On to Christmas Number 3 of 4

Okay, Here is My Deal!!

So far, my son hs had 2 "Christmases"

We are getting ready to leave for NC for Christmas. My husband's side ofthe family lives there and they have not seen our son since last Christmas.

Therefore, we went to visit my side of the family on the 17th and he had his Christmas with them. After one or two presents, he got the hang pretty much of ripping into them. His favorite there? A Wiggles Guitar that, well, wiggles. If you don't know who the Wiggles are, you just would not understand.

And, since we are flying to NC and did not want to haul our presents to him there and back, and because we wanted to let him play with them a few days before we up and left, we decided to have our Christmas on the 18th. His favorites here? A stuffed Pablo from the Backyardigans (again, you would not understand if you don't know who the Backyardigans are) and his Rock, Roll and Ride convertable toy...goes from rocker to push rider to a big wheel when he is ready. We skipped the rocker stage.

Christmas #3 will be with his NC Papa and step-Grandma on the 23rd and then, finally, Christmas #4 will be with his NC Grandma and step-Papa.

Poor guy will be Christmased out...but at lest they are spread out and ot all in a span of a day or two. That would be an overlaod.

Wait TIl March, I'll Sue!!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

As I said in a previous post, I don't get in the way of other religions' holidays, so why do so many people want to get in my way?

You don't believe that Christmas is a Christian holiday and you just want to buy your presents and leave religion out of it?!?!?! Hey, I am okay with that...you don't have to celebrate the way I do or for the same reasons.

You are Jewish and do not believe Jesus was the Messiah?!?!?! Hey, I am okay with that. You celebrate the Festival of Lights and continue to wait for your messiah, while I celebrate the birth of mine.

You want me to recognize your season by placing a Mennorah, or the Kwanzaa candles in my city park or the town square or your window?!?!?! Hey, I am okay with that. But don't ask me to recognize yours and ignore mine by not allowing a manger or a tree.

You are an athiest and do not have any religious holidays. Hey, I am okay with that. Invent a day to celebrate your beliefs..or lack of... and I will let you do your thing...but again, let me do mine.

You're a store that gladly accepts the millions and millions of dollars that roughly 86% of the US people who do celebrate Christmas but don't want to offend the other 14% of the US population that do not...you know, by banning the Salvation Army from your doors, selling 'holiday' trees (what, like people who never bought Christmas trees are now going to miraculously buy them now that they have a different name?!?!) and not using the word Christmas in your ads until December 26 when it is suddenly time for your huge 'after Christmas sale', forbidding your employees from saying "Merry Christmas"...it goes on and on and on. Hey, I'm okay with that. I don't have to shop t your store.

So many people are ready to protest and even go so far as to sue over Christmas...you know, because it offends them in some way, I had a brainstorm tonight: I can't wait until March 17...then I am going to sue!! Why?

Well, because I am not Irish and all that green and those silly shamrocks and blarney stone and pins that say, "Kiss me I'm Irish!" and the pressure of having to wear green or face assualt by being pinched...it is too much and offends me and I don't have to take it! My rights are being trampled and I just can't have that. Let's see if the ACLU will pick up my case. I could stand to make millions...who do those Irish people think they are anyway shoving their holiday in my face?!?!?!

Okay, so not really...but do you see my point? Get a grip.

Tongue Biting

Okay, Here's my Deal...

I am a math teacher. Grades 6-8. One of the things that I do with my seventh grade class is to have the kids research a mathematician and write a short 1-3 page biography. We devote a week in the computer lab/library to do this. About 2-3 days to research and then the rest to write their paper and type it, including a cover page and a bibliography.

