This is the first I have had my computer on since Monday. I have been running around like a crazed, headless chicken. Many, many things are coming up that need to be dealt with and it seems that next weekend is the deadline that the universe conspired to create for me. By then I need to:
Write celebrations for 10 students
Grade oodles of papers
Put said oodles of grades into the computer
Write progress reports for 27 students (an improvement on the 34 that I had to write last time!)
Watch two 3 hour tapes for my CLAD class
Write sub plans
Plan and go on my trip
Prepare my students for upcoming CAT/6 testing
Clean my house
Put away the clothes that have been clean and wrinkling in baskets for nearly a week (I HATE wrinkled clothes, too!)
Hmmmm...I am sure there is more...but I am too busy to think of what it is. :) I am off to shower and get some of that grading done.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Creature Comforts
My Zazzy has decided that she likes sitting on my lap. But only at certain times. In the morning, she will jump into my lap and purr when I am sitting at the table, reading and eating my breakfast. In the afternoons and evenings, she will meow at me until I make a suitable lap while reading my bloglist. Both times, she quickly curls up in a ball and just lies there - keeping me toasty warm and making me feel guilty for having to eventually get up.
Monday, April 26, 2004
Support your Teachers
Buy Books From Scholastic Book Orders and Scholastic Book Fairs!!!
Last week, we had a book fair set up in our multi-purpose room all week long. Kids spent their allowance, and probably some of their lunch money, on books and book related paraphernalia. Parents stopped by before, during and after school to get that special treat for the well-deserving son or daughter in their life. Teachers made up wishlists and drooled over beautiful reference books that were way too expensive to buy right now. It was a ton of fun.
Then, this morning, I was handed a sheet of paper informing me that a portion of what we had earned was being split among the teachers to spend as they wished. I got to buy $184 worth of books for my classroom. I got not just ONE big wonderful, hardcover reference book, but TWO! I got novels and biographies and stories about living in the wilderness. I got classics and award-winners and never-before-heard-of books. I found books about dolphins, kittens, basketball stars, famous ships and American heroes. I walked away with a grocery bag stuffed to the gills and I can hardly wait to see the looks on the faces of my darling students when they see all the new reading material they will have access to.
All because their parents were willing to spend a little money at the school book fair to get books for home. :) Everybody wins.
Last week, we had a book fair set up in our multi-purpose room all week long. Kids spent their allowance, and probably some of their lunch money, on books and book related paraphernalia. Parents stopped by before, during and after school to get that special treat for the well-deserving son or daughter in their life. Teachers made up wishlists and drooled over beautiful reference books that were way too expensive to buy right now. It was a ton of fun.
Then, this morning, I was handed a sheet of paper informing me that a portion of what we had earned was being split among the teachers to spend as they wished. I got to buy $184 worth of books for my classroom. I got not just ONE big wonderful, hardcover reference book, but TWO! I got novels and biographies and stories about living in the wilderness. I got classics and award-winners and never-before-heard-of books. I found books about dolphins, kittens, basketball stars, famous ships and American heroes. I walked away with a grocery bag stuffed to the gills and I can hardly wait to see the looks on the faces of my darling students when they see all the new reading material they will have access to.
All because their parents were willing to spend a little money at the school book fair to get books for home. :) Everybody wins.
Expect the best, Plan for the worst
I had to write up sub plans this afternoon, as I am taking a day to observe in some other classrooms tomorrow. Last week's adventure in SubLand was a dismal failure, resulting in a disappointing letter, a frustrated teacher and some severely chastised kids. I am hoping that tomorrow will go better. For one thing, I have a sub that I know and trust instead of one randomly chosen by the computer. For another, the kids know they BETTER NOT MESS UP AGAIN! And for a third, I will be wandering the halls throughout the day, so they will know that any problems will be dealt with immediately. I told the sub to give them some special outside time because I am that hopeful that they will earn it. I also left plenty of less desirable things for them to do if they don't - just in case.
Can I just tell you how BAD I am?
Immediately after working out, I went next door and got a mint chocolate ice cream cone. Haha. And then I waved it in the general direction of the workout place and gloated.
Sunday, April 25, 2004
All Apologies...
I have to apologize (as I am in the habit of doing) for the lack of worthwhile reading here lately. I have been totally preoccupied with my yard and my work, leaving very little time for actual thinking and ruminating.
Weekends are FUN!
After paying all that money to get things "fixed up" in our yards, I was seriously motivated to do some work of my own. All of yesterday and 1/2 of today were devoted to pulling and planting and watering and cleaning and pruning and admiring my property. Then we headed to the in-law's to cool off in the pool. A very nice weekend. Now I have to get to work SUPER early tomorrow so I can do all the planning I should have done today. I am okay with that.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Quiz Time!!
This is the best quiz yet. I know Amy will go take it.
Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti
Which Princess Bride Character are You?
this quiz was made by mysti
Oh yeah...
And the Indigo Girls are going to be playing in San Diego at Humphries on the Bay on July 11 and 12. Last time (a couple years ago?), I missed them. This time, I WILL be there.
Whadda Week!
As usual, here it is - Friday night - and I am exhausted! Seems like we never do anything on the weekends because we are always too busy recovering from the weeks. Except during the summer. Being a teacher has it's perks! :)
Our yard has been all finished up. The garden has raised beds and its very own station on the sprinkler system. I had to fight for the latter, but eventually the yard guy saw it my way. The backyard has a new patio and looks much more open. I have big plans, as mentioned in the previous post, for planting and touching up little thing. I have already begun to tear out the electric malibu lights, and I have done much trimming of trees. It is amazing how much happier the trees are when they are given regular prunings. Much like children with their boundries.
Speaking of children, we had our open house at school last night. Many families showed up. ASTWHBA. I was thanked for doing such a wonderful job, told that children enjoyed coming to school, complimented on my fortitude through this difficult year, informed that my room was "perfect", and in general given much love all evening long. I was full of warm fuzzies when it was all over. The kids went above and beyond in helping me get the room ready and putting up with my stress-induced mania.
In other news, we currently have 16 boxes of cereal in our possession (thanks to an Albertson's sale). I can now do 3 sets of 15 crunches after my 30 minute work-out, as opposed to the 2.5 sets of 10 I was doing when we started. I can conclusively say that I DO NOT like zombie movies. We have jumped all the hoops in the "Refinance your Home" circus and are now saving hundreds of dollars a month (much like a commercial!). Mikey is spending a large portion of our newly saved hundreds on a newly aquired server. And finally, I will be planting my garden tomorrow morning and swimming myself cool tomorrow afternoon - weather permitting.
Our yard has been all finished up. The garden has raised beds and its very own station on the sprinkler system. I had to fight for the latter, but eventually the yard guy saw it my way. The backyard has a new patio and looks much more open. I have big plans, as mentioned in the previous post, for planting and touching up little thing. I have already begun to tear out the electric malibu lights, and I have done much trimming of trees. It is amazing how much happier the trees are when they are given regular prunings. Much like children with their boundries.
Speaking of children, we had our open house at school last night. Many families showed up. ASTWHBA. I was thanked for doing such a wonderful job, told that children enjoyed coming to school, complimented on my fortitude through this difficult year, informed that my room was "perfect", and in general given much love all evening long. I was full of warm fuzzies when it was all over. The kids went above and beyond in helping me get the room ready and putting up with my stress-induced mania.
In other news, we currently have 16 boxes of cereal in our possession (thanks to an Albertson's sale). I can now do 3 sets of 15 crunches after my 30 minute work-out, as opposed to the 2.5 sets of 10 I was doing when we started. I can conclusively say that I DO NOT like zombie movies. We have jumped all the hoops in the "Refinance your Home" circus and are now saving hundreds of dollars a month (much like a commercial!). Mikey is spending a large portion of our newly saved hundreds on a newly aquired server. And finally, I will be planting my garden tomorrow morning and swimming myself cool tomorrow afternoon - weather permitting.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Yard Update
No water feature guy. I guess that part will have to wait awhile.
