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Showing posts from 2013

Being a Disney Princess

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Most every woman and girl that I know (and probably quite a lot that I don't) has likely at some point in their life wanted to be a Disney princess. I mean, between the beautiful dresses, the handsome princes, the animal companions, and the amazing adventures, how could you not want to be a Disney princess? Sure, sure, stereotypes are evident and certain ideologies might be advanced, but honestly, who didn't want Jasmine's hair--or her pet tiger? Well, the other day, I was cleaning my room. Deep cleaning...going through drawers and boxes, trying to get ride of things that I don't need anymore. I sat there, shuffling through junk and trash and dinglehoppers, gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whosits and whatsits and thingamabobs, when I realized something:  I am exactly like Ariel! I keep everything ...and if you don't believe me, you're welcome to come look through my boxes in the barn and attic. Then it hit me:  I am a Disney princess...sort of. I share qual

For your Holiday Viewing Pleasure...

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I had fully intended at the start of the month to do a separate blog post about each of my favorite Christmas movies, but that fell by the wayside quickly. Given my affinity for lists, I have decided the best course of action would be to simply make a list of the remaining Christmas movies. Some you may agree with, some you may not. Some you may have never heard of, but I highly recommend you check them out. 1. Holiday Inn   Bing Crosby strikes again--this time with costar Fred Astaire--as he sings through the holidays in yet another of Irving Berlin's masterpieces. (Fun fact:  the idea for the songs in this film and later the entire production started after Irving Berlin wrote Easter Parade. Without that song, there would be no White Christmas. ) 2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas   The original cartoon starring Boris Karloff. I don't feel the need to say much more because if you haven't watched it, you must have been raised in the woods by wolves. 3. Thomas Kin

I love this time of year!

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Yes, I do. I don't just mean Christmas, either. I mean Christmas break. No school for two weeks...I can't even begin to describe how much I needed this break. I was this close to pulling my hair out on a daily basis. The kids needed the break, too. They were getting restless and antsy and driving everyone up the wall and onto the ceiling. And since I'm such a list-maker, here is my list of the things I plan to do over Christmas break. 1. Sleep In!  Oh my heavens, is this going to be a wonderful thing! Granted, anymore, sleeping past 8:00 or even 7:30 is considered sleeping in for me. Still, a few extra hours would be fantastic...and I have a feeling many of my students will be doing this also. 2. Read! I have so many books on my shelf that I haven't had a chance to read yet. There is no way I will get them all done by the end of break, but I can get started. Plus, I could use the time to just relax. 3. Write! I don't get to write non-blog po

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

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Time for another holiday movie review (and it's a good one!) One of my all-time favorite movies--not just at Christmas. White Christmas starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Vera Ellen, and Rosemary Clooney...my goodness! What a cast! What a show! I can't think of a single bad thing to say about this movie...except maybe that it ends? Oh, and the Choreography song...don't much care for that number. But this movie tells a holiday story like no other--the holiday idea of helping out those you love using what you can. Bing and Danny play Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, and when the movie opens, we find them in the midst of World War II on Christmas Eve, saying goodbye to their current general. One thing leads to another, and they end up being one of the hottest teams in show business. Then they happen upon the Haynes sisters--Betty, played by Rosemary, and Judy, played by Vera Ellen--and the sparks begin to fly. Falling in love on the dance floor and singing together..

It's Finally Here!!!!

After a year of waiting, the second installment in Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy has been relased in theaters. And oh. My. Goodness... Desolation of Smaug? Try the Desolation of my Weekend! My sister and I made a semi-perilous journey to Champaign on Friday night, when the movie had been in theaters a total of nineteen hours. (I say "semi-perilous" because it wasn't bad going down, and when we came back north the snow had stopped, but the roads weren't great...ergo, semi-perilous). I was prepared for the movie to be great...and I was also very worried. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I watched The Unexpected Journey at least twenty times. And I've been following every news release of The Desolation of Smaug (which I shall henceforth call DOS ) since the first bits were leaked back in March or whenever it was. What if I had overreached it's amazingness in my mind? What if my expectations were too high? They weren't.  They weren&#

Tis the Season!

