problems!

So I'm playing in two bands right now and it turns out that both of them are going to be practicing on Sundays. It's unfortunate, because I really want to play in both bands, and I hope we can work something out. If I have to choose between the two, I think I would have to choose The Pathos. It's my baby just like the other bands is Milosz's baby. I put a lot of myself into The Pathos. I write the songs, and I think it might be the most important music I ever make. I'd like Milosz's band to be that way too, and I know it can be, but I guess if I can't ever come to practice they'll have to find someone else.

Another thing that's on my mind is how I'm going to Hartford next year. People here seem to perceive it as something awful, like I'm going there because I'm desperate. This really gets my upset when I hear things like, "Oh, you better get a bulletproof vest," or "You're getting paid more because it's hazard pay". I feel like there's a perception around here that I can't deal and I'm going to Hartford as a last ditch effort. The big problem is that it's my own fault. I never should have mentioned anything to anyone. I need to learn to be even more private than I already am. One of the sad lessons that I've learned from Coventry is that I can't trust anyone. ANYONE. I trust some of my students more than I trust teachers here. It's a strange culture.

In some good news, I went to my doctor yesterday for a follow up visit and happened to be wearing my Mamoun's Falafel shirt. My doctor reads my shirt and asked, "Mamouns. Is it good?" I said it's very good. She paused and asked, "Want to know where to get some really good falafel?" Well of course I did. How could I not? I love falafel. Well she went on to tell me about how there's a falafel place in downtown Hartford called Aladdin and I practically went throught the roof! We have Tangiers in hartford, but it's not the best, it's expensive, and it's not open very late; plus, it's on the other side of the city, near West Hartford. I wanted to go straight downtown and eat falafel 'til I burst. Unfortunately, I couldn't go because it was my father's birthday and I wanted to take him out for dinner and I knew there was no way he was going to want falafel. We went out for Italian food, but later on that night I drove downtown, giddy like a child, and dove into Aladdin. I walked up into the counter and the guy started to hand me a menu. I said I didn't need a menu; all I needed was falafel. He understood. Soon I was eating some pretty amazing falafel. They stuff a pita full of falafel and lettuce and onions and cucumbers, which were actually more like pickles and very good at that. There could have been tomatoes, but tomatoes give me the heebie jeebies. Anyway, it was good and I was happy. I told the owners how thrilled I was to not have to drive to New Haven to get really good falafel. Yes, despite my anxiety at work, yesterday was a pretty good day. Oh, one more thing! It's also a pizza place. Pizza and Falafel? It's like someone answered my prayers!

Finished!!!

I just want to announce that I am finally done with my BEST portfolio for the CT State Department of Education. It has been one of the most miserable experiences of my life and has plagued me since the beginning of this school year growing ever more foul and evil month after month; i've sank to depths of depression and despair I haven't visited in years. I'd also like to point out that I finished this stupid thing without going back onto my Anxiety meds, which was an important goal for me. Sorry to anyone who I might have blown off, ignored, broken plans with, etc... the worst is now behind me!

In celebration of this glorious event, I will actually be leaving the house for the first time in quite a while to go see Disfear tonight in Wallingford!

Consider it my Debut!

Interview Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is my interview in Hartford. I'm very, very nervous. In a way I'd say I'm more nervous now than when I was first interviewing for jobs after I became certified. It might be because it's almost expected that I'm going to be landing this job. I feel like there's extra pressure on me do well. I guess I could say the job is mine to lose. I had a lot more to say, but I have to make my sub plans. I'm taking a day off tomorrow so I can work on my BEST and also go to my interview. 10AM sharp. Hopefully this time tomorrow I'll have a new job!

Men at Work

So i'm sitting after work having office detention, a duty every teacher dreads. My portfolio is due in 13 days. I need to read Catcher in the Rye so I can can stay ahead of the kids. At least I've read it before. Anyway, I often think of what else I could be doing instead of teaching. Unfortunately, I'm not actually qualified to do anything else, so my portfolio better turn out really damn well because I don't feel like doing it again next year. I do often think back to quite a few years ago when a friend and I wanted to become garbage men like Emelio Estevez and Charlie Sheen in Men at Work. Unfortunately that never panned out. I was telling some students in study hall today that if I was a garbage man I'd have to have a truck follow behind the garbage truck so I could take home all the cool stuff I found throughout the day. Well, I don't think that's going to happpen, so I better concentrate on teaching.

Half Blood Prince.

*book 6 spoilers*

so at what point does Dumbledore actually learn that Tom Riddle is the ancestor of Salazar Slytherin? Maybe I have to go back and do some reading. I'm curious because in book two we learn that only the ancestor of Salazar Slytherin can control the Chamber of Secrets. When the Chamber of Secrets gets opened while Riddle is at Hogwarts, no one can figure out who's doing it, but by this time he is in his later years at school and I could only imagine Dumbledore would have begun researching his past by then. After all, he seemed quite evil and powerful from the get go when Dumbledore meets him at the orphanage. I would think Dumbledore would have taken more interest in him. I'm in the process of re-reading Book 6, and maybe it mentions when he began looking into his past. I'll have to keep my eyes peeled. Actually, I'll have to keep my ears peeled because I'm listening to the audio book. I downloaded it
www.torrentspy.com
I love torrents!

Testing

OK. my first blog. first blog entry. only because I have a lot of other things I should be doing.