They cleared out the weeds on one side of the house and fixed up the path that we use to get the garbage cans out to the street. Kind of. I am not thrilled with the way the path is laid, but maybe they are still working on it. We'll see. They set out railroad ties to make raised beds in my garden area. Still have to get water to that side of the house and finish it up, but it looks good so far. They even fixed the sunken path down the middle. They tore up the rotting deck, and tomorrow they will make a paver patio of some kind. It looks a little crazy in that area, but only because it is unfinished.
I have been inspired by the work they are doing to get some little things done myself. Or at least inspired to think about doing them. I want to put new flowers in the front of the house. I am going to buy a new arbor for the grape vines. And I am going put upsome latticework for the morning glory. That is - if I can work up the nerve to make a decision and buy any of the materials needed for these projects.
I am a very capable person when it comes to my classroom. Put me in a room with 32 kids and I can hold my own. However, put me in the vacinity of small household fix-it problems and I am totally worthless. I fumble and bumble and ask stupid questions. And the finished project always looks like something a 1st grader threw together. Argh.
They cleared out the weeds on one side of the house and fixed up the path that we use to get the garbage cans out to the street. Kind of. I am not thrilled with the way the path is laid, but maybe they are still working on it. We'll see. They set out railroad ties to make raised beds in my garden area. Still have to get water to that side of the house and finish it up, but it looks good so far. They even fixed the sunken path down the middle. They tore up the rotting deck, and tomorrow they will make a paver patio of some kind. It looks a little crazy in that area, but only because it is unfinished.
I have been inspired by the work they are doing to get some little things done myself. Or at least inspired to think about doing them. I want to put new flowers in the front of the house. I am going to buy a new arbor for the grape vines. And I am going put upsome latticework for the morning glory. That is - if I can work up the nerve to make a decision and buy any of the materials needed for these projects.
I am a very capable person when it comes to my classroom. Put me in a room with 32 kids and I can hold my own. However, put me in the vacinity of small household fix-it problems and I am totally worthless. I fumble and bumble and ask stupid questions. And the finished project always looks like something a 1st grader threw together. Argh.
Yard Works
So the guy who is fixing up my yard looks like Michael Keaton in Multiplicity. Every time I talk to him, I have to fight back the urge to ask him, "Did you bring me a monkey?" He and the two guys on his crew have begun the process of turning the chaos that is my yard into something presentable.
Huzzah is quite interested - running from window to window watching - but not quite interested enough to be yelling to go out. Oh wait. Now he has started yelling. This will continue until they are done, I am sure. Gotta love that cat.
Perhaps today I will talk to the water feature guy about getting a waterfall/pond thingy. Whoo hoo!!
Huzzah is quite interested - running from window to window watching - but not quite interested enough to be yelling to go out. Oh wait. Now he has started yelling. This will continue until they are done, I am sure. Gotta love that cat.
Perhaps today I will talk to the water feature guy about getting a waterfall/pond thingy. Whoo hoo!!
Sunday, April 18, 2004
What to do?
The question of the day is this:
Do I attempt to tackle the HUGE amount of housework that needs to be done? Or do I try to put a dent in the mountain of schoolwork I brought home? Or do I ignore both and sit on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and a container of Double Double Yummy Yummy Chocolate Chip/Creme/Syrup/Fudge Ice Cream in the other while watching enough Law and Order to send me into a tele-ray induced coma?
Oh, the choices....
Do I attempt to tackle the HUGE amount of housework that needs to be done? Or do I try to put a dent in the mountain of schoolwork I brought home? Or do I ignore both and sit on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and a container of Double Double Yummy Yummy Chocolate Chip/Creme/Syrup/Fudge Ice Cream in the other while watching enough Law and Order to send me into a tele-ray induced coma?
Oh, the choices....
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Blah dee blah
It rained all freakin' day today. I just can't get goin' when it rains and if I do manage to get myself out and about, I am in a foul mood. Mikey was in a mood today too - lots of chaos in his life - and so the two of us sat around, playing games, watching movies and been cranky together. Things I learned today:
*We are not in the Godfather's Pizza delivery range.
*I am not a fan of Danzell Washington movies.
*Rollercoaster Tycoon, the board game, is fun.
*If you don't go in the kitchen, you don't notice the mess so much.
*I am a lazy girl.
I sure hope the sun comes out for tomorrow, because I have a lawn to mow and work to do. I won't be able to do either if I am lying around moping.
*We are not in the Godfather's Pizza delivery range.
*I am not a fan of Danzell Washington movies.
*Rollercoaster Tycoon, the board game, is fun.
*If you don't go in the kitchen, you don't notice the mess so much.
*I am a lazy girl.
I sure hope the sun comes out for tomorrow, because I have a lawn to mow and work to do. I won't be able to do either if I am lying around moping.
Friday, April 16, 2004
my e-mail has been down for two days, so if i haven't responded to anything you have sent, please know it is not because i don't care.
busted
Now that blogs are becoming more mainstream, more people are reading them. Which means more anonymous bloggers are being found out. Dooce, one of my recent blog finds, lost her job a while back due to her blog. Today, The Sarcastic Journalist, a blog I found through another regular read, reported losing her job. Makes me wonder if I should be writing here. I guess I just have to be careful.
Happy Friday!!
We had a baby shower for a co-worker today. It was a lot of fun, with lots of laughter, a few tears, and a wealth of friendship. If you put 2 teachers into a room together, the majority of the conversation will be education based. THere were 10 of us there tonight. It was lots of fun. So much so, that I lost track of time. I slunk in the front door at 8 pm, knowing that my Beloved would greet me with "Where have you been?!?!?" I was SO right. :)
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Night of the Living Dead
Field trip fun. Bus full of 4th graders loud. Staples removed. Ravioli good. Movie not impressive (although the very end was not as predictable as I thought it would be!). Off to bed. Only 8 o'clock.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Terry Pratchett cracks me up.
British humor - or should I say "humour"? - just kills me. It is always so unexpected.
"The shop bell tinkled in a refined tone, as if it were embarrassed to do something as vulgar as ring. It would have much preferred to give a polite cough." ~Terry Pratchett, Maskerade
"The shop bell tinkled in a refined tone, as if it were embarrassed to do something as vulgar as ring. It would have much preferred to give a polite cough." ~Terry Pratchett, Maskerade
Good Friends and Good News
The Friends
I bet the world would be a better place if more people sat down to have meetings like the one my team had today. We got lots done, AND we laughed until we cried. There was teasing, support, help, collaboration, encouragement, consolation, and sharing. I have the best team in the whole wide world. They're my pals. And I have evidence of that every, single day. I wish everyone could be so lucky.
The News
I got to sign my letter of intent today. This means that I have been offered a position for next year (doesn't specify which one, but most likely the one I currently hold), and I have stated that I intend to fulfill it. HoOrAy! :) I am quite excited at the thought of staying with this team and doing a job that I actually feel somewhat prepared for. Oh, the luxury of it all.
I bet the world would be a better place if more people sat down to have meetings like the one my team had today. We got lots done, AND we laughed until we cried. There was teasing, support, help, collaboration, encouragement, consolation, and sharing. I have the best team in the whole wide world. They're my pals. And I have evidence of that every, single day. I wish everyone could be so lucky.
The News
I got to sign my letter of intent today. This means that I have been offered a position for next year (doesn't specify which one, but most likely the one I currently hold), and I have stated that I intend to fulfill it. HoOrAy! :) I am quite excited at the thought of staying with this team and doing a job that I actually feel somewhat prepared for. Oh, the luxury of it all.
Tuesday, April 13, 2004
So Sleeeeeeeepy
I am off to bed, but I wanted to make a comment or two...if I could only remember what they were...
