Butterfly Angel

and so it begins...

2010-08-11T20:50:00.000-05:00

Chuckle...

2010-08-06T18:43:00.000-05:00

Tidbits!!

2010-07-09T19:38:00.002-05:00

My brother is very active in his church so he volunteered to be ‘’den dad” at a weeklong church camp. His assignment: 30 9-11 year old boys!! He called it the longest week of his life and he is retired Army. Bro said that there is no way he could be a teacher and appreciates those of us that do!!
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Mammogram detected some calcification; need to return in six months to follow up. Per the radiologist, this is not uncommon. Won’t sweat it, yet!! Colonoscopy was negative ~ Hallelujah!!! Rather not experience that “cleansing process” anytime soon. YUCK!!
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Trip to Virginia was phenomenal and extremely intense. I thought I knew the Civil War, boy did I get schooled. Will try and put some photos up later…
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I am spending my summer being a caretaker for a recovering stroke patient. Makes me appreciate the things I take for granted such as be able to care for myself!

Bye for now,
~ba

Independence Day ~ 2010

2010-07-04T14:14:00.004-05:00

This day in history...

2010-07-02T09:23:00.003-05:00

July 2nd, 1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson signs into law the historic Civil Rights Act.

1776: Congress votes for independence.

1863: Second day of the battle at Gettysburg.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

2010-07-01T21:11:00.002-05:00

Mrs. Perky and hubby are proud parents of a 6lb 12oz daughter...21in long...July 1st, 2010 @ 9 pm...arrived on her due date!!!!

Best wishes!!!

~ba

Happy Father's Day ~ 2010

2010-06-20T13:41:00.004-05:00

Miss you dad...you may be gone but you are never forgotten!!

love,

~ba

Summer to-do list…

2010-06-18T13:13:00.006-05:00

#1 on the list is an awesome trip, compliments of the Teaching American Grant. The topic of study during year two was the Civil War, i.e. causes, etc. and we are heading to Virginia for the following:

***Antietam National Battlefield
***Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
***Ford’s Theater National Historic Site
***Lincoln’s Cottage
***Pamplin Historic Park/National Museum of the Civil War Soldier
***National Museum of the Civil War
***White House of the Confederacy
*** Museum of the Confederacy and Tredegar Museums
***Confederate Richmond/Civil War Dinner & Education Program
***Three Day Colloquia along with the above listed Field Experiences

Needless to say we will be busy but I am excited to take it all in as this is my FAVORITE time period in US History.

Medical appointments ~ better to be proactive rather than reactive!! Also scheduling them during the summer break limits the amount of time out of the classroom; of course there is always professional development during the school year.

Rest and exercise: want to continue losing weight; lost 10 lbs. in a year, the best way to do so is gradually since it is a lifestyle change.

See you soon,
~ba

Flag Day ~ 2010

2010-06-14T01:46:00.000-05:00

This day in history...

2010-06-13T10:52:00.003-05:00

June 13, 1966 ~ the US Supreme Court hands down its decision in Miranda v. Arizona, establishing the princple that all criminal suspects must be advised of their rights before interrogation.

Hello internet…it’s been a long time!!!

2010-06-01T05:25:00.000-05:00

June 4th marks the end of a roller coaster year!

Ms. Perky and I achieved an 88% passing rate for SS ~ so close to our 90% goal. Honestly, I didn’t think I would fare so well based on some of the population I had.

