Will Drive For Crazy

A while ago my older sister informed me that she would be hosting a graduation party for here husband on a Saturday night. Knowing that this party would include a pig roast, multiple games of dominoes, a keg, AND my entire firmly? I was pretty bummed that I was going to miss it.

I have a class on Saturdays that is all day, but it's only 5 weeks long so it wasn't as if I could skip a class. Usually I'd just drive down later and stay a few days, but I had an 8:00 AM flight out of Tampa Monday and needed to be back on Sunday. I left my house Saturday morning at 7:00 AM to get to class on time and prepare myself for the day. As my professor was giving her morning announcements, I was trying really hard to pay attention. The second she stated, "leave early" my ears whipped to attention. Leave early? At 2:30? Great!

After listening to the buzz of excitement throughout the room she informed us that we were to meet with our groups to prepare our presentations. Thoughts lingered about whether or not I should drive down to Miami just for the night, but I quickly pushed them out of the way when I thought about how ridiculous it was. When I met with my group during lunch to discuss our meeting after class (Yes, I am aware this was a meeting about a meeting.) they decided to meet on a Thursday evening instead. My Saturday had been freed up!

I hopped into my car and was on the road by 3:00. I didn't tell anyone I was coming - a surprise! As I was about halfway there a thought crept into my head... I had no clean underwear, no toothbrush, clothes... NOTHING. Luckily, I knew that my sister would come through for me.

It stinks that I missed out on seeing some of my friends, but I was only in town for 16 hours and 6 of them were spent sleeping. Next time!


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Dressing Room Discourse

Since I am starting a new job next year, it was imperative that I revamp my wardrobe. I need almost everything – new slacks, skirts, tops, shoes, purses, etc. I know, it’s terrible that I have to go shopping for all of these items. No, really… it’s terrible. Last summer I was shopping for a size 16. This summer I am shopping for a size 18. It didn’t fully hit me until today when I was trying on clothes in New York & Company. (EVERYTHING was on sale! I got pants for 80% off!) Everything I tried on that was a size 16 was too snug. Actually, using the word snug would imply that it was just barely too tight. Had I kept them buttoned and walked around, the buttons would have flown off, hitting me in the eye, rendering me blind.

I listened to the girl in the dressing room asking for a pair of paints in a size 12. In a size 12 voice she said to Size 2 Saleswoman, “I used to be an 18 and now I’m a 12. Sometimes I grab the wrong size because I just forget!” S2S gushed about how great it was to have lost that much weight and she was RIGHT. It is, and S12 should be proud, but it still made me roll my eyes. I felt like poking my head out and saying, “I was a 24 and then a 16!... and now an 18.” but that would make me seem somewhat like a baby, so I refrained. Instead I just looked at myself sadly and kept trying on article of clothing after article of clothing.

Then the dressing room next to me became occupied by someone else with an even tinier sounding voice. “Oh my GAWD! I thought I was a size FOUR but I am a ZERO!” Ugh.  

I started reading Geneen Roth’s book, “Breaking Free from Emotional Eating”. My kindle has informed me that I am 5% through the book, and one of the first things it says to do is keep a food journal, which I HATE doing because I feel like I barely have time to sit and blog, how am I supposed to write down everything I eat?! And not just the item, but also how I’m feeling before and after. At this point, I have nothing to lose but the weight! I won’t blog as often as I food journal, but hopefully between the journaling, blogging, and biking I’ll be able to see some more progress soon.

Words of advice are welcomed and appreciated. J

Oh, NO! Different ethnicities?! Say it ain't so!

My students are special, each one unique in their very own right. They differ in color, personality, interests, and family type. I love that I have students whose interests range from riding horses to Star Wars to playing football or soccer. I have students who spend their weekends taking ballet or etiquette classes to fishing with their dads to listening to hip-hop music with their older brothers and learning how to obtain swag. (Do you choose swag, or are you just born with it? The next great genetic debate.) Now, I know that this is also fairly typical of schools to have such variety, so I’m not saying that my classroom is exclusively rare, I’m just saying that since it’s the first year I’ve taught elementary school, they’re awesome.

