Thursday, August 14, 2008
Loving Chicago
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
A sign you work with math geeks (which I am, so I can say that)
Instead of greeting each other with a polite "Hello" or "Haven't seen you in a month-- how are you?", Colleague One says to Colleague Two, "Can you believe this? Instead of integrating on this test they all took the derivative. I mean, it's like someone said to them, 'When in doubt, take the derivative!'" and much hysterical, nervous laughing ensues.
I really am thinking about updating this blog at some point. I've just needed a break from it. Call it a "You're Not The Boss Of Me, Blog" moment. Things are going well for us, and we feel like we've turned the corner on quite a number of significant things. I'm not ready to let all the cats out of their bags, but I will soon. And no, no babies. Not for us at least. But we were super excited to hear about Baby M, Baby S, and Baby R. Must be cold up there in Chicago... tee hee.
Back to math I go.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
This blog has not been abandoned.
Sorry for the extended pause-- things are a little crazy in the school-year-to-summer-transition. Add to that a new birth control pill that made me a mental nutcase for three weeks, and we've been all sorts of crazy up in here. Normalcy will resume momentarily. Oh, do we hope for that.
Monday, May 05, 2008
The latest
Today I played "Stephanie" (my sister) as I subbed for an elementary autistic classroom. The grass stains on my leg are from when I wiped out after chasing the class runner, Daniel. He thought it was a great game! See the old lady run! Ha ha! Thankfully the aids were very helpful and overall it was a pretty smooth day. Things I had to say today that I don't think I've ever said:
- Don't lick the fire alarm box.
- Don't dance on the internet router box.
- Take the giant bowling pin off the table and share it with Donte.
- Woodchips don't come out of socks very nicely, do they? That's why we keep our shoes on.
- We don't play basketball with the plastic bowling ball (which doesn't bounce, but makes a fantastic cacophony in the covered playground).
- No, no one is killing Markie. He's just having a temper tantrum and likes to scream and bang on the chain link fence. Yes, a padded room is a great idea.
In other news, Brad is supposed to start school tonight, but there are a few glitches. We've tentatively decided to stay here another year so that we can sell the house. But at this moment, I just don't know what God's going to do. After much rushing around to get registered and all set, they've just changed the textbook on Brad (on the first day of class) and they aren't prepared for him to start his online work. If they continue to show a lack of organization, we might re-think this program for him. Especially since we're not getting any financial aid, and it's all coming out of pocket (and is not free, as previously thought. Far from it.). We're not too keen on paying beaucoup dinero for a second-rate deal. We shall see.
All else is pretty good. It's nice to be done with the regular semester. I've had quite a few sub jobs on a pretty regular basis. The more kids I meet, the more my heart breaks as I see poorly-parented kids acting out just to get needed attention. It's a rough world and I yearn for heaven a lot. And on the financial front, I was given two summer math labs at the university, which helps our bottom line a fair amount. Pays for two classes of Brad's, if that continues. It's fun to see God providing minute by minute.
- Don't lick the fire alarm box.
- Don't dance on the internet router box.
- Take the giant bowling pin off the table and share it with Donte.
- Woodchips don't come out of socks very nicely, do they? That's why we keep our shoes on.
- We don't play basketball with the plastic bowling ball (which doesn't bounce, but makes a fantastic cacophony in the covered playground).
- No, no one is killing Markie. He's just having a temper tantrum and likes to scream and bang on the chain link fence. Yes, a padded room is a great idea.
In other news, Brad is supposed to start school tonight, but there are a few glitches. We've tentatively decided to stay here another year so that we can sell the house. But at this moment, I just don't know what God's going to do. After much rushing around to get registered and all set, they've just changed the textbook on Brad (on the first day of class) and they aren't prepared for him to start his online work. If they continue to show a lack of organization, we might re-think this program for him. Especially since we're not getting any financial aid, and it's all coming out of pocket (and is not free, as previously thought. Far from it.). We're not too keen on paying beaucoup dinero for a second-rate deal. We shall see.
All else is pretty good. It's nice to be done with the regular semester. I've had quite a few sub jobs on a pretty regular basis. The more kids I meet, the more my heart breaks as I see poorly-parented kids acting out just to get needed attention. It's a rough world and I yearn for heaven a lot. And on the financial front, I was given two summer math labs at the university, which helps our bottom line a fair amount. Pays for two classes of Brad's, if that continues. It's fun to see God providing minute by minute.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
This blog will be changing its name.
So there's something I haven't been able to tell you. I wanted to tell my family, both sides, first, and until tonight I hadn't told Brad's side of the family yet just in case it didn't happen. I finally got some news this week.
I was accepted into Columbia University's Teachers College.
I KNOW! I can hardly believe it. I keep pinching myself and have to keep reminding myself it's true. I'm in. I found out on Wednesday when I called to find out if they had everything they needed for my application. The woman who answered the phone told me that they had actually just made a decision, and I would receive a letter soon. I asked if she could tell me what that decision was, and she said, "I wouldn't worry about it." And then I received my letter on Thursday.
So now what? The next step is to find out whether or not we applied early enough to get campus housing. If we get housing we'll put our house on the market and watch God do his magic. If not, I'll defer my enrollment until next fall, giving us another year to sell the house.
In the meantime, if we stay here another year we'll be able to finish the Theophostic training we're doing-- that's a good thing. Also, Brad is looking at doing a one-year graduate certificate program at the university here which would qualify him to be a compliance auditor. It would be a great career move for him and seems like a neat program. If he does that, though, God would have to come up with the money to pay for the program, plus the money Brad would make at the computer store since he won't be able to work there while in school.
