concert

What happens when you get one hundred 7-8 year-olds together? One of them throws up. I think it's some kind of universal law of physics or something. That's what happened this week at my very first concert at the elementary school. At the very end of the first half of the program, while the principal was giving instructions and telling everyone goodnight, one child in the back row throw up on a child(ren) in front of her. I was also facing the audience and did not see it, but immediately after the curtain closed I heard someone say "Someone had an accident on stage" and I thought, "oh no, someone peed their pants." But then I heard another person say, "One kid threw up on another." and I thought, "oh, good...?" Poor child. I hope they aren't forever ruined for concerts.

That aside, things at both concerts went excellently and everyone had a great time. I got lots of positive feedback and we had our greatest attendance ever. People keep crediting me but honestly I keep crediting the Christmas songs. What kid isn't going to want to show up to sing Rudolf?

a new teaching highlight

Yesterday a fourth grader asked me, "What does flirt mean?" The teacher gave me absolutely no help, and I think I was able to put something together about trying to impress someone or get their attention. Good on the kid for having the guts to ask. Sometimes I forget what fourth graders might or might not know. We all have to learn sometime!

Note: The word "flirt" was in a song I've taught them...which now that I say it sounds entirely inappropriate, but I assure you it is not. It didn't come out of nowhere.

December

Welcome to hell month. Sad, but true. Okay, it's not really hell, but I always seem to forget just how busy this time of year is. The to-do list is growing faster than I can check things off. But I have two years of experience behind me and I know it's going to be okay. I just need to get through the next four weeks (and not set myself on fire).

Here's a breakdown of life right now:

Shitty things:

• too much breast cancer going around
• too much death going around
• dad's having mysterious health problems

Awesome things:

• boyfriend is the best
  
• amazingly fun jobs with the right number of hours
  
• good community
• boyfriend is incredible (I know I put that twice)