Ms. Perky and her hubby are anxiously awaiting their bundle of joy ~ early July or earlier in my opinion.
~~~~~~~~
The only constant in life is change and that point has been driven home quite forcefully these past couple of weeks. An extremely close friend had a small stroke while on the way to work. He was taken to a local facility where he did not receive the proper care. His daughter works at another facility and moved heaven and earth to get him there. It was really a touch-and-go situation for while because proper protocols were not followed. No more details BUT if you have a loved one who is sick, please be an advocate for them if they are unable to speak for themselves!!! It has been an emotional ride dealing with this and ending another school year.

~ba

Oh pun the door...

2010-04-04T18:37:00.003-05:00

THE ABILITY TO MAKE AND UNDERSTAND PUNS IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT.

Here are the ten first place winners in the International Pun Contest:

1. A vulture boards an airplane, carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at him and says, "I'm sorry, sir, only one carrion allowed per passenger."

2. Two fish swim into a concrete wall. The one turns to the other and says "Dam!"

3. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

4. Two hydrogen atoms meet. One says "I've lost my electron." The other says "Are you sure?" The first replies "Yes, I'm positive."

5. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? His goal: transcend dental medication.

6. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse.

"But why?", they asked, as they moved off.

"Because," he said," I can't stand chess-nuts boasting in an open foyer."

7. A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption.

One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan. " Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."

8. A group of friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close.

Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop.

Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that only Hugh can prevent florist friars.

9. Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and, with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him (Oh, man, this is so bad, it's good) a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.

10. And finally, there was the person who posted ten different puns to friends, with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did.

2010-04-02T17:21:00.001-05:00

Look familiar???

2010-02-17T18:50:00.004-06:00

2010-02-16T19:54:00.001-06:00

2010-02-09T01:53:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday, BA!!!!

My state of mind...

2010-02-08T20:05:00.004-06:00

A dying dream

2010-01-18T18:34:00.003-06:00

Over 50 years ago a child decided that when she grew up she wanted to be a teacher. She enjoyed going to school, discovering and learning about the world around her. Her parents were educators and she took her cues from them. It took many years for her to get to her goal ~ life gets in the way of dreams! Success came at age 40 and thus began her career of teaching.

Fast forward to 2010: teaching is no longer a dream; it is a nightmare where the dream is drowned by excessive paperwork, meaningless testing, NCLB, AYP and the sword of Damocles hanging over her head. What can she do to revive the dream?? She has been told by others that she is an effective teacher but she herself doesn't believe it.

Any advice, blogger friends???

Fading fast,
~ba

Welcome 2010...

2010-01-01T00:15:00.003-06:00

May 2010 be a year of peace and joy for all!!

2009-12-31T19:49:00.002-06:00

Farewell 2009!!!

2009-12-31T19:09:00.007-06:00

Personal highlights in 2009:

Daughter graduated from nursing school and gainfully employed; makes more than mom!
Got to travel to Boston and NYC this summer ~ best vacation ever!
New administrator at the helm; nice to be appreciated
Accepted as a participant in the Teaching American History grant
Annual mammogram: clear
Six month oncologist visit: clear and lost 6 pounds

During this decade:

Employed by district – 10 years Jan. 21, 2010
Blessed with a grandson: age 7 smart as a whip and not afraid to speak his mind. Doesn’t sound like he is related to anyone I know!!
Both of my parents died: Mom, 2000; Dad, 2004
Diagnosed with breast cancer: July 2005 BUT I am a 4 year survivor - God is good!

Have a happy and a blessed New Year!!!

~ba

ps.....I had these as bullets but they aren't showing up.

2009-09-19T12:20:00.001-05:00

So much for the fable....

~ba

2009-09-18T19:39:00.006-05:00

My favorite folk trio has become a duo ~ thanks for sharing your talent and for showing us how to stand up for our convictions!

“Puff the Magic Dragon” is my kids’ favorite but mine are: “500 Miles” and “Blowin in the Wind”

Rest in peace, Mary Travers.

Fluttering by,
~ba

ps. link to the cartoon

A moment of silence...

2009-09-11T00:27:00.002-05:00

re-post...

2009-09-10T18:23:00.008-05:00

September 11th, 2001

black Tuesday morning,

never to be forgotten.

all innocence lost.

tragedy, chaos

envelops the U.S.A.

silently we weep.

though we are tested,

democracy will endure

and peace will prevail.

©2004 butterfly angel

Plug for a new blog..

2009-09-09T20:08:00.002-05:00

Here is a link for a new Texas blog: Dog Canyon. Wander on over and take a look see....

fluttering by,

~ba

photography by BA

2009-09-08T20:21:00.001-05:00

From my visit to New York City ~ July 2009. I have a GREAT camera with 12 mega pixels, etc... I will randomly post more down the road.

holiday cheer???

2009-09-07T10:12:00.003-05:00

Hope y'all are enjoying the three day weekend!

fluttering by,

~ba

September is upon us....

2009-09-04T20:32:00.003-05:00

Feel free to leave your opinions in the comment section...

~ba

Historical tidbits...

2009-08-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn't just how you like it, think about how things used to be.

Here are some facts about the 1500s:

They used to use urine to tan animal skins, so families used to all pee in a pot & then once a day it was taken & sold to the tannery.......if you had to do this to survive you were "Piss Poor"

But worse than that were the really poor folk who couldn't even afford to buy a pot...........they "didn't have a pot to piss in" and were the lowest of the low.

Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell… Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence, the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married.

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the bath water!"

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof. Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.

(Getting quite an education, aren't you?)

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special.When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon." They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and "chew the fat."

Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer...

And that's the truth...

Now, whoever said History was boring ! ! !

fluttering by,

~ba

In Memoriam...

2009-08-26T19:53:00.004-05:00

The literary world has lost a great soul ~ may he, too, rest in peace!

Family Reunion...

2009-08-25T19:47:00.001-05:00

Senator Ted Kennedy ~ 1932-2009

A New Academic Year!

2009-08-23T19:55:00.002-05:00

In about 12 hours or so begins a new journey!

How is this one different from prior ones? We have a new captain that works with her crew and shows us respect. What a difference a year makes! I had all of my prep done by Friday evening and did NOT go in on Saturday (yesterday) ~ a first!!!

