To Be Read...

First, I like my job. No, love my job. At 10:00am I spent twenty minutes dancing with one of my students. It was fun. I can't say I'm a fan of the Wiggles, but this girl loved them so we Pandora'd Wiggles and various other kids songs (Old McDonald, ABC's, If You're Happy and You Know it). Speech is fun.

Now on to the real topic. Books. On my way to work (10 minute drive) I heard that the Informant is about ADM. ADM is a big company that sells commodities. Immediately, I called my dad (he's been in the grain business for his whole life, starting on the ranch and moving up to selling/buying grain and various other things). Sidenote: It took me a really long time to understand what my dad did. For the longest time people would ask what dad did and I'd just say "He works for Cargill, they're a grain elevator." There was nothing past that, maybe "I don't know he works with grain." Now I know he buys and sells things (sunflower, flax, wheat, fertilizer etc...). I still don't understand the "covering" process of products on the ground, can't you just put a tarp over it? Apparently not, and it's a big process just to cover the product. It's not a good day at the Warehime home when there is a storm and the product is uncovered. Dad needs to get more bins--problem solved. Anyway, I had no idea there was so much corruption in the grain industry. Not only the grain industry but in commodities as a whole. So, after talking to my dad I'm going to go to my local library, used book store, or Amazon.com and purchase: The Informant and Merchants of Grain.

While reading the excerpt provided by Amazon. com for Merchants of Grain I learned that the 5 major commodities companies were responsible for making high fructose corn syrup a staple in foods. That's why Coke and Pepsi don't taste the same (not that I personally know they taste different, I probably can't even tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi); they are using HFCS instead of sugar. I like scandals and I like when my dad gives me scenarios about what he's doing at the office and I try to solve them. It's fun.

I'm really excited to read these books! Who would have thought that the food market would have so much scandal! I picture these books to be like PerezHilton, but with less snark and without pictures.

I hope you all have a happy weekend...I am going to start mine by going to my first union meeting at 4:30pm. Exciting! None of the teachers have contracts (me included) because the union and the board are still negotiating.

Anyway, happy Friday!

Milestones.

Today I celebrate the addition of my 51st student. Neat.

Since I have 51 students I clearly have no time for writing (this is where a font for sarcasm would be useful, because clearly I'm not busy enough to not have time to write this)...and I just really like this band...I will leave you with a song by the band Stars. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxeIivNDtFU .This song is called: Take Me to the Riot. They are my fav. band. Their newest album is great but I loved "Set Yourself on Fire." Pure joy to my ears. I've also been loving the Frightened Rabbits' song: The Twist.

Have a lovely week!

My Typical Day.

Today, Thursday, is a pretty normal day. Actually, not quite, instead of seeing my two students at 8:45 and my 4th grade group at 9, I went to Raintree. What's Raintree? At first all I knew was that it was a Montessori school. Now I know that it is a totally awesome school that makes me wish that I was 6 again. First of all I got lost driving just 4-5 blocks away (typical). In my defense I didn't know where the school was to begin with and then Garmin took me to a residential area that was NOT Raintree. Anyway I found it and boy was I amazed! It's made up of 3 two story buildings (log buildings). Each classroom upstairs has it's own balcony and all classes have a full kitchen. Here's the awesome part...there are TWO swimming pools! Not one, but two! Granted one is for the little kids but still how many elementary schools have you been to that have a pool? Me? None. And they get to go swimming during the day, when it's nice out, of course. Anyway I wanted to stay to see what they do, because after walking through two of the buildings I've decided that I will send my imaginary children to a Montessori school (but only if it's as awesome as the school I saw today). The only down side was that it smelled a little bit like a vet clinic.

Now I'm back at my normal school. I'm on my lunch break, it's longer than normal because I sent a kid back to class because he's fine and I didn't want to waste his time. And let's be honest, I was tired of hearing about Treasure Island.

