Yes, I have a cell phone. Only out of necessity. Tilly and I have tried several different plans, and for our budget, a "pay-as-you-go" plan works the best. We don't use the thing much. I take it with me while driving the transit bus, because our dispatcher goes home at 4 and I drive until 6:30 (not a good plan, but I don't run the show there) so I have the phone incase I have a problem and need to call someone.
Yesterday, I decided to buy more minutes for the phone. The company I am with has this web site where you can buy minutes on line. And, if you buy on line, you get a better deal than if you call their toll free number. So, I (or rather, Tilly) goes thru the whole buying process, and alas...the darn thing sends me confirmation, and a reciept that I can print out. But...I never got my minutes added on the phone. I tried calling the customer service number and got a series of recordings, asking me to press 1 for this or press 2 for that. Oh crap! I just got frustrated and hung up, never getting to customer service, or getting my minutes.
So, today, the mighty Tilly tackles the problem. She got on the phone and persevered until she got a "real" person. Would you believe that that "real" person is actually in Venzuela? They did speak English and were helpful, but I marvel that we have to deal with people in ANOTHER COUNTRY!! (Are those types of jobs so menial that an American won't do them?) But I digress...Tilly got her point across and I got my minutes, but I wonder if it is really worth the hassle. Do I really need this phone?
Nothing makes me madder while driving either transit, or my personal auto than to see someone talking on their phone. Or to be sitting next to someone in a restaurant and have them spend the whole time on their phone. The other day someone's phone rang in CHURCH! Now, I ask you, is anything that important?
I have caught students text messaging in class, too. I confisgate the phones, turn them in at the office, and the student has to deal with the assistant principal to get it back, which usually involves a call home to Mom, tears, and needless to say, lost minutes on ones plan. We tried outlawing cells at school, but parents had a fit. Yes parents! What if my child needs me? What if they need a ride home? And so it goes. Whatever did we do without cell phones? I know, we called from a pay phone, or walked to a friends and called Mom. Or, horrors of horrors, just waited until we got home to call our friends.
I suppose CP's do have a place. They are convenient, but I wonder just how people who are on the welfare rolls, and free lunch program at school can really justify owning them.
I am seriously considering giving my CP up when my new minutes are gone, but then again, when Tilly and I are out on the road taking a run to our fav mall or just bumming around on a nice afternoon, it does offer a way to call AAA if we have a car problem. Maybe it's worth having just to be safe at our age. Maybe I will keep it a while longer. Did I just talk myself into something here?
Monday, March 26, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Spring Fever
Spring fever is striking the school where I toil. I can see it descending like a cloud. This is not a bad thing, but it sure takes it's toll on the teachers. We are an inner city school, bereft with poverty and apathy. Spring fever doesn't bode well for us.
Today, first period, my most challenged student came into my room and announced, "I didn't do my homework last night." I challenged him as to why, and he informed me that he "didn't feel like it."
Second period, one of my sixth graders said he was tired when he got home from school, so his parent didn't think he needed to do his homework. That remark got Mom a call from the lead teacher. Both were steamed!
Third period, I subbed in a study hall and all went rather smoothly. Our study hall system is a walk in, finish up your homework, then procede on to class. Today, I only had one student.
Fourth period was okay, only Steven got on my one nerve, so I had to eat a slab of chocolate.
By the end of the day, the other aide that shares my room with me, and I were hitting the chocolate covered, nutty bars. One of my kids came in and offered me a life saver, and I said, "No thanks, we're hitting the hard stuff."
I love spring, and all it brings. But it does make the job harder.
Today, first period, my most challenged student came into my room and announced, "I didn't do my homework last night." I challenged him as to why, and he informed me that he "didn't feel like it."
Second period, one of my sixth graders said he was tired when he got home from school, so his parent didn't think he needed to do his homework. That remark got Mom a call from the lead teacher. Both were steamed!
Third period, I subbed in a study hall and all went rather smoothly. Our study hall system is a walk in, finish up your homework, then procede on to class. Today, I only had one student.
Fourth period was okay, only Steven got on my one nerve, so I had to eat a slab of chocolate.
