Christmas

Where's Harry? My second-cousin plays hide and seek in the torn off wrapping paper.

We had the usual Judge Christmas. There is a three-year rotational system between Dad and his siblings. It was supposed to be at our house this year, but since Dad and Lynne just shifted they got passed in the rotation and we went to Aunty Susan's instead. She lives in one of those hill suburbs out Lower Hutt way. They have one of those trouts that sings Christmas songs. Many generations of cousins have enjoyed that.

There was confusion over who was picking up Nana and when...... so me and Dad ended up driving back out to the rest-home to get her. We drove into the carpark and saw her sitting up in her room (which overlooks the carpark) staring blankly at a tree. We tried to wave, but she didn't see us. She'd been waiting since 11.15am. It was nearer to 1pm by then. Poor Nana! She's the kinda person who is ready early, with her good shoes on and is sitting there clutching her purse in anticipation. It was Uncle Peter's fault (most likely) and he got a good-humoured telling off.

Zoe enjoyed the whoopie-cushion. The first thing each parent in the room said was 'They taste yucky when you blow them up'. Must be something they've all endured.

Harrison adored each and every present he opened.

Lynne noticed for the first time that she was now part of the 'older generation' as I was the one rushing around getting her and Dad packed and ready and in the car (after checking they had keys and phones and suggesting we put everything in a chilly-bin) and they sat passively while I drove down to the Hutt. I think she admitted this with a certain level of acceptance.

Lunch was smallish by our standards. We even had miniature Christmas crackers that only had hats and jokes in them. And salads instead of roast vegetables. It was far less grand than it has been. Sign of the times?

The best bit was watching my cousin's two kids open their presents from sundry relatives. Little Harry would actually hug each present as if it was EXACTLY what he'd always wanted. The pure joy of it! And Zoe discovered the joy of her first whoopie-cushion, much to her parents' amusement (the present came from naughty Auntie Lynne and Uncle Merv). Then Harry proved the well-known theory that kids enjoy the wrapping paper more than the actual presents by making us bury him in the discarded bits. He would then pop up and be a puppy (a naughty puppy at that). Sometimes we had to utter magic words in order for this to happen. There was a wand for us to use.

Then we went over to my step-sister's house. She has three little ones. Again, it's the kids who are most amusing.

Hannah and Ruby grin out for the camera from Ruby's new pop-up princess castle.

As was pointed out bitterly, several times, the littlest one who is only 2 got the three biggest presents. She got a pop-up castle, a ride-in car and a doll's pram. Finn put on a violin concert with his Aunty, after much prodding and bribery. Hannah was her co-ordinated self, doing flips on the trampoline, and Ruby just soaked up attention wherever she went, whether it be taking Nana for a walk or reminding us of the pure joy of blowing bubbles. Toddlers are enchanting, huh.

Finn and his violin.

This way, Nana.

Finn got some one-on-one attention from my brother, who spent ages outside playing catch with him (an intricate game they had devised that was like two-person juggling of soccerballs back and forth).

Dave and Finn play catch happily in the front yard - doing man-stuff.
Hannah doing back-flips on the tramp (much to Ruby's chagrin as she tried to do her bum-jumps at the same time).

One of Lynne's kids got her a Trelise Cooper top. Nice one! She says that's the payoff for all those hard years of parenting.

Then it was home again. Sneezing. I am allergic to everything at the moment. And they don't have tissues at Dad's house. So at midnight I was trapsing around trying to find SOMETHING to blow my nose on. And there were only about 5 bits of toilet paper left in the the house, so I had to chance going to the garage-toilet to get some (there is broken glass on the floor, as I learnt the hard way the other day, blood poured out of my foot).

Anyhow. I have finished my Black Swan Green and also finished The Orange Girl by Jostein Gaardner (whose books I always love, until near the end where they get too preachy and philosophical in an abstract way, rather than sticking to the narrative).

I miss Wellington.

Christmas Dinner 1

We had a festive dinner round at my flat on Sunday night. It was partially in honour of the two English fellows flatting at Ange's house. They both have no family here, so we figured they ought to have a proper christmas-ish dinner at some stage.

Early in the day there was scare-mongering by Ange, who thought her boys had all piked at the idea of a) cooking things and b) spending money on ingredients. But turns out she was worrying without cause, because they pulled through. Marty quite proudly brought forth the ingredients for a Greek salad (after instructions from Ange) and Dave produced a cheese-board (again, after instructions from Ange that 'no - a packet of peanuts is not enough to contribute to a pot-luck dinner'). Reidun made a miracle of a dinner in almost an hour and a half, including roast lamb and minted potatoes and christmas pudding with brandy-cream.

I stuffed some pepperdews with cream cheese and they were yummy.

In all-out fashion, Reidun instructed me to rearrange the lounge into a proper dining-room. So the table was brought into the centre of the room and sundry chairs were gathered from around the house. A kiwiana centre-piece of driftwood and succulants was assembled and we were so posh that we polished the wine glasses (which weren't even used, because it was beer-weather). I had to sit on the computer-desk chair with wheels on it.

Crackers were pulled. Ange lost all three of her goes. Hats were worn. Even Daragh got in the spirit. Dave had some meat with his gravy and some token greenary around the edge of his plate. Daragh went back for thirds. I spilt some of my beer. Mint sauce is yummy.

We had lashings of icecream and icing-sugared raspberries and strawberries with christmas pudding and flaked chocolate.

Then we played Scattergories. It was highly competitive. I do believe I won. I am still miffed that they didn't accept 'Gangrene' as 'something that grows' beginning with G. Marty is equally peeved that we didn't accept 'Pants!' as 'something you would shout' beginning with P. And Ange tried hard to persuade us that 'Dummy' was a 'term of endearment'.

I had a scary dream that night. I woke up and quite coherently and somewhat still half-asleepishly said to Marty, 'The lions jumped over the fence! Me and Ange had to hide!' I remember being very relieved to have woken up at that point. You can't hide from a lion. They can climb trees (we were in a forest). At another point in the dream our netball team was on a stunt-like amusement-ride, testing it out for Peter Jackson (Morgan is his personal friend and had volunteered us for the job....).

Funeral

We went to Fish's Dad's funeral today. I think one of the memorable things is that it started raining heavily, and quite suddenly, right at 11am. That is the time the funeral was set to begin. Me, Cass and Ant walked in and it was barely spitting, and by the time we had seated ourselves in the pews it was thundering down. Kind of appropriate.

Murray read out a lovely tribute from Fish and Carol. It was interesting. Hard to think how other people would sum up your life in a 15 minute speech.

As a complete aside, I thought Fish looked lovely in her green top and very slim.

I think funerals are a very necessary thing. I always find it hard to actually picture a body inside the coffin as it goes past.

I remember 12 years ago, at almost the exact same time of year, going to my mum's funeral. I tried not to cry, and made it outside afterwards before people hugging me made me crack. It makes for a quite sombre christmas, though in my experience with a lingering death you become almost ready to move onto the next phase of grieving, where you try to adjust to life without the person there. I still have dreams with my mum in them, and she's usually sick in the dreams and I have this half-aware feeling that she shouldn't be there or at least that she will be gone soon.

