Sound advice

Don't be scared
Here's what to do
If a hungry enemy wants to eat you.
Protect yourself from that awful beast
Here's the secret
Hide underneath a bigger beast
with bigger teeth
What a smart thing to do!

Ms. Lil' Sis

Everyone, get ready...

My lil' sis is student teaching this semester! She's bright-eyed and bushy tailed and ready to edify the littles in all the facets of Math. Equations? Hypotenuses? Solving for X? Probability?

I'm not sure what's scarier 1) how old this makes me feel 2) how old this makes me feel or 3) the fact the Ms. Lil' Sis is way better at Math then I could ever hope to be!

Seeing as how I have a hard enough time just remembering what 6x7 is (that was always a hard one) or adding 2 digit numbers, I find her quest quite commendable. She's smart and tough- the kids will love her.

Go Forth, Ms. Lil' Sis. Teach Math* and teach it hard.


*And then find a job that pays more and respects its employees

Top 1%

I get the feeling that rather than changing the fact that 1% of Americans hold the wealth by redistributing the wealth in America, most people are more concerned with how they can become that 1%. I find this a little bit concerning because 1) it's not realistic 2) it's not sustainable 3) it's not very humanistic.

I'm not saying that I think we should be communists or anything, but I am saying that this new form of extreme capitalism is very very scary for our future.

But, hey, you don't see me sleeping in a tent on the street.

That's all I'm going to say about that.

And now presenting...

Superman Soup

Starring

Fresh Local NC Kale
Beans of all sorts
Barley
Myriad of rice including
Forbidden Rice
Brown Rice
Wild Rice



Concocted by yours truly fueled by Highland Black Mocha Stout and served with a side of cornbread.


Go Monday!

Mental Corrosion

Dare I say it publicly, lest it become more real?

Yes, I do and I will and I am because saying it, shaming it and living it make it real and when its real it is easier to conquer. So here goes:

I am having some serious mental roadblocks when it come to running lately. Like, I just don't want to. Last week, I had that terrible 15 mile run, and ever since I've been unable to force myself to want to run. Of course, I've still been running otherwise I would turn into a piece of bacon or a chocolate milk stout (mmmm....stout...), but I haven't been loving it. I've been begrudging it. Mad at it. And, in a serious mental funk.

But then, today, came these guys:

The New Balance 110 Trail Runner

My wonderful husband picked up a pair of these for me (yes, bought them for me; and let me just tell you how good it feels to buy into the stereotype of men buying women little pressies every now and then...yes). These shoes are light and quick and as Jason put it "make you feel like a trail ninja".

Now, I'm not saying that my running doldrums are cured...yet. But I am saying that I am two steps closer to getting there via public confession and sweet new shoes.

Quite a Contradiction

A veggie burger with bacon and no onions, with a side of onion rings.




A self proclaimed "never having kids-er" holding a little cutie... And liking it?!?

"Walking" Club

We are starting a Walking Club at my school. It's our attempt at encouraging the staff to be happy and healthy. Each member will wear a pedometer and log the amount of steps that they walk everyday. The team with the most miles/steps each month wins!


Little do they know that I am the silent giant that will dominate this competition!!!!! I'm training for a marathon, people!


Mwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Still changin' (me) after all these years

The Little Prince is my favorite book. It has been my favorite book since I read it as a sophomore in high school, learning that a) I can read b) books can be good c) books can change people.

A few years ago I read somewhere that people should read The Little Prince once a year as a way to reignite something within themselves, to caution against becoming a tippler, a geographer, a king, or a lamplighter, and to remind themselves of the beauty and wisdom of the youth. With this in mind, I just completed my 3rd reading of The Little Prince (it's not an annual thing yet, but I'm working on it). Here are some words of wisdom on which to chew:

Then you shall judge yourself," the king answered. "that is the most difficult thing of all. It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.

"Where are the people?" resumed the little prince at last. "It's a little lonely in the desert..."
"It is lonely when you're among people, too," said the snake.

Language is the source of misunderstandings.

You risk tears if you let yourself be tamed.

What is essential is invisible to the eye.

"One only understands the things that one tames," said the fox. " Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me. . ."

Barista Annoyances

If you want to annoy your barista here are a few sure fire ways of doing so:

1) Talk on your cell phone while ordering. Turn it off!!!
2) Talk to your peeps while ordering. Shut up!!!
3) Ask for a cappuccino latte. Dude, that doesn't exist!
4) Ask for a decaf skim latte. Really? What's the point?
5) Order "just hot tea". Uh...what kind of tea, dummy?
6) Try to order anything from me using "Starbucks Language". Though you think you are ordering correctly, you have really been brainwashed and I refuse to acknowledge your order
7) Not tip.

A Potential Problem

When you are 1/3 part of an awesome trinity such as ours (see brunette attack below) you sometimes do things the same without even knowing it, like secret telepathy or something.

And, sometimes the mere sight of a trinity member having something cool immediately sends you out into the world in a 5th grade style "I must have what she has" copy-cat mode. I don't know why this is. Maybe it's our similar loves and styles meeting in a trinity-only collective unconscious that goos around in space. Maybe we have no individuality and can only truly decide if we like something if someone else has it. Maybe this is a way of feeling close to one another since we are ostensibly spread out across the country in a triangular fashion. Or maybe we should really just go back to 5th grade. With this said, I present to you my new purse: A 100% trinity plagiarism.

Here he is accompanied by another trinity trifecta possession (the Hobo wallet).

