Let it rain, let it rain, let it RAIN

Notice how people are always so entertained by the weather? It's such a common conversation piece. There is something so exciting about storms, whether it be pouring rain, snow, wind,or thunderstorm. Right now it's about 50 degrees and raining, with strong gusts of wind making eerie noises through the house. It shouldn't be fascinating, but to me it is. If it was cold enough to snow, we would be in trouble! There are major flood warnings out through Thursday morning, and the local news channel is predicting massive power outages as a result of 50 mph winds. I don't think I want to know what a gust that strong feels like! Again, if this was snow I'd be wearing my pajamas inside out and backwards, flushing ice cubes down the toilet, putting cotton balls underneath my pillow, and running laps around the dining room table hoping desperately for a snow day. Wait, I think I just heard thunder. Or it could be the train (which also captivates me!). I think maybe the weather is so exciting to me because it's a force that cannot be controlled. Mother Nature is unstoppable (although I did hear recently about scientists that have devised a way to alter weather patterns and precipitation - very bad idea!), and her storms can be quite fierce and unpredictable. I mean, how often are weather predictions correct? More than half the time it seems that the meteorologists are taking their best guesses on the weather for any given day. Even storm predictions fall short. A prediction for a foot of snow really only drops 3 inches. A 5-inch snow prediction has left us with two feet. Is there no way to accurately predict the weather? If there isn't, that's fine, but let's not pretend there is by creating and using fancy technology like the Doppler system.

As a kid I was absolutely terrified of thunderstorms. At the first sound of thunder my entire body would stiffen and I'd break out in a cold sweat! If I was at home I would immediately retreat to the basement with my favorite teddy bear and a flashlight...all by myself, counting the seconds until it would all be over. Crazy, huh? My family thought I was absolutely nuts. My brother loved thunderstorms so much (either that or he just loved torturing me) that he would stand outside in a thunder and lightning storm, staring up at the sky. I attribute my fear to the day I was in the child seat on the back of my dad's bike and we were several miles from home. It started to thunder and I remember being really scared. It started lightning and pouring and I started screaming and crying. My dad says I totally freaked out. I think that is definitely the day my fear was born. My fear of thunderstorms has, for the most part, diminished - thank goodness! Now house centipedes have replaced that fear! (Ewwww!)

10 DAYS and flush

Whew! Thanksgiving was a whirlwind this year! We spent Thanksgiving with my family, then traveled back upstate for a second feast. Sunday we were invited by my in-laws to another turkey dinner. I loved every minute of it! THREE Thanksgiving dinners and I didn't have to cook a single one. I'd say I made out well.

Well, the birthday to end this blog will occur in 10 days (Dec. 9th). I don't really know what I'm expecting to happen, or if I should expect anything at all. Will something magical happen the moment I turn 30? Will I be wiser and more sophisticated? My bet says no. Just another year, another number. One hope is that I'll be able to celebrate somehow, sometime, and somewhere with my Love and good friends! The other is that I get a Blog of Note.

Now onto the real blogging part. I have to bring this up. What is it that prevents people from flushing a public toilet after they've gone to the bathroom? I hope that on my birthday I'll have an entire day of no unpleasant surprises when I walk into any stall. It's so gross, really. I mean, is it that difficult to push the handle? A gentle kick would also do the job. I don't mind so much when there is only pee in the bowl, but there's absolutely NO NEED for anything more substantial to linger behind. Oh, and.... if you sprinkle when you tinkle, be a sweetie and wipe the seatie! PLEASE!!!!!

'Tis the season

'Tis the season for peace, joy, love, and crazed shopping!

Well, the day after Thanksgiving traditionally marks the beginning of the holiday season here in America. Store decorations are up, sales are abundant, people are skittering every which way looking for the perfect gifts for their precious ones, and Christmas music plays on the radio. Hanukkah begins the first week of December, with Christmas soon to follow.

Usually the holiday season raises my spirits and adds an extra spring to my step. Not this year, though. I am not feeling Christmas-y. It's unfortunate, really, because I look forward to this season all year long. I guess I'm in a rut. Maybe things will turn around?

