Revised Approach to Life, 2009

Last year I tried to create a simple list of resolutions and for the record (there's a record, right? Somebody is scoring how well I do in life? That's important to me), I've done reasonably well at meeting most some a couple one of them - I have posted on my regular blog everyday. Whether or not it's been pithy and/or meaningful is debatable.

• I think I've become more mindful of my everyday life, but I don't feel solid at it and look forward to improving.
• No claw foot tub (Stu really tried, but they're all too strangely-shaped for our house. Plus they weigh 1,000,000 pounds) but my man did install a fabulous modern bath tub for me. I only have one candle near it, though. Will work on that.
• And everything else I actually do sometimes but not as often as I'd prefer.

So I'm designing this year's resolutions list as a What Not To Do in the hopes that it will stick better that way; I much prefer avoiding what I shouldn't do rather than doing what I'm told.

In 2009 I will not:

1. Lie in bed listening to the radio alarm for more than 2 minutes or get up, turn it off, and return to bed.
2. Stay up past 10:30 on a school night no matter what. I'm serious.
3. Forget to choose the next day's outfit each night (just for me; Stu can fend for himself).
4. Skip breakfast, wherein "breakfast" refers to a decent grain - cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter toast + fruit and milk. [Bonus points for meat or egg product. Not sure what the bonus points are for but I'll think of something].
5. Start making dinner without lighting a few candles around the house.
6. Forgo a cup of tea in the morning & after school.
7. Scorn & avoid the Wii Fit Balance Board after the kids are in bed, and on weekend mornings.
8. Put off planning getaways (including babysitter) for me & my man once a month.
9. Miss opportunities to make cards from my photos.
10. Allow my classroom to smell like teen 'spirit.' (I got these for $7 at Whole Foods last night!)
11. Let other people's poor/thoughtless choices affect my outlook on life. I'm talking to all the dumbass drivers out there - watch me smile & wave and pray for your soon-to-be-wrecked-or-ticketed souls. Too much? I doubt they're reading my blog anyway.

*Happy, happy, delightful, magical, marvelous, enjoyable, agreeable New Year to you*

dueling TO-DOs

What I Want to Do During Winter Break:

1. Stare out the window at the snow for hours on end.
2. Wander around my neighborhood taking pictures of the snow.
3. Drink vats of tea with my best friends.
4. Watch every movie with a hint of Academy Award buzz.
5. Snuggle with my kids in blankets whenever we feel like it.
6. Go rollerskating with my family & best friends.
7. Read every magazine on my coffee table with serious intention.
8. Bake lots of yummy things.
9. Transform the spare room into something magically beautiful & useful.
10. Morph into the most organized woman/wife/mom/teacher known to humankind.

What I Ought to Do During Winter Break:

1. Send Christmas cards.
2. Develop concrete lesson plans for next quarter.
3. Oversee my children cleaning their rooms, corner to corner.
4. Help my man clean the garage (and by "help" I mean buy containers and label stuff).
5. Establish a meaningful menu/cooking system.
6. Commit to a regular cleaning schedule.
7. Visit with parents.
8. Fix broken ornaments before packing them back in the box after Christmas.
9. Read all of the professional books I brought home from my office.
10. Enjoy whatever comes my way.

What would Jake do?

oh yes it is that day

1. Idle hands are not paying proper attention.

2. I love lots of good-smelling stuff in the shower.

3. My favorite time of the day is when I'm falling into bed.

4. The last tea I drank was my beloved Raffles Morning tea.

5. I like to relax some, plan some, play a lot in the Summer.

6. My mother always said many things that made me cringe (but I still love her, with plugged ears).

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I’m looking forward to my students' Art Show & my kids' school carnival, tomorrow my plans include scoring big at the community garage sale, haircut & highlights, then friend Dave's birthday on the town, and Sunday I want to celebrate our PTA volunteers with a potluck.

