Flipping Awesome

It's been a while since I've vlogged, so when an amazing thing happened to me this week, I figured I'd share it via video.
(BTW, Please excuse the hyperventilating--I settle down eventually.)

By the way, I have no recollection at all of telling my collegue that I had been wishing for a FLIP camera.

Sundays in My City/Weekly Winners: Polar Plunge!

Sundays in My City is a weekly photo meme hosted by the lovely, post-partum Unknown Mami. Stop by her place for more cultural displays :) And visit Lotus to see stunning photography from near and far.

Yesterday, in Green Bay, the annual "Polar Plunge" to benefit Special Olympics took place. (Yes, people in Green Bay know how to have fun in the winter, even when football season ends! :)

For the Plunge, teams collect donations in exchange for taking a dip in frigid waters. On this day, the outside temperature was in the upper teens. A large hole was cut in the ice on a local swimming hole, and teams of crazy people were not in short supply.

This was my first time observing The Plunge, and in spite of frozen toes and fingers, it was very entertaining! There was quite a variety of personalities in each of the teams, but costumes appeared to be the rule for experienced plungers; that, and the "bring a friend" philosophy....

These kind souls wore wetsuits and hung out in the water for hours, giving assistance

to those who became momentarily confused/paralyzed/traumatized (imagine that!) after plunging.

Kyle and a couple of fraternity brothers decided to get involved this year.

As newbies, they forgot costumes, but as you can see, that was the last thing on their minds.

Ready...(yes, that's snow)

Set....

Go!

[insert huh-huh-huh-huh-huh and teeth-chattering sound effects here]

Doesn't that look refreshing?!

In case the photos didn't quite capture enough of the fun for you, here's the video:

They had a great time and plan to do it again next year.

In case there is any doubt, NO, I will not be joining them (at least not in the water).

Saturday Sampling, February 26, 2011

I don't know what it is about Saturday Sampling that I love so much. It might be the fact that we get the chance to invite a second look at posts that are dear to our hearts. It is that, but I especially love getting to showcase some of my favorite people's writing, such as the post I linked up from Nezzy today; that girl can write! If you're behind in your reader (and who isn't?), this is the perfect way to catch up on the good stuff!

So, if you think we should all read a special post (or posts) you've read, please share it! If you've written one that stands out as something important to you, link that up, too. And thank you, for sharing a piece of your heart :)

Please, if you've never read the details on Saturday Sampling, I'd appreciate your clicking on the tab above :)


Here's the Linky Tool for your linking pleasure. I can't wait to read your offerings--Thanks :)

BRRRRRRR!

Kyle told me yesterday that he and his fraternity brothers are doing the Polar Plunge tomorrow to raise money for Special Olympics!

In case you don't know what the Polar Plunge is, just picture crazy people jumping (many half-naked) into frigid water in the name of charity.

Kyle's just getting over being sick for several days--pray that he doesn't get pneumonia as a result of this insanity!! I'll be there, but only to take pictures, trust me!  If you would like to donate to Kyle's team, email me, and I'll help you get to his page. Otherwise, you can find this worth cause here.

Update: Thanks to Rebecca sharing this fun idea, I also found a FREE way to donate to another great cause, and it only took me a few minutes!

Go on--You know you want to do it, too. Click here to make yourself bald, and BIC will donate $4 to the Make A Wish Foundation on your behalf! They'll even donate up to $400 if you do real thing!  Have fun :)

Friday Fragments, Episode #135

Welcome to Friday Fragments, the perfect post for unloading your muddled mind before enjoying an empty-headed weekend!  I've got plenty for you this week-Thanks for stopping by. (Please click on the tab above to learn more.)

***Free/Family/Fun Fragment:  Tonight, my Difference Makers and I volunteered at a "moonlight" snowshoe/cross-country ski event at one of our district's grade schools. It was organized by a few dedicated teachers who just wanted to encourage families to do something fun together. Everyone had a lot of fun, and the weather was beautiful.  I just love my school district; it's a gem, I tell you.

