Last one before the new year!!!

Sooo.... Tonight is new years eve.


Some things I did today...



Went to the mall. Helped Isaac pick out a Christmas present for his mom. You know, I never knew how expensive jewelry was. I always get costume jewelry for myself, and very rarely does someone get me jewelry as a gift. So I never put much thought into how much or even the amount of time it takes for one person to pick out a piece for another person. It is pretty hard. I almost feel sorry for guys....almost. Considering the amount of stress they put us under I would say that it evens out. LOL.... now you know I probably won't be getting jewelry this year.

I also got to experience Build a Bear. It is so cute! The process is amazing. Whoever thought of it is a genius. You get an animal, which is un-stuffed, then proceed to pick out sounds and even a little heart. You have to "wake up" the heart. It really is a cute little way they make you do it. I had a blast. Then you name your stuffed animal and register him or her. My build a bear animal is a Cheetah. His name is Spot. His birthday is 12/31/07. He has a really ferocious growl.

After the mall, I went to Barnes and Noble. That truly is my favorite store and for Christmas my cousins gave me a gift card. I spent way more than the gift card had on it but I did buy some interesting books. I bought Choke by Chuck Palahnicuk, Still Thinking of You by Adele Parks and Blue is for Nightmares by Laurie faria Stolarz. I have read Haunted by Chuck Palahnicuk and really liked his writing style so I decided to read Choke. It should be interesting. I think I will read that one first. The second book I have never heard of the author. I don't like reading books that I have never heard of the author but after reading the jacket I decided to take a chance. The third is first in a 4 part series. I hate when books end. It makes me really sad, so I hope this series is pretty good. All are fiction books by the way. I considered buying a biography book by Alice Sebold but decided I already had enough on my plate and not enough money in my pocket.

I came home and tried to watch a video my mom lent me. Sadly, my DVR/Video player is not working, which sucks because I wanted to make my mom a DVD. Now what am I supposed to do? Can I even return it? I just got it this year.

Plans for tonight: Celebrating with the ONLY people who truly love me.... My Family. Love you family.

Oh yea. I used to keep a lot of journals. They used to start off by writing letters to guys. First Steven then David (they never saw these letters by the way), and then I got so tired of writing to guys that I started writing to myself. It was sort of what I was doing now only that I was the only one that would read them. I think I am going to put them down in here little by little. Some are really childish and some are pretty interesting. Anyway those are my thoughts.

Some notes: You should have returned the gift.

Late

The holidays are here. Christmas has come and go, and the new year is approaching. I'm not sure where things are going with me and my never-ending complicated love life.....but I do know that this Holiday break has been very restful.

It has been about a little more than a week and I have done a lot of sleeping. I feel rejuvenated and now I'm ready to go back.



My secret elf turned out to be the librarian. She did such a good job. She brought me a Dr. Pepper everyday with a little something extra. The final gift was bath stuff: beads, scrubs, bubble bath, even a relaxation cd. I listened to it while finishing my grades and lesson plans. I would like to note that the guitar teacher and I were practically the only ones who followed the rules on Wed. Most teachers went home early. Not us...nope nope. We were the good teachers. Okay, okay, so the last hour was spent watching Friends, but what else were we supposed to do?



Christmas day was fun. I saw almost all of my family. Some cousins from my mom's side got together later that evening and we played boardgames. We played Taboo, Cranium, CRL, and Scategories. They were so much fun. I'm glad I went.

I have been to the movies a couple of times. Each with different people. I think I should really go by myself if I'm going to see the ones I want to see. Hmmm. My significant other is going to have to accept that I love kid films.

I have been reading like crazy. I finished another Jodi Piccoult book, now I'm reading The Golden Compass. I saw the movie and loved it. There is so much controversy that surrounds the books that I want to read them and form my own opinion.

I have lots of liquor in my house that I have yet to even open. Sounds like a party is much needed!

Time does fly

I feel awful that I have not been writing. There has been so much going on in my life lately that I really don't even know where to begin. I can only hope that I can put more time into this later but here are the highlights so far.

I'm going to be cupid for Halloween. Ironic. I know. I have a pet mouse. His name is Houdini because he is an escape artist. There are only two more games left in the season. Then playoffs. Hopefully we don't go.

I had a birthday. It was filled with ups and downs but really it was too fast to put into words. We lost an officer that night. We were cut from the band show. Relief. I have a wedding I'm going to be apart of. Then I head off to London. Then Christmas.

I still read. Just finished a book yesterday.

I sat in an ambulance. Luckily it was not for me.

Some of the websites at work are now prohibited. This has helped immensely. That and the never ending work week.

Weekends are good. I love being a teacher, and I am proud to say I have only missed one day of school ( but it really didn't count because I was there anyway).

till we meet again.

Quote

- "Ugh, ...Doesn't that cricket ever get tired?"

- "He's looking for a mate....no one gets tired of that. Right?"

An experience at the movies

Time

Well it has been quite a long time for writing....there is so much going on in my life right now, and so much to explain.....I will make sure I make time....but for now I have a class!

My last summer book ....down....

Well, I purchased the book at 12:53 Friday night (technically Saturday morning) and finished the book Sunday night at 12:04 (technically Monday). I must confess, I read the book as slowly as I could. I wanted to make it last, take in every last detail. This was the last Harry Potter book and I wanted to never end. I took frequent breaks to eat, shower, sleep, watch a little recorded t.v., and visit with friends. I say recorded t.v. because I was warned by my Dad that the ending was spilling out on the news everywhere. He knew the ending before I did. I made it a point not to watch live t.v. Past books have been spoiled before and I did not want it to happen again. I did not stay up the first night because what was the point. All the anticipation would be over in ...what was the record? 6hours?...no. Lets just say I make things last ::wink wink:: The pages kept turning and turning and I found myself unable to put it down towards the end. My predictions were right, but very general. The way the story unfolded is genius, pure genius. Readers should be very happy.

The stores made the book impossible to get. I went to Hastings, a bookstore where I had bought one of the books before, first. The rules from previous years had changed and since I didn't have a "reserved card", I ventured to Barnes and Noble. I couldn't even get in the parking lot. I had bought the book from a Wal-mart before too, and decided that there would be less of a crowd there, so I made that my final destination. I was wrong. At first I thought that they were not even selling it yet. No crowds or bins of books could be seen. I made my way to the book section but it had been torn apart. I thought maybe I was too late and they were already sold out. I saw people with little bags coming from the back of the store which held books. I asked one where they were selling the book and he kindly pointed to the back of the store. A long line, which started in the electronics section, snaked its way through the shoe section to the clothing section. As I headed for the back of the line I heard someone call my name at the front of the line. It was Hannah. One of my students from Kelly's. We chatted for a moment but I could feel the eyes of the people standing behind her on me, so I said goodbye. Even if she had asked me to join her, I would have said no. I was not about to make people angry. The line went faster than I thought and people were friendly. I was given a Harry Potter bookmark, a poster, and two bracelets (one green which had the word Slytherin on it and one blue which had Ravenclaw...I guess they must have ran out of the other two houses).

I'm not entirely sure this will be my last summer book, but it will always be remembered.

Giving Up

All my entries have been moved back to my original blog site. Don't ask me why I did what I did, because I don't have an answer. I'm thinking that I was trying to control something in a life where I felt very out of control. Anyways, it's easier for me just to write on the old site.

Relationships suck! I don't know how to explain it any other way. It's always hard to hear that you are not the one, even when you know it yourself. Those feelings eat away at you for days, weeks, even months depending on the type of relationship. Even friendships are hard to work through. I feel like I am at freezing point in my life. Everything is very still. The waters are calm and even though the boat is not tipping I wonder if this is any better than if the waters were rough, wavy, or at best at least moving.

I have seen lots of movies lately. After watching Harry Potter for the second time, I have found myself more anxious for tonight. Tonight the final Harry Potter book comes out. There is always some midnight party at one of the bookstores. I'm really excited to find out what it will come down to. Just knowing that the book release is here makes me a little sad. You know how when a preview for a movie comes out and you think to yourself what you will be doing at that date? Well, this book release meant something to me. It's sad to think that after I finish reading the book that it will join the other 6 books on the shelf and never be read again.

OK no more sadness. This is summer! I must enjoy the last few days. There are "Back to School" displays in stores, which means that my time is very limited. I have one more trip to look forward to. I will be going to New York in August. It's sort of a family vacation. We will go, have fun, and then help Lana come home. I love NY. I hope that when my sister chooses a place to live it will be NY so that I can visit often.

Well, Jasper and Bella just celebrated their birthdays. I think Jasper's was in late May early June, and Bella's was in June. They are one year old. For a present, they got a new type of cat food. The adult kind. LOL. I wanted to take Jasper to the beach with me. I think he would really like it. The hotel didn't allow animals so I couldn't, but next time....maybe.

Thank you to those of you who signed my guestbook. It means a lot to me. Rey, I think it's time for a visit to H-town. Diana, gurl, we need to go out...Call me!

Tonight: Red Lobster with my parents and then Hastings.

Weekend: I'm free, if you want to hang out, find me!

2 books down

Wow, two books in less than one week. An entire week at the beach. I did so many things this past week and then at the same time I did absolutely nothing. It was so peaceful and relaxing. I loved every minute of it. I will definitely write more....but for now I just wanted to write that I'm back.

One book down...

So I ended up finishing a four hundred book in 3 days....granted there was one night where I almost didn't sleep, but it still counts. I must say that I was very disappointed. Whenever I find a good author, I like to stick with them and read another book written by him or her. I have read every book by Nicholas Sparks. He is by far my favorite. There are some others that come close, but they never live up to expectations. My Sister's Keeper was very emotional for me. I just figured that the writing would be the same. It wasn't. The book was too long for such a short story. I'm waiting for the new Harry Potter book to come out. I can't wait to read that one. I have a feeling I already know the ending, but I want to know if it is the same as what I am thinking.

