TRS and Me

I've recently thought I would contact TRS (Teacher Retirement System) to see what I'd need to do about retiring. It would be just great if I could retire in the next year or so. I wanted to check my teaching record online and to do that I have to get a password. I suppose it has a high security because I couldn't apply for a password online. I had to download a form to fill out, put in the "snail-mail" and then wait for the return response with my "secret" password. Sounds like a lot of trouble, but if it'll get me the information I need to quit teaching school...I'll do it.

My classes this year are not too bad really. The three third grade classes of reading that I teach each have 22 students. Most of them are a little too immature and don't really want to do schoolwork over playing. But I don't blame them because I'd rather play too. Unfortunately, I don't think we'd get away with it. The principal would be sure to find out and we'd all be busted.

Playing instead of being at the school really does sound better to me. Every Monday evening I have the same strong desire to get up in the morning and just drive away and forget about that school and my job. I know that would be very irresponcible, not to mention that people would think I was crazy.

I have managed to get my school principal to let another teacher and myself have a day in Houston attending a workshop on improving TAKS scores. No, it doesn't sound too interesting, but we aren't at school. I'm not complaining. We get to eat lunch with the business crowd and listen to a speaker give us tips on helping the helpless in TAKS. I even get my gasoline paid for plus the cost of the registration. Not a bad deal.

When I retire, I realize that I'll have to get some sort of job to help supplement my paycheck from the state. But this time I'm going to work at something that I enjoy. I want to be able to leave it at work and not bring home work. I would like to be able to sleep later than 6:00 a.m. and not be at work until 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. I do not want to have to substitute teach. Been there, done that. I'm thinking Barnes and Noble might like to hire an ex-teacher. Or better yet, Half-Price Books.

Well I haven't retired yet and I have papers to grade and a few lesson plans to write. It never ends. ;-/

The Animals We Are

During a Science Review the word "animal" was used in reference to humans. My third graders were insulted to be called animals. I assured them it was true that all creatures, even human mammals, were considered animals. They still took offense and could not accept that they were indeed "animals".

However, as I stop and picture human beings scurry around each day trying to earn a living, gather food, and race through this maze of daily happenings...we truly are of the animal kingdom. For sure, we are the more influencial, high-order thinker of the species, but "animals" none the less.

We are always on the move like an army of ants. "Done in the ground, to get out of the rain..." says the preschool song. Human animals rise up each day to new expectations. Oh, of course, there are some of us that are not going to a paying job. Theirs is to sit somewhere, to observe life passing, to listen to other people talk or watch them walk past in a hurry to their next event. Or theirs may be to volunteer their time, service and devotion to other human animals. But somewhere in there all humans eat, think, and sleep just like any other animal. It is the thinking that makes human beings superior though. However, I do believe I observe our cats thinking as they peer around the corner of the door poised to leap out at the other passing cat or person that walks by them. They use their minds to think as they pace around my feet and meow their requests for food or affection. Cats, dogs, even pigs can think, but humans have the complex ability to think, contemplate,reason and feel emotion about their daily decisions.

Pondering the thought that we are humans on this round planet, it seems that we are no different than any other animal living here. The earth spins from day to night and day again. We wake, eat, work, live and do it all over again every 24 hours. Have we been programed by a "superhuman"? Are we going anywhere in this world? The difference between human animals and any other creature on earth is that we can pursue a purpose in life. We can seek and act on a reason to exist. What is that purpose? If my answer to that question is simply to survive my time in this physical life on earth, I should quit my job, stop worrying about my health and let happen what will. No, I have to say that my purpose here is to be a learner. I am learning something new everyday. I'm not a terribly intelligent person, but surrounded by both simple and complex people, the minute-to-minute situations I encounter teach me so much about purpose in life. God placed me on this planet to learn His lessons about the life I will live after I have graduated from this world.

We are the ultimate animal and our degree will be Life with God in Heaven.

Top 100 Songs of 1970

On my son, Kyle's blog. (see my list) He listed the top 100 songs from his graduating class of 1997. He got this idea from a friend, Deanna, (see my list) who said to go to musicoutfitters.com and type in your graduating year in the search box. From there it will navigate to a search page and your graduating year will be the first hit. Click on it and there it is. The songs of your graduation year.

Then: 1. Bold the songs you like
2. Italicize the ones you hate
3. Underline your favorites
4. Ignore the ones you don't remember/don't care about.

Unfortunately, my computer doesn't show the tools to underline, bold or italicize. So I'm going to use the following:
1. "" around the ones I like.
2.[ ] the ones I hate (there aren't many)
3. * my favorites
4. Ignore the ones I don't remember. (yeah, there might be a few, did you see the grad year?)

Well too bad Kyle wasn't really impressed by his classes' song list. He needs to check out my list from 1970. Now that was music!

