Our Nation's Capitol

Well, I survived the trip with the kids to Washington, D.C. I was thinking that I was pretty odd because my favorite place of all was Arlington Cemetery because it was so pretty. Then, I was talking to my grandma, and her favorite place is Arlington, too. I guess we're weird together.

We saw so much stuff....way too much if you ask me...in three days. The first day for me was a bust because I pretty much always have a headache the minute I get off of a plane, and this trip was no different. But nevertheless, we drove by a bunch of embassies. Then, we went to union station to eat lunch. The kids were thrilled because it's like a mall and they got to go shopping. (Cuz that's why we traveled all those miles.)

Then, we went to the capitol, but one of the kids in my group had a severe asthma attack. I was really scary and I had to wait with her outside while everyone got a tour of the capitol. That was okay though. It just scared me half to death because I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance for her. She had left her inhaler on the bus, which was about 20 blocks away. So, the principal and another chaperone ran back to get it while she got worse and worse. I know, know....Why, when you're asthmatic, would you leave your inhaler behind. I was asking myself the same thing. Anyways, she couldn't wait for them to get back and I was just about ready to call for help when this random lady stopped and asked if she needed an inhaler. I immediately pictured myself in court proceedings being sued for letting her use a medicine not prescribed to her. But, before I could say anything, the girl grabbed the inhaler and used it. I have to say that the woman did look businessy and clean cut... And the alternative, well, that wasn't too appealing either. Apparently most inhalers have pretty much the same medication in them, so it turned out to be okay. Then, she was better.
Aw...I'll just show you the pictures I took of the rest of it. I'm too lazy to type about the whole trip.

Oh Yeah, All Right

Daryl says....
I want a girl with a mind like a diamond
I want a girl who knows what's best
I want a girl with shoes that cut
and eyes that burn like cigarettes
I want a girl with the right allocations
Who is fast and thorough and sharp as a tack
She's playing with her jewelry
She's putting up her hair
She's touring the facility and picking up slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket
I want a girl who gets up early (gets up early)
I want a girl who stays up late (stays up late)
I want a girl with uninterrupted prosperity (uninterrupted)
Who uses a machete to cut through red tape
With fingernails that shine like justice
And a voice that is dark like tinted glass
She is fast, thorough and sharp as a tack
She is touring the facility and picking up slack
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long long jacket
I want a girl with a smooth liquidation (smooth liquidation)
I want a girl with good dividends (good dividends)
At Citibank we will meet accidentally (meet accidentally)
We'll start to talk when she borrows my pen
She wants a car with a cupholder armrest
She wants a car that will get her there
She's changing her name from "Kitty" to "Karen"
She's trading her MG for a white Chrysler LeBaron
I want a girl with a short skirt and a long jacket

Mutt March

Here's a message from Barkley: Aba Aba Bark Bark

Would You Like Cheese With That?

Stop looking at me...
Fri May 26, 3:16 PM ET
BERLIN (Reuters) - A swan has fallen in love with a plastic swan-shaped paddle boat on a pond in the German town of Muenster and has spent the past three weeks flirting with the vessel five times its size, a sailing instructor said Friday.
Peter Overschmidt, who operates a sailing school and rents the two-seat paddle boat on the Aasee pond, said the black swan with a bright red beak has not left the white swan boat's side since it flew in one day in early May.
"It seems like he's fallen in love," said Overschmidt. "He protects it, sits next to it all the time and chases away any sail boats that get anywhere nearby. He thinks the boat is a strong and attractive swan."
Overschmidt said the swan will figure it out sooner or later but hopes he won't be too heartbroken.
"I'll wish him all the best and hope that he doesn't make the same mistake again," said Overschmidt."

In other news, we are going to install a giant dragon in the backyard. I can only hope that it will rival grandma Burray's lawn animals...

I Rock

My paper is done. Finito. And I'm done with that class. Just two more to go before I earn my black belt in teaching and curriculum. My paper ended up being 10 pages....here's the kicker...single spaced. Now, I've been up for too many nights with very little sleep and it feels like little tiny spears are poking through the back of my eyeballs. Plus, I don't make any sense when I talk (or probably when I write either). So, sorry.

Procrastination

pro·cras·ti·nate (pr-krst-nt, pr-) v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates v. intr.
To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.v. tr.
To postpone or delay needlessly.

