The Chit Chat Chit Chat Thread

[Songbird76]

There's always one . . . it amazes me that people think that you (and I don't mean you, specifically, but "you" meaning most workers) have all the time in the world to talk AFTER the work day is over. And don't even get me started on the people who will call the office at 2 minutes before 5:00 p.m. on a Friday . . . or people who stop you and say, "Oh, just a really quick question before you leave . . ." That's the kiss of death right there.

I usually go in and ask the teacher if we can make an appointment if it's anything that might take more than a minute. If it's not something quick like "The school calendar says we have a day off this day, but it isn't in the newsletter as a date to remember. Is that still a day off?" then I ask if they have time or if we can make an appointment. The teachers are usually very good about accommodating, though. But then, I go in when I'm bringing the kids to school or picking them up, not right when the teachers are about to leave.

 

[Songbird76]

One Madrigal, a folk song, a couple of Jazz pieces, Chapel of Love, And So It Goes by Billy Joel, and Royals by Lorde.

Wow....diverse! Is it all for one ensemble? We usually had our concerts with multiple ensembles. One night might be Jazz, so we'd have Jazz band I, and Jazz band II, and vocal Jazz. Then another would be Collegiate Chorale (the audition only choir), Univeristy Singers (anyone could join), and Wind ensemble. Then another would be Symphony and chamber orchestra and perhaps Opera Theater. The only one where we all performed was Christmas, but the Jazz groups would only do 1 or 2 numbers and the non-audition groups wouldn't do as many as Symphony and Collegiate Chorale. Otherwise it is WAY too long.
Anyway, good luck and have fun!!

 

[FutureCEO]

All Sports Authority's are closing instead of just a select few dozen or so.

 

[Figgy1]

All Sports Authority's are closing instead of just a select few dozen or so.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Songbird76]

I don't mind going, and I actually got to come home early. There were a lot of parent volunteers and I wasn't really needed after the ballot counting. It is fun to see the kids all dressed up. I just can't believe the money that is spent on the dresses these days $300-500 for just a prom dress! My wedding dress was barely $300, and my prom dresses were all under $100.

I have chaperoned a few youth trips for church, but after the last time I chaperoned I just am not into it any more. The kids were fine but it was all the parent drama leading up to the trip. There was a parent that accused me and my husband of just wanting a free vacation. Ummm, it was a church trip and part of his job to go and I was volunteering my time during the summer to go. And being responsible for 18 teenagers in a city over a 1000 miles away from their hometown is NOT a vacation. Especially since it was in New Orleans and we were not going to be able to do what I would have done on a vacation (which would be to relax with a couple of hurricanes ).

Wow...that's insane! My most expensive prom dress was $50! To be fair, that was 2nd hand, but still!!

There are always complainers, aren't there? My mom was my Girl Scout leader and we planned a trip to Yellowstone with our Pen Pal troop from Minnesota, but one of the girl's parents got all upset because my mom had nowhere to leave my brother, so she was just going to pay for his way separately and he would have to stay in a cabin with the leaders and not with the girls, but the parents just couldn't be convinced that he wasn't going on girl scout money or that he was not going to be in a room with her daughter. We ended up having to cancel the trip because of it. But then these same parents insisted on auctioning me off twice in our church Youth Group slave auction because my brother had a medical condition and was on crutches, so he couldn't participate in the auction. So they demanded that I had to make up for his share if he wanted to do the activity we were raising money for. So sad that parents have to make such a big deal out of something that doesn't need to be. And it usually seems to have to do with money.

 

[Songbird76]

The Prom theme was under the moonlight. Here is a pictures of the "moonlit" bridge and "water" the kids built in the gym.

View attachment 140146

Pretty!!

