Poker

We went and played Texas Holdem at Fado's last night. Kyle made it all the way to the top 10, and actually was out as ten. He lost on some lucky last card that made the other guy have 3 of a kind. It was boggus.

I was the second person out at the table we started at.

Suzanne is visiting from California, she attends what she calls a clown school there. We met during a play this past summer, The Two Gentleman of Verona. She's one crazy cat.

Anyway, she was also very close to going out of the game when she pulled some moves to get out of the hole. She also lost to a guy getting a lucky 3 of a kind, and she had pocket Aces. That was so crazy!!!

I'm still trying to figure poker out. There some strategy behind betting that I still don't get.

Poker night for the first time was surreal. Geez, there was sooo much smoking, it was disgusting.

Cheers to Kyle and Suzanne! Maybe next time Kyle can win us one of those gift certificates for 1st-3rd place.

OH, and I lost online scrabble to my brother Larry, and he's illiterate, what's up with that? He won with words like ga, goons, and crap crap crap...J/K, he's improved and now I must smush him in our next literati game.

A day of lose for me, yet still a whole heck of fun.

Larry kicked my ass at Literati. I think he cheated. 

Suzanne at Town Lake, showing off clown school techniques. 

See that little pile by the wine glass. That was Suzanne's until she did that whole comeback kid action.

Kyle's chips.  

Suzanne's comeback chips. 

Kyle and Suzanne moving on to the winner's table with their winnings from round 1. 

Thanks Santa!!!!

I'm loving the new camera. Christmas day was tame. I received an awesome new coffee machine from Kyle. It can be programmed to make coffee in the mornings, and it grinds coffee beans right there in the ol' coffee pot. It is swell! I gave Kyle a new grill.

We didn't do much Christmas day. Played Godsstorm Risk, in which I was whomped on. I only had 3 countries left at the end of the game, and these 3 countries all had the plague. I also went to house sit for my brother Larry, and everytime Kyle and I went to do this, someone had already done on the work. It was quite frustrating to drive all that way, only to find everything already done.

Some Christmas Day Pics

Kelly and Kyle.

The tree after all presents have been opened. 

Godsstorm Risk. I'm about to get devasted by the blue. 

Vacation Days

Channukah is over, there were more lovely gifts. I ate 3 more latkes. It was all very lovely, and similar to not being able to write about all the days of Channukah, we did not light the candles a couple of nights.

Now am I vactioning, and snacking quite frequently. I do attribute my high level of snacking to working out, which I have also been doing at 24 hour Fitness. This is a good gym, as it is open 24 hours, it has a pool, and various classes. Not a bad deal.

Today I have been cleaning laundry, for my next trick I will attempt to make oven fried chicken - exciting stuff.

And over the past 3 days I finished 1-3 of a Series of Unfortunate Events, they are cute and super easy to read. Now I'm struggling with what to read next, Will Power or something else. I might end up going to the library. I also have some other kids books I could read.

That's my exciting day so far. My generous brother Larry bought me a taco from Taco Shack. Surprisingly good tortillas. I find that many Tex-Mex restaurants resort to using disgusting preserved tortillas. What are they thinking!!!

Channukah - Day 3

Presents

Mine to Kyle: A back massager.

Kyle's to me: The first season of the West Wing. Great show.

To the Santa's in McAllen: I would like the second season of the West Wing. It can be bought at Best Buy.

Latkes consumed: 0

Channukah-Day 2

Presents:

I gave Kyle: A folding canvas chair. The delux, with cup holder.

Kyle gave me: The Postal Service CD. Track 4 is my favorite, it's about a guys response to the relationship a little to late. Why do they want to marry the girl when she decides to break up with them?

I gave myself the gift of figuring out how to freaking link stuff, instead of cutting and pasting the web address.

Latkes Consumed: 4

Feeling after latkes consumed: Disgustingly full. I really didn't need to eat that one as I was walking out the door.

