I don't know if I've ever mentioned it, but my students are protected by HIPAA so that is why I never talk about my job. I don't want to say anything I'm not allowed to talk about it. I DO need to add a couple more hits on my list of injuries.

1 Three Stooges style bonk to to the top of my head, served cold so I wouldn't be expecting it
1 punch to the jaw - didn't hurt too bad but hurt this morning when I washed my face
1 punch to the ear - directly after the punch to the jaw and that hurt really bad. REALLY. Don't get punched in the ear.

Also, a story.

This morning, after spending one and a half hours helping the CuzMate clean her room (we are still not close to anything that could be called "clean"), I went with Shannon, my other cousin, to her son's baseball game. I took Roxie because it was a nice day and we both needed to get a little vitamin D via the sun.
Roxie is not a violent dog. She doesn't bite people, but she is very interested and often sniffs people as they walk by. Sometimes kids are skittish and take a wide berth, but she's not going to snap them. She's never done a thing to hurt a child.
Anyway, after about 100 people pass by and about 20 kids have spent time petting her, a man comes around the corner. If I had seen him coming, I would have held the leash just because he looked mean. I didn't see him coming. Roxie runs out to give him a sniff, and he kicks her! She then growls and lunges at him, but I pull her back before anything else happens.

Man: Who's dog is that"
Me: She's mine. I'm sorry! (I am apologizing for him kicking my dog, I guess.)
Man: Well, you're luck I didn't kick her G** D*** head off.
Me: Wow. Okay
Other people in vicinity: That kind of language isn't necessary. There are children around.
Man: I don't give a S***. D*** dog shouldn't be here. Blah, blah, blah.
Other people who are now enraged: You are out of order. There is no need to talk like that, especially with children around. And that dog weighs about 10 pounds, big man.
Man: [more cuss words]

Then a mom I know leaves to go tell the manager of the ball field about what is going on. Man sits behind us spitting in a cup.
About 20 minutes later, I noticed Roxie is bleeding from her back leg. Just a scratch, but that got me madder then a wet hen.

P.S. This man weighed about 250 and was wearing overalls and rubber boots.

Injury Tally

So, let's talk about workplace injuries. I am a teacher. This is not a profession that people think of as "dangerous." My dad is an electrician at a paper mill. That's a dangerous job. Two days ago his face got burned by steam that exploded out of a pipe.

As a teacher, I have had multiple injuries. I realize that teachers are not supposed to get hurt all that often, but I'm clumsy and have had some very dangerous students.

Since I started student teaching in 2004, I have had:

1. a dislocated shoulder
2. a pencil stab to my cheek
3. a choking
4. a death threat with easy to follow instructions
5. a broken nose
6. several head traumas
7. one bite with many more bite attempts
8. a giant scratch on my neck (current)
9. toy hammer thrown at my chest hard enough to make it sore for the past three days

Therefore, teaching is dangerous. Frankly, I would prefer my children go into law enforcement than teaching.

A Letter

Dear Mikey,

Here’s the thing. I know you aren’t good enough for me. I also know that to speak to you would be like opening a can that I finally successfully closed a while back. But, you keep popping up in memory. Please, go away. I don’t want to think of what went wrong. I don’t want to think that I made some sort of mistake. My rational mind knows that I’m better off, but I’m also getting tired of being alone, again. I spent five years alone before I met you, and I’ve slipped right back into that. I realize I’m only 26 years old, but I’m ready to be a real grown up. I’m kind of like Rachel in that episode of Friends when she’s dating that young guy and realizes that she doesn’t have enough time to do what she wants with her life.
Therefore, I start thinking of you. I know I shouldn’t. “Wrong road”, I tell myself. “Bad road.” Filled with potholes filled with poo. I’m tired of feeling lonely. I’m tired of feeling like my life is like a TiVo on pause. I don’t know how to work the remote. “Play! Play! “ I scream. Nothing changes. I go to church weekly now. I have a great job. I need something more. Am I being unreasonable? Is this too much to ask? Did I miss out on something that should have been great? When was that? How did I miss it?
I read three books last week. Three full novels. I have NOTHING to do with my time, so I read and read trying to fill up the empty space. It’s exhausting.
This letter wasn’t really to you, of course. I just really want you gone from my mind and replaced with someone else. Please?

S

I know some countries

70

I got 65 the first time. I have problems typing them in correctly.

Short Note #2

It doesne't let you see the whole author's name. It is Anagrams by Someone Who Doesn't Let You Know Her Book is Filled with Short Stories.

Short Note

I'm thinking about doing book reviews on here. Note the author of the second to most recent book on my list to the left. Didn't like that book.

Not Much Ado About Anything

Ashley,

You are my only visitor here, so I thought I should write this as a letter. I may have a few American Idol fans on here soon, though. Left a comment un-anonymously. Anyhoo, thought I would explain my absence from the computer. One day, it iced. Cuz Mate stayed home. She worked from here, and had to plug directly into the DSL box since her work computer is not wireless. Since then, my wireless does not work. Ever. So, I have to come upstairs and hook in to the wall. I KNOW! I have been so spoiled by getting to compute wherever I like that I can no longer handle the pressure of a wall to computer connection. I drape the cords over Roxie, make my mattress really hot, and retype everything I write because it's hard to type on my bed. So, it's good that I am no longer a part of the Facebook/MySpace crowd. Or maybe if I were, I would be more motivated to fix the freaking wireless.

So, that's that. Until next time, pfargtl.