There is GLEE. I have glee.
Mar. 15th, 2006 11:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lady_saraiYeah. Seriously. Major glee of the bouncing around in my chair variety.
First of all, again, OMGLEIKWOAHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU to whomever gave me a paid account. For a YEAR. ::flails:: I don't quite know what to do with myself. =D Thank you! (Please let me know! I *know* it's anonymous for a reason, but... I want to say thank you!)
That COMPLETELY made my evening when I returned from film class, checked my email and found an email from LJ telling me. Dude. We watched "Blind Shaft," which is a Chinese movie about two men who go around getting jobs in mines with people who are desperate for work, and then they pretend that this third person is related to them... and then they kill him, and take compensation money from the mine so the mine can avoid government intrusion. .... Yes, *highly* cheerful movie. =P So this was very nice to come home to!
Dude.
So, Monday evening I went out to dinner with my mentor teacher from last semester. I student taught with her in my second placement, in sixth grade. She's so fantastic and we really hit it off when I worked with her, so it's been great keeping in touch with her.
She's organizing the Maine State Geography Bee this year, which is nationally run by National Geographic. It's like a spelling bee, but with geography. It's kind of neat, I got to help a lot with the class/grade/school bees when I was teaching. (As it turns out, the school bee winner was one of my sixth graders, and he qualified for the state bee! Yay!)
So, I'm helping her. She's even putting me in the program as her "assistant." Which is pretty awesome, and hey, it has to look good, right? That I'm helping to organize this? It's a lot of work. (Not that I'm doing anything compared to her, but I am helping!)
So, she wanted to meet on Monday so we could talk about the Bee. Although we got that out of the way in about 10 seconds and spent the rest of the time shooting the breeze and catching up.
It's pretty neat, actually, because I think she's older than my mom, who had me pretty late in her life (comparatively) and I absolutely adore this woman. I think talking with her reminds me of talking with my mom, and my mom is definitely awesome. Ask my friends. ;) hee... We have a neat friendship, (my mentor and I) I think--I know she likes me, and trusts me and values my opinion, and that means SO much, especially given how much I respect HER.
Anyway, when I went to meet her for dinner, I had been having a craptacular few days. REALLY. But the minute I got in her car, it felt like I'd been in her classroom the day before. I love when that happens. She's so nice, and easy to talk to. And she immediately reached over and squeezed this little stuffed duck on her dashboard so it would quack for me. You can't not smile when a stuffed duck quacks a song!
So we went to the Fortune Fountain, which is a FANTASTIC Chinese food restaurant. The family who runs it saves all their money to bring family here from China. They've brought over SEVERAL brothers and sisters and their families. In fact, I had one of the cousins in my sixth grade and my friend Tina has a daughter and a cousin in her second grade class. Everyone knows that family. BUT, the food was AMAZING.
Sharon said we went there because we needed to "test" it before bringing all the Bee volunteers for dinner after the Bee is done. ;) (It turns out volunteers get free t-shirts and certificates for their portfolios, too!) So sometime next week, I'm going to help write out those 150 odd certificates, and organize prizes and score sheets and get things ready. Then the week AFTER, I'm going to see my students in their Gym Show! Which is apparently very amusing. I'm excited because I told my film professor about it tonight, and she said I could miss class to go! Wee!
Anyway. Sunday night, I was up until about 6:30 am working on a paper. Got about 4 hours of sleep, and then took an hour long nap. Monday night, I was also up late... gosh, roughly 3? I got more sleep, but enough.
Tuesday was okay. I adore Chris Daughtry on AI. SO much. Guh.
I had a presentation to give today in my Medieval Literature class. It was a research project, where I had to research Robin Hood and the Ballad Tradition. Yeah. There's a hella lot of information on Robin Hood.
Also, I get ENTIRELY too obsessive about Robin Hood. When I hear/see/read something about him, I want to drag out every movie version I have, re-read The Outlaws of Sherwood and look things up online. It's not pretty.
So here I sat last night, with 5 books from the library, a never-ending, really awesome and comprehensive website (Robin Hood: Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood-highly recommended, btw). And had to somehow put eight centuries of Robin Hood lore and ballad history into a 3-4 page report and a 10 minute speech.
Yeah, was up until 4:30. Wrote 5 pages, spoke for 20. Heh.
Could have KEPT going!
(I got a few compliments after, and part of why it was 20 minutes was because people were asking questions, which was AWESOME.)
I misread the directions, though, and brought questions for the mid-term, but not with answers. He wanted answers to go with possible questions. Heh. =P (I may well post my paper later, because it interests ME so. God. I will some day fully research Robin and write my own version. This is something I've wanted to do since I was 13, so... some day.)
