soo hungry.

We are testing this week and next week. Which means we are stuck with one class in the morning for three hours. This is hellish enough, considering me and my students have a tepid relationship to begin with, and long period of time together can lead to open warfare. To compound the problem, we skip a class to get the one long class period. And that class is, of course, second period. My planning. Always. Not only have I not had a chance to watch regis and kelly all week, but I've missed my morning snack today and yesterday. Usually I have some fruit, part of my lunch, or at least some tea about 10. But not so this week. As a result, I'm STARVING, and cranky as hell, and my third period is really starting to wear on me, and we still have like 1:15 left before lunch. Save me now.

WHY can't I be more popular?

So far, my kids have done pretty well on their state tests. Except for one, all of the kids who were actually in school 90% of the time have passed.

Meanwhile, the teacher downstairs, who isn't anything that brilliant or creative, but does get along with her kids really well, has way better scores than me. Admittedly, she has computers in her room so her kids had more practice tests to take, etc. But I think it also says a lot about how having a relationship with your kids is an intangible thing that definitely effects or instruction, if only for attendance. I know more of my kids first period would come to school regularly if they liked me.

But, on the other hand, oh well.

thirteen day sleft . . .

my kids are talking about how sixth grade was, like, the hardest thing EVER.

Famous last words

I had originally planned on making my own wedding cake. Those of you who've had weddings can probably understand this, because while all things about weddings are ridiculously over priced, wedding cakes are especially. I could easily spend 500 dollars on the cake, which I think is absurd. Todd had many many many objections to me making the cake, and after I read a book about how to do it, I relented. It is a truly complicated process. But now, I'm rethinking things. This is probably due mostly to Todd not being here to talk sense in to me and me having too much time on my hands. I think that this weekend I am going to do a "trial" wedding cake. How hard can it be, Right?

I love finding new books . . .

I just picked up a book called "Supper of the Lamb" and I found out it's part of a larger collection of books called the Modern Library Food series, which is edited by none other than my favorite food author, Ruth Reichl. Aaaah, a plethora of new books to distract me from wedding planning.

http://www.randomhouse.com/modernlibrary/seriesfood.html

Weddings make my brain hurt.

This whole "wedding" thing is getting a little old. I guess I've really got the big stuff under control, the groom, the officiant, the places, the food. It's the stuff like the rehearsal dinner and the photographer that's making me crazy. Believe it or not,there are not a lot of decent places for rehearsal dinners in CH.

The photographer is also a conundrum. I found this photojournalist who takes AMAZING pictures. And they're the kind of pictures I would actually want, i.e. not just a whole bunch of portraits. But, of course, its' obscenely expensive. So I'm trying to decide if I want to spend more money on pictures than on food, or have a couple of friends take pictures for free/cheap.

Hm.

Cute kid stories for once.

but not, they're not about my students.

As prevoiusly mentioned, I live with an 11 month old and a 3 year old, and they're super cute. Especially the 3 year old. He is a very perceptive little kid, but he doesn't always know the right way to say things.

For instance.

Martha came to visit me this weekend, it was funny watching twins blow the kids mind. His mom mentioned how he had an instant comfort level with Martha because she looked just like me. Then, last night, he started asking us where "other rachel" was. We were like "Martha? Rachel's sister?" and he said yeah.

Todd is, of course, in Ithaca. This little boy's dad is named Mike, and he calls his parents by their first names sometimes, especially, for some reason, when he's looking for them. Somehow, the kid put two and two together that the relationship between his mom and dad is the same as the relationship between me and todd (which is pretty amazing when you think about it) and he asked his mom "where's Rachel's Mike?" and she said "todd?" and he said "yeah."

That is a cute, smart, kid. Just goes to show how much more they pick up on than we think they do.

not to be crass, but

I would like you to do me a favor. Would you please write a letter to my students and explain to them that sometimes, in the real world, you just have to HOLD IT? I realize that this is not the most polite thing to talk about, but that's my life. I have to pee all the time, but no matter what, I just hav to wait until lunch, my planning period, or school's over, that's just all there is to it. Think about your life, how many times have you really had to go so bad that you couldn't wait? I can think of once, in high school, in Ms. Womble's class. not AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. It just doesn't happen. So, either, this school has some kind of widespread medical condition, or these kids need to get over themselves.

grrr

I thought I had the photographer for the wedding all figured out. I was going to get my old band director to do it (stop laughing, di, he's good!!) But it turns out he has a competition that day. Which doubly sucks, because he wont' be able to come, AND because now I have to find a good photographer at a reasonable price, which I don't really know how to do.

any suggestions?

helpless pleas . . .

I've often said I'm not as good as you guys at this internet garbage. and it's true. as proof, I have two requests for help.

1. My RSS feed doesn't work. I don't know why. If you go to www.seestur.com/atom.xml everything seems ok, but in google reader it wont' update. Insert scooby dooish style "huh?" here. Any ideas?

