Saturday, January 31, 2004
A new day. Today feels fresh. I checked my balance and I have enough to pay rent and the phone bill! Somedays, I am jealous of other people's time. This has nothing to do with anything, just a random comment. I think it is because I know I am going to be late for a meeting/breakfast at church, and I just want to sit here-- and write about some of the neglected, but most important parts of my day.
I have been reading this great book. It isn't some great Spiritual or dazzling novel, but a book called Wondrous Words, and it is all about teaching kids how to be singular writers with their own writing style and see writing as an art.
We have started research papers in my fifth grade classroom. The students chose their topics themselves. As you can imagine, there is quite the array of topics from, "The History of Skateboarding" to "Harriet Tubman." The librarian tried to sit me down and tell me I can't let a student write about skateboarding. When I asked her why she mumbled about me encouraging rebellion and sin. She is almost pushing 70 and crotchety as all get out. I asked her if I should sell my skateboard then. I do not, nor have I ever owned a skateboard and maybe I was being rude, but at the moment it seemed right. She hates me, and that is ok with me.
We have been reading and studying about the Prairie. Do you think my kids have any concept of Kansas in the early 1900's? They have no idea. We looked at pictures, read poems and detailed descriptions. Then, I had them write poems about the prairie. Here is my favorite.
" Prairie.
Not my prairie.
Your land so flat.
How do you handle that?
You can move here.
I can share my mountains and caves and beaches.
And you won't get so dusty bowling here."
I love seeing what stands out to my kids after I have "taught them." I had to read the comment "dusty bowling" a few times before I caught the reference to the "dust bowl." I think I should try to talk slower.
Oh my, I really have to go, or I am going to be late.
Today though, I can laugh about the fight in my classroom that almost made me cry. Bryan is a good boxer and Juan Carlos knew what parts he needed to defend. I remember seeing them playing basketball after school together. Boys.
I have been reading this great book. It isn't some great Spiritual or dazzling novel, but a book called Wondrous Words, and it is all about teaching kids how to be singular writers with their own writing style and see writing as an art.
We have started research papers in my fifth grade classroom. The students chose their topics themselves. As you can imagine, there is quite the array of topics from, "The History of Skateboarding" to "Harriet Tubman." The librarian tried to sit me down and tell me I can't let a student write about skateboarding. When I asked her why she mumbled about me encouraging rebellion and sin. She is almost pushing 70 and crotchety as all get out. I asked her if I should sell my skateboard then. I do not, nor have I ever owned a skateboard and maybe I was being rude, but at the moment it seemed right. She hates me, and that is ok with me.
We have been reading and studying about the Prairie. Do you think my kids have any concept of Kansas in the early 1900's? They have no idea. We looked at pictures, read poems and detailed descriptions. Then, I had them write poems about the prairie. Here is my favorite.
" Prairie.
Not my prairie.
Your land so flat.
How do you handle that?
You can move here.
I can share my mountains and caves and beaches.
And you won't get so dusty bowling here."
I love seeing what stands out to my kids after I have "taught them." I had to read the comment "dusty bowling" a few times before I caught the reference to the "dust bowl." I think I should try to talk slower.
Oh my, I really have to go, or I am going to be late.
Today though, I can laugh about the fight in my classroom that almost made me cry. Bryan is a good boxer and Juan Carlos knew what parts he needed to defend. I remember seeing them playing basketball after school together. Boys.
Friday, January 30, 2004
Today has been an awful day. I just need to vent a minute:
1) 2 of my boys in my room got in a knock-out fight
2) One of my students poked his eye on the window
3) Our lovely (SARCASM) administrator is giving us grief about the Evangels (the group that comes down from LCC) and causing problems-- even going to the school board, instead of talking to us about it
4) Every car rental place I called does not have a 15 passenger van available when the Evangels come
5) My insurance is (still) refusing to pay a claim and the collection department for the Hospital is suing me
6) My MO teaching certification states that more information is needed to process (that is after paying 50 additional dollars)
7) My car's horn stopped working and the "brake" light is on
8) Everything is a mess-- my car, my apartment, my classroom
9) I have a horrible attitude toward everyone
10) I am getting a cold
Yuk. I really hated writing that down. I seem so "complainey." Maybe tomorrow will feel brighter. One can hope.
