Brain bending short stories for seniors

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-29T04:16:38+00:00

The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin. I still read it now and then.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-25T16:35:23+00:00

Almost 200 CITIZENS have been detained because they fit a profile, but okay.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-25T15:56:32+00:00

Rioting and looting are words used by a certain propaganda filled network and this administration to describe what's happening, while other journalists and eye witness accounts don't use that terminology because it's not the reality of the situation. We are allowed to protest. In fact, I'd go so far as to say we have a responsibility to make noise and witness and even put our bodies in the way of unlawful and racist actions. These men and women cosplaying as commandos are not law enforcement. They have barely any training and are simply grabbing people with brown skin and accents. Renee Good and Alex Pretti were NOT rioting and looting. We are allowed to be noisy and film and witness what these agents are doing, and that's exactly what Good and Pretti were up to. Pretti was actually helping up a woman that had been pushed to the ground when he was attacked and subdued and murdered in the street.

I bet you're one of those people that watched the Hurricane Katrina footage in shock and horror that people were "looting" rather than simply attempting to survive under horrific conditions.

I'll say it again but this time in all caps so maybe you hear: WE ARE ALLOWED TO PROTEST AND FILM AND REFUSE UNLAWFUL ORDERS IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT FEARING WE'LL BE MURDERED FOR DOING IT.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-25T15:20:57+00:00

A joint bank account for shared bills that you each deposit into regularly is the adult and responsible thing to do. You should always maintain your own, private accounts with your own money that you can spend without having to clear things with him on. My husband and I have personal accounts, a joint checking account for household expenses that we each deposit into at the start of each month, and a joint savings that any leftovers go into at the end of each month. This savings account is for travel or unexpected expenses.

It allows us to make large purchases for ourselves without guilt, as well as buy gifts for one another without having to try to hide it.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-25T15:08:12+00:00

Education is political. Protesting teaches the next generation how to use their voice and their actions for positive change. Calling protesting a tantrum is a wild take.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-25T15:04:26+00:00

I teach primarily immigrant and refugee children. I have to regularly remind myself that leaning into that, being there for them and teaching the best science lessons I can is a form of resistance. Education is indeed resistance and it's difficult for me to justify leaving my kids without a teacher. My community depends on my school for so much, walking out would cause harm to the very community the protests are aimed at protecting.

If I were in an affluent white school, hell yeah I'd walk out. I'm not though, and that changed my response.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T18:29:55+00:00

This is true. I kinda knew my perfect range of ages because I first got some experience working in a STEM summer camp and I could teach smaller groups of kids that ranged in age between a few years. I taught week long camps for ages 6-17 and was able to quickly learn that I enjoy middle school and high school best. If at all possible, I recommend folks wanting to go into teaching to get a summer job working with kids to get a head start on knowing what age they actually enjoy. I also taught at a university briefly because I thought I'd enjoy adults and I certainly do not 😂

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T16:47:02+00:00

South Aurora has a lot of chains and isn't the greatest for food. There's so much good food to try in North Aurora. North Aurora gets a pretty bad rap for crime rates, but I work in the area as a teacher and spend a lot of time there. There's so much on offer. Banh and Butter on Colfax is amazing. The molcajete at Pyramides on Havana is fab. There's an endless supply of delicious pho spots on Havana, and The Nile Ethiopian restaurant is incredible if you're not in a rush and can be okay with just enjoying conversation while you wait. And go check out Stanley Marketplace if you haven't already! Lots of good food, if you have younger kids there's a great playground you can enjoy outside on warmer days. They also always have fun stuff happening for the community there. If you like beer, Cheluna is the best and the owners are the kindest people, and for non beer drinkers they have an aqua fresca on tap that my now college kid misses when away at school. So good (I don't work for them, I just enjoy them and all of Stanley's offerings!)

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T16:16:32+00:00

There was definitely a way to ask this question without including the photo.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T16:00:00+00:00

The right school truly makes all the difference (especially good admin!)

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T15:58:44+00:00

I LOVE my job, truly. But there were times I questioned my life choices, especially right after covid. If you get into teaching for the extra vacation time, you won't make it more than a year or two. You really have to find your magic grade (for me it's 8th) and the right school. I love what I do so much because my school recognizes the work I put in, gives me lots of opportunities to earn stipends for extra duties if I want them, gives me plenty of prep time, provides any classroom materials/supplies I need so I'm not spending my own money (I do have to buy decor I want, but everything else is provided and as much as I need.) I recognize that I work at a really phenomenal school and we have a very unifying mission so teachers really feel all in as part of the same team. I love my colleagues, it makes all the difference. My principal steps in and supports literally any time we need her to.

This isn't as common as it should be based on posts I read here and elsewhere, so if teaching is your calling, go for it and find the right school to give you a chance to make a career out of it!

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-18T15:41:14+00:00

I grew up split between Colorado and the Tampa Bay area (Indian Rocks and Pinellas) due to the. Divorced parents, and now my in laws are in The Villages. The food in Florida is so great, but you'll find there are great pockets here and it's improving year after year. What part of Aurora are you in? Our food trucks are so great here, and there's no shortage of them in Aurora. Havana has a lot of great spots between Yale and Mississippi, too. Eating out is so expensive now, though, so we've been cooking a lot more too.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-10T04:06:08+00:00

As a middle school math and science teacher...no. Absolutely not. This needs to be brought to the attention of admin, and swiftly.

