The Stupid Emotion Called Love

          When Jenna and I were both in middle school, we would roll our eyes over the dramatics of “couples” displaying affection and expressing emotion only to break up and express drama.  Gag.  Both of us were determined not to experience the stupid emotions ourselves – at least not in school.  Not middle school.  Not high school.  She had plans of “not ever”.  I succeeded with keeping my emotions in tact all through high school.  No love interests.  No broken hearts.  She, on the other hand, has had two "shedding tears" experiences.

          She and Nathan were friends, but he was starting to like her as more than a friend and told her so.  Things would have been perfectly fine if he hadn’t said anything.  They would have remained just friends and no stupid emotions would have entered the picture.  It was nerve racking in a way.  Why would he do that?  Why would he mess up a good friendship for something gross?  She was mortified in one way but yet flattered in the other.  She had barely turned 15 and did not want to commit to a relationship, but she did like Nathan.  Perhaps they could just hold hands and work up to something more after she had turned 16.  But that was quite a wait.

          Neither one of them wanted to call their first date a “date”.  It was just two people hanging out.  Yet it felt awkward for each of them as they knew there was the "more than just friends” label hanging over them.  Nathan broke it off just after the school let out for summer vacation.  It would have been fine if he had never said anything in the first place.  Jenna had not even wanted a relationship in the first place – and yet she became attached.  He had put thought into their “breaking up”.  He wanted to respect her religion.  He is a senior this year and she is a sophomore.  It isn’t like the relationship was going to last anyway.  But still it hurt.  It had been his idea and then he said he didn’t want to see her that way.  He should have just kept it all to himself to begin with and then she wouldn’t have felt the pain.  Stupid Love.

          I never understood this song until the “break-up” happened.  I felt bad.  I didn’t know what to do.  They go to the same school though she did not have any classes with him.  She and her friend still continue with a class that they had with Nathan last year – but he was not in the class anymore.  Not many guys were.  There is one they teased and were playing with his hair and another boy, Chris, asked why they weren’t playing with his hair.  So Jenna started playing with his hair.  They became fast friends.  They held hands in the hall – which according to high school terms qualifies as “dating”.  I don’t know that there was any “love” there.  Jenna and Chris had very little in common.

          They went to a school dance.  He came over for Thanksgiving.  They exchanged gifts at Christmas and Valentine’s Day.  Jenna got tired of participating in high school activities that he was obviously not interested in.  After Valentine’s she broke off things with Chris.  Ironically there had been more tears over Chris than there were for Nathan – whom she may not have shared much in common with either.  For one thing Jenna LOVES water.  Always has.  And Nathan is deathly afraid. 

          Chris did not react well to the “break-up”. Jenna is afraid that she has lost him as a friend and wishes she wouldn’t have said anything.  At the same time she didn’t wish to string him along.  It was quite obvious to me that they weren’t going anywhere.  I like both Chris and Nathan.  I hate the “heartbreak” thing.  I wish I was better at dealing with it.  When Jenna hurts, I hurt.  I hate the stupid emotions connected with Love.

Bottles, Cans and Plastic Bags

When we had purchased juice, sodas, bottled water and so forth in Salt Lake, we were not required to put a deposit on the containers.  Here in Oregon we are.  Some people don’t seem to care that they are paying ten cents extra and will carelessly toss containers away as recycling seems to be such a bother – which it is.  I was not opposed to tossing cans into the recycle bin when we lived in Salt Lake, but all of those cans and bottles add up – especially for party animals or those who drink by the pack.   

There are some areas that offer services by providing machines outside of their stores, others who have tried their hand at providing the service but doing away with the service when it becomes more work for the store who has to send employees out to empty bins, clear jams and what have you. The local store Rays has a couple of machines out front. But for those who have bags and bags of bottles, Roseburg BottleDrop Redemption Center is a really great place to go.  On November 22^nd 2017 Gabby Urenda reported this story

We went there one Saturday and waited in a line that proceeded to get longer before we were able to find a machine to put our cans and bottles in.  I like watching the machine sort the bottles from the cans.  Unlike the machines in front of Rays that deposit cans into the bottom, the machines at the Redemption Center have conveyor belts and I’m guessing people behind those belts who change the tubs as they get full instead of opening a door at the request of a customer who has brought to the attention of store employees that the machine had stopped. 

