Church Fashion!

Curtesy of David - a link to fashionable churchnik gear.

http://12praz.ru/pages/about/release2.html

Making Catrina Pt. 2

Facebook wins for quick upload (though you cannot bigify)

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6949&id=100000083513885&l=7c5796e3d7

A friend (hi Emily) had a suggestion for the make up - to do a sort of charcoal effect - I was thinking like this:



But sans red beret - see facebook link for photos!

Making Catrina

I have never been a fan of Halloween. The whole holiday is a mystery to me. For years I resisted dressing up and, since I am a teacher, it is particualrly difficult to not seem "Scrooge-like" around the "holiday".

However, I in recent years have become enamoured with Dia de Los Muertos - probably because I am Mexican and can understand a celebration of death that is more jolly and less creepy. I love how Dia de Los Muertos celebrates the rememberance of the dead and how life continues after death. I really want to set up an altera this year and make some sugar skulls.

Since the local HP Alliance chapter (which I am a part of) is hosting a Halloween themed concert this year, I have decided to step up my Halloween costume. Last year I went as a Ravenclaw, but this year I want to dress up as La Calavera Catrina.

So, I am going to start my inspiration board here:

So - Catrina is a bit naked and since it is a family event, I don't think that will work. But, she is usually shown in some sort of early 1900s fashion. Like these gals:

I don't think I could rock (or wrock, har har) the wide brim hat or bustle, much less the heavy facepaint. I will have to teach all day the day of the concert.

So here is what I am thinking:

- Black dress that has a sort of 60's look or other black dress that has a 40's look

- Smoky eye make up and dark red lipstick (I have neither one and have no idea how to accomplish this)

- Lace gaunlets (I could probably make these)

- gorgeous green beaded necklace ($20 at Anthropolgie! Score!)

- earrings that look like little sugar skulls

- I have a red pillbox hat with flowers, but then I saw this halloween themed one at fireworks gallery, and felt inspired. I will try to make a black one with the same netting but decorate it in some teal green flower clips that I got at H & M that match the necklace

- I need a sexy, yet comfortable, black shoe; it will be october and freakin' cold and rainy and the school I am at has LOTS of stairs

More pictures to come soon! Suggestions are welcome :D

Der Ring des Nibilungen

I had this whole crazy blogging extravaganza planned with daily posts and pictures of outfits I wore to the 2009 Ring Cycle.

I neglected to notice that I was attending the Ring Cycle the first week back on the job.

Well, here is the one picture I took of me prior to going to The Ring.

Rather boring - but I was in a rush because I was driving from Bellevue to Seattle and then to downtown Seattle. Not a fun time.

I remember first watching bits of The Ring when I was younger. I didn't think much of it - I thought the music sounded very cool.

I was excited to go this time and the music was AWESOME. A singer must REALLY know what he or she is doing in order to sing Wagner and Speight Jenkins (director of the Seattle Opera) picked some amazing voices.

I loved Brunnhilde and Fricka - both the characters and the women who sang them (Janice Baird and Stephanie Blythe respectively).

The character of Hunding I did not like at all - I mean his best line to Sieglinde was "woman, fix me a drink then wait for me in bed." However, Andrea Silvestrelli's voice - oh my heavens. I thought I was going to pass out on the spot...seriously beautiful and super sexy voice. Like oozing sex.

Like I kinda felt dirty after.

Then some friends who my husband and I met up with during the intermissions told us that the singer who played Hunding in the previous production was even sexier.

How is that possible???

Richard Paul Fink sung/played Alberich. He was INCREDIBLE - I have never heard a voice like his!!! It was unbelievably rich and powerful; his character was creepy but you didn't want to miss one note that came out of his mouth.

There is one thing I didn't like about Der Ring - it was SO nihilistic and Nietzschian.

Basically the gods all die, and doubt themselves, and betray themselves, and get all incestuous. It is really creepy. Especially Siegfried who is the incarnation of the Nietzschian superman.

However, these underlying themes provided a lot of conversation between my husband and I.

The mythology is very similar the The Lord of the Rings and though Tolkien denied a connection, there exists a very strong connection between the two works. Both contain rings (dur), both contain superhumans who are fighting destiny, and both contain swords that are reforged.

However, Tolkien does not use Norse mythology to create a godless world, but takes what is true and beautiful to create a world that pre-figures a knowledge of God. Tolkien's work nods towards God and leads one to the true nature of God.

