Subtle Saturday

Randomization

2009-07-28T09:42:00.002-05:00

Yeah, that's probably not a word, but it sounds good in my head right now. I haven't blogged in a while, been busy. I am currently sweating after hanging a few more things in my classroom while it's hot, hot, hot in heeya; I know, I know, the A/C can't cool this behemoth building in one fail swoop; it takes a bit. Anyway, some thoughts from the past week or so:

- Harry Potter 6 was good, although 4 and 5 are still my favs. The last movie is being split into two...I can see where they'd have to do that; one's tookus can only take so much of theatre sitting.
- A woman paid for my Earl Grey latte (try one) in the Starbucks drive thru yesterday morning. I was giddy; I thought that was super nice, so I paid for the guy behind me...I wonder how long that kept going...Pay It Forward:)
- May, the adopted dog, had to go...to the shelter. I hope she's already been adopted.
- I started reading the book of Joshua last night for several reasons. As I was reading, my notes informed me that Joshua had been Moses' assistant for 40 years...amazing. I knew he was his predecessor, but I didn't understand he'd been around Moses that long. Joshua was an amazing leader, and I think I'll learn a lot from him over the next couple of weeks.
- The story of the mom murdering her baby in San Antonio makes my heart hurt.
- Summer is too short, but I am soooo ready for Fall.
- My little brother is getting married in three weeks.
- I could watch CSI and Law and Order for hours...but I won't.
- "Methland" is an astonishing, realistic view (so far) into the lives of small town Iowans trying to get by.
- My daughter's laugh is my favorite sound in the world.
- I've got to get to work...
- Have a magnificent day:)

WhattaWeek

2009-07-15T20:28:00.003-05:00

If you read my previous posts you'll see that we recently "rescued", or co-rescued a beagle named May. May is quiet, meek, and really very sweet...that is, until I leave the house. I was naive and overly trusting to leave her in the house when I went to have lunch with a friend on Tuesday. I was gone for two hours on. the. dot. I pulled up and from my drive I could see my ravaged curtains in every window in the front of our house. I probably started to hyperventilate. I walked in, and every window that she could get to, minus one very weird and accessible exception, was naked or semi-naked. My curtains lay in tatters, and there was doggy snot on my windows. I was in shock. I put her outside without a word. I was up until 1 this morning hanging (new curtains, that is), sweeping, wiping, etc. I feel bad for May, and in the words of the Dixie Chicks: she just needs "wide open spaces". My home, nor my bank account can afford to take another hit:(

So, get her a crate you say. I did. I put her in it so I could go to Lowe's to purhcase more curtains, rods, panels, etc. When I returned she'd bent the metal frame...how, I don't know. She's almost catatonic when we're home, but her inner Hyde roars her head when we're gone. I've talked to my cousin, who lives on a ranch, about taking her. I hope it works out because this former miniature dachsund household isn't quite equipped for Miss May.

New Family Member...

2009-07-13T19:26:00.003-05:00

Her name is May.

It appears that she was dumped, probably had been hit by a car, but her wounds are healing, and she's healthy and beautiful and as sweet as she can be. Baby Girl loves her, and the hubby will meet her Thursday. I hope her life before us was happy, but with no collar, no search parties, and proof of prolonged wandering, that doesn't seem to be the case. She's happy now:)

P.S. She looks like the Mama pictured above...couldn't get my camera to love my computer tonight:)

Around this Time Every Year...

2009-07-13T19:13:00.003-05:00

I wonder why we still live in Texas.

The temp is stifling-scary-hot, much like it is every day in every part of this wonderful Lone Star State of ours in the months of July, August, September...and the kiddos are still usually sweatin' bullets in their Halloween masks. I'm soooo ready for December:)

With that being said, I'll still be a lifer (unless we experience a deja-vu of the Roman sort) - then we're movin' to New Zealand.

It's Late. I Should Be In Bed.

2009-07-06T23:33:00.003-05:00

But I had to illuminate one more injustice in the world before doing so. Ella picked out some Lucky Charms earlier today. The whole family likes 'em, they were on sale, and what is this?...double the marshmallows?...I'm there!

After dinner Ella had to open the box. I poured some into her bowl and ill will toward the leprechaun immediately started brewing. Suuure, there are twice as many marshmallows...because they cut them all in half!!! They're tiny!! What is that about General Mills?

But I think I've figured it out. Since the unemployment rate is so low, GM, not the car guys, the cereal guys, created new positions...marshamallow halfers/halvers. Who am I to complain?

BTW, if you care one iota; my fav 5 cereal list: What's yours?

5). Lucky Charms
4). Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats
3). Cinnamon Toast Crunch
2). Golden Grahams
1). Fruity Pebbles

Half-Blood Prince

2009-07-06T23:03:00.005-05:00

11 more days until I get to see it. I would have downloaded the trailer, but youtube is being fickle at the moment. Check it out :)

Classless, Tasteless...Heartless

2009-07-06T22:03:00.004-05:00

I got into my car this afternoon, looked to my left, and saw the sticker pictured above on someone's passenger door. If you can't see it clearly, click on the picture; it gets bigger.

It's been bugging me...what did he think as he purchased the sticker, peeled off the back, and stuck it to the passenger door? Most people will automatically judge him and think him to be a person described by the above adjectives. I realize that one who would flaunt this sticker is possibly craving attention, positive or negative, which is sad and pathetic really.

It's not a joke; it's not remotely funny. The very ones this sticker demeans and disrespects are the same ones who have died or are dying and will continue to die in order to provide the freedom it takes to display such vehement crap, for lack of a better word. I cringe to think of a veteran or mother, father, wife, husband, son, daughter, or child of a soldier seeing this sticker. Why add another moment of worry or sadness to their lives? It's not worth what cheap, artificial pleasure the driver receives from people's comments or expressions. To the driver: Grow up. And if you're tired of the supportive, patriotic people in this country, try moving to one of the following: Russia, Venezuela, South Africa, Jamaica, or Colombia. I hear they're really lenient toward opposing opinions.

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

2009-07-06T19:19:00.003-05:00

I was sitting at our public library today, which has undergone awesome renovations in the past year or so; it's quite nice. I have been going in the afternoons to work, in a corner, by myself...I love it.

Today, as I was up to my eyeballs in future lesson plans I overheard a conversation between a pridefully proclaimed 11 year old and her two wide-eyed, eager listening 7 year old audience members. The conversation was rather one-sided; the 7 year olds just oh'd and really'd a lot. Enjoy a snippet:

11 yr old: "I know what the male body looks like. I read Anatomy books when I was 4. I was talking in complete sentences by 1 1/2, and I could read by the time I was 2. I'm what you'd call an 11 year old Einstein."

7 yr olds: [silence]

11 yr old: "My parents are divorced, and I'm glad. They were fighting since I was born. You should hope that your parents get a divorce too."

7 yr olds: "Yeah."

11 yr old: "Are your parents smart?"

7 yr old: "I dunno."

The 11 yr old proceeded to school the younger two in video games, gaming systems, Pokemon, art, graphic novel/comic book animation, book and video game ratings, etc. She informed them to stay away from the graphic novel selection in the library. I'd have to agree; some of them broach very mature subject matter. Whoever her 5th/6th grade teacher is this year...prepare yourself for, what I am sure will be some interesting conversation.

Nick Reding's 'Methland'

2009-07-04T11:24:00.002-05:00

illustration by Henning Wagenbreth

My homepage greeted me with the title and pic above. I was drawn in. After reading the review and a short excerpt I'm heading to B&N.com right now. Do I have a million other things to be reading and working on now?...yes. Does this book look worth an extra week of procrastination of that reading and work?...yes.

For the curious: read the review and the excerpt.

My Fellow Americans...

2009-07-04T11:19:00.002-05:00

May it be sparkly:)

Awww, You Shouldn't Have

2009-06-29T15:42:00.003-05:00

My conservative, Republican step-dad bought my husband, who isn't so sure about his Democrat proclaimed self as of late, this.

Misjudged

2009-06-29T13:51:00.005-05:00

I don't think I've ever fully appreciated the intelligent, independent creature that is Tinker Bell. I always dismissed her as Peter Pan's scantily-clad fairy friend. I've recently been enlightened due to watching the new Tinker Bell movie (with Ella).

Apparently, a fairy is created as a result of a baby's first laugh. "Tink" was born and given the talent of a "tinker"...fairy speak for engineer! The girl is smart! She struggles with her identity throughout the cartoon, trying her hand at more girly careers, but eventually accepts her skills as a tinker.

The cartoon really is sweet, and the animation is beautiful. I've always been an admirer of fairy dust:) If you have little ones, check it out. If not, check it out anyway and just don't tell anyone!!!

P.S. The end of the movie provides Tink's tie to Peter Pan; kinda cool.
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Date Night

2009-06-21T22:32:00.002-05:00

Josh and I ate at P.F. Chang's Saturday night...first time there...pretty good. Truluck's is still my favorite dining experience in DFW...so far.

We contemplated Avanti as our restaurant of choice last night...anyone been there?

