I Am Darcie and I'm a Foodie

Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.

I think I'm becoming a foodie.  

I've always loved to eat, but recently I've been finding myself admiring food's aesthetic appeal. While using a restaurant's wifi this evening (still don't have it in the new place) I found myself ordering bread pudding.  I don't even like bread pudding, but wasn't it beautiful?

Social skills class is just so entertaining.  I wish I could teach it everyday.  Continuing a lesson about opinions and how everyone is entitled to their own, I asked my group of older boys to write three things that they feel strongly about.  This is what one responded with:

"The Cubans should be free from the Castro brothers!"

"I like Russian films!"

"German food is tasty."

I was hoping to bring up controversial topics like the presidential elections, religion, etc. so that they would get all fired up, and I could teach them about respect.  His responses were not exactly what I was looking for, but I decided to roll with it, so I could see what he would come up with next. 

I next asked them to write why they felt so strongly about these things.  My dear scholar then responded with:

"I have a Cuban neighbor."

"I have a Russian neighbor."

"I have a German neighbor."

After reading this I thought, perhaps, we should change the desired lesson to "why we shouldn't lie" rather than "differences of opinion," so I asked my student if he was being truthful with me.

"Actually no," was his reply.  "They all moved last year."

Going Bananas

Today I got to write my first staff injury report (in other words, a student got me).  Do you know how embarrassing it is to write on a legal document:

"I was working with a student when she became agitated and hit me in the forehead with a plastic banana."

After being checked by the school nurse (not because I needed it, but because it's school policy), I am happy to tell you that aside from a small knot I will be fine.

Evilness Abounds Or Preparing For Parenthood

At this point in my life I feel like I'm on the verge of something.  My past flawed thinking felt like college was it.  I would graduate, get a job, and my final destination would have been reached. Life post-college has been a roller coaster of adventure and life experiences, but I still don't feel like I'm "there" yet.  I feel (and who knows, my feelings could be incorrect) that how my time has been spent is in preparation for something different-my final destination.  I just don't yet know what "it" is.  This isn't a disheartening feeling, but more exciting.  The anticipation of what "it" and "there" will look like keeps me motivated to try to do well and continue preparing myself. I know that the Lord has His hand in it all so I'm not scared or nervous, just psyched (ok awful word choice, but it was the best my thesaurus had).

My "evil" day, I think I knew exactly what my job was preparing me for-parenthood (although I don't feel that parenting is all of "it").  I was on my game, and my behavior management was in tip top shape.  I wasn't mean, but I was firm. The students were in MY classroom and were going to follow MY instruction.  This day, my homeroom was horrid.  Ok, they weren't exactly horrid, but they all were misbehaving, not just the usual one or two.

It was a cooking day. Those days are supposed to be fun, and they tend to be a lot of work for me, so best behavior is expected.  I'd had enough of saying, "safe hands," "personal space," "is that your business?" "be kind,"etc,  so I was firm.  I didn't yell, but my voice got louder and stronger as I expressed my disappointment and shame in their behavior.  Two cried. The rest had to pick their jaws up off of the floor.  

It made an impact.  They contritely told their teacher next hour how much they disappointed me and how much they misbehaved.

Why am I sharing this?  I really don't know.  What I do know, though, is that I'm getting closer to my destination, and the journey is teaching me oh so much.

(On a side note, those of you who have more life experience under your belt-have you had this feeling?  Have you ever finally felt like you've been "there" yet?) 

I hear a lot of "Why can't we...." when a student wants to do something other than I planned.  I say the same things over and over so often that I like to come up with different responses to their repetitive questions, mainly to keep myself entertained.  Today I heard, "Why can't we...?" and I answered with "Because I am evil and I've been sent here to make your life miserable." Usually the kids usually look at me a little speechless, but today's student was a little more bold. He answered me with, "So can you be evil for the first half of the year and then change and be nice after Christmas so we can (insert the above said activity)?"  I looked at him a little speechless and muttered, "I'll see what I can do."

Any tips for being not so evil?  :)  

The Return of the School Stories

Sadly, New York is almost a distant memory since I've returned to my real life of work, Mary Kay parties, and laundry.

We did social skills again on Monday at school, and the topic of discussion was strengths and weaknesses. One student, who always boosts my self esteem by telling me I look like Hannah Montana, was having a really difficult time coming up with something he was good at.  Finally he decided he was good at spelling.  I told him to write his answer down, and he responded with, 

"How do you spell spelling?"

