zoinks

zoinks 5.24.12

5.24.12

The idea of a three-day weekend is a glorious thing.  One extra day to sleep in, an extra day to stay in my pajamas longer than I should, to be as lazy as humanly possible.  When this is set up outside your classroom window for the last two days of the week, the idea of a three-day weekend is pretty much the only thing that gets you through.

whaaaat? 5.25.12

5.25.12

holy happy hour batman.

                                

                           

                                                                                  

 5.26.12

It is approximately 11am. I am headed back to the BLVD.  I, along with an awful lot of other people started my day with a 5k.  You giant man on a tiny scooter are starting your day with a value meal.  I am not passing judgment – but the fries were not your best choice.

meep meep

5.23.12

I realize that isn’t the proper animal reference…but I mean really.  Today’s POD will be a series.  Where I come from this kind of thing doesn’t happen.  There is no lottery when hunting season rolls around.  There are few restrictions when it comes to where, and more than anything else – the deer seem to have this little thing called self-preservation. 

 
Over the years I have had many encounters with these four legged tick infested plant eaters.  I will say again, where I come from – this kind of thing doesn’t happen.  Where I come from, I do not turn the corner in the middle of a run to come face to face with a 10 point buck standing under a street light.   

Where I come from, three deer will not waltz into my backyard in the middle of the day to snack on some leafy greens.  
Where I come from, they would certainly never cruise down my driveway to stroll down the Boulevard of McMansions only to be frightened away by the meep meep of a Land Rover’s car alarm. 

Where I come from, doing the dishes does not turn into a zoo viewing, it is just doing the dishes.  Lalley Boulevard, the land of BMW’s, central air, 4 story monstrosities and deer - lots and lots of deer.

meep meep. 5.23.12

wowzers.

5.22.12

5.22.12

Two loads of darks, two loads of sheets and towels, and a load of whites later…I have clean clothes. My fridge is still empty, BUT while almost every bit of cotton I own was spinning around at The Washtub, I took a trek to home depot and purchased a dehumidifier.  I spent $200 on a dehumidifier, came home, plugged it in and it was the best $200 I have spent in an awful long time.  My couch no longer feels damp.  My sheets are dry, and this place smells normal again.  Not to mention the fact that my clothes might actually dry.  Now if I could just find some sort of magical machine that made the weird bugs that roll up into a ball stop finding their way inside…

rant-er-rific

5.21.12

Okay, okay – I get that I run at night and that is somewhat stupid.  However - I run in reflective clothing, with a light, on the correct side of the road AND I pay attention to my surroundings.  To you the jacka#$ in the ugly red scion with stupid stupid wheels…that big red thing with 8 sides – that is a stop sign.  That reflective area in front of it with all the fancy white lines…that is a crosswalk – you totally just broke all sorts of traffic laws.  Giving me the stink eye as you come close to breaking my legs is a good way to get a rock through your stupid ugly windshield.  Just saying.

5.21.12

On another note, here’s to you old lady in the sweet ass Jaguar.  I appreciate you noticing me approaching the crosswalk (though I’m surprised you were able to see over your dashboard) and I thank you for allowing me to keep moving.  You and your blue hair get an A+ in my book. 

On yet another note – maybe if I had actually done laundry tonight (like I was supposed to) I would have matching socks and the Gods would watch out for me while on the road.  That is all.

secret admirer

5.20.12

secret admirer?

There are a few things I think every girl dreams about when she is younger.  The whole Prince Charming, sweeping you off your feet, surprise wonderfulness kinds of things.  At one point I actually told a good friend of mine how cool it would be to wake up to someone throwing rocks at your window like they do in the movies.  He of course did just that in the middle of the night.  Thankfully it was a night my mother wasn’t home, and my father was snoring so loud that nothing would have woken him up…not even himself.

5.20.12

Having a secret admirer is one of those things. One of those surprisingly wonderful things.  One of those eek and squeal makes you blush kind of things…UNLESS it is a creepy plastic bottle of flowers accompanied by a box of tea.  What the hell? 

what the crap is going on?

massacre 5.16.1

5.16.12

Massacre. 