They get a project folder that has various pieces of information:
A direction sheet (with the font type and size, the margin and spacing requirements) and rubric (the description of how they earn points) are front to back on one sheet.
A sheet with a list of about 60 possible mathematicians to research, but they can chose someone else if I approve them.
A sheet for them to record their bibliographic information from at least three sources.
A packet with questions organized to help them write their paper in a specific order (basically fill in the blank questions) and allows them to put into their own words what someone else wrote.
A sheet explaining how to get from the resources I have already found for them on the internet and listed in a Word document without having to copy and paste the addresses into the address bar (you know, ctrl and click at the same time)
A sheet telling them how to save their work in a specific folder I have set up for their class on the school network.

Keep in mind that I am working with 22 students in one room, so it is not hard for them to hear me answer questions that their peers have asked...which is good because then sometimes I don'thave to answer the same question 22 times. And, usually, if I get the same question 2-3 times, I stop them...and repeat the question and then give the answer to the whole group.

Now, I think that the direction sheet telling them what font and size to use and the sheet telling htme how to save their document are pretty good clues tothem that they will have to type their paper. And, I am sure, you are sitting here going, "Uh, yeah, duh."

Then, WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY did I have to bite my tongue today when one of my students, who mind you, had already typed his cover sheet and his bibliography asked me:

(Are you ready for this?!) "Do we have to type the actual paper?"

I wanted to say, "Are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!"

But, after almost drawing blood from my tongue, said, "Yes," and walked away.

That is all I got today.

Me? Fascinating? Um, okay.

Okay, Here's My Deal...

My husband told me the other night that his sister and her boyfriend find me fascinating.

That, of course, fascinated me. So, I asked why.

Seems I am a puzzle to them, politically speaking. They are both democrats. Me, I am a republican.

There is a stereotype that the majority public school teachers are indeed democrats. I happen to be a born again Christian public school teacher. There is a stereotype that the majority of born again Christians are republicans. Therein lies the paradox...the enigma...the conondrum...the dichotomy that is me. It fascinates them that I am a republican, not a democrat because of my profession.

It was a very hard decison for me in November of 2004...and it seems there was some debate over what I would do. Would the faith/Christian side of me lead me to vote Bush? Or, would the professional/teacher side of me lead me to vote Kerry? One of the big things that I debated about in my heart was the No Child Left Behind legislation, which is a Bush thing and which I have severe reservations about (that is the teacher talking). But, could Kerry really do much to change it right away? There were other issues of course, but this was huge. In the end, my decision was republican. Sorry, demos.

So, there you have it. If you find it fascinating...okay. If not...okay.

It's a Conspiracy...C-O-N-spiracy!

Okay, Here's My Deal...

I swear, anytime that someone finds something they really like...all of a sudden it is gone!

Take my husband, for instance. One of a the few Christmas treats that he is insane for is Archway Brand Wedding Cake Cookies. We always go through about a million boxes this time of year. Can he find any anywhere this year? No!

And me...my mom always makes these Christmas treats that I am nuts over. We call them chow meins. It is just butterscotch almond bark melted down and then chow mein noodles thrown in and scooped into heaps to set up. Last year, she didn't make them. Why you ask? She could not find any butterscotch almond bark to save her life. None! Zip! Nada!

It is the same way with fast food places. They come up with a great new burger or sandwich and it is for a "limited time only". They get you hooked and POOF...it is gone! It is not right, I tell you, just not right.

Another great marketing idea is to improve on something that does NOT need improving. Take Keebler Brand Jingles. They are a Christmas cookie that I also love. A couple of years ago, the smart folks at Keebler decided that they cookies needed spiced up. They added anise flavoring. They did not make regular and anise...just anise. Now, for those of you unfamiliar with anise...it is basically a black licorice flavor. Now, I like anise...but NOT in my Jingles!! There is one way a Jingle is supposed to taste and it is not like a licorice whip! Evidently I was not the only one not happy as that is the only year I remember them being around.

