The Beginning of The End

One week.

5 more days.

30 more class periods to get through.

Then I'm done.



I think just maybe I might make it after all.

Still, you might want to check on me Friday evening to see where my sanity levels are at.




Almost there...

Bach again!

Somehow, it never really occurred to me in high school just how challenging Bach's Mass in B minor truly is. I remember the "Et Resurrexit" being hard because I had to help play the rehearsal piano (there were just too many parts for the two students who normally played to do it alone). But I don't remember having as many challenges then as I've had the last few weeks and months as I've worked with the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir to bring this glorious work to the people of Indianapolis. It finally has occurred to me that maybe we didn't sing all the choruses then as I have long thought (I knew we had cut all the solos, but I thought we had done all the chorus movements...). Still, most of what I remember is that it was an incredible experience-- especially as a high-schooler-- to be a part of such beautiful music.

And that part of the experience has not changed. Were we perfect in our execution? Heck, no! But I feel that we were good-- especially last night. I feel that as a whole, we created something truly sublime. My voice was not completely up to par, and I still made a few textual/rhythmic errors (though I did conquer the one run that had gotten me every time before). But I felt that the music we made was magical. And it was wholly gratifying to hear the resounding applause and cheers from the audience both nights, knowing that some of those cheers were meant for us alone-- not for the amazing orchestra, nor the talented soloists-- but for us.

The joy of making that music ring-- the elation at hearing it so appreciated by the audience-- has made all the time and stress and effort put into preparing it well worth it. To feel the divinity of such artistic creation echo in the depth of my being is an experience that will not soon be forgotten...

So thank you, Bach, for helping us all feel a little closer to heaven!

A Bit of Silliness...

With a sore throat and stuffy sinuses causing some pain and pressure, I called in sick today. So, instead of trying to teach students who seem increasingly determined NOT to learn, I started the day by watching Tangled. (Yeah, I broke down and bought it yesterday. But then, I enjoyed it so much in the theater, it didn't take much arm-twisting to convince myself to buy it...)

As I was watching, I kept thinking how Flynn Rider is a very nicely drawn cartoon character, which got me thinking about some of the other well-drawn (read: VERY good-looking) cartoon characters in existence today. Which now leads me to this rather-silly-but-still-fun post:

Elise's Top 5 Cartoon Hotties

5. Prince Eric (The Little Mermaid)



4. Dimitri (Anastasia)


(Great line: "If we live through this, remind me to thank you.")

3. Prince Philip (Sleeping Beauty)


(Great line: "No carrots!")

2. Prince Naveen (The Princess and the Frog)



(Great line: "Kissing would be nice...!")

1. Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert (Tangled)


(Great line: "You broke my smolder!")


So. Those are my thoughts. What are yours?

Recovered

As a follow-up to last week's post, here's how I got my iPhone back.

Yes, a student had taken it. He had made two calls to the same number, one lasting about 15 minutes, the other lasting about 30 minutes. I gave this number to Mrs. Atkins on Monday. She called the number. The person on the other end said she didn't remember taking any calls from my number, but that she has a teen-age daughter who might have. The daughter wasn't home yet from school to ask, so Mrs. Atkins agreed to call again on Tuesday to see what this parent found out. The daughter apparently named one of our students as the person who had called her.

Mrs. Atkins tracked this student down. She gave him an ultimatum: produce the phone or get arrested. The phone came out pretty quickly. I got my phone back 2nd period; this student got a 5-day suspension.

Despite the frustration of the experience- and the frustration of having my photos and all my contacts wiped clean, erased- I am actually not as angry at this kid as one might expect. I was actually surprised when I found out who had done it. I've never had problems from him (well, except that he often doesn't turn work in, but he will sometimes participate in class)- he is generally polite, pleasant, likeable. Quite honestly, I think it was matter of the phone just being there. Often, I have students that will touch things or take things that don't belong to them just because they're there. There isn't any real criminal intent- they just don't always seem to get the idea of belonging when it comes to objects. It may not be theirs, but if it doesn't seem to belong to anyone else, it's okay for them to take it.

In this case, I'm sure this kid was at least subconsciously aware that the phone belonged to someone else- but I think the main reason he took it was "because it was there." Simply an opportunity that presented itself, and he took advantage of it. I'm not even sure if he is really aware of just how wrong his actions were. Maybe he is, but I kind-of doubt it.

Anyway, aside from missing photos, missing information, and a missing case, I've come out lucky- mostly, just inconvenienced. (We are going to try to get the case back from him when he comes off suspension, or get him to pay a $30 compensation fee...) I'm not sure how things will be when he gets back. He may act weird or uncertain. For my part, I've pretty much forgiven him and am prepared to let it go.

For now, I'm just ready to enjoy Spring Break!!!

Naked.

