Book Tag...It Seems I'm It...

My friend Chris tagged me...so here's my Book Meme:

Total number of books that I own:
I know I own 82 e-books (and keep at least 5-6 on my Palm at all times) – after that, between paperbacks of my own and the library of books in my classroom (I think I’m pushing 1,000 there – I’m working on leveling and cataloging them this summer) – Basically, too many to count…

Last book I bought:
Blue Dahlia by Nora Roberts

Last book I read:
The Perfect Summer by Luanne Rice

Books I am currently reading:
Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson
Reading with Meaning by Debbie Miller
Macromedia Studio MX 2004 for Dummies

Five books that mean a lot to me:
The Bible
The Giving Tree by Shel Silerstein (I share it with my class every year)
A book of memories my Great-Uncle Brock wrote about growing up in the Depression and being in the 82nd Airborne during World War II that he had printed and bound at Kinko’s to share with the family
Superfudge by Judy Blume (my paternal Grandmother bought me a hardback copy of it for Christmas when it first came out – a major feat for her on a shoestring income)
Lucky Man by Michael J. Fox (his biography reminded me that no matter what challenges you face in life, your attitude and determination can help you face them head on with dignity)

Five people I tag to do their own book meme:
Since I don’t know enough bloggers yet to tag, I’m going to also post this on a message board I frequent and tag some other internet friends for this task.

Interesting E-mail

Well, we all get the forwarded e-mail jokes, prayers, thoughts, chain letters, etc. Some days, I have tons of time to kill and I'll read them all...other days, I only read the ones forwarded by friends who I know only send me the funny stuff and then there are the days where I don't have time and don't read them at all. I'm sure that's true for most of us. Today's best e-mail was "Useful Expressions for High Stress Days" and I decided to use them for my blog and see if anyone would like to add a few more of their own in the replies:



"Do they ever shut upon your planet?"

"When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you."

"Well, this day was a total waste of makeup."

"Don't upset me! I'm running out of places to hide the bodies."

"I can't remember if I'm the good twin or the evil one."

"I hate everybody. And you're next."

"Don't treat me any differently than you would the Queen."

"How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

"I just want revenge. Is that so wrong?"

"I'm not tense, just terribly, terribly alert."

"You say I'm a B*@#$...like it's a bad thing."

"I'm trying to imagine you with a personality."

"How many times do I have to flush before you go away?"

"Is it time for your medication or mine?"

"And your crybaby whiny-baby opinion would be...?"

"Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed."

"Guys have feelings too. But like, who cares?"

"Do NOT start with me. You will NOT win."

"You have the right to remain silent, so please SHUT UP."

"I'm one of those bad things that happen to good people."

"Warning: I have an attitude and I know how to use it."

A Child's View

Well, I had one of those moments today that just remind you how precious life is and how blessed one can truly be. I was sitting on the beach today watching a little boy who appeared to be around 5-6 years old play in the water. What made this moment a treasure was that the little boy had Down’s syndrome. Watching him try to decide if this water that was washing up to his feet and then retract was something to trust was a moment that just touched my heart. This little boy had that expression of complete joy and wonder as he watched the gulls, played in the sand and finally decided that if his dad held his hand, the water could be trusted not to hurt him. It was just magical and reminded me yet again why I went in to teaching – to see children grow, explore and learn – to see those moments of joy and wonder at new discoveries as one learns.

Critics....

Well, after reading badgod's response to my last blog, I'm taking a minute away from my latest vacation and that seat on the ocean front balcony to climb up on a soapbox. Who gives anyone the right to criticize one's life choices - especially when you don't know all the information behind said life choices? I think it says very clearly in my About Me statement regarding my living situation that it may seem pathetic to some, but they don't know the entire story and frankly, it's none of their damn business! So, to the critics out there in the world who think they have the right to pass judgement on the lives and choices made by others - until you've walked a mile in that person's shoes and experienced what they have experienced in life - keep your opinions to yourself. Think whatever you wish, and keep it to yourself unless asked for an opinion. As I recall, in that blog, I asked for opinions on Speed Dating...not your two cents worth on my living situation. If you don't like the way I live my life and the choices I make, I'll be happy to send you some Legos so you can build a bridge and get over it.

Speed Dating - to try or not to try????

Ok...I accepted long ago that my dating life SUCKS!!! It's been that way all the way back to date #1 with the geek who thought it would be cool to neck in his church parking lot. Definitely not the place to get your first kiss - especially from the unskilled geek. Since then, I've been the queen of bad blind dates. Let me see...the worst was about five years ago when my cousin, Becky, set me up with Richard...Let's just say that braces on someone pushing 30 set off warning signals the minute he walked up. We proceeded to walk around a golf tournament...and ended up at a party in my aunt's backyard. It was so obvious that this was a disaster that my uncle's best friend pulled me to the side wanted to know who I PO'd to deserve the torture of this blind date. When Richard didn't take the hint to go away (I went into my aunt's house and locked the door behind me), someone finally said they needed a designated driver and let me drive them home so I could escape. Still can't get over the guy's nerve to call me the next week...I avoided the phone like the plague. Finally, the gnat grew a brain, got a clue and left me alone. Then, there's been internet dating....the computer geek who couldn't follow road signs to the interstate when leaving a hockey game. Now, on this date I gave him this huge opening of - "I've never been to a hockey game and know nothing about the game" - major hint to have the game explained to me...instead, there was over 2 hours of silence while he was engrossed in hockey. The topper was when I heard on the ride back to the restaurant my car was parked at - "without my GPS, I don't know where I'm at." Read the damn road signs....or even better, go back the way you came. Finally, got back to my car and left that one in the dust. So, after experiences like that - why am I now considering parting with $35 to try Speed Dating??? The 6 minute limit is appealing....you can get rid of the duds quickly. One of my favorite t-shirts says "I identify with Dorthy....I seem to attract men who are cowards, have no heart, or are in need of a brain!" I can't help worrying that the 12 men I'll meet in a speed dating event will fall into all of these categories. On the flip side, the Internet dating thing hasn't panned out - although a couple of winks and an e-mail came down the pike today. Fix ups aren't working, during the school year my 5 am alarm clock and going anywhere that requires staying awake beyond 10 PM prohits much bar hopping and internet dating has been a waste of money (damn, the things I could do with those membership fees...plane tickets...got to stop paying those membership fees). So, where does that leave this single girl...wrestling with Speed Dating...to try or not to try?

