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Two Words

Two words that make ninth graders laugh and laugh:

assonance

and

tinkle

as in Poe's "The Bells":

Hear the sledges with the bells Silver bells! What a world of merriment their melody foretells! How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle, In the icy air of night! While the stars that oversprinkle All the heavens, seem to twinkle With a crystalline delight; Keeping time, time, time, In a sort of Runic rhyme, To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells From the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells, bells, bells From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.

Rainy and Cold...

Was in the library today. Debate class was researching the PF topic for February---about the B.R.I.C. Some kids were off task, but I had a hard time getting myself to say anything to them because they were just so darn interesting to listen to. About five of them were debating the Big Bang Theory.

They are just so different from what I'm used to.

****

I had a rough morning. Without getting into details, here are some phrases: cold rain, tears, no coffee because coffee maker is broken, late for work, gasoline attendant no-speak-English and doesn't understand me, baby crying...argh.

****

"Your finger smells like poot."---Luke to Chris

Monday Quotes

"Wheel wheel wheel wheel rock you."
----Luke singing tonight. :)

"Did she just say FAIL? She can't say that. She's too old to say that!"---student when he overheard me talking to myself, muttering, "Geez, I can't read this. FAIL!"
It amused me. "I'm too old, huh? I'm not elderly!"
"Anyone over 20 shouldn't say that. If you were 21, you shouldn't be able to say that."

"Papa."---Jake, when Mike and Donna visited yesterday. It about floored me and Donna.

Junopalooza

This weekend we watched two movies, and both, oddly enough had Ellen Page in them. You probably know Ellen Page as "Juno". That's what Chris said every time she was in a scene.
"They really shouldn't do that to Juno."
"Poor Juno." etc etc
We watched Smart People and An American Crime. Smart People was okay. I really didn't like Dennis Quaid's character, which means he's an amazing actor, because normally I like him and he was playing a real prick and he succeeded. Hated him. Sarah Jessica Parker and her mole weren't that much to write home about either. Their sex scene was quite uncomfortable. Ellen Page and the dude that played Sandman, what's his name? They were the best in this movie. Overall, the movie was very blah. Not really funny like I thought it would be.
*****
Now, An American Crime was an amazing movie to me. To Chris, it was just okay. But it was based on a true story. Read all about it here. Just incredible. Has anyone else seen this? Catherine Keener was pretty amazing in this one. Can I say "amazing" any more in this entry?

*****
This weekend---did laundry, graded and entered grades via STI home, organized two dresser drawers, spent time with my in laws, dreamed some dreams (that one was for you, Max), and spent too much time Facebooking.

For Emily, Whenever I May See Her, and I Hope That's Never Cuz That Would Be Weird and Creepy

Dennis, you'll like this entry cuz it's about heathens. :)


For the past couple of days, we have been reading Emily Dickinson poems and studying her life. I had them watch a video about her today, after previewing three different videos about her. This one was the most interesting and it was still kind of dry. Adrienne Rich and Joyce Carol Oates gave commentary on ole Em and my students cracked up, class after class, whenever Oates came on the screen. Good God, won't someone give Joyce a makeover?



"Some keep the Sabbath going to Church I keep it staying at Home With a Bobolink for a Chorister And an Orchard for a Dome."

"I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven."

"Parting is all we know of heaven, And all we need of hell."

How did I miss the fact that Emily Dickinson was an atheist? How? Maybe because I am not that big a fan of her poetry and never really studied her too deeply. Her weirdness always intrigued me, but the lack of pictures of her and her (I think) bland poetry doesn't exactly churn my butter. Anyway, I found out the athiest thing by watching the Vision and Voices, or is it Voices and Visions video?. The girl needed to get out more. I don't think I would have liked to hang out with her. I liked what one man had to say about meeting her after a long correspondence:

"I never was with any one who drained my nerve power so much. Without touching her, she drew from me. I am glad not to live near her."

Overheard in class

"Okay, were the black panthers really panthers or were they people?"

Watching history.

