Happy Spring!

Friday I sat outside for about three hours doing homework and reading.

Saturday I did homework in my backyard sometimes sunning and sometimes wrapped in a blanket.

Sunday I went for a run and it was blustery windy, then sunny and then rainy.

Monday I walked from McCain to Covell to the Library back to Strahorn and it was cloudy and chilly.

Tuesday I got my hair done even though it was raining on and off.

Spring has arrived.

So has a new spring themed blog layout.

Now to work on my midterm.

The downside

Don't get me wrong, I love teaching. But sometimes yo have to be confrontational and, all of you who know me know that I do not like confrontation. Like today, for example, I needed to let ((more like remind) a kid know that not only is he not passing at midterms, he might not be able to pass the class in general unless he gets his act together. I usually just ramble on in the emails that I write (or pass them off to someone else) but this time, it just came to me.

Here is what I said:

Dear ______________,

I wanted to touch base with you on a couple of things as we head into midterms week and the Middleton experience portion of the class.

One of the requirements of the class is teaching a lesson at Middleton. Without that portion, it will not be possible to pass the class. Being prepared to teach comes from a combination of observations within the classroom but also participation in the first half of the semester. Because of your absences, lack of participation and your failure to turn in five out of the seven assignments of the first half of the semester, I at this point do not feel that you are prepared to teach at Middleton. Failure to pass EDU202 may result in not being admitting to the teaching program at the end of the year and will require you to retake it again in the fall.

This does not mean, however, that you cannot work your way back up to the level that you need to be at. I will be observing you over the next few weeks at Middleton and will let you know if I feel that you have proven yourself capable of teaching students on your own at the standard that Middleton requires. I also need you to turn in your papers and assignments by the end of this week, no more extensions. As it stands now, you will not receive a passing grade at midterms. As a reminder, here is what you need to still submit: Three responses to Among Schoolchildren, a classroom map and explanation and a list of classroom rules/routines/discipline policies also with an explanation. I also will expect the assignments that are required from your first week at Middleton, including your field notes from your two days in the classroom this week. Please consult the schedule if you are unsure of what is required.

I will be more than happy to help you out where I can so please let me know if you have any questions.

Boom. Snap. Or well done, as I was told by a superior.

SOTM

Nothing I can say about this song except I love it so much.

I also love James Taylor.

Also I am highly considering naming my first son James so I can sing this to him.

Would it be creepy if I tried to track down Carole King in Sun Valley? All I would do is ask her to sing Screamin' and Yellin' with me. That would be too much to ask, right? I couldn't find a clip of Screamin' and Yellin' but I did find something better.... take 30 mins out of your day and watch "Really Rosie." You WILL NOT regret it.

Also, this song is maybe one of the greatest ever.

Flashback Friday- Wedding Edition!

It's been too long since I've done a Flashback Friday!

This week's edition: Weddings!

Robin and Grant's wedding was the first wedding I officially went to and was in. So Disney-fied, so elegant and so many fun memories and new friendships!

Megan and Kasey's wedding was non-stop fun- so much love and friendship and dancing and good food and laughter and some of my favorite pictures ever.

My girls looked so grown up at Colin and Jenny's wedding! And no pictures with the happy couple- they were too popular!

Hadasi's wedding in Israel can be summed up in two words: friends and dancing. It was the first time I had seen my classmates from first grade together at one time and let's just say that it was probably almost 2am when I finally went to bed, exhausted from all the dancing. Kibbutz weddings have and will always be my favorite type.

Some films

This week I watched "Out of Sight" which is an Israeli film starring Tali Sharon and Assi Dayan and some other quite well-known Israeli actors. Even if you don't know Hebrew, I would highly recommend watching it. The main character is a blind woman who returns home from her PhD program at Princeton for the funeral of her best friend/almost sister growing up who has just, unexpectedly, committed suicide. I really don't want to go into any more detail but I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I highly recommend this. It's got an incredible theme of not seeing things that are right in front of your eyes, blind or not. Go watch this.

I also watched "Brief Interviews with Hideous Men", based on a book by David Foster Wallace. John Krasinski directs this very interesting, non-linear story of a woman who is interviewing men about relationships for her graduate studies, while she is trying to come to terms with her recent break-up. My favorite thing about this movie is all the cameos- Dominic Cooper, Chris Messina, Will Arnett (as the guy always trying to get into her girlfriend's apartment), Christopher Meloni, to mention a few. Also, John Krasinski's monologue at the end is spectacular. Just spectacular. Also recommended.

Talk about stream of consciousness!

HDWFW

This weeks' HDWF topic is Anderson Cooper. How do we feel about his talk show?

Not a fan.

Now, let's be honest here. I only have seen the show on mute at a coffee house that Niki and I often go to before/between classes and so that's pretty much what I'm going off of. But there is something strange about Anderson Cooper, who I'm used to seeing on CNN or reporting from Fallujah or from the middle of a hurricane or in on the top of an erupting volcano (wait, that didn't happened? Just wait, folks, the day is coming), interviewing housewives about their husbands or talking to men about their strange addictions. It just doesn't feel right.

Go back to interviewing Michael Phelps in the pool. That way we can watch Michael swim....

How do you feel?

Mash-up

I haven't seen Glee in awhile because a) it's kind of annoying me right now and b) no TV until April. But sometimes on my car rides to and from Boise, I listen to the Glee soundtracks. I've VERY picky about what songs I listen to but this one, for some reason, I can always get behind.