The best and worst day

10-21-09

So a few weeks ago Michael and I went to a football game. This is not an unusual occurrence as he is a band director and we are both avid football fans. But this particular game was special. Anyone who reads this knows that I am a UGA graduate and my blood bleeds red and black. Anyone who reads this probably also knows that Michael, my loving husband is not a UGA fan. A native hillbilly from the eastern most part of Tennessee, he is more a true volunteer than anyone else I know. This puts our house at odds during the year and one day in particular. That day, this year was October 10th. That very same day we went to a football game, the Georgia/Tennessee show down in Knoxville.

Being that I played in the band at UGA, I had visited the giant orange field of creamsickle colored people at least twice in my life. Michael, even though he was a native, had never made the legendary journey to his mothership of football, Neyland Stadium. We secured tickets and decided to go a few days before the big game. The anticipation had not really had time to garner speed until the morning of the game. Michael and I were giddy with excitement. I was happy to be going to see a game live and in person. Michael was beside himself with glee at getting a chance to go and see the hallowed Neyland Stadium for himself. All the way up there we were passing other fans dressed in red and black and orange. We saw flags of team spirit attached to cars and vans full of sports fans ready for the game. Truthfully I was a little afraid to go and wear my Georgia gear. I have been there before and seen what the opposing fans can be like. Despite my fears though I would NEVER wear orange.

When we got there, the challenge was finding a parking place. The people we had bought the tickets from gave us great directions and told us where the free parking was. We navigated our way around the city, got a killer spot, and started the journey to fulfill one of our dreams. The closer we got, the wider the smile got on Michael's face. He was practically running to the stadium. He didn't want to miss a minute of any announcements or pre game shows. We finally got to the correct gate at the stadium and started to walk up and around and came close to the edge where we could see the field. The feeling was electric. Michael said he felt like Rudy's dad in that movie, Rudy, the first time he got to see Notre Dame live. We approached the entryway and I started calling under my breath, "Michael...Michael...Michael" as if he were starting for the team as did Rudy in the movie. I have never seen my husband so happy. We sat in our seats and just stared around at all the sights for about 10 minutes.

All in all, the game for me kind of sucked. We lost big time and there were not many Georgia fans around us. We did sit behind the Georgia band which was nice but did little to persuade the UT fans all around us. I also got upset when the UT fans starting doing the wave when there was a UGA player down on the field. When someone is hurt, you don't do the wave. I may have gotten a little vocal about it...may have..tee hee. But I would do it all again because of the happiness I got to see in my husband. He didn't unfairly rib me and we played fair to each other most of the game. I have really never had so much fun watching a football game. I hope we get to do it every year. Only next year I hope we win :)

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 33rd blog!

Miss me?

10-20-09

Ok. I know it has been too long. But did anyone really notice? I was going to quit blogging altogether but I guess I finally gave in to the urge to write again. After all that TOTY stuff I was done for. I was burnt out in my prime. I couldn't handle writing one more single word. But I guess I am over it because here I am ready to share more of my mind with you today.

So much has gone on I will have fodder for days. But for now I will share the revelation we had at the dinner table tonight. After much anticipation we decided to have a Pre-Thanksgiving Turkey dinner. I don't really know why other than the boys, Michael and David, wanted to make sure that their turkey frying skills had not gone downhill since last Thanksgiving. Therefore tonight we had a feast. We ate mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, green beans, rolls, cranberry sauce, and of course, TURKEY!!! It was all really really good. I had picked up fresh rolls from the bakery at Ingles and was eating one when a strange thought passed through my head. And instead of just thinking it in my head, it came out, out loud. I was really relishing how awesome and fluffy the rolls were when I thought, "Wouldn't it be great if your pillows were made of rolls and then when you got hungry in the middle of the night you could just turn over and eat some of your pillow and it would taste as yummy as the roll I have tonight?" After a round of hysterical laughter, we all started naming what we would like our edible pillows to be made of. Michael said he would want his made of pizza or cheesecake. David said he wanted cereal. I thought he could have one big shredded wheat square. It reflects what we really like to eat or what would make a good pillow. What would your edible pillow be? Share with the rest of us, we all want to know.

I hope you had fun reading this tonight because I had fun writing.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 32nd blog!

See you in a few days

9-28-09

See you in a few days. I won't be here for a while because I will be filling out piles of paperwork. Apparently being the Teacher of the Year is no award. You need to add an additional 2-3 hours of work per day to fulfill your obligations. As a peek into what I have to do I will list it for you below:

NARRATIVE RESPONSE


Answer each question on the preformatted pages that follow. The question appears at the top of each page. Begin by typing the applicant’s last name in the top right-hand corner of each page. Responses must be double-spaced; font style should be Arial or Times New Roman; font size should be no smaller that 10 point and no larger than 12 point. Margins cannot be less than one inch. Follow the specifications for maximum length allowed. Any portion of a response that exceeds the maximum length allowed will not be considered in the evaluation.


1. Professional Biography (Limit response to two double-spaced pages.) 25 points
What were the factors that influenced you to become a teacher? Describe what you consider to be your greatest contributions to or accomplishments in education.


2. Professional Learning Activities (Limit response to one double-spaced page.) 25 points
Include information regarding educational preparation, professional association memberships, offices held, training undertaken, and other relevant activities (i.e., activities in staff development, the training of future teachers). Cite any awards and other recognitions of your outstanding teaching.


3. Community Involvement (Limit response to one double-spaced page.) 25 points
Describe your commitment to your community through service-oriented activities including volunteer work, civic, and other group activities.


4. Philosophy of Teaching (Limit total response to two double-spaced pages.) 25 points
A. Describe your personal feelings and beliefs about teaching, including your own ideas of what makes you an outstanding teacher. Describe the rewards you find in teaching.
B. How are your beliefs about teaching demonstrated in your personal teaching style?

5. Education Issues and Trends (Limit response to two double-spaced pages.) 25 points
What do you consider to be the major public education issues of today? Address one issue in depth, outlining possible causes, effects, and resolutions.


6. The Teaching Profession (Limit total response to two double-spaced pages.) 25 points
A. What can you do to strengthen and improve the teaching profession?
B. What is or should be the basis for accountability in the teaching profession?


7. The Georgia Teacher of the Year (Limit response to one double-spaced page.) 35 points
As the Georgia TOTY, you would serve as a spokesperson and representative for the entire teaching profession. What would be your message to other professionals in education and to the general public?

♦♦♦ LETTERS OF SUPPORT ♦♦♦

Letters of Support (Limit of three letters) 15 points
Maximum of 5 points per letter– Three (3) original Letters of Support–
one letter must be from current principal or superintendent;
one letter must be from a current or former assistant principal or equivalent;
one letter must be from a community member, or a current or former student, parent, or professor.


Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 31st blog.

Friday Nights

9-26-09

Last night I sat down to write my blog but I was rudely interrupted. What in the world would interrupt my writing on a Friday night in the fall? Football. High School Football. I remember there used to be a world where I had Friday nights in the fall to myself. I think I was 6 or 7 years old. Because shortly after that my sister joined the band and then I joined the band and then I became a band director and then I married a band director and then I never saw a free fall Friday night again. Because along with the Friday night football games comes the high school marching band. They are that group that entertains the noisy crowd in the middle of the game.

