Well, I didn't intend to start a debate with my last post. I certainly never complained about my salary and my hours...what is frustrating, however, is that I don't get to go to the bathroom when I need to. It's also a lot of pressure to have 18 children's test scores hanging over your head and to be constantly criticized for their improvement or lack there of. Some teachers just take their jobs seriously, so seriously that they put it on themselves to teach their students everthing humanly possible in a year. It's pressure because it isn't working with people's wood floors, pools, or cars. It's working with their children, and even in first grade, their future has so much to do with what they learn from me.
Anyway, I was sick today. I even had a temperature of 99.7, which is much higher than my usual 97.7. I haven't felt as sick as I did today in quite some time. John was home and took good care of me, thank goodness, because there were a few times I couldn't get off the couch. :) Fortunately, though, I kept the vomit down. I hate to throw up and I'd do anything to avoid it! I think my "fever" (if you can call it that) broke earlier and now my temp is back to normal. Hopefully I'll be better tomorrow because I have progress monitoring tomorrow and tests to give and a classroom door to decorate for this door decorating contest...I drew a great rendition of Yertle the Turtle for the cause and the kids are going to make paper plate turtles :)
Big news! Mia, the himalayan of the residence, gave birth to EIGHT kittens lastnight!
Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Whew!
Well, can you see that I have been busy?
No other word could possibly describe this week except for the one that starts with and "H" and ends with "ell." I'll explain briefly...
FCATs. It's the Florida high-stakes test (like the proficiencies. Well, during the FCAT, although it's for all the 4th-5th graders, the whole school is on lock-down from 8:00-10:30 or 11. That means...I am stuck in my portable with 17 children for four hours. I can take them outside after the FCATs are over for the day, but I still have to take them. No breaks for me. Nope, I can't even go to the bathroom. It's going to be interesting Monday as my...um..."monthly visitor" comes calling. So, my days this week and next week, I have no "planning time."
Planning time is 50 minutes of each day that I get to plan lessons, get the books I need, get copies made, find resources, go to the bathroom, etc. Not that 50 minutes a day is even CLOSE to what I need to do all that, but it sure does help. Teachers NEED planning time. It is also in my contract, the contract my principal is not following.
SOOOO I have buddied up with our union leader because I think this is all a bunch of crap.
No other word could possibly describe this week except for the one that starts with and "H" and ends with "ell." I'll explain briefly...
FCATs. It's the Florida high-stakes test (like the proficiencies. Well, during the FCAT, although it's for all the 4th-5th graders, the whole school is on lock-down from 8:00-10:30 or 11. That means...I am stuck in my portable with 17 children for four hours. I can take them outside after the FCATs are over for the day, but I still have to take them. No breaks for me. Nope, I can't even go to the bathroom. It's going to be interesting Monday as my...um..."monthly visitor" comes calling. So, my days this week and next week, I have no "planning time."
Planning time is 50 minutes of each day that I get to plan lessons, get the books I need, get copies made, find resources, go to the bathroom, etc. Not that 50 minutes a day is even CLOSE to what I need to do all that, but it sure does help. Teachers NEED planning time. It is also in my contract, the contract my principal is not following.
SOOOO I have buddied up with our union leader because I think this is all a bunch of crap.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Name Four Bad Habits You Have:
1. Clenching/grinding my teeth
2. Saying "like" too much
3. Slouching
4. Refusing to put my napkin on my lap
Name Four (or five) Scents You Love:
1. John
2. My mom
3. Mia, the cat (I don't know why, but she just smells really good all the time)
4. Heavenly, my perfume by VS
5. Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath & Body
Name Four TV Shows you like
1. Extreme Makeover Home Edition
2. Mythbusters
3. Nickelodeon Cartoons
4. West Wing
Name Four Movies you like
1. Good Will Hunting
2. Sleeping Beauty
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
4. You've Got Mail
Name Four People That Know You the Best:
1. John
2. Susan
3. My Mom
4. I don't have any friends anymore
Name Four Things That You Have Done Today:
1. Wrote an email to our union leader
2. Read NEA magazine
3. Read some things about "Lordship"
4. Enjoyed my new hair do
Name Four Drinks You Regularly Drink:
1. Water
2. Diet Dr. Pepper
3. Diet Coke
4. Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha
First Grade Teacher's Name? Mrs. Conway
Last Words You Said: I love you too.
Last Song You Sang?: "Feels Like Today" by Rascal Flatts
Last Person You Hugged?: John
Last Thing You Laughed At? Figs, the cat that was hugging and licking John's leg.
Last Time You Cried?: Yesterday when one of my students left for Alabama, never to be seen again.
What's In Your CD Player?: Third Day
What Color Socks Are You Wearing?: white
What's Under Your Bed?: My bed is a mattress that sits on the floor.
What Time Did You Wake Up Today?: 8:30
At the moment taste?: lastnight's leftovers from the Cheesecake Factory (were the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand goes very well with the Crusted Chicken Romano)
at the moment Hair?: SUPER straight, light brown, red, dark brown, blond, to my shoulders almost...
at the moment Clothes?: my pajamas...a pink shirt, yellow shorts, and a sweatshirt
Current Longing?: to eat at the Cheesecake Factory again...like now.
Current Worry?: my head
Current Favorite Physical Feature Of The Opposite Sex?: someone who is exactly 6 foot and one-half inch tall, who is wearing a blue collared shirt today and khakis with brown doc martens and has a little bit of gray hair that he is really self-conscious about
Last CD You Bought?: I don't buy CD's...but John got me Rascal Flatts a few weeks ago because it has our song on it.
How Many Kids Do You Want? 3, I think
1. Clenching/grinding my teeth
2. Saying "like" too much
3. Slouching
4. Refusing to put my napkin on my lap
Name Four (or five) Scents You Love:
1. John
2. My mom
3. Mia, the cat (I don't know why, but she just smells really good all the time)
4. Heavenly, my perfume by VS
5. Warm Vanilla Sugar by Bath & Body
Name Four TV Shows you like
1. Extreme Makeover Home Edition
2. Mythbusters
3. Nickelodeon Cartoons
4. West Wing
Name Four Movies you like
1. Good Will Hunting
2. Sleeping Beauty
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
4. You've Got Mail
Name Four People That Know You the Best:
1. John
2. Susan
3. My Mom
4. I don't have any friends anymore
Name Four Things That You Have Done Today:
1. Wrote an email to our union leader
2. Read NEA magazine
3. Read some things about "Lordship"
4. Enjoyed my new hair do
Name Four Drinks You Regularly Drink:
1. Water
2. Diet Dr. Pepper
3. Diet Coke
4. Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha
First Grade Teacher's Name? Mrs. Conway
Last Words You Said: I love you too.
Last Song You Sang?: "Feels Like Today" by Rascal Flatts
Last Person You Hugged?: John
Last Thing You Laughed At? Figs, the cat that was hugging and licking John's leg.
Last Time You Cried?: Yesterday when one of my students left for Alabama, never to be seen again.
What's In Your CD Player?: Third Day
What Color Socks Are You Wearing?: white
What's Under Your Bed?: My bed is a mattress that sits on the floor.
What Time Did You Wake Up Today?: 8:30
At the moment taste?: lastnight's leftovers from the Cheesecake Factory (were the Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand goes very well with the Crusted Chicken Romano)
at the moment Hair?: SUPER straight, light brown, red, dark brown, blond, to my shoulders almost...
at the moment Clothes?: my pajamas...a pink shirt, yellow shorts, and a sweatshirt
Current Longing?: to eat at the Cheesecake Factory again...like now.
Current Worry?: my head
Current Favorite Physical Feature Of The Opposite Sex?: someone who is exactly 6 foot and one-half inch tall, who is wearing a blue collared shirt today and khakis with brown doc martens and has a little bit of gray hair that he is really self-conscious about
Last CD You Bought?: I don't buy CD's...but John got me Rascal Flatts a few weeks ago because it has our song on it.
How Many Kids Do You Want? 3, I think
I know who the anti-christ is!
And his name is Martin Gross.
And the Naples Daily News supports him. Welcome to Collier County, where they tell you the schools have the highest expectations, are held to INSANE standards, blah blah blah...and the most popular newspaper HATES teachers and anything to do with education. So, they support public speakers like Martin Gross. Excerpts from the Naples Daily News read...
"Our schoolteachers are the least educated people in the nation," said Gross.
He will not only critique the education system, Gross will explain some of his ideas for improving it. He would start, for example, by closing all undergraduate schools of education. But what really needs to be changed, he contends, is the education establishment — the teachers' unions, district administrators, along with colleges of education.
In the free lecture, the author of 12 books will speak about his latest one, "The Conspiracy of Ignorance: The Failure of American Public Schools."
"It's an indictment of the present American education system that has failed miserably," said Gross, who's been an adjunct associate professor of social science at New York University and lives in Connecticut.
Education is one of the biggest items on our tax bill," said Pat McCourt, a member of Taxpayer Action Groups of Lee County, a lecture sponsor. "There's a universal thought in this country that education isn't what it should be ... and (Gross) has some answers."
American students don't compete with other countries, Gross contends, because public schoolteachers are among the least intelligent. He said most teachers and administrators come from the bottom third of their class and are outscored on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) by their own college-bound students.
This translates into American students scoring among the lowest when compared to other countries, such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
"Anyone that graduates from high school can be admitted to an undergraduate department of education," Gross said. "Teacher education is particularly low."
He thinks public schools should follow private schools, not so concerned if teachers know how to teach, but that those educators have high credentials in their field.
Oh, I see. So I should have gotten my degrees in math, science, social studies, English, TESL, parenting, counseling, nursing, custodial work, psychology...?
And Gross notes most private schoolteachers get paid less than public educators. Public schoolteachers make an average of $46,000 a year in 2004, he noted, while the average American worker gets paid an average of $35,000 annually.
"K to 12 teachers come from the lowest common denominator of intelligence in the nation," Gross said.
I bet that pathology degree helps him understand what it's like to be a teacher...
I wonder if Martin Gross has ever babysat three six year olds at the same time. Multiply that by six and teach them all how to read, write sentences and paragraphs, tell time, count money, stand in line, wipe their butts, tie their shoes, eat healthy, wash their hands, etc. etc. etc. That's what I do 40 hours per week. I can only go to the bathroom two times per day from 7:40-2:30, for crying out LOUD! Arrrggghhhh!
It just makes me angry.
And the Naples Daily News supports him. Welcome to Collier County, where they tell you the schools have the highest expectations, are held to INSANE standards, blah blah blah...and the most popular newspaper HATES teachers and anything to do with education. So, they support public speakers like Martin Gross. Excerpts from the Naples Daily News read...
"Our schoolteachers are the least educated people in the nation," said Gross.
He will not only critique the education system, Gross will explain some of his ideas for improving it. He would start, for example, by closing all undergraduate schools of education. But what really needs to be changed, he contends, is the education establishment — the teachers' unions, district administrators, along with colleges of education.
In the free lecture, the author of 12 books will speak about his latest one, "The Conspiracy of Ignorance: The Failure of American Public Schools."
"It's an indictment of the present American education system that has failed miserably," said Gross, who's been an adjunct associate professor of social science at New York University and lives in Connecticut.
Education is one of the biggest items on our tax bill," said Pat McCourt, a member of Taxpayer Action Groups of Lee County, a lecture sponsor. "There's a universal thought in this country that education isn't what it should be ... and (Gross) has some answers."
American students don't compete with other countries, Gross contends, because public schoolteachers are among the least intelligent. He said most teachers and administrators come from the bottom third of their class and are outscored on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) by their own college-bound students.
This translates into American students scoring among the lowest when compared to other countries, such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
"Anyone that graduates from high school can be admitted to an undergraduate department of education," Gross said. "Teacher education is particularly low."
He thinks public schools should follow private schools, not so concerned if teachers know how to teach, but that those educators have high credentials in their field.
Oh, I see. So I should have gotten my degrees in math, science, social studies, English, TESL, parenting, counseling, nursing, custodial work, psychology...?
And Gross notes most private schoolteachers get paid less than public educators. Public schoolteachers make an average of $46,000 a year in 2004, he noted, while the average American worker gets paid an average of $35,000 annually.
"K to 12 teachers come from the lowest common denominator of intelligence in the nation," Gross said.
I bet that pathology degree helps him understand what it's like to be a teacher...
I wonder if Martin Gross has ever babysat three six year olds at the same time. Multiply that by six and teach them all how to read, write sentences and paragraphs, tell time, count money, stand in line, wipe their butts, tie their shoes, eat healthy, wash their hands, etc. etc. etc. That's what I do 40 hours per week. I can only go to the bathroom two times per day from 7:40-2:30, for crying out LOUD! Arrrggghhhh!
It just makes me angry.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Teacher SUCCESS!
It's bragging time.
1. I can write on the white board "Please remember to bring you library books tomorrow" and the kids know what it says.
2. All my students can decide if they're going to write a descriptive paragraph, a personal recount, or personal narrative, and tell you the graphic organizer/plan that would go with it (web, timeline, and this weirdo chart we use).
3. My students can add pennies, nickels and dimes a lot better than the first graders I had in Ohio OR New Zealand.
4. All but one of my students is reading a G or higher (up to K, which is chapters). At the beginning of the year, they read B, C, and D.
5. All of my students can use story webs, character webs, summaries, etc. after reading a book.
6. Keep in mind that I have FOURTEEN esol students (English as a second language).
Favorite sentence of the day (in a student's writing):
"My valentine is my mom. I don't care if she is fat. She is the best mother. She always has a headache. When she has a headache, I bring her water. She is gorgeous. I love my mom!"
-Tony
1. I can write on the white board "Please remember to bring you library books tomorrow" and the kids know what it says.
2. All my students can decide if they're going to write a descriptive paragraph, a personal recount, or personal narrative, and tell you the graphic organizer/plan that would go with it (web, timeline, and this weirdo chart we use).
3. My students can add pennies, nickels and dimes a lot better than the first graders I had in Ohio OR New Zealand.
4. All but one of my students is reading a G or higher (up to K, which is chapters). At the beginning of the year, they read B, C, and D.
5. All of my students can use story webs, character webs, summaries, etc. after reading a book.
6. Keep in mind that I have FOURTEEN esol students (English as a second language).
Favorite sentence of the day (in a student's writing):
"My valentine is my mom. I don't care if she is fat. She is the best mother. She always has a headache. When she has a headache, I bring her water. She is gorgeous. I love my mom!"
-Tony
Table for Two, Please
Oh my goodness.
For some reason, it's just unacceptable in this house to simply walk up the stairs and knock on doors when calling for someone. So instead, people stand in the living room (not at the bottom of the stairs or anything like that) and begin yelling. And yelling. And yelling.
You would think, now that it has been proven (quite some time ago) that people and animals do LEARN behaviors from experience, that they would realize this yelling from the living room DOES NOT work. Especially when the 13 year old in the house is usually wearing headphones in her room. Especially when it's usually hear they are yelling for.
Now I have enough headache problems (not from hearing my students, mind you, but from hearing my own voice blabber on and on and on all day). I certainly do not need people yelling so loudly when they are right beside me. It's really aggravating.
You know, my family is so quiet, I'm just not used to this environment.
Hahahaha!
So, needless to say (I say "needless to say" rather often), John and go out to eat a lot more than we can probably afford. This is because...a.) that way, I don't have to help make or clean up dinner for 6 people, and b.) I don't have to listen to yelling.
John and I, you must admit, are pretty quiet people (except when I'm in laughing hysterics or John is listening to Dave Matthews). Hopefully, we'll keep our children safe from the corruption of our loud families, and we'll have quiet children as well. Children who, for the most part, are perfect.
Maybe Kendra was right when she said our kids would be snobs :)
Kari's will be strong-willed and give her a taste of her own medicine (and her mom will love it!).
Kendra's kids will be REALLY friendly and free-spirited...
As for Tim and Lindsay...who knows what will happen with that combination!
"But Moooo-om, choir practice is more important than a basketball game!"
For some reason, it's just unacceptable in this house to simply walk up the stairs and knock on doors when calling for someone. So instead, people stand in the living room (not at the bottom of the stairs or anything like that) and begin yelling. And yelling. And yelling.
You would think, now that it has been proven (quite some time ago) that people and animals do LEARN behaviors from experience, that they would realize this yelling from the living room DOES NOT work. Especially when the 13 year old in the house is usually wearing headphones in her room. Especially when it's usually hear they are yelling for.
Now I have enough headache problems (not from hearing my students, mind you, but from hearing my own voice blabber on and on and on all day). I certainly do not need people yelling so loudly when they are right beside me. It's really aggravating.
You know, my family is so quiet, I'm just not used to this environment.
Hahahaha!
So, needless to say (I say "needless to say" rather often), John and go out to eat a lot more than we can probably afford. This is because...a.) that way, I don't have to help make or clean up dinner for 6 people, and b.) I don't have to listen to yelling.
John and I, you must admit, are pretty quiet people (except when I'm in laughing hysterics or John is listening to Dave Matthews). Hopefully, we'll keep our children safe from the corruption of our loud families, and we'll have quiet children as well. Children who, for the most part, are perfect.
Maybe Kendra was right when she said our kids would be snobs :)
Kari's will be strong-willed and give her a taste of her own medicine (and her mom will love it!).
Kendra's kids will be REALLY friendly and free-spirited...
As for Tim and Lindsay...who knows what will happen with that combination!
"But Moooo-om, choir practice is more important than a basketball game!"
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Desperate Fiancees
I called in sick today because I was tired.
So what? Lack of sleep is a sickness, too. Wait, I don't have lack of sleep though. I'm just stinkin' exhausted! So I slept for twelve hours straight, no problem. I think it was long overdue. And I betcha I'll fall asleep just fine tonight.
I also called in sick today because my stomach hurt and I feel like I might be getting sick and there wasn't much that had to be done at school today anyway. I think my stomach hurt because I ate too much lastnight.
I haven't been eating much lately. Not hungry at all, just want soup. But we went to our favorite restaurant lastnight, Moe's, the cheap "southwest grill" place that has my favorite meal, "The Close Talker," which is the best salad I've ever eaten...right up with Applebee's Sante Fe Chicken Salad.
Who knew a salad could be so good?
So needless to say, I ate A LOT. I think my tummy was unprepared and I felt like vomit all night. That's reason two that I called off.
Maybe because I have no time to exercise my metabolism has plummeted and I just don't have much of an appetite.
Anyway, basically all I've done today is watch the past two episodes of Desperate Housewives, the show I never get to watch because of some other show that's on at the same time. I just love that show. It's so sinful, cruel and...funny. Hey, if I can't be that way, I might as well watch people that CAN, right?
So what? Lack of sleep is a sickness, too. Wait, I don't have lack of sleep though. I'm just stinkin' exhausted! So I slept for twelve hours straight, no problem. I think it was long overdue. And I betcha I'll fall asleep just fine tonight.
I also called in sick today because my stomach hurt and I feel like I might be getting sick and there wasn't much that had to be done at school today anyway. I think my stomach hurt because I ate too much lastnight.
I haven't been eating much lately. Not hungry at all, just want soup. But we went to our favorite restaurant lastnight, Moe's, the cheap "southwest grill" place that has my favorite meal, "The Close Talker," which is the best salad I've ever eaten...right up with Applebee's Sante Fe Chicken Salad.
Who knew a salad could be so good?
So needless to say, I ate A LOT. I think my tummy was unprepared and I felt like vomit all night. That's reason two that I called off.
Maybe because I have no time to exercise my metabolism has plummeted and I just don't have much of an appetite.
Anyway, basically all I've done today is watch the past two episodes of Desperate Housewives, the show I never get to watch because of some other show that's on at the same time. I just love that show. It's so sinful, cruel and...funny. Hey, if I can't be that way, I might as well watch people that CAN, right?
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Wedding
Wedding.
That word. Wedding.
When I was little, it was a word only meant for dreams. I would close my eyes and try to picture him but all I would get was a prince from a Disney movie or one of my kindergarten "boyfriends".
Back then, that word "wedding" meant lacy curtains over my face, a bouquet of roses, a big poofy dress and children singing "Here comes the bride, fair, fat and wide!" It meant special wedding vows and saying exactly the right thing. It meant the perfect ring, the perfect dress, the perfect flowers.
In high school, that word "wedding" meant freedom from the pressures of trying to impress, trying to live up to male standards, having the right things to say on each and every date... It meant freedom from wondering, "who, who, who?!" It meant no more break ups, a lot less heartbreak.
As I lay in bed this morning, staring at the word "wedding" on one of many of our packages from online wedding stores, I thought of what it means to me now.
What does "wedding" mean to me now? Does it mean lists of things we have yet to do? "Find a DJ and a photographer," I keep telling myself day in and day out. "How much?" I wonder to myself about almost everything. "Will our guests like this?" "Will our guests like that?"
"Don't get lost in the shuffle!" Any brides' magazine will tell you. "Remember what you're doing. Remember who you're marrying. Remember what you want. Remember what he wants. Remember, remember, remember."
It occurred to me then, after all that thinking, that I was no longer sure what the word "wedding" meant to me. What does it mean to me, really?
To some people it means that, after the wedding, the bride and groom won't like each other anymore. After a few years, they'll nearly despise each other and, if they're lucky, it will be a love/hate relationship with perhaps a little more love than hate.
I'm amazed. Will I ever not like John? Is that possible?
To some people it means that, after the wedding, the bride and groom won't look forward to seeing each other after a long day.
Which is strange to me because when I see John after 4 hours of being apart, I want nothing more than to be close to him. To hear everything about his day. To tell him everything about mine.
Well, anyway, the story goes on. So what does "wedding" mean to me now?
To me it means...
That on October 29th, I will walk down the aisle (in the sand), and after almost an entire day of not seeing John, I will have to wait more than 20 minutes to be in his arms. And honestly, if I am afraid of anything, I am afraid that I won't be able to wait for those words "you may kiss the bride."
So if you're at the ceremony, I'm just warning you, I may make a fool of myself.
:)
That word. Wedding.
When I was little, it was a word only meant for dreams. I would close my eyes and try to picture him but all I would get was a prince from a Disney movie or one of my kindergarten "boyfriends".
Back then, that word "wedding" meant lacy curtains over my face, a bouquet of roses, a big poofy dress and children singing "Here comes the bride, fair, fat and wide!" It meant special wedding vows and saying exactly the right thing. It meant the perfect ring, the perfect dress, the perfect flowers.
In high school, that word "wedding" meant freedom from the pressures of trying to impress, trying to live up to male standards, having the right things to say on each and every date... It meant freedom from wondering, "who, who, who?!" It meant no more break ups, a lot less heartbreak.
As I lay in bed this morning, staring at the word "wedding" on one of many of our packages from online wedding stores, I thought of what it means to me now.
What does "wedding" mean to me now? Does it mean lists of things we have yet to do? "Find a DJ and a photographer," I keep telling myself day in and day out. "How much?" I wonder to myself about almost everything. "Will our guests like this?" "Will our guests like that?"
"Don't get lost in the shuffle!" Any brides' magazine will tell you. "Remember what you're doing. Remember who you're marrying. Remember what you want. Remember what he wants. Remember, remember, remember."
It occurred to me then, after all that thinking, that I was no longer sure what the word "wedding" meant to me. What does it mean to me, really?
To some people it means that, after the wedding, the bride and groom won't like each other anymore. After a few years, they'll nearly despise each other and, if they're lucky, it will be a love/hate relationship with perhaps a little more love than hate.
I'm amazed. Will I ever not like John? Is that possible?
To some people it means that, after the wedding, the bride and groom won't look forward to seeing each other after a long day.
Which is strange to me because when I see John after 4 hours of being apart, I want nothing more than to be close to him. To hear everything about his day. To tell him everything about mine.
Well, anyway, the story goes on. So what does "wedding" mean to me now?
To me it means...
That on October 29th, I will walk down the aisle (in the sand), and after almost an entire day of not seeing John, I will have to wait more than 20 minutes to be in his arms. And honestly, if I am afraid of anything, I am afraid that I won't be able to wait for those words "you may kiss the bride."
So if you're at the ceremony, I'm just warning you, I may make a fool of myself.
:)
Friday, February 11, 2005
I am a first grade teacher...
...and therefore VERY dependent upon extrinsic motivation, thank you very much!
Why do guys always use CAPS lock? Then when I try to type it's ALL BIG AND OBNOXIOUS. Crazy.
Oh man. I have just experienced my first financial oopsie daisy. Don't worry, I'm not totally wiped out or anything. Well, I am, but there's an explanation. First of all, let me tell you, I DO keep track of everything. I do, but I don't necessarily pay attention to all of it. So at the end of January I had a large surplus, so I sort of went psycho and paid triple on my credit card, paid my student loans far in advance, and so on. Great idea, eh...? Hm. Not so much. Well, I sort of forgot about that and a couple weeks later bought plane tickets, wedding invitations, two cell phones, some new classroom stuff, an oil change...
So yes, I'm okay...don't send money or anything...I just got a little overzealous in being responsible and it backfired. Funny story I tell ya.
And there was a big sale at Banana Republic. Well, I can't be TOTALLY innocent, can I? You have to understand. BIG sale. BIG! And I'm serious, I don't have any clothes. Well, I do now. :)
Okay...so, Alison, um...I'd say wait for a reason to reward them. Or maybe do that your first week like my Aunt Cathy suggested with the Hershey Kiss things, but then you can use it against them..."Hey, remember when I made those treats for you? I'm NOT doing it anymore if you don't shut up right now!"
Maybe you could do the treats the first day and have links in the classroom like I do. This is a classroom reward system I use, so that when the kids are quiet, do great work, participate in class, receive compliments from other teachers, etc., they get a link or two or five and the other day they got 17 because I REALLY needed them to be quiet for like 10 minutes. The links hang from the top of my white board. When they have enough links that they reach the floor, they get a pizza party/beach party/etc. Surprisingly, older students enjoy this sort of thing even more than little kids do. It might just be a good way to get them to participate in class...although you might need one for each period you teach, which could be a pain. Anyway, you can say that first day, that they will get more treats like the one you just made if they get enough links (I make it nearly impossible to get to the floor...we've only had one party this year and we're not even close to having a second...because I'm poor and can't buy any more pizza!).
I wish my high school teachers would have done something like that.
Why do guys always use CAPS lock? Then when I try to type it's ALL BIG AND OBNOXIOUS. Crazy.
Oh man. I have just experienced my first financial oopsie daisy. Don't worry, I'm not totally wiped out or anything. Well, I am, but there's an explanation. First of all, let me tell you, I DO keep track of everything. I do, but I don't necessarily pay attention to all of it. So at the end of January I had a large surplus, so I sort of went psycho and paid triple on my credit card, paid my student loans far in advance, and so on. Great idea, eh...? Hm. Not so much. Well, I sort of forgot about that and a couple weeks later bought plane tickets, wedding invitations, two cell phones, some new classroom stuff, an oil change...
So yes, I'm okay...don't send money or anything...I just got a little overzealous in being responsible and it backfired. Funny story I tell ya.
And there was a big sale at Banana Republic. Well, I can't be TOTALLY innocent, can I? You have to understand. BIG sale. BIG! And I'm serious, I don't have any clothes. Well, I do now. :)
Okay...so, Alison, um...I'd say wait for a reason to reward them. Or maybe do that your first week like my Aunt Cathy suggested with the Hershey Kiss things, but then you can use it against them..."Hey, remember when I made those treats for you? I'm NOT doing it anymore if you don't shut up right now!"
Maybe you could do the treats the first day and have links in the classroom like I do. This is a classroom reward system I use, so that when the kids are quiet, do great work, participate in class, receive compliments from other teachers, etc., they get a link or two or five and the other day they got 17 because I REALLY needed them to be quiet for like 10 minutes. The links hang from the top of my white board. When they have enough links that they reach the floor, they get a pizza party/beach party/etc. Surprisingly, older students enjoy this sort of thing even more than little kids do. It might just be a good way to get them to participate in class...although you might need one for each period you teach, which could be a pain. Anyway, you can say that first day, that they will get more treats like the one you just made if they get enough links (I make it nearly impossible to get to the floor...we've only had one party this year and we're not even close to having a second...because I'm poor and can't buy any more pizza!).
I wish my high school teachers would have done something like that.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Sunday, February 06, 2005
The Muskie Reunion
That's right, there was a Muskingum Reunion right here in southwest Florida and I drug John all the way to Fort Myers so that I could see Ransom Clark Dr. Helen Obenchain-Clark and Dr. Kokovich and his wife...oh yes, and the beloved Anne C. Steele.
Now, in case you are not a Muskie Alum, I should let you know that these are really old off-the-wall people. Dr. Obenchain has been married something like three or four times and she married our Vice President of something or other my freshman year of college, about 4 months after she met him, which was also about 4 months after she moved to Ohio. So yes, my professor (my really strange, old professor) was dating this funny, short, raspy-voiced man who retired from the CIA to be a lowly Vice President of something or other at good ol' Muskingum College. He and Helen then built a massive house which she filled with Ethan Allen furniture and antiques AND made his cat stay downstairs in the basement (she hated his cat)...(he had a putting-to-bed ritual for his cat)...(the cat had its own bathroom).
