Claire's Twenty-Seventh Letter

Sad

2009-03-17T00:59:17Z

Rest in peace, Mr. Snuggles, the class rat. I got you during my first year of teaching. I know you were elderly by rat standards, but I still miss you.

spring is here...

2009-03-15T00:25:33Z

Talk about busy. I thought things would mellow out after conferences, but I still feel crazy booked. And jet-lagged. Stupid time change.

Things are good. Deja is mellowing out nicely. She's a little genius, too. She knows sit, stay, come and, since yesterday, down. All at three and a half months. She's still pretty mouthy, but that can be a good thing. The other day the little gal picked up a 20 dollar bill for me on our walk. I was stoked, especially since we were headed for the coffee shop.

We broke down last weekend in the Camarillo countryside. But it was no big thing. A tube had just come loose, so we had to wait a half hour to let it cool down so that Roger could handle it. In order to pass the time, we walked to a nearby Koi farm we had wanted to see for a while. Beautiful fish- it was well worth the trip. The Koi farmer lent us a screwdriver, too, so we could reattach the tub... and we were on our way. If a person has to break down, this is the way to do it.

I keep having anxiety dreams. Like I'll come to my classroom and find that another teacher is there in my place, or everyone around me has started smoking (I dream about smoking all the time. The habit seriously traumatizes me. Every time I see somebody take a puff, I feel like I'm going to die. Maybe it's a phobia).

But why so stressed? Conferences are done. And pink Friday came and went (yesterday) and I did not get a pink slip. I am super fortunate for that, especially here in California. Legally, they can't give me a pink slip for the next year anymore. Miss the 15th deadline, and it just ain't happening. I got pink slipped last year and the year before, so this is a milestone.

And it's a good thing, too. I'm not rich at the moment. But at least I have paychecks in my present and my future. I have another mouth to feed now. But I'm happy with my pup... she's everything I hoped she'd be.

I want to take Deja and go visit my family. Soon! I miss them terribly, and the new house, and the countryside. I have to wait until the end of the month. I think Deja will really enjoy the countryside. And I think she will like Jack. Hopefully Jack will like her. She can be a pistol sometimes, just as the breeder warned me. A little fireball. I enjoy her scrappy nature most of the time.

Deja Vu

2009-02-15T01:35:05Z

Deja is a handful, alright. She is getting more bold, and that means she is everywhere! She's chewing on whatever she can get in her mouth, including human hands. Ouch. She's working on house-training, but we're not there, yet. And she wakes me up several times a night to go out to the bathroom (which has not exactly been a picnic with the rain and cold weather).

On the other hand, she hasn't soiled her crate in a week, so the fact that she wakes me up to go out is a good thing on the house-training front. She's also mellowing a tiny bit. Maybe. The best thing is that she is a star pupil. She's the class pet in puppy kindergarten. The trainer is amazed by how mellow, calm and well-behaved she is. She can tell that Deja already knows her name, and is pleased that she walks so well on a leash. I try to tell her that she is a little pest at home. I think she puts on the good front in public, and saves the naughtiness for Rog and me. Kind of like me when I was a kid.

Deja went to one day of puppy daycare. I was so worried that she wouldn't pass the temperament test, but she did just fine. I came to pick her up and she was the darling of all the workers there. They commented on what a fireball she was, and that she was not intimidated one bit by the large dogs. Her best pals of the day were a pit bull, a terrier and a chocolate lab puppy. When they brought out a giant tire toy, she was the first to investigate. They said that she's a bold little thing.

I like that she's bold. I know that she will mellow out into a fine companion, and confidence is desirable in a show dog for sure. Until then, I'll be darn exhausted. How does a working parent do it, I ask? We're going to try to send her to daycare twice a week, so she'll get well-socialized and burn some of that energy.

I can tell she loves to run. She will be a great jogging partner.

She likes to fetch, too, a little. Except that she is so distracted right now that she can barely pay enough attention to do it more than once.

She gained two pounds in just six days! She already seems bigger to me.

She got her ears taped again this Saturday at the vet, so they'll stand up. I hate having her wear that funny tape hat, but it shouldn't last more than a few weeks. The best thing is that the vet gave us some sedatives to use on her during the taping. They work! She was such a mellow and well-behaved little pup yesterday. I daresay I enjoy my puppy most when she is a little sedated. Pretty bad, eh?

I love the dog, and am glad I got her. Nonetheless, there's nothing like a dog to help one appreciate the cats.

Puppy Love

2009-02-03T03:38:52Z

I love my puppy very much. She is truly something else!

