The world looks brighter from behind a smile.

This iz GenRal.  Mom seid I could writ on the blogg for a minut.  I luv toys!  I have ducks, chrismases things, rope, alkehol, bones, soccur ball, and stuff.  Im spoiled.  I lik when they chew and squeek.  Mom is werking on my spelling. General's father has been gone this week, and his mother is a workaholic.  Even though she feels guilty for leaving him alone all day, she has a lot of stuff to do and wants to stay completely up to date before progress reports are due at the end of the week.  General is mildly disappointed to spend more time alone than usual, and he misses running his dad around the neighborhood.  It's not quite the same with Mom because she walks and doesn't let him pee on the neighbor's mailbox. The good news is that General is an imaginative pup, and he can entertain himself for hours.  His mother, ridden with guilt at her increased absence from the home this week while Father was gone, w...

I have finally just reached the finish line of a marathon grading session.  I think I've done enough writing for the day :).  Ahhh... time for my pillow!! Thank you, finish line, you made my day.

I'm not usually one for quiet time.  Shocking, I know.  I'm either chatting with someone about something, talking at someone with glazed over eyes, or sleeping.  In order to share silence with someone, I must be incredibly comfortable.  It is rare. I also tell everyone everything.  This probably comes from that talking thing.  I wear my heart and my mind on my sleeve and my blog.  When something or someone is wonderful, I want to shout it to the world.  When I want to speak my mind, I usually do.  That's just the way it works. I shared some special moments with a special someone today.  Quiet moments.  That's all I have to say about that. It's rare to have something so special and special to have something so rare. Thank you, quiet moments, you made my day.

Dear DVR, Thank you for collecting the things I like and for storing them in a little box.  It's very kind of you to look out for me in this way.  While I know I could do better things than watch television, your assistance in my mindless entertainment really means the world to me. I also wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your support of my laziness today.  I have been so insanely busy these past few weeks, and you understand.  You understand that I don't always have time to hang out with you, but you find all my favorite shows and record them anyway.  You let me save time and blow by commercials.  You don't judge me when I sit on the couch with you all day.  Rather, you simply cue up my shows and provide me with entertainment for as long as I need.  When I fall asleep on the couch, you let me rewind and start over without complaint.  You allowed me a simple sense of accomplishment today when I worked through your shows and inc...

"Sit up straight and smile big, honey!" With that, my day was off and away.  The photographer let me see my picture right away and asked me if it I liked it or if I'd like to try again.  I assured her that it was probably the best we would get, waited for my ID to print (the key to many teacher clothing discounts!), and carried on my merry way. I will be forever immortalized in this year's yearbook just the way I am... a few drops of awkward with a touch of twinkle in the eye.  As cheesy as it sounds, the whole thing just made me think about how I am in a job where how I look in this photo is probably about the least significant thing.  Sure, I still fuss over what I want to wear in the morning, and I still brush my hair (most days, not all).  However, I don't keep a mirror in my classroom, and none of that ends up really mattering anyway once my students and I are working to achieve something together.  I try to live each and ever...

My 4th hour is not a gifted class.  They are a chatty class full of kids with tons of personality.  They definitely have that going for them, bless their hearts.  However, they do not seem to be the hardest workers.  They try to ask questions to delay getting to the real work (unsuccessfully, I might add).  I repeat directions for them many times and make sure to give them a lot of extra attention when they're working independently.  They keep me on my feet and bustling around at all times.  I have been collecting and grading a bunch of work and homework over the past couple of days.  I've been disappointed with the quality of work turned in by many of my students thus far, and I had to have a chat with all of my classes today about my expectations.  I let them know (firmly but kindly, of course) that I would not lower my expectations to the level of their work.  Rather, they are bright young students who will need to raise their work ...

Let me tell you something now and let me tell you sweetly That one of the sweetest gifts at school is when a paper's turned in neatly... and done completely. Many papers I saw today I must admit were lacking With all they lacked, I wondered  are they really trying or are they slacking? In each class, thank goodness, there's at least one bright spot A bright student with good habits who gives it all she's (he's) got. Today that kid was "Anna," who hands beautiful work in. She beautifully finishes when I finish and begins when I begin. She talks when I want talking and respects all of her peers. She keeps her lips zipped when it's quiet time and smiles from ear to ear. Beyond all of these wonderful things, all there's really left to say is thank you... Thank you, Anna, you made my day.