Halloween Costumes
Amy
Eric
Far too cute, no?

Big Tex
Check out last week's trip to the fair. Mom even went on the Ferris Wheel which was a huge step for her. She "Put on her big girl panties" and did it. Go mom!
Last night was the school Halloween Dance which I had to organize. I was at school from 7 am until almost 11 pm yesterday. It was fun, though. Some of the kids got up and dedicated a song to me and said I was a fantastic teacher. It was so sweet I almost cried on the dance floor. Very cute.
Tonight is our annual shindig. Got toilets to scrub. Now that's scary.

Monster
I was a snarly beastie all day in my classes. There are days when I just really do not want to deal with 13 year olds all day. It's the constant yapping that really gets to me.
Also my coworker ate my Pria Bar! Right off my desk! What's up with that? I actually had to laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing.
School is frustrating at the moment--I've been looking at the education board which I am supposed to be posting to, and I realized that I really have nothing to say. I think they are all extrememly whiny people who will change their tune once they get into a classroom. I keep waiting for inspitation but then I remember that most of it is perspiration. Gotta love the sweating!
One of my student's parents brought me several bales of hay today, and I have used it to further revamp the craziness that is our house of horrors. I set up this big autumnal pumpkin hay bale display thing in the front yard. It actually looks pretty cool. I love embarrassing the neighbors. I just keep asking myself: what would Jack and Sally do? You know, I wonder how Tim Burton celebrates Halloween. I want a ticket to that party.
An essay on school choice in Texas calls my name. I'm just not sure it calls louder than pouring over Harper's Index.

Please Help
Our school is trying to win a new computer lab which we really need as our budget is actually negative. If you go to the following link and type in the verification code, you will vote for us. You can vote as many times as possible, and it will increase our chances. Also, the whole breaking the code is a little relaxing if you aren't doing anything else. I really appreciate the help. It's amazing our rank has gone from 1500 to 291 in only a few days. We really can win this computer lab.
Thanks..

My training continues for my 5 K, I ran today and even though I wanted to quit, I didn't. I guess that's something to be proud of--anyway I may finish last, but I will definatley finish. I never thought I would be running a 5K in my life.

We had a wonderful weekend in Dallas. Got to spend quality time with the fam The fair was amazing. Mom even got on her "big girl panties" and went on the Ferris Wheel. Even her whimpering did not take away from the beauty. We ate fried crap, rode rides, met Elsie the cow, admired ridiculous handicrafts, and looked at all the new cars. Much fun. Also saw an incredible play called Crowns which featured these amazing gospel singers. If you couldn't feel the spirit in the room, there's no hope for you. I left feeling totally energized. The entire trip was lovely and I actually hated to come back home.
I guess becuase things are often so stressful here, I had serious thoughts of moving back up to Dallas. As we came home Sunday night I just felt the stress enter my body with each mile. Still, I would have stress no matter where I lived. Running away never solved anything (except in cases that involved high speed chases or evil monsters).
I am supposed to be reading "Christifideles Laici" but I am reading Entertainment Weekly instead. Priorities.

Feets, don't fail me now!
I am running in the Susan G. Komen Foundation's Race for the Cure which supports Breast Cancer research. If you can join my team or donate to the cause, I would apperciate it.
Follow the link below.

http://www.komenaustin.org/site/TR?px=1139132&pg=personal&fr_id=1020

Thanks

Saved By the Dog
Who knew that in some small way Toby could be a useful member of society? Well, to be frank it was Toby's door to the outside world that indeed came in handy. He wasn't much help at all.
I went for a bike ride this evening to clear my head, and Eric promised to leave the garage door open left when he went to darts. I got home only to find the house sealed tightly. Not only had he shut the garage, but he had also closed the back door which we seldom do. I ran across the street to borrow the neighbor's pohne, but while there the kid Jonathon offered to break in. He shimmied throuhg the dog door and let me in. I am torn between being very relieved that I did not have to spend the night outside and freaked that someone could come in throught the dog door. I will have to comfort myself with the fact that he is a freak.
I'm having a frustrating academic day. My theology professor hated my paper idea and told me I needed to revise it an reorganize. Suddenly I am at a complete loos as to how to do that. In addition, I sent a draft to my education professor of a class project and her only comment is "Looks good for a start." What does that mean? No meaningful criticism, no telling me where I need to improve. That is the saddest example of teaching I've ever heard of, and she is teaching teachers! If you are not going to grade work meaningfully, then you should not assign it. The other draft I sent her simply made one comment that I didn't put an address on my brochure--nothing about content. She never makes comments on grades or explains what you did wrong or what could be improved. I cannot believe that she dare call herself an educator. She is a disgrace to all teachers. Anyway, I wrote her back asking for more specific critiques. She is probably going to say that I am pushy or something, but I don't care. She needs to do her job. [end rant]
Whew, don't know what came over me!
We are going to Dallas this weekend to go to the fair. Everyone needs something fried. On a stick. It doesn't get better than that.
Sometimes I really don't know what I'm doing. I take comfort in the fact that few people do. I also take comfort in pudding pops.

