Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes.

    Happy Thursday!  It's been a crazy week so far, so I haven't had a lot of time to myself.  It's been super hectic at work, going from site to site, preparing to close down for the summer.  It is a meticulous process that will probably take me longer than the few hours they're giving me, but I will have to get it done by the end of next week.  All paperwork has to be filed, each child accounted for and everything inventoried and stored for the next year.  I have a two-sided check list I have to go through and it doesn't look easy, but I have faith that I'll get it done.  That being said, I'm also simultaneously preparing myself for summer camp.  Coordinating around that at the same time will be difficult, but doable for sure.  I'm excited and nervous at the same time, but I think I'm ready.

    My health has been steadily climbing and rebelling since joining the gym.  My Lupus is putting up one Hell of a fight, but I'm trying to take it in stride and work through it.  Despite my issues, I've been making obvious progress.  Between losing a little weight and building a little muscle, I'm getting there.  I enjoy going to the gym every week and look forward to my sessions with my personal trainer.  That's more than I ever could have hoped for in a gym membership.  I expect nothing but good things to come in the coming months as I continue my journey to a better self.

    I also learned a little more about my teaching internship next year.  My cooperating teacher got almost all Freshman classes for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year, so I will be taking on one of her English College Prep classes in tandem with her other one.  This means that she will teach one section of the class first, then I will follow.  I will also be helping her with her other classes, which are an American Lit. class as well as a reading specific course to help struggling students.  This looks like it's going to be a great upcoming year, so I'm super excited! (and extremely anxious, but that is to be expected)  I have another book to add to my summer reading list as well called, Book Love, by Penny Kittle, a well-known education author.  We will be using this book to help construct our English curriculum for next year, so I have to read it to get information regarding her teaching methods.  I was also thinking about reading Lord of the Flies, since we may be teaching that text as well, which I've never read.  Let me know in the comments what you thought of your experience with Lord of the Flies.
    TV this week was epic!  Game of Thrones didn't disappoint and the Bachelorette made it to New England FINALLY.  Here are my week recaps for those two shows, including SPOILERS:

    Game of Thrones really picked up this week.  I liked how they left Tyrion's trial by combat to the very end to build suspense.  I also loved Arya's laugh, which has been seriously lacking since the show started years ago.  It's nice to see the kids smile every once in awhile when they're not too busy killing everyone in sight.  I was mad that we didn't get to see Arya and the Hound make it inside the castle, but I'm sure we'll get a peek on Sunday.  It'll be interesting to see how Sansa feels about having her sister back in her life, but at this point I think she'd be ready to see any familiar face, even Arya's.  I'm desperate for a Stark reunion, so however it happens I hope it's soon.  I LOVED Sansa in this episode, the way she conned the council into believing she was a victim, (which she technically is, but lying for Baelish seems like a bad idea all around).  He was looking at her like he had taught her everything she knows, like a proud father, (even creepier...).  Then she kind of brushed him off when he went to thank her, proving she really has grown colder in the last few seasons.  She really looked like a grown woman and I'm actually beginning to like her now.  We'll see how long that lasts.  Obviously, everyone remembers the fight between the Viper and the Mountain being the most memorable, (and gruesome), part of this episode.  I had to walk away at the end because I couldn't take the gore, but the fight was spectacular.  I'm really sad to see Oberyn go like that, but at least he took the Mountain with him.  He finally got the revenge he wanted.  I'm looking forward to the last two episodes of this season to see if my predictions come true or if I'll be disappointed until next season comes around.  Praying for Lady Stoneheart!

    The Bachelorette had a two-parter this week and it definitely needed it.  The gang hung out in California for the Sunday night episode, alluding to drama between the guys and Andrew getting a waitress's number at a restaurant.  Nothing really exciting happened, besides singing a horrible rendition of a Boyz II Men song WITH Boyz II Men!  I was fan-girling wicked hard, but not for the guys and their terrible voices, (sorry Opera Guy, you still don't really get the R&B vibe).  Monday night saw the group enter New England territory by way of Mohegan Sun, an over-priced gambling hot-spot.  I'm glad Dylan got the first one-on-one date because it is his "hometown," (even though they're in Connecticut, not Massachusetts).  They went on a depressing train ride to talk about his siblings overdoses and it was difficult to watch, to be honest.  Luckily, he got a rose out of it so he's safe, for now.  Honestly, unless he starts showing some emotion, I don't see his stark, quiet persona lasting that much longer.  The date with Marcus was my favorite because you can tell she really likes him already.  If he's not in the final four, I'd be really surprised.  I also really liked Brian's chance to shine on the basketball court.  The nice, quiet, no-drama guys are winning this week!  The worst part of this episode was the fight between Eric and Andi.  It was really uncomfortable to watch, especially since we've only really seen good things from him so far.  It was sucky the way he left so quickly, but it was for the best.  I didn't stay to watch the memorial for him after the show, but I know Tasos went home.  So far, I've constructed a Top 5 based solely on what I've seen of the show so far, and they are: Marcus, Chris, Josh, Brian and Dylan.  Fingers crossed that most of them don't turn out to be assholes!
    That's it for TV.  For next week, and until further notice, in order to stay as relevant as possible with what's going on in my life at the moment, I've decided to move my blog entries back to just Tuesdays instead of Thursdays.  Thursdays are difficult for me because they're the end of the week and I don't want to do anything, so to stay on task with everything and be relevant to the shows I'm currently watching, we're moving to Tuesdays!  That being said, I hope everyone enjoys their weekends.  I'm planning on cooking dinner and dessert with my mother tomorrow night, spending the entirety of Saturday spoiling my husband for his birthday, (HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY BEAR!!), and Sunday I'm meeting up with a friend in town before hanging out with my dad.  This is why I look forward to the weekend!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

