Panic and Parents

So, it was current student re-enrollment today in the after school program and, for me, things seemed hectic. I wanted to do so many things, but I could not and I think I was flipping out more than usual. I think that is partially due to the lack of sleep I have been getting. If I sleep late, I am tired and if I early, something wakes me up really early. Take this morning for instance.

I slept a bit passed 1 a.m. this morning and awoke at about 7 a.m. to my mother and sister talking about some crazy co-worker trying to steal the credit for my sister's project. That went one for a while. My alarm went off at 7:30, but I was tired because I kept waking up to talking. So then it was 7:45, 8:00, 8:15, and 8:30...and I was still tired. Stupid 15 minute increments made it worse. I got up though and got ready for work, but it was very difficult.

I don't know why it is getting so hard though. I think part of it is because I know that the school year is almost over and I just want to cruise through it now, especially since I will not be in this position next year. And then there is the part of me that knows that it is wrong to do that, but I cannot help it. It is just how I am feeling now.

OH MY! I digressed...well, today was pretty much planned and the main even on this short day was painting and smoothies. The kids love food and they have the tendency to listen better on those days, but today was not so great. They were rushing up talking grabbing cups...I wanted to smack them down like that slap chop product. Slap your troubles away XD

4:00 p.m. my supervisor comes and the auditorium was locked, but thank the lord the principal was still there to unlock it. I started running around looking for kids that could help out too. Thank goodness that my kids like doing that. So the meeting must go on. It was long and all the Cantonese speakers were asking so many questions...and my Cantonese is not so great. Then there were all the late parents that I had to turn away because they were so late. I know they were not happy about it, but you know what...IF YOU WANT A FREE PROGRAM, THEN MAKE SOME TIME FOR IT! Everyone else did.

The funniest thing that happened though was one of the parents saying that the monthly donations should be equal to all the parents; almost like a fee. Until then, he feels like he should not donate. When he told my supervisor this, she was miffed, but refrained from saying anything to offend him since he was saying this was his own personal opinion. You know, this parent has never donated once and I have other parents that are struggling to pay bills, but still donate. Then there are the parents that give $5 a month. Others give more. It is up to them how much they can give. He obviously cannot donate anything for his 2 kids. Thanks. Thanks for teaching your kids to be generous. (Okay, so it wasn't THAT funny)

I stayed there until 6:30 p.m. and all my co-workers just did their stuff until it was time to go and all the leftover kids were dropped off in the auditorium. Oh joy.

Thai Tea Disaster

OMFG, I am such a moron. I was rushing to work and threw my thermos filled with thai tea with all of the books I was looking at for work. What a mistake. Obviously I was in such a rush that I forgot to shut the drinking spout thing and what happened? all the books drowned in THAI TEA! If it was water, it would have been okay, but THAI TEA?! The books are all stained orange...ORANGE.

So, needless to say, I have to reorder those books out of my own pocket to repair the damage done. Not including the copies I have to make of the one starter kit that was a casualty as well, the books will come out to be a whopping $130...and I tried to find the cheapest ones online. WOE IS ME.

Bottled up FEAR

Today was fairly eventful. My friend and I went to Irvine. We grabbed lunch in the Mitsuwa Market Food Court and split the pork chop cutlet curry plate and the crab au gratin. The curry cutlet was as good as I remembered it to be, but the au gratin, sadly, had changed. It was too creamy and really peppery. There was a lot of sauce in it and they changed the macaroni pasta to penne. That was a little disappointing, but it was not all that bad. They also changed the roll to toast and you only get half a slice. That too was sad.

After that, we went to the little store that sold a bunch of things for the car, plushies, etc. I bought "tofu" (it is a plush) with the takoyaki design. My friend got a grilled tofu, but it seriously looks like toast, which is what I named it. Then there was baby nature, a little porcupine/hedgehog that was uber soft and cute. HAHA! Too cute.

HOLD ME!

I want to go on a stroll...

Then I spent the rest of the time in the dishware store. I really wanted this one tea set, but it was $45 and I don't have that kind of of money to spend, especially on a tea set. After that, we made our way to Kino's to buy manga. I came out with 4 books and my friend came out with the Soul Eater art book (I think it came out to be more than my 4). After that we went to the beach, but unfortunately it was good weather, so everyone and their grandparents were out, so we left.