 

[Figgy1]

Even with all the cooking that's getting done today I'm going to find some time to embroider an item or 2. I have a top that needs a Mickey on it and one that needs Olaf

 

[Songbird76]

Things went rather well. Getting the car was easy and I drove it to the dealership to get it rekeyed. The only issue was waiting there for my mom, she drives sooooo slow. by the time she showed up the paperwork was done and they pulled the car in. From there we went to lunch at a place by her with a really good salad bar When I got home it looked like a tornado hit the inside of my house Boys Guess what they're doing today

I hope they are cleaning up their own mess! And maybe doing a few extra chores to make up for the destruction?? Why is it that as SOON as you get stuff cleaned up, 5 minutes after the kids walk in the door, it's worse than it was before you cleaned? Or is that just my house? One of my friends just posted on her facebook that nothing had been spilled for MONTHS...then 5 minutes after she mopped her floor, her youngest daughter spilled her milk ALL over it...and swore it just tipped over on its own! Hate it when my cups do that!!

 

[Songbird76]

@figmentfan423 , did the brat call your mom about the car after you picked it up? How is she taking it?

 

[Figgy1]

I hope they are cleaning up their own mess! And maybe doing a few extra chores to make up for the destruction?? Why is it that as SOON as you get stuff cleaned up, 5 minutes after the kids walk in the door, it's worse than it was before you cleaned? Or is that just my house? One of my friends just posted on her facebook that nothing had been spilled for MONTHS...then 5 minutes after she mopped her floor, her youngest daughter spilled her milk ALL over it...and swore it just tipped over on its own! Hate it when my cups do that!!

It's not just your house it's every house with children The one's in my house making the mess are, Not Me, He Did It and I Don't Know. I can't claim any of them on the taxes so I don't think so

 

[Figgy1]

@figmentfan423 , did the brat call your mom about the car after you picked it up? How is she taking it?

We don't know my mom turned her phones off, house phone before she left and the cell when we got to lunch. She left a message for the little angel but doesn't want to hear anything from anybody until at least tomorrow. She can really use the break.

 

[MinnieM123]

All Sports Authority's are closing instead of just a select few dozen or so.

OMG?!! Really?? Yikes . . . thank goodness I didn't buy hubby a gift card to Sports Authority for his birthday, a few weeks ago. (Back then, I heard about some of the stores closing, but not the really big one near us. Still, I decided not to buy for that store at all. Thank goodness I'm always cautious at the first sign of a company in trouble . . .)

 

[MinnieM123]

@donaldtoo , that was a fun pictorial journey to the three wineries yesterday. How in heck did you manage to even stand up after all that wine???!!!

Some years ago, one of my brothers (who lives in N.C.), and I went to the Childress Vineyards (Lexington, NC) and it was beautiful there. (This is the winery of the famous Richard Childress, of Richard Childress Racing--NASCAR.) They also had a lovely restaurant there, and we had a table that overlooked the vineyards--just gorgeous. Anyway, I had a few sips of different wines and that made me silly! (Then again, it wasn't surprising, because that's just my general personality anyway?! ) But for the life of me, I can't even imagine you going to 3 wine tastings in ONE day?!

 

[Gabe1]

Thank you I needed that it's cold and raining today

Day three today of rain. Enough now, everything is soggy. Upside what has sprouted is very green except the grass seed, guess it wants some warmth. Weeds on otherhand are loving it.

 

[Gabe1]

Things went rather well. Getting the car was easy and I drove it to the dealership to get it rekeyed. The only issue was waiting there for my mom, she drives sooooo slow. by the time she showed up the paperwork was done and they pulled the car in. From there we went to lunch at a place by her with a really good salad bar When I got home it looked like a tornado hit the inside of my house Boys Guess what they're doing today

Glad she 'got' the car. What is she going to do with it now?

 

[Goofyernmost]

@donaldtoo those wineries look like fun. We have a winery near us (about a 10 minute drive) and they have a lovely outside seating area. I can't wait for a warm day to sit out there with some friends.

