So the reason I haven't blogged in a while is because 1) I don't like blogging at work because I shouldn't and I try to get work done, and 2) when I get home, I want to spend time with DH and Penny, so I forget to update this thing. Whoops. I'll try to be better, 'kay?
Spring is here, and I couldn't be happier. Usually around my area we have 40s and slop, about two-three weeks of actual spring, and then it's May, so this whole sunny and 50s gig is lovely and wonderful. I don't even care about the mud--it means everything's growing, so if I have to keep a towel at the door to wipe off Penny's little paws, so be it. I love to watch her run around unencumbered by crusted-over snow (although watching her fall through to the bottom every few steps as she tried to cross the snowy yard was fairly comical). I especially love the light in the evenings--even if we still had tons of snow, the light would remind me that spring was coming! I prefer to get excited over the little things--they make life so worthwhile and it gives me a lot more happiness overall. I never could understand the point of acting jaded all the time. Where's the pleasure in that?
On a totally different note, my birthday's coming up and I think the only indication that I feel old is that I really do think a lot of the music on the radio these days is noise. I never thought I'd think that, but come on. I won't even share any YouTube videos with you because it's too cruel. I occasionally listen to the songs so if my students reference them and they're inappropriate, I can tell them not to mention the song, but the lyrics most of the time are absolute rot. I do like some of it, I admit, but half the time I think, "I could do this. If I get a beat and some extremely repetitive lyrics or some that make absolutely no sense except that they rhyme, will someone pay me, please?" Silliness, I tell you. Just pure silliness. Now I have to go secretly rock out to Beyonce because I like her.
It's Friday, so enjoy the day. Hopefully I will see my new little niece and nephew soon--born five days before their daddy's birthday, no less! Enjoy the weekend, my dears.
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weather. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Senses
When you live where I live, winter is long. L-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-N-G. We get used to March coming in like a lion and going out like...a lion. Covered in wet slush and the occasional extra foot of snow. Poor lion. This past weekend we got an extra foot or so of the wet, heavy snow. Notice how I toss this off ever so casually because, hey, I'm from WNY. No biggie. Mind you, if it still looks like this 28 days from now, I may weep. Considering once when I was 11 or 12 it snowed IN MAY, I can prepare myself for anything. Or take a side trip to Florida.
Thus I have begun to concentrate on what will not go back: light. I have become a huge fan of the earth's rotation because that makes it so I can still see at 6pm. Let the storms come (please, please go away, winter weather. I am so sick of my boots.)! At least I will be able to use sunlight when stepping into knee-high drifts! (That's not an exaggeration, by the way. Knee. High. Yeah.) When I let the dog out in the morning, I no longer have to turn on the floodlights! Today I even needed sunglasses. Spring is coming.
Then, today as I walked home, I listened to sounds I hadn't heard in a long while: heavy snow falling off the trees as it melted. I haven't yet felt that breeze that really tells me we're done for another year, but I know it's on its way. As an aside, this reminds me of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book The Long Winter, where they all almost froze or starved to death out on the prairies and then, finally, one night, Laura hears the spring wind that means the thaw is coming, and calls out to Pa, "Pa! The Chinook is blowing! The Chinook is blowing! Winter is over!" and they all rejoiced and Pa pulled out his fiddle, which he couldn't play for so long because his fingers were too cold and stiff, and they sang and made merry and baked pies and sewed calico aprons or something like that. Thank you, Grammie, for sending me those books so long ago. How well I remember! In all seriousness, I loved them. And I like having that Long Winter link with Laura.
Every little sign helps, whether it's a few minutes of daylight here or the actual sound of snow melting elsewhere. So in a few weeks, when I put into my Facebook comment, "PA! THE CHINOOK IS BLOWING!", some of you will know what I mean.
Thus I have begun to concentrate on what will not go back: light. I have become a huge fan of the earth's rotation because that makes it so I can still see at 6pm. Let the storms come (please, please go away, winter weather. I am so sick of my boots.)! At least I will be able to use sunlight when stepping into knee-high drifts! (That's not an exaggeration, by the way. Knee. High. Yeah.) When I let the dog out in the morning, I no longer have to turn on the floodlights! Today I even needed sunglasses. Spring is coming.
Then, today as I walked home, I listened to sounds I hadn't heard in a long while: heavy snow falling off the trees as it melted. I haven't yet felt that breeze that really tells me we're done for another year, but I know it's on its way. As an aside, this reminds me of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book The Long Winter, where they all almost froze or starved to death out on the prairies and then, finally, one night, Laura hears the spring wind that means the thaw is coming, and calls out to Pa, "Pa! The Chinook is blowing! The Chinook is blowing! Winter is over!" and they all rejoiced and Pa pulled out his fiddle, which he couldn't play for so long because his fingers were too cold and stiff, and they sang and made merry and baked pies and sewed calico aprons or something like that. Thank you, Grammie, for sending me those books so long ago. How well I remember! In all seriousness, I loved them. And I like having that Long Winter link with Laura.