Friday Fill-Ins, they're good for you.

bright side

Because I'm not a complete complainer/killjoy/family-disser, I've compiled a list of stuff I loved about this past weekend (I'm starting with Friday, though, to make it more impressive):

1. Getting my car unloaded of all the books & pillows & games I've scored at Goodwill for my classroom
2. Girlfriend movie night at the luxurious [read: They serve delectable food and cocktails right to you IN YOUR SEAT] Living Room Theater.
3. Girlfriend bar visit at the uber-hip (I wish Blogger could do an umlaut; it makes words so much cooler) Teardrop Lounge
4. Sunny drive to my parents' house
5. Super fun time at the Go-Kart track with kids & Dad & cousins - Mason & I had to be rescued by the monitor dude after wiping out
6. Cheesy Oscar Meyer hot dogs for dinner. Shhhh, don't tell Whole Foods!
7. Starbucks run with my sister; seeing darling barista boy
8. Not-too-rainy drive home
9. Kind family who offered to jump start my dead battery at the ferry (story to follow)
10. Fabulous new Skechers walking shoes, on clearance with extra discount

I realize it is rather lame to have a picture of my new shoes rather than my family or friends. But aren't they really cute? I know they will help me get some actual exercise this summer, before my heart stages a major protest that will totally disrupt my trip to Europe. And my tattoo plans.

because you might care

This came in an e-mail from a dear friend (who is far better at keeping in touch with me than I am with her, although I did meet up with her when our family went to Disneyland a couple of years ago. That may not have been her idea of super fun though...), it seemed interesting, and my list blog has been neglected.

If you would like to consider this a super fun meme, please feel free to copy and leave a note in comments so we can visit your version.

Random stuff I've done. Discuss.

( ) Gone on a blind date
( X ) Skipped school (to finish a paper...How lame am I ?)
( X ) Been to Canada (oh, long lost Canadian kind-of-boyfriend...)
( X ) Been to Mexico
( ) Been to Florida
( X ) Been on a plane
( X ) Been lost (literally and metaphorically, as a matter of fact)
( ) Been on the opposite side of the country
( ) Gone to Washington, DC
( ) Swam in the ocean (Does having a panic attack there count?)
( X ) Cried yourself to sleep
( X ) Paid for a meal with coins only (I don't remember specifically, but surely I must have at some point...I've been that tightwadded thrifty)
( X ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't (Um. Daily?)
( X ) Made prank phone calls (GASP! Don't tell my kids)
( X ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( X ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( X ) Danced in the rain
( ) Written a letter to Santa (Made lots of detailed lists - SURPRISE - but never wrote an actual letter)
( X ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( X ) Watched the sunrise with someone you care about
( X ) Blown bubbles
( X ) Gone ice skating (It was disastrous. And cold. Not for me)
( ) Been skinny dipping outdoors (Sounds disastrous. And cold)
( X ) Gone to the movies alone (Once on Mother's Day and people kept looking at me with pity - I CHOSE to be without my kids, people!)


1. Any nickname? Well...Formerly "Frog," which spun out of control and was quickly regretted
2. Mother's name? Loraine (yes, only one R)
3. Favorite drink? Pepsi for anytime; raspberry lemon drop for grown-ups-only time
4. Tattoos? Negative. Pain = bad.
5. Body piercings? Doubles in my ears, but I rarely fill them.
6. How much do you love your job? So much it hurts. (I'm serious; it's my destiny)
7. Birthplace? Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, Washington
8. Favorite vacation spot? Disneyland with family; Shanghai with my man
9. Ever been to Africa? Not yet...
10. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Cookies, no. Cake? Yes.
11. Ever been on TV? Not on purpose.
12. Ever steal any traffic signs? That would be illegal and wrong.
13. Ever been in car accident? Sigh. Yes.
14. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Only 4-door for this suburban hipster
15. Favorite salad dressing? raspberry vinaigrette or honey mustard
16. Favorite pie? Some kind of berry, or my own chocolate chip-walnut pumpkin (Yes, I have baked)
17. Favorite number? 28
18. Favorite movie? To make me choose one, that is crazy and mean. Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, Terms of Endearment come to mind first
19. Favorite holiday? Christmas, and my birthday
20. Favorite dessert? Nanaimo bar followed closely by the easier-to-find Oatmeal Carmelita
21. Favorite food? See "Favorite dessert" But also pepperoni & pineapple pizza and cinnamon toast
22. Favorite day of the week? Friday is most hopeful & exciting with prospects
23. Favorite brand of body wash? I usually use bar soap - Trader Joe's Oatmeal Almond is pleasant
24. Favorite toothpaste? Tom's of Maine Cinnamint
25. Favorite scent? Coconut or nutmeg, depending on the season
26. What do you do to relax? Read, listen to quiet music (Natalie Merchant, Chris Botti, Norah Jones)
27. How do you see yourself in 10 years? As blissful as today. Maybe still teaching, or maybe running a funky bookstore.