1) 2 of my boys in my room got in a knock-out fight
2) One of my students poked his eye on the window
3) Our lovely (SARCASM) administrator is giving us grief about the Evangels (the group that comes down from LCC) and causing problems-- even going to the school board, instead of talking to us about it
4) Every car rental place I called does not have a 15 passenger van available when the Evangels come
5) My insurance is (still) refusing to pay a claim and the collection department for the Hospital is suing me
6) My MO teaching certification states that more information is needed to process (that is after paying 50 additional dollars)
7) My car's horn stopped working and the "brake" light is on
8) Everything is a mess-- my car, my apartment, my classroom
9) I have a horrible attitude toward everyone
10) I am getting a cold
Yuk. I really hated writing that down. I seem so "complainey." Maybe tomorrow will feel brighter. One can hope.
Monday, January 26, 2004
I appreciate:
--the combination of brown and pink
--the smell of cinnamon
--peel off masks
--Bloody Marys
--collage art
--Ephesians 3 in the Message
--my body pillow
--containers of buttons
--pink striped pajama pants
--cucumbers
--the Craps table
--index cards
--the combination of brown and pink
--the smell of cinnamon
--peel off masks
--Bloody Marys
--collage art
--Ephesians 3 in the Message
--my body pillow
--containers of buttons
--pink striped pajama pants
--cucumbers
--the Craps table
--index cards
Monday, January 19, 2004
all kinds of randomness . . .
I have broken glass all over my floor. I had broken glass all over my floor yesterday. I swept the floor yesterday. And there's glass again. I keep breaking glass. In the same place. At this rate, moving back will be easy!
On another note, "little people" are going to be on the John Walsh Show today! I may have to postpone inspecting my car today just to watch.
I really can't understand why in my last year here, I have finally made great friends. I read that line I just wrote, and I have to admit that I made myself slightly ill with the selfishness. Instead, I should be praising God and so thankful for periods in my life where loneliness brought be closer to God-- God brought me closer to Him (Thanks, Paul, for reminding the Ephesians and me!), and when he answered my prayers and brought me to a place where I was able to meet and be loved by a strong group of Christians. God is good. All the time.
The San Sebastian Festival was this weekend- art, food, crowds. What more could you want? I bought some great photos. One is a b/w fruit market. It just makes me happy. I have decided that my only "extra" purchases these next months are going to be art. Don't worry, there's not enough "extra" to make too many purchases, but I feel this panicky need to capture as much as I can.
Glass is crunching under my feet, laundry is not being done by itself, and my tires are almost flat. I have to be productive today because yesterday was "African American Film Festival" day-- I really think I need to own a neighborhood barbershop . . .
I have broken glass all over my floor. I had broken glass all over my floor yesterday. I swept the floor yesterday. And there's glass again. I keep breaking glass. In the same place. At this rate, moving back will be easy!
On another note, "little people" are going to be on the John Walsh Show today! I may have to postpone inspecting my car today just to watch.
I really can't understand why in my last year here, I have finally made great friends. I read that line I just wrote, and I have to admit that I made myself slightly ill with the selfishness. Instead, I should be praising God and so thankful for periods in my life where loneliness brought be closer to God-- God brought me closer to Him (Thanks, Paul, for reminding the Ephesians and me!), and when he answered my prayers and brought me to a place where I was able to meet and be loved by a strong group of Christians. God is good. All the time.
The San Sebastian Festival was this weekend- art, food, crowds. What more could you want? I bought some great photos. One is a b/w fruit market. It just makes me happy. I have decided that my only "extra" purchases these next months are going to be art. Don't worry, there's not enough "extra" to make too many purchases, but I feel this panicky need to capture as much as I can.
Glass is crunching under my feet, laundry is not being done by itself, and my tires are almost flat. I have to be productive today because yesterday was "African American Film Festival" day-- I really think I need to own a neighborhood barbershop . . .
