And here we are

another ManCandy Monday!

I’m going to rant and if you want to skip it, just go to the ‘read more’ and click the link for hot men.

Ahem.

As many of you have witnessed, we have a lot of striking teachers in this country. Salary varies from state to state and school board to school board. Urban areas tend to make a higher salary than rural and in many cases, certain subjects in high school pay more. There are subsidies for department and grade level chairs, teachers who are active after school and weekend (that would be coaches and band directors) and pay also increases with specialty certifications and degree levels.

Despite all of that, in many places, a teacher’s salary isn’t enough. Cost of living, etc… Hawaii can’t keep teachers longer than 2 years at the most, due to the high cost of living. I did a cursory search when I was unemployed and the cost of a 2 bedroom scummy apartment was ridiculous. Ours is a profession that loses a large number of teachers within 5 years. We’re working out tails off – I just fed 2 of my kids breakfast. Most of the teachers I work with, work part-time after school and summer jobs. I’m going to have to find summer work the last 5 years I teach if I can’t afford to get my Masters. I might do that for a few years and use that money to return to college to get it!

So my rant is – if I have to explain to one more yahoo that teaching is NOT a part time profession, we really DON”T have the summer off, we stay late, bring work home after school, the weekend, the holidays, I’m going to blow a gasket. We take classes, learn new curriculum, learn new teaching tricks, anything to keep fresh, during the summer. We do a lot of advance degree instruction during the summer. We are not reimbursed for that. We purchase materials for our classroom that isn’t provided for us, again out of our own pocket. I kept records last year from August to August – I worked just as many hours as someone who works full time with 2 weeks vacay! Please!

I told one person if they thought it was so easy, please come down and sub for me for a week. You’ll run with your tail between your legs.

There! Rant over!

Read more for yummy men!

ManCandy Monday!

Happy Monday – 19 days with kids, 23 until I’m done for the summer! WHOOT!

It is a rainy Monday on the coast. Wet, dreary. At least we will have sunshine and warm air tomorrow and the rest of the week. Spawn and I are saying ‘beach’ next Saturday!

Anyone need some eyecandy? I do I do I do!

Clothes Gluttony

Happy Saturday! How is everyone? I’m counting down the last 4 weeks; the last 20 days of school WITH kids! I have 4 days after that and then 8 weeks of bliss! Spawn and I are doing a brown sign tour this summer (all the cool brown signs you pass on the road and forget about. Remind me to tell you about the Brown Sign we visited over spring break!)

It is lovely here today. Sunny, temps in the LOW 70’s, lovely breeze. The air is off, the doors are open and –

the birds are being watched intently!

Every season, I go through my little abode and just love it more, even with it’s warts and problems – things that need to be fixed, the fact the bedrooms are really a bit TOO small, the kitchen is too small…

But for all intents and purposes, it’s mine – as far as a rental goes and even though I’ve been in it for almost 2 and 1/2 years, I still get that chill I got when I signed the lease and walked into it, empty, but welcoming me and mine home. I hope I never get over that feeling. It’s such a great feeling!

I promised I wouldn’t yack so much about clothing and I’ve tried. I’ve only made one picture reference this year and that was at Easter.  (There was also the picture reference to SPRING and warm weather that included a completely snazzy pair of shoes!!!) So only those interested should click on the read more.

Guy Day!

Happy GuyDay! 20 days left with students, 24 days left PERIOD. I’m excited.

Also, I want you to know the sacrifice I”m making by NOT SHOWING ANYTHING I”VE BOUGHT this year (except the Easter Dress) I promised. I”m holding up my end. I want SO bad to show off, but I’m not.

So, welcome to GuyDay! Sir Guy, anyone???

Okay, so remember the other day

when I was commiserating that the sales and stuff for clothes and shoes weren’t interesting me a bit?

the new catalog came out yesterday. I’m screwed. So screwed.

In other news, there are only 21 days left with kids…

Have some Richard!

You’re welcome!

Something’s wrong

So all weekend I was bombarded with ‘BIG SALE’ ads in my email for my favorite places and I looked. I really did. And I got a load of catalogs. And I looked. I really did.

And I’m looking and I think – I have that… I don’t need that… I don’t need THAT either… cute, but… nah.

So I’m like – nope not interested.

Clothes, people. Shoes. And I’m not interested???

I need a doctor.

So while I sweated over my taxes

actually, I didn’t sweat THAT much, but I am very pissed that after telling me they would do my taxes for FREE, Turbo Tax then Charged me a total of 150.00 for fed and state taxes and charged me for e filing the direct deposit. It’s STILL going to take 3 weeks and they harassed me to add some Max thing to talk to a CPA for an additional fee of 75.00. I have seriously extensive dental work this summer. I need every frickin’ dime I can get!

Poisoning Pigeons in the Park

Spring is arriving across the Northern Hemisphere and when I think spring, I think of this song…

 

I also think of bright clothes and flowery shoes…

that right now I can’t get my feet into. Well, my left foot into, those pesky broken toes are whiny. But I digress.

Others are showing off their gardens and back patios and I’m still digging up my triangle splotch of yard. I finally broke down and just sprayed the thing with weed and grass killer and will just set up containers and toss down chips and rocks!

And for those who don’t know, this is what spring in my neighborhood has looked like since February.

Take a good look at Monday, followed by Wednesday…

25 days left with children.

29 days before I go home.

Who’s counting? Not me.

Right now, I’m heading to the showers, to get prepared for today’s showers…

For those interested, Aside from Heaven as been updated.

And to complete this rambling no point post, I will end this with some Sir Guy..

(Has anyone seen Guylty? I’ve not seen anything from her in what… 2 weeks???)

Urban and the Shed Crew

The last few days, my Tumblr dash has been inundated with stills from Urban. This is a movie I’ve chomped at the bit to see; had come to the conclusion it would never be released and it would go the way of The Crucible for me… lots of stills, no chance of seeing. (Do not speak to me of Digital Theater!)

When it was finally released online, I said I would wait until it’s released on DVD – and I can buy it on Amazon. I’ve heard quiet moanings of – not in my area, only on Windows, can only watch twice in a 30 day period… oh yeah, I’ll wait until it’s released.

But I am having second thoughts. Perhaps, this weekend…

Convince me.

ManCandy Monday

Okay so whatever heinous stomach bug my son had Friday/Saturday, decided to visit me at 3 AM this morning. No way to loose weight, I assure you.

Aren’t you glad I got that out of the way first?

Good morning and happy Monday! I am Dr. Zee and I have what you need! You need hot men, yessiree!

Oh look, all that rhymes….