zachandbetsy

last puzzle piece

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 06:20:00 GMT

With my new blog, the last thing that I had to implement was a sort of "friends" page similar to that of Livejournal. I found out that every Livejournal has a RSS (and Atom) feed, so I just got an RSS-aggregator and tweaked it for my sidebar. Was I the last to know that each livejournal has an RSS feed?

If I am a "friend" to anyone still, I have a new blog

Mon, 30 May 2005 16:36:57 GMT

http://zacharyjones.weblogs.us

Hello. If I'm on anyone's "friend" list anymore, I have a new blog.

I actually update this one, and it's more a comprehensive website than blog!

Come check it out and leave me a comment (so I guess that officially makes this post, "Anyone out there?").

http://zacharyjones.weblogs.us

Job change imminent

Fri, 19 Nov 2004 14:23:38 GMT

Dear Journal,
It seems that a job change is imminent. This morning I submitted formal requests to both my principal, Sandra Bennett, and my superintendent, Dr. Judy Forbes to be relieved from my contract mid-year. SPSU here I come full-blast! Whew...things happen fast. First, I hear that I won't get a job, then someone always drops out last minute. It's what I've come to term the "Habersham Effect" -- when you apply for a job, are rejected, yet for some reason at the last minute offered the job again. That's how I got this job. That's how I got the adjunct in the first place over at SPSU, and now that's how I got the 3 courses next semester over there at SPSU.

Now the move back to the ATL! Crazy.

Zachary

aloha breeze

Thu, 11 Nov 2004 13:13:29 GMT

Dear Journal,
My fan's name is is Aloha Breeze.

Zachary

moment of respose

Tue, 21 Sep 2004 13:40:48 GMT

Dear Journal,
I love that moment of repose before I run off to class. When I just drink my coffee, sit back and relax for a short time. Well, I drink my coffee all morning, but during that time I actually relax. It's been real busy lately (with 2 jobs), but I think that Betsy and I have our priorities in order. We lose our heads every once in a while, but we seem to recover quickly and get back on the right track.

Well, off I go!

Zachary

back to SPSU!

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 13:42:28 GMT

Dear Journal,
I am very happy to inform you that I am an official member of the Social and International Studies Dept of Southern Polytechnic! I will be teaching one night course there this semester, SPAN 1001. I am very excited! So much to do, so much to do. But, I just wanted to drop a note.

Zachary

one whole week

Fri, 13 Aug 2004 19:20:40 GMT

Dear Journal,
What a great week! Very productive. Gave my first quiz today, took up this week's work, taught the kids my first "Musica Latina" lesson on Julio Iglesias, then gave 30 free minutes for good behavior. Now, off to relax and have a good time with Betsy! Bye! I'm actually getting out of here at 3:30pm today (cause I deserve it).

Zachary

Day 3

Tue, 10 Aug 2004 19:47:08 GMT

Dear Journal,
Today was day 3 of this school year, and it has been absolutely great!! I have really really been effective. My procedures have caused incredible classroom management early on. The kids come in and they know exactly what to do, and they do it quickly and quietly. But even more than that, yes, much more than that, I have been effective in my teaching!!

My planning has paid off exponentially! Last semester I started the first day of class with no planning...and I NEVER caught up. I was hired the evening before school started. But, I don't complain (too much, hehe), cause it got me into the profession. Now that I'm here, and I had the entire summer to plan and get myself together, things are awesome! Already I have seen wonderful results in my teaching. I speak Spanish the majority of the time first of all. And I have really connected with the students already.

I know it's early in the school year, but I have already started off a billion times better with this semester than last. The students are so much better behaved and learning! I hope I can keep steam in all that I do. It's tough to talk all Spanish, because I have to be animate to explain things (as if I don't love jumping around all over the place). But, to do it 3 periods in a row is where the endurance comes in.

But, I love it. Oh, too, I just got my 4-year certification, so I'm set till 2009. I just need to get my masters somewhere in there.

Betsy should be here soon. She fixed me a good lunch today of some roast and rice. It was good! She takes good care of me. We were tired this morning, cause we stayed up late watching a movie, but I just drank a lot of coffee, hehe. I love Betsy!

