(no subject)

 stolen from magenta_girl at LJ

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7 on the dot.  My son wakes up super early but I ask him not to wake me up until 7 (and I set an alarm in case he sleeps late, but that never happens)

2. How do you like your steak? medium rare

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? We saw Catching Fire yesterday! Good stuff.

4. What is your favourite TV show? I think Once Upon a Time, just because the story is so involved, I love fantasy and fairy tales, and if I had all the shows that I watch at my fingertips on the same day, I'd pick that one

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? A tropical island.

6. What did you have for breakfast? A bowl of grits with Parm cheese mixed in and a sugar free Red Bull

7. What is your favourite cuisine? Man, tough question! I don't know...it depends on my mood.  My top favorites are Mexican and Japanese.  Or good old American, like good pub food.  I used to love pasta the best, but I can't do that so much anymore.

8. What foods do you dislike? Most vegetables especially squash and summer squash, bleh. I like a good salad though, and most raw veggies

9. Favourite Place to Eat? Not Your Average Joe's 

10. Favourite dressing? blue cheese

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? 2012 Ford Focus

12. What are your favourite clothes? I finally found some jeans I like. I only have a few tops that still fit me but I like them all equally.
 
13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? European tour

14. Where would you want to retire? The beach

15. Favourite time of day? Late at night

16. Where were you born? Massachusetts

17. What is your favourite sport to watch? Competitive cooking? LOL

18. What's your dream job? Famous chef

19. How many siblings? none

20. Favourite pastime/hobby? cooking. it's one of the few things I like to do and am good at.

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? I look forward to all equally

22. Bird watcher? No, I like to watch them on the feeder but that's about it

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night person
24. Do you have any pets? a dog and a cat

25. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? The news is always about my son, not me.  LOL.  

26. What did you want to be when you were little? a veterinarian

27. What is your best childhood memory? Getting my cat (who has long since passed).  I think it was Christmas, or my birthday.  I can't remember.  But they had me sit in a chair and shut my eyes, and they put her in my arms.  Best feeling ever.

28. Are you a cat or dog person? cat

29. Are you married? yes

30. Always wear your seat belt? yes

31. Been in a car accident? yes

32. Any pet peeves? Poor spelling, inconsiderate people

33. Favourite Pizza Toppings? black olives

34. Favourite Flower? Roses

35. Favourite ice cream? A sample spoonful of whatever sounds best at Coldstone Creamery.  They have awesome flavors but I really don't need more than a bite.

36. Favourite fast food restaurant? I don't really eat fast food anymore, but if I had to pick, I guess Taco Bell because it has the least bread (bread tends to upset my stomach)

37. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? I think I passed it the first time.

38. From whom did you get your last email? The last one I really cared about was the link to my son's report card.

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Lush

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? Not really....Boo!  There, now I did.

41. Like your job? I don't have one.

42. Broccoli? not usually

43. What was your favourite vacation? Spain in high school. I mean I have taken a lot of vacations that have been awesome but that was cool for a lot of reasons.  Three words: beer vending machines.

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? My husband

45. What are you listening to right now? Nothing...it's so nice. 

46. What is your favourite colour? green

47. How many tattoos do you have? one

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 9:32 am

50. Coffee Drinker? Sometimes

(no subject)

The more I think about my son's school the less happy I am about it.
Things that have peeved me off:
How the bomb threat was handled
How the secretary handled me when she called to ask for info on the girl my son was getting off the bus with that afternoon.  She criticized me for not knowing the girl's last name, instead of dealing with me kindly and getting the information she needed.  I mean if I tell you the girl's name is _____ and she's in my son's class, isn't it pretty easy to narrow that down, and don't you have her last name in your system?  Do you really have to chew me out instead of spending that energy to just, I don't know, look it up for me, and maybe tell me what it is so I know next time?

Their unclear letters about upcoming events. I have gotten letters about things that we've been to, that have not been like they were described in the letter home.  There was a gift bazaar a few days ago that said there were going to be volunteers to walk with your kids and help them pick out some cheap gifts for their family.  I ended up spending 25 dollars on two bamboo plants and having to look away when he bought me a necklace because I saw no volunteers who could help him buy me a gift.   I get unclear directions on how to sign up for things.  Plus we get a thousand papers home every week.  I love seeing my son's work but I really don't need to see every math sheet or every handwriting practice he ever did.  

The report card system: they sent a letter home about reports cards being ready yesterday and gave an e mail address for troubleshooting.  I was unable to log in to the report card page so I sent a message to the e mail which immediately sent an "out of office" automated message.  Then I got an e mail from the school saying we should be able to log in and I was finally able to.

They no longer use letter grades.  I hear in upper grades they use a 1-4 number system but in 1st grade they use a series of (ES, BS, etc.)  that mean anything from "not grasping the concept at all" to "exceeding expectations of grasping the concept".

My son can read at the 3rd grade level and he only got "meets expectations" in the reading section.  If he's reading at 3rd grade level, wouldn't he be exceeding expectations?  I would really like him to get the credit he deserves.  This online report card stuff feels so impersonal.  Remember we used to get handwritten report cards with personal notes by the teacher like "It is a pleasure to have so and so in my class"?  

So sad.