Black is Back

Seems the new trend for Hallowe'en costumes is gothic/punk/vampire/dark etc... I was attempting to be Medusa (yes, again) Was I successful? Below this shot you would have seen the fishnet stocking and black and silver peasant skirt...yup...not very photogenic today. Beside me is Laura. Her look hasn't changed much for this All Hallow's Eve...but we love her to death (we, meaning I) Then, below that we have Randie and Vicki...yup, black is back. Well, the posting of pictures was finally successful....enjoy ...and a Happy Hallowe'en to y'all!

Happy Hallowe'en!

There are certain days of the year that become milestones when you are a teacher...this is one of them... Although, teaching high school is a bit different. You can't throw caution to the wind and ignore curriculum for the afternoon while you have the beloved class party (although they would love it) because the presence of Hallowe'en reminds us that we are that much closer to the dreaded final and departmental exams...but, we still manage to have fun...

The challenge for all of the students I teach was to come dressed as a character from literature (or a movie -- but they had to make a connection to literature) and they would earn bonus marks in that class...only a few of them chose to take me up on this challenge...and only a few of them guessed who I was. I know, I know, I've used this costume before...but, c'est la vie. Anyways...enjoy your evening of dishing out candy to kids who are too old to be trick-or-treating anyways...man, I'm cynical today.... love it! Happy Hallowe'en!

For the record -- I just tried 4 times to post a picture to accompany this entry but it didn't work -- so I'll try to post later.

Bad Blogger....

I have been a very bad blogger...I admit...and I apologize. Not quite sure why the blogging was such a difficult (and unattended) task last week...could have been because of my Eeyore funk...which has passed...but took a couple of days to get over... Last week was extremely busy...which isn't really an exuse as every week seems to be equally as busy...Wednesday was our Junior Girls' Volleyball Units here and our girls made it into the finals...where they lost the Northern Title by 2 points...a good fight though.

What else? Not much really... I was pretty exhausted last week so took the weekend to catch up on some marking, sewing and relaxing. On Sunday I went with Paul and Margaret to Beauval to watch the Sr. Men's Hockey Tournament.... enjoyable...mostly to be out on the road for the day...it was trying to snow all day.... beautiful...but, must start the teaching for the day.... will promise to maintain the blog digressions...as I'm sure you were all lost without them! (I'm so sure...)

A Gloomy Day

Eeyore is an interesting character -- with so many wonderful (and some very hyper) friends around him...he always seems to be a bit gloomy -- I can identify with Eeyore -- escpecially yesterday. This path I am travelling is more difficult than I had anticipated. Although I am at home with my family (well, as close to home as I could get when I needed a full time job) there are days when I really wish I was still in Deline. I miss the people, my classroom, and I can still picture the community vividly in my head. A 2 1/2 hour conversation on the phone with a friend helped eased the gloominess but I couldn't shake it yesterday. Although I can rationalize with myself about how it is a change and change takes time and I've done changes like this before and they certainly weren't easy at the time... it's still gloomy....but today is a new day... and I like the Eeyore who appreciates the things around him much better than the Eeyore above... enjoy today ...Carpe Diem....whatever you say to get you through....everyone goes through it, I just like to process it verbally (or via my online journal apparently -- hmmmm...) Like my mommy always says: "This too shall pass" Yuppers...anyways, I gotta get back to that whole teaching thing I'm supposed to be doing!

On the Road Again

Wednesday found me in a 15 passenger van with 11 children (not children, but youth perhaps) as we were on our way to Dillon (a 2 1/2 hour drive from here) to play a bit of Volleyball. The road trip is always a blast...the girls are quite entertaining... singing, telling jokes and stories...yup, good times... so we got to Dillon around 6pm and we played volleyball until 9pm...then we were back on the road to come home. We finally got home just before midnight...the girls were all very tired (as was I) but we all had fun... some pics for your perusal (and hopefully enjoyment) below. Senior Girls (the Timberwolves) ready for the
serve... this game was 25-22 (for Dillon)

Kaylene is on my right (your left) and Sam is
on my left (your right) -- these are two of our
Grade 12 girls...Sam is my assistant coach as
she isn't eligible to play this year
There's the massive 15 passenger van (the school
owns 2 or 3 of them) and here I am with J.B. and
Vicki outside of Gina's Gas Bar in Beauval (Pit Stop)

Well as promised, I'm attempting to post more pictures... this week is finally voer. It was a really good week just very exhausting...anyways...until next time...

what you want and what you can....two different things...

