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June 30, 2007
Spur of the moment trip
Heading to DC today. Coming back to NYC on the 4th so I can see the NYC fireworks. Woot.
Posted by G at 10:43 AM | Comments (4) | TrackBack
June 26, 2007
The Pet Store
There is a shopping center near my school. It's a sketchy place, but they do have a really good pet food store where I buy Bear's super-fancy food. I haul it back to my school, then throw the 25lb bag over my shoulder and walk to the subway.
I hate delivery charges for dog food. I can handle most delivery charges, but not for dog food.
I'm in the dog food section today looking for her specific NutroMax Senior with Glucosamine. It now has Chondritin, thank goodness. I've been worried about her chondritin levels. I look to my right, as there seems to be a commotion going on in the rodent cage section.
Mama Rat is giving birth to a whole litter of baby rats. Unfortunately, the cage is rather chaotic, and the babies are being torn apart/eaten by other rats. Blood is smeared all over the cage. Mama Rat is continuing the birthing process, unable to prevent the disaster.
I go to the checkout counter, where Bubbles the airhead clerk is chewing her gum. I warn her that she has a cannibalism problem in the back, and that she might want to get back there before some kid begins screaming. I didn't get to buy the food, as she suddenly became rather busy.
I'm also not going to be frequenting that store any more. Things have been a bit crazy at my school. I have an assistant principal who is an amazingly talented individual, and I attribute a huge chunk of this year's success to his hard work. Unfortunately, he's leaving, moving to another new high school. Since the announcement, my school has been quickly becoming a chaotic mess. A teacher can only teach well if the school runs well.
This administrator asked me to look at his new school, and I went down there after a particularly disastrous day under a new administrator. The new school is a similar school, but a lot more organized. Longer commute, but really student-centered, plus an opportunity to get involved at the college level. I agonized over the decision, but I decided to transfer to the other school. It was really clear to me this year that my teaching in a high needs school doesn't need to be a constant fight, and that ANY student can achieve success with clear goals and organization from the staff.
If I had stayed at my old school, they would have sucked me into the administration out of necessity. They were already trying to do that, and it isn't what I want right now. I know I might some day be an administrator, but now is not that time. Last year as a coach at a middle school clarified that. Just being a teacher might seem to be setting my goals a bit low, but I've never struggled harder for something in my life. I want to teach, I want to be in a classroom with kids that don't even know that they're parched with thirst, I want to see another kid begin to believe that math actually makes sense.
The math contests will still go on.
Posted by G at 08:57 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
June 25, 2007
Tagged by Californians
Jeff, the cute God of Biscuits has a fear of Roman numerals on clocks and fresh and minty Doug was sleeping on the edge of his bed 'n fell on the corner of the board game of Chutes 'n Ladders, cutting deeply into the flesh of his left bottom cheek.
Or so I've learned by their meme lists of 8 things nobody knows about them. Even Derrick doesn't know these things about me, I think.
1) My sister Bonnie and I regularly attempted to kill each other as children. She pushed me out of a diesel truck. I partially knocked out her eye with a broom. She'd convince me to jump off the roof after convincing me I had super powers. We really hated each other until we came to an understanding in high school. Love her to death now. Love, not death.
2) I unknowingly cut in a line at Disneyworld for sodas, and was screamed at by a mother. I've always double-checked where the end of the line was ever since.
3) In my dreams, I'm often rebuilding VW air cooled engines. In one recurring dream, I'm underneath my old 66 Beetle, and I'm reliving the time I forgot to torque down the throwout bearing in my transmission. It later came loose and polished the bell housing to a mirrored sheen. Most of the other dreams just have me marveling over the simple beauty of the flat 4, which is still my favorite engine design. Then I have dreams about sex. Or flying. Or flying sex.
4) When I was a kid, I watched some TV show that had a Bigfoot that crashed through a glass window while a woman was watching TV. Ever since, I can't watch TV at night with a glass window behind me, unless the outside is brightly lit. It doesn't help that my dad used to drop out of trees onto me in the dark, or grab my leg as I was running up the basement stairs. No, dad, you didn't make me gay; just paranoid.
5) I was the DAMNED CUTEST baby.
Right up until my sister pushed me out of the diesel truck, then I looked like a toothless vampire for some time.