I had mentioned the recycling program in this post, though I hadn’t explored the Redemption Center at that point.  In addition to the mandatory ten cent deposit on each can and bottle, legislature has voted Oregon to ban plastic bags thus encouraging patrons to recycle or used recycled bags or pay for each bag they need to hold whatever they purchase wherever they purchase.

  Thus we have a hardy supply of bags in our car.  We rarely remember to bring them into the store.  Fortunately the parking lot is generally not that far away.  Jenna usually has a sweatshirt on and will often take it off and turn it into a temporary bag.  I am impressed out how much it will hold. 

My Lazy Way

          There was a sub in the eighth grade math class yesterday.  The instructor had left the instructions for the students to write out their 9 times tables from 1 – 25.  They were required to do in their heads and not use a calculator.  It’s not so bad doing in order.  1X9 of course is 9.  Just add 9 to it for your next answer 18 + 9 for your next answer: 27 and down the line.  Or you could use my lazy method which I have been doing since third or 4^th grade (whenever it was that we were taught)

          I never did memorize my 9 times tables, but tens were easy.  All you had to do was tack a zero to the end of the number being multiplied and then take that number away.  Thus 70 -7 is the same as 9X7.  I find subtracting a number is easier than trying to multiply:

          When I was taking courses on line, we required to look up references to back up our theories or understanding or whatever you want to call it.  I am sure that there are several others that may have come up with this same type of math solution for multiplying 9.  But we didn’t have the technology then when I figured out subtracting rather than memorizes the nines table.  Thus I am not going to provide any references other than the pictures I scanned of problems printed by my hand.  I’ve been doing it that way for decades.  It is what works for me.  There’s your reference.

100 plus days

                I believe it was Thursday when the kindergarten celebrated the 100^th day of school.  They had used 100 beans to fill in the number 100 on a paper and glued their beans in place.  I wasn’t there for that part.  I saw their papers set aside to dry.

            It had rained on Sunday.  I’m assuming that the rain chased the fog away as there was none impairing my vision during yesterday’s drive.  It was cold and the sun remained hidden and so was not blinded as I approached any off the exits. 

            First class: 7^th grade math.  17 students who for the most part are respectful to the instructor and pay attention to what she is doing on the board – except for two who constantly visit.  I can’t stand between them as there are two students behind the talkers.  If I stand between them, I will block the view of the other two youth.  I stand to the side.

            Next class: 8^th grade math.  12 students.  Pre Algebra.  XY slope.  Yuck. I mostly just sit in the back of the class.

            Prep Class: teaching respect and humane concepts in addition to academics.  Last month they learned math. This month is writing. 

            After that is homeroom for 15 -20 minutes.  I just don’t get the Canyonville schedule.  What is the purpose of homeroom?  To get caught up on missing assignments.  Most of the students seem to be under the impression that it’s a time to socialize.

            Student lunch.  I have usually preferred monitoring the middle schoolers as opposed to the younger children.  Middle schoolers don’t say, “That kid pushed me/called me a name”.  But I noticed behavioral attitudes with several after the 100 days.  Coincidence?

            “No balls in the playground area.  It isn’t safe.”  “Don’t play tag near the playground equipment.  It you’re going to play tag, take it out into the grassy area.”  Do they listen?  No, they are middle schoolers and the rules don’t apply to them.

            Their lunch and recess are finally over and I get to take my lunch.

            Kindergarten:   Usually I have helped with assignments involving the letter of the day.  Yesterday was math.  New numbers introduced: 16 and 17.  Though they have been counting to the current days-in-school each day.  They have counted from 1 -100 by ones, by fives and by tens.