Seems appropriate for the general feeling around this place these days.  Thankfully they ate him and dispersed prior to the tiny people entering the room.  Not part of the life cycle that is easiest to explain.

oh man 5.17.12

5.17.12

There are days when I know I should be doing something other than reading in the backyard.  I shouldn’t take an hour long run to clear my head because I have lots and lots of other things to do.  My fridge is empty, and I’m running out of clean clothes.  I have to do laundry.  In fact, I have been putting off doing laundry for so long that my muscles are sore.  I’m hungry.  and I’m down to the monogrammed towel.  The monogrammed towel that is monogrammed with a name that is not mine.  Maybe I’ll get it done tomorrow. Probably not.

purple 5.18.12

5.18.12

No one gave me the purple memo.  Though it is just as well because I don’t think I actually own anything purple.  Happy Friday.

5.19.12

congratulations Annie! 5.19.12

Sometimes happy hour turns into happy hours, and suddenly it’s Saturday morning.  But when you end up at the bar, and a bunch of the greats are there, you stick around.  Congratulations Annie!  You did it.  So proud of the EMS crew and all the cool ass shit we get to do.

seriously?

thank the sweet baby jeebus 5.14.12

5.14.12

Today started with the following exchange… “Happy Monday sir!” “Hey Kate, is there such a thing?” Spoiler Alert: Foreshadowing.  If I had the type of job where I could turn around, go home and go back to bed – this would have been the day to pull that card.  Today was the Monday of all Monday’s.  A Monday that is destined to seep into the remaining days of the week.  This day’s one redeeming factor?  Cupcakes.  Luke turned 7 yesterday and today we celebrate.  Thank the sweet baby jeebus. 

sinking 5.15.12

5.15.12

sinking. ugh.

  1.  Louis has a little sister.  She is brand new, and already totally awesome.

  2.  Headed to J-Land this summer to hang with the tiny people.

  3.  Glee is 2 hours long tonight. Yes – Glee. I know. Shut up.

  4.  Running in the rain is awesome.

  5.  I have a job, and will be able to continue to pay my bills without working the corner.

breathe.

3 Days.

5.11.12

5.11.12

mmmmm the weekend.  Thank you Friday for everything you have to offer. Sun, warm weather, leaves in your beer…I dig all of it.

5.12.12

                                

5.12.12  (Happy Birthday John Francis)

You have to love an underdog.  Showing up, working hard, doing your best even though it might not be enough.  There is just something about an underdog…

5.13.12

5.13.12

I love the weekend.  From Friday night happy hour, to laundering on Sunday.  It is a time to recharge, sleep a little later than you should, make some poor decisions; indulge in the stuff that makes you happy.  The weekends that include weather that allows you to open all the windows and doors, get outside to play some bocce, and skip the laundering to enjoy afternoon brewskis with great people are even better. 

meagh.

5.10.12

5.10.12

So this is the first of many unplanned, ah hell, I forgot to take a picture - pictures.  It's conference week.  I’m totally spent, my apartment is an unbelievable mess, my fridge is empty and tomorrow I have 5 in a row.  This is one of those coffee on the couch, pajamas by 7, bed by 10 kind of nights.  Good lord my life is so exciting.

fog

5.9.12

5.9.12 (Happy Birthday Michael James)


I hate it when things are foggy - both literally and figuratively.  Today (in the literal sense) I am using the fog as an excuse to sit on the couch, break my during the week rule, and hopefully watch a successful game 6.


I hate you Wednesday. I hate you right in your face.

lucky

5.8.12

 

5.8.12

I am unbelievably lucky.  I go to work each day, walk through the door and it doesn’t feel like work.  Every day I get to do a job that cracks me up, a job that I absolutely adore. I get to have a blast Monday through Friday – and I get paid for it.

I think I knew I wanted to teach as early as kindergarten.  If you ask any of my friends I would bet a million bucks that they would support that statement.  Don’t get me wrong, there are days that getting out of bed is the last thing I want to do.  There are days where the shoe tying, the crying, the whining, and the boogers make me want to throw things. 

But then there are the days where one of my kids, on his way to put away his overflowing writer’s notebook, randomly exclaims “look Grommet, we’ve got cheese!”  Then there are the days where in the middle of silent reading; a six year old cracks up at the funny part of a book.  Then there are the days that you are on the brink, the absolute brink of throwing things because you are juggling too many things.  Pretending not to worry or think or stress about too many things – and something like this shows up on your desk.

I am unbelievably lucky.

drive like a dan

5.7.12

1. drive like a dan

the act of driving like a fucktard. Usually involves crashing into lamp posts outside of Green Hope, clapping to songs while taking turns, and looking ugly; anyone who sucks terrible balls at driving.