1. *Bridge Over Troubled Water, Simon and Garfunkel
2. "(They Long To Be) Close To You", Carpenters
3. *American Woman / No Sugar Tonight, The Guess Who
4. "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head", B.J. Thomas
5. *War, Edwin Starr
6. *Ain't No Mountain High Enough, Diana Ross
7. "I'll Be There", Jackson 5
8. "Get Ready", Rare Earth
9. *Let It Be, The Beatles
10. Band Of Gold, Freda Payne
11. *Mama Told Me (Not To Come), Three Dog Night
12. [Everything Is Beautiful[, Ray Stevens
13. *Make It With You, Bread
14. Hitchin' A Ride, Vanity Fair
15. [ABC], Jackson 5
16. The Love You Save / I Found That Girl, Jackson 5
17. *Cracklin' Rose, Neil Diamond
18. Candida, Dawn
19. "Thank You (Fallettin Me Be Mice Elf Again) / Everybody Is A Star", Sly and The Family Stone
20. Spill The Wine, Eric Burdon and War
21. O-o-h Child / Dear Prudence, Five Stairsteps and Cubie
22. *Spirit In The Sky, Norman Greenbaum
23. Lay Down (Candles In The Rain), Melanie and The Edwin Hawkins Singers
24. Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today), Temptations
25. Love On A Two Way Street, Moments
27. Which Way You Goin' Billy?, Poppy Family
28. All Right Now, Free
29. Julie, Do Ya Love Me, Bobby Sherman
30. *Green-eyed Lady, Sugarloaf
31. *Signed Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours), Stevie Wonder
32. "Ride Captain Ride", Blues Image
33. *Venus, Shocking Blue
34. Instant Karma (We All Shine On), John Ono Lennon
35. [Patches], Clarence Carter
36. Lookin' Out My Back Door / Long As I Can See The Light, Creedence Clearwater Revival
37. *Rainy Night In Georgia, Brook Benton
38. *Something's Burning, Kenny Rogers and The First Edition
39. "Give Me Just A Little More Time", Chairmen Of The Board
40. "Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)", Edison Lighthouse
41. *The Long And Winding Road / For You Blue, The Beatles
42. "Snowbird", Anne Murray
43. Reflections Of My Life, Marmalade
44. "Hey There Lonely Girl", Eddie Holman
45. *The Rapper, Jaggerz
46. *He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, Hollies
47. Tighter, Tighter, Alive and Kicking
48. Come And Get It, Badfinger
49. *Cecelia, Simon and Garfunkel
50. Love Land, Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
51. Turn Back The Hands Of Time, Tyrone Davis
52. Lola, Kinks
53. *In The Summertime, Mungo Jerry
54. [Indiana Wants Me], R. Dean Taylor
55. (I Know) I'm Losing You, Rare Earth
56. [Easy Come, Easy Go], Bobby Sherman
57. Express Yourself, Charles Wright and The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band
58. Still Water (Love), Four Tops
59. *Make Me Smile, Chicago
60. *House Of The Rising Sun , Frijid Pink
61. *25 Or 6 To 4, Chicago
62. "My Baby Loves Lovin'", White Plains
63. Love Or Let Me Be Lonely, Friends Of Distinction
64. *United We Stand, Brotherhood Of Man
65. "We've Only Just Begun", Carpenters
66. Arizona, Mark Lindsay
67. *Fire And Rain, James Taylor
68. Groovy Situation, Gene Chandler
69. "Evil Ways", Santana
70. "No Time", The Guess Who
71. Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time), Delfonics
72. The Wonder Of You / Mama Liked The Roses, Elvis Presley
73. *Up Around The Bend / Run Through The Jungle, Creedence Clearwater Revival
74. (If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You, Ronnie Dyson
75. *I Just Can't Help Believing, B.J. Thomas
76. It's A Shame, Spinners
77. For The Love Of Him, Bobbi Martin
78. Mississippi Queen, Mountain
79. "I Want To Take You Higher", Ike and Tina Turner
80. The Letter, Joe Cocker
81. "Ma Belle Amie", Tee Set
82. The Bells, Originals
83. Yellow River, Christie
84. Somebody's Been Sleeping, 100 Proof and Aged In Soul
85. Vehicle, Ides Of March
86. [Gimme Dat Ding], Pipkins
87. "Lay A Little Lovin' On Me", Robin Mcnamara
88. Up The Ladder To The Roof, Supremes
89. *Travelin' Band / Who'll Stop The Rain, Creedence Clearwater Revival
90. *Come Saturday Morning, Sandpipers
91. Psychedelic Shack, Temptations
92. Without Love (There Is Nothing), Tom Jones
93. Are You Ready?, Pacific Gas and Electric
94. *Woodstock, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
95. I'll Never Fall In Love Again, Dionne Warwick
96. Look What They've Done To My Song Ma, New Seekers
97. Walk A Mile In My Shoes, Joe South
98. *The Thrill Is Gone, B.B. King
99. It's Only Make Believe, Glen Campbell
100. *Call Me, Aretha Franklin

Living With Astro Fans

I'm standing in the living room minding my own business when all of a sudden my husband begins to jump up and down yelling. I wasn't expecting the sudden outburst and nearly jumped out of my skin. Then I realize the Astros, who my husband is watching on TV, have scored a run and they are just a little closer to winning the championship.

I should be accustomed to such outburst, but I'm not. It just seems so out of character for my usually quiet husband to all of a sudden be jumping up and down, cheering at the television in the middle of the living room floor at full voice. I got to admit though its sort of funny to watch and I do get a kick out of seeing him so jubilant.

