Ay ay ay a lot has been going on.

I started a new job with kids with emotional disturbances; I've been with the kids for four whole school days now. I've worked with kids with autism, severe physical disabilities, and preschoolers . . . but nothing like this, lemme tell ya. I don't know a lot about their histories, but to put it lightly, these kids are very rough around the edges.

I have to wonder what will happen to them in the long run, what with their current behaviors and academic progress. In some ways, though, I feel like I can really relate to the kids. From sixth grade through high school I oftentimes felt completely misunderstood, wrongly categorized, disconnected from other kids my age, and like no one (outside of my family) cared if I succeeded or not. I was a quiet, lonely, insecure kid who didn't dress cool and had a goofy face and stringy hair and had drifted away from my circle of friends from elementary school, making haphazard friendships along the way. I remember one time in eighth grade, the middle school was doing a "Dress Backwards/Goofy" day, and one kid snidely said to me and a few other girls, "You guys just come as you already are!" Another kid perked up, snickered and said to the first, "Hey! You stole what I was going to say to them!" We just sat and stared at our laps.

It's funny the things that stay with you. Maybe that's just the middle school experience. I mean, who really wants to go back to being 14? In any case, I think that's a big reason why I've decided to become a teacher; I genuinely want to make things better for kids who need a little more help. Fortunately, I had a great set of parents and sister to be my support system, but not everyone is lucky enough to have that. I'm not pretending to completely understand what they're going through, but part of their pain resonates in my heart.

So, totally switching gears, I'm disappointed in this. Again, I have the same frustration: how much can one man (read: Obama) really change? Congress seems to be so controlled by special interests and people with money. Is "representative" a misnomer? Maybe these healthcare co-ops are a good idea; I haven't done enough research to know. I'm just disappointed to hear that the public option might be out before we, the people, really heard any of the details of what that might entail.

Here I am again, having procrastinated my Rosetta Stone session until 1:30 am. I've always worked better at night. Freshman year of college I would take showers after studying at four in the morning, and a lot of people thought me crazy. Maybe it's because there's less going on at night, and it's easier to concentrate.

Anyway, on Saturday night we went to Elliot's Martini Bar with some friends. Truly AMAZING drinks there. Dre and I don't frequent bars, but this place had some tasty concoctions. If you go I would recommend the Threesome and Mint on Your Pillow. However, be forewarned that the drinks are pricey . . . another reason why Dre and I only go out on special occasions.

I have about a week left until I get to start at my new job. My schedule at my current job is unusually lax this week. I'm going to try and get some reading done, and Rosetta Stone. I've been meaning to read Hot, Flat and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. I read a lot in New Zealand, but lately it's been hard to find a free moment to really process a book. I will just have to savor every moment.

I'm feeling restless again. On August 19th of last year, Dre and I left to spend four months in New Zealand. I loved it . . . the exhilaration of a new place, the ocean, diving into the unknown.

I've had to accept that it will be harder for us to leave for four months (or longer) again, one of the reasons being that it would not be easy to find someone willing to take care of our animals. However, I'm keen on the idea of a 6 week long volunteer trip. I found this site that offers affordable trips to Vietnam, Kenya, Thailand, and some others. Here is a way to search for different opportunities.

I'd like to look into Asia or Africa; in any case, we'll need to save a little first. Definitely something to work towards!