Last night I was at the Parkview HS game. Not only is it my Alma Mater, it is also where my husband currently teaches. The Parkview crowd is very excited about football, not so much the band. Although to their credit they at least listen to the band play. I have been at schools before where the parents stand up and talk all through the marching band show. Why would you do that? Even though your child plays football someone else's child worked equally as hard every day that week preparing for this performance on the field. They may not be crushing people from the opposing team but it is just as taxing to learn patterns on the field while trying to play a difficult piece of music on an instrument they learned to play 4-6 years ago. Sit down and listen! The crowd last night was very nice and they even applauded. Thank you Parkview, those kids appreciated it.

The marching band kids usually get a bad rap. Why is that? I have a theory. It's the media. Since when have you seen an episode of Gossip Girl or Hannah Montana or The Hills where there were cool kids in the band? Never. Since when have you seen a movie about the Friday Night Lights on the band? Never. Since when have you seen a commercial or advertisement where you hear a portrayal of the band where they are not missing a bunch of notes or playing out of tune? Never. I actually saw a picture on the back of the TV Guide of a young boy completely weighed down with his new school supplies. He had his hands full of books, papers, pencils, book bag, and if that wasn't enough they made him carry a euphonium. They were trying to make him look as pathetic as possible for their advertisement. Obviously it wasn't very good I don't remember what it was for. The point is that they were trying to make him look bad and they gave him a band instrument. I don't think they were thinking, "Let's give him a helmet and set of football pads to carry. That'll make him look pathetic..." No. They gave him a euphonium. It was subtle but it was there. The media is trying to make the band kids look bad. They are giving them a bad rap.

When I was a Senior in college, my marching band won a National Award of Excellence called "The Sudler Trophy" It is basically the National Championship of marching bands. We were the first SEC band to EVER win that award. The first game of the next season they were presenting the award and the media didn't cover it. I know, I was watching on the TV. UGA wins a lot of awards but this one they chose not to cover. The band gets a bad rap. I actually called the TV Station to complain. I don't think they cared.

All of this doesn't really matter. My little rant is not going to change the world's perception of the band kids. They will still and forever be the most underrated part of the Friday Night game. But next time you go to a game maybe you will listen a little closer to all the blood, sweat, and tears that those kids put into it. Maybe you will make the person next to you quit talking and appreciate the musical interlude to all the violence on the field.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 30th blog.

Restaurant Review

9-24-09

For the past several years my husband, brother in law, and I have joked about starting a restaurant review blog. We like to check out new restaurants and tear them apart piece by piece. Sometimes the restaurants do very well but more often than not we destroy the restaurant in our personal critiques and never go back. We have a few friends who have accompanied our trio to a new place and they have been appalled at our harsh comments. With our high standards in hand we visited a new restaurant last night.

I will not hesitate to tell you exactly where we went and I sincerely hope that no one that reads this is offended. We went to Sweetfire Lodge and Grill in Gainesville, Ga. We were about to be seated when the boys thought it might be a good idea to sit outside. I was skeptical but I threw caution to the wind. After we were seated, we took the menus and began to peruse the selections. The menu was schizophrenic at best with choices as diverse as the colors of the rainbow. Michael and I finally went with the sirloin while David, the semi vegetarian went with the fish and chips--but he ordered mashed potatoes instead of the traditional chips. While waiting on our dinner fare we dove head first into their "vertical rings". From the description we thought it would be like the Outback Bloomin Onion. We thought wrong. What we got was a vertical stack of onion rings very thick in size and very thin in taste. The fried batter had a strange texture that lacked flavor and stuck to the roof of your mouth. It's nothing that salt and pepper couldn't have fixed but since we were on the patio apparently you have to special order those condiments. You also have to special order plates to go with your appetizer and also silverware to eat with. The onion rings would have also been better served with ketchup instead of whatever powder based nastiness they blended with what could have only been water? It was gritty and not quite mixed up all the way. I would've rather had the onion rings from the Varsity.

The service was friendly don't get me wrong. Our glasses were never empty and we got whatever we asked for, I just wish we didn't have to ask for quite so much. We also were served a basket of biscuits with an herb butter. They were good and so was the butter but it was something about the batter that made me think, these are not from scratch. Or I thought, I could've made these better at home. You really don't ever want to have that feeling when you are out, it defeats the purpose.

When the meal finally came, I noted that my steak was not cooked medium. I always ask for medium because I like a little pink. My steak was very thin and very brown. Michael's on the other hand was a very thick cut steak and was cooked medium instead of the medium well he asked for. Here is the difference: you can't uncook meat. Michael settled with his being more pink and I didn't want to wait 30 more minutes to get another steak so we started eating. The steak, despite it's cooking level was tasty. Michael enjoyed his as well. The real loser on the eating out deal was David. I cook for him all the time. He is not a picky eater. He usually cleans his plate and enjoys his meal. He actually said of his fish and chips that it was "too fishy" and he pushed the plate away after only consuming half. YIKES!! That's bad!

We declined dessert for fear of what we might get. This was a definite hit or miss night. Here's how I rated Sweetfire Lodge and Grill...

On a scale of 1-10:
Service: 9
Atmosphere: 7
Location: 7
Food: 5.5
Pricing: 6
Returnability: 2

The bottom line is that I can cook at home with more consistency, flavor, and for a better price.

Hope you enjoyed my review. Bon Appetit!
Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 29th blog.

embarrassed

9-23-09

Something completely and totally embarrassing happened to me today. We had a faculty meeting after school. I went to the meeting, took care of business, and proceeded back to my room. After running a few errands and making a new "to do" list, I was about to head out the door when my Principal called me over the intercom. He wanted me to come to the front office. I had asked him a question earlier regarding field trips so I thought he wanted to discuss it with me. I made my way to the front office only to find that not only was the Principal there but also the Assistant Principal. I quickly ran through a list of things I had done recently. Had any of them been offensive? Had I inadvertently made a child or a parent upset from something I had done? Who had I even taught that day? Wild horses were running through the scenarios in my head. They both had stern looks on their faces so I was prepared for the worst. Then the Principal said, "We just wanted to congratulate you on being named the Teacher of the Year."

I felt like someone had literally jerked the rug from under me. There were going on and on about how I deserved this honor and how much I did for the school but I couldn't hear them. All I could think was that they were talking to the wrong person. What was I doing in here? Maybe they meant to call Mrs. Barnes, our names sound alike and we both have curly hair. I have never been so speechless in my life. There are times when I am quiet and reflective but I really have lots of things to say behind the tongue that I am biting. This was not the case today. I stood there feeling as if someone had told me I won the lottery. I was confused and questioning. Then as the words continued to flow from my Principal's mouth it slowly began to dawn on me that he wasn't kidding. I had been named Teacher of the Year? What? There are so many other teachers that are more deserving than little old me. I didn't vote for me. Who in the world voted for me? Did they know who they were voting for?

Then as the light started to shine on the facts in my brain and it finally put all the pieces together, I felt the biggest wave of embarrassment washing over me in a tsunami-like way. I wanted to grab hold of my father's jacket and hide behind it until all of the excitement died down. I believe that I even used the words, "shucks..." Who says that? Someone who is completely embarrassed with an honor of this magnitude being bestowed upon them. I can't believe that the faculty voted for me. I am truly humbled and blessed to have a job that I really enjoy and to get an honor for doing that is even more special. Thanks to all the teachers at my school for all the hard work they put in every day. This award is for all of us.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 28th blog.

Flood

9-21-09

In light of the circumstances in Georgia I thought of this song to share with you. It's called "Flood" by Jars of Clay. Enjoy.