For some reason, my posts are happening later in the day. I don't really know why. That's life for you, I guess. Christmas is two weeks away. I don't say this to put everyone in a panic because there is so much left to do (which it's serving to put me in a panic, so that didn't work out so well). I say this because, as the song puts it, the Most Wonderful Time of the Year will be over in fourteen days. Only thirteen days until Christmas Eve. This reminds me that I still have presents to buy for at least five people on my list. I have yet to send out a single Christmas card. I have no idea what dishes I am taking to the various Christmas parties to which I have been invited. All the presents I currently have are as yet unwrapped. I have lessons to plan so that I can fully enjoy my break. I have papers to grade for the same reason. I need to have a plan to take down all my Christmas decorations before leaving school on December 20. My choir has one more practi

The Hills are Alive!

First of all, before I begin my rambling of the day, I want to thank everyone who read my most recent post and for all the support you offered me. It is one thing to know your blog is being read; it is another thing entirely when the people who read it take the time to respond to what you have written. Whether we laughed about it at school the next day or you wrote me a message, texted me, whatever...words cannot adequately express what I felt. I'm much better at writing my feelings than I am speaking them, too. I'm terrible at receiving praise--if it's possible, I'm even more awkward in those instances than in regular, everyday conversation. So thank you all. From the bottom of my heart, I'm grateful :) Now to what you've all been waiting for...(or at least I'm assuming this is what you've all been waiting for) My Thoughts on The Sound of Music Live! Of anyone I know (and please forgive me if this sounds at all conceited...that is most assuredly

Time for a Rant (or two)!

Okay, I've been posting on this blog for several months now, and I haven't really gone on any rants. You all surely know what I mean by rants , right? Basically my emphatic opinion repeated over and over and over again. But today, now suddenly, I feel the need to rant in two particular directions. I apologize if you get upset by any of this. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS NOT DIRECTED AT ANYONE IN PARTICULAR!!!!! None of the people I am technically sending this rant out to are my Facebook friends (that I know of). None of this is targeted at one particular individual. I'm just tired of everyone else getting to put their feelings out for everyone in the world to see and being too chicken to do it myself. So instead of being offended, be proud of me, for finally being brave enough to add in my voice (safely behind my computer screen...maybe not so brave?) SCHOOL RANT Dear parents,       Do not blame your child's teacher for your child's grades. The homework that was

Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!

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December has officially arrived. As my students so cheerfully reminded me, there are only 23 days until Christmas. One of my absolute favorite things about Christmas is all of the movies I get to watch. So for the month of December, I think I will post about some of my favorites, starting with the all-time best Christmas movie. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown! One of my favorite things about Christmas movies are the touching, emotional moments. And the moment Charlie Brown looks up at the sky to see the twinkling star as Linus's voice repeats the Christmas story from the book of Luke, my eyes well with tears as I try to hold it together. Then I just let it go when his friends decorate his tree and start singing Hark! the Herald Angels Sing. I don't think there is a better Christmas movie that unites adults and children, young and old. All those little kids, trying to put on their Christmas pageant without any grownups to help them. The rockin' band playing songs

The Final Five

Last day of November...only 31 days left in 2013. Only 25 days until Christmas. Only 12 days until The Desolation of Smaug premieres (come on, don't pretend you didn't see that one coming). And it is the last post of my thankfulness series. Perhaps if I had done this daily on, say, Facebook or Twitter, the topics might have come easier for me, but trying to do groups of five hasn't always been easy. However, I shall give this final grouping of five a valiant effort. 26. My body I take having a healthy, complete body for granted some times. I am thankful that I have two feet attached to two legs that can get me from A to B in whatever manner I see fit. I am thankful I have ten fingers attached to two hands attached to two arms that allow me to do everything from lift a car over my head (hahaha) to type this blog post. I am thankful I have two eyes, two ears, and working vocal chords. I am thankful for my crazy gingerish hair that covers my scrawny giraffe neck. I'm m

Oozing with Thankfulness!

