tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-81314775553690620082024-03-14T04:18:59.543-07:00Mb's Musings of the RandomMarybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-69329139087624931562014-09-05T21:41:00.002-07:002014-09-05T21:41:29.768-07:00Too Lucky? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Greetings all (mostly spammers!)<br />
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It's been a while...<br />
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Lately, I've been wondering if I'm too lucky.... Here are some reasons why (and in no particular order; please don't take offense!):<br />
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1.) A job. I have a great new job, where I work 4 days a week (!!) and make more money that I did in any of my last 3 jobs... So far, I really enjoy teaching university students, and hope it continues to go well!<br />
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2.) A good man. Recently, I became engaged to an amazing individual. He's caring, passionate, extremely intelligent, handsome, tall, and awesome. I don't know how I landed him, but I'm glad I did!<br />
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3.) A loving family. The more I learn about the world, the more fortunate I feel to have such an amazing family of origin. My family was a stable and loving force all throughout childhood, and they remain so to this day. Though I now live on a different continent, I keep in touch with them as much as possible, and I'm so lucky to have their love and support! <br />
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4.) Good health. Though I've never had any serious health problems (knock on wood!!), I feel quite healthy lately... I've been running, eating pretty well (gotta love a mostly-vegetarian diet!), drinking more water and less alcohol, sleeping well, etc. How many people can say this?<br />
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5.) A purpose. I am enthralled to have achieved a major life goal: to be an educator. Ever since high school, I've been involved in education (in a way other than being a student) in some way... I've been lucky enough to be a teacher for the past 8ish years, and I hope to continue this career for as long as I live! Other hobbies, interests, and jobs may pepper my life, but I'm so happy to be part of the educational system. <br />
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6.) Traveling. How many people get to globe-trot? Just a lucky handful, and I'm among those few. I've seen almost 30 countries on 5 continents, with plans to see more! Every time I hop off a plane, I learn new things about humanity, the world, culture, and life in all its myriad forms. <br />
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7.) The privilege to grow older. Be it Ebola, hunger/poverty, a shooting, a natural disaster, an accident, or what have you, scores of our world's youth die every day. I am SO fortunate to have made it 31 years on this planet. I am trying to stop complaining about getting older, and embrace it instead, for it is a gift indeed to live another day.<br />
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So there you have it... I'm not sure *why* I'm so lucky (and I certainly don't attribute this to anything supernatural, thankyouverymuch), but I am. Hopefully everyone (myself included!!) can appreciate what they have on a regular basis. <br /><br />Finally, I feel that with these remarkable strokes of fortune, I now have some awesome responsibilities... I must help make the quality of life for others better... I need to dedicate time, money, and energy to worthwhile causes every day. If you have any suggestions of said worthy causes, please let me know!<br /><br />Thank you. </div>
Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-89258310869410398162009-03-31T00:09:00.003-07:002009-03-31T00:27:27.745-07:00A conversationSo we have some very cool custodians at the school where I work. One of them, Lisa*, is a native Spanish speaker, with whom I usually converse after school for a while. Another, Tony*, is bilingual (English & Spanish), and we usually talk in English. <br /><br />Sometimes, I talk to Tony and I think I know what God might be like. (I'm on the fence about the whole God thing at this point, but that's immaterial.) Today at 5:30pm, I was getting ready to make some copies and go home. I was tired, having had a very mediocre Monday in the classroom, but I'm usually happy to talk to Tony. He's 65, usually in good spirits, friendly, polite, and helpful. <br /><br />...and his daughter has cancer. She's in the hospital for weeks at a time (presently, she's in for a month). To help offset medical costs, Tony works two full-time jobs: one from midnight to about 8am, and the other as our evening custodian (3-11pm). Every day when I greet him, though, he's always cheerful and grateful for what he has. It seems sincere, too; at times he'll discuss the human condition and how people are so into their own little worlds that they forget about everything else. ("We've all been there," he'll say with a sad smile. "I know that.") <br /><br />So what makes people like Tony so... able to deal with things? How come he can (seemingly) handle the cancer of his daughter, yet others whine about such minor things in their lives? How is it that Tony works two full-time jobs, and I have yet to hear him complain? How is he still grateful, optimistic, and pleasant when he gets 5 hours of sleep a night and spends his waking hours at work or in the hospital? <br /><br />Here's a (paraphrased) typical part the conversation we had today:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: Hey, Tony! How are you?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: Oh, I'm good, I'm good. How about you? You ever find a boyfriend? (Note: This is not said in a creepy way, but more of like a dad checking up on his little girl.)<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: Yeah, actually. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: Oh, wonderful! He treats you good, right?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: Of course!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: Good, because you deserve it. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: Thank you! How's your wife doing? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: My wife is good, it's my daughter that's not doing so well. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: Yeah, how is she?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: She's going through another round of chemo, so she'll be in the hospital for the next month...<br /><br />(and he goes into detail here)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: But you know what? We do the best we can. Sometimes I don't know what to do, and I wish my father were here to talk to. I want to do that for my children. I want to always be there for them, no matter what. I treat them all the same, and I want them all to be able to talk to me. I want them to treat their kids the way I treat them. <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Me</span>: That's wonderful. I'm glad to hear it.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Tony</span>: You know, our time here is a gift. And I do what I can with it. Sometimes, people don't give very much. You say, "Good morning," and they don't say anything. But it's not me. I do what I can. They're in their own little world, but sometimes we all are. That's OK, that's just where they are. I don't take it personal. I just know we all do what we can. You're never going to please everyone, you know? If you try to, you're wasting your time. So make the best of it. Don't let other people get you down.<br /><br />...<br /><br />etc. <br /><br />These are the types of conversations we usually has. He's talked to me about how to stay (relatively happily) married for 40 years... how to deal with a sick child... how fleeting time is... And I'm happy to see him so happy. <br /><br />Now, to bed so I can make tomorrow a good day. Cheers. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />*Names changed to protect anonymity.Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-50840098598785071612009-02-15T14:27:00.003-07:002009-02-15T14:50:15.205-07:00Girls' bathroom observations...So I was talking with a friend last night about the progression of a girls' bathroom at a bar on any given weekend night. I thought I'd share! :) <br /><br />(Note: I am obviously overgeneralizing here, but these "stages" come from years of keen observation of the antics in a ladies' room in a bar.) <br /><br />Stage 1: This is usually fairly early in the evening, we'll say about 8pm. Most women in the bathroom at this point are completely sober, having consumed 0-1 alcoholic beverages. When walking in the bathroom door, minimal acknowledgment is acceptable. Perhaps one makes a comment on the line, or remarks, "A man obviously designed this bathroom! I'd put more stalls in..." etc. The climate is calm.<br /><br />Stage 2: We'll say this is around 9:30pm, after many women have had 1-3 drinks. There is more conversation, and women are generally friendly, especially to strangers. Compliments are exchanged about each others' outfits, hair, or general appearance. The climate is friendly and basically polite. <br /><br />Stage 3: This probably occurs around 11pm, when many women have had 3-5 drinks. Many women are angry, jealous, or in need of emotional support. Angry women come in saying, "That girl is such a bitch! Did you see the way she was flirting with Steve when she *knows* I like him" Her friend, also intoxicated, will usually reply, "I know! She's such a #*@#... I hate her." The sad girl might comment to her friend, "Why can't I meet a guy at a bar? Aren't I pretty?" Her friend might say, "No, honey, you're beautiful! The guys here are lame anyway. We should go somewhere else!" This stage is generally for some sort of back-up from a supportive friend. <br /><br />Stage 4: Around 12:30-1 in the morning, women have typically had 4-6 drinks and are flat-out loud, belligerent, or vomiting. There may be catfights in the bathroom, or a friend holding back another friend's hair as she pukes into the toilet. Many women stumble around, talking about 4 times louder than usual. There are often tears or half-awake women, many of whom are contemplating how to get home. This is by far the ugliest stage of the evening. <br /><br />Personally, I like stages 1-2 the best... Everyone's still friendly and has a sense of social decency. Stages 3-4 sort of denote the crumbling of courtesy and decency. <br /><br />Anyway, just thought I'd share... I've seen these patterns for years, and it only felt right to throw this out there. Cheers!