Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Sheepie To-Do List

Such a busy day! There is simply no way I could have managed without a list. I made the mistake of trying to do it from a mental list...that never seems to go well, I'm afraid. But, even a less than efficient list is better than none. Here's a little sample of what was on that list today:

1. Check Time.
(It was rather overcast when I left the house this morning. Downright rainy in fact. So the skies were darkened and it sort of looked like it was last week and I hadn't actually remembered to set the clocks back on Sunday. This was confusing)

2. Cancel The Hit On The Tech. Guy.
(Today's emailed "excuse of the day regarding the non-delivery of the computer I ordered and am paying for in spite of my not having it" came with some happy news. The computer company bought the school district's "the check is in the mail" story and has removed the hold from our orders. Shipping is imminent. Having him "whacked" at this point could only complicate matters. I reserve the right to reinstate the whackage should my new laptop not arrive by Friday."

3. Teach Some Kids.
(This is how I earn that fat teacher's salary and I really need to spend less time seeking out nefarious whackers who will take out lying tech guys.)

4. Lose Twenty Minutes Of Teaching Time To Uproarious Laughter.
(You can't always count on this one. But, my laughter requirements were met just before lunch when, while the kids in my class were working quietly, we heard an unmistakably male student-type voice cry out, "I'm a pretty, pretty princess!" That was just awesome. Really, really, amazingly, stupendously awesome!)

5. Survive Day Of Teaching.
(Always a good plan.)

6. Go Get Flu Shot.
(My school district offers some stupendous deals on a variety of free vaccinations. If you have the school insurance and are willing to visit the health center at the high school you can participate in any number of needle-fests without having to deal with the cost of an office visit. This does not in any way, shape or form make getting a shot any more fun. But, if nothing else, you get to watch your co-workers wincing and whining at the sight of a needle. And they give you the complimentary Vigorous Arm Massage with each shooting.)

7. Complain About Arm Pain At Injection Site.
(This requires no elaboration. You've all read the blog. You know I can whine with the best of 'em.)

8. Purchase Items For A Student's Big Lab Project Tomorrow.
(I'm going to give you some pearls of wisdom here. You will, from this point on, understand the basis for dealing with challenged kids. Here it is: The human body has just so much energy. And if you are putting all you have and then some into not getting into trouble, being decent to all your teachers and remembering to do the regular homework, then you have little left over for remembering the off-schedule stuff. And this particular student is performing this rather impressive feat for one reason and one reason only. Because I asked him to. I have worked long and hard to get to the point with some students where they will even consider my requests, let along try to follow through. I will purchase the few things he needs for his food lab. It's the least I can do. He will prove how well he knows the material and will pass sixth grade. Sure, you could argue that this is maybe the parent's job and that would be valid. But this is how this particular lab is going to get done. I know this.)

9. Vote
(Civic responsibility is a heavy burden. There wasn't much on the ballot that I considered to be a gi-normous deal. But, you never know when one of those things might turn into a gi-normous deal and I like to know that I had my say.)

10. Work Out
(This should have read, "come up with excuses for not working out," since I didn't actually do anything that required sweating. But, it was 5:00 when I reached this item on the list and I'd had a medical procedure. Any day that you have a medical procedure, you don't have to work out. It doesn't matter that it was a flu shot. You get a free pass.

11. Stare At Yarn.
(It is unlikely that I am going to knit with it at this point. Staring at it is as close to an interaction as we are going to come tonight. There's no real excuse here...not like the workout where I had a really good one. I just don't see it happening.)

12. Dust Off The Spot Where The New Computer Is Going To Live
(I've waited a long time for the new baby to come home. I see nothing wrong with "nesting." It is a natural and normal part of the gestational process.)

13. Sleep
(It is only Tuesday. There are still many more days of lists to get through before the weekend is upon us.)

And, if the calendar speaks true, that weekend is of the three day variety. I can maybe make a list of things to do that will make up for the things that didn't get done today...

SA

14 comments:

sheep#100 said...

Aha! It is a weekend of the three-day variety for Number Guy. He's off on Monday. Neatnik is not. I shall leave the plan of the day to your very active and overly fertile imagination...

Anonymous said...

Yes, a long weekend is in our future and I, for one, can't wait! Hopefully, you'll be playing on your new laptop over the weekend :)

Anonymous said...

I like the free pass from exercising when you have a medical procedure. I'll have to remember that one!

Marianne said...

Heh...I can't hardly get beyond the "unmistakably male student-type voice crying out "I'm a pretty, pretty princess!"...coffee is EVERYWHERE!
Good luck with having your new baby home by the weekend!

Anonymous said...

You get a free Vigorous Arm Massage with your shot? Cool! We got the FluMist vaccine last year. Fortunately it did NOT come with a Vigorous Nose Massage. :)

Anonymous said...

I'm tired just reading your list but it could be from all the laughing. Number 4 was priceless!
Karen
http://nothingbutknit.blog-city.com/

debsnm said...

13. Sleep - ahhhh! Wish that were on my list every night, but sadly, its been lacking lately. However, I'm now counting 2 whole nights' sleep, so I just might be dangerous.
I also wanted to let you know that you're one of my heroes. You not only live with WAY too many kids on a daily basis, you manage to teach the challenged ones stuff.
See, I didn't much like kids when I was one, and mostly my opinion of the little darlings hasn't changed. So, hats off to you for just going to work every day!

Alwen said...

Boy! I am so wishing the "pretty pretty princess" came as a .wav or MP3 file!

Is that like the guy they were talking about on Language Log
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0917/p19s01-hfes.html
who learned his conversational Japanese from his Japanese girlfriend?

He says "I thought my Japanese was fine, while in reality the effeminate, almost childish twang I had been learning made me sound very much like a 20-something, pink miniskirted Japanese woman."

I immediately thought of your pretty, pretty princess!

kim said...

As a parent of a challenged child, let me just take a moment to let you know that you, and those who also do the work you do, are people we appreciate. Without teachers like you, our job as parents would be that much harder. So even though my son isn't one of your particular students, his teacher doesn't blog, so you get the acknowledgement today. (She'll get hers when I see her on the 19th.)

Donna Lee said...

It is not a 3 day weekend for me,alas. The good thing is that there are less people on the train (all the people who get a 3 day weekend are gone) and more room for knitting. That is an ambitious list for one day. Maybe you should stretch it out for the rest of the week. I am frequently buying things so that my group can cook or crochet or do some other growth involving activity. It's a small price to pay to see the accomplishment on their faces.

Knitting Linguist said...

I have GOT to know what inspired that student to holler "I am a pretty, pretty princess". Too funny... I'm going to envy your three-day weekend. Campus is closed that day, but since it's not my usual teaching day I don't really benefit. Alas...

The Kelly Green Rogue said...

I'm pretty sure the official guidelines for a flu shot say not to over exert yourself afterwards! :)

Anne said...

In most cowardly fashion I went for the Flu Mist this year -- might as well, while I still meet the age requirements--but then I had to remember to be sympathetic when the rest of my family (choosing to procure health care in other venues) had to have the shot instead ...

I envy your long weekend ahead. Gotta work (my institution resisting all family-friendly and patriotic arguments to close).

mehitabel said...

Tuesday was my Flu Shot Day, too. It didn't get me out of teaching my Tuesday night quilters, though. Life is not fair!