So I've been teasing to write one of these for a while. Not sure how this is going to work. I'm typing it on my new iPad...I know, I know, did I really have to go there? Yes, yes, I did. :) but I apologize now if there are mistakes.
Wow. I really have only written ONE ALL YEAR!! That's nuts! (but also reflective of my hectic, insane, super busy semester...) Last spring was pretty busy but this semester has taken the top prize. It started early too, January I was traveling already, I had my Campus PSIA Invitational Tournament, then February was more traveling with TWO district Academic competitions on the same weekend. Of course I was also preparing for the trip to Italy & Greece, then in March was the actual trip. As soon as I got back, I had two State meets in Austin to get ready for, back to back. Oh then there was this whole Spring Formal thing. In the meantime I was teaching classes, although I didn't teach a Whole week from February to April 21!! Oh and I've taken on two more students to tutor, although that extra money has been nice. Now Spring Formal is almost here, along with Semester Exams and then of course camp is right after school is done. I feel like I've left something out...but just writing all of that makes my brain hurt. In the next few weeks, I will finish up my FIFTH year of teaching and begin my TWELFTH summer at camp! In September, is my 10 year high school reunion...ugh! There are a few things that make ALL OF THAT worth it. One of those things, my AMAZING FRIENDS!! Some people would include coworkers in that, but I'm fortunate enough to be able to call my coworkers my friends. I've said it before but my all time favorite (free) extracurricular activity is laughing!! I'm so glad that I've been blessed with a sense of humor! I've met a few people who barely even crack a smile, and that's just SAD! We had a school luncheon/pot lunch today. I tried my first kiwi. No, I didn't like it, the taste was alright but--texture!! Ugh! To make a long story short, as I was trying it, almost the entire staff stared and watched and waited with enthusiastic anticipation to learn whether I would enjoy eating a kiwi! While this may sound odd and not at all boring, I found it funny. I'm not sure how I got to where I am. Sometimes I think back to the frightened 13 year old that I was back in the day, when everyone liked mmmbop! (Sorry, had to throw that in!) but if you had told me I would be THIS person, no one would have believed it. Confidence is such an odd thing, a tricky thing. It's a very fine line that if crossed, either way, can be dangerous. So thank you to everyone that has helped pushed me, one way or another, to stay balanced between cocky and self-conscious.
I don't really have much else to say really. I am going to a formal high school dance for the first time in probably ten years....should be interesting!! Oh, while I'm thinking of it. Can you guys help? I'm completely on the fence about my hair, big deal right, but I've included a picture with both blonde and brunette hair. I'm letting you decide. It will be done before spring formal. My abilities to make a decisions have not really improved this year, as you can see......
Until next time!
[Writer's Note: Sing the title of the blog like the opening lyric of The Four Seasons, "December, 1963"]
First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2011 was good for you. As I do most years, I'm going to take a few moments to reflect on this past year. Even though most of you reading this don't blog, I hope you all take some time to do the same. I'm not sure who said it but "if you don't know where you've been, you can't know where you're going." I'm also including some of the music that really truly shaped this year. Every year, I've said how important music is to me, but this year that was so very true! So press play and read on. :) And don't worry, it's not ALL Hanson. :)
So 2011 meant a great many things for me this year. One of the most noticeable, fun and hopefully long-lasting things was TRAVEL! I traveled more miles this year than I have I'm going to say my entire life. Being the math nerd that I am, I've figured it up for you. This is in no particular order and includes travel by Plane, car and bus and in some cases just the total distance away from home. I'll do a list so I don't ramble...
Austin, Tx (3X) = 3,000 miles
Lubbock, Tx (2X) = 500 miles
Dallas, Tx (3X) = 2,100 miles
Tulsa, OK = 700 miles
Niagara Falls, Canada = 3,000 miles
Albuquerque, NM = 600 miles
Houston, Tx = 1,200 miles
Corpus Christi/San Antonio, TX = 1,400 miles
Paris, France = 10,000 miles
TOTAL= 22,500 MILES
That's alot of stinking miles and it's REALLY STINKING COOL!! Most of you know that a few years ago, I had aspirations to join the Air Force. I don't know that I really wanted to join the air force. I wanted to get in shape, travel and get my master's degree. This year will bring almost as much travel as last year with my academic competitions and my spring break trip to Italy & Greece! Here's hoping 2012 brings my travels to wherever you happen to be!
