Back to Normalcy

It seems as though my life will return to normalcy soon. School starts up again tomorrow and according to the other teachers, the kids are going to act like it’s the first day of school. I went up to the school today to put stuff back where it belongs. I had to move everything out of harm’s way last Tuesday. It feels weird thinking about going back. I still can’t believe I’m the one the kids look to when the enter room 212. Heck, I can’t even believe I know enough to teach.

I think I’m just feeling this way because I take my TEXES exam Saturday. You know, it’s that test that pretty much lets the state know that you know your shit. It’s really freaking me out. I haven’t been able to make the study sessions, but according to some people I know, you’ll leave there feeling like you failed the exam no matter what.

After the rearranging adventure at school, I went to Hell-Mart to get some cash and a cake. (It’s my brother-in-law’s b-day today.) As I was walking out, this little girl sitting on the bench in front of McDonald’s begins to frantically wave. She gets up and walks toward me and it was only then that I realized it was one of my students. I asked her if she was ready to go back to school and she scrunched up her nose and shook her head no. It was then that I remembered that I really am a teacher. I imagine that after I left, she told her mom, “I just saw my teacher! She had a birthday cake.” Tomorrow, she will probably ask about the cake in front of everyone or she’ll say, “Huh Ms. Baeza, I saw you at Hell-Mart yesterday?”

I guess it will be nice to go back to work. Dan the Man is starting to get on my nerves. In my opinion, he spends way too much time playing video games and in his opinion I spend too much time watching the Food Network and TLC. During this last week, there have been at least three occasions in which I’ve wanted to tell him to just leave. Sunday, I broke down and told my mom about all the issues we were having. About how he wanted us to go spend the entire day at his friend’s house, yet he can’t bear a couple hours with my friends because he “won’t have anything to talk about.” I also told her about how he fails to introduce me to people and I end up doing it myself and won’t even bother to ask if I want to come along to see his niece and nephew.

So many people have told me that I can do much better. My mom said she was going to pray to my dad to get him away from me, but I’m not sure if that’s what I want. I know these things take a lot and I also know that once I am fed up, I’m going to have no qualms about telling him to get out, even if his family rocks. But for now, I’ll continue to have my “bitch fits” in hopes that he’ll grow up. Fret not my blogger friends, I am going to talk to him. But the rabia has to go down a little. I don’t say things right when I’m so upset.

Well, I guess I’m off to the car wash. Because I had no help taking the trash out yesterday, I managed to get melted ice cream all over Dori’s butt. It’s not a very good look for her.

Home

It’s good to be home again. Everything was in tact when we walked into our apartment about an hour ago. We’ve set up the television and the computer, but now we have to empty out the fridge. The power went out for a while and they say it is best to throw it all out than get sick. Considering that a doctor’s bill would be more that $40 of groceries, I think I’m going to follow that snippet of advice.

The drive home took two hours longer than usual, but I’m not complaining. I got to listen to some good music. Dan the man slept most of the way since we don’t always agree on music. Since I’m the driver, I think I should be allowed to listen to whatever I want.

This little trip got us many goods for the apartment. The in-law’s bought us a microwave and a bad ass blender. The blender according to Dan the Man Sr. was for watching the kiddos on Friday. See, the in-laws had planned to take Dan the Man’s aunt to Medieval Times along with Bev, Dan the Man’s sister while Mush, the oldest sis, watched little Bev. Well, the aunt ended up with an extra ticket and Dan the Man & I didn’t think it was fair for just one of us to go and plus we had plans to go see Dan the Man’s friend. Then I suggested taking Mush along and I could watch the kiddos and everyone liked the idea. Dan the Man did cancel the plans with his friend and helped watch the kids. Anyway, Sunday, Dan Sr. caught me before I got out of the car at Kohl’s and said, “You’re gonna get something for babysitting.” When I started to say it was okay, he said, “Listen to me, you’re going to get something, and none of this clearance stuff. Get something for you or the house, but get something.”

Oh yeah, we also got some wine glasses and some “As seen on TV” plastic containers from his friend. The “Stuff for the Apartment” list is quickly dwindling.

Well, I’m going to go park my ass in front of the television and find out about slow downs on I-10 from San Antonio to give my sis an update whenever she gets home. Hope everyone is doing well.

Safe for now

Howdy ya'll. We made it to the in-law's at about 1 PM today. As I watched the 5 o'clock news with Lynda and Dan the Man, boy was I glad we left when we did. The traffic out of Houston is unreal. I talked to my sis about half an hour ago and she was barely leaving.

Watching the news, I can finally identify with the people who were affected by Katrina. As I sat in front of the television grading the work of my students, I said a prayer for each one. I hope Edgar gets back to Stinkydena and finds his home still standing. I hope Justin and his family made a last minute decision to actually leave and I hope Britanie didn't freak out too bad. I turned my bag inside out looking for the yellow sheet of paper that had the phone numbers for my collegues. I'm wondering if Linda is going to Brownsville and if Lalis might be headed to Valle Hermoso.

It all seems surreal. Dan the Man is worried about his car and the television and I'm thinking I should have taken down that picture of my dad in the hallway. I keep hoping Rita goes west just a little more. But I guess only time will tell. Until then, I'm on the edge of my seat hoping to get a call from my sister letting me know she's finally made it to El Chuco and seeing on the news that Ragging Rita has calmed down and will hit King Ranch. A girl can only hope.

