Warning: This could be a lot of long-winded rambling. But you'll have that since I haven't updated in so long.
In short, Justin and I are doing well. I am currently on spring break and perhaps you were wondering what that big gust of wind was last Friday at 2:50 p.m. It was me, letting out a big sigh of relief that I have a week away from school. I started out the week really relaxing and enjoying my time at home, but I quickly became bored and looked for things to do around the house. I'll be typing my post about the wonders of closet organization here soon. Stay tuned.
While I'm always ready for a break, I guess I can't make it seem like this semester has been too bad. In my first year of teaching, I was always just trying to keep my head above water. During my second year I felt that my head was above water, but still bobbed under the surface from time to time. This year, my third year, and especially the second semester of my third year, I really feel like I'm treading the water comfortably and successfully. I'm teaching classes that I've taught multiple times before and it's the first semester that I haven't had to worry about a lesson plan for the next day since I'm already planned. That's not to say that I'm not busy because the grading pile of a high school English teacher is never small, but it's bearable.
Basketball season came to a bittersweet end. The team this year was phenomenal and one of the best in the history of the school. They finished their season at 22-3 and #3 in class 3A. We lost in the regional championship game. If I didn't have to go to every game, I would have went anyway. They were very exciting to watch, especially the seniors and two of them are already signed to Division I schools. Now we are into the short break that a cheerleading season has, consisting of about a month or so. We will have our end of the year banquet soon and go right into tryouts for next year. It's crazy and pays very little, but I wouldn't give it up.
On an extremely happy note, my friend Ashley and her husband Luke welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Noelle, into the world on March 11. I was actually in the waiting room when she was born with two great friends and the anxious grandparents. I'm never been that involved in a birth before (ok, I know I wasn't holding Ashley's foot during pushing or anything) but it was exciting to be right there when Noelle was born and see her just a couple of hours later! She is gorgeous and perfect and it's exciting for Ashley to become the awesome mom that she has dreamed of being for so long.
Break is half way over today and it seems like it's gone slow, which is nice. I'm going to see Ashley and Noelle tomorrow and then going to Fort Wayne to visit my Dad and Lea on Friday for the weekend.
For now Justin and I are going to go enjoy the awesome weather we are having and take a walk!
Showing posts with label jenn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jenn. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ouch
Ugh, I'm in pain.
It hurts.
I worked out yesterday.
For the first in, well, let's just say a long time.
And I used muscles that I haven't used in well over a year.
I used muscles that I'm not sure I even knew existed in my body.
But I felt good for doing it.
But then I experienced more pain this morning.
No, not the good soreness that you feel the morning after a good workout.
The kind of pain you experience when you are walking in a very slick and snow-covered parking lot, go to step on the sidewalk, and do a cartoon-feet-flying-out-from-under-you fall right onto your entire left side.
It hurt.
I didn't even have a millisecond for my mind to register the fact that I was falling. I was up one millisecond and down the next.
I scrambled to get up since I had landed in a pile of snow that was the aftermath of the snow plow going through the parking lot.
I pushed myself to my feet and briefly looked around to see if anyone saw me.
No one did.
I think.
My next thought was panic as I looked to see if my white winter coat was dirty.
It wasn't.
I then proceeded to walk to the door with my ego bruised, brushing snow off myself from my left shoulder down to my left knee.
Needless to say, the combination of the two has left me in some pain.
But like they say, no pain, no gain.
But I think I'll wear more sensible shoes in the snow from now on.
It hurts.
I worked out yesterday.
For the first in, well, let's just say a long time.
And I used muscles that I haven't used in well over a year.
I used muscles that I'm not sure I even knew existed in my body.
But I felt good for doing it.
But then I experienced more pain this morning.
No, not the good soreness that you feel the morning after a good workout.
The kind of pain you experience when you are walking in a very slick and snow-covered parking lot, go to step on the sidewalk, and do a cartoon-feet-flying-out-from-under-you fall right onto your entire left side.
It hurt.
I didn't even have a millisecond for my mind to register the fact that I was falling. I was up one millisecond and down the next.
I scrambled to get up since I had landed in a pile of snow that was the aftermath of the snow plow going through the parking lot.
I pushed myself to my feet and briefly looked around to see if anyone saw me.
No one did.
I think.
My next thought was panic as I looked to see if my white winter coat was dirty.
It wasn't.
I then proceeded to walk to the door with my ego bruised, brushing snow off myself from my left shoulder down to my left knee.
Needless to say, the combination of the two has left me in some pain.
But like they say, no pain, no gain.
But I think I'll wear more sensible shoes in the snow from now on.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Back to Reality
Ugh...work. Ugh...school. Ugh...responsibility. OK, just kidding. Well, sort of. I go back to school tomorrow after two wonderful weeks off. I can honestly say that I don't think that this break went by too fast. I feel like I had a lot of time to see family and friends as well as get some much-needed rest and relaxation. I will be sad to see it go but it must come to an end.
I started on my organization mission today. I didn't get as much done as I had hoped since I stopped in the afternoon to get things ready for school tomorrow. The paper sorting/file making is coming along nicely, though.
And speaking of going back to work, a bit of a funny story to share. Justin doesn't love to hear me say that I don't want to go back to work since I just had two weeks off and he barely gets a vacation each year, but I do it anyway and he groans every time. So we are watching the weather tonight and see that "they" are calling for a snowstorm on Thursday and the weatherman says "I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of school delays and closings on Thursday and Friday." I kind of laugh and say, "Yeah, after a full day tomorrow, it might be nice to have a break." Justin didn't find it amusing. Oh well!
I started on my organization mission today. I didn't get as much done as I had hoped since I stopped in the afternoon to get things ready for school tomorrow. The paper sorting/file making is coming along nicely, though.
And speaking of going back to work, a bit of a funny story to share. Justin doesn't love to hear me say that I don't want to go back to work since I just had two weeks off and he barely gets a vacation each year, but I do it anyway and he groans every time. So we are watching the weather tonight and see that "they" are calling for a snowstorm on Thursday and the weatherman says "I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of school delays and closings on Thursday and Friday." I kind of laugh and say, "Yeah, after a full day tomorrow, it might be nice to have a break." Justin didn't find it amusing. Oh well!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Dear Walmart Customer...
As a frequent Walmart shopper, I feel it is due time for this letter. Am I aware that it takes patience to shop at Walmart? Yes. However, I feel these suggestions will improve the lives of Walmart customers everywhere.
Dear Walmart customer,
I completely understand your need and desire to shop at Walmart. I, too, feel that several items are priced lower than in other grocery/department stores. But I feel that I have some suggestions, or "rules" that every one of us should follow to make the Walmart shopping experience pleasant for all.
1. When entering the Walmart parking lot, know that everyone else in town is probably at Walmart at the same time as you are and while you may want to circle the lot 423 times, it is much more efficient and practical to simply park your car in the back of the lot and walk the extra 30 paces to the door instead of waiting for what seems like 10 minutes for a spot that is only five spaces closer to the door than the next available spot. Not only will you get some added exercise by walking the extra 30 paces, but you will make the person behind you (probably me) very happy that he/she does not have to wait to park because he/she is perfectly fine with parking in the back.
2. Upon entry into the store, get your cart or basket and get going. I'm not sure if your trip to Walmart is the highlight of your day, but for some people (like me) it is simply a race to get in and get out so those people (me) don't appreciate your leisurely stroll to get said cart and then take your time getting out your list, wrestling your kids into the cart, checking out what Hostess cakes are on sale this week, etc. If you must take your time with these tasks, step aside so other customers (me) can get his/her cart quickly and run past Subway as quickly as possible so the smell doesn't stick to his/her (my) clothes.
