Let's Save the World, Teachers!! (Or at least finish the year!) 3/23/14

I saw "Divergent" last night.  I really like the movies set in the dystopian future, especially ones based on YA novels that I have read.  The young people have to overcome all the wrongs that have been set in place by silly grown-ups since the world ended/big war/great disaster...whatever happened in whichever book.  There is always a challenge.  The characters at that point in the story are stretched to their mental and physical limits trying to make it out/in/to the next stage/stay alive. The formula varies, but the final challenge, in the novels and the movies, remains the most tense, suspenseful, casualty-filled part of the story.

All teachers are getting ready to enter their final challenge.  When I thought about going back to school after spring break, I thought about the last thirty minutes of "Divergent".  I also thought about "The Hunger Games" and every single "Harry Potter" book.  We're in the last months now.  Almost every school has about ten to fourteen weeks left.  Testing will be occurring on a regular basis.  Administrators will be needing to wear diapers worrying about testing abnormalities and audits.  Students will be getting in fights and falling in love.  It's funny that they are tested right around the time when their year-long relationship with the others that surround them reaches its peak!

Spring Break is just what is says: a small break.  The imminent end-of-year hill that we climb is in sight even though we are on vacation. (Is it subliminal that I accidentally typed 'hell' instead of 'hill'?)  I hope, all my teacher friends, that you were wise enough to treat yourself well this past week, because that may not happen again for a while.  We all know it, and our smiles and laughs to each other during the day will help us through.

So here we are, teachers....our final battle of this novel (or movie) is approaching.  Choose your weapons, revive your skill-set, encourage your team.  The good guys always win, don't they?  I'm right beside you, let's go!

Spring Break doesn't mean you have to break something! 3/17/13

I walked out this morning to warn the next-door kids to watch out.  They were riding bikes and scooters in the cul-de-sac, swarming everywhere like bees.  When I told them that a wrecker was bringing one of our cars to the house, the nine-year-old girls' face lit up with curiosity.  "What happened?" "Why won't it go?" "What were they doing?"  Evidently, my college-age daughter's experiences are like an episode of 'Gossip Girl' in her eyes. 

You see, college-age kid (I'll call her '18')  went to Galveston Beach with three other college-age kids.  Spring Break.  No "gone wild", but kids, probably some beer, cars, bikinis, sun, waves.....it's an eternal theme.  So, 18 thought that since everyone was driving onto the sand, she could, too.  She knew not to drive on loose sand, but somehow got stuck anyway.  When you're a teenager and get stuck - and somebody offers to help, you say yes.  Some big pickup truck tried to loosen the car from the rear - and the front bumper got caught on the sand and came off.  Well, mostly off.  It was hanging loose with a lot of broken plastic underneath.

18 was wise enough to call me at that point, when there is evidence, my kids always know to own up right away.  What could I say, but "tie it back on and come home"?  Unfortunately the car shut itself down - some electrical issue, no doubt - and they ended up stuck on the side of the road.  We had roadside assistance tow it to a friend's house, because the 80 miles to home would have cost over $200.  I drove the hour down there to pick up the crew and delivered them all safely home. 

Hubby is always away when these things happen, so he sends decisive answers at 3 am by e-mail.  "She takes your truck back to school.  Pay to have car towed home.  You drive other car."  Short and sweet.  I like it that way, because it makes me think that he took the news very calmly.

I sent her back to school in her sister's car, and found a tow for under 200.  So when I saw the swarm of bikers, I knew I had to not only warn them to be careful, I had to get that little zinger in to their dad- "Enjoy the bike years, they're over before you know it!"  Based on how interested his daughter was in the college kid's exploits, he had better stay on top of things - you keep looking out through the same old eyes, but life changes mighty fast.