He had no clue how much he lightened my day with that little statement, but ignorance is bliss I suppose.

Nights of Sights (Cheesy, I Know)

Night was by far my favorite time.  The lights were beautiful, and the darkness hid all of the dirtiness of the city.

Arrived Single and Left a Married Woman

The men in New York were a little more, let's say bold, than I'm used to.  I was called beautiful more times than I can count, always by men trying to sell me something.  I was propositioned for inappropriate things and stared down by a man convinced that Mayor Bloomberg was out to kill him.  I heard I looked like Courtney Cox (ha!) right after a man asked if I graduated high school in the 80s.  One of the girls I went with had a man say to her, "God bless you and your backside, honey."  They were kind of pigish.

(Above has little to do with the following paragraph)

At the Today Show, they had photographers walk around taking pictures for purchase.  The dear photographer did not ask who I was with (the girl in the maroon hat) or if I wanted my picture taken.  He just assumed that I was from Ohio, the man below was my husband (who was nothing but gentlemanly, I might add), and that we wanted this moment captured for all time. Can someone please tell me what the look on my face is all about?

(I hope this will do for now dear Jody.  I have more stories that probably shouldn't be put in print)

::EDIT::  Just to clarify, I said nothing to this guy prior to the picture being taken.  The only conversation we had was me saying,  "Thanks for letting me stand by you" as I left.  

Autumn In New York

We couldn't have chosen a more beautiful time to visit the city.  The foliage was breathtaking.

I have returned!  We crammed so much into our trip that it exhausts me thinking about it.  I don't want to be that person who bores everyone with their 450 vacation pictures, but I am going to post some.

My face and silly poster did make it on the "Today Show" four (brief) times.

I did see Al Roker, but decided that was a kiss I probably shouldn't give away.

I also saw Enrique Iglesias, who was my John Mayer back in high school. I haven't acted that immature since I met Lance Bass, and I kind of felt thirteen.  Had he let me, I would have given him a kiss.

They also were setting up the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree yesterday, and the nice guy in the hard hat gave me a pine cone to take home.  Oh, the simple things that make me happy.

On a totally unrelated note, thanks to everyone who shared their fix-up stories.  They were encouraging.  That was quite the rant I went on.

I Love NYC, But There's No Place Like Home..../

Gentle Readers,
My time in the Big Apple is almost complete, but first I am doing the tourist-y and obligatory standing-outside-the-NBC-studios-trying-to-kiss-Al Roker-thing. Look for the girl with the ridiculous hot pink poster. This may be my chance at fame, and you can all say that you knew me when I was just a little known blogger. This will be good.

Signing off,
Darcie

After a week of being called colorful names....

I don't think this post will be about Special Ed.

Lately I've been thinking a lot about set-ups.  I know, I know.  I said that I wanted to talk less about my singleness on here, but, well, I'm talking about it again (Funnily enough-on a Friday night, sitting in Atlanta Bread Company, alone).  Being single would be much easier without the questions from caring people. 

"Are you dating someone?" 

"Why aren't you dating anyone?"  

"Would you like to meet my__________?"

I have been victim to many well meaning friends and their set-ups.  Some are disastrous before they even come into fruition (ie the guy is gay-true story folks).  Some make it to a first blind date (so awfully awkward).  Some make it to two or three dates (no real commitment but starting to get attached).

This week I received a call from a dear lady who has been trying to set me up with her daughter's dentist for a couple of months now.  After telling her that, no, I won't go to a dental appointment with her, she gave him my number.  Heaven help me.

I appreciate that people care about me enough to try to set me up, and I appreciate that people think that I'm a decent enough person to set me up with someone else they like.

But...

Set ups just seem so contrived, desperate, and unromantic.  Does anyone out there have a good set-up story?  I'd love to hear something encouraging that comes from these things.  Did anyone meet their husband as a result of a set-up?

On a side note, I'm leaving for NYC in the morning.  I'm sure I will have good stories to post upon my return!

Part of  teaching special ed is teaching social skills, aka the art of being "appropriate."  Usually I do social skills informally by finding teachable moments in normal classroom situations. Heaven knows there plenty.  

This week I decided to do a more formal social skills lesson on good listening skills.   Part of the lesson was doing a skit and then answering questions about the listening skills of the characters.  The following conversation took place:

Me:  What was the skit about, Student?

(the correct answer being "How To Be a Good Listener")

Student :  Huh?

I suppose the lesson will be repeated.