Indigo Robe

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Mum likes reading, decorating, shopping with the girls, and Starbucks. She also feels funny writing in the 3rd person. Papa (also known as Sparky) is currently looking at me with a blank stare having asked him to add something about himself to the blog. (Now he wants to say something) The only thing he loves more in life than music and Coke is his wife and kids. (Awww...) :) Little Lotte is a genius on the computer and makes me fall over laughing every day with her quick wit. She loves computers and animals. Sweet Pea abandoned her family and moved to Phoenix for work and is now married as of 2/28/06. She is beautiful and smart and the most nurturing person I know. She gave me the greatest gift ever when she made me a grandmother. I am the proud Mum Mum to Andrew Christopher. There are no words to describe the joy of having a grandson!

Monday, October 31, 2005

This Would Be Anger Talking...

Why? Why do I care enough? Why don't I just hand out ALL "A's"... if I do that... then no one has to be accountable and then parents won't be upset. I get to go home everyday at 3:15 and not grade. I can smile and not stress about holding students accountable. I won't have to sit at night and grade and write comments on papers. WHY don't I just make it easy on myself?

Needless to say I had an angry parent today. Not your run of the mill angry parent. A parent with anger management/bipolar issues that I don't want to get into (email me if you want details) and I can honestly say, I feared for my well being. I had to END the conference sternly and call the principal, all the while shaking. I didn't want him to see my fear when he scared me. I tried to remember my street smarts from Chester. Whatever I did, it worked after awhile and I didn't have to call the police. I've honestly never been more scared in my life. I felt like I had no control. My mind was divided... on the street I would have yelled and screamed and ran for help or fought back and screamed. But here at school, I had to TRY to remain professional. I had to TRY to handle it all with dignity. I had to TRY and calm this parent down because I was all alone with him. (He dismissed his child from the room - that was when I realized I was in trouble.) I wanted to tell him to get the hell out of my room before I called the police but I had this inner professional voice telling me to just say the conference was now over. I managed to walk to the phone to get the principal and I opened my pod door at the same time, praying someone was in the middle room or their rooms. No such luck and I got my principal's voice mail. I thought about pretending I was talking to her but instead just said I needed her to come to the room immediately and that I would try her again in 5 minutes as I KNEW she would be BACK IN HER OFFICE. The dad seemed to get the idea. Eventually, he left. I felt the rush in my legs and whole body really.

The sad part is - his son was right outside the door and heard the whole thing. Another student of mine - a girl - ran to her mother's room (a fellow teacher) and begged her to call someone but her mom thought she was exaggerating. She believes her now. (I went to talk to her since I was doing a home visit and she could see I was visible shaken up.)

I feel better now. But will I continue to care? Will I continue to TEACH? I've got a lot of thinking to do.

Sunday, October 30, 2005

Needless to say, we didn't stop here for lunch...


Here's a funny picture I took in Pennsylvania when we were there recently.

Monday, October 24, 2005

Tea Party


This post is for my Aunt (and for my mom who is probably making tea in heaven at this very moment with my Aunt.) It is NOT meant to solicit sympathy, empathy, or awwwwws. It is just my way of remembering someone.

My Aunt Cora died this morning. She spent her last years alone, in a nursing home. She had outlived all of her friends and most (if not all, I am not really sure!) of her siblings. I am not quite sure how old she was. I will have to read the obit. to know.

I posted a picture here already of Aunt Cora's house. It's the picture where I am standing with her daughter, my cousin Cheryl, and with my sister, Jeannie and my mom. I posted a few memories of my times playing in that yard. (It's in the archives if anyone cares.)

Aunt Cora was not well known to me and yet I spent a lot of time with her when my mom would go to visit her. They would sit in the room and drink cups and cups of tea while I played with my cousins. Aunt Cora had a defect in her hips that made her unable to walk without the help of a cane or walker. She was slow but I'll tell you what, we knew when to run from her! :) She and my mom would let me have tea with them sometimes (until the conversation turned adult and I was instructed that I would understand when I was older but now it was time to leave the room!!!) and to this day, I love a good cup of tea.

I hope Aunt Cora is happy today - maybe she and my mom are sitting down in the grandest kitchen, waiting for the kettle to boil. I hope they have pretty china cups and a plate full of delicious mini sandwiches and cakes. Maybe Aunt Rose and Aunt Beulah are joining them. Whatever I believe is not important -- I just hope and pray that what THEY believed is what is happening to them at this very moment and that all the sisters are enjoying the ultimate tea party!

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Actual Conversation in My Class Today

I have to preface this by explaining that *****was NOT trying to be funny/class clown. It was said in the most sincerest form with the straightest face:


Me: "*****, why are you late to class?"

*****: "I have a pain in my testicles!!"

Me: "Thank you, have a seat."

The class was wonderful. Only a few boys fell under their desks in silent laughter. Most stayed calm and snickered silently while completing their math lesson.


20 MINUTES LATER......

Me: "*****, you need to stop scratching your leg."

*****: "I can't, it's itchy!"

I see the big red blotch on his leg and instruct ***** to go to the nurse's office.


Me: "Go to the nurse's office."

*****: " Oh great, first a pain in my testicles and now a rash."

Monday, October 17, 2005

Apple Announces New iMplant

Apple announced today the newest iPod called iMplant. The newest iPod is being released 5 days after iPod video, 4 weeks after iPod Nanno, 12.5 seconds after iPod mini, 30 days after the iPod U2, 26 minutes after the iPod Shuffle, and 1 day before the release of iPod WorldDomination.

The new iPod - iMplant - is designed to be iMplanted in your neck, below the left ear lobe. No ear phones required. The iMplant will boast 40,000 gigs and will only require a batterly replacement every 10 days. (This reporter DID read the fine print - be sure to contact your HMO re:surgery deductibles for battery replacement.)

