Miscellaneous Missives

Wednesday is my golf day, and tonight was the first night of the season. I was greeted with the regular boy in the pro-shop saying, "Back for another year?" "I think so," I replied. I greeted the guys, and my tee shot was good. As we waited on the third tee, I asked, "Isn't anyone going to ask me if I went to the driving range to practice before I played today?" "No. Did you?" "Of course not, but I like it when you guys ask me. It makes me think that you believe I can improve and have the initiative to do so." At least they admitted my first tee shot was good, and my other shots weren't too bad. It went downhill from that point.

Although most of the time I don't feel as though I am the chosen one, lately I have realized it to be true. My spring clothes don't fit which would typically be a problem. I have returned to the gym and am doing the best of my ability (not great... I love sweets) to watch what I eat. Since I am the chosen one, the weather has completely cooperated. My winter clothes work well with the unruly weather. Because I am the chosen one, spring is waiting for me to lose five to ten pounds. How else would you explain this cold and wet weather?

I love the song Creep, and I love Prince. Supposedly Prince liked the song after hearing (playing) it on Rock Band for his PS3. Maybe he'll learn more rock songs from Rock Band and cover them. Seeing Prince in concert is one of the things I would love to do before I die! It would definitely be on my bucket list.

I will admit that I watch too much of the draft. Dad was bored by the end of round one, so we watched a movie. IMHO the Rams' grade is a B+, and I am a fairly easy grader. Chris Long is a solid pick, but who is this WR from Houston? Yes, I also realize most people who read my blog didn't even know the draft was this weekend, and some don't even know there is a draft.

There is another goose sitting on her eggs on the DNR ground next to Dad's land. She's next to the road and gets more traffic. In my opinion, the other goose has a more comfortable situation. Dad cleaned my golf clubs in return for the planting. I think this is a great deal!!

I woke up to see snow, albeit only a dusting. We waited for the snow to melt before we added thirteen bags of rock, nine raspberry bushes, and three apple trees to Dad's landscape. It wasn't as bad as I had imagined, but I was glad to have my boots for the mud. My boots also made a trip down the muddy road to see a mama goose sitting on her nest. The scope is set up inside to watch her moves, but it was fun to get close. Double click on the goose... she's looking at us!

Moveon.org sent me a link to vote on videos days ago, but I opened it too late to vote. After looking around on the internet, this might be my favorite although not the winner. I'm fairly certain the winner is at http://obamain30seconds.org/vote/?v=view-1675-2meM6f Both are worth a look. A vote for change, how can that be a bad thing?

Driving home to help Dad plant apple trees and raspberry bushes, I talked with a friend on my cell. "Shit, now I'm driving in sleet," I interrupted the conversation. It's a good thing I can borrow extra layers of clothing from Dad. The wind chill is 19º with 30mph winds. I hope this stops by tomorrow. I also asked Dad what degree he thought the snow flakes were flying. He said, "horizontal." This is an exaggeration; it's not quite horizontal.

Your Linguistic Profile: 55% General American English 25% Yankee 10% Upper Midwestern 5% Dixie 0% Midwestern What Kind of American English Do You Speak? I've lived in the Midwest my entire life only leaving for vacation. How am I not Midwestern? Speaking of living in the Midwest, it's raining today (perhaps snowing tomorrow), and my allergies are "driving me crazy."

Remember when I said I wasn't going to watch American Idol anymore once they voted off Daughtry. Is America stupid or is it merely young mindless teens voting? Maybe it's those people in Pennsylvania. Jason and Brooke are awful, yet they continue to stay. David, who seems to be everyone's favorite, gets on my nerves especially when he licks his lips like a lizard. Why isn't everyone as smart and informed as me?

A couple of days ago at school lunch, someone mentioned that educators who are Verizon customers receive a discount. Tonight I took my school ID in and enacted my 15% discount. They also explained to me that I now get a 25% discount on phones and accessories. On the way out of school, I talked to a few kids sitting outside. As I was walking past, I heard the following brief conversation. "Ms. Moeller's cool." "Not if you argue with her." If they had known I heard them, my advice might have been, "Then don't argue with her."

