My old gray pants!

It's really amazing that no matter where you are, if you say something with authority people will really try to understand you. Much like your pet gets used to the tone of your voice not neccessarily the words you say, people can understand if you are asking a question, making a statement, etc. I was discussing this phenomenon in the back of a microbus with Mariah coming home from school the other day and she was saying that the word zuchinni worked for stop in all the countries she has visited. I countered by saying that you could really say anything, you just needed to say it like everyone else knew what it meant. I told her that I could say "my old gray pants" in a way that would stop the bus. She was sceptical. Well if you are reading this then you know me and I promptly announced "myoldgraypants" two or three time like I was saying "stop the bus" and everyone looked at me and the bus stopped. Bingo! It didn't help that she was laughing her face off and by the time we were out of the bus everyone was looking mildly amused at the spectacle she had created. I kept a straight face, after all, it was my ruse in the first place.

School is the same and dare I say worse this year than last year. I am teaching both Fourth grades now and didn't have a bus ride to school. I was told of this yesterday and just got desks in my undecorrated second room today. I quickly came up with the idea that I would have all classes I teach in my room, and the other room would be used for other subjects. Stale, boring, syrian style needs a stale boring syrian room - perfect! One looks like a prison and the other a class room. Now how to juggle the ten to fifteen minutes of homeroom time in the morning...God will swoop down and save me.

Maybe this week will show vast improvements in Syrian planning but as of now I intend to have half days, no books and many different coloring contests :)