While it may seem like only Kyle and I are exchanging gifts, that is actually the truth. We did go over to his brother's house tonight, ate, did candles, and watch Drawn Together. What a naughty show. It was all about dooding on a pizza. My favorite kind of tasteless humor.

We'll give everyone else gifts when we get our next pay checks.


Track 4 Lyrics

Nothing Better Lyrics
by The Postal Service

Will someone please call a surgeon
Who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart
That your're deserting for better company?
I can't accept that it's over...
I will block the door like a goalie tending the net
In the third quarter of a tied-game rivalry
So just say how to make it right
And i swear i'll do my best to comply
Tell me am i right to think that there could be nothing better
Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together
I feel must interject here you're getting carried away feeling sorry for yourself
With these revisions and gaps in history
So let me help you remember.
I've made charts and graphs that should finally make it clear.
I've prepared a lecture on why i have to leave
So please back away and let me go
I can't my darling i love you so...
Tell me am i right to think that there could be nothing better
Than making you my bride and slowly growing old together
Don't you feed me lines about some idealistic future
Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures
I admit that i have made mistakes and i swear
I'll never wrong you again
You've got a lure i can't deny,
But you've had your chance so say goodbye
Say goodbye

Fuzzy Dancing Elf

That's my secret santa name, what's yours?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/fun_stuff/christmas/santas_little_helper_names.shtml

Channukah - Day One

5:15-6-15 - Last minute shopping

6:15-7:00 - Last minute gift bagging, hiding, wrapping

7:00 - Dinner at Hoover's - They have got the best hamburgers in Austin. 1/2 a pound, with cheddar and jalepenos. yummy. After being stuffed, I proceed to whine about not having had a latke yet.

7: 45 - Light 1st candle, even though this should happen at sundown.

7:50 - Exchange gift one. Kyle's gift: I made him a pair of what I call "Big Jew" pajama pants, because they are blue with gold menorahs, stars of davids, and dreidels. My Gift: A Shakespeare book Will In the World, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0393050572/qid=1102480639/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-9976709-9260000?v=glance&s=books&n=507846.

10:38 - No latkes to be had. I've been told I'll have to wait until tomorrow.

10:39 - 8 more business days, till my two week break, WHOOOHOOO!!!!

Squid Salad

Just finshed some squid salad.

Yup.

That's about all. And Austin was going to float away, but did not. The sun has decided to come out. The rain did get me out of having to sit through dull staff development. I'm developing meself fine at home, eating squid salad and watching Days of Our Life.

Another reason Texas is great: we can't handle when it ain't sunny.

Commentary on the world: Eh? They discovered some new fish in Guam. That's pretty neat.

Recent Purchases

Over the past couple of day things Kyle or I have bought:

1. The Shins - they were on the Garden State Album
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005JSHW/qid=1101085189/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-1268675-4099366?v=glance&s=music&n=507846

2. Wycleff Jean - I really enjoy that song Bullet in Your Bubbagoose with Wycleff and Cartman, so I decided to actually try another CD of his. The president song on this album is intriguing.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002WZTB6/qid=1101085259/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/102-1268675-4099366?v=glance&s=music

3. Three tickets to Briget Jones 2 - why 3? because we bought one for our friend Ash who has only 2.25 cents to his name and he loves to bawk at the idea of my charitable offerings, instead offering to buy me a junior bacon cheeseburger for my troubles.
http://www.bridgetjonestheedgeofreason.co.uk/

4. A Happy Bunny pen for Ash which states: Cute but psycho, due to the whole pushy cheeseburger business. We were also needing a pen to start our writing group, which has met only once and was very sucessful and productive. Happy Bunny is so viciously cute.
http://www.jimbenton.com/itshappybunnytolicensees.html

5. A new red journal to start my writing group and to add to the other 10 blank notebooks I have sitting around.

6. The new Strongbad email dvd. You can watch them the traditional way here:
http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail.html

7. Reading Lolita in Tehran - A book that I bought last weekend and started to read this weekend. It's really good so far.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/081297106X/qid=1101085956/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-1268675-4099366?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

And those are the memorable purchases. I'd like to add digital camera to the list, but Ash talked me out of it when were at Fry's. And I can't seem to win one on Ebay. Bummer.