She's very unique, both in look and in temperament. The girl stops traffic and people are already asking for one of her puppies, or writing down the name of the breed so they can get one of their own. Sort of the same thing that happened while I was walking Copper back in the day. So far we have gone into Petco, Petsmart and The Wharf, a feed store. She's an excellent guest who has been invited back by the shopkeepers.

And then there's her personality. Sharp as a tack. I cannot believe the way she sits right at your feet, looking up at you as if to ask "What is your command?" She sits right in front of you when she wants something, too, though it is hard to tell exactly what she is asking. I think it is generally to be picked up, but it might be a request to gnaw on your knuckles.

I tossed a ball and she immediately fetched it! I didn't expect such a reaction. She brought it right back to me. That's pretty good for an eight week-old pup. She has this swagger that is adorable when she trots back, and the ball barely fits in her mouth, which is also cute.

She comes when she's called. Well, she actually never leaves my side. It's bizarre. I've never met such a shadowdog. She must always be at my side and couldn't care less about exploring the backyard. I will walk back and forth in the yard, trying to get her away from me so she can sniff around and (hopefully) do her business. But you can't lose this girl. She walks right by my side in a perfect offleash heel, and smartly sits every time I come to a stop. It's just plain bizarre. She cares more about her humans than following her nose. I think training will be a snap, but I do worry about her independence level. A dog's gotta learn to amuse herself while her owners are out earning money for kibble.

As such, she's great on the lead, too. A joy to walk. No pulling or straining. She's right there with you, like a true herding dog. She was perfectly behaved in the pet stores. I'm just glad she's letting me socialize her during this critical period.

She's got quite the yowl. She's been whining quite a bit since she left her littermates on Saturday. She woke me up three times last night. I thought she was alerting me to a need to use the restroom, so I took her out of her crate and out into the cold. She just heeled by my side until I decided that she was just messing with me. The same routine continued each time. She didn't actually do her business until it was time to officially get up anyhow. Smart dog, like I said. We'd better watch this one.

I'm exhausted, but coming home to a little dog was such an experience today. It felt darn right, even if the little devil had somehow rolled in her own feces and soiled all her bowls and toys. As soon as I got the mess cleaned up, we went for a walk. It was awesome.

Deja!

2009-01-22T01:42:10Z

I have my first puppy pictures!

Her name is Deja Bleue and she's coming home a week from Saturday!

The breeder describes her as a "ball of fire."

All I can say is that my life is pretty plain...

2009-01-10T15:49:53Z

Twinkle always lets me know when it's time to get up. On weekdays, she waits for the alarm to go off. If I don't get up immediately following the alarm, she comes and purrs in my face.

Today she purred at me without the alarm. When I didn't respond, she went over to Roger's alarm clock and pressed the "radio on" button. I awoke to Blind Mellon's "girl in a bumblebee costume" song.

That cat is crazy, but she's so darn cute.

Happy birthday, pup

2009-01-09T02:03:54Z

Happy five-week birthday, my puppy. I can't wait to meet you in a month! You sure have a lot of toys waiting for you.

At least we all know that, despite this horrible economy, Petco and Petsmart should be doing just fine. Thanks to me.

Oh, and my miracle rat died over the break. I should have known that she was not well. The rat gods giveth and they taketh away...

January blues

2009-01-04T18:35:24Z

I don't have the January blues too badly this time. I think we all wanted change, and to put 2008 to rest.

Not that 2008 was all bad. I got a house, and so did my family. And my presidential pick actually won! That has never happened before. (In fact, my voting luck has been terrible. The first time I was old enough to vote, I voted for governor Gray Davis, and a month later he was recalled. A heck of a lot of good that did us all. He supported schools much more than the so-called "kindergarten cop". But I digress).

On the other hand, the doom-n-gloom reports are seriously disconcerting, and three people I knew and loved passed away this year. I also have friends out of work. No good. No good at all. Let's turn the page, already.

I have a serious head cold, and doubt that I will have my voice back in time for tomorrow, the first day of school. This is unfortunate timing because I have many birthday calls to return. Those will have to wait until my throat heals. I don't want my friends to feel that I am not grateful for their thoughtfulness.

I'm hoping to refinance. I locked in 6%, which is pretty good, but maybe we can do even better. We'll just have to see.

Christmas, my birthday and new years' were all very nice. A particular highlight was the scrapbook and supplies my brother gave me. He got me all the fixings to make a wonderful doggie scrapbook for my new puppy. I think that this is a great idea, and don't know why I didn't think of it before. He even gave me plaster to make a cast of her paw before and after she grows. If my calculations are correct, the puppy will be ready in almost exactly one month from now.

Um, that's about it. My posts were much more interesting in college. Now monotony has set in a bit, and it's no wonder that very few people post anymore on here. But, monotony or not, I'm happy.

