Rain, Rain...

Please come back!!!!

Ok, so it's a bit early for spring showers...but we've been parched all winter and it looks like we are heading into prime, spring camping weather with the prospect of a rather nasty drought already on our hands...unless of course we get the spring floods of a couple years back in place of the showers...and I don't really think anyone welcomes either extreme. Droughts are not pleasant, but neither is the necessity of rain boots and levees. So...our little "extreme weather" watch that blew through just as fast as most late winter storms...well, it could have taken a slower time of it. It might have rained for maybe an hour here...and for the most of that time, it was raining so hard that everything just ran off into the storm gutters. Despite the fact that I am a well-known fan of the sun and warm, mostly dry weather...I would have gladly given a few days over to overcast, slow and steady rain days to help water the earth a bit around here.

So...Rain, Rain...Please come back!!! Cut our state a little slack. Give a drink to the parched, dry land...Before Texas summer gets out of hand!!!

February?? Already?

What? I can't help it!! I work 7 days a week most of the time...it's been busy and even when each day seems to drag they all bundle up and roll by quickly! I mean, I love working with the kids at school...it's not always easy, but I do everything I can to help them and just occassionaly I get to see some results...get to see the "click". That said, I am really looking forward to completing the necessary classes this summer and getting my teacher certification so that doing what I love will pay a more livable wage. I know it's not all about money (and certainly teachers should not get into it for the money...especially long term), but one does need money to live.

Anywho, enough about that...I get by and in, oh, about 7 or 8 months I "should" hopefully be doing much better. Anyway, January was mostly uneventful...we did go down to Austin once to see a band we know in concert. They were awesome and it was a fun trip. We are going down there for another concert in three weeks. Other than that there just doesn't seem to be that much to tell... We bowl every other week on our league. Davy actually bowls every week on another league and I usually go and watch him before we bowl together on our league. I am not very good, but I enjoy it and I think I have improved a tiny bit. At least, that is, I know the mistakes I am making and I have an idea of how to fix the majority of them...but then, most of those fixes start with a new ball, which just isn't happening at the moment so I will keep working on other fixes for the time being.

I don't feel like I do much worth blogging about...what with working every day, I feel it is just an accomplishment to get the laundry done and this week I haven't even done that. So...that reminds me; I need to go do the laundry...and clean the bathroom...and the kitchen...and vacuum...hahaha, I could go on, but you get the picture.

Merry Christmas...or, at least that's what I'm trying for

Hey all...
So...between working two jobs and...sleeping...I haven't updated in forever, but it is Christmas break at school, which means that I at least get a break during the day. Now I only have to deal with grumpy, impatient and rude last minute shoppers for the next 3 days and grumpy, impatient and rude gift returners the day after :D Yay!!! LOL...no really, I get some great customers and some interesting stories at work and I really do like it...it's just a bit hectic to say the least!! Of course, you might notice I have no pictures of my Christmas decorations or anything...I do have a tree and lights in the window and stockings and all that...but Jade chewed a hole in the lights on the tree and Davy kept me from killing her outright, so we still have three cats and I DON'T have any pictures of my BRAND NEW now NOT pre-lit Christmas tree...it was pretty though. So...does anybody want a cat for Christmas??? I really have had a great time so far this year...the parties at school were so much fun. It is always great to be around kids during the holidays, so much excitement!! I went with Davy to his families Christmas get together and gift exchange and we had a blast. I haven't gotten all of my shopping done just yet, but then what's Christmas without some last minute shopping. Anyhow, I just wanted to update anyone who reads...although I don't think there are that many...I need to get ready for work now. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!!!! Merry Christmas!!!

Pretty...

Sweetness...

I was pretty tired of the old layout...boring!!! Thanks mom for the tip about templates!!! I hope this looks better...I certainly think so. I like butterflies...and not just because it's a girl thing or something...they mean something. At least they do to me...and that is Change. Butterflies are a symbol for change...the perfect icon for a work in progress...and they are beautiful. If you know me well...then you know I believe this strongly enough to have one such butterfly permanently tattooed on my body...inside a delta symbol (aka a "triangle") that is the greek (and mathematical) symbol for...you got it: Change!! Well...not everybody gets it, but that's not my problem. Butterflies mean something more than short-lived, winged caterpillars to me...and that's that ;)

Last...but not least: MOVING!!!!

Craziness!!! That's all I have to say about moving!

HA...yeah right!!! When have you ever known me to be so short and sweet!!! LOL!!!

Well, less than two weeks after ACL I packed up all my stuff and moved it up to my parents...and a week later, I moved it all again...to our new apartment in North Richland Hills. "Our" being...Davy's and mine. Sara moved in with our grandparents in G-town. We got a nice place. It is bigger than the apartment Sara and I had before and we are paying quite a bit less, which is nice...especially since I do not have a job yet...ugh!!! To anyone who thinks not working sounds nice...you are WRONG!!! It is boring and annoying and irritating and depressing...need I go on??? Well, I have applied for several jobs...got one offer...lost it because I was doofy and managed to loose my driver's license (long story, don't wanna go there...I figure I just wasn't meant to have that job and I am leaving it at that). Now I am waiting to hear from Kohl's where I will probably get something at least part time...and just today I talked to a very nice woman from an elementary school in BISD and I applied for an Aide/Assistant position and I have an interview Monday morning...YAY!!! I am very happy about this...as I have been about every interview, but I really do want to get in with a school district, because...

For those of you who don't know, I am applying for the Alternate Certification Program that region 11 offers for those who have their bachelor's degree but no teacher's certificate. Yes, I know now I would have been smarter to get my certficiate when I was still in college...hindsight's 20/20, blahblahblah...

