I was standing next to the bed when the doctor began preparing the long probe and swabbing the target with local anesthesia. Looking up, he asked warmly, "So, who's going to hold your Dad's hand?"
Inside, I ran, but my feet remained planted on the hard linoleum. Hold his hand? I couldn't remember a single time in my life that I had held my dad's hand or vice-versa. It was so...intimate.
"Mom?" I called across the room. "Don't you want to hold Dad's hand?"
"Oh, no," she replied, without a second's pause. I'd seen her nearly faint at the sight of my sister putting an earring in; I knew there was no way she could stand spitting-distance from her husband in the process of a bone biopsy, but you can't blame a girl for trying.
My only other hope was my brother, Jim, sitting with Mom on the couch. Jim, the stand-up guy, the other male leader of our family, the executor of their estate, the brother we would all turn to first if we needed help.
"Jim?" My eyes threw the rope, but it fell short.
"No thanks. You go ahead," he answered, relief in his voice. "I'll keep Mom company over here."
Great. By default and proximity, I had been elected to stand with my dad as they shoved a needle into his hip bone and dug around for possible causes of his recent fatigue and the unexplained bruising all over his legs.
"Jim, we think you might have leukemia," they had told him two days prior, after he had driven himself to the Emergency Room to get checked out (Mom had uncharacteristically put her foot down and insisted). We would soon know if they were right.
"I guess you're stuck with me then, Dad." I took his hand, forcing a confident smile. He silently held on tight. The procedure seemed brutal to me; shoving a needle into someone's very core like that. Tears squished out of Dad's eyes as he grimaced in pain. Suddenly, this man I had loved, yet feared, so much of my life became as vulnerable as a little boy. My own eyes welling, I fought the lump in my throat and let him squeeze harder.
When it was over, he looked into my eyes and said tenderly, "You're beautiful."
Three days later, he was gone.
[This post is a small part of a long story that I hope to tell one day.]
This post is also available via audio. To listen, click here.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Tools for Your Trade (or just for fun)
Want to know about some fun Web 2.0 tools? Should I back up and tell you what Web 2.0 tools are? Well, they're basically the Internet on steroids. (Just kidding.) Web 2.0 tools are what took the Internet and moved it from a passive medium to the next level; one in which you are an active participant. In fact, I'll bet you didn't know that right this minute, you are using a Web 2.0 tool. Yup! It's called a BLOG! (See, you're all up on Web 2.0 tools and didn't even know it.) Basically, Web 2.0 tools allow people to interact with webpages and each other, and there are tons of tools out there that I know most of you could use.
And no, this isn't a review or an infomercial; I just love using this stuff and think you might like at least some of it, too. Here are some Web 2.0 tools I thought you'd be curious to learn about:
***For busy families....check out the Cozi calendar. I've been loving Cozi for a couple of years now; it's great. It's an on-line calendar that allows your whole family access from anywhere. You can also create a grocery list there and have it text-ed to your phone, should you forget your list. They have a sort of scrapbooking feature, too, but I don't use that, so I can't tell you anything about it, but I'm sure the Cozi folks would :) [I learned about this site at BzzAgent.]
***Managing a sports team this spring or summer? Take a look at Team Cowboy. I haven't used this one, but it really does look like a great place to keep track of your team's schedule, uniforms, parent contacts, payments, etc.
***Odds are you have a Google account, but have you ever used the Google Reader feature? It's awesome; you just load up your favorite blogs (hint-hint) or websites, and the reader will collect them as they are updated, saving them for when you have time to read them. That way, you're sure not to miss anything. [Unless, like me, you have like a bajillion blogs in your reader, in which case you might be afraid to open it.] If you have too many blogs in your reader to count, you can sort them into folders in your reader. I have four folders for mine: Absolutely Just Can't Miss, Good Friends, 2nd String, and "Time-out." (And no, I won't tell you which one you're in.)
***Want to know what people are saying about you? Type your name into Google Alerts, and you'll get an email every time your name shows up on the Internet. You can also use it to hear about new articles about a favorite topic or for other weird purposes, such as watching (or dare I say hoping?) for a particular obituary to appear. I'm just sayin'....
***Have you ever used Google Docs? It's basically a free, external hard drive (place to store your files) on-line, and if you have a Google account, you're like two clicks away from using Google Docs. I'm using it right now for our Boy Scout troop; I whipped up a little blog and put the forms we use in the sidebar for the convenience of parents. Any time a parent needs a form, they just click on the link and voila! I'm also using Google Docs at school for the same purpose.
And if that's not cool enough, and you're a teacher, you can use Google Docs to create an on-line quiz. Kids take the quiz via a link, and the results are instantly dumped into a spreadsheet for easy grading. I wouldn't recommend using it to make a long test (the spreadsheet font will have to be tiny to fit it all on a page), but this feature has been really fun to use. If you'd like to hear more about this, give me a holler.
***Kendall really likes using Bubble.us for schoolwork. It's a site that helps you organize your thoughts in the form of a "graphic organizer," or picture of your thoughts. Check out the sample I made for you to see what I'm talking about (you can move it around with your mouse, I think (at least I can!) The possibilities are endless, but at the very least, a kid could plan an essay (or figure out which boy to date!) I learned how to use this site tonight in less than five minutes.
I'm sure this is plenty for you to digest! In fact, many of you are probably choking!! Take small bites, People!!
If you would like use any of these tools and would like a little support, feel free to email me. I'll be glad to help! :)
P.S. I got many of these links from the Online Education Database's Top 25 Web 2.0 Apps to Improve a Student or Professor's Productivity.
P.P.S To read my first-ever post on Web 2.0 tools, click here.
And no, this isn't a review or an infomercial; I just love using this stuff and think you might like at least some of it, too. Here are some Web 2.0 tools I thought you'd be curious to learn about:
***For busy families....check out the Cozi calendar. I've been loving Cozi for a couple of years now; it's great. It's an on-line calendar that allows your whole family access from anywhere. You can also create a grocery list there and have it text-ed to your phone, should you forget your list. They have a sort of scrapbooking feature, too, but I don't use that, so I can't tell you anything about it, but I'm sure the Cozi folks would :) [I learned about this site at BzzAgent.]
***Managing a sports team this spring or summer? Take a look at Team Cowboy. I haven't used this one, but it really does look like a great place to keep track of your team's schedule, uniforms, parent contacts, payments, etc.
***Odds are you have a Google account, but have you ever used the Google Reader feature? It's awesome; you just load up your favorite blogs (hint-hint) or websites, and the reader will collect them as they are updated, saving them for when you have time to read them. That way, you're sure not to miss anything. [Unless, like me, you have like a bajillion blogs in your reader, in which case you might be afraid to open it.] If you have too many blogs in your reader to count, you can sort them into folders in your reader. I have four folders for mine: Absolutely Just Can't Miss, Good Friends, 2nd String, and "Time-out." (And no, I won't tell you which one you're in.)
***Want to know what people are saying about you? Type your name into Google Alerts, and you'll get an email every time your name shows up on the Internet. You can also use it to hear about new articles about a favorite topic or for other weird purposes, such as watching (or dare I say hoping?) for a particular obituary to appear. I'm just sayin'....
***Have you ever used Google Docs? It's basically a free, external hard drive (place to store your files) on-line, and if you have a Google account, you're like two clicks away from using Google Docs. I'm using it right now for our Boy Scout troop; I whipped up a little blog and put the forms we use in the sidebar for the convenience of parents. Any time a parent needs a form, they just click on the link and voila! I'm also using Google Docs at school for the same purpose.
And if that's not cool enough, and you're a teacher, you can use Google Docs to create an on-line quiz. Kids take the quiz via a link, and the results are instantly dumped into a spreadsheet for easy grading. I wouldn't recommend using it to make a long test (the spreadsheet font will have to be tiny to fit it all on a page), but this feature has been really fun to use. If you'd like to hear more about this, give me a holler.
***Kendall really likes using Bubble.us for schoolwork. It's a site that helps you organize your thoughts in the form of a "graphic organizer," or picture of your thoughts. Check out the sample I made for you to see what I'm talking about (you can move it around with your mouse, I think (at least I can!) The possibilities are endless, but at the very least, a kid could plan an essay (or figure out which boy to date!) I learned how to use this site tonight in less than five minutes.
I'm sure this is plenty for you to digest! In fact, many of you are probably choking!! Take small bites, People!!
