dancing_jew

HE DID IT AGAIN!!!

i was grading papers and from out of nowhere, hugo came up to me and asked for help on the worksheet.  i was way too excited about it.  i asked another teacher who had him last term what she thought of him, and she says that she can't decide if he's just lazy or if he's slow.  i told her that he's been asking questions and she was kind of amazed.

he even participated in class today.

is it bad that i'm this excited about a student just doing what he's supposed to do?

 it's been a while since i posted...

last term i had a student, hugo.  all day every day he would do absolutely nothing during class, he would just sit there and stare at either me or juliana.  he wouldn't do work, he wouldn't do homework, during tests he usually did the first few problems and sat for the rest of class.  he never talked either.

we got him again this term.  and today he actually did stuff!!  i almost had a heart attack.

after school stodola (the other math teacher) came in to chat, and i asked him if he knew hugo.  stodola just started laughing.  i just said "guess what he did today?  he actually asked questions!  i sat with him for a few minutes and we worked on problems, and he was actually talking and doing math and he even smiled a few times!  and he turned in his homework, and it was right!!!"

then stodola went on one of his rants, but this time it was actually interesting.  he basically said that for most of these kids, people have told them their whole lives that they'd be there or have promised them things, and they would suddenly disappear.  they're used to being left behind, which is why we've got high school kids in basic math classes in the first place.  he told me that just the fact that i came back over the break was a huge thing for the kids, and this is where the trusting and the respect start showing.

and i think it might be true, we're not having as many class management problems as we've had in the past.  about half of our students are the same as last term.

anyway, that's my exciting news of the day.

my life right now is kinda awesome.

i no longer have to work at my horrible job, they were originally going to fire me tomorrow, but since i got a job offer i told them i quit and sent in my two weeks notice.  they emailed me back saying that they'll accept my resignation in lieu of termination, but since there are no more shifts for me then i'm officially done.  no more overnight shifts for me EVER!!!!!!!!!

my new job is going to be in a high school.  i originally interviewed for a teaching position, but they found out pretty quickly that i don't have any experience in the classroom.  still, i must've done something right, because they called me last night to say that they're offering me a position as an interventionist, i'll be working with the math teacher they just hired.  i'm going to be pulling students aside who are having problems with the courseword and work on them either one-on-one or in small groups.  it's a full time salary-based position, but i can't start until i get my fingerprint clearance card.  that'll take at least two, maybe three weeks.  (read: i'll probably start right after i get back from san diego.)

this job sounds so perfect for me, i guess the last interventionist they had slowly got experience teaching the entire class and now she teachers classes on her own.  i'm super excited.  the pay isn't all that good, but i'm just tutoring... and i'm earning more than what i was, that's for sure.

hooray, no more crappy job with awful hours!!

i just stuffed myself on cocoa puffs and pumpkin bread.  the pumpkin bread was bland though, it needs more spices and definitely more pumpkin.  maybe i'll use two cans next time... 

i don't know i don't know i don't know.  i'm feeling a little better but i'm so confused.

although i have to admit, i'd rather be confused than be where i was a week ago.

it's hard to believe that if i don't get another job, this could be my life for a while.  working random schedules, normally working nights, coming home and reading or watching movies, going out every once in a while, no school...

i'm not sure i want that.

i feel so stupid right now.  i don't even know how i'm going to face him tonight when he comes into work tonight.

it's weird how such a small word can make things so incredibly complicated.  and i hate how i just gave him so much power.  i just wish i could take it back.

i'm in the mood for something cheesy.  like a pretzel with a side of cheddar cheese.  or like the really really rich mac and cheese you can get from kfc or boston's market.  or even extra cheesy mac and cheese.

i just have a craving for cheddar.  looks like cracked pepper and olive oil triscuits will have to do for now.

i got drunkish last night.

overall it was a good night.  i'd go into detail, but i'll just leave it at that for now.

amber, i like your advice. :)

i seriously honestly did not think that i would pass my graph theory class.  i still went to commencement to see obama speak, but i didn't think i'd pass.

i got a C+.  asu is on the +/- system and it's dumb, but i have to admit that seeing that little + sign after the C made me feel ridiculously good.

when i told my parents they asked why it wasn't a B.  psh talk about a buzz kill.

