She's at it again...

Tina Fey reprises her role as Sarah Palin on SNL...

A Day in the Life...

Today was busy, but not especially exciting. Still, here is how it turned out:

Last night I was exhausted after working in my yard for 4 hours yesterday. I fell asleep at 9:20 and woke up this morning at 4:30am. Naturally I couldn't go back to sleep. So I lay there counting sheep and the minutes until my alarm, which rings at 5:12am (although I ignore it for about 1/2 hour.)

When I got to school I cautiously entered my room, not knowing what shape I would find it after having had a sub on Friday. Happily, it looked intact and the note she left behind was pretty positive. There were 4 kids who needed to be benched for being disruptive, but I can't expect perfection.

We had a productive day, which, for me, ended in a meeting in the principal's office with the 2 administrators. No drama, just a routine meeting to discuss the kids' levels. I even got a little certificate for meeting the required AYP (annual yearly percentage.) I know that sounds insignificant, but when you work this hard, those rare pats on the back are appreciated. Two years in a row, thank you very much!
(Yes, my legal name is Krista. How many of you knew that? And sorry for the black bars and mystery, but this is a public blog...)

After school I went to the car wash and watched a familiar scene--whiny kids asking their mom to buy something and then wearing her out until she said yes. WHY do parents do this?

Despite that, I was in a good mood and tipped the guy who dried my car $5. I went home and watered all my flowers, some which I planted yesterday and a couple that I took from my grandma's house. The yard looks good. Really nice and colorful. I've been wanting to redo it for a while and the weather this weekend was perfect gardening weather.

But wait, there was still more to do. Time to give my mom a perm! Yes, I've been giving her perms since I was about 12 and money was very tight. Now it is just what we do. She even had me give her perms when I was in college 700 miles away. She'd go up and visit with all her perm equipment. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes and she saves around $70 (then she cooks me dinner...)

And now it is the end of a full day. A good day.

Family Party and More Scrapblogging...

Last night we had a wonderful family gathering to celebrate the September birthdays. We had it at my grandparents' house, which is going to be the base of operations for most family functions. By this time next year we may have sold it or, at least, emptied it out. We're trying to create as many memories there as we can until that happens, although it is very strange not having my grandparents in the house. Very strange.

My mom did all the shopping for the party, cousin Laura debuted her very first ice cream cake (which was fabulous,) and my Uncle Bill brought his fire pit and did all the BBQing. He is a master BBQer and we had homemade hamburgers, baked beans, salad, and Trader Joe's potato salad (in an effort to recreate my grandma's potato salad, which is impossible.)

The 12 of us in attendance sat in a circle around the fire pit in the backyard and ate and laughed and mused about the mystery that is life and how time continues to move forward with or without the ones we love. Tito and Tita may not have been there physically, but they were very much on our minds.

As usual when the family gets together (I don't want to brag, but my family is awesome,) 4 hours felt like 30 minutes. We had to do all the cleaning up and tried to leave everything as it was when we arrived, which sounds simple, but it isn't easy maintaining a house that no one lives in.

My mom and I, the last 2 to leave and lock up, did what we have done a lot lately, which is wander around the house still in disbelief that Tito and Tita are gone. I felt Tito's loss a lot when we were in the garage where his tools remain, still impeccably organized. I felt Tita's loss in the kitchen, which no longer has the aromas of foods and flavors only she could create. I still cannot grasp the idea of anyone else living in that house, but I guess as we slowly empty it out it will get a little easier.

One thing I notice is that those of us remaining seem to want to be together more than ever. I guess we have all realized how transitory life is and we don't want to waste any moments together. Normally I would not go out of town on a 2 day weekend, but several family members are making plans to go to the air show in Miramar (by San Diego) in 2 weeks. It sounds fun and I have really been craving family time lately. I'm seriously considering it.

Here at home I'm still experimenting a lot with that Scrapblog site, which is really fun and highly addictive. I'm now going onto the Cutest Blog on the Block site, where I get my layouts, finding the next layout I want to use, and THEN making a header that matches the color scheme. Plus, the holidays are soon to be upon us, which creates a lot of options. Here are some you may see in the near future, including one I did for my friend, Emma, in the UK:

Ahhh....the consistency of inconsistency...

I found this on another blog and had to post it:

Finally! A user-friendly site for greenies like me...

Before I get started, yes, I took the day off today.

