So, Baby Boy has a name! But, we're not sharing it yet. All I'm letting people know right now is that it starts with an M.
Interesting...
By the way, this is only a test post. I'm testing out a new layout issue.
But, the above is true. Baby Boy's first name will start with an M. His middle names are not quite agreed upon, and he's taking my husband's last name. So, at least you know ONE name--that is if you know my husband's last name.
Showing posts with label Life and All that Jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Life and All that Jazz. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Ugh...Another Severe Storm, Another Tree Down
I wish I had better news to report, but I always come here to report the not-so-good.. Well, with the exception of Baby Manghoff. Anyway, we got another bad storm tonight and the problem is that it took down part of our pear tree AGAIN. I don't know how much more this poor tree can take!! At least I got a shot of a double rainbow, though.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Makes Me Miss Home a Little
I grew up about 55-60 miles from Sioux City, so that was the big city to us. We went there at least once a month to get groceries or clothes we couldn't find in town.
Recently, a video was made about the town and it went viral. I, personally, love the video. It reminds me of what I miss about living close to Sioux City. The Muskies, the X's, etc. And, they included ALL of the TV personalities and the Journal personalities. These are the people I grew up watching--my first taste of journalism, if you will!
Sioux City is awesome. For one, it's SAFE there--no need to be worried about being shot or stabbed when you go to the store. Plus, everyone there is just super nice! To me, it's home.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that Tosh.0 from Comedy Central write an article titled: "Sioux City Officially Ruins the Internet." LOVE IT!
Here's a link to the video so you can see its awesomeness.
Recently, a video was made about the town and it went viral. I, personally, love the video. It reminds me of what I miss about living close to Sioux City. The Muskies, the X's, etc. And, they included ALL of the TV personalities and the Journal personalities. These are the people I grew up watching--my first taste of journalism, if you will!
Sioux City is awesome. For one, it's SAFE there--no need to be worried about being shot or stabbed when you go to the store. Plus, everyone there is just super nice! To me, it's home.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that Tosh.0 from Comedy Central write an article titled: "Sioux City Officially Ruins the Internet." LOVE IT!
Here's a link to the video so you can see its awesomeness.
Friday, April 02, 2010
No, I'm Not Ready to Talk About It
My inability to post lately has been little cause of concern, I'm sure. However, I still feel the need to fill a void once in awhile, so this post will be vague at best, yet allow me to voice myself without blowing up.
First, but foremost, Blogger and the issue with the enter button is ticking me off. Even though you hit enter the blinking light sits where you last typed. This always confuses me and I end up hitting enter about 10 times before I realize it.
Second, my husband bought me a new laptop. I'm going to cry as soon as it gets here, because I've had my "Gordy" since 2003--since I started this blog and made many, many friends. I can't imagine not starting up Gordy and writing stories or notes to friends.
Third, I'm not mad at my husband. I don't do change well.
Fourth, I'm probably seeming a little "mad" lately. Well, that's probably true. I have a medical condition, but I'm still not ready to discuss it. In fact, only my husband and a few teachers at school know about it. My parents don't even know, yet. Why? Well, I'm not ready to discuss it, and they had to be told so we could make schedule changes as needed. That's the only problem with teaching college courses--you have to have projects, etc., set in stone ahead of time, so if you're going to be absent for a small period of time you have to make sure students will still receive college credit. And, my Dad is having surgery on the 14th for a double hernia--so I figured there's no need to burden my parents with my condition. However, I might be able to tell you more after April 12th.
Fifth, I think there is thiswoman girl that is trying to compete against me and everything I do. It pisses me off. That's why my Twitter has been so funky lately. I, unfortunately, can't unfriend her from Facebook, but I REALLY want to do so. (If I unfriend her it will cause MAJOR drama for my husband. See--I still love him even though he's making me change laptops.)
Sixth, I teach highschool and see more drama from this one "girl" than what's in the entire high school. I'm not kidding.
Seventh, I like the number 7. I consider it one of my lucky numbers, so I'll stop here. In the next two days I need to make the following: cheesecake, bunny buns, Easter crosses and peanut butter eggs. I had better hop to it!
First, but foremost, Blogger and the issue with the enter button is ticking me off. Even though you hit enter the blinking light sits where you last typed. This always confuses me and I end up hitting enter about 10 times before I realize it.
Second, my husband bought me a new laptop. I'm going to cry as soon as it gets here, because I've had my "Gordy" since 2003--since I started this blog and made many, many friends. I can't imagine not starting up Gordy and writing stories or notes to friends.