For instance, the above picture represents what I wanted to do to my alarm clock this morning... yet I'm at work posting this pondering; therefore, obviously I didn't do the unthinkable...take a day off work...really, most of my tired state is self inflicted as I can't seem to make myself fall asleep early enough -- morning comes far too quickly. However, the subject of the title for this posting is a big pondering...its something I discuss with many of my students (repeatedly it seems) Yes, you have choices in life...No, you can't choose to not hand in assignments because you don't like them... or the scenario of ...how would you like it if I chose not to fill in your report card...I make the choice not to hand it in... hmmm...not so much... but yup, one of life's many lessons...what you want and what you can are sometimes and complete opposites of the reality spectrum... as a wise person once said ... suck it up, Princess ....

Hard at work...

As of the end of this week we are officially halfway done the first semester...keeping busy really makes time fly (I may have already told you all this but Les -- the science teacher -- has a sign beside his clock that states "Time will pass, will you?" -- clever, hey?!? very entertaining but again, I digress) We've been flying through days and evenings with academics, volleyball, bingo, and grade 12 grad fundraising and yet the kids still smile... nice. There have been some complaints that I don't post enough current pictures so that you can see the kids, the town, and of course, the star of the show -- me! (that was a bit egocentric wasn't it? Oh well, I'm allowed!)
Anyways... I'm having fun so far...teaching high school is a lot different but its quite rewarding...and they're great kids (I use that word lightly because some of the "kids" I teach are in their 20's) The second picture is of me (obviously) not surfing the internet but working hard to find some engaging lessons for my grade 10's (the internet was a wonderful invention) Tonight I'm taking the Senior Girl's (volleyball) to Dillon for a game...its about 2 hours away so we'll probably get home late... will try to post more pictures of life rather than clip art...but that's fun too! With love, Trena

Coming out of the closet...

The Crafter's closet that is... funny... you know, when I was a teenager I never thought I was artistic or creative...Opposite of that really -- I knew that when I was little I drew and stuff but I was never really good in high school art classes... However, as time has gone on and I have been living in isolated areas of the country where there really isn't much to do when its miserable outside... I've learned to embrace the creative side of me... which does exist...

I think I first discovered my creative potential when I was at UCC in Kamloops... in one of English classes we had to create a scrapbook/journal type thing -- when I first heard the assignment I was filled with dread... now, when I look back at it (yes, I kept it!) I'm filled with a combination of pride and amazement (and maybe a little bit of disbelief)

I really enjoy doing the beading that I learned in Deline, and it provides me with fond memories of my time there ... scrapbooking has been fun -- looking back at old pictures and coming up with memories to share (although I never admitted to liking crafts, I always knew that I liked journaling... something a lot of people can't stand...scrapbooking requires some journaling so its perfect really.... I digress) I rediscovered cross-stitching this summer as my beading was en route to Saskatoon and my hands were begging for something to do) and of course last year I discovered quilting (a craft that is prominent in my family) when I made a quilt (small but still a quilt) for Dawn.... I am pretty sure I'll never touch knitting or crocheting(is that even how you spell it?!?) but I never thought I'd be sharing all this either...so, you really never know...

So mark your calendars and move over Martha Stewart! Today is the day that I, Trena Phenix, solemnly and openly admit to being a crafter.... an amateur still, but a crafter nonetheless...

Does Anyone Even Read this Thing?!?

Not that it would matter because I would still blab away for my own pleasure...but like with my other blog, often when I'm typing out a new pondering or yet another digression I wonder if anyone even reads it... now, I've been to other blogs that allow people to leave comments...and I'm pretty sure I had it set up that way on my old blog but for some reason I haven't set it up on this blog....until today. I have investigated and succeeded! There now lies the opportunity for you to leave a comment , if you so choose... would be nice to get some proof that someone's reading ... back to work... until next time...

screaming would be good right now...

Okay so its Sunday afternoon and I was quite happy lounging around my house, talking on the phone, drinking coffee, puttering really.... but I knew I had to come into work to prepare for the week...and I promised my Grade 12's I'd open the computer lab so they could type out the good copies of their poetry essays which are due on Monday...so here I am...but for the freakin' life of me I can't seem to decide what I should do first...or for that matter, what all I have to do... so I here I am procrastinating...just watch...I'll get home and have that moment where all they work I have to do floods into my brain and I attempt to kick myself in the ass.... fun on a Sunday afternoon.... It was a pleasant weekend...relaxing...doing some other stuff that you'll have to wait for tomorrow's post to hear the revelation and confessions regarding that subject... yup, I know...it will be tough to hold out but you can do it! Ha...whatever...again I digress...well, to make myself feel useful, I'm going to find some work to do...wish me luck! Later gaters....

Literary Garbage...Okay, Maybe not Garbage But...