***Kendall's in her high school's musical this weekend. (She's a wife in The King and I.) We're taking the grandmas to the show tomorrow night. It should be nice, but my favorite part will be not staying after school to pick Kendall up after rehearsals :)  Next up:  Solo & Ensemble, which I LOVE.

***Before we went to the snowshoe event (it didn't start until 6pm), the Difference Makers kids made a huge banner that reads, "Teach and You Touch a Life Forever."  The students plan to hand out pastel-colored paper hearts on which they will ask kids to write message about teachers who have made a difference in their lives. They'll put the hearts on the banner and hang it in the lunchroom. Nice, huh?

***An incredibly wonderful thing happened to me this morning, but it's too wonderful for a tiny little fragment, so I plan to write about it Monday. Sorry, you'll have to remain in suspense.

***Another excellent thing that happened to me this week came in the form of a critical email I received from someone I barely know.   I had called him out for being insensitive when he sent a teacher-bashing email to his entire address book without thinking about who he might be sending it to. (He didn't realize I'm a teacher.)  He replied with a close-minded rant and followed it up with this message, in it's very own email:

"I really don't like mispellings. I mispelled personally in my email. You mispelled judgment and acknowledgement. You might want to use SpellCheck before sending emails."

Do you see why I found this criticism amusing?  I replied with,

"LOL, Steve!! It's misspell, but don't worry; I know plenty of very smart people who don't use spellcheck on their emails. Those two get me every time! :)"  He didn't reply.haha

Okay, that's enough from me! Link up your own fragments below, and have a fragtastic weekend :)

Can Parents Be Grounded?

Have you ever noticed that when a kid does well in school, the parents get most of the credit, but when they're failing, it's the teacher's fault?

So, in a "bold" move last week, my union proposed the novel idea of radically reforming education in Wisconsin. This reform will include three steps, one of which is moving to a merit pay system. This means they are suggesting that, in the future, teachers not be paid based on years of experience or education but rather on how successful our students are on state tests.

Okay.....I'll do my best, but what I want to know now is...Are parents ever going to be held accountable for how their kids do on state tests??*

If I happen to have a student whose parents say they would just like him to "have fun" at school and they really don't care whether he's passing classes or not.  Can I report them to the Bureau of Responsible Parenting? (Oh, wait--there isn't one. )

What about a student whose parents think homework isn't fair; junior should just play outside when he gets home from school, because they "just can't get him to do homework."?  If he gets behind in his work, they would like me to keep him after school to help him catch up**.  Can I bill them for that?  Should I "Just Say No" and suffer the consequences?

What if I have a student who doesn't have any parents at home (because they are both incarcerated) and his 18 year-old brother is in charge? Can I just give him the answers?

Some kids fall asleep in class on a daily basis because their parents are fighting half the night and they can't sleep. Should I invite them to sleep at my house?

I once had a student whose mom's idea of "quality time" was taking him out to a bar 2-3 nights per week, where she played in pool and dart leagues, got drunk, and had him (age 14) drive them home.  He complained to me about this regularly (just wanted to stay home) and refused to do homework as a sort payback to his mom for being so selfish. (Yes, I called Child Protective, but I couldn't tell them which bar they frequented, so they couldn't do anything.) Maybe I should have met him at the bar, helped him with his homework, and offered to be the Designated Driver?

Then there are the parents who do the work for their kids (It's just easier that way, I guess.) Will I be able to have such parents take the state tests for their kids?

Of course, I'm a special ed teacher. I'm not even going to get into the challenges of that!

I think the best I can do is squeeze every second of learning I can into the school day itself, even moreso than usual.
Something tells me 6th grade is going to become a lot less fun.




*I'm not saying that all students who don't make the grade have terrible parents; I'm just referring to the ones we all know should be taking part of the responsibility but aren't.  (And of course, I currently have NO parents like this.)