3. Now that we have all started our journey up and down the aisles, we are truly getting the most out of our Walmart experience by saving money with the low prices on the items we are placing in our carts. However, was it necessary for you to bring all 64 members of your family with you to enjoy your shopping experience right along with you? Because I feel that is excessive. If you do need to bring all of your sons/daughters/aunts/uncles/cousins/second cousins/third cousins/best friends with you, please have them form a single line behind you instead of crowding around every inch of your cart so that the customer behind you (probably me) can get down the aisles quickly.
4. When going to get an item off the shelf, it is not OK to leave your cart in the middle of the aisle.
5. Decide what kind of milk you want before approaching the cooler. There are not that many choices. And yes, I'm aware that Walmart has been slacking lately in carrying 1% milk in the Great Value brand so either decide if you want to pay the extra $1.25 for 1% Deans milk or if you still want the cheap Great Value brand and grab a gallon of 2% and get out of the way.
6. Wear clothes that are clean, free of profanity, and that cover all parts of your body.
7. If you only have five items and choose to go in the "20 items or less" line to check-out, please re-read the sign that says "20 items or less" and don't breathe heavily, shift your weight impatiently from one foot to the other, and give the person in front of you (probably me) a if-looks-could-kill look because that person (me) has 19 items. The sign "20 items or less". Nineteen is less than 20.
8. Please do not leave unwanted items from your cart at the end of the check-out conveyor belt or better yet, on the floor in the check-out line for others (probably me) to maneuver around or trip over. If you wanted the item ten minutes ago when you put it into your cart, why don't you want it now?
9. When walking back to your car with your 64 family members and cart full of bagged groceries, pick a side of the aisle in the parking lot to walk down instead of weaving around somewhere in the middle.
10. Finally, when exiting the Walmart parking lot, utilize the big yellow arrows in the parking lot. They tell you which direction you should be traveling.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Leavell
Oh, and one more thing...
Dear Walmart employee,
When a customer buys eight different cans of food product to make a pot of chili perhaps, it is not OK or even smart to put all eight cans into one plastic bag and "double-bag" it thinking that those two bags will withhold the weight of eight cans. They won't. All of the handles will break. Trust me.
Thank you,
Jennifer Leavell
Dear Walmart customer,
I completely understand your need and desire to shop at Walmart. I, too, feel that several items are priced lower than in other grocery/department stores. But I feel that I have some suggestions, or "rules" that every one of us should follow to make the Walmart shopping experience pleasant for all.
1. When entering the Walmart parking lot, know that everyone else in town is probably at Walmart at the same time as you are and while you may want to circle the lot 423 times, it is much more efficient and practical to simply park your car in the back of the lot and walk the extra 30 paces to the door instead of waiting for what seems like 10 minutes for a spot that is only five spaces closer to the door than the next available spot. Not only will you get some added exercise by walking the extra 30 paces, but you will make the person behind you (probably me) very happy that he/she does not have to wait to park because he/she is perfectly fine with parking in the back.
2. Upon entry into the store, get your cart or basket and get going. I'm not sure if your trip to Walmart is the highlight of your day, but for some people (like me) it is simply a race to get in and get out so those people (me) don't appreciate your leisurely stroll to get said cart and then take your time getting out your list, wrestling your kids into the cart, checking out what Hostess cakes are on sale this week, etc. If you must take your time with these tasks, step aside so other customers (me) can get his/her cart quickly and run past Subway as quickly as possible so the smell doesn't stick to his/her (my) clothes.
3. Now that we have all started our journey up and down the aisles, we are truly getting the most out of our Walmart experience by saving money with the low prices on the items we are placing in our carts. However, was it necessary for you to bring all 64 members of your family with you to enjoy your shopping experience right along with you? Because I feel that is excessive. If you do need to bring all of your sons/daughters/aunts/uncles/cousins/second cousins/third cousins/best friends with you, please have them form a single line behind you instead of crowding around every inch of your cart so that the customer behind you (probably me) can get down the aisles quickly.
4. When going to get an item off the shelf, it is not OK to leave your cart in the middle of the aisle.
5. Decide what kind of milk you want before approaching the cooler. There are not that many choices. And yes, I'm aware that Walmart has been slacking lately in carrying 1% milk in the Great Value brand so either decide if you want to pay the extra $1.25 for 1% Deans milk or if you still want the cheap Great Value brand and grab a gallon of 2% and get out of the way.
6. Wear clothes that are clean, free of profanity, and that cover all parts of your body.
7. If you only have five items and choose to go in the "20 items or less" line to check-out, please re-read the sign that says "20 items or less" and don't breathe heavily, shift your weight impatiently from one foot to the other, and give the person in front of you (probably me) a if-looks-could-kill look because that person (me) has 19 items. The sign "20 items or less". Nineteen is less than 20.
8. Please do not leave unwanted items from your cart at the end of the check-out conveyor belt or better yet, on the floor in the check-out line for others (probably me) to maneuver around or trip over. If you wanted the item ten minutes ago when you put it into your cart, why don't you want it now?
9. When walking back to your car with your 64 family members and cart full of bagged groceries, pick a side of the aisle in the parking lot to walk down instead of weaving around somewhere in the middle.
10. Finally, when exiting the Walmart parking lot, utilize the big yellow arrows in the parking lot. They tell you which direction you should be traveling.
Sincerely,
Jennifer Leavell
Oh, and one more thing...
Dear Walmart employee,
When a customer buys eight different cans of food product to make a pot of chili perhaps, it is not OK or even smart to put all eight cans into one plastic bag and "double-bag" it thinking that those two bags will withhold the weight of eight cans. They won't. All of the handles will break. Trust me.
Thank you,
Jennifer Leavell
Friday, January 1, 2010
Hello, unknown. My name is Jenn.
OK, so I will admit that I was a little down in the dumps when I wrote my post yesterday. Like I said, I'm not really sure why, but Justin came home from work and it turned out to be a fun, low-key New Year's Eve.
Since Justin is still getting over a nasty cold he got (OK, I probably gave him) the day after Christmas, we decided to stay in last night. We made chicken for dinner, played a lot of Wii Fit Plus (oh my goodness...hilarious and addicting games on that thing), watched a little TV, and were in bed to watch the ball drop and then fall fast asleep! Lame, you may say, but it was perfect for us and believe it or not, the first time that I have been able to kiss Justin at midnight in about seven years so that in itself was worth it!
I call 2010 the unknown because obviously no one knows what it will bring. And with that means change and (brace yourself if you really know me) I'm OK with that. I'm even a little excited about what's to come. I keep telling Justin that 2010 is going to be a big year for us. While I don't want to jinx any good things that might be coming our way, I can fully see a first home in our future as well as hopefully a new job for Justin and perhaps news that a little Leavell is on the way? Only time will tell. I'm just glad that I'm fully comfortable to sit back and let the change(s) happen.
Since Justin is still getting over a nasty cold he got (OK, I probably gave him) the day after Christmas, we decided to stay in last night. We made chicken for dinner, played a lot of Wii Fit Plus (oh my goodness...hilarious and addicting games on that thing), watched a little TV, and were in bed to watch the ball drop and then fall fast asleep! Lame, you may say, but it was perfect for us and believe it or not, the first time that I have been able to kiss Justin at midnight in about seven years so that in itself was worth it!