My teaching partner and I decided to take our students on a field trip to a children’s science museum. It’s a place that most of them have been to before, so we had to choose some activities to really sell the idea to them. We decided to have them do the ropes course (after the year we’ve had, we needed some team building) and a backyard habitat walk as they had just finished studying ecosystems in science. The students were split into two groups, and it was chance that all of the girls were in one group and all the boys in another. My boys are sweet, funny, and for the most part, eager to learn. I couldn’t ask for a better group of young men. They are inquisitive when we discuss literature, they have learned how to hold a door open, and they keep trying to teach me how to throw the perfect spiral at recess.

There was an older mother there with her two young daughters. They were dressed more like they were spending an afternoon at a country club than a children’s museum. They all had porcelain ivory skin, perfectly curled blonde hair with adorable cardigans, strings of pearls, and Mom was sporting a bangin’ pair of Tory Burch sandals.  The boys wanted to explore the gift shop, and explore they did. They touched everything; twisting, turning, and shaking any object that they could. Laughing and smiling as they watched colored oil moving around, pendulums swinging, and digging through the rocks to name the ones they knew. These sweet boys also did this without running around, screaming, yelling, and throwing things. Each item was put back into its place after inspection.

I can see how the group of boys can be intimidating to this woman who looks like she hasn’t spent time with anyone outside of her white, suburban bubble. She took one look at the boys and grabbed on to her daughters’ hands. “Come on girls, there are too many of them in here.” Oh, I’m sorry. Were there not supposed to be children in the children’s museum? My apologies. Fortunately, I didn’t hear her say this. My teaching partner did. She came over and whispered in my ear what Becky McPerfect had said. I watched as Becky scooted her girls to a different area to look at the jewelry.

I called out to the boys, “Hey, boys! Come take a look at this jewelry!” As the boys crowded around Becky, her daughters, and myself, they quietly spun the racks and gazed at the gift shop jewelry. I listened to them talk to each other as they marveled in the beauty of cheap, sparkly necklaces and bracelets. Becky and her girls looked uncomfortable and tried to leave, but it was a little difficult for them to elbow their way out of the crowd.

Oh... Hello, Meat!

Somewhere in August of 2011 I quit eating meat. I had no real reason other than my body simply did not want it anymore. Many months before that I had quit eating cheese and all of its friends and I also cut waaaay back on my intake of fried foods. For the first few months, I had a relatively healthy diet of natural carbs, beans, vegetables, and fruits. Slowly, more processed and "unhealthy" food started creeping back into my lifestyle. A few weeks ago, I noticed that I was starting to crave meat. Not in a barbaric, drag-a-woman-by-the-hair sort of way, but more in a, holy moly... I want a Publix Boar's Head chicken sub with all the veggies on it and I want it NOW! way.
Two weeks ago during snack time (Yes, we have snack time. We had to set a time because kids were grumbling that they were hungry. Let's face it, it's hard for adults to go that long without eating. Plus, when you're hungry, it's harder to focus and I need my students to be able to focus.) one of my students pulled out her lunch box. I assumed she was going for a small bag of chips, perhaps an apple, maybe? Nope. She pulled out a six-inch sub from Publix. She carefully laid it out on her desk and I saw how neatly arranged all the vegetables looked on top of the sliced deli meat.  She looked up at me and smiled sweetly, that innocent smile that kids seem to have. I had to walk away. It was either that or I shout, "LOOK! Justin Bieber!" and grab her sandwich and run. I figured stealing wasn't the way to go, so I pushed the desire of wanting meat out of my head and continued on with my day.

Fast forward to this week... It was teacher appreciated week and that meant we had lunch catered every day. I usually ignore this and plan for myself anyway, since I know people tend to cater to the carnivores. (Like I always say, the picky ones aren't allowed to complain!) This time I didn't. Monday we had sandwich rings from Publix. Tuesday we had BBQ pulled pork. I had both lunches both days. I guess I can no longer call myself a pescatarian. Wednesday and Thursday it was more meat. I ate the lunches that were given to me each day, and you know what? It was amazing. I had fully expected to get really sick from it, and I didn't.

