Shakes Sphere

"Girls Become Lovers Who Turn Into Mothers"

2010-08-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

I've always been keenly aware of how parents treat their children. As a teacher, I've witnessed some pretty amazing parent-child relationships. I've also seen some pretty horrifying ones. The school I worked at used to hold parent-teacher conferences in a large room. Parents and students waited in line to meet with teachers who were sitting at cafeteria tables. I will never forget sitting with a student with a speech impairment while his mom berated him in front of me, the other teachers, and the whole lot of parents and students waiting in the building. It was really sad.

Today, when I was walking into Target, I saw this family walking out carrying a bunch of college dorm room-looking gear. The girl had a pink cushion tucked under her armpit and the dad was hauling something pink and and awkward out to the car. The mother kept yelling "stop arguing with me." At one point the father said, "no one is arguing with you" at which point she turned to her daughter, who was not speaking, and yelled "shut up." She continued yelling "shut up" and taunting the girl to "open her mouth" the the father and daughter loaded the pinkness into the car.

After I passed them, I watched a mother, her two sons, and her little girl leaving the store as well. The little girl was crying because she wanted popcorn. The mother said, "that's not how you ask, ask nicely." 'Good,' I thought, 'I'll witness a positive interaction between a mother and her daughter. "You are being such a brat, stop being such a brat," she yelled.

I know I won't be the perfect mother. In fact today, I imagined a conversation with my daughter some day about how I knew I would let her down. I don't want her to see me as perfect or infallible. I'm not. I do, however, want to be able to have conversations where we tell each other about the expectations we have for each other, we discuss being disappointed by the other. At some point; I want to be her friend, her confidant, her go-to girl.

It makes me very nervous to think about being someone's mother. It makes me even more nervous to be my daughter's mother. Relationships with mothers are tender, complicated, and easily misunderstood. And yet, they can be the most important relationship a woman ever has. The prospect of a relationship with my daughter both scares me and emboldens me. It is such a grave responsibility to raise a young woman today. I just hope I have the courage to do it the right way.

Untitled and Stuff

2010-08-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

This blog post by Amalah rings true on so many levels for me.

I have so had some "bad ideas" namely in the home decorating category during which I may have decorated with smelly candles that make you gag just so I can hide that one water mark.

I always use the disclaimer, "my house is such a mess" especially when people are coming over and you can still smell the Windex and the closets are bulging with whatever we've decided to "put away" in there.

After I clean the kitchen, the most logical thing to do is to make something with eleventy-hundred ingredients, the food processor, the mixer, the garlic press, some knives that can't go in the dishwasher, something frozen that explodes in the microwave, and all my glass bowls.

Usually, when I embark on said cooking adventure, I'm missing some major ingredient that cannot be replaced. Oh, like cooking oil. Except the one time I made granola with olive oil instead of regular oil. It was really good. I swear I read about it here, but now I can't find it.

I love when you read something and it totally resonates with you. Amalah's post did just that. And, at the same time, it made me feel a little better about myself. This staying home with a baby thing is harder than I thought it would be. More on that later.

Dear Postpartum Body

2010-08-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Postpartum Body,
Please work out your differences with my prepartum body. Put your running shoes on. I'll see you on the street!
Love,
Stinky Pete

PS: I spent a small fortune on new running shoes and inserts. Let this be your motivation.

What's for lunch?

2010-07-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

So I told you I would be back. And my first post back won't be about how my 15 month old washing machine broke this week with $300 worth of cloth diapers LOCKED inside (it's a front loader). The repair man is coming today so I won't talk about it.

Instead, I'll talk about the yummy food I've eaten lately. If there is one thing I love about summer, it's the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. Now that I'm back on my feet again, I hope to make some trips to Findlay Market for some good local produce.

Mr. Pete had a wonderful salad while we were in Nantucket that he thoroughly enjoyed. We all know it as a Cobb Salad but he won't eat hard boiled eggs, so he omitted them when he ordered. I thought I could do my best rendition of this salad with a twist (a fried egg). I read about it on one of my favorite foodie blogs. You can find it here.

My own rendition was more of a "man meal." These meals earn this status by their appeal for Mr. Pete. Usually adding bacon and cheese earns any meal this status. I paired this man meal with some really eclectic greens from my friend's farm share and with a healthy smoothie.

Man Meal Salad

Any variety of lettuce and greens you can get your hands on (preferably really healthy ones to counteract the bacon effect)

Bacon

Avocado

Any cheese

A fried egg

In any relationship there is conflict and compromise. I added the cheese to the salad and cooked the egg thoroughly for Mr. Pete's salad. I left my egg over medium and enjoyed the gooey egg yolk as a dressing for the salad with a little salt and pepper.

Really Healthy Smoothie

Again, any greens you can get your hands on (I suggest chard)

1fresh Apple sliced

Any juice to add a bit of liquid-I used Cran Blueberry (don't mess with a good thing and add a juice with high fructose corn syrup--Ocean Spray makes some great affordable juices)

1 semi fresh banana

1 orange peeled and split into sections

Blend vigorously for 1 min. THIS WILL BE A SMOOTHIE YOU CAN CHEW!

In other news, I ate but did not create this wonderful Veggie Bake! It wash chocked full of kohlrabi, beets, broccoli...and some other local veggies. SO GOOD.

Sorry, I gave up trying to add these pictures to Blogger in a way that flowed with this entry.

I'll be back

2010-06-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

I have every intention of showing up here again and writing. I really do. I just need to get back into the swing of things. Life is pretty crazy and there is laundry to put away. Seriously.

I have a list of things I want to write about when I get to it. So for now, you'll just have to read my list.

1. Breastfeeding--why women need more support if doctors and healthcare professionals are going to stress the importance of it

2. The shift to being a Stay At Home Mom

3. The necessity of a cleaning schedule for our home

4. Random recipes I've tried lately

I'll also post my favorite picture from our trip to The Cape.

Domestic Bliss

2010-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

I have my own stories to share today about domestic bliss, but you should check out this story first. If you've ever moved a shared object only to be met by the sheer terror of your partner upon not returning it, this story is for you. If you're perfect and always return things after you've moved them, you can skip it.

A few snippets into the day and life of the Pete Family....

Mr. Pete found an expired cookie mix in the pantry. I was cleaning out the pantry and rather than help me, he decided to maximize our time by making a sodium-laced-I'll-never-eat-that-crap prepackaged cookie mix instead of helping me with my insatiable desire to organize our entire house before baby bird arrives.

Mr. Pete: what's the best way to soften butter

Me: uhm, just leave it out and it will come to room temperature

Mr. Pete: uhm, isn't there a faster way to do it

Me: you can microwave it but then it melts and the cookies just aren't the same

The sound of silent baking fills our kitchen as I toss taco seasoning packages from 1998. I emerge from the pantry covered in a mysterious sticky substance to find Mr. Pete with a glass bowl ON THE STOVE TOP attempting to "soften" the cookie dough.

Me: Uhm, take that off the stove, stat!

Mr. Pete: Why? What's wrong?

Me: You are an engineer, do I have to tell you?

Mr. Pete: I guess

Me: Heating glass using a direct heat source causes the potential for the class to break.

Mr. Pete: Why?

Me: (fearing for my life remembering this kid keeps airplanes in the air) Becausesese when you heat part of the glass at a certain temperature and it contracts, the rest of th glass at the other temperature does not, and it could shatter. You can't even put Pyrex on direct heat.

Mr. Pete (obviously impressed) You should be an engineer.

Later in the day.....

Context: Mr. Pete has a wrinkly forehead. This is caused by his intensity. When he talks to you, he talks to you. His entire forehead gets in on the action. Nothing on his face is undisturbed. Seriously, watch him talk some time. In conversations where is intent on getting his point across, his eyebrows stay pressed against his hairline for long periods of time. It's kind of scary looking. I've encouraged him to moisturize citing that his skin may retain it's elasticity longer if he uses some moisturizing serum, but he doesn't really believe me. This conversation occurred while I was surfing the web and he was scrutinizing his boyish good looks.

Mr. Pete: Maybe I should get Botox for my forehead.

Me: Maybe you should try not talking with your forehead for a little while.

My brother got shot and all I got was this lousy t-shirt

2010-02-03T13:13:00.000-08:00

I know, it's a lewd title. My school, celebrating basketball school spirit, hosted a blanket and stuffed animal day this week. The first image I saw when I arrived, was the face of a dead student embroidered onto a lap blanket and draped over the shoulders of his little brother.

Immediately my mind took me back to the day this student passed away. We received a call through the emergency phone chain the night before. A student had been shot and was in critical condition. On my way into the building the next morning, a colleague broke the news that the students did not make it through the night. The details of the crime are not horrific. It was a little of being at the wrong place at the wrong time and a little of the status quo for some of my more difficult students. The days following were tragic and relentless. Students roamed the halls moaning and crying. Classes ceased. Counselors were working overtime. Students were looking for ways to memorialize the student's life. His name was carved into desks, his locker decorated with notes, his initials were inked into any surface that would hold the ink. It was terrible. It is terrible.

Every year, I see about two dozen students wearing white t-shirts with images of young teenagers airbrushed or ironed on to the shirt. There is usually a date 1989-2007...or something like that. And then, on the back, in what seems to be spray paint are the words "RIP Big T," or "RIP Little Snazzy." There is a place at the local mall which specializes in these tees and hoodies. Apparently they sell blankets too.

Here's the point. I'm all for memorializing those we lose in life. I just think that making a t-shirt or sweatshirt for a victim of violence glorifies the violent acts through which they leave this world. I'm sure there are some solid exceptions but the t-shirts really bother me. I think some of my students have drawers filled to the top of t-shirts with young faces on them. Faces that should be in graduation gowns, in tuxedos for prom, and in line at the student union at universities. Instead, they are plastered on someone's t-shirt, hoodie, or blanket. And it makes me sick.

My Hips Don't Lie

2010-02-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

The imminent birth of a child during pregnancy is enough to make this grown woman cry (every day on the way to work). I mean really, it's just pretty spectacular. I've really enjoyed the whole pregnancy idea that my body is working over time to help our Creator co-create this infant. I'm amazed at how quickly cells divide and multiply. It makes me faint to think of a little heart beginning to beat. It feels pretty remarkable to be a part of what seems like a miracle.

And they warn you about the bad stuff...the swollen feet, the nausea, the food aversions, the unsolicited advice, scary stories, etc. But, never in my life did anyone tell me about the hip pain, the rib pain, the heartburn, the feet burning, the arms tingling, and the stuffy nose. No one mentions these things. If I lie in bed long enough my hips begin to ache like I'm being torn apart at the legs. The heartburn creeps up and then my runny nose seeps down and they meet in my throat causing the most insatiable desire to eat ice cream and tums. I jump out of bed for the third time each night and my left foot fights a stabbing pain caused by plantar fascitis. I take a deep breath, blow my nose, hold my back, and waddle to the bathroom.

I just wonder if some men have to convince their wives to have unprotected sex ever again. I mean really.

Ok, really I'm back

2010-02-01T17:36:00.000-08:00

The public is calling. People are saying, "are you going to write on your blog again, ever?" Flattering really. I can't ignore my adoring public.

I've been thinking a lot about how Baby Bird will fit into my writing and blogging life and I've decided to make the little bugger his/her own blog. It's a symbolic gesture of what I've been thinking about lately. I really need to make sure as this baby enters the world that I don't forget myself. While throwing oneself completely at child rearing is admirable and, at times necessary, I'm hoping to maintain some sense of balance between the life I live now and the life that will be forever shaped and changed by a new little bundle of awesomeness. More on that later. Like in another post.

PS: I'm not judging people who have a family blog. I'm just not going to have one.

PPSS: I'm sharing baby bird's blog with my family...I may not share this blog with them...duh.

I'm baaacckkk

2009-12-01T14:59:00.000-08:00

I know, it's been way too long. Here is a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaTl7IcFs8&feature=player_embedded#

I'm six months pregnant and pretty excited about the little one. Just in time for today's post, I've come up with 10 things that surprise me about being pregnant.

10. It hurts. Everything hurts...my feet, my belly, my back....sometimes even places I hate to mention hurt. I told Mr. Pete that sometimes it feels like I'm pooping glass. Sorry for the details but I just went there. No one told me that everything would hurt like this all at once.

9. Every one has a terrible birthing story. Even men.

8. People go crazy for babies, spend lots of money on lots of stuff that takes up lots of room, and they can still buy more stuff.

7. There are a lot of dos and don'ts. Don't eat soft cheese, do get extra folic acid. Don't lift heavy objects, do work out. Don't....

6. Did I mention things hurt ALL the time. I feel like I'm breaking.

5. The sleep deprivation begins early. Mr. Pete's alarm clock went off today at 5:00 AM and I was already awake and could not go back to sleep.

4. People are very protective of pregnant women. You should see my students falling all over themselves trying to take care of me.