So, yeah, then I woke up at 8:30 when Steph slammed the door. Heh, thanks roomie.
So I tried to go back to sleep this morning, but the phone rang at 9 and I lay there thinking "seriously?"
But I got up and answered... and it was Lorraine, the secretary at Academy Hill School, where I taught my sixth graders! She said she heard I had Fridays off, and did I want to sub for the other sixth grade teacher this Friday?
I say YES!!! And barely contained myself from jumping all over the room. But then I remembered.
In February, I got a letter from SAD 9's billing office, telling me that without documentation for my fingerprinting, they cannot keep me on the payroll for subbing.
Well. Guh. I adore this law so much ANYWAY (sense sarcasm? I know there's a reason, but it feels insulting.)... Well, here's the scoop THERE.
In December of 2004, I had my fingerprints taken and documented at Portland Arts and Technical High School in Portland, ME. As per the state law dictating that all public school employees must have their fingerprints on file and a background check completed. The fingerprinting was "strongly encouraged" when signing up for student teaching, which I had to do a year before actually student teaching. Now, when I did this, no one had EVER mentioned needing or receiving documentation.
In fact, when I was done, I asked if everything was all set and I received a yes.
Yeah, no. When I went to apply to be a sub last NOVEMBER, SAD 9 told me they needed proof of fingerprinting, in the form of a card I was supposed to have gotten. In fact, I should have gotten a temporary card AT THE SITE OF MY FINGERPRINTING. And then I should have been mailed a permanent card.
Huh, says I. So, I dutifully fill out the little form the superintendent gave me and mailed it to the state.
Yeah. Never heard ANYTHING. So I get this letter from SAD 9 saying I have until February 28th to provide them with documentation. So I think, huh. I'll call!
Yeah. I don't recommend trying to actually talk to anyone when calling the Department of Education. Seriously. I left... 3? voice mails about this. And emailed once.
And nothing.
THEN, last weekend! I get the mail for mom.
In the mail is a letter from the Dept. of Ed!
In the letter is the form *I* sent them. Where the date I wrote is November 3rd, 2005 and the stamp saying they received it? November 9, 2005.
There is also a form saying that they need this form BACK along with a $15 check, and THEN I can get my card.
This form? Dated February 24, 2006. I received it on March 10, 2006.
.... ::headdesk::
So! I tell this story, in a shortened form, to Lorraine, who says they haven't removed me from the list and have not told her not to use me for subbing, so she will call them. She does. She called me back. She tells me to call them, because the business office lady might be able to work with me and get me back on payroll.
Which makes me happy, especially when Lorraine asked if I would be willing to sub in other classes in the building, because everyone likes me. =D I was very happy at that.
So, she gives me a number and then corrects herself. I call the corrected number... and a little old lady tells me I have the wrong number and gives me the ORIGINAL number. =P I call that... and get Mt. Blue High School. Where the secretary very nicely gives me the REAL number. And I get transferred to the business office, and the lady was VERY nice. I told her the actual, whole long story.
She said, "Wait, December 2004?! I knew the state dragged their feet, but wow." So she tells me to bring the letter from the state to her on Monday and she will put it in the file, and once I send in the $15, I should get my card fairly quickly (they work fast when given money, odd eh?). And then bring THAT to her to put in the file. =P
So!!
Long story short?
I'M TEACHING MY SIXTH GRADERS ON FRIDAY!!!!! ::happy dance of JOY!:: I've never taught the other teacher's subjects, but I get to sub and be PAID and teach and JOY! And my mentor will be there, so I can work with her again!
=D I was just about bouncing off the WALLS this morning when I found all this out. And of course, by the time all this was taken care of, it was 10:30 and I had class at 11. =P Ah well, no more sleep for me!
....Of course, this means I have to go to bed at a reasonable hour tomorrow night so I can get up and have breakfast with Tina at 7 am and leave here by 7:45 to be at school by 8. Huh. =P Ah well!! I get to see my kids! And TEACH!
So, yeah. I even managed to not sleep in my 11 am class! And then I went to lunch. Where there was meatloaf! And it was yummy, even. Then, back here to frantically put the finishing touches on my Robin Hood paper and presentation.
Then, to class and my talk! Which went well! Then, back here! Where I frantically typed up a 6 page paper for film at 6. =P Heh.
Then back here! Where an LJ ANGEL has granted me a YEAR-LONG paid account! =D My eternal gratitude is yours.
