End of the Year

Well, it is now the end of the year and a time for reflection. I have done A LOT.

January -- I don't remember what I did last January. Eh, I think I just tried to stay on top of everything, especially as I signed up to be Hospitality shepherd (read: coordinator) for our parish.

February -- This month is also a blur. I am pretty sure I started making the massive over-achiever poster for Pre-Sanctified Liturgy meal sign ups.

March -- Lent started. I made a baby terry cloth poncho out of a dishcloth because the one I saw at the gap cost $15 and I thought, "That is just a dishcloth with a hole in it".

April -- Holy Friday fell on Lance's birthday. Or something like that. Could not make pysanky due to dyes and baby. She was still a baby then! And I couldn't fit into my Pascha dress because my boob was too big. I made Nina a cute jumper with a willow pattern and started a skirt for me...that I still haven't finished. Hmm... I also completed a hat for Nina for Pascha.

May -- Wedding anniversary: it was 8 years! Wow. I bought a bunch of material in hopes of making Nina a TON of summer clothes. That never happened. Still have the material. I did make Nina a hat.

June -- Eh, more of a blur. I adjusted a skirt.

July -- Blur. Mom visited and that was awesome.

August -- Nina tosses hat to the winds.

September -- I start making matrushka dolls and finish Nina's hat for Santa Fe. Made dress for Nina out of old skirt. Stats class started.

October -- Nina's birthday with massive amounts of stuff making: party hats, invitations, cards for food, and various other items. Then massive doll and jewlery making for the All American Council. Whew.

November -- Matrushkas still not complete. Oh well.

December -- Matruskas still sitting there in sad pile. Have 50 pounds of fleece in hopes of making Nina pants. Discover Nina likes vests and needs more shirts. *sigh* And she out grew her socks. Have big plans to complete Christmas presents and am done with about a quarter of them. *HUGE SIGH* But stats complete, which is sad because I liked it.

Still, it has been a good year. It has been good even if most of it is a blur. Blurs are good -- blurs mean that I have been so busy and nothing bad has happened that I cannot remember. A good year indeed!

Open Letter

No Nina updates here -- you will have to check FB if you want that (though I hope to post something soon).

No, this is an open letter to a very special dictator.

Dear Kim Jong-Il,

I know you are upset that no one likes you. However, your current actions are not winning you any friends. Life would be much easier if you dealt with your control issues, gave up your dictatorship, and let people choose their own leader. I promise that you would have a lot more friends and Hollywood would TOTALLY make a movie about your life if you did this.

No, not a Lifetime TV movie, a REAL movie. You know, like the one you tried to make when you kidnapped those Japanese movie stars.

If you give it all up, I promise to help make this all a reality. You might even get a book deal. Oprah *might* even do one more season just to interview you.

How 'bout it?

Kind Regards,
JJK

What I Found in My Searching

I have been quite bored lately. I have not had any luck finding work and with the recent bout of contractions, I have been advised to "take it easy".

Taking it "easy" merely brings about ennui. Though I have many tasks around the house, I chose to procrastinate because I have (seemingly) all the time in the world. Why get all these things done at once when I can wait - or when I need my hubby's help to move things?

Alas, one thing I have been working on is a birth announcement. I ran across my hubby's birth announcement from the late 70's and it was rather cute. It was a little card with a stork on the cover, and when one opens it up, the stats are on the left and a picture of the baby is on the right in a pre-made frame (one slips the hospital picture).

I recall having one of these as well, but I don't know where it went. I assume my mother still has it. I don't know if hospitals still take pictures and give parents these cards, but I would like to do something similar and simple for our baby's birth announcement.

Thus began my Internet searching for vintage stork images for the cover. I found some rather cute ones and some truly heinous ones.

I never wondered where the idea of the stork bringing the baby came from, but nevertheless found images that explained the mythology (somewhat). Some pictures had babies emerging from the water with a stork waiting to wrap it up on shore. Other pictures had the babies blossoming from waterlilies with a stork attendant nearby. Further research did not really illuminate the myth - it just seems that popular European culture believed that the souls of unborn children lived in marshes. Why? That idea is not fully illuminated, but it does seem that storks mate for life and have been symbols of good luck from Roman times.