My phone is gone. Lost. Stolen.

For now, I blame my exhaustion. I blame my scatter-brained tendencies.
I blame the mentality of IPS students.

I left the phone on my desk, by my computer, sort-of camouflaged amidst all the black- the black cords, the black laptop computer, and the black metal paper tray- but still in sight. It was there at the beginning of 8th period; it was gone by the end of 9th.

Of course, I left it out by mistake. Normally, I am very careful about putting it back in my pocket. I was likely so tired from the previous late night (I didn't get to bed until about 1:30 a.m.) that when students started banging on my door after lunch, I simply forgot it was still on the desk and not in my pocket where it should have been.

That doesn't excuse what happened.

Mrs. Atkins made some suggestions about what to do when I talked to her about the situation after school.
AT&T made some suggestions about what to do when I called them after school.
I'm still really hoping it was intended as just a prank, that whoever took it will either give it back to me on Monday or find a way to sneak it back to my desk on the sly (so I can't actually incriminate them for the deed).

It's still gone, though, and I am currently without a phone. Naked. Exposed. Vulnerable. Powerless. Isolated. that is how I feel, knowing the reason I am without it is because someone took it.

By now, I know that. Because someone used it to make a 40-minute phone call to a landline number at 6:00 p.m., long after it had gone missing from my desk. Still, it hasn't been excessively used. Which gives rise to my hope that maybe it really was just a prank and not a malicious act of theft.

I don't know--and won't know much more until tomorrow. I have temporarily suspended the phone line so any attempts to run up charges should fail. So now, all I can do is wait. And hope. And pray.

Top Five

This isn't necessarily final- I'm still keeping my mind open to other options in case situations and circumstances direct my path another way- but for any who are interested, these are my current top five grad school picks, mostly based on tuition costs, possible living costs, and how I feel about the idea of living there:

(*Note: These are NOT in any particular order, really...)

1. University of Rhode Island

2. Syracuse University

3. University of Washington

4. North Carolina Central University

5. University of Kentucky

I do also like Kent State University, and I would be okay with MU or even IU down in Bloomington (though that would mean I would still have to deal with the ridiculosity of "Governor" Mitch Daniels and the State "Super"intendent Tony Bennett, neither of which I like at all right now.)

I do still like the idea of studying at Dalhousie University in Canada, but I'm really not sure if that would be financially feasible (nor am I certain I would be able to work while going to school there due to the hassle of obtaining a work visa...)

But there you have it. For now. Feel free to let me know what you think.

I promise, I plan to have my newsletter actually mailed/e-mailed by the end of this coming week!

Passive aggression...

Yeah, I feel like I need to post again, but my mind isn't in very good thinking shape right now. I don't really want to keep hashing and re-hashing my thoughts/feelings/opinions on my IPS situation (I will be turning in my official letter of resignation tomorrow), but I don't have any cohesive thoughts on any one topic right now. So, inspired by the randomness of Kirsti's recent post, I thought I'd give it a go (in yet another instance of passively resisting motivating myself to actually do what I'm supposed to do with regards to my job).

I'm ready for the school year to be over. Alas, I have yet another 3.5 months left. *sigh*

I am ashamed to admit that I got sucked into watching The Wedding Crashers last night on Comedy Central while waiting for TBS to show Get Smart. Lame, I know.

I will probably die early or go blind or lose my kidneys before I'm 40 because I love carbs/sugar too much... they are just so hard to resist, but I can't give them up altogether. I guess it's like that proverbial rock and hard place.

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Meh. I'd be more enthusiastic if there weren't so much nauseating emphasis on the romantic love (i.e. if they more generally marketed it to include other kinds of love, like familial love, friendship, etc. It's there, but it is so terribly overwhelmed by the romantic drivel that people generally miss it).

I think I will refuse to see Gnomeo and Juliet on principle. I won't get on my Romeo and Juliet soapbox here (because you've all pretty much heard it before), but as far as I can tell, this newest re-telling of the old story can in no way improve the story enough to make me like it.

I am excited to see I Am Number Four (apparently based on a book that sounds intriguing)- the preview I saw the other day looked pretty fantastic!

I think I will see The Adjustment Bureau when it comes out. But then, I do love Matt Damon.

I want to live in the U.K.

I wouldn't mind going to grad school in Canada (though I don't think I'd want to permanently transition there).

I have about 6 new books all waiting to be read, and I have no time to read them :(

Whoever came up with the idea of the sandwich thins rolls is brilliant!

I think I need to further explore the music of Daft Punk, because what I've heard so far by them, I've loved!

I *love* my Valiant 8 primary class! They just crack me up, and they're pretty awesome (if a little hyper now and then...)! :)


Yeah, happy Sunday to all, and to all a good-night!

(i.e. time for me to get back to work...)