crap crap crap crap

occupational hazard of spending too much time with high schoolers #2:

after a lifelong history of only about one bad cold a year, i'm now sick for the 4th time since september.

#1

food/ant for thought

i've been teaching a summer school art class with wren. the kids are rad...there is a particular tiny 7-year-old girl named jenna who is adorably sensitive and eloquent. on monday i was telling a few of the kids that i ate an ant when i was little because i was trying to copy mowgli from the jungle book, and that it was spicy...

jenna: i ate an ant once!

me: yeah?

jenna: they are kind of spicy.

me: i know!

jenna: why?

me: i don't know, maybe--

jenna: cuz God made em that way?

me: yeah.

jenna: (nods) probably.

hey

go figure...

high schoolers like cut copy.

dazed

maintaining control of 24 freshman in study hall this morning felt more like trying to teach 24 sugar-high 3-year olds how to meditate. at a monster truck rally. in finnish. on crack.

"miss police" :P

i like it better when they call me "police lady" "poli-ché" or "911".

and especially when they just call me "colleen". technically they're not supposed to, but i let it slide.

"are you coming back tomorrow?"

i had such a good time spending time with, and helping high schoolers with art projects all day today that i truly almost can't believe it.

and yes, they did call me miss police. which they thought was hilarious.

hi, i'm miss police

tomorrow i have my first day as a substitute art teacher at maranatha.

high schoolers.

i was saying to my family tonight that i'm this really weird combination of feeling like kind of a cool, hip, older-than-them-but-still-young-enough-to-be-cool artist person...but also dealing with the fact that, when among them, the inside of me reverts back to a shy, insecure 15-year-old that is nothing but a painfully awkward geek who doesn't fit in with anyone...so it's kinda confusing.

should be interesting.

kindergarteners working on art projects

"girls are made from ribs, and boys from dust and earth," said 5-year old bailey to 3 of his classmates.
"boys always come first," naomi, next to him, stated thoughtfully.
"boys usually come first," he replied, "except sometimes when girls do."