Bohemian Rhapsody, Morgan Freeman and Hershey's Kisses

So I had this bright idea that I would have my students write a compare/contrast essay about Hershey's Kisses and Skittles. I wanted to do it in stages to kind of draw it out and get more lessons out of it. I started day one with a quote from the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

"I can't do without it [gum]. I munch it all day long except for a few minutes at mealtimes when I take it out and stick it behind my ear for safekeeping. To tell you the truth, I simply wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have that little wedge of gum to chew on every moment of the day, I really wouldn't." ~Violet Beauregarde

Then I asked the kids to write about what they can't do without. I got some pretty cool responses but the two I liked best were Bohemian Rhapsody and Morgan Freeman. The kid who said he couldn't do without Bohemian Rhapsody said that it was his favorite song and he listened to it and sang it every day and he couldn't imagine not being able to hear it. The one who said Morgan Freeman wrote about all the great movie roles Morgan Freeman has played, specifically his role in the Dark Knight.

Sure they wrote these responses to be funny but in reality the points they made were actually pretty thought out, so I guess my little assignment did have some impact. We barley even had time to talk about Hershey's Kisses so we will be continuing that tomorrow.

Twilight

Just finished the novel Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and all I can say is WOW! It was breathtaking. I had seen several of my female 8th grade students reading it at school and many of them had commented on how much they love it so I thought I would give it a try. Well I was blown away. It's target audience I guess would be teenage girls but it was so well written that I was enthralled for the whole 500 pages. It is also being made into a movie to be released in November. I put a widget at the bottom of my blog containing movie facts etc. It is an incredibly dark novel about vampires, which usually isn't my thing but it's not the standard blood and gore you usually find with these types of novels. READ IT, now!

Writing Project

I volunteered to go this workshop called the Gateway Writing Project. It's through my school district and it is supposed to help us teach better writing skills to our students. Yesterday was the first class. I admit I had some mixed feelings about going, I mean mostly these types of things are really boring and just go over the same old tired techniques that everyone knows. So I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this workshop. The instructors made us write just like we make our students write and they connected writing to literature in a way that makes it seem interesting not the same old boring read a book and write about. Since I like to think of myself as a "good" writer as evident by this incredibly wonderful blog that I write ;) it was challenging to try to write some interesting and creative things to fit the goals of this class. Not sure why I am putting all this in my blog but it's my blog and so here it is.

Also, today is Wednesday and I am NOT weighing in for the biggest loser, Justin has a football game tonight and I have to meet Bob at the car dealer to sign the papers for our new truck. Besides it has been a terrible food week and I really don't WANT to know if I gained or lost. If I relent and do actually, secretly weigh myself and I actually really lose some pounds then I'll blog about it, if I don't then I won't. Hmmmm sometimes it's good to be your own author.

+ 1

I can't FREAKING believe it but I gained one pound this week. I mean I have to tell you that I have been really, really, good. I have eaten more fruit this week than in the entire month of August. On Tuesday I ate a pear, a cup of grapes, a bannana, a glass of o.j. and a raspberry yogurt. Good lord have I been in the bathroom a lot and still I gained 1 pound? HOW, HOW, HOW can this have happened?????

I have even started exercising 2-3 nights per week. I mean COME ON!

That scale is rigged, I must've had heavier clothes on, I was retaining water. ARG!

Hurricane Ike Damage in Affton

We live far, far, from any ocean but we still felt the damage from Hurricane Ike which made it's presence known here in Affton yesterday. It rained, no it poured, 4 inches in about a 3 hour period to be exact. We also experienced the gusty winds of over 30 mph. (the basement stayed dry, thank God for sump pumps)

Our local ballpark didn't fair so well. Hannah is playing fall softball at Affton Athletic Association. The same place she has played since kindergarten, the same place I played for about 12 years of my childhood. The same place that my dad was president of for about 5 years back in the day. It is not only a ball field but a hockey complex that is home to the award winning Affton Americans hockey club.

Here are some pictures of the damage. The storm got so bad that 18 people had to be rescued from the ice rink by the fire department. It swept away several cars in adjacent Gravois Creek which is normally a little trickle of water but surged up over it's 8 foot banks to flood the ice rink, 12 ball fields and concession stands.



Car floating down Gravois Creek

Flooded ball fields

Busted up concrete next to concession stand

As the rain came down


Needless to say, I think the season may be over.

- 4

Okay, to make friends at my new school, I joined the Biggest Loser club. Today was the first of our weekly weigh ins and I lost 4 lbs. I joined Weight Watchers online and I have been following the points system and trying to walk the track at the high school a couple nights a week. Not a bad start although I was hoping for more. I'll try to keep you updated on Wednesday.

Sick Day Part Deux

Yes, I took my second sick day Tuesday. Adam still wasn't feeling well enough to where I thought I could leave him with anyone but me or his dad. And since we both have new jobs, I had to do the duty again. He still had fever and sore throat and vomiting. Today, even though he didn't go back to school, I went back to work. And much to my surprise my classes were fine in my absence. In SLPS if you were lucky enough to get a sub they usually left the classroom totally messy and they hardly ever followed the lesson plans. Well these Mehlville subs were great they followed my plan even gave out extra assignments to keep kids busy. My room was still clean and things were still organized. I couldn't have asked for more!

Sick Time

I am taking my first official sick day today. It's a bit earlier than I would've liked but poor Adam has been sick all weekend. He kept saying he had a headache Friday night so I gave him some Tylenol. He didn't really mention it much Saturday morning but I was out running errands and didn't get much of chance to talk to him. Then Saturday night, Bob was working 3-11 and I was working part time at this restaurant that I used to work at before I became a teacher called the Fatted Calf. (I started working there about a month ago just one or two nights a week as a manager, basically to help out the new owners and because my friend Larry was working 55 hours a week and needed some time with his wife and new baby, plus it's a little extra grocery money. And I only work like 10 hours a week.) Any way when I left home at 3:30 he was fine when I returned home at 9pm he was running a 103 degree fever and my in laws who were baby sitting said he had been sleeping most of the evening and hadn't eaten anything. So I thought, FLU< great it's starting already.

So here I am on my first day off school, luckily as teachers we get 10 per year. Took Adam to the doctor and it is strep throat, not the FLU< thank goodness. He still has fever but I am hoping that antibiotics will hurry up and work so I can go to work tomorrow even though he will probably need to go to grandmas.