    Greetings and salutations!  It's already Thursday and boy do I want the snow to stop.  Not only is it below twenty degrees, (plus a nasty windchill), but we got a couple inches of snow too, resulting in some power outages last night.  Hurray for the end of winter!  I DO have some good news though!  I had mentioned on Tuesday that I had a pretty important interview today for what I would consider one of my dream jobs and I am about 93% sure that I got it!  I went into the interview feeling nervous, but also excited about the prospect of doing something I like with kids for the rest of the time I'll be in school.  I also felt pretty confident in my experience, coupled with my degrees and educational background.  I just have to wait for my references to check out and I could start as early as next week.  AAHHH!!

    Obviously I'm a little excited about the possibility of being employed again while still holding onto my subbing position until the end of the year.  Even though I wouldn't be working a whole week, I would still be way happier there than I would if I ever had to set foot in a retail environment again.  I think it's important to keep your options open and if the opportunity is there, I have to take it.  I won't get too many more opportunities like this; a chance to do what I've always wanted to do again is too good to pass up.  It seems like the perfect fit, so here's to hoping the dark days are behind me.

    That being said, this week wasn't too great until today.  Town elections were on Tuesday and my town was voting on the prospect of building a new school building for our kids.  If you saw the school in its present state, you would've voted yes: they are fighting and working hard to alleviate the obvious structural and spacial issues facing the school as it stands.  Unfortunately, a small margin of voters pushed more for basic renovations rather than spend their tax money on a new building.  This made me angry because the town is basically saying there are more people here that could care less about these kids and their education than they do about their money.  The population of elderly voters outweighed the percentage of younger voters, who obviously would've voted for a new school.  The older generation doesn't have kids who go to school anymore, so why would they vote to pay for a school that won't benefit them in any way?  They don't see the ripple effect this causes in the community either.  These kids believe their elders don't care about them or their future, which in turn won't provide them with an adequate outlook on life.  It'll only make them want to leave this school district even more than some already do.  As a substitute teacher, as well as someone who values student opinion, I see the vote as one for these kids, not for taxes.  The backlash and negativity on social media after the vote was decided was immense.  The only reason I know that is because I respect these kids and I think they deserve better than what they have been given.  All the more reason for me to do good by them.
    Speaking of students and respect, there was an incident at one of the schools I am observing at involving a hate crime.  To think that middle schoolers are capable of this magnitude of cruelty is mind-boggling.  I keep thinking back to my own time in middle school, in a different world.  Although I have fond memories of meeting new friends, some I've kept to this day, and of fun teachers, I also have memories of sickness and backstabbing.  I was diagnosed with Lupus at the beginning of my middle school years, so I remember more about hospital visits than of school work.  I was also the victim of bullying, mostly by people I had once considered friends.  It's tough in middle school, to gauge who you really are and what you believe in.  I think that might be one reason these kids are more likely to become bystanders than those who are willing to take action against hatred.  I know that I felt somewhat alone within all of that silence, so I would assume the same holds true for these abuse victims.  We have to learn how to be nice to each other, or our future will most likely be bleak at best.

    Enough of that sad talk for now.  Things are looking up, at least from where I'm standing.  I've made it a goal of mine to always impact kids in a positive light, and that's exactly what I plan to do, especially if I get this new job.  That being said, I plan on doing some premature celebrating this weekend.  I will be attending a fundraiser for cystic fibrosis at the local Margaritas restaurant with my husband and parents.  All proceeds from the event will go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, so I don't see any harm in drinking margaritas for a good cause!  What better way to celebrate my probable employment?

    I've done something I never expected to do this week: watch Frozen.  I liked it, surprisingly, and now understand why all my kids are obsessed with the songs, mainly "Let it Go," seeing as it's been stuck in my head for the last few days.  That, and "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"  I liked the movie because I saw a lot of similarities between my relationship with my own sister in Elsa and Anna's relationship.  We grew apart as adolescents and I wish I could go back and change that, but we're better now and get along really well together.  I like the symbolism of "sisterly love" as opposed to the usual "romantic love" aspect of most Disney movies.  It shows that they are veering away from the typical story lines in favor of a more modern approach to things.  I look forward to seeing more of Disney's new creations, seeing as Frozen has done so unbelievably well.
    Monday is also St. Patrick's Day and, for most of us, that means day drinking and wearing as much green as possible.  For me there is an entirely different element to this holiday, considering the fact that I am mostly Irish, although it might be hard to tell from my maiden name and my dark hair.  While my mother's side is almost strictly Irish, my father's side, although we identify more with our Italian roots, we are partially Irish as well, from my grandmother's side of the family.  Because my family treated St. Patrick's Day as a family event, we would always get together for the traditional Irish supper of corned beef and cabbage, which hasn't changed.  I am in charge of making my Nana's Irish soda bread, which is my favorite and very easy to make, however rather sticky.  I love this holiday because I can tap into my roots and get together with family just like Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Also there's usually a Boondock Saints marathon, which is nothing to scoff at.  It's a time to celebrate life and good luck, which a lot of people do with booze.  Good thing I always keep a spare bottle of Jameson in the freezer!

