Thread Drift

I have a question and a sort of proposal. Have any of you TD girls read Last Days of Summer?

If not, I would like to send around a copy, starting maybe with Maillotpois, who can then pass it to the next TD person, etc. The book is funny as hell and really delightful, about a friendship that develops between a 12 year old Jewish Brooklyn boy and a young, profane, diamond in the rough pro baseball player from Wisconsin. I have given out maybe 20 copies of this book. Every time, the recipient not only loves it but it gets passed through large networks of family members and friends. I get emails saying, "Oh my God, that book made me burst out laughing right in the auto repair waiting room, and all these people were lookin' at me laughing my head off!" I even emailed the author and told him how far these networks of readers were stretching, and got quite an email back about where the book came from. Don't want the book to come back to me--this is a "pay it forward" kind of book. Your only obligation will be to report to TD your favorite mixed metaphor or malapropism from the book. My face always hurts by the time I finish rereading the book because I just grin pretty much all the way though.

You guys game?

PS Crazycanuck, we can always replenish your Reese's supply when really necessary---just let us know.
Snap, had your blues over the weekend. Did not enjoy them one bit. Glad they're gone for now.

I'm always up for book sharing!

Sorry to hear you had the blues this weekend Salsa. How's the weather up in Seattle?

California girls--is the heat easing out your way?

Ix Nay on the reece cups....(in english-yes i'd love more but i want to lose weight & not gain:( ....thanks for the offer though) What's worse is there were Hershey's kisses...:eek:

The workmate who visited the US went along the east coast as she has family there. Pretty shocked and saddened when I heard about her time New Orleans & surrounding area:(

She missed the landing of the space shuttle by one day, spent way too much $$$ in NYC but had tons of fun.

______

On my evening bike ride my light started blinking-oops-I didn't pay attention to how long i'd used it & it was almost at it's recharge time. Oh dear did my eyes ever hurt from the blink blink---
I love my new light-it's great on my helmet as it points to the exact area i want in front of me...yayayayayy!!!

___

Hey, did you see the list of uncool songs we love to listen to-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/5237492.stm

I love #2,6,8 & 9 (for the sax solo)

Anyone know a good place to download one or two songs?? I'm searching for a couple & don't want to buy the CD as i don't know the band's songs that well..(Cold chisel-Khe Sanh is one of them)

I trust you'll all have a wonderful day. Good night kids-:)

c

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Originally Posted by Lise

California girls--is the heat easing out your way?

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Up here in northern CA it certainly has - we're back to our typical summer foggy mornings and cool evenings- hurray! Right now I can see about 100 feet off my deck to where the trees fade into grey fog...

(You can see photgraphic evidence on the Monterey thread in the CA forum)

I hope you guys in the east and the middle get a break soon from the heat and humidity. This global warming has really messed with our summer riding routines! :(

Mmm, Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. I got a bag of the minis the day I gave birth to my daughter- they were so delicious!! I work with a guy who brings in a new bag of the singles every night and drives around with it hanging on his portable x-ray machine. I always beg one from him when I see him in the morning. Luckily I only see him Thursdays and Fridays. I was told from the blood bank that if a person has low iron, if they eat two peanut butter cups 45 minutes before getting tested, their hemoglobin will be high enough!! So I do that.

I just bought $25 worth of Jibbitz charms for my Crocs. The fuschia ones should be here today or tomorrow. I got a flamingo, a couple geckos, fish, flowers, etc.

I use Limewire for downloading music. It's warm down here, too, mid 90's. My ride Saturday is in Tampa- so hopefully there will be some breezes from the bay. At least we cool down to low 70's at night.

I'd be up for a book swap sort of thing.

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Originally Posted by fishdr

Sweet! Chocolate, wine, food...any or all of the above - now that would work! As far as I know, Tuesday is the only day that is tied up for me. I get into the airport on Saturday around 11:30am. Ooh this is going to be fun!

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Where exactly are you staying?

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Originally Posted by snapdragen

Today is the first time in quite a while I've felt like I had any energy. I buzzed around work, cleaned up my computer room, got a couple of projects just about finished. I went to Pilates tonight - man! CORE OF STEEL!:eek: Short spine, long spine, monkey - whatever our teacher threw at us, I did it with glee - and MAJOR power. :cool:

I love it when I have good days.

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Wow, Snap. Rock on!!!

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Originally Posted by salsabike

I have a question and a sort of proposal. Have any of you TD girls read Last Days of Summer?

If not, I would like to send around a copy, starting maybe with Maillotpois, who can then pass it to the next TD person, etc. The book is funny as hell and really delightful, about a friendship that develops between a 12 year old Jewish Brooklyn boy and a young, profane, diamond in the rough pro baseball player from Wisconsin. I have given out maybe 20 copies of this book. Every time, the recipient not only loves it but it gets passed through large networks of family members and friends. I get emails saying, "Oh my God, that book made me burst out laughing right in the auto repair waiting room, and all these people were lookin' at me laughing my head off!" I even emailed the author and told him how far these networks of readers were stretching, and got quite an email back about where the book came from. Don't want the book to come back to me--this is a "pay it forward" kind of book. Your only obligation will be to report to TD your favorite mixed metaphor or malapropism from the book. My face always hurts by the time I finish rereading the book because I just grin pretty much all the way though.

You guys game?

PS Crazycanuck, we can always replenish your Reese's supply when really necessary---just let us know.
Snap, had your blues over the weekend. Did not enjoy them one bit. Glad they're gone for now.