Exhibit 2: Sister shirts, sister leggings, sister boots:

Exhibit 3: Sister stripped shirts and jeans:




The Potential Problem is this: while it may be fun to have a "trinity purse", "sister wallets", or "sister boots", this habit can altogether prove detrimental to ones individual style and possibly lead to death via suffocation in credit card debt. But I suppose this is a risk worth taking to feel close to my ladies, right sisters?

Worst Run Ever

Imagine feeling cold, sweaty, thirsty, hungry, nauseous, sore in the hamstring, angry, disappointed, and worst of all trapped on a 15 mile run which you can't cut short because you're in the forest and have to run back to your car.

When you run as much as I do, bad runs are just part of the territory I suppose. But, damn, I'm feeling bad about myself.

Cultural Sensitivity Conundrum

After a recent lawsuit put upon Durham Public Schools, cultural sensitivity and diversity are the buzz words. This is interesting because diversity has been a huge aspect of Durham for as long as I've been living here, which is all my life, folks. Yesterday, I was privy to a very "barely scraping at the surface" cultural sensitivity and diversity training which I am later to turn around and present to my fellow teachers. OK, I can do that.
The take away point from this thing was that we all need to be aware of cultural differences when working with people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. Misconceptions and communication breakdowns are the status quo when you have teachers who get angry when students don't make eye contact with them while they're chewing them out and students who's cultural beliefs state that making eye contact with an adult is a sign of disrespect. Or students who aren't coming to school because they are at home taking care of younger brothers and sisters which to us seems like a reason to call DSS but in their culture it's just normal. These are just a couple of examples of the many misunderstandings that can and have happened.
So, we're supposed to just be aware and understanding of cultural differences That's great, but what happens when it's part of your culture to be a bigot or a racist? Am I supposed to be sensitive to that? Does it make me wrong to try to change your culture by educating you about cultural sensitivity?
How does merely being aware really change paradigms and practices? I feel like we've been aware for a very long time and things are still the same. So, what to do?

Shabby? No.

I'm just saying: I wouldn't be sad about a snow day, people. U really wouldn't mind if it snowed hard, school was cancelled and we got trapped in the house for a few days (with a sufficient amount of snacks and beer, of course).


Sadly, the photo photed above is from last year's snow a plenty. Still waiting to replace that with one from 2012...

And...

It's my half birthday!!!

You don't even WANT to know...

Things that you should just NOT do:

1) Search your address on a registered sex offender websites to find out about all the pedophiles and rapists in your area.

2) Search for future addresses on registered sex offender websites to find out about all the pedophiles and rapists in the area.

3) Search for future addresses on local crime mappers.

4) Try to find out if your house is haunted.

5) Ask how traditional Spaghetti al Carbonara is really made.

6) Think about hotel rooms, rental cars, bowling balls, used clothing or anything else that has ever been touched by another.

It's raining men!

I mean, minis! Make them go away!!!

I want my MTV!

Remember how awesome MTV used to be? I remember getting home after school and pumping The Grind while eating saltine crackers.



Or staying up late at sleepovers to watch The Real World (the awesome ones) and planning how you were going to live in gorgeous loft apartments with all of your friends.


Or watching Beavis and Butthead when your parents weren't looking.



Or learning the ropes of 90's hip hop from Yo! MTV Raps.


Or laughing your knickers off at the inappropriate sketches of The State.


Or how about just watching music videos? I mean, wasn't that the point of MTV?


So, here's my question: Has MTV fallen drastically in its programming quality since the 90s or did I just grow up? Will the adolescents of today look back with fond nostalgia at Teen Mom and Jersey Shore?

Probably.

Look what I made!

Chocolate chip banana cupcakes with peanut butter icing!





And then for my children: dog biscuits with peanut butter icing.


Top Chef Just Desserts, I hear you calling.

A show!

How often is it that you are as excited about the opening band as you are about the band you are going to see? Not very often. Here's the better question: Blaine, how often are you even going to shows these days? Oh, yeah, not very often. So, how fun and surprising to get the opportunity to see two great bands and with friends in town?! Mount Moriah


Crooked Fingers


Great night!

So Organized!

This is my new Moleskin calendar in which I will write down things and maintain an organized lifestyle.

The Long Road...

Here it is, the last 6 months of my life as a teacher in Durham Public Schools and I couldn't be more excited. For the past few months, I had actually begun to view my job as slightly more bearable with new administration and a new crop of wonderful students, and the sweet knowledge that it is all temporal. It's never been the students or even the administration that were so maddening. It was other things; programs, attitudes, and systems which I will refrain from mentioning specifically on the internet in case the spies are reading.
And now, knowing what I know and knowing that I will be leaving all I can see is a very long 6 month road ahead of me. I'm going to have to soldier up and endure for the end is in sight. Surely, it will fly by as the first half of the year did and the long road will be traveled and traded in for a literal long road that leads to Oregon.


Vamanos!

Bundle. It's a state of mind.

Coldness is usually relative to what your accustomed. So, when it's been in the 50s and 60s, 30s and 40s feel cold. Well today was 20s and 30s, and i thought my face was going to freeze off. I know this must sound quite silly to those accustomed to much cooler temperatures. Say you live in Montana where some winter temps drop below 0, 20s and 30s feel like a warm spring day.

What I'm going to try to do over the next few days during this cold wave, is trick mysf into thinking that it is warmer than it actually is. And if that doesn't work then I'll just do this

My new mug!

Thanks to Laura Farrow of Broken Tusk Studios in Hillsborough, my sweet sweet daughter is immortalized on a cup! Cheers!




I will drink delicious baby soy lattes from it all year.