Ramblings

1. I'm sick. I was so smug earlier this year when I got my flu shot. I've watched people at school drop like flies for the last few weeks, and every time another one did, I thanked myself for being smart enough to get that shot. You know, the one that's supposed to help you avoid the flu? The one I haven't gotten for the last seven years, even though as a teacher I'm in the "high risk" eligibility group? Because I am young and healthy and thought someone elderly and frail could use it more than me? Yeah, that's the shot. I had it this year. Now I'm sick. I know it's a virus, too, because I am already on antibiotics for an unrelated issue... Don't feel bad for me, I know it's going around. It was just a matter of time. Let's just hope that J isn't going to get this. If he is, though, let's hope that he does it today or tomorrow so we can both be better for Christmas and all the traveling we're going to be doing.

2. I hate being surprised. I LOVE to give other people surprises, but I hate to be the one being surprised. I told that to my friend the other day and she said, "Oh, that's sad!" I never quite thought of it that way, but I guess it is. So I thought some more about it, and I need to qualify that statement. I hate to be surprised when lots of people are around. I don't want to have to act surprised in front of a group of people because I am NOT a good actress. There are some surprises that I enjoy. For example, my mom surprised me with a visit on my birthday a few years ago. She called one of my friends and figured out what we were doing and where we were going to celebrate, and then she just showed up in the Tri-Cities. We pulled up to the theater (we were going to see a local production of "To Kill A Mockingbird") and she was standing in the parking lot. I almost didn't recognize her at first, because it was so unexpected! I mean, who really drives four hours to visit someone without calling first? Well, my mom did, and it was great! My sister tried to do the same thing last spring, but she made the mistake of talking to J first. I hate being surprised so much that I am relentless when I think something is going on. J innocently tipped me off by randomly suggesting that while we were washing the sheets on our bed, we may as well wash the sheets in the guest room, too. He never suggests more housework voluntarily, so immediately I knew something was up. To his credit, though, he never told me it was T coming...

3. We got our first snowfall of the season yesterday! And, because I am sick, I am selfishly hoping and praying like crazy that it messes up school tomorrow and Tuesday. You see, I have to go to work because this week I have too much going on. There's just no way I can miss Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday. I suppose I could miss Thursday, but really, at that point it's more work to write sub plans than it is to just tough it out, so I'll probably suck it up and go all week. But if there is a snow day, or even a snow delay, I get time off for free to recuperate!

4. I get to work with a student teacher for the first time! It's sorta strange, because I am still the youngest person in my department, so I still feel like "new kid on the block." But, I stopped to think about it the other day, and I have been teaching for eight years now...that's a long time! And, not to toot my own horn, I am good at my job. I know there are people who are better, but I'm no slouch. So why do I keep thinking to myself, "Why do they want to place him with me? Don't they know I'm new at this?" I giggled right out loud when I read the letter from his supervisor at WSU that was addressed to "Master Teacher." I think I may have him call me that...what do you think? Talk about an ego boost a dozen times a day! Anyway, I am nervous and excited, happy and sad all at the same time. Nervous because I don't know what to expect. I hope he's good! Excited because it's something new and different! Happy because it's a good experience for him, for me, and for my kids. Plus it'll look good on a resume. Sad because I love my students. I teach because of the kids, not because I love English. I'm not sure I'm ready to give them up. In fact, I knew I didn't want to give up all of my kids all day, so I conned my department chair into splitting the day with me. He'll teach her seniors first and third hours (so I get to keep my seniors!) and he'll have my freshmen fourth, fifth and sixth hours. Though I am sort of sad to be turning over my freshmen, they are such an awesome group of kids it would be a shame for him not to get to experience working with them! Hmm...as he'll be with me from January 5 to the middle of May, there will be more to follow on this topic, I'm sure!

5. J went out yesterday to buy me two small Christmas gifts. We have talked about the "big" gift that he wants to buy for me because it's a pretty major purchase, and it's literally too big to be hauling around the state. But he knows this year that he has to have small gifts for me to open at each house we visit. Before he left to so shopping his words to me were, "I don't want to be empty handed again, so I am going to go shopping today for your small gifts!" Last year, we decided that we were going to use his Christmas bonus from work to purchase a new computer, and that would be our gift to each other. However, since we were going to be at three different houses for three different gift opening celebrations, I had a small gift at each house for him to open. I spent $30 total on all three, so it really wasn't anything big. But he had small gifts from me to open. He, on the other hand, didn't have anything for me. It's not that I wanted stuff, you know? I just wanted him to know I was thinking about him, and I wanted to know that he had been thinking about me. This year, he's done some thinking and preparing early, and that thrills me to no end! The only bad thing is that I know he shopped for me, and I can't even begin to guess at what he purchased...and, if you refer back to #2, you'll recall that I hate to be surprised. I just hope he hid the stuff well, and that I don't come across anything accidentally in my snooping...