Wanderlust.

I was driving to work this morning, and the highway was crowded and way more traffic-y than usual. I wanted to just take the nearest exit and make a break for it. It was way too nice of a day to be at work. The humidity had dropped, the sky was an absolutely gorgeous blue dotted with fluffy white clouds... it was the perfect day to play hooky and run for the beach (or pool or something similar). Unfortunately, with my summer job I only get paid if I show up. Such is life. Anyway, I was digging through my glove compartment looking for some tunes, and I found one of my old mix CDs called "Road Trip." Well, of course I had to pop it in :)
  

I made this CD about 10 years ago... but I gotta say, most of the music still holds up for me. Not every song is about driving and road trips. For some songs, it was more about the feel of the music. Does it make me want to roll down the windows and crank up the volume while I cruise the highway? Then it works for me. 
  
Here's a tracklist of the CD, with links to the youtube videos for reference... in case you don't know a song. I'd love to remake this (some of the songs are poor quality, and there are one or two I want to drop), so if you can think of something to add, feel free to make a suggestion!

1. Drive (R.E.M.) - This one stays. For obvious reasons.
2. Learning to Fly (Pink Floyd) - I've always felt like this was a perfect song for just taking off on a spur of the moment trip. 
3. Jane Says (Jane's Addiction) - This one has nothing to do with driving. Or road trips. There's just something about the song that feels like it belongs here. 
4. Walk This World (Heather Nova) - I adore this song. And it fits in with the theme. A definite keeper.
5. Low (Cracker) - Much like #3, this is not about driving, but it still works. 
6. Tempted (Squeeze) - A definite road trip staple. (And this scene from "Reality Bites" makes it even more perfect!)
7. One Headlight (Wallflowers) - Not only do they sing about driving, but there's a steady, driving beat to this song that makes it perfect for this CD. (Bonus... Jakob Dylan is HOT.)
8. Take a Picture (Filter) - This one is all about the beat. It's a keeper. 
9. Something About You (Level 42) - Another one I chose for the feel. This is a personal favorite of mine and reminds me of someone I used to go road-tripping with.
10. Everlong (Foo Fighters) - Okay, so I guess there's an entire block of songs that I just chose for the feel of the music. This one is another keeper. It makes me wanna hit the gas pedal and fly. 
11. Where the Streets Have No Name (U2) - Self explanatory. It's all about the journey, baby.
12. One (Creed) - I have no idea why. It's definitely getting cut.
13. Machinehead (Bush) - I don't know what this song is about. But it's got the right sound for driving fast, so it's a keeper. Plus there's fast driving in the video :)
14. Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz) - I really want to like this song on here. But everytime I listen to the CD, I hit the skip button. I don't know why. I think it might get cut.
15. Rearviewmirror (Pearl Jam) - Yes. Hell yes. This is such a kickass song. Vrooooooom.
16. Babylon (David Gray) - Another song that fits with the theme... but I just don't find myself loving it like I used to. It might get cut. Maybe.

So that's the CD. Like I said, I want to revamp it a little... maybe move a few songs around, cut the ones that don't work for me, and add a few new ones. I'm very open to song suggestions. The comments are open... go use them!

Beeeeeeach. (Shhh...it's a secret.)

I have a secret beach. I refuse to reveal the name, but if you figure it out, more power to you. Just keep it to yourself, please. 
   
I discovered this beach last summer when I was looking for a quiet place to go for a solo vacation. A co-worker recommended this place... it's a quiet little beach town, about 1 hour from me. No commercial boardwalk, no rides or waterparks, no tram cars or fudgie wudgie carts. Now don't get me wrong. I used to love the Wildwood scene. When we were kids, my parents would take me and Doug there for vacation. We loved the lights and the funnel cake and the Mac's pizza and the arcades. And then (many years later), it was a great place to go with friends... cram into one crappy little motel room and drink all night. Followed by a $3 boardwalk breakfast, of course :) 
  
So back to my secret beach. After my vacation last year, I decided that this beach was THE perfect place for a day trip. It's a pay beach, but it's worth the $8. Especially since it's a 1 hour drive and it's nowhere near the traffic of the other beaches. Last Friday the weather was incredible. I NEEDED the beach. It called to me. So I went for the day. And it was perfect. I took Joe with me, but I told him that if he told anyone where it is, I'd have to kill him. So far, he hasn't talked. :) Well, words don't do it justice... I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.
  

   

   

   

   

   
It's a beautiful place. I think I'll need to go again. And soon. Like maybe this Friday ;-)

Summertime!

