Okay, I Teach Geography and I Didn't Know This.

Did you? I thought it was just a little bit cool. We learn something everyday.

The Equator Freak Zone


Plus, it is a cool website to browse around.

Time Travel

If you could time travel for real, 'when' would you go to? This may or may not be the social studies nerd in me to even be asking the question. I have a couple times: I couldn't pick one. And these are in no particular order. And this wouldn't be just a jump back in time and then return. You'd have to get a real feel for it; if you wanted to, I might consider letting you stay in that time if you really liked it. I'm cool like that.

--Roarin' 20s for sure. Just to see all the things going on; new inventions (cars, movies, radio, telephone, light bulbs, electricity--all that was brand new and changing fast), Great Gatsby type parties (Yeah, I am pretty sure I would be part of the upper class....right. I am now?? It's like the version of everybody thinking they were someone famous in a former life...if you are into thining you had a former life), plus changes for women with the vote and fashion and new freedoms in society. I would just want to see it all unfolding.

--But, I'd want to get back here before 1929 and all the whole Great Depression thing that comes after. That I will keep in the history books, please and thank you.

--1860s with Westward Expansion...everyone moving west to claim their homestead. The conflicts, the hope, the new beginnings. I want to see a town spring up overnight and see how people survived out on the prairie. The American Dream, right? I'd love to be there to chronicle it all from the immigrants' perspective, the Native Americans' perspective, the older than first generation Americans' perspective.....go sit in a Mercantile General Store somewhere and just people watch.

I think that is why I like playing this mind game of "What would you..." or "What if...". In this case, I like watching people and making up their stories for myself. It would be fun to add in the factor of a different era.

---Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome. Of course, again, as part of the upper class. Why make it miserable? Sure, I could get that perspective as well, but why not dream big, yeah?

---The 60s in the United States. All the changes, all the conflict, all the upheaval, all the drama. I love drama and change. They might or might not be two of my favorite pastimes, it could be argued. Plus, again, with the people watching.

---Victorian England. Just because. I am not a huge fan of conventionality, strict moral edicts, restricted society or that ilk. But it would be cool to be walking around in it knowing that I could leave.

Efalumps and Woozles.

Winnie the Pooh video, I think...I can 't remember who I was babysitting or nannying years ago, but they loved this video that had the Efalumps and Woozles song on it. I watched it approximately a bajillion times. A rather dark and scary, psychedelic bad LSD trip video. Where some character (I can't even be sure if it was Pooh) was being chased down by the Ephalumps and the Woozles. I am surprised more children who view it aren't scarred for life.

This tree always makes me sing the song that is the soundtrack for that part of the video. I think it reminds me of Dr. Seuss and something that he would have drawn as a tree...and it has come to life. "Form of a Tree, Shape of an Elephant"---I realize that it was always some form of water, and never a tree...but that would not necessarily work here. I live by my own rules, people.

Maybe because it reminds me of Snufalufagus from Sesame Street? I have warped my childhood elephants all into one: Horton (Who Heard a Hoot, apparently) and The Efalump, and Snufalufagus. I am surprised Dumbo didn't make an appearance; although, not really. I never really cared for Dumbo. I mean the character is fine, I just never really got into the movie. (I hated the part where they dressed him up as a baby clown and made him deal with the fire flames.)

I had a bunch of Babar books when I was little that my mom would read to me or I would just look at, but they never really put a hook in me. He seemed nice, but kinda snootysville. Wow. Where was I?

Anyway, this tree is on my walk that I occasionally take, and I always end up singing a few bars in my head as I walk by. I have a couple things going for me regarding this:

1.) I am singing in my head and not out loud.

2.) You are the only ones that know about this, so far.

3.) I understand it is a tree and not some scary monster come to life. Which could be troubling if I were writing about that. I can pretty much predict a drop in readership should that ever happen. Or.....maybe a rise---checking in on the nut job who thinks trees are elephants.

Body Snatched.

Is it wrong that I like a brand new pencil?

Or a new packet of Bic Flair Pens....not just the black, red and blue pen pack but the Big Honkin' Colors Galore Pack? Like Deeeeees:

New folders? Crisp, undamaged.

Clean whiteboards, no crud on the classroom floor.....it all reeks of huge potential. A brand new year, a brand new start, quite possibly the best school year ever. Or so I sometimes tell myself in the high school girl voice a la Valley Girl speak.

Reality is delayed a bit even once school starts. I have one and a half, maybe two weeks in a good year, where my "real" students have not arrived yet. I have what I have termed as my "Body Snatched" students.

They brim with potential, they ooze positive attitude, they have also convinced themselves that this is going to be a new year, a new start, this is the year that they will do well in school. And for most of them, they do just fine. Then the "Body Snatched" students start to disappear and are replaced by the real students when the first test or project is due. Then, old habits of staying up late IMing friends or watching TV until 2 am or going and hanging out with friends instead of doing homework, whatever the reason.......the truth finally comes to light.

Every year it happens, and every year I wish it wouldn't. But, that would be living in a bubble and not in reality. I am already accused enough of not living in reality much of the time.

I will continue to try and help the Body Snatched stick around a little longer. That is my mission this year. I'll keep you posted.

Countdown to first day of school: 6 days and counting.