I went to the mall. Big mistake. There are sales everywhere. I'm one of those people that love digging in the bins and finding the great deals. I hit Bath and Body Works where I got some really cool "Wallflowers" that really help with the "cat smell". I hit Victoria's Secret, one of my favorites. Then I went back and hit Express. I found some really great deals there. I have to go back for one more thing....my mom's birthday present. I thought I knew what I was going to get her, but I think I changed my mind. We are spending the week at S.P.I.! That's right! A whole week to relax, recharge, get a tan, read a book or two, and get away from the world. I have been doing some summer cleaning on my room and closet. When I get back everything will be nice and neat. A fresh start. I found a lot of old stuff I was hanging on to. I need to find something to do with it all.

I have written down all the stuff I have been doing on a notebook somewhere. When I get the time I must transfer it all down in my blog. Until then....have a great summer!

yet another quote....

"Long after moments of closeness have passed, a part of you remains with me and warms the places your hands have touched and hastens my heart for your return."
Robert Sexton

Shades of Grey

Grey or Gray? There is a load of opinions when it comes down to which one to use. Either way ...you know what I'm talking about. What is Grey? A color? A feeling? Actually, it describes the lightness between the extremes of black and white. There are lots of shades of grey. Staind uses the number 14, but I prefer to use many, many more. The world does not see in black and white my friends. We live in a world where color matters more than anyone thinks or wishes to believe. In that colorful world there are shades of grey. Grey areas are the issues that mean most to a person. It is what drives human beings. It is their quest for the truth. There are two types of people in the world. The ones who choose to see the grey areas and thus make decisions based on emotions, feelings, and individual circumstances and the others, who only see the world in black and white, right or wrong, and choose to judge people, when in reality.....no one has the right to judge another person.

I'm reading a book right now. It is called Nineteen Minutes. It has a lot of legal stuff in it. Lawyers and judges. It also deals with a professor who teaches the equation of "happiness". Can you believe that? The equation of HAPPINESS. After you break down the mathematics of the complicated "wording", it seems so simple.... H= R/E happiness equals reality divided by expectation. The professor also has variables. People who are married are happier than singles, people who have more money are also happier. Happiness is even U shaped. You are really happy when you are really young and really old, which means that you are most miserable in your 40's. And when you inverted the equation - expectation divided by reality- you get hope. Okay....in the book...it makes everything really complicated, but the totally twisted part is that the person who defined happiness....he is very unfortunate. Ironic. It's the psychic being hit by the lightning. Anyway...I am about half way done with it so I will post my feelings on it later.

"Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it." Thomas Fuller

Mind Fu*k

So once again it has been a while since I have written. Here's an update on my world.

It has been what?...2 weeks since school has been out. I have been pretty busy and strangely enough relaxing at the same time. I signed up for salsa classes (but have no partner....anyone interested?) I had signed up for belly dance too but the class changed to interfere with salsa so I'm going to go to pump for the belly dance lessons. I have been working out more at pump. I like it. I love the classes.

I went to the beach this past weekend. It was so much fun. I got some color finally....but I also got a little sunburn.

I have played poker twice. It was pretty fun. The first time I started out really good, then some one played with my mind, and lost after the break. The second time, I just really wasn't in the mood. I have always liked playing poker but have never been very good at it. I think its because I would rather just watch. I get really nervous when I play. When I get a really good hand, my adrenaline goes up and I start to shake....lol.....I really can't play poker.

I have seen several movies. Surfs up.....another penguin movie...and Shrek the Third. I love those types of movies. I can't wait for Ratatouille to come out.

I went to another one of those Mary Kay meetings. I got to be a "face model". I took before and after pictures and got entered in some kind of competition. Haven't heard anything yet, but it was cool to experiment with makeup and their new brushes.

I have shopped a lot since school has been out. The first time was to get some shorts and a bikini for the beach. I just HAD to get the new towels, ice chest, cool water, and the beach bag to complete the ensemble. I also got to try out my new portable hammock at the beach. The set up time was awesome...just two moves. I think that's how I got my sunburn....lol...oh well.

The second shopping splurge was at the beach. I bought a skirt, a dress, and some very sexy brown high heels. The dress is very different. It is a teal green (which by the way, matches my bathing suit) with white embroidered flowers. It has ruffles on the neckline and hem. It looks very "summer". I can't wait to wear it out on a date.

I went to one wedding. Annie got married on Friday the 8th. It was very lovely. She looked incredibly happy and I wish her all the luck (not that she needs it). Cindy's wedding is this Saturday and if I can find the invitation that I misplaced, I will be going.

I can't remember when I have ever woken up before 8. So, all in all, this summer vacation has been great.

Yesterday and today, I am working with the group Danzforce formerly Kelly's Centerstage. They are a great group of girls. They love to dance and are very talented. I have missed them since I stopped working at Kelly's.

I will keep writing but it wont be like before....it will just serve as documenting what I will be doing over the summer.

End of the Year

Wow ...a lot has happened this past week. On Tuesday I went out with Steve. We went to Texas Roadhouse. It was fun. We caught up on each others lives. On Wednesday and Thursday night I stayed up late trying to finish my grade book. Since I had not received one during the year, I haven't been keeping up with it. That leaves me with an entire year of work I had to do. With the help of Steven and many skipped meals, I finished at 2 in the afternoon on Friday.

I am skipping ahead of myself....

Thursday was the last day of school for the students. What a day. The students decided to have a food fight on the last day. They started sending text messages and warning other students. I didn't actually get to see the food fight but I heard and saw the aftermath. It was incredible. Teachers who were supposed to be on duty just stood there. Others got hit. I heard our principal got hit too. LOL.

Friday: Like I said...I finished my grade book at 2 then worked on my lesson plans. Afterwards I had to run around like a busy little bee to get signatures on my sign out sheet. I didn't even know half the people on the sheet so that was a bit hard. I finished and signed out before 4:25. I shook my principals hand and she smiled and that was that. I do regret some of the friendships I will be leaving behind. Jason has yet to call. This makes me a little sad. I expected more. Oh well.

Early Saturday I answered the door. Big mistake. I got myself into a whole heap of trouble. Long story short: I lost internet for a weekend, telephone lines were cut, I am out 100 dollars and cried. Never answer the door on a Sat. It will never be good. That night I went to my co-workers house to play poker. She works at a middle school. I started out really slow. Not really winning or losing much, then I got dealt some really good hands. I started winning and at some point I was in the lead. We decided to take a break after the first person lost. During that time Coty proceeded to tell me that central office was thinking of firing both me and Linda. This got me really worried. She told me to go and fight for my job at central office. To talk to some people. My philosophy is that if someone doesn't want me to work for them, I am not going to fight it. They don't know what they are giving up. Needless to say, I played horrible after that. I got home and text Linda, my mom, and my dad. I got them worried too(not on purpose) and then I couldn't sleep.

Sunday I called to confirm this gossip, and found out that it was all just a rumor. My job is safe....for now. That's when I realized that my internet was down. After going to church I slept and thought about how my first official day of vacation would turn out.

First official day of Vacation: Woke up at 8 since my body is used to it. Called 2 security systems, the phone company and several voice systems. Finally after a lot of tears, I fix the damn thing myself and reconnect my telephone lines. The rest I am not even going to worry about.

Need a change

I needed to change my blog...so here it is....it will take some time to get everything from the first one to the new one ...but it will work

Going to a differnt blog ...see you there!

hey everyone...if your clever enough to figure this out then you deserve to keep on reading....see you later.... www.erika-silva.blogspot.com

"Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love". Neil Gaiman

Lifted

What can I say? A lot has happened since I last wrote. I think my students were presenting their final projects if I am right. Well, like I said some were great and some were...not so great. The weekend was not so great either. I did get to see the new pirates movie....only it was very ironic. You know...first and last kinda thing. Well if you know me, you know what I mean. Yea, I told a "boy" how I was feeling, and of course it wasn't easy, but he took it well. Anyways.....I got laundry done, and finished creating my final exam for Monday. Monday and Tuesday are dedicated for exams and Wednesday and Thursday are half-days. The week has flown by. Monday I got a totally random text out of the blue. It was nice to hear from my "old friend". That same night I watched The Miss Universe Pageant. I got to see Miss USA fall on her butt. At first I was cracking up with laughter. I even would rewind my DVR to see it again and again ....and again. My mom even called and was doing the same thing. (By the way ...she has been the only one to sign my new guestbook...and I want to take this time to thank her....I'm glad that you signed first, Mom....it means a lot to me :) and so....it wasn't until I heard people boo-ing that I knew the audience had taken it too far. Sure, if there is ever a one time in a girls life where she must walk with out falling down, it is definitely the Miss Universe pageant, but come on....that is embarrassment alone. When she was giving her answer to the question the audience was boo-ing and chanting for Mexico. That was rude! Yes, she probably shouldn't have made it to the top 5, but to boo her. Unbelievable.
*Dinner and Drinks*
So yea....one more day of school left. I can now enjoy all the things I have planned for the summer.
Not to be mean, but I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I feel more at ease. I feel calm and relaxed. I'm not sure if it was because of an old person leaving my life or an old one coming back. Again I must say this.....This blog is mine. Mine and mine alone, where I can be completely honest with myself. If anyone has a problem with it...please don't bring it to my attention....keep it to yourself...you might not like what you will hear in return.