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-58840089540073458572009-02-06T17:33:00.004-07:002009-02-06T17:41:35.096-07:00"Now walk it by yourself..."(Those lyrics come from "The Cupid Shuffle," the song I re-wrote for our "Order of Ops" video a few months back.) <br /><br />Ok. Sooooo it's go time. The time is upon me to decide the next year or two of my life... Eek! <br /><br />My phone rang last night a little after 8, and I didn't answer because it was a 310 area code, which I didn't recognize. I later checked the voicemail, and it was my regional Peace Corps recruiter... He said he'd received all my info and wanted to set up an interview! Ahhh!! <br /><br />Long story short, I interview with the PC next Friday (the 13th!) at 3:30pm. (Luckily, we have an in-service that day, so I won't be exhausted from my little monsters!) :) <br /><br />So the next week, I need to spend a LOT of time reflecting on Peace Corps-related topics... I need to thoroughly examine my culture, belief system, desire to work and live abroad, etc. Craziness! At the same time, I believe we have to decide within a month if we're going to teach at my school again next year... So I have about a month to decide everything. Insanity! <br /><br />This week in school (with the exception of a horrendous Tuesday) was fine. The past three days were even -dare I say it- enjoyable! I've been trying to roll with the punches a little more, and I think that's helping. If I could just figure out a way to get to that damned 2nd period class... We'll see! <br /><br />In other news, hashing has been excellent! I've made a lot of new friends, I get to run a lot (I've already logged 11 miles this week, and I'll do 3-7 more this weekend), and I have a whole new hobby! :) <br /><br />For now, I must return to the gazillion things I have to do so I can get this weekend started! (We had a dance after school today, and I HAD to stop by and dance with my guys for a bit, so I'm still at school.) <br /><br />Cheers to y'all! Keep me posted on how YOU'RE doing, too!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-36756859561930823882009-01-25T22:18:00.002-07:002009-01-25T23:05:45.874-07:00"Baby, you're a lost cause..."(That quote is from a Beck song, for those of you who didn't know.) <br /><br />So life is good, I can't deny... I have a job, good health, awesome friends, a kick-ass family... but I can't help feel that something is still missing. Well, I know what's missing: love! Of course. <br /><br />I learned a valuable lesson this month, too: it's a bad idea to date active military guys; they leave!! They leave to South Korea, and you wonder if you'll ever see them again. Yuck. And then you kick yourself for getting involved in the first place, knowing there was already a pre-determined expiration date on the whole thing. <br /><br />Anyway, other than my somewhat sucky love life, things are good. Teaching has its ups and downs, but it's pretty manageable for the time being. I'll be able to finish up the year, no prob. Hashing (my new hobby!) is fun and has afforded me many new local contacts! I've been spending more time with friends lately, and it's nice to be out of my (excessively messy) house (due mostly to messy roommates). I finished my first-ever half marathon last weekend (!!!), and it was a REALLY cool experience! I'd love to do it again! <br /><br />Next year: no clue what I'll be doing... I've got an application into the Peace Corps, so we'll see what happens with that. My mom is ridiculously nervous about that whole thing, but you know what? It's a pretty incredible opportunity. I personally don't know anyone who's served, and I think it'd be amazing. I could combine my desires to help others and to travel internationally! Bada bing, bada boom! Pending the submission of a set of paperwork, I'll have an interview in L.A. in a few weeks... And I figure, what better time to do this than now? I'm not with anyone, I have no children, I'm extremely mobile... and I have the desire to better the world in drastic ways. What better conditions could possibly exist? <br /><br />Anyway, I should be off to bed, but I had a few (coughMayacough) readers request an update. Does this help? Cheers!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-10165474465287855332008-11-02T19:58:00.000-07:002008-11-02T19:59:14.453-07:00A bout with optimism...So I can't help but think today that maybe things aren't quite so bad. I know. Weird. I, who had been becoming an increasing pessimist, say that. I realize the economy's bad. The upcoming election may prove more heartbreaking than the last two. The empire of the United States is quickly crumbling. Crime and racism are still rampant. Poverty envelopes much of the world. Ignorance and discrimination are abundant. Yet... I can't help but feel optimistic. <br /><br />I'm not really sure what's brought on this surge of hope. Perhaps it's the BBC series that I'm lately addicted to: “Planet Earth.” Perhaps it's the good friends I've surrounded myself with lately. Perhaps it's the regular running I've been doing... I'm not really sure. What I do know, though, is that I'm feeling better these days. Maybe I shouldn't question it. <br /><br />So what now? Now, I suppose, I run with it. Make the best of my time here. Become an effective and happy educator. Work within a system that discourages education and independence. Find a way to establish myself, alone, devoid of extraneous and unnecessary titles and affiliations. Be me. <br /><br />And sure, I'm a bit lonely in the lack of presence of a worthwhile male. The barrage of dates I've been on lately has done anything but assuage my need for companionship. In fact, it's exacerbated my perceived loneliness. However, I've been thinking that I should resign myself to not meeting “him” (or her??) until I'm 27. That gives me two years to stop trying so hard to settle down. Two years to work on myself and become – fully- who I want to be. <br /><br />I know I've got an uncommon heart. (Incidentally, this Open Office version of Word has the predicted text capability enabled... when I was typing “uncommon heart,” it tried to expand heart to heartbreaking. Interesting.) I know I can be phenomenal at whatever I choose. For so long, I've been looking for the next thing: the next boyfriend, the next job, the next place to live. And now, I think, I'm gonna work at bettering my current situation. It's so easy to run, but the challenge of staying may prove worthwhile. <br /><br />Who knows? Maybe my career in education isn't all for naught. Perhaps this is just the beginning. Sometimes, I can't help but feel I'm destined for great things, should I choose them. I think I'm of above-average intelligence (no super genius, unfortunately), but that my interest and passion can make up for my lack of Einstein-like algorithms. I think with the drive and courage that I possess, I may yet be able to make my life worth living. <br /><br />And in my “old age” of 25, I'm starting to see things differently. I'm caring less what people think about me and more what I think about me. I'm becoming more honest (if harshly so), and it's incredibly revitalizing. I've been able to tell several gentleman that I am not interested in them. Painful, perhaps, but honest. And I'm trying to take honesty and criticisms better. I fully acknowledge that I am far from perfect. Yes, I am very well aware of that. BUT I do have the redeeming quality of the desire to better my life and (to a degree) the lives of those around me. <br /><br />As for the future... I think I need to relax. A friend in college, after a lengthy IM, put it best when he said, “I think you just need to chill out.” Bingo. That's exactly it. Well, partially. I want to chill out about certain things (e.g., traffic, my neverending to-do list, etc.), but I don't want to relax about others. Some battles are worth fighting (e.g., poverty, intolerance, injustice, illiteracy, etc.). <br /><br />The upcoming election may be part of the source of my optimism as well. Obama's message of hope is catchy. It's inspiring to a degree. I realize that hope can be dangerous (when you're horribly let down), but I think it's also part of what makes us human. Without hope... well, what are we? And back to the election, it's crazy to think that in 2 days, we'll likely know who our next president will be. Right now, at 3:14pm on Sunday, the 2nd of November, I have no idea who will lead our country next year. I dearly hope it's not McCain, but I'm nervous. What will happen to the U.S. If we get another republican in office? Are we then completely doomed? Up until recently, my exit strategy in the case of McCain's win had been to join the Peace Corps and leave this God-forsaken place. However, and I am reminded of 4 years ago, it is easy to run away. Every country has its problems, and the United States is (obviously) no exception. What happens if I just decide to stay? To not give up? To keep on going, even when the odds are stacked against me?