Reading

I have 9 books out of the library, as I previously posted. I have now finished The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I really liked it. It was easy and fast to read, and had that innocence of a book about a 9 year old boy, but was poignantly tied in to history. Kinda hard to explain without giving away some of its loveliness, but I recommend it. Only took a few hours to read.

Now I am 120 pages into Black Swan Green, which we started teaching to our 7th formers this year and which they actually quite openly liked. Very rare! I like it so far. Quirky and lyrical with good humour. The narrator has a stammer.

Tra-la-la-la-la.

It is the festive season well and truly! I stayed out of the Secret Santa lotteries. They always end up stressing me out at the last minute because I like to take pride in present-buying.... but this is such a rushed time of year.

The school magazine is due to arrive today. Will it? Or Won't it? It's a cliff-hanger every year.... I am afraid to ring up and ask them the ETA......

My desk is getting clear for the summer..... it's refreshing. I think I've talked to several people recently about how the state of one's desk is a reflection of the state of one's mind (same goes for their car). My mind has been frazzled and jumbled and disorganised for a long time, if that's the case. Now it's clearing.

I almost sat down and read a book last night. I had nothing else to do! Bliss.

I borrowed nine great looking books from the school library for summer. Come and browse them if you need some reading! I will of course read the book I borrowed off Kirsten a year ago first :) I have started watching Citizen Kane......... I borrowed that off Richard at the same time.....

BDO - Levin Style

The following blog entry is to stop Marty (the only person I know without Facebook, who has to rely on Blogger for all updates and photos) from complaining about being left out. Stop your whinging now!

Marty is a man of adventurous spirit. He wanted to be whisked away somewhere dangerous and romantic. So I took him home to Levin for the night.

On Saturday it was time for a tour of the town. Sticking to the main highlights because time was limited (he'd bought tickets to Beckham, not knowing it would drag him away from Levin so quickly).

First stop was, of course, the Giant Market Gardener. Marty was duly impressed by his impressive stature and ethnically vague features. Lynne had said that on Friday she'd seen that someone had put a christmas decoration around his neck. When we got there it was evident that some young hoodlums had set fire to the decorations and all that was left was charred remains. This defacing of the Giant upset me greatly, so Marty took it off. Many people stopped and watched as he jumped into the shrubbery and interacted with the Giant. Then, as can only happen in small-town NZ, an old man stopped and had a yarn with me. He'd seen me photographing Marty with the Giant and thus assumed us to be tourists. He said quite happily, 'That's our China-man.' All the PC-Wellington-ness in me wanted to point out to him that China-man was a perhaps not an appropriate name..... scenes from Crash were flashing through my head. But I appreciated his sentiment in that he was trying to support Levin tourism. He went on to give a quick explanation of the importance of market gardening in Levin. I said, 'But I thought maybe he was supposed to be ethnically generic..... ' and the old man gave it a serious thought and said, 'Maybe...... but no....... he definitely looks like a China-man to me.'

 Next stop was to New World. We made a B-line to the bananas, which was where Ange toiled away during her years as a Produce-Girl while at T-coll. You could be guaranteed to walk in and find her restocking bananas 9/10 times you popped in.

Then a quick stop at the Salvation Army Shop and it was on to Levin's best cafe, Whispers. My local knowledge led me to order the mocchachino because I knew it came with a Sante Bar and marshmallows in the shapes of little duckies. Marty got a stink old boring old latte. He said it was ok though.

Luck would have it that we were in town on the day of the annual Gardeners' Club of Levin's flower show. We popped in for a look. Marty bought a ticket in the raffle. Good luck, Marty! He was taken by the succulants and I tried to talk him into entering one of his pot-plants next year.

We drove down to me and Ange's old school for a peek. It looks pretty flashed up since our days.

Last stop was the Adventure Playground. I had billed it as the best park in the world and Marty had been dubious. But by the end he had to agree.

He warmed up the trampoline for Dave (who did competitive trampolining at high school and has promised us a demonstration one day).

And helped a four year old girl hop up on the flying fox (forgetting the sign that said you had to be 10 years and above...... she lived..... it's ok.....).

He sucked at the rotating barrell thingie. Assed over right away.

I was awesome.

I am happy because I was having a skinny-photo day. That meant I could eat Burger Wisconsin for tea and not feel guilty.

The End.

* * *

Two Quotes for me to Remember

"All that learning you did at school was super-fluous"

"I'm gonna go graffiti 'philanthripist' on his picture"

A student said to me sheepishly this morning.... 'So, were you at the parade?'

And I said, 'The christmas parade in the Hutt? Yes, I was.' She lives in Wainui - it makes sense she was there.

And she smiled, knowlingly.

I said, 'Were you there too?' I could see it coming.....

She looked around at her friends and then said, 'Yes. I saw you with your booooy-friend.' At this point her friends perked up and there was a chorus of, 'Ooooh!'s.

I said, 'You saw us at the Ukuladies at Te Papa too.... Are you stalking me?'

'Yes.'

I walked away to go and growl some other kids.

Snapped eh. That'll ruin my spinster-cat-lady-teacher image - the one I have been so carefully fostering with them.

Birthday Done!

I had a great birthday. Thanks to lots of people!

I got fairly drunk by the end of the night, due to several mean people buys rounds of shots. I had a fantastic night's sleep and woke up at 9.30am wide awake and feely reasonably good (nice to know I can still drink and get away with it at 30).

Marty is older. He is suffering.

I wanna start practising my ukulele, but it is in the boot of Fishy's new car. That'll be fun.

Birthday Done!

I had a great birthday. Thanks to lots of people!

I got fairly drunk by the end of the night, due to several mean people buys rounds of shots.

It is my birthday now.

I am having a lovely day. Perhaps tomorrow I will feel old, but for now I am feeling good!

I have yet to come up with a suitable face to put on when people are singing happy birthday to me. I tend to just slump into my seat and and grimace. But I appreciate the sentiment......

It's My Birthday Soon

I am turning 30.

That's ok though, because I have a lovely dinner planned. With lots of my favouritest people. That is making my week fun, rather than ominous!

The guest list includes....

• My dad and 11 other relatives (he is keeping specific identities a mystery for now - he likes to do that - he inherited that off me - but I do know it includes my young neice and nephew who are VERY excited about coming to a grown-ups party)
• Possibly my brother if he remembers to ring up and get details off me
• Me
• Ange and her three flatties (Dave who is a competitive trampolinist, Darragh who used to flat with me, and Marty the Savoury Giver-away-er)
• My flattie Reidun
• Cassie, a fellow teacher and posse member, and her fiance, Ant
• Ryan the body-builder who flats with Ed and his girlfriend, Andrea
• Julie who used to teach at East
• Damon from Rumpus
• Justin from netball
• Girl Sam from netball and her husband, Scott
• Michelle from netball
• Svend who used to flat with me, and his partner, Celeste the librarian
• Mervyn from Levin who used to flat with me too
• Clint and Lulu from Levin who went to school with me and are engaged to each other
• Jono from netball
• Lauren, Ange's friend whose 30th we were at in the weekend
• Fish who us a teacher and plays netball with me (without Sam, though)

That's 37 people confirmed.

Two non-replies from Poppy and Ed and a maybe from Steve. That's 40 people max. Yay.

Netball Sam and Morgan can't come but might catch up with us afterwards, and Richard and Kirsten are in Australia.