So much up in the air, but things are starting to fall into place. I feel like we've been in a tornado for a while, with lots of ideas and possibilities swirling, and now it feels like it's going in reverse, like all the debris up in the air is falling into place a bit.
So far this summer's activities are up the air for me. Right now I'm subbing full time during the day and still working at the computer store a few evenings a week. I'd give my right arm to quit there (it's just not the best fit for me) and I might quit if I get some other job. We shall see. It feels good to be in the audience right now-- we've done all we can to be responsible and pursue options. Right now we just sit and watch God orchestrate his plans.
Thanks for rejoicing with me! Suncoast Living will come to an end. Expect Big Apple Living or something in the future!
I was accepted into Columbia University's Teachers College.
I KNOW! I can hardly believe it. I keep pinching myself and have to keep reminding myself it's true. I'm in. I found out on Wednesday when I called to find out if they had everything they needed for my application. The woman who answered the phone told me that they had actually just made a decision, and I would receive a letter soon. I asked if she could tell me what that decision was, and she said, "I wouldn't worry about it." And then I received my letter on Thursday.
So now what? The next step is to find out whether or not we applied early enough to get campus housing. If we get housing we'll put our house on the market and watch God do his magic. If not, I'll defer my enrollment until next fall, giving us another year to sell the house.
In the meantime, if we stay here another year we'll be able to finish the Theophostic training we're doing-- that's a good thing. Also, Brad is looking at doing a one-year graduate certificate program at the university here which would qualify him to be a compliance auditor. It would be a great career move for him and seems like a neat program. If he does that, though, God would have to come up with the money to pay for the program, plus the money Brad would make at the computer store since he won't be able to work there while in school.
So much up in the air, but things are starting to fall into place. I feel like we've been in a tornado for a while, with lots of ideas and possibilities swirling, and now it feels like it's going in reverse, like all the debris up in the air is falling into place a bit.
So far this summer's activities are up the air for me. Right now I'm subbing full time during the day and still working at the computer store a few evenings a week. I'd give my right arm to quit there (it's just not the best fit for me) and I might quit if I get some other job. We shall see. It feels good to be in the audience right now-- we've done all we can to be responsible and pursue options. Right now we just sit and watch God orchestrate his plans.
Thanks for rejoicing with me! Suncoast Living will come to an end. Expect Big Apple Living or something in the future!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Things to Smile About
I'm having a rough day. So many unknowns are circling, causing a whirlwind of emotion and a lot of anxiety. I'm just at the end of my rope, which usually means God will do something in the near future. But in the meantime, I get to sit and wait, and just fight the bad feelings. So here are some things making me smile today. Maybe you'll smile, too.
1.) This is a forward from a student of mine. The last one in particular made me laugh out loud.
All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
1. On a Southwest flight 245 (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.
4. "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane"
5. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
6. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
7. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
8. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
9. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
10. "Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."
11. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
12. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
13. And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
14. Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."
15. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
16. Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We
ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal"
17. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking at the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. what is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
18. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
19. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
20. Heard on a Southwest Airline flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing and if you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
21. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax.. OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing.
You should see the back of mine."
1.) This is a forward from a student of mine. The last one in particular made me laugh out loud.
All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
1. On a Southwest flight 245 (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you're going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.
4. "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane"
5. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
6. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
7. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
8. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
9. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite."
10. "Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."
11. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
12. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
13. And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
14. Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."
15. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
16. Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We
ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal"
17. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the Passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking at the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot. what is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
18. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
19. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
20. Heard on a Southwest Airline flight. "Ladies and gentlemen, if you wish to smoke, the smoking section on this airplane is on the wing and if you can light 'em, you can smoke 'em."
21. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax.. OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said,
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing.
You should see the back of mine."
Monday, April 14, 2008
My first item!
(It's a business card holder made of felt.)
I've just posted my first item for sale on Etsy! Etsy is an online marketplace for hand-made items. Click here to see mine! (This is not a solicitation to buy my stuff.) If you have constructive criticism, I'm all ears! I already know the photos are terrible. But that's what you get when you're anxious to get something posted. Next on the agenda: learn to use the camera.
In other news, I'm in my last regular week of the semester. (MUCH rejoicing.) Next week is finals week and Meghan moves in. She's a student of mine who will be joining us for the summer. I'm not sure how I'm going to spend my summer. I plan to sub in May, but come June, I'm free and clear. All of June, July, and most of August is wide open. I've been applying for part time jobs in tutoring and summer school stuff. Nothing has come together yet.
It just dawned on me: whenever I have a bunch of unplanned free time, God usually does something with my availability. I forgot to ask him about that. Scares me a bit, as it's not usually fun. It's usually a tragedy or illness (not mutually exclusive). Dang, now I have butterflies in my stomach. Please, no one get sick or anything, ok? If you do, though, I'll be there all of June, July and August. :)
In May we'll be making a quick trip up to Cincinnati for my cousin's wedding. We were going to make a long weekend of it and visit friends and fam in Columbus, but Skybus had to go bankrupt and everything, so we had to find tickets on USA3000 and had to make some changes. And in August we'll be in Chicago (I think it's the weekend that includes the 15th or something) for a little visit.
That's about it for now!
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Hell Froze Over.
Down the street from school is a large arena where the Ever*blades play ice hockey. In order to drum up attention they placed a large mound of snow (large is a relative term) near the entrance to the arena.
Of course we had to turn around and stop and play! I haven't touched snow in I don't know how long! It was so much fun!
(Begin the cursing out of southerners by northerners. I know, I know. I deserve it, you poor, freezing Eskimos.)
Of course we had to turn around and stop and play! I haven't touched snow in I don't know how long! It was so much fun!
