What made me happy today?

[JT Woody]

Went to a new preschool for storytime (i have a list of neighborhood preschools that i must visit periodically).
This one went really well. The kids were engaged and talkative.
But one thing that made me happy was that they picked out things they had in common with me:

One little girl had her hair in a half-up/half-down ponytail. Same with my hair.
I had on red pants, a little boy says "i have on red pants, too!" And a little girl says "my dress is red!!!"
I have on a black t-shirt and a little girl comes up and says "i shirt is black like yours!"
(Then they all talked at once).

Dont know why, but it just made me really happy.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Went to a new preschool for storytime (i have a list of neighborhood preschools that i must visit periodically).
This one went really well. The kids were engaged and talkative.
But one thing that made me happy was that they picked out things they had in common with me:

One little girl had her hair in a half-up/half-down ponytail. Same with my hair.
I had on red pants, a little boy says "i have on red pants, too!" And a little girl says "my dress is red!!!"
I have on a black t-shirt and a little girl comes up and says "i shirt is black like yours!"
(Then they all talked at once).

Dont know why, but it just made me really happy.

Makes you want to pop out a few of em, don't it?

 

[JT Woody]

Makes you want to pop out a few of em, don't it?

Pffft......
No.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Makes you want to pop out a few of em, don't it?

Once one has "popped out a couple" and they grow up to be teenagers, one's sentiment turns to wanting to pop 'em a couple.

 

[Homer Potvin]

Once one has "popped out a couple" and they grow up to be teenagers, one's sentiment turns to wanting to pop 'em a couple.

I'm just busting JT's proverbial balls because the fam keeps telling her she needs to start procreating. Personally, I don't know anyone in my age group with kids who isn't abjectly miserable.

 

[Set2Stun]

I always say, cats are far cheaper to support and are more agreeable.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I always say, cats are far cheaper to support and are more agreeable.

Guitars have volume knobs...

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Since I've already raised mine and am well into the grandchildren phase, I can confidently suggest having grandchildren first. They're no more trouble than cats, give better hugs, and when the volume turns up, I can hand 'em back to my children.

When my grandson was small, my son called up one day and said, "Mom, I'm so sorry." I asked for what. He said, "For whatever I did at this age." Now he has a teenager of his own. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

 

[Rigor Mortis]

Personally, I don't know anyone in my age group with kids who isn't abjectly miserable.

It's hard. No doubt about it. Personally speaking, though, when holding my daughter for the first time, I won't say everything made sense all of a sudden, but it began to look like it meant something.
I don't remember when exactly my wife first said, "I thought we'd be better at this," but it was early on. Thing is, it's the long game and we've two kids to be proud of, who are kind and thoughtful and all those good things.

I always say, cats are far cheaper to support and are more agreeable.

Cheaper, yes. More agreeable is conditional on recognising the supremacy of the cat. So about the same measure of agreeability.

When my grandson was small, my son called up one day and said, "Mom, I'm so sorry." I asked for what. He said, "For whatever I did at this age." Now he has a teenager of his own. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

I'm so looking forward to April when I can start that ultimate vengeance tour, when I can say to my daughter what her grandparents were forever saying to us. "Ah will ya leave them alone, they're doing no harm."

 

[JT Woody]

Im just glad my grandma has stopped saying "ill be dead before i meet my greatgrand kids"

(My younger cousin's second child is due any day now, and Grandma is happy)

 

[Selluwud]

As a parent and grandparent, I couldn't be happier. I just saw my 4 and 6 year old grandkids on my home ring camera (I'm at work) rolling up on their scooters to visit their Jammy. I called and they were all laying in my bed giggling.

 

[GrahamLewis]

I've been a regular at my local YMCA for more than four years now. When I began going regularly I noticed a guy in probably his late 40s, who worked out regularly with weights, and who owned a tree service, so he did a lot of climbing. In other words, a very muscular guy. Who also, when I first saw him, wore a bright red politically-oriented hat. A brand of politics that rather stood out in this university city which as a distinct political tilt away from that brand. The muscles rippling underneath that hat struck me as signifying a dangerous character

At first I avoided much contact with him, but as the years went by we began to talk about trees and about other things. And I noticed the hat had disappeared, replaced by neutral hats. And I enjoyed our conversations.