Oh. I have a paper to write. It is technically due tomorrow. I needs to be 12 pages long at a minimum. Oh. I hate writing papers so much. I hate, hate, hate it.
It is 11:26 am on Sunday. I am still in my pajamas. Things that I have done today:
1. Made coffee.
2. Drank coffee.
3. Made a bowl of cereal.
4. Ate cereal.
5. Washed my face.
6. Let Barkley out.
7. Watched the CBS Sunday Morning Show *my absolute fav*
8. Sat at the computer drinking more coffee doing this.
9. Looked up car harnesses for dogs on the internet because I think I want to get one for Barkley since she slammed her face into the window in the car yesterday while I was stopping abruptly.
9. Measured a flailing Barkley who acts like a fish out of water when you try to measure her to see what size car harness to buy.

Reasons why I probably will be up until midnight, go to sleep for two hours, wake back up and then finish my paper:
1. I am planning to go to the pet store directly after my shower. Barkley is out of biscuits, which is a catastrophe.
2. I am planning to take a nap sometime today. After everything I've done so far, I'm getting kind of tired PLUS I need to prepare for the fact that I will be up late tonight without much sleep.
3. I have to go find a birthday present for my grandpa.
4. I have to go to my grandpa's birthday dinner.
5. I have to plan what I will do in all three of my classes that I teach tomorrow. Yikes. Does anyone want to develop a lesson on the Harlem Renaissance for me?? Tale of Two Cities? 8th grade poetry?? Hm... Yeah, I need to fit that in somehow. Ohh...how about silent reading? That's great.

As I see things, this does not leave much time for writing papers.

Top Ten Reasons We Need Another Dog

1. Barkley needs a friend.
2. There is still a little more room in the bed.
3. Dogs make you happy.
4. There can never be too many tails.
5. We don't yet have a pet need Bubba, and I think that needs to change.
6. It's almost the same as grandchildren (right, Moms?)
7. My car slumps to one side with just Barkley and me in it...I need to even that out.
8. Deters burglars.
9. Barkley has extra dog food.
10. Gizmo likes dogs.

So, what do you think? Ginger???

Or Naya??

Breakfast at Tiffany's

Over my spring break, I read and watched Breakfast at Tiffany's. I was interested to read Breakfast at Tiffany's since I had just finished In Cold Blood, which is also by Truman Capote.
I love Capote's style of writing in both books, but the subject matter differs so immensely that it is hard to tell they were written by the same guy.
Let me just say that the novel (actually more of a novella) is awesome. I just loved the description and felt a love/hate relationship with the main character, Holly Golightly, immediately. You just have to love to hate her by the end of the novel.
Don't even get me started on the movie. Luckily, I saw that AFTER I read the book. Obviously, it made me want to put on sunglasses, pearls, and a little black dress so that I could go walking around downtown looking like Audrey Hepburn. But, that was the best part. The filmmaker totally ruined the ending, and I can see why Capote was furious. I would be too if someone did that to my book. Audrey Hepburn is just so perfect and cute though...it may be worth watching just to see her.

News From Last Night

Brian and Angela tied the knot.















Chip likes to look like he is going to lick people.

I do not think this is okay.

Daryl is growing a mustache!

My dad and brother have joined a gang.

We left the wedding before my grandparents did.

What is Happening to Me?

Today I was driving to work and I had to come to a conclusion that I didn't like. I was enjoying listening to a song by the Barenaked Ladies. I cranked up "Pinch Me" and sang at the top of my lungs so that all the other drivers on I-94 would look at me weird (which they did). Then, my exit came, the song ended, I had to see that guy that stands at the top of my exit ramp with his giant sign that says he's a disabled vet and that no, your money won't go for drugs or alcohol. For God's sake. Why couldn't the song last a little longer?
Here's the rub. I've always loathed BNL (aside from "If I had a Million Dollars"). Maybe it's because of the one guy's voice or the fact that they have a song called "Be My Yoko Ono," which runs into a whole other topic of things I don't like. What's going on here? Why the sudden change? Will it be like in college when I hated, hated, hated Our Lady Peace and then decided to go buy their CD? Hm...
Here's the BNL lyrics that I sang the loudest to:
On an evening such as this
It's hard to tell if I exist
If I packed the car and leave this town
Will you notice that I'm not around?
I could hide out under there
I just made you say 'underwear'
I could leave but I'll just stay
All my stuff's here anyway.
It's like a dream - you try to remember but it's gone, then ya
Try to scream but it only comes out as a yawn, when ya
Try to see the world beyond your front door.
Take your time cos the way I rhyme's gonna make you smile, when ya
realize that a guy my size might take a while, just to
Try to figure out what all this is for.