Third, I'm not mad at my husband. I don't do change well.
Fourth, I'm probably seeming a little "mad" lately. Well, that's probably true. I have a medical condition, but I'm still not ready to discuss it. In fact, only my husband and a few teachers at school know about it. My parents don't even know, yet. Why? Well, I'm not ready to discuss it, and they had to be told so we could make schedule changes as needed. That's the only problem with teaching college courses--you have to have projects, etc., set in stone ahead of time, so if you're going to be absent for a small period of time you have to make sure students will still receive college credit. And, my Dad is having surgery on the 14th for a double hernia--so I figured there's no need to burden my parents with my condition. However, I might be able to tell you more after April 12th.
Fifth, I think there is this
Sixth, I teach highschool and see more drama from this one "girl" than what's in the entire high school. I'm not kidding.
Seventh, I like the number 7. I consider it one of my lucky numbers, so I'll stop here. In the next two days I need to make the following: cheesecake, bunny buns, Easter crosses and peanut butter eggs. I had better hop to it!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas 2009
Merry Christmas! Even though we're snowed in at our house in Omaha, Jeff and I decided to make the best of it. We each opened a gift (as you an see on the right, Jeff wraps SO well, LOL), and watched movies. Around 10:30 we played One vs. the Mob on the XBox 360. Jeff said he wanted to stay up for a bit, but I went to bed around midnight. And, it's a good thing I did!
Santa Claus came sometime after I went to bed! He brought me an Wii Fit, which is good, because since I threw my back out I've been jonesing for some yoga.
Although we're making the best of it, it's still sad to not be in Iowa for the holidays with my family. It's the one time of year we stay overnight there, so it's always special. But, anyway, the bottom picture on the right shows why we couldn't go: we've been in a Blizzard Warning since 6 p.m. Christmas Eve, and a Winter Storm Warning since 6 a.m. Christmas Eve morning. We already have 4 foot drifts everywhere (some higher!), and 20 hours left of this storm.
Unfortunately, the track of the storm changed, so we're in for even more snow. They're now saying we could get 18 inches. I think I liked it more when we were in the 9-12 inch range.
And, we have learned a lesson, Jeff will be taking two days of vacation around the holidays from now on.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
It's the Day Before the Night Before Christmas
Even though we won't make it home--to my parent's house--for the holidays, Jeff and I will at least be able to spend Christmas together. It's sad, but that's life.
So, blizzard, get your act together. I'm not missing Christmas for nothing!
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Blizzard--December 2009
This is what 10-11 inches of snow, high winds, cold temperatures and no school for 2-- soon to be 3-- days does to a person. It makes them take pictures of the snow. The picture to the right is out of our back door. The snow is about 5-6 inches high on our door, and there's a 3-4 foot snow bank on our deck. I don't think the storm would have been so bad had it not been for the strong winds.
Jeff is shoveling out the end of our driveway and into the street here. As of today at 6:38 p.m., we have not had anyone plow the street. Stupid Omaha.
We only shoveled half of our driveway-- we are SO sore. There were 2-3 foot drifts on it, and the sidewalks. Since I hurt my back a couple weeks ago, my chiropractor asked me to not over exert myself. I did anyway, because I felt bad for Jeff doing a lot of the snow removal!
Another picture of the bottom of our driveway and the street. That's a lot of freaking snow!
This is looking from the east side of the sidewalk up towards our house. We have a 5-6 foot snow bank from removing snow from only half of the driveway. UGH. I have no idea where we're going to put the rest of the snow!!
The part I'm the most upset about is that I'm missing 3 days with my students at the end of the semester. My freshmen won't be able to watch Romeo and Juliet (yes, the Leo one!!), and my honors classes won't be able to fully discuss the id/ego/super-ego about Pip in section 1 of Great Expectations. My journalism courses should be ok...we have video shot for broadcast and I made sure all of the yearbook deadlines were in before I left Monday--it's only the cover and end sheets at this point.
Let's hope there's school on Friday!! There's only 3 school days until finals next week! AAAAAAHHHH!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
How I'm Spending Saturday
With 4 classes this year, I'm a little worn for the wear. Today, I'm going to finish up some short story projects (LONG PROJECT--WHAT WAS I THINKING?!) and the rest of the conclusions.
Tomorrow will be lesson plans and finishing the conclusions.
Plus, tomorrow I have a glass fusing class. My co-worker asked if I would go, and I agreed before thinking about my workload this weekend.
