Work Related : In Reviewing the American Revolution these past weeks, I challenged my students to learn and recite the 1st 2 stanzas (?) of Paul Revere's ride (okay, so that's a bit like torture, but hey, I need to evaluate effective speaking skills...lol).  Anyway, I had several students mess up the author's name, such as Henry Watson, Harry Longfellow, Henry Waddlesworth, Henry Livingstone, Harry Long-"something-I-forgot".  It was extrememely hard to keep a st...

I don't know why, but I cannot find the "Blogging" category on the Forums.  Is it just my browser or is it really missing? Btw, Hope everyone has a very Happy New Year. May 2009 treat you well. Chris and I will probably have an early dinner out, catch a new movie (I'd like to see Milk, Happy Go Lucky, or the Curious Case of Benjamin Button) and head on home to watch the ball drop...just a quiet celebration.   May 2009 allow me to write a bit more.  I was talki...

Have you ever had a week where your routine is just thrown out the door...like nothing is just as it should be? Okay...well, maybe you haven't...lol...but that is what I am experiencing this week. My week started off with a way-too-long grocery shopping trip, which I made after work.  Sigh...I should have gone on Sunday.  It was crazy there, to say the least.  What should have been a 45 minute trip turned out to be more like an hour and a half.  The only thing I wanted to ...

Well, I made it through the first week of school...well, work.  It wasn't easy since I spent most of the week worrying about my stepdad.  I felt pretty lost the first two days, but I got back in the game by Wednesday and things were good from there. I have 5 classes--about 120 kids--coming into my classroom each day.  Yikes (I am a Social Studies/Reading&Language Arts teacher, btw)! For the most part, they have been well behaved.  I am having a tough time with ...

My stepfather suffered a massive heart attack this past Saturday. He was out of town (Amarillo) for a construction job when it occured. My mom was a mess after receiving the news, of course. Two of my brothers had to drive her up there (it's about 7 hours away). She told me it was better if I didn't go since my first day of school was today. He had two clogged arteries and had to have stents inserted. Needless to say his heart was very weak after the attack (doctors say he was very lucky ...

Drifting   Well, summer is not quite over, but my mind is slowly drifting away from lazy days and free time and drifting towards getting back to work.   Already lesson plans are forming in my mind (though not written down yet), and the eagerness of getting my classroom together for another year is setting in.   I happily made my way the other day to the Big Lots bargain store to get my “teacher appreciation”10% discount…lol.   Well, it’s ...

Well, my 4th will be spent going to the movies, (maybe) going over to a barbeque, and then hopefully catching some fireworks somewhere (I'd love to go see our local symphony play along to a fireworks show, but if it's too crazy out there, maybe I'll catch some on TV...lol). I love this day.  I love that even though my family is very much into our  Mexican culture and traditions, we are just as much into American patriotism.  We were pretty much taught at a young age the importa...

What are you doing at this moment (or this hour...or this day...)? Right now, I am letting a peanut butty (lol...I have to keep this typo. I meant peanut butter of course) and strawberry jelly sandwich settle in my stomach.  I hope it doesn't cause any harm (I've been getting stomach pains lately).  I'm also drinking some apple juice. I am also searching for public domain photos to put into a video I am creating (I am halfway done).  In about half an hour--if I don...

(Just a little nod to Hall & Oates there, in case you didn't know...and the fact that I haven't written anything since late April) ~*~Speaking of music, I had students doing projects on a novel they were reading.  One of the projects they could choose to do was to make a CD cover based on the story...and choose songs that connected with the story.  Many chose the doo wop songs that had to do with the novel...and of course, you had students who chose today's popular songs.&n...

I've been replying to a few JU articles tonight, and after I type up my response and press send, the page does not show my reply.    What in theee heck is going on.

  Happy Birthday to someone who is Sweet AND Special!   Here is hoping you Kick up your Heels, Have Fun, and Enjoy your Special Day! ********************************************* April 22 Astrology-A Taurus born on April 22 possesses a bright, brittle charm that works its magic in all aspects of life.  Unusual circumstances and coincidences are the spice of life for these people, who may unconciously draw danger and excitement into their li...

(Note: doing this on Behalf of Donna until she is able to be on here more often!) May Your Special Day be filled with lots of Happiness and Love!!!     Trudy, hope your Kitty doesn't get to the birthday cake.   Ted, hope you rock it out on your guitar this special day! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You share a birthday with these well known people: Raphael , Italian painter and architect ( b: ...

  Hope everyone has a Wonderful Easter Today.    And if you don't celebrate Easter, have a Happy Sunday.

Give me a 5 Sentence Update on Your Life, fellow JoeUsers.   Why am I asking for 5 sentences? Well, I have been suffering from short attention span-itis lately, so 5 works for me...lol. Here are mine: I have been having some health troubles.  It might be GERD or gastritis...who the hell knows (might need to see a doc again).  I now have an elliptical trainer that's up and running!  The question now is if I will use it regularly.   I have a good c...

~~ I used to swear by Caress beauty bars...then I got hooked on Dove. Now, all I do is buy Bodywash. I've tried everything from Aloe, to Cucumber Melon to Lime Verbana, to Lavender Chamomile (sp?). Just wondering if anyone out there still lathers up with a bar. ~~Christmas went by so fast. I feel like I didn't even have time to enjoy it. It was nice overall...but you know, I really do want some more Christmas. Maybe part of the reason my holiday is rushing by so fast is that I wa...