Regardless, there are some hilarious Victorian images that I found related to the stork myth.

I found this image of a stork chasing down an "old maid" quite hilarious considering that one of my cousins told me last Christmas that I "can't wait forever". Don't get me started on how he started his own parenthood at age 16.

Here the stork is the villain - and he looks so friendly. Yet, I completely understand this woman's urge to hit the stork with her ensemble-coordinated umbrella.

From these images, I gather that women have constantly been in battle with the "stork" - either wanting his presence desperately or avoiding the bundle he carries.

Yet, I did not find images of women chasing storks. Make of that what you will!

I don't think either will do for a birth announcement, but they are rather funny.

Really?

This post is brought to you by Odious and Peculiar. Mr. P posted a badge which declared he wrote like H. P. Lovecraft - which completely suits him and is a great honor.

I gave it a go hoping the widget would not reveal that I write like a 2 year old or, worse, Ayn Rand. Secretly, I wished for greatness (and my favorites): Jane Austen, George Elliot, Dodie Smith...perhaps even modern like J. K. Rowling, Jennifer Weiner, Helen Fielding, or Meg Cabot.

The first paragraph I submitted yielded James Joyce. I thought "that can't be right" - there is no way I am that interesting. The next result was David Foster Wallace.

The third paragraph produced:

I write like
William Shakespeare

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

Hahahahaha - yeh right.

I put in another - and WTF??? David Foster Wallace??? Then Cory Doctorow??? Is it because my paragraph contained the word "condom"?

I naturally tried another...and got Raymond Chandler. And then I did it again just for luck.

Stupid effing David Foster Wallace. So I am sticking with Shakespeare.

If I had to...

...write a "love making" scene for a novel, it would be like this:



but obviously in words. Brooke McEldowney also did a similar strip when Amos and Edna also "discovered" each other.



For the past few months, the comic has been Gran's flashback - her memories of what it was like being a spy during WWII. It has been great to read and I hope it ends happily :)



I have a sneaking suspicion that though she is with the Austrian opera singer (hand pictured above), he will turn out to be married or something because she ends up becoming O'Malley (which is not an Austrian last name).

Either way, it AWFULLY embarrassing when one finds oneself writing about sex. Neil Gaimon explained it best in his anthology of short stories "Smoke and Mirrors". He wrote a story that is rather descriptive and, in his notes about the story, he says it was difficult to complete - he would find himself writing, blushing, putting the story away for a week or two, and then returning to try to write another section only to find himself blushing yet again.

My discomfort in describing the topic makes me contemplate how and what I will tell my own child about sex. I will try my best to not stammer and blush. Perhaps the best baby shower gift would be someone offering to tell my child the facts (and all the options) because I am sure by the time my child is curious he or she will not want to hear it from me!

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 Am a Lemming...

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

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

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.

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

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!

I am most sincerely M.A.D., a.k.a. reproductive rights

So after church (December 7th - aka the day most of the OCA in the Puget Sound area invaded St. K's), the hubbster and I get in the car and he immediately says to me:

"You need to stop giving such...thorough answers to questions."

Me: "ok"

LG: "you don't need to go into such detail."

Me: "ok!"

We had been talking to a gentleman of Brier, WA at the agape meal about: 1)if LG and I are related, 2) if we are the same ethnicity, 3) how long have we been married, 4) if we are planning on having children, 5) birth control, 6) how I don't want children because I teach all day, 7) how children perceive themselves in the world, and 8) how God's plans and our plans intersect and interact with one another.

Seriously - in that order!

I steadfastly exclaim that I do NOT want children in anyway shape or form right now. I am not the "Babies for Jesus" type of woman (you know, has six children and is hoping for number 7 any day now...).

I am more of the the "I need more time to explore myself and buy more shoes type of person."

I am selfish. And I am not afraid to say it.

