Corruption in Algebra Class

So Jesse has been trying very hard to raise his grade in Algebra. He got a rocky start, but he's been studying extra hard and going in early in the morning to do math problems with his teacher.

The other day, he heard someone say he could get extra credit in the class if he brought in boxes of Kleenex. 5 points per box is the going rate. He was told to keep it on the down-low because not everyone was supposed to know about it.

So he came home and asked us for Kleenex for extra credit. We said no because we don't think you should be able to buy a higher grade. Even if the currency is Kleenex.

After some investigation, we found out this is a very common practice amongst school teachers. Apparently, kids are very snotty and the district doesn't provide enough Kleenex, so the teachers usually have to bring in their own. So, potentially, you could look at it as extra credit for special "participation," for providing Kleenex for the class community. On the other hand, it's not going toward his citizenship grade, it's going toward his academic grade.

And now there's a new issue. The teacher told Jesse he could get extra credit for bringing in recyclables for the Senior class fundraiser. I'm more okay with this, since you don't have to buy recycling. You can pretty much find it in any trash. But it's still extra credit for something totally not related to Algebra.

So what's the right answer? Is there a lesson to be learned here? And, if so, is it worth getting a worked-for C instead of a paid-for B? Are we just ethics nazis?

****UPDATE**** Brian confronted the teacher with his extra credit policy and the teacher straight up denied, denied, denied. He admitted to "joking" with Jesse about getting extra credit for bringing in recyclables. That makes absolutely no sense. Why would a teacher kid about extra credit?

I'm spinning. Oh-oh-oh, I'm spinning.

The last 30 days have been absolutely crazy. I don't think I've watched more than an hour or two of TV the whole month. Those that know me know that's insane for me.

We closed on the house July 31st. So the whole week before that was spent dealing with appraisals, repairs, final walk-throughs, and contracts contracts contracts.

Since then, we've been packing, having utitlities switched, having hardwood floors put into the new place, having built-ins built, picking paint colors, painting, picking furniture, picking and moving mattresses, building furniture, waiting for stuff to be delivered, finding a pool guy, getting Jesse's immunizations, having his saxaphone repaired, buying school supplies, figuring out bus routes, etc. etc. etc. IT'S BEEN FREAKING CRAZY.

We finally had our big move-in day this past Saturday. And Jesse had his big first day of high school yesterday. The stressful days will continue for at least the next 30 days, I'm sure. We have to get our old place ready to sell and unpack at our new place. But at least we're halfway there now.

We brought the cats over to the new place last night too. That didn't go so well. Moka was so stressed during the car ride over, he wet himself in his cat carrier. So we had to dunk him in the tub almost immediately. Not a good way to spend his first hour at the new place. Poor traumatized kitty.

The cats are at home alone right now. I'm kind of scared to see what happens when I get home.

OMG!

We put an offer in on a house last night. It's so nerve-racking! It's a foreclosure, so there are multiple bids. You don't know what other people are bidding and you don't know whether your offer is good enough until it gets rejected and someone else's gets accepted. We're totally psyching ourselves out. Should we go $20k more? $40k more? Are we just overthinking it and throwing money away or is there another couple who wants an old house with a pool and an open floor plan in that area as bad as we do? So scary...

Anyway, here's a bad picture of the house at issue. The street view on google maps is way better. Email me and I'll give you the address. I don't want to post it here.

God will punish you

Brian has a strict "no horn" policy in his car. Every time somebody cuts him off or nearly hits him while I'm in the passenger seat, I reach for his horn because I know he will never honk it himself. He's always able to fight me off before I can honk it though.

In my car, it's a different story. It's not that I'm a liberal horn-honker. I'm just not afraid to use it in non-emegency situations to communicate my distaste for what other drivers are doing.

So last night, I'm driving home from seeing Ironman (which freakin' ROCKED, btw), and I'm trying to merge onto the freeway, but this guy won't let me on. Well, my lane is about to let me right back off the freeway, so I slam my brakes and merge behind the guy at the last possible second. In a mini-exercise of wrath (a total sin, mind you), I honked my horn. Unfortunately, it got stuck.

I slowed way down hoping to lose the guy I had just honked at. The last thing I needed was for him to shoot me for laying on my horn. I proceeded to slap and punch my steering wheel in an effort to get it to stop honking. This continued for the next 15 miles. Instead of going home and waking up my neighbors at 10 o'clock at night, I pulled into a parking lot to see if I could fix the problem.

