.
On Friday I was standing by my classroom and I saw two of my students, who are also boyfriend and girlfriend, playing and pushing each other like every good 9th grade couple do. The boy's little brother and the girl's little sister were standing by.
"Are you guys bored waiting for those two?" I asked them. The boy smiled and nodded vigorously, while the girl, who is a 3rd grader, nodded towards them and said, cool and with a serious face:
"Just give them a couple of days."
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Sunday, September 06, 2009
Productive Day in Church
.
I don't know what that last one means, but I thought it was funny anyway...
I don't know what that last one means, but I thought it was funny anyway...
Fun, Fun
I guess the house project season is over. Megan is really good at still watering the grass, though. But we've been watering the garden a little too much, and so our tomatoes started cracking. But they're delicious. I can't believe we even have watermelons, even though they are the size of my fist. I was worried the garden wouldn't work very well, since we've never had one before and we didn't really know what we were doing, but those boxes worked really well, and we would actually like to cover our backyard with those. It's just a huge empty space anyway.
Some fuzzy garden pics:
School is really cool. The kids are awesome and extremely smart. We had a class debate on capital punishment vs. life imprisonment after we read Chekhov's "The Bet," and I was amazed at these kids' responses. A few were silly (especially those who were in favor of capital punishment and suggested some ways to get rid of prisoners when they did very terrible things. I had to step in a couple of times there), but they were mostly really well thought and founded. These kids are so good they even turn in their homework! I know. Shocking.
Some fuzzy garden pics:
School is really cool. The kids are awesome and extremely smart. We had a class debate on capital punishment vs. life imprisonment after we read Chekhov's "The Bet," and I was amazed at these kids' responses. A few were silly (especially those who were in favor of capital punishment and suggested some ways to get rid of prisoners when they did very terrible things. I had to step in a couple of times there), but they were mostly really well thought and founded. These kids are so good they even turn in their homework! I know. Shocking.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
New Job + Vacations
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Narcissism alert: This post is all about me, and me alone.
NEW JOB: I didn't find a job at XYZ School after all (names were changed to protect the innocent, namely ME). It was a really weird situation. After a long and really nice interview (the principal and I talked for over an hour), I was told that I would be let know by the following Thursday if I got the job, that I was a very strong candidate, yada, yada, yada. Thursday came and went, and i didn't hear anything from them. The next Tuesday I called because the waiting was killing me. The principal said that she had talked to someone at my old school, and that they had told her that I was not a very good disciplinarian (that was a horrible sounding sentence, isn't it? Too many T's I think). She then proceeded to interview me for 30 more minutes on the phone. "Thank you." She said. "I feel much better after talking to you. I'll let you know by next Monday." That was like four weeks ago. She never called, emailed, or even texted me. I think it was for the better. Who wants to work for someone so unprofessional anyway? Besides, it was a 4th grade position, which would have meant going back to school for a couple of years just so I could get my elementary certification. Now, instead, I can finish the one class I need for my English endorsement, and then I can start my masters.
I found a job, though. I don't want to write the name of the school in the same post as where I wrote that stuff about XYZ. I don't want to sound all bickering and what not, although that was my precise intention.
VACATIONS: We are in California with my parents, Jonatan, Brea and Megan right now. They came to renew their passport, and we came along for the trip. Last week we had a super amazing 4th of July weekend with Brea's parents. We have tons of pictures from the parade, which I might just upload to my Facebook pretty soon. The weekend was so awesome that the jet ski collision incident doesn't even seem to have been so terrible, although it did kinda ruin half the day, especially for me because I felt so guilty for damaging Bob's nice jet ski, and for hitting Jonatan in the butt. All I got was a quarter size bruise in my leg. It doesn't seem fair!
Narcissism alert: This post is all about me, and me alone.
NEW JOB: I didn't find a job at XYZ School after all (names were changed to protect the innocent, namely ME). It was a really weird situation. After a long and really nice interview (the principal and I talked for over an hour), I was told that I would be let know by the following Thursday if I got the job, that I was a very strong candidate, yada, yada, yada. Thursday came and went, and i didn't hear anything from them. The next Tuesday I called because the waiting was killing me. The principal said that she had talked to someone at my old school, and that they had told her that I was not a very good disciplinarian (that was a horrible sounding sentence, isn't it? Too many T's I think). She then proceeded to interview me for 30 more minutes on the phone. "Thank you." She said. "I feel much better after talking to you. I'll let you know by next Monday." That was like four weeks ago. She never called, emailed, or even texted me. I think it was for the better. Who wants to work for someone so unprofessional anyway? Besides, it was a 4th grade position, which would have meant going back to school for a couple of years just so I could get my elementary certification. Now, instead, I can finish the one class I need for my English endorsement, and then I can start my masters.
