Are you excited?

This is such a loaded question and one that was asked of me this morning.  Are you excited for school to start up again? 

September 6th will be my 15th "Start of the School Year" from the Teacher's Side of the Desk.   Every year has many blessings and many different things thrown at us.  Maybe it's a record football season and the kids hop fan buses to the State Tournament (thus messing with my lesson plans, oh well).  Maybe a famous person visits the school for an assembly or a teacher wins an award.  Maybe there are times when we all have to pull together to get through an issue or an event.  There are SO many different things that come up, and that's just "events."

The first day of class goes like this: I have an approximately accurate list of students who should be in my room, within about 5 minutes of the bell.  I introduce myself, mention what class this is (Algebra 2 or whatever) and then tell the kids to let me know of any nicknames they would like me to use in class, within reason.  Then, I read the list, trying not to botch the names too badly and ask for corrections.  Then, I try to give myself a mnemonic so I can remember the kid or write down "glasses" "front" "blue shirt" or something else descriptive. 

While I have the kids filling out a survey, I try to memorize the names.  This works for the first three classes of the day and then my brain is full.  The last two will just have to wait.  For the first three classes, though, once I'm feeling confident, I announce "I know all of your names."   Then, I go up and down the aisles. The kids are shocked. 

By the end of the day, I have no voice and I just want to go home and have another week of summer.  So, am I excited?  Sure.  Will I cherish this last week of vacation?  YES!

Sculpture Garden

Here are a few photos from the Sculpture Garden next to the Walker Center in Minneapolis, MN.

August

August is the "Sunday" of the calendar.   The I-Better-Get-Things-Done part of the year before reality hits with a bang in September.   It's not like I don't do things once school starts, but it always FEELS like I won't be able to do things once it starts.  Sure, I can't use the washroom whenever I'd like and I can't take a week-long vacation to somewhere warm in the  middle of any old month, but I should be able to see friends and read books.  Seeing friends are reading books has been pretty much all I've done this Summer too!  Okay, I have been working on remodeling my basement bathroom and for any of you who have been to my house, you know it's been about 9 years of bathroom destruction.  Soooo... it's high time, right?

Movie of the Day: August Rush. So true.

Drip, Drip, Drip

It's a wee bit humid around here lately and I think most of us are sick of it.  I have one friend who LOVES warm weather and I should be talking to her so I can talk to someone cheerful.   The rest of us are suffering. 

What are your favorite ways to escape the heat?

73, Please

I like the sun.  I do, honest.   I just don't do well in 90 degree weather.  I'm not productive.  I let my dishes sit for days.  Now, some are thinking "You do this in the winter, too, Becca" but in the winter I notice that I haven't done them.  In the heat of summer, I don't even care that I haven't done them.   Is that pathetic or what? 

Today, I'm going for a walk outside and I'm sweating just sitting at my computer.  This might be a silly thing to do. 

Saw Midnight in Paris yesterday.  Good movie!

Coffee

I gave up pop a while back and then accidentally started drinking it again.   Today I read an article online about how diet pop is horrible for you and makes one obese (oh joy!).   So, now I'm going to work on cutting out artificial sweeteners.   For a diabetic, this is kind of the kiss of death or at least flavor.  Maybe I'm being dramatic, as I am prone to do, but seriously!?!  It's a big step. 

My sister suggested starting to drink coffee (not just the chocolate frou frou stuff, but like normal coffee).  Well, this might be my only source of caffeine and we don't want to see me without caffeine.  At least not yet.  There are only so many changes one person should have to make at once, right, if they have any choice in the matter.

So, how do you take your coffee (caffeine, water)?  I need suggestions!

30%

I'm a math gal.  I get it.  So when I read the weather forecast and it says 30% chance of a thunderstorm tonight, part of me says "Oh, it won't happen."  However, I don't trust the percentages they give.   Even the MENTION of a storm means it is more likely to happen than 30%.  If they say 60%, I plan for rain.  If they say 80%, it's probably already raining! 

What's with the misuse of percentages?  Is their formula wonky?  Are they trying to be optimistic?  Are they in cahoots with the emergency umbrella and poncho sellers of the world?   What's the deal?

Movie of the Day: Singin' in the Rain.

Remember Me?

I went to an engagement party yesterday for friends I haven't seen in 15 years!   There were other people from college there and I recognized a few of them and none of them recognized me.  Now, I don't blame them; it's been a long time!   I just think it's funny that I could remember them!   So, I went home and scoured my old yearbooks and a few things clicked into place.  Of guy was a math major like me.  Ah ha!  Another lady lived in my dorm.   It's all becoming clear. 

Choosing a Book

I have quite a few books on my shelf waiting to be read.  Whenever I finish a book, I stare at the shelf of new choices and end up trying about 5 before I actually settle on which one I'll read.  The last book I read took about 4 tries before I was ready to read it.  I was aiming for hardcover books because they take up more space and I figured they'd feel better "out of my hands" when I finished.  I also, sometimes, think a book needs to "do time" on the shelf before I can read it.  No sense in letting a new book "take cuts."  Of course, I know this is silly.  Who cares? 