Christmas!

2008-12-23T19:42:05Z

Boy, it's good to be home. I worked too hard and long this December. Christmas came so darn fast! I just got out to hit the shopping circuit yesterday. Almost as if punishing me for my procrastination, the weather was miserable and it poured down on me the entire time. But I was happy and had the Christmas cheer in my heart, so being cold and sopping wet didn't get me down one bit.

The new house is cozy. My dad made a fire and my mom made coffee. My brother and I played video games. It doesn't get much better than that.

I still watch all the claymation 70's Christmas movies. They sure get me in the spirit.

I want to take Jack for a walk up Mt. Woodson, but the darn weather just won't let up. We've had beautiful weather on Christmas for as long as I can remember... hopefully this year will not break the trend.

Oh my gosh! Tomorrow is Christmas Eve! How did that happen?

Christmas Countdown

2008-12-16T02:43:20Z

Things have been fine around here. I've had friends with sad news, and I'm darn saddened by it, too...but, locally, I can't complain.

Rogie and I went on a trolley tour of the Christmas lights in Santa Barbara. It was fun and the view was gorgeous. We sipped hot cider and sang along to the classic songs as we passed ornately-lit houses. Much to our surprise, many people on the route came out to wave to us, dress up as Santa, or all of the above. I'd wanted to do this tour for years (it always sells out early), so I worried there would be a heck of a lot of build-up and that the thing itself would be anti-climactic. Not so. It exceeded my expectations. The only thing I'd change for next year would be the bitterly cold chill in the air. I was glad I'd bundled up!

Oxnard, too, does its fair share of revelry. Two historic streets are transformed into "Christmas Card Lane" and the lights and decorations there are unbelievable. We feel darn lucky that we can walk there from our house. Oxnard is so charming.

Next year, when I walk down to Christmas Card Lane, I'll have a leash in my hand. It's going to be awesome!

Rogie and I used a kit to make a gingerbread house. Instead of a tree, however, we shaped the pre-fashioned pieces into a monster and made it eating a chunk out of the side of the house. We added frosting to the candy kids' faces to make them look horrified, and chiseled a hole in one of the walls. It is a masterpiece.

I feel like I'm going to have a baby. No, not literally... whoa there. Last thing on my list of priorities. No, I feel like the pup is going to radically and permanently change my life as I know it, and I'm getting nervous anticipating the change. Nervous in a good way.

But, really, dogs are demanding of resources, affection and time. Having one will alter things much more than bringing the cats home did. Sometimes I wonder if I'm ready. I mean, I take the responsibility very seriously. I've already thought about how much time the dog will spend at home, when the dog will be walked, how the dog will be crated, what food it will consume, and what aspect of training I will start first. But, when push comes to shove, I know that the actual experience will provide all sorts of surprises and unexpected things.

I grew up with dogs. But I've never owned one on my own like this. All of a sudden, I can't stay late at work or spend my entire weekend reading the newspaper and sipping coffee. Things will be different. I'm ready, but nervous, too.

Rogie put out the trash, washed the dishes, did the laundry, put the temperature at a cozy degree, and prepared the coffee for me so that all I have to do is push the on button. He did this all as a random surprise. He is too sweet. He always catches me with these random things.

I can't wait for Christmas! It came fast this year. Well, actually, school is lasting late, or so it seems. I must wait until Friday afternoon to taste winter break freedom. Then shop. I haven't done a bit of shopping. Haven't had time.

I friggin' love Christmas. I feel like I haven't had much time to think about it this year, and everyone on the news is lamenting that it will be a small Christmas because of the economy. But Christmas is so much more than presents, or the economy. Christmas is family.

It's a girl!

2008-12-09T03:38:21Z

My puppy has been born! If all goes well, my little girl will be ready to come home in February!

The wait might kill me, but the end of the wait is now in sight! Actually owning my dog will seem unreal. There's been so much build-up.

Of course, February is merely the beginning. I'll have much work to put into that pup to make her a well-mannered ambassador of her breed. My goal is to break all the obedience records that I started in 4-H. I chose a very intelligent and trainable breed this time (as opposed to the lovable but stubborn Redbone) so that I will have all the chance of success.

My, my. If this is what it's like anticipating a puppy, I can't imagine what it'll be like someday waiting for a human baby.

A creature was stirring, but it wasn't a mouse...

2008-12-03T02:24:46Z

Goodness gracious, the craziest thing happened today! I got a call from a fourth grade teacher asking if I was missing a brown rat. I ran down there to her room and, lo and behold, there was Rizzo walking around on her patio!!

