Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Peeking Out from the Funk for Random Tuesday


You know how they say things come in three’s? Or, how once you are aware of something it suddenly is ubiquitous? Sometimes it is like that with me for a new expression.


My new favorite expression is “Hot Mess.” The first time I heard it in a conversation with a friend going through hot flashes.


But my favorite was a story my daughter told me recently. Daughter is a music major and very involved in community theatre. She missed a meeting somewhere and was telling me how she asked two friends (male/gay – don’t mean to be stereotyping here but she has a lot of gay friends in theatre)…where was I? Oh. She asked her friends if she missed anything important at the meeting.


“Oh girl, you didn’t miss anything. Plus the air conditioning was out and it was horrid in there.”

“Well, she did miss a bit of a show.”


“What show?”


“Mary – where were you? This show. TRANI TRANI TRANI, HOT MESS, HOT MESS, HOT MESS.”


Not sure how well this translated, but it was a lot of fun to see daughter act out. In case you did not get it, the trani/hot mess the boys were referring to is the man who directed the meeting.


* * *


Yesterday in class my students were given a bit of time to update and organize their binders. They are not happy with my three hole punch. One of the screws is loose and each student has to make sure it doesn’t slide and punch the third hole in the wrong place.

Cheerful student looks at me and she says, “Ms Pseudo, I’m buying you a new three hole punch for Christmas.”


“That would be like my husband buying me a frying pan for Mother’s Day. I prefer dark chocolate.”


“Huh???”


“You’ll get it in about ten years…”

* * *


Our Governor has worked out a contract to save the state money by furloughing teachers 17 days this school year. The students will get 17 Fridays off. Teachers will get the pay docked, which comes out to a 7 ½ % pay decrease. So, when I get that second job I will have to assign a lot less writing since I will not have my weekends free for grading anymore.

Remember this post? Seriously thinking of moving to Georgia. Hi Beth ; -)

39 comments:

Jan said...

Oh, Psuedo, honey! Are you serious about the thing with the governor? Time to move to the mainland!! Come to northeast Ohio - we have depressing gray skies and snow 6 months out of the year!

Not appealing, huh?

I'm still not sure what a "hot mess" is, although one of my commenters today called this Lady Gaga person one.

Erin@TheLocalsLoveIt said...

Sounds like your 3 hole punch is a "hot mess".

Kathy B! said...

Forget GA, come to NC!! We have beautiful beaches here, too!

cheatymoon said...

If you come to the mainland, you must try the Northeast. :-)

Apologies in advance for not remembering the dark chocolate. I have you in Sherri's swap... ;-)

Love that you came out of hiding.
xxoo

mo.stoneskin said...

Sounds to me as though the Guv' is either a hot mess or in a hot mess.

Michele said...

Things were so bad for librarians in Arizona that I worked another job. I lucked out in getting a great job here in Texas. Sometime moving is the only option.

Liz Mays said...

Weren't you already way down on the list of pay for teachers by state? And now they want to cut it even more? That is so unfair!

That explains why the school won't buy you a new three hole punch. :(

Kristan said...

LOL about the 3 hole punch. Sadly, I would probably enjoy that.

Bookworm said...

So, yeah... the hot mess thing cracked me right on up. And yeah the whole frying pan thing for Christmas?? Check out this video where a man gave his wife a vacuum cleaner for their anniversary. A double bagger, no less. I want to find out where this dog house is LOLOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F2md4uGmMU

sitting on the mood swing at the playground said...

I'm so sorry about the furlough and pay cut. Is the governor taking a pay cut or furloughing his/her staff? I'm thinking you should get dark chocolate now...

Maureen@IslandRoar said...

Oh, that so sucks about the pay cut. I am so sick of all the powers-that-be using the economy as a reason to not give raises and dock pay. My ex is not getting a raise even tho his company has done fantastic the past year. I'm so sorry. Love your comment about the hole punch. Tell him to get you a hole punch AND chocolate, cover all the bases.

Sprite's Keeper said...

I am totally being serious when I say your governor is a guber. (Should I have spelled it goober? No, wouldn't have worked then.)

Anonymous said...

OMG. WTF?? Two questions:

1. What is your governor smoking?

2. Where can I get some?


That is the most insane plan I've ever heard of. And I've heard of some pretty insane plans, believe me.

I assume you're still expected to cover the same curriculum in 17 fewer days, right? Can your governor explain the magically improved teaching methods that will somehow allow kids to suddenly learn and absorb information at a 7.5% faster rate? Because if not, then your students are being robbed of the quality education that they deserve (and that their parents are paying for). Or alternatively, if the curriculum is being revised to reduce the necessary hours, then who gets to decide what material is cut? I would hope the taxpaying parents in your state would have some serious questions about that.

Jesus, that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of. Now I'm pissed. And it takes a LOT to get me pissed.

Amy said...

That stinks about the teacher's thing. Yuck.. I love chocolate also. I wonder if you will get your hold punch.

