Wedding - Dan 6

Back into the action of the reception: Toasts, dancing, etc. Dad gives the father-of-the-groom toast, while Dan and Jennifer (and the DJs in the background) listen. By the way, I also gave an elaborate and engaging toast: I read aloud a short story and even had PROPS. But I didn't get any photos of that because, hello!, I was in action at the time. Anyway, here, Mom poses with me, and then dances with Dad to Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love". There was lots of dancing, which made me happy, because I love to dance. I boogied the night away.





















Fun times. The bride and groom slip away into the night.

Wedding - Dan 5

Another reception feature: Relatives I see only at weddings. Interestingly, I am growing to like more of my relatives as I mature. I used to think I didn't much care for many of them. After all, you can pick your friends, but your relatives are sort of foisted upon you, you know? And I didn't really grow up with relatives nearby. But I can now tolerate all of them, and really like some of them.

We have JR and Steve Marshall (brothers). Bobby Price and Jesse Price. Steve with Thomas Price. Me with Becky Price (sister of Bobby). And then, of course, me with my Adik Michael--Don't mess with us!

Wedding - Dan 4

I did not take pictures during the ceremony, since I was standing up front with a bouquet. However, I would like to take this opportunity to state that having young children in weddings is nearly always a disastrous proposition. Dan and Jennifer's flower girls were just really bratty. They clowned around on the platform during the wedding, and refused to follow directions. I had several "now I remember why I don't have children" moments within the span of 10 minutes.

The reception: Plenty of Biola buddies. My mom with her ersatz sons Ojan and Will. Michael Nance and Gretchen Foltz. Kate don't-remember-her-last-name and Mike Davis. Me with a bunch of my favorite gentlemen (Phil, Roland, Dan, Ojan, and Mike). With Roland Morgan, who was very positive and upbeat, considering this was a WEDDING. My BFF!!! And of course, me with my sweet friend Phil Scharer, who was a great and supportive groomsman; we have known each other since our first semester at Biola, and traveled to Turkey, Greece, and Italy together with Talbot Bible Lands. We scaled the walls of Troy! Humorous sidenote: Phil looks so much like a Price that we've decided to adopt him, since most people assume he's related to us anyway.

Wedding - Dan 3

Well, Blogger doesn't always let me display photos to their best advantage. You'll have to make do.

Before the wedding:
Two of my favorite men in the world. Devoted sisters who look more and more alike as they get older. Mia relaxing before walking down the aisle as a bridesmaid. Dan and Deb in a cozy moment.























The beautiful bride says, "Let's get this show on the road!"

Wedding - Dan 2

Still at rehearsal dinner: The all-important ritual of the presentation of the bride price!!!! Yes, my family is pretty weird, all things considered. We are some of the very few Moskona-Americans, and we keep up our proud traditions from the old country.

Dad in his favored mode--teacher! He explains the cultural significance of the exchanging of a bride price in a marriage.

Jennifer is fascinated to discover that she is worth a kain timor and eight pigs.

The brothers and fathers are usually the ones involved in managing and arbitrating the negotiation of the bride price. Here, they pose Moskona-style with the bride price.

And the eight [miniature] pigs.

Wedding - Dan 1

I need to chronicle five weddings, in-depth: Sherida's, Bekah's, Mia's, Christina's, and Dan's. I know, I know. I've been slacking badly. To make amends, I'm starting with the most recent, and will proceed backward, as time and back pains allow.

Week before last, Jeff and I drove all day to make it to Phoenix for the rehearsal, but forgot about the hour time difference between AZ and CA (it wasn't there a few weeks ago!), so we were late. However, Tim and Mia were even later than we were, so yay them! The rehearsal was pretty low-key. Jennifer was the most relaxed bride I've ever encountered; Dan was rather more uptight. I was there with a lot of my favorite people, though, so I had fun. There were Jeff, Mia and Tim, Mike, Dan, and dear Philip Scharer, as well as Jennifer and Meli, who are likely to become some of my favorite people.

The rehearsal dinner was at The Old Spaghetti Factory, which was nice, as I could order my favorite meal there, spaghetti with browned butter and mizithra cheese. Family members were gathered for the joyous occasion.

We had Jeffrey, looking handsome in his maroon shirt. Tim looked confident, while Mia seemed disconcerted. Mia posed with Uncle David and Aunt Susan. And Aunt Susan presented the happy couple with a quilt, handmade by the world-famous Susan Laity Price.

bad things

I have an infection. It started out as a urinary tract infection, and now I think it has moved into my kidneys. Ouch! Stiffness and lower back pain, and some trouble breathing. I am planning to get into the doctor's office tomorrow morning.