3. Babies grow very fast. One day it's an embryo and the next it's the size of an eggplant.

2. Everyone will tell you how big or small they think you look. This is never OK and never flattering.

1. It's pretty darn exciting despite some of the obvious drawbacks to being pregnant.

Soft Sea Breeze, Gentle Waves, Jagged Cliffs, and...Vomit

2009-07-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

That's right. Mr. Pete and I ventured into the world of sea kayaking before. We've been out before but it was in Key West in a little bay or channel...a little estuary. This, my friends, was the open ocean. It started with a quick paddling lesson from our guide Mike. Then we ventured into the water and made sure to angle our kayaks toward to horizon as we plowed over waves and out into the open sea. I started to feel a little warm and vomitose early on. I get motion sickness but I've never, you know, wretched. Just felt really sick and kind of blah and then recovered. I vomited around 10 times while we were out at sea. The worst part was that I wasn't really able to take in all the cool stuff around me. We paddled into caves, spotted sea lions sunning themselves on some rocks, and even did a little hunting tour for leopard sharks. In the end, Mr. Pete and I convinced our guide to let us go back early. We left him a nice tip (maybe he will share it with our tour group since they had to listen to the vomiting sounds as Mike pointed out the various forms of sea life). He had some great suggestions for sea sickness. Keep paddling, keep your eye on the horizon, or maybe jump in a swim around a bit. After asking about the sharks in the area several times, I hopped in to the FREEEZING Pacific for a little nausea control. It did help. I was so shocked by the drop in my body temperature I momentarily forgot to empty my stomach's contents into the ocean.

So we arrived back on shore soaking wet (we tipped on the way in to the beach), with broken sunglasses (I leaned over on them after I was done puking in the ocean), and bonded. Mr. Pete took good care of me and didn't even flinch when I whined, "just don't talk to me, it makes me feel nauseous.

More on this awesome trip later. I'm still recovering on the couch with a salty snack.

Burning Questions

2009-07-02T18:03:00.001-07:00

I know what you're thinking. "Stinkey Pete," you are wondering, "you have milliontryhundred weddings this summer. What are you going to wear?" I've been thinking the same thing internets. I have! When I was in Charleston Mama Stinkey bought me a really pretty dress from an upscale store I would never buy anything (except maybe a headband or something) from in my life. It's this gorgeous silky, cotton, ruffley, dress with pockets. Super comfortable. Super chic. Super lovely. And. It's. Ivory. Oh, ye old wedding goers we all know that one should not wear white, ivory, cream, beige or anything that resembles bride-like apparrel to a wedding. After consulting other internets, some fashionistas, and my mom, I've decided that this dress is sanctioned for the weddings o'the summer. Pictures? Sorry, can't find any online. I'll try to post some that don't reveal my identity after the string of weddings this summer.

I don't want to disappoint you. You were also inquiring about my idea of a super refreshing THIS IS SUMMER beverage. Right here folks, right here. Smitten Kitchen does not disappoint. WATERMELON LEMONADE PEOPLE!!!

Been Busy

2009-07-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

So, while I've been slacking on my blog I've been pretty busy. A family trip to Charleston, a whirlwind trip to Nashville, the Haus and Garden Show in Columbus, and a two day work week. I HAVE been doing some cooking too. Here you'll see strawberry mojitos, pesto pasta with grilled chicken, and sauteed veggies with peanut sauce and Japanese noodles.

Strawberry Mojitos

7 limes

a handful of fresh mint

club soda

sugar

white rum

handful of strawberries (blended into a liquid mixture)

Place 4-5 tall glasses in the freezer. Squeeze limes into a tall pitcher. Reserve lime half for garnish. Using a cup of sugar, muddle the sugar with the coarsely chopped mint. By muddle, I mean squish the mint leaves into the sugar. Add all sugar to the pitcher. Pour 1/4 cup of sugar on a shallow plate. Add two cups club soda, two cups crushed ice, one cup white rum, and strawberry mixture. Stir vigorously. Rub lime around the rim of chilled glasses, dip rims in sugar mixture. Pour pitcher mixture into the chilled glasses. Serve with lime quarter and fresh mint for garnish.

Grilled Chicken Pesto Pasta

Very Easy Peanut Sauce

1 cup peanut butter

3 tablespoons (or to taste) soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

3 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tbs hot water

1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Actually...most of the ingredients here are optional except, of course, the peanut butter.

Add all ingredients to food processor. Mix until liquid or saucy. Add more ingredients to taste. Pour over sauteed veggies to warm. This would also be a great sauce garnished with cilantro for fresh veggies.

Home Improvement Extravaganza

2009-06-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

I just have to post these pictures of our bathroom in process. Mr. Pete has done such a nice job with the bathroom. He's rennovating while working and going to school full time. I cannot describe how excited I will be to get the washer and dryer out of my dining room!

Some Mo Meals

2009-06-11T05:09:00.000-07:00

So I've been a bit of a slacker blogger AND a slacker in the kitchen. School was busy as it wound down to the last few days. There were graduations, parties, cookouts, oh and projects to grade, exams to grade, a classroom to pack up. The list goes on and on. One of the hardest things of working at a school is that we end and say goodbye each year. I won't dwell on that...that gets me a little sad.

I have made at least two good meals with our Farm Fresh Produce lately. I made this stuffed cabbage. I told you I was addicted to Smitten Kitchen. I also made a great salad. I used spinach from the CSA, green apples, micro greens, gorganzola cheese, pine nuts, vinegar and oil. It was simple but so fresh and nice for a summer salad. I'm also including a picture of one of the stir frys I've made...I'm trying not to do that every week.

I'm growing my own tomatoes now but they won't be ready until later this summer. My neighbor came over and took one look at my cilantro and offered me her seeds from Equador.

That's all I got. I know that stuffed cabbage looks a little gross..it was good, I swear.

Omelet Oh Omelet

2009-05-30T07:21:00.000-07:00

Omelet is a funny word. It makes it sounds like you are making the miniature version of something else (like piglet and pig). I made the most delicious omelet today and it was chalked full of protein and low in fat.

3 egg whites
2 asparagus spears
1 handful fresh spinach
3/4 shredded mozzarella cheese
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Better Than PF Changs

2009-05-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

One of the most difficult parts of enjoying really good food is the damage it does to your wallet and/or savings. One of our most difficult bills to control is our food bill. We love to eat. So, when I stumble upon really good recipes that don't have 5 billion ingredients AND use some of the lovely vegetables from our CSA, I try them. This one is a real winner. I found it on this blog, Sidewalk Shoes. I think this blogger and I would be kindred spirits. She teaches middle school, hunts for good recipes, and it appears that she enjoys reading. Check and check. This recipe was fantastic. It's from Rachel Ray and the author made a few changes. I made a few of my own. I put my changes in bold print

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Noodle Bowl

Serves 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated

1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced, a couple of cups these are expensive, so I just

bought a little carton and chopped them up finely (2.50 for a carton)

1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise I had a lot of this stuff so I used two bok choy

Salt and pepper

1 quart chicken broth since I skipped the seafood stock, I used three cups of chicken broth and three table spoons of fish sauce

1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or, 1 cup clam juice I skipped this

1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp on sale!

1/2 pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti) I used Udon noodles (you can find them in the ethnic food aisle) They are salty and very tender

4 scallions, cut into 3 inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks also in my CSA from last week!

Heat a medium soup pot I used my skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.Add shrimp and noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add in scallions and cook 2 minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2 to 3 minutes more. Adjust salt and serve.

Week 2: CSA Veggies

2009-05-24T18:55:00.001-07:00

So here is the line up for this week. It will be tough to eat all this spinach. So, we have spinach, bok choy, green beans, asaparagus, and another leafy vegetable that I'll need to identify.

Here goes week 2

Dinners Week 1

2009-05-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's been tough, but we pretty much wiped out last week's CSA batch. We've had some pretty great meals including this great recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I made my own version with basil and roasted garlic instead of the tarragon. It was delightful. Oh, and as you can see, I used rigatoni.

We really enjoyed the asparagus and kale. The kale makes an interesting salad, but it's good for you. Here are two more meals. We ate the salads with sushi.

Be Our Guest

2009-05-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

I love love love to host parties at our house. I love the frenetic cleaning, preparing, baking, chopping, and watering. I also love to serve people. Since we're not close to finishing our bathroom (let's be honest, I haven't lifted a finger), I don't think we'll be doing as much entertaining this year. So, I want to make sure I'm a good guest so people don't feel like we are always mooching off of their hospitality. I'll be posting some cooking for pitch ins or potlucks...whatever you call them. Until then, check out Smitten Kitchen's 30 Ways to be a good guest post.

A Fresh Start

2009-05-17T17:54:00.000-07:00

We ate lots of stir fry last summer, lots. So, one of my goals this summer is to get a bit more creative with the way I use our produce. Meal #1: stir fry It's actually a yummy, easy recipe for making just about any vegetable. Here goes:

Ingredients:

1 T chicken bouillon granules

1 C warm water

1 T garlic powder (I prefer fresh garlic but I didn't have any)

1 T ginger

1 handful baby carrots

1 handful snow peas

4-5 handfuls of mixed greens (I used radish greens, kale, and collared greens)

4-5 small radishes

1 handful basil chopped finely

1 handful flat leaf parsley chopped finely

1 handful cilantro chopped finely

1 thinly sliced green pepper

Directions: Dilute granules in warm water and bring to a boil in a wok. Add garlic and ginger. Add mixed greens and denser veggies (carrots and radishes in this case...in other cases potatoes or broccoli). Boil for several minutes allowing the water to evaporate before adding the seasonings. Continue to cook over medium heat until carrots and radishes are tender. Serve over pasta or rice.

The verdict. It was a great first try. I added the snow peas at the very end and we enjoyed them el dente. Nothing too exotic about this meal. LOVE this rice pilaf. I could tell there was a lot of salt in the bouillon. I might try to find one that was lower in sodium. Just because.

Week One: Hollar if you hear me, collared greens are all the rave!

2009-05-17T08:07:00.000-07:00

Each Sunday, I'll drive to our designated pick up to retrieve our veggies from Farmer Mike. I'll post pictures of the veggies here. The reason for this is twofold: 1) These gorgeous locally and organically grown veggies deserve some time in the spot light. Anyone who is nervous about veggies should see the colors in these fresh beauties. 2) I want you to see them in all of their raw glory...I think random veggies can be intimidating if we don't know what to do with them.

My experience with fresh vegetables last year was mildly successful. We have a really amazing compost pile to show for some of the things I couldn't figure out how to cook. We did a good job cooking the things we were familiar with (corn, spinach, beans) and a not so good job with things that we were unfamiliar with.

So here is what we have this week.

(left to right)asparagus, green onion, collared greens, kale, snow peas, and radishes.

I also want to show your what I have to work with from my own backyard.

This will be my "team" for the summer. I'm hoping they will help me to spice things up in the kitchen. Let me introduce you to strawberry, chives, basil, cilantro, rosemary, flat leaf parsley, more basil, and mint.

Stay tuned for this week's recipes. Also, check out some recipe blogs on the side bar. Smitten Kitchen rocks my world.

Farm Fresh Challenge

2009-05-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

I Stinky Pete do solemnly swear to cook with, munch on, or share the veggies from my CSA this year from Martin Hill Farm. If you don't know much about CSAs, check out the farm here. My pledge to you, my readers, and really to the Pete family is to be more efficient with the produce we bought this summer. That means lots of recipe posting, pictures of fresh produce, and griping about yet another meal of stir fry.

I really can't complain since the veggies are super fresh and local. It's just difficult to use up a whole head of fresh spinach before it goes bad. I'm looking forward to canning, freezing, and steaming a bunch of it too.

My challenge to you is to buy more local produce. I'll be featuring recipes and uses for a lot of produce that you can get at your local farmers' market. Hopefully watching me struggle through the produce will encourage you to shop for and cook your own fresh and local produce.

Here goes nothing...

PS: Our first share arrives this weekend.

Recipe Review

2009-05-03T05:31:00.000-07:00

I've been doing some cooking...man I've been doing some cooking. I love this new blog (new to me) called Smitten Kitchen. She has some pretty amazing recipes AND she takes beautiful pictures of the food she prepares. Note: not all of these recipes are from Smitten Kitchen. Here are some of my favorite recipes to date:

Huevos Rancheros

OK so these incorporate pretty much every ingredient I love except for dark chocolate. Black beans, eggs, garlic, tomatoes. This is a weeknight meal at the very least and a crowd pleaser any other night. The salsa fresca along is amazing. Great for chips, tacos, anything really. I'm making the chicken tacos tonight. More on those later.

Elvis Preseley's Favorite Pound Cake

So I was inspired by this post by Smitten Kitchen. Mr. Pete has an aversion to anything with a funny texture...ketchup, cream cheese, etc. So I couldn't make the pound cake with cream cheese and I found this Elvis recipe instead. Wow...talk about velvety, buttery, vanillay goodness...it might be the seven eggs the recipe calls for. Be sure to spring for the cake flour. We had some left over from our Gingerbread people during the holidays. Mr. Pete learned on NPR that it was the best for Gingerbread. The cake flour is smooth and light and helps the whole pound cake to be just moist and delicious.

