Kids and More

So... ah! I've been working my butt off this week! I haven't had this much work since last school year, so it's definitely been a change of pace. So far I'm really glad I signed up with the new subbing system... it's brought a lot of new work my way! I'll just have to get used to this change of pace, because as of right now I'm quite exhausted! The change in work schedule, plus the time change this weekend is really forcing me in to bed at a decent hour. Although I must admit, old habits sure do die hard! On Monday night I was in bed by midnight, but I think it was probably almost 2 am before I could really fall asleep. I had to get up a little after 7am and it felt like torture! I was subbing at my old elementary school which is literally just a few blocks down the street, and somehow I still managed to be a few minutes late. Then last night... I stayed up a bit late (worked a half day in the afternoon). Now staying up late was entirely my own fault, but I was still going to manage to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. Of course, as soon as I was really falling asleep, my mom came barging in to my room, asking if she could dump my trash can. Yes, my mom is a nut who likes to do chores at 2 or 3 am! Of course, being after that I couldn't fall back asleep.

Oh, the things the kiddies say! I get more amusement out of the random conversations I happen to catch from the kids. It is especially amusing when I sub for younger children, like I've done this past week. On Tuesday, I heard a third grade boy say to the girl sitting next to him, "I hope I don't die before Christmas. 'Cause that would totally suck, cause I want a Wii!" (And yes, this came from a perfectly healthy child who should live to see a many more Christmases.) Later on that morning, another boy in the class came up to me and said, "Where are you from? Here? Really? Cause you just look like someone who would be from Canada." Ha! I got a big laugh out of that one! Canada? Do people look different in Canada? I wasn't really aware. To be honest, I was expecting that he'd say he thought I was from China, as for some reason all the kids seem to think I'm Asian. (Actually I had some actual Asian people think I was Filipino... which I find very odd).

To top it off, even though it has nothing to do with conversations, I was amused/shocked/horrified today when I went down the attendance list of another third grade class I was subbing for in the suburbs. This little boy's name was, I sh*t you not... Uormajesty. Yes, this kid's no doubt cracked out parent named him "Your Majesty." Why do we do this in the black community? Seriously? This is why ignorant people have horrible stereotypes. I know I've ranted about this before, but it seriously bothers me when people give their children such ridiculous names. I'm all for being creative and looking for a unique name, but "Your Majesty" is not a name! No more than "Sparkle" or "Imagination" are names! There was also a kid named "Serenity" yesterday, which I would have been okay with if it wasn't for the fact that her name was spelled "Ceerinahtee." I know there is this history from back in the days of slavery of giving people names to reflect what you hoped they could become, such as naming people "Judge" or "Deacon." So I can only assume this is where this comes from in the culture... but I think people took a very justified practice and turned it in to something ridiculous. I have a problem with that name if only for the fact that it screams the fact that you don't understand the English language. A king's name isn't "Your Majesty." "Your Majesty" is simply how you address someone. So in essence, it's like naming the kid "Mister" or "Sir." I mean, why not just name the kid Pickles McGee and have it over with? ERRRRR. Okay, I'm getting off my soap box right now!

Alright, moving on. It looks like I'll be going to Philadelphia in May! I'm super excited! I've never been to Philly before, and I've kind of had this idea in my head of visiting a new place at least once a year. I wish I got to travel more often, but my family just has never been the traveling sort. Most of the "traveling" I've done has all been in my twenties. I've been to Canada more (I went to Toronto and Niagara Falls as a kid on a school trip, but in my adult years I've been back to Toronto and went to Stratford for the obvious Stratford Festival), and I've went to Chicago on a few occasions. Other than those mentioned, as well as Detroit and Washington D.C., I haven't been to a lot of major cities. So the thought of going to Philadelphia (and possibly a day train trip to New York City or Washington D.C.) is incredibly exciting. I've been wanting to visit my friend Orelia for ages now, pretty much ever since she moved to Philly from Ann Arbor. To make this even more of an adventure, she gave me this great website called kayak.com, and I found some great flights! A little over $200 for a round trip ticket flying right out of Flint to Philly seems very reasonable to me. I've never flown before, so this will for sure be a big adventure! I am always kind of embarrassed to admit to people I've never flown before, because they always tend to look at me like I just said I have Martians living in my backyard. Hopefully this will all pan out, because I'm very excited for all of it.

Alrighty... I'm off to bed. I'm working, but in the afternoon, so I can actually get a good night's rest! I feel like my little bloggy has been neglected lately! Ah... I just noticed the "ly" at the end of the word late... I am apparently a bitch because I wouldn't sit and do a third grade girl's work for her, nor would I let her sit and not do work... because she refused to sit up and try to learn what a suffix was... oh children. Yes, I make children cry on occasion. All in a day's work I guess.