Whirlwind

This entire weekend seems like a split second, it all just blends in together for some odd reason... but at least Spring Break is just around the corner (I feel like a little giddy kid).

Saturday I went back to Pete's Bar and Grill to check on the job that I talked to the owner about a little over a week ago. Joe was not there, however, the bar manager who I first meet at Cafe Moro was there. I talked to her for a few minutes, she said that the bartending staff had a meeting this past week about hours and that Joe was talking about me the other day. She told me, also, that he should be giving me a call this week letting me know something... don't know what... but something... keep your fingers crossed!!

Yesterday was a day of learning for me....

1. Screening calls is not always beneficial- My roommate from last year was calling me from Korea with a 00532560 (or something to that extent) number. When my phone rang I looked at the number, unidentified, I was about ready to hit the silence button, but I had this feeling I should pick it up; I am glad that I did!

2. Bananas become gross in an unstable environment- If you put bananas in a place where the temperature fluctuates dramatically, the bananas become quite gross and uneatable. Sad day for Jen when she wants a banana to eat...

3. Double checking my steps is a necessary move- I had about a 20-30 minute time table that I was able to run home to grab lunch and leave again. The quickest available food to eat was heating up soup in the microwave. Normally, I clean my stuff up right away (putting it the dishwasher or washing it and putting it away), however, I wanted to eat at a normal-ish pace. My soup did explode a tiny bit in the microwave, since the next time I was going to get home was to make dinner, I thought I would clean up that tiny mess later. Apparently, unlike my roommates that can leave the kitchen with dishes, messes, etc... I cannot. I came home to a note on the microwave, letting me know I need to clean up my messes.

4. Being giddy like a kid equals motivation- Since I am giddy to get home and relax for Spring Break, I have become giddy like a little kid right before Christmas. I am antsy to get out of Pullman and see the other side of the state. On the flip side, it has made me more motivated to get all of my stuff completed, working a little further into the syllabus.

5. Teaching to become a teacher- Experience is necessary and the only way to really "learn" how to become a teacher. In the Writing Center last night when I was working, unlike other weeks, it was extremely busy. We actually had people waiting!! I helped a couple freshman students in English 101, but before I left, I was working with a student from China. Justin can probably relate as to how it is difficult to explain why the English language/ grammar requires different elements in writing. It was a definite challenge for me, especially since she was in a 400 level Food Science class, and what she was writing was about a program which she was designing. Explaining to her different grammar elements was difficult, but in the end I know in the future I will have to do that as an English teacher.

6) Dinner is a must before 8:30 pm- When I got home from the Writing Center, it was finally 8:30 and didn't have dinner yet. I was hungry, but once I made my food, I just wanted to go to sleep. Plus, I don't like sleeping on a full stomach, it hurts my stomach and it isn't very healthy for you. Next time, I will definitely bring something with me, even if it is something small.

7) Confusion makes some responses better..??- For an English methods course, as a class we are working with a Spokane high school class in their poetry unit. They are writing responses to poems with specific requirements and we respond back to the same individual students each week. Well, there is a lot of confusion as to how we should grade, how are we are grading, how we should respond, etc... I didn't think I was doing a "good job" at it, however, four of us in the class received a response back from the high school teacher thanking us for offering such good feedback to the students. He told us it confidently affirms what a 'great process this is for the students.' It is nice to know the 3 hours it takes to respond helps those students.

Anyways, that is about it in lessons during these past couple days, mostly yesterday. Keep smiling, spring and summer is right around the corner!