Sunday, March 13, 2011

Sunday Blatherings: Aloha & Madness

This has been a strange month so far!  Although there are many great things going on, I'm also feeling like time is slipping by and I don't know where it's going!  My school has a three-day weekend because of a planned "snow day" that we didn't ever take, which is now a quick breather.  Thank goodness!  I can always use a three-day weekend that is a non-holiday to get things done around town.  Besides, it's March Madness time again, and a three-day weekend is the perfect opportunity to gear up for this week!

Let me just give a brief overview of what's going on my world and what I'm thinking about today, otherwise I'll ramble!
  • Of course I'm thinking about Japan today.  My heart goes out to the people there.  It all feels very surreal.
  • Thanks to everyone who texted me early Friday morning to check on my mom, who has lived in Hawaii.  Sadly, she moved home about two weeks ago.  Yes, I've been pretty quiet about it because I was really, really sad.  Maybe I'll explain sometime soon.
  • If I could remember my password, I honestly think I'd delete Facebook.  This past week there was a horrible debate about unions that left me flabbergasted by the insensitive things that supposed "Friends" I allowed into my life would post.  I'm not saying how I feel about unions, one way or the other, but to make random statements like, "Teachers are lazy and are the reason this country's educational system is going down the toilet.  They don't need more money; they need to work harder," really threw me for a loop.  Once I restrained myself from verbally throttling him, I had to take a step back and evaluate how much vitriol I allow into my world.  I think Facebook should be the first to go.  Sorry, but it's true.  I appreciate conversations and respectful debates, but I'm wondering if they exist anymore?
  • I really like my job.  Yes, after that last bullet point you'd think I wouldn't, but I still do.  Outside of all the debates going on about education, my students really seem to be getting it this year, so I'm excited!
  • We're heading into the last 8 weeks before the AP Exam.  It has started to invade my dreams/nightmares.  Enough said.
  • I'm still reading fourteen books right now.  What's wrong with  me?  I need to learn how to enjoy one at a time, but I doubt that will ever happen.
  • Spring feels like it's here, but I know it's not quite yet.  Nearly 60 degree weather doesn't help me restrain my glee much though, so  for today, I'm loving this gorgeous weather and have every window and blind open to the beautiful sunshine today!
  • Last, but not least--I'm SO excited that it's Selection Sunday for NCAA Basketball!  Here is a nice bracket (...although I'd check back to see if they plug in the teams and time for the printable version.  I wasn't thrilled with the CBS version, so I think they are just updating these for now.)  I might go a little Jayhawk crazy over the next several weeks, so my apologies ahead of time.
 I wanted to end my Sunday Blatherings today with a funny video I took a couple of summer ago in Hawaii when we were watching the turtles out in the ocean.  The video speaks for itself, but what I thought was a couple of turtles ended up not being the case!

8 comments:

  1. Sounds like it has been a trying week, but I love the idea of a planned snow day. Can't believe you're reading 14 books... I have a hard time if the number gets above 3!
    Let the Madness begin - we're diehard Syracuse fans here.

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  2. I can't believe someone would say such awful things about teachers! But I agree... I think that social networking has really lessened the ability of people to have any kind of reasonable debate anymore. Another example of this is any "Viewer Comments" that are posted after any kind of controversial news story... that's when all of the idiots really come out of the woodwork.

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  3. I deleted my facebook account a couple years ago after learning what a horrible person its founder was, and I haven't regretted it! Ugh to the union comment; I watched a documentary on Netflix, The Lottery, that made so mad because it completely vilified traditional teachers and schools and unions and made charter schools sound like God's gift to man. It was SUCH propaganda; I hate it when things are so one-sided.

    Japan still feels very surreal to me as well. :(

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  4. Anyone who would make a comment like this is obviously a bleeping idiot and not worth the energy it would take to set them down. Also, they've clearly been watching way too much Fox News.

    It's incredible to me how teachers have been vilified in this country.

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  5. Fortunately I haven't had any problems about FB, maybe I'm just lucky in my friends. Sorry about your mother; hard times. I'm mourning for Japan too; cannot even imagine what it must be like for people there.

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  6. I think I'm lucky to not have had any huge issues with Facebook too. And for me, it's a way to communicate with adults in my world of children. I'm really excited about March Madness...go BYU! Although, you will be happy to know that I picked your Jayhawks to take the whole thing! As far as the union/teacher thing...people who think they know all and really know nothing are just plain STUPID!!
    Love you!

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  7. I feel the same way about Facebook. I deleted mine this year. Personally I got tired of the snarky statuses and other crap being posted. Most of the people I was "friends" with were co-workers and I can hear their crap at work. Why have another avenue to read it too? Also people from the past need to stay in the past and Facebook makes it too easy for people to find and/or stauk you.

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  8. Thanks guys. That Facebook thing really got to me. I'm still not 100% sure that I won't just delete the whole darn thing! I don't know why people have to be so vicious on there. I realize I shouldn't take it personally, but he was attacking my profession in a pretty idiotic sort of way.

    Thanks all for supporting me! :)

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