<br /><br />There was something I know now that I wish I had known in high school: I am stronger than I think. Today, a bit sick (cough, sore throat, etc.), I decided to keep on training for a 10k I'm running next week. I ran 6.25 miles and felt pretty decent afterwards. Around mile 3 in the run, though, I started getting those negative thoughts in my head. <br /><br />“I can't do this,” I'd thought. “My lungs burn. I'm getting sick. I could just stop and walk the rest of it. I'm getting dehydrated. It's hot out.” ... ad nauseum. <br /><br />In high school when I got those thoughts, I'd stop running and give in. I slowed down or just flat-out quit many a run during track and cross country seasons. As much as I love my mom, she taught me the fine art of quitting something I didn't immediately like. (And of course, this has proven both helpful and harmful.) <br /><br />But now, at 25, I decided to go past those thoughts. I kept going, as I have for the past 6 months or so. When I get those negative ideas, I just keep going. Sometimes I have to do a sort of triage approach. (“Just one more lamppost,” or “just 2 more minutes, then you can stop.”) I'll trick myself into keeping going. And then, before I know it, I don't want to stop. <br /><br />Mile 4 was easy. It felt good, and I was happy to trot along to my music. Mile 5 got difficult again. I got tired (since I usually train not more than 5 miles at present). But I was past the point of no return; I had but 1.25 miles to go, and I wasn't about to stop. So I broke down the run with the help of my Nike+. I waited for the “15 minutes to go,” then “10 minutes,” and so forth. The run is MUCH easier when broken into 5-minute increments. <br /><br />At the end of the run, it was once again reinforced that yes, I CAN do these things that I decide to do. I can be a runner. I can teach. I can be a responsible and active person. I just wish I'd realized all this 10 years earlier... <br /><br />Just a few moments ago, there was a young (20s??) guy sitting next to me. I didn't talk to him, but about 50% of the time I would've. He was waiting for his mom for a relaxing chat. His mother finally joined him, and they sat there for a bit, reading, drinking coffee, chatting. I felt a pang of sadness; I miss my own mom! As happy as I am with the lovely weather right now (about 78 in the shade in November), I miss my family. I'd love nothing more sometimes than to just call up my parents or sisters and say, “Hey, let's get some coffee,” or “Hey, let's go see that new movie.” Oh, that I could reconcile weather and family. Unfortunately for the latter, I have no desire to move back to Ohio. It's hard to be gloomy when every day is sunny and warm. I'm wearing a t-shirt and shorts in November, and I'm comfortable (even a little warm)! This is why I moved here. That, and the amazing scenery all around. I love Arizona, I really do. I just wish I could move all my family and good friends here. That would be what heaven would be like, I think. <br /><br />Which brings me to my next topic: God, or lack thereof... <br />So I'm still unsure of where I stand on the whole God thing. Maybe I always will be unsure, and that's just fine with me. I can certainly see the appeal of believing in a deity. It's gotta be reassuring to know that somewhere, someone is watching out for you. However, empirical evidence doesn't seem to support such a benevolent being. And really, what's so wrong about there not being a god? No judgment, nothing deeper than what is. Maybe the simpler explanation here is right. Who am I to say? <br /><br />In my younger years, I believed (or wanted to believe) in God very much. I went to church, I prayed every night, I'd thank God for my fortunes and ask for help in more difficult times. Though I still pray, it feels hollow and pointless. Half the time, I fall asleep, hands folded, before I ever finish my prayers. However, I'm not to the point of strict atheism yet. I'm not totally sold either way. I'm in agnostic limbo, and that's my preference for the time being. Science is no substitute for God, nor God for science. I think there may be truth in both, and I don't think they're irreconcilable. What I mean is: why can't evolution exist alongside the teachings of the Bible? If we don't take the Bible quite so literally, can't “one day” really be a millennium, so the world was created in 7 millennia, not days? Who knows? <br /><br />Probably the most appealing aspect of religion/faith is the promise of everlasting life. That, if you are a decent person (or an evil person who eventually repents), there is a place for you in heaven. Guaranteed. Who wouldn't want that? Admittedly, I struggle with death from time to time. It's kind of terrifying to think that, one day, I will completely cease to exist. That's it. No more. No matter how much energy I have... no matter how many thoughts and aspirations... no matter how much I love or hope or do... it'll all end. And if there is nothing after death, that's it. We all meet the same fate. If that's the truth, what's the point of morality? What, really, is the point of anything? That certainly is a hard idea to swallow (for me, at least). I guess on the flipside, though, immortality is terrifying to me as well. To NEVER cease to exist? To go on and on and on with no end, ever? Yeah, that's scary, too. Surely there is some happy medium somewhere in there. But I suppose that's not for me to know right now. <br /><br />All right, I am off to finish lesson planning for tomorrow, since I'm fresh and inspired. The day is lovely here in Phoenix, Arizona. I will enjoy the rest of my day, and I hope you will, too. Cheers.Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-459584413894096242008-10-24T16:14:00.000-07:002008-10-24T16:17:16.182-07:00What we're doing at school!So I wrote a song for my math students... Here are the lyrics:<br /><br />Order… of Ops! (Repeat 4x)<br /><br />(hook)<br />Down, down, do your math, do your math (Repeat 4x)<br /><br /><br />Verse One:<br />They say I'm a teacher, and I say yeah<br />They say what you doing, tryin’ to do some crazy math?<br />I just let the order of operations go<br />So all my classes can pass the 6th grade, yo<br />They got some crazy math, you gotta move your pencil<br />Crazy math, it's called the triple-O<br />It don't matter if you're 11 or you’re12 (here we go)<br />We gone show you how it go <br /><br />Chorus:<br />Parentheses, parentheses, parentheses, parentheses,<br />Exponents, exponents, exponents, exponents,<br />Now mult or div, now mult or div,<br />Now add or subtract, now add or subtract<br />(let me see you do)<br /><br />(hook) + Chorus (2x)<br /><br />Verse Two:<br />Now you see what I'm talking about<br />I represent for the Bulldogs, yo<br />Where we known for mathing out <br />I'm gonna show you what I'm talking about<br /><br />(hook 2x) + Chorus (2x)<br /><br />Verse Three:<br />And do the order of ops <br />Do the order of Ops <br />It's ya friend PEMDAS, PEM to the DAS<br /><br />Crazy math on the track, got another hittin beat <br />(here we go, hey)<br /><br />(hook) <br /><br /><br />I performed it for them last week, and they liked it! Another teacher suggested I perform it WITH students and put it on YouTube... So we did it! :) <br /><br />The concept was to have a “boring” teacher explaining the order of operations to her class. Then, as in a daydream, the students start whispering, “order of ops.” Then students and teachers burst into song! After the song, class resumes as if nothing had ever happened. <br /><br />Below is the video (fear not; every student in it has a signed permission slip saying they can be on YouTube and the internet's public domain). Without further ado, enjoy!! :) <br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7DLOYEvQ_4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/h7DLOYEvQ_4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><strong></strong>Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-60773643026061055462008-10-14T00:29:00.002-07:002008-10-14T00:32:26.902-07:00joke's on meso it's late, i'm exhausted, i'm going through a paradigm shift of sorts (loooong story), and i just got back from the new kids on the block (nkotb) concert (photos to follow)... <br /><br />but<br /><br />this was hilarious... admittedly, i'm on a free dating site, and i have a small disclaimer on my profile. it reads: <br /><br />And a snotty P.S. from me: If you write to me and you can't correctly spell "your"/"you're" or "their"/"there"/"they're" or the like, I probably won't respond to you. Sorry. Maybe check on your grammatical skills and try again! :)<br /><br /><br />so there's that... <br /><br />and tonight i received the BEST message of all time. it is documented below, completely unedited for your viewing pleasure. have a great night! <br /><br />whats going on, how are you? ok, so I have to ask.... not to be rude or sound like a complete ass... but what makes or who made you so perfect in todays world? so if someone does not have the best grammer does that make them a terrible person? Hell I am a very smart guy, does not mean I am going to spell correctly EVERY SINGLE TIME. your ego sounds like your a little to classy and to good for yourself. something so little as spelling and if someone doesnt spell/type a word completely correct to the right grammered way then you will not talk to them. let me tell you life is a little more indepth than knowing how to spell EVERYTHING correct you need to look at the big picture not just the small little things.. You are talking to an almost dr, and your makin statements that are insane.. I truely think that before u start typing to people on the net or anywhere else you should gain reality in life and not expect.......Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-57906625530540308562008-10-01T14:13:00.000-07:002008-10-01T14:14:19.543-07:00My October StoryMy morning was off to a ROUGH start, let me tell you! So I’m “training” for the half (I say “training” because I have no idea what I’m doing!) … and today I’d decided to step it up to a 4-mile run (per my plan)… so the run started off well… According to my Garmin watch (with GPS!), I was keeping about a 9:34 pace, which is AWESOME for me. So I was all happy. And I started on a new route today, since my mileage slightly increased. <br /><br />About halfway through the run, the sidewalk had a slight dip in it. “Ooh!” I”d thought to myself, “I can surely fly down that little hill!” And fly I did… I totally biffed it!! OUCH!!!! My knee & my whole right forearm were TOTALLY scraped up, bloody, etc. It HURT!!! I was shocked at first, then I cried, then wallowed in self pity for a few minutes. Yuck. Eventually, I got back up and started walking, which was pretty painful. I tried running again, but it hurt, so I walked. After about 5-10 minutes of walking, though, I realized I wouldn’t make it home in time to get ready for school if I kept walking. I realized I’d be in pain whether I walked or ran, so I decided to start running again. After a minute or two, I felt OK (though my arm was SCREAMING in pain from the wind resistance)… and I actually felt good after another mile. I picked my pace up from a 9:51 mile to a 9:40 mile, which was pretty decent considering the circumstances. At the end of the 4.18 miles (which is what 41 minutes of running got me), I stopped and walked. <br /><br />As soon as I started walking, my knee was in excruciating pain!! Ow!! I limped in the house, got some water, made some coffee, then dragged my tattered self upstairs. It was only 6:25, so I still had about 45 minutes to get ready. However, I was in such awful pain that I had to sit on the couch, prop my bloody leg up, and ice it. OUCH!! Holy CRAP, did that hurt. The tears streamed down, and I started feeling bad again. I’d considered calling off school today, but figured I didn’t want another day off before our break! (I’d called off the day after Noah broke up with me.) <br /><br />Eventually, I mustered up the strength to take a shower and rinse off… OW!!!!! I used the coolest water possible, and it still was an absolutely horrid situation. I woke my roommate up at 7 to help me clean the wounds (I didn’t want to put any ointment on myself!!). I took 1,000mg of ibuprofen and stifled the screams as my roommate helped me clean up. I have photos, too! Even Barbie took some because she was so impressed. ;) I’m legit! <br /><br />I got to school, and immediately got the sympathy of EVERYONE. I’m not gonna lie- it was pretty nice. Fortunately, our school nurse was there and she helped dress the wounds. The knee hurts MORE now that it’s all bandaged (since the bandage moves a bit every time I walk), but I suppose it’s for the best. I had to hobble out to morning bus duty, where I had a student bring me a chair. I sat for a few minutes, and then was called to the office. A nice teacher watched the bus area for me, and I went to the office…<br /><br />… Only to get chewed out by an irate mother!! “You’re not doing your job,” she’d scolded, angrily. “My son has dyslexia, and you’re doing NOTHING to help him. He’s failing, and it’s your fault.” I told the mother I wasn’t aware her son had dyslexia (it’s not on his IEP). “Well you’re his teacher, right? It’s YOUR job to read the paperwork.” BLEH!! I actually broke down crying in the middle of angry momma’s rant and ended the conversation like a wounded puppy. The office ladies kicked out the students in the office the second I started crying, so I could save face. Man, that woman tore me apart. Bleh! She ended with, “If things ain’t fixed tonight, I’ma come up there tomorrow and talk to you in person. Bye.” YUCK!! <br /><br />Anyway, the day’s been ok otherwise. The kids are generally sympathetic and helpful and they find it funny that their teacher has to limp around like a gimp all day. At the middle of my 3rd class, I finally had to sit down. “If you have questions, please come to me,” I’d requested. The kids generally obliged, which was very helpful. <br /><br />So that’s my start of October 2008!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-49868562346433215102008-09-29T23:21:00.002-07:002008-09-29T23:33:39.067-07:00The lone toothbrushBefore I go to sleep, I had some thoughts that were dying to get out. Too many nights, I have all these things I want to write down, but my desire to sleep usually wins out. Tonight while brushing my teeth, I got to thinking: Thoughts are fleeting; the written word lasts much longer. So I've decided to sacrifice 20 minutes of sleep to get some ruminations out there. <br /><br />First and foremost on my mind is the breakup that transpired just two weeks ago tomorrow. I'm still pretty sad about it, and I think I will be for a bit longer. I miss knowing that my weekends were going to be full of "couple time," I miss cuddling, I miss the little "extras" that are included in any decent relationship. However, I know I'm romanticizing things, and that all was not hunky-dory (or else I wouldn't be writing this at present). <br /><br />Fortunately, for the heartbroken like yours truly, I found a good resource! Check this out: <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-a-Break-Up">http://www.wikihow.com/Get-Over-a-Break-Up</a> ... The video at the end proved a helpful reminder, too, that life still goes on. <br /><br />The title of this post comes from getting ready for bed this evening. My ex gave my roommate back the stuff I'd left at his place. (My roommate still plays on the ex's softball team, which is weird and uncomfortable for me... but the ex and I were able to exchange our stuff through the roommie, so that was helpful.) Anyway, I was going through my bag of "returns" tonight and came across the toothbrush that I'd left at his place. I put it in the cabinet and peered at the toothbrush holder on the sink. Said holder used to contain his and my toothbrushes; now it (obviously) just holds mine. I looked at it tonight, and was suddenly saddened. It just really hit home: I *am* that lone toothbrush. Sigh.<br /><br />However, as life seems to be cyclical, I know I will be over this in a bit. I've had much more devastating breakups, so this should be not really a big deal. I think the main problem is that I'm just getting sick of dating. All things considered, I really enjoyed being in this past relationship. I enjoyed the reliability and consistency of having someone there who I knew would care for me and I him (even though it wasn't perfect). And part of me still wants to contact him, see him... and of course I still hope that he'll want to get back together. But then my rational side steps in and nicely but firmly reminds me: "It's over." <br /><br />This seems like the time, then, for me to enjoy the solitude. It need not be devastating... I've got good friends here, and I have a wonderful family I can chat with whenever I want. I just... I dunno. <br /><br />Anyway, this entry was meant to be a lot more insightful and amazing than it turned out... someday! Turns out my little brain's too tired to handle breathtaking works of literature at this time. Perhaps in the near future...<br /><br />For now, kind readers, I bid you a good night.Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-49969152930203376692008-09-23T00:26:00.002-07:002008-09-23T00:34:22.510-07:00Life goes on...... so since my last entry, my (now ex-)boyfriend broke up with me. Ouch! I didn't see it coming, but what are you gonna do? Fooey on that. I'm getting over it slowly. <br /><br />Anyway, I had the most random talk with our custodian at school tonight... He's a nice man of 65, and was telling me he's been married to his wife for 45 years (!!). Anyway, he is coming to grips with his mortality... Here, I was just IMing with a friend, and here's the story portion:<br /><br />i had just finished an ok day of teaching and then an hour and a half of tutoring... so my brain was fried. it was like 5:20pm, and the custodian (a guy in his mid-60s) came in and started talking to me about life<br /><br />at 65, he's starting to have some issues with his morality<br /><br />and he told me, "when my wife and i were young, we knew we had all the time in the world. we could make plans for decades down the line... and now... we can't."<br /><br />and it just kinda hit me, since i saw how much it was hitting him<br /><br />it was a good reminder not to be so trivial<br /><br />...<br /><br />and really, it is. I keep trying to counsel myself, and it's helping. There's a question: "A year from now, will this matter? Two years from now?"... etc. So that helps. <br /><br />Anyway, it's waaaaaaaay past my bedtime. Good night!<br /><br />Oh, and P.S.: What's the thought on karma these days? Do people buy into it? Is it a cop-out? Does it even hold true? Let me know whatcha think!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-57619359551985276712008-09-13T11:03:00.003-07:002008-09-13T11:16:43.529-07:00What are the odds?So what on paper looked like it would be a so-so day (full day of school, no prep time, softball, etc.) actually turned out well! My lessons yesterday were ok (I don't think I'll be a stellar teacher for another year or two), but I got goofier as the day went on, which always entertains the kids. We have a nice little back-and-forth thing where we hassle each other a bit, then get back to work. <br /><br />At the end of my 5th hour class (which is usually hands-down the worst class of the day, but today was actually pretty decent), the science teacher came in to inform me that I was to sub for another teacher during my prep period. Luckily I didn't need to prep at that particular time, so it turned out OK. <br /><br />Anyway, I subbed for an 8th grade social studies class, and it wasn't too painful. According to the kids, some of them were 15 and 16 (in *8th* grade!!!). It seems some of them had failed 8th grade a time or two. I got them to work independently for the start of class, then I let them work in groups afterward. At the end of class, I had an "off-the-record" discussion with them about the Latino drop-out rate for high school. (Latinos lead the nation, far ahead of any other race.) I implored them to graduate high school or at least get their GED to make their lives better. We'll see... but I will say that I was happy to see my little 6th graders for my final class of the day. Much nicer! :)<br /><br />Finally, both games of softball were actually fun! In the second game, it was the bottom of the last inning, 2 outs, we were down by just a few runs, and I was up to bat. ("Oh, boy," I thought, "I'll probably be the third out.") There was another game previously where I had been the third out and the game ended. (Gotta love inductive reasoning.) So I stepped up to the plate, a little shaky. My prior strategy last night was to not swing at any pitches, putting all the pressure on the pitcher. That got me on base both times I was up at bat. This time, I swung at one and missed. Then before I knew it, it was full count, one runner on base. Eesh! I swung with my all... and hit it!! Woo hoo! Fortunately, the shortstop missed and I got on base and advanced the runner ahead of me. That was enough to keep the game going! It actually felt pretty cool; there was hope yet for our team! In the end, though, we lost 10-9. So close! In that game, I'd scored 2 runs, so I was pretty proud of myself. Next, I try to tackle fielding- who would've thought grounders would be so hard to catch!? <br /><br />Okee... for now, I'm off to lesson plan and spend the day with my man. Cheers! :)Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-23510589566528432008-08-10T23:23:00.002-07:002008-08-10T23:26:47.770-07:00Life is sweet.I'm exhausted, but wanted to say quickly that life is dang good right now. I feel so fortunate, for I have it all: a job I think I'll like (and be decent at and that will benefit society), a wonderful boyfriend (whom I get crazier about every day), an awesome family, a cool living situation, a functional car, good health, and more. I have absolutely NO complaints at this time. <br /><br />Oooh, and a good thing happened today: I went to the batting cages, and I didn't suck! It was actually... fun. I enjoyed it, and I'm looking a bit more forward to this Friday (my 25th b-day!), where I'll play my first double-header on a co-ed team led by my boyfriend. Should be fun, hopefully!