Dr. Kokovich was my Intro. to Hell--I mean, Education professor. Well, what can I say? I learned from the best.
He swore Kari was on QVC and he said that if he were my principal, he would have known better than to have spanked me.
Professors should never say that word--"spank." It just sounds...ew.
He also hated his wife's cat and told us how he would kick it every time she turned her back.
Anyway, Annie Bannie Bo Dannie made a presentation of all the things happening at Muskingum, and it was really, really neat. Did you know they've raised 39 million dollars in the past four years? And that the new Caldwell Hall is absolutely paid for? And that they're building a new student center in the Hollow? Very cool, I think.
You should have seen the old people's faces light up when they heard all the neat things happening at Muskingum. I mean, these people were Muskie Class of 1939, 1946, 1950, etc. John and I were doted over quite a bit, to say the least. At the end, we were even complimented on our "demeanor." I guess one old guy was really impressed that we could sit still for an hour while Annie Bannie Bo Dannie gave her schpeel.
Oh, and I told Dr. Obenchain that Lindsay and Tim are getting married in June. She and Ransom were absolutely shocked! Ransom's words were, "Well, that's an interesting couple!"
Now, in case you are not a Muskie Alum, I should let you know that these are really old off-the-wall people. Dr. Obenchain has been married something like three or four times and she married our Vice President of something or other my freshman year of college, about 4 months after she met him, which was also about 4 months after she moved to Ohio. So yes, my professor (my really strange, old professor) was dating this funny, short, raspy-voiced man who retired from the CIA to be a lowly Vice President of something or other at good ol' Muskingum College. He and Helen then built a massive house which she filled with Ethan Allen furniture and antiques AND made his cat stay downstairs in the basement (she hated his cat)...(he had a putting-to-bed ritual for his cat)...(the cat had its own bathroom).
Dr. Kokovich was my Intro. to Hell--I mean, Education professor. Well, what can I say? I learned from the best.
He swore Kari was on QVC and he said that if he were my principal, he would have known better than to have spanked me.
Professors should never say that word--"spank." It just sounds...ew.
He also hated his wife's cat and told us how he would kick it every time she turned her back.
Anyway, Annie Bannie Bo Dannie made a presentation of all the things happening at Muskingum, and it was really, really neat. Did you know they've raised 39 million dollars in the past four years? And that the new Caldwell Hall is absolutely paid for? And that they're building a new student center in the Hollow? Very cool, I think.
You should have seen the old people's faces light up when they heard all the neat things happening at Muskingum. I mean, these people were Muskie Class of 1939, 1946, 1950, etc. John and I were doted over quite a bit, to say the least. At the end, we were even complimented on our "demeanor." I guess one old guy was really impressed that we could sit still for an hour while Annie Bannie Bo Dannie gave her schpeel.
Oh, and I told Dr. Obenchain that Lindsay and Tim are getting married in June. She and Ransom were absolutely shocked! Ransom's words were, "Well, that's an interesting couple!"
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
I just love Diet Dr. Pepper. It really does taste more like Dr. Pepper.
Well, you can't be a teacher without taking up drinking diet "soda."
I know I haven't been writing very often. I always think about neat things to write and then I forget. Then, when I sit down to write on here, all I can think of writing about is my job. I know you all get sick of that.
After that, I think maybe I could write about how much I LOVE John. But no, you all really don't want to read that!
I could make a list of all the things I need to do right on my blog. But no, you all really, really don't want to read that.
Hmm. I need to make a dessert for our school's potluck thingy next week. I would like to make my one of my two specialties: chocolate chip cookies or that Reese's/Oreo/cream cheese/pudding stuff. Both very, very good.
Sigh.
I'll think of something more interesting later! Promise!
Well, you can't be a teacher without taking up drinking diet "soda."
I know I haven't been writing very often. I always think about neat things to write and then I forget. Then, when I sit down to write on here, all I can think of writing about is my job. I know you all get sick of that.
After that, I think maybe I could write about how much I LOVE John. But no, you all really don't want to read that!
I could make a list of all the things I need to do right on my blog. But no, you all really, really don't want to read that.
Hmm. I need to make a dessert for our school's potluck thingy next week. I would like to make my one of my two specialties: chocolate chip cookies or that Reese's/Oreo/cream cheese/pudding stuff. Both very, very good.
Sigh.
I'll think of something more interesting later! Promise!
Friday, January 28, 2005
People Pleasers
I'm reading a book about people pleasers and how they destroy their own lives by trying to please others.
Hahaha. That's not really the main idea of the book, but really, that is the gist of it!
So far I have made some changes! Ya'll would be proud a me. :)
I've confronted others when I'm angry, upset, or disagree. Really! I even made the cafeteria ladies give my students a special treat because the kids sitting across from them at the lunch table got these yummy brownies and my students didn't get any! Isn't that wrong? I asked the ladies why and they said that it was the last batch (in one line, but the other line had none, and they were going through at the same time, so the kids didn't really understand that). And I said, "Well, the kids are pretty upset...and rightly so, because the kids right across from them have brownies that are huge with sprinkles on them and they look really really good. Do you have anything else that you could give to the students who didn't get a brownie? Or maybe you could cut some in half?"
Come on people.
I have also confronted my principal about two things in the past week. My principal! Way to go, me. And you know what? It does make things better, even if I do get a few enemies. :)
Hahaha. That's not really the main idea of the book, but really, that is the gist of it!
So far I have made some changes! Ya'll would be proud a me. :)
I've confronted others when I'm angry, upset, or disagree. Really! I even made the cafeteria ladies give my students a special treat because the kids sitting across from them at the lunch table got these yummy brownies and my students didn't get any! Isn't that wrong? I asked the ladies why and they said that it was the last batch (in one line, but the other line had none, and they were going through at the same time, so the kids didn't really understand that). And I said, "Well, the kids are pretty upset...and rightly so, because the kids right across from them have brownies that are huge with sprinkles on them and they look really really good. Do you have anything else that you could give to the students who didn't get a brownie? Or maybe you could cut some in half?"
Come on people.
I have also confronted my principal about two things in the past week. My principal! Way to go, me. And you know what? It does make things better, even if I do get a few enemies. :)
Saturday, January 22, 2005
There's this girl...
Thirteen random things you like:
miniature candy bars
new shoes
new paper
Vis-a-Vis markers
my diamonds
cats
roses
my wedding dress
palm trees
sunshine
memories of my siblings when they were babies
funny dreams
goodmorning kisses
Twelve movies:
Maid in Manhatten
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Wedding Planner
The Butterfly Effect
Good Will Hunting
Sleeping Beauty
Happy Gilmore
You've Got Mail
Serendipity
High Fidelity
The Little Princess
Amelie
11 good bands/artists:
Well, I don't know if they're good, but I like them...
Sheryl Crow
tobyMac
Third Day
Building 429
LeAnn Rimes
Rascal Flatts (sometimes)
AC/DC :)
Jessica Simpson (I like her, I don't care)
Not Eminem
Green Day
Nirvana
Coldplay
(I like a variety)
10 things about you....physically:
Curly/straight hair
Strong fingernails
Pretty hands
Nice wrists
Pretty feet
White teeth
Nothing horribly wrong with me
No serious acne
Good hips
Um....not big ears?
Nine good friends (in no particular order):
Susan
Lindsay
Sarah
Kari
Kendra
Sharon
Jen
Nicole
My mommy
Eight Favorite foods/drinks:
Elmo juice
Diet Dr. Pepper
Iced tea
Peanut M&Ms
Fairly Oddparents cheesecrackers
Spinach salads
garlic bread
shredded cheddar cheese
5 things that you wear daily:
diamond necklace
diamond ring
Livestrong bracelet
watch
deoderant
Six things that annoy you:
Printers, copiers, scanners, computers
7 year olds :)
miniature carpets
dust
cat litter
cat pee
Five things you touch everyday:
water bottle
Flintstone vitamins and calcium vitamins :)
toothbrush
soap
lotion
Four shows you watch:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
CSI
Desperate Housewives (when John lets me have the tv...grrrr)
West Wing
Three celebrites you wouldn't miss in a movie:
Meg Ryan
Brad Pitt
Matt Damon
One person that you could spend the rest of your life with:
John Erdman :)
miniature candy bars
new shoes
new paper
Vis-a-Vis markers
my diamonds
cats
roses
my wedding dress
palm trees
sunshine
memories of my siblings when they were babies
funny dreams
goodmorning kisses
Twelve movies:
Maid in Manhatten
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Wedding Planner
The Butterfly Effect
Good Will Hunting
Sleeping Beauty
Happy Gilmore
You've Got Mail
Serendipity
High Fidelity
The Little Princess
Amelie
11 good bands/artists:
Well, I don't know if they're good, but I like them...
Sheryl Crow
tobyMac
Third Day
Building 429
LeAnn Rimes
Rascal Flatts (sometimes)
AC/DC :)
Jessica Simpson (I like her, I don't care)
Not Eminem
Green Day
Nirvana
Coldplay
(I like a variety)
10 things about you....physically:
Curly/straight hair
Strong fingernails
Pretty hands
Nice wrists
Pretty feet
White teeth
Nothing horribly wrong with me
No serious acne
Good hips
Um....not big ears?
Nine good friends (in no particular order):
Susan
Lindsay
Sarah
Kari
Kendra
Sharon
Jen
Nicole
My mommy
Eight Favorite foods/drinks:
Elmo juice
Diet Dr. Pepper
Iced tea
Peanut M&Ms
Fairly Oddparents cheesecrackers
Spinach salads
garlic bread
shredded cheddar cheese
5 things that you wear daily:
diamond necklace
diamond ring
Livestrong bracelet
watch
deoderant
Six things that annoy you:
Printers, copiers, scanners, computers
7 year olds :)
miniature carpets
dust
cat litter
cat pee
Five things you touch everyday:
water bottle
Flintstone vitamins and calcium vitamins :)
toothbrush
soap
lotion
Four shows you watch:
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
CSI
Desperate Housewives (when John lets me have the tv...grrrr)
West Wing
Three celebrites you wouldn't miss in a movie:
Meg Ryan
Brad Pitt
Matt Damon
One person that you could spend the rest of your life with:
John Erdman :)
Saturday, I hate to love you.
It's Saturday and I stayed in bed so long
I feel like I might throw up.
It's Saturday and I watched CMT so long
So that maybe I'd catch my new theme song.
I think I should work out, do laundry, clean up, write lesson plans, read, write a poem, do my hair for once, paint my nails and wear my brand new Docs (yes!).
I'm not really sure what it is I want to do anymore...it's all have to do's. I have to do this, I have to do that.
And I stayed in bed so long I feel like I might throw up, so I guess I really don't want to do anything. But if I don't do anything, I'll lay there and think about what I have to do, which will lead to stress and feeling more pukey.
Sigh. I don't like this.
Saturday, I can't even enjoy you anymore!
That's me, complaining about adulthood again.
I feel like I might throw up.
It's Saturday and I watched CMT so long
So that maybe I'd catch my new theme song.
I think I should work out, do laundry, clean up, write lesson plans, read, write a poem, do my hair for once, paint my nails and wear my brand new Docs (yes!).
I'm not really sure what it is I want to do anymore...it's all have to do's. I have to do this, I have to do that.
And I stayed in bed so long I feel like I might throw up, so I guess I really don't want to do anything. But if I don't do anything, I'll lay there and think about what I have to do, which will lead to stress and feeling more pukey.
Sigh. I don't like this.
Saturday, I can't even enjoy you anymore!
That's me, complaining about adulthood again.
Friday, January 21, 2005
I Spoke Too Soon
Have you ever thought you were going to do something really cool and so you told everyone and then it didn't work out and so you thought then, that everyone must think you're "chicken" or a loser or maybe just that you jumped the gun...?
Well, I do that sort of thing all the time. And it just so happens that I did it again. John and I decided not to move out of his family's house.
This is not a total disappointment. It was sort of bad either way--if we move out, we would have a lot more independence (which is nice and it is something we're certainly ready for) but then there's that whole FINANCIAL independence thing that's a little, um...well, you know.
Now it's not that we can't afford an apartment, especially one that is as cheap and as good of quality as the one we were getting (frown), but there's the student loan issue, the credit issue, and oh yeah, the wedding.
So I'm actually rather EXCITED. Yes, excited. I was getting a bit concerned about the debt that would, undoubtedly, accumulate with the upcoming nuptials.
John's mom has also been begging us to stay and my mom thought it would be better for us to stay as well...and, it just so happens that mothers are usually right. Not always! But usually. :)
At least this way, when we are actually married and can actually live together and sleep together and do all that stuff together :) we won't have quite as many issues ($$$$$) to keep us awake at night.
This is the good part.
I had a dream lastnight that John was Dr. Seuss. It's true. One day he sat me down and said, "Amanda. I am Dr. Seuss." So, we started writing children's books together. It was the greatest.
So many teachers would be excellent authors! But really, what teacher has the stinkin' time to do anything like that? I mean criminy, I barely have time to write on my blog :)
Well, I do that sort of thing all the time. And it just so happens that I did it again. John and I decided not to move out of his family's house.
This is not a total disappointment. It was sort of bad either way--if we move out, we would have a lot more independence (which is nice and it is something we're certainly ready for) but then there's that whole FINANCIAL independence thing that's a little, um...well, you know.
Now it's not that we can't afford an apartment, especially one that is as cheap and as good of quality as the one we were getting (frown), but there's the student loan issue, the credit issue, and oh yeah, the wedding.
So I'm actually rather EXCITED. Yes, excited. I was getting a bit concerned about the debt that would, undoubtedly, accumulate with the upcoming nuptials.
John's mom has also been begging us to stay and my mom thought it would be better for us to stay as well...and, it just so happens that mothers are usually right. Not always! But usually. :)
At least this way, when we are actually married and can actually live together and sleep together and do all that stuff together :) we won't have quite as many issues ($$$$$) to keep us awake at night.
This is the good part.
I had a dream lastnight that John was Dr. Seuss. It's true. One day he sat me down and said, "Amanda. I am Dr. Seuss." So, we started writing children's books together. It was the greatest.
So many teachers would be excellent authors! But really, what teacher has the stinkin' time to do anything like that? I mean criminy, I barely have time to write on my blog :)
Saturday, January 15, 2005
Diagnosis
Symptoms:
Sore throat
Chronic headache (REALLY bad headache)
Sore joints and muscles
Frequent cold sweats
Diagnosis:
(choose one)
-Addicted to caffeine
-High stress levels
-New down comforter too warm
-Blood clot in my brain
-Lupas
Any suggestions?
