Summertime Fever

Lately I have had an insatiable craving for Summer and everything that comes with Summer. Warm temperatures, cool grass on my bare feet, the beach, the ocean, pools. I cannot wait to refreshingly submersed in cool water (not cold, just cool enough).

About a month ago I couldn't wait for Spring, I described myself as having graduated from Spring Fever to Spring Rabies. And now I've taken that to the next step -Summersitis. Oh I can't wait!
So tonight I am going to listen to Toots and Maytals on repeat, drink fresh squeezed juice and look at the amazing pictures that Hubs and I took on our honeymoon to Bermuda in 2008.

Feeling a little itch

I'm feeling a little itch to get into some trouble. Not real trouble, but maybe a spontaneous roadtrip or trying something I've never done before.

Any suggestions blogging universe?

I can come with up with a few ideas... One of which I might deploy on the world tomorrow.

Revelations while lying on the floor...

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At the end of every yoga class, we take a little rest. By this point, you're very sweaty, worn out, fully stretched out and ready for a little break. Usually I find myself hovering between consciousness and sleep, thinking about random things, even though I try desperately to "quiet my mind." My mind is not easily shut up.

Tonight however, my teacher began our relaxation with a little word about reaching deep within yourself, literally to your core, and allowing your figurative fingertips to graze over the eternal observer within each of us. It's not the mind that holds your fleeting thoughts and worries, it's something sits back and lets the transient details pass. Some people call it a soul or a spirit, but tonight I found myself imagining a deep well of childlike energy and enthusiasm deep at my core.

I remember what it was like to laugh and think of nothing else but that joyous laughing moment. The simplistic emotional state of being a kid. No worries, no stress. Lately these two things have made up a large percentage of my life. I kept having a memory of swinging in the sunshine as a little girl, letting my head drop back on the upswing and enjoying the free-fall on the way down.

It has been so long since I've just enjoyed the free-fall without the worry of what the bottom will feel like. I know that this is pretty normal. As life grows in complexity, thoughts become cluttered and life starts to feel heavy. But, occasionally you feel the lightness of life come over you as well. Tonight feeling the lightness of life, I cried in class. I did so quietly because I didn't really want anyone else to see, because I was a little embarrassed about becoming so emotional. But, I cried because if felt so good. I felt great to be light again and even though I'm being challenged personally and professionally right now, for that moment I felt the burden lift. It was a "satisfied sigh" sort of moment.

Anyway, sorry to get all deep on ya. But my wish is that everyone reading this might have their occasional revelation on their yoga mat, or whatever your outlet might be. I hope that in that moment you feel yourself lift and lighten, because you've given yourself what you need. And, I hope that you can take that lightness forward with you into your life and remember that ageless energy inside you that doesn't change; no matter how much your life does or how much adversity comes to you. You're still the kid on the swing, no matter how old you are.

Welcome Spring!

It's here, it's here, it's finally here! Today is Central Pennsylvania, the temperature will reach the unseasonably warm high of 72 degrees! I am jittery with excitement for all of the things I will want to do over this weekend.

Last night we made some delicious bbq ribs at our place and ate them out on our patio.


And my daffodils bloomed! Seeing flowers bloom after a long, cold winter is almost shocking. You have that moment of recognition and happiness when you see some color again.

And Mick is pretty excited about the weather too. He's itching to be outside! We are thinking about camping out in our backyard tonight. Seriously - we're gonna do it!!
I can't forget to wish a happy March Madness to everyone out there as well. My bracket (which my husband made for me) is already totally screwed. But that's ok! The fun of it is still in tact for me.

First Graders and their Brutal Honesty

Source - Elementary school to me = crayons.. love my crayons.

It's no secret that kids are honest. Kids think what they think, like what they like and typically say it out loud. They have tantrums in public, cry out of pure frustration or if someone hurts their feelings, laugh uncontrollably, and let out the pure rage that might bubble up inside them (a la David After Dentist).

I am going to be a Junior Achievement teacher for a class of first graders coming up at the end of April. My job is in five lessons to teach them the difference between "wants" and "needs" through various activities illustrating the concept. Doesn't sound too tough, right? I don't think the teaching part of it will be too much of a challenge. I'll have the full-time teacher in the room to help me keep order. The thing I am most concerned with is making the kids LOVE me. Basically, I plan on buying their love with nut-free/gluten-free snacks and candies and stickers galore! I might throw in some novelty erasers too. But, all kidding aside, if you can win over a room full of seven-year-old children, you're probably doing a pretty good job as a human being.

Why do I think this? Kids are extremely good judges of character. They see straight to the core of people and know, purely on instinct, whether a person is good or bad. And, as in most things with kiddos, they tell you. They since any hesitations to be open and caring and through their body language or their words, tell you that you are not trustworthy.

This isn't a fool-proof system by any means, but most of the time, it's true.

We as adults could benefit from a bit of this honesty. I've blogged before about my co-worker, the one I've named Bobby Salesguy and what a tool I think he is. Only once or twice have I told Bobby that I don't like what he's doing, or the way he behaves, but he's made me mad countless times.

Why can't I do it the first grader way, and just say it?I'll tell you why; because years of adulthood have stripped away my ability to go with my gut, be it in laughter or tears, and be honest about my feelings. What's wrong with all us? Have we forgotten how to be honest in in lieu of being polite?

