The Holidays are Here


Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving holiday...mine was just OK because I spent most of the past week sick. Nobody wanted to hug me on Thanksgiving because I sounded like death. I don't have the flu, but I do have a sinus infection and cough, plus I feel very weak and tired...when I talk, I sound like Kermit the Frog in a glass jar. And forget about tasting the food I ate...yes, I was able to eat a little, although my appetite is severely decreased, but I couldn't taste much of what I ate. Other than being sick...Thanksgiving was peachy keen! Nah, it really wasn't that bad, it's just that I didn't have the energy to put into talking or doing much of anything.

So what did I do on Thanksgiving, you ask? (OK, you didn't ask, but I'm going to tell you anyway!) At my Grandparents' house, I ate my dinner in the kitchen at the "kids table," surrounded by my sisters and my younger cousins. The whole while, my twin, Erin, was trying to get the little ones to be quiet, eat their food, stop burping, and stop talking about gross things...and, honestly, it didn't even phase me...I just sat there in my own little world of illness. Kelli, being her 17-year-old self, didn't help any because, even though she wasn't starting the trouble, she encouraged it by laughing...she can never not laugh when the kids are acting silly and stupid. And, of course, all of our parents kept calling in from the dining room, wanting to know what the noise was all about, but that didn't do anything...they just wanted to make sure they weren't killing each other.....("otherwise, carry on"). Later on, things finally quieted down when the football games were over. I had brought the movie The Polar Express for them to watch, so we did that...it was a nice way to end our Thanksgiving together and look forward to Christmas.

So, this is what holidays are like in my family...the kids are so excited to be together, they can't contain themselves...they act silly, they get riled up, they do stupid things, but everyone loves it (well, maybe not everyone). I exaggerate a bit in good fun, but I do love my cousins dearly...I have a great time being with them. Thanksgiving is always just a semblance of what Christmas Eve is like...yikes, that's a whole other beast.

Happy Thanksgiving

Here is a little something I wrote...

Thanks-giving...Giving thanks...
It’s something we celebrate each year.
It’s a time to thank God for all we have,
And a time to hold loved ones near.

I’m ever so thankful for family and friends...
I won’t forget what they’ve given me.
Love, friendship, support, and guidance...
Without all that...just where might I be?

And those that have passed on...
They will never leave my heart.
I’m thankful for the time I had with them,
Even though, right now, we are apart.

Life is so very precious...
I remember this every day.
I know it can be a struggle for many;
It is for those that we should pray.

So today I count my blessings...
Even though it is so cold and gray.
I am warmed by the true spirit
Of this Thanksgiving Day.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire


I saw Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire tonight. I thought it was excellent and, definitely, a bit scarier than the previous films. Had a bit of a slow start, but not boring in the least bit. It is worth seeing in the theater if you are a Harry Potter fan.

I must say, though, I wish I had more time to read the books first, before seeing the movies...I've been too busy reading for my Book Club. My sister, Kelli, has read all of them so far and continues to remind me that I should read them. I find myself asking her questions after I see each movie, because I seem to forget little details from film to film.

Oh well...one day I will get around to reading the books, but for now, I think I'll need to go back and watch all the movies in order again!

Zach Braff Talks to Fans




Do you like Zach Braff? Do you know who he is? Braff is the star of the popular TV show, Scrubs, as well as movies Garden State and Chicken Little (plus a bunch of other random things he's done). Ever since Garden State came out, I've followed Zach Braff. I think he is amazing at what he does--acting, as well as directing. He continues to update a blog originally started to coincide with the release of GS; he is also in the process of starting up his own site, independent of Fox Searchlight Pictures.

After receiving an overwhelming number of positive responses by fans, he decided to continue posting to the blog as time allows. I check back in to the blog every so often and came across a very recent video entry. So, if you are a fan of ZB, want to know what he's been up to lately, or just want to know who the heck he is, check out his video post here.

