The World According to Leslie

Some of us have been bullied. Some of us have bullied others. Some of us have been bullied and then "toughened up" and started bullying others. No matter which of those categories you fall into bullying is wrong!  Unfortunately, it happens on a daily basis. It happens in homes across the country. It happens in classrooms across the country. It happens in public and in private. It just happens. But.... it shouldn't!  No one should ever be bullied. When I was growing up, we called it "being picked on". Now, it's much more serious. With social media, it's often much more private, as well. I was bullied as a kid. I was taller than most of the kids in my class. I was bigger than most of the kids in my classes. I was bullied. Luckily, I had a family that told me how awesome I am, and I am stronger for the battles I have been through. The Princess has been bullied. She has beautiful long blond hair. She has been called Rapunzel many times, and...

Although I haven’t written anything in about 2 months here, I did not fall off the face of the earth. I have, however, sat at the computer wanting to write. Some days it just doesn’t happen.    I have a writing job for the summer—$8/article and I can write at least 2 an hour.   That’s more than I make teaching!  No!  I’m not kidding!  lol  (It’s sad!)   I get to go back to work in just a couple of weeks.  Actually…..  two weeks from today!  WOW!  Same school! More kids.  This year, I’m teaching regular Freshman English and Mythology.  I’ll have about 35 kids in each class!  (I know, right?!)   We went to Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge on Vacation last month.  We took Mom and Dad with us!  We love going there. We went to a few shows.  Maybe… just maybe…. I’ll do a post about that!    I am now a CRIMINAL MINDS fanatic!  I love this show!  I had never watched an entir...

Exams started yesterday at my school.  That means that the kids only have 4 days left.  It means that *I* only have 6 days left.   I’m excited at the prospect of sleeping beyond 3:30am!    I can’t believe that the Princess will be in middle school next year.   I have so much on my mind, but not enough time to write it out right now.  Hopefully I get more writing time this summer to get some of these things out of my head.

At this point in the school year, I’m not doing anything new.  I teach an elective class, so I get the privilege of writing my own exam. I don’t have a state exam.  So, in that case, what do you do with 20 days left in the year?   You give them a 3 page study guide with specific instructions for how you expect it to be completed.  Then you give them time in class for two days to complete it so that they can’t whine as much about the amount of work.   Then you give them the answers to the study guide, assign them a specific part of it, and have them reteach that part of the information to the class.  That is the beginning of the review.   Then we play games (that they come up with and that I already have) for about 2 weeks.    Then it’s time for exams!    20 days of school left….. 15 teaching days/5 exam days!  This is the best part of being a teacher…. reviewing to get to the exam!

Today begins that last quarter for the school year.  I’m kind of excited!  Actually…. I’m really excited.  With all the snow days and, therefore, snow make up days, we haven’t had a break since February.  It gets kind of tiring for the teachers and the students.  But, now, we are in the home stretch.  If we can survive 9 more weeks, we will make it until Summer Break!   This weekend, the Softball Fairies were not on our side. We didn’t get to start the season as planned. We are hoping that there will be no rain this coming weekend so we can get the season started!  Our team is starting to shape up very well, I think.  I know that we are going to have some tough games, but we are going to have a good time doing it.   Countdown Update: 6 days (counting today) until Softball Opening Day 14 school days (counting today) until Spring Break 9 weeks until Summer Break

Well….sort of. Today is the last day I’m teaching for the week.  I have a meeting tomorrow.  However, my sub is going to have a REALLY easy day.  Since tomorrow is a Snow Make-Up Day, we are only there for 1/2 a day.  I am giving a test.    That means that each of my classes is only 45 minutes long instead of 90.  My sub will get to hand out the tests and sit there.  Since my largest class is only 8 kids…. well….  she’s going to have a very easy day! 

Many of the countdowns in my world are slowly getting smaller and smaller.  It’s exciting.  This time next week, I will be able to say that we have SINGLE DIGIT weeks left in school.    This week, we have a snow make-up day.  We were supposed to be out of school on Friday, but we are having a snow make-up day instead.  The best part is that it is only a HALF day!     What is 1025??  That is the number of boxes of cookies that the Princess ended up selling.  She earned her iPad mini!  She will get it at the beginning of May (supposedly) at the celebration for kids who sold more than 500 boxes of cookies!  We are excited!  For us, it will be the first (personally owned) i-anything in the house.  We are Android people, except for Tony’s work phone.      Our softball team is pretty cool.  We have a couple of girls who have never played before, but that comes with any rec team.  This ye...