Today I wore t-shirt I had picked up at the local thrift store, a shirt that reads, "Due process means/you don't punish first/you prove it first." When he read the shirt he said, "I agree with that."

Which triggered my curiosity, since that seems to come from the other side of the political spectrum than that generally associated with his original hat.

So I tentatively asked him about that hat and its underlying philosophy. He said that the hat still reflected his political philosophy, but he had stopped wearing it because of member complaints about it.

We didn't go any further into politics, dancing around the risk of provoking any sort of political argument.

We separated for the day shortly afterward, after I thanked him for accepting my queries, and for showing me that even in this hyper-charged environment people can see each other as human beings first.

Even though I have serious misgivings about his political views, and see them as dangerously to one side of the political spectrum, I've seen him in the community with his elderly mother, and seen him as a kind person whom I enjoy talking with on everything other than politics.

And that makes me happy.

It occurred to me this morning that when I first saw this guy, I felt I would be afraid to meet him in a dark alley; now I can't think of someone better to have by my side in a dark alley.

 

[Amontillado]

It occurred to me this morning that when I first saw this guy, I felt I would be afraid to meet him in a dark alley; now I can't think of someone better to have by my side in a dark alley.

Sometimes the cover is all you need to see, sometimes the book reveals unexpected value.

I'd say as long as there's room in your heart to be pleasantly surprised, it's OK to let first impressions have their say.

 

[Dante Dases]

I'm confused. Why should it be up to you to get the truants into history anyway?

I understand you're their teacher, but if the kids choose to play truant from your class, there is nothing you or anyone else can do about it, other than discipline them in some way (e.g. you give them a zero, or the school disciplines them in another way).

It's about time that all school staff (teachers, deputy heads -- whatever) AND parents face reality: kids who want to learn will learn. Kids who don't ... won't. It's as simple as that. Forcing kids to go to any class won't make them love the class -- quite the reverse, obviously. Nobody loves doing things that they're forced to do.

There's another slice of reality that nobody seems to understand: everyone is responsible for themselves. A kid who refuses to show up to class or do any work should get a big, juicy goose egg. No excuses, no second chances. The only exceptions are if there's something like a death in the family, or if the kid comes down with a serious illness like cold or flu. Otherwise, plonk your butt in that seat, mister, and learn something.

Playing truant is stupid. Yes, I know being stupid is part of being a kid, but I hope they learn better the minute they get a job. Otherwise, I wouldn't be surprised if they get the boot ... probably after a couple of days. The same could apply to a school class. Obviously you can't fire the little snits, but could it be possible to take away points if they don't show up to class (the same way that you take away points if they don't do the projects/assignments/whatever)?

This isn't about punishing kids, just teaching them responsibility. If they realise that not turning up to class means something, maybe they'll show up. Think it'll work?



Apologies for my rant. Congratulations! Good luck with the renovation. Here's an extra beer for your friend!

So UK teacher standards include responsibility for pupil outcomes. Unfortunately many schools interpret this as undermining staff and giving kids carte blanche to do as they please. Under our old head, that would never have happened. In truth, it isn't the current head who undermines - it's other members of staff who just don't follow systems. It doesn't help diligent members of staff when others don't complete tasks they need to. We have a trip coming up this Saturday. I can't lead it, but I've done all the work for it, from external liaison, to writing the risk assessment, to providing training for students. Two other members of staff are leading on the day, and they haven't even had the risk assessment signed or asked a stipulated member of SLT for their phone number (instead trying to delegate to me). I'm leading on coursework in a subject and asked two members of staff to forward names of students of concern. One did. One did not, and I'm now having to chase when my workload is already twice as big. Sometimes it's hard to remember I actually enjoy teaching, but here we are.