Wagner goes the other route. He deems the gods dead, he gives them that fate, and then creates gods with human frailties that it is hard to see how they are "gods" exactly. I did not understand how Wagner and Nietzsche ignore the idea, or deny the idea, of God's transcendence above time and space and anything our finite brains can understand.

God is Love - and while His Will at times is difficult to understand or comprehend, it is there. I never understood "Will to Power" - without God, I can do nothing.

Which is why I love how Brunnhilde and Fricka call Wotan on his $#*! - and also I want to be a Valkarie. I could totally rock a helmet with horns.

Banff 2009

Sorry Blogspot - Facebook wins in terms of being able to quickly upload and caption photos.

Check out our trip here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=6339&id=100000083513885&l=2d4c73f06d

Or serach for me under "Lia Mey Seattle"

:D

DJ'-ing

I have so far DJ'ed three weddings and last night made number four.

I am used to playing a lot of swing and a few dance songs, but mostly slow songs because anyone can do a "walking hug". The group last night seemed really into "dance" music, or at least fairly fast paced songs.

I have never had a request for "Funkytown". Especially yelled at me in a fairly drunken manner.

Whatevers. At least four people came up to me and said that they enjoyed the music and that I did a good job.

But that one individual getting all bratty and huffy just leaves me with a sour feeling.

I did find it amusing how many folks thought I would show up with two turntables and a mircophone! I am just a girl with a laptop and a lot of music!

Still, people want specific songs and I simply do not have that capability - I can play something similar and in the same genre, but sometimes it is difficult to get to specific songs. And WHO the heck DANCES to "Smells Like Teen Spirit"???

I now own a copy of "Funkytown", should the fancy strike again. Perhaps it was the hangover, but I feel tainted owning it - as if I am letting someone else dictate what music I have in my library.

Regardless, our friends' wedding was beautiful and fun!

WHY???

A few puzzling things on my mind right now:

1. What is the difference between facebook and twitter?

I seriously don't get it. I have followed a few folks "twitters" and they seem an AWFULLY similar to facebook. Both allow you to post links and pictures, both allow you to write little snippets about what you are doing, and people can make comments on your "mini" posts.

So what is the big difference? You can even update facebook on your mobile phone.

I must say I am not impressed with facebook's platform (is that the right term?). It takes me forever to figure out what button I want for what function AND there is not easy access to one's friend list. Perhaps I just need more practice.

I do like the constant updates since I have been cloistered in my house studying.


2. Why am I creating notecards for this test???

I hate memorizing things, but I can do it fairly easily. I have A LOT of terms to know for this educational research class and notecards seem to be the way to go. I have not written notecards for a class since senior year of high school in Latin class.

:(

It just seems a very superficial way to assess what I have learned in this class. I can fully understand why students dislike studying for tests - especially tests where they are not allowed to use reference notes.

This is why I usually allow students to have some sort of simplified reference that they generate for tests. It is not too often in life that you cannot refer to some manual or source for information that you need. Also, those things you use most often become second nature after using resource notes. I am not a fantastic teacher, but I do want students to clearly demonstrate what they know and try to make assessment as stress free as possible (as it affects reliability greatly). Students tend to do MUCH better

Perhaps I should conduct my own research study on the effects of student generated reference notes and academic achievement...

...but that would mean a convenience sample with limited generalization and would do not one any good.

Humph.

I Don't Want to Forget This...

...and why not share!

Transfiguration Peach Salsa (This is what the hubbster called it)

1 yellow peach (diced)

1 different peach (diced)

1 necturine (diced)

(I liked the variety of stone fruits for the color)

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion (walla walla is delicious)

2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

juice of two limes

2 jalapenos seeded, ribs cut off, and diced

salt (1/4 tsp or to taste)


Stir this all up in a bowl and then chill in the fridge for about half an hour.

(Almost) Live from the Ring Cycle!

Seattle Opera is going for another production of The Ring by Richard Wagner.

Five (or six?) years ago when the hubby and I moved up here, Seattle Opera was doing a production, but it had sold out to subscribers. We could not go :(

For the next cycle, we were subscribers and got to get tickets! Woot! :D

However, the cycle did not sell out - bad news for Seattle Opera. :(

To make matters worse, the next season is a bit on the odd side. Seattle Opera has called MANY times to get us to subscribe again because it is EXCEPTIONALLY bad timing to do a huge, expensive produciton and follow up with a less intriguing season.