I call 2010 the unknown because obviously no one knows what it will bring. And with that means change and (brace yourself if you really know me) I'm OK with that. I'm even a little excited about what's to come. I keep telling Justin that 2010 is going to be a big year for us. While I don't want to jinx any good things that might be coming our way, I can fully see a first home in our future as well as hopefully a new job for Justin and perhaps news that a little Leavell is on the way? Only time will tell. I'm just glad that I'm fully comfortable to sit back and let the change(s) happen.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Life Shifts
Wow, another year come and gone. Well, almost.
I always feel very reflective on New Year's Eve and today hasn't been much different. I can't really explain the feeling, though. I'm not sure if it's sadness (maybe for no particular reason) or uncertainty about the future. I think a little bit of both. But I have also been feeling very goal-oriented. And while I know this is the time of year to make resolutions, I'm calling them "life shifts" instead. Resolutions get broken and to make the changes that I need to make, several things in my life need to shift to new habits, practices, etc. I don't think the word "resolutions" has the importance of the lifestyle shifts and changes that I need to make.
Life shifts for 2010:
1. Health: Eating healthier and working out. Period. Those two are definitely shifts from the habits I have now.
2. Sleep: More, more, more. I'm a champ at going on 4-5 hours of sleep per night during the week. But over break I've been getting 8+ hours of sleep per night. I think my body was shocked at first but thankful.
3. Connections: With friends, with family, with Justin. That doesn't imply that I have problems with any of those relationships now, but connections can always grow stronger and it takes effort from both ends...which means that I could improve my end.
4. Spending: My goal is to be credit card free in 2010. This will be hard for me. I mean no spending on any credit cards...Visa, store credit cards...you name it. If it's not in my bank account (and trust me, that's usually pretty bare) then I'm not spending it. Wow, that's scary for me.
5. Saying no: Justin is laughing as he reads this right now. But he knows that I want to work on this. I need to say "no" more to some questions posed to me. Here's an example:
Important person: "Hey Jenn, can you attend a faculty meeting after school on Tuesday?"
Me: "Sure."
Important person: "Hey Jenn, can you head up twelve new projects even though you are already drowning in teaching, cheerleading, yearbook, and Relay for Life?"
Me: "NO!"
6. Jenn: Yes, myself. I know that all of these involve me, but this shift is a little different. My goal is to spend more time on myself which means not grading a paper or doing something for cheerleading or Relay or even doing a load of laundry. I mean sitting down from time to time and doing something that I truly enjoy from reading to crafts to writing to a few special projects that have been in the back of my head for awhile.
I'm sure there are more little goals here and there but they probably fit into one the previous shifts. I have an awesome feeling about the upcoming year. I think it will be great for me, great for us, and great for those around us. Here we go, 2010, I'm ready.
I always feel very reflective on New Year's Eve and today hasn't been much different. I can't really explain the feeling, though. I'm not sure if it's sadness (maybe for no particular reason) or uncertainty about the future. I think a little bit of both. But I have also been feeling very goal-oriented. And while I know this is the time of year to make resolutions, I'm calling them "life shifts" instead. Resolutions get broken and to make the changes that I need to make, several things in my life need to shift to new habits, practices, etc. I don't think the word "resolutions" has the importance of the lifestyle shifts and changes that I need to make.
Life shifts for 2010:
1. Health: Eating healthier and working out. Period. Those two are definitely shifts from the habits I have now.
2. Sleep: More, more, more. I'm a champ at going on 4-5 hours of sleep per night during the week. But over break I've been getting 8+ hours of sleep per night. I think my body was shocked at first but thankful.
3. Connections: With friends, with family, with Justin. That doesn't imply that I have problems with any of those relationships now, but connections can always grow stronger and it takes effort from both ends...which means that I could improve my end.
4. Spending: My goal is to be credit card free in 2010. This will be hard for me. I mean no spending on any credit cards...Visa, store credit cards...you name it. If it's not in my bank account (and trust me, that's usually pretty bare) then I'm not spending it. Wow, that's scary for me.
5. Saying no: Justin is laughing as he reads this right now. But he knows that I want to work on this. I need to say "no" more to some questions posed to me. Here's an example:
Important person: "Hey Jenn, can you attend a faculty meeting after school on Tuesday?"
Me: "Sure."
Important person: "Hey Jenn, can you head up twelve new projects even though you are already drowning in teaching, cheerleading, yearbook, and Relay for Life?"
Me: "NO!"
6. Jenn: Yes, myself. I know that all of these involve me, but this shift is a little different. My goal is to spend more time on myself which means not grading a paper or doing something for cheerleading or Relay or even doing a load of laundry. I mean sitting down from time to time and doing something that I truly enjoy from reading to crafts to writing to a few special projects that have been in the back of my head for awhile.
I'm sure there are more little goals here and there but they probably fit into one the previous shifts. I have an awesome feeling about the upcoming year. I think it will be great for me, great for us, and great for those around us. Here we go, 2010, I'm ready.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Stress-Free Sunday
A year or two ago I remember hearing about a study that said that Monday was not the most stressful day of the week (as thought, I guess), but Sunday was, in fact, the most stressful/depressing time of the week. Surprising to some, but it made sense to me. Usually at this time on a Sunday I am worried about the assignments I didn't grade over the weekend, if I have enough planned for three different 90-minute classes the next day, and how early I need to get up on Monday morning in order to beat the line at the copy machine. But this Sunday, today, has been stress-free. This is one perk I was looking forward to over winter break. Since I have no plans for tomorrow and definitely no classes to prepare for, my biggest contemplation at the moment is whether to clean out my closet or update my address book when I get up in the morning. Decisions, decisions...
On another note, we had a wonderful Christmas. While it was strange to not wake up and immediately unwrap presents, we had a relaxing Christmas morning before Jess and I (Justin was at work, of course) headed to New Castle to have dinner with my family. My dad and Lea came from Fort Wayne and came back to our apartment to spend the evening. Justin got home from work not too long after we got back from New Castle and we opened gifts together. We were all blessed with presents that we love. Among other gifts, I received several new books and a new Vera Bradley purse (which I love!) from my dad and Lea and a new Vera Bradley lunch bag from my sister. Justin spoiled me with several items, but my favorite from him has to be the watch he got me. If you know me, you know that I'm a fan of big watches that not only say "LOOK AT WHAT IS ON MY WRIST" but allow you to tell the time even if you are sitting ten yards away from me. And Justin took that knowledge (with some help from my sister) and got me a gorgeous new watch that is awesomely over-sized and simply perfect for me. Justin also received some great gifts including new games and accessories for the Wii, new clothes, a paper shredder (yes, he shares my love for office supplies) and some much-needed new socks for work which only allowed me to have the joy of Christmas all over again when I got to clean out his sock drawer this morning and throw away any sock that had the hint of a hole in it.
Now I'm enjoying a Sunday evening for once, watching the Colts try to pull off yet another win, waiting for my sick husband (of the bajillion colds I've had since we've been together, I think this is the third one he has ever had) to get home safely in this weather. Now if only I could make the agonizing decision to start a new book or read a magazine...