Silence of the Rebel
Can a rebel actually be silent? It's a question I've been struggling with while I take these classes. I have discovered tha I really have bold, unconventional ideas. While I want to shout them from the rooftops, I feel oddly fettered in class. Perhaps rebelious paper writing is the best I can do. Still, it might be enough.
I'm ready for a new world order. I'll move to Brazil and preach Liberation Theology.

I was supposed to go to a big Parent Teacher Club meeting tonight which is always a lame waste of my time, but I told the principal that I had a paper to write and that I did not see the meeting as taking priority. He told me he could not force me to go, and I took that as his blessing. Still I feel vaguely guilty, like I've been playing hooky.

In unrebellious news I found a baby mole in my kitchen a few days ago. Ah the mighty huntress. It's really furthering my knowledge of all sorts of pests. Perhaps I'll go into extermination. It pays better than teaching.

Dessert First
I just had a sugar free pudding pop. Before dinner. And I refuse to apologize or feel guilty. Everyone needs a little rebellion.
I'm actually feeling pretty crummy--I think I had some bad queso last night or something. Anyway, getting through classes was a challenge. I would like nothing better than to hang out and watch tv tonight, but it's not meant to be.
My professor for my theology class decided not to post assignments until Friday afternoon. I did not check the bulletin board until last night, and lo and behold I discovered that I have a paper due on Thursday that I am completely clueless about. Sigh. I will be buried in Vatican documents until all hours of the night. Tomorrow I am supposed to go to this school meeting that lasts until after 8pm. I won't get home till nine, there is no way I can do this. I am thinking of telling my principal that I just can't go. The paper is much more important than seeing kids play the bells or some such lame thing.
Perhaps before I get started I will take a Clementine break and get some kitty snuggling in. Everything is better after kitty snuggling.
If I ever try to take multiple graduate classes while teaching, someone needs to shoot me.

Come and Play With Us Danny

Check out The Shining Redux

It put a smile on my face.

I kid you not, today I was subbing for a Spanish class and a student put a bingo piece up his nose. It got stuck and he had to dig it out. 8th grader. Again, not kidding.
I was trying to yell at him, but I laughed so hard I couldn't even speak, turned several shades of red and almost had a fit. It reminded me of a certain incident Snoobie had with a bead as a child. Ah, other people's misfortune: a constant source of amusement.

Wasting Away Again
Pete has that song for his ringer, and it is killing me because sitting out on a beach sipping ritas sounds so nice right now.
We had a faculty retreat that was fairly nice today. We all had to gather out in Corn Hill which is in the middle of nowhere. I typically am skeptical about this sort of thing, but it was a very nice day. At the end of the day we went around in a circle and everyone said nice things about us. So often we never get any affirmations, so it was double nice to hear. I was kinda touched. My coworker Tawna had given me a ride and this afternoon we just sat in her car for 3 hours talking. I got a lot off my chest, and I feel like I can more easily face work now. I think that's one of the differences between men and women--we certainly did not solve any of the problems, yet by the discussion I feel I am able to tackle them. Men do not really get this point.
Eric and I decorated the yard for Halloween. We've become those people whom the neighbors speak about in hushed tones. The house looks awesome (if awesome is crazy and kinda tacky, which I think it is). I will try to take some pics and post them later. BEtter yet, if you can, swing by. I also got my costume. Here's a shocker: I"m going to be a dragonfly. I feel lovely in my costume. I really think that I should get to wear wings all year round.
I need to be kicking it up a notch in my school work, but I do not seem to be getting anywhere. I have taken on more than I can handle this semester.
Where's my rita?