**Yes, they actually have the nerve to ask this. And yes, I have actually consented. ( know-- I'm a sucker.)


**And for the record, I've never been a fan of tenure, so I don't really object to this on principle; I've just always wondered when someone is going to do something about the parents who think educating kids is only the job of the school.

Cut-Backs at Home

When Kyle was a junior in high school, we gave him a debit card attached to a joint checking account and deposited an "allowance" into it monthly. The intent was to get him used to budgeting money--From that point on, if he wanted money for a movie, sporting event, expensive clothing, gas for his car (school was a 20-minute commute), lunch with friends, etc. he had to use that money. It's worked out beautifully.

When Kyle started college, we figured that his being a poor college kid and all, we should continue to give him an "allowance," especially because we cannot afford to pay for his college tuition. He also has a part time job for spending money and can come home any time he wants to eat, so he's making it just fine.

Starting in April, my salary is going to be taking a pretty good hit, and we have to find some serious ways to cut back. I told Kyle yesterday that although I don't want to, we're going to have to stop giving him the allowance. He's an adult now and will have to stand on his own feet financially.

So, what was Kyle's response to this announcement? Did he cry, "What?! That's not right!! You said you'd give me that money, so now you have to! I don't care if you don't have it in your budget--You have to pay me!" Did he picket out front or organize a rally in which he screamed, "This is the end! I'm fighting for my rights and the rights of my future children, who will lose weekends and probably have to work even harder for the rest of their lives!"?

No. He said he understood. I didn't even have to explain to him that Mr.4444 and I never had the benefit of a monthly allowance from our parents.  I told him we'll probably still fill his gas tank now and then and feed him, of course, whenever he wants to come home. We're still going to pay for his car insurance and might even give him a birthday present. He says he's not going to disown us.

I just hope we can keep this off the evening news!

Are You There, God? It's Me, Barb

Although I've definitely made up for lost time, in sixth grade, I was flat as a board. I had read Are You There God, It's Me Margaret about 42 times and could not be more anxious for things to get rolling in the puberty department.

We were in 6th grade (Miss Johnson's class) when we were notified that the "Scoliosis People" would soon be arriving to check each of us for the back ailment.  The woman testing us girls would be testing us in the classroom (with the door shut and windows covered, of course, and we would need to line up in a row in our "undergarments" for the bend-over-so-we-can-scope-out-your-spine test. Bikini swimsuits would also be acceptable.

What?! Our undergarments?!

I totally freaked out!. I obviously had the underwear thing covered, but I was absolutely mortified about the fact that I had nothing happening "on top" and therefore owned no bra. I also had no bikini; it was the dead of winter, for crying out loud. Only rich people had bikinis they hadn't outgrown by March; and besides, my family was more the one-piece type.

Two days later, my heart pounded as I desperately, desperately racked my brain for a way to get out of standing in front of my peers with no shirt on. (All that work to hide nothing--Kind of cracks me up now, but it was far from funny then.)

We were a quiet bunch, the line of girls towards the classroom walk-in closet (where we were to change in and out of our clothes and then get into the line that snaked through the classroom to the "examination area." Suddenly, I noticed my classmate, Amy (who had finished her turn) holding her adorable bikini top out to a friend. "If you want to borrow this, you can."

Fear and desperation, mingled with a flicker of hope, gripped me. Amy and I got along okay, but we weren't best friends or anything; there were many more girls closer to her league (in my low-self-esteem, humble opinion). Would she...? Could I possibly dream of being worthy to borrow the bikini top, too?   At that point, my anxiety was so high that I would have been willing to commit social suicide by begging Amy to borrow that top...

...but I didn't have to; the next person took it off and just turned around to hand it to the next person in line-- pathetic, terrified, pancake-chested, little me.

Of course I don't remember a single second past that moment. My anxiety had been relieved, and I lived to see another embarrassing moment, later that year....

My future sister-in-law Karen stopped by the house with a paper grocery bag, which she handed to my mom, who peeked inside and sang, "Well, you're just in time!"