(Begin the cursing out of southerners by northerners. I know, I know. I deserve it, you poor, freezing Eskimos.)
Something Fun For You To See
This is my second attempt to upload video. If it continues to give me fits, I'll just throw it onto youtube. Anyone else had issues uploading video to blogger?
Edited: Ok, now it's on youtube. Let's see if this works.
Edited again: Ok, now it works. Here's the back-story: we bought our first Christmas tree at Menard's (Save Big Money At Menards) for $11.88. We could hardly believe our good fortune! It was a perfect shape and was just lovely...until we realized that the needles were painted green. Painted! The tree must have been cut down in July, it was so dead! After Christmas we decided that the tree-who-betrayed-us deserved a dramatic death. So out the window it went. This video captures our second-story apartment giving birth to said Christmas tree. No, I don't know why I didn't post this near Christmas time. I just thought of it today, so here you go.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
No tag backs.
There's the crazy phenomenon in blogland in which you can "tag" someone and they have to post (or may choose to post) something in particular on their blog. It's rather fun!
I was tagged by Susan at Made For Joy.
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5 people and posts their name, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
***
What I was doing 10 years ago:
In 1998 I was finishing up my second semester at Trinity. I moved out of the dorm and into an apartment sublet in Highwood with Heather Sammons. In July I got a phone call from my mother after her doctor's appointment: a new diagnosis of cancer. We spent that summer and fall together as she battled and won. It was possibly my most difficult time, but out of it came great sweetness. My relationship with my sister took a turn as she became more of a peer and less of a "little" sister. And my mom and I became closer as a result as well. It wasn't fun, but I wouldn't trade it.
Five Snacks I enjoy:
1. Peanut M&Ms
2. Freshly baked pretty much anything
3. Green apples with peanut butter
4. Popcorn
5. Nuts
Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay for my grad school and my sister's (she just was accepted to LOYOLA!)
2. Give my house away to someone in need
3. Pay off the mortgages of my loved ones
4. Give money to ministries I'd love to support
5. Endow scholarships at various schools
Five jobs that I have had:
1. Check-counter (literally, counted checks at a bank)
2. Mail carrier on walking and driving routes
3. Construction Inspector (counted a LOT of rebar, tested a LOT of concrete)
4. Teacher of middle school monkeys, er, kids
5. Construction contractor
Three of my bad habits:
1. Gossiping. I HATE that about myself and am actively working to improve.
2. I can't seem to go to bed on time, and pay for it in the morning.
3. I am excellent at making up excuses as to why I can't exercise today.
Five place I have lived:
1. Chicago, IL
2. West Lafayette, IN
3. Ashburnham, MA
4. Baltimore, MD
5. Fort Myers, FL
Five People I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!):
1. How About Orange
2. Julie-uli-uli
3. The Seavers
4. Shanel
5. The Bushy Bushy Trio
Thanks for visiting!
I was tagged by Susan at Made For Joy.
1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5 people and posts their name, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
***
What I was doing 10 years ago:
In 1998 I was finishing up my second semester at Trinity. I moved out of the dorm and into an apartment sublet in Highwood with Heather Sammons. In July I got a phone call from my mother after her doctor's appointment: a new diagnosis of cancer. We spent that summer and fall together as she battled and won. It was possibly my most difficult time, but out of it came great sweetness. My relationship with my sister took a turn as she became more of a peer and less of a "little" sister. And my mom and I became closer as a result as well. It wasn't fun, but I wouldn't trade it.
Five Snacks I enjoy:
1. Peanut M&Ms
2. Freshly baked pretty much anything
3. Green apples with peanut butter
4. Popcorn
5. Nuts
Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay for my grad school and my sister's (she just was accepted to LOYOLA!)
2. Give my house away to someone in need
3. Pay off the mortgages of my loved ones
4. Give money to ministries I'd love to support
5. Endow scholarships at various schools
Five jobs that I have had:
1. Check-counter (literally, counted checks at a bank)
2. Mail carrier on walking and driving routes
3. Construction Inspector (counted a LOT of rebar, tested a LOT of concrete)
4. Teacher of middle school monkeys, er, kids
5. Construction contractor
Three of my bad habits:
1. Gossiping. I HATE that about myself and am actively working to improve.
2. I can't seem to go to bed on time, and pay for it in the morning.
3. I am excellent at making up excuses as to why I can't exercise today.
Five place I have lived:
1. Chicago, IL
2. West Lafayette, IN
3. Ashburnham, MA
4. Baltimore, MD
5. Fort Myers, FL
Five People I want to know more about (a nice way of saying TAG!):
1. How About Orange
2. Julie-uli-uli
3. The Seavers
4. Shanel
5. The Bushy Bushy Trio
Thanks for visiting!
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Owwie, etc.
Last night we completed our shift at the fruity computer store and exited out the back door. A manager accompanied us out as others were leaving as well. We stopped to talk to him and the door closed. Another employee opened the heavy door with all his might (my exaggeration) just as I was standing in the wrong place. Were you aware that shoes made out of foam (crocs) do not provide the same protection as steel-toed shoes? I felt my big toenail fold back on itself. The nail polish was broken in a line across the middle of my toenail. So gross and so darn painful. It isn't bloody today except around the edge, and it's not as bad as I expected, thank the Lord. It jammed my toe pretty well so the bruising isn't fun, but I don't think I'll lose the nail. Oh, what joy.