So much for posting sometime in the past five days...oh well, what are you going to do? You can't fire me, as this is my blog, owned and operated by me. I suppose you could stop reading it. Please don't stop reading my blog. That will make me incredibly sad. Time for five more things on my list! 21. Pain relievers I'm so thankful for Advil. I'm not a pill popper, but when you get headaches like mine or cramps like I do, Advil is a necessary lifeline. I'm serious--today I spent the better part of an hour huddled in my desk chair while the kids worked on maps, wondering if would be able to talk without throwing up or stand without fainting, thanks to cramps. And thanks to Advil, they eventually went away. 22. Clean slates Literally and figuratively! I love a clean, never-been-used chalkboard and a long piece of chalk, but I also love second chances. I love changing my entire mood by cleaning my room down to the bone and sweeping out my car and straighteni

Another 5 Things for Which I am Thankful

This should be the last consecutive thankfulness post. There will be two more, as there are still ten days in November, but there should be another post in between this and the next thankfulness post. Anyway, here we go: 16. Television  This one makes me sound lazy, but I am such a television junkie, so yes, I'm owning this one. Comedies, dramas, cop shows, sci-fi shows, thrillers, history programs...I don't care, as long as I can get into the show and enjoy the characters, I'll watch it. 17. Popcorn The official snack food of Illinois! And the staple of the American cinema. And something the Eastern Woodland Native American tribes used to eat, as well (that's the Social Studies teacher coming out, right there!) 18.  Target Seriously, can you go into Target and leave empty handed? That store has everything I could possibly ever need--books, movies, clothes, school supplies, decorations, food, essential life items...what would I do without Target? 19. Techno

Even More things to be Thankful For!

I had every intention of posting on Friday the 15th, which would have then caught me up. Unfortunately, my life did not cooperate. I spent very little time at home near my computer between Wednesday and Sunday. And then when I was home on Sunday, we lost power and our internet connection. Hence, this next grouping of five things for which I am thankful is coming to you today. 11. Chocolate I know, it's cliché. But really, some days I just need it. I keep a filing cabinet drawer stocked with chocolate in various forms (with and without nuts, caramel, nougat, wafer). If you teach with me and don't know about this drawer, it is the top one in the left hand cabinet. I completely understand if you ever need to come into my room and tell me you "need to get a file." Trust me, I probably "need a file" too. 12. My health I'm thankful I have always been a fairly healthy person (though I wasn't a healthy child). I usually get sick once or twice a year,

5 More Things to be Thankful For

Schedules...I love schedules. And I love being back on a schedule, at least where my blog is concerned. I'm even cooking up some ideas for future posts and a possible series of posts (I may need to ask for feedback before I actually go through with it!) Anyway, as I said, I need to catch myself back up to the number of days in November, and so here will be five more things for which I am thankful (don't end a sentence in a preposition...even though my title totally is...grrr!) 6. My Schatzi dog Growing up, I never got to have a dog. We lived in a very small house and had two working parents plus three kids in school, so my parents did not want a dog to be cramped in that tiny house all the live-long day, which now I can understand. And so we got our first puppy when I was the ripe-old-age of 20 and about to head off to college, and I was ecstatic. Our Schatzi is the best dog I could ask for. Does she randomly bark at things that are over a mile away? Yes. Does she stink? Y

5 Things to be Thankful For

Balance is important in one's life. And you know your life is out of balance when your violin teacher chooses your lesson to make a "random" spiel about balance. Now that conferences, the music club program, and the 175th church anniversary are all over, my life is somewhat back in balance. Now, I've never been that dedicated person who can post every day on Facebook throughout the month of November of things for which I am thankful. But, now that I am a (fairly) dedicated blogger, I thought this might be the perfect outlet for my thankfulness. Because I am a grateful person, I promise! Since the month is eleven days in, I think I shall just do this in five day chunks until I get myself caught up (by the 15th...here's hoping!) 1. My family I have an amazing family...I'm not entirely sure I can say it enough. My support system is endless, from siblings and parents who tolerate my crazy and love me anyway to grandparents who cheer me on, to cousins who take

Trick or Treat!

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Tomorrow is Halloween, and as I have a violin lesson in the evening, I will do my Halloween post tonight. I apologize for being so long in posting...all the elements of my life are currently in a battle for my attention...I cannot wait until November 11 because that means everything is over and I don't have school so I can sleep in and maybe get caught up on myself. Right now, it's murder trying to carve out an hour to watch television or read. I have to put other things I really should be doing on the back burner just so I don't lose my sanity...but that's an introverted thing, I guess. Anyway, Halloween is tomorrow! I love dressing up, and if I could, I would wear a costume to school tomorrow. But alas, I cannot, so I shall resort to daydreaming about it (although I probably won't sit with my head in my hands, arms propped on my desk, staring out the window and sighing happily about this...that isn't what I mean by daydream). Even though I am not in a coup

Dating...on television???

