My random thought will serve as my 'T' AND 'U' post for the A-Z Challenge!
Thanks, Joyce, for hosting the Hodge Podge! Oh, and if y'all haven't been reading Joyce's challenge posts, do it. They are fabulous!
1. April showers bring May flowers...what have you been showered with this month? MAP testing. I hate it. It's stupid. We have to do it in the fall. In the winter. And then, again, in the spring. I have to have all three computer labs set up and ready to go by 8:15 every morning; change them for the next three classes; and then do it again for the next set of classes. This takes THREE weeks AT LEAST. And then, in the spring, one week AFTER MAP, we get to administer our state test- PASS. It's ridiculous. The powers that be who make these decisions are ridiculous. And I am over it. OVER. IT.
2. What is the nature of compassion? Is it learned or innate? Can compassion be learned? If you're a parent is this something you've purposely sought to instill in your children, and if so how? When it comes to the 'nature vs nurture' debate, I sit on the fence. Because I believe that BOTH sides play a role. Children learn what they see but, I believe, they come with certain characteristics. Maybe what they see enhances or encourages what they're born with. I don't know. But, with some things, I believe that if it's just not IN you, then you won't be able to tune into it. You can learn about things such as compassion, but that doesn't mean you possess the characteristic. I'm going to stop right there because I'm going to start talking in circles in an effort to make my point. LOL
3. Do you prefer to watch romantic comedy or romantic drama...or are you rolling your eyes saying bring on the action flicks? I like both without a preference because, as with most things, it all depends on my mood.
4. It's April which means baseball season is officially upon us here in the US of A. Humphrey Bogart is quoted as saying "A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz." Agree or Disagree? DO NOT LOVE baseball. LOVE hot dogs at the park (because I will go and have fun even though I'm not a fan). DO NOT LOVE Humphrey Bogart. Would NOT even consider going to the Ritz for anything. (I'm not a Fancy Nancy...even though I LOVE those books---have y'all read them? They are ADORABLE!).
5. What's something in your community or city that needs fixing or improving? I'm not really sure. Being a touristy town, they tend to stay on top of things that are in disrepair or things that need improvement. Downtown Charleston, on the other hand, has plenty of low income areas that need help in a big way. I've seen good and bad in this area---but it seems that it's just always going to be a situation of the haves getting whatever they want and the have nots getting screwed over. And then there's the whole Battery issue---the area south of Broad Street---where the homes are hundreds of years old and, seemingly, gorgeous. The problem is that a lot of the house owners are widowed and elderly and whose families have deserted them (or something) and they have no money anymore to make badly needed repairs. So, the insides of many are in really, really bad shape.
6. Share a song you enjoy that mentions flowers or a specific flower in its title. A Kiss from a Rose? Build Me Up Buttercup? Ramblin' Rose? How about Garden Party?
8. Insert your own random thought here.
I blew it yesterday. It was the Tuesday from that place and I just let the day happen without fighting for that positivity that keeps those days from bogging me down.
Because I'm tired. DARN tired.
I'm tired of getting up at 5:13 (yes, that's the time I get up because I have to have a prime number when I set an alarm or timer or anything like that. No, I have no idea why I do that.) every morning.
So, for my 'T' and 'U', I am TIRED of getting UP so darn early every morning.
UNLESS it's the weekend.* Then I don't mind getting Up at all! I think it's related to not having to BE somewhere when I wake up on the weekends.
Or, maybe, to the age issue.
*Speaking of the weekend---THORNHILL FARM is having their annual plant sell on Saturday! They are our local CSA- certified organic, etc. DoodleBug and I are going up there to get our veggie plants and flowers for the garden. DoodleBug LOVES to garden which is just one more GREAT/WONDERFUL/FANTASTIC reason to have her living back at home for a while!
Have a very happy rest of the week!
I'm linking this post to the twentieth AND twenty-first post of the April, A-Z Challenge!
Just click the badge below to visit other participants.
Ok, let's see what y'all came up with for the letters 'T' and 'U'!
I always hated the testing time of year. I can't imagine doing it as much as you are. You set your clock with prime numbers? How cool is that?
ReplyDeleteI hope you get to rest soon, school will be out before you know it.