News Item #2, or Why FGCU Probably Won't Score High In The Roommate-Relations Department: (seen just outside the campus bookstore)
News Item #2, or Why FGCU Probably Won't Score High In The Roommate-Relations Department: (seen just outside the campus bookstore)
Easter report
Following tradition, Uncle Brad gave the instructions about hunting the eggs. Twelve per child, and if you see a "K" on the egg, leave it there. It's for Kaya, who is allergic to milk and has special candy.
(When listening to boring instructions when you'd rather be out hunting for candy, lift your shirt to entertain yourself.)
And they're off!
I couldn't take a smiling picture fast enough-- no time to waste!
Why wait until you're done hunting to enjoy the candy? Open one, fill your mouth, hunt. Repeat.
After the hunt (the big kids helped the little kids and it was all very sweet!), Court had a little me-time in the hammock.
...while the kids sorted out their loot.
After the hunt we had the feast. It was a lovely time!
Skipping ahead to last Friday... our university's new president had his official inauguration ceremony. He's the one in the green and blue robes in the middle:
Brad was asked to join a faculty/staff/student choir to sing a few songs in the ceremony. If you click on the picture you can see him.
I sat across the arena and took a pic of him at his seat.
(When listening to boring instructions when you'd rather be out hunting for candy, lift your shirt to entertain yourself.)
And they're off!
I couldn't take a smiling picture fast enough-- no time to waste!
Why wait until you're done hunting to enjoy the candy? Open one, fill your mouth, hunt. Repeat.
After the hunt (the big kids helped the little kids and it was all very sweet!), Court had a little me-time in the hammock.
...while the kids sorted out their loot.
After the hunt we had the feast. It was a lovely time!
Skipping ahead to last Friday... our university's new president had his official inauguration ceremony. He's the one in the green and blue robes in the middle:
Brad was asked to join a faculty/staff/student choir to sing a few songs in the ceremony. If you click on the picture you can see him.
I sat across the arena and took a pic of him at his seat.
Boys everywhere!
Before the Bowmans left for home I snapped a few pictures of the troops:
Oldest, wisest, sly sense of humor, wickedly smart
James Dean wannabe, funny man
The charmer with loads of personality
The Energizer Bunny, with stitches; terribly fun to eavesdrop on when he's playing alone
The last full day they had here they went to the pool here at school and had it nearly to themselves for part of the time:
The first night they arrived we went out for seafood at RJ Gator's. Here is the requisite pic of gator-eating-kid:
Monkey see, monkey do:
On their last morning I didn't have to work so we had a load of waffles and bacon for breakfast. I think this might be my only pic of Cheri as well! Sorry, Cheri!
Oldest, wisest, sly sense of humor, wickedly smart
James Dean wannabe, funny man
The charmer with loads of personality
The Energizer Bunny, with stitches; terribly fun to eavesdrop on when he's playing alone
The last full day they had here they went to the pool here at school and had it nearly to themselves for part of the time:
The first night they arrived we went out for seafood at RJ Gator's. Here is the requisite pic of gator-eating-kid:
Monkey see, monkey do:
On their last morning I didn't have to work so we had a load of waffles and bacon for breakfast. I think this might be my only pic of Cheri as well! Sorry, Cheri!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
A dorky guilty pleasure
I've come across two new time-waster websites this week, both involving my forbidden desire: cats. Oh, how I want a pet cat again. It just kills me that I am now allergic to the same cat I brought home from the humane society, who lived with ME, who I took care of. Ack. Darn allergies.
Anyway, I'm not one who likes cat t-shirts, cat items, paraphrenalia, etc., but I do enjoy the occasional peek at kitties. Here are three sites-- one old, two new, I've been peeking at this week.
1.) Cuteoverload.com Pics of cute things with baby-talk captions. Cutesy-wootsie cats, rabbits, hedgehogs, puppies, etc. Very tame and family-friendly except for the "cats in racks" category in which kitties are nestled, er, somewhere. But it's not too graphic.
2.) Cats In Sinks Just that. Click the button for another pic of a cat in a sink. That's pretty much it. But it somehow holds my attention.
3.) I Can Has Cheezburger Weird name, even weirder inside jokes, and super weird captions. Most need to be said out loud to understand. But most are cute and some are downright hilarious. Mostly just cats saying silly things. This one is most addictive to me.
Anyone else have time wasters? I feel like I hover in the same corner of the internet all the time-- gmail, school email, msnbc, news-press.com (local news), and askmetafilter.com. Google reader catches all my blog updates for me. If gmail-msnbc-askmetafilter were an actual location, say, like the corner of 5th and Main, I'd have real friends there as I'm a regular. Isn't that weird? There are other people, probably, with the same interests, same "hangouts" on the internet, but I'll never know them.
What are your hangout sites?
Anyway, I'm not one who likes cat t-shirts, cat items, paraphrenalia, etc., but I do enjoy the occasional peek at kitties. Here are three sites-- one old, two new, I've been peeking at this week.
1.) Cuteoverload.com Pics of cute things with baby-talk captions. Cutesy-wootsie cats, rabbits, hedgehogs, puppies, etc. Very tame and family-friendly except for the "cats in racks" category in which kitties are nestled, er, somewhere. But it's not too graphic.
2.) Cats In Sinks Just that. Click the button for another pic of a cat in a sink. That's pretty much it. But it somehow holds my attention.
3.) I Can Has Cheezburger Weird name, even weirder inside jokes, and super weird captions. Most need to be said out loud to understand. But most are cute and some are downright hilarious. Mostly just cats saying silly things. This one is most addictive to me.
Anyone else have time wasters? I feel like I hover in the same corner of the internet all the time-- gmail, school email, msnbc, news-press.com (local news), and askmetafilter.com. Google reader catches all my blog updates for me. If gmail-msnbc-askmetafilter were an actual location, say, like the corner of 5th and Main, I'd have real friends there as I'm a regular. Isn't that weird? There are other people, probably, with the same interests, same "hangouts" on the internet, but I'll never know them.