Dating is hard--everyone knows that. It's hard to find someone to date, it's hard to decide what to do on your dates to keep things interesting, it's hard to decide if you should continue dating someone (or maybe it really isn't, and that is just me...) I was just flipping through stations and caught about five minutes of a show on MTV called The Hook-Up. From the brevity of my viewing, I was able to pick up the basic concept--it's just a dating show. First you narrow it down to two potential dates, they come out, you learn pros and cons, and the person makes a decision on who he/she will go on a date with. Now, maybe it's the introvert in me who has a hard time just going up to members of the opposite sex and talking to them in a place I feel completely secure and safe (like, I don't know, places a person might work, like say, a golf course or an elementary school...completely random choices, of course), but I feel like trying to decide if I should date

It's My Birthday!

Today I turn twenty-five. A quarter century. The big 2-5! Am I at the place I should be at twenty-five? I would like to think so...if I were supposed to be somewhere else, hopefully I would have gotten there somehow. Yes, twenty-five sounds old to me. But it also sounds mature...and I have a list for that! I'm not a typical person, so why would I be a typical twenty-five-year-old? I'm 25, and I have more kid movies in my DVD collection than movies meant for people my age. I'm 25, and I like visiting antique stores. I'm 25, and I have slippers that look like foxes (and they are awesome, Uncle Tim!) I'm 25, and I like going to bed early. I'm 25, and I still buy stuffed animals. I'm 25, and I have the knees of a 75-year-old. I'm 25, and as I write this post, I'm eating a doughnut, drinking a Strongbow, and watching How I Met Your Mother ...to which I will now quote my favorite character from said show, "I'm awesome." Stay g

The Tastes of the Season

As I write this rather short blog post, I find myself contentedly sipping on a Halloween mug of hot apple cider. I love this season of autumn (I referenced this in another post). One of my favorite things include all the delicious tastes and scents that accompany fall. Spicy cinnamon, apple, pumpkin, nutmeg..yum! And I love getting to enjoy them all at once. I'm drinking apple cider now, but this morning I had a cup of pumpkin spice coffee with pumpkin spice creamer. I have pumpkin flavored ice cream in my freezer and a bag of apples I picked in an orchard on the counter. Two different students have brought me caramel apples at school. The cooks made a pumpkin cake for the lounge. My coffee-flavored Scentsy has the other teachers popping into my room all day long. And my Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin hand soap leaves me smelling my hands long after I've washed them. My two favorite stores at this time of the year are Bath & Body Works and Yankee Candle. The smells just drive m

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

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I have always been a lover of history. Throughout my life, I've been attracted to different eras at different times...sometimes in the same week. Recently, I've become more interested in colonial history, and so when I noticed that Fox had a new show called Sleepy Hollow, I was intrigued. Not only do I love history, but I have an affinity for ghostly tales and legends and folklore (not like Paranormal Activity... more like Haunted Hotels on the Travel Channel). The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has always been a favorite, and when I heard Ichabod Crane was waking up in the 21st century, I decided this would be my new show of the season. Truth be told, I can't decide how I feel about the show as a whole. I like the characters. I like the whole "I've been dead for two hundred years and know nothing about anything modern" storylines. I'm all for supernatural themes (though I prefer them accompanied by Sam, Dean, and Castiel). I just can't decide if this show

The Glorious Thumb

Did you ever have to do that thing at school where your teacher made you try to do things without your thumb? Like open a candy wrapper or write your name, etc. And you found that your thumb is absolutely essential to do a variety of menial, mindless tasks that you never thought of before, and you realized just how lucky you are to have a thumb. Well, I'm in that spot right now. My thumbs are both still attached--no worries there! But after a freak accident with a frosting container (don't ask...it's a long story) I now have a deep cut right on the end of my right thumb. I can't do anything! I can't play my violin--the part of my thumb that rests on the bow is right where that cut is. I can't hardly write legibly--although it is still better than some of my students' handwriting, just sayin'. And I can't pick anything up. It was a pain to try and put stickers on my AR chart or post-its on the pages I need to copy. I feel bad for ever having taken

