Crossed Paths

I love when the things in my life connect in some way. It gives me a sensation I can only descibe as "positive heebie-jeebies." Maybe a new acquaintance quotes one of my favorite movies. Maybe a co-worker mentions a band I am presently gaga over. Who knows!

Today I had a moment like this. The Big Bang Theory is one of my favorite shows. Sheldon in particular cracks me up (even though there are unfortunate moments when his neurotic remarks remind me of myself). I am also a huge fan of Cake Wrecks. Imagine my surprise and happiness when I read the CW post featuring this beauty!!! Has something like this happened to you recently?

Another Lovely Song

J.J. Heller's "Your Hands". The graphics are cheesy, but the song is great.

I want to get the chords, it doesn't sound that hard to play.

A Beastly Day, With a Beautiful Ending

Today was a Monday after a very busy weekend for me. By the time I awoke this morning, my sweetness was already en route to Boston. As I listened to my alarm, I yearned to hear his, "I landed and I'm here" phone call. I got ready for work, noticing that my daily Claritin was no match for the latest batch of allergens blowing through North Texas.

At school, I was still struggling to get the morning groggies from my head. Between classes, I sat in the teacher's lounge with the other science tutor. One of our teachers came in, and congratulated her. The teacher left. I turned to the other tutor. "What did she congratulate you for?" She said, trying to be delicate, "I got a teaching job...here. They offered it to me on Friday." Of course, I acted all squeal-y and excited about it. But I couldn't shake the conversation I'd had with our principal a couple weeks ago. When I inquired whether he'd be needing to hire any science teachers for next year, he'd said he didn't know yet. Today, it was clear that he'd made up his mind.

Feeling about three inches tall, I went to my auditorium duty. Since there has been an increase in kids skipping and leaving campus recently, all the campus monitors have been assigned to outside posts during lunches. That leaves yours truly the only one supervising the auditorium. It is a huge old room, seating at least a thousand. It has a stage, which is off-limits to the kids. It also has two sets of stairs leading to a balcony of seats, also off-limits and even more enticing to the troublemakers. And today was the day that my assistant principal decided to walk in, when a rebellious student was refusing to come down from the balcony. She, for lack of a more eloquent phrase, griped me out in front of a group of students. She ended with apologizing for leaving me in there by myself. "This is too big a space for one person to watch." I told her.

For the last three class periods of the day, I had to go "babysit" the substitute for one of my science teachers. I don't know why the other teachers thought this was necessary. He was doing a great job, and all the kids had to do was complete a personality/career profile test. It would have made for an easy afternoon, had it not been ridiculously muggy, and 80-something degrees in that classroom. Woof. In 9th (last) period, I overheard something aggravating. A usually sweet student of mine blurted out to her friends, "I don't give a f*** about teachers!" The best response I could muster up, to let her know I'd heard her: "Thanks, Marlene."

Finally, the bell rang, and I made my way to the gym. My plan was to do the 5:30 spin class. I was a little nervous. This would be the first exercise I'd done in over a week, since I'd gotten sick, fainted, etc. However, I felt fidgety and ready. It was amazing. It felt so good to sweat, to use my muscles, to fight for breath. I made it through the whole class, and did better than I expected I would!

And as if spin class wasn't great enough, my dinner was delicious. First, I had a salad. The spinach, grape tomatoes, and baby carrots looked like a confetti used to celebrate summer. Then I made a cheese quesadilla. I used a heavenly homemade tortilla from Jesse's mom, and even whipped up a smidge of guacamole. Yum!

2 Corinthians 5:6-10, 5:17-21

⁶Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷We live by faith, not by sight. ⁸We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

This passage has really resonated with me over the past few days. I've really not been feeling "at home in the body" while dealing with intense pain, one scary fainting spell, some anxiety, the urge to do some late-night eating, etc. While I could take this Scripture as a validation for wallowing in the shortcomings of my earthly body, there are a few things stopping me

1. That's only part of the equation. Verse 8 says we'd prefer to be at home with the Lord. Do I have that longing in my heart? Have I been pursuing Him in my everyday life?