Last night I just could not fall asleep. I took Bailey for a walk, I read, I put in a calm movie, I blogged, finally I took a sleeping pill. Nothing worked, not even the sleeping pill, which I pushed right through. It did nothing.

So then I started the inevitable..."If I fall asleep now I'll get 7 hours," "If I fall asleep now I'll get 6.5 hours..." And on and on and on...

When it was approaching midnight and my internal dialogue had hit "5 hours," I knew I'd better call in an absence to the school district. We are using a new online system--very cool--called AESOP. You can create your absence, pick a sub, and even attach lesson plans. I did all that and, go figure, then I was able to sleep. Still, my tired body got the amount of sleep it needed.

This morning I was on MySpace and I saw a bulletin from my friend, Sylvia, who was showing her new digital scrapbooking pages. Jealous much. I've been wanting to learn how to do this, put everything I've come across is too difficult for a newbie. But today I went to the site that she used and, lo and behold, I was finally able to do it!

The site is called scrapblog.com and it is SO easy! You can start off with a template and tweak it to your liking, or start with a blank page. I went with the template because this was my first time.

I started off with this:
And changed it to this:
Cool huh?

Another thing I like about this site is, like with Blogger, you can upload your pictures right from your computer instead of going through Photobucket or the like.

Embellishments, like flowers, ribbons, etc., are in a list to the left and you can drag them, resize them, and tilt them however you like.

So far, this is the best site I've seen for easy scrapbooking. Easy is good! Yay!

A Very LONG LONG Day...

I'm very wound up right now. Maybe I can expend some of that extra energy here.

This morning I left for school at 7:20am, my usual time. Tonight was Back to School night from 6-7:30pm. I stayed at school the ENTIRE time. And here it is, 9:30pm and I'm exhausted, yet with my head spinning at the same time.

During those 4 hours between school and the evening event I did about 2 hours of schoolwork--updating a bulletin board, making next week's copies. Then I realized I'd better wind down a little because there was a busy night ahead.

At 4:15 I went to the local Japanese fast food place and bought some dinner. I relaxed in my classroom with the lights off for a while, and then it was time to change and get ready for a crowded school and busy evening.

We all met in the cafeteria for a few minutes while the principal welcomed everyone. It was hot in there and crowded with parents, kids, and kids in strollers. Then each grade level team of teachers was dismissed to their rooms to greet parents.

For the most part it went well, although it is hard to keep your energy up and present to parents. At this school we are expected to have a formal presentation. It sure is easier speaking to the kids than the parents. I always get nervous. Then the parents mingled around the room and looked at some projects we did for tonight.

A couple of parents wanted to use the time for private conferencing, which is always a little nerve-wracking. But, what can you do? I guess I should be happy they are showing interest in their children. It is hard to be positive when you've been at school for almost 13 hours, but everyone means well.

I came home and was very wound up. When talking to parents there is always the fear of saying something that will be misinterpreted. That does happen once in a while. When I came home I called my mom and asked if she wanted to go with me to take Bailey for a walk. It was a good chance to vent and unwind.

I thought.

JUST as I was settling in back home the phone rang. I didn't recognize the number and let it ring. Then my cell phone rang. Same number. I answered and it turned out to be a good friend from college who I hadn't spoken to in about 14 years. That threw me! Happily, my friend is going to be in town next week for a few days and wants to get together. How fun! But yes, I was very surprised!
Still, a long day! And a full one. It is times like this that I wish I had a really good massage chair!

See? That could be me...

Today is what you call...

...A GOOD DAY.

I wish that my mood didn't depend so much on my students, but I'm a teacher and I'm human, and my students are the people with whom I spend the bulk of the day.

Yesterday I was frustrated. They were productive in the morning, but tired and whiny in the afternoon. They didn't participate and made me work extra hard. Result: extra homework for them and a guilt complex for me.

Happily, having older students (I'm liking 5th grade much more than I expected) means a new level of maturity. Despite 3 pages of math, reading, and 20 spelling sentences, almost all of them did it and brought it today. I know, I'm a meanie. But I was even more amazed that many of them admitted that their behavior yesterday was unacceptable. Wow, they're growing up!

Today was the exact opposite of yesterday. We were ultra productive and we had fun because I wasn't using up energy reminding them of class rules. We also unpacked boxes of new materials and got the room cleaned and organized for tomorrow's Back to School Night. That's another good thing about having older kids--they are good helpers.

As tired as I was yesterday after school, today I feel satisfied and refreshed. I look forward to more days like today.