Rizzo escaped from her cage on September 30th. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of her since then, and we've had two cold and rainy storms in the past couple months. I had given her up for dead... but Rizzo is just fine, if a little skinny. When I put her in the cage, she started eating immediately, but not too ravenously.

Rizzo remembered me, too. She didn't run when I went to pick her up, or try to bite me or anything. She must have some stories to tell. I just hope she didn't meet any male rats on her journey.

It's a Christmas miracle, I tell ya.

Things are good. I'm starting to feel a little less stress, now that conferences are over. I also successfully completed my forty-five minute Spanish presentation to parents. I had been so nervous about that (a presentation to adults... and not in my native language!!) but it ended up going just fine.

I went down and visited the family, which was nice. The new house is darn beautiful.

I am eagerly awaiting the verdict on Monday. That is the puppies' due date, and I don't know if I can take the wait much longer. I will cross my fingers until then...

Rogie and I got Christmas lights for the trees outside. We did not get a tree. Call me a scrooge, but I think I want to wait until the day or two after Christmas to buy one. Then I can get a really nice one for a reasonable price, and put it away until next year. Is that too bah-humbug of me? It is a sign of the economic times, though.

Have you ever been to Five Guys: Burgers and Fries? There's one in Carson (Los Angeles). Roger's online gaming friends told him about it, and it was AWESOME! It's a fast food place, but I daresay their burgers are tastier than In-N-Out's or Habit's. That's just my opinion, of course.

Break Time

2008-11-23T01:42:15Z

Finally... I get a little break! I've been running a marathon of teaching since late August. The first twelve weeks of school are always the craziest. The last four of those, even crazier. I've pulled weekends and evenings to get the grades done. But, thankfully, the report cards have all been handed out and I had my last conference Friday afternoon, so things can quietly mellow out now.

I'm ready for a break. Roger found my Nintendo DS in the garage, so I can finally play the Sonic RPG. I'd like to do a little Christmas shopping and decorating, organize stuff in ye oldde garage and take time for some exercise.

I'd like to spend some time watching movies. This house is just too cozy to not do that now. We have four recliners and a membership to the Hollywood Video across the street. Join me for a movie marathon anytime.

I'm hoping to drag Rogie to go see that 3D dog movie tonight. For the first time in a month, there's no work for me this weekend. Tomorrow I'm going to walk out to the lawn and grab the newspaper, which I'll read in my pajamas while sipping coffee. Then I'll go for a walk around town and read a book in the afternoon. That's my nearly-perfect Sunday. The only thing that would make it perfect would be a dog to accompany me on my walk. But... that is coming! Perhaps as soon as three months from now.

I'm really happy about the new president. Not so happy about some of the propositions.

I've finally managed to pull off some tickets to the Christmas lights trolley tour in Santa Barbara. I've wanted to take that tour for years now, but this time I've secured a pair. Rogie and I are set for it on December 13th.

I'm so into Christmas. I know that that's kind of weird for an atheist, but there you have it. I start getting into the Christmas spirit early and I'm the one who is always the most fired up about decorating and watching movies for the season. I guess I just have so many great Christmas memories, and I feel like a kid again at this time.

It's starting to get cold. That means the cats must pile on me all night to keep warm, and they do. Then they get pissed at me if I have to use the restroom after we have hunkered down for the night. Cats.

Chris came up to visit and brought Jack, which was really nice. We played Mario Kart like we used to when we were kids.

Santa Barbara was darn smoky on the day of the fires. The kids had to stay indoors all day, with no recess. We were one of the few nearby schools to not get class canceled for that day. We were only a mile away from evacuation zones. I went home with a serious headache that night. But, thankfully, things are back to normal and only one of my students lost her house. I told her the story of my family losing theirs, and gave her a Webkins to restart her stuffed animal collection. I think she appreciated that.

One of my high school friends is getting married next month. Wow. She went with me and a few other dateless people to the senior prom. I can't believe it. Every time a friend gets married, it just blows my mind. I think back to our slumber parties and Pride and Prejudice movie marathons, and how those things are unlikely to happen now (not that they would have, really, but now things are permanently changed with a husband in the picture). I am very happy for her and cannot wait for the ceremony.

Not much new here, besides. I guess no news is good news.

Dog Delays of Summer

2008-10-30T03:32:34Z

It's been hot. Summer came late this year.

It's been draining, too. I feel so tired recently. Just not getting quite enough sleep somehow. Thank goodness for "fall back" this weekend. That's more sweet to me than Halloween. Is that too old lady of me to want sleep more than parties?

I'll be a cat for Halloween this year. Thank goodness for teaching... without it, I doubt I'd even dress up. But the kids would hang me by fishhooks if I don't show the right spirit.