Every little sign helps, whether it's a few minutes of daylight here or the actual sound of snow melting elsewhere. So in a few weeks, when I put into my Facebook comment, "PA! THE CHINOOK IS BLOWING!", some of you will know what I mean.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Halloween Friday Musings (or What I couldn't post on Facebook or Twitter because I left my phone at home)
I also forgot my camera because I am a sillyhead, so no pictures! :-(
- The teachers all dressed up as clowns today. I have a parent conference at 2:00, so my make-up is minimal. Not sure what it would mean to a parent if I came to a conference dressed in full make-up and rainbow wig.
- As usual, students push the boundaries of proper school costumes. I saw two students dressed as the gentlemen from the "dick in a box" video. I nailed both of them and said they had to remove the boxes. One kid said, "But Mr. L [vice-principal] saw it and didn't say anything...." to which I replied that he might not have gotten the reference, but I did. I even told the kid: funny but inappropriate. We also always have a few sexy something-or-others and two boys dressed as Teletubbies. I've seen some other fun ones as well; this is the best day of the year for some students.
- We found a tick on Penny this morning. I had to remove it and felt like Bad Mommy because I KNEW we were late with her flea-and-tick treatment but this neverhappenedbeforeofcourseshe'llbefinemypoorfuzzylittlegirlnoooooooooooo. She seemed fine. The vet said to keep an eye on it and keep it clean. Crisis averted.
- It is hard (or just lunacy) to give a test on Halloween Friday when teachers down the hall are playing "Thriller". Everyone's either giving tests or throwing a party.
- Tonight I think we're going to build a fire--our first of the season! It's going to be one of those hideously rainy fall evenings, perfect for bad movie and crackling warmth and Southwestern Mac and Cheese. Yum!
- I can't stand Bella Swan...yet I can't stop reading Eclipse. Damn you, Stephenie Meyer, and your Harlequin teen trash. You suckered me right in. Does anyone else feel Edward's a totally static character and kind of wish Jacob would get a break...by falling in love with someone who's worthy of him who isn't the hot mess that Bella is? Am I getting too into this? Probably.
- How is Monday already November 2? When did that happen? And don't forget to turn your clocks back!
Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!
- The teachers all dressed up as clowns today. I have a parent conference at 2:00, so my make-up is minimal. Not sure what it would mean to a parent if I came to a conference dressed in full make-up and rainbow wig.
- As usual, students push the boundaries of proper school costumes. I saw two students dressed as the gentlemen from the "dick in a box" video. I nailed both of them and said they had to remove the boxes. One kid said, "But Mr. L [vice-principal] saw it and didn't say anything...." to which I replied that he might not have gotten the reference, but I did. I even told the kid: funny but inappropriate. We also always have a few sexy something-or-others and two boys dressed as Teletubbies. I've seen some other fun ones as well; this is the best day of the year for some students.
- We found a tick on Penny this morning. I had to remove it and felt like Bad Mommy because I KNEW we were late with her flea-and-tick treatment but this neverhappenedbeforeofcourseshe'llbefinemypoorfuzzylittlegirlnoooooooooooo. She seemed fine. The vet said to keep an eye on it and keep it clean. Crisis averted.
- It is hard (or just lunacy) to give a test on Halloween Friday when teachers down the hall are playing "Thriller". Everyone's either giving tests or throwing a party.
- Tonight I think we're going to build a fire--our first of the season! It's going to be one of those hideously rainy fall evenings, perfect for bad movie and crackling warmth and Southwestern Mac and Cheese. Yum!
- I can't stand Bella Swan...yet I can't stop reading Eclipse. Damn you, Stephenie Meyer, and your Harlequin teen trash. You suckered me right in. Does anyone else feel Edward's a totally static character and kind of wish Jacob would get a break...by falling in love with someone who's worthy of him who isn't the hot mess that Bella is? Am I getting too into this? Probably.
- How is Monday already November 2? When did that happen? And don't forget to turn your clocks back!
