Happy Birthday Hope!

Happy 34th bday, Hope!

I swear. The stuff people send out on Freecycle. Get a load of this.

I am in desperate need of any type of vehicle for my freeloading brother in law. It doesn't matter if it's a van, car, truck, motorcycle, winnebago, anything he can drive. My husband and I agreed to let him stay with us until he can get on his feet, but that's been a couple of months now. My husband doesn't seem to mind too much because he's his brother. He's told him he had to start helping around the house and get a job, but he's not inforcing it. And he doesn't want me to!! I can't live like this. I don't even want to clean up after my own husband much less his brother. It's so bad I had to make a chore list for me and him to split chores. And now he doesn't even do it everyday, just when he wants to. Anyways, sorry I had to vent. Okay, my brother in law keeps telling us that he doesn't have a way to work or look for a job, so I am asking for someone to please help me out. It doesn't have to be anythig great. It could be the worst looking thing possible, but if it willdrive some, I'll take it. It could even be on it's last leg. The only thing, it would need a title so he can get a tag, but if it's old enough it doesn't need a title, then that's okay. Also, if you don't want to donate it, but would rather him do some work for it, that could be arranged too. He's not lazy when he's working. He'll work really hard, he just needs to find work and in order to do that, he needs a vehicle. Please, if you have anything let me know. I have been putting up with too much crap and it needs to stop. I mean, me and my husband are having problems now because of the way I feel. But, the brother is 26 years old. I think it's time he gets on his own and support his ownself. Do you agree?! Please help a fighting girl out.

Happy Birthday, Sistah

Happy birthday Karen!!! As usual, my card is not yet in the mail (I kept going back and forth what gift card to get you---any hints?) However, you DID get a Thanksgiving card, right?
Anyway, happy 36th (you're old) birthday! Thanks for all the memories. The hair pulling, the choking in the car that Christmas morning, when you put hot water in the fishbowl
because my fish looked cold, you know, all those good memories! :) Seriously, thanks for being a great big sis! Love ya!

Mmmm...guilt...

Atonement is gonna be a movie! Yay!
If you haven't read the novel yet, go out and do so.

Helicopter Parent

Are you one? Do you know one?

Baseball boy

A Wee Lil' Chris
ready for action.

Look what I found.

While I was walking through the inlaws' house, I noticed this lovely picture on the wall. This is from Christmas 1983. Chris was 9, Cory was 4, and Casey was 2. Someone also wrote, "Santa, 2000 years old".

What a great Santa Claus!

Congratulations to Tanner and Crystal!

Tanner proposed to Crystal during Thanksgiving dinner and she said yes! Congrats guys!
When's the date??

You Decide: Ripa or Clay?

Tell me. Was Kelly Ripa being homophobic or was she talkin' bout germs?
Discuss.

Here is what started it all.
Kelly discusses it further.

Stuff

I took two more stick tests today. Both positive. However, older ladies do not believe me and have held off saying any real congrats saying, "You need blood work done." I got kind of down today after sharing my news with two older teachers. After my cold reception, I kept it to myself for the rest of the day. I guess it's their generation? They never had the pee sticks? I don't know. Perhaps they are trying to shield me from any disappointment I may have if anything goes wrong?

Funny story today: Kid is showing off his Wilfred Owen project and points to his (Owen's) official soldier photo. He says, "That's his gangsta face. His killa look." He then did a little Vannah White-esque move over the photo. I cracked up.

So glad they nixed the OJ book/tv special. That was so tacky and just gross.

Finished reading Running with Scissors. I was very disappointed. Magical Thinking was so awesome. Running
just seemed disjointed and he was in need of a better editor to get rid of some horrible similes. Not funny at all. A few times I smiled, but never laughed. There were many disturbing scenes in there...sick. I am not easily shocked either. Oh well. I'm still gonna read Dry or Possible Side Effects. Anyone read these? I still recommend Magical Thinking. His writing is much better there and the material is not as dark.

What was Kramer thinking? Do you blame alcohol or drugs? This just was not...normal.

Maybe the ice cream was a sign of something else.

Fuzzy Pickles!!!!!!

After an hour and a half wait to see Santa, Luke and his cousin Dylan got to sit on Santa's lap. As you can see, Luke was enormously thrilled. Actually, he was excited when he first spotted his first view of Santa. His eyes got big and a smile emerged, but when it came time to walk up to him, Luke followed Dylan...cautiously. Dylan told Santa what he wanted AND what Luke wanted, since Luke remained mute the whole time. It probably worried Luke that a Santa "Elf" (lady in a green smock with teased hair) kept honking a horn and yelling, "FUZZY PICKLES!" I guess I wouldn't smile either.