Margot, Cleaning, Skin, and The Frank Escape

Not much to report really. Watch this movie trailer. It's for Margot at the Wedding, which is a movie we watched about a week ago. Loved it. Chris hated the ending, but I thought it was appropriate. "I hate it when movies don't END right! I know you are gonna say life is like that, but damn!"---Chris

Nicole Kidman is so easy to loathe, especially as a mother, in this movie. Loveeeed Jack Black. He's like an honorary C (family name). When he's angry he cracks me up. His "job" writing letters to editors---hysterical. Love. Have you seen this?

****

Chris and I have been busy cleaning the garage and other areas of the house this weekend. Sure has made us breathe better---seems like we've been wading around in junk since July. I started a "yard sale" stash up in the attic. Tired of giving stuff away to Freecycle to a bunch of weirdos. (Those assholes who only take take take and never give! Oh, and show up with a tiny Honda to haul off HUGE bookcases...with three kids in the backseat...grumble.) I'm gonna make a little cashola to put towards the swingset this spring.

*****

Jake and I swung by Nanny's house in a nearby neighborhood Saturday, where Wanda and Larry also happened to be hanging with the Nanster. Jake charmed Wanda and Larry after acting a little shy at first. Chris and Luke showed up after hauling off some trash and Luke promptly told Larry, "I cost forty pounds." Then he walked around the house with a flashlight looking for clues.

****

My skin is dry as heck. What are some good products for dry skin? Tell me about 'em.

*****

Chris has something to say. (Notice that he's lost 30 pounds, by the way. Stupid men.) Click below to hear about "The Frank Escape". And I want to say, in my own defense, a)it was freezing, b)I was late for work and most importantly, c)I had two children in the car who took priority over a dog that's peeing in a neighbor's yard and who had no interest in getting in my car to go home. Now. Go ahead.

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The Daily Drive...and Moments With Paw Paw

AND...Moments With Paw Paw. (Short and Sweet video)

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Popping up to say heyyyyy

Happy Anniversary (belated--it was yesterday) to my parents and Happy birthday (early---it's tomorrow) to Donna, my mil. Love all three of y'all. You too, Mike! Happy Mike Normal Day! :)

Fur

Frank's Tail 0

Swivel Sweeper 1

That's the last time I let Jake run the Swivel Sweeper around the kitchen while Frank relaxes on the floor. Yikes.

Chaos= trying to catch a big dog that's Marmaduking around the house with a Sweeper attached to him, hitting everything in his way while a 18 month old cries and a 4 year old screams in excitement.

Pic: The boys with Frank in a calmer moment earlier last week.

Wednesday? Really?

Feel like I'm just wading through this week. Feel heavy as lead. Chris took Luke to the Monster Truck Show here in town last weekend. I'll put some pics up soon.
Today both the boys seem older to me. Jake's hair is getting longer, and he's reminding me of his cousin Dylan today. His face shape seems different or something.

Happy birthday to Uncle Cory!

Needles and...Edie Sedgwick!

This weekend went by so quickly, too quickly.
I was sick all weekend with what I thought at first was just a cold, then I thought it was the flu, and I finally went to the doc/box and got diagnosed with an ear infection and a sinus infection. The nurse gave me two burning shots in the butt and I thought I was gonna pass out. I almost did. After the gave me the two shots from hell (one was a Beta shot and the other one was something started with a C...antibiotics?) she just stared at me. I wondered why until I felt like I was gonna hit the floor.
"Sit down, some people don't react well to the shots together," she calmed led me to the chair.
My ass hurt.
I sat down on my sore butt and felt dizzy.
"I'm gonna puke."
I didn't puke.
"I need to lie down."
I slid over to the examination table and lay on my stomach and my face.
I wondered if the nurse knew what she was doing. This felt a bit wrong.
A minute later and I was fine.
"Did you eat breakfast?"
"A long time ago."

I feel a bit better now, but I'm not ready to tap dance for the governor or anything.
I watched Factorygirl Saturday morning and liked it. You can say what you want about Sienna Miller, but she really got Edie Sedgwick down to a tee. At least, from my knowledge just from reading George Plimpton's book about her and Andy Warhol. The guy who played Andy seemed to get him too. Not a bad movie, especially if you are into that sort of thing. If you are like Chris, you should probably skip it. When I told him I had it, he said, "I don't want to watch any Truman Capote type crap.
"This isn't about Capote."
"Same kind of thing."