If you would like use any of these tools and would like a little support, feel free to email me. I'll be glad to help! :)
P.S. I got many of these links from the Online Education Database's Top 25 Web 2.0 Apps to Improve a Student or Professor's Productivity.
P.P.S To read my first-ever post on Web 2.0 tools, click here.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday Fragments, Episode #80, A Cure for the Common Cold?
***Speaking of "loose" (get your mind out of the gutter!), have you noticed that loose rhymes with goose? That should help you spell it and "lose" correctly for the rest of your life. (You're welcome.)
***Heidi Montag-Wow. I feel so sorry for her; 23 years old and already had more than ten plastic surgeries on her already-perfect appearance? I shudder to think what she will look like 20 years from now, poor thing.
***You know how a lot of old ladies have sort of v-shaped, skinny butts, like heavy in the middle on the bottom and wider at the top? I so do not ever want to look back and see one of those. I told Mr.4444 to put me down before that happens. (I hope I can avoid it somehow.)
***My Favorite Friday Fragment so far (yes, I'm still behind in my fragment reading) comes from a new Fragmenter, Ria, at Cabral Family Blog. She took this sweet pic of her baby girl sleeping on her diningroom table!
She also wrote about a humorous exchange between herself and an elderly woman who assumed that her daughter was a boy, so check that out, too. Ria, this coveted award goes to you this week! Wear it proudly :)
***My friend Jenn is having an Eden's Fantasy Valentine Giveaway. The odds of winning right now are excellent, so check it out!
***Did you hear that Brett Favre has announced his retirement? That's right; apparently, he and Adrien Peterson are going into business together. They're going to open a bakery that specializes in turnovers. Ba-dump-bump!
***I mentioned this a long time ago, but it's very much worth repeating. Never, ever give your phone number out loud in public. I once gave mine to the customer service desk at my cellphone provider and hours later got a creepy hello text from some weirdo who had apparently recorded my number as I said it. Cellcom continues to ask out loud for your phone number when you go to them for service, etc. I just write it on a piece of paper and slide it across the counter. Since the same year that happened to me a young woman was murdered by a psycho nutjob who lived just 30 minutes from that store, I am not just being paranoid. There are weirdos all over the place.
***In the "More Reasons to Sniff" category, Thursday was "Parents Night, "Senior Recognition," and Kyle's last home swim meet as a senior in high school. They didn't win the meet, but Kyle got two Personal Best times and, as anchor in the last race of the night (a relay), overcame the leader and won by a fraction of a second. What an exciting way to end the season at home.
I feel better already (not really, but at least these fragments gave me a momentary distraction from my cold.) Reading your fragments should also help. Please link your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post here:
Thursday, January 28, 2010
When Dogs Feel Fat
Since I'm sick as a dog, I figured I'd re-post this awesome video featuring our golden retriever, Cooper. Because I am lazy and hate going outside in the winter, I trained him to get exercise this way. In the beginning, I needed treats to keep him on there. Now, though, we never use treats, but Cooper remembers; he LOVES it and will often whine until we put him on it.
If Cooper can do it, so can you! Hope this gets you up and going! (I'll just watch, thanks.)
If Cooper can do it, so can you! Hope this gets you up and going! (I'll just watch, thanks.)
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
You Know You're in Farm Country When...
I was at Tinytown Drugstore tonight, picking up prescriptions, cold medicine, and Airborne, when I heard a conversation behind me.
"M'am, would you like some help?"
"Yes, thanks."
They were in the next aisle, but I could hear them plainly, since the rows are only shoulder height (It's a tiny town drugstore, remember?)
As I was waiting my turn to pay, I plainly overheard this, "...constipation....you know....like when you're all 'balled up.'"
"Jeez, Lady," I said inside my head. "Do you think you could keep your personal business a little more private? I know it's the drugstore and everything, but who talks that loud and clear about their bowel issues in public?!"
"I just don't know which one to get. My husband sent me. He said 'Fleet' something." A little exasperated, she added,
"To tell you the truth, it's actually for a cow."
They chuckled.
Cue the theme from Green Acres here. Better yet--here's the show intro....
"M'am, would you like some help?"
"Yes, thanks."
They were in the next aisle, but I could hear them plainly, since the rows are only shoulder height (It's a tiny town drugstore, remember?)
As I was waiting my turn to pay, I plainly overheard this, "...constipation....you know....like when you're all 'balled up.'"
"Jeez, Lady," I said inside my head. "Do you think you could keep your personal business a little more private? I know it's the drugstore and everything, but who talks that loud and clear about their bowel issues in public?!"
"I just don't know which one to get. My husband sent me. He said 'Fleet' something." A little exasperated, she added,
"To tell you the truth, it's actually for a cow."
They chuckled.
Cue the theme from Green Acres here. Better yet--here's the show intro....
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
"Tweaked" Tuesday
Three years ago, I found this photo of 4-year-old me, and I added it to my S’no Fun post, but after I did so, I changed my mind. It’s as if I wanted to protect her, this “Mini-me,” if you will, from any harmful memories about snow, because obviously, I must have liked it at one time.I love this photo, because it shows a sense of open-mindedness; a willingness to go beyond follicular (is that a word?) boundaries. On the back of the photo, Mom had written, “Barbie made this snowman all by herself!” It’s evident from my proud face that I was pretty darned pleased with myself over this push-broom doffed, gashed-mouthed pal of mine. With my six older siblings likely at school, my 18-month old sister taking a nap(?) and my youngest sister not yet born, I had my mom to myself! And here she was, taking a photo, when she probably would have preferred to be taking a nap herself.
There are twelve photos of me (by myself) in my collection, and I think that’s a darned good number for a family our size. How many second and third borns (let alone 7th borns) can make that claim? I just called Mom to thank her. She said, “Oh, you’re welcome, Sweetie.” She’ll never really know how much I appreciate the simple snapshots she took so long ago, photos that remind me of carefree days, early accomplishments, and yes; a love of snow.
[A "tweaked" post, orginally published in December 3, 2007]
Monday, January 25, 2010
Why I Prefer to Shop at Target
After Christmas, I went to my local CC (rhymes with HoldYourWater, Geek) women's higher-end clothing store (higher-end for Green Bay, anyway) to exchange a vest my MIL had given me for Christmas. You know the store; everything matches, they have tons of scarves to cover your neck wrinkles, and you can't buy a thing for under $40 until it goes on sale at the end of the season. The women who work there are very polished-looking and wear only clothing from that store (apparently.) I feel a little uncomfortable going in there, since I don't own many clothing ensembles and cannot afford most of what's in there. (Well, there's that, and the overwhelming smell of rich-old-lady perfume...)
I didn't see anything I wanted instead (I don't look good in cool colors, and I won't pay $40 for a tanktop), and since I had the gift receipt, I figured they would just give me a refund, so that I could shop elsewhere. However, with a cool gaze, the woman at the counter told me she could only give me store credit. I thought that was ridiculous and said as much (I had the gift receipt, and the vest still had its tag, for crying out loud) but she didn't cave, and the stiff, authoritative woman working with her backed her up. They said I could only get the cash if my MIL came in with her credit card, and couldn't they interest me in something else in the store? I don't know why (something in their eyes, I guess), but I just didn't believe them.
What else could I do? I decided to come back when they had their spring stuff in and see if I could find something I liked. Yesterday, I returned, found something I liked, and the cheerful young (newbie) woman at the counter quickly and easily credited my debit card with the return amount before preparing to ring up my new purchase. What the? I asked her why they couldn't do that the last time I was there, and she said, "I have no idea!" She then asked me for my last name, just for their records, and I politely declined. Her supervisor came over, and the young woman nicely explained that I wasn't interested in having my name put in the system. They explained the reasons [about which I haven't a care], and I politely declined again. However, the supervisor insisted that I must give them my last name in order to ring up the purchase. I would normally just leave without buying anything at that point (It was a ridiculous power struggle they were bent on winning), but under the circumstances (I had to buy the new shirt or MIL would have been hurt) I caved, but not without saying out loud, "You've got to be kidding me."
Even though the newbie clerk was sweet as pie, I hated the way the senior employee looked down her nose at me and spoke to me in a tone of superiority. (Snooty old hag! You got the Cold part right, and I'd love to push you into that Creek!) I couldn't wait to leave that store, and I won't be shopping there again. I'm calling the store manager in the morning to let her know how I feel about the return "policy" I was held to the first time (plus the rest) even though I'm not sure why I would bother; what do I care if they lose business?
Maybe I'm just being hormonal...