I turned the car on and off, and nothing. I got out and kicked the steering wheel, and nothing. The sound blared on and on. So agitating. So embarassing. Straight out of Little Miss Sunshine. I looked in the owner's manual, and there was nothing about the horn getting stuck. I called Brian to come help, then called Triple A to see if they could help (having to yell over my deafening horn for the lady to hear what I was calling about).

While I sat there waiting, people kept driving by and slowing down to see why I was honking my horn. Was I slumped over the wheel? In need of help? Stealing a car? I just waved them on by. Nothing to see here, keep moving along people.

Forty minutes after it started, Brian managed to get it to stop. (My hero.) Although I was tempted to test the horn to see if it would get stuck again, I resisted. I've learned my lesson. I have now implemented a strict "no horn" policy in my car as well.

I'm okay, you're okay.

Healthy-eating-wise, this last week and a half has really sucked for me. It all started with Brian's Christmas party, which was catered and offered only fancy, delicious, mystery appetizers and alcohol. Then came our Christmas party, and all the tamales, Popeye's chicken, BBQ beef sandwiches, macaroons, cookies, and other crap our lovely friends brought to share.

Christmas day was a bad, bad scene. We had traditional Mexican food - more tamales, enchiladas, chile relleno, flan. Then came New Year's eve - lots of beer and salsa verde Doritos to be had there. And then there was New Year's Day. Apparently it's good luck to have black-eyed peas, cabbage (or greens), and pork on the first of the year. It brings prosperity. Who can say no to that? So I had some of that, and a little more. All I know is that the cabbage was sauteed in bacon fat. Who knows what the rest was cooked in.

So for all my unhealthy eating, I was PETRIFIED at my weigh-in today. To my surprise, all of that (plus more I didn't mention) only added up to a one-pound weight-gain. Not bad. That brings my total weight loss so far back down to 7 lbs. Whatever, no biggie.

The good news is that I'm super-amped to get back on track now that the fatty decadent holidays are behind me. We even bought bikes to help us get healthy. YAY! I can't wait till they come in. We are going to have so much fun!

Reverend Cladeedah

So my friend Rex is getting married and he asked me to officiate. Which is totally random, considering: 1) I'm not very articulate; 2) I'm not a minister; and 3) we used to make out.

He said it was because I was "officious." I thought that was a compliment, until I looked it up and found out what it really means. I guess I am "officious," but that doesn't seem like a good reason to ask someone to officiate a marriage.

At first I said no. I'm far too shy. But after thinking about it a while, I realized this may be one of those once-in-a-lifetime-type of opportunities that I probably shouldn't pass up. So, for now, I'm doing it.

He said I can't talk about religion or about undying love. Hmmm... makes the marriage ceremony material pretty scarce then, I'd say. Any ideas? Movie monologues?? Anything???

Oscar Smackdown, The Results Show

C'mon, Helen Mirren wasn't THAT good. And Happy Feet? Over Cars??? Donovan would go ape-sh*t if he found out. At least they got the awards for Best Picture and Best Director right. I still think No Time for Nuts was robbed. Anyway, here are the winners of my Oscar challenge:

1st Place: Cladeedah +12
2nd Place: My Nephew +10 (Takes after his auntie)
3rd Place: Nick, Cherie, and Sugafree tied at +8 (Wow guys, how does it feel to lose to a 12-year-old?)
4th Place: Housekeeper +7 (And to think, this whole thing was your idea.)
5th Place: Brian +0 (But he gets an honorable mention for being the cutest, funniest, and the most clever.)

Looks like I get to keep the special, amazing, dazzling prize for myself this year. Which is probably a good thing, since I hadn't quite yet decided what it was going to be. Probably my duplicate copy of Stuff on My Cat that I got for Christmas. Oh well, better luck next year suckas!!!!

UH-OH UH-OH Here Comes the Oscar

I'm filling out my balllot now. I'll post it in a little bit as a comment. POST YOUR BALLOT PICKS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION NOW SO I CAN SHOW YOU HOW MUCH BETTER THAN YOU I AM AT PICKING GOOD MOVIES!!!!!

Here's the printable ballot.

Oscar Smackdown, Bitchez

Alright all you movie junkies out there, this one's for you. My friend Housekeeper has thrown down the gauntlet (as she does every year) and has challenged me to guess as many Oscar winners as possible. I now bring a similar challenge to you. Here's your notice. Go see the movies then print this ballot:

Official Oscar Ballot

Check off your picks and then post them as a comment to this blogpost no later than 10am PST, Februay 25th, 2007 (the day of the show). The winner will get a very secret, thrilling, and amazing reward!