Scratch That... On Second Thought, Please Don't...

I don't know what it is with these students. I think if I got a dollar for every time a boy scratched himself in my presence (in plain sight) I would be able to retire. (The math teacher in me is reminding me that I'm wrong. Anyway...)

Maybe it's because they don't think I (or anyone else, since I'm sure it's not just me) notice? That if they do it really fast (or really slow) it wouldn't pass the threshold of detection? Or because no one tells them that it's noticeable? I have to bite my tongue every time so I won't have to be the one to "educate" them, so they can preserve some dignity.

Maybe I should just say it. I think I might've done that once, but only because I had the support (and the initiative) of others in the room. I mean, I guess if it itches, it'll drive you nuts, but c'mon...

#Real Conversations

Me: (Looking at student's progress report) You need to work on graphing linear equations.
Student: There's no value in that! I won't use it anytime in my future--
Me: It'll get you passing on your Algebra class so you won't have to retake it and be a super senior.
Student: OK. I'll let you teach it to me if you give me two cookies and a gummy bear and that cashew thing.
Me: No.
Student: How about just two cookies?
Me: No.
Student: OK, one cookie and a gummy.
Me: No.
Student: (desperately) One cookie!
Me: No.
Student: (begging) Half a cookie!
Me: (Beaks down and laughs)

Waking Up Before the Buttcrack of Dawn Pays Off

It's a Thursday, and I've experimented with getting up (with a new alarm) in the mornings. I used to be a morning person. I'm not quite sure what happened. Somewhere between getting a job and losing my sanity, I also lost the chirpy glee I used to have at getting up before the birds (or the sun, if you live in a certain set of apartment complexes in MA where the pigeons get up at 3am.)

I have a new alarm because the cell phone by my bed wasn't cutting it. I'd snooze about 10 times before I realized I had 20 minutes to get up, shower, get dressed, and boot myself out the door without looking like I had gotten up 20 minutes ago. It's a CD alarm that requires me to get out of bed to turn off. Or snooze, like I did this morning. I managed to convince myself that would be a bad habit to acquire.

Oh, and just to keep myself occupied with other things, I decided to see if there's a correlation between the quality of my morning poo's and the quality of my day. Yesterday was awesome. Today's outlook is not too solid, but fulfilling nonetheless. We'll see how it goes. Some days I like to put my music on (classical/baroque) in my office at just about threshold (you can hear it if you know it's there) and tell anyone who thinks they can hear something that they're hallucinating.

Anyway, this to share some good news. After a particular round of hilarity yesterday morning, I threw my hands up and said, "Guys, if I wrote a book about what you're doing to me, I could make some money. Can I write about you guys?" They all thought it would be pretty funny. I told them I'd pay them once I made bank. "Whoa, Ms. S (that is not what they call me. S stands for "Slowly Going Insane" in this pseudonymous blog.)

I suggested 20 bucks a pop. They were thrilled. (Until they surmised that I'd make millions, in which case, they'd want 20 bucks an hour. I let them think about (totally uninstigated) how much they'd make in a week. It was math class, after all.)

PS. Oh yeah. About the title. I'm more awake and got more stuff done in the mornings. I even got some breakfast in me body (apparently that makes me want to talk like a pirate). So far, so good. Except now, I'm looking forward to the weekends when I don't have to see the backside of the day before I start it.

Testing

Hello, world.