Graphing

If you were given an equation of a line, could you graph it?  And if yes, what process would you use?

I'm serious.  Some of my kids can't graph and I want to know what process "sticks" longest, if at all.

Dream

I had a dream about Thanksgiving and my Grandma and old cars and a 1920's Theme (Watched Downton Abbey last night).  Then, my cousin stayed home to golf, but we told Grandma he was in the basement (though she went down there and clearly he wasn't there).  Then, an old friend arrived and gave me a big hug.  That was awesome.  Oh, and my family ate Thanksgiving dinner while I napped.  Huh?  How unfair is that?

Off Limits or What?

January has been a pretty unscheduled month for me.  Seriously, I have many nights with nothing required of me.   Wednesday is the first of February and suddenly I have something going on Wed, Thurs, and Saturday.  Don't you think that's weird?   It's like everyone got wiped out from December, took January off, and now we're back with LOTS to do.   It's good, though.

Fish

My Betta has been depressed.  So, I brought it to school and it seems to be reviving from all the attention.  One girl started prodding him to move with a colored pencil and he proved he could still swim, which was good.  Yesterday, he even started eating again!  Woo hoo!   It feels a little weird to not have to worry about a fish in my kitchen, but not weird enough to buy another one for my house!

Super Bowl Predictions

LaRae sent some topics yesterday (She's a middle school English teacher, she's teeming with topics!).  I decided to start with my Super Bowl predictions.  Since I don't know who is playing without googling it, I thought I would predict what that afternoon will be like.  Some people will buy HUGE amounts of food for a Super Bowl party.  Some will attend a party for the game.  Some will attend for the half-time show. Some will attend for the commercials.  Some will attend for the food.  Others, like me will either decline the invitation or not even get invited and will find something else to do. 

I Need Help

Okay, so maybe you've known that for a while, eh?   Actually, I am finding myself with very little to report.  I should look up "Journal Topics" or something and see what they have to offer by way of "things to blog about while you are only sort of awake (i.e. me writing before 6 AM each morning).  Or, I could just ask you for help.  What would you like me to ramble on and on about?  Toothpaste?  Hair color? Pizza toppings?  Foods I think are a good idea, purchase, and then have no idea what to make (think kale)?  The list of books I've started reading and then put back on the shelf?  Help!

Weird Stuff

Some people LOVE rummage sales.   I don't really like knowing where the stuff comes from and I don't like watching people sift through my stuff either.  What I like is a good old-fashioned church rummage sale.  Yes, there is a lot of stuff.  Yes, I don't know where the stuff came from originally.  And yes, there are some WEIRD things there and I can get giddy about finding something weird without hurting anyone's feelings (or at least seeing their reaction)!  It's great.  I don't seek out church rummage sales, but now that I think about it, I should.  Seriously.  Some of my awesome finds:

• a Tigger kids cup with a Tigger figurine in the middle that you can't see until you drink some of the contents
• a holographic scene of some random countryside
• a Ronald McDonald glass 

Sure, they aren't taxidermied monkeys, but it's something.

Vroom

Weeks kinds of go by quickly and some how I don't know how my house gets so messy during the week (okay, I'm too wiped out to clean, but it's always so surprising to me).  So, this week, I would like to request a massive snow storm around 3 AM Friday morning.  Here are the reasons:

• 3 AM isn't early enough for the plows to get out.
• We need snow so the pipes won't freeze and the athletes can find release.
• I have two LONG meetings on Friday and three short classes to cram in between them.
• Everyone loves a three-day weekend.
• My kitchen needs tidying up.

I really do like this plan.  It seems like a win-win-win-win.  So, if you have any sway over Mother Nature, please put in a good word for a blizzard, okay?  Be specific, though.  I've thought through the details.  

Moving Forward With or Without Me

I've had the end of first semester on my mind for so long, it feels weird that it's over and we're starting a new one today.   In some ways, I wish we had more of a break so I could shut down thoughts about first semester and move forward with planning the new one.  Yes, we had one day at school with no kids, but that's not a lot of time.  Of course, some of this could be because I was warm and cozy this morning and did not want to face the day.  Oh well.   Onward and Upward, right?

