Yeah, I took a hiatus...so what.

I was sick. I was sleeping for 11 hours a night. Give me a break. :)

Good things from today, and today alone (so notice how the attitude has changed to not be forced on a ton of things)

*A was AWESOME!
*SS brought me lunch :)
*Fridays are breakfast club (or at least that's my name for it now)
*I helped a student see the happy things in life
*Grades/effort are going up in my classroom
*Most of my kids know how to multiply two digit by two digit numbers! :) :) :)
*Good conversation with coworker/newest friend
*Voiced my opinion to someone. While I have a lot more opinions that should be voiced to lots of others, it was still good to do it at least once today. :)

I'm not sure which story to pick...

I had the goal of writing a short blip about my favorite part of each day but lately I've either been too tired or not had something interesting enough to write more than a sentence fragment about. Today I have two, and I can't choose which one I like better, so here are both:

First, today my mom called me earlier than usual, so I got a slight bit concerned. After exchanging the "hey mom, what's up? are you ok?" questioning she started her conversation and what she wanted to tell me with "So, I was talking to two morticians today..." She went on to tell me that they were people that I remotely knew and that they were telling her about someone I do know having a newborn, but still... I was talking to two morticians today?!?! Who else other than my mom starts a conversation, not a joke, with that?

Then, later on I was grading papers and on the question "Name some people who are in your generation" I got some interesting answers. Some answered correctly with things like "my sister" or "my brother" (which, in my town could get quite confusing when your mom is your uncle's mom too) but there were many wrong answers. I had a lot answer with pioneers, but my two favorite answers were Africans and my hamster. Creative kids. Creative.

Other great things from today:
I got my objectives changed on my board. GO ME!
I finished my lesson plans for this week before lunch.
I successfully changed my students' names today.
I graded social studies books and PROBE notebooks!
I had dinner and Sunni Sky's with two of my favorite people.

I guess overall, it was a productive day. Go me!

Catch up!

I haven't had time the past few days to post...mostly because I was out of town. Now for the catching up:

Thursday:
I packed. It all got done, along with laundry and a clean house. Yay for me!

Friday:

• I got to see the NYC skyline. It may have been from a plane window, but I still got to see it.
• No travel hitches at all. Met a BU guy in the airport and listened to his life story, which was actually pretty interesting.
• Got to meet the new cousin, who is just adorable.
• YUMMIEST burger ever! Created a pie and soup. Pie turned out delicious.

Saturday:

• Completed a puzzle in record time with one of my favorite relatives.
• Ran over 8 miles on a beautiful trail.
• Got a great orange hat to run on my trail in.
• Got to eat at Jimmy John's after a long vacation from them.

Today:

• Great flights back home.
• Great dinner with my Sunday friend.

Confetti party!

Take the bad things and make them good...while a kid throwing his small bits of paper around the room may seem terrible, we just made it a confetti party and it quieted him. Point me.

Great things from today:
*I woke up before work. It may have been later than I liked, but I woke up on my own without an alarm. WOO!
*My hair turned out cute today, which is great since it was picture day. 10 minutes to shower and get ready did me well this morning.
*My AP helped me take care of a kid's problems today. Go us!
*4th grade teachers are excited about science fair. This year's is going to be better than ever!
*KP and I had a great venting session. I think both of us are better off knowing both of us feel the same way. We went to dinner too. YUM!
*My kids did awesome on their math tests! Yes, there were a few mistakes, but mistakes happen. I told them I expected their best, and they showed me just how great their best is.
*I got a great email from a person I respect very much. I really am not a fan of writing long emails, but I responded to hers and I'm excited for her response back.

addition:
I got to talk to MDPSK.

YUM!

It's late, so no commentary, just the great things.
*The Tall One is my friend. (I know, this could be listed every day for the past 2 years, but sometimes I don't think I appreciate it enough)
*I ran 4 miles this morning before work. (a.k.a. the gym was open when I went)
*The weather was BEAUTIFUL!
*Someone at work appreciates me and knows that I'll be there for them no matter what. It became clear today.
*Someone else at work knows when I'm at my wit's end with a student and really helped me out today. I'm incredibly grateful to have her working at my school.
*Dinner was AMAZING! More delicious than ever.
*Soccer practice went really well. I think we had some learning experiences tonight.
*I saw one of my old students score a touchdown and some of my other students get really excited to see I went to the game.

Wow...there's more there than I expected. It's all good :)

Contractions--grammatical ones

Thought for the day: I am not a fan of contractions in people's vocabulary. I am wiping them partially out of my vocabulary, at least the n't ones and the third person pronoun ones. (Yes, in my head, that makes lots of sense) I feel like those are the ones that I hear the most and that makes me less happy, so they're going to become something I ignore.


