So...

I have had a hunch my trashy neighbour across the street - ole smoke and drink while weed-whacking with gasoline on my back - would throw her trash in the rented dumpster on the driveway next to her. Just waiting...waiting...waiting... There she goes, around the back of the house with some branches... There goes the stuff, flying into the dumpster... dog watching, not sure if he is supposed to fetch...

So I realised she is the epitome of what bothers me at work... this attitude that "everything is mine, you owe me, I owe you nothing and I will not cooperate, respect, or show any decency because only I matter."

And we had our new president's national call for volunteerism on MLK day again this year and I want to know how many people volunteer or make a decent - not token - donation to help someone, anyone...

Brrr...

Depending on where I am in the classroom it is 52 degrees or 64 degrees. Not a significant improvement if you ask me. I was going to have a contest with myself and try to get the photos matted before Dems comes in, but my fingers are stiff and frozen. And I brought iced coffee to work! Stupid. And there were flurries as I walked in the building... I should just go in the darkroom and print and warm up and listen to music... so excited when I saw all the great photos on the table when I came in though.... Can't wait for Pingry and TAJ!

Ouch and oops...

My wrist hurts from grading exams... the left-hander's bump on my middle finger is sore... and I have red stains on my fingers from all the writing when grading the Yearbook exams once I got home...

Realized the circles under my eyes that were so successfully covered in the a.m. were really dark and peeking through the makeup by the p.m.. absentmindedly threw out a pack of gum I had just bought... left pictures at work that I meant to bring home to dad...

I need a nap... but excited to hopefully print a load of stuff tomorrow... brought the big box of Ilford 5"x7"s in... hooray! Oh, and matte all the work for the shows coming up...

They were the worst of times...

I am having trouble finding the best of times...

Didn't go to the city, but ate very well at Park & Orchard...

Tried in vain to stay on happy topics, but with three teachers and one social worker, not an easy task. Found out that yesterday's news - great Gossip song, by the way - was that our new guv wants to freeze teacher slalries. No raise. Um, can we be treated with any less respect? I am not naive, I know - as in any profession - that not all employees are equal in effort on the job. But I do believe there is a better way than to take an already underpaid, under-appreciated group of people and pay them even less. Great for morale at a time when some of us have spouses losing jobs, kids on the way or to feed now, and many other issues. The state social workers have a pay freeze with the stipulation that it will be paid retroactively when the freeze is up - presumably when the finances are better. Have not heard anything about that being a part of this deal. We shall see... but we will keep on teaching our students as best as we can...

Yet another way America can learn from other countries. Teachers are valued, appreciated, seen as a positive part of society. In America, I see more negativity about public school teachers than positive. When will this end? Our supervisers, principals and superintendents value us; why can't the general public?

Diana...

...how I love thee... Just finished my Dianalogues book. What an inspiration. Wich we had the budget to buy lots of photo books for the classes. Plan to take pictures this weekend. Really like the prints from my T1i. Was the recipient of a free 11"x14" print and used the snapfish treat on a green monochrome from the Canon. Love it!

Anger brewing in the cafe this week... strange how that comes in waves... fights or more accurately near fights... why can't people just be nice to each other, respect each other, not be so confrontational? People would rather yell, argue, tell off, or punch than ask politely for clarification or discuss things in a mature way. I know that the students are young, but I can't help but think that these are learned behaviours, and the adults around them - school and home - do not lead by example. I am so not used to this sort of confrontational behaviour that it always flusters me. I so prefer to sit them down and talk it out, but that is not the PV way, the NJ way or, sadly, the American way I guess... Fight first, ask questions later. And I truly believe it stems from a selfish, me-first, lack of respect for each other. Luckily, most of those I get in Photography are not this bad.

Going out with our Fort Lee residing friends tonight. Clear night in the city. How many cameras shall I take? We shall see...

126...

Realized previously mentioned camera - a cute little Agfa no less! - is not broken. My mind is broken. It uses 126 pack film. So I searched for the film on the computer. There is a place that sells it for ... $9.99 a roll! Jeez! I think I will just troll e-bay for it. Some nice prices there. Too bad I can't get my missing hubcap and the film from the same vendor and save on shipping.

So discombobulated lately that I forgot to send a submission out. I hate wasting cd-s and now I have to void the check for the fee and I feel like I wasted an opportunity but it's not like I would have gotten in and ugh...

Distressing times at work. I do like feeling like I am appreciated and getting things accomplished where I volunteer. And they are all happy that I was appointed to the Historic Preservation Committee... that made me feel warm and fuzzy...

My college adviser has an opening tonight so I will swing by there after the Asian Club meeting. It will be nice to see her and her work and get some free food... I will probably be starving. And it is at the College of St. E so it is my neck of the woods! Hooray! Sparky has been getting quite the workout lately...

Woo hoo...

Free large print from Snapfish with my next order! Hooray! You know that will be an image from my DSLR!