Rain, rain on my face
It hasn't stopped raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become one with the mud

Chorus:

But if I can't swim after forty days
And my mind is crushed by the thrashing waves
Lift me up so high that I cannot fall
Lift me up
Lift me up - when I'm falling
Lift me up - I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up - I need you to hold me
Lift me up - keep me from drowning again

Downpour on my soul
Splashing in the ocean, I'm losing control
Dark sky all around
I cant feel my feet touching the ground

[chorus]

Calm the storms that drench my eyes
Dry the streams still flowing
Cast down all the waves of sin
And guilt that overthrow me

[chorus]

Lift me up - when I'm falling
Lift me up - I'm weak and I'm dying
Lift me up - I need you to hold me
Lift me up - keep me from drowning again




Hope you liked it. Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 27th blog.

Tattoos

9-20-09

Tonight we went back to the sports bar where the waitresses have the large upper body and the tiny t-shirts. We went there because they have good and cheap food and it's usually pretty entertaining. Tonight the entertainment was the waitress. She actually didn't have on a tiny T-shirt but she was a well endowed blond young woman. We have actually seen this waitress here before. She is the one who got an extremely confused look on her face when we told her we wanted the buffalo chicken grilled not fried. I think she is a few sandwiches short of a good picnic. Tonight I noticed that she also was sporting several tattoos. There was a word on the inside of her wrist written in a foreign language. When I asked her what her tattoos said I don't think I was prepared for the answer. She said that one wrist said "pain" and the other said "pleasure". They were written in Gaelic because her family was from Ireland. I was speechless after that and did not inquire about the fish tail flipping up from under her collar in the neck area for fear that it meant something about whips and chains.

What kind of tattoo do you have? Or do you have one at all? Tattoos say a lot about a person. What was that waitress trying to tell us about herself other than her supposed heritage? Was it a comment on life? or her particular life path? what she wishes your life is like? I really don't want to know the answer. A family member of mine has a tattoo of the bio hazard symbol. I have never asked him but I wonder why he got that particular moniker. If you are going to permanently label yourself with ink it needs to be well thought out and with purpose. I knew a girl in college who got a giant sunshine in her pelvic area. That looked cool when she was twenty but how about after she pops out a couple of kids and that sun looks like it could eat the earth? You have to put some thought into it.

I had a conversation recently with a girl who wanted to get a tattoo to cover up a scar on her leg. I don't know why you would cover up a scar. There are so many stories you could tell about the scar. That's where the bullet when in when I saved a little girl from a hostile stand off...that's where the shark attacked me when I was hanging ten on the waves in Hawaii...that's where I was impaled by a piece of shrapnel from an explosion when I was rescuing a kitten from a burning building...I could go on. Why waste a story like that for a picture of a piece sign or a two toned daisy? I'd rather have the story.

I don't think I ever will get a tattoo. For one thing I think it would hurt too bad. There was once an episode of "Friends" where Phoebe and Rachel get tattoos. Phoebe only gets one little dot because she thinks it is so painful. So she tells everyone that it is the way her dead mother sees her from heaven. I would have a dot. A dot could mean a lot of things. Plus the bonus would be that no one would ever really know if it was a tattoo or a stray pen mark. The joke would be on everyone else. Another reason I wouldn't get a tattoo is that I think we are ever changing people. Something that I think is timeless now would inevitably be so lame in like three years.

What would your tattoo be? Food for thought.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 26th blog!

Things to Say

9-19-09

I know I have been remiss in writing my blog. To be honest the reason is two fold. I was really busy and I ran out of things to say. I really feel like I ranted everything out and currently I have nothing left to talk about. Don't worry I am sure something new will come along soon. I will only be rendered temporarily mute. Right now the only thing I really have to say is, it sure is raining. And Go Dawgs. See? Not that exciting. I'll check back in with more interesting news later.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 25th blog.

snoring

9-16-09

Do you snore? I don't. At least not that I know of. Sometimes I breathe heavy when I am really really asleep. But I don't snore. Michael snores sometimes when he is really tired and stuffed up and on his back but it's a rare occasion. Today at school there was a little girl that was reading a book about an old man snoring. The teacher made a snoring noise at her and she laughed. The teacher asked her if the student ever snored. The little girl replied no that she didn't. Then the teacher asked if the child's father snored. The little girl looked up thoughtfully and said that he only snored when he was drunk. I don't know whether to laugh or cry. This is a feeling I have often at my school. On the surface the kids are just like any other kids but there is a lot more underneath.

I am going to pray for the kids at my school and for the teachers who hear stories like this every day. It couldn't hurt.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 24th blog.

Feel Good

9-15-09

When you are having a bad day, what makes you feel good? Are there simple things that make you happy or is it big gestures that change your attitude? Do you enjoy watching a guilty pleasure TV show? Do you like to eat chocolate? Do you play with your dog or cat? Do you work out? I think I just named all the things that I like to do to put me in a better mood. There is something else that makes me feel good. Comments from kids. Kids are funny. They say whatever is on your mind and they are very honest. They like my clothes (see previous blogs) and they tell me. They notice when I have a cut on my finger or a mosquito bite on my leg and they tell me. Sometimes I don't like what they tell me but other times they make me feel good. Today after I had finished teaching Kindergarten a small little girl came up to me with this big grin on her face and said, "You're gorgeous!" I was taken back at first and then slightly embarrassed. Then I returned her beautiful smile and said, "Thank you sweetie, so are you." She made me feel really good. I will continue to remember that sweet smile every time I have a bad day.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 23rd blog!

The Piano

9-14-09

I don't know if you are aware of this but I am a closet piano player. I am horrible at it but I love to play. I took lessons when I was a child but my teacher moved and then we could never find an appropriate replacement and so on and so on. I picked the lessons back up later in high school and college. While I was able to play all my major scales two octaves, minor scales in all forms one octave, sight read a four part melody, and prepare an etude, that was really the height of my piano playing career. I passed my piano proficiency exam and never really looked back. I love listening to the piano and picking out melodies and chord progressions but I haven't had a piano since I was an adult out on my own. All that changed today.

We bought a piano. We have wanted a piano for a while now. Michael is even more of a closet pianist except that he is actually good. He took 18 years of piano or something like that. He plops down on the piano and starts picking out a Chopin piece he remembers from when he was five. I pick out jingles from the radio. Despite our diversity in playing talent we both wanted to have a piano in the house. I like to use it to help me figure out choir parts or flute accompaniment. So Michael has been looking for a little while.

Did you know that piano salespeople are much like car salespeople? They never want to give you a quote over the phone. They like you to come in and "check out all the inventory". What's up with that? It's just like a car dealer. When we bought our first Camry we knew exactly what we wanted. We walked in and went to a salesman and told him our needs. He tried to up the options and change our car choice. He was always very sly about it, never really being pushy but just rather suggestive. When he finally figured out that we were solid with our needs he got very deflated. Then he was not interested in being kind or polite in conversation. He very flatly filled out the paperwork and went on his way. I would think that a customer who knows what he wants would be more desirable over a wishy-washy loser that can't decide what color to make the interior. Maybe not if you work on commission.

So we had similar issues in trying to get a piano. They were the slick men in suits and ties trying to load down our truck with an extra expensive piano. Fortunately Michael had really researched the pianos and had a solid deal with this company before we arrived. There was some cosmetic damage and we got a BIG discount. The people we ended up working with were very friendly and I would recommend them to anyone in the market for a keyboard. Just be careful that you know what you want. You could go in for a Casio keyboard and come out with a Steinway Grand.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 22nd blog!

