that's a big spider

Do you see that?! I get to see it every time I enter or leave my apartment, since it's on the way downstairs. It's got a pretty amazing web, too.

So. School's getting better. A lot of my students are starting to constantly harass me (in a good way). I still don't know a lot of the teachers because a lot of them are anti-social/have their own thing going on and we're spread out over the huge school. The culture of the school is definitely different, a mixture of being really relaxed and really micromanaged. From what I've heard, some of these students have had 3-5 teachers for one class in the same YEAR. How does that happen?? Plus, quite a few of the other teachers (so far! I haven't met & talked to all of them) seem to really dislike their job, teaching and the students. Whatever. It's a job and I'll probably stick with it cause the kids are great.
I finally caught up this week, too. I don't have half of what I had last week to grade. I've made all my copies. I've put grades into the gradebook and been able to show some kids their grades. I had plans for the full week ready. This upcoming week will have the first tests of the year, I did pretty good getting them ready seeing as how I had no idea what kind of tests teachers usually give at these schools. I'll be interested in seeing how they do.
We watched the debate last night. Well, David watched all of it, I took breaks every now and then to watch or do other things. Too much of politics is like too much of anything else: dangerous to your health.

warning: political post

Okay, so I watched most of the Democratic convention. I loved Michelle Obama's speech (next Jackie O. much? She is gorgeous!) , I loved Joe Biden's, and I especially love Barack Obama's. It was inspiring and uplifting, but I felt they kept it kind of realistic.
So, I've been trying to watch parts of the RNC, but I just can't after a while. It's so incredibly negative and has so many personal attacks that it's just ridiculous. I find myself wanting to yell at the TV! David was watching Rudy Guliani's speech last night while I was in another room, and what I heard was just... horrible. It was really, really... something else. I don't even know how to explain it.
And don't even get me started on Palin. I am very glad that a woman is involved (yay women in politics! Woo!), but this woman is not only completely inexperienced, but is also incredibly crazy extreme. I used to have respect for McCain. I really did. And then he became the Republican candidate. Now, I'm not denying that Democrats have their issues, and that Barack Obama has some downfalls, but goddamn are the Republicans making all those issues look like nothing compared to what I've heard out of their mouths recently.

Let me share some good reading with you...
Save Richmond: How to Be a Republican Hypocrite
Feministing: Palin's Handling of Other People's Pregnant Teens
John McCain thinks women are stupid

Oh, and not to mention, my favorite John McCain moment (yes, besides the whole not knowing how many houses he owns and having to get back to people about whether or not birth control should be covered by insurance, even though viagra is and that's never debated): "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt". Not only does he call her a cunt, but he uses my favorite word: trollop! Yes! McCain/Palin '08! Sign me up!


Ohhhh yeahhhhhh, by the way, I got a job.


ETA: Megan passed along this blog, and right at the top was this post: Because She's a White Republican. Also:

I love Keith Olbermann.

am i 25 already?!

By the way, I forgot to let you know that today, June 7, is "The Pill Kills Day". I mean, did you know the pill kills 9 day old children? I sure didn't. Wow. That's a powerful pill. I guess I should let my parents know that they already missed my birthday by about nine months. What jerks.

It wouldn't be so bad for those kind of pro-lifers (and I say "those kind" because I know there are pro-life people out there who do not oppose the b.c. pill) to protest the pill along with abortion, but a lot of them also just don't seem to care what happens to the child after it's born. For example, there is a Planned Parenthood in Sarasota that wanted to give Habitat for Humanity enough land for 3 houses and charge them only $10. Habitat for Humanity was harassed by pro-life folks, so they end up backing out of the deal. What about those kids? I could rant about this, but what's the point? Most of the people that read this blog (that I know about) know me well enough to know what I'll say.

a post on politics

It's pretty clear who I'm voting for. Every day there's something that makes me dislike Clinton's tactics more and more and something that makes my voting for Obama more justified.
I use Stumble Upon and today it took me to something posted on Daily Kos. Someone did their research on Clinton and Obama and was kind enough to pass on some of the info.
It's long, but if you're unsure of who you want between the two, it might help you decide.