I feel like talking about my purchases is theraputic, cuz about 15 mins. ago I had the itching to go out and buy something. Now, not so much.

Dear Santa

I WANT A DIGITAL CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!!!

And someone keeps out bidding me on ebay!!! Damn you !!

Pictures for the Kansas Wedding and Ren fest

Fairy art in the dirt at the Ren-Fest.

A Texas castle. 

What are these half men/half horses called? I can't remember at the moment. Alas, a picture from the Renaissance Festival. 

The bag pipe player playing on the biggest hill in Kansas before the wedding. 

Kyle and I on what appeared to be the biggest hill in Kansas. 

A lake in Kansas, next to the wedding we went to. This one may look postcardesque, but I did take it with my disposable camera.

In honor of it being....

more than a month since I have written. Let's review what I have done over the past 4 weeks:

--rehearsed a play, Midsummer Nights Dream, put on the play at the ol' Dog n' Duck and the Hide out for two weekends.

--attempting to teach two different grade levels novels. (6th grade - Island of the Blue Dolphins, 7th - Scorpions - about gangs and guns and stuff ....the students are a least paying attention.)

--went to a workshop for ESL students.

-- read plays with a girls/women only group

--saw my parents one night.

--currently working on the UIL junior high play.

--stay at school till forever (not always true, but most people are outta there by 4:00)

--started to take tennis lessons, have since stop due to the playand crappy weather

--went to the Renaissance Festival...there was a cool fire show there.

And that doesn't seem like much. Seems like I have been more busy than that. This week we are going to the Madrigal Dinner, which is dinner and a performance, and we are also going to see a play, The Philomel Project.

Next week, NO STUDENTS! Two staff days, and 5 days off! I love Thanksgiving.

Land of Oz

This past weekend I basked in the beautiful weather of Wichita, Kansas (at least Sat. was nice). Kyle, Rob (Kyle's best friend from BCS) and I trekked 8 hours. It was actually a longer drive with all the bathroom breaks from coffee and water, and the constant need for a snack, something, anything to stay awake at 2 in the morning. Yup, we left after work and right along side the OU-Tex traffic.

We went to see a friend's wedding. It was absolutely beautiful. They dressed up in renaissance costumes and asked their guests to do so as well. It was a gigantic park in Wichita, and at the moment I can't remember the name. The ceremony was outside and the reception was inside. Many men wore Scottish kilts, there was a bag pipe player, bells to ward off the evil spirits at the end of the ceremony, and this amazing wine (blackberry, sand plum, and elderberry amongst the flavors). They did the reception room up like a renaissance banquet hall, lots of candles, and we ate soup in bread bowl. People sure are creative when it comes to weddings.

Sunday, the weather was absolute crap. It was cold and rainy, driving in that is no fun.

We stopped in Oklahoma city to see the Federal Building Memorial. It was incredibly moving. For whatever reason, I think because I had just started college and wasn't watching the news or reading newspapers, I did not realize how severe this terrorist event was. The memorial revolves around the time of the event the day starts, the bomb explodes, and the chaos begins. The images that really bother me are the kids.

I highly recommend seeing this memorial if you are ever in Oklahoma City. Here's more info about it http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/.

Home sweet home, Texas is better than Oklahoma or Kansas. I'm glad I live here instead of there, better roads, more stuff to do, and the Czech stop in West, Texas with yummy kolaches...mmmmmm...and wonderful sunny but cool weather today.

The Princess Peep for Dyan

http://www.cattail.nu/bride/index.html

nuff said...

Funny Stuff

Beware this link has breast and stuff....I'm posting it for the Sept. 29 video, Bush plays with the world. It's the one linked as the strangest video they've seen, or something like that. I think it's a www. moveon.org video.

It's funny.

Sorry Bushees, you don't have to watch it.