I'm hoping to make some apple crisp or apple pan dowdy tomorrow, and if I do, I'll put that recipe online.
Happy Grading!
Tomorrow will be lesson plans and finishing the conclusions.
Plus, tomorrow I have a glass fusing class. My co-worker asked if I would go, and I agreed before thinking about my workload this weekend.
I'm hoping to make some apple crisp or apple pan dowdy tomorrow, and if I do, I'll put that recipe online.
Happy Grading!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Day After
Really, Mother Nature?
This isn't even funny. We all figured that the snow would leave yesterday, but no, it's still here.
If I finish writing an exam and grading papers, I might just have a recipe up tonight.
This isn't even funny. We all figured that the snow would leave yesterday, but no, it's still here.
If I finish writing an exam and grading papers, I might just have a recipe up tonight.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Just in Case You Were Wondering
This is what we woke up to this morning. The cats were fighting last night and we were tired, so we were in bed by 9:30 (I think we're getting old...lol) and didn't hear the forecast.
The last forecast I heard was a 6 p.m. and they said a little DUSTING of snow.
The cats woke us up at 5:30 a.m. and we came out to check on the snow, because it looked orange outside. EVERYTHING WAS WHITE!! Needless to say, we didn't go back to bed. I watched a couple episodes of Tom and Jerry and Angel before making breakfast (baked French toast--and I didn't get a picture).
6 inches of snow later I'm hoping this isn't an indication of the rest of fall and winter.
Especially since I need to have another root canal on the 23rd of October.
The last forecast I heard was a 6 p.m. and they said a little DUSTING of snow.
The cats woke us up at 5:30 a.m. and we came out to check on the snow, because it looked orange outside. EVERYTHING WAS WHITE!! Needless to say, we didn't go back to bed. I watched a couple episodes of Tom and Jerry and Angel before making breakfast (baked French toast--and I didn't get a picture).
6 inches of snow later I'm hoping this isn't an indication of the rest of fall and winter.
Especially since I need to have another root canal on the 23rd of October.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Cats and Bones
Recently I was channel surfing after watching Gilmore Girls (on rerun) and found a great show: Bones. I fell in love with the show almost immediately. Of course, it didn't hurt that David Boreanaz (a.k.a. Angel to the Scooby nerds) is one of the leads. However, I love the way the cast is foiled against each other, and the writing is witty. Needless to say, I've found a new addiction while I make supper.
Not much else going on...just working on the yearbook. However, while working on the yearbook last night Sasha was right behind me, sitting in the patio door window. The next thing I hear is a LOUD meow/hiss/roar and the blinds on the patio door went WOOSH. Now, my cats talk. A LOT. However, they do not LOUDLY meow/hiss/roar without a good reason.
The reason? Another stray cat was at our door. The second one in a week.
What makes this different, though, is that this stray cat opened our screen door and was beating on the glass where Sasha was. Sash fought back for a little but, but then just left. But, not before giving me and Morgan a near heart attack! Even Jeff heard her all the way downstairs! YIKES!!
I fed both Morgan and Sasha their favorite wet catfood, to calm their nerves. The only caveat to this experience is that Sasha is sticking to my side wherever I am, and is reluctant to go next to the window by herself. The good thing? She will stick up for herself!!
Not much else going on...just working on the yearbook. However, while working on the yearbook last night Sasha was right behind me, sitting in the patio door window. The next thing I hear is a LOUD meow/hiss/roar and the blinds on the patio door went WOOSH. Now, my cats talk. A LOT. However, they do not LOUDLY meow/hiss/roar without a good reason.
The reason? Another stray cat was at our door. The second one in a week.
What makes this different, though, is that this stray cat opened our screen door and was beating on the glass where Sasha was. Sash fought back for a little but, but then just left. But, not before giving me and Morgan a near heart attack! Even Jeff heard her all the way downstairs! YIKES!!
I fed both Morgan and Sasha their favorite wet catfood, to calm their nerves. The only caveat to this experience is that Sasha is sticking to my side wherever I am, and is reluctant to go next to the window by herself. The good thing? She will stick up for herself!!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Google Reader
I have become obsessed with Google Reader recently. Any food blog, or for that matter any blog I like to read, I will place in the reader. This makes my life easier, because I can access my favorite sites from anywhere and don't have to visit each one daily to check for updates. Additionally, I can read it at school if I want a certain recipe. Thus, I finally added the RSS access on my sites as well.
Today is Memorial Day, and I hope each one of you takes time to remember the good times with the ones we have lost. And, please salute the soldiers and sailors who have helped keep our country safe.
