Cat Food

Have you ever had one of those really good conversations with some people where everyone is excited and talking and happy and you're all talking about something interesting where everyone has something to say and everyone shares a common viewpoint and you just feel accepted and loved and like anything you say to these people will be accepted and loved as well? And in the middle of it all you feel like you can tell these people almost anything and they will understand you so you blurt out some comment like "Sometimes I eat cat food..."

...and they all stop talking and stare at you and you realize maaaaybe I should have kept that part of my life hidden, or better yet, maybe that's not something I should have been doing in the first place?

Well, I haven't. But one of my students had that moment yesterday.

Sometimes EVERYthing Is Funny

My classroom isn't the most quiet, most structured room in the school. I just don't like being the dictator that demands silence when the kids work (unless it's necessary). I don't like robot kids that only do what they're told (most of the time). That means sometimes my room is a little noisy. I think it's healthy for kids to talk while they work, as long as it doesn't keep them from DOING their work.
Today my kids were working on a sequencing activity. We were making pictures of the sequence of lunchtime. For those of you who have forgotten what grade school lunch is like, the sequencing went like this: First, we line up. Then, we get our trays and eat lunch. Last, we go outside to play.
My kids were busily illustrating the lunchroom scene. There was the usual amount of talking. One table in particular, however, was doing more than talking. They were practically in tears, laughing. Another group of kids noticed that table of kids laughing and one of them said, "What are you guys laughing at?" One of the laughing kids, amidst his laughter, said, "We're saying funny stuff!"

I moved a little closer so I could hear what was soooo funny.

Here's what I heard.

"Dr. Phillin!" (Waaaa ha ha ha!)
"Bolden black hair!" (More peals of laugher.)
"Brown armpits!" (AHHHH HA HA HA HA!!)
"Brown pears!" (They were practically on the floor.)
"Brown belly button!" (This one nearly sent them over the edge. I wasn't sure if they were going to make it.)
"Dr. Enwald!" (I apologize to any Dr. Enwald's out there. Apparently your name is hilarious.)

Ah, those were the days. When a single word could send you into fits of laughter. I'm glad those days aren't only reserved for 6 year olds.

As Long As It Has a Time Limit

Tonight I needed to mop the floor and do other various cleany things around my house. I'll admit, I'm a staller. If I can find a reasonable reason not to clean, I'll probably do it. (Reasonable reasons include "I don't have enough time to clean what I REALLY want to clean so I might as well not do anything", "we're taking the dogs up to the mountains and they'll get the house dirty so we might as well wait until we get back", "I'll do it on Saturday when I have all day", "I'm tired", and "I don't feel like it".)
But tonight I couldn't think of anything else to do. I really needed to give my floor another smell other than it's current smell of "I have two dogs". I didn't want to clean. I wanted to be lazy. So I had to resort to the method my mature self uses to get my lazy, immature self to do anything: I gave myself a time limit. I said, "I'll just clean everything I can for 20 minutes and then I can stop." When I do this I usually end up cleaning for at least an hour. I know this fact when I give myself the time limit. I just need a jump start. I need an out in case after 20 minutes I'm still not in the mood to clean.

Tonight worked like most other nights. I ended up cleaning until I HAD to stop and go to a family thing (Family night where my favorite quote of the night was: Dad: "And who gives us the gift of the Holy Ghost?" Answer from the almost two-year old: "ME!")

Why do I need a time limit? I think it has something to do with the bad thing having an end. As I was cleaning, I started thinking about other things I "endure" because I know there's a time limit. Being alone. Pulling weeds. Parent/Teacher Conferences. Uncomfortable parties where I don't know anyone. Missing family members. Cars broken down on the freeway (I honestly tell myself "This will be over a week from now. Somehow this will have all been taken care of a week from now...")

Come to think of it, a lot of my happiness is based on the hope that all bad things will eventually go away. And that has it's base in faith and trust- good companions when you're going through a tough time. Somehow they can even help us feel happiness in the midst of the unhappiness.