What an honor

Here is an update for all of you who are wondering where I have been and why I have not been blogging lately. Well... that is mostly because I am so incredibly busy with school.... and it's going very well, I must say. So well in fact that I was given the honor and recognition as Teacher of the Month! I was, of course, confused and surprised but so very honored. Presented with a framed certificate and the privilege of the corresponding parking space, I accepted this honor, given to me by students that are not in any of my classes. I am not certain what the criteria is, but nonetheless, I am very honored and proud of such a recognition so early in my career.

Oh, and that feels good... great... to say.. my career. It might be still early yet, but I feel as though I have finally found a job that I look forward to each day. 

BTSN

As if it's not been hard enough to adjust to 150 different students and their needs in the classroom, I must now adjust to the needs of their parents as well. Thursday night, I experienced my first Back To School Night (BTSN) at my school, where a surprisingly large amount of parents and grandparents came to see what their child's classrooms looked like.. although for a new teacher like myself, it felt more like a judgement. So after a very long, yet successful day of teaching, we basically were asked to stay and do it all over again, but in the much shorter 10 minute class periods. 

It went very well I think, considering I had no idea what to expect... was 10 minutes going to drag out? Be too short? When that 15 hour work day came to and end (and no, you don't get paid for that extra time), parents were nice, excited about their child's classes, and I felt successful, relieved, and exhausted.

Stay tuned... next week is my first fundraiser for my yearbook class which involves the teachers (including myself), students, and projectile water balloons???? Ugh... the things we do for our kids.

I have survived 2 weeks

I know, I know... it's been way too long since my last post. Hey! Leave me alone! I have been incredibly busy. I am barely keeping my head above water in my new career change.... I knew becoming a teacher would not be easy, but I was not prepared for how hard it would be on me physically. In addition to the many hours I spend outside of class on preparation for the next day or week, I am finding myself extremely fatigued and sore each night... so any free time and energy I have goes to my studies towards graduation (only a few more months!!!). 

It has been a tough transition and roller coaster of confusion being a new teacher, not accustomed to my school's routines and procedures. But all in all, I like it (so far). Although... check back in about a month when I have begun the evaluation process by my both my Masters program professor and my Principal! Yikes! Talk about pressure!

Not So Great America

So this weekend Dave and I went to California's (or is it Paramount? I forget) Great America with a bunch of folks. This was my first visit to the park... and probably my last...
Now I am a long-time fan of roller coasters.... even though my body is... umm... let's say, getting too old to handle that kind of physical force... but dangit, I still crave the thrill! My last experience at a similar park (Magic Mountain - my all-time fave) left both Dave and I feeling wrecked and slightly sick. But, in the interest of good fun with friends (and since I had never been to this park), I was willing to give it a try (armed with Dramamine, just in case).
It was a fun day. Let me just start with that. It was absolutely fun. Barely any lines nearly the entire day. And I handled the rides perfectly. Fun. So fun that I am not ready to give up my love for the coaster. But here's why I doubt I will ever go back to Great America. In the 5ish hours that we were there, we went on about 6-8 roller coasters. Could someone please tell me why nearly half of those were "experiencing technical difficulty" as soon as we reached the front of the line? Literally... the rides were working, but when our group neared the front, the rides stopped. We were beginning to think it was a sign.... that we were pressing our luck or something. Which of course did not stop us from still getting on the ride after it started to work again... maybe that was why all of the lines were so short?
Anyway, not a good first impression of Great America in my opinion. Yes, I had a great time, with great people, but I doubt they will be getting my money ever again.

Extended tour of beautiful Richmond, CA

Naomi and I at the fire station (read below for the "why").

It wasn't me! I didn't do it!

For those of you who might recognize this scene, I think I'd rather hear your story.

Okay, so now that I've got your attention... yes, that is me... and yes, I am sitting in an interrogation room. Ah yes, Room 2... such memories... good times... 

Alright, alright, I'm sure I didn't fool any of you... if you know me at all, you're waiting for the catch because the good, law-abiding citizen I am would never land me in such a predicament. And you would be right. 

This past weekend, a friend from work took me on a "tour" of a local Police Department and all it's wonder, including the frightening interrogation room, a place I would imagine nobody EVER wants to visit. However, its implication of wrong-doing intrigued me. I'm not sure if it was my fascination in the upside down justice system or my obsession with criminal shows like The First 48... but either way, I needed to see and feel what it was like inside that little room. Hoping that my claustrophobia would not kick in, I was locked in Interrogation Room 2, being viewed and heard by my friend and her brother (who got me the privileges to take the RPD tour). And here were some of my surprises:

1. it wasn't as cold as I would have expected

2. the camera was way too easy to find

And all in all, I thought that sitting in the chair of criminals would freak me out, panic me. Although, I did not do anything wrong... do you think had anything to do with my calmness?

Anyway, we were able to get a recorded video of us in the interrogation room (which is kind of boring since you know we are innocent). The tour of RPD ended when we arrived at what I call the cherry on top.... a local firehouse... need I say more?

Niles Dog Show

Doggy Day fun! This weekend, we took AsaMalla to the Annual Niles Dog Show in the sleepy district of Fremont. As last year, we didn't care about the "show" part, but instead really took her so that I could see all the cute pups! And last year she had her first attempt at swimming... and.. this year was not much different... she again, attempted, but wasn't real hip to the idea of going out any farther than she could still feel the solid ground beneath her. So Dave, being the trooper he is waded in the water with her, trying to reassure her. She only looked up at him as if to say, "go ahead, I'll watch from here." So we let her off leash (like we did last year), and she decided it was more fun to run around in the dirt instead.  Maybe she needed her BFF Nacho (a water lover) there to coax her in? Oh well, maybe next year.

But on a side note, can someone tell me why she always sticks her tongue out at me in pictures?