September 1, 2008

1. A great day at the ballpark today.  I won seats in a raffle.  Padded seats in the 200 section, in the shade, and free chili from Rich!  Right on the presidents race finish line.  And the Nats won!  Hooray!
2. Trying to get my house in order with some lists of chores.  It is will be nice if they become natural over time, rather than frenetic list checking, as it is now.
3. Prison Break started again tonight.  I missed the first half hour, and all of the sudden everyone has busted out of the joint!  What?   But exciting that it is back.  And they’ve added a mouthy computer hacker to the mix!  Excellent.
4. Argh!  Tomorrow the children arrive.  Stop!
5. I hope I can sleep tonight.  That’s my big dread about what begins tomorrow; Being tired for the next nine months.

August 16, 2008

1. I’m on some sort of food bender. Insanity.  I want to stop.  Will I?
2. I was bugged by all the press, but now I must say, I’m all aboard the Michael Phelps train.  Go brother.  Swim that pool.
3. Oh, and Dara Torres.  Winning medals at 41?  That’s what I’m talking about!
4. Just sitting here, watching the swimming, if that wasn’t clear, and in the 2nd to last event in the swimming, I just discovered that the green line that has been racing across the pool is the world record time.  I thought it showed who was first, though I was confused as to why sometimes it was at their fingertips and other times at their feet. Duh.
5. We made the calendar!  Kevin and Violet are November 21!

August 13, 2008

1. I wish my tv had the closed captioning.
2. Another block of time at school this am.  Yesterday I came home from this very blue about the task and life in general.  Today, again, I was very drained.  I thought I was done with the main sort and put away of Geography and Ancient Civ, but then right before I left I found another box! Boo.  So I am going to try to add some rewards to this project, so I won’t despair and in despairing fail to get the job done.  So tomorrow, I am going to see the Batman movie after my morning work.
3. Yesterday Ali and I went to the Nationals game.  We got the 5 dollar tickets.  You can get them only the day of the game, and even though we went very early, judging by the  number of open seats in that section, you could come right at the last and still get in.  It was T-shirt Tuesday and the shirt featured Teddy, everyone’s favorite, number 26 in your program but number one in your heart.  Here is the recap of the race.  I met the guy who does the website before the game, which was great.  I was such a nerd.  I gave Teddy the double high five and told him it was his night.  I even wore my shirt today.  What a goof. I cannot explain my love for the Racing Presidents.  They are just so giant and goofy.  The Nationals, frankly, don’t really do a great job boosting them.  The pregame rally was cheering for the Nationals, not teddy, as it should have been.  Also they could do fun little bio’s or tidbits of history. And when is Teddy going to run the race carrying a big stick?   I ask you!  I think I need tog et a job writing material for the Racing presidents.  I had a really good idea for a bit today, but now I’ve forgotten it.
4. Oh, and Screech?  You can just go away.
5. Chris is off to Afghanistan for the Predeployment Site Survey, where they go check out what is going on and meet the fellas they’ll be replacing.  That war can end anytime now, know what I am saying?

April 1, 2008

1. I’ve been unhappy of late, confused about my place in this world.
2. So yesterday, feeling all broken and complicated, I had planned a very hands off lesson, so I could just quietly sit and poke my pain with a pencil.  As I was preparing to enter the field, the principal came up and said, “Can we come and visit?”  The visitor with him was the superintendent.  Oh Sweet Jumping Jeebus, or as I said in my head, “Oh F…!”  So I went in and casually turned on the projector and plugged in my smartboard, and apologized for the state of my room - you know how company always comes when things are a mess (though my place is always a mess, or at least has been for some time, it is one of the things that is bothering me) and I proceeded to do the more fun and engaging preview, but the whole thing was fairly hideous, and all I could think was, well, at least I am wearing dress pants and hard shoes.  Thank goodness they did not stay long.  I would have had to eventually go to the “Do your reading part of the task” (not that there is anything wrong with that, no of course not) and of course I wouldn’t have added  ”and leave me alone”….If only he had come today.  Today was a really good, hands off lesson that showed the kids all engaged and me just coaching, which is best for me and them I think.
3.  I feel really happy to be home this afternoon, the polar opposite of how I felt to be at school today.
4. When I am this way, I am very self centered and annoying, so I sincerely apologize to my nearest and dearest, who are very lovely to put up with it all, even in the midst of their own challenges.
5. In postive news, finally a Nationals site that reports quickly and accurately on the results of the Presidents Race: Let Teddy Win!

March 30, 2008

1. The outing to the cherry blossoms was fun, albeit DARK and COLD, because we were there so very early. 
2. At past the last minute I took up AB’s invite to the Leukemia Ball.  Even though I was have a mental breakdown getting ready (I haven’t been out among strangers in a while) it was fun.  Jay Leno was the entertainment and he did a long set that was pretty funny.  Also since we were only 5 at a 10 top table, we were able to have two salads.  I am sure other people saw me swapping plates, but it gave them a good story to tell.  “And then this woman, who was the only person there wearing pants and no eyeliner, switched plates so she could have a second salad!”  I was also wearing black crew socks with my heels, instead of pantyhose, but you couldn’t really tell, and it was much more comfortable.  I only had about 15 minutes to get ready, I did what I could.
3. I went for a three mile walk today.  Walked from Paul’s shop to home.  Didn’t go very fast.  Stopped to read all the historical markers, etc.
4. I’ve been reading some funny blogs by pets.  I like the way they do it, but I can’t imagine doing that myself.  I look at Kevin, and I do not hear his writer’s voice, or what he would like to say.
5. The new nationals park looks spiffy on TV.  I want to go and sit in the $5 grandstand seats.

