This has been a most interesting week... I had several self-imposed "blasts from the past," and I'm left confused and slightly saddened. I taught at my old school on Wednesday for 5 hours, and I loved it. I saw almost all my old students, who were psyched to see me (and I them). It was bittersweet, indeed! However, after just 5 hours of teaching, my throat was sore, my feet were in pain, and I was pretty tired. I forgot how much straight teaching takes out of you! However, it was a good experience.
Today, I went to an AWESOME conference on adolescent brain development. Four other gals from my department came, and it was great. Except for the fact that an unexpected guest (my ex) also attended. Shocked the crap out of me!
Anyway, I've been thinking: how does one become grateful for what one has? I've been plagued with what I call the GIGS ("grass is greener syndrome") since I was a teenager. I want to "kick the habit," so to speak, and I'm not quite sure how to go about doing it. Time's flying, life is good... but there's this persistent little part of me that wants to cling to the past! Why!??
Hm. In other news, "The Office" season 4 premiere was on last night... It was great! Unfortunately, I missed 15 minutes of it (grrr)... Hm.
I always start these "entries" with the best of intentions & ideas, but they get lost somewhere between my snapses and my fingertips. Go figure. For now, I sign off, ready for a fun weekend of working (which I'm actually loving) and friends! Ciao!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
On Russia, animals, and politics
So apparently Russia's quite the interesting country this week! Not only does its President (Vladimir Putin) name a new Prime Minister (Victor Zubkov), but it also claims to have the "dad of all bombs." That's right: Russia built a huge honkin' bomb that is much bigger and badder than the United States' "mother of all bombs." In case you want the details on how much better Russia's bomb is than ours, here's the article.
In other news, I'm actively looking for a cat (or two) to make life a bit more enjoyable. I really, really miss my two kitties (one ran away before I moved, and I had to take the other to a Humane Society when I moved). I may try getting my original cat back, but I'm really trying to get a FREE cat (or two), including shots.
ANYWAY, I was on craigslist, and there is a LOT of whacked-out stuff about animals. There is one family who wrote an entire blog about their dog... it's got a LOT of drama and a LOT of details... it's actually almost annoying. Here, decide for yourself! :P
Ay, ay, ay, people! In other news, I was talking with my coworkers today about politics. We're pretty much on the same (liberal) page politically, which seems surprising in a small-ish town in Arizona. We were talking about U.S. presidents: the good, the bad, and the ugly. One coworker openly disdains all politicians; another is very decided on her stances; my boss is relatively closed-mouthed on the topic; I am admittedly underinformed (aren't we all??). Anyway, we were talking for a while, and agreed that politics are quite frustrating; the more you read, the less you really know for sure. The less you know for sure, the less you feel you are able to do about certain situations. This all, of course, can easily lead to apathy. I've always been astounded at how EASY it is to remain apathetic about anything political (in the U.S.).
I suppose I'll just keep doing the best I can.
In other news, I'm actively looking for a cat (or two) to make life a bit more enjoyable. I really, really miss my two kitties (one ran away before I moved, and I had to take the other to a Humane Society when I moved). I may try getting my original cat back, but I'm really trying to get a FREE cat (or two), including shots.
ANYWAY, I was on craigslist, and there is a LOT of whacked-out stuff about animals. There is one family who wrote an entire blog about their dog... it's got a LOT of drama and a LOT of details... it's actually almost annoying. Here, decide for yourself! :P
Ay, ay, ay, people! In other news, I was talking with my coworkers today about politics. We're pretty much on the same (liberal) page politically, which seems surprising in a small-ish town in Arizona. We were talking about U.S. presidents: the good, the bad, and the ugly. One coworker openly disdains all politicians; another is very decided on her stances; my boss is relatively closed-mouthed on the topic; I am admittedly underinformed (aren't we all??). Anyway, we were talking for a while, and agreed that politics are quite frustrating; the more you read, the less you really know for sure. The less you know for sure, the less you feel you are able to do about certain situations. This all, of course, can easily lead to apathy. I've always been astounded at how EASY it is to remain apathetic about anything political (in the U.S.).
I suppose I'll just keep doing the best I can.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
A bit of joy for you!
