First Post in 2011!!

Almost two months have gone by, thus, I believe an update is necessary.

I had an amazing Christmas vacation at home.   Although it went by way too quickly and I did not have a chance to see everybody that I wanted to, it was great to be home and see friends and family whom I cherish and love.

Since I've been back my students and I have been busy finishing up the first semester.  This semester had a very rocky start but it has ended on a positive note.  My students actually learned something and I am proud to say were also engaged in most of the material studied.  It has not been a perfect semester but it has certainly been a successful one.  I am looking forward to the new semester as it brings with it some much needed prep time.

I've also started a course which will keep me busy between now and April.  It's an additional basic qualifications course which once completed will give me my senior qualifications in English.  The course has only just begun but I am enjoying it.

Some friends and I have planned a trip to Vegas next month.  If anyone has any suggestions as to restaurants we should eat at, places we should visit, shows/attractions that we must see, I would love to hear them.

I'm looking forward to a positive, fun, and healthy 2011 and wish the same for all of you!

Cheers!

Meat Loaf

I've been craving my mom's meat loaf.  I've been waiting now for almost 2 months for my amazingly prompt mother to email me her recipe.  I threatened to write an embarrassing blog if she didn't email it to me soon, thus, the reason for tonight's blog.  I implore anyone and everyone who reads this and who know my lovely mother to harass her until she sends me her recipe.  Also, if you have a recipe which you think could rival my mother's I ask you to pass it along to me.  Winter = comfort food = meat loaf!  

Lost Cat!

For those of you who have been to my house or seen the pictures you know that it is very small. There are very few places for my darling kitty cat, Chloe, to hide. Today, after waking from a short nap, I couldn't find her. The door to my bedroom was shut but still I looked under the bed, in the closet, and behind all dressers. No cat. The spare room door was shut, yet, I looked under the bed, in the closet, behind the desk and dresser. No cat! The bathroom door was shut; however, I felt the need to check. NO CAT! I looked all over the main room and in all crooks and crannies and I truly began to worry. I started to second guess myself, wondering if she had gotten outside without me knowing. Worried that she was out in the wild where she would be no match for the wild dogs and massive ravens I started to get my outside gear on prepared to go searching. That is when I saw it ... a quick movement where there should be no movement at all. Where did I find her?

29 Days

Well, the countdown is officially on - 29 days from now I will be flying home for the holiday season. I'm already making plans and trying to figure out how I am going to fit everything and everyone in while trying to experience some relaxation. On the agenda so far: skiing with my cousin, dress shopping for Maggie's wedding (how many days?), trip to London to see Pegster, New Years party at the RGI with the best family and friends ever, and recovering from New Years party. Of course enjoying the benefits of city life, such as, restaurants, shopping, and movies will also be part of the agenda. Despite the worry of fitting it all in I still cannot wait to get home to see everyone and experience the feeling of 'home'. Bring on the holidays!

Remembrance

Today was Remembrance Day ... a day set aside each year to ... remember ...

I'm teaching Elie Wiesel's novel 'Night' in my grade 12 class. For those of you who haven't read it, I highly recommend you run out right now, find yourself a copy, and sit down and spend the few hours it takes to read it.

The Holocaust. Fifteen year old Jewish boy. Hitler. Auschwitz. Devastation. Horrendous crimes. Your heart will break and you will shed a few tears.

It's amazing how many of my students have no idea what The Holocaust is ... or was. We talk about remembering but many of the students at Dene high don't know what they are remembering. They haven't been taught about World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Darfur, Rwanda, etc. It's not that they aren't interested because they are ... we (the teachers) just haven't taken the time to teach them. I'm at a crossroads. I'm beginning to believe that it's more important, or at least just as important, to teach novels like 'Night' that have some real historical significance. Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Browning, the Bronte sisters ... they all still have their place, just not necessarily here. Teachers complain that the students just aren't interested, but perhaps we're just not giving them material to be interested in.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly .... I mean .... Just the Bad!

For the first time since I've moved to northern Saskatchewan I feel truly victimized.

Last night, close to midnight, I heard this really loud bang that made myself and my cat jump literally off the couch. Usually when I hear noises I look outside to make sure that everything is copacetic but the fear I felt last night kept me glued to the couch. This morning when I woke up I went through my usual routine and geared myself up for an afternoon at the school. What I found when I left the house had me in tears; in fact it still has me in tears. My driver's side window was shattered and the rock that shattered it was thrown with such force it destroyed the inside of the passenger's side door. It was obvious the vandals were looking for some treasures but alas there was nothing to steal. I knew that I wasn't immune to the vandalism that runs rampant in this town but to actually become a victim of it frightens me and angers me. This act of violence was way too close to home and I do not feel safe in the one place where I should feel the safest.

And now I feel torn ... do I stay in a place where I do not feel safe just because it is here I have a job? Do I go home where I ultimately feel the safest but I have no source of income? Is financial security more important than one's right to be safe in their environment and maintain a peaceful state of mind?

Someone please tell me ... what should I do?

"Solidarity"

It's official - I'm hooked!

Tony Danza's show was on tonight and much like last week I found myself watching it. This week's episode was especially interesting. Mr. Danza found himself in the midst of teenage angst and without an outlet to release said teenage angst the outcome was chaos and turmoil. Simply put: teenagers were fighting with one another. I actually found myself a little jealous of the policies in place at this school. If students are caught misbehaving - fighting verbally and physically - they meet with a mediating team. The mediating team consists of a staff member, whose only job it is to mediate when problems arise, and a teacher (in this case, Mr. Danza). They sign a contract stating that they participated in the mediation. If they get into trouble again more serious consequences occur beginning with suspension. The episode tonight focused on Mr. Danza's desire to instill positive behavior in his students. Mr. Danza also tried very hard to let his students know that he understands and that he does, in fact, care. Tonight's show was definitely interesting but it was what he said at the very end of the episode that literally made me snap my head up from my computer and look up at the television screen. It was like I was hearing my own words spoken in a husky Italian accent. He said . . . "I'm not sure they want you to care." Interesting ...