Maybe I think that if I don't read some of the old books, I'll just keep buying new ones and never read them.  I don't know. 

Do you have unread books cluttering your shelves?  I wonder what I would do if I had a Nook or Kindle?  It would be kind of freaky not having my house littered with books!

Movie of the Day is actually going to be a comedy special:  Daniel Tosh: Completely Serious.  NOT for the faint of heart.  Hilarious and so so so wrong.  I streamed it on Netflix.

Art Fair

This weekend is the Park Point Art Fair.  I think I MAY have missed one of them in the last 25 years.  Maybe.  I'm hoping the sun today will dry up the mud so the artists can set up camp nicely and we can walk without slogging.  It's all pretty exciting.

There are booths that I like to look at but would never buy anything from: the infinity table (look in and see to infinity), the leather booth, the earrings that I could make myself.  But then there is the pottery!!!!!   Oh my.  I spend a lot on pottery, stained glass, and maybe jewelry.  So, we'll see.....

I also usually run into old friends, neighbors, coworkers, former pastors, and the like down there.   I guess my friends love art too.

Hope to see you there!

Sheesh

I forgot that I changed my comments to "moderate" and then stepped away for MONTHS! Sheesh. Sorry about that kids!

Okay, so the sights in Duluth look like mud, or puddles, or tracks through the mud and puddles. I am taking a yoga class and the window looks out to Lake Superior. You would think this would be wonderful, but it's down-right grey out there! Lovely waves, though.

I'll work at getting some pics.

Movies: Bridesmaids was hilarious. Not for the faint of heart.
TV Shows for Kim: Castle. LOVE Castle. I watched House for a couple years. I'm behind on Glee, but I like it. Veronica Mars rocked.

Books: All three Hunger Games. One Day. Brightest Star in the Sky (which I'm reading right now). Then, I think I'll read the two books my aunt loaned me 4 years ago.

What books do YOU suggest?

Chatter

I've been chatting with a friend about blogging and found that I haven't written in about two months. Why do you think people blog less? Is it Facebook? A phase of life? The format? A lack of topic?

Personally, I think it's Facebook because I can write a sentence, hope it's witty, and move on with my day. Blogging could be that short, but it hasn't been for me, in the past. So, dear, faithful reader, what topics would you like me to ramble on?

Movie of the Day: Gnomeo and Juliet. Kinda cute.

Goo

I've been sick for a week now. It's probably a cold, but it's hanging on for dear life and making me annoyed!!! My eyes are so swollen and gooey today that I don't think I can wear make-up. So, not only is it state testing today, but they're going to be scared by my facial pallor. I better amp up the lipstick.

Movie of the Day: The Tourist.

Oh, Deer!

Yesterday, four deer decided to hang out (lay down, even) in my back yard for over an hour! It was strange. They were big and just sat there. One of them stared at me when I took pictures of them and the rest just ignored me. I stayed a safe distance (i.e. in my house) to take the pictures. I guess they really liked the pile of grass clippings that never made it to the recycling center or whatever. Cushy. That, and the sun combined with a space without snow must have made for an ideal late afternoon nap.

Movies to check out: The Switch, It's Kind of a Funny Story. Both are GREAT!!!!!

I'm Slow.

You know you need to blog when friends start requesting posts. Yep, this one's for you RMT!

Next Wednesday is a Photo Exhibit at Hope UMC in Duluth and I had a tough time picking out which two pictures to submit. I ended up just raiding my livingroom.

The exhibit starts at 7:00 PM and should be a good "show."

I other news: It's March. Whoa. How'd that happen?

Movies for ya:

Just Go With It
Unknown
Post Grad
No Strings Attached

Hibernation Movies

Welcome to January! Or, more appropriately, welcome to the END of January! It could not have arrived any sooner (yes, I know there is still one week left, but I'm doing some wishful thinking, okay?).

I've been watching HEAPS of movies lately, so I shall recommend some:

1000 Journals
Despicable Me
Vicki Cristina Barcelona
Inception
Salt
Just Wright
Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World
Easy A
The Kids are Alright


I'm pretty sure I've watched all of these in January. And there are more.

Do you have recommendations?

Whoa! It's been almost three months since I last blogged. Wow! What does it mean? Am I super busy? Am I just posting status updates on Facebook instead? Weird.

What would you like me to babble about?

A Bit O' Banff

Slow Going

So, I've been building my deck with my dad. I've been doing more constructing than you might aspect (if you know me), but it's been satisfying and exhausting. The super heat and humidity of the past two weeks were also our constant companion. Here are some photos:



Ta-Da!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lil' Bro's Wedding

Here are a few pictures from the wedding on June 11, 2010: