Power Squandered

Not satisfied with terrorizing Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., the fascists have decided to invade Chicago. Make no mistake here, the skibidi Gestapo (ICE) are being sent to cities they don't like. Because racism. 

Normally I'd have article links and videos, but my life has been so chaotic of late that I just don't have the bandwidth to go looking. This is, of course, what they're counting on. While people are busy, the fascists seize power. 

What's really ticking me off this week is that those in power but in the opposing party aren't doing anything. Why? Because they believe themselves part of the ruling elite, and the ruling elite expect to remain in power indefinitely. Sure, they may be out of favor now... 

They haven't grasped that once the fascists have consolidated power, they're coming after them next. Once the liberal cities are controlled, once the brown people are cowed, once those who would oppose them are no longer opposing, then they go after those with more power. And more power. Until all that's left is those they want in power. 

Just because they haven't come after you yet doesn't mean they won't. It's just a matter of time. That's why I resist now. I just wish those with political office realized that they should be fighting now. (I mean, not all with political power are rolling over, but so many are it's disheartening.)

Distractions from Knitting

My progress since last week isn't. 

Doesn't look any different? Yeah, that's because I knit something like six rows on Saturday. It's been a week. 

That vacant art class I'm teaching until the teacher can start? They've hired someone, but she can't start until her clearance comes through. So, we're waiting on that. 

And remember back when the upstairs neighbor flooded my room? This time it was the kitchen and the master bathroom. This time his toilet didn't stop running. For a week. The water seeped from the upstairs into the wall, and... Well, it's a mess. It's been a week of machines drying out the kitchen and master bathroom. Tearing out cabinets and flooring. 

So, when I've been at work, I've been dealing with teaching stuff. When I've been at home I've been navigating a torn up kitchen (and parking concerns as the garage is in this equation as well). And I just haven't been able to just sit in front of the TV and knit. 

The good news: I only have two more inches before this back of the sweater is finished: 

The bad news: between lesson planning/grading and everything taking longer at home due to kitchen remediation, I doubt I'll have any time to actually knit. Sigh. 

I could use the time to just work on some knitting to de-stress. At least it cooled off a little. But those dehumidifier machines really heat up a place. (Too bad it isn't winter. They would be wonderful in the winter.) 

Sweater Tracking:

• Starting the Sweater
• Getting to the Back
• Missed Deadline

On Screen

Sergio is one of those kiddos that finds any excuse to get out of his seat. He's constantly outside "blowing his nose". His pencil always needs sharpening. And then there are times when I can't discern why he is up again. 

I changed some seats around to put Sergio nearer to me, because he was also feeding off the energy of the other boys who were goofing off. There's about three to five of them (depending on the day) in seventh period. 

Middle school boys at the end of the day? Yeah, this is pretty typical. 

Thursday. The previous day I had gotten an email that the first episode of school TV was available. There's a TV production class, and they go around and film various school things and put together a video that comes out every so often. (I've written about this before, but I can't locate the post.) 

I like the school TV, so I added it to my plan for the classes. First and fifth periods were happy to see the show. It was only about three minutes long. 

Then in came seventh period. I started off with their warm up. Then I opened up the episode...

Sergio... Well, Sergio didn't want me to play the episode. 

I should back up here. Since I had seen the episode twice already, I knew what the issue was. Sergio was in the episode. He interviewed a couple students. There was another bit where he was on screen acting something out (having to do with the new cell phone policy). It's safe to say he's taking the TV production class, and he's likely doing well already as he and his group got quite a lot of screen time. 

He did nothing embarrassing. Seriously. His parts were well done. 

But he was embarrassed. And squirming. 

He looked for tissue to "blow his nose". (We had run out.) He looked for a way out, ultimately ducking under his desk. 

I mean, he had to know that his clips were going to be seen. Right? 

I feel no remorse. I showed it. And then it was over. 

And then we went back to the art lesson for the day. 

Is this terrible of me? I probably shouldn't have enjoyed this as much as I did. But enjoy it I did.

Eye Lost It

Thursday, seventh period. I started them off with an explanation of value and coloring a page to understand grayscale, and then I had them attempt to draw an eye. 

Because their first project (a pattern thing) was due, I was behind on grading, and the new teacher was due to start the next week, I wasn't in the mood to collect this attempt at drawing an eye. I made the executive decision that the eye would go with all the face components in a "packet" that would be collected at a later time. 

I explained this to the class. I wrote it in the directions in their Google Classrooms. 

"Do I turn in my eye?"

If I had a dollar for every time a student asked me, I could take the next couple weeks off. Because, seriously? The kiddos do not listen. 

I had warned them of this. I warned them that I get cranky when I give an instruction and then get asked the exact question later. 

So, I stopped answering. "Could someone tell [insert student's name here] when the eye is due?"

And... There was always someone. So, some of them do listen. 

But not enough. 

Because I got tired of going around and collecting work from them, I acquired a turn in box where they could put all their finished work. And what did a few of them still turn in? Yup. The eye. 

The joys of middle school. 

Under the Pile

I did a lesson on pattern with the middle school art classes. (The art teacher who is not new, Mr. S, gave me some lessons to do with the classes while I'm there.) They were to "collect" ten different patterns. 

I had graded their papers, and I returned them. But, several students had not even turned the paper in. I know that they had done it, as I watched them do it. 

After returning all their papers, I announced to the class that if they did not get a paper back, I had never received theirs. If they had it, they could still turn it in. 

(I mean, I called for it on the day it was due. A couple times. But middle schoolers.)

Oscar: "I did it." 

Me: "But you didn't turn it in." 

So, he went to look for it. He opened his backpack... 

This is the third week of school. Right? And he already... 

Oscar's backpack was filled with papers. In a wad. Just shoved in the backpack willy-nilly. No notebooks. No folders. No organization whatsoever. 

On the first day of school, I told the class to get a pocket folder for the class. That way they could keep their papers organized. I know the other teachers give similar instructions. (Math classes ask for spiral notebooks. English classes ask for three ring binders. But there's guidance on what they'll use.) 

I asked him about a folder. He said he didn't have one. I said he might want to consider getting folders for each of his classes, so he could find what he's looking for more easily. 

He had handouts from English and history. Eventually, under that stack, he found the patterns assignment. Yup, it was done. And correctly. 

Will Oscar take my advice and get a folder? Probably not. Even though a nearby boy piped up with, "This folder only cost 25 cents." And the folder? Completely appropriate for the class. 

Taking Away the Yarn

While perusing the internet, I stumbled upon this headline: "Knitting Is the Coziest, Most Wholesome Tragedy of Trump’s Trade War". Uh, no...

I went to read the article, but it was behind a paywall. So, I searched and found "Tariffs Will Simply Put Us All Out of Business: Trump's Trade War Is Crushing American Crafters" which wasn't. 

And, it was stuff I knew. Two weeks ago I linked to an article about how Europe and others were going to stop sending mail to the U.S., and I felt like I had gotten the yarn for eldest nephew's Christmas sweater just in time. I had. Because the issue is the way smaller boutique yarn companies have been doing business is now going to be hit with these stupid tariffs. 

In the knitting/crochet community, this regime was unpopular the first time around. This isn't going to make us any happier. 

You wouldn't think the yarn community would be all that progressive. And, like any community, there are people on both sides of the political spectrum. But there is a very strong liberal group among us. We weren't happy before. This isn't going to help. 

It's like this regime wants to destroy all that made us content. Happy. In an effort to appease their elderly, failing leader. 

I'm just going to grumble some more over here. Like I've been doing. 

Missed Deadline

With school starting and the summer heat hitting us full blast, my knitting has fallen by the wayside. Originally I had hoped to have the back of eldest nephew's sweater finished by the end of August. Yeah, no.

But I'm close. 

On Saturday, I managed to do a little work on this. By "little work," it was something like ten rows. But that's better than nothing. This is done when it's 27 inches long...

So, I've only got a few inches to go. (If you can't see it, I believe the tape measure is showing 23 inches. Or 25 inches. I believe it's actually closer to 23, though, just due to me not being able to get the tape measure to sit flat on the piece.) 

Not ideal, but I didn't actually believe I'd have the back done by the end of August. It was a hope, really. And one I'm not surprised to have missed. Ah well.

It's getting there. Eventually. 

Sweater Tracking:

• Starting the Sweater
• Getting to the Back

The Tardy Boys

Friday. Passing period to eighth period. 

I was outside, greeting students. The room is a bungalow, and it is up a couple steps. Years ago, they installed a ramp over those stairs, and there's a railing along the ramp. I leaned against it. 

Oscar and Russell arrived. (I can't remember which showed up first, but one was waiting for the other.) They both parked themselves on the railing to get the "fresh air". (The kiddos don't like how I blast the air conditioner, but it was 90℉ outside.) 

The bell rang, and I headed inside. As I got class started, I noticed that neither Oscar nor Russell were in their seats. 

Initially, the boys both sat together at the same table. They, along with a third boy, made eighth period difficult. I had separated them the previous class period, and the whole class mellowed. It was lovely. (They had begged for "one more chance" the period before that. I informed them that that had been their "one more chance" and they blew it.) 

I poked my head out the door. Oscar and Russell were both still sitting on the railing. Um...

"You know you're both now late, right?"

They protested. They had gotten to their railing before the bell. I explained that they needed to be inside and in their seats at the bell. Sitting outside getting "fresh air" is not in class ready to learn. 

I had explained to the class in the first week that on time meant in their seats at the bell. I would, of course, give them a bit of grace if they were in the room and heading for their seats at the bell. But sitting outside and not coming in until I retrieved them? Nope, that's not how this thing works. 

