Today David reminded me that I “have friends in Irvine.” Such nice words.

After a night of insomnia, I was a zombie today. I could barely get out of bed this morning because I could NOT fall asleep last night. That is so unusual lately. Generally I can’t read a few pages before I conk totally out, book in hand, but then I have such vivid dreams all night that hate it. Great thing about insomnia is you are too tired to dream. I am going to bed early—turning off the phone and sleeping—everything can wait until I am conscious again in the morning.

I did write Terry her letter—I recopied it on the computer and mailed it after work. That should be fun.

Today a boy who is rather lively handed me a poem that was so disgusting I wanted to wash his mouth out with soap. It was not personal—he wanted a reaction. He will get the reaction of the assistant principal and me at 8:30 tomorrow morning. I mean, I would not even print PART of it in here. It was not bad language—it was worse! My department head about keeled over when she heard it. I went to her as I do with most things. Texas is the Bible Belt and there is (thank God) less tolerance there for these types of things so I wanted to be sure I was not overreacting. I wasn’t.

I was trying to make a way to go to Chicago in a couple weeks with Shachah, but I just can’t—it is not like I am in a ministry where I have financial support so I have to not do things sometimes. RATS! The good news is at least the pressure is of my getting the CLAD—a ESL type certificate you need to stay in the district I am in. As I have previously stated, due to the leave policy I would not stay here even if I loved LA because I am not giving up Shachah for a job.

Today a football player did not come prepared for class again. I emailed the principal who called the athletic director who called me. We took care of it. A Texan (even a transplant) knows how to deal with a football player—forget my punishment—go straight to the coach! I have fun with these kids even though they totally exhaust me—it is like teaching middle school. High school is so much easier—the older they are I mean. I want o teach journalism. Today I emailed the principal that we could not hear the announcements right when the kids made them and they needed to speak up and into the PA. The broadcast teacher in me lives. I hope when the school paper comes out it is better than I could do so I won’t want the job.

Teaching in CA is so serious and yet the kids are so behind. It seems like everything is behind the times—from TEXAS! YIKES! I think I miss the freedom too—Texas is free. I wrote David a letter last night and I am going to end my sleepy blog with some of those comments:

Maybe I am too simple minded after living in TX but one thing I HATE about CA is the cost of things that should not cost. People rip people off because it is CA--parking and stuff like that. It makes me sick. For instance, in Texas you could go to any park or nature trail and hike, but here you pay $5 a DAY to enjoy what God put in our natural habitat. Or paying $8 to park at a PUBLIC beach! That makes me ill. I have a real problem with it--and it is not about affording it--I don't think it is right to charge me to walk through a nature trail or on public land--what the heck are TAXES for!

The license plates in New Hampshire declare what I suppose is the state motto: Live free or die.

When I have to pay to see the ocean or a nature trail, I know I can’t spend my life in that. Just another reality…

My cell phone now rings with the theme from Quantum Leap. Time travel is cool.