So things here are happy & relatively busy. Here are some hilarious/adorable cat pictures for you!! :) For some reason, they get partially cut off... sorry about that. I'll try to figure out how to fix it. The original source is icanhascheezburger.com, if you're interested!
Oh, and I'm thinking of adopting a cat (or two). Fortunately, the roommate's on board. :)
Also, it appears that it's 9/11 today... Six years since the tragedy. Perhaps (if you're so inclined) take a moment to send a nice thought (or prayer, if you're of that persuasion) to the families of all those involved.
Without further ado, the cats:
Oh, and I'm thinking of adopting a cat (or two). Fortunately, the roommate's on board. :)
Also, it appears that it's 9/11 today... Six years since the tragedy. Perhaps (if you're so inclined) take a moment to send a nice thought (or prayer, if you're of that persuasion) to the families of all those involved.
Without further ado, the cats:
Saturday, September 1, 2007
On America
Just a few thoughts...
First, I was disheartened (though not entirely surprised) by Ms. South Carolina:
Having taught last year, I am now much more aware of the apathy and ignorance that plague many schools. While I'm sure there are myriad reasons why this is (lack of parental support, apathetic/ignorant teachers, media, etc.), I'm trying to figure out what can be done. It's hard to fight an uphill battle when you're one of the few.
Also, I'm currently reading John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley: In Search of America.
It's absolutely PHENOMENAL, and I love it. I wish that I could make the careful observations he does about people and areas. Sigh.
Anyway, in the book, Steinbeck notes that America's identity is slowly becoming streamlined. He suggests that regional "personalities" are disappearing in lieu of a more national identity. (Keep in mind that this book was written in the early '60s.) He says that, because of mainstream radio and television, regional dialects and accents are being erradicated, and there is more of a push for homogenous speech. Only in the Deep South and the East Coast are accents really noticeable anymore, Steinbeck observes. Interesting... and I'm inclined to agree. When I moved to Arizona, I'd assumed it'd be like a different country- new geographical region, perhaps a specific (and different) dialect... But no! Arizona is comprised largely of Mexicans and Midwesterners. Go figure.
So, otherwise, life is good. Wednesday and Thursday, the coworkers and I went to an awesome conference in Phoenix... We stayed at a POSH resort, and it was incredibly awesome. The 17th Surgeon General (Richard Carmona) was the keynote speaker, and there were numerous other really good speakers as well. Wednesday night, we went to the attached water park for several hours, had margaritas, and basically relaxed. See the pics to follow! :)
<< The Surgeon General (center, with the black tie)... SUCH a good speaker! :)
The water park at the awesome resort where we stayed!!
>>Some gorgeous palm trees at the resort
First, I was disheartened (though not entirely surprised) by Ms. South Carolina:
Having taught last year, I am now much more aware of the apathy and ignorance that plague many schools. While I'm sure there are myriad reasons why this is (lack of parental support, apathetic/ignorant teachers, media, etc.), I'm trying to figure out what can be done. It's hard to fight an uphill battle when you're one of the few.
Also, I'm currently reading John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley: In Search of America.
It's absolutely PHENOMENAL, and I love it. I wish that I could make the careful observations he does about people and areas. Sigh.
Anyway, in the book, Steinbeck notes that America's identity is slowly becoming streamlined. He suggests that regional "personalities" are disappearing in lieu of a more national identity. (Keep in mind that this book was written in the early '60s.) He says that, because of mainstream radio and television, regional dialects and accents are being erradicated, and there is more of a push for homogenous speech. Only in the Deep South and the East Coast are accents really noticeable anymore, Steinbeck observes. Interesting... and I'm inclined to agree. When I moved to Arizona, I'd assumed it'd be like a different country- new geographical region, perhaps a specific (and different) dialect... But no! Arizona is comprised largely of Mexicans and Midwesterners. Go figure.
So, otherwise, life is good. Wednesday and Thursday, the coworkers and I went to an awesome conference in Phoenix... We stayed at a POSH resort, and it was incredibly awesome. The 17th Surgeon General (Richard Carmona) was the keynote speaker, and there were numerous other really good speakers as well. Wednesday night, we went to the attached water park for several hours, had margaritas, and basically relaxed. See the pics to follow! :)
<< The Surgeon General (center, with the black tie)... SUCH a good speaker! :) 
The water park at the awesome resort where we stayed!!