Sore throat
Chronic headache (REALLY bad headache)
Sore joints and muscles
Frequent cold sweats
Diagnosis:
(choose one)
-Addicted to caffeine
-High stress levels
-New down comforter too warm
-Blood clot in my brain
-Lupas
Any suggestions?
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
More Wedding Details
Just because I'm getting asked a lot of questions, here you go: :)
Flying: Okay. So...if you're flying out of Ohio I recommend taking one of the smaller airports (Canton, Cincinnati) instead of Cleveland (it's usually cheaper) and if you don't mind, you can take a stop in Charlotte or Atlanta (even more cheaper) depending on the airline you fly. If you are definitely coming, I would schedule my flights now (even cheaper). Fly in to Fort Myers. From there, it's pretty much a straight shot to the hotel, about 40 minutes or something. You may want a rental car or someone can pick you up. If any of you can arrange flying together, that would make it much easier. There's a rental car place there, too, so you may want that--especially if you're staying any extra days.
Hotel: VERY IMPORTANT. Our wedding and reception is at the Vanderbilt Inn. If you want a room there, let me know. You can choose poolside, beachside, and some other stuff. We have 15 rooms already for sure. Or you can just call them yourself and tell them you're with the Harrington/Erdman wedding.
If you'd like other hotel suggestions, just let me know.
Vanderbilt Inn: www.vanderbiltinn.com (239) 597-3151
There is a group discount...these are the prices your rooms would be.
Friday and Saturday (per night): Poolside: 100.00 Parking View: $90.00
Sunday-Thursday (per night): Poolside: $82.00 Parking View: $90.00
Bridesmaids: Remember, your rooms are free!
Trick or Treating: Yes, that is Halloween weekend. We don't know when trick-or-treating will be, but it will probably be Saturday night. If you have kids with you, you HAVE to bring them trick or treating in our neighborhood. It is so neat. People really go all out and decorate their houses and stuff. And...it's still very warm, so no winter coats to hide your costumes! And...people give TONS of candy. I'm just letting you know...I was concerned about having the wedding that weekend because I didn't want the kids to be upset about missing trick-or-treating. So please don't let them miss trick-or-treating (since it is my favorite holiday and all, I totally understand how they'd feel)!
Kids in general: We are definitely having a kid-friendly wedding and reception. There will be tons of things for them to do. The ocean is also very safe here, as there are very few waves here in the gulf (unless there's a hurricane...) So, please bring them and don't feel they aren't welcome!
Flying: Okay. So...if you're flying out of Ohio I recommend taking one of the smaller airports (Canton, Cincinnati) instead of Cleveland (it's usually cheaper) and if you don't mind, you can take a stop in Charlotte or Atlanta (even more cheaper) depending on the airline you fly. If you are definitely coming, I would schedule my flights now (even cheaper). Fly in to Fort Myers. From there, it's pretty much a straight shot to the hotel, about 40 minutes or something. You may want a rental car or someone can pick you up. If any of you can arrange flying together, that would make it much easier. There's a rental car place there, too, so you may want that--especially if you're staying any extra days.
Hotel: VERY IMPORTANT. Our wedding and reception is at the Vanderbilt Inn. If you want a room there, let me know. You can choose poolside, beachside, and some other stuff. We have 15 rooms already for sure. Or you can just call them yourself and tell them you're with the Harrington/Erdman wedding.
If you'd like other hotel suggestions, just let me know.
Vanderbilt Inn: www.vanderbiltinn.com (239) 597-3151
There is a group discount...these are the prices your rooms would be.
Friday and Saturday (per night): Poolside: 100.00 Parking View: $90.00
Sunday-Thursday (per night): Poolside: $82.00 Parking View: $90.00
Bridesmaids: Remember, your rooms are free!
Trick or Treating: Yes, that is Halloween weekend. We don't know when trick-or-treating will be, but it will probably be Saturday night. If you have kids with you, you HAVE to bring them trick or treating in our neighborhood. It is so neat. People really go all out and decorate their houses and stuff. And...it's still very warm, so no winter coats to hide your costumes! And...people give TONS of candy. I'm just letting you know...I was concerned about having the wedding that weekend because I didn't want the kids to be upset about missing trick-or-treating. So please don't let them miss trick-or-treating (since it is my favorite holiday and all, I totally understand how they'd feel)!
Kids in general: We are definitely having a kid-friendly wedding and reception. There will be tons of things for them to do. The ocean is also very safe here, as there are very few waves here in the gulf (unless there's a hurricane...) So, please bring them and don't feel they aren't welcome!
Sunday, January 09, 2005
Wedding Details
The date: October 29th, 2005 (Saturday)
Time: 3:00
Place: Vanderbilt Inn
Naples, Florida
We have some cool stuff planned so you better show up! :)
Time: 3:00
Place: Vanderbilt Inn
Naples, Florida
We have some cool stuff planned so you better show up! :)
Monday, January 03, 2005
I've Done It
Yes folks, it's true. I have actually succeeded in acquiring more pairs of Victoria's Secret underwear than any other article of clothing I own (including individual socks).
It's the sales that aren't really "sales" because I think there almost always is one.
It's the gold print around the top waistband.
It's the colors, prints, and varieties of all kinds.
And...if I were on a stranded island and could only bring one article of clothing, you guessed it, it would be a Victoria's Secret bra. I never leave home without it. Heck, I never leave the bedroom without it.
I NEVER, ever, ever, in a million years would ever burn a Victoria's Secret bra. I hope those women's lib. women didn't burn VS's bras.
I don't find my Victoria's Secret bras restricting. If anything, they're uplifting.
:)
It's the sales that aren't really "sales" because I think there almost always is one.
It's the gold print around the top waistband.
It's the colors, prints, and varieties of all kinds.
And...if I were on a stranded island and could only bring one article of clothing, you guessed it, it would be a Victoria's Secret bra. I never leave home without it. Heck, I never leave the bedroom without it.
I NEVER, ever, ever, in a million years would ever burn a Victoria's Secret bra. I hope those women's lib. women didn't burn VS's bras.
I don't find my Victoria's Secret bras restricting. If anything, they're uplifting.
:)
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Post-Novel Depression
I have finished reading the book. I finished yesterday or the day before actually, and I'm still recovering. I ached to find out the mystery, to complete the novel, and finally, I did. It took some skimming and some skipping, but I successfully arrived at the end after a couple days. Well, I wish I hadn't tried quite so hard, because now I have nothing to do.
This sort of thing has been happening to me for years. I get addicted to a book, its characters, its plot, and I can't get away from it. I stay up till all hours of the morning reading it, and when I'm not reading it, I'm thinking about it. Well, now it's over. And when it's over, I go into this post-partum phase. I mope around the house because I have nothing to read. I don't even WANT to read anything because what I want to read has already been read. But I'm not ready to move in to a new plot with new characters. I'm not ready to get to know a new protagonist.
So, that is how today was. I mean, I went out to eat with the family and I went shopping, but other than that, I felt at a loss. I have been reading a bit of John's old pharmacology book. It's actually pretty interesting. I try to take notes so that I can remember what I'm learning and maybe be smarter than John someday. But I really just want Robert Langdon back, along with Vatican City. And the pope.
I never thought I'd ache for anything Catholic :)
"Thank you, Father. I'll take the wine. You can keep the wafer."
This sort of thing has been happening to me for years. I get addicted to a book, its characters, its plot, and I can't get away from it. I stay up till all hours of the morning reading it, and when I'm not reading it, I'm thinking about it. Well, now it's over. And when it's over, I go into this post-partum phase. I mope around the house because I have nothing to read. I don't even WANT to read anything because what I want to read has already been read. But I'm not ready to move in to a new plot with new characters. I'm not ready to get to know a new protagonist.
So, that is how today was. I mean, I went out to eat with the family and I went shopping, but other than that, I felt at a loss. I have been reading a bit of John's old pharmacology book. It's actually pretty interesting. I try to take notes so that I can remember what I'm learning and maybe be smarter than John someday. But I really just want Robert Langdon back, along with Vatican City. And the pope.
I never thought I'd ache for anything Catholic :)
"Thank you, Father. I'll take the wine. You can keep the wafer."
Monday, December 27, 2004
I don't know what to write about....
I've spent the past few days reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. It's a good book and I keep thinking about Vatican City and popes. Everything lately reminds me of Vatican City and popes.
I got to see Sarah lastnight, who, in case you don't know, is a friend from high school and Muskingum, my roommate for my freshman year of college, who I've actually known since fourth grade. She's one of my bridesmaids, of course. She also likes the dress I want my bridesmaids to wear so that's good, definitely a relief.
Today I met Kari and Tony at Panera in Canton, which of course was an experience. We sat and talked (and ate) for four hours. We had lunch and potentially could have eaten dinner there, too, except Tony had to leave. Boo. I went and spent my gift card at my favorite store, Victoria's Secret, which will now be my very very very favorite store since I'll be getting married soon :) (Hey, if you don't want to hear about that stuff, don't read my diary!).
Kari showed us pictures of her entire extended family, her sister's beautiful engagement ring (congratulations, Kati!), and Tony showed us pictures of his new place of residence...Princeton! It was neato. He had funny stories too, like about Santa Claus being on the Princeton Seminary's Christmas tree and how some of the students got really mad about it. Hahahaha. I don't like Santa, but I think that might be something fun to do, just to see how people react.
I think tomorrow I will see Lindsay, one of my most favorite people, so that I can get fitted for my bridesmaid (maid of honor, actually, thank you very much) dress.
I'm a little uneasy about the 6 bridesmaids thing. Bridal parties run into these sorts of issues because women are very catty, and because they are all MY friends, but not necessarily friends with each other. So, it's kind of interesting, this wedding thing. It's a little cruel, actually. I feel sort of bad already that I'm making them fly down there and buy a dress and throw me parties. I mean, who really wants to do all that, even if they do love me?
Hmmm. Just something to think about.
I've spent the past few days reading Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. It's a good book and I keep thinking about Vatican City and popes. Everything lately reminds me of Vatican City and popes.
I got to see Sarah lastnight, who, in case you don't know, is a friend from high school and Muskingum, my roommate for my freshman year of college, who I've actually known since fourth grade. She's one of my bridesmaids, of course. She also likes the dress I want my bridesmaids to wear so that's good, definitely a relief.
Today I met Kari and Tony at Panera in Canton, which of course was an experience. We sat and talked (and ate) for four hours. We had lunch and potentially could have eaten dinner there, too, except Tony had to leave. Boo. I went and spent my gift card at my favorite store, Victoria's Secret, which will now be my very very very favorite store since I'll be getting married soon :) (Hey, if you don't want to hear about that stuff, don't read my diary!).
Kari showed us pictures of her entire extended family, her sister's beautiful engagement ring (congratulations, Kati!), and Tony showed us pictures of his new place of residence...Princeton! It was neato. He had funny stories too, like about Santa Claus being on the Princeton Seminary's Christmas tree and how some of the students got really mad about it. Hahahaha. I don't like Santa, but I think that might be something fun to do, just to see how people react.
I think tomorrow I will see Lindsay, one of my most favorite people, so that I can get fitted for my bridesmaid (maid of honor, actually, thank you very much) dress.
I'm a little uneasy about the 6 bridesmaids thing. Bridal parties run into these sorts of issues because women are very catty, and because they are all MY friends, but not necessarily friends with each other. So, it's kind of interesting, this wedding thing. It's a little cruel, actually. I feel sort of bad already that I'm making them fly down there and buy a dress and throw me parties. I mean, who really wants to do all that, even if they do love me?
Hmmm. Just something to think about.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Lovin' these Lyrics...
Bless The Broken Road
by Rascal Flatts
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
by Rascal Flatts
I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along the broken road
But I got lost a time or two
Wiped my brow and kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you
Every long lost dream led me to where you are
Others who broke my heart they were like northern stars
Pointing me on my way into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God blessed the broken road
That led me straight to you
I think about the years I spent just passing through
I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you
But you just smile and take my hand
You've been there you understand
It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true
Monday, December 20, 2004
Cloud Nine :)
WELL if John didn't know it before, he knows it now--I am the planning queen. The queen of planning. I set a date, picked a place, and tomorrow pick a dress. I have scheduled appointments with where I want the wedding and reception and rehearsal dinner. I NEED to meet with my bridesmaids and maid of honor (I need to put that on my URGENT list), and schedule a time to get engagement pictures taken (John, you better smile!). I have no idea how we're going to pay for it, but right now I just don't care--I've been waiting my whole life for this and we ARE cutting a LOT of corners. I think we'll be saving beaucoup on flowers and alcohol--who knows about my dress, because everyone knows that when I find a dress that looks good, I don't care about the price tag......
And I picked out invitations and practically have them ordered...I just need to make sure we get the place we want. We have our guest list mostly complete and sorta kinda know where we're going to register. We have our bridesmaids and almost our groomsmen lined up and in order, outfits pretty much figured out. At this rate, all will be done by February.
So I am of course, floating on cloud nine, and it's sad that I'm in Ohio and John is in Florida, but it's probably in his best interests. :) He doesn't like it so much when I ask a lot of questions and he says "I don't care" and I bug him, you know, just to make sure he really doesn't care. I'd pick what I want anyway.
October 23rd will be the wedding, the very small wedding, at 12:30 on a Sunday afternoon. The reception will follow...one in FL and one here in Ohio for all those who were unable to attend. The Ohio reception will be around my Christmas break, so keep that in mind. It IS only a year away!
John: You HAVE to pick the honeymoon spot! NO SNOW!!!! :)
And I picked out invitations and practically have them ordered...I just need to make sure we get the place we want. We have our guest list mostly complete and sorta kinda know where we're going to register. We have our bridesmaids and almost our groomsmen lined up and in order, outfits pretty much figured out. At this rate, all will be done by February.
So I am of course, floating on cloud nine, and it's sad that I'm in Ohio and John is in Florida, but it's probably in his best interests. :) He doesn't like it so much when I ask a lot of questions and he says "I don't care" and I bug him, you know, just to make sure he really doesn't care. I'd pick what I want anyway.
October 23rd will be the wedding, the very small wedding, at 12:30 on a Sunday afternoon. The reception will follow...one in FL and one here in Ohio for all those who were unable to attend. The Ohio reception will be around my Christmas break, so keep that in mind. It IS only a year away!
John: You HAVE to pick the honeymoon spot! NO SNOW!!!! :)
Saturday, December 18, 2004
This is BIG
In more ways than one! Guess who proposed?
John did! Not just any John, my boyfriend John.
My fiance, John.
Yay!
John did! Not just any John, my boyfriend John.
