Tomorrow is what is traditionally my favorite day of the school year -- the last day of school before winter break. Winter break is glorious, just because it's this time of year when a break is so appreciated. We get a measly 12 days off this year, but even that is cause for celebration.
But I like the day more for just the onset of vacation. Winter break begins with the class holiday party, the kids wearing their Santa hats and reindeer antler headbands, the office and the teachers' lounge being filled up with all kinds of treats, music playing all day long, and what is generally a happy, festive atmosphere. People exchange gifts and good wishes, and generally the day is full of positivity and people showing each other the kind of affection and appreciation that wouldn't be such a bad thing to see more frequently. I like spending a happy day with my students, having reached a point in the school year where we've been together long enough to have bonded, knowing that even though I'll be separated from them for those 12 days, I'll get them back again in January.
But there is another good thing about the last day before break: Gift Card Day.
If kids ever ask me what I'd like for Christmas, I don't even hesitate anymore, or offer up any kind of pretense: "Either get me a gift card or a Christmas tree ornament." My tree is thick with a garbage-pizza variety of ornaments collected over the years, and I always enjoy revisiting them when the season comes around. But gift cards are also pretty awesome.
You see, teachers view the collection of holiday gift cards as a litmus test of which students love them the most, and of course, of which teachers are the most universally loved in the school. If you can't crack $100 on a Christmas in a strong economy, you might as well look for another line of work 'cause you just ain't reachin' anyone.
Some tips out there for parents: $20 is the optimal amount; $10 is still respectable, though doesn't get you as far, and $25 is just a sign of someone trying too hard. $5? Please. Don't waste my time. And for the love of food, please do a little research before you buy. Don't assume we (and by "we" I mean all teachers) drink coffee. I don't. So don't screw me with a Caribou card that I'll probably just pass on to my sister, because it's not like you were buying her a gift now, was it? And it's not always great to get one from somewhere really specific, like "here's a gift card to a nice chain restaurant, but the nearest location is in Owatonna and it's only open on Thursday nights." Target always works. And Borders, for me, is the grail of the gift card. I'm in pretty good shape so far, since Gift Card Day is still tomorrow and my total for the year is already sitting at a respectable $55. (Once I break that $100 mark I'll be able to breathe a little easier.) And one of the coolest things I've gotten so far this year other than gift cards? A little metal gift-card sized box.... meant for storing gift cards. Hooray!!!!!
Disclaimer: Anyone who read the two previous paragraphs and took a single word of it seriously just does not get my sense of humor. If that's the case, you really need to find another blog to follow.
In all seriousness, it is the warmth and affection and companionship and appreciation everyone at school shows each other on that final day before break that I love the most. It makes me wish there were more days like that to soak up.
All right, moving on. The "Infinity" nod up in my post title refers to my 2009 Nanowrimo book. Remember how I won? Woo-hoo!! Anyway, the book is finally getting some circulation and feedback. My favorite bit of this so far came from today, when one of my students -- the first person from the intended age group, and actually someone who fell right into the target demographic I wrote for -- finished reading it. She did talk to me afterward with some enthusiasm for it and had some comments about it when she passed it along to another teacher -- my Life Coach -- that I wish I'd been there to hear.
Incidentally, anyone who would still like to read it and wouldn't mind reading it off a computer screen or printing it themselves should just let me know, and I'll send you a copy of the PDF. And for those people who've had copies of that PDF for a few weeks now, hey, FEEL FREE to let me know what you think / thought. The day will come soon when I start revising it for real, and the more opinions I can collect the more I'll have to think about.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Your Dose of Irony for the Day
Has anyone else ever noticed that the very same section of the parking lot that gets cordoned off when the Christmas trees go on sale in December is the exact same spot where the fireworks are sold five months earlier? Probably a good thing they don't occupy the same space at the same time. I'm jus' sayin'.
Saturday, December 12, 2009
In December
I apologize in advance for how random and disjointed today's post is going to read.
*December has been busy. There is some pressure at school when you see the date that report cards are to be sent home approaching on the calendar. And there is more pressure when you know you need to finish the unit you're on before winter break, because if you don't you'll be met by a roomful of blank stares if you try to pick up where you left off. Trust me - I've seen it.
But despite the pressure, December is one of my favorite months of school. I like the holidays circling everything that's going on, I like the initial landscape wipe of the first major snowfall and the way the kids light up in response to it. I like knowing that break is coming up really soon, even if this year it's going to be kind of short. I like being at a point in the year when I have had time to build relationships with my students, and to have a chance to bask in that mutual appreciation with them just as we all prepare to go our separate ways for the holidays.