>>Some gorgeous palm trees at the resort
Thursday, August 30, 2007
A shocking realization...
Brace yourself, kids... I was sitting down at work today, looking at my first homework assignment for my personal finance class. We had to create three lists: "Why I want to learn how to manage my finances better," "The Positive Things in my Life," and "Rewards for Reaching Goals [that DON'T include spending money]." Wow. So I've completely finished the first two lists, easily and quickly. I like to think of myself as a generally happy, appreciative person. While I was working on the second list ("Positive Things"), I realized something...
I'm happy.
Like, I'm very happy with my life. I have nothing to complain about, no real stresses. This hasn't happened in a long time (especially with teaching last year). Here's my list (in no real order):
The Positive Things in my Life:
1.) My health (solid, good, improving)
2.) My family (loving, supportive, kind, thoughtful)
3.) My desire to learn (about people, various aspects of life, etc.)
4.) My relationship (loving, fun, respectful, fulfilling)
5.) My living situation (me & cool roommate in a cute, affordable house)
6.) My job (low-stress, interesting, great coworkers)
7.) My friends (supportive, fun, thoughtful, kind)
8.) My education (Master of Education, teacher certification, etc.)
9.) My desire to better the world (through job, volunteering, & donating)
10.) My life in general (no real complaints!) :)
Yay!! So yeah, the idea of happiness has been sneaking up on me lately, but now it's nearly full-fledged. I'm. Happy.
Last night, after class (which got out over an hour early), I went for a drive to a nearby little town. I was struck by a gorgeous (albeit freaky) moonrise over the mountains, so I had to pull off somewhere and enjoy it. The moon was pretty low & orange, so it looked like a night sun. Eerie, but fascinating and beautiful. So I found an empty side street and parked (ironically enough, it was in the driveway of a massage school... go figure!). I got out of my car and sat on top of the trunk. (Is there a name for the back part of a car??) I thanked (God? the universe??) for my life and all the good stuff in it. In return, I got a nice little shooting star. It was very peaceful and affirming.
It's also nice to be busy again. Work's good- on and off busy, with conferences out the wazoo! Tutoring & class started this week, and community band starts in less than two weeks.
Also, it seems my friends and family are getting new beginnings as well! My friend, Andrew, FINALLY got a job as a school counselor!! I'm helping him move this weekend (which, incidentally, also encompasses his birthday), and then he starts next week! My sister, Sarah, FINALLY booked a ticket to England to begin her graduate studies in theatre production. While her thing isn't quite 100% yet, it's getting there. I'm PSYCHED for Andrew & Sarah... seems their times of waiting are over!! Yay for new beginnings! :)
Hokay, that's about it for now. Life is good!
I'm happy.
Like, I'm very happy with my life. I have nothing to complain about, no real stresses. This hasn't happened in a long time (especially with teaching last year). Here's my list (in no real order):
The Positive Things in my Life:
1.) My health (solid, good, improving)
2.) My family (loving, supportive, kind, thoughtful)
3.) My desire to learn (about people, various aspects of life, etc.)
4.) My relationship (loving, fun, respectful, fulfilling)
5.) My living situation (me & cool roommate in a cute, affordable house)
6.) My job (low-stress, interesting, great coworkers)
7.) My friends (supportive, fun, thoughtful, kind)
8.) My education (Master of Education, teacher certification, etc.)
9.) My desire to better the world (through job, volunteering, & donating)
10.) My life in general (no real complaints!) :)
Yay!! So yeah, the idea of happiness has been sneaking up on me lately, but now it's nearly full-fledged. I'm. Happy.
Last night, after class (which got out over an hour early), I went for a drive to a nearby little town. I was struck by a gorgeous (albeit freaky) moonrise over the mountains, so I had to pull off somewhere and enjoy it. The moon was pretty low & orange, so it looked like a night sun. Eerie, but fascinating and beautiful. So I found an empty side street and parked (ironically enough, it was in the driveway of a massage school... go figure!). I got out of my car and sat on top of the trunk. (Is there a name for the back part of a car??) I thanked (God? the universe??) for my life and all the good stuff in it. In return, I got a nice little shooting star. It was very peaceful and affirming.
