movies

Last night we say Gran Torino. Clint Eastwood played Walt, a recent widower. He has lived in the same neighborhood for a very long time, and has watched it change over the years. Now it is mostly populated by the Hmong, and having been in the Korean War, Walt has his own distorted prejudices about these people.
Thao is one of the young boys who lives next door to Walt. He is quiet and is a "good kid," but has a cousin who is involved in a gang. The gang wants to recruit Thao, so they tell him that in order to be initiated, he must steal Walt's vintage Gran Torino from his garage. Walt catches him in the act and chases the group away. Thao's family finds out about the break-in and in order to pay back the debt, Thao must work for Walt. Over time, Walt befriends Thao and his family, and becomes a positive influence in Thao's life. The ending was poignant. If you liked Crash, you will enjoy this one, as its themes are similar. It really forces you to think about the way we treat other people without getting to know them first.

In other news, I went to Yoga yesterday morning. My abs hurt today, but it's a good hurt, and over time I'm sure I'll tone up and it will get easier. I have step aerobics again Tuesday, and I am looking forward to it.

I got shafted at work on Friday as well. Earlier this year, around October, I spoke with my principal about developing curriculum for the ESOL department, as we didn't have one to speak of across the entire district. I had already written 10-12 pages of curriculum that I showed her at our meeting (and stupidly emailed her after the meeting). The response was good, and she told me that she had been talking to the associate superintendent about possibly having me do this as an ESOL Specialist instead of teaching, and asked me to come up with a vision (aka-job description). In early November I had the opportunity to travel to Richmond with this superintendent, and spoke with her about the job, and was told I still had to apply for the position once it was posted just for formality. The posting came up in early December so I applied right away and interviewed over my holiday break. I was basically told I was being considered for the Elementary ESOL Specialist position and to wait for a phone call in early January. This past Friday I got an urgent email asking to call the superintent "ASAP." I did so, only to find out THEY HIRED SOMEONE ELSE FOR THE POSITION!!!!!!!!! I was floored. The whole damn thng was my idea to begin with, and I'm positive that if I hadn't mentioned it, that the positon wouldn't even exist today. The person who got the position didn't even know it existed until it was posted, and slid right in without knowing a lick about it.
Lesson learned? Just write your own curriculum, shut up about it, and turn it in as your professional development plan. I swear, if they use the curriculum I've already written, I'm going after them with a big stick.

Oh, sloppy day

My arms hurt. Why do my arms hurt? It was step aerobics, and God knows I didn't step with my arms! Maybe they're just jealous because my legs got a better workout than they did. Well, tomorrow is Pilates class, so get ready arms! You have to hold up all of this weight! Then you'll be hurting! Ha! Phhbbbbt!

It's been raining non-stop for two days. Yep. I'm used to rain lasting 15 minutes or so. I drove to work in the dark in the pouring rain everyday this week. If it doesn't stop soon, we're going to have to blow up the air mattress so I can float to work. I just keep thinking, if all this rain were snowflakes, we'd have the rest of the week off! They delay and close schools in every county around Prince William, but the storm always skirts us and we just end up with big sloppy puddles and extra curly hair.

Tim is out of town until Friday, so it's just Dad and me for a couple days.

SPLAT!

Well, I did it. I made it through an entire hour at the gym today. I did a step class, which was fun, but I kept tripping over the damn thing, and once I actually fell. Good thing I have all this extra padding to break my fall. I felt like a dork but was able to laugh at myself and pick up again, but I eventually just got rid of the step and did the exercises without it But dammit, I was there! It was actually kind of fun, to be honest. I feel good too. Afterward I made a nice healthy dinner, had a huge salad and some fruit with it, and am now drinking tea with milk and honey. What a treat!
How does my bod feel? Ask me tomorrow when I can't lift my own legs.
Does my butt look smaller yet?

I'm rarin' to go!

Tim rearranged our bedroom on Sunday night. He got a second wind around 10:00 (yes, when we should have been in bed), and moved the dressers around and put all of the junk away. It looks beautiful now, and finally feels like the sanctuary a bedroom should be. I was dying of a sinus infection on the couch, so I just stayed out of his way until about midnight when he decided it was time for bed. It looked like a completely different room! It's lovely, and now the only room that needs major work is the office. I am very happy, and am reminded all the time of why I love this man.

Joined the gym yesterday. Along with the monthly fee, all classes are included, so I've decided to start doing aerobics or spinning classes along with Curves for muscle building. I feel excited to get into a routine for my workouts, and hope I don't fizzle out before I really get going.

It's currently raining here in Virginia, and 33 degrees outside. Pray for it to drop just one degree so it will freeze and we'll have a day off tomorrow! Or a delay. A delay would even be nice.

Off to get rid of my butt.

Sick

I feel like poo today.

Stoup??

We saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button last night. Very neat movie. Go see it.

Today I took my butt to the grocery store to get food for the week. Put on my nice jeans and cute little boots, which made me feel better about myself. For some reason I felt a little thinner. Probably that half-hour walk I took yesterday.

Anyway, after planning my week's menu and making a list, and two hours later, our fridge was full again. My feet hurt though because cute boots does not always equal comfortable. Oh well, I'll take fashion over comfort any day. Please remind me that I said this when my feet are covered in bunions when I'm forty.