I'd probably be enjoying the month a little more if I wasn't STILL shaking off the illness that took me down just before Thanksgiving. It's pretty much over with, but it seems like I'm going to have one of those coughs that just keeps on going and going, and then once you feel like you're finally over with it you surprise yourself with a quick, harsh hacking fit that ends with you packing a mouthful of nastiness that had been lining your lungs moments before. I won't miss this when it's finally over.
The first snow was a good strong one. I won't reflect on it too much, other than to say that the morning after the main snowfall saw a 14" snow drift right outside of my garage. And that RAV 4 of mine? Plowed right through it without a second thought. It was pretty sweet. Even better was my arrival home after a few more inches of snow had fallen and my driveway hadn't been plowed yet. I just drove right up and into the garage without hesitation. I'm feeling all kinds of RAV love these days, and even sprung for the expensive car wash when I went to fill the tank this morning.
Okay, enough blah blah blah. Two musical points to make today.
First of all, one of my favorite musical collaborations of 2009 has to be the duet between Rihanna and Shy Ronnie on the most recent SNL Digital Short. If you haven't seen the video, you really want to look it up.
Secondly, I'm working on a couple iTunes playlists these days. One will be my favorite 25 songs from the year, something I've done for the past five years or so. It makes a nice little musical time capsule to listen to occasionally. Don't worry - I'll be sharing it here when it's finished. Also I've put together a new archive list, made from songs in the library that I haven't played yet. This is mostly older stuff. It's always cool to dig out the older music and revisit what you've been missing for months or years. I highly recommend it.
And now I'll go back to waiting to hear about my first agency submission from my manuscript of this past summer... which is killing me with anticipation a little. I honestly don't expect they'll take me on as a client, but if they aren't, I'd sure like to know it so I can move to the next one on the list and start the whole agonizing process again.
*December has been busy. There is some pressure at school when you see the date that report cards are to be sent home approaching on the calendar. And there is more pressure when you know you need to finish the unit you're on before winter break, because if you don't you'll be met by a roomful of blank stares if you try to pick up where you left off. Trust me - I've seen it.
But despite the pressure, December is one of my favorite months of school. I like the holidays circling everything that's going on, I like the initial landscape wipe of the first major snowfall and the way the kids light up in response to it. I like knowing that break is coming up really soon, even if this year it's going to be kind of short. I like being at a point in the year when I have had time to build relationships with my students, and to have a chance to bask in that mutual appreciation with them just as we all prepare to go our separate ways for the holidays.
I'd probably be enjoying the month a little more if I wasn't STILL shaking off the illness that took me down just before Thanksgiving. It's pretty much over with, but it seems like I'm going to have one of those coughs that just keeps on going and going, and then once you feel like you're finally over with it you surprise yourself with a quick, harsh hacking fit that ends with you packing a mouthful of nastiness that had been lining your lungs moments before. I won't miss this when it's finally over.
The first snow was a good strong one. I won't reflect on it too much, other than to say that the morning after the main snowfall saw a 14" snow drift right outside of my garage. And that RAV 4 of mine? Plowed right through it without a second thought. It was pretty sweet. Even better was my arrival home after a few more inches of snow had fallen and my driveway hadn't been plowed yet. I just drove right up and into the garage without hesitation. I'm feeling all kinds of RAV love these days, and even sprung for the expensive car wash when I went to fill the tank this morning.
Okay, enough blah blah blah. Two musical points to make today.
First of all, one of my favorite musical collaborations of 2009 has to be the duet between Rihanna and Shy Ronnie on the most recent SNL Digital Short. If you haven't seen the video, you really want to look it up.
Secondly, I'm working on a couple iTunes playlists these days. One will be my favorite 25 songs from the year, something I've done for the past five years or so. It makes a nice little musical time capsule to listen to occasionally. Don't worry - I'll be sharing it here when it's finished. Also I've put together a new archive list, made from songs in the library that I haven't played yet. This is mostly older stuff. It's always cool to dig out the older music and revisit what you've been missing for months or years. I highly recommend it.
And now I'll go back to waiting to hear about my first agency submission from my manuscript of this past summer... which is killing me with anticipation a little. I honestly don't expect they'll take me on as a client, but if they aren't, I'd sure like to know it so I can move to the next one on the list and start the whole agonizing process again.
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