Yay! It's my favorite holiday! What's better than spending a whole Sunday watching death and doom on television? Oh, and making yourself sick on Halloween candy? Well, I just don't know. It just doesn't get any better than that out here in adultland.
I just read a tearful online diary of a college student that is "so stressed out." Hello!! Can I get a shutup from anyone else out there that's like, uh, just got a new job that takes about 70 hours a week, is in debt with 10,000 dollars in credit cards, student loans, car payments, and, hopefully soon (yay for me!) a house payment? Yikes! So if you're one of those whiny college students, I'm just going to say it...Shutup!!!!!!!
No, but really. Life is superb. I do have my dream job (although it's not all I thought it would be), my dream car (even though it is only a Cavalier) and I do have the best boyfriend in the entire universe (who's even more than I imagined) AND I got to watch Halloween today! Ha! Life is goooooood.
John and I had a great weekend. He carved a pumpkin and did magic tricks for my first graders on Friday. We volunteered for "Hallelujah Night" at our church (helping operate the obstacle course), and we went to church lastnight for yet another great Bible study. And I called a real estate agent about an outrageously expensive condo that I totally intend on buying because hey, I'm desperate.
That's all for now....
later!
Sunday, October 31, 2004
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Well, I am having a bit of trouble keeping up with this thing lately. This week has actually been surprisingly good, considering I have had to leave school early for the past week or so. It's good to leave early and do the bare minimum. :) No, but really. My students are learning just as much and I'm at least a little bit less stressed. There's a huge stack of papers at home that I need to grade, but lucky for me, first graders don't notice if it takes a week to get their papers back.
Okay, I am done talking shop, I swear.
Walt Disney World is awesome! John, Mark (John's brother) and I went to downtown Disney to meet their ex-stepmom (from the time John was about 4 to 16), which was really cool considering she is the woman John spent most of his childhood with. She was a way cool person and just that cute-nice type. I liked her immediately. I hope she liked me.
Anyway, we spent the day in downtown Disney, where they sell beer and margaritas and daquiris right on the street like it's nothin', and you can go to 8 different clubs for under 20 dollars. Holy cow, it was like...Disney for adults. It was like...college. Ha!
Well, John and I are such losers. :) We were both so tired from long weeks of work, an early morning, and so on, that we only drank coffee and cappucino and looked around at shops. But it was just as fun as the comedy club, the 70's and 80's dance club, the techno club, and all that combined, I'm sure. Someday I'll have to get my chicas down here to attend those establishments with me. Oh, by the way, downtown Disney is absolutely FREE. I had no idea. I love you, Walt Disney.
John bought a super duper cool pack of magic tricks with cards. I am not kidding, they are so amazing. I've never seen anything like it. I can't wait for my brother and sister to see him do these tricks. And I know all the secrets :)
Oh, and I got my hair highlighted. It is sooooo pretty!!!!!!!! I won't lie :) It's the highlights I have always wanted but I never went to a super highlighting place to get them done. Well, I am impressed. You wouldn't believe how much it cost, though :-( Yikes! I could have bought an annual pass to Disney World, for sure.
Okay, I am done talking shop, I swear.
Walt Disney World is awesome! John, Mark (John's brother) and I went to downtown Disney to meet their ex-stepmom (from the time John was about 4 to 16), which was really cool considering she is the woman John spent most of his childhood with. She was a way cool person and just that cute-nice type. I liked her immediately. I hope she liked me.
Anyway, we spent the day in downtown Disney, where they sell beer and margaritas and daquiris right on the street like it's nothin', and you can go to 8 different clubs for under 20 dollars. Holy cow, it was like...Disney for adults. It was like...college. Ha!
Well, John and I are such losers. :) We were both so tired from long weeks of work, an early morning, and so on, that we only drank coffee and cappucino and looked around at shops. But it was just as fun as the comedy club, the 70's and 80's dance club, the techno club, and all that combined, I'm sure. Someday I'll have to get my chicas down here to attend those establishments with me. Oh, by the way, downtown Disney is absolutely FREE. I had no idea. I love you, Walt Disney.
John bought a super duper cool pack of magic tricks with cards. I am not kidding, they are so amazing. I've never seen anything like it. I can't wait for my brother and sister to see him do these tricks. And I know all the secrets :)
Oh, and I got my hair highlighted. It is sooooo pretty!!!!!!!! I won't lie :) It's the highlights I have always wanted but I never went to a super highlighting place to get them done. Well, I am impressed. You wouldn't believe how much it cost, though :-( Yikes! I could have bought an annual pass to Disney World, for sure.