In time? In time for what? I peeked inside the bag and wished I hadn't; it was a bag of used training bras that Karen's two younger sisters (a year plus younger than me!) had outgrown.

"Thanks," I mumbled, before escaping to my room (where I'm sure I high-fived Margaret Simon).

Like Salve to My Tender Heart

I don't know whether to celebrate or duck and cover!

What the heck!

HURRAY!!!!!

I cannot tell you how happy this makes me; it's a wonderful way to start the school week.

Sundays in My City

Sundays in My City is a weekly photo meme in which sights/scenes from cities all over the world are shared. Visit Unknown Mami to take a free vacation :)

I attended the political rally in Green Bay last week in order to learn more about the issue. Walking back to my car, I passed this little boy standing atop a snowbank; silent, a gentle smile on his face. I didn't see a parent nearby (although I'm sure there was one) and his quiet confidence gave him an angelic quality. He was a bit of peace in the midst of a storm.

No matter how the issue is resolved, this little angel's sign is relevant.

Saturday Sampling, February 19, 2011

Sorry this is late! I've been a little distracted lately and had today off (No, I did not go to Madison), so I got my days a little mixed up! To learn the ins and outs of Saturday Sampling, please click on the tab above.

My Fragment Cup Runneth Over

I simply cannot let the crap flying around the internet go without reply.  I'm not going to state opinions here--I'm only going to give you facts, so that you can avoid being brainwashed by the media in either direction. Here are the extra fragments that I simply must release before I lose my mind...

***Okay, so I quit Facebook, but I wasn't smart enough to avoid Talk Radio (Yeah, I know, I know) so I heard some absolute bullshit tonight and just have to refute it. Any peabrain can google Wisconsin teacher salaries and learn that contrary to what one talk show host reported over and over today, the average teacher salary in Wisconsin is NOT $90,000; it's about half that.  I have never complained about my salary.

***Does anyone know of a single teacher in this world who is allowed to take a student on a field trip without parental permission? Do you think the students who attended the rallies in Madison this week were dragged? Tricked? Please. Madison is the most liberal city in Wisconsin; any student at that rally was there with the 100% support of his/her democrat parent.

***It is a fact that all Wisconsin teachers do not object to increasing their contributions to their pensions or healthcare benefits. Some teachers, in fact, wholeheartedly support education reform in Wisconsin.  I know--Shocking, right? If you thought all teachers supported keeping crappy teachers in their jobs, I'm happy to report that's not the case.

Are you a retail worker? Doctor? Waitress? Plumber?  Does that mean you represent ALL people with the same job/career?  I'm an individual. Average Joe/Jane has no idea how hard I work (or don't work), whether I support (or don't support) this bill, or what I think of the teachers union. PLEASE refute overgeneralizations about Wisconsin "teachers" (or any teachers, for that matter) when you hear people spouting off.

You may be glad (or up in arms) that I got a massage today. Could I afford it financially? No. It was an investment in my mental health, and so was this post, so thanks for reading.

Friday Fragments, Episode #134

I'm not going to talk any more about union stuff or the state of education in Wisconsin. I'm exhausted, you're exhausted. Let's just unload, shall we? Welcome to Friday Fragments--Pull up a chair!

[What are these "Friday Fragments" of which I speak? Click on the tab above to learn more.]


***As much as I loved the social scene of Facebook prior to this week, I'm done with it. It has taken on all the charm of an ugly town hall meeting, and I just can't take it anymore.

***My sister, Mary (who happens to be 10 years older than me) read my post, Torture by Brother: One Sister's Perspective [linked up on Saturday Sampling] and wrote this comment for me.

This made me sad that I left you girls all alone to defend yourselves. ( you were 8 when i moved out.)It was simply heartbreaking for me to read....not at all funny. But then, I remember physically attacking our brothers sometimes when i was in charge, so maybe they learned it from me!! It is amazing to me that you broke the cycle of abuse and forged such trusting and loving relationships with your kids. You are an awesome parent and sister. Love, Mary

Isn't she wonderful? I'm so lucky to have four sisters just like her :)

***Yes, I heard about the blogger who was suspended from her teaching job over disparaging comments she made in posts. Freedom of speech is just something you have to keep in check when you're a professional.