thirteen things i should have learned by now but...whatever

1. Cheese melted to a molten state in the oven will be hot and probably burn my mouth. (But I really wanted brie now!)
2. "The Girls Next Door" is a vapid, ridiculous waste of time & brain cells. (Yet I can't turn the channel).
3. Teenage boys do not genuinely care about creative writing. Ever. (But they will pretend, and write excruciating, interminable stories involving marijuana).
4. Mornings are a complete drag, especially when there are meetings scheduled during them.
5. Some people truly believe that kids with "piercings, weird hair, and you know, stuff like that" are not as reliable as preppy, 4.0 Key Club members. (There was a PTA committee meeting tonight and I had a moment...Of restraint, no worries.)
6. Preteen boys find moms invisible. (My best friend & I went to pick up her son at youth group tonight and he actually looked directly at us in the foyer, then walked into the game room)
7. Mornings are horrible. (Did I already mention that?)
8. If I take my coat in the horrible morning, it will be sunny & delightful by afternoon. Leaving a coat or sweater at home means the day will turn into a natural disaster.
9. I cannot be trusted with a credit card, especially one labeled GAP or Nordstrom. I lose my mind (and paycheck) over cardigans, cosmetics, and underwear.
10. Counting the days until vacation makes me feel guilty but I do it anyway, in my mind.
11. Listening to Queen, Squeeze, or ABBA almost always improves my mood.
12. Breakfast is important. Skipping it causes turmoil, for everyone.
13. There is no shame in OCD.

More, more, more? Click.

scattergorical

Another fun something from e-mail (my range of resources is vast, no?). I do love the game Scattergories but most people I know hate to play with me; something about my immensely trivial brain. Haters. So I play alone. (We can call this a meme if someone else wants to run with it...Just post your participation in comments).

Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the following. They have to be real places, names, things and nothing made up! Don't use your own name for the boy/girl name question.

What is your name? Stephanie
4-Letter Word: SMRT (It's a Simpsons joke...)
Vehicle: Subway
City: Shanghai
Boy Name: Seth
Girl Name: Sandra
Alcoholic Drink: Singapore Sling (two points!)
Occupation: Superstar
Something you wear: slippers
Celebrity: Salma Hayek
Food: strawberries
Something found in a bathroom: soap
Reason for Being Late: slept in
Cartoon Character: Speed Racer
Something You Shout: Silencio!
Animal: salamander
Body part: shin
Word to describe you: special

thirteen prized possessions in my immediate vicinity

#1-4 Whiteboard/bulletin board; necessary lists (surprise!) about being happy, loving yourself (it's not naughty, sorry), and things I want to do before I die; charming photo of a Hobbit-like residence in Ireland; dry erase pens for recording important notes (like "BUY MOM CHOCOLATE")

#5-8 Stuffed Velveteen Rabbit from an antique store; little stuffed girl who just makes me smile, I can't explain it; jar of pencils (even though I never use these - it's more of a visual thing); framed Susan Branch print about heaven being within me (she must not know about my bad momness)

#9 - 11 Ceramic mug with roses and vines - I bought it with my very own money at a swanky gift store while in high school and felt very grown-up about it; funky multi-colored mug handpainted by my daughter - a recent present, it makes me feel very Alice in Wonderland; more pencils - the blue & white ones in the back are vintage, one features the LA Rams and the other St. Louis Cardinals (for you non-football people, those are long gone NFL teams)

#12 - 13 Handy (and humble) journal - spiral binding a must; coaster for my cup of tea (and occasional glass of wine), from a set bought as a reminder of our whirlwind trip to London - they have cool drawings of pubs around the city

More Thursday Thirteen coolness

thirteen things i'm looking forward to this year

With pictures! Woohoo!