            2^nd grade reading: the room is so loud I can’t even hear my own group.  I wasn’t having issues with them but the teacher was.  She had reprimanded several of the students several times.  I thought my group was doing okay – except maybe one who wasn’t following directions.  She couldn’t seem to hear me.  It was loud.  I couldn’t even hear myself.

            15 minutes of recess and I’m done.  I will follow that same routine today.  But Thursday and Friday will have me at a different schedule.  I won’t be working with the middle schoolers.  I might only have to do lunch recess.  I’m not sure. 

Morning Drive

                I left the house later on Friday than I had on Thursday.  The fog lingered longer. 

         On Saturday morning Roland and I went up to Roseburg.  We left the house before 9:00 and rode in fog all the way there.  I expect it will be the same each morning I leave the house this week.

Junior High

          Canyonville School caters to grades K-8 and so it doesn’t seem far-fetched that the middle school age kids will use the playground just outside of the cafeteria.  Coffenberry also has a playground to use.  We never had that option when I went to junior high.  I honestly don’t remember where I went after lunch – although I am quite certain that I did not intentionally hang around the cafeteria.

          It seemed like there were some kids who went out to the field to play ball – or tag or something.  I was not a part of any athletic crowd – or any group for that matter.  I was mostly antisocial. I really didn’t like the loudness of school or being there in any way, shape or form.

          I used to dress up for spirit week – not because I had spirit but just to get away with dressing up in something out of the ordinary – though the themes didn’t seem as wild and crazy as school spirits have been in recent years.  I’ve taken pictures of Jenna in years past (see here) and  I took these pics of Jenna earlier last week:

Weather Change at Every Exit

          Driving to Canyonville should only take 11 minutes according to Google.  Though I have arrived at the school in less than 20 minutes, I generally allow myself at least 30 minutes on the road and arrive to the school just a few minutes early which allows me time to store my belongings in the staff room.

          When I start to approach exit 101 and see I have plenty of time, I will take the ramp that leads to Stanley park and avoid the 99 exit.  Sometimes I have missed the exit and will take the off ramp at 98 – which is where the school is located just on the left hand side.  But it also requires turning left onto Main Street (which can get busy during certain hours) and make another left into the parking lot.  Google maps, the GPS and other sources will always have car exit 99 and drive through town. 

I left the house earlier than normal yesterday morning as Roland mentioned that it was cold and foggy.  I entered I5 at the 106 ramp, and it was foggy.  Three miles of thick fog.  I was focused on the broken white line until I got to 103.  I could see the fog was lifting.  It would have been nice if it had to have that for the rest of the drive.  Just as I neared exit 102 – the sun taunted me with its blinding rays.  Oh, please.  Slow the car down.  I can’t see. 

I had to get off exit 101 as I know I was going too slow for the freeway.  I like the drive when I feel like I am the only car.  However, it felt like the longest stretch of yesterday’s drive.  I finally arrived at Main Street and was able to turn without any problems.  Many of the drivers that use exit 99 – particularly the trucks, don’t seem to go beyond the truck stop or the casino.  The road I travel after exiting 101 brings me behind the casino on the left-hand side.  Then I make my way into town.

Whoa!  I had left the house much earlier than I thought.  Surely that’s what it was.  I can’t imagine I had been speeding during the fog and I know that I slowed down to barely moving once the sun glared in my eyes.  I played on my kindle for 20 minutes before walking up the hill to help monitor the first ten minutes of “before school starts” recess.  And then I went to class.

I had worn a jacket as some of the classrooms get really cold.  I think Canyonville School has the oldest building of the five that are in the district.  The ventilation says it is anyway.  In the morning I had my long green coat scarf and hat in addition to the jacket.  By lunchtime I had just my jacket – sometimes my hat – depending on whether I was standing in shadows or not.  Just before school let out, I had removed my light jacket.  The air had gone from 39 degrees to 63 within four hours.  That isn’t very nice.  I think the weather change needs to happen more gradually.