I typically have a tough time staying in the lines (metaphorically speaking). Today was no different. It seems I had a difficult time parking my car this morning. Since I was one of the first people in the parking lot and definitely the first person in my row, I didn't have other cars to gauge my distance. One colleague e-mailed me stating he had hit my car since it stuck out into the driving lane. When I tried to get him back for the e-mail, the secretaries asked me if I had brake problems. After school I found a note on my car window, "nice parking job, half of your car was in the parking space." All of this attention begs for me to park perpendicular instead of parallel to the lines tomorrow. Today I also gave blood. For the past four days I have been taking iron pills to ensure that my iron level is high enough to give blood. I also have eaten spinach two of the four days. The low end of the iron spectrum is 38 (I have no idea what this means), and I was 38....

Today I wore sandals for the first time since winter snow. I was mortified when I looked down and realized my toenails weren't painted. Although this was traumatic, it isn't as traumatic as my growing fat ass or my protruding love handles, but it takes longer to solve these problems. Unfortunately spring clothing intensifies these growing problems. Time to paint my nails.

Since I spent over three hours at church this morning, I decided to have cereal for lunch and figure out more substantial eating later. As I poured milk on my cereal, I contemplated at its stay in the refrigerator. When I put my spoon in to take a bite, I found a white blob. It seems a long time would be the answer. Looking at my refrigerator, lemonade might be the best substitute.

Ever since I can remember, I've always written notes in church. Sometimes these notes are to myself, and sometimes they are to people around me. The same is true for workshops, meetings, or anyplace I need to be silent yet want to express or capture my ideas. Tonight some friends and I went to Bruce Henry and the Freedom Train Ensemble with Jevetta Steele. It was incredible... oh how I wish I could sing and dance. My notes were mainly to those around me, but these I kept for myself. Someone from the show said, "There's more good people in this world than bad." Amen! Then I took notes as the gentleman behind me said, "Even I can get religion here." Funny stuff! I was giggling as I wrote down this fabulous quote.

I admit that I have ignored the concerns about Nalgene bottles because I can't imagine living without my Nalgene. Yesterday I heard a report that said on a scale of one to five the Nalgene danger (breast cancer, etc.) is a three. This morning a couple colleagues and I discussed the dangers. Then tonight I read the latest Treehugger.com article . Can I really ignore the dangers anymore? Do I really want to spend thirty dollars on a new Sigg bottle? Yes, I think I do. After all, three strikes equals an out. In the last 24 hours it seems there have been three strikes against Nalgene. Maybe tomorrow I'll take time to find a new Sigg bottle.

As I was driving home, I saw the following billboard: Emergencies Happen Get Pregnant Code Ready What? I glance again. It seems the sign said get prepared and not get pregnant although I had to read it three times to come to this realization.

The meteorologist mentioned that people who take medications for allergies might want to start taking them. Really? This always "kills" me. Anyone, including myself, dealing with allergies has known this for at least a week. I don't need a meteorologist to tell me there is bad stuff in the air because I'm living it. As I am typing, sneezing, and blowing my nose, the power of tree pollen is overwhelming. Maybe the meteorologist would like to tell me to get the Advil out to take care of my headache and sinus pressure too!

It seems my e-mail questioning an administrative decision was unprofessional... lack of heading, etc. The good news is I am still respected. Maybe it's a "glass half empty" thought, but how is it that I'm respected when I'm supposedly unprofessional? Well, the administrator who told me I was respected was not the same one who called me to the office. Of course he asked me to stop by his office knowing he was going to be at a meeting... unprofessional? After and hour with one of the administrators and some tears, I am questioning why I care about my job and why I try to do the right thing. My problem is I probably do the right thing, but I don't do it in the same manner the administration would like to see. I have a unique ability to "tell it the way I see it." It's a good thing that my colleagues are supportive.

10 seconds ago, I knew my title and my topic. I glanced at some political analyst appearing on Larry King and completely lost everything I was going to write. If it makes anyone feel better, I wasn't watching Larry King; it was merely on in the background. It's the truth. What will I be like when I'm eighty? Scary thought. Maybe a clean slate is a good thing as I finish my evening.