And if you haven't seen Garden State...what are you waiting for? It is a great movie...go...run to the video store!

Great Experience, but...Feeling Old!

Today, I was a substitute for a 7th grade Learning Support Teacher. (Yes, that is outside my area of certification, as I am K-6, Elementary-certified, however, when a school is in need of a substitute teacher and can't get one in the cert. area necessary, they'd much rather have any certified teacher, than none at all.) Learning Support is considered Special Education because the students need support for difficulties in learning (usually in reading and writing--due to speech and language, sensory, and neurological disorders, among others). I was mostly in a self-contained LS classroom today, where small groups of students came to me for Social Studies and Reading. However, I also had to go to two Inclusion classrooms for Math & English. Inclusion means that the LS students are included in a regular education classroom with other students for certain subjects of the day. As a LS teacher in an inclusion classroom, I was to monitor the LS students and provide help as the regular ed. teacher led the lesson. The final period of the day was the time for me and other LS teachers to work in a Resource room with LS students, helping them with homework, school assignments, studying, organization, etc. The Resource room is a place for Special Ed. students to go, away from their homerooms and regular ed. classrooms, to work specifically with LS teachers and students on their level. Overall, it was a very good experience for me...a chance for me to put into practice LS instruction I had only previously seen in videos, read in textbooks, or observed as a student-teacher. Even though I had taken a class in Special Education while in college, as part of my coursework in Elementary Education, there is much more to it than anyone could gain out of one college course.

Now, onto why I feel old...make that short and old. It is really weird walking through the hallways of a middle school having 7th-9th grade boys (and some girls) tower over you and look at you as if you are a new student. Many of the boys there look like the boys in my high school used to. Anyway, I feel old because a few of the students I had as a 1st grade student-teacher in the district were in my 7th grade LS classes today! As soon as I saw their faces and read their names, I remembered them. And, they remembered me. When I refreshed their memory, their eyes lit up like they couldn't even believe I was standing there in front of them. One of the girls told me at the end of the day, "It was really nice to see you again." I seriously almost cried; I thought that was so sweet.

Although it is hard, and many times uncomfortable, not to be settled in one school, one classroom right now...I am enjoying the experience of meeting new children and teachers every day. Hopefully sometime in the near future, I will find a place to hang my hat.

Humor Differences in Men and Women


Today, I found this Science news article while searching the net. Even though it's well-established that there are many differences, overall, between men and women, this article specifically talks about the differences in their reactions to humor. It always seems to be that men find things funny that may not be so funny to women (and vice versa). For example, how many men do you know that still find the "pull my finger" joke funny? Probably alot more men than women find flatulence a humorous occurrence (unless we're talking about the strange happenings at Keith & Michelle's on Saturday night!)...but that's a story for another time.

Basically, what this article boils down to is that researchers feel that women have different expectations when it comes to humor ( like when they are viewing a cartoon or hearing a joke). It is thought that women are more analytical about humor and may not necessarily expect a joke, for example, to be funny from the start. Therefore, when something turns out to be very humorous, women's brains more actively respond with a sense of reward and a feeling of unexpectedness. Men, on the other hand, go into the humorous event with the expectation it will be funny.

My thought is that maybe women have been conditioned, in a sense, to be this way. How many times have we heard that the bumbling husband isn't expected to do something correctly in the house, so when he does, the woman is pleasantly surprised? Or...the husband plays dumb and pretends not to know where something is, just so he gets out of doing something he doesn't want to do (*cough*-Dad-*cough*). When he does what his wife has asked...well, she's happy and pleased. Don't get me wrong...these are definitely the stereotypical views of the roles of men and women (which I don't necessarily subscribe to), but these views are kind of fitting to the article at hand.

Personally, I like the fact that men and women are different...I think it makes life unpredictable and more exciting. If men and women always found the same things funny or interesting or annoying or acceptable or enjoyable, etc., then how might we ever be exposed to anything new? Getting to know your partner's likes and dislikes, and being introduced to new things is half the fun.

