Hitler wasn't German, and Napoleon wasn't French.

It's cold and rainy outside, and I have a horrible head cold. I need to do laundry, but that requires leaving my warm, dry house.

So in I shall stay, rest, and read "Iron Flame." I can do laundry tomorrow when I hope to feel better and it'll be a little less wet outside.

As President Donald Trump this week sought to rewrite the history of his supporters’ attack on the US Capitol, a database detailing the vast array of criminal charges and successful convictions of January 6 rioters was removed from the Department of Justice’s website.

Houston, Texas SNOW DOG. Who am I kidding? He hated it. He is an under-the-covers-wrapped-like-a-burrito dog. He was not a fan.

I, on the other hand, loved it. I want to move north. I want snowstorms to be part of my yearly life, not my once-in-my-life.

Yesterday, I ruined my students' lives (they think): I changed their seats.

For the most part, I'm trusting. I let them choose where they sit. However, if they can't behave, I choose. Yesterday, I chose for 2 classes.

I try to be firm but fair. I'm hoping the seating arrangement helps their focus.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah to those who celebrate! I will be nestled in at home, probably renting a movie, making some food I enjoy, and maybe going to the gym. This is the first day of the holiday break where I have no plans, and I plan on enjoying the day to myself.

I've been in an internal battle these past two days. On one hand, I'm on vacation. On the other, I have a massive stack of grading to do and lesson plans to write because in Texas, teachers are given so little legally protected prep time compared to the amount of non-teaching duties we do.

My rent is going up $75/month when my lease expires. Boo.

I love teaching, but I wish that the state would give us more than a 45-minute planning period. In the 20 years I've been teaching, we've had an exponential increase in non-teaching expectations/duties with no extra time to complete them. What is happening now is not sustainable.

When I was younger, I wanted to be a writer. I unearthed some of my early writing. Wow. It's bad. Now I see why I got rejection letters. 25 years since has given me the time to read really good writing, the wisdom to realize my early dialogue was cheesy, and the expertise of editing. BUT I stand

My favorite things about Saturdays is the ability to have several hours at the gym. The gym is my happy place, and I don't go as often as I'd like during the workweek. But on the weekends, I pop on my AirPods and zone out on the elliptical and the cables.

"this is fine"

British Library Manuscript - royal ms 20 a ii f3r

Today, my students wouldn't leave after 7th period b/c they were trying to finish their timed write. I waited. I told them to leave. Nothing. So I threatened to sing. I belted out "Worst Pies in London" from Sweeney Todd, getting louder and louder until they turned their essays in. That worked.

In AP Lang today, we discussed an essay prompt: the influence and power of books over time. The overall consensus is that religious texts have maintained their power and influence - &I got to give a mini Henry VIII lecture (since he used Leviticus to divorce a wife). I bring history in when I can!

As much as I hate getting new social media and basically starting over....I no longer want anything to do with Twitter (and I still won't call it X).