After dinner we went to see Star Trek. Eehhh, it was alright. I'm not a trekky, but my husband kinda is, so he got a few "inside jokes", but even he made fun of the guy in front of us that laughed a bit too heartily at a few not so funny moments. At least it was short. We both agreed we should've seen Pelham 123.
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Pseudo-Sappiness Alert:
The hubs and I always have excellent conversation, and I mentioned to him last night that if we ever became that couple that sits and stares off into space, showing no sign of life until the food arrives, then that will be the time we "hang it up", we'll be "done", it's "el fin". I don't see it happenin'. I love that guy.

Crazy Car Ride

2009-06-21T22:22:00.003-05:00

On the way home from Ft. Worth late Saturday afternoon my husband and I witnessed the rolling wreck of the red Chevy Cobalt as seen on BG's blog. It happened so fast, but at the same time seemed to happen in slow motion. The car started to smoke, but people still ran to it. So many pulled over, had their cellphones out, and the ambulance was barelling down the road within minutes.

Our world can be crazy, but I think when it comes down to it, we all instinctively care for our fellow man in time of crisis. If only we could lend that same helping hand or those life encouraging words just because, without the crisis...ya know, to a stranger, a co-worker, or family member. It's not an original sentiment but one I sometimes need to be reminded of.

Let's Talk About...

2009-06-21T22:17:00.003-05:00

literature. Yep, that's what I'll be doing for 7 hours each day this week as I attend TCU's annual Advanced Placement Summer Institute. The mommy side of me is going to miss my Ella Bear since we've been spending every day together since summer break, but I think she really does miss her daycare buds. The teacher-bookworm-nerd side of me can't wait:)

You'd Think...

2009-06-16T21:22:00.003-05:00

that a Dish Network technician would know where to install a satellite so as not to receive signal interference from a half dozen trees beside my house, you know, once the leaves grew. They're sending someone out tomorrow to move it. I think I may try hitting them up for the Noggin channel as a result of their previous "Duh"ness. If it ends up looking like a weather vane on my house, though, I'm getting Time Warner.

Starting This Tonight...

2009-06-15T22:03:00.002-05:00

...and NOT because Oprah said so.

Sent Scents that make Sense

2009-06-15T21:31:00.003-05:00

Beall's sent out a mailing to advertise for Father's Day, and an ingenius marketing ploy was tucked inside the magazine of overpriced Dad doo-dads...4 little fold-outs of 8 different men's colognes. I can smell them now as I type. They smell verrry (imagine a rolled "r") nice...even all jumbled together.

They got me; I will be going to Beall's tomorrow to look for a Father's Day shirt(s) for my Dad...I have good taste; he likes them...well, at least he wears what I've bought him in the past...when I'm around, and maybe only when I'm around...nevermind.

Back to the olfactory pleasers...I L-O-V-E cologne.

I'm a married woman, but Josh wouldn't mind me saying...a guy can be so-so good-looking, but some nice, non over-powering smell-good can greatly improve the attractiveness of a so-so guy. Men, if your significant other likes cologne, wear it. If you don't have a significant other, wear it. Surprisingly, the Axe spray (the one with a hint of chocolate) smells reeeeally good. Josh always teases that those commercials are true:)

Here, I'll list the ones that were sent in order of Most Favorite to Least:
1). Polo Black (5 Yums)
2). Armani Code (5 Yums)
3). Polo Blue (4.5 Yums)
4). Azzaro Chrome Legend (4 Yums)
5). Aqua di Gio (3 Yums)
6). Azzaro Chrome (3 Yums)

*I bought Josh Dolce & Gabbana One for Men last year...(5 Yums); maybe more:)
*I bought Dad Kenneth Cole Black last year...I refuse to rank in Yums re: my Dad, but it was waaaay better than his usual Polo Sport.

Happy Shopping!

Pi Complete

2009-06-15T20:21:00.003-05:00

I was stunned...in a good, can't believe it, refuse to believe it kinda way.
SPOILER ALERT!!! Pi's lifeboat eventually reaches land off the coast of Mexico, and RP bounds into the forest, never to be seen again, and much to the regret of Pi, without a proper goodbye. Let me quickly summarize the rest:

Poor, kind, Mexican people take care of Pi. Two Japanese men interview Pi in order to "get to the bottom" (hehe) of why the Japanese cargo ship that he and his family had been traveling on sank. Pi shared his story; they did not believe it. Finally, they tell Pi to be honest with them, and he tells the "real", "true", "more believable" story. The animals represented human characters that he'd actually been on the lifeboat with; a Japanese sailor, a french cook, and his mother. Here's how it went down: Cook cut off sailor's broken leg, sailor died. Cook killed and beheaded the mother, and then Pi murdered the cook after being at sea for months. Sailor=zebra, cook=hyena, mom=orangu-tan, and Pi is Richard Parker.

In order to survive, Pi had to create an alternate universe to exist in emotionally and mentally. So, in a lifeboat with a crazed frenchman and upon murdering said frenchman, Pi created the story using the animals instead as a way to escape his unreal reality. Think about it...imagine your mother being beheaded before your eyes and her head thrown into your arms over and over again...or, picture a hyena killing an orangu-tan instead. He is able to describe their behaviors so well because he is the son of a zookeeper and grows up in an Indian zoo...coping mechanism.

I do know, though, that I don't want to believe the human-infused story; I like the animals better. I love Richard Parker, and I was amazed at the survival instincts of Pi, which, if one believes the "real" story, then the survival techniques are a product of the cook's mind and actions, not Pi's. As I stated in my first post, Pi, as an older man telling his story, incorporates wisdom far beyond the years of a 16 year old boy, and often it is apparent that the thoughts that are claiming to have been thought on the lifeboat have been the thoughts of a survivor year after year and have since been honed and "beautified".

IF, however, the true story is the true story, then how did meerkat bones end up in the boat? Last I checked they weren't seafaring creatures...hmmmmm. Maybe there was a floating meerkat dominated island made solely of nocturnal, killer algae. Maybe there was a zebra and a hyena, and hopefully, a Richard Parker.

I can't wait to discuss this book with my sophomores in the fall:)

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Alice in Wonderland (2010 film)

2009-06-14T22:08:00.001-05:00

Not the official trailer, but pretty good. Either way, I'm there...March 2010.

Life of Pi (continued)

2009-06-14T21:19:00.003-05:00

I should finish the novel tonight. I still love it, but last night I read a portion that dealt with Pi and Richard Parker (the Bengal tiger) both going temporarily blind. I need to read it again, but Pi begins having a conversation with RP (actual "I talk", "you talk" kinda conversation), then with another man/boy in another lifeboat who claims to have gone blind too. When the man/boy attempts to get on Pi's boat to hug him, RP tears him to shreds.

I thought it was a hallucination/dream/nightmare/crazy spell, something, but Pi gains his eyesight back and sees the remains of the man/boy at the bottom of his lifeboat. It may be explained by book's end, but I couldn't help but think of a Disney animated movie when reading that section. You know...cartoon is moving right along, all is normal, bright, and ever so happy, then, there's got to be a segment that warps into another dimension...pictures become distorted, minor chords are thrust into the score, and the whole effect is trippy, really. "Dumbo", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Little Mermaid", "The Lion King", and let's not forget "Alice"...I can't think of one without it.

Not that Pi's world up until the aforementioned strangeness is bright and happy, quite the opposite, but I imagined normalcy in the way of colors, sounds, and the general described day to day survival methods of Pi and RP. The hallucination/nightmare/what have you just jumped out at me and didn't mesh; I'm sure the author had every intention of accomplishing just that, but I'd sure like to be given a better explanation. I mean, the chances of Pi coming across another blind castaway when he was about to give up on life only to have fellow castaway turn into catnip? Uh-uh. Not buyin' it.

I'll read the rest, re-read the former, ponder some more, and take any suggestions or insights from any out there who've read it.

Also...an algae island full of meerkats? I guess one can only flip through so many pages of dorados, hammerheads, and turtles.

I Rarely Talk Religion, but...

2009-06-12T22:00:00.005-05:00

I just saw the trailer shown in my previous post advertised on NewYorkTimes.com tonight. I watched, and I've read several comments from others who have watched.

I have a few thoughts on the matter: Religion will not get me to heaven; Catholic, Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist, Hinduism, Buddhism, any other "isms" or "ists", denomination-schmomination. I have believed since I was a little girl that it was my faith and belief in Christ that would be my golden ticket.

The trailer is typical...bring up lots of horrible actions committed by those claiming to be christians in order to disprove the existence of Jesus and further prove the insanity one must possess to believe in Christ, heaven, hell, the afterlife, anything really.

Why do so many need to disprove what some are so passionate about believing? Why are so many so angry that there are billions who believe in a higher power? What does one gain from such vehement debate? The woman holding the sign reading "God Hates Fags" in the trailer is not spouting my beliefs, and I am a proclaimed "christian" or "believer". Therein the problems lie, how does one define a christian, and when do we stop pointing fingers at one another? Judging is easy because it's opinion without true knowledge of another and lack of insight into oneself...those things take time to acquire.

I need to read my Bible more, pray more, and learn more, as should anyone claiming to be a christian...not to be able to argue with others, but to be able to be closer to God and withstand doubt that is an all too human experience, and one that I have dealt with intermittently throughout my christian life.

The creators of this movie and many like them are of the opinion that believers are ignorant. They say ignorant, I say faithful. If one must subtract IQ points from me after discovering I believe in God, so be it. When all is said and done, well, we'll find out, won't we?

