Teachers in NC Receive a Pay Cut

Teacher in NC received a 1/2% pay cut in their May and June checks. While 1/2% doesn't seem like a lot, it set me back 100 this month, and it will set me back 100 again next month. For the decrease in pay we will receive 10 hours of time off; however, we must take the 10 hours off during noninstructional days. So basically the 10 hours that we receive aren't really worth anything because who would want to take a teacher workday off. Those are the best days ever. We actually get to go off campus and have a 1 hour lunch, and most importantly we don't have to plan our trips to the potty around our class schedule.

But back to the issue at hand, the government took a noticeable slice out of our checks this month: Are we angry? Are we protesting? Nope. Not really. The general consensus around the school was, "Well, at least we have a job."

Yes, Ill admit when I saw my check dwindle from 2200 to 2100, It stung a little. However, I walked across the hall to a coworker, and we groaned a little, and joked a little. In the ended, we decided that it would be all right. We would forgo manicures and pedicures, a few Friday nights at Applebees, but in the end it didn't break us. I mean, hey, if I can survive a classroom full of 31 15 and sixteen year old boys, I can survive 100 pay cut.

April 30th is National No Complaints Day

Okay, I just made this day up, but tomorrow, I am going to try really really hard not to complain. Complaining seems like a way that we has humans connect. Like whenever you ask someone how there weekend was, they always gripe "it was too short", and then you chime in and start complaining right along with them.

Lately there seems to be a lot to complain about like the Economy and Swine Flu. But tomorrow, I encourage you to take a break from complaining. When people start complaining to you listen intently and show concern, but do not be drawn in to complaining yourself.

Do this and see how your day goes. Who knows, you may find that you miss complaining, but not complaining is worth a try.

I will lose Five Pounds by the end of the school year

I currently weigh 134.5 pounds (Ive lost a half of a pound since I started my diet five days ago) and I am determined to get back down to my regular weight of 130 by June 10 which is the end of the school year. My goal is to lose 1/2 pound a week--already Ive lost 1/2 pound.

I am keeping my calories at 1800 and eating at least five servings of fruits and vegtables a day and 4-5 servings of grain.

Im on day five and I am doing pretty good at keeping my calories around 1800. I feel really good about the fact that I am eating so many fruits and vegtables. Its been easy to get in 5 a day, and some days Ive actually gone over.

Ill keep you posted on my success!

On Being An Aunt

Wait a minute, are her breasts bigger than mine?--I thought to myself as my 14 year old niece walked towards me. Okay, truthfully, I'm an A-B girl, so having larger breasts than mine is almost inevitable. But, still this is the same little girl who would meet me at the door jumping up and down when I came to visit--the same little girl who would cry uncontrollably when I left.

Now she is this stoic, texting, mp3 carrying teenager, with a Posh Spice haircut. She is the same age as the kids that I teach. I knew she was going to grow up, in fact I remember when she was 3 years old and she was starting to outgrow that "pick-me up and carry me" stage. And on this particular day, she was afraid of something, so I picked her up and I told her, "One day I wont be able to pick you up."
"Why?" She asked with 3 year old sincerity. She was upset, perplexed, and hurt at that thought.
Like I said, I knew she was going to grow up, I just didnt know it would be the minute I turned my back.

Carolina Wins the NCAA National Championship!

It hasn't happened yet, but I feel quite comfortable in posting this article right now at 10:18. The score is 51 to 32 with a little over a minute left in the half. And the best free through shooter in college history (Tyler H.) is at the line.

As the half draws to an end, Michigan is falling apart and the nation is now reallizing that President Obama was indeed right when he predicted that Carolina would win.

Anyway, this Carolina ALUM is going to bed, Ive got students to teach tomorrow and I need to be ready for them.

My students are a little more important than me seeing the victory celebration tonight. After all, I just saw it 4 years ago and Im sure Ill get a chance to see it again in the next few years.

I came in 8076th place!

