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March, 2004
March 28, 2004
Odds and Ends
I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get back here. It's been a very busy week. I started the new job at Sachem North High School on Monday and I'm still teaching the ASL class at BOCES Dix Hills campus Monday and Wednesday nights. Because of that class, I've also been taking a "train the trainer" course the last few Saturdays at Dix Hills. It's from 9am-1pm with a very brief break! I have found it just exhausting and when I get home, not much gets done for the rest of the day. So, I've been doing all the cleaning and weekend chores on Sunday. Next Saturday is the last day of this course and we all have to do a presentation. I'm still working on what I want to do. I should really get started on it today so I'm not scrambling at the last minute. The ASL class is finished April 19, I believe. After this week, we have the following week off for spring break. So, actually, there are only four classes left, two this week, one the week after Easter and one the following Monday. I'll enjoy having a little more time to myself once that's finished.
I finished working on the last pair of socks I was knitting. I've made three pairs of these very warm, thick socks with my favorite yarn, Lion's Wool-Ease. It is an acrylic/wool blend, easy to knit with (even works well with the knitting machine), is soft and warm and is also machine washable. I made them in three colors, oatmeal, navy blue and black. They fit really well with my favorite Land's End boots. Now, I've started a cable-knit sweater.
I've been trying to
catch up on reading but haven't had much time. I'm just finishing up
Testament, A Soldier's Story of the Civil War by Benson Bobrick. It's
based on the letters written by his ancestor, Benjamin W. ("Webb") Baker.
The first part of the book describes Webb's participation in the war, following
his experiences detailed in his letters home. The second part, which I'm
reading now, is comprised of the letters themselves in their entirety.
Interesting but as usual, when I finish reading something historical like this,
I want to read a novel. I have another Elm Creek Quilts novel waiting and
will probably read that next. I also finished reading Cyrano de Bergerac
for the second time recently. I'm just keeping the story in mind in case
the musical comes to the stage anytime soon. Also, I have a gift card for
Barnes and Noble that I'm holding on to, trying to decide which books I'm
looking for now.
The job's going well. After one week, I think I'm getting accustomed to the school and comfortable with the routine.
Well, I'm off to complete my day's chores. Hopefully, I can fit some reading and knitting in the day as well.
March 19, 2004
Is this spring?
Well, early tomorrow morning, spring will
arrive. You couldn't tell by today's snowy weather. I could have
substituted a winter/Christmas Pooh picture here and it would have fit right in.
I certainly hope this is it. I had to laugh when I read the Newsday
article about the snow today. It began, "Make it stop. Please make
it stop." So, I'm not the only one sick and tired of the nasty weather.
Nunsense went really well last night and we did have a small handful of deaf in our audience. It felt great and went really smoothly. It was just fun! It's a fun show anyway and was a great show to interpret. Our next challenge is Into The Woods and it sure will be a challenge. It will be really difficult. There were some tough parts in Nunsense but Into The Woods will be in a class by itself.
So, that's it. Spring certainly is coming in like a lion. No kidding.
March 17, 2004
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I
hope everyone had a good St. Patty's Day. This was my last day at BOCES/Northport.
I apparently chose the right time to move on. The news came down today
that this the last year of the program. Three students are graduating and
I believe one is moving. That leaves two students for the next two years.
I'm assuming they will still attend Npt H.S. but will not be in the program as
we know it. I don't really know what will happen.
It continues to snow. This isn't the first snowy St. Patrick's Day I can remember. Still, the forecast is for six inches on Friday! That's unbelievable.
Of course, I must include our little historical tidbit for the day. Contrary to popular belief, St. Patrick did not rid Ireland of snakes. He did, however, bring Christianity (specifically, Catholicism) to Ireland and used the three leaves of the shamrock to portray the Holy Trinity. The United States has celebrated with parades since as far back as the 1700's. That's a lot of marching feet!
ttfn!
March 12, 2004
Adios!