Monday, January 12, 2004
Ahhhh . . . Monday off. I love exclusive Puerto Rican holidays. The weather here is perfect. Perfect. We went to the beach on Saturday-- I just had to throw that in for my Midwestern freezer pops.
This is my 3rd year here and the first year where I feel like I have friends. Last night we went to Starbucks after small group and played Outburst a little too loud and all was good. I am content. Happy at times. Lonely at times. Contentment is a good thing.
Hey, here's a fun tidbit-- 2 of the guys on Average Joe 2 are from my high school-- David and Sam. Woohoo for them.
I am hooked on Boiling Point on MTV. I just laugh and laugh, usually, at the people who win the $100 because they seem like pushovers to me. I mean who would let a manicurist put their hands in dirty water and use rusty tools??? Or who would be calm if you cake said "Thank You Dick" instead of "Thank You Nick?" Though next time I am about to lose my cool, you can bet I'll glance around for cameras.
I started a fire in Joe's apartment last night. It was a roarer in the oven. I was roasting walnuts for a salad topping in the oven and my Dollar Tree colander was in there without me realizing it. I smelled something funny, thinking that was just the smell of cooking nuts, I opened the oven. To my surprise, I was bombarded by ashes. Flying ashes everywhere. I let the fire go out by itself because I hate cleaning up baking soda out of the oven (last time there was a pan with a wooden handle in the oven). Funny stuff.
This is my 3rd year here and the first year where I feel like I have friends. Last night we went to Starbucks after small group and played Outburst a little too loud and all was good. I am content. Happy at times. Lonely at times. Contentment is a good thing.
Hey, here's a fun tidbit-- 2 of the guys on Average Joe 2 are from my high school-- David and Sam. Woohoo for them.
I am hooked on Boiling Point on MTV. I just laugh and laugh, usually, at the people who win the $100 because they seem like pushovers to me. I mean who would let a manicurist put their hands in dirty water and use rusty tools??? Or who would be calm if you cake said "Thank You Dick" instead of "Thank You Nick?" Though next time I am about to lose my cool, you can bet I'll glance around for cameras.
I started a fire in Joe's apartment last night. It was a roarer in the oven. I was roasting walnuts for a salad topping in the oven and my Dollar Tree colander was in there without me realizing it. I smelled something funny, thinking that was just the smell of cooking nuts, I opened the oven. To my surprise, I was bombarded by ashes. Flying ashes everywhere. I let the fire go out by itself because I hate cleaning up baking soda out of the oven (last time there was a pan with a wooden handle in the oven). Funny stuff.
Thursday, January 08, 2004
For the first time in 3 years, returning to Puerto Rico felt like home. I wasn't upset. As I stepped out of the airplane, I was greeted by the overwhelming smell of perfume, salty air, and flowers. And it felt like home. (Dramatically, sing that line like Madonna).
It has really hit Joe and I that moving from here is going to be hard. Really hard.
It was great to see friends at Toadie's wedding, that makes the move home seem so much better.
My job interview went really well . . . I think. I hope. I just want to know. I know security does not equal happiness and peace, but it sure seems like the two go hand in hand.
I did get an unexpected check from church, which PRAISE GOD will help pay my insurance (in PR we pay insurance yearly) which is due by Jan. 31. I am just a little excited about that. I was really stressed.
Oh here's a little excitement, again. Cats are still climbing through my window. Ok, not cats. One cat, whom I call Kitty Kitty. But I am seriously about to teach Kitty Kitty to swim in a gunny sack . . .
It has really hit Joe and I that moving from here is going to be hard. Really hard.
It was great to see friends at Toadie's wedding, that makes the move home seem so much better.
My job interview went really well . . . I think. I hope. I just want to know. I know security does not equal happiness and peace, but it sure seems like the two go hand in hand.
I did get an unexpected check from church, which PRAISE GOD will help pay my insurance (in PR we pay insurance yearly) which is due by Jan. 31. I am just a little excited about that. I was really stressed.
Oh here's a little excitement, again. Cats are still climbing through my window. Ok, not cats. One cat, whom I call Kitty Kitty. But I am seriously about to teach Kitty Kitty to swim in a gunny sack . . .