***Speaking of curbing self-expression, I recorded my mom reading a shocking (Rated PG-13, not blog-appropriate) story and sent it to everyone I thought would appreciate it. If I missed you and you would like to see it, send an email (mrs4444 a t new.rr.com) and I'll happily share the link. You'll love it--Trust me.

***Try as I might, I can't seem to keep tension out of my shoulders this week. Every few minutes, I take stock of it and realize my neck is two inches shorter again. I'm feeling physical symptoms of stress, and I'm ashamed to be succumbing to it; it goes against my nature. What has always come naturally to me (looking on the sunny side) is now something I have to consciously will to the surface. Many of you know exactly what I'm talking about, as you have suffered great stress due to medical issues, job loss, etc. Whatever my complaints, I know that my worries pale in comparison to many of yours, so please don't interpret this as insensitivity on my part. Thank you for validating how I feel without saying, "Welcome to the real world."  I love you for that.

That's enough of me. How are you? Leave your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS link here:

Just Gotta Vent a Little

I've never in my adult life considered another career, until this week. I promise not to go all political on you, but I have to let some stuff out. 

As many of you know, there's been some major political stuff going on in Wisconsin this week. My heart is broken over the discord caused by Wisconsin's new Governor Scott Walker's plan to cut wages/benefits 10% (by mid-April) and axe collective bargaining for teachers (and other professions) in the name of budget repair. I won't get into the details, except to say that I have never felt so disrespected by comments I've seen/heard people make about teachers in general.

Prior to this week, it was easy to toil in this often-thankless position, to sacrifice lunches every day, to work hour after hour on the weekends, to say "Sure." when a student asked if he could stay after school to catch up, to say, "I'd love to!" when asked to join a committee to benefit students. It was easy to "take one" for the proverbial team, when I thought people valued what I do. Now, though, it's really tough to go about the work of shaping young minds, being ridiculously patient, going above and beyond the call of duty, when I know that so many people resent teachers.

I've typed and deleted much more, but I just can't articulate this feeling.

On the bright side, today I attended my first-ever rally, and I was immediately choked up upon arriving--
We have the right to stand up and speak out against our government, without fear for our safety or our lives.

God Bless the U.S.A.

Celebrating True Love

My Aunt Shirley and Uncle Herb had been married for more than 60 years when she passed away last spring.

  When their daughter, Beth, showed me this photo (taken in 1947), I knew I had to share it.  

It's a picture that "says a thousand words" about their relationship, don't you think?

You don't stay married that long without a sense of humor! :)

Happy Valentines Day :)

Saturday Sampling, February 12, 2011

Gosh, I'm tired. Sorry I was late with SS tonight--I wasn't even having any fun (work, work, work)! Anyway, you probably know the drill. (If not, please, please click on the Saturday Sampling tab at the top of this page. Thanks.)

On with the links!!

Friday Fragments, Episode #133

Yay! It's finally Friday! It's time to unload the bits and pieces of your fragmented mind to a post that has no rhyme or reason unless you like it that way. It's the easist, yet most satisfying post you can write! Thanks for stopping by :)

Groundhog or No Groundhog...I'm not sick of the snow yet, but I really could do without the 25-below-zero windchills. Even a warm Packer-victory heart isn't warm enough to take the edge off.

My Mom, a Kid at Heart...If you missed the voicemail my mom left for me on Monday, you really should take the time to listen; it will make you smile.

Life is Like a Glue Gun....During our Difference Makers meeting tonight, we were making Valentines Day cards, and one of the kids said she had brought a glue gun to use. One of the boys spontaneously gushed, "Ooooh! I love glue guns! They burn you, but they're fun!" 