I'm leaving

I had tried to post this yesterday and reply to some of the comments, but this thing wouldn't let me. Anyway, I'm securing the homefront and getting ready right now. We're headed up to Dallas until Rita unleashes it's vengance. Everyone is pretty much freaked out still because of Katrina so school let out and the city of Stinkydena told us to get the heck out. I'm not really in a danger area, but still, we're close enough.

I'll try to write some more when I get up to the in-law's.

Keep your chin up Cindylu! Don't forget to congratulate Cracked Chancla on her new business venture.

La Rita

Ya’ll in the event that Rita comes our way, as has been projected, the school district has canceled school for the rest of the week. Our little town has ordered an evacuation. So tomorrow morning Dan the Man and I are heading to Dallas to stay with his parents until Rita unleashes her vengeance.

I hope all my fellow coast Tejanos are okay. Ya’ll take care. I’ll try to update while I’m with the in-law’s.

Tired

When I left the school today, I was just . . . tired. My feet were killing me and all I wanted was for a Japanese woman to walk on my back. I was also starving; the Michelina’s lean lasagna lunches aren’t doing the trick for the hunger. I guess I should consider breakfast.

The day went well. The kiddos were okay. After lunch they started to get out of hand, I later found out that tomorrow is silent lunch. Silent lunch is exactly as it sounds. No one is allowed to talk. All the teachers are required to eat at the table on the stage in the cafeteria. Plus, we have to make sure the kids are sitting in their assigned seats. If you ask me, assigning seats and requiring them to sit at a table is way too much. I know why they do it, but still. I think that’s why they get so out of hand during and after lunch.

Did I tell you all I’m taking a graduate course? It’s part of this Alternative Certification thing. My class is on Tuesday nights. I hate the teacher. Part of it has to do with the fact that she uses tons of overheads and we have to copy everything down. She also allows way too many testimonials. And to top it off, “the Homie” is in the class. This guy loves to tell all these stories about himself and he’s pretty full of himself too. Plus, he asks some really lame questions. But well, from what I hear, that kind of student is in a lot of grad classes.

Anyway, I’m so looking forward to Friday. It’s not a half day and we’re not having a three day weekend, in fact, I have some training on Saturday, but still. I can’t wait. The thought of waking up at any hour I damn well please on Sunday really excites me.

Mr. Vayne

I had an entry that addressed all the issues I have been talking about lately, but then, I remembered and I googled this.

Mr. Vayne was one of my patients when I was a home health aide. He was just as his daughter describes him. Fortunately, I had to opportunity to see this house inside and out on several occasions.

He passed away about a week after I left El Paso. My mom was hesitant to tell me because she didn’t want me to worry. My mom was investigated because like most old people, he’d come about some bed sores and try as she may; she was not able to get rid of them. His daughter didn’t pursue the investigation. Like me, she knew his death was coming.

I didn’t cry when I found out that he had died. He wasn’t the same man I’d met years earlier. Age had eaten away at his brain. He no longer pestered me to read out loud in attempts to help me project my voice better. He quit giving me lessons about Shakespeare and pestering me about going out on the roof to clean the gutters.

Instead, he’d sleep in the room next to mine and claw at the walls and scream at the hallucinations he often saw. I rarely like to recall these events. Instead, I like to remember the lessons about what El Paso was like before he helped build the freeway and people’s comments about how excited he was for Tuesday and Thursday to come along because he’d get to spend time with me.

Sorry if this doesn’t make much sense. I’m just overwhelmed with emotion right now.

P.S. Things at la escuelita have been good. I’ll tell you all about it at another time. Thanks for all your comments.

P.S.S. I’d love for you to read my blog Belinda.

Oh yeah, I can’t wait for Cracked Chancla to reveal her big news! I’m still squeling!

And so time just goes by . . .

I still don't have internet at my casa. Actually, at this point, I don't even have electricity at my apartment. There was this huge screw up and we had our electricity cut off on Wednesday and we won't get it back until this coming Wednesday. That's one week I won't be able to spend in my dang apartment.

School is going. I had a very informal evaluation on Tuesday and my classroom management sucks ass. However, the evaluator did tell my AP that I'm a "very good teacher." She liked how I made up examples using the kids instead of taking the books. That's pretty much my teaching style thus far, make it up as I go along.

After a week of lecturing kids on learning to be respectful to each other and me, I had one class still acting up. I ended up telling them that I was so disappointed in them. I told them that I thought things would be different and that I could do fun things with them, but they can't handle that. I also told them that I was going to change things, I didn't know how, but things were going to change. Then I said, "We have two minutes left in class, I can't even begin to cover what I was going to teach you. So you know what? Please put your heads down for the rest of the period. When the bell rings, don't get up, I'll dismiss you when your minute is up."

After the day was over, I set up my desks in rows. Things will be changing on Monday but I don't know how yet. I have some hope that they're going to change. Even though I get upset with them, I continue to stress that I'm really there for them. I think they'll get it eventually.

I miss the blog world. I can't wait until Saturday. Hopefully, by then, I can read you all's journals on a regular basis and update more often. Anyway, I guess I better get moving. I gotta go check into a hotel and pick up some junk at my apartment. I'm sure I could stay at my sis's house, but I want the damn apartment people to pay for some of this time I can't be there, it's their damn fault in the first place.