Monday, December 29, 2008

WHOLEY CRAP!!!

I finally sat down to back up all my pictures on my desktop. I've been putting it off for 5 years. So, there are 5 years of pictures plus scans of family pictures for the last 30 some-odd years. I leave the room for 15 minutes, come back and the computer has frozen. No big deal it does it frequently. One of the reasons I was backing up today, so I could start taking pictures off the hard drive. Do my usual to reboot....now there is a problem. All I get is the Compaq red screen and a high pitched beep. I don't know if this is a crash or what, all I know is it isn't good.

My sister says to unplug and walk away for a while. I am trying not to meltdown about it. My dear, dear husband says he will look at it when he gets home from Costco. The man is sweet, but knows nothing about PCs. I am tempted to just call the Geek Squad.

Someone, just please tell me that my photos will be saved. There is a lot of other important stuff on there, the only thing I care about are the photos. JUST SAVE THE PHOTOS!!!!!

Thursday, December 18, 2008

oh my heck...melt down ahead


A student approached me and asked what was wrong...I about took off his head. I'm having a melt down. It dawned on me today that people think that I have 6 hours in the day that they don't. That has got to be the only explaination as to why people keep asking me to do things.

In the next two days I must complete the following:

1. come up with certificate categories for the annual gingerbread house contest (more on that in another post)
2. finish the afgan I'm making for my grandmother
3. decorate for the staff holiday breakfast
4. pick up one more secret santa gift
5. add something to my best work friend's gift
6. create a book report type activity for my sophomores
7. grade 3 months worth of English papers

In the next 4 days I must:

1. make 4 photo albums (two that must ship)
2. ship the 3 gifts that need to be shipped (see above)
3. send out the holiday newsletter or Christmas cards
4. make sure M writes the holiday newsletter

In the next week I must:

1. shampoo the carpet in my house
2. clean the craft room
3. make 2 gifts
4. finish buying stocking gifts
5. paint the entryway
6. do backyard recon from the puppy destruction
7. menu plan for Christmas Eve
8. clean for the family party on Christmas Eve
9. take the puppies to the groomers

So, needless to say, I'm just a tad busy.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

feeling a little grinchy


I am just not feeling the Christmas spirit. B and D have done it again. This is two years in a row (actually it's been going on for 6 years) that they have made the holiday season miserable. B has decided she doesn't want to go to my families Christmas party. M asked her if she was still coming on Christmas Eve since my family was going to be there, she at first said I don't know, but when he told her that if she was wanting to cut them out of her life he would tell them to return the gifts they bought her. That changed her tune, all of sudden she didn't want to cut them out, she would be there Christmas Eve. Of course now I don't want her there.
My family is trying so hard to make her feel like part of the family and comfortable and welcome and all she can do is spit in their faces. I am so tired of trying to foster some sort of relationship with her. I just want to call it quits and be done with it. I know doing that would upset M, but right now I don't care. I hate to say it but this nonsense maybe be the death of a great relationship.
I don't want it to effect my relationship with M, but when he is so miserable because B doesn't want to come around, doesn't want to be an active part of our family (we are like Disneyland to her, she comes, we plan something and spend money on her and she goes away to her "real" home). I just feel like his relationship with her would be so much better if I just wasn't around. I know that between now and Christmas anytime he has B, I plan on being someplace else. It will just be better that way, I am in a state of mind regarding her that I might just say something I would regret later.
Has anyone else gone through this? Does it ever get better? Easier?
On a brighter note...L is arriving the day after Christmas. That should be fun, that's the step-daughter I get along with. A couple of days after she arrives her best friend is coming. I'm excited, I have planned a few things for me and the 18-year-olds. I think we will have a good time, and as mean as it sounds I'm not taking B with us.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Just another day in paradise?

I have returned from a fabulous trip to New York. I learned a lot, saw some great theatre and had the opportunity to reconnect with great friends. The weather was cold, it rained for two days and the city was crowded beyond belief. But man did we have fun.

This morning I am back at work, dealing with teenagers. I have already yelled at both my English classes. They don't seem to understand that when asked to please stop talking, it doesn't mean to finish your conversation and then stop. Theatre 1 complained very vigorously about how hard the new scenes are going to be and said they took a vote to use scripts of the same level of the last ones. I had to explain that it wasn't a democracy, they were living in my queendom for period 3. Looking forward to advanced students who will want to know all about the trip to New York.

