[elizabecca]

Hey, ladies! It was quiet around here last night. Where was everybody else?!

Kat -- I'm definitely going to check out that meeting next week and see if they're doing another beginners.

Ellis -- Are you okay? Please check in so we won't worry! (((hugs)))

Chris -- Found that foot in the mouth smilie!

Jennelle, Sarah, Steph -- I hope you all had a good night and will have a great day today!

Hmmm...I have nothing else to say! I'll "talk" to you all tonight!

Love and hugs,
Christy

[rochemist]

Real quick look outside! It's beautiful! Its been snowing little diamonds all night, the beauty is just overwhelming!

Much love to you all!
Miss Chris

[KatSLP]

Morning all,

Getting read for a f2f meeting - just stopping by to say hi.

I'll post a meditation, too.

Have a fabulous day! Chris, the snow sounds so pretty.

[KatSLP]

February 5 "Inner Harvest"
Hazelden Meditation Series

We sell ourselves short if the scale is our primary source of approval.

People with eating disorders spend lots of time getting on and off the
scale. When we are obsessed with reaching and maintaining a specific weight,
the moving indicator on the scale becomes our judge. Weight okay: we feel
good. Weight not okay: we feel terrible.

In recovery, we focus on eating the right type and amount of food, and we
let our weight take care of itself. We concentrate on following a path
toward emotional and spiritual growth that allows us to feel good about
ourselves. We have value; we have gifts to give; our self-worth is not
dependent on what the scale reports.

As our recovery progresses, we cultivate friends among those who value us
for our inner assets rather than our outward appearance. We are free to
become who we are intended to be, and we enjoy the process of
self-discovery. True self-esteem comes from within, rather than from numbers
on a scale.

*

Whatever my weight today, I am a worthwhile person with valuable
contributions to make to those around me.

[Jennelle]

I have been running like the proverbial headless chicken. I took son to the university library last night so he could do some research for his term paper. While he was negotiating the journal articles, I was doing my progress reports. I am so mad at my 5th graders! 85% of them are failing right now! Not because they CAN'T do the work, but because they WON'T do the work. I have kids who haven't turned a single solitary piece of class work for four weeks. They just do not care. Unfortunately, most of their parents don't care either. It SUCKS! :grr:

I spent a whole year in my old school fighting for higher expectations. (They sure preached them, but then when it came time to hand out grades, their money was certainly not where their mouths were.) The second year (almost a year, anyway), I decided not to fight the system. (I had no fight left in me.) I bent over backwards to fudge grades so kids would pass. When I got to my new school, I declared (to myself) that I would be damned if I was going to let these kids get f***ed over like the kids at my last school were. How in the world can we expect to improve the quality of education if children are constantly and consistently held to ridiculously low standards of performance.

Folks, my class isn't even hard. It's leveled, too, so each kid is working within his/her ZPD. It's just that they WON'T DO THEIR WORK! AAAAARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
And what pisses me off the most is that when I handed out progress reports to the fifth graders, they were all pissed off at ME for "giving them" bad grades! Boy, did I snap! "I don't GIVE you your grades, you EARN them!" I told them in no uncertain terms.

deep cleansing breath...I feel better now

At least I didn't eat, and let me tell you...those Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the snack room were yelling my name!

Jennelle

[ellis]

I'm here! Sorry... just having a "me" week without my meds.
Love and hugs to all...

[KatSLP]

Hey, Jennelle, I feel for you (and those kids)! It sounds like you are a great teacher. They need someone like you.

Ellis: Sorry you are having a hard time without the meds. Please post to us, though - I am sure it'll help!

Today I presented my sponsor with her 2 year birthday candle. I also gave her a gift that she loved (she has admired the many necklaces that I wear which a friend's dad made...so I had him make her one). It was a great morning. There were 3 other birthdays and 2 chip takers. Inspiring!

I had something happen at work, though, that caused me to obsess over it. I had some difficulty getting over it but was finally handing it over to HP when it turned into nothing (ended up not being anything). So I wasted a my time even being concerned. My head is so diseased! But, luckily, HP was guiding me and I did not break my abstinence over it.

Chris - how is the addresses/Valentine's day project coming?

Hi everyone else!

[elizabecca]

Hey, y'all!

Ellis -- There you are! I'm glad you're taking some "me" time, but don't seclude yourself too much. I know that when I'm depressed I want to withdraw and allow the pit to deepen around me. We're here for you and we love you!

Jennelle -- Big hugs from me! I totally know what you mean about kids and parents who don't care. It's frustrating and I sometimes ask myself why I should spend so much of my time caring more about it than they do! Then, of course, I remember that it's my name on those darned standardized tests. And there's also the frightening realization that many people's perception of how well I do my job on a day to day basis is determined by how 8 and 9 year old children perform on a single battery of tests. Oh yeah, this makes me hot!!!

Whew...sorry to turn that into the Christy show! Just wanted to assure you that you are not alone in your frustration.

Side note -- You're staying safe in all those storms, I trust. We were watching the weather earlier and it looks nasty down your way. Be careful!

Kat -- Your meeting sounds lovely. I'm glad the problem you were worried about didn't materialize. Good for you maintaining your abstinence.

Chris -- Still snowing out there? Did you have a good day off? Talk to us!

I'm off to put notes in report cards and work on some math homework. I'll try to pop back in before bed.

Hugs,
Christy

[rochemist]

Hi Everyone!

I ended up spending the day in Blair because of the snowstorm, I need extra prayers that I will be going home tommorow (it is my day off, plus I miss my family ) I still think the snow is wonderfully beautiful.

Jenelle and Christy- (((((((((((((BIG HUG))))))))))))))) Thank goodness ya'll are school teachers because I would just murderize the goomers My son's report card came the other day and he had 4- A's, 2- C's, and 2- D's. I am at my wits end, I ride him and check everything and still he has missing assignments so I know your frustration Jenelle. So I said to him this is your paycheck and your overall performance needs an improvement. I am about ready to launch an investigation report and to find out how you still don't get your work done when I am barking at your heels. He rolled hi eyes, until he figured out that a full blown investigation would require me to go to school and sit in his classes. He's got 2 weeks and if he has one missing assignment I AM SO THERE!

Kat- Isn't it wonderful to turn it over to HP? I have done that alot today and living in this moment now is so beautiful for me. I can't worry about what might happend, because it hasn't happend yet!

Ellis- I know your in **** sweetie, but you can tell us how bad it is!

Much love Sarah and Steph!
Miss Chris