Question

So, when there are these deadlines for interims and digital portfolios for every kid in your class, and the deadline is two weeks away, why is it a good time to get a new server that doesn't seem to work any better than the old one, in fact it isn't even working? (Oh, and also? I do all my lessons on my Smart Board, so everything is linked through my computer and it's awesome when it doesn't work and the hours I've spent planning are all for nothing.)

Answer: so we can all stress out and make plans to work through the entire weekend. Obviously.

To My "Friend"

Dear Wild Turkey,

Well, it had been a while, hadn't it? Years, in fact. I couldn't even remember the last time we hung out, so when you made an appearance on Saturday night, it seemed like a good idea. We had had fun before -- a lot of fun-- and, well, I'm a bit of a sucker for old memories. Especially when they are so fun. You with your brown, sweetness...well, I couldn't say no.

It turns out you changed, but for the better. Now, you have a honey flavor, too. Sometimes, a change is a bad thing, but in this case? Oh my, so tempting, so luscious, so naughty. You just made the night better.

So, I couldn't say no. You kept coming back all night, wanting more, seeming to be thrust into my hands without me even asking...and you kept getting better and better as the night went on. By the time we killed the bottle and closed the bar, well, it was all good.

And it was good until 5:30 in the morning. Really, I couldn't say no, though I knew (sort-of) better. But, it was OK. Until the next day.

Oh, Wild Turkey, I remembered why I didn't hang out with you anymore. Achy head, achy body, achy tummy. Exhaustion, confusion, fogginess. Missing out on the beach because the thought of being in the sun, or even moving at all makes me want to puke.

So, Wild Turkey, we're through. I'll have to say no, I'll have to just pass, because you are no good for me. But, like all things not good for me, like all bad boys, I won't be able to say no.

On Boredom, Or The Lack Thereof

I am not one who gets bored easily, if ever.

Really.

I remember one of my teachers constantly saying that, "only boring people get bored," and in a lot of ways I think this is true. Trust me, my internal dialogue and crazy, overly visual thoughts are enough to keep me entertained for years.

But I do get antsy. Very antsy. I need to be moving and doing because I have all of this energy. Way too much. Ask FP, I am kind-of A LOT. This is one reason I work out all of the time, and do stuff around the house, and get out and do things. A big thing I miss about living in the North is hiking up mountains and scrambling up rocks. Strolling on the beach really is nothing like hiking on the AT, but that's OK.

The one place I can actually chill out and relax and my mind slows down a little bit is the beach, so I planned on beaching it all week, so that I could chill out (and also? Totally free) after having a crazy few months. But the weather doesn't want to cooperate with me today...it's nice and warm, but totally cloudy. Not the beast for beaching it, really.

Now, I am very, very antsy. I feel compelled to clean the house and do yardwork, but that seems sinful to do on my break. I think after I go run at the gym, I might go and pretend to hike on some trails by the beach to burn off my crazy, extra energy that I seem to have today.

Do any of you suffer from this energy overload??? Yuck.

Jacksonville Confidential: Downtown Jax Dance Video 5

Jacksonville Confidential: Downtown Jax Dance Video 5

This is by far one of the most awesome phenomenon....this woman dances all over Jax to songs and then posts them. Please, please check it out. Fabulous.

The One Drawback....

After I am so chilled out and relaxed and totally caught up on sleep?

I can't fall asleep.

Ugh.

Just Like Alanis

So, you would think that with all of the "social networking" I do, that I cannot possibly be alone. I religiously check email, comment on Facebook, text, tweet, and talk on the phone. Not to mention the blogging. Of course, I do a lot more of this when I am not working, and since I'm on break this week, it feels like I am totally connected, but even when I am working, I devote some email/FB/texting time.

But in reality? I love to be alone. I've always been like that -- seemingly super social, but happiest when I am all by myself. Or maybe with one or two other people. But I love to read, and write, and just be.

