Tired and more tired

yawn

I was sick earlier this week. So much so that I missed class on Monday evening, and on Tuesday evening as well. I hate having to miss class! I get this sick satisfaction from having perfect attendance. :( But that won't happen this semester.

It was a yucky situation involving vomit that no one would want to hear about in great detail. Suffice it to say, I felt like poo, and now I feel better.

Except that I'm sleepy. Being sick takes a lot out of a person, you know?

Also - I have to apologize to you, Kakes... I shouldn't have told you about the Etsy. It's like I've turned you on to Meth - and I have to take responsibility for that. I might even need to suffer some dire consequences. (like finishing reading book 4 for example?) ;)

Almost 10! I think I can justify the getting ready for bed process beginning right about.........

now

-b

hey blue, here is a shell for you

don't know why i'm feeling off today. yesterday too. i'm just not comfortable in my skin, in my head, my house, etc...

alex is picking up on it - and because he's so sweet, he's feeling guilty - and hoping that he isn't the cause. he's not. i don't honestly know what is the cause. probably - it's just stress. but i am rather stressed also about my weight loss. i've stalled out yet again, and i'm getting really frustrated again. it seems like i only loose the week after a fill, and then i'm stuck in neutral for the other three weeks.

it sucks.

i've been trying all day to clean up this house. i'm so tired of having to step around piles of crap all the time. boxes from our move, suitcases from trips, dirty laundry, books, aaaaaackkkkkkk! but each time i get one or two things accomplished - i loose steam, and i stop working. i haven't touched my laundry yet - and my bathroom is a disaster. but i really wanted to get the living room/dining room/kitchen area cleaned, since those are the common rooms. we'll see if tomorrow morning brings new motivation to work.

also - i'm tired of all the reading i've been doing for my young adult literature class. it was fun at first - but now, i'm really not in the mood to read a bunch more books. there were seventeen required titles, ten outside reading choices, 2 text books, and 1 literature circle choice. although i'm enjoying the class, i really think that 30 required books for any one class is beyond excessive.

i'm ready for this semester to be over. i'm ready for the wedding. i'm ready for the honeymoon. honestly, i'm ready to be done with my phd, and to move back to tulsa.

i'm just bleah...

Not only survived... Excelled

So - when I left you, I was still starting on my Masters, starting being a teacher, and starting to live with Alex...

Well - now, I'm in my PhD program (having earned a 4.0 in my Masters) have 3 years teaching experience, and am engaged to marry Alex in about 2 1/2 months.

I am a person who accomplishes that which she sets out to accomplish.

I have to write that, so when I look back at this, I can remember that I am a person who accomplishes that which she sets out to accomplish. I am. So, the next time I'm feeling like I'm going to fail at something, or that I won't be accepted for some reason, I just need to remind myself of all I've succeeded with - and all I am capable of.

Enough of the back-patting. I am sitting, currently, at my usual spot in Collings Hall at OU waiting for my evening class to begin. On Tuesday and Thursday nights, I'm in class until after 10pm. My schedule this semester is nothing short of impossible, but I'm midway through - and not dead yet... So onward!

The wedding... Well, it's going to be perfect. Despite all the drama that has come up, or will come up - I know that I will look beautiful, Alex will look handsome, and we will make our vows to one another in front of our loved ones, and in front of God. Unfortunately, Mom may wind up divorced before that happens. I am reasonably sure that she will have dissolved her very crumbly marriage long before Thanksgiving arrives. It makes me sad for her - because I don't want to see her alone. But she truly thinks that alone is the best way for her to be. Well - not completely alone, I'm sure she'll date - but she is not interested in marrying again. And who can blame her.

More soon...

-a

I'm back!

Okay - it's time to start blogging again. Now that I have no students under the age of 18 - I feel like I can return to the realm of the blogosphere.

Look for new and improved posts - much hilarity - and many many more mishaps!!