Nobody can accuse me of a lack of spirit. I allowed myself to be dunked five times in the carnival dunk tank. I was one of about a dozen to learn dance moves to perform for a school assembly. I ooze spirit from every pore, darn it.

Last week was crazy. I learned Friday morning that one of my students had been hospitalized, and this scared the dickens out of me. I went to visit him on Saturday and brought him get well cards and a mini skateboard toy that I knew he would like. Thank goodness, he was doing well, and is now back in school. That sure was scary!

Today a father came in and taught us all about black holes. It was an amazing lecture. I later asked the girl if her dad was a professor. "Yeah," she said. "He teaches chemical engineering." Wow. I somehow missed that detail. No wonder the lecture rocked. Only in Santa Barbara...

I found out that the pups that might've turned out to be show quality did not, and have been placed in pet-quality homes. The breeder said that her champion merle has been successfully bred and that those pups will be due December 8th. Oh please, please let this be the litter! I mean, December's a lucky month for me. Not to mention a dog-related month... I got Chips on December 9th, I remember, and my dog Copper was born on December 12th. Maybe this will be the litter? If so, the pups will be ready to come home in February. That seems like ages from now...

Here is the dam...

...and here is the sire...

Patience is a virtue, I keep telling myself...

Sadness

2008-10-21T01:12:29Z

I just found out that a dear, dear family friend passed away.

I don't know what to say or feel. I just keep thinking about how he was supposed to come to our Christmas party this year... the one in the new house.

Why is that what I'm thinking at a time like this?

Gorgeous

2008-10-19T00:34:27Z

My parents' house is gorgeous! Despite feeling miserably sick this week (I stayed home for the Spanish-speaking meeting, which is so unlike me), I made the trek down to see the place this weekend.

I feel better. More than that... amazed. The house far exceeds any expectations I could dream up. I mean... seriously. What an upgrade. I will post pictures soon.

I awoke this morning to a view of the sunrise over the Ramona valley. My new room has a hexagonal Victorian wall with windows that give a panoramic view. I can't describe it.

Nice to see the folks and Jack. Nice to be home. I am still not 100% better, but the headaches have gone away, and I am no longer wheezing and having trouble breathing. I don't know what happened. Maybe just the flu. I get sick so seldom that I can barely recognize the signs.

Nonetheless, I toughed out school as I always have. Two years (and counting) with no absences. It's no wonder my status has been changed from temporary to probationary II. For those of you not familiar with teacherspeak, Prob II is the step right before tenure. It's most certainly a great bit of news! I must say that I am nothing if not dependable, and I think that's what got me to this level of job security. That, and waiting for a few senior teachers to retire.

I love being home. I wish I could stay longer, but I'm glad I made the trip this weekend.

Impeccable timing

2008-10-14T01:32:33Z

Welcome to our latest eposide of hot/not!

NOT:
2 Hour commute from Santa Barbara to Oxnard, due to an accident on the 101.
(Don't worry-I was not involved. :))

HOT:
"Hi, honey. I went ahead and did both our taxes." -Roger R.

Once again, his timing is impeccable.

Crazy days

2008-10-12T18:59:04Z

Perhaps all my new duties are starting to wear on me or, perhaps, the days have just been unusually busy. Either way, Sunday rolls around (usually my day of work without students) and I just can't make the trek to Santa Barbara and all that it entails. My weekends have become sacred. Which is good, for a teacher. It's too easy to become wrapped up in the job and deny the other parts of life.

Last week was brutal. I started my new hour-a-week duty as part of a student study team. I meet with principal and others to brainstorm ways to help a struggling student. It's an honorable, interesting and beneficial process, but it does now add one more 7-4 workday to my week (I teach homework center after school on the other days). I also stayed at school until nine on Thursday for our annual astronomy night. It's a really fun night with telescopes and scientists, but missing my bedtime proved rough for me the following morning. On Saturday I had a science conference in Carpinteria from 8:30 to 4. Like I said, long week.

This week I'll stay until 8 or so on Wednesday for a meeting for Spanish-speaking parents. I'm the grade level representative, which is great... except for the fact that my Spanish is mediocre, at best. I'd love to keep learning, but for now I can barely get my point across. I'd seriously like to go back to Mexico and study for a year. Until then, I'll keep on embarrassing myself with my broken sentences.

Things are good, though, all things considered. Reading the newspaper reminds me how good I have it. Times are tough for a lot of people. I keep thinking back to my high school years, when all things looked rosy (except for that dose of teenage angst). What a mess we have created.

I hope fall is coming soon. It's been hot in the classroom, and it puts my poor students in a foul mood.

