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Jessica bugged me about 17 times this morning about not blogging for a week- so here you go...

Last night I went to the NHS v. NNHS game. Unforunately, the football part was not too interesting. However, I enjoy going just to people watch. I like hiding behind the crowd and being able to candidly watch my current and past students walk back and forth and back and forth and back and forth each with a new best friend each time. Cracks me up! Every now and then I'll point out a student to Cameron and am then reminded that some people actually ARE watching the game.

Well, as we were walking over to the stadium, I saw a couple of current students and was pretty impressed with myelf for remembering their names outside of the classroom! And then we got to the stadium and they are everywhere- former students. This was the part I was looking forward to the most, and now I panic. I spent almost 10 months with these children and I cannot remember their names! Most came to me within a few minutes or so- but then it happened...
One girl runs up to me with the biggest smile on her face- I think she sensed my fear. "Hey Mrs. Hollongsworth! Remember me?" well of course I did. I remember she was in my fifth hour class and usually sat near the back and that she had pink hair most of the year. BUT what was her name... I thought I might get away with it, but then she really quizzed me. She asked "what's my name?".

Seriously? I can remember lots of other things about you, why the name? Why are you making me look like an idiot here? Why am I starting to hate you? Ah yes, it's because you are making me feel old.

I remembered what my friend Debbie had warned me about a couple of years ago. She compared her brain to a computer with limited memory space. Every summer she would "delete file" to make room for the new memory file of names. It's so true! My brain has been working so hard to learn all my new kiddos names, that I pushed all the old names out!

I thought that with only 3 groups of kids so far I could handle remembering 300 hundred names, but I was proven wrong. I know this will happen to me many many more times in the future, so I guess it's good to get it over with now!

Practice Makes Permanent

I learned the phrase "practice makes permanent" at a conference this summer. I really like it and think it's so true, however, I've realized that I will not practice things I suck at. For example, on the wii fit I am HORRIBLE at the balance games. My husband with the weak hip can still surpass my balance abilities. I have found that I avoid doing the balance games because I know I will fail.

Now isn't it ironic that the one area I really need to practice on I avoid like the plague? I find myself doing the games I have already mastered over and over because I like it when my trainer claps for me at the end and says "Way to go" "you're pretty strong". I mean who wouldn't want that self affirmation from an animated trainer? I cry a little inside everytime I fail a balance game and my wii character sulks her head in shame while "YOU LOSE" is boldly displayed across the screen. Ouch! I'm surprised that Nintendo has not been sued for causing deep emotional damage. Why so harsh?

I guess I blame my family. Now don't get me wrong, I had a fabulous childhood- it was just TOO good I suppose. I was the youngest child and grew accustomed to my family gathering around and clapping for me all the time saying "yeah Lori". It's just what we did. I even clapped for myself. Who am I kidding- I still do.

So when a gaming system tells me I'm a LOSER, I don't quite know how to deal with that emotionally. It doesn't fit. So I avoid practicing things I'm not good at... I bet it's more than just balance games on the wii... Let's see..

Softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, (are you sensing a sports theme?), reading, Super Mario Bros., sewing, swimming, I'm sure there's more!

How am I ever supposed to get better at something I avoid because I know I suck at it? I wonder if that's how my students feel about math? Why should I do my homework if I know I'll just fail... Hmm, deep.

I guess the phrase "practice makes permanent" may be too true for me. I'm afraid if I practice those things I constantly lose at I will be "permanently" bad! Does anyone else do the same thing or am I just crazy? I know there are those people out there that can't stand to lose (like my husband) and will work really hard until they master something. I guess I am not one of those people! Nothing like a good ole' blog to reveal yet another character flaw to the world!

I Survived, and had fun surviving!

Today was the first day back to school. I told the kids this morning that I don't really get nervous for the first day- Alcott's first day is always laid back and fun- but I do get that pit feeling in my stomach just the morning of. It's that feeling of "am I really ready for this? Do I have everything I need ready to go?"

At first I thought I may REALLY be sick when Traci picked me up this morning not feeling well and then hearing that Pete was sick too. Luckily it was a fading feeling for me and once the kids got there, all was well! I wish I could say the same for Pete!

I had a great day hanging out with my advisory kiddos. I probably divulged way more about myself then they would ever want to know, but maybe I established some trust :) I can tell we already have a great group of 8th graders this year. We will have plenty of laughs together.

Oh, and did I mention that I have a great schedule this year (yes, even after all my complaining).

1st hour- Skills - cotaught
2nd hour- Plan
3rd hour- Advisory
4th hour- Math- cotaught
5th hour- Math
6th hour- Lunch
7th hour- Math - cotaught
8th hour- Algebra

I only teach 2 hours a day by myself! I love it!

Hippie is Healing

We got good news from the doctor today. From the x-rays he took this morning (7 freakin AM that is) it looks like Cameron is healing up just as we all had hoped! The doc did some range of motion tests and was VERY pleased with his physical therapy progress (kudos to Physical Therapy Central)!