I'm had a workshop today, because on top of everything else I am doing, I said I would mentor a new teacher. I'll really like to overload my plate.

Anyways back to the grind tomorrow. Playing BINGO tomorrow...which they like to do.

REGISTER TO VOTE!!!

Only 4 more days !!!!!!!!!!!!!


ps i just took that link off cuz it had weird porno links...

Wasting Time...Relaxing

Just wanted to link what I'm currently reading. Fer the heck of it....

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0441009344/qid=1096413649/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-2832714-3547844?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

yay, long link, it's an interesting read.

Not Bad for a Monday

My worst class today really surprised me. They actually wanted to read a play about Cesar Chavez. I had kids really eager to play roles. I was quite shocked. And they read for the whole class period. Yes!!! They did.

One of my students ( a gringo) played Cesar Chavez. He was really funny, put a lot character into it. Imagine: a border town gangster, with their plaid shirt buttoned at the top, and a bandana on their head. Remeber what they sound like...que paso weigh (sp?)...well that's sort of what he sounded like. I wasn't offended, because it was too cute and funny.

This is the class magazine we were using...

http://teacher.scholastic.com/products/classmags/action.htm

good for the level of kids I teach. It's also cool cuz it has people the kids seem interested in, like the next issue has Will Smith on the cover.

Now my worst student was absent (just throws the whole class off). I'm hopeful this will happen again, the reading as a class, although I don't know. If spawn of satan returns, well...the class reading out loud might not work so well.

I also finished a bunch of boring repeatative paperwork...Go ME!

Yom Kippur

This past Friday and Saturday we celebrated Yom Kippur or the Jewish high holiday of review and reflection (aka Jewish New Year), with Kyle's family in B-CS. We went to a lot of services and fasted on Saturday. I didn't completely fast, because I was feeling sick from allergies and I am highly addicted to caffiene, so I just had a mocha.

It is an interesting holiday, and a highlight is the break the fast, which is a mad rush for food at the end of the last service on saturday.

Today I haven't done much. I have procrastinated quite a bit. I wasted about 3 hours or so with my new toy, http://www.audible.com/adbl/store/welcome.jsp. ( if anyone joins, say I recommended you, I can save money on an Ipod.) They are offering a MuVo with a membership, which I understand to be an MP3 player, at least I'm hoping, cuz I'd sure like an MP3 player. It's a neat idea, methinks, download books and what not. I like being able to download books and burning them to cds to use in my classroom. So if you join, say I recommended you. There have been some issues with this new toy, mind you. We will hopefully be able to fix them tonight.

UMMMM...yes, still procrating, I just did 15 mins of work, and I'm already tired of doing grades. It's really not that hard, since Kyle set up an awesome gradebook for me on Excel. I've just got a bad case of the lazies. BUH-AD!!!

I wish there was something good on T.V. to help distract me more.

Peace out!

Labels

Does anyone know what computer program I need to use to make labels for a mailout? I have to send a bunch of paperwork out next week.

Not much has happened since a couple of hours ago. I know, I know... I should have made a couple of movies, signed some autographs, sipped martini's with the UT football team, gone to see my masseuse (sp?)...not so.

Kyle made a great dinner. He's the chef around here.

I'm watching Dave Letterman, and he's mocking Oprah's giving out free cars to her audience. He just gave his audience car air fresheners. HAHA!

Anyways, I should go to bed.

Tomorrow is another hellacious day of testing at school. And they put me with my WORST class for almost FIVE HOURS!!!! I might go crazy. UUGGHH! I hate testing.

Thought this was funny...

http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/21/news/funny/prez_masks/index.htm?cnn=yes

I'll admit the G-double-yah looks nicer. Who ever made the Kerry mask, did not capture his finer features. He looks stunned, caught sitting on the toilet...

Doesn't mean anything that his masks aren't selling, right?

Post more later, time to do stinking paperwork, Friday's the last day of the six weeks.

I thought

...nobody was reading this, so I haven't been posting. But if you are reading, you can leave comments if you want. I guess just so I know.