This weekend, we finished some things. 1. The Girl Scout Cookie booths ended for the year!  I can’t say that I’m not excited.  This was a long year for Cookies!   2. The Princess finished up all her sales for 1000 boxes of cookies.  She earns the iPad Mini!   3. The Art Gala and Auction for the Princess’s school was Saturday.  From the initial numbers, we raised over $6000.  I’m impressed.  (Could have been better---could have been worse!)   4. We are now a week closer to SPRING BREAK!  This year, with Easter being so late (the end of April), we aren’t getting Spring Break until then.  Because of all the Snow Days we have had this year, we also don’t get any of the teacher workdays that we were supposed to get before then.  That means that from the beginning of March until the end of April, we are in school every weekday.  I know that doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it’s the longest stretch of straight thr...

Yesterday, I couldn’t get my Windows Live Writer to work.  I tried in the morning and last night.   Yesterday, March 12, was a morbid anniversary. On March 12, 1997, my Grandfather died….my mom’s dad.   I was a freshman at Appalachian State University. I was about 2 hours from home, and it was the first time I had ever been away from home that long.    That morning, mom called to wake me up, as usual. I went to all my classes, but I couldn’t get ahold of mom during the day. It was before cell phones were so readily available, and not everyone had one.  So, I would use payphones on campus to call collect. I tried a million times—or so it seems.   As I was getting ready to head out to my concert band class for the night, my phone rang. My dad told me to come downstairs and let him in. When I got downstairs to let him in, I saw our pastor with him. I knew something was wrong because as soon as I saw mom’s face, I could tell she was crying....

February has ended.  Here in NC, it ended with nice weather. March has started.  On Sunday, it was 70 degrees.  Yesterday started at 55, but by noon it was freezing.  Today is starting in the teens and will hopefully defrost during the day.   We had sleet and freezing rain last night.  I really thought we might get a delay this morning.  I guess not.   I was hoping.  I could have slept another 4-5 hours.   I picked up a writing job…30 articles.  I need to get those completed ASAP.    We are in the MIDDLE of cookies.  The Princess isn’t close to her 2500 box goal yet.   We are hoping she will still get 1000.  This year, for 1000 boxes, you get a free iPad mini.  She really wants it, but we shall see.  She’s still trying to sell cookies.    The countdown is still on for everything around here.   Countdown updates: 11 days until the Art Gala and Auction at the Pri...

I couldn’t let Post 666 stay up all day.  That would have me freaked out forever!    So….  I guess I’m going to say that although I enjoyed all the snow days last week, I hate that we have to make one of them up today---ON A SATURDAY!   The person who came up with this idea must not have to deal with crabby teenagers at 7am on a Saturday morning!   Oh well!  It’s only a half day! Then we have a cookie booth at noon!   Then we get to do nothing (mostly) for the rest of the day.    I’m excited!

Snow Day #3 for the year was Thursday of last week.  We actually still had snow falling.  Then all of a sudden, it stopped.  Every school in the 22 surrounding counties (and most all of the schools in the state) were closed that day and Friday!    We ended up with about 8” of snow total!  It was crazy!   Snow Day #4 was Friday!  OMG!  After being stuck at home Wed and Thurs, I was pretty sure that the Princess was going to go nuts!  But, she didn’t. Her teacher sent home assignments. She completed them.  All is right with the world.   Friday night, we had our first Girl Scout Cookie booth.  Saturday we had 3 booths.  Sunday, we rested!     Then….Monday…..  President’s Day.  Wow! That was a heck of a week off!  The Princess had my niece over Sunday night.  That kept her entertained yesterday!   Now….  I’m awake (or so I keep telling myself)!  I’m getting ...

Yesterday was snow day #2. Today is snow day #3 for the year.  On Tuesday, we got out of school early because the snow was coming. It came.  It accumulated. It melted. It was pretty.  By 4pm on Tuesday, most places didn’t have a bit of snow on the ground.   Yesterday, they canceled schools because the snow was coming.  So we waited.  We waited some more.  Finally about 12pm (NOON!) the snow started.  We could have gone another 1/2 day and wouldn’t have to make that day up on a Saturday….but nooooooo!  Once it started, it started accumulating quickly.  We got about 1” of snow per hour.  It snowed until about 7pm last night.  Some times it was slower, so we probably have about 5-6” in my yard.    About 7pm, the sleet and freezing rain started.  That’s what it is still doing now.  So schools called to cancel around 3pm yesterday afternoon for today!   Today, I’m “working from home”.  I do ...

In the state of NC, we rarely get that BIG SNOW. They used to be more common.  We used to get one huge snow a year.  Now, we are lucky if we get one every 2-3 years.    However, schools are cancelled, delayed, or let out early for weather all the time here.  We haven’t heard anything today about our schools, but we shall see.    It’s all about waiting to see what happens.  Sometimes, I think that God is sitting up there showing us HIS sense of humor.  He lets the weather people tell us whatever they want to tell us.  Then HE decides to have some fun with the weather.  (That’s just my 2 cents!)   Countdown Updates: 0 days until I pick up cookies!  TODAY is the day! They are still calling for “weather,” but they are pushing back the start time to later today. My scheduled pick up time is 6pm. So, we shall see.  It should be fine. Tony is going to drive me there so I’m not having to do it alone.  Then ...

