Quiet

I tried to be all cool and stay out late on New Year's Eve.  Okay, maybe later than 8:30, but the rain turned ice turned snow forced the sensible part of my brain to make the rest of me go home early.   So, here I am, safe, sound, and sleepy in my cozy home.  Time to curl up with a book and fall asleep early.  Why not? 

So long, 2011!

New New New

I decided to try Facebook Timeline today and it's actually kind of cool.  I also decided to try a new blogspot format, but I don't know if you'll even be able to tell a difference (it might just be for the writer).  Any way, for some reason, I'm in the mood for new things.  I guess that's a good thing, right? 

What will you do that's new in 2012?

John Adams

I watched the first two parts of the John Adams miniseries last night.  What struck me, aside from my lack of remembering much from 8th grade American History class, sorry Miss Hoff, was how much John relied on his wife Abigail.  It was so cool to see how well they got along and how much they loved and respected each other.  That's not very common in movies these days.  The only other movie I can think of like that is Date Night. 

I'm hoping to get the next installment in the mail this weekend!

Wrong Season, Right Idea

Up

Well, I woke up WAY early this morning, like before 4 AM.  Boo!   So, by 5, I decided to get out of bed and clean.  As long as I'm awake, I might as well be productive.  I'm in a clean and sort kind of mood again today and it's nice to get some stuff done that I've been "overlooking" for a long time.  If I were brilliant, I would bring in a few empty boxes to fill for rummage. 

I'm pretty sure other people are in this mode or the stores wouldn't be selling lots of "storage" and "organizing" stuff right now.  Stow this.  Hide that.  Etc.  It's all very alluring.  The Container Store is way too much fun.  Good thing the closest one is 2 hours away.

On to the Relaxing!!!

Christmas is not relaxing.  Christmas is hard work.  Either, there is a lot of food to help cook or lots of things that need cleaning up or whatever.  Either way, I came home last night and slept for 12 hours.  Yes, 12.  I would have slept more, but my mom called and woke me up.  After chatting for 20 minutes, she said she should let me go back to sleep.  I just laughed, because of course I couldn't go back to sleep after talking.  Plus, I was dreaming of diet Cherry Coke, which I should not have (and don't have in the house).   So.... once I get moving in full swing, there might be a trip to the grocery store in my future.  Big plans!

My Arm

My arm is on the front page of the local news section of the Duluth News Tribune today.  If you look to the far left, you will see a black coat sleeve with a pink mitten.  That's me!!!!  My mom and I went to a vigil on the steps of City Hall yesterday.  The vigil was for the homeless in Duluth and it happens every Christmas Eve at noon.  CHUM collects blankets, mittens, hats, and monetary donations for the poor.   There is carol singing, prayers, soloists, poetry, and then a reading of all of the homeless who died in Duluth over the past year.  Signs with names of the people are passed to members of the crowd and they go up front when their person's name is read.  I held the sign for Nicole W, 37.  I don't know anything else about her. 

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Coupons

I have a huge pile of coupons and deals for stores that expire tomorrow.  The thrift in me wants to go use them up, but the part of me that knows I have everything I need tells me to stay away from stores today.   Seriously.  Who in their right mind is going shopping today? 

Well, actually, do you think there will be single men shopping?  I could offer my assistance...

It's Here!

The last day of school before break is here!!!  We're all really excited!  We have an assembly this morning (band, orchestra, and choir concert) and then regular classes after school.  Then....relax!  Well, that's at least what I'M going to do.

A few kids were talking about not coming to school today.  Then, I mentioned that some people will be handing out treats (not me) and they changed their tune. hmmmm....

Hustle and Bustle

So, we prepare and prepare and by December 26th things are a little more chill.   But then what?  Are you saving enough energy for AFTER Christmas?  Will you relax?  Will you relax so much that you get sick from being so stressed and then crash too quickly?  Maybe you aren't stressed right now? 

May you be chill right now and enjoy the moment.

Good Question

I've been asking people if they're going anywhere for Christmas, just to liven up an antsy kind of week.  Everyone needs a vacation in a bad way and thinking about traveling, even if it's someone else's trip, makes me happy.  So, I ask.  So far, not many trips, except to Wisconsin, which can be pretty wild and crazy!