What are your hangout sites?
Five stitches
(Photo via Court's blog)
The gang did make it home in nearly one piece. As I said before, the wind was a bit rough on Tuesday as were the waves. Court was driving the boat and decided to jump a few waves created by another boat's wake. I guess the boat smacked down pretty hard as the boys in the front of the boat went airborne a bit and then smacked down onto their seats. Except Ethan was laying on his belly, so when he smacked back down he landed on his chin.
"Four people hold me down, five stitches," he proudly proclaimed when I met up with them at home. Yes, four people had to hold him down while he got five stitches in his poor little chin.
So close to making it home in one piece...
And yesterday they went to Sanibel by way of Firestone-- a brake line in their van broke and they spent a good part of the day hanging out near the repair place. They finally did get to the beach and then later had dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger, where Jonathan ate an entire half-pound hamburger and got his picture taken for their Big Eaters wall. Court's blog is here, again.
I think they're headed to Sanibel again today and we're going to try to meet up with them for dinner (any excuse to go to Sanibel is fine with me!).
The gang did make it home in nearly one piece. As I said before, the wind was a bit rough on Tuesday as were the waves. Court was driving the boat and decided to jump a few waves created by another boat's wake. I guess the boat smacked down pretty hard as the boys in the front of the boat went airborne a bit and then smacked down onto their seats. Except Ethan was laying on his belly, so when he smacked back down he landed on his chin.
"Four people hold me down, five stitches," he proudly proclaimed when I met up with them at home. Yes, four people had to hold him down while he got five stitches in his poor little chin.
So close to making it home in one piece...
And yesterday they went to Sanibel by way of Firestone-- a brake line in their van broke and they spent a good part of the day hanging out near the repair place. They finally did get to the beach and then later had dinner at Cheeburger Cheeburger, where Jonathan ate an entire half-pound hamburger and got his picture taken for their Big Eaters wall. Court's blog is here, again.
I think they're headed to Sanibel again today and we're going to try to meet up with them for dinner (any excuse to go to Sanibel is fine with me!).
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
I'm quite disappointed in myself
It's about 65 degrees here and I'm freezing. I know, I know, Northern
Readers, that 65 degrees would be a dream. You would immediately cut
your sleeves and leggings off and expose your lily white arms and legs
to the sun's warming rays. However, you have blood as thick as mashed
potatoes, and mine runs like water. The slightest hint of a breeze
passes by, the temperature varies from 74, and I'm reduced to a
shivering, blue-lipped penguin. My hardy Chicago roots are withering
and I am so sad.
Readers, that 65 degrees would be a dream. You would immediately cut
your sleeves and leggings off and expose your lily white arms and legs
to the sun's warming rays. However, you have blood as thick as mashed
potatoes, and mine runs like water. The slightest hint of a breeze
passes by, the temperature varies from 74, and I'm reduced to a
shivering, blue-lipped penguin. My hardy Chicago roots are withering
and I am so sad.
In other news, my fearless husband and friends are out in a boat, in
the cold water, with cold breezes. By choice. Oh, yeah, and there's
a wind advisory for watercraft today. I look forward to a phone call
at 4:30 which will hopefully tell me they've made it back to land.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Grand Central
On Saturday evening a whirlwind of energy landed in Lehigh Acres, Florida. That whirlwind is made up of two parents, one 8th grade boy, two 6th grade boys, and one kindergarten-aged boy. Have I mentioned I come from a family with two girls? No boys? This is a new experience for me, actually for both of us, considering we have no children and live a very quiet life.
Truly it has been more fun each minute to have the Bowmans here with us-- should we call them Bowmen? Plus Cheri? Anyhow, tonight was an absolute ball-- it was like a marathon of board games. Heaven for me. We started out with a round of Rummikub, followed by a few games of Carrom, capped off with a few rounds of Scattergories. The things the kids came up with in Scattergories were hilarious... Things you keep hidden? Laundgeray. Terms of endearment? Wife. (both submitted by Leland.) Cheri and I were laughing hysterically multiple times tonight. Too much fun. All the while little Ethan was following a pretend treasure map around the living room in circles, looking for treasure which he declared he found in the directions for the Carrom board.
Tomorrow Brad's taking the day off of work and I think they're going to all go rent a boat for part of the day. I'm not sure any of them have a boating license or experience, but being the men they are, they'll figure it out MacGyver style.
You can see Court's play by play at his blog.
Truly it has been more fun each minute to have the Bowmans here with us-- should we call them Bowmen? Plus Cheri? Anyhow, tonight was an absolute ball-- it was like a marathon of board games. Heaven for me. We started out with a round of Rummikub, followed by a few games of Carrom, capped off with a few rounds of Scattergories. The things the kids came up with in Scattergories were hilarious... Things you keep hidden? Laundgeray. Terms of endearment? Wife. (both submitted by Leland.) Cheri and I were laughing hysterically multiple times tonight. Too much fun. All the while little Ethan was following a pretend treasure map around the living room in circles, looking for treasure which he declared he found in the directions for the Carrom board.
Tomorrow Brad's taking the day off of work and I think they're going to all go rent a boat for part of the day. I'm not sure any of them have a boating license or experience, but being the men they are, they'll figure it out MacGyver style.
You can see Court's play by play at his blog.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Picture pages, picture pages
Mom left on Sunday night after a really, really fun visit. Here are a few snapshots. I'll fill in with more later.
Coming up the ramp at the airport...