Proud Parenting Moment #344... Having attended Snow-Ball last weekend, my sophomore daughter, Kendall, commented that today, kids in one of her classes were talking about the dirty dancing that had been ignored at the dance. [Several girls "danced" bent over from the waist, their hands on the floor and rear ends up in the air as their "dates" rubbed up against them from behind (and no, I am not kidding).]  A young "man" commented that dancing with distance between you [aka respectfully] is "dancing like a freshman." Kendall said she replied (with conviction), "I'd rather dance like a freshman than dance like a whore."  She got reprimanded by the teacher for saying whore out loud in class (but I don't mind at all).

My niece, Nicki, is married to a beautiful man who not only adores her but is also a very talented artist (just one of his many gifts)  If you admire original design, outstanding craftsmanship, and reasonable prices in handmade jewelry, I strongly encourage you to visit Earrings by Organic Architecture.
Want to make new friends and influence people? Add your Friday Fragments link below! [For more FF info, click on the tab above.]

My Mom, 81 Years Young

Today at school, I found this voicemail message from my mom.

Yes, she wrote it.

Yes, she said, "Tootleooo!" at the end.

She's so stinkin' cute.


She was also inspired to write this:

PACKER FANS, EXPLAINED by Elsie


Did you ever wonder why
we Packer fans shout to the sky
Why we yell, and holler, and jump around,
making such an awful sound?


It's not because we enjoy
being part of the maddening crowd
that we yell and holler and jump around,
and it's not because we enjoy making all that noise
or being rowdy girls and boys.


Listen close, and I'll tell you the reason--


We jump and holler TO KEEP FROM FREEZIN!

WOO HOO!

Boy, did we have fun tonight! Twenty-one kids from UWGB followed Kyle home to watch the Super Bowl with us!  We went through five cases....of SODA and a LOT of food!! What a great bunch of kids :)

As you may have heard by now, WE WON!!

Here's a video of the celebration!

What a great memory!

Sundays in My City

When I saw this video of Texans trying to pronounce Wisconsin city names, I figured you'd appreciate a break from all the football talk. (Besides, it's funny.) What you may or may not know is that many of our city names were inspired by American Indian words, so they are often difficult to pronounce. Enjoy!

Like AMVETS, Girl Scouts, and PTA (Only Much, Much Better)

This week, I've found myself swept up in the wave that is Packer Pride. I've worn my green and gold so much that I'm almost (almost) sick of it, played inspiring videos repeatedly, and found myself almost skipping with excitement over the upcoming game. Yes, we're all excited that the Packers have done so well this season, but today, I realized that that there's a lot more to it than championships.

Cheering for The Pack makes you part of a club that everyone and anyone can belong to.  You don't need to be popular, a certain age, or wealthy.  Membership to this club is not exclusive at all, yet you are part of a special group if you belong. You need not complete an application, put in a certain number of hours, or be voted in. In fact, you can't be voted out! Many, in fact, are born into this club, and once you're in, you're in until the day you die. (Of course, if you voluntarily give up your membership, you will be ostracized, but that's a different post.)

Special club uniforms are not necessary; you can go all out and spend all the money you want to show your spirit, or you can simply wear green or gold and feel like a superstar. Heck, some wear very little at all at club meetings, and they get put on television! [Contrary to popular belief, cheese hats are not a required club attire, nor do most members own them.]

There are no dues or joiner fees in the "club" of Packers fans. You don't have to sell magazines or cookie dough to maintain your membership.  You can be without a nickel in your pocket and still know that you are as important a member as anyone with box seats, wearing Pro-Shop finery.

You don't need to take an oath or recite a pledge; all you need to know is any one of many club cheers, such as "Go-Pack-Go!" or "The Bears Still S--k!" (sorry, Melisa!) to be welcomed with open arms at any club gathering, even if you don't know a soul there. (Creative Packers chants are also welcome!) There is no secret handshake (but there are lots of high fives.)  There is no initiation (except maybe the eating of a brat, with cold frosty brew on the side).

