Monthly Archives: August 2011

Aug21

The Princess Bride

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The Princess Bride

This weekend, I have had the pre-school year jitters pretty badly. Two years ago, Jared suggested that we start a tradition of watching a movie or two to help celebrate/distract me from the start of the school year.

So today we’ve watched two movies between the other things we have had to do.

“Chalk” is a funny mockumentary of a few school teachers in Texas. The first time I watched it was during my first year of teaching with another first year teacher. And anybody who has taught can relate to parts of it. So that’s always a fun “school” thing to watch.

The second movie is “The Princess Bride.” Thanks to my father, “The Princess Bride” has been a staple of my movie diet from a very young age. I grew up on this movie. It is the epitome of “classic” for me. I’ve watched it so many times that I can quote whole sections of the movie on command (but only if I feel like it, naturally).

Usually, I get annoyed looks from Jared when I try to quote along. But today he’s been so focused on trying to help get rid of my anxiety that he actually ENCOURAGED me to quote along. And didn’t even roll his eyes with most of the times that I did (or at least, not when I glanced at him).

HUMPERDINK!

Sorry. Had to put that in there.

So, knowing that I’ve got my own little slice of true love right here is a happy thought indeed. Buttercup and Wesley don’t got nothin’ on me and my man.

And with that happy thought, it’s about time for bed. Good luck to all my friends who are teachers- have a great year!

Aug20

Positive thoughts for the day

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Positive thoughts for the day

1) Jared got home early early this morning. I really missed that guy.

2) My classroom is 95% of the way completely set up, compared to about the 50% that it was set up yesterday.  Jared helped me out so much today, especially with moving the desks and ridiculously heavy chairs that somebody thought would work okay for 7th graders. Despite a lot of the stresses that is unavoidable with starting a new school year, just having the classroom taken care of helps me feel so much better.

One school-related thing down, 100 more to go!

Aug20

If you value your life…

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If you value your life…

…Don’t leave it alone with Bonnie.

Case in point:

I was making dinner to bring to a lady from church who recently had a baby. It’s too hot to leave Bonnie and Stevie outside for long periods of time (unfortunately) and so I left them sleeping cutely on the couch. A few minutes later, I heard a crunching sound.

Immediately, as if it were a dirty curse word, I thought, “BONNIE!” And sure enough, she was chewing on one of my favorite pens.

Fortunately, I caught it in time that the pen will still be useable.

Later in the evening, I was cleaning up the house so Jared could return home to a nice, clean place (which makes him very happy). I had put my glasses on the little banister area between our breakfast nook and the family room, so I thought they were safe.

I was so very, very wrong.

Because I was vacuuming, I came too late to save them. Bonnie had jumped up, managed to get the glasses, and brought them back to the couch to happily gnaw away on them for a good fifteen minutes.

This is what was left:

 

What should have been a long, wonderful life was cut tragically short. You didn’t even make it the full year. Hopefully I can get replacements soon so I don’t have to depend on the backup glasses Bonnie also mangled (not as badly).

R.I.P., glasses. R.I.P.

Aug18

Unlikely Friendships

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Unlikely Friendships

I hate being completely alone. One, because my irrational mind hears and sees all sorts of things that aren’t really there but could turn into something you see in a horror movie. Two, because I’ve just gotten used to having my best friend with me the vast majority of the time. Even when he snores at 2:30 in the morning. 😉

The first trip I handled fairly well, and the same with the second. And I know that he’s been planning on this one for a while now, but three business trips in three months after years of NOT having to do those things… I just don’t like it.

Knowing how I was not looking forward to him leaving, Jared bought me a book that he knew would make me smile. He actually gave it to me two days ago, but he knew I would need something to help me through today, and especially tonight. And it is.

I mean, look at that picture right there. If that doesn’t make some part of you go “Awwww….” then there might just be something wrong with you.

This book has forty-seven stories of heartwarming bonds developed across species of animals. Some aren’t too weird, like between baby birds of different species. Others are surprisingly different, such as the lioness and the baby oryx, or the elephant and the stray dog.

Naturally, you can’t forget to include that ALL stories have cute, cuddly pictures involved. It’s just a feel-good book.

So, thank you, Jared, for leaving me a present that you know would help reduce my anxiety while you were gone. Just looking through it again has helped me feel so much happier. Yet again, another one of your thoughtful, simple gestures has become a highlight, the positive thought, for my day.

Aug17

Two completely unrelated but interesting articles

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Two completely unrelated but interesting articles

Since I am a Texas school teacher–don’t judge me– I feel rather obligated to post this first article. I don’t really view my self as radically politically overly involved, but I am concerned when people talk positively about a certain Texan who would have himself be a U.S. President (the same man who is very responsible for hurting the education of thousands of Texas students for his own political gain).

Plus, this article is pretty funny. It starts with “If Rick Perry and George W. Bush had been born in the same family, W would have become known to friends as ‘the smart one.'”

To read “A Tale of Two Texans,” please click here.

On a MUCH more positive note, here is an article on why The Hunger Games is an awesome book for both boys and girls.

Still don’t believe me? Just ask my dad. The same guy who hasn’t read a book “for fun” in a really long time. While he and my mom visited in early August, I convinced him to try the book. Just read the first 70 pages, and if it wasn’t for him, he could put it down, and I wouldn’t pester him to read it ever again.

He didn’t even realize he had passed page 70 until I commented on it the next morning.

(The English teacher in me: 3 — Dad: 0. Why 3? Because in less than two weeks he had finished ALL THREE books in the series. So three points for me. Oh, yeah.)

So, to read up on why The Hunger Games will only be the next Twilight due to popularity, click here!

Who knows? With potential presidents like Perry out there, the dystopian world of The Hunger Games might be closer than we realize. Maybe these two articles were not wholly as unrelated as I originally thought…

And for heaven’s sake, if you haven’t already, go buy The Hunger Games and read it ASAP!