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Hey Salsa - that sounds great. I will PM you my address. Do I then get to choose who gets it next?

I suppose I could have just done one message and included everything, but that would require oo much organization for a Wednesday morning!

PP Is snoring in bed. I can hear her from upstairs. Man that girl has sone tonsils. We went to SPorts Basement last night to get her some new shoes - she's suddenly outgrown all of them. So she got these SUPER cool Asics trail runners - bright orange and red. SO cool! She's in a 7 women's. Looks like maybe she's finally getting my (size 11) feet. She'd been small for her age foot-wise til now....

So what are we going to do with the Fish on her trip here?? Here are some of my ideas:

1. Drive up the coast, up Mt. Tam, go to the cheese factory for lunch;
2. Wineries (I have not been to a winery for years) - maybe we see about renting a wine van if we have enough folks who want to do it? I think we could do this fairly economically and then we wouldn't have to worry about designated drivers.
3. Chocolate factory, jelly belly factory.
4. Touring sights of SF - museums (the DeYoung is great), parks, Girrardelli square (hmm... more chocolate there).

So Fish - where are you staying, do you need a ride from the airport, what? Details!

I'm in on the book swap too. But I have to get it before Aug. 29 - that's when I go back to work.

I'm actually excited about going back to work. I'm teaching a 4/5 combo this year, which means lucky me, I'm responsible for two sets of curriculum and standards and benchmarks, two different report cards. The bookkeeping will be fun.

But my class is supposed to be full at the start of the year. Last year I got 16 new students throughout the year. New kids throw off a class for a bit - even if they're good kids. Kids who move a lot have a whole bunch of strikes against them, and it's so hard on them. Avoid moving in the middle of the school year if you can. And take the time to meet your kid's new teacher, even it's May when you move.

My class makeup is supposed to be made up of independent workers, no real problem students. Don't get me wrong, I feel for those kids. But my job is to teach 32 students, to help 32 kids become productive members of society, not to work through the emotional problems of 4 or 5 at the expense of the others' learning. And yeah, that's what it's been the last couple of years.

But the best part, because I have to integrate two curriculums, I have a little more freedom in what and how I teach. Thanks to testing and more accountability for teachers (I'd like some for parents please!) teachers don't have as much time in the schedule to be creative. I miss that.

We're told we have to spend X minutes per day on Lang. Arts, Math, with our At Risk kids only, with our limited Eng. kids only... It sucks up the whole day. Last year I actually figured out how much time I had per week for science, social studies, art, character development, assemblies, movies... - two, 45 minutes blocks for all that. That's it! And theoretically one of those should have gone to PE, since our kids weren't getting the state mandated amount of time.

Anyway...Do what you can, with what you have. :)



V.

V- that sounds tough. What grade are you teaching?

MP - I like your plan!

Like I said - I get in at 11:30 or so on Saturday (9/2). It looks like there isn't much for me to see on Sunday at the conference. I don't have a complete schedule yet, but I do have a list of sessions. I do know that I have to talk on Monday (and run my session) in the afternoon.

MP - I'd be thrilled to have a friendly face pick me up at the airport :) I'm staying at the San Francisco Marriott. I can email you my flight schedule if you really do want to pick me up. That would be awfully generous of you :) I'm looking forward to our get together more than the conference! That's bad, isn't it? Who else is in the area that wants to get together??? This is going to be so cool!

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Originally Posted by Veronica

I'm in on the book swap too. But I have to get it before Aug. 29 - that's when I go back to work.

I'm actually excited about going back to work. I'm teaching a 4/5 combo this year, which means lucky me, I'm responsible for two sets of curriculum and standards and benchmarks, two different report cards. The bookkeeping will be fun.

But my class is supposed to be full at the start of the year. Last year I got 16 new students throughout the year. New kids throw off a class for a bit - even if they're good kids. Kids who move a lot have a whole bunch of strikes against them, and it's so hard on them. Avoid moving in the middle of the school year if you can. And take the time to meet your kid's new teacher, even it's May when you move.

My class makeup is supposed to be made up of independent workers, no real problem students. Don't get me wrong, I feel for those kids. But my job is to teach 32 students, to help 32 kids become productive members of society, not to work through the emotional problems of 4 or 5 at the expense of the others' learning. And yeah, that's what it's been the last couple of years.

But the best part, because I have to integrate two curriculums, I have a little more freedom in what and how I teach. Thanks to testing and more accountability for teachers (I'd like some for parents please!) teachers don't have as much time in the schedule to be creative. I miss that.

We're told we have to spend X minutes per day on Lang. Arts, Math, with our At Risk kids only, with our limited Eng. kids only... It sucks up the whole day. Last year I actually figured out how much time I had per week for science, social studies, art, character development, assemblies, movies... - two, 45 minutes blocks for all that. That's it! And theoretically one of those should have gone to PE, since our kids weren't getting the state mandated amount of time.

Anyway...Do what you can, with what you have. :)

V.

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I've had a 2/3 combo for the last two years and I really enjoyed having the independent workers, no behaviours issues etc. However, this fall I get a straight 3 and I am REALLY looking forward to only having to prep for one grade level for a achange and not have to do the split-class "dance" style of teaching. It'll be a real treat. I have seen my class list though and there are a couple of interesting characters in there. :rolleyes:

PP starts grade 5 this month. I wish V were her teacher!!

Fish - I'm sure I can pick you up. Maybe we can all plan to do something Saturday early afternoon/evening? Who else is in for a CA TD Reunion???