Now, I must add that each evening I felt incredibly crabby. I know that our country's meat is overflowing with hormones and chemicals and I can't help but wonder if that didn't play a part in my in crabbiness. I will try and not use meat as the scapegoat for my crabby mood over the last week. (How do you think goat would taste over a place of greens?)

I think the worst part is answering everyone's questions about my decision to change. As of now, I can't say whether or not I will continue eating meat. Maybe I'll put it on my "special occasions" list. 

Why I Hate My Left Eye

Due to my incredibly (most of the time) high self-esteem, I can say with confidence that I have beautiful blue eyes. Or green eyes. Truthfully, I'm not really sure what color they are. They tear up wonderfully when my heart strings are tugged (or when I get yelled at) and at times they sparkle with a hint of mischievousness.

Lately, though, my left eye has been letting me down. Every minute or so it twitches a smidge. Not enough for other people to notice, just enough for it to irritate the hell outta me. Every time it happens my hand flies to my eye as if I need to slap a bug out of it. I did some research to figure out the possible causes of my extreme irritation. Seriously, sometimes it twitches so much I end up letting out a big, "ARRRRGH!" usually at a most inopportune times such as during assessments, during whole group instruction, while speaking with parents, or while I'm alone taking a bubble bath (I love bubble baths).

I found a website that listed a "spectrum of triggers" for twitches.

(I apologize for the caps. I'm not yelling the spectrum of triggers, I just don't know how to use the iPad app that well!)

1. STRESS - Am I stressed? Does Magic have AIDS? (Sorry, I'm watching The Announcement.) I am stressed. Most of the time I understand why and I can face it head on and deal with it. Other times, it's beyond my control and it's all I can do to keep from screaming. Truthfully, I recognize that I feel way less stressed when I take the time to hit the gym regularly.

2. TIREDNESS - I am perpetually exhausted. I notice that healthy eating habits help me feel less tired. That and getting enough sleep. I find it harder and harder to get to bed at a decent hour.

3. CAFFEINE AND ALCOHOL - I am the first to admit it- I have a coffee drinking problem. At this rate, I don't even know how I would survive a day without coffee. My students know it, too. Sometimes the early ones accompany me to the cafeteria and we chat as I carefully blend together a cup of hot, liquid love in my USF Tervis Tumbler (GO BULLS!). I don't think alcohol is the problem. I don't drink it too often, although maybe it will help with the stress... Tequila, anyone?

4. DRY EYES - they say dry eyes is more common in people who wear contacts. I wear contacts. Everyday. For several hours because I don't get enough sleep. Also because I don't have a current glasses prescription. I am having a hard time facing the fact that now I have to buy my glasses at Walmart. I am very reluctant to give up my designer glasses, even though I can't see when I wear them. Ridiculous? You betcha.

5. NUTRITIONAL IMBALANCES - uh, yeah. I haven't been juicing and I just started eating meat again. I'd say there's an imbalance somewhere. (The meat will be another blog later. I know you're dying to hear about my meat!)


Alright, I think I have a pretty good idea about why my eye is twitching. Now I just need to google how to make it stop.

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How I Know My Students Really Love Me

Like any teacher, I really enjoy rewarding my students. There is nothing better than seeing their faces light up with joy when they have worked hard to earn a reward. One of the in-class rewards I do is for their assessment scores- they increase, they get a piece of candy. (Personally, I hate the idea of rewarding kids with food, but this is the most cost effective/quickest way that I can think of. I would love to come up with an alternate solution using something that allows them some play/creative time, but I also don't want to simultaneously punish the other students. This may be a summer project.)

I had purchased a couple bags of KitKats (yeah Publix bogo!) and was tossing them out to those that had earned it. I'd have one here and there, and before I realized it... They were GONE! (and I didn't have THAT many kids do THAT well on their assessments.)