Monkey Bread

I think this is an old familiar favorite for most people. I just love that Pillsbury Grands are often on sale and this is a great recipe for an easy brunchy snack. By the way, my grandmother's coffee cake is better BUT this comes in a close second and it's easier to make.

Lentil Edamame Stew

Another week night meal that is easy and has relatively few ingredients. Mr. Pete liked it so...it must be good.

Tweeting

2009-04-07T11:15:00.001-07:00

I'm learning to Twitter. Head cold + spring break= time on the computer to do useless things like join Twitter

They Tried to Make Me Comb Out My Rats Nest But I Said "No No No"

2009-04-07T09:48:00.000-07:00

According to the Bumpit website "flat hair is so last year." Anyone who knows me knows that I love me a big pony tail. We're talking teasing, spraying, ratting, smoothing and securing. Bobby pins, layers of spray, and a fresh black hair tie make the best pony tail ever. Who knew that there were actual tools and a how to video to go along with this big hair madness. Have you seen the Bumpit? You have to check out the actual website here. They are these plastic pieces that you put in your hair to give you that Amy-Winehouse-bottle-o-hairspray-beehive look.

This is one of my favorite go to hair styles and I can't believe that there is equipment to go with it! In other news, one of my favorite bloggers gives you a step by step tutorial since I my own instructions would lead to devastating results.

Wordle is Awesome

2009-03-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

You'll have to check out http://www.wordle.net/ It's a word smushing awesomeness to be appreciated in its awesomeness. That's all I have to say. Here is a wordle from Rudyard Kipling's poem "If."

You'll find the orginal words here.

My dad used to quote these lines from the poem, one of his favorite poems "If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;If you can meet with Triumph and DisasterAnd treat those two impostors just the same...."

Pass the Salsa Please

2009-02-21T09:27:00.000-08:00

Mr. Pete: Do you want to feel better about yourself?

Me: Of course.

Indicating the Family-sized bag of tortilla chips on the counter

Mr. Pete: I have not eaten one chip from that bag.

Me: It's a family-sized bag, of course you have. I haven't eaten these all by myself.

Mr. Pete: taking a chip from the bag This is my first chip.

Me: Man. That's a lot of chips in one week.

Running Late

2009-02-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

I was running late for a 10 AM meeting this morning. I realize that I have the luxury of actually sleeping in on a Monday morning to be actually able to run late to a 10 AM meeting. I knew I was going to be late once I stepped out the door...the looming traffic of I-75 and the snarling orange cones and temporary barriers on 275 would be a treacherous drive in to the meeting. I started thinking about how I could excuse my tardiness. Any excuse I came up with (traffic, directions, oversleeping) sounded really lame and irresponsible. While I wouldn't use an excuse on my friend and colleague waiting for me at Panera, I considered what people would actually think is an acceptable excuse. I'm a stickler for being on time, so I realize that my own standard of excuses is actually pretty high. I live by the motto, "prior planning prevents future failure." In essence, you shouldn't really need to worry when you hit traffic because you've already planned for this disaster by leaving a good 20 minutes early.

To me, the only real excuse you can give might be car trouble (ie. flat tire, stalled engine, etc.) The only other socially acceptable excuse is family. I've heard this plenty of times. "I'm sure you understand, it's difficult to get an X year old out of the house." "Sorry I'm running late, but so and so didn't want to eat his/her lunch." It's funny, but I totally accept these excuses. And I think we should. I can't imagine what it's like to get another person dressed, groomed, fed, and out the door. I have a hard time finding both of MY own shoes in the morning--I can't imagine searching for FOUR shoes. The thing that I realized in my own little psychological experiment, is that I would seriously judge someone who was late because she a) had to grab a bite to eat b) was looking for a shoe c)throwing a tantrum because she didn't want to go or d) stayed in bed a few extra minutes because those wood floors really are cold in the morning.

I have hit the age in life where people are constantly "educating" me on how life changes when you have a child. So much so, that I've grown a little bitter. As I got ready this morning, I considered the acceptable reasons for being late and found myself upset that since I didn't have a family, I wouldn't really have a good excuse for being late.

There seems to be a set of unspoken rules in the world that are reserved for people who have children. There have been several situations where people assume I should "step up and get involved" because I have "so much time on my hands." Just last week, a meeting ran over at work and people were packing up to go home to relieve the babysitters. I had plans to meet girlfriends for dinner out, but I wouldn't dare excuse myself from the meeting with that reason.

I want to be sure to point out that I see the work of a parent as some of the most important life work one can be committed to. I think that the efforts (or lack of effort) that parents make might be one of the single most influential factors in the ever changing world around us.

The results of this reflection are twofold for me. I'm realizing that life happens to people and that I need to give people a little less of hard time when they are running late. I wish I could help to foster a culture where it would be acceptable to say, "Sorry I'm running late. I got a new bathrobe for Christmas and I just couldn't bring myself to get ready this morning" or "I'm just going through a stage right now where I am being impossible. I throw a tantrum every time I have to get into the car. It's possible I'm overstimulated, over committed, and over caffeinated. Hopefully I'll grow out of it."

I'm also realizing that the rules change as we grow up. People have different expectations for us at different points of our lives. I'll probably look back at this entry and laugh at how foolish I am some time in the future. Until then, I'll continue to remind myself of the importance of stable families in today's society and the need for flexability in all of our lives.

test

2009-02-09T16:00:00.001-08:00

test

School kids

2009-02-05T17:42:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think the kids are more interested in my outfit than in poetry. Could that be? Today I wore a chunky belt over my sweater and my students felt the need to comment on it all day. Some were brutally honest about what I could and couldn't wear as a "forty year old woman." It's almost like they thought my writing prompt was "tell me what you think of my outfit" instead of "tell me what you think of this poem." I'm thinking about creating a line of clothing with the necessary Ohio Graduation Test material printed on it. Just think sweaters with poetic devices, belts with the writing conventions rubric, oh the possibilities are endless. Endless I tell you.

In other news, I had three kids stay for detention today. One student asked me, "If I just want to sit in my desk and do nothing, why are you going to give me a DT?" Do you really need to ask? I just don't have it in my DNA to allow someone to forsake an education.

Today, after school, the woman who cleans my room (we'll call her Glenna) and I struck up a conversation. She said she used to want to be a preschool teacher or a veternarian (very similar careers). Her father didn't have the money to send her to school and in her words "that dream just went right down the drain." It's hard to show kids that they are really lucky to have this opportunity. I just hope that if Gov. Strickland really does start tossing money at public schools that students are held accountable too.

So fun

2009-01-28T10:15:00.001-08:00

It's been snowing cats and dogs and icing too. It's so beautiful outside right now with the snow and the ice and the sun!!!! How great is that. Here are a few pics from the snow this morning.

I've been staying all cozy and warm inside drinking decaf coffee and daydreaming about reorganizing the bathroom closet. I've already mopped all floors that can be mopped, installed a set of blinds, cleaned my closet, and googled enough of bathroom remodeling pictures to last a lifetime. Here's a little peak at spring. All my house plants have been blooming.

Finally, a picture of the disaster that is our house

Fairy Tale House: An Illustrated Edition

2009-01-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time there was a girl name Miss Pete who married a boy named Mr. Pete (don't worry they weren't related). They had a beautiful wedding and after living in an apartment for a few years, they bought a yellow house. They lived happily ever after for a year and did not renew their home warranty. One day, Mrs. Pete heard the washing machine thumping. Mr. Pete pulled it out from the wall to discover that the machine was, in fact, broken. Upon realizing this he also hear a loud thump. When he went outside to get a tool he saw water pouring out of the vinyl siding onto the driveway. Both the hot and cold water pipes in the bathroom had burst during a cold spell. Luckily, Mr. Pete's friend Fix knew how to repair the broken pipes. The two boys set out to fix the pipes and it took all day. After that, the Petes went looking for a new washer and dryer and settled on a model that would fit in the teensy weensy space built by a dumb previous owner. They settled on the Whirlpool Sport or something and they bought a pair of washer and dryer for a REALLY good deal. When they arrived home from Lowes they discovered that the temperature in the house was 55 degrees. So, in his third trip to Lowes that day, Mr. Pete left to buy a new thermostat...but not before Mr. Pete and Mrs. Pete melted down. Now they have a large hole in their first floor shower, a new washer and dryer without an outlet to install them, and a new thermostat. They are living happily ever after.

Afterward: Mr. and Mrs. Pete are truly grateful that their house keeps them safe warm and dry. They are also thankful that they have a small monetary safety net to pay for all their home disasters.

The End

Richard Miles

2008-12-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

I’ve grown up in a society where things are constantly changing. As I became accustomed to the ever changing world I’m growing up in, I realized that there was one person who was always the same, something I could always count on: my grandfather. I’m not talking about the kind of rigidness and inflexibility that you sometimes associate with growing older. I’m talking about the steadfastness of character and loyalty to all things good and true that we rarely see these days. I will always remember my grandfather in a brightly colored sports coat sitting in one of the front pews of this church. I’ll remember his cookie jar filled with cookies, the dozens of rubber bands he wore around his wrists, and his commitment to the Ohio State buckeyes. I’ll remember getting birthday cards exactly two days before my birthday with cash stuffed in the envelope every year. I’ll remember the unique greetings he had for each of us his grandchildren, Sal sal, Philly, and Nasty. I’ll also remember his loyalty in love and service to his wife, my Gram. I’ll remember his love for his children and his grandchildren, his commitment to supporting anyone who wanted to make the world a better place, and his ability to forgive quickly. I know I am very lucky to have had almost thirty years with a grandfather like him and my love and admiration for him will never change.

My Pomp

2008-12-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

My grandfather passed away. I'll always remember him for being a generous grandfather, a loving father, a passionate husband, and a terrific salesman. He could drink whiskey sours with the best of them and he loved The Ohio State Buckeyes. I asked him what he could attribute his successful life to and he said his friends. He said he had amazing friends and they made him that man that he was.

Here is a cute picture of Richard Miles and his grandson, the next best thing....

Random Questions

2008-12-02T17:23:00.001-08:00

I get asked all kinds of questions by student, but most of these questions are inappropriate or are posed at inappropriate time. These questions include: Are you pregnant? When are you going to get pregnant? Do you drink? Have you ever done drugs? Can I go to the bathroom? When does winter break begin?

You get the idea.

Today I was teaching a lesson about parables to set up our future discussion of Homer's Odyssey and one of my students raised her hand and asked," Do you know if the angels are Jesus' sisters and brothers?"

I honestly don't know but was a little taken aback by the nature (and somewhat appropriateness) of this question. I'll let you know if I find out.

Dear Pomp,

2008-12-01T18:37:00.000-08:00

My grandfather is in hospice care and is in very critical condition. This is a note I sent to him this week.

Thank you for my generous birthday present. I'm saving up for a trip with Mr. Pete next summer so your present will be very helpful. We're thinking Europe or South America.

It was very good to see you this week. As always, you made me laugh.

I really admire your courage and your character as you have been laid up these last few weeks. You are a better patient than I would be.

As a young married woman, it's inspirting to see how much you and Gram love each other after all these years. I hope Mr. Pete and I can make marriage look as easy as you and Gram do.

I'm so thankful that you have always takens so much interest in me as your grand daughter. You went to countless Nutcrackers and even memorized Shakespeare.

I love you so much!

Love,

Stinky

Oh yeah, what did you do today?

2008-11-06T16:39:00.000-08:00

$100 the price it probably costs to hire a substitute when I stay home from school after a sleepless headache-filled night

$75 the cost of towing a broken down Stella Scooter approximately one mile after the clutch went out

$11 the cost of having a new-er tire put on to my Honda Civic after I ran into a curb in a sketchy part of town while searching for Mr. Pete

$19.99 the cost of a car charger for Mr. Pete's chocolate phone---he should use said charger so that he is not say, stranded on the side of the road with a broken down scooter while his wife is risking her life (read running into curbs) trying to find him

$2.00 the price of yesterday's paper that the woman at the Shell station sold me while I was waiting for my friend Brad to come help me rescue Mr. Pete

$20 the cost of eye drops for pinkeye

$9.99 Aloo Choley from Baba India for two to remedy the wounded souls of this day

Being at home on the couch =priceless

Wow

2008-11-05T16:35:00.001-08:00

It's a pretty cool day in history. Don't worry, high school students can totally muck up one of the coolest days of all time in my life. I overheard one students commenting about how now we'll have reverse racism. She said, "They are even going to paint the White House black."

One a very positive note, many of my students celebrated sheer enthusiasm. I couldn't be more proud of them or of our country. Today at least.