By the end of the day, the other aide that shares my room with me, and I were hitting the chocolate covered, nutty bars. One of my kids came in and offered me a life saver, and I said, "No thanks, we're hitting the hard stuff."
I love spring, and all it brings. But it does make the job harder.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Pugs
Tilly and I have a Pug. We did a lot of inquiring ( we thought) before we purchased her 3 years ago. We paid out the wang-wang for her. She is a lovely little companion to Tilly while I am gone. She like me, but is crazy about Tilly. She seems pretty smart, but is undoubtedly the most stubborn canine we have ever owned. We diligently house broke this dog as a pup, but she still doesn't get it.
She will go out doors, wander the yard, bark at the neighbor's beagle, and anyone who walks within a half-mile of our yard. When she finally decides to do her "business" she turns in a full circle in the same spot not once, but many times, (I have actually counted up to 16 circles) then finally does her thing.
The only thing is, she will come back in the house and 15 minutes later, poop on the floor. She has completely ruined out living room carpeting, and has a favorite spot in the dining room. I think she does this out of spite. Is that possible or is she just too stupid to catch on that she is supposed to take care of all bodily functions OUTSIDE?
She is also a notorious shedder. We had Kees before and they shed a lot. But I honestly think that she tops them. She doesn't have a hair on her body longer than an inch to an inch-and-a-half, and she sheds like a cat. We have tried switching food, grooming (actually overgrooming) and still she sheds. I hate the hair. It's brittle and gets in the weave of a sweater or even my slacks and shirts, and is hell to get out.
All in all, I would give her to the first band of gypsies that would go by,(I threatened my kids with the same treatment when they were still home) but Tilly says NO! Tilly did concede to running an ad to see if someone was interested in buying this dog, but when someone expressed interest, she changed her mind. "She wanted to cage her all day while she is at work. Pansy has never be caged, she would be traumatized." So, here we are, still cleaning up after a 3 year old dog, brushing the hair from everything, and still having her lay close and snore in the way only a loving, content Pug can do. Anyone got any suggestions?
JE
She will go out doors, wander the yard, bark at the neighbor's beagle, and anyone who walks within a half-mile of our yard. When she finally decides to do her "business" she turns in a full circle in the same spot not once, but many times, (I have actually counted up to 16 circles) then finally does her thing.
The only thing is, she will come back in the house and 15 minutes later, poop on the floor. She has completely ruined out living room carpeting, and has a favorite spot in the dining room. I think she does this out of spite. Is that possible or is she just too stupid to catch on that she is supposed to take care of all bodily functions OUTSIDE?
She is also a notorious shedder. We had Kees before and they shed a lot. But I honestly think that she tops them. She doesn't have a hair on her body longer than an inch to an inch-and-a-half, and she sheds like a cat. We have tried switching food, grooming (actually overgrooming) and still she sheds. I hate the hair. It's brittle and gets in the weave of a sweater or even my slacks and shirts, and is hell to get out.
All in all, I would give her to the first band of gypsies that would go by,(I threatened my kids with the same treatment when they were still home) but Tilly says NO! Tilly did concede to running an ad to see if someone was interested in buying this dog, but when someone expressed interest, she changed her mind. "She wanted to cage her all day while she is at work. Pansy has never be caged, she would be traumatized." So, here we are, still cleaning up after a 3 year old dog, brushing the hair from everything, and still having her lay close and snore in the way only a loving, content Pug can do. Anyone got any suggestions?
JE
I Hate Computers!
I am beginning to hate computers. For over a week now, I have pissed and moaned about my blogging site; that it wouldn't work, was "google's" fault, and that I was frustrated.
Well, a while ago, "wife-type-person" decided to go into the nether regions of our old (literally) PC, and deleted all cookies(I'm thinking Oreos) and cleaned up the hard drive with some magic formula that only she seems to know where to click to find, and PRESTO, suddenly my site is up and running.
So, now I have two blogs and two blog sites. I think I will stick here for a while longer, so keep in touch.