-a

Blogger's done for me.

Sorry. I tried. But I'm done with the blogspot.

I've got a myspace.

See you there.

"Amber, why are you awake so early?"

Well, that's an excellent question. It can be answered by a cliche... "Guilt is an extremely good motivator". Ya see - my nephew is visiting his mother this week - he from Memphis - and she living in Missouri. Naturally, when he is within a 2 hour drive as opposed to a 9 hour drive, I want to make the effort to see him. So I arranged to go pick him up today, bring him to Tulsa so my mom and I could see him, then share with my dad - and let dad take him back.

Here's where the guilt comes in... I have 2 other nephews who - admittedly - I haven't really been involved with their lives. I also have a niece. I am less involved with her life now than I was when she was a baby, but she is 13 - and can understand easier why I am more distant. In any case my other 2 nephews each have a football game today. One beginning at 9am. And my sister - bless her - has made me feel so guilty for not going up there more often - that I set my alarm for 6am, and I am giving my Saturday to the Guilt Gods in the hopes that I can feel good about myself as an auntie once again.

Did I mention I wrecked my car yesterday? a $600 screw up provided by yours truely.

Also - are any of you secretly wealthy? I need about $35,000. I really don't even know how to begin to get that kind of money. *Sigh*

Maybe next year

:(

They lost.

It wasn't a blow-out, but my Sooners lost. And the Texas quarterback was good. Not good. REALLY GOOD. It's going to be a long stretch of years while he is in charge.

In other news - I'm having my first cold of the season. Sore throat, stuffy nose, congested head and chest. Good times. PS - Tylenol has these cold medicine pills that they put flavor on the coating. Why they would do this is beyond me. When you are sick enough to have to take cold medicine, the last thing you want is a funky taste in the back of your throat. But that's what you get. Cool Burst in the daytime package, and Berry Burst in the nighttime package. I actually in my fuzzy headed state last night wondered whether I was supposed to chew or swallow the damn things. In short - they're gross, and they don't work as well as NyQuil. So don't waste your money.

Today is Sunday, and I've enjoyed a leisurly morning. I got up - cleaned a little bit, then had coffee and read the paper. After being defeated by the crossword - I logged online, and decided to post on my little blog here.

I know I've said it before - but I'm not sure how much longer I'll continue the blog. Or maybe I'll move it. I know it doesn't have my name on it really - but Travis (one of the teachers at my school) just had his Myspace vandalized by a kid. Well - vandalized isn't the best word. The kid got on there, and sent him a myspace email message with a VERY ugly content. I really don't want any of my kids on here. Not that I think any of them would write something ugly. I actually think that the vast majority of my kids like me. But I wouldn't want them to know as much personal stuff about me as what I write here. And I also wouldn't want to censor myself. So - I guess you could say I am at a crossroads. And I don't want to switch to blogging on Myspace because 90% of the time, I can't get the blog feature to actually function on there.

We'll see what I come up with.

My candle business is getting of to a shaky, but much more sure start now. I'm hosting a debut show at my house on Oct. 21. If you live in the area, and would like to attend, please email me. :) I'd be happy for ANYONE who is interested to attend. :)

Out for now.

It's 9:06pm

...and Texas still SUCKS!!!

And no matter the outcome of the game tomorrow - THEY WILL STILL SUCK. :)

Oh, the hate... It runs deep. And it's real.

Naturally, I'm hoping for my guys in Crimson and Cream to come out with a victory.

I'm sure that they can.

I'm watching Law & Order right now. Just wanted to check in.

oily marks appear on walls where pleasure moments hung before

HAPPY OCTOBER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fall. My favorite season. Okay - really fall and winter are tied for first place in my mind. But right now, I'm ready for some pretty foliage, and fires in the fireplace. And pumpkins!

