March 22, 2018

Stuff and Things 3/22

This is just going to be a list of things without pictures. But, it's what's going through my mind right now:


+The carpet in my classroom is being replaced over spring break. A person less used to upheaval would have a panic attack at the fact that EVERYTHING will be moved around and displaced and un-set-up. I, on the other hand, don't really care. New carpet will be nice for the last two months I'm there.

+I handed in my letter of resignation last week. I wasn't on planning on doing that so early, as after spring break is usually the acceptable time, but my principals have been surveying who's coming back and who's not, so I just got it over with. It was slightly traumatic, as I haven't quit a job since 2014, but it is what it is.

+Last week, I posted that we are having a boy. I've pretty much known this baby was a boy since day one: no morning sickness, craving only salt, etc. We picked a girl's name, just to be safe (so we didn't have to start from scratch), but I honestly couldn't imagine a girl.

You'll also notice that I didn't make you watch a four minute video or scroll through 18 (potentially slow-loading) pictures on the blog post to get to the point of "boy or girl". I'm not one for huge amounts of suspense in this odd category of gender reveals. And I cannot be the only one who will look at the comments on a Facebook or IG post to find out "boy or girl" instead of actually watching the video, right? And, fun fact, our friend told us that knowing a baby's gender is illegal in some parts of his home country (India) because of the prejudice against girls. He has really found it amusing that we can so easily go to a doctor to find out the gender. Which, we didn't do anything special like a 3D or 4D early on. We just waited for the 21 week scan. I, however, do not understand how people don't find out the gender. It would drive me insane to not know what to call the little one or refer to them as for several months.

+I'm pretty much over the people on the east coast complaining about snow. Bloggers aren't doing it; Facebook "friends" are. They seem to be insulted that it's snowing in March? Well, it can snow here until May (we've had two field trips canceled the first week of May, two years in a row, because of snow). Also, you don't live in Florida. You can't be insulted that it's snowing when you live in a climate with true winter. That's legitimately how the world works. I don't know what to tell you. And I'd rather have a bunch of snow than the dry, dusty winter of this year (and we'll no doubt get snow in May anyway).
And don't even get me started on the snow in Alaska that would be ever-present until Memorial Day.

+A few links worth reading...

Can you be addicted to watching The Office? Yes, you can. It's such a comfort. I started the day it premiered when I was in college.

Things people in Alaska get snobby about. These are all absolutely true. After 4 years in Colorado, a lot of the Alaska posts are pretty poignant to me because I remember it all very well.

Dear Friend About to Leave Teaching. This article is full of less-than-helpful platitudes and it says so in the comments. It's more than true that most who leave teaching leave for a reason, not because they feel discouraged. I don't think that anyone should be guilted into staying in a profession because "they are making a difference". I'm sure I am making a difference. But it's my memories of how wonderful teaching can be that have kept me in it for this long, not because I'm hoping to see a pay-off in the future generation. Because I'll never *really* know how everyone turns out.

+And, okay, one picture:


Happy almost-Friday! I have a million and one things to do tonight because I chose to do (literally) nothing every evening this week, so that was a failure. 

14 comments:

  1. I am a snow complainer and will continue to be. March winter sucks and this has been the worst one in a while.

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  2. Haha, Toby.
    That's horrifying about finding gender in India. What a world we live in.

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  3. I'm such a planner I'd need to know. My dad's been having a hey day with this in our family lately, reminding us all that back in the day there was no finding out. Which I have several acquaintances who haven't and I'd be like no!

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  4. OMG the snow complaining!! I was just telling my husband, "I remember it snowing in Colorado in March like all the time." These are the same people who complain about it being hot in August/September, and are begging for colder weather lol

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  5. Girl, I'm with you on the snow complaints. It's the same people who tell us southerners to shut up our excitement when it snows. I can't stand it! The upheaval of the classroom sounds less than ideal--but I'm glad you'll have new carpet. Sorry the notice was traumatizing--but at least it's done now?

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  6. I didn't necessarily complain about the 6+ inches we got here in Louisville (VERY unusual for this area this time of year), but I did poke fun at the situation by posting a picture of myself with snowflakes in my hair with the caption "Happy First Day of Spring?"

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  7. I just started watching The Office a few weeks ago & I'm finding it to be totally inappropriate & hilarious! I can't wait to binge watch during my spring break. :)

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  8. To be honest I don't get the gender reveal thing at all, as in the UK most people don't find out the gender until birth. And if you know, you generally don't share it around a whole lot, and you certainly don't announce it on the internet or, heaven forbid, in video format. Funny how cultures are different, isn't it? As a result I'm never sure the appropriate response to a gender reveal but that's a whole other issue.

    This week totally ran away from me, as well. Good luck with your to do list!

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  9. "save it for the trial" did me in. HA!

    So totally agree on the snow complaining... like y'all don't even know.

    And a BOY?! Oh my gosh, yay! I feel like I saw this on Instagram but am having a totally blank moment, so congrats in case I didn't already tell you that. Boys are SO adventurous. Being a boy mom is so fun. Like, I'm glad I have Maddie in there to break it up, but boys are hilarious and just LOVE their momma <3

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  10. China is another place where it's illegal for doctors to tell you the gender of your baby ahead of time. I knew of some foreigners having a baby in China who actually got an ultrasound when they were traveling outside the country, I think it was in Thailand, just so that they could know.
    I can't imagine purposely choosing not to find out because I also really like planning and preparation. Of course, my friend's baby sister was just born a few weeks ago, and that was a surprise because the family had been told by the doctor that the baby was a boy and were expecting a boy up until the baby came out. I didn't know that happened anymore!

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  11. It's not usually this cold or snowy in the East coast in March. This has been 1 of the coldest & snowyist March's that we've had in a long time. I think people are just sick of it & seeing other people having warm weather & Spring. Winter is depressing & it's still Winter in some places.

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  12. I feel the exact same way about gender reveals. Don’t get me started on the people who throw a party.

    People who complain about snow drive me nuts, but I’m a snow lover. I will admit it’s hard in March when I’ve had to entertain a toddler all winter and she’s crying every day to go to the park or ride her tricycle. But other than that, I don’t understand why people think everything will suddenly change the second the first day of spring hits.

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  13. I handed in my resignation earlier this month. It was hard because it's been my favorite job, but I really can't keep it when we are moving out of state:(

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  14. I don’t know how people choose not to find out their baby’s gender either! I’m way too type A for that.

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