Brought to You by the Letter M and the Number 20

As I was shamelessly watching Sesame Street today (I woke up earlier this morning) lots of things were suddenly brought to my attention. After learning the letter of the day they proceeded to mention their sponsors when suddenly I was thrown off by the mention of "paid for by a No Child Left Behind Grant"...my heart sunk at the mere mention of this. Being a future educator this highly concerns me. Not because NCLB gave grant money for educational programming but rather it served as a reminder to me the this act is being put into consideration for renewal. This act that promises nothing for out children and wishes to label all our public schools as failures, whereby inevitably privatizing all schools. The mere thought of this is utterly discouraging and depressing especially with me wishing to step foot into the educational career pool. While I will still teach no matter what, NCLB is not making it any easier. I have taken the only measures I can take at this point of my life by signing an electronic petition against the renewal of NCLB. (Feel free to sign the electronic petition as well.)

Another thing that bothered me while watching Sesame Street were some of the changes I noticed. No, not for nostalgic reasons but because people are constantly taking the fun out of things. The cookie monster ate no cookies today, all he ate was the letter M. Why doesn't cookie monster eat cookies all that much? Well some parents and others thought it was setting a bad eating example, and encouraging obesity and things of that nature. Hey here's a wild idea how about just telling your overly obese child, no, you cannot eat that cookie, so what if they cry and throw a hissy fit, left them; they will thank you when people don't refer to them as "the fat kid".

Oscar the Grouch is less grouchy than I remember, because some nut jobs believe is encouraging a negative frame of mind. Instead they should look at the bigger picture Oscar the GROUCH is suppose to be grouchy some people in life are like that and it's important for children to realize that they will encounter some one like that in their lives. Instead of complaining again, try encouraging your child and informing them to keep a positive outlook on things. Maybe if some parents decided to try this crazy newfangled thing called parenting there would be less problems with out children! Despite all of this...i did still enjoy watching Sesame Street again.

-KiraKatja

Because You're a Teacher...

While I wouldn't give up my job as a future dance educator for anything I can't help but feel pseudo restricted with certian things I may want to do in my life. You hear news stories all the time about teachers posing nude (for art), some crazy book they've written, or an accidental slip of a curse word. I mean we're human too just because we're teachers doesn't mean we don't have any social lives. There are somethings that I really want to do...but I find myself thinking I would do that if I wasn't going to be a teacher and I wonder am I really doing myself a favor. Is it wrong that teachers are held upon such a high pedestal that we can't even be seen in the grocery store purchasing a bottle of wine for dinner with out some sort of comment or controversy from those who are aware of our profession.

I mean I have dreams and desires too am I not allowed to fulfill some of them because of my profession. Surely society itself is wrong for forgetting that we too are human. I mean politicians do a lot more and to be honest we're not all that surprised. I'm just tired of feeling limited of what to do because of my profession and what parents of my students could think. Is there any advice out there?

-KiraKatja

What's SO great about 08?

Well generally speaking I'm a fairly optimistic person and while my 2007 has been filled with more than it's shares of ups and downs (for once it seems like an equal balance of both cons and pros) I'm not yet convinced that 2008 is the year of greatness and new beginnings as i have so heard. I know it's usually customary to do my ye olde year in review I have grown tired of doing that. In with the old out with the new. While I hate making new years resolutions I definitely wish to make a list of things I'm sick of doing that have occurred either in the past year or the past several years.

- Planning Events back home (this has been at the top of my list ever since recent NYE planning did not go well...I'm sick of trying to put things together that no one seems to appreciate...it's common courteous to at least call, hell txt me, saying hey i can't make it...simple as that...people don't seem to realize all the hard work that has actually gone into me doing things...so you can kiss ur little events, and birthday parties goodbye)

- Having Loser Friends (there are just some people I need to part ways with and I'm sick of their lame attempts of being my friends please do us both a favor...stop it's less stressful this way)

- Looking for Support where I know I won't get it (well...self explanatory I'm going to stop seeking for certain people to support me on certain things in my life it's obvious how they don't even support me in the slightest, I'm not asking u to change ur beliefs believe as you wish as I do...but considering things I wish to do are legal and non-life threatening was a little support too much to ask?)

These are the only things I know I can actually dedicate to changing so while very similar to new years resolutions I like to think of them as goals because I'm tired of everything...not because it's a new year...the timing is just oh so ironic. Looking forward to this year of "greatness" and "new beginnings"; oh joy...

-KiraKatja

This is a Test

Please ignore this blog post I'm just testing my mobile blogging.

-KiraKatja

Always Something huh?

Well...once again it has been a very long time since I have last updated (almost 2 months since my last update). Many things have changed since my last blog. I had a wonderful semester this year and got involved in many things. Including my audition which i go through and I'm in a show at school now. Yay! It's about time! I've had an exciting, stressful, angering, fun, and crazy semester but one thing is for sure I'm glad it's over.

Yet instead of being able to relax and enjoy my winter break I am instead sitting here trying to debate between two very life altering situations. Both of which have their own pros and cons the problem is I just really don't know what to do. I'm at a total loss! I've consulted many 3rd parties on the situation but still I remain unsure of what I can do. My stress reliving winter break has turned into yet another stressful event that i must give attention to.

Don't get it wrong I'm enjoying my break and I'm enjoying being off of school and this isn't going to ruin my break. This stressful thought just comes to me when I'm not out gallivanting with my friends. Well everyone if I don't get to post the nite b4 Christmas...Merry Christmas and have a happy new year!!!

-KiraKatja