#Mr. Q

[187days]

Day Sixty-Eight

One big thing that every new teacher has to learn is effective classroom management. As a department head, I've been trying to help the rookies when I can. I've had chats with both Mr. V and Mr. Q recently, listened to what they're experiencing, made some suggestions. I'm always worried if I'm doing enough, or giving the right advice... Hopefully, I am!

Meantime, I'm combatting second quarter slump in my own classes. The Religion/Philosophy Essay is proving quite effective for that in Global Studies. Students are working hard because- as they've told me- they're feeling like they can succeed at something they'd thought would be really difficult. So that's excellent. And in APGOV, the content's just so cool. Today's lesson was about the desegregation campaign in Birmingham, and included Martin Luther King Jr's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Attention spans frayed towards the end of the block, so not everyone finished reading, but I figured that would probably happen. We'll pick up with a discussion about it on Monday.

What else?

There was a whole school meeting during advisory today. We have either class meetings or whole school meetings once a month; this was the first school wide meeting. Student leaders set the agenda and ran it themselves. They started by recognizing various student achievements, did a club spotlight (on Key Club), discussed positive cheering in the student section at our winter sports events, and then gave each grade instructions to record a video message for a teacher who is currently receiving cancer treatment. I thought it was good stuff, and was happy it went well.

Track practice went well, too. It's picture day, so practice was shorter than usual. We had just enough time to warm up, do a few 40m dashes, and- to the team's delight (heh)- a core workout because Fridays are for core. The sprinters told me I had way too much fun calling out the exercises, which is probably true!

[fala-alfredo-pasta]

PuppetMatsu Au (pt. 1/4)

Been re-listening to Avenue Q and felt inspired~

[shesnake]

Andrew Scott in Ripley episode 3 "III SOMERSO" (2024) dir. Steven Zaillian

[gracefireheart]

"Don't. Lay a fucking finger. On his head."

[gallwithapall]

I love when my favourite characters are holding animals...look at them

UGH SPOCK LOOK AT HIM

I wish I was being held like that...by any of them

[r4nd0mth0ught2]

It's Cucurucho's time to get locked up by a Brazilian! How the tables have turned haha

[spocks-husband]

Hey gamers this is some star trek ships as texts between my bf and I <<3 @kirks-slutty-red-tights ilysm silly (he's asleep rn and I'm so so so bored and I miss him)

I might make more. Hypothetically. If you want them.

[aolyxe]

Thanks to everyone who praised my Krobus 3d model... I felt confident AND II I VENTURED TO MAKE A HUMAN 3D MODEL (SIMPLIFIED OF COURSE). THE FIRST VICTIM WAS MR QI BECAUSE I LOVE HIM

LOOK AT HIM WTF

IT WAS REALLY DIFFICULT, but I'm very proud of this 3d dude... THE MOST DIFFICULT PART WAS THE HAIR, I DID IT FOR A VERY LONG TIME AAAAAAAAA AMA CRYING

[callmeblake]

[cabinetduo]

I love how kinda shit Tina is with kids it's incredible to me. like she thinks the eggs are adorable and fawns all over them but when it comes to like practical stuff she slips up a lot and freaks about the responsibility. When she's unprepared she's super awkward like when she first met em she spent most of her time overthinking and panicking. Or during the date when Richas started playing pretend with her and Bagi, Bagi adapted pretty quick but Tina had some trouble playing along. And she's hyper aware of to. Shes very insecure about her parenting abilities and swears up and down that her first meeting with Empanda was a garbage fire. She is, however, determined to do better. Shes actively trying to become a better parent and is holding herself to it. I just really like that she's not immediately settling into being a mother. Not everyone immediately acclimates to parenthood and it fits super well for her character.

[187days]

Day Three

Somehow, I managed to wrap up my whole to-do list, and I think I'm actually ready for students' first day tomorrow. I don't know how I pulled that off because, as my previous entries indicated, it's been a super busy inservice period... but, woohoo, I did it!

I started the day by getting my boards ready, and double checking my first day materials. Then I went and found Mr. B because he said he'd help me clean out the social studies office. Technically, it's my office now (weird), but my goal was to make it a space for all of us to use as needed. So we got rid of piles of old stuff that's just been sitting there for ages (no joke, it was like opening a time capsule), moved some things around, gave one empty file cabinet to Mrs. T for her new office, swept and dusted... Now there's a desk with a computer and a phone so people can work privately, and there are shelves full of supplies that can be taken as needed, and it looks awesome.