Today is Memorial Day, and I hope each one of you takes time to remember the good times with the ones we have lost. And, please salute the soldiers and sailors who have helped keep our country safe.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Swings and Sunburns
Yesterday we put together a new swing, so that I could sit outside and read, or drink beer, or in this case, both.
I didn't stay out in the sun too long, plus I had on sun block, but wouldn't you know it, I apparently missed a spot on my shoulder blades and they are both red as radishes. They are not too painful, though, so I am thankful for that.
Not much else going on, other than school is out for the summer!
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Where I've Been
I've been updating on my recipes site, and not really paying any attention to this blog. I find that this blog has provided therapy over the years, but I need it less and less. I'll keep it up--it is a record of the good, the bad, the ugly and the VERY ugly--but if I update about once a month that will be it.
On a high note, I just redyed my hair back to the dark chestnut color with red and blond highlights on the mohawk. And...I won teacher of the month for April--what a stark contrast from 5 years ago!
On a high note, I just redyed my hair back to the dark chestnut color with red and blond highlights on the mohawk. And...I won teacher of the month for April--what a stark contrast from 5 years ago!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Keeping Up with My Resolutions
One of the resolutions I made for 2009 was to do something outside of my comfort zone each month. This month I chose to do something that most people would not consider out of the ordinary, but for me and my slight *cough*cough* slight agoraphobia this was a huge step.
While I wish I could say that I stayed away from the dentist office, I can't. Dr. M. and I are now on a first name basis and are trading book titles back and forth. At this point she's also giving me free toothpaste (and not the small tubes, but the large ones!) and free fluoride treatments for me to put on my teeth at home. I guess I learned my lesson the hard way...I used to only brush my teeth once a day...then upgraded to twice. I now brush 2-3 times a day and try to use some type of fluoride treatment. As I have learned...brush your teeth ALL THE FRICKIN' TIME. Especially if you have bad teeth to begin with.
Anyway, on to my original subject: my brush with agoraphobia. I hate going out to public places with people I don't really know (or care for), or in places that I'm not familiar. This past Sunday I did both of those things.
R.School had the faculty supper at St0kes. Since this was a Mexican restaurant (I'll spare you the details about me getting sick), I was nervous regarding my food allergies/tolerances. To top it all off, while I like most of the faculty members I work with, there are some that drive me up the wall. But, Jeff and I went anyway. He had the shrimp pasta (which I do not have a tolerance for) while I had the chicken with (jalapeno!) bbq sauce. We sat with the new English teacher who is a couple years younger than me, and his fiance. It wasn't too bad, and I got some social points in with the faculty.
I did however drink somewhere between 5-6 glasses of iced tea due to my nerves, and had to use the restroom frequently. And, while the salad was quite good (and the croutons to die for!) I became ill from the bbq sauce. It was very hot with jalapenos, which they didn't say anything about when I asked, and had some other spices in it. After I took one bit I couldn't eat anything more. Nothing. Notta. I felt bad for wasting food, but I was sweating and couldn't handle it anymore.
While I wish I could say that I stayed away from the dentist office, I can't. Dr. M. and I are now on a first name basis and are trading book titles back and forth. At this point she's also giving me free toothpaste (and not the small tubes, but the large ones!) and free fluoride treatments for me to put on my teeth at home. I guess I learned my lesson the hard way...I used to only brush my teeth once a day...then upgraded to twice. I now brush 2-3 times a day and try to use some type of fluoride treatment. As I have learned...brush your teeth ALL THE FRICKIN' TIME. Especially if you have bad teeth to begin with.
Anyway, on to my original subject: my brush with agoraphobia. I hate going out to public places with people I don't really know (or care for), or in places that I'm not familiar. This past Sunday I did both of those things.
R.School had the faculty supper at St0kes. Since this was a Mexican restaurant (I'll spare you the details about me getting sick), I was nervous regarding my food allergies/tolerances. To top it all off, while I like most of the faculty members I work with, there are some that drive me up the wall. But, Jeff and I went anyway. He had the shrimp pasta (which I do not have a tolerance for) while I had the chicken with (jalapeno!) bbq sauce. We sat with the new English teacher who is a couple years younger than me, and his fiance. It wasn't too bad, and I got some social points in with the faculty.
