Duke Bear

Here sits a puppy who has big dreams. He wants to chase tennis balls, cats, rabbits, squirrels, birds, lizards, pretty much anything that moves (unfortunately that includes kids racing by on bikes). He wants to run without a leash through tall grass and over rocks and up and down hills and swim in freezing water temps. And the poor thing has to stay in a backyard all day while his pack leaders are gone. I feel sorry for him. He should be a hunting dog, and we just aren't hunters. But we showed him a good time camping over the weekend. Maybe we should do that more often.

Standardized

If I've been keeping to myself more than usual or coming home not wanting to do ANYTHING, this is a clue that it's testing season in Texas public schools. It'll all be over next Thursday, and whatever skills my students choose to apply or not apply on their tests will be out of my control. Some people are in favor of pay for performance for teachers. That's fine - just give us a fair playing field. Test every student's IQ, and while you're at it test them for learning disabilities, dyslexia, ADHD, and emotional disturbances. And don't forget to take into account their exposure to reading and correctly spoken English at home. These are many of the students I'm trying to reach every day and consequently wouldn't trade for a privileged group.

Today in one of my classes only ONE student raised his hand to answer the question, "explain what synonym means." I about died. I just hope the rest of the students were so worn out from lack of A/C that their brains were temporarily fried.

We call this his "Bugs Bunny Toe"

On being single

Okay, clearly I'm not and don't want to be. I'm just making observations this week, this being the first time I can remember when I've been completely by myself for a whole week:

- I would probably be super skinny and healthy. I could live on vegetables with some occasional Cheetos and Girl Scout cookies thrown in. But mostly vegetables.

- I can watch "my shows" whenever I want. Alan and I have many things we like to watch together and a few things we don't. I'm sure if I were gone for several days he'd be watching Family Guy, Squawk Box, or any movie he's seen 10+ times already. I've been watching a million episodes of House Hunters International.

- I wonder how long it would be before I could sleep comfortably in the bedroom and not on the couch. Considering the news of burglaries in the surrounding neighborhood over the past few months, I'm not loving the idea of sleeping where I can't hear someone trying to break in. These particular burglaries take place at night while people are at home in bed. It's as if the burglars WANT to confront the homeowners. Creepy.

- It's not a good idea to watch scary movies by yourself. See above.

- It takes a good 5-6 days to fill the dishwasher. Likewise on the washing machine. And come to think of it, the trash. But I still don't like taking the trash out, even if it's only been once this week.

- I just can't walk the dog as much as Alan. He takes Duke for a walk every day, religiously. Literally, rain, sleet, or snow. I've witnessed it.

- The house is cleaner, yes. But I find a clean house is typically an empty house and thus, a lonely house.

I'm ready to be married again.

Trash to Treasure

Before: White Trash



After: Country Cute

Thanks to my father-in-law, Leigh, who did most of it by himself while we were trekking around D.C.

Pontius Pilate, that's me!

So many things I love about teaching, and then there are parents. I actually had a parent compare (on Good Friday, no less!) the consequence I gave her daughter for not having her homework to the crucifixion of Christ. The consequence? She had to walk at recess instead of play.