I am going to make informative-conversation-starting name-tags. And it's my birthday, so you have to wear them!

Famous Peoples

It was a night of star-spotting in Wellington. First of all Ange and Cass spotted Giovani Ribissi (or 'the guy who plays Phoebe's brother in Friends') whilst they went to a money-machine. Lauren was not looking, but managed to catch a view of his back once alerted.

Apparently he is little. And weedy. And has a jaunty step. He was wearing a hoody and rather fitting trackies and was with a big buff guy (perhaps his 'minder').

Then, we went to Surf Aid at the Town Hall. There we saw Jason Fafoi - the guy from What Now. Turns out he was in one of the bands too.

Ed also spotted a guy from the news - Maori guy with a name that's fun to say (though I can't remember it).

Then Brett from Flight of the Conchords was playing with the Ukulele Orchestra. Sweet! He is my hero now. Cool looking guy.

Terms of Endearment

I was talking about this with Reidun today. She sometimes gets 'Reids' or 'Rei-Rei'.... All my name can go to is 'Katie'. I quite like Katie though, from most people. I noticed the other night at netball that Jon has taken to calling me Katie any time he wants me to pass him the ball.

I figured out that about the only term of endearment I use (other than shortened or lengthened forms of an actual name) is 'you'. Reidun thought that sounded ridiculous. But I gave the example of, 'Hey you' in the right tone and she came to understand.

I wonder why calling someone 'you' can come across as affectionate.

Birds

I got another bird top today. It is a fetish. Officially. I have a fetish for bird clothing and accessories. This one has a tucan on it.

Bed

That'll do. Bed time. I get the bed allllll to myself. That is good in that I have been accused of being a 'bed hogger' at times. It's funny that when I'm in a bed by myself, I am quite happy to sleep right on the edge. I prefer it, if anything. I am very compact. But if someone else is there, it becomes a challenge to drive them to the edge :) and I suddenly get the urge to stretch out in ways I usually don't. I think Matt cottoned on to this fairly quickly and used to pretty much pin me to the edge straight away, spooning me from behind and not moving all night. Clever.

And it's Sunday night already.

Hairtie

I found one lone hair-tie in my room. I am looking after it very carefully.

Knitting

Yeah...... and what? Knitting for me is very relaxing and I like to do it when I sit down sometimes. I don't care if that's on a bus, at a movie or at a party....... And once I start, I get in that zone and want to finish all in one go (which you never can - but it's a goal). I am very good at focussing like that. Makes me good at shifting house - I keep unpacking til I can unpack no more.

I have outed Ange as a knitter. The words 'I am going to kill you!' were texted in response.

Noggin

I am still in training for Noggin. I can't seem to get past the 45th best in the world status. I think I'd have to put in some serious time to get better than that. I'd have to play for 2 or 3 hours a day. That's commitment. I wish the scoring system wasn't just cumulative and they worked it out on some kind of average placing or score. I'm very consistent.

Movies

I have watched a lot of movies in the last week. What else are you gonna do when you have a pile of marking and schol work to do.....?

I watched Punch Drunk Love (very quirky, but I liked it), The Good German (good ending and enough film noir elements that I told my girls to watch it as light home-work if they felt the need to 'study'), 23 (Jim Carey just shouldn't try to do serious movies, seriously, and I do not want to see him having sex - that's just icky) and The Science of Sleep (very endearing, if in a slightly creepy way).

Reading books is for losers. I'm a Media Studies teacher......

Mr Hughes

Me and Ange have been amused to see the rise of Mr H in the Labour group as a result of the latest reshuffle. We went to high school with him and he is now the youngest minister. I find it funny that he's the Minister of Statistics when he failed fifth form maths (quite spectacularly, I believe). I think he took solice at the time in the fact that Jim Bulger fared similarly in School Cert Maths. I still take pride in the fact that I orchestrated his only political defeat to date in the fifth form school council rep electives. If need be, I shall start the smear campaign in future years if he does indeed become leader of the Labour Party (as is being tipped for the future). I am the only one who can stop the monster.......

Having said that, I think that his political beliefs are pretty decent and in line with my own. But my memory is long... and I still remember how he turned the 'James the Cat' theme-song into 'Kate the Fat' in third form science.

Dave is the Trampoline King

If you have never met anyone who is a trampolinist and has trained and competed in city champs... then you should meet Ange's flatmate, Dave. He used to be a trampolinist. That's cool. I may have never met anyone with as cool a high-school hobby as that.

And now he's a bouncer. That's just fantastic.

Does anyone know of any places in the Wellington region that have trampolines? We are trying to get him to do an exhibition for us. We know there are trampolines up in Levin, at the must-see Adventure Playground. A day trip may be in order.

Where do all the hair-ties go?

I have run out. And I used to have a billion of them. I buy whole packets at once. Now alls I have left is a few ones that have lost their elasticity, so are useless. Half my hair was hanging out at netball on Monday because I had been reduced to using a baby-hairtie (little thin one that's got crappy tightness).

They probably go to the same place as the bobby-pins.

I know where some bobby-pins go. They fall down the back of boyfriends' beds. I was at Matt's house once, and my hair was haggard looking (as was the rest of me) and I was complaining about having lost my bobby-pins.... and he had just shifted rooms in his flat and pointed out that he had 'dozens' of them on the floor of his old room. So I went and had a look at the empty room and sure enough, lots of bobby-pins lying on the floor under his window. I scooped them right up.

Evasive little blighters, anyhow.

Irrelevant

Means nothing to anybody, since nobody from school reads this, but we may finally have a printer. The other place quoted us $20,000 (after it was only $12,000 last year). Now this new place quoted $13,000. We'll take that. Not sure how you can justify such a big difference! It was all in the graphic design lay-out cost. Varied hugely. I'm sure this place will be quite shite in its layout.... but alls I care about is getting the darned thing finished (I always get to this point fairly quickly). We were talking about management units at work today. There is a lady who gets one for looking after the staff kitchen (which seems to mean buying new plates every now and then and moaning at us all to get our food out of it at the end of term - the tea-lady does all the grunt work). She also gets one for doing 'the curtains'. I'm not even sure what that entails. Anyhow, that's $7,ooo or so right there. I get NOTHING for doing the school magazine. I felt jipped. As usual. There's something inequitable there. My three periods off a week for half a term is blimin' measly.

Final

We had our netball final yesterday. Bits of it weren't too bad. Bits of it were horrendous. Bits of it brought back memories of Ken and those phases of game where we'd start humming the Harlem Globetrotters theme to ourselves because we were so comically bad (we seriously would, me and Ken)..... I put my hand up as one of the people who had a shite fourth quarter. I think I did a back net pass or two that bounced off the rim (oops - too high).

We got horrible trophies for our efforts. They should just give us another free game voucher for making the final or something. They are creating a lot of garbage there.

Free Haircut

I got hooked into this great deal of being a mystery shopper at Rodney Wayne (Probably not allowed to say that in a public forum..... probably breaking some secrecy vow). I get a free haircut, so long as I fill out a four page survey. Sweet! And I can recommend five more people to do it. I think I have three volunteers already....... Cass or Ange - you keen for free haircuts?

Tuesday

Tuesday has become the busy day. It is either the day of Ange's Geeky Craft Night in the Hutt or Richard's Cheap Movie Night. Tuesday never looked so good.