Babies are a lot of work. They cry. They spit up all over your favorite clothes and consume a vast quantity of your budget. They *ruin* your body if: 1) you are a woman, 2) are a tiny woman who gains a lot of fat just on her own, much less eating for two, and 3) if you are woman whose skin does not stretch particularly well. (so, me basically)

For these reasons, I do not want children. They are not a priority right now - for me.

AND I DON'T CARE!

Yes, I married young. Yes, I like kids, which is why I teach (they are annoying and yet, entertaining - especially when they go home). Yes, I want to have LG's offspring because he has some excellent DNA that needs propagating.

But it doesn't mean that I need to have babies so soon.

Shoot - LG and I still *play*.

For example:

*In Whole Foods looking at baguettes*
LG: "Do you think you could joust with a baguette and break someones arm?"
Me: "Maybe..."
LG: :D "Want to try?"
Me: "Um, we are in a store..."
LG: "Come on..."
*I make a beeline to the check out counter*

Ok, maybe that is not totally how the conversation went, but do you really want me, who contemplated jousting with baguettes in a grocery store, to be a mom?

Don't answer that...

It just seems to me that *some* people out there - Orthodox or not - seem to think that having children by my age should be a priority.

In fact a fair number of people seem gung-ho on the idea.

Me: "meh"

Plus...there is the whole cancer thing.

I only have one boob, which means: 1) breast feeding = not fun, 2) cancer could come back to that boob, and 3) I will totally be lopsided after pregnancy.

I did not explain the cancer thing to the gentleman of Brier, but I was about ready to throw that in since I was being grilled. I need to learn to drink my tea fast and exclaim "oh, this needs refreshing" and sneak away.

So, in conclusion, until I become a little less selfish and vain, I am not ready for the whole kid thing.

But I have put myself on a five year plan...within five years if I get pregnant, than it is God's will.

If not, clearly God agrees that I have some growing up to do.

And that I should buy some more shoes. Or books. Or yarn!

Till then: peeps, friends, *relatives*...

BACK OFF!!!

Questionable Odor

I am *this* close to changing the name of my blog to the above title.

Now, there is a lovely and fascinating tale regarding the title of this post.

It was just yesterday...

*cue fogginess of reminisce and then a subtle change to a clear scene*

...that I received a call on my school phone.

*ring*

*me and fifth graders, who were thoroughly enjoying our math lesson, fell silent*

me: Yes?

Peggy on phone: Fire drill!

me: Thank you! Line up everyone!

*Fifth graders dropped their pencils like it'was hawt and lined up against the wall - it was super cute*

me, yelling from front of the line by the door: Who's at the end of the line?

*Zac waved his hand from the back*

me: Zac close the door on your way out. Let's go!

We made our way out to the playground, me hushing my students, they attending to my request for one second and then proceeding the chat, and we joined the mass of students making their way to the cement playground. It was totally grey outside - a fine mist was in the air and the asphalt was slick.

I had to repremand several sixth grade boys for trying to slide down the asphalt easement on our way to the large space between the big toy and basketball hoops - where we always gather for a fire drill.

I whispered to my fifth graders to go to their homeroom teacher. They did - they are too cute.

We huddle around, students and teachers alike; it is cold and the teachers are especially stunned since we are normally warned when we will get fire drills, earthquake drills, fire-breathing monster drills, etc.

Finally, the principal had checked in with every classroom and said something to this effect:

Principal: "Thank you boys and girls for coming out - it could be a little quicker."

"We are going to wait outside for just a bit...there has been a questionable odor in the school-"

*students and teachers began to twitter - there was a good deal of muffled giggling from the junior high kids*

" - and when it has been inspected-"

*more giggles*

"- then we can go in."

And she walked away, leaving her staff to corral a whole school of students on a wet playground who had just learned their favorite new phrase:

Questionable Odor

Now, according to some, there was an odor - but it was indescribable.

Others in the building say that there was no odor - it was invisible.

I was in the "math cave", which is disconnected from the school as it in the rectory basement - so it was ignorable.

But according to the principal it was questionable...which of course begs the question...