First taste of coconut shrimp. It has become a tradition to head straight from the airport to the nearest seafood restaurant.
This was R. J. Gators. Hence the gator.
That night we had a family night. The kiddies played on the hammock...
...and tried on their Easter bonnets from Mimi.
This pic just cracks me up. Seen on the automatic sliding door at Marshall's. One would think that Marshall's has high expectations as to the speed of handicapped persons.
Another night we went to this seafood place...
...the freshest in town, they say.
And on Sunday just before Mom left, we went out to Sanibel to Gramma Dot's, for more seafood.
One would think that all we did was go find shrimp to eat. But we did other things, too. Those pictures are on my other camera and will have to wait.
Coming up the ramp at the airport...
First taste of coconut shrimp. It has become a tradition to head straight from the airport to the nearest seafood restaurant.
This was R. J. Gators. Hence the gator.
That night we had a family night. The kiddies played on the hammock...
...and tried on their Easter bonnets from Mimi.
This pic just cracks me up. Seen on the automatic sliding door at Marshall's. One would think that Marshall's has high expectations as to the speed of handicapped persons.
Another night we went to this seafood place...
...the freshest in town, they say.
And on Sunday just before Mom left, we went out to Sanibel to Gramma Dot's, for more seafood.
One would think that all we did was go find shrimp to eat. But we did other things, too. Those pictures are on my other camera and will have to wait.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Two jokes
Brad gets jokes sent to his inbox daily. I don't know the source--
I'll find out. In the meantime, here are two little laughs for you.
Credit to the joke-of-the-day website Brad knows about. These are
posted with you in mind, Grandfather.
I'll find out. In the meantime, here are two little laughs for you.
Credit to the joke-of-the-day website Brad knows about. These are
posted with you in mind, Grandfather.
An earless boss is holding interviews for an open position at his
company. The first candidate comes in to interview. The boss says,
"What is the first thing you notice about me?"
"You have no ears!" says the candidate.
The boss yells in a rage, "Get out of my office!"
The second candidate comes in and is asked, "What is the first thing
you notice about me?"
"You have no ears!" he says.
Again the boss yells in a rage, "Get out of my office!"
The third candidate is called in for his interview. The second
candidate tells him, "Whatever you do, don't mention his ears."
The boss asks the third candidate, "What is the first thing you notice
about me?"
The candidate thinks long and hard, looks the boss up and down, and
says, "You wear contact lenses."
"Amazing!" says the boss. "How did you know?"
The candidate replies, "You haven't any damn ears for the glasses to hang on!"
A farmer and his wife go into town. They come upon the local airport,
what with its fancy planes and everything, and see a pilot doing
loop-de-loops in the air. When the pilot lands the farmer asks, "How
much for a ride?"
The pilot replies, "Ten dollars for three minutes."
"Oh, that's too expensive," says the farmer.
"I'll make you a deal," says the pilot. "I'll take you up there and if
you don't make a noise, you don't pay. But if I hear a sound, it's
ten dollars."
"Deal!" says the farmer. So they go up for a ride, the farmer, his
wife, and the pilot. The pilot takes them through the loop-de-loops
and all the acrobatics, and then lands the plane.
"No sound at all! That was amazing!" he says to the farmer.
"It wasn't so bad," says the farmer, "except I really wanted to scream
when my wife fell out."
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Seen in my statistics class...
...and wildly popular with me as this summer marks TEN YEARS since my mother's second diagnosis. November will be TEN YEARS since she has been healthy, the second time. Save the Ta-Tas indeed. By the way, the student photographed mentioned that there is a whole website with ta-ta gear, in case anyone is interested in having their own ta-ta shirt.
In other news, I received a rejection letter on Saturday from the grad school here at the university where I teach. It seems that they require a passing score on the basic educator's exam, which I have not taken. BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE THE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE. Dur. I'm about ten steps beyond that, so I just went in to meet with the professor in charge of admitting me and got everything squared away. I'm in!!!
Next time I'll tell you about plan A. Attending here is plan B. :)
They got the bad guys!!!
I got a call last night from the county sheriff. The guys who stole my purse have been caught! Three males were caught in a traffic stop near Fort Lauderdale and the officer found over fifty people's identification and credit cards in a hidden compartment in the car. Mine was among them! The guys aren't talking, of course, so we can't assume they'll be charged yet. The detectives on the case are sifting through all of the identification and trying to match prints to cars and the bad guys. Who knows if they'll ever be convicted or anything, but it makes me happy to know they've been caught!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
A few things
1.) We are sickies. The 10 to 14 day flu has moved in. We spent the weekend in a rather lethargic, hacking state and are still sneezing and coughing with regularity. It started Thursday night, so hopefully we're rounding the corner soon.
2.) We took apart the freezer a few weeks ago. After many puddles in the fridge and a few instances of sheets of ice in the freezer, we got all Maytag-repairperson on the freezer and took it apart. Out with the icemaker, out with the back wall thingy, in with the hairdryer. Which warps plastic freezer-floors, you should know. But it's all defrosted and working beautifully. The little drain in the back was frozen shut, so we squirted hot water into it and voila! We are so proud of our money-saving selves.
3.) I'm applying to a grad school in New York. It's a big "IF" and zillions of details would have to align in order for it to work, but I'm going to try anyway.
4.) Brad did not get that job opportunity we were hoping for. But there were over 50 applicants and more than half of those had directly applicable experience, so we're ok with it. There is still one other option at hand, so who knows.
5.) Mom arrives on Saturday. Little did she know her vacation would entail making lots of chicken soup for the sickies. Take your Airborne, Mom.