What all the arrows seem to point to is that women, in general, respond positively to spontaneity (whether it be in regards to humor or whatever else).

So, what do you think??

My Prime-Time TV Schedule

So, most people have tv shows they try to catch each week. I've realized that this is the first new tv season where there have been many shows I'm actually interested in watching. I don't know if it has anything to do with the quality of the programming lately, but I've definitely gotten hooked on quite a few shows (some new, some not-so-new). It also doesn't hurt that presently, as a substitute teacher, I have much more free time at night to actually watch TV, compared to the many nights I was too busy with work as a full-time 2nd grade teacher (I think I only caught maybe 2 or 3 shows faithfully each week -- if that). Now, onto the list!

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Viewing Key:

Yellow = Must watch (or record, if I have to miss)
Pink = Like to watch, but won't kill me if I miss it
Blue = Eh, depends on my mood...I might watch

Sunday

8:00-9:00 -- Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC) (this makes me cry!!)
9:00-10:00 -- Desperate Housewives (ABC)
10:00-11:00 -- Grey's Anatomy (ABC) (one of my absolute faves since it began last season)

Monday

8:00-9:00 -- 7th Heaven (WB) (Shhhh...no comments...I like it!)
9:00-10:00 -- Related (WB)
10:00-11:00 -- CSI: Miami (CBS)

Tuesday
*My favorite TV night.

8:00-9:00 -- Gilmore Girls (WB)
9:00-10:00 -- Supernatural (WB)
10:00-11:00 -- Law & Order: SVU (NBC)

Wednesday

8:00-8:30 -- George Lopez (ABC)
8:30-9:00 -- Freddie (ABC)
9:00-10:00 -- Lost (ABC)
10:00-11:00 -- CSI: NY (CBS)

Thursday
*This is a really slow night for me...I know people love Smallville, which is fine, but since I had never watched it previously, I figured I may have missed too much in earlier seasons...yes? no?

8:00-9:00 -- Channel surfing, or no TV at all
9:00-10:00 -- CSI (CBS)
10:00-11:00 -- Primetime (ABC)

Friday
*Another extremely slow night...I may not be home or, if I am, I may not feel like watching TV.

8:00-9:00 -- Supernanny (ABC) (my Mom won't watch this because of the screaming kids)
9:00-9:30 -- Hope & Faith (ABC) or
9:00-10:00 --Most Haunted (TRAVEL CH.)
10:00-11:00 -- 20/20 (ABC)

Saturday
**Definitely a sucky night for TV...mostly repeats of some of the more popular shows of the week...If I'm home, this night usually consists of movies or random channel surfing.


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So, that's it...(this is for you, Kel...in my best Corky Romano voice): "Questions?...Yes? No? Yes? No? Yes? No?"

Kel, did I get it right???

A Dummy and His Dummy

Well, this is an interesting story...What some people will do to shave off a few minutes of travel time. It's actually pretty sad.

From the AP--Thursday, Nov. 3rd:

[SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - Say what you want about police officers, but they are no dummies. The California Highway Patrol gave Kevin Morgan, 28, of Petaluma, a $351 citation for driving in a high occupancy vehicle or "HOV" lane with a kickboxing dummy propped in the passenger seat. The dummy was wearing a Miami Dolphins windbreaker and a baseball cap but Officer Will Thompson noticed that the "passenger" had no legs.

"When I looked inside his window, I thought, 'Oh, that's cute,'" Thompson said. "I didn't even ask him where he got it. I think he was pretty embarrassed because all the people driving by were laughing."

Thompson often parks next to a car pool lane and stands on his car door rail to look down into passing vehicles. His point of view allowed him to see the legless dummy.

"I think about the only thing he said was, 'Well, that didn't help me very much today, did it?'" Thompson said. "I said, 'No, it didn't.'

Thompson then placed the dummy on a freeway shoulder to deter other commuters from similar schemes.]