My computer is occasionally on the fritz as well. I think the power source is having issues, so I'll have to see about getting it replaced.

It is finished.

Nabbed from Sherida's blog

	Kiti Feely ate 27 hotdogs in 5 minutes
	Kiti Feely died 3 minutes later
'What will your Headline be?' at QuizGalaxy.com

'What will your obituary say?' at QuizGalaxy.com

A word of advice, Paris: Stay away from hot dogs!

Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

Sometimes even hypochondriacs really ARE sick, you know.

Wednesday

Ooo, ooo, new Bones tonight!

I have to do still more laundry, and then pack.

To-do:
-Go to work - Done!
-Organize classroom and prep for sub - Done!
-Go to gym - Done!
-Fix and eat dinner (focusing on vegetables) - Went to dinner w/ Keiko!
-Watch Bones
-Possibly watch something else, to clear off DVR
-Wash, dry, and fold or hang up laundry
-Pack for travel to Phoenix
-Call or e-mail Sharon and Bekah
-Brush and floss
-Clean cat litter box
-Throw away or recycle 10 items

At work on my to-do list from yesterday:
-Work - Done.
-Cook and eat dinner - Went to have dinner w/ Debbie and Jerry. =)
-Go to choir - Done.
-Laundry - Working on it.
-Practice guitar and flute - I strummed the guitar a bit when I got back from choir, but folks are in bed, so I can't do music any more tonight.
-Put away 10 items - Done.
-Throw away or recycle 10 items - Recycled one. Threw away several.

I have to work tomorrow, then pack and get ready to leave early Thursday morning.

Readers, why don't you leave me a comment, with at least one suggestion for a way to occupy oneself on a long car drive to Phoenix?!

Today was fairly low-key.

Went to work, went to gym, came home.

There never seems to be enough time to do everything that needs to be done.

I need to make my lunch for tomorrow, and then collapse into bed.

Tomorrow:
-Work
-Cook and eat dinner
-Go to choir
-Laundry
-Practice guitar and flute
-Put away 10 items
-Throw away or recycle 10 items

Life is a Banquet

...And most poor suckers are starving to death!

I managed to be blessed and fed, however. Last night, we had another semi-annual Alternate Banquet. We invited a lot of people, but many of them were not able to make it, so it was an intimate event.

The November 2006 Banquet was held at Portofino's in La Habra, and it was a great choice of restaurant: the food was great, the prices reasonable, the atmosphere perfectly classy (the only flaw being the occasional loudness of the live singer/pianist duo in the bar right on the other side of a partition). We had good conversation and reaffirmed the importance of family and friends.

With my friend Will Thorpe.

















Mum and Dad in the restaurant.















The whole crowd by the fountain on the Terrazo at the restaurant.














BFF! We have so many photos of the three of us, and I'm always the tall one in the middle!

The Ladies (Elizabeth, Deb, Mum, Sara) and the Gentlemen (Will, Jeffrey, Jeremy, Dad, Bryan).

Friday evening

We were going to have Book Club, but it was cancelled due to schedules and stuff.

I had a busy but satisfying day at xxxxxxxx Middle School. My students acted like little demon spawn today. Yes, we are nearing a full moon...

Note: A young man told me that he thought my method of smiling sweetly all the time, and never yelling at my students, but rather coming up to them and whispering instructions was very scary. It really is effective. I seldom raise my voice in my new classroom. I simply crouch next to their desks and say things like, "It would be in your best interest to stay in your seat and do your math worksheets" in a quiet little voice. Heheh.

Halloween

We went to a Halloween party with our Bible study. People came in costumes of varying extravagance and originality.

The M&Ms thought this was their best side.



















Glenn's roommate (whose name I can't remember, for some reason) was "Liger" Woods (i.e. the opposite of Tiger Woods).



















Sarah didn't wear an entire costume, but she had a plastic skull ring artistically arranged on her nostril... and festive socks.




























Dylan came as the SuperGadgetMan, Dylan 5000



















Alisa was The Beach (high-concept!).



















Melinda came as some sort of Indian or Pakistani woman. She said it was the most comfortable costume ever.



















Glenn WAS Napoleon Dynamite, up to and including the lanyard keychains.



















And Deb and Jeff came as happy Hogwarts students. Jeff was a wholesome Gryffindor wizard, and Deb represented Ravenclaw. We were most proud of the fact that we assembled our costumes with things we just had lying around the house (e.g. the wands were chopsticks that we colored with Sharpie pens).

I do have a rep to maintain...

