't learn anything new or get anything done.

Oh, there was one little interesting thing that happened during the full faculty meeting.  You see, I teach at the same school my daughter attends.  I'm on the other side of the campus but it does allow us the fun of being together every day.  (in fact I'm thinking of leaving this job at the end of the year when she graduates from the middle school and moves on to high school)  Once again, I digress.

The 8th grade science teacher made a quick announcement:  "The Science Fair is a week from Friday.  If you would like to bring your class by to see all the displays please do so after 11:00 as judging will be going on in the morning.  After the juding is complete, you are welcome and encouraged to come see all the neat displays by our middle schoolers"

Can you imagine the part I heard?  THE ONLY PART I heard?

WEEK FROM FRIDAY.

What?

Oh no.  I could have sworn the syllabus said February.............. something.  Didn't it?  Oh great.  Just great.

I immediately texted THe Engineer who is home from college.

Here's my text:

"Science Fair is a week from Friday.  Can you and your sister build the crazy thing?"

Dancer Girl had decided she wanted to build a wind turbine.  The Engineer guided us what we needed to buy and how to build it, etc.  He agreed to help her complete the project over the holidays.  Well the holidays came and went and the bag of materials from Home Depot sat in the laundry room

Text back form The Engineer:  "Yep.  Got it. "

I looked across the table and Mrs. W was looking at me.  She mouthed, "are you ready for the science fair?"  I did the thumbs up.  "We're ready"  I whispered.

Is that a lie?  Ha  I guess it is.  When I told The Engineer he laughed and said, "We're........... not even started"

Oh well.

I am thankful Mrs. D made the announcement.

By the time I got home, my kids had built the frame, coiled magnetic wire, found the Rare Earth Magnets (never even heard of them) found a water bottle to act as the actual turbine.  It will be powered by a fan.  As the water bottle spins above the magnets a magnetic field will be created.  That is as far as we got.  Or "they" got.

Today after school we are going to power it up with the fan, attached the magnetic wire to a gatorade soaked potato, "plug" in a USB port and see if we can generate enough power to charge a phone.

I'm just glad it's going to be finished today.

How's that for a quick science project.


In other news:  P90 workouts going strong.
Mrs. C told me she has joined a gym and hired a personal trainer.  Three days a week after school.
I'm interested to see who sees results.......... quicker and more noticeable.  Me and my DVD or her and her live human.  Maybe that should be my next science project.

Toodles.