I always hated playing Tag...

but now I'm IT. My friend Carrie just tagged me (ooooh, my very first tag - I feel so blog-like) and I feel the need to respond to the thousands who read this witty drivel. Here are the rules:

1. Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 7 random things, and post these rules.
3. At the end of your post you need to tag 7 people and include their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

And without further ado, my "random facts"
1. When I was 7, I was tested to go in the GATE program at my elementary school. I had to take a test and then see a psychologist to evaluate my smartness. The psychologist held me for 2 hours and said she was testing me with college work. Now at the ripe age of 26 I wonder - where did all my smarts go?
2. Many people know this, but at age 14, I played Trixie True, All-American Teen Girl Detective. Yep. There's even a picture to prove it.
3, On a similar dramatic note, I was never cast in any high school musical because the drama teacher told me I couldn't sing. And yes, I do have a complex of singing in front of other people to this day - only place you will see me belting it out is alone. In the car.
4. Last year, I was addicted to Days of our Lives because it came on when I came home from school. Now I can no longer say that the show has a hold on me....I only watch it occasionally and I can totally turn it off when I have/want to. It was tough, but the 12 steps really helped.
5. I wanted to be a veterinarian when I was in 6th grade. Then I wanted to be a English teacher. Then I wanted to be a movie star. And a movie director/producer. Now I think I want to be a patisserie chef or do something creative with writing.
6. I have never dyed my hair any color than what I have now (light brown). I'm probably too chicken or indecisive.......any thoughts on good hair color or any takers to actually do it?
7. When I am tired, it's worse than when I am drunk. Really. I take no control of my actions when I am tired.

Now is the portion of my email when I tag other people I know. I only know a few bloggers, so I tag Kelly, Robbie, and Cassie. Enjoy!

the countdown begins

The sun has returned to the NW and in full force. It's amazing how the sun can make you want to storm the world and be out in nature all day long, but then make you soooo sleepy you need to retreat to the inside and recoup for your next adventure. I'm kinda like that now - school has reached a holding pattern (meaning that I have caught up with 80 percent of my work and all I really have to do in the next four days is finish reading a book I am teaching starting next week - Snow Falling on Cedars......anyone have any lesson plans for this little/400 page ditty?). But never fear, I have tests in all of my classes next week so the stress will return. However I do have to work tomorrow, Saturday, because I am helping out with some service in the morning (ahhh, the Catholic schools and their service requirement. which isn't really a bad thing I think - all staff need to go to one service project a year and I had to miss my last project because of another school related thing, so here I am) AND chaperoning prom in the evening. Full day with about 3 hours of free time inbetween 7am and 11pm. The sucky part of school service - YOU DON'T GET PAID EXTRA. Normal jobs you would, but schools got you when you sign the contract. Which I did for next year, but I don't know what classes I am teaching - only Yearbook so far.
Yet, the weekend looks sunny as well so hopefully Sunday I can be a normal person and enjoy the outside :). Then only FIVE MORE WEEKS till summer. Now starts the most difficult part of the school year.......
On a separate note, I biked to work today! And I didn't fall off. That is a cause for celebration!

ps - sorry about all the caps lock. i'm trying to be chipper on this Friday morning and appear to have more energy than i really have.

the sunday blues

Now I know that I'm not the only one who feels this way (in fact Jason had the blues the worst back when he worked in the office on Mondays - now he's spared), but Sunday just brings such a pit to my stomach and a sadness over my being. I get all antsy, especially after a trying week like last week and wonder if this week will be even worse. I mean, last week wasn't bad, it was just tiring and mentally draining. The kiddos are getting more and more annoying (a word I voiced just on Friday to one especially deserving kid), my brain is slipping farther away, and the weather here is still a tad too dreary for me. I need some rich sun - none of this clouds all day shee-ite.
However, only 6 more weeks of school and then freedom for a little while. I just hope I don't run on empty for the next few weeks. Mental health days, here I come!

p.s. - on a side note, you know what's super fun? seeing a student at a house party up the street from your house. i was just there to see a band jason was photographing. he was smoking on the corner. ahhhh, nothing like seeing students in the 'ol private life.

you know what this Monday needs?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBqPHJhmFHo

Beautiful weekend in Portland. Now if I could get this whole school thing cancelled or just done with. Wish me luck with the grading (or gathering the motivation to grade after school!)

the addiction takes hold

I have a small addiction. I can handle it, but it sometimes prevents me from doing work (like now, when I should be grading thesis papers and regular homework and I totally thought I could do both at the same time, but I cannot). I'm even okay when I am not near it and I can lead a normal life.

I'm addicted to Grey's Anatomy.

I was a new convert last year during the whole Izzie and Denny and Meredith and Derek (because who doesn't love Patrick Dempsey? hubba hubba) storylines and I rapt pretty much this whole season. And then I learned you can watch them online. So I steal away to the Yearbook classroom, watch the show if I missed it and feel blissfully addicted and almost like I am doing something wrong, which I am not because it is my prep period, but I kinda am because I should be doing work.