Later.

Zachary

btw

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 20:56:49 GMT

Deal Journal,
Btw, I love my job!!!

Zachary

School starts tomorrow!

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 20:31:09 GMT

Dear Journal,
School starts tomorrow! I am fully prepared, but as always, there are still some things up in the air (like I have 28 kids in my second period but currently only 24 chairs!) Hopefully, those little bumps will be ironed out before the kids get here tomorrow. I'm most likely staying late to fix last minute details.

Too, Freshman orientation is going on right now, from 4 to 7pm. It's nice getting to see the faces of some that will be in my classes.

Well, much to do!

Zachary

Back to Work!

Mon, 02 Aug 2004 15:28:12 GMT

Dear Journal,
So, I'm back to work! I am happy to be back here at school.

Today I am getting things ready for the first day of school. It is the first day of pre-planning. I set up my areas in 2 of my 3 classrooms (I'm a floater), and got wallspace in each of them! So, I've already got more set up than I did last year. I've got a full list of to-do's that I made. I've taken a nice chuck out of them, but I am looking forward to getting a lot accomplished in the days to come.

The day has been going really well so far. I've gotten a lot done. Betsy will be coming soon to go to lunch and then maybe help me with some planning. She makes the best posters and forms.

I miss her already, hehe. I can't wait to see her for lunch! We had the best anniversary ever!!!!!! Happy first year anniversary to us!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh well, back to work.

Zachary

My Husband

Sat, 17 Jul 2004 06:36:53 GMT

He is so cute
Of good repute

He is so nice
He eats rice

He can't drive
Stuck together, we thrive

He likes to rock
And have clean socks

He is a king
I wear his ring

We watch movies
And then get groovy

My husband is the BEST
In him, my future I invest.
----------------------------------
This isn't a haiku
It's a hai-Poo!

Betsy

my wife

Sat, 17 Jul 2004 06:11:03 GMT

Dear Journal,
My wife has got to be the coolest, bestest, awesome-ist, prettiest, lovable-ist wife ever! I love her. We talk all night long, and it's been a year married! What more could I want!? I hope that we talk all night 40 years from now.

Zachary

Tue, 06 Jul 2004 15:16:54 GMT

Dear Journal,
Summer. What do I say? Been a rollercoaster ride of fun and stress. But, what's new?! I haven't written in this thing in quite some time. I used to always write in it while on my planning period.

Let's see some domestic nice updates:
We just got our first lawnmower!
We got a grill (just a charcoal one, but it's nice out on the deck)
Oh, we got a deck! (that's a little old news by now)
The basement has a really cool set up now, complete with a visitors bed, a washer and dryer (that we got for $150!), an area set up for all my guitar/music playing, a bar, a dance floor (hehe, complete with DJ lights and everything), a work area with all my tools, a bathroom, a dining area, a den area with surround sound, a dvd player, a record player, a cd player, an mp3 player, a tape player, an atari, an N64 (but we never play it cause it only has 2 stupid games that someone gave us), an old computer ready for old-skool gaming, and a fireplace. I think I got everything.
Too, I just ran the house with speakers, so I can play the downstairs audio equipment all throughout the house (if desired).
Our library is completely set up, but that's way old news, I guess.
Our upstairs living room is cozy, got a little game box with all the classics (Scabble, Monopoly, etc) and a scrapbooking corner with all of our stuff in neat little containers.

Hmm..I guess I'm just rambling now. But, I guess you could say we are settling in and down quite cozily.

Zach

shrek 2

Sat, 29 May 2004 03:36:19 GMT

Hello,
We saw shrek 2 yesterday, and it was awesome!

Zachary

last day of work

Thu, 27 May 2004 17:03:40 GMT

Dear Journal,
Today is my last day of work before SUMMER break!!! This morning we had a stupid little field trip to go on (required to merely fill time on this make-up snow day). Then we went home, fixed some lunch, and took a little nap for 30 minutes. Now we are back at school. We'll stay for an hour or so and then ditch!