The God Who Wasn't There: Movie Trailer

2009-06-12T22:00:00.001-05:00

Read thoughts above.

3.14, Cherry, Chart...Nope. Meet Pi.

2009-06-10T22:58:00.004-05:00

I'm halfway finished reading Yann Martel's Life of Pi. It has already exceeded my expecatations of a supposed sophomore level read. The basic premise (so far) is: young Indian boy grows up in Pondicherry, India where his family owns and runs a zoo. Piscine (Pi) is an extremely observant young man who wants to wholeheartedly be a Muslim, Hindu, and Christian simultaneously. He sees absolutely no reason why such a feat isn't possible until his innocent ideals are almost thwarted by grown ups from every direction. When he is 16 his family attempts to move out of India, during the time of Ghandi, to Canada in search of a better life, of course. On the nautical journey, the ship sinks, and Pi is the only human survivor stuck on a life boat with a zebra, Bengal tiger, male hyena, and female Orangu-tan named Orange Juice. (You must read to find out who's left, or just wait until I do, and I'll post it:)) Survival, faith, love, trust, confusion, this book paints with them all.

Yann's prose equally succeed at conveying both the breathtaking beauty of human and animal spirits and irrefutable gore of life's harsh realities. Pi is telling the story to the writer (and part-time narrator) as an old man, thinking back to his life altering sea expedition with the in-depth, profound, and meaningful insight that hindsight can provide. I have to remind myself of that because at times I question whether a young boy could formulate such thoughts and connections about and to the world around him, so keep that in mind if you give this one a try!

I am only halfway through, and I'll pick it up again as soon as I'm through here, but I haven't read a book in a while that I've connected so quickly and deeply with. I've smiled and nodded my head, "yes", but I have also cringed and even gotten sick to my stomach as life and death and the thin line between are so regularly explored. The strength of the human spirit screams to be recognized in this novel, and I can't wait to finish the rest...
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Hydrangea Help

2009-06-08T21:02:00.004-05:00

I've planted lotsa flowers this year, and they're doing well, although, I can tell they're slouching just a bit since June has finally started feeling like June. I have begonias, imapatiens, caladiums, and various other partial shade loving plants.

I need some advice, though. I tried hydrangeas for the first time in a large planter in my front yard, which faces the south, I believe. They were looking exquisite until today. They look as if they've bowed their flowery heads and are looking to give it up. They are, or were, beautiful shades of light blues and greens. Does anyone know why they may be drooping?

My husband's grandmother says they should be planted on the north side of the house, so I moved them to the backyard this evening. I'm hoping that does the trick, but any other suggestions are more than welcome...Anobiter??? Ever grown hydrangeas?

Credit Card Companies Can...

2009-06-08T20:37:00.003-05:00

[use your imagination to fill in the rest.]

As an American citizen concerned about the well being of her fellow American citizens I would like to warn everyone against using Citi-Mastercard...ever. Josh and I only have two credit cards, and we're working on paying them off completely, never to be used again, and hopefully we'll reach that goal by 2010. We've moved 7 times in the past 4 years; CC's have been a necessary evil.

But back to Citi...they're shady dealers. They moved our payment due date, and the automatic payment that is debited from our checking EVERY month for the past year was "late". As a result, they hiked our interest rate from 9% to,get this, 28.99%Josh called and spoke nicely to them, and we received an e-mail stating we'd be getting the original interest rate back...awesome, thank you, much appreciated.

HOWever, I talked to them today regarding a program that lowers the interest rate by an additional 6% if 60% of the card is paid of in 3 billing cycles...who comes up with this crap, by the way? I was informed our interest rate was still at 28.99%. Not only that, but once we paid 60% off they'd lower our credit line to $1,000 above the balance post 60% pay off, making my used percentage of available credit at 90%...not good. Again, who is getting paid to create these "incentive" programs?

I realize that we're dealing with borrowed dollars and cents here, and I'm all about paying them off quickly, but, whatever happened to customer loyalty incentives that one can understand without a college finance course? We've never been late...not ONCE until the sneaky move on their part. We don't even deal with the bill in paper form...it's ALL automatic-electronic-technology based bill pay.

SICK OF IT. Citi: you'll get your money, then a nastygram that won't do any good other than providing me with a small sense of "stickin' it to the man".

P.S. And all those credit card companies sitting underneath the shade trees at University campuses across our nation offering your little coozies and cheap T-shirts, you should be ashamed of yourselves.

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Schooool's Out For...

2009-06-07T22:10:00.002-05:00

SUMMER!!!

Love the Google

2009-05-22T07:46:00.002-05:00

Google is publishing various works of art in the form of its logo this week. I don't know the occasion, but today in particular it's apparently Mary Cassatt's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mary.

Skunked

2009-05-22T07:42:00.002-05:00

As Josh and I were driving home yesterday evening we saw a skunk traversing across a neighbor's yard. At about the same time, the neighbor pulled into his driveway, and the skunk proceeded to waltz right on over to the passenger door. I wanted to stay and see how long it took for it to go away but didn't want to frighten the skunk and inadvertently create a horrible Thursday for a neighborhood friend. I hope he wasn't still sitting in his car this morning...forgot to look.

Moulin Rouge - El Tango De Roxanne

2009-05-17T23:36:00.001-05:00

Quite different from the Police version, and a thousand times better, IMHO.

Everclear - Santa Monica

2009-05-17T23:25:00.001-05:00

Husband and I downloaded tons of rockin' 90's music when he was home last...so many were the theme songs of our teen years! Everclear...one of our favs! L-O-V-E it.

Somewhere in Time

2009-05-17T23:06:00.005-05:00

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was the theme of DHS Prom 2009.

Cheers: to the parents and head sponsors for planning a beautiful, elegant evening for the juniors and seniors (and teachers:) It was held at the Ashton Depot, and the venue, food, and music were truly enchanting!

Cheers: to the several students who showed off their musical talents via saxaphone, piano, and voice...quite impressive!

Cheers: to the cool chef guy that got the kids so pumped while talking of potatoes and creme brulee; he was a rock star for that brief moment...still not sure why.

Jeers: the drama that developed after I'd already gone home...and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

Gavin DeGraw - Glass

2009-05-11T23:20:00.001-05:00

To any who suffered through my below pity-party-pessimistic-post...enjoy some Gavin.

I'm Tressed...

2009-05-11T23:04:00.003-05:00

And I speak nothing of hair. I'm tired+stressed.

-There are 17 days of school left, but I feel like I'm cramming 5 weeks of knowledge, grading, activities, and frenzy into those 17 days.
-It makes me uber jealous to hear that someone else could be a professional writer...BG
-My husband won't be home for another looong week.
-I just graded "research" papers, and I use that term loosely; I think I suck at teaching the research paper.
-Only 4 of 25 students in 1st period turned in yesterday's assignment...seriously?...really?
-I'm so tired I can't make myself get out of this chair and go to bed.
-I still have to wash face and brush teeth.
-The moon is my enemy right now.
-Emerson is turning out to be less cool than originally thought.

Such is Life...Tomorrow is, thankfully, another day.

Office Space-Out

2009-05-11T21:14:00.002-05:00

My husband sees to it that our home office can double as either of our "real" workplaces if need be. He's set it all up so beautifully, and it runs like a well oiled machine, but mine are the greasy hands as of late.

With him traveling I'm in charge of the online banking, which, okay, that's fine. But he, in all his genius, set up a scanning system with a, get this, Fujitsu ScanSnap S510 and a tera drive; tera=lotsa space. Soooo, I am to scan all incoming mail into the ScanSnap, and it is immediately converted to PDF format and stored, wowser. Then, I must shred aforementioned scanned mail, and therein lies my night's frustration. I scanned, I shredded, and the industrial shredder that Josh bought with a Best Buy Christmas Gift Card...no lie...wouldn't scan the 20 or so pages I had before screaming that it was full. I spent the past 15 minutes emptying a humungo shredder. Little bitty pieces of shredded paper make me very uneasy, and I had to sweep them all up before I was able to concentrate on more important tasks at hand.

All this, and I had to borrow a white-out pen from Suzette today at school.

I Should Be Studying Right About Now...

2009-05-06T21:54:00.005-05:00

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but I'm blogging and reading other's blogs (not sure if that apostrophe is in the right place). Anyway, I started a unit on transcendentalism with my juniors today, and I'm loving it...nature, creativity, imagination, and truth; such an uplifting study compared to Of Mice and Men and The Crucible (both magnificent in their own ways, but depressing nonetheless). Below are some quotes from the philosophying father of American transcendentalism, Ralph Waldo Emerson. I dare you not to ponder, smile, and be uplifted:)

"What you do speaks so loud that I cannot hear what you say."

"The ancestor of every action is a thought."

"Don't be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better."

"Sometimes a scream is better than a thesis."

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air…"

"None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone."

"Trust your instinct to the end, though you can render no reason."

"The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."

[more Emerson quotes]

The Cranberries- Zombie

2009-05-04T17:16:00.001-05:00

I posted this earlier, and it wouldn't play; sorry about that. It's an oldie, but when does denouncing war and hypocrisy get old?
90's. Political. Rockin'.

