New Beginnings

"It's hard to think about your life when one life is made up of so many lifetimes."

Or something like that. I remember a friend of mine said this once. It made a lot of sense when I was 25. I was on life #3 or 4 by then, and I thought that was a lot!

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you all that I have decided to change my life. I am leaving teaching (for now? for good?). I am a good teacher, but it has been very stressful. To be a good teacher you need to invest a lot of yourself, heart and soul, into your lessons, school, and students. After my year off and my year back in the classroom, I've discovered that I don't have much to give anymore. Even less to bring to my relationship with Froody. He's the main reason I've chosen to change careers. For 9.5 months I'm too tired to go camping, hiking, even out to dinner with family and friends. It would be so nice to be able to do all those things I like doing- alone and with Froody- for more than just 2.5 months out of the year.

Now is a good time to leave. Teachers seem to be coming under fire in this country. Even my current good and supportive district is planning on increasing class-size to 34 (hell, who wants to be locked in a room full of 13 year olds all day everyday for 9 months!?), not give us the next step in pay, and add more "furlough" days (no school = no work = no pay). Not only that, but did you hear about the school that fired all their teachers because the kids aren't scoring well?? True, I think teachers do need to be accountable, but so do the students, parents, and school district. How can the government expect me to teach these kids when they keep giving me less and less $$ and resources to do my job??? How can I teach these kids when their parents are unable or do not want to be positive contributors to their students' education?

bleh. I'd rather be an animal nurse.

End chapter 8. Start chapter 9.

Farewell, Tastebuds

As you know, all year I've been trying to follow a more healthy diet. With such a reduction in processed foods and grains, I thought I'd treat myself today with a diet coke and a bag of popcorn at the movies. (!) I also brought a small bag of nuts and my sister brought a bag of carrots. We had all the bases covered.

So, I buy a small bag of popcorn. With butter. Can you smell it? mmMMmm.... I'm so looking forward to this!!!...

Anyway, I sit down and have a kernal. then another. and another. Eventually, I put the bag down and reach for my sister's carrots and the bag of nuts. I was ssssooooo disappointed! I think after months of no grains my tastebuds have changed. The popcorn was OK, but I couldn't even finish it, not even with my sister's help. :(

*sigh* I used to derive so much pleasure from foods. They were my greatest comfort. Now it feels as if they are deserting me. Or, perhaps, I'm learning to live without them.

Rat Walk

My sweet girls! From left: Lysia, Lily, and Lottie (or, as my husband calls them: Black Rat, Little Rat, Fat Rat)

Rats, like people, have different gaits. Their style and speed depends on their moods and purpose, just like us. So far, I've identified 6 different gaits

*Waddle- This is a slow walk. More like a human saunter. If they wore pants, they'd have their hands in their pockets, whistling, not really paying attention to anything.

*Speed Walk- I saw this one tonight. It's a much faster walk. Legs and tails are held high off the ground and they spend a lot of time sniffing. I think at this pace they are making their mental map of the area.

*Skulk- This is when they are trying to be sneaky (more likely, trying not to get caught). They usually hug the sides of the walls and stay low to the ground.

*Prance- They are so cute when they prance! My rats do this when they've found something (nesting material, nut, seeds) and they want to take it somewhere else. Their heads are held high and they do little jumps, trying to keep their treasure from touching the ground.

*Scurry- I love the sound of teen-tiny feet scurrying across the floor. :) Obviously, this is done when they are in a hurry. It looks like a fast skulk in that the rats seem to stay close to the ground.

*RUN!- Now, normally I see them running when they are chasing each other or if they get scared. Or, when they hear the snack sound and they want to get their snack RIGHT NOW. :)

Whence from Art Thou, Chard?

Today, Froody and I returned from a long weekend of camping. It was great, and as soon as the pix are ready, I'll share them with you. The home larder was bare, so I went to buy fruit and veggies for the rest of the week.

Normally we do all our produce shopping at the local farmers market. But since we missed it, I had no choice but to go to a grocery store. I planned on making a recipe that called for capers, so I decided that the local Safeway was the best choice (more likely than Trader Joe's to have capers, and cheaper than Draeger's).

My hand stopped midway to the kale, immobilized by the thought, "I have no idea where this kale came from." I pulled my hand back and scanned the produce aisle. Much of the veggies had come from Mexico. I had to look at the bands holding the bunches of chard and dandelion greens together to see where they were from, but they only said they were from the USA.

Then, I realized that I've never thought about where my food comes from until this January.

Next, I thought it was strange thinking it was strange not to know where my food is from. Anyway, I bought about $100 in produce. I had to suck it up and buy some stuff from who-knows-where.

The checkout guy started in on me about how kids these days don't eat enough vegetables or fruit, yadda-yadda-yadda. Blame it on the parents, blah-blah-blah. It took me a while to realize he was impressed with the amount of vegetables my family obviously ate.

Hardest Thing

Teaching is a hard job. You work and work at it, with the understanding that it'll take you about 10 years before you're really good at it. You are under-appreciated and overworked. There are those satisfying moments, but they are oftentimes out-numbered by bad times.

I've bemoaned this before, but I find myself again thinking of other job options. yeah, my friends say I'm a good teacher, but I don't enjoy working this hard for so little return. My sister, Dre, left teaching to pursue her dream- middle eastern dance. My passion is knitting. Could I make a living knitting? I like painting, too. Could I do that instead of teach? Who'd pay me to knit or paint them stuff?

Dre loves her life and it shows. She works very, very hard but feels like it's worth it. I think that's the difference. I work just as hard, but don't feel the worth.

So Out of IT

OK-being an adult in a teenage environment, you get used to the fact that "they" will always see you as grown up and uncool. I'm used to it and can handle it.

But yesterday one of my students said that his absent partner had their assignment (the downside to assigning group-work) so he couldn't turn it in. I said, "That's OK, just email him and remind him to bring it tomorrow."

The kid kinda half-laughed and said he wouldn't email him, but would most likely text him. A text!

Sheesh, I didn't think I was that out of it.

So Much Chard

Went to the farmer's market today for our weekly supply of produce. Turns out everyone is selling the same two things: chard and beets. I never knew there were so many leafy greens that were not lettuce.

We did find one farm selling bell peppers and tomatoes. Bought a bunch just so we could eat something that wasn't green.