Where's my juice and cookies?!?!

There was a blood drive at the school today. I was so pumped to donate, especially since I would get a free t-shirt out of the deal. We were trying to beat the neighboring township's school drive of 33 pints... I waited all day -- even ate a good lunch -- so that I could donate during my planning block. Skipped a workshop to go donate... Waited for my turn... did all the paperwork and answered all the questions... had my finger poked... passed all the preliminary tests... was the very next person to hit the chair...

... And then I looked at the clock... and realized that I couldn't donate in 15 minutes, rest and still get back for my 5th block students. So I had to get up, and walk out -- as the very next person in line... so I could go back upstairs disappointed and frustrated that I'd wasted my time and didn't get anything done. By the time school was over, the drive was done.

ARGH! And I so wanted a t-shirt!

The next drive is in February, but I'll probably donate back home over the holidays and won't qualify again until after.

Can't help but feel overly bummed about the whole thing.

So... how was your day?

Don't Stop Believin'...

I had an awesome time in Greensboro. Barb was a terrific hostess, and the weather was fabulous. I definitely want to go back soon...

I brought a little friend along with me. Teddy was a gift from my ladies at home, and he came with a CD full of photos taken of him around town. So I could resist taking some Teddy-centric pics myself as we walked around the UNCG campus on a bright, sunny fall afternoon! Take a look at these...

Teddy and I on the UNCG campus...

Barb giving Ted some love

Ted checking out the time on the clocktower...

Chillin' with some statue outside the library...

Ted rides a Schwinn...

By a waterfall...

Grabbing some java at Barb's favorite bean place -- Tate Street Coffee.

Ted stays on top of current events...

Making friends with Scout...

Too bad Ted's underage...

A full week of work this week -- it's only Monday and I'm ready for a weekend! I've been doing some thinking about the future... Trying to figure out what exactly I see myself doing next year. I've definitely learned a lot about myself over the last three months (good and bad), and I hope that I can make the right decision about what's on the horizon for me.

Hope you're all still enjoying above normal weather conditions! Love to everyone!

Rain, rain go away...

It started on Tuesday, and let up yesterday for a little while while the wind whipped up all the leaves that have fallen so far (and probably ripped a few more off the branches)... and then the rain, wind and lower temperatures all combined today to make it one miserable mess.

They call it a tropical depression. I call it summer in Manitoba. (Well, that may be a bit of an exaggeration... maybe.)

I'm headed to Greensboro this weekend, so if I don't post tomorrow it's because I'm madly trying to get my "homework" done so I can enjoy a couple of days without thinking of what's waiting when I return! I am looking forward to the drive, the change of scenery, and of course... the friend I'm visiting!!

Two weeks until my mother comes for a visit!! It's hard to concentrate when something so exciting is peeking over the horizon. Please let the time she's here pass by as slowly as the time it's taking her to get here!

Peace out! :o)

I have the Taz Band-Aid to prove it...

Some of you may know, I have a certain... unusual... dislike for odd numbers. Unless they are multiples of 5, I try my best to avoid them if I can. If I'm adjusting the volume on the TV or on the car radio, I'll bump it up or down so that it sits on an even number. When I first got my class count for this semester, and saw that I had 27 students in one class, I felt a little uneasy. Just ask Mom, who helped me for 2 hours to try and arrange my classroom so that 27 desks felt more like 26 or 28 and less like something that made me feel jittery.

I don't know why I have this strangeness. Maybe it makes me a quirky. I'm not entirely obsessed with it... I mean, I still cope as a civilized human being.

Anyway, the point of this, and maybe you've guessed... Today is 11/9/09. It's a very odd day. The numbers 11, 9 and 9 add to 29, another odd number... And also my new age.

Yup. It's official. I have begun the last year of my 20's. Which seems rather unfair, because it doesn't feel like I've been hanging out in this bracket for 9 years already. I'm waiting for someone to shout "Psych!" and to give me back 5 years. Which doesn't mean that I WANT to be 24 again... or even 25 really. Well, maybe 25. I quite enjoy the experience and independence that each passing year brings. I'm not afraid of getting older... I just ... don't enjoy ... odd numbers.

Thanks everyone, for the birthday wishes. It was a decent day -- nothing overly dramatic, which is almost how I wanted it. I mean, would have been nice for a little extra fanfare, but then again, I don't know how much energy I have for that, either. I mean... I am a whole year older than I was yesterday.

I treated myself to a flu shot this afternoon. I actually signed up for it back in September, but they had problems getting enough vaccines shipped in, so we had to wait. It's not the H1N1 shot, which I haven't seen available in my area. I suppose if I found a primary physician I might be able to get one there. Hmm.

I got a couple of cards in the mail, a gift from Ibeth and a package from my best girls back home. That made me feel special, which was nice. I'm hoping to go out for dinner tomorrow with a few folks. With Wednesday being a holiday, we'll take advantage of some extra social time.