Seamus Heaney

2009-05-04T11:58:00.004-05:00

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is an Irish poet. His poetry touches me and speaks to me in a way that, to this day, no other poetry has. Listening to the Cranberries made me think of the IRA and Ireland's "Troubles", which then led me to think of Heaney. If you're ever bored and wanna browse some poetry, check him out!

Below is one of his more well known poems, "Digging". I love the fact that Heaney places so much emphasis on the power of words, likening the pen to both a weapon and a tool, protecting and providing; great stuff.

Digging

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests; as snug as a gun.

Under my window a clean rasping sound
When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:
My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds
Bends low, comes up twenty years away
Stooping in rhythm through potato drills
Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft
Against the inside knee was levered firmly.
He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep
To scatter new potatoes that we picked
Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

By God, the old man could handle a spade,
Just like his old man.

My grandfather could cut more turf in a day
Than any other man on Toner's bog.
Once I carried him milk in a bottle
Corked sloppily with paper. He straightened up
To drink it, then fell to right away
Nicking and slicing neatly, heaving sods
Over his shoulder, digging down and down
For the good turf. Digging.

The cold smell of potato mold, the squelch and slap
Of soggy peat, the curt cuts of an edge
Through living roots awaken in my head.
But I've no spade to follow men like them.

Between my finger and my thumb
The squat pen rests.
I'll dig with it.

Seamus Heaney

Jack is Whack

2009-05-03T19:05:00.002-05:00

The new Jack in the Box commercial is kinda oogie; dwarfs, strange campfire music, over the top, fake happiness. What is it with fast food joints and their uber creepy commericals? And don't get me started on Burger King...

B&B vs. Hotel

2009-05-03T18:35:00.003-05:00

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Josh is staying at a B&B while working an outage at the Monticello power plant in Mt. Pleasant. It is much more affordable than even the Holiday Inn, which is pretty much all East Texas has to offer, and it's way cute. He was so proud of his find:)

We love Bed and Breakfasts. They're more inviting and relaxing than hotels. The Yelton Manor (pictured above) is a beautiful one in South Haven, Michigan that Josh and I have stayed at a couple of times, honeymoon included. It's located on Lake Michigan, and the town of South Haven is straight out of a Norman Rockwell. The owners are kinda the New Age hippy type, who would probably vehemently oppose Josh's work at one of the most polluting plants in our state, but, nevertheless, are part of the place's charm:) Ahhh, two days out of school and a 4 hour drive to Mt. Pleasant...hmmmm:)

School's Out For...Swine Flu

2009-05-03T18:09:00.002-05:00

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Precautionary, folks, only precautionary, according to the Decatur ISD website. However, if there was ever a time that I'd benefit from a couple of extra days of chill, it's now. Thank you CDC, TDH, DISD, and any other acronym I forgot.

Murphy reared his convenient head as my husband left for Mt. Pleasant at 3:00 today and will be gone for a couple of weeks. He's been home for 2 1/2 weeks as I worked. BUT, that's okay. I'll enjoy the time with baby girl:)

Book Review vs. Review of Books

2009-04-26T21:00:00.002-05:00

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As I sit here, sipping my Earl Grey and contemplating things to blog about, I'm reminded of a recent task that I placed on the To Do list in my head. I'll have to give a bit of back story on this one; I'll try not to drone on too long.

I've sporadically read the New York Times book review on and off since Josh and I lived in Philadelphia. I love it. It always includes lists of the latest fiction, non-fiction, paperbacks, etc. that you'll see in any Barnes and Noble display. However, the books they actually review, at least from my experience, are not so readily recognizable as your Cornwell's, Patterson's, Meyer's, Robert's, etc. I mark the ones that tickle my fancy and move on to the next, feeling somewhat intellectually fulfilled and empowered, until...

My husband and I were watching a new show on television called "Castle", you know, about the James Patterson-esque writer, albeit much younger, that accompanies an attractive gumshoe muse throughout varying over the top investigations so as to collect more writing material. Last week, Castle, the writer claims to have had one of his books appear in the New York Review of books, NOT the New York Times book review. I turned to my husband and asked, how've I never heard of this? I looked it up. Yep, it's the uber-intellectual book review. On the subscription page, it doesn't address teachers, but professors, to order for their classes.

I didn't recognize any of the latest released books, although I recognized some in their archives. But I feel a little less fulfilled and empowered now. I want to know so much, but there's so much to know.

Peaceful, Easy Feeling

2009-04-26T00:13:00.002-05:00

Allow me to steal a snippet of phrase from The Eagles as I describe my current state. I'm tired as all get out, but I'm happy knowing my family is sleeping safe and snug right now. I'm happy after having spent a day with the girls planting flowers and making the world, at least our corner of it anyway, a little brighter:) Economy-Schmonomy.

Cheerful Conversation

2009-04-25T23:47:00.003-05:00

As I climbed into bed tonight, instead of a kiss or an "I Love You", my husband begins to tell me that Mexico is suffering from a pandemic in the form of a flu and that it's killing people our age. He then mentions past pandemics that killed more people than were lost in World War I or the Bubonic Plague. And now I'm supposed to go to sleep? Of course not. I'm heading to the place where I go for answers to all questions...the Google.

Here's what I found from the AP As I was reading through the article, a few sentences caught my eye: Authorities urged people to stay home if they feel sick and to avoid shaking hands or kissing people on the cheeks.; not a problem. I'm not about the kissing on the cheeks. Next:The local Roman Catholic Church recommended that priests shorten Mass; place communion wafers in worshippers' hands, instead of their mouths; and ask parishioners to avoid kissing or shaking hands during the rite of peace. The Archdiocese also said Catholics could fulfill their Mass obligation by radio. That's it, I'm staying home and watching the God channel tomorrow.

Kid Lit

2009-04-24T23:21:00.003-05:00

Driving around with my "bonus" daughter is always so enlightening. Taylor is 9 years old, and she's a talker, more so in the car than anywhere else on Earth. It's funny, but, what else is there to do in the car, right?? This evening she was telling us about the book she's been reading, Twitches. We've watched the movie several times, and she began to inform me of the differences between the two, quite intuitive she is. She continued to talk about her literary loves and mentioned The Boxcar Children. I hadn't thought of that series in years, and I'm going to have to check it out again to prepare Ella's library:)

Thinking of the Boxcar books lead me to think of other books I loved growing up. Some of my absolute favorites and those I intend to rediscover via my children are: Number the Stars, the Ramona books, Amelia Bedelia books, The Indian in the Cupboard (thank you Ms. Dickinson for reading that to us), Anne of Avonlea and Green Gables, Janette Oake books, American Girl books, especially those introducing Samantha and Felicity, and, of course, The Babysitter's Club. Ahhhh, I'll have to take Tay and Ella to the library in the morning!!

AI

2009-04-24T22:57:00.002-05:00

The AI I refer to has nothing to do with robots, unless you call young, talented super-star hopefuls dancing and lip syncing to the "She's A Maniac" song artificial and robotic, which, yeah, I tend to do. On "disco week" they had three "used to be great but are now old and not so great" performers "singing", and one of them was the KC from KC and the Sunshine Band...whaaat? What are the demographics of their voting audience? Who the heck cares about disco or "KC"? Seeeriously.

My money's on Adam to win, but I find myself fast-forwarding through the results shows and even some of the judges' comments. Four is too many. Disco is dead. Ryan Seacrest is beginning to truly annoy me, but other than that...

Happy Birthday William!!

2009-04-23T13:51:00.003-05:00

Shakespeare is thought to have been born on April 23, 1564 and he died on April 23, 1616...a true circle of life. Here's to the famous, infamous, celebrated, debated bard for supplying the world with so much to talk about!

Twilight Re-Illuminated

2009-04-23T13:18:00.004-05:00

I blogged a while back about watching the movie, Twilight, and I believe I unfairly judged its characters based on their cinematic representation. I only read 8 or so of the 24 chapters before I cheated and viewed the film. I know better, as I am thoroughly convinced that one's own imagination and connection with characters can never be lived up to or satisfactorily portrayed on the big screen, and therefore "cheating" taints some of the personal treasures gained when reading; those connections, parallels, and yes, even relationships that we form, unform, and reform with characters. And thank God we all have the ability to imagine differently.

As I'm getting further into the book I am reminded of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers. The family feud between the Montagues and Capulet's mirrors that of the Cold Ones and Quileutes, with Jacob being somewhat like Bella's sweeter Tybalt and Edward's siblings acting as his collective Mercutio. Meyer alludes to classic literature often, as Bella tends to be an academic, reading Shakespeare and Austen on the weekends. I look forward to piecing together the puzzle; who says teen lit can't be academic?

It's Baaaack!

2009-01-13T21:45:00.002-06:00

I missed a couple of seasons, but I followed the last few pretty closely. I love, love, love the audition portion of the show and am repeatedly shocked when strange looking, stranger sounding people are appalled and angered at their rejections from the judges. Scattered thoughts about the new season:

- Kara Dioguardi, the fourth judge, definitely adds a little something with her almost attitude...not as mean as Simon (yet), not as cuddly as Paula (probably never), and not a name dropper like Randy (again...yet). I like her (I think).
- Simon needs to stick to black T-shirts...white is not his hue.
- I love Paula's funky glasses.
- Some contestants truly make me cringe.
- Two contestants stand out to me...blonde, crazy bright blue eyes, bartender, 25, can't remember her name...sang "Sittin' by the Dock of the Bay" song and the blind genius named Alex who sang Billy Joel (one of my favs); they've already got my vote.

