Friday, May 18, 2007
17 and a half more days.....
i am really excited about school being out but i am also sad. after the 10 months of teaching the same kids you get attached to them even when they behave in less than desirable manners. this will be the fourth time i have said good bye to students and it never fails that i cry. i wonder if this year will be the same. i often where they all will be ten years from now and whether or not they will remember me as their teacher. i remember my grade school teachers.......1st grade--Miss Vargo, 2nd grade--Mrs. Jackson, 3rd grade--Mrs. Lake, 4th grade--Miss Cooksey & 5th grade--Mrs. Illg. wow.......of course i had teachers that i preferred over others as i am sure we all do. so i wonder if many years from now when these guys are in college or working at a professional job that they will reflect on their teachers as i do. sometimes the only reason i think of mine is because i am a teacher myself. who knows? i just hope and pray that they remember how hard we all worked to get through the year and that no matter what i cared dearly for them. making a difference is a goal of mine but often as a teacher i never really get to see the difference i make because it may not happen while they are with me, but much later. i just pray each morning for God to help me love them just as He loves me-----unconditionally.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
lately.....
things here in my life have been pretty non-eventful lately. since i last blogged i got a manicure, pedicure and eyebrows waxed, i taught a reading assessment training, stuffed all the invites and got them in the mail, decided on the favors for the reception, discussed music with paul, had lots of coffee, went to a new church, bought an easel and paint supplies at a proper art shop in hongdae, tried a new indian restaurant, hung out with some new friends, and also with some old ones, watched grey's anatomy, read some pretty thought provoking stuff, and now i am sitting on my couch listening to the "noise" coming from yonsei university. :) all week they have had some sort of function every night and the music travels to sfs and since the weather has been nice i have had my windows open i can hear it. fun fun fun!
today was a tough day. i was really ready to come home after school and just be able to veg out. i had a headache and the day was really trying. how do you teach kids how to be appreciative and respectful without some form of physical coersion? this has been a really hard issue for me the last few weeks. the kids that i teach do come from homes where they are priviledged. the thing is sometimes it overflows in their attitudes at school, their lack of care. ugh! i want so badly to make an impression that all of life is not handed to them on a silver platter. i just feel by adopting this silver platter theory i am doing a disservice to the kids. i want to hold them accountable for their actions (or lack there of), have high expectations, and teach them how to be compassionate to others. i want them to want to treat others the way they want to be treated. is that too much to ask? i feel as if i have hit a wall. my ideas and bag of tricks are depleted. i think i a also depleted and deflated. how do you manage to get this idea to kids without going crazy? my only solution so far is to pray, and pray hard. so far i just feel like i am thinking and talking to myself. i know God is listening, but i wonder if there is more reflection for me before i sort all this out. what does God want me to learn? patience? gentleness? tough love? i am not sure but still trying to wade my way through. at this point i feel as if i am just limping to the finish line. i am praying that i can at least make it that far.
for now, the weekend cannot get here fast enough.........
today was a tough day. i was really ready to come home after school and just be able to veg out. i had a headache and the day was really trying. how do you teach kids how to be appreciative and respectful without some form of physical coersion? this has been a really hard issue for me the last few weeks. the kids that i teach do come from homes where they are priviledged. the thing is sometimes it overflows in their attitudes at school, their lack of care. ugh! i want so badly to make an impression that all of life is not handed to them on a silver platter. i just feel by adopting this silver platter theory i am doing a disservice to the kids. i want to hold them accountable for their actions (or lack there of), have high expectations, and teach them how to be compassionate to others. i want them to want to treat others the way they want to be treated. is that too much to ask? i feel as if i have hit a wall. my ideas and bag of tricks are depleted. i think i a also depleted and deflated. how do you manage to get this idea to kids without going crazy? my only solution so far is to pray, and pray hard. so far i just feel like i am thinking and talking to myself. i know God is listening, but i wonder if there is more reflection for me before i sort all this out. what does God want me to learn? patience? gentleness? tough love? i am not sure but still trying to wade my way through. at this point i feel as if i am just limping to the finish line. i am praying that i can at least make it that far.
for now, the weekend cannot get here fast enough.........
Thursday, April 26, 2007
only......