Oh yeah -
Happy Birthday, Amy! You rock like a caveman. Hope you had the best day ever. :)
And...what else?
We watched "John Q" tonight. Bleh. Aside from being a blatant PSA about the evil's of HMOs, the overall message was that if you are unhappy with how you are being treated, you should just take a bunch of people hostage. Bleh. Twice.
Lastly...
I had an interesting conversation with a college...colleague...coleague...with a co-worker today about raising kids. Because that is what teacher's do - talk about kids. And he made a comment about being an older parent that got me thinking. And then Moody Mama made exactly the same point. Since I am practically asleep in my chair, I will simply share her words rather than trying to make up my own.
It's like some sick ass joke that our bodies are prime babymaking machines years and years before our minds are ready to raise them.
Oh yeah -
Happy Birthday, Amy! You rock like a caveman. Hope you had the best day ever. :)
And...what else?
We watched "John Q" tonight. Bleh. Aside from being a blatant PSA about the evil's of HMOs, the overall message was that if you are unhappy with how you are being treated, you should just take a bunch of people hostage. Bleh. Twice.
Lastly...
I had an interesting conversation with a college...colleague...coleague...with a co-worker today about raising kids. Because that is what teacher's do - talk about kids. And he made a comment about being an older parent that got me thinking. And then Moody Mama made exactly the same point. Since I am practically asleep in my chair, I will simply share her words rather than trying to make up my own.
It's like some sick ass joke that our bodies are prime babymaking machines years and years before our minds are ready to raise them.
Monday, April 12, 2004
You know you are rested when...
...you find yourself explaining the meaning of the word "modest" by jumping up and down in front of a student, shouting "Yeah!!! I WIN!!! Yeah!! I am the BEST!!" just to get a laugh from the class.
...you can sit down with your own paint and paintbrush and let the kids go to town with theirs, without giving a moment's thought to the paint that is going to get on the sidewalk. It washes right off the first time it rains, anyway.
...you can say "I just said the answer to that question" for the third time, and you are still smiling.
...you think it is cute when the kids all start sharing their thoughts on "Pirates of the Caribbean" when you start talking about the California Gold Rush.
...your response to hearing that boy use the word "Crap" again is to calmly say "M****, your words are offending me." without even looking up.
Need I say that I had a good day today? The kind of day that made me think I stand a good chance of making to the end of the year. :) I really do love my job.
...you can sit down with your own paint and paintbrush and let the kids go to town with theirs, without giving a moment's thought to the paint that is going to get on the sidewalk. It washes right off the first time it rains, anyway.
...you can say "I just said the answer to that question" for the third time, and you are still smiling.
...you think it is cute when the kids all start sharing their thoughts on "Pirates of the Caribbean" when you start talking about the California Gold Rush.
...your response to hearing that boy use the word "Crap" again is to calmly say "M****, your words are offending me." without even looking up.
Need I say that I had a good day today? The kind of day that made me think I stand a good chance of making to the end of the year. :) I really do love my job.
Saturday, April 10, 2004
Happy Easter!
I hope everyone had as wonderful a day as I did. We spent the night at the in-laws last night and hung out with family all day. The weather was sunny, the food delicious, and the company charming. What more could you ask for?
Tomorrow, I return to work. I have truly rested for the last two weeks, thinking about school only a few short hours. I flicked that internal switch from "Teacher" to "Regular Person" so easily. Flicking it back to work mode is proving to be a difficult task, although I am sure it will happen all on it's own once the kids arrive at school. My internal child is kicking and screaming at the thought of an early bedtime and an early rising.
Tomorrow, I return to work. I have truly rested for the last two weeks, thinking about school only a few short hours. I flicked that internal switch from "Teacher" to "Regular Person" so easily. Flicking it back to work mode is proving to be a difficult task, although I am sure it will happen all on it's own once the kids arrive at school. My internal child is kicking and screaming at the thought of an early bedtime and an early rising.
Solidifying Plans
It is seeming as though I will be heading to MN two times in the near future.
1. I will be there to help my mother sort through my grandmother's belongings before the house is sold. I will arrive in MN very late on Thursday, May 6 and I will be leaving sometime on Monday, May 10. This will be a working vacation with the goal of getting as much done as possible at Grandma's.
2. I will be spending the first two weeks of August in MN (exact dates to be announced). I will be based in Moose Lake, possibly taking small side trips, but not wandering all over the state like I did last year. Please let me know if you are interested in getting together during this Midwestern jaunt of mine (I know that I am missing Ulrich's visit and that STINKS, but it can't really be avoided.), and we will arrange for it.
I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED about these trips. Hope to see you all during at least one of them.
1. I will be there to help my mother sort through my grandmother's belongings before the house is sold. I will arrive in MN very late on Thursday, May 6 and I will be leaving sometime on Monday, May 10. This will be a working vacation with the goal of getting as much done as possible at Grandma's.
2. I will be spending the first two weeks of August in MN (exact dates to be announced). I will be based in Moose Lake, possibly taking small side trips, but not wandering all over the state like I did last year. Please let me know if you are interested in getting together during this Midwestern jaunt of mine (I know that I am missing Ulrich's visit and that STINKS, but it can't really be avoided.), and we will arrange for it.
I am SUPER DUPER EXCITED about these trips. Hope to see you all during at least one of them.
It would be easier not to care so much.
I cried myself to sleep last night. I couldn't stop thinking about our boys in Iraq - and I shuddered with the sorrow their families must be feeling. My brothers are 17 and 19. But for a twist of fate, they would have been the ones coming home with a bullet holes in their heads and flags on their caskets.
In my sorrow, I struggle with my growing disillusionment towards humanity. I have made many life changes in the past years - vegetarianism being the most visible - all triggered by my desire to do no harm in a world bent on destruction. I realized last night, staring at my darkened ceiling, that I am trying to isolate myself. I am distancing myself from all that is "typical American life". Which is all fine and good - I like the awareness and individuality that I am developing. But by distancing myself from the problem, am I simply trying to distance myself from the responsibility?
I don't eat meat, so I don't have to worry about the inhumane practices in the meat industry.
I ride my bike or walk if possible, so I don't have to think about the dwindling gasoline supply.
I am not going to have children, so overpopulation is not my concern.
My brothers aren't going into the army, so the army's business is it's own.
If I change my own actions, is it enough? Can I stop eating meat, and ride my bike more often, and adopt a child from a third world country, and consider myself part of the solution? If I do nothing to change others, I am not so much making things better, as I am NOT making things worse. (Or not making things as worse as I could be.)
Is that enough?
In my sorrow, I struggle with my growing disillusionment towards humanity. I have made many life changes in the past years - vegetarianism being the most visible - all triggered by my desire to do no harm in a world bent on destruction. I realized last night, staring at my darkened ceiling, that I am trying to isolate myself. I am distancing myself from all that is "typical American life". Which is all fine and good - I like the awareness and individuality that I am developing. But by distancing myself from the problem, am I simply trying to distance myself from the responsibility?
I don't eat meat, so I don't have to worry about the inhumane practices in the meat industry.
I ride my bike or walk if possible, so I don't have to think about the dwindling gasoline supply.
I am not going to have children, so overpopulation is not my concern.
My brothers aren't going into the army, so the army's business is it's own.
If I change my own actions, is it enough? Can I stop eating meat, and ride my bike more often, and adopt a child from a third world country, and consider myself part of the solution? If I do nothing to change others, I am not so much making things better, as I am NOT making things worse. (Or not making things as worse as I could be.)
Is that enough?
Friday, April 09, 2004
Mood Ring Update
These three colors keep popping up...
Gold is the color of a nervous and tense mood.
Yellowgreen is the color of a troubled, uneasy soul.
Black is the color of anxiety and irritation.
Gold is the color of a nervous and tense mood.
Yellowgreen is the color of a troubled, uneasy soul.
Black is the color of anxiety and irritation.