Colin Ferrell

2009-01-13T21:44:00.001-06:00

I liked him in "Miami Vice" and even in "Alexander"...don't judge. Also, I love listening to his Dublin accent, but other than that, I've never been much of a fan. With that being rather pointlessly said, the man's acceptance speech at the Globes, made me smile and even tear up a bit. [Fast forward to 3:05 if ya wanna check it out]

Happy Dance

2009-01-13T21:29:00.002-06:00

is what I did two days ago after successfully downloading a Microsoft converter. I'm no computer genius, and it seems that every single time I try to incorporate a new Intel, Mega, Giga, 2.0, Updated, Upgraded Anything, it never works. I typed up a Word document using an '07 version of Word, tried to bring it up on an older version, and it wouldn't work. Got a pop-up...download this, and I thought, yeah right! Nevertheless, I went to the site, clicked here, clicked there, waited for a few, and....Cue Happy Dance; it worked. I gave Gates' company a bit of praise while on the phone with my husband, and my iPhone cut out...Apple musta heard me;)

So...

2009-01-12T07:50:00.002-06:00

Sometimes life gets a bit hectic and blogs are placed on the back burner. But, I've got a bazillion ideas roaring through my head lately, accounting for my lack of sleep last night and will post about them this evening...for any that are just dying for a bit o' "Saturday".

I Cheated

2008-12-06T14:04:00.002-06:00

and opened one of my Christmas presents...at the urging of my husband, that is. He can NEVER wait for me to be surprised. I find it charming:) I received a UPS package last night and opened it to find a Sony Reader-PRS 700...say what???

It's similar to Amazon's "Kindle" in that you can store and read hundreds of books on it; an electronic, carry anywhere and everywhere book. I recently got to look at a "Kindle"...thank you SP, and given the brief time I've spent with both products I think they're both pretty slick (HA...that's a Dad"ism") Anyhoo, I'm about to load some books and really see what this baby can do...only drawback...you have to plug in the Reader to a PC in order to download books, whereas the "Kindle" is on its own wicked cool network or something where you can order books at the touch of a button without plugging it in. The Reader is smaller and sleeker, though...no offense, SP!! Wish me technological godspeed;)

Star Light, Star Bright

2008-12-01T22:03:00.005-06:00

Hubby and I stayed up waaaay too late watching "Twilight". Call me crazy-corny, but last week Josh and I accepted tickets from my little brother to go to the midnight showing of "Twilight" here in Decatur. I haven't stayed up that late since Ella was born. My thoughts regarding our midnight "Twilight" experience:

- Decatur's theatre is somewhat of a charming throwback to the pre-thousand-screen-multi-megaplex, albeit a bit dusty and sticky with seats' comfortablility level reaching American Airlines-ish standards.
- I saw students there who'd been reading the book for weeks. I was proud of their enthusiasm and dedication to the story.
- Watching movies at the theatre cannot be good for my bladder; I refuse to miss anything.
- I only read a portion of the book, and that placed me smack dab in the "not worthy" to watch group.
- The clapping and shrieking of teenaged girls wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be.
- Edward Cullen is a nice lookin' vampire, but I must say that he doesn't hold a candle to Lestat.
- Robert Pattinson, the guy who plays Edward Cullen, wasn't nearly as hunky when he appeared as Cedric Diggory in "Harry Potter: The Goblet of Fire".
- And finally, the next midnight showing I attend will probably be when Ella can say, "Hey, Mom...let's go watch that movie...pleeeease!!"

Sugarland - Life in a northern town

2008-11-30T22:17:00.001-06:00

Good song; I knew it as sung by "The Dream Academy" on one of my many "Pure Moods" CD's...go ahead, make fun. But I dig the Sugarland version:)

I'm Not Ready

2008-11-30T22:03:00.003-06:00

to go back to school. I was talking to my husband tonight, and I'm convinced I'm a huge glutton for punishment, a masochist, if you will. I'm a fairly shy person and don't like to talk in front of people much...so, why did I choose to teach? I ask myself that all of the time. It's 10:05 p.m., and I'll have to stand in front of my class in just under 10 hours after being gone for a week. I could puke right now if I thought about it too hard. Every time I get up in front of that class it's like jumping in cold, cold water...not the one toe at a time business...just jumping in. It gets a little easier, but I'll never be totally okay with it. Whew, I feel a little better. Goodnight.

P.S. I'll try to post more over the next few weeks, and I've not kept up with my fav bloggers of late...Ano, BG, Jar, and all the others I follow. I hope you all had a magnificent Thanksgiving! What can I say, I'm a blog slacker.

A Little Less Serious...

2008-11-16T18:23:00.002-06:00

My last post depressed me, so I'd like to talk about something fun-ny. I love E's "The Soup". Joel McHale, the host, is a pretty hilarious guy. The show's premise is to make fun of all of the completely lame, brain-damaging sludge on television...funny smart; I like it.

For Those That Pray...

2008-11-16T18:05:00.003-06:00

I won't get preachy, and I'll try to stay off the soap box, HOWEVER, this town, county, state, country, and world needs to start and/or keep praying hard for our youth. As a teacher, and a fairly new one at that, I admit that I get "beat" down...seriously...by the teenage drama, attitudes and, at times, downright disrespect coming from some of them. But, then I talk to them, hear their stories, and although not a foolproof excuse to "act a fool" as some say, many of these kids have it rough. Why does the young man who can only think of getting out of school to work care one stinkin' iota about the literature that I try to get him excited about? He may enjoy a story or two, but he couldn't care less about literary elements or connections through centuries and genres; Edgar Allan Poe-lease...ya know? Then there are those who have experiences beyond their years; I worry about these kids. I pray for these kids, and I hope our nation wakes up...soon!!! Why do all of them need to be college bound?...what if they WANT to just work? They know there are options out there for them, but some do not want to go to college, and some will do just fine without it. But every student will not graduate with a perfect GPA, go off to college, begin a great career, and lovingly thank their past educators for inspiring and motivating them, and THAT'S GOTTA BE OK!!! My job as a teacher is to know and teach my content area and try to instill a bit of learning passion and reinforce life skills along the way. But what would be wrong with adopting an educational system of choice? When a student reaches 16, they choose...college or technical/workforce. My mind has been bogged down with worries and frustrations regarding the seemingly lacking system. I hate to tell ya, W., but sooo many kids are getting left behind due to being pulled kicking and screaming from one grade to the next. All I can say...again...for those that pray...do so tonight, today, right now; something's gotta give.

So, I may have avoided the preaching, but the soap box lost some paint on that one.

Hilary Duff - Reach Out - Official Music Video (HQ)

2008-11-07T21:55:00.001-06:00

Lizzie McGuire has, to put it mildly, grown up.

Makes It All Worth It!

2008-11-07T21:32:00.002-06:00

We just finished "The Crucible" on Wednesday, and for their final test, the students had to formulate three questions of varying levels of difficulty and ask them of one another while sitting in a circle of 10-12 students. They were to carry on conversations about the text, and they did a phenomenal job for their first time. What got me, though, was reading the comment of one student regarding what he'd learned from the activity. He said he learned that his fellow students could care about an assignment and was surprised by how well their conversations went. A positive, pro-learning comment. I tried not to make too big a deal of it, but I did write a big "YAY" on his paper...a big drop in my unceasingly draining bucket...Thanks, DW.

Ooogy Kiss

2008-10-29T20:34:00.003-05:00

I'm a huge fan of "House"; Hugh Laurie cracks me up, and I find it amazing that his American accent is so good when he's about as British as Monty Python. I was looking forward to this past week's episode because he and Cuddy were finally going to break through the bickering and insults, no doubt stemming from an obvious sexual tension between them. Well, they kissed, BUT instead of thinking "finally" I found myself thinking, "eeewwww". They had all the sexual chemistry of Oprah and Stedman; highly disappointing. They should stick to the insults. Next week Wilson announces that he has feelings for her; here's hopin'.

Referred By A Friend

2008-10-27T20:58:00.003-05:00

I'd like to continue my fashion "thread" tonight by alerting any who don't know to a little store called, Anthropologie. I'm tellin' ya, every sweater, pair of shoes, lamp, curtain and bathroom rug speak to me, saying, "I'd look so perfect in/on/beside..." and, of course, "Buy Me, I'm on Sale!" Their products are so beautifully feminine and whimsical. I was introduced to the store by a friend at work who tells me that if I stay up late on certain nights I can catch awesome sales online; I have much to learn in the way of self-sacrificing for a bargain:) Check out the site, at least...it's awesome. And, gentlemen, your lady(ies) may appreciate a bangle or two, so you can look too:)

Shortly after wrapping up the blogging for the night I plan to peruse their site and force myself to leave the wallet out of reach; Christmas is coming up, and Ella needs an outside playset:) Thanks, DM.