PS. I will just be over here practicing how to play the NFL theme on my new piano.

My brain is full

9-13-09

Did you miss me? I had to take a break. We went out on the town. Don't worry. I am back now to corrupt your lives a little more or maybe make you laugh a little harder at me.

Have you ever had the feeling that your brain is too full? I have been experiencing that all too often recently. I usually get that feeling when there is a job change or a life change or there is something completely new to learn. I also get that feeling when visiting a large amount of historical or scientific museums. So I got that feeling when I first went to instrument repair school. Then I got it when I started teaching elementary kids. I also got that feeling when I went to Washington D.C. this summer. I felt it last week when I started trying to figure out how to teach Science and Social Studies as a music teacher. I also felt it this weekend after another whirlwind of travel to the World of Coke and the Atlanta Aquarium. It's a lot to take in all those facts in one day.

If you are unfamiliar with the disorder of Brain Full let me tell you a little more. The classic symptoms are a furrowed brow, a sense of being overwhelmed, and a slight feeling of panic. Not to worry if you experience any of these symptoms they will soon pass. Your brain will not explode (I've only seen that once) and you will eventually be able to learn new information at a later time. The most prescribed method of relief for those suffering from Brain Full is to immediately cease whatever activity you are doing, sit down in a comfortable chair, put your feet up, and relax. Your brain will ease away from the tension and you will soon begin to function in life again.

That is the end of my public service announcement.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 21st blog.

9-11-09

9-11-09

First a pause in silent reflection for those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack of 9/11/01.



I was teaching band at Wheeler High School at the time. Our student teacher came in and had heard the news on the radio. We turned on the TV and gathered all the kids around. After I figured out what was going on I went and got the kids out of the practice rooms if they weren't already by the TV. I told them that this is something they would remember for the rest of their lives. I knew it was big. I remember my mom and dad used to always tell me what they were doing when Kennedy was shot and I felt that this was the same. We watched the footage together and saw the second tower fall. One kid was adamant that the plane had flown into the towers by accident. I was telling him that the planes wouldn't fly into the towers on accident on a bright sunny day. I kept calling my husband because he didn't have access to a TV and wasn't sure of what was going on. Everything was cancelled that night. Everything was silent.

The stories that poured out of the television and Internet all about that one day were amazing. There are truly some amazing people in this world. Would you have been able to do the same thing? Could you have saved someone else not knowing your what your own fate would be? There was a documentary of that day that I highly recommend. There were two French brothers that were doing a story on the fire stations. There were at ground zero. They followed the firemen and rescue crews everywhere. At one point they didn't know where the other was or if he had even survived. It was a gripping documentary and I cried all the way through it. I don't remember the name but I am sure with all the power of the Internet you can find it somewhere. Just Google French Brothers 9-11. You need to see it.

I am thankful everyday for the gift of life. You should be too. Take a moment and tell a loved one how much they mean to you today. You just never know.

I am going to tell my husband. He is my best friend and we are spending the weekend together with friends. I won't be here tomorrow. Try not to miss me. I will be enjoying my family and friends.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for being my friend. I know you are my friend because no one else would read this but thanks anyway for reading my 20th blog.

Pioneer Woman

9-10-09

Since it is late and I am just now sitting down to write this blog I will keep it short. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my favorite blog. It is The Pioneer Woman. Her blog address is www.thepioneerwoman.com. She is absolutely the best. She is a big city girl that became domesticated into life as a cattle ranch wife and mother. She keeps it real by showing you that she is far from perfect all the while entertaining you with tales that will double you over with laughter. I look forward to reading her blog every day. I aspire to be more like her ( in the blogging way, of course).

So as I take my leave and find my way into a blissful sleep, you go and find the pioneer woman. She will keep you reading for hours.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 19th blog!

Loss

9-9-09

When I got to school today everything seemed normal. I completed my morning duty of carting the 50 pound breakfast tubs up to the second floor and I took my place on the stairwell. I have to make sure none of the kiddies fall up the stairs. The children all filed in one after another and I directed them to the right side of the staircase, all as normal. About ten minutes into this parade of normal one teacher came down the stairs with a student in tears trailing after her. This same student had not been crying minutes earlier. With my curiosity peaked, my ears perked up to listen. I overheard two phrases: "Was she sick?" "She was taking medicine and took too much of it."

The student's mother had died last night. There were several levels of awe that I experienced. I can't believe that this girl's mother died. I know her mother. She was at all of the chorus concerts last year and I spoke with her several times. I can't believe that she's gone. I can't believe that the girl came to school. I can't believe that she wasn't upset earlier when she walked by. The girl came to school because she wanted to go on her class field trip. I can't believe that she wanted to go on the field trip. There were all kinds of crazy swirling thoughts capsizing in my head.

My heart breaks for this little girl. To lose a parent at any age is difficult. My father died a little over four years ago. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him and miss him. I want to tell him about my day, about the latest Braves game, about our repair business, about everything that crosses my mind. I was 27 not 10. I can't imagine what it would have been like to have been 10 when my dad died. The only thing I can think is that she must be in shock. Her mind probably can't even conceive all the pain that it will endure over the rest of her life.

Please pray for this girl. How her life will turn out, I do not know. I do know that the Lord will protect all his children and hold them close to his heart.

Have a blessed evening, be grateful for your family, and thanks for reading my 18th blog.

Chocolate

9-8-09

Have you ever had a day where you were taxed a little too much? The stress started to take its toll? You have to think to yourself, "Yes I can!!" just to make it through your work day? Then everything gets a little bit better because you ate chocolate? There is something about chocolate that seems to to make all the world's problems go away. It doesn't matter to me what form the chocolate is in, I will eat it. It could be pudding, Popsicles, candy bars, cookies, cookie dough.... I feel like Bubba listing all the shrimp recipes to Forrest Gump. Chocolate makes me feel better.

What makes you feel better? If you could only pick one food item to eat on a deserted island, what would you pick? What if you were going on a space mission to Mars for 10 years and you could only eat one thing, what would it be? Would it be chocolate? I would pick potatoes. As much as I love chocolate I think I could live longer with potatoes.

I hope you enjoyed this food for thought or rather thoughts about food.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 17th blog.

The check out line

9-7-09

Do you go to the grocery store? Is it something you enjoy? I love the grocery store. Even if I am having a bad day, I will be in a better mood if I go to the store. I think this love mostly stems from my love of food. I LOVE food. I would be 1000 pounds if I ate as much food as I think about eating. I have a lot of self control. I love all kinds of grocery stores. I even love traveling to a different part of the country and visiting their grocery stores. It tells so much about the culture of the area and the economic status. Do Rice Krispies cost as much in Colorado as they do in Georgia? Do they even sell Rice Krispies in Colorado? The whole thing is fascinating to me. I think another part of my love is that I enjoy finding a good deal. I love looking at the price per ounce and finding which item costs less. I also love comparing the cost versus the quality. It's like a little trivia game to get the best deals from the shelf into my cart. And if there happen to be two for one specials...Watch out!!!

The check out line is probably one of my favorite things. I like picking up a drink. I like checking out the candies. I like looking at the register as it tallies all my good deals. I also think it is fun to check out what other people are getting. Once I saw a super hyperactive child. In the cart was Fruit Loops, Mountain Dew, and ice cream. Hmmm, I wonder why he was acting all crazy? Another cart I saw was a bachelor. At least I can only assume he was a bachelor. He had T.V. dinners, beer, and chips. You can also tell from the cart which people are health conscious and which are not. Do they have fruit, yogurt, and granola or beef jerky and cheez whiz?