JE
Well, a while ago, "wife-type-person" decided to go into the nether regions of our old (literally) PC, and deleted all cookies(I'm thinking Oreos) and cleaned up the hard drive with some magic formula that only she seems to know where to click to find, and PRESTO, suddenly my site is up and running.
So, now I have two blogs and two blog sites. I think I will stick here for a while longer, so keep in touch.
JE
Zounds
I am at my wits end. I can post to this blog from another computer, but when I try to post from my home PC, I get an" error on page" message and it won't let me post. What is wrong? Every since we had to change over to google, I have had nothing but problems. I have started a new blog called Chasing Time. Join me there.
Maybe this problem will resolve itself, but if any one has any ideas, let me know via comments here.
JE
Maybe this problem will resolve itself, but if any one has any ideas, let me know via comments here.
JE
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
15 Things It Took Me 61+ Years to Learn
I know, it's another list. But it's worth it! This one came from my sister-in-law in TX.
1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings".
3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
5. You should not confuse your career with your life.
6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
7. Never lick a steak knife.
8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
11. There comes a time when you stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
14. Your friends love you anyway.
15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: a lone amateur built the Ark; A large group of professionals built the Titanic
1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.
2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings".
3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness".
4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.
5. You should not confuse your career with your life.
6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
7. Never lick a steak knife.
8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.
9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.
10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.
11. There comes a time when you stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.
12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status, or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.
13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)
14. Your friends love you anyway.
15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember: a lone amateur built the Ark; A large group of professionals built the Titanic
When I Was A Kid
I have many memories of my childhood. Some of them are very fond. I shall attempt to share a few. This was a tag from Professor.
For my fifth birthday I received a maroon and cream two wheeled bike. Now, I had never ridden a bike before, so I needed training wheels. Dad installed them a little close to the ground, which made braking pointless. It didn’t brake. I rode out of our driveway, into the gravel road, which went past our house. There was a little hill and then a bridge going across a channel where rowboats were moored for rent. I kept veering left towards the channel, trying to stop. I was hollering, “stop,” but I just kept rolling and rode out into the channel. It was only 3 feet deep, so there was no danger to me, but my bike was totally submersed. Our neighbor got a rake, waded into the channel and rescued my bike. Mom laughed!
We had woods behind where we lived; we played there all the time. We would leave in the morning and traipse back to the woods where we played cowboys and Indians all day. We thought Mom never knew where we were, but found out as adults that she and the neighbor lady would periodically walk into the woods to where she could see us, check on us, and then walk back home.
Going to Grandma F.’s was fun. She lived in town. She bought Pepsi Cola. She let my brother and I stay up and watch the “late show.” She had T.V.; we didn’t.
I wanted to smoke. My dad smoked, so Mom let my brother and I light up. I was about 7. She didn’t let us quit! I think I turned green!
Christmas was always exciting. One year we got real leather boxing gloves. However, our parental unit didn’t think what the smell of leather might do to our dog. Christmas morning we got our “prechewed” boxing gloves.
Parents were gone for a long weekend. Brother and I invited 50 of our friends to our lake house for a “beer party.” The sheriff showed up, but we had a phone call warning us. So Brother and I and another friend, tossed all the beer into our canoe, paddled into the middle of the lake, and started tossing beer bottles and cans into the water. Then we paddled into the shadows (it was after midnight) and bulrushes and waited. Sure enough, the sheriff arrived, knocked on the door, walked around the house, then left. What a waste of good beer!
A bunch of neighborhood kids decided to go “halloweening” aka prank playing. We threw corn at the old man next door’s windows, we lit a burlap bag of cow poop outside another guys door on his cement porch, and hid and watched him come out and stomp it out! We smashed a pumpkin and stuffed it into a mailbox, causing the owner to shoot a shotgun over our heads. We climbed a farm fence topped with barbed wire, getting ripped pants, ran through a field and across an old cemetery where Brother fell into a sunken grave. What a night.
We always ate our evening meal together, at the dining room table, with a tablecloth and real china. Supper was on the table promptly at 6 p.m. We even prayed before we ate.
We prayed at school every day before going to lunch. Lunch was real food, cooked at school by some farm ladies who ran the lunchroom. The best chicken and noodles I ever ate came from there.