1. Vegas, baby. Technically we're going for a friend's wedding, but I'm cramming as much sinful citying as possible in a weekend.

2. Loads of good books (beyond the scores I already have lying around the house & classroom). I am Legend-reader.

3. A clawfoot tub for reading all those books in bubbly luxury. Look! It comes with a magazine rack! And it's clean...

4. And the award goes to...My Oscar party! I love the movies, the dresses, the hype, the Jon Stewart and I celebrate it all with my indulgent friends. I even have a red carpet & SWAG. You should come.

5. Wii will rock you. After thumbing my nose in its general video gamer direction, I played at my parents' house and became infatuated. The fact that they're creating a fitness module that sounds like it could make exercise tolerable for me puts it on my must-have list. (Don't tell my kids).

6. My Mexican boyfriend must be coming out with a new movie soon...Ay, I miss him mucho.

7. BlogHer conference in San Francisco! I've registered and booked a room and almost booked my flight! I can almost talk about going without using exclamation points! So exciting. (Does my desperation for a girls' weekend getaway after school is out show?)

8. Speaking of BlogHer - THIS is where we're staying! (More exclamations, sorry). When I say "we," I mean whomever I beg & badger enough to attend with me. So far my cyber bff Kate and real life bff Lisa are *thisclose* to saying yes; Mrs. G. has expressed interest but I think I've scared her a tad with my enthusiasm...But this hotel has HEAVENLY BEDS it says! Even Heavenly DOG beds; I kind of want to adopt a pet for that weekend. (But does it have a Heavenly poop scooper?)

9. And speaking of scaring with enthusiasm. I keep stalking checking the Fountains of Wayne website to see if they've added any Portland or Seattle shows for 2008. I have to look online because they still haven't answered any of my e-mails. Weird.

10. Treehouse family vacation - I'm totally serious. These babies are in southern Oregon, and my kids will love me forever for agreeing to go sleep forty feet in the air. But someone else is driving.

11. James McAvoy, doing anything I can watch. *sigh*

12. And whatever he does, too. Hi, Paul. You look tired, weyou should lie down...

13. A kindler, gentler me in the end.

________________________

More Thursday Thirteen goodness here.

resolutions, resolutions, reso LU HU tionnnnns (think "hallelujah chorus")

[Drumroll, please]

1. Wake & go to bed at regular, reasonable times (i.e. more than an hour before school starts and well ahead of midnight, respectively)
2. Post something pithy and/or meaningful daily
3. Read a new blog each day
4. Eat a decent breakfast every morning (falling under the "Lead by example" heading)
5. Delight in my candles more often (hopefully while in a dreamy clawfoot tub...)
6. Get a clawfoot tub
7. Establish joyful a.m./p.m. tea rituals
8. Figure out some form of exercise that I can do before my heart initiates a mutiny
9. Schedule & maintain regular rendezvous with my man, this hottie here at the Ace Hotel:

10. Print my photos and make cards for every occasion, for everyone I know, in a timely manner

11. Breathe deeply & be mindful of the moments. Except the ones that make me say F*ck, I'll let them fade. After I blog about them.

eight maids a'milking

Okay, not really but I particularly like that part of the song. This is, however, a meme about 8 things. Read on for maximum enjoyment. (Oh, and thanks to my bff Lisa for the tag - visit her!)

8 things I'm passionate about:

1. Family
2. God & all his mysterious godly parts
3. Teaching
4. Writing
5. Chocolate
6. Books
7. Movies
8. More chocolate
9. And the Cowboys (but chocolate really needed two spots)

8 things I want to do before I die:

1. Live - too vague? Fine.
2. Visit with grandchildren
3. Witness my sister's contentment
4. Attend the Academy Awards (no idea how I can do this rationally)
5. Ride dozens of awesomely terrifying rollercoasters with Stu
6. See various parts of all the continents (my plans, they are outrageously specific, no?)
7. Know the successes of former students
8. Spend a wintery week in NYC

8 things I say often:

1. Seriously.
2. Puh-lease.
3. Put a spring in your step. (These phrases seem to paint a picture of impatience...).
4. That's a bummer. (The standard Love & Logic response to all excuses, complaints, and pleas).
5. Hey, he/she/you is/are left-handed! (I don't know why I get so giddy; it's like we must band together for solidarity in an oppressive right-handed world).
6. Let me smell. (There may be something very wrong with me).
7. Can we please watch something stupid? (When I've had a long day and just want to go brain dead in front of the TV and my man is involved in cerebral Discovery channel stuff).
8. Love you to pieces.