2. Verse 9 adds further conviction. Am I making it my goal to please Him? Honestly, in the midst of pain stabbing in my belly, I'm just hoping I don't black out again. How do I glorify God in those moments?

3. This passage is quite probably referring to "the body" as a metaphor for this world. And, as we Christians know, we are supposed to be "in the world, but not of the world." So, how am I doing in that department? Further conviction: I'm gossiping, judging others, being impatient... Ouch.

All this, coupled with the promise of judgment in verse 10, is very depressing. This is the point in which most cases, including other religions, we want to work off these bad things. What can we do to make it right? What can we accomplish to clean the slate? Amazingly, nothing. Further on, Paul writes:

¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! ¹⁸All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

What?! God's letting me off scot-free? This is fantastic! But that's not all:

²⁰We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. ²¹God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

So God has done this ridiculously wonderful thing for me, and said, "Mkay, go tell your friends." Nooo problem! No pain or frustration of this world, or this body, can change the fact that I have been redeemed. This lovely song sums up the sense of perspective and joy I feel when I remember this. (Unfortunately it has embedding disabled, so I had to just link to it.)

ADDENDUM: I wrote this post, and was so proud of it. Immediately I realized I'd forgotten a very important element: that of sin-repentance-forgiveness. Well, we'll just say this one deals with overall redemption/Grace. I'll look for appropriate Scripture for the rest later...

Fainting*

*potentially bad pseudo-poetry/venting

Three, four hours later.

I searched the bathroom walls.

Which corner snatched skin from my thigh as I fell,

In exchange for a bruise?

I looked for the surface

Where I bumped my chin.

Must've supported me for a moment,

gave me a red spot, too.

Did I call out his name loud enough?

Did I form the sounds,

push them out with my lungs?

Blackness was surrounding me-

I had no time to wonder.

I must have.

"What happened?"

He said, rushing in.

"Did you hit your head?"

He was nowhere to be seen.

I heard him.

I felt his arms around me.

I hung on with all I had.

Sorry, "People of Wal-Mart"...

But this site just robbed you of the my-current-favorite-website title.

Still Surprised

If I were more like this blogger, I would have quit being surprised by things by now. However, I am still taken aback when...

• A student asks me, "Miss, how do you spell 'area'?" (I teach middle school, BTW.)
• People think it's an ok idea to pull out in front of me in traffic. Vroom!
• I am proved wrong when I'm so certain I'm right
• I was told that one of our students (again, middle school) is a father
• A crummy day is nearly always followed by a fantastic one
• I laugh ridiculously hard at things like this

...And so on. What surprises you?

Movie Review: Zombieland

Let me begin this review by first saying that this is not the sort of movie I usually go for, er, for which I usually go. In fact, I never would have seen it, had my mom (like-minded regarding this type of movie) not first seen it and, surprisingly, recommended it!

In turn, I must recommend it too. Yes, it's gory, but not in a realistic way. While it is suspenseful, it's far more funny than scary. Plus, how great is a movie that features a list of rules? Rule #1 for surviving the zombie attack: cardio!

The soundtrack is awesome. As you watch the movie, you hear everyone from Mozart to Van Halen to Hank Sr. to Metric!

The cast members complement each other well, and make up a great enesemble. Woody Harrelson is the bristly Tallahassee. (The best good-bye he can muster up: "That'll do, pig.") Jesse Eisenberg seems to have studied Michael Cera's acting quite a bit. He nails the soft-spoken, nerdy, neurotic humor of his character. Emma Stone (Superbad, The Rocker) has the smoky eyes and voice that bring to mind Mean Girls-era Lindsay Lohan. And Abigail Breslin gives a solid performance as her little sister! She's come a long way from Olive (Little Miss Sunshine).

The quality, humor, and storyline of this movie were all pleasant surprises. I can't believe I'm typing this, but, you should see Zombieland!