The Blonde Duck said...

I would protest the govenors, and the hole punch. For that, I demand chocolate and pie.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Stay in Hawaii. Boogie board. Write your novel on those extra days. Or loll in bed. Who needs to eat or pay for tuition?

How does one calculate 17% less in utilities and food?

And hot flashes? There ain't no air conditioning in those mid/northern schools. Keep the faith, Pseudo. Stand tall.

anymommy said...

WA is nice, but I don't think things are great with school budgets here either. My favorite expression is "rode hard and put up wet." As in, did that girl go out drinking last night? She looks rode hard and put up wet. It refers to horses, but wow, the first time a boss in Texas said it to me, I about fell off my chair.

Liz Wilkey (a.k.a. A Mom on Spin) said...

OH,I think I'm a hot mess!

Mango Girl said...

The first part of your post was cute. The last part? That really sucks the big one.

I am so sorry, Pseudo.

Jeanne Estridge said...

Seven and a half percent pay cut sucks, but at least you're getting some days off out of it!

Mike said...

LOL at the Hubby buying a frying pan! I remember when I was a kid, always getting my Mother some kind of kitchen gadget for christmas or birthdays. I think she would have preferred bath soaps!

Beth said...

It sounds like the state of affairs in education is in a hot mess.

So, want to come to Georgia?! I was serious about the offer for your guys to stay! And as it turns out, the house next door is suddenly available to rent. I'd tell you why, but that is definitely a blog post.

If another one of my teachers complains about the 3 furlough days we got this year, I'm going to suggest they move to Hawaii.

Mrsbear said...

My husband works for the county and the mayor just announced a 5% pay cut county wide for all employees, and no merit or cost of living raises till...who knows?

7.5 % is a lot. Especially for the work you do. Hope the students get the hint and give you more than a hole punch. :(

Pearl said...

A three-hole punch!

Speaking of fabulous presents, the first year I was married, my husband got me an umbrella and a calendar.

A Lord of the Rings calendar.

:-)

Pearl

Anonymous said...

Hey- teachers here are doing okay so you could move to VT!And what are the parents who work doing on those Fridays when the kids don't have schools!
BTW- I have read Expecting Adam and it is thought provoking. Some of us special needs parents like it some do not. Hmmm....
Now you have my email!

Twenty Four At Heart said...

I get so angry when I hear about paycuts for teachers - I can't stand it. I know I'm preaching to the choir, right?

Captain Dumbass said...

Hey, come to Vancouver. Universal health care, it's not just an argument!

Casey said...

Glad you came out of the woodwork for RTT. That HOT MESS story was hilarious, your daughter must be having a blast with that crazy crew.

creative kerfuffle said...

i told the hubs up front that it was against the law to ever give me anything that plugged in or was used for cooking in any way for a gift. so far he's been a law-abiding citizen.
i am blown away by the 7.5% pay cut. i can't believe the parents haven't revolted at that. 17 days less a year to learn/teach the same material? how can that not screw up the continuity of their education? holy hell. he couldn't have found any other way to cut that out of the budget? really? what a douche canoe.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Like Kathi B said, except we have beautiful mountains in NC too *laugh*

I completely forgot my comment I had to your post - dang! 2nd time today this has happened- but I can assure you that it was brilliant *laugh*

msprimadonna67 said...

Seventeen furlough days? That's unbelievable!

Wild Child said...

Oh, ouch on those furlough days. We did our little part in trying to help out Hawaii's economy when we stopped over in July. *Hugs* I'm a state employee and I have furloughs lined up too. This economy is NOT fun.

Barry said...

My wife is a teacher here in Ontario, fortunately about to retire this coming year.

Politics is such a dangerous and precarious think, especially when it starts tinkering with education.

I wanted to wish you the best of luck.

S3XinthePantry said...

17 Fridays without pay!!!
Did they do the same with other state employees? No garbage pick up for some Fridays? Close government offices for 17 fridays?

I wonder if they leave the lights on in the state buildings overnight!

Bernie said...

I wrote you an e-mail instead of a comment. Maybe it is just as well.

Stacy Uncorked said...

Loved the Hot Mess story - your daughter has got to be having a blast with her community theater group!

Your governor is whacked! I thought teachers were supposed to be the cornerstone of our children's education? Or whatever, the word cornerstone is the only one that comes to mind at the moment, but you know what I mean. That whole idea is so wrong on so many levels.

Ugh.

((HUGZ!!))

Hit 40 said...

How can the kids just skip 17 days of school?? No way!! I am sorry about the pay cut. Horrible economy. I have not got a pay cut, but our pay was frozen.

The Rambler said...

My cousin who's a teacher is trying to figure out how to make up that money loss. Hard when she has 3 little kids at home :(

K Dubs said...

LOVE your answer to the 3 hole punch.. great one :)

And I've been using the words "hot mess" lately, too. It must be making a comeback!

Hope the funk is lifting. Good to see you posting.