Yeah, so that was a lot longer and more detailed than I planned. But! Now you know. ;)
(ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!!!!)
First of all, again, OMGLEIKWOAHTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU to whomever gave me a paid account. For a YEAR. ::flails:: I don't quite know what to do with myself. =D Thank you! (Please let me know! I *know* it's anonymous for a reason, but... I want to say thank you!)
That COMPLETELY made my evening when I returned from film class, checked my email and found an email from LJ telling me. Dude. We watched "Blind Shaft," which is a Chinese movie about two men who go around getting jobs in mines with people who are desperate for work, and then they pretend that this third person is related to them... and then they kill him, and take compensation money from the mine so the mine can avoid government intrusion. .... Yes, *highly* cheerful movie. =P So this was very nice to come home to!
Dude.
So, Monday evening I went out to dinner with my mentor teacher from last semester. I student taught with her in my second placement, in sixth grade. She's so fantastic and we really hit it off when I worked with her, so it's been great keeping in touch with her.
She's organizing the Maine State Geography Bee this year, which is nationally run by National Geographic. It's like a spelling bee, but with geography. It's kind of neat, I got to help a lot with the class/grade/school bees when I was teaching. (As it turns out, the school bee winner was one of my sixth graders, and he qualified for the state bee! Yay!)
So, I'm helping her. She's even putting me in the program as her "assistant." Which is pretty awesome, and hey, it has to look good, right? That I'm helping to organize this? It's a lot of work. (Not that I'm doing anything compared to her, but I am helping!)
So, she wanted to meet on Monday so we could talk about the Bee. Although we got that out of the way in about 10 seconds and spent the rest of the time shooting the breeze and catching up.
It's pretty neat, actually, because I think she's older than my mom, who had me pretty late in her life (comparatively) and I absolutely adore this woman. I think talking with her reminds me of talking with my mom, and my mom is definitely awesome. Ask my friends. ;) hee... We have a neat friendship, (my mentor and I) I think--I know she likes me, and trusts me and values my opinion, and that means SO much, especially given how much I respect HER.
Anyway, when I went to meet her for dinner, I had been having a craptacular few days. REALLY. But the minute I got in her car, it felt like I'd been in her classroom the day before. I love when that happens. She's so nice, and easy to talk to. And she immediately reached over and squeezed this little stuffed duck on her dashboard so it would quack for me. You can't not smile when a stuffed duck quacks a song!
So we went to the Fortune Fountain, which is a FANTASTIC Chinese food restaurant. The family who runs it saves all their money to bring family here from China. They've brought over SEVERAL brothers and sisters and their families. In fact, I had one of the cousins in my sixth grade and my friend Tina has a daughter and a cousin in her second grade class. Everyone knows that family. BUT, the food was AMAZING.
Sharon said we went there because we needed to "test" it before bringing all the Bee volunteers for dinner after the Bee is done. ;) (It turns out volunteers get free t-shirts and certificates for their portfolios, too!) So sometime next week, I'm going to help write out those 150 odd certificates, and organize prizes and score sheets and get things ready. Then the week AFTER, I'm going to see my students in their Gym Show! Which is apparently very amusing. I'm excited because I told my film professor about it tonight, and she said I could miss class to go! Wee!
Anyway. Sunday night, I was up until about 6:30 am working on a paper. Got about 4 hours of sleep, and then took an hour long nap. Monday night, I was also up late... gosh, roughly 3? I got more sleep, but enough.
Tuesday was okay. I adore Chris Daughtry on AI. SO much. Guh.
I had a presentation to give today in my Medieval Literature class. It was a research project, where I had to research Robin Hood and the Ballad Tradition. Yeah. There's a hella lot of information on Robin Hood.
Also, I get ENTIRELY too obsessive about Robin Hood. When I hear/see/read something about him, I want to drag out every movie version I have, re-read The Outlaws of Sherwood and look things up online. It's not pretty.
So here I sat last night, with 5 books from the library, a never-ending, really awesome and comprehensive website (Robin Hood: Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood-highly recommended, btw). And had to somehow put eight centuries of Robin Hood lore and ballad history into a 3-4 page report and a 10 minute speech.
Yeah, was up until 4:30. Wrote 5 pages, spoke for 20. Heh.
Could have KEPT going!
(I got a few compliments after, and part of why it was 20 minutes was because people were asking questions, which was AWESOME.)
I misread the directions, though, and brought questions for the mid-term, but not with answers. He wanted answers to go with possible questions. Heh. =P (I may well post my paper later, because it interests ME so. God. I will some day fully research Robin and write my own version. This is something I've wanted to do since I was 13, so... some day.)