So sometime on the trip or on our way back, my friend mentions this spider that she caught in a water bottle and how HUGE it is. I didn't really pay much attention to that and actually forgot about it. What a mistake. So, I went to drop her off and I was hanging out, checking my restaurant on facebook. From my peripheral vision, I saw her and paid no attention to her because I thought she was coming out to get something. Then she started talking and I looked up and I was like "what?" Then I looked down by my knee and there was this HUGE spider in a bottle and needless to say I had a squealing panic attack and I thought I was about to cry. She said the bottle was on my knee and that made me feel even worse because I imagined that HUGE spider dancing on my leg. And to add salt to the wounds, she kept waving it around closer to me until I panicked again and backed away and did it again for, what I thought was more than 5 minutes, but I think it was only a few seconds. I hate bugs...especially HUGE bugs.

Use it or Lose it

So, I found out today that I have 9 days of sick leave and since I am going to resign from this particular position and apply for the Instructional Aide position for the next school year, I must use it or lose it. Well, I will be using one in May, but what else am I supposed to do with those 8 days? Just start missing random days from now until June? Seriously, I would not mind that, but something tells me that it will not look very good especially since I will still be with this program next year. Sad. I wish I knew sooner and I would have lost other days here and there. Any suggestions?

On a happier note, I ate indomie mi goreng for breakfast and it was not soapy :)

Feel my Wrath

Note to self: NEVER PUT OFF HARVEST OF THE MONTH!

The scornful Harvest gods were not pleased that I decided to put off the preparations for today's offerings to the kiddies. I awoke at 7 a.m. and I cooked 10 pounds of pasta, blanched and chopped all the vegetables, bagged everything in its own separate bag and by the time I was all finished...it was 10:45 a.m. THAT WAS ALMOST 4 HOURS! Are you kidding me. The harvest gods decided to make my stove boil water slower and my pots shrink. I kid you not, that is how I felt.

Overall, the day went fairly smoothly, other than me running around like a chicken with its head cut off. The kids loved the salad...or at least the pasta in the salad. There were ones that ate everything on their plate. There were others that picked out almost everything. I can see the future and their bowels are crying. But those 10 pounds of pasta salad were devoured like the kiddies have not eaten in YEARS and they were still crying for more.

The most excitement I saw today was when I told my older group to open a can of olives and one of the girls volunteered. Not exciting, you say? Well, let me add this bit of information. Before handing off the can and can opener, I asked, "which one of you know how to open a can?" So This 7th grader takes the can, opens it, drains it, and then the program leader says to me, "do you have your little pack?" I turn to look and this kid took her finger to pry open the can, thus cutting her finger. I then proceeded to ask her as I was tending the wound, "I thought you said you knew how to open a can with a can opener." And her response? "I have an automatic one at home." I think technology is really hurting our children.

Eat the Rainbow

So, I am sitting here contemplating whether or not I should move away from the computer and start preparing for another fun filled day at work... as of now, the computer is winning.

Tomorrow is Harvest of the Month. If you do not know what that is, here is a quick explanation. So, the school district (and my after school program) is teamed with The Network for a Healthy California. Their motto to the children: EAT THE RAINBOW (and when I hear that all I think of is the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, and by that I mean better bowel movement). Through this partnership, they are supposed to be promoting healthy foods, all being fruits and vegetables. Every month the kids get a new harvest. This month: ASPARAGUS. My site received 12 bunches (4 purple, 4 white, and4 green).

What are we supposed to do with it? Well, the supervisor of the program suggested a salad for this month. I am all up for salads, but this time, I have to say I was skeptical if my 100 kids from kindergarten to 8th grade would even like it. It was a spring mix bag with radish slices, asparagus, feta cheese, and a honey Dijon mustard. Not even the adults I was with really liked it, so needless to say, I was feeling worried about this idea.

So, I opted for a pasta salad, which I think the kiddies will like more. The only problem is, I have to prep everything at my house. So that means 10 pounds of pasta must be boiled, drained, rinsed, and bagged. 12 bunched of asparagus must be blanched and cut. Carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes must be chopped. I am sorry, but who wants to do that after 8 hours of work. I love cooking and making food, but when it is work...it seriously feels like work. And this does not include all the other things I have to do when I get to work and the demonstration.

As I sit here, feeling the sleep overcome me, I feel less and less motivated to move. And the sadness I felt today from the refrigerator incident... I am not looking forward to going into work. What incident is that? Well, since I am not working, I have all the time in the world to type it out.

So, it is 2:25 P.M. and the kiddies are coming out it 4 minutes. They will be rushing into the cafeteria for their snacks. I start grabbing the cases of juice and milk and the box of animal crackers and then...RIP! I hear this tearing sound. I look to my right sleeve on my brand new dress and what happened? I GOT CAUGHT ON THE FREAKING REFRIGERATOR SHELF. THANKS SHELF...THANKS A LOT. I had to go through the day with a tear in my sleeve. I was just glad that no one noticed it...or pointed it out. That would have made my day a tad bit worse.