Kim- I have to test all but the kindergarteners. That's about 570 students I do have to test. UGH. This is the last week though! And I'm so glad!
ReplyDeleteGreat answers! I'm tired of getting up everyday too, but don't quite have the excuse of it being my age , yet. So what's my problem?
ReplyDeletejaybird- Thanks! I don't know. Maybe it's the having to be somewhere or having to do something? Because I never seem to mind when I don't have obligations.
ReplyDeleteYep, I feel your pain. I'm pretty tired, too. But I hate to waste the weekends by sleeping in!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I like to enjoy every second of the weekends! They're so darn short!
ReplyDeleteI love downtown Charleston and have seen many changes in the 7 years we have been visiting. I have seen big changes on King St where the shopping is. How's the cruise ship debate going?
ReplyDeleteretired- Me too! King Street is coming along- they shut it down one day/week to car traffic. It's nice! The cruise ship debate is ongoing. I try to ignore it. But the husband, who works for the ports authority, will talk your ear off about it. LOL
ReplyDeleteI tend to think that people are who they are. They can learn some things up to a point. Including compassion. As someone who has had four children, I am sure that you noticed that they had distinct personalities right from the onset. What you did as parents had NOTHING to do with that. I find that fascinating. You were able to teach them and mold them and fine-tune them, but you really could only do so much.
ReplyDeleteI probably like a romantic comedy better. Just because I think laughter is good for the soul:)
Robin- I agree that laughter is good for the soul. But there are times that I need the cry too. Or even the anger. Depending on the movie and my mood. But that PS I Love You? Never again. NEVER. LOL
ReplyDeleteThose are some good songs you picked. Sorry about having to get up early and also those darn MAP tests.
ReplyDeleteHope your testing stuff is over soon and I am so glad I don't have to mess with that stuff.
ReplyDeletePrime number for setting an alarm--that's hilarious. That's a shame the condos were built and block your view. I think I would ask them to kindly move out of the way so you can see the ocean from where you are.
ReplyDeleteDebby- It's not so much the getting up early as it is the having to be somewhere so I have to get up and get busy from the moment the alarm goes off. It gets OLD quickly. LOL
ReplyDeleteCathy- Today is the last official day. Then I have to administer make-ups. Luckily, there aren't too many of those.
Zoanna- I know. I can't help it nor can I assign a reason for it. It's just one more thing about me that is nuts. LOL
Testing and funding and all the games we play UGH!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI go in circles with "Nature versus Nurture" too, I am so glad someone else does too.
I use to get up early all the time, no problem. I still get up early (not 5:13am) closer to 6:00am (because of a dog) I would probably sleep until 7:00am if I could but I don't rush anywhere and I can't stand to do that anymore. I like my mornings leisurely. I have lost that, "Jump out bed, shower,grab a cup of Joe and fly out the door" mode.
Enjoy your weekend and here is hoping the testing isn't too painful.
Lucy from Lucy's Reality
Lucy- I still get up early on the weekends and would during the week even without school because of Tucker. He wants me up and out and walking first thing. Which is fine because I don't have to shower or 'fix' my hair to do that. LOL Today is the last day for testing. Until two weeks when the state testing starts. Sheesh.
ReplyDeleteMan, Joyce isn't easy on you guys, is she! These really require some thought. I'm surprised you don't like baseball. It's probably the only sport that makes sense to me and doesn't leave players brain damaged after a career. Well, not sure about that. Anyway, hope you get some energy and a good night's sleep. :-)
ReplyDeleteJudy- No she isn't. Baseball is just too boring for me. I hate sitting there watching nothing happen for two hours...and the spitting and scratching is annoying too. LOL My granddaddy loved it and, when he was alive, I went to the Braves games with him. Without him around, it's just not the same. So I stick with football. My dad and I share a love of it. Thanks! I hope so too. And I hope you're finally getting some warmth OUTSIDE of the house. LOL
ReplyDeleteThe amount of testing that goes on in schools today is ridiculous!! Before we test kids we need to teach!! I won't rant here : ). Speaking of ridiculous...5:13 also qualifies.
ReplyDeleteI mean it's ridiculously early, not that you're ridiculous for needing a prime number. I understand stuff like that : )
ReplyDelete