Where are you going over break?

Well, Weird

So, the stupid plumbing is still not working in my house.  At least not working well.  What a drag.  Time to call in the professionals, AGAIN.  Then, switch back the low-flow toilet.  It's ridiculous.  The plumbing company said HALF of their jobs are from low-flow toilets.  That's just plain crazy!!!

My House Hates Me

Plumbing issues again.  For the second time in one month.  BOOOOO!!!!!!  Not time to blog.  Must clean up.  Uff.

Rachel's Challenge

Both high schools in Duluth had a presentation yesterday called Rachel's Challenge.  Rachel Scott was the first person to be killed at the Columbine High School shooting in 1999.  Since then, millions of people have heard her story and some of her ideas about ways to make a difference in the world.  She had 5 main ideas in her code of ethics.  It's all right here at Rachel's Challenge. 

I spent a good part of the school day crying yesterday, which is not my favorite thing, but I'm hoping that it will change the culture of our school and make a positive impact. 

Homework

I hate feeling swamped with homework.  I can't just let things sit without feeling tons of pressure (from mainly myself) to get it done.  So, I spent hours last night and an hour this morning (from 5 to 6) correcting.  It's not even done, but I feel better.  Oy! 

Maybe I can even goof off this weekend!

Sewing

It's about this time of year that I feel like plunking in a movie and sewing some fleece blankets.  This year, I have some fabric that I'd like to make into a skirt.  I just need to investigate patterns and con my mom into re-teaching me what I learned in 7th grade sewing class.  That was only 25 years ago, so it shouldn't be to hard to remember (ha ha)!

Dear Wednesday,

Dear Wednesday,
Thanks for being here today.  I'm wondering if your morning and afternoon could fly by quickly so I can get on with my goofing off tonight and get one step closer to the weekend.  I know it's a lot to ask on such short notice, but I have faith in you.  You can do it!!!

Thank you so much,
  Becca

Grown-Up Advent Calendar

I bought myself some yummy Belgian chocolates the other day and I know how compulsive I am with sweets, so I decided to call it my Advent calendar.  One chocolate a day and it'll take me past Christmas.  So far, they have all been amazing and I've only had one per day.  Whew. 

When I was growing up, Santa brought candy cane tubes of fake M&M's for our stockings.  I wonder if those still exist.  I don't recommend them, just wonder.  Okay, enough random chocolate talk.

Enough, Please

I'm getting tired of multiple emails from the same 6 stores who convinced me to give them my email so I could get an initial deal of some sort.   I like getting some of the coupons, once a week, throughout the year, but one or more emails PER DAY from the same store is getting annoying.   No one needs to go to Michael's every day unless they are extremely unorganized.  Uff.  So, delete, delete, delete!

I'm hoping January will be more peaceful.

9 Days

We have 9 days of school left before break.  One of my students is gone this week for a vacation.  He actually asked if he had to make up the work he's going to miss.  "Come on, it's called a vacation."   Um, yes.  IN TWO WEEKS you get a vacation.  If you go when there is school, you have homework.  Argh! 

Oh well.

I'm Tense.

Okay, you know you're a tense person when you're getting a massage and mention that maybe you could buy a heating pad to help with your tense back and she says "Or a jackhammer."  Uff.  hmmmm... what would be a blunt way to create a jackhammer effect besides getting daily massages?  hmmmm...  something to ponder.  Or, I could try to learn how to not hold my stress in my back.  

Good Movie

Sometimes my Netflix queue gets neglected and I end up with some random movie that I put in the queue on a  whim a long time ago and then forgot to move anything more urgent into the first spot on the list.  So, I end up with a movie in my house that I might not be hyper to see at the time.

Last week it was a 3-hour foreign film that I just didn't have time for and sent back immediately.  Last night, I opened the movie, another foreign film, and decided to at least try it.  It was 2 hours and 45 minutes long and awesome!  It's called Like Stars on Earth and it's about a kid with a learning disability in India.  It was a vibrant movie with music and art and lots of sweet moments.  I would definitely recommend it.