After doing all that, I showed Mr. V and Mr. Q how to use PowerSchool, how to do discipline referrals, all that stuff... Then I checked in with the rest of the department to make sure everyone's doing alright. And then I went back to my room to read over my IEPs and 504s... and then I did a mindblowing thing. I have a couple students whose reading skills are far below grade level, and accommodating for that seemed like a pretty daunting challenge (yes, special ed. could help me, but they're sooooo shortstaffed). So I went on ChatGPT and asked it to modify my first assignment down to a first grade reading level... WHICH IT DID.

There was one line I rephrased because it was a little awkward, but the rest? Totally worked. Now, I still hate AI and think it's mostly evil, but whoa, that's such a timesaver. I immediately went to show Mrs. C, who has some students with similar needs, and then all of the ninth grade English teachers. We all just stared at my screen for a minute to contemplate the implications of what I'd done.

Then it was time for lunch (a local restaurant donated a ton of flatbread pizzas and salads), followed by time for meetings. Amusingly, I was double-booked this afternoon: we had our faculty wrap-up (which I had to be up front for since I'm on the leadership team now) at 2:00, but then I had a mentor meeting at the district PD center at 2:30, so I definitely did my quick piece at the start of the faculty meeting and bolted.

And that was my day! Time to rock and roll now!

[sweetstove]

Lipstick

[codecurucho]

Diversity Win: gay man's boss decides to spare his life!!

[yoimix]

「 botany for dummies 」

TIGHNARI wishes once in a while, and once in a while only, that his ears weren’t so obvious. 

the way they perk up at your name, twitch at the sign of your arrival and droop ever so slightly at your departure; tighnari feels uncomfortable. the movements are subtle, barely noticeable even by those closest to him, but they occur beyond his control nonetheless. as a researcher, though he disregards akademiya laws left and right, he believes this goes against his own code of conduct.

even if you are an old friend from sumeru akademiya who he had horrifically repressed feelings for. your refusal to leave him alone is like adding crushed harra fruit to a wound. it’s impossible to have peace of mind with you around.

you help him with the marana despite the rangers’ protests, you pick mushrooms for him to discern as sick or healthy, you bring him lotuses even if he never asked you to. to be honest, he’s flattered you remember his fondness of them. he could get used to this, he thinks to himself often on sunny mornings when you greet him grinning ear to ear. but parting is only inevitable in the flow of life. it’s hard to believe you’ll stay forever in sumeru, by his side in gandharva ville.

tighnari hates you especially when he’s sick. you don’t leave his side, stare at him longer than he can handle, and archons, you don’t need to touch his skin to map his temperature. he doesn’t need taking care of—and he’s not pretending to be strong, he just knows everything to make himself better. you don’t have to go out of your way; it’s incredibly stupid and time-consuming. even if the rainstorms worsen his sleep, even if the heat of day gets under his skin; why would he ever ask you to do anything for him? it feels strange to be taken care of.

tighnari gets up from his bed, still reeling from the sound of thunder. he clutches his head, a part of his senses dulling and heightening from the ringing. his ears bring certain curses. 

“whoa there! who told you to get out of bed?”

ah, yes, of course. another curse for his ears had to materialize in front of him. you sit across from him and cross your arms, glaring at him till he sits back down too. it’s good to know the little quirks of your body language haven’t changed since your akademiya days.

“you... you really don’t have to.” he frowns. “this isn’t your job.”

“i know, i know.” you hum, a smile sneaking onto your face. “but it’s time i repaid you for giving me free medicine and... hm, let’s see. lending me your notes, that one time you cured me after i ate a suspicious mushroom and- and letting me tuck my hands into your tail when it was cold, allowing me to pet your ears-”

he coughs loudly, his discontent clear. “you can stop talking once in a while, (name). it’ll benefit everyone around.”

you roll your eyes. “if i didn’t open my big mouth, you would’ve never realized you’re sick. you can thank me now, pighead.”

tighnari makes a face. “you’re also the reason i ingested a poisonous mushroom.”

“that’s unimportant.”

he shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“here,” you say, shuffling through your backpack. “nilotpala lotuses. i was right about your diagnosis!”

“you don’t know that,” he quips. “these lotuses can be used as medicine against a variety of ailments.”

“but these work, don’t they?” your eyes widen, brimming with genuine concern.

