Random Thought

When out to lunch recently with friends, it struck me a little more than usual that the math involved is flawed. We had to use two tables. Four of us at one table and two at the other. Ok, so far. Then the waiter brings plates (of course we were at a buffet!!) Three plates for the table of two. Five plates for the table of four. See anything odd?

So we pondered...as I often do...and realized of course that at fancier restaurants when the basket of bread is brought...there are always three rolls for two people. Always the odd number. Is this in hopes of instigating a fight among patrons? Do they think this will encourage us to ask for one more, thus insuring a tip because we had to ask for something? I just don't know! Having never been too good at math, I have not thought on this too long. I asked my friend who is a math teacher...she had not noticed this strange phenomena before that moment. She is still pondering. To add to the mystery, I informed my friends that I had noticed when paying for a meal or anything else as a couple, they always hand the change or card to the woman, even if the man pays for it. Another math puzzle! At any rate, I don't know how I can possibly worry about global warming, going green and Obama in the White House while I have this mystery with which to concern myself.

YIPPEE!

I am ecstatic! My favorite singer has sent me another personal tweet message!!
BUT, more to come!! One of my all time favorite poets, Judson Mitcham is going to create a workshop and come to my school for me! WOW OH WOW!!!!!!!!! How much better can it get???? (ok, it can get better...but right now this is the GREATEST!!)
Whew!
John Fogerty........Gerald Boyd........Judson Mitcham......I can hardly get my breath!!!
Yay me!

FOR ONCE!!

Ok, for ONCE I agree with President Obama! Yes, Kanye IS a jackass!

Eggshells

I live much of my life walking on these. Sometimes I wonder where the eggshells end and the real talk begins...or if it exists really. Ok, that's cryptic, but that's the best an eggshell walker can do. It's a tiring journey. Honesty comes with quite a price. One I am most often not willing to pay. I prefer to not ripple the waters, to begin another metaphor. It has been my experience that one must learn one's place in life, then decide if it is worth it to live in that place or move on. Well, I say that, but in some cases, as with children, moving on is not an option. I am not quite sure what my point is, but I sometimes wonder if I have ever had a time in my life, my real life, that I was able to really just be me and not the me that was acceptable to others. For instance, getting aggravated. That seems much like a luxury, and one I am often not afforded. It is probably that way with everyone I imagine. Not being able to be aggravated if someone irritates me, or makes me feel small, or makes me feel dispensable leads to a feeling of ...I want to say worthlessness, but I don't really think that is the word as I don't really feel worthless to me...but perhaps the better way to describe it is taken for granted. I have in my past attempted at various times with various people tried to (oh so delicately) express this feeling, which usually ends up quite an ugly mess and I feel worse (as it is, of course, my fault, my misinterpretation, my pathos, MY something, anything but a legitimate feeling that someone else would take ownership of causing...it ususally sounds like "oh Mama, you are always so.....(fill in the blank) about things" or "Oh, good grief Sally, you always think (fill in the blank) and that's just not true." Always. Big word. And what they are really saying is my feelings are not valid, especially if they are related to pain I apparently imagined I felt as a result of some apparently nonexistent cause which I must have also imagined... so, I gingerly walk on the eggshells, day in and day out, each day feeling less and less passionate.

It's official! My Hero in Education is coming to my school to help us create and implement real standards based classrooms. I am so excited, nervous, happy, apprehensive and awestruck! After becoming the PL person for my school it occured to me I could dream to make this happen...and it DID! I know, I know, I sound like a kid with hero worship, and maybe I feel like that a little bit. I always feel a little intimidated by what I consider greatness, but want to be near it to better myself. My association with the organization GCTE has opened SO many doors for me, not to mention opened my eyes to many things I am doing right and wrong in my classroom. I am giddy! Finally, perhaps, my colleagues will enjoy some of the new found exuberance for teaching that I get each time I attend the GCTE conference and hear people like my hero speak. Ok, enough gushing about that.