I neglected my blog for awhile... for various reasons, I guess. To sum up, I got in sort of a funk (regarding the possibility of a layoff, among other things) and then pulled myself out of it. I spent the first 2 weeks in June doing the usual end-of-year activities at my schools (wrapping up some loose ends, helping teachers with June exams, attending a variety of luncheons and retirement parties). The week after school ended, I went to a 4 day professional development workshop... and then the week after that, I started teaching a 5 week summer school program. So I haven't actually had a summer vacation yet :)
   
My summer school schedule is pretty sweet. I work Monday-Thursday from 9 AM - 12 PM. I have Fridays off. Not too shabby! Even though I haven't had a summer vacation, I've definitely been enjoying my extra free time. One thing I've been able to do is take in some shows at our local theaters. 
   
At the end of June, I went with a group of friends to see "Next to Normal" at the Academy of Music...
   

The Academy of Music

    

   
I wasn't very familiar with the show before I saw it, but I enjoyed it very much. It was funny and touching all at the same time, and the music was catchy and well written. I found myself still humming the songs a week after I saw it. I'd like to get my hands on the soundtrack soon.
   
This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to get FREE tickets to see "Miss Saigon" at the Walnut Street Theater...
  

   

Dorky pose with a theater poster!

   

  
This is a show I've wanted to see for years, so I was thrilled to get a chance to go! My friend gave me 2 tickets, so I asked Joe if he wanted to go with me (and of course he did... who turns down free theater tickets??). I was so excited for the show that I spent the days beforehand posting videos of the songs on Facebook. Our seats were great, the show was awesome, and a good time was had by all. 
   
Hopefully over the next month and a half, I'll have more fun outings to share with you... because I intend to make the most of my time off this summer!  

Summer School Stories, part I

When I was a classroom teacher, I found myself grabbing for scrap paper every time one of my first graders said something funny. It happened so often that I finally started carrying a notebook to record the things they said. Teaching summer school reminds me how much I miss interacting with kids on a daily basis. After the first day, I started keeping paper nearby to write down what some of my boys say. 
   
A quick background: I have a combined kindergarten-1st grade class. So far I have 5 students total, all boys. I have 7 on my roster, but 3 never showed up, and then 1 who wasn't on the original list started at the end of the second week. It's like a complicated math problem.
  
So for the next 3 weeks I'll be occasionally blogging about some of the things my boys say... starting with my notes from the last 2 weeks :)
  
Each week has a theme for reading... the theme for week 2 was "Pets." As part of a writing activity, one of my kindergarteners wrote the following:
  
"My pet ets pnus."
  
Translation: "My pet eats peanuts." But that's definitely NOT what it looks like. Time to work on stretching a word to hear ALLLL the sounds! :)
    
Also in week 2... we had a discussion about pets, where we went around the table and told about a pet we have. If a student didn't have a pet, he told what pet he would like to have. I got to the last child, who said, "I have 2 rats under my bed." 
   
"Are they your pets?" I asked.
   
"No."
   
"Where did they come from?" (And I kinda didn't want to know the answer...)
   
"Oh, because we eat upstairs in the bedroom." 
   
I really, really hope that was just a story he made up. 

the unknown.

I realize that all of you are under a huge amount of stress related to the Reduction In Force (RIF). The Executive Team and Human Resources are working as quickly as we can to give all of you some information regarding your position. The week of June 6 we will begin to notify departments and employees of their positions. This notification process will continue until the beginning of September for some of you, depending on the need of your services. We do not take this process lightly and are reviewing positions to ensure we have made the right decision for the District. I will continue to update you as we move forward.

What you just read is an email from the school district sent to all employees. What does this mean to me? Well, I was only recently hired in September 2009, so I have less than 2 years in the district. A ridiculous amount of debt has made it necessary for the district to cut back. Right now the tentative plan is to cut kindergarten from full day to half day, cut bus service, cut "unnecessary" positions, and lay off some employees. And when it comes to layoffs, they're going to start at the bottom. Which means my job is in danger.
  
According to this email, I might find out as early as the beginning of June. Or I might be frantically checking my mail every freaking day from June 6th until September, praying to the patron saint of employment that I don't receive any bad news from the district.
 
This means I won't be going on vacation this summer. It means I'll have to put a hold on my plans to start looking for my first house. It means I've been working on revising my resume and portfolio, and I'm back to checking other school districts for openings, just in case.
 
I hate it... the uncertainty and the fact that no one is able to give me a straight answer about anything. I'm new to the politics of the school district, and I'm not even sure I understand how all this works. But what I do know is that it all just plain sucks.
     