But man, that show is good! I may be getting sick of the storylines and such, but I am still totally hooked. However, I will not resort to talking about characters and such here because I'm not really concerned about that. I just really like the show. It's entertaining, it lets me escape, and it's pretty well written for a show about what my husband calls, "sexy doctors".

Oh well. I could have worse addictions. And the shows online prevent me from going ballistic if the tape runs out when I set the timer (which happened last night). I never thought I would be one of those, but eh. Whatever makes you happy I guess.

how do you...

cope without sleep? I've been so sleepy lately because of lack of quality and quantity of sleep lately. I already drink coffee occassionally and would not like to be "dependent" on it. Right now it's a tasty treat in the morning or whenever, not usually a perk up method. Any tips for waking up during the day? I am so glad that it is Friday so I can hopefully get some sleep this weekend.

On a side note, we're back in the cat-sitting biz. Last night Annie (Kimberly's other kitty) became our new roommate and bed fellow. :). It should be interesting. We've only done this once before with Cleary's cats and they were so scared, but Annie seems ready to explore and happy to be with people who will pet her. I think it's for the best so she gets some love and isn't alone in her house. Never knew this would be such an intense cat week.....

long time, no write

Picture a warm, rich, sunny day, the kind that drips with happiness and smothers you with the feeling that you could do anything right now. No, I'm not going to turn that all around and say, that is the exact opposite of what I am feeling (but I am getting there with all of this cloudy, chilly weather - be nice spring dammit!). But my other beginning for a blog was a heck of a lot more depressing, so I thought I would put you in a better mindset.

Sad tides in the city of Portland - a lovely, but elderly kitty has passed away from our world and into the happiest of kitty worlds in which kitties get to eat and sleep and purr and do whatever they want - FOREVER. We are taking care of Kimberly's cats, Annie and BJ, while she is visiting her family, and BJ decided to succomb to what I like to call "the big sleepy". He has been showing signs of a bit of failing health lately, but unfortunately, I was the one to find him asleep in his bed and curled up, looking very peaceful. A sad Tuesday for all, because I had to call Kimberly and figure out where to put this peaceful kitty so Annie (the other cat) wasn't too freaked out. Now that was the hardest phone call I've had to make. Thank goodness Jason helped me because I was so sad and a little reminiscient of another "big sleepy" pet story of my childhood. Oh gosh, it was just so sad. I still have the image in my mind......school today was good because it allowed me to throw myself into something else, but I would start thinking about BJ and then get so sad. He's in peace, I know, but it still sucks.

Jason has this awesome picture of BJ from last August when we were staying at Kimberly's house. We were wrapping my brother's wedding gift and the straw from the basket was on the ground. BJ thought, oh yeah, now that's a nice laying place and plopped himself down in the middle of the straw. He was so cute with his round belly and proud expression - he almost looked like a bird laying an egg! That's how I choose to remember BJ. Even though he wasn't my cat, I still knew him and loved him. So go hug your pets tonight (if they'll let you!) and say a prayer or send good thoughts out to Kimberly and BJ.

Be gone with you January!

Ahhh, life seems a bit easier now that it is February. My cold is improving, so I may actually start exercising again! It's still sunny outside, which is starting to freak me out because it hasn't rained in what feels like weeks. I like the cold sunny weather, but in small doses. Not that I'm eager for more rain, but I kinda just want to get the rainy spring over with because then the lovely spring/summer weather will approach in our fair NW. All I gotta go is knock out the sickness in the red-haired kid (oh, so sick for him! all that taking care of me did a number on him! I definitely gave back for what was given to me earlier this week) and keep positive. I even got an extraordinary amount of planning done this week.
And.....da da dum! I learned this week that July is going to be the most fun-filled month EVER. I'm not sure how all of the other months will feel when I describe the glory that is July. Let's see. Well, I'm going to Italy until the 17th. The HP movie comes out while we are in Italy, so I have that to look forward to when I get home and THEN, the 7th book comes out on the 21st!!!!!!! Holy cow. AND, it's still summer break. Phew. That certainly is a lot....just don't tell August. She might get a wee bit jealous.
I'm sure I'll write more nerd word later about HP and the 7th book and the anticipation and the trepidation and all that, but my brain is reduced to mush right now. Have a super weekend all those who may perhaps read this little ditty!

just because

You know when you get sick and then you start feeling better, so you start to do things again because you haven't been able to do them for a week or so but you know deep down inside that you're not totally healed but what the hey? Yeah, I'm guilty of that. Sick as a dog last week with a cold, but there wasn't a good day to take a sick day because of finals at school so drudge through I did until the weekend when I rested, but also tried to get in some leisure. Cut to last night, up till 4am with noisy neighbors upstairs playing video games and my nose, throat, and head all playing their own version of some ridiculous video game in my head. Even though I could sleep in a bit for work today, no rest was to be had with the plans for the next day running through my head along with a bit of beer and some ringing from a concert (Yes, I went to a free concert. To my defense I was feeling better. Then I started to feel sick. So it's my own darn fault)
However, this isn't a post about being sick. This is a post about the person who always takes care of me. This person made me tea in the middle of the night (the guys upstairs kept him up too), brought me some toast, gave me some Nyquil, put in Field of Dreams (a surefire way to place me blissfully into slumber), and brought my 3:30am lesson plans into school this morning. Then he went grocery shopping, is doing the dishes right now, and will be making dinner shortly. What a swell guy. All the while to the sounds of my apologizing for being sick.....sigh. When will I ever learn with the apologizing? Anyways, thanks for taking care of me Jason. You make being sick 10 times better than before - if that makes any sense from my cold addled brain. (Did I also mention he rented a few rom-coms at the video store - he's golden!).
Now off for more resting and not worrying about what needs to be done for tomorrow!