I didn't see anything I wanted instead (I don't look good in cool colors, and I won't pay $40 for a tanktop), and since I had the gift receipt, I figured they would just give me a refund, so that I could shop elsewhere. However, with a cool gaze, the woman at the counter told me she could only give me store credit. I thought that was ridiculous and said as much (I had the gift receipt, and the vest still had its tag, for crying out loud) but she didn't cave, and the stiff, authoritative woman working with her backed her up. They said I could only get the cash if my MIL came in with her credit card, and couldn't they interest me in something else in the store? I don't know why (something in their eyes, I guess), but I just didn't believe them.
What else could I do? I decided to come back when they had their spring stuff in and see if I could find something I liked. Yesterday, I returned, found something I liked, and the cheerful young (newbie) woman at the counter quickly and easily credited my debit card with the return amount before preparing to ring up my new purchase. What the? I asked her why they couldn't do that the last time I was there, and she said, "I have no idea!" She then asked me for my last name, just for their records, and I politely declined. Her supervisor came over, and the young woman nicely explained that I wasn't interested in having my name put in the system. They explained the reasons [about which I haven't a care], and I politely declined again. However, the supervisor insisted that I must give them my last name in order to ring up the purchase. I would normally just leave without buying anything at that point (It was a ridiculous power struggle they were bent on winning), but under the circumstances (I had to buy the new shirt or MIL would have been hurt) I caved, but not without saying out loud, "You've got to be kidding me."
Even though the newbie clerk was sweet as pie, I hated the way the senior employee looked down her nose at me and spoke to me in a tone of superiority. (Snooty old hag! You got the Cold part right, and I'd love to push you into that Creek!) I couldn't wait to leave that store, and I won't be shopping there again. I'm calling the store manager in the morning to let her know how I feel about the return "policy" I was held to the first time (plus the rest) even though I'm not sure why I would bother; what do I care if they lose business?
Maybe I'm just being hormonal...
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Weekly Winners
Lotus, at Sarcastic Mom, hosts a weekly meme that features favorite pics from her week.
She's a brilliant photographer. Me, not so much, but I do have some offerings this week:
How most freshmen prepared for the Sno-Ball dance at Tinytown High School tonight...
(Sorry about the flower-faces, but I know at least one set of these girls' parents would not appreciate me posting their daughter's pic without permission.) Picture BIG smiles :)
(And no, this is not our house. Kendall invited me to come to her friend's house to take pics :)
How some seniors prepared for the same...
Yup; they came to our house for a pizza/movie/video game night.
(Good thing, too, because the roads are icy tonight.)
***
Poor Mr.4444 is still suffering from his sinus infection, which has moved into his chest (it's hard to listen to him cough!) I went out today and bought two new netipots (plastic this time, since our other one got chipped).
We've never used a plastic one before; I'll let you know how we like it.
(And, in case you're curious, this one cost $11.99)
***
Cooper made a snow angel tonight!!
It's upside-down in this pic, but you get the idea. Guess which end was his tail!
(That dog loves to roll in the snow.)
For more Weekly Winner photos, visit Lotus!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Saturday Sampling
For the first time in weeks, I got the chance to read some blog posts tonight--What a treat! Since I'm relaxing this weekend, I'm going to share a few posts that I especially loved...you'll be glad you checked these out:
For stress relief, read I Hate My Job, from Mike, at Unraveling Life's Mysteries
I know next to nothing about curling or Steven Colbert (who I couldn't introduce to save my life), but I found this Skate Expectations video amusing.
Of course, if you've been living under a rock and don't know NieNie, you could read for HOURS there. (Start at the beginning!!)
And if you're up for compelling secrets from strangers all over the world, Post Secret is always great.
Have a great weekend!!
For stress relief, read I Hate My Job, from Mike, at Unraveling Life's Mysteries
I know next to nothing about curling or Steven Colbert (who I couldn't introduce to save my life), but I found this Skate Expectations video amusing.
Of course, if you've been living under a rock and don't know NieNie, you could read for HOURS there. (Start at the beginning!!)
And if you're up for compelling secrets from strangers all over the world, Post Secret is always great.
Have a great weekend!!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Friday Fragments, Episode #79
How can it be that I'm on my 79th installment of Friday Fragments and find myself fresh out of random thoughts?! I've been crazy, crazy busy with work--that's how. Here's what I've got to offer on the fly...
***I'm thinking I might catch my breath finally, this weekend. Expect to see me at your place to catch up.
***This weekend is the "Sno-Ball" at Tinytown High School. Thankfully, I have not been asked to chaperon this year!! That means I'll get to cuddle up with Mr.4444 that night and maybe help him nurse his sinus infection. Kendall is going to the dance (she'll meet her date there), and Kyle is having a bunch of friends over to hang out at our house, instead. (I guess seniors are too cool for SnoBall.) Something tells me I'll get some nice pics this weekend.
***I'm planning a giveaway to show my appreciation for the friends I've made through blogging and to say thanks for stopping by to bring me virtual potluck meals and hugs lately. So far, I have a cookbook to offer; it's a wonderful family treasure of mine, as it has recipes, but also stories about my mom and her siblings. If you would like to offer a prize to the giveaway treasure trove, let me know, and I'll happily add it to the fun :) Oh, and entering my giveaway will be SIMPLE; a comment will be all you need to enter (I appreciate you so much, I'm not going to make you work for it :)
"....that the Christmas wreath in my family room looks good with Valentine's Day tinsel on it and will look even better with St. Patrick's Day tinsel."
I can relate because my nativity scene is still sitting on my coffee table, and I simply cannot find the time to put it away. (On the bright side, I love it.) At least the tree is down.
Thousand Words Thursday
This is my new favorite-ever note written by a 6th grader. She randomly walked up to me and, with a huge smile, said, "Mrs.4444, look what I wrote!"
These kids, I tell you...I can't get enough of them; such a treat.
For more pictures that "say a thousand words," visit Jen, at Cheaper Than Therapy.
These kids, I tell you...I can't get enough of them; such a treat.
For more pictures that "say a thousand words," visit Jen, at Cheaper Than Therapy.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Rants and Raves Wednesday
I usually have a hard time ranting here, so I don't participate every week in Little Ms. Blogger's Rants and Raves Wednesday, but I've finally saved up enough to share....
Rave: The four teachers in my "house" at school are such a pleasure to work with. I am soooo blessed.
Rant: My jaw is automatically clenching just writing this. To the dumbass inattentive driver who crossed the center line and came dangerously close to a head-on collision with us on the narrow, snow-covered country road we take to school at 6:30 in the morning: If I could have, I would have turned around, chased you down, and used your cell phone as a dagger to stab you with it until you coughed blood. (Yes, it ticked me off that much.)
Rave: I love, love, love Edmodo. It's like Facebook, only for the classroom; we use it to communicate with our "house" of about 75 students, and it makes our lives easier. If you have a child and would love to have his homework uploaded to a website daily (so he can't say he doesn't have the sheet!), you should try to talk your child's teacher into using Edmodo. It's simple to use, and I'd be happy to help anyone learn how.
Rant: I still haven't invented a way to get kids to turn in their homework on time.
Rave: My bullet-train pace the past ten days or so (busy, busy, busy work, etc.) may actually slow to a freight train pace by Friday.
Rant: I'm afraid to open my email box.
Rave: Loving The Bachelor, even though it is ridiculous. (I love me some mindless TV.) And speaking of mindless TV, I watched the Totem episode of Gilligan's Island this week, and I found it oddly comforting. I guess that show brings me back to an innocent, carefree time.
Rant: Still not caught up on Fragments....
Rave: HALF-DAY for students on Friday!!
Rant: I taught a class tonight. It was my first time teaching adults, and it went pretty well. The only bad part is that I planned the material to take three class periods. (I forgot to factor in that adults work faster than 11-year-olds.) Looks like my train isn't stopping at the station real soon....
That's it for me! Visit Little Ms. Blogger to link up your Rants and Raves or just to say hi! :)
Rave: The four teachers in my "house" at school are such a pleasure to work with. I am soooo blessed.
Rant: My jaw is automatically clenching just writing this. To the dumbass inattentive driver who crossed the center line and came dangerously close to a head-on collision with us on the narrow, snow-covered country road we take to school at 6:30 in the morning: If I could have, I would have turned around, chased you down, and used your cell phone as a dagger to stab you with it until you coughed blood. (Yes, it ticked me off that much.)