Those two boys... Once I separated them, they mellowed. Once they get going, they're fine. But this is the moment where if I let them get away with stuff, they'll be trouble the whole school year. I won't do that to the incoming teacher if I can help it. 

Hopefully that's the only time I have to mark them tardy. We'll see...

Quiet Coyote

One of the first week activities for this middle school art class that I'm covering until they hire a teacher was to create a "social contract" of rules the kiddos agreed to follow. (I mentioned this last week.) We started with them making a list, and then "together" we whittled it down to five rules. 

(So, it was more me going over the list they generated with them and then suggesting five rules that kind of hit upon what many of them said. I didn't have a lot of student participation.) 

While we did this, I decided I needed to add in one final bit. What signal would they prefer me to use when I needed to get their attention? 

This is an art class. My plan is to give them projects to work on, and then they can listen to music on headphones or talk while they're working. (Silence is great for some things. I don't think art is one of them.) 

I have a few of these in my toolbox, but I thought it might be nice to see what they preferred. I listed a few I know. 

The first class then suggested "waterfall". I knew of this one, but I hadn't used it before. Cool. Then all the classes that day decided they liked "waterfall" the best. 

The next day, "waterfall" wasn't as popular. But then eighth period suggested one I had never heard of before. "Quiet coyote". 

And that overwhelmingly won the vote. Okay then... 

We'll see how that goes. 

Procuring a Desk

Armani did not attend the first day our class met. (The school is on a block schedule, so each class meets every other day.) On the second day, I was surprised to find the kiddo in a wheelchair. 

I only had the kinds of desks where the chair part is attached to a desk part. (See the picture above.) There was no way Armani could get into a desk. He had a brace attached to one leg, so this was a temporary predicament. I asked him how long he'd be in the wheelchair, and he said a couple months. 

We made do that day. But for the long haul, this wasn't going to work.

One of the school administrators sent out an email about finding desks to accommodate wheelchairs. She was asking if anyone had one. I sent her a separate email mentioning Armani and that I'd need a desk if she found enough. 

The very next day I found a new desk waiting for me in the classroom. Woo-hoo! 

I found the perfect spot for it. 

In discussion with the new teacher next door, I found out that she was also in need of a wheelchair desk for a student who won't be getting out of his wheelchair. I told her who I contacted, and she contacted her as well. But to no avail. 

The next day that Armani was in class, he was still in the wheelchair, but his brace was gone. He got into the room, and then he stood up out of his wheelchair and sat at one of the student desks. Uh... 

Armani is mending. And so now he can put some weight on the leg, but I imagine he'll be using the wheelchair for a bit longer. 

But, now I had a wheelchair desk that I absolutely did not need. I gave it to the teacher next door. (Naturally.)

The next time the class met, Armani got into his seat again. We did not miss the wheelchair desk. 

So, how did the desk work in the other class? Ms. C told me that the desk just mysteriously disappeared from her room right before the class where it was needed. 

Deep sigh. Seriously? 

The joys of the public schools. 

Catching On

This past Friday I logged into Bluesky before going to sleep, and they were having a grand old party there. And this is the reason I'm there, for this sort of thing that used to happen on the now dead Twitter. It took a while to get the gist, but once I did, it was kind of fun in a weird way. 

No, I'm not going to explain, but I will give you some sample posts... 

They all get very creative without specifically saying anything. It takes a bit to catch on, but once you do... Sometimes you just need a good laugh. And some wishful thinking. 

A few articles from the past week: 

• Mapping Community Defense and Care in Our Neighborhoods
• Customs and Border Patrol agents interrupted two crews of firefighters working to control the Bear Gulch wildfire. They lined them up, checked IDs, and ultimately arrested multiple men
• Now free, the Venezuelan men the Trump administration sent to El Salvador want the world to know what they lived through.
• Inside the USAID Fire Sale
• We have become an authoritarian state, and our top newsrooms are in denial
• How to report ICE zines

The Next Projects

And I had yet another non-yarn week. It was too hot. I was too busy (and tired). And I got sucked into the show Shining Girls on Apple TV Plus, which took the only mental energy I had. 

So, at the risk of not having anything to show you next week, I'm going to catch you up with some things I had done a couple weeks ago. 

Remember Random Beanie? I started another: 

I haven't gotten very far, but it'll go quickly when I have some time to devote to it. 

Then, I never mentioned my sister-in-law when I gave the rundown of what family had requested for Christmas. She requested a purple version of niece's eye sweater. I found the perfect variegated purple for it:

Luckily, I wrote down exactly what I did for niece's sweater. But SIL is a different size, and she wants hers longer as well. I'm putting off starting on this for a while, but at least I have the yarn. 

How's the weather where you're at? Is it knitting weather yet?