Woo hoo!

Oh, yeah, we're going to see Shrek 2 at the Mall of GA and meeting Elissa for some grub. Should be fun!

Zachary

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Fri, 21 May 2004 12:58:52 GMT

Last day of school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I pumped the music loud after waking up, did the jive, and put on my funky yellow and green shirt.

I am currently administering my last final.

Then, my last planning period of the student school year, and then off to third and fourth -- where not much will be going on obviously, considering many will not be there.

Well, off to work!!

Zach

homelife

Wed, 12 May 2004 01:56:03 GMT

Dear Journal,
For some reason, I only tell you about my work stuff on here. Well, occasionally I put other things on here, but not as much. I think it must be because the computer is always connected at work, so I have more opportunity. I rarely get on here at home. But, tonight, I thought I'd update a little on the homelife.

It is great! Tonight Bets and I are just chilling. She's over looking at a map of Tallulah Falls Gorge and drinking a glass of wine. I'm down on the floor next to the bean bag in the living room checking my email. hehe. Our computer stereo is playing, Purple Rain guitar solo right now.

We have music throughout the house. We love it. We have a nice nice stereo connected in our bedroom to the computer, so we can listen to music there, and watch movies on our flatscreen. Then, downstairs we have an old-school stereo system. It's awesome, if I may say so! I've got this old tube amp of mine (like a PA). Connected to it I have a record player, our DVD player (so we can have good sound for movies and play CDs and play Mp3 CDs), a harddisk mp3 player (10 gig), and a Low-Z mic. It's great!

Then, next to it, I have another amp for my guitars. I have them all neatly arranged in a little semi-circle, 3 guitars. There is a cool Mexican rug in the middle for me to play on. There are some bongos to the side.

Our record collection is awesome. For (relatively) newer stuff, we've got Jeff Buckley's Grace on record, Radiohead, Prince, INXS, and some others. For older stuff, we've got a lot of Beatles albums, Bob Marley, Otis Redding, and like a thousand others. We love listening to our old records. They are so warm, especially with our candles lit downstairs in our den. Yeah, 'we're a bunch of hippies.'

Good little update. See ya.

Zachary

FRIDAY!

Fri, 07 May 2004 14:57:53 GMT

Yay!
It's Friday. And only 2 more weeks left of school. Today, I'm giving a quiz and then having a little mini-fiesta! Fun, fun, fun. We are going to color some little Latin mural drawings and bailar and escuchar musica latina. I think a few people are bringing snacks too.

This weekend Betsy and I are going to have some good relaxation. Tonight I don't think we are doing anything in particular, maybe watching a movie or scrapbooking or just chilling in the basement (where it is cool, hehe, I haven't turned on the air yet). Last night Bets and I watched some movies and I fell asleep during the last one. Had a good little time.

I can't wait to see little Betsy. hehe. I hope she comes to lunch with me.

Zachary

"scwork"

Mon, 03 May 2004 19:58:40 GMT

Dear Journal,
My dad came up with a new word unintentionally this weekend. When he was about to ask me about school/work, he said, "skwerk," combing the two words on accident. That was funny. I think that's what I'll call it now. hehe.

So, today, I did away with the "Yellow Flags of Death." Or rather, I just put the classes on Yellow Alert for the last 3 weeks of school, where only 1 yellow flag (not 2) is necessary for a detention with me. They agreed that the last three weeks of school is rather exciting and I even heard some say, "Good!" when they heard the decision. They were glad that I was finally cracking down. I'll have a head's up for next year on how to handle those that are constant disruptors in the class. Both the last two periods were much more quiet and on task, working and listening and being able to listen. I was very pleased.

This weekend was great. I know that it was probably a nice relief for Betsy and I both to get away and go to Music Midtown. She loves to go every year. Even so, I think that we all agreed that we are getting too old for that stuff, all of us being fairly tired after the first two days to even make it to the 3rd. I'm glad we didn't go to Music Midtown on Sunday. Instead, I got a bunch of stuff out of my dad's shed and took it home. Then, last night I went through it all and separated it into big piles in the basement. I organized some of my old clothes; I even found some of my old shirts that I used to always wear before I packed everything away for the Dominican move. It was fairly relaxing.

