winding down

The days are winding down, the after-cookie/sweets/etc glow is waning, and I'm starting to feel the sense that all the holidays are gone (except for New Year's, but that has never really been a favorite of mine - it's so stressful trying to find something fun to do that doesn't involve lots of money and too much drinking). Plus, the days are getting closer to the impending "back to school" which is never a happy thought because January just blows. I wish my attitude were better, but it just does I'm afraid. (written in grand old 2006)

However, the new year (because it's now 2007) is always a sense of rebirth and the mind-set that I can do anything if I put my mind to it! Yeah! I can watch what I eat, exercise, keep in better touch with my friends and family, and just be the best person I can be! So much optimism from one little ordinarily pessimistic. I guess the new year just involves taking care of business and just doing it, not dwelling on it all (which is usually my problem).

As far as my holiday season, all was a-ok. It was warm and sunny in California, enough to enjoy a Christmas Eve hike with the brother, and enough food to hold me until February! Then a couple of lazy days at home making sure I didn't get sick from the upbrupt weather change and then New Year's Eve which was okay overall. Amazing view, nice people, pretty low-key. Not much more you can ask for. Yesterday was a bit slow, as the champagne always proves more than just bubbly fun the next day.....a perfect day for watching movies and football, eating sandwiches, and snuggling.

But big news - now you can view some of my pictures on my Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59302364@N00/. Be patient though. I'm still figuring out how to do it and it may take me awhile :). But for now enjoy these pics; maybe soon i'll link directly to the flickr page - whoa, crazy things are in store for 2007!

holiday....ho!

Think of Dave Saleski's "weekend...ho!". I am so very ready to be done with all this school shisse and such (oooh, love the aliteration!). We can't use the water other than using the restroom, we just had a fire drill and it's FREEZING outside. I should be on winter break. Supposedly if the water problem isn't fixed tomorrow, we won't have school so pray tonight that we don't have water!! Plus, I really have to go to the restroom, which I guess I'll just have to leave early to go do. Hope holiday plans are going well for whoever is reading this in Internet land! This is one tired lady who needs a break from it all........calgon, take me away. Heck, I would even settle for Dave Saleski taking me away. Hmmm, no not really - that's just the crazy talking.

hot cocoa can change the world

The past couple of days have been pretty tough I must say. Lots of stress brought upon by my job, the upcoming holidays, and the usual internal stresses that pop up evern now and again. I was gone the whole weekend on a retreat for school; therefore, I did not get a break from the crazy kiddos. And while it wasn't a bad weekend by any stretch, I'm just physically and mentally tired. To add on top of that, my fiasco with the Bally's folks is still not resolved, especially because they just lied about a supposed conversation that never took place. *Sigh*. [well it wasn't sighs yesterday - more like gigantic crocodile tears that turned into a plea for everything else to go right during this blissful time of the year]. However, after feeling sick the whole day, I skivved off school a bit early and went home to some hot cocoa and 'you've got mail', of which I promptly fell asleep to my delight. Then, I made dinner, decorated the happy christmas tree, and am now getting ready to make some holiday cards. Life could be approaching bearable if only I can get through it all. On a different note, here are some pictures from the past couple of weeks and my adventures:
A few weeks ago, I got all culinary up in here and made a delicious Thai chicken pizza courtesy of Rachael "EVOO" Ray. It was so tasty I must say.....Mr. Q was so very happy.








In November, Carrie's friend Heather threw a wonderful baby shower for her and we played all sorts of weird games and such. As of December 9th, Carrie and Simeon are proud parents of the most gorgeous child ever, Ana Diann. Kimberly and I visited all of them in the hospital and I am so glad we did because it was delightful to witness their elation and happiness over their bee-yoo-tiful bebe.




The picture below is our happy little Christmas tree for this year. Lots of love and lights went into this lovely tree. I'll leave you with this last picture and happy wishes for these days of preparation and anticipation for the jolly man's arrival!

