The run around

This is stupid but it's driving me crazy.

We have a program, that we pay for, through Scholastic called Reading Counts (RC). The very basics are that Scholastic gives books a reading level and a point value. Kids take a 10 question multiple choice quiz on a computer over a book. If they pass, the get points. If they fail, they get nothing. Teachers can use this tool however they want. It's a K-12 program. There are some more ins and outs but this is the general gist.

Here at my school, our English teachers tell students they get extra credit for reading books and passing the quizzes. Our library does some incentives, too, which is awesome for the kids. (One milestone is 500 point- an off campus pizza party for the student, a staff member and a friend!)

To keep current on the quizzes, schools have two options: 1) subscribe to the Scholastic online service that automatically uploads the updates as available; or, 2) receive in a CD in the mail and manually load the quizzes into a school's local quiz bank.

Because of costs and our school's situation in our school system, we have the "CD in the mail" option. Since I started this job, we've not received any CD's.

I will say it was the middle of February before I figured this out. So I started making calls to some people here in our buildings to see if the CDs we delivered to somewhere else on campus; they would have the old librarian's name so I thought someone might have taken it upon themselves to deliver CD-ROMs to any of the IT departments. No. They also didn't go to our administrators nor were they sent back to the company- another thought I had since there was a name change in librarians.

I called Scholastic and left a voice mail with our rep. Four days later I've heard nothing so I try again. Still nothing that week.

I call Scholastic and get bounced to four different people before I get sent to Customer Service. The operator tells me we have the online service. I tell her we do not. She says it must be a mistake and says she'll send the discs out and I should receive them in 5-7 business days. Now, remember, I'm wanting the updates for January thru March.

On the 7th business day I get a message from a nameless rep at Scholastic that says we belong to the online service and to call their 800 number for help if I need it.

WE DO NOT BELONG TO THE ONLINE SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I call and actually get MY school's rep on the phone. I explain to her. She says the computer says.... you guessed it, we belong to the online service. I tell her okay fine and ask her to walk me through it. We start the process and Lo and behold I can't get online to the information because I don't have an online account.

After many clicks and being put on hold at her end, she comes back and tells me to start doing title searches of new books that were added to the online quiz bank in the last 3 months. She gives me about 10 titles and I have access to none of those quizzes.

Her answer is that she needs to "further investigate" to see what's wrong. She's supposed to call me back tomorrow.

I don't think she needs to investigate. Someone just needs to mail me the damn discs. As I told her, I have 2 years worth of CDs in a box so I have no idea what the damn problem is now.

Impressed I am not,
Maggie

Hold on loosely but don't let go Part 2

I'm irritated with ITSam lately. There are several reasons why. It's okay to love a person, probably marry a person and still be irritated with them, isn't it?

Smothered. That's the world I think of lately. I don't mind being with him and spending lots of time together but he's so close in proximity it's driving me crazy. He's always "touching" me. Hmmmm, that sounds a little X rated. What I mean is he likes to hold my hand, squeeze my shoulder, hug and kiss me, pat my hair and stuff like that. He even had to sit next to me on the couch all the time even when there's other furniture available. It's.... overwhelming most of the time. I think it's very nice that he likes to show affection but it's just too much to have it ALL THE TIME. I want to scream "back off" which will just upset him, and probably rightly so.

And it seems like lately we've spent an increased amount of time together. In all honesty and fairness, most of the time it doesn't bother me but lately it does. I just feel like there are some other things I want to be doing and can't because he's always there, hovering around.

In my head I think that if we're married and we have our own stuff all in the same place we'll be able to do our own thing. Right now I'm either at his apartment which is the king of all things bachelor pad, or he's with me at Daddy-O's house, or we're out in public. When I'm at home/ Daddy-O's I like to watch tv, but I also like to read blogs and surf the web. I like to read books. I like to work on mini projects. But when he's there I feel like I need to entertain him rather than leave him sit there on the sofa while I'm in another part of the house doing my thing. If we lived in the same house he would have his "do his own thing" stuff readily available, as would I.

I also feel like we are spending lots of time together. Again, most of the time I don't mind but just lately it's bugging the crap out of me. I actually made plans to do something with XRay Girl and he said I did it because I was mad at him. WTF?!? I realize he was just upset and we talked it out but... seriously?

He's a good guy and he's fun, nice, and all that stuff, and right now, he's always there. I need to re-adjust something but I'm just not sure what.

Or maybe I'm just having a fit of... relationship cold feet. Who knows?

Maggie

Not a morning person today

I am not a morning person. Daddy-O could share horror stories about my teen years, getting ready for school in the morning. Hopefully he won't. As I've gotten older I've tried really hard to adjust to mornings. I'm certainly NOT a morning person but now I try to move about my early AM routine in silence and leave everyone else alone as much as possible. I give myself a mental pick me up on the way to work. I guzzle coffee. And just as an adult, I tend to be a bit more mature most mornings and realize "this is life. Deal with it. Get you ass moving, Mags." That being said...

