please stay till the end

Ways I was blessed today:

1.

I'm totally serious. This came on the radio as I was leaving school, and I risked complete & utter ridicule from any teenagers near my car by turning it up & rolling down the windows. LOVE these boys! See them all grown up and still adorable, too. Don't hate.

2. Leadership class actually enjoyed [begrudgingly, but I'll take it] the Survivor activity I made up.

3. Literature class worked vigorously on the pre-Gatsby-reading Internet scavenger hunt. Possibly because the principal was observing today, but still.

4. SUNSHINE! And WARMTH!

5. Real Simple & Everyday Food in the mailbox; best friend's copy of People at my door.

Surely more will come as the evening moves on...I'm looking forward to children playing merrily, husband rubbing my shoulders as I grade papers, brilliant lessons for the remaining days [20] of Leadership magically falling into my brain.

thirteen saptastic songs for your valentine

My 13 faves from the "lovey dovey stuff" playlist on my iPod:

• This Boy ~ The Beatles (I totally wanted This Boy, to save me from That Boy who only made me cry.)

• Endless Love

~Diana Ross & Lionel Richie (I used to have the 45 rpm and would listen to it daily. And cry.)

I Will Always Love You ~ Dolly Parton (More crying)

Wonderful Tonight ~ Eric Clapton (Rockers singing love songs? *sob*)

I Only Want to Be With You ~ Dusty Springfield (I love that I could actually sing along to this; if only I could dance like her.)

• Hopelessly Devoted to You ~ Olivia Newton-John (I can lip sync this one like no other, friends)
• Tender Love ~ The Force M.D.s (Love songs by rappers? *double sob*)
• Hey There Delilah ~ Plain White Ts (Shut up, haters; it's sweet)
• State of the Heart ~ Rick Springfield (There is an obsession; it's a bit embarrassing)
• Babe ~ Styx (What can I say? It takes me back to 7th grade. Crying in the bathroom.)
• Second Chance & Caught Up In You ~ .38 Special (Southern rockin' dudes & sweet love songs? *more sobbing*)
• Hard Habit to Break ~ Chicago (How could a lovey dovey playlist be complete without Chicago?)
• Endless Summer Nights ~ Richard Marx (Long dreamy story behind this one; someday I might tell)
• One of Us ~ ABBA (Precious song, but the video makes no sense - maybe they didn't understand their lyrics in English?)

___________________________

One of us is crazy...See more at Thursday 13

things that please me lately

Because I can't seem to make Thursday Thirteen about anything other than me, here are my [occasionally shallow] blessings during the past week:

1. Lunch out & pedicure with my sweetpea daughter
2. Watching my Cub Scout boy proudly race his Pinewood Derby car
3. Best friend making delicious dinner for everyone Monday night
4. Warmth in my classroom (at least in the vicinity of the space heaters; midroom can still be rather chilly)
5. 32 short story students (23 male, aged 15-17) under reasonable control and actually participating in class for two days in a row
6. Finally cleaning up my secret hideaway/kids' playroom/Christmas gift-wrapping central
7. Continued awe about No Country for Old Men
8. Downloaded the soundtrack to Juno, an absolute delight
9. LOST resumes tonight! (Even though the title now refers to me and my grasp of the storyline...)
10. Good husband doing all of the dishes
11. Three new books to read
12. Being the Mystery Reader in my daughter's 2nd grade class
13. This. Sheer, hysterical brilliance:

thursday thirteen ~ the naughty mom playlist

Here are 13 favorite bad mom songs from my iPod. Rock on.

1. Back in Black AC/DC (how could I not?)
2. Your Body is A Wonderland John Mayer (sigh)
3. She Goes Down Billy Squier (I have no idea what it's about...Someone cleaning floors?)
4. Shake That Eminem (I know! Only with headphones. Or an empty house. Never at school.) warning: link is the expliiiicit version.
5. I Get Excited Rick Springfield (Though next to Eminem, it's like listening to Barney)
6. Surrender Sammy Hagar (I can't resist doing anything Sammy says)
7. Yeah! Usher, with Ludacris (double sigh)
8. My Doorbell White Stripes (I'm guessing, but I think there's a double meaning here)
9. You're the One That I Want Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta (I realize it borders on ridiculous to include this song in the same sentence as "naughty" but it's fun)
10. Poundcake VanHalen (Sammy again, and the drill on the guitar...MmmMmm)
11. Take Me, I'm Yours Squeeze (These guys are the nerdy unexpectedly sexy boys in class)
12. Hot in Herre Nelly (I will forgive the misspelling and the bandage because he is hot. In here.)
13. Stacy's Mom Fountains of Wayne (Overplayed, sure, but still fun. And naughty.)

More Thursday Thirteen hijinks here.

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.

addendum to second husband list

...because it wasn't long & inclusive enough and i've been downloading songs & videos from my beloved boy band, pining away

Any Fountains of Wayne members who might be available at the time of my beloved first husband's tragic death/exile:

~ Chris, pros: great lips, nerd-sexy voice, smart & funny songwriting ~ cons: occasional bad eyewear choice, seems to tire easily, married
~ Adam, pros: adorable-puppy look, smart & funny songwriting ~ cons: seems a little too self-deprecating, perhaps smarter than me
~ Jody, pros: hot hot hot, a younger & cleaner Joe Perry ~ cons: seeks model-types, the 'bored now' attitude would inflame my insecurity
~ Brian, pros: cool & quiet type, cute sleepy look, drummer ~ cons: often neglects to shave, possibly a bit too Bohemian