Turkey for the girls, turkey for the boys

Ahhh, turkey day! With this day coming up, I am reminded that I need to find that Adam Sandler song! And make an apple pie tonight in prep for turkey day down in Klamath Falls as long as we can get by the snowy, snowy pass. I'm excited to get out of town and hopefully enjoy the snow and get some winter activities in (like snowshoeing, snowball fights, board games). Finally my fav time of the year is here when we can eat, drink, be merry, and get in the holiday spirit! I can bring out my Christmas music and decorations and drink hot cocoa EVERYDAY because I can. And of course, watch my favorite Christmas movies. But, I was think I would ask anyone in the blogosphere - what are your favorite Christmas movies? Me, here are my selections:
-White Christmas
-While you were sleeping
-Love Actually
-Christmas Vacation
-Home Alone (1 and 2)
-Miracle on 34th Street (both versions)
-and every once in awhile, It's a Wonderful Life
**please offer your suggestions too!**

I am excited to make cookies, have people over, maybe be crafty and just be happy. I'm sad that December is only one month long (and that it's filling up quite quickly!). Anyone interested?
Have a wonderful Turkey day tomorrow with you and yours!

nice knockers

I swear, when you miss a few days of work, you really really really don't want to go back. Especially when there is so much to catch up on and you have millions of teenagers begging for their papers back that I received this morning.
[Except I am the coolest teacher ever because I'm showing Young Frankenstein. Yeah, you KNOW you want to be in my class - come on!]
Being back at school even made me forget about the horrendous experience of trying to cancel a gym membership I was duped into signing up for and now cannot break because I didn't go to the gym 12 times in one month. So now I am being punished for 3 years.....mmm, I love people who like to confuse you and then tell you there is nothing you can do. Oooh, I'm getting all hot and bothered thinking about it. Luckily I have a couple of other people who are hot and bothered and trying to help me do something too, so that hopefully it will all get solved!
On a side note, Gene Wilder is just perfection. His lilting voice, his subtle but humorous demeanor, his craziness - ahhh, gotta love that. And I always loves me a good double entendre every once in awhile!

things I just shouldn't do, but I do...

*Keep food in the refridgerator, like cottage cheese, pancake batter, pureed pumpkin in the tin can, and lettuce, WAY too long which forces me to plug my nose and smell the aroma of the rotten food whilst dumping it all down the drain and then have to rinse out the containers, because you gotta recycle!

*Kick the restart button on the computer in the middle of typing and think, what? What did I do? Does the computer hate me? What?

*Whilst cooking chicken in a pan with a handle and then placing said pan in the oven for further cooking because the recipe told me to, and after taking chicken pan out safely with a towel (because oven mitts apparently to me are pussies), touching the handle when trying to scoop out the chicken producing a burn on my hand worthy of medicine. Dinner was delicious, yet the remainder of the night I felt the throb of pain from my g.d. ring finger. Hmm, maybe it's sign that I burned my left ring finger a few days before the anniversary. Or maybe I should heed the advice -hot, don't touch with bare hands!

**And yes, I did do all those things in the past 24 hours. What will I do today? Ahh, the possibilities are endless!

random...

It's amazing how one thing can consume your life to the point of saturation and then you can't "dry out" so to speak. Last year at this very time, I was saturated with wedding preparations. My parents were in town, more family was starting to arrive and I was planning what my students were going to do for the next 6 days while I got married and went away on the blissful honeymoon (aka wedding detox time).
Right now life is pretty similar sans the whole wedding prep - I'm taking off two days for work (one for Jury Duty and one for fun) and I have to prepare for those days. Along with that I hatched the brilliant idea to have 4 of my classes have papers due next week which means I have to correct or peruse 4 sets of rough drafts (which I did in two days thankyouverymuch). Also, I have to prepare for my next units and start to grade the rest of the stack of papers. All while maintaining a Yearbook deadline of November 20th with a group that is a tad disinterested or rather oblivious to the ramifications of NOT getting pages done or having enough pictures, etc. Yearbook is a time to socialize and finish up other homework, right? [to me, the slave driver, the answer is wrong!]
I did finish everything I needed to do tonight so I'm ready to drop off rough drafts at school tomorrow before I head downtown for Jury Duty. Sick huh? I swear, I feel like a slave to those kids.