 

[Naomasa298]

I'm just busting JT's proverbial balls because the fam keeps telling her she needs to start procreating. Personally, I don't know anyone in my age group with kids who isn't abjectly miserable.

This should go into the unhappy thread, but double negatives make me cry.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Cheaper, yes. More agreeable is conditional on recognising the supremacy of the cat. So about the same measure of agreeability.

So UK teacher standards include responsibility for pupil outcomes. Unfortunately many schools interpret this as undermining staff and giving kids carte blanche to do as they please. Under our old head, that would never have happened.

I agree: it shouldn't happen. It tips the balance of power way too much in the students' favour. *hands Dante Dases a bullwhip*

All right, it shouldn't go too far in the other direction either (as it was in the 60s, before "We don't need no education" became a philosophical mantra instead of a song). But there has to be a balance.

In truth, it isn't the current head who undermines - it's other members of staff who just don't follow systems. It doesn't help diligent members of staff when others don't complete tasks they need to. We have a trip coming up this Saturday. I can't lead it, but I've done all the work for it, from external liaison, to writing the risk assessment, to providing training for students. Two other members of staff are leading on the day, and they haven't even had the risk assessment signed or asked a stipulated member of SLT for their phone number (instead trying to delegate to me). I'm leading on coursework in a subject and asked two members of staff to forward names of students of concern. One did. One did not, and I'm now having to chase when my workload is already twice as big.

Now that's just wrong. Can you tell them to do their own f***ing work instead of dumping it all on you?

 

[Dogberry's Watch]

Well, technically it was yesterday at this point because I'm 9 minutes into the 26th, but I got my journal set up for next year. Twelve calendar spreads across the first pages, and a spot for "opening thoughts." I'm going extremely minimalist this year with the only colors being used on the calendars themselves to mark different categories of things. I think it'll fit me nicely. And I'm not doing individual sections for each month. I think that'll suit my tendency to vanish during depressive episodes. If I can't see the sad, it doesn't exist, right? heh heh ha...

 

[GrahamLewis]

The advent of the first winter storm always brings with it the same routine. Making sure the snowblower is ready (I got a new toy this year, an EGO battery-powered one, so that disproportionally excites me) and asking, "Where did I put my super-warm gloves and my stocking cap that includes a facemask?" I remember putting them somewhere so I would be able to easily find them, but the place itself escapes my memory. Not in the familiar places. Then I remember, and pull open a drawer from an old cabinet in the garage, and there, presto, is all my cold-weather gear, including things I hadn't yet remembered to look for.

Makes me happy.

 

[GrahamLewis]

As with many mornings, my lovebird makes me happy. Hand-raised, but as a solo bird, he has bonded with me. A great honor, but also a great responsibility. He demands to be out at least a couple times a day, and lets me know, loudly and insistently if I forget. Though he is quick to forgive and forget if I do. Most days we eat lunch together, him on the corner of the table eating cracker crumbs. Then he willingly returns to his cage, where he sits and preens, or sits and sleeps.

Right now, he's perched on my left hand as I write on the keyboard, rising and falling like a seagull on a piece of driftwood, staring silently at me, his eyes bright and focused, happy and restful, nonjudgmental and accepting. Like he's communicating with me, sending something of value. Sometimes I think of him as a reincarnation, perhaps of pet birds long ago, perhaps, even, of family or friends who have passed on. Reminding me that I have a purpose and a valued place in this world.

But this morning I realized he is not the reincarnation of anything or anyone.

My lovebird is the incarnation. . . of love.

 

[Dogberry's Watch]

It's my stepmom's birthday. I never know what to get her because she's one of those "I'll get what I need/want" type folks, which is lovely, but makes presents hard to pick. I usually give her foodie gifts because we share a love of cooking and food exploration, so I'm going to scoot myself to the store briefly to pick some stuff up for her before I go to my dad's for whatever feast is happening.

Been super grateful for my friends today, too. I've had very little sleep, so maybe that's contributing to the "everything feels so big" going on, but it's important to me that they know, haha. I also get to see my favorite kids today, so I'm very, very happy I get to be around my people.