My fiance, John.
Yay!
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Count 'em!
1, 2. TWO more days of school and then it's home time for me!
In other news...
JOHN is getting baptized in the ocean! Tomorrow or Friday. I hope it isn't freezing like it was today. Brrrrrrr!
SUSAN is picking me up at the airport on Saturday and then we're going to Veronica's.
VERONICA is having a party. I wonder who will be there? I hope I see as many people as possible!
I got a cocoa/latte maker. It's kind of silly because all it really does is mix up your drinks and heats them at the same time...which isn't difficult to do by hand. But hey, this does it 4 servings at a time. I'm diggin it.
the COCOA maker came in handy yesterday when my class and I re-enacted THE POLAR EXPRESS. I served hot cocoa in nifty little Christmas mugs with marshmallows, they had candy with"nougat" centers (like in the book) and they even got Christmas bells (like the children did in the book). We sang Christmas carols (like they...you know). It was way fun.
THE POLAR EXPRESS movie was AWESOME. The movie itself was decent, but my students were by far the most well-behaved, and their little faces were just lit up with awe the entire time. They loved it! AND we had enough money for everyone to have a "Reel Meal," thanks to those of you who made donations :) THANK YOU!!!!
DO TRY Starbucks' white chocolate mocha. It's to die for. Mom, you would like it, too. I promise!
MY COOKIES for our Christmas cookie exchange were the best. AND my mentor teacher's chocolate chip cookies are not nearly as good as the choc. chip cookies I make, and her students' are out of control. I say all this just because she always acts like she's so great and wise and wonderful and perfect and she is always bossing me and my students around. WELL! At least I can make some darn good cookies. So there!
MY GRANDMA CURIE deserves the credit for that, however. Special thanks to Grandma for passing along that tradition, as it's the only thing I really have to remember you by.
Take care all, and goodnight.
In other news...
JOHN is getting baptized in the ocean! Tomorrow or Friday. I hope it isn't freezing like it was today. Brrrrrrr!
SUSAN is picking me up at the airport on Saturday and then we're going to Veronica's.
VERONICA is having a party. I wonder who will be there? I hope I see as many people as possible!
I got a cocoa/latte maker. It's kind of silly because all it really does is mix up your drinks and heats them at the same time...which isn't difficult to do by hand. But hey, this does it 4 servings at a time. I'm diggin it.
the COCOA maker came in handy yesterday when my class and I re-enacted THE POLAR EXPRESS. I served hot cocoa in nifty little Christmas mugs with marshmallows, they had candy with"nougat" centers (like in the book) and they even got Christmas bells (like the children did in the book). We sang Christmas carols (like they...you know). It was way fun.
THE POLAR EXPRESS movie was AWESOME. The movie itself was decent, but my students were by far the most well-behaved, and their little faces were just lit up with awe the entire time. They loved it! AND we had enough money for everyone to have a "Reel Meal," thanks to those of you who made donations :) THANK YOU!!!!
DO TRY Starbucks' white chocolate mocha. It's to die for. Mom, you would like it, too. I promise!
MY COOKIES for our Christmas cookie exchange were the best. AND my mentor teacher's chocolate chip cookies are not nearly as good as the choc. chip cookies I make, and her students' are out of control. I say all this just because she always acts like she's so great and wise and wonderful and perfect and she is always bossing me and my students around. WELL! At least I can make some darn good cookies. So there!
MY GRANDMA CURIE deserves the credit for that, however. Special thanks to Grandma for passing along that tradition, as it's the only thing I really have to remember you by.
Take care all, and goodnight.
Friday, December 10, 2004
GO INDIANS!!!!! and...feeling old...
The Immokalee High School football team has WON the Florida State Championship! Woooohhhhooooo! I am so proud :)
Immokalee is where I teach. It is the most amazing town I have ever experienced. You should see it. Bright and early (well, dark and early) on my way in to work at 6:30, about 100 men are riding bikes to work and 300 others are riding buses to work in the fields (think orange trees...yeah, I guess they haven't come up with a system like they have for corn!). Stray dogs hump each other on the sidewalks (well, it's true!) and more than 50% of the signs are written in Spanish (so I really don't know what stores and things Immokalee has!). Every morning I pass a giant truck that is handing out food to middle aged men (men like our fathers) who are so humble I'm sure they barely think of it any more as a handout. I pass two sets of projects and a small community of what I guess some people call houses but look like large 100 year old outhouses, eaten away by mold. I pass a "Friendship House," an after-school program center, a few houses being built by Habitat for Humanity, and children walking to school before the sun has risen so that they can be there to get help with homework, read with tutors and teachers, and eat breakfast.
So when I had my first graders lined up along the sidewalk to give a farewell to those 14-18 year old young men, you can bet I had tears in my eyes. The football players' faces peered out from the buses, a hundred Hispanic and Black and Native American young men that have figured or have been told since they were 3 that they will spend their lives working in the fields when they grow up. They were not shouting or jumping or hooting and hollering. They were just looking out, watching the little kids and the entire city of Immokalee wish them luck. They seemed stunned.
It was a really neat thing. Today Immokalee fans filled the stadium in Gainesville, Florida, and even Trick Daddy was there to cheer on the Indians. And guess who the Indians defeated?
The Cowboys! Hahaha.
Good job, Immokalee!
Immokalee is where I teach. It is the most amazing town I have ever experienced. You should see it. Bright and early (well, dark and early) on my way in to work at 6:30, about 100 men are riding bikes to work and 300 others are riding buses to work in the fields (think orange trees...yeah, I guess they haven't come up with a system like they have for corn!). Stray dogs hump each other on the sidewalks (well, it's true!) and more than 50% of the signs are written in Spanish (so I really don't know what stores and things Immokalee has!). Every morning I pass a giant truck that is handing out food to middle aged men (men like our fathers) who are so humble I'm sure they barely think of it any more as a handout. I pass two sets of projects and a small community of what I guess some people call houses but look like large 100 year old outhouses, eaten away by mold. I pass a "Friendship House," an after-school program center, a few houses being built by Habitat for Humanity, and children walking to school before the sun has risen so that they can be there to get help with homework, read with tutors and teachers, and eat breakfast.
So when I had my first graders lined up along the sidewalk to give a farewell to those 14-18 year old young men, you can bet I had tears in my eyes. The football players' faces peered out from the buses, a hundred Hispanic and Black and Native American young men that have figured or have been told since they were 3 that they will spend their lives working in the fields when they grow up. They were not shouting or jumping or hooting and hollering. They were just looking out, watching the little kids and the entire city of Immokalee wish them luck. They seemed stunned.
It was a really neat thing. Today Immokalee fans filled the stadium in Gainesville, Florida, and even Trick Daddy was there to cheer on the Indians. And guess who the Indians defeated?
The Cowboys! Hahaha.
Good job, Immokalee!
Hi!
Amanda Harrington
15093 Top Sail Court
Naples, FL 34119
Clarification: 10 dollars pays for one child's admission, their snacks, and their part of the "bus fee." Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
15093 Top Sail Court
Naples, FL 34119
Clarification: 10 dollars pays for one child's admission, their snacks, and their part of the "bus fee." Thank you!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
$10 for a Cause
Okay, so I hate to sound desperate. But, here's the deal.
The first grade teachers and I are taking our students to see "The Polar Express" next Wednesday. The catch is that we have to have loads of lesson plans surrounding the trip and we have to pay for it. That means 450 dollars for 3 buses, packing our own lunches, and paying a $6.00 admission fee for each child (117 of them).
I normally don't support the whole "Santa Claus" thing a whole lot, but I've been stressing to my students that it's important to BELIEVE in something. Most of these children have very little. 2 of my 17 students have been to a movie theater and the other 15 have not. I promise it is a learning experience for them as they have very little experiences, and it is very special to them, and it will make their Christmas one to remember.
Therefore, if you can send ten dollars, or anything you feel obliged to, please do. Anything left over I will use for books for my classroom.
It's just ten dollars! Ten dollars will send one student, pay for their part of the bus, and pay for a lunch. Maybe even some popcorn :)
Thank you, and Merry Christmas!!!!
The first grade teachers and I are taking our students to see "The Polar Express" next Wednesday. The catch is that we have to have loads of lesson plans surrounding the trip and we have to pay for it. That means 450 dollars for 3 buses, packing our own lunches, and paying a $6.00 admission fee for each child (117 of them).
I normally don't support the whole "Santa Claus" thing a whole lot, but I've been stressing to my students that it's important to BELIEVE in something. Most of these children have very little. 2 of my 17 students have been to a movie theater and the other 15 have not. I promise it is a learning experience for them as they have very little experiences, and it is very special to them, and it will make their Christmas one to remember.
Therefore, if you can send ten dollars, or anything you feel obliged to, please do. Anything left over I will use for books for my classroom.
It's just ten dollars! Ten dollars will send one student, pay for their part of the bus, and pay for a lunch. Maybe even some popcorn :)
Thank you, and Merry Christmas!!!!
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
I feel...
...confused.
...like I might be getting sick.
...exhausted.
...annoyed by my students.
...angry that I can't afford an apartment.
...angry that I will rent an apartment anyway and then I will be poor.
...angry that I did "everything right" (college, waited for marriage/kids, etc.) and I am still a middle class citizen that doesn't qualify for anything, get any special rewards, and therefore I've ended up as probably the most unfortunate class in America.
...angry that my lower-level poverty children are asked all the time to donate money to kids stricken by the hurricane when my students don't have clothes to wear or books to read, either.
But...goodness how thankful I am, still, anyway, despite all that. But it still bothers me sometimes :)
...like I might be getting sick.
...exhausted.
...annoyed by my students.
...angry that I can't afford an apartment.
...angry that I will rent an apartment anyway and then I will be poor.
...angry that I did "everything right" (college, waited for marriage/kids, etc.) and I am still a middle class citizen that doesn't qualify for anything, get any special rewards, and therefore I've ended up as probably the most unfortunate class in America.
...angry that my lower-level poverty children are asked all the time to donate money to kids stricken by the hurricane when my students don't have clothes to wear or books to read, either.
But...goodness how thankful I am, still, anyway, despite all that. But it still bothers me sometimes :)
I feel...
...confused.
...like I might be getting sick.
...exhausted.
...annoyed by my students.
...angry that I can't afford an apartment.
...angry that I will rent an apartment anyway and then I will be poor.
...angry that I did "everything right" (college, waited for marriage/kids, etc.) and I am still a middle class citizen that doesn't qualify for anything, get any special rewards, and therefore I've ended up as probably the most unfortunate class in America.
...angry that my lower-level poverty children are asked all the time to donate money to kids stricken by the hurricane when my students don't have clothes to wear or books to read, either.
But...goodness how thankful I am, still, anyway, despite all that. But it still bothers me sometimes :)
...like I might be getting sick.
...exhausted.
...annoyed by my students.
...angry that I can't afford an apartment.
...angry that I will rent an apartment anyway and then I will be poor.
...angry that I did "everything right" (college, waited for marriage/kids, etc.) and I am still a middle class citizen that doesn't qualify for anything, get any special rewards, and therefore I've ended up as probably the most unfortunate class in America.
...angry that my lower-level poverty children are asked all the time to donate money to kids stricken by the hurricane when my students don't have clothes to wear or books to read, either.
But...goodness how thankful I am, still, anyway, despite all that. But it still bothers me sometimes :)
Monday, December 06, 2004
Florida Christmas
Wow, do Florida people ever go all out for Christmas! They even have festivals with outdoor snow. What fun :)
It is certainly an experience to go Christmas shopping and have the complaint that "it's too hot to be carrying all these bags around!" After saying that I immediately realized that normally, I would be in Ohio with a huge bulky winter coat and where, oh where, do you put those things when you're on an all day shopping trip at the mall? I think I usually left it in the car and ran into the mall and out again.
And when I do have to run, thank goodness I don't have to watch out for ice, snowpiles that are deeper than they look, and slush-puddles that have more slush that I bargained for.
I don't miss the snow, and I feel like it is "Christmasy" here because shwew, people are crazy about their decorations. Considering a majority of Naples people (Naplinians?) are from "up north," they try to make up for lack of snow with not only lights and blow up snowmen, not just lit up reindeer and wreaths, but serious winter wonderlands in almost every yard. People totally redecorate inside their homes as well.
Lit up palm trees are pretty cool, too.
It is certainly an experience to go Christmas shopping and have the complaint that "it's too hot to be carrying all these bags around!" After saying that I immediately realized that normally, I would be in Ohio with a huge bulky winter coat and where, oh where, do you put those things when you're on an all day shopping trip at the mall? I think I usually left it in the car and ran into the mall and out again.
And when I do have to run, thank goodness I don't have to watch out for ice, snowpiles that are deeper than they look, and slush-puddles that have more slush that I bargained for.
I don't miss the snow, and I feel like it is "Christmasy" here because shwew, people are crazy about their decorations. Considering a majority of Naples people (Naplinians?) are from "up north," they try to make up for lack of snow with not only lights and blow up snowmen, not just lit up reindeer and wreaths, but serious winter wonderlands in almost every yard. People totally redecorate inside their homes as well.
Lit up palm trees are pretty cool, too.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Check it out...
Building 429's newest cd is way cool. I highly suggest it to anyone. I LOVE this song:
Above it All
Oh I'm waiting for the answer to the question in my soul
Lord why did you lead me here?
I take a look around and a desperate world surrounds me
I know I'm not of this place, but its here and in my face
All that I am wants to run
God I feel hopeless and undone
Lift me up above it all
I'm feeling broken and alone
Don't let me turn to stone
Lift my heart above it all
I've lost my hope tonight
And I'm praying for the strength to carry on
Lord lift me above it all
Now I'm waiting for a glimpse of hope in an eye
But a flash of sunlight shows a faded gray
Cause these streets are hard and cold
And the alleys burn like coal with a stench of helplessness
And all the life that's been misspent
And all that I am wants to run
God I feel helpless and undone
Maybe I'm not supposed to fly
Maybe you want me here tonight
To lift them up above it all
When they're broken and alone
Don't let me turn to stone
Lift them up above it all
Cause they cannot stand alone
And they're praying for the strength to carry on
Lift us up above it all
When we're broken and alone
Don't let us turn to stone
Lift us up above it all
Because we cannot stand alone
And we're praying for the strength to carry on
Lord, will you lift us up above it all?
Above it All
Oh I'm waiting for the answer to the question in my soul
Lord why did you lead me here?
