Children are the future....uh-oh.

Classes started in the junior high school where I work a few weeks ago. Our students who have tested into the gifted program were given the opportunity to take a foreign language this year. This is one year earlier than the typical curriculum in our system and it will give them high school credit.

Today, one of the girls who had opted to take Spanish was talking to me and she was quite upset. She asked me if I thought she should drop the class. I told her it was her decision, but that she should discuss it with her parents. This seemed to frustrate her and she asked if her entire schedule would change. When I told her it probably would, she became even more distressed. I took this apparent hesitation as my opportunity to try to convince her to stick it out a little longer to see if she would adjust to the class.

I asked her, "Why don't you want to take the class?" and she replied that it confused her because everything was presented in Spanish.

(Brow wrinkle...)

I told her, "Umm...it IS Spanish class." She replied that she understood that, but she just was not aware that she would be forced to learn so many Spanish words.

Sigh.

I finally convinced her to stay in the class by telling her that I knew for a fact that 2-year-old children in both Spain and Mexico, and many other countries, were able to speak Spanish, and if they could do it, then couldn't she, a 13-year-old gifted student, also do it?

She thought about this for a while and then finally agreed that, yes; she should in fact be able to learn the same things a 2-year-old could learn. She did not know why it was so easy for them, but so difficult for her.

Sometimes, my job is just too easy.

Feeling...

...surrounded by incompetence.

A trip to Wal-Mart

Dear Pedestrians,
Just because you have the right of way does not mean you have to take your sweet time crossing in front of me. Also? If you're texting and walking, I cannot be held responsible for my actions
Love,
Tabitha

Dear Big Black Truck Blocking the Entire Front Entrance,
I'm truly sorry your passenger is handicapped. That really sucks. But did you know that there are 4 empty handicap spots available just for you guys only 3 feet away? And did you see the little old lady who was having to walk around your huge ass truck, leaning on her buggy and using a cane? Did you see how far she walked and the effort she put into it? Yeah, I think you can do it too. And if you block that little old lady's way again, I'm going to kick your moronic ass.
Love,
Tabitha

Dear Toothless Bread Man,
No. You may not put your hotdog in my bun. What the fuck?
Love,
Tabitha

Dear Self-Checkout,
Yes, I know I am supposed to put my item on the scale after I check it. But could you give me one goddamn minute?
Love,
Tabitha

Dear Ugly Bastard with the Ugly Car,
Get that huge garbage bag out of your backseat and you might be able to see me, thereby avoiding pulling into my lane and nearly running me off the road. What is that anyway? Your clothes? Also? Get the college sticker off your car. You know you didn't go to college and your ugly car is making it look bad.
Love,
Tabitha

A seat belt is not always safe.

A friend of mine called me today at work to tell me that she was driving down the interstate and there was a truck driver who kept waving and smiling at her. He was following beside her and every time she changed lanes, so did he. She was on her way to pick up her little girl from daycare, so she really didn't have time for a quicky. But, that's another story for another time.

It reminded me of a time when I was in college that something similar happened to me.

I'm sure every woman out there has been honked at or leered at or whistled at, at some point in her life. And if you say you don't like it, you're full of shit. You do like it. It's a self-esteem boost, no matter how many teeth the guy may be missing or how big his pot belly may be.

When I was in college I drove a Mustang that was low to the ground and had a sunroof. It was easy to see into the car from a higher vantage point...such as from the cab of an 18-wheeler. I had learned that, if I wore a skirt or shorts, at some point on my journey at least one truck driver would honk and wave. Whatever, it didn't bother me. But on this one particular occasion, I was driving down the interstate and a truck driver honked and waved and was all smiley. Then a second did the same thing. Then a third. At this point I'm thinking, what the hell is going on? Was something wrong with my car? So I'm looking in all my mirrors to check my tires and I can't find anything.

On this particular day I was wearing a halter top. The kind with the bra built in. Hence, there was no bra underneath. It was only after looking around for a few minutes, and being honked at two more times, that I finally looked down and saw that when I had pulled my seat belt on, I had pulled my shirt over way too far to the right. You'd think that exposed boob would have caught a draft, but no such luck.

All I could do was laugh and thank God that those truck drivers would never see me again!! I suppose I made their journey a bit more pleasant.

Dear Gov. Haley Barbour (MS) (and Every Other Far Right-Wing Jackass Who Has Said This),

People who are PRO-CHOICE are not PRO-ABORTION. There is a difference. Perhaps we should start calling you ANTI-CIVIL-LIBERTIES? Now that wouldn't be right either, now would it? Chode.

Oh yeah...

Did I tell you guys that Jake and I are getting married? Yup, we are. Sometimes my feet get cold, but then he does something really awesome and sweet and perfect and I realize how lucky I am :) We've been planning the wedding since last Fall and now we only have about 2 months left. Time has flown by! I'll be a Mrs. soon...wow!

Wouldn't it be awesome...

...if somebody would create a tool for people to use in their vehicles that would allow other people to know when they're going to turn?

I mean, really, think about how useful this feature would be.

How many times have you been sitting patiently on a side street, waiting to turn right onto the main road while car after car passes by? You just sit and wait, and then lo and behold another car turns, giving you the perfect window of opportunity to turn onto the main road? Had this feature been created, you would have known that car was going to turn and then you could have turned as well!

And how many times have you been driving along happily, only to have to slam on your brakes because a car in front of you had to turn? Again, if cars had this Hey-I'm-Going-to-Turn-Now mechanism, you would have had sufficient warning and already slowed down, thus eliminating the need to slam on your brakes.

Just imagine how much easier our traffic world would be with this feature.

Oh...wait...that's right. It already fucking exists and, in fact, comes standard on even the most basic vehicles! No need for a luxury package... (Jake - This post is not written with you in mind.)

How about you people realize that you're not the only person on the road and attempt to use your turn signal?

And you know what? While I'm at it? Slower traffic is supposed to keep right. If it helps, that's the side where most road signs (you know, the ones that post the speed limit and sometimes even say Slower Traffic Keep Right) can be found. The left lane is for passing or faster traffic. It's a pretty simple concept when you think about it.

And? When you're driving along on the interstate and you see a police officer waiting on the side of the road for speeders? If you're not speeding, he's not waiting for you (unless you stole something, in which case you probably should be speeding). There is no need to slam on your brakes and go below the speed limit. I promise, they will not give you a speeding ticket for actually going the speed limit. Seriously. They won't.