But Wait! There’s More…

Scene: Walking to my car in the parking lot in front of Trader Joe’s

A gentleman in a PT Cruiser waves me over urgently.

I look around, making sure he’s waving to me. I’ve run into staff members at this particular Trader Joe’s before, but I don’t recognize the car. I’m wondering if maybe it’s a parent of one of my students or someone I know from someplace else - a former waitressing job or something. The glass is tinted, so I can’t see his face, and he’s idling in front of my car, so I’ll have to talk with him to get out of my parking space. The lot’s packed, it’s broad daylight, there’s a Trader Joe’s staff member helping an elderly couple load groceries into the van parked next to me. I figure I can scream if something crazy happens, so I wander over.

The female passenger leans over and starts waving a freshly manicured nail at me.

Strange Lady, enthusiastically: GIRRRRRL! I had to tell you that haircut is CU-U-U-UTE! Turn around, lemme see the back.
Me, laughing and doing a 360: Thanks!
Strange Driver, smiling: Yeah, that haircut looks good on you.
Me, smiling: Thanks. I’m pulling out - give me a few feet, you can have my spot.
Strange Lady, waving me away: Yeah, you take your cute self home!

I climb into the car, laughing. I pull out of the spot and they wave as they pull into it.

Coulda been scary, but it felt kinda nice!

I’ll have to tell my stylist about it when I get my trim next week.

**Title of post from Cut Your Hair by Pavement

Ahhhhh… it’s Friday.

At long last.

Algebra quiz? Check.

Science standards review? Check.

AVID binder checks? Done.

Grades?

Well… I’ve got to at least get the quizzes in. I don’t know if I’ll really make homework count this week. Maybe I’ll do credit/no credit just to whip through it and get it done.

Because this weekend?

It’s gonna be packed.

Off to sit with Claire.

Happy Friday!

**Title of post from A Perfect Day by The Cure

Scene: Teacher’s lounge, during lunch.

I sat down with GATE Coordinator, intending to ask her a few questions about an email we’d received. Though I’m not officially doing anything for the program, I am certified to teach GATE students and will take a sub day to help her out whenever possible. I also attend coordinator’s meetings at the district - kind of a “safety in numbers” sort of thing; I don’t really make any decisions and I know I’m only there for moral support (and to keep myself in the loop). After discussing the email in question, she admitted to me that she felt like she wasn’t really doing anything for the program - in fact, she thinks it should be a full time position that someone who isn’t a classroom teacher would be able to dedicate their energy to.

Me, nodding: I think it used to be, at one point, the program facillitator’s gig.
GATE Coordinator, nodding and adjusting her hornrims: Yeah, and when she left she knew the position would be empty for a while and she sort of just thrust this into my lap and I’m not really sure what to do with it. I mean, this is my second year and there still is no real program. We have all this money and resources but no real manpower to put anything into motion…
Me, nodding: And being a classroom teacher takes enough effort…
GATE Coordinator, nodding and gesturing grandly: Right! And you’re already busy doing AVID stuff…
Me, nodding emphatically: Yeah, I’ve got my hands full. Plus I’m trying to start a family…
GATE Coordinator, deadpan: With your hands? Oh, you’re doing it wrong.
Me, blinking in surprise: You just made a dirty joke!
GATE Coordinator, blushing profusely: Well, you set it up so perfectly…
Me, laughing: So how come you’re the one who’s blushing?
GATE Coordinator, meekly: I suppose it was just out of character.
Me, elbowing Social Studies Guy and beaming proudly: GATE Coordinator just made a dirty joke!
Social Studies Guy, who is her partner teacher, in mock surprise: NO!
GATE Coordinator, turning thirteen shades of red: Okay, okay, it wasn’t even that good…
AVID Co-Coordinator, joining in: What’s this? Someone getting a good ribbing?
Me, boldly: Apparently that’s what I’m doing wrong!
GATE Coordinator, feigning indignance and gathering her belongings: Now that is NOT what I said at all!

The teasing continued; it was all in good fun.

And very out of character.

For her, I mean.

*Giggle*

**Title of post from Temperature by Sean Paul

Looky here!  The Blonde Duck thinks me worthy of the the Blogging With Purpose Award, which was bestowed upon her by Marie at A Year At Oak Cottage.

Good thing, too, because I had a sub today and didn’t have any new squirrel stories to post about!

The rules are:

1. Nominate 5 blogs which haven’t had this award before

2. each of the blogs must have a purpose

3. the nominated blogs must make a link back to this page

4. the logo from the award must be put on their blog and it must link back to this blog!

So I don’t think any of my blogroll peeps have been nominated, but which five to choose?  I mean, don’t we all blog with some purpose in mind?  Otherwise, it’d all be pure drivel!

I’ll start with California Teacher Guy, who relocated to teach in a “dirty little desert town” and manages to persist despite having no promise of a position for next year.  I’d also like to choose Hillary, whose grin I imagine keeps shining even when she’s overwhelmed.  I can’t go a day with peeking at Ms. H, whose life is frighteningly parallel to my own, nevermind several states between us.  I’m also giving this award to Tense, whose love of the margarita may be even stronger than mine, and to Alison, whose purpose must be to supply with me memes when my brain is dead and I need something fun to post.

Thanks, Blonde Duck!

** Title of post from This Is Your Life by Switchfoot

Meetings on top of meetings.

Discovered state testing will be administered during my prep.  *YAY!*

And that my room will be used by the P.E. teacher who has my students during said prep.  *BOOO!*

On the one hand, this will be good because I can choose to stay in the room during the math portion of the test.  Why I feel that my presence will be enough to boost their scores is beyond me, but I like the idea of being available - should I choose to be.

On the other hand, it means I will still have to strip my walls and I will not be able to use the extra prep time to do things in my classroom - I mean, I’ll be able to sit at my desk and grade, but it will likely be very distracting to hear me typing away or coming and going as I run my errands.  And I won’t be able to make phone calls/meet with my partner teacher/ etc. in my room - I’ll have to go to the lounge for any of that.

And only a fourth of my kids have the same P.E. teacher - they get spread out amongst the four teachers to even out the numbers from the six classes with the same prep.  So only a handful of my kids will actually be in my room - rassum frassum.

I just wish it hadn’t taken two hours of meetings to establish all of this.

*Sigh*

**Title of post from Just A Test by Beastie Boys

Long day.

Waiting for the dogs to settle down so we can go to bed.

*Yawn*

Screw it.  Goin’ up.

*Sigh*

**Title of post from S.O.S. by Rhiana

It’s been a gorgeous day.

Blue skies, a luxurious breeze, not too hot…

Breakfast & shopping with my mom, lunch & errands with James, then some time on the couch to chill out, catch up on TiVo, and get some laundry done.

I’m caught up on grading, I’m prepped for the week, and there’s really nothing left for me to do but sit back and enjoy the day.

How boring is that?

*Giggle*

**Title of post from Career Day by The Format