God's Politics

2008-11-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

(is a great book by the way)

I've had some rousing conversations with my colleagues during lunch as the election fever continues. Some colleagues have reported emails from members of their church and small group telling them their judgment is muddled because of the candidate they are choosing to vote for. One person even accused her of being deceived by the "evil one."

In times like these I'm reminded of a quote I read in the book titled God's Politics. It's a quote by Abraham Lincoln and I believe it's a quote from a crucial point of the Civil War. He said:

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God's side, for God is always right”

In light of this race between another senator from Illinois and "the maverick" I'm wondering just how things will turn out tomorrow morning (or by next week). I just hope people stop to think about the freedom we have in getting to vote. No matter who wins this election, we'll be in for a change. That's fo sho!

If teaching were like football....

2008-11-02T18:14:00.000-08:00

Teachers would be well-paid and have an extensive wardrobe of school spirit attire
We could call a time out to get our acts together
Our accountability would be to our fans...who would pay money to see us flex our best and would cheer for us when we were successful and boo for us when we were losing
They would play cool warm up music for us before the school day started
We could tackle people who got in our way!
Parent/Teacher conferences would be like a bowl game and I would always win

Mr. Pete and I attended our first NFL game today. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, the football players were talented, and the Chipotle was...pretty good.

Is it baby time?

2008-10-29T17:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, if you got all jazzed up reading the title of this post...you're in trouble along with the three other people (who by the way don't know me well) who asked me today when I was going to have a baby (and one of them was a medical professional). This is an awkward question, one that is sensitive in nature, and frankly, is annoying. THREE PEOPLE asked me today. Yesterday, someone was concerned about a possible baby bump (that doesn't exist).

Miss Manners Public Service Annoucement Break: People, people this is inappropriate. DON'T ASK ANYONE IF THEY ARE PREGNANT EVERRRRRRRRRR. I remember once in the cafeteria at Xavier University, my good friend was accosted by the cafeteria worker about being pregnant. Now at 19, that's really annoying.

I have some suspicions about why people are so curious.
A) I think they really want me to experience the joys of childbearing
B) They really just want a common topic to discuss
C) They are thinking about getting pregnant and want to talk about it with me

Whatever the case may be, it makes me paranoid. I keep thinking...'maybe I am pregnant.' I'M NOT. And if it appears that I have a baby bump, it's the Adriaticos' pizza that Mr. Pete ordered that was meant to feed a frat house. Oh, and if it appears that I'm glowing, it's the morning workouts. Your cheeks would be red too if you worked out outside when it was 32 degrees. Oh, and if I seem unusually cranky, it's because so many darn people keep asking me about having a dang baby!!!!!

PS: I actually really love children but don't feel the need to disclose my baby making timeline to the public.

PPSS: If you were really excited and thought you'd see some glowing ultrasound pictures in this post...sorry if I disappointed you. Kind of.

Grocery List

2008-10-25T08:34:00.000-07:00

My Grocery List

brown sugar
dish soap
maple syrup
flour
cereal

Mr. Pete's Grocery List

strawberry Qwick
Ice cream
Ice cream toppings
pepperoni

Emails I Will Never Send

2008-10-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

TO: americanvoters@lazyvoters.com
FROM: Stinky Pete
CC:
RE: Uhm vote

Dear Voters,
Once upon a time I did not vote in a presidential election when I was able to. This election was very close and resulted in some minor problems for our country (No Child Left Behind, the wars everywhere, other crazy things). I didn't vote because I didn't educate myself on the issues.

I don't want to use this opportunity to endorse the candidate I like. I'd just like to persuade you to vote. Period. Educate yourself about the issues. Our president really does make HUGE decisions that will change the fate of our nation. Check out this post at No Pasa Nada. Your vote really does matter.

Sincerely,

Stinky Pete

TO: pita@pita.org*
FROM: Mrs. Stinky Pete (your English teacher)
CC: the powers that be
RE: getting kicked out of class

Dear Disruptive Student,

Today, when you were talking about what shoes you were going to buy this weekend and I told you to be quiet, I meant it. I meant it the other five times I told you to be quiet and to sit down and to work on your classwork and to not touch her hair and to please put your chips away and to not yell in that tone of voice and to please respect school property. I mean all those things. And then, when I kicked you out of class, I didn't think it was funny. In fact, I kind of wanted to cry. See I think you teenagers are the future of our nation and it scares me that you don't take your education seriously (especially since it's free to you). I really appreciate your sense of humor but don't think I'll laugh when I get our school report card and feel really guilty that more of my students didn't pass.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Pete

PS: Bring your literature book to class tomorrow for once!

*It's either pita like the bread or the abbreviation for Pain In The Ass

TO: Fitworksgym.com
FROM: Stinky Pete
CC: My husband
RE: Gym membership

Dear Fitworks,
I know you probably don't remember me, I haven't been to the gym in over a month. I have lots of good excuses about how my dog ate my gym card and how my right pinky muscle has really been bothering me but I realize those are unacceptable. I'm really thinking I should consider cancelling my membership but can't do it out of principal. I'm one of those workout freaks who knows she will work out since she pays for the membership.

So, please be patient with me until I return. Oh, and save me the nice elliptical machine for when my pinky muscle heals up. I really like the one you can work out on without getting frozen by the fan and really close to the drinking fountain since I just had a kidney stone. That's another reason I haven't been to the gym.

Smell ya later,
Stinky Pete

TO: sweetlittleneighbors@it'sabeautifuldayintheneighborhood.com
FROM: Stinky Pete
CC:
RE: the noise

Dear Neighbor,
I really appreciate you and love you and all but please don't put your dog outside to bark starting at 5:30 AM. I still have fifteen more minutes I can sleep and I'd really love to enjoy those precious moments. So keep Fido inside until at least 6:00 AM or else....

Sincerely,
Sleepy Pete

Happy 50th Birthday Mr. Paddington Bear!

2008-10-13T09:25:00.001-07:00

Bladder Spasm, Kisses, and The Global Financial Crisis

2008-10-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a title. I just thought I couldn't ignore the kidney stone drama I've been experiencing. It's been a whole load of fun. It's been about three weeks since I had my first stone and since then I've had a double J stent and I've had a double J stent removed. The whole thing was a great way to learn about the amazing technology associated with medical advancements and to learn more about the necessity of certain pain killers. The double J stent I had was installed (a funny way of saying that) to prevent swelling after removing a kidney stone. I was glad to see her go (the stent that is) since it hurt to bend over to tie my shoes and it really hurt to deal with disrespectful teenagers. So it was gone as of 9:30 AM but she left my bladder or something in spasms. It was as if I was passing another kidney stone. So, it was more percoset for me and a nap with a heating pad. The offending doule J stent is pictured below.

Do not be deceived by the friendly looks of these suckers. They are one big pain in the....kidney.

In other news, my students are buckling under the Mrs. Pete Pressure. I've had several heart to heart conversations with students where I raise my voice to a very loud volume and use very sharp words and angry statements to convey "my heart." The results are almost instant...obedience. It's kind of rough having to get really passionate and angry to get results from students. I wouldn't do it if it didn't work. I was feeling pretty bad about being so hard on kids and demanding better results from them. Yesterday, I stayed late to get some work done. One of my more difficult female students stopped by to get some extra help and blew me some kisses for all my hard work on her way out the door. It might sound wierd but it was really funny. I think she was trying to make me laugh and show her appreciation at the same time.

And finally, I can't help but talk about the Global Financial Crisis. You really should go over to amalah and check out her hilarious commentary on said crisis. I know I'm not any kind of economic genius but I'm a little confused about all of this. If the whole WORLD is in some kind of economic crisis, can't we just decide to change the rules? I mean didn't we, as a world, make up the rules to this silly financial game? Didn't we assign values to the lumps of gold and silver we found beneath the earth's surface? Isn't it just like monopoly at this point, can't we just give everybody some more of that flimsy paper cash? I'm not naive enough to think that this isn't really complex. I'm just thinking that we as a human race created this mess and I'm just a little confused why we can't untangle it. Is it just me (or the percoset) or does this seem like an easy fix?

I'm Not Going to Lie to You

2008-10-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

My little sister used to preface most shocking things she said with this phrase. It was the default phrase she used to convince you of her honesty. It was like saying:"I know you're not going to believe this, but it's true." So I'm not going to lie to you, this is a conversation I had with a student we'll call Mr. Miracle Boy Genius

MMBG: Uhm, Ms. Pete, I've been meaning to talk to you bout somethin
ME: I know, my colleague mentioned you'd stopped by my room
MMBG: Yeah, it's about the honors class
ME: Yeah
MMBG: Why am I in that class?
ME: Why do you think you're in that class?
MMBG: I dunno
ME: It might be because you're smart
MMBG: Oh that.
ME: Do you remember talking to me about getting into the honors class last spring?
MMBG: Yeah, see here's the thing
ME: The thing is about how you didn't fill out your last test...not one word of it
MMBG: Yeah, I've been going through some stuff.
ME: OK, so you want out of the class. It's too hard for you.
MMBG: No, it's not that. I just don't belong in there. I mean everybody follows the directions. It's like if I do something wrong, you're going to know. It's not my kinda class.
ME: So you want out? I can change your schedule. If it's too hard, I mean....
MMBG: No, I just wanted to let you know that I don't fit in
ME: No, you don't
MMBG: Alright, just wanted to let you know.
ME: I know.
MMBG: So we're cool
ME: (I have no idea what just happened) Sure
MMBG: See ya
ME: Our next conversation is going to be about the fact that you need to wear glasses.
MMBG: I've got an appointment next week.
ME: OH, OK. We'll keep me posted.
MMBG: I'm out.
ME: See ya.

See, here's what's crazy about this conversation. MMBG was in my college prep class last year and we GOT INTO IT. He didn't talk to me for ten weeks. And when he did start talking to me again, it was in one word sentences. So, this conversation is revolutionary. This is one of those kids who I think is on the bubble between making it and not making it. So I pushed him into an honors class to see what might happen and voila! I have a kid who is challenging himself, advocating for himself, communicating with adults appropriately...I mean the next step is clearly winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

I'm not going to lie to you that this is the kinda stuff that gets me all excited. Just knowing that this kids is going to be able to read the board from his seat is enough to make me bounce in my Dansko clogs. After that, the possibilities are endless. Since I'm confronted with some of societies "issues" every day, I'm constantly wondering what it takes for people to change. How do some people flourish with just an ounce of extra attention while other crumble under the umbrella of social services they receive? If this kid makes it through this quarter, who says he'll make it through the year? Who will undo all the work I do to "save" this one kid?

News

2008-09-30T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well it's been an exciting (and not always in a good way) start to school. I'm a little overwhelmed with everything that's going on but hope to reach the light at the end of the tunnel (or quarter) some time soon.

One of my favorite bloggers wrote a touching piece about leaving his job as a teacher...it is both inspiring and disheartening. I wish there was something I could do to keep good teachers from being swallowed by the system that is public education. Check out this post.

On a totally unrelated note, I'm taking a new fitness class. It's hilarious. They could make a Saturday Night Live skit about it. I won't go into details until I'm done taking the class because then I would be making fun of myself.

Things that Make You Go Hmmmm

2008-09-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

There are some wierd things about being a teacher. It's strange to me that a kid who isn't permitted to be anywhere else can be at school. Students are often placed on house arrest. During this time, they refer to themselves as being "on the box." It's because they literally have a little black box strapped to their ankle. It's interesting because some kids are so embarassed that they'll wear pants in 97 degree weather while others flaunt it and wear bring socks to draw attention to their box.

Last week, while we had a few minutes left at the end of class, I was chatting with a student who was "on the box." I heard a few students ask about his box (which he flaunted). He said he was on the box for aggravated robbery. Stupid me, I had to know what aggravated robbery was.

me: So, what makes aggravated robbery aggravated?
box kid: You have to have a weapon.
me: I see
box kid: (smiling) yeah I had a gun
me: realllly. Should I be afraid of you? (don't ask, it just flew out of my mouth)
box kid: no m'am, I wouldn't hurt you

Really, I mean really. How often is it that we are knowingly in the presence of someone who has committed a violent crime? To me, it seems strange that these kids are probably too dangerous to be wondering the streets of Smallville (my little school district) but the law requires that schools educated them. When you are on house arrest, you can go to school and that's it. Crazy.

Things to Be Happy About

2008-08-21T14:40:00.000-07:00

1. A former student (note that he wasn't a stellar former student) came by to say hello today. Not only did he return a book (from two years ago) that he "borrowed" from me, he also made great eye contact, spoke with confidence, and....is academically eligible to play football this year. That's very exciting in the world of a seventeen year old. That's very exciting for me too.

2. School starts tomorrow. I ran into so many pleasant students today. Some helped me get my room ready, some made friendly conversation, and all were very mature and...nice.

3. One of my favorite babies is turning one. Happy Birthday Mr. Mister.

4. I got a chalkboard at Ikea today.

5. I'm healthy enough to give blood. I know, I know why would you give blood after having a sinus infection for 69 years? Because I have good blood that Hoxworth really likes. I could file charges against them for harassment they call me so much. I give blood because it's something tangible I can do to "give my life away" (is that literal?).