Lists

I have been making a lot of lists lately. I have tons of things to do before the school year is up. I have been trying to put them in order of priority. You know ....the important ones first. Somehow, I just can seem to do the important ones. I turned in over 5 thousand dollars yesterday to the bookkeeper at school. I was walking around with all that money. It wasn't mine of course...it was the drill team's. That was one of the main things on my to-do list.

My students are presenting their final projects today. So far they have been very interesting. I look forward to the rest of the day.

Trying

I went to Barnes and Noble yesterday. I had never really understood those people who spend hours there just reading and studying. I would just think that they would buy the book and go home. I was supposed to meet someone there but she was running late so I ordered a coffee and started looking around. Afterwards instead of going home, I stayed and planted myself at a table with 3 other people. I have been wanting to buy a dream book for some time now. My mom has a really cool one where you can write things down. I looked for one like that but I couldn't find one....so I grabbed a bunch and focused on three of my dreams so that I can compare the books and see which one I wanted to buy.

I never really understood the saying, "Never judge a book by its cover". I assume that people don't take it literally and refer to it as not judging a person by their appearance. Well, the saying also works literally. The larger books seemed to not have as much information as the smaller ones. The ones with pictures, seemed to have a lot less information too. It's almost as if they were compensating.

There was a book that tied every dream to some kind of spiritual experience. There was a book that was very negative. Every dream meant something bad. Oddly enough, the dreams I was researching meant something different in every book. I guess there is no telling what a dream really means but it is fun to look. I ended up choosing 2 different books. One is a Dream Dictionary and the other is a Handbook of Dreams. The handbook has a page to copy and keep by your bedside to help you remember your dream later. I plan to do this. I don't know why but I have been interested in that sort of stuff lately.

I have many things to do before the school year is over. I really need to get on that list before I have to stay up all night. Payday is Friday.

I love you....I wish you wouldn't ask so much from me.

"Today I begin to understand what love must be, if it exists. When we are parted, we each feel the lack of the other half of ourselves. We are incomplete like a book in two volumes of which the first has been lost. That is what I imagine love to be: incompleteness in absence." - Goncourt

Countdown

Only 8 more days of school left. One more Monday, one more week of lunch duty, one more paycheck, one more final to write! The only downfall is that I now have to pack up all my "teacher" stuff and take it home with me. I feel like a nomad packing up my stuff every year. Most teachers just lock their stuff in a closet, a desk, or a storage room, but since I am moving once again, I can't do that. It isn't so bad, considering I never really moved in. I pretty much just have my desk supplies, and folders to pack up. I never decorated. Now, I guess I am grateful for that.

I got overloaded with good news and bad news over the weekend. Seemed everyone I talked to had their own drama.

My sister came down for the week. Not sure how long she is going to stay, but it will be the longest period of time I see her before she leaves for N.Y.C. and London. I had a dream that I was getting on a plane to Mexico and then to Europe, and when I got to Mexico I realized I didn't have my passport. I had never received it. Ya, it was a strange dream....I have to go look up what it means. Maybe, it means that my passport is in the mail.

I gave my students a final project in which they have to split up into partners and make up a dance. They can choose whatever music they want. I gave this assignment in middle school but in groups of 4, and they were very creative. So far in the high school, I have mixed feelings. Some students are trying very hard and others are just not taking it seriously. I wish I could find some way of getting it into their heads that even though it is a "project" it counts just as much as a test grade.

Why is it that students think they can skip in my room? Maybe they think that since I look like a student, that I also think like one? I yell, I threaten, I lock doors, I just don't know what to do anymore. Good thing the Countdown is Here.

No, no no no no no no no no!!!

I feel so sad today! I watched both Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy season finale's last night. Boy I was hit hard. I stayed at home instead of hitting the gym. I can honestly say that the gym would have been a better choice. Why did things have to end the way they did? I felt so hurt, so betrayed...and it's not even REAL!

First Ugly Betty....I knew the read head had to be a whore! Sorry Charlie lover's but, come on....red head...what else can I say. It's just too bad that stupid Betty didn't just go straight to the airport which is what Drew really would have done! No, instead she went home to What?...Change shirts? What for? Betty will always look like Betty. I guess you had to add the drama....oh and don't even get me started on the whole "man" thing to do in a bad situation. He should have stayed put. Now people are hurt, when they didn't have to be. Amanda! I love how they made her more important all of a sudden. But....it's kinda creepy if you think about it.....Fey's daughter who's the father? And if he is who we all think he is then that makes Amanda and Daniel half brother and sister......ewwww!

And Grey's! The whole Burke/Christina thing. I know she needs to be set free and everything...but I felt so bad for her when she was trying to get out of her wedding dress. So does that mean that they are single? He moved out. His things are gone. I feel so bad for both of them. I wanted Callie and George to break up. Her trying to save her marriage by having a baby is just so pathetic! My heart hurts for Izzie. She finally told George her real feelings but in a way I just think that it's infatuation. How can she really love him, when not too long ago she was in love with Denny? I know it was only one season but geez. Poor George not passing his test. Someone had to fail. Meridith and Derek! They will never have a fighting chance. Ever. It's not fair...this whole time I was saying Derek's a jerk, Derek's a jerk. But when he said that she was the one and that he couldn't leave her.....Why does she have to base her happiness on whether or not someone else is happy? Why couldn't she just say marriage or no marriage I'm in this. The Clencher....if Derek ends up hooking up with Meridith's half sister I will promise I will stop watching. I don't have a good vibe from her. Lexi. Although I wanted to Alex to give Ava a reason to stay, he really shouldn't have because she is after all a patient and married.

Lesson learned: I watch too much t.v.

Room to Grow

I finally replanted my desert rose. It grew four buds and they all blossomed at the same time. I had the stupid plant for almost two months and it never grew taller or had any buds. I replanted it and two days later ...BAM! It must have been the soil I used or something. Maybe it just needed room to grow.

I have been feeling stressed at work. I got observed on Friday during 5th period. We were supposed to be observed way back when, but I guess they got tied up and finally got around to observing me. The good thing is that I have the Assistant Principal that I work most with. Hopefully it all goes well. My cousin is getting married in November. She picked out the bridesmaids dresses. It is not something that I would have picked out but she has very good taste. I saw a picture of it and it looks very clean and simple. I need to lose weight to get into it, but I look forward to wearing it.

My ankle has been bothering me since last week. I think it is a pinch nerve or something. I didn't roll on it or twist it, but I am sensing pain like i did. My mom advised me to get it massaged out. I think I will give that a try.

Friday was our Dance Banquet. It was hard to sit in the front and pretend that everything was fine and dandy. It was a very emotional banquet. Some people are leaving, so that made the kids and parents very sad. I feel their pain.

Saturday was Jason's banquet. I had one of my student's performing in it. She was very happy to see me there. The night didn't end very well. I got home late and was very tired the next day.

Mother's Day was this past Sunday. I got my mom a beautiful watch that I knew she would like. I also got her some jewelry from a student on campus. At the mall, there was a stand selling "wood roses". I got her two dozen. They smell delicious. I think I will go back and get some more. I won a drawing for a Mary Kay cosmetic make over and a $25 gift certificate. That should be fun. I usually get lucky with drawings.

Only 13 more days of school left!

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. ~ Fortune Cookie

Its official....I will be moving schools once again. Just when I was making friends and getting adjusted too. It takes me about a year to settle in and right when I feel like I am doing good, I get moved. I have to admit, the first time I moved It was my choice. It was a pressured choice but it was mine. Now I am being moved again. This time - not by choice. Next year I will be working at Juarez-Lincoln High School. I was notified today. Things at work have been awful for the past 2 weeks, with the exception of a great Thursday. This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Funny thing is.....everything that I have been receiving has the Jimmy Carter logo on it...or a pic of the school or something like that. This years "presents" can be summed up in one word: cups!

I know I haven't been writing like I used to. I had so many entries in April....I don't know what happened to May.

Thursday May 3rd

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 22)
You can effectively make everything seem better today, no matter what's going on beneath the surface. Your confidence can ease the tensions for a while, but you may not be able to get past the underlying issue until you are willing to tackle it head-on. You might as well face the music sooner, for it will only be more challenging later.

More Discoveries

I think I like my half smile more than my full smile. When I smile, I squint my eyes and they disappear. I also get dimples. There are two, but one you can barely see. To me, it makes my face look fat. LOL. Maybe this is the reason people say I look young. You usually see children with dimples ...but then they grow out of them. It is said that the more symmetrical you are the more beautiful you are to others. This being said, It must make you think of a lot of famous people that automatically disprove this theory: Cindy Crawford, Marylin Monroe, Angelina Jolie, Eva Longoria(makeup artists always want to cover up a scar on her left eyebrow but she never lets them!) just to name a few. What really makes a woman beautiful? Is it how she carries herself? Is it her personality? Self-esteem? How much does that play a part? Sure you can pay for beauty. You can tuck, suck, fill, and plump all you want....but does that change your self image? Did you know that 95% of high school students wish to change something about their appearance? That's a pretty high number. I wish that I could be a better role model to my students. I wish I could help them with their self-esteem problems. I live in a dance world, which is very different than the real world. Here, appearance is everything. If you wear glasses, then you are pressured to wear contacts because it is unheard of ...performing in glasses. I had a professor tell me that "fat people don't look good onstage". I wish I could have slapped him. It's people like him that give dancers eating disorders. Now don't get me wrong...I'm not for eating like there is no tomorrow, I promote healthy, strong dancers. I just feel that people should be more accepting of dancers who are not all "Balanchine ready". How thin a dancer is by no means gives away what she can do.

I had a really good Body Flow class. I really like it. Dance recital is coming up. My students have been practicing. I feel like they are ready, but they don't. They are nervous. It's nice to know how much students want to perform. It sort of gives my job...purpose.

