Exercise on a Tuesday

I've set a goal for this summer: exercise for 60 minutes every day. Any kind of exercise. Running, walking, Bob or Jillian DVD, whatevah.

HOPEFULLY, because my summer schedule is certainly less packed than the school year, I'll be able to make that happen. Basically, what I need to do is convince myself that getting out of bed and putting on the exercise clothes is the way to go. Then, just do it right away and get it overwith.

Sometimes in health magazines, one of their "tricks" to motivate is sleeping with your exercise gear on. Gross. There's no way in hell I'm sleeping in a sports bra. Un. Comfortable. I hope I can get past the five minutes it will take me to change without losing the motivation.

Tonight I went out hoping to do a 60-minute run. That turned into a 1-mile run followed by a 45-minute walk with a few sprint intervals thrown in. Sometimes, I get out there and I just can't stomach the run. Tonight was one of those nights. I try not to beat myself up over it too much, because I know I should consider the fact that I did get up off my butt for an hour is a victory in and of itself.

Especially on a Tuesday. Usually, I'm in class from 5-9 p.m., so I burn about, oh, 7 calories sitting in a classroom taking notes.

We'll see how this little experiment goes. Maybe I should throw a quarter in a jar every day that I actually do 60 minutes. Then, maybe I can buy something for myself before school starts with my hard-earned change...

You are (dead) everybody. You are (dead) everyone.

(Don't worry - that title is not some scary call to action. If you watch LOST, you'll get it, if you don't, you won't.)

I'm still not sure what to think about last night's LOST series finale. All I know is that I went to sleep thinking about it, and I woke up this morning thinking about it, still trying to decide what I know and what I don't.

That show has been with me since I started teaching - it premiered in September of 2004, just after I left the newspaper business.

Adam and I watched the first season in the basement TV room at our first house in Valley Center.

I watched seasons 2-3 at our little pink house on Holyoke in Wichita. Betsy and Mitzi and Adam and I watched season 4 (with great premiere parties at a certain principal's house). The girls gave up on it because they got behind, but Hubs and I stuck with it.

At one point during season 3, our DVR quit working, so I watched most of the shows on ABC.com in our back computer room. It was FREEZING in that room, and I spent the winter huddled under a blanket watching people on a desert island on my iMac screen.

I loved those characters. Each was flawed in some way, but all they were trying to do was make their way in the world and do the right thing. I'm not ready to talk about what actually happened in the finale just yet. I think I still need some processing time, and I'm interested to see what all the TV gurus out there have to say.

Did you watch? What did you think?

Monday morning caption madness 2

Who ARE these people?

I don't know why I read the story comments on the Star's website. Usually, I don't, but when they publish the searchable databases of public employees, one is sure to see some doozy comments from clueless people.

The searchable databases do not include teacher salaries, I guess, because two or three people are complaining that teacher salaries aren't there.

The following two comments come from the same poster. Keep in mind, like most newspapers, the Star doesn't require commenters to use their real names, so most will post vitriol they would never think of attaching their own names to.

Why aren't teachers salaries published? That's where the highway robbery is! SHOW US THAT KC STAR!!!!

Post the school district's payroll!!!! THAT'S WHERE THE TAXPAYER'S ARE RAPED!!!!! DO WE NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO SEE THE TRUTH?

Sidenote: Gosh, anonymous commenter, you obviously didn't listen to and appreciate your teachers back when you were in school, because you don't know how to show plural words versus possessive words. Wah wah.

Do people honestly believe teachers are living the high life? That we are overpaid? Are you freaking kidding me?

Cruise through the parking lot of a local high school, and you'll see beautiful, shiny new SUVs and sports cars mixed in with older economy cars. In our parking lot, those shiny and new cars are in the STUDENT parking lot, not the faculty lot, for the most part. And, if there are super-nice cars in the faculty lot, it's probably because the educator's spouse has a great job!

Before you start with your "But you get summers off, and winter break, and Thanksgiving break" argument, let me remind you that almost every Sunday, I spend at least three hours (sometimes more) grading and planning for the week. And, a typical day at school for me is 10 hours. Many times, there is work to be done once I get home, too.

I might not get up and go to work every day during the summer like a regular school day, but I work all summer long, teaching workshops, taking my students to workshops, planning and re-working things I've done in the past. The goal is constant improvement to help my students achieve everything they are capable of and more.

I know I'm not the only one. We don't teach for glamour and prestige or high wages, trust me. We teach because we love what we do, and we want to help children succeed. Sadly, many in the general public do not value education professionals. These are the same people who complain about the "state of the world today." Do they think we should just be paid babysitting wages? It seems they think that's all we're doing.

We have to go back to grad school (on our own dime) to further our education to get any type of significant raise. In fact, that's the only reason I'm seeing a pay raise this year - because I've spent thousands of dollars working on my master's degree. We don't get bonuses (like corporate America), and we're not getting step raises this year. It's a wash. I'm just lucky that I teach in a district that is able to not (technically) CUT our pay this year, because of the economic crisis and the state's budget problems.

I'm amazed that people want the best services (firefighters, teachers, police, social workers) but they are not willing to foot the bill for it. Do they think that money magically comes from somewhere? Grows on trees? I don't know.

Hey, Crazypants: You complain that American students can't keep up or compete with their foreign counterparts. How do you plan to remedy that situation by continually cutting budgets for schools? The math simply doesn't add up.

I hope the Star does eventually get around to publishing teacher salaries. Maybe then this yahoo will see that he's completely off-base complaining about our high salaries.

And the winners are...

Even though they technically missed the Wednesday deadline, the winners in the caption contest are Aunt Janet and Kollen! (Thunderous applause)

Best Pop Culture Reference Caption goes to Kollen for:
I gave you my heart, and you give me a crayon?

Best Reading of Body Language Caption to Aunt Janet for:
"Do these polka dots make my butt look big?"

"No, I think its the diaper."

Most young women can relate to that second one, I think!

Thanks to those who played, and look for a more grown-up version of caption madness this week.

Monday morning caption madness

Maybe it's just me, but I think this photo is really funny - their body language interests me. If it strike you funny, too, tell me what you think.

Caption this photo in the comments box below, and I'll pick a winner on Wednesday. That gives you two days to get the creative juices flowing.

Sunday morning at the Nelson

Betsy rallied the troops for a photo outing on the grounds of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art this morning. Molly brought Ellen, and Molly and Betsy's friend Marie brought her son, Preston. The weather was perfect for a little outdoor time to hone photo skills, which Betsy has been doing a great job of on her other blog.

Preston sorta kissed Ellen when asked. It was more like a drive-by kissing (or an air-kiss, I guess).


The lovely McKnight-Lund ladies.


You might have seen this little one over on the View Across Town.


I don't have kids of my own, so I might not be the best judge, but I'm guessing that free will in children can be a scary thing for parents sometimes!


Ah, and the woman saying "I know, I don't know what the heck he's thinking" has already started.


It's not a photo shoot at the Nelson without pictures of the shuttlecocks.


Caroline and Ellen take a nice little walk along the shaded path.



Thanks, Betsy, for getting us all out to enjoy the beautiful weather and friendship.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post - it will be a caption contest with an outtake from today.