34 more days of school before summer break!!! the official countdown with my kiddos has started. so this week is crazy with stuff to do. i am currently working on completing yearbook pages which is actually a lot of fun for me. i love taking pics, cropping, and then putting them into publication. it has been a good week with my kids. they have been working hard and earning lots of rewards. i am already beginning to think about next year and what i will do and change. :) the life of a teacher........
on other news i have been going to water aerobics this week. buffie and i are holding each other accountable about going which is good for me. now i just have to eat sensible and less. hoping that i will notice some change.
i cannot believe that i have lived in seoul about 9 months now! it just seems like the other day that i packed up my apartment and my life and moved 7,047 miles around the globe. crazy how time flies. it is really unbelievable. i was thinking on my commute (4 minutes) to school this morning about how surreal it sometimes still feels that i REALLY do live in seoul, south korea which is a foreign place from where i grew up. i guess it has reached a point of normality to me. it is not as foriegn to me anymore. i know how to get around and can most of the time get what i need.
on other news i have been going to water aerobics this week. buffie and i are holding each other accountable about going which is good for me. now i just have to eat sensible and less. hoping that i will notice some change.
i cannot believe that i have lived in seoul about 9 months now! it just seems like the other day that i packed up my apartment and my life and moved 7,047 miles around the globe. crazy how time flies. it is really unbelievable. i was thinking on my commute (4 minutes) to school this morning about how surreal it sometimes still feels that i REALLY do live in seoul, south korea which is a foreign place from where i grew up. i guess it has reached a point of normality to me. it is not as foriegn to me anymore. i know how to get around and can most of the time get what i need.
Friday, April 20, 2007
countdown....
33 days until the next school holiday.
51 days until my mom arrives in korea.
55 days until the last day of school.
58 days until mom and i leave korea for the states and i get to see paul.
61 days until i am back in houston.
86 days until paul and i get married.
51 days until my mom arrives in korea.
55 days until the last day of school.
58 days until mom and i leave korea for the states and i get to see paul.
61 days until i am back in houston.
86 days until paul and i get married.
laughter....
makes my job easier to take on in times of distress. i subscribe to this newsletter for educational humor from Education World, one of my favorite teaching websites. each week i get a newsletter with all sorts of humor related to education. well, this week i cannot resist sharing part of it. i had to laugh out loud. :)
REAL HEADLINES, FAKE COMMENTS
REAL HEADLINE--Bush: NCLB Meant to Help, Not Punish Schools--President Bush, acknowledging public frustration over the No Child Left Behind Act, said the point of the law is not to punish struggling schools, but to help them.
FAKE COMMENT--Let’s establish No Corporation Left Behind with the same logic, then. All of a corporation’s employees must make Adequate Yearly Progress toward the same salary (score) that their top employees – their CEOs – achieve. Any corporation whose employees fail to make such progress for three years in a row would be taken over by the government.
REAL HEADLINE--Portables Face Test Under Noise Law Portable classrooms in the Colchester, Connecticut, school district are the first to face scrutiny under the state's new noise standards for classrooms.
FAKE COMMENT--Appropriately, portable boom-boxes are being used to administer the test.
REAL HEADLINE--Students Sue Antiplagiarism Web Site
FAKE COMMENT--Unfortunately, the lawyers representing the students were found to have copied several whole passages in the complaint from other lawyers.
REAL HEADLINE--Principals' Salaries Fall Behind Cost of Living
FAKE COMMENT--Kids being called to the principal’s office being shaken down for lunch money.
REAL HEADLINE--Study: Software No Help for Reading, Math Scores
FAKE COMMENT--Software being tested was “Spore.”
REAL HEADLINE--Students Get Laptops Instead of Books
FAKE COMMENT--Have to be reminded for first three weeks not to write on screen.
REAL HEADLINE--NCLB Taxing Testing Companies
FAKE COMMENT--But only at the extremely low capital gains rate.
taken from:
Education World®
http://www.educationworld.com/
newsletter-humor@educationworld.com
REAL HEADLINES, FAKE COMMENTS
REAL HEADLINE--Bush: NCLB Meant to Help, Not Punish Schools--President Bush, acknowledging public frustration over the No Child Left Behind Act, said the point of the law is not to punish struggling schools, but to help them.
FAKE COMMENT--Let’s establish No Corporation Left Behind with the same logic, then. All of a corporation’s employees must make Adequate Yearly Progress toward the same salary (score) that their top employees – their CEOs – achieve. Any corporation whose employees fail to make such progress for three years in a row would be taken over by the government.
REAL HEADLINE--Portables Face Test Under Noise Law Portable classrooms in the Colchester, Connecticut, school district are the first to face scrutiny under the state's new noise standards for classrooms.
FAKE COMMENT--Appropriately, portable boom-boxes are being used to administer the test.