It's also nice to be busy again. Work's good- on and off busy, with conferences out the wazoo! Tutoring & class started this week, and community band starts in less than two weeks.
Also, it seems my friends and family are getting new beginnings as well! My friend, Andrew, FINALLY got a job as a school counselor!! I'm helping him move this weekend (which, incidentally, also encompasses his birthday), and then he starts next week! My sister, Sarah, FINALLY booked a ticket to England to begin her graduate studies in theatre production. While her thing isn't quite 100% yet, it's getting there. I'm PSYCHED for Andrew & Sarah... seems their times of waiting are over!! Yay for new beginnings! :)
Hokay, that's about it for now. Life is good!
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Lately
Wow... I was listening to my Alanis Morisette CD at work (Jagged Little Pill- old school!), and I for the first time EVER heard the hidden track "Your House." Holy crap! It's tragic and beautiful AND a capella... gorgeous!
Here are the lyrics (they're a mix of various sites' lyrics; I had to correct some):
I went to your house
Walked up the stairs
Opened your door without ringing the bell
Walked down the hall
Into your room where I could smell you
And I shouldn't be here
Without permission
Shouldn't be here...
Would you forgive me, love, if I dance in your shower?
Would you forgive me, love, if I laid in your bed?
Would you forgive me, love, if I stay all afternoon?
I took off my clothes
Put on your robe
Went through your drawers
And I found your cologne
Went down to the den
Found your CDs
And I played your Joni
And I shouldn't stay long
You might be home soon
Shouldn't stay long...
Would you forgive me, love, if I danced in your shower?
Would you forgive me, love, if I laid in your bed?
Would you forgive me, love, if I stay all afternoon?
I burned your incense
I ran a bath
I noticed a letter that sat on your desk
It said: "Hello, love.
I love you so, love.
Meet me at midnight."
And no, it wasn't my writing
I'd better go soon
It wasn't my writing
So forgive me, love, if I cry in your shower
So forgive me, love, for the salt in your bed
So forgive me, love, if I cry all afternoon
[fin.]
Wow.
On another note, I attended my final smoking cessation class last night. Sigh. I'll miss it quite a bit; I learned SO much each time! Last night's quote of the evening:
"Triggers are tough, man... triggers are tough." -Lila*
(*Name has been changed. "Lila" is trying very hard to quit smoking, and has already cut down to about half of what she's accustomed to smoking.)
That's about it for the time being... Life gets busy now: community band on Monday nights, tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays, class on Wednesday nights, and tutoring again on Saturdays for 4 hours. Work's also picking up (thank goodness!!), so that's good news. A busyMb is a happyMb.
Ciao for now!
Here are the lyrics (they're a mix of various sites' lyrics; I had to correct some):
I went to your house
Walked up the stairs
Opened your door without ringing the bell
Walked down the hall
Into your room where I could smell you
And I shouldn't be here
Without permission
Shouldn't be here...
Would you forgive me, love, if I dance in your shower?
Would you forgive me, love, if I laid in your bed?
Would you forgive me, love, if I stay all afternoon?
I took off my clothes
Put on your robe
Went through your drawers
And I found your cologne
Went down to the den
Found your CDs
And I played your Joni
And I shouldn't stay long
You might be home soon
Shouldn't stay long...
Would you forgive me, love, if I danced in your shower?
Would you forgive me, love, if I laid in your bed?
Would you forgive me, love, if I stay all afternoon?
I burned your incense
I ran a bath
I noticed a letter that sat on your desk
It said: "Hello, love.
I love you so, love.
Meet me at midnight."
And no, it wasn't my writing
I'd better go soon
It wasn't my writing
So forgive me, love, if I cry in your shower
So forgive me, love, for the salt in your bed
So forgive me, love, if I cry all afternoon
[fin.]
Wow.
On another note, I attended my final smoking cessation class last night. Sigh. I'll miss it quite a bit; I learned SO much each time! Last night's quote of the evening:
"Triggers are tough, man... triggers are tough." -Lila*
(*Name has been changed. "Lila" is trying very hard to quit smoking, and has already cut down to about half of what she's accustomed to smoking.)
