I've ordered tons of new books lately and it's been fun getting the shipments in!
What's not fun is that my student library assistant was released from our program and went home; now I'm swamped!
I don't think I realized how much she did, as far as the day to day stuff goes. She processed all our magazines and newspapers and put away all the books. Then if time allowed, she would also cover new books, do any cleaning and straightening and design my bulletin boards. Now I get to do it all! Holy cow, there aren't enough hours in the day!
So, I'm off to straighten shelves and put away about 100 books!
My fingers are crossed that I get another helper soon!
Mags
Showing posts with label i need help. Show all posts
Showing posts with label i need help. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Just a few more days and I can sleep and sleep and sleep...
I'm meeting myself coming and going. I can barely think straight.
I promised Mac he and I would have mom and Mac time, just the two of just. And he decided this is the week that is to occur. It must be the "senior" thing because he was throwing a fit until I committed. So............
Monday:
Got up an hour early for school because I had to be there early because of an athletic award program. Went to school early. Went to program. Worked at school to teach AND run the library. Graded stuff. Got roped into filling in for the night receptionist at my weekend job (I told the boss I would cover if the lady was still sick. That was LAST week. She was still sick. I'm stooopid.) Worked that job until 10pm. Came home and did 2 loads of laundry. Argued with Mac because I was supposed to have "our time" on Monday but explained to him why I HAD to work. Did dishes. Picked out 100 pictures for his open house grad party. Worry about needing to make slide show. Slight relief when ITSam volunteered to make slide show. Fell into bed sometime after 1 am.
Tuesday:
Worked at school to teach and run the library. Gave up on grades and attempting to teach kids who are either going home for good tomorrow so they don't care about school or angry kids who are not going home, and showed a movie. Made some business calls. Made a shopping list of what I need to get for Mac's graduation. Made phone calls about stuff for Mac's graduation open house. Discovered Mac's shorts for open house don't fit and need to be returned to JC Penney's. Went to dinner with Mac. Laughed & made fun of Mac because waiter thought I was his girlfriend, not his mom. Saw a movie with Mac. Went to Wal-Mart and stood in line behind 4 people because only 1 lane was open and I only had 1 item. Came home. Did laundry. Confirmed Mac senior picture order while I cleaned bathroom. Had a cleaning boo-boo in bathroom (daddy-), don't ask). Cleaned kitchen and dining room. Fell into bed sometime after midnight-thirty.
Wednesday:
Got up 90 minutes early because I had to be at school for academic awards program and in my haste of trying to do 2 jobs yesterday I forgot to run my report for the program of reading stats. Went to school 1 hour early to run report. Copier broken and have to hand write report. Pissed. Burned mouth on coffee. More pissed. Got to awards. Have all 6 class periods shortened for the day because of program and afternoon graduation. Leave work. Get gift for baby shower tomorrow. Drop off illegally procured music to friend for HER graduation ceremony at her school that she's in charge of. Come home. Clean living room. Pick up 22 pair of shoes from beside front door. Do more laundry. Help ITSam fix bathroom boo-boo from last night. Confirm Mac has all his chores done. Buy stuff for graduation open house. Buy gift bags for baby shower. Give up on having enough energy to fix dinner and drive thru McDonalds. Eat. Text brother because had panic attack that I was supposed to get Daddy-O at the airport tomorrow and had forgotten. Breathed because Bro is getting Daddy-O. Write this blog post. Plan on wrapping shower gifts. Plan on scanning pictures to finish slide show for Mac's open house. Plan on coloring my hair. Plan on sleeping.
I so want this week to end. I'm exhausted. I cannot remember ever being this tired. I really can't. I am so glad that Daddy-O is coming home because 1) I missed him; 2) he's calming; and, 3) I'm hoping he'll help with small stuff because things are more fun with him and two heads and hands are so much better.
I need more than Calgon.............
Maggie
I promised Mac he and I would have mom and Mac time, just the two of just. And he decided this is the week that is to occur. It must be the "senior" thing because he was throwing a fit until I committed. So............