<br /><br />For now, I get to sleep so I can be fresh & ready for week 2 of teaching! Cheers, and good night!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-66349498381883113142008-07-24T13:46:00.002-07:002008-07-24T14:07:16.185-07:00Welcome to the ... desert.So I've been here nearly a month now, and what I'm about to say may shock you.<br /><br />Arizona is HOT in July!!! <br /><br />Anyway, I'm getting my new life all set up here, and I'm happy to say things are going well. I've got it all: a car, a (rented) house, two cool roommates, my cat (Isaac got to move with me!), an awesome boyfriend, and a promising new job. No complaints here, that's for sure. <br /><br />Today marks my fourth day of newbie in-services at my school district. I must say, I'm impressed overall with the district and its employees. Most of the other staff seem confident, professional, and relatively happy; what a change from Mayer!! It seems I have some amazing opportunities for growth here, and I'm stoked to get started!<br /><br />So the last two days, I went to the Diamondbacks/Cubs game with the boyfriend... The Cubs got killed (9-2) on Tuesday night, but came back (10-6) last night. It was a victory long in the making for Cubs fans. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyASvNipls44MurpPKyBHnFxy6MWcMcq1yChI6dj8jF_6BKzpYqh2hzQB9Ap7bmQz1pD50fQjc12LZMQQPQguAKhlYH8NHG3XUMgcIRA7rh0cKq97pEe0IPodeLIVK1q0TN1Nav46inWE/s1600-h/NLC-CHC-Logo.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyASvNipls44MurpPKyBHnFxy6MWcMcq1yChI6dj8jF_6BKzpYqh2hzQB9Ap7bmQz1pD50fQjc12LZMQQPQguAKhlYH8NHG3XUMgcIRA7rh0cKq97pEe0IPodeLIVK1q0TN1Nav46inWE/s320/NLC-CHC-Logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226690009687221090" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT2lUVz0pFwcTs_gFrcC9vXuwQfP63NOM1IY8GP0aFRVu9Ywm8EyZPMabstIv4wLuYaw8X2kX1Pzp92i9FnwKqahiatV-Xzl-aZADPAWl9x_SedCNtcSVVlN4Ucge_-xTynMmLi_7yCk/s1600-h/NLW-ARI-Logo.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKT2lUVz0pFwcTs_gFrcC9vXuwQfP63NOM1IY8GP0aFRVu9Ywm8EyZPMabstIv4wLuYaw8X2kX1Pzp92i9FnwKqahiatV-Xzl-aZADPAWl9x_SedCNtcSVVlN4Ucge_-xTynMmLi_7yCk/s320/NLW-ARI-Logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226690111352568802" /></a><br /><br />Anyway, lately I've been trying to be what I like to call a "keen observer of humanity." (This is partially because I've decided not to drink alcohol again until my 25th b-day next month, and I needed *something* to occupy my mind in the meantime!) During said observing, an old belief of mine has been reaffirmed, and another is being formed. First, people (in general) seem to like to have something to cheer FOR as well as AGAINST. This has been confirmed time and time again in my head, from sporting events to wars to politicians to... well, pretty much anything. People like to take stances on things, and I'm no exception to that rule.<br /><br />However, I've been wondering recently if I should judge this "cheering instinct," as I'll call it at present. Sure, it seems innocent enough at a sporting level, but is it? At the last two nights' games, I witnessed people behaving stupidly in the name of "loyalty" to their preferred baseball team. Before each game (as at most sporting events), fans rise and unite while the National Anthem is performed. Right after that, though, the unity falls and the brutal division begins. When alcohol is thrown into the mix, it's all the more ludicrous. Case in point: on Tuesday night, near the end of the game, two grown men (a Cubs fan and a Diamondbacks fan) had a ridiculous brawl in the middle of the seats. Many people joined in, and more watched, fascinated. I averted my eyes, quickly dismissing the event as drunken idiocy. But is it something more? Are people so eager to fight for a cause that they're willing to let everything else slip by the wayside? <br /><br />If you think about it, we're constantly judging and placing values on things every day. Whenever we say "good" or "bad" or "that sucks" or "right on," we're judging. In fact, I'm sure we probably do it every few minutes or so about something. At church, it's God= good, Devil= bad and there's unity for a moment. When you get to the parking lot, though, the seemingly united whorshippers are angrily cutting each other off or impatiently waiting for their pewmate to get on the road. <br /><br />Perhaps this dilemma will never be answered to my satisfaction, I'm not sure. For now, I suppose all I can do is observe. I will say, though, that it seems there are some glaring good things (e.g., education, tolerance, etc.) and some horrendously obvious bad things (e.g., genocide, anger, poverty, etc.). To be indifferent, it seems, is to be inhuman. Yet... where do we draw the line?Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-51581112324263332622008-06-26T10:26:00.004-07:002008-06-27T16:41:15.155-07:00Mo' betta!yay!! Mb is just that: "Mo' betta." The LEEP went off yesterday, apparently, without a hitch. I was put under general anesthesia, which took me by surprise when I was informed of it; I'd assumed I'd be awake the whole time.<br /><br />My final pre-op dialogue went like this:<br /><br />Me: "Hey, Doc, would you give me the play-by-play with all this, so I know what to expect?" <br />Anesthesiologist: "Sure!"<br />Me: "Cool, thanks." <br />A: "Not a prob."<br />Me: "So, how long 'til I go unconscious?"<br />A: "I'll letcha know ASAP."<br />Me: "Cool... Whoa, I'm woozy-" and out!<br /><br /><br />I came to, and felt quite drunk. My dialogue with the recovery room nurse went like this:<br /><br />Me: "Wow, you guys are efficient!"<br />Nurse: "Yeah, so they say."<br />Me: "I'm impressed. Thanks. By the way, do you like your line of work?"<br />Nurse: "Yeah, I do. Quite a bit."<br />Me: "Cool. I always thought it'd be interesting to be a nurse. Very noble."<br />Nurse: "Thanks! Have you ever taken any nursing classes?"<br />Me: [lying and woozy] "Oh, I took some A & P courses at some point." [Then it occurred to me I probably sounded drunk.] "Sorry for my slurred speech." <br />Nurse: "No prob!" <br /><br /><br />Anyway, now I'm feeling pretty good... despite extremely painful urination. They gave me some Tylenol "Number 3" (with codeine)... but I don't want to use it if I don't have to. Ibuprofen is more than sufficient at the time being, so I should be good.<br /><br />So that's the update, kids. All is well... for now! :)Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-31781851984961037882008-06-27T16:35:00.004-07:002008-06-27T16:40:08.915-07:00Fin.So there goes my all-time favorite job so far this lifetime... I will miss everyone dearly! Below, I'll post a few photos for you to see the antics of my last 2 days here. <br /><br />Yavapai County Community Health Services, I salute you. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6z5zeVoA_HQ8ca_isAh11b9mbzhPsH1RMObNFEDjflR0cW_fa-gZqn_jjj1dkvKqoxMfOw-e-ZA-Zv0FJJsTsfzwA7O1Ib5yhoKDw_Aqrs2DE8AbKJjbXOSNtlIHxXcvF8CsHCJGz_Q/s1600-h/Picture+995.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6z5zeVoA_HQ8ca_isAh11b9mbzhPsH1RMObNFEDjflR0cW_fa-gZqn_jjj1dkvKqoxMfOw-e-ZA-Zv0FJJsTsfzwA7O1Ib5yhoKDw_Aqrs2DE8AbKJjbXOSNtlIHxXcvF8CsHCJGz_Q/s320/Picture+995.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709549533690402" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SmHqRGNK9QhixjNZHQX2uPQhNQqYiQn4bdd0w4WnNsrZtZjZM0lUEd5U0TcTE16nu979ZYPE2RsGfmiSJlnJlLeit4iiREexRpO60sQze48O4xOJEZtbr6vlPmXRy313pICcrrxlywU/s1600-h/Picture+997.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SmHqRGNK9QhixjNZHQX2uPQhNQqYiQn4bdd0w4WnNsrZtZjZM0lUEd5U0TcTE16nu979ZYPE2RsGfmiSJlnJlLeit4iiREexRpO60sQze48O4xOJEZtbr6vlPmXRy313pICcrrxlywU/s320/Picture+997.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709557256575746" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyocLKgO2kiJg8dkWed7jswG6_iLswJe6l33pEgBsgZE45auZ_HZ6n0rxxdBFuiaOaygTBketJHRIutxBSQH02VIMHsf-Pvil_viIeEY35jL7hvzHSOFaMwz6pjVICAkKudywrLhi5pPY/s1600-h/Picture+999.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyocLKgO2kiJg8dkWed7jswG6_iLswJe6l33pEgBsgZE45auZ_HZ6n0rxxdBFuiaOaygTBketJHRIutxBSQH02VIMHsf-Pvil_viIeEY35jL7hvzHSOFaMwz6pjVICAkKudywrLhi5pPY/s320/Picture+999.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709560664927058" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh8Fy0mbweNQSWoHmSfprpyF32iAdjKVe4HOg09UQhszt_b1n-KRqp1k6I34j-fFfOjyWFqZnzxzW39a47O1XC9zudvx3d2SSAH6K1UwW7IRSSK9FWa2AnitpUmoAv4DO1GsK6E2Jl8M/s1600-h/Picture+1000.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGh8Fy0mbweNQSWoHmSfprpyF32iAdjKVe4HOg09UQhszt_b1n-KRqp1k6I34j-fFfOjyWFqZnzxzW39a47O1XC9zudvx3d2SSAH6K1UwW7IRSSK9FWa2AnitpUmoAv4DO1GsK6E2Jl8M/s320/Picture+1000.