Silly

I like paper chains. I don't know if it's the counting or the visual aspect of it, but I just really like to make them and use them when I'm getting close to either Spring Break or the end of the school year. So, Friday, I was at school late, helping kids sporadically as they caught up on their homework and decided to make a paper chain for the five, yes five, days left until Spring Break! Usually, I use pretty colored paper, but this time, I used a piece of graph paper!!!! How very nerdy of me, eh?

Movie of the Day: Ghost. Remember when Unchained Melody was ALL the rage (think 1988-ish)?

Rain

Personally, I like the sound of rain on my window, especially when I'm on the dry side of the window.

For the past few years, rain has meant a little river of water starts to flow in my basement. Not this year! Nope. No river. However, since the fixing of my foundation meant the destruction of my driveway until later this Spring, the river, or more the swamp, has moved to the driveway area. Muck. Muck. Muckity. Muck. Here are a few photos:


Do you see the boards on the left side of the above picture? That's how I walk between the house and the garage. They get slippery, but at least they spare my shoes.

This is where the driveway meets the garage. You can see what the tires track in each day.

Movie of the Day: Drives Me Crazy.

Uh Oh

Um, what do you think it means when my lucky bamboo dies?

On a happier note, parent conferences are done for the year! This is a major sign of Spring and more importantly, SUMMER!!!!

Movie of the Day: Twilight. I'm going to try to see it this weekend.

WeLF

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Your only obligation is to enjoy Friday. Make it special. Be cheerful. Smile at a stranger. Bring chocolate to work. Wear silly socks or a wacky tie. Skip down the hall. Do whatever it takes for people to think "Why is he/she so cheerful?"

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Movie of the Day: Freaky Friday. (Okay, try not to have one of those!)

A Fun Word

I was reading a quote book yesterday and stumbled on a new fun word. Of course, I've heard it before, but just never realized how fun it is to say:

plump

The quote: The future was plump with promise. ~ Maya Angelou

Isn't it a great word to say? Say out loud a couple times and just listen to the pop of the last "p."

Movie of the Day: What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Sneak In Some Learning

It appears we have school today. As soon as it starts snowing, we will all have one eye out the window. Makes for some interesting learning...

Last year, Duluth had a freak storm that dropped 17 inches of snow on one part of town (where my little car and I were parked) and left the other part of town nearly snow-free! It took me a LONG time to get home (2.5 hours, I just checked my Dec. 4, 2007 entry) and I couldn't understand why my loved ones didn't seem concerned for my safety. They were in the snowless section.

Let's hope things are better today.

Movie of the Day: Mystic Pizza. (No connection to above; I'm just hungry.)

Daylight Savings + 1

Have you noticed that the Sunday of Daylight Savings Time isn't as brutal as the Monday after the Sunday of Daylight Savings Time (well, at least in the Spring when we "lose" an hour)?

I wasn't thinking clearly and decided to stay up late Saturday night and do homework/laundry/cleaning, just to get it over with. Then, as I'm putting clothes away, it hits me that it's Daylight Savings and that meant it was really "midnight." ARGH!

Movie of the Day: The Secret of NIMH. A cartoon movie from my youth that I'd never seen until this weekend. Scientists save the day.

The Grand Canyon

Here are some pictures from the Grand Canyon, South Rim in Arizona.

This is a a warning sign at a rest area between Sedona and Phoenix (Southbound). It's on the edges of the pet-walking area. Not so restful, eh?

Uff

It's all about personalities. My health insurance has this deal where if you go through their programs (walking, counseling, whatever) you get a lower rate. So, last year, I did the stress program (can't you tell that I'm so much more chill now than I was a year ago?). This year, I'm working on the eating better and exercising thing. Both programs involve reading some material, trying some activities, and then talking with a person on the phone.

Maybe it was because it was a stress thing or something, but last year's lady was way more chill than this year's lady. I talked to her for the first time tonight and she gave me a TON of homework. Now, I can deal with it, but it was a minor shock to the system. I guess I should have expected it. Too funny.