Still, the hubby and I are slated to go in late August and are VERY EXCITED to see a live Ring production.

Well, I am at least - I have only seen bits of The Ring on PBS and of course...

If anyone is interested in attending, come join us! I have enjoyed the Seattle Opera and it is a once in a lifetime event :D

Is There Any Felicity Greater Than This?

*drools*

I love pan dulces!!! My mom is in town and brought these to me - all for me! (My hubby is not fond of the pan dulces - he mostly likes rich, chocolaty things and these are sugary.)

Why can I not bake like this?

These are "conchas" - l think translated as "shells". It is similar to challah but infused with a hint of cinnamon. The sugar decorating on top is a little bite of heaven.

CORRECTION: the official name is pan de huevo...I think I only call them conchas.



OOOOOoooooooohh....these are a snickerdoodle-like cookies, but no cinnamon on top, just pure sugar goodness. They are very delicate (though hearty looking) and fall apart at the touch. In Mexico, for breakfast, I would drop one in the bottom of a cup and pour the dark Mexican coffee on top.

*drools some more*

But I can't bake like this! I attempted to make Vegan scones this morning using coconut milk instead of cream. I ended up with this slopping mess that resembled a drop-biscuit batter instead of a regular biscuit batter that one can roll and knead.

>:(

I blame the egg replacer.

Here it is in the oven - I decided to scoop the whole thing in a pie plate and bake just one giant scone/biscuit.


I need to clean the oven window...here is final golden biscuit-like product.



And I decided a little taste was in order...but it really didn't have a strong coconut flavor. It wasn't fragrant, but the texture was very biscuit like. There are pecans, candied ginger, and diced dried plums in there too.

I shouldn't feel too bad though. Last night I made peanut noodles with a trader joe brand peanut sauce and my hubby told me later that he thought my peanut sauce was better.

:D

I Am a Lemming...

...just joined facebook under "Lia Mey".

If you are thinking of friending me, I refer you to this eloquent post.

Meh (Beware:HBP movie spoilers)

I am DONE with one of the two classes I am taking this summer. I finished this Wednesday with a class that was driving me INSANE!!! It was full of teachers in training who were so idealistic - great for reflecting on how much I have grown as a teacher, but not so great for discussion where I had hoped to generate ideas.

I went to see Half-Blood Prince yesterday afternoon in celebration with my buddy Renee.

Neither of one of us were pleased.

This review pretty much sums it up: http://www.reelviews.net/php_review_template.php?identifier=1717

Things I Loved:

- Jim Broadbent: ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! I love this actor and he is amazing as Slughorn. He has a really cool story involving Lily that made my cry.

- Lavendar Brown: Hee - Dead on!

- Young Voldemort: A bit of a berk but REALLY well done! Captures the great manipulation and darkness of the future Voldy.

- Harry on Felix Felicitas: HA!!! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! Super funny - not quite the sensation described in the book, but it was so d@mn funny!

- Cormic & Blaise: Can they be shirtless in the next film? HOT!!! Cormic was captured very well (though more handsome than I envisioned him in the book)

- Ring + Harry = Harry is a Horcrux forshadowing. Well done and interesting.

- Overall cinematography: really beautiful.

-Draco: FINALLY a character! He did a terrific job and had some great lines. Loved the Katie Bell scene and the sectumsemra scene.

- Snape: Allen Rickman is made of awesome and had more lines that were not just for comedic effect. He got to be Snape and his hair did not look like a bad wig.

- Olivander captured! Really quite scary!!! (brief though)

-OVERALL: beautifully shot, finally a blend of young and adult actors, and some nice set up for the final films.


Things I Did NOT like (WTF = What the Frak):

- WTF: we waited THIS LONG FOR THE MOVIE - it still seemed slapped together and not polished. And they used music from Order of the Phoenix. LAME.

- Hermione: FLAT. Her characterization was so 2-D and written such that she seems shallow and not interesting. The film drove home the point that she and Ron liked each other, but Hermione seemed just as vapid as Lavendar (though slightly less annoying).

- Fenrir: Is he a werewolf? Or just a DE with a really hairy face and collection of 70's open shirts to reveal his manscaped chest? Just give him a medalion and he could be a wizard pimp. No back story with Lupin.

