Allocations and Expenditures

A few years ago I started using an app to count calories so that I might shed some of the pounds I had gained as I approached my mid-century. If there's one thing I've learned about myself over the years, it would be that I respond diligently to a daily obligation. Perhaps it's the routine, or the minimal requirement of a day by day commitment, but take this blog for example-- I have written millions of words a couple hundred or so at a time, and I also lost 50 pounds by trimming a few calories a day. Enter my newest endeavor-- to count all the money I spend each day. Based on my income and fixed expenses, my goal is to save more than ever by making small adjustments every day.

Unfortunately, in the time I've been using it, I've gone over my allowance 40% of the time and bought a new car.

There's always tomorrow.

That Train

has left the station.

Super Bowl Sunday

Although I am in my own home, I feel like a visitor to a strange land. Who knew that coverage of the big game started at nine a.m.? I have been in and out all day, but I do have a couple of observations: the Twin Cities are certainly looking their best-- frosty cold and all snow and ice castles, and FYI? The puppies picked the Patriots. Oh, at 6 p.m. the beer is cold and the dips and snacks are ready, and for the first time in many years, I'll be watching the spectacle. I really don't mind football, and I'm even kinda looking forward to the commercials and halftime show.

The Dining Hall

An enterprising chef and restaurateur in our area has opened what is essentially an upscale food hall with some full service tables. Having all eight of the restaurants in his own group makes it possible to offer a consolidated menu in a space set just off the main mall walkway. It is dubbed the "Dining Hall" which to me has a rather unfortunate association with college food plans.

I wanted to love it, but although I did not, it definitely surpassed its namesake, or at least what I remember of it 35 years later.

Imagine Doing this Every Day

A parent of a student who is struggling with a few things here at school asked if she could spend the day attending her daughter's classes. Other teachers may not feel the same way, but personally, my classroom door is always open: any educator, administrator, or parent is welcome to stop by without notice. As I laughed to my co-teacher today, tickets to this circus are always free.

Even so, in all my years of teaching, despite having heard several parents threaten to spend the whole day, and even having a couple attend one or two of their children's classes, I've never seen anybody's mom or dad actually do a whole day of middle school.

Until today.

As far as know, all went well in the classes she observed, but let me tell you, by sixth period, when I saw her? There was sure was a lot of yawning coming from Mom. Was she bored or exhausted?

Hard to say, but either way, I think she'll sleep well tonight. AND I hope she will also rest easier about her daughter's education.

Haste Makes Waste

I was impatient this morning on my to work. The back up at one light was too long for me, so I made a quick left and cut through the neighborhood. A few blocks later, the back up at that light was frustrating to me, but since they were all turning left and I wanted to go straight, I steered to the right and scooted rapidly by. But, when I got to that last car, which was actually the first car, it was just a little over the lane line, and so without braking I moved a bit more to the right, and BAM! I hit the curb and blew my front right tire.

Bumping through the light and into a parking place 8 blocks from school, we abandoned the car, grabbed our stuff, and walked the rest of the way, planning to deal with the situation after the last bell.

And so, from 3:30 to 4:30 our breath blew lazy clouds in the cool damp air as we stood around waiting for AAA who finally arrived an hour and a half later than they told us they would. The guy was nice enough as he put the donut on and inflated the other tires, but...

clearly, this was not how I pictured my day.

This He Believes

"Turning point!" the social studies teacher read off the slide on the screen in my room. "We should collaborate! I'm talking about turning points too, as in the Battle of Saratoga was the turning point of the Revolutionary War."

"We are talking about personal turning points," I told him, "times that changed the way the students thought."

He read some more of the slide. It had prompts to help the kids identify those moments. "Why Santa Clause?" he asked. " Is it because they didn't get what they wanted?"

"More like a time when they realized that they had been fooled and maybe there wasn't really any magic in the world," I said.

He shook his head. "See, I never believed in that stuff. I was the kid who ruined it for others from Kindergarten on."

"What do you think that says about you?" I asked him.

"More about my parents than me," he answered. "They were like, We bought you this stuff because we worked hard and earned the money."

"So it was kind of a lesson about taking care of yourself and not relying on other people to give you what you want?"

"Definitely," he said. "No imaginary fat guy in a red suit was going to get credit for that. You don't work? You don't eat."

"That shaped you, right?" I asked.

"You know it," he said.

"Well you are ready to write your essay!"