The Dreaded TV Ax

I have been an avid tv watcher since high school. I am loyal to the shows I watch, staying through until the end of the series, whether it be planned or unexpected. And I have sat idly by while some of my favorite shows ended far too soon. I was angry when The Class was cancelled after one season but quickly appeased by the introduction of one of my favorite shows, The Big Bang Theory. I was annoyed when Eli Stone ended after the second season finale, but I think I knew it wasn't going to be renewed, judging from the closure everyone got. I was pissed when New Amsterdam , the only good thing to come out of the writer's strike, was never picked up for a second season. But none of that compares to my fury, my depression, my heartbreak at the cancellation of Copper. I have written about it once before--one of my very first blog posts. I honestly do not think there was a more well-rounded show on television (aside from possibly Hell on Wheels ). The characters were deep and r

Why the World needs Steve McGarrett

Hawaii has some wonderful things to offer...or so I've heard. I've never actually been there, but I visit every week. Before I truly begin this declaration of love for the CBS show, let me preface it by saying that I understand why people do not like remakes. Very rarely is the new version better or even comparable to the original version, whether it be a song, movie, or television show. And when a person has only see the remake, they are allowed to like it! You can't get mad at someone for being born at the wrong time. Therefore, I understand why people who grew up in the 60s and 70s might prefer the original Hawaii Five-O. I love it myself! Jack Lord, Kam Fong, Zulu, and James MacArthur were am amazing team. Those who love the original grew up watching the original. But here's the thing...even though I was born in the late 80s and grew up in the 90s, I grew up watching the original, too! Sure, I may not have been around when the episodes originally aired, but I

72 Days and Counting...

Time to nerd out, so if this upsets you, feel free to stop reading and go about your business. The second trailer for The Hobbit:  The Desolation of Smaug came out today, and I am beyond freaking out. Perhaps because the Internet wasn't quite as pervasive when the Lord of the Ring trilogy came out, I wasn't able to just watch trailers and read interviews and see new photos released all from my phone while laying in bed. But now I can. And it is incredible. First, can I just say that Peter Jackson is a genius? If you didn't already think so, you really ought to watch his films. Not just because the storytelling is great, but everything he puts into it is phenomenal. Camera angles, lighting, character placement...everything about the Middle Earth Jackson created is spectacular. And I'm sorry, but the fangirl in me cannot hold back whenever I see Legolas on screen. I mean, come on! He was my first movie crush--I'm fairly certain I had a photo of him in my locke

I'm baaack!!!!

Hello, faithful readers...casual readers...random stumblers. No, I am not dead or lying in a hospital bed in a coma. I must apologize for not posting in...way too many days. Let's not count. I've been busy--I have hardly had a moment for myself. And as an introvert, I need time for myself to de-stress and all that jazz. So I've been wound...tight. Tighter than...well, something really tight. And I have to apologize to my kiddos at school, because there may have been one or two instances when I overreacted to something. But only one or two. I promise. My 30 day challenge failed. Yay for me for choosing one of the busiest months of the year to try this in. Maybe January would be better...not much going on in January. And a good way to start out the new year...I'm liking this idea. So never fear! It will be back to the completely random ramblings you all fell in love with (or were moderately amused by...or found annoying and never came back--whichever!). I'll try t

Day 19: I believe...

I believe in love. I believe in loving everyone for the quirky, messy people they are. I believe in the love of a Savior so great that he gave his life for me. I believe in happiness. I believe that anything can make you happy if you let it. I believe you should pursue happiness in whatever form you want. I believe in love. I believe in the love of my furry Schatzi and the love of my family and the love of my friends. I believe in happiness. I believe in making other people happy in whatever way I can. I believe in love. I believe in loving myself and accepting myself and expressing myself. Love and Happiness. Stay Gold.

Day 18: Inside the Weirdness

I don't think I know anyone I would consider "normal," but I honestly feel very far removed from that concept on a weekly (if not daily) basis. I like a lot of things that apparently make me "weird" and so here are five of them. Just as a note, I'm qualifying "weird" as anything someone my age wouldn't ordinarily place in their list of likes. 1. 80s Detective Shows I mean, I seriously love these things!  Magnum p.i., Simon & Simon, and The A-Team  are rainy and sunny day standbys for me. I honestly have never met another twenty something who so appreciates those lost treasures. 2. Cheese A lot of people like cheese, but I'm weirdly obsessed with it. Like, if there is an option to add cheese to something, it's going to be added. And I eat cheese randomly all the time. Maybe it's a sign that I should move to Wisconsin... 3. Instrumental Soundtracks I'm the person who listens to the Band of Brothers soundtrack