Rearranged my camera stuff and realized I really want to figure out how to fix this tiny camera received free from sister. But all the tiny screw drivers are at work... shoot...

Also desperately need to get the LCD on my sewing machine fixed. Can not handle guessing the stitch I will get and the length of stitch... but the certified service center is in Elizabeth - faaaaarrrr - and I got a creepy vibe when I went into the sewing machine repair shop down the hill... dilemma...

Dangerous territory...

So... we went to Short Hills mall... ick... dislike malls... but the hubby had received a Williams-Sonoma g.c. - he likes to cook - and after watching the video made documenting = the Asian Club, I realized I look like the living dead. I mean, I always knew I had circles under my eyes, but I guess I didn't realize just how creepy I looked... until it was staring out at me from a 19-inch monitor... so... I did a very vain thing and sought out an under-eye concealer... because I cannot Photoshop every picture of myself and I need to stop looking like the undead and unhealthy... Or I could just work less hard... which is less likely than hell freezing over...

Super ecstatic that my lens from my EOS film camera fits on my T1i... takes close-up shots very nicely! You can't possible understand the excitement.

Read one student's blog post about starting a magazine... sometimes the coolness of my Photo students just amazes me. Now I get to introduce two other fine ladies to the world of zines and independent publishing. Millie Misadventure... you have competition...

And... only one upper person responded to my resignation from yearbook... silence from the others... some colleagues act like I am dead meat, others congratulate me - of the few I told. But considering the developments a mere 24 hours after delivering the letter - a certain box of student portraits, cough, cough - I think my desire to leave yearbook is no surprise. My photo students deserve it and deserve more from me...

With that, I am going to play with someone who has been a bit neglected this past week... here I come Millie!!!

Relief?

Ok, first the big news....

I officially resigned from yearbook at of the end of this school year. I should feel relief - as my doctors said I would - but right now it is anxiety. Hubby gave me a "PV survival kit" aka yearbook survival kit for Christmas - dark chocolate and coffee - but I am reserving it for next week once the resignation letter has sunk in for all concerned. So I just brought in a block of fudge to gnaw on and release the nervous energy today and tomorrow. I just want to be an "ART" teacher first, not yearbook advisor. I will be happy when the nervousness goes away.

I wish I could comment on the blogs here at work. It is something so simple, but when I get home, I get distracted from all the other computer work and say "oh, I will comment later" and I never do because there are yearbook things to check, e-mails to respond to, art shows to submit my work to, friends to check up on on Facebook, etc., etc..

A show my work is in in Kentucky is printing a catalogue of the exhibit. I get a copy. I am so excited to get that! My art in a publication of a photography exhibit! Yippee!

Booked the trip to London over the weekend. For all you kiddees with spending problems, follow the Vasa way. I spend so little money, my credit card company called at home and at work to make sure the purchase was legitimately mine and not a stolen credit card thing! Some would say I am cheap; I prefer thrifty. But now to get the cameras and journals ready for the trip! England twice in less than a year! Whoa!

Brrr...

Freezing cold for what seems like weeks. I believe if it is this cold, there should be snow to make it fun and pretty. Otherwise it is just a waste. It is killing my MPG too and I expect a LARGE utility bill come next month...

Worked on Main Street taking the winter greens out of the urns...except...they were frozen in half of them. We were slamming the balls of peat on the sidewalk trying to break them to no avail. Pretty silly looking... and by the end I could not feel my toes...

Husband's friend's 40th surprise b'day party last night. Whoa...I socialized!!!

Brooklyn today to pick up sculpture from gallery. Highlights: great parking in JC; mariachi band on the F train going in; sun out helped keep us from freezing; SUPER book arts show at a gallery and Mimi - a book artist I took some classes with - was in it and the books were amazing!; good lunch right next door; very few people out and it was quiet; man with baby strapped to his chest w/one of those thingy's on F train heading back turned down an offer for a seat b/c his baby likes to hold onto the pole - and she did! Amazing!

Low points: bitter cold walking to and from Path; crazy stupid drivers all over 280.

Now to try to submit more work to galleries and keep studying my T1i book... oh, and book the trip back to London...

Anxiety... you are not my friend...

Summary of the past two nights? Asthma and anxiety...

No it was not the Hitchcock movies I watched two nights in a row that gave me trouble sleeping. It was work. I have to write a resignation letter for the yearbook position and it is waking me up. Friday night I had the worst asthma attack I have ever had but was so half asleep I couldn't tell if it was a dream or not and couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't calm down. Then last night I wake up with ideas of how to word the letter. My doctor chose to write a note supporting my resigning from yearbook. I think I am cooking my goose at PV by doing this but the Photo students and my health are more important that some 200+ page book...

Snow is here! Was supposed to go to Brooklyn to pick up my art after the closing reception, but just too darn cold. And I don't want to drive in the snow to JC to park. Stupid NJTransit still will not put weekend service on my line... grr...

Super excited to see the students tomorrow...