Friday, May 30, 2008

Tornado Ridden Friday

Before beginning the pleasantries of the Friday Fill-ins, let me say this: I HATE SEVERE WEATHER. I don't know what it is, but I am terrified of big storms and possible tornados. In fact, I am sitting in the closet under a pile of pillows with my whole family - Suellen, soon-to-be-baby P, and both cats - as I type this. I only hope I can finish soon seeing as there is no outlet in our closet and my battery is dying.

1. For me nothing is the opposite of creativity. I really do think that you can be creative at anything (cliched as that may sound). You just have to find a different way to approach it.
2. The Undercover Economist was the last excellent book I read (except, I'm still actually reading it, and have been for 6 months - it's hard to read during school).
3. I like fill-ins because they make me write and think about something other than school for a change.
4. In nature I like looking at small mammals or corn fields. It's a toss up.
5. A Democrat should win the US elections.
6. The last time I laughed with all my belly was in AP English on Wednesday when a student asked me how much size mattered. He meant in terms of his essay, but none of us could keep it in.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hopefully not dying in a tornado related incident, tomorrow my plans include grading and whacking down the chest high grass on our easement that I now found out I have to mow and Sunday, I want to sleep, but I have to drive to French Lick to play for a friend's commitment ceremony!

Saturday, May 24, 2008

No Tag Backs

So Amy tagged me to this task, and since I feel the need to make up for not posting on Friday (and since Amy guilted me on her blog), I'm going to give it a try.

What were you doing five years ago?
Five years ago I was finishing my graduate coursework, and we were getting ready to move back from New Hampshire. Suellen packed up the apartment and moved early in the summer while I finished my final actual classes; so I spent a month sleeping on the floor, eating take out, and taking care of our cat Maxx who had recently broken his ear.

What are five things on your to-do list for today?
1. get up a butt-crack of dawn and go to Suellen's school (already accomplished as I am sitting in her office right now)
2. 'chaperone' IPS All-City Marching Band in the 500 parade (see previous post)
3. grade the monstrous pile of work that has stacked up over the week while 'chaperoning' the 500 Parade
4. set up our new grill which my parents are finally bringing down from Chicago today
5. visit with my parents while enjoying our new grill and deck



What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Nachos, of any kind, from virtually anywhere
2. Sour cream and onion potato chips
3. Cheese and crackers (or really cheese and almost anything)
4. Cheezy-weenies (a LaMagdeleine, and now Sharp, holiday gathering food, which while extremely yummy, I've never managed to make cosmetically appealing)
5. Carmel sudaes with whipped cream, nuts and a cherry

What are five things you would do if you were a billionaire?
1. buy a bigger house with a basement closer to work
2. buy my grandparent's old farm for my Mom to retire to and to take the baby to in the summers
3. reserve donor 5668 to have another baby
4. pay off our college debt and start a college fund for the babies
5. set up a foundation to support education initiatives for low to middle class families to attend different schools if their public systems aren't meeting their needs.

What are five of your bad habits?
1. bitting my fingernails
2. compulsively checking my email
3. not responding to email (or other messages), which is odd because I compulsively check them
4. losing my temper too quickly
5. stressing out when I shouldn't

What are five places you have lived?
1. South Holland, IL
2. Butler (and various surrounding crappy apartments)
3. Dover, NH
4. Behind the WalMart on 86th (won't be doing that ever again)
5. Brownsburg, IN (well, it's not technically Brownsburg - it's a Brownsburg-Clermont-Indianapolis hybrid no-mans land of suburban sprawl)

What are five jobs you've had?
1. Andy's Hot Dogs
2. Jo-Anne Fabrics
3. Butler Campus Operator
4. Toxicology Collection Scheduler (a.k.a. pee collector)
5. teacher at UHS (by far the best of the group)

What five people do you want to tag?
Alright, I'm copping out on this one, because I'm not sure anyone actually reads (or stalks) my blog since I post so infrequently; however, if you read this, consider yourself tagged.

Ok - I'm behind

Blame Suellen and the Manual High School Band

1. On my laziest day I like to go out to a late breakfast, read and watch a movie with Suellen!
2. Making lists of things I've really already mostly accomplished and then crossing them off makes me feel like I'm being productive.
3. I love little old fashion glass bottles of pop and big beds.
4. This summer I want to get everything set up for the baby before school starts.Yikes!
5. The desire to pretend to be a writer again made me start my blog. You can see that I'm doing so well at it.
6. Red Starbursts and orange circus peanuts are two candies I hate.
7. And as for the weekend, last night I played at the Manual High School graduation, today my plans include loitering at various places while 'chaperoning' the IPS All-City Band in the 500 parade eventhough I'm not allowed to walk with them through the parade or stand in the staging and demarshalling areas, and Sunday, I want to grill!

Friday, May 16, 2008

Friday thoughts

1. There is absolutely NO way you can get me to kill a spider! I am deathly afraid of them.
2. Squirrely students remind me that summer is almost here!
3. I cannot live without my blue jeans.
4. Snorkling and living abroad are two things I'd like to try.
5. When life hands you lemons you eat them down to the rind. Or at least my brother did.
6. My brother being born is my favorite childhood memory.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to University Prom!, tomorrow my plans include eating cake in honor of Suellen and Sunday, I want to grade things! Yippie!

Friday, May 9, 2008

On time

I'm giving myself big props for doing this on Friday.

1. The pasta had an extra secret ingredient; it was cheese! Those are pretty much the two staples of my diet.
2. Looking out through my window, I think how the hell can the grass grow so fast in the back yard when it's dying in the front yard!
3. Right now, I need June.
4. The Manual High School band concert is where I went Thursday night; it was a great way to remind myself how good of a teacher Suellen is. And a great way to kill time. I assumed myself by touching every button on the light board.
5. Why do migranes hurt so much?
6. All I can think of is the baby!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to possibly a cookout with Barb and Kathy, tomorrow my plans include baby stuff and house cleaning and Sunday, I want to nap!

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Getting closer...

Ok - It's Saturday this time, so that's a whole day closer to my new goal of posting on Friday.

1. Two of my favorite ingredients in a drink are...well my previous answer would have been skim milk and splenda in my coffee, but since too much coffee and too much stress have reeked havoc on my stomach lately, I'm not drinking coffee any more; so, I guess it's whatever two ingredients make up diet coke.
2. Quiet often amazes me. One, because it happens so rarely. Two, because it can be quite profound.
3. You can keep doing that forever, the dog is...not here!?! We don't have one.
4. Lay it all out, mix it all together and voila! You have the giant mess I create each weekend when I try to get my grading done.
5. If I had a yard with a garden, I would love to grow fresh herbs.
6. Pets are best au naturel. I hate animals in clothing.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to playing Once Upon a Mattress, tomorrow my plans include the Kahl's baby shower and playing Once Upon a Mattress and Sunday, I want to not play Once Upon and Mattress, which is good because I don't have to!