Remember during Lent when I posted three gratitudes a day. I'm SOOOO happy I'm not doing this today. What's the opposite of a gratitude? Three opposites of gratitudes: 1) long LA meeting missing one member who always misses 2) bosses who continually take less and less responsibility and/or action 3) students who refuse to work for a sub making the day after a sub impossible 4) a meeting at 7:00 that I don't want to attend-- hell, meetings in general 5) boss refusing to set up meeting with me-- I should stop and see if he's open. 6) work to correct piling up-- and I imagine it won't get done this evening Oh, I know. I do have a lot to be thankful for... 1) supportive colleagues who take on the additional responsibilities with me 2) friends who listen (read) me bitch 3) warmer weather and sunshine Honestly at this point, that's all I've got!

This morning I watched news video of the Minnesota Tax Coalition's annual rally. It reminded me of a conversation I had yesterday. Basically the conversation was on open-mindedness. A colleague pointed out that her mom believes she's basically open-minded to people with similar views. I laughed because I sometimes (maybe not often enough) feel the same about myself. The video showed the protesters with posters, one which read "I love (heart) Global Warming." As we were speaking of community in church, the video replayed in my head, so I looked on-line for an article . In the article one person was complaining about the light rail because he didn't use it. Maybe he was the same person holding the sign stating his love for global warming. Basically taxes pay for health care, roads, schools, etc. Like most people I do not support taxes paying for ball parks, but I think light rail is different. Gee, it makes sense if people are taking light rail, they are of...

The first morning session on reflective teaching was average. It did help me realize I am burdened with the anxiety of a work e-mail I received yesterday after the conference. I need to "...get the mind/brain waves to stop jumping to or responding from a place of anxiety or stress." Because of this e-mail I am experiencing stress and frustration. My decision to reply Monday was meant to ensure a professional response. Instead it is burdening my weekend. Although I don't know how to "let go," I need to not only wait to respond, but I need to clear my mind of its garbage. BTW-- and of course I realize this is not helping with my clear mind-- I have been assigned the job of co-chairing a committee with perhaps "the last person" on staff I would personally choose. I am also confident both administrators are aware of this. My weekend is filled with thoughts of resigning my leadership responsibility, the financial gains it brings, and my ability to b...

Last night a friend mentioned a book , Not Quite What I Planned , featuring six word essays about life. It's an interesting concept. One that I practiced today. Although I didn't make up six word essays about my life, I made up six word essays about the conference I was attending. *A day with questions and answers. *teaching-- the reality of the situation *average to sublime and back again *Why do I pick the weaker sessions? *Sitting causes throbbing, enlightenment, and boredom.

"T/F If you're watching your weight, it's better to get a full night's sleep than it is to wake up early to work out." "True. In a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology..." Gottesman, Nancy. "Why You Really Need Your Beauty Rest." The Oprah Magazine. May 2008: 196.

They say "April showers bring May flowers." What about April snow showers? I tried to take a picture of the rain turning to sleet and snow hoping it would also show the power of the wind. The current wind gusts are 42 mph. Are you kidding me? The dreariness of this supposed spring is somewhat depressing. When do I get to paint my toe nails and wear sandals? Certainly not tomorrow if we really get seven to twelve inches of snow.

Next week is the reading MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment). I spent some time helping the kids prepare before break, and we're continuing this week. This week everyone has been working diligently with the practices, but I still feel tense. Although my classroom has been fairly quiet with students working on their practices and listening to my explanations, I feel stressed. A colleague stopped by after school. We're both going to a conference on Friday and will be out of the building, and we feel elated. Both of us are having the same feelings, so it was nice to talk to someone who understands the pressure. It's more than the pressure of high stakes testing. It's the realization that many of our students will do their best, and it won't be good enough. They've prepared and done everything we've asked while we've done our best to prepare them, but they won't pass. I believe they will improve their scores. I believe they will try and t...

I am blessed with smart friends. Sometimes this can be expensive. It doesn't seem possible that having intelligent friends would cost money, but it's true. Monday a friend shared Bookmarks magazine with me. I went home and discovered new books I needed to have and vowed to purchase this periodical. Today I planned on returning the reading material, but my friend wasn't around. Instead I passed it on to another friend. Hee Hee... Now she, too, wants Bookmarks. We decided to share the cost and make the purchase. Good news, it's bi-monthly. Perhaps this will mean less novel purchases, and there's always the library. Actually the Bookmarks website is also a bit addictive.

