Same old story. I fell asleep on the couch, now I am up. I just bought a used laptop (for my classroom) online. I thought I would take a couple of minutes to blog.

Last week was basically the same old story. Stress and disorganization. Yes, I still have boxes unpacked. On Monday, I missed my regular train, so I took the next train. Since I did not want to be late, I took a cab from the Bronx ($20 including tip). I arrived with 8 minutes to spare. I didn't eat lunch because they were serving leftover ravioli (the third day I think). I left school about 6pm. I went to Target to have the student photos developed. Would you believe I had to wait about 30 minutes. There were about 3 clerks talking up a storm. When the guy behind me complained. The clerks all seemed to agree that there was only one working machine. About 20 minutes later, another guy came to pick up his photos, and after complaining that one of the clerks had promised that his photos would be ready, the clerk walked over to another machine and "appeared to" just turn it on. The clerk said that he wasn't sure the machine would really work. I ended up using that "just working machine". In other words, I would not have had to wait (and miss my MN train), if even one other machine was "working". I ended up arriving home about 8pm. I ate Chinese take out for dinner.

Tuesday, I returned to Target in the Bronx to pick up my photos. I had to wait about 10 minutes because no one was at the kiosk area. After the line grew by about 4 or 5 people, then 2 or 3 clerks arrived (at the same time). In school, after posting on the daily bulletin for several days that bulletin boards were due to be finished on Wednesday, Tuesday (due to visitors arriving) bulletin boards had to be finished by Tuesday. No, I did not get the hallway bulletin board finished by the new (or old) due date. Sorry. I should at least say thank you to admin for not harassing me for not making the deadline. The end result, I will have one of the only correct bulletin boards (including task card, standards, work samples from each student etc...)

Four-day weekend, was going to be my work weekend. Unfortunately, old habits die hard. I took a couple of days to recover from the stress and disorganization. Trying to set up my classroom, and continue to follow the micro-managed schedule, with incomplete textbook sets, and incomprehensible units that few if anyone seems to know where the complete kits are and what should be started, all stressed me out. I have to be honest, a lot of the stress is internal. I have to learn to find my comfort zone, and until I do, I will be unnecessarily stressed. When I can see other teachers out the door by 4 and still accomplish the same (and in some cases more) than I can, then I have to face facts, I am to blame for a lot of my own mess.

Well anyway, Most of my 4-day weekend was spent sleeping. Finally, today (Saturday), I decided to go to the mall in Nyack (New York). I told myself that I should stay home and finish my lesson plans, but I knew I would probably do nothing but sleep. Since I don't have a car, I have to depend on the public transportation system. To get to Nyack, I have to take the Tappan Zee Bridge Express bus that doesn't operate on Sundays.

This morning (Saturday), I was up and out by about 9am. I took the MN to Tarrytown($3.25). The express bus was about a 10 minute wait. It was a nice coach bus($1.50). I arrived at the mall about 10am (just as stores were opening up). The mall was very nice. That place is now my "travel to" mall. The mall in Jersey City used to be "my mall", but the traveling was a bit much (even when I lived in Manhattan). It used to take me about 90 minutes to 2 hours to get to Jersey City by public transportation. Now, Nyack is only about an hour away. And it has a Panda Express restaurant. The only downside of the Nyack mall is the tight fit of the coach bus (not built for for major shopping trips). I would not even be able to bring my granny cart along. Also, I have to worry about the infrequent buses. A missed bus can be a one or 2 hour wait (which stops about 10pm)...and doesn't operate on Sundays...and a taxi ride is about $20 one-way.

Anyway, I walked the four levels of the Palisades Mall(about 90 minutes). I stopped at Gamestop to buy a memory card for my Playstation 2. I also ended up buying a couple of games and study guide:

God of War 1 (with study guide)
Outrun 2006 - Coast to coast
Resident Evil 4

Next stop Target:
J.R.R. Tolkien - The Children of Hurin
stick on hooks
Cutting mat

Then Staples:
Portable file container
Banker's box
Chart pad
2 Trashbins

Quick summary. Tolkien - I just wanted to have a next book ready when I finish the Spearwielder's Tale. File container (similar to the metal containers teachers use for keeping students' cumulative records). Now, with all of the new assessment standards, and record-keeping, I wanted to keep everything together. Banker's box, a small box with 8 compartments for organizing papers. Chart pad for making some charts at home, so I don't have to stay at school to make them. Trash bins for the classroom. The custodians removed the 2 I had. I think they got tired of searching the room for the trash bins. I would often forget to move the trash bins to the front of the room at the end of the day. But they also did not return the blue recycling bins. Teachers never seemed to use the recycling bins, in most classrooms I've walked in, the blue recycle bin was used as a regular trash bin. When I had one, I always kept it hidden, because I knew my students would not use it correctly. Having one trash bin in a classroom is an annoying hassle (for teacher as well as students). The stick on hooks is are for my interactive reading bulletin board.

About 12pm, I went to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on IMAX in 3D. Very Nice!!! In a couple of weekends, they will be showing Transformers on IMAX. After the movie, I went to Panda Express. Since I had to catch my bus, I had to take it to go. The bus arrival time was 2:58pm the next bus was 4:58pm. My plan was to only stay at the mall for a couple of hours, then return home to complete my lesson plans, but having stressed out for the last couple of weeks, and not having done much except be angry (with myself mostly), I wanted the escape...so I went to the movie. Some people take drugs to escape, I use Science-Fiction. I wanted to stay longer, but I didn't want to miss my bus. I didn't get to visit everyplace, (BJ's wholesale and Barnes & Nobles just a couple of places). I will have to save those until next time.

I caught the 3pm bus, and arrived at the MN station in Tarrytown to catch the 3:42 train. Since the Zee Bus left about 4 minutes late, I thought I would miss the 3:42 train. I arrived at the train station ontime. However, I still missed the 3:42 train... It turned out to be an express train. I had to wait for the 4:12 local. I ate my now cold Panda Lunch on the platform. It was still good! I arrived home about 4:30pm. I wanted to go food shopping and have another student photo developed. One of my "no shows" finally showed on Tuesday...a week after school started. I caught the MN to the Bronx, made a quick run for Target. I also needed ink for my printer. I forgot the type while I was in Nyack and didn't want to buy ink that might be incorrect. Anyway, I was in and out of Target (in the Bronx) in time to catch the express train to Yonkers. I went food shopping, then I headed for home.

For dinner, I had a can of low sodium chicken soup. However, I missed it up by eating a pint of ice cream. The ice cream was supposed to have been my reward for completing my lesson plans for two weeks. I finished the ice cream, but I didn't finish the lesson plans. I told myself that I would really try to start rowing on Monday and continue until October, when I would start attending the gym.

Hopefully, things are about to change for the better. If I can finish my lesson plans for two weeks, then I would have some breathing space to get my classroom together, which would allow me to comfortably (without stress or worry) leave school at a good hour. I guest the proof will be in the next blog posting.

Until then...


Post Date - Sunday, September 16, 2007 5:36am