I take a look around and a desperate world surrounds me
I know I'm not of this place, but its here and in my face
All that I am wants to run
God I feel hopeless and undone
Lift me up above it all
I'm feeling broken and alone
Don't let me turn to stone
Lift my heart above it all
I've lost my hope tonight
And I'm praying for the strength to carry on
Lord lift me above it all
Now I'm waiting for a glimpse of hope in an eye
But a flash of sunlight shows a faded gray
Cause these streets are hard and cold
And the alleys burn like coal with a stench of helplessness
And all the life that's been misspent
And all that I am wants to run
God I feel helpless and undone
Maybe I'm not supposed to fly
Maybe you want me here tonight
To lift them up above it all
When they're broken and alone
Don't let me turn to stone
Lift them up above it all
Cause they cannot stand alone
And they're praying for the strength to carry on
Lift us up above it all
When we're broken and alone
Don't let us turn to stone
Lift us up above it all
Because we cannot stand alone
And we're praying for the strength to carry on
Lord, will you lift us up above it all?
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
I Hear Bells!
Wedding bells, that is! As if everyone doesn't always know, that would be the wedding bells of Timothy Marquis and Lindsay Mast, two of the very best people in the entire world :) And guess who has the honor of being maid of honor?
Why yes, that would be me!
Yikes! Grown up reality real world hits once again. Shoot. Maybe I'll get downgraded to flower girl. Then all I have to be in charge of is rose petals...not a wedding band (Tim would never let me live it down if I lost it), a wedding toast (I'll say something that I'll get made fun of for my entire life, I'm sure of it), and keeping Lindsay sane (she's going to be a basketcase)! Not to mention bridal showers, receptions and bachelorette parties!!!!
Yay! I've already started planning. I have such great ideas. I'm sooooo excited! The other bridesmaids and I will have to get into a private chatroom...considering some are in Ohio, Kendra's in Japan, and I'm in Florida :)
So I was reading all these cool ideas that overachieving maids of honor do and some of them included making slideshows, scrapbooks, etc. and it made me think of all the millions of Lighthouse and Muskie pictures we have of us girls, us girls and guys, the guys, and so many good times.
One year ago we wondered what it would be like to be where we are now, another one of us being married off. It makes me think of Tim when I first knew him. It makes me think of Lindsay's daddy giving her away. It makes me think of Lindsay and I lying on her bottom bunk crying and laughing together.
And now we are all over the country, all over the world, and I'm sitting in front of the computer, alone, wondering if maybe one last time, God would let me look behind me, and there would be Lindsay, at her computer, writing lesson plans for Ed. 330.
Remember how cold our floors were then? Remember how guys used to shout up at our windows, "Hey Lighthouse!" Remember how we'd get up to go to the bathroom, only to find that someone else had just gone in? If I could spend one more day in that house with those five girls, I would in a heartbeat.
But...I am glad where I am today, and I'm glad that Lindsay is where she is. I think we all chose the right paths, and we all did turn out pretty darn well.
Why yes, that would be me!
Yikes! Grown up reality real world hits once again. Shoot. Maybe I'll get downgraded to flower girl. Then all I have to be in charge of is rose petals...not a wedding band (Tim would never let me live it down if I lost it), a wedding toast (I'll say something that I'll get made fun of for my entire life, I'm sure of it), and keeping Lindsay sane (she's going to be a basketcase)! Not to mention bridal showers, receptions and bachelorette parties!!!!
Yay! I've already started planning. I have such great ideas. I'm sooooo excited! The other bridesmaids and I will have to get into a private chatroom...considering some are in Ohio, Kendra's in Japan, and I'm in Florida :)
So I was reading all these cool ideas that overachieving maids of honor do and some of them included making slideshows, scrapbooks, etc. and it made me think of all the millions of Lighthouse and Muskie pictures we have of us girls, us girls and guys, the guys, and so many good times.
One year ago we wondered what it would be like to be where we are now, another one of us being married off. It makes me think of Tim when I first knew him. It makes me think of Lindsay's daddy giving her away. It makes me think of Lindsay and I lying on her bottom bunk crying and laughing together.
And now we are all over the country, all over the world, and I'm sitting in front of the computer, alone, wondering if maybe one last time, God would let me look behind me, and there would be Lindsay, at her computer, writing lesson plans for Ed. 330.
Remember how cold our floors were then? Remember how guys used to shout up at our windows, "Hey Lighthouse!" Remember how we'd get up to go to the bathroom, only to find that someone else had just gone in? If I could spend one more day in that house with those five girls, I would in a heartbeat.
But...I am glad where I am today, and I'm glad that Lindsay is where she is. I think we all chose the right paths, and we all did turn out pretty darn well.
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
Boring Life :)
I haven't been trying to ignore you all or anything, but I just haven't had anything interesting happening. For example, here are the burning questions in my life:
How will I implement Spalding Phonics into my curriculum and when will I have time for Shared Reading?
What will I make for Thanksgiving dinner?
Where is there a store down here that sells chocolate merckens and turkey cookie cutters? Christmas cookie cutters?
Should I start reading a book or get another audiobook from the library?
What book of my Bible should I read next?
What will my doctor be like? Will I have time that day to go to the bank for once? Should I get a car loan from my bank that has a lower interest rate? Well, of course, right?
How am I going to get my Ohio stuff down here when John and I get our own place?
See, I bet you didn't even read all of that it's so boring!
How will I implement Spalding Phonics into my curriculum and when will I have time for Shared Reading?
What will I make for Thanksgiving dinner?
Where is there a store down here that sells chocolate merckens and turkey cookie cutters? Christmas cookie cutters?
Should I start reading a book or get another audiobook from the library?
What book of my Bible should I read next?
What will my doctor be like? Will I have time that day to go to the bank for once? Should I get a car loan from my bank that has a lower interest rate? Well, of course, right?
How am I going to get my Ohio stuff down here when John and I get our own place?
See, I bet you didn't even read all of that it's so boring!
Thursday, November 18, 2004
Gracias!
The bell rings.
The children scatter
With their paper hats
And bread crumb boogers.
Today they made butter
For real. They were pilgrims
For make-believe.
Now they are excited for the holiday
Of Thanksgiving.
They will fight with football
For attention from their fathers.
They will eat tamales and torticas.
Perhaps a bit of turkey.
What is a sweet potato? They ask
And laugh when I try to say
“Gracias.”
The children scatter
With their paper hats
And bread crumb boogers.
Today they made butter
For real. They were pilgrims
For make-believe.
Now they are excited for the holiday
Of Thanksgiving.
They will fight with football
For attention from their fathers.
They will eat tamales and torticas.
Perhaps a bit of turkey.
What is a sweet potato? They ask
And laugh when I try to say
“Gracias.”
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Bragger Blogger!
Well Ohio friends, I hope you're having fun up there, because tomorrow I'm going to the beach! The weather is SO WONDERFUL here! Yay!
Friday, November 12, 2004
They're Back!
After four days of disaster, my angelic students are back to normal. Welcome back, class!
I started Spalding Phonics today. It was fun! It's really cool, too. All of you teacher friends (K-3) should definitely suggest it to your school. SERIOUSLY.
Okay, so things are great again and I'm happy. Funny how kids can control your feelings that way!
And, until another day...
"There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed.
Some forever not for better,
Some have gone and some remain.
All these places have their moments.
With lovers and friends I still can recall,
Some are dead and some are living,
In my life I've loved them all.
But of all these friends and lovers,
There is no one compares with you.
And these memories lose their meaning,
When I think of love as something new.
Though I know I'll never lose affection,
For people and things that went before.
I know I'll often stop and think about them,
In my life I love you more."
-The Beatles
I started Spalding Phonics today. It was fun! It's really cool, too. All of you teacher friends (K-3) should definitely suggest it to your school. SERIOUSLY.
Okay, so things are great again and I'm happy. Funny how kids can control your feelings that way!
And, until another day...
"There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed.
Some forever not for better,
Some have gone and some remain.
All these places have their moments.
With lovers and friends I still can recall,
Some are dead and some are living,
In my life I've loved them all.
But of all these friends and lovers,
There is no one compares with you.
And these memories lose their meaning,
When I think of love as something new.
Though I know I'll never lose affection,
For people and things that went before.
I know I'll often stop and think about them,
In my life I love you more."
-The Beatles
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
Teachers can be so stupid...
...imbecilic, or whatever you want to call it, it all means the same thing. Honestly, so far all I’ve learned about teachers in my four years of college and four months of teaching is that they are petty, gossiping, stressed, and psychotic beings who need to have everything spelled out for them.
The 40 and 50 year old teachers on my team don’t know how to write lesson plans, are flabbergasted at how in the world to teach phonics, blah blah blah…mostly because they take their jobs way too seriously. Or maybe they have very low confidence in themselves. I mean, if you can’t write a lesson plan just the way the principal wants it, who the heck cares? What’s the worst thing that could happen? Could your six year old student say, “Miss, this lesson is unacceptable! You’re fired!”
If teachers would just be quiet and get things done maybe they wouldn’t be so stressed out. And look at me! Stressed out and complaining about it online.
Well, teachers are hypocrites too then, I suppose. J
The 40 and 50 year old teachers on my team don’t know how to write lesson plans, are flabbergasted at how in the world to teach phonics, blah blah blah…mostly because they take their jobs way too seriously. Or maybe they have very low confidence in themselves. I mean, if you can’t write a lesson plan just the way the principal wants it, who the heck cares? What’s the worst thing that could happen? Could your six year old student say, “Miss, this lesson is unacceptable! You’re fired!”
If teachers would just be quiet and get things done maybe they wouldn’t be so stressed out. And look at me! Stressed out and complaining about it online.
Well, teachers are hypocrites too then, I suppose. J
Saturday, November 06, 2004
Yay!
Three cheers! The Third Day/Toby Mac concert was way awesome. I missed KENDRA though because she would have danced with me! John would hardly even wave his hands in the air. Lol. They even played "Play that Funky Music, White Boy." Cool. :)
For my birthday I got diamond earrings and a diamond necklace and a George Foreman grill and a toaster and a new outfit from the Gap and a card making kit...and three birthday cakes!
For my birthday I got diamond earrings and a diamond necklace and a George Foreman grill and a toaster and a new outfit from the Gap and a card making kit...and three birthday cakes!
Thursday, November 04, 2004
Thanks, Mom
Today is my birthday and I would just like to thank my mommy for making the 23 years of my life absolutely wonderful. I wouldn't be who I am, what I am, or doing what I'm doing if it weren't for you. I wouldn't be this happy :) You give me just the right amount of support to give me courage to explore new things, and the right amount of love to never drift away from you. I love you, Mom, and today I celebrate you!
Monday, November 01, 2004
Well Then!
I am Girl Next Door Click on the picture below to read more:
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Sunday, October 31, 2004
Happy Halloween!
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!
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!
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 :)
Monday, September 27, 2004
Straight off the Bookshelf, I Swear
Painted Princes
Icy sparks slide down my face
As I remember them and that grin
He wore so proudly and so fake.
Never trust faith’s fortune
Especially the kind that passes
Through twilight skies, so real.
Stop trying to catch it.
Deny his prophecies and your intellect,
Interrupt his laughter with screams.
Painted princes cast stones on the lowly,
Broadcasting their splendor
After showering their loves with roses, lilacs, champagne.
The dreams we illustrate
Are plastic mugs of milk compared
To the moons we have in store.
Painted princes never satisfy.
He’ll melt in the heat of the day.
Like all the thieves before.
Icy sparks slide down my face
As I remember them and that grin
He wore so proudly and so fake.
Never trust faith’s fortune
Especially the kind that passes
Through twilight skies, so real.
Stop trying to catch it.
Deny his prophecies and your intellect,
Interrupt his laughter with screams.
Painted princes cast stones on the lowly,
Broadcasting their splendor
After showering their loves with roses, lilacs, champagne.
The dreams we illustrate
Are plastic mugs of milk compared
To the moons we have in store.
Painted princes never satisfy.
He’ll melt in the heat of the day.
Like all the thieves before.
Friday, September 24, 2004
Growly Teachers!
I growled at my students today. Seriously. I made claws with my fingers and went "grrrr!" They were just being so dumb today. Now of course I did not say dumb. But really, people. Come on.
One of the top three most intelligent girls asked me when she got her math worksheet..."Do we put our names on it?" Duh! What do we do EVERYDAY? Hello. I just looked at her and said "What?!"
This other kid asked me, "Can I have some money?" Um....NO! My response to that question was, "Why would you ask something like that? That is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?" I mean, they ALL get free lunch, so it's not like they are starving or anything. Greedy. One of the other kids said, "That's greedy!" Thank you Joy Cowley for all those Greedy Cat books. Now my kids know what greedy means.
"Miss, can we watch tv?" What???!!! What the heck are these kids thinking and why do they ask stupid, stupid questions like that just to ask, just to talk? Grrr!
They asked SO many questions today that at the end of the day I just said "Give me TWO minutes! Two minutes without any questions!"
And then two of the boys were sexually harassing one of the little girls! Blowing her kisses! What sickos :-p The poor little girl told them to stop and they wouldn't and she sits right in between them...and I know that she has abuse in her past. I just wanted to arrest them. :) Okay, maybe not really. But I was really upset that they made her feel that way.
And WHERE the heck am I supposed to put the trouble maker in my class? No matter who he sits by, he gets them in trouble! Poor Amy. Dear sweet Amy that never does anything wrong got on yellow yesterday :-( I felt so bad for her. And it was all Tony's fault, the little punk. So Amy didn't get a Fun Friday and she deserves it more than anyone for sure. Sigh. Teachers aren't fair, are they?
One of the top three most intelligent girls asked me when she got her math worksheet..."Do we put our names on it?" Duh! What do we do EVERYDAY? Hello. I just looked at her and said "What?!"
This other kid asked me, "Can I have some money?" Um....NO! My response to that question was, "Why would you ask something like that? That is a bit inappropriate, don't you think?" I mean, they ALL get free lunch, so it's not like they are starving or anything. Greedy. One of the other kids said, "That's greedy!" Thank you Joy Cowley for all those Greedy Cat books. Now my kids know what greedy means.
"Miss, can we watch tv?" What???!!! What the heck are these kids thinking and why do they ask stupid, stupid questions like that just to ask, just to talk? Grrr!
They asked SO many questions today that at the end of the day I just said "Give me TWO minutes! Two minutes without any questions!"
And then two of the boys were sexually harassing one of the little girls! Blowing her kisses! What sickos :-p The poor little girl told them to stop and they wouldn't and she sits right in between them...and I know that she has abuse in her past. I just wanted to arrest them. :) Okay, maybe not really. But I was really upset that they made her feel that way.
