2002-01-24
Last day with kids, annoyance with Josh, posted at 8:45 a.m.
Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com Ah... my last day with the kids. At 12:50 today, I'll be free of them. I get a new batch on Wednesday, the first day of the new semester. Tomorrow is make-up exam day, which is run by the administration. I'll be here, but just grading papers in my room. Monday is a city-wide inservice, which I'm sure will be just thrilling, and Tuesday is another day to work in our classrooms. I really need the time. I can't seem to find the syllabus that I have been working on all semester on my computer. Most of the ideas are still in my head, but it's still annoying.I complain about the kids, but I'll miss them. Well, at least 95% of them. There is one kid in my second period who I won't miss that much, although he has kind of grown on me a bit as the semester has wore on (after his mother wrote me a note saying she will "jack him up if he keeps acting the fool", he's been more respectful and I've been more hesitant to call home). There are at least four kids in that class who I will genuinely miss, and who I bet will continue to visit me. One I'll coach at baseball.
I'm looking around right now at my fifth period class as they take their final, and there's no one here I think I won't miss, and there's a number who I genuinely will. There's this girl whose name is also the name of a month who I like a lot; we argue about things like whether Ramen noodles are called "oodles or noodles" or not (she swears it's on the package and that's what everyone calls them, but I've never heard of it). There's also an impossibly intelligent Latino kid who has a devilish sense of humor that I really enjoy. There's some lazy kids here, but all are at least enjoyable.
It's seventh period that is problematic. There are at least three kids - all girls - who I still rue the day I met them. They are the reason that teachers get mean. I've even thought about giving a speech on the last day saying something like, "If any of you wonder why some teachers become old, strict, and mean, then you can look no farther than this class. I tried to be nice, but it's evident that some people in this room cannot handle a teacher being nice." I even have the urge to go farther, something like KellyK's music teacher did with her class, saying something like, "Some of you should be genuinely ashamed of your behavior this semester." I won't do either, of course, but it's certainly true. It is seventh period - those darn freshmen - who are the inspiration for me becoming a much stricter and more disciplined teacher next semester. I've had some good moments in the class, but feel like 90% of my classroom discipline energy is focused on these three bitchy girls. And that shouldn't be the case.
***
In other news, Jeremy and I are both monumentally frustrated with temporary 4th housemate Josh. He's still a fabulously nice guy, but his lack of maturity and responsibility is starting to get old. Maybe it's a Pennsylvania thing. Housemate Mike also doesn't clean, do dishes, or take out the trash. But with Josh, who I can only assume is living with us rent-free, since he hasn't offered to pay us anything after 12 days of living with us with no end in sight, I would hope he would do some cleaning or taking care of things while we're away all day working and he's waiting for the phone to ring. Our kitchen is abominable. At first, I was going to clean it up, but now I'm stubbornly not going to. All the dirty dishes in there are his. Not only that, one of them contained noodles of some sort, and he thought the sink would be a good place for them. It wouldn't be so bad, but we're running out of silverware and glasses. Jeremy and I have both subscribed to the theory that washing dishes as one uses them is the best system, so we don't have any piling up. But he has since last week, and I can't stand it.
Not only that, but he does things that really display a lack of tact sometimes. Like this conversation between him and Jeremy last night:
Jeremy heads to the workout room, turns on the radio, and begins his workout.
Josh: (running in)Dude, can I borrow your CD player?
Jeremy: Actually, I just started working out and want to listen to music. Can you just borrow Mike's?
Josh: No, dude, come on, I think she's going to make out with me.
Jeremy: Mike'll let you use his. I'm using mine right now. I hate to workout in the quiet.
Josh: Come on, come on, come on. Please?
Jeremy: No, man. Use Mike's. Or wait until I'm done.
Josh: Please please please please?
Jeremy: (visibly pissed, but apparently Josh doesn't notice) Okay, fine. Five minutes.
Jeremy: Thanks dude.
(Eight minutes later) Jeremy: Can I get it back now, Josh.
Josh: One sec.
(a couple minutes later)
Jeremy: Dude, I really want to work out to music.
Josh: Okay, okay. (He brings it down)
Five minutes elapse. Josh and girl come downstairs again. Jason has turned on an oldies station.
Josh: God, I gave you your CD player back so you could listen to "Louie Louie"?
Sorry, that was probably pretty boring to read. But it typifies the type of tactlessness that he exhibits sometimes. In some areas, Josh is a really cool guy, but I'm getting kind of annoyed at our house being littered with his clothes, of him watching the Discovery channel all the time when I'd much rather be watching mindless trash, and of him not offering to help out with rent, utilities, or even housework.
***
Tonight should be a fun night. The other MSU alumni here at school is leaving with his wife to join the Peace Corps, and his going away party is tonight. I never got to know the guy that well - we've played some basketball, had drinks with his wife and him - but I'm looking forward to the party. It's being hosted by someone who lives just a few blocks away, so I may even walk so I can get drunk. Just like college, I guess.
***
I joined a DVD club a while ago, and the DVDs came yesterday. Finding Forrester, Casablanca, Memento, The Sixth Sense,and Vertical Limit. I wish my DVD player worked. I only bought it a year ago, and it's a Pioneer, but it's broke. The suggestion from both Paul and Josh was to send it back to the company and say, "You've wronged me and my family. Make it better." But I'm not sure. We'll see.
***
Has anyone else had a really hard time getting a hold of Andrew lately? I'm a goldmember on two different aliases, yet have e-mailed him in each of the last three weeks, with no response. I'm just trying to put my darn banner ad up, and, well, nothing... I know the guy is really busy and does all of this with no profit, so I'm being patient, but still... you'd think I would have heard something by now.