REAL HEADLINE--Students Sue Antiplagiarism Web Site
FAKE COMMENT--Unfortunately, the lawyers representing the students were found to have copied several whole passages in the complaint from other lawyers.
REAL HEADLINE--Principals' Salaries Fall Behind Cost of Living
FAKE COMMENT--Kids being called to the principal’s office being shaken down for lunch money.
REAL HEADLINE--Study: Software No Help for Reading, Math Scores
FAKE COMMENT--Software being tested was “Spore.”
REAL HEADLINE--Students Get Laptops Instead of Books
FAKE COMMENT--Have to be reminded for first three weeks not to write on screen.
REAL HEADLINE--NCLB Taxing Testing Companies
FAKE COMMENT--But only at the extremely low capital gains rate.
taken from:
Education World®
http://www.educationworld.com/
newsletter-humor@educationworld.com
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
quote to make you think.....
loving it.....
"You can't understand light unless you understand darkness, because that's where life is most often lived…somewhere between the two. It's messy and it's beautiful all at the same time." - Bebo Norman
"You can't understand light unless you understand darkness, because that's where life is most often lived…somewhere between the two. It's messy and it's beautiful all at the same time." - Bebo Norman
i know it has been a while since i last posted....
not much has been going on since i got back from san fran. lots of school.....it has been busy. we had reports due last week and so that consumed time. i was trying to "get ahead" in the classroom stuff, but i have decided that is an oxymoronic phrase.
oooooohhhhhhh.......i did get to go to an experience that was phenomenal. i went with friends from school to see cirque du soleil. i saw the show called "quidam". it was amazing! i sat at the edge of my seat and up straight the entire show waiting to see what was next. the costumes, the music, the acts, the story line.......every aspect is thought out and performed seamlessly. my friend sarah described it well when she said she is in awe like a child when she is there. i completely agree.....you just cannot get enough. i recommend seeing one of the shows if you can. it is live art.....just incredible!
only 87 more days until i get married.......crazy! i am excited and ready for it to be here. at the same time i am nervous which i am sure is normal. we registered at bed, bath & beyond and crate and barrel. every now and then i go to look at the list, shop, and add things. it is fun! what was even more exciting was that when i was goofing around one day shopping i realized that more stuff had been purchased which is fun! it is really happening. i am currently in "invite" mode. i recruited a friend to help me with the design of the invite because it was causing stress for me. my goal is to post them to the U.S. on may 1 or close. :) pray that i can make it happen!
i have been sick for 8 days now with sinus yuck. it all started with a sore throat that continued into nasal congestion and then the drainage went to my chest. i thought for sure it would be over and done with by now, but no. i was out of school thursday and friday last week and monday this week. i went to the doctor on friday afternoon and got some meds, but they made me feel bad so i have been taking them as needed. i rested and rested and thought i could go back on tuesday. not....by lunch time i was horrible. so dr. sarah (my friend) insisted that i stay home today too to rest since we have parent conferences thursday and friday this week. ugh! it comes in waves....i will feel better and then all of a sudden i am feeling yuck. then i just feel really tired and run down on top of dealing with the congestion and coughing. please pray that i get better soon. i am tired of resting, bored of being at home, and just want to go back to school to be with my kids.
since i have been at home so much lately i have been cuddling with sam and india much more. i think they really love it too. they are soo cute! i have discovered a few things mention worthy----without fail every morning at 6ish they want to eat. i think they have a conspiracy going because sam meows and paws at my face and india attacks my feet. it is quite an effort to wake me up. sam also likes to eat toilet paper now?!?! i discovered this when i had a roll on the night stand to use as needed to blow my nose. i woke up one night to him tearing it apart and eating it. so i stuffed it in one of the drawers on my night stand. then he also started attacking the "used" tissues too. silly cat! so now i have to hid the tissues....both new and used. :) india has discovered that she can get on top of the refridgerator. then she entertains herself by trying to get the magnets off with her paws until they fall to the floor and she can play with them. there are moments i feel like i live with two small toddlers. :) they are crazy. india loves going to bed. she knows when i am headed that way and runs ahead of me to get in the bed. once there she meows and walks in circles insisting that i get into the bed. she lets me get situated and then snuggles up for some love to go to sleep. they are soo precious!
papa john's delivers, thank goodness, and dinner has just arrived. :) yum yum! saturday morning i begin "eating sensible". :)
oooooohhhhhhh.......i did get to go to an experience that was phenomenal. i went with friends from school to see cirque du soleil. i saw the show called "quidam". it was amazing! i sat at the edge of my seat and up straight the entire show waiting to see what was next. the costumes, the music, the acts, the story line.......every aspect is thought out and performed seamlessly. my friend sarah described it well when she said she is in awe like a child when she is there. i completely agree.....you just cannot get enough. i recommend seeing one of the shows if you can. it is live art.....just incredible!
only 87 more days until i get married.......crazy! i am excited and ready for it to be here. at the same time i am nervous which i am sure is normal. we registered at bed, bath & beyond and crate and barrel. every now and then i go to look at the list, shop, and add things. it is fun! what was even more exciting was that when i was goofing around one day shopping i realized that more stuff had been purchased which is fun! it is really happening. i am currently in "invite" mode. i recruited a friend to help me with the design of the invite because it was causing stress for me. my goal is to post them to the U.S. on may 1 or close. :) pray that i can make it happen!
i have been sick for 8 days now with sinus yuck. it all started with a sore throat that continued into nasal congestion and then the drainage went to my chest. i thought for sure it would be over and done with by now, but no. i was out of school thursday and friday last week and monday this week. i went to the doctor on friday afternoon and got some meds, but they made me feel bad so i have been taking them as needed. i rested and rested and thought i could go back on tuesday. not....by lunch time i was horrible. so dr. sarah (my friend) insisted that i stay home today too to rest since we have parent conferences thursday and friday this week. ugh! it comes in waves....i will feel better and then all of a sudden i am feeling yuck. then i just feel really tired and run down on top of dealing with the congestion and coughing. please pray that i get better soon. i am tired of resting, bored of being at home, and just want to go back to school to be with my kids.
since i have been at home so much lately i have been cuddling with sam and india much more. i think they really love it too. they are soo cute! i have discovered a few things mention worthy----without fail every morning at 6ish they want to eat. i think they have a conspiracy going because sam meows and paws at my face and india attacks my feet. it is quite an effort to wake me up. sam also likes to eat toilet paper now?!?! i discovered this when i had a roll on the night stand to use as needed to blow my nose. i woke up one night to him tearing it apart and eating it. so i stuffed it in one of the drawers on my night stand. then he also started attacking the "used" tissues too. silly cat! so now i have to hid the tissues....both new and used. :) india has discovered that she can get on top of the refridgerator. then she entertains herself by trying to get the magnets off with her paws until they fall to the floor and she can play with them. there are moments i feel like i live with two small toddlers. :) they are crazy. india loves going to bed. she knows when i am headed that way and runs ahead of me to get in the bed. once there she meows and walks in circles insisting that i get into the bed. she lets me get situated and then snuggles up for some love to go to sleep. they are soo precious!
papa john's delivers, thank goodness, and dinner has just arrived. :) yum yum! saturday morning i begin "eating sensible". :)
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
hanging out at home......
this week has been pretty good so far. school has gone better than expected. today after school i had no meetings or other things going on so i got some things done and then came home to hang out. i was starving so i had some chili. i watched the pilot episode of west wing by paul's recommendation. good times! now i am watching one of my favorite movies, you've got mail. i love this movie! i would love to own a small, independent children's bookstore. that would be awesome! i have already come up with a few names for the shop. i could totally see that happening in one of the little towns in california that i visited over my spring break. :) someday maybe i can actually make it happen.
i love just hanging out! my apartment is so warm and cozy. i have been tempted to take a nap since i have been home, but i am resisting so that i can sleep well tonight. :)
i rearranged the furniture in my living room before the holiday. i did it to possibly accomodate a TV at some point, but the verdict is still out on that one. i really do like it though as when i sit on my couch i look out into the tree area out my dining room window. it is peaceful!
i love just hanging out! my apartment is so warm and cozy. i have been tempted to take a nap since i have been home, but i am resisting so that i can sleep well tonight. :)
i rearranged the furniture in my living room before the holiday. i did it to possibly accomodate a TV at some point, but the verdict is still out on that one. i really do like it though as when i sit on my couch i look out into the tree area out my dining room window. it is peaceful!