The next thing that comes to mind is my workout regiment. Thanks to my new workout buddy, Kristi, I joined a gym last January and worked out regularly for about 4 or 5 months. Now unfortunately, the fall semester did not bring me to the gym too often, but I think having done it regularly like I did will make it easier to go back. Looking back on where I was 3 years ago, I've lost 40 pounds! I'm hoping this year brings significant changes to my health goals. For one thing, I want to be proud of the pictures I take with my kids in Italy & Greece. Also, CRAZINESS- this year is my 10 year high school reunion. So I've started the year off right so far. I haven't had a soda since Tuesday and I'm hoping I can kick that awful habit this year. If I could go back to my 13 year old self and tell her to never drink a Dr. Pepper, I would do it in a New York Minute.
The next thing that was dominant through out the year was MUSIC! Most of you know about my rediscovery of Hanson. I'm still so blown away on the effect seeing that music video on VH1 in a hotel in Austin has had in my life. There may be people reading this that I only know now because of Hanson. I've had a very interesting reaction from lots of people to it. I've brought some people along with me. I mean, I saw Hanson 3 times this year!! I even got to meet them twice! I have to say that they were some of the nicest celebrities I've met, and yes I've met a few. I was able to go back and discover all of the music that they've been making the last 15 years and realized that I really liked it. I've also become more sure of the fact that I do not like listening to Amarillo Radio. I'm happy with my iPhone playing the music I want to hear, not what other people say I should want to hear. I also discovered new talent, Meiko, thanks to Hanson. In fact some of her stuff is playing on my playlist.
This year has also brought me to my 5th summer of being Assistant Camp Director. I'm in the middle of my 5th year of teaching! I can't believe that I've been doing it this long- either of those things! This year also found me back home with my family. It's been odd timing, cause I've been able to bring Bobby to school with me everyday. That has been an adventure as well! You know they say it takes a village...Oh, I've also spent this year tutoring one of the hardest working students I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. She's a senior and is looking forward to graduating this May! We worked hard all summer and got through all of her TAKS tests! I look forward to working with her cause I know she'll do great things!
I spent a few minutes reading some old blogs, some from this blog and from myspace blog. I started blogging 6 years ago! Reading a blog from 3 years ago, I was lost and confused and had no clue where my life was going. Something has happened in the past 3 years so that I'm no longer worried about where my life is going to be. I only focus on where my life is right now. That doesn't mean that I'm not making plans for the future. One reason I've been home this semester is to gain control of my finances. I'm so close to paying my credit card off that I can smell it. Now, sure it's a light smell, but it's better than nothing. One thing I do want to say, so it doesn't seem like I'm living with a blindfold is that I realize that life has not been great all year long. I'm just not sharing those things cause I think I'm still learning some things from them. One of those things is dating. 2011 was the year I gave dating a try. I'm not so great at it. Mostly cause I'm an awkward kind of person and I just need to find someone that finds the awkwardness charming. hahaha. But I did learn some things from it. One thing I learned this year, and I can't tell you exactly when it happened, is that even though things aren't always great, you can't focus on the bad. I'll give you an analogy, you know I love those! I'm terrified of the dark, it's one of those irrational fears that I've held on to from childhood. But I've learned to deal with it over the years, as long as I don't focus on the darkness. You have to focus on those small bits of light that help show you that the scary monster in the corner is actually just a coat rack and the man trying to grab you is just the window curtain.
