I'm doing the 'Special Ed' yaaaay.  LOL!    I'm just so used to the dentist calling out all the numbers of all the teeth I've developed cavities in.  Eeeew!  Well, today (my appointment, obviously) they found not a one!  Yeah!!  Although the experience overall was  ... hmmm how can I describe it ... excruciating??!   I have two cuts, one on my tongue and one on my gum!  Kinda heavy-handed there with the pick!   My question is, why do dentists insist on asking you questions or making conversation with you while they've got an instrument in your mouth?  Exactly how do they expect me to respond?  Today's questions were 'So you're a teacher.  Where at?'  I just gave my dentist an 'are you serious?' look.    Never fails, would you agree?  Anyway, I think they deliberately save the heavy-handed dentists for me.  I don't know how they do it, but I've a feeling they've got my  name flagged.  Just kidding - it's probably coincidence.  I just dig my nails into my arms and hope time flies.  They were telling me that if I had any cavities, I would have to remove my braces to get them filled, but I guess I'm fortunate this round.    It's been seven months since I got them and so far, I'm happy with the results.  I'm set to have them removed in 2006, but hopefully it'll happen for me sooner.  We'll see. 

I'm really excited guys!  A friend, whom I haven't seen and just recently got into contact with, is coming here either next month or early May!!    We were childhood friends and went to school together in Korea.  Anyway, I found her on one of those friend-servers and we've been keeping in touch since.  I'm so excited that we get this chance to see one another again but at the same time, I'm nervous because it's been over 10 years.  I remember her brother used to bully me around - he used to punch me in the stomach!    I wonder if he'll be making it down here with her ... I'd love a chance to get return the favor.  LOL!  KIDDING!

One of my kids got suspended today - for the second time!    This time, for punching a girl.    I am at a loss - I don't know what to do.  And I'm certain suspension is not the best solution.  I'm just filled with guilt that I'm not doing enough for the child.  Everytime I think I've gotten through, something like this happens and it just shows me I didn't get through at all.  I know the parents are just as frustrated.  The last time the student got in trouble was when he PEE'D on another student in the bathroom.  Yes, I'm serious.  The other student decided to wait until after he came back from his reading class to tell his homeroom teacher what had happened.  Luckily, another student of mine was in the bathroom when it happened.  When I got wind of it, I immediately took both kids out of their classes and marched them straight to the office.  The principals weren't in at the time, though.    I was just baffled.  How could you sit there, with urine on your shirt, and decide to put off 'tattle-telling' for almost an hour later?  That's exactly what the other boy was going to do. You know what his only complaint was while the nurse was trying to get ahold of the parents?  I'm hot.  I wanted to say 'boy, your shirt is soaked in urine and you reek!!  All you can say is you're hot??!'    I tell you, the smell and the thought of urine on skin had me gagging throughout.  When I asked him to describe to me how my kid could get urine on him, the boy replied 'he just aimed up and shot,' while tilting his hips, mimicking the gesture.    I was just dumbfounded - it was a first.  I have had my share of unbelievable experiences and this one is certainly going into the books.  I couldn't even speak to my student.  I was afraid I would go off.  I just gave the silent treatment.  I'm sure he needed more from me, but I really couldn't find anything positive to say.  I'm telling you, being a teacher is the best form of birth-control.  Seeing how some kids turn out ...  I'll be calling the parents tonight.

Switching the topic to one of my favorite boys ... Guess what??!  Remember his first words were 'bye-bye'?  WELL Reggie and I were babysitting Monday night and you won't believe what we heard him say with oh, such clarity??!  "OH SH*T!!!"    Reg and I were floored!  We were so disappointed and what's worse, we know exactly where Jules learned it from (his mommy and daddy).  What's bad is he says it in succession, too!  It can either be during a situation where something he doesn't like happens or even conversationally.  Oh sh*t, oh sh*t, oh sh*t, oh sh*t ... .  So Reg tries to intervene each time and goes 'You mean, oh sheesh! Oh sheesh!'  LOL!!  Nice try, babe.  No, it doesn't work.  Reggie's oh sheeshes are always  followed by pat-boy's oh sh*ts. 

Okay - ending this now.  Later!!