Field trip

Today several grades in my school went to see the movie "Up". It was a nice movie. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't in teacher mode. The only seats were in the very, very first row. I really don't like sitting in the front. Minor drama. After providing several warnings about the payment due date, I had one parent who was determined to have her daughter go (the daughter being stubborn, rude and disrespectful didn't seem to mean much). I tried explain to the mother how I provided enough time for the deadline, but all I got was excuses:
She didn't know about the deadline...

She tried to send an email, but my email must have been broken...
Her daughter should not be penalized...
I was making a big deal out of one ticket...

In the end, the mother agreed to pick up her daugher and go to the theater buy the ticket, and wait for the class there. Then she went onto her hair appointment. There was also another parent who also missed the deadline -- this parent I even wrote a letter for her son to give her. She also showed up (late) wondering if her child could go on the trip. She went along to the theater.

Ms. Down the Hall who briefly asked if I was going to pick my my classes' tickets the day before, at first I said probably not. To be honest, I just didn't want to pick up the tickets. No one wanted to really help with the planning of the trips (but was happy when I did). The others seemed a bit too comfortable with me carrying the ball. What put me in a bit of a mood was during lunch while I was running here and there trying to clear up some trip confusion. The others suggested a letter (and how it should be writen), but didn't offer to write it. So, when Ms. Down the Hall left at 3PM not telling me she had left. I resisted the urge to call to find out if she wanted me to buy her tickets. I don't have much of a backbone, but every so often, it appears. Well, today Ms. DTH came to my classroom with her envelope of money expecting me to buy the tickets "since I said that I was probably going to buy my tickets the morning of the show. The end result was that Ms. DTH had to wait on a line (that luckily for her was nothing like last year's) to buy tickets. Unfortunately, the movie "Up" was sold out. I can't be too angry with my colleagues because if you allow people to take advantage of you, then you are partially to blame. Besides, my colleagues are really nice people and wouldn't hesitate to offer help and assistance when I've asked.

Oh, one of the parents told me that he would be coming on the trip, so I paid for his and his daughter's ticket, only to get stiffed (he was a no-show).

Near the ending of the movie, one of my students had a urgent "call of nature"; I ended up missing about 5 minutes of the movie near the end when the lead characters were captured.


Well, that is about it. Oh wait!!!
Today is the day that analog signals are suppose to end. I'm one of the few still using rabbit ears for watching TV. I do have my government coupon for $40 payment for a converter box. I got my first coupon months ago, but it expired. The one I have now is good until the end of July. Each person is only allowed two coupons. A part of me wants to give up TV, but I'm not sure I'm up to the challenge.


Post Date - Friday, Saturday 12, 2009 11:21PM