January 3, 2005

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A New Year Already?

How did 2005 sneak up on me so quickly?

I was just at home enjoying my “winter break” from school….when BAM! I woke up to find a New Year staring me in the face! (er…you will notice that I had a winter break and not a Christmas break. Everyone thank the ACLU for setting us straight on the correct terminology, please.)

To top it all off…..JUST when I was beginning to feel human and rested – I had to come back to school. Yes, Virginia, there really is a 2nd half to the school year. Dang!

So here I am – 90 minutes after school has ended for the day. Still at school. Still got a desk full of ~~shit~~ work to do.

I got all new students for this semester. That’s the way the electives work here – half a year only. On the one hand, it is NICE to know that you will only have to suffer through SOME of those little darlings for part of the year. BUT on the other hand – sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil in your second semester classes!

I have one class that I fear would try the patience of a saint. I AIN’T NO SAINT. After careful inspection of the roll… I have come to believe that every troubled, demon-seed 7th grader is in that class. Male AND female. The UP side to that is that I probably won’t be seeing them all at the same time very often because this is the HOW-MANY-TIMES-CAN-YOU-GET-SUSPENDED bunch. That means they’ll be out of class a lot. At this point it is also my largest class with 26 of the little Angels in it. Asking questions like – “What happens if there is a fire?” See – I know the boy that asked THAT question. What he really wants to know is…..How much trouble will I get in if I intentionally SET a fire?

Oh yeah – and just to make this class interesting….I have one girl who speaks NO English. Not even one word.

Up to this point in my school-teacher incarnation I have not been a drinker. This may just be the class that changes all that.

ON A MORE PERSONAL NOTE: I went to Orlando and saw some really nifty ice sculpture last week. Yes. I said Orlando – Orlando, Florida. The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center hosts an event they call (coincidentally enough) ICE. They spend weeks transforming thousands of tons of ice into amazing wintery sculptures inside part of the convention center. They keep it at a “pleasant” 9 degrees – and hand out parkas to all of us Sun Birds who may not actually own any cold weather gear. It was SO amazingly beautiful – and cold. I even slid down a big old ice slide. It was a lot of fun – but the BEST part was knowing that, when I was through looking at all the pretty ice, I was going back outside into 70 degree weather! YAY FOR HEAT!!!!!

My poor Cassidy is at home waiting to be released from his kitchen isolation – probably got all 4 of his little legs crossed holding back the pee-pee……..so I’d best be on my way. Besides that – I need a ~~drink~~ nap.

whowhatwhere

January 4, 2005

Sounds like you are in for a “lovely” time. Chocolate works better than drinking. *hands you a big box of the yummy stuff*

RoofOnFire

That class sounds like the class from hell. The ones you call “little angels,” we call “little darlings.” Some things are the same the world over!

.imp.

It’s obviously time to start teaching that Valium Brownie recipe. Not much fun for you, but great entries for us! Silver lining and all that… Happy New Year and (RYN) thanks for the laugh!

Sugar Magnolia

Thank God there are people like you to attempt to teach these children from Hell. I would rather muck stables. Truly – I admire you. hugs…

WantingMore

ice sculpture in orlando just seems wrong wrong wrong. what happened to no pain no gain?

Kathleen

Don’t know how you dedicated teachers do it. I give you credit!

tae's heartbeats

ice in florida, what a concept. Thank goodness there wasn’t any ice there when we were lounging around in that hot tub! LOL 🙂

survivorshope

When it comes down to it..those kids are lucky to have you..even if you need a drink every now and then to face themLOL That is cool about the ice sculpture! Damn what is warm weather in the winter months like! You are soooooo lucky!!!!

FallingDog

I WANT PICS OF THE PUP!!! AND I’LL HOLD MY BREATH TIL YOU POST THEM!!!! Now there are two concepts I thought I’d never read in the same sentence: Florida and ice. Cool!

Willy & Wilma

{{{{{{{Sunshine Wolf}}}}}}}. You are just what those rebels need to bring out any good left in them. Motivation is a very important subject, not in the curriculum, but I bet YOU can teach it.

blevins

oh, dear! Bet you will win them over and they will be tame little dragons by semesters end. You have my unending admiration for both your dedication to the kids and for your wonderful sense of life.

Traveling Light

January 5, 2005

Well it’s about time you returned to diary-land! Go for the drink, not the nap. You’ll feel better, hehehe.

RYN: I noticed it right about the time he adopted me! Way back when he was dating my daughter. They aren’t dating anymore, but he forgets that quite often! LOL 🙂

RNBiker

Them New Years just sneak up on ya, don’t they? Hugz

RYN: I’m still shuddering too.Ugggggh! 🙂

Whoa, ice sculpture is beautiful, but I would rather look at it on tv in a nice warm room.. I’m amazed that anyone who has your job isn’t a two bottle a day lost soul…:)

lifeisuhmistury

Dang, woman….if anyone can inspire and teach the little angels it’d be “Wolfie”! I do admire you for teaching, I’m not sure I could handle it. I love the reading (tutoring) I do with grade school students because it’s one on one. It’s a nice thing to make a difference, yes? Ice and Florida….that sounds so odd…also like a lot of fun!An ice slide?!! I love you TOO!*Hands you a dirty martini*

*~*Lady Moon*~*

January 6, 2005

Chocolate/vanilla hugs and A 2005 kiss to you

ryn: Photographing treasures is an excellent idea. That way you still “have” them but don’t have to store or display them. I just packed a number of that type away the other day….maybe I’ll just take photos of them instead. That’s kind of my reasoning with the “shelf” photos in my journal. I can keep a record of how I’ve decorated. Thanks for the idea!

ryn: aw….so kind of you. TY! LOVE THEM TOOOO! Wish you bestest year 2005! Love to you, friend *V*

BBe

The ice sculptures sound so cool! (no pun intended) And a slide ride? You lucky girl. I like the idea of going from 9 to warm, by merely stepping outside of the buiding. Wish I could do that here. Right now we have ice, with snow on top of it. Neither is budging. 🙂 Best of luck with your new angels. If anyone can handle them, you can. I have faith. hehehe

froglette

frigid air does not feel great to me anymore. We took mom to New Orleans and froze looking at the model trains outside. Brrr rabbbit. What would happen if you set him on fire- i mean got him interested in cooking? 🙂

Bananas FOSTER! i got it! that’s what he should make. 🙂

Hope you had an angel day! LOL. RYN: Thank you for your kind comments. Imagine the joy of being called thought provoking! I’m usually called a pain in the a**. 🙂

Mns

January 7, 2005

have a drink then a nap! you deserve both! 😉 i was in orlando once. no, make that twice. both times in may so all i saw was a sprinkling of rain. and sun. lovely time it was~

ermentrude

January 12, 2005

I went ice skating in Florida once too!! In Orlando they froze a bit of Disney and Amy and I had a ball *grin* Good luck with your kids, I’m sure they’ll all love you by the end of the sememster.

Lael

January 13, 2005

AHHHHHHHHHHHhh you said the gaylord word…….man wish i had checked back here sooner New Hubby and I were in orlando/kississwhatever the heck it’s named from the 2nd threw the 9th darn it missed meeting the wolf shame on me Lael

Arbi

January 29, 2005

*grin* I wonder how that class is shaping up now (or how you are shaping up?) three weeks or so into the semester?