The Student Becomes the Teacher

Well, last day of vacation. Professional days start tomorrow. I will leave out my opinions here. Honestly, I just want to get started, no prestuff. And we all know the sooner the year starts the sooner summer can begin. I have two days after these to get ready and all. The weather is cooperating, hopefully it will stay cool.

I wanted to see if I could take a class this semester, but not looking too good. I need the rest I guess. That is sad because I love being a student. I can pretend, well let my classes teach me what to do and not do. I have so much to give them, but so little time. I really want to get so much done before all MCAS nightmares begin. I am going to try to get out of proctoring. I am not good at it. I would rather watch a cafeteria full of kids than deal with all that. I might not have a choice this year though, we are short a department head. UGH. Maybe I can coach cheerleading again...NOT.

We are short on paper (woah news, NOT). So I am finding ways to do stuff online. The honest truth is that putting stuff online is tricky. You have copyright issues, distribution issues, and let's face it, kids do not have all the access to online material as we think they do. Plus they do not have lots of printing accessibility. You see, I like technology, but it has its limits. There is too much technology. You have to know when to say no, but when the district embraces it so, you do your duty. It is a constant battle. I am being observed this year by the assistant superintendent, but she is new so who knows. I might be able to get by with a simple PowerPoint. But worry not, I have bells and whistles like no tomorrow.

I need to go to Boston, go to the library, do a bit of shopping, and just hang out for the last time. It was a great summmer, a few notable exemptions, but good, and I am ready to start all over again.

How tired am I?

BORED

I am so very bored. I have spent the last 3 days sitting on the couch doing just about nothing. OK appt and shopping yesterday. And well the weekend does not count. This has been the first time since July 7th, that I have had free time. All other days/hours were spent travelling or reading/studying, etc. But I am also tired. It is like my body is saying, "YO girlfriend, slow down, smell the roses, clean the litter box, how about some clean laundry?"

But I want to be doing things. Thinking Fenway tomorrow, plus there is Maine, upstate NY, Vermont, the Cape, although I may do that Monday. The Raw Bar has the best food evah. Seriously the lobster roll is bigger than my head. Part of me wanted to go to Kentucky...but cooler heads have prevailed. I still plan to go to Wisconsin for Columbus Day. Checking for flights and rental rates. Already have hotel in Madison. But I could change my mind and go to Minnesota, or DC. If I were not broke, you know I would be somewhere. Gotta finish NEH evals, and I will let you know what I personally thought of my seminars...Pretty much you should apply for them.

Back to deciding what to do. This couch is getting old.

Summer winding down

Where has the summer gone...honestly where oh where has my summer disappeared to? Ok, I have had some serious fun studying and traveling, but I am sad to say that it it just about over. I am almost done with 7 straight weeks of workshops and institutes. Yes, it has been stressful and a whole lot of work, but I would do it again in a heartbeat. I love teaching, but if I could do this all the time, you know I would. I love learning. I am a teacher, I have to love learning. I am going to bring back so many great things to my classroom for all this work over the summer. From architecture to George Washington, my kids will hate me beacuse of all that I will be bringing in to the classroom. Well off to have some more fun.

Nevermind. Back to your wonderful 4th of July activities.

Delayed happiness

PRAISE THE LORD. OHIO IS GETTING EZPASS. But not until the 4th quarter of this year. I mean if Indiana can have I-ZOOM (how awesome is that name? I hope whoever came up with it got a huge bonus...or at least lifetime job security) why does Ohio have to stay in the 20th century. When I got off at I90 the other day, they didn't even have a credit card lane, which is no remedy anyway. AND to make amtter worse, only 2 booths open, at 7pm on July 2rd. UMMMM, did someone forget a certain HUGE holiday evoking many 3-day weekends? I love Ohio, but waiting in line for upwards of 15 minutes is too much to take. And yes, I will evoke the trite, "everybody else has done it already." I have not run the numbers, but it is also expensive, or at least I think so because I have to use that strange green paper stuff. Once again, I love Ohio, but despise, loathe, curse the turnpike.

Recovery SUCKS

First let me just say I LOVE LOVE LOVE Wisconsin. I was not too impressed when I visited Milwaukee, it just seemed, you know, normal. Then I went to Madison and well I left with a few real estate books. Maybe it was the weather, the cheese. Or maybe the trolls put a spell on me (no, I did not drink too much beer. Visit Mt. Horeb and you will understand).

There is so much (too much for even 4 days) to do in SW Wisconsin. Aside from dropping a paycheck on State Street in Madison at all the great little shops, I had some serious fun in Spring Green. Warning: If you want to do the 4-hr tour of Taliesin, book it at least 6 weeks in advance. I did the Hillside and 2-hr house tour. The weather was just perfect. And well this is Frank Lloyd Wright, how could you not like it? Although I wonder if he wondered about the long range longevity of his homes. They embrace nature and are fabulous, but over time and a some settlement preservation becomes harder. The trust does an awesome job. It is so worth a visit . If you are lucky, you will meet Sherpa the cat. I only saw her back.

Also in Spring Green is House on the Rock. The architect, Alex Jordan, was rejected by Frank Lloyd Wright and determined to built HOTR in response to that rejection...I wonder if he forgot his meds when he created it. I am sure he was on something when he decided on the Infinity Room...I recommend Dramamine if you visit. Let's just say the house is quite interesting. He certainly loved Tiffany lamps. The other two parts are very cool, and keep those tokens, there are many music boxes and cool aminations. If you go with the ultimate tour, you can do the 3 parts on different days .

There is more of course, but I am slowly returning to Metro Boston life. I slept through the fireworks on TV. And I have to read for my next workshop which I go into more detail on this blog. The sandman beckons...quite loudly.