Ramblings

So first of all, we have this major freezing rain storm that is to come through and drop some snow up a little higher from us, and drop freezing rain and sleet all over the roads where we live. Every school district in the entire state has a 2-hour delay already place. A couple of weeks ago a much smaller storm came through, and every school district in the entire state had a delay... except ours, which wasn't called until after 6am the next morning. Now I am all about not calling a delay until you KNOW it is needed, however, on this day we had a scheduled early release at 11:40. So the kids came to school at 10, and literally stayed for an hour and a half. During this time we had to feed them lunch, for a 25 minute period. What a waste.

Now tomorrow we don't have an early release or anything, so a delay would be fine... except for the fact that the weather men are calling for the sleet to be a 100% chance, and that it won't stop until the temp rises after 2pm. We get out at 2:40. It just doesn't make sense to wait for the inevitable. And basically I am just complaining because I would like to go to bed and not wake up to an alarm clock.

And the other thing I am doing: I have taken my flute out of the garage, polished it up, and have started practicing. I have this idea that it may be good to volunteer to play at church during the offertory. There is another gal who wants somebody to play with, and it has always bugged me that I played so long, and then just stopped. And I wasn't really that bad either. My flute needs the pads changed, and a hinge replaced, but I think that after that happens that it will be as good as new. I can't wait to get it in and out of the shop. ANyhow, that is what I am up to.

J.C. Penny "Pacesetter"

So Saturday we went out shopping at the mall. We were in J.C. Penny and meandered over the the children's department because of a huge sale they were having. We really didn't go to shop for Emily, but as we were looking through the sale items a worker approaches.

"Would you like to save 10% more today?"

We all have been in this situation before. Of course I don't want a credit card for J.C. Penny or any other place for that matter. Scott and I are glad to be free of credit card balances for the moment, and have no intention of putting anything on a card. I tell her no, and she says to me, "Oh, now everybody wants to save money."

I told her that the money I would save wouldn't be enough to cover the divorce that would occur if I opened a credit card. She didn't get the joke, and kept going, and as Scott and Emily approach she tells me that we could talk "him" into it.

Oh my gosh, I was really bugged. For the final time (at least what I thought was final) I told her we didn't want a credit card, no thank you.

Once we had picked out a couple of things we walked over the counter. Three sales associates were behind the counter, including the debt diva. She jumps over to the cash register to check us out and proceeds to tell me one more time about the money we could save by opening a credit card. I said no, and I wasn't so cheerful as before. Now I was really annoyed. Her name tag said, "Carol" and below that it said "pacesetter."

Am I wrong to think that this woman is evil? I think that America has a serious problem with debt. I am glad that my husband and I have sat down and discussed our financial responsibilities, and they they don't include credit cards for shopping trips to Pennies. Who is this woman to question me, Scott, and our decision. What if he wouldn't have been there? Does she try to persuade every customer to take out a card? Ugh. She really bugs me. ANd what is this "pacesetter" garbage? Do they have quotas to make sure employees sell the credit card? Ugh. Does anybody else think that is as wrong as I do?

Happy Birthday Scott!

Yes, you are loved. For the way you wear cargo shorts even in the middle of winter, for your necessity to use only .5mm bic needle point pens, for the way you grab the sale ads from the Sunday paper before reading anything else..you are loved.

Happy Birthday

howd y'all talk?

Irish Great-grandparents, Okie grandparents, california upbringing, and throw in a year or two of the South. Interesting. Though it did make me wonder if Emily will pronounce caramel with two syllables like her mother, or with three like her father.
**Side note for Justin. Remember that conversation we were having about calling each other "mommy" or "daddy" in front of Em? Well today she called Scott "honey." Just had to share.


***Your Linguistic Profile:***

70% General American English

20% Dixie

5% Yankee

0% Midwestern

0% Upper Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?
http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofamericanenglishdoyouspeakquiz/

Appl iPhone

Today Apple unveiled the Apple iPhone. It is a beautiful piece of technology. There is too much to share about this phone so go check it out. It is a combination iPod/cell phone/hand held computer.

Scott

Baby toe jam

Baby toe jam was something Scott discovered when Emily was very little. The idea that babies actually have toe jam was something that he found funny, and we always laughed at the lint between her tiny toes. Kinda gross we realize. But now that she is older, she takes off her socks and laughs as we say "ew... baby toe jam! Yuck!" Silly I guess, but she thinks it is funny.

Tonight the fascination with toe jam hit an all new level. Emily watched Scott pull of his socks before he got her bath ready (she likes to splash water everywhere) and she pulled apart his toes just as we have to her. She was amazed at all the lint to be found. ** seriously, Scott can pick up some lint!**

It amazes me all the little trivial things that Emily has fun with, and that we to have fun with because of her. Who knew toe jam could be such a form of entertainment?

Unethical teaching? Maybe. But I'm over it

I have this student who never does his homework. I know there is something bigger than homework going on at home, but the school psych and I can't figure out what it is though we know it is something, and I can't wait around and let him fall behind by not doing anything until we figure out what is making him so lacking in motivation.

Anyhow, I have tried everything to get this child to do his homework. I hate that it brings his grades down so much. We have tried motivational things, getting to visit the counselor, blah blah blah. Many of the things we tried I didn't even really agree with, but I felt I had to do something.

Well then I decided I would threaten him with retention. I even made up fake retention paperwork that he had to sign. It listed the reason for him being retained as failure to complete assignments, and he had to write up an explanation. I even pretended to have to take it into our assistant principal. I felt pretty deceitful about it, but I got over it when he brought in the entire week's worth of homework completed perfectly. I didn't even check on Friday, I just took the homework home to grade from all the students, and since school starts again on Wed. I thought I had better get to it. WHen I pulled his out I practically did a back flip. Hopefully this will happen again next week. Cross your fingers.

Malisa Johnson