Slip into these...

It's time for a little levity, people.

On the first day back to school, a student (not one of mine, but I just saw him in the hallway) was wearing these "shoes".

He looked irritated and told me he had to go home and come back with other shoes. I asked him, "What...are they? A foot glove?"

"They are real shoes, but I'm not allowed to wear them here."

Real shoes or not, I saw the administration's point. They were pretty darn distracting. Everyone was staring at them. And let me say, even though the kid said they were comfortable, they look like they would be too confining for me. Plus, my long toes probably would need a special made pair anyhoo. Ha.

Have you guys seen these? Would you wear them?

Poetry, God, Nature and Gettin' All Deep :)

Since school started back, my students and I have been discussing poetry. Specifically, we have been discussing Wordsworth's "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" and E. E. Cummings' "who are you, little i?". I find it interesting that these center around life and death, in roundabout ways.

When I was lesson planning, and saw that I needed to cover Wordsworth, I groaned. Not one of my favorites. I remember my first paper in college (when I was actually in Tuscaloosa, the horror) was on Lyrical Ballads by Coleridge and Wordsworth. I still remember sitting in the library and staring at my blank paper, trying to compose a rough draft. (This is fall of 1991, before personal computers and Word, kids. Shocking, I know. We used things called PENCILS and PENS and PAPER.) However...I read "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud" and kind of liked it. Why had I not liked this before? I guess I just used to hate nature poems as a general rule when I was younger, and now, as I'm getting older, I'm starting to "get it" more. The whole connection to life. Like many things (The Old Man and the Sea, A Tale of Two Cities, The Great Gatsby etc.) I think when it comes to nature poems, you need to get a little age on you before you can appreciate what they are trying to convey.

Here's the poem: (READ IT!--said in my teacher voice)

"The memory of the daffodils is etched in the speaker's mind and soul to be cherished forever. When he's feeling lonely, dull or depressed, he thinks of the daffodils, and cheers up. The full impact of the daffodils' beauty (symbolizing the beauty of nature) did not strike him at the moment of seeing them, when he stared blankly at them but much later when he sat alone, sad and lonely and remembered them."

So, how appropriate that, on the day that my students and I finished discussing this poem, that I got the call from Hope's husband, Jake. The poem is a reminder that we should focus on those ordinary, happy moments that we had with Hope.

The next day, we read E.E. Cummings' "who are you, little i?" I have always loved Cummings' work, but I wasn't as familiar with this one. (I tend to like the racier ones, go figure.)

Here it is.

who are you,little i
(five or six years old)

peering from some high
window;at the gold
of november sunset
(and feeling that:if day

has to become night
this is a beautiful way)

************

Read this excellent analysis of the poem. If she had to die, if day has to become night, at least she led a beautiful life and leaves behind two beautiful children who carry parts of her with them. If day has to become night eventually, she had a beautiful day, a beautiful life.

Hope

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Hope passed away this morning. I hope this collection of photos (quite a few stolen from other people's Facebooks, others sent to me by Ann Marie) help you celebrate her life, as she was a real sweetheart and the greatest friend in the world. If you have any photos you want to add to this (or if you want me to take any out, for any reason) please contact me and I will do so.
I love you, Hope. I'll miss you so much.

Chef Jen and Co-chef Chris Prepare MEATBALL SURPRISE

Did anyone get something really important in your mail today? Did my prediction come true? I only got an Upstart magazine (nerdy teacher fun) and some bills. Yay.

******

One thing I'm gonna do (I promise) this year is start preparing REAL meals for my boys. I'm sure they are tired of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chicken nuggets. (Jake is yelling "AND BREAD BALLS!" inside his thoughts.) Plus, planning and cooking meals is (I hear) more economical. Right? Since Chris started his new job up here, he's been very busy, and hasn't been cooking as much as he used to. I miss that, of course, but it's probably a good thing--is making me want to get off my tush and do something besides order yet another pizza... Anyhoo, yesterday I found a recipe book up in the cabinet and Chris and I picked out something to try. Yes, Chris did a lot, but I was involved in the prep and cooking. We changed a few things from the recipe (Chris does that all the time, but that just freaks me right on out. If I don't follow the recipe, it's never on purpose. It's me being...flighty.)