A Song I had to share

So, the past few weeks, I've really been struggling with my anxiety/panic attacks again. It comes and goes. I met with my church counselor this afternoon. (Yes, my church is awesome and has a fantastic Biblically-based counseling center.) She mentioned, among other things, that I look up this song. It brought me to tears, in a good way. It's "If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens.

Grammar/Spelling

THAT'S what I'm talking about! Clever, funny, and true.

Wildflower time!

Yesterday, I saw the first blossoms of Texas wildflower season: Henbit (above), and Crow Poison (below). Hooray!

Can you guess what these are?

I just took these photos this afternoon. Then I messed with the color, contrast, etc. a little bit. I don't have titles for them. They may or may not become my inspiration for abstract paintings, we'll see...

No new car...yet.

Blitzen's lease is up in about one month. I want to purchase my next car. I have been ogling an uber-cute Jetta I found online. It has all the options I want, low miles, etc. Plus, it is red, with a tan leather interior.

Being the awesome father and tough negotiator that he is, my dad went with me to the dealership to see it today. We inspected it thoroughly. I found a couple rock chips on the hood, and he estimated that the front brake pads might need replacing. The tires were practically brand new. We learned, thanks to Carfax, that the car was originally a rental, and bought by the dealership at an auction (aka probably for nuffin'!). Its former gig as a rental did mean that all the maintenance was performed, but that it was potential victim to all kinds of crazy drivers.

The test drive was fun. The Jetta wasn't as peppy as Blitzen, but was no Mildred either. Mildred was my Chevy Cavalier who had the zip of a giant tortoise. The salesman informed my dad and I that it was because of its five-cylinder in-line engine. A five cylinder?! Those Germans think of everything.

Then came the part that is likely a beating for all parties involved: the price haggling. Dad was great. Not only did he get them to come down considerably from the price, he got them to throw in the 2-year warranty extension for free! However, the price wasn't quite where we wanted it.

We said we'd think about it, a move that prompted the salesman to get his manager. I knew that would happen! He told us this sad story about how he overpaid for it. Riiiiight. And that is my problem how? The salesman piped up, "It needs a new home!" I was thisclose to firing back, "Not that badly, apparently."

Then he tried to tempt me into looking at some other cars on the lot. I was getting hungry, and Dad saved the day with, "I've gotta get back to the office." We were out.

Dad and I left, and had lunch. During the course of our meal, the salesman left me a voicemail about an "identical" platinum-gray Jetta that was, well, the price I'd wanted on the red one. I did not return his call.

Today may not have yielded a new car, but it did provide me a lot of time with my dad: one of the smartest, funniest people I know. The drive to and from the dealership, lunch, and even the car-shopping process were great because he was there. It might sound cheesy, but I am so grateful to have a dad like him!

Two Songs

From my drive home this afternoon.

I heard this one, and was reminded of how great I thought they sounded on SNL this past weekend. (I was less impressed, however, by the painfully un-funny sketches that seemed to go on far too long.) As for the song's lyrics, I am still trying to work out how a soul can be both "old and rusty, burned beneath the rising sun," AND "locked up like a trophy." Hmm...

This second one, I think, is sweet, poppy, and far too short.

I'm ready

My first two years of college, I was a chemistry/pre-med major in Virginia. My intention was to become either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist. However, unaccustomed to having to actually work hard at school, I let Organic Chemistry kick my butt. My reaction was to transfer, come back to Texas, and change my major to graphic design (something I perceived would be easier and more fun).

Seven years since my departure from science and Virginia, I am finally ready to retake o-chem. Whether it's for personal reasons, or to get back on my original path, I am not sure. I just know that, like Spongebob Squarepants, I'm ready!

A question for other teachers

I am writing this while taking ANOTHER day off of school.

I feel like crap. Again.

I flip back through my iCal, and I can see all the days I've taken off from exercise, because of feeling sickly. I'm averaging a 1-2 day cold every other week/2 weeks or so! This is ridiculous.

I am wondering, is there something seriously wrong with me? I'd normally consider myself a pretty healthy person!

