Revival

Okay, I'm reviving this now. It can't be dead yet, it's only just started.

So, I'll play along with Shara and do a whole categorical update.

Work: I have started (and just finished the 2nd week of) my long term substitute position in the first grade. I'm at the school that I did my final student teaching at, so I'm comfortable there and I knew pretty much everyone going into the situation. It's a good feeling to walk onto a school campus and have kids run up to say hi to you. It's been really nice, and all the other first grade teachers (there are five first grade classes, total) are great. But, I do think that, while I love teaching and love kids, I'm not cut out for first grade. Not right now anyway. That's not to say that I WON'T do it...I just want something else/more. It boggles me how much time I spend talking about why it's not such a big deal that so and so cut, that we are going to the classroom where we all have our individual seats and that, even though he might get in the classroom first, he will probably not steal your desk. And the size of these kids' bladders - my God. They'd have to take a bathroom break in the middle of a sitcom. Aside from those little annoyances, the kids are awesome - adorable, smarter than people give them credit for, and ready to soak up any and all information. After my stint in first grade (which runs until they come back from Winter Break), I go into the 4th grade class - which I am definitely looking forward to.

Family: The fandamnily's pretty good. Can't remember who I've told - but about a month (maybe 2) ago, we got a dog. His name is Yukon; he and his name came from pound. He's a cutie - Corgi mix (he looks like a perfectly normal dog but with tiny little legs). Ellie's enjoying her freshman year at Moreau. Parents are good. Nothing much to tell here.

Love: Non-existent. Or at least, nothing salacious to be told. Trust me, I'm as disappointed as you all are.

(NEWLY ADDED)Fresno Friends: I still love em both. I guess I should change that to "all", but I meant specifically the David and the Toddster. You'd be amazed at how much boys will help clean, do dishes, etc. when you have a little outburst (complete with tears) about how you feel like you're doing everything in the house. It's gotten a lot better. And they are great to live with. Gonna miss them next year. =(

And there you have it. Basically. My Thanksgiving break (a whole week!) is from Nov. 18 - Nov 26 basically - so I'll be home sometime in there. I'm having fun in Fresno (it's cooled off!) and at the school. But I do miss you guys tons.

Love, Katie

At home . . .

Hey everyone - at home with Cesar =) Alex is still working - he's doing corporate jobs so they need it after hours. Its great for him and his business but bad for lonely little Shara =( but that's only now bc when busy season hits for me (Jan-Mar) I'll never be home. Anyhoo! I miss you guys and being able to call you and just go to dinner at Union Landing and talk about all kinds of crap. I called every one of you today (except for you Jo bc I obviously can't) and ALL voicemails! I got calls back from Kaite and Gina but no Deanna - so ya Katie HOUND HER! and don't worry about Gina I already bothered her about it =P

Work: I've been working for 2 whole months now and I think I've gotten used to the company and how they work and its policies. I'm pretty used to going to client sites too which was a little hard to get used to at first as I was accustomed to going to the same place everyday for work. Going to client sites was what I dreaded about auditing the most but that's actually what I love now - after a week 2 or 3 I get to meet new ppl at a new client site and if I hate the client or the ppl i work with its okay bc I get to roll off of the client and go to another one. I carry my office in my turtle shell AKA my HUGE backpack. I call myself a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and sing the song sometimes =) I love being somewhat financially stable now =) Scrimping and Saving before was a little tough and stressful so now I'm breathing a easier =) The work itself - right now - is a pretty boring. I get SO sleepy at about 3 or right after lunch and can barely hold myself up! It's the type of tiredness that comes after a sleepless night but with a full night's rest LOL! I hope I can get used to staying awake bc my superiors are always sitting right next to me!

