Saturday, April 29, 2006

How do they know, and what's up with grocery stores?

It is so strange, but somehow people just know that I'm a teacher. It happened a few months ago, in Barnes and Noble. Granted, that time I was near the education books. A woman walked up to me and said "You just look like a teacher. Are you?" So I said yes, and ended up in a 30 min. conversation about her kid that I really didn't want to be in.

Tonight was even more strange. I was in the grocery store, getting in line at the express lane. Apparently 10pm is a great time to shop, so the express lane was about 8 people long. The man in front of me, maybe late forties or early fifties, made some comment about the "express" part being more of an idea, and I made some small talk comment about how maybe it wasn't really express, just 15 items or less.

There were maybe 1 or 2 other comments, and then he said "So, what do you teach?" How the heck did he know that? Sometimes I wonder how people know, and then I realize I'm wearing my school sweatshirt, or I have a nametag on or something stupid. No such thing tonight, I just had on normal clothes, and a jacket. I wasn't even wearing my glasses that I think make me look smart. I don't think it was my food either...I just don't know how he knew.

So we talked for a little while, and then he asked me what the kids call me. I'm just not so comfortable giving out information like my name in a public place, so I said "I'd actually rather not say," which I think sort of pissed him off. He said "oh, well I was going to introduce myself. That's what you do when you meet someone and talk to them." He must not have been too pissed though b/c he shook my hand, and I shook his, and we introduced ourselves.

How strange...maybe he didn't get this, but as a single woman, I just feel really uncomfortable giving out my info. to strangers in public. And talking to people in grocery stores in general...I don't really want to have a conversation about what I'm buying, or what they're buying, etc.

The other weird thing to happen in a grocery store is I was steering past this guy's cart, and said excuse me. He stopped though, and said "Hi, how are you?" I said "fine," and he said "good," and went on...Weird.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Monday, April 24, 2006

Consumed


My mind has been consumed with the future since I've been back home. Actually, the confusion is mostly about where home is. I can't stop thinking about whether to stay in CA, or move back home. CA has fabulous weather, attractions, and friends, while home has my family, 2 babies, and the possibility of nesting.

I've signed contracts for this coming school year, but past that, I'm at a loss. And I sincerely wish I could stop thinking about it. It's frustrating to want to have a concrete, foolproof plan in place 12 months in advance.

And about nesting...I think it may be one of those female things. For me, it means that I really want to own a home, and take care of it and improve it. I think it may be a precursor to wanting babies someday, but I'm definitely not there yet. Every time I think about nesting, I have this picture in my mind of a giant, light blue bird settling herself in the middle of a living room. She kind of just plops herself down in the middle of the floor, flaps her wings a few times like she's shaking off dust, and then hunkers down like she's protecting the whole room. How strange.

Do men ever want to nest?

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

I heart home

I have loved this trip home. Usually I get bored after 2 or 3 days, but there has been a lot going on. Of course we've been hanging out with Blaine, and since I'm from far away I usually get dibs on holding him. He's great to cuddle with, although his eyes are a little creepy. I didn't know this, but a baby's eyes can't focus on anything when he's born. So even when he looks at you, you get the feeling he doesn't really see you. And his pupils never change size, so that's weird. But, I'm starting to think that maybe being a mom wouldn't be so bad.

We've also had lots of social gatherings. Sunday we had family Easter brunch at Kimbrae, then Monday Kristi, my mom, Blaine and I went shopping in Sioux Falls. That's one sucky thing about a baby, having so much crap to carry around all the time. He's cool though.

Today we started on a project. We're tearing down the gummy bear wallpaper from our bathroom, and painting it. Kristi and I ripped down paper and primed today, and tomorrow Susan and I will paint. Nothing like a little in-law bonding. Here's a picture of the hideous gummy bears we've lived with since we built the house.


Tomorrow night we'll all bond over scrap books. In honor of the gathering I made orange peel scones and a cake (from scratch!) for the gathering. Rockahontas.

Here's one other thing you don't get in San Jose, or at least not from my apartment: a killer sunset.

Saturday, April 15, 2006

I lied


I realized that with the card reader I have, I can also post pictures from my parents' pc. So, here's Auntie Bridge. And although Dave has already pointed out that it appears that I'm not supporting Blaine's head, it's completely untrue. I was supporting his head, and then he wanted to stretch out and chose to lay in that position.

And 5 points to whomever can identify the background.

Darn you, Kathleen Norris!

Every time I come home, I feel a stronger pull to move back here. I even found myself online today, looking at condos in Sioux Falls. I think this is the opposite of what's supposed to happen. Aren't you supposed to miss home when you're away? I miss it when I'm here.

And I'm pretty sure that reading too much Kathleen Norris has a lot to do with it.

P.S. No pics. or anything too funky this week since I'm using my parents' ANCIENT (think 1994) computer. They've only just moved past dial-up, so we'll work on the computer next.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Going Home



I have never been this excited to go home, ever...except maybe the first time I came home from Haiti.

