=) Anecdote from a random forward:
A little boy was doing his math homework. He said to himself, "Two plus five, that son of a bitch is seven. Three plus six, that son of a bitch is nine...." His mother heard what he was saying and gasped, "What are you doing?" The little boy answered, "I'm doing my math homework, Mom." "And this is how your teacher taught you to do it?" the mother asked. "Yes," he answered. Infuriated, the mother asked the teacher the next day, "What are you teaching my son in math?" The teacher replied, "Right now, we are learning addition." The mother asked, "And are you teaching them to say two plus two, that son of a bitch is four?" After the teacher stopped laughing, she answered, "What I taught them was, two plus two, THE SUM OF WHICH, is four."

you know your cell phone is way too small when you reach in your bag and confuse it for your swiss army knife. =/

i've come to sort of a standstill with my master's inquiry-research. i'm stuck. i just can't think anymore. time is ticking and yet i'm not doing much about it. *sigh* i hope motivation strikes me soon. on a positive note, i've had quite a few visitors to my classroom as of late! =) one very notable, might i add. patrick j. finn, author of "literacy with an attitude" and his wife, were both in my classroom observing on monday. we got to talk afterwards, and they are very nice people, to put it simply. this weekend i'll get to see gloria ladson-billings again, and i'll get to meet sonia nieto! =) ooh, i'm such nerd. i wanna meet famous people of academia!

on a more normal level, can u believe lord of the rings swept at the oscars? ok, that's all. =)

it has come to be attention that tomorrow is not only the 100th day of school, but it is also my 100th day of teaching! yay, janet!!!

tomorrow will be a big day. we've got ambitious plans for the entire first grade. in theory, it should work out. we'll see if our theory holds true. it requires a great deal of coordination and materials. this will be the first of its kind! and to kick it off, all the 1st grade teachers made t-shirts with 100 things painted on it! since my class is the All-Stars, i painted 100 stars on mine. looks soooo dorky, but that's me isn't it? =)

ah~ the marketable holiday of Valentine's Day. a time to blow your money on cards and chocolates and sometimes flowers. well, i got all three of those. got plenty of cards from my students, more chocolate and candy than i know what to do with, and some flowers. =) and what'd i get them? a makeshift v-day card with a note that read, "dear all-stars, you always make me happy, no matter what. i am lucky to be your teacher. happy valentine's day! love, ms. lee." of course i put hearts on them. it's the least i could do as a first grade teacher. and it wasn't supposed to be a party, but parents brought cake and juice. =p aiya.

at least this time around was better than last year's =) last year i was all by my lonesome at my apartment, watching tv and eating and eating... hoping for at least a phone call from my then soon-to-be boyfriend. but alas, not even a call. but i respect that he wasn't ready for it then. he completely made up for it this year by, i think, outdoing himself. got me a big ol arrangement of flowers (for the first time!), chocolate apple, and a CD for my students. then we went to dinner out in eagle rock (yes, we battled the NBA All-Star traffic) to a supposedly famous hosh-posh bistro called Camilo's. had a 5-course meal that included lamb chops for me, and lobster for benji. after that we got food coma and fell asleep, not even making it out to the club (that's the part i planned for the evening). and on my part, i didn't have high expectations for this valentine's, and i'm such a bad gf i got him nothing. not even a card. =( who knew? for those who know benji, really, u wouldn't think he would go all out. he spoils me. i owe him now.

i have the first 10 or so pages down of my Master's thesis. i think i'm pretty proud of the draft i have thus far, considering it is just my first draft. =) i got some solid feedback on it, and some fluffy ones too. unlike many of the people in my cohort, i'm completely enjoying the experience of working on this portfolio. i'm able to put onto paper my major theoretical influences that guide my practice. it will be a testament of what i am about. being a grad student kicks ass. i can't wait to be in a phD program in several years. =) maybe then i can be intellectually challenged among my peers. (yes, that was a slap in the face to UCLA TEP).

i cannot believe the bullshit happening at my school. it's ridiculous. no, it's pathetic. i never imagined how corrupt and stupid administrators could be. i can't go into it...

i had a good day with my students today. =) i love them, as bonkers as they are. i only have half a year with them... =( i'm tired and hungry.

a bumper sticker that jimmy saw today: "a woman's place is in the house, the senate, and the oval office" NICE. ;)

and again, it is that time of the year. the amazing american phenomenon we call... the superbowl. it's crazy how big it is. and there's this military thing in baghdad called "freedom rest" where a number of "lucky" soldiers got to wear civilian clothes, be unarmed, and party and watch the superbowl in saddam's palace. woohoo!! WTF? the true american way of life. bizarre, if u ask me. i find i am often ashamed of being an american...

we are now into the second month of 2004. this year has special meaning to me for a number of reasons. for one, it will be another graduation year. two, it is the year of the monkey, which is my year. =) the last time it was the year of the monkey, i was 11. three, it will mark the completion of my first year of being a public school teacher. four, it will be the one year anniversary since benji and i began our partnership. =) yes, i can be a sap. i hope this year doesn't go by too fast. damn, i turn 24 this year. before we know it, 2005 will be here. then my quarter-century birthday will be here.... O_O

steph just told me about the commercials that CBS refuses to air regarding the incompetency and corruption of the bush administration. click to see the bush commercials