On another note, we had a wonderful Christmas. While it was strange to not wake up and immediately unwrap presents, we had a relaxing Christmas morning before Jess and I (Justin was at work, of course) headed to New Castle to have dinner with my family. My dad and Lea came from Fort Wayne and came back to our apartment to spend the evening. Justin got home from work not too long after we got back from New Castle and we opened gifts together. We were all blessed with presents that we love. Among other gifts, I received several new books and a new Vera Bradley purse (which I love!) from my dad and Lea and a new Vera Bradley lunch bag from my sister. Justin spoiled me with several items, but my favorite from him has to be the watch he got me. If you know me, you know that I'm a fan of big watches that not only say "LOOK AT WHAT IS ON MY WRIST" but allow you to tell the time even if you are sitting ten yards away from me. And Justin took that knowledge (with some help from my sister) and got me a gorgeous new watch that is awesomely over-sized and simply perfect for me. Justin also received some great gifts including new games and accessories for the Wii, new clothes, a paper shredder (yes, he shares my love for office supplies) and some much-needed new socks for work which only allowed me to have the joy of Christmas all over again when I got to clean out his sock drawer this morning and throw away any sock that had the hint of a hole in it.
Now I'm enjoying a Sunday evening for once, watching the Colts try to pull off yet another win, waiting for my sick husband (of the bajillion colds I've had since we've been together, I think this is the third one he has ever had) to get home safely in this weather. Now if only I could make the agonizing decision to start a new book or read a magazine...
Monday, November 16, 2009
Ups, Downs, & Indifferents
A way to organize the last month and a half:
UP: Justin and I celebrated our first anniversary on October 18th. It was a very low-key celebration that included Justin being home for four days straight without working (the next time that might happen is when we have a child...and they might not even let him have that much time off then) so we enjoyed the company of each other from Thursday to Sunday and found it strange to eat dinner together four nights in a row.
UP: I coach some of the best cheerleaders around. We are now out of competition season and I am proud to say that the JV came in third in the state competition and Varsity placed first in the small co-ed division at the Indiana Cheerleading Association state finals. Yep, first. Which means they are state champions. Which means they have gold medals. Which means that they will be fitted for state championship rings in the next couple of weeks. And it means that they are a great group of kids and I'm pleased and thankful that I got to be a part of such a huge accomplishment.
DOWN: My grandmother passed away last week. She was the head of my family on my father's side and the whole heart of the family, really. I spoke at her funeral and felt honored to do so. I think several of my family members will feel lost for a long time, but we will find comfort in each other, and like I said at the funeral, we are the lucky ones that got to be on the receiving end of her love and while she may not be here, at least we get to hold on really tight to that love.
INDIFFERENT: School. Ugh. So overwhelmed. I should be grading something or making an answer key for something or writing a lesson plan for something right now, but I had to take a break. But now that I just wrote that I feel guilty for not doing something for my job. Geez.
UP: I went to a Relay for Life leadership conference this past weekend and had an amazing time. More on that in separate post, but I got re-energized to plan this event. It really just confirmed that I am doing something awesome to honor my mom and that makes me feel good.
DOWN: My dad is selling my childhood home in Muncie and Jess and I had to go there yesterday to help go through some stuff. I'm having a really hard time with this. Is it just a physical structure? Technically. Is it so much more to me? Absolutely. It's hard. I feel like one chapter of my life is ending and I'm definitely not ready to turn the page. It is bringing up a lot of grief from my mom's death that I thought I had worked through. And I feel that I need to keep everything from the house. I feel like if I get rid of something, then I'm getting rid of the memory, and while I know that's not true, it's just hard and that's the only way I can explain it.
UP: It is the holiday season and if I didn't have a million things to do for school, I would totally start decorating for Christmas right now. I absolutely love this time of year and if the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas could last for a few months instead of one then I would be one happy girl!
DOWN: My little Maggie kitty is, indeed, getting older. Justin and I took her for her yearly check-up and found out that she has the early stages of hyperthyroidism. Basically that means that her metabolism is extremely high (which explains why/how she digests food so fast and is hungry all the time...including wanting breakfast at 4 a.m.) and she will continue to lose weight gradually (which an 11-year-old kitty should not do) and eventually it will be full-blown and by then her life expectancy should be about two to four years, which really will be her expectancy anyway by that time. So we are just going to weigh her each month and see when she goes into full hyperthyroidism and go from there. But I continue to snuggle with her as much as possible and feed her scraps from the table almost daily!
DOWN: I haven't seen my friends since BSU homecoming and I know I haven't been the best friend lately since I have been so overwhelmed and busy with cheerleading. But I will see them this weekend so I can make up for some lost time!
UP: Today is Justin's birthday! He is 28 today. Since it is Monday (and if Justin didn't work at the theater on a Monday the place might cave in on itself) he won't be home until around 8:30 so we are having a party when he gets home. The guest list consists of the two coolest girls around...me and Mags. So I am about to put his birthday cake in the oven (he's not a fan of store-bought cake) and I will be ready to sing a solo "Happy Birthday" to him when he walks in the door...party hats and all. I'll take pictures!
Ok, gotta bake a cake! And grade...
UP: Justin and I celebrated our first anniversary on October 18th. It was a very low-key celebration that included Justin being home for four days straight without working (the next time that might happen is when we have a child...and they might not even let him have that much time off then) so we enjoyed the company of each other from Thursday to Sunday and found it strange to eat dinner together four nights in a row.
UP: I coach some of the best cheerleaders around. We are now out of competition season and I am proud to say that the JV came in third in the state competition and Varsity placed first in the small co-ed division at the Indiana Cheerleading Association state finals. Yep, first. Which means they are state champions. Which means they have gold medals. Which means that they will be fitted for state championship rings in the next couple of weeks. And it means that they are a great group of kids and I'm pleased and thankful that I got to be a part of such a huge accomplishment.
DOWN: My grandmother passed away last week. She was the head of my family on my father's side and the whole heart of the family, really. I spoke at her funeral and felt honored to do so. I think several of my family members will feel lost for a long time, but we will find comfort in each other, and like I said at the funeral, we are the lucky ones that got to be on the receiving end of her love and while she may not be here, at least we get to hold on really tight to that love.
INDIFFERENT: School. Ugh. So overwhelmed. I should be grading something or making an answer key for something or writing a lesson plan for something right now, but I had to take a break. But now that I just wrote that I feel guilty for not doing something for my job. Geez.
UP: I went to a Relay for Life leadership conference this past weekend and had an amazing time. More on that in separate post, but I got re-energized to plan this event. It really just confirmed that I am doing something awesome to honor my mom and that makes me feel good.
DOWN: My dad is selling my childhood home in Muncie and Jess and I had to go there yesterday to help go through some stuff. I'm having a really hard time with this. Is it just a physical structure? Technically. Is it so much more to me? Absolutely. It's hard. I feel like one chapter of my life is ending and I'm definitely not ready to turn the page. It is bringing up a lot of grief from my mom's death that I thought I had worked through. And I feel that I need to keep everything from the house. I feel like if I get rid of something, then I'm getting rid of the memory, and while I know that's not true, it's just hard and that's the only way I can explain it.
UP: It is the holiday season and if I didn't have a million things to do for school, I would totally start decorating for Christmas right now. I absolutely love this time of year and if the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas could last for a few months instead of one then I would be one happy girl!
DOWN: My little Maggie kitty is, indeed, getting older. Justin and I took her for her yearly check-up and found out that she has the early stages of hyperthyroidism. Basically that means that her metabolism is extremely high (which explains why/how she digests food so fast and is hungry all the time...including wanting breakfast at 4 a.m.) and she will continue to lose weight gradually (which an 11-year-old kitty should not do) and eventually it will be full-blown and by then her life expectancy should be about two to four years, which really will be her expectancy anyway by that time. So we are just going to weigh her each month and see when she goes into full hyperthyroidism and go from there. But I continue to snuggle with her as much as possible and feed her scraps from the table almost daily!