Snape

If you've ever watched Harry Potter, you'll know that Professor Snape has an extremely impressive presence in his classroom.  He swooshes in with his long black robe flying behind him, a sneer on his face.  He's Scary with a capital S.  Tomorrow is the start of a new semester and my very first class of the day is a "Do Over" of a class that is essentially Algebra 1.   Every kid in the class has failed it before.  Every kid.  Now, maybe this will be a wake up call and maybe they will try to slack through it.  I don't know.  But I bet Snape would keep them in line.

Teeth

I think I broke or chipped a tooth yesterday.  My back left tooth has been weird lately.  I was able to fiddle with it using my tongue and make a clicking sound.  It was kind of fun and good for an OCD fidgeter like me. 

The dentist couldn't find anything last summer, but I knew something was weird.   So, yesterday, I was enjoying lunch out as teachers do on the ONE day they don't have kids during the year.  We went to T-Bonz which is a darkly-lit bar and had a yummy veggie wrap.  No one had beer, though many people wanted it.  Well, there were a really weird CRUNCHY veggie in the wrap, but I just blew it off. 

Then, the same CRUNCHY "veggie" was in my cheese, Miracle Whip, mustard, and pepper sandwich last night.  Um.... bad news.  So, I found a little tiny chip that I saved.   For now, my tooth doesn't hurt, so I'm going to wait for my next dentist appointment in mid-February and see if it's fine the way it is.   Unless it starts hurting, why go in...

Ah, Bloodwork.

I have a doctor's appointment today and I need to be fasting for the blood work.  This is the WORST part about going to the doctor.  I'm so worried I'm going to eat something without thinking!  Then, I plot and plan how to get breakfast before rushing to work.  Today, I believe it will be Cold Fusion. 

Half-Way There

Today marks the half-way point for students this year.   They have tomorrow off; teachers have tomorrow to do records (and go out to lunch for once!).  The hard part about semester time is that not only are there finals to grade, but rescheduling needs to happen for the next semester.  We have to make sure kids are placed correctly and that takes a lot of time and effort.  A lot!  Our counselors deserve a medal and maybe a week off.  

Plants

I have a really long counter in the back of my room and I don't have anything much sitting on it aside from some pictures leaning against the wall.  I'm thinking of getting quite a few plants to put back there to create extra oxygen and connect us to the plant world.  I just need to get organized and figure out how many to get.   I wonder where I can put them during the summer (my house is full of plants already).

Book

I read The Fault in Our Stars by John Green this weekend.  It's about teenagers who have cancer.  It was so funny, smart, and sad.  There were surprises and heart-break.   It's a Young Adult book, but great for Not-So-Young Adults too!  I would definitely recommend it.

Trigger Endorphins

I was told yesterday to work on getting more endorphins in my life.   I relate that to a runner's high, I guess.  So, I started researching ways to trigger endorphins.  I suppose that old saying about "natural highs" that went around on email in the mid-90's would work.

Sleep

Friday night, I decided not to set my alarm.  I got up at noon yesterday.  I went to bed at 11 and woke up at 3 AM.  I read for a while and then got up and cleaned.   I went back to bed around 4, maybe and slept until 7.  I hope this is enough sleep to get me through the day without a nap.  If I must, though, I will.   That's what open weekend are for, right?

Puzzles

I like cryptoquips and Sudoku.  I also like word-based board games.  Are there any new ones out that you would recommend?

Random

My mind is kind of racing with all sorts of things this morning.   I'm thinking about the play I went to last Tuesday and the one I'm going to next month.  I'm thinking about my stress level and how I'm having all sorts of new pains, mostly stress-related.  I'm thinking about my department meeting this morning and how thankful I am that it's Friday.  I'm thinking about the fabric I bought to finish a quilt top that I bought in October.  I'm thinking about the tests I didn't finish correcting and my friends' texts.  I'm thinking about friends having babies and friends not having babies.  I'm thinking about what to do Monday to relax AND celebrate MLK Jr. Day.  I'm thinking about friends who just suffered major losses and how heartbreaking it is.