Friday, October 22, 2004
In-Laws
I am learning that there are three great things about in-laws. Here they are:
1. They make you realize your family isn't so crazy after all.
2. They make you realize your family is actually very cool.
3. They make you realize how much your family loves you because instead of trying to impress your family, they just love you no matter what, but with inlaws you have to be "pert-i-neer" perfect to get an ounce of love out of them.
But somehow they contributed to making John who he is today so...there's another great thing about them. ;-) Thank you!
Flight to Quebec, please?
1. They make you realize your family isn't so crazy after all.
2. They make you realize your family is actually very cool.
3. They make you realize how much your family loves you because instead of trying to impress your family, they just love you no matter what, but with inlaws you have to be "pert-i-neer" perfect to get an ounce of love out of them.
But somehow they contributed to making John who he is today so...there's another great thing about them. ;-) Thank you!
Flight to Quebec, please?
Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Special People!
Apparently there's been this big argument going on between SOME of my family members (I won't mention any names) about WHO is special to me. Sillies. If you even have to wonder whether or not you're special to me, then I feel ashamed of myself :-p
Anyway, I guess I can say things are better now except that I feel like an indentured slave. But...I don't mind it right now. I would probably start to mind it under certain circumstances, however, or if it lasts for too much longer.
We're learning SO much about geology in first grade this week, discussing different kinds of rocks and such, especially GOLD and DIAMONDS. No, but seriously, the kids are loving it. We write and read about rocks every day. How boring, right? But no, it's not. It's been fun!
Anyway, I guess I can say things are better now except that I feel like an indentured slave. But...I don't mind it right now. I would probably start to mind it under certain circumstances, however, or if it lasts for too much longer.
We're learning SO much about geology in first grade this week, discussing different kinds of rocks and such, especially GOLD and DIAMONDS. No, but seriously, the kids are loving it. We write and read about rocks every day. How boring, right? But no, it's not. It's been fun!
Monday, October 18, 2004
My Weekend
Well, well, well. What an exciting weekend. Not only did I get to spend all day Saturday at the beach, but I also got to spend quite a few hours in the emergency room. Long story. But to make the long story short, everyone is okay. At least that's what we think and are hoping.
In the meantime, John's mom especially needs your prayers. The doctors think that something possibly could be wrong with her kidneys, her brain (seizures), and her back (which we knew already that she needs surgery on her back). She and her husband are also getting a divorce, which means who knows about the house and where John and I will live or anyone else for that matter. So a lot of prayer for all of us would be very good. Right now I wouldn't be too upset if a hurricane wiped out the whole state of Florida, as then we could all start again with a clean slate. Which I have no reason to hope for that because I haven't made any bad choices, I feel, but the bad choices of others always affects a lot of people, doesn't it?
I know I have two passions: God and teaching. I have two people I really, really love a whole lot: My mom and John. So I guess I need to make those four things my top priorities. I'm just not sure how to do that.
So the lesson for today is that I need to remember not to do things for the sole purpose of making someone happy, because it's impossible for us to make people happy. We all play to an audience of one. If we could all just focus on making God happy and following what HE wants for us instead of what others want, the world would be a better place, no? Our pastor was right when he said that many women are people pleasers. We work ourselves to death over making a good impression, only to realize that we will fall short of people's expectations and in the process of working ourselves to death, we've forgotten about God and begun to work for some other god.
In the meantime, John's mom especially needs your prayers. The doctors think that something possibly could be wrong with her kidneys, her brain (seizures), and her back (which we knew already that she needs surgery on her back). She and her husband are also getting a divorce, which means who knows about the house and where John and I will live or anyone else for that matter. So a lot of prayer for all of us would be very good. Right now I wouldn't be too upset if a hurricane wiped out the whole state of Florida, as then we could all start again with a clean slate. Which I have no reason to hope for that because I haven't made any bad choices, I feel, but the bad choices of others always affects a lot of people, doesn't it?
I know I have two passions: God and teaching. I have two people I really, really love a whole lot: My mom and John. So I guess I need to make those four things my top priorities. I'm just not sure how to do that.
So the lesson for today is that I need to remember not to do things for the sole purpose of making someone happy, because it's impossible for us to make people happy. We all play to an audience of one. If we could all just focus on making God happy and following what HE wants for us instead of what others want, the world would be a better place, no? Our pastor was right when he said that many women are people pleasers. We work ourselves to death over making a good impression, only to realize that we will fall short of people's expectations and in the process of working ourselves to death, we've forgotten about God and begun to work for some other god.
