Okay, perhaps I won't ever move out of home. Ever.

Mum and I did a grocery shop this afternoon, because we haven't done one in a while. It's just us two girls here tonight too, so we figured we'd just do it while we were out. It ended up costing almost $350. THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS. Oh my!! We did buy some meat, vegs, and toiletries (is it not insane that even shampoos and conditioners cost almost $10 now - and not to mention the $9 toothbrush we found!) so that added up but yeah. Insane.

So basically - I've just realised there is no way I would ever be able to move out on my own. Not with rent, and bills and loan repayments and grocery shops like that. Never. Meaning, I'll be definately living at home until I'm 90. I suppose while I'm here I should just be thankful my board is lower than renting a place. And I am thankful. Sometimes I really want to be out, just because I feel .. old. At (almost) 22, I know. People think I'm stupid all the time when I say that. But I always wanted a family young and now - I'm practically middle-aged. No expectations, or anything. Nuh-uh.

The school front? D. has thrown three tantrums in three consecutive days. Just like Amalah was having troubles in one of her recent posts about her darling boy driving her to the point of insanity, D. is killing me, slowly. And he's not even my own child, sheesh. I am supported by other people with him, but sometimes I just want to throw my hands up in the air and walk out of that damn classroom. But at the same time, I've sort of taken him under my wing and I couldn't bear to have someone else with him. It's really bizarre.

And you'll be proud. Seeing as a certain someone tactfully asked me how my "walk to Newcastle" was going - for some reason, I was able to wake up at 6am this morning and go for a nice walk. I had my "walking mix" on my Ipod, which made it good. I think I have perhaps invented the term Treadmill-Karaoke-Miming. I started off miming to the songs as I was walking, then it eventually turned into tuneless singing - I thought I sounded rather good actually, since I didn't hear anything at all over the music. Fantastic. I'm going to try again tomorrow, just to stay in the habit.

Thank goodness for LONG WEEKENDS.

So I'm starting this at night, but posting in the morning. I am efficient. Hiiiie-ya! --insert ninja noise-- Don't ask me where that came from either, it just.. fit.

I dragged mum and her "wounds" (teehee) to the movies today because I have been busting to see the Da Vinci Code since it came out. Plus, it was cheap Tuesday, haha. So it was good. We went to a 5.30pm screening too, so we've just got back. Er, I mean, we went YESTERDAY and we got back at 8.30pm. Yep. Because I'm actually uploading this tomorrow. I mean, today. Gah!

It was pretty good. I don't know that the characters matched perfectly - I kept seeing Aringarosa (the Bishop) as that Octopus dude from Spiderman 2, so that didn't help. Paul Bettany was just fabulous though, he was quite scary and did a great job of Silas. I think I've been secretly in love with him since Wimbledon, I really adore that movie. Great one. You should check it out if you haven't already but ANYWAY. Tom Hanks? Not sure. He's one of my favourite actors but him? As Robert Langdon? I don't know. I sort of pictured someone different. The lady that played Sophie was pretty good. All in all, it wasn't bad at all. Glad we went and saw it. Thanks mum!

(Except for some stupid idiots at the cinemas - gah. I still get pissy thinking about it.) I bought the tickets and the popcorn, served by 3 people. I know. THREE. One trainee, one person training the trainee and one trainee who was just sort of hovering around the counter. I bought the tickets for us, and a popcorn bucket and a drink. I was a good customer, see? I even said the trainee did a good job. Ha. Mum decided she wanted something for dinner - so I trekked down to the foodcourt for her because of her "wounds" - teehee (!!). Got her a chicken burger thing, hiked back up the stairs and am presented with the same trainees.

Trainee: "Can I see your ticket please?"
Me: ((halting mid-step as if being held up)) "Um, Ok, I just bought it??"
Trainee: "Okay thankyou."
Me: "Right." ((starts walking again))
Trainee: "Excuse me?"
Me: ((halting mid-step as if being held up -- again)) "Yeah?"
Trainee: "You can't take hot food into the cinema."
Me: "It's not getting eaten, it's for later."
Trainee: "You'll have to speak to my manager."
Me: "But I just bought popcorn!"
Manager ((who happens to be someone I sort of, but don't really know, and would only smile at in passing IF I was in a good mood, you know?)): "You can't take hot food into the cinema." ((smiling at me))
Me: ((not smiling)) "It's not getting eaten, it's to take home. See? Bag."
Manager: "It's company policy. No special favours, it's the same for everyone. ((still smiling))
Me: ((really not smiling, in fact, probably glaring)) "I have popcorn to eat."
Manager: "Um, okay."
Me: ((stomps off))

Fucking idiots. Don't ask me why that pissed me off so much. I just felt like cramming the chicken burger up their noses. And it IRRITATES me when people act like they know me, when they don't, actually. Damn. I really am PMS-y. And now I have popcorn-teeth.