Discovery

Today I found out that I can now sign in at school and blog. This must be fairly new because I wasn't able to before. Every other week, I have a long lunch. Too bad that I made this discovery with only a few more weeks of school left.

Last week was pretty hectic. I had jury duty, got my car, went to the doctor, had auditions, went to work out, and cried, all in the time span of 5 days. Very productive, if I don't say so myself.

Turns out that when I picked up my car on Monday, I didn't exactly buy it. I was borrowing it, until I could sign all the paper work. I finally signed on Saturday. The dealership even took a picture and everything. My car got washed and even got its accessories. It looks very different. It looks complete. I love it. My friend Issac called and said he got a CR-V also. Congrats to him! Now we both are cool. LOL.

On Tuesday, I got a gym membership to Pump. Afterwards, I was on my way home, when I decided to take myself to the doctor. This is my very first time going alone. I have always had problems with my throat. At least once a month, I get a sore throat, or some kind of infection, where my glands or tonsils or whatever become very swollen and makes eating and drinking very hard. I have insurance but never use it. I figured if I am paying for it then I better use it. The doctor was very nice. He gave me medication, and advised me on several questions that I had.

On Wednesday, I had my very first class with Jason. The class is called Body Flow. Its a combination of yoga, Pilate's, tai chi and meditation all rolled into one. The instructor is very flexible. She gave us some challenging balancing poses. I really enjoyed the class. We are supposed to go every Mon. and Wed. but this Wed. there is already something else planned. I'll update that later. I'm really looking forward to today's class though. My body has recovered, and now I'm ready to go again.

Thursday I had auditions for my upcoming dance recital. I chose 3 classes to dance, but needed more dancers to take over empty spots. I had a good turn out and got what I wanted. The recital is this week, and my focus is to get everything ready. I want them to look and dance their best.

Friday we had a Jamaica for the kids that had perfect attendance during TAKS. I was in charge of the Bungee Jump. It was so much fun. I hope to do it again sometime. After that I had to fly to be a Judge for Trevino Elementary in Edinburg. They are so cute. I will be working with them during the summer.

More about the weekend later!

Crave

Today was a really great day! In fact I had a pretty good weekend, but today was the best day ever! It all started off with a jury summons. Most people hate jury duty, but I wanted to look at this day as a day off. I was trying to be early but ended up right on time. I got a parking spot right in front. So far so good. This past weekend I realized that I misread the envelope and didn't fill out a questionnaire. I didn't mail it in, because I thought it was for people who were exempt. I was a little worried. But......No big deal. Lots of people did the same thing. A person just went around and picked them up. Since I was only "on time" naturally there were no places to sit. I decided to stand. It really wasn't going to be so bad, standing. I do it all the time at school. At that very moment, the announcer asked everyone to move in and fill any empty seats around them. Bam, I score a side seat. I brought a book to read so luckily I didn't have to do the whole, "staring at a blank stage" thing. We were released for a 40 min break. I just stayed in my chair. How much can you get done in 40 mins? Then the scary part came. People were now being called into groups. After an entire group was called they were informed of locations, times and dates. Some even had to report on Thursday. I was OK with missing one day of school, but not another. I really didn't want to be called into those groups. After what seemed like a short time, there were about 70 people left over, me being one of them. We were excused and told that we were on stand-by, but people rarely get called on stand-by so I had the rest of the day off. I had lunch with my Mom at Luby's. After that she dropped me off to pick up my new CR-V. It is beautiful. It drives like a dream. I took pictures and video. I went to my parents house, finished laundry, and headed home. Traffic was tight so I couldn't really see how fast the new car goes, but maybe that is a good thing. You know, until I get adjusted to it. When I got home, a box was waiting for me. I ordered shoes online from Zappos. This is my new favorite web site. Free overnight delivery, all the shoes and brands you could possibly hope for, 365 days to return....I mean what more can you hope for? Let me tell you...I found the sexiest pair of black, high heel, peep toe, suede shoes ever! They are comfortable and fashionable. No sales tax, delivered right to my door, without ever leaving the comfort of home. I bought them for the banquet that I am supposed to go to. The day is still not over.

Fun Day Saturday

Teri and I decided to go downtown to buy tiaras. The annual dance banquet is coming up and it is tradition that the officers are announced by being crowned. Its kinda cool when you think about it...."I am royal, and you will do what I say....see the crown". She showed me where she usually buys them. We had a grand time picking them out. Afterwards, we went to Mama Mia's for lunch. I tried the lasagna for the first time in my life. I figured, if it is good enough for Garfield then it is good enough for me. Then we went to Warehouse, a new boutique that my cousin's, cousin own. We both found a dress for the banquet. I love mine. It is an Asian inspired print and is light and airy. Now I just need shoes. We went to a couple of Goodwill shops just to see what we would find. She needed to go to Barnes and Nobles to look for books for her niece. I ended up buying two new books.

One is the same author of the really great book I just finished reading. I just finished reading "My Sister's Keeper". I know that I usually say that the books I read are the "best books ever", but this one really is. It's about life and death, it has moral and ethical issues. It has back stories that are about love. It's a great read and I recommend it to anyone with a sister or who has cancer. This new book is "19 minutes". It is different than the last one, but I find it hitting home with the VTech stuff going on.

Back to the day.....she took me home, then later we we met up at the movies. We saw Vacancy, which was a really great film. I love scary movies and it takes a lot for me to be scared. This one was textbook old school style. The scary music, and the camera angles....I appreciate a good scary movie. Even the intro had me intrigued.

The Pink Chick

I once got a pink chick for Easter. I loved that baby chick. It would sleep on my shoulder and hide in my hair. I'm not sure how old I was, but I was definitely in high school. It was around the time when the pink and blue chicks were "cool" to give as gifts. Me and my best friend got one. I got the pink, she got the blue. I named it Charlotte. After the book Charlotte's Web. I guess I must have thought that I was keeping with the farm animal type of name. I also had a cat at the time, which makes me think how exactly I made it work. I remember keeping it in my computer room. Looking back that wasn't a very smart place to have a chick. Later it started growing a funny looking thing on its head and shortly after that it started crowing...you know that thing that ROOSTERS do to wake up people in the mornings. That's when I realized my little chick was growing up and becoming a rooster. After it got aggressive, my parents and I took it to my grandmother's house where she owns a ranch. It stayed there but not too long, we suspected that Charlotte was kidnapped to become a fighter.

Percentages

Today I feel weak. Not emotionally weak, but physically weak. I can't even sit up straight as I type.
I was thinking about happiness and what it takes to truly be happy. I heard once that a happy person will enjoy the scenery during a detour. I don't think I am one of those types of people but I'm not necessarily an unhappy person. I was thinking about happiness and relationships. Being happy in a relationship is something that is a bit hard for me. Something that has always stuck with me was said in a very bad breakup: You will never be happy with anyone unless your happy with yourself first. I never thought anything could hurt as much as those words. Years later when I confronted him, he told me he was unhappy with himself. I never realized how much that statement was true. A person can't be happy being in a relationship regardless of how great that other person is, if that first person isn't happy with herself. For example if the great person makes the other person happy on his best day it will only make the first person 70% happy. The other 30% needs to come from inside. It's like a minimum. "You must be (fill in the blank) tall to ride". And if that is true, then is it even possible for someone to be 100% happy? And if you were 50% happy with yourself, does that mean that the other person would only have to "put in" the other half? Wouldn't that mean that he would know that he wouldn't have to try as hard? I wish someone could come up with some kind of gadget that could tell how happy you are with yourself, by yourself. That way, we could use it and tell if we were really ready to enter a relationship. And if we weren't then we could save ourselves a lot of time, pain, and waiting. .....but then how many people would be in relationships? How many people would be married? What if you liked a person so much that you were willing to risk your happiness to help boost someone else's? What if there is only so much happiness to go around? And the people that have it right now, might not want to share? What happens then?

Lol....OK so I got a little carried away. It's in my head and I just had to get it out.

On a much serious note: What happened today in Virginia is terrible. I can't even begin to imagine what families and friends must be going through. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I am sorry.

A-Low-Blow

I am learning some interesting facts about working where I am. I am learning that people are very sneaky. I am learning that people like to gossip. I am learning that no matter what you do or how good you do it, people will always find a reason to bring you down. Was it only a few days ago that I was so excited about having my own drill team? It seems like a lifetime ago. Things have changed and not for the better. I can't even begin to explain how it has made me feel. Until today. I had dinner with my parents, and sure enough my mom was almost going through the same thing. My dad was the one to put it into words though...Maybe you didn't do anything wrong, but now that someone has questioned you, there is always going to be doubt. It sucks to do your job and then have someone tell you that people are "disappointed" with the way your doing it. I'm sorry ....I really need to vent. If someone is going to be above me, I don't have a problem with it. I really don't. As long as they are qualified for the job, of course. I want to know who? Who? I was told to "plead my case". Should a person really have to go that far? Just to get a job? A job that was promised to her? A job that (lets be honest) no one really wants? I want the job. I would work hard (and have been). Yesterday I came home with a massive head ache. Then came the fever. And for what? Stress about my job? So not worth it. I really need to figure out what I want to do when I grow up. Someone once asked me that not to long ago. I never put much thought into it because I thought I already knew. Boy, was I wrong. I am more than sure things will be different next week, or even tomorrow, but for now this is how I feel.

Two for Tuesdays

My day off was great. I slept in, went to the mall, and spent entirely way too much money. It was a very relaxing day. I feel like I got more rest during Easter break than Spring break. As school comes to an end ...it feels like the days are going by faster. Before you know it, I'll be talking about running my own drill team next year. I found out today that Terri is for sure not coming back. I love and will miss Terri very much, but the thought of running my very own H.S. drill team, has me on pins and cushions! LOL.