Love & Family: Alex and I are great =) Settling into being a working couple =) Planning to break it to the 'rents after busy season (April) to give them some comfort in knowing that "I've been on my own for 8 months" and been responsible and financially stable. What's weird is that I discuss with Lexie how the parents will take it when I say I wanna move in with Alex and she gave me that advice! She gives me the most practical advice. The girl has creepily grown up and we're really close now =) Talk about everything - family, love, gossip, life and of course makeup, hair and all that girly stuff =) Its great =) Surge is becoming a young man - kinda creepy too. He's a football player! LOL I would have never imagined that for him when he was younger - he was so shy! Now he's kicking ass and taking names! I'm going to Moreau tomorrow to watch his game - I go often and everything is still the same except for the big gapping hole where the library was. Everyone else is good =)

Well its late gtg ALL of you update me on the SAME!!!

Miss you love you!
Shara

p.s.

WHOA when did we get a Randomosity photo album? --------->

How exciting! Those are AWESOME PICTURES, thanks for putting that together, Kate! Aww, makes me miss you guys. I'm trying my best not to crack up right now (since I'm at school), but some of those pictures are hilarious, I'm dying inside. I LOVE the one of Shara stuck in the car, and wow, how embarassing, that one of me shoving food in my mouth in the SGR. We look so young!

trying to look busy....

Yeah, 3 out of 5 isn't too bad. I check this thing religiously because there's always a bit of down time here at school. At max I teach 4 classes a day out of 6, so there's usually a couple of hours for me to just chill out. It's nice to hear about things from back home. It's scary to me that all our little siblings are getting old and playing football and going to high school and stuff. Geng has to start thinking about college soon...so scary!

So I'm sitting at my desk trying to look busy. The kids had midterm exams yesterday and today they're getting them back, so no one needs me. =( I'm just doing my homework for the YMCA conversation class, learning how to write the kanji for the days of the week.

There's not much to update on by way of events, but I do have to say that the kids here are amazing. I swear, they pretty much run the school and take care of themselves except for getting taught. I almost feel like we're just here supervising them or something. For example, the kids pretty much run their own club activity practices. The track club coach doesn't actually run, he just sits and smokes his cigarette watching the kids run their own drills, decide what their workout is going to be, and then do it. The kids clean the school, and yesterday all the kids were practicing the school song and the teacher sat at the desk while one kid from each class got up and conducted the class (in proper conducting fashion), and the music was angelic. A far cry from when we used to have to sing stuff at St. Clement, when the girls would sing nicely and the boys would sing awfully with their cracking pubescent voices and would change the words to dirty ones. The kids were harmonizing for god's sake! I'm going to have to videotape it, you won't believe it.

However, this isn't to say that all the kids are amazing at their schoolwork. It's actually pretty funny, most of the kids barely skate by. They put waaay more effort into their club activity (whether it's sports or music or whatever), and they're just highly regimented and know how to look busy and stay quiet. It's really interesting.

Alright, back to work. Have a good day, ladies!

3 Out of 5

While that is not a bad percentage - I'm going to start hounding Gina and Deanna about this. In the meantime, I'm liking where this is going.

Not too much going on in the great city of Fresno. Though it is interesting to note that from the 117 degrees it was in July, it is now 67 degrees. So that's a 50 degree difference in a little over two months - not bad. I was actually freezing last night and it felt so good.

I got an interesting phone call today from a school district offering me a full time 2nd grade teacher position...now, of all times - I am technically under contract for the long term subbing in Clovis and this new district is 40 minutes away, with no traffic. I think I have to decline. It would be great to have my own classroom, but...timing is everything.

My parents and Ellie are visiting this weekend. I think we have plans to go to the Big Fresno Fair, which I haven't been to with them for quite awhile. Then, the weekend after that, Deanna and Ryan are coming to the University of Hawaii football game...and it's Todd's birthday, so that'll be fun.

Other than that, nothing much going on. I'm keeping busy with subbing and my one class, though I'm not gonna lie - I have seen my fair share of TV lately and I'm reading LOTR #2.

Miss you all!

Love, Katie