Fashion Flop

2008-10-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

I don't consider myself to be one of the fashion savvy. When I go to work I like to wear slacks, nice "blouses" or sweaters, matching trouser socks and shoes that don't kill me. I never "go out", and my casual wear consists of jeans and those same shirts I wear to work. So, when walking into "Glitzy Girls", a makeshift boutique inside the Lion's Club today, I felt rather out of place. There were lotsa rhinestones, sparklies and, get this...skulls. What is up with the skulls? If every last woman in the world were sporting skulls and kicking those that weren't I still wouldn't wear them. To be fair, I did buy a hoodie with a "chromish-like, shiny eagle on the back...to wear on "game days"; I like to think that I can be sparkly (without reminding all around me of death).

I Love to Watch and Listen To...

2008-10-27T20:17:00.004-05:00

Two of my fav fellas from the World of Entertainment, Michael Buble and Johnny Depp; Joaquin is among them, but he got in on the last post:)

Double Take

2008-10-24T20:42:00.002-05:00

I will watch any movie with Joaquin Phoenix in it, Quills being one of my favorites. Anyway, while searching for a pic for my last post I came across the above pic of Franz Lederer, who was an actor from the early to the mid 20th century. When I first glanced at the pic I thought Lederer was Phoenix...am I right or what?

The similarity prompted me to do extensive research on the Prague born actor, and by extensive, I mean via Wikipedia. From what I did read Lederer seemed like a rather gifted actor with a knack for real estate. In the following excerpt from Wikipedia, check out the name of his second wife...

"Although Lederer had been married briefly twice before – the second time to the Mexican American actress María Marguerita Guadalupe Teresa Estela Bolado, who went by the stage name Margo – his third marriage to Marion Irvine, who served as Los Angeles' Commissioner of Cultural Affairs,[3] lasted 59 years. Lederer worked up until the week before he died, at the age of 100, in Palm Springs, California, one of the last surviving World War I veterans of the Austro-Hungarian army."

Ya learn somethin' new every day:)

A Box Worth Openin'...

2008-10-24T20:23:00.003-05:00

Pandora, The Music Genome Project. I may be a bit behind in my utilization of this awesome website, but I'd like to share it just in case any music lovers out there haven't found it. You can go to this site and create your own radio station. For example, I registered, which is free, typed in Gavin DeGraw as the artist of choice, and now Pandora's created a "radio station" that plays nothing but songs with beats and tones similar to that of DeGraw; i.e., Jason Mraz, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band, Rob Thomas, Colbie Callait, etc. Once the song is playing you can click the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" sign, and Pandora will make note of it and either continue to play that artist and songs similar to him/her or take him off of your "station". There's a Pandora app for the iPhone too, and you can just jam to whatever you're into, wherever you are...is the 21st century cool or what?! www.pandora.com

P.S. Site gives you info. about the artist and provides you the opportunity to purchase the music, of course...at the click of a button! And, yes, I should be a paid spokesperson for these people.

Let's Talk About Lit

2008-10-21T20:00:00.003-05:00

My sophomore classes began reading "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd this week. I spoke of it a bit this past summer after reading it and was elated when my department chair informed me we were going to teach it this year...woohoo. I have students coming to class asking if we CAN read today? There's just something really special about hearing students laugh, sigh and "oh, gross" when reading a book. Some of them are also quite angry at the book's antagonist, T.Ray; we've only gotten through Chapter 1, and they hate him....I LOVE it!

In my junior classes, we're reading Arthur Miller's "The Crucible"...less enthusiasm amongst the students despite the play brimming with an adulterous, heretical theme. Many innocent people are sent to jail and face possible execution due to the absurd antics of a lovelorn teenager; what's not to love?

P.S. Am I the only one living who didn't know that Arthur Miller was at one time married to Marilyn Monroe? Also, Miller's daughter, Rebecca is now married to Daniel Day-Lewis...yes, the thespian who plays John Proctor in the movie version of the play; again, what's not to love?

Phantastic Phone...i Love IT!

2008-10-19T22:42:00.002-05:00

Yep, got the iPhone yesterday afernoon, and I'm already lovin' it! To be able to swish my finger across the screen and zoom, scroll and slide gives me a small taste of Potter-like magical power;) I've scrolled through hundreds of apps, freely, cheaply, and yeah rightly priced. There seem to be a lot of good ones out there, but there are LOTS, and I just can't decide:( Josh tells me to just try them and get rid of them if I don't like them...genius, he is. The only thing I gotta do soon is get a cover for the screen since it gets sooo fingerprint-y quickly. That drives me nuts, and I'm constantly cleaning it. Other than that...no complaints; just true revery of Apple minds.

Slowly But Surely

2008-10-19T22:29:00.004-05:00

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I've always said that blogging would probably be the closest I'd ever come to actually publishing a real-life, read by other people body of work...regardless of its lack of literary merit:) When I checked the good 'ol Dashboard today I saw that none other than Denney Crane is a follower...what the what? I was sooo excited to see that and, as you can see, immediately placed him prominently at the top, right- hand corner of the page. For those of you out there, BG and Jar, who have more than one follower...keep it to yourselves; I'll not have my bubble burst[ed]...mmmmk? It's nice to be read.

Gavin Degraw - Belief (most beautiful version)

2008-10-17T23:20:00.001-05:00

Gavin Degraw is an artist that just gets to me; every. single. song.

Mannish Miley

2008-10-17T22:51:00.002-05:00

Ella's only 19 months old so I'm not caught up in the wicked crazy phenomenon that is Miley/Hanna/Cyrus/Montana...what? I'm alive, however, so I know who she is and when Taylor stays with us I do watch "the" "Hannah Montana" (don't tell anyone, but some of them are semi-entertaining and cute). But, while listening to the radio today I came across a DJ making fun of her voice, and then a male with a gruff voice called in to the show acting like Miley Cyrus; I laughed...out loud. Her voice is kinda testosterone charged. And, what's with the song that sounds EXACTLY like "I Wear My Sunglasses at Night?"...that may not be the name of shadily copied song, but you know what I'm talking about? If anyone knows the story behind that or cares to waste 5 minutes of their lives Googling it, I'd love to know:)

What's "Happening"?

2008-10-17T22:37:00.003-05:00

I rented two movies tonight...don't do that much these days, but after Ella went night-night I just wanted to chi-lax. M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening" was out, and a few students recommended it and then proceeded to reveal essential plot details that pretty much ruined my viewing of it...thanks, guys. I still watched the entire thing, though, because Mark Wahlberg is just easy to watch, ya know? M. Night couldn't have been more blatant with his Al-Gore-Go-Green-Save-the-Environment theme, though. SPOILER ALERT!: The plants will retaliate on us one day. I'm glad I'm nice to mine.

The beginning of the movie was intriguing, though, with Wahlberg playing a science teacher...I soooo would've done better in science if...well, nevermind. But, he brings up the fact that bees are disappearing from different countries, and then the camera flashes to an Einstein quote about humans surviving for only four years post-bee extinction; fascinating theory, really. And after reading "Secret Life of Bees" I'm convinced those little guys really do play a huge role in our existence on Earth, physically and psychologically...many similarities between us and them; they're just better at it all. I digress..."The Happening" is worth the watch in my humble, Wahlberg, Shyamalan lovin' opinion. Tomorrow...hello, Robert Downey, Jr. and "Ironman".

P.S. "Happening" has a fairly decent Gag Reel. Directors/Producers/Whomever should be downright ashamed for not including gag reels...seriously;)

PINK - SO WHAT ? [[NEW EXCLUSIVE OFFICIAL VIDEO]]

2008-10-09T21:54:00.001-05:00

I can't listen to this song without doing a terrible white girl dance in front of the mirror...sooo liberating:)

5K

2008-10-09T21:40:00.002-05:00

I'm walking, yes walking, a 5K with my mom, aunt and 30 other women supporting my aunt Saturday at the Susan G. Komen Walk in Wichita Falls. It's the small one, obviously. I'm looking very forward to it. My aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and chemotherapy made her very, very sick, landing her in the hospital for three months. She has since recovered and is cancer free. We're walking with her and for her.

As for the "5K" part, I titled the post that because it sounds way cooler than 3.5 mile...which is what it is. The metric system is just better, huh?...I say that but couldn't convert a dang mile to a kilometer or vice versa before I discovered this walk was a 5K. Anyhoo, can't wait to sport my pink tee and walk with hundreds of women who have been touched by this disease and have overcome...s'gonna be good.

State Fair Talk

2008-09-30T20:34:00.003-05:00

One of my college girlfriends came down this past weekend with her boyfriend, and we three took Ella to the State Fair. We didn't ride anything, not even the ferris wheel, but we had a great time perusing the booths, auto shows and mini-zoos! A few random thoughts on the day:

- In one of the restrooms I noticed the brand of the door was "Hiney Hiders"...could there be a more perfect company to provide Privy Privacy?

- Clogging is making a comeback.

- There are a lot of talented, regular people in our midst, as was evident at the very cool art exhibits throughout the grounds.

- The 2010 Camaro is beyond sweet.

- Wouldn't mind driving one of the new Dodge Challengers either.

- Saltwater Taffy is not as good as I remember it to be, but Funnel Cakes ARE:)

- Paying with coupons rather than cash isn't so bad...less mess.

- Some things just shouldn't be fried, and what the heck is a curd?