I found a job, though. I don't want to write the name of the school in the same post as where I wrote that stuff about XYZ. I don't want to sound all bickering and what not, although that was my precise intention.
VACATIONS: We are in California with my parents, Jonatan, Brea and Megan right now. They came to renew their passport, and we came along for the trip. Last week we had a super amazing 4th of July weekend with Brea's parents. We have tons of pictures from the parade, which I might just upload to my Facebook pretty soon. The weekend was so awesome that the jet ski collision incident doesn't even seem to have been so terrible, although it did kinda ruin half the day, especially for me because I felt so guilty for damaging Bob's nice jet ski, and for hitting Jonatan in the butt. All I got was a quarter size bruise in my leg. It doesn't seem fair!
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Siding + Some Random Stuff
I finished the siding in our garage. Actually, I finished like a week ago. And before that, I finished a second fence, but I keep forgetting to take a picture of it.
Anyway, before and after, blah, blah, blah:
When I finished putting up the first 6 panels, I just couldn't stand that groove on the two on the left were a little bit off from the rest, so I unscrewed them and put them back a little higher this time.
Megan painted the office and living/dinning room gray. I took a picture before she finished so both colors can be seen. She says that she wants to emasculate the house, because it feels too feminine. I like the gray. Now we need to put up some crown molding, because it looks really nice against the white door frames, so the crown molding might make a create nice effect too.
__________
Also, I walked by the corner of 300th and 300th street this week. You might wander what's the big deal, right? Well, they were 300th east and 300th east. Bet you don't have one of those in your neighborhood.
Anyway, before and after, blah, blah, blah:
When I finished putting up the first 6 panels, I just couldn't stand that groove on the two on the left were a little bit off from the rest, so I unscrewed them and put them back a little higher this time.
Megan painted the office and living/dinning room gray. I took a picture before she finished so both colors can be seen. She says that she wants to emasculate the house, because it feels too feminine. I like the gray. Now we need to put up some crown molding, because it looks really nice against the white door frames, so the crown molding might make a create nice effect too.
__________
Also, I walked by the corner of 300th and 300th street this week. You might wander what's the big deal, right? Well, they were 300th east and 300th east. Bet you don't have one of those in your neighborhood.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Shrunk Fence + Painted Garage
Our fence, two weeks ago:
Our new, Washington Terrace compliant fence:
We're not cutting the rest. It's far enough from the curb, and I think it looks alright.
Also, Meg painted the garage, which hadn't been painted in yeeeeears. I made such a difference!
Next: I'm fixing the side of the garage and surrounding our patio with a fence, a very, very tall fence.
Our new, Washington Terrace compliant fence:
We're not cutting the rest. It's far enough from the curb, and I think it looks alright.
Also, Meg painted the garage, which hadn't been painted in yeeeeears. I made such a difference!
Next: I'm fixing the side of the garage and surrounding our patio with a fence, a very, very tall fence.
Top Ten of Being in Church During Mother's or Father's Day + What We've Learned
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10. Meg's back from her relay
9. No super early morning meetings
8. When I say "Happy father's day," people start saying it back to me and suddenly stop, with a confused look in their eyes.
7. Meg still gets flowers and chocolate during mother's day
6. Brother S's daughter reminds us why we're probably better off childless
5. Barbara Bush quoted at the pulpit
4. Top 5 of Good Parents according to Bro. H's 6 year old daughter includes: "Plays video games"
3. Bro. B. (app. 70 years old) days we can be his parents
2. There's no license for being parents (unless, like us, you can't have your own children)
1. "Being parents is the best calling you can possibly have" (ouch)
10. Meg's back from her relay
9. No super early morning meetings
8. When I say "Happy father's day," people start saying it back to me and suddenly stop, with a confused look in their eyes.
7. Meg still gets flowers and chocolate during mother's day
6. Brother S's daughter reminds us why we're probably better off childless
5. Barbara Bush quoted at the pulpit
4. Top 5 of Good Parents according to Bro. H's 6 year old daughter includes: "Plays video games"
3. Bro. B. (app. 70 years old) days we can be his parents
2. There's no license for being parents (unless, like us, you can't have your own children)
1. "Being parents is the best calling you can possibly have" (ouch)
Friday, June 05, 2009
100 Posts! + Fence
I hit 100 posts! And it only took two years!