There are two main reasons I'm so happy:
    • Blaine. Jen and Brian helped me come up with a good nickname for him--Dougles (like muggles, but with a d). His middle name is Douglas, so that works.
    • The f-ing rain. It was finally sunny today, and it was such a gift. I took my 8th graders outside to read, and bask in the sun. But, more days of rain are on the horizon..ick. I am finally, for the first time in my life, thankful for the Iowa weather.

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Anticipating Insomnia

Tonight will be a night of fitful sleep, I can tell already. It's days like this, when my mind is churning endlessly when I lay in bed just thinking about what's going on. Thankfully, it's mostly good stuff. My condo. closed yesterday, and we're figuring out the money transfer. I also still have that interview at Oracle to reschedule, but probably not before spring break. That's another good thing--going home for spring break. By Friday this time I will be home, hopefully meeting Blaine for the first time. I've also renewed my lease this week, which feels like a big committment. I guess if I have both my contract signed and my lease renewed, I'm really staying here. It feels good. So left on the list is scheduling bill paying for when I'm gone, doing laundry, curriculum work tomorrow, oh yeah, and work...maybe making this list will allow me to sleep tonight. Or the wine I'm bringing to dinner at Brian and Jen's.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Aw.....my interview got postponed. The lady is sick. :(

Sunday, April 09, 2006



After a disappointing phone call with the Intel guy, I am happy to say I had a more successful phone call with the mentor from ThinkQuest. In fact, it was a great, if short, conversation, and I will be going up to meet her on Tuesday. I'm not sure if this means I have the fellowship, or I have an interview for the position. Either way, I'm happy.

If I got the position, I would be working on writing coach resources for Thinkquest coaches. Thinkquest is a competition, run by the Oracle Education Foundation for students to build their own webquests, with a teacher guide. The best part is that I would get to learn some skills that I've wanted to for a while, particularly HTML and website design. The more I learn about it, the more excited I am. Wish me luck Tuesday.

Thursday, April 06, 2006

The Importance of Speaking and Writing Well



Today I discovered two reasons to write and speak well.

Reason 1: Some of the kids at school, particularly mischievious 6th grade boys, have taken to "pantsing" each other. In my day we called it de-pantsing, but whatever. So there must be one kid who does it a lot, and two of my seventh graders got in trouble for making fun of him. Apparently they've been calling him "raper" all week, because he was pulling kids' pants down.

The principal called me and the 6th grade teachers in to discuss what should be done, but we all started laughing, and the first thing I could say was "Well, first, the word is "rapist." I suggest we get them to call him that first, then move on to the legitimacy of calling him that.

Reason 2: I was very excited about a summer fellowship with Intel. There was a position listed as an "Digital Content Developer," and talked about developing digital content, and managing a pilot program implementing the content. So I had a phone interview this afternoon, and came to understand that what they really want is someone to help them market a tiny PC to schools, and figure out what they need to do to sell it as a "must-have."

So I asked if there actually was any content development involved, and the interviewer said "Uh, no, not really. I guess I should have worded that differently...maybe that's why I had 40 people apply."

I was really disappointed. :(

Monday, April 03, 2006

When you start with dog poo, your day can only go up

This morning, as I walked into the teacher's lounge a little bleary-eyed from the time change, one of my colleagues informed me that there was a lump of dog poo on the rug outside my classroom. Greeaaaaat. It was already raining, which meant indoor recess all day, and now there was dog poo on the rug.

It got better. I walked up to my classroom and realized that not only was there dog poo ground into the rug, but someone had also smeared it on my door, and on the windows. For some reason, the first thought that came into my head was passover. But what do you mark with poo? And it was gross because you could actually see the finger marks in it. I just hope they wore gloves or something.

So, being at a small, private school, I wondered whose job description included "Washing poo off doors and windows and rugs." Of course the answer was me. But, our principal is so amazing that he came down with a bucket of soapy water and a broom and we scraped poo together. He rinsed everything off, and I was happy I could finally get into my room and do some work before class started.

Again, it got better. Apparently the poo rinsing had gotten in through the door, so the whole area by the door was covered in water that smelled ever-so-slightly like poo. Mmmm, nothing like poo water and middle schoolers to make a room smell fresh.

The morning was a bust. Yes, we did have indoor recess, but the afternoon started to perk up. We watched "Cheaper by the Dozen" during lunch recess, and it's actually quite a funny movie. Then my 8th graders were really good and sharp, so that helped. I also received a free box of books just for taking a survey.

I think I may have a new motto: If you start with poo, you can only move up.

Sunday, April 02, 2006

One of my new favorite obsessions is PostSecret. An intriguing idea, I think. I check it out every Sunday, and occasionally use one of the postcards for desktop wallpaper. Oh, and I like to think that someday I'll recognize a secret from somebody I know, although I think my friends would be too sneaky to reveal their identities.

Darn!

okay, so usually I sort of laugh at people who show up late to things, having forgotten about daylight savings time. Today, it's me. I was sitting here, drinking my coffee before getting ready for church, when I stumbled on a friend's blog. She had been talking about the time changing in Haiti, and I realized that church starts in exactly 8 minutes, and is 30 minutes away. Also, I still have wet hair and am in my bath robe.

What does this oversight say about me?