String Lights

Saturday. I needed a take-along project, but what did I have to work on? Nothing, really.

And then I saw a picture flash by of someone wearing a necklace that looked like string lights...

String lights... That starts with an S. Perfect.

Regular readers may recall last year that I found some patterns via Pinterest for Christmas. I started this crochet pattern for string lights. But then I got sucked in by a Christmas tree, and the lights fell by the wayside. 

Now's the perfect time to pick this back up. I finally got all the red bulbs that I had made attached to "sockets":

And I made a bulb in pink (and also attached the "socket"):

Now I just need to figure out where I'm going to hang this (during the Christmas season, naturally). That will help me determine how many bulbs I want to make. That's the major reason this project hasn't gone anywhere. 

Because once all the bulbs are made, I then make a long string/wire, and then I attach the bulbs to it. But how long do I want the string? How many bulbs will I need? Until I know those answers, I'm kind of spinning wheels when it comes to making bulbs.

Then again, each bulb doesn't take too much yarn. I can use scraps for this. So, if I have too many bulbs, I can make another string light project for somewhere else. 

And then where does it end? Hence why I've been a bit flummoxed by what to do with these. 

These are questions for another time. Or, at least until the answer presents itself to me.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Ruined

Thursday (two days ago). 4 AM. There was a knock on my door.

"Fire!"

A neighbor's condo was on fire. Big, roaring flames. Smoke was pouring out into the sky. 

We stood, transfixed. 

"What's that loud sound?" This was from my landlady.

"That's the fire."

(I didn't know a fire was so loud.)

We stepped outside, but not too close. The firefighters had arrived at this point. Someone had a hose on the conflagration. Others had a ladder and had climbed up to the roof.

There was a group on the bridge, watching. One lady said she'd gotten singed. It was her home where the fire started. A charger exploded. Something about a generator?

Had everyone gotten out? Yes, the conversation turned to how all those effected had made it to safety. Well, almost everyone. Later in the day I heard of the lady's two cats who were missing. Apparently they got out (fingers crossed), but no one had seen them since. 

The flames died down. Eventually, it appeared that the fire was out.

For the next couple hours, I heard workmen, or at least their machines. They boarded up the sliding doors. I heard that various people came through, checking the cause, and setting things to as right as they can be for the moment.

I did go to work. After getting home, I got my own picture of the devastation. 

I focused on the tree in this image. Yup, the tree also sported some flames. 

(I had a post all set up with a pretty image of rocks surrounding a water feature in my condo complex for today. And then things got interesting. And I could make it work for R, so...)

And it made the local news: 

I fully intend to do something innocuous for X next week. Just a picture. No story. But I planned to do that this week too. And last week. And the week before. Sigh.

I hope you are having an uneventful Saturday.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Quarterback Dreams

Sixth period computer science. It's considered a career and technical education course (CTE). 

During the first week of this long-term assignment, Mr. J informed me of a job fair the school was hosting specifically for the CTE students. So, instead of attempting to teach them computer science (which I know next to nothing about), I got to spend some time teaching them job hunting skills--writing a resume and interview skills. 

I got them set up with an online course with video slideshows and questions about interviewing. (It's a program that the school's CTE department uses.) 

Several students informed me that they had already completed this course in another class. So, I took down their names so that they wouldn't lose points for not redoing things they had already done.

It took me a couple weeks to connect with another teacher who could verify that those kiddos had, in fact, completed the course. While I believed most of them had...

Melvin sits in the front of the room. He's frequently late, and he often leaves class early. (He has track practice, which is likely true.) 

The first assignment they completed with me (they started it before I got there) was a career exploration slideshow. They were to answer the usual questions: what the job entails, growth potential, salary, education required, and such. 

Melvin's job? Professional football.

(I am rolling my eyes here.) 

Does Melvin have the potential of becoming a successful professional football player? Of course. But...

When I took down the names of students who said they completed the interview skills online course, Melvin said he had. 

When I talked to the teacher who could verify who had done this, he could not find Melvin's records. 

The next class period, I let most of the students know that I had verified that they had completed the course. (They had, in fact, completed the course with the teacher who I checked with.) Then I told Melvin we couldn't find his records, so if he could just go and see that teacher...

I told him to go and see that teacher right then. Melvin declined. (Reid, who sits next to Melvin, snickered at him. He mumbled something about getting caught in a lie.) 

I get the feeling Melvin has decided he's going to be a famous football player, and right now he's biding his time until he can get there. I also think it's not going to go the way Melvin thinks it's going to go. 

I could be wrong. I don't think I'm wrong.

