Ode to Summer Vacay

School ends and all are happy here.

The sun is out, we have no fear.

We put away the books and pens;

relax and breathe, wearing a rose-colored lens.

For many, this time is full of fun,

hiking, camping, beaches in the sun.

Forgetting troubles, work, and pain,

Time for dancing, running, and being sane.

For me, this time brings a lot of bliss,

traveling far with mom and sis.

Southern-bound with a hopeful heart,

I cannot wait to depart.

As I go on an long-needed trip,

I ask you friends not to forget.

My words may lack, in detail deep,

But all too soon I will be coming back.

And when I do,

I promise you,

the trip will be recounted soon.

Until then, my friends, adieu!

Tag, you're it!!

This is not one of those tag-ten-people-who-don't-want-to-play kinds of tags (or at least, I should say, I don't play that way and neither does Heather). This is just a fun little game that my good friend over at Goddess in Progress is playing, and I thought I might enjoy a go of it too!

The object of the little game is to think of the first 15 books that come to mind. The first 15 books that have stuck with you. Not necessarily the 15 best books you've ever read, but the ones that come quickly to your mind because they have made a lasting impression.

Here's my list (Ooh there are so many good books I love! This will be fun to see which ones pop up in my head!):

1. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas

2. Days of Dreams and Laughter by Lucy Maud Montgomery

3. To Kill A Mockingbird by Lee Harper

4. Teachers Have it Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America's Teachers by Eggers, Moulthrop, and Calegari

5. The Essential 55 by Ron Clark

6. Teaching with Love and Logic by Jim and Charles Fay

7. Freud and Man's Soul by Bruno Bettleheim

8. Harry Potter (1-7) by J.K. Rowling

9. Broken Things to Mend by Jeffrey R. Holland

10. Snow Treasure by Marie Mcswigan

11. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino

12. Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna

13. Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

14. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

15. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

At risk for...

One of the reasons why I hate going to any doctor appointment is that I come out feeling a little hypochondriasis.

Like today, I just went in to the optometrist to have a simple eye check-up. I've been avoiding it because I knew I would have to pay for new glasses, but I figured I better do it before school starts again.

Well come to find out, after taking a creepy looking photo of the back of my eyeball(something called retinal photography), I apparently have "extrememly small and tight nerve heads" which, unbeknownst to me all these years "puts me at a high risk of having brain tumors."

So what is good ol' doctor friend's advice to me?

"Try and stay away from those brain tumors."

Really?

Dude, come on!

So now I'm afraid a brain tumor might jump out from a dark alleyway and attack my "extremely small and tight nerve heads."

Great. And thanks a bunch doc.

Nothin' much

For some reason, today, I can't think of anything to blog about.

It couldn't possibly be because I have done nothing but sit around eating chocolate chip cookies and watching "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" for the last week.

Nope. That couldn't possibly be it.

I did go out to the pool today and read "Glamour" while toasting in the sun. Does that count as productivity?

I guess many people would envy this lifestyle. I am pretty sure I envied this lifestyle just about a month ago. But right now, my need to be "doing" has sort of caught up to me. Which is ridiculous because I just finished a three week graduate course last Tuesday.

Sometimes I disgust myself. Why isn't it possible for me to just relax and enjoy doing, well, nothing?

Is this a basic human characteristic, that we need to be "doing" something, or is this just part of my psychosis?

Oh well...I guess I can handle it for another week. Soon I will be headed off to the beautiful beaches of the east coast. Ah yes, then I will have something great to blog about! :)

You're jealous, I know.

Blowin' in the Wind

Happy Independence Day!

To all those who serve this great nation, happy day, and thank you!

To all those who love this great nation, happy day, keep the faith!

To all those who are part of this nation, believe and make this country yours. Ours.

There is nothing greater than knowing there are people who love what you love, and who act in accordance. We are only strong when we are united, and united we must stand.

This is a great country, though it has its faults. We are a great people, though we have our faults.

To the U.S.A., Happy Birthday!

And God Bless America!

Expletives

It seems that toward the end of the school year my students finally started to get the hang of writing their own stories. I began to see a lot of creativity come from each of them, some more than others, and it was a lot of fun.

One of my very bright and very sweet little girls was a lot of fun to work with. A teacher's dream really. She was on top of things, almost always obedient and dedicated, and always willing and excited to learn new things.

Though this particular student is sweet, she also has a pretty sassy side that only comes out once in a while...but its a I'm-more-mature-than-I-look kind of sassy that is very unassuming and unobnoxious. Needless to say, I kind of appreciated her sassy attitude when I got to see it.

On one occasion, during a Teacher Conferencing moment, I was reading this student's story aloud. The story went something like this:

"Once upon a time there was a little baby dolphin. One morning the baby dolphin got up and was so excited to go play that she rushed right past Mama dolphin and out the door, just as Mama dolphin yelled, 'WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG BAD SHARK!' Unfortunately the baby dolphin was in too much of a hurry to hear her mom.

Soon, as baby dolphin was playing, the Big Bad Shark came along, and all of a sudden, swallowed her up! Baby dolphin was worried and thought, 'What am I going to do?!' Baby dolphin got an idea!

Baby dolphin wiggled and squirmed and swished around inside the shark's belly. Soon the shark did a big BURP! Baby dolphin was free! She was so scared and tired that she hurried home as fast as she could.

As the baby dolphin rushed in the house, her mother started to say, 'Where have you been?' but when she looked at the baby dolphin she shouted,

'WHAT THE SHELL!?' "

And the story goes on to conclude with baby dolphin sleeping and mama dolphin watching "24."

Yup. What the shell? came right from the imagination of a 7 year old. And I know the parents of this little girl quite well...they are mellow, conservative people. I can't imagine where she came up with this! Her mom must have died when she read her story!

These kids crack me up!!

Full blown psychosis

Confession:

I've never been diagnosed, but sometimes I think I might just be a complete psychotic. I even think sometimes, "I am the most insane person I have ever known."

Have you ever wondered if anxiety can manifest itself in your dreams?

I have. I think mine does.

I have had the wierdest dreams for my whole life, but lately, my dreams have sky-rocketed into some kind of alter-existence. I dream about snow in July (and I hate snow), I dream about not being able to turn on the lights (and I hate darkness), I dream about sudden, random, tragic events (and I hate sudden, random, tragic events).

I think I have become victim of my own internal anxiety. Or something.

Maybe I have other problems...

Like, I can't sleep at night anymore because of these dreams.

Like, I wake up 30 minutes after falling asleep because the dream is so crazy in my head.

Like, I don't trust all the small creatures who come out to speak to me when I wake up (Oh, wait, that's not true...)

Seriously though, how do I make the dreaming stop??? Anyone???