Sick of School!!!!

I teach every period of the day, including all levels of middle and high school Spanish, English, Creative Writing and Environmental Science. I get a half an hour to eat lunch, which is my only breather.
Then, I come home to spend two to three hours helping my daughter with homework for her eight classes.
Next, I think about how I need to prepare for tomorrow's lessons, but instead brush my teeth and crash.

I don't know if I can keep up with this pace. It doesn't help that I have been running around in the hours right after school trying to complete the treasure hunt that Erin's teachers have assigned. Do they think they are being funny? Will there be a prize when I find all the rediculously picky items, such as a pocket folder that MUST be plastic and MUST be purple. I'm expecting a prize. Then again, I may never find it all, so never mind.

I'm venting and ranting and I'm sorry. I do feel a little bit better. At least with the hurricane days, the week was short and now we have the Labor Day weekend coming up.

Much Ado...

Ernesto was a no show.
Hallalujah!
I am tempted to keep all the patio stuff crammed onto the back porch until the season is over. And this time I'm not going to wait for next storm to be named before I stock up on gallons of water.

Rachel has an orthodontist appointment this afternoon and she may be getting her braces off. Keeping track of her retainers will be a real challenge. Erin has already lost hers and she generally is very responsible. We're suspecting Alp may have had something to do with it.

Ernesto

Yes, Ernesto. I can't help but think of that Ernest guy who made all those movies named Ernest Does This and Ernest Does That. And now, we await his Latino brother, Ernesto.

I also think of Ernie, of Ernie and Bert fame. That guy is near and dear to my heart.
But once again, he's another joker.
I wouldn't take him too seriously.
I see a million rubber duckies blowing around amongst the fronds.

Either way, we're preparing again.
I hope he doesn't know the importance of being earnest.

I, for one, wanted to believe this year would be different. We have been through enough in the past two years. Hell, yes, we deserve a break.

I heard they are relieved over in New Orleans because it is the one year anniversary of Katrina, and this one looks like it won't be showing its face in their neck of the USA woods. I like to think of myself as a nice person, but I can't help but want to send this one Anywhere Else. I guess I'm selfish.

So, school is cancelled already for tomorrow.


I was out for three days of last week with the High Fever Virus. It was horrible. I was so relieved to finally be well and about to get into the swing of things again.

Erin finally went to her first day of middle school at her new school today. Now, by the time she goes in for her second day, it will be like the first day all over again.

Blowing off course a bit...
In poetic news, I got a rejection letter from Eclectica. I did get a personal note about how much they liked Weird Girls, so that was nice. Doesn't take much these days to make me smile, I suppose!

Time to send it out again. If anyone has any suggestions for it, let me know. Maybe this is a good time to consider trying some revisions. Wow. It has been around since December! I'm determined to get her settled in SOMEWHERE! I had also submitted First Jobs along with it. I would like to get that one a home as well, but I suppose it could also use a little more work. After all this time, I could really put a fresh perspective on them. I could also botch them up big time.

I was thrilled to get a postcard from michi, who is on holiday in Italy. It was a beautiful picture and a wonderful surprise. I love seeing her actual writing. I'll save it for when she is famous some day.

Time to get the kids to bed. Tomorrow is big hurricane prep day. It could be my last day of electricity for awhile, too. Gas is already scarce around here, and I couldn't find any bottled water at Publix this evening. Maybe they will get in more tomorrow. Anyway, we have to do the shutters, bring in all outside decoration, prepare and charge batteries and lanterns, see if we can get gas for the generator (at least we have one of those this year), fill tubs and containers with water, and PRAY!

Day 1 Down

I survived my first day back to work. It is hard to believe that I have to go to bed soon and then wake up just to do it all over! Wasn't it enough to prove I could make it through this day? Do I really have to do it all again?
I have some great students to work with. I just wish I had a little more of a break here and there throughout the day. And it isn't easy teaching so many different subjects. I'm not an elementary school teacher, so I'm not used to that. I bought myself the Idiot's Guide to Global Warming for my Environmental Studies class. No, I'm not kidding.
I'm using the 7 Habits of Successful or Effective or Whatever it is Teens to begin my Writing course. That is the biggest class, and today I had them do little mini skits demonstrating the opposites of the good habits. They did an okay job with it. Getting this bunch to write will not be easy because many of them have dyslexia and it does not come easily to them. It is an interesting challenge. Right now I'm more or less getting them comfortable enough to open up.
I really need to get myself ready for tomorrow.
Erin missed her first day of school today because she can't seem to keep food down yet. She's been sick for almost a week now. That's just how bad this bug is.
Rachel went to her school for her first day today, and she is complaining because "these kids don't have a life!" She said she asked some what kind of music they like and they said jazz and the blues. For a favorite artist, they mentioned Elton John. Of course, my ultimately hip but less cultured child was looking for someone who shares a love for Panic! At the Disco or Fall Out Boy. We have had some arguments about the school already, and I can only hope that situation gets better. I have gone so out of my way to try to get my kids the best education possible, and I'm sick, and damn, I just don't feel like having this discusion tonight!