Oh, and before I forget:

Dear Jen. I love you for posting. Love, Me.

Winter. Boo. I shouldn't say that, since actually, I really love winter. I do! Give me coldness and heaters and blankets and hot chocolates any day over sweat and.. well, sweat. Summer is overrated.


But I have to say, winter makes me lazy. I should be up early every morning running (or at least walking) on my treadmill, since I haven't done a proper 30 minute walk/run in a few weeks. -hides- So. Being the female that I am, I must blame something.

a) My lazy ass.

b) My bed being so comfortable and warm and squooshy.

c) My alarm clock (or mobile) being annoying, and forcing me to turn it off.

d) WINTER.

You see? All winter's fault. You know - I used to whine (Ha! Go figure) when mum would get down on the treadmill at like 7am and do her exercising in the mornings because I WANTED TO USE IT THEN and oh well, since she's on there, I can't do it. Because I work. WORK. -picture me flouncing around and you'll get a better picture- So, exercising was out in the mornings because I? Am not getting up at 5am to exercise. It's not possible. I'm sorry, but no.

So now that mum is still recovering from her "wounds" (giggle) the treadmill is all free. Gathering dust, too. And have I used it in the mornings yet? Er, that would be a no. Damnit. I tried AGAIN this morning to set the alarm early and get up, and all I did was end up waking myself up before the alarm went off because I was thinking about it too much. That's something I hate doing, too. I even made a nice little "running" playlist on my Ipod, so I could just turn it on and have some funky music, instead of my same old mellow playlists. But I just - didn't.

So now it's 6.50am and in the time it took to write this entry, I could have walked for 20 minutes. Instead, I think I shall try this afternoon. No. I WILL do it this afternoon. I just hope it's not too cold.

Just when I thought I was going to be down one..

Turns out I ended up back at square one! What am I talking about, you ask? Well. D. in my class has gone overseas for a long holiday to Macedonia to visit family - so he isn't back until September this year. Don't get me wrong, D. is a lovely kid, really sweet, but one less student means more time for everyone else which can be a really good thing. (Imagine the work one could do if classes consisted of no more than 20 kids... ahh... the thought is so appealing.)

Anyway - he left last Thursday, so I was expecting less numbers. Until this morning, when I got a visit from the office administration lady who had brought along another body to come join 1/2S!! Yep - I got a new student! He's absolutely gorgeous, looked all cute in his old school uniform - turns out they had moved from the country here to be with their family. He's Aboriginal, absolutely adorable and seemed really polite and cute. Only in Year 1 too - so today I just spent most of the time observing him, seeing what he was like, that sort of thing. His reading is very behind, so he'll most likely end up on the Reading Recovery programme, but he has really good handwriting and seems to be quite clever. He wasn't even nervous about starting the school here, from what I can tell he's moved around quite a bit, so he's used to it.

Since he's the first Aboriginal student I have in my class, that means I also get to spend more time with Mrs G. She is the Aboriginal Aide in the school, and spends time in the classrooms that have kids with needs, just as extra support for them. So I'm all excited I'll get to see her more often, because she's just an amazing lady who I really look up to. She's also one of the few teachers who has supportive words and encouragement, so hoorah for that!

Looking forward to good times ahead - I hope. I've decided to take him under my wing, so we'll see what happens. I'd rather get to him before some of the other kids do, seeing as he has a cousin who also goes to B.P.S. who is quite possibly, THE naughtiest boy at school. Wish me luck!

My mum is a very clever chook.

Yes, she is. She knew I had this blog up and running. She even offered to pay for it now that my trial is up (Hoorah! I am a qualified TYPEPADDER now!) so therefore she must -gasp- read it. She gave me a recommendation to try out this other blog she found called Sunday Scribblings. I've just gone over there now and had a peep at it, and it is definitely appealing. I'm going to try it out now - so bear with me as I take part in their weekly writing "challenge" so to speak, at least creatively, anyway.

Earliest Memory

.. Or should I say, memories? Sadly, I can only go back to around Kindergarten, which would have made me about 4 years old. I can remember Mrs Hardigan really clearly, and colouring in on plain pieces of paper. There is one memory which I know is there somewhere, but it's sort of fuzzy. Also to do with that class though. I wish I could put my finger on it. I know it's important, I've always thought about it but I have never actually remembered. Repression, anybody? It's nothing BAD that I'm aware of, it's just.. something. Interesting.