“yes.” he responds far too quickly. he can’t help it. “you have to soak them first and then extract the nectar under a presser- not now, (name).”

you sit back down, pouting. “but you need to get better! as fast as you can, tighnari. i don’t like seeing you like this...”

tighnari sighs, eyes closing. “i will. it’s not like one mushroom will have me coughing up blood... at least not this one.”

you bite down your lip and tighnari can’t help but tilt his head to the side, trying to decipher your whole expression.

“tighnari,” you speak up, not looking at him. “we’re friends, right?”

“yes. obviously. do you need official documents stating our friendship?”

tighnari expects a bit of snark from you right back—instead, he is met with your sudden embrace, your breath warming the spot by his neck.

“why did you have to eat the mushroom on my behalf?” you whisper. “i made that bet with the eremites, you know? it was stupid tavern talk.”

it’s not the worst thing you’ve done drunk. however, tighnari steps in each time with no questions asked. he realizes once again how obvious his feelings are and how restrained he is, unable to tell you just so. you’re too dense to understand the language of flowers, so even a gift of a sumeru rose would pass over your head. you’re quite literally the worst person to fall in love with.

tighnari believes time settles everything. then why does he feel so impatient with your actions?

“why did you make that bet, stupid?” he answers, his arms wrapping around you nonetheless. 

“well... you know how i’m saving up?”

there’s a pause. are you hesitating?

“i want to... i want to travel.”

tighnari falls silent. he knows you cannot forever be his partner, journeying through the rainforests and surveying nature’s infinite wonders. you’ve expressed a longing for something else. he cannot deny it.

“do you want to leave?” he asks quietly. “i know being a researcher isn’t rewarding enough and... it’s hard to quantify knowledge. but...”

he trails off. there’s a spark of sorrow in his voice.

“i want to see more of the world,” you answer softly. your smile against his shoulder makes his face warm up. it’s not often the head of the forest rangers gets to feel this way. “but i don’t think i want to do it without you.”

his ears twitch before perking up. if you weren’t as observant as a shroomboar, you might have noticed. 

“well then, you need to change your habits. don’t go around making bets, or diving onto a mushroom to jump higher, or touching and eating whatever plant you find,” he scolds. “i can tell you which plants are edible. i can teach you how to set up camp. you must listen to every instruction.”

“tighnari?”

“i’m saying, when the forest is healed, we can set out by ourselves.”

the last drop of rain patters outside his door. who knew the cure to a mildly poisonous mushroom would be the embrace of a loved one? perhaps those foreign fairytales you read to him had some meaning to them after all. perhaps the two of you would get to know soon.

(no, alright. that’s not true. he needs those nilotpala lotuses right now before he faints from overheating.)

[worra-arts]

I was watching the fourth season of minecraft hardcore today because it brings me peace, and found this wholesome moment!!

phil's mom come into his room while he was playing and chatted with him a bit. it appears philza's sister (aimee) was also watching the stream ;)

OKAY upd: I decided to make a transcription, but English is not my first language, so I probably made some mistakes while doing so. I'm sorry if I wrote something wrong haha, I have troubles with grammar...

[Transcription:

Phil: *rambling about his world*

*MUMza breaks into room*

Mumza: Right, it's not fair, why's Aimee getting all the love?

Phil: Why's Aimee getting all the love? Cus' she's watching my stream!

Mumza: And so was I!

Phil: Oh well, you know... It's your first time, yeah?

Mumza: Yeah Aimee was showing es'

Phil: Yeah, first time- Mother's watching the stream for first time by the way

Mumza: And I was like *jealous noises*

Phil: «Ohh, this is how the internet works»

Mumza: Ooh, you're funny, ahh, hilarious.

Phil: *losing it*

Mumza: And she (Aimee) was like "I texted him" and I was like "Yay! Oh my god!"

Phil: Mumza. ...Hm? They're all there, they're listening to you.

Mumza: *visibly panicks*

Phil: Yeah, bye!

Mumza: Love you, BYE!

Phil: Like 2200 people just heard Mumza complaining that I was not giving her enough love on stream. Cus' apparently she's watching as well now. The first time ever, cus' she has no idea how the internet works *laughs*

Phil: That's not her first appearance on the stream, by the way. She once bursted in my room, complaining about "The Walking dead". And she just bursted, rambling about it. It's being clipped, it's definitely- It's in a highlight on a YouTube somewhere. On my channel.

[gallwithapall]

Been a while since I made star trek text post memes...here's a few...the Q one is my favourite