Funny thing happened yesterday. I was pumping gas at the new H.E.B. in Sharyland when I noticed that there was an unusual line. As I was waiting, I noticed not all the pumps were the same. Some had two pumps...one on each side....some had four...two on each side. Some were diesel, and one in particular was diesel and had a special nozzle which was labeled "High powered nozzle for RVs and other big trailers". I just happened to be in this line. I waited for the person in front of me to finish so I could have my turn. As I was pulling up, another little white car pulled up behind me, to the high powered diesel nozzle. I figured once she got out of her car and tried to pay that she would realize she couldn't pump there. She was a little old woman. The type where her husband paid for her car, and her clothes, and her silly little bun on the top of her white head. (I'm still a little mad, bear with me) After she ran her debit card, I tried to get her attention from where I was standing. I wasn't rude. I said "Ma'am, Ma'am". I thought she couldn't hear me so I walked over to her and tapped her arm. She looked at me as if being bothered. I explained that I wasn't sure she could pump there because it was diesel. "I have diesel", she said in a country drawl. I put up my hands in apology, and said "I'm sorry, you scared me". And do you know what that little old lady said to me? "LIKE YOU WOULD KNOW!" OH, but she did not say this while looking at me. She was still fiddling with her debit card. I honestly thought I had heard wrong and to be quite frank...was dumbfounded by her comment. I said,"Excuse me?" No reply. After giving up, I just wanted my gas to hurry up. Luckily a man nearby heard our conversation, and noticed that the pump still wouldn't fit into her tiny little car. So he, like me, brought it to her attention. "Ma'am, the nozzle still won't fit in your car though, you will have to go to a different pump to get diesel." Do you know what that little old lady said back? "Oh, thank you my dear boy. Do you see any other diesel pumps around here?...No? Okay, thanks for your help." AHHHHHHHHHHHHH I was outraged! Was it because I was a girl? Was it because I had pointed out the "wrong thing"? Was it that she was just a bitch? What? I couldn't get away fast enough. I am still very angry. I know it's silly: To be mad at old people. They don't know any better. This is the last time I help a little old lady.

I have been inspired to work out, and eat right. No more sodas, no more fast food, and if it has to be fast food, then healthy fast food. Yes, it is possible. I am not doing it for anybody, or to try out for anything, or even because summer is approaching. I am doing it for me. I really need to get my gym membership back. I think I'll do that today. I love not having practice.

Easter Sunday

Thursday was the last day of school. That night I judged Sharyland H.S. Drill team. Officers and line. I did it as a favor to my friend Tara. She is the director. I have judged many times before, and this team was not bad. She should have a very good team next year. Her numbers are a lot less than mine, but in a way it seems better. She gets to have a close relationship with each of her girls. I can only have my favorites. I know that sounds really bad, but with over sixty girls and two guys, there is no escaping it. My sister also came to visit for the Easter holiday.

On Friday, my family usually gets together to have a fish fry. Before that, my parents made an appointment for our immediate family to get our taxes done. That was fun. After the fish fry and a brief moment in the darkness...lol...(inside joke)...we went to church, then home, where I helped hook up my parents new dvr. We went out to eat at the Blue Shell for more fish and finally home.

On Saturday, my sister and I spent the day shopping at the mall and around town. I bought new shoes, some really cool eye liner, and shampoos. She was very good ...up until the end.

I woke up Easter Sunday and picked up my mom and sister and headed over to my aunts house. We usually spend Easter outside. We bbq, play volleyball, hunt for eggs, and crack eggs on each others heads. Yes, crack them on heads. It's a tradition that I grew up with. This year, the weather was so bad, we spent most of it indoors. Tonight I am going bowling with friends. I am so glad I have tomorrow off. I think this is my first year that I have the Monday after Easter off.

New Growth

My kitties got locked in my computer room on Monday night. They figured that my gym bags were: litter-box-looking enough, so I had a terrible day on Tuesday. Thank goodness for candles.

My vine is not dead. There is new growth coming back and new sprouts everywhere. The trellis is full. Love, time, and hope has brought it back. This makes me feel so good. In a way I can almost relate with the vine. It's growing stronger. It's becoming who it once was. There are still no flowers on it yet, but I am sure with time that it will bloom once again. Looking back at myself, I now realize why.

Yoga Mondays

Things are certainly looking up. This week is a four day week, and then comes the four day weekend. My schedule is already full. There will be a lot of family time. My sister is coming down from college and my parents have already mapped out our weekend. This is comforting to me, seeing as how I never can make decisions.

I have started a new dance with my dance technique classes. The music was actually given to me by a student last semester. The other students are very receptive to it. It is sort of a mix of techno with classical Mozart. Every first Monday of every month, my students decided to have a yoga class. They actually wanted yoga every week, but my arms are just not cut out for that kind of torture. It wouldn't be so bad if it was 1 hour every week, but try teaching yoga 7 sessions a day, with very little breaks in between. My arms feel like they are going to fall off by the time I go to bed. I actually forgot about this upcoming Yoga Monday, so my students decided to have it on Thursday. We are having a presentation and a dance all day on Thursday, so I decided to move it to Wednesday. It has been going pretty good so far. The students, for the most part, are really starting to like it. Of course you have the occasional lazy, close minded, troublesome students who just love to mess it up for everyone. Oh well.

I have found a friend at J.C. He teaches Theatre Art. His name is Jason and he has been eating lunch with us everyday. He is always trying to get me to go out with him. He is so funny. He says we can look for guys together. I am going to start taking him up on his offers. I really should get out more. In college I loved going to clubs. Never to meet guys of course. I always had a bf at that time. No, my friends and I would go to dance. We loved dancing. Those were the fun days. Now things are very different and I'm certainly a lot older, but it doesn't mean that I become a grandma. Right? I have made up my mind. I am definitely going out.

Palm Sunday

Every Beginning has an End. It only makes sense. It is only natural.

I have been going to church all my life. Literally. Not only have I been going to church I have been going to the same church. I recently came across my baptism certificate. I didn't even know I had it, but there it was in my house, in my folder. I was baptized there, I did my Holy Communion there, I was confirmed there. Someday I hope to be married in that church, like my parents were. Don't get me wrong, I am not the model Catholic. In fact, I might be far from it. When I was little, I was forced to go to church, like so many young Catholics are. I was told that if I didn't go to church then I couldn't do things that I wanted to do on Saturdays. Nevertheless, I never really put up much of a fight, it was more of a routine then anything else. As I got older there were a few times, where I was curious to find out about other religions. It didn't go very far. Now I live in Mission, where it seems almost silly to venture across cities just to attend a certain church. But I do. As I am getting older, and ...dare I say....more troubled....I find that going to church is somewhat calling out to me. I can't really explain it. I am one of those who rarely talks about going to church. I once got locked in a room where a girl tried to preach to me and my friends. I don't want to become one of those types of people. The truth is that faith is one of those things that you have to discover for yourself. No one can "push" you to do it. It has to be a choice. The one thing that amazes me about faith is forgiveness. I never thought about it much when I was little, but now that I am older, it does seem to have relevance. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. Maybe that's what people need. A faith that even in the worst of times, when life seems at its lowest, that there is a higher being that loves you unconditionally. That would die for you. That loves in a way that is unlike any other. Like I said, I am far from being the Catholic model, but I'm there. I attend. I learn. I forgive because I know how. It inspires, and teaches, and to be honest...I enjoy going to church. I go with my family. I love my family. I will always go with my family.

How I am feeling right now

The Scientist
Martin/Berryman/Buckland/Champion. 2001©coldplay

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry,
You don't know how lovely you are,
I had to find you, tell you I need ya,
And tell you I set you apart,
Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions,
Oh lets go back to the start,
Running in circles, coming in tails,
Heads on a science apart,

Nobody said it was easy,
It's such a shame for us to part,
Nobody said it was easy,
No one ever said it would be this hard,
Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing at numbers and figures,
Pulling the puzzles apart,
Questions of science, science and progress,
Do not speak as loud as my heart,
And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me,
Oh and I rush to the start,
Running in circles, chasing tails,
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy,
Oh it's such a shame for us to part,
Nobody said it was easy,
No one ever said it would be so hard,
I'm going back to the start

Can't sleep tonight

I have trouble sleeping every night, but this one in particular.
Disappearing and then reappearing.

When I hurt my ankle this past year, the pain was overwhelming. Many people told me that the older you are the more it hurts. Does that pertain to relationships too? That the older you get and the more involved you are, the more a break up hurts. In the beginning of the school week, I was actually afraid to go to school. Afraid. I woke up crying and dreading the day, wondering why. Why? Why do any of it? Someone told me that I have a gift. I never considered teaching a gift, but my body did what my mind couldn't. It went through the routine. My students were understanding and helpful. They counted when I couldn't. They were silent when I needed it the most. They were talkative and ....normal. Something I was not. My closest students, I found comfort in. My outgoing students even made me laugh and forget for a second how miserable I had been feeling.

Every day has gotten a little better. The mornings are still the worst. It's almost as if I have to command myself to wake up.

Drill team tryouts were this week. Practice everyday. This helped too.

Tuesday: I had dinner with Teri at Chili's. Afterwards I spoke with Diana. She had some really helpful advice. I miss her a lot. We were very close in college (and is one of the few people that actually read my blog :) Hi Di! )
Wednesday: I had a talk with Ronnie. We caught up on how each other's lives have changed. We both are in a strange place right now. We also reminisced about the past. It was nice to take a walk down memory lane to better years.
Thursday: Officer try-outs. Stayed at school late.
Friday: Line try-outs. Stayed at school very late.