Things I wish I could remember

.. Wouldn't this be something? Being able to remember all the little things that we forget. Like the fore-mentioned kindergarten "incident" that I can't place. If I could selectively remember a memory that would benefit me right here and right now, it would have to be my years in Grade 1 and 2. Probably sounds rather boring to most people - but I find it amazing that I can't remember much about that time at all. I remember my teachers, yep. I remember Mrs Benney being absolutely wonderful. I remember Mr Pink wearing kneesocks and being about six feet tall. But that? Is about it.

I bet you're wondering why on Earth I'd want to choose those memories?

Because I'd love to see what those teachers did with me in class those times. I must  have turned out okay - and now it's MY turn to be that teacher. It's MY turn to be the mentor, the one that (hopefully) makes a difference. So anytime those memories would like to come on back to me, would be fabulous.

So there you have it, my first Sunday Scribbling - hopefully I've done this right, I enjoyed having a topic to blog about. 'Til next week!

This will be a rather boring and somewhat cranky post, no doubt. You have been warned.

Grumble No. 1
My insides feel as though they have been ripped out, juggled around and played with by feral monkeys or something. Cramps, so bad. Gah! I was expecting it today but still - does it have to be so damned crampy? The stupid thing is, I went on the pill years and years and years ago, because my crampiness was so bad that I'd spend at least one day in bed a month. It is much better than that now, it is. Can't deny that. But they are still pretty horrid.

Luckily. I have a convenience store down the road which stocks chocolate. Me thinks I will be paying a visit there later on this afternoon. When it's not freezing. I find it rather rude that on my sleep-in day, I was awoken (BY THE CRAMPS) at 7am. 7AM! Everybody else is still sleeping. Bah humbug.

Grumble No. 2
I HATE JUNK MAIL. Oh yes, I do. I use Outlook Express as my mail opener-thingymabob, so it has a "Block Email" section. So why is it that EVERY MORNING when I open my email, and no matter how long I spend adding people to my block list, the junk mail does not stop coming! Gaaaaah. Perhaps it's because I've had my email for such a long time that I've got geriatric junkmail servers still bombarding me. It's just irritating me this morning.

Grumble No. 3
Why are there NO VIDEOS THAT I WANT TO WATCH in my house at the moment? And yes, I realise that I could go to the video store myself but then I'd have to BUY them and I'm poor because I just paid mum board for June, PLUS my first car payment comes out next week so I need money in my account for that. Whine, whine.

Grumble No. 4
Nobody is commenting anymore. I take it this means my post have lacked wit and intelligence lately, or that you have better things to do than read this blog. (Gasp.) But, my cramps and I implore you, if you are reading THIS VERY SENTENCE right now, leave me some sugar. I bet it'd make me feel a lot better, and much less irritable.

Hell. With my cramps, anything could irritate me today. Luckily J. is well away. No heads will be bitten off (with exceptions for family members, who may lose several appendages.)

Why is it that when I actually find the time to sit down and update, all my wittiness flies out the window? Damnit.

Another week down - that means that next week is Week 6. Only 9 weeks of term 2 as well, meaning that I have a month to go. That's 20 school days! Only 20. Crap. That makes me realise I have an awful lot of stuff to do before the term finishes. Drat, drat, drat.

So, dad and I decided to go to the RTA today and swap the registration plates over from my old car to my new car. Reason for this? Because I will at least be able to remember what my old number plates actually are, rofl. So, dad got 1 of the plates off the NEW car (I did ask why he didn't just take both off, he said he only needed one for proof that the new car actually exists) and we drive down to the RTA. Where we stood. And waited. For like, 45 minutes. There were no chairs left to sit on, the darned place was so full. RTAs are my worst nightmare. Seriously.

Anyway, we finally get up to the counter (I had time to go for a nice browse around Woolworths getting fresh food for my bunnies, oh and some NutraGrain for myself - WHAT? I'm having a craving for dry NutraGrain, alright??) and the lady was all - why haven't you got both sets of plates? Dad was like.. Why would we need both? The other car is right outside your door with the plates on it, and here is proof of the OTHER plates. And she got all snarky, and told us we'd need to come back with BOTH sets of plates before she could help us.

So then. We stomped back home (or, you know, drove back home) and dad had to get off the OTHER plate. Then we drove BACK to the RTA - had NO parking and had to park a bloody long way away this time. Get there, and there is STILL an insanely long queue. We stomped (really, this time) to a seat and grumbled about how useless the RTA people is, ESPECIALLY Madame Snark who made us go home again. Until, all of a sudden, she gestured us over to come back and fix it all up, being much more friendly this time around. Redeemed - just. Until I had to pay a lousy $50 just to fill in a fucking form to swap licence plates. Give me a break!

Oh and apparently Ebay (Australian) is having a free few days of adding adverts - so I'm putting my old car up there. If you know anyone in Sydney who wants a cheap runaround car, go visit the link that I'll add in here once I upload to Ebay. Yep.