An enthusiatic owner of every iPod made (except the U2 - he has SOME dignity and taste) was asked how he liked the new iMplant.

"I always wake up with a song running through my head. We used to call them song bugs when I was a kid. Turns out my wife had surprised me for my 50th birthday and had the iMplant placed in my neck! I thought I was going in for a routine cleaning of my teeth!"

In order to accomodate the Christmas rush, Apple has made a record order of 20 iMplants to be manufactured so that they don't run low, as was the case with the iPod Shuffle.

"It was like the Cabbage Patch Baby thing all over again! I had to push a teacher (who was trying to use her educator's discount - like they don't ALREADY get paid too much and get three months off in the summer!!!) out of the way so I could get my 3 year old daughter the Shuffle. She likes to listen to Christina Aguilara on her iPod mini while eating her Cheerios so I figured a Shuffle would help her. She can hang it around her neck and use both her fingers to eat her Cheerios now," a devoted father was heard telling the Apple employee.

iMplant purchasers are being assured that this is the LAST TIME (before next payday) when they will release a new iPod immediately after releasing a new iPod, immediately after releasing a new iPod, immediately after releasing a new iPod, so that iPod owners can catch up.

Apple completed a survey asking previous iPod purchasers to give them ideas of new iPods. Some suggestions were:

1. iPodHomework - completes all assignments on time.

2. iPodHomeworkII - completes all assignments on time AND with a guaranteed grade of B. (Due to be released 3 days after iPodHomework.)

3. iPodHomeworkIII - completes all assignments on time AND with a guaranteed grade of A+. (To be released 6 days after iPodHomework I.)

4. iPodDishwasher - cleans most dishes in about 10 minutes while playing Kenny G songs.

5. iPodDishwasher II - cleans most dishes in about 10 minutes while playing anything BUT Kenny G songs.

6. iPodFootball - ALL Football - ALL of the time.

7. iPodFootball II - ALL Football - ALL the time - with a filter for ww. (Whining Wife)

8. iPodFootball III - ALL Football - ALL the time - with ATM wife to easily withdraw cash to go shopping during football season.

Thursday, October 06, 2005

Right and Wrong



There is a right way to eat a cheesesteak and a wrong way. I am surprised that I was able to commit my life forever and always for all eternity till death do us part to a man who eats a cheesesteak the WRONG way. Here is a picture of the wrong way. See that red stuff? It's TOMATO SAUCE. Tomato sauce has its place in the world. It belongs on oh say... PIZZA, or SPAGHETTI, EGGPLANT PARMESEAN. It does NOT belong on a cheesesteak. I consider this an abomination and I am pretty sure the cheesesteak gods do as well. And to add injury to insult, it's served on a soft roll. This is called a PIZZA Steak, NOT a cheesesteak and I am appalled at the fact that people are allowed to walk the face of the earth in this ignorance.

The right way to eat a cheesesteak is on a HARD roll. It is served with onions and SWEET PEPPERS. It has to come from Phil & Jim's in Chester, Pa. to be the ultimate but a V & S cheesesteak from Reading, Pa. (you even have to tell them NO SAUCE, OMG) is a good alternative when you just can't chance getting hit by a stray bullet.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

A Rose By Any Other Name...

Wow... I've been a bad blogger. I've just been so busy blah, blah, blah...

Just returend recently from a trip to Pa. and will write about that later. Tonight I want to write about my birth certificate.

It all started when I was going through some old papers, looking for pictures and momentos of me to post on a bulletin board to introduce myself to my new class this year. As I was looking through all of my school things, I saw my name listed SEVERAL times as "Marjorie". I remember as a child having to justify my name as Margie, not Margaret, not Marjorie, not any other form but MARGIE. Teachers would ask me my REAL name and when I would say Margie, they would smile and say... "It's ok, we'll ask your mother." Sigh... fine but my name really IS just Margie.

But going through all of these papers, I saw the common theme of Marjorie. What exactly DID my birth certificate say? Did mom write down Marjorie and never mention that fact to me? Was I really a Margaret or a Marjorie and all of those years of righteous indignation at being ignored, when I insisted I was really given a nickname for my full name, were for naught? Was Harvey really my dad?! WHOSE name was on my certificate!? ALL of these bizarre thoughts started floating around in my head. I promptly sat down and wrote The Commonwealth of Pa. and gave them some money. In return, they sent me a copy of my birth certificate. (I'd never seen it!!!) Well -- it's actually a copy made recently but showing the information at my birth. It was noted that an amendment was made to my certificate on 5/16/72. That would be the year that my parents married (or it was 1971, not really sure) and they filed to have my last name changed to my dad's last name.

So the envelope arrives in the mail and Sparky ceremoniusly throws it my way. I take a deep breath... I open the envelope and for dramatic purposes, take a pause. Sparky rips the paper from my hand and opens it up. He doesn't look stunned so I figure it's what I've known all along... I really am a Margie, not a Margaret or a Marjorie. Sure enough.... there it is.

I then read down a line. Mother: Blanche Esther. Check. Maiden Name: McIntire. Check.
Father's Name: Harvard. Chec... wait... what the ?!??!!? HARVARD?! My dad's name was HARVARD?! HOW COME I DIDN'T KNOW THIS?! NOT once in my life did I ever hear he was anything but Harvey. That was a little shocker. Here I was wondering if my name was more formal than the nickname and it was MY DAD's name that was MORE FORMAL than I ever knew!!! Harvard. (Who names their kid Harvard?) Wow... I buried my dad as Harvey. I had NO idea. No one ever mentioned that little fact. Maybe that is why I have trouble finding information on geneology? Who knows... but NOW that I have this information, maybe I can get my parent's birth certificates and get some more names for the family tree.