I don't know what summer does to me, but without fail I revert back to my bad eating habits of my college days. During the year, I do pretty well with at least feigning to eat healthy. Then summer hits, and boom...its coronary city. Let me tell you what I've had for lunch the last couple days...
Spaghettios using Pringles as a spoon...mmmmm (I'm hungry an hour later).
For dinner tonight...
A hamburger with a chocolate chip cookie to follow and a doughnut from Krispy Kreme.
Last night (this will make Sara proud)...
I ate a whole thing of Sour Patch Kids...by myself...in a half hour.
The summer sun has got me craving the sweets.
I will say I have not gone back to soda and I eat Grape Nuts every morning and drink a glass of Florida's best orange juice.
I also had a bowl of cantaloupe with my bowl of chili-mac last night.
Competitive eating has never looked sweeter to me.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Friday, July 25, 2008
This One Time at Band Camp...I Lost my Mind
Let me preface this post by saying we are truly blessed by our living situation. Ben's job allows us to live in an apartment rent-free. Nice situation, right? Yes, it is. We don't pay rent or utilities or internet or anything. I mean it doesn't get much better. I thank the Lord for this opportunity at this point in our lives. That being said...
Our apartment is in a dorm building where 300 other students live from September to May. We coexist peacefully with these blessed students. We hear occasional rounds of wrestling up stairs, and there are only a handful of times when I look at Ben and say, "Do you think someone just died upstairs?" To which he replies, "Eh."
Living with these 300 college students for most of the year is fine.
But for one weekend every summer, my inner-Mr. Hyde comes out. For one weekend every summer, a large band camp lives in our building for several days, and I weigh whether or not it would be acceptable to storm upstairs in my pajamas, hair askew, and scream obscenities at innocent high school students for interrupting my precious, precious REM cycle. I know when they have arrived because at 9:00 a.m. (when I'm still sleeping...b/c I get to b/c I wake up at 5:00 a.m. during the school year so get off my back) someone starts playing the drums in the bedroom above our bedroom. Loud, loud drums. That weekend, my friends, has arrived. They are here.
Riddle me this Internet (and I know that I teach high schoolers for a living): why do high schoolers have to scream their conversations with one another across a courtyard? Why? WHY? Why does it take an HOUR to walk from our building to the track across the street (where they practice)? Why does the smallest kid always play the tuba? The smallest kid with a brace on his leg? What?
I'm all for the arts in education, but ummm...not in my place of residence.
Oh Band Camp, you are the bane of my existence.
Our apartment is in a dorm building where 300 other students live from September to May. We coexist peacefully with these blessed students. We hear occasional rounds of wrestling up stairs, and there are only a handful of times when I look at Ben and say, "Do you think someone just died upstairs?" To which he replies, "Eh."
Living with these 300 college students for most of the year is fine.
But for one weekend every summer, my inner-Mr. Hyde comes out. For one weekend every summer, a large band camp lives in our building for several days, and I weigh whether or not it would be acceptable to storm upstairs in my pajamas, hair askew, and scream obscenities at innocent high school students for interrupting my precious, precious REM cycle. I know when they have arrived because at 9:00 a.m. (when I'm still sleeping...b/c I get to b/c I wake up at 5:00 a.m. during the school year so get off my back) someone starts playing the drums in the bedroom above our bedroom. Loud, loud drums. That weekend, my friends, has arrived. They are here.
Riddle me this Internet (and I know that I teach high schoolers for a living): why do high schoolers have to scream their conversations with one another across a courtyard? Why? WHY? Why does it take an HOUR to walk from our building to the track across the street (where they practice)? Why does the smallest kid always play the tuba? The smallest kid with a brace on his leg? What?
I'm all for the arts in education, but ummm...not in my place of residence.
Oh Band Camp, you are the bane of my existence.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
I'm Not Dead Yet (part deux)
Hey friends...so I've been an uber let down to myself as far as keeping up on my blog. I've had no motivation whatsoever this last month and a half. I think I'm suffering from burnout. I have been keeping track of witty, non-sensical things that pop into my head and I say "hmmm...I should write that on my blog." For example:
1. What the frick is up with this "summer weather"? Huh, Al Gore? Huh? I mean don't get me wrong. Anything is better than 12 inches of snow, but I want hot days...I didn't live in the desert for 10 years for nothing. My body needs hot weather, lest it die.