2. We are doing all the RSVP's for the wedding by phone or internet. I want to pu ta form on my website where people can enter their name, number of people in their party, etc, and then it will email me the results. But I don't know how. Is this even possible? Could someone (I might be looking at you erin) help me?

I love you internet.

oh my god, is that a . . . ?!?

So, I took the compost out last night. I then walked around to the side of the house to hose the bucket out. You know how sometimes, when you're really used to something, you dont really look at it or pay attention to what you're doing, you just kind of see what you expect to see? Well, I was looking at the hose, and at first all I saw was the hose, and then somewhere in the back of my head, something didn't seem right, and I looked more closely, and I swear, the inner dialogue went like this:

me: what is that?
other me: it's just the hose.
me: no, it's black, the hose isn't black.
other me: . . uh. . .
me: OH MY GOD, IT'S A SNAKE!
[other me jumps ten feet in the air and runs shrieking around the corner.]

So, country girl or not, I'm still getting the heebee jeebees over that snake. It was just a black snake, and I wouldn't exactly say I was scared of it, and being a black snake I was kind of even happy to see it, but still, *shudder*

bummer

Todd left this morning to go to New York for three months :( I am very sad. I hate it when he goes away, but it does keep me from taking him for granted. I'm trying to focus on how happy I'll be when he comes back, but we'll see how successfull that is.

The good news is, when he finally comes back it will almost be getting married time! In other good news, Martha and Trevor are coming this weekend, yay!

OMG

This little girl just brought up the whole "your teacher stinks" thing AGAIN, and she's STILL laughing about it.

Dear Mazda Protege:

Hi, You don't know me, but I was stuck behind you on I-95 from about exit 75 to exit 61 this morning. I just had a few issues I wanted to address about your driving.

1. It is very annoying when you get in the far left lane and then go only slightly faster or slower than the people just to our right. I actually find this worse than going significantly slower in the left lane, because it makes it nearly impossible to get around you.

2. While we're on the topic, there's a little button somewhere in your car called "cruise control." It can help prevent that pesky 5-8 mile speed variation you seem to be experiencing, and make it much easier on those of us behind you who are attempting to use our cruise control.

3. I know that exit really sneaks up on you. Especially since it's only marked two miles ahead of time, but I was just really confused by how you (finally) got over to the right lane, suddenly sped up 10 mph, and then dove between those two mac trucks, slamming on your brakes. I'm sure you had a plan. However, I would appreciate it if next time you would wait until I was well past you to implement it.

That's all, I hope you take all this in the spirit it was intended. Just trying to make the road a safer place,

Rachel

nice neat stacks . . .

So, whoever my sub was on Friday was apparently completely neurotic. I got back to my room today, and every surface in the place had been straightened. Literally, straightened. What were haphazard piles are now nice, neat, stacks. It's a little eerie. I've never had a sub do that before. I'm a little disturbed, actually, that he felt the need to mess with all my stuff.

Until today, this has been top secret, but congratulate my future husband on his new job! He is going to be an honest to goodness university professor next year, which I think officially make him smart (just kidding, he was already smart.) Between his new job and my new job, we will be collectively making 40% more money than this year. Sweet!

something I don't hate

I so often come on here and complain about companies that have done me wrong (hello JIFFY LUBE) I thought I'd compliment a company that absolutely did me right.

About a year and a half ago, I finally broke down and bought a kitchenaid stand mixer. You foodies out there know what I'm talking about, it was even the kind where the bowl went up and down. It retailed for 400, I got it for about 300 at a discount place.

Anyway, last weekend, it broke. I was mixing dough with about four cups of flower in it (it's supposed to handle up to 12) and I heard this popping sound and it stopped moving. Of course, I took it apart. It turned out, the transmission housing was cracked in half on the inside!! I was shocked. I decided the part was clearly defective. I emailed kitchen aid and asked them to replace the part (it's about a 20 dollar part.)

Today, I got an email from kitchen aid, even though my mixer is way beyond their one year hassle free replacement warranty, they're sending me a brand new mixer for free! I am so pleased. I feel like they're really taking responsiblity for their product in a way that I wish more companies would do. When you spend that much money on an appliance, it's partly because it has a name like Kitchen Aid behind it, and you know people who tell stories about having there's for generations. Well, I can safely say kitchen aid lived up to they hype!

go MLB

this is cute.

oh jeeze . . .

two girls just had a loud "you stink, no you stink!" argument, at the end one of them muttered under their breath "your teacher stinks" and the ohter one laughed uproariously.

and these are juniors.

so, so tired

The good news, I am taking Friday off. This is my second short week in a row. Go me!

The bad news, my first period HATES me. Like really really hates me. I am TOTALLY RUINING THEIR LIVES hates me. I gave out progress reports today, which on the one hand is really important because they need to know their grades to prevent total riot at report card time, but on the other hand is INCREDIBLY PAINFUL because it leads to incessant and emphatic BITCHING for the rest of the period. It is all my fault. I am failing them on purpose. Never mind that all they have to each day is one worksheet and turn it in. The answers don't even have to be right. and never mind that at least one student in each class ACTUALLY HAS A 100. The rest of them, who have 50's or lower, are only failing out of spite.