Today, I went for a run, met a friend for lunch, and then spent the rest of the day alone at the beach, listening to music, dipping in the water, and thinking and thinking. I feel like all of my thoughts build up and wait in my head for me to go through them, analyze them, and then put them to rest (hopefully). It's almost as if I have a filing system in my head that gets backed up when I don't get the time to sort through all of the thoughts that have been stored up.

I know, crazy, right?

So while I will be social on this break, I am loving just being alone.

If I Were Independently Wealthy....

Or, What It Is Like To Be On Spring Break...

...I would have the cleanest house in the land.

...I would be in fabulous shape all the time.

...I would make my husband dinner every night.

...I would read a book a day.

...All administrative things about running the house (bills, phone calls, filing) would be taken care of immediately. Like, within five seconds.

...I would blog everyday.

...The yard would be immaculate.

...I would be caught up on all friends' lives through emails, facebook, Twitter, and the lovely, hand-written cards I would start sending in the mail.

...Let's be honest: I would also be caught up on General Hospital

...I would be at the beach everyday.

...FP would be so happy to have a REAL housewife that has every single thing done, and has time to look fabulous, write a novel, feel socially fulfilled, as well as getting in much-needed alone time, and a house that is running smooth and nice.

I love Spring Break.

March 23, 2007

Two years ago ....and it gets better everyday!

Finally!

FP and I finally both are feeling better. All traces of flu, pneumonia, and salmonella are gone, with a few left over symptoms of my sinus infection. It was pretty nasty here for a while, but our house is totally disinfected, and the laundry is all clean.

Here was the schedule for last week, while we were both so miserable:

1. Wake-up in a sweaty, delusional state. Change sheets on bed because of disgusting feverish sweating all night.
2. Try to eat a few saltines so that taking 20 million pills would not upset stomach too much.
3. Shower to try to clear sinuses. Yeah right.
4. Go back to bed and sleep for 3 to 4 hours.
5. More sweating.
6. Try to eat some more. It really didn't work.
7. Watch some HORRIBLE television. I mean, what the hell? Why is daytime t.v. so bad? Get some movies On Demand. Even though you think you are going to love Brideshead Revisted, it is totally about religion and not the Gatsby-ish movie you thought it would be.
8. try to eat to take more pills.
9. Take a bath to ease aches and try to get ready for bed.
10. Lie on couch and be miserable.
11. Drag self to bed. Repeat sweating.

So, it was an awesome week here, complete also with vomit, which really made things even better. I missed the huge reaccreditation that my school went through, though I did show up on Thursday morning with my 101 fever to teach my lesson for the reaccreditation team. I can't even remember it, but I was told I did a great job, and then my boss sent me home because, as she put it, I was "dead."

But, we are so much better, and I was actually psyched to go back to work today. I missed being in the land of the living! And, this weekend, we are going away to celebrate our two-year anniversary!!!!! I can't even believe it, I really can't. And honestly, being married just gets better everyday for me, so if almost two-years is this wonderful, how great will 52 be? I just hope we don't get the flu at the same time again, because arguing about what to watch when you both have high fevers and can barely even get two words out is NOT FUN.

Here, In The House Of Misery

So, what's been going on at our house? Besides the fact that FP and I are living in The Hot Zone, not much.

FP has the flu and pneumonia.

I have the flu and salmonella.

It's totally awesome when both people are delusional with fevers and so fucking miserable and there is no one to take care of anyone. AND, FP is not at all interested in watching a Make Me a Supermodel marathon, as I am not interested in watching anything on the History Channel.

Why don't you all come on over and visit?

Thank You, Economy, For Officially Making Me Give Up My Morals

I have a confession.

In fact, I have written before about this issue, but now, it is officially and awfully and horribly true.

I am now a Wal-Mart shopper. It hurts even typing that.

I went about a year ago when I was inflicted with bronchitis and I had to get tons of prescriptions, that would cost hundreds of dollars. At Wal-Mart? Sixteen dollars TOTAL. But I had not gone back since, because I loathe, abhor, detest, and hate the evil that is Wal-Mart.