Monday, April 02, 2007
it's monday morning.....
i slept well last night considering i slept most of the flight. the flight just stunk. i was uncomfortable the whole time and there was also lots of turbulence. yuk. i was very ready to get off the plane when i got to seoul.
i am awake, had breakfast, sitting and being quiet while i sip a cup of java before getting ready for school. the last few days have been tough emotionally. it could be hormones making me more sensitive, but i also have just struggled be postitive.
i was really glad to get home and see my kitties last night. i love them so! they are so precious and have been really loving since i arrived home. :) i also gave them their presents last night and the rattle one is a hit! :)
i pray that today will not be torturous and will go well.
i am awake, had breakfast, sitting and being quiet while i sip a cup of java before getting ready for school. the last few days have been tough emotionally. it could be hormones making me more sensitive, but i also have just struggled be postitive.
i was really glad to get home and see my kitties last night. i love them so! they are so precious and have been really loving since i arrived home. :) i also gave them their presents last night and the rattle one is a hit! :)
i pray that today will not be torturous and will go well.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
friday....
i am sitting in the bacio cafe again today. i have been here for 3 hours thus far. they have yummy sandwiches, good coffee, and free wifi. the interior is nice and comfy. i have been blogging and taking care of issues i had to tackle before leaving for korea.
i ate lunch already and i am currently sipping on some hot tea. thinking about what i might need to do and/or what i could do.
our friends, rebecca & jason, should be here in a few hours. they are moving here as jason got a job working with paul. i am excited for them and a little jealous. i love cali and the bay area and hope they like it too. we are going to hang out later and i look forward to seeing them as i have not seen them since the summer.
later today i have to pack and get ready for my trip. paul also has to pack too. he is moving in with jason and rebecca for the next three months. then we will help jason and rebecca with all their stuff too. the evening is going to be busy! i do need to assess my junk situation so i can decide whether or not to purchase another bag to take with me. ugh!
i might make my way back to burlingame to begin the packing and assessing process. :)
i ate lunch already and i am currently sipping on some hot tea. thinking about what i might need to do and/or what i could do.
our friends, rebecca & jason, should be here in a few hours. they are moving here as jason got a job working with paul. i am excited for them and a little jealous. i love cali and the bay area and hope they like it too. we are going to hang out later and i look forward to seeing them as i have not seen them since the summer.
later today i have to pack and get ready for my trip. paul also has to pack too. he is moving in with jason and rebecca for the next three months. then we will help jason and rebecca with all their stuff too. the evening is going to be busy! i do need to assess my junk situation so i can decide whether or not to purchase another bag to take with me. ugh!
i might make my way back to burlingame to begin the packing and assessing process. :)
word o'f the day
i saw these words on a sign for a shop yesterday on my mini-adventure to office max---"organic hydroponic". what is that? what does it mean? at first thought it sounds very scientific and technical. i know that it must have something to do with plants b/c it was a plant shop.
research on wikipedia and dictionary.com brought me this:
research on wikipedia and dictionary.com brought me this:
- hydroponics---Hydroponics is crop production with mineral nutrient solutions instead of soil containing silt and clay. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel or rockwool. A variety of techniques exist. (wikipedia)
- hydroponics--the cultivation of plants by placing the roots in liquid nutrient solutions rather than in soil; soilless growth of plants. (dictionary.com)
- organic--noting or pertaining to a class of chemical compounds that formerly comprised only those existing in or derived from plants or animals, but that now includes all other compounds of carbon. (dictionary.com)
Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics for more really insightful information that you might find interesting.
less than 24 hours.......
until i board a plane back to the far east. upon returning i will only have 11 weeks left of school and 11 and a half until i get back to houston.
all i can say is that i am amazed at how quickly it all has gone. it seems not too long ago that school was ending for the year and technically i was without employment, but enjoying the first day of summer holiday with katie. then, i accepted the job in korea and --bam-- i am living there. now i think, "gosh i have lived in korea for 8 months already." crazy stuff!
i leave at 1:10pm tomorrow afternoon to embark on the journey back home. when talking it seems like forever, but when you are "in it" doing the trip it is not that bad. this one might be even better because i do not have any transfers or anything. straight from SF to seoul. my flight is just at 12 and a half hours. i am hoping to sleep a lot of that. i won't arrive in seoul until 5:30pm on sunday. i know, i know.......monday is going to be horrific.
all i can say is that i am amazed at how quickly it all has gone. it seems not too long ago that school was ending for the year and technically i was without employment, but enjoying the first day of summer holiday with katie. then, i accepted the job in korea and --bam-- i am living there. now i think, "gosh i have lived in korea for 8 months already." crazy stuff!
i leave at 1:10pm tomorrow afternoon to embark on the journey back home. when talking it seems like forever, but when you are "in it" doing the trip it is not that bad. this one might be even better because i do not have any transfers or anything. straight from SF to seoul. my flight is just at 12 and a half hours. i am hoping to sleep a lot of that. i won't arrive in seoul until 5:30pm on sunday. i know, i know.......monday is going to be horrific.
Friday, March 30, 2007
the little things that make my heart pitter patter....
my fiance, paul, is the most amazing guy in the universe. he is so attentive to the little things i love and makes an effort to make me happy. just this week he has made me smile on many occasions because of the little things.....
- he chose the first hotel we stayed in because the pillows on the bed were orange, my favorite color
- when we were walking around fisherman's wharf and stopped for a treat at ghirardelli square my lower back really hurt and he rubbed it and made sure i was ok
- tuesday night he surprised me by taking me to a hockey game (my favorite sport to watch)---san jose sharks vs. los angeles kings
i am in constant awe of how he makes sure to notice the little things i love. when he does the little things i know that i am important in his life and that he loves me. it really makes my heart pitter patter and i fall more in love with him each day. God is truly amazing in answering prayers............He brought me paul when i was ready to be loved by someone who was ready to love me. i am the luckiest girl in the world!
thursday.....
today was a laid back day for the most part. paul took me to his work so i could meet the folks he works with. they were nice and the office is fun. i took the car and went to a nearby mall to pick up some things----origins restock and aveda hai products for my friend amy. :) then i spent the afternoon at barnes & noble across the way. i was going to read some books that i selected from the shelf but spent most of the time there playing with facebook and IMing paul and others until my battery died. :( i decided to make my way to office max for markers!!! i could not wait to get some new markers for my classroom. i know this may seem strange to some as you probably think they have markers in korea. yes they do, but they are horrible. i am becoming a marker snob. i got 2 packs of mr. sketch's chisel tips and 2 sets of crayola wide tip washables. yeah!!! i also picked up some of my favorite pencils---mirado black warriors. there are the best pencils on the planet. in addition i picked up a pack of the mirado classics too. the little things in life that make me smile.
i also made a stop at safeway for the things i had planned to get there. i had a few requests to fill as well as my own "must get" list for my trip to america. woo hoo! the bonus was that i found paul's favorite brand of root beer too---henry wienhard's. so yummy!
upon leaving safeway i realized that i was not able to locate the cell phone?!?!?!? aaaahhhhh....where is it? i dig around as i tried to drive and then pulled over to check the trunk where the groceries were. no phone. beginning to freak out a bit i rounded the block to go back into safeway and check the parking spot too. still no phone. more anxiousness rises and freak out just a tad more. decide to drive back to paul's work and hope he understands. i made it to the business park area, got a bit lost, and finally find his building. realizing that i am not exactly sure what floor he is on. i guess only to find there is no way to get through the door. need special magnetic tag gadget.....no luck. get back into elevator upon which i AM freaking out.....tears begin to roll, i am now flipping. i get to the bottom floor to discover no pay phone. why on earth do people get rid of all pay phones? not everyone has a cell you know. luckily i am able to ask this woman if she has seen a pay phone.......uhm, no. i cry and she realizes i might need to use hers. she obliges and i call paul to manage get out through tears, "i need you to come get me....i am in the lobby of your building i think.....please come get me." i hand back the phone thanking her and then walk over to a corner to cry more. lost the cell phone, kind of get turned around, no pay phone, no paul......more tears. then paul arrives and i tell him. he gives me a hug and tells me its ok. i cry more b/c i feel like an idiot. he goes upstairs to get his stuff and then we are off. he calls my phone a few times to see if it is in the car............viola....in the office max bag on the floorboard. i am neurotic. :) thank God he is so calm and patient.
men's wearhouse here we come.................or not. we went in, stood looking at suits, staring at each other wondering......"now what". i called my personal help line in texas----1-800-nicole. thank God for her! we walk out still not knowing what to do and come to the conclusion that renting a black casual tux is the way for us to go. done for now.
then we headed back to burlingame for dinner...........italian. yummy!
now we are at paul's house where he is/was living to use wireless internet. he is working and again i am playing, blogging, and not doing my taxes.
i also made a stop at safeway for the things i had planned to get there. i had a few requests to fill as well as my own "must get" list for my trip to america. woo hoo! the bonus was that i found paul's favorite brand of root beer too---henry wienhard's. so yummy!