When I went to Europe one of our activities was to attend a wine tasting in the Tuscany area in Italy. It was a small (farm house) that had a smallish dining area. We were served a 5 course meal with a different wine to evaluate with each course. Me? I know nothing about wine other then it is wet and some is bitter and some is sweet.** We had a checklist to mark up with the evaluations. I marveled watching people swirl the wine around the glass and stick their noses in the glass and sniff it. I have always been a tad skeptical (you probably haven't noticed) but, when comment like "yes, this wine does indeed smell young" or "this one has a more flowery feel to it then fruity" my eyes involuntarily start to roll around in my head. I don't have a problem with people liking wine, but, smells young? Really? Seems a little pretentious to me, but, that is probably why I am not part of their social circle.

It was a small, very quaint little winery, family owned in one of the most scenic spots you can imagine. The food was good and the wine was OK, great for all I know. I think I have a couple of pictures of the vineyard that I will post if I can find them.

Here they are:

Spoiler

Personally, I prefer a fine 1971 Boone's Farm Apple Wine. However, if I remember correctly we might have used up the whole supply when it was "young".

 

[Gabe1]

I usually go in and ask the teacher if we can make an appointment if it's anything that might take more than a minute. If it's not something quick like "The school calendar says we have a day off this day, but it isn't in the newsletter as a date to remember. Is that still a day off?" then I ask if they have time or if we can make an appointment. The teachers are usually very good about accommodating, though. But then, I go in when I'm bringing the kids to school or picking them up, not right when the teachers are about to leave.

We got away from appointments, calling etc to speak with professional staff as everyone had a different system for handling students and parents. There is a half hour built into the day before and after school and each staff member has a planning period plus the time when the students are off with other professional staff for art, music and gym classes. Thursdays afterschool are not available as that is for inservice and team meetings and students are dismissed early every Thursday. Every professional has a classroom assigned to them, we do not share or overlap. Minus using the restroom or going to grab a cup of coffee from the teachers lounge for a few minutes our professional staff is required to be in their classrooms and make themselves available to parents and students. Most times there isn't many coming in except during report card/interim report times. We have Edline so there isn't a great deal of surprises for parents or students. The exception is our math teachers, they tend to have more students appearing with questions both in the morning and afterschool. Our professional staff do not have extra duties during school hours, our support staff handles lunches, door duty, greet buses etc. All extra duty out of school hours is voluntary and has a specific stipend attached to it. We got to this point out of concerns raised by the community and since our schools are funded 90% by local taxes the board listens to their concerns. We worked collaboratively with the teachers union and hammered out a consistent process for students and parents to have access with staff. It was more of a problem with our middle school where every student had so many different teachers with inconsistent windows for access. Now if a professional isn't available after about 5 minutes or so student or parent is instructed to go to the admin office and they locate their staff.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Wow....diverse! Is it all for one ensemble? We usually had our concerts with multiple ensembles. One night might be Jazz, so we'd have Jazz band I, and Jazz band II, and vocal Jazz. Then another would be Collegiate Chorale (the audition only choir), Univeristy Singers (anyone could join), and Wind ensemble. Then another would be Symphony and chamber orchestra and perhaps Opera Theater. The only one where we all performed was Christmas, but the Jazz groups would only do 1 or 2 numbers and the non-audition groups wouldn't do as many as Symphony and Collegiate Chorale. Otherwise it is WAY too long.
Anyway, good luck and have fun!!

Yup, all one group, University Singers. We're doing eight different songs.

We actually have a Ukulele group, and they're playing too, and they're playing Royals with us. Should be interesting.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Things went rather well. Getting the car was easy and I drove it to the dealership to get it rekeyed. The only issue was waiting there for my mom, she drives sooooo slow. by the time she showed up the paperwork was done and they pulled the car in. From there we went to lunch at a place by her with a really good salad bar When I got home it looked like a tornado hit the inside of my house Boys Guess what they're doing today

It's when all else fails blame @Mr Ferret 88

At first I read your phrase of rekeyed as reeked, and I was wondering what that girl did to the car to make it smell! Then I reread and finally got it right...I'm only on my second cup of coffee.

And it is always a good plan to blame @Mr Ferret 88 !

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Hey, good excuse to wear a prom dress! I'd totally wear a formal gown if I were chaperoning!

The teacher who is the Prom supervisor always wear a formal gown, her husband wears a Hawaiian shirt!