Unbelievable, I have persevered long enough to produce my 100th post on this blog! No, I don't have a celebration planned, but, I guess it is kinda cool. When I started this back in the spring, I wasn't sure if I would keep up with it, and for the most part, I have. Sure I have missed a day here and there, but no body's perfect.
It is sometimes more difficult to be out of school than in school. As a teacher, in order to miss a day I have to make lesson plans for the students that keep up with the lessons we are learning but do not require the substitute to actually teach. And then I have to worry about which students won't bring their textbook, or their behavior while I am not there. And when I get back on Monday, I have to clean up from the fall out of a day missed. It is a hassle, but every once in a while we need a day off. Unfortunately, my day off was not for leisure, I accompanied Michelle to a doctor's appointment and drove her home because of the lagging effects of the anesthesia (she had a test done - don't worry, she is fine). I wasn't too bright about it either, I must say. First, I was up until 1:30am this morning knowing that I had the day off today. Of course, I had to be up early enough so we could get Evan to school and to the doctor. For some strange reason that I have not yet figured out, I decided not to eat breakfast (I ALWAYS eat breakfast). By the time we got home, 2:00pm, it was lunch time and we didn't have anything in the house and I wasn't ready to leave Michelle, although she would not have known if I had left to get some lunch. Needless, to say, I am tired and cranky, but trying my best to be nice.
I don't know if I should feel guilty but despite the water shortage in North Carolina, I am still allowed to water my lawn, and I am. My August 10, 2007 post reveals that North Carolina is suffering from a drought. I should also add that it has rained 2 times since then. Both time were this week. On the other hand, if you recall (September 15, 2007), I spent $249 to have my lawn service slit seed the yard, so I am going to make sure to water it.
Today's Headlines:
New Schools May Cut Some Extras (Newsobserver.com)
I must continue my protest against the rate of growth in Wake County and how little the county government is doing to cope with it. Wake County has fallen behind in its ability to build schools in order to keep up with the rate of growth (thanks to a failed bond initiative back in 2000 - I think that was the year). Developers are being allowed to build subdivisions, apartment complexes, and town homes with reckless abandon. The strain this puts on the infrastructure continues to grow, much faster than Wake County can keep up. The latest effort to try to keep up with growth is to make cuts to schools being construction. OK, that sounds a little misleading, allow me to clarify. They are not proposing build fewer schools, the are proposing to build less into each school that will be built in order to cut construction costs. The irony here is nobody is proposing any cuts or restrictions on developers and their plans for construction. One of the things that draws families to the Triangle, particularly Wake County, is the quality of education. Now they want sacrifice that quality in order to build more homes. If such a proposal is allowed to be successful student opportunities for extracurricular and co-curricular activities will be compromised. Studies have shown that such programs, from the arts to sports, enrich the student's experience, as well as increase cognitive and social development. Why would that be something to sacrifice? Do I, or would you, want your children to have their experience and development limited to appease big building contractor and the clear cutting of the wooded areas of your neighborhood?
Oh, and don't think I am ignoring the events in Jena, LA. I am reading up on it to find out more before I write about it. I will tell you this, there sure are a wide array of opinions about the subject. Check out YouTube and you will find videos from DemocracyNow! and from the National Socialist Workers party. You talk about a difference of opinion!
-MC
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