Now it's time for a small rant:
Also, I watched the first SNL last night and it was very funny. Except for Tina Fey's rant about how Clinton's the right choice. Sure, she's right about some of the Clinton criticism (the whole "Bitches get stuff done" thing). I like Tina Fey because she identifies herself as a feminist in a time where female celebrities are afraid to do so, but she also plays a character on 30 Rock that, at times, falls into the sitcom stereotype of 30-something single females. I agree that it's a fantastic time for feminism and women because we have a serious female candidate for President that, at one point in time, almost could've nabbed the job. But really, Tina, STFD and STFU. I don't care that you want to vote for Clinton just because she's female, her husband is a former President, etc. etc. When she said, "And yet women have come so far as feminists that they don't feel obligated to vote for a candidate just because she's a woman. Women today feel perfectly free to make whatever choice Oprah tells them to." (with a picture of Obama and Oprah) That was ridiculous. Oprah has sucked up to the Clintons just as much as she has to Obama. That's like people blaming her for GWB winning because he came on her show.
And don't get me started on the feminist blogosphere and their bashing of any sentence out of a male politician's mouth about Clinton. Seriously, ladies. Just cause Obama said "periodically" doesn't not necessarily mean he was going "LOL, WOMEN ARE SO CRAZY CAUSE THEY HAVE PERIODS!". Clinton is holding her own and they're treating her like another political candidate. They're not treating her like a child or a joke, not holding back because of her fragile state as a woman, so, really, settle down. Plus, have you heard some of the stuff Bill Clinton's been saying? Damn.
Can we stop analyzing and criticizing each and every thing and just be happy for a few minutes that we are living in a historic time period where our two Democratic candidates don't look similar to every other President and candidate?

firsts.

Today I was asked quite a lot by my students if I was voting and who I was going to vote for. Amazing! They actually know what is going on.

I did vote in my first primary. Now we wait for the results.

a tribute to natalie dee and drew toothpaste

Pretty much the best daily comic making couple in the world of the internet. They always make me laugh.


nataliedee.com
bwahahahaha.

& btw, this (the full version of my shirt) has been cracking people up at school:



WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE WEB COMIC? (I'll also accept your favorite Natalie Dee/Toothpaste for Dinner/Married to the Sea comic, if you want to join this fan post.)

more later, for now...

I have a lot to update, but I need to get some stuff done.

total bummer and totally awesome

I am totally bummed! I sat down, readied my camera and thought I uploaded all the pictures from the holidays. Nope. I didn't. And I already deleted a few of the originals from the camera. Way to go, me!
So, all of the pictures after Sunday night, including the super nice ones I took of Meg and I out in the snow, are gone. Deleted. And I am bummed and out of time to blog about our quick holidays. Ah well. I still have a few good pictures to show off, but you'll have to wait until tomorrow (I know, I know--tragic. Just try to hold back those tears!).

I was not bummed, however, when I woke up to find the results of the Iowa caucus! Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee?? Really? How exciting! What are all of your thoughts on the outcome? Are you surprised? Or did you think that was going to be the outcome?
Also, I'm sure you've heard of Ron Paul by now. How could you not see some wonderful graffiti or illegal sign stuck somewhere by the side of the road? Ron Paul is... interesting and intriguing. Sort of in a good way, but mostly in a way that really disgusts and disturbs me. For example, he seems to enjoy hanging out with white supremacists. Plus, the many other issues I don't agree with that he's voted on/taken stands on, but don't necessarily have time to sit around the list every single one of them out. It's funny, because he sounds like he has interesting/possibly useful ideas, but I don't quite think he means it the same way I do.
By the way, if you are on the fence, have no clue whose running, or want to make sure your gut feeling is correct, I have two different websites that might help. The first is On the Issues. My students used this one to start off their Presidential research papers and it helped them a lot. You click on their name or picture, up comes every issue and every stand and vote on that issue, broken down into small issues. There is also Project Vote Smart. They have voting records of everyone out there in the political world, which is very useful.

children and healthcare

David was talking about this at breakfast this morning and then feministe wrote about it today.