Most people know the check out line etiquette but for the sake of those who do not I have comprised a little check list.

What NOT to do while in the check out line:

1. Talk on cell phone.
2. Eat the food from your cart (you need to pay first).
3. Be rude to cashier (they could squash your bread).
4. Read magazines and forget to put your groceries on the belt.
5. Buy anything in the check out aisle, aside from a drink or gum.
6. Tell other people how to put their groceries up.
7. Block the aisle with your giant cart.
8. Pay with multiple forms of money therefore backing up the line.
9. Need a price check (figure it out before you get there).
10. Decide you don't want something and leave it on the magazine rack.

I hope that this list has been helpful to you. Happy Shopping!

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 16th blog.

Ghost Hunters

9-6-09

Do you know what TAPS is? If you do, you are probably a fan of Ghost Hunters. TAPS stands for The Atlantic Paranormal Society. It is a group based out of Rhode Island that researches and tries to prove and/or disprove the existence of ghosts. There is a show on the Syfy channel that is called Ghost Hunters and it follows the stories of the TAPS group. I have watched this show for several years. I find it fascinating for several reasons. One reason is that the men who run the investigations are very normal people. Their names are Jason and Grant and they are plumbers for Roto-Rooter. They both had supernatural experiences that led them to start their investigation business. Another reason I like it is that they more often than not disprove the existence of ghosts. They will explain the reasons for the strange activity in any given house/haunted site. They are very practical people. But I also like it because sometimes they actually find things are are completely unexplainable. There are beds that pull their covers off, doors that open and close on their own, disembodied voices, electronic voice phenomena, and lots of tapping and unexplainable knocking sounds.

I wouldn't say that I believe in ghosts but I wouldn't say that I don't either. I believe that there is spiritual activity out there in the world. I think that there are angels and demons. There is plenty of literature out there to support that belief as well. But I am not sure about ghosts. I have spoken with several people who have had experiences with people "from the other side". There are people in my own family who have the ability to communicate with the dead. Have you ever seen something you couldn't explain? Stayed in a haunted house or hotel? I have not. Of course I am glad of that fact. I don't mind to watch a TV program, read a book, or hear about an experience but if it were to happen to me I think I would be scared to death. I get scared of strange noises in the night without the thought of it being a ghost.

Tell me what you think. Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts on the paranormal.

Have a blessed and ghost free evening and thanks for reading my 15th blog!

PS Ghost Hunters airs on Wednesday evenings on the Syfy channel.

The Bad Smell

9-5-09

This morning I woke up to a horrible smell. It was about 7am and Michael was leaving to run an errand. "What is that smell?" I asked. "What smell?" Michael, oblivious to the stench perforating my nostrils, left to go about his business. I went back to sleep because, well because I was tired. Upon waking for the second time, let's say it was 8am because that sounds better than the slacker time that I actually woke up, the bad smell was still there. I then reluctantly pulled my body away from the bed to get dressed for the day. I put on my clothes and shoes and tried to make sense of where that smell was coming from. We have 4 cats living in our house but the smell was distinctly human. Using all the detective skills I obtained from the mystery novels I read, I followed to scent to discover its source. After a hound dog sniffing of the upstairs I determined that the stench was coming from the downstairs area. At this point I decided I was really more hungry than disgusted by the smell so I got myself some cereal and sat down on the couch. Then I had to check my facebook account and my email and before I knew it an hour had passed. I really needed to get off the couch and complete my workout for the day. If Michael came home and I hadn't done anything he would be disappointed. So I popped in the video and started on my way to the fit train. Before the video was over Michael got home. He walked in and said, "What's that smell?"

At this point my olfactory senses kicked in and I realized that the smell was not only still there it had blossomed and become quite a beast. Somehow in my quest to accomplish something I had simply pushed the smell from my mind. Now that Michael had brought the offensive odor to light we needed to find that beast and tackle it. It could've been any number of things in the kitchen (the room our superior sniffers had led us to). It could have been the dishes stacked up in the sink, the garbage disposal, the dishwasher-half filled with dirty dishes, the garbage can, the pantry (might have some spoiled food), the cat's food or water bowls, the pile of miscellaneous materials on the island or even a mystery item that we couldn't put a finger on. This is not a comment on our housekeeping. I am just keeping it real for you. Sometimes we are busy with life and things get a little piled up around the homestead. Michael went right to the source, the garbage can.

Although the garbage can was emitting an unearthly scent, I personally think the combination of all the aforementioned items made some sort of super smell that might be documented as being able to prevent swine flu. We then began to systematically take apart the kitchen. Little by little the sink, island, dishwasher, garbage can, cat dishes, and pantry all returned to a more normal state of being. I lit some candles and all is well in the world. We are smelling only our pumpkin pie candle which is very pleasant.

Have and blessed and fragrant smelling evening and thanks for reading my 14th blog.

Football

9-4-09

Well, it's that time of year. It's time for me to kiss my husband goodbye and realize the the couch in front of the TV is his new best friend. It doesn't matter if it is West Bumble State or Elephant Ear University, if they are playing football Michael will watch it. I myself was not really a football fan until I went to college. My high school went to the play offs every year and even played in the state championship game but I didn't really watch the games until I became a bulldog. I remember being on the field at my very first game. It was the pregame show. I was overwhelmed with all the music I had to learn and all the sets of the show. I am not sure that I played very much that game. I was in shock looking at the stands full of people and realizing that they were cheering for me. Well not just me. They were cheering for us because we were cheering for the team. We were the musical cheerleaders. For the first time in my life, it was cool to be in band. I loved being on the field. I loved the smell of the air when it was crisp and a few leaves were on the ground. I loved feeling the smooth green grass under my feet. I loved the camaraderie that came with cheering on a team with all your friends. Football isn't just about the game, it's the whole experience. It's tailgating with mounds of food that there is not a snowball's chance in Hades that you are going to eat all of it. It's the pregame color commentary from the local and national sportscasters. It's the music playing through the stands touting the awesomeness of your team. Every time I watch a game I am transported back in time to when I stepped on the field for the first time. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling inside and I like it. So despite the fact that I have to watch every game known to man with the love of my life, I can't really complain. Because I would probably watch it without him too! (Don't tell him I said that though, I think I might weasel another back rub out of him...)


Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 13th blog.

GO DAWGS!!!

Say something nice

9-3-09

During school today I semi-followed a particular student around. He is new at my school this year and is not exactly fitting in. He has switched homerooms, been identified as a special education student, and has already served in school suspension. I saw him several times in the hall and tried to keep tabs on him all day. He has a certain zest for life that makes him unable to contain his comments. He blurts them out at any given opportunity. This trait in him makes him lovable and yet extremely annoying. The reason I was watching him is that I thought he looked sad. He is constantly yelled at all day long. Sit down. Put your hand down. No you can't go to the bathroom. You just got water 15 minutes ago. Stop talking. Don't tap your pencil. Maybe all his outbursts are just a plea for attention. Maybe he just wants to have something positive said to him. I don't think he is a malicious boy, he just needs some love.