Going to church was not optional. When the old Chevy was pointed towards town and church, we were expected to be in the back seat. We never questioned going or complained about it, either.
For my fifth birthday I received a maroon and cream two wheeled bike. Now, I had never ridden a bike before, so I needed training wheels. Dad installed them a little close to the ground, which made braking pointless. It didn’t brake. I rode out of our driveway, into the gravel road, which went past our house. There was a little hill and then a bridge going across a channel where rowboats were moored for rent. I kept veering left towards the channel, trying to stop. I was hollering, “stop,” but I just kept rolling and rode out into the channel. It was only 3 feet deep, so there was no danger to me, but my bike was totally submersed. Our neighbor got a rake, waded into the channel and rescued my bike. Mom laughed!
We had woods behind where we lived; we played there all the time. We would leave in the morning and traipse back to the woods where we played cowboys and Indians all day. We thought Mom never knew where we were, but found out as adults that she and the neighbor lady would periodically walk into the woods to where she could see us, check on us, and then walk back home.
Going to Grandma F.’s was fun. She lived in town. She bought Pepsi Cola. She let my brother and I stay up and watch the “late show.” She had T.V.; we didn’t.
I wanted to smoke. My dad smoked, so Mom let my brother and I light up. I was about 7. She didn’t let us quit! I think I turned green!
Christmas was always exciting. One year we got real leather boxing gloves. However, our parental unit didn’t think what the smell of leather might do to our dog. Christmas morning we got our “prechewed” boxing gloves.
Parents were gone for a long weekend. Brother and I invited 50 of our friends to our lake house for a “beer party.” The sheriff showed up, but we had a phone call warning us. So Brother and I and another friend, tossed all the beer into our canoe, paddled into the middle of the lake, and started tossing beer bottles and cans into the water. Then we paddled into the shadows (it was after midnight) and bulrushes and waited. Sure enough, the sheriff arrived, knocked on the door, walked around the house, then left. What a waste of good beer!
A bunch of neighborhood kids decided to go “halloweening” aka prank playing. We threw corn at the old man next door’s windows, we lit a burlap bag of cow poop outside another guys door on his cement porch, and hid and watched him come out and stomp it out! We smashed a pumpkin and stuffed it into a mailbox, causing the owner to shoot a shotgun over our heads. We climbed a farm fence topped with barbed wire, getting ripped pants, ran through a field and across an old cemetery where Brother fell into a sunken grave. What a night.
We always ate our evening meal together, at the dining room table, with a tablecloth and real china. Supper was on the table promptly at 6 p.m. We even prayed before we ate.
We prayed at school every day before going to lunch. Lunch was real food, cooked at school by some farm ladies who ran the lunchroom. The best chicken and noodles I ever ate came from there.
Going to church was not optional. When the old Chevy was pointed towards town and church, we were expected to be in the back seat. We never questioned going or complained about it, either.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Natural Highs
1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry ).
12. A cold beer on a hot day.
13. Belly laughing.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you.
19. Phone calls from friends.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're still handsome.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS.
24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
26. Your first kiss (the very first).
27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
28. Playing with a new puppy.
29. Finding a really good book and having time to read.
30. Sweet dreams.
31. Hot chocolate.
32. Road trips with friends.
33. Swinging on swings.
34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
35. Making chocolate chip cookies.
36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
37. Holding hands with someone you care about.
38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
39. Watching the __expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
40. Watching the sunrise.
41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
42. Knowing that somebody missed you today.
43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry ).
12. A cold beer on a hot day.
13. Belly laughing.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you.
19. Phone calls from friends.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're still handsome.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS.
24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
26. Your first kiss (the very first).
27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
28. Playing with a new puppy.
29. Finding a really good book and having time to read.
30. Sweet dreams.
31. Hot chocolate.
32. Road trips with friends.
33. Swinging on swings.
34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
35. Making chocolate chip cookies.
36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
37. Holding hands with someone you care about.
38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
39. Watching the __expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
40. Watching the sunrise.
41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
42. Knowing that somebody missed you today.
43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.
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