Some really cool pics

2008-08-07T08:45:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorite pictures from Banff....

Peyto Lake

The gorgeous flowers from all the hours of sunlight. These are poppies outside the Fairmont Hotel in Lake Louise.

Johnston's Canyon and a bear sighting on our drive to the glaciers

Somewhere in Canada

2008-07-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

Some time soon I'm taking a family vacation to Banff in Alberta, Canada. How's the picture for getting excited. I hope I have some like this to share.

Check out this cool photo

2008-07-29T11:09:00.000-07:00

You can find it here.

How to Start a Blog

2008-07-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

From the queen of bloginess!

Geeper Creepers

2008-07-22T13:19:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting on hold with the vision insurance division of our insurance company while they try to wriggle me out of a $68 bill for something that I shouldn't be paying for. I'm listening to fake classical music hoping that my insurance representative is ripping the eye care "professional" a new bum hole.

Ten years ago, I stumbled out of my local Lenscrafters with a slight prescription for nearsightedness. Now as I near the age of thirty unable to read street signs or computer screens without my glasses or contacts and I'm constantly sticking my fingers into my stigmatized eyes with the latest and greatest in contact lens technology. Don't get me wrong, contacts are amazing. But just like ever thing else these days, solution is a bloody fortune (a $17 bottle of the premium stuff for allergy prone folks like me lasts a little over a month). And while glasses are all the rage (I mean Tori Spelling wears them), there's just a lot to them. It's tough to run a marathon while your sporting your artsy black plastic million dollar please-don't-let-these-fall-off-and into the oncoming traffic specs.

And with contacts...you should have to have a license to own those suckers. Cleaning and disinfecting, remembering to take them out before you sleep, realizing that you can't open your eyes underwater when you're wearing them.... Add in the fact that I'm prone to pinkeye, have eye dandruff (eww, but really it exists), and have dry eyes to boot; contacts are just a huge pain the butt and in the wallet.

My insurance company just called me in the middle of this post to tell me that they will not pay nor will they have me pay the price the eye care professional is asking me to pay. There was talk of supervisors and official reports and all kinds of crazy things.

Really this is just a post about how if I wasn't a teacher with the summers off, I'd totally have to pay the $300 in illegitimate bills because I wouldn't have time to sit on the phone during business hours to listen to fake classical music (while running up my cellphone bill).

Life Altering

2008-07-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

Would a Starbucks drive-thru opened on your 45 minute commute change your life?

It's changing mine.

I know I know Fair Trade, local coffee shops. I know. It's just that I've never been through a Starbucks drive-thru. I'm a little excited.

PS: I only have three more days to commute but that's 6 lattes if you consume one each way!

School's out for the Summer

2008-06-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

Readers' note: This entry is soaked in sarcasm and could come across as angry...it's not.

Now that school is out for the summer, I'm getting the usual question "What do you do all summer?" This question is usually said with remarkable disdain that someone may take a three month long vacation whilst others work their tail ends off.

My summer routine is usually really mundane. I get up around nine or ten, stumble into the kitchen and fix myself a tropical drink, eat lunch, take a nap, go to the mall, and watch cable until 2 AM.

REALLY, that's NOT what I do. I think that people ask this question out of genuine curiosity but their assumptions are generally misguided. They think that teachers enjoy a 3 month long hiatus after working from "eight to three" each day during the school year and soaking up government holidays and snow days. My new answer to this question is, most teachers do what other office-type people do all year round. Here is my top ten list of what I do during the summer.

10. Check email Many public schools block websites or frown upon teachers checking their personal email accounts or doing personal business from school. I spend the summer responding to email in "real time" (like a 24 hour return rate) rather than having to wait until after 5 to write back to people.

9. Restore my bodily functions to healthy intervals My trips to the restroom are like trying to run the wrong way through the flow of traffic in the mall to make it to a "onner" (it's only one stall) only to find out someone beat me to the tinkle. Change the mall traffic to a swarm of disgruntled teenagers and you'll understand why I'm very strict about my liquids intake during the school year.

8. Detox I know I made a joke about drinking up there somewhere. I'm talking about caffeine here. While I'm careful I don't drink too much before my fifty minute break, I do drink "a few" cups of coffee each day. I usually try to kick the habit once the summer starts.

7. Personal maintenance It's difficult to schedule appointments in the middle of a school day unless the office is close to school. Your liable to find your substitute gagged and tortured in the corner of your room when you return. Various and sundry appointments (dental, vision, doctor, etc.) get scheduled during the summer.

6. Go on a vacation EVERYONE is trying to travel during Winter, Spring, and Summer breaks making travelling during these high demand seasons a little more expensive. The summer time is a great time to get away but it would be nice to take off some time during the great white depression of February.

5. Make money Most teachers supplement their income by working during the summer. I'll teach a summer class at a local university.

4. Go out to lunch This is kind of like trying to go the the restroom. Since our lunch is only twenty-five and half minutes long, I relish the summer time when I can go out to lunch and see friends during the week.

3. Read for fun

2. Forget the cares of the world Often public schools are blamed for the rising rates including crime, drop outs, teen pregnancy, etc. I like to take the summer to think about things like 'what should I wear with my hot pink flip flops?' and other shallow things like that.

1. Plan for next year Teachers are constantly thinking about how their curriculum could be written to better meet the needs of their students. I'll spend my summer test "driving" new books, rewriting syllabi, and reflecting on the previous year of teacher. I think most teachers do.

Busy-ness

2008-05-20T19:09:00.000-07:00

I've been super busy lately. School is wrapping up, I've been working in the garden, and we've had something going on for the last three weekends. It's all good but I'm all tired out. When I get tired and overwhelmed, I become absent minded. Today, for example, I rinsed my contacts in a solution that causes chemical burns to the eye despite the warning on the red sleave around the tip and the bright red tip warning me that this is a solution that must be neutralized first.

I've also been losing my phone around the house. I put it down in the strangest places and I keep asking Mr. Pete to call it so I can find it.

Tonight, I'm looking for our checkbook. We're in the process of organizing the office so it's been misplaced. For a second I thought about asking Seth to call it so I could find it.

Wouldn't that be cool if we could call random stuff to find it? I would have the random Post-It note list that I keep and lose at least three times a day on speed dial.

Things That Make You Go Mmmm...

2008-05-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

In the midst of several world crises (which I should write about) I'm struck by this story. A young woman who was denied entrance to her prom because her dress was too skimpy. Not only is she removed in handcuffs but she maintains she still likes the dress. Not only does this remind me of something you'd see in the "what not to wear" section of a fashion magazine, this makes me think that maybe we should do more to help our young people explore their individuality.

Cnn Clip

Teacher Man

2008-04-14T18:47:00.000-07:00

Will Okun is a genius. Just so you know. He writes these brilliant photo essays about teaching in Chicago. Sometimes I feel like he's writing his column from under my desk. It feels like he's seeing what I'm seeing, feeling what I'm feeling, sweating when I'm sweating. I think one of the most difficult decisions in the profession is the idea of "passing," and what can be even more difficult, "the grade." Even in an age where there is "content area mastery," there are lots of gray areas. Don't get me wrong, grading is not subjective. Not all the time. And sometimes when I don't think a tenth of a point matters, I hear that graduation march in my head, I see slide shows of students' lives flash before me, and I think about the implications of passing and failing very seriously. Will Okun's essay does that this week.

Insert Clever Title Here....Cause I spent all my energy on a local tax return today

2008-04-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

So it's National Poetry Month and I need to give a shout out to The Bard who is the namesake of this blog. Good job Willy. You've been making high schoolers miserable (read enlightened) under my charge for six years now.

OK. Now with the real post.

I think it's absolutely hilarious that my students don't know each other's last names. They'll spend gobs of time together, talk about intimate details of their own lives, even ride in cars with people they only know by their first name or nicknames. There is no way you could get me into the car with some kid nicknamed with some of the names these kids brag about. Since they don't know each other's names, they resort to identifying their peers by the way they look. Take the following conversation for example:

Student A: So you know Neisha?
Student B: Nah, who's dat?
Student A: That light skinned girl that used to go with Darnel?
Student B: Oh yeah, the one with the busted A1's?*
Student A: Nah, the one with the crooked nose.
Student B: She wear tracks?**
Student A: She got micros.***
Student B: Yeah, she used to go with Darnel's cousin, she's got that Baby Phat jacket....the purple one with the fur, she always eatin' and her mama and my mama work at the same place once. I know her.

*Air Force Ones: popular shoes busted: not new
**Tracks: a method of attaching synthetic hair; the "real" hair is wrapped and the tracks are glued in
***Micros: another method of attaching synthetic hair; hair is braided into tiny braids with extensions adding length and sometimes color

It seems like an awful lot of effort to have to learn so much information about someone just to identify them. On the other hand, I think it's cool that they're so attentive to details.

Running

2008-03-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

On Thursday afternoon, I got back from a nice long run in the 60 degree plus weather and felt refreshed. I plunked myself down on the floor for a little stretching when I heard a faint knock at my door. My neighbor and her mother were at my front door asking if I'd seen her daughter. My neighbor speaks in broken English and her mother speaks no English at all. Her eyes say a lot though.

Breathless neighbor: Eh, have you a-seen Stay-phan-ee
Me: No
Breathless neighbor: I was on the phone....ten minute...she gone

I got it. I grabbed my keys and headed out the front door with my neighbor. Her husband was already getting in the car to go search for his daughter.

I got a sick feeling in my stomach as my neighbor and I rounded the corner at the end of our street. I had heard a child screaming fifteen minutes before, screaming I thought, in a playing way; the way a kid would on the first warm day of the year. My mind started to play news stories of crazy inhumane things that happen to kids playing out in the yard.

My neighbor started to jog and then run and I felt tears in my eyes. Minutes before I had been running along listening to Paolo Nutini on my IPod and now I was running like a mad woman to find a small child. The stark differences in my motivation for running struck me.

For whatever reason at that moment I thought of God. This is probably what God feels like each time he feels like we're lost. Each time we encounter danger or temptation. Each time he feels like he might have lost us. And when he finally finds us, he finds us in a place where he may be the only person who can hear us, he hears our voice when no one else can.

I've only known my neighbor for a few short months and I ran like I was running after my own child. I can't imagine the feeling of dread and horror my neighbor was feeling as she ran after her only beloved child.

It reminds me of this verse:

"Look at it this way. If someone has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders off, doesn't he leave the ninety-nine and go after the one? And if he finds it, doesn't he make far more over it than over the ninety-nine who stay put? Your Father in heaven feels the same way. He doesn't want to lose even one of these simple believers. " Matthew 18:13

It turns out my neighbor had rollerbladed over to another neighbor's house without her mother's permission. As we rounded the corner, I couldn't see the little girl. I didn't notice anything. But the mother heard the sound of her daughter's voice and ran to her to save her.

In that moment, I didn't hear anything. Not a sound.

Things That Make Me Wanna Puke

2008-03-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

1. mandates for schools and education without funding
2. teenagers joyfully watching people getting beat up on YouTube (in a church lobby...it's a long story)
3. knowing our friends (a nice couple with a small baby) were robbed while they were sleeping
4. listening while Mr. Pete projectile puked all over our bathroom (he has a stomach virus)
5. cleaning up said vomit (you really shouldn't have to clean up your own puke when you're sick if you can help it, right?)
6. my inability to spell at the age of 28
7. when people ask me when I'm going to have a baby and gesture at my belly
8. having a teenager say "I ain't disrespecting you" in a disrespectful way
9. gas prices
10. watching Eliot Spitzer's wife's face and thinking about how his daughters must feel

Guns

2008-03-12T06:16:00.000-07:00

Read Will Okun's latest post titled "Guns".

Some things to write about

2008-03-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

I don't really have a real reason for posting this. I'm baking some other posts in my mind right now. So...
My favorite food: Morning Star (fake) Bacon and Avocado on toasted whole wheat
My favorite song ever: Piece of My Heart, Janis Joplin
My favorite song this year: anything new by Mary J. Blige
My favorite person to fight: obnoxious teenagers who think they know everything
My favorite obsession: preventing chapped hands
My favorite restaurant: Baba India
My favorite place to visit: anywhere my girls are
My favorite TV show of all time: Dawson's Creek
TV show right now: I'll be honest...I listen to NPR and hardly watch TV anymore
My favorite color: baby blue
My favorite website: amazon.com
My favorite person to laugh with: Megan Foley because her laugh is infectious
My favorite sport to play: none...but I love to run
My favorite movie: Amelie (a french film)
My favorite holiday: Easter at my grandparents house
My favorite candy: Twizzlers OR Wild Oats dark chocolate truffles
My favorite dead Beatle: I don't have one
My favorite last name of all my friends: Blank
My favorite first name of all of my friends: Manon or Martha
My favorite grocery store: Sunshine
My favorite engineer: Mr. Pete
My favorite indulgence: wine and sushi or pedicures
My favorite snack: Peanut butter and apples

On repeat in my car: The Wicked Soundtrack
My "default" shoes: Dansko professional clogs (flip flops coming soon)
Strangest Pet Peeve(s): When people talk through the checkout on their cellphones, chewing or slurping noises
Weakness: fear, reading blogs for too long
Strange Fears: dark closets, MRSA
Great Quest: at the moment finding a coffee table...then I will continue my great quest for truth
Something I wish I knew when I was younger: parents are supposed to be imperfect
Something I hope to learn soon: How to be confident in my own skin
Dream job: part time barista, part time educational consultant

Want in on the action? Cut and paste this into your blog OR leave your info in the comments.