With that said, I'm hardly getting any shopping done because I'm not in the right mood. Anyone who normally gets a gift from me at Christmas, including my family, may feel gypped this year. I'm hoping my advance apology will grant me pardon!

Enjoy the season...

Thanksgiving = Give Thanks

I love this time of year. Thanksgiving is here, and Christmas and New Year's are just around the corner. Holiday lights are up, the temperature is getting colder (well, that isn't much fun!), and snow starts to flurry. People are abuzz with shopping lists and pre-holiday tasks. Parking lots are packed and people seem a little cheerier. It's a magical time of year!

But of course, nothing would be magical if I didn't have family and friends to celebrate with. Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of giving thanks for who and what we have in our lives.

I plan to take some time over the next few days and focus on the people and things that I am thankful for in my life. I recently heard someone say that we should be happy with what we have instead of focusing on what we don't have. That resonated deeply with me because it's so easy to get caught up with what we don't have and what we want. Television commercials, magazine ads, billboards, and movies all remind us of what we don't have but could have.

When we sit down to make our holiday "wish" lists, maybe we could also make a "thanks" list. What are we thankful for? Who could we give thanks to? It always feels better to give than to receive (although receiving feels wonderful, too). If you try this and find you have difficulty listing things you are thankful for, watch the documentary titled "God Grew Tired of Us". It's the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan who trekked over 1,000 miles to reach safety at a refugee camp in Kenya while their country was torn apart by civil war. Many have been placed in the United States, where things like electricity, indoor plumbing, refrigerated food, and beds were a new experience for them. These are things I take for granted every single day. This documentary was a reminder of how much I do take for granted, so this year I'd like to spend time being thankful for what I have instead of thinking about the things I don't have.

Have a safe, happy, and thankful Thanksgiving everyone!

Zombie Apocalypse

My husband sometimes refers to a "zombie apocalypse". I didn't get it at first so I had to look it up. According to wikipedia, it's "a widespread rise of zombies hostile to human life engages in a general assault on civilization."

Now, I doubted that he really believed this would happen because of its supernatural implications, and was thoroughly relieved when I realized he was really referring to the state of people's minds as being zombie-ish. He feels that people today are walking around in a state of complete self-centeredness, in an altered reality, failing to see what's really going on around them. And in that case, the zombie apocalypse IS really upon us, as you can witness for yourself by clicking here.

Can you believe this? I am astonished. And frightened. Really frightened.

Final Countdown

Well, I realized today that The Big Day, my 30th birthday, is less than one month away. On December 9th I will turn The Big 3-0. I can hardly believe I have been blogging for nearly ten months! In light of the upcoming event, I took some time today to ponder the idea of a birthday. In my mind, birthdays are celebratory. Why not celebrate the day one was born? I believe life is a gift, and a birthday is a perfect opportunity to be thankful for that life and celebrate it with the people who really make up that life: friends and family. Then I started to think about how we only celebrate that one day. I mentioned to someone that I would like to celebrate my birthday for an entire week. She suggested the entire month. At first I laughed at the ridiculousness of it, but then I stopped. Why NOT celebrate for the entire month? So, I made a decision. This year, the year that I turn "Dirty Thirty", I am going to celebrate my birthday for the entire month of December. What does that mean? It means I am going to do something to celebrate "me" each day for the entire month. It might be something small like taking the time to paint my nails, meditating, or giving myself an extra hour of sleep. Or it might be something bigger like having dinner with friends or going to a movie or show. I don't get to do all the things I enjoy because life gets in the way. That is no longer going to suffice as an excuse, at least for the month of December. I am thankful for my life, and I know that 30 has great things in store for me. I'm going to celebrate being 29 until December 9th, and then I'll celebrate being 30 until the 31st (an beyond, of course). Life is a blessing and I am very happy to be here. I plan to celebrate that blessing!

Countdown: 22 days!

