Holiday Season

It's that time of year again... when everything except going home and partaking in the traditions of Christmas seems too difficult. I know I'm lucky without the stress and pressure of finals, but I'm going to complain anyway. Here's a reveiw of my Boston holiday festivities so far.

My kids performed a nativity play. Preschoolers pretending to be religious models is bound to be hilarious, and these kids were no exception. One of the wise men was confused about his role and kept calling himself and the other two boys "wise guys." This is the same child that threw his present at Baby Jesus' face yelling, "Here's your present Jesus! It's gold or something" instead of reverently kneeling and putting the present on the X as one teacher set up for them. This teacher also got frantic during the singing of "This little light of mine" when the children made their candles go around in a circle more than once per refrain.

The volunteers that we work with had a Christmas party with a gift exchange. Bill and I had the best presents in circulation. I, for once, got lucky and received a trivia book which I now reference whenever possible. Bill ended up with a Notre Dame headband appropriate for 75% of the volunteers. Bill was in the 25% who would not be happy to receive it.

Yesterday we had a baking day with some friends. Bill decided to be nice and teach some of them a treasured Huth recipe. We showed up on time with all of the ingredients. Our crowd of learners consisted of one person. At least we got to take them all home.

I'm expecting a major upswing in the excitement of Christmas. The promise of Appleton in the very near future is making these days drag. Good thing I'll be back before I know it.

New E-mail

I've decided to grow up and leave my Marquette association behind me. Well, the technological aspect of it at least. My new e-mail address is much more representative of who I am now -- an adult who uses their initials and last name.

Therefore, you can now reach me at bghanna@gmail.com

Hurray for me.

Preschoolers are Funny 2005

As frustrating as work can sometimes get, my students are hilarious. Here are the highlights.

Beth: "Do you have your crabby pants on today?"
Student: "No."
Beth: "Your silly pants?"
Student: "No! Beth, I'm wearing tights!"

Student pretending to be Batman.
Beth: "Did Batman drive to school in his Batmobile today?"
Student: "That car never works. He had to take the bus."

Car coming down the street.
Beth: "On the sidewalk please."
Student: "I'm too young to die! But, I've had a good life."

My birthday.
Another teacher: "Let the birthday girl help you."
Student: "She's not the birthday girl. She's the birthday grown-up."

Student: "I'm driving the car."
Beth: "Oh, how old do you need to be to drive a car."
Student: "Like you."
Beth: "Like me. So how old?"
Student: "Seven."

Reading the Story of Christmas.
Student: "That angel is wrong."
Beth: "What's wrong with her?"
Student: "Her feet are empty. She needs sneakers."

Snow Day Fake-out

Get ready folks... it's going to be a double post night. But because you will be reading this second, I suppose you already know. Well now you've been doubly informed. By the way, it is so cold in this apartment that some of the keys are boycotting. I am hereby released from any missing letter typos found in this post.

On to the real news. I suppose it was bound to happen, it being winter and everything. Though I hear it is far more wintery in Wisconsin with your -13 degrees windshield, so maybe you will have little sympathy for me. Bill and I had our first snow day fake-out of the season. The forecast predicted 4 to 8 inches of snow. We talked about closing procedures at work. I woke up without the sound of snow plows. Perhaps they could not make it out in time? No, of course not. The predicted 4 to 8 inches of snow came in at a whopping 0 inches. Not even a snowflake. At least in Wisconsin, people drive to work and school cursing at the efficiency of the city snow plows. Massachusettes had to just laugh in our hopeful faces. But I did discover that the Cape is the Algoma and Waukeegan of Massachusetts. They get all of the crazy weather and never have school. I guess every area has to have one section like that.

Since I am talking about snow and ice, I would like to get a little nostolgic about Milwaukee. Milwaukee winters are definitely cold and windy. But one thing they are not, is icy. Brew City might be better known as Salt City. That city uses enough salt to clear every road in Wisconsin. I've decided I would willingly trade in shuffling a mile and a half to work paying attention to danger areas for permanent salt rings on my pants and the pile of salt in the doorway. Who knew? So be thankful for what you've got. Unless you're living in Appleton, where it currently feels like 8 degrees. I'll just sit back in my balmy 25 degrees and laugh.

Christmas Julie's Style

I had to take a little break from writing due to the embarassing typo so graciously pointed out by my father. I've finally gained the confidence to write again after a few visits to an English major support group.

Christmas has come to my program, and it's come with a vengenace. Now I'm a huge fan of the Christmas season, in fact, it's my favorite holiday. However, I have never seen Christmas done like it's being done at Julie's. The major problem is a huge excess of deocrations. The sheer volume of fake greenery is nauseating. It wouldn't bother me so much if I didn't have to be the one putting it up. I spent the entire day before Thanksgiving fighting with garland. That did not make me thankful for the program and that was just round one of decorating. What makes it even more ridiculous is the population it's trying to impress. The women of the program would not even have presents for their kids if it weren't for donors. I'm pretty sure they would rather have the program's money spent on necessities instead of life-size carolers. Speaking of decorations, you would think the program would be full of kids making projects for their moms. You would be wrong, because that job was given to us Americorp workers. Can't have the kids messing up the construction paper ornaments. I've decided that simple is definitely better when it comes to celebrating this holiday. Maybe my mom really is on to something with her wabisabi theory. But I would never tell her that to her face.