JDog's Journal

[Hope67]

Hi Jdog,
Sending you some gentle balm to protect your feathers - so you can rise from the ashes with lovely plumage.  I hope you will fly and do whatever you feel like doing.    
Hope 

[Jdog]

Ah, thanks Hope67, rise I will. Digging into my reserve pile of gumption and self care today....

[Jdog]

One of the reasons I call myself JDog has to do with tenacity.  Yesterday, I spoke with the woman who is president of a local faith based group with whom I am beginning to be affiliated, the same group which sent four members to speak against having officers in our high schools.  I told her how hurt I am that they felt the need to speak against our protectors.  She's offered to connect me with the person who heads the education subgroup so we can dialogue.

Fingers crossed.

[Three Roses]

🤞

[Deep Blue]

That's awesome! Best of luck Jdog

[Jdog]

Thanks, Deep Blue.

[sanmagic7]

hope that goes well for you and your school, sweetie.  i never had the experience of having protectors in a school, but i can see how they could be such a calming influence during this time in school history especially.  when i worked in a day treatment center, we eventually put some safeguards into place, such as wanding the girls at the entrance.  it made a big difference for everyone.

keep up the good work.  we need your voice in our educational system now more than ever.  love your tenacity reference!  love and hugs to you.

[Jdog]

sanmagic7-

Thanks so much for your kind support, hugs, and love.  There was a time bout three years ago when every school shooting, no matter how far away from my state, would cause a big EF for me.  I've never been through a shooting, but the level of responsibility we have for students is huge and I can't fathom how I would be able to keep them safe.  We had a rather low level incident in the neighborhood surrounding the school two years ago, and it occurred when my kids and I were outside in the garden.  We had to run to an unused shop area and huddle on the floor for an hour until the culprit of the crime was found in someone's backyard blocks away.  And then, of course, was Parkland.  One of my students left from the garden without permission the same day as Parkland and we could see him getting into what seemed like a stranger's car.  It was his brother picking him up early because they wanted to play golf....ugh.

I am not afraid of my students.  They treat me kindly, even the big football players are polite most of the time.  But honestly, kids today have so many problems that are compounded by social media and by the pressures their families feel as a result of racial divisions and economic hardships.  It's hard to know what it would take for one of them to go over the edge in one way or another.  We have four counselors for our 1350 students, and they are mainly kept busy with career and college planning, schedule changes, and various tests for college, the military, or foreign language competency tests.  The desperate kids often go unnoticed.  I try to speak with each student each day, even to greet them or mention something I notice like their shoes or new haircut.  But I miss some, inevitably.  We do our best, right?

Meanwhile, life goes on.  We get to plant fava beans and maybe brocolli in the garden today for winter harvesting.  There's lots of nice compost on the beds.  My LGBTQ club comes twice a week at lunch, and we have a guest speaker Friday.  I'm sure they will want to discuss the Trump administration's attacks on the trans community.  Our club president is trans.  These friggin conservatives in power have no shame and will throw red meat to get votes - let's scare the people into voting so that the "freaks" can't get rights...grrr.

It's a lovely day.  I have a loving wife and such nice friends, some here at OOTS.  May we all be safe, be happy, have peace.

[Jdog]

I dreamed last night about putting several students in dangerous situations.  I woke up and heard about the bombs that have been arriving at the offices of politicians.  I carried the feeling of needing protection all day.  Kind of spooked, honestly.

This does nothing to reduce my tendency to seek comfort in food.  Sigh. 

[Deep Blue]

Hugs and love today.  Self care self care self care.   And I'm with you sweetie. 

[Jdog]

Better today.  I still have fear and shame within but more joy and hope and even humor are emerging.  I had a nice complement paid me yesterday by one of our younger hall monitors.  She said students talk about how much they like me and specifically enjoy that I allow my personality to show through when I teach.  That is very gratifying to hear.  I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the students but am glad that my worrying does not appear to interfere with my goofy take on life. 
I am quick witted and love plays on words, and I guess the high school crowd enjoys that.  Maybe it makes up for some of my short comings......

In any case, here's to a successful Friday.  I need to put some water on the school garden, since our drip lines need a bit of repair.  I will shed my big boot for that task, as it's impssible to walk through through the beds in the little troughs in the boot.  I am also to evaluate my student teacher this morning.  I have given him one of my more challenging classes, which is first period.  They are a lively bunch and not at all sleepy as one would expect early in the morning.  They text, talk back, and laugh.  And many are just wonderful kids.  The student teacher also obliges me by leading instruction for several other classes most day, and those classes have fewer behavioral challenges.  He will take over my first and fourth period second semester and one biology class taught by a colleague downstairs. 

[Deep Blue]

You are awesome.  I say that with my whole ❤️  I'm grateful for you in this forum 

[Jdog]

Deep Blue-

I am so grateful for you, as well.  Your whole heart means a lot, as it is gynormous!!  Thanks! 

BH-

Thanks for noticing all of my little subtopics and commenting.  Your appreciation and care mean so much to me.  And I did what I could for our garden.  I wish it would rain here.  None is forecast at all for the next week.  I'm not active on other social media accounts either.  I have a Twitter account and am a voyeur only!

[Hope67]

HI Jdog,
I'm going to do a rain dance, to see if I can help your garden along.  Hope I made you smile, and I hope that's ok.   
Hope 

[Jdog]

Hope-

I see you dancing!! Smiling here!!