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709560870409554" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9XgCRj_C4K01HMjdBRdqqZGGVviL0sMX9kKe_VTiIRdZFYezEZM5g9KwUeE7Kj-cT6Y0oRyxFhItQKTE7a7bmcAoRcQBsOd1Up525XG4C5odJYjT6fhDcTyUFtEWVDDWZdW-yu2SDYo/s1600-h/Picture+1004.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9XgCRj_C4K01HMjdBRdqqZGGVviL0sMX9kKe_VTiIRdZFYezEZM5g9KwUeE7Kj-cT6Y0oRyxFhItQKTE7a7bmcAoRcQBsOd1Up525XG4C5odJYjT6fhDcTyUFtEWVDDWZdW-yu2SDYo/s320/Picture+1004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709565485202386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eV-GCN7N4lZQZaXaaMh2XBNi6n6Spl7UArYp9r0VFUql090IsBs8FOh9B-8wt08qSH2FRZgKaYLRhNc3Ki38IlxI-PdPJXXPZRiIl_MnURAVpgTHvtCYXZibrOZpQjwjYGlQWLLlxUU/s1600-h/Picture+1005.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4eV-GCN7N4lZQZaXaaMh2XBNi6n6Spl7UArYp9r0VFUql090IsBs8FOh9B-8wt08qSH2FRZgKaYLRhNc3Ki38IlxI-PdPJXXPZRiIl_MnURAVpgTHvtCYXZibrOZpQjwjYGlQWLLlxUU/s320/Picture+1005.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709726610237458" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90oImgxUqqXMMOvN5IIWScujxsRKvMzvK86Rzi7FNnshkHiT5f-3ytvXV0Ul0dk3tLSMHpGA8CUPVGxxrT36BJFtomCSR8eQo2FmrB5evyka3EciS2zH49HHisk2MbnahoQ8wjZ6MqYc/s1600-h/Picture+1007.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90oImgxUqqXMMOvN5IIWScujxsRKvMzvK86Rzi7FNnshkHiT5f-3ytvXV0Ul0dk3tLSMHpGA8CUPVGxxrT36BJFtomCSR8eQo2FmrB5evyka3EciS2zH49HHisk2MbnahoQ8wjZ6MqYc/s320/Picture+1007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709727971013778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b0dbFR9DvYWmyy3azXDA3gO5RkegnRj2Jn6vsvCm35vl-Qc1yiPMFUKmB-MVBcUIUc617p6ePsBsChsMXEtI-Jf_6oEbzWAgQ2R26VxuD7F0RIMpoX9yQDJBZhd6RFeIK-quoONI9xM/s1600-h/Picture+1009.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2b0dbFR9DvYWmyy3azXDA3gO5RkegnRj2Jn6vsvCm35vl-Qc1yiPMFUKmB-MVBcUIUc617p6ePsBsChsMXEtI-Jf_6oEbzWAgQ2R26VxuD7F0RIMpoX9yQDJBZhd6RFeIK-quoONI9xM/s320/Picture+1009.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216709730062511794" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIt-R6zSvBTvOkUvwO2qDNc2gMJlUNi0o5sSQoZ3mdIZxL-2W454MkdQPKUO6p4ScLsqDTNmGTQjOaZ2IiPzo1IL72uQ2WAutxLkBFA1-TYY-2WFYv-W9JbaEI_mjBhE3If4JG-d4bBE/s1600-h/Picture+1001.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZIt-R6zSvBTvOkUvwO2qDNc2gMJlUNi0o5sSQoZ3mdIZxL-2W454MkdQPKUO6p4ScLsqDTNmGTQjOaZ2IiPzo1IL72uQ2WAutxLkBFA1-TYY-2WFYv-W9JbaEI_mjBhE3If4JG-d4bBE/s320/Picture+1001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216710121972122338" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U89S2Z2BBmc8e_qWgi2qx9I3Jt1x8_Dh9jJtXKfeV_tVO_yoAOkebPvlCAjm-j9ttEGCsyRqiODb7PyCeNaroEdBP0Vl0FCxewRrlosnKJuYzvFLAXwC_MBicDmKGhSbjMwZUE_UQLM/s1600-h/Picture+1002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0U89S2Z2BBmc8e_qWgi2qx9I3Jt1x8_Dh9jJtXKfeV_tVO_yoAOkebPvlCAjm-j9ttEGCsyRqiODb7PyCeNaroEdBP0Vl0FCxewRrlosnKJuYzvFLAXwC_MBicDmKGhSbjMwZUE_UQLM/s320/Picture+1002.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216710125853597522" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_LouHFlV9-ML0s0Gl7bdIreRlitfVCmB9cnmaiNbRzkikqWnFcHR3jQn3ZePYZ5T0bnfuIytm3tcbfEdRkyHgeZbtsyDSQHS2YyFiEv33b9sUBhiNkTqXBYB4T1KL9_3bJGirQsuKg8/s1600-h/Picture+1003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_LouHFlV9-ML0s0Gl7bdIreRlitfVCmB9cnmaiNbRzkikqWnFcHR3jQn3ZePYZ5T0bnfuIytm3tcbfEdRkyHgeZbtsyDSQHS2YyFiEv33b9sUBhiNkTqXBYB4T1KL9_3bJGirQsuKg8/s320/Picture+1003.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216710204267537186" /></a>Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-29101418766159669852008-06-25T09:47:00.002-07:002008-06-25T09:50:45.136-07:00Eek!So the time draws nearer for the LEEP procedure... (If you aren't up-to-date on the saga, see the last few entries.) I leave my office in 45 minutes, and then have to do a lot of driving & waiting. Joy. <br /><br />Fortunately, I've got a lot of help. My awesome buddy, Fandrew, will be helping out today, and the next two days, my coworkers are gonna be available. Friday, I get to see Noah (the new man) for the weekend. I should be golden! <br /><br />Anyway, after all the panicking and worrying I've been doing about this stuff, it'll all come to a close today (hopefully!). I'll write tomorrow, when I'm more coherent and less flustered!<br /><br />Until then... peace out!Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-91190071720403861962008-06-15T16:03:00.002-07:002008-06-15T16:13:24.801-07:00A 180So, wow... things have completely turned around in a short period of time!! :) Here are the updates:<br /><br />1.) My car will be fixed tomorrow, which means I have to give my beloved rental (a Pontaic G6) back... but it's cool.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2PAu0pNvhSdZcZmzn7Y8gyTBxDWvt_3msV1aZTW7FYyO_MhG2jkVRsxlU0Ll3oKcdzt65wWvzUXCUPkgsWGUvevab9pICGlzs-AxE8Ya-Smdb2T9FCVGMQAdaq1_dUZVpuaVWzXX68A/s1600-h/C2474.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2PAu0pNvhSdZcZmzn7Y8gyTBxDWvt_3msV1aZTW7FYyO_MhG2jkVRsxlU0Ll3oKcdzt65wWvzUXCUPkgsWGUvevab9pICGlzs-AxE8Ya-Smdb2T9FCVGMQAdaq1_dUZVpuaVWzXX68A/s320/C2474.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212249628429366930" /></a><br /><br />2.) I will officially be moving to the Phoenix area during the next two weeks! I found an awesome roommate (thanks, <a href="http://www.roommates.com">roommates.com</a>!!), and she's finishing up school to be a teacher, too! Which brings me to the next point...<br /><br />3.) Pending a smooth meeting-of-the-administration tomorrow morning, I will be teaching 6th grade math at a Phoenix-area middle school!! :D I'm scared as hell, but I think it can also be awesome!! (One subject... 50-minute periods... one grade... Heaven!) I'll create a separate blog for that, fear not. <br /><br />4.) My dysplasia's still kicking my cervix's butt (heh), but I'll be having that procedure done in a week, while I still have health insurance. Shouldn't be life-shattering.<br /><br /><br />So, in short, things are MUCH better! Thank you ALL so much for your kind thoughts; I think that helped me a great deal! <br /><br />And now, back to packing...Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-6724082595351726712008-06-10T22:47:00.002-07:002008-06-10T23:23:38.738-07:00fuck. (pardon my french)it's just been a really crappy past few days... here are my recent trials and tribulations:<br /><br />-i got in a car accident on sunday (a guy turned into me- his fault- but i wasn't able to stop in time and essentially drove right into him)... we were both ok, and i got a free rental car for the time being, but...<br /><br />-my insurance people called today, saying that they may take my car as a "total loss," i guess which means they'll give me some money and not my car. (curses- i need a car, and i like the one i've got!!)<br /><br />-my <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/MEDLINEPLUS/ency/article/001491.htm">cervical dysplasia</a> (essentially pre-cancer) is back in full force, worse than last time. the doctor wants to be more aggressive with it, so i'm gonna have the <a href="http://www.webmd.com/cancer/cervical-cancer/loop-electrosurgical-excision-procedure-leep-for-abnormal-cervical-cell-changes">leep procedure</a> done sometime in the next week or two. yuck.<br /><br />-i have to be out of my house in less than 3 weeks now, and i don't know yet where i'm going or what i'm doing.<br /><br />-i have no idea what i want to do with my life in general. <br /><br />yuck!! <br /><br />and here are some of the things i've read about the leep procedure which have sent me into tears:<br /><br />-Risks<br /> * After the surgery, a small number of women (less than 10%) may have significant bleeding that requires vaginal packing or a blood transfusion.<br /> * Infection of the cervix or uterus may develop (rare).<br /> * Narrowing of the cervix (cervical stenosis) that can cause infertility may occur (rare).<br /> * Once a woman has had LEEP, she has a higher risk of delivering a baby early.<br /><br /><br />Fantastic... and here we are. <br /><br />as an aside, i got accepted into ucla's paralegal program, which begins in about a month... i have to decide very quickly if i will be moving to the los angeles area to go back to school for 4.5 months... it's gonna be one heck of an adventure. for now, adieu.Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-40417154373695991812008-06-03T10:53:00.003-07:002008-06-03T11:06:15.882-07:00And so it goes...(Sorry, I'm totally hooked on that Billy Joel song at the moment.)<br /><br />Well, I just finished reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Lecture-Randy-Pausch/dp/1401323251">The Last Lecture</a> by <a href="http://download.srv.cs.cmu.edu/~pausch/">Randy Pausch</a>. PHENOMENAL book... wow. Mr. Pausch has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and doesn't have much logner to live. He gave a lecture at <a href="http://www.cmu.edu/index.shtml">Carnegie Mellon University</a> and then had it turned into a book. Incredible!<br /><br />Anyway, this dying fellow's story got me sort of re-examining my life and trying to appreciate the things I take for granted. Though I realize it's not anywhere *near* as intense as dying, I know that my days at this job are numbered (18 left, to be precise)... and I'm almost done living in Cottonwood. Thus, I'm trying to take everything in I can. That includes appreciating(among other things) the following:<br /><br />*the myriad stars I can see each night<br />*the smell of Cottonwood and northern Arizona in general: delightful and clean!<br />*my 5-minute commute to work each day<br />*having a HUGE room, a really nice house, and an awesome roommate (who's now in Colorado for the summer)<br />*my lovely cat, Isaac, for whom I'll probably have to find a new home soon<br />*complete and utter independence (which I may temporarily lose if/when I move to L.A.)<br />*having amazing and fun coworkers<br />*being proficient at my job and having downtime at work to plan for my future<br />*feeling like a member of the community, frequently knowing people around town<br />*the LOVELY scenery around here!!!!