Anyway.
Our house's south-west side has always been notorious for its hideousness (dat a word?)
That's our house's view on Google Maps. The hedge was trimmed (It was way worse), but not yet cut.
Last summer we cut the bushes (they were very thorny, so it hurt a lot), and we lost all privacy! We decided that eventually we would put up a fence, or something. Our friend Jose helped us level the dirt that was left over, and to get rid of some stubburn roots.
This summer we finally decided to go ahead and put up the thing. As part of the preparations we had to get rid of the old chain link fence's posts. Some were easy to remove, but one of them was ridiculously hard. This is why:
Once we were ready, I dug the post holes, put up the posts, and cemented them down.
The next day I put the beams across. It took me a couple of days, because I had to make sure that they were straight (leveled), and the distance between each post was different, so I had to measure the beams and cut them individually.
Meg then helped me put the pickets, so that went pretty fast. We finished in less than a day.
My problem with the fence is that, although it looks nice (especially from inside), it looks kind of boxy and somewhat boring. Fortunately (sarcasm alert), the city inspector finally decided to drive by the house and gave us a citation telling us that the fence is not up to the city code, because if it is by the sidewalk, it can't be higher than 4 feet. If we want it to be 6 feet, we need to set it back 6 feet. But it makes sense that, living in the bussiest corner of the city, the inspector would never see the fence as we were building it, but only ONE DAY AFTER we finished it.
Of course.
So now we have to go to the city, talk to the inspector, and set the fence back, or cut it down to 4 feet.
And there goes our new found privacy.
Anyway.
Our house's south-west side has always been notorious for its hideousness (dat a word?)
That's our house's view on Google Maps. The hedge was trimmed (It was way worse), but not yet cut.
Last summer we cut the bushes (they were very thorny, so it hurt a lot), and we lost all privacy! We decided that eventually we would put up a fence, or something. Our friend Jose helped us level the dirt that was left over, and to get rid of some stubburn roots.
This summer we finally decided to go ahead and put up the thing. As part of the preparations we had to get rid of the old chain link fence's posts. Some were easy to remove, but one of them was ridiculously hard. This is why:
Once we were ready, I dug the post holes, put up the posts, and cemented them down.
The next day I put the beams across. It took me a couple of days, because I had to make sure that they were straight (leveled), and the distance between each post was different, so I had to measure the beams and cut them individually.
Meg then helped me put the pickets, so that went pretty fast. We finished in less than a day.
My problem with the fence is that, although it looks nice (especially from inside), it looks kind of boxy and somewhat boring. Fortunately (sarcasm alert), the city inspector finally decided to drive by the house and gave us a citation telling us that the fence is not up to the city code, because if it is by the sidewalk, it can't be higher than 4 feet. If we want it to be 6 feet, we need to set it back 6 feet. But it makes sense that, living in the bussiest corner of the city, the inspector would never see the fence as we were building it, but only ONE DAY AFTER we finished it.
Of course.
So now we have to go to the city, talk to the inspector, and set the fence back, or cut it down to 4 feet.
And there goes our new found privacy.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Stuff Around the House
I finished my humongous fence. I'll post pics soon.
I put up a new mailbox post (yes, another one). I sort of ran into the old one with a UHaul truck and it's never been the same since. I like the new one. It's all wooden and mighty looking.
Our little garden is bearing fruit. Even the raspberries, which we haven't really planted yet. Awesome. Those carrots are going to be microscopic.
I'm developing my fence making skills, post digging skills, drumming skills. My new den used to smell like sheetrock, not it smells like flood. Yes, it flooded.
What else? Too many bands want to make use of my drumming skills. Gosh, it's late. I have to get up really early tomorrow.
Mighty looking new mailbox post.
That weedy grass really needs to go.
I put up a new mailbox post (yes, another one). I sort of ran into the old one with a UHaul truck and it's never been the same since. I like the new one. It's all wooden and mighty looking.
Our little garden is bearing fruit. Even the raspberries, which we haven't really planted yet. Awesome. Those carrots are going to be microscopic.
I'm developing my fence making skills, post digging skills, drumming skills. My new den used to smell like sheetrock, not it smells like flood. Yes, it flooded.
What else? Too many bands want to make use of my drumming skills. Gosh, it's late. I have to get up really early tomorrow.
Mighty looking new mailbox post.
That weedy grass really needs to go.
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