News

I am studying newsy stuff with my Media Studies class. We watched last night's TV3 broadcast in class today. We had some good wee talks. After each item we paused and discussed why that was REALLY newsworthy (what interest did it spark in us). I think they're starting to really think about it. One of them (the smartest one, to be fair) even used the phrase 'medical ethics'. Ok.... so my class is the 'slower' one of the two. It doesn't take much to excite me with them. I got to put in a few shots about Winston's emotive hate-mongering. I like to turn the new generation off him wherever possible.

Better

I feel noticably better. Though still sick. I am now at a 'functional' level. Wouldn't want to have to play Centre at netball or anything yet though....

I was lip-synching in my mirror last night (doing air guitar too) and in the middle of that I realised I felt 'better'. I thought to myself, 'Something's different....' and figured out that was the first time in about three days I'd actually had energy and a bit of animation. The things we do when we're at home alone......

It was quite a novelty. My cheek is still puckered on the inside and peeling skin from where I slept with a lozenge in my cheek for a few hours. Evidently that's not a smart thing to do.

Luckily I am still sick enough for people at work to notice. It gives me an excuse for stuff I was supposed to have done this weekend but didn't. I felt slightly patronised when one of my more chatty girls actually said (quite nobly to the class, after hearing my croaky half-strength voice), 'Aw - listen to Miss! We should all be really quiet today!' in sympathy. I was about to launch into '... uh.... L------, shouldn't you be quiet while I'm talking EVERY day?' but then I figured I'd just go with it.

* * *

Magazine may be starting to stress me out again. Being sick all weekend put my timing off a bit too. Stink one. I wanna just start getting the meaty sections done, but they all rely on other people getting me the last few items or someone else proofing them...... Other people get in my way, damnit. And teachers are the WORST. Never trust a teacher to do something by the deadline. They flout them.

* * *

Flight of the Conchords is funny.

Now THAT's what I call basketball....

The grade my team are playing in this season is the Women's C Grade.

It is, from what I can deduce so far, a grade full of short Asian teams and old women (sometimes the teams are comprised solely of short old Asian women). While the Chinese community have always represented well in basketball circles and usually have good shooters and quick hands..... they do tend to suffer due to having, at most, one tall-ish player on the team (if that - and certainly not tall by MY giantesque standards).

Flash-back: It takse me back to my earlist basketball days, when I was a wee third former. My team of friends was hapless at best.... and only won one team all season (by two points) against the local Chinese girls' team, The Mavericks. It was good times!

And then there's my team. Former B-grade contendors.

I think I got at least ten blocks in my last game, and I scored somewhere in double figures. I even did a 'move' where I dribbled the ball and used my steps......

I am going to get everyone to start calling me Lightning Feet (due to my extreme quickness and yellow shoes) and might request some sort of theme song to walk out onto the court with (in slow motion). *

It's a good grade. We are 3-0.

* I'm not actually that good...... The teams with 'Masters' in their names make me feel young again, though!

**********************

Netball was good tonight. The other team were a male down, which probably hampered them. But we played generally well, I thought.

SWEEP THE LEG!

Damn. I forgot to get a photo of Jon in his sensai headband.....

Last day of frrrrreeeeeedom.

Friday - Steve Roger is back in the 04

Steve went to T-col with me and Fish and then taught at Wainui with Ed - so he knows a lot of our crew. He's been in England for the past four years teaching at badass schools and growing facial hair.

He is becoming Upper Hutt's official ambassador of cool. Living, working and partying in the UH. With a half British accent.

We went to Monsoon Poon (mmmm) and then played around with toothpicks at Kitty's. Ed's idea...... but Cassie took it to new levels with her twirling tricks.

Then on to .... uh..... Shooters with Marty and co. It met my expectations.

Saturday - Stone collecting

I went with Reidun to look for stones to make garden markers with (she's gonna paint them up with labels like 'Thyme'). My new yellow sneakers enjoyed the outing and were solid on the uneven rocks of the bays.

Saturday Night - Jono's Birthday Drinks

Jono still got IDed going into JJ Murphy's, even though he turned 32 yesterday. That's cool! I hope I'm like Jono when I grow up. Forever young.

I made it my new paparazzi mission to get photos of Michelle without hands in front of her face. I succeeded many times. I am the master! What will be my next drunken photographer challenge???

Justin got him the coolest present ever - a karate headband like the one in Karate Kid. I have ordered him to wear it for the whole game tomorrow. SWEEP THE LEG!

Jono is my new best friend. I shared my chocolate with him.

I got the yellow sneakers. Watch out!

* * *

I have to go in to school today. Stink. I have to sort out what's going on with the magazine (I have yet to get any support from anyone on any level - so am considering just chucking it in - as I have given fair warning I will do if no support is given in terms of help, time or money). That is not a nice thought. I'm not a quitter, but at the same time I'm not a martyr and my priority is teaching my seniors well before they go to exams and I just can't do that if I'm expected to produce a 130 page magazine at the same time (literally, the same time - I end up taking it in to class to work on while my seniors do 'quiet busy work', which is not great teaching).

* * *

I sent a dumb text last night. It was one of those instances where I was texting ABOUT someone..... and actually absent-mindedly sent it TO that person. And realised just after I'd pressed 'send'. ARGH! It could have been worse. But it still makes me cringe a lot. It wasn't good.

CRINGE CRINGE CRINGE. I tried to cover and make him think the tone was more flattering than it really was..... I hope he bought it.

I nearly killed a man yesterday.

I am blogging like a madman. This is almost my second of the day! It's because it's so bloody cold and I haven't wanted to get out of bed.

Under covers with lap-top is good. Outside in biting-cold wind is bad.

* * *

Before I get into my tale, here's a good link to evil cat pictures with funny captions (I'm sure that description doesn't anywhere near do it justice). It is stolen from Morgan.

It made me and Ange laugh out loud many many times the other night. I do not often laugh out loud at internet things. I think you need to read them out loud in the right accent. It helps. I am available for such services.

* * *

It was a dark and stormy night in Wellington. The kind with rain-slicked streets and blurry vision. I was in Mt Vic, trying to find a 'legitimate' park. I was pulled up over a drive-way on one side of the road, but I had spotted a park on the other side of the street, so was gearing up to do a u-turn. The street was not particularly well-lit.

I did a head-check and saw no lights coming up the road (only a set way down the bottom of the hill)..... indicated and started doing my turn.... and out of the corner of my eye saw a cyclist swerve out of my way mid-turn. Inches from hitting my car.

The moron was biking at 8pm on a rainy, dark night ..... with NO lights on his bike, no reflective gear and wearing dark clothing from head to toe (even had a beard covering half his face. To top it off he didn't even have a helmet on. That really pissed me off. Unless he'd been right under a streetlight when I'd turned to check behind me, he woulda been pretty much invisible.

I am quite righteous about the fact that I coulda nearly killed him.

After having a fairly shite game of netball which already had me in a bad mood, I did not need to have the maiming of a man in black on my conscience.

I'm sure on some level it was my fault too..... but you have to be some kind of idiot to be biking in that condition with no helmet or light. I don't care if he was a student - when I was a student biking around Palmie I wore a helmet each and every time I went out because I value my brain. And I had lights at the front and rear of my bike because, again, I value my brain and body. And Palmie was about ten times safer to bike in than Wellington, anyhow.