The play is over. I'm rather sad, but on the plus side I get a some spare time back. Which I might fill... or not! It was nice working on the play -- and feeling appreciated. One of the actors actually gave me flowers yesterday as a thank you for helping out. So it does exist. :o)

Okay. I told myself I was just going to lounge tonight -- and I plan to keep that pact. Thanks again everyone for all the support, encouragement and love that you're sending. I feel it all!!

Two down... Two to go!

We've had two live performances of Kipling's "Just So Stories", and so far, we've managed to pull it off! Friday's show was not without it's opening night bumps, including a flub at a particularly dramatic part -- but the cast and the crew managed to cover well enough to make it seem less noticeable.

Yesterday, one of the actresses called the director an hour before the show started to tell her she was "stuck" in Jacksonville, which is about an hour away. We had to do some quick thinking, since we didn't have an understudy for this play. Our stage manager actually stepped into her role, and we did our best to feed her lines and help her out. She did a great job, and saved us all! Hopefully we won't have many other mishaps today -- fingers crossed! Tomorrow the show is for one of the elementary schools. I won't be able to work that show, because I have classes at the time. But by then the actors should all know what they should be doing and will be capable to be on their own for one performance.

Our audiences haven't been very big. We're hoping that a matinee performance will draw a larger crowd. We had about 25 on Friday and less than 10 last night. Not really encouraging -- especially since this play is supposed to be the moneymaker that helps fund the spring musical.

Other than that, I've been trying to have a low-key weekend. I'm bummed that I can't just stay home all day today, but I'm sucking it up!

Hope you're all well! Enjoy your Sunday! :o)

I don't care much for Tangeloes... too many seeds!

This will be a fast post (yeah right) because I've told myself that I want to be back at the school no later than 6 to get ready for the play. No, I'm not acting!! But I am working backstage, and that's a big enough job. I've really been enjoying it, and I'll be a little sad when it's over. It's been the highlight of my week -- pretty much the only highlight...

The rollercoaster of emotions is still speeding around. Bad days are very hard when you don't have loved ones around to help make you feel better. And I've been having a fair amount of bad days... Well, difficult days... Sometimes I wonder if I'm strong enough to do this for more than a year. Are the sacrifices really worth it?

The Day of the Dead event last Sunday was good. The kids were were good with their presentations, and I liked the facility they held it in -- and old house with a lot of interesting history. Ibeth came with me, and she shared a little of what they do back in Colombia to commemorate the occasion.

I was very excited to learn last weekend that the rumors were true -- the Subways in town are open again! Seriously -- this is great. I've missed Subway since coming here, and all three locations in the area were closed because the owner had some sort of tax problem. Well, two of them reopened under new management. The one in the Walmart is still closed... We're speculating on what might go in there... Someone said perhaps a Quizno's. I might just cry.

The regular football season ends tonight, and it's unlikely that our team will get a spot in the playoffs. Rats-ola. They can't all be winning seasons... But it's still disappointing.

I woke up this morning in a cold room in a cold house. The temperature was about 40 (about 4 degrees) when I left for work, but for the first time since I got here, there was frost on my windshield! Tonight's supposed to be cooler... They've actually issued a freeze warning for parts of the state. Brr! LOL!

I'm very much looking forward to the mid-week holiday next week. It'll be a nice change to be home during the day. I can check up on what my "daytime friends" are up to. And then it's only 2 weeks until Thanksgiving... :o)

I'm planning a drive to to Greensboro next weekend to checkout Barb's stomping grounds. It'll be good respite, I think. We'll roam around, drink coffee at some hip java joint... Maybe check out some local entertainment. Looking forward to it. :o)

Okay... I've got to end this now or I'll just keep on rambling. I've still got to change and grab a snack before I leave! Wish us luck! ;o)

Dia des los Muertos

would you believe that I didn't have a single trick-or-treater last night? I've got the bowl full of candy to prove it! Sigh.

I enjoyed that extra hour of sleep we got today. Anyone else? Of course, I'll never remember that in spring when we lose it again. The clock in my bedroom was supposed to change on its own at 2am, but I didn't quite trust it. When I was awake in the morning and the clock read 7am, I didn't quite know if I should trust it!

I'm trying to get a fair amount of work done today in preparation for the week ahead. With the school play being next weekend, there are practices every evening, and I should probably make myself as useful as possible to the crew and actors. I've been given a few tasks for costumes, and I want to make sure I don't leave anyone hanging! If I'm absent for a few days, it's likely because I'm at the school late. I'm really hoping that everything goes smoothly and that the week goes by quickly!

I'm going out in a little while to a presentation by the school's Spanish Honors Society and Spanish Club about "All Souls Day" or "Day of the Dead", which falls on November 2nd. Ibeth says that Colombia is observing it tomorrow (no work for lucky Columbians). It'll be interesting to learn more about the holiday at today's presentation.

Anyway, I've got a number of things running at the same time, and I should probably start finishing up so I can cross some off my to-do list. Take care everyone!