Unbeknownst to them, I totally inhaled those suckers like I had just reached a pool of cool, sparkling water in the middle of the desert. So, when the next round of treat-giving-outness came about, they were expecting some delicious chocolate-covered wafer confections.

Me - "I'm sorry, guys... There are no more KitKats."
Student A - "WHAT?! You ate them all?!"
Me - (shamefully) "Yes. I have a problem with chocolate and we can no longer have it in our classroom."
Student B - "It's okay, Miss. We understand."

I heard Student B saying this through the crowd of angry and bitter mumbles.

Today, one of my fellow teachers (who deserves a shout out because she also brought me sushi for lunch!) came into my room during my Social Studies time to drop off a piece of the forbidden substance. She knocked on the door and tossed me a Reese's. (Where is the danger in that? She brought me ONE. Therefore, there is no possible way I can overindulge in said treat. Problem solved.) As soon as the wrapper touched my hand, Student A shouted, "NOOOOOOO! You can't DO that, think of your health!"

I looked at the wrapper, looked at the students... Back at the wrapper, back at the students... "It's just ONE piece..."

I sighed and put the Reese's down on the table. It was 2:55, the kids would be dismissed in 5 minutes.

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My First Yoga Class Ever

Over a year ago a friend of mine invited me to a yoga class. I wanted to go, but declined the invitation mostly due to the fact that I can't yoga. I can barely walk straight, let alone balance on one foot with my arms in the air. Also, this particular class was outside in a park. That means that not only do the people in the class get to giggle when I topple over, but all those in the vicinity also get to revel in my bound-to-happen misfortune.

Fast forward several months... I hop up to Georgia for a few days and on one of the shopping excursions I stumble upon discounted yoga mats. I'm not gonna lie, part of the draw was getting to choose between several different pretty colors. Secretly, I wish I could have chosen a glittery yoga mat. I selected a sky blue and made my purchase, vowing to go to a yoga class as soon as I got back in town.

Fast forward several more months... Before I could over think it, tonight I made the decision to try the class. I was the first one there and was almost worried that I had either missed it or it was in a different location. I continued to warm up on the elliptical machine (my favorite!) until I saw people going in.

After three or four women walked in, I timidly went in and picked a spot in the back. (I always select the back of the room because I like to look around and see what is happening around me.) I set up my mat and then awkwardly waited for class to start. It was like the first day of middle school when you are in a brand new school with no friends, only everyone else seems to already know each other.

When the instructor walked in she set up her mat and then walked around the room. When she walked by me I got her attention and whispered loudly, "this is my first yoga class... EVER!" As someone who doesn't always like to be the center of attention, I don't know why I did that. At any rate, I don't think she paid any extra attention to me during class. I just wanted to let her know I was a yoga virgin. Maybe so when she saw me doing the opposite of what she was saying, she would understand why.

The actual class itself wasn't too difficult. I realized immediately that I have almost no upper body strength. My arms were shaking with each downward dog! Also, I had no idea that the palms of my hands would hurt so much.

I think my favorite pose was the one at the end of class where I got to just lay on my back for about 5 minutes. I pretty much liked all the poses where i didn't have to stand and rely on my upper body. (Just kidding... I do enjoy a challenge! Guess I know what I need to work on!)

By far the hardest was when I had to hold myself up with one arm and turn over onto the side. (I have GOT to remember the names of the poses!) At least with that pose I immediately threw in the towel and used my knees for assistance. The only time I really almost lost it was during the warrior poses- the first time I nearly toppled over! The challenge was not only in controlling my body and having it do what I wanted, but also in controlling my laughter. I am fairly confident that if I had had a friend with me I would have lost it in a fit of giggles.

I am expecting to be quite sore tomorrow and I am looking forward to class next week on Tuesday.

Also, anyone have any post-yoga meal ideas? I'm pretty sure mashed potatoes, fake chicken nuggets, and chocolate ice cream isn't the best choice.

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