<br /><br />However, I now accept that it's time for me to move on. At this point, I'm 95% certain that I will be moving to L.A. in a few weeks. While I'm scared by this concept, I'm also excited for the new opportunity it brings. I toured <a href="http://www.ucla.edu/">UCLA </a>last weekend, and I was completely charmed by it!! I find out next Wednesday if I'm in or not and if I am, I'm going! :) <br /><br />Also, trying to keep things fun, I've created some lovely <a href="http://icanhascheezburger.com/">LOLCat</a>-eqsue images for you!! :) Enjoy, and I'll catch you guys on the flipside! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SRiE0frwYagMzNNvN09PlVcjtr18DOBaLPPJ2KG-2wz5Sgq-wvMtopVaohws7HzwgT68b96sS8mopRjtLwL80VTHEELAMDf8NOZRTq7zmk_f9LNPXH3hXMOagtrFbtWvxyBj302GvFM/s1600-h/ICHC1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4SRiE0frwYagMzNNvN09PlVcjtr18DOBaLPPJ2KG-2wz5Sgq-wvMtopVaohws7HzwgT68b96sS8mopRjtLwL80VTHEELAMDf8NOZRTq7zmk_f9LNPXH3hXMOagtrFbtWvxyBj302GvFM/s320/ICHC1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207717914012843298" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_I3Hn_TVFNNJ5XXebxxtWV_UckaZmtpslwnLHm0mgLP3L4NvfRY-D9Ve_r307E0FmjpBEIJzAO39g9lOiWh0dYo03vgYu0Adin2vGskOJf41HURM-nt0tZQWH2BPd_Uno5kHSLd4EpI/s1600-h/ICHC2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_I3Hn_TVFNNJ5XXebxxtWV_UckaZmtpslwnLHm0mgLP3L4NvfRY-D9Ve_r307E0FmjpBEIJzAO39g9lOiWh0dYo03vgYu0Adin2vGskOJf41HURM-nt0tZQWH2BPd_Uno5kHSLd4EpI/s320/ICHC2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207717918040111442" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7eb_0aoE4bsfor08PwnsiQwqFYl1gaUsy_gQMmXwZM-uBpy-m1skN7V5_7zaosBbCfTvd5hHnB0glxLme6KnStFlnzCmtB8ZDSpKrIru5iCCLO9_J8fq-QLHfx7j66zwoHrfejz3bpY/s1600-h/ICHC3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7eb_0aoE4bsfor08PwnsiQwqFYl1gaUsy_gQMmXwZM-uBpy-m1skN7V5_7zaosBbCfTvd5hHnB0glxLme6KnStFlnzCmtB8ZDSpKrIru5iCCLO9_J8fq-QLHfx7j66zwoHrfejz3bpY/s320/ICHC3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207717919119185378" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWX7FDZGBBLlCjYT2LTcJ_caWZKyui0qicv9_N3Y897jwSDnGRlKLU9DPqQlhQFoKvhyphenhyphen5HS4tn6r6zNeJRYM_g2enGTo2EJ4lDwwT8f5RLyqnPaGIIDtPO9e0JiAmP9DVss-u8oDZOmo/s1600-h/ICHC4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJWX7FDZGBBLlCjYT2LTcJ_caWZKyui0qicv9_N3Y897jwSDnGRlKLU9DPqQlhQFoKvhyphenhyphen5HS4tn6r6zNeJRYM_g2enGTo2EJ4lDwwT8f5RLyqnPaGIIDtPO9e0JiAmP9DVss-u8oDZOmo/s320/ICHC4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207717923702585458" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ONCbD3Pv5_3mP7n2WD1hUxooi3gfr5RpGvnbAOvCduyKM2WiUM7UgWYt0_CueJztF28o-tYgVqPa0vgfKBZed6TQGhcLQLj6_TBypMTybjVieNg9RcfIq61oD5osoDpuU4PCu96PGFA/s1600-h/ICHC5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ONCbD3Pv5_3mP7n2WD1hUxooi3gfr5RpGvnbAOvCduyKM2WiUM7UgWYt0_CueJztF28o-tYgVqPa0vgfKBZed6TQGhcLQLj6_TBypMTybjVieNg9RcfIq61oD5osoDpuU4PCu96PGFA/s320/ICHC5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207717928859031394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G0gwZbtgSl8RwK1Iz6mILtdHGc0xmAXiKLziPhmX_Hb9aQliLR8Zy11yC4LBleL47XL2AJ3MhVq2vCK4Ea5yNYmtdHeoIrUaNtxdm14vuniL2X7TehSAuumzOAKbjhfIWRLrGKdrUAc/s1600-h/ICHC6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0G0gwZbtgSl8RwK1Iz6mILtdHGc0xmAXiKLziPhmX_Hb9aQliLR8Zy11yC4LBleL47XL2AJ3MhVq2vCK4Ea5yNYmtdHeoIrUaNtxdm14vuniL2X7TehSAuumzOAKbjhfIWRLrGKdrUAc/s320/ICHC6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207718079375800162" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQuHm5uHxrIDfRcaYRElZKZenqu2W52_4IAhy8R2JE73Pbcoe01tvT1l-H92a0k3Z0T9-Nt18W5csGl5x8-0w88kdMAN-OYq05bwy1i5MOyfHtfQMP5uMJCVsVFE60-ksfhuRR9nADXM/s1600-h/ICHC7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOQuHm5uHxrIDfRcaYRElZKZenqu2W52_4IAhy8R2JE73Pbcoe01tvT1l-H92a0k3Z0T9-Nt18W5csGl5x8-0w88kdMAN-OYq05bwy1i5MOyfHtfQMP5uMJCVsVFE60-ksfhuRR9nADXM/s320/ICHC7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5207718082184565458" /></a>Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-90964078977187137312008-05-23T11:07:00.002-07:002008-05-23T11:17:06.214-07:00This blew my mind!So sometimes, when I get so caught up in my own life, I tend to forget how crazy awesome the universe can be. I was perusing one of my new favorite sites (<a href="http://www.drudgereport.com/">http://www.drudgereport.com/</a>), and they had one of NASA's <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html">pictures of the day</a> on their site. <br /><br />Today's picture was Jupiter... apparently, Jupiter is creating more big, red spots (like the infamous one that is more than two Earth-lengths in diameter). Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated to no end with space, and with Jupiter in particular. First of all, badass name. Second, the big, red spot is enormous!! Everything we know in our own world is dwarfed by Jupiter's enormous storm. And now there are more! Crazy. <br /><br />Anyway, I found another picture on NASA's site that just blew my mind... <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OeRG_aPAlCj18O0L-9rxIHZyNXi_0olIvacYJjjePjlTnkjHALMRFyknEvoJ8r7UdXVCWF9zHyys7TFx_BtCnubFQsQLsVNH_M3F0o31fXZsM1H1mKHOxVI6ylyXoNtv5IzvsgYZiEE/s1600-h/NaturalSpiralsS.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_OeRG_aPAlCj18O0L-9rxIHZyNXi_0olIvacYJjjePjlTnkjHALMRFyknEvoJ8r7UdXVCWF9zHyys7TFx_BtCnubFQsQLsVNH_M3F0o31fXZsM1H1mKHOxVI6ylyXoNtv5IzvsgYZiEE/s320/NaturalSpiralsS.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203637752840625090" /></a><br /><br />I am always astounded when two seemingly-unrelated natural occurences (like, perhaps typhoons and galaxies!) look very similar. (I'm also intrigued by the similarities among trees, rivers, and lightning... they all take on similar forms!) <br /><br />Anyway, it was the above image that reminded me that life can be pretty amazing. It's easy to lose sight of that when you're caught up in your own life and troubles, and it's SO nice to just look around you and appreciate stuff. So here I am, appreciating the majesty that is our universe. (No, I haven't gone off the deep end... I'm just trying to lighten up for a bit!) <br /><br />On a personal note, I haven't yet decided on my own future. The two options I'm humoring right now are teaching in Phoenix or going to paralegal school in Los Angeles. We'll see; I have to make a decision soon!! Eek! However, this weekend should be awesome... I have a good friend flying out, and I'm hosting my first BBQ at my house tomorrow! Score! :) <br /><br />Okee... I think that's about it for now. Don't forget to stop and take a look around, y'all! <br /><br />Oh, and I'll end with a quote from John Mayer's song, "Say"...<br /><br />"Take all of your wasted honor<br />Every little past frustration<br />Take all your so called problems<br />Better put 'em in quotations"Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-18129916111601453952008-05-07T18:07:00.004-07:002008-05-07T18:46:40.019-07:00Decisions!!So, my friends, here it is: another time of decisions. I have to choose a job and a place to live sometime within the next two months. It seems that I'll most likely go back to teaching, though I'm uncertain for how long. <br /><br />I just had a job interview at our local middle school an hour ago. Although I was extremely nervous, it seemed to go reasonably well. I think it's a good thing when you're able to joke around easily with your potential coworkers. <br /><br />Today was quite a day!! We had our community event "Body Walk," which takes area 3rd graders on a trip throughout the body. As in March, I was Dr. Lungenstein, who told kids (in a bad, fake German accent) about the dangers of tobacco use. Here's me in full costume: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeuHHs29QwToGVPHh9SLLyKPj_iXsONnu4DSWzZaSaC4_5se6cfd5V6j2G2VWAnFT8fQBU7g-e99ewlnF6qQJmG5uETBZ-rOEphFXcrhqR_Z8J8LOwvQxDRxOTTs0TdDOBdatDTXRxlM/s1600-h/doctor.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKeuHHs29QwToGVPHh9SLLyKPj_iXsONnu4DSWzZaSaC4_5se6cfd5V6j2G2VWAnFT8fQBU7g-e99ewlnF6qQJmG5uETBZ-rOEphFXcrhqR_Z8J8LOwvQxDRxOTTs0TdDOBdatDTXRxlM/s200/doctor.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5197808877632519202" /></a><br /><br />So with yesterday, today and tomorrow, we'll have seen almost 500 third graders! It's pretty exhausting, but very enjoyable. That was today at work. After work, I had a CFT (Child-Family Team) meeting for my CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) girl... It was very interesting! I tried to help as much as I could, but I'm not sure what resources are available yet, so it was difficult to contribute much. Right after the CFT meeting, I had to jet over to the middle school for the aforementioned job interview. Overall, I think it was good. They were already familiar with the rap I performed last month at the school. <br /><br /><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mp6V4hjrhVA&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mp6V4hjrhVA&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><br /><br />Aaaaaaaaaaanyway, I have somewhat of a dilemma... Do I go where the staff is cool and I know the area (Cottonwood), but the pay is just ok... OR do I go somewhere new and different that pays very well (Yuma)? I got another call yesterday from a district down in BFE: it's right near Yuma, which is on the Arizona/California/Mexico border. Wicked. It's 3 hours from both Phoenix and San Diego (in between), and it's only an hour or two from the ocean!! However, I don't know anyone there, and I'm very nervous about my Spanish-speaking abilities. (I'd have to practice a LOT!) However... it's a challenge and it's new and different (and it pays about $10,000/year more than the local job). Eek!! Decisions!! I'm just really, really unsure of what to do. Thoughts/comments are always welcome!<br /><br />Okee... for now I'm off, but I'll catch you all on the flipside!<br /><br />Peace out.Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-47650155827619540202008-04-20T13:51:00.002-07:002008-04-20T13:52:27.481-07:00My runs!! :)Yo, yo... finished my first 10k ever! And now I'm trying to upload Nike +'s stats from my Nano... I'm not sure how accurate they are (long story), but it's a start... chizzeck it out:<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="198" height="145" id="Nike+ Runs" align="middle"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="sameDomain" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="movie" value="http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/v1/swf/scrapablewidget/rundetail.swf" /><param name="quality" value="high" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="FlashVars" value="type=last5Runs&userDefaultUnit=mi&screenName=NewRunner83&dateFormat=MM/DD/YY&id=484870388®ion=us&language=en&locale=en_us"/><embed src="http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/v1/swf/scrapablewidget/rundetail.swf" quality="high" wmode="transparent" bgcolor="#ffffff" width="198" height="145" name="Nike+ Runs" align="middle" allowScriptAccess="sameDomain" FlashVars="type=last5Runs&userDefaultUnit=mi&screenName=NewRunner83&dateFormat=MM/DD/YY&id=484870388®ion=us&language=en&locale=en_us" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-78947537008967775192008-04-15T19:42:00.006-07:002008-04-15T20:15:00.886-07:00A coveted moment to myselfSo my business class let out early tonight, and I'm left alone in the classroom with my thoughts. It's actually pretty cool. <br /><br />Anyway, welcome to Mb's head. Feel free to stop reading at any point! :) <br /><br />Last week, I watched the movie "<a href="http://www.kiterunnermovie.com/">The Kite Runner</a>." I thought it was outstanding, because it made me think long after the movie was over. I also had had a brief bout of patriotism brought on by "The Kite Runner," which is no small feat. I realized that yes, as Americans, we do have a great degree of freedom which I usually don't give a second thought. We are able to dress and speak and live (basically) as we choose. It's really not such a bad life. No, I don't agree with most of our leaders, and no, I don't think war is a good answer... but my day-to-day life is pretty damn good, especially when compared to life in war-torn nations. <br /><br />Next up: on being an over-achiever. I like to think of myself as a sporadic over-achiever. That is to say, when something takes my interest (be it a boy or a work project or a homework assignment or whatever), I take it and run with it. Lately, I've been having a great deal of fun working on Power Point presentations for the aforementioned business class I'm taking. I really enjoy putting those little puppies together. I think they're clever, amusing, and well-written (not unlike this blog??). They do have more photos, though. Let me try and insert some sample slides... (Click on any slide to make it full-screen.) <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bGwjzvfZVl0Zf8Ptd3_16bPI8k7fbZaRWnGK-vYdp9w1_xd54JDrBVYaXEXDn_qzNlw_Rnz7H7C7qDF7Mc2s5MV7ZQsQqFFjcOlofUvBuPJFX9I-TCI9WGmsU79tTSzeK4j-uA-JpKI/s1600-h/slide1.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1bGwjzvfZVl0Zf8Ptd3_16bPI8k7fbZaRWnGK-vYdp9w1_xd54JDrBVYaXEXDn_qzNlw_Rnz7H7C7qDF7Mc2s5MV7ZQsQqFFjcOlofUvBuPJFX9I-TCI9WGmsU79tTSzeK4j-uA-JpKI/s200/slide1.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189671970541964786" /></a><br /><br />I did it!! That was my title slide from tonight's presentation. Here are some others I like: <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW_nx5dzoCoMtDL1Grz7NER8CugeAq7wuXCzosWkDJrV7w77TaTWN6QstGDlOhXOxKvkCnPETZzryT1pACPg-08SpgItnZ2HXYoeJmq3CqhTdBLCMv-RlH1FX1UcfR4We6K6RejjgWog/s1600-h/slide2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieW_nx5dzoCoMtDL1Grz7NER8CugeAq7wuXCzosWkDJrV7w77TaTWN6QstGDlOhXOxKvkCnPETZzryT1pACPg-08SpgItnZ2HXYoeJmq3CqhTdBLCMv-RlH1FX1UcfR4We6K6RejjgWog/s200/slide2.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189672408628628994" /></a><br /><br />(The next few are older)...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX5uD2MhzSB_9GmvadMLVfOXpGSOJVOr2V_7avXWHnn4WXKZgZPOPfhLKpD7G_PS6GObw5ozqAN4CPpxGwvfJFcSsOgHI7rkb_gM0VeIFyTrMfdwRP86YWUqz3dTwkbV8UxR7oqXscB4/s1600-h/slide3.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGX5uD2MhzSB_9GmvadMLVfOXpGSOJVOr2V_7avXWHnn4WXKZgZPOPfhLKpD7G_PS6GObw5ozqAN4CPpxGwvfJFcSsOgHI7rkb_gM0VeIFyTrMfdwRP86YWUqz3dTwkbV8UxR7oqXscB4/s200/slide3.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189674178155154962" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFDX3kKJR0hX9zLYHFynEUOxKcaiVurTCXoezGR7mP6w-PC-oaKMyTD3BLATtyplzF376wTc2z5gMpX28PpflP2BMEzlTvL8qmwgO-ejPFdPsBf4shtPio1XCjCEwuU9p7-7JU-YxstM/s1600-h/slide4.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHFDX3kKJR0hX9zLYHFynEUOxKcaiVurTCXoezGR7mP6w-PC-oaKMyTD3BLATtyplzF376wTc2z5gMpX28PpflP2BMEzlTvL8qmwgO-ejPFdPsBf4shtPio1XCjCEwuU9p7-7JU-YxstM/s200/slide4.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5189674264054500898" /></a><br /><br /><br />Ha! So I like to go "above and beyond" on stuff like this. It's fun. I just... I guess I just wish more people got more enthusiastic about more things. Hmm... like, I wish people in general had more of a passion for doing positive things (for themselves and others) than being so petty and unoriginal. Sigh. <br /><br />Next... I'm freaking out about my job status. I still have 2.5 more months to find something, but it's unnerving as all get-out. My top 4 choices at this particular moment (in order):<br /><br />1.) Teach outside the country with the Department of Defense Educational Activity (DoDDEA). <br />2.) Teach somewhere in Arizona (probably Phoenix).<br />3.) Go back to school for either a paralegal or other professional degree.<br />4.) Work as a detention officer for a year or so and learn an immense amount about humanity.*<br /><br />So those are some of the options I'm weighing at present. <br /><br />I think that's it for now. Oh, and I like my teenage smoking cessation class a lot. I'm on my second class, and this group is 6 boys who come from 4 different countries (South Korea, Brazil, Germany, and El Salvador). I realized today, during our discussion, that I genuinely like each one and want what's best for them. They, like so many teenagers I've seen, are intelligent and insightful. They have good thoughts and ideas, and I want to help empower them to do something positive with their lives. Hm. Maybe I *should* go back to teaching. <br /><br />Fin. <br /><br />*Mom, I know you won't like this fourth option. Sorry. But I think it'd be a fascinating study on human nature. I'll be safe, don't worry! :)Marybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8131477555369062008.post-7560898632612202992008-03-31T14:18:00.002-07:002008-03-31T14:21:13.642-07:00Creativity...So my coworker and I are preparing to do this AWESOME presentation for 6th and 8th graders on Friday... I've decided to do an anti-tobacco rap, but all the ones we have suck... So I rewrote "Yeah" (by Usher, feat. Lil' Jon & Ludacris)! Here are my new lyrics:<br /><br />"No!”<br />(feat. Mb & JB)<br /><br />[Mb:]<br />Peace up! C-wood! <br /><br />[JB:]<br />No, no! No way!<br /><br />(JB! Mb! JB! Mb!) <br /><br />[Mb:]<br />Let’s go!<br /><br />[JB:]<br />No, no, no… no, no, no, no… <br /><br />[Mb(Verse 1):]<br /><br />Up getting’ lunch with my homies, tryin’ to get a lil’ pizza, <br />but it looks really greasy, <br />‘cause you know how it is.<br />I saw a cutie checkin’ up on me, from the way he was smilin’ my way, <br />you would think that he knew me,<br />So we decided to chill…<br /><br />He asked me to smoke with him, <br />He had me feelin’ like I’m ready to puke! <br />(Watch out! Oh! Watch out!) <br />He’s saying, “Smoke with me! Smoke with me,”<br />So I got up and l let him watch me go, <br />He said, “Please just try one!”<br />Then I told him, I said,<br /><br />No, no, no…. <br /><br /><br />[Mb/JB(Chorus):]<br />No (no) Smoker hacked phlegm balls and said, “Smoke with me” <br />No (no) I got so grossed out I forgot he told me <br />No (no) His mom got emphysema and cancer <br />No (no) Next thing I knew he was all up on me, coughing<br />No, no, no… <br /><br />[JB(Verse 2):]<br /><br />So he’s all up in my grill now,<br />Got me thinking that it might be stupid to smoke like him,<br />‘Cause he’s ready to hurl (ready to hurl)<br />But I gotta keep it real now,<br />‘Cause he’s in my math class in the seat next to me, <br />And that’ d be awkward. <br />Because I don’t know<br />If I take that chance<br />Just where it’s gonna lead,<br />But what I do know<br />Is the way he smells<br />Makes cutie real gross to me.<br />The way he’s (so broke!)<br />I’m like, NO, just wanna save my money.<br />He asked if I had a light,<br />I said, “Yeah right!” <br />Why on earth is he smokin’ that stuff?<br />And I said….<br /><br />[Mb/JB(Chorus):]<br />No (no) Smoker hacked phlegm balls and said, “Smoke with me” <br />No (no) I got so grossed out I forgot he told me <br />No (no) His mom got emphysema and cancer <br />No (no) Next thing I knew he was all up on me, coughing<br />No, no, no…<br /><br />[Mb:]<br />Hey, JB! <br /><br />[Mb(Verse 3):]<br />Watch out!<br />Tobacco’s ridiculous, <br />In the mags, looking so obnoxious.<br />And wow, these companies are tryin’ ‘to hook, <br />Young kids ‘cause they think they like the look…<br />Forget about the game, I'm a spit the truth, <br />They won’t stop ‘til they get you in a funeral suit, <br />So give ‘em your money and it’ll be gone with your lives,<br />All so this stupid industry can survive…<br />I left the cigs and I took my health,<br />Now I’m the one who will keep all of my wealth,<br />How you like me now, <br />When smokers spend over one hundred thousand… <br />That’s just for a pack a day <br />Of smokes and not much more, for realz<br />They get ya hooked now and leave you dead, <br />They want people who don’t think and use their head… <br /><br />[Chorus]<br /><br />[Mb/JB(Bridge):]<br />Take that and rewind it back, JB got the skillz to make ya wanna say NO <br />Take that and rewind it back, Mb got the facts to make ya wanna say NO <br />Take that and rewind it back, JB got the help to make ya wanna say NO <br />Take that and rewind it back, Mb got the ways to make ya wanna say NOMarybethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13166538151390459057noreply@blogger.com3