Rave: I love, love, love Edmodo. It's like Facebook, only for the classroom; we use it to communicate with our "house" of about 75 students, and it makes our lives easier. If you have a child and would love to have his homework uploaded to a website daily (so he can't say he doesn't have the sheet!), you should try to talk your child's teacher into using Edmodo. It's simple to use, and I'd be happy to help anyone learn how.
Rant: I still haven't invented a way to get kids to turn in their homework on time.
Rave: My bullet-train pace the past ten days or so (busy, busy, busy work, etc.) may actually slow to a freight train pace by Friday.
Rant: I'm afraid to open my email box.
Rave: Loving The Bachelor, even though it is ridiculous. (I love me some mindless TV.) And speaking of mindless TV, I watched the Totem episode of Gilligan's Island this week, and I found it oddly comforting. I guess that show brings me back to an innocent, carefree time.
Rant: Still not caught up on Fragments....
Rave: HALF-DAY for students on Friday!!
Rant: I taught a class tonight. It was my first time teaching adults, and it went pretty well. The only bad part is that I planned the material to take three class periods. (I forgot to factor in that adults work faster than 11-year-olds.) Looks like my train isn't stopping at the station real soon....
That's it for me! Visit Little Ms. Blogger to link up your Rants and Raves or just to say hi! :)
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Feeling a Cold Coming On?
Poor Mr.4444 is suffering with a wicked sinus infection. He knows he should have used this....
Guess what I'm about to do? Go on; guess! [And no, my nose isn't really that long; it's just the camera angle and the shine :)]
When I made the little slideshow (below) of how to use a netipot, my sister, Michelle, tried to talk me out of it (She's right; it ain't pretty.) However, if you feel a cold coming on (or if you're in the throws of one), and if you are brave (like me), you should try a netipot. Tonight [December 2008] was my first time, and because I didn't read any directions first, I almost drowned over my kitchen sink, but I stuck it out and figured out how to do it. Mr.4444 (and Kyle) has been using a netipot for a couple of years now, after he finally got sick of having 3-4 bad sinus infections each year and agreed to try it. Since he's been using it, he gets maybe one sinus infection a year (when he's forgotten about the netipot.)
After I used the netipot tonight; my running nose and congestion were gone. I still have some pressure behind my eyes, but it's now four hours later. Maybe I should do it again? I used sea salt, but Wikipedia says "one study indicated that salt from the Dead Sea was especially efficacious." I'd like to try some of that. Anybody here from Israel or the West Bank?
For a live action version, view this one! (not mine)
And here's my slideshow. (Don't say I didn't warn you!)
Guess what I'm about to do? Go on; guess! [And no, my nose isn't really that long; it's just the camera angle and the shine :)]When I made the little slideshow (below) of how to use a netipot, my sister, Michelle, tried to talk me out of it (She's right; it ain't pretty.) However, if you feel a cold coming on (or if you're in the throws of one), and if you are brave (like me), you should try a netipot. Tonight [December 2008] was my first time, and because I didn't read any directions first, I almost drowned over my kitchen sink, but I stuck it out and figured out how to do it. Mr.4444 (and Kyle) has been using a netipot for a couple of years now, after he finally got sick of having 3-4 bad sinus infections each year and agreed to try it. Since he's been using it, he gets maybe one sinus infection a year (when he's forgotten about the netipot.)
After I used the netipot tonight; my running nose and congestion were gone. I still have some pressure behind my eyes, but it's now four hours later. Maybe I should do it again? I used sea salt, but Wikipedia says "one study indicated that salt from the Dead Sea was especially efficacious." I'd like to try some of that. Anybody here from Israel or the West Bank?
For a live action version, view this one! (not mine)
And here's my slideshow. (Don't say I didn't warn you!)
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| Make a Smilebox slideshow |
Monday, January 18, 2010
Love in Any Language
I remember my excitement the day our 3rd grade teacher, Miss Cayemberg, told us we'd soon have a new student joining us. She said Alex Sivas had moved from the country of Greece and spoke no English! (This was exotic stuff for little Green Bay, Wisconsin, which was pretty much all-white back then.) Pretty soon, Alex arrived, and I was thrilled to meet my new, chunky, dark-skinned pal. Each day, if we students finished our work early, we could help Alex with his English, so I always worked as quickly as I could, so I could help him. I loved playing the teacher role, and he was a very nice kid, who said very little but smiled a lot, so I liked him.
The thing I liked most about Alex, though, was his mom. I soon learned that they lived on the street that my siblings and I took to school every day; we walked right past his house. (It turned out that Alex was actually supposed to be in the next grade up, my brother Dennis's grade, but he was in my class because of the language barrier or something, so Dennis and I both knew him.)
Now, I have to backtrack just a little to remind you that we were poor back then, my family. I don't remember going hungry or anything, but I do remember the food stamps, free lunches, and eating a lot of oatmeal and Cream of Wheat for breakfasts. We were also very skinny kids. So, back to the story....
Every day, Dennis and I would stop at the Sivas's house to pick Alex up, and we would be invited into the house by his mom, would insist that we wait in the nice, warm kitchen. I still know very little about Greeks, but I do know that they love to eat, and Alex's family was no exception; his mother was always cooking or baking something when we went to his house. Mrs. Sivas would always try to get us to eat! With a twinkle in her eye, she'd squeeze my little cheeks and say something enthusiastically and cheerfully in Greek that I'm pretty sure was, "This child is clearly dying of starvation! We must plump her up!" Of course, by comparison to her healthy, chubby son, I probably appeared emaciated, but I thought it was pretty funny (and of course, I didn't mind the attention, not to mention the extra food.)
I called Dennis when I was writing this, and he recalled that Mrs. Sivas was always "pushing bread" on him, which he would end up "chewing for about a half hour!" but I don't remember that. My food memory from the Sivas household (and my mouth has now started watering) is the taste of Alex's mom's delicious "moon" cookies. I don't know what they were called, but they were shaped like little half-moons, were rolled in powdered sugar, and had chopped almonds in them. Mrs. Sivas may not have known English, but she knew the language of food, and she spoke it every time I saw her. I adored the attention she showered on us. I was bummed when Alex and his family moved away.
Flash forward to the early 1980's. I was in a dance club that also happened to have a pool table, and I somehow found myself (uncharacteristically) playing pool with a charming, handsome, dark-haired guy in a clean, white undershirt and gold chains. He made me laugh, because while he was handsome, his giggolo look and confidence were a little over the top. I was standing there looking at him, listening to him say something about my shot, when something clicked inside me suddenly, and I asked, "Is your name Alex?"
It was him. He didn't remember me at first, but did when I helped fill in the blanks. We put the pool sticks down and just caught up for a few minutes. He said he had moved around a few times but settled in Green Bay. His parents were doing well. I reminded him of Miss Cayemberg's class and about how his mom was always feeding us, and he remembered, but not in the way that I did; he smiled, but just politely, and before long, we had nothing left to talk about, so we parted ways.
I guess our connection stopped at the affection we felt for his mom; we had nothing else in common.
Today, I'm not skinny, but I do make a point to make cookies now and then, including the kind inspired by Alex's mom. I bake and cook when I can and share what I have with others, hopefully with the same love and affection of cooks before me...
...because, like it or not, food says love in any language.
The thing I liked most about Alex, though, was his mom. I soon learned that they lived on the street that my siblings and I took to school every day; we walked right past his house. (It turned out that Alex was actually supposed to be in the next grade up, my brother Dennis's grade, but he was in my class because of the language barrier or something, so Dennis and I both knew him.)
Now, I have to backtrack just a little to remind you that we were poor back then, my family. I don't remember going hungry or anything, but I do remember the food stamps, free lunches, and eating a lot of oatmeal and Cream of Wheat for breakfasts. We were also very skinny kids. So, back to the story....
Every day, Dennis and I would stop at the Sivas's house to pick Alex up, and we would be invited into the house by his mom, would insist that we wait in the nice, warm kitchen. I still know very little about Greeks, but I do know that they love to eat, and Alex's family was no exception; his mother was always cooking or baking something when we went to his house. Mrs. Sivas would always try to get us to eat! With a twinkle in her eye, she'd squeeze my little cheeks and say something enthusiastically and cheerfully in Greek that I'm pretty sure was, "This child is clearly dying of starvation! We must plump her up!" Of course, by comparison to her healthy, chubby son, I probably appeared emaciated, but I thought it was pretty funny (and of course, I didn't mind the attention, not to mention the extra food.)