SHOOT! I also forgot to add Jess's (ooh, lots of s's.. ooh, more s's!) bloglink. Must do that when I update. MUST DO THAT.

How do I love Fridays? Let me count the ways..

1. They imply that maybe, just MAYBE, I will get to sleep in tomorrow without the dreaded alarm going off. This does not happen on any other day (even Sundays!)

2. I have a recess lunch duty WHICH means that I end up with the whole 40 minute lunch hour off. So good!

3. I get 1 hour "sort of off class but not". Which means I get the Aboriginal Awareness Aide come in and read Dreamtime stories to me and the kids, and then do art about them. So an hour off teaching is fantastic!!

And lastly, but certainly not er.. leastly:

I GET TO SEE J.!!

Damn the stupidness which means that I only really get to see him on weekends - I know that's partly my fault because I'm so freaking exhausted after work, but. It just stinks.

I am sure there are more reasons I love Fridays but I'm having a mental blank AND I have 15 minutes to have a shower and get out of my lovely and squishy oversized Eeyore jumper and mismatched 3/4 PJ pants (not to mention the ugg boots as well). Why can't we just go in PJ's to work??

Seriously. I almost didn't believe it and I WAS THERE.

I got called out of my classroom (during SHOW AND TELL mind you - darnit, that cracks me up, but that's a whole 'nother blog entry) by the principal this morning and was informed of some really shocking news. One of my kids, a 6 year old in Year 2, was caught at the plaza (shopping centre) next to the school at 9.20am, attempting to shoplift in one of the stores.

A 6 year old shoplifting.

Can you even imagine?

Turns out that he was caught trying to walk out of a store with something in his jacket and something else in his school bag. What it was, I never found out - but geez. He is not a stupid kid, he would have known exactly what he was doing. And he is 6 years old. Unbelievable.

I just want to cry.

Oh, and by the way, he escaped getting charges filed because the shop owners felt sorry for him, being so young. In a twistedly horrid way, I sort of wish he had been charged. (I know, I told you I'm awful). But at least if he was dealt something awful like that, he'd think twice about doing it again. Now - he's got off with nothing. And home life isn't great, so in all honesty, I doubt he will even get reprimanded.

-sighs-

So, we had a staff meeting today. Gotta love those.

We are changing the way that our school's timetable works, because our school goes feral in lunchtimes. Seriously, when I say feral I mean feral. Think hanging off of trees feral, picking fights feral, screaming like maniacs feral. It seems like one hour to eat lunch and play is too long for these kids. Even if it really isn't one full hour, it's more like 40 minutes. The bell rings at 1.10pm, we eat sitting down for 10 minutes and then there are two 20 minute lunchtime halves.

NOW we will be having shorter lunch breaks, so there will only be 25 minutes of play time, to see if it cuts down the number of silly feralness playground incidents that happen. Oh. And we also got told we need to start controlling our kids in a more orderly fashion. That means, the kids need to be lining up silently for us when we come out of the staffroom ready to lead them back off to the classrooms.

Please.

There is no way in hell that is going to happen. They are just kids!! Since I got this class, from the beginning of the year, I was always planning on having my kids be perfectly in order and in lines from day 1. And since the beginning of the year, I realised that no matter how hard I drill this into them (or should I say, bark like a drill sergeant - FIND A PARTNER! HANDS BY SIDES! FINGERS ON LIPS! STAY TOGETHER! MARCH! MARCH!) they just aren't getting it. Seriously.

I freaked out about it for a while when things weren't going as planned. I have half my class who are absolutely fabulous, like angels, who wait patiently with their partners for me to get there. They still talk, but they stop whenever a teacher comes into sight. They're lovely. Then I have the other class who have no freaking idea what the hell they are supposed to be doing. These are the ones I have to go and round up every time the bell rings. Yesterday, they were jumping up and down off the seats where they eat lunch. Today, they were jumping in the puddles from the rain last night. Who knows what tomorrow will be.

The other teachers were nice. They told me, hey, don't worry about it, it'll just sort of happen eventually. Great! I feel better now. No freaking out. I'll just go with the flow, make them practice a few times at lunch times, and hopefully it'll all fall into place eventually. What a bunch of lovely supportive teachers! (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that they were only telling me all the stuff about the lines because it made their classes look amazing standing next to my kids/monkeys.)

So executive people (who don't even have classes, mind you) telling us (perhaps, me, since they sort of looked in my direction when it was said --- OR perhaps I am a paranoid freak) to keep the kids in an orderly fashion..

Pah again.

The day that I see my ENTIRE class (every single one!) lining up in two straight lines without speaking, I will have a heart attack on the spot and die. For real.