The sweet escape

Work was fun today. I subbed for my mom who has a sinus infection. It has been developing for 2 weeks, but the past couple days she has been very hoarse, which was a sure sign she'd lose her voice today. She always ends up throwing up because of all the drainage and so spent the day at Kaiser.

Spent the time before school in the teacher's lounge talking about the newly passed state budget with a few teachers. Went to her room and as I was walking in, my mom's friend Linda was cutting through. She told me that we were going to breakfast at Farmer Boys during her prep period. I laughed and said it sounded good. Third period rolls around and Linda strolls through. We take off and spend the next 45 minutes talking about school, AVID, and my tutoring gig for AVID. As we get back from breakfast Linda tells me we won't be hungry at lunch, so we'll have dessert. She said we'll have cookies. She bought a bunch of Valentine's cookies and put them in my mom's refrigerator in her classroom. So lunch rolls around and we talk about the students and I tell her about me pursuing a teaching credential, as well as the CSETs. Talking to her was a breath of fresh air- she gave a different perspective nobody else had on going to a private institution for my credential.

I had an easy day as she was giving the final test for her class and she has GREAT kids. Her 6th period class just adored me and didn't know I was her son. I normally am very down to business and let's move, let's do this, let's do that, you need to be on task, etc. With my mom's students I'm much more lax. My mom told me to be- she said they were good kids (I've subbed for her many times before) and that she always is when she gives a test. She told me to tell them to sharpen pencils, take out notes, and give them plenty of time for that because the test would take almost, but not all period. So it worked out. Being laxed like that let me joke around with her 6th period and let the fact sink in I was my mom's son- they hadn't seen me before (and supposedly most of these kids were 7th graders, who should have run into me last year.)

Progreso

Estoy muy feliz que finalmente he logrado el punto de fluidez de Español. I'm very excited that I finally feel that I have reached the point of fluency in Spanish. So much so in fact, that I have registered for the CSETs in Spanish. Those are the subject examination tests to become a teacher here in Cali.

Taylor Swift is taking over the world

I know I said months ago that Taylor Swift was taking over the world. Whoever is behind her (her parents, advertisers, record label, or the mafia), I'm not sure. What I do know is that I heard her on KGGI 99.1 the other day; they're an R&B and rap station. KIIS is now playing her songs, as well as KBIG 104, MYFM. She is on every awards show. Her concert in April at the Staples Center (I think that's the venue) sold out in 2 minutes on Friday.



Why? She has no talent.
If she could carry a tune I may not be worried.
I guess in all honesty it is her youngness, pureness, and appeal to young girls... but is that it?

The power of my iPhone

Subbed for a language arts class the other day. The students were writing their spelling words on the whiteboard and making sure they were spelled right. One kid decided to write something nasty about another student and his teacher, and held it up for me to see.

I walk over and ask for the whiteboard. He hands it over, then erases part of it.

Too late however. This kid had been misbehaving badly prior (I had him the previous 2 periods). I told him to march to the office and he'd have a suspension to follow. He tries to grab the white board from me, erase it, but it was too late. I snapped the photo on my cell phone for evidence, e-mailed it to the Dean of Students, sent my referral, and he was gone.

Super Bowl

Can we say awesome?
Great game. Didn't know any of the players as I'm not one who takes great interest in football. I just know there was an awful lot of cheering.
Went to a long time friend (a kid whom I've known since 1st grade) and my parents have been friends with his parents since then.
Beer run. Flirting with my friend's sister in the car.
Yummy food- 7 layer dip, chili (the best I've had), delicious macaroni salad, pulled pork and beef, and lots of dessert.
My mom brought the 7 layer dip and it was gone in the first hour, then 2 people were asking her for the recipe and what was in it.
Talked to the friend about life, his plans, the CBEST, the CSET, fun stuff like that.