Or, teachers, did this happen to you your first year? Maybe it is being around all the germy kids all day...

My First 10K

Ding ding ding! It was 5:30 on Saturday morning, and my cell phone's alarm clock was ringing.

I was reluctant (to put it mildly) to leave my warm bed. But, wanting to avoid potential traffic, and being someone who is perpetually early to things, I got up. I arrived at the shuttle parking at LaGrave Field ahead of schedule. The buses were filling with excited runners of all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors. I sat next to a lady, probably in her late 60's, who was going to do her 10th half marathon!

We were dropped off downtown, where a huge crowd was already gathered. There was plenty to do and see before the 7:30 start. I checked my purse, sipped some complimentary coffee, and meandered around Sundance Square. People-watching was awesome. There were quite a few runners wearing plastic trash bags to keep warm!

During the run, I was surprised by how quickly the time passed. I also found it odd how my hands would get hot, and then cold, and then hot again. I took my gloves off and put them back on a couple times during the run! I was also surprised to see some people walking before we'd even reached the one-mile marker.

The course was great. There were uphill and downhill slopes, curves and straights. I was glad that only one uphill, the second to last, made me think that I just might barf. Luckily that was only a fleeting thought. I ran the whole way, save the 3 seconds when I had to stop and tie my shoe. There is something very motivating about running with thousands of other people, all of us like little trains, puffing our breath into the cold morning air.

Finishing the race was the best part. Not only did I get a medal, and snacks, but I got to see my sweetheart waiting for me at the finish! (I surprised him, because I finished more quickly than I planned.) It took me 1:11:06. Hooray! I am excited to do another one in the near future!

...And here is a pic of me (tired, sweaty, but happy) with my finisher's medal! :)

Wish Me Luck!!!

Holy crap, I am running my first 10K in the morning! I'll let y'all know how I fare.

Nighty-night!

Sometimes

Sometimes, as it says in an Old 97's lyric, "the day just wins."

You feel discouraged by the attitudes of those around you, both students and teachers.

You are tasked with cleaning out a storage closet belonging to the hoarding-happy department chair. (She has apparently come to the conclusion that things like the tops to Snack Packs are essential to instruction.)

The next class period, you have to corral antsy kids in the auditorium, and all your yelling and frustration smush your soul a little bit.

Your next class, you do some one-on-one instruction with a kid who has the attention span, charm, and physique of a mosquito.

Lunch. You have half an hour to savor your PB & J. (You gave up bringing microwavable lunch weeks ago, when the teachers' lounge was reduced to one working 'wave.)

You make it through your next three classes daydreaming.

You hurry home to change, so you can run some errands before your exercise class. The gym is brutal, but in a therapeutic way.

You have a hot shower, and a good dinner, but the things you heard and felt and saw just hang on you.

You talk to loved ones, who brighten your spirits.

You make an earnest effort to have a good cry/pray, thinking that would renew you. All you can squeeze out are a few anxious tears.

You stay up 'til midnight eating.

But then sometimes, things are different... even the very next day.

The teachers have activities that they are excited to share with the students, who are eager and receptive.

The expired Nescafe crystals and empty baby food jars in the storage closet strike you as weirdly funny.

The students in the auditorium are calmer.

Your one-on-one student from yesterday chooses to be with you again, rather than stay in class. You accomplish a lot together.

The teachers you eat lunch with are cheerier (partially because of the cheesecake someone brought, which you are strong enough to resist, BTW).

You do pull-out instruction with 3 "troublemakers." They work well, and are enchanted by your illustrations of the concepts you teach them. One even murmurs, "Thank you, Miss...for teaching us."

You hurry home, and go for an amazing run. The 10K you have coming up doesn't seem so menacing.

You write a blog, work on an art project, and talk to those you love.

A song for today

I honestly didn't like this song the first time I heard it. I think I have to be in the right mood/frame of mind to be receptive to new jams. This is certainly a good one: danceable, encouraging, etc. Enjoy!