2 Reviews for the Price of One...

Somehow, with all the school craziness, I managed to watch 2 movies this week. Actually I watch more TV while I'm working than when I'm on summer vacation. Sometimes I just don't have the energy for anything else. And, thanks to Netflix, there's always something new headed for my mailbox. (Don't have cable--don't need it or want it.)

The 2 films I saw this week couldn't be more different, the famous Bette Davis movie, ALL ABOUT EVE, and the months-old-family-film, NIM'S ISLAND.
ALL ABOUT EVE was made in 1950, and is #16 on the American Film Institute's list of the Top 100 Greatest Films of All Time. I have heard about it for years and decided to give it a try. I watched it with my mom over 3 nights and, although I can't see myself wanting to see it again or to own it, it was certainly riveting.

Bette Davis plays a 40 year old theater actress named Margo Channing, who is introduced one night to a starry-eyed fan named Eve Harrington, played by Anne Baxter. Eve has heartfelt stories of her childhood, tragic marriage, and aspirations. Margo takes pity on her and gives her a job as her assistant, and, before you know it, Eve has found a way to enter every aspect of Margo's life. You realize there is nothing innocent about her.

I won't go into more details about the story, but it is very good. Most of us have known someone who is manipulative, passive-aggressive, dishonest, and knows their audience all too well. We all hope that karma will teach people like that a lesson one day. Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. To add insult to injury, some of us have known people like that who manage to get everything they want at the expense of others yet no one realizes it except a few people. They are the worst, because they cloak everything in innocence. Eve is like that. (I had a roommate like that one semester in college. It was maddening.)

I found the film's ending very satisfying, yet completely not what I expected. That is the sign of a great film. The supporting characters were very good. My favorite was George Sanders, who plays a greasy critic named Addison DeWitt. Only at the end do you discover whether DeWitt is a good guy or bad guy. Sanders won an Oscar for his portrayal of the character, whose dialogue drips out of him with that great voice of his. (He is the voice of the tiger, Shere Khan, in Disney's 1967 JUNGLE BOOK.)

ALL ABOUT EVE comes highly recommended from me. You'll get more and more frustrated as the movie continues, then gasp with surprise at the ending, then sigh with relief yet leave with questions. You'll also see a short cameo by a young Marilyn Monroe. As Bette Davis says partway into the film:


On the other end of the spectrum, is NIM'S ISLAND, with Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, and Gerard Butler. OK, confession, I only rented this to see Gerard Butler, who has made me weak in the knees since The Phantom of the Opera, but I was surprisingly pleased with this film as a whole.

Abigail Breslin and Dakota Fanning are probably the 2 hottest child actors around these days, but I like Abigail Breslin much better. She's a kid who doesn't act like an adult, as I have seen Dakota Fanning do when she is interviewed. Let's face it, no one likes a pretentious pre-teen.

Breslin plays Nim, the 11 year old daughter of research scientist, Jack Rusoe. Together they live on an island whose coordinates only they know. Their only contact with the outside world is the internet and the supply ship that they meet several hundred yards out to sea every few months.

Jodie Foster is a modern-day version of Kathleen Turner's character in Romancing the Stone. An agoraphobic who lives in San Francisco, she lives on Progresso Soup as she writes the adventures of Alex Rover, a play on her own name, Alexandra Rover.

On the same day that Jack leaves Nim for what is supposed to be a 2 day expedition to study glowing plankton, Alexandra emails him for information on volcanoes to use in her next book. Nim answers her and they begin to correspond. When bad weather hits and Jack is seemingly lost at sea, Nim pleads with "Alex" Rover to come and help her. Alexandra forces herself to confront her fears with the help of her alter ego, Alex (also played by Gerard Butler, looking very "Indiana Jones.") Needless to say, she is not what Nim was expecting when she finds the island.

It's corny in the retelling, but fun in the watching. I get pretty bored with kids' movies, but this one had my attention the entire time. Everyone has struggles and fears to overcome, whether it is a sinking boat, leaving the house, or finding their dad. Nim's animal friends are cute and make just enough appearances to be fun but not ridiculous. And, of course, let's not forget about the big cruise ship trying to claim Nim's island for its own. This side story could've really ruined the movie, but the writers keep it in just long enough to keep the action moving forward.

I liked it. I would show it to my students and recommend it to parents. It is rated PG, but the only thing I saw were 2 very quick "damns." The story is good and redefines what it means to be a hero. It also shows a spunky kid who relies on her imagination, something kids today use all too rarely.