This weekend was pretty much a lot of time wasted.

We went to a party on Friday, to say goodbye to our friend Lizz who is going to England to get here Doctorate in some sort of Shakespeare. We partied. Picked up Ash on the way. He was crazy as ever, but he is recovering well from being hit by a motorcyle. This wasn't a waste of time, it was fun, the majority of the time.

Then Saturday, we were kind of hung over, and ended up playing computer games all day. Snuck in some grocery shopping at 11:00 at night and a couple of errands.

Then today, we played Dungeons and Dragons, which I have become kind of uninterested in, so I left early. Kyle stayed. Which sucked, because we had planned to make dinner together. He still isn't home and it's almost 11.

Anyway there is an MS walk in October if anyone want's to do it or donate money.

http://nationalmssociety.org/txh/event/event_detail.asp?e=9236

Kyle and I are planning to register. So I'll let you know where you can donate money to it, if you would like. His mom has MS, and it seems like a good cause to help progress research in MS. They still don't know what causes it and there is no cure.

That's all that's been going on. A whole lot of wasted time. I should have been grading paper or lesson planning, and did I? A little bit on Friday, that's about it.

AND AM I EVER CRAVING A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE!!!

So yay

Well it's been a while. We did indeed buy a new Toyota Matrix. I don't know how we have been living without A/C and a CD player!!! Those simple features bring a lot of joy to the driving experience.

I also recently, like last week, became department chair/lead teacher or what you will, of the special eductation department at my school. So I have been quite busy, trying to navigate through the paperwork nightmare that was left to me. The nightmare is subsiding and now I just have to work with being a "leader." And well, sifting through the never ending paperwork of Special Ed.

We did not do much for Labor day weekend. We did see Garden State, which was awesome, and bought the soundtrack, which I adore. There are many songs with the theme of life as beautiful and beauty in breaking down. Just a really great album.

So yay, the work grind shall begin again, a four day week. Quite lovely. Actually 3 day, cuz I get a sub tomorrow so I can finish this paperwork crapola!

Nissan's Dead

Kyle's Nissan truck died today. It needs a new engine that costs $1100. Rather than continue servicing an old truck, we now, most definitely need to buy a new car asap.

Today we went through that wonderful process of trying to apply. We'll hear back tomorrow to see if it will work out.

Austin had the best weather today, a cold front came in and it felt like spring! I could not believe it. Beautiful day!

And I'm feeling less stressed about the first day. The atmosphere amongst the staff at the school where I work is really positive at the moment. Everyone wants to support these kids and make the school a better place. There's good energy going on, and I'm hoping it's not just the concept of a fresh start, but a deeper transition that is occuring. I'm feeling good about the first day, at least right now.

I heard the U.S. has a new poet laureate - Ted Kooser. I heard him read a poem on NPR, you can hear it at http://www.npr.org/display_pages/features/feature_3848265.html?place=home02. Sounds like it might be some good work, I mean he is the poet laureate...duh! I intend to check it out.

And now I know how to spell laureate...whoohoo!!

Hamsters for Kerry

Goooo rodents!!!!

http://www.hamstersforkerry.com/

That's all. I'm really hot (due to crappy a/c unit) and can't fall asleep (due to school starting in 5 days, and having nothing planned for the 1st day).

Kyle and I test drove some cars today, Nissan Sentra and Toyota Matrix and Corrolla (sp?) . I think decided on the matrix. It's a pretty sweet ride.

A Stone Dragon

After 5 minutes of lesson planning, I needed a break and decided to take a dragon quiz. Turns out I'm a Stone Dragon.

To take the quiz...http://dragonhame.com

I'm tired of unpacking boxes.

and my inner dragon is a ....
Stone DragonIn the war between good and evil, a Stone Dragon tends to walk the fine line of Neutrality.When it comes to the powers of Chaos vs. those of Law and Order, your inner dragon walks a fine line between Law and Chaos.As far as magical tendancies, a Stone Dragon's nature does not lend itself well to the ways of Magic.During combat situations, a true Stone Dragon prefers to defeat opponents by the use of spells and other tactics.