(The schools in the district have produced some famous athletes. I know of one that you've likely heard of--he actually has been in the World Series. But they didn't rest on their laurels in high school. That's why I'm so dubious about Melvin.)

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Performance Review, Part 2

I have a terrible memory for students sometimes. But that's a good thing as if I don't remember being irked by them, then the next time I see them they have a brand new chance with me.

I've been covering Mr. J's classes for just over a month now. It was just this last week, on Thursday, that I realized that I had met Nadine in period five before.

And, the only reason it came up was because of a different student in a completely different period.

Ava's not been showing up to class, when she does she's late, and she hasn't been doing the work. Unsurprisingly, she's got an F in math. I went to look at her grades in her other classes, and I was not shocked to find that math is not the only class she's failing. 

That's when I noticed that Ava has Mr. M for history period six. 

And I vividly recall getting a dressing down the day that I covered Mr. M's sixth period class. 

Some more backtracking, and I found Nadine's name. And yup, Nadine's in Mr. J's fifth period. 

Until that moment, I hadn't connected Nadine to the incident. I mean, I remember the incident. I just didn't recall the student who had told me I was a terrible sub who didn't do her job and that she'd get her mother to complain if I wished to take things further.

Will I remember Nadine after this? Likely. 

But Nadine's been keeping a low profile in math class. (It helps that fifth period is co-taught. Having another teacher who's been around since the beginning of the year keeps most of the students honest.) 

Curious, I checked Nadine's grades. Yup, she has an F in math and in history, too.

Figures.

A part of me is curious as to whether Nadine thinks I'm doing my job now. But I'm not going to ask. I don't really want to know.

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Oblivious Student and the Test

Second period integrated math 2. (Sophomore math. It used to be geometry before they changed the sequencing.) This is the one period that isn't co-taught, so it's just me and the 22 students. (It's a small group.)

Malakhi sits right up front. He's frequently late if he shows up at all. He asks to use the restroom and then is gone for twenty minutes. (The restroom is just around the corner, about two rooms away.) While I'm teaching, he is usually on his phone. Or asleep. And when they have time to practice the problems, he is again on his phone or asleep.

On Thursday the class had a test. On Tuesday I went over a study guide with basically all the same problems that were going to be on the test. 

On Tuesday, I emphasized the point: "Now's the time for any questions. If there's anything you don't understand..."

Malakhi spoke up. So, I re-explained the question I had just done. I solicited more questions. No one asked.

Thursday. They had had the test for maybe ten minutes when Malakhi asked to use the restroom. He was gone his usual twenty minutes. 

He returned. And then he slept. 

The students finished the test and turned it in. We were in the last five minutes. Malakhi still had his test. It was time to collect it, as he was the only one still with a test. 

Malakhi: "I don't know how to do this." 

His test was blank.

Deep sigh.

If I had not been available for questions, that would be one thing. (I discovered the secret of getting questions from the students--find the ones who are struggling and offer my help. It's kept me busy.) And the rest of the class has gotten better about actually asking for help. (Me: "Don't sit there stuck. Ask. This is literally my job.")

But Malakhi? Even when I hover, he doesn't ask. That's mostly because he isn't attempting the problems.

It's no wonder he doesn't know what to do.

But I can't do it for him.

(He expressed the same sentiment after the last test. I had not been in class to teach those lessons, though.)

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Newbie Sabotage

What if? It's the basis of many stories. We ask. We ponder. We wonder. 

On Tuesdays I throw one out there. What if? It may be speculative. It may stem from something I see. It may be something I pull from the news. 

Make of it what you will. If a for instance is not specified, interpret that instance as you wish. And if the idea turns into a story, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements 😉

What if the new employee in your workplace was sent there by someone with the intention of undermining it (people, environment, etc.)? 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Mobius Cowl Pictures

On this lovely M Monday, I have pictures of my mobius cowl:

...that I posted about back in June when I finished it (with a bonus post of me modeling it). 

I made this on camera with the intention of posting it to my YouTube channel. My brother was kind enough to edit the footage into a video that's approximately 30 minutes long. 

(What is a Mobius strip? Just in case you don't know.) 

And I just need to sit down and watch it to make sure it's ready before I actually post it. (I have watched it twice already. The first time it needed many edits. The second time it needed just a couple more. It should be ready now, but it's just a matter of me finding the time to watch it again.) 

It seems to be taking me forever to do anything anymore. 

(This post was supposed to distract you from last week's post, where I hadn't frogged that dragon swatch yet. I actually managed to frog it on Saturday... and I got no further. I won't bore you with pictures of what it is now--a ball of unknitted yarn.)

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