I called Dennis when I was writing this, and he recalled that Mrs. Sivas was always "pushing bread" on him, which he would end up "chewing for about a half hour!" but I don't remember that. My food memory from the Sivas household (and my mouth has now started watering) is the taste of Alex's mom's delicious "moon" cookies. I don't know what they were called, but they were shaped like little half-moons, were rolled in powdered sugar, and had chopped almonds in them. Mrs. Sivas may not have known English, but she knew the language of food, and she spoke it every time I saw her. I adored the attention she showered on us. I was bummed when Alex and his family moved away.
Flash forward to the early 1980's. I was in a dance club that also happened to have a pool table, and I somehow found myself (uncharacteristically) playing pool with a charming, handsome, dark-haired guy in a clean, white undershirt and gold chains. He made me laugh, because while he was handsome, his giggolo look and confidence were a little over the top. I was standing there looking at him, listening to him say something about my shot, when something clicked inside me suddenly, and I asked, "Is your name Alex?"
It was him. He didn't remember me at first, but did when I helped fill in the blanks. We put the pool sticks down and just caught up for a few minutes. He said he had moved around a few times but settled in Green Bay. His parents were doing well. I reminded him of Miss Cayemberg's class and about how his mom was always feeding us, and he remembered, but not in the way that I did; he smiled, but just politely, and before long, we had nothing left to talk about, so we parted ways.
I guess our connection stopped at the affection we felt for his mom; we had nothing else in common.
Today, I'm not skinny, but I do make a point to make cookies now and then, including the kind inspired by Alex's mom. I bake and cook when I can and share what I have with others, hopefully with the same love and affection of cooks before me...
...because, like it or not, food says love in any language.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sundays in My City
Mom and Homer cuddled a little bit...
Then, she told this joke:
A little girl about 13 came down the stairs in a tight, very immodest shirt and was confronted by her grandma as she went to leave for school, "What in the world are you doing? You can't go out like that; I can see right through your shirt!"
"Oh, Grandma..." the girl replied, pointing to her tiny breasts. "These are nothing but rosebuds!" She left for school. When she came home, she was met by her grandma coming down the stairs wearing no shirt or bra.
"Grandma! Have you lost your mind?! I hope you're not going out like that!"
"What?!" replied Grandma. "I thought you'd like to see my hanging baskets!"
Visit Unknown Mami to read posts to take that image out of your mind....You'll be glad you did :)
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Our Friday Night Excitement
Too busy to post here and at Mrs.4444 Cooks tonight, so here's a teaser...
Check out my Beef Barley Soup!
Check out my Beef Barley Soup!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Friday Fragments, Episode #78
Let's share, shall we? [Click the button above for FF how-to's and gentle guidelines.]
***A student wrote (in a story that I was grading)..."A helicopter landed, and an old guy (about 50) rescued them." I guess that means I'm three years away from being an old lady. [I gave him an F.] Only kidding, of course.
***Great News! Robert did not make it onto the F-List this week! (the cut-off was yesterday)
***A high school friend and I recently reconnected on Facebook. A few days later, she left this humorous message on my wall:
"I have to share: was checking your cooking blog out and thought I was printing a bean recipe, then a casserole one...it wasn't one page or 3, it was 38 pages x 3!!! If ya need a copy, I got a couple extra!! Thankfully, made your SIL's baked beaners last night, and the troops love 'em! Thought this would give you a chuckle and smile. Can't wait to try casserole!" Thanks, Lynn!
***WOOHOO!!! I won Michelle's BlogHer $200 VISA Gift Card Giveaway!!! I'm going to
***BTW, Amon Maternity is having a SUPER SALE from now through February 15th. If you use the coupon code SUPERSALE, you will get 50% of your purchase and free shipping if you buy two items. That's a serious discount! And since I have an ad in my sidebar for Belly Dance Maternity, I thought I'd mention them, too. They also have some beautiful-looking products (which, thankfully, I'm not in the market for, but in case you are...)
***A moody, female 6th grade student of mine "forgot" to take her schoolwork home tonight. I called her dad and offered to drop it off on my way home (it was on the way). He was very appreciative! (I'm pretty sure she wasn't.) Can't wait to get the evil eye when I go in tomorrow [insert maniacal cackle here.]
***So far, I've read Fragments from just five contributor to last weeks' record breaking 51 Friday Fragments posts!! They may back up all the way to spring break, but I am going to read every one, never fear! I've been just buried in work this week. Seriously; I've been burning the midnight oil like crazy and have not been playing on Facebook or doing anything fun. That said, I am happy and inspired at work and doing good things for kids. If you've missed me at your blog, know that it's not for lack of desire to know what's going on with you. Please leave a little update for me in the comments and let me know if I MUST stop by ASAP!haha [I'm saving the FFF Award for next week.]
***What's the point in collecting cookbooks if you never open most of them? I purged my cookbook stash of 60% of the books I had. All are new and barely touched. Coincidentally, the next day, the high school asked for donations of items for a silent auction. I donated the books. A cute basket, some measuring spoons, etc. combined with a handful of cookbooks would make a great auction item!
***Dear Anonymous Advertiser: You're so inspiring! That's right; the advertisements you keep adding to my archived posts have inspired me to stop allowing anonymous comments on my blog. I won't miss you....
Okay, now it's your turn! Leave a link to your FRIDAY FRAGMENTS post, and I will keep them all nice and warm until I have "dug out from under," I promise! :)
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thousand Words Thursday
Jen, from Cheaper Than Therapy hosts a Thursday meme called Thousand Words Thursday, in which we share pictures that "say a thousand words." This one definitely qualifies, in my book. Not sure if I've ever posted it before, but if I can't remember, then we're probably safe to assume you haven't seen it in a while, at least :)
I like it, because it gives the illusion of sibling devotion, and I suppose it is (it's all over her face, right?), but then, as now, it didn't last long enough. And what kind of brother is a sport for his sister and lets his mom take a picture?!
I'm sure he never thought I'd have a blog....
Visit Jen for lots of talkative photos :)
I'm sure he never thought I'd have a blog....
Visit Jen for lots of talkative photos :)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Just Say No
I was going to participate in What I Meant to Say Wednesday, created by Chief. However, the more I thought about it, the more I remembered that I'm pretty direct and honest, for the most part, so I'm not going that route. Instead, I'm going to ask you a question. Resolutions aside, what will you say "No" to this year?
I think lot of people need to "just say no" more often. You know who you are; you listen on the phone for several minutes before hanging up on phone solicitors, can't turn down committee positions or refuse extra duties at work for which you are not paid. You hear yourself saying "yes" when you really mean "no," because you just don't want to risk hurting someone's feelings or making them think that you're You could benefit from saying "no" more often.
I'm actually pretty good at saying no; I have a great handle on how to take care of myself and will not feel pressured by anyone to say yes when I am really screaming "Nooooooo!" inside (unless you count agreeing to drive 20 minutes to pick Kendall up from a friend's house or something.) I think it's important to say no sometimes; it's liberating and a nice way to take care of yourself. (Let me know if you need help with this!)
I didn't always have this ability, and I have some baggage to show for it, but I'm a big girl now. So this year, I plan to say "No" if anyone asks me if I'd like to add a fifth committee to my list of involvements, I'll say no to things I can't afford, and I'll say no to dusting.
How about you? What will you say "No" to this year?
I think lot of people need to "just say no" more often. You know who you are; you listen on the phone for several minutes before hanging up on phone solicitors, can't turn down committee positions or refuse extra duties at work for which you are not paid. You hear yourself saying "yes" when you really mean "no," because you just don't want to risk hurting someone's feelings or making them think that you're You could benefit from saying "no" more often.
I'm actually pretty good at saying no; I have a great handle on how to take care of myself and will not feel pressured by anyone to say yes when I am really screaming "Nooooooo!" inside (unless you count agreeing to drive 20 minutes to pick Kendall up from a friend's house or something.) I think it's important to say no sometimes; it's liberating and a nice way to take care of yourself. (Let me know if you need help with this!)
I didn't always have this ability, and I have some baggage to show for it, but I'm a big girl now. So this year, I plan to say "No" if anyone asks me if I'd like to add a fifth committee to my list of involvements, I'll say no to things I can't afford, and I'll say no to dusting.
How about you? What will you say "No" to this year?
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Lighting the Fire
I have a student who has, for weeks, had trouble getting his work in. I know he has the potential for keeping up, because he did so for the first month of school. Around November, though, he started sliding, and as hard as I've tried to keep him from hitting bottom, he keeps slipping out of my grasp. I learned a few weeks back that Robert's (single) dad had moved a few hours away. (He had to, to take a job as a logger.) Robert's living with his grandma, and while his dad is keeping tabs on his grades via the Internet, he's not at home anymore to help. Robert's attitude has progressively declined; he's become sullen and a little bitter. It's as though he is a little ember in a fireplace, capable of bursting into flame at any moment.
