Feliz cumpleaños

     Aprendo español. El español es confuso, Los verbos son difíciles. Hoy es mi cumpleaños. Me siento cinco años en mi cumpleaños. Yo siempre encanta me cumpleaños. Yo vimos bebo un café con me hijo. Fue muy divertido. 

     And for anyone who doesn't speak Spanish I will translate. I said; I am learning Spanish. Spanish is confusing. Verbs are hard. Today is my birthday. I feel 5 years old on my birthday. I always love my birthday. I went to have coffee with my son. It was very fun. 

    I think 4 of the last 6 people I wished a happy birthday to I did it in Spanish (because they speak Spanish) so I thought I would do it for myself today. Sometimes I feel I am not learning much. Then I realize that I can often pull what I want to say out of the dim recesses of my brain. Usually if I am not rushed (so, if I am talking to myself, lol) or if it is short. A veces necasito ayuda. (sometimes I need help) and I am sure sometimes my Spanish sucks. But disfruto el español. (I enjoy Spanish). I like learning new things.

     I know that some people enjoy when I post random things about my life. So I figured I would share some of the pink things I got for my birthday. My work family got me this really amazing pink coffee maker. I have been wanting it because it is a very cool 3-in-1. It does K-cups, ground coffee, or loose leaf tea. I have a pretty decent collection of loose leaf tea but I don't have a great tea ball for it and I got tired of drinking bits of herbs in, so I haven't been drinking it. Now I have been enjoying it because I am not drinking leaves. 

    I was also given this really amazing travel mug, by one of my work family (she said she couldn't help it, she had to get it for me) that is not appropriate for school. If you are offended by profanity, do not zoom in on this mug, lol. It is my sweary mug and it is completely awesome! I also got a set of solar pink flamingos from Crystal and Mommy. But I didn't get them set up in time for them to charge so I didn't take a photo of them. But I likely will soon. 

     Today we didn't have school so I went out to visit with Crystal and Mommy. And it was fantastic. Crystal and I went to lunch and I was really good and I didn't eat anything I shouldn't. Even though it's my birthday. I started easing back into working out and eating a bunch of junk food isn't going to help my efforts. So I didn't do it. And I was happy about that. 

     When Travis got home we went to Barnes and Noble and had our coffee date. When we came home I watched a show in Spanish. It's a good thing I can read fast because not only did I not catch all the words, I don't know all the words. But I did actually understand a good amount. I really am learning, even if I wish I could learn faster. I would love to have an actual conversation with someone in Spanish. I could, but not a very interesting one. 

     I did some doll work this week, but my car was in the shop and I spent some time bringing it in, waiting, doing errands (in a super sweet free rental they gave me) and then picking up my car. I did manage to finish a doll this week, but only just one. I haven't even gotten photos of her yet. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe next week. I had a nice week and a really nice birthday. And I still have 2 more days before I have to go back to work and then 2 weeks before April vacation. I am looking forward to that. 
 

Six Days

      I got my hair done today and it made me really happy. The last time I went to the salon I got some blue in with the purple in my hair. I don't love the blue, but it sure does have staying power. I have missed the pink though so today I said I wanted pink and purple. I can do a complex color on myself, but I haven't bothered in a while. I barely have time for my life, I don't have time to spend a whole bunch of time putting color in my hair. I will leave the more complex colors to Sara. I can read while she gets into her color zone. 

     Currently I am reading Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton. It's a good read but I can imagine a lot of people having some big issues with this book. At least I know what this one is about. The last book I read, The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, took a while for me to figure out what it was about. I think I was about 75 pages into that one before I could even figure out what it was about. Haunting Adeline is at least more straightforward than that. I had a lot of time to read today since I was in the salon chair for 4 and a half hours. 

    A bit over a week ago I posted this photo on my Facebook page. It's of my now expired emergency roadside air compressor. I killed it. I know very well I should check the tire pressure on each of the tires when I get the low tire presser light on the dashboard. But instead of doing that I just started filling all of them. And it turns out all of them were a bit low. But I overworked my compressor, which I have had (and used many times) for years. So I had to get a new one. Hopefully the replacement turns out to be as awesome as this one was. 

     I have been working on dolls quite regularly, making 2-3 a week. My order books are still closed though I have done a couple of dolls on commission lately. Like I have said before, if you really want me to make you something, ask. If it strikes me as something I want to do, or am at least willing to do, then I'll do it. It doesn't hurt to ask. My goal recently is to make at least one doll a week to put away for my Breyerfest sales. Then I will have 1 or 2 dolls to list for sale each week. I've been doing fairly well. I imagine I will have a slacker week at some point, but so far I am doing well with my goals. 

 

    It's finally Spring, which makes me extremely happy even though the weather has been kind of garbage. Just the fact that it's not winter seems to be doing great things for my mood. We have have 3 weeks left until April vacation and just 52 days left of school this year. I do love my job, and my team at school, but I am ready for a break. Today I spent some time reading and getting my hair done. I put on some pink and purple eyeshadow to match my hair (one of the other ladies at the salon challenged me to do it, so I had to) and I have had a good day. I didn't put in my contacts today so I put on my glasses, which I absolutely did buy to match my hair (I have had this combination of colors before). I am in a really good mood. I have Monday off and then we have next Friday off as well, so it's a very short week. 

    So what is 6 day? It is 6 days until my birthday. A couple of weeks ago I was chatting with a student and he asked if I had any plans for the weekend. I said I had a coffee date with my son and he asked how old my son it. When I told him he's 23, and my youngest, this kid's jaw dropped. I said, "your face just made me day" he said he thought I was in my 30's. I laughed and said I absolutely am not. And in 6 days it's my birthday. And while I am going to be 45, when it comes to my birthday I really am more like 5. I LOVE my birthday. Though I have very simple desires for my birthday. I just want everyone to acknowledge it's my birthday and be nice to me. 
 