Is the body programmed to know when it's a weekend?

Usually weekends I sleep as long as I can and then drink coffee while sitting on the couch in my jammies for a good 2 hours. I blog or surf the web, read emails. I might watch a movie or read, but on weekends I am slow and leisurely as I start my days.

Today was an exception to the weekend rule. I actually opened the front office today as part of my weekend receptionist job. I had to have the doors unlocked, and phones and lights on by 8am. I got here at 7:53am. This is about the same time I roll into work at the library every single day of the week. I even went to bed last night around the same time I do on a 'school night'.

What I want to know is why this morning feels so rough? It's the same time and same body. It's a job that's about equal in work load or requirements on my body. In all honesty, this is probably simpler than the library, overall.

But when my alarm went off this morning- even 15 minutes later than usual!- I about died. I couldn't believe it. I hit the snooze and I actually fell back asleep which is unheard of. When I tap snooze I usually use those 9 minutes to contemplate the world and my day and slowly move all my limbs around. But this morning I almost dismantled the clock and then promptly went back to sleep. When it went off the second time I think I left a cartoon like hole in the ceiling about my bed, I was so startled.

I'm sitting here barely able to have my eyes open. I'm sucking down my coffee but it's not doing it's job.

I swear my body knows it's a Sunday, a day of rest, a day to sleep in.

I think Sunday 8am feels like any other time at 5am.

And it's supposed to rain today.

Ugh....

Maggie

Mac and the temper tantrum

I get really embarrassed when people throw hissy fits in public places. I'm embarrassed for total strangers when it happens and when I'm with someone who's doing it, I want to appease at any cost because I'm so ashamed. I want to preface this post with this confession.

ITSam, Mac and I went to get Mac a new phone earlier this week and due to some weird Sprint rules, we can't add Mac to Sam's phone plan for another 30 days. Ummmm, we didn't know this before we went to Best Buy and tried to get said phone. And Mac had already had his "new phone experience" pushed back an extra 30 days because of the car repairs I had to pay for.

This did not bode well with Mac. He was really pi**ed off. I explained a few options to him:
a) I get him a "throw away" phone to use for 30 days which will have text and call on it
b) I get a phone plan for him that day but he gets a job and makes the payments

Obviously "A" was practical. (And sounds cool. "Throw away" phone sounds so conspiracy/ criminal/ gangster/ Jason Bourne, doesn't it?)

The problem with "B" was that I promised Mac that I would get him a phone and I would pay for it as long as he was working on his Bachelor's degree and not failing any classes or quit/ dropped out of college/ kicked out of college. My other stipulation was that he got what I could afford and if he wanted something bigger and better as time went on, then the phone would be his responsibility. I didn't want him to have to take on this financial responsibility. Furthermore, if we went this route, he's still a minor so the phone would be in my name and if he bailed on the payments, I get stuck!

He then proceeded to have a hissy fit over the whole thing.

He's 5'11" and weighs about 270 pounds. When he threw a fit as a little kid I could scoop him up and take him out of the store. Unless I got a hand cart and a tazer, that wasn't going to happen. And short of him throwing himself on the floor and kicking and screaming, he had a big old fit.

So what did I do? I had no balls and was embarrassed to death and wanted him to shut up so I said, "Fine. What do you want? My phone?" and he said yes.

So for the next 30 days he has my phone and I have a throw away.

Yes, I realize all the things I did wrong here. I realize he was a complete and total ass.

I am ready for him to leave for college. Right now.

Please.

Maggie

How I made my picks

So yesterday started the official "March Madness"- the NCAA tournament kicked off. For those of you who are not in the know, NCAA basketball tournament is when all the college basketball teams begin their play-offs. This is, apparently, a very big deal.

I was given a page with all the teams on it, and brackets, so I could pick winners. It was free to do here at work, and there are prizes. Our athletic director is taking care of it for us.

Now, a basketball is the orange one, with the black stripes, right?

Now, I guess there's probably a logical way to make picks for the winners, right?

Here's how I picked some of the one's I did:

• Ohio and Butler because I gotta stay loyal to my Midwest roots.
• Villanova and Gonzaga because they're fun to say
• Kentucky because I have family there and my bio- grandfather was a huge Kentucky fan. The only gift I ever remember him giving me was a Kentucky shirt. And a lady at work that I really like is rooting for them, too.
• Xavier because it starts with X and there are so few words in the world that start with X
• N. Carolina because the Tar Heels is such a cool nickname!
• Georgia because Bragger lives there
• Duke because I heard that last year they won a bunch of games
• Tennessee because Elvis is buried there
• San Diego because I've always wanted to visit that city
• UNLV, BYU and UCLA because they have cool acronyms
• Morehead because I have family there
• Georgetown because I wanted to attend there
• Purdue because I don't like IU
• Texas A & M because they go by letters with an ampersand
• Notre Dame because they have, in football, a touchdown Jesus. And because my Uncle loves Notre Dame.
• Pittsburgh because I went there once, for 22 hours
• Florida because I want to be there NOW

I have UCLA wining it all because I like the acronym.