So, yeah. Funny how as soon as I started driving a car I turned to the 'other side' and started hating pedestrians and cyclists.

Paper Play - Part II

This is my dragonfly. I maded it. All bys myself. His name is Flitterby.

* * *

This is Saturday night.

Me and Sam M from work went to watch the school ukulele band play at Sub 9. They are called the Ukuladies. That cracks me up. Anything they lack in talent, they make up for in spirit. They are led by a talented guitar player (got award for best chick at the local Rockquest last year) and she has taught them a repotoire of three songs. Haere Mai (Everything is Ka Pai), Iko Iko and How Bizarre.

Me and Sam went as groupies. We were the only teachers there. We had on lais (their traditional outfits are Hawaiian shirts) and some home-made 'I heart the ukuladies' badges that I whipped up using my laminator (I made some spares and they went like hotcakes, I tell ya). We were very very hip and cool.

Sam and I then met Boy-Sam at Club K for karaoke. I have finally met someone else who doesn't mind karaokeing with me! Watch out! When we first arrived, Girl-Sam and I were quite literally the only ones there. It made for ideal warm-up time. We kept making the DJ stop playing hip-hop shite and put on some cheesy old songs for us to warm-up to. We started with Islands in the Stream, and it was fairly fortunate there was nobody there to listen...... The girl part is high. I have a very limited vocal range.

Ange and a couple of her workmates were out on the town, so they joined us too. Ange actually sang! I heard her! It was awesome. We were drinking the Canadian Clubs with ginger-ale. Mmmm. Not a bad way to drink the night away.

We then went to Motel for a cocktail (Rosebuds are gooooood) care of one of Ange's buddy's husband, who works on the door there.

That was the SECOND night in a row I had been out for a few drinks!

I feel like I'm reliving my youth. Getting my second wind just before I turn 30. On Friday night me and Ange and her flatmate (formerly MY flatmate) went out to Kitty's, Mighty Mighty and The Materhorn for drinks. I lost the 'First Person to See Someone they know is Cool' game. Ange saw someone from work. Damn her. Daragh came dead-last.

Ok, if I'm honest we didn't stay out past 1am on either night - but I was still out, it was late-ish and I was drinking. We even danced at the Karaoke Bar when Sam got up to sing. He did his usual specialised reportoire. He did good!

I know three people called Sam! It makes for much confusion when they were in the same place at the same time.

* * *

Ange and I have decided that we have already mentally moved into our 30s. I look around a bar, for example, and think, 'My god -they're all so young! All in their 20s. There's not many of us people in our 30s.'

I think that mental transition will make my actual birthday much easier.

RUMPUS II - The Party Refused to Die

This year was the second annual Rumpus party - Rumpus 07. The traditional gift for a first anniversay is something involving paper.

And yes, I do believe paper played a key part in the celebrations. I was just thinking of all my highlights - and a lot of them involved high quality white computer paper.

First of all, there were Damon's fantastically retro-classy invites with the lettering that you could run your finger over for textural pleasure. There was much time spent cutting those out by him (and Ange, at work). Nothing says class like a party that has an official, well-designed invite. We made matching DJ badges (which were laminated by me and my own personal laminator) and the chocolate smashing instructions.

Then there was the Paris Wall. I spent many an hour with Damon perfecting that. We searched Warehouse Stationery for just the right quality paper - and got 160gram paper. It's like silk, baby. Nothing cheap would do for that collage. I was the official putter-onnerer of double-sided tape for that, and did the white trim around the edges. Damon and Morgue came to help at the last minute and proved somewhat incompetant (how hard is it to fold, cut and stick????). :)

Ah, and then there was the roof of the Womb Room. I was the designated cutter-outerer of the spirals (proving that I have versatility in my paper-skills - I'm more than just a tape sticker). Morgue used his natural born skills and was the official putter-on-the-roofer, and Damon was the go-between. That roof was a thing of beauty if you looked at if from the right angle and the shadows were cast by the red lava lamp. Awww! Purty. And it looked like a school of hungry sperm. The boys have some Freudian issues there.

And then, the highlight of it all, there was was the OVEN! It was one of those random ideas that just popped up towards the end of the planning. Damon had an old oven in his kitchen. It had to be moved out. The front door had to be blocked off to stop that side of the house from becoming annoying to the neighbours and maintain the desired flow of people. So Morgan decided it would be one of those incongruous gems of an idea to put the oven on the doorstep. The original plan was to put the neighbour's old oven there too and have them facing off or mating (depending on much things heated up between them). But after jumping the fence, Morgan and I decided it was way to bloody heavy to hoist over. And the one oven was more than enough......

But then Morgue decided the oven looked almost like it had a face. So he wandered around grabbing items that could make an eye........ and I cut out some teeth, and Damon found an old bike light to give it a glowing red mouth effect.... and it was genius!!! Again, paper played a key part in the making of the teeth and eyes.

So there....... what will the theme be for the second anniversay? Is it cotton or something? Do I have my whole anniversay gift thing wrong??? Can't wait for the diamond anniversay, anyhow.

* * *

And let me expand on my highlights.......

I think the Rumpletron was again a little confused. It couldn't tell who was a girl or a boy this year (even more than usual). But that just adds to hilarity, I say! I love that Daragh the Builder came out as Congresswoman Moore. And there seems to be some conspiracy that led to Jon being Tiny Cleetis. That's hilariosu stuff, that there.

There was a nice mix of tribes this year, too. Good on ya, Rumple! I came out as Disco Lyssa.

Moments of hilarity for me were caused by someone (I will allow them anonymity - for now) seeing someone else they'd met on a series of internet dates there. Much avoiding and subtle-photo-taking and staring ensued. It was scandal. Then he was snapped (quite litereally) in his boxer shorts with another lady, helping the Womb Room live up to its reputation.

The world debut of DJ B*stard was a great thing to be a witness too. We love the 80s music and the organe-vinyl-jacket! Many 'magnum' and 'blue steele' attempts ensued as RELAX was played. Svend may have a calling as a male model.

Some pikers went off to see the rugby (bah!) but they came back. Drunker than before. Justin's friend had an odd affinity for the monkey. Justin himself ran around the different rooms catching us up on what was going on with everyone else and giving updates on anything scandalous. Meanwhile, I stayed fairly solidly in the Womb Room for a while. It was red and soothing.

Oh, earlier in the evening Ange's flatmates had a time of pretending to be bouncers (they certainly looked the part) and asking people for ID and invites as they came to the door. Really, they were just loitering around the free beer. One of them, Daragh, has officially never smiled in a photo in his life. He always looks like a miserable bastard - so I made it a mission to catch at least one good shot. That is why he features rather prominantly in the photos you can see via Damon's site. And, by gum, I did catch him a few times! I think I could actually be a good paparazzi person.

There was someone called Steve. Who the heck was he???? Apparently he's one of the Hutt crew, but I've never heard of him. And I like to think I know everything there is to know about everything. I suspect some kind of conspiracy.

