>These pretzels are making me thirsty.

>According to my wonderful younger brother, everything in life can be explained in the context of an episode of either Seinfeld or Friends. I don’t think he knew that his philosophy would hold true for the NFL playoffs.
The New York Giants come to town this weekend to play the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game to determine who will play in this season’s Super Bowl. According to the grapevine, quarterback Eli Manning’s favorite show is Seinfeld. A local TV station airs reruns of Seinfeld on Saturday evening, and has decided not to air its scheduled show because that might be considered “providing comfort to the enemy” — the enemy quarterback, that is. The news folks took a poll via their web site and decided to replace the rerun with a Vince Lombardi piece.
Apparently, Jerry Seinfeld heard about this and decided to take matters into his own hands. He is providing Manning with a full set of Seinfeld DVDs, the portable DVD player, and yada, yada, yada.
The visiting teams usually stay not in Green Bay, but in a decent hotel in my own little nearby town. Honestly, I hope dear Eli is happy and comfortable now, because he certainly won’t be comfortable in the cold come Sunday evening. At the moment, my outdoor thermometer reads 2 degrees. Temps on Sunday will be about the same, and the wind chill has not been predicted — not that there’s anything wrong with that.
This sure is a lot of something over a show about nothing. So put on your green and gold, fans, and serve up the pretzels.

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>Ah, it’s all random

>I’ve been tagged with another meme, this time for six random facts about me. I’ve done seven, I’ve done eight, so six sounds accessible. Melissa of Green Girl, another Wisconsin blogger, tagged me for the (gulp) revealing post.
Here are the rules:

  1. Link to the person that tagged you.
  2. Post the rules on your blog.
  3. Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
  4. Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
  5. Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

Well, here goes. I’ve chosen a theme for this meme.

  • I’ve been watching the Weather Channel frequently to get the latest forecast for the playoff game on Sunday.
  • I’ve worn a little Packer attire each day this week. Today, I went all out and wore my loud and wild and snuggly warm football fleece, a Packer bandanna headband, and even fan-style socks.
  • Contrary to most fans, the outcome of a Packer playoff game actually affects our family directly.
  • I had a piece of Amigo’s birthday cake with my supper; it had green and gold icing flowers and pretty sugar snowflakes. We already ate the part that was decorated like a Packer helmet.
  • Serious football fan and good Wisconsinite, I’d still rather drink Diet Coke than beer with my bratwurst.
  • I actually decorated my fireplace mantel using Packer pom-pons.

If you’re thinking that I have a one track mind, you’re almost right. I’m also obsessing over first semester report cards.

Tags? Here goes —
Shash from Diary of a Crazed Mommy
Dana from The Dana Files (another Wisconsin blogger!)
MamaCheryl from Red Pens and Diapers (also from Northern Wisconsin!)
Melanie from the Refrigerator Door
Judy from Not Afraid of the F Word
Margalit from What Was I Thinking?
I am privileged to share blog space with Melanie, Judy, and Margalit at Mid-Century Modern Moms.

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>To teach, or — to teach?

>Kristina had a post that caught my eye early this week at Autism Vox. She quoted a recent article about careers that made me pause and think about my work and my role as teacher.
The article broke down what they call an “overrated” career into three categories: the appeal, the reality, and alternatives.
The paperwork for renewing my teaching license sits next to my computer. My five-year license cycle ends in June, and I need to take care of this little detail before then. Actually, I plan to do this tomorrow. I’ll download and print the application for renewal from our state’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI, to us folks who report to them regularly), fill it out, get it notarized, and then mail it with my check and my transcript documenting my continuing education requirement as soon as possible.
On the surface, it looks like a classic MasterCard commercial.
License application: $100
Transcript documenting six credits of continuing education, within the last licensing cycle of five years: $5
Tuition to earn 6 credits (see above): $2000, as part of a Masters Degree
Postage: about $1
Getting to keep my day job: well, you know the script.