I did however drink somewhere between 5-6 glasses of iced tea due to my nerves, and had to use the restroom frequently. And, while the salad was quite good (and the croutons to die for!) I became ill from the bbq sauce. It was very hot with jalapenos, which they didn't say anything about when I asked, and had some other spices in it. After I took one bit I couldn't eat anything more. Nothing. Notta. I felt bad for wasting food, but I was sweating and couldn't handle it anymore.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Goodbye 2008?? Hello 2009??
I really don't understand why people celebrate to excess on New Years Eve. I mean, really...we're just celebrating a year of getting older, a year of fucking up, and a year of managing to stay ahead of the game. Hey, I'm a girl that's all for having another reason to drink A LOT of beer, but even I have my limits of celebration.
Does changing the year actually change anything? There are still starving children in Africa, the polar ice caps are melting at alarming rates and people are losing their jobs left and right. Oh, and the animals! Don't even get me started on the poor stray animals I've been seeing...Jeff says I can't save them all. I wish I could. Same for all of the sad kids I see everyday.
As I sit and watch the television, the interviewers keep on saying that 2009 will be a year of hope. Really? A year ago at this time were they not saying that 2008 would be a prosperous new year?
Will our government ever change? Can we actually begin to help people who are impoverished, ill or hopeless? May we all be treated equally regardless of physical and mental conditions? (Sorry, ever since battling PTSD and depression a couple years ago I still get fucking pissed when I hear about people being labeled.)
God, I fucking hope we will change. But, alas, we're human and not perfect.
And, because imperfections are a part of life, here are my resolutions for a better new year:
1.) Lose weight. I managed to lose 5 last year...even considering all of the antibiotics I was on. GO ME.
2.) Take the GRE in both the general and subjet test so I can someday get into a PhD program.
3.) Publish at least one piece of writing.
4.) Do at least 1 thing per month outside of my comfort zone.
5.) Spend less friviously so I may help out more people who need the money more than I do.
Does changing the year actually change anything? There are still starving children in Africa, the polar ice caps are melting at alarming rates and people are losing their jobs left and right. Oh, and the animals! Don't even get me started on the poor stray animals I've been seeing...Jeff says I can't save them all. I wish I could. Same for all of the sad kids I see everyday.
As I sit and watch the television, the interviewers keep on saying that 2009 will be a year of hope. Really? A year ago at this time were they not saying that 2008 would be a prosperous new year?
Will our government ever change? Can we actually begin to help people who are impoverished, ill or hopeless? May we all be treated equally regardless of physical and mental conditions? (Sorry, ever since battling PTSD and depression a couple years ago I still get fucking pissed when I hear about people being labeled.)
God, I fucking hope we will change. But, alas, we're human and not perfect.
And, because imperfections are a part of life, here are my resolutions for a better new year:
1.) Lose weight. I managed to lose 5 last year...even considering all of the antibiotics I was on. GO ME.
2.) Take the GRE in both the general and subjet test so I can someday get into a PhD program.
3.) Publish at least one piece of writing.
4.) Do at least 1 thing per month outside of my comfort zone.
5.) Spend less friviously so I may help out more people who need the money more than I do.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A New Addiction
I could go on and on about how my teeth suck and I've been going to the dentist for 5 weeks now, but I wont. I could also complain about the fact that I'm trying not to move, and that I need to make an appointment for the doctor tomorrow afternoon before I go to the dentist, because I'm pretty damn sure I have a UTI, but alas that's already TMI.
Hence, since I've been trying not to move for the past 36 hours, I've found a new addiction: etsy.com. Etsy is a website where you can buy and sell homemade items fairly cheap. I have been buying up a storm! So far I've bought one Christmas present so I can't say it on here, but let's just say it's awesome; a pair of Glowworm earrings; 4 pair of PacMan ghost studs; a white and pink cat-ear knit hat; a pink circular knit scarf; green glass bulb earrings; two pair of rose dangle earrings; red dangle glass earrings; silver rose dangle with a red bulb earrings; and a good luck, horseshoe necklace; all for under $50!
I have to force myself to get off of that site, because it is so addictive. I absolutely love, love, love all of the unique items on there. My favorite thing is to go to the geekery section and browse through all of the items.
I love craft work, I really do. But, I suck at it. I can make Santa Claus heads (ahem, that's also going to be Christmas gifts--I think), and I can make fleece blankets. But, I've been trying to teach myself to knit...and that's not going so well.
I may just stick to cooking and baking and leave all of the crafts up to my new addiction.
