First off... is it me or does curry smell like armpit??  I've been reducing soup - to get it thick - for our chicken curry *with coconut sauce and red bell peppers* and now our house smells like pofafa (btw, I never knew about that word until Reggie taught me - I swear, that guy's half chad!  LMAO!!).  It tastes fine, but the smell has already given me a headache.    Just hope the smell clears before Reg gets home - he might be too grossed-out to eat dinner!  LOL!

Well, maybe my headache is from my homework.    Been trying to finish the template for the primary grades' report card - something I put off during summer break - and creating our grade level's attendance form on disk.  None of these are computerized and I'm trying to create templates (as well as for our other forms) so we can all input our data onto disks.  You won't believe the amount of paperwork we have and that they're due weekly - bet you all thought it was just teaching huh?    Don't get me started!  Anyway, guess it's easier for us to work with them on computer.  It's fun to make the templates, but not when I have to recreate actual logos which is what I had to do for the report card.  Thank goodness for my newfound skills on Photoshop, they really helped since I had to recreate our school logo from scratch!!  My to-do list is nowhere near finished and I just realized that I forgot to write out the kids full names on sentence strips so they can practice (and eventually get used to) writing their first & last names with middle initial if possible for tomorrow.  Good job Belle!    Well, these templates are an excuse for me to get on the computer because while I'm doing these things, I'm also surfing about.  LMAO!  Such an addict huh??!!

School's been going well!!  Our reading coordinator gave me a below-average bunch this year... it's going to be a challenge!!    I say.... Bring it!! 

I'm still missing my batch from last year.  Every new year is like recovering from a break-up (losing my kids to the next grade).  To make matters worse, I see my 'exes' everyday and have to pretend that everything is fine.  Deep inside, I want things to be the way they were the year before, but I have to put on a smile and concentrate my efforts on my current batch all the while knowing that the fondness my children had for me is now being transferred to their new teacher.  It's a vicious cycle, you have nooo idea.  Funny how I likened the whole situation, huh?  LOL!  That's one 'rollercoaster' aspect of teaching. 

Things have been going well with my coworkers.  We're all treating one another as if nothing ever happened and I am sooo relieved they're back to normal.  Reg reminds me all the time though to keep my guard up and not be so trusting.  He also reminds me that I deserve what comes to me since I never learn my lesson (I'll have that with some sugarcoating, please!    J-K!).  I'm having a good time so far... hmmm, am I jinxing myself?  Used to be that I would lose sleep and get anxiety attacks the few nights before and after school would start.  My first two years, 2001 - 2003, I would actually be crying at night and feeling sick in the morning!!  Years 2003 -2005 weren't so bad - just the sleeplessness and anxiety.  This year, I feel very comfortable and calm.  You can even say I have a bounce to my step.  It must be the accumulated experience, our new DI program, and the incredible support system I have around me.  THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU ALL, you know who you are!!  Reg has also helped me more than he realizes because a big part of it comes from my classroom setting and his encouragement.  He did soooo much for me guys.  I can't believe how nice my room looks.  THANK YOU REGGIE!!   Even on our first day (staff and faculty only), he was in my class applying the finishing touches while we were the cafeteria, in our orientation.  I was so pleased with his work that I treated him the to lunch and shopping (he was like a little boy, picking out what he wanted - too cute!).

I'm sure I'll have more things to talk about as the year progresses - damn certain the impending challenges will make it so!  Until later...