Alright, that's what I got for my end of the year breakdown. I look forward to sharing what 2012 brings! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Make sure and listen/watch all of the videos on my playlist! You won't be dissappointed! :)
Have you ever had a day where too much happened for ONE status update? Well, I did and instead of writing a novel for a status, I decided to write a blog! I have to warn you that I have all these ideas swarming around my head and I'm not so sure how well I can put them down. So first let me start with one of the highlights of my day that was spent with my brother. We all know that my taste in music isn't just, well, shall we say, NORMAL. Anyways this afternoon, and morning, I was listening to some of my new favorites, Meiko and Adele. I think it was during one of Meiko's songs that Bobby started singing along with me, but since the singers are both female, he changed it up. So he was singing in this low, twangy sort of voice that made it sound like a 1980s country duet. It was QUITE amusing! So then, onto my new personal challenge to "TRY NEW THINGS" this evening I went for an open audition for a play at the ALT. They are only casting ONE female role and one of the people auditioning was my HIGH SCHOOL THEATRE TEACHER, and the part is actually THREE different characters with THREE different accents. But I auditioned, I gave it a go. It was TONS OF FUN. I'll try it again sometime, besides the spring/summer. So then, on my way home, I got stuck by a train and decided to check facebook. I was glad that I had, cause a friend that I had actually been thinking on my way to the audition, had written something that just about made me cry. Let's just say that sometimes it's a bummer when people live far away. Let me just say that I'm really enjoying my challenge to "TRY NEW THINGS" It certainly has led me to many new adventures. Some of them have been short-lived, others long. Fortunately, I think I have learned something, either about me or other people, with each new thing I have tried. Oh and one final thought, kind of like Jerry Springer (swooooosh), ONLY 4 WEEKS UNTIL I GET TO GO TO PARIS, FRANCE!!! WHA-WHAT!! Okay, I'm done....Peace out Until next time... Oh wait, I forgot to mention that I finished "The Son of Neptune" the 2nd book in the second Percy Jackson series. If you haven't read those, you should. And yes, I finished it over the weekend....what a spinster, eh?
This is going to be a short post as I need to get ready very soon. I've been "writing" this blog in my head for the past week and I would be sad if I didn't actually "put it on paper." Today, one of my oldest friends is getting married. It's so cool in a crazy kind of way. Most of you may know that we moved when I was in middle school to the other side of what I always thought was a small little town. We left our church and many of the friends that we had grown up with. Looking back on it now, I realize that we moved away and didn't really look back. Growing up, if my sister and I were not at our house, we were at the Gabel's house, or their grandma Olga's house. I remember when I was little that I could never really say her name correctly. Jenna, Marissa and Kalin were close to the same age as Cassi and I and we always had a GREAT time together. The older brothers, Phillip, Kurt and Brian, we never knew quite as well but I was always fascinated that they had older brothers, maybe a little jealous too. Often times, Cassi and I would leave our parents in mass to go sit with the Gabels. If family came into town, we were always there too. We went on camping trips together. We were really almost like family. In January of 2010, we all suffered a loss, Grandma Olga passed away. I took off from school and my part time job to attend the Rosary and funeral. The night of the funeral we went to the old Knights of Columbus Hall near St. Laurence for a dinner and I swear I was transported to a time when we didn't move across town and we were all still friends. We talked about lots of things. I hope this next section makes sense and comes out like I mean it. Understand that I would give anything to have my own grandmother(s) back to share in the good times we used to have. I also think that Olga brought us all back together in a really fantastic way that makes me miss her just as I do my own Nanny. I look forward to celebrating tonight with Kalin and I know that Olga, or Ouaga as I used to say, is going to be with us tonight as well. Enjoying the friends- no, family that she has brought back together!
Until next time.
Don't you hate it when you have a really great or at least decent idea but you're in the car?! It never fails that when that happens to me, I forget by the time I've reached my destination! This afternoon on my way to tutor, I had a moment of "blog-spiration" But by the time I got home, it was gone. I remember that I thought "The Devil's Bicycle" was a great title, but that's all I got...
[Note: I actually wrote this on paper on Wednesday evening and I'm now typing it on Friday afternoon.]