Monday:
Got up an hour early for school because I had to be there early because of an athletic award program. Went to school early. Went to program. Worked at school to teach AND run the library. Graded stuff. Got roped into filling in for the night receptionist at my weekend job (I told the boss I would cover if the lady was still sick. That was LAST week. She was still sick. I'm stooopid.) Worked that job until 10pm. Came home and did 2 loads of laundry. Argued with Mac because I was supposed to have "our time" on Monday but explained to him why I HAD to work. Did dishes. Picked out 100 pictures for his open house grad party. Worry about needing to make slide show. Slight relief when ITSam volunteered to make slide show. Fell into bed sometime after 1 am.
Tuesday:
Worked at school to teach and run the library. Gave up on grades and attempting to teach kids who are either going home for good tomorrow so they don't care about school or angry kids who are not going home, and showed a movie. Made some business calls. Made a shopping list of what I need to get for Mac's graduation. Made phone calls about stuff for Mac's graduation open house. Discovered Mac's shorts for open house don't fit and need to be returned to JC Penney's. Went to dinner with Mac. Laughed & made fun of Mac because waiter thought I was his girlfriend, not his mom. Saw a movie with Mac. Went to Wal-Mart and stood in line behind 4 people because only 1 lane was open and I only had 1 item. Came home. Did laundry. Confirmed Mac senior picture order while I cleaned bathroom. Had a cleaning boo-boo in bathroom (daddy-), don't ask). Cleaned kitchen and dining room. Fell into bed sometime after midnight-thirty.
Wednesday:
Got up 90 minutes early because I had to be at school for academic awards program and in my haste of trying to do 2 jobs yesterday I forgot to run my report for the program of reading stats. Went to school 1 hour early to run report. Copier broken and have to hand write report. Pissed. Burned mouth on coffee. More pissed. Got to awards. Have all 6 class periods shortened for the day because of program and afternoon graduation. Leave work. Get gift for baby shower tomorrow. Drop off illegally procured music to friend for HER graduation ceremony at her school that she's in charge of. Come home. Clean living room. Pick up 22 pair of shoes from beside front door. Do more laundry. Help ITSam fix bathroom boo-boo from last night. Confirm Mac has all his chores done. Buy stuff for graduation open house. Buy gift bags for baby shower. Give up on having enough energy to fix dinner and drive thru McDonalds. Eat. Text brother because had panic attack that I was supposed to get Daddy-O at the airport tomorrow and had forgotten. Breathed because Bro is getting Daddy-O. Write this blog post. Plan on wrapping shower gifts. Plan on scanning pictures to finish slide show for Mac's open house. Plan on coloring my hair. Plan on sleeping.
I so want this week to end. I'm exhausted. I cannot remember ever being this tired. I really can't. I am so glad that Daddy-O is coming home because 1) I missed him; 2) he's calming; and, 3) I'm hoping he'll help with small stuff because things are more fun with him and two heads and hands are so much better.
I need more than Calgon.............
Maggie
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Self pity alert because of the Week from hell or "what did I do in a previous life to deserve all this?"
This has been one of the worst weeks I can remember in a long, long time. Here's why:
Curly's dad died. He was just diagnosed two weeks ago with a brain tumor and now he's gone. I feel so sad for Curly and her family; I wish there was something I could do or say to make her feel better, but there's nothing, of course. I've lost a parent so I can empathize but still... there's nothing I can do.
AlaskaSam had a "pretty severe heart attack" according to his email. Then today he had a heart cath to see the extent of the damage. He's there and I'm here and there's nothing I can do. Nothing except wait to see what emails and texts I get. I can't imagine what the world would be like for me if he's not in it, even though we're a bajillion miles apart and have all the other issues. But I feel sick and scared and worried and it's hard to breathe. He can't die.
Those were the important things. This week had so many 'little' things which are the things that are usually the straws that break the camels' proverbial backs, right? So I had little things...