And WHERE the heck am I supposed to put the trouble maker in my class? No matter who he sits by, he gets them in trouble! Poor Amy. Dear sweet Amy that never does anything wrong got on yellow yesterday :-( I felt so bad for her. And it was all Tony's fault, the little punk. So Amy didn't get a Fun Friday and she deserves it more than anyone for sure. Sigh. Teachers aren't fair, are they?
Monday, September 20, 2004
Pocket Charts are Expensive
I bought a new pocket chart so that I could introduce our pocket chart workstation. Well, I didn't realize it but the 60 dollar pocket chart I bought is like gigantic, so I don't think I can even use it...at least not yet. And where the h-e-double K could I put it anyway in that teeny tiny classroom that is covered in windows?
TOMORROW interims go home and THEN we have Open House. How appropriate, right? Not so much. I'll just have a bunch of p-o'd parents wanting to chat in Spanish. No way Joses! Me no hable.
The first person who tells me how to say "YOUR SON IS SLOW!" in Spanish wins a prize :)
Oh come on. I was just kidding :)
TOMORROW interims go home and THEN we have Open House. How appropriate, right? Not so much. I'll just have a bunch of p-o'd parents wanting to chat in Spanish. No way Joses! Me no hable.
The first person who tells me how to say "YOUR SON IS SLOW!" in Spanish wins a prize :)
Oh come on. I was just kidding :)
Sunday, September 19, 2004
PA-Rrrrraze the Loooowd!
We found a good church! I think it's just about perfect for us. I love it. I am so happy. Happy, I tell you. I want to go live there, where people are happy and where people love God. Do you know, do you have ANY idea how refreshing that is after practically a year of spiritual deadness around me, after being surrounded by nothing but spiritual alive-ness for 6 years? Oh God, it's so good. We went to service, Sunday school, and then I went out to eat with some of the people while John went off to work because honestly, I never wanted to leave.
Is it possible that I could soon have FRIENDS?! Friends who actually love Jesus that I can SEE face to face? Ah! It seems too good to be true. I guess I shouldn't get TOO excited or my new "friends" will be like, "Whoa, this girl is psychotic!" But hello! I was starting to die down here!
The bad news? I think I've lost my Bible! This is an absolutely terrible, horrific, unimaginable thing. It has every verse that has been important to me for the past 5 years highlighted. It has notes in it, memory verses, commitments, prayers, and it's the Bible I read cover to cover my Junior year...so it's important to me. Has anyone seen it?
Is it possible that I could soon have FRIENDS?! Friends who actually love Jesus that I can SEE face to face? Ah! It seems too good to be true. I guess I shouldn't get TOO excited or my new "friends" will be like, "Whoa, this girl is psychotic!" But hello! I was starting to die down here!
The bad news? I think I've lost my Bible! This is an absolutely terrible, horrific, unimaginable thing. It has every verse that has been important to me for the past 5 years highlighted. It has notes in it, memory verses, commitments, prayers, and it's the Bible I read cover to cover my Junior year...so it's important to me. Has anyone seen it?
Friday, September 17, 2004
I Am No Longer...
...an audio book virgin! I am on my final chapters of the book, "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles. It is an interesting experience, listening to audio books. I decided to do it because I was tired of "wasting time" driving for an hour and 20 minutes everyday. I can't believe I'm almost done with the book already. I had no idea it would go so fast.
But the thing is, I'm not sure if I like "A Separate Peace" or not. The guy who reads it on the CD is a quack. I mean, he reads the voices all wrong. I can't picture Phineas the way I want to picture Phineas because the reader man makes his voice sound like a dazed and confused Kurt Kobain. The flowery language is soooo boring when it's spoken but I think it'd be better if it was read--I sort of feel like I'm cheating myself, robbing myself of the book's best qualities, which must be underlying humor as well as sadness and betrayal along with outstanding language. Well anyway, I don't really recommend the book--especially not to you, Mom.
MY JOB
My job is hell on earth. I am not kidding you. It is so hard. Not the teaching part, not the kids part, not the discipline, not the classroom management, no none of that. I'm not sure even what to say IS hard about it...oh wait, maybe it's because NO ONE TELLS ME ANYTHING! I found out today that interims were due today. I thought they were due on Tuesday because that's what I was told previously. Whatever. They'll get them on Tuesday.
So today I was at work until 6:30 and tomorrow (Saturday, right?) I get to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn and go to a CLASS for eight hours.
But the worst part is my mommy isn't here to make me feel better, and my mommy isn't here to say "Just sit down and relax." And she would get me what I wanted without even realizing she was doing anything for me, and if I did something stupid like accidentally leave a light on, she wouldn't care at all. AND MAYBE if life was like that here I wouldn't be so stressed out. Maybe.
To add to my problems, two hurricanes are on the way. Ha!
But the thing is, I'm not sure if I like "A Separate Peace" or not. The guy who reads it on the CD is a quack. I mean, he reads the voices all wrong. I can't picture Phineas the way I want to picture Phineas because the reader man makes his voice sound like a dazed and confused Kurt Kobain. The flowery language is soooo boring when it's spoken but I think it'd be better if it was read--I sort of feel like I'm cheating myself, robbing myself of the book's best qualities, which must be underlying humor as well as sadness and betrayal along with outstanding language. Well anyway, I don't really recommend the book--especially not to you, Mom.
MY JOB
My job is hell on earth. I am not kidding you. It is so hard. Not the teaching part, not the kids part, not the discipline, not the classroom management, no none of that. I'm not sure even what to say IS hard about it...oh wait, maybe it's because NO ONE TELLS ME ANYTHING! I found out today that interims were due today. I thought they were due on Tuesday because that's what I was told previously. Whatever. They'll get them on Tuesday.
So today I was at work until 6:30 and tomorrow (Saturday, right?) I get to wake up at the buttcrack of dawn and go to a CLASS for eight hours.
But the worst part is my mommy isn't here to make me feel better, and my mommy isn't here to say "Just sit down and relax." And she would get me what I wanted without even realizing she was doing anything for me, and if I did something stupid like accidentally leave a light on, she wouldn't care at all. AND MAYBE if life was like that here I wouldn't be so stressed out. Maybe.
To add to my problems, two hurricanes are on the way. Ha!
Sunday, September 12, 2004
I Love Disney World!
We decided to stay in Orlando because the hurricane is now headed straight for Georgia. We are right next to Disney World, so wouldn't it be great to go to Epcot while I am here, buy my "season's tickets" for the whole year? But John was too tired so we didn't. :-( Now I get to sit around and take cat naps.
Well, I am going to go back to pouting now.
Well, I am going to go back to pouting now.
Saturday, September 11, 2004
Down in Georgia, Pickin' Them Peaches...
Do any of you know that song?
Well, that's where we're going--Georgia. Augusta to be exact. We tried to get a more exciting place but the hotels were booked. Florida residents are flying north. We don't know for sure (of course) if it's coming for us now because it looks like it's definitely going towards the panhandle.
We're leaving in a few hours. You can reach me on my cell phone if you need me (330) 343-3877. Our windows are all boarded up and I have almost all my clothes packed and my valuables and my important documents. What a pain...now I'll have to unpack it all eventually. Sigh :) We took pictures of other valuables that we can't take and recorded their serial numbers (John's bike, tvs, dvd players, stereos, etc.) and took a video of the house.
We're going to Orlando tonight to stay over with John's aunt and uncle and cousins...they are awesome, awesome people and I'm really excited.
So I guess we could use a lot of prayer--mostly that people stay sane and don't do stupid things, because that seems to kill more people than does a hurricane.
Peeing Pants Reply to Alison: Hehehe. This little girl was hilarious when she peed her pants. She wasn't embarassed at all. She just smiled and announced to the class, "I just couldn't hold it! So I had a little accident!" And some of the other kids just smiled and said, "That's okay!" And then the little class clown chimes in, "Yeah, we don't care if you peed your pants!" And all the kids laughed, including Beth (the peed pants girl) as she walked out the door. I sent her to the clinic with another student. The clinic gave her another set of clothes. Problem solved :) No biggie.
I have another girl in my class that pees her pants nearly every day, but her adoptive mom works there so she always has another set of clothes at school.
Well, that's where we're going--Georgia. Augusta to be exact. We tried to get a more exciting place but the hotels were booked. Florida residents are flying north. We don't know for sure (of course) if it's coming for us now because it looks like it's definitely going towards the panhandle.
We're leaving in a few hours. You can reach me on my cell phone if you need me (330) 343-3877. Our windows are all boarded up and I have almost all my clothes packed and my valuables and my important documents. What a pain...now I'll have to unpack it all eventually. Sigh :) We took pictures of other valuables that we can't take and recorded their serial numbers (John's bike, tvs, dvd players, stereos, etc.) and took a video of the house.
We're going to Orlando tonight to stay over with John's aunt and uncle and cousins...they are awesome, awesome people and I'm really excited.
So I guess we could use a lot of prayer--mostly that people stay sane and don't do stupid things, because that seems to kill more people than does a hurricane.
Peeing Pants Reply to Alison: Hehehe. This little girl was hilarious when she peed her pants. She wasn't embarassed at all. She just smiled and announced to the class, "I just couldn't hold it! So I had a little accident!" And some of the other kids just smiled and said, "That's okay!" And then the little class clown chimes in, "Yeah, we don't care if you peed your pants!" And all the kids laughed, including Beth (the peed pants girl) as she walked out the door. I sent her to the clinic with another student. The clinic gave her another set of clothes. Problem solved :) No biggie.
I have another girl in my class that pees her pants nearly every day, but her adoptive mom works there so she always has another set of clothes at school.
Down in Georgia, Pickin' Them Peaches...
Do any of you know that song?
Well, that's where we're going--Georgia. Augusta to be exact. We tried to get a more exciting place but the hotels were booked. Florida residents are flying north. We don't know for sure (of course) if it's coming for us now because it looks like it's definitely going towards the panhandle.
We're leaving in a few hours. You can reach me on my cell phone if you need me (330) 343-3877. Our windows are all boarded up and I have almost all my clothes packed and my valuables and my important documents. What a pain...now I'll have to unpack it all eventually. Sigh :) We took pictures of other valuables that we can't take and recorded their serial numbers (John's bike, tvs, dvd players, stereos, etc.) and took a video of the house.
We're going to Orlando tonight to stay over with John's aunt and uncle and cousins...they are awesome, awesome people and I'm really excited.
So I guess we could use a lot of prayer--mostly that people stay sane and don't do stupid things, because that seems to kill more people than does a hurricane.
Peeing Pants Reply to Alison: Hehehe. This little girl was hilarious when she peed her pants. She wasn't embarassed at all. She just smiled and announced to the class, "I just couldn't hold it! So I had a little accident!" And some of the other kids just smiled and said, "That's okay!" And then the little class clown chimes in, "Yeah, we don't care if you peed your pants!" And all the kids laughed, including Beth (the peed pants girl) as she walked out the door. I sent her to the clinic with another student. The clinic gave her another set of clothes. Problem solved :) No biggie.
I have another girl in my class that pees her pants nearly every day, but her adoptive mom works there so she always has another set of clothes at school.
Well, that's where we're going--Georgia. Augusta to be exact. We tried to get a more exciting place but the hotels were booked. Florida residents are flying north. We don't know for sure (of course) if it's coming for us now because it looks like it's definitely going towards the panhandle.
We're leaving in a few hours. You can reach me on my cell phone if you need me (330) 343-3877. Our windows are all boarded up and I have almost all my clothes packed and my valuables and my important documents. What a pain...now I'll have to unpack it all eventually. Sigh :) We took pictures of other valuables that we can't take and recorded their serial numbers (John's bike, tvs, dvd players, stereos, etc.) and took a video of the house.
We're going to Orlando tonight to stay over with John's aunt and uncle and cousins...they are awesome, awesome people and I'm really excited.
So I guess we could use a lot of prayer--mostly that people stay sane and don't do stupid things, because that seems to kill more people than does a hurricane.
Peeing Pants Reply to Alison: Hehehe. This little girl was hilarious when she peed her pants. She wasn't embarassed at all. She just smiled and announced to the class, "I just couldn't hold it! So I had a little accident!" And some of the other kids just smiled and said, "That's okay!" And then the little class clown chimes in, "Yeah, we don't care if you peed your pants!" And all the kids laughed, including Beth (the peed pants girl) as she walked out the door. I sent her to the clinic with another student. The clinic gave her another set of clothes. Problem solved :) No biggie.
I have another girl in my class that pees her pants nearly every day, but her adoptive mom works there so she always has another set of clothes at school.
Friday, September 10, 2004
Not AGAIN!
All right, all right, so Charley was terrible and Frances was worse than just bad...but Ivan could totally be the killer of us all. Everyone here seems to be taking it VERY seriously since those who didn't take Charley seriously learned their lesson...
Even Dave, John's stepdad, was talking about us escaping to North Carolina...and he would even come with us...(he's a water geologist of some sort and so he usually stays for these things) so if he's planning on leaving too, that means he is pee-in-his-pants-skeered which is of course, not very settling to me.
In case you don't know, Naples is the second-most southern county in FL and we are about 20-30 minutes from the coast. Sanibel isn't far at all from us, and it got ransacked by Charley. Right now, Ivan is a category 4 storm...but it could go up or down at the last minute or totally change direction.
And we're not having school Monday.
I'm thankful for the vacation, of course...but come on people, I can't get much at all done in four day weeks! It totally cancels out spelling tests, that's for sure.
I sent a boy to the principal's office today and a little girl peed her pants...how eventful!
AND my principal and these two very important looking people came in my classroom today just as one of my reading groups grabbed "Connect Four" to play during our literacy block. I didn't say anything because they had already started playing and their normal workstation (the classroom library), they had just packed into boxes (because of the hurricane). This is a BIG NO NO. Our literacy block is supposed to be totally uninterrupted literacy time, which as far as I know does not involve Connect Four. I'm waiting to get reamed for that one. Crap crap crap.
It was a HORRIBLE day to visit my classroom because I was sick lastnight and this morning so everything was a mess and just....oh dear....and it wasn't just my principal, it was these two other people that she was probably trying to impress and...
Okay, I'll stop.
:-(
Even Dave, John's stepdad, was talking about us escaping to North Carolina...and he would even come with us...(he's a water geologist of some sort and so he usually stays for these things) so if he's planning on leaving too, that means he is pee-in-his-pants-skeered which is of course, not very settling to me.
In case you don't know, Naples is the second-most southern county in FL and we are about 20-30 minutes from the coast. Sanibel isn't far at all from us, and it got ransacked by Charley. Right now, Ivan is a category 4 storm...but it could go up or down at the last minute or totally change direction.
And we're not having school Monday.
I'm thankful for the vacation, of course...but come on people, I can't get much at all done in four day weeks! It totally cancels out spelling tests, that's for sure.