I do know this is my first blog in a LONG time. Lots has happened: Camp ended. I went to Niagara Falls, Canada, with my Aunt Mary and Matthew. I gave up Student Council, became Junior Class Sponsor and for those non-educators- that MEANS PROM! I gave up PR then got it right back. Needless to say, I'm still busy. However, I've also found time for some fun!! September is my "On the Road" month. The first weekend found the family and I in Keller for Aunt LouAnn's birthday. Miraculously, this lined up with a cheap (YET AWESOME) concert in Bedford featuring Jonny Lang. Then a few weekends ago, thanks to my wonderful friends Janet and Jennifer, we took a road trip to Albuquerque for my first REAL HANSON CONCERT. I signed up for a Meet and Greet, not even thinking that I would win! BUT I DID! I'm hoping I have that picture soon.....THEN thanks to my equally-awesome friends, Teresa and Emily, I took a little trip to Houston for Teresa and Emily's first HANSON EXPERIENCE. I'm going to try and include a few pictures at the end, or you can just check facebook...
The two adventures were very different. I will say the Houston trip is the trip that my 13 year old self ALWAYS wanted to take, but never did! There's also a way Awesome Video, that may possibly be kept under wraps for a LONG TIME. HAHAHA!
Ok, this school year has also had some other personal, everyday adventures. I think it's a pretty well known fact that I've moved back home, but my brother is also now going to my school. Bobby and I have always been pretty close, but this is bringing on a new dimension to our friendship/relationship. We've also RECENTLY (as in today [Wednesday]) started getting up at 5 AM to go to the gym. I've gone sporadically since school started, but between tutoring and games and living in the middle of nowhere, it hasn't happened as much as it should. I'm hoping that I get in a routine of that shortly.....UGH! Have I ever mentioned that I hate mornings? I am also looking forward to Basketball Season!
In other news, I regret to announce that I will not be participating in the Breast Cancer 3 day walk. I have been unsuccessful at raising money and I also can't afford to have to pay the balance. So if any of you were planning on donating to me, please donate to my mother instead. The walk is about a month a way so ANY support you can give is GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
I'm sure I had more to say, but for now that's all I got. Thanks for reading!
Until next time.
PS I'll have to work on the pictures for next time....It may just be a separate post...
Well, as I type this it's still the 4th day of July, so Happy Independence Day!! Which also means that my birthday is only 3 weeks away!!! This year is kind of odd. First of all, according to the latest news report, we have recieved only 1.4 inches of precipitation this year and about half of that was SNOW! There have been MANY fires this spring/summer and the entire Texas Panhandle is under a burn ban and most counties have made it illegal to even have fireworks in your possession! I totally get why they did that, but it's still a bummer. It's a double whammy too, since our fundraiser for next year's Italy/Greece Trip was a firework stand. :( So we still have to come up with a new fundraiser and the city put on a Laser Light show....After hearing the feedback, I'm glad that I didn't go. So, tomorrow I go back to camp for the last half of the summer camp season. This weekend has been nice; also quite busy, but nice. Long weekends are always nice. I spent this weekend moving back into my parents house. :) I sold my couch and the rest of my furniture is being stored in the basement for an undetermined amount of time. My unofficial plan is to pay off my credit card so I can actually afford a one bedroom apartment that doesn't suck. I have just made too many hasty decisions so I need to make sure that whatever I do next is in a positive direction. No more steps just for the sake of making a step.