Thank goodness we are going away for 2 days this weekend and I can forget it all for awhile......we're heading up to Seattle and actually staying in a hotel downtown (Hotel Max, http://www.hotelmaxseattle.com/). I'm so excited to be downtown in a city and just act like a tourist and such. Although it may rain, I'm still looking forward to storming the city with zeal! Hopefully this mini-break will give me a fresh outlook and I can return rejuvenated for the rest of the holiday season, really the best part of the year. I'm yearning for days of reading, journalling and enjoying. With a bit a school and grading mixed in.

I always knew the pumpkins were my favorite.....

Oh pumpkim patch - you have given me so much in the past few days in addition to your pumpkin wonderness! Among these gifts have been some muddy stains on my jeans from your impossibly difficult corn maze that almost made Kimberly, Jason and me lose it from cornstalk-induced insanity (and if you don't believe me, look at the two corn maze pictures below in which I look like I may kill someone and where Kimberly and I look so dazed I'm amazed we even got out - thank goodness for our friends who led us out of the maze in striking success, save for a few additional flower stamps). Wait! The gifts keep coming - after getting over my childhood fear of pumpkin carving - oh, the messy innards, the smell, the scooping! All yucky! But, I made it through it all and produced a fairly nicely carved pumpkin that has become a receptacle for the local ants. They saw the pumpkins on the porch and thought, "yes!! finally the dumb humans have allowed us to live in style in this sweet, sweet pumpkin pulp! you think you can spray Raid and kill us, but nuh-uh! we live, we persevere, and we loves us the tasty pumpkin. oh, you think the fire from the candle will kill us? sure, a few will perish, but with those few come 1,000 more. try and stop us bitches!" Who knew ants could be that vicious?
Anyways, here are some more pictures for your perusal and really, I did enjoy the pumpkin patch. I just like to complain. Highlights include being with fabulous friends, Carrie's wonderful chili and cornbread and watching everyone carve ASS into their pumpkins. And feeling like a family......awwww. I forgive you pumpkin patch. You truly have brought wonder into my life. *Tear*

Ready to be done with this Corn Maze crap.



















Awww, who are those cute farmers in the best gender-bending cardboard cut-out picture ever?






Left:Kimberly and I looking ready to leave the Corn Maze
Below: Jason's and my pumpkin with Kimberly hard at work on her Death Mark masterpiece.

oat and a boat

This past summer brought many firsts for me: my first summer off since I was a teen, my first long organized bike ride, my first realization that having summer off is nice and I want to have the rest of the year off as well (and believe me, I had several more of those realizations), but one event that sticks out is my first Eastern seaboard road trip to Canada. I drove with my sister (ignore my strained expression) up to Montreal and we had a lot of fun. It was rainy, sticky, and full of underground shops. I always enjoy going to Canada because I just love the accents and everything/everyone just seems nicer up there.
Yet, Montreal adds a new twist to the Canada-ness - French speaking people and French accents!! oui-oui!! Absolutely love a place where it's the norm to walk into a store and say "Bonjour" and where pastries are everywhere! All of those details bring my back to my Salzburg days when you would greet everyone with a friendly "Grus Gott!" and if you got in the way, my favorite German word would come in handy - Entschuldigen. That part was tres fun for me because I'm a big nerd and love to be immersed in whatever culture I can, especially after a childhood in one of the blandest towns you'll ever witness (truly living in a white-bread suburban world).
We only had two short days there, but they were worth it. However, I would visit again when the humidity was not 85% because that was a bitch - walk around and be soaked from both rain and your own sweat from the day at 9am. No wonder they have so many underground malls!
Here are some more pictures from the trip:





A few drinks on our first night in a cafe just off a bustling cobblestone street.