In this club, you don't have to hold any officer positions, take notes, pay dues, or earn badges. In fact, you have no responsibilities whatsoever during meetings (unless, of course, you want to have a "meeting" at your house on game day :)

Speaking of meetings, they're held once a week, but you can attend from home, from the comfort of your living room. Sometimes, the meetings get boring, but you can fast-forward through those parts!  You can also jump up and shout/scream/cry/swear in the middle of the meeting, and no one will fault you or fine you. (All bets are off at the stadium, though; keep it clean, folks!) Not at home? You can even grocery/clothes/Christmas shop while attending a meeting (they pipe it through the intercoms at all of our local stores!)  One of the best parts? Early-morning meetings are unheard of.

Club meeting are also held pretty much everywhere in the country, and even in many foreign countries. (Walk through an airport in Packers fan gear, and you'll make instant friends.)

No, you don't really get to march in parades or ride around in cool little cars as members of this club, but you do get to parade around your house as much as you want. 

Oh, every now and then, you might become frustrated with the club; you might wonder what the heck the club leaders are thinking, and you'll question their decision-making skills.  During rough patches, you might even wonder (just for a split second) why you joined, but you will never, ever dream of giving up your membership.

Yes, the meetings are long (about three hours, with a break in the middle), and every now and then they get dull, but that's the perfect time to eat and use the restroom. And yes, sometimes the meetings are COLD, but that is part of the fun!

Besides, especially lately....Packers fans' hearts are warm :)

Yes, I have a lifetime membership, and there's plenty of room for more (especially this weekend). Please join us for this week's meeting, on Sunday, at 5:25 Central Time. Hope to see you there! :)


[This work belongs to Mrs4444. Please give proper credit when sharing.]

Saturday Sampling, February 5, 2011

This weekend is going to be a crazy one for me; "Sno-Ball" tomorrow night for Kendall, followed by the Super Bowl (of course) on Sunday. I do plan to make time for Saturday Sampling offerings--It's a great way to at least catch some of the best posts!  This week, I'm offering a sweet post in honor of the anniversary of Mr.4444's dad's passing in 2003, Gone but Not Forgotten.  I'm also linking up a long, but very inspiring ESPN story about Donald Driver, Green Bay Packer and role model for kids who think they can't change their circumstances in life.  I look forward to reading your offerings, too!

[to learn more, click on the SS tab above]

Here's to a GREAT weekend!

Friday Fragments, Episode #132

Welcome to the home of Friday Fragments, where we write the easiest, yet most-satisfying (and often entertaining) posts of our week!  Collect bits and pieces of your week (observations, quotes, burning questions, etc.) and share them in your own FF post. Link it up here and then meet up with some old and new fragmented buddies :)  [To learn more, please click on the tab above.]

***Last week, I got such a kick out of Lisleman's Fabulous Fabricated Fricasseed Fragments that it reminded me that I haven't remembered to mention a Favorite Friday Fragmenter in a while! Sorry about that! Visit A Few Clowns Short to see 4444 Toothpicks in My Hair video inspiration for the award this week. Thanks, Lisleman! (And BTW, I hope your shoveling arm has healed by now, just in time to clap for the Pack this Sunday! :)

Oh, and one more thing--I hope you like my newly-designed Favorite Fragmenter button!!! Lisleman, I hope you feel special, being the first recipient and all...

Wear it proudly! (And if you need it in a different size, let me know :)

***So many of my Difference Makers kids are in forensics that I had to cancel our meeting for tonight (and watch some of their performances, instead).  Those kids--so stinkin' cute. I just loved watching all of the skits (even the ones of kids I didn't know). I wonder if I was that brave at their ages (I doubt it!)

***Heard in the Classroom This Week: "Muscular dystrophy is a disorder that weekends your muscles." Hmm...I guess they were correct, on some level, at least.

I know this comes as a shock, but I'm all out of randomness already. (You're welcome :)  Now it's your turn to link up! See you soon!

The Fever is Running HOT!