BUT it's now official.  i'm graduating.  i have no clue what's next, but i'm done with school.  for now. :)

SCHOOL IS OVERRRRR!!!

you have no idea how amazing that feels.  getting ready to graduate!

TEN HOW'S:

How did you get one of your scars?
burning myself on the oven door because i was stupid

How did you celebrate your last birthday?
honestly i don't remember, but i'm pretty sure i didn't do anything exciting last year.  this year, who knows.

How are you feeling at this moment?
anxious to take my last final

How did your night go last night?
eh it was ok... studied for a while, went home, studied some more before i went to bed...

How did you do in high school?
i did alright, but i was lazy

How did you get the shirt you're wearing?
it's a work shirt.  ugh.

How much do you see your best friend?
maybe 6 times a year, if i'm lucky.  that has to change.

How much money did you spend last month?
wayyy too much.

How old do you want to be when you get married?
i don't have a set age

How old will you be at your next birthday?
24

NINE WHAT'S:

Your mothers name?
nancy

What did you do last weekend?
went to the beach with aaron

What is the most important part of your life?
friends and fam

What would you rather be doing?
not be working..?

What always makes you feel better when you’re upset?
the hill, my puppies, and open season

What’s the most important thing you look for in a significant other?
sense of humor?  i dunno, i just look for the whole shebang

What are you worried about?
graduating

What did you have for breakfast?
donut holes and a lo-carb monster

EIGHT HAVE YOU’S:

Have you ever liked someone who had a girlfriend/​boyfriend?​
who hasn't?

Have you ever had your heartbroken?
yes

Have you ever been out of the country?
been to europe twice

Have you ever done something outrageously dumb?
of course

Have you ever been backstabbed by a friend?
not that i know of

Have you ever had sex on the beach?
nope

Have you ever dated someone younger than you?
i am

Have you ever read an entire book in one day?
yes, but not in a really long time

SEVEN WHO’S:

Who was the last person you saw?
well i'm at work, so technically my coworker who's standing right beside me

Who was the last person you hungout with?
uhh my fam?

Who was the last person to call you?
josh

Who did you last hug?
probably aaron

Who was the last person you said "i love you" to?
my parents

SIX WHERE’S:

Where does your best friend live?
tucson

Where did you last go?
you mean before work?  to school

Where do you go to school?
arizona state for ONE MORE WEEK (i hope)

Where is your favorite place to be?
i have a long list, but my absolute favorite place is probably on the beach

Where did you sleep last night?
at home

FIVE DO’S/DOES:

Do you like someone right now?
i guess so, or i've been putting up with a ton of crap for no reason! :P

Do you think anyone likes you?
i hope so

Do you ever wish you were someone else?
every once in a while, sadly

Do you know the muffin man?
psh who doesn't

Does the future scare you?
a little

FOUR WHY’S:

Why are you best friends with your best friend(s)?
because mr snow insisted on alphabetical seating

Why did you get a myspace?
who said i have one?

Why did your parents pick your name to name you?
my dad says i was named after the battery company.  my mom says they just liked the name.  my dad was probably right.

Why are you doing this survey?
beacuse i'm at work and it's slow, but it's soooo hard to study at work

THREE IF’S:

If you could have one super power what would it be??
probably the whole invisibility thing.  you could totally snoop on people, sneak into places you're not allowed, play practical jokes... it'd be fun

If you could go back in time and change one thing, would you?
sure

If u were stranded on a deserted island & could bring 1 thing what would you bring?
i'm not sure, these questions are dumb

TWO WOULD-​YOU-​EVER’S:​

Would you ever get back together with any of your ex’s if they asked you?
nope.  i've considered it, and then i got verbally slapped in the face by a certain someone.  not worth it.