So, yeah, then I woke up at 8:30 when Steph slammed the door. Heh, thanks roomie.
So I tried to go back to sleep this morning, but the phone rang at 9 and I lay there thinking "seriously?"
But I got up and answered... and it was Lorraine, the secretary at Academy Hill School, where I taught my sixth graders! She said she heard I had Fridays off, and did I want to sub for the other sixth grade teacher this Friday?
I say YES!!! And barely contained myself from jumping all over the room. But then I remembered.
In February, I got a letter from SAD 9's billing office, telling me that without documentation for my fingerprinting, they cannot keep me on the payroll for subbing.
Well. Guh. I adore this law so much ANYWAY (sense sarcasm? I know there's a reason, but it feels insulting.)... Well, here's the scoop THERE.
In December of 2004, I had my fingerprints taken and documented at Portland Arts and Technical High School in Portland, ME. As per the state law dictating that all public school employees must have their fingerprints on file and a background check completed. The fingerprinting was "strongly encouraged" when signing up for student teaching, which I had to do a year before actually student teaching. Now, when I did this, no one had EVER mentioned needing or receiving documentation.
In fact, when I was done, I asked if everything was all set and I received a yes.
Yeah, no. When I went to apply to be a sub last NOVEMBER, SAD 9 told me they needed proof of fingerprinting, in the form of a card I was supposed to have gotten. In fact, I should have gotten a temporary card AT THE SITE OF MY FINGERPRINTING. And then I should have been mailed a permanent card.
Huh, says I. So, I dutifully fill out the little form the superintendent gave me and mailed it to the state.
Yeah. Never heard ANYTHING. So I get this letter from SAD 9 saying I have until February 28th to provide them with documentation. So I think, huh. I'll call!
Yeah. I don't recommend trying to actually talk to anyone when calling the Department of Education. Seriously. I left... 3? voice mails about this. And emailed once.
And nothing.
THEN, last weekend! I get the mail for mom.
In the mail is a letter from the Dept. of Ed!
In the letter is the form *I* sent them. Where the date I wrote is November 3rd, 2005 and the stamp saying they received it? November 9, 2005.
There is also a form saying that they need this form BACK along with a $15 check, and THEN I can get my card.
This form? Dated February 24, 2006. I received it on March 10, 2006.
.... ::headdesk::
So! I tell this story, in a shortened form, to Lorraine, who says they haven't removed me from the list and have not told her not to use me for subbing, so she will call them. She does. She called me back. She tells me to call them, because the business office lady might be able to work with me and get me back on payroll.
Which makes me happy, especially when Lorraine asked if I would be willing to sub in other classes in the building, because everyone likes me. =D I was very happy at that.
So, she gives me a number and then corrects herself. I call the corrected number... and a little old lady tells me I have the wrong number and gives me the ORIGINAL number. =P I call that... and get Mt. Blue High School. Where the secretary very nicely gives me the REAL number. And I get transferred to the business office, and the lady was VERY nice. I told her the actual, whole long story.
She said, "Wait, December 2004?! I knew the state dragged their feet, but wow." So she tells me to bring the letter from the state to her on Monday and she will put it in the file, and once I send in the $15, I should get my card fairly quickly (they work fast when given money, odd eh?). And then bring THAT to her to put in the file. =P
So!!
Long story short?
I'M TEACHING MY SIXTH GRADERS ON FRIDAY!!!!! ::happy dance of JOY!:: I've never taught the other teacher's subjects, but I get to sub and be PAID and teach and JOY! And my mentor will be there, so I can work with her again!
=D I was just about bouncing off the WALLS this morning when I found all this out. And of course, by the time all this was taken care of, it was 10:30 and I had class at 11. =P Ah well, no more sleep for me!
....Of course, this means I have to go to bed at a reasonable hour tomorrow night so I can get up and have breakfast with Tina at 7 am and leave here by 7:45 to be at school by 8. Huh. =P Ah well!! I get to see my kids! And TEACH!
So, yeah. I even managed to not sleep in my 11 am class! And then I went to lunch. Where there was meatloaf! And it was yummy, even. Then, back here to frantically put the finishing touches on my Robin Hood paper and presentation.
Then, to class and my talk! Which went well! Then, back here! Where I frantically typed up a 6 page paper for film at 6. =P Heh.
Then back here! Where an LJ ANGEL has granted me a YEAR-LONG paid account! =D My eternal gratitude is yours.
Yeah, so that was a lot longer and more detailed than I planned. But! Now you know. ;)
(ThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyouThankyou!!!!)