Damn
I have recently learned that my little home town in Northern Minnesota has lost not one, but two young men to the lunacy in Iraq. Two boys, no older than my brothers, have lost their lives, two families have lost their sons and two brightly glowing futures have lost their potential.
Pfc. Moises Langhorst
Moises Langhorst, 19, died Monday while on duty on Iraq. The circumstances were unclear. Langhorst graduated in 2003 from Moose Lake High School, where he played several sports and participated in theater. The Defense Department did not confirm Langhorst's death. Last month, the body of Marine Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18, of Kettle River, was found at a chapel in Kuwait. He death was caused by a non-combat shooting, authorities have said. Milczark graduated from Moose Lake High School with Langhorst. ``They were good buddies and had planned to go into the military together, and hoped to serve together in the same unit, even,'' Flags around the small town about 40 miles southwest of Duluth were at half-staff Wednesday. Counselors were at the high school. Although it was not clear where Langhorst died, the military announced Wednesday that two Marines had been killed in recent fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, to uproot Sunni Muslim insurgents there. A total 10 Marines are known to have been wounded since the Marine siege of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, began early Monday, when one Marine was killed. The Marines have not given a full casualty count, nor have they named those killed. ~Associated Press
Pfc. Matthew Milczark
Homecoming king, football player, a leader and a good kid. That's how Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18, from tiny Kettle River, Minn., was remembered yesterday after the Camp Pendleton Marine reportedly died from a noncombat gunshot wound early Monday in Kuwait. Milczark deployed to the Middle East three weeks ago with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division. The infantryman was found in a chapel with a gunshot wound to the head. "When I talked to him 10 days ago, he was upbeat," said Derek Wood, Milczark's stepbrother. "He said he just wanted to go to Iraq and help out and come back home." Milczark is the first San Diego County-based Marine to die in the Middle East since thousands from Camp Pendleton and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station began massing in Kuwait. In April, the Marines will replace the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in patrolling a section of Iraq. Milczark's family said there was never a question that the young man voted Moose Lake High School's 2003 homecoming king would follow his grandfather and three uncles into the military. "He had a very large family and he was much loved by all of us," Wood said. "I miss him. We all miss him." The death is under investigation. ~Associated Press
To the Milczark and Langhorst families: I am so very sorry.
To all the politicians out there: Fuck you and your damned war.
To everyone: If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Which are you?
Pfc. Moises Langhorst
Moises Langhorst, 19, died Monday while on duty on Iraq. The circumstances were unclear. Langhorst graduated in 2003 from Moose Lake High School, where he played several sports and participated in theater. The Defense Department did not confirm Langhorst's death. Last month, the body of Marine Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18, of Kettle River, was found at a chapel in Kuwait. He death was caused by a non-combat shooting, authorities have said. Milczark graduated from Moose Lake High School with Langhorst. ``They were good buddies and had planned to go into the military together, and hoped to serve together in the same unit, even,'' Flags around the small town about 40 miles southwest of Duluth were at half-staff Wednesday. Counselors were at the high school. Although it was not clear where Langhorst died, the military announced Wednesday that two Marines had been killed in recent fighting in Fallujah, Iraq, to uproot Sunni Muslim insurgents there. A total 10 Marines are known to have been wounded since the Marine siege of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, began early Monday, when one Marine was killed. The Marines have not given a full casualty count, nor have they named those killed. ~Associated Press
Pfc. Matthew Milczark
Homecoming king, football player, a leader and a good kid. That's how Pfc. Matthew G. Milczark, 18, from tiny Kettle River, Minn., was remembered yesterday after the Camp Pendleton Marine reportedly died from a noncombat gunshot wound early Monday in Kuwait. Milczark deployed to the Middle East three weeks ago with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division. The infantryman was found in a chapel with a gunshot wound to the head. "When I talked to him 10 days ago, he was upbeat," said Derek Wood, Milczark's stepbrother. "He said he just wanted to go to Iraq and help out and come back home." Milczark is the first San Diego County-based Marine to die in the Middle East since thousands from Camp Pendleton and Miramar Marine Corps Air Station began massing in Kuwait. In April, the Marines will replace the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in patrolling a section of Iraq. Milczark's family said there was never a question that the young man voted Moose Lake High School's 2003 homecoming king would follow his grandfather and three uncles into the military. "He had a very large family and he was much loved by all of us," Wood said. "I miss him. We all miss him." The death is under investigation. ~Associated Press
To the Milczark and Langhorst families: I am so very sorry.
To all the politicians out there: Fuck you and your damned war.
To everyone: If you're not part of the solution, you are part of the problem. Which are you?
Based on a Real Life Story
I have been worrying about my classroom plants for a couple days now. I have a small garden made up of assorted house plants - a spider plant, an ivy, and others I can't name. Spread around my classroom, they add a touch of nature. Each week, it becomes one student's job to water the plants every other day. Usually, I end up doing it after they all go home. Anyway, they have been in my classroom for more than a week with noone to water them or talk to them. Tonight I went to gather them up and bring them home. I wanted to give them water and, as a reward for surviving such a challenging environment, bigger pots and fresh soil.
Mikey and I arrived at the school while the cleaning crew was there - somewhat of a relief, as it meant I didn't have to fumble with the security system. Walking towards my class, I heard the familiar sounds of Dido floating down the hall. My first thought of "I like this song." was followed quickly by "Hey...is that coming from MY room?" and then "That is MY CD playing!" As we walked into the room - door open, lights on, stereo cranked to full volume - a young man with a guilty look came in.
"Is this your room? I was just in here cleaning." He stumbled over his words, trying to explain away what he knew was a blatant invasion of my property.
"Yeah." I smiled weakly. Inside I was fuming. I guess I was fuming on the outside too, because he mumbled something about hoping I didn't mind and left, shutting the door behind him.
I wandered around the room, gathering my plants. Every once in a while I stopped to adjust a desk or wipe a counter, like a cat rubbing against a leg that has been away from home. I felt invaded, violated, as though someone had come into my house and rearranged my bookshelves. He cleaned the carpets while he was there, but the fact remains that my belongings had been touched without permission. Moved. Played.
Before leaving, I turned the music back on, cranked it up and propped the door open. We passed the same young man on the way out and I stopped. "Will you make sure that you turn it off before you go, please?"
"I won't go back in." He stood defensively, subtly letting me know that I had no right to be angry. His posturing upset me.
"It's no problem. But you have to understand..." I explained the "stranger in my house" feeling. I know that I am walking into dangerous territory here. It is never a good idea to piss off your cleaning crew. Thirty-two kids can make a big mess of a room. Every day. However, I felt compelled to explain my reaction, which he obviously saw as irrational.
"Well," he said, "I am an employee for the district and YOU are an employee and that stereo IS district property."
My whole point was lost on him. And now there is the possiblity that my classroom will not be vacuumed for the rest of the year. All because I wanted to give my plants a little TLC. Which they got, by the way. They are all lounging happily in their roomy new pots on the front porch railing.
Mikey and I arrived at the school while the cleaning crew was there - somewhat of a relief, as it meant I didn't have to fumble with the security system. Walking towards my class, I heard the familiar sounds of Dido floating down the hall. My first thought of "I like this song." was followed quickly by "Hey...is that coming from MY room?" and then "That is MY CD playing!" As we walked into the room - door open, lights on, stereo cranked to full volume - a young man with a guilty look came in.
"Is this your room? I was just in here cleaning." He stumbled over his words, trying to explain away what he knew was a blatant invasion of my property.
"Yeah." I smiled weakly. Inside I was fuming. I guess I was fuming on the outside too, because he mumbled something about hoping I didn't mind and left, shutting the door behind him.
I wandered around the room, gathering my plants. Every once in a while I stopped to adjust a desk or wipe a counter, like a cat rubbing against a leg that has been away from home. I felt invaded, violated, as though someone had come into my house and rearranged my bookshelves. He cleaned the carpets while he was there, but the fact remains that my belongings had been touched without permission. Moved. Played.