WHAT WAS SO QUESTIONABLE ABOUT IT???

Of course the students had MANY theories, which they asked me about on our way back the the math cave.

"Mrs. K - what kind of odor is questionable?"

"What is a questionable odor?"

"Are we going to have homework tonight?"

During the sojourn on the playground, all of the teachers really wanted to know:

Could we possibly go home because of a "questionable odor"?

Because it would not only mean a day off, but a great conversation starter.

Or blog post.

*end reminisce*

Of All the Things to Do with Legos...

Why didn't I think of this?

My favorite by far is the Job series. The lego sheep and camels are EXCELLENT!

And is it me, or is Job from the Star Wars set? And I think Satan might be Snape from the Lego HP set.

5 Random Things

In no particular order:

1. Harry, A History - This was a really nice look back at the past ten years of the Harry Potter fandom. I especially liked hearing Jo Rowling's point of view. Melissa Anelli, of Leaky fame, did an excellent job with this book. If you would like to borrow the book, let me know.

One thing that intrigued was a comment JKR made about Dumbledore losing Grindelwald, his former object of affection.

She explained that he just turned inward and remained isolated and academic the rest of this life. "Does that mean he as a one-hundred-fifty-year-old virgin? I don't know," she said softly, peering into her coffee cup as though he held an answer.

When I read this passage, the Sev/Lily fangirl in me quickly jumped to conclusions. Could Dumbledore's experience be similar to Snape's? It would seem possible given what we know of Snape from the books - especially since Dumbledore agrees to meet with Snape after Snape passed info onto Voldy...perhaps he saw in Snape a similar need to protect the one he loved?

Hmmm...I will have to think more about this. I would LOVE to ask JKR about how Lily and Snape felt AFTER they parted ways in fifth year towards each other. I can write my own conclusions, but I would love to know what she envisioned.

2. Lord of the Rings Directors Cut (a.k.a. "Deluxe Precious Edition")

Me wants it.

I borrowed the set of three DVDs from an HP meetup friend (super cool and generous). I am THOROUGHLY enjoying it - it has the full film, with effects and music added in, behind the scenes look at how the whole film came together, and commentaries by everyone involved (well, I didn't see the key grip's commentaries, but that is ok - really!).

There were many more songs in the original. Which is kinda cool because they are WAY shorter than in the book.

Small confession - I skipped the songs when reading the series. WHAT! They were a weensy bit boring to me...

Also, El Hubarino (LG) started watching it with me and I have to pause it every 20 minutes or so to explain the plot.

Maybe if he watches it a third time through, he will get the connections.

Then again, he did see it in the theatre the first time and could not remember if Frodo lives.

:|

Seriously - he asked me yesterday if Frodo lives -and he has seen these movies before!!!

The one thing the hubbster won't watch with me is all of the "Making of" features. I LOVE THESE - they make me want to become a movie craftsperson! I can paint things, and link plastic chain mail, and...hold a cord, or something.

3. Which brings be to TEACHING - I do love it despite above sentences. Teaching is never boring and you get better over time.

I applied to Seattle University, am accepted, and will soon begin studies to earn my professional certification (which is the same thing as a licence). It will take me a year and half to complete.

:|

So, I will be at my job for another year...I hope...

I mean...I hope I don't get the boot.

My principal seems ok with me lately, despite my goals meeting which ended ok, but I still had to call the hubbster in tears over it.

:(

Still, things are going ok NOW, and I have to focus on that.

4. I am making Christmas gifts - which is a lot of fun. My embroidered tea towels are getting MUCH better. I would post them here, but some of you might be getting them as gifts and I want them to be a surprise.

They are fun to make and the crocheted bags are coming along nicely too.

That is all - oh wait.

This just in -

5. Obama reads Twilight with his daughters.

Ew. Twilight is a piece of poo. Seriously - I have read excerpts because that is all I could stomach. In the words of Smegol, "It burns us!".

I am disappointed - but I guess nobody is perfect!

I used to call it the "Death Star"...

...but perhaps this is a better Walmart analogy.



See the website here.

HEE!!!