I am sporting some major bruises incurred while playing ‘capture the flag’ (called the geriatric version by some). Hey, I took one for the team and continued to support them even if this was the first time that a casualty had occurred. BA, the leader even in injuries!!!!

Tomorrow will be hectic as Ms. Perky & I have some large class #’s ~ 35 in a class period???? Hopefully all will balance out quickly…don’t have room for that many desks!

Have a fantastic school year!

Fluttering by,
~ba

Celebrate?

2009-08-21T19:38:00.004-05:00

August 21st, 1959 the Territory of Hawai’i became the 50th state. The celebration marking 50 years of statehood has been rather low-keyed.

Why? Read here for a bit of history. I have managed to live in two states that were independent countries before statehood: Hawai’i and Texas. Whatever your thoughts are about the Aloha State, it has a wonderful culture and history.

Aloha!
~ba

89 years....

2009-08-18T19:24:00.004-05:00

On this date in 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to suffrage!!!!!

fluttering by,

~ba

death is around the corner...(humour!)

2009-08-08T15:11:00.000-05:00

TEA update

2009-08-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

The latest draft of the SS TEKS revision is posted here for your reading enjoyment. I read the 8th grade changes and I can see where I need to modify instruction! Will read the other topics later when I need to sleep...

Fluttering by,
~ba

can you identify this??

2009-08-02T18:30:00.005-05:00

It's "Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel. Can you believe that this is year #22 for this series?? When it airs, it is my signal that a new school year is upon us!! Are you ready??

btw, this is a whale shark. Learn more by clicking on the link above.

fluttering by,
~ba

What where they thinking??

2009-08-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

Behold, our new license plate!! Yuck... We actually had an opportunity to vote on the new plate; this was not.my.choice!! Believe me, it looks worse out on the road~when will we learn?

fluttering by,

~ba

what's going on?

2009-07-31T21:45:00.006-05:00

Ugh…had to be up early to meet a 7 o’clock bus for a jaunt to Austin!

The conference I attended, “Change in the Power of the Presidency,” turned out to be worth the trip. Not only did I deepen content knowledge but received some fabulous lesson plans as well. The sessions I attended focused on Washington and Jackson respectively. Can't wait to share this stuff with Ms. Perky!

being a scholar
creates enthusiasm.
learning never stops!

Four years and counting

2009-07-25T03:29:00.001-05:00

A Milestone

I am humble and grateful to be able to celebrate this event.

fluttering by,

~ba

Harrumph…

2009-07-22T11:29:00.000-05:00

It is hotter than Hades here in South Texas, so it makes sense to go for a walk when it is cooler. Early morning, before the white hot rays sap a person of all energy, is probably a good time. I am trying unsuccessfully to hit my 7,000 steps per day; while I was out of town for three weeks, it was a cinch to meet the goal.

I ventured out this morning around 9:00 to boost the step count; it was not a good idea. It seems that some dog owners think it is ok to let their pets run free. Three such creatures came barking at me as I attempted to walk and I made a U-turn. These were pit bull puppies and I was taking no chances; one of the owners of said creatures was outside watering his grass and said nothing. On to plan B, reversing my route around the complex only to have a large dog run out at me from nowhere!

“Oh, he’s friendly, he won’t hurt you,” I heard the owner say! At least she apologized for frightening me.

Yeah, right! You know that, I don’t. When a large animal runs toward me, I am scared witless!!! My whole problem is that this is a mobile home community, the pets shouldn’t be! My new neighbors have a puppy that they just started putting outside during the day. The poor thing whines and cries for company and to be free.

Give me my cats….

Fluttering by,
~ba

boredom?

2009-07-21T15:57:00.002-05:00

I decided to tweak a few things on the blog...comments/criticisms welcomed!!

fluttering by,
~ba

'One small step....'

2009-07-20T05:35:00.000-05:00

Buzz Aldrin stands beside an American flag at Tranquility Base on the surface of the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. July, 1969 Tranquility Base, Mare Tranquillitatus, Moon

©LIFE Magazine

1969: headlines ranging from USA landing on the moon, Woodstock, Chappaquiddick incident, Charles Manson killing spree, BA graduates from high school.

I was working that Sunday at the Dole pineapple cannery. Back then, it was a rite of a passage that teenagers work either in the fields or in the cannery. I arrived home, cleaned up from my shift and prepared for the newsworthy event. Luckily for the 50th state we were 5 hours behind central time so it was about the late afternoon when I saw history unfold. Ironic how I listened/watched Walter Cronkite that day and now he has gone to the great news desk in the sky right in time for this 40th anniversary.

Let’s just say that a certain 16 year old was moved that we had accomplished the goal set by President Kennedy to have a man on the moon by the end of the decade and for that day at least, proud to be an American!

fluttering by,
~ba

Vacation thoughts...

2009-07-19T21:00:00.007-05:00

Summer vacation means fun,
doing everything under the sun...

Reading books with no papers to grade,
drinking iced tea while sitting in the shade...
Talk with you later - it is time to run!

Diversity

2009-07-17T12:48:00.001-05:00

“The beauties of nature come in all colors. The strengths of humankind come in many forms. Every human being is wonderfully unique. All of us contribute in different ways. When we learn to honor the difference, and appreciate the mix, we find HARMONY!” **

Wonko has posted on the SS TEKS revisions several times as well as the local newspaper; it doesn’t look good. I am not going to beat the proverbial dead horse here as I have responded on his posts - you can form your own conclusions. Personally, all peoples’ stories need to be told since they contributed to this tapestry called society.

ttfn,
~ba

**The above was part of a final exam (June 30, 1995) in ‘multi-culturism’, a part of my master’s curriculum. I had lunch with that professor and she handed me my paper. Yowza!!!!

aren't they cute??

2009-07-15T20:01:00.003-05:00

Here is a picture of some stray kittens taken with my new camera over a month ago. Just finished sorting& organizing photos from my trips.

I got the blues...

2009-07-13T17:47:00.002-05:00

Today I had a follow up appointment with my surgeon regarding my mammogram. Rec'd a phone call this morning to inquire about health insurance. Our district keeps changing plans, hence the call. The very cordial clerk proceeded to tell me that she ws 98% sure that my doctor was 'out of network' for this insurer. She was right and gave me a couple of options: private pay was $65 for the office visit or have them bill the insurance company and pay a ginormous deductible. I cancelled and she sent my results to my primary care physician.

Called insurance comapny to see about getting said doctor 'in-network' ~

"Why don't you get another surgeon?"

Let's see why that isn't an option: I have been his patient for 4 years since he is the one who performed the lumpectomy. We have a great rapport and why would I go see a stranger for this??