Dragon Description:
The Stone Dragon varies in color, ranging from a dark grey to nearly white. As it's name implies, it's texture is stone like, and often it's coloring will actually resemble marble, granite or some other indigenous rock.

The Stone Dragon builds it's home deep underground, using it's powerful claws to scoop earth and stone away. Did you hear me? Yes, it uses its claws to dig through stone, which also makes it a powerful fighter in close combat.

Luckily for most would be enemies, the stone dragon lives far enough in seclusion that seldom does it have a need to use either it's claws, or it's devastating lava breathe weapon.Even though the Stone Dragon lives far under the earth, it is quite social and often makes friends and allies with the deep dwarves that share it's habitat.

This Dragons favorite elements are: Granite and Loyal Friendships

Very Full

I'm very full right now. I ate at a bunch of good restaurants today in Round Top. Kyle says I should be honest and say I only ate two meals. I feel like I ate all day.

Napoleon Dynamite is a new hero of mine. The man is stuck in the 80s. The character, Pedro, also deserves much applause for his role. Yes, he displays stereotypical Latino qualities, alas I am still happy to see people of color in films, even if he uses his thug-esque brothers to help him when an election. Check out the movie, lots of funny moments. Made me regret not ever getting Glamour Shots when I was in junior high.

http://sundance.weblogsinc.com/entry/3463694269313459/

We have decided to go see Manchurian Canidate tonight. I'm looking forward to it, I've heard a lot of good things about it.

Other than seeing Shakespeare plays the past two days, haven't done much more than that. I was able to meet up with lots of old friends, which was very nice. The Super 8 in Giddings treated Kyle and I great. I did make him trick them by telling him he was staying the night by himself.

The anxiety nightmares about the new school year have begun. Last night, I dreamt I had to teach a class with 30 students, I had two classrooms, and no materials to teach them with.

I talked with an ex-winedale friend of mine today. She is teaching in New York. She said, "Yay, the school flunked all the 7th graders." Supposedly, the little darlings were so horrible, they managed to break 10 teachers. I can honestly say, the school I teach at is not that bad. I'm hopeful.

2 more days till workshops
8 more till the students return

Sushi Boat Attacks

Last night I saw the Bourne Supremacy, it was alright. I had not seen the first one and did not know what to expect. There definitely wasn't much dialog. But Bourne is pretty much a bad-ass. If you have read the books, supposedly it is nothing like it.

We also ate Sushi last night at Umi. It was all very good, except with the hot roll with the japanese mayo on it. Bleck! I almost retched at work today, just thinking about. Could be I hate mayo.

The only tragic part of the meal was that Kyle was hit in the head with the 3 foot sushi boat. He's okay, it was mostly funny, and the waitress felt horrible. Hehe...it was pretty funny.

I worked today for the lovely American Express doing filing to make extra money. I don't know if I could do that for a living again. It's mostly uneventful.

Off to check the news!

Saying Something

I heard someone mention, that unless you have something to say don't bother with a blog.

What a sucko!

I could sit here and argue about how wonderful blogs are, but I don't feel like it. Most people have something to say, and I think being able to keep up with someone else's life from a distance isn't a horrible thing.

I've become real lazy about email. I'll probably get lazy about this too, or just get soo busy I won't be able to keep up.

I think all my friends should get blogs, so I can know when they poop and everything.

Today is another day of packing and unpacking in this suck of all suck weather. I forsee myself packing and unpacking for a couple more weeks.

5 more days till I have to go back to school. cry

Addict

Today I am a blogging addict. This is my second blog site I've created in the past hour. Yes, I have some time on my hands.

Not much, just don't want to go outside, the heat is unbearable.

I love Shakespeare, by the way. We (Poor Tom Productions) just wrapped up Two Gentlemen of Verona on Sunday. It was bloody hot! Both the play and the weather.

Why is Shakespeare still so great?