Believe it or not, I occasionally enjoy my job now. I'm making my way back up the list of meanest teachers at xxxxxxxx Middle School. It helps to be the teacher in the class that kids are supposed to hate. I just make everyone be absolutely silent, and help kids with their work if they want it. If they mess around, I smile sweetly and kick them out to be suspended. I walk softly and carry a big walkie-talkie.

At home, I'm trying to finally do some cleaning and organizing. I wish we had less stuff.

We're getting caught up on Bones, and I'm getting ready for Alternate Banquet this weekend and Dan's wedding (*gulp*) the weekend after.

Always strange

And full of plot twists.

Well, I am no longer a science teacher at xxxxxxxx Middle School. I'm still teaching there, but it was decided to switch me to a special classroom: "transition", which is basically in-school suspension. I was really hating life, and couldn't communicate well with middle-schoolers and keep them in line well enough. So they made a decision to put me in charge of the juvie punk division! But it is actually a good fit, so far, as I can focus on just a few students, in all their core subjects, and I also get to be as strict as necessary, without reservations, since everyone in my classroom is a troublemaker. Kids come in and stay for a day, a few days, a week, however long the administration chooses to place them there... Teachers are supposed to send assignments over, but it's usual that they can't get them right away (after all, teachers have real classes and 150 students to attend to, as I know too well), so I'm also inventive in creating assignments and directing learning on an individual basis. I even have the flexibility to arrange to have the school counselor come in and have a discussion session about issues like gangs or racism, if I think it's important for the group I have on that day.

I switched in mid-morning yesterday, and the former transition teacher (who disliked his assignment and wanted to get into a regular classroom) went to teach science, possibly permanently. I get to cover multiple subjects and focus on a few students at a time who need academic or personal direction. Today was the first day in a while that I didn't cry before, during, or after school. It may not be my ultimate destiny, but teaching transition is okay for now. Who knew?!?!

In other news

Christina is now married! Mrs. Martinez. Very strange.

It was a crazy and high-impact weekend for me. There was a lot going on in terms of the wedding, such as a rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, bachelorette party, and of course, the main event! There was also lot going on, emotionally, for a lot of us, I think. Christina was very stressed, and the presence of a lot of different aspects of her life, coming together all at once, created a maelstrom of feelings. In the end, however, the ceremony was beautiful and meaningful, and they were married, by hook or by crook, so it was all good. One of the loveliest moments at the reception, by the way, was the video that they played of Chris' dad singing "Butterfly Kisses" while she danced with her uncle (dad's brother); it was recorded at Heather's (sister's) wedding nearly 8 years ago, and it was the closest thing to actually having Christina's father there with her on her big day. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house!

I really, really appreciated being there and being part of everything, and two of my fellow bridesmaids made it extra-special: Sharon Campbell and Kristin Nassau. We are BFF now!!

Hello, dear readers! At least, I hope there are still readers out there...

Sorry I've neglected you. As most of you know, I've been busy with work and weddings. The stress is really getting to me. I've been having trouble sleeping and staying focused.

Work has been a problem for several reasons, some of which I've avoided mentioning for the sake of discretion. I've been working through some paperwork issues that indicate to me that the human resources department in my district is operated by incompetents. It seems to be getting cleared up now, which is good, and I will be at liberty to explain more. However, my job satisfaction is extremely low at the moment. So I'm exhausted, frustrated, and very unhappy.

Oddly enough, I don't regret leaving my former position at the SATC. There were plenty of good reasons for me to leave. But I do wonder, where do I belong? Will I ever find something that is, for me, worth doing?

In SoCal for wedding.

Learning much in life.

Taking a break

Jeff and I are cleaning the house and rearranging our bedroom.

I'm taking a break to check my e-mail in the living room. Omar is watching something he recorded on the DVR--some sort of benefit rap concert. I really don't get rap. The people all look SO TRASHY, and they're completely unintelligible. Opera makes more sense, and it's usually sung in Italian or German!

Okay, back to work...

Ah, Friday night

The most magical time of the week, because it's the furthest we'll ever be from work...

The Stargates are between seasons, so our only Sci Fi on this Friday is Battlestar Galactica, but we didn't watch it yet, as we forgot to record last week's episode (I thought the season premiere was this week, not last week, so I didn't remember to record it, and Jeff forgot, too.

We have fun with Omar and Kendra.

So... tired... I'm recovering from illness, and I was on the run all day. *sigh*

Stuffy

I now have some sort of cold or flu bug. Bah! I might have to miss some school. My head hurts, and my sinuses are all stuffy.

This weekend was rather nice. We went down to Los Angeles for Mia and Tim's California reception. I saw several relatives (I was impressed that I recognized some of them) and acquaintances, although most of them were friends of my parents or the happy couple. However, Sara and Elizabeth were there, so it was a fabulous time. I got to talk with them a lot, and then we went to dinner with them (and Jeremy, of course).

