Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't fool yourself, it really is the best holiday of the entire year. I am off to NJ to visit extended family... well, family, period. And eat all sorts of fantastic food. I have been counting down until Thanksgiving since September and cannot wait!

Safe travels to all and enjoy that bass! (...er, turkey)

Say hello to my bipolar self

Heh heh... so the previous post, while true, strikes me now as rather bitchy and obnoxious. It may be deleted in an attempt not to offend people and/or to not get found out by my co-workers. So read and enjoy(?) while you still can.

In other news, today was a fantastic day! My kids had NO TIME-OUTS! None of them! Generally there are at least 4 usual suspects who get 3 or more in one day, but today, everyone was on task! Everyone did their best work (or an approximation thereof)! AND I got to eat my lunch in peace today, not with 50 rabid squirrels (=elementary schoolers). But seriously, no discipline infractions!

My kids rock.

Oh yeah, and I got an iPod. :)

Culture clash

I have an assistant teacher in my classroom, since our school participates in this program that brings foreign students to the US for a semester or a year, to help teach their native languages (Spanish, French, German, etc.) in American classes. I suppose it's sort of like the Fulbright TA program, except the students who come over are in various situations: some have already graduated from college and want to spend some time abroad, some are studying to be teachers and want some real-world experience, and some are killing time before their student teaching starts. My intern belongs to the last group.

Now, I've tried to be open-minded and culturally aware, not to mention patient with the fact that she's not a teacher yet and things don't come naturally to her. However, it's been three months and I've come to a conclusion: We just don't get along. It's not that we really dislike each other, but we are just not on the same page at so many levels. For example, I still don't know very much about her life in Germany, other than her worries about getting a good student teaching placement. I also have no idea how much she knows about me. Other examples:

• I am at school 20 minutes before the kids arrive and usually until at least 5.00.
• She spends time chatting with the other interns downstairs and during lunch hour, showing up 15 minutes late in the morning and afternoon. She also does not help at dismissal, instead leaving early with one of the kids.
• I will send kids out of the group if they are acting up, and talk about it with them later.
• She reprimands them in front of the class, and pretty harshly at that (if you know Germans, you know what I mean).
• I recognize that when a large percentage of the kids aren't paying attention or doing what they're supposed to be doing, it's because I didn't give clear enough directions.
• She plows on ahead and continues to reprimand students for not listening.
• I tell anecdotes about some of the kids occasionally (come on, all teachers do), but in private, among coworkers.
• She talks to me about what some of the kids have done (usually negative stories) in class, within hearing of all of the other kids.
• Me (to kids): "Thank you for listening. Did you hear how quiet we were in the hallway? Everyone has earned a plus; you did a great job."
• She: "I heard that being here helped the last intern so much, and she's having a much easier time with her student teaching. I am so glad I'm doing this now; it'll make student teaching so much easier!"

Disclaimer: I am by no means super-teacher (hi, it's only my second year, I'm still figuring it all out). I think the main difference is that this is my job right now, and I am going to do it well if it kills me. My intern is just waiting around until her student teaching starts and earning a gold star for her resume.

Also, she's German and I'm not. That might have something to do with it.

I heart Canada and ridiculous online quizzes

You are 91% Canuck!

You rock, you are an almighty Canadian through and through. You have proven your worthiness and have won the elite prize of living in a country as awesome as Canada. Yes I know other countries think they are better, but we let them have that cuz we know better than they do, eh?

How Canadian Are You?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I clearly need something better to do with my time. Wait, 'The Office' starts in half an hour. Guess that problem's solved.

You know it's going to be a long day when...

... a co-worker says, 'You look tired this morning.' Apparently the 7 1/2 hours that is my standard on the weekdays isn't doing it for me. Also, you know it's going to be a really long day when you find out that the copy machine is broken indefinitely.

Random thought of the day: My housemate asked again (!) today how I hit something with my car. (insert expletives in my head here) I explained. He asked, 'Was there any alcohol involved?' I nearly burst out laughing... obviously doesn't know me very well yet, does he? I can drive just as stupidly without being under the influence, thanks very much.

Off to watch 'House' shortly and then to bed. Such is my exciting life.

This one's for you, Müs!

My brother and I spent so much time talking about accents, who has them and how quickly certain people develop them (e.g., I start sounding British after a week in England). But according to this quiz, you talk like you learned to talk: from your parents.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
Boston
Philadelphia
The Midland
The Inland North
The West
The South
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

What's in a name?