I'm going to go eat another serving of fruit now...

Movie of the Day: Hanging Up. Stressful movie.

On the Road

Here are a few pictures of the drive to Sedona and then the sunset in Sedona itself:

Movie of the Day: Australia. Good movie. Long, so pace yourself on the beverages.

Dang Nabbit!

I bought a lovely cowboy hat while I was at the Grand Canyon. I didn't really decide if it was for me or to be a souvenir, but as I was wearing it last night while correcting quizzes (I'm weird.), I found out that I'm allergic to the hat! Dang Nabbit!

It makes me itch. My sister is allergic to all things hemp, so I guess it isn't too weird that I'm allergic to straw. It's too back because it's cute! I will be looking for a good home for the lovely hat.

Here's a picture:

Cacti

Desert Botanical Garden ~ Art

I was in Phoenix the past week and was able to take in the Desert Botanical Garden last Monday. Dale Chihuly has an art exhibit there until May 31st and it's beautiful! His glass sculptures are mingled with the cacti and so spectacular that I started forgetting to look at the plants! Here are a few pictures:

Stay tuned for cacti pictures!

Movie of the Day: Slumdog Millionaire. I was able to see it while I was gone and it really did deserve an Oscar.

Greetings From AZ!!!

It's a sunny, yet chilly, day in Sedona. The rock formations, cacti, and hills make me feel like I'm far, far away from home. Ah.... nothing like a vacation! Well, not just a vacation, but one with funky jewelry to find, interesting art, and fun cultural events to attend.

I'll have heaps of pictures to share when I get back.

Movie of the Day: The Sandlot. And the cacti lot.

Soon

Tonight, I head South. I will not think about recent plane crashes. I will not think about the new kidnapping capital of the U.S. I will think about being warm and away from homework. I will remember my icy driveway and how it is far, far away.

I will return in about a week. I will not have a computer with me at all times. I will try to find a way to blog at least once.

Movie of the Day: Raising Arizona. :)

Mucky

Last Fall, I had work done to fix the foundation of my house. The contractor said that the paving of my driveway (which needed tearing up in order to do the foundation and needed replacing eventually), should be done in the Spring, when the rock they laid down settled.

I followed his advice. So, all last Fall, my driveway was a mess. White muck. Now, after two days of rain, the snow is gone and the muck is back! Ugh. Maybe I could put down a nice big tarp?

Movie of the Day: Uncle Buck. Buck rhymes with Muck. This reminds me of the cartoon Rhymes with Orange, which was hilarious.

Languages

I'm always in awe of people who speak many, many languages. Anything more than three counts in my book. There are so many that I'd like to learn:

French
Norwegian
Italian
more fluent Spanish
Finnish

I like accents too.

Movie of the Day: Cinema Paradiso. Cute.

Snakes

I told a kid that I was going somewhere that had a lot of snakes and they wanted me to bring back one for them. Well, they didn't verbalize the request, but I'm sure it was bouncing around in their mind. Now, as much as I'd like to fulfill this request, I don't think the airport security would like me to even attempt to bring a snake on a plane.

This reminds me of a student who tried to bring a turtle home from Florida. He was busted too.

So, for now, I will focus on some sort of snake souvenir.

Movie of the Day: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist. It has nothing to do with snakes, but is a great movie.

Books

I need to decide which books to take on my trip. I will be heading South, by plane, so the books need to be somewhat light and perhaps not about Alaska.

So, I sift through my pile of books and try to predict what I will be in the mood to read in a week.

It's all about variety, I think.

Movie of the Day: MILK. Saw it last night with some friends. Very good movie. Ironically, there was a long National Guard commercial beforehand. Does that seem weird to anyone else?

One Week

We have one week and one day left until February Break. The nice thing about this week off is that there aren't any major holidays to work into the schedule. We can all just relax, leave town, or catch up on some sleep.

I am leaving town. I will be warm. I am psyched!!!!

Movie of the Day: The Breakfast Club.