No duh...

I've never done the 5 Love Languages quiz. Lisa posted it on her blog so I went and did it. My top two were Words of Affirmation and Quality Time. The first was a 10 and quality time was a 9.  Those of you who know me well this is a big fat duh. 

Words of Affirmation

Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten. You thrive on hearing kind and encouraging words that build you up.

Quality Time

In Quality Time, nothing says “I love you” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes you feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed activities, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful. Whether itʼs spending uninterrupted time talking with someone else or doing activities together, you deepen your connection with others through sharing time.

Monet...

I am a mess, my friends, a mess. I look like I've got it together but upon closer inspection, I'm a big ol' heaping mess.

That is all.

Are we there yet?

I have been having some major anxiety of late. Most of which has no basis in reality. Current things causing me anxiety:

1. I bought a new scale this week since my old one broke in the move...ugh...that was a number I didn't expect to see. I've done my best, as an adult, to love myself and accept the body I have. But man, oh man, sometimes it's hard. And I feel like such a hypocrite because I try to be all "I like the way I look" and "I'm not going to force an unrealistic image of beauty onto myself" and yet, I've been facing a nasty case of "I hate my body" the past cour of weeks.

2. I had a crazy stress dream about next year's 9th graders (current 8th graders). I constantly hear horror stories from the 8th grade ELA teachers. Yikes!! I'm nervous for next year because I will have never taught these kids before. I've had many of my current students for two years. Le sigh...it's too soon for this.

3. For a while the mailbox was a daily anxiety attack as all the medical bills came rolling in. I think there's a good plan in place but until they're all payed off I will still feel some trepidation.

4. The lease was up on my car this month and I put off getting it refinanced until the last possible moment because I was anxious something would go wrong and I wouldn't be able to get a car loan. I had no basis for this one but that's how it goes.

There are a few other things but I think we'll just leave it there for now...

In other completely unrelated, random news... When mentioning Lisa in conversation I still say "my roommate, Lisa" EVENTHOUGH we haven't been roommates in almost a year AND she's engaged to be married...

Yays and Nays...

Today was not my finest teaching moment...yesh. So instead of rehashing it we're going with the good ol' Yays and nays list.

Nays:
Inappropriate (beyond the usual) behavior from students today
No prep period today
Students trying to make 16 missing assignments on the last day of the term
Drama with car loans
New scale doesn't work - have to take it back
First bug bite of the season from twilight walk

Yays:
Third quarter ended today
Early out tomorrow for grading
Went on a lovely walk this evening and want to get ankle weights to wear on future walks
Door of Integrity is up and looks awesome!!
Lots of extra time thanks to my 10 minute drive to work every day!!
My sister has something cooking for my birthday (it's a little over a month away but it's a big one this year. The big 3-0) but says I'm not privy to the details yet. I love and hate surprises...

Random side note...I'm tired of eating. Sounds weird, I know. The whole cooking and washing of dishes thing...such a hassle. Anyone else agree with me?

Life's little lessons...

I have learned two important facts tonight...

1: my water heater does not contain enough water for a long, hot shower and a sink-full of dishes. 

2: wet hair will instantly adhere to a frozen object. 

Take note...

Hi friend

Whenever I either add a new friend or get added as a friend by someone on Facebook I always do two things.

Thing one: I Facebook stalk them. In this digital age it's interesting to see what they found important/funny/interesting enough to post and share with the world. I wonder if there's a archeological discipline involving digital social interactions and relationships. If there isn't, there should be.

Thing two: I Facebook stalk myself. I like to go back and look at my stuff as if I were seeing it for the   first time. I've actually deleted things that I had forgotten I had posted. It's an interesting exercise to attempt to see yourself as others may simply from the digital evidence.

And sometimes I'll Facebook stalk a random friend. They'll have popped up in my feed with something interesting or entertaining and down the rabbit hole I go.

Fight back!

Since starting the antibiotics I have actually felt worse, instead of better. I do have some lovely cough syrup with hydro-codone so I can at least sleep through this miserableness, but still. I thought antibiotics were supposed to make you feel better, not worse...

And to add insult to injury, it's a beautiful, almost spring day outside and I'm feeling to crappy to go out and enjoy it. Lame sauce.

Give thanks...

Today I'm thankful for...

1. Modern medicine. I've been sick for going on three weeks. I finally dragged my butt to the doctor this afternoon. I have a rather nasty sinus infection. I am now the happy recipient of an antibiotic and cough syrup with hydro-codone to help me get through the night without attempting to cough up a lung.

2. Men from my ward that are willing to help and serve a complete stranger at 10:00 at night.

3. Movie series. I don't have to think about what to watch. Just pop it in and hours of sleepy, sick, couch lounging.

4. Completely wonderful, kind and supportive coworkers and friends.

5. Tomorrow is Friday and I'll hopefully be able rest up and get better this weekend.

Week in review...

I've been asked to be more positive on social media and to not "vent". Although, I'm not sure the parties that made the comment read this old blog but perhaps the news will make it through the grapevine...

I could talk about the difficult couple of days I've had due to starting week four of being sick and still teaching every day. I could talk about my students' less than appropriate response to the movie "Bully" and my frustration regarding how to reach them. But I won't.

I don't like talking about the praise I get at work because it feels self-serving and conceited. But people apparently want to hear it.

We're getting a new principle next year. She currently works as one of the assistant principles at one of the local high schools. She's been filling in this week at my school while the outgoing principle is out at a conference. Long story short, the Superintendent emailed asking to know how we are preparing our students for their End of Level tests. It's a brand, spanking new test this year and we're all a little panicked. I typed up the 9th grade ELA plan that the other 9th grade teacher and I came up with and submitted it. This morning the new principle said she was so impressed with our plans that she wants to share it with the ELA teachers at her high school for their review week.

My job isn't easy but I do love it. It's been hard lately because I just can't seem to shake this sickness. But good things are happening. I work with wonderfully supportive people that pick up the slack, push me to keep going or just smile and ask me how I'm doing. I'm so very proud of my students and how hard they have worked. I've pushed them lately and they have, for the most part, risen to the occasion. It's hard to believe that we are weeks away from the start of fourth quarter. It's been a crazy ride of a year...

Down the rabbit hole I go...

I've kept a journal my entire life. I'm more diligent at writing at times more than others. Occasionally I like to go a reread what I've written. Sometimes it helps me put things into perspective, see how far I've come, what mistakes am I still repeating or to just laugh at my own ridiculousness.

Yet, sometimes it makes me think of events and questions that are best left in the past for one reason or another. Tonight I went down the rabbit hole of my own memories and I'm not so sure that was the best idea. I think I've learned from my past and I hope that I won't make that same mistake again but I won't really know for some time. It's a thought/character flaw that I'm not faced with too often but it has now taken hold of my mind and won't let go...

Smooth move, Ace

I dropped my curling iron this morning while doing my hair and it bumped against my chin. I now have about a three inch long, one inch wide angry red mark on the side of my face. I have a salon quality curling "wand" and it was turned up to 410 degrees. I'm not entirely sure how I managed it but I guess I'm just that good. It went swinging down, grazed my face and landed in the freshly emptied garbage. I didn't realize it had left such a distinctive mark until I came home from church.

Lovely...

In other news, Lisa's engaged!!! He's a great guy and I'm super excited for her. We always joked about the guys we would marry and helping each other plan the wedding. I don't think either of us anticipated not being roommates or even living in different states. We have been emailing copious links back and forth. I did manage to help her find a dress. She'll be a beautiful bride!

Tick-Tock

There never seems to be enough time... I think we should have three day weekends - always. My weekends never seem to be long enough.

Day 1: relax and recoup from the crazy, hectic work week.

Day 2: get stuff done day. Do laundry, clean the house, grocery shopping and other necessary errands.

Day 3: church and other familial obligations.

Anyone else agree with me?