- Narcissa: not AS bad as I thought, but her HAIR?!?!?!?!? And she didn't speak the lines of the unbreakable vow!!?@>!?!>?@ So weird...liked her shoes though.

- HORCRUXES: no tiara, no back story with the ring, no Helga Hufflepuff cup. Harry and Dumbledore mention 7 horcruxes, but I don't see how the film makers will exposition this in the next films. Unless Voldemort had some secret diary where he recoreded all of his horcruxes and Hermione finds it, I doubt there will be seven horcruxes in the final film.

MY PREDICITON: no Gringotts break in - it will be 5 horcruxes: diary, ring, Harry, nagini, and locket.

- RON: WTF!?@#?@ Ron was a real character in the last film. Then Steve Kloves got his hands on him and made him a silent statue that eats, gets snogged, and looks rather silly.

- Dozens and Dozens of Gollums: Seriously. The inferi in the cave were dozens and dozens of gollumses. Lame.

- Slight Return of Creepy Dumbledore: Ew. Asking questions about Harry and Hermione, telling Harry to "get collected" by Slughorn - it was weird.

- Dumbledore: He had more lines, excuted them well (cave scene was good), but his hand looked slightly burned instead of sinister. AND THERE WAS NO FUNERAL!!! WTF!!!! I did cry when Faulkes goes flying by, but it wasn't nearly as sad or beautiful as Dumbledore's death should have been.

- Top of the Astronomy Tower: WTF!?!@!@$!>?>!@#>?!>@#?!

?^&%^*#@!?^&(^*&#$%#

Harry over hears the "you ask to much of me" Snape & Dumbledore interaction. Later Snape "shushes" Harry who is hiding in the lower part of the Astronomy Tower (? When did that happen?). Renee felt it was giving away that Snape was good - perhaps she is right. I am of the opinion that it had to be written this way so that movie-only fans could get the idea that Snape is not all that he seems to be.

NO BATTLE AT HOGWARTS!!! NO BATTLE AT HOGWARTS??? That alone made me mad, never mind the stuff above.



Overall: the film was not its own adventure. It was a slight stepping stone into the final films. They had to make the characters grow up, set up for the next film, and move along. It was like watching a stage being set up for a play - interesting, but not riveting.

This Is What SHOULD Happen...

I have a lot of girl students who really love Twlight. Some of them get quite upset that I do not enjoy the series and prefer Harry Potter.

Whatever - I couldn't read much of Twlight in Barnes and Noble without throwing up.

Thanks to my friend Katy, I have also been introduced to Buffy - another series that totally pwns Twlight

So, this video that I enjoyed via Meg Cabot's Twitter CRACKED ME UP!!!



Hee!

I also enjoyed a blog post by the author that states that his purpose for the video is to point out that women get these deluded ideas from literature that guys need to be obssessed with them in order for their relationship to be romantic.

And that is what I fear is happening to young girls who read these books. They get stupid ideas about how boys behave and what to expect in relationships. Girls need to be stronger than that! And should always carry a wooden stake with them at all times...just sayin'.

You Know You Are Loved When...

...a seventh grade boy draws this for you.



I am just grateful he didn't put any cleavage bursting forth from the calculator corset.

:|

I Am a Dweeb.

Just ran across these photos that I never posted.


Back in October, the hubbster and I went to visit our friend Irene in California. On a trip to Lake Tahoe I was fascinated by the gigantic pinecones.



Here I am trying to look regal - like the queen of the forest.

Erin's one comment to me "Juliana - you are getting fat".

:|

Moving on...

(Click on the picure to bigify it)

Dias de Los Muertos Cookies! My friend Kelsey, art teacher at current place of employment, wanted to do some art work honoring Dias de Los Muertos. So we went to this cool gallery in Ballard (Seattle Neighborhood) and I found these skull cookie cutters. One of the cookies looks like it got into the sprinkles. Heh.


Me trying to look like Anthony Bourdain - a discriminating chef.




The only time you will ever see me cordial with George Bush the first - a statue of him at the George Bush International Airport. I was trying to get my jacket to permenentely blow in the breeze. Then hubbser tried it - it was pretty fun.

Then the cops showed up. We moved along to our gate.



My precious...a gift from my dad for Christmas. WOO HOO!