But, times are tough. Our mortgage went up for this year because of the whole Florida homestead taxes thing, so our taxes went up. It will go back down after this year, but sadly, it went up. Plus, I bought a car, which also made our car insurance go up. Combined with the fact that this is FP's slow months at work (thank god beach weather started this weekend, which makes people want to buy beer), so though we can pay our bills, there is not much left over.

Today, we needed groceries, I needed some toiletries, and we needed medicine because not only is my salmonella still around (it sucks STILL four weeks later), but FP now has the flu and pneumonia. I think our house is officially a hot zone. So, we needed some things, and I didn't want to spend a ton of money. Swallowing my pride, my morals, and all that is good in the world, I went to Wal-Mart.

And let me tell you, I saved a lot of money. Really a lot. Like 50 percent of what I would have spent at Publix or Target. And now? Now? How can I justify spending $40 or $50 more on my groceries when I know I can get them for a hell of a lot less? I just can't right now. I never thought I would see the day, but the economy has led me to admit:

I am so a Wal-Mart shopper.

Ghosts

While the kids were packing up to switch classes today...

Girl: Mrs. D...this chair is crazy!?
Me: Why is that?
Girl: I think it just moved by itself! It did!
Me: Maybe it was a ghost!
Boy: GHOST? Did you say ghost????
Me: Yes, why?
Boy: Well (dramatic pause) my family is in real estate and one of the Riverside houses we own is haunted. In fact, our maid was in there the other day, in the basement, cleaning, and a demon jumped out at her (picks up his books) OK, then, have a nice day. Scurries out.
Me: OK.

Chop Chop

While talking about FP cutting down some of the GIANT fern plant we have in our backyard (it's about 5 feet high and 11 feet wide).

Me: So, what are you going to cut that with? I think we need to get some clippers.
FP: A machete.
Me: What?
FP: Yeah, I'm going to get a machete.
Me: From where? Don't you think clippers would be more useful.
FP: From Home Depot. And shin guards. A machete and shin guards.
Me: ?
FP: You know, so when you're chopping down, you don't chop your ankles.
Me: Seriously, get clippers.
FP: And, when you annoy me, I can chop off your hands with the machete.
Me: Oh, that's nice. Who will clean the house?
FP: The cat.
Me: Who will do all the yard work?
FP: You can do that with wooden hands. We'll rig something up with pulleys, and tassels, and wires. It will be fine.
Me: Oh my god. Get the clippers.

World Party

I am still ripping all of my CDs (at least I am on my last book of CDs. I have 30 left!This is a long project), and I came across one of my all-time favorites: World Party. So great. So high school, still so relevant. Here are the lyrics to Way Down Now, a song I adore.

Inside my TV eye
Never stop to wonder why I'm
Way down now
I'm way down now

Some faceless get on the screen
The most honest man I've ever seen
I'm way down now
I'm way down now

Won't you show me something true today
C'mon and show me anything but this

She took us by the hand
Hell was the promised land I'm
Way down now I'm
I'm way down now

I'm lying by the road
Because she cut off all my clothes
I'm way down now
Way down now

Won't you show me something true today
C'mon and show me anything but this

Inside my future eye
What I see just makes me cry
I'm way down now
I'm way down now
The clocks will all run backwards
All the sheep will have two heads
And Thursday night and Friday
Will be on Tuesday night instead
And all lthe times will keep on changing
And the movement will increase
There's something about the living babe
That sends me off my feet
There's breeding in the sewers
And the rats are on their way
They're clouding up the images of perfect day
And I know I'm not alone
And I know I'm not alone
And I know I'm not alone
Anything but this
Can you hear me I said

Inside my TV eye
I never stop to wonder why
I'm way down now
I'm way down now

Then some faceless get comes on my screen
The most honest man I've ever seen
I'm way down now
I'm way down now
Something new! Something true!