6.) I finished The Bag. I have been designing the perfect school bag and it's finally done, thanks to sick days and small bursts of energy. I'll post pictures soon.
7.) I also got half of a mannequin. I needed a torso on which to model my aprons, which will soon appear on my etsy shop. I went over to a warehouse place that sells secondhand store fixtures and got me a wicker torso. She's wearing a t-shirt and apron right now and hanging out in the green room. Oh, and I need to post pics of that room! It has been organized and is a dream to work in.
That's it for now.
2.) We took apart the freezer a few weeks ago. After many puddles in the fridge and a few instances of sheets of ice in the freezer, we got all Maytag-repairperson on the freezer and took it apart. Out with the icemaker, out with the back wall thingy, in with the hairdryer. Which warps plastic freezer-floors, you should know. But it's all defrosted and working beautifully. The little drain in the back was frozen shut, so we squirted hot water into it and voila! We are so proud of our money-saving selves.
3.) I'm applying to a grad school in New York. It's a big "IF" and zillions of details would have to align in order for it to work, but I'm going to try anyway.
4.) Brad did not get that job opportunity we were hoping for. But there were over 50 applicants and more than half of those had directly applicable experience, so we're ok with it. There is still one other option at hand, so who knows.
5.) Mom arrives on Saturday. Little did she know her vacation would entail making lots of chicken soup for the sickies. Take your Airborne, Mom.
6.) I finished The Bag. I have been designing the perfect school bag and it's finally done, thanks to sick days and small bursts of energy. I'll post pictures soon.
7.) I also got half of a mannequin. I needed a torso on which to model my aprons, which will soon appear on my etsy shop. I went over to a warehouse place that sells secondhand store fixtures and got me a wicker torso. She's wearing a t-shirt and apron right now and hanging out in the green room. Oh, and I need to post pics of that room! It has been organized and is a dream to work in.
That's it for now.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
My husband does good work.
After spending countless hours cleaning up other people's messes, Brad finally got the instructional manual completed for his department. It's for more than his department, actually, it's for everyone who uses a company credit card. He sent out a memo alerting all of his users to the changes, and got this email response from the Internal Compliance Auditor here on campus. It's quite a compliment, but really, nothing we didn't already know. Brad exudes excellence.
Proud wife am I.
I am so pleased to see this memo, Brad. You work P-card compliance firmly and professionally. P-card usage can so easily become an area of abuse. Procurement Services does a consistently reliable job of monitoring the large number of P-card transactions. It makes this internal auditor sleep better at night.
Thanks to all that make this happen, and keep up the good work!
Proud wife am I.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Worky Work, Busy Bee
Sorry for the silence, dear readers. It's a chaotic season right now. Days and evenings are worky work, weekends are sleeeeeeeeep and sleeeeeeeeep. We're almost through with the germs my new batch of students brought to me this semester, and that is a welcome finale.
Work is going well. I'm happy with my college students during the day, and in the evenings I've started doing trainings at the computer store. The hours fly by, especially in the evening. I feel very fortunate (read: protected by God) with regard to the computer store as they just did a big slashing of hours due to a corporate dictum. Had timing not worked as it had, I probably would not be hired now and we would not be making our budget. Praise God for provision.
And I've completed all my requirements for grad school. Did I mention I'm applying? (I just re-read old posts-- yes, I did.) So the application process is complete. Had a funny thing happen last Thursday. Here are parts of the email I sent to my mom and sister:
That was pretty encouraging, and certainly I can't take credit for that. No preparation? And I am not a genius. It felt like a little confirmation that I'm going in the right direction.
Brad has applied for another job here on campus and I think he'd be perfect for it. The interview process is just starting, so we'll keep you posted. It would be a really great thing for him career-wise and for us financially-- would pay for my grad school and then some. And God has given Brad a peace about it. It's in His hands anyway. We are learning the depth of the truth of that statement more and more this year.
In other news, we went shopping the other day. Steve and Barry's is a shop we had when I was at Purdue; it had collegiate t-shirts 2 for $5 and other such deals. Well, now it has branched out beyond college-wear and we found a few items for Brad. And these fine t-shirts. There were more options, of course, from a closer-to-the-gutter sense of humor category.
For Valentine's Day we made fondue at home, and it was gooood. We started out with cheese fondue made with broth, emmenthaler, and gruyere cheese. Then we had a bouillon to cook chicken and broccoli in (the potatoes needed to be par-cooked first, whoopsies, crunchy potatoes). Finally we had chocolate fondue made with milk chocolate chips, cream, vanilla, and a little peanut butter. A. Ma. Zing. And oh, darn, we had to do it again on Saturday night as there were leftovers and we just couldn't bear wasting them!
Also on Saturday we got the car detailed by a friend of ours here at school. He's graduating this spring but prefers to detail cars at a golf course and did it for us for nothing. It was so nice to get rid of all of the teeny glass shards still sticking around the car from the break-in. Oh, and speaking of, the bastards used my credit card to get lunch for themselves at Chick Fil A and Burger King. Maybe, just maybe, the detective can use this information to catch them. I've mostly let it go, but every once in a while I let loose with a "BASTARDS!" Wouldn't you?
In other happy news, March is quickly approaching and we are full of plans for visitors!!!! The first week is my spring break, which means if I can get sub jobs thats loads of extra money. Then the second week I have to teach but am taking evenings off to spend with... MOM! She comes for a week to see me and a few of her friends who vacation down here as well. The next week Dad comes into town with his "friend" so I don't think they're staying with us, but we will get to see them periodically. Then on Saturday the Bowman tribe arrives! We have been plotting and scheming and are super excited for all of these visits. March is simply amazing, weather-wise down here, and we love to share it with you! April doesn't stink, either. Anyone want to plan a last minute getaway?
