The Facts R 4 Real

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As promised... I will be posting pictures of my students expertly teaching the knowledge I've imparted to them over the past two years to the children of Lonoke.  Just not today.  Today I wanted to share something else.  Plus, I figure after a few days I'll have the best of the best pictures to post.   For now, I'll just say I'm beyond proud and this has gone much better than I could have hoped (logistically speaking)... and that not being the teacher for a week is going to be every bit as glorious as I imagined.  


Let me instead begin by sharing with you this flyer I saw posted on the wall of the elementary school today as I was going from class to class.  I have to say, it shocked me.  I was pleased, yet shamed, yet amused... so many things at once.

The Flyer

My first thought when I saw this young girl with the word "Loser" stamped on her back was, "This must be some anti-bullying poster."  I assumed it was a message about how your classmates aren't losers... they're people just like you and me.  

But wait!  Upon closer inspection... I realized this wasn't a poster about how you shouldn't call people losers.  This poster was calling ME a loser! Apparently you can call someone a loser if she uses (gasp!) tanning beds.

Now... I should say that I am by NO means an out-of control tanner.  I lay out poolside occasionally (with sunscreen liberally applied) and I tanned indoors three times before my wedding.  I've read the facts on indoor tanning, and they ain't pretty!  Check out the close-up.

And its a HUGE problem in today's teenage culture.  I get that.

But... "Loser?!?"

And what's with the text language?

Are we really going to start communicating with kids this way in an effort to seem cool, current, and "with-it?"

 I thought we as educators were sort of outraged by the fact that our students fill in blanks of quizzes with "Idk" and write "u" when they mean "you" in a formal essay!  And now our educational posters are using these ridiculous half-words on purpose and advocating name calling!

I agree with the stats and I think they should be spreading the word.  I even applaud the boldness of peaching a message many people don't want to hear.  I'm just not so sure this particular poster is sending all the right messages.

Ok, done with that.  On to the other thing I wanted to share.

I bought a few cute antiques over the weekend, one of which was a very old-looking metal bucket.  I bought  it without knowing what its immediate use would be.  Upon later inspection, I noticed that large holes had been punched into the bottom of it... rendering it essentially useless as a bucket and leaving me to assume it must have been fated to be a planter.  So I decided to plant more basil.  As I drove home from school today, I realized I would need another small bag of potting soil if I wanted to plant basil in this bucket.

Fifteen minutes later I was leaving Wal-Mart with two LARGE bags of potting soil, two tomato plants, and an orange-bell-pepper plant.  I had planned to grow these vegetables in the ground, with wire cages and all that good stuff.  But that would have required me to wait on Superman to build me the raised flower beds he's promised me for my birthday.  And I want tomatoes NOW (well, sixty days from now, according to the label.)

Besides, I already had this great metal washtub I sniped from my grandpa's house.  Surely it'd be no trouble to drill a few holes in the bottom to facilitate drainage.  Right?   Right?

Uhhh... does anybody have experience with power tools?  

I've attempted to use Superman's waaaay more often than he has.  But I don't call myself experienced.  So... it kinda took me awhile but I'm very proud to display my newest botanical delight and hopefully the source of many Caprese salads to come!

Da dada daaahhhhhhhh!

It may have been a bad idea to put the three plants so close together in one container.  But I'm learning here... and the pepper plant was on sale for like three dollars so if I fail this year... lesson learned!

That is all.

Goodnight.