On a very happy note...I forgot today is a minimum day. I only have to deal with students until 12:15 today. Although, I do have a cast meeting, department meetings and rehearsal this afternon. It is better than teaching until 3:00.

Monday, December 08, 2008

a heart breaking moment

I had to take a day to ponder on this otherwise this post would be very angry and even more hurtful.

It has all hit the fan again with B after we thought things were getting better. Yesterday we were supposed to go hear her sing at her church and see a display of nativity scenes. I was really looking forward to going, I like nativity scenes, I like listening to choirs sing and it was the first time I was going to attend an event for B (even though her dad and I have been together for years).

M talked to B on Sunday afternoon and discovered that BB (birth b#@#$) was going to be holding a seat for him with her family. He reminded B that I was coming and that she should let her mom know. B gave the phone to her mom, who when told I was coming said "No". From there it turned really, really bad. BB hung up on M, he called back to talk to B but had to leave a message, B called him back after a few minutes.

At this point he asked B if she wanted me to go or not. The only way I wasn't going to go was if she said she didn't want me to. She said she didn't want me to, it would cause trouble. M asked about trouble for who, she said just trouble, so he decided he wouldn't go either. She then proceeded to tell him that her and her mom needed their space, that he wasn't there for her when he and her mom were together and he isn't there for her now. He stressed to her how he is always trying to get extra time with her and that her mom doesn't let him. (she makes sure he only gets the minimum of 6 hours the divorce papers say)

M ended up going but not sitting with BB and her family and he did not stay when it was over. He said B looked on the verge of tears the entire time. He is so finished with all of this. He goes out of his way to do things for B. He went and did lighting for one of her school dances, he is lined up to do 4 more dances for her thoughout the year (she's part of leadership). This means he is pulling out favors from people at this office to borrow equipment to make what B wants happen. This is the dad who "isn't there for her."

I was even dragged into the meat of the argument, apparently I disrespect her everytime I go to her house with M to pick up B. I never get out of the car, I don't even look at her if I can help it. She says she gets dirty looks whenever she drops off or picks up B from us. I don't even see her, she refuses to get out of the car.

I am at my wits end. I try to be supportive, I try to be understanding. But this CHILD treats her father like he's dirt anytime she doesn't get what she wants and I can't take it anymore! And don't know what to do. ARGH!!!

Thursday, December 04, 2008

If only...

I could kill sophomores without any legal reporcussions. Because I can name almost 40 who deserve to die right now.

I have never encountered a group who can go from being good kids to wholey terrors in 30 seconds. They don't listen, they don't work and try to take a sub's word over my own. If they would stop their side conversations long enough they would know and understand what we are doing, my throat wouldn't hurt from having to talk over them to get their attention and I wouldn't feel like I'm about to snap at any moment.

Oh, and to all you substitue teachers out there, don't augment my lesson plans, no matter how weak you feel they are. I don't want to grade the stupid crossword puzzle that you gave them because you thought it would be fun. Don't correct my theatre students when they know what they are doing because they have been doing it for a week.

All these things combined does not leave me feeling well about leaving them for 3 days next week while I'm at a conference. This should be fun. I really should check and see which sub is in my room....hopefully it is the retired marine, he ROCKS!!!!!

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Poor Buddy


On Monday the poor baby had to go the the doggie emergency room. He had a lot of vomiting and needed to be seen on the quick. After lots of time and lots of money it was determined that he needed x-rays and barium to figure out if there a blockage of somekind.

By 10:30 the next day it and two vets later it was determined that the problem could have been scraps from the molding he ate. But nobody will commit for sure. He was given some drugs and a bland diet and seems to be feeling fine as of 7:00 this morning when I left for work.

It should be noted that the picture actually has nothing to do with the incident in question, it is a photo of the poor boy covered in double stick tape. Since he can climb out of the indoor dog-run it was suggested that we line it with double stick tape since they don't like the way it feels. Well, apparently he tried to climb over, got covered in tape, ran outside rolled in the dirt to get the tape off, then came back in covered in tape and dirt and climbed out of the run.

Crazy puppy.