Hey Alex, weren't you in the car with Dan? yeah he hit that pole. He drives like a dan. Dude don't drive like a dan.

-Urban Dictionary

5.7.12

My brothers taught me how to drive.  My old man had a few trips when I needed to hit the actual road, my mother wanted nothing to do with it, but my brothers were all about it.  I practiced parking in the driveway.  I learned to use my mirrors like a ninja, and with the exception of the speed limit, I now follow all the rules of the road.  “Don’t drive like a girl Kate, it’s the worst thing you could do”.  I can’t quite remember Michael’s exact words to me in the parking lot of the Walpole school as he was teaching me to conquer hills without burning the clutch like the pits of Tartarus; and I’m sure it was much more offensive – but the lesson was clear.  I was not allowed to drive like a “*&%#tard”

I drive too fast.  I am super impatient.  I talk to the cars around me in frustration as if they can hear me, and as if it will do me any good.  I have stopped throwing my hands in the air when I’m angered by stupid drivers, but really only because it could be the parents of one of my students, and that would be bad.  While all this is true, I also use my blinker when changing lanes.  I check my blind spot often.  I pay attention to the flow of traffic around me, and if someone is riding my arse (after the initial anger has worn off) I do my best to get out of their way.  I also stay on my side of the road, because frankly – and I suppose I could be wrong here – I feel that’s probably the most important rule.  I admittedly take the speed limit as a suggestion, but those yellow lines are something we should pay attention to.  I live in an area where most people drive like dans, but I would be interested to know when the meaning of a double solid yellow line went the way of the dodo.

wknd

5.5.12

5.5.12

I like beer.  I generally lean towards the IPAs – but I have found a few exceptions to that rule.  Abita Purple Haze for example is out of this world.  There was a time where the taste was off a bit (my theory is that they added raspberry flavoring as opposed to the usual raspberry puree) but they are back on track.  GMills has me hooked on Franziskaner when I’m in need of a hefe, and a Kirin or a Sapporo sometimes just hits the spot.  I try to follow a no brewskis during the week rule – but this week it just wasn’t happening.  I at least attempted to drink as many varieties as possible.

5.6.12

5.6.12

It is beautiful outside. I need half and half (surprise surprise) and I don’t feel like driving. 

TGIF

5.4.12

 5.4.12

Some weeks are longer than others.  I know I know, every week has 7 days and thus they are all the same length blah blah blah.  I don’t care what line of work you’re in – some weeks are just longer than others.  This week we had two days of indoor recess, followed by two days of collision-tastic, puddle ridden blacktop recess, all while approaching a full moon.  This was the kind of week where Friday happy hour couldn’t come soon enough, and was destined to last a lot longer than its moniker allows.  I heart us big time.

Nice Stems

5.3.12

 5.3.12

everyone has something they do to clear their head.  some people meditate. others read.  some turn to ‘natural’ remedies to sift through the bullcorn and get back to the closest thing to normal.  for me – it’s stairs.  early morning practices when we would run laps on the bleachers…my favorite.  today I settled for slippery stadium seating.  it’s raining. I could use some sun.

i make poor decisions.

5.2.12

 5.2.12

The worst is when I know I’m in the process of making a poor decision.  The consequences are clear and obvious.  There is no predicting what will happen, it is a matter of knowing.  If I do X, I will then have to deal with Y - plain and simple. Why is it then, that knowing that Y almost always sucks, I am still making poor decisions?  Who has two thumbs and is a glutton for punishment? this girl.

Procrastination

 5.1.12

Honest to goodness. It’s an art form.  This should have been done last night, but the Rangers were playing the Capitals and I was not getting anything done during that game.  I didn’t have duty today – so that leaves 30 minutes mid afternoon I could have finished it.  NOPE! I would much rather spend my time shooting the bull with the rest of the crew (keeps us “sane” dontcha know)  PE…right right I’ll finish during PE.  No. No I won’t, because during PE I’m stopping four kids from crying, making two go to the nurse for itchy heads and making a cup of coffee to get through the last few hours of the day. 

5.1.12

It is now 9 o’clock.  I have gone for a run, picked up some groceries I don’t really need, done three loads of laundry I desperately need; AND I have mopped the floor.  I HAVE MOPPED THE FLOOR! I haven’t mopped the floor in ages.  This thing is due yesterday.  Must get writing…mmm beer.