upon leaving safeway i realized that i was not able to locate the cell phone?!?!?!? aaaahhhhh....where is it? i dig around as i tried to drive and then pulled over to check the trunk where the groceries were. no phone. beginning to freak out a bit i rounded the block to go back into safeway and check the parking spot too. still no phone. more anxiousness rises and freak out just a tad more. decide to drive back to paul's work and hope he understands. i made it to the business park area, got a bit lost, and finally find his building. realizing that i am not exactly sure what floor he is on. i guess only to find there is no way to get through the door. need special magnetic tag gadget.....no luck. get back into elevator upon which i AM freaking out.....tears begin to roll, i am now flipping. i get to the bottom floor to discover no pay phone. why on earth do people get rid of all pay phones? not everyone has a cell you know. luckily i am able to ask this woman if she has seen a pay phone.......uhm, no. i cry and she realizes i might need to use hers. she obliges and i call paul to manage get out through tears, "i need you to come get me....i am in the lobby of your building i think.....please come get me." i hand back the phone thanking her and then walk over to a corner to cry more. lost the cell phone, kind of get turned around, no pay phone, no paul......more tears. then paul arrives and i tell him. he gives me a hug and tells me its ok. i cry more b/c i feel like an idiot. he goes upstairs to get his stuff and then we are off. he calls my phone a few times to see if it is in the car............viola....in the office max bag on the floorboard. i am neurotic. :) thank God he is so calm and patient.
men's wearhouse here we come.................or not. we went in, stood looking at suits, staring at each other wondering......"now what". i called my personal help line in texas----1-800-nicole. thank God for her! we walk out still not knowing what to do and come to the conclusion that renting a black casual tux is the way for us to go. done for now.
then we headed back to burlingame for dinner...........italian. yummy!
now we are at paul's house where he is/was living to use wireless internet. he is working and again i am playing, blogging, and not doing my taxes.
i am a dork, i know
so i am sitting in the barnes and noble near the hillsdale shopping center and have just created a facebook account. you should too!
here is the link:
www.facebook.com
check it out!
here is the link:
www.facebook.com
check it out!
Thursday, March 29, 2007
customer comments....
i am not alone in my love of my kitties. i am still in starbucks and currently reading the customer comments on the SmartyKat web site. they crack me up, make me giggle, and bring smiles to my face. i love it!
here is one............in reference to the sweet greens cat grass......
"My two indoor cats go crazy for that grass. One even sits with her head resting on the pot, right in the grass. It lasts a longer time than other grass products. Thank you."
if you need a good smile, check it out!
here is one............in reference to the sweet greens cat grass......
"My two indoor cats go crazy for that grass. One even sits with her head resting on the pot, right in the grass. It lasts a longer time than other grass products. Thank you."
if you need a good smile, check it out!
notice....plants poisonous to cats
this web site lists all the plants that are dangerous or poisonous to our feline friends........thank goodness that bamboo is not on the list. :)
http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html
http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html
SmartyKat
i have become quite the cat spoiling momma. on the trip to hong kong i got a package of cat treats for sam and india. so today while at target i could not resist the cat aisle. i look it all over and originally had chosen an Eeks cat toy which are great. sam and india both got a squirrel for their crate on the trip to korea. they love them. after looking further down the aisle and trying to decide i found this whole line of products called SmartyKat. i have added the web site link under the Links section.
here is the intro of information on the site:
"SmartyKat, a unique breed of cat toys, beds and accessories known for their quality, safety, effectiveness and fun introduces CompleteNeeds™, a patent-pending new system that identifies 12 distinct physical, instinctual and emotional feline needs."
i was so excited and felt like such an education oriented pet owner. after looking at it all and reading the labels i decided that Eeks was not going to measure up. I bought some things from all three sections on the diagram wheel--emotional, instinctual, and physical. it was awesome and i could not wait to show paul the presents for the kitties. they are going to love me. i bought all the treats they had including the grass seed which i am hoping they will love more than the bamboo plant. i just have to get some dirt and a planter when i get back to korea. then i got some toys for independent play as well as interaction and topped it off with a toy that was for hunting. i have already made the summer wish list for sam and india when i am back in the states. :)
yes, i have become the lady with the cats! i love it though and they are truly my babies! :)
here is the link to the site too:
http://www.worldwise.com/smartykat1.html
check it out!
here is the intro of information on the site:
"SmartyKat, a unique breed of cat toys, beds and accessories known for their quality, safety, effectiveness and fun introduces CompleteNeeds™, a patent-pending new system that identifies 12 distinct physical, instinctual and emotional feline needs."