Too, my parents bought us some extra groceries!! That was the best, most practical thing they could have done for us. I love them! That's a big help.

Whew! Summer is on its way.

Zachary

I wish I were a Coca-Cola man

Tue, 27 Apr 2004 11:57:36 GMT

Dear Journal,
I just passed a man delivering Coca-Cola to one of the coke machines here at school. My imagination got the best of me as he passed. For a second there, I imagined that we had switched places and that I would deliver the coke today. He would go to my classes.

Zachary

"I'm still with you Mr. Jones"

Mon, 26 Apr 2004 14:33:17 GMT

Dear Journal,
On Friday I wrote up about 30 people for tardies. The fall-out from kids started Friday afternoon as they stormed my office. The fall-out from parents started today. First thing this morning I get called to the office (without notification or explanation) and into a meeting with a parent and the principal. Long story short, the girl got out of it and the principal reduced it to a detention rather than Saturday school. "Procedures weren't followed," of which I was well aware. I received specific instructions to do what I did from another lady who was nowhere to be in seen in this morning meeting. She told me to write up all children with over 5 tardies. So, I did. And now that this girl has gotten out of it because of her parents involvement, I can't wait to scrap the whole stack of referrals. The entire first period today was heated discussions among the students about how terrible I am, and that I had a conspiracy out against them, etc. etc (all the things they can think of). One student with 11 tardies claimed never to have arrived late at all. hehe.

But, that wasn't the theme of this post. Rather: "I'm still with you Mr. Jones." One of my students, as first period came to a close, while walking out the door, looked at me and said this. You can imagine how it made me feel.

I think I'll hang on those words today.

Mr. Zachary Jones

correction

Fri, 16 Apr 2004 15:15:43 GMT

The last journal said I was in a "blah" mood. Ooops! No I'm not. I'm happy! I just didn't change it!!

Zach

back in school

Fri, 16 Apr 2004 15:15:02 GMT

Dear Journal,
Well, it's been a while, huh? School is back in now. It's going fairly well. There's not even that much more till summer! And it is going fast! Betsy and I are getting into a great little routine of study, service, work, and play. We're auxiliarly pioneers now and that has been very enjoyable. Too, we are reading the yearbook each morning while we drink some morning coffee. We are really enjoying ourselves. There's always little ups and downs, but I am very happy.

School is going well. My classes are doing well. Today is FRIDAY!! Weekend! It feels like we are going to have a great weekend. Tomorrow is prom, and I have to chaperone because I am a junior advisor. Soo...that means that I'll be taking Betsy to our first prom! We are getting all dressed up and we plan to have a good time. I have to watch the kids, but I think that we'll still have a good time.

There has been some complications with my certification. The short of it is that I have to go back to school. I have a lot to think about. But, no major shakeup.

Off to class!

Zach

great weekend

Mon, 29 Mar 2004 16:16:13 GMT

Dear Journal,
Betsy and I had a great weekend! On Friday, first we took a nap. Then, we went to the Mall of GA and saw Jersey Girl. We walked around a little bit and had a nice relaxing time. The movie was good. Different and obviously very personal for Kevin Smith, but good. We talked about it on the way home. Then we got up early to go work on the Kingdom Hall to make it look pretty. We worked on it practically all morning and afternoon. I got sunburned, but only on my neck and lower arms. Welcome to Habersham, right? hehe. Later on in the night we rested a bit and then took a little trip to Helen. Betsy had never been there, so it was nice walking around. We bought a locally-made wine that Bets liked. Then we came home and scrapbooked a little. We both made some very pretty pages. Then Sunday we slept all morning, got up and went to the meeting, and then went over to a nice family's house for grilling out. And it was a beautiful day for it, too. We got to hang out with a couple of new families there. Very nice. Then we came back home and chilled out, just reading and such. Very nice weekend!

Betsy is the best. Can't wait to see her.

Zachary