Back to school!
... life is going to get busy again. Already has, in fact.
The week before school reminds me of Work Week for Rush in my college sorority. We would spend so much time anticipating the next group of younger girls. The more I think about it, the more associations I make with work week and the week before school starts. Although I hated work week, I like the week before school starts.
Work week in the sorority -- Week before school starts
1. Study the incoming girls -- Study the incoming students
2. Decorate the sorority house -- Decorate your classroom
3. Get to know your fellow sorority sisters and rekindle friendships after the summer -- catch up with teacher friends about their summers
4. Sit in many group meetings that seem incredibly pointless at the time -- sit in endless hours of trainings and meetings that seem pointless at the time but ultimately increase your "teacher efficacy" (new phrase we got on Tuesday)
5. Trapped in the house all day with no allowed contact with boys -- too exhausted to do anything social after trainings/working in your classroom.
6. Coke dates -- happy hours
7. One word, icebreakers (I still don't enjoy those)
8. Sing sorority songs -- sing school songs and songs for learning. "A for Apple, A - A - A..."
9. Attend the kick-off for all sororities -- Attend convocation (there is a difference here; kick-off was at night, convocation was at the butt-crack of dawn)
10. Excitement for Rush to start (and for me, excited for it to end) -- Excitement to see my kiddos again :)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Don't Look Back in Anger...
I heard this song on the way back from Oklahoma and I decided to try and adopt the title as a motto for the crappy week I just had. Just as I was getting over hating myself over the car incident last week, I experienced a woman's worst nightmare: My purse was stolen. Again, something that could have been prevented if I was more careful, but I know, that not one girl could honestly say they always, 100% of the time, have their purse on them. So I'm trying to just accept that it happened and move on without being so dad gum ticked off. Don't look back in anger.
Let me paint the picture for you:
After the post-rehearsal dinner live music & wine party, a large group of friends went to the hotel bar for some cocktails and more catching up. It was a small area, and our group definitely dominated the space... just adding to my comfort level to leave my purse on a chair. We were not there very long before we decided to call it a night. At this point, one would typically grab their purse and head up to the hotel room.
This is when the panic set in. I had not left the 5 foot radius I was standing in... not even to go to the bathroom. I looked under tables, in the bathroom, under chairs... many other people starting helping and the hotel security guard also searched the bar and lobby. No luck. It was stolen.
I had heard in the past that when you are robbed you feel very vulnerable and violated. I didn't think those emotions would apply to a purse, but it certainly did. I laid awake all night feeling that very way. Someone could (and most likely was) looking at all my personal information. Sickening. I consider myself a glass half full kind of gal, so I tried to focus on the positive:
1. E had the car keys (that would be the keys to my rental from my earlier incident)
2. The hotel was already paid for
3. I was with E and many friends who could help me out
4. I had just cleaned out my purse and taken out important things like my work badge, my iPod, important papers for work, checkbook, etc.
5. I downloaded the pictures from my camera before I left
See, there is a silver lining. Regardless, I pretty much hated humanity that night and felt depressed Saturday morning. E tried to cheer me up by driving us to Norman to show him (a staunch Texas fan no less) OU and my favorite college town full of memories.
"Larceny" (what the police officer said, for some reason it made it seem like a much bigger deal) aside, the weekend was a lot of fun. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and. The ceremony was incredibly beautiful. They had a vocalist with a very folksy, deep voice that sang several songs. This song was my favorite! I wish I could have taken a picture of how Emily looked coming down the isle. (no camera, remember. grr... don't look back in anger...) She looked so peaceful and happy. The church faced west, so when she was standing in front of the windows before she walked down the aisle, her floor-length veil was illuminated by the sun and she looked almost heavenly, like an angel. Gorgeous. Oh, and she walked down the aisle to bagpipes!! The bagpipe player was in a kilt and everything. It was awesome!
The reception was a blast with lots of old friends from high school and college. Live band. Great food. We threw bird seed when they left which I have never done. Everyone after-partied at one the usher's house that was just like a house party in college. Keg in the garage and music from a laptop attached to huge speakers and everything. :)
Highlights:
- Seeing so many old friends
- Showing E around OU and Norman on a gorgeous day
- Listening to E try and pronounce all the Indian words. Thinking about that still makes me laugh
- Watching the beautiful ceremony
- E and I being the first on the dance floor. Just us and the kids dancing to the Beatles, "I Saw Her Standing There"
- Reason to upgrade my old iPhone to the new one :)
Let me paint the picture for you:
After the post-rehearsal dinner live music & wine party, a large group of friends went to the hotel bar for some cocktails and more catching up. It was a small area, and our group definitely dominated the space... just adding to my comfort level to leave my purse on a chair. We were not there very long before we decided to call it a night. At this point, one would typically grab their purse and head up to the hotel room.