Meditation Medication

It shouldn't be any surprise that I thoroughly enjoy reading. I used to read simply for entertainment, getting my thrills as a kid from books like The Babysitters' Club, Sweet Valley Twins, and Nancy Drew, and later moving on to mystery/thrillers by authors such as R.L. Stine, Christopher Pike, and Stephen King. In high school and college I had no time to read anything for leisure as my days and nights were filled reading mandatory selections, and I was barely able to finish those on time. I entered into a reading slump at that time, with reading for fun taking a place on the back burner. After moving back home after college, and pre-graduate school and working almost full-time, I started dabbling with books again. The first one? Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Poor choice. I hated most of it, but trudged through it to the end. I got smarter with my second choice: The Da Vinci Code Special Illustrated Edition. That got me back on track and things progressed. Now I LOVE reading again, and not just for entertainment. I like to read some non-fiction, too, in hopes that I'll better myself in some way.

Some teachers are stuck on having students read "quality" literature and the classics, but I have to be honest, I've read a lot of what's considered "quality" literature along with many classics and they just don't keep my interest. We took our classes to see the musical Little Women last year, and to prepare myself I read the unabridged, original version. I won't even say how long it took me to complete it, but it was a long time. So I don't push the classics or even quality literature. My advice to students (and their parents) is read. Read a magazine, newspaper, cheesy chapter book, even the back of the cereal box. As long as a child is reading, and reading for fun, they are becoming a better reader and they will love reading. That is my personal opinion.

Anyway, I'm finishing The Giver right now. It's a young adult novel, so it's a quick read. The messages in this book are so powerful and relevant to our world today. If you have not read this book, make sure it's your next pick from the library or bookstore. It will change the way you look at society and the way things are. Now off to my next book, a gift from a friend: One Day by David Nicholls. I can't wait: I'm so excited! Reading has now taken the place of TV watching in my life.

(If you have book suggestions, send them my way. I love reading books based on personal recommendations!)

Two springs ago I read Eat, Pray, Love (don't judge it by the movie). I think it was that book that introduced me to the idea of introducing meditation to my life. After reading the book, I tried to meditate. I mean I TRIED. Rather than calm me, it frustrated me. I couldn't do it with ten thousand thoughts popping through my head. I love how the sun feels on my back right now. That breeze feels good. I wish I was at the beach. Maybe we can go to the beach this summer. I'd need a pedicure first. What color should I get? It went on and on and on. Then I got smarter, realizing I couldn't do it on my own, so I picked up a guided meditation CD from the library. I had better success with that. The problem is, I haven't graduated beyond the guided CD. The book I just read by Deepak Chopra recommends meditating 30 minutes twice a day. I would love to do that, but I don't think I can. Can I even sit still for that long? Probably not. Anyway, that is one of my new goals, to meditate twice a day (even if only for a few minutes). Everything I've read claims it is restorative to the mind, body, and soul. I'm ready to be restored!

Frenchie French French French!

I may have already mentioned this, but I am absolutely infatuated with France and most things French. I have even idealized the French people, and often find myself making excuses for what others perceive to be rude French behavior. Maybe I was French in a past life.....

Anyway, I studied French in college and later enrolled at the Sorbonne in Paris while on a study abroad adventure. There were some trying days, but all in all it was a pleasant trip full of personal growth and discovery. And lots of baguettes! I came back from Paris in 2001 and graduated from college in 2002. In 8 years I have spoken little to no French, but find myself waking from dreams completely spoken in French. I have regretted not being able to continue my practice of the French language, and I do miss certain aspects of French culture. I've even been stalking novels that take place in France just so I can get my French "fix". Well, God has been listening to the silent wishes of my soul.

On Friday I learned that I would have the opportunity to teach both Social Studies AND Language Arts to a young boy from Madagascar, whose second language (and the language spoken in his previous school) is French. He speaks little English, so I was thrilled to get him in my classes. He speaks English as much as he can, and then sometimes asks for clarification in French. Today I explained the concept of a lake (remember where he is from - he understands it as a sea), and he told me "J'ai pas de gomme." It took me a minute, but eventually I realized he needed an eraser. Evidently I've forgotten the difficulty of bouncing back and forth between languages - not an easy feat, at least not yet. I do, however, love that I am able to communicate with him. And here's the best part: today he told me that my French "is very good"! Woo-hoo! Still got it...