When the finish line at the Cherry Blossom's 10 miler came into view, it was a rare moment when dreams met reallity and then coexisted for a moment in time. I had been running for 2 hours and 8 minutes and for some reason, and even though I saw the signs that I was getting closer to the finish line, I wasnt expecting to see it at that exact moment.

I had been planning for the race since November, but deep down inside (and not so deep down inside) I never really thought I would go through with it. After all, I am the queen of starting things and not finishing them.

I have registered and paid for races AND never showed up. I started Team in Training and dropped out before the first practice. I have spent hundreds of dollars on classes like, Computer Programming and Spanish that I started but never finished. And the Christmas before last, I thought I would like to be a photographer, so I dropped 700 dollars on a camera and enrolled in a course (which I dropped).

I could go on and on, but I'm guessing you can see the trend by now. And up until this particular finish line, I was starting to wonder if I would ever finish anything. This race restored my confidence.

I may not always finish things that I start, but at least I have the ambition to try new things and the intelligence to quit them when they arent working out. And if I try enough things, Ill inevitably follow through with some of them.

So right now, I am working on a Young Adult Fiction book and a Ninth Grade English workbook. And I am thinking about tutoring this summer and/or teaching online. I also want to learn how to draw. And oh yeah, if I have the money, and if I can get over my fear of flying, maybe Ill run the Chicago Half Marathon in the fall...

7 Ways for Teachers to Make and Save Money

"Teachers Don't Get Paid Enough" is what we constantly hear, but if you budget your money correctly and find ways to get paid for your expertise, you'll be able to keep the job you love and pay the mortage.

1. Save Money Without Even Missing It When you pay offf a bill or when you get your yearly raise; automatically have the money you saved or made transferred to your savings account. For example, when I paid off my computer loan, I had the 75.00 that I saved automatically transfrerred to my savings account. I didn't even miss it.

2. Find sites that offer FREE STUFF There are many sites like www.freethingsforteachers.com that cater to teachers. www.enotes.com is another site that offers free worksheets, lesson plans , and even ebooks for teachers.

3. Get your a Side Hustle On Use your expertise in education to make EXTRA money. Just because teachers don't get paid much doesn't mean your services aren't valuable in the "real" world. For example, I signed up as an editor at Enotes.com, and I can make 25.00-60.00 extra a month by answering questions about literature or uploading worksheets that I created for my students. Check out my site for more info: http://www.ehow.com/how_4729672_extra-money-being-enotes-editor.html
You can also sale your work at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/

4. Write a Book or a Workbook There are many places where your can self-publish books for little or no money. Check out: http://www.createspace.com/

5. Teach Online-In some states, there are virtual high schools that offer courses throughout the year and during the summer. They pay around $200 per student.

6. Stop Buying New Books-- You can buy books that in great condition at a fraction of the price at http://www.amazon.com/

7. Give to Others-- As Christian, I believe in tithing 10% of my income. I try to donate 10% of my income to a local Christian charity every month. I always feel better about my finances when I am helping others.

http://www.ehow.com/how_4875405_save-money-teacher.html

a former coworker died at age 34

This morning as I was getting ready for work, shuffling through my dirty clothes to find the least dirty, my former friend and former coworker was dying.
The best word to describe the way I am feeling right now is wierd. We were the same age and didnt I just talk to him a couple of weeks ago.

I think that when I spoke to him he knew he was dying. He told me that he had been in the hospital and that he had had heart failure and a stroke. Honesty wasnt something that he subscribed too on a regular basis (and he told me that himself a while back "Lying is often neccessary when it gets you what you want") so I didnt completely believe him or did I. While we were talking, I was mulling over my GRE scores. Before we got off the phone I said "Ill call you later to check on you", but I never could bring myself to do it.

It was because we were "work buddies" and I guess I didnt really want to continue our friendship after I left that job. Some of the things that he did, and I wont go into them here of course, I just didnt agree with and I really didnt want to be friends anymore.