Back to School!

I have been so busy getting ready for the first day of school tomorrow. The girls both start in their prospective new schools, and I start my new job at Dillon Country Day School. My schedule is overwhelming. I teach every single period of the day. I get a half an hour for lunch around noon, but other than that, I'm non-stop. The classes are small, but I am teaching several different subjects (Spanish, English, Creative Writing and Environmental Science) to students in grades 6-12.
I can't believe we all have to wake up around 6am tomorrow morning. It is already time for us to wind down and get to bed now, so we can be somewhat rested.
I will be dropping Erin off at the Wellington Community center first, and she will get her bus from there at 7:15. Next, I'll be dropping Rachel off in front of the Barnes & Noble at the Wellington Mall at 7:30. Finally, I go to my school, which is basically a block or two from there, and greet students at the door.
Tomorrow is a really big day. I'm excited and anxious for it to get started already. I do not dread it at all. I want to do my best, but I also want to remember that I need to keep that within reason. I tend to take on more than what is necessary sometimes.
I think I need to get going right now.
I have to make sure everything is ready to go.
Backpacks are ready, lunches, school uniforms, etc.
And for me...my grade book, plans, handouts, etc.

Yard Sales, Pre-teen Sells Out

We finally had the yard sale. My daughter Erin loved it. She is a very entrepreneurial type. From the financial perspective, it really wasn't worth it one bit. We made about forty dollars. Then again, the purpose wasn't the money. It was to get the girls to get rid of some stuff, and this motivated them.
There were also some good lessons about business that I think Erin learned. So, it was a success on some level.

As for Rachel, I've been having some problems. She won't be twelve for another five months, and I feel like I'm already dealing with a teenager. First of all, she looks at least fourteen. The other problem is that her best friend IS fourteen. Every since we have been going out skating, Rachel and her friend Chelsea have developed a crush on a skater dude who happens to be "bisexual". This guy wears mascara and hangs out in the girls' bathroom. He sports a bilevel hairdo down to his shoulders. He is fourteen, and claims to currently have a boyfriend. Yeesh.

Last night I decided to let Rachel go to the movies with Chelsea and another friend. Chelsea's dad drove them to the theater and I was going to be picking them up. When it came time for me to give Rachel some cash, she told me she wasn't going to see a movie. I asked if I heard right. She said they were just going to eat something there. That sounded weird, but I know at this particular theater they have a huge eating area. So, I went along with it.
When I picked the girls up they told me that they saw a movie. I was irate. I don't let Rachel just see any movie, and I hadn't approved of one. They told me they saw the World Trade Center movie. I was pretty upset, and I told them so. I told Rachel I would no longer be able to trust her to go on a similar outing. She apologized up and down.

The saga continues. Today, she told me that they really didn't see a movie. She told her sister more of the things that they did, and one of them included going to the Taco Bell and McDonald's that are in the same strip mall as the theater. Yipes, I say, because that isn't a great place for young girls to be walking around on a Friday night. I always wondered who those parents were that let their young kids wander around like that, and here I am, now one of them!
Now, I'm really mad, and Rachel knows it. The thing is, I do feel bad for her because her friend is the one trying to encourage her to be sneaky, and she is the young one, trying to be cool, and she's pretty much stuck in the middle. Unfortunately, she made some wrong choices. The problem now is that Chelsea's sister told her that Rachel fessed up, and now Chelsea is mad and Rachel is crying.

I guess it isn't so bad. I have learned from it, and unfortunately one thing I learned is that Rachel is not ready to do things alone with Chelsea. I sort of had that feeling all along, but I guess I decided to give it a try. Man, they really do grow up too soon. I never expected to be dealing with stuff like this already.

Mike Douglas Passes, John Lennon Rocks My World, and Carl Is Just Fine!

