like the weather

music : like the weather by the 10,000 maniacs


these days i feel like going to sleep most of the times. i spent thanksgiving weekend in bed. mostly i was sick. but now the physical sickness has passed. it is something else that is pissing me off.


so i sleep. and sleep a dreamless sleep.

'til tuesday

our school finally had its much anticipated latino heritage presentation today. it was such a treat to see my students perform on stage.

i also got to see Lynn, my librarian friend. she's hosting a Harry Potter book club at my school's library. i promised i'll go next week and join the fun with fellow potterheads.

i posted new pictures here. take a look, dali!

still waiting for word from the board of ed about my employment. keep your fingers crossed.

thanksgiving is two days away. i have a lot to thank for this year.

i have a dinner invite from a highschool classmate who will be hosting the dinner for another batchmate who will be in town next week. chocnut will be visiting next week as well. yipee!

black and blue, but still standing and smiling

black and blue by edie brickell and the new bohemians

i am running on three hours of sleep and probably half a gallon of coffee. i should really meet up with morpheus after posting this.

i went to my public library on my lunch break yesterday. i was so excited to go there and get a copy of fairy tales from c's side of the world. but of course durga the dork had to borrow fairy tales from poland, ireland and the philippines as well. on my way down the stairs i lost my balance. books went flying in all directions and even my red shoes escaped my feet. luckily i was able to break my fall, but my poor right knee and my shins took all the brunt.

it would've been funny, but i was in so much pain i couldn't laugh at myself. i went back to school, got an ice pack from the nurse and sulked at karen's room. K was so sweet because she noticed that my uppler lip was a mile long and i was cursing myself under my breath. her kids were amused at my misery, probably because they have not seen this sulky side of me.

i went to 9th period to assist C and then i got called on the school's PA by the principal.

great.

what did i do now?

i limped my way to the principal's office. my brows were in a frezy knot. i was trying to think if i yelled at a kid earlier in the day. i know i didn't. what could mr. p want from me.

well whoppee doo! it seems i might be back in my old school after all. they are still ironing out the kinks with the HR people, but here's hoping i would be back by the second trimester.

i was so happy at this development that i practically skipped my way back to 9th period.

i was so overwhelmed by this news that i cried as i drove my way to tutoring with richard and olivia.

i literally forgot i had three gigantic bruises on my legs.


btw, i am trying to learn how to speak polish. next week, i'll try to learn arabic for my new student's sake.


noo-ni-noo-ni-noo.

reclaiming the weekend

music: ebtg's i didn't know i was looking for love

still sleepless, but trying to catch up on 40 winks is easier said than done. it seems the 24 hours on my clock's face is not enough to find some sleep, but i'll get what i can.


c and i went to mitsuwa on sunday and c went nuts. it was so much fun watching c take in mitsuwa with such innocent awe and intrigue. by the time we left, durga was a happy girl because she had her fill of her favorite soft serve green tea ice cream. c loaded up on the weirdest japanese snacks and candies he could find, a couple cans of japanese beer and two mini bottles of sake -- crazy milk and cloudy sake.


i had intended to cook but i was too pooped to create a proper chicken adobo so c will have to wait. durga's adobo is not something to be hurried. so instead we had prok barbeque and veggies from the barbeque pit. oh and i had 3/4 bottle of red horse. man, that really whooped me. i almost fell asleep during dinner. note to self : do not drink red horse in the company of not so close friends. c thought it was amusing that i was fighting sleep because of this strong filipino beer. even he said it was strong, ha! i want to compare red horse to his beer. or maybe his crazy friend would be a better judge.


last night i got on j's treadmill for 20 minutes. a great workout. today i will up my time to at least 40. it's a good feeling to sweat again while the tem is freezing
outside.


i can't get enough of kenneth cole's signature fragrance.


sigh.

dreaming series 6

music : bruised but not broken by joss stone

i was walking under the NRW station in 30th avenue in queens. he showed up from behind wearing a brown and blue plaid pajamas and a dark blue hoodie. i did not recognize him 'til his face came close to mine.

then all of a sudden we were in my car. he gave me a cd portfolio of all the cds i had. i played one in my car. i noticed that he had a faux mohawk on. i did not remember what he said, nor was my dreaming self paying attention to him. my mind was somewhere else.

in the next scene he was sad. i did not know what i said, but i remember feeling so distant from this man. what was it about him that made me love him? i looked at his face and it was a face of a stranger that i saw. he is this man but i do not know this man anymore.

i woke up. it's 6 am today.

no tears.

a shrug.

i said my morning prayers and thanked Him that this man haunts me in my dreams
no longer.

let the N train's sliding doors close now.
i pray that he reaches his destination, bacause i've arrived at mine.

and i'm staying.

the best stress buster ....

is kissing the cutest pumpkin in the world.

yeah, i've been mum for a while. not for lack of anything to blog because believe you me virginia, a lot has happened. but i can't put a finger to it. what parts of my last two weeks can i blog about without compromising people's identities? hence the long absence.

anyway, i figured i can at least write about the mundane stuff and the gp stuff. so here goes.

i've been helping out my co-teachers in school as an in class support for a few inclusion classes as i've mentioned in earlier posts. i assist in two math classes, 3 science classes, 2 research paper writing classes and a sixth grade language arts class. my schedule is pretty much like it used to be -- averaging five classes most days.
i've been making progress in math. i was so thrilled to learn and actually understand the slope and math similarities. i wish i had this understanding in math when i was in high school. it would've made a whole lot of difference.

the research paper writing classes are the most rewarding for me because these classes make me feel very needed indeed. i have several students with learning disabilities and it is really quite a struggle for them to read, much more write a research paper. i have a lot of respect for their teacher. it is very very difficult not to lose one's head with a class like that.

i've befriended a 7th grader who just transferred from saudi arabia. i can only imagine how miserable it must feel to be transplanted from one's home to a totally new place where one does not understand the language. a smile from this kid was all i needed to decide that he will be my next gratis ESL project. i feel good to be able to help him in what little way i can.

this whole inclusion in class support thing has also opened my eyes towards the special ed kids. i've always thought i can never teach special ed kids because i lack the patience to deal with them. i think i'm getting better with relating to them. ah, must be my sense of humor that wins them over. these days i hang out with k and her kids. they are a crazy group, and they drive her nuts sometimes, but she loves them dearly. i'm beginning to fall in love with them too, because deep inside they are kids after all, they just learn differently.

i made a new friend. he just blows my mind to say the least, but it's been good so far. i enjoy the company and meaningful conversations. it's also a good feeling to have someone i can spend hours in the bookstore and ikea with as well as walks in the park.

here are the top pics and moments of the past 2 weeks....

sunday service at the times square church -- gospel choir extraordinaire

a walk in central park

beef goulash with dumpling



jonah's cute halloween costume

a water/lightshow in ceasar's in AC


a gigantic chupa chups from AC's biggest candy store


breathtaking fall foliage in dunkerhook park

and

sticky rice with green tea ice cream.



we're having a long weekend due to the NJEA's teacher's convention in AC. i'm going out with moonshine and pumpkin this morning, and meeting up with candy hopefully this afternoon.

i can't wait for chocnut's visit in the big apple. durga, chocnut and and moonshine will have a sleepover, a tour of the city's display windows, and lotsa lotsa talking.
screeeeee!!!!