6) If I had to be a dinosaur, I would totally be an ankylosaurus. They were like tanks! I wouldn't be just a herbivore, though. That would just be silly, what with me eating all the other dinosaurs.
7) When I was a senior in high school, I won the Rotary Scholarship, and was supposed to spend a year in Japan as an exchange student. I chickened out. I should write more about that.
8) I can't blow bubbles with bubble gum, or with any other product, for that matter.
I'm supposed to tag some people. Hmmm.
I'm going to add those tomorrow. I'm sleepy.
*Update* I'm awake! Tag! If you don't, I'll summon the floating head of death and kill your puppies.
Cheap Blue Guitar
Genex
Banal Chew
All things but none
Newly relocated Last Debate
Angst in Middle Age
Maine Cliff Dweller
And Spamwise, who also has lovely pics of both types of slabs of beef.
Posted by G at 07:11 PM | Comments (12) | TrackBack
June 20, 2007
Our country is DOOMED
I can't believe she chose Celine Dion. I mean, seriously. CELINE?!?!?
She's gonna start pounding her chest and sinking ships.
Posted by G at 08:08 AM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
June 17, 2007
Days I wish my mom were still here
Can I just say how much I miss my mom at this moment? She was always my cheerleader, sending me snail mail that encouraged me, phone calls encouraging me. No matter what her own fears about her own life, she totally had faith in her son. I miss her SO MUCH. I called my aunt K, my stepmom, and my sisters. My mom, my mom, she would have been totally woohoo'ing, making me tear up. I would have hated it, but I would have loved it.
Go hug your mom, tell her you love her.
Posted by G at 11:20 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
My teaching year
My name got called suddenly, and my mind was really flustered, as I was mentally miles away, pondering the further humiliation and demotion of Pluto and what this would mean for mnemonics in classrooms. I had only been notified of this Saturday school assembly on Friday, as had all the other teachers. Many opted to not come on such short notice, but I had decided to come, as I was supposed to give out awards to students. My school isn't that far, although getting into a suit on a Saturday is not my idea of fun. I was chafing inside the suit, sweat trickling down my back, dress shoes pinching my ankles. Stupid, stupid day.
I stumbled up the stairs, shook hands with everyone, waved at all the cheering students. I stepped back down, shouting my mantra of "John Wayne, John Wayne, John Wayne" to not cry.
Teacher of the Year. It's been a good year. If you would have told me five years ago that it could be this good, I wouldn't have believed it.
Posted by G at 11:21 AM | Comments (33) | TrackBack
June 12, 2007
Once, twice, sold!
As far as the calendar is concerned, school ends June 27th. However, today is basically the last day of real lessons, as students begin their Regents Exams on Wednesday. I'll have to proctor 3 or 4 exams, but otherwise my schedule really blossoms. No more Sundays/subways spent grading homeworks, no more calling of parents, just some grading of state exams.
The fun part will be today, as I'll be running an auction after school. I have hundreds of dollars of comics donated by this man's sexy boyfriend (both boyfriend and boy are sexy) , plus I bought about a hundred bucks of toys at ToysR'Us yesterday at Times Square. Remind me to NEVER go to the Times Square ToysR'Us on the same Sunday as Puerto Rican Day, as I was stabbed about twenty times by shrieking children wildly waving flags.
Are you asking if it is ethical to collect money from innocent children for prizes? Yes, as long as the bucks look like this:
I've been giving them out randomly for good behavior, from just having notebooks out to giving a really intelligent answer to a question. It is really cute to see all the kids negotiating with each other to maximize their bids. I can't post pictures, but I know it is going to be fun.
It is also a bit of an anniversary, as I've now been blogging for five years. I have been blogging longer than that, but I accidentally lost my first few months of entries. Oops.
Posted by G at 07:34 AM | Comments (6) | TrackBack
June 11, 2007
Math Mondays
So move a single line anywhere in this equation to make it true:
VI = II
Two solutions that I know.
Posted by G at 08:33 PM | Comments (14) | TrackBack
June 10, 2007
Corrupted coffee of the ancient world
On Friday, I made myself an iced coffee at work to make it through the rest of the day. Teaching seemed a bit longer than normal, from the sudden realization of my mom passing away 3 years ago to some bad news about one of our most important people leaving. Sometimes a coffee can get you through those final hours without threatening anyone with wedgies.