Long story short, it will take about 6-8 weeks to get him in IF he is approved. If not, I will reschedule and pay the bigger amount to see him. At least I found this all out BEFORE I made the trip across town~saved some gas!!

~ba

Karma can be a bad girl….

2009-07-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

A/C in youngest one’s car had not been firing on all cylinders for a while so I let her use my vehicle while I was out of state. Saturday I visited my friendly mechanic to have him diagnose the problem. His initial thought was the ‘blower motor’ since you could sense cool air emitting from the vents but with no sense of power. The glove box had to be dismantled in order to access said part and that required some acrobatics on his part!!!

“Um, BA, I want to show you something.”

I saw two items in his hand: the air filter for the a/c (extremely GROSS) and a plastic sheet resembling a shopping bag. It was a lobster bib from the national chain which had somehow worked its way on to the filter, hence blocking the flow of air. The filter cost $25 to replace rather than $125 for the blower motor. (Parts not labor!)

When questioned about the bib, I was told that she was going to tease me that she had gone to eat lobster and I didn’t get to go. Her dad talked her out of picking on me; karma still got her though!

ttfn,
~ba

greetings from NYC...

2009-07-04T01:11:00.002-05:00

Happy 233rd birthday, USA!

I'm back...briefly

2009-06-28T18:20:00.002-05:00

I think that Boston survived us!!! Brief stay @ home, off to NYC Monday morning for r&r...

Will post more details later as I am still trying to process the trip and prepare for another one.

ttfn,

~ba

The wait is over...

2009-06-27T10:47:00.003-05:00

"Caboose Angel" BSN, RN

Love always,
Mom, a.k.a.~ba

2009-06-21T01:42:00.000-05:00

“A man knows when he is growing old because he begins to look like his father.”

~ Gabriel García Márquez

Happy Father's Day! ~ I am missing my Dad today as I visit the city of my birth: Boston.

Adios,
~ba

chuckle or two

2009-06-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

The Three Bears

A far more accurate account of the events of that fateful morning…

Baby bear goes downstairs, sits in his small chair at the table. He looks into his small bowl. It is empty. 'Who's been eating my porridge?' he squeaks.

Daddy Bear arrives at the big table and sits in his big chair. He looks into his big bowl and it is also empty. 'Who's been eating my porridge?!?' he roars.

Mummy Bear puts her head through the serving hatch from the kitchen and yells,

'For God's sake, how many times do I have to go through this with you idiots? It was Mummy Bear who got up first. It was Mummy Bear who woke everyone in the house. It was Mummy Bear who made the coffee. It was Mummy Bear who unloaded the dishwasher from last night and put everything away. It was Mummy Bear who swept the floor in the kitchen. It was Mummy Bear who went out in the cold early morning air to fetch the newspaper and croissants. It was Mummy Bear who set the damn table. 'It was Mummy Bear who walked the bloody dog, cleaned the cat's litter tray, gave them their food, and refilled their water.

'And now that you've decided to drag your sorry bear-asses downstairs and grace Mummy Bear with your grumpy presence, listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once....

'I HAVEN'T MADE THE F***ING PORRIDGE YET!!!'

*****************

Heaven is Where:

The Police are British,

The Chefs are Italian,

The Mechanics are German,

The Lovers are French and
It's all organized by the Swiss.

Hell is Where:

The Police are German,

The Chefs are British,

The Mechanics are French,

The Lovers are Swiss and

It's all organized by the Italians.

Prophetic???

2009-06-18T15:03:00.000-05:00

Thomas Jefferson said in 1802:

'I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.'

Medical updates

2009-06-17T19:59:00.004-05:00

“Summertime and the living is easy…”

Follow up doctor visits are mandatory if I wish to remain healthy & cancer free; this was the week for such appointments as I try to schedule them on non-duty days.

Monday was my six month oncologist visit which requires giving up some blood. My favourite phlebotomist is on vacation in Corpus Christi this week which didn’t bode well for me. Yikes! Doesn’t sound difficult unless your veins are ‘blown out’ from treatments and your mediport has been removed. The whole procedure lasted an agonizingly long five minutes but it is for a good cause. My oncologist is a wonderful soul who LISTENS to patients, quite the anomaly! Told me all was well and said to come back in six months.

Today, (Wednesday) was the mammogram! I arrived 25 minutes early and waited 45 minutes just to fill out paperwork. “We are quite busy” was the response when asked if I was late for my appt. Finally, I get called back for the procedure which requires one to put on a ‘cape’ for the exam. Not a problem since we have some semblance of privacy BUT it felt like 60° in the waiting room. Now the fun part, being prodded to make sure everything was in position, then the boom gets lowered! You are then asked to hold your breath and not move while they take the picture. OMG, when you are allowed to breath, it takes a while to recover but once again it is for a good cause. I was told that my discomfort was due to scar tissue. I am directed to sit in the waiting room while a doctor reviews the films. A door opens, “Ms. BA, the doctor says all looks fine and for you to come back in a year.” It took some time to process that so when I finished changing, I asked her if I had heard correctly and she repeated the above statement. High fives!!!! The only appointment left is with my surgeon who will review the films with me in about 4 weeks.

Now I can relax and focus on my upcoming trips!!

ttfn,

~ba

It's a Grand Old Flag!!

2009-06-14T05:40:00.000-05:00

Flag Day ~ long may it wave!

Happy 234th...

2009-06-14T05:19:00.001-05:00

Did you know that the U. S. Army was established on June 14th, 1775 ~ one year BEFORE the Declaration of Independence was written?

Observations...

2009-06-13T20:11:00.008-05:00

Why is it that we as teachers complain about student misbehaviour then turn around and act just as badly in staff development??? Some of us ventured off task (myself included) but a couple teachers were downright RUDE!!! Our sessions were scheduled to end at 3:30 and our presenter, a.k.a. Ms. Slender, let us know from day one that she would honour our time since she is a teacher herself. Dang if some loudmouth had to make comments like: ‘…just so long as we get done by 3:30’ whenever we were working on an activity. Another “charming” comment came when we had a visitor enter and ask if she could address the group: ‘…so long as it takes 29 minutes’ since that would bring us to 3:30! The person must have felt some remorse for that remark as he brought her a bouquet of flowers the next day.
* * *
Our workshop was a presentation from TCI and I have attended these in the past. We have a local gal do the gigs in prior years but this year we had someone else. Ms. Slender hails from Alabama and had a lovely drawl which tended to get bothersome at times. I don’t know how many presentations she has done but I am afraid she lost her audience by the second day. It seemed as though she was trying to pack as much material in as possible and she NEVER let us finish an activity. How could we determine if this was something we could use in our classrooms if it was never completed or if the lesson could be tweaked?? I can tell you that the first year teachers in the audience were overwhelmed and some told me that they weren’t sure they could do the lessons. Of course I let them know how to contact folks that could help them out.