What a Dummy

Even if you aren't a football fan, this story will amaze you: a high school kid who lied about getting a full ride/football scholarship. How do you let something get this out of hand?

Predictions for 2009: GOT ANY GOOD NEWS?

Before I list my very important predictions for 2009, I must report the following:

Last night I was watching the Sugarbowl with my dad. He is an Auburn fan, but was cheering for Bama to win. I was surprised.

"Why are you rooting for Bama?"

"Well, when they aren't playing Auburn, it's okay to cheer for them."

"No it's not."

I got on the phone with Chris.

"Chris, Dad is cheering for Bama to win. He says it's okay to pull for Bama when they aren't playing Auburn."

Stunned silence.

Chris says, "I wouldn't pull for Bama if they were playing the Taliban with Bin Laden as the starting tailback."

I quoted Chris to my dad.

Dad shook his head, "That's, uh, intense."

*****

NOW, on to the predictions.

PREDICTIONS FOR 2009* Chris made a few himself, the rest are mine:

1. Pamela Lee and Tommy Lee will get back together. (Chris.)

2. Something amazing will be located on Mars.

3. Chris will become the biggest and baddest slumlord in the universe. (Chris)

4. Betty White, Queen Elizabeth, and a famous young TV actress with brown hair will pass away.

5. Gary Busey will be committed. (Chris)

6. There will be a Facebook stalking/murder plot discovered or pulled off.

7. Brad will leave Angelina and will get back with Jennifer Aniston.

8. A trusted father-figure in the entertainment industry will betray us all!

9. OJ will confess to previous murders, but it won't matter because of double jeopardy.

10. A very religious Republican senator or house member will be caught in a major sex scandal! He will be unattractive and old.

11. Miley Cyrus will begin dating a much much older man, much to Billy Ray's chagrin.

12. Oprah will offend most of her loyal viewers with statements she will make in March.

13. Joran Vandersloot will go missing.

14. My oldest son will once again expose himself in some fashion at a school event.

15. No travel on a plane for us next year.

16. I see a few concerts in our future.

17. Max will win some kind of marathon but will endure an injury.

18. Jake will eat more bread. (Jake's prediction)

19. Jen will develop an interest in an odd hobby, akin to bird watching, but not quite that old ladyish.

20. An important letter will arrive in your mailbox on Monday.

Predictions: A Look Back at Last Year's

A look back at last year's predictions...

This is what I said last year:
1. Britney Spears...will finally go into hiding. Or will overdose on accident. She will not, as my husband believes, make a comeback in 08. She will also have another baby, probably a girl this time.
**********Okay, I was totally wrong on this one. Chris was right.
2. Paris Hilton...will get pregnant. By Kfed.
**********Wrong.
3. Lindsay Lohan will be involved in another car accident. Tragic results will follow. (How official does THAT one sound?)
**********Wrong.
4.Osama Bin Laden will be found and whipped to death.
*********Wrong.
5. Tom Cruise and Katie will separate.
*********Wrong.
6. There will be a shocking (mind blowing!!!!) development in the Holloway case.
*********RIGHT!!!!!! The whole undercover tape confession.
7. There will also be new leads in the Chandra Levy case.
*********Wrong.
8. OJ will get off again.
**********WRONG!!! THANK GOD!
9. A Democrat will be elected president.
**********RIGHT!!!!!
10. A Royal will die.
***********Wrong.