About a month ago, Robert started wrestling practice, and this past weekend was his first scheduled match. It was made clear to him that failing grades would result in his being unable to wrestle in matches; he would have to sit on the sidelines if he didn't get his Language Arts grade up. I figured that would be the motivation to get him going. Unfortunately, he had fallen so far behind that he seemed paralyzed to do anything about it. Night after night, I would make detailed notes in his agenda, telling his family what he had left to do, and day after day, he would come in without it even started.
My heart was sinking, because we (his teachers) all know that if anyone needs to wrestle (to get out some of that pent-up anger), it's Robert. On the surface, he is calm, generally cooperative and respectful, but every now and then, I see a darkness in his eyes, and he can be uncooperative (though in a passive way). He looks at me sometimes like he wishes I would just disappear, get off his back.
Last week, as the "F-list cut-off approached, I called home to remind them, and Robert's grandma told me that his dad had decided that Robert would have to quit wrestling; they were all just tired of fighting with him about the missing work. It was just too hard for her to keep fighting with Robert, especially without his dad here for backup. I talked them into giving it one more day; we'd try to help him (stopping short of doing the work for him), but I really, really wanted to see him get a taste of what it felt to be on the mat in a match. If he could at least make it to his first meet, I had high hopes that it would inspire him to keep his grades up.
By the skin of his teeth, he made the grade.
Today, Robert came into class and announced, "Did you hear the news? I took First Place." He was positively beaming. Our little, angry ember had burst into flames on the mat, beating all three of his opponents in his weight class and winning the event.
From here on out, I'm not going to knock myself out; no more working harder than Robert to make sure he's passing. I'm not sure, but I'm hoping like crazy that that the taste of victory will be enough to carry him through. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
About a month ago, Robert started wrestling practice, and this past weekend was his first scheduled match. It was made clear to him that failing grades would result in his being unable to wrestle in matches; he would have to sit on the sidelines if he didn't get his Language Arts grade up. I figured that would be the motivation to get him going. Unfortunately, he had fallen so far behind that he seemed paralyzed to do anything about it. Night after night, I would make detailed notes in his agenda, telling his family what he had left to do, and day after day, he would come in without it even started.
My heart was sinking, because we (his teachers) all know that if anyone needs to wrestle (to get out some of that pent-up anger), it's Robert. On the surface, he is calm, generally cooperative and respectful, but every now and then, I see a darkness in his eyes, and he can be uncooperative (though in a passive way). He looks at me sometimes like he wishes I would just disappear, get off his back.
Last week, as the "F-list cut-off approached, I called home to remind them, and Robert's grandma told me that his dad had decided that Robert would have to quit wrestling; they were all just tired of fighting with him about the missing work. It was just too hard for her to keep fighting with Robert, especially without his dad here for backup. I talked them into giving it one more day; we'd try to help him (stopping short of doing the work for him), but I really, really wanted to see him get a taste of what it felt to be on the mat in a match. If he could at least make it to his first meet, I had high hopes that it would inspire him to keep his grades up.
By the skin of his teeth, he made the grade.
Today, Robert came into class and announced, "Did you hear the news? I took First Place." He was positively beaming. Our little, angry ember had burst into flames on the mat, beating all three of his opponents in his weight class and winning the event.
From here on out, I'm not going to knock myself out; no more working harder than Robert to make sure he's passing. I'm not sure, but I'm hoping like crazy that that the taste of victory will be enough to carry him through. Let's keep our fingers crossed!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Haven't Worked Out That Clone Thing Yet...
If I had a quarter (Yeah, it's 2010; a dime isn't worth a lick, so I'm adjusting for inflation) for every unread post in my reader right now, I would earn $350.75. How about you?
My to-do list is still quite lengthy!
*Read and reply to46 40 FF posts (I'm excited, really; that's a record! :)
*Reply toall most of the comments on my blog this week
*Make six gallons of soup for next week's soup swap
*Grade 20 "Survival Stories" written by 6th graders (I hope I survive!haha)
*Draft two I.E.P.s
*Organize more than 100 digital family video clips, having finished editing them on Saturday morning (write review post for Stashspace)
*Design Kyle's graduation announcements
*Shower
*Burn CD of audio blog posts for a sweet friend
*Attend a family birthday gathering (Happy Birthday, Logan!)
*Grocery shop and finish the laundry
*Watch the Packers beat the Cardinals GRRRRRRRRRR
*And finally (from Mr.4444, who happens to be reading over my shoulder) "service my husband" (Sorry, Honey! Rain check?)
Hope your weekend was productive! Happy Monday! :)
My to-do list is still quite lengthy!
*Read and reply to
*Reply to
*Make six gallons of soup for next week's soup swap
*Draft two I.E.P.s
*Design Kyle's graduation announcements
*Burn CD of audio blog posts for a sweet friend
*
*
*And finally (from Mr.4444, who happens to be reading over my shoulder) "service my husband" (Sorry, Honey! Rain check?)
Hope your weekend was productive! Happy Monday! :)
Sunday, January 10, 2010
All I Have Left to Do...
In my fantasy world, though it's Sunday, I still have time this weekend to...
*Read and reply to 46 FF posts (I'm excited, really; that's a record! :)
*Reply to all of the comments on my blog this week
*Make six gallons of soup for next week's soup swap
*Grade 20 "Survival Stories" written by 6th graders (I hope I survive!haha)
*Draft two I.E.P.s
*Organize more than 100 digital family video clips, having finished editing them on Saturday morning (write review post for Stashspace)
*Design Kyle's graduation announcements
*Shower
*Burn CD of audio blog posts for a sweet friend
*Attend a family birthday gathering (Happy Birthday, Logan!)
*Grocery shop and finish the laundry
*Watch the Packers beat the Cardinals
*And finally(from Mr.4444, who happens to be reading over my shoulder) "service my husband"
I need a clone!!!! (Well, for everything except the last one.)
*Read and reply to 46 FF posts (I'm excited, really; that's a record! :)
*Reply to all of the comments on my blog this week
*Make six gallons of soup for next week's soup swap
*Grade 20 "Survival Stories" written by 6th graders (I hope I survive!haha)
*Draft two I.E.P.s
*Organize more than 100 digital family video clips, having finished editing them on Saturday morning (write review post for Stashspace)
*Design Kyle's graduation announcements
*Shower
*Burn CD of audio blog posts for a sweet friend
*Attend a family birthday gathering (Happy Birthday, Logan!)
*Grocery shop and finish the laundry
*Watch the Packers beat the Cardinals
*And finally(from Mr.4444, who happens to be reading over my shoulder) "service my husband"
I need a clone!!!! (Well, for everything except the last one.)
Saturday, January 9, 2010
When Being Negative is Positive
I loaded up on raisins today and am happy to say that I passed my iron test and gave up some of my 0-negative blood today!
I forgot my camera, though, so I was thrilled when the nicest young woman (also a donor) offered to run out to her car and get her cell phone so she could take my photo! (I know, right? What a sweetheart!)
So, here's proof that I walk the walk, Ladies and Gentlemen.
(And no, that's not a funky Star Trek outfit; I just had to leave my arm out for a little while.)
Just look at the wonderful spread they put on us donors--crackers, cheese, veggies, dip, and an egg salad sandwich and warm, fuzzy feelings in exchange for a measly pint of blood?! Such a deal!
I've sent my photo to Manic Mommy for her Sunday, Bloody Sunday feature, celebrating her Got Blood? drive. Stop by tomorrow and wish her good luck, will you?
Better yet, stop by your local American Red Cross and tell them Mrs.4444 and Manic Mommy sent you! :)
I forgot my camera, though, so I was thrilled when the nicest young woman (also a donor) offered to run out to her car and get her cell phone so she could take my photo! (I know, right? What a sweetheart!)
So, here's proof that I walk the walk, Ladies and Gentlemen.
(And no, that's not a funky Star Trek outfit; I just had to leave my arm out for a little while.)Just look at the wonderful spread they put on us donors--crackers, cheese, veggies, dip, and an egg salad sandwich and warm, fuzzy feelings in exchange for a measly pint of blood?! Such a deal!