Before leaving, I turned the music back on, cranked it up and propped the door open. We passed the same young man on the way out and I stopped. "Will you make sure that you turn it off before you go, please?"
"I won't go back in." He stood defensively, subtly letting me know that I had no right to be angry. His posturing upset me.
"It's no problem. But you have to understand..." I explained the "stranger in my house" feeling. I know that I am walking into dangerous territory here. It is never a good idea to piss off your cleaning crew. Thirty-two kids can make a big mess of a room. Every day. However, I felt compelled to explain my reaction, which he obviously saw as irrational.
"Well," he said, "I am an employee for the district and YOU are an employee and that stereo IS district property."
My whole point was lost on him. And now there is the possiblity that my classroom will not be vacuumed for the rest of the year. All because I wanted to give my plants a little TLC. Which they got, by the way. They are all lounging happily in their roomy new pots on the front porch railing.
Online Mood Ring
Today I am Green!
Green is the color of sensitivity. Touchy? No, sensitivity, which is okay if not carried to excess. If you feel people are stepping on your toes, put on more sensible shoes!
Green is the color of sensitivity. Touchy? No, sensitivity, which is okay if not carried to excess. If you feel people are stepping on your toes, put on more sensible shoes!
Laziness is a Good Meme
thanks to Da Goddess, who gives thanks to Susan, who gives thanks to Zuly, who gives thanks to Carla, and so on....
1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:
Most of all, my mother believed in creation - not just that God created the world, which went without saying, but that God's followers could create their own world in the midst of this one, like the one she created for herself and her family, a mighty fortress where "they" could never hurt us. April 2004 issue of The Sun, a story titled "Called to be Apart" by Emily Rogers.
2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?
The box that I file my students graded work in preparation of returning it to them.
3: What is the last thing you watched on TV?
A commercial for the Daily Show while the movie was paused last night.
4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is:
8:38 am
5: Now look at the clock; what is the actual time?
8:49 am
6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Mikey typing (geez, he types loudly!), the kitty drinking fountain in the kitchen, and a vehicle driving past.
7: When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night at about 5:30 pm. I was releasing ladybugs onto my aphid infested rose.
8: Before you came to this website, what did you look at?
The Subservient Chicken
9: What are you wearing?
a ratty yellow t-shirt, plaid flannel pants and a blue scrunchi in my hair
10: Did you dream last night?
I'm sure I did, but I don't remember what it was.
11: When did you last laugh?
This morning while talking to Mikey. He always makes me laugh.
12: What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Swiss Coffee colored paint, two calendars, a slew of pictures, two original Nintendo posters, my postcard collection, a list of 28 things I like about Mikey, and a certificate of achievement.
13: Seen anything weird lately?
The hole in my head being held together with staples.
14: What do you think of this quiz?
It's kinda fun. I like the randomness of the questions.
15: What is the last film you saw?
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
16: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?
Dinner out. Then, I would buy land and build a new house, complete with a pool, solar electricity, and LOTS of windows.
17: Tell me something about you that I don't know.
I don't know what you don't know. Besides, anything I haven't already said, probably should go without saying.
18: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I would teach people to solve their problems without violence.
19: Do you like to dance?
Only with Mikey in our kitchen as we cook dinner together.
20: George Bush: is he a power-crazy nutcase or some one who is finally doing something that has needed to be done for years?
C: demented puppet under the control of short-sighted, narcissistic, power-hungry fools.
21: Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Samara or Willow
22: Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Storm or Zander
23: Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yes. In fact, we are strongly considering getting the heck out of dodge if things continue to deteriorate the way they have. Somewhere in the Caribbean or Mexico, I think.
1: Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says:
Most of all, my mother believed in creation - not just that God created the world, which went without saying, but that God's followers could create their own world in the midst of this one, like the one she created for herself and her family, a mighty fortress where "they" could never hurt us. April 2004 issue of The Sun, a story titled "Called to be Apart" by Emily Rogers.
2: Stretch your left arm out as far as you can. What do you touch first?
The box that I file my students graded work in preparation of returning it to them.
3: What is the last thing you watched on TV?
A commercial for the Daily Show while the movie was paused last night.
4: WITHOUT LOOKING, guess what the time is:
8:38 am
5: Now look at the clock; what is the actual time?
8:49 am
6: With the exception of the computer, what can you hear?
Mikey typing (geez, he types loudly!), the kitty drinking fountain in the kitchen, and a vehicle driving past.
7: When did you last step outside? What were you doing?
Last night at about 5:30 pm. I was releasing ladybugs onto my aphid infested rose.
8: Before you came to this website, what did you look at?
The Subservient Chicken
9: What are you wearing?
a ratty yellow t-shirt, plaid flannel pants and a blue scrunchi in my hair
10: Did you dream last night?
I'm sure I did, but I don't remember what it was.
11: When did you last laugh?
This morning while talking to Mikey. He always makes me laugh.
12: What is on the walls of the room you are in?
Swiss Coffee colored paint, two calendars, a slew of pictures, two original Nintendo posters, my postcard collection, a list of 28 things I like about Mikey, and a certificate of achievement.
13: Seen anything weird lately?
The hole in my head being held together with staples.
14: What do you think of this quiz?
It's kinda fun. I like the randomness of the questions.
15: What is the last film you saw?
Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl
16: If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first?
Dinner out. Then, I would buy land and build a new house, complete with a pool, solar electricity, and LOTS of windows.
17: Tell me something about you that I don't know.
I don't know what you don't know. Besides, anything I haven't already said, probably should go without saying.
18: If you could change one thing about the world, regardless of guilt or politics, what would you do?
I would teach people to solve their problems without violence.
19: Do you like to dance?
Only with Mikey in our kitchen as we cook dinner together.
20: George Bush: is he a power-crazy nutcase or some one who is finally doing something that has needed to be done for years?
C: demented puppet under the control of short-sighted, narcissistic, power-hungry fools.
21: Imagine your first child is a girl, what do you call her?
Samara or Willow
22: Imagine your first child is a boy, what do you call him?
Storm or Zander
23: Would you ever consider living abroad?
Yes. In fact, we are strongly considering getting the heck out of dodge if things continue to deteriorate the way they have. Somewhere in the Caribbean or Mexico, I think.
Thursday, April 08, 2004
Have it Your Way
You must visit the subservient chicken. Give him orders. See what he does. Try to stump him. Mikey got him to juggle. I made him moonwalk.
link thanks to Mikey and Do I Dare.
link thanks to Mikey and Do I Dare.
Quick - Declare your Individuality by Copying this New Trend!!
Already have your ears, nose, lip, tongue, and nipples stuck through with shards of metal? Already have pictures of reptiles, fairies, thorns, hearts and your mama all over your body? Need something just a little more interesting to declare yourself free from the restraints of social norms and common sense?
Then you need to have small bits of metal embedded in your eyeball. No, really, it's all the rage these days. C'mon! Everybody's doing it. How else are you going to show that you are different??
link thanks to the beautiful Amy and the facinating Coffee Achiever.
Then you need to have small bits of metal embedded in your eyeball. No, really, it's all the rage these days. C'mon! Everybody's doing it. How else are you going to show that you are different??
link thanks to the beautiful Amy and the facinating Coffee Achiever.
Release the Hounds
Or rather, the ladybugs. My poor little rose bush is getting one last chance before I cut it down to the basics. It is absolutely CRAWLING with aphids. I am hoping that the 100s of ladies in red that we released this evening will enjoy the feast so well that they stick around and finish the job.
"But I might Rust!"
I suspect that my brains have dripped out through the hole I am sporting on the top of my head. Why? Because I said this today:
"Well, that depends entirely on whether fish are smart enough to stop smoking."
And, no, it doesn't make any more sense IN context.