Really?

2008-02-24T09:54:00.001-08:00

Hmmm

2008-02-12T15:00:00.000-08:00

I read this among the closings for tonight. When I think of penance, I think of....well things second graders probably wouldn't understand. Interesting...

ST. HENRY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
2ND GRADE PENANCE SERVICE CANCELLED

A Proud New Owner

2008-02-12T09:22:00.000-08:00

I am the proud "new" owner of....

That's right a 2003 Honda Civic. I bought this beauty FIVE years ago when I started my first teaching job. I used to drive this

I called her "The Pickle." She was christened early in her life as my car by a errant deli tray I placed in the back seat. Since she was green and she smelled like a pickle, the name seemed suitable. In my house, when you called someone a "pickle" it meant that they weren't terribly easy to get along with. They were, in fact, acting grumpy or difficult. As fate would have it, this car became her name. The driver and passenger side windows did not roll down and the AC broke. These ailments came at the beginning of my teaching career while I was teaching summer school. I would arrive to teach summer school (at a very nice school where my students drove nicer cars than I did) soaked in sweat from my stifling drive to work.

The ultimate pickle experience came some time in January of 2003. I stepped out of my classroom one day, leaving my cellphone on my desk. I returned to find it missing and endured the tsking and head wagging of both my principal and the resource officer. It was a cold January day and I headed out to Verizon to beg for a new phone. With very little money (read: NONE)saved up, I wasn't very excited about purchasing a new phone at full price. Verizon, of course, offered to let me buy the same phone with insurance for $1 million dollars. A very generous offer on their part. While I didn't want to pay for the same new phone, I was still at the point where a cool cellphone mattered to me and would not succumb to the blue plastic Nokia that would later become my trademark (I was the proud owner of one of the largest cellphones known to humankind).

So I left the store empty handed. I was ready to drown my sorrows in the crackly sound of my grand am's radio and had just entered the on ramp to 71 South when I heard a sound that sounded like a million paper clips being flushed through my engine. Then I heard a loud smashing sound and I pulled to the side of the road. Very long story not so short, the transmission on my Grand Am died. I was on the side of the road in the pickle with no cell phone. I had to hike back to Verizon where I had left in tears to use their courtesy phone to call my roommates. After a few days of bickering and debating with the local Honda dealership, I came home with my baby. Those were the days.

My Finanical Situation in January 2003

Total Income: a generous teacher's salary but still not much

Bills: brand new gym membership, brand new cellphone (not paid for) and two year plan, rent in a dirty apartment with coin laundry, ridculous groceries that no 20-something person should buy (ie expensive cheeses and organic juice)

Savings: None

All this to say, I am very excited that my Honda is paid off.

SNOW DAY

2008-02-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

After all that anticipation. It finally came...a snow day. So far, I've slept in, completed my tax return, and made a list of things I'll never do today.

Some things

2008-02-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of hobbling around, whining, and a general procrastination of all things productive here at the Pete household. You won't believe what you can't do with a broken toe (think logicially, grade papers, pay bills...the list goes on I tell you). I think the toe is healing rather nicely. The jury is still out on the nail. It's now a dark shade of black (think OPI's Mrs. O'Leary's BBQ or Midnight in Mosco...good thing dark colors are in).

Other than that, it's been pretty quiet. I'm going to post soon about all the "green" information I've been collecting lately. Mr. Pete and I are in the market for a composter and energy efficient washer and dryer. We also purchased a share of a co-op farm. More about that later.

Since we haven't had any snow days (that's what winter's for), I find myself daydreaming of spring time. I can't wait to get out in our garden and tear things up.

That's all for now.

CAUTION: GRAPHIC IMAGE

2008-01-23T11:36:00.000-08:00

...of a toe.

I dropped our crock pot on my foot last night in an effort to be a better homemaker. I was going to chop everything up the night before, throw it all in the crock pot, and enjoy some healthy turkey sausage-aya tonight for dinner. I didn't not expect what happened next.

I dropped the crock part on my big toe. Lots of pain. Lots of blood. Mr. Pete was a great nurse and made sure I stayed put for the duration of the evening. He even let me sleep on his side of the bed so I could prop my foot up while I slept.

I got a great night of sleep (considering the injury) and woke up in more pain. Long story short, I had a laceration, a black toenail, and some "crushing breaks" caused by the impact of the crock. After two hours at the doctor's office, a tetanus shot, some x-rays, and some other stuff you don't want to hear about that they do for black toenails I came home with some antibiotics and strict instructions to not run for the next few weeks.

I've decided that I am not cut out for endurance training or endurance domesticity.

Check it out

Why I'm not a vegetarian anymore

2008-01-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

Bacon

The re-education of Mrs. Pete

2008-01-07T18:11:00.000-08:00

Mr. Pete and I have entered into a season of our marriage during which we must fight for what we have. Now don't worry. It's just that, in an effort to survive for the long haul, we really can't ever stop fighting for each other. It's so easy to lose sight of the other person when schedules are chalked full of grad school classes, professional opportunities, home improvement projects, etc.

It's funny that I had the following conversation with a student during this season.

M: Is it fun having a husband?

Mrs. Pete: Yeah, why do you ask?

M: I was just wondering why people get married.

T: Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. Why don't y'all just have kids? Why do you have to get married?

Mrs. Pete: Well (thinking, thinking) Mr. Pete and I got married because we loved each other and we knew that if we promised to love each other in front of God and our family and friends, we'd have a better chance of keeping our promise. We knew they could bail us out if we ever needed help keeping our promise.

In 2008 I will....

2008-01-07T18:07:00.001-08:00

Will Okun's blog is genius. I can't say enough about it. You can find it here. It has this beautiful photojournalism style with some quick witted, reflective (yet not syrupy sweet) commentary. I love that he posted his students' New Year's Resolutions. He had them write one for themselves, their personal resolution and one for the world. Here are mine:

Personal Resolution: Stop whining and do something about it.

World Resolution: Practice irresponsible generosity (think about it, if everyone did it).

Best of 2007

2007-12-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

So I love blogs that list the author's favorite products. After reading, I always end up trying one of the items listed. I've read 'best of' lists for parents, for hiking...you name it. I wanted to come up with a little "best of" column for the year 2007. These aren't necessarily new products to the scene for 2007. They're new products to Mr. Pete or me this year. These are products, big or small, that enhanced our lives this year.

Swiffer if You Hear Me

Number 10: The Swiffer

I'm sure you remember this post about how Swiffers changed my life. If only I had purchased a Swiffer before we moved from the holy awfulness that was our linoleum floor in our old apartment. But now, with the expanded square footage of pergoish flooring we have all over our first floor, I have developed an even stronger relationship with our Swiffer. Just remember, the Swiffer is safe for laminate and tile flooring. The wet Swiffer is not safe for hardwood floors. The dry Swiffer, however is great for chasing dust bunnies. The handheld Swiffer is great for those dusty spots (like the 100+ year old banister in my front hallway) and great for the car too.

These Shoes Were Made for Standing

Number 9: Dansko Clogs

Just so you know, this is not going to be all about buying a new house. Other things have happened this year. Crazy things. Like (well some of this is last year too) how I spent 8+ weeks in physical therapy for two separate injuries that prevented me from getting my run on and joining Mr. Pete for the Chicago marathon. Don't worry I've learned my lesson. I can't wear two inch or more high heels to work when I'm on my feet 7 hours every day. This year, I discovered Dansko clogs. They are semi-fashionable but they really keep all ten pigs (including the two little ones...they're always squished in heals) and my feet happy.

I Was Itching for Some New Lotion
Number 7: Curel Continuous Comfort Moisturizing Lotion; Fragrance Free

I've never been a big Bath and Body Works girl. Don't get me wrong, that stuff smells great. I could tell you about a really scary story about a high school student who named the sent I was wearing as I was assisting him during class one day. But I won't. I have super sensitive skin. It's the kind of skin that dries up and falls off every winter. It's the kind of skin that my students call chronically "ashy." Anything that touches my skin in the winter time leaves a mark. Jeans that rub, a school bag that touches my hip bone, turtleneck necks. Yes, people turtleneck necks. This stuff: priceless. I first heard about it here and it's made dry Midwestern winters much more bearable. No pun intended.

She's Witty, I'm Not

Number 6: Amalah.com

Speaking of Curel. The first place I read about Curel was here. I'm an avid reader of the blog Amalah and she writes a weekly column for Alpha Mom called "The Advice Smackdown." Right now I'm debating with myself how I should punctuate a blog column. I'm going to trust that you won't judge me for putting quotation marks when underlining or italics are in order. This home grown beauty diva gives real advice on products she tries out in her test kitchen. She's a Sepphora junky who is not afraid to be thrifty. She's the reason I own Smashbox Primer. But that's a whole other entry.

It's not Jiffy

Number 5: Real Popcorn

Cindy, my best friend's mom, made the best popcorn in the world. My mom had long abandoned making popcorn on the stove top so, during our movie night's at her house, I inhaled this stuff. Mr. Pete and I have started making popcorn from scratch this year (if you can call making popcorn "from scratch"). We just put enough oil in the bottom of the pan to cover the bottom and drop in a few kernels while the oil heats up. Once one of the kernels pops, we drop about a fourth of a cup of kernels into the hot oil and cover with a lid. Voila, marvelous popcorn.

That Really Chaps My Lips

Number 4: Burt's Bees' Wax Chapstick

One of the worst things in the world is chapped lips. It makes me cranky.

OK, so this isn't one of this year's top finds. I found this lip treatment years ago. It takes first place followed closely by Lipsaver by Aveda. I love the minty fresh emollient texture of this great gloss. The best part? It leaves your lips looking shimmery and shiny. A great no maintenance lip treatment with some class. I keep one in my gym bag, one next to my bed, and one in my purse. Seriously. Who wouldn't trust this face?

Soak, Relax, Repeat

Number 3: Lush Bath Bombs

Buying a new house yielded all kinds of rewards: privacy, space, and a bathtub. This year, the first round of parent/teacher conferences, I asked Mr. Pete to run the tub. My bathtub experience has been revolutionized by the power of Lush Bath Bombs. They're these effervescent, sweet smelling bombs of relaxation. I've tried Sex Bomb, Green Party, and All that Jas. Don't judge my choices. They're all great.

C'mon Baby Light My Candle

2 Molly's Soy Candles

I bought these candles as Christmas gifts last year as part of a fundraiser one of my coworkers was doing. I doubled my order this year and ordered them for almost everyone on my list. I like these candles because they have a strong sent (but not obnoxious), they burn forever, and they're easy on the wallet. My favorites so far have been Holiday Cookie, Eucalyptus, and Lavender Mint. They are not the most attractive candles I've seen. They come in jelly jars with printed labels, but they smell so good.

This Ol' Juke Box

Number 1: The iHome Table Radio for iPod

This one speaks for herself. This is a great space saving music blaring device for hours of tune enjoyment. If I could recommend a few tunes to listen to on your Table Radio, I'd recommend the Snow Angel album by Over the Rhine, anything by Maroon 5, Paolo Nutini, or Mika.

I'm taking recommendations for the Best of 2008 list. I gladly accept free samples and words of wisdom. Happy New Year!

Lots of love,

Stinky Pete

I Wish I was a Little Bit Taller

2007-12-06T17:09:00.000-08:00

Conversation overheard at Michael's today:

Grannie: What did you eat for snack after school today?
Lil One: A chocolate Christmas tree, a bag of Combos, some Cheese Puffs, and a Coke.
Grannie: Oooooh Grannie doesn't like it when you fill yourself with all that junk. That's waaaay too much food.
Lil One: But I was hungry.
Grannie: Well you can choose different snacks. And that's waayy too much food.
Lil One: But Grannie, I'm tired of being small. I eat a lot so I can get big.

Yeah me too.

Trying to be Friendly

2007-12-03T17:07:00.000-08:00

I made a trip to the gym tonight. The gym and I have a love/hate relationship in the winter. I hate HATE to go to the gym and to change into cold clothes that have been in my car all day. I think I'd rather spend an evening with Ann Coulter (she just seems plain mean). So I muster up the energy to go, to change, and to workout. I even have to workout without my IPod because I left it charging at school. I'm thinking, 'ok, it'll be fine without music. You can be present with the people around you.' AT THE GYM.