More bustling streets and my sister in her glory shopping!

orange...an okay color

Quick note - I'm off to the kitchen to make some pumpkin muffins for a pumpkin carving party this afternoon, and before I begin this happy fall activity, I am musing on the color orange and how it's influenced many of my actions in the last few weeks. Pumpkin spice lattes - check. Pumpkin cheescake made - check. Cans of pure pumpkin purchased - check. And yummy pumpkin curry soup consumed - check. Man, for a color I always HATED (and funny because look at my husband's hair :) hee!), I am so rockin' the orange this fall. Just watch, I may purchase some lovely pumpkin colored sweaters and wear some lovely jack-o-latern earrings. Then you'll know that I've officially become......my mother? Scary. And hell no.
Okay, no orange colored clothing or themed accessories, but I can bake and eat whatever I want. That is my orange promise.

realities blending and toy terriers

Do you ever have those moments when your work persona bleeds over into your "real" persona (and I definitely, as a teacher, have two vastly different personas)? For example, I was discussing the Poe story "The Masque of the Red Death" with my little freshmen, and I asked, who is the Red Death? The answer I got back was Jason. I'm pretty sure they're thinking of the Friday the 13th villian, but my first thought is, my husband? I didn't say that - thank goodness - but then one kid says, no, let's call the Red Death Kimberly. Now wait a minute.....it's getting too freaky in here! First the husband, then the best friend? I blurt out - that's my best friend's name, which always prompts strange comments, like:
You have a best friend? and her name is kimberly? (duh - just said that!)
Do you call her Kimber? (no)
Kimbo? (why yes I do)
That's weird you have a friend named Kimberly (why? it's weird that you're talking right now....)
and the topper - do you call her Kim-Kim?
To which I snidely retorted - she's not a toy terrier. End of conversation and laughter reigns again in the classroom.

But why those two names? Perhaps just to freak me out or a strange coincidence, but still. I don't like when my real life infiltrates the classroom. It's almost as if the kiddos are at home with me and that's just bizzare. What are they going to ask me tomorrow......I hope it's not about the dead body in the basement, because that will be awkward :).

Currently hailing from the best music capital of the United States (or so I like to think....), I feel that this blog will be my opportunity to share some bands that I am in love with right now that other people may like. Now be mindful that I do like bands of the indie rock persuasion, but I really just enjoy music that gets to me. That can be hard to explain, but I believe that your gut tells you a lot about bands and their music.
One band that I've been loving for awhile and we recently got the cd is Horse Feathers (http://www.myspace.com/horsefeathersmusic). The music is filled with strings and acoustic guitars and haunting voices and it's the perfect accompaniment to a quiet night. They're playing at Holocene on October 19th and if you can make it, go. Just beautiful music. That's all I can say, beautiful.
Another band that rocks is Viva Voce (http://www.vivavoce.com), a husband/wife duo that just freakin' rock. Their new cd definitely rocks, but it's still in that "growing on me" stage. I suggest that you get their second album, The Heat Can Melt You Brain, to begin. It rocks the first song and just keeps you interested.....plus, they kick ass live and I totally want to take Kevin and Anita home with me to just hang out and take out when I need to rock. That's my test for a band - if I want to take them home, store them in my closet, and bring them out during various points in my day, then they're keepers. And believe me, I have a long list of bands who I want to take home with me in both non-sexual and sexual ways ;).
So there are two bands to start. Email me for more if you want......or I can tailor my bands likes to your music taste if these bands don't do anything for you. I was GM at my college's radio station, so I know a thing or two. And thus ends my pompous ode to Portland music.

the allergies! the kiddos! the horror!