No this isn't really a choice. If it was a choice, I might pick read although I have been doing well on the exercise part. The University of Minnesota did a study about students. It seems kids with a television in their room were less likely to study, read or exercise. Wow! Did they really need a study for this? What happened to common sense? It's also a little strange that this made the news. Is this news worthy? I hope it's merely a slow news day.

Did you notice the colors of the Final Four Men's tournament? All four teams have blue in their school colors. Coincidence? I think not! The color of 2008 is BLUE. Remember this when voting for the next President (BLUE).

I know I should be pleased about a spring break that spans ten days, but in reality my spring break has been mundane. Today is no exception (walking, reading, buying groceries, doing laundry...), but the mundane seems to trump going back to work. Instead of realizing I still have one more day, I have decided to start feeling sorry for myself today. Besides I have another (or the same) cold. Fighting my cold with my fabulous lotion and Vicks Puffs (my dad bought for me) has made the struggle more tolerable, but I'm still feeling sorry for myself. Plus, tomorrow I have the community meal again, so I'll be too busy to feel sorry for myself. Maybe I'll walk and get Sebastian Joe's ice cream to eat while I watch basketball and enjoy my little pity party.

I drove into some rain, heavy at times, on the way home. The rainbows made it tolerable if not refreshing. While I was driving, I took the top picture. Deciding it might be safer, I pulled over to take the second picture. IMHO the first picture is the best.

As I wait to get my hair done, I am watching some news program talking about the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. I am once again amazed by the little I know of history. While watching the program, I went on the internet to find facts. For example I didn't know Jesse Jackson was with MLK Jr. that fateful evening. I was especially interested in a speech King gave one year before his assassination entitled A Time to Break Silence . It is a speech focusing on leaving Vietnam. Much of the speech is relevant today. Remove the country of Vietnam and insert Iraq (or Iran). from A Time to Break Silence : I would like to suggest five concrete things that our government should do immediately to begin the long and difficult process of extricating ourselves from this nightmarish conflict: Number one: End all bombing in North and South Vietnam. Number two: Declare a unilateral cease-fire in the hope that such action will create the atmosphere for negotiation. Three...

If one needed "four and twenty blackbirds to make a pie," Dad could make many pies. The top picture shows some in the grove across from Dad's lot. Since I didn't want to get my jeans muddy, I sent Dad on the four-wheeler to take pictures of the ducks on his pond. While he was taking pictures, I muddied my jeans and sweatshirt taking care of the burn barrel and trash. I should have gone to take pictures. Besides he scared the ducks from the pond, but he did get a good picture of them in the air. There are birds everywhere... hawks in trees, blackbirds in trees, six or seven robins on the lawn, juncos (weird little bird) on the lawn, ducks and geese on the lake and in the ponds... I also saw two large deer running across the field as I was blogging. Actually Dad noticed them, and it took me awhile to locate them.

Tell me again the advantage of owning instead of renting. Even with the "buyers market" condo prices are crazy. In order to own something similar to my rental, my mortgage will be twice my rent. Owning property is supposed to be a good investment. Since I will need a thirty year mortgage, is it really a good investment if I am far into retirement before I am able to pay the mortgage? Last night Dad and I went with the Realtor to look at five properties. Looking at properties and discussing figures is extremely stressful for me. After the experience it took me forever to get to sleep... good thing I'm on break. I'm pleased my dad was along although I think he had fun, and I would not call the experience fun. Dad was helpful. While I look at bathrooms and storage, he looks at kitchens and taxes. Of the five properties I'm deliberating about one or two of them. Basically the problems include: location, size of baths, storage, covered garage space, and COST...

April Fool's Day A picture is worth... The top two pictures are from yesterday afternoon. The bottom two pictures show April Fool's Day morning. More April Fools... Yesterday I was sent some condo information. I chose eight (?) to view. Two especially catch my eye because of location and 1+ bedrooms. One actually has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Of course it looks as though we are going to view the properties tonight which I am less interested in. Since I caught this error this am, I have an e-mail to the Realtor and am hoping to see the two she didn't schedule.