I finally worked up the nerve (and the skill - mirrors are tricky!) to look at my wound last night, and I was horrified! I look like the Bride of Frankenstein. Staples don't hold the wound shut nice and tight like stiches do. I didn't know that. It has been fun using the metal in my skull as a good excuse to avoid things I don't want to do. No matter how many times I tell my darling hubby that it really doesn't hurt - he is still giving me special treatment. Not that I am complaining! And now that it really doesn't hurt, I am going to have to resist wandering to each and every guest at Easter brunch, asking "You wanna see something gross?" Because the temptation is there.
"Well, that depends entirely on whether fish are smart enough to stop smoking."
And, no, it doesn't make any more sense IN context.
I finally worked up the nerve (and the skill - mirrors are tricky!) to look at my wound last night, and I was horrified! I look like the Bride of Frankenstein. Staples don't hold the wound shut nice and tight like stiches do. I didn't know that. It has been fun using the metal in my skull as a good excuse to avoid things I don't want to do. No matter how many times I tell my darling hubby that it really doesn't hurt - he is still giving me special treatment. Not that I am complaining! And now that it really doesn't hurt, I am going to have to resist wandering to each and every guest at Easter brunch, asking "You wanna see something gross?" Because the temptation is there.
Housekeeping Tip #24
You can tell that it is time to do some shopping when you have 2 bathrooms and only 1 roll of toilet paper.
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Ouch
The doctor removed a cyst thing from my head today. Doesn't that sound awful? I mean, people freak out at the word cyst these days. But it was nothing. Still, this nothing was the most traumatic medical procedure I have ever had. A little novocaine, a 2 cm cut, 5 staples and I was done. And I was weirded out because I have never had anything like this happen to me (that I can remember). I am probably the only 25 (nearly 26) year old in the world who has never had stitches or a broken bone.
So now I have 5 hunks of metal in my scalp. The novocaine is starting to wear off and my head feels a little funny. So I am going to head to the in-law's and watch Monster's Inc with my little nephew. Always a good time.
So now I have 5 hunks of metal in my scalp. The novocaine is starting to wear off and my head feels a little funny. So I am going to head to the in-law's and watch Monster's Inc with my little nephew. Always a good time.
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
I spent the better part of the day wandering around the San Diego zoo with my sister-in-law and her two adorable kiddos. We walked around,
oggled the big cats,
giggled at the tree kangaroos,
and saw a couple of tortoises.
A splendid time was, as guaranteed, had by all.
Even the ones who stayed home.
oggled the big cats,
giggled at the tree kangaroos,
and saw a couple of tortoises.
A splendid time was, as guaranteed, had by all.
Even the ones who stayed home.
Monday, April 05, 2004
Pass the Beano
When Mikey and I have the time and energy, we make a pretty awesome cooking duo. Tonight, Mikey made out of this world corn bread, while I made a yummy bean soup. It was so easy, too! You really must try it.
Easy, Peasy Bean Soup
1/2 c. each black beans, pinto beans, kindney beans, great northern beans
a handful of garbanzos
1 big onion
1 big carrot
2-3 stalks of celery
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper
*Pick through beans to remove any undesirables, rinse, and soak in 8 cups of water for 6 hours.
*Drain beans. Chop veggies into big chunks, mash garlic with the side of a big knife, and dump all in a pot together.
*Add bay leaves. Give the whole pile of goodies a good dusting of both cumin and chili powder. Do NOT add salt yet!
*Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, cover and simmer over med-low heat for 45 minutes or so.
*Remove bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste.
*Puree the whole kit-n-caboodle in a blender.
*Serve with your favorite bread type food. (I would personally recommend corn bread or wild rice bread sticks.)
Easy, Peasy Bean Soup
1/2 c. each black beans, pinto beans, kindney beans, great northern beans
a handful of garbanzos
1 big onion
1 big carrot
2-3 stalks of celery
3-4 cloves of garlic
2 bay leaves, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper
*Pick through beans to remove any undesirables, rinse, and soak in 8 cups of water for 6 hours.
*Drain beans. Chop veggies into big chunks, mash garlic with the side of a big knife, and dump all in a pot together.
*Add bay leaves. Give the whole pile of goodies a good dusting of both cumin and chili powder. Do NOT add salt yet!
*Add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil, cover and simmer over med-low heat for 45 minutes or so.
*Remove bay leaves and add salt and pepper to taste.
*Puree the whole kit-n-caboodle in a blender.
*Serve with your favorite bread type food. (I would personally recommend corn bread or wild rice bread sticks.)
Can YOU??
Can you pass the third grade? Take this quiz to find out. NOTE: There is a timer!!
The Map Test
Actually, at my school (following the CA state standards VERY strictly) kids don't have to have these down until the 5th grade. It still took me two tries.
The Map Test
Actually, at my school (following the CA state standards VERY strictly) kids don't have to have these down until the 5th grade. It still took me two tries.
Marriage --or-- Adventures in Compromise
Int. Daytime. A computer desk.
SigOth, a dashingly handsome man of 29, walks up to Me, a 20-something female who has yet to change out of her jammies.
SigOth: I have decided you were right.
Me (with a combination of surprise and glee): Oh?
SigOth: Let's leave the toaster oven plugged in from now on.
Me: nods seriously Okay. But we'll still turn it off.
SigOth (emphatically): Of course.
SigOth, a dashingly handsome man of 29, walks up to Me, a 20-something female who has yet to change out of her jammies.
SigOth: I have decided you were right.
Me (with a combination of surprise and glee): Oh?
SigOth: Let's leave the toaster oven plugged in from now on.
Me: nods seriously Okay. But we'll still turn it off.
SigOth (emphatically): Of course.
Was it real? Or was it Memorex?
It is funny how random little moments can bring forgotten dreams back full force. I was just contemplating blogging about the songs I am teaching myself to play (Greensleeves and All My Love) when I suddenly remembered a dream from last night. I was hanging out with someone - my dad?, a friend?, John Lennon?, I don't remember - who knew how to play the guitar. I was talking to them about something totally different and thinking to myself "I really should be asking him how to strum. I HAVE to learn how to strum."
You see, I stopped taking lessons a while back because my instructor moved out of the country. We had spent lots of time on reading music and finger-picking, both things I am proud to say I can do, albeit slowly and methodically. We had JUST barely talked about strumming, when he moved. So I know the basics. I know the up/down thing and that you keep the up/down motion going, simply not strumming here and there to create interesting strumming patterns. I even have a guitar book that supplies several patterns. I have the "down" strum...um...down. (hee hee) But the "up" strum really...hehe...has me hung up. (I obviously need more sleep or something.) Anyway. I need someone to just show me over and over until I get it. Cause what I am doing sounds STUPID.
You see, I stopped taking lessons a while back because my instructor moved out of the country. We had spent lots of time on reading music and finger-picking, both things I am proud to say I can do, albeit slowly and methodically. We had JUST barely talked about strumming, when he moved. So I know the basics. I know the up/down thing and that you keep the up/down motion going, simply not strumming here and there to create interesting strumming patterns. I even have a guitar book that supplies several patterns. I have the "down" strum...um...down. (hee hee) But the "up" strum really...hehe...has me hung up. (I obviously need more sleep or something.) Anyway. I need someone to just show me over and over until I get it. Cause what I am doing sounds STUPID.
Penny Arcade Roxors
I just lost an hour of my life to reading old Penny Arcade strips. And I don't even get the really geeky ones.
Reeeeeeeee-Mix!!!
Some Japanese kids were given the opportunity to take an American cartoon and re-write the words. The results are hilarious.
Maybe I should be worried that I found so many of these re-mixed cartoons funny. I guess that is just my sense of humor. Have you ever read the comics on Mikey's site? Yeah. You probably shouldn't. :)
Maybe I should be worried that I found so many of these re-mixed cartoons funny. I guess that is just my sense of humor. Have you ever read the comics on Mikey's site? Yeah. You probably shouldn't. :)
Sunday, April 04, 2004
OOOOoooooohhh.
