Zion

We just had a week off of school and I escaped Duluth! The coolest place I went was Zion National Park. I saw Bryce Canyon also, but the fog made "seeing it" a little tough.

Here are some pictures. The stone structures jutting up are called Hoodoos (who do-s).

Pretty, eh?

Movie of the Day: The House of Sand and Fog.

Dump the Junk

A friend of mine told me about a website that allows you to take your name off of catalog mailing lists. It was very liberating! If you have catalogs littering your house and you don't order from them (or you like to order online now), please consider following the steps below:

1. Go to www.catalogchoice.org
2. Create an account (your name, a password, an email address, and then the address you get the catalogs at).
3. Search for the catalogs you want to quit receiving.
4. Tell them why you are removing your name (or you can say "No comment.").
5. Hit "Decline".
6. Log off.

It's super duper easy.

Movie of the Day: You've Got Mail. Lots of it. Most of it junk. :)

Very Classy

I tried to have a classy Valentine's dinner last night. With my parents and my sister. Yes, I know that sounds very Valentine-y/romantic, but if you really think about it, if Valentine's is about love, then who better to share it with than family? Any way, we tried to go to Scenic Cafe, a lovely establishment with interesting/funky food for a 4:45 reservation.

Well, it turns out Valentine's Day is a day for VERY interesting and VERY funky food. Also, steep prices. As we looked at the special menu for the day, everyone kind of cringed. I'm sure the food was lovely, but just not our style. My mom didn't want quail, duck, or whatever else. I had a hard time finding something vegetarian that sounded like food.

So, before the waters arrived, we decided to bail, and head up the road to Two Harbors. Yes, we ended up at Culvers. I know. I know. Classy, eh? Well, the whole thing came to 1.5 meals at Scenic and we still spent time together (and had dessert too)!

Movie of the Day: Scenes from a Mall.

Mush and Guts

Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone! I look at today as a day to avoid a sugar coma, a day to watch for signs of teenage depression in my students, a day to wish I had a sugar antidote, and a day to figure out how to discreetly hand out the val-o-grams in class when only certain kids will get them (sent by friends as a fundraiser). All of these things are resistant, huh?

On a happier note, we have all of next week off of school and I am PSYCHED!!!!

Some favorite mushy movies in case you are so inclined: The Notebook. When Harry Met Sally. Ever After. Meet Joe Black. Harry and the Hendersons (j/k).

Morning Blogging

You may have noticed a drop off in my blogging. I would like to blame my treadmill. Mr. Treadmill has been taking up 31.5 minutes of my usual morning routine and that pretty much deletes all blogging time before school. Sadly, that is when I'm the most inclined to write (like now). I didn't walk today because my newly-acquired cold is making me a wimp. I know it's a lame excuse, but it's my excuse.

Any way, sorry.

Movie of the day: Walk the Line. I will, again. Eventually.

Not So Deep

I wanted to write something deep and meaningful, but decided to show you my penguins instead:

Could Be a Miracle

I was a little hyper on Thursday at school. I don't know why. I was just in a goofy mood, I guess. So, I told my 3rd hour math class that I thought we should all wear the same color Friday. We decided on blue. One kid kept saying "I pity the fool who don't wear blue."

As the kids walked into class yesterday, they congratulated everyone who wore blue. We allowed blue jeans to count, which seems fair. EVERY SINGLE PERSON WORE BLUE!!!! Yes, this is shocking. The emo kids, the jocks, the nerds, the preps, the teacher, the special ed assistant. Everyone wore blue. We don't even get this much participation for Homecoming! One girl had to hide blue under her dance uniform!

It was awesome!

Movie of the Day: The Hunt For Red October. Or Blue February.

Somber

Yesterday was Fat Tuesday. I celebrated. Yep. I had a chocolate chip cookie. From a gas station. I am wild!!!!

Today, is Ash Wednesday, which means I have a big decision. Ashes on the forehead and get a zit or ashes on my hand and look like a wimp. Anyone have a strong opinion?

Movie of the Day: Come Early Morning. Ashley Judd is in it. Tee hee.

That's Just Scary

Okay, I've been in a church group for over two years now and each week we talk about Spiritual Promptings that we've had. Ideas or nudges from God. This is my favorite part of our list of things to focus on and this week, I had a doosy.

Duluth had two days off of school due to weather and by the evening of the second day, I was pretty bored with my own company. So, I decided to light a candle, turn off all of the lights in my house and pray/meditate.

While praying, I had the idea of gathering my coworkers to go out after work to socialize. We like to go to a restaurant a little distance from school so that we don't run into too many parents/kids/alums. It's easier to talk freely.

It was Wednesday and I thought I could maybe pull things together for Friday, but once I got back to school, it slipped my mind until Friday. I figured maybe NEXT Friday would be good.

Any way, my 4th hour routine is to check my mailbox and buy a bottle of pop (I know, it's bad.) I went to the machine and our phy. ed. teacher walked out of the gym and said, "Becca, were you thinking of getting people together to go to Blackwoods some time after school?"

Freaky!!!! "Yes, that is so weird. I thought of doing that for today. How about next Friday?"

I'm still a little freaked out just thinking about it now. I did not tell a SOUL about my idea. Not one person! However, when I got back to my room, I sent out a quick email to a couple friends to see if that seemed like a good idea and they all said "Yes." Crazy!!!!

Guess where I'll be after school on Friday?

Movie of the Day: Whale Rider. If you haven't seen this, go. Rent. Enjoy.