Overrated? Well, maybe. According to US News and World Report, an alternative would be working as a tutor or teaching in a private school. They forget that these positions have very low pay and rarely carry benefits of any kind. but also according to their article, teachers who stick with the career can end up earning six figure incomes. Um, no, not realistically. A few (emphasis: few) administrators such as school superintendents might make salaries in the low six figures, but not many. And in my state, our incomes (including benefits) are regulated and limited by law.
I sincerely enjoy my work. The daily challenge, the interactions with children and their parents, collaborating with others who are passionate about teaching, and more, contribute to a fascinating career. I teach with some of the most caring and generous people in the world, and none of us would consider our work “overrated.”
But if a careerist wants to talk alternatives, why not think about other jobs that use teaching skills? I’ve trained other teachers to use computer technology effectively. I’ve written for professional journals. Colleagues often look to me for advice in mediating conflicts and dealing with emotionally charged issues. (They’ve asked me to run for office, too, but I declined.) Add that to the fact that I can speak in complete sentences and I’m not afraid to talk to a difficult crowd (I hear my fellow teachers laughing in sympathy already), current CPR (including AED), First Aid, and more. All of those skills would be useful in other work settings. Few if any teachers are limited to working in school buildings and only school settings.
No, I’m not going to leave my job. But if I did, I wouldn’t be as limited as US News and World Report might imply.

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>Starting the Blogging year with a Retrospective

>I saw this meme in two places, Raspberry Latte and Not Afraid of the “F” Word (not what you think). It sounded like a perfect way to start the new blogging year. The rules are simple: search out the first post of each month and post the first line here. So, in honor of the first post of 2008, here it is: a recap of 2007. I’ve linked to the posts themselves in case you want to read what followed.

January: Reindeer Pig shows off the new chalkboard mug and its greeting

February: I am currently worrying about:

March: I know it’s a day early.

April: You might be a teacher if:

May: Disablism?

June: Tradition!

July: Summer fun includes baseball!

August: My blog had its ten thousandth hit over the weekend!

September: Summer Fridays are special for me and Amigo.

October: The first book in a planned series, The Dark Dreamweaver takes a young boy into a fantasy world where he discovers that while magic isn’t as easy as he thought, he has a talent and ability to learn it and use it well.

November: My school is one of the few that still allows kids to dress for Halloween.

December: Yes.

Searching through my archives made for an interesting journey. The shortest starting sentence was one word (December, May, June). The longest opener was the book review that started October, and somehow, it works without being a run-on. Two posts started with partial sentences followed by bulleted lists (February, April) Looking back on these posts reminds me of the rollercoaster ride that was 2007. Life’s looking up, mostly, so I hope that trend continues.

Here’s hoping 2008 is a good one for you, too.

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>May you live an interesting life.

>I’ve also heard the Chinese saying, both a blessing and a curse, translated as “May you live in interesting times.” We certainly live in interesting times, and it’s not always positive. but am I interesting enough to fulfill this meme? I’ll give it a whirl.

The Good Flea tagged me with the “Seven random things about you” meme. I know I’ve done one similar to this before, so I’ll do my best to think of new and exciting — well, new things, anyway — that readers of Compost Happens may not already know. Here are the basic rules:

Link to the person who tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
Share 7 facts about yourself.
Tag 7 random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I blog in three places: Here at Compost Happens, A Mother’s Garden of Verses (poetry), and on the new group blog Mid-Century Modern Moms.
2. I can eat stale popcorn for breakfast, if there’s coffee to go with it.
3. I love to bake. One of my life goals is to learn to bake bread — without the breadmaker machine. Gadgets are great for me, a full-time teacher, because I can feed the family and still get all my schoolwork done. The breadmaker and the crockpot are my saving grace. But there are times when I pour the flour and yeast into the breakmaker, push the button and think, “I’m cheating, really. It would be so satisfying to knead this myself.” But who has the time? Maybe next summer.
4. I enjoy watching the stat counter on Compost Happens. It’s not like watching an odometer click, scheduling maintenance and oil changes, and wondering how long it will last. Watching the stat counter is more like watching a child grow. I might just celebrate when it hits 20,000. I predict that might happen next summer sometime. Party!
5. I’m a morning person. I enjoy getting up before the rest of the family, getting my coffeepot going, feeding the rabbits, and enjoying the quiet. It gives me thinking time and a little computer time without having to fend off the other Internet addict, er, computer users in the household.
6. If I hadn’t been a teacher, I might have been a nurse. In fact, I had applied to a local college of nursing and was meeting with an advisor when I made my decision to instead expand my teaching license to include regular elementary. The rest, as they say, is history. I still satisfy my interests in that area by keeping my first aid and CPR up to date and by training as a public health volunteer.
7. If I ever leave teaching (don’t worry, family, it’s not likely) I would like to write. Even now, I’d like to write more. I published a professional article a few months ago, applied for a grant for the first time (didn’t get it, I’ll try another source later), and realized that I miss the process of forming thoughts and putting words on paper. That said, I offered to help my principal work on a large grant application. We’ll see if she takes me up on it.

So…do I live in interesting times? In a world view, yes. In my own household and blogging world? Only time will tell. Heck, it’s an election year. Anything can happen.
As for tags — so many bloggers, so little time! I’ll leave the tag area open to anyone interested. Let me know if you post this one; I’ll put up a link.

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>On watching too much television

>Random thoughts, in no particular order, while sipping strong coffee and watching the snow fall

On watching The Weather Channel: Looks like we’ll get steady snow, as expected, and those east of the lake will get more. Okay with me; I enjoy winter, but I have family on the road today. I want them to reach their destinations safely.

On watching CNN: I remember reading about Benazir Bhutto many, many years ago in my first subscription to Ms. Magazine. She was an incredibly strong woman. I was impressed by her then, and I’m saddened by her assassination now.

On more Weather Channel: The Southeastern U.S. is finally getting a little rain. I hope they get a significant amount, but not so much that they get floods. Dry/ drought-ridden land doesn’t absorb sudden deluges very well.

On watching CNN: Pakistan elected a female prime minister decades ago. Granted, she had corruption within her administration, eventually ended up in exile, and more, but really…. How is it that our own progressive country still thinks gender is an issue for a presidential candidate?

On catching a bit of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood: Hey, this is refreshing. Snore…get me more coffee…maybe I should go outside and shovel….

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>Winter Break, and the livin’ is (not) easy

>To do list for today:

  • Clean bunny litter boxes
  • Return overdue book on tape to the library
  • Pay fine on overdue book on tape (cringe)
  • Buy bunny food and bread
  • Sign and mail adjudicator contracts for 2008 music festivals
  • Update family prescriptions
  • Take Amigo to doctor to look at potential ear infection
  • Pick up prescription for ear infection (When Amigo says his ear hurts, he’s usually infected)
  • Fill car with gas for La Petite’s trip to job interview at her university
  • Prepare car for possible winter emergency in case back roads are bad on the way to university
  • Remind La Petite to pack food, since her apartment cupboards are bare
  • Make sure all errands are done before La Petite leaves us temporarily without wheels
  • Laundry, including La Petite’s extra baskets
  • Pack boxes for thrift store pick-up tomorrow
  • Clean kitchen (again)
  • Fill refrigerator with fruit from music dept. fundraiser
  • Write thank you notes for student gifts (smile; fourth graders are still cute)
  • Grind coffee beans (oh, such a sacrifice: two Christmas gifts inlcuded whole bean coffee)
  • Nibble on Christmas cookies
  • Read A Wrinkle in Time with Amigo (he got the Braille edition for Christmas)
  • Snuggle up on the couch and watch CNN or the Weather Channel
  • Catch up on Time Magazines and sip coffee or hot cocoa

Come to think of it, maybe the livin’ isn’t so hard after all. Any to-do list that includes reading, nibbling on cookies and sipping coffee can’t be all bad.

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