And on some level, I guess I ignored his illness because I didnt really want to deal with it if it were true, since we werent really friends anymore at least on my part.

Now I stand here feeling wierd. And as a writer, we do not use over used words like wierd, but that is the best way to describe it. Those five letter words express the fact that I am scared of this big black whole called death, fearful of a God who could sentence me to the firey pits of hell, thankful that I am still here living above ground, thankful for my family and friends, scared to close my eyes because I dont want to dream about him, reallizing that somethings that I thought were big yesterday are not so big, longing for a man to hold me and make me feel safe, wondering how long it will take for this wierdness to go away...

It's late and I am scared. I really wish I had someone to hold me tonight. On nights like tonight when the world has shifted or trembled--my queen sized bed is as wide and deep as the ocean and I could get lost in it. If I had someone to hold me, I know Id be okay, and I wonder if Ill ever have that...

I feel like I should say something profound, but....
Here is something profound though you might not recognize it has profound: Death is wierd. I am scared. I want someone to hold me. Good Night?

No Junk Food Till April 7th

It's odd that I would post this right after I posted "Bojangles to the Rescue" because now I reallize the error of my ways. I think that because I am on the slim slide 5 ft 6 and 132lbs that I can eat junk food when I want to. But the truth is, it took me getting sick to reallize that the junk I am putting into my body is not good for me. I feel tired and sluggish all the time and lately running seems to be more difficult.

So I will say good bye to Papa Johns, So long to Bojanges and Bye Bye to the Big Mac for the next 3 weeks until after my 10 miler and if I dont feel any better in two weeks then I can go back to my old stand bye.

So I am going to take control of my eating. I will not eat two and three servings of food at one sitting. I will eat 1-1/2 servings and then move away from the table.

I will not drink diet coke after diet coke after diet coke, I will drink water and juice.

I am excited to see how I will feel after 3 weeks.

Bojangles Chicken and Biscuits to the Rescue!

Thursday, I had a horrible day at work. My second period freshman broke out into a 3 ring circus, and all I could do was yell. Less than one minute after I had angrily slammed a door, the new principal came in and observed. And unless he was deaf, Im sure he heard the yelling and the door slamming.

For the rest of the day, I was afraid to go to the front office, for fear he would call me in for a "chat."

At the end of the day, there was nothing I could do but admit defeat and pray that tomorrow would be better. So on my way home from work, I went out of my way and drove down the highway 70 during rush hour.

"Yes, I'd like a chicken breast dinner with fries and an unsweatened iced tea," I said. Just saying the words was making me feel better.
As the cashier handed me my little yellow box, I smiled and said, "May I have hot sauce and ketchup please."
I was tempted to pop a few hot seasoned fries in my mouth on my way home, but I resisted temptation.
When I got home, I tore a slit in the hot sauce packet and drizzled the red-orange hotsauce on my spicy golden brown chicken breast. As a tore into the chicken breast, for a moment anyway, all was right with the world. The large flat recatangled seasoned fries and the biscuit added to my sense of contentment.
After I finished my chicken dinner, I watched a little TV, talked on the phone, and before 9:30 I was asleep. I woke up Friday morning, vowing that today would be better. And it was. The weather that day was a sunny 70 degrees. And I was calmer, and in return my 2nd period class was calmer.

Home Phone Service for 39.95 a Year

If you use broad band internet, you can make long distance and local calls by using a device called magic jack. You plug the magic jack into your computer and then plug your home phone into the device. And voila, you've can call anywhere in Canada and the United States. It's that simple.

The magic jack is only 39.95 (this price includes one year of service) After the first year year, the service is 20.00 a year.

This includes: free directory assistance, free callwaiting, free voicemail and free caller ID.