Birthdays

My friend Nate should  have turned 38 today.  He died a year and a half ago, suddenly.  The loss still has the ability to make me sob on a dime.  He was friends with everyone.  He was super smart.  He was silly and adventurous and rational.  He REFUSED to help me meet Zach Braff, whom he had ONE degree of separation from (oh so close!).  He and his wife showed me around Paris.  He was always about gathering people together.  And I miss him.

Where ever you are Nate, I hope they have amazing French pastry!

Vocabulary

Our ninth graders are going to a Respect Retreat this week.  Half of the class will go Thursday and the other half will go on Friday.  They will walk across to the parking lot and have the retreat in the basement of the neighboring church.  It's a non-religious thing, just held off-campus, in what happens to be a church. 

I had a kid ask me why it was at a church and then said "I'm not even a polyhedrian."  I replied with, "Do you mean a Presbyterian?"  "Yeah."   TOO FUNNY.   If you don't know, a "polyhedron" is a many sided three-dimensional object.  Ah, ninth graders!

Uproar

It's the third grading period and the Algebra Lab teachers are switching things up for it!  We're adding practice questions from the beginning of the year and I'm being more intentional about the hour.   Well, this didn't go over so well with the ol' students.  In fact, they signed a petition (all but two of them) to get rid of the worksheets.  HA!  What they don't think about is that this is not a democratic classroom.  It's a dictatorship!  HA!  So, we will do the worksheets and they will learn and it'll be good for all of us.  (One side benefit is that when they hate the worksheets they come together to hate me instead of hating each other all hour!)

Blue Christmas

My church has a Blue Christmas service for people who don't find Christmas to be entirely happiness and light.  Maybe it reminds us of a loved one who is gone or that we are alone or whatever.  For me, I feel a slight urge to go, but almost feel like I don't deserve to be blue.  I should be grateful for what I have and happy that even though I've lost people in my life, at least they were there for a time.  Maybe I need a Light Blue Christmas? 

For those of you gone, know that I'm thinking of you and for those of you yet to arrive, know that I'm thinking of you too (and hop to it, already!  There is fun to be had!).

Good Music

I went to St. Olaf College, known for it's music, it's math (in math circles) and it's connection to Rose Nyland on Golden Girls.  Any way, this weekend is the Christmas Festival.  It's sold out.  It always is.  However, every few years, they broadcast (via satellite) to movie theaters around the country!   Today, it's at Duluth 10 in Canal Park.  2:30 PM.  $20.  AMAZING music.  Every year they sing Beautiful Savior and it's so lovely. 

Dream Trips

Pretend you won an all-expenses paid trip.  Where would you go?  My list of options is huge!

• Italy
• Greece
• Norway
• Peru
• Australia
• Switzerland
• Finland
• Sweden
• Banff
• Boston
• Atlanta
• Cleveland, TX
• Pittsburgh
• Portland, ME
• California 
• Washington
• Vail, CO
• Denver, CO
• Madison, WI
• Iowa City, IA
• Memphis, TN
• Grand Marais, MN
• Washington, D.C.

Variety is the spice of life, right?  
What's on your list?

Early Panic

It's December 2nd and I feel like I need to finish all of my Christmas stuff this weekend.  That doesn't make ANY sense.  I know I have days and days, but there is something that tells me "HURRY!"  Maybe that something is the media.   The ONSLAUGHT of Christmas advertising is way more than I recall from past years.  I suppose I should unsubscribe to some email updates and that would help.  I'll put that on my To Do list this weekend!
 
Ha ha.

5AM

Dear Neighbors,

I apologize for the 5:15 AM shoveling you heard this morning.  I was trying to avoid too many boot prints in the snow along the sidewalk that we are required to clear within 24 hours of the snow stopping.  I didn't "win," but surely I avoided a lot.  Unfortunately, that means you heard me shoveling.  Unless, of course, you are a heavy sleeper or out of town.  If that's the case, then, ignore this letter.

I'm not a fan of shoveling, but I guess I'd rather get it done BEFORE school and it's inevitable exhaustion than have to dread it all day.  This won't be the case on days that I'm super lazy in the morning, but today, it worked.  Sorry again.

Sincerely,
Becca