DOWN: I haven't seen my friends since BSU homecoming and I know I haven't been the best friend lately since I have been so overwhelmed and busy with cheerleading. But I will see them this weekend so I can make up for some lost time!
UP: Today is Justin's birthday! He is 28 today. Since it is Monday (and if Justin didn't work at the theater on a Monday the place might cave in on itself) he won't be home until around 8:30 so we are having a party when he gets home. The guest list consists of the two coolest girls around...me and Mags. So I am about to put his birthday cake in the oven (he's not a fan of store-bought cake) and I will be ready to sing a solo "Happy Birthday" to him when he walks in the door...party hats and all. I'll take pictures!
Ok, gotta bake a cake! And grade...
Friday, October 2, 2009
Fall!
Yes, fall is finally here. I've been waiting anxiously for it. A saw a hint of it a couple of weeks ago as I was driving over Geist and a gust of wind blew some leaves on my car. I halfway felt like I was in the beginning credits of a Lifetime movie and a camera on a helicopter should be filming my car as I pulled into the driveway of one of the giant, gorgeous homes on Geist. Too bad that wasn't true.
The weather has been very fall-like this week. The temperatures have been cool enough for sweatshirts and warm meals, like the chili and crockpot chicken and noodles made in our house this week. I'm looking forward to several things this fall including our first wedding anniversary. I also love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when your home feels a little cozier than it does during any other time of the year.
However, this week has also brought some sadness to our family. My great aunt Hazel passed away on Tuesday. She was my mom's aunt and since I never knew my maternal grandmother, my mom's aunts always seemed like surrogate grandmothers to me and Jess. I have fond and warm memories of going to my aunt Hazel's house. I remember that she had the best backyard that I had ever seen as a little girl simply because it had tomato plants in it. We used to play for hours with magnets on the back porch with her dog, Pepper, following us around. And when we were lucky to spend the night, we got to watch TV and eat popcorn and steal as many jelly beans from the candy jar in the kitchen as we wanted to, just as long as we didn't tell mom. The beds in her house were always too tall for me to climb onto by myself, and I thought the $2 bill under the glass in her vanity mirror was the coolest thing ever. She suffered a stroke at the end of June and had been doing well, but after 91 years, she passed in her sleep at the nursing home. I pray that we can all be as lucky to have 91 years on this earth and die without any kind of suffering.
I'm doing more of what I need to do this weekend and that includes spending time with friends. Tonight I am celebrating a friend's upcoming wedding with a bachelorette dinner downtown. Tomorrow, I will be a college student for a day and return to BSU for tailgating, the homecoming game, and a typical BSU Saturday night in the village. Sunday I will return to the real world and grade furiously in anticipation for the end of the quarter.
Have a great weekend!
The weather has been very fall-like this week. The temperatures have been cool enough for sweatshirts and warm meals, like the chili and crockpot chicken and noodles made in our house this week. I'm looking forward to several things this fall including our first wedding anniversary. I also love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas when your home feels a little cozier than it does during any other time of the year.
However, this week has also brought some sadness to our family. My great aunt Hazel passed away on Tuesday. She was my mom's aunt and since I never knew my maternal grandmother, my mom's aunts always seemed like surrogate grandmothers to me and Jess. I have fond and warm memories of going to my aunt Hazel's house. I remember that she had the best backyard that I had ever seen as a little girl simply because it had tomato plants in it. We used to play for hours with magnets on the back porch with her dog, Pepper, following us around. And when we were lucky to spend the night, we got to watch TV and eat popcorn and steal as many jelly beans from the candy jar in the kitchen as we wanted to, just as long as we didn't tell mom. The beds in her house were always too tall for me to climb onto by myself, and I thought the $2 bill under the glass in her vanity mirror was the coolest thing ever. She suffered a stroke at the end of June and had been doing well, but after 91 years, she passed in her sleep at the nursing home. I pray that we can all be as lucky to have 91 years on this earth and die without any kind of suffering.
I'm doing more of what I need to do this weekend and that includes spending time with friends. Tonight I am celebrating a friend's upcoming wedding with a bachelorette dinner downtown. Tomorrow, I will be a college student for a day and return to BSU for tailgating, the homecoming game, and a typical BSU Saturday night in the village. Sunday I will return to the real world and grade furiously in anticipation for the end of the quarter.
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
I'm Back!
My loyal blog readers (all six...OK who am I kidding...all three of them) have requested that I get back into the swing of this blog thing! And I agree! I was kind of afraid that this would happen when school started. I know I would put this thing on the back burner but that's exactly what I don't want to continue to do...so here we go.
Speaking of school, things are going well in my third year. I always said that the first year of teaching is like keeping your head above water, the second year is when someone has thrown you a life jacket, and by your third year you should be in a boat and sailing smoothly. Well, I'm not sure how smooth I'm sailing my boat, but it's sailing! I'm really busy with teaching a couple of new classes this year as well as cheerleading and yearbook. Our 2008-2009 yearbook just came out and it has been receiving really positive feedback so now I feel that the pressure is on even more to do well for next year. We are in full competition mode with cheerleading and soon I will have cheer competitions for four Saturdays straight.
And if all that wasn't enough with trying to be a good little wife (more on us in a minute), I decided to take on something else to put on my already over-flowing plate. I am now the Event Chair for the 2010 Fortville/McCordsville Relay for Life. If you aren't sure what Relay for Life is, check it out here. I've really been looking at doing something to honor my mom ever since she passed away and the opportunity came up to be on the RFL committee and not being one to sit in the corner of a committee meeting, I took the reins and now I'm the Event Chair. Justin and my sister, Jessica, are also serving on the committee so it's nice to be doing this with family. We are currently recruiting other committee members and are in the early stages of planning, but I feel really good about this and feel that is a great way to do my part for cancer fund-raising. I always know that my mom is proud of me, and I couldn't feel more strongly about that since I made this decision.
But with the committee and everything going on at school, I could wear about ten of those "stressed" nametags from my last post everyday. I enjoy everything I am involved in and that's why I do them, because I have a passion for each one, but it all gets to me sometimes. I was talking to my principal this past week and he said he could definitely tell that I had a lot going on. We had a really nice talk and he said that while I may love everything I do, that nothing should keep from setting aside some time for me every now and then. And, well, the only time I get to myself these days are those four to five hours that I sleep each night. He said that people would still like me and think that I am a good person if I say no every now and then--something I struggle with and inherited from my mom, I think. He's right, though. While I am going to continue to do everything I am doing now, I have to start making sure that I am putting some hours into the day for myself.
Now on to the newlyweds. We are technically still under that title for a few more weeks now! Justin is great (working all the time) and while we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, we still enjoy the time we do get together. I cherish our Tuesday and Wednesday nights together (his days off) and even though we usually just spend it making dinner and smiling every now and then at each other as I grade papers/plan lessons and he watches TV, those are my favorite nights of the week. He is taking three days off for our anniversary weekend and I'm excited to get see him for a full 72 hours!
Jess and I went to our family reunion today. It was great to see family members from my mom's side of the family. I forget how much fun I have just talking and catching up with family. We're enjoying some down time right now before we head back to New Castle to watch my uncle's band play. Yep, I'm related to a rock star.
I think you are now caught up on my life. And for more late-breaking news: I'm thinking about biting the bullet and just doing it...joining Facebook, that is.