On Wednesday night the brakes in my car gave out. Thank the gods for XRayGirl's husband who took my whole car apart and put new ones one at a moment's notice. Free labor, cost of parts only, plus 1 peach cobbler.
My ATM card didn't work Friday morning which meant I had to put back my coffee, danish and Mac's breakfast. I was so happy I didn't get fuel because that would've been a disaster. So I panicked at work all day long, worrying I had overdrawn somehow and it was going to be $30 per bounce. So after work I went straight to the bank and I had a balance of 93 cents. I was so happy I cried.
And speaking of money, I got my first check from the new school and it's very small. We don't even want to look at the list of things I need to pay for like graduation stuff, senior stuff, sports stuff, bills, and other miscellany that are too numerous to mention. I can't even afford my annual physical or my BCpill renewal, which I'm sure is causing my hormones to be completely outta whack.
And speaking of health... I've awakened daily with a headache in the same place and it's excruciating. I take a ton of aspirin and it's gone my mid morning but it still scares me, all things considered this week. (No, I'm not a hypochondriac)
My cell phone stopped working, just randomly stopped. After work I called Verizon Wireless and the stupid jerk in customer service department needs to be fired. I told him what was wrong with my phone AND I mentioned that others I knew said there were tower problems. He informed me there were no tower problems and I was shut off for non-payment. He then sent me to financial services. The guy in FS said the customer service guy was wrong; this dude had on the screen right in front of him that my bill was fine. So he sent me to technical services. The techie guy said there were outages all over the place and it wasn't my device or the billing. He was nice and kind. He also gave me a day credit AND said I should be back up by Friday night. (I wasn't, by the way...) He said if I don't have service by noon today, I need to call back. At least I know the phone itself isn't broken and that it wasn't a payment issue.
Work sucks. My boss is a terror. Most of the kids are as bad. I have no idea how to do 8th grade math and make T charts (what the hell does a T chart have to do with y-intercepts is beyond me...) and because I can't do it, the other aide has to help and she's mad at me because I can't help my own students. She was my only Allie and now she's pissed. Great.
I was late to work twice this week- two days in a row, as a matter of fact- because I got stuck behind a school bus once and stopped by a train the next time.
Mac is having issues at school, which seem to always trickle down to good old mom and I can't fix anything for him. And I just have to put up with the crap attitude.
And it spit snow today for about an hour. It didn't stick but I think that means it's now officially cold. And ick. And wintery. Brrrrrrr!
That's the list. All of this since.... Wednesday. I can't take anymore.
I don't even think Calgon could take me away,
Maggie
Curly's dad died. He was just diagnosed two weeks ago with a brain tumor and now he's gone. I feel so sad for Curly and her family; I wish there was something I could do or say to make her feel better, but there's nothing, of course. I've lost a parent so I can empathize but still... there's nothing I can do.
AlaskaSam had a "pretty severe heart attack" according to his email. Then today he had a heart cath to see the extent of the damage. He's there and I'm here and there's nothing I can do. Nothing except wait to see what emails and texts I get. I can't imagine what the world would be like for me if he's not in it, even though we're a bajillion miles apart and have all the other issues. But I feel sick and scared and worried and it's hard to breathe. He can't die.
Those were the important things. This week had so many 'little' things which are the things that are usually the straws that break the camels' proverbial backs, right? So I had little things...
On Wednesday night the brakes in my car gave out. Thank the gods for XRayGirl's husband who took my whole car apart and put new ones one at a moment's notice. Free labor, cost of parts only, plus 1 peach cobbler.
My ATM card didn't work Friday morning which meant I had to put back my coffee, danish and Mac's breakfast. I was so happy I didn't get fuel because that would've been a disaster. So I panicked at work all day long, worrying I had overdrawn somehow and it was going to be $30 per bounce. So after work I went straight to the bank and I had a balance of 93 cents. I was so happy I cried.
