Archive for October, 2009
Friday, October 30th, 2009
This was a great week for sure. We had a super visit with my mom, went to a pumpkin patch and then got the ultimate gift from the Universe: two snow days! I don’t care how grown up I appear, just give me a cup of apple cider, a petting zoo and a blizzard to watch me squeal. Audrey had almost as much fun as I did. Take a peek:
Audrey and Sarah – Big Slide!
Petting Zoo Fun
Playground
The pumpkin patch may be the extent of Audrey’s Halloween fun. Because she is obsessed, OBSESSED with Elmo, I bought her the cutest Elmo costume; alas, it totally freaks her out, and she refuses to put it on. I suppose it might be creepy to wear what you, as a toddler, believe is the fur and hollowed out head of your favorite friend. Still, that didn’t stop me from rocking out Strawberry Shortcake. We’ll see – maybe I’ll stop by the store and pick up something less disturbing than the skinned Elmo.
Two snow days in October! Ohhh, Mama! What a treat. I maintain that my high school students don’t appreciate a snow day like we teachers do. There was a whole lot of eating, napping, and, well, more eating and napping. Bernie and I snuggled in and devoted a good five hours to watching Dexter - everyone’s favorite serial killer. Dexter is definitely our new guilty pleasure. Talk about amazing characterization, who can make a sociopath likable?
While I didn’t have to go to work for two days, online education goes on and pushes forth through rain, hail and even 18 inches of snow. My class is going well, but I just encountered one bump in the road: group projects and collaboration. While all my classes so far have felt very cozy, full of great postings and discussions with my classmates, I haven’t had to work with any of them virtually before. My papers, research and projects have been my own. However, as of this week, I am part of a group that has to put together a thematic unit. I am struggling with this assignment. Sure, planning a unit is something I can do with my eyes closed, I am having a hard time collaborating with people I don’t know, can’t see, and keep playing email tag with. I suppose I could suggest a meeting at a coffee place. That’s hoping our schedules can match up. Well, I suppose if this is the only glitch in three semesters, that’s pretty amazing.
Take care and Happy Halloween!!! Mwwwaaaa mwwaaaa mwwwaaa!!!
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Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
I really have to keep this week’s post quick and dirty. You see, I am going to pick up my mother at the airport in a few minutes. She’s staying for a week: 7 days: 168 hours: 10,080 minutes: 604,800 seconds. It’s going to be great! Ha ha ha ha ha … (nervous laugh)
I hope you don’t think I am unkind, as I, of course, love my mother very much. She’s a wonderful woman, and being a thousand miles away from her granddaughter is tough on her – and us, too. I would love to have her close by… just not too close by, if you know what I mean. I’m thinking a 60 mile radius would be perfect. Close enough for weekend trips but enough space to keep me from drinking a lot.
Every visit with my mom has a predictable and reliable pattern. The first three days are great. The fourth day she starts asking quesions like, “When was the last time you cleaned out the refridgerator drawers? Ick.” and saying things such as, “It’s no wonder Audrey gets a rash from the chlorinated pool: everything at home is organic and ‘natural’. She’s got no defenses! You are turning her into a freak!” I either laugh off or ignore these comments with the help of my husband who just keeps refilling my wine glass. Then, on day six, I usually lose it. I yell something about how she is critical, and she says I’m hypersensitive. This is the cue for one of us to bring up something from, oh say, ten years ago, and we rehash that episode with vigor and glory. Someone cries. Day seven: we make up, hug and kiss, I put her on the plane back home.
I suppose there is comfort in routines. Here I go… wish me luck.
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Wednesday, October 14th, 2009
No, I did not mean that figuratively: call me Crazy, please, because this week has been nuts. Nutsy, nutsy, nutsy. Let’s start with a project I finished for my Young Adult Literature class. It was actually really fun but took a bit of time to pull together. I had to choose a contemporary young adult novel, write a script and film myself giving a 
book talk, put together a thematic display around the novel and then do an annotated bibliography for the dozen books in my display. The creative side of this project was definitely right up my alley, and I picked a good book: Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Ringler. The down side was watching my dorky self on video talking about a novel for five minutes. Well, I certainly have a better idea of how my students feel. I’m really not half as cool as I think I am. Trust me, this was a shock as I consider myself a real hipster. I’ll let you decide. Let’s see if I can embed this video do-dad into this here bloggie-ma-jig and make it work. Here goes…
Sarah\’s Booktalk
Hey, it worked. Cool. Check out my geeky, book video -just don’t go forwarding it to Librarian’s Gone Wild or anything like that. But, if you do like what you see, I got plenty more where this came from, oooohhh yeah.
In addition to pulling my project together, I had a bunch of extra stuff at work this week. I stayed until 9pm last night giving presentations to parents about our honor’s program and then had a staff development meeting all day today. Get this, we talked about grammar and punctuation for SEVEN HOURS. I won’t even torture you with details, but know that it was gruesome – just in time for Halloween, too.
Hmmm… self-reflection: I think I’m cool in my head, yet I am giving online booktalks, and stressing out about discussing grammar after a late night giving presentations to honor kids. Oh my Gosh. I am lame. My fifteen year old students were totally right! Now I have to get a lip ring and start going to the tanner. Hey, has anybody seen that Family Guy episode where Stuie starts tanning – my favorite.
On a fun, non-dweeby note, my hubby and I are celebrating our four year wedding anniversary this Thursday. He doesn’t know it yet, but I got us some pretty awesome seats to the Red Wings vs. Avalanche game next weekend. I can’t wait to see the RED WINGS kick avalanche a$$! Come on, we’re from Michigan; I’m no traitor.
Hey, here is a picture of my thematic book display.
Have a super week and take care,
Peace,
Sarah
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