Much Needed Addition to Every Coffee Table

Today I have written two office referrals (and very close to a third)...
One was for a particular student sleeping in my class EVERY time we read our novel aloud in class, and showing no remorse. On the contrary, the response to me when I question why this is a constant struggle (sometimes there are legit issues at home!) is, "MAN! It's so BORING!!!". This response gains zero sympathy from me. Suck it up. You won't enjoy everything you learn (I don't say that, of course...). Today, he/she fell asleep 8 different times. During one of these instances, there was drool spilling over lips into his/her lap... nice.
The second was a student from whom I have personally collected at least 4-5 notes from and seen writing notes at least 10 times... After today's addition to my collection, this student will be visiting the office.

All of this to share my sweet, hilarious husband's ingenious idea with you. He is encouraging me to keep all of the funny notes that I pick up over the years and to publish a collection of hilarious notes by middle schoolers when I have a significant number of them...Names will have to be changed, of course, but the beauty is NOT in the names. I assure you.

so, if you teach middle school (or other grades, too...) please lend me your hilarious notes. I would like to recognize these students for their phenomenal dedication to their education.

love, THE Mrs. Power
;)

p.s. my favorite note still stands as the first note I ever took up in my classroom. It is actually from the aforementioned student, believe it or not...

from a 7th grade female written to 8th grade male.
My favorite line: "I love it when you be wearin' them skinny jeans, yo booty be lookin' extra big!"

wow. i love my job. :)

LA FITNESS

Thought i'd share with you: maybe you work for DISD or know someone who does? :)


Attention D.I.S.D. Employees:


L.A. Fitness International, LLC is now offering all Denton ISD employees a discounted membership program.

Denton ISD employee only discount:
Enrollment Monthly

Employee: $25 $29.99
Family Add-Ons: $0 $29.99

Regular Rates: $149 enrollment (savings of $125); $49.99 monthly (savings of $20 per month)


Amenities and terms of membership

LA Fitness offers a 25 yard heated lap pool, hot tub, dry sauna, full locker room facilities w/ private showers, full court basketball, 5 racquetball courts, group fitness classes including- yoga, Pilates, kickboxing, boxing, hip hop, body pump, step, cycling, water aerobics and more. We also carry over 200 pieces of the most state of the cardiovascular machines, resistance training equipment and free weights to meet all your fitness needs. Also included w/ your membership is one complimentary orientation w/ a certified personal trainer. Kids club is available for a nominal fee. This plan will give you access to every LA Fitness location excluding Signature clubs.
Membership is monthly w/ no long term contract. First and last months dues must be paid at time of enrollment and electronic draft is required for ongoing monthly payment. Other terms and conditions apply. See club for details.

This offer is only available at the Denton location (1350 S. Loop 288, Denton, Tx 76208). The deadline for this offer is November 30th, 2009. This is the last day you will be able to take advantage of these unbelievable rates so don’t miss out! We look forward to helping you achieve all your fitness goals.

Ask for Matt or Allison
(940) 380-2904

Synonym for Torture = Christmas Music

November is here, which means that Thanksgiving is almost here, which means that Christmas is in that petri dish at our major retailers and is currently growing like the Cloverfield Monster (or Godzilla, in case you didn't catch Cloverfield) into what will be a full grown monster. Think about it, nobody panics when the monster is small. It's fun, it's cute, it can be ignored. When it gets big though, you'll see the panic. You go about your normal day, enjoying November to it's fullest glory until that inevitable day of pandemonium...Black Friday. They call it Black Friday because people act like blindfolded 12 year old children hopped up on Mountain Dew and Pixie Sticks. The blindfold implies darkness...black...darkness...are you following me yet?

So where were we? Christmas. Yes, Christmas. Just you wait, you can ignore that monster until December gets here. But at that point this monster gets harder and harder to fight. The panic level goes up, up, up. Don't even think of waiting until the week of to start shopping, because at that point the monster is huge, out of control, and the city has turned to havoc induced frenziness. I made that last word up for dramatic effect.