2 movies, 2 recommendations, but 2 different audiences.

Only one person could play Sarah Palin...

...Tina Fey. I like her more all the time. Both Palin and Hillary Clinton are targets in this sketch, but it is hilarious. Tina Fey's accent is dead-on!

The Amazing Smart Board...

Last year we had the most interesting staff meeting I've ever attended when 2 teachers on our tech committee introduced us to Smart Boards, the interactive white board. Of the 30+ teachers at our school of 1,000 students, only about 7 of them received a Smart Board last year. But this week I'll be getting mine and I have renewed interest in them.

What is a Smart Board? It looks like a white board and can be used as one with marker, but it isn't a good idea. It also comes with 4 "smart" markers, which leave a colored digital image behind. You can also write with your finger if you like.

They come with software and are ideal for Power Point (although, computer savvy as I am, I have never learned how to do a Power Point presentation.)

They also come with a projector, which you can hook up to your laptop. When you project an image from the internet, your finger works as the mouse and you can do a lesson right on the board.

I'm a little nervous about the time it will take to get comfortable with the Smart Board and the tech committee hasn't scheduled any trainings for us yet, but I am pretty good at learning technological things on my own. I know that a big part of their attraction is their novelty. I'm counting on that when I get one, because I find that some kids are having more and more trouble paying attention simply because they lose interest.

It is sad, but true. Our kids go home to their iPods, video games, cell phones, and computers, which are much more interesting and interactive than school. I work in a disadvantaged neighborhood, but the kids still have all these things. I'm hoping that using the Smart Board once in a while will help renew kids' interest in school. Last year I saw a classroom demo in a friend's room where they use a Smart Board and the kids (2nd grade) were riveted.

Here are some demos I found on You Tube. They are pretty cool...

The past...in the future...

I've been very lazy about writing long, involved posts because I've just been so dang tired this week. It takes a while to build up the endurance necessary to get back into the swing of things at school--a 5-day week and a longer schedule. And, once again, I'm not going to write a long post. But my friend, Bobby, posted this video he found on MySpace and it is very clever.

Yes, it is supposed to be a joke!

A LOOK AT BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO IN THE PAST...

A 9/11 Moment of Silence...

It seems like ages ago and recently all at the same time, but anyone can remember where they were when they heard about the tragedies that occurred on September 11, 2001.

I was working at my first school in Los Angeles, the school day had not started yet, and a co-worker came up to me and told me what had happened. It seemed surreal from the beginning, and no matter how many times you see the footage and hear a news commentary of those planes hitting the Twin Towers, it is hard to believe.

People like myself, who have never been to New York and have no relatives there, still felt like America rallied together after that horrible day. Yet there were some (Bush) who took advantage of our fear and used it to their own end.

Now, 7 years later, my students, who were 3 and 4 years old when 9/11 happened, categorize the event with other historical moments they neither saw nor remember.

But America will never forget. And it is our responsibility to make sure of that.

Introducing...

my 5th grade class for the 2008-2009 school year. All 33 of them! You can also go HERE to visit our classroom site.

Sebastian--Rest in Peace

After 2 weeks of searching for my mom's beautiful cat, Sebastian, we finally found him today. Unfortunately, we found his remains in a hidden corner of my mom's backyard. Poor baby.

We adopted him as a kitten when he was found in the carport of my apartment building 10 years ago. He's always been a great cat--more like a dog than a cat--and most of our dogs have treated him like one of their own.

We think that he was sick for a little while, but his symptoms were very vague. We'll never know exactly what happened.

Bye, Sebas. You'll be truly missed.

This hits home...

Today my mom and I went to the cemetery where my grandparents are laid to rest. My grandma's name was finally added to the marker. Seeing it there in black and white really added to the reality of the situation. Tito and Tita are gone. It feels so strange:

If I Can Dream....

Finally! After multiple attempts, I got the key right throughout this marvelous song--yay!

Elvis Presley's If I Can Dream (sung by me!) (OK, the link isn't working. Scroll ALL the way down to the songs on the bottom and click.)

Singing is how I let go and relax, and online karaoke is so fun! A great way to keep the voice in shape too. And look at this wonderful watercolor I found. This song is a like a soundtrack for the lives of these brave men.

As long as we're on the subject...

...I did this recording this morning. One take, baby! (refresh if it doesn't upload the 1st time)

Long live The Duhks...

