Sunday, August 31, 2008

"Tag" You're it!

My Cousin Casey has graciously "tagged" me in some blogging game. She comments on her blog how little she knows about blogging...well, get in line Casey! I learn what I know from you!!!

I am apparently supposed to tag people after I answer these questions...but since the only person I know on here is Casey and she tagged me, I think I'm off the hook! But it looks like fun...so here I go!

Four places I go over and over:
~ The School
~ The bathroom...I'd give anything to have a bladder like a man and be able to pee ONCE a day!
~ The gym. It's volleyball season
~ The Y (although this has dropped off considerably since school has started)

Four People who email me regularly:
~ The District Office...there's always something wrong with my paperwork
~ My Mom
~ Ethan :)
~ Parents...

Four Places I would rather be right now:
~ On a boat at the lake
~ Upstate New York
~ Traveling and visiting my friends in Canada, England, Wales, and Australia
~ Swimming

Four TV shows/Programs I watch over and over:
~ The Sopranos
~ Friends
~ Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Are you smarter than a 5th grader, and any trivia game show
~ That 70's show

Four things I have for breakfast:
~ Cup of Coffee
~ Cereal
~ Toast
~ Scrambled Eggs

Four animals I love:
~ Dogs
~ Puppies
~ Dogs
~ Puppies...I will have one someday!

Four Beaches I've been to:
~ Galveston, TX
~ Myrtle Beach, SC
~ Brant Lake (Beaches made for lakes count...right?)
~ Melvern Lake

Now you know a little more about me (and probably more than you wanted on a few of those responses...)

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

November in August?

I noticed something this week in class...there are students home sick! I couldn't believe it. It is only the second full week of school and I'm already having to make sure that absent work gets home to kids. I mentioned this to the class, and I found out that apparently strep and the flu are going around in the elementary school (which ends up effecting the middle and high school too). This usually happens at the earliest in November...and it's still August! I reminded the kids to make sure they got their vitamin C and get to bed early.

Taking my own advice, I went to bed at a decent time last night. And woke up feeling like crap! I have been sneezing and blowing my nose all day...literally all day (my trash can at school is filled with used Kleenex), my throat is sore, and I feel the "chills" coming on. I am still dumbstruck. I HATE being sick and I HATE missing school so it will take a fever or throwing up to call for a sub tomorrow morning. So in the mean time...I will down some OJ, take some sudifed, and get a good nights sleep.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Olympic Fever

For the last two weeks I have been helplessly addicted to my TV from 7:00-11:00 PM. The 2008 Olympics in Beijing kicked off with an exciting opening ceremony, and throughout the last two weeks the "water cooler" talk has been of little else. I love the summer Olympics. I find myself sitting alone on the couch yelling and cheering for the swimming relays, giving my own "expert" opinion as to why Nastia Lukin should have received the gold on the uneven bars, and watching with excitement as May and Walsh take their second gold.

It is so exciting to see some of the more little known sports gaining attention during Prime Time. Sports enthusiasts all over the country settle themselves in to discuss the techniques of fencing and what exactly the rules are for rowing. Even those who couldn't tell the difference between a soccer ball and a volleyball get caught up in the Olympic Magic!

Many athletes dream of some day going to the Olympics and representing their country competing for gold, however very few get to see that dream come true. As a coach I see all kinds of athletes come through the gym each year, all having something different to offer. Yes, there will always be those "God-given talented athletes" who's name appears in every article of the newspaper as the top scorer, and they are to be celebrated. But what about the athlete who continues to go out for the sport they love year after year, knowing that they will rarely see their name in the paper or be offered that scholarship. They are there for one reason...the love of the game and a desire to be a part of something that requires a TEAM of people. They are the true athletes. They push themselves to run hard and touch that line, for little or no recognition.

So here's to all our athletes, the Olympic Champions and the Senior football player who goes in for one snap all year. You inspire me! (And keep me up much later than I like to be :-) )

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Guy Friends

For some reason, I have always been able to make friends with guys easier than girls. I do have many women friends, but my really close friends who I keep in touch with the most, go to for advice, and have the most in common with are all men. My interests and attitude tends to be more "guy like." I hate the girly drama that tends to follow women when we travel in packs, and I just don't put up with it. I am not a fan of chick flicks, for the most part (there are a few classics that I enjoy), but the more car chases and things blown up there are the more I like the movie. I like to drink beer and don't like the "girly drinks." I hate shopping. Well, I don't hate, hate it...but I shop like a guy. I go in, get what I need and get out. I cannot shop all day...eww! I enjoy sports and teach in a male dominated area (social studies...very few women). And there are many more examples. One or all of these tend to make it easy for me to strike up a conversation with a man, that many times, leads to a long friendship.