Oh gosh.... and the smoke machine. What a highlight! Several people over the course of the night (Ange, Nick!) decided to just crank it up. There is something fantastic about being in a hazy room where someone can literally become invisible if they stand in the right spot across the way from you. It was cool! I'm sure by next time Damon'll figure out the magic of the strobe too - then he can truly bring the night-club home.

It was good seeing people from last year's Rumpus like Fraser (who generously gave out Sparkles and wore his name-tag on his forehead all night) and his fellow Fushia-Angels Sam and Michael. I got to vent about my outsting from the Ultimate circles many a time (it appears not being able to actually THROW a frisbee may count against me when the time to pick teams comes). There was the other Richard - the one who's good with computers - who I waved to on ocassion.

I said hi to lots of new people. Then they'd say, 'So - how do you fit in?' and I got to proudly say, 'I'm Kate - I'm on the invite.' Sometimes that was not enough explanation, so they asked how I knew Damon or Morgan. This perplexed me a little. But the easiest answer is, 'Through Sam.' If they didn't know Sam, this was of little help. More people should know Sam. He's a hub.

The party minions were a fabulous idea, and they came around with their pots of chippies and sausage rolls at regular intervals, exchanging empty bottles for full. Every party should have minions.

It all went very nicely. Nothing major (other than chocolate) was broken. Only one person vomitted, and they were considerate enough to do it in the drain in the garden. Only one couple (that we know of) had gratuitous sex around the party. Everyone seems to have gotten home safely (though, last I heard Billy was just heading to go for a walk on Petone Beach at 4am ..... I hope he's been spotted since).

I have heard positive feedback from many people. Though nobody filled out the optional form we provided at the exits.....

* * *

It is now holidays! Phew. I've been on auto-pilot for a week now and my clothes have been unironed and my hair a mess..... Time to regather.

Tonight I will either go on date #3 or go watch the ukulele band from school play a gig in town (or both).

Rumpus 07 - Bringing the Nightclub Home

I will do a proper entry when the time is right.

For now, in brief....

CHALLENGES

Ange - did manage to talk briefly to Cal about the knitting group

Darargh - did not pike (Marty did) and even managed to smile in a photo

Justin - did not out-party Jon (by about 20 minutes - it was a close call)

I feel mildly seedy, but was up at 9am cleaning and tidying the kitchen. There is much alcohol left over and some chocolate too. No particularly horrible carnage.

KEY IMAGES

- Nick and the smoke machine

- John molesting [insert name here]

- DJ B*stard rocking the party like it's 1999

- Congresswoman Moore

- Tiny Cleetus

- The evil red glowing oven-guard

- SAVE ME, DAVE!

- Who IS Steve?

- Sam reappearing after leaving again and again

- I look cool in a cowboy hat

* * *

I now have to go play netball for Michelle's team - not because I like them or anything, mainly because I realised from last night's myriad of bad photos that I need more exercise! I have developed Mummy-arms and two extra chins (from some angles). More exercise! Less chocolate!

ONE SLEEP!

It's like Christmas Eve. I betcha I won't get to sleep for hours tonight!

The excitement!

Get your dancing shoes on and your glad-wrags ready to wear, folks.

Bring an umbrella.

THREE SLEEPS TO GO!

Date 2: Dinner at Hede and a drink. Movie date proposed for third date. He likes Star Trek. A lot. I find this simultaneously endearing and concerning. Mostly endearing. I took along 15 questions this time.

You might like to try them at home:

1) Who is your nemesis?

2) What is your beauty regime?

3) What are three deal-breakers for you? (things that would veto you dating someone)

4) What action figures did you collect as a child?

5) Your attitude towards kilts?

6) Ever won anything odd?

7) Weirdest flatmate ever?

8) Define 'juxtaposition'

9) What board game do you specialise in?

10) What home cooking from your childhood do you remember fondly?

11) What is something ridiculously expensive that you have bought?

12) What are three dorky things about yourself you'll admit to?

13)

I had a Findsomeone date last night. It's only my second one in the last few months - I'd doing them rather intermittently.

It was good.

I'd say it comes in at #5 on the all-time list.

The thing I liked best about it was that we talked about 3-legged cats for quite a long time. And it was one of the topics he had written down on the list of things to talk about (he made this at my suggestion). Good topic choice!

History says that if we actually go through with the second date that is a good sign. Second dates tend to quickly turn into more dates.

We shall see.

* * *

The children are off to mock-exams. No seniors for a week (yay). Then lots of marking (boo). I kinda cheated and explained to my Year 13s what 'hybridity' meant - so as to stop them from freaking out when they read that word in the exam. I ordered in these papers made by some professional person, and s/he uses wanky words the kids won't understand. So I figured it would be a waste of money NOT to use the papers, but that expecting 17 year olds to not be freaked out by a topic containing 'hybridity' was a little optimistic.

* * *

We now have in NINE magazine articles for the school year-book. That's encouraging. We usually get them all in a rush in the last week. I am feeling super organised and on top of things on that front. Delegating works wonders!

1.

When things go wrong at the moment, I say 'Sheizer McGeizer' in my head. It's become my own little expletive replacement.

2.

My drink of the season is black-currant cordial. Hot, of course.

3.

Stay gold, Ponyboy!

4.

I can quite honestly say I am indifferent about the World Cup. I am not a band-wagoner and have issues with the rugby-idolation in NZ. So I care not.

5.

Hacking cough, be gone!

6.

I bought a sack of little chocolate Spratz...... I have eaten at least half the sack myself. Moore Wilson's in dangerous. Bulk food = bulky me.

Good Intentions

While I honestly and sincerely meant to blog tonight..... I don't think I've got the stamina to do it properly. After ironing lots of stuff, watching some crap NZ reality TV, mucking around a bit and doing some personal grooming...... I am tired.

A sudden wave of mental fatigue has hit. That doesn't usually hit for another hour or so. I must go with this wave - I have things to do tomorrow which require alertness (teaching being one of them). Essays to mark, reassessments to supervise.

Were I to blog it might be something about Fathers Day. I saw my father on Fathers Day, and it was quite coincidental (despite me cynically thinking he'd planned it that way so I'd have to actually get him something....). Lynne is better (physically and hence emotionally - chronic pain affects both). They've sold their lovely big house. That is sad, but means I may inherit a lovely lounge-suite as new house is too small for all furniture...... That softens the blow. I may have to take equivalent worth of childhood crap and miscellaneous books...... Trade-off.

Umm....

Rumpus is progressing. Damon is ticking things off the to-do list, but it is still lengthy and will take time. I am looking forward to it! I do hope all my most special friends who have said they'll come don't pike.

Umm....

Yeah.

I fear my sore throat is coming back. I feel it a-tickling away back there. That would suck. Muchly.

Reminder to self: post on g.

Sam's Birthday

He wore three birthday t-shirts.

There were two cakes.

I ate 247 chippies.

There were five people from our netball team present.

There were three people from the 'Take down that B****** Richard' group present.

One person admitted to having seen my profile on Findsomeone. There was one cringe from me.

At least six people had a play on the guitar.

Damon and Shirley turned up five hours after the time on the invite.

There were two rats. Neither of them touched me.

Sam turned 31 years old. That's two more than my age. That makes ME the baby, and not Kirsten.

I got two text messages on my cellular phone. I replied to one 0f them. At the maximum, I had three bars of reception.

How you like THEM apples?