Anyway I was this this 2nd grader (super nice) who has a fluency disorder (stutter (but that's PC anymore, nor is it people first (Jim, Chels))). This is how our conversation went:

Me: Do you ever not want to talk because you repeat yourself a lot?
Him: Yeah.
Me: When?
Him: When I'm with girls.
Me: Oh.
Him: Yeah, because if my girlfriend sees me she'll breakup with me. She has issues. She's kind of crazy.
Me: Uh (really second grade and your girlfriend is already crazy?) well I guess girls can be a little crazy, but boys are too.
Him: Yeah my dad says my mom is crazy.
Me: Do you have a sister?
Him: Yeah.
Me: Do you think she's crazy too?
Him: Yeah she puts mustard on her pizza.
Me: She probably thinks you're a little crazy, too.
Him: Yeah, I put dressing on my pizza. But almost everyone does it at school. (equals, he's clearly not crazy).
Him: Are you a girl?
Me: Well, yeah (Mental note, wear boob shirts (kidding, kidding).)
Him: Are you crazy?
Me: Uh, I don't think so but my boyfriend would probably say yes (But let's be honest, I'm not. Jim, I could actually be crazy and then when you would call me crazy you would be a little sad inside, because it's true.)
AND SCENE (Had to get another kid, didn't have time to continue this conversation.)

Moral of the story: You can be a crazy B at any age.

So far that has been the best part of my day. I hope he shares other pearls of wisdom with me.

On another note, the weekend was great! Thank you Chelsey and Kos for visiting!

I'm an angry elf.

This is how I spend my plan time during work: cut some cards from a roll of laminating and write to various government officials. For the past couple days Governor Parkinson has been the recipients of many a emails. The subject of these emails? Government spending as related to education. Too many budget cuts, too many budget cuts. It's really awful, it's like there is no wasteful spending in Kansas so they are cutting budgets for schools. I think that somewhere along the line Kansas was just fine and dandy, fiscally, so they spent a lot of money. Then they started to spend too much. Some might say Kansas began to spend beyond their means. And I'm not one to judge when it comes to spending, but I've always know that you get in trouble when you live beyond your means. Because government funding for education is in such a disarray I will continue to write to at least one official per day. And when election day rolls around I will be sure to know how people voted for education. Not only is funding on the state level all nimbly pimbly but at a federal level they continually fail to fund their allotted portion for special education. It's like they are just playing with Monopoly money; I don't get it. When I write to people I like to use the "gap" angle. This angle focuses on the growing gap between rich and poor. What rich person would send their kid to an overcrowded inadequately funded public school when they could send their kid to a lovely private school. And, how are poor people supposed to send their kids to private schools. Where does the President send his kids? A private school. And I'm sure that many other congressmen/women, and senators send their kids to private schools too. It's easy to cut spending when it doesn't affect your kids. This is bad. Really bad.

On a lighter note, I love my job. I have fun kids and great coworkers. There are about 43 kids on IEPs that I see and around 15 others that are one Student Improvement Plans. So...57 kids. I like going to work every morning. Tomorrow I am going to hang a calendar...you know they teacher kind with cut outs for each day and seasonal borders. Neat. There is even a "treasure chest." I'm not sure how I'll run the treasure chest, but I'll figure it out eventually. I was thinking a sticker system, but that seems to be faulty.

I got kicked in the shin, Monday, by a first grader. Really I was too shocked to be mad, plus it was kind of funny. I'm not hurt, so I don't care. So far the 1st graders are my favorite and the 3rd graders are a little annoying, but still entertaining.

Is anyone else excited that Project Runway is back?!?! It's fabulous! Jim has even marked it on the Calendar; he doesn't miss an ep. They're good eps. Okay, so Jim doesn't actually watch Project Runway, but I'm just that excited!


Alvederzane (write your reps about education!)

One more reason to dislike the upstairs neighbors.