A little context here...it took me a few years to use the weights at my gym because I felt like there was always a swarm of meat heads hanging around. Now I just blare a little Amy Winehouse and ignore the grunting and sweating. Today, of course, I don't have my IPod. I also picked out a pair of shorts and a shirt that were just a little too tight (hence the reason I'm at the gym, duh). So when I walk out into the weight area, I take a peak in the mirror just to wiggle around a bit and to make sure I'm not a walking wedgie. This dude (you know who you are, dude in a green baseball hat) basically calls me out for looking in the mirror. Here's how it goes:
Rude dude: Checkin's yourself out in the mirror, huh.
Me: Yeah, I'm just..[mumbles something inaudible even to self]
Rude dude: Checkin yourself out, huh huh huh
Me: Hey, every body looks in the mirror
Rude dude: huh huh huh
Me: lifts weights uncomfortably, looks for chance to drop weights on dude's foot

I walk over to the other side of the gym. In between sets, I'm pausing while I doing some reclined lunges (or something) and Rude Dude returns.

Rude Dude: D'you find a mirror on the ceiling?

At this point I'm thinking A) he must be in high school B) maybe this guy just has some lousy game C) I will never go to the gym without my IPod again. Forget being present....

I do a little steaming and lifting and imagine what I could say if I were really bold. I imagine asking him if he's trying to be friendly and take the appropriate measures to educate him in the proper way to interact with others. I think about using I statements. He is still lurking around near by. I think about using cuss words. I think about super gluing his top lip to his nose. I think about showing him God's love. I think about Mr. Pete getting in his face. And then....

He apologizes. He says:"Hey, I'm sorry if I embarassed you, I was just play'n." And then I said, "It's OK, you're fine." What kind of answer is that? No superglue, no cuss words, no God's love, just some awkward wierd whatever.

Productivity

2007-12-02T10:07:00.000-08:00

This was a VERY productive weekend. Mr. Pete and I spent most of Friday night cleaning our house. It just needed a good deep cleaning and some straightening and now it feels great. Saturday was packed: we bought our Christmas tree and did some Christmas shopping. For those of you who living in the Tri-state, it's worth the drive to Findlay market for Avoc's tree sale. We spent most of the afternoon raking leaves and planting bulbs and then we shopped until close to 11 PM. We accomplished a ton, shared a small cup of gelatto, and watched a movie. I still feel relaxed. I love it when you have a full weekend to choose what to do and I also love choosing to do things that can "check things off" the list.

We even went to church this morning with some friends. We're hoping to see this. It should like it will be great. Check it out.

Things You Should Not Do In Class

2007-11-27T20:47:00.000-08:00

I know it's difficult to determine just what is appropriate for class. I remember struggling to decide if eating Cheerios in my Rhetoric class was appropriate. I decided that the threatening glares from my prof were a hint and left the Cheerios at home. Here are a few tips in case you were wondering:

1. Do not clip your fingernails or your cuticles in class.
2. Do not Instant Message your girlfriend/boyfriend while using your laptop to take notes.
3. Do not yawn audibly (this is even more obnoxious when the offender leans back onto the desk of the person behind him/her).
4. Do not hit people in the face.
5. Do not raise your hand to ask when you go to lunch (duh, you go the same time every day) in the middle of an important discussion about the universal meaning of all literature.
6. Do not attempt to prove the professor/teacher wrong if you don't know what you're talking about. This should be avoided especially when you are arguing with the professor/teacher about the "F" you got on your paper in front of the entire class.

To be continued...

let's give 'em something to talk about

2007-11-26T18:45:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I really should just not say things. There are really things that should not be said. I find, just one year older, that I'm more resilient to the opinions of others. I won't mention names or circumstances about how I, with my step-father-in-law, inserted my foot into my mouth. Working with high school students has it's perks; the acquired bluntness is not one of them.

PS: Do not use the phrase "what happens in Vegas" while entertaining your in laws. Really. Don't.

Sippin' on Grandpa's Cough Syrup

2007-11-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

If you've ever met my Gram, she's the picture of most of the things I want to be some day. She's elegant and well read. She has excellent taste in food, clothes, and her house puts those home remodelling shows to shame. I've never seen such eclectic and classy style all in one place. She has an eye for color, a nose for good martinis, and a shoe collection that would make most women faint. These things pale in comparison, of course, to her charm, her humor, and her quick wit. I come from a family of fast-talking, ice selling (you've heard the joke, he can sell ice to Eskimos), smooth operating salesmen. These men are tight with their money, relentless with their sarcasm, and some of the most charming men I know. My Gram has learned to run along side her husband for the last 60+ years. She keeps him in line, makes sure he's well dressed**, can survive his frugal ways and his sarcasm. These days, she's mostly confined to a recliner where she sits looking out at a golf course all day. She remains one of the most well coiffed women I know. She seems to sleep in such a way that her weekly make up application and hair dos are undisturbed when she slumbers. She also says the darndest things. Here's a conversation from my last visit:
Gram: Richie dear, when should we expect visitors for Thanksgiving dinner
Richie (my grandfather): We'll I think people should start arriving around 4PM. We'll start our cocktail hour then.
Gram: What time do you expect to serve dinner?
Richie: Well, I'm not sure Gram. What do you think?
Gram: Don't wait too long. If you have a long cocktail hour, the whole family*** will be smashed by dinner.

Now let me give you some context here. Without going into details, I'll say that I come from a family who likes to drink and tell stories at holidays. Not your plucky family stories about the time you [insert mildly embarrassing moment here]. These are the stories that turn your ears red, the stories you'd think were "safe" with family. With the motto, "Work hard, play harder," it's no surprise that the family coat of arms has been replaced with a family drink, the whiskey sour.

**This year, my grandfather was not dressed by my grandmother. He traded comfort for fashion and sported some black elastic waist velour pants with his dress shirt and his tie tucked into pants. He was so precious.

***In Mr. Pete's defence, he never really indulges in the whiskey sours.

Birthday Girl

2007-11-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

I just turned the big 2-? and I'm pretty stoked about being that much closer to 30. It was a fun filled birthday complete with delicious sweets and a mini spa day from Mr. Pete.

This was the first birthday when I didn't have time to retreat to my favorite coffee shop for an annual time of reflection and journaling. Mr. Pete and I had a packed holiday schedule and decided to host a little soiree in the new abode. I usually spend my time rereading my journal from the year and reflecting on how quickly time passes. This has been a big year: we bought our first house, I taught my first college class, Mr. Pete started grad school, we celebrated two years of marriage, I started my sixth year of teaching, and I bought a Swiffer (hey it changed my life). Needless to say, we've had some monumental changes.

Untitled

2007-11-15T17:40:00.000-08:00

In her article, "Rethinking How to Teach New Teachers," Denise Caruso validates the profession of teaching:
"Economic research shows that an educated work force is the foundation of a stable economy. A good education does more than just increase a person’s earning potential. Studies find that regions that produce well-educated high school graduates have a higher rate of business start-ups and more economic activity. Graduates also provide communities with a continuing pool of taxpaying labor.

As teacher rosters shrink, the question is this: How long will such regions be able to hold onto those benefits?

The well-known liabilities of teaching — low pay, overcrowded classrooms and crippling budget constraints — have led recent graduates to opt for more lucrative career options."

I've never thought of teaching so pragmatically. I've never thought that the local economy would be impacted not only by the rating our district receives on a report card, but by our students returning to give back to their community in a very tangible way.

I remember in middle school staying up late on the phone with my friend Andrea. We were two little suburbanites who thought we knew what the world's troubles were and we were the smart girls who would grow to be smart young women who changed the world. I ran into Andrea a few years ago at a happy hour and we reminisced about those conversations. She said, "well you're doing it."

Sometimes it just doesn't feel like change. Today I cleaned up chocolate smeared on my floor, I answered the same question at least 15 times, and someone breathed "b****" under their breath in a subtle way when I wouldn't let them move seats. That doesn't change the world.

Tonight, our local Chipotle had a school fundraiser. I met up with my homeroom class of about ten students for what I called a "family dinner." We sat around a table "smashing" burritos (that's teenager for eating something up) and giggling. I watched a young man let the ladies in line go ahead of him. I watched people say "please" and "thank you". One young lady was laughing so hard at the end of the night, she was crying. Something's got to change when you sit down with your teacher and smash burritos. Racial lines were blurred, rice and beans were flying, and I was connected with my students. I can only hope that a little carbo loading and giggling will some day change the world.

PS: Mr. Pete went. He is the best husband in the whole wide world.

Home Improvement projects 34 and 35 of 90,000

2007-11-14T15:06:00.000-08:00

One of the reasons I started a blog was to document the new home ownership experience. It's fun to have something of your own. When I lived in an apartment, I looked forward to buying new dish towels to experience the sense of satisfaction one receives for making something in his/her life better. Since we've moved in we've done mostly wall and floor stuff like painting and finishing floors. The real improvements, I think, are in the details. Like, it's really great to have curtains on the back sliding doors so I don't imagine someone is out there every night after 6:30 now when it gets dark. One of my first projects was to change out the door hardware. Let me tell you, oh joy! I've compared teaching the first months of school to walking through a sandstorm with your eyes open. I'm thinking I'll need to come up with a metaphor for fixing the silly mistakes previous homeowners made carelessly while fixing their 100+ year old house. My latest two projects were really fun. The first one was the best. I went to Home Depot and picked out lights to project light onto dirty dishes in the sink. I say it was a great project because, after a fruitless trip to pick out furniture, I insisted that we install the new lights. Mr. Pete started them and I went upstairs to "do-some-work." I came down only to criticize his work and screw in a few screws. Essentially, nothing. The great thing is the after show here. I mean it really made a big difference. The other project I really worked on. I mean it. There were several trips to several homegoods stores until I finally picked a roman shade (said with thick accent) from Target (pronounced by my mom and sister as tar-jay). It was tough stuff. I installed the shades on a metal door. There were power tools involved, and no, not the kind with batteries. We're talking power tools here people. Notice the killer brackets and final product.

Oh yeah, and that door hardware, that's my work too.

Untitled

2007-11-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

Will Okun has this blog over at NYtimes.com It's great because he's a teacher and he's a photographer and I really dig his stuff. I've linked it here if you want to check it out. Here's a quote from today's post titled "Understand":

"Although I am exhausted and frustrated, I am still passionate about teaching and I care deeply for the students I teach. I am saddened to consider that my race potentially limits my effectiveness in the classroom. But truth be told, I can feel an awkward disconnect between the students and me on an almost daily basis."

Now I'm not sure I feel an awkward disconnect on a daily basis but I do feel different. It's frustrating at times to know that students make assumptions about me because of my race. I guess it's even more frustrating to me to know that other people will make assumptions about them because of their race.

Say Chaise

2007-11-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

I can't quite figure out how I've survived the last few years of my adult life with all the decisions I've had to make. Job, husband, house, grad school...the list could go on forever. Since Mr. Pete and I have reached the "must have somewhere to sit" phase of new home ownership, I've realized just how picky I am. Most of our furniture is hand-me-down. We've been saving up to take the plunge into adult- looking matching furniture.

It was quite a productive weekend. We finally found some furniture we could both agree on that wasn't going to break the bank (ie. give Mr. Pete a heart attack). We found both a couch and a chair. Imagine a chocolate brown couch with a paisley chair. Mr. Pete's face was priceless after we made the big purchase. It was like 'Hey, I picked out the furniture and I'm outta here. I'll leave the mirror/picture/accessory picking out to you'.

I didn't realize how most furniture salespeople (in those chain-like furniture stores) are like car salespeople. Here's a summary of the conversations we've had with salespeople lately.

Couch-o-Rama Sales Person (aka. chain store salesperson): How can I help you folks today?

Inexperience and indecisive young professional(s): Hmmm I'm looking for a new sofa.

CORSP: some kind of random tirade about springs and glue

IIYP: Yeah I'm looking for something attractive and functional

CORSP: We don't carry those

IIYP: Hmmm

CORSP: Let me try to sell you a wrinkly cotton couch instead

IIYP: Ok, let's take a look around.

Couched in Impatience

2007-11-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

I really can't believe just how difficult it is to find a suitable couch. I didn't think I had high expectations. I wanted something attractive, well made, and comfortable. This is coming from someone who house hunted for four months during the best buyers' market in years. Hmmmphh. I'm afraid to say, at this point, I'll take almost anything.

Trick-Or-Treat

2007-10-31T18:16:00.000-07:00

I've seen some spectacular costumes this year. My favorite (in the couple category) are my two friends who dressed up as Edward Scissorhands and a topiary (see picture for reference). This costume has nothing on them. It's time to make this blog a little interactive. Did you see any cool costumes this year?