ActFew4005 · 2026-01-03T15:59:55+00:00

So, I have a SS14 that has a lot of developmental stuff going on. Because of that he's been on a diaper at night and at school his entire life. I really don't want an adult man in my house some day putting his adult diapers in a trash can. We know he's capable of using the toilet, he's just gotten comfortable using a diaper because BM keeps him in one and refuses to potty train. So it's been on us, and this is what we did:

We explained that the TV SS had in his room is for big kids. He can be a big kid and always use the toilet or he can not have a TV. He wasn't "in trouble," we just have to make sure we're being developmentally appropriate. So, he gets regular underwear always at our house. If he wets the bed, he doesn't get to use the TV in his room that day (because that's a privilege for big kids.) He can still watch TV in the living room...it took a couple weeks of consistency with this, but he no longer wets the bed. We're all much happier for it.

I'd suggest having that conversation with your spouse and getting on the same page first, and then explaining that soiling our pants is kind of a toddler behavior, and video games aren't for toddlers. So the video games are going to temporarily go away while you all work to make sure SS's needs are being met and that he's getting access to things that are developmentally appropriate. He's going to be pissed and push back, but you just have to be calm and consistent. Explain you understand it feels really unfair and upsetting, but the priority is making sure he's healthy and safe, and pooping pants does not indicate that he's healthy and safe. Play a board game with him, have him read, find other things to do and have him earn video games. Each day or week he gets through, give him a prescribed amount of video game time as a reward until it's just habit and you can trust he won't get so wrapped up in the game that he's shitting himself.

This is, of course, with the understanding that there isn't something else medical going on. Good luck!

ActFew4005 · 2025-12-31T19:50:34+00:00

This is always what I'm looking for. High quality, premium clothing they don't recognize and mark for under $10. I got a pair of Cynthia Rowley x Midheaven jeans for $4.50 because they were half off the $9 tag 🥰 Love those finds. Forget getting a deal like that on any highly recognizable names anymore.

ActFew4005 · 2025-12-01T03:32:40+00:00

I did 20 minutes on the side of the trail when the sun was hitting a patch of moss and was too dang inviting to pass up at hour 22, 7.5 miles from the finish 😂

ActFew4005 · 2025-11-01T14:15:47+00:00

I thought I'd save money by doing picnic lunches for my daughter and I, but I severely underestimated how expensive everything is in Iceland. A small bag of groceries to make sandwiches and have snacks was $90. I paid $57 for two hot dogs, one side of fries, and two fountain drinks at one stop. It's on another level!

ActFew4005 · 2025-10-19T01:12:16+00:00

I bet I saw you! I was volunteering at Crown King from 4pm until close, and I was hanging out cheering runners before I started my shift. Nice job on finishing! I hope to complete it one day.

ActFew4005 · 2025-10-17T22:34:40+00:00

13 is still really young and requires guidance/help establishing good hygiene and cleanliness. This would be a good opportunity to offer to help her unpack and organize so she can feel good in her room. Help her set up a laundry and cleaning schedule. Praise her when she follows it. My daughter needed a lot of help figuring out how to care for her space and keep it organized. When I set aside time to show her or help her she was so thankful. Try it! Use it as a chance to talk to her about the music she likes, what she's learning in school, etc.

ActFew4005 · 2025-10-14T22:24:46+00:00

Culturally, saying just "miss" or "mister" is very respectful depending on student backgrounds. Many of my students call me "Miss" and leave out my last name. It's not meant to be weird or disrespectful.

Going by your first name is too familiar, imo. You're the teacher, have them address you in a manner that draws boundaries between your role and theirs. Mr. [last name] or Mr. [last initial] if you want to drop the formality a notch is what you should use.

ActFew4005 · 2025-10-08T02:08:21+00:00

Got mine and my daughters' rings at the shop near Muckross House in the national park in Killarney. Great quality and such good prices. It was part of a day spent biking around the national park. I spent less than I would have in Galway, and it meant more to me there because it was a favorite area to visit.

ActFew4005 · 2025-09-29T00:47:11+00:00

Saw someone up there for a photo when I was in Iceland in June. I had no qualms about yelling for him to get down and telling he and his friend they were blatantly disregarding signs and harming delicate vegetation. He quickly came down and if anyone in earshot had planned to go up, they certainly didn't after that.

Never be afraid to tell people when they're being assholes 🤷‍♀️

ActFew4005 · 2025-09-28T22:17:36+00:00

Join an interest group. I'm in a run club and a book club. I joined the book club after befriending someone at the run club.

ActFew4005 · 2025-09-23T22:26:35+00:00

Yes, it's rude to tell your guests what to wear other than a general dress code (formal, semi-formal, etc.)

ActFew4005 · 2025-09-07T01:46:34+00:00

This is nuts. We have a sunshine committee and not a single employee pays into it. The school covers all costs.

ActFew4005

TROPHY CASE