Friday, October 15, 2004
Errands
There is never time to run errands in this business. I need stamps so that I can mail out all the little cards I wrote for friends that have been living all over the world. I wrote these cards for all of you like a month ago and they are still on my dresser.
I made a doctor's appointment for December 1st. His name is Dr. Kronin and his picture is online. I forget what he looks like but I am going to look it up in a minute. I don't really care what my family physician looks like though. I do, however, care what my ob/gyn looks like, and I have not yet found one that is acceptable.
Today is a teacher workday. It's 7:30 and here I am at school, supposedly entering grades when all I really want to do is sleep. I like kids a whole lot more than entering grades, and kids wake me up, and grades make me want to sleep.
I think what I really want to do is be a children's librarian. But I don't want to have to put books in order or do anything with data, and I don't want to bother people about late charges. I just want to read stories and organize fun summer reading programs and dress up like spaghetti like my Aunt Vicky did.
No, I think I just want to be a stay at home mom and go to the Y for exercise classes every day and when I have a baby I can go to those mom/baby swim classes. And I can go to those mom bible studies in the middle of the day and organize luncheons and cook yummy food all day long, because I really like to cook. And I could volunteer for Bible school and all those things I never get to volunteer for anymore.
I feel a little burned out after only three months in the real world. I don't like it here.
I made a doctor's appointment for December 1st. His name is Dr. Kronin and his picture is online. I forget what he looks like but I am going to look it up in a minute. I don't really care what my family physician looks like though. I do, however, care what my ob/gyn looks like, and I have not yet found one that is acceptable.
Today is a teacher workday. It's 7:30 and here I am at school, supposedly entering grades when all I really want to do is sleep. I like kids a whole lot more than entering grades, and kids wake me up, and grades make me want to sleep.
I think what I really want to do is be a children's librarian. But I don't want to have to put books in order or do anything with data, and I don't want to bother people about late charges. I just want to read stories and organize fun summer reading programs and dress up like spaghetti like my Aunt Vicky did.
No, I think I just want to be a stay at home mom and go to the Y for exercise classes every day and when I have a baby I can go to those mom/baby swim classes. And I can go to those mom bible studies in the middle of the day and organize luncheons and cook yummy food all day long, because I really like to cook. And I could volunteer for Bible school and all those things I never get to volunteer for anymore.
I feel a little burned out after only three months in the real world. I don't like it here.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
This Weekend
Well, I'm looking forward to this weekend. Tomorrow we have no school but it's a teacher planning day so I get to do...dum dum dum! Grade Cards! And you know me, mine are pretty much already done. Then on Saturday we are going to the beach to celebrate John's uncle's wife's birthday (or, John's aunt Karen, who is the aunt we stayed with in Orlando). It's taking place at the little chiki? bar on the beach that I am particularly fond of (it would be great for a casual wedding reception if you know what I mean). AND it is going to be a BEAUTIFUL weekend. The humidity is going down and a COLD front is coming in so it's going to be like only 80 degrees! Hallelujah!
I really like John's aunt Karen. She is like a breath of fresh air. We always say the same things at the same time. It's weird. And I love the way she decorates and does her hair and we even have some of the same clothes. And she has one of those global blah blah things in her van because she gets lost all the time. It is so cool. You can type in "Restaurants" and it will give you a list of restaurants in whatever mile radius you want and even the restaurant description and then tell you how to get there!!! Just imagine. I would be finding yummy restaurants and great shopping centers all the time!
I am so amazed at how well John and I get along. We never have anything to fight about so we end up fighting about who has the most brain capacity in order to love more. I think I am capable of loving John more because I am a right-brained person and I can say words backwards. That means that I am in my right mind and I am a genius, so therefore my brain works frontwards and backwards so I can love John here and back again. But he can only love forward and not go backward. That's my take on things.
I really like John's aunt Karen. She is like a breath of fresh air. We always say the same things at the same time. It's weird. And I love the way she decorates and does her hair and we even have some of the same clothes. And she has one of those global blah blah things in her van because she gets lost all the time. It is so cool. You can type in "Restaurants" and it will give you a list of restaurants in whatever mile radius you want and even the restaurant description and then tell you how to get there!!! Just imagine. I would be finding yummy restaurants and great shopping centers all the time!