What Happened?

     I realize that I have been blogger MIA for over a month now. I thought about writing a post a few times but I was very busy, still am very busy, and I just didn't have time. Even when I had things to post photos of, or things to talk about, I just didn't have time. 

     I have been working a lot because I am trying to stick to a good work schedule, and I am trying to take care of some financial stuff, so blogging has needed to take a bit of a backseat. I am hoping soon I can find some more time to babble about things to you all more regularly again. 

    Today though, I was angrier than I have been in a very long time and I want to talk about it. There was an incident at school which just leaves me baffled about what is happened to our society. Because this sort of thing is not an isolated incident. The smallest bit of backstory here. Yesterday we had class meetings where the person who is doing her practicum to be an assistant principal (she is going to be amazing!) led the class meetings and went over several things with the kids that really should not have had to be said, but definitely needed to be said. About how school is a professional setting, and when you are in school you should use professional language. That doesn't mean you have to use a bunch of big words, but the way you speak to your teachers and classmates in school shouldn't be how you talk to your friends when you are hanging out. Almost every other word from so many of these kids is profanity. They were also reminded that they need to respect everyone in the school. Themselves, their classmates, and every adult, even if they don't know them. The behavior is off the charts. The cafeteria is a madhouse with kids screaming and screeching at each other. Like, not even words half the time, just being loud at their friends and the friend responding with another loud non-word. Or swearing. So yes, just yesterday the kids were reminded about their behavior, their language, and so on. 

    I was going to print some stuff and a kid comes running out of a classroom and kicks at a kid, then another, and then runs across the hall and tries to punch a girl in the face. So of course I told him, quite sternly to knock it off. He immediately starts swearing at me says he doesn't know me (so?) and he kicks his foot back towards me. I said you better not have just tried to kick me. And he starts swearing at me, said he didn't try to kick me and I better leave him alone, he's never seen me in the school a single day ever and he doesn't know me. And the swearing was continuous. I told him he needed to stop it with the language and he kept it up and I followed him down the hall because I have no idea who the kids are in the school that I don't work with and I needed a name. Mostly because he came out of a classroom and started attacking kids. If he had just stopped his nonsense and kept walking after I told him to stop I probably would have let it go at that. But he kept up yelling and swearing at me so I went into the nearest classroom to get a teacher who could give me his name. And then I went and reported it. It was absolutely ridiculous and things like that should never happen. But it is not an uncommon thing. The kids hit, kick and jump on each other all the time. But this was not a kid fooling around with his friends (which, that nonsense still needs to stop). 

    I was told that he would get a conduct at the very least. I have no idea what that actually means, but a period later he was in PE. Remember how he said he has never seen me in the school even one time ever? Yeah, he is in the same PE class as my kids and he sees me every single day. I don't memorize the other kids in the PE classes because collectively it is 3 PE classes and I think about 40 kids, or more, not including mine. So yup, sees me every single day. I have a ton of tattoos and purple hair, but he has never seen me ever in the school. Ridiculous. And it's ridiculous that he was then in that class. And that is what makes me the most mad about this whole thing. The kids in the school are so far beyond rambunctious. They are mean, have no respect for the other kids or the staff, and many seem to think the rules don't apply to them. And there are not really a whole lot of consequences for the behavior, so they keep it up. What is going to happen to these kids when they go out into the world? They severely lack in social skills because they are always on their phones. They don't seem to know any words if they are not swears. They don't have any respect for anyone and they think they can say and do whatever they want. 

    Really, what has happened to our society? It is not just at the school I work at where this stuff is happening. I am so tired of hearing the excuse "think of what they went through with covid". EVERYONE went through it. And yes, they are younger and lack the coping skills to have dealt with quarantine and everything that followed, but they should be taught those things. They should be taught that actions have consequences. And I am not at all saying that it is the schools' job to teach these things. It is parents' jobs to teach these things, and to back the schools up when discipline is necessary because rules were not followed and respect was not given. Not only does it seem like so many parents these days seem to think that it is the job of the schools to teach their kids their academics, but also everything else. And with no backup and support from home. So really, what happened? How have things spiraled so far out of control that we seem to be raising a generation that is destined to not be able to function. I understand that parenting is hard, I have been doing it for a very long time. I understand that being a good parent is even harder, and I can confidently say that I raised 2 really good humans who are kind to other people, helpful and polite, and I did a really great job. I could keep on going with this, but I don't really want to. There is a problem with our society and it is getting worse and worse. I don't know what the solution is. Well, yes, I do. People who have kids should actually teach their kids stuff. Teach them some life skills, teach them respect, and manners. Teach them that there is a place and a time for swearing with your friends. Educators can only do just so much if they are not getting support from parents. School is not a babysitting service and school staff can't fix things if they keep on being undone at home. I wish I knew the answer to the problem. I wish I knew how to make people care about their kids. Because letting them do whatever they want, act however they want, speak however they want is not caring. It's laziness. And it's hurting our whole society. 

     OK, well, that's enough of that. The lovely casual western doll (she is $220 plus shipping) in the photo above is for sale. She is on MH$P and so are a variety of other dolls. I have been working away and usually have 1-2 new dolls listed a week. Plus I am putting dolls away for Breyerfest. I am still not sure if I will have any items other than dolls, but it is a possibility. I have some mystery boxes I will likely bring with me. Likely I will also have dolls for sale in different places, depending on the day. But I don't have any of those details worked out at the moment. I will know when we are closer to Breyerfest.