putting the cool in sc[h]ool

School has started back up with a vengeance, and I have no life. Right now I have a cake in the oven that I'm baking for the January birthdays at PCA, because I accidentally signed up for my own birthday month to bring treats. Why? I don't know.

Random things that have happened in the past week:

-I learned more than I ever wanted to about one of my students' blue belly button lint.

-I have had at least 3 male students ask about my "hot 15-year old sister."

-I missed Jeanette's baby shower because of all the snow on Saturday. I'm sorry, Jeanette. I have a killer gift for you & Master P, too.

-Quote of the week: "I can totally see Mrs. Parton with a butcher's knife..." - in reference to the practice Lock-Down we'll be having later this week.

-Our youth group started a dodgeball league for 6 weeks during the winter, in which some of my students also play. The first night was last Thursday. It is AWESOME. 

-I jokingly told one of my students to get me a Jamocha shake at Arby's... and he did.

-I finally finished grading all the short stories. 

-I made grilled cheese sandwiches for the first time ever. 

-I realized today that there are 91 days of class left in the school year, which is blowing my mind.

-Our hot water keeps going in & out. This morning was my first hot shower in a week.

-A student accidentally told me to shut up today. He was telling another student to shut up, then began to ask me a question, but forgot to pause, so it came out: "Shut up Mrs. Parton! Oh my gosh, I mean..." (I wasn't even talking, otherwise I would have been more suspicious...)

-I made another student sit in the corner with his face to the wall on Friday. 

-I gave out my 3rd detention of the semester today. I gave out 2 detentions last semester. I am on a roll. I told my students my New Year's resolution was to be mean. I don't think they believe me.

sea kitten?

I was going to do a re-cap post about 2008, or a post about New Year's resolutions... but then one of my students showed me this. And I thought, really, this is much more important. The sea kitten stories are especially amusing.

check it OUT!

FINALLY!

Victoria & I have put Good Apple on Etsy.com - a venue for crafters to sell their homemade products. 

You can check out our shop HERE.

And don't forget to visit the Good Apple blog regularly for updates!

routine & change

Gentle readers, I am not a person who thrives on change. I get stressed out when we move around the living room to make a place for the Christmas tree. That’s not to say that I don’t like decorating or even that I don’t LIKE change; sometimes I just need a little convincing and patience.

I am good with routine. I like having a list of things to do and being able to check things off. Confession: sometimes when I make to-do lists, I put on something I’ve already done just so I can check it off and feel more accomplished. It’s a mind trick, and it totally works. I like feeling productive and accomplished, and a routine gives me a sense of order. When my routines get messed up – or changed – I sometimes struggle internally.

I like to reflect on things. I definitely have whimsical, daydreamy tendencies. I like sitting in silence alone with my thoughts. In fact, I rarely listen to music in the car when I’m by myself. However, I have discovered that too much alone time to think is also a bad thing for me. I get carried away with thoughts.

The return back to school was good & bittersweet, and I only changed one class. My hilarious, exasperatingly funny speech class has been replaced by a bunch of strangers. I know I’ll love these kids too, but when some of my old speech students stood at the door & waved, I felt a little pang in my heart. It was magnified when I realized that some of those students are seniors, and come next year, they’ll be gone. 99% of the time I’m just enjoying today and not worrying about tomorrow (at least with teaching…), but every once in awhile, I’ll have one of those little moments.

I’m too young to be sentimental, right?!

a tale of two thieves

As promised last time, the tale of when my dear sister-in-law, Michele, & I were almost apprehended. Sort of.

Last Sunday, Michele & I ventured to JC Penny's for some girl time & shopping. I was looking for slippers, and she had a gift card to burn. To my disappointment, there were no cute slippers, but we did have fun perusing the sale racks. We looked at shirts, jeans, jewelry, purses, selected a few things & made our way to the changing rooms. 

After trying on our various outfits, we exited the changing rooms, put down the clothes we didn't plan to purchase, and I walked with Michele to return the jewelry and purse she had opted not to buy. We then decided to stop at the little Sephora section of this particular Penny's. We browsed for a bit, paid for our products and headed out the door. Or so we thought.

When I was opening the door to go outside, a gruff male voice interrupted our conversation and laughter: "Don't walk out that door." A big arm grabbed the handle I was attempting to push open and pulled it shut. I turned, surprised, and was greeted by a stern male face. "You ladies need to come with me."

We were utterly confused and responded with variations of, "What? Us?" It was abruptly confirmed: YES, US. As we walked like guilty little school girls behind this hulking figure, he was radioing other personnel: "I need a female at the LP Office." 

As we were making our way back to the mysterious "LP Office," I asked timidly, "Um, could you explain what this is all about?" The only response I received was a surly, "When we get to the office."

At this point, Michele and I are exchanging confused glances and my heart is pounding a million miles a minute. Did I forget to change out of something in the changing room? Did something fall in my coat pocket? 

We entered the Loss Prevention Office and were directed to sit on two chairs in the corner. As soon as we sat down, Mr. Silent Brooding turned into Captain Interrogation. The conversation/ cross-examination ran like this:

Him: "You ladies want to tell me why you're here?"

Us: *blank stares*

Him: "Don't sit there and look confused when you know what this is about! I'm the one who determines if you get to walk out of here, or if I call the Canton Police and have them escort you."

Me: "Sir, we look confused because we are confused."

Him: "Did you girls look at purses and jewelry?"

Michele: "Yes, we both bought one pair of earrings, and I looked at a purse, but I didn't buy it."

Him: "Do you want to tell me what you did with the jewelry you didn't buy?"

Michele: *confused look* "I put it back where I got it from."

Him: "No you didn't." *Pulls out a purse and begins removing price tags from purse.*

Us: *blank stare*

Him: "What are these?"

Michele: "I have no idea. That's not the purse I looked at."

Him: "Well, where is all this jewelry?"

Michele: "Sir, I have no clue. I put the jewelry back on the table - I have no clue what that is."

At this point, we explained to the guy that we didn't steal any jewelry. We detailed exactly where Michele had replaced the jewelry and bag, and the guy made her walk back to that spot and show him. While they were gone, I asked the lady who had come in with us if she wanted to search me. She responded, "Nope, I'm just here to witness," as carefree as if I had asked her if she wanted a piece of bubble gum.

When Michele and the guy returned, he was sheepish and still keeping up his stern act in an attempt to cover his embarrassment. 

Him: "Well, you know, I saw what I thought I saw, and I'm doing my job. I'm sorry, but I thought I saw what I thought I saw. Do you have any questions for me?"

Me: "Yes, what is your name?"

He told me his name, I thanked him and we left. As soon as we were out of the store, we basically exploded with all the things we wished we had said and done. 

After telling our husbands what had happened, they went back and had a little chat with the guy and the store manager, and apparently we should be receiving written apologies in the mail any day. I mean, I know the guy was doing his job; he probably thought we were sneaky teenagers,  but he still didn't have to be such a jerk about it. 

Here is a pictorial reenactment of what he wished had happened...

Stealing the goods.

Caught red-handed.

Mug shots.

Yeah right, sucka!

Happy New Year.