I love my house, still. They are preparing the resurface the road outside, and that will be nice. I wish I could find the energy to decorate the house for the season. I doubt that Halloween decorations will happen this year. Maybe a pumpkin outside. Christmas has always been more interesting to me, and I'm sure that I'll never be too busy to gussy up the place for that holiday.

I sure want an elliptical machine. They were on sale last week, but reading up on them showed that the models on sale were seriously lacking. The kind I like are majorly expensive. I think a mediocre one would be fine for the time being. I will try to jump on one soon if the opportunity presents itself. Obviously eating reasonably-sized portions does little good for me.

Studies show that people who have a dog walk twice as much as those without. At any rate, racing after kids is not exercise enough (even if it does leave one feeling as if they've just finished a marathon).

So far I have not gone and seen the chihuahua movie. Aren't you all proud of me for that? A couple of years ago, the temptation to see a talking-dog movie would have been too much.

My parents' house has seen some recent delays, but hopefully it will be done soon. I will visit in two weeks in the hopes that it will be all finished by then! Wish us luck. We are approaching the fire anniversary, I think.

I still dream about the old house. And of plane crashes and death. I have had my share of nightmares as of late. I hope that eases up soon.

To The Max

2008-10-02T02:26:20Z

Today was a good darn day. In teaching that's how it goes... one day you'll have students inadvertently set one of your beloved rats free, the next, you'll be up in the clouds.

The happy surprise came today during science lab. John walked over my students (I had his with me at the time) and said that the principal wanted to come and speak with us. I was scared stiff! I thought I was in big trouble for some reason (not that I have a guilty conscience or anything, but...you never know).

The principal came, and so did a couple of people from Office Max. They said, "Congratulations, you've won an award for your dedication and passion to education" and gave me a framed award and a huge, 3 x 3 foot box filled to the brim with free office supplies. They gave me a digital camera, an x-acto pencil sharpener, an office chair, and numerous other things I couldn't fully investigate because all eyes were on me. Wow! What a huge surprise. The principal said she'd known about the award for a while but had to keep it a secret (there had been a mention of a surprise for one teacher in our weekly memo, but I sure as heck didn't think it would be me!).

I cannot believe that, of all the staff at our very large school, she chose me to give this award to (she cited my two years of perfect attendance). I also cannot believe the generosity of Office Max... their whole campaign about awarding a few lucky teachers is that they are trying to combat out-of-pocket expenses for educators. Seriously generous company.

Moral of the story: Don't choose Staples or Office Depot.... go for Office Max!! A good, moral company is a rarity these days and should be rewarded as such.

In other news, I just bought Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. For those of you living in a cave, this is Sonic the hedgehog's very first role-playing game. You know, a Zelda-type, puzzle-filled, top-view adventure game How cool is that? The only problem is that I haven't seen my Nintendo DS since the move. I will find it this weekend in time for babysitting! (Not that I play video games on the job, but once the girls have gone to bed, it's all good).

In other news, Kings of Leon are making me deaf. Probably. I know that the critics are mixed about it, but I just relish their new disc. I can't seem to blast it loud enough. You know the music's good when you get upset for the commute to end each day.

Happy Tails to You

2008-09-30T01:59:36Z

These past few weeks have packed a wallop. Preparing for the open house was hard, hard work and many long nights. It went very well, but left me feeling exhausted and just devoid of energy. I have to remember to pace myself... this marathon lasts until Thanksgiving. The first twelve weeks of school are the hardest. We have barely any time off and conferences to deal with before the first quarter is through. Then, blessedly, Thanksgiving comes with a little reprieve, and then, winter break. If a teacher can last until then, things start to get a little easier...

To top off the somewhat ominous vibe are the bloodsuckers that have inhabited my lovely dream home. Yes, fleas is what I'm talking about. All of a sudden they moved in on us and it got to a point where we couldn't walk anywhere or sleep at night without the little demons chomping down on us. My poor cats started scratching and ripping out their fur. Old neighborhood, I guess. I never had them in Ramona, and so I got complacent... but that won't be the case anymore.

An exterminator came in on Saturday, and Rogie and I took the cats to the bagel cafe and bookstore, taking shifts into the places while we waited the requisite four hours to return home. Thank goodness, it worked. Not a flea since the spray. Still, I will watch carefully between now and the follow-up visit. The little eggs can be quite resilient, I hear.

Rog took the kitties to the vet today. They are quite healthy, besides Laika's flea allergy and Twinkie's ear infection we hadn't known about. Twinkle totally hissed at Roger and the vet, and wasn't into it at all. Laika was a good girl, which surprises me greatly. She's usually the one with the cattitude.