Tea is free (sometimes)

Oooh, reading Simzgirl I saw that you can get free tea at Adagio if you post a link like this:
http://www.adagio.com/ and then you can see all the wonderfulness they have to offer. Happy tea-gazing!

this is so lame, but I know some people are with me...

So last night while watching The Office, I let out a squeal of joy (which was misinterpreted by Jason as a squeal that a spider was near and that I was in dire need of some help in killing while I prance around in fear) because Jim admitted [again] that he still has feelings for Pam. Yes, I know they're not real people, but I'm a sucker for a good love story, especially those love stories that are in their nascent stages. The time before the first kiss, the courting, the anticipation, the side glances, the over-thinking of your actions (well, that's usual for me). Oh, it all makes me giddy with joy. Not that I'm in the market for more of those feelings (aka - I like my husband and generally want to keep him around to avoid having those awkward first steps in a relationship all over again and well, he's kinda cute!), but I just love the magic of a good love story. Especially when you constantly make the same amused/bewildered look on your face toward the camera when something funny happens (Jim) or go along with a well-timed prank (which I would SO do! he had it coming). Anyways, just watch The Office and you'll understand that I'm not completely in my own wacky world of make-believe (notice I said completely....)
On another note, J and I went to go see the movie, Stranger Than Fiction the other day and it was really good. Great acting, an interesting storyline, and just overall a thinker, but not in a I want to take my fingernails off because this indie movie is so depressing kind of way. Go see it if you can...or wait till it's available for rent because that should happen in like two weeks :).
Well, time killing is over. Almost time to leave for the weekend. Ahhh, two day work weeks. You are my friend. We should keep this relationship going for a loooooong time.

in the meadow.... (or my front yard...)

I can actually build a snowman! Yes folks, as most of you already know, snow has decended upon the Portland metro area! Those special conditions were just right: freezing temps, little build-up by the news, no announcements of "maybe snow tomorrow" at school. Just good 'ol-fashioned snowfall that happens once every three years around our parts. Such happiness, especially when you are home from work for two days and the snow is still here! Hooray - let the movies and knitting and and reading and warm trinken flow! And boy have they. Although I have been walking around a lot and just savoring the beauty and splendor of it all! I just cannot get over the sounds and smells associated with snow and my neighborhood. The crunch under your feet, the sweet air, the feeling like we're all stuck in a tiny village and all we should do is drink coffee and smile.
This snow came at a good time too. January is always so dreary and school gets a wee bit stressful with finals planning and such. I'm trying hard to conquer those new year blues (aka no more holiday festivities) and trying to find ways to keep myself busy and happy. However, those ways are frequently turning to thoughts about how I need to exercise more, eat as healthy as possible and to keep enriching my mind without getting too bogged down by work and those types of thoughts. This is the time to surround yourself with friends, keep the mind sharp with lots of activities and truly place those worries aside.
Anyways, enough of my blabbing, here are some lovely pictures from the snow to enjoy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/meggieq/

wishes expressed through art projects

Sometimes I wish that I were back in grade school and we were doing that project where you research careers you were interested in. You look up how much each career makes, the schooling involved, interview people who are actually in that particular career and make a handy dandy mobile or diorama to convey your results. However, I wish that I could research several careers at once - like a pastry chef, bread baker, bartender, program director with his/her own office (which sounds fabulous when your desk is clustered up to the gills with kids), maybe even a fashion consultant (to keep that 6th grade desire close by). I would interview people at these jobs and try to get a sense of what my career should be. Questions I could ask include: what is it like to work with adults? Can you go on a coffee break like normal people at 10am? What about having the freedom to use the bathroom when you want to instead of waiting for well-timed breaks? Do people leave you alone for the most part (in which person with office would say, duh, I just shut the door!)? Am I skilled enough to do your job?
Don't get me wrong - I'm not looking for a new job right now. But I am trying to get a feel for myself and to see if my current profession is the one for me long-term. See, the everyday pangs of my job - early mornings, non-stop madness, too many people to interact with, dreaming about content/planning, discomfort, and most of all, the outside work, sometimes just gets to me. Yes, I do get wonderful breaks and I get out early and that is wonderful...to a point. I'm just that person who wonders, what else is in store? For so many years, I was so focused on success and getting as far as I can in terms of grades and school. But now, those days are over, and part of me can't decide what to do about that.
Perhaps I should make a diorama or a hanging mobile to figure it all out. :)