Have a great weekend and Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Odds and Ends
There's not a lot to report, really. I'm enjoying the fall colors--one benefit of our cold, wet summer is a riot of gorgeousness right now. This has always ranked as my favorite time of year, perhaps because it's so fleeting, perhaps because I love the crisp, briskly cold, sunny days and the sharply nippy nights that make you want to snuggle in a warm bed (and a sweet, cuddly dog on your feet doesn't hurt), perhaps because I get to break out my courderoys and my leather jacket. And there's just something about a fall sky with the clouds on one side and the sinking sun on the other that just sings to me. I can't quite explain it. Do you know what I mean? Mind you, having a fire drill occur on Monday during one of those 45 degree mornings didn't suit quite so well with me, but the state requires us to perform a certain number, etc.
Anyway. Rambling, sorry. I'm just moving along, business as usual. The faculty this year have decided to dress as clowns for Halloween. How fitting. Just kidding. Maybe. I thought about dressing up as a famous politician but figured I'd keep that sort of humor for when I get tenure. In addition, in my freshman classes we were talking about our biggest fears and more than one student named clowns as the biggie. Considering it's tradition not to tell the kids what we're dressing up as, this year could potentially send numerous kids into therapy. (I'm thinking of The Simpsons: "Can't sleep...clown'll eat me. Can't sleep...clown'll eat me....") I'll let you know. We do have a party to go to and I'm dressing up as something different, but I won't tell you what. It's nothing that amazing; I just thought I'd give you all something to look forward to.
In the meantime, as I wrote before, the flu has begun sweeping through our school. I had one girl take a test today who'd missed two days, saying, "Yeah, I was sick but my mom made me come in." GET WITH IT, MOM. WE SENT LETTERS HOME ASKING THAT YOU DO THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, KEEP YOUR LITTLE SICKIE AWAY. We're at 10% right now out, and if it keeps going up, they'll close school for a few days. That happened when I was in high school--some 36 hour virus spread through and they closed school for a day. Mind, I was in a boarding school in a smallish environment and a quarter of the population meant 125 kids out of 500.
One final point in this odd post and then I'll end it (HAH! Get it? Look at the title! I am so witty.) If you plan to take your kids to see Where the Wild Things Are, reconsider it. It had gorgeous sets and monsters, but the underlying added psychological elements made it a bit dark for kids...and adults, frankly.
So have a good day and wash your hands!
Anyway. Rambling, sorry. I'm just moving along, business as usual. The faculty this year have decided to dress as clowns for Halloween. How fitting. Just kidding. Maybe. I thought about dressing up as a famous politician but figured I'd keep that sort of humor for when I get tenure. In addition, in my freshman classes we were talking about our biggest fears and more than one student named clowns as the biggie. Considering it's tradition not to tell the kids what we're dressing up as, this year could potentially send numerous kids into therapy. (I'm thinking of The Simpsons: "Can't sleep...clown'll eat me. Can't sleep...clown'll eat me....") I'll let you know. We do have a party to go to and I'm dressing up as something different, but I won't tell you what. It's nothing that amazing; I just thought I'd give you all something to look forward to.
In the meantime, as I wrote before, the flu has begun sweeping through our school. I had one girl take a test today who'd missed two days, saying, "Yeah, I was sick but my mom made me come in." GET WITH IT, MOM. WE SENT LETTERS HOME ASKING THAT YOU DO THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, KEEP YOUR LITTLE SICKIE AWAY. We're at 10% right now out, and if it keeps going up, they'll close school for a few days. That happened when I was in high school--some 36 hour virus spread through and they closed school for a day. Mind, I was in a boarding school in a smallish environment and a quarter of the population meant 125 kids out of 500.
One final point in this odd post and then I'll end it (HAH! Get it? Look at the title! I am so witty.) If you plan to take your kids to see Where the Wild Things Are, reconsider it. It had gorgeous sets and monsters, but the underlying added psychological elements made it a bit dark for kids...and adults, frankly.
So have a good day and wash your hands!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Cold
You know how when fall comes around and the air gets crisp and you get all excited to pull out your sweaters and get all toasty and warm and that first snow just makes your heart sing because it's beautiful and hooray, crazy as it may sound, winter has arrived?
Winter can go stick its head in a blender. I'm done. DONE. I now have cold hands, cracked heels, and an addiction to flannel sheets. As my dad always says, around this time of year you see old ladies crying at bus stops, possibly with a certain liquor-shaped paper bag in hand. I'm sorry--I try to keep upbeat, but sweet Georgia Brown, snow, cold temps, GO AWAY. March has come in not like a lion but like a cold, messy, frozen, gray, dirty...something. Ech. Thank goodness my birthday's coming up, or else I might go insane or really foolishly Irish it up on St. Patrick's Day. My birthday also marks the day T proposed, so that makes it memorably sweet as well. On the optimistic side (yeah, call me Pollyanna), I never know what my birthday will bring in terms of weather. 25 degrees? 40? 60? So it's exciting (or I pretend it is) not to know.