Personal Life:
1. My sweet little family will move. Either out of town or to another house in a nearby "hamlet"...(And, to hedge my bets, if we don't move, we're gonna keep updating the house and fixing the yard up!)
*******RIGHT!!!!!!
2. I see a job change coming up for both me and Chris.
*******RIGHT!!!!
3. Thanks to my new iPod I see some poundage lost due to wanting to move more, not have to talk to strangers at the gym. (I will avoid eye contact and plug in the earbuds. Speaking of earbuds, are my ears deformed? I can't seem to keep the buds inside my ears!)
********RIGHT AND WRONG. I lost weight during January---March, then gained it back during the stress of packing, moving, house issues, new job, and emotional eating stuff. And then my iPod was stolen or I've misplaced it. Nice.
4. I will manage my time better.
*******I think so.
5. I will leave work at work. :)
******I did this at my old job, but it's impossible with a new job and not being tenured.
6. I see some travel ahead. (Okay I'm cheating at this one. I know we are going to a wedding in New Mexico this spring.)
******Right. New Mexico, and Florida.
7. Two or three additions to Chris's family. Hmmmm....(Don't worry, I ain't popping any more out. Believe me.)
*****Just the one---Deacon! Meggan had a baby boy this past month.

Out With a Snore, In with Cocoa and Clouds

Tanner will probably never come back to our house for New Year's Eve again.

I knew it would be a laid back evening, but no one knew, at five or so, how laid back.

I gave the baby a bath around 6:30 and took one as well, then decided I might as well get my jammies on. I came downstairs with my drink (Crown Special Reserve and Coke...oh yeah, Special Reserve...) and Chris was already in his jammies too. Tanner, set to spend the night so he could get snockered too, decided, "Hey, if you guys are already in comfortable clothes, I'm gonna change too." So he did. I made them change the football game. Luke ricocheted off the walls because SOMEONE let him eat doughnuts and drink Capri Suns...We watched some Dana Carvey and then flipped around some. I got bored. I left them and went upstairs, got in bed and started watching the news. It was about 8:30/9. Luke joined me in bed and I let him watch Elf while I drifted off. Chris came in, amazed that I was in bed. "Night. See you in the morning."

After an hour, I turned off Elf and made Luke settle down. All was peaceful until midnight. One set of neighbors put on a huge ass firework display. It reflected in our dresser mirror, and the noise. Uh, OW. Loud. (As I type this, I hear some more being fired off and it's the day after! But I think that's coming from the neighborhood behind us.) I was irritated because it woke up Jake. And it was just LOUD. I went downstairs with Jake and looked for Chris and Tanner. Chris was sound asleep on the couch with no pillow and no blanket. No Tanner in sight.

I woke him up, "Where's Tanner?"

Incoherent mumbling.

"Where is he?"

"Don't worry about it."

"Did he leave?"

"Nah, he is around here."

"No he's not." I checked Luke's room just in case and came back down. "He's not here, Chris."

Chris mumbled something else and I noticed that Tanner's work clothes were still in the house. He drove home in his jammies. LOL.

I went back upstairs and I realized, as I stood there watching my loud neighbors with Jake on my hip, that I hate New Year's Eve almost as much as Fourth of July. It's my second most hated holiday. I just hate do it yourself fireworks. I don't mind big organized displays, but it's just a really bad idea to set shit on fire in your yard with your kids. Sorry. I just hope people don't start incorporating explosions with other holidays. Exploding Easter eggs. Exploding pumpkins. Exploding valentines.

I also hate two other things about NYE: 1. Everyone (at least when you are in your 20s) always wants to be doing something BIG AND SPECIAL on New Year's. Everyone tries to outdo others. And 2: I hate people drinking and driving. And you know they are out there.

Back to the neighbors, I decided to forgive them (it was NYE after all, not a random Wednesday night) and eventually, after about 30 minutes, they cut it out and went to bed. I watched a little TV, about the WICKER MAN stuff they used to do back in the day. Awful. Stuff of nightmares.

****

This morning I made breakfast in bed for Chris (who had made his way back up to the bedroom after a while) and did the usual cleaning stuff. I went outside with the kids and let them play in the backyard for a while while I was on a blanket. Chris was on the computer inside, next to the window, and the boys played Smokey C's drive-thru with him.

"You've got a customer, Chris!" Chris would give Luke or Jake a ball or a business card.

Luke would come and lie with me on the blanket and we would watch the clouds move quickly across the sky. They looked like feathers, like angel feathers today. Afterwards, Luke and I enjoyed some hot cocoa with marshmallows and relaxed on the back porch.

Not a bad way to spend the first day of 2009. And, cuz y'all have all been so good...an amazing new video fresh from my Flip camera. (Yes, it's three minutes long, but it has a catchy tune!)

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