Two and a half years ago I knew this...and I still wouldn't have done it. I hadn't the patience or the proper perspective to teach for the right reasons right after I got my degree. I did NOT want to be one of those teachers who only got into teaching because it was the easiest thing to do...or for any reason except that it is what I WANT to do. I have thought about it long and hard and taken the time to see that of all the things I have done, or could do...teaching is what I love the most and what I really WANT to do.

I love science...and it is what I want to give to the world. I want to help the kids that hate it and encourage those that might or do love it. At the very least, I want to try to be that science teacher that inspired me...there were several.

Anyhow...we have been in the apartment for two weeks now and it is "mostly" put together...

"Unpacking"...He wasn't really packed in there, but he sure did have fun playing in it after I emptied it ;) (ps...thi is a rather contored Tilly)

We have two cats right now...and my baby, Jade will come and live with us as soon as we find a new home for Pan, the kitten Davy rescued last year. Right now, Jade is living with my parents (and Gidget and Lucy) and I really appreciate their help in keeping her so long!!! I miss her though...I hope I can bring her here soon!!! Tilly is the other kitty that will be staying here and he is cute and sweet, but occasionally fiesty.

As soon as I make the bed, Tilly likes to get under the covers...

This is the old bed, but he does the same thing on the new one...when we first got in and brought him to the apartment the silly thing would actually worm himself BETWEEN the mattress and box...strange, but I guess he was just overwhelmed by the new and unfamiliar place...at least he hasn't tried that in a while now.

Pan...he just had his claws removed last week and got fixed, now we just need to find him a good home!!! He is on the couch we found on Craigslist...

We just got a new bed two days ago!! It is awesome...and huge. None of my blankets really fit, but we are making do until I can find something affordable...or Christmas...or something else...whichever comes first :D

I guess that is all for now...I am all caught up. I will be sure to post again soon though...hopefully with some good news about a job!! I hope this satisfies everyone since I have not posted in so long...

ACL 2008!!!

Austin City Limits Music Festival...

You pay for the tickets a year in advance...before you even know the lineup...

You sit, stand, walk, eat, and nap out in the hot sun for three full days...paying outrageous prices for food and beverages...and inhaling smoke, dust and God knows what else being kicked up by the constant movement of thousands of feet...

And it is ALL worth it!!! (IMO)

I don't know more than a few of the bands...and of those I know some only by name, but it is just a great experience!! If you like to hear new things and all different sounds, it is great! If you want just country...or rock...or whatever you hear on the radio...go somewhere else, I guess. I love ACL because there is such a variety there...and it therefore draws such a variety of different fans. People watching is a great part of the whole weekend. Of course, the music is the best part. There is also lots of free stuff...like a tent where you can get spray on tattoos and crazy hair-dos...and then there are the merchandise tents with cd's and tshirts...and the shopping area where local vendors sell their products. It is an altogether great experience, even if you are too tired to move by Sunday evening...

Here are a few pics from the weekend

Jenny Lewis...my competition ;)

A few of our group...just hanging out!

And a couple of my crazy hair-do on Sunday...

It was a great time...and yes, we have already bought our tickets for next year!!

Let's see...

it's been a while and...what the hey...I will try to get all caught up today. So...where did I leave off??? Oh yeah, just before vacation time!!

Well, Davy and I made it there and back safely...obviously. We had a ton of fun and unfortunately I don't have most of the best pictures because he has some on his camera and his cousin has some on her's and Maddy has some on hers too...so, for now here are a few from my camera...let's see, here are: one of the old wooden escalators at the Macy's (THE, I should say)...a pic of Davy outside the show we went to see, Avenue Q (yes, it is indeed puppets for adults)...a view down a street in Little Italy...a couple of Fur Seals having their teeth cleaned at the Central Park Zoo...and the life sized Blue Whale hanging in the Hall of Oceans at the American Museum of Natural History.

We were in Jersey for five days and although we didn't get to everything we had hoped, we still had a lot of fun!! We saw Lady Liberty and were a bit to crunched for time to get off the ferry and explore Ellis Island...we already have a list of things to do next time we are up there though :D The day we spent with Davy's cousin in south Manhattan and Brooklyn was probably the best...it was certainly the most eventful and exhausting. We started out the day in line at the TKTS booth in southside seaport for over an hour to get tickets to Avenue Q...and it rained on us. Then we met Meg and decided to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and check out the Promenade and go get pizza at this place that was supposed to be really awesome. About a third of the way across the bridge...it started pouring again, lol. Needless to say, I have only been that wet outside a shower a couple of times...but it was a very memorable experience!! We finally got across the bridge and the line to get into the pizza place was long so we got some ice cream (yes, despite the fact that we were soaking wet and cold!) and walked the promenade and got to see some really great architecture. When we got back to the pizza place, the line was still long but we were hungry so we thought it was worth it...so about 2 hours later, maybe more, I would say we had some of the greatest pizza ever...I know that will always be debated, but to everyone who wants to preach the greatness of chicago style pizza to me, please know I do NOT like that much sauce on my pizza!!! Anyway, after the pizza we made it back to Manhattan and walked around checking out the local dives...bars, clubs, shopping...and NYU campus (very nice) and then the most awesome and wonderful thing in the world: The Strand, a used book store 4 floors and something like 18 miles worth of bookshelves (yeah, I know I'm a nerd...no need to remind me). For dinner we ate at this cool Organic food restaurant...I can't even describe it, but the food was absolutely amazing!!!! I will have to try to go back to this place the next time I am there, although the name escapes me at the moment. The rest of the trip was just more sightseeing and eating great food...it is probably the best vacation I have ever had and I am glad that Davy got to meet my dad and brother and sister and aunt. We hope to get back up there sometime...I would like to take him in the winter, but we will see.