There were some struggles for me. I avoided Michigan because when I was in high school Chris Weber played for them and threw a crappy shot at the buzzer and I've never forgotten it. It was Richmond -vs- Vanderbelt and I wasn't sure. I had a pair of Gloria Vanderbelt jeans when I was a kid. I also love Gone With the Wind, hence the Richmond tie in. I went with Richmond because Grandma Shrew gave me the jeans.

I had to pick a total points scored in the championship game in case there was a tie breaker. I picked the number 139. The AD said that was a good choice.

It will be interesting to see how well I do!

Mad about March,
Maggie

So I did learn a new craft after all!

In my list of 40 things to do before I turn 40 I said I wanted to learn a new craft. I tried a knitting class, and albeit I went one time, I was REALLY not successful! However, yesterday I organized a program in our school library on card making.

When I planned this event it never dawned on me that I could use it as a 40 Before 40 item!

I had a woman from the community who is a card maker and does some beautiful work be my guest speaker. She volunteered to come in during our 90 minute lunch period and give a brief presentation about card making and then she would let the audience members each make a card.

She and I met in advance and planned that we would have 8-10 kids with about 3-4 chaperons. I got a list of supplies, which I bought and/or got donated. I provided lunch. The kids had to sign up ahead of time and write a paragraph about why they should be picked to participate.

In the end we had a group of 6 people in attendance. The presenter gave her little Power Point about card making, the history and her own interest. Then we all got to make cards.

One thing she did that was really cool was that she made several templates. She cut all the paper in advance (due to time constraints) and bagged it up into mini kits. Each person was able to choose a kit and then she went through the creative process. It was pretty awesome! Though the kids didn't have a chance to actually use the Cricut she brought, she did a small demonstration with it. (And we have an arts & crafts & hobby room here on campus and if the kids have good behavior, they're allowed to go there after school and weekends. There's a Cricut in that space so the kids got see what it could do during the program AND will have access to one, too!)

It was a fun experience. While I will never become a 'card maker' (that's Daddy-O's specialty) it was fun to do. I can see why it's awesomely fun to do as a group, too. I will occasionally make a card or two, in the future, I'm sure.

Here are some samples of the work the kids made:

We even made our own envelops!

This 'Aloha' one is the card I made!

Maggie

Sweetness at the bottom of the cupcake

I've had a really, really bad week, month, year, whatever. Really bad, especially lately when it all feels like a ton of stuff is piled on me or wrong or just disastrous, out of control.

But once in a while a small act of kindness can restore a girl's faith in humanity.

Friday I went to Northern Civilization and there were 2 things I wanted: a cup of Starbucks with the free mini pastry, and then to stop at my favorite bakery and get a cupcake for later in the weekend. Starbucks went off without a hitch.

ITSam and I arrange at the bakery and there were no cupcakes. I adore, desire, crave, yearn for, dream of, have wild fantasies about, this bakery's vanilla and strawberry creme with white chocolate cupcakes and they were out. Nary a cupcake to be had. I sort of broke down.

I'm suddenly telling the guy behind the counter, a kid basically, named Jeff, about my terrible fate in life right now, that I drove an 1 for one of these cupcakes, they've never been out before and I just sort of faded to a stop, hunched my shoulders, muttered thanks and started to walk away.

Jeff said, "wait! Ya got about 15 minutes." I look at him from behind a curtain of hair and one tear slides down my face and drops off the tip of my nose, and I nod.

Jeff then proceeds to venture into the huge backroom freezer. He comes back and said they have the actual cake part of the cupcake, frozen and if I didn't want to eat it right away he would make me a vanilla strawberry creme with white chocolate chips cupcake. He said he would make me as many as I wanted.

This was not just a matter of grabbing some frosting and slapping it on. He had to get strawberries and make the strawberry part of the filling from scratch. Then he got out a tub of vanilla buttercreme frosting and assembled the cupcakes. He had to fill pastry bags with frosting. He didn't have any white chocolate chips on hand so he went into the store part of the bakery and got the missing ingredient.

I just stood there with my mouth hanging open. I couldn't believe that this guy went to all this trouble for me all because I was having a bad life at the moment. I got four cupcakes since he was going to all the work. Actually, ITSam ordered four for me because I couldn't speak. I was just shocked at his kindness, his effort.

I said thank you about a zillion times. I told his manager on the way out what he did. I wrote a comment to their web site.

It was more than a cupcake, you know. He just restored my faith in humanity, at least for a little while.

I'm thankful for Jeff, and people like him.

Maggie