Happy things from today:

• Yummy biscuit for breakfast
• I finished getting together science fair information to get to teachers, and I passed part of it on to the wonderful teacher who leads the other grade at my school to take care of. More importantly, I think she might actually do with it what needs to be done.
• Fun visit with Cynthia's driver. Somehow it made me happy to take a break to talk to him.
• Talked to Topher on the way to dinner. I heart my old friends.
• FABULOUS dinner with LDaug. I went into it not expecting much, but after not seeing her for a year and both of us having less than wonderful days, dinner was great (and yummy too!)

Nothing but the good...

Good things happen, but I'm finding that there are times when no one wants to hear them, everyone just wants you to be miserable so that they can feel better about being miserable themselves. Some people may be able to live like that, but not me. So, with all the green eyes I'm around, this is my outlet for the good...

One of the county administrators, DR, always speaks about what a good teacher I am, yet had never seen me teach. While it may be okay for most to have this happening, I wanted it to be based in something, so I invited her into my classroom. Two really great things came of this. First, one of the other teachers, K, needed to make up time for a workshop she missed, so came to help me get ready for Friday. It wasn't a huge deal, or anything that required tons of work, but just having someone to talk to while I got my Friday stuff together was nice. She also did some small things that are going to really help in my classroom, and I'm trying to make sure she knows how much I appreciate it.

Friday DR came and was an absolute part of my class. She helped a struggling student understand a concept, she sat on the floor and learned the lesson I was teaching a group, and she even gave permission to students to go to the bathroom. It was amazing. We spoke after my kids left for art, and she has big ideas for me. I shared with her some concerns that I had, nothing major but things that are nagging at me, and she eased my concerns. It was so great to have her there, and to have a moment to shine.

A family I work with invited me to lunch today, which, while small, was huge. We and another teacher sat around the table and laughed and didn't say one word about work. I haven't had such a good time in a while. I then volunteered to take the oldest girl shopping so that mom didn't have to. That, too, was just a fun adventure. I'm glad that the family has adopted me as one of their own.

Other small smiles from the past few days, that don't need stories but deserve a mention-
TL brought me lunch Thursday and Friday!
I had dinner and went to a football with great friends Friday night.
I ran over 9 miles on Saturday
I got Nike pants today. :)

It's one of those days...

It was one of those days where while on Sunday I felt like I could run across the country, today I didn't think I could make it to the corner. If it wasn't for my challenges and goals, I don't think I would have done it.

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.90 miles
Time: 4:30 pm, 29 minutes, 25 seconds
Temperature: 63 degrees
Humidity: 70%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the SSE at 6 mph
Pressure: 30.25 and falling

It's been two weeks...

It's been two weeks since I posted, but that doesn't mean I haven't run. It does mean I haven't run much, and when I do run I squeeze it in so don't have time to post about it, but I'm going...

In the past two weeks, I only ran three times, disappointing, but seeing as how the first week I had class three nights a week and a stressful test to proctor for my kids, I feel that it's allowed.

My Nike+ kit is amazing, I love that I just happened to buy the shoes and then realized that they would fit the kit. Being able to track my runs and join challenges. I think it's just what I needed to make running more fun for me. At least until I start to love running and want to do it just for the fun of it. YAY for a running start! :)

A tractor?

As I was running along on the trail, I saw a tractor coming toward me. In tow was a little wagon with a little kid and an adult. I initally thought that this tractor was a maintenance man, however, it was just a family out for a ride. Apparently "No Motorized Vehicles" doesn't mean lawn mowers.

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 3.30 miles
Time: 2:40 pm, 32 minutes, 30 seconds
Temperature: 62 degrees
Humidity: 27%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the E at 6 mph
Pressure: 30.27 and falling

Wind is Bad

I've learned...running against 14 mph winds is hard...it's much easier to run with them.

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.79 miles
Time: 5:00 pm, 29 minutes, 45 seconds
Temperature: 44 degrees
Humidity: 29%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the NW at 14 mph (gusting to 21 mph)
Pressure: 28.81 and rising

Puppies!

I'm getting so good about running...and posting! I'm pretty proud.

My new favorite part about running is that when I get done I'm greeted with PUPPIES! No, I can't have a puppy where I live, which is probably good because I wouldn't be able to give it enough attention, but my neighbors/landlords do. Luke and Ginger come bounding over to me when I'm about to walk into my house because they saw me finishing my run on the other side of their house. Luke brings me his ball and Ginger just waggles. They're cute, and make my run just that much more enjoyable.

Again, I walked yesterday with the girl at school. I really enjoy walking with her because I work better when I'm encouraging others.