Some of my favorite musicians are those I discovered completely by accident. Enter The Duhks. I can't be sure, but I think I saw their debut CD at Borders, listened to a sample, and fell in love with it. That was in 2005, and I've been a devoted listener ever since. (Other happy accidents are the Indigo Girls and Madeline Peyroux.)

It's hard to describe The Duhks' music. It is a combination of bluegrass, folk, indie, jazz and rock. It is a Canadian quintet--3 guys, 2 girls--who sing with backups of fiddles, banjos, drums, guitars, tamborines, all producing a rich, unique sound.

Today I treated myself to a mani-pedi at the mall and went over to Borders with my 20% discount coupon. I remembered that The Duhks were due to have a new album out soon, their first with a new lead singer, Sarah Dugas, whose husky strong vocals are similar, but perhaps more hypnotic, to Jesse Havey. I have fallen in love with her vocals on the song This Fall, track 3 on their new album, Fast Paced World.

One of these days it would be fun to see them in person. I admire their originality as much as their music. You can go here and listen to some of their songs. Give a listen to This Fall. It is like being put into a trance.

Here are some of their best. I love this group!

Back to School!

Yes, it's true. My very eventful summer is now a thing of the past. School is back in session.

This year I'm teaching 5th grade for the first time and, although I've always had a scary image of 5th and 6th graders, the fact that I've moved up with last year's students has made the transition very smooth. One of my colleagues asked me if I noticed a change in the kids' maturity from 4th to 5th grade and, actually, I have. I know that much of it can be attributed to the fact that the kids know me, they know that I have very strict standards for behavior, and they know that I don't put up with any funny business. Those who might normally try to push the teacher's buttons at the beginning already know that with me they won't get far.

There were a few surprises on my class list, however. Three kids I expected to see were not on it--one who moved away and 2 who wanted to try the year with a different teacher. (I used to take this very personally, but I've learned that this is quite common in my district.) More surprises came on the first day of school when my class list was revised again and 2 more kids were not on it. The other students said that they had moved away. The 5 kids who are gone have all been replaced with new ones, so my class is officially full at 32 students. If that sounds like a lot, it is! That is why good classroom management is essential.

We've already had 3 days of school and they have been very good and smooth with no problems. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself!) I don't expect perfection, but after last year--one of the most challenging of my career--I feel like I deserve a break. Fortunately, the remaining students from last year who had some problems seem like they are sincerely trying to turn over a new leaf. That is one of the many benefits of looping (taking the same kids to the next grade.) It is like a do-over for everyone, myself included.

The kids who are new to our group all seem nice and hard-working, despite a range in abilities. The child I am most concerned about is a little boy who doesn't speak a word of English. I've tried my best to see if he understands directions, I've put him next to a child who speaks Spanish and can explain things to him, and I've tried to modify assignments, but I know that isn't enough. And, with 32 students and a very full curriculum, I haven't been able to give him any individual time. Soon, we'll start teaming with the grade level for ELD (English Language Development.) He'll get 30-45 minutes a day in English at a beginning level. But this is still going to be a challenging year for him.

Overall, though, I have high hopes for this year. I hope my instinct is correct! We have a new vice-principal that is already setting a very impressive tone and I feel like the stress level has diminished a little. My colleagues are still the best I've ever worked with and I'm settled into my lovely big classroom. So far, so good!

The Many Adventures of Alexander Jonathan...

My nephew, Alexander, will be 7 months old on September 13th. My mom and I have been doing a lot of babysitting lately (we call it tag-team babysitting) and have been exposing him to a variety of experiences whenever we get him.

A few weeks ago we took him to the LA Arboretum, which is nice and close. That day there was a photo shoot going on there for National Geographic. One of the animal handlers generously let us take pictures alongside the mule he was taking care of:
A few days later we took him to a church birthday party. One of our sweet little sisters was turning an impressive 100 years old. She's amazing!

Today we had him again. It's kind of fun to play the "Where should we take him today?" game each time. Yes, it is a lot of work and yes, it's pretty tiring, but it is fun. And one day when he really understands about these places, the experiences will be invaluable. He's done great everywhere he's been.

Before today's adventure, we took a cute video of him getting his solid food. He's like a little baby bird opening his mouth. My mom, in an effort to make him trilingual (Spanish, Vietnamese, and English) speaks Spanish to him once in a while:

Later we went to the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, CA. Fortunately, we live about 5 minutes away from it, which comes in handy when toting a baby. We saw many beautiful paintings, including these 3 very famous ones:
Do any of these look familiar? The originals are all at the Huntington. Fun day!