i was so excited and felt like such an education oriented pet owner. after looking at it all and reading the labels i decided that Eeks was not going to measure up. I bought some things from all three sections on the diagram wheel--emotional, instinctual, and physical. it was awesome and i could not wait to show paul the presents for the kitties. they are going to love me. i bought all the treats they had including the grass seed which i am hoping they will love more than the bamboo plant. i just have to get some dirt and a planter when i get back to korea. then i got some toys for independent play as well as interaction and topped it off with a toy that was for hunting. i have already made the summer wish list for sam and india when i am back in the states. :)
yes, i have become the lady with the cats! i love it though and they are truly my babies! :)
here is the link to the site too:
http://www.worldwise.com/smartykat1.html
check it out!
can't
this word is only four letters, but seems to be much more powerful than it is given credit. i think that this word can hinder thoughts and actions. the night of the green scene coffeehouse i was reminded about this word and how i continually use this word.
i can't do this.....i can't do that.....
i think that this word has convinced me that i am not able when in reality that is not the case. the night at the green scene was night of realization for me. i realized how much i focus on the "can't" in my life. i think of myself as a positive person and really have been that way much of my life. often though as i reflect on when i am positive it is when other people are dealing with their lives. i struggle with finding the positive in my "stuff" that i struggle and deal with. that night i had a real eye opening moment in that i am always in awe of the musical talent that i am surrounded by.....paul, cameron, matt and the many others. i have often thought of them as having an edge up on me when it comes to worshipping and being with God. for me music is a major way i connect with God and am able to work through tough times. i would watch each of them as they sang or just "piddled" around and just be envious. i want to be more creative.....share my gifts and story. then it would creep up....."i can'tplay any instrument". that singe phrase would set me back and put me in my place.
this summer before moving to korea i had a goal to learn how to play the cello. i was inspired by the musician zoe keating who opened for imogen heap. "wow.....i would love to play like her!" i would think. i chose the cello partly because of her but also because none of the three previous people played it. it was something different. i would be musical but in my own way.
then moving to korea i realized that it may not be for me. the night at the green scene .......... i began to think about my poem and thinking back to the night at the well 2 years ago when i shared part of my journal. i thought about how i use the four letter word to work against me. then it hit me...........i CAN write, i CAN be creative with words, i CAN draw, i CAN use my photos and images to tell a story. i had been enouraged through emails that some folks loved reading my blog and had commented on the way i wrote so candidly and openly. there it was........God was showing that amidst my "can't" party i was being shown the i "can" path. it was a great night and since then i have been more inspired. i admire paul, cameron, matt and others, but now i know that it is not where God gave me gifts. He gave me the gift of words, being real, and being more visual. i love it and now i am trying to embrace it and feed that part of my life. it is amazing how God does his work amongst the day to day grind and when one least expects it.
i can't do this.....i can't do that.....
i think that this word has convinced me that i am not able when in reality that is not the case. the night at the green scene was night of realization for me. i realized how much i focus on the "can't" in my life. i think of myself as a positive person and really have been that way much of my life. often though as i reflect on when i am positive it is when other people are dealing with their lives. i struggle with finding the positive in my "stuff" that i struggle and deal with. that night i had a real eye opening moment in that i am always in awe of the musical talent that i am surrounded by.....paul, cameron, matt and the many others. i have often thought of them as having an edge up on me when it comes to worshipping and being with God. for me music is a major way i connect with God and am able to work through tough times. i would watch each of them as they sang or just "piddled" around and just be envious. i want to be more creative.....share my gifts and story. then it would creep up....."i can'tplay any instrument". that singe phrase would set me back and put me in my place.
this summer before moving to korea i had a goal to learn how to play the cello. i was inspired by the musician zoe keating who opened for imogen heap. "wow.....i would love to play like her!" i would think. i chose the cello partly because of her but also because none of the three previous people played it. it was something different. i would be musical but in my own way.
then moving to korea i realized that it may not be for me. the night at the green scene .......... i began to think about my poem and thinking back to the night at the well 2 years ago when i shared part of my journal. i thought about how i use the four letter word to work against me. then it hit me...........i CAN write, i CAN be creative with words, i CAN draw, i CAN use my photos and images to tell a story. i had been enouraged through emails that some folks loved reading my blog and had commented on the way i wrote so candidly and openly. there it was........God was showing that amidst my "can't" party i was being shown the i "can" path. it was a great night and since then i have been more inspired. i admire paul, cameron, matt and others, but now i know that it is not where God gave me gifts. He gave me the gift of words, being real, and being more visual. i love it and now i am trying to embrace it and feed that part of my life. it is amazing how God does his work amongst the day to day grind and when one least expects it.
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