Spring Fever

Man was spring break ever a tease! It was such a great break from school and a good indicator of what summer will be like. I thoroughly enjoyed the laziness and the ability to have "no agenda" days where I could wake up at whatever time and do whatever I wanted. My break was amazing. Clint Collier, one of my closest friends from college and pledge son and co-captain of the Whitman Swim Team, came down along with one of his friends from high school. The three of us drove down to South Padre for a couple of days and enjoyed the 90 degree temperatures and warm water. On the way back we stopped in San Antonio for dinner on the river walk and then went to Austin for a couple of days. In Austin we recovered from our sun burns and enjoyed walking around the UT campus and visiting the Johnson Presidential library.

We got back to Houston and rested. We went to the rodeo one night--the best people watching I have EVER experienced. Rodeo Houston is the largest rodeo in the world, 22 days of 70,000 plus spectators per night. It was intense. Following our night at the rodeo, Clint and I went to a bar in Houston in the Rice University area, and this is where a story begins....

We were at a college bar playing darts when a group of Hispanic men our age came up to us and started to play next to us, then they wanted to play with us... they let us know this by just stealing our darts. They started talking to us, clearly on something. One of the guys who went by, "The Infamous Mexican", showed us his $30,000 bail papers and his charges for a felony for sexual assault of a minor under the age of 14. I was slightly freaked out by this episode. They were trying to talk to us, we were being nice. They informed me that they were from Magnolia Park! MY SCHOOL'S NEIGHBORHOOD! I then found out that they went to my elementary school when they were younger!!!! At this point I got really sad... and they told us they had weapons. This all being rally scary, one of the guys told me to look up at the ceiling at something then he hit my neck! I was freaked, but was like whatever, we're at a bar full of people and don't have too much to worry about only that they just stole my beer and drank it in front of me. I told the guy I taught in Magnolia Park area and he hugged me and said I have a place in Heaven for teaching his children... then they left. This scared me! My first run in with a gang and the fact that they came from the area where I teach makes me very sad for my kids and really more determined to make a difference for them.

In other news, spring break was great but now I want summer to come! I was just offered an amazing internship at the Bill Clinton Foundation (clintonfoundation.org) working on his global aids initiative in Human Resources and Recruiting in Boston... a pretty exciting experience... however, it isn't paid. If I didn't have to pay for rent in Houston through July then I wouldn't worry about it, but I do. I stopped working at Starbucks... it wasn't worth the $7.00 an hour for the stress of working 24 hours on the weekends. I am coaching at the Houston Racquet Club which is a sweet place and a sweet deal. I will get to teach private lessons in the future which will pay a lot.

I am making friends, continuing to love spinning and running, hating my roommate situation, etc. Church on Easter Sunday was amazing as I was able to witness Southern woman at their best.... a pretty ridiculous sight really.

Missin Everyone!
Robert

almost there!

I have so much to say and will try to write more later tonight, but... I only have $295 left of my $1,100 book project proposal! If you know if anyone wanting to make a tax deductible donation to a VERY good cause (my classroom!) then please have them go to this website: http://www.donorschoose.org/donors/proposal.html?id=147542

Spring Break begins at 3:15 today and I honestly couldn't be any more excited and ready. I am beginning to get a little burnt out and inpatient with my students and teaching. Things are going fairly well.... I am being moved, yet again, to help in a low performing second grade classroom. I got my students to a 90% level on their benchmarks and writing at a phenomenal level and they took the state test in Writing last week (it was a war zone! more later) so of course I am removed and moved away from the kids I have had for 6 months and gone a long ways with. It saddens me but I know that I benefited and helped them and I am ready, I guess, to be moved and help the second graders out. I am about to have a meeting with my principal in a little bit to work out the logistics of it all, I am going to plea to at least be able to keep my homeroom class until the end of the year so I can do non test related things with them to get them excited for learning. I want to explore poetry, creative writing, and more novels with them... we'll see if I get the chance.

The state test was an absolute war zone... kids vomiting, teeth falling out, kids crying... the school was on lock down mode as my students took the 7+ hour test.... the state department of education was here observing us walking by our rooms every 5 minutes to ensure we were standing up and monitoring... it was a long day! For the first time all year, I got in my car and cried. I think it was a combination of carrying all of their stress, my stress, and just being tired. It was an ordeal. I think I am ready now to teach 4th grade and prepare my students next year for the test in a more relaxed fashion.

Clint, one of my closest college friends and my pledge son, is coming into town tonight with a good high school friend of his... we're planning on taking a short trip to southern Texas and then enjoying the sites of Houston during spring break. I am excited to have a visitor and someone to spend some time with.

I am continuing to train for who knows what... perhaps a triathlon in April and definitely the Portland Marathon in October... along with some various things throughout the summer. I have lost a lot of weight and now am embarrassed by everyone at school that needs to make a comment on it including my principal in front of my kids during instruction! ha! I am feeling so much better though and have really started to develop a love for running and continue to enjoy going to spin class.

The weather is beautiful, not humid yet but in the 70's... supposed to hit 85 this weekend! I do like this part of being in Texas.

Enough for now... I was the Easter Bunny yesterday at school, yes, it was horrible... above is a picture for ya'lls entertainment.

More Pictures Part II

More Pictures