Speaking of school, things are going well in my third year. I always said that the first year of teaching is like keeping your head above water, the second year is when someone has thrown you a life jacket, and by your third year you should be in a boat and sailing smoothly. Well, I'm not sure how smooth I'm sailing my boat, but it's sailing! I'm really busy with teaching a couple of new classes this year as well as cheerleading and yearbook. Our 2008-2009 yearbook just came out and it has been receiving really positive feedback so now I feel that the pressure is on even more to do well for next year. We are in full competition mode with cheerleading and soon I will have cheer competitions for four Saturdays straight.
And if all that wasn't enough with trying to be a good little wife (more on us in a minute), I decided to take on something else to put on my already over-flowing plate. I am now the Event Chair for the 2010 Fortville/McCordsville Relay for Life. If you aren't sure what Relay for Life is, check it out here. I've really been looking at doing something to honor my mom ever since she passed away and the opportunity came up to be on the RFL committee and not being one to sit in the corner of a committee meeting, I took the reins and now I'm the Event Chair. Justin and my sister, Jessica, are also serving on the committee so it's nice to be doing this with family. We are currently recruiting other committee members and are in the early stages of planning, but I feel really good about this and feel that is a great way to do my part for cancer fund-raising. I always know that my mom is proud of me, and I couldn't feel more strongly about that since I made this decision.
But with the committee and everything going on at school, I could wear about ten of those "stressed" nametags from my last post everyday. I enjoy everything I am involved in and that's why I do them, because I have a passion for each one, but it all gets to me sometimes. I was talking to my principal this past week and he said he could definitely tell that I had a lot going on. We had a really nice talk and he said that while I may love everything I do, that nothing should keep from setting aside some time for me every now and then. And, well, the only time I get to myself these days are those four to five hours that I sleep each night. He said that people would still like me and think that I am a good person if I say no every now and then--something I struggle with and inherited from my mom, I think. He's right, though. While I am going to continue to do everything I am doing now, I have to start making sure that I am putting some hours into the day for myself.
Now on to the newlyweds. We are technically still under that title for a few more weeks now! Justin is great (working all the time) and while we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like, we still enjoy the time we do get together. I cherish our Tuesday and Wednesday nights together (his days off) and even though we usually just spend it making dinner and smiling every now and then at each other as I grade papers/plan lessons and he watches TV, those are my favorite nights of the week. He is taking three days off for our anniversary weekend and I'm excited to get see him for a full 72 hours!
Jess and I went to our family reunion today. It was great to see family members from my mom's side of the family. I forget how much fun I have just talking and catching up with family. We're enjoying some down time right now before we head back to New Castle to watch my uncle's band play. Yep, I'm related to a rock star.
I think you are now caught up on my life. And for more late-breaking news: I'm thinking about biting the bullet and just doing it...joining Facebook, that is.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Hello, my name is...
This is my name tag from last week when I attended a computer workshop for school. The better part of last week was reminiscent of a regular school week and I didn't like it at all. I attended computer workshops for school on Tuesday and Thursday which not only found me getting out of bed way earlier than most days this summer, but also left me feeling completely stressed and overwhelmed about the fact that school starts two weeks from this Thursday and I haven't done nearly enough. Justin looked at me the other day and said, "Regret not doing more for school this summer?" Yes, I do.
Wednesday was way too similar to a regular school day in that my alarm went off at the exact time it does for school to meet some of my yearbook staff members to attend an extremely productive yearbook workshop at Fishers High School. It feels good to go into the new school year with a very structured plan for the entire book.
To take away a little stress, I went to a Chicago Cubs game yesterday with some friends from school and a friend of a friend from school. It was a blast and nice way to kind of cap off the summer since I feel it is coming to an end way too soon. I'll try to post some pictures soon. I must also add that going to this game caused some stress in my marriage. Let's just say that when a wife goes to Wrigley when her baseball-obsessed husband hasn't been...that's not good. But I don't think he's too mad at me anymore and I am trying to make it up to him by planning a really cool first anniversary gift.
Now I am currently at my Alma mater, Ball State, being the best resident assistant I can be at the Ball State University Journalism Workshops. Not exactly the place I want to be with only two and half weeks more of freedom, but it pays well and lets me connect with several journalism teachers that I have already received incredible ideas from.
Time to put off doing something productive and look up spoilers for tomorrow's finale of The Bachelorette.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
How to Cure Boredom
A list of things to do when your husband leaves you to work for twelve hours on a Saturday and you just have your cat and rainy weather so you can't even go to the pool.
1. Read some of a book...check.
2. Play a mindless computer game until you feel absolutely worthless...check.
3. Scrounge up something to eat for lunch that is completely unhealthy...check.
4. Watch a few shows on TV that you've previously seen at least twice...check.
5. Cuddle with your cat...check.
6. Push your cat off of you after five minutes because you now have enough fur in your mouth to cough up your own hairball...check.
7. Check your e-mail every half an hour in the hopes that someone else is bored out of their mind on a Saturday and e-mailed you...check. (No one did.)
8. Contemplate cleaning the patio furniture three or four times but not actually cleaning it...check.
9. Straighten up around the apartment...check.
10. Iron the piled of wrinkled clothes on the dining room table (A--because they have been sitting there for two weeks and B--because you are in love with the steam function on your iron)...check.
11. Take a shower (and shave so the shower lasts as long as possible)...check.
12. Make a pitcher of lemonade...check.
13. Balance your checkbook...check.
14. Pay a few bills...check.
15. Wallow in self-pity for a few minutes because you are broke...check.
16. Blow-dry your hair...check.
17. Upload pictures from your camera to the computer and put in folders accordingly...check.
18. Update your blog...check.
19. Sort through a few piles of papers in the hopes of getting rid of some of the clutter in the guestroom but instead just making more smaller piles...check.
20. Stare at yourself in the mirror for five minutes while contemplating whether it's time to start using anti-aging cream or not...check.
21. Realize that you start school a month from tomorrow and have a small bout of depression upon that realization...check.
22. Panic because you haven't planned a single lesson for the school year that starts in a month...check.
23. Read almost every news article on CNN and People.com because you've checked every other website that you look at on a daily basis at least three times...check.
24. Wonder if next Saturday will probably be as boring as this one and realize that there's a good chance of that...check.
25. Make a list of everything you've done today...check.
I still have an hour and a half until Justin gets home...now what?
1. Read some of a book...check.
2. Play a mindless computer game until you feel absolutely worthless...check.
3. Scrounge up something to eat for lunch that is completely unhealthy...check.
4. Watch a few shows on TV that you've previously seen at least twice...check.
5. Cuddle with your cat...check.
6. Push your cat off of you after five minutes because you now have enough fur in your mouth to cough up your own hairball...check.
7. Check your e-mail every half an hour in the hopes that someone else is bored out of their mind on a Saturday and e-mailed you...check. (No one did.)
8. Contemplate cleaning the patio furniture three or four times but not actually cleaning it...check.
9. Straighten up around the apartment...check.
10. Iron the piled of wrinkled clothes on the dining room table (A--because they have been sitting there for two weeks and B--because you are in love with the steam function on your iron)...check.
11. Take a shower (and shave so the shower lasts as long as possible)...check.
12. Make a pitcher of lemonade...check.
13. Balance your checkbook...check.
14. Pay a few bills...check.
15. Wallow in self-pity for a few minutes because you are broke...check.
16. Blow-dry your hair...check.
17. Upload pictures from your camera to the computer and put in folders accordingly...check.
18. Update your blog...check.
19. Sort through a few piles of papers in the hopes of getting rid of some of the clutter in the guestroom but instead just making more smaller piles...check.
20. Stare at yourself in the mirror for five minutes while contemplating whether it's time to start using anti-aging cream or not...check.