Right.

I have been without television for over a week now, and the direct tv man is not coming until Friday. I tried to hook it up myself last night, but that was unsuccesfull. I did manage to get West Wing with rabbit ears, but I missed the Veronica Mars season finale. Fortunately martha is saving it for me so I can watch it this weekend when I come home. I am missing massive amounts of television. On the other hand, I am sort of kind of having an actual life. Todd and I actually have conversations with complete sentences, and the whole household hung out on the dock and fished last night, it was very neat.

Go Nature.

it's a different world than where I come from.

I was not the worlds greatest student. I slept in class, I was absent a lot, I generally did not put forth a lot of effort in most of my classes. BUT . . .

On what planet is it ok to be gone for FIFTEEN MINUTES to the bathroom? Really? And then look at the teacher like she's an idiot when she says 5-6 is probably more appropriate?

WHY would you ask to go to the bathroom ONCE, not protest at all when the teacher says no (the teacher always says no the first time.) and then WALK OUT five minutes later?

WHY WHY WHY do you come to school 10-15 minutes late VERY SINGLE DAY?

Why do you have a 14 in my class, which is based ONLY on doing classwork, and then ask me for extra credit?

As long as I live, I will never understand these children.

As Martha would say, this is audience participation.

I'm conducting a poll. No really. Please answer the following question, and tell me about how long it took you.

AT the convention center's internet kiosk, it costs $2.50 to log on for up to 5 minutes. Each additional minute costs 35 cents. Ryder goes online at the kiosk and spend a total of $9.85. How many minutes was she on the computer?

bit by the Monday bug . .

Oh boy, was I ever bit by the Monday bug this morning. First, I overslept, although I'm not sure you can call it oversleeping when you do it every day, then, right when I thought I was going to get out the door on time for once, I couldn't find my purse. My new XX-house mate had moved it. I had probably left it in the middle of the floor somewhere, and she had kindly placed it by the door, but still, I couldn't find it, and at 6:03 when it takes you an hour to get to work and you're supposed to be there at the ABSOLUTE LATEST at 7, that's not good. Then I got grumpy because I couldn't find it and I was mean to todd (to be fair he was a) not helping me look and b) telling me I shouldn't left it out, which is true, but not what I wanted to hear.). then I got in the car and the XM radio was in the house, where XY-house mate had been using it. SO I had to go back inside to get it, and then I had to go apologize and make up with Todd just in case I got in a fiery crash and never saw him again, then I was really late.

On TOP of all that, it's been raining for like, three days. Driving to school on 95 through richmond is no picnic on an ordinary day, ESPECIALLY when it's raining.

I still have not heard once and for all from comcast that there is no possible way I can get cable. I'm supposed to find out for sure Today. So pray to whatever god you believe in, even if it's just the internet, that I will not be in a technology wilderness, k?

Just like an onion!

I probably shouldn't be saying this on the internet, but I saw a girl in the hall yesterday, and her hair was all done in microbraids, only they were pulled up in a pony tail on the exact top of her head. she looked JUST LIKE AN ONION.

Have I mentioned how much I'm going to look forward to NOT getting up at 4:45 in the morning and driving an hour to get to work next year? How much does my job suck. I left during my planning period to get a cup of coffee today, and I marched right back into the school past an asst principal. Iwas looking at him like "go head, I dare you to scold me for leaving campus, GO AHEAD."

My kids are all exhausted for some reason today, which is fine because so I am I, due to night time cat shenanigans. there is one kid who is WAY to sick to be in school, I'm keeping my distance.

Todd and I are going to the busch race tonight!! I know most of you don't understand the excitement, but think of it this way. Any sporting event you can bring you OWN COOLER OF BEER into is ok by me.

If you are reading this post, then you are somewhere that has the internet. Good for you. I'm jealous. We do not have internet at our new house yet. What is worse, we many not GET any internet, because we may not be able to (dial-up doesn't really count.) what is is even WORSE is we don't even have any TV yet, I haven't watched ANY TV AT ALL in more than two days. This is highly unusual for me.

The good news is, with all the excitement of moving, unpacking, letting the animals run around free outside, fishing, watching the sun rise over the lake, and drinking champagne on one of our many, many decks, patios, or sunrooms, I've barely noticed the lack of modern conveniences.

Also, the kitchen is amazing.

In slightly related news, would anyone like a chubby, tabby cat, free to a good home?

moving day!

In case I haven't mentioned it before, nothing makes me want to throwout everything I own like moving. We have now reached the phase where all of our stuff we actually like is gone and the only thing left is random stuff that has coming leaking out of every cabinet, closet, and general crevasse in the apartment. It's mostly not stuff we actually use, but not stuff we're quite ready to get rid of yet, either. I did give away like 5 bags of clothes. I even, finally, let go of all of my size twos, realizing that that was about 6 sizes ago and we're probably never going back there again. C'est la vie.