This Week's Successes

There have been many successes this week, and I feel the need to share them. Please be warned that you may read them and roll your eyes or wonder what I am so excited about, but really it is all about the little things in life.

Success #1:
I had my mid-year observation from the assistant principal. I was a little nervous because he wanted to come see my fourth grade groups, and those groups tend to be on the noisier, distracted (and distract-able) side, and we are in a small room generously lent to me by a colleague. Sometimes we leave messes or move things around a bit, but she has been very gracious about letting us learn in there when she is gone. The successful part of the story is that the lesson on cuttle fish went really well! The kids were noisy and excitable as usual, but they were ON TOPIC and respectful towards each other! Score Ms. McDougalhopper!

Success #2:
My second tennis lesson went well, although I did not feel nearly as awesome at tennis as the first week. We started actually doing some game play. Unlike in drills, when we are playing for points, the teacher is not hitting the ball directly at us at a nice speed. Suddenly we are running around, hitting it into the net, bouncing it off the ceiling, trying to get out of the way and still make contact, etc. But still, I had fun with other Ivy and Julie (previously referred to as "Pink Sweatshirt"). Then, after class, they invited me to meet them at Whistle Binkie's next week before tennis! ROCK ON! I am making friends who aren't teachers!

Success #3: 
I wore my cephalopod shirt to work. What, now? 

Success #4:
I went out on a Wednesday night with Ashley (my colleague I share a room with....the big room). We went to Baker Square for Pie Rush Wednesday. While we were a little disappointed with this particular Baker Square location for a variety of reasons, and the pie I ended up having was not as delicious as I had hoped, I got to chat with my friend and eat out with someone after 6pm on a weeknight.  And I had left overs for lunch today! SUCCESS!

Success #5:
I totally steamed beef tamales for dinner tonight. Purchased frozen from a Mexican grocery store up in the Twin Cities, I had one with rice (and a piece of na'an - I mix all my cultures together. Like Canada, I am the melting pot) for dinner tonight, and the other is or lunch tomorrow! It was kind of fun to peel off the corn husk.

Success #6:
Tonight at dance class, I danced with someone my own age! Also, the man that kind of groped me was not there, so there was no super-uncomfortable-ness. Also-also, the people in my dance class are warming up to me and we can chat and even joke around a little bit. This whole swing dance class is turning out to be really fun!

And the biggest success of the week is yet to come! Oh, Boy! Do I have an amazing evening planned with Ashley and Dani tomorrow! We have many things going on, but the main event is Rick Springfield. That's right! RICK SPRINGFIELD! The tickets are in my purse! SUCCESS!

Interested in the cuttlefish? They are pretty amazing animals! Watch this short "How Stuff Works" clip (towards the bottom of the page) on (cuttlefish, and tell me they are not completely awesome!

My students asked me if I could get one for a pet and bring it in so we could play with it. It picks up the subtleties in the rocks so well, I wonder if it would do stripes or plaid? Leave a comment about how awesome the cuttlefish is!

 
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