Don't we all need some love? I once heard a statistic that for every negative comment said to you it takes ten positive ones to equal it out. Have you ever counted the number of negative things you hear in one day? Turn on the news and you will get an earful: fires in California, child molesters in the next county, health care reform protests, someone got shot in a parking lot, a bank got robbed. Just from this sentence alone I need to hear 50 positive things. The news doesn't exactly talk about butterflies and fairies.

Because of all the negativity, I put it upon myself to say at least 10 positive things a day. How hard is it to say something nice? I like your shirt. Your outfit is so cute. Thanks for holding the door. Even smiling at a stranger counts. I make it sound easy, don't I? There are days where you'd be surprised how hard it is. But when you force yourself to see the brighter side of life, it does indeed make your day brighter (and if all else fails just look at that picture of Lucy with her tongue hanging out). It also brightens the day of the person you are talking to. Even if the compliments I get are from 5 year olds they still make me feel good about myself. So tomorrow as you go out to tackle the world say something nice to someone. You will find yourself in a better mood.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 12th blog.

The things kids say

9-2-09

Today I wore a pair of brown slip on shoes. The brand is Vera Wang. I got them from Kohl's at a big sale. The reason I bought them is two fold: 1) I wanted a pair of brown shoes to wear that were not 6 inches high and 2) they were cheap. They weren't really my style but as I already confessed they were of the right color and price. They have a very cute fuzzy layer around the edge and a large cluster of rhinestones on the toe. The shoes are very comfortable and I can wear them at school all day without my feet hurting. Any shoe that can do that is worthy of being in my closet. Regardless of all the positive facts about my shoes, today I really second guessed my choice. While I was at school today I had several students comment to me that they also liked my shoes. My first instinct was to be flattered. Then I started to think, do I really want to be a fashion model for things that 5 year olds like? Unclear in my shoe choice I was now at a crossroads in both my foot and body wardrobe. If I wear something they like am I dressing immaturely? But if I wear something they think looks stupid I will lose my cool points with the kids. After this verbal tennis match in my head I decided that I will wear things they like because they are closer to my feet. If they have to look at my feet all day then they should like what they see. What kids say really makes me stop and think.

Another comment I got today was from a little boy. He came tearing out of the bathroom and said that another little boy had peed on the floor. Here are the thoughts running through my head: what do you want me to do about it? was he trying to pee on the floor? how do you know he was peeing on the floor? were you looking? I'm not cleaning it up. I'm also not going into the bathroom to check and see the floor where the little boy allegedly peed. Eventually I think I landed on the statement of," You shouldn't pee on the floor. You need to clean it up." Sometimes what kids say really stump me or put my mind whirling in all kinds of directions.

In the first week of school I had a Kindergarten class that was learning to raise their hands to speak. After a lengthy period of time where this one little boy wouldn't put his hand down I finally called on him to tell me the inevitable story about his dog or loose tooth. To my surprise this is what he said, "My daddy used to be in a jail where he was behind a big piece of glass and he couldn't hold me. But now he moved to a prison far away and he gets to go to a room to visit with us and he can hold me now." After my heart broke a little, I said, "well that's good that he gets to hold you." What do you say to kids when that's what they tell you.

As I was reiterating the above story to my Assistant Principal, she had a much funnier and more uplifting kid story. As she was walking down the hall one day she stopped near a first grade class. She overheard the following conversation:

Boy 1: You don't know what a condom is?
Boy 2: No. What is a condom?
Boy 1: It's one of those places you stay at the beach in the summer.

Working with children has been one of the most rewarding experiences. I hope that I always get to hear the crazy things that kids will say.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 11th blog.

Intregrity

9-1-09

This past summer my sister posed a question to me that I had never heard before. She said "Doesn't it suck to have integrity?" She asked me this because I was one of two teachers from my school to attend a leadership retreat which was supposed to include the entire leadership team from our faculty. Now I do not know the reasons for which the rest of the team didn't come. Perhaps it was because there was poor communication, or there were other county obligations, or maybe it was just because they didn't want to go. So despite the fact that I am a music teacher I went to the leadership conference to discuss things like reading and writing and to analyze the data from the CRCT.

I ask myself this question from time to time nowadays, "Doesn't it suck to have integrity?" I ask it when I arrive at my job on time fulfilling tasks that are really not my burden to bear and I see others strolling in 15-20 minutes late. I ask it when I am required to teach out of field and others, who are also required, are not actually doing it. I ask it when I am diligently on time to choir practice and others are not. I ask it when I take the shopping cart all the way back to the stall instead of leaving it right next to my car. I ask it when I underestimate the cost of a repair but don't charge customers more because that's not what I told them. I ask it when someone treats me like garbage and I turn the other cheek and do not respond in kind. Doesn't it suck to have integrity?

My answer is no, it doesn't. One of my favorite movies is "Sense and Sensibility". The main character is Eleanor Dashwood. She is madly in love with Edward Farris, who is secretly betrothed to a wicked young lady, Lucy Steele. Eleanor is sworn to secrecy by the evil Lucy not to tell of the engagement. So despite the fact that she is absolutely torn to shreds inside, she remains silent about the engagement and keeps her word to Lucy. Meanwhile Eleanor's sister, Maryanne has love troubles of her own. The man she loved, Willoughby, got another woman pregnant, lost his inheritance, and had to marry a rich woman lest he be a pauper the rest of his life. Maryanne almost dies over the drama. Who knows what was wrong with her, a broken heart? Regardless, in the end Maryanne lets go of the past and her whirlwind romance with Willoughby. In a conversation with Eleanor she suggests that it is her fault that everything went wrong with Willoughby. Eleanor says, "Do you compare your behavior with that of Willoughby?" and Maryanne says, "No. I compare it with what it ought to have been. I compare it to yours." That is my favorite line. Eleanor has such integrity and adherence to moral values that she is looked up to by her sister.

It is important to be a person of integrity. Someone has to uphold the moral laws of society or else we would live in anarchy. I cannot pretend that sometimes it ruffles my feathers that I am the one doing the right thing when others are clearly living an easier life by taking the easy way out. It does tan my hide sometimes. But somewhere out there I hope that there is a Maryanne watching me and being inspired to do the right thing too.

I am not writing this blog today to lift myself up. I am far from perfect. I am sure there are times I wish no one was watching me. I embarrass myself even. But I am writing to let you know that I am trying and I hope that you are too.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 10th blog.

PS-SPOILER!!! Eleanor and Edward end up together in the end and live happily ever after.

My Savior

8-31-09

I know you think I am going to write about my real Lord and Savior in this space but I am not. I am going to write about the savior of my kindergarten class, Mr. Possum.

Last year was my first year teaching in an elementary school. I felt prepared because I had taught young children before in church. Also, I had an excellent resource as my sister is also an elementary music teacher. Little did I know the craziness that is kindergarten. My first days of teaching were horrible. I didn't have enough activities planned because their attention spans are about as long as a gnat's. Here I was in a class of 24 five year olds and about to become the victim of a major trampling or riot of noise when I remembered the possum.

A year prior to this, a friend had bestowed upon me a gift of a stuffed possum. It was a housewarming present. I didn't know that possums were a traditional new home present but I accepted the gift with joy nonetheless. I do love all animals and I knew that this possum would find his purpose in our lives sooner or later.