So I was getting concerned by the number of people coming to my site looking for "Solange's Wedding" or "Solange Wedding Pics". I couldn't understand why so many people suddenly cared. We are coming up on our 2nd anniversary, after all. Anyone who wants to see my pics, already has.
Suddenly, it hit me. I share a name with Beyonce's sister. And apparently, she has gotten herself hitched. And fans are looking for pictures.
I have not become an overnight sensation. But you're welcome to check out my wedding pics anyway. :)
Suddenly, it hit me. I share a name with Beyonce's sister. And apparently, she has gotten herself hitched. And fans are looking for pictures.
I have not become an overnight sensation. But you're welcome to check out my wedding pics anyway. :)
OneWord
I sing in the shower and in the car and even in my classroom when the kids have all gone home and the door is safely shut. I love to sing - belting the words out, whether I know them or not. There is something about shouting the lyrics to a Linkin Park song (after a difficult afternoon.) Or crooning about home, family or love lost with the Indigo Girls or Dido. Singing always makes me feel better, less bottled up, more, well, like singing.
To the Polls
Hee hee.
See right sidebar for indication of just how much time I have on my hands these days.
I so need a life!
See right sidebar for indication of just how much time I have on my hands these days.
I so need a life!
I'm, like, a cheerleader, you know?
Mikey is in a quickie contest with his online, indie buddies today.
1 hour of art - everything that is going to be in the game must be done in this hour
30 minute break - uploading art and steal what you like from the other guys
2 hours of coding - try to get a working (or somewhat working) game before time is up
No offense to the other guys, but Mikey is gonna kick butt!! :) I will link to the finished product after the contest. Make sure you come ooh and aah over my talented hubby!
1 hour of art - everything that is going to be in the game must be done in this hour
30 minute break - uploading art and steal what you like from the other guys
2 hours of coding - try to get a working (or somewhat working) game before time is up
No offense to the other guys, but Mikey is gonna kick butt!! :) I will link to the finished product after the contest. Make sure you come ooh and aah over my talented hubby!
I am bery, bery sneaky, sir!
On Sunday mornings, there is a church that meets in the multi-purpose room of our school. This means Sundays are a good day to sneak in and work without having to mess with the alarm. I headed in for a few hours to attempt to bring some order to the towering pile of papers I have in my "to be filed" box. Okay - I'll be honest - BOXES.
I was there for 3 hours, working diligently, and I managed to sort the papers in to curriculum areas (math, lang. arts, soc. stud., science, holiday projects, and letters/memos). I then managed to go through the math, soc. stud., and science areas, putting like with like and organizing in a logical order. I did NOT get to lang. arts (the biggest stack) or letters/memo (the second biggest stack - our school could really save money if they would stop wasting so much paper!), so I brought them home to sort through at my leisure. I also did NOT manage to get the organized stuff into file folders or put into the filing cabinet, so it looks like I have at least a few more hours of paperwork to do at school.
I also have to spend some time photocopying and preparing for the next few weeks of school. Lots to do. Fortunately, I have another whole week without students in which to do it. I love how productive and calm my classroom is when I am the only person there. :) Of course, give me a couple more days and I will be wishing my kids were there to harass me and make things interesting.
I was there for 3 hours, working diligently, and I managed to sort the papers in to curriculum areas (math, lang. arts, soc. stud., science, holiday projects, and letters/memos). I then managed to go through the math, soc. stud., and science areas, putting like with like and organizing in a logical order. I did NOT get to lang. arts (the biggest stack) or letters/memo (the second biggest stack - our school could really save money if they would stop wasting so much paper!), so I brought them home to sort through at my leisure. I also did NOT manage to get the organized stuff into file folders or put into the filing cabinet, so it looks like I have at least a few more hours of paperwork to do at school.
I also have to spend some time photocopying and preparing for the next few weeks of school. Lots to do. Fortunately, I have another whole week without students in which to do it. I love how productive and calm my classroom is when I am the only person there. :) Of course, give me a couple more days and I will be wishing my kids were there to harass me and make things interesting.
Friday, April 02, 2004
Tips for Eating Asparagus
1. Marry someone who doesn't appreciate the wonder that is asparagus, so you don't ever have to share.
2. Buy the thin, spring stalks.
3. Cook for about 1/2 the time any recipe from the 50's suggests.
Yummy Asparagus Recipe:
1 lb fresh springtime asparagus - rinse and snap in 3-4 pieces each
4 large mushrooms - cut into thick slices
1 Tbsp seseme seeds
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp lemon juice
*Drop asparagus pieces into boiling water. Cook ~3 minutes or until fork tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK!! Drain.
*In med. pan, melt butter and toast seseme seeds until golden. Add mushroom slices, saute until tender. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
*Toss asparagus into mushroom mix until coated.
YUM.
2. Buy the thin, spring stalks.
3. Cook for about 1/2 the time any recipe from the 50's suggests.
Yummy Asparagus Recipe:
1 lb fresh springtime asparagus - rinse and snap in 3-4 pieces each
4 large mushrooms - cut into thick slices
1 Tbsp seseme seeds
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp lemon juice
*Drop asparagus pieces into boiling water. Cook ~3 minutes or until fork tender. DO NOT OVERCOOK!! Drain.
*In med. pan, melt butter and toast seseme seeds until golden. Add mushroom slices, saute until tender. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.
*Toss asparagus into mushroom mix until coated.
YUM.
Moody
Please note the return of the mood indicator on the right.
I have been on vacation for nearly a week and I am finding all kinds of useless ways to fill my day!
I have been on vacation for nearly a week and I am finding all kinds of useless ways to fill my day!
Musings from Movieland
Is there something about growing up in an era inundated with television and big screen entertainment that makes us expect strangers to look familiar? I mean, how often can you see the same people playing different roles before it starts to feel natural that everyone looks like "that guy, you know, from that movie"?
to ESP, or not to ESP?
Mikey found this great ESP experiment. Can you figure out how it works? Is this guy psychic? Is it a trick? Has he somehow gained control over you computer using alien technology and a superbly developed mind? Once you think you know how it works, you need to read the explanations.
What people thought...
"Maybe your program preys on peoples inability to make up their mind."
"I believe you are able to determine which card I picked by examining my eye movement "
"One card flickers and subliminally calls your attention to it."
"maybe I'm just to obsessed with the matrix.... but i beleive in that, and I think that this has something to do with that."
"1. You are an Alien.
2. You are the most amazing software writer on this planet.
3. Like everything else in this universe history is repeating itself.
4. My thoughts are creating my reality."
This one really cracks me up...
"I tried three times and you missed twice. Better luck next time."
Of course, a photographic memory can mess up the whole thing...
"Your ESP experiment did a strange thing for me.... I think I have an explanation though. I have a photographic memory, and although I was only thinking of one card, my super memory would have remembered all nine. Because your background colour was black, it would have absorped more aleph/pie waves and given this strange result. Change the background colour to a soothing blue or shocking pink and this effect might be diminished. Glad to be of help, Andrew."
What people thought...
"Maybe your program preys on peoples inability to make up their mind."
"I believe you are able to determine which card I picked by examining my eye movement "
"One card flickers and subliminally calls your attention to it."
"maybe I'm just to obsessed with the matrix.... but i beleive in that, and I think that this has something to do with that."
"1. You are an Alien.
2. You are the most amazing software writer on this planet.
3. Like everything else in this universe history is repeating itself.
4. My thoughts are creating my reality."
This one really cracks me up...
"I tried three times and you missed twice. Better luck next time."
Of course, a photographic memory can mess up the whole thing...
"Your ESP experiment did a strange thing for me.... I think I have an explanation though. I have a photographic memory, and although I was only thinking of one card, my super memory would have remembered all nine. Because your background colour was black, it would have absorped more aleph/pie waves and given this strange result. Change the background colour to a soothing blue or shocking pink and this effect might be diminished. Glad to be of help, Andrew."