So why title this blog about the torture that is Christmas music? The reason is that it plays everywhere you go 24/7. Chic-Fil-A is notorious for this, which is why I won't go there during the holidays. I wouldn't create a playlist of 50 or so songs and distribute them to every major restaurant and retailer and ask them to put it on repeat for 1 month, but for some reason this idea is OK during the Holidays.

Hear me out...there is a point to this.

I don't hate Christmas music, I just am quite picky about my Christmas music. I made some friends a Christmas Mix CD last year and quite honestly, it's really good. I mean just ask Darrell. It's good. Especially Relient K's rendition of "The 12 Days of Christmas". They make a great point when singing the self-written/inserted chorus line discussing the weirdness of these presents. They round out said chorus by saying "...but I can bet those are terrible gifts today".

That's hilarious.

So this Christmas I'll try not to get grumpy. I'll try not to feed, ignore, or even complain anymore about the X-Mas Beast. This year we plan on enjoying a little Secret Santa to cut down on Christmas spending. We plan on investing our time and effort into one present for one person. It's fun and easy. Sure, we'll spend on our immediate family as well, because let's face it, our grandparents always need new pictures of us, my mom always needs some sort of house decorating thing, my sister needs money.

And yes, my dad will never avoid getting socks.

see you next week.

All Things Go!

I woke up at 5:30 AM this morning in a bed all by myself because Denise is staying at my parent's house. She has a conference in Richardson so Allen to Richardson is much less of a beat-down commute than Denton to Richardson. So, as the John Mayer Village Sessions EP is playing on the oh so handy iPod alarm clock I begin to get ready for the day. I know it's going to be a good day, just like all other Corporate America does, when it's Casual Friday. I leave the house, stop by St. Arbucks, and head on into work.

My wife will tell you that I have musical A.D.D. I can't ever just let the stereo do it's thing, I have to find the right song for the right time. This can be difficult on the way to work at 6 in the morning. Sometimes I need some wake-up tunes, so I'll blast something upbeat and catchy, maybe a little MuteMath, maybe some Cobra Starship, or maybe some Bruce Hornsby. This morning was a little different, I was awake and not in the mood for anything loud and fast. I decided to go with some Sufjan. Illinoise was the choice for this morning. That CD has everything: Great harmonies, great musicianship, and well-crafted lyrics.

When the song Chicago came on I felt something. I started singing this song and really thinking about the words and it really moved me. I mean, I was somehow worshiping to this song. The chorus (in bold if you're unfamiliar) is a really great picture of what Christ as done for us and our relationship with him. I don't really know why these songs get me like they do. I just know that I've never heard this song like I heard it today. It's really cool that God uses song and music to reach down to us. It's a really great way to start off the day. All things go.

I fell in love again
all things go, all things go
drove to Chicago
all things know, all things know
we sold our clothes to the state
I don't mind, I don't mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

I drove to New York
in the van, with my friend
we slept in parking lots
I don't mind, I don't mind
I was in love with the place
in my mind, in my mind
I made a lot of mistakes
in my mind, in my mind

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

if I was crying
in the van, with my friend
it was for freedom
from myself and from the land
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes
I made a lot of mistakes

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
all things know, all things know
you had to find it
all things go, all things go

you came to take us
all things go, all things go
to recreate us
all things grow, all things grow
we had our mindset
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things know, all things know
(I made a lot of mistakes)
you had to find it
(I made a lot of mistakes)
all things go, all things go
(I made a lot of mistakes)

I just need to say...

"Thank you" to my sweet, wonderful, amazing, patient, loving, understanding, helpful servant of a husband...

I would not make it through this year of my life without him.

The Lord was/is gracious and merciful to allow me to spend my life with this man.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

A thousand times thank you.

love, wifey.