- Saw a Mama goat cleaning a baby goat that had been born minutes before we arrived; afterbirth still, well, there...grossly sweet.

- The life of a 1200 lb. boar ain't so bad.

- The wine tasting was okay, although I've been to those where you spit the wine in the bucket after tasting and swishing...not so at the fair. The live jazz band was amazing, though.

- The African Acrobats, no lie, were pretty dang good and made me realize just how white and unrhythmic I am.

- Ella will wave and smile at anyone:)

- What does one have to do to park in "Special" parking?

- Finally, Big Tex had on a new outfit of Dickies brand westernwear...cool, Y'ALL.

Hollywood Archetype

2008-09-20T22:11:00.002-05:00

Dictionary.com defines "archetype" as (in Jungian psychology) a collectively inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., universally present in individual psyches.

I mention this because this word popped into my head as I was reading the cover of the gossip mags at the checkout line today. Miley Cyrus was on the cover of Ok because she, a 15 year old, is dating a 20 year old underwear model...ya know, the Ashton Kutcher look-alike from "Nashville Star". She's supposed to be a "good girl", pure 'til marriage and all that jazz, but watch...the paparazzi will hound, she'll fall, lie about it, confess to it, then do an interview with Walters or Lauer...so many have been there, done that. So, I'm just sayin' that the journey one takes to "make it" in Hollywood is essentially the same for them all; so why the neverending magazine sales?
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Mood Liftin' Blooms

2008-09-20T21:39:00.002-05:00

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Mom, Ella and I went out to lunch and shopping today. We went to Lowe's and even though we both went to purchase new kitchen faucets, the flowers and foliage caught our eye(s)! Needless to say, our floral purchases barely fit in the back of the Nissan. It's those spontaneous buys that always make me the happiest though.

Ella-Bear had a good time digging in the dirt as she "helped" me to plant our new flowers. She was covering her legs with dirt and mulch as if she were at the beach and the soil was sand. I handed her a couple of worms, and she had no problem with it...just proceeded to put them in her bucket, along with some rocks, leaves and more dirt. She drank the water straight out of the waterhose too. At first I told her to stop, but then I thought...heck, I did that all the time as a kid, and I turned out "perfectly normal":) When we were finished we were both covered with dirt. Today was a pearl in my oyster world...a happy, happy day.

Aggravations of the Day...

2008-09-16T20:31:00.002-05:00

- Collection agent from Best Buy with a thick Indian accent telling me I'm past due on my bill...a few TV's, a few computers, a couple of surround sound systems and countless software and stupid cable packs later, you'd think they'd give me a break for being a few days late!!! And, maybe they should send the e-bill at the same time every month...and, maybe customer loyalty should mean something...and, maybe we'll just start going to Fry's...HA. I'm never late on bills; it bothers me...BAD.

- Road construction in Decatur. Yep, it'll make the roads nicer, and yep, it's our tax dollars at "real" work, but dangit if I don't hate driving on those uneven, "wake-me-up-strip" roads.

- Students' abundant use of the word "gay" as an adjective for EVERYTHING. I challenge them to come up with something a little less offensive, and a bit more original.

It's Official...

2008-09-16T20:27:00.002-05:00

My days go by much smoother when I make my bed in the morning. Today was more of a hectic, brain-frenzied kinda day, and the only difference to my routine was being 5 minutes late out the door and...not making my bed:) Another of life's mysteries...solved.

On My Mind

2008-09-06T22:46:00.003-05:00

This past week, a journal prompt in one of my Junior English classes "prompted" my students to engage in a debate that takes place often, all over the world. The prompt asked whether or not they belived in fate as exemplified through a "Julius Caesar" excerpt. Well, the talk of fate inevitably lead to the talk of belief in a higher power. The talk of a higher power somehow eventually lead to abortion. I'll not divulge names or specific comments; it will suffice to say that a significant percentage of this particular class are self-proclaimed atheists and pro-choice advocates. They are, of course, free to believe the way they obviously do. But, some of their comments have plagued my soul this weekend. I make it a point not to argue about religion or faith, since it is an argument without a point. Convincing others happens when they want to be convinced, and that is rarely the case. But, I listened. They all offered insightful comments that they'd no doubt pondered before.

With the election upon us, it is evident to me now more than ever that this country is aching for a government that will put self aside and focus on the true needs of this Nation. Why do some get so up in arms about "governemnt controlling our lives" when it comes to abortion; it's a woman's right to choose. YET, those same people will abide by laws laid down by that same gov't regarding legal drinking ages, traffic laws, drug laws, etc. That is the government "controlling" our lives...Thank God. A law against abortion would not put an end to it. But the deterrent would save so many lives, as the aforementioned laws have. I know the debate is useless, though, until someone gets in that White House and passes legislation to give this argument merit.

Okay, I'm done.

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The Path, Not to Perfection, BUT, To Better

2008-09-06T22:09:00.003-05:00

I just finished watching The Republican National Convention, courtesy of Tivo. Sarah Palin was sincerely captivating, and choosing her as VP nominee was an uber smart move by the McCain people. I can't think of a more perfect running mate. She's intelligent, confident, dissuaded by neither the "good ol' boys" in the oil industry nor the morally casual on Capitol Hill. She's got a sense of humor. Whether her speech was written by somone else or not, she delivered it well. She's a mom of 5, one of whom is a pregnant teenager and another who is an infant with down syndrome. Her eldest son leaves for Iraq next week. And, not to be discounted is the fact that the woman has great hair! She's gorgeous. She's got the political tri-fecta goin' on...looks, brains and experience. Again, McCain could not have found a better person for VP if he were able to concoct one "Weird Science"-style.

McCain's speech was great too. His introduction was moving, centered around family and patriotism. I didn't know his father and grandfather were decorated men of war as well. The man has a plethora of relevant experience that should catapault him into the Oval office. He and Palin both addressed the fact that their solutions won't solve ALL of America's problems, but at least they are proposing calculated, promising solutions that will at least alleviate some of our country's current struggles.

Why I'll Vote for Mccain:
- his and Palin's combined experience
- his clear stance as to why he will not forfeit the war
- his pro-LIFE belief and voting record to back it up
- plan to drill on our OWN soil in order to provide our OWN energy
- no empty promises of Change without providing clarity as to how that change will occur
- his promise of education reform, which is sooooo desperately needed
- celebrities aren't clamoring to wear shirts with his name on them...good enough reason for me!!!!
- Sarah Palin

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One of These Things Doesn't Belong

2008-09-02T19:56:00.003-05:00

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Ella and I were browsing the kid book section in that retail store we're forced to go to in Wise County this evening. She got a Simba book...ya know, cute cub from the Lion King (had a Lion King poster in my room until I was 15:) But I digress; amidst the cutesie cartoon characters and tot inspired literature was J.D. Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye"...what the what? No child under, let's say, 16 should be reading that book. The story is dark and tragically depressing, not to mention the language issues. The main character is not one you'd want your pre-teen to idolize nor imitate. So, the powers that be should take a closer look at the Kid Lit, just sayin'.

Another Season, Really?

2008-08-30T23:24:00.003-05:00

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Today, I caught some snippets of episodes of 'The Starter Wife' with Debra Messing. I love her, or should I say, I love "Grace". 'Starter Wife'...not so much. I just don't get the whole, "I am woman, hear me roar, have to have a gay best friend, along with an alcoholic best friend to be whole" type character. Cliche is too cliche of a word to use to describe it. Therefore, Tivo will not form a close bond with that one. Enough people out there must disagree with me, though, because another season was picked up.

I also lost a few hundred IQ points when watching 5 minutes of 'Keeping Up With The Kardashians". Those girls are painful to watch. Bruce Jenner might as well tattoo "Welcome" on his forehead seeing as he acts as everyone's doormat.

I'm done with channel exploring: "The Closer", "Heroes" and "Lost" are my Tivo's best buds this year.

Blonde Moment...

2008-08-23T21:41:00.002-05:00

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First of all, no offense to the blondes out there, it's just a figure of speech, k? But, yesterday I took my newly tinted car windows to All Pro in Decatur because I thought the tint was bubbling on one side. One of the gentlemen who worked there came out to my car to check it out, kinda laughed, and informed me that the "bubbles" I was seeing were, in fact, tree sap. I felt oh so dumb. But, kudos to All Pro because instead of laughing at me the man offered to scrape the sap off, which he did, and cleaned the window as well...that's service. And, thanks again sir for not making me feel like a bigger dork.

Have I Ever

2008-08-19T21:13:00.002-05:00

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given my opinion on the retail giant that is Wal-Mart lately? If not, I'd like to take these few moments, before I make myself go to bed at a decent hour, to rant. Since the Decatur Wal-Mart has undergone new management things are worse than before. What do I mean by things? Cleanliness is at an all time low, and if there are 20 stinkin' lines, why aren't there at least half as many checkers @ 5:30 in the afternoon...real-life, living, breathing, moving checkers. I'm no marketing genius, but if a large number of your customers show up at a certain time, at least try to look efficient while they're there. Also, if I'm going to go through the Self-checkout line I should receive somewhat of a discount since I'm doing the work that the store should provide. And when I do go through the self-checkout, begrudgingly might I add, the red light goes off...it NEVER fails. Today, all three of the self lines were blinking red...what's the point? The point is that the powers that be know that Wise County has zilch regarding all-in-one shopping options. As a wife, mommy and just flat out busy lady the all-in-one is a must. But, mark my words, when Target or Costco make their way to these parts I'll never darken the doors of Wal-Mart again...ev-er.