I have another conundrum. I was listening to "My Humps" on the way home from class. Why can't I turn that song off? It's degrading, derogatory, and dumb. The three D's. But I sing to that too. The best line is, "What you gon' do wit all that breast? All that breast inside that shirt?" What kind of a question is that?? If you have never read the lyrics to "My Humps," you must. It's an experience you must have before you die. And you can help me figure out why I don't turn off the song.

Ha Ha....Do you want to hear the karaoke version???

Since I'm putting on all these song links, here's one for Holly.

Funny

This is a video called "Free Photo Booth." It is very funny. Clicking on the link will take you to a Google video site.

Sometimes I Feel I've Got to Run Away...

I need to be rescued from the horrible music. I'm sorry but "Tainted Love" is a classic that should not be messed with. What is this? Stop it.
Oh, now that I'm online looking for the song, I've found that it's been copied several times. Soft Cell, I don't care how poor you are. Stop licensing your song to crappy artists!

The Original

The Craptastic Version

Marilyn Manson??

The Living End (Who I love, but should not be redoing this song either)

AHHHHH!!! I Didn't Even KNOW About THIS ONE. This MIGHT be worse than Rihanna's version

I have to picture Kelly being sung to by Tom N. up at MSU when I hear the real version of the song. "Don't touch me please; I cannot stand the way you tease..." Ha ha ha.

The Sistas

A List of Reasons Why I Love My Sistas:
1. They each have a good sense of humor.
2. They love the Sims almost as much as I do.
3. They help me to to keep the brothers under control (which is not an easy job).
4. What other sistas do I have? :-)
5. They both love this song (and I do too).
6. They are almost crazy as I am.
7. They love to dance.
8. They understand.
9. They introduced me to the wonderful world of pedicures.
10. They are just plain awesome.

P.S. If you're a sista, click here.

New Feature

If you'll draw your eyes over to the side bar, you will notice a new feature. I thought it would be cool to have a list of books I am currently reading. Well, actually, I started out believing that there would only be one. Then, I got to thinking and realized that I am currently reading five books. So, there you go. Life of an English teacher, I guess. Oh, wait. Mr. Dickens has something to say:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.

In other news, the wasps are back. I can see them out the window. You may remember references to wasps in an earlier posting entitled "I Hate Bugs". Well, it's the 2nd warm day of the year here in Michigan, and here they are. They are so bold that they are flying into the window *SMACK* and taunting me.

Dear Cricket

I should apologize for the jab at Pepper's outfit the other day. I have forgotten that I once dressed my Barkley up for Halloween. The next day she ate the outfit (oh, that's one that I forgot to put on the list I sent to Daryl's mom). So, I don't think she liked it. She was a Bark-a-Shark.
I've never quite figured out why the outfit has little arms. I guess the shark has supposedly eaten someone.

Hoppin' Down the Bunny Trail

My mom has gone Easter overboard. I begged her not to, but she has put Pepper into her baby chick costume early this year. Poor Pepper! She'll be wearing it from now until Easter.

Mexico

I was just looking back at the blog and I realized that I never told you anything about our trip to Mexico. We saw a baracuda while we swimming, and we got bitten by some fire ants. That's about the only bad things that happened. Oh, wait. Someone got murdered at our resort while we were there.