Pooh
is celebrating and I'll tell you why. After almost nine years, I'm leaving
BOCES next Wednesday. I have been hired at Sachem school district and will
start the new job on 3/22. I'm very relieved because the hearing-impaired
program at BOCES is pretty much over at the end of this year. Three out of
the six students are graduating this year and one student is moving out of the
district and will not attend next year. That leaves only two students and,
probably, no work for the interpreters. I don't know if I will have a job
at Sachem next September but I have a better chance of working there than at
BOCES. All in all, it's a good move. I'm also delighted that I will
no longer be standing on a windy field for after-school sports. I never
enjoyed that. Things are looking up!
Sue and I interpret Nunsense on Thursday and we worked on the script this morning. I think we're really going to enjoy this one. After this, we have the challenge that is Into The Woods. If we can pull that one off, we can literally do anything!
Finally (and you didn't think you were getting off without a historical tidbit, did you?), on this day in 1912, the Girl Scouts of USA was founded by Juliette Gordon Low from Savannah, Georgia. Another tidbit I didn't find on Those Were the Days, Today in History is that Ms. Low was hearing-impaired. Just thought that would bring the whole thing full circle for you.
tgif and ttfn!
March 9, 2004
Apologies to the groundhog
I spoke too soon! Track started yesterday and Mother Nature chose that day to throw a little more snow at us. Granted, the ground is warmer due to recent 50 degree temps so nothing stuck to the ground. However, it was in the 30's and the snow was stinging as we spent AN HOUR out on the track. Yes, after being assured that track practice would be held indoors, the "throwers" (shotput and discus) were outside learning shotput technique. The students obviously believed it would be indoors because they were dressed in shorts and t-shirts. I had my coat, gloves and hood and I was cold. They finally said to their coach, "Coach, we can't feel our fingers anymore". The response? "Two more throws and we'll go in." Again I say that I just don't understand the sports mentality. No work today because of a teacher conference day but tomorrow, I plan to dress warmly.
March 7, 2004
Ramblings....part two
Last week, we had to buy a new washer and dryer. The appliances we had were probably more than 15 years old so I guess it was time. Strange how they both decided to give up the ghost at the same time. Still, this is the first time I've ever had a washer and dryer pair that actually match. Little things make me happy. Anyway, they work great. The spin cycle is so quiet compared to the old washer, which jumped around the kitchen and made quite a racket. So, that's quieter but the dryer has a very loud buzzer that sounds twice, a few minutes before the cycle is completed (I guess it's a warning) and then when it stops. It scares the bejeepers out of me every time it happens. If I knew how to turn it off, I would!
I saw Hidalgo yesterday afternoon.
I really enjoyed it. It's a fun, Disney-style movie, which makes me happy,
of course. It has "sanitized" violence as opposed to graphic violence.
You know the kind. "Good guy/bad guy" bullets that make you wonder how the
hero could possibly get through that without a scratch. My only problem
was trying to understand Viggo Mortensen. He speaks so softly and tends to
mumble a little bit. We found ourselves saying, "Huh? What did he
say?" It was fun, though.
I've also ushered Nunsense at Smithtown a couple of times, last night included. It's such a funny show and the cast is really great. Kelly's funny. I think she's seen every show and laughs like it's the first time she's seeing it. It really is different every show, though, due to the audience participation factor.
Track
begins tomorrow. It ends 5:15 so it's not as bad as 6:00. I guess it
means spring is almost here. It hasn't been as cold out and now and then,
you get a hint of spring in the air. Maybe the groundhog had it wrong?
Well, we won't revisit my opinions about the groundhog!
ttfn!
March 3, 2004
It's March and it's hard to believe we're in the third month of the year already. It feels like we just started writing, or typing, 2004. A little bit scary when you think about it.
In the news today, actually news from the past, U.S. Congress passed the Conscription Act on this day in 1863, which resulted in the first wartime draft of U.S. citizens in our history. Wealthier citizens could be exempt from service by paying $300 or by finding a substitute. This led to riots, depicted in the movie "Gangs of New York", which I didn't see. Too violent for me. Anyway, this info courtesy of This Day in History on history channel.com, a favorite site of mine. Also on this day in 1931, The Star Spangled Banner became our national anthem. That tidbit is from Those Were the Days, Today in History.
Well, enough lollygagging! I'm off. Ta-ta!
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