So this dilemna or pondering came to me last night as I was reading my obligatory 2 chapters at night -- to prove to the kids that reading on your own time won't kill you -- Anyways, as I was getting increasingly engaged in some "chick lit" novel that I picked up at Extra Foods (only "bookstore" in Meadow Lake) I realized my expectations for literature have changed since I've started teaching highschool. So here it is:

When I was teaching grades 5 and 6 I studied (and read) literature such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Charlotte's Web as novel studies in class... which are excellent books, and remember because I read them when I was 8 years old. Regardless...getting those kids hooked on books was easy using fun literature such as the aforementioned but because I was reading those at school, I tackled more difficult, perhaps even "classic" literature in my spare time (although I did read my fair share of Chick Lit then, when I needed a brain break) Some of the books I read were The Alchemist, The DaVinci Code, Atonement, Anna Karenina, and Night. To name a few....

Anyways...now with teaching high school English, I find that my need for "quality adult literature" is being fed by preparing for class. With the grade twelve students we are studying interesting pieces of literature ranging from poetry, plays, short stories to novels. So, I find myself being attracted to literature that doesn't take much concentration. You know, one of those books where if you fall asleep halfway through a chapter, a page, or a sentence, you can refresh your memory of character and plot quite quickly? Yup, that's what I'm reading. I just finished Six Weeks to Toxic and now I'm reading Sorry, Walter.... both engaging and interesting but definitely not classified as "classic" literature.

But, like I tell my students, read anything... as long as you're reading. Why? Because, its a great way to exercise your brain...a muscle some of us forget about every now and then!

Coffee Ponderings

Its amazing how addicted I've become. Its really the most effective alarm clock - the smell (not Folgers, but still!) really makes me ready to jump out of bed...but yet it worries me how if I don't drink my required amount of coffee I get headaches (from lack of caffeiene?!?) and I get cranky... scary really. And its gotten worse. When I was in University, drinking coffee was purely social and even then, I rarely had true Java, usually stuck to the fancy drinks at Starbucks (chai tea, cinnamon cider, latte, frappe...whatever)...then, as I did my practicum, I'd have the occassional cup of coffee in the morning but it would have to be loaded with sugar and cream... and it was by no means a part of my routine. Then, when I moved to Deline, I became a bit more regular in my partaking of the coffee ritual...but still I needed to dilute it with the 'fixings.' But now, now is a completely different story... sometimes I use cream and sugar, or french vanilla creamer, but I also drink it black. And it isn't social...its a necessity...and it isn't just a part of my morning routine...I drink it whenever.... scary.... I guess this is how addictions grab you...slowly, over a period of time. Do I have more energy with my coffee fixation? Not sure...but man, it tastes good! So, to all you coffee addicts out there -- enjoy! Really, there's worse things you could be doing!

Happy Thanksgiving

Mmmm...turkey....I remember saying (I think after Easter) that I didn't want to see another turkey for a year...apparently not....turkey was good...but now I've had my fix until Christmas... From my corner of the world to yours...happy thanksgiving... as tough as our paths in life may seem somedays, we still have much to be thankful for....with love, Trena

Can't Wait to Sleep In...

A little bit dramatic, but still pretty true. This has been a super busy week...between driving to Buffalo Narrows for a workshop, volleyball practices, community volleyball nights, bingo, and oh yeah! teaching...I'm ready for a morning of sleeping in. I will probably end up spending the majority of the weekend doing work stuff....but on my own time....phew...finally Friday.

There's No Place Like Home

Dorothy was right. There is no place like home. But, what is home? Is home where the heart is? where your family is? where your best friend is? Is the place you were born your home? where you were raised? where you became an adult? where you now live as an adult with your own children? Hmmm... Home. The dictionary defines home as

–noun
1.
a house, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.
2.
the place in which one's domestic affections are centered.
3.
an institution for the homeless, sick, etc.: a nursing home.
4.
the dwelling place or retreat of an animal.
5.
the place or region where something is native or most common.
6.
any place of residence or refuge: a heavenly home.
7.
a person's native place or own country.
8.
(in games) the destination or goal.
9.
a principal base of operations or activities: The new stadium will be the home of the local football team.


Too many denotations for my liking. If we look at the word home purely as a noun, how would you define it? I struggle with this.... if it is where I was born, then its Saskatoon, if its where I was raised I can't go there (to any of the places) because the people that now reside there may find it strange if I were to occupy their houses for the weekend.... I'm not too sure why I'm thinking about this so much....

My conclusion...for me there are a lot of different places that feel like home. I'm glad to be back near my family -- one of my many homes -- I went to Saskatoon last weekend to spend Sheri's brithday with her for the first time since we were 11 -- Dorothy is right -- it's good to be home!