• Although the name Bridget creates an active mind and a restless urge to explore new ideas, we emphasize that it causes procrastination, lack of confidence, and the inability to realize your goals and ambitions.
• The name of Bridget creates a very versatile and creative nature.
• You are quick-minded and have the freedom of expression to mix easily with people.
• Because your feelings and desires are so changeable, you are never satisfied with conditions as they are.
• You have many ideas, plans, and ambitions, but too often they are for an easy way out of a difficulty or an easy way of making money.
• You seek change in order to have the opportunity for travel, new experiences, and new friends and associates.
• You find it difficult to systematize your efforts and to fulfil your obligations and plans as you are not inclined to apply yourself consistently to a job to reach your goals.
• Although you appear positive, you inwardly lack self-confidence and will-power.

So...not entirely flattering, eh? Some are true (procrastination!), some not (easy way of making money? Yeah, that's why I'm a teacher, for those big bucks.). From here.

Nothing else interesting to say today. Perhaps this is due to a lack of coffee. Must go buy some more.

This is what I'm thinking:

(subject line a very obscure reference to a columnist in the Buffalo News)

• Random bullet points today, folks. Sorry, but my thoughts just happen to be this short and random; it's what you get from working with 6-year-olds.
• I was unable to vote today. Kind of pissed off about this. I had no form or combination of IDs that was acceptable. Note for future reference: Moving just before Election Day screws you over.
• Kids were craaaaaazy today. I may or may not have grabbed one by the shoulders and physically made him sit down. (he's the one who's always hitting people, though, so maybe that makes it okay)
• I got roped into helping kids prepare for this play they're doing on Friday and thus lost 20 minutes out of the normal half-hour we get for lunch. As if eating lunch with shouting children isn't bad enough, I had to eat in 10 minutes or less.
• Parent-teacher conferences tomorrow and Thursday = I've left my TA in charge of the class for 2 days. Is it mean that I'm secretly thinking, 'Now you can do some REAL work for once in the past 3 months?'
• Not as nervous about conferences as I was last year. I'm sort of feeling like: 'Well, this is your kid. [insert complimentary phrases here] His/Her biggest challenges are: [insert how kid is a royal pain here]. I'm looking forward to working with him/her over the rest of the year!' Wait, that's basically what I wrote on all the report cards...
• Also, not as prepared as last year. Oh well. I feel like I've known these kids forever.
• I have to go to the DMV tomorrow because their hours are 8-3.45 on weekdays and tomorrow morning will be my first time off since the beginning of September.
• I do not like driving. I am also a bad driver and stupidly hit the corner of the garage. I've had the car for 2 freaking weeks and already have a dent in the bumper. Goddamn it.
• Mental note: Must work on balancing my blood sugar so I don't get this cranky. Sorry, Internet.
• On the plus side: Thanksgiving is in 2 weeks! Start fishing for bass! (obscure inside joke)

Food snob

I've had a sneaking suspicion for some time now that I'm a bit of a food snob, thanks in part to growing up with Wegman's. At college and in Germany, Wegman's was probably the one thing I missed from home (apart from family and friends, obviously). I still miss this store; words cannot describe how absolutely amazing it is. Yes, I did just call a supermarket 'absolutely amazing'. (I love you, Wegman's!!!1!one!)

Anyway. I guess I also have my parents to thank, since they always, always cooked dinner. We very rarely went out to eat, not even for birthdays. Instead, the birthday person got to choose his/her birthday dinner. Mine was usually salmon. In fact, one of my (many) embarrassing moments from elementary school was when we discussed our favorite foods; in a sea of kids calling 'pizza' and 'spaghetti', I said 'salmon.' Weird looks ensued. At any rate, I was lucky enough to have parents who forced me to try new things and weren't afraid to try cooking new things themselves.

So I went grocery shopping today, since I had practically no food in the new house. After scrounging around for lunches for a week, I guess I went a little overboard at the supermarket, as evidenced by some of the items on the receipt:

• dried cranberries
• dried apricots
• couscous (3 types)
• dirty rice mix
• mix for chicken and rice
• tuna - the kind that comes in a pouch and that you don't have to drain
• apricot jam...from France
• sugar snap peas
• cheddar cheese with cranberries in it
• horseradish
• Norwegian salmon (some things never change)

The cashier was like, 'Is this all for you?' Heh heh...yeah. I guess it makes up for those two years shopping at Aldi in Germany and buying the same things (salami, yogurt, juice, cheese, Spätzle, pesto, pasta, pasta sauce, soup and chocolate) every week.

Apparently I do not exist

HowManyOfMe.com

There are: 0 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?