Yesterday I need to go to the store. As I walked out to my car there was little Gretta, the dog that belongs to the kids upstairs, but not the "upstairs neighbors." I stopped to pet Gretta and say hello to the little boy, he's probably 8 or 9 years old, so not so "little." He wasted no time in telling my he had to get rid of little Gretta. I was/am heartbroken. He looked so sad, like he was just crying. So I asked him why, mainly because I was wondering how they were able to have a dog in the complex. The boy said that his neighbors "upstairs neighbors" called the owner of the complex and complained that Gretta was always barking. So the owner, Mike, told the family the dog had to go.

While I was talking to the boy he introduced me to the lady that was taking Gretta. She seemed very nice and she really liked Gretta. It looks like she's going to a good home. I will, however, miss seeing Gretta.

So now I dislike the upstairs neighbors even more! Not only can they not park a car, but they are dog haters, too. Lame. Boo upstairs neighbors.

In other news I am trying to narrow my "dog" search down. My dad and Jim are right, I like a new dog every week...well really more like every 3 days. This is mainly because I look at petfinder.com so much. Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what kind of dog I actually want, so that when I can get a dog I don't just go with the first dog that tugs at my heartstrings...because let's face it I'd end up with 7 dogs instead of one. I'm looking into Miniature Schnauzers, poodles, and some mixed dogs (so it's non shedding, the most important requirement). Mainly schnauzers, in black or white. I have a lot of time on my hands, right now.

Job starts on the 4th, orientation this Wednesday. I've almost started my "big kid" life.

If you like between two ferns, you probably won't care about this.

I like funny cat videos. It's a good pick me up for a slow/not fun day AKA: "bad day." Tonight I decided I would share a funny cat video with you all. This is it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUNmLuNdiL8

My favorite clips are: The cat that jumps out of the bushes and knocks the baby down. The cat that's caught on the ceiling fan and the cat and the cat wearing a sweater that failed when he/she tried to jump on the couch. I think I like that one just because he's in a sweater; and everyone knows animals in clothes are funny!

I'm not a huge fan of these furry friends, cat's don't like me, but funny cat videos are great! You don't even need sound for these funny montages!

FF: The upstairs neighbors (not the fat uglys who by the way eat out at least 6 times per week! Yesterday it was T-bell.) got a puppy. Her name is Gretta and she's cute. I met her once but Jim got to play with her. Can we say jealous!! Now every time those kids walk past our window I creepily watch to see if Gretta is with them. Pathetic.

I made one new CD which turned into two.

After a fab weekend it's been hard to get back into the groove of "working." So I decided to make a new CD, because I like them.

These are the songs from my CDs:

Disc One:
1. Two-Ryan Adams
2. If Work Permits-The Format
3. Give a little Love-Rilo Kiley
4. Isn't Love-Joe Purdy
5. Living Room-Tegan and Sara
6. Glendora-Rilo Kiley
7. Stick with Me Baby-Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
8. Inside and Out-Feist
9. You're the Storm-The Cardigans
10. Keepsake-State Radio
11. Father and Daughter-Paul Simon
12. Bitch went Nuts-Ben Folds
13. Annie Waits-Ben Folds
14. This is Him-Virginia Colalition
15. Silver Lining-Rilo Kiley
16 Love Me Like You-The Magic Numbers

Disc Two:
1. What I'm Trying to Say-Stars
2. Nothing Lats Forever-Brett Dennen
3. Take Me Anywhere-Tegan and Sara
4. Honk and Wave-Limbeck
5. No One Needs to Know-Ozma
6. Yours to Keep-Teddybears Stockholm
7. Set Me Free-The Lovemakers
8. You Don't Like Me Anyway-Joe Purdy
9. This Modern Love-Bloc Party
10. The First Five Times-Stars
11. Me and Mia-Ted Leo and The Pharmacists
12. I've Got You-Tegan and Sara
13. Take Me to the Riot-Stars
14. Slow Night, So Long-Kings of Leon
15. Lloyd I'm Rady to Be Heartbroken-Camera Obscura
16. For Emma-Bon Iver
17. Crack the Shutters-Snow Patrol

And here is a fun fact--I have eaten 5 tomatoes today.