Thursday, January 21, 2010
I can't get a haircut, my uncle's in jail
One of my students ("JH") has not gotten his hair cut in almost two months. The other kids joked around with him at first and JH just laughed it off. Eventually another student did something worthy enough to get made fun of, so everyone forgot about the student with the afro in training. This past week a student in one of JH's classes decided that there was nothing better to do than make fun of JH's hair again. It was decided that JH's hair looked like a cat had been licking it. For several days the teacher would overhear "meow", "meow", but she did not know what this joke was all about. Eventually JH confronted this student and asked him to stop making fun of his hair. The student kept meowing and talking about JH's hair. Security had to come and remove the students mid-fight. I found out all this information when I met with one of our Deans today to speak about the incident, which I was unaware of until this morning because it happened at the end of the day yesterday. I asked JH what the fight was about and he told me it was about his hair. I asked him if he was growing his hair out or if he was planning on getting it cut. His response was "I can't get a haircut, my uncle's in jail". Apparently his uncle cuts his hair, but since he has been in jail there has been no one to cut his hair. God forbid the boy's mother takes him for a haircut. The Dean slipped me a ten dollar bill as I was leaving the room. JH and I will spend some time practicing our community skills tomorrow and just happen to visit a barber who can cut this mop.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Social Visits
Background information 1: I took an informal survey among some friends and acquaintances that consisted of the following question: What is an appropriate amount of time for someone to come visit and stay at your house? The general response I received, if my memory serves correct was somewhere around the 3 or 4 day mark. This response was regardless of how strong or weak your relationship is with the visitor.
Background information 2: A series of unfortunate events from the time of birth to moving out on my own have caused the relationship between me and my parents to be what some may call "strained". It could be called less than ideal for most folks, but in my world this distant relationship is probably as good as it's going to get.
It is imperative that you have these two pieces of background information when reading about the two social visits I suffered through in 2009. While Tsjaz was off gallivanting in Africa my dad decided to come for a visit. He thought it was good timing because Tsjaz would be away and he could spend more time with me. I thought this was terrible timing because it meant I couldn't pawn him off on Tsjaz. Not until he arrived did he mention that he was staying for 10 days. I was also in the middle of a major house project. It was great to have extra hands around to help! Not really because all he did was boss me around and storm inside like a little kid when I wouldn't put up with his domineering nature. To make it through the day I put Bailey's in my coffee in the morning and sometimes lied saying I had to go work with the dogs, but instead met my friends at the bar.
Sometime in November my mom decided to come for a visit. I never actually believe she is coming until she is actually here because of her history of lies, so when she showed up on the doorstep I was a little surprised, relieved, and I'll admit, a little excited as well. When she told me the date of her expected departure, the little excitement I had dwindled and I was filled with this awful notion that my parents are having some sick competition. She stayed for 17 days. It wasn't as terrible as my dad's 10 day visit, but I did drink too much in order to stay in a good mood. I think the worst part was that I had to work all day, then come home from work and was not able to relax because there was someone here waiting.
Both my mom and dad have inquired about what my plan is for spring break. I told them both I'm not going to be around.
Background information 2: A series of unfortunate events from the time of birth to moving out on my own have caused the relationship between me and my parents to be what some may call "strained". It could be called less than ideal for most folks, but in my world this distant relationship is probably as good as it's going to get.
It is imperative that you have these two pieces of background information when reading about the two social visits I suffered through in 2009. While Tsjaz was off gallivanting in Africa my dad decided to come for a visit. He thought it was good timing because Tsjaz would be away and he could spend more time with me. I thought this was terrible timing because it meant I couldn't pawn him off on Tsjaz. Not until he arrived did he mention that he was staying for 10 days. I was also in the middle of a major house project. It was great to have extra hands around to help! Not really because all he did was boss me around and storm inside like a little kid when I wouldn't put up with his domineering nature. To make it through the day I put Bailey's in my coffee in the morning and sometimes lied saying I had to go work with the dogs, but instead met my friends at the bar.
Sometime in November my mom decided to come for a visit. I never actually believe she is coming until she is actually here because of her history of lies, so when she showed up on the doorstep I was a little surprised, relieved, and I'll admit, a little excited as well. When she told me the date of her expected departure, the little excitement I had dwindled and I was filled with this awful notion that my parents are having some sick competition. She stayed for 17 days. It wasn't as terrible as my dad's 10 day visit, but I did drink too much in order to stay in a good mood. I think the worst part was that I had to work all day, then come home from work and was not able to relax because there was someone here waiting.
Both my mom and dad have inquired about what my plan is for spring break. I told them both I'm not going to be around.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Taking the plunge
After wrestling with my own insecurities about starting a blog coupled with some adolescent-like peer pressure, I have decided to trade in my very time-consuming Farmville on Facebook for a blog. I made a mental pros and cons list and had two very disturbing realizations. 1. Farmville takes up a colossal amount of my time and the only thing I get in return is the satisfaction that I am a way better virtual farmer than most of my "neighbors". 2. I dislike talking to people so much that if they could just read my blog I could continue to pursue my lifelong goal of becoming a hermit.
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