"Heroes help you hold on a little longer"

2007-10-31T18:03:00.001-07:00

Our little neighbors were out after trick-or-treat tonight. Sometimes I get a little annoyed because, as soon as I pull in the driveway, they are ringing my doorbell. Tonight Mr. Pete and I visited with them post-costume and candy binging. The boy suggested that I be Super Woman for Halloween. Both kids agreed that Mr. Pete should be Spider Man. They were even thinking of scenarios of how he could rescue me. I suggested that maybe I could be Mary Jane if Mr. Pete was Spider Man. We chatted for a while in the yard. The kids shared their candy with us. Mr. Pete got a sucker and I got some chocolate hand prints on my white vest. When we said goodnight, the little boy called over his shoulder, "Goodnight Spidy, Goodnight Mary Jane."

I think my life goal might be to be a hero in someone's eyes. Chocolate hand prints and excessive doorbell ringing aside, these kids are great.

This is true and I'm not trying to be perverted

2007-10-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Conversation overheard at Home Depot last week:

Concerned customer: Excuse me, sir could you help me I have some corroded nuts?

Home Depot associate: Sure, over here in aisle...

Concerned customer: Yeah, I was looking for some penetrating oil

The next reality show: massage school

2007-10-24T19:10:00.000-07:00

Mr. Pete won some plastic back massager thing from this healthy competition at work. They get points for relaxing and eating fruits and stuff like that. He was really excited because in his engineer mind, this was going to add leverage to my sucky back rubbing skills. He had a particularly stressful day so he thought last night was the perfect time to try it out. I gave it the ol' college try and I could tell from his response that it wasn't very effective. We give reciprocal back rubs at our house. You give one, you git one. So when it was my turn, Mr. Pete said he would imitate my technique so I could get the full benefit of my own skills. He prefaced the whole thing with "But I won't rub the hard plastic part up and down your spine the whole time 'cause that might be painful." Point taken.

Untitled

2007-10-23T17:41:00.000-07:00

The thing I like about the Catholic wedding mass is the part when the couple takes their vows. The priest encourages all other married couples in the congregation to renew their vows with this couple who are about to take theirs for the first time. Every time, I mean every time I get all choked up thinking about the taking and renewing of vows, the sacredness of doing this in a community, and the toll these vows take from the moment we make them.

I attended a wedding near Pittsburgh recently. One of the readings comes from Fr. Pedra Arrupe, titled "A Meditation On Love":

"Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what gets you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know,what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything."

I love this meditation because is so subtly suggests the toll the vow of love takes. It is overwhelming and it guides everything. There's a paradox here because what and who we love dictate our every action. It's exhausting, it's exciting, it's annoying, it's beautiful, it's boring, it's crazy, it's expensive, it's devastating, it's in everything and it's everywhere.

Teacher Moment

2007-10-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

My first class of the day is, how do I say this politely, materially challenged. On a daily basis their preparedness for class resembles that of an army of sloths, or zombies, or something. Most of them usually arrive late, if at all, and their general attitude toward me is 'oh it's you, were you saying something?' They hardly ever have anything they need and the only questions they ask me are "Does this book come on tape?" or "Are we going to watch the movie?" Most look up at me with attitude and squinty eyes, the quintessence of adolescence.

I tried an experiment a few weeks ago. After drinking several cups of Starbucks' Breakfast Blend, I attempted to get their attention. I put everything I had into this twenty minute rant about vocabulary and connecting new knowledge with prior knowledge and I was using my hands, and I was talking miles per minute, and I was pacing, and keeping eye contact, redirecting disruptive behavior, monitoring learning, and using my proximity to them to keep them engaged...all things good teachers do. And it worked. It was almost like I had given them the energy I had. I once taught under a principal, who on a daily basis, met up with one of our more energetic students in the hallway. He'd approach her, greet her, and stick out his finger E.T. style. She would reach out to meet him halfway. He'd pretend as though a jolt of energy surged between their fingers and he'd quiver as though he had just been energized by this always perky (only sometimes annoying) student. I always thought it was an act. BUT IT WORKED. Moments later, my zombie/sloth class began to mimic my manic behavior. Their arms were moving, their mouths were flapping, and they appeared to be ready to jump from their seats. It was then I remembered this lesson I learned from a colleague a few years ago. Education is loud, it's exciting, and the learning process itself is a little unsettling.

Delinquent Young Student

2007-10-03T04:26:00.001-07:00

This morning as I entered the building before 7:30 AM, a delinquent young student asked me how long my detentions are in the afternoons. Delinquent young student (DYS) had been talking while we were watching a movie last week. When I asked him to stop talking, he shot me the stink eye and proceeded to argue with me. I upped his consequence from a loss of points to a DT. This morning's conversation was hilarious.

DYS: Mrs. Pete, how long are your DTs?

ME: As long as I want them to be.

Unsuspecting bystander: Oooh boy, you're gonna be here foreva.

ME: Actually, I can't stay long it's my husband's birthday today.

Unsuspecting bystander: It's mass people's birthdays today

DYS: Thank you husband. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Happy Birthday Mr. Pete!

Santa is Watching

2007-09-26T18:49:00.000-07:00

My little neighbor came over to get some help with her homework last night. Our other neighbors were out on their front porch. As she was leaving our house, she called out to them from the last step. She said, "I dreamed of [Mrs. Pete] last night."

"You did," I asked curiously.

"Yeah," she said. "You climbed a tree with me and then you flew up high in the sky."

"Really," I said in amazement.

"Yeah, yeah and Santa, Santa's watching. Santa was watching you and he gave you 50 million presents."

"Wow, Santa was watching me fly?"

"Yeah and he saw you bein' good and he gave your lots of presents. "

And with that she disapeared.

I am some super awesome runner

2007-09-25T18:30:00.000-07:00

I'm always correcting students when they make disparaging comments about each other or about themselves. They're not allowed to give disclaimers when they offer comments or questions to the class; they can't say, "I know this is a stupid question but...." I've noticed lately that my own self-talk is really unhealthy. On my way home from work today, I was beating myself up for all the mistakes I made today and then I started beating myself up for beating myself up. Once I got to the gym, I did a little weight training and then headed up to the treadmill. It's been a while since I have put miles on the treadmill and my legs were cold and tired at the start. After just about 27:32 on the treadmill, a woman approached me.

Annoyed woman at the gym: Sorry to bother you. How much longer are you going to be on that treadmill?

note: this is the treadmill closest to the fan

Me: um, let's see like 23 minutes and some change

Annoyed woman at the gym: Oh (looking at the mileage and time I'd completed on the screen), you're some super awesome runner, huh?

Me: (thinking)

Me: I'm trying to run 5 miles today

Me to myself: yeah, I am some super awesome runner

I know I mentioned that my students could teach me some things about peace and all, but I never thought that I'd learn some things in the process of teaching them things....

Bad Day

2007-09-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

I had one of those days today when you cry on your way to work and you cry on your way home. This morning, I was listening to the words from "Idea #21" by Over the Rhine and I got all teary-eyed because I'm impatient for justice and peace. And then I thought about my job and how I have this amazing opportunity and responsibility to foster peace and justice with young minds and young hearts and that just gets me all jazzed up to walk in from the parking lot and into my classroom. I can't wait to hurl Salinger, Vonnegut, Bradbury, Angelou, and Bronte at unsuspecting students revealing truth, beauty, and the journey of humanity.

And then I told my students to shut up.

Student: Mrs. Pete, I have a question

Me: teacher glare

Same student: Mrs. Pete, do I have to write this down or can I just think about it?

Me: I don't want to talk to you right now.

It was hot in the computer lab today and they were being so obnoxious. And they didn't care one little bit about truth, or beauty, or about humanity. At least not at 12 PM today. I couldn't teach them anything. They couldn't hear me. So, I told them to shut up. And I tear myself up because telling someone to shut up is not fostering peace and it's certainly not showing them how to "use their words."

My coworker came down later in the afternoon and I confessed my sins. She reminded me that I'm human and I vowed to be nicer to myself. I got home to find a Real Simple magazine and a letter from a good friend with a copy of the poem "Messenger" by Mary Oliver from her book Thirst. Bibliotherapy I tell you. The first line of Oliver's poem took me back to the excitement I felt getting out of the car this morning, "My work is loving the world." It reminds me that my work is to love the world and love isn't always perfect, it's not always kind, it's not always patient, but it tries to be. So I'll try again tomorrow. And hopefully I'll be "astonished" by how much my students teach me about truth, beauty, and humanity. I'll try to stand still. I teach high school.

Messenger

My work is loving the world.
Here the sunflowers, there the hummingbird
--equal seekers of sweetness. Here the quickening yeast; there the blue plums.
Here the clam deep in the speckled sand.

Are my boots old? Is my coat torn?
Am I no longer young, and still not half
perfect? Let me keep my mind on what
matters, which is my work,

which is mostly standing still and learning to be
astonished.
The phoebe, the delphinium.
The sheep in the pasture, and the pasture.
Which is mostly rejoicing, since all ingredients are here,

which is gratitude, to be given a mind and a
heart and these body-clothes,
a mouth with which to give shouts of joy
to the moth and the wren, to the sleepy
dug-up clam,telling them all, over and
over, how it is
that we live forever.

Home ownership is fun

2007-09-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

So we got possession of our house and it's fun. When you tell people you are house hunting, they glow with excitement and share fun stories about their first home. Then there's this strange transition from the time you are house hunting to the time you put a bid on a house. Stories change, smiles fade, and people recount their stories of bidding wars like tales of lost loves and tragedy. Then stories begin to surface about the reality of home ownership and amortization charts and property taxes. Then. People start talking about actually living in the house. Like how hard it is.

Mr. Pete and his mom agreed to paint two of the bedrooms upstairs this week. My job was really tough. I showed up just in time to finish the second coat on the last room and I got to wash the brushes. I toted the June Day yellow coated paint brushes down to our utility sink. Each new thing I use in the house brings on new excitement. I couldn't wait to use the new utility sink. So I start rinsing the brushes and in my klutziness I'm splashing water all over. It's even getting on my toes. It's splashing so much that I'm standing in a puddle of water. And that's when I realize that the puddle is coming from the duct tapped pipe in the oh-so-awesome utility sink. But don't worry. When the previous owner patched up the leaking pipe with duct tape, it did occur to him/her that it might leak. So there was a lovely square plastic garbage pail propped up under the sink. Imagine this. It overflowed thus causing a puddle to form at my feet. I did what any new homeowner would do, I yelled up to my husband and made my way out to the backyard with the dirty brushes to pout.

Don't get me wrong. I'm so thankful that we found a house. There is something really great about twirling around in a place singing at the top of your lungs because you won't bother anyone but yourself. It is also really nice to have a dishwasher. I just hope it's not duct taped together.

So you think you can Swiffer

2007-08-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Some very important things have happened in the past few days. School has officially started. Mr. Pete helped to kick off the school year with lots of sugar. For my first days of school I got a donut with sprinkles and an apple cookie.

I wish I was as optimistic as this darn apple is for my first Monday. It's just that it will be the first "real" day of school tomorrow. School days last week were shortened because it was 1,000 degrees in the school building. I don't think any of the other faculty thought it was at all humorous that I was wearing a sweater set both days because of the arctic conditions in my air conditioned room.

OK. So the real news is that I purchased my first Swiffer. First of all, Mr. Pete made the comment that we are now locked into the replacement schedule that comes with purchasing something like this. There's a reason that the mop only costs $9.99 and the little replacement towels are half the price of the actual mop. I can't help but think that I'm mopping the floor with a moist towelette. The second reason this is so important is that I'm actually excited that I bought a Swiffer. It's a mop. It's true. I've become one of those people who gets excited about household cleaners.

Summer is O-ver

2007-08-19T18:10:00.000-07:00

We go back to school tomorrow. It's hard to describe this feeling. Every year I'm sad when the laziness of summer is gone and the craziness that is school begins. I've been reflecting about what waiting for the school year is like. It's almost like when you're driving and you know you're going to hit something and you just brace yourself for the impact. That's generally how the school year begins. I see it coming from miles away and I brace myself for the impact it has on my everyday life.

My friend Susan and I have pledged that we would stop teaching the school year after we weren't excited about returning to school. We both recognize that it's impossible to teach without loving school. It's difficult to return year after year to something you don't enjoy. I wouldn't say this year's return brings apathy, maybe a healthier and more mature desire to teach. This year, teaching won't be who I am. Teaching will be what I do. I'm hoping that will make it a better year for everyone.

I really like this poem by Julia Melor Simpson that is featured in the July 2007 edition of English Journal. She writes

She Left Because

Huck had headed out to the terriotry
one too many times.

She left because she told
students to discover their passions.

She left because of rubrics.

She left becasue Hester Pyrnne wouldn't
and Dimmesdale couldn't.

She left becasue she started planning
her summer vacation in February--
okay, January. Okaay, November.

She left because it was time
to find Kunitz's garden.

She left because Thoreau's distant drum
kept disrupting her classroom.

She left because she still could.

She left because some days
she wanted to give everyone an A--
and some days an F.

She left because the things she carried
were no longer a storyteller's truth.

She left because
it was time to go.