So far I have only made Pascha cheese on it... Ok - small rant: I took a GIANT Pascha cheese to school with some kulich. The kulich got a few nibbles, but NO ONE TOUCHED the CHEESE!!! Seriously - these peeps need to get out in the world more.

...but I plan to do a lot more with it when I have the time. I still do not have a timeline on when I will have more time.



Doesn't mean I don't still loves the precious. I just saw Barefoot Contessa and Ina Garten made scones - perhaps I will feel inspired this week...

Seriously.

It is 80 degrees and there is a heat advisory.

:|

As a girl who grew up in the southwest this is all very funny.

Read below:


Heat Advisory
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA
222 PM PDT WED JUN 3 2009


...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM PDT THURSDAY...


VERY WARM CONDITIONS WILL PERSIST IN THE SEATTLE-TACOMA-EVERETT
AREA THROUGH THURSDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL TOP OUT AROUND 90
DEGREES AROUND SEATTLE. THE WARM SPELL WILL END AS MARINE AIR
PUSHES INTO THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE IN HOT WEATHER. DRINK PLENTY OF
FLUIDS. CHECK UP ON INFIRM RELATIVES AND NEIGHBORS. REMEMBER
THAT AREA LAKES AND RIVERS ARE STILL COLD. ESCAPING THE HEAT BY
JUMPING INTO A COLD LAKE OR RIVER CAN LEAD TO DEATH BY HYPOTHERMIA
OR DROWNING.


So, I guess the reason people in the NW freak out is because:

1. There is no air conditioning unless it is a commercial building more than two stories tall. And even then, it is usually a swamp cooler on the roof.

2. There are so many computers here, peeps get hot from using them 24-7 to check facebook.

3. The water 'round here is all glacier run off, so in desperation, people leap in and freeze. I have witnessed this happen on a mountain trail - a 24 year old man died. Quite sad.

Sigh. I am off to turn on my fan.

So Mr. Rawn was right!

Ha!

Take the Quiz here!

You Are...Elizabeth Bennet!

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.


Why Mr. Rawn was right:

When a friend of mine told a tutor (who thought the world of my hubby), that LG and I were serious and thinking about marriage, he said:

"Well, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett ended up together."

!!!

At the time I remember being puzzled - who was Darcy? Who was Eliza?

Guess it was me!


Though, I am a bit shocked to see someone has a site DEVOTED to Emma adaptations. Seriously. The order of Jane Austen novels IS as follows:

1. Persuasion
2. Pride and Prejudice
3. Sense and Sensibility
4. Mansfield Park
5. Juvenalia and other assorted writings
6. Northanger Abby
7. Emma

Oh well, stranger sites have been started on line.

In Case I Haven't Told You...

...I got the job!!!

Woo-hoo!

Now I just have to finish up the year and get the heck outta Dodge.

Whatever that might mean...

THANK YOU for all y'all prayers!!!

Now I Think I Am Going to Cry...

GAH!

I had my lesson and various interviews and tours today.

The cafeteria is AMAZING!!! Really yummy food and healthy too.

I might have left my drink somewhere....

Anyhow, the lesson was a total BOMB. I was nervous as all get out (I have taught the concept of square roots and irrationals a million times). The girls were absolutely silent. I was awful.

:(

The final interview was crazy...I don't think I was very articulate and said "um" a lot. My eloquence flew out the window.

They were probably thinking "Why did we want her here?".

But the Head said she would email me the pay scale and benefits package and check my references...????

???

Did I get the job or not? Idk...

Oh, and tablet PCs are REALLY COOL!!!!!!!! I was fascinated by the girls taking notes on them! Really neat.

And I am worried that my principal will totally be negative...and I have not told her....

So, I guess I will have to tell her...keep praying for me!!!

I Think I'm Gonna Throw Up...

...and no, not because I am preggers.

I went for my initial interview at the school (I didn't know it was one, but I do now).

And I thought it went ok.

They said they would contact me to let me know if I was going to come back to teach a lesson and to have a second interview early next week.

But instead they called me tonight and wanted me to teach a practice lesson on Monday.

:O

:OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I think I am gonna barf. Lance says I should stop being so awesome. It is just not possible.

Crap - lots of decisions to make. O Lord, please make this easy....

PRAY FOR ME!!!!!!!

WOO HOO!!!

I DON'T SUCK!!!

Yea!