Before we got to visit Santa, while we were waiting in the line from hell, we were behind a kid named Andrew who was about one. He had stepped in some reindeer poop and his parents seemed oblivious to it until it was almost their time to get his pic made. We don't know how they could miss this fact---Meggan and I were grossing out from the smell. Dylan later hit this same kid in the head with a plastic Spiderman. P.S. Santa Claus was not in Dillards like last year. He has a "Santa Cottage" (really a Santa TRAILER) with the aforementioned reindeer hanging out outside the trailer. Odd, huh? Even stranger is that this is located at the upperclass shopping area, which rhymes with FeastFace. Oh, almost forgot to add---one of the other "elves", a man wearing a green smock that read "Santa Approved", was smoking while he sat in front of the Santa Cottage, err trailer, while he asked kids if they wanted a candy cane. Nice. Reallllll class.

We may be on the news tonight. They were interviewing people in the line. Dylan practically gave an interview. Luke stared and held onto his Spiderman action figure.

Hollywood Stuff

Crabbie's Hollywood--a fun, MEAN site. Love it.

In related news, I'm getting irritated watching Tom grab the back of Katie's head all the time. Really. Have any of you noticed this?

Winter Reading Challenge

Are you up for the challenge?
Thanks for this, Carrie F!!!

Read the rules and then tell me what your five are.
Here are mine:
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
You Belong to Me by Mary Higgins Clark
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
The Kite Runner by Hossein
Dream Catcher by Margaret Salinger

"I've had a bad day. I think ice cream is the answer."

That was what I told the clerk at the grocery store as I plopped the Rocky Road down in front of him and the register this afternoon.
He blinked and smiled.
I had been so excited to wear my new "birthday shoes" today. I had set them out with my outfit last night, admiring their new blackness and nice normal heel, so unlike my Frankenshoes...
Then came the copier. I was at the copier talking to Kristy about the literary magazine we are trying to raise money for. I stepped backwards and my heel bent inward and almost off.
I was pissed, but I was mainly disappointed. I swear, if it wasn't for bad luck these days I'd have no luck at all, as the ole country boys say.
I hobbled back to the classroom and sat behind my desk until my husband brought me my battered boots to school. Man.

Then of course, we have the "students" pissed off because they are failing (they got their progress reports last Thursday). They don't seem to understand that when you don't do any work, you don't get a passing grade. I had to give all my classes a "Come to Jesus" meeting about their grades. They looked appropriately sullen. I always tell them that the class of 07 is heaven, but the class of 08 is just as great. They don't like it when I say that to them. I am also stressed because it's first semester research paper time again. And they are worse than ever. I seriously wanted to cry when a sweet kid (bless his heart) didn't understand what I meant by indenting. Indenting people. What can I do? We've been working on this paper for five weeks now.

I was definitely Mrs. Mean Teacher today. Mrs. Mean teacher with her stupid battered boots instead of her cool new birthday shoes.

Here's the well, kicker. I had thrown away the receipt and the box after I brought them home. I had never had a problem with shoes from this store before and didn't think I'd need them. Also, Chris is always telling me to stop hoarding stuff, so I threw the box away.

I worried about my sad birthday shoes that didn't work all day.

After work, I was locked out of the house because I got home before Chris and he has the key, since we had to give a key to the housekeeper again. (Yes, thank God she's back.) I sat there, with my old shoes on, the Rocky Road melting off to my left and had a pity party.

Chris finally made it home and gave me a pep talk, telling me to call the shoe place and tell them what happened. Of course I had worried about nothing. I was able to go in and swap them for another pair. I had to get a different style, but that was okay. I was thrilled that it wasn't money thrown out the window.

And now, because I had such a crappy day, Chris is making me Chicken Parmesan. I'm having ice cream for dessert.

PS: Your grammar lesson for the day: Desert is the dry, sandy place. Dessert is a treat. You can remember the difference because the one with two Ss makes the other thing with two Ss big. :)

Ugh

Is there anyone else out there that finds themselves disgusted when ET and Vanessa M. do that "fatsuit" undercover stuff? I think it's HIGHLY OFFENSIVE.
"Oh," cries Vanessa M, "People are so mean to fat people. Why are people judged by their appearances?"

I would bet a MILLION DOLLARS she is the same way to the SAME fat people she's pretending to care about.

How is this shit allowed to get on the air???

Please tell me someone else thinks this is really stupid and DISTURBING!

Congratuations Dusty and Brandy!

They got engaged this past week! Yay!

They should have let him keep his stapler.

Office Space: The Psychological Thriller
Chris wanted me to let you all know that he found it. Not me.

Our October

You wanted photos?
I'll give you photos. Here you go.

34 and all is well!

