My brain has not had time to calm down and relax over the second part of this last week. Now, sitting here in front of my computer with time to blog and reflect, I feel like I cannot remember what even happened over the past few days. Maybe my mind is already repressing those memories. Or maybe it's that I have sooo many little things in my mind, and I just don't have any energy left in me to organize it!
Thursday and Friday at school were rather exhausting (understatement). I feel like I'm not actually teaching anything, but instead, just being mean and making them behave all day. This has definitely got to change, and I've got to get control of what is going on in the classroom. There were moments, although brief, that I saw students engaged and learning... and those were the moments that pumped me back up with sanity and purpose to keep me moving through moments when I was ... well I don't know what I was doing, I just know I wasn't teaching... and students weren't learning. It's taking me a bit longer to get a focus on the direction of students' learning this year.
Seth headed to Atlantic City today with his brothers. I stayed home. They were trying to convince me to go, but I was rather looking forward to an afternoon to myself (minus all the city people around me... but my ability to ignore is improving from all the practice I get). Casinos depress me anyway, and I don't need anything bringing me down this weekend, the end of the week at school was enough. Anyway, they have a plan for this table/game that took all their money when we went last winter. I don't much like to gamble, but I'll bet they don't come back winners this time either!! :)
Before they left for A.C., Seth and I joined his brother, Ethan, and our friend, Pete, for brunch. Brunch has become a weekend tradition for us, and we've had the opportunity to eat at many different restaurants around the Slope. Last weekend, our Brunch destination was A.O.C. Bistro, where Seth discovered the BEST French Toast EVER (or so far that I've tasted!) The discovery pulled us back for a repeat visit today, but this time, there were 3 orders of French Toast for our table instead of only 1. Note for future NYC travelers: When you come to visit us, make sure you schedule in at least one weekend morning for brunch in Park Slope.
This afternoon, I headed into Herald Square at 34th street in search for clear contact paper. The three-floor 99 cent store didn't have any (that I could find), which is completely disappointing because we need it to cover our students' writer's notebooks so their pictures and stickers don't fall off or get picked off. The trip wasn't a complete waste though... Seth and I have wedding thank yous to write and send out (I know we are WAY late!), and we've decided it would fun to use New York City postcards! There's a little shop on 34th that has a great deal on postcards... I bought 140 of them. The guy in front of my on the check out line mentioned how I must have so many friends for all the cards I was buying!! :) (I know, I'm lucky) Postcards are a non-traditional thank you, but they are personal to us and unique - an element we tried to spread throughout our wedding day. Seth and I have a lot of work to do to get them all written, but I'd like to get those out as soon as possible... maybe the goal can be the end of this next week. I hope our dear family and friends don't mind that we are running a little late!
After coming back from the city, I took the subway to Grand Army Plaza to get some books at the library. I knew that if I put it off to walk there, it probably wouldn't happen... It's almost a mile up the hill to the library, and then another mile back down carrying the loads of books I always end up checking out. Visiting the library is probably the ONE time I Really wish I had a car. Anyone who knows about my library habits is probably wondering how I could make it home without a car... I've been known to check a few books out at a time. (How many, you ask... Last December, I had almost 70 out for classroom use. I had to leave town last minute, and they were all left sitting in my classroom past return time... my bill was over $85 in late fees. Luckily, the librarian was very considerate and waived it for me because of the circumstances.) I've had to cut back on my book stack, only getting enough to fill a reusable grocery bag (14 books)... and even that was torture to carry back. I'm not done moving them though, as I'll be carrying them to school with me on Monday (except for the book Blogging for Dummies, and yes, I just admitted to checking out that book!)
No comments:
Post a Comment