We're going to start praying fervently that God would sell our house in October. We either have to refinance or sell, and gosh would it be nice to sell it. It will be a miracle, but God can do that. We would rent a condo for a year or two until I finish my masters and then see what happens. That's something you could pray for.
Hope you all are well. I'm off to proctor a midterm exam and then meet with the education department to chart my course of studies. Wheee!
Work is going well. I'm happy with my college students during the day, and in the evenings I've started doing trainings at the computer store. The hours fly by, especially in the evening. I feel very fortunate (read: protected by God) with regard to the computer store as they just did a big slashing of hours due to a corporate dictum. Had timing not worked as it had, I probably would not be hired now and we would not be making our budget. Praise God for provision.
And I've completed all my requirements for grad school. Did I mention I'm applying? (I just re-read old posts-- yes, I did.) So the application process is complete. Had a funny thing happen last Thursday. Here are parts of the email I sent to my mom and sister:
"So I've had an interesting morning. I went to my 9:30 class, taught for an hour, and had 30 minutes to kill until my stats class. I went online to find some sample questions for this Millers Analogies Test, which is the quickest, cheapest option for grad school entrance exams around here. (Sorry, Sis, that you have to take the GRE.) I found two sample tests online and took each, and got 17/20 and 18/20! I was pleasantly surprised! I breathed a sigh of relief and thought maybe this isn't going to be so hard to cram for all weekend.
My half hour drew to a close, and I headed off to stats. Funny thing-- my students were walking the wrong way! One girl who recognized me told me that the prof had cancelled the class due to a meeting! Woo hoo! Free hour and a half! ...and my mind started thinking. Hm. I just took two practice tests. I surprised myself at how well I did. I have the registration form and check in my hand, which I had planned to take to the testing center anyhow... but surely I couldn't take it now. The form expressly says in bold letters that I must pay at least one day prior to taking the test, to give them time to set up and make sure they're not overbooked.
Unbelievably, they got me right in. I got to take the test spur-of-the-moment. I got a 450 out of 600. Not bad for not preparing, I thought. I needed a 400 to get in, so I have that. But I wonder what the percentile is-- like, how do I compare with others? I looked online. The standard deviation is 25. The average is 400. Thanks to my stats class, I now know that says I scored in the 97th percentile.
I think I'm going to grad school."
That was pretty encouraging, and certainly I can't take credit for that. No preparation? And I am not a genius. It felt like a little confirmation that I'm going in the right direction.
Brad has applied for another job here on campus and I think he'd be perfect for it. The interview process is just starting, so we'll keep you posted. It would be a really great thing for him career-wise and for us financially-- would pay for my grad school and then some. And God has given Brad a peace about it. It's in His hands anyway. We are learning the depth of the truth of that statement more and more this year.
In other news, we went shopping the other day. Steve and Barry's is a shop we had when I was at Purdue; it had collegiate t-shirts 2 for $5 and other such deals. Well, now it has branched out beyond college-wear and we found a few items for Brad. And these fine t-shirts. There were more options, of course, from a closer-to-the-gutter sense of humor category.
For Valentine's Day we made fondue at home, and it was gooood. We started out with cheese fondue made with broth, emmenthaler, and gruyere cheese. Then we had a bouillon to cook chicken and broccoli in (the potatoes needed to be par-cooked first, whoopsies, crunchy potatoes). Finally we had chocolate fondue made with milk chocolate chips, cream, vanilla, and a little peanut butter. A. Ma. Zing. And oh, darn, we had to do it again on Saturday night as there were leftovers and we just couldn't bear wasting them!
Also on Saturday we got the car detailed by a friend of ours here at school. He's graduating this spring but prefers to detail cars at a golf course and did it for us for nothing. It was so nice to get rid of all of the teeny glass shards still sticking around the car from the break-in. Oh, and speaking of, the bastards used my credit card to get lunch for themselves at Chick Fil A and Burger King. Maybe, just maybe, the detective can use this information to catch them. I've mostly let it go, but every once in a while I let loose with a "BASTARDS!" Wouldn't you?
In other happy news, March is quickly approaching and we are full of plans for visitors!!!! The first week is my spring break, which means if I can get sub jobs thats loads of extra money. Then the second week I have to teach but am taking evenings off to spend with... MOM! She comes for a week to see me and a few of her friends who vacation down here as well. The next week Dad comes into town with his "friend" so I don't think they're staying with us, but we will get to see them periodically. Then on Saturday the Bowman tribe arrives! We have been plotting and scheming and are super excited for all of these visits. March is simply amazing, weather-wise down here, and we love to share it with you! April doesn't stink, either. Anyone want to plan a last minute getaway?
We're going to start praying fervently that God would sell our house in October. We either have to refinance or sell, and gosh would it be nice to sell it. It will be a miracle, but God can do that. We would rent a condo for a year or two until I finish my masters and then see what happens. That's something you could pray for.
Hope you all are well. I'm off to proctor a midterm exam and then meet with the education department to chart my course of studies. Wheee!
Sunday, February 03, 2008
Just What I've Always Wanted To Be
Seen while shopping at CVS:
If your favorite vegetable is a corn dog, you're a Mitchum man.
Struck me as funny for some reason.
We're hunkering down for the day as we both have whatever rotten cold is going around. We don't have much of an opinion about the big game but hope to see some fun commercials.
If your favorite vegetable is a corn dog, you're a Mitchum man.
Struck me as funny for some reason.
We're hunkering down for the day as we both have whatever rotten cold is going around. We don't have much of an opinion about the big game but hope to see some fun commercials.
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