Check it out at: www.magicjack.com

Two exits diverged on the interstate and I chose the Airport Exit

Tomorrow, on my way to work, when the road splits, and I could either take the 540 exit to work or the Airport exit, maybe Ill take the Airport exit. And maybe I'll get a ticket to somewhere warm (It's supposed to be 25 degrees here in the morning), wherever I can get a ticket. For arguments sake, lets just say that American Airlines has a flight to Miami which then connects with Jamaica.

So here I am in the airport with my grey sweater and black slacks. It's 7:30 am, and my flight does not leave until 8:30, so I have time to see if I can find a little store that sales sweatshirts and sweat pants. I buy a blue ensemble with North Carolina printed on it.
It is now 8:00 and I am sitting at the gate waiting for my plane to start boarding. First period is just starting, and I need to call them and tell them that I wont be in until next Monday. I hate to lie, so I just call the office and tell Ms. Taylor (the go to person) that I wont be back until Monday. She just assumes I have the flue (It'.s going around you know) and I leave it at that.

I also call my work BFF--"Girl you wont believe this, I am sitting in the Airport on my way to Jamaica. Yes, I know. I'll call you when I get to Miami."

The next person I call is Tre, this sexy 26 year old that I met when I was in Miami last spring. (He lives in Miami, but is from Jamaica)
"Hey Tre, remember me, we met last spring on the beach."
"Of course I remember you," he says.
I smile and feel all giddly at the sound of his accent.
"Well Im going to be in Miami around 11:00, do you wanna meet for an early lunch."
"Sure, but what are you doing in Miami?"
"Im on my way to Jamaica and I have a 2 hour layover in Miami"
"How did this happen?" he asks.
"Anyway, my plane is boarding" I say. "Ill explain it to you when I get there. Just meet me at the airport at 11:00.

An hour and half later, as my classroom is filling up with 14 and 15 year old rambunctious teenagers, my plane is landing in Miami where it is now 68 degrees....

Am I My Brother's Keeper?

I am a Christian, and I believe in tithing--giving 10% of your salary to the church and/or to people in need. Notice I said believe. I don't always do this, there are some months that I get so busy that I "forget" to write that check.

Well, for that past several months, I kept "forgetting" to donate to my favorite charity--the local rescue mission. Until finally, yesterday I begrudingly donated $300.00 to the rescue mission. I paid online and as soon as I hit the submit button, I felt a sense of relief. I thought I would miss the 300 dollars, but I didn't really.

I feel that I have been blessed with a job and the 300.00 to give. There are many people who are just as talented, just as educated as I am, but who find themselves in need. And I think that it is wrong of me to see people in need, and not do anything about it. What if it were me? What if I were the one in need? Wouldn't I want someone to help me? Yes. Yes and Yes. And to answer the age old question, "Yes I am my brother's keeper."

Five Things That You Can Make From Old Cereal Boxes

You'll be surprised at all of the things that you can create out of old cereal boxes. Check out this article: http://www.ehow.com/how_4770049_out-of-old-cereal-boxes.html

Scholarship Recommendation Letter

Here's an article on how to write a scholarship recommendation letter. It also includes a link where you can download a sample letter.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4769330_write-scholarship-recommendation-letter.html

If you want to just download the letter, here is the link:http://www.writenowplc.com/12ap/letter.html

Also for more free templates, posters, and handouts, visit my new blog: http://www.freethingsforteachers.com/

Create a Reading Kit Out of an Old Cereal Box

This is a great way to save money and to go green. Check out this article:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4764142_out-of-old-cereal-box.html

A Great Way for Teachers to Make Extra Money

Check out thisEhow.com article that I wrote on becoming an Enotes editor.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4729672_extra-money-being-enotes-editor.html

A Poem for Disruputive Students

I SEE YOU

You make strange noises
OR You laugh at things
That are not funny
OR Maybe you FART
LOUD and SMELLY

Because your voice has
Been silenced
By 9, 10, or 11 years
Of the Public School Prison

And for some reason
You’ve gotten into your head
That you cannot be successful
That you’ll always be the one
Laughing, Throwing, Farting

And you think that
Laughing, Throwing, Farting
Is the only way that you can be
HEARD

BUT
I see you; I hear you
I see a Doctor, Lawyer
Teacher, Preacher,
Policeman, Fireman,
Husband, Father
Mother, Wife

I see You!I hear You!