I sent a boy to the principal's office today and a little girl peed her pants...how eventful!
AND my principal and these two very important looking people came in my classroom today just as one of my reading groups grabbed "Connect Four" to play during our literacy block. I didn't say anything because they had already started playing and their normal workstation (the classroom library), they had just packed into boxes (because of the hurricane). This is a BIG NO NO. Our literacy block is supposed to be totally uninterrupted literacy time, which as far as I know does not involve Connect Four. I'm waiting to get reamed for that one. Crap crap crap.
It was a HORRIBLE day to visit my classroom because I was sick lastnight and this morning so everything was a mess and just....oh dear....and it wasn't just my principal, it was these two other people that she was probably trying to impress and...
Okay, I'll stop.
:-(
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Songs That Take Me Back...
(I stole this idea from Chrystal who got it from Veronica)
Brown Eyed Girl (any version): This makes me think of, what else? ME!
Walkin' on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox: This is the worst song in the entire world. It takes me back to watching VH1 (sometimes even taping it), waiting and waiting for Wilson Phillips and some other sucky artists' videos...and then THIS song would come on and I would SCREAM and turn it. Then I roomed with Lindsay...and she loved this song! ECK!!!!
I'm Pressin' On by Relient K: I rewrote some lyrics to this song and entitled it "I Hope You Die" my junior year of college. :) What a great thing to do to a Christian song................?
Should I Stay or Should I Go? by The Clash?: I remember doing some sort of break dancing to this song when I was about seven... I don't know.
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen: Who doesn't get taken back by this song?
Kokomo by the Beach Boys: This takes me back to the days when my cousin and I would play this song over and over on his Little Tikes tape player and try to memorize the words...and I'd dream of white dresses and honeymoons :)
Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys: This reminds me of my cousin (the same cousin) because I'm pretty sure two of the first words he said were "Ba-ba-ba-ba-barbara ann..."and he and my other cousin and I would jump on the bed as we listened to this Beach Boys record, singing it at the top of our lungs.
Grandma's Feather Bed by John Denver: My weirdo kindergarten teacher made us memorize this song. Can you imagine?
Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi: My aunt loved Bon Jovi and Bruce Springstein. Anyway, she would always listen to this song and I thought it was about Laura Ingalls (I thought it was called "Living on a Prairie").
Barbie Girl by Aqua: I think this song was playing one of the very last times JR had to ever take me to school...when it was uncool to be dropped off by your parents but I couldn't drive yet. It was the first time I'd heard it and I was like, "what...?!"
Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough by Patti Smyth: This is what I cried to over my first heartbreak...in sixth grade...when little Benny broke up with me to go out with the other Amanda in my class. Tear*
The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra: When usually Winey and Jeff would listen to psycho stuff, they bring out this sort of thing. We listened to Frank Sinatra all the way back from Chicago...and I thought about dancing on top of skyscrapers in a red dress as I sat in the back of the car around midnight. *Sigh.*
I'm A Big Girl by Emilia: This was my big time theme song for my dreadful junior/senior year when I was your typical heartbroken, downtrodden mono-ridden, stressed-out 17 year old.
I'm Here Without You...by 3 Doors Down: John gave me this CD and the words to this song really stuck with me when I was thousands of miles away for almost 100 days. "A hundred days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face..."
Cecilia: For some reason me and some of the other Lighthouse girls danced to this song, in a circle, in me and Lindsay's tiny room, for like an hour.
Sex on the Beach: For some other odd reason, Sarah loved this song our freshman year at Muskingum. We were still in awe of fraternities back then :) We grew out of that real fast...because the only "Sex on the Beach" in Muskieland is a drink--and they're too poor to make it...and too ugly/drunk/smelly to do it (apologies to all of you who are over 40 that I just offended). :)
Brown Eyed Girl (any version): This makes me think of, what else? ME!
Walkin' on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox: This is the worst song in the entire world. It takes me back to watching VH1 (sometimes even taping it), waiting and waiting for Wilson Phillips and some other sucky artists' videos...and then THIS song would come on and I would SCREAM and turn it. Then I roomed with Lindsay...and she loved this song! ECK!!!!
I'm Pressin' On by Relient K: I rewrote some lyrics to this song and entitled it "I Hope You Die" my junior year of college. :) What a great thing to do to a Christian song................?
Should I Stay or Should I Go? by The Clash?: I remember doing some sort of break dancing to this song when I was about seven... I don't know.
Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen: Who doesn't get taken back by this song?
Kokomo by the Beach Boys: This takes me back to the days when my cousin and I would play this song over and over on his Little Tikes tape player and try to memorize the words...and I'd dream of white dresses and honeymoons :)
Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys: This reminds me of my cousin (the same cousin) because I'm pretty sure two of the first words he said were "Ba-ba-ba-ba-barbara ann..."and he and my other cousin and I would jump on the bed as we listened to this Beach Boys record, singing it at the top of our lungs.
Grandma's Feather Bed by John Denver: My weirdo kindergarten teacher made us memorize this song. Can you imagine?
Livin' on a Prayer by Bon Jovi: My aunt loved Bon Jovi and Bruce Springstein. Anyway, she would always listen to this song and I thought it was about Laura Ingalls (I thought it was called "Living on a Prairie").
Barbie Girl by Aqua: I think this song was playing one of the very last times JR had to ever take me to school...when it was uncool to be dropped off by your parents but I couldn't drive yet. It was the first time I'd heard it and I was like, "what...?!"
Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough by Patti Smyth: This is what I cried to over my first heartbreak...in sixth grade...when little Benny broke up with me to go out with the other Amanda in my class. Tear*
The Way You Look Tonight by Frank Sinatra: When usually Winey and Jeff would listen to psycho stuff, they bring out this sort of thing. We listened to Frank Sinatra all the way back from Chicago...and I thought about dancing on top of skyscrapers in a red dress as I sat in the back of the car around midnight. *Sigh.*
I'm A Big Girl by Emilia: This was my big time theme song for my dreadful junior/senior year when I was your typical heartbroken, downtrodden mono-ridden, stressed-out 17 year old.
I'm Here Without You...by 3 Doors Down: John gave me this CD and the words to this song really stuck with me when I was thousands of miles away for almost 100 days. "A hundred days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face..."
Cecilia: For some reason me and some of the other Lighthouse girls danced to this song, in a circle, in me and Lindsay's tiny room, for like an hour.
Sex on the Beach: For some other odd reason, Sarah loved this song our freshman year at Muskingum. We were still in awe of fraternities back then :) We grew out of that real fast...because the only "Sex on the Beach" in Muskieland is a drink--and they're too poor to make it...and too ugly/drunk/smelly to do it (apologies to all of you who are over 40 that I just offended). :)
Monday, September 06, 2004
Yummmmmmmy!
I wrote this REALLY long blog yesterday and the power went out and I completely lost it! Arrrgghh. I guess I shouldn't try to post things in the middle of a hurricane.
Oh by the way, Hurricane Ivan is on his way. Joy! He's headed straight for us, I hear. Of course, that was yesterday. Who knows what it's doing now.
My four day weekend is almost over :-( John and I were going to go to the beach but...it's raining. Big surprise. We've been spending more money than we probably should. But after being stuck in the house with 12 people for two days, who can blame us? I took John out to Applebee's (I LOVE Applebee's!!!!!) and then he took me out to Noodles, this Italian restaurant near us. We went with John's brother Mark and his girlfriend, Jen. It was a great time. Then we played two rounds of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Fun game! Then we played 12 rounds of Scattergories! It was nice to hang out with people that don't need help tying their shoes :)
The Italian restuarant was a lot more expensive than we expected but luckily we got there before 6:30, so we got the "Early Bird Specials." I had rack of lamb with grilled veggies over fettucine noodles. Sounds very sophisticated doesn't it? The lamb didn't taste fresh...it had that funny taste to it. Go figure--I guess they don't butcher lambs in the kitchen. What did I expect? New Zealand DID have better quality meat, I'll give them that. But they DID practically butcher their meat out back.
I miss the American restaurant in New Zealand. Isn't that funny? They really did have great nachos. Holly would always get a Corona and I'd get Coke or water (because they don't know what iced tea is in NZ). I also miss the wood oven baked pizzas at this pub in NZ. I am so food oriented! It's crazy. In fact, one of the questions I had to answer lastnight was,
"The perfect first date for me involves..."
a.) great conversation
b.) great food
c.) great sex
Well, I of course chose b, great food. :) On our first date, I had McDonald's at the zoo with John...a grilled chicken sandwich value meal. On our second date, I had lamb kababs at Cafe Istanbul in Easton, and on our third date, I had chicken pot pie at Applebee's. What a strange thing to order. It wasn't very good.
Oh by the way, Hurricane Ivan is on his way. Joy! He's headed straight for us, I hear. Of course, that was yesterday. Who knows what it's doing now.
My four day weekend is almost over :-( John and I were going to go to the beach but...it's raining. Big surprise. We've been spending more money than we probably should. But after being stuck in the house with 12 people for two days, who can blame us? I took John out to Applebee's (I LOVE Applebee's!!!!!) and then he took me out to Noodles, this Italian restaurant near us. We went with John's brother Mark and his girlfriend, Jen. It was a great time. Then we played two rounds of "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus." Fun game! Then we played 12 rounds of Scattergories! It was nice to hang out with people that don't need help tying their shoes :)
The Italian restuarant was a lot more expensive than we expected but luckily we got there before 6:30, so we got the "Early Bird Specials." I had rack of lamb with grilled veggies over fettucine noodles. Sounds very sophisticated doesn't it? The lamb didn't taste fresh...it had that funny taste to it. Go figure--I guess they don't butcher lambs in the kitchen. What did I expect? New Zealand DID have better quality meat, I'll give them that. But they DID practically butcher their meat out back.
I miss the American restaurant in New Zealand. Isn't that funny? They really did have great nachos. Holly would always get a Corona and I'd get Coke or water (because they don't know what iced tea is in NZ). I also miss the wood oven baked pizzas at this pub in NZ. I am so food oriented! It's crazy. In fact, one of the questions I had to answer lastnight was,
"The perfect first date for me involves..."
a.) great conversation
b.) great food
c.) great sex
Well, I of course chose b, great food. :) On our first date, I had McDonald's at the zoo with John...a grilled chicken sandwich value meal. On our second date, I had lamb kababs at Cafe Istanbul in Easton, and on our third date, I had chicken pot pie at Applebee's. What a strange thing to order. It wasn't very good.
Friday, September 03, 2004
I Love Florida
This is a complainblog again. Sorry :)
WHY DO PEOPLE LIVE HERE?
I have no idea. I am wondering the same thing myself. This place totally sucks! What is up with all the stupid hurricanes every flippin other week? Now we have hurricane Frances. So far "HE" (it is a he Frances) has changed direction away from us, but who knows what he will decide to do. Another hurricane has stirred up though, I hear, in the same place Charley came from and should be here by next week. The GOOD part is that I got a day and a half off of school and would have flown straight home to Ohio for my four-day weekend (Labor Day is Monday) if there had been any seats left on the airplanes. Yes, there are thousands of people that live here that are from or have family in Ohio. It's weird. It's like Ohio Part II down here.
I had to put all my books in storage containers in my classroom just in case the windows get blown in. The storage containers are now stored in my classroom's bathroom, so I hope they are safe. I thought about bringing "Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance" home just in case since it IS my most prized possession, but I left it.
Speaking of Frank, I acted out the book for my kids and they really think I am the best teacher in the world now. I did the voices and the dancing and everything. It was great fun.
Teaching is really hard. The planning part anyway. I have to have an hour and a half of uninterrupted language arts time, which has to be before lunch, and I have to try to squeeze math in before lunch too for it to be profitable. I have to do an hour of reading groups and a half hour of our core (basal) program and let me tell you how much our core program sucks. Basals are the worst thing in the world. Thank you Houghton-Mifflin. I left THOSE books out so if Frances floods them away I don't care!
I wish I had time to do a unit on books by Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, and all those other great authors but guess what? I don't because I have to read books like "Nan and Fan" and "Cat Sat on a Mat." How are my kids supposed to learn ANYTHING about comprehension and vocabulary from that moronic crap? Your guess is as good as mine.
Well that's all I have to say for now.
WHY DO PEOPLE LIVE HERE?
I have no idea. I am wondering the same thing myself. This place totally sucks! What is up with all the stupid hurricanes every flippin other week? Now we have hurricane Frances. So far "HE" (it is a he Frances) has changed direction away from us, but who knows what he will decide to do. Another hurricane has stirred up though, I hear, in the same place Charley came from and should be here by next week. The GOOD part is that I got a day and a half off of school and would have flown straight home to Ohio for my four-day weekend (Labor Day is Monday) if there had been any seats left on the airplanes. Yes, there are thousands of people that live here that are from or have family in Ohio. It's weird. It's like Ohio Part II down here.
I had to put all my books in storage containers in my classroom just in case the windows get blown in. The storage containers are now stored in my classroom's bathroom, so I hope they are safe. I thought about bringing "Frank Was a Monster Who Wanted to Dance" home just in case since it IS my most prized possession, but I left it.
Speaking of Frank, I acted out the book for my kids and they really think I am the best teacher in the world now. I did the voices and the dancing and everything. It was great fun.
Teaching is really hard. The planning part anyway. I have to have an hour and a half of uninterrupted language arts time, which has to be before lunch, and I have to try to squeeze math in before lunch too for it to be profitable. I have to do an hour of reading groups and a half hour of our core (basal) program and let me tell you how much our core program sucks. Basals are the worst thing in the world. Thank you Houghton-Mifflin. I left THOSE books out so if Frances floods them away I don't care!
I wish I had time to do a unit on books by Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, and all those other great authors but guess what? I don't because I have to read books like "Nan and Fan" and "Cat Sat on a Mat." How are my kids supposed to learn ANYTHING about comprehension and vocabulary from that moronic crap? Your guess is as good as mine.
Well that's all I have to say for now.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Bragger Blog
I successfully made it to school BEFORE 7 am and I didn't wake up until 5:30.
I got home BEFORE 5:00 and then went and WORKED OUT for an hour!
While I was working out, I read a research article about vocabulary and comprehension.
I cleaned the litter boxes really quickly too. All of that was DONE by 5:45. AND I wrote on my blog! Ha!
What should I make for dinner tomorrow?
I got home BEFORE 5:00 and then went and WORKED OUT for an hour!
While I was working out, I read a research article about vocabulary and comprehension.
I cleaned the litter boxes really quickly too. All of that was DONE by 5:45. AND I wrote on my blog! Ha!
What should I make for dinner tomorrow?
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