I have John Lennon singing Imagine on the Mike Douglas show.
This, for me, is magic.

Mike Douglas passed away today. May he rest in peace. I was young, but I do remember enjoying his show.

And, some good news...
According to a co-worker who posted a comment on Carl's blog, he has just been busy with work.
I'm so relieved.

Yard Sale Flop, Boxcar Rejection and Carl Bryant Worries

Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. I'm feeling MUCH better, much sooner than I thought I would.
I have, however, been busy trying to get the kids ready for school. Since both of the girls are going off to different, new schools, there has been a lot to do.
I have also been preparing for my new teaching gig.

We tried to have our much-procrastinated yard sale this morning, but before we even sold one item, we decided to close up shop, shove everything into the garage and give it an early try tomorrow morning. We were hardly getting any traffic and it is just too unbearably hot to sit out there waiting to make an itty bitty sale.
If it weren't for the girls, I would NEVER even be doing this. They wanted to make some extra money and I wanted to inspire them to get rid of old stuff.
I think we will have much more success starting earlier and on a Saturday. If not, at least we can say we gave it our best effort.

I will have to convince the girls' father to pick them up tomorrow at noon instead of tonight, though. It is always hard to get a hold of him, which could be a problem.

I finally got a no-go response from Boxcar Poetry Review. I subbed a few poems out to so long ago I don't even remember what I sent.
Here's their letter, which I thought was quite nice:
Dear Lauren,

Thank you for submitting your work to Boxcar Poetry Review. We have read your submission with great interest, and although we have decided not to publish these particular poems, we invite you to submit again.

Best wishes,
Neil Aitken, Editor
Boxcar Poetry Review

I just looked to see what I sent them, and it was a collection that included Weird Girls. The other two were titled Away and Storm. I guess I'll need to send those out again some day.

I have just a few more days before my husband returns from his long trip. I have done so few of the many things I hoped to accomplish while he was gone. I will be running around like crazy in the next few days. I do work much better under pressure.
He didn't actually even know any of the projects I hoped to accomplish. There are just some things I prefer to do when he isn't around, like painting walls. He's too much of a nervous neat freak and is way too bothered by the smells.

One final note...
While the rest of the world waits on pins and needles for a picture of baby Suri Cruise, I am instead anxiously awaiting some news concerning fellow blog friend Carl Bryant. He is normally an avid blogger who suddenly dropped off the face of blogland. I think it has been about a month since his last post. Because he was having some health problems prior to that, I'm really concerned. Yes, I do feel a little bit strange about my worrying, since I really don't know that guy outside of blogland. But I sure enjoy his blog, appreciate his keen sense of humor, admire his poetry. He seems like a very nice guy. Yeah, I miss him here. I hope he is okay. I really do. If anyone knows what is up, please let me know.

back and scrambled

Sorry to have taken so long to post after our return from Winter Haven. We were completely wiped out for a day after that, and then on Saturday night, I took the girls to The Palace, our local indoor skate place. Unfortunately, while I was out there whipping around the circle, feeling young and free(haha)...I got slammed into the ground by a man who was trying to avoid hitting some kid who was cutting across the floor. I fell on my right side and my face bounced off the wood floor. I remember the guy behind me asking me if I was okay and I just said, "NO" and sat there for a while before attempting to move. Once I was helped off the floor, the man's wife got me some ice. I cried while holding it to my throbbing jaw and cheekbone.
I eventually got to the office to file an accident report, and the owner says he thinks I should really go to the ER to have myself checked out. I had been considering that all along, but was hoping I could avoid that since I don't have any health insurance. At this point my vision was blurry and I was sick to my stomach. I decided to go. My daughter's friends had to call their parents to come together so one of them could drive my car home and the other could drop me off at the hospital.
Anyway, I checked out okay and was given some painkillers and anti-inflammatory meds. I've been surviving on those for the past few days, but decided to go without last night since I had to go to my first day of work today. That was a rough night. Tonight I'm going to try taking at least half. As the doctor predicted, I presently feel like I wrestled an alligator.

Road Trip

My girls, the neighbor girls and I are headed to Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Florida tomorrow morning. We are going to stay overnight in the nearby hotel. We plan to be back Thursday night, and I will post some pics when we return.

Blog Trouble

I don't know if anyone can access my blog right now, because I just get a blue screen when I try to view it. I don't know what is going on. If anyone is able to read this, please leave me a quick comment to let me know. I don't know how to fix this because I don't really get what is going on. My other blogs are fine!