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.96 miles
Time: 5:00 pm, 30 minutes, 0 seconds
Temperature: 62 degrees=Beautiful!
Humidity: 72%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the N at 3 mph
Pressure: 28.89 and steady

2.5!

I'm really getting excited about this running thing-I just need to keep up my enthusiasm. Today was beautiful and I left work earlier than usual to go run. It was ridiculuously windy out (a friend would say...it was windier than windy!) but I managed to run more miles than ever before. My wall is coming much later, in fact today I didn't hit a wall, instead I stopped while I was ahead because my ankle started to hurt. Still, 2.5 miles and going strong!

Yesterday I skipped my run to dance and walk a slow mile with a coworker's daughter who needs a bit of motivation. She became enthusiastic and I'm really excited about doing that more!

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.71 miles
Time: 4:30 pm, 26 minutes, 36 seconds
Temperature: 46 degrees
Humidity: 41% YUCK!
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the W at 8 mph
Pressure: 30.09 and rising

Just in time!

I realized that it was getting darker and darker out even though it was only 8 in the morning. I threw on my running shoes and went out the door. Today I decided I'd take advantage of the track at the school next door to where I teach, and it was a nice little gravel track to run around. I wanted my run to be longer than before, so I made sure that I ran tehre, did four laps for a mile, and then ran most of the way back. I reached my goal of a two mile run! Let's see how I can keep it up!

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.26 miles
Time: 8:30 am, 23 minutes, 37 seconds
Temperature: 46 degrees
Humidity: 76% YUCK!
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the E at 5 mph
Pressure: 30.19 and steady

So what?

So what it's been a year? I've moved, and started a new job, a new job teaching at that, which has consumed nearly every waking minute of my day. I fit in running here and there, but spend more time walking the halls at school to log a mile before I leave, and the one thing I've learned from that: a hallway is boring but a place to walk. It's spring again, and I've been itching to get outside for the longer days. My sneakers have worn out, so I took today to go buy a new pair. I wasn't completely satisfied with their looks, and then I realized that they are Nike+ shoes, and combined with my iPod and a few accessories I could log my runs better (and have a fun toy to play with to motivate me to go for a while). Shortly after I figured out how to use it, I went for a run. A slightly pathetic run, if you ask me, but for midday it was fine. Here it goes:

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 1.8 miles
Time: 12:30 PM, 20 minutes and 30 seconds
Temperature: 55 degrees
Humidity: 49%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the S at 10 mph
Pressure: 30.22 and staying stable

My money was too wet...

...to go into the self serve machine at the grocery.

I've been applying for jobs lately, and I needed some of those big yellow envelopes to send applications out. I decided that since it was so nice out I would just run to the grocery down the road to buy them. As I am about to pay, I realize that my money is wet from keeping it in my hand from running, and therefore it won't be accepted by the bill acceptor. I had to call the cashier, and just kind of avoided the fact that it was damp. Oops.

I walked back, and decided after filling out and putting applications together that I naturally needed to go to the post office to mail them. Again, it was just sooo nice out that I walked to the post office, passing multiple students as I went.

Weather:
Temp: 38 degrees
Humidity: 33%
Wind: From the S at 5 mph
Pressure: 30.26 and rising

I love that I now find 38 warm...

1.24 miles to the grocery, another 1.24 back...

a few hours...

1.28 miles to the PO, another 1.28 back...

I feel so productive on Sundays.

I can go outside again!

I can run outside again! Woo-Hoo!

Since the last post, I've mostly been working out at the gym, or taking fitness classes with the rest of the teachers. I had one day where I subbed as a p.e. teacher for the day and got to rollerskate on quad skates! Then I went to my usual kickboxing class, and then subbed for a person on a volleyball team.

I hit a patch of ice with my car a few weeks ago, which led me to run into a curb and screw up my car, so I had to get it fixed. I borrowed my uncle's truck for a few days until I could get my car back. The day my car was ready, I decided I would just run over to the shop (all of a mile and a half), and when I mentioned that to them they were shocked and told me that if I got halfway there and needed someone to come pick me up they could. I made it, and it was fine, but still, it was funny for them to be shocked by my running to get there.

My new favorite routine is to run to the post office and back. I've decided that it's a mile and a half from my house, 2 miles if I go the long way, so I find something to mail and then go mail it. Doing this, I've also learned that I live by a bunch of my students, and they always are a bit shocked to see me on the side of the roads in our subdivision.