* * *

Tonight we versused the top team in our indoor grade. We were primed for a grudge match, being a few points behind them in second place on the table. It was like Daniel-san taking on Kobra-kan in the final. I was looking for weak points on the opposition's legs....... Justin had out his little drum-thingie.

Then we took to the court. And they were very average. They had one jolly good player - a girl who could shoot twos and stabilised the middle of the court as well. But other than that they were decidedly average.

They did not merit our adversarial anticipation.

I suspect they may be purposefully hiding their other good players from us, ready to unleash them in the playoffs when we least expect it. Or maybe they have figured out that the team that is coming 4th is actually quite good, and hence are aiming for the 2nd vs 3rd semifinal spot.

Whatever game they're playing at - they'd better bring more than that next time they square up against us.

Yeah!

Me and Morgan almost held them to ZERO points in the final quarter. But he got his ganglehand caught up in the net by jumping too high and so they got a pity-point from the ref for 'interference'. And they got one other shot it. But we let them get that in.

So, Sam is still the only one to have a shut-out. Albeit in a different sport, and one lasting the entire game.....

Sunday Night.

In case you haven't heard or been privy to an invite yet....

Go to THE RUMPUS 07 WEBSITE. It is cool. I have been involved in the doing of secret stuff with Damon. Sam - I hope you come wearing a sunglasses. That's all I'm going to say.

* * *

I had a ....... conversation with Justin and Sam last night. It began with him nonchallantly using the word 'arcane' in a sentence, and me and Justin going, 'Huh?' in our least unintentional redneck voices.

That somehow turned into an ARCANE discussion about science-geeky disease smelling stuff. I don't care if I'm using the word properly :)

* * *

It's super how many people can pick up a guitar and have a play around.

* * *

Sam is aging gracefully.

* * *

I really must think harder and come up with something worth blogging about.

Cough.

I am sick.

I have been sick for two days.

I woke up with a sore throat and it hasn't gone away for two days.

I have had to go to school because my kids have a big assessment they need help with.

I seem to get an adreniline rush that gets me through to lunch time. Then I take another round of drugs (the good old disprin/asprin/lemsip-lozinger combo). Then by the time it's night time I feel yuck again. And I go to sleep all miserable and cold but sweaty all at the same time. Then I wake up at 4am and need another round of drugs.

I blame my infected toe. It has deteriorated my imune system.

To put a cherry on top of that all - the space bar on my lap top is a bit bung and I have to really hammer it with my thumb.

Ugh!

* * *

Will pop in to your birthday tomorrow, Sammy boy!

Sports - the non-formitive years

My Humble Sporting History - Part One

I found Morgue's history of sporting prowess (or 'being unco but in a good way') interesting. Got me thinking about my own past.... [picture my eyes glazing over, as I look happily into the distance and cock my head slightly - camera dissolves into a shot of little-fouryearold-Kate in her matching tracksuit, whistle in mouth, forcing her family to run around her home-made obstacle course made of polystyrene blocks and planks in the back-yard. Lighting has a sepia hue.].
Primary School

I never played sports at primary school. I always was vaguely surprised when my friends announced they were playing netball. When were trials??? It seemed to be some conspiracy I was being left out of. Suited me though. I hate getting up on Saturday mornings, especially when it's cold or wet outside. And I hated the idea of wearing a short little skirt that flicked up most of the time you were playing. It was my idea of hell. My thighs and buttocks were my least favourite body parts. I even heard rumours that your undies had to match your skirt. Ridiculous! I had tom-boy tendencies and could go for a year without wearing a skirt, easily.

I did, however, get co-erced into filling in for my older brother's cricket team twice. I had gone along to watch and they were SO desperate that they chucked me on the field. Now, they were playing against boys who were in the rep team. I could not yet throw over-arm. They stuck me waaaaay out near the boundary. I ended up having to bat, but luckily the ball whizzed past me and the wicket keeper, and me and the bumbling Stephan Tyler (who was best known for his love of handkerchiefs and bananas and had the honour of being #10 in the batting lineup to my #11) ran through for a single. Innings over. I don't think they made me bowl.

The second time I played, they made me bowl. Now, as I said, I couldn't even throw over-arm, let alone bowl. So I did underarms (how very Australian of me). The umpire and other team were so frustrated at my dribbley efforts that they encouraged me to just 'give it a go' with the overarms. I did. I think they bounced about four times before reaching the batter and were fairly wide. They didn't make me bowl more than the regulation six bowls. Then I had to bat. My dad was umpiring at this stage. I got bowled out, first ball. He said, 'Let her stay in the over', and I was subjected to two further bowl-outs and then the entire field coming in close and getting their hands ready for the lolly-pop. I did in fact manage to hit the ball on my final effort..... straight to a fielder. It was a traumatic experience I thought would never end.

Other than that, my sporting highlights from primary school were back-to-back wins in the wheelbarrow race, with me pushing Alice Moore along. We made an excellent duo. In one of the races, us and our nearest rivals got so carried away that we totally missed the finish line and kept going for about 50 metres before we started to make out the distant yells of everyone else telling us to come back.

Oh, and being in the house shuttle-relay. My dad was along to watch and was sitting with my friend. She pointed out that it was my turn, and my dad did a double-take, saying, 'That's Kate???? I didn't think she could move that fast!' I suck it up for the team, Dad.

To many people's surprise, it is true that I took ballet and gymnastic classes for a few years. Mainly because my friends were doing it and I had fantasies of being a ballerina-princess. Eventually I realised that my dreams of pink tutus were unrealistic (all we seemed to do was practise pointing our toes and skipping in circles, seriously) and being a heavy-set gangly tall girl made me not the best at such pursuits. My mother graciously let me quit. Before I quit, I remember dreading the ballet so much that I got home from school one day and dramatically lay on the couch for an hour, touching my forehead and moaning softly so that Mum would think I was sick and not make me go.... She played along. Looking back, I'm sure she was onto me.

I think my brother was not much more successful, although it was generally acknowledged that he was 'athletic'. He did cricket, soccer, gymnastics and jazz-ballet (wtf??). My parents' best memory was of him playing soccer as a wee lad. The ball was finally coming his way, and they no doubt starting yelling out, 'GO, DAVID! KICK THE BALL!'. He duly choose this moment to notice that his socks were falling down, and bent down to pull them up. Ball went past. He always was a day-dreamer, hence he had the nickname 'Neil' most of high-school (think 'The Young Ones').

My parents were reasonably sporty. Mum played goalie for the hockey team, Dad played soccer and softball and won a wee trophy at the University Games for karate. They must have been despairing at their children's lack of sporting ability.
TO BE CONTINUED

Slice of Life - Morning Time

I have decided to do a 'slice of life' entry for no particular reason other than I love making lists, and this is kind of like making lists. I have changed my tense throughout the story and can't be bothered trying to make it consistent. Oh well.
* As an aside, I have this questionairre on reading and writing that I get kids to mark where they lie on a spectrum (eg - one end might be 'I like to start on a fresh piece of paper', the other end might be 'I write on anything, like scraps of paper or napkins'). The one that tends to polarise people the most is the one about either loving making lists, or not particularly liking it. I am one of the proud list makers. Whether or not you follow through with what's on the list is irrelevant.