I am so amazed at how well John and I get along. We never have anything to fight about so we end up fighting about who has the most brain capacity in order to love more. I think I am capable of loving John more because I am a right-brained person and I can say words backwards. That means that I am in my right mind and I am a genius, so therefore my brain works frontwards and backwards so I can love John here and back again. But he can only love forward and not go backward. That's my take on things.
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Good Morning!
Hello! It is 7:23 am and my students will be arriving in about ten minutes. I feel GREAT today!!!! I went to bed at 6:00 lastnight because I had a migraine. Wow I just feel wonderful. Maybe I'll start going to bed at 6 every night. Today is going to be a great day. I'm actually looking forward to it.
Tomorrow I am being observed by my principal for a whole half hour and I am unsure of when she's coming in. So please pray for me. I normally don't stress out at all when she is in the room, so as long as I can just be normal, I will be fine. The thing is that I think she is coming in the afternoon and our afternoons are always a little crazy. I sort of let the kids relax in the afternoon after math is over. I'm too easy. The good thing is that the kids will be finishing their Christopher Columbus books which I think she will be impressed by.
I told my first graders that Christopher Columbus brought diseases to America on the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria and that "some people say he wasn't such a great person." That's about as far as I could go with the anti-Columbus speech. So we talked about the pros and cons of Columbus. I think they understood. Then we wrote a story pretending we were on the ship, and letters asking for things from the King and Queen. Some kids wrote, "Dear King and Queen, please may I have ships and pizza." Some of the wrote things like, "The trip was too hot. I was so hot because I needed some ice cream." I guess that will do for six year olds :)
Okay I know you don't care about that at all.
The Braves lost to the Astros. Boo. John is a big Braves fan and since the Indians will probably not be playing them soon, I think it's okay to like them, but don't worry. When the Tribe and the Braves go to the World Series in like, 2006 or 2007 or something, you know who I'll be loyal to :) Isn't Chipper just the cutest name ever? I think I might name my next pet Chipper. Not that I would name my kid that.
I am such a girl. The reason I don't like the Astros is because they have too much red in their uniforms. The Braves have a lot in common with the Indians. For one thing, they are both themed around "indians." They both do like tomahawk choppy things. They have the same colors.
The end.
Tomorrow I am being observed by my principal for a whole half hour and I am unsure of when she's coming in. So please pray for me. I normally don't stress out at all when she is in the room, so as long as I can just be normal, I will be fine. The thing is that I think she is coming in the afternoon and our afternoons are always a little crazy. I sort of let the kids relax in the afternoon after math is over. I'm too easy. The good thing is that the kids will be finishing their Christopher Columbus books which I think she will be impressed by.
I told my first graders that Christopher Columbus brought diseases to America on the Nina, Pinta, and the Santa Maria and that "some people say he wasn't such a great person." That's about as far as I could go with the anti-Columbus speech. So we talked about the pros and cons of Columbus. I think they understood. Then we wrote a story pretending we were on the ship, and letters asking for things from the King and Queen. Some kids wrote, "Dear King and Queen, please may I have ships and pizza." Some of the wrote things like, "The trip was too hot. I was so hot because I needed some ice cream." I guess that will do for six year olds :)
Okay I know you don't care about that at all.
The Braves lost to the Astros. Boo. John is a big Braves fan and since the Indians will probably not be playing them soon, I think it's okay to like them, but don't worry. When the Tribe and the Braves go to the World Series in like, 2006 or 2007 or something, you know who I'll be loyal to :) Isn't Chipper just the cutest name ever? I think I might name my next pet Chipper. Not that I would name my kid that.
I am such a girl. The reason I don't like the Astros is because they have too much red in their uniforms. The Braves have a lot in common with the Indians. For one thing, they are both themed around "indians." They both do like tomahawk choppy things. They have the same colors.
The end.
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
Got Cider?
Well, Florida is jam packed with orange juice, but can I find cider? No. Tomorrow my class is having "Taste October" day and all I could find was candy corn and some nasty looking pumpkin pie. The pumpkin pie will be good for the kids to taste because half of them have never even heard of it, but none of them knew what apple cider was. I guess they don't have apple cider in Florida :-( This is going to be like New Zealand and no biscuits or American cheese or hot dogs all over again.
But hey, the pineapple is pretty darn good. And the watermelon is still delicious and shwew! The weather has been great!
I never thought I'd appreciate a "flat" state but on Saturday as I was driving I went over this hill (yeah! There's a hill in Florida!) and the view just "took my breath away" (isn't that a beautiful thing to say?). It was like there was so much SKY! And the sky was so GORGEOUS! Just pure blue with great puffy clouds, perfectly white. It was awesome. And the sunsets here are priceless.
