Base TV habits

So, I still have some TV watcher guilt in me. I did not have a TV for a long time (really that was no cable but to me that = no TV). Then I fell. This year the DVR came into my life. It makes me so aware of my viewing habits. It records everything. You have to make decisions when there are too many competing shows. Today, I made one of those decisions.

My roommate called and asked me to check on American Idol. I am not a fan of the Idol. But, she is and so I pushed record. The "You're recording too many things" menu came up and I had to choose which show not to record...Gilmore Girls or NOVA.

NOVA had to go.

I'm so ashamed.

Out and about

I am a big fan of observing others while I'm out. Sometimes, it may dip too far into staring to be considered polite. But, it usually brings little nuggets of goodness to my life.

Today's highlights:
*A woman was on line for the bathroom at Starbucks and was texting to what I assume was her friend. She texted, "No, you are not too fat. You are hot. Not fat."
*A man who had covered himself with mean looking tattoos had given himself a tattoo that the native women of New Zealand have traditionally given themselves. It was a little chin tattoo with some dots. The Maori grandmas I saw with the tattoo and this knuckle tattoo guy = same.
*A woman (wearing a winter hat with little cat ears) sat on the subway reading a book called the Birthing Partner. When our train came above ground, she called her friend and exclaimed, "Hey! Hi!" She then had a whole conversation in exclamations. I wondered if I was too cranky-NY to deal with shiny-happy people anymore. Then, I wondered if she was really the kind of person who should be around to calm someone who is birthing.

Oh NYC.

Easy, easy

I've been known to chronically complain about the level of convenience in my world. I say it's too low. Getting to things I want to get to usually involves some type of route being mapped out in advanced, unexpected miles driven/walked, confusion and then the inevitable trip to the suburbs.

Today, I found out that it's possible I've just not taken advantage of local resources. Did you know that you can refill a prescription over the phone? I'm not a habitual prescription drug user. So, this was news to me. I found out yesterday when I called the pharmacy, expecting to talk to a person and then got voice jail. Today, I called back, armed with my yellow highlighted number and arranged date and time for my pick up! I just have to show up. Amazing.

Makes me wonder about all of the other things I don't know are out there. I'm sure there are tons.

Drink up

I often feel some guilt for selling out to the coffee corporate giant. But, I like the calmness of their set up. And, I like the tea they have. And, the coffee. And, their gift section.

But, I still feel like I'm a sellout. That is, until today. I have learned that Starbucks now spends more on health care than on coffee beans. They say they do it because it's just the right thing to do.

I've just been absolved of my guilt.

Genetics

On my way home from school, I was talking to my sister when she said, "Do you have a boop or do I?" She was talking about call waiting. The boop was hers. After a few rapid-fire questions (Should I get that? I'm going to get that...don't go, okay? Should I get it?), she answered the call waiting.

Like my sister, I am often unsure of what to do about the beep. When I finally take the plunge and try to click over, I hang up on people.

It seems that it's genetic.

Why I love the Mini

When I was a teenager, I went to Ireland and saw my first Mini. Actually Minis. They were everywhere - all old-school and very clown car-esque. I joked that I wanted to bring one home as overhead luggage.

My love of the Mini continued as I traveled to places where Mini's roamed. Then they came to the US and quickly replaced all other cars as my favorite. Cute, zippy cars = perfect in my world.

I have recently been thinking that I would really actually like to have one of these cars. While I love my Honda Civic, it lacks some of the sexiness that's inherent to the Mini. And, my '97 Civic also lacks power windows/locks, comfortable seats, and some of the major safety features I've come to like in my old age.

Today, the Mini-love found a new level. Having a Mini now means that you can have a personalized billboard. Until 5 minutes ago, I didn't know that I wanted a personalized billboard. But, now I really, really do....

Go Team!

So, I'm a few hours from my very first Superbowl party. Well...the Superbowl and party in their broadest definition.

The game has been FauxVoed, so the game part can be fast-forwarded so we can watch the good commercials. We plan on watching a little Top Chef in between commercials. The party is really just my friend and my roommate. But, I'm excited that I get make all sorts of things that can be eaten with fingers and use all my favorite serving dishes.

(sound of a sigh)

Today was one of those days. Because it was one of those days teaching, it held the hardest and the sweetest things possible. The difficult moments highlighted the fact that you can not predict human behavior. The good moments made things just seem right. I helped my students divide a whole into tenths, hundredths, and thousandths and then convert that to it's decimal equivalent. I listened to a student read a book that is a grade level beyond what she came in reading. I wrote a paragraph with a student who normally ends a writing period with a blank paper.

I'm tired because of the tough stuff. I know I'm a teacher because all of the other stuff is good stuff.

Music on the Tee-vee

Over the weekend, I had a theme of good music - brought to me by the television.

It started with a little Fearless Freaks (a documentary about the Flaming Lips which I highly recommend). It seemed a little disjointed in the beginning and then turned out to be brilliant. It reminded me of their music.

Then a little channel flipping brought me some old school Rolling Stones. PBS was playing the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus. It's a little bit of 1968 perfectness.

morning internet research

There is nothing like a little early morning w.w.w. time to bring an interesting thing to your life:

• is your rent too little, too much or just right for your area?

Jumpy

In the past two days, three cars have backfired outside of my window. I'm easily startled. The sound of a gun outside of my window is basically guaranteed to get a jump out of me. Three times in two days seems like some type of punishment.

P.S. My roommate has been trying to get me to watch American Idol for quite some time. Tonight, I caved. [It's cold and my only other real option is laundry]. What I've taken from this experience is a reconfirmation of my amazement at the things people do. American Idol also seems like some type of punishment...and it's leaving me jumpy, too.