Raleigh NC is CLOSED!

After watching President Obama’s inauguration, I decided to trek through 3.5 inches of snow and walk across the street to enjoy some coffee and Wi-Fi at Panera Bread. As an English teacher (School was closed today of course!), I thought it would be the perfect setting to reread Macbeth as I prepare for the spring semester.

My first clue should have been that there were no cars in the parking lot. But I was determined to make this day into a coffee commercial—me with my lap top, sitting at a deli, sipping coffee and reading Macbeth with a blanket of fresh snow on the ground. When I peered into the deli, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse (at least I hope not a mouse). So I trekked onto the Subway (restaurant) nearby and low and behold, there were a few people stirring. I bought two 20-oz. diet cokes, and then I was homeward bound. I decided that sitting in Subway, just didn’t have the same feel as the quaint deli. And I don’t even think they have WI-FI.

I just paid $1,600 for my car, and I'm okay with that!

Several weeks ago, I noticed that when my 2003 Toyota Corolla got over 35 mph, the sound it made had a striking resemblance to an airplane taking off. For a few weeks, I tried to ignore it by turning up the radio. To add insult to injury, when I stopped at a stoplight, it shook nervously like a scared kitty.

Finally, I resolved to take it to the shop (the Toyota Dealer) , something I hadn't done in the six years that I had owned the car. (The only thing that I had done was get my oil changed.) So I drove the car to the dealer and waited anxiously for the call. When I finally got the call, the customer service rep. listed 15 things that were wrong with my car. "And that will cost you between $2,000 and $2,200 m'am", he said. I responded with silence. When I finally got my voice back, I chosee the things like tires, wheel baring, battery, brakes that actually needed fixing right now. I said I would put off the transmission flush until the summer when I had the money.

After I got over the SHOCK of paying $1,600 for my car, I actually saw it as a blessing. I felt blessed because:
1. I probably won't need to purchase a car for several more years,
which means: No New Car Payment!
2. I can pay off the $1,600 (that I charged to my credit card) in just
a few months.
3. My car drives like a dream.
4. Personal transportation EQUALS freedom!

Software for 75% off!!

You can get software for 75% at campustech.com. This site offers just about any type of software your would want from Microsft Office to Adobe Creative Suite. For exampe, Microsoft Office which is usually 499.00 is only 129.00.

What are stipulations, you ask? We'll there are just a few:
1. It is educational software, so you need to be a teacher or a student (K-12 or college) to receive the discount.
2. Because it's educational software, you can't upgrade.

You can also receive an educational discount if you order directly through Adobe: https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?store=OLS-EDU&event=displayEduConditions

You should give it a try; Ive used campustech.com several times, and I am very pleased.

5 Things You Can Do with Old Jeans

1. Make a "jean purse." This is a really cute and fun arts and crafts activity that you can do alone or with your kids. It can take as little as fifteen minutes, depending upon how creative you want to get. Visit the following site for more details: http://www.ehow.com/how_4703977_purse-out-old-jeans-minutes.html

2. Make them look vintage- You can do this by cutting off the bottom hem and cutting off the tags (like Lee, Levi etc.)

3. Turn them in to capris or shorts.

4. Embellish them- Glue embellishments like sparkly stars, buttons etc on to your jeans with fabric glue. Fabric glue is inexpensive and easy to find--they sell it at Walmart.

5. Draw on Them,-Write on Them- Use a fabric pen/marker to write and/or draw on your jeans.

Free Directiory Assistance

Go ahead and put this number into your phone: 1-800-466-4411. You can use this number instead of the traditional 411. It can save you up to a dollar a call.

Give it a try; you've got absolutely nothing to lose.