I sent off my cover letter (well, email), my pdf of my filled out application form, and a link to my online CV (resume) to the school I mentioned earlier...and they replied back the SAME DAY that they want to interview me!

WOOT!!!

I know that if it is God's will I will get the job, but it still feels good to know I look like a decent teacher. YEA!!!

So, thank y'all for your prayers and keep praying!!!

MOTHER!!!

So, my great-uncle Vincent recently reposed. It is amazing to me that I knew my great-grandparents siblings and I consider myself quite fortunate. Tio Vicente was a really kind and funny man - he and his wife Virginia were the best of people. I really feel for Tia Virginia; I cannot imagine losing my husband. I know she has her children and grandchildren to comfort her along with our whole family.

I went on the tribal pages website to see if any news was on there, but everyone in Texas is rather busy and I know it will take some time before any pics go up from the funeral.

I strolled down memory lane, looking at pictures of my family...events...old pictures of my ancestors (what a weird idea, but I guess that is who they are) when they were younger...

Here are some of my favorites:



Check out the bow on my great-grandma Sophia! She was rockin' it. I did not know she had a sister Virginia who died at age 18.



And here are Great-grandma Sophia and Great-grandpa Jose (Joe) -- they are so beautiful here. They would later go on to have 9 kids (though I think there were two who reposed along the way), divorce, and then go on to have three more -- each of them!

Whoa.

Great-grandpa Joe and Great-Uncle Vincent were brothers. It is funny, but I knew them as Grandpa Joe and Tio Vicente -- we are not formal in our family, thankfully.



My Grandpa recently celebrated his 80th birthday! And he still looks this good - seriously. He is the titanium grandpa -- he drove himself to the hospital when he was having a heart attack. I did not inherit his pain threshold AT ALL. Both of my grandparents look stunning in here -- I wish I had inherited my grandmother's looks. She is still super cute too :D

Speaking of good looks...here is why I titled my post "MOTHER!!!"



Of ALL the pictures she has of me, she chooses our bad 80s glamour shots???

????????????????????

I guess because she looks good. Check out my EYEBROWS -- I mean they are pretty bad now, but I could have easily been Frida Kahlo. Just photoshop in a spider monkey and it is a whole new picture. I have NEVER worn that much make-up since, not even on my wedding day.

Speaking of which...



Well, Lance looks good in this one. I know I am a nerd, but do we really need to showcase that fact on Tribal Pages. Seriously -- I know I kinda dashed my mother's dreams of a fairly-tale wedding for her one and only daughter by having a kegger at church, but of all those wedding photos THIS IS THE ONE she chooses.

:|

At least I am holding an icon. But I am a stick figure; if I remember correctly, I was about 90 lbs - gross! By gross I mean TOO SKINNY. And I cannot believe I have gained 40 lbs since the wedding...double gross.

Gah! I will have to send Aunt Bea some new pics where I don't look like such a dweeb...if such pictures exist.

Prayer Works...?

Ok, so Monday was a normal day at work...until lunch.

My boss dropped the bombshell that after 25 years, she is leaving the school.

:|

The above is the expression I had to hold all day, 'cause internally I was thinking

:D


or :DDDDDD


It is true that the devil you do know is better than the one you don't (but how is there two devils I ask you?), but I am SO glad change is not only coming to the country but to my school as well!

:DDDDD

I am seriously happy for her - I think the school is way to big for her and, being a mirco-manager, a smaller school will be better.

But why then did she build up the school to be so large?

:|

Whatever, at least I know next year will be TOTALLY different -- whether I am hired at the all-girls school or end up staying where I am.

I feel very blessed.

Of course I don't know if my job will be PT or FT next year...but is spring break and HOLY WEEK so I can't be bothered to think of that now.

Will post pysanky pics soon - since I now have a lot of time on my hands...

..except for that pesky educational philosophy paper I need to write and my goals.

Pray for Me

Hi all! Hope the title doesn't spook you - I am fine and healthy!

It has just been an extra stressful Lent.

My boss has *still* not said anything re: my job. Personally, I wonder if she is just trying to get me to quit without having to fire me.

But whatever - that sort of thinking is not profitable.

This is: I found out a local all-girls school is looking to hire a math/tech teacher!

I am very excited and I am working on getting my application out by tomorrow!

So pray that I get this job! It it right up my alley!

Thank you :D

St. Juliana Gets MAJOR PROPS!