Back to my classroom and me about to be trampled when I remembered the possum. I named him the Awesome Possum and we called him Mr. Possum for short. On this particular day I grabbed the possum (whom many thought was actually a big rat) and said that Mr. Possum was looking for a student to sit with. He wanted someone who was sitting straight and tall and someone who was not talking. I have never seen a group of students snap to attention so quickly. Apparently everyone liked the possum and wanted to hold or touch him. It made getting them quiet very simple and also gave me an activity to fill up the rest of the class with. It was possum petting time. Thus Mr. Possum became my savior. Or maybe my hero? All the kids love to hold Mr. Possum and always try their very best to get him in their laps. They take very good care of him too. Earlier this year Mr. Possum's tail began to unravel at the seams. Everyone had to use great caution not to hurt his tail until he could get stitches. I told them he got into a fight with a raccoon. Mr. Possum sometimes gets a bad rap. I also blame him when I accidentally turn up the volume too high on the stereo or pick the wrong CD track. The kids think he is mischievous and I don't look quite so stupid.

I'd like to add another foresty friend to my classroom so if you see a cute squirrel or groundhog or even a badger around, let me know where to find him. Mr. Possum needs a pal.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 9th blog.

Innie or Outtie?

8-30-09

Michael got new tires for our truck on Friday. This is not an especially exciting fact except that the tires are "outties". This means that the raised writing on the side of the tire is written in white so that it is readable. I didn't think that it made a difference if your tires were innies or outties. But then my brother in law said that you only put the outtie tires on if you are pretentious and want people to know what kind of tires you buy. Are you kidding? Who cares what kind of tires you have on your car and why does it matter if you can see the brand or not? So then on our travels this weekend we started looking around to see if other vehicles were innies or outties. It turns out there are very few outties in our neck of the woods. Now we are completely self conscious that we are being pretentious drivers showing off our fancy outtie tires. I don't think it matters but it does give one pause.

I bet you thought I was going to talk about belly buttons but I'm not. Although I once thought that outtie belly buttons were none existent. I had never really seen one as a child. I was beginning to think they were an urban legend. Then I saw one. There it was, at the pool, all poking out at me. I, to this day, have never seen another. I think they are almost as common as outtie tires. Now I bet you will be looking for them too.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 8th blog.

What no one will say but we're all doing it.

8-29-09

At my house we are not allowed to use the "F" word. When I say "F" I am not referring to the vulgar word commonly used in cursing. I mean the four letter word used to describe what happens when gaseous explosions come from the rear of your body. It is not a word we use to describe our actions or sounds or smells. In fact we don't talk about any function that might happen in the toilet area. That porcelain god remains very quiet in my house. Everyone goes about their "business" in very discrete ways.

This being said I am about to reveal a very embarrassing fact about myself. I do it only to make your day a little funnier and to expose you all as hypocrites because you do it too. You know what I am talking about. I am talking about the F word. Some people are very blatant in their approach to the relief of their vapors. Just this afternoon my nephew did it to me (of course he is only 3 months old so who can blame him). Other people are very discrete. I am one of the "others". So one day I was at work and I was feeling a little pent up. There was no one in the room so I decided give my colon a little freedom. You know how when you were younger-or maybe even now pending your maturity- you used to have belching contests? I remember that sometimes I would drink a bunch of coke and think I had a really good one coming and nothing came out. The opposite was also true. Sometimes I would win the contest off a really big burp I wasn't even expecting. Well I was not expecting the sound that came from me on this particular day. I was at my desk typing at the computer trying to liberate the extra air in my digestive area when I hear a sound I have never heard come from my body. Have you ever held a balloon that you blew up very tight at the top and just let the air squeeze through a tiny little opening? It makes the cry of a screaming banshee. I made that very same cry the other day only it didn't come from my mouth. Oh now, don't you act all self-righteous. You do it too and you know it. You know that you do it out in public where you think no one else is standing but then someone walks up and sniffs and stares in your direction. You do it in the grocery isle while pondering home much fiber intake you should have in your cereal all the while wondering if it is the fiber causing the other problem in the first place. You do it and blame it on other people too. The shared bathroom at work is always where you say "it was like that when I went in." You have no right to judge me. I only did it the one time, that banshee episode. I was just told about all those other things that people do. Yeah, I was told (good thing you can't see my shifty eyes right now). I guess I should, I mean we all should start owning up to it. We all do it, right? I am just going to start carrying some air freshener in my purse and spray it when the wind changes direction and apologize to passerbys. That will at least relieve some of the guilt I feel about that time...no I can't tell you that story. You will just have to imagine it, because you know you do it too.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 7th blog.

What are your kids wearing?

8-28-09

I must say this up front: I am a childless woman. I think this makes me in the extreme minority, especially for my age. I'm thirty-one. I know you're shocked. With my witty humor and flawless looks, I'm sure you assumed I was in that young whipper-snapper extremely web-savvy age group. Alas, I am old and I am childless (at least for now...). Now, I am not upset about that fact. It is a decision I have consciously made. But I say this only because I am about to question some parents. I know I am delving into dangerous ground here but here I delve anyway.

What is up with parents that dress their daughters like hoochie mamas? Who looks at their little girl coming down the stairs with her bra straps hanging out underneath her skin tight t-shirt over her pre-pubescent gut and eyeliner on thicker than Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and says "hey, you look pretty today?" What parent in their right mind lets their developing daughter wear shirts cut so low you can see every beginning part of their anatomy? I am so tired of watching the 4th and 5th graders come up the stairs at my school wearing inappropriate clothing. Then I came to my husband's school only to see that inappropriate dress does not improve with age. I think I will become an advocate for school uniforms. At least then they all HAVE to dress a certain way at school. I know this doesn't solve the problem, but it will help my eyes.

I know that I have no right to speak on these matters as I am the childless one but gosh darn it someone has to say it.

I feel better now that I vented.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 6th blog.

Lucy Cat

8-27-09

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my love for cats. I had an ok day today. When I came home I was tired and facing a long list of to do's. I put my nose to the grind and accomplished a lot. After dinner, Michael and I were still down trodden over having to go back to the basement and work for another hour or two. Then Michael started laughing at the sight next to me on the couch. I turned and saw this (picture above). How can you look at this and not laugh? There is something uplifting about looking at a cat with their tongue hanging out. It gave me that extra boost I needed to make it through the day. Thanks Lucy, I needed that.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 5th blog.

Do you like your job?

8-26-09

As I was sitting through a very long faculty meeting today, I was trying to decide if I would ever want to become a classroom teacher. I know several music majors that went back to school and got other degrees to be grade level teachers. Would I ever want to do that? The answer came to me in a flash after having sat through an hour of instruction on shared and guided reading. NO! I often wondered if I was making the right decision when I went to college. I enjoyed and had success in several fields and it was hard making the choice to pursue music. But after 9 years out of college and several jobs later, I can safely say that I am glad I chose music. I am not saying this to belittle teachers at all. I feel like the best choice for me and me only was to teach music. I had a second grader ask me last week why I like music. It was such an innocent little question but it had a very profound answer that I am sure that little 8 year old couldn't comprehend. The basic answer that I told him was that it makes me feel good. The more complex answer is that it makes me feel good. But I can't put into words all that music does for me, the joy, the sorrow, the happiness that it expresses and also all that it does not express. Let's just say today I got confirmation from God that I was on the right path.