21. Realize that you start school a month from tomorrow and have a small bout of depression upon that realization...check.
22. Panic because you haven't planned a single lesson for the school year that starts in a month...check.
23. Read almost every news article on CNN and People.com because you've checked every other website that you look at on a daily basis at least three times...check.
24. Wonder if next Saturday will probably be as boring as this one and realize that there's a good chance of that...check.
25. Make a list of everything you've done today...check.
I still have an hour and a half until Justin gets home...now what?
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Live from Washington D.C.
UPDATED WITH PHOTOS!
Since I am blogging out of state I feel that the title needs to sound something like the beginning of Saturday Night Live when they say "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" So if you don't mind, please read the title again, but this time (in your head or out loud if you feel so inclined), read it in your best radio/television announcer voice that really grasps the essence of the SNL intro and the fact that I am not in McCordsville, IN.
This past week has been a whirlwind. I left last Tuesday morning for cheerleading camp at IU, got home from there on Thursday afternoon only to take a quick nap, unpack, pack again, and get up on Friday morning to head to Muncie for my friend Allison's wedding, which I was a bridesmaid in. I left the reception between 11:30 and midnight on Saturday night and was on my way to the airport at 5:15 on Sunday morning to attend a technology conference with the English department and administrators in Washington, D.C., hence the dramatic opening to this blog entry. After I got over being delirious due to lack of sleep, (I thought Sunday was Tuesday for the longest time until I asked someone) the conference has been fun. I am really disappointed that Obama didn't meet us at the airport like I was sure he would, but I've learned a lot about new technology for my classroom and I'm excited to get started making lesson plans to incorporate all that I've learned. Wait...it's June 30th and I just said I want to make lesson plans...that must be a mistake. A couple of pictures from the trip...
Me in front of a lot of books at the Library of Congress.
Reading at the Library of Congress.
Back to the wedding. It was awesome to see my friends and see yet another one of us get married. Friday consisted of the rehearsal and dinner at Puerto followed by a great tribute to Michael Jackson in Ashley's car while we were stopped by a train for a good fifteen minutes. Not only was it amusing to be flipped off by a car of girls that must have been jealous of our love for MJ but my friend Ashley successfully yelled Michael Jackson ad-libs to a police officer. And I have had "Man in the Mirror" in my head ever since. Then we successfully took pictures in front of both of the old college houses we lived in near campus (I only lived in one...but they claimed me for the other) while laughing to hard that I'm shocked a few of us didn't pee our pants. Saturday morning came and we helped Allison get ready for her big day. She looked absolutely beautiful and the wedding and reception were gorgeous and a blast. I don't think a beaming grin left Allison's face the entire day and the weather was perfect for her outside reception.
Ashley, me, and Nikki at the rehearsal dinner.
The happy couple, Chris and Allison, at the rehearsal dinner.
My friend Laura "acting natural" with my engagement ring on.
Allison, Minner, and Laura at the rehearsal dinner.
Nikki and Laura during our tribute to Michael Jackson.
All of the girls on the big day!
Me with the beautiful bride.
Me with the "chief bridesmaid".
The amazing wedding singer and me at the reception.
Cutting the cake!
Since I am blogging out of state I feel that the title needs to sound something like the beginning of Saturday Night Live when they say "Live from New York, it's Saturday night!" So if you don't mind, please read the title again, but this time (in your head or out loud if you feel so inclined), read it in your best radio/television announcer voice that really grasps the essence of the SNL intro and the fact that I am not in McCordsville, IN.
This past week has been a whirlwind. I left last Tuesday morning for cheerleading camp at IU, got home from there on Thursday afternoon only to take a quick nap, unpack, pack again, and get up on Friday morning to head to Muncie for my friend Allison's wedding, which I was a bridesmaid in. I left the reception between 11:30 and midnight on Saturday night and was on my way to the airport at 5:15 on Sunday morning to attend a technology conference with the English department and administrators in Washington, D.C., hence the dramatic opening to this blog entry. After I got over being delirious due to lack of sleep, (I thought Sunday was Tuesday for the longest time until I asked someone) the conference has been fun. I am really disappointed that Obama didn't meet us at the airport like I was sure he would, but I've learned a lot about new technology for my classroom and I'm excited to get started making lesson plans to incorporate all that I've learned. Wait...it's June 30th and I just said I want to make lesson plans...that must be a mistake. A couple of pictures from the trip...
Me in front of a lot of books at the Library of Congress.
Reading at the Library of Congress.
Ashley, me, and Nikki at the rehearsal dinner.
The happy couple, Chris and Allison, at the rehearsal dinner.
My friend Laura "acting natural" with my engagement ring on.
Allison, Minner, and Laura at the rehearsal dinner.
Nikki and Laura during our tribute to Michael Jackson.
All of the girls on the big day!
Me with the beautiful bride.
Me with the "chief bridesmaid".
The amazing wedding singer and me at the reception.
Cutting the cake!After a crazy week I will be happy to get home tomorrow night and sleep in my own bed next to my wonderful husband (whom I miss like crazy) and with my over-sized kitty at my feet. My plan for Thursday consists of my pajamas, the couch, and over a week's worth of episodes of The Young and the Restless.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
This is Not My Life
Do you ever feel that so much life is going on around you and you are completely missing out on everything? OK, don't get me wrong, I absolutely, 100% love my life with Justin. But I can't help but think lately that there is so much more that I could be doing with my life.
I had a sorority sister that coined a phrase, "This is not my life". Her name was Nicole Gallo, and well, in a brief description, she was awesome. She would use the "this is not my life" phrase when something was going on with her that just wasn't who she was. She taught us to use it if we were stressed or sad or angry and to simply beat your right fist into your open left palm while repeating over and over "This is not my life!" When it comes to how I'm feeling right now, it's the only phrase that sums it all up.
From the outside looking in, it seems that I have a great life. I'm married to one heck of an amazing man, I have a rewarding and steady job, a great apartment, awesome friends, a devoted family, etc. etc. etc. But something just doesn't feel right lately. I had a pretty big roller coaster of a year last year with losing my mom (the lowest point of my life) to getting married (clearly the highest point of my life). When not dealing with and celebrating those moments, I had school to distract me, and with cheerleading, the yearbook, and keeping my head above water in a sea of freshmen, I never had time to think that everything wasn't complete. But now that I'm out of school and have a lot of time on my hands, I find myself sitting within the walls of this apartment watching mindless reality television and soap operas and wallowing on the couch thinking about how mundane my life has been in these past couple of weeks.
Now that I've successfully thrown myself a pity party, it's time to not only say "this is not my life", but do something about it. There are changes I want to make that aren't going to make themselves. I just realized that someone reading this might be thinking that I'm being very vague, but to be honest, I don't know all of the changes I need to make. Clearly I'm not physically healthy and that needs to change. After completing Relay for Life (an entry on that is coming soon) I would love to get more involved in supporting cancer research. I want to write more. I just want to do more with my day instead of getting up, eating breakfast, and figuring out how I can fill 10 hours with television shows. I could be a better friend. I could be a better family member. I could be a better wife. I could be a better person. And it's just time to start making that happen.
I had a sorority sister that coined a phrase, "This is not my life". Her name was Nicole Gallo, and well, in a brief description, she was awesome. She would use the "this is not my life" phrase when something was going on with her that just wasn't who she was. She taught us to use it if we were stressed or sad or angry and to simply beat your right fist into your open left palm while repeating over and over "This is not my life!" When it comes to how I'm feeling right now, it's the only phrase that sums it all up.