Hence, since I've been trying not to move for the past 36 hours, I've found a new addiction: etsy.com. Etsy is a website where you can buy and sell homemade items fairly cheap. I have been buying up a storm! So far I've bought one Christmas present so I can't say it on here, but let's just say it's awesome; a pair of Glowworm earrings; 4 pair of PacMan ghost studs; a white and pink cat-ear knit hat; a pink circular knit scarf; green glass bulb earrings; two pair of rose dangle earrings; red dangle glass earrings; silver rose dangle with a red bulb earrings; and a good luck, horseshoe necklace; all for under $50!
I have to force myself to get off of that site, because it is so addictive. I absolutely love, love, love all of the unique items on there. My favorite thing is to go to the geekery section and browse through all of the items.
I love craft work, I really do. But, I suck at it. I can make Santa Claus heads (ahem, that's also going to be Christmas gifts--I think), and I can make fleece blankets. But, I've been trying to teach myself to knit...and that's not going so well.
I may just stick to cooking and baking and leave all of the crafts up to my new addiction.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
For Fear's Sake
I have a stabbing pain in my heart, that I feel cannot be repaired.
I have been trying to make friends since I moved down here, but it seems next to impossible. The teachers I work with are either way older than I am, or have all of their college friends living near by.
I don't.
My friends live up in South Dakota and Minnesota. So, seeing them during the winter months is almost impossible. Not to mention that they both work jobs where they are on call during the weekends.
Except for the summer, I only have weekends off, and truthfully, I end up working a lot during those weekends for various reasons.
Yet, I still feel lonely.
I've never been able to make friends easily. In fact, I really don't like most people when I first like them. So, just an FYI, if you know me and I'm still talking to you, it means I really do like you. Anyway, because of how picky I am, I haven't had anyone to hang out with in the 2 1/2 years I've lived down here.
Well, I take that back. I did hang out with a couple people a few times, but I found that to be a situation that I didn't believe was healthy. So, while I still talk to that person, I don't hang out with her anymore.
I've been toying with ways to try and find friends, but they never really seem to work. I've thought about joining a book club, but those meet early afternoons or Tuesday nights at 6:30. Um, that does not work for me, because we have a lot of school activities on Tuesday nights. I've also thought about volunteering, but I don't feel like driving down to the bad part of town (and, oh yes, this town has bad parts).
I don't knit very well, so stitch-and-bitch would not work.
Any other ideas??
Oops, better go before I miss the AMAs.
I have been trying to make friends since I moved down here, but it seems next to impossible. The teachers I work with are either way older than I am, or have all of their college friends living near by.
I don't.
My friends live up in South Dakota and Minnesota. So, seeing them during the winter months is almost impossible. Not to mention that they both work jobs where they are on call during the weekends.
Except for the summer, I only have weekends off, and truthfully, I end up working a lot during those weekends for various reasons.
Yet, I still feel lonely.
I've never been able to make friends easily. In fact, I really don't like most people when I first like them. So, just an FYI, if you know me and I'm still talking to you, it means I really do like you. Anyway, because of how picky I am, I haven't had anyone to hang out with in the 2 1/2 years I've lived down here.
Well, I take that back. I did hang out with a couple people a few times, but I found that to be a situation that I didn't believe was healthy. So, while I still talk to that person, I don't hang out with her anymore.
I've been toying with ways to try and find friends, but they never really seem to work. I've thought about joining a book club, but those meet early afternoons or Tuesday nights at 6:30. Um, that does not work for me, because we have a lot of school activities on Tuesday nights. I've also thought about volunteering, but I don't feel like driving down to the bad part of town (and, oh yes, this town has bad parts).
I don't knit very well, so stitch-and-bitch would not work.
Any other ideas??
Oops, better go before I miss the AMAs.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Things I Don't Care About
I'm working on a yearbook deadline, which I guess I technically will miss at the close of business today. Oh well...I suppose I should get motivated.
I haven't been motivated to do anything lately. In fact, I've been going through some nasty insomnia and depression feelings. Why? I'm not quite sure, but I think the aforementioned deadlines have something to do with it.
I used to love deadlines, but only when I know exactly what I'm doing. Being a first-year instructor on the yearbook and teaching freshman leaves me without knowing 3/4 of the student body. That sucks. Also, having to spend 1/2 the year finishing last year's yearbook has left me drained on this one.
I also need to get all of my personal pictures downloaded to the computer and put up on MySpace and Facebook for all of your viewing pleasures. There are some funny stories regarding bison that hate my driving.
Other pictures include me running on the beach on the 4th of July. We decided to have a picnic with my brothers and my parents back in Iowa at the local county park--where my youngest brother works. We met for lunch, and then hiked around the park. I took a couple of artsy pictures, but nothing I would consider to be life changing.