So I turned 34 yesterday. It turned out to be a good birthday. I was sick last year and didn't go to work on my birthday, but this year I was fine. I came to school with no expectations, but what a day I had! My first period--my "pet" class--the Honors class, brought me a birthday cake that was decorated in orange and blue. My fourth, sixth, and seventh periods all had cards for me. I was touched. A few classes even sang "Happy Birthday" . Whenever they asked how old I was now, I always said, "Sixteen." They thought that was hysterical, because you know, I'm so old. :)

Chris surprised me at 11:30, appearing at my classroom door with a bag of McDonalds in one hand and a dozen red roses in the other. My class applauded his efforts. I know I was very excited about the roses AND the McDonalds meal! :) No school lunch yesterday, no sir.

Marie and Kristy also surprised me with a rose bouquet. What's so funny is that they sent a student to go pick them up and the young boy didn't know what to get, so he "got a rose in every color." Gotta love it. Made it even more special.

When I got home from work, Chris and Luke were waiting for me. Luke led me to my present on the dining room table and the card he "signed" (scribbled on). Chris got me some beautiful earrings. All shiny and sparkly and stuff. I put them on immediately.

At six, we met Mom and Dad at my favorite spot, The Mac. Grill, then wandered over to the bookstore where I picked up a paperback of Running With Scissors (wondering if it will be as good as Magical Thinking...I'm not sure...) and a Thomas the Train Christmas book for Luke.

Back at home, Luke and I blew out my three candles on the cookie cake (you can always count on my parents for a cookie cake!) and opened my gifts from Mom and Dad--a cool new clock radio and some cash. (Speaking of money, thanks go out to my lovely MIL and FIL for the cashola they sent me as well!) (Oh, and the Blockbuster card my fantastic sis sent me! Got it today!!)(Oh, and Hope, that card made me LOL.)

I feel so loved. Thank you guys.

I'm 34 and right where I want to be.

Nothing like your wife making you be a part of the Mock H'coming festivities. Me and the man a few weeks ago. Do we have school spirit or what?

Luke's first game

Here are my boys from this past Saturday at the Auburn, Arkansas State game. Luke enjoyed the band doing the "popcorn" thing before the game. At the game, he wasn't too interested. He was more interested in hitting the people around us with his shaker and/or his feet. We left at halftime. We had fun hanging out with Dave, Chris's cousin, and Tracy, his wife, and their daughter, Addison. A nice clean family event. Cokes were drank, footballs were thrown. Oh, and a car died in Loachapoka. Yeah. On the way there. Luckily, all ended well.

Busted.

I was on my planning period and walking down the hallway the other day when a student approached me. He came out of the library holding out a piece of paper.
"Mrs. C, I know we had to write a short story, but I wrote a poem instead."
I was thinking, Well you are still gonna write a short story.
I looked at the poem he held out for me to read.
I read:
Imagine, ma petite, Dear sister mine, how sweet Were we to go and take our pleasure Leisurely, you and I—To lie, to love, to die Off in that land made to your measure! A land whose suns' moist rays, Through the skies' misty haze, Hold quite the same dark charms for me As do your scheming eyes When they, in their like wise, Shine through your tears, perfidiously. There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss. Treasure galore—ornate, Time-glossed—would decorate Our chamber, where the rarest blooms Would blend their lavish scent,Heady and opulent, With wisps of amber-like perfumes; Where all the Orient'sSplendid, rich ornaments—Deep mirrors, ceilings fine—would each,In confidential tone,Speak to the soul aloneIn its own sweet and secret speech.There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss.See how the ships, asleep—They who would ply the deep!—Line the canals: to satisfyYour merest whim they comeFrom far-flung heathendomAnd skim the seven seas. —On high,The sunset's rays enfoldIn hyacinth and gold,Field and canal; and, with the night,As shadows gently fall,Behold! Life sleeps, and allLies bathed in warmth and evening light.There all is order, naught amiss:Comfort and beauty, calm and bliss.

I looked at him. "You didn't write this."
"Yes I did." He looked indignant.
"No you didn't." I gave him the paper back. "Charles Bauldelaire wrote it."
He was still mumbling that he wrote it as he walked away, shoes sliding heavily down the hallway.
If the kid wanted to copy a poem, he should have copied one that wasn't IN THE TEXTBOOK WE USE.
(eyeroll)

Slater. 4 Eva.

My son wears a rug.

Comment or die.

Okay, some of you guys have been commenting and I haven't been getting them to accept them. I don't know what has caused that. Anyway. Comment away. I did away with comment moderation. Now you can call me a smelly pirate hooker and it will appear...at least for a few hours before I can delete it.

And away we go!

What's happening to me???

I normally don't watch Dancing with the Stars, but last night I caught quite a bit of it. I never thought I'd say this, but damnnn...Mario Lopez....oh my. He has...cough...matured since his days on Saved by the Bell.

I am amazed at my life these days. I'll be 34 next week and I now enjoy some heavy metal, football, and MARIO LOPEZ???!!!