Wegmans

I have to say it. I love Wegmans. LOVE L.O.V.E LOOOOOOVE Wegmans. It is the greatest supermarket in the world (I'm guessing on that one, but it seems like it has to be). If you've never been to Wegman's, you are truly missing out. Did you not hear Alec Baldwin during his stint on "The Late Show"? His mother refuses to move closer to him because she'll miss Wegman's. Now if that doesn't speak volumes about Wegman's, I don't know what will. Bottom line: it is the be-all-end-all of supermarkets. When my parents come to visit, my dad spends no less than two hours shopping there, filling the car with bags of amazing things. It is superior.



There is one thing that drives me crazy about Wegman's, though. The people. Earlier this week I referenced those with no spatial awareness. Tonight I'll focus on the cart leavers. That's right. The people who can't walk ten feet to the nearest cart return. Instead, they leave it next to their car and drive off, or they push it away from their car and drive off, leaving the cart to smash into some innocent shopper's car. We all know that's rude, but how LAZY is that? The cart returns are strategically placed in the parking lot, making it more than easy to walk the cart and leave it there for the cart crew to pick up. Maybe I am especially annoyed by this because my car was once hit by one of these "runaway" carts and dented to such a degree that my front door would not open. If I ever personally witness someone doing this in the parking lot, you can bet money that I will confront that person about their rude and lazy attitude and it will NOT be pretty. Very little irritates me MORE than people being inconsiderate due to laziness. It was almost 70 degrees today. It's not even snowing. There is no excuse. Return the cart!

It is such a widespread problem, in fact, that there is a support ribbon for it! (See a previous post on Support Ribbons )

Fear Mongering

Fear mongering, according to Wikipedia, is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. Yesterday I spent my day off getting the flu shot (my arm still hurts today) and having my yearly eye exam. The "vision center" was an absolute zoo. I suppose I should have expected it, with it being a holiday and all. Finally, my name was called and I sauntered back to the dreaded glaucoma test site. There has to be a better way for testing besides blowing air into each eyeball. I can usually sit still for the first "puff", but my eye has a mind of its own and blinks uncontrollably in anticipation for the second "puff". When it was over I was directed to a row of chairs to wait. I pulled out my book, The Giver by Lois Lowry, and read. Minutes later I was called into the exam room by a man not much older than me. I sat down in the exam chair and he read my file aloud. I said "correct" several times, mentioned that I swim with goggles over my contacts, and then he launched into a speech about contacts and bacterial infections. Apparently baths, showers, pillows, pools, lakes, rivers, and hands can cause serious eye infections. He pulled out a poster of hideous eye infections to illustrate his point. What the heck, dude? He hadn't even assessed my eyes at this point, but I was concerned. Was there something wrong with me eyes? Upon examining my eyes he found no problems (thank GOD!), but I was still shaking. He continued his rant about how people overuse their contacts and then come into the office complaining that they scratched their eye, which he said is impossible to do. I couldn't help it, but I had to interrupt him and point out that my husband did indeed wake up one recent morning with a terrible searing pain in his eye that turned out to be a scratch. He was treated with antibiotic drops and felt better. The "doctor" then backtracked and said it was certainly possible, but not often. I think it's time to find alternative eye care. Fear mongering isn't appreciated, especially when it's unwarranted and directed at me while I'm sitting in an exam chair. So take note, doctors, keep your fears to yourself.

Success

I have to admit that lately I've been very interested in spirituality. Maybe it started a couple years ago when I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. Her exploration of three different countries and cultures helped to heal her soul and put meaning back into her life. I just finished listening to an audio book of Deepak Chopra's called The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. I love Deepak, I really do. I've read a few of his books and thoroughly enjoyed them, but they were challenging to get through. Deepak doesn't fluff his writing. Every single sentence is meaningful, thus making it impossible to read quickly or leisurely. Mostly, I find myself reading and re-reading specific sentences and paragraphs. When listening to this audio book I was constantly rewinding so that I could receive the full impact of his messages. It turns out there is also a DVD version of the book. I watched that, too. His book promotes positive thinking and living, and the 7 laws are simple. Check out the extremely condensed summary of each law, along with suggestions for daily practice HERE. I absolutely believe the world would be a better place if more people read books with messages like those that Deepak conveys.