This is AWESOME. (No, it's not my students, but it certainly could have been!) These kids are just adorable. Even if you're not a football fan, you will appreciate their sweet, unabashed confidence and enthusiasm. Can you think of anything you would celebrate with such abandon?

GO PACK!!!

Rants and Raves Wednesday

It's been a long time since I ranted and raved, and since I have some stuff to bitch about share, I'm joining in this week!

*RAVE--I love the photos in my new header, but my favorite is actually one that I did not take. My friend Camille took it from her back porch one morning. Isn't it gorgeous?!

Thanks, Camille, for letting me borrow the shot, but also for touching my heart with it in a way that makes winter seem very gentle.

*RANT--This probably stems from my days as a loyal McDonald's employee, but it drives me nuts when I ask specifically for "one ketchup, please," and I get a fist-full of them at the window. It partly ticks me off because I know employees are trained to give one packet of ketchup (and one sauce thingy, for a 6-piece nugget) and obviously, they don't care. This bothers me, because I feel for the business-owner side of it. I mean, think about it---McDonald's probably spends twice what it needs to on ketchup and sauces because minions hand it out like it's free.  Yes, I know McDonald's can afford it, but that's beside the point. The second reason this bothers me is that I hate wasting things, and I hate wasting money.  It's against my conscience to throw the ketchup away, so therefore, I end up with a glove box full of ketchup!

Not-so-surprisingly, when researching this topic (Stop laughing. Yes, Lisleman does inspire me with his research examples), I found Jason's Blog McDonald's Rant about the opposite complaint--Not enough packets!haha

RAVE--This is so cool! Last week, in Green Bay, the Visitor & Convention Bureau sponsored a "Mystery Man" contest. Find the Mystery Man (wandering around town), and you'd win a package including two tickets to the Super Bowl. Read Homeless Couple Wins Free Super Bowl Tickets. This package is valued at $25,000. It will be interesting to see what the winners do with the tickets. Tough call--Put a roof over our heads and eat for ten years, or see the Packers play in the SuperBowl? Decisions...decisions....

RANT-I noticed creases in my earlobes this weekend. Yes, I'm serious. I spent a long while researching what it means, and so far, all it really means is that I'm getting wrinkly. Damn. Guess I should listen to my Re-Thinking Wrinkles audio post again, so that I could turn this into a RAVE.

RAVE--My spec ed department recently purchased a Livescribe Echo pen for me to use. I'm having fun figuring out how to use it. Yet another technology tool that I can't explain, except to say, "I think it's magic!"

RANT-"Nothing gets the party going like McNuggets." Really? When is the last time you were at a Super Bowl party and said to yourself, "Hm. There's nothing good to eat here. What this party really needs is some McNuggets!" So, yeah, the commercial is silly, but yes, it did cause me to go buy some nuggets for lunch today (where, yes, I received not one, but TWO sauce thingies, and from a manager, no less.)

RAVE-I've got three contacts now for a lesson I'm working on that relates to global awareness.  I'm getting excited about it, and I would love to have more contacts. If you have any connections to middle schoolers in other countries, I would be very happy to hear from you.

Ranting and Raving is very satisfying; I highly recommend it!

[Update: LittleMsBlogger doesn't appear to be ranting and raving these days, but I still want to credit her for the post!]

A Beary Special Gift

In 2005, my dad passed away unexpectedly. The following Christmas, my sister Mary gave each of us siblings a very special gift.

Flannel shirts were the staple of my dad's wardrobe; he had a closet full of them. Mary took nine of those shirts and took them to a very creative woman who took the shirts and made them into teddy bears. Each of us siblings got to choose one of the bears, and mine has a special place on my vanity.

Mary attached a little card to each bear, with a special message from her. Pretty thoughtful, huh? I share this with you simply because I noticed the bear the other day and thought I should pass it on, in case you know someone for whom this idea would ease the pain of loss.

Sorry, the lady who made our bears no longer makes them. If you're into sewing, you can probably find a pattern on-line somewhere. Good luck!