Dr. McDreamy asked Cam if he had been putting weight on his hip. Cameron said he had just been doing 50% like he ordered last time. The doc kind of smirked like "yeah right. no one ever follows the rules that close". Then he asked Cameron to walk across the exam room and he reached for his crutches and took a few steps. The dr. clarified that he wanted him to walk without cruches. Cameron sported a priceless look- but he went for it! It was hilarious to watch him take his first steps. His arms were going everywhere trying to find something to hold on to. Dr. McDreamy started laughing and said "oh, you really haven't ben putting full weight on it yet!" Cam's first reaction was "my leg is so heavy!"

He practiced walking up and down the hall with just one crutch and did really well. Over the next couple I weeks he is supposed to ween from the crutch. We are scheduled to I back in November. Learning to love I-44...

Christie also had an appointment with Dr. McDreamy this morning. It looks like she is going to have a full hip replacement done at some point! The doctor was fascinated to work with a mother-son pair. I think they are going to do a genetic study with the two of them to try and pin point the gene that causes hip dysplasia. Pretty cool!!

So our days in St. Louis are not over. We're growing quite fond of the hospital... We know the area pretty well now and have our restaurant hot spots bookmarked on our phones :) Cam wants to come back whenever his mom has surgery so he can "have fun" in the hospital this time. Haha!

Going to College for Free

I had the pleasure of sitting in class with Cameron this weekend. He is currently taking a class on Marriage and Family Systems. His teacher started calling him "Hippie" last weekend. (Because of his hip surgery, not his love for the 60s.) Well, Hippie was used in many examples in his last class and this weekend was no exception, especially with his wife sitting right next to him in a marriage class. It has been fun to listen about marital therapy all the while thinking about what he is thinking. We had a great discussion/argument at lunch today about class. It was great to actually talk about how we would counsel differently.

I totally think this is the way to be educated!! I love being able to sit in a class and listen without any obligation - no papers due, no upcoming tests for me, just free lecture and discussion about a topic I am interested in. I guess we are paying enough for Hippie's tuition to double dip for my continuing education?!? This does make me want to get back into counseling. I really need to start my supervision hours in the next year or two.

I've actually been able to get quite a bit done sitting here. I made a power point for a faculty presentation next week, I worked on my syllabus, and I made a standards outline for my classes. I'm slowly getting ready for school. My room is pretty much set up and ready, I just have to work on lesson plans.... sigh.

On a totally random note, Cameron can drive! He's only driven once and it was in town - but it's a start! We go back to St. Louis for an appt. with his surgeon on Tuesday. We're hoping he will say Hippie can go full weight bearing now. Keep your fingers crossed...

The Wii Fit Experience

A quick reference to yesterday's post - I made a rough draft of my class expectations tonight and feel a little less freaked out. Only 74 things left to do on my list!

I need to take a moment to recapture my first Wii fit experience a couple of days ago. Phil and Christie recently purchased a Wii as well as a Wii fit to go along with it. For those of you not familiar with the Wii fit, it is a "game" that works with you individually on meeting specific fitness goals. It measures BMI, balance, agility, steadiness, and I think stupidity.

Cameron and I helped Christie set up the Wii fit program on Friday night. Of course we tried it out right away! Well, I realize now that I should have waited to watch a few more people attempt it before I jumped on. Every day when you start the Wii fit program, it gives you a quick body test calculating your weight and balance abilities. My first attempt had its ups and downs. The good news is, my BMI is normal, within the healthy range. The bad news is, I do not have superior balance skills.

Due to my #1, lack of experience with how the program works and #2, horrible balance ability - my first calculated Wii Fit Age was 36. Yes, that would be 10 years older than I currently am. I was immediately sent into a deep state of depression - and it just got worse.

Up next, Cameron. Yes, bum hip and all. He just hobbles his way onto the board 7 weeks after major surgery and what was his calculated age you ask? 24. HIS CURRENT AGE! How is that fair? Deeper I fall into depression...

"Well, this must be a mistake!" I convince myself that there must have been an error in my calculations, so I kick him off and try again. This time they give me even HARDER balance ability tests. My new Wii fit age - 49. Ohh I was mad.

I will have my reading audience know that I came back the next day with a new calculated age of 31. I'm still not happy about it, but at least it's going down instead of rising exponentially each time. I plan to go back tomorrow and show that board whose boss! Even though this machine made me incredibly mad, I did get a great work out and had fun doing it!

On my Christmas list this year (and yes, I realize it is only August)
1. Nintendo Wii
2. Wii fit
3. Peace on Earth and Goodwill Toward Men

Commence Freak Out.... Now!

I have been in a bit of a sour mood today and I finally know why - school starts in a little over 2 weeks! Don't get me wrong, I'm excited to see the kids again and all that jazz - but this is about the time I commence official freak out every year. There is so much I wanted to get accomplished for school over the summer, but I kept saying "Oh, I'll do that next week." Well, I've almost run out of weeks! I know in the back of my mind that I still have time to get everything done, but the irrational side of me still remains in panic mode.

I'm one of those people that likes to have all my ducks in a row before I start something. For example, I usually decide what to wear the night before. In school I always had my papers done one or two days before they were due (what if the printer decided to break the day of??) I try to pay my bills as soon as I get them so I won't forget later. Etc, etc.

You can call me anal, obsessive, or a nervous nelly - but I like to think I'm just efficient. I know we get a work day before school starts, but come on - everyone knows one day is not enough! Plus, teachers usually spend so much time chatting that day because we haven't seen one another for 2 months!

Breathe in, Breathe out. It will all be okay.