I was in my main classroom where I have a desk, grading exams. Another teacher was in the class with his students, and the ones next to me were questioning me about the exams. I paused and took a huge swig of my coffee, which really didn't taste all that much like my last swig.
That's where I noticed there were two identical cups of coffee on my desk. One had ice in it, the other one had a scary, furry fringe of old milk crusted to the top from the prior week. Guess which one was currently swirling in my mouth, little crusty bits clinging to my teeth?
I could have spewed it all over the students expectantly waiting for me, but that is usually frowned upon. Instead I swallowed it, immediately chasing it with some real coffee to try to get rid of the taste. Within an hour, I realized that I should have painted my students with coffee, as my stomach was dying.
Even on Saturday, I was still suffering. Derrick is going to get back, and it is still gonna look like I can't fend for myself.
Posted by G at 09:03 AM | Comments (9) | TrackBack
June 09, 2007
Baseball doppelgangers
Despite EVERY student claiming otherwise, I do not look like Kevin Youkilis, 1st baseman for the Boston Red Sox.
Similarities:
We both have shaved heads and beards. We're white boys.
Differences:
I'm 5'10, 165. He's 6'2, 230 lbs, and 10 years younger. He's straight (I think), I'm gay (I know). He makes lots of money, I don't. Compare our looks:
Not at all alike.
Not at all alike.
Suddenly, we're twins. Uhhhh, no.
Posted by G at 03:18 PM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
June 04, 2007
Aller au Canada
Derrick is going to Prince Edward Island, Canada on Wednesday, returning next Monday. His parents are having their FIFTIETH wedding anniversary, and apparently they would like their wayward son to be present at the festivities. Apparently the whole town will be there. I'm envisioning some kind of Romy and Michelle moment.
I'll have to cook my own dinner, walk the dog in the morning, and starfish in the bed. This means I'll be eating lots of meat/mac&cheese, arriving late to school, and trying to spoon until I hit the other edge of the bed.
Worst case scenario: I eat more tainted food because he doesn't block my access to the fridge, I starfish unconscious in the kitchen, and Bear poops all over the living room. (I know that is what many of my friends think will happen.)
Posted by G at 07:38 PM | Comments (13) | TrackBack
June 03, 2007
Father's Day is Coming!
Father's Day is coming up on June 13th, something I hadn't really thought about until a friend mentioned it. My dad wasn't all that excited about Father's Day when I was a kid, as he correctly perceived that it was a marketing ploy and he never really liked the gifts. I went through a series of annual duck objects I would give him. I don't know why, although I've always liked the word "mallard."
Father's Day was incredibly exciting for me as a kid, and not because it was an opportunity to give my dad a duck-themed object. I would only become aware of it as It was the time for all the department stores to begin posting circulars in the Sunday papers showing their sale items. I'm sure that my mother thought I was a little too interested in gifts for my dad as I carefully and discreetly perused them, but I had a different fascination.
I loved those circulars, as they were chock full of photos of men in their underwear. Even as a really young kid, I loved looking at the pictures. The men in the circular ads were living in a different town than mine. Their town was filled with men who stood proudly shoulder to shoulder, drinking coffee, reading newspapers, chatting in the locker room. All in their underwear. I did those things too, but usually with pajamas or kids' clothes. I really wanted to move to their town.
Once Father's Day passed, it was back to women's bra commercials, but there was always the Sears and JC Penney catalogs. Even as a five year old, I thought the Penney catalog was racier, but then came the 1975 Sears catalog. Below is the page that seared itself into my memory.
Click to enlarge.
Please look at the guy on the left. Do you see what my five year old eyes couldn't believe they saw?
Yeah. Essentially it was my first gay porn. My mom would wonder where the catalog was, and I'd just look innocently at her.
Looking back at those ads, I have a few questions.
Do straight guys really tuck their tshirts into their underwear? (Gays don't.)
Am I the only gay guy who was fascinated by the underwear guys? (Probably.)
Hell, did straight boys look at the Mother's Day circular? The words Mother/Father could really mess with our little minds, but I never saw my parents lounging around like the people in Underwear Town.
Do those models have those photos in scrapbooks, lounging around in their sixties and seventies, still in their underwear?
These are the things I wonder when I should be thinking deeper thoughts.
Posted by G at 09:22 PM | Comments (18) | TrackBack