8 books I've read recently (can "recently" reach back to January, when I was actually reading regularly? I say yes.):

1. Blindness by Jose Saramago
2. Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling
4. Maximum Ride #3: Saving the World and Other Extreme Sports by James Patterson
5. Cuba Diaries: An American Housewife in Havana by Isadora Tattlin
6. The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
7. The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (in progress)
8. Redwall by Brian Jacques (in progress)

8 songs I could listen to over & over again:

1. Hey There Delilah Plain White Ts
2. Heart & Soul The Cleftones
3. Everyday I Write the Book Elvis Costello
4. Strangers When We Meet The Smithereens
5. State of the Heart Rick Springfield (Remember when I said there might be something wrong with me? Exhibit B. I am totally sweaty over this video.)
6. This Better Be Good Fountains of Wayne
7. American Girl Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
8. Apron Strings Everything But the Girl

8 things that attract me to my best friends:

1. sense of humor (well-developed & healthy)
2. intelligence
3. honesty
4. kind-hearted
5. joyful
6. do not pressure me to exercise
7. freely give chocolate
8. indulge my OCD tendencies without [much] mockery

You guys rock

People who would also do this meme:

Um. Whoever wants to, jump in & leave a comment saying you're on board. Please. Seriously.

still lazy, times two

Two names you go by:

1. Mom
2. Mrs. Spencer

Two things you are wearing right now:

1. candy cane striped pajamas
2. WSU fleecy slippers

Two of your favorite things to do:

1. read
2. watch movies

(I know; *snore*)

Two things you want very badly at the moment:

1. Krispy Kreme donut (or 4)
2. sleep

Two favorite pets you have had/have:

1. Sally, our Beagle/practice child
2. Rosebud, our Bassett Hound/practice 2nd child

Two things you did last night:

1. Took the kids Trick-or-Treating at Hewlett-Packard (it was allowed, we didn't crash the place)
2. Watched "The Painted Veil" (and subsequently had fantastic Edward Norton-laden dreams)

Two things you ate today:

1. Sweet potato fries from Burgerville
2. Multiple Halloween-sized chocolate candy bars

Two people you last talked to:

1. Stu; it went something like this: "Stop groping me." "Oh, my hand slipped."
2. Kids as a unit: "GoodnightLoveyouSeeyouinthemorning"

Two things you're doing tomorrow:

1. Giving out costume awards at the Boy Scouts Space Derby
2. Dressing like a cowgirl at our church's Wild West carnival

Two longest trips taken:

1. Ten days divided between Singapore, Penang, Guangzhou, & Shanghai
2. Any of our summer driving vacations from Washington State to Texas, via every other state in the union

Two favorite holidays:

1. Christmas
2. my birthday (yes it is)

Two more people who will fill this out:

1. MamaMilton (please, even though you've endured a medical procedure and various PTA activities this week)
2. Katydidnot (please, even though you narrowly escaped having your house burn down and your ex-mother-in-law is visiting this week)

Two words to my readers:

1. Thank
2. You

here's how frickin' lazy i am

I have my own Life List with 50+ things I want to do eventually, but I got out of bed at 1:20 pm this afternoon and found this at Elaine's blog. It's much easier, just the ticket for this weekend of illness.

You bold all the things that you’ve done. Let me know if you play along.