I decided to make Italian Sub "Stoup" for dinner. It's out of Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats book, and I had seen her make it on her show. It's called stoup because "it's thinner than stew but thicker than soup!" I won't put the recipe here, but it has italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, green pepper, onion, and tomatoes. You're supposed to make garlic croutons and float them on top, but we're not big on soggy bread in soup in our house, so I just toasted some Italian garlic bread in the oven and we had it on the side. It smelled wonderful, and my dad said he could smell it cooking outside. The book said "it tastes like a giant Italian sub!" Our verdict?

Only if you think sandwiches taste like soup.

I did it!

Today I walked for half an hour. Still trying to figure out a good route, but I feel great!

New Year's Meme!

For today, it's the good ol' New Year's Quiz. Not that I couldn't have thought of my own creative thing to write. I just didn't want to.


1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

• Drove across the country with my mom. We laughed so hard so many times.
• Bought a house. It's fantabulous!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

• I probably made some, but since I don't remember what they are now, I probably didn't keep them.
• I've made some this year and wrote them down (see yesterday's post), and I'm going to try to keep them this time.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

• Katie (Mason)
• Amy (Savannah)
• Laura (Jenna)
• Shannon (Sadie)
  

4. Did anyone close to you die?

• No, thank God. 2006 was enough to last for a while.

5. What countries did you visit?

• None this year. Several in 2007 though. That was fun.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

• More time and better organization of my life. Oh, and more chocolate.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• January 19-Tim moved to Virginia
• February 14-Flew to VA to spend Valentine's Day with Tim. Saw my new apt for the first time
• March 26-Went to VA to spend Spring Break
• April-I don't really remember April
• May 23-moved to Virginia
• July 12-10 year reunion
• July 15-Bought a house
• August 19-Anniversary
• September 2-New job!
• October 5-Went to tea with mom at an estate in VA
• November 28-Moved into new townhouse!
• December 25-Spent the holidays with Tim's family in San Diego

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

• Driving across the country and not getting lost.

9. What was your biggest failure?

• Not spending enough time with friends, either in person or on the phone

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

• Horrible tonsilitis I got from living in DC. I blame the handrails at the Metro.
• Fell over a Smartboard and bruised the hell out of my leg. This was November, and there's still a big purple spot and my knee crackles when I go up stairs.
• So, no. No big illness or injury, compared to what others go through.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

• House!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

• Um...I don't know...

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

• The Democrats'. Seriously. Proposition 8? Abortion? You're voting for that??

14. Where did most of your money go?

• Rent and now mortgage

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

• moving into my new house and having space for my stuff
  

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

• I have no idea. Lots of them, probably.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter?c) richer or poorer?

• a) happier
• b) fatter (unfortunately)
• c) poorer (but we have a house!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

• Spent time with friends
• Gone to the gym
  

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

• Frivously spending money on crap I didn't really need

20. How did you spend Christmas?

• In San Diego with Tim's family
  

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

• No. I stayed in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

• I don't think I had one. The Golden Girls will always rule though. And Friends.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

• All of my stupid friends' husbands who have decided to go off the deep end with their marriages.

24. What was the best book you read?

• Sundays at Tiffany's
• The Christmas Swap
  

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

• That I still can't sing

26. What did you want and get?

• somewhere bigger to live
• a great job
  

27. What did you want and not get?

• Nothing

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

• Brideshead Revisited

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

• I turned 28. Tim and I went to dinner at the Lebanese Taverna

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

• Nothing. I'm pretty satisfied. Except maybe not gaining weight.
  

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

• If it fits, wear it.

32. What kept you sane?

• knitting

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

• I don't particularly like celebrities or public figures. Except Sarah Palin had geat hair.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

• Um, let's see...the Election perhaps?

35. Who did you miss?

• Everyone in Albuquerque

36. Who was the best new person you met?

• Paige at work.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

• Life really is like a box of chocolates. You don't know what you're going to get! There have been so many changes this year, and there's always another one waiting around the corner.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

• "We live, we love, we forgive and never give up. 'Cause the days we are given are gifts from above, and today we remember to live and to love." "We Live" Superchick

Happy Go-Lucky 2009

"Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It's been six months since my last entry."
My friends all think I've forgotten them, and have probably figured I fell off the face of the earth by now. That hasn't really happened, actually. Being this close to the Atlantic, sometimes I think it could happen though.

Since it's 2009, I've decided to resolve myself to a few things:

• Read through the Bible this year. I always start at the beginning and lose it around oh, say, Numbers or Deuteronomy, so I've decided to start with the prophets first.
• Write a blog entry everyday. Today is January 1st, 11:35 pm, so today still counts in my book. Hey, I haven't gone to bed yet. Still gotta read that Bible though.
• LOSE SOME WEIGHT!! Yeah yeah, we all say that. I'm really going to try though.
• Get moving and get some exercise, even if it is just a walk around the block. I'm tired of my fat ass getting fatter. And just thinking about eating healthy while scarfing oreos doesn't make them healthier.

We moved into our new house over Thanksgiving weekend, and so far, we love it. We're still partially in boxes, but everything we need right now is out. I figure if we get to this summer and we still have unpacked boxes, I'm going to get rid of them. Or use them as furniture.

Speaking of house, there's a new light outside. Our living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the second level. The dining room windows are on the side of the house where there's a new bus shelter. Apparently the city thinks bus shelters should be lit up like Times Square, hence the very large orb outside our window. Seriously. It looks like our Mothership has arrived to take us home. Kind of funny, but not so much as our bedroom is on the same side of the house.

Off to stick to day one of resolutions,

Melissa