* * *
The workshop was beneficial for Ms. Perky & me as we noted where we went wrong in our instruction last year. We had a chance to do some planning for the upcoming year so that we will improve our test results. Our campus results were down by 4 points and we heard through the grapevine that the powers that be were ‘surprised’ by the final numbers. Trust me, the two us were quite disappointed! I have reflected and know what I need to do for the future. Yesterday, (Friday) we were asked to meet with our curriculum specialist @ the end of the seminar and both of us were a bit concerned since we were to meet privately. Our fears were quickly put to rest as we got reassurance that we were doing just fine. “I know that you are 90% teachers (TAKS %)…what was the defining moment ….the change in administration.” Honestly, I don’t remember the entire conversation except that we were commended for our teaching methods considering it was only year 2 in the content and that we use strategies that veteran teachers don’t want to try. Ms. Perky and I were floating after that and we were able to breathe a sigh of relief! Finally, we can put 2008-09 to rest and focus on the future!!

ttfn,

~ba

Q & A...

2009-06-11T19:42:00.003-05:00

Q: Why can’t’ chickens go to school?
A: Teachers don’t like their fowl language.

Q: How can you tell if a school is haunted?
A: If it has school spirit.

Q: Why was the math book so sad?
A: It had too many problems.

Q: Why do soccer players do well in school?
A: They use their heads.

Q: Why did the student eat her spelling test?
A: Because the teacher said it was a piece of cake.

Q: Why did the student bring a ladder to music class?
A: The teacher told him to sing higher.

Q: Why did the clock get in trouble with the teacher?
A: Because it “tocked” in class.

~ba

2009-06-09T20:12:00.002-05:00

it was just yesterday...

2009-06-08T20:11:00.004-05:00

Here is a photo of my high school alma mater, located in Honolulu, Hawaii. I was barely 16 years old on June 8th, 1969 ~ Graduation Day!

I just watched my youngest graduate from college for the second time two weeks ago. When did I grow old??

Aloha,
~ba

interlude...

2009-06-07T17:40:00.002-05:00

It’s a one day break with no pressing responsibilities. Yesterday (Saturday) was check out day, and I thought I would be slick. The infamous check list was 99% complete—only one item to be initialed: turn in keys. After that Ms. FL and I would sign and vacation would begin! WRONG!!! I was ready to leave @ 8:15am but since it was a contract day we couldn’t leave until lunch which was @11:00. FL would have been happy to sign us out ASAP and send us on our way. No big deal, I was able to lend a hand to others and got a chance to visit with colleagues that I never really see during the school day. I did receive some sad news: a parent is on life support due to an intentional drug overdose. Her son was in my AVID class and should be again for 8th grade. This is really going to mess him up, whether she survives or not. How do you explain to a 13 year old that it’s not his fault? Please keep him in your prayers/thoughts.

Tomorrow begins a week of professional development which always gets me stoked. It is a chance to learn new teaching strategies, visit with buddies from other campuses and yup, there is a stipend attached! Course I won’t see the additional funds ‘til the end of July. Who knows, I might meet another star teacher like Ms. Perky; we have a position available.

ttfn,
~ba

D-Day

2009-06-06T18:39:00.002-05:00

The end is near…

2009-06-03T20:42:00.002-05:00

Two more days with students! We spent a couple of class periods watching: Remember the Titians. It is really hard to enforce academic rigor when it’s the last week of school and the yearbooks have already been handed out.

I exhausted a lot of time dismantling my room and purging my closet. Teacher X amassed quite a bit of stuff and he never disposed of anything. I filled five trash bags and stopped for the day as I don’t want to make enemies of our custodians.

Tomorrow: (Thursday) we will spend the morning rehearsing for the graduation ceremony to be held @ 6:00pm. We will no longer be allowed to call it ‘graduation’ ~ its new moniker might be ‘completion ceremony’! The plan for after lunch: yearbook signing!!

Friday: Six Flags Fiesta Texas for the majority. The remaining cherubs will keep me company until 3:25pm: “Cheerio, Aloha, Sayonara, Ciao, Adios, Adieu,” whatever your language!

~ba

Arrrgh…

2009-06-02T20:10:00.004-05:00

I have a bone to pick with the airline industry! Considering the economic mess they are facing you would think they would cut the average consumer some slack.

We (grant participants) are leaving for Boston on 21 June and are returning 25 June ~ actually closer to 26 June since our arrival time is 11:30pm. I also want to visit family in NYC since I am going to be in the general neighbourhood. My plan was to not return with the charter but hop on the ole Amtrak for a sightseeing adventure. It was only going to set me back $62. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

The next step was to ask our director, a.k.a. 'Boss Lady’, to help me change the ticket home. Yikes, she served me my head on a platter ~ “…in the future, when you travel with a group, you need to let the director know early…”! Ummm, I CLEARLY remember telling her at the start of this grant that I was planning to do this AND she wrote it down! Either she forgot or misplaced the paper; my mistake was assuming it would get done. At least I was smart enough NOT to send the email with my less than polite comments.

Anyway, I called the airline’s help line. The operator’s English skills left a lot to be desired but she was able to give me some information. First it was going to cost me $150 to change the ticket, then an additional $138 for flying from NYC rather than Boston. Let’s not forget the $62 for the train! Grand total: $350. Not worth the headaches with'Boss Lady' or the airlines. Operation Plan B: I booked my own flight departing on 29 June and returning 8 July for a grand total of $218!!!!

My question, why the $150 to change the ticket? I was not cancelling the trip. What happened to customer service? Now I need to let ‘Boss Lady’ know that I didn’t mess up her paperwork; lesson learned.

ttfn,
~ba

Hello...

2009-06-01T20:32:00.005-05:00

*It's hard to believe that the sixth month of the year is already here ~ we were just welcoming our new administrator!

*Summer is about to officially start in a couple of weeks; here in So.Texas it has been summer for a while. Rain is desperately needed to end the severe drought or we will be on Stage 3 water restrictions very soon.

*Our new mayor began his stint as mayor today; hopefully his vision will lead the Alamo City in to the next century.

*The school year ends June 5th; hip, hip, hooray!

ttfn,

~ba

farewell to May!

2009-05-31T20:57:00.003-05:00

The buzz in the lounge – meeting at five!

Did the TAKS scores finally arrive?
The results I wanted to see,
Were not what they were supposed be.
Alas they had taken a dive.

©butterfly angel 2009

Passionately Pink For The Cure

2009-05-30T09:16:00.001-05:00

I signed up to be a part of this campaign!

Passionately Pink For The Cure

Shared via AddThis

margaritaville...

2009-05-29T20:54:00.007-05:00

“A man’s got to know his limitations” Dirty Harry, Magnum Force, (1973)

