Things Not To Say While In Colorado...

"I'm from Texas."

So, I'm in district workshops this week. I've been in training on the adopted math program and tomorrow I'll start with the literacy program. If you're a teacher, you understand that these can most often be a beating, but you've got to just make the best of it, right? The instructors know we don't want to be there, since we'd much rather be working in our rooms during the day (considering school starts next week) so God love them that they're trying for Jesus to make it seem like learning about this program is equivalent to soaking up the sun on some great beach in Mexico while sipping on margaritas with a hot cabana boy fanning my sweaty body. Damn I wish I were in Mexico.

So keeping that in mind, I realize that most people in the room with me are feeling that way as well. So we started in groups of same grade level, of which I really like my group...it's a good mix of people, we've shared some good ideas, and we all seem to have the same teaching philosophies. But every now and then, the instructors will ask us to split into different groups. So, I was doing a group activity with three other girls, two of whom knew each other and seemed completely unhappy that they had to move their asses from one end of the room to the other and the other LITERALLY did not speak a word the entire time. Way to collaborate. So I was just trying to keep things lively and somewhat positive. Here was my conversation with one of the miserable girls, I'll name her Queen Misery (QM) because every time I've glanced over at her through out this training this week, she's either rolling her eyes, practically laying on the back of her chair, or half asleep. Like I said before, I realize that workshops are hard, but for the love of everything holy, make the best of a tough/bad/irritating situation. Here's what happened when I first tried to get to know my group...

Me: So what grade will you be teaching?
QM: 1st
Me: Oh cool...I taught Kinder for a year. They were a little too young for me though.
QM: What will you be teaching?
Me: 3rd
QM: So is this you first year in the district?
Me: Yes, I actually just moved here about a week ago!
QM: Oh...where from?
Me: Dallas.
QM: So why did you decide to move here?
Me: Well, I knew I didn't want to live in Dallas forever and it just felt like the right time to try something new.
QM: But why Colorado? Do you know anyone here?
Me: Well, I know a few people here and I have some family here, but my family and I spent a lot of time here when I was younger and I've just always loved it. You know, a lot of people from Texas come up here to ski in the winter because it's fairly close...
QM: Umm, yea, we know.

And THAT was the end of the conversation. I wasn't even finished with my thought when she spouted that out and then our discussion was LITERALLY over. Apparently that pissed her off and she was done talking to me. It was so weird, but I guess now I know I should keep my mouth shut about being from Texas, especially the part about skiing up here when I was younger.

When I got back to the table of other 3rd grade teachers, another person asked where I was from and I told him I wasn't sure I should tell people. He was from Arizona though, so he didn't hold it against me. We concluded that most people who live here aren't even from here anyway. I forgot to ask Queen Misery where she was from...it would have been an even funnier story if I had and she replied, "Delaware."

What the hell happens in Delaware anyway?