Thus I will bravely forge on, keeping in mind that one of my favorite and most talented students apparently loved me as a teacher, which makes my month because this girl in many ways is smarter than I am. That will keep me warm, that and watching Penny rush around in what's left of the snow because she is precious and fun and silly. Here you go; here's a great winter picture to make you smile:
Winter can go stick its head in a blender. I'm done. DONE. I now have cold hands, cracked heels, and an addiction to flannel sheets. As my dad always says, around this time of year you see old ladies crying at bus stops, possibly with a certain liquor-shaped paper bag in hand. I'm sorry--I try to keep upbeat, but sweet Georgia Brown, snow, cold temps, GO AWAY. March has come in not like a lion but like a cold, messy, frozen, gray, dirty...something. Ech. Thank goodness my birthday's coming up, or else I might go insane or really foolishly Irish it up on St. Patrick's Day. My birthday also marks the day T proposed, so that makes it memorably sweet as well. On the optimistic side (yeah, call me Pollyanna), I never know what my birthday will bring in terms of weather. 25 degrees? 40? 60? So it's exciting (or I pretend it is) not to know.
Thus I will bravely forge on, keeping in mind that one of my favorite and most talented students apparently loved me as a teacher, which makes my month because this girl in many ways is smarter than I am. That will keep me warm, that and watching Penny rush around in what's left of the snow because she is precious and fun and silly. Here you go; here's a great winter picture to make you smile:
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Husband=Good. Students=Bad.
Well, that's not entirely true, but it worked as a heading. I've had yet another rotten cold for the past three days: a little sniffly, throat like a sandpaper-covered golf ball, and a pathetic joke of a voice. Chugging tea has helped to a tiny extent.
Yesterday with my pitiful voice I attempted to make it clear to my first period class that I could not carry the discussion. Now, when you're a teenager and have to sit in class at 7:25am (I KNOW), you may not act chipper and awake. But I asked them to please TRY. They don't hate me; they could've done it. But noooooo. Crickets chirping, pins dropping, me desperately trying to get something going. I gave them questions like "Are all people capable of murder?"! Do you not have an opinion of that? If I call on you, could you please not say, "Well, I pretty much agree with what X just said, so....[trail off into nothingness]"? Gave up at 10:30 and went home sick. Sleep is marvelous. I also learned to love Top Chef--whoops. Like I need to watch more TV. I did sleep, honey! I did, I swear! (T gets very sweetly militant about me sleeping when I'm sick so I can actually get better.)
So last night DH brought me soup in a bread bowl--soooo soothing; Bee M.D. throat drops, which ROCK; and a humidifier. You cannot believe how much difference that little, magical contraption makes in a dry, heated house. Not that I'm complaining about warmth, mind you. It's been close to zero the past few nights and if the wind chill gets below -20 (they have predicted it), we won't have school again. But I digress. I love the humidifier. Go get one right now. It will change your life.
Today I'm a bit better, went to work, watched videos in two classes legitmately, and made it through. Now I'm going to douse myself with TheraFlu, my other good, drowsiness-inducing friend, and go to bed again at 8:30. Stay well, kids.
Yesterday with my pitiful voice I attempted to make it clear to my first period class that I could not carry the discussion. Now, when you're a teenager and have to sit in class at 7:25am (I KNOW), you may not act chipper and awake. But I asked them to please TRY. They don't hate me; they could've done it. But noooooo. Crickets chirping, pins dropping, me desperately trying to get something going. I gave them questions like "Are all people capable of murder?"! Do you not have an opinion of that? If I call on you, could you please not say, "Well, I pretty much agree with what X just said, so....[trail off into nothingness]"? Gave up at 10:30 and went home sick. Sleep is marvelous. I also learned to love Top Chef--whoops. Like I need to watch more TV. I did sleep, honey! I did, I swear! (T gets very sweetly militant about me sleeping when I'm sick so I can actually get better.)
So last night DH brought me soup in a bread bowl--soooo soothing; Bee M.D. throat drops, which ROCK; and a humidifier. You cannot believe how much difference that little, magical contraption makes in a dry, heated house. Not that I'm complaining about warmth, mind you. It's been close to zero the past few nights and if the wind chill gets below -20 (they have predicted it), we won't have school again. But I digress. I love the humidifier. Go get one right now. It will change your life.
Today I'm a bit better, went to work, watched videos in two classes legitmately, and made it through. Now I'm going to douse myself with TheraFlu, my other good, drowsiness-inducing friend, and go to bed again at 8:30. Stay well, kids.
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