I've sent my photo to Manic Mommy for her Sunday, Bloody Sunday feature, celebrating her Got Blood? drive. Stop by tomorrow and wish her good luck, will you?
Better yet, stop by your local American Red Cross and tell them Mrs.4444 and Manic Mommy sent you! :)
Friday, January 8, 2010
Friday Fragments, Episode #77
Friday Fragments, according to Jonel, at Just Sayin'..."Every Friday, she hosts a plethora of randomness and encourages the rest of us to join in. Some may think she is being a bad influence, but I say that she is the exalted ruler of de-clutter. Jump on over and see what everyone else has cleared out of their minds."
I liked this intro last week, so I pirated it! (Thanks, Jonel :) Thanks for joining in today! [Here's the skinny on FF.]
***Gosh, I'm kind of embarrassed; yesterday, a post I had drafted got published without me noticing, and it was hanging out there for two hours before I noticed. Darn it! If you see the post entitled 444444 in your reader, just ignore it; it's not finished!!! (Hence, the nonsense title) And Matty, thanks for not mentioning the dumb title or the "ssssssss" that finished one line or the inconsistencies in names (I'm trying to decide if I should just start using Mr.4444's first name for that post.) I copied your sweet comment and will attach it to the final draft post :)
***Although I am a big fan of Snow Days, I can appreciate those who are not, which is why this is my Favorite Friday Fragment this week:
* I think snow days should be accompanied by the option to drop your children off at the home of the person who made the decision to close school that day. They might be a little more motivated to get the parking lots cleared and encourage the town to do a better job clearing the snow. B, of Life in the BAT Cave. Thanks, B! The award is yours; wear it proudly :)
***I'm just SICK about the fact that my list of passwords for everything on the computer somehow found its way into a basket of paper in our livingroom and then into the fireplace. Most of it was typed, but I had at least 20 hand-written usernames and passwords on there, too. Grrrrrr***Still no sign of Stella (in case you were wondering)...
***Mr.4444 heard that if you lock your keys in your car, you can call someone who has your extra set, and they can simply unlock your car by clicking their spare key into their cell phone as you hold the phone out towards your car. He and Kendall tested this out, and guess what? It works!! [Just like when you stand in front of your car and press the clicker, your helper holds the clicker of their cellphone. You hold your cellphone about a foot away from your car door. When your car "hears" the click from the cellphone, the door opens. Pretty cool, huh?!]
***By the way, in case you've been wondering, my friend Molly is doing well. Christmas was tough (every day is), but she's doing as well as could be expected.
***Dads Dish Retro Blog Fact or Fiction: Men Never Throw Away Their Old Clothes is a funny post. It made me remember to finally throw out those old jeans of Mr.4444's that I've been hiding in my closet for months. (I hope he's not reading this! LOL)
***I often find myself driving miles in my car before noticing that the radio is playing.
***In the car a few days ago, I heard in the radio news that due to fears regarding terrorism, the United Stated Embassy in Yemen was going on high alert (or something like that.) I said (to no one in particular) "What do we have an embassy in Yemen for, anyway?!" Mr.4444 replied, "We're giving them YemenAid." (This is what I live with on a daily basis around here...)
***Christmas vacation spoiled me; I am exhausted from going back to work this week! Before I fall asleep here, I'd better sign off. Leave your link to your FRIDAY FRAGMENT post here, and I'll stop by this weekend for a visit :)
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Oh-Oh
Remember Stella? Bad news...After having lived at the middle school without incident in several years, she has suddenly gone missing! (Two days now.)
So...Is she out on an exploratory mission? Off in search of a meal? Stolen???? My guess is the latter. Either way, this can't be good for poor Stella....
So...Is she out on an exploratory mission? Off in search of a meal? Stolen???? My guess is the latter. Either way, this can't be good for poor Stella....
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Reflections on Motherhood
On 9-22-90, sixth months after Mr.4444 and I got married, I started writing a journal for the kids I hoped to have one day. I'll be honest and just tell you it was born out of a bizarre and unexplainable fear that I might one day die and leave my kids motherless. I wanted them to know everything I wanted to teach them, just in case, so I wrote. And yes, I did start the journal two years before Kyle was even born. It's crazy; I'm full aware of that, but I'm glad I did it. I've obviously lived long enough to raise my kids most of the way. The other bonus is that they have that journal, which today is more than 180 typed pages long.
The journal (which I later split in two, one for each kid) is filled with my thoughts, feelings, and observations about being my kids' mom, and my take on current events in the world, but it's also filled with memories: silly, cute, scary events that I chronicled for them, memories of people they will never know, and milestones. Memories that today may be fuzzy around the edges for them will come to life when they read about them in those journals; they are treasures.
Since I've had Half-Past Kissin' Time, my journal entries are much farther in between, but every now and then, I add a personal message to each one, and sometimes (like tonight), I poke around for stuff to put here. Here's the gem I offer tonight (Thanks, Kyle!)
5/1/8/94 [Kyle was just two years old.]
There is a possibility that I may be pregnant. We aren’t sure yet, but a little story illustrates your level of understanding at your age. I asked you, “Kyle , would you like to have a baby brother?” You replied, “Yes.” I asked, “How would you like a baby sister?” You exclaimed, “Yes!” I said, “You would? That’s great.” You became excited and kept saying, “Yes! baby sister, baby sister!” Of course, I was charmed that you would be so enthusiastic about our growing family. However, you soon became quite frustrated and upset, pointing to the kitchen and crying, “Want baby sister! Baby sister!” It was then that I realized that you thought “baby sister” was a type of snack!! I had to laugh out loud, but you were quite upset. It took some time for me to explain, and you managed to calm down after I did get a snack for you. That’s a story I won’t forget.
Amused? Oh, believe me, there's plenty more where that came from :)
The journal (which I later split in two, one for each kid) is filled with my thoughts, feelings, and observations about being my kids' mom, and my take on current events in the world, but it's also filled with memories: silly, cute, scary events that I chronicled for them, memories of people they will never know, and milestones. Memories that today may be fuzzy around the edges for them will come to life when they read about them in those journals; they are treasures.
Since I've had Half-Past Kissin' Time, my journal entries are much farther in between, but every now and then, I add a personal message to each one, and sometimes (like tonight), I poke around for stuff to put here. Here's the gem I offer tonight (Thanks, Kyle!)
5/1/8/94 [Kyle was just two years old.]
There is a possibility that I may be pregnant. We aren’t sure yet, but a little story illustrates your level of understanding at your age. I asked you, “
Amused? Oh, believe me, there's plenty more where that came from :)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Colorful Massage (Audio!)
I'm so excited--I figured out how to record myself reading posts aloud as part as a gift for the then-secret Christmas gift for Mary Ellen. (She had gone back to a job and missed reading blogs, so I recorded a bunch for her (mine and others). I burned a CD for her so that she could listen to the posts during her commute to and from work. How cool is that?! She loved it, of course.
So, I still have the recordings, and I've decided to find a way to post some of them. This is my first try. I used my sister Michelle's now-defunct blog post, The Colorful Massage, which was pretty funny. I think you'll enjoy it.
If this works out, I just might attach an audio recording to all of my future posts. The possibilities are endless, and yes, I know this is a potentially money-making idea, but I know I'd have no idea how to market it, so if you decided to take my/Mary Ellen's idea and run with it, please PLEASE remember us when you are rich and famous. THANKS.
Here you go....Enjoy! Click here to listen to The Colorful Massage!
P.S. If you look over in the sidebar, you'll see a few more audio posts from the past. The "Yes, Mrs. Smith, There Is a Santa Claus" is one of my favorite posts, from Dawn (at Bee and Rose) She gave permission for me to post it here. I'll add more when I get time (if anyone's interested.) Any special requests?
So, I still have the recordings, and I've decided to find a way to post some of them. This is my first try. I used my sister Michelle's now-defunct blog post, The Colorful Massage, which was pretty funny. I think you'll enjoy it.
If this works out, I just might attach an audio recording to all of my future posts. The possibilities are endless, and yes, I know this is a potentially money-making idea, but I know I'd have no idea how to market it, so if you decided to take my/Mary Ellen's idea and run with it, please PLEASE remember us when you are rich and famous. THANKS.
Here you go....Enjoy! Click here to listen to The Colorful Massage!
P.S. If you look over in the sidebar, you'll see a few more audio posts from the past. The "Yes, Mrs. Smith, There Is a Santa Claus" is one of my favorite posts, from Dawn (at Bee and Rose) She gave permission for me to post it here. I'll add more when I get time (if anyone's interested.) Any special requests?