And now here I am. 2 in the morning and can't sleep once again. It's a good thing I don't have to get up tomorrow morning.

My outlook has definitely gotten better. I don't dread work anymore. I look forward to it. It gives me strength to know that my student's missed me during the break.

Spring break: I always have terrible spring breaks. It's sad that I am developing a pattern.

I know the writing is sporadic....oh well....

My plan is set in motion. Can I find happiness? Will it find me? I know, I know stop looking. That's the hardest thing. Letting destiny take its place. I know what I need to do. I know what I want. Why is it so hard to come by?

House stuff: The backyard is pretty....but ....my vine died. my pretty yellow flowers are gone and the vine is all brown and dead. There is but one small growth which has grown from the trellis to the fence. It reached out. I don't know if there is enough time to save it. Save it from itself. From the other dead parts spreading their blackness. Only time will tell. am i still talking about the plant....
my sink is fixed. the garbage disposal was taken out. turns out that it had gone bad. so it was removed. it was bypassed. now there is a switch that turns on nothing. if something messes up do you fix it? or if it was beyond fixing, then do you just remove it in it's entirety? am i still talking about the plumming?

cant sleep tonight

Messed up

Everything in my life is so messed up right now....can't seem to function normally anymore. Don't know what to do....just trying to live one day at a time

Another Rent-A-Car

It feels good to write and get stuff out. I have been MIA for a few days. Here is an update.

On Saturday, after spending the morning in bed, I got up and went shopping at the mall. I bought my Dad a birthday present and I got some new jeans for myself. My parents called while I was there and invited me out to eat with them at Texas Roadhouse, a place I have not been in quite a while. The one thing I remember most about this place is the awesome Watermelon Margaritas. If you like Margaritas then you would love these. I have not been able to find them anywhere else. The bartender dresses the glass with sugar on the rim. After dinner, Diana and I decided to go out. We went to several clubs. We walked into Dolce first. Then walked right back out. The place is BYOB and we were not prepared so we left. We walked over to KAFS, where we each had two drinks. KAFS is the only place where you can buy Momosa's (I think that is how you spell it). It is basically Austi and orange juice with a cherry at the bottom. It was here that I got a rose from a stranger. Now, it has been a long while since I have gone out, and an even longer time since I have been dressed up. I was not going out to meet people, I was going out because I wanted to spend a girls night out with Diana. The rose was unexpected and totally unprovoked, but it made me feel really good. The guy said that he had bought the rose outside and planned to give it to the first pretty girl he saw, and then presented it to me. Awww. After that we went to City Breeze. After that we went to Buffalo Wild Wings. After that we went to my cousin Davy's apartment. The next day all I did was sleep. I had a great time with Diana and hopefully we can do it again.

Monday at school, I promised the students that I would teach them yoga. I left out a couple of classes because I knew that they weren't mature enough to handle it. Some students really take it seriously and get as much as they can from it. Others don't. Needless to say that when I went to bed, I felt like my arms were going to fall off, and if they weren't going to fall off, then I wanted some one to chop them off. I also cleaned my room, bathroom, and even under my bed. I still had empty suitcases from competition laying around making my room pretty cluttered. I finally feel like I can breathe. I hope it stays this way for a while. I am trying really hard. The next day I went to get my car fixed since it has been messing up on me. I got another rent a car. This is twice in one year. This time they gave me a Dodge Caliber. When you first look at this car, you wonder if it is considered a car or an SUV. It was pretty nice for a while. Until my drive home on Tuesday. I had a near car accident. This time on the expressway. It was awful. I was swerving all over 3 lanes. I finally got the stupid car under control, got off the expressway and into some parking lot. I left the car on and got out. I couldn't stop crying for a while. I know it is stupid to blame the car, but I did. If it had been in my SUV, then I know that it wouldn't have happened. It has happened before. Someone cuts you off to get in your lane, and you swerve to not hit them. It has happened dozens of times. I have always been able to handle my car. The steering for cars and suv's are very different. It was the most scary thing that has ever happened to me. I took frontage all the way home. At least I didn't have a nightmare. The next morning I wanted to take frontage to school, but of course I was running late, so I had to brave the big bad expressway.

Wednesday, we have a guest speaker at our campus. Happy the comedian. I actually have his CD. He is very funny and is actually one of the few comedians that use clean language. In the afternoon we have a dance. This means that Wednesday should be a very easy day, leaving only Thursday and Friday. THEN SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!!

I have plans to visit D.C. to see Marty. I am really looking forward to this. He is planning some really cool things to do. For the past two years I have not been able to do anything during spring break because of Dorados. We would always have practice during the week. I will be there from Sunday to Sunday.

On Monday night, while cleaning my room, I received a phone call from one of my ex-students from Memorial. I haven't heard from this student in a while. She used to call me every week. Then the calls stopped. It felt good talking to her. She told me about stuff going on over there. I miss Memorial. I miss my friends and my students. I recently found out that the students that attend Memorial will be going to the new high school, where (cross my fingers) I plan to work. Hopefully I will see them once again.

Stuff has been coming in that I ordered online. Just in time.

I had a spat with a teacher on my campus today. Long story short, my principal is now going to address him about his "professionalism". Stupid boys.

Funny Stuff

Funny thing this morning. I get up at my usual time in the morning. I go through my daily routine, and when I'm getting dressed, I noticed one of my Nike symbols on my tennis shoes was missing. Thinking that I have to buy some new shoes sometime in the near future, I put them on and left for work. Nothing else happened that was odd. Now I am in 1st period passing out writing assignments to my students, and (because they are sitting on the floor), I look down and notice that my feet look different. I am wearing two different pairs of shoes! HA HA! Although the colors are similar and they look very much alike, from a side angle the styles are totally different. Oh well, it's too late to go home and change. Funny thing....no one throughout the day even notices. My lunch buddy never notices. My students never notice. I guess no one really ever pays that much attention to shoes. I do happen to tell two students about my little mix up. They decide its "cool miss" and switch one shoe between both of them. Now there are 3 idiots walking around J.C.

To follow up with the small spat with my student yesterday....She comes in an asks me if I had gotten her e-mail last night on Myspace. I actually didn't check it yesterday, so I honestly didn't. I tell her no, and she says that I will like it. Afterwards, it is a normal class. When I got home this afternoon I finally did get to see her message. It was a cute kitty (she knows I like cats), and an apology. This just goes to show that she is truly very sweet and thoughtful, and still remains one of my favorites :)

During the last period of the day, I decided to hold a toe touch competition for some of my students. The last class is very talented, and two boys have been out jumping the girls. The girls decided to step it up and thus came the need for the jump off. One of the other teachers heard and asked if he could bring his class to witness, so now they really had a crowd. It came down to one guy and one girl. The cheerleader ended up winning, but the boy gave her a run for her money. It was very amusing and it made my day.

After my roommate ate outside yesterday with her boyfriend, I ended up out there as well. Although I was alone, I was amazing. The night was cool, the air was luscious, and my sandwich was delicious. he he. The lights under the umbrella were actually very sensible. They allowed you to see what was on the table. In other words, to make sure you don't eat any bugs. It actually looks like a sidewalk cafe or something. I need one more extension cord to make it complete.

My Dad's birthday is this month. He is hard to shop for. Boys in general are hard to shop for, but my Dad especially. A lot of thought went into his Christmas present. I wanted to get him something that he would use, make his life easier, and something having to do with electronics. I got him a blue tooth earpiece, and he seemed uneasy at first, but ended up liking it. Now his birthday is right around the corner and I find myself wondering what he wants. Maybe I over think things, but a like to put a lot of thought into a persons gift. It tells them I care and I'm not about to go to the mall and grab the first thing I see. It's not about how much time it took to get the gift or even about the money. For me, it is the thought that matters. Maybe because in the past I have encountered some messed up situations that it just makes me more aware of gift-giving. Ideas anyone?

I was recently tricked into a Columbia House membership, but am really liking the deal.

I believe that my Jasper has is smarter than he lets on. The other day, at my Target shopping spree, I purchased a water bottle with a spray nozzle. It is used to train cats not to jump on furniture, counters, or any other unwanted spot. I had one and believed that he bumped it off the counter on accident and it ended up un-fix-able (if that really is a word). So almost 3 months go by and no water bottle to train with, so I decide to buy another one. As soon as I got home I filled it with water and he jumps on the counter to look at what I am doing. I spray him and he gets angry. (He is very vocal) I must have only used the stupid thing about twice that day. I left to get dinner, and when I returned the bottle was on the floor and broken in the exact same way as the first. Weird stuff. I contemplated whether or not to buy another one, but decided that the spray nozzle from my sink will work just fine :)

Not so funny stuff:
My car is acting a bit strange. I got an oil change this past week, so I hope it is just the cars way of getting used to the new oil. It felt like it was going to turn off. I was praying that I would make it home today with out being stranded on the side of the road. I am getting a new one in another month or so, so it should all work out.

My sink is acting funny too. Why is everything around me falling apart or breaking? Not to mention my moody air conditioner.

Some really awesome stuff:
I received a phone call this afternoon from my sister who was just informed through an e-mail last night, that she has been accepted into her summer intern in London. I am truly happy for her. This is something that she has wanted for a really long time. She is so successful and I am proud of her. Now I really must get a passport. I have never been to London. She says that I would love it. I am going to save to be able to go and visit her. I can't wait!

Patio Furniture

I finally did it! I have revamped my back yard. It looks simply splendid. If you read my previous blog, then you would know that I bought some flowers and stuff like that, which by the way, have not died on me yet. After taking a step back at what it looked like, it seemed like it didn't make significant change. Yes, in time the yellow flowers might grow from the trellis to the fence, but how would I sit there and enjoy them? So, I got to thinking...there is no place to sit or relax and enjoy the back yard.

