Spilled Coffee #SOLC19

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Yesterday afternoon, I helped a student by cleaning out her desk.  I wrote about it in this slice:  A Clean Desk.

This morning, the student came looking for me. 
"Thanks so much," she said as she gave me a big hug. 
"You are very welcome," I replied.  "I was happy to help."

About fifteen minutes later, I met the same student and her four classmates for reading intervention. 
I gave each student a book, and we started previewing vocabulary and activating their schema.  At this point, I knocked over my venti latte.

I was able to grab a roll of paper towels and contain the mess.  Luckily I did not end up with a lap full of coffee, and the student next to me only had a few drips on his book.

As this was all happening, my student with the freshly cleaned desk grabbed a wad of paper towels and jumped in to help. 
"Stop laughing and help us!" she chided her classmates.

The rest of the lesson was a wash, including one student's stinging remark, "I thought grownups were supposed to be responsible."

I sighed and responded, "Yes, but sometimes we are clumsy humans."

I'm grateful for the kindness showed to me by my student who I helped yesterday.
Yes, friends, spreading kindness is worth your time.

Reset SOLC #7

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Sometimes 

you just need to press 

the reset button

so you 

take a walk

soak up the sunshine

drink some coffee

fold socks

take a long shower

eat quesadillas for lunch

then you 

find a comfy space

put on your slippers

find your computer 

and write

Now you can tackle 

the report cards

that have been nagging on your brain.

Make the plans

that must be made

So later

you can watch a movie

take another walk

drink a glass of wine

and

relax.

Some Days SOLC #6

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I watched the movie "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" tonight.  The book is near and dear to my heart as a reader, a parent and a teacher.  

I read the book as a kid and really loved how grumpy Alexander was about everything.  I was a very dramatic yet happy child (can you say, "mood swing?") so I could totally relate.

I remember reading about Alexander to my daughters.  Then they both had Mrs. A for 5th grade, two different years.  In her room, you could escape to "Australia" (a corner full of pillows) when the day was just too much for you.

This school year I'm finding it hard not to be Alexander.  I'm constantly running the highlight film of my teaching day in my head and I can only find the faults.  It's something I really need to work on. 

Loved this quote from the movie.  

"I think you just gotta have the bad days so you can love the good days even more."

Way to frame it, Alexander!

Trying to contain the chaos

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I know, I know.

It's always been part of my life.

I bring it on myself. I claim that I can't find time to organize.

Well... that's not true.  I have the time, but

I do other (more fun!) things instead.

But then it starts to get to me.

CHAOS:  In the classroom

• student materials in need of reorganizing (did take care of that today)
• library ... half at home, most on shelves, most labeled, not quite in boxes... barely even touched
• papers for a binder laying on top of the binder

CHAOS:  At home

• the drawer full of bills and papers to be filed
• the socks that need pairing and rolling 
• the pile of sheets pulled from beds on Thursday

Since we survived a crazy homecoming week with two teenage girls,

I'll take every drop of sympathy I can get this week....

(can you hear the violin music in the background?)

• "You need more sleep!"
• "It's not that bad!"
• "You've had a lot going on!"
• "Do you feel okay?  You seem out of it."

Maybe after a cold beverage, a funny sitcom, a soak in the tub and a full night of sleep....

I'll feel a little better

Less whiny 

and more 

motivated

to clear a little bit of the chaos.

Exercise SOLC #25

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Exercise.  A necessary evil when you're trying to drop a few many pounds.

Can't we find a way to make it more appealing?  I hate it.

I spent 30 minutes on the XBox this morning, coached by Bob from the Biggest Loser.  I figured he would be more caring and kind than Jillian (she's mean!).  Alas, even when Bob called out encouragement, "I know you can do this.  You need to dig deeper!" I couldn't help but scowl at his virtual reality face.

Shut up, video game guy!

I tried 8 weeks of Yogalates and discovered that I like yoga, but I abhor pilates.  I have no core and I look ridiculous.

I enjoy walking outside, but it's been cold and blustery and my shoes don't fit correctly.

I look like a sausage in my capris and sports bra.  My Nike shirt clings to every bump and roll.

Even though I feel better after it's over....  Exercise.  I hate it.  

Eyes on the storm

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On Sunday and Monday I couldn't stop watching the media and coverage of Hurricane Sandy.  My thoughts were with the residents of the northeast.  I've never lived in a hurricane-prone area, and I think those living in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey really thought they didn't either, until recently.

I joked with a coworker that I needed to turn off my empathy button, focus on my students, and forget about people facing days of rain, wind, downed trees and no power.  But I realized that my feelings of empathy are impossible to turn off, especially when there's a big storm.

Ten years ago, we experienced 7 inches of rain in one night, and back then I could sleep through thunderstorms.  I woke up the next morning and walked down to our finished basement to get some clean clothes.  As I stepped down from the last step, my foot squished into the carpet.  My mind could not figure out why the carpet would be wet.

We soon discovered that our basement had flooded with sewage because the previous owners had connected the basement bathroom right to the sewer line.  There was no check valve or overhead sewers (I've learned about these now).

I'm embarrassed to admit that I cried as we threw away toys we couldn't wash and tore up nearly new carpeting.  I remember stressing out at my grandmother's house as I washed the 10th load of laundry, crying that I couldn't deal with one more sewer-soaked towel.

We flooded twice after that storm, and both times we were able to contain the flood to a small area.  We finally fixed the sewer connection, and our hope is that we won't have to deal with that mess again.

Every time I hear that high waters and wind will threaten people I love or barely know, I can't help but feel for them.  Yes, water damages our stuff, and it can be replaced, but the idea of dealing with such a mess makes my heart hurt.

Today I looked at the devastation the hurricane caused in many places.  I wish the residents of the northeast strength and stamina as they deal with a huge interruption to their lives and a massive cleanup.

Already damaged

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My husband bought a new car in March.  It's a Chrysler 300 SRT.  It's a total racing sedan, and it's his third one.  He really loves his car.  It's stylish, speedy and full of features.  He's waited since September for this one.

It's already damaged.

He bought his first SRT during a snowstorm.  It was tricky getting home (not much traction) and he commented that this was not a car to drive in the snow.  During spring break, he left it at the dealership to have the brakes checked.  Two of the mechanics took it for a test drive and flipped the car.  No one was hurt, but the car was totaled.  He was out of town on business when a police officer came to our house to have me sign the police report.  My heart has never beat faster.

The new car, as it sat in our driveway, was damaged.


His second SRT stayed with us through its lease, but I began to think the car was jinxed.   Two times my husband was rear-ended (once because of a duck, the other by a new driver hitting the car behind him).  He knew the first name of the receptionist at the body shop by the end of the car's lease.

The new car was scratched, purposefully.


This year he waited six months for the newest SRT to be built.  We've had it for less than a month.  Last night he discovered a scratch on the back of the trunk and a wad of gum at the end of the scratch.  He thinks it was done in our driveway, in broad daylight.  He felt so disgusted last night.

Why does someone have to ruin something nice?


It's a scratch that can be fixed, but we can't figure out why someone would do something like that.  It does hang over the sidewalk when it's parked.  Are there really bored teens?  The questions will never be answered.