1. Bought everyone in the bar a drink - (This seems like a bad idea for all involved)
2. Swam with wild dolphins - ('wild dolphins' sounds scary...)
3. Climbed a mountain
4. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
5. Been inside the Great Pyramid
6. Held a tarantula
7. Taken a candlelit bath with someone - (It's not at all as amazing as it looks in the movies...)
8. Said “I love you” and meant it
9. Hugged a tree - (Of course, you say derisively)
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris - next summer!
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise - (Again, not as romantic as expected)
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game - Huge in volume of people, not in meaning
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables - Surprisingly, not yet
18. Touched an iceberg - Why?? It sounds very cold.
19. Slept under the stars - Against my better judgement, frankly
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger - Filed under "Freshman Year at College"
30. Had a snowball fight - It was pretty brief since I'm more of a lover than a fighter (and I hate the cold)
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse - In 5th grade, we built those 'don't ruin your eyes' boxes to look through
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking - Also filed under "Freshman Year"
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day - But what a great idea! I'll totally freak out my students.
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two harddrives for your computer - I don't even really know what this means...
40. Visited all 50 states - Felt like it every summer when my dad drove us to Texas from Washington State
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had/Have amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe - I stopped reading at "backpacked"
47. Taken a road-trip - Let me count the ways...
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland - on next summer's list, too
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan - I don't think the airport counts
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs - Everyday; what??
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke - Only in a group and never again
59. Lounged around in bed all day - Today I got close
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class - Self-defense for women, Wilmer-Davis Hall, 1988
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight - I could bold this for my husband...So sad
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice - next summer, too? (I'm still planning...)
80. Gotten a tattoo - Henna only, one from my bff and another from a woman in Malaysia
81. Rafted the Snake River - Rafting. That involves water & coldness, right? Pfft.
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Gotten flowers for no reason - Surely there was a reason, but it wasn't written on the card
84. Performed on stage - Well, my classroom was on a stage last spring, but I was also part of a very lame play when I was a day camp counselor
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date - Hello, Freshman Year
89. Gone to Thailand - Again, only the Bangkok airport
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone - Does my living room count? ha.
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in a Rocky Horror Picture Show
96. Raised children - still going...
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour Please, what kind of geek does that?
98. Passed out cold - Is there extra credit for multiple times?
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a TV game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery - I think C-section counts, right? It felt major.
120. Had a snake as a pet - A former crazy roommate did...
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon - They wouldn't let me because I was pregnant
122. Slept 30 hours in a 48 hour time frame - Possibly; see "Freshman Year"
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days - More water? Yeah, no.
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach - Um, why??
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read “The Iliad”
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read - Salinger's Catcher in the Rye and I hated it. Steinbeck I loved, though.
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language - I'm pretty sure the woman massaging my feet at Norita airport never understood a word I said... 139. Been elected to public office - PTA President count?
140. Written your own computer language - That's funny.
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts - That's funnier.
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ - No, but almost dated a couple
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life - It's really God intervening when I feel like strangling someone, but I did have to get a biscuit out of Mason's throat when he was a year old

pta & me

If you say the title of this post really fast, it probably comes out "PTE and Me." I could be wrong. Here are more random observations from my time at the state PTA Legislative Assembly. (Look out, it's crazy stuff!)

• The heater in my room sounded like a time clock every time it turned on & off. All through the night. Maybe it was multiple bogeymen punching in for their shifts; I wonder if they're union?
• The word "express" on a menu does not necessarily refer to speedy service. Perhaps it was simply super quick to write.
• Candied walnuts are a delicacy for which I might give up buying a new pair of shoes. Especially after I've waited 45 minutes for my lunch.
• Is it too much to ask that a $125/night hotel near a major international airport provide free wi-fi in at least the lobby, if not where I can surf in the comfort of my pajamas (without attracting strange looks)?
• How about giving me walls thicker than 1/4"? At least the one directly by my head when I'm lying in bed, attempting to fall asleep while my neighbors party merrily on at 1 am.
• Finding the local NPR affiliate station for the radio alarm makes waking up (even after only 5 hours of fitful sleep) more joyful.
• Spending $1 on a regular candy bar makes it taste slightly less delicious; apparently guilt and gluttony ruin an appetite.
• Travel candles mostly eradicate the lingering odors of industrial cleaning products and feet.
• I love room service at breakfast even though it costs more than an entire package of bacon, a dozen eggs, gallon of milk, and loaf of bread combined. (I guess the guilt & gluttony theory doesn't hold here).
• It's pretty cool to be part of an organization that cares so much for kids, we can argue vigorously about issues yet still remain allies in the end.

all you want to know about me (or not; play along)

It's the Fab Four Meme! Which I originally thought was all about The Beatles and it confused me; clearly I need a bit of a break. Visit my superfriends who tagged me: mamamilton & katydidnot. That's a command.