Practice silencing your mind. Wish people well when you come into contact with them. Don't be hasty in actions: think of the potential consequences beforehand and focus on bringing good things into people's lives. Accept things as they are (within reason, of course). Ask yourself: What do I desire? Don't force things. Find your unique talent and use it to serve humanity.

Spatial Awareness

Recently I have noticed that people have very little spacial awareness. This evening I was at Wegmans trying to get some produce and meat for supper, and I was continuously encountering people who were just standing around in La-la Land. I must have said excuse me at least 20 times, and the people would eventually move but not without bumping into my cart or a store display. Coming down aisles I was greeted frequently by carts just sitting in the middle of the aisle while their drivers were gazing blankly at the shelves. When are people going to realize that they are in my way?! (Ha-ha!) Seriously, though, a little bit of social awareness in public wouldn't hurt any of us, and it would probably allow more people to be more time efficient.

Tick Tock

So here in the U.S we have exited Daylight Savings Time. It's lighter earlier in the morning and darker earlier in the evening. I was a little excited by this since my body CANNOT wake up when it's dark outside. It doesn't matter how many hours of sleep I amass, if it's dark outside my body refuses to wake up. Because of this I am a chronic snooze button presser. This usually results in me racing around like a chicken with my head cut off in the morning while I try to get ready for work and be out the door in hopes of beating the morning rush and getting there on time. Most of the time it works, too. But it's a horrible way to start the day. I'd prefer a calmer entry, but unless the sun is willing to cooperate I'm afraid all will remain as is for now. I don't mind the darkness settling in early for the evening because it's cold outside anyway and I won't be venturing out there for much. Plus, I'm exhausted at the end of the day and prefer to work out, go home, eat, and jump in bed early to read myself to dreamland. The early darkness makes that easier. So, winter is on its way, bringing with it my favorite holiday: Christmas! The unofficial countdown has begun with Christmas music on the radio and store displays. Now if only people's moods were cheerier...

Full Circle

I'm all out of blogging ideas tonight, so you'll have to settle for my poor attempt at poetry.

Sadness raging
Darkness
Rushing thoughts
How did it happen?
When did it start?
Kicking and screaming
Violently fighting the questions arising
Negativity?
Naivete?
Ignorance?
Coming like waves
All at once
Powerful feelings
Charging in
Relentless
Giving up
Barriers breaking and
Tears flowing
Rivers
Body trembling
Clarity and peace
Calm.

Garth Parties On

Sometimes stuff happens and I feel like I'm in the Twilight Zone because I can't believe this crap could actually happen. Other times, like today, I feel like I am stuck going through a revolving door and cannot exit.

I was reminded of this two times today: Once when I was actually going through the revolving door at the gym, and twice when I got home and heard the SAME news story on the television that has been playing for days. It's THE most ridiculous news story, at least in the way it has been presented. Apparently some guy wandered into a city elementary school during a Halloween celebration and "fondled" two different teachers in two different classrooms. Then he walked out of the school intact. Up until today police weren't sure who the guy was. Did you pay attention to the "fondled" part? He didn't attack them, he FONDLED them. So, how did the guy get away with no injuries? Those teachers should have broken his hands and anything else they could grab. But really, "fondled"? It makes it sound like it was some sort of ridiculous movie. And why do they keep playing the story over and over on the news? It's the same information every day. Each morning and evening this week I have felt like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, except his radio is my television.

Click here for news segment

News update: the fondler's name is Garth (Wayne's World?) and he left his wallet behind at the scene, which is what led police to find him (where's Jay Leno? I have a stupid criminal for him!). Oh, and he was already on parole for some other crime. I'm shocked. Well, party on, Garth.