It is not just in food...
*TV shows mess with things all the time. New characters, locations, days, times.
*Some sports change rules each season just when you get used to the old ones.
*Happy Holidays...Season's Greetings...Winter Festival...NO NO NO...it is CHRISTmas. Plain and simple. If you are not a Christian and do not celebrate the birth of my perosnal savior as I do, FINE. But allow me to. I don't interfere with the celebration of Hannakuh or Chanakuh or Kwanzaa or Ramadan or any other religion's holidays...so leave mine alone!!

I guess that is all for tonight. Don't want to get too riled up or I won't sleep very well.

So I Jumped the Gun

Okay, Here's My Deal...

When I am wrong, I admit it. Yes, there was snow, just not in the manner predicted. Good enough for an early dismissal from school, anyway. The kids loved it and I got to spend a few extra hours with my son by getting him from the sitter early.

Know what is great? Uncrustables. They are these peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the freezer section that have no crust on them. You thaw them out for 30-60 minutes and then can eat them anytime in the next few hours. My son loves them...and so do I. And my husband.

Know what is not great? Among a plethora (that's a great word...look it up) of other things in the world, the fact that some people think they can bend the truth about others just to stir up trouble and feel powerful. One of my administrators is like that. Then she wonders why people don't trust her anymore when we catch her in these truth bends. Lie just seems like a harsh word, I like truth bend.

Another great thing? When someone (especially a young person) says something that is hysterically funny and they honestly do not know that it was. Case in point, one of my sixth graders today. We were discussing what it meant to be famous, in a good or bad way. They are going to do a reaserch project on 10 famous people of their choice. Then they pick their favorite and create a board game to teach others about their person. As they brainstormed, I was at my desk. I thought I heard her say Son of Sam. Wondering how a sixth grader in 2005 knew who Son of Sam was, I asked, "How do you know who Son of Sam is?" She said she had said Saddam Houssein. Then she asked who Son of Sam was. I said he was a serial killer from the 70's and she asked, "Well, was he worse than Sam?" I just broke out in laughter thinking she had been really quick to think and made a joke. She looked at me and asked what I was laughing at and I told her that she was really clever with her comment and I had to laugh...she wasn't joking. She thought there had been a Sam who was a serial killer and that this guy was actually his son.

I guess that is it for tonight.

Lies, I tell you, lies!!

Okay, here is my deal...

7:00 a.m. All the snow? Just as I said..."I'll believe it when I see it." It only began to snow about an hour (as opposed to just after midnight as predicted) ago and it is just a dusting. They say it is supposed to get heavier as the day progresses. Sure. Not that I am complaining that we did not get the 1-3 inches expected...I like snow, but not a lot of it.

A glimpse into the future?!

Okay, Here is My Deal...

Well, here it is, just the 7th of December and I think we have the trappings of a long winter! All three of us are sick...ear infection, bronchitis and flu. Dad, Mom and son. I hope this is not a glimpse into the furture of this winter season ={ On the optimistic side, perhaps we will get it all over with now and be healthy the rest of the season =}

Tonight is said to bring a snow of about 1-3 inches and then into tomorrow there is a call for 2-4 more. But, I always say about winters in Iowa and predicted snow, "I'll believe it when I see it." I would not mind enough snow for a late start to school, but I don't want to cancel. I hate to make up days at the end ofthe school year. Makes for squirrely kids...and teachers.

I heard an old wives tale today. It went like this: Whatever day ofthe month the first measurable snowfall occurs, that is how many snows will occur that winter. Hmmm, let's see, I think November 30 was our first with about 2-3 inches. Hope that is not a true tale.

Second Post...

Okay, Here is My Deal...

Well, here I am again. I have the basics of a webpage done. It is in the form of another blog called "All About the Fish" I have linked to this from that, but not vice versa. That may be a good idea. Not sure if I can do that, but, you live and learn. I know this is not too fascinating yet, but give me time.

The Beginning

Okay, Here is My Deal...

This is my first posting ever to a blog. It won't be too exciting because I am not sure where to start...at least not tonight. I can't believe that it could be this easy, though. Now the trick will be to see if I can link it to the webpage I am trying to create!!