I could write more about school, but I really can't think of anything funny to share at the moment. It's been mostly frustrating, although things seem to be turning around. Some classes are more unruly than others, but eventually, they'll have to fall into line. It's hard spending several hours each day with children I don't understand. They really are illogical. I can't comprehend 99% of what they say or do.

Happy Birthday!!!!

Janet Gaynor (would have been 100) Winner of the very first Academy Award for Best Actress, in Seventh Heaven.













Carole Lombard (would have been 98) Adored screwball comedy actress. My Man Godfrey!

Officially the meanest teacher at xxxxxxxxx Middle School

Adventures galore.

Well, not really, but I have learned a lot in the past several weeks. My students generally fall into a category I'll call "monsterific". A lot of them are pathological liars. I had my first parent conference yesterday, and the student in question had done a lot of bad things and then flat-out denied them, even in the face of hard physical evidence of her misbehavior. The end result was that I was vindicated, and the child was moved to a class under a different science teacher, which suits me just fine. The thing that really bothers me, though, is the casual manner with which she threw out her lies and deceit (to no purpose, ultimately). Sheesh, people, if you're going cheat and lie, do so in an intelligent fashion, and make it worthwhile! I'm probably the worst teacher in the world, because I tell my students, "If you don't want to be here, then I don't want you here, so go talk to the administrator to find a way to get you out of here," and "If you're going to lie, make it believable! Don't insult my intelligence!"

I yell at nearly all my classes, nearly every day. It wears out my voice, but it's cathartic, and slowly but surely, I'm picking my battles and winning. I get told that I'm mean and a bad teacher, on a daily basis, and I confiscate hate-filled notes and find all kinds of things written on desks and in books. These are unpleasant, unprincipled children.

One funny story: A troublesome little guy in my first period showed up tardy to my class one morning, even though there was a "tardy sweep" going on (i.e. teachers close their classroom doors and don't let tardy students in, and administrators sweep them up, take them to the gym, chew them out, and give them special detentions).
Me: Didn't you get caught in the tardy sweep? If you don't show me your administrative detention, I'm not going to let you in.
Him: No, I was too late for the tardy sweep. I just went to the office, and they told me to come here.
Me: Then, where is the blue tardy slip from the office?
Him: I don't got one. [Note: One of the WORST things about my students is that their English is ATROCIOUS. I correct their grammar all the time in class. Some day, the language arts teachers will kiss my hands and thank me.]
Me: [Knowing now that he is not being entirely truthful] Well, let me just call the office and check.
The Office: No, that boy didn't come to the office this morning.
Me: Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to hear. [To the student.] Now, why don't you pop off to the office for real, so they can take care of getting you your blue tardy slip?
Him: [Goes to the office, muttering.]
Now, while he was gone, a student aide came to my room from the office, bearing a summons for the very student that I just sent out. When he returned from the office with his blue slip of paper, I pulled the office summons out of my pocket.
Me: You have to go to the office now.
Him: But I just came from there!!
Me: Sorry, but here is a summons with your name on it. Off you go!
Him: [Retreats, grumbling all the way.]
*snicker, snicker* Oh, well, I guess you had to be there...

Anyway, I am getting to know how things work with juvenile delinquents, social workers, and so on. And, yes, The System is even more messed up than I would have imagined.

Allow me to reiterate that I am not well suited for middle school teaching. Adults! Adults!!! Much better for me.

Well, I must say

The first several minutes of tonight's Family Guy episode, with the terrorist video, was some of the funniest television I have ever seen.

I'm trying to post, but Blogger won't let me.

Update

A lot has happened since I last posted. I worked on some posts about various stuff, but have really been swamped and tired over the past few weeks.

I will write more later, I promise. But in summary:
-Bekah got married. It was a great time.
-I learned ever more and more about the problems with the US school system. Things are messed up. You have no idea.
-I learned ever more and more than I'm not very good at teaching middle school children. This bothers me less that it might, as I already knew that middle school wasn't an ideal age group for me. I want to help young people become enthusiastic about science, true, but I am really just getting my feet wet teaching while waiting to go back into grad school. If one wants to teach at college/university level, it looks really good on one's resume to have some teaching experience at any level, so whenever I get really frustrated, I remind myself, "You won't be here forever, and you're building up your CV!"
-On the plus side, teaching socially- and academically-challenged adolescents has given me many humorous anecdotes in a relatively short amount of time. Heehee!
-MIA GOT MARRIED. I can't believe it.

I'm still alive.

I am keeping busy.

On my way to Illinois.