So, when I walk in the room in from of my 24 first graders this April, I hope that they sense that I can about them, and I want them to learn what I'm here to teach. And if that doesn't work, I will bribe my way into their good graces. Ha! Just kidding...

Your GRE Word/Math Problem of the Day

Here is a little taste of what I've been working on in preparation for the GRE on April 28th:

GRE Vocab word - Timorous:

–adjective

1.full of fear; fearful: The noise made them timorous.

2.subject to fear; timid.

3.characterized by or indicating fear: a timorous whisper.

GRE Math Problem:

If x =32

What does (x)x equal?


By the way, I couldn't figure out how to do the superscript, so just go with it....mkay.

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A real blog entry will come tomorrow. I promise, but I'm brain dead tonight, honestly.

Can't pull the trigger...

Lately I've had some trouble writing things that I want to post on this blog. I've been half-writing posts and then not posting them. Why? Because everything I write lately is crap and boring and not worth even rereading to proof.

I know I'm no Nobel Laureate, but I occasionally write things that are entertaining at least. Lately however, no dice. Apparently this is a common condition in the blogoworld as I've seen several posts written about this very issue. So, how to cure this blockage in my blog? Well, here's what I've come up with. I'm going to make a short list below of the topics that I have half-blogged about in the last week or so and ask you, my benevolent friends, to choose a winner.

I will then write a post about that topic and maybe continue down the list in order of most popular topics. This, however, will not work if only 2 people comment, so please everybody comment. I'm in a rut and I need to get the pipes flowing (sorry for the bathroom reference).

So here they are, the topics I've almost written about in the past two weeks:

1. 80's/90's hairstyles - my own, my friends'/family's, including funny pictures.

2. Update on the travel plans for the Summer. Going to France or Canada?

3. First graders: Why each of us should act more like a seven-year-old.

Those are pretty much the best of what I've been working with in the past two weeks. So, please pick your fav, leave a comment on it and I will write about it in the week to come.

Thanks for your help! I hope to be back on track next week and, of course, have a marvelous weekend.


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Week in Review...

Sorry I haven't been around this week. Maybe you missed me a little bit. Maybe...?

Whether you missed me or not, I'm back and here's a few interesting tidbits from this week.


Sunday my husband and his friend Eric ran a 7.5 mile race in Reading, PA called the Ugly Mudder. The name was pretty appropriate, actually. Where there wasn't two feet of snow still laying on the ground and more coming down during the race, there was mud - deep mud. I took my post in the Reading Liederkranz (German house) waiting on the racers with a few new friends. It was a lot of fun! By the time we got home however, I was sick as a dog.

Monday through Wednesday were spent in a blur of Puffs Plus w/ the scent of Vicks, cold medicine and naps when possible. I was sicker than I've been in a while, trying to go to work and continue life. Honestly, it's all a blur.

Thursday - Back to being human. Both nostril breathing was achieved and I FINALLY got a decent night's sleep when I wasn't waking up to cough/blow my nose once an hour. Hazaa! My darling husband made me dinner because I just didn't want to and we prepared for him to take his trip to Las Vegas.

Friday - Hubs left super early in the morning/middle of the night to make it to the Philly airport for his 6:00 AM flight to Las Vegas. He made his flight and called me from his connection in Cincinnati to inform me that he left my camera in the security checkpoint int he airport in Philly. "Are you serious?" I said angrily awakened by his call. "Yes, I had to go back and get my wedding ring at the checkpoint and I missed the camera." Wait a sec.... WHAT?

Yeah that's right. Not only did he lost my camera, he ALMOST lost his wedding ring. Mind you, he is not a first-time flyer. He has traveled alone many times and made it through with all of his possessions. The only explanation I can give is that I should have looked at this like as a Spring Break trip for him and one of college buddies. Take nothing of value, clothes you don't mind losing, minimal credit cards/identification cards, wedding rings and definitely not your wife's beloved camera.Source

So I'm a little worried at this point. I'm thinking it could be a combination of "The Hangover" and "Dude Where's My Car" and to make matters worse, Hub has a history of tooth chipping/loss.

I have a call into the TSA at the Philly airport to report my camera missing at the checkpoint and I have my fingers crossed that maybe, somehow maybe they will have put my camera aside and it will be there on Sunday when Hubs arrives disoriented, broke and probably toothless. Fingers crossed....

Sinus Infection Schminus Infection

I think that I have come in contact with the bubonic plague. That's the one where people bled out of their eyes, right? Yuck, so graphic. Moving on.

I have a sinus infection/cold/something viral today and I stayed home from work because I didn't want to share it with my co-workers. My husband is also dealing with the plague, but he doesn't have the flexibility in his schedule and had to go to work today. I feel terribly about that, because I feel like there's a hive of bees buzzing around in my head making it impossible to hear my own thoughts. And oddly enough both my and my hub's eyes are totally bloodshot red. What's going on with that?

I have never experienced such a symptom from a cold/sinus infection/viral mess before. My tears are thick and nasty and I wake up in the morning with my eyes sealed shut. It's awful!

So, I'm gonna keep it pretty short today and focus on wellness for the rest of the evening. I will leave you with this - Puffs Plus makes a tissue with Vicks Vaporub in it. This development is amazing and, I believe, should qualify for a Nobel Prize in medicine.

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