That's about it for the time being... Life gets busy now: community band on Monday nights, tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays, class on Wednesday nights, and tutoring again on Saturdays for 4 hours. Work's also picking up (thank goodness!!), so that's good news. A busyMb is a happyMb.
Ciao for now!
Friday, August 24, 2007
On addiction and nostalgia
First, I'm rockin' a pretty new caffeine addiction. This morning, after mooching some of my roommie's coffee (he usually makes enough for both of us, but didn't today for some reason), I headed into work. After setting my stuff down on my desk, I immediately went to the breakroom to see if there was any extra coffee... Oh, there was. I instantly filled the rest of my travel mug, and was set for the day! However, the upside (right now) is that I am doing quite well with 6-7 hours of sleep at night, provided I have my daily caffeine fix. (And I'm drinking about a cup a day, so it's not bad... yet.)
As far as nostalgia goes, well, I'm really good at letting it affect my mood frequently. I tend to dwell on relationships and situations of old (I think I'd mentioned this in a previous entry), and yesterday was no exception. I went to my old "haunt," the area where I lived and taught the past year. SO weird!! I had dinner with my friends (former coworkers of mine), and we had a blast. We then went over to the elementary school's open house... it was like "The Twilight Zone" for me!! Within 5 minutes of arriving, I saw one of my (secret favorite) former students. He came running up to me, excited! (He's a very masculine little kid, so I'm always awed when he shows a great deal of emotion.) I got a huge hug and a card he wrote out for me. SO awesome! All in all, I saw 11 of my former students, and we were all psyched to see each other. I served punch & cookies as well -alone, mostly- and a lot of shocked parents came to say hello. It was a nice evening, though I couldn't help but leave with some pangs of sadness. I assured the kids and the current staff that I'll be back to visit. In fact, the woman who now teaches in my room (who's awesome!) wants me to come in and do a lesson with her class. Schweet.
I've come up with an analogy for my nostalgia... I'm driving (down the road of life, perhaps?) and, due to drivers' training, I'm accustomed to checking my rearview mirror frequently. I notice cars and a distorted reality behind me constantly, and am mostly aware of what's going on in front of me. There are signs along the way that warn and provide information/advice, though I neglect some of them. At one point, I'm so distracted by the traffic behind me that I can't stop looking in the rearview, fascinated. However, I don't notice the cars ahead of me that have come to an abrupt halt. You can guess what happens: a nasty crash from focusing on what's behind me. There. Analogy complete. :)
Ok, that's about it for now. Have a great weekend, readers! :)
As far as nostalgia goes, well, I'm really good at letting it affect my mood frequently. I tend to dwell on relationships and situations of old (I think I'd mentioned this in a previous entry), and yesterday was no exception. I went to my old "haunt," the area where I lived and taught the past year. SO weird!! I had dinner with my friends (former coworkers of mine), and we had a blast. We then went over to the elementary school's open house... it was like "The Twilight Zone" for me!! Within 5 minutes of arriving, I saw one of my (secret favorite) former students. He came running up to me, excited! (He's a very masculine little kid, so I'm always awed when he shows a great deal of emotion.) I got a huge hug and a card he wrote out for me. SO awesome! All in all, I saw 11 of my former students, and we were all psyched to see each other. I served punch & cookies as well -alone, mostly- and a lot of shocked parents came to say hello. It was a nice evening, though I couldn't help but leave with some pangs of sadness. I assured the kids and the current staff that I'll be back to visit. In fact, the woman who now teaches in my room (who's awesome!) wants me to come in and do a lesson with her class. Schweet.
I've come up with an analogy for my nostalgia... I'm driving (down the road of life, perhaps?) and, due to drivers' training, I'm accustomed to checking my rearview mirror frequently. I notice cars and a distorted reality behind me constantly, and am mostly aware of what's going on in front of me. There are signs along the way that warn and provide information/advice, though I neglect some of them. At one point, I'm so distracted by the traffic behind me that I can't stop looking in the rearview, fascinated. However, I don't notice the cars ahead of me that have come to an abrupt halt. You can guess what happens: a nasty crash from focusing on what's behind me. There. Analogy complete. :)
Ok, that's about it for now. Have a great weekend, readers! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