Other than that, I'm avoiding MySpace and Facebook like the plague. A couple of high school classmates have found me on those sites and I, not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, decided to add them. This has been a challenge, because I don't really talk to anyone from high school, nor do I want them to know anything about my life.
Many of my classmates were self-absorbed, spoiled kids, whose parents grew up in the same town we lived. Thus, since my parents grew up outside of the tiny 500-person town, and we moved there when I was 3, I was an outsider. It didn't help that teachers would often think I was dumb because I didn't have the same last name as 1/2 the other kids at school. I was teased a lot because I liked to read, was clumsy and of course, was chubby. It wasn't until my 6th grade teacher (who didn't give a shit about generational heritage) that I finally started to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
That teacher, Mr. P., put me in the challenging reading groups and had me work on my math skills until I was in the top of that as well. The previous two years of being ignored by the worst teacher ever, had finally been vindicated. I was doing better than most of the kids whose parents grew up in the system--and in only 1/2 a year. Suckers.
Junior high and high school were very easy for me, if not too easy. I never studied, and rarely did homework (except algebra and geometry), which in retrospect was dumb. Even though I graduated with honors, I could have done so much better. But, I was bored and found reading books or writing stories to be much more fun.
But, alas, I didn't have any close friends. I had three or four that I talked to, and hung out with a lot, but none that shared my interests or hobbies. I had a couple of friends in my Odyssey of the Mind group, and Tonya and I have stayed good friends, but she was a year younger than me in school. I also had a few friends from 4-H, but one was 5 years older than me, the other 1 year younger. Also, woodworking and cooking don't always make your friends knock down your door wanting to talk.
I felt alone a lot, caused by my hobbies. But, I don't regret it. I enjoyed working on antique furniture, reading and cooking. It's enhanced my abilities as a writer and storyteller, not to mention it's taught me patience.
Additionally, I've learned to be ambitious. I always knew I would get out of that 500-person town, and go somewhere else.
Did I know I would end up as a teacher with a master's degree in English? NO. I was a political science and drama major my first year of college, and then I met a couple of English professors who changed my mind.
I finally realized that writing/teaching could be a viable life choice. It was like a light turned on in my head and it felt right. I had found the right career--something I had been doing pretty much my entire life, alone.
There's also an air of mysteriousness that I like to create.
One of the two classmate I still talk to I saw at my wedding a couple weeks ago, the other I see on occasion at special events back home. Of course, neither one of those classmates were the ones to add me on MySpace or Facebook.
I'm a very private person in real life. Writing is a totally different experience for me, because it's how I express myself best. Ask my husband; I get tongue-tied when I try to talk about my feelings. But, writing about feelings comes easy--it's a release and I can always delete a sentence if I don't like the way it comes out. It's what I consider a bleep-button for verbal-diarrhea. Anyway, instead of all of my posts on MySpace, I may actually begin to use blogger again.
I am supposed to have a 10-year high school class reunion sometime this month. What day? I'm not sure. The post card, which was mailed to my parent's house, didn't have a date. Instead, it had a time, place (2 bars nonetheless) and an email address for questions. HA! Out of pure, unadulterated facetiousness, I thought about emailing the contact person about the date, but then realized that would corner me into a position of "are you going?"
I don't think they would appreciate a, "HELL NO."
Part of the reason I don't want to go is because I'm proud of the accomplishments I've made for myself. By myself. Earning a BA with a 3.5 GPA, a MA with a 3.8 GPA and reading papers at 2 different conferences. I accomplished more in those two years at graduate school than some professors do in 5 years.
But, in reality, that's not good enough for me--for someone who was once ostracized because her parents didn't grow up in the same town. I want to be at the top of the chain, earning my Ph.D. and living somewhere other than the mid-west. I suppose I'll always be self-conscious because of my adolescent experiences.
The other part is that I really don't care about my classmates, but I did consider going to check out their lives. I've heard rumors that some are now living train-wrecks. I would hate to laugh in their faces.
I guess I do care about them more than I should.
I haven't been motivated to do anything lately. In fact, I've been going through some nasty insomnia and depression feelings. Why? I'm not quite sure, but I think the aforementioned deadlines have something to do with it.
I used to love deadlines, but only when I know exactly what I'm doing. Being a first-year instructor on the yearbook and teaching freshman leaves me without knowing 3/4 of the student body. That sucks. Also, having to spend 1/2 the year finishing last year's yearbook has left me drained on this one.
