SCAMMED!!!!!!!

...because he trusted a stranger s words. My husband was approached by a scruffy looking man driving an old station wagon. Should that have been a red flag???? The guy showed him a huge, sealed box that looked authentic. He purchased 3 "media centers" from him- for $200 each- What a bargain to be able to get a great product that would sell for $1000, otherwise. Yes, in hindsight, he should have questioned the lightness of the box, had him open each one, and if he still didn't do either of the two, he should have taken down the license plate. The elation he felt in anticipating giving one to each of our kids, blindsided him. Yesterday, he gave the "present" to my daughter. She was excited and appreciative. This morning at 9:15AM, she phoned. Her husband opened the box and inside was a speaker. They noticed in tiny letters, "Attach to a TV"!!!! My trusting husband will be quite careful in the future, not allowing his emotions and pure enjoyment of giving to family to dominate his incredible mind. SCAMMED!!

differences

 don't want my co-workers just to like me when I add an air of conviviality to meetings. I want them to respect my
culture, albeit that it is different than theirs. Calmly explaining who I am and from where I come and why my dietary practices are my choice, and that "Kosher" doesn't mean the Rabbi is standing over each piece of food is blessing it, is not satisfying enough to them. I don't want to be the person in a faculty of 10 who is futile in convincing 80% of them that ...Felix Mendelsohn would not be included in a category of Jewish composers when his family converted to Christianity when he was 7. Yes, his grandfather was a recognized German Jewish philosopher, (quite interesting in fact), but Moses Mendelsohn does not have 1 Jewish heir.
I want them to respect me as someone whose insights into the way children learn sometimes being the voice of children hostile to education or not school ready because they are not yet stable may be different to their thoughts, yet be comfortable enough to express it without looking at rolling eyes or change of subject. Ergo,now I understand that all people should be recognized for their differences in culture, race, sexual preferences, ethnicity and more. Finally, there is no right or wrong when it comes to feelings. They come from within us and should be validated.

kids in psychiatric hospitals are no different than kids who are in public schools...

....so our clueless supervisor insists. I raised my hand this afternoon at a meeting and said, "Well, then there is no point in them being in a hospital." he said, "You're right."=clueless and uncool.

what a way to boost morale in the workplace and kiss-ups

this supervisor of ours is requesting I submit documentation from a physician stating that I was too ill to go to work when I was out for 3 days. I spend my lunch working, I arrive at least 20 min. before required time and generally leave at least 30 minutes past quitting time. In addition, I spend any planning time we are given doing just that and about 1/2 every weekend preparing for the week. Thus exceeds triple the time that any other teacher there dedicates to her/his job. he says he wants to raise morale and the way he thinks it is done is by planning pot luck lunches. I'll be damned if I'll spend an evening cooking at home and spending my lunch time eating with the teachers who complain when not in his presence, but kiss up to him. Be real.

the homeless

Ya gotta have heart. he was somebody's son or father, uncle or brother. He may have held a job until the company went bankrupt. Maybe he lost his apt., gave up his car and moved daily, weekly or monthly in and out of shelters, staying in a...ny as long as they would have him, along with many others in the same situation. what the govt. will afford him for an apt. is far below what a landlord will take and anyway without a permanent address, no one will hire him. Besides, without a car his job search is limited to those that he can get to by public transportation. Yes, if we feed him and make him feel worthy of comforts, we can temporarily, assign him to menial labor that requires no skills, giving him the dignity that he is not 'taking', but "earning", and at the same time teach him a skill to get him back into the workforce, and be able to afford an apt., vermin free, with heat and electricity. Then, he may regain his confidence in his ability to work his way up and get a higher position.
He may be 40, 50, 60 or 70-hard to tell with the beard and well-worn clothing, plus his position of sitting on the street, and we literally look away or down on him and call him lazy. Shame on us. Give him what you can, and hopefully enough of us will pressure congress and enough people in power like Mayor di blasio and the blessed congressman from Ct. will do even more. One never knows what ill fortune will grab us, and we might end up on the streets with a cup in our hand.
FINALLY, DON't THANK G-D that you ARE NOT in this position, but THANK GOD that YOU are in A position of giving $1,$2, $3 dollars or more- The coalition for the homeless will accept any donations

dedicated to teachers who work in psychiatric hospitals..

...who still don't get it. when an adolescent acts inappropriately and you insist he's just doing it for attention, you are probably right.  On the other hand, would a perfectly normal child run around the school hallways banging a fist against walls until he breaks a bone?  This self- injury might be a way of calling out for help because he believes this is the only way someone will try to soothe his angst. This self-caused physical pain may be a way to try to replace the emotional pain that has enveloped his being and make it real.  it's more acceptable to hurt physically than emotionally.

If you say you're going to call back..

.. do it .