    That's all I have for you this week.  If you want to see this week's TV reactions and predictions, check out my last post.  Next week school is back in session, so I will go back to having a full schedule.  I'm in the middle of an X-Men marathon right now, so I'll have to decide between that and the homework I still have to get done...  If you are interested in following my progress in the Northeast Bloggers March Photo Challenge, the link to my Instagram is among the rest of my social media links at the top of the page.  I know I've said this before, but if anyone has ideas of what you would like to see me post about or review, let me know in the comments below!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.

Vacation Land

    It's Tuesday again, so you know what that means!  Another boring blog.  It's school vacation week around here, which means no visitation/observation hours at schools and no work substituting.  I haven't even had class since last Wednesday.  I've also been really sick, so that's been no fun at all...especially since I've been a snot zombie and can't feel my face from all the congestion.  The good news is that I have at least one fun thing planned for this week, which I am excited about: tubing!  Maybe I'll remember to take pictures this time when I leave the house so I have proof that it actually happened...

    Operation Employment has been stagnant of late since the botched interview last week.  I'm still hopeful and I have at least four or five other jobs lined up, so we'll see what happens.  I've caved and applied to some retail stores, seeing as that seems to be all I'm good for, so maybe I'll hear back from someone this week.  Maybe not...  Who knows?
    As I currently have no steady job with any way to make payments on anything consecutively, I've resigned myself to the fact that I will probably not be getting a new car this year:(  I was holding out for it and very excited, but since getting fired put a damper on my funds I really don't have the means to purchase even a newer used car right now.  This couldn't have come at a worse time, and the savings I had up until this point would've been great towards a down payment, but I've had to use it to live off of, so it's slowly dwindling down to nothing again.  Maybe someday I'll be able to get myself a new car so that the Red Baron can finally retire, but it is not this day.

    Let's have some good vibes now!  So far, my two big TV reviews are for The Bachelor and for The Amazing Race, which premiered this past Sunday, (unbeknownst to me, but my father called and let me know we missed it so I could watch it yesterday).  Unbelievable, (for both shows).  SPOILER ALERT!!...  I can't believe Renee got eliminated!  And yet I can, because she was really the only normal person left besides Andi and he obviously wasn't giving her enough attention.  That being said, he probably should've let her go a little earlier, considering he ended up meeting her son for no apparent reason.  I don't know how I feel about that, and the fact that Nikki has already met Camila.  Does that mean he likes her the most?  Meeting someone's child should be a big deal, in my mind, and Renee tore down a lot of walls to make that happen with JP and Ben, but to no avail.  It's really sad, but at least they won't be burdened later on with the fantasy suite fiasco set up to happen.  I'm still rooting for Andi, but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Nikki won.

    The Amazing Race started off with a huge disappointment!  Of course Mark and Bopper were one of my favorite teams to come back and race for the all-stars, but they couldn't let me have that.  Poor Bopper, all ready to go, then BOOM, inflamed pancreas, (or whatever).  Poor Mark too, since he's stuck to that Mallory from now on.  Despite this obvious set back, (and set up), I will be supporting Joey and Meaghan for this race, seeing as they're the only people I really know.  That's a little sad to say, isn't it?  Claiming you "really know" someone from YouTube.  But it is possible I think.  We'll see what this race holds for everyone, but there are already people in this one I don't like so I'm not sure.  That's all I have for TV right now.  I don't think all of my shows are back just yet, but they should be by next week.  Also, Vikings is back on Thursday and I couldn't be more excited!  I should have a review of that by next Tuesday, so if you're into that, be on the lookout!

    For Thursday I think I'm going to be talking about the book I'm currently reading called Born Digital, which focuses on understanding our generation of young people as they master new technologies.  Even for someone like me, born in the beginning of the growing digital age, there are still some things I don't understand about today's technological advances and how kids know how to use them.  It should be interesting and I'm reading the first six chapters, so I will do an overview of that with a book review to follow after I finish in a few weeks.  I want to start getting back into doing educational or English-related blog posts on one of my blogging days, so let me know what you think about that and any topics you'd like for me to discuss.  I will be updating and monitoring my Good Reads account a little better to let everyone know what I'm reading right now and what I plan to read in the near future.  Now that I have a lot of downtime, I'm hoping to at least start a new book, but I have to decide which one first.  Until then, homework awaits!  Until next time, I remain your faithful correspondent.