From the outside looking in, it seems that I have a great life. I'm married to one heck of an amazing man, I have a rewarding and steady job, a great apartment, awesome friends, a devoted family, etc. etc. etc. But something just doesn't feel right lately. I had a pretty big roller coaster of a year last year with losing my mom (the lowest point of my life) to getting married (clearly the highest point of my life). When not dealing with and celebrating those moments, I had school to distract me, and with cheerleading, the yearbook, and keeping my head above water in a sea of freshmen, I never had time to think that everything wasn't complete. But now that I'm out of school and have a lot of time on my hands, I find myself sitting within the walls of this apartment watching mindless reality television and soap operas and wallowing on the couch thinking about how mundane my life has been in these past couple of weeks.
Now that I've successfully thrown myself a pity party, it's time to not only say "this is not my life", but do something about it. There are changes I want to make that aren't going to make themselves. I just realized that someone reading this might be thinking that I'm being very vague, but to be honest, I don't know all of the changes I need to make. Clearly I'm not physically healthy and that needs to change. After completing Relay for Life (an entry on that is coming soon) I would love to get more involved in supporting cancer research. I want to write more. I just want to do more with my day instead of getting up, eating breakfast, and figuring out how I can fill 10 hours with television shows. I could be a better friend. I could be a better family member. I could be a better wife. I could be a better person. And it's just time to start making that happen.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Freedom
Well, freedom for a little over two months anyway! Today was my last day of school with students. We have a teacher day on Monday, but all of my end-of-the-year duties are completed and ready to turn in so I'm counting right now as my first official hour of summer freedom. The wrap-up of school is why I've been MIA in the blog world lately. I feel that the last month of an English teacher's school year has got to be the busiest, especially at my school. In the last month, when I wasn't grading a research paper, I was probably packing up my classroom (for it to be renovated over the summer), and when I wasn't packing I was probably thinking of someway to get freshmen interested in Romeo and Juliet, and when I wasn't doing that, I was probably trying to stay sane since I swear teenagers turn into the spawns of Satan around the middle of May! But it is all done and it feels awesome. I was telling my dad today that I will never apologize or feel bad for having the summer off. I did not choose to enter the teaching world just to not have to work in the months of June or July, however, with that, I chose a job that doesn't stop everyday at 5 p.m. I don't get to come home and forget about my job until the next time I go in. Instead, I get to come home each night and grade essays, plan lessons, and try my best to stay on top of things so that I can get at least five hours of sleep before I have to get up and do it all over again. So all of those hours I spend in the evenings and on the weekends grading papers until I just want to stick the red pens in both of my eyes and the time I spend in front of the computer trying to find some way to have students relate to the time period of To Kill A Mockingbird are given back to me in the summer and I enjoy every single minute of them.
Due to my brief hiatus, I feel there are many blog entries that are stored in the back of my mind. And since the front of my mind is now clear of MLA style and final exams, those entries are ready to come out--so expect a lot of updating this weekend and in the weeks to come. I have several goals for this summer. I will of course be coaching cheerleading all summer and finishing the yearbook with the staff until the middle of June. But I also have a mile-long summer reading list (reading for pleasure could be my favorite part of the summer) and an equally long list of things I want to do with the apartment. And yes, Justin, I promise I will finally get the guest room to a state where a guest could actually stay in it.
But right now I must get ready to go to graduation where I get to see the fruits of my labor walk across the stage and get handed the ticket to the rest of their lives. And then, I sleep.
Due to my brief hiatus, I feel there are many blog entries that are stored in the back of my mind. And since the front of my mind is now clear of MLA style and final exams, those entries are ready to come out--so expect a lot of updating this weekend and in the weeks to come. I have several goals for this summer. I will of course be coaching cheerleading all summer and finishing the yearbook with the staff until the middle of June. But I also have a mile-long summer reading list (reading for pleasure could be my favorite part of the summer) and an equally long list of things I want to do with the apartment. And yes, Justin, I promise I will finally get the guest room to a state where a guest could actually stay in it.
But right now I must get ready to go to graduation where I get to see the fruits of my labor walk across the stage and get handed the ticket to the rest of their lives. And then, I sleep.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Nostalgia
Yesterday, I took ten of my yearbook students to Journalism Day at Ball State. J-Day is a one-day workshop for high school journalism students and is put on by the BSU Journalism Workshops office, my former place of employment for over three years while I was a budding college student once upon a time.
Being on Ball State's campus as an alumna was definitely a strange experience. Once I started the familiar walk to Emens Auditorium for the opening session, I was acutely more aware a few things: the wedding ring on my finger, the fact that I have a real-world job with a salary, and, well, the numerous pounds I've put on since my early days of college since I was huffing and puffing my way down McKinley with ten teenagers in tow. But it was a fantastic day. The weather was sunny, which made campus look beautiful, and I think the kids really enjoyed the experience. I know I was happy enough to get away from 50+ freshmen (who are fumbling through a To Kill A Mockingbird unit and a 4-6 page research paper) with their ninety-seven questions they have each day.
I was able to visit with my former co-workers and my old boss while I was there. I saw some former classmates who are now married and real-live teachers like I am. We reminisced about our glory days and of course shared similar "teaching-makes-me-age-ten-years-a-day-and-wouldn't-you-give-anything-just-to-be-back-here" stories. But to be honest, I'm happy where I am in life. Of course there are those times when I long for cancelled classes, a wasted afternoon of pranking co-workers in the office, and a great night at Dill Street with my friends, but I think if you had a great college experience, you are supposed to miss it. That part of your life is supposed to be fun and sloppy and fresh and poignant and life-changing. And it was all of that for me. But this time in my life is so much more. I have an unbelievably wonderful husband, I've traded campus housing for a great apartment, I have a job that, on most days, I really don't mind to go to that much, and I still have a phenomenal family and amazing friends. While my college days were stereotypically some of the best days of my life, my current days are just as fun and fresh and poignant, as I'm sure the days to come will be.
Being on Ball State's campus as an alumna was definitely a strange experience. Once I started the familiar walk to Emens Auditorium for the opening session, I was acutely more aware a few things: the wedding ring on my finger, the fact that I have a real-world job with a salary, and, well, the numerous pounds I've put on since my early days of college since I was huffing and puffing my way down McKinley with ten teenagers in tow. But it was a fantastic day. The weather was sunny, which made campus look beautiful, and I think the kids really enjoyed the experience. I know I was happy enough to get away from 50+ freshmen (who are fumbling through a To Kill A Mockingbird unit and a 4-6 page research paper) with their ninety-seven questions they have each day.
I was able to visit with my former co-workers and my old boss while I was there. I saw some former classmates who are now married and real-live teachers like I am. We reminisced about our glory days and of course shared similar "teaching-makes-me-age-ten-years-a-day-and-wouldn't-you-give-anything-just-to-be-back-here" stories. But to be honest, I'm happy where I am in life. Of course there are those times when I long for cancelled classes, a wasted afternoon of pranking co-workers in the office, and a great night at Dill Street with my friends, but I think if you had a great college experience, you are supposed to miss it. That part of your life is supposed to be fun and sloppy and fresh and poignant and life-changing. And it was all of that for me. But this time in my life is so much more. I have an unbelievably wonderful husband, I've traded campus housing for a great apartment, I have a job that, on most days, I really don't mind to go to that much, and I still have a phenomenal family and amazing friends. While my college days were stereotypically some of the best days of my life, my current days are just as fun and fresh and poignant, as I'm sure the days to come will be.
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