Does It Make You Chuckle?

So Dave and I have been having a conversation lately about what's funny, and if it's different for men and women. Mostly, it comes up because there are certain things I just do NOT think are funny, but most guys do. Like The Big Lebowski (or any other Coen brothers movie, really), and Monty Python, and Mr. Show.

We both like Ali G, but different parts, and for different reasons. So we've been talking, and I've been thinking about what gender has to do with humor. Some other friends hypothesize that women like humor where they can relate to the situation, and guys like more detached, absurd or physical humor.

I'm not sure though...I'd love to hear what other people think. And is there anything out there that most women find funny that men don't?

First Happy Child Moment of the New Year

This morning two of my now eighth grade girls came in and said they had a present for me. I was a little surprised, but thought it would be fun. It turns out they finished a story they had started writing with another friend during seventh grade, last year. They must've finished it over the summer, photocopied it, and gave me their first copy. They told me not to read the last page until I was finished with the whole book, but I couldn't stop myself. It was so cute! They thanked me for taking away their first book during class last year because it gave them ideas for this one, and thanked me for my "support" and help. How sweet! Oh, and when they become published and make gads of money they promised to remember me.

Jetta Report

As a Jetta owner, I find the Jetta Report really interesting. And darn good marketing.

Uh, Really?

Here's some text I found in a news article about Pluto's demotion to "dwarf planet":

"The shift will have the world's teachers scrambling to alter lesson plans just as schools open for the fall term."

Give us some credit. As a middle school teacher, counting out eight planets instead of nine does not top my list of current crises. The girl whose lace bra is on display? There's a crisis.

Bulletin Board

Here are some pictures of my bulletin board. The one on the left is a close-up of one of the postcards--this one is the immaculate coneption. The flash got a little weird. The blob in the upper left hand corner of the bulletin board actually says "What's your story?"

hip, hip, hooray!

The first day of school was a smashing success. My homeroom is fun, and they laughed at my jokes. No funny kid stories yet, but I'm celebrating the day with some great pinot grigio. Whoo-hoo!

First Day!

Tomorrow is our first day of school, ahhhh! No, actually, I'm feeling quite ready. The difference between last year and this year is amazing. It really helps seeing friendly faces around, and knowing some of the parents. My homeroom parents seem overwhelmingly supportive. I even had a few offer to grade things and help out. There is one psycho mom who will send me to an early grave, but overall I'm impressed.

I've never been a bulletin board person, but I'll have to post pictures of one I made this year. I guess "made" might be a little strong. I was at the Christian bookstore (yes, again there were crazies there, raving against the American Girls books carried there) and I found a book of the "postmodern Bible." It's a series of postcards by different artists and their interpretations of different stories in the Bible. They turned into a very fun bulletin board--not too cheesy, but colorful and intriguing, in my humble opinion.

I also completed a task today that was supposed to be finished before school started LAST year--I got a TB test. Seeing as how the clinic is about 300 feet from my apartment, I should have had it done a long time ago. I guess late is better than never though, at least when it comes to TB.

Score!

Finding devotional books for my middle schoolers is difficult. Either they're too childish (Does your brother or sister ever say mean things?), or they're way too mature (Maybe your friend has been raped). I have one book that I really like, Devotions by Dead People: Secrets from Beyond the Grave. Kids like it because it's kind of quirky, with little epitaphs after each devotional. I also like it because it goes a little deeper into the lives of the "dead people."

Today I found another score--Taming a Liger: Unexpected Spiritual Lessons from Napoleon Dynamite. The kids at our school LOVE Napoleon Dynamite. It doesn't matter that the movie is now getting old, they love it. There's a kid who looks just like Pedro. So yeah, score.

Children at Church are Funny

Church today was pretty funny. The children's message was about the Tower of Babel, and the kids were great. The person leading the message asked the kids if they could explain what happened at the tower. One kid raised her hand, and gave a very succinct, accurate answer. Once she was done, the adult leading it moved on. However, a very persistent kid kept his hand in the air. The leader finally called on him, and the kid said "Um, Jesus went on the cross!"

Then, after church, I was chatting with some people outside. I was catching up with one woman when her granddaughter walked up to us. I said hello, but the kid wouldn't reply. So I said "oh, she's being shy." Her grandmother said no, no way, she's not shy. She tried to get her to say hi, but the girl only stared at me. And kept staring. Her grandmother asked her a question, but the girl just kept staring. It was starting to get weird. The others standing there said she was entranced...weird.

Nellie's daughter also acted like she's never seen me before.

Lesson learned? I scare children. Strange.

Oh, So Your Kid Is Special Too?

Here is the most difficult part of my job for me: the parents.

Tonight a new student and her mom stopped by my room, while I was on my cell phone ordering takeout for dinner. The girl really didn't say anything, but the mom told me her daughter is very advanced in lang. arts, and is reading at a college level. In the seventh grade...

So she wants me to make special assignments for her, of course. This makes me really nervous at the first meeting because I'm pretty sure I'll never be able to satisfy this mom. She said her daughter reads 4-7 books per week, and that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...At least I know what I'm getting into I guess.

I know that as a teacher you're not supposed to take stuff so personally, but I can't help it. It's so hard to try to be exactly what each parent wants. Ugh.

Size Comparison

3 weeks versus 4 months

He's surprised to find out he has a cousin!

The Apocalypse Is Near

Dave moved to OK and has internet at home, a cell phone, and (gasp!) text messaging.

And I've started running. Slowly. And not very far. Yet.

Welcome Home

I'm back. I was welcomed home by a flooded bathroom this morning at 5am. For a while now there's been a tiny little bit of water that leaks from the toilet tank. I've opened it up a few times, and when I do that, and flush the toilet at the same time, a geyser of water comes from the top of the tank. I suppose most normal people would have called maintenance a long time ago, but I always just repositioned the lid so that the leaking stopped.

This morning, it didn't stop. What a warm welcome home. Now I'm nervous to go down to the parking garage for fear my car windows have been smashed and/or my car won't start because rodents have once again invaded.

I've been...

Earlier this week a friend wrote and asked if everything was okay, since I haven't posted in a while. Yes, things are fine. Mostly I haven't posted because I've been at my parents' lake house with only a dial-up connection. We spent the week because my dad loves the Okoboji Bible Conference. It's not really my thing, but a week at the lake is always fun.

I also took a trip up to Minnesota for Heather's wedding. She and her husband got married outside, under a gorgeous grove of trees. It also happened to take place near a corn field, so we took a group photo.Donna and I drove up to the wedding together, and spent some time hanging out with everyone. We met Megan's kids, Cristina's husband, and Kristin's Italian fiance.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the MN trip was that we went with Megan to a county fair and a tractor pull. I think I've been to a tractor pull long, long ago, but I didn't remember how crazy it was.Not only did we get to watch the tractor pull, but we actually handed out the trophies. I guess Megan's family has been doing it for years, so we helped her hand out trophies with tractors and pickups on the tops. It was actually a lot of fun!

Tomorrow I head home. Donna and I actually both fly back tomorrow, but 12 hours apart. We've talked about leaving notes or other items in the airports, but I'm sure that would be frowned upon in the current situation.

tee hee

Tonight we went to the golf course for dinner and listed on the menu was a "breaded tenderlion sandwich." My sister-in-law had it and said it was quite good.