I also need to get all of my personal pictures downloaded to the computer and put up on MySpace and Facebook for all of your viewing pleasures. There are some funny stories regarding bison that hate my driving.
Other pictures include me running on the beach on the 4th of July. We decided to have a picnic with my brothers and my parents back in Iowa at the local county park--where my youngest brother works. We met for lunch, and then hiked around the park. I took a couple of artsy pictures, but nothing I would consider to be life changing.
Other than that, I'm avoiding MySpace and Facebook like the plague. A couple of high school classmates have found me on those sites and I, not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, decided to add them. This has been a challenge, because I don't really talk to anyone from high school, nor do I want them to know anything about my life.
Many of my classmates were self-absorbed, spoiled kids, whose parents grew up in the same town we lived. Thus, since my parents grew up outside of the tiny 500-person town, and we moved there when I was 3, I was an outsider. It didn't help that teachers would often think I was dumb because I didn't have the same last name as 1/2 the other kids at school. I was teased a lot because I liked to read, was clumsy and of course, was chubby. It wasn't until my 6th grade teacher (who didn't give a shit about generational heritage) that I finally started to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
That teacher, Mr. P., put me in the challenging reading groups and had me work on my math skills until I was in the top of that as well. The previous two years of being ignored by the worst teacher ever, had finally been vindicated. I was doing better than most of the kids whose parents grew up in the system--and in only 1/2 a year. Suckers.
Junior high and high school were very easy for me, if not too easy. I never studied, and rarely did homework (except algebra and geometry), which in retrospect was dumb. Even though I graduated with honors, I could have done so much better. But, I was bored and found reading books or writing stories to be much more fun.
But, alas, I didn't have any close friends. I had three or four that I talked to, and hung out with a lot, but none that shared my interests or hobbies. I had a couple of friends in my Odyssey of the Mind group, and Tonya and I have stayed good friends, but she was a year younger than me in school. I also had a few friends from 4-H, but one was 5 years older than me, the other 1 year younger. Also, woodworking and cooking don't always make your friends knock down your door wanting to talk.
I felt alone a lot, caused by my hobbies. But, I don't regret it. I enjoyed working on antique furniture, reading and cooking. It's enhanced my abilities as a writer and storyteller, not to mention it's taught me patience.
Additionally, I've learned to be ambitious. I always knew I would get out of that 500-person town, and go somewhere else.
Did I know I would end up as a teacher with a master's degree in English? NO. I was a political science and drama major my first year of college, and then I met a couple of English professors who changed my mind.
I finally realized that writing/teaching could be a viable life choice. It was like a light turned on in my head and it felt right. I had found the right career--something I had been doing pretty much my entire life, alone.
There's also an air of mysteriousness that I like to create.
One of the two classmate I still talk to I saw at my wedding a couple weeks ago, the other I see on occasion at special events back home. Of course, neither one of those classmates were the ones to add me on MySpace or Facebook.
I'm a very private person in real life. Writing is a totally different experience for me, because it's how I express myself best. Ask my husband; I get tongue-tied when I try to talk about my feelings. But, writing about feelings comes easy--it's a release and I can always delete a sentence if I don't like the way it comes out. It's what I consider a bleep-button for verbal-diarrhea. Anyway, instead of all of my posts on MySpace, I may actually begin to use blogger again.
I am supposed to have a 10-year high school class reunion sometime this month. What day? I'm not sure. The post card, which was mailed to my parent's house, didn't have a date. Instead, it had a time, place (2 bars nonetheless) and an email address for questions. HA! Out of pure, unadulterated facetiousness, I thought about emailing the contact person about the date, but then realized that would corner me into a position of "are you going?"
I don't think they would appreciate a, "HELL NO."
Part of the reason I don't want to go is because I'm proud of the accomplishments I've made for myself. By myself. Earning a BA with a 3.5 GPA, a MA with a 3.8 GPA and reading papers at 2 different conferences. I accomplished more in those two years at graduate school than some professors do in 5 years.
But, in reality, that's not good enough for me--for someone who was once ostracized because her parents didn't grow up in the same town. I want to be at the top of the chain, earning my Ph.D. and living somewhere other than the mid-west. I suppose I'll always be self-conscious because of my adolescent experiences.
The other part is that I really don't care about my classmates, but I did consider going to check out their lives. I've heard rumors that some are now living train-wrecks. I would hate to laugh in their faces.
I guess I do care about them more than I should.
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