Also with the previous school year finished, I'm more excited about the things that this next school year brings. I'll get to see my brother everyday at school!! I'm really excited about him transferring to Holy Cross. I also get to be in charge of a couple of things, I think. I think I still have my Academic Competition stuff- which I LOVE!! There's a chance of Student council, still. I know I have my Dual Credit class again. And a couple of other things that I KNOW I'll have. Like THANKSGIVING IN PARIS! YES PARIS, FRANCE. The closer the school year, the more excited I get about that!! Then for Spring Break- ITALY AND GREECE!! Of course, with the Academic competitions also comes all those trips in the spring, so don't plan on me attending any weekend event in March or April....haha. Oh, and also in November, I'm doing the 3 day Breast Cancer walk with my mom. (Click HERE to donate- I have to raise $2300 by November 4th :) ) I'm sure I am forgetting something else..I'm already excited about Basketball season, since my brother will be a Mustang this year. :) I'm still tutoring. It almost sounds like it's going to be another crazy year. :) The best part about it is that I work with some completely Awesome people that I get to call friends. You know, when I left Midland, that was my biggest concern. My friends in Midland will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart, they were my first school family and they were fantastic friends, Mentors and coworkers. I wasn't sure that I would ever find another group of people like that and while the two groups are definitely different, I still feel blessed to actually WANT to go to work....most days. On the plus side (sort of), this year we have 12 personal days, for sickness or personal days, so I'll be able to take more days off. The sort of comes from the fact that they don't roll over, so I either use them or lose them. Guess which one I'll be doing? :)
One last thing. In case you were wondering, my Hanson Obsession has not been cured yet. So in honor of that obsession and spreading the disease to other soon-to-be Hanson fans, here's my video of the month that I'm sharing. Unless you're reading this on facebook, then you need to click "View Original Post" cause it only shows up on the actually blog. :) ENJOY. Until next time.
First of all, I promise not to talk about Hanson. Well, except to say that I got to see a free concert this weekend AND MEET THEM and it WAS AMAZING. but surely you've all seen the video by now, so you know what a hopeless NERD I AM.. if not, send me a message. I'll send you a link...it's worth seeing.
Ok, so I just had to write a blog about HOW MUCH I LOVE TEACHING HIGH SCHOOL! I NEVER, EVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD SAY THAT. And it always seemed like an accident that I even got the job at Holy Cross. I mean, the main reason that I thought it was a good idea to move back to Amarillo in the first place was because Canyon was opening all of those new schools. After an amazing student teaching experience at Canyon, I REALLY WANTED TO WORK FOR CANYON ISD. But THAT just didn't happen. Then when the Holy Cross job opened and I went in for the interview, as I drove back to camp afterwards, I just had this feeling of, "I want to be here." Anyways, even then, when he told me I would teach Algebra 2, I was TERRIFIED. I was probably terrified of the high schoolers for at least the whole first week. Thankfully, I don't think they realized it. Then, this year when I had to teach seniors and dual credit- another challenge and more terror. But gratefully, when you work for someone that you know respects you and understands you, you have faith in what that person assigns you to do. I was also afraid that I was taking on too much, between the dual credit, PR, Student council, Academic competition, and "normal" teaching duties, I didn't think I could do it. Honestly, there may have been a few days when my classes didn't have a fantastic teacher everyday this spring, but luckily I had them "trained" and they knew what to do. Anyways, now here I am, next year will be my THIRD year at Holy Cross. Today, I shared my "weekend" experience with two of my high school classes. Next year, as of now at least, I believe that I'll be teaching my two geometry classes again (YEA), my dual credit class again (also YEA) and then 6th and 7th Math, I also believe that I'll be doing Student council and Academic Competitions, along with coordinating that trip to Italy and Greece. But I'm really excited. I hate the end of the year, but I LOVE THE START OF A NEW SCHOOL YEAR. It's odd how just talking about it, is making me excited. But we've already established the fact that I'm a nerd!!
Well, one thing that being at this school has done is encourage my organization, which has gone to Hell recently. I normally have my Semester Exams finished by the second week in May...I currently do not have them remotely close to being finished- and they are due in a week...so I need to get to work on that. Exciting news, family is taking a vacation after school's out, going to San Antonio and Port Aransas. Even MY SISTER IS GOING!!! I'm so excited!! I just hope that I have all my stuffed packed up before then so I can come back and focus on camp and not on moving or something else! Another consequence of my ......distractions......but hey, at least my distraction is somewhat healthy..it's not drugs or alcohol or something else that you can't come back from....although my behavior on Saturday may be difficult to come back from, it's not impossible. :)
ENJOY THE LAST 9 DAYS OF SCHOOL!!! (at least in this neck of the woods)