BA decided that she needed to have a change of scenery and used one of her 39.5 sick days to spice it up a bit. The choice was simple, either take the day off or run the risk of going postal on a few misguided cherubs—hmm, Dirty Harry’s .44 magnum might come in handy! One would think that the end of the year would be less stressful but there have been a lot of changes on campus plus personal issues added to the mix make for some fun times.

I met up with a friend for lunch which consisted of sushi and sashimi washed down with a margarita on the rocks sans the salt. What a refreshing change of pace! Adult company, intelligent conversation and a relaxing atmosphere were just what was needed to revive my soul.

Tomorrow will be a work day as we have UIL competition all day. Our campus will be judging the Oral Reading contest ~ should be interesting.

ttfn,
~ba

bob dylan...

2009-05-28T20:21:00.013-05:00

Our campus has been under new leadership for the past five months. Ms. FL has been in a learning curve as she hails from the elementary realm. Change has been gradual and we expect more of it in the new year.

The first key change has been with our Campus Leadership Team; its role is to ‘lead’ the campus as a decision making body. Well, in the past the only one making any decisions was FL; we were a team in name only.

We elected a new team for next year and today we had a planning session. Subs were hired so that we could spend the ENTIRE day w/out interruption to set goals, etc. for 2009-2010.

Topics included:

*Campus Improvement Plan
*TAKS goals
*Title I Budget

All team members received a copy of John P. Kotter’s book: A Sense of Urgency with a personalized message inside the cover.

“Dear Ms. BA, I want to thank you for making me feel so welcome! Your hard work is truly appreciated! Thank you, Ms. FL”

I can really get used to this recognition thing!!!

ttfn,

~ba

A question for you

2009-05-27T19:00:00.004-05:00

Is summer break actually a break? Despite the oft-repeated consensus of the general public that, thanks to summer vacation, teachers have it easy, the fact remains that for many teachers, work never stops—summer is often filled with major projects, professional-development activities, preparation for the following school year, or even temporary jobs. Is pure relaxation possible, or is this extra work part of the job?

Here is my response:

Last year I tried for the ‘pure relaxation’ mode doing nothing school related. Nope, didn’t work for me. It takes about 3-4 weeks to molt the prior year from my being; once July hits I am ready for the new year to start.

This summer is turning out to be quite busy. June 8-12 is professional-development, one week break, then off to Boston from June 21-25 for more p-d. I intend to head on to NYC before returning to the Alamo City (vacation/work). The extra work of p-d and prepping for next year is all part of the job if you want to be more than mediocre ~ I strive for excellence. Relaxation is part of the picture; I CHOOSE to do this, it is my calling, my life!

I would love for your input/feedback in the comments section.

ttfn,
~ba

Random brain waves...

2009-05-26T20:31:00.007-05:00

Only 8 more days with students, June 5th can’t get here fast enough. Truth is this class was NOT my favourite bunch.

Teacher checkout day is June 6th ~ Saturday!! Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, what nincompoop set this up? Thank dear Zeus Ms. FL says we can leave when we are done. Breakfast is @ 7:30, so I should be outta there by 8:30. My checkout list already has a few signatures on it to help speed up the process on that day.

On the drive home tonight, I followed a Corvette convertible which was going 55mph. The problem is that the speed limit is 65mph on the highway. I zipped by and left him in the dust ~ maybe I should drive the 'vette instead!

~ba

Memorial Day ~ 2009

2009-05-25T01:41:00.005-05:00

Graduation update...

2009-05-24T18:43:00.000-05:00

*The ceremony was dignified unlike the graduation for Texas Southern last week!
*The people that were important to Youngest Angel were there.
*Daughter presented her stole to her grandma ~ most deserving of the honor.
*Family members managed to behave, that’s saying a lot…
*I am exhausted!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!

2009-05-24T03:25:00.005-05:00

My youngest 'angel' will receive her BSN degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center today. To say that I am a VERY proud mama is an understatement!!!!

'Angel' now has two bachelor degrees at the age of 25 ~ this is only the beginning...

Love,

~ba

Field Trip

2009-05-23T21:30:00.007-05:00

Once TAKS has been administered, it is difficult to get students to focus on anything. The Language Arts department had them read “The Diary of Anne Frank” and then the students compared the book with the movie. To further extend the lesson, we took them to the Holocaust Memorial Museum located in the northwest part of the city. The Jewish Community Center sponsored us ~ no outlay of funds!

First on our tour: we viewed a video: ‘The Holocaust Through The Eyes of Children’ telling their story gleaned from diaries, journals, and eyewitness accounts of survivors. The video had classical music to set the tone and I know I won’t be able to listen to Canon in D the same way. Did you know that conservatively 1.5 million children were killed?

Next, we had a tour of their museum; no larger than the average classroom it was filled with history. We were given a brief timeline of events leading up to the Holocaust through the end of WWII. Due to time constraints and supervising students, I was not able to peruse the exhibit.

We were able to listen to a survivor of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, the same one that Anne Frank and her family were in. Rose Williams gave a riveting account of her ordeal that spanned nearly six years. It was hard to listen to the atrocities that were inflicted upon her and millions more but her story had to be told. She showed us the tattoo that reduced her from a person to a number in camp. We were all moved by her story and our students surprised us. They asked questions such as: Were you able to forgive? How did your faith sustain you? When we returned to campus, students had a plethora of questions for me. I also recommended some books for them to read including "Schindler’s List."

The following quote was in the museum and it sums up why I teach:

“The world is too dangerous to live in not because of the people who do evil, but because of the people who let it happen.” --Albert Einstein

~ba

soldier on a train...

2009-05-22T07:19:00.007-05:00

The train was very crowded, so the soldier walked the length of the train, looking for an empty seat. The only unoccupied seat was directly adjacent to a well dressed middle aged lady and was being used by her little dog. The war-weary soldier asked, "Please, ma'am, may I sit in that seat?" The French woman looked down her nose at the soldier, sniffed and said, "You Americans! You are such a rude class of people. Can't you see my Little Fifi is using that seat?"

The soldier walked away, determined to find a place to rest, but after another trip down to the end of the train, found himself again facing the woman with the dog.

Again he asked, "Please, lady. May I sit there? I'm very tired." The French woman wrinkled her nose and snorted, "You Americans! Not only are you rude, you are also arrogant. Imagine!"

The soldier didn't say anything else; he leaned over, picked up the little dog, tossed it out the window of the train and sat down in the empty seat. The woman shrieked and railed, and demanded that someone defend her and chastise the soldier.

An English gentleman sitting across the aisle spoke up, "You know, sir, you Americans do seem to have a penchant for doing the wrong thing. You eat holding the fork in the wrong hand. You drive your autos on the wrong side of the road. And now, sir, you've thrown the wrong bitch out the window.

a quick hello...

2009-05-20T20:01:00.003-05:00

Lots going on -- will update soon. Enjoy the comic! ~ba

Recap ~ May 4-8, 2009

2009-05-08T20:46:00.008-05:00

In years past, teacher recognition day/week drifted by with little fanfare; it was part of FL’s m.o.

This year proved to be VERY different.

Monday-- Goody bag: an insulated lunch bag imprinted with our campus name and motto with a shoulder strap long enough to be useful plus an outside bottle holder. Inside said bag was stuffed with snacks and inspirational messages. Sponsored by the Principal’s Cabinet

Tuesday-- Lunch sponsored by the PTA (Subway sandwiches w/all the trimming plus dessert, tea)

Wednesday—Breakfast sponsored by the Principal’s Cabinet.

Thursday—Lunch sponsored by our Courtesy Fund, served by our CIC’s (curriculum specialists)

Friday—Breakfast sponsored by the Golf Team along with a golf towel as a parting gift; Desserts@ lunchtime sponsored by the Principal’s Cabinet (rather decadent, I might add!)

Along with the above, each of the clubs had goodies for us ~ my favorite was the NJHS gift! Their sponsor is very talented in the arts & crafts department. I will have a reminder of their gift hanging on my wall.

We were really spoiled and it was rewarding to be appreciated; don’t worry I know that there is no such thing as a free lunch! It is easier to pay the price when you know that your efforts are not in vain.

Next week: DIET!!!!!

ttfn,
~ba

2009-05-08T20:17:00.003-05:00

Experiential Exercise

2009-05-06T19:21:00.002-05:00

Today was the last department chair meeting of the year ~ my last one (see below). Normally our campus would host the meetings but it was decided that we would meet off campus at a Mexican restaurant located within a mile or two from the district office and very close for me. I had never been to this place and for some reason my internal radar went off and it is NEVER wrong.

Texas weather is rather fickle and today we were ‘blessed’ with 98° and humidity out the wahzoo. My classroom is usually comfortable but one of my cherubs put the thermostat on 50° so it was a tad cold but I could tolerate it. Well imagine my surprise upon leaving the building to be hit with a wall of heat, yikes, and did I mention that I was wearing black?? Thank the dear Lord for a/c that works in the vehicle.

I proceed to the aforementioned joint and remembered that parking was non-existent. Parked two blocks away, met up with a fellow colleague and headed to our destination. As we entered, I noticed that there were no other customers, just us in the reserved room. Considering it was 4:00 pm, I chalked it up to being early for the evening rush. We hadn’t been sitting long when we realized that there was not any air conditioning. Um, it is so much fun trying to be sociable when clothing is clinging and not in the manner you would like.

Service? Which level of Hell would you choose? Granted there was only one waitress but there was less than 20 of us. The appetizers ordered by the host arrived finally got to the table after a 20 minute wait; the food orders took almost as long. I wouldn’t have minded the wait BUT there were flies in the joint buzzing the table. Talk about killing one’s appetite! The final straw??? The waitress brought out our bills, 2 at a time, collected payment then brought out the next group. Guess who received her check last?

Having sat for two hours with my brain turned to mush, it was time to leave. As I stood up, I noticed that I had swollen feet ~ either I had too much salt or not enough water, possibly both. Made it to the car, cranked the a/c to maximum and headed toward the highway. Fate wasn’t done with me~ I had to sit 10 minutes for a train to pass so I could get to the highway. Lesson learned, heed the RADAR!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I met with Ms. FL earlier in the day to officially resign from the dept. chair position. No fanfare, no drama, just a thank you for my hard work, etc. It was quite the ego booster. I will hand the reins over to Ms. Perky! She has just finished her second year of teaching and will be taking on a leadership role. Kudos!!!!

It was bittersweet being at my last official meeting; I just hope that I won’t be forgotten by the district ~ ‘out of sight, out of mind’

ttfn,

~ba

three years?? ~ post #302

2009-05-04T19:14:00.007-05:00

Believe it or not, three years ago today I started this blog. I can see the ebb and flow that is my life. At one point in time I was poised to delete this whole thing ~ glad that I didn't.

To my loyal readers: THANK YOU!! I appreciate your comments/advice and especially your encouragement.

¡Salud!

~ba

Celebrate!

2009-05-03T18:49:00.004-05:00

Thanks to teachers everywhere for your dedication to your craft!

~ba

PSA:

2009-05-02T07:33:00.003-05:00

Did you know that 54% of Americans are touched by this disease and at present, there is no cure? HBO is presenting a documentary on this topic; click here for more info.

~ba

May Day

2009-05-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

It is hard to believe there are only five more weeks of school ~ it was just yesterday that the year began. Of course, it will be a LONG five weeks. At the end of testing today, I was being asked if 'we were going to have fun now that TAKS was over?'

Depends on your definition of fun, so the answer is NO!!

The next two weeks will be a DBQ: "What was Harriet Tubman's Greatest Achievement?" Students will analyze primary source documents, write a thesis statement and develop an essay with supporting evidence. I was told by the high school history teacher that if students knew what a thesis statement was, he would be pleased.

As freshmen, students will be taking World Geography so we want to give them an intro to the course. Students are notoriously weak in objective 2 (geography) and maybe they will be interested in working (ha, ha) on something not related to American history.

ttfn,

~ba

TAKS haiku

2009-04-30T19:00:00.005-05:00

I wrote the following today as I was pacing the floor~see post below.

Insanity

TAKS testing deprives
teachers and students of the
chance to dialogue.

Benefits are few;

have students mastered content?
Is there retention?

Educating or
creating robots? What is
your answer, Texas?

©2009 butterfly angel

it's done...april

2009-04-30T18:40:00.002-05:00

Administered the Science TAKS test today ~ that's 5 hours of my life I'll never get back.
Reviewed our passengers with SS Jeopardy yesterday. Final score: BA 3 - Ms. Perky 2.
'It's showtime, folks!' ~ Will they step up and do us proud?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have completed two months of the Virgin® Health Miles program; wished I had started sooner but at least I am doing something to maintain my health. The goal of the program is to take @ least 7,000 steps per day. No problem achieving that goal during the week ~ sometimes a tad difficult on the weekends. My personal best is 16,000 which I hit TODAY!!! (thanks to my 'actively monitoring' during TAKS) Restful sleep and not being a couch potato are two pluses!

ttfn,
~ba

historical or hysterical?

2009-04-29T20:19:00.004-05:00

Change(s)

2009-04-28T02:59:00.000-05:00

Three years ago FL offered me the opportunity to become chair for the SS dept. @ our campus. I accepted the position thinking I was ‘highly qualified’ but as it turned out, his first choice turned him down.

The department’s reputation was tattered not only on campus but in the district as well. My goal was to have a cohesive, collaborative team. A few weeks after my appointment, I met Ms. Perky at a summer staff development and learned that she was pre-hired but did not have a permanent spot. I suggested that she send her résumé in to FL. It must have been ordained by the hiring gods for her to come to us ~ she was interviewed and selected by TELEPHONE! This was not the ‘m.o.’ of the boss; he likes to be in on every step of the process. Anyway, her hiring was the best thing ever for the department and for me. She was the catalyst to resuscitate the team. The other individuals, who didn’t have the best interests of the group or students in mind, left. Fast forward to August 2008 ~ FL really made life a living hell for all of us and I asked to relinquish the position.

His response, “YOU have to find your replacement!”

We know that he has been replaced with a human being. I spoke with Ms. FL stating that I had been in the role for three years and felt that it was time for new blood.

“I’ll honor your request” was her response.

The department, in my opinion, has made the turnaround and has accomplished the goals I set. We have been complimented on being a very positive & cooperative department. I want to focus on improving my teaching by being a very active participant in the grant and I do not want the added responsibility of leadership. Time to hand over the reins to someone else; I am through!

ttfn,
~ba~

Celebration x 3

2009-04-27T01:32:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday!

Retired Military Bro...

Keturah Rose ~ bestest friend ever!

Nephew Joe ~ 16!

~ba

Baring my soul...

2009-04-25T22:34:00.001-05:00

Mind, body and spirit make up who we are ~ neglect one and life becomes a bit haywire. It is easy to ignore one’s health in my profession. Our focus is on the success of our students and we do not place ourselves at the head of the class. Rather we disregard the ‘check engine’ signals sent to us by the body or the mind. Sleep deprivation, poor eating habits, and lack of physical exertion will soon land you in difficulty. Add mental health issues to the mix and there can be potential for disaster.

Depression has always been a close companion of mine but what happens when you ignore your friends? Usually they try to get your attention if the friendship is to continue. I thought that I had managed that part of my life rather well. Long time readers of this blog know that I worked for an extremely difficult boss for the last 6.5 years. In order to get through the day, I would try to pretend that his behavior toward me didn’t bother me. Oh how wrong I was! My depression started to really take hold of me causing me to descend into the depths of hell. Suicidal thoughts loomed on the horizon as I didn’t know how else to cope. I shut down emotionally and physically which caused weight gain, sleep deprivation and God knows what else.

I am on the road to recovery with my depression. Admitting that I needed help was a big step as I wasn’t allowed to show weakness growing up. The depression is being treated and I am also working on the physical fitness aspect as well. Writing is no longer a chore for me. I will heed the ‘check engine’ signals from now on.

Thank you, WTS, for urging me to get help; I owe you my life.

~ba

Colonial media

2009-04-24T22:41:00.000-05:00

2009-04-23T19:06:00.000-05:00

A little 3 year old boy is sitting on the toilet and his mother thinks he has been in there too long. She goes in to see what’s up. The little boy is gripping on to the toilet seat with his left hand and hitting himself on top of the head with his right hand.

His mother says, “Billy, are you alright? You’ve been in there for awhile.”

Billy says, “I’m fine, Mommy, I just haven’t gone ‘doody’ yet.”

Mother says, “Ok, you can stay here a few more minutes; but Billy why are you hitting yourself on the head?”

Billy’s response: “It works for ketchup.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hillbilly Vasectomy

After their 11th child, an Alabama couple decided that was enough as they could not afford a larger bed. So the husband went to his veterinarian and told him that he and his cousin did not want to have any more children.

The doctor told him that there was a procedure called a vasectomy that could fix the problem but was very expensive. "A less costly alternative," said the doctor, "is to go home, get a cherry bomb, (fireworks are legal in Alabama) light it, put it in a beer can, then hold the can up to your ear and count to 10."

The Alabamian said to the doctor, "I may not be the smartest tool in the shed but I don't see how putting a cherry bomb in a beer can next to my ear is going to help me."

"Trust me," said the doctor.

So the man went home, lit a cherry bomb and put it in a beer can. He held the can up to his ear and began to count....

"1"

"2"

"3"

"4"

"5"

(you'll love this)

At which point he paused, placed the beer can between his legs and resumed counting on his other hand.

This procedure also works in Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, West Virginia, Texas, Washington, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and New Hampshire.

2009-04-22T20:46:00.006-05:00

A Student's Prayer

Now I lay me down to rest

I pray I pass tomorrow's test

If I should die before I wake

That's one less test I'll have to take!

Wonder how many will be saying this prayer with the BIG DEAL P.I.T.A. TAKS looming on the horizon??

~ba

Earth Day 2009

2009-04-22T01:00:00.001-05:00

Let's take care of the big blue marble ~ it's the only one we have!

~ba

Never forget...

2009-04-21T18:51:00.002-05:00

Columbine ~ Ten Years Later

2009-04-20T01:53:00.003-05:00

Ten years have passed since that horrific massacre @ Columbine HS. I remember the shock and concern of my students the next day and the plethora of questions posed by them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t answer them all but did try to assure them that they were safe with me. My message to them and is still mine today is: Violence is NEVER the solution, it only causes more problems.

~ba

Patriot's Day...

2009-04-19T15:13:00.002-05:00

Lexington & Concord: April 19th, 1775

Racing to the finish line!!

2009-04-18T14:06:00.006-05:00

The last leg of the TAKS race begins in 12 days with Science first, then my favourite, SOCIAL STUDIES!! What have we been doing to help students cross the finish line? Ms. Perky and I have been tutoring students before and after school 3x a week. Students know that I will stay anytime they need me ~ all they need to do is ask.

Today, (Saturday), we held a Super Science & Social Studies Saturday School to give students one last opportunity to review. We set up stations in the cafeteria such as ‘Knowledge Retrieval’ (using the C.O.W.), Geography Country, Objective 5-Boot Camp, and Relay Race. Invitations were issued to about 60 students and half showed up which is par for the course. The weather was not conducive to getting out of bed to teach or to learn and I am grateful to those who made the effort to be there. Hopefully those individuals learned a strategy that will help them cross the finish line without limping.

Race day is May 1st and I plan on racing to a local oasis for adult refreshments that afternoon!

ttfn,
~ba~