This is when the panic set in. I had not left the 5 foot radius I was standing in... not even to go to the bathroom. I looked under tables, in the bathroom, under chairs... many other people starting helping and the hotel security guard also searched the bar and lobby. No luck. It was stolen.
I had heard in the past that when you are robbed you feel very vulnerable and violated. I didn't think those emotions would apply to a purse, but it certainly did. I laid awake all night feeling that very way. Someone could (and most likely was) looking at all my personal information. Sickening. I consider myself a glass half full kind of gal, so I tried to focus on the positive:
1. E had the car keys (that would be the keys to my rental from my earlier incident)
2. The hotel was already paid for
3. I was with E and many friends who could help me out
4. I had just cleaned out my purse and taken out important things like my work badge, my iPod, important papers for work, checkbook, etc.
5. I downloaded the pictures from my camera before I left
See, there is a silver lining. Regardless, I pretty much hated humanity that night and felt depressed Saturday morning. E tried to cheer me up by driving us to Norman to show him (a staunch Texas fan no less) OU and my favorite college town full of memories.
"Larceny" (what the police officer said, for some reason it made it seem like a much bigger deal) aside, the weekend was a lot of fun. The wedding was absolutely gorgeous and. The ceremony was incredibly beautiful. They had a vocalist with a very folksy, deep voice that sang several songs. This song was my favorite! I wish I could have taken a picture of how Emily looked coming down the isle. (no camera, remember. grr... don't look back in anger...) She looked so peaceful and happy. The church faced west, so when she was standing in front of the windows before she walked down the aisle, her floor-length veil was illuminated by the sun and she looked almost heavenly, like an angel. Gorgeous. Oh, and she walked down the aisle to bagpipes!! The bagpipe player was in a kilt and everything. It was awesome!
The reception was a blast with lots of old friends from high school and college. Live band. Great food. We threw bird seed when they left which I have never done. Everyone after-partied at one the usher's house that was just like a house party in college. Keg in the garage and music from a laptop attached to huge speakers and everything. :)
Highlights:
- Seeing so many old friends
- Showing E around OU and Norman on a gorgeous day
- Listening to E try and pronounce all the Indian words. Thinking about that still makes me laugh
- Watching the beautiful ceremony
- E and I being the first on the dance floor. Just us and the kids dancing to the Beatles, "I Saw Her Standing There"
- Reason to upgrade my old iPhone to the new one :)
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Reality Check
I ran across this photo website today. Someone took pictures with fairy tale princesses and the reality ending, not the happy ever after ending. Check the series out at Fallen Princesses
Here's a preview of what really happened to Snow White...
Here's a preview of what really happened to Snow White...
Bad Luck + Steel Bumpers...
Yesterday I was just minding my own business when I slowly, cautiously, backed out of my driveway. I hear mowing, so I slow down and look to the right.
Person mowing - don't hit him.
Look left, person mowing a few doors sown. Watch them. Continue to back up.
*Notice that I did not mention looking behind me. That was a mistake, yes, however... I live in a big circle, and short of the few passing cars of neighbors, nothing is ever in the middle of the circle. Yesterday, this just happened to be directly in the center.
Just waiting to kiss my car's rear end...
NOT against a curb, in the CENTER of the circle. Who does that?!?!
So,+ my
=
OUCH!!
After I got my couple thousand $$ estimate, I did this
and 
Although it did not make me feel any better at all.
The worse kind of accident is when you're at fault. When you can't blame any one but yourself. When it is not a quick fix. Especially when is it not a quick, cheap, fix.
Ugh.
E took me to dinner and I ate every bit of this. I felt a little better after tater tots and good company.
Why is that greasy delicious food taste so good, yet is so terrible for you?
So my day of leisure (my summer is coming to an end shortly) has turned into dealing with this incident of pure bad luck and poor judgment (on my part and the driver of the truck with steel bumpers in the middle of the circle. Again, who does that?).
On the plus side:
- I have time to handle this without interrupting work
- There was not an inch of damage done to the truck
- There was no one in the truck
... that's really it.. but I'm trying to be positive.