On that note, I felt today that not everyone where I work is as happy with their choice as I am. I realize that there are obstacles that we face everyday and that teaching is a tough job but sometimes I wish that people wouldn't complain so much about it. There are people out there who I just can't even be around any more because of their negativity. I have had many jobs, more than I care to admit to. Some of those jobs were horrid (not enough money, nasty co-workers, terrible job duties, etc...) and you know what I did? I found a different job. I know that's a real radical idea but I chose to make my life a more pleasant place to be everyday. At some point I just start to feel very sorry for those people. At our church tonight a woman in the choir gave a very touching devotional. She was almost crying as she spoke about her personal relationship with God. It turns out that she lost her 13 year old son about a year ago and yet she was a happy person. As she was speaking you could actually she joy in her heart. That's the power of Jesus Christ. Maybe that's what's missing from these angry negative people where I work, maybe they need the power of Jesus Christ, maybe they need a church, maybe they need a friend, maybe they need to find a different job. Whatever the reason, they are not happy and I do feel sorry for them.

My life is so blessed right now. I have warm fuzzy cats that make me feel good when I come home. I have a beautiful house that we have not lost to foreclosure. I have two jobs that I love (there's more to me than being a teacher-I'll explain later). I have a husband who is my best friend. And most importantly, I have the peace that passes all understanding in my heart.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 4th blog.


PS. I found out that the spider who almost killed me was a wolf spider. They are the natural predators to the brown recluse. The wolf spider is not poisonous but the brown recluse is. Figures that the good one is the one that got stomped. I am buying spider spray tomorrow.

The Spider that Almost Killed Me

8-25-09

Today I was attacked by the biggest spider known to man (pause for dramatic effect). Alright, I wasn't attacked and it wasn't the biggest spider known to man but it was really scary. Here's how it happened. I was innocently preparing for my classes tomorrow-I teach elementary general music. I opened my storage closet to retrieve some rhythm band instruments that I needed for class. I arranged the baskets with the instruments at the front of the room. I noticed that the basket holding the mallets was a little unruly and I began to arrange them in a more orderly fashion. Are you scared yet? I reached inside the basket and the largest spider I have ever seen poked it's giant hairy legs in my direction. The scream caught in my throat and came out only as a gasp. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a cup and trapped the baby tarantula under it. I grabbed a second cup and scooped it up. I was then holding the mascot of death in my hands. I was confused as to what to do next. I had two thoughts: 1) I could page the teachers and see who wanted a pet for their classroom 2) I needed to find someone who could identify the beast in my hands. I went with option number two. I decided that if there was a nest of these creatures hiding in my closet I should know whether or not they are poisonous. I took the cup o'spider to the front office at my school. The ladies at the front were not fans of the eight legged webbed killer either. After directing me to the only male teacher in the school, because he might be able to identify the spider, I continued down the hall. At this point the wild animal in my hands decided that he wanted to leap from the cup and attack me. I dropped the cup as fast as I possibly could and then the scream which I had so easily suppressed earlier rose to the surface like an exploding volcano. The next few seconds passed with such speed its hard to tell what happened first. Basically, the spider began to run away, I trapped it again, and another teacher came out of her room and stomped on it. And there ends my run in with the spider that almost killed me.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 3rd blog.

Fodder

August 24th, 2009

I was reflecting on my very first blog last night. I was thinking of new topics to write about in the future when I realized I was pulling a Jim Qwilleran. One of my favorite series of books is "The Cat Who..." mysteries by Lillian Jackson Braun. Her main character is James Mackintosh Qwilleran. He is a writer for the Moose County Something by day and a crime fighter by night. He inexplicably finds himself surrounded by mystery and is able solve them with the aid of his super intelligent Siamese cat. I do have several cats in my house. Maybe that's why I was coming up with great and new ideas to write about. Qwill is always stumped when trying to find ideas for his column in the Something, The Qwill Pen. He uses many different people and books to help him come up with the thousand word essay he has to write two times a week. He calls it Fodder for the Qwill Pen. You would think that it would be easy but he inevitably relies on his cat, Koko to inspire him. So that's what I was doing last night. I was coming up with Fodder for the Music Barr with inspiration from my three bedside cats.

My cats are my family, aside from my loving husband. The oldest is Chloe. I found her in an ad and gave her to my husband as a present before we were married. She is a Daddy's girl and only begrudgingly lets me feed her and change her litter. She is impossibly prissy and likes to get her face scratched as much as possible. I am convinced that if there were a machine that scratched faces she would sit in front of it all day and wear it out. Then there are Clancy and Lucy. They are the "kittens". Even though they are 9 years old, we still think of them as the little ones. There are several reasons for that: 1) We got both of them (they are sisters) and another sister at the same times and it was a crazy bunch of kittens 2) they are very small and still look like kittens. Clancy is a fickle little girl. She doesn't meow the right way. She kind of squeaks. She loves to be petted but it hasn't always been that way. She HATES to be picked up and will wiggle like there is no tomorrow if you try it. Lucy is not the brightest cat we have (don't tell her I said that). She does silly things like leaving her tongue partially hanging out of her mouth and trying to jump up on something but not calculating the distance correctly and missing the mark. I love her though, she likes to sit on my head. Quite literally, it is a battle in the evening for who gets to actually lay on my pillow, me or Lucy. She usually invades and little by little, I'm on the other side of the bed. There are two other cats at our homestead that belong to my Brother in law (he lives here too). There is Ande, an impossibly loud and ancient Siamese and there is Flannel, a lovable tabby who lives outside and hunts all kinds of prey.

Cats are a great stress relief to me. No matter how bad your day was or how bad you feel about yourself, cats will always love you. They rub your ankles and your head and remind you of all that is right and good in the world. They bring you back to a point where you can evaluate whether or not to actually be angry at someone at work for something they said or at that person that cut you off as you were driving home. Cats are a gift from God. It's like he knew that I liked furry little creatures that I could pet and touch and created them just for me. God put these cats in my life to help me weed out all the bad and always keep a balanced perspective on the world. I'd like to take a second and thank God for all his glorious creations. Seriously, God, you did good.

That's all the Fodder I came up with last night. I'll think on it some more and be back to give you more revelations from the mind of Keren.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my 2nd blog.

New Blog

8-23-09

So this weekend I went to see a new movie called "Julie and Julia". It was a great movie about two individual people living their own little lives and one of them blogged about it. I thought I was very much like the Julie character who blogs. Therefore I started my own today. I have thoughts and feelings to share with the world. I am sure you are ready to hang on to my words as if your life depended on it. Ok, not really but I still thought it might my fun to get my views on life out into the blogosphere. So look out world, here come my views.

This evening I went to dinner with my husband and brother in law. We went to a local sports bar. Now, I knew that I wasn't going to be dining at the Chateau Elan or anything but I did assume that we weren't going to a Hooters type establishment. I apparently was wrong. That's what I get for assuming. My father used to say "You know what happens when you assume..." He never actually finished his thought to tell me what indeed did happen. I guess I was to assume the answer. Anyway, the waitresses this evening were in rare form. I have never seen so many tiny t-shirts on so many large breasted women. It was so distracting that I had to repeat questions to my brother in law several times before he could cognitively answer me back. My question to the world is this. Why the big boobs and tiny t's? Does it make the food taste better? Does it somehow distract you from the woes of the world? Are you a better person for having stared at that many boobs? Do you ladies need the stares to feel better about yourself?

I have no answers to these questions. I will say that my soup was a little runny and cold but I ate it anyway. And I will probably go back to that establishment regardless of the temperature of my soup. Mostly, I will go because they have giant television screens that play multiple college football games (GO DAWGS!!!). And I think my husband and brother in law will make me go back too. They will say it has something to do with how great the sweet tea is, but I will know the real answer.

Have a blessed evening and thanks for reading my first blog.