Christmas Cheer

Just some pictures I found that remind us of the season.
Merry Christmas!!!!!

Apologies

Trying to get access to the computer at my house is, to say the least, difficult. With Darrell using it for work and the kids using it for school, availability at home is very limited. So I generally write on my blog at school during study hall supervision. When I would check the presentation of the font after publishing, it would always be large enough and easily read. I figured if I could read it (as my eyes have gotten weak in my old age), anyone could read it.

Last night I actually got to check my blog at home. I couldn't believe how small and difficult to read the fonts were! What a difference! We have the exact same operating system at home as we do at school but there is still a big difference.

So, my apologies for straining your eyes. In the future I will try to remember to make the font "larger than life" so to speak.

lol I just checked the blog and realized I forgot to change the font again just now! It's fixed now (I hope)!

Points to Ponder II

Our librarian is at it again. Here are some "Kids' Instructions on Life..." collected by Phil.

Never trust a dog to wathch your food

When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents

Never smart off to a teacher whose eyes and ears are twitching (my personal favorite~twitch, twitch, twitch)

Wear a hat when feeding seagulls

Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning (my own children have taken this advice from time to time)

Never ask for anything that costs more than five dollars when your parents are doing taxes

Never bug a pregnant mom

Don't ever be too full for dessert

When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?", don't answer him

Never tell mom her diet's working

Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat

When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone

Don't spit into the wind

When mom's happy, everybody's happy

As before, please feel free to add in the comments section

TEENAGERS!!!!

I love teens. Yes, I know they can have smart mouths occasionally. They can be messy and otherwise generally drive a person insane. I have had many people accuse me of being nuts for wanting to work with them day in and day out. Sometimes I question my own sanity, but then things like the following incident occur and I remember why I love working with teenagers.

On Tuesday of this week my students watched what is known as an EFT (electronic field trip). Through the magic of the internet and streaming video, my students and I were able to watch a live broadcast from Houston where NASA flies its C-9 plane for astronaut training and research purposes. The plane is flown in repetitive parabolic motion (up and down like a roller coaster ride) in order to experience free fall for a few moments of time.

The students were able to call in on an 800 number or email questions for the astronauts and pilots to answer, virtually in real time. The delay in the feed was only a few seconds. The students thought this was great.

One of my students asked if he could call and ask a question. After I approved his very intelligent question, he proceeded to make the call. When the representative from NASA came on the line, the student was asked to state his question, where he was from and his name before he was transferred to the live feed. "Timothy" proceeded to ask his question and give the requested information. Unfortunately, when he came to his name he apparently had a "brain fart" and said he was "JOHN SWANSON". At that point it was too late to stop him.

When he got off the phone, I asked him why he didn't use his real name. His response, "If it was a dumb question, I didn't want them to know who asked it!" Like they would ever meet him or know who he was anyway, right?

Today I received a phone call from the electronic field trip personnel. I was called out of class to receive the phone call so I figured it must be important. When I answered the phone the voice on the other end explained who she was and asked, "Do you have the student named John?" Knowing to whom she referred I said,"Yes" (What else could I say?) She proceeded to tell me that John was selected from the students who submitted questions to win a prize. She asked for the correct spelling of his name and to confirm the address. I verified the address but then explained, "He prefers to be called Timothy". Fortunately, only his 1st name was recorded when he asked the question.

The prize? One of 4 movie posters to be personally autographed by Tom Hanks. (I thought he might want his real name on it.)

Merry Christmas!

I wish you a merry Christmas.
I wish you a merry Christmas.
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year!!!


Just a reminder of what the season is really about!

Points to Ponder

Disclaimer - Most of these have been borrowed from other wise souls. Primarily, the sage we at Knoxville High School call our librarian who may or may not have gleaned his wisdom from another wise sage.

Why is it that every time you fill your mouth full of food while in a restaurant, the sever comes and asks you a question?

Never under any circumstances, take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night.

If you had to identify in one word why the human race has never, nor will ever achieve its full potential, that word would be "meetings".

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, that a lone amateur built the ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic!

The most destructive force in the universe is gossip!

You should not confuse your career with your life.

I will add more as I come across them or think of them. If you have any to add, please feel free to comment. I need all the advice I can get.

SNOW!!!!!

I hate the cold! I get depressed if winter lasts too long. My family and I spent several recent winter and early spring vacations in Florida and Myrtle Beach to get a break from it.

This year we are going to NY in May to hear our daughter sing at Carnegie Hall so we had to forego our winter escape. I've been dreading the seemingly eternal winter ever since. I have put off making our flight and room reservations because one can never be too sure how many days the school year will be extended due to snow.

Well, right on cue, the first official day of the meteorologists' winter, we get our first accumulation of snow. The weather man said an inch, maybe two. My husband swept 5 inches of light snow off of our vehicles this morning. ...And at least another inch was brushed off again by the time I left for work!

The roads were terrible. Even the interstate had only a path on one lane to drive on! Somehow it still wasn't bad enough to call off school. I'm actually relieved. I don't want the end of school extended. Although, those surprise days off, especially in december, are really nice.

In spite of my hatred for winter, even I have to recognize its magic. I looked out my bedroom window upon the new fallen snow and was in awe. All the ugliness of the barren trees, the brown, dingy, dried up leaves, dead grass and withered flowers was now covered with a beautiful blue-white blanket that glowed in the faint morning light.

I know all the science behind "how it works" but still I was fascinated. The little kid in me wanted to put on my galoshes and go out and play. I envied my husband a little bit (very little bit) because he got to play using the broom. It looked fun brushing the snow off the cars. I wanted to go pack some snowballs and pound him with them. I wanted to fall on the mounds and make angels. I followed the tracks that my dog left to see if I could figure out exactly where he went on his morning excursion. I wanted to put up twinkle lights outside and watch the beautiful colors that reflect on the snow. I caught myself wishing I had already decorated for Christmas outside. I would have turned the lights on this morning just to see the glow they would make under the snow.

I would love to put my life and obligations on hold and go out and play! But I must return to reality. My students are turning in tests that must be graded. I have classes to prepare lessons for, a dinner engagement after school then a concert for my daughter. By that time it will be bedtime and the whole cycle will start again. And so I will be the adult I am expected to be. Just know that in my heart...I'm making snowmen!