Monday, January 4, 2010
1-2-3- Hernia?
Anyone who is a boy, has been a boy, or knows any is aware of a stage in their adolescence during which they walk around admiring their muscles and asking you to feel them. Loud, grunting noises can be heard from the basement or garage, as they power-lift whatever they're able to find. They also like to test their muscles out on siblings, pets, and of course, their friends. Being able to pin a little sister to the ground or wrangle a dog to submission makes them feel strong, even powerful. They also like to leap over furniture and do chin-ups on door frames; anything to test their manliness.
There comes a time in every boy's life, though, when sisters, dogs, and doorways don't cut it for them; they long for a bigger person to wrestle with; someone who'll give them a little more of a challenge. Of course, their dads will wrestle with them, but a man and a boy aren't a fair match. Unfortunately for me, an adolescent boy and his mother are apparently a perfect match, because one day a couple of years ago, Kyle decided I should wrestle with him.
I am smiling as I type this, because I was on to his game immediately. Having four older brothers does that to a girl; you kind of get tired of being physically dominated and just submit. Futilely working myself into a sweat and breaking blood vessels in my eyes to escape is not my idea of a good time, so I've learned that if you don't give them a fight, they eventually tire of you and leave you alone. After several minutes of Kyle trying to "pin" my limp arms to the floor, he decided to pick me up and "throw" me onto the couch.
As you'll see in this video, it was not as easy as he thought it would be...
(For the record, I would have cut the video off at 25 seconds but didn't know how!)
There comes a time in every boy's life, though, when sisters, dogs, and doorways don't cut it for them; they long for a bigger person to wrestle with; someone who'll give them a little more of a challenge. Of course, their dads will wrestle with them, but a man and a boy aren't a fair match. Unfortunately for me, an adolescent boy and his mother are apparently a perfect match, because one day a couple of years ago, Kyle decided I should wrestle with him.
I am smiling as I type this, because I was on to his game immediately. Having four older brothers does that to a girl; you kind of get tired of being physically dominated and just submit. Futilely working myself into a sweat and breaking blood vessels in my eyes to escape is not my idea of a good time, so I've learned that if you don't give them a fight, they eventually tire of you and leave you alone. After several minutes of Kyle trying to "pin" my limp arms to the floor, he decided to pick me up and "throw" me onto the couch.
As you'll see in this video, it was not as easy as he thought it would be...
(For the record, I would have cut the video off at 25 seconds but didn't know how!)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Weekly Winners/Sundays in My City: Year's End Edition
I decided that in honor of the new year, I'm posting some of my very favorite shots from 2009.
Cooper, "talking" to Aunt Michelle...
Mother/Daughter...
Kendall and her camp friends....
Senior/Sibling Portrait....
My sisters and I, together for the first time in a long time, for Mom's 80th birthday party...
(Judy, Michelle, Geri, me, Mary)
Sisters Portrait...
Elvis's visit....
Daddy and his Little Girl...
Their one-and-only Homecoming as siblings in the same school....
College Campus Visit...(Yes, he picked U.W.G.B., and we're happy he'll be nearby, in the dorms.)
And now, on to new beginnings, like the new little someone to love in our family...Brennan Matthew
If this little cutie is any indication, it's going to be a wonderful year :)
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Facebook FYI
Is anyone else bothered by the fact that, using the Facebook Networked Blogs "Followers" widget on people's blogs, anyone can click on your photo and be transported directly to your Facebook profile (and your real name?) For the sake of privacy, I have Un-Followed (in Facebook) the Networked Blogs that were previously on my list. However, I am still a "Fan," and once I figure out how to open a FB account for Mrs.4444, I will happily Follow again.
Giving Life
I'm celebrating the New Year by scheduling a blood-donation appointment with the American Red Cross. I figure what better way to celebrate another year than by giving someone else a chance at another year, too? Did you know that one pint of blood can save three lives and that less than 38% of the population is eligible to give blood? I'm getting off-track...
I was going to save this idea for another three years, but I have what I think is a fantastic idea for celebrating my 50th birthday (Ouch-that hurts!), so I'm going to share it. I think I will ask that instead of a party or wrapped gifts, people give the gift of life to the American Red Cross in celebration of my birthday. What do you think of that? Would it not be VERY cool if I could get at least 50 people to donate?! I could even sit at the blood donation site and greet everybody and thank them. My blogging buddies could give blood and post pics of themselves (giving blood) on their blogs. The chickens in the bunch could make a cash donation, instead. (Really, I'm thinking this could work!)
I think it would be an honor to make such a difference in the world on my birthday, instead of just opening boxes of Ex-lax or Ben-Gay and feeling depressed the next day. I would truly love to feel like my turning 50 could be something to look forward to with excitement and joy.
So, that's my idea. I have three years and a four months to plan it all out, and I'm still open to other, similar ideas, as well. Feel free to share my idea with anyone you like, and if you have one even better, do share.
Happy New Year!!
UPDATE: Thanks, Melisa, for pointing me to Manic Mommy's Got Blood? Event/Giveaway! I am so on it, and I invite anyone else to follow suit!
I was going to save this idea for another three years, but I have what I think is a fantastic idea for celebrating my 50th birthday (Ouch-that hurts!), so I'm going to share it. I think I will ask that instead of a party or wrapped gifts, people give the gift of life to the American Red Cross in celebration of my birthday. What do you think of that? Would it not be VERY cool if I could get at least 50 people to donate?! I could even sit at the blood donation site and greet everybody and thank them. My blogging buddies could give blood and post pics of themselves (giving blood) on their blogs. The chickens in the bunch could make a cash donation, instead. (Really, I'm thinking this could work!)
I think it would be an honor to make such a difference in the world on my birthday, instead of just opening boxes of Ex-lax or Ben-Gay and feeling depressed the next day. I would truly love to feel like my turning 50 could be something to look forward to with excitement and joy.
So, that's my idea. I have three years and a four months to plan it all out, and I'm still open to other, similar ideas, as well. Feel free to share my idea with anyone you like, and if you have one even better, do share.
Happy New Year!!
UPDATE: Thanks, Melisa, for pointing me to Manic Mommy's Got Blood? Event/Giveaway! I am so on it, and I invite anyone else to follow suit!
Friday, January 1, 2010
Friday Fragments, Episode #76
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! What? Oh, sorry; I'll try to be quieter (didn't remember that some people might be hungover when they read this.) Is this better? Welcome to Friday Fragments, where incomplete posts are welcome and randomness rules. Collect your miscellaneous epiphanies, observations, questions, complaints (or all of the above) and put them all in one post. [To learn how to play nice at FF, click here.]***Last Sunday, Mr.4444 went out to the garage (to get his winter boots to wear to the Packers game) and found one of them half-filled with corn. I said I felt sorry for the mouse who did all of that work to get the corn (from our deer corn pile in the woods) to the garage. He replied that I need not worry about the mouse any longer (I'll save you rodent lovers the details.)
***I'm looking to buy a t-shirt that reads, "Stop the Apostrophe Madness!" I was inspired, having visited this site: Ten Words You Need to Stop Misspelling and basically getting sucked into it for 30 minutes. (Thanks, Jen, for the link :)
***Spent a lot of time on Facebook this week (I'm normally only there a few times per week.) Because I don't want anyone to
***I posted my Favorite Friday Fragments on Monday. Just want to share a favorite comment this week, which came from Eternal Lizdom, who was referring to my post about Kyle's Eagle project for scouts. She wrote (in part), "My brothers are both Eagles, while I was dishonorably discharged from the Brownies..." Thanks for the LOL, Liz.
***While I share some wonderful recipes over at Mrs.4444 Cooks, I am not one to make up my own. That said, we received some wonderful-looking cheese for Christmas (cranberry cheddar), and I'm thinking I'd like to adapt this recipe. I'm open to suggestions for replacing the ranch dressing and beer with something that would complement the cranberries. Any ideas?
***Twenty-six years ago today (New Year's Eve), I began my love affair with Mr.4444, on Sebastian's dance floor, to the tune of Lionel Richie's Truly. My heart melts at the memory, honestly. More on that in a future post...
***On Sunday, instead of Weekly Winners (but maybe as a Sundays in My City), I'm going to post "Yearly Winners," my favorite pics of this year. Just thought I'd throw that out there, in case it inspires anyone.
Okay, now it's your turn. Not to be rude or anything (we're all happy to meet you), but please link up only if you have a Friday Fragments post. (Click on the button at the top of this page to learn more.)
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