I have come to appreciate my guy friends more and more over the years. Especially since I've started dating more. Any time I need advice or have a question, they are right there with a very honest and easy to understand answer. I trust what they say, because I don't get the "ohhh, it's OK, he's just being a jerk" answer from guys...I get the "Oh calm down, you're worried over nothing, stop over-reacting!" I know that what they tell me may be blunt, and I may disagree, but it is honest to goodness no BS!

Now, just because I have interests along the same lines as men that doesn't mean that I'm not a full-fledged woman (and proud of it). I love to wear cute clothes, I have WAY too many shoes, I've had my wedding planned for years, I am addicted to pedicures, I over-analyze situations, and I am really picky about the decor of my home. I do believe that once I find a good balance between my tom-boy side and girlie side some lucky guy will get to enjoy the best of both worlds!

Monday, August 18, 2008

"Bamer"

My sister, Jamie, is 4 1/2 years younger than me. It's funny to me how I used to think she was soooo much younger, and how now that we are older that gap continues to shrink. I call her "Bamer" and I have been using that name for her since we were kids. I don't really remember how I decided to change Jamie to Bamer, but never-the-less "Bamer" stuck, and I rarely call her anything else.

Jamie and I didn't always get a long growing up. She saw me as the "bossy and demanding, mean older sister" and I saw her as the "annoying, bratty baby sister." It's not hard to see why we fought growing up, we are very different. It amazes me how siblings can be raised by the same parents and turn out so unique. I could go on and on about the things that we differ on or don't exactly see eye to eye, but instead I thought it would be fun to list some of the things she "gets from me."

~ Through college she has learned to cut back on some of her spending and now tends to think like I do when it's time for grocery shopping. (Although now that I have a "real job" I have relaxed on my penny saving and will shell the extra cash for some things)

~ We both enjoy a good night out with friends, but when given the choice, most times will prefer to be in bed by 10!

~ We both tend to have a certain talent for working with kids.

~ We both enjoy cooking and trying new recipes...especially meals that are BOTH good for you and taste good.

~ We both have a deep appreciation for a really good dessert. (the more chocolate, the better!)

~ We both LOVE spending time with our little nephew Bryson! (However, we do fight over who is his favorite...ME!)

~ We both spent many summers earning money by life guarding at the local pool.

~ Apparently we chew our gum the same...I never noticed, but I've been told this.

One weekend I was visiting Jamie and we were cooking dinner together, she turned to me and asked "Jill, do you think we would be friends if we weren't sisters?" The question kind of caught me off guard and I answered honestly..."I don't know if we would become great friends, but I don't think we would be rude to each other. We would probably pass in the night and not give the other much thought." She seemed to agree (we are both well aware of how different we are). However I have had more time to think about this question...probably more than she knows, and I have a new answer. I have many friends, they are great. But I have only one sister, and I wouldn't trade 1,000 friends for my baby sister, Bamer.

Friday, August 15, 2008

First Week

The first week of school is over...

I am so glad that we start off with a three day week at the beginning of the year. I couldn't be happier to be back to work, nor could I be more tired. The first two days of school are nothing but rules and classroom procedures (we have block scheduling so I see 8th grade and 7th grade on every other day). By the end of the day on Thursday I had given my "Worldly Expectations" presentation 6 times! Today I was excited to actually get to teach something, and it went great! I am absolutely exhausted. My feet are not in "Stand-all-day-long" shape, I have not conditioned myself to be able to fall asleep before 10 yet (so 5:47 comes really early), and my voice is a little strained. Needless to say that the weekend gets here with perfect timing. A nice way to ease everyone in to the school routine. As Garfield knows all to well, Monday will always come, and a whole week of school will come with it!