On Tuesday, I had gone to Target, and totally splurged on some outdoor lights. I bought two different types. Butterfly and what I would call Balloon lights. I don't really have a ladder, just a step ladder that I used back at Memorial Middle. I paid for it so I got to take it home with me. It came in very handy. I hung the lights and finally plugged them in. Problems! One of the light sets wasn't working. I thought maybe the fuse had gone out. After a thirty min. fight with the stupid plug, I was victorious in getting both fuses out. Even when I replaced them, the light set still wouldn't work. "What can ya do" I'm sure it would look great when everything is plugged in and working.

[This is spawning from too much time on my hands!]
Yesterday:
So back to my previous thought about sitting....I know that the first of the month is coming up, and I always have a little extra money to spend on one really big purchase. For example, I bought a Christmas tree in December. Since summer is coming up, I want to use this months purchase on my backyard. I started looking online. It's amazing the range of patio furniture there is out there. Materials, sizes, colors, and themes are just the beginning of it. After about a day of research, I knew what I wanted. The set I originally wanted was from Wal-Mart. It was made from solid wood and already came with an umbrella, which I have wanted since I was a little girl. The shipping alone was over $40.00. I decided to go to the Wal-Mart near my house and maybe see if it happened to be there, so I wouldn't have to pay the shipping fee. There were so many choices. Mine unfortunately was not there. As I was looking, I did happen to see the same set, but made from aluminum, a glass table, and of course the umbrella. It came in two colors. I opted for the cool blue. It reminded me of the beach. [By the way, I must interject with my love for SUV's. They are perfect for impulse buys such as this.] It was a hundred dollars less than the wood one I had originally wanted. Sure the material was cheaper, but I would have that cash to spend on something else I had already had my mind on. The cashier loads it in my car for me because it is too heavy for me to lift, which makes me think how I am going to get it down.
So before I even get to my house I have planned everything out in my head. The box is too heavy for one girl to lift, but the items alone are not. So with the box still in my SUV I take out the items one at a time. First the chairs. Then the umbrella. The only heavy item was the glass table which needed to be assembled. Thank goodness for the little Moving Men my parents bought me. I simply slided the whole thing to my backyard. I never had to lift a thing, so I never strained my back. Yea for me!
After some minor assembly (all by myself) the patio furniture is up and looks perfect. It's not too big and will still sit four people. It's colorful, so it really pops against all the greenery.
Today:
I returned the butterfly lights that did not work. If you have ever gone to Target and returned something you will know that they give you cash for that item and ask that you go and find the new item you want and purchase it all over again. This is bad for me. It means that you have to go back in the store. Of course I end up purchasing more lights. This time the lights were for the umbrella. The picture on the box looked really cool, and I figured that since I now own an umbrella, I should dress it up. Yet another task for me outside. Turns out that you have to put little clips on yourself. After I got started, it was like clockwork putting the lights on one by one, and by the time I finished it was barely getting dark, dark enough to see the beautiful lights all plugged in.
In the future:
So remember the thing that I had on my mind....well I found it online. Perfect. Anyone who knows me knows that I have always wanted a hammock. I finally got one for Christmas years ago, and set it up at my parents house. It never really worked because there was no stand for it. It was tied to one of our trees and the wall. I spent a lot of time in that hammock, and actually wonder if its still there. Needless to say, that is what I truly wanted. I found one. I was looking for one that came with a stand. Even if I wanted to do the whole tree thing again, I couldn't. My backyard has absolutely no trees. Weird huh? So now I really need the stand. I found a better one. This one comes with a stand but is portable. I could even take it to the beach, if I wanted to. [I'm planning on spending some time there in the summer as well] And what do you know? It was exactly $96.00 with shipping. Looks like the hundred I saved on the patio furniture worked out. Now all I have to do is wait for it to come in.

This whole time of spending my evenings outside has really been good for my soul. Jasper loves going outside with me. He loves running and has a huge backyard to do it in. At first I was a little apprehensive of letting him outside. I thought he would for sure run away. He always runs out into the garage when I am closing it, and escapes outside to the front. In the front, cars are always passing by. I just get nervous, him being so brave and all. I mean to test his ability to reach the front before the garage door goes down is a test itself. Since I was spending so much time outside, I decided to let him out. After all I would be there to watch him, and he has a bell so I would be able to hear him at all times. He never once tried to climb the fence. I even shot a great picture of him laying in the grass. Bella on the other hand does not like to be outside. She will sit at the glass sliding door and watch everything we are doing, but will not go outside. I think she is scared. It's OK. One curious cat is more than enough for me.

I got into a small spat with a student today. She is actually one of my favorites, which is really weird. I said something and she said something under her breath (which is one of my pet peeves) and then it turned into a battle of who would have the last word. She explained that she was "pissed" at something another student had told her from another class. I told her that it was not my fault and that she needed to "calm down". I have had a bad history with the words "calm down" when said to me, so it probably did not help her. She never looked or spoke to me the rest of the period. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.

Update:
My roommate has just asked to eat outside with her boyfriend. I am so excited about people using the backyard! I can just imagine BBQ's and parties. Even though I'm happy about the use, this makes me kinda sad. I wanted to be the first to enjoy it. Aww....Marty, come back. LOL...the weather is perfect tonight too. A small cool front is coming in and the air is blowing the sweet perfume of the lemon blossoms. Smells like spring.

tyefNMslo

I had a normal weekend. On Friday, instead of sitting at home watching television, I decided to go to Home Depot. It all started with what I thought was a stolen garden hose. Long story short, I decided to go buy one. Passing by the garden department, I had some ideas that I had been meaning to do with my backyard for some time. Altogether, I bought two small hanging pots, one vine, one dessert rose, two cylamens to put in the hanging pots, a lot of soil, a flag and a trellis, the missing garden hose, 2 mini sprinklers (butterfly design) and a shovel. (The flag was on special, and since my house has a built in flag holder, I figured it would be perfect) That night I re-potted the flowers, hung them outside, and watered my lawn. I wanted to plant the vine the next morning, but I knew I needed moist soil, or digging would be very hard. I did a very good job, finished, and was still bored. The next morning I planted my vine. I also fixed my door, which was much simpler than I thought. No more kitties getting into my room! That night I had dinner at an Italian restaurant with my parents, my cousin Julissa, and her husband Cesar. It was a lovely evening, with lots of laughs. The next day was a lazy day. I stayed in bed for most of it, went to church, went to a BBQ, and saw the Academy Awards. The only thing that I was dreading was to go to work the next day.
So today was my first day of being back in my real first period class. I spent the last six weeks at the Senior High campus helping out the Drill Team get ready for competition. I definitely was not looking forward to this all weekend long. The students did test me but not very much. There were the few that never dress out, and of course the few that never do the technique across the floor, but all together it was a pretty good class. I did make one comment that, if "you didn't dress out, then you have no business leaving the classroom"....and right when I said it ....one student (who is not dressed out) is just about to walk out the door....now, I know everyone heard me, so I call out her name. She turns around, I ask where she thinks she is going...she tells me "to the restroom", I tell her that since she didn't ask, she is to stay in the room...she rolls her eyes but stays inside. At that moment another student comes up to me and kindly asks to go drink water with the words "may" and everything. So I say "of course".....it was perfect timing....
I got an oil change today. It seems almost stupid to waste a perfectly good oil change on a car that I have to give up in a month. I have been shopping online for a new SUV. The one's at the top of my list are Chevrolet, Dodge, Nissan, and Pontiac. Sadly the one that will win will be the cheapest one. I really am happy driving anything. As long as it is an SUV, and it never leaves me anywhere.
Lately I feel like I have been going at life alone. I'm sure everyone must feel this every once in a while. There are so many things I want to write, but fear that if someone reads them, then it is a glimpse into my true self. Maybe that's why I write about what I'm doing and not how I'm doing. I see things online. I create stupid things in my head and then stress about why I do that to myself. If something really bothered me, I should be able to express it, right? I'm scared that whatever I'm thinking is out of the norm, and therefore puts me at a disadvantage as a human, as a woman, and as a girlfriend.
One more thing, on my way home from the oil change, I decided to pick up dinner at What-A-Burger. The girl who took my money, recognized me as her teacher from 2 years ago (when I was student teaching) She said this very happily, and knew a lot more about me then I knew about her. This made me happy. It also made me happy to think that this girl has not graduated yet (she is a senior), so that makes me still pretty young.

Falling

I fell again today at work, while doing a stupid hip hop dance. Nothing hard! Just plain stupidity and weak ankles. At least it was the right one, and not the left that I had seriously sprained earlier this school year. I couldn't get up and the students were scared. They were very helpful though. They ran to the nurse and got an ice pack. I took off the next period, but then had to go to lunch duty and get lunch. I was limping but, walking okay. It wasn't till after school, where I choose to go run a mile, where the stupidity comes in to play. I thought that if I wrapped it up real good, that it wouldn't move around a lot. Why am I always wrong about this kind of stuff. About halfway through, it really began to ache. I could choose to turn around, but then it would be the same as completing the stupid run. So, I decided to finish, minus the extra lap around the pond to fully complete the mile. I'm putting ice on it as I type and now it's getting even harder to walk. I'm hoping it is just sore.

Yesterday I bought a plane ticket to D.C. It feels really good knowing that I'm going to see Marty in a couple of weeks. I miss him very much, and fear that I haven't been a very good girlfriend lately. I get angry very easily and thought it was because of all the stress I had been going through. I am truly sorry, and plan to make it up to him. I just hope he gives me a chance.