My Morning

6.53
My obnoxious alarm went off. I quickly thought of some 'easy' lessons I could teach which meant I could sleep in a bit longer. Several snooze-button pushes later......
7.21
Actually got up. Have a message on phone. It is nice reply from Matt for text I sent him on Sunday night (he is doing labouring stuff so has to get up earlier than me and go to bed earlier - hence him tactfully not staying the night and going home at 10pm instead, despite my good-natured protestations).
Had already co-ordinated my outfit in my head to save time. Just required picking the clothes I wore the day before up off the floor and adding a skirt and stockings to make it more 'schooly' (and clean underwear). Wore my new Popup tshirt with a black thermal top underneath, a black cardigan and a black beaded necklace. My earring holes are a little tender, so flagged that accessory.
7.25
Went to bathroom. Noticed there is still no lightbulb in the toilet. Cursed Chris. Brushed teeth.
7.26
Took pile of dishes from night before down to the kitchen. Put them in the dishwasher (many flatmates miss this crucial step). Made myself a bowl of cereal containing Vogel's 'Cafe-style' muesli, strawbettery-cheesecake flavoured yoghurt and calci-trim milk. Took it back to room to eat while finishing getting ready. Used handy face-wipe to clean face and ears in my bedroom in front of the heater. Put on moisturiser and deoderant. Brushed hair and applied bobby-pins.
7.33
Packed bag, making sure I included my wallet, keys and phone. I put on my coat, new red beanie and running shoes (work shoes were put in the bag for later - I forgot to do that last week and had to teach all day in sneakers, which was ok cause I'd just worn jeans and took my necklace off to make it look like it was my intentional 'casual' look). For the record, I am very aware that cross-trainers and jeans don't actually look cool on most people.....
7.34
Went to kitchen and put an apple, mandarin, muesli-bar and empty pita bread in my bag for lunch. I put the pita bread in one of my handy Glad sandwich bags. They are amazing. They make sandwiches fun! They even come in different colours and with different stickers to secure them.
7.35
Left. Realised it was raining. Went back inside to get raincoat. Met Chris on the way back downstairs and he reminded me to not leave the door open because we now have a cat in the flat. It tried to run away last night and failed.
7.55
Arrived at school, having walked through the smoggy tunnel. Went and put two notices in the daily notices (both about basketball). This has to be done before 8am, hence me getting to school early. I purposefully called the Senior B team 'The Avengers' in the notice. I'm helping to popularise the name. Not quite sure who I'm helping anymore.... the girls seem to have abandonned it, so I'm just doing it for myself really.....
8.00
Having decided what I was doing that morning, I printed out a few things to photocopy. I even had time to carefully choose the font for the heading of the short story. I printed off: a copy of 'On the Sidewalk Bleeding' by Evan Hunter (which I photocopied 15 times to make a class set), a copy of the 32 comprehension questions I made up to go with it (30 copies - but only A5 size), a copy of 'The Rear Guard' poem by Seigfreid Sassoon (war poet) and associated questions (27 copies, double-sided). I then hogged the good photocopier for a while.
8.15
Got back to my desk in the battery-hen workroom. There was lots of 'stuff' on it from Friday. I cringed and shifted some stuff to make it more bearable.
8.25
Staff briefing. I forget what was said. But it lasted for 20 minutes. It always does.
8.45
My dean gives me back my class's reports and says (smiling), 'Didn't you proof-read them?' I sheepishly reply, 'Uh... yeah.... I sent about ten back..... Did I miss a few?' Later in the day I dare to peep inside the folder.... she has yellow-stickied about 40 more reports with mistakes in them. Ooops! There goes my lunchtime sorting through those..... I grab a glass of water on the way through the staff-room, hoping as usual that I can get past the principal without her waving me down to talk to me for a 'minute'....
8.47
I walk across to my class and have to elbow through the stage challenge girls milling about in the foyer. One of them accosts me and makes me stop to take an assignment and the department dictaphone off her. I then meet a couple of students on the stairs and comment that I saw one of them in town with her booooyfriend on Saturday.
8.48
Arrive in class a few minutes late. Do the roll to settle things down. And we're into it!

HOW EXCITING IS THAT?????

I was going to do my whole day but realised how long that would take. Instead I will do a 'top eight moments' list to sum up the good points.

In no particular order...

1) Got to repeatedly say 'Fists of fingers clutched a blackening wound' and actually make my class enact what that would look like. Fabulously disturbing!

2) Sat through a fire alarm for god knows how long until another teacher happened to walk past and say 'Can you hear the alarm?' at which point I realised I'd been subconsciously blocking it out while hearing it for a few minutes...... It's the way of the modern world - so many alarms, most of them mean nothing.... you just wait for them to stop. My whole class had also sat there continueing with their work. We thought it was an ambulance and vaguely wondered why it was taking so long.

3) I noticed that my wee student M. had yet again written the date up neatly on my whitebaord. I like that! She has decided it's her daily job.

4) My neighbour in the workroom gave me a lovely apricot yoghurt covered cookie just before staff meeting after school. It was just what I needed!

5) I was checking out Leon's new blog and saw that he'd put a link to me. Cher, bro!

6) I found my black pashmina scarf. I had been looking for it all weekend then had noticed it wasn't around my workspace either and had resigned myself to the fact that it was lost forever... then I found it on my desk in the classroom! Yay!

7) I was talking to my senior girls about 'Ratemyteacher.com' and most of them said they didn't want to put comments and if they did, it wouldn't be anything mean, only nice things. Gives you faith in the youth of today! One girl said very pointedly that she would say anything she wanted because we were 'providing the service they pay for, not the other way around' (I pointed out that she very much sounded like someone from a private school). She does not like me much and openly accuses me of picking on her any time I ask her to answer a question in a class discussion .... I am vaguely worried now that I have put an idea in her head............

8) One of my difficult girls in my fifth form class eagerly piped up, after reading the short story that 'This is like 'The Outsiders' eh! That's my favourite book... I used to get angry when people talked while we were reading it in class....' Bless! And she is not the kinda girl who usually likes reading or even comes to school regularly for that matter.

Favourite Time Wastesr #1 and #2

I have recently rediscovered the enjoyment of looking at Strongbad cartoons on the interweb. I was introduced to them by Svend (is it ok to use such an obscure real name in a blog? if not I'll call him 'Barry') a few years back and then didn't have jetstream for a while, so forgot about them. He is a small Mexican masked wrestler (though that is largely irrelevant).

If you scroll down the list (to just above halfway) the absolute BESTEST one is called 'kids' book'. HILARIOUS!


'Everyone is different. No two people are not on fire.'

Super funny to me! Maybe it's one of those things everybody else already knew about.

*****

Stinky Feet

Also an old favourite is a site made up by some guy who may have been a fore-runner to Jackass who chronicles things like his attempts to get athlete foot, and his attempts to get people to date his sister or get fat.

He's funny too. He has detailed diary entries of how his athlete's foot progresses from day one, where he walks barefeet in the shower at the gym and then wears plastic bags on his feet all day so they sweat lots, to day fifteen by which time his detailed graphs of things such as 'stink' and 'pain' are up around the 'horrifying' levels. And lots of pictures! Some really gross ones! Closeups of him purposefully pulling apart the skin between his toes to break his scabs..... I might be a little sick for enjoying that site.....