And speaking of money, I got my first check from the new school and it's very small. We don't even want to look at the list of things I need to pay for like graduation stuff, senior stuff, sports stuff, bills, and other miscellany that are too numerous to mention. I can't even afford my annual physical or my BCpill renewal, which I'm sure is causing my hormones to be completely outta whack.
And speaking of health... I've awakened daily with a headache in the same place and it's excruciating. I take a ton of aspirin and it's gone my mid morning but it still scares me, all things considered this week. (No, I'm not a hypochondriac)
My cell phone stopped working, just randomly stopped. After work I called Verizon Wireless and the stupid jerk in customer service department needs to be fired. I told him what was wrong with my phone AND I mentioned that others I knew said there were tower problems. He informed me there were no tower problems and I was shut off for non-payment. He then sent me to financial services. The guy in FS said the customer service guy was wrong; this dude had on the screen right in front of him that my bill was fine. So he sent me to technical services. The techie guy said there were outages all over the place and it wasn't my device or the billing. He was nice and kind. He also gave me a day credit AND said I should be back up by Friday night. (I wasn't, by the way...) He said if I don't have service by noon today, I need to call back. At least I know the phone itself isn't broken and that it wasn't a payment issue.
Work sucks. My boss is a terror. Most of the kids are as bad. I have no idea how to do 8th grade math and make T charts (what the hell does a T chart have to do with y-intercepts is beyond me...) and because I can't do it, the other aide has to help and she's mad at me because I can't help my own students. She was my only Allie and now she's pissed. Great.
I was late to work twice this week- two days in a row, as a matter of fact- because I got stuck behind a school bus once and stopped by a train the next time.
Mac is having issues at school, which seem to always trickle down to good old mom and I can't fix anything for him. And I just have to put up with the crap attitude.
And it spit snow today for about an hour. It didn't stick but I think that means it's now officially cold. And ick. And wintery. Brrrrrrr!
That's the list. All of this since.... Wednesday. I can't take anymore.
I don't even think Calgon could take me away,
Maggie
Thursday, October 21, 2010
"Classic" advice from my readers, please...
I've been thinking about books for next year. Sort of my own advanced planning. I just finished reading Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and I really enjoyed it so it propelled my brain into thinking and planning.
I used to always read the exact same genre of books. I was a fan of female contemporary sleuths and usually they were part of a series. For example:
Over the last 10 years I've started expanding my reading and I still read a few of those authors, a very few, but I have certainly diversified my reading materials. I love books with a comedic twist and dark humor (Chris Moore or Jonathan Tropper come to mind). I also like something with a bit more intellectual challenge. Daddy-O says I like smart books, or something like that. I want my brain to be stimulated. I find that fun. I read plenty of crap (like James Patterson) because too many 'meat and potato' books needs a balance with 'cotton candy' for the brain.
I am NOT a fan of chick lit, though I do find myself reading one on a very, very, rare occasion- usually I get suckered in and I find out about half way through it's chick lit. I don't usually ready anything that's going to terrify me, like Stephen King, though I completely respect the man as a writer and his talent. (On Writing is one of the best books I've ever read.) I used to avoid Oprah recommendations like the plague because they were usually so tragic with no redemption. I don't mind something heavy and serious but I need to have something redeeming happen to characters at the end. And redemption doesn't always mean a happy ending, either. I also hate romance novels and historical romance.
Last year I decided I wanted to read more non- fiction. Fiction as always been my "thing." I read some memoirs last year and decided I wanted to bring more non-fiction into my reading life. I decided in 2010 I would read a minimum of 12 non-fiction books. So far, I've read 11 and 1/2. The half comes from the book War. (It was so emotionally hard for me to read, I just couldn't get all the way through it, though Lord knows I did really try.) I have to read one more to make the goal and I have several that I'm looking at (a few memoirs and Me, Katherine Hepburn's autobiography that I'm chipping away at.) I'm going to try and surpass that goal and read at least 15 non fiction books in 2011.