On another note, Grey's Anatomy is tonight. In about 10 mins it will start. I have been watching this show since the beginning, and am dying to find out what is going to happen.

Tomorrow is a field day for all the students who took the TAKS test. It is going to be filled with Sumo wrestling, Big Glove Boxing, Obstacle courses, Bungee jumps, and much much more. I don't remember having anything like that when I was in school. This is just a reward for showing up. I am in charge of the Big Glove Boxing game, which should attract a lot of students, and possibly some teachers. I am excited because last time I got put in charge of some crappy game, where no one came. The only downfall is that it is going to be hot tomorrow. I don't have sunscreen...only tanning lotion. Help!

Trying New Things

So it feels really strange to come home during daylight hours. It almost seems normal. February TAKS has come and gone too...and soon April TAKS will be here. Spring Break is almost here, which I am looking forward to. I made a list of things to do during the week, just to feel like I am actually being productive, but the only thing that I have gotten around to doing ...is my grades. I have successfully caught up on some much needed sleep. This weekend I plan to do my Taxes, and get my massages that were given to me during Christmas. I definitely need to hook up with some girlfriends and go out. The alone time is kinda driving me a little crazy. Don't get me wrong, I like the new found time, I just don't want it to take me to a place where I don't want to be.

I'm trying to figure out why I am so happy in my afternoon classes. They are not better classes, or even better students for that matter. I wonder if it's because it's nearing the end of the school day, and I know soon that I will get to go home. Or is it that I am finally awake and functional during those classes? Either way, I need to figure out a way to be happy in the morning.

I don't have much to say considering that I wrote a lot yesterday. I'm trying some new things and I hope they work out. Speaking of work out...now that I have time, I need to seriously hit the gym. Oh yea....I don't have one....then I need to go to the duck park and run.

My lease for my car is due next month. I'm kinda scared. I don't know what I am going to get next. I love Land Rover, but with the new house, I'm not sure if I can stay with the company. I need to research some suv's. Any ideas anyone?

It's OVER!

It's finally over....the long practices, the yelling, the frustration.....it's all over. Competition has come and gone. I thought this would never come. I thought I would never wake up from my nightmare.....lol....ok....so it wasn't really that bad. I mean, I did actually have fun. We travelled to Houston, where the La Joya Jewelettes made history..... We competed at our very first MA competition. If anyone knows anything about dance competitions then you probably know that MA is one of the hardest. I had never been. I have been to Power Dance, American Dance Drill, even Showmakers, but this takes the cake. I'm talking about rich, super teams, 5'10 amazon tall white women, costumes that probably cost more than me, and that's just the start of it. In total there were 2 gyms, 1 auditorium, 2 dressing rooms per team, 2 entrances, a cafe, vendors who were selling Coach and Fendi bags [not real by the way....thanks Marty :) ], an MA store (where Directors get a discount), and practice space. Out of 360 soloist, 65 were in our High school category alone. 9 were to dance at the finals where, unlike ADT, they start at 0. Our little Mexican team did very well. We took home a Sweepstakes trophy for both Team and Officers, an outstanding award for our Military, and a Choreography award for our Kick. One out of our 4 soloists made it to the finals where she made La Joya proud. She came in 2nd runner up. Some thought that we would come home with nothing. I had higher hopes so I was a bit disappointed when we didn't get much at the beginning for our ensemble, but felt better after the Choreography award was called out. If you read previous blogs, you will notice that the kick was mine :) "thank you, thank you".....OK if you can't boast in your blog then when can you?

The trip started out pretty rocky. We stayed late the night before having a dress rehearsal. I didn't get home till late. I still had to burn music and pack. I procrastinated and decided to go to Wal-Mart for whatever I might need. It's a good thing I went because I found a 14 baby blue pins to put on our hideous ensemble dresses and a label maker program for the cd's that I was to burn (hey we might as well look professional) The CD's came out great and the pins did add to the costume, along with the help of Manny's creative touch. I packed and went to bed around 1:30. I set my alarm, but swear it didn't go off. The only reason I woke up at 4:30 was because Terri called me and asked for video tapes. I would have missed the bus. I bought a portable DVD player so I grabbed DVD's and was on my way. I forgot a blanket and a pillow, and it was freezing. Luckily we went up in a Charter Bus so it wasn't so bad, we had heat. The Bus Driver's name was Mr. Garza and thank goodness he spoke English. I guess I was expecting the usual school district bus driver....lost and unable to communicate with me. But he wasn't...he knew his way around, and was knowledgeable about the weather, and traffic conditions, and even construction on certain streets and highways. He did his homework and was very nice. He even showed us pictures of his daughters. We shopped at the Galleria, which I have never been to. I must go back and ice skate. I didn't shop much...and when I did it wasn't for me ...it was for the girls. We checked in to the hotel and ordered pizza. Then it was time for practice. After an exhausting night, Manny and I decided we needed super glue for the next day. We were supposed to put tiny ant-sized rhinestones on the outside of the girls eyes, and the only way they would stay on was to put them on with super glue. Bad idea. We went to bed around 2:00 because we stayed up to fix the ensemble dresses.

The next day was the longest day of my life. We woke up at 5:30. We got the girls on the bus and headed to the competition. We were a little late and our officers had to pay by having to rush to gym 2 for their Jazz dance. They were shook up about the performance, but didn't have time to worry about it, they needed to focus on the next dance. The Lyrical was next. It went OK.....then the Ensemble. One of our girls forgot her bloomers at the hotel. Luckily her mom was there to save the day by picking them up for her...but not so lucky with trying to find the competition. She didn't make it and our girl performed with black shorts underneath her see-through baby blue dress. Still no time to fret, more dances to come. Next was the Team Jazz, our weakest piece. The team actually surprised me. They looked clean, and it was the best I had ever seen them perform. I still saw mistakes, don't get me wrong, but I was pleased. After Team Jazz, was Team Military, our strongest one. It was the nicest costume and cleanest piece. The girls were awesome. Now for Team Kick, our last of the team category. I was a little stressed about this one because the girls had not had time to practice like they did for the other pieces. They were going out cold turkey and every time they do that they mess up. Not to mention the flips were at least someone usually falls on their booty. You can just imagine my anxiety. They did mess up, but it wasn't so bad. It wasn't very obvious. Only trained eyes could tell. You could tell some girls gave it their all. I was once again pleased. Almost over. Modern would sum up our Officer category. This was the best. It seemed as if we got better as the day progressed. I took the team - our soloist to pick up Whataburger. I made them eat in the bus because I wanted to get back in time to cheer on our solos. We made a pit stop to pick up pine cones. Some of the girls have never been out of the Valley, and the pine cones along with the squirrels were the highlights of their day. Our solos started at 6:00. Solo finals started at 8:45 and awards started at 10:00. We didn't get to the hotel until 11:30. I snuggled into my warm bed only to be woken up by girls knocking on our door. Turns out that some girls used the super glue we bought to put the rhinestones in their hair. 10 rhinestones to be exact. To make a long story short, some girls ended up with small round bald spots. (Didn't want to forget my brief onset with the super glue earlier that day....I super glued a girls eye shut....I know!....but all is well, she can open her eye....hey at least it wasn't as bad as Manny spilling Acetone in another girls eye.)

OK so I didn't go to sleep early that night either. I miss sleep. It was so nice. The next day, we went to First Colony Mall. It was less expensive than the Galleria, and here I finally got to shop for myself. I slept a little on the bus, thanks to Terri's sister who let me borrow a pillow and blanket(she lives in Houston). We even got home earlier than we thought.

I was so anxious to sleep in my own bed, but as soon as I put my feet in ...I felt something damp.....turns out my kitties were in my room while I was away, and decided to leave me a pee present. The drama never stops! I had just bought new sheets the weekend before, so it wasn't so bad. I washed everything that night and put it out to dry.

At school, the students have to take the TAKS test. FUN FUN FUN!

Now that I have time to breathe and write, I will keep you posted!

Valentine's Day

To all you love birds out there Happy Valentine's Day! I celebrated a little differently. We (meaning "not me") decided to have practice on Wednesday. About a month ago, my parents were able to get a hold of Rent Tickets. I have seen the movie, but thought the live show would be much better. Needless to say, it was very good, and seeing the movie did help with the story lines. I left practice an hour early to rush to be there on time. The show lasted longer than normal musicals and by the end my parents and I were starving. We went next door to Taco Palenque, which was delicious and hit the spot. Marty came the weekend before Valentine's Day, so we could celebrate early. We also celebrated our 6 month anniversary. He got me Godiva chocolates and flowers. So sweet. I tried to make his gift as thoughtful as I could. I was going to send him a care package, but since he decided to surprise me by coming down, I gave it to him in person. Seeing his face made it all worth it.
Some of my student's gave me some gifts which were totally unexpected. Last year, at Memorial, I received a lot of gifts during Christmas, Valentine's and even as Going Away presents. Not that gifts mean how much a person cares, but they always knew how to make a teacher's day bright. Ever since I started working at the high school...much of that love is gone now. The student's just don't seem to care as much. Not holding anything against them, but I'm sure they have better things to do with their time. So, you can imagine that I was not expecting anything from anyone this Valentine's day, but I was very much surprised. Two officers where very sweet and gave me candy and a very cute stuffed zebra. A very special freshman gave me a malt-looking cup with a heart shaped straw filled with candies and a balloon on top. I say this freshman is special because I am always getting after her. She has so much talent and very little confidence. She is beautiful but never smiles because so is always so busy concentrating. LOL. She was sweet to remember her teacher on this day. I also received a Valentine from a Senior who I thought did not like me. We never really got along, until a Saturday practice where she told me she had a dream of me. After talking shortly, we were on much better (friendlier) terms. Those girls made my day.