Random Tid Bits

1. Isaak switched over to his new Math teacher. It seems like a great fit. His old teacher did end up getting fired. I have no clue what will happen with the rest of that class. He hasn't looked clueless, for a good week. His old teacher taught the kids like they were in 7th grade. She was a 7th grade teacher, for the most part. Isaak has always been pretty good at math. He wasn't ready for an honors course that he didn't sign up for.
   
   
   
   
2. I was worried about Isaak loosing friends, and having a hard time making friends in this new Math class. I guess it's not a big deal. He knows some of the kids. Some kids wanted to sit next to him because they love his drawing skills. His new teacher told Isaak she loves his drawings as well. Confident boosting has helped!


3. I have a few student in my senior class that have jobs. I'm feeling a bit like they have senioritis bad. They are a great class, but done.


4. In all the classes I have there's drama that I'd love to disappear.
   
   One girl complains about her teachers to other teachers. She even complains about her Mom to her teachers. She had my sympathy, but lately I don't know if I can trust anything she says. Her Mom might be a great Mom. The teachers she's complaining about are great teachers.
   
   On Friday she was telling me that some teachers are so subjective in what they like. She was referring to an assignment she has with a different instructor. I said, "With each assignment we have objectives. They are clearly laid out. In the assignment you are showing me, I'm assuming the objective was to use as little points in the paths that you are making as possible. Then it can be a smooth line, and not a big file in size. I'm not the instructor for that class. If you want the exact objectives, refer to the video the instructor left for you on the server. Your teacher has taught here, for years. I know he wants certain things to come out of the assignment. If you don't like what he has to say, duplicate the assignment, create one how you'd like it to be, and the other how he'd like it to be." She walked away. Then started complaining that her computer didn't work.
   
   One other girl has gone to administration about me twice. It's over silly things. The first time it was about 3 questions on a 121 question test. This time it was because we were talking about current events in class. The discussion was healthy. We weren't picking sides in our conversation. No one was mad, but apparently her. She wasn't even part of the discussion. Instead of standing up and saying, "Can you guys keep it down.", or "I don't like this conversation." she went to administration to tell them. I've been feeling a bit like I can't say anything. My tongue is tied. If I said I was going to rest room, that might be too much information, for her. I don't know what I'll do in a few weeks when I'm supposed to talk about Health Insurance. How does one talk about that, and not bring up the government? It's in regards to freelancers; getting their own insurance. It comes down to...this is college, not elementary, middle or high school. It's important to have dialogue.
   
   One other girl hates life. She hates her computer. She hates work that's done on the computer. God hates her. I've heard all those things. She's a great illustrator. When it comes to creating things on the computer, she puts her head down, and doesn't even want to try. We put all our videos on a server, for them to watch. It's hard because she hasn't been showing up. She's so negative. I wish I could reach her. I kept her behind last class to show her a demo in baby steps. If she looked at the videos, it would be the same thing. Watch it fast, or watch it slow.
   
   One other girl is always left out. She stays late just so she doesn't have to go home. I want to wrap her up, take her home, and tell her it's all going to be ok.
   
   
   
   
5.  Mica's great. Minus his bus not showing up a lot lately. He just picked out high schools. He was torn between two. 

Random Tid Bits

1. Mica's been complaining about his vitamin not going down all the way. It's a typical vitamin size, and he's had vitamins that you swallow for years now. Do you have problems swallowing vitamins?


2. Instead of drinking water to push the vitamin down, Mica decided it would be a great idea to chew a paper towel to swallow. He came into the living room with his mouth full, was chewing, and talking weird. I said, "What in the heck is in your mouth?" He said, "Oh nothing." I asked him again. Then he told me. I said, "Go spit that out!" 


3. The other day Travis got a text from Mica saying that his bus took him out to west Omaha instead of home. It was the late bus, and he was the only one on it. Not his typical bus driver. He must of thought Mica was a different kid. When he got here we were both like, "Why didn't you tell him?" He said, "Because we're not supposed to move, while the bus is going." I said, "There had to be stop lights, or a stop sign!" He's like, "I don't know. I just wanted to listen to my music I guess." We were all shaking our heads. At least now I'm laughing about it.





4. We were supposed to have snow happen yesterday. It didn't really happen. 


5. Saturday will be super busy around here. Mica has a Quiz Bowl across town. Isaak has 2 basketball games. Then the boys have their Leadership Camp in the evening. What are you doing this weekend?

The Bully on the Bus Goes Round and Round

Day 3 of Camp:

Isaak went to get on the bus to go home. He noticed his cousin Elijah was towards the back of the bus. That was the only spot left.  He sat down. There was a kid that was licking his fingers and flinging his fingers at them to hit them. 

Isaak said, "Why are you being mean to us? We didn't do anything to you!" 

The Bully said, "You looked at me. That's what you did." 

Isaak said, "We can stop this right now, start over, and be friends."

My nephew Elijah just hit him back.

This happened their whole bus ride home. 

Isaak came home, and told me about it. 

I gave him a few tips to deal with this jerk:

1. Sit towards the front of the bus, by the bus driver. The punk wouldn't dare to sit up there.
2. Sit next, in front, or behind Mica and Evan (both their older siblings). 
3. Yell, "Stop it!" to get other people's attention. 

If I would have thought about it, I should have told Isaak to fill his water bottle up before leaving, and accidentally pour it on this kid if he picks on him again. 

I did tell Isaak that this kid probably got picked on, or was treated bad by his parents. Possibly he was ignored all together. Some people feed off negative attention. Regardless there's no excuse for him to act that way.

Travis is going to try and talk to this the Bully and his parent. We just don't know if their drop off is in the same spot as our kids.

How do you deal with punks like this when you were little?

I was diplomatic like Isaak. I was pretty shy and quiet. Yes people liked to pick on me.

At least this jerk doesn't go to school with my kids! 

*Update: Travis didn't talk to the kid, or his parents. He has a different pick up and drop off. Travis, Isaak, my nephew Elijah, and my sister Terra all talked to the camp leader on the bus. She's going to report the incident to the camp director. Even if nothing happens at least something was said.

Happy in the Ghetto

This post is random, but I still have pictures from our trip. I've got to post them sometime.

We were in Chicago. We were staying with a guy named Sam. He was Daddy's roommate in college, his best man in our wedding and a friend of mine to. He's a trucker and has crazy hours 2-2. Most of our trip we didn't get to see Sam. One of our last days in Chicago Sam was off of work and got to go site seeing with us. I let him pick where he wanted to go. He wanted to see the Science and Industry Museum. Our whole way there the boys kept saying, "SAM, SAM, SAM!" until he'd answer them. They also fought over who was going to sit with him on the bus and subway.  They were very happy to have Sam with us that day!

Somehow on our venture we ended up in a not so hot part of Chicago. Sam was freaking out a little. He never takes the bus or subway anywhere. The boys weren't freaking out! They were as happy as can be! We had to wait and wait on a bus to come and get us. The building we stood at had chipped paint, but it said it was a monument. A very unkept monument! Graffiti and trash were all over.

Look at how happy the boys are! :) I wish they were this way all the time!

 Here are the boys with "SAM, SAM, SAM!"

Here we are as a family.

Daddy thought this was a cool shot. We're artists, what can I say?!

This sign cracked me up! I didn't know if I was looking at a sign that was racist or if it really was just odd! My guess, just odd. The whole area was odd.