4 jobs I have held ~

1. Waitress at Kow Korner - I was going to community college at the time and a HS classmate commented to a friend after seeing me working the drive-thru, "Stephanie? Huh, I thought she was smart..." That's what wearing a cowboy hat & bolo tie will do for you, gang.
2. Sales clerk at White Drug Store in Pullman - WSU athletes had accounts there; I met Drew Bledsoe and Jason Hanson! I'm sure they totally remember our encounters.
3. Bookseller + Community Relations Coordinator at Barnes & Noble - "Will work for books" about sums up that job; I did meet Norton Juster (kind of a curmudgeon), Lawrence Block (pleasantly wacky), Whitney Otto (very casual & cool), and Caprial Pence (outrageously, sincerely nice).
4. Teacher at a group home - The epitome of extreme good vs. deep despair; adjudicated youth attempting to earn GEDs while trying to overcome rotten parents, wicked addictions, and other bad influences. It was hard for all of us.

4 films I could watch again and again:

1. When Harry Met Sally... ("I've been looking for a red suede pump!")
2. Princess Bride ("Anybody want a peanut?")
3. It's a Wonderful Life ("Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan!" Oh, I'm going to start weeping...)
4. Billy Elliot - great music, great dancing, cute boys, a little social commentary; it's all good

4 TV shows I watch:

1. Survivor
2. LOST
3. The Soup (so I can just avoid the crap it makes fun of in the first place)
4. Ellen

4 places I have lived (not including my current home):

1. Oak Harbor, Washington
2. Pullman, Washington
3. Richland, Washington
4. Hillsboro, Oregon

4 favorite foods:

1. pepperoni & pineapple pizza
2. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (shhh, don't tell Wild Oats)
3. cheese
4. crusty bread + butter

4 websites I visit everyday:

1. my blog BFFs (links above)
2. My Yahoo
3. school web portal (I know, I am totally lame)
4. IMDb - because I always have some trivial movie question burning in my brain

4 of my favorite colors:

1. red
2. plum
3. navy blue
4. sage green

4 places I'd like to be right now:

1. a place where my children's arguing cannot be heard or even imagined
2. Disneyland (I always love it and my kids don't argue much there because it's the happiest frickin' place on Earth!)
3. the living room theater at Cinetopia - dinner & wine served to my lap, no one under 21, ottomans (ottomen?) & pillows for my feet while I watch something mindlessly entertaining
4. my front yard in the setting sun is pretty inviting actually

4 names I like but wouldn't or couldn't use myself:

1. Seth (saying it with our last name creates a lisp)
2. Lucy
3. Shane (old boyfriend, bummer)
4. Pilar (it's stuck with me ever since I read James Dean had a girlfriend with that name)

I'm tagging my fellow Northwesterner Kirsten at Ready or Not (even though she's not ready, because she's having a weekend away) and Elaine at Blog In My Eye, who was until just recently a meme virgin (gasp!), and anyone else who wants to list stuff. Go forth and be fab.

thirteen things i'm doing today

Not exciting, but here it is...Maybe it will make your everyday life seem much more interesting

1. not walking around the block at dawn's early light
2. buying folders for my Advocacy (like homeroom) class before school starts
3. making the folders seem like the best, most amazing tool my students have ever seen in their school careers
4. getting these students to actually insert the items I instruct them to within 20 minutes
5. drinking gallons of VitaminWater (<-- click!)
6. teaching metaphors, similes, and imagery (oh my) to the most apathetic freshmen I've ever encountered (yesterday, one's lying on the table during discussion was a vast improvement over his slumping in the chair with his head down; at least his eyes were open and directed toward me)
7. biting my tongue when one of those freshmen tries (again) to insult me with questions about my clothes, hair, glasses, or children
8. locking my classroom door at 2:01 and blasting the 'naughty mom' playlist
9. attaching all 89 of son's Cub Scout badges & pins to his vest before tonight's meeting
10. some kind of dinner
11. taking my best friends to preview the school district's 4th grade 'Human Growth & Health' movie (we'll try not to giggle throughout)
12. having a good grown-up drink (or six)
13. getting a decent night's sleep and thanking God for tomorrow (it's good to be grateful in advance, I've found)