Like I said, I should be used to all of that yelling at the players on the screen. Its not like I was raised without being exposed to baseball. On the contrary, as a little girl I remember my family watching baseball games every Sunday afternoon after the noon meal. The TV was tuned into Dizzy Dean calling the afternoon game. My mom would talk about "Dizzy" as if he was some long lost relative. Their sponsor was Falstaff beer. I don't even think they make that beer anymore. But that has nothing to do with this post...I was just saying. My brother, my dad and even my mom would all yell, clap and cheer at the baseball game on the tube when their team was winning. My brother could give you just about any stat on a National League player you'd want to hear. He probably had the baseball card to prove it too.

I could never quite get excited by the whole ballgame thing though. I went to my brother's baseball games as a kid. He was a catcher and one really exciting game he got hit in the stomach by a ball and passed out. He worked hard trying to make me a decent baseball player. Batting was hard and my catching was even worse. When I was tired of playing, it was all over. All I had to do to end a game of backyard baseball with my brother was to strike out. That used to make him so mad for me to "throw the game."

Then as a mom, I sat through all of my sons' baseball games and I thoroughly enjoyed watching my guys play. My husband even played some ball either with a church league or a seniors' league and I really liked watching him play too.

Don't get me wrong I think baseball is as good a sport to watch as any other. I even pretty much understand the game. I've had a great time at many Astro's baseball games whether it was in "The Dome", the blacklisted Enron Field or our current Minute Maid Park. However I'm sorry to say that all the hype of the game is lost on me because I just don't get too worked up about it. It's just a game to me. Although the night that Bagwell got to pinch hit after recovering from his shoulder surgery, and everyone stood and cheered, even me...well that sort of choked me up. So I suppose on some level I do get worked up...just a little.

The Astros didn't win tonight, but we really thought they would. I told my men watching the game not to get too discouraged, the Astros will get to try again. They have what it takes. I know they can do it. I just hope when they do, I'll be ready for the outburst of joy that will follow. For surely every Astros' baseball fan will be cheering very loudly at the top of their lungs...and some just might be in my own living room.

GO ASTROS!!

I Have a Job, I Need a Life

What has happened to my job? It isn't very much fun anymore. The people down there try their best to make more work for me to do while doing the job I was hired to do. All of the extra stuff that adds time to my day, that takes away from what I was paid to do, would have to be done after my work hours are over. But that is supposed to be my time with my life. It's not though. Well that isn't exactly true because some days I refuse to bring my work home. I say "no" to my work, walk out at 4:00 p.m. with empty hands. I go home and I have a life. Aahhh. :-)
Then, not to my surprise, the work I refused to take home is there at my job, waiting for me to pick it up right where I left it. The bigger problem now is the work that I left behind has now grown to larger portions. So I plan time during my day when I have 45 minutes of time (on paper) to work, and I will catch up on the paperwork for my job, during the day, while I am getting paid. Unfortunately, there is an interruption, a phone call, a boss who wants to speak to me, a lame meeting that couldn have waited until next week. My work for home sits, waiting for me to carry it back into my life. So I do. I take it home and it sits on my table mocking me. Glowing like the Devil as it taunts me to pick it up and do the work. I wash clothes, cook a meal, clean the dishes and finally a moment to sit down. Then I remember my beast of burden, my work, and I succome to the labor which is awaiting me. My homework from school.

I have a job. I am a teacher. I need a life.

7 Answers to 7 Questions

Deana tagged me and I must say this wasn't as easy as she made it seem. ML

7 answers to 7 questions

7 things I plan to do before I die:

* Watch my grandchildren graduate from high school and college
* Become a great-grandmother
* Write something worth sharing with others
* Organize my worldly goods
* Organize a family reunion of my parent's families
* Paint my living room and burn the curtains
* Love my husband until the day I die

7 things I can do:

* Play piano and guitar, not well
* Sing
* Type fast
* Use basic computer skills
* Sew a garment (though I don't like to)
* Bake Toll-House Chocolate Chip cookies
* Be a better person

7 things I cannot do:

* Bring my parents back
* Have anymore babies (thank you, Lord)
* Change my career
* Dance
* Build a house
* Fix plumbing of any kind
* Understand anything about insurance

7 things that attract me to another person:

* Their attraction to me
* Fun-loving
* Jokes and enjoys the simple things of life
* Tenderness of spirit
* Kind to others
* Has a love of music
* Gets that lyrics are more important than the tune

7 Celebrity Crushes:

* David McCollum (of Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
* The oldest son on the TV show "Flipper"
* Peter Tork (The Monkeys)
* Robert Redford
* Tom Hanks
* Matthew Perry
* Hugh Grant

7 things I say the most:

* I'm tired
* I want to retire
* I love you
* I don't want to go to work
* I'll quit
* "Stop talking." (to my classes)
* I'll do it tomorrow

7 bloggers I am tagging:

* Kyle
* Jason
* Nell
* David
* Debbie M.
* Kim (who doesn't blog but should)
* Tyler