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Debbie

Over the summer I got back in to the habit of exersizing. I've always been what I'd call "moderatly active" since I stopped playing volleyball in college. I go through spurts where I'll exersize and lose a few pounds then stop and gain some back. You know the cycle...



Now with school starting my daily swimming routine will have to end. I won't be able to be as active as I was during the summer, but I am going to make sure I keep up some type of physical activity each day. (success at the scale is one of the best motivators to keep going!)



One of the ways I will do this is with Debbie. While at ESU my roommate and I would work out to Debbie and her Slim in 6 program. Debbie has 3 levels; 1: Start it Up, 2: Ramp it up, and 3: Burn it Up. I have been doing Debbie 1 off and on over the summer when I didn't feel like driving to the Y for a swim. So today I decided to up it to Debbie 2. I hate Debbie! Ramp it up is over twice as long as Start it Up and I'm hurting. Squat after annoying squat, leg lift after painful leg lift. The only comfort that I take is that I can yell at Debbie through the entire workout. I can yell all kinds of mean and nasty things to her, and her feelings will never be hurt. She is still there the next day when I push PLAY smiling and egging me on. (However, I do not hear her because I mute it to hear my music). I know that tomorrow when I move slowly to put on my shoes she will be there ready to "Ramp it Up."

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Things to look forward to

I have been ready and waiting for August 13th for the last two weeks. The first day of school. Most kids are trying to squeeze out as much joy as they can on their last day of freedom, while I am anxiously waiting their return. I happen to be one of those lucky people who get to do what they love as a profession. That doesn't mean there aren't difficult days along the way or annoying paperwork that can seem to bog me down at times. So I thought that I would write a little about some of the things I look forward to with the school year. That way when those bad days and weekly papers to grade start to drag on me, I will have this little reminder of what makes my job GREAT!

~ The "Hey Miss A!" calls from the kids down the hall.

~ Those kids who come in my room before school starts to read the sports section and see if I saw the over-time KU game last night.

~ Dressing up (I love my sports clothes, but sometimes a girl just needs to feel pretty!)

~ High Fives!

~ The look on the nervous 7th graders as they see what I'm all about.

~ Hugs...nothing better to bring a smile to my face.

~ The little sarcastic remarks and joking around about how loud my voice gets or how wild my hand movements are.

~ Finally making a connection with that stubborn kid I've been working to reach, and seeing the smile when they have success.

~ Spirit Week: Nerd Day, Crazy Hair Day, and the best one ever...Pajama Day!

And what's great about my job, is that each year more and more things get added to this list! I can't wait to see what new things happen this year :)

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Overrated and Underrated

I came up with this idea for a blog (at least I think I did...I apologize if you have seen this before or written on this topic) to write about some of the things that I think are either "overrated" or "underrated" in our society. Cause lets face it...some things get WAY too much credit.

Overrated:
TEXTING: omg! u r so kewl, u no u r my bff! lylas. lol! ttyl. I am a horrible texter. Don't get me wrong, it can be handy to send a short message here or there, but I refuse to hold an entire conversation by texting. I worry about the conversation (not to mention spelling) skills that the next generation will have. Will they even know how to go up to a person and strike up a new conversation?

Underrated:
TALKING ON THE PHONE: I am a talker, and those of you who know me, know this all too well. I love long conversations whether face to face or on the phone. It can be hard to detect sarcasm, joking around, and actual feelings while texting or typing on the computer. Pick up the phone so I can hear your voice.

Overrated:
SUBWAY: No enough meat. Bread is hard. Will not make the sandwich the way I want it. (I mean how hard is it to make a turkey and roast beef sandwich...they refuse)

Underrated
MR. GOODCENTS: Tons of meat and cheese. Bread is so soft. Pasta if you're not in the mood for a sandwich. I wish we had a Goodcents in town, but then again...I would be eating out way too often.

Overrated
BRAND NAMES: Just because the label says Nabisco does that really make the food better???

Underrated
ALWAYS SAVE, BEST CHOICE, KROGER: Saves you money for the same great taste! (most of the time....there are a few things I will shell out the extra money for...Jiff anybody!)

Overrated
LATE NIGHTS: Don't get me wrong, I love a good night out with friends as much as the next person, but how many times can you do that before it starts to get old (or you do!!)

Underrated
EARLY MORNINGS: I am an early bird. I get some of my best work done in the morning. Nothing beats a beautiful sunrise or the smell outside when you first get up!

Overrated
MICROWAVE POPCORN: Never again!

Underrated
FRESH POPPED POPCORN: I have a StirCrazy popcorn popper. Add a little salt and pair it with a Diet Dr. Pepper, hard to beat!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Coaching School and the Roulette Wheel

The past few days I have been in Topeka for the annual Coaches Clinic. This is my second year getting to go and I love it. Coaches from all sports from all over the state get together share and learn new techniques of the game or strategies of how to "get through" to our young people. Only with coaches will you see people getting together and telling information to the competition that can help them beat you! In the business world we would by "Corporate Spies."

One of the many perks of coaches clinic is that Topeka is within 20 minutes of Harras Casino. Now, I am not a big gambler. Before this week I had been gambling twice in my life and both times just played the slots and watched my 20$ disappear. So I've never been really excited by it. However, last night I took a shot at the roulette wheel. This was so much more fun than those annoying slot thingies. I took out my 20$ and played for over 2 hours. I was down to only 4$, up 45, breaking even, and ended up leaving the night 40$ richer than I started. Gambling is so much more exciting when you walk out a winner...

I will never be a compulsive gambler. I am too paranoid about watching my money disappear. But for 20$ I had some really good entertainment (those people in there are hilarious) and ended up making money.

Now, back to the "real world" as I start in-service tomorrow, and in 5 days will be back in the classroom with this years crop of teenagers. I can't wait!!!

Monday, August 4, 2008

School Supplies

I went back to school shopping today. I have been putting it off for a while do to the fact that I hate Wal-Mart. No matter what time of day I seem to go, it is constantly crowded (I'm not much of a crowd person) and they have 50 check out lanes but only 3 open! Why go to Wally World then? Simple...I need A LOT of things cheap! So I made my way through the automatic doors and into the jungle...

Since I am a teacher my school supplies list is a little different than most parents shopping for their 3rd grader. I needed 6 pairs of scissors, 72 spiral notebooks, 18 rolls of masking tape, a stapler and automatic pencil sharpener (that will no doubt be broken in two weeks by my middle schoolers), more pens and sharpies than I bothered to count, and two very large bags of Jolly Ranchers...you have no idea how much a little piece of candy can motivate a teenager! I successfully navigated my unbalanced cart through very thin isles, kids crying "mom...loooook attt thisssss," and tired looking employees, and managed to find everything on my list...plus some (I might have mentioned I have a thing for school supplies). Tomorrow I'll spend a good portion of the morning putting everything away so I can be all organized for the start of school. Sadly, that organization will be lucky to last until then end of August...

Saturday, August 2, 2008

My Favorite Things!

I got this idea from my cousin's blog. Just a few things that top my list at the moment (it is constantly changing!)

~ Seedless Watermelon! Nothing beats it in the summer time :)

~ The lap pool at my local YMCA. The water is the perfect temperature for lap swimming, no better place to escape.

~ "It's good for you," my new Pampered Chef cook book. Great recipes and all a little on the healthier side :)

~ Netfilx! They had me at "No late fees!"

~ My new Tommy Hilfiger sweat pants. I bought them when it was 100+ degrees outside just because they were SO comfortable.

~ The Sopranos. Great show.

~ The 20th of every month, Pay Day!!

~ The old Disney Movies. Aladdin, Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and probably the best ever...Lion King. "Wall-E" doesn't hold a candle to those.

~ School Supplies. I can't walk down that isle in Wal-Mart and not buy something...Occupational Hazard???

~ A good beer on a hot night. Enough said...

Friday, August 1, 2008

Buy Now Pay Later

I received my first credit card in the mail today, and after calling the number and going through many "for ____ please press 1" it is finally ready to use. It took me a while to convince myself that I can be trusted with this little piece of plastic. I like to think I manage my money pretty well -- making it through college with no student loans, paying my bills on time, and always managing to save a little a long the way. But to have the temptation of "buy now, pay later" has always scared me away. I finally decided that I can resist attractions of things I don't really need and only spend on a few of the things I really want as to make sure I pay off my bill each month. (Those interest rates are ridiculous!) So wish me good luck as I head out with the pretty new plastic in my wallet!