happy new year

Why September is the real time for resolutions & new outlooks

• it comes right after my birthday, which is already rife with introspection
• people expect you to have a whole new look & personality when school starts
• the NFL season officially begins (woohoo! Hope springs eternal for my Cowboys...)
• it's impossible to resist buying school supplies (part of why I became a teacher and had kids, really)
• a sharp new pencil & fresh cute notebook spell 'potential'
• no one thinks it's weird to label everything right now
• Congress is back in session (i am not a geek)
• fall is the reason for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale & that is the perfect incentive to fit into new clothes
• autumn colors look best on me
• nothing is as life-changing as a classroom full of fresh new faces relying on your wisdom (ha)
• everyone starts out with an A and perfect attendance
• it's too cold to really party in January

fix-it gal

A list of the random assortment of stuff in disrepair that needs my attention. But will probably not get it any time soon.

• tiny wipe-off noteboard (magnet fell off; it's never actually been used because about all I could write on it would be "TO DO")
• bear magnet without its heart (You've had it all along, you just didn't realize it, dear)
• picture frames that keep coming apart (The definition of insanity...)
• two paddle balls, balls disconnected - Is there really a way to fix these or am I setting up my children for severe disappointment?
• fairy with broken wing (Sounds like a sappy 80s song)
• $10 jelly watch (band detached; I really shouldn't be wearing a jelly watch as a grown-up anyway)
• Harry Potter glasses missing a nose cushion

My radio alarm clock should be in there since it doesn't actually turn off properly anymore; I have to hit "SLEEP" five times to get it to shut off. And occasionally I pick up strange music or talk shows, which makes the NPR news decidedly less serious.

At what point does "Stuff to be Fixed" simply become "Sanford & Son Junk"? Is there a space limit? So long as I keep it confined to a small basket on the counter and not an entire room, I think I'm okay. I'm hoping it's really a magical basket and once the items have spent a significant amount of time in there, they will heal themselves.

about my 39th birthday

I could try to do a list of 39 things, but...no. I'm tired. It was a great day!

• my darling daughter decorated a plain brown box with markers to make it look like a wrapped present, with a drawn-on ribbon and little hearts, then put inside a soy candle (bought with her allowance money) and some items from her jewelry box
• the kids remembered which chocolate bar I craved from Trader Joe's (dark chocolate with raisins & pecans!)
• my darling son announced first thing in the morning that I'm officially half-way to being an old geezer
• found a cool old black metal lunchbox at an antique store for $7 (for the darling son who brought me the dire message)
• tried on some outrageously expensive clothes at a boutique where I had a gift certificate; bought a couple of mildly expensive pieces...
• had my favorite baked ham sandwich at Wild Oats (alas, no Dairy/Freezer Guy)
• got a French manicure and now can't stop looking at my fingernails
• enjoyed dinner & singing at Red Robin (when our waiter announced, "You're 21 today, right?" and Mason had to correct him, loudly, another server said, "Buddy, trust me, she's 21." I wanted to kiss him)
• picked out speakers for listening to the iPod in MY CLASSROOM
• delighted in a wine & chocolate cake party at my best friend's house
• I didn't cry once; I think I'll be okay at this aging thing

Oops...As noted by Saint Husband, none of these fantastic things would have happened without the Best Man Ever hanging with the kids all day. You complete me.

things that are funny

According to me, though I am not a clown, here to amuse you...

• students who think teachers can't hear them talk about outrageously inappropriate behaviors
• t-shirt seen on customer at wild oats: "MEAT IS MURDER tasty, tasty murder"
• the words 'penis,' 'fraggle,' 'wormy,' and 'poop'
• grown men who still go by the name Scooter (this could also be on the 'things that are sad' list, I suppose)
• bumper sticker: "Jesus Loves You...Everyone Else Thinks You're an Asshole"
• www.askaninja.com
• best riddle ever: Why did the monkey fall out of the tree? Because he was dead (and the question that is always in the back of my mind: Do monkeys really die in & fall out of trees? Curious...)
• best knock-knock joke: Knock Knock Who's there? Interrupting cow Inter- MOO!

Now, go forth and chuckle in my name.