This afternoon brought a dreadful surprise. I went to bring the rats' cage in from the patio for the night, and I suddenly noticed that the students had left the top door open. I counted the rats: one, two, three, three... three? One was missing! Little Rizzo, the beautiful tan agouti female that is just a year old. I looked everywhere for her... combed the patio all over, looked under every pot, twig and tree. No sign of the beloved rat. She's just plain gone.

This is weird. Usually, a domestic rat will not go far by itself. The cage had been left open before, overnight even, and the rats were found the next morning all snuggled inside the cage, looking as if they'd never left.

This time I don't expect her to return. I felt terrible when I gave up the search... but, what could I do?

What an unfortunate mishap. I know what happened... we had a guest presenter who came in to set up during recess. She let the students in while she set up, and that's when they last played with the rats. I hadn't been there to supervise, and now poor Rizzo is fending for herself out there in that crisp autumn air.

Oh, there's nothing like a defenseless creature's death on your conscience. I still dream about Copper, and the morning I let her out to run for the last time...

... and that economy's got me down, a little. I mean, I know that I am lucky to have a somewhat recession-proof job, but what about the others?? It pains me to think about friends, family and students struggling more than they have in the recent past. It hurts me to think about the disparity in capital right now, and how much the haves have in relation to the have-nots. Seriously, I'm not into that disparity at all.

Into the Groove

2008-09-19T01:49:41Z

What an auspicious start to the new school year.

I have a lovely class, lovely families, a lovely team and a lovely dose of new confidence. Confidence makes everything easier. I've got that Border Collie-like eye, the stare down, and I barely even have to use it. I almost feel I can be less strict with this bunch and yet still command their respect.

So we've been having a jolly old time. Now that I am even more confident than before, I feel that I have made the most strides in the engagement of students. My lessons are just more fun because I'm less worried about riling them up to unmanageable levels. A couple families have told me that their kids love coming to school and are having a great year.

I've seen how my influence permeates other aspects of the students' life. One mom wrote to me and said that her daughter brought home the fake money I give the students. She paid her parents and then put on a song and dance show for them. They had to pay admission and pay for refreshments. Afterward, the girl said, "Next time you want money, you'll have to earn it!" and the mom said, "Ok, but does laundry count?" That's too funny. I love hearing stories like these.

Today few of professors came to watch two of my science lessons. Two were from UCSB, and one was visiting from the University of Melbourne. Believe you me, I was nervous. I mean, I get a little stage fright around adults, not to mention super-educated ones.

I did a lesson about the phases of the moon. Each kid held a styrofoam ball and I turned out the lights so that all they could see was the lamplight at the front. The ball was the moon, the lamp, obviously the sun, and their own head was the earth. I guided them through all the positions of the moon during all the phases, and they were able to see the patterns with their own eyes. Try it sometime... it works.

Anyhow, I wasn't sure how they'd like it, especially because I was pretty nervous through the first lesson (I taught the same lesson to two different classes). Quite the contrary. They dug it big time. The UCSB professors asked if they could come videotape a lesson or two of mine sometime, and if it would be OK to bring a group of ten or so student teachers into science class sometime to observe. I was totally flattered and said "Of course."

Me and my big mouth. Still, this kind of flattery is good for ye oldde confidence... and confident teachers just do better. They just walk a little differently than the newbies. Kids are even more astute than dogs at picking up body language cues and adjusting their behavior accordingly. This kind of thing is right up my alley... even if it means a little more work and pressure in my life.

After the first year, I wasn't so sure about this profession. Man, am I glad I stuck it out!

The Corn Man Can

2008-09-09T00:34:27Z

I love Oxnard! A guy pushes a cart around and honks a bicycle horn- it's the corn man! He sells fresh, buttered corn on a stick. It's covered with chili powder and about as soft and delicious as any corn I've ever tasted.

im_clairevoyant @ 2008-09-04T19:43:00

2008-09-05T03:05:40Z

Caribou Barbie's speech ran long and, as a result, I almost missed the ending to this week's "Greatest American Dog" on my TiVo. In fact, the recording cut out early and I did miss my show's ending but, thankfully, one can view it online for free.

My favorite dog, the Border Collie, was eliminated. Go figure. The mixed breed, pointer-looking dog is cool, too.

Wish me good luck or send me good karma... the second litter of pups is due this week (could've even been born yesterday- who knows?). Oh, please, please.... (patience is not for me. I've used my reserves this week and I'm more interested in instant gratification).