Three Plus Hours of Weather....

There are few things in life that really and truly irk me beyond belief. My local CBS affiliate - WFMY in Greensboro - IRKED me beyond belief today. Since their radar showed possible funnel clouds, the went on the air with a three hour weather broadcast this afternoon....THREE FREAKIN HOURS of looking at their radar and hearing their reporters and weather people struggling to find a new way to repeat the same information over and over again. During this time, there were no reports of actual tornadoes touching the ground - which would be REAL and IMPORTANT NEWS - just these people rambling on and on about where this cloud and that cloud now were on radar and repeats of information about thunder storm and tornado watches - information I could read if it were scrolling across the bottom as my favorite CBS Soaps - As The World Turns and Guiding Light aired. Instead of the big love scene between Mike and Katie, finding out more about the mystery surrounding Carly's father and watching Olivia and Reva learn that Nate was really Alfred, I watched the radar for two hours. Frustrated soap fan that I am, I decided to e-mail the station and see if they were going to re-air the show overnight and received and answer of no. Ok, that didn't satisfy me - so I pulled out all the stops and used the information I had as Robert's fan club vice president and webmaster about stations around the country that had rebroadcasts scheduled overnight thanks to pre-emptions this morning resulting from the coverage of the bombings in London. It's sad to say that Greensboro doesn't think they can follow in the footsteps of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit and Boston. Apparently, the local CBS station doesn't see itself as big and important enough to lobby CBS with a request to rebroadcast the CBS shows due to the over done local weather break...Ok...I'll get off my soapbox now...and go e-mail someone somewhere else in this great country and see if I can get a tape of Mike and Katie sent to me.

Captive Client

The things you do for family....in this case, I'm the captive client of my cousin, Bri - the personal trainer. Never mention the need to get in shape in front of relatives who live to torture you using these machines that I'm sure were instruments of torture in the Middle Ages. The main reason is there's no escape - you can't quit because they know where you live and how to find you. My captive clienthood began last October - I figured the sore muscle component would end after the first few weeks of working out - I was SO WRONG! Bri, who apparently has watched too much Emeril recently, announced to me last week that she was taking my workout and "kicking it up a notch". What exactly does that mean? For me, sore armpits. Now, you know - I can handle sore biceps, triceps, abs, legs...you know there will be visible results there eventually and you expect those muscles to feel a burn from time to time. However, I have yet to see flab on anyone's armpits - let alone my own. Then again, I've never really looked - who cares what the armpits look like on anyone - as long as they've used deodorant and don't smell, I could care less about armpits. That said, this kicked up workout has left me with armpit pain anytime I raise my arms - which did convince me today was not the day to wash windows. The worst part was putting on a dress for a meeting I had to go to this morning - the contortions I usually have to go through to zip the thing in the back since I was home alone had me gritting my teeth. I gave serious thought to cutting the blasted thing off when I got home to avoid reaching for the zipper. I did go through the contortions and got the thing off....and decided that I needed to raid the Hershey Kiss stash as medication for my pain and suffering. Of course, I'm sure if Bri finds out about that, she'll kick the workout up another notch to work off the calories...Do I really have to go back on Friday? Yeah, I do....otherwise she'll hunt me - the captive client - down!

Mom's Who Volunteer You....

Ok...I love my Mother, but too often she assumes I have no plans (which all too often is true...but I digress) and tells people I'll do this or that - usually favors for people involving computers and cameras. Well, we get to the weekend of the 4th and I'm thinking I'll go to downtown Greensboro and see the Revolutionary War re-enactors at Blandwood - spend my Sunday afternoon out somewhere that has potential for meeting new people besides Match.com. I had my entire Sunday mapped out in my head on Friday afternoon and was feeling good about a weekend where I had something to do. Saturday morning, I head off with the top down on the convertible. After a stop to pick up my cousin, Bri, we arrive at my friend, Cindy's house. As we're sitting in the kitchen chatting, the cell phone rings - it's my mother calling from the church telling me she's volunteered me to video tape a funeral on Sunday afternoon. I'm sure if your reading this, you're thinking what person in their right mind wants a tape of a funeral (in this case it's the grandchild who couldn't get here from Maine for the service). Cindy & Bri's faces as they listened to my conversation told me they were floored at the concept. What's really bad is this is the 3rd funeral I've taped at my church. How did I get this job and am I stuck with it for life??? Oh...I remember how - Mom. There are disadvantages to your mother having her office at the church and being a technologically literate person who's known for having time to spare in the summer. So, I guess now I'm off to relive the funeral as I dub it to DVD to mail to Maine.