Plays

I really like going to plays.  Last night, I saw Spamalot!   In February, I'm going to Avenue Q.  In December, I saw The Sound of Music.  I've seen so many plays, I don't even know if I could list even half of them.  Here are a few:

• Wicked (twice)
• Les Miserable (twice)
• Phantom of the Opera (twice)
• The Tempest
• Our Town
• Children of a Lesser God
• Godspell
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Twice)
• Wit
• Rent
• The Fantastiks
• Beauty and the Beast
• Guys and Dolls (twice)
• Sweet Charity
• Avenue Q

I'm sure there are at least 20 more that I'm not thinking of right now.  Love plays!

So Much to Read

There are so many awesome books coming my way right now that I hardly know where to start and what to read.  At some point, I need to focus on one book and finish it.  The problem is that they are different genres and sometimes I feel like reading light fiction, sometimes intense fiction, sometimes self-help, and on occasion work-related psychology stuff. 

I think I'm getting The Fault in Their Stars by John Green today.  It's autographed.  I'm psyched!!!!!

Vacation

I've been back to school for 5 days now and I'm ready for a vacation.  I think there is something in the air system or maybe it's just end-of-semester stress, but I'm super tense and have migraines every so often, which I don't usually get unless I go to extreme altitudes.   So annoying and so weird!  Make it stop!  I actually considered going to one of those "get a massage in the chair in the middle of the mall where any ol' person can see you" places.  I still might after school!

Boring Request

Dear Powers of the Universe,
Please let this be a boring week at school.  By boring, I mean no fire drills due to construction (or fire or hooligans), no random assemblies, no fights or major disruptions, and no major outbreaks of flu or mono or broken bones.  It's the last full week before finals and we could all use all the help we can get to focus on the tasks ahead.

Thanks!
Becca

Wordlessness

I'm reading Martha Beck's new book Finding Your Way in a Wild New World and it's fascinating!   Right now, it's talking about wordlessness and how to stop the verbal part of your brain.  Essentially, to me, it's like stopping the constant conversation I have with myself in my head.  It's super weird and interesting and eye-opening.  If you decide to read the book, let me know so we can discuss!

Silly

Silly Things You Could Do to Brighten Your Day

• Mismatch your clothes
• Paint your finger nails a weird color.
• Shake up what you normally have for lunch
• Pick a word to say a lot today and see if anyone notices and says something about it.
• Start the day with a Laughing Circle video off YouTube and join in.
• Buy yourself a plant or flowers.

Columbians

A group of students from Columbia are visiting our school this week and today they are going to perform at an assembly.  The kids are shadowing students to their classes and I had four of them yesterday.  It's pretty cool.

Stored Happiness

Have you ever memorized a moment?  When I was on a whale watch in Massachusetts about 10 years ago, I memorized what it felt like to have the sun on my face, the ocean beneath me, whale surrounding me, and the breeze going through my hair.  It was amazing! 

Right now, I miss flowers.  Bright, spring colors with green grass beneath them.  For now, my memories will have to suffice and the knowledge that the flowers will be back will have to get me through the dark, cold winter.

Finals are Coming!

How do I get my students to start planning/worrying/studying for their finals without getting myself in a tizzy too?  For example, there won't be a ton of time to review for these kiddos.  The panic is partly because I had to back track in one class (they ALL failed a quiz) and partly because this last grading period is VERY short.  What to do?  What to do?   I guess I just start in on reminding them and go from there.  Uff.

Gooseberry Falls 12/30/11

Advice

What if we stopped listening to so much advice and just started living instead?  We know the answers to many of our questions.  How do I lose weight?  Eat less, exercise more.  How do I improve my relationships?  Focus on people instead of your phone, Facebook, your iPod, etc.  How do I get rich quick?  You don't, not without losing your integrity.  How do I reduce my stress levels?  Breathe.  Laugh. Look for good.  Help others.

It's not rocket science.  So, if I took all the time I spend reading advice and getting that 1 trick to a flat belly and put it to some good, cheerful use, what could happen?  Anything.

Also, dear media, if you are going to market tons of junk food and lazy living only to then market ways to lose weight (usually quickly and without doing anything), could you just find something productive to do instead?  I'm sick of it.