The week has been as good as a first week can be... but today I'm pretty tired. Maybe I was running on adrenaline earlier and now the workload will start to sink in. Still, things sure are easier, especially since I learned (thanks to John) how to copy my old gradebook and just take out the old grades and students. That way, I already have the settings correct and all of the assignments' names, weights and totals done for me. This should save me a good 10 hours' worth of time.

The buzz I've heard is that the kids are thrilled with me and having a lot of fun... but we'll see what they think when the academic classes begin!

I don't understand how the right can gloss over the whole teen pregnancy thing. Hello? Aren't they supposed to be the "morality, family values" side? Aren't premarital relations a sin to them? At least the left doesn't, for the most part, look down their noses at such things but then look away when it is convenient. I can't stand when people don't walk their talk. I mean, I tend to only condemn the things that I truly believe are wrong... and then I really don't engage in them. People who are not true to their word, or refuse to make the sacrifices necessary to live in line with their "principles", truly baffle me.

What could one expect with abstinence-only education? When abstinence fails, as it generally does, there is left no education at all.

Success!

2008-09-03T02:54:08Z

Phew. What a great first day of school! I'd have to say that that was the best one yet! It was as smooth as butter, and I sure have a nice group of kids this year. I'm not nervous anymore at all... I'm feeling alive and with purpose again. I mean, summers are great for rest, but school's a challenge that I need in life.

A lot of my former students came to visit. It was so nice to see them!

I knew it was going to be a good day when I woke up and went to the coffee pot. Rogie had prepared the coffee so that all I had to do was push the button, and had washed out my travel coffee mug for me. He had also sliced my bagel and put the toaster on my favorite setting (extra crispy). To top it all off, he had packed me a lunch with a diet rootbeer and a crunchy peanut butter sandwich, just the way I like it. What a gem. I had to smile, even at 5 in the morning, with a gesture like that.

Countdown to Launch

2008-09-01T20:24:50Z

Wow. School starts tomorrow. I am nervous, excited and also rather calm about that event. I mean, I understand how important the first week and, especially, the first day is to the entire school year. First impressions and smothering bad habits before they even start are huge in this profession. All my hard work last year, training my students, is all for naught with the new batch... they know nothing of my rules, standards and procedures. If I forget to teach them something, or gloss over something else, it could spell misery for us all. No pressure.

At the same time, I feel calm. This is my third year. My first year was tough, but with some definite successes, and my second year was 200% easier, smoother and calmer. I fixed some procedural things from the first year, but kept intact the friendly, safe climate I had managed from the start. I'm starting to feel at the top of my game (not to say that things can't be improved. They always can. A wise teacher once told me that the year one stops trying to change and improve things is the year one should pursue something else.) So I'm going into my third year with just an ounce of confidence and savvy.

Still, I try to think of exactly what I did last year and it all seems blurry. Why does it feel like the first time again? I mean, I saved my papers, handouts and took some notes in my old planbook, but it still feels like a jump into the unknown. Every first day of school is an adventure... but, if I remember correctly, the nervousness subsides after the first hour as it all starts feeling natural and easy again.

Things are good. I continue to love my house, even if it is still dog-less. I had a little disappointing news in the dog department. I spoke with my beauce breeder and the litter born on the 26th did not have my puppy in it. There were two merle females born, but both have too much white on their chests to be show quality. There is a merle male, but his merling could be better, she said. When she sells a puppy on a show contract, she guarantees that the dog will perform, and so demands only the best. She prefers show prospects to have no white at all, to be safe.

I never knew it was so hard to breed a show quality harlequin (merle) beauceron. But it is pretty hard... show dogs should never have a spot of white on them that is larger than a quarter in size. On top of that, there is something strange about the gene that causes merling... one merle gene causes the color pattern, but two causes a merle pattern with too much white, that can put the dog at a high risk of being deaf, blind or both. With this in mind, all responsible breeders of merle dogs (Aussies, Corgis, Collies, and yes, the Beauceron) only breed merle to non-merle (in this case, black and rust, the other acceptable color of the breed). This means that in a litter of puppies, only about half will be merle. Then, cut that half in half again to weed out the merles with the wrong pattern or too much white. This means that a good merle is a total crap shoot.

She has a litter of pups due this week, September 3rd. She said that this female has already produced show-quality merles in the past, so she is crossing her fingers that this litter will be as successful. So am I.

It's hard because I am impatient for a puppy, and these harlequins with white are probably just as cute as the show ones. But I don't want to settle. I will have this dog for, hopefully, 12+ years (they have good health and longevity for their size). I want all my options open, especially the ones that let me participate in the dog community to the fullest extent. I can wait for the right puppy. I can exercise patience.

There. That's more than you wanted to know about dogs. Enough procrastinating. I need to cut out my laminated fake money for the first day of school!