Sim City

Today I skipped the gym to go home and relax. Ha! Relax, I did not. As I turned onto my street I noticed everyone outside raking their leaves. (Well, except for our neighbor across the street who was mowing his, but I'll get to that later.) Part guilt and part motivation forced me to pick up our rake and join the neighbors. The neighbors next door to us are foreign, and three years ago the grandmother and I were both outside raking on Halloween when she approached me. We hadn't really met yet, and I was excited that she might be friendly. I put down my rake and joined her at the property line. Expecting formalities and niceties, I was thrown off balance when she started yelling at me. Her English was not very good, but I was able to pick out enough words to understand that she was yelling at me for the leaves in her yard. Apparently she had been outside everyday raking and raking and everyday our tree would dump more leaves in her yard. Ummm, how does one respond to that? I think I said something to the tune of, "Well, maybe you should wait to rake until all of the leaves fall off the tree."

So when I walked into the front yard this afternoon and saw her raking her leaves, my anxiety level instantly elevated. Actually, I was kind of hoping she would come over to harass me about my leaves in her yard so I could bring several facts to her attention: they hadn't mowed their backyard all summer, so it was a field of tall grass giving refuge to God knows what creatures; they throw their garbage out their upstairs back window and then bag up what the crows and mice haven't eaten on garbage day, dragging no less than 10 bags to the road; they honk car horns at all hours of the day and night, throwing my husband and I into fits of psychotic rage when we're awoken at 2 in the morning on a work day. She never did say anything today, though, so I didn't get a chance to enlighten her with these facts.

I think you should meet some of my other neighbors, though, so that you can truly experience life on my street. My husband and I joke that it's like a Sim City.

We have Van Man, who works nights and drove a white bomber van for the first two years we lived here. Our early bedtime was consistently interrupted when his van would start and the foreign neighbors honked. Van Man now has a new van. It's white.

Then there's Karate Lady. We first got a glimpse of her when she was outside in her driveway doing, well, karate. Sounds and all. With a bo staff. It is quite the treat to witness this performance.

Meet Poison Ivy, our other neighbors, who let their back yard turn into a poison ivy breeding ground. Her youngest daughter had had a rash for years, but she could never figure out what it was from. Once it started creeping under their fence onto our property, we tried killing it with chemicals, but to no avail. Finally, another neighbor who works in the emergency room at a nearby hospital gave my husband a "bunny suit" (A.K.A Haz-Mat suit) so that he could tackle it. One vine was growing up our tree, so it had to go. Due to 20 plus years of ignorance, the vine was so thick we had to chop it with an axe.

He still got poison ivy, even with the suit!



There's Chores, the guy who makes his kids do all the yard work while he sits on his little bench and supervises. And his neighbor, who we don't have a name for, is in love with his leaf blower and constantly uses it to clean the street in front of his house. Then he washes the street.

Welcome to my Sim City, except I didn't get to choose the characters. I wonder what role we are filling?

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Have you ever read the children's book titled Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? If not, you should. It chronicles the worst day of Alexander's life, one so bad, in fact, that he wishes he could move to Australia. Life would have to be pretty bad to wish for that! ;)

Today is not my worst day, but it's not great, either. It's pretty close to Alexander's, though (read it if you haven't). I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, cranky and tired. Tired because I went to bed late, and cranky because I'm tired. And it might be closing in on that time of the month. (I always refused to believe that this body cycle thing could actually affect someone's mood, but as I get older I am finding truth in it.)

Examples of how my day is off-kilter? Let's see....I spilled my tea on me while getting into my car; my purse fell off my arm this morning on my way into work and the ground was wet with snow; my lesson was rubbish; I dropped my drink in the hallway on the way back to my room - TWICE!; people are behaving strangely, thus making things awkward; the sound of my clock is getting on my nerves every time it changes minutes; people are asking me ridiculous questions; it's cold out. I would like nothing more than to put my jammies on and climb into my bed with a freshly heated heat bag. But it's only lunch time and that would be impossible. I have an appointment after school and class tonight. My only hope is that I will be able to fall asleep quickly tonight to release this grumpy feeling.