Rollerblading should be back soon...the snow has almost all melted, and the area is drying up. I'll get to strap my blades back on, and feel the nice breeze that they create for me. WOO! Maybe I'll be able to accomplish the backwards skating now too...I can do it on ice skates, and on quad skates, maybe I can do it on rollerblades...without falling.

months

So, some people claim that they're horrible if they don't write for a day, a week, a month...whatever...I don't write for over 3 months and I'm just fine with it...

Those three months have brought on a lot of changes, I am now a college graduate, I moved in with my cousin so that I could stay in the beautiful (ha!) state of Indiana, I am an aid for a really neat autistic first grader, and I currently have Marco the cat sitting on my lap dying for attention as I type (and I'm convinced I only like him because he'll let me rub his tummy like a dog). My Colts won, FINALLY! and I had three two-hour delays last week on account of both negative temperatures and 6 inches of snow (is my first ever snow day coming this week? let's hope so!) I've given up trying to run outside, purely because I don't think my lungs are equipped for temperatures much below 20, and my feet aren't equipped for ice, but I joined a gym that just like in Cheers, everyone knows my name. My school made me join their biggest loser competition so that I could get to know more of the employees, and I must say, I'm doing relatively well. I have no real internet connection, hence part of the reason for the hiatus from writing. Right now, things are going really well, and I promise promise promise that I'll try to keep you posted. No more 3 month delays...

Could it get any better?

Seriously...while I felt like February was the worst month I could ever endure, I feel like October has been one of the best months ever. My sister came for a weekend, one of my best friends came for a weekend, and I just spent the weekend in my favorite place doing little more than taking pictures with Flat Stanley, eating, and sitting on my friend's couch watching Grey's Anatomy. The Flat Stanley adventure was awesome...only another education major could get so excited about it. The food was the BEST ever! We went to my favorite pizza place and ate an entire medium pizza, had Wendy's french fries for dinner, ate a huge hamburger, and the delicious food just goes on and on...The best part of this past weekend was that it required little to no work, and we were both perfectly content with that. Everything is just going so well that I'm worried about graduating and moving on with my life because it will just throw everything out of wack.

I really am posting because I finally had the time to run AND post. Winter is coming quickly, and that makes me really sad, but today was what I expect to be the last fall day left, so I ran into my apartment to change and then go run. Because I don't believe in running in this neighborhood at night because of the darkness that might make me fall in a hole, I had a short run, but it was still fairly fantastic!

Stats for today:
Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: 5:15 pm, 31 minutes, 22 seconds
Temperature: 66 degrees
Humidity: 37% (WOW!)
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the S at 10 mph
Pressure: 29.83 and falling

Everything's just going so right...

I haven't posted for a few days because I'm just too happy to spend the time to sit at my computer to type. Everything seems to be going so perfectly that I can't handle sitting inside for too long. I love the place that I'm student teaching at; the teacher I work with is hillarious, and the kids are amazing. October is going to be a great month because my sister came, my best friend is coming, I get to volunteer at homecoming, and I get to go to my summer area to visit my friend for 4 days. I couldn't be a happier camper.

Last week, I ran twice, and they were fairly average runs. My sister was here for the weekend, so I was unable to fit in a rollerblade excursion or run, but we went hiking through a forest in the middle of the city, and you wouldn't have even known that we were so close to downtown. Fall makes me happy, and it was an AMAZING day for being outdoors, so that was great. On Sunday I got to see my favorite quarterback play...from the nosebleed section. We were quite honestly in the last row...had we been one row back, we would have been outside of the dome. I decided that walking up the stairs to get there, walking down to get food, halfway up the wrong row, down to the right one, up, down, up, and down the last time was enough exercise to count, mostly because we were 29 rows up in our section. That's a lot.

Today was really, really long. I got up at 4:15 to take my sister to the airport, came back to grab an extra hour of sleep, and then went to school. I forgot that this week begins conferences because my teacher is going to San Fran for the marathon during official conference time. I had tons of conferences and got home after 6:00, which just makes for an incredibly long day. It's all great though, because things are wonderful. I absolutely dragged myself out for a run at 6:45. I'm really rather surprised that I made it out the door. I ran for a longer distance than usual, and could have kept going had my brain not been so tired. My body was ready for more, but I was so worn out from today that I quit. I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or bad thing quite yet.

By the way...today the high was 80, but apparently there's a "Polar Invasion" coming, and it might SNOW on Wednesday or Thursday. I can't belive it. I always thought that Florida was strange with it's rain every day, but honestly, a 50 degree difference over the course of 3 or 4 days. That's nuts.

Exercise: Running/Walking
Distance: 2.58/ .3 miles
Time: 6:40 pm, 35 minutes, 23 seconds
Temperature: 66 degrees
Humidity: 83%
Visibility: 10 miles
Wind: from the NNW at 1 mph
Pressure: 30.16 and rising