Now, here's the other thing. You would think as an English teacher I would've read more classics over the years but I really haven't. I've read my fair share, of course, but there always seems to be something that is missing from my "literature" education. SO!!! In addition to my non-fiction goal, I decided I wanted to read 10 classics. But I have no idea where to start. I was hoping that you, my wonderfully well read readers, would be willing to give me lists and lists or suggestions of what you think are "classics" that I should read because ... well, you decide the because. Please, either in my comments or shoot me an email, what do you think I should read next year? titles please (authors would be good, too) and if you want to give a brief "why I should read these (this) book(s)" I would really appreciate it. I'm trying to get a good list, so your suggestions are necessary!
I appreciate your help in expanding my literary horizons!
Mags
(By the way: I have book reviews with a virtual book club here at Read Any Good Books Lately?, and the same reviews appear on my personal book blog Turning Pages. These are all the reviews of all the books I've read this year! But on Turning Pages I also write stuff about books... like this post... and my bibliophile lifestyle; hence the need for 2 blogs about books.)
I used to always read the exact same genre of books. I was a fan of female contemporary sleuths and usually they were part of a series. For example:
- Stephanie Plum by Janet Evanovich
- Sharon McCone by Marcia Muller
- Kinsey Millhone by Sue Grafton
- Goldie Bear by Diane Mott Davidson
- China Bayles by Susan Wittig Albert
- Cat Marsala by Barbara D'Amato
- Carlotta Carlyle by Linda Barnes
- VI Warshawski by Sara Paretsky
Over the last 10 years I've started expanding my reading and I still read a few of those authors, a very few, but I have certainly diversified my reading materials. I love books with a comedic twist and dark humor (Chris Moore or Jonathan Tropper come to mind). I also like something with a bit more intellectual challenge. Daddy-O says I like smart books, or something like that. I want my brain to be stimulated. I find that fun. I read plenty of crap (like James Patterson) because too many 'meat and potato' books needs a balance with 'cotton candy' for the brain.
I am NOT a fan of chick lit, though I do find myself reading one on a very, very, rare occasion- usually I get suckered in and I find out about half way through it's chick lit. I don't usually ready anything that's going to terrify me, like Stephen King, though I completely respect the man as a writer and his talent. (On Writing is one of the best books I've ever read.) I used to avoid Oprah recommendations like the plague because they were usually so tragic with no redemption. I don't mind something heavy and serious but I need to have something redeeming happen to characters at the end. And redemption doesn't always mean a happy ending, either. I also hate romance novels and historical romance.
Last year I decided I wanted to read more non- fiction. Fiction as always been my "thing." I read some memoirs last year and decided I wanted to bring more non-fiction into my reading life. I decided in 2010 I would read a minimum of 12 non-fiction books. So far, I've read 11 and 1/2. The half comes from the book War. (It was so emotionally hard for me to read, I just couldn't get all the way through it, though Lord knows I did really try.) I have to read one more to make the goal and I have several that I'm looking at (a few memoirs and Me, Katherine Hepburn's autobiography that I'm chipping away at.) I'm going to try and surpass that goal and read at least 15 non fiction books in 2011.
Now, here's the other thing. You would think as an English teacher I would've read more classics over the years but I really haven't. I've read my fair share, of course, but there always seems to be something that is missing from my "literature" education. SO!!! In addition to my non-fiction goal, I decided I wanted to read 10 classics. But I have no idea where to start. I was hoping that you, my wonderfully well read readers, would be willing to give me lists and lists or suggestions of what you think are "classics" that I should read because ... well, you decide the because. Please, either in my comments or shoot me an email, what do you think I should read next year? titles please (authors would be good, too) and if you want to give a brief "why I should read these (this) book(s)" I would really appreciate it. I'm trying to get a good list, so your suggestions are necessary!
I appreciate your help in expanding my literary horizons!
Mags
(By the way: I have book reviews with a virtual book club here at Read Any Good Books Lately?, and the same reviews appear on my personal book blog Turning Pages. These are all the reviews of all the books I've read this year! But on Turning Pages I also write stuff about books... like this post... and my bibliophile lifestyle; hence the need for 2 blogs about books.)