2. Why must celebrities pick out the most obscure names? It's not even fascinating anymore. You are not going against the norm if you name your baby something weird and you're a celebrity. If I were a celebrity, I would name my child Pete or Bob.
3. Why did God create us to have gas? And if we all have it, why is it so taboo to excrete it in front of others? I'm just saying, I think we should take pride in the stinkiness of our gas.
4. What is a parkway?
5. How come women with dark hair are cursed with dark leg hair that grows at a phenomenal rate? I mean I shave at 9:00 a.m. and by 4:00 p.m. I could honestly compete with Robin Williams for hairiest person alive.
Okay, that's all with the sage ponderings of yours truly.
I was in Boston last week, so I'll post pictures soon. Get ready for a treat. And by treat I mean 10 pictures of where the Revolutionary War started.
1. What the frick is up with this "summer weather"? Huh, Al Gore? Huh? I mean don't get me wrong. Anything is better than 12 inches of snow, but I want hot days...I didn't live in the desert for 10 years for nothing. My body needs hot weather, lest it die.
2. Why must celebrities pick out the most obscure names? It's not even fascinating anymore. You are not going against the norm if you name your baby something weird and you're a celebrity. If I were a celebrity, I would name my child Pete or Bob.
3. Why did God create us to have gas? And if we all have it, why is it so taboo to excrete it in front of others? I'm just saying, I think we should take pride in the stinkiness of our gas.
4. What is a parkway?
5. How come women with dark hair are cursed with dark leg hair that grows at a phenomenal rate? I mean I shave at 9:00 a.m. and by 4:00 p.m. I could honestly compete with Robin Williams for hairiest person alive.
Okay, that's all with the sage ponderings of yours truly.
I was in Boston last week, so I'll post pictures soon. Get ready for a treat. And by treat I mean 10 pictures of where the Revolutionary War started.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
A Milestone in Any Young Woman's Life
This year has been a year of firsts; a year of ups and downs; a year of late nights and early mornings. Before you roll your eyes at another supposed "hooray for me" post, let me tell you, that is not what this is. Today marked a very important day in my life. Last year I let two very influential women into my life. These women have been my "go to", if you will. They've let me create lesson plans in front of them. They've allowed me to eat bowl after bowl of cream of wheat in front of them. They've weathered my mocking and my pleading. They've endured long, unrelenting hours of having to "be on" just for me. And today, I had to bid them adieu. It was a sad day. I sat in my living room incredulously trying to fight back tears. I know I can see them again, but it won't be the same.
Today, I said my farewells to...the Gilmore Girls. That's right, up to today I held out hope for a Luke and Lorelai wedding. I held my breath for a tear inducing Jess/Rory reunion (that's right--Jess!). I held my breath for a tidy series finale tie up; but that is not the Gilmore way. Nothing is tidy and contrived in Stars Hollow. We roll with the punches, my friends, and we keep going. Oh the last season definitely was somewhat of a letdown. I mean without Amy Sherman-Palladino, some of the magic is gone. I mean Christopher and Lorelai? Married?! I had to deal with an overactive gag reflex for about 5 episodes (5 episodes too many). But, it was not a season 10 debacle a la Friends (sorry, Sara--you know how I feel, though).
It was a bittersweet parting. I know, I know--I'll always have re-reruns on ABC Family and DVDs, but now the element of surprise is gone; I know how it all ends. Oh, I'm sure it's like a good book--one that you can read and read and pick up new things every time. I'm sure I'll have more late evenings and early morning cream of wheat meetings. It was a sad moment, though, taking that last disc out of the DVD player, knowing that I couldn't rush to put the next one in (dangling preposition).
Now then, since I have just spent a pathetic week and a half watching theses DVDs and have accomplished nothing of merit, I feel I should begin something that doesn't require my monopolizing the television. I don't think seeing how long I can hold out on a shower before HAZMAT is alerted is a laudable achievement. So, I will be starting my summer reading list (not that I haven't been reading; I gave myself little breaks in between seasons...I'm not a complete loser).
So here it is--the books I would like to be able to read this summer (3 of which I am currently reading):
-Moby Dick by Herman Melville (this one requires an accountability partner--shout out to my good friend, Rachel)
-Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (wonderful suggestion from a wonderful friend)
-I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle (wonderful suggestion from a hilarious friend)
-There's a Slight Chance I Might be Going to Hell by Laurie Notaro (my mother highly recommended it and is allowing me to borrow her copy).