Heh.
I haven't seen it. But I have heard enough about it (from trustworthy sources) to know that I don't want to see it. This gave me a giggle. Especially, the last line that Defective Yeti wrote.
DUCK!!!
This is very appropriate. Just yesterday, I was remembering the little ducky that we found by the mailbox. I wrote a haiku or two about him. He looked just like this.
I kinda wanted to be a Strange Duck. But this is good, too. What kind of duck are you?
Quiz found at the home of Da Goddess
I kinda wanted to be a Strange Duck. But this is good, too. What kind of duck are you?
Quiz found at the home of Da Goddess
Thursday, April 01, 2004
Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
'Scuse me while I mess around with the sidebars a bit.
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Okay. I think I have things adjusted to my liking. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
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Okay. I think I have things adjusted to my liking. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.
Huzzah!!
They estimate that we got for having our yard done is so far below what I was expecting that I am not going to be upset when it somehow increases by 50% during the course of the work. I am also going to be able to get that water feature that I have been wanting for so long. Our back corner is just SOBBING for a little waterfall/pond thingie.
Search Me!
People come to my site looking for all kinds of things. And since I don't have a search option for my blog, they probably leave emptyhanded. I figured I would take a few minutes and help out the poor souls that have been searching here recently.
Believe it or not...I have actually written about the following things:
Naked Bikers - I didn't think I had really written about this topic. But it seems that I have. Hmm.
Hummerbird (once in lowercase, once in caps)- Actually it was a moth that just looked like a hummerbird, sorry. You DO know that it is actually supposed to be hummINGbird, right?
Dr. Lunatic cheat for all weapons - I didn't mention Dr. L by name. And I didn't give the cheats. But I did tell where to find them.
Jonatha Brooks (twice) - Her 10 Cent Wings album is one of the tapes I play regularly in my car. I have quoted her on many an occasion.
"wet clothes""whale rider" - A very good movie. I believe I recommended that you see it. Have you?
Loogie Blog 2004 - I once wrote about a loogie on my blog during 2004. Somehow, I doubt that is what you are looking for.
Monopoly Junior - Dig'n Dinos - I have this game. Occasionally, I play it with my husband.
Sibylle Rauch chainsaw - Ah, yes. I remember that article. I thought she was crazy. It seems to have garnered her quite a lot of attention though. People are always popping in, looking for her.
Sex couples married san fransisco - I'm afraid I don't have anything current. I recommend you head over to Daddy, Papa and Me if you want more.
K'Nex Rollercoaster - I even have pictures of this!!
Solange's Wedding - I have pictures, too!
These ones, I can't help you with:
Park Chase Isha - I understand how you got here, but I have NO idea what you are looking for.
"we know the damn silly" - um. okay.
Isha Movie List - Not sure what you are looking for. I could share the Netflix list we have - over 200 long, I think - but it is not just mine. Mikey added all his yucky horror films to it.
solange porn star - no. no. no. NO.
The Crow Snowglobe for Sale - If I had one, I would sell it to you. I promise.
broken vacuums - Ours didn't so much break, as died of old age.
free download able yahtzee - Sounds like fun. Let me know when you find it.
Believe it or not...I have actually written about the following things:
Naked Bikers - I didn't think I had really written about this topic. But it seems that I have. Hmm.
Hummerbird (once in lowercase, once in caps)- Actually it was a moth that just looked like a hummerbird, sorry. You DO know that it is actually supposed to be hummINGbird, right?
Dr. Lunatic cheat for all weapons - I didn't mention Dr. L by name. And I didn't give the cheats. But I did tell where to find them.
Jonatha Brooks (twice) - Her 10 Cent Wings album is one of the tapes I play regularly in my car. I have quoted her on many an occasion.
"wet clothes""whale rider" - A very good movie. I believe I recommended that you see it. Have you?
Loogie Blog 2004 - I once wrote about a loogie on my blog during 2004. Somehow, I doubt that is what you are looking for.
Monopoly Junior - Dig'n Dinos - I have this game. Occasionally, I play it with my husband.
Sibylle Rauch chainsaw - Ah, yes. I remember that article. I thought she was crazy. It seems to have garnered her quite a lot of attention though. People are always popping in, looking for her.
Sex couples married san fransisco - I'm afraid I don't have anything current. I recommend you head over to Daddy, Papa and Me if you want more.
K'Nex Rollercoaster - I even have pictures of this!!
Solange's Wedding - I have pictures, too!
These ones, I can't help you with:
Park Chase Isha - I understand how you got here, but I have NO idea what you are looking for.
"we know the damn silly" - um. okay.
Isha Movie List - Not sure what you are looking for. I could share the Netflix list we have - over 200 long, I think - but it is not just mine. Mikey added all his yucky horror films to it.
solange porn star - no. no. no. NO.
The Crow Snowglobe for Sale - If I had one, I would sell it to you. I promise.
broken vacuums - Ours didn't so much break, as died of old age.
free download able yahtzee - Sounds like fun. Let me know when you find it.
Playground
Today's OneWord -
The folks who built the equipment we played on obviously had no concerns about our safety. They hadn't been swayed by the plethora of lawsuits brought on by games of Tag on the ju(ngle gym or insurance payouts because of broken, mangled bones.)
The folks who built the equipment we played on obviously had no concerns about our safety. They hadn't been swayed by the plethora of lawsuits brought on by games of Tag on the ju(ngle gym or insurance payouts because of broken, mangled bones.)
Laughing Out Loud
How did I never read this blog before? I giggled, snorted, chuckled, and just plain laughed so many times that I finally had to explain to Mikey what I was reading. Not that he understood after that, but at least I didn't feel so silly. You must read Dooce and enjoy your own giggles and snorts. I recommend reading the articles linked to in the "About" section first.
Updates
*Yesterday we did go for a trial workout. We actually only did half and are going back for the second half today. That is how pathetically out of shape we are. It felt good, and I am still quite excited about the prospect of a regular work-out. My thighs, on the other hand, are less than thrilled.
*Mikey has just read the post below and is quite concerned even though he knows it is all a joke. Silly boy.
*I am currently up to 984 pages for the Read-A-Thon. There is still plenty of time to sign up as a Super Duper Sponsor. You know you want to! Think of the children!!!
*It is grey and rainy out today. I got up early to talk with the landscaping guy at 8 am. It is definitely a napping kind of day.
*Mikey has just read the post below and is quite concerned even though he knows it is all a joke. Silly boy.
*I am currently up to 984 pages for the Read-A-Thon. There is still plenty of time to sign up as a Super Duper Sponsor. You know you want to! Think of the children!!!
*It is grey and rainy out today. I got up early to talk with the landscaping guy at 8 am. It is definitely a napping kind of day.
April Fools
I actually hate April Fool's jokes. I am one of those highly trusting people that often falls for them. I dislike having a day that allows people to lie to me and then laugh when I believe them. Bleh. I am having a couple different landscaping guys come over to give me estimates, and I will absolutely NOT work with anyone who give me a "joke" estimate. Not that I think they would...but I still consider it a good rule.
Of course, that didn't stop me from briefly planning the announcement of my own fictitious pregnancy today. I know that it would have caused quite a stir. In the end, I just couldn't do it though. So, if you are one of those people who enjoy April Fool's Day jokes, pretend that I DID make the announcement, that you WERE fooled, and that we all had a good laugh. If you are like me, be happy that I didn't actually go through with it.
Of course, that didn't stop me from briefly planning the announcement of my own fictitious pregnancy today. I know that it would have caused quite a stir. In the end, I just couldn't do it though. So, if you are one of those people who enjoy April Fool's Day jokes, pretend that I DID make the announcement, that you WERE fooled, and that we all had a good laugh. If you are like me, be happy that I didn't actually go through with it.
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