YOOOO!!!!!!!

Check it out!!! My Patroness is featured in a new National Geographic article:

This article is da' bomb!


Thank you to Irene for the heads up!

Do I Stay or Do I Go?

AGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, there were mid-year meetings this year. I say "this year" because in the 5 years I have been at my school, we have NEVER had mid-year meetings. And with the economy in the toilet, I had sneaking suspicion that "mid-year meetings" meant talking to peeps about budget cuts.

After my goals meeting fiasco, I was pretty sure I would be canned. Instead, I was told I might be Part Time.

I smiled and simpered and said that PT would be fine - I might want to start a family soon.

Which is true to SOME degree - if soon is a decade from now. Or never.

But as el hubberino pointed out, we really depend on my income to pay for the roof over our heads, the food on our table, and the multiple pairs of shoes I insist are necessary to my existence.

So, PT is not an option at all.

Now, here is my situation:

- I don't know if I will go PT, though there was talk of next week's meeting being an important one (seriously could throw up just thinking about it...)
- I am currently enrolled in a professional certification program that will run for a year and a half
- I said I was "unsure" of whether I would come back next year
- I will be 30 by the end of the year (which means the clock is supposed to be ticking...but what if I don't have a clock?)


If I stay at my job...

PRO: I have lots of cool people to work with and who collaborate well with me. I have developed a curriculum in the three years I have been a math teacher and I see how I can grow and improve (and am rather excited by the prospect). I generally like my schedule. The students are really ok, once I get to know them and stop being a neurotic nutcase.

CON: I am not sure I like being micro-managed. Two examples, both beginning in the same way: without so much as a hello, my principal marches up to me in the staff room, in front of my colleagues, and asks 1) do we teach problem solving in math and 2) do I attend Mass?

:|

Seriously - isn't there a better way to address these questions? Even I don't do that to my students - I try not to make a public event out of missing assignments or general grilling.

I have been given very little direction as to what exactly my job is: am I just another math teacher or am I to be the leader of the math curriculum in our school? If I am to be the leader, no one really listens to me and that is partly due to the little time and effort we are given to collaborate and work together.

And:

CON IN GENERAL ABOUT TEACHING: Teachers are underpaid and overworked. I have very little social life because I am so busy. I receive on average one very angry email month where my intelligence, ethics, and general person are called into question and critiqued with minimal support from my administrator. I do not feel respected or appreciated in this profession.

So, here are my options as I see it:

1. If the position I occupy stays FT, I can stay and work through my education classes, the crazy and intense accreditation process, with cool people but with an administrator I am not crazy about.

OR

2. If the position is PT, look for full time work at another school and start again - learn how to work with a new set of people, develop a new curriculum, and take on a new school culture. (this is the "is the grass greener on this side of the fence?" scenario). I would most likely look for a less traditional school or a high school position (though I am unsure if I am qualified for teaching HS).

OR

3. Leave teaching altogether and go back to school for medicine, law, research, etc. I don't know - something besides education. This would really push having children back...like I could be a miracle 60 or 70 year old mom.

OR

4. Get a job (maybe...if there are jobs to be had) that is menial but where I can see if I would like to pursue something different with my life. This job will most likely be an assistant to someone important and I would be stressed working for them from the three a.m. phone calls about the muffin order for a conference I helped organize.

OR

5. Let my hubby get a second job and I churn out a bunch of kids. Level of excitement about this option is 0.


It is just a scary time and a stressful time for me. What do I do?

Your thoughts and prayers are much appreciated. :D

Anne Berven -- Memory Eternal

I gave up "internet surfing" for Lent...kind of. I decided I would only check in with people's blogs. While reading Larissa's hilarious posts on Writing in Apathy, I came across her entry on Anne Berven's repose.

Very sad - she taught me so much. She introduced me to early music and made me fall in love with Rachmaninoff. I know the words to the Cherubic Hymn in Slavonic because of singing in chamber choir (well before I became Orthodox).

You always imagine that someone will always be there - that you can go back to a place and always find that person there.

I just can't believe I will never get to see her or sing with her again.

The Blog in Her Honor

May her soul dwell where the righteous are and may her memory be eternal.

Um - Hi.

Wow - it has been FOREVER since I last posted.