Ah, fall. We have such a love/hate relationship. You bring me such sweet things like leaf changes, good smells, the prospect of baking every single pumpkin recipe I can find, the running mantra of "holidays are comin', holidays are coming", long sleeves, and the need to indulge my stay-at-home tendencies with a little movie watching. I get so excited when fall starts to appear I almost feel giddy (and for a girl who is hard to giddy-fy, that's impressive).
And then tragedy strikes. Not only does school begin to get too taxing for my summer drenched mind (thesis statement - how the hell do I know what that is? and grammar rules? look it up yourselves, you lazy sons of....), but the falling leaves, last blooms, and smell in the air all lead to the dreaded allergies. One minute, I'm okay, ready to face the world and willing to help others learn. The next, a snotty (excuse me if that's gross, but it's true) plugged mess who can barely walk straight, let alone drive and function. All combined with the inevitable first cold of the year that plagues everyone and the general feeling of tiredness that accompanies the first month back to teaching leaves me a tad tired and ready to give it all up, join the circus, quit that, and become a professional soap watcher. Or even professional housewife? [on a side note - I did offer a certain husband the prospect of me staying home forever only to be the best housewife ever in aprons, thigh-highs and the occasional french maid outfit......jury's still out on that one......;)]
But alas, I must toil my days with the kiddos and toil until the allergies/first colds cease. At least when I'm all healed, I can bake some kick-ass pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and break out the spiced apple cider! Ah fall, at least I still have you.......

I hail from a fair city right next to the San Fernando Valley called Simi Valley. Like most relationships with the town you grew up in and no longer inhabitate, I both love it and despise it. It's suburbia to a tee and everything that Portland is not, right down to its "downtown" that consists of a barrage of stores ranging from Ross to Target to , but it's my suburbia and don't nobody disses on my digs, yo. So on a recent trip down to Simi, I spotted this newspaper stand and just had to take a picture with my Simi partner in crime, Kimberly. Perhaps it is an inside joke, but everyone gets it inside of his/her heart because hometowns have that quiet allure that is both hypnotic and retch inducing. You crave the comfort of knowing the best way to get to the Blockbuster video and who will serve you at the local Denny's you ALWAYS went to in high school, but when you're there you cannot wait to get back to "civilization" aka your super sophisticated adult life. I'm guilty as charged.
But Simi does have beauty in its hills, hiking trails, [some] open spaces and laid back attitude. There are still some independently owned stores and restaurants, especially those that my parents still frequent (although the opening of the new Town Center has thrown the 'rents into a whole new world of chain excitement!). However, one store that was a fundamental part of my childhood closed its doors forever and I had to find out the hard way - an apologetic sign on the door. Tragic huh? Read on....
So Jason, Kimberly and I were walking in our shiny "downtown" (and this so-called walking was an anomaly to people in Simi because we were, wait for it, walking across the busy streets!) and we were eagerly awaiting the lunch hour because K and I had been talking up Hudson's Grill to J for ages, reminiscing about its many wonders, good food and happy memories. As we were walking up to Hudson's, the parking lot looks a little scarce but I shrug it off to, maybe they're just not open yet. Or ever again.....as the simple sign would tell us because they decided to shut their doors after 20 years of great service! We almost pass out with disbelief and ache to break down the door and put our quarters in the jukebox just to hear it play "Pretty Woman" one last time. And order a milkshake that would come with extra in the metal cup.......which was like Christmas Day when I was a kid (and damn straight I slurped up every last bit).
Dejected, we walk aimlessly in the store area trying desperately to 1) find a place to eat because we were hungry and 2) ponder the destruction of our civilization especially of those places that provide you with the comfort you crave from your hometown. Dramatic, yes, but very necessary.