Skype Hype

2008-08-18T23:37:00.002-05:00

Skype, the free messenger, webcam, video-chitchat innovation is one of my favorite things on the planet right now. I just hung up from a call with Josh, the hubby. He went back to Alaska on Sunday, but with Skype we've been able to see each other and talk. It makes his time away not as unbearable. Also, the video is way smoother than anything else we've tried, i.e. Yahoo Messenger. So, any out there who like to see who you're talking to, check it out. It's easy and worth the few minutes worth of tutorial needed to learn how to use it...really.

Speaking of a Desert...

2008-08-17T21:26:00.002-05:00

A very witty fellow English teacher mentioned something a couple of weeks back about how to remember the difference between the spellings of "dessert", which is a yummy treat, and "desert", a really hot place with lotsa sand. She stated that "dessert" was something you'd want seconds of, as in a second helping...hence, the two "s's". I've always had to think about those words a sec before determining which to use, but from now on I won't have to think quite so hard, and isn't that the goal of us all?;)

Riddle Me This

2008-08-17T21:13:00.003-05:00

My husband gave me a riddle this afternoon at lunch that I have since forgotten and therefore can't truly ponder. I do know that I have absolutely no idea what the answer is...something about a desert, calendar and a starving man with a flashlight. I'll ask him about it tomorrow and try to get the answer from fellow bloggers:)

But, one of my favorite riddles goes somethin' like this: Poor people have plenty of it, Rich people want it. It is above God and worse than Satan. What is "it"?

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'Nim's Island'

2008-08-12T22:21:00.002-05:00

[pic from Gerard Butler website]
is an absolute delightful and visually stunning film. Abigail Breslin is a sweetie and who can't watch 90 minutes of Gerard Butler, a.k.a. buff Spartan from '300' or Scottish cutie from 'P.S. I Love You'?! Jodie Foster has always been one of my favs, and she plays a very sympathetic agorophobic author of adventure books. The movie is told in a storybook narrative with Breslin as the narrator. It's hard to explain, but the graphics, with scenes changing from storybook-like illustrations to real life, were great! The colors were vivid and the whimsical look and feel of the movie are at the forefront of the movie's appeal for me. Not to mention, Fred, the lizard, reminded me of Ella...and she's a cool little girl, and would not be offended by the reference if she were old enough to understand it!! Although it may not have won any fancy-schmancy awards, it's a great film to watch with the kiddos, or without. Rent, download, or Netflix...however you choose to obtain cinema magic, this one's worth the watch:)

Dreaded Dreams

2008-08-12T22:05:00.004-05:00

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I have a good English teacher friend who is always so encouraging, understanding and supportive when it comes to my teaching trepidations. Since my first semester of teaching I've had dreams, or nightmares rather, about school, students and teaching. The subconcious storyline usually plays out something like this: I am in a classroom where the students are completely out of control, but when I try to talk nothing comes out...no sound, and I'm invisible, it seems, to the students. My students have never been completely out of control, thank God, but the dreams are still there every so often.

Back to my English friend...she sent me an e-mail from a listserv where fellow English teachers were talking about their dreams. One woman dreamed she walked into a classroom of students who appeared as students from her high school graduating class of 1985...crazy. Mine haven't delved that deep yet:)

Gotta Show It

2008-08-11T16:55:00.002-05:00

The new car.

Whatta Weekend

2008-08-11T16:40:00.002-05:00

The weekend started out wonderfully. We picked up Josh's little girl, my "bonus" daughter, Taylor on Saturday, and she's staying the week with us. Saturday evening we bought a new car that I get to drive every day when Josh goes back to Alaska...I'm soooo excited and thankful:) BUT, while getting ready for church on Sunday morning, little Ella pulled my hair straightener down on her arm. She received 2nd degree burns, and we took her to the ER immediately of course. She is doing fine...acting like her abundantly sweet self. The only difference is the bandage on her uber-owie. The nursing staff and doctor at Wise Regional were great with her. Josh took her to her pediatrician...the wonderful Dr. Lovette, today, and we're going to keep an eye on it, obviously to assess whether or not there may be nerve damage. I pray that there's not. So, to all out there with little children running around the house...keep those heated hair tools far, far away. It seems like a "duh" thing, I know, but we were standing right next to her and obviously didn't think that would happen. Now, we'll be that much more vigilant.

'Best Buy' Buy

2008-08-08T17:27:00.003-05:00

It's only human to covet, right? A sin, yes, but a reality nonetheless. So, Hubby J, Baby Girl and I made a trip to Best Buy today in order to replace the DVD player that bit the dust due to the "Electric Woes of July 2008". We purchased a cheapy Samsung DVD player, but we splurged with the plastic on a pretty sweet Bose Theater System. Bose sounds good. But back to the coveting part...Best Buy is full of the "I Wants"...MacAir, Blackberry Curve, Wii, LG dishwasher and stove...wowser!!!...the ultimae toy store for adults. But alas, we were responsible and didn't "swipe" any other items. We now have TV for the first time in almost three weeks, though. Shoot, we may even go a little crazy and watch a movie this weekend:)

Sprinklers...

2008-08-06T07:42:00.002-05:00

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are still cool.

E-Bills

2008-08-06T07:37:00.002-05:00

Since the Hubby and I moved to Decatur we've been getting our first month's bills in the mailbox. I've realized over the past week how much I reaalllly miss e-bills. We do our banking and bill paying completely online with the bills sent to our e-mail, and it's a glorious way to shell out tons of bucks. Paper=bad.

Say What?

2008-08-05T08:21:00.002-05:00

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Yesterday, regarding my interactions with complete strangers, was a weird day. While walking up the courthouse steps a woman, appearing to be in her late sixties or so, stopped Baby Girl and me. She commented on Ella's hair being red...the SAME color as mine, mind you...normal conversation these days. But, then she said, "Those redheads are a different breed of people". All I could say was, "Yep". Then, later in the day, I attempt to order an iced "skinny mocha" from Starbucks. The drive-thru operator proceeds to tell me that it's been discontinued due to not selling well. I nonchalantly commented that I guess my order didn't matter. Instead of answering with a lame and cheesy, yet expected, "Oh, every customer matters, yada, yada, the not so motivated saleswoman says, "Yeah, probably not". Let's think before we spout opinions, why don't we.

Happy Birthday, Dad!!!

2008-08-03T21:27:00.002-05:00

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Instead of looking at it as being another year older, view it as you're just that much closer to retirement:) Love ya!

Nobel Lit Prize Winner Dies

2008-08-03T20:53:00.002-05:00

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This story caught my eye on msnbc.com this evening. Russian native, Alexander Solzenitsyn died of heart failure today. He won the Nobel Literature prize in 1970. After reading the article I'm ashamed to say I don't recall hearing of him. It seems that he wrote several works regarding his torture in and eventual exit from Stalin's labor camps. First of all, when one thinks of horrible words such as "genocide" and "concentration camps" the name and face of Adolf Hitler are probably more apt to appear in one's mind than that of Josef Stalin, although maybe it's just me. I can name several authors who were Jewish survivors of camps such as Auschwitz and Dakau...even one that made up the story of being a survivor, but I regret not knowing more about this man's world.

Regardless, as I was reading further into the article I came across a quote from Solzenitsyn, who lived in Vermont since his work earned him banishment from "Mother Russia". The quote reads, "It was a mistake, he warned, for Western societies to regard the failure of the rest of the world to adopt the democratic model as a product of "wicked governments or by heavy crises or by their own barbarity or incomprehension." He may have been an extremist to some degree, but I tend to agree with that quote as it stands alone. America's way doesn't have to be everyone's way. Rest in Peace, Alexander Solzenitsyn.

Hands, Feet and Brows...Oh, My.

2008-08-01T20:44:00.004-05:00

[pic found on zoo-m.com/flickrstorm]

I used a gift certificate today to receive a pedicure, manicure and eyebrow wax. The gift was given to me by my Dad and step-mom over two years ago, hehe...life's been a bit busy:) Anyway, I loved the pedicure, there wasn't much to the manicure since I keep my nails boy-short, and my eyebrows have never looked better. One can only pluck so much before the pain is just not worth it. With a wax, however, the pain is minimal, fast fleeting, and the results are way better. So long to plucking...for-ev-er.

Yep, Same Guy

2008-08-01T20:35:00.003-05:00

I watched the end of an episode of "Monk" today with my Dad. I asked him if the guy playing the lead detective guy (not Tony Schaloub) was the same guy that wore the coat made of skins in "Silence of the Lambs" [ick]. Dad said, "Nah, not the same guy". Several minutes later he asks me to Google it when I get a chance...apparently he was bothered by it. So, I googled, and the actor is Ted Levine who played the whacked out "Buffalo Bill" in "Lambs" and plays Captain Stottlemeyer in "Monk". The guy's voice is unmistakable. Oh, and Dad, one cool knowing-pointless-trivia point for me:)