March 26, 2008

1. Everynight when I sit and read or watch TV, Violet comes and sits on my lap and takes a nap.  It is very nice, I am glad she is a lap cat.  Kevin sometimes tries to get in on it, placing himself above her, but he is 16 pounds, so it is a little tougher to deal with.  He usually ends up shoving her out of the way.  I still like it though.  They best is if he gets settled first and she sits a little lower on my legs.
2. I had to take a survey about my school and there was a question “I am satisfied with my job,” and I marked “Somewhat dissatisfied.”  I am trying to figure that out.  I guess I feel a little bored.  I feel like I am saying the same old things and that no one is really interested.  I mean I find population pyramids fascinating, but perhaps I am the only one.
3.  Hat # 1 is coming along well.  Two meetings yesterday allowed me to get about 2 inches done.
4. I need to clean my upstairs.  Too cluttered.
5. There was an article in today’s post, about a youth organization near the new Nationals Stadium that is having trouble paying its property taxes, which have risen like crazy now that the area is developing rapidly.  I wish a big money machine like professional baseball or a stadium group, could support them, or that the city would cut them a break.  I mean, don’t baseball and kids go together?  Sports a positive influence, etc, etc?  Noblesse Oblige? Come on Nationals!  Be a pal!

March 5, 2008

1. I am disheartened by a fence that has appeared in my neighborhood.  It blocks a walkway that I use to go across the street.  I wrote a letter of inquiry, and apparently there was an assault where someone dragged another back there.  That is scary and sad of course, but I fear that the positioning of that fence creates a safe little culvert for an evildoer to lurk, and for the also cited nefarious teenagers to have a nice little hideaway.  I wish they had used lighting instead of a fence.  It is not just my walking convenience that is the issue.  If we were to block all the places in Fairlington that mischief could happen, the place would become a maze of fences and blind alleys. 
2. I am also concerned because the early allocation numbers are out for classes next year, and the overachievers in this joint have favored the AP Modern European class, rather than my scintillating, but regular Ancient Civilization.  So I fear I will have to pick up something else, taking me back up to 3 preps, and yet another year of a different schedule.  I would love to have a little predictability from year to year.
3. On the good news front the kid with whom I had a long and frustrating conversation about how boring my class is (he is bored by everything, which though that might be personally comforting to me, certainly reflects on a great unhappiness on his part) and we parted I felt, on rather bad terms, came in to say good morning, and made conversation in a very deliberate fashion, I think to show he was not holding a grudge.  Very, very, interesting.
4. In order to go pick up some condo docs for my neighbor who is selling his place, I skipped the work out, and missed what was apparently hellacious, but was the beginning of a 4 week challenge between all the school groups.  Though I don’t even know if I could have finished what was described (400 jump ropes, 100 “basement” (from lying on the ground to the upright, military style) push-ups etc, I am sorry that I won’t be counted as part of my group for the challenge now.  I could call the guy who runs the program and beg to get tested so I can participate, but on the other hand….Seriously, I can’t really even do 5 military style push-ups.  I have to be on my knees, because, how you say, the gravity magnet that is my ass drags me down.
5. Hey!  That project I was supposed to be working on this month?  Still not done!

February 21, 2008

1. Come on Snow, do your thing!
2. I think this site has the best name ever.
3. Good weigh in today, but I immediately followed up with too much food.  Always a risk on Thursdays when the old week of points is over and the new one has not yet begun.  It has made me feel kind of gross, too much food and brownies, and I need to remember how this feels.
4. In the workout we have been doing boxing of late, and we all get far to much pleasure out of the punching.
5. I just finished reading Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster, the precursor to Bright Lights, Big Ass.  It was very entertaining.  Now I am reading her blog which is good too.  Today it has a link to this article, about the need for some sort of a feline surge plan, which also makes for good reading.

February 18, 2008

1. I’ve been very careful about what I’ve been eating for the last two weeks, and especially trying to note when I don’t feel good physically after I eat, and try to determine what triggered it.  This is to determine if flour and sugar have the buckling power of kryptonite over me.  I felt pretty gross after eating a cheese sandwich at the simple supper tonight, but it wasn’t the bread I determined.  That sucker was made with Miracle Whip.  O’ Foulest of Condiments get thee from me!  Seriously.  Blech.  Who invented that stuff?
2. We had leftover split pea and then some new potato soup.  New as in made today, not New Potato.”  It was a from a mix and I decided to go get some more to make for soup/salad day at school tomorrow.  Due to some poor restocking at the local Safeway, I found myself struggling to reach the packages that were far back on the top shelf.  I must have looked ridiculous.  A man asked me if he could help me, and I thought it was an employee, but when I turned it was an average shopper.  He reached up and got the packages and handed them to me.  I told him he was the hero of the creamy potato, and he made some friendly comment. Perhaps he was nice, I wouldn’t know.  A small dust cloud filled the space as I fled the scene.
3. I registered to do the Breast Cancer 3 day walk next October.  Now I have to train, and raise $2200.  Just seemed like a good thing to do.

January 11, 2008

1. A student showed me this site of a fun world map location sort of game.  Lots of fun!  I’m sure to be wasting lots of time on it.  Nice too, because he is kind of non-communicative and grumpy, so it is nice that he came and showed it to me.
2. I set up for my Friday schedule of classes yesterday, and believe me I was pretty disappointed when I realized it was only Thursday.  Friday now though. Hooray!
3. 135 sit-ups on Tuesday have conspired against me with much soreness today.  It hurts to laugh.
4. M. is coming to town and we are to go to the Container Store and Chiplotle, which should be a pretty good time.  I do love me some container store.  I need to reflect on what items need containing.
5. I have moved the desks in my room no less than nine times this week.  Every class required a different set-up, and the Geography Bee was in the middle of it all.