Hope your day is better than mine - and beware of steel bumpers because according to the parts tech at Toyota "they crush anything in their way" see above picture.
Person mowing - don't hit him.
Look left, person mowing a few doors sown. Watch them. Continue to back up.
*Notice that I did not mention looking behind me. That was a mistake, yes, however... I live in a big circle, and short of the few passing cars of neighbors, nothing is ever in the middle of the circle. Yesterday, this just happened to be directly in the center.
Just waiting to kiss my car's rear end...
NOT against a curb, in the CENTER of the circle. Who does that?!?!
So,
+ my
=
OUCH!!
After I got my couple thousand $$ estimate, I did this
and 
Although it did not make me feel any better at all.
The worse kind of accident is when you're at fault. When you can't blame any one but yourself. When it is not a quick fix. Especially when is it not a quick, cheap, fix.
Ugh.
E took me to dinner and I ate every bit of this. I felt a little better after tater tots and good company.
Why is that greasy delicious food taste so good, yet is so terrible for you?
So my day of leisure (my summer is coming to an end shortly) has turned into dealing with this incident of pure bad luck and poor judgment (on my part and the driver of the truck with steel bumpers in the middle of the circle. Again, who does that?).
On the plus side:
- I have time to handle this without interrupting work
- There was not an inch of damage done to the truck
- There was no one in the truck
... that's really it.. but I'm trying to be positive.
Hope your day is better than mine - and beware of steel bumpers because according to the parts tech at Toyota "they crush anything in their way" see above picture.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
No Butts About it - The Best Chicken Ever!
Recently I had the hankering to bake a whole chicken. I started throwing out all these healthy ideas of lemon-rosemary or garlic-basil combos to my boyfriend, E. E instantly responded with, "I've always wanted to bake chicken with beer and a beer can! I'll make it tonight!" My light and summery chicken ideas were quickly replaced with a recipe found on AllRecipes.com (one of my fav websites) called "Beer-Butt Chicken." Hey, if he's cooking, I won't complain!
It is the simplest recipe and it made, quite possibly, the best chicken I've ever tasted. It was soo moist and tender it just felt right off the bone. E did a fantastic job! I highly recommend this recipe -- here's how he did it. Since he cooked, I went to the gym during the prep time. Sorry, I have no pictures of impaling this fowl with a tall boy...
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons paprika
S&P to taste
1 (16oz, "tall boy") can of beer *
1 (4 lb) whole chicken
* the recipe called for a 12 oz, but after reading reviews, E opted for a 16 ouncer. Well done.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and mix in the seasonings. Discard 1/2 the beer (drinking it is recommended by us, don't waste), leaving 1/2 of the beer in the can. Put the 1/2 full can on a baking sheet. Now "impale" the chicken in the can, so it looks like it's sitting on the baking sheet. Baste with the butter and seasonings mix.
These pictures look kinda disturbing...
poor lil' clucker.
My job was to bring the sides...
Zucchini, corn, red bell pepper blend with italian seasoning and twice baked potatoes. Honestly, we had waaay too much food because we ate so much chicken as E carved it. It was so delish, I coudn't resist!
Since the beer-butt, I've planted basil and rosemary plants, so maybe those light and summery chicks will be made after all.
It is the simplest recipe and it made, quite possibly, the best chicken I've ever tasted. It was soo moist and tender it just felt right off the bone. E did a fantastic job! I highly recommend this recipe -- here's how he did it. Since he cooked, I went to the gym during the prep time. Sorry, I have no pictures of impaling this fowl with a tall boy...
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter
2 tablespoons garlic salt
2 tablespoons paprika
S&P to taste
1 (16oz, "tall boy") can of beer *
1 (4 lb) whole chicken
* the recipe called for a 12 oz, but after reading reviews, E opted for a 16 ouncer. Well done.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and mix in the seasonings. Discard 1/2 the beer (drinking it is recommended by us, don't waste), leaving 1/2 of the beer in the can. Put the 1/2 full can on a baking sheet. Now "impale" the chicken in the can, so it looks like it's sitting on the baking sheet. Baste with the butter and seasonings mix.
These pictures look kinda disturbing...
poor lil' clucker.
My job was to bring the sides...
Zucchini, corn, red bell pepper blend with italian seasoning and twice baked potatoes. Honestly, we had waaay too much food because we ate so much chicken as E carved it. It was so delish, I coudn't resist!
Since the beer-butt, I've planted basil and rosemary plants, so maybe those light and summery chicks will be made after all.
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