Would you ever shave your head to save someone you love?
if it saved someone's life, then probably.  hair grows back, but you can't bring a dead person back.

ONE LAST QUESTION

Are you happy with your life right now?
ish.  i'll be happier if i pass this class.

so so true.  only i usually don't get dinner and work for me is standing behind a desk.

do you ever have that one time when no matter what you're doing, you look at the clock at that exact time?  for me, it's 12:34.  even this afternoon, i was sleeping and when i woke up i checked the clock.

9:06 is a big one for me too, but it's not as consistent.

i've been feeling really nostalgic lately.  especially today when i was driving to my parents house.  the format was playing, windows were down, and there was a car with one headlight on the other side of the road.  it made me kinda sad.

lately my family has been going through my grandma's stuff since they're getting ready to sell her house.  some of the stuff is insane.

there's all sorts of jewelry, half which my grandpa made.  he loved stones of all kinds, he would cut and polish them and use them for belts, broaches, earrings, necklaces...  we found all of his stuff, and he even had a little toolkit that he used for making them.  i got the toolkit.

i also found a bunch of watches, one which had a date of 1927 engraved on the back.  there's also one of those pocket watches that flips open, it still works.

when we went through the pictures we found baby pictures of both of my grandparents.  we also found a picture of who we think was my great great great grandparents on their trip to israel.  they decided that they wanted to be buried in the "holy land," so they traveled to israel for their final resting place.  it's hard to wrap my head around that, it's so weird to look at a picture of ancestors from that far back.

my grandma saved some restaurant menus from her honeymoon.  they went to new orleans, and the most expensive meal we found on any of the few dozen menus she saved was under $2.  at most places a steak meal complete with salad, vegetables and a potato was around $1.25.  i can't even imagine that.  it makes me wonder what restaurant prices will be 50 years from now.

she had a bunch of silver plates and cups.  we found a kiddish cup (a kind of wine goblet) which was engraved with "from father and mother, happy 50th anniversary august 26, 1917."  we're trying to figure out who was married then.  my aunt pulled out a binder full of names and dates of birthdays and anniversaries, but the farthest back it goes is 1872.  this wedding was in 1867.

aaron and i had the exact same dream the other night.  the only thing that was different was the place, but everything else was the same.  weird.

my computer keeps beeping at me and i don't know why.

aaron and i decided to barbeque burgers for dinner, so we hauled all of our stuff to the bbq pit and hung out there for a while.  aaron wanted to bring tank to get him out of the apartment.  tank has this obsession with any kind of balls, and he loves to play fetch.  he's by far the fastest dog i've ever seen.  i said we should've brought a ball for him, so aaron went to pick an orange off a tree in the complex.  he kept throwing the orange straight up and tank would catch it mid-air.  he was fine using the orange for a ball until he broke through the peel.  we found out that he hates oranges.  but he still loves balls, so he would pick it up, drop it and shake his head like it was the most vile thing he's ever tasted, and then pick it up again.  after a few times he dropped it and looked at aaron for help, but aaron thought it was hilarious and told tank to get it.  so tank would go back to picking it up, dropping it and shaking his head, picking it up, dropping it...  he must've been doing it for at least three minutes straight.

it was kinda sad to watch, but one of the funniest things i've seen in a long time.

i'm back in the happiness battle.  i feel like i'm on the edge, one minute i'll be upset and then i'll redirect my line of thinking and i'll feel content for a few minutes.  then i'll get back to thinking and feel off again... it's a freakin see saw.

i think it means i need to take a step back and figure out what i'm doing right or wrong.  blah.

since it's snowing in mt lemmon tonight i think another therapy session is called for.

sometimes i wish my life was different.  at other times i'm perfectly content.

right now, though, i wish it was a lot different.