Oh my gosh, and the Mexican food is aaaamaaazzzing! Lastnight I ate a huge plate of Mexican food at this restaurant, some chips, and when I was done, I was still hungry so I ate some of John's too! It was so good.
See what I mean about being food oriented?
But hey, the pineapple is pretty darn good. And the watermelon is still delicious and shwew! The weather has been great!
I never thought I'd appreciate a "flat" state but on Saturday as I was driving I went over this hill (yeah! There's a hill in Florida!) and the view just "took my breath away" (isn't that a beautiful thing to say?). It was like there was so much SKY! And the sky was so GORGEOUS! Just pure blue with great puffy clouds, perfectly white. It was awesome. And the sunsets here are priceless.
Oh my gosh, and the Mexican food is aaaamaaazzzing! Lastnight I ate a huge plate of Mexican food at this restaurant, some chips, and when I was done, I was still hungry so I ate some of John's too! It was so good.
See what I mean about being food oriented?
Sunday, October 03, 2004
Why, why, why?
As if teaching itself wasn't enough, I have just completed one Saturday, 8-hour class and have 3 more to go, not to mention some other dopey class I have to take that begins soon. Yippeeeeeeee. I want to strangle the people who did our curriculum, too. I want to strangle Houghton Mifflin, our sucky textbook company. It is OCTOBER. I want to teach my kids about bats and spiders, not solids, liquids and gases. How BORING, really. We made pudding on Friday and talked about whether or not it is a solid or liquid. I don't know what the heck it is, to be honest with you.
Teaching is impossible. But what else should I be doing? I know I'm in the right field, but ten, twenty, thirty years from now do I want to be like the teachers I know that are 35, 45, 55? They're PSYCHO let me tell you. I'm not doing it, I'm telling you.
Guess what? There's a doctor in my family! Yep. Mark Harrington. He is in my Bible Life Group at our new church and he is a chiropractor and my insurance covers him. Yay! He's nice and available too so if any of you single Ohioans wanna hookup with my cousin, I'll see what I can do :)
Today I made myself do almost absolutely nothing that involved standing or walking. My feet and my legs hurt so badly. Do any of you other new teachers have this problem? We are allowed to wear comfy shoes at work, and I do, but honestly they hurt so bad that when I walk in the morning they feel bruised and as I was sitting (sitting!) in church I felt like my feet were going to explode inside of my shoes. SO that means not only will I be crazy by the time I'm forty if I stick with teaching, but I'll have vericose veins and be in a wheelchair, too. Eeeee :-(
Okay Amanda! That's enough self pity for the day. If someone wants to visit BEAUTIFUL southwest Florida, October is a GREAT month to visit and you can stay with me FREE and VOLUNTEER in Portable #6 for a few days. Would that not be the greatest thing in the world? What a unique opportunity! The kids are absolutely wonderful and they need a lot of love :)
Not to mention a lot of English!
Okay that's all for today.
I love you all! Peace and God bless :)
Teaching is impossible. But what else should I be doing? I know I'm in the right field, but ten, twenty, thirty years from now do I want to be like the teachers I know that are 35, 45, 55? They're PSYCHO let me tell you. I'm not doing it, I'm telling you.
Guess what? There's a doctor in my family! Yep. Mark Harrington. He is in my Bible Life Group at our new church and he is a chiropractor and my insurance covers him. Yay! He's nice and available too so if any of you single Ohioans wanna hookup with my cousin, I'll see what I can do :)
Today I made myself do almost absolutely nothing that involved standing or walking. My feet and my legs hurt so badly. Do any of you other new teachers have this problem? We are allowed to wear comfy shoes at work, and I do, but honestly they hurt so bad that when I walk in the morning they feel bruised and as I was sitting (sitting!) in church I felt like my feet were going to explode inside of my shoes. SO that means not only will I be crazy by the time I'm forty if I stick with teaching, but I'll have vericose veins and be in a wheelchair, too. Eeeee :-(
Okay Amanda! That's enough self pity for the day. If someone wants to visit BEAUTIFUL southwest Florida, October is a GREAT month to visit and you can stay with me FREE and VOLUNTEER in Portable #6 for a few days. Would that not be the greatest thing in the world? What a unique opportunity! The kids are absolutely wonderful and they need a lot of love :)
Not to mention a lot of English!
Okay that's all for today.
I love you all! Peace and God bless :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)