Sometimes, my students remind me of how awesome they really are

I have a student applying for a summer internship at the White House. It's a pretty awesome opportunity and I am impressed by how much work she has put into it. This morning, she sent me her final essay, about how a trip to India taught her to appreciate differences and value commonalities, to review and in it she included this line:

"Without exposure to different people and ideas we are like Plato’s citizens stuck in the allegorical cave unsure of what the shadows are and if we should fear them or embrace them."

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. I might have done a little of both, to be honest.

Seriously?!

How is it that over the course of a 6 hour professional development day (taking place three weeks before my students leave campus, mind you), I only have 45 minutes of personal work time?!

::sigh::

This has been some week.

Passing time

I am babysitting and while I should probably use this last half hour before I'm finished to write a grad school rationale or grade some AP public policy papers, I just don't have it in me. (To be fair, I did just finish posting responses on the grad school discussion board and grading a stack of institutions of government tests. So, I'm not a total slacker.) I thought that I might enjoy writing a quick post instead.

I don't know about anyone else, but my life has really taken off in the last two weeks or so. I don't mean "taken off" in a "I'm going places" kind of way. I mean that my life has begun to resemble some sort of circus and I am the poorly trained ringmaster, trying to keep the whole thing from imploding. Or I'm the woman juggling while riding a unicycle across the high wire. I'm not sure why I'm stuck on the circus imagery right now, but you get the idea: my life's a little crazy these days.

I know I have written about the craziness of my life before. And I know we all have crazy lives. But really. Throughout the course of the year, I would mention to people that I was teaching full time, leading my department, co-leading the high school team, going to grad school, and planning a wedding and they would look at me in amazement and comment on how crazy it was to have all of that going on at once. And I would agree because I figured they were right. And it has certainly felt crazy at times, but nothing - and I mean NOTHING - could have prepared me for how completely and utterly overwhelmed I have felt in the last two weeks.

You see, I am now four discussion posts, three papers, two weeks, and one rationale away from finishing my masters' degree program. I am also three months away from getting married. And 6 weeks away from my students' AP exam. And seven weeks away from seniors' final exams. And I am also one week in to the Presentations of Learning that every high school student in the school must give and that I am, with the assistance of my upper school team co-leader, organizing and running for the next two months. As I said, it's a lot.

The only way I know how to cope with this many major responsibilities is to schedule the hell out of my life. My planner, which is already color-coded, is starting to resemble a manuscript and my desk is overrun with to-do lists. I stay sane by keeping a very tight hold on everything going on right now and any attempt to wrest any of that control away from me could end very badly. So far, I am managing to appear normal (I think), but I'm hoping against hope I can keep it up for another few weeks, at least.

They're home! Time for me to go!

Making progress

Today, Brian and I booked our room for the wedding. While we are getting married about twenty minutes from home, it seemed reasonable to stay somewhere other than our apartment on our wedding night. At first we thought we'd stay in one of the hotels at which we have blocks of rooms for our guests, but when neither hotel would cut us a deal, we decided we might enjoy staying elsewhere. In our searching, we found the aloft hotel at the National Harbor. They have a deal where, if you stay two nights, you get a third night free. We'd been thinking that I might stay at the hotel the night before the wedding too, so this seemed perfect. We went today to scope out the rooms and ended up booking a suite for three nights. Very exciting!

Since my last post we have also booked the location and caterer for our rehearsal dinner, received our invitations, and planned our respective parties. I'm headed to Miami with a few of my favorite women (sadly, not everyone can make it) at the end of April and Brian and his friends have a full day of activities planned in DC for the middle of May. Last weekend, I went back to Chicago for my first dress fitting, which was pretty successful, and this past week, Brian and I spent his lunch hour applying for passports in anticipation of booking a honeymoon outside of the US. Plus, plans are underway for showers in Chicago and Crofton, which is fun if somewhat overwhelming.

In the next week or so, we plan to hire a videographer, mail our invites, and make a decision regarding the honeymoon and the guys' attire. Then...nothing for awhile. I'm starting to think about all of the little things I could be working on (programs, escort card templates, a guest book, etc), but I am not going to let myself go down that road until I am finished with grad school (three weeks and counting, by the way).

Hope everyone's doing well!

This is not something to be proud of, I know...

But sometimes it feels REALLY good to put a kid in their place a little. Not to be mean or anything like that, but just to knock them down a little. Case in point:

It is about 80 degrees in our classroom when it is full of students. At the start of my roommate's 2nd block class, she had a student clean the boards with a chemical spray. In order to avoid overheating and/or choking on chemical fumes, I opened two windows. (It is about 45 degrees outside.) 20 minutes in, one student asked me to please shut one window because it was too cold. 20 minutes after that...

Student: It is so cold in here. Why is it so cold? ::sees the open window and continues in an incredulous tone:: Why is a window open? Who would open a window?

Me: I would. I opened it after V- cleaned the boards so that the fumes from the spray didn't give everyone a headache.

Student: Oh. Right.

Me: Most of the smell is gone now. If you would like Ms. T- or I to close the window, you just have to ask.

Student: ... ... ... Do you mind if I close the window, it is cold in here?

Me: Of course not, thank you for asking.

Student: Right.

Like I said, it's not that I'm proud of being petty, but sometimes it's nice to remind the students that they are not in charge and they cannot talk to people anyway they want to.

More input needed

I was asked by my cousin-in-law-to-be (the one whose wedding I am attending in Palm Springs) to make the dessert for her bridal shower this Sunday. It will be about 15 women, it is at her house, and it is scheduled to run from 11am-2pm. Here are the ideas I have so far, I'm thinking I'd do at least two desserts so people have options. Let me know what you think sounds best:

Strawberry-Mascarpone Trifle: I would make one big one from which everyone can serve themselves

Oreo truffles: basically Oreos crushed with cream cheese and coated with white chocolate

Mini lemon meringue pies or mini lemon tarts

Mini cheesecakes: probably regular cheesecake with a chocolate cookie crust and a fruit sauce

Almond bread pudding with raspberry sauce: I would make one big one from which everyone can serve themselves

I have no idea what, exactly, the food selection will look like. Input appreciated, as always!

Things I love

I spent my lunch browsing different websites (my usual routine) and came across some GORGEOUS things that I wanted to share. Generous, I know.

Like this beautiful necklace (I actually REdiscovered this today)

And this awesome watch

And what about this - it is supposed to snow here again tomorrow; this seems more enjoyable

Anyway, I guess that is all for now. Happy hump day, all!