Friday, January 22, 2010
On another note
Lately you might have noticed I've been poking some You Tube videos in with a random post, here and there, with a tag line lead-in "on another note".
Well, those are there, not for the video but, for the music. Sometimes I want to tie a song I like in with a post I wrote, if I can sort of tie them together. Please notice I said I was tying in a SONG I like, not a VIDEO I like.
I'm not a fan of the music video and I am especially not a fan of You Tube. I just have never really gotten into music videos. When I was a teenager MTv hit the airwaves and it was a fascinating medium. As a kid MTv was all about music videos and they played all the time, except for an occasional hour when Kurt Loder did the MTv music news. Otherwise, it was MUSIC. That was cool. And, as I remember, when all us neighborhood kids watched MTv it was more to learn a new dance move rather than liking videos. As I've gotten older I've watched my fair share of music videos between CMT, MTv, and VH1 and I am just not a fan. I don't "hate" music videos, specifically, but it's not something that can hold my interest enough sit and watch a bunch of videos. I'd rather listen to music from the radio, IPod, CDs, or the 'net so I can do other things. Music isn't a "visual" for me.
Those videos are only here on my blog because I am not technical nor blogger savvy enough to do what I really want to do. What I really want to do it to be able to put a song I like on an occasional post and let the reader decide to click to listen or not. I usually do NOT enjoy blogs that have music on them that starts up automatically when I load the page, so I don't want that. I would just like to stick a song on a post with an "option" to listen. Since I have NO idea how to do this, I keep embedding videos.
What also irritates me about my lack of knowledge, is that since I can't do what I want and find I'm stuck using YouTube, I get really frustrated when I can't load the video I want because it's waaaaaaaay to wide to fit on my blog- I hate it when the video spills over into the sidebar. Then I have to go back and find something else.
Instead of complaining about it, I should probably stop trying to add music, I suppose. Maybe instead of complaining, I'll consider this a plea for help so if anyone knows how to do what I want, you can tell me. Please.
Musically challenged,
Maggie
Well, those are there, not for the video but, for the music. Sometimes I want to tie a song I like in with a post I wrote, if I can sort of tie them together. Please notice I said I was tying in a SONG I like, not a VIDEO I like.
I'm not a fan of the music video and I am especially not a fan of You Tube. I just have never really gotten into music videos. When I was a teenager MTv hit the airwaves and it was a fascinating medium. As a kid MTv was all about music videos and they played all the time, except for an occasional hour when Kurt Loder did the MTv music news. Otherwise, it was MUSIC. That was cool. And, as I remember, when all us neighborhood kids watched MTv it was more to learn a new dance move rather than liking videos. As I've gotten older I've watched my fair share of music videos between CMT, MTv, and VH1 and I am just not a fan. I don't "hate" music videos, specifically, but it's not something that can hold my interest enough sit and watch a bunch of videos. I'd rather listen to music from the radio, IPod, CDs, or the 'net so I can do other things. Music isn't a "visual" for me.
Those videos are only here on my blog because I am not technical nor blogger savvy enough to do what I really want to do. What I really want to do it to be able to put a song I like on an occasional post and let the reader decide to click to listen or not. I usually do NOT enjoy blogs that have music on them that starts up automatically when I load the page, so I don't want that. I would just like to stick a song on a post with an "option" to listen. Since I have NO idea how to do this, I keep embedding videos.
What also irritates me about my lack of knowledge, is that since I can't do what I want and find I'm stuck using YouTube, I get really frustrated when I can't load the video I want because it's waaaaaaaay to wide to fit on my blog- I hate it when the video spills over into the sidebar. Then I have to go back and find something else.
Instead of complaining about it, I should probably stop trying to add music, I suppose. Maybe instead of complaining, I'll consider this a plea for help so if anyone knows how to do what I want, you can tell me. Please.
Musically challenged,
Maggie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)