-The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (because one can never be too depressed)
-The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (because I feel like I should give him another chance...misogynistic pessimist)
-One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (I really did enjoy Love in the Time of Cholera...let's see what G.G. Marqz (oh, Rachel) can do with this one).
and if there's time (because I do have to do some reading for the upcoming school year),
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseni.
Okay, Summer reading begins...NOW!
Today, I said my farewells to...the Gilmore Girls. That's right, up to today I held out hope for a Luke and Lorelai wedding. I held my breath for a tear inducing Jess/Rory reunion (that's right--Jess!). I held my breath for a tidy series finale tie up; but that is not the Gilmore way. Nothing is tidy and contrived in Stars Hollow. We roll with the punches, my friends, and we keep going. Oh the last season definitely was somewhat of a letdown. I mean without Amy Sherman-Palladino, some of the magic is gone. I mean Christopher and Lorelai? Married?! I had to deal with an overactive gag reflex for about 5 episodes (5 episodes too many). But, it was not a season 10 debacle a la Friends (sorry, Sara--you know how I feel, though).
It was a bittersweet parting. I know, I know--I'll always have re-reruns on ABC Family and DVDs, but now the element of surprise is gone; I know how it all ends. Oh, I'm sure it's like a good book--one that you can read and read and pick up new things every time. I'm sure I'll have more late evenings and early morning cream of wheat meetings. It was a sad moment, though, taking that last disc out of the DVD player, knowing that I couldn't rush to put the next one in (dangling preposition).
Now then, since I have just spent a pathetic week and a half watching theses DVDs and have accomplished nothing of merit, I feel I should begin something that doesn't require my monopolizing the television. I don't think seeing how long I can hold out on a shower before HAZMAT is alerted is a laudable achievement. So, I will be starting my summer reading list (not that I haven't been reading; I gave myself little breaks in between seasons...I'm not a complete loser).
So here it is--the books I would like to be able to read this summer (3 of which I am currently reading):
-Moby Dick by Herman Melville (this one requires an accountability partner--shout out to my good friend, Rachel)
-Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (wonderful suggestion from a wonderful friend)
-I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle (wonderful suggestion from a hilarious friend)
-There's a Slight Chance I Might be Going to Hell by Laurie Notaro (my mother highly recommended it and is allowing me to borrow her copy).
-The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (because one can never be too depressed)
-The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway (because I feel like I should give him another chance...misogynistic pessimist)
-One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (I really did enjoy Love in the Time of Cholera...let's see what G.G. Marqz (oh, Rachel) can do with this one).
and if there's time (because I do have to do some reading for the upcoming school year),
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseni.
Okay, Summer reading begins...NOW!
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Hot Time, Summer in the City (kind of)
Kind of a lame post to make up for the absence of regularly witty and brilliant posts (please know that I am extremely sarcastic and not at all narcissistic--somewhere someone who knows me very well laughs). I have been enjoying the warm goodness that comes from our own little ball of hydrogen. I was wondering if it was broken (ahem, Al Gore). As I've basked in the wonderfully harmful UV rays this week I began making a list of all the reasons why Summer kicks Winter's derrière (I would give you props Spring, but you were somewhat MIA this year). Below is a list of reasons why I love Summer.
1. I can walk outside without a coat and three layers of shirts and gloves and a hat and a scarf and winter boots and a scowl.
2. Warm breezes
3. Driving with the windows down (when I don't have somewhere to be where my hair needs to look not wind blown)
4. The smell of cut grass
5. The glorious scents that precede a storm
6. Running at 9:00 p.m. (and not getting hit by a car b/c it's still light outside)
7. 6:30 sunrises (not that I see them)
8. 9:30 sunsets
9. Rollerblading
10. Swimming
11. Fire works
12. The smell of barbecues
13. The smell of bonfires
14. The smell of sunscreen (you can tell my olfactory senses get quite the workout during Summer)
15. The sound of crickets (outside...not in my apartment driving me to the brink of madness)
16. The sound of bullfrogs
17. Fireflies
18. My parents' backyard
19. Concord's main street
20. Sleeping in
21. S'mores
22. Hanging out on AJ and Megan's lake (it's theirs in my mind)
23. Walking to Frosty Boy with Ben
24. End of the school year
25. Our anniversary
I'm sure there's more, but I'm really hungry right now and can't really think straight. Here' to Summer.
