Spring has sprung...and AP ranting again...

The morning temps have been inching their way up over the last few days; today, it was 32. Spitting rain, but 32, nonetheless. The backyard is glowing green-- it always amazes me how vibrant the first grass is. The fruit trees are budding small leaves. The lilacs are leafing out. And of course, my eyes itch and I am snuffly, but it's okay. Spring is here.

Spring means new life, right? Except, it's also the time of year-- May, specifically-- that we've buried our parents. It's a bit sobering, even though some time has passed. 

On the other hand, it's still April, and Saturday is going to be fun, I hope. From 1-3 at North Country Community Radio, there is an open mic for poetry-- ending National Poetry Month with a bang. If you are local, come join us! Favorite poems and/or your own are more than welcome. It will be broadcast live, too, so if you are not around, tune in-- you can livestream it on the internet.

Two more school days. Amen. I need a break in the worst way. The AP stuff is eating my sanity. I hope the kids care a fraction of what I do; I know, it's just a test. They are all earning dual credit anyhow. But still, I want them to take it seriously and do well. We'll see. Yesterday's practice test was not great. Either we've practiced too much, or they just are not getting it. None of them used scratch paper, no matter how many times I've told them to use it to help keep track of what the passages they are reading are about. You can lead a horse to water...

Anyhow, it'll be what it'll be. Heaven knows, I've put in a lot of hours trying to do this. And from what I'm reading in the online discussion threads, I'm not alone in my frustration. I think that the whole situation is a weirdly arranged one, and I hate one and done tests, and multiple choice is terrible, and the timed writes are not a real measure, either. But here we are. 

Sigh. I do need the vacation week. I hope to get into the roses and trim them a bit (not a lot of die back, I think), and I want to feel human not one big ball of stress and exhaustion.

Life goals. 

Hug your loved ones. I can't fix the world, but I can help as many as I can. You can, too. That's why we are friends.

C