Every day I have the privilege of communicating with a large age range of students. I am constantly amused, shocked, disheartened, and lifted up. Today was uncommon in only one way - I actually remember two of those conversations.

Conversation #1 (8:15 am):

Me: Good morning!

2nd grade girl: Hi! I really like the song "Nowhere Man" because it reminds me of my friend that moved away.

Me: Oh, really? How so?

2nd grade girl: Yeah. Because she moved away and now I don't know where she is. (She begins singing) He's a real nowhere man. Living in a nowhere land...



I did not know quite what to say as the conversation continued, mostly one-sided, into her love of the Beatles, how she thought the TV in her basement was broken until her mom realized it needed plugged back into the wall, which is a good thing because there is a movie in the VCR from the Library, but not the school Library, the Library behind the school. And she also loves Kung Fu Panda and Atlantis 2.


Conversation #2 (11:35 am - cafeteria):

1st grade boy: (walks up to me holding his crotch, panic shooting from his eyeballs) Can I go to the bathroom?!?1

Me: Yes, go, hurry.

1st grade boy (upon return from bathroom, hand over mouth, whispering): Someone pooped in one of those toilets thats stuck to the wall.

Me: The toilets that are stuck to the wall?

1st grade boy: Yeah, those long toilets that are stuck on the wall.

Me: Oh! The urinals? Okay, go let the custodian know.

Seriously. Conversations that take great listening skills as well as deciphering skills and a bit of imagination.

You know that thing that's been circling Facebook....the one where you list 25 random things about yourself? I was reading through a few of them today and wondered if I could write 25 MORE random things about myself...so...here we go...

1. The original Polo cologne for men is my absolute favorite men's cologne of all time. The stuff in the green bottle....not the sport stuff, or any other Polo.

2. I can't stand the smell of vanilla.

3. Yankee Candle's Midsummer's Night is my favorite.

4. I don't like chocolate cake.

5. I hate painting my finger nails, but hardly ever have my toenails unpainted.

6. I would love to live a life without technology.

7. I am not a fan of gardening and/or planting. I am thankful when people think of me and send me flowers, but to be honest, I don't really enjoy them as much as other people. I like to see beautiful flowers and plants, but would not trust myself to buy plants to landscape, etc. My thumb is definitely not green. I once killed an ivy plant.

8. Family always comes first for me. Always. I know it's not always right, but it's just how I roll.

9. I wish I looked good in hats. I have a very round face, and when you stick a hat on my head I look like I'm deathly ill.

10. I wish I weren't so reserved around new people. I want to be a fun loving, enjoy life kinda gal.

11. I hate when people call other people hot. I really don't know why that bothers me, but I hate it. And I don't like to say hate.

12. I think niceness can cover a lot of other imperfections.

13. I love going out to eat. Especially breakfast.

14. I would always choose a "savory" breakfast over a "sweet" breakfast - in other words, I would much rather have eggs, bacon, potatoes instead of pancakes or waffles.

15. My left earlobe is fatter than my right earlobe.

16. I don't enjoy going to concerts.

17. I have a terrible singing voice. Terrible.

18. I get very nervous around people my age. I would much rather spend time with people older than me. This has always been true. I feel like I am supposed to be a certain way when around people my age.

19. Beautiful people intimidate me. I get all tongue tied, and I feel very inferior.

20. I've decided I never want to live alone. Never. When I was younger that's all I really wanted, but not anymore. It's too depressing.

21. I still, to this day, love to color.

22. I love going to movies. Love it.

23. I can't stand having long fingernails. My fingernails are very strong which makes them very annoying when they touch things.

24. I have only ever owned blue cars.

25. I hate when I get sticky things on my fingers. Maple syrup, etc.