(If I had been really smooth, I would have posted this on the 21...the first official day of Summer, but like I said, I'm hungry).
1. I can walk outside without a coat and three layers of shirts and gloves and a hat and a scarf and winter boots and a scowl.
2. Warm breezes
3. Driving with the windows down (when I don't have somewhere to be where my hair needs to look not wind blown)
4. The smell of cut grass
5. The glorious scents that precede a storm
6. Running at 9:00 p.m. (and not getting hit by a car b/c it's still light outside)
7. 6:30 sunrises (not that I see them)
8. 9:30 sunsets
9. Rollerblading
10. Swimming
11. Fire works
12. The smell of barbecues
13. The smell of bonfires
14. The smell of sunscreen (you can tell my olfactory senses get quite the workout during Summer)
15. The sound of crickets (outside...not in my apartment driving me to the brink of madness)
16. The sound of bullfrogs
17. Fireflies
18. My parents' backyard
19. Concord's main street
20. Sleeping in
21. S'mores
22. Hanging out on AJ and Megan's lake (it's theirs in my mind)
23. Walking to Frosty Boy with Ben
24. End of the school year
25. Our anniversary
I'm sure there's more, but I'm really hungry right now and can't really think straight. Here' to Summer.
(If I had been really smooth, I would have posted this on the 21...the first official day of Summer, but like I said, I'm hungry).
Friday, June 6, 2008
....aaaaannd DONE!
LAST DAY!
And because I'm a literature teacher, and it's my job to point out symbolism, here's this:
There was the most incredible rainbow after some of the storms today...how perfect (power lines and all).
And because I'm a literature teacher, and it's my job to point out symbolism, here's this:
There was the most incredible rainbow after some of the storms today...how perfect (power lines and all).
Saturday, May 31, 2008
T-5 Days
Internet, I cannot convey to you the utter joy I feel when I realize that I have made it through one of the most difficult, yet rewarding years of my life. I know that statement rings a tad hyperbolic, but it is true. I love my job and I love going to work each day, but this year, while wonderfully rewarding, has been the most stressful year of my life. I am glad to say that, by next Friday afternoon, I will have survived my first year of teaching.
I have survived the many mood swings projected upon me by my ever-changing adolescent students. I have survived teaching 15 novels, 7 plays, 4 research projects, 3 poetry units, 3 short stories units, 11 Psychology units, and countless writing assignments. I have survived 5 a.m. mornings and 12 a.m. bed times. I have survived hour long commutes. I have survived moments of despair and tears. I have survived moments of elation and joy. I have survived chaperoning dances and a senior trip.
I have survived and I did not do it by myself. I had the support of my family, my friends, my husband, my colleagues. I had the guidance of veteran teachers. I have had the support of my Heavenly Father who let me cry out to Him and plead with Him and yell at Him and question Him.
This year has been quite the paradoxical year. I feel I have been hardened and softened; I have grown more confident yet have never felt less self-assured. I have never felt so sad and, yet, so happy. I felt completely supported and completely alone. It has been a tremulous year of ups and downs...
and I would not go back and change a thing.
"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good
we oft might win, by fearing to attempt".
-The Bard
I have survived the many mood swings projected upon me by my ever-changing adolescent students. I have survived teaching 15 novels, 7 plays, 4 research projects, 3 poetry units, 3 short stories units, 11 Psychology units, and countless writing assignments. I have survived 5 a.m. mornings and 12 a.m. bed times. I have survived hour long commutes. I have survived moments of despair and tears. I have survived moments of elation and joy. I have survived chaperoning dances and a senior trip.
I have survived and I did not do it by myself. I had the support of my family, my friends, my husband, my colleagues. I had the guidance of veteran teachers. I have had the support of my Heavenly Father who let me cry out to Him and plead with Him and yell at Him and question Him.
This year has been quite the paradoxical year. I feel I have been hardened and softened; I have grown more confident yet have never felt less self-assured. I have never felt so sad and, yet, so happy. I felt completely supported and completely alone. It has been a tremulous year of ups and downs...
and I would not go back and change a thing.
"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good
we oft might win, by fearing to attempt".
-The Bard
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