Sometimes, I feel like it has been forever since I have written here.  I wish I could get my fingers back in the habit of writing ever day.   On top of that, I wish I could get a few writing jobs going so I’ll be set up for this summer.  I don’t want to have to scramble for jobs this summer.  I have some applications in, but I’m just waiting.    Here are my countdowns: 1 day until I pick up about 1000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies—It’s tomorrow.  However, the weather people are calling for snow and ice.  We have been told that we have to pick up cookies no matter what, but I’m not sure I’m “risking my life” to get cookies to my house! (LOL ) 4 days until cookie booths start (2.14) 5 days until my birthday (2.15) 32 days until the Art Gala and Auction at the Princess’s school ~11 weeks until Spring Break starts (April 18th) ~11 weeks until Easter ~14 weeks until EOGs start for the Princess ~16 weeks until Memorial Day ~17 we...

There are many “perks” to being a teacher. You don’t work during the summer…at least not teaching the kids. You have weekends off…most of the time. You have set hours…again, most of the time. You can actually plan things because you know when you work.   Until today…  okay…. it’s not that bad.   Although I was not thrilled when the alarm went off this morning at 3:30am, I am okay with the fact that I only have to work 3 hours.  We are only teaching TWO classes…. and one of those classes is my planning period!     So… Saturday School isn’t horrible today.  I may complain more next time!

Although we did not get much snow, and most of it melted yesterday, we have another Snow Day today.  This is because many of the secondary roads (also known as COUNTRY BACKROADS) are still covered in ice.  These are the roads that the DOT does not have to pay a lot of attention to because they are not city roads.  That is one of the drawbacks of living in the county and not in the city limits.   Last night Tony and I went over to my parents’ house.  We picked up mom (who does NOT drive in this stuff) and went riding around to check out roads.  Many of the roads that I would take to work or to get the Princess to school all had huge patches on them that were still snow covered or that would be sheets of ice this morning.    All of the public schools in the area  are closed today.  Since the Princess does not go to a county public school this year, her school decided to run on a two hour delay.  Her momma (ME!) decided that si...

So far, the 2nd semester has been great.  We had a three day week last week. Monday was MLK, Jr. Day (no school). Tuesday was a teacher workday (no school). So we went to school on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday,  but one of those days we had a 2 hour delay because the temperature was going to be around 10-12 degrees. They didn’t want the kids standing at the bus stops in those temps and they were afraid that the buses might not start correctly.    NOTE: Remember….I live in the South.  Snow is a rare, exciting event in our lives!   We went to school Monday—normal day. Tuesday we arrive at school only to stay for 3 hours because there is a THREAT of snow. That was yesterday. Then it snowed yesterday afternoon and last night. It only snowed for about 4 hours. There is only about 2” on the ground (if that much!).   Today, Wednesday, is a SNOW DAY! Hooray for that! They called school last night. I slept until almost 9am. The Princess is still ...

Today is the first day of 2nd semester! I get all new kids.  This semester, I have 10th graders!  I’m a little excited!   This means we are in the countdown until Spring Break.  After Spring Break is the countdown until the end of  the year!   Only 90 days of school left for the year!   Today is the day Tony and I get to start eating normally again.  For the past 21 days, beginning on Jan. 1st, we were participating in the Daniel Fast that our church was doing.  It was hard at times. It was very interesting at times.  Sometimes you just want to quick because you want a burger!    The Daniel Fast is part of the reason I haven’t written anything in a while.  I totally believe that you should not broadcast what you are doing for God.  I’m not broadcasting it now.  I’m saying that we did it; it’s over. We can eat normally.    We are planning a trip to Golden Corral for supper tonight!

Today is the last day I have to teach my kids anything.  On Monday, their exams start.  That means that if they don’t know it today, they had better study it and learn it this weekend.      Because students may not come to school every day next week like they are supposed to, we have a bit of a strange schedule.  Monday thru Thursday, the kids take one exam a day. They get out of school at 1/2 day.  On Friday, we have a full day of school.  If all of our students took their exams, we have literally nothing for them to do.  Some teachers are telling the kids that they will have work for them.  I’m telling my kids that we will have a movie that day.  Seriously…. no need for them to come if they are finished with exams.  (BUT….some of them will!)   So for the past few days (since Tuesday) my kids have been teaching my class.  I gave them the Study Guide over the weekend.  I gave them the answers to it on Mon...