Of course, I could be jumping the gun. Maybe there will be some sort of miracle at the last minute and money will come through. I could be worrying for nothing. But either way, I need to have a back up plan. Just in case.

Monday.

Most people dread Mondays. It's that whole "back to work" thing that gives Monday a bad name. But this week, I was looking forward to getting back to a normal routine. 
  
I foolishly (?) started my weekend on Thursday night - karaoke at the bar with a very fun group of people. I drank too much and stayed out too late, resulting in a groggy, hungover Friday morning. Then I went out and did it again on Saturday night. My poor body can't handle this kind of schedule anymore. I was cranky, sore, and tired from not sleeping well. I had no appetite Sunday morning... and when I finally ate, it was bowling alley pizza and a glass of soda (which I almost never drink). Then last night I decided that I was going to be healthy. I had a green salad with grilled chicken for dinner, followed by a homemade fruit salad for dessert (strawberries, blueberries, kiwi). I packed today's breakfast (oatmeal with dried fruit, a banana) and lunch (green salad with grilled chicken, 60 calorie pudding, raspberries). And by the afternoon, my stomach was upset. Perhaps the sudden change in diet had an effect on me. 
  
Or maybe it's stress. I've got a lot of my mind right now. I don't know if I'll have a job next year. There are budget cuts and layoffs happening in the district... and unfortunately, my job might be at risk. The school where I used to teach (for 8 years) is closing its doors in a few weeks, and this weekend is the closing Mass. A few days ago, someone asked me when my summer break was. I said, "June 17th, but then I'm attending a week-long workshop and then I'm teaching summer school for 5 weeks." He responded, "Wow. You don't get a break." And it made me think I really do want a break. But I need the money, especially if something happens with the job. Plus, I'd be bored if I had off all summer. 
    
Oh, and for the past few days, I've been ridiculously paranoid that some people are avoiding me. 
  
Blah. 
  
Okay. Now that I've gotten all that out of my system, I feel a little lighter. And there are plenty of positives here. Despite the excessive drinking, I had a fantastic weekend. I laughed a lot, I hung out with some great people, I saw my family and my dog. I did some cleaning and shopping. I gave myself a pedicure, grilled a delicious dinner, watched some of my favorite movies. It definitely wasn't a wasted weekend. No regrets. 
  
This afternoon I gave all of this a lot of thought during my 3 mile walk, and I came to a conclusion: all I need is a little balance. How very Libra of me :)

When I was 33, I drank some very good beer...

I had an idea awhile ago (maybe a year or so?) that I wanted to learn more about beer. People always talk about wine classes and wine tastings. I like wine, but I'm not that interested in learning about it. Beer, on the other hand... now that's another story. 
   

When I first started drinking, I was partial to the sweet stuff (screwdrivers, daiquiris, things like that) and I had zero taste for beer. But when I turned 21 and saw how expensive it was to buy a mixed drink in a bar, beer looked like a fantastic option. The only problem was that I hated beer. My first sip of beer was Coors Light from a can. I barely managed to swallow it and I wanted to puke. (Come to think of it, that's pretty much the same reaction I have to Coors Light now.) A friend finally introduced me to Yuengling Lager, which I liked. Sort of. Well, it was good enough to get me buzzed, and at the time, that was good enough for me.
   
Over the years, I developed a taste for different kinds of beers. Yuengling Lager is still one of my favorites, but I love going into a bar and scanning the list for a beer I haven't tried. Or a seasonal beer. Or the beer with the most unusual name. But I'd really like to fine tune my knowledge of beer. I want to know the difference between a lager and an ale. I want to know what makes a really good beer.
   

   
My plan is... well, I don't have it down to an exact science yet. What I'd like to do is start with one type of beer - for example, lager - and then sample different types of lager to see what the difference is. Additionally, I'd like to read up on that particular style of beer so I know what to notice when I drink it (color, taste, aroma, etc). A website called Beer Advocate might be helpful here. There's a page on their site called Beer 101, which gives tips and info about beer. This site also lists beers that have been reviewed and rated by people all over the world. I'm also lucky enough to live near a beer outlet that allows you to create your own mixed six-pack. So if I decide to focus on one type, I can sample six different brews. And, of course, I can always ask the Facebook community for suggestions. There are plenty of beer drinkers out there who would probably be more than willing to recommend beer.
   
As you can see, I haven't really figured it all out yet. It's just an idea I'm toying with... sort of an independent beer study for my own edification. I'll keep you posted :)