Snacks

I have a pretty real need to eat on a once every two hours schedule. I get faint (which actually almost happened in my classroom today and has now become my new biggest fear, totally trumping rats). I get grumpy. I get the shakes.

But, I also just enjoy the eating. Sometimes, I think that I'm too quick to fall to my momentary thoughts of pretzels or yogurt. Right now, rather than analyzing the clapping during the State of the Union, I'm wondering if the 4 snacks of tonight means that I have to be done.

I'm just not sure.

Stations

I've recently been thinking about my appreciation for the people in my lives who have distinct stations in their world. Over there, that's their music station. Around the corner and you hit their computer station. A little bit further down, entertainment station.

I was concerned because I didn't think I had stations and I was going to have to fight my nature to develop some. On my ride home from work, I realized that I actually do have stations; mine are just a little further apart.

I have a work station--my classroom. If I try to do work outside of this station, I fail horribly. This week, I've tried to bring work home each night and left the school around 4. It should have worked. But, oh it did not. When I stay at school until 6 p.m., I get tons done...just like tonight-Woo-woo.

Then, I have my rest station-my apartment. I putter. I talk to people I like. I sit quietly. I catch up on the world that can be reached through the w.w.w. It's lovely.

My final station is the rest of the world. It's the station that reminds me that I actually do like others and that fun can be had outside of rest stations. It's just that sometimes, I forget.

Post ELA calm

Today, my class and I took a trip to the MOMA. Beside the time one of my students decided that gently touching a Monet painting was a good idea, the trip was great. They discussed what they noticed. They talked about colors. They decided that either Matisse or Matisse's mom really loves the color red--which is the only good reason his would paint his red studio red. It was no visit to see Chihuly but it was nice to have a relaxing morning.

After I gave a teacher point to a man who was about to run over my class we boarded the bus, I was greeted with a few rounds of "The Wheels on the Bus" sang by the toughest of the tough kids.

We returned to school in time for lunch, finished our drawings of our places, learned how to write capital G through K, and listened to a story about a boy who finds himself flat (again).

Although not an academically focused day, it felt like a normal day. Everyone was calm. No one did anything that caused me to need to call in some school based support. And, I did not have to run out of the building as soon as legally allowable because of the stress. The tests are over and my class is back to their old collective self. I am back. It's good.

My use of time

I have a friend who is an expert at hobbies. She paints, knits, welds, plays guitar, dances salsa (or whatever dance is available at that time in her tiny town), attends all sorts of interesting events, is learning about herbal medicine, and has made a weekly tradition of hanging out in a public place because she was afraid she was not interacting with enough random people from her town. When we talk, I'm always amazed at what she is doing.

My stories usually revolve around Target. I do more than go to Target. But, somehow it always comes up.

NYC 1-Me 0

Today was one of those days. It started off good--resting at home followed by a lunch at some famous chef restaurant. Then, I took to the street. I was on the search for black shoes. I searched several blocks this way, several blocks that way, and then right back to where I started. After heading several more blocks north, taking a subway up 30 more blocks, I ended up with a little bag for my iPod and tired feet. I was cross checked by an angry lady during a detour to look at lacy things, was huffed at by angry lady no. 2 as she rushed up the escalator, and was generally surrounded by too many people. Some days NYC seems to hold all of those things that keep me entertained. Today was not one of those days.

My pipes

So, there has been a problem with my heat all winter. The one heater that has worked consistently is in the bathroom. During one of our few cold bits this winter, my roommate and I turned on the oven and slept in hats. Eventually the problem was fixed, but only kind of. I guess they've been working on it.

Tonight, there was another surprise visit from the guy who is doing the work. I am wearing two sweaters and slippers. The guy who was looking at my pipes turned to me and said, "You know what you need to keep you warm?"

I knew where this was going and tried to head him off at the pass. I kind of shouted things like gloves, jumping jacks, more clothes.

"No, a man."

Oh, Queens.

E-L-A (English Language Arts for those of you who do not spend your day with children)

My third graders have slugged their way through the big test. My fourth graders have one more day. Our days are returning to normal. No one is having major emotional outbursts due to test stress anymore. We are having lessons that do not begin with me saying, "On the test....". I feel like I'm able to actually teach normal things again soon. I don't really mind test prep, in the general sense. Kids should be tested so we know what they know. But, there was a day when my major literacy instruction was the process of elimination. I don't know that the process of eliminating one out of four things will really produce children with a love of literature.

*Teaching related side note: At this moment, I have apple stickers and an old school pencil top erase in my pocket. I normally am packing some type of teaching related materials. But, rarely does it include anything apple related. I am firmly anti-apple.

Update

The Toys R Us people did the right thing. They gave the baby the money. Good job. I can shop there again. Oh wait...I don't really go to the Toys R Us so much.

Baby Lin

Normally, I don't see the blog as a soapbox. After reading some news this morning, I decided to make an exception.

At the stroke of midnight, January 1, a little baby named Yuki Lin was born in NYC. She was the New Years Baby. Toys R Us has a contest to award a $25,000 savings bond to the first baby born in the New Year. Unfortunately, the company decided to take back the award because of her parents' immigration status.

After an afternoon talking with my students about Martin Luther King and three years of interacting with many children who probably share an immigration history with this baby, I was upset. It seems like we should be past this type of discriminatory thinking. Each day, my students are able to navigate their ways through multiculturalism with very few bumps. It seems like the adults cannot figure out what my 8, 9, and 10 year olds have down.

So, I wrote an email to the Director of Corporate Philanthropy and the Director of PR at Toys R Us. I used words liked marred and unethical. Now, I'm going to have to figure out what I can do next.