I have been busy, what with:

-teaching 6 classes
-taking a professional certification class
-being married
-it being Lent and all the services that entails
-my procrastinating

Seriously, I just finished grading some assignments that were turned in at the end of January.

So I decided a brief post was necessary.

And I was tired of seeing references to male anatomy on my blog.

So, hi - I am alive and REALLY busy!

And add to my list:
-teaching pysanky class

I will post pictures soon -- soon being sometime in July.

Well, hopefully not.

A New Year...

...and I guess it is finally time for a new post.

I just spent the past *hour* on itunes looking for songs.

Seriously - I can't get enough music. And I just got the new Squirrel Nut Zippers album for Christmas (Bedlam Ballroom). It is very good - little salsa style in there. Lots of fun to dance to in the kitchen while cooking.

I am also finding...that I like Amy Winehouse. Seriously - girl has a voice. I just might have to buy one of her songs.

And, I am also liking another version of "The First Cut is the Deepest". I have the Cat Stevens, but this other one I found is more interesting. I do not like the Sheryl Crow version.

And I finished watching Tess of the D'ubervilles. GO TO PBS NOW AND VIEW IT!!!

So good...I mean totally watered down, but REALLY good.

It did, however, make me scream not so polite things at the screen. One example would be when I yelled "HIT HIM AGAIN!". El hubbster told me to take a chill pill. And also when the hubbster asked for a description of Alec D'uberville (because he wondered in half way through and got into it and wanted to know more)
and I explained

***warning - my explanation is quite explicit. The faint of heart should look for the next set of ****'s *****

that he was a man who deserved "to be headbutted and then have his balls cut off."

I was told that my description was quite crass. Good thing I didn't mention how he should then be decapitated and his head shoved on a spike with the detached genitalia shoved in his corpsey mouth.

:| What?

Fine - I am being crass. Please forgive me. (though I refuse to edit this post - Alec D'uberville at least got his comeuppance).


********end explicit**************

And I saw "Doubt" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button".

:|

I had snow days - what else was I supposed to do!

Doubt was alright - I liked the cast a lot. Meryl Streep should be in every movie - she is AMAZING. And Amy Adams is made of awesome. So is Phillip Seymour Hoffman. I like how they let the movie be just like the play - it has a wonderful ending and it is true to the title.

The CC of BB was made of lame. First of all - I did NOT go to see the movie because of BP. No...see this post for why.

I went to see it because I love Cate Blanchet. Is she not gorgeous? And she can ACT! She made the film.

Otherwise it was just like Forrest Gump if FG was born old.

And I saw Quantum of Solace. It was alright - a bit of loose ties to be tied. Bond is...em. Well, Daniel Craig and Ralph Finnes are my only blond-blue-eyed crushes. *blushes*

Other wise QoS was lame. Daniel Craig was not at ALL.

So, I am also amused by the amount of fan fiction writing I have done - which is none! I need to work on getting it out of my system because I just have all these stories playing around in my head.

Which brings up something I have read - the LAST book in the Princess Diaries Series.

:(

I know - the LAST ONE!

I really like Princess Mia. I don't think I like her decisions in this book, but I really like her. And I am glad that it ended well. The lack of detail in one scene made me want to write PD fan fic! But I refuse since it would be like Ransom of My Heart, the romantic novel Princess Mia "writes".

Yes I read it.

:|

I read it and am affirmed the romance novels are NOT my favorite.

One thing about the last book I adored is how Princess Mia made out in a horse drawn carriage -- that was super cute (I am trying not to give away spoilers in case peeps reading this want to read it).

Oh, I saw Kill Bill (1 and 2). I like Quentin Tarantino - I do. But I don't like the violence...and the misogyny that is trying to disguise itself as feminism. I am disturbed that most females in his move are psycho, physically violent, and extraordinarily beautiful. It just isn't real life.

And as I try to separate the film from the violence, I find what is at the heart of movies I love.

I love interesting characters. I love REALLY quirky characters.

I like unusual plot lines where it is almost predictable what will happen, but then it takes a twist that leads to a more satisfactory ending.

I like stories that are true to the human experience. And I love little details that become vital at the end ('cause I pay attention to little details, but speak in generalities -- basically if I had to give a detailed account it would be TOO detailed).

So, Tarantino appeals to me in the plot. The characters - meh. But his plots are AMAZING!

Wow - this has been a random post - lots of reviews. I would love to hear others opinions in the comments!