friday gone wack

Yesterday I kept thinking that it was Friday, when it was Thursday. Maybe because I was excited to have company over (hooray for wonderful company - I had a blast making burgers and pie!) and because it was my first 5 day week (don't laugh). Or maybe because I truly feel that the 4 day week is the most viable option for survival. Can you imagine? Three day weekends ALL THE TIME? I think it would be heaven AND I would probably get more work done because I would be rested and happy. C'mon America, let's get our act together and revamp the "working week" and make it Monday through Thursday or Tuesday through Friday. You would have so many people backing you up and not because we don't want to work as much (well.....), but because it's about life quality people. If you're so Fffing tired on Friday, you don't want to as much open your refrigerator so you have to order pizza, that doesn't make any sense at all. In fact, not to step further on the soap box or anything, but these 5 day work weeks are probably contributing to obesity and poor health in this nation. Okay, stepping off soap box now.
However, 4 day weeks are not what I'm going to get right now, so I must make the best of it and try to enjoy these precious two days each week. Although ordering pizza is sounding better and better over the grumble of my stomach.

i think i can, i think i can

Another photo to spice up the 'ol page - here we are on the day of the Providence Bridge Pedal on top of the Fremont Bridge. The ride was so beautiful - a crisp morning, gorgeous sites, and what an accomplishment. All part of my "let's try new things and see what I can do" attitude. Sadly, this is probably one of the last things I have done lately in this vein. Definitely a huge accomplishment on my part because I have a) never participated in any sort of race and b) that was the longest I've ever ridden my bike in my life and c) it was even on my 26th birthday! I am really looking forward to it next year though and am ready to make that 10 bridge ride my bee-yotch!
I'm still looking for my next, look out world activity though. I think voice lessons or even just getting off my ass and exercising would be a start. But at least I can look back to that picture, remember the pain and enjoyment, and try to find small accomplishments in my own daily life.

the next ramble

I don't know where the time goes after work. I slip into a deep lethargy, or as a friend lovingly calls a disco nap, and then awake at about 5pm absolutely devoid of energy. Teaching the kiddos (big kiddos, but kiddos nonetheless) just takes it out of me, which scares me because if I'm this tired now, what will happen as I get older and supposedly get more responsibilities in life? I know a lot of this has to do with me not falling asleep when I get home and actually exercising (!) but I fall prey to the couch and monotony of the tv just so easily, I don't know what to do. I keep telling myself, you'll get used to it, etc. But I know the truth. I'll be just as tired now as I will be in June.
And now is the time of year when I feel super duper overwhelmed with planning and grading and just plain being a teacher. When I get home, I want to get on with my regular life instead of feeling guilty for doing something other than grading, planning, or reading for tomorrow. Geez, there's enough guilt (mostly the catholic kind, but also familial and personal) in my mixed-up brain that I really do not need to stuff more in there. So there.

I fear this will be more of a rant than ramble, but hey, that's what happens sometimes. At least it's Tuesday. That's my one good thing for today. And I'm going to dinner with my boy and a friend from out of town tonight, so that's pretty nifty. Nifty. Hmmm, I must be tired!

Churches and cacti?

This is me in the most idyllic locale you can think of - a church in Thousand Oaks, California the day before my brother was about to tie the knot. Isn't that tree just too perfectly placed among all of the other idyllic mountains and lush green lawns? My photographer husband took this picture - you'll probably hear a lot about him - as he was scoping out the joint for some good photo spots for the pending nuptials.
Back to this locale....we spent the week in Southern California before said wedding in August and boy, was it beeyooteeful. 80 degrees, blue sky, low smog (notice I say low as beautiful), and wonderful scenery like this. The hours before this picture was so lovingly shot, we (meaning the boy, me, and my bestest friend kimberly) walked around the astounding Getty Center soaking in the rays and some art with thousands of our closest friends. My favorite part of the museum was the Cactus Garden primarily because of the view of the slightly hazy/smoggy city, but also because it was warm and I was with two of my favorite people. Awww. Commence tears......Seriously, it was fabulous - I suggest it to anyone traveling in the LA area.
The events after this picture aren't too terribly interesting. Rehearsal, dinner, then a quick drive home in my sister's new convertible MINI cooper. Now that's what I call an idyllic California day.