Two Canadian tourists killed in Mexican resort
Updated Wed. Feb. 22 2006 6:13 AM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
Two Canadian tourists, who were in Mexico for their daughter's wedding, were found brutally murdered in their hotel room one day before the nuptials.
"Foreign Affairs has been informed yesterday of the death of a Canadian couple," Pamela Greenwell, Foreign Affairs spokesperson told CTV.ca on Tuesday night.
"Contact has been established with accompanying family in order to offer consular assistance," she said, adding that Mexican authorities have launched an investigation into their deaths.
Local papers say Domenico Ianiero, a 59-year-old real estate agent, and his 55-year-old wife Annunziata, also known as Nancy, were discovered slain in their hotel room on Monday morning, their throats slit by a knife, execution-style.
According to unconfirmed local reports, the bodies were found after family members became concerned when they were unable to locate the couple.
It's believed nothing was stolen from the Ianiero's room, nor were there signs of forced entry.
The Woodbridge, Ont. couple was staying at the luxurious Barcelo Maya hotel, which is located some 20 kilometres south of Playa del Carmen.
The hotel's general manager told CTV's Scott Laurie that he could not give out any further information about the murders.
"It's pretty clear from walking in the lobby that there is an increased security presence there. There were a lot of people walking around, not in uniform but in walkie talkies, clearly keeping track of who is coming and going from the hotel," Laurie reported from Playa del Carmen.
Authorities have questioned sixteen Canadians in Mexico, who were travelling with the couple for the wedding, which was scheduled for Tuesday.
It's unclear the role Canadian authorities will play in the investigation.
"The Mexican police naturally have prime jurisdiction in the area, so in the end we must leave it to them," said Dave Harris, the former chief of strategic planning for CSIS.
"But they have every incentive to be co-operative because when you think about it a good deal of Mexico's income does come from tourism and Canadians are considerable contributors to that influx," Harris said, appearing on CTV Newsnet.
Meanwhile, news of the couple's deaths have left neighbours and co-workers reeling.
"He is not the type of person that this should actually happen to," said Vince Carere of Domenico Ianiero, who he worked with at HomeLife Real Estate.
One neighbour, who described the couple as "smiling" and "friendly," told CTV Toronto: "We were shocked. I don't even know what words I can say to describe what we felt."

Yeah, so everything else was fine though. Why is it that evilness seems to follow me around lately? Weird.

Devil

I was just looking around at this website about Koko, a gorilla who knows sign language. You can browse around and see photos of Koko making her 48 very most favorite signs, one of which is devil. So, I began wondering: When did the need arise to teach Koko the word devil? Just something to ponder...

Uncle Walt

When I Heard the Learned Astronomer
by Walt Whitman

When I heard the learn'd astronomer,
When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me,
When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide,
and measure them,
When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with
much applause in the lecture-room,
How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick,
Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself,
In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time,
Look'd up in perfect silence at the stars.

Time Out

Are today's parents feeding their children speed? Just asking.
Today I had to give the 8th Grade Computer Proficiency Examination. Oh, what fun. These are the days that I would like to be paid as much as the lovely person who created the 8th Grade Computer Proficiency Examination. I would also like power to permanently relieve that person from their work duties. I'm not sure that it tested anyone's ability to operate a computer as much as it tested my own patience.
The test consisted of a full page of instructions. As you may know from recently visiting any movie theater with teenage patrons, kids cannot follow even the simplest of instructions. Even on a normal day when I ask that they open their book to page 324, I must repeat myself 4 or 5 times. Even then, I'm lucky if half of them have their books out. I was instructed not to help the kids with any part of the instructions as this was part of the test. They began by playing along nicely. "Listen up, kids. This is important," I announce. Josh stop clicking your mouse and listen.
"I am (CLICK, CLICK, CLICKITY CLICK). "
"Okay, Josh. Just remember that you will live your life in computer purgatory if you don't pass this test."
"What's purgatory?"
"Never mind."
"This test is important. You see, if you don't pass the powers that be will take away your elective classes...art, pastries (yes, we have a pastries class), small engine repair...and they will replace that elective with Computers for Dummies. So, if you don't want to be in Computers for Dummies, you need to follow directions and do everything perfectly. Yes, Amanda. You have a question."
"What if we like make like one mistake? Do they like put us in the stupid computer class?"
"Yes, I'm afraid they will. They're very mean."
The class nods gravely. They understand that their future happiness is on the line. I explain that they need to read the sheet on their own and follow directions carefully. "Do you understand?" Nod, nod, nod. Yes teacher, you are very boring, let's go. Their fingers are twitching. They're ready to start. "Okay, get started."
Thirty seconds elapse.
"Oh, Eric. You have a question already? What do you need?"
"Can we start?"
You can probably guess how my day went. Spring break cannot come fast enough. I have to give parts 2 and 3 of this stupid thing tomorrow. Today's song (I wish).
The kid's song about me.

P.S. Photo is not of my actual students, but it resembles my students very much.

P.P.S Do not look up "bored students" on Yahoo image search (in case you were just about to do that). "Boring class" yields much better and cleaner results.