teachers and their favorites;;

There is absolutely nothing more annoying than a teacher having favorites. Trying to get a certain teacher to like you is like squeezing a lemon through a raindrop. No matter what you do, how hard you try, or how many 100%s you can achieve, their opinion does not change.

On the other hand, I do not enjoy being a teacher's pet. An adult supervisor over such a vast amount of students needs to either maintain no personal relationship with any of them or appear to be interested in helping all of them. When an opportunity is offered to me I assume it is offered to all other students. I do not want to be favored nor do I think it is justifiable for any other students to be favored.

To go along with that, some teachers really need to let loose a little bit. I mean, COME ON! Advisory? What's the fucking point? No one enjoys it or learns from anything we do in there. Thirty minutes of reading is not going to smarten our generation either. Maybe the kids aren't smart because the teachers aren't doing a good job. Ever think of that?

And the Dance Begins

I do, I miss that smile,
I miss you, my old friend.
When it comes down to it,
You sure were a special gem.

You held me to high standards,
Even when I wanted to croak.
Life can be so deceiving,
But your faith was best of folk.

Your beauty sure does radiate,
That smile of yours so true.
Believe me when I tell you,
I am here until the night is blue.

Don't loose hope in all life's blessings,
I know you'll make it through.
With or without me,
To yourself you must remain true.

Smile at God's slight glimpses,
And dance when the song ends.
To the beat of your heart's drum,
Is where your story begins.

Iowa Snow Bunnies!

Ahh, the joys of winter! The first snow is always fun; snow angels, snow ball fights, and RE learning how to drive in the snow after a beautiful few months off. After two months of the HEAVIEST snow I've seen in my life, it is no longer a joyous thing to see. I cannot imagine coming to Iowa this year, of all years, to then be hit with all the terrible weather we've had during this disastrous time.

You see, I drive a little '91 Volvo that cannot seem to get around in this weather to save its life. We've come to call her Thelma. Being a southern name, it fits my little Volvo just right. Thelma was originally from Atlanta, GA and came to Iowa just last March. She was not ready to see the amounts of winter mess her new home had in store for her. Time and time again she finds herself stuck in the delima of thick snow, ice, and no traction under her poor little tires. She begins to weep when such is the case described.

She is sick of this weather, as are the rest of us! School is called off, businesses are shut down, and the entire town of Atlanta seems to hibernate if only half an inch of snow hits the ground. She enjoys that much better...so she says ;). We are tougher here in Iowa. A lot of action takes place and the world does not seem to end when even six to nine inches pile up on the Iowa roadways. Thelma, as it is known by many, has a negative attitude towards this. Her tires spin and she spits out chunks of snow/ice mix onto the car behind her. This is her way of telling me that I'm not being a good mommy by bringing her into conditions in which she is unfit for.

To conclude, all we can hope for is that this summer truely makes up for all of this dreary weather and restores my little Thelma to her happy and exciting self! :)

A nice end to a wonderful day;;

Bed time...ahh it feels so good to have a roof over my head and warm blankets over my body. It is nice to know I don't have to fight for food and dig for anything other than my chap stick some times. My heart goes out to the suffering and dying, the cold and the lonely, and those so deep and dark in secrets that life seems unlivable.

Paying it forward is what they call it. I may not have the resources to go overseas and help the Haitians or even help the suicidal student that sits to my right every day at eleven o'clock. I do know that I do what I can. Lately it seems as though I am doing right by reattaching a daughter and her long lost father. A few months ago I listened closely as he told me story after story of his long hippie life well lived. As my ears appeared to be opened miles wide, I heard the slight name of his daughter and I grabbed it and ran. I was soon to look her up everywhere- facebook, myspace, twitter...where ever I thought I may be able to find this little desperate and hurt girl. Hurt, yes I knew she was, because I know to grow up without a father is devastating.

Getting in contact with her, I waisted no time. Did she want to take my hand and allow me to reconnect her with him? No, but the door, as I made sure she knew damn well, was always open. I have yet to connect with her since. Yesterday I received a message on facebook from a woman I had apparently accepted a friend request from months ago. I had no idea we were even friends. She explained in her note that she was this girl's older sister and she wanted to know what was going on. I was honest with her in explaining the long distance and years worth of the friendship between her sister's father and me. Telling her I thought this man had changed his ways since sixteen years prior, I knew he was not going to ever be a wonderful parent but I also knew he wants nothing more than to know the very daughter he had a part of bringing into this world.

I did not think much of it after hanging the phone up with her and did not tell anyone that I had talked to her. When "paying it forward" I rarely tell when a good deed has been passed. God smiles and that is all that I need to warm my heart. The reconnection of this family has been on my heart today and when I returned home after a long day, I got online to search this young girl's older sister on facebook. As soon as I got to her page I read something she had posted last night: "Rachel Catherine thank you from the bottom of my heart!!" Following my smile when this small but significant post was read, I could do nothing but simply thank God for the ability to simply help reconnect a family broken and possibly be a part of restoring His daughter's relationship with her father.

What a nice way to end nothing but a wonderful day.