Sometimes it's just best to lie

On the first day of class it's really not a good idea to tell me you'll be leaving early so you can attend the John Mayer concert.  At least have the creativity to come up with some feasible excuse.  It's also not a good idea to leave 2 hours before the concert begins.  So infuriating. 

In Love

Be still my heart. When George Stephanopoulos announced he would be leaving This Week for Good Morning America I was devastated.  Almost as much as when Alison Becker was replaced on VH1 Top 20 Countdown.  But my heart started to beat slightly when it was announced that Christiane Amanpour would be new the host.  This morning it was full on pitter pat when the topic was the Race to the Top and her guests included none other than Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education and Jamie Oliver, host of Food Revolution.  She had me at, "Today we'll be discussing improving America's Education System."  I've always been a one issue girl politically and when my favorite Sunday morning news highlights my one issue it's hard to stay miffed.  Now I'll be late for church, but I'll still be wondering about performance pay, and what I can do personally for my school.  I'll also be googling Finland to check out what they've got going on -- my guess, small class sizes, quality early childhood education, arts instruction by qualified individuals, and a system for dealing with misbehaviors in the classroom.  Oh yeah, and parent involvement accompanied with respect for education.  Not just respect for educators, but truly people who see education as a step up.  This is something we are seriously lacking in America.  If we're serious about improving education, we have to put our money where our mouth is and vote for politicians who will do it.  Take that Jeb Bush -- class size doesn't matter?  Try and teach 25 2nd graders how to play a 15 minute math game by yourself in 100 degree temperatures at 2:00p.m., while an autistic child makes bird calls in the background and tell me that class size doesn't matter.  Go ahead, tell me.

First week -- a recap.

So many events.  So many weeks to go.  Here are some highlights, low lights, and lessons learned.

1. T. -- Wow, you have some big muscles.  Me -- Yeah, that's what those are, muscles.
2. If you feel the need to punch someone, don't choose the only kid in 2nd grade who's had boxing lessons.
3. If you open four 100 calorie packs and put them in a bowl you've just eaten 400 calories. 
4. Four magic words -- Put Your Head Down. 
5. 2nd graders view rest time much differently than their teacher. 
6. Even if you promise yourself that you won't open your copy of Mockingjay until your syllabus is printed,  just plan on some seriously late nights.
7. Staying up past 1am does not a happy teacher make.
8. If you wake up 10 minutes before your alarm, no matter how hard you try, you'll never get those sleep minutes back.
9. Even though frosting is not refrigerated in the store, keeping it on your unairconditioned back counter might change the consistency a little.
10. So glad it's Friday.

More Advice

Your sweaty brastrap doesn't work either -- moral: wear pockets.

Advice

Even though the women's restroom is three long hallways away from your classroom, and you don't have any pockets in your skirt, it is still not a good idea to hide your tampon in your lunch bag, along with your yogurt and your blue ice pack -- just sayin'.

Sick to my stomach. Vomiting profusely. Massive headache. Must mean one thing. School starts tomorrow.

My heart is hurting right now. A friend's 8 year old son passed away. Life is short. Things get busy, people move, and it is harder to stay in touch. I need to make more of an effort. Sending all my love to her and her family.

Quotes from the pulpit....

• "You know Jim Morrison? He was the lead singer of the Doors."
  
• "It's important to eat your food storage. If you have a 50 gallon barrel of wheat in the basement and only eat it during an emergency you'll be worse off than a rattlesnake in a wagon rut."
• "Make sure you have a safe room because who knows what might float over from Tooele."
• "You have to be prepared for everything -- tsunamis, floods, volcanoes."
• "If Yellowstone blows we're all goners."
• "Goats are dumb and sheep are even stupider."
• "Bread and toilet paper. They're the staples of life. You take from that what you want."
  

You know when the stake president is on the stand to visit and the speaker starts out his talk quoting a song from the Doors it's gonna mean one thing -- Best high council talk EVER!

The Library

Today as I was exiting the library I was stopped by the XXXX family and their 6 children, 5 of whom I have taught, and I'll probably get the 6th but he's only in kindergarten. Sadly, I was not carrying a copy of the book I've had on hold all summer, The Death and Life of the American School System: How Testing and Choice are Undermining Education. No, I had in my hot little hands the DVD Whip It. It better be worth it.

Doug Wright

If Doug Wright continues to be a voice of reason on the immigration issue I just might have to become a fan. I have my radio alarm set to KSL because it is one thing that will propel me out of bed faster than anything else. I usually can't stand to listen to it, but I've actually had a few late mornings because I've wanted to tune in to the discussion. It boggles my mind how some people can be so intolerant of others. I understand a need for immigration reform, but it also must be done in a compassionate and tolerant way. Just because we were blessed to born into this country does not make us better than anyone else -- undocumented or not. So here's to Doug Wright for having the courage to speak up, and from the comments made on his show, basically offend a good majority of his base. His opinions on the Movie Show however, still give me the shivers.

Off Balance

This is my life. A couple months of some seriously slow moments where I have all the time in the world. Then, come August, it is crazy. School starts, the U starts, primary is crazy busy, and I'm trying to work in some major healthy lifestyle changes. Staying busy is good for me, but I wish I could find a happy medium. My word for the year has got to be balance. Right now it is more of a teeter toter/roller coaster.