Not so much ready for grading papers - although that comes with the territory of Fall. We'll see if I can fit that into my schedule for today. If I don't, I don't. :)

T minus six days to OU/saxet. (one of the first things one learns as an OU student is how to spell the word "Texas" upsidedown and backwards)

I'm not sure it's going to be a fun turnout - but still, I can always get up for OU/saxet. Even in the John Blake years.

It's been a stressful week for me. With the planning and preparing for this Dry Gulch camp thing at work - I've been one busy girl who has seen more of her classroom than her living room. I was so distracted and stressed out on Wednesday morning, that I actually fell down. Not just tripped and sort of fell, but full-out, sprawled out on the ground, crying on the floor, rugburn on my knee, fell down. It hurt both my feelings, and my body. Then, upon arrival to work that morning, the wind slammed my car door shut on my back. It was shaping up to be one of THOSEdays. Miraculously, I lived through it pretty much unscathed, and unscarred.

On my way to dishes, laundry, and grading papers. Doesn't sound like a relaxing Sunday - but it's the closest I'm gonna get.

Thanks, Davey! I needed a swift kick in the arse!

Hello again my faithful!

Thanks to Davey, (my homie from the mitten) I'm back and ready to update you on me. (Since I'm an expert on the subject!)

As you can imagine, I've been SWAMPED with work! 10 hour days MINIMUM! It's insane, and it's about to get crazier because we do a 3day/2night camping trip with the 8th graders the 2nd week of October, and there is a mountian of paper work and prep work to go along with it. Naturally, I'm right there in the middle of the planning, and the stress. From what I hear, though - once this camp gets pulled together, and executed - it's the most fun thing of the year. Let's hope that information was accurate. :)

The majority of my work - outside of grading papers, creating worksheets, quizzes, lesson plans, etc... - has been dealing with the parents. These parents LOVE LOVE LOVE their children! And that they should! These kids are truly fabulous people. I have great confidence that they will be running the world in about 15 years. They will do very well. But the parents are so involved in their childrens lives that they are emailing me and calling me and setting up conferences with me over every single low grade, question, big homework assignment... Which wouldn't be a big deal if I taught only 30 students, but multiply that type of high maintenance by 137 - and welcome to my nightmare! :) To be honest, though - I am happy to have parents like these who only want the best for their kids. And eventhough I have to sometimes really go to the mattresses and defend my grading, assigning, etc... I'm okay with putting up that fight. These are good, noble people. And so am I. And at the end of the day, we all just want what is best for their children. I guess you could say I've gone the complete cycle... Denial - the parents won't come after me! Admitting - these parents are kicking my ass! Anger - who do these people think they are to question me!?!? and Acceptance - We're on the same side, we just don't all realize it yet. :)

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood today. The sun is shining, it's about 74 degrees out... We've got every window in the house open, and the fans going. The house smells clean and fresh - and the air is light. It's just damn near perfect.

And then, my Sooners will be kicking off in about 20 minutes. So - I'll have a football game to top of my wonderful, relaxing, not-a-care-in-the-world Saturday.

OOH! Alex and I got new cell phones! I'm totally high tech now. I have a bluetooth headset and everything! We also switched carriers... My number is the same, but I'm now with Cingular. It's saving us tons of cash - and I think we will both be a lot happier with Cingular than we were with the other guys.

My candle business is getting off to a shaky and slow start. I closed my first catalog party yesterday. I didn't do stellar sales, or anything like that - but it was a start. I need to get more people interested. But since I don't have friends that come over to the house - it's really difficult to do the whole "Wow, Amber! Your house smells amazing! What is that?" Well, friend #4, that would be my Gold Canyon Candle in the cool and refreshing Ginger Lime Scent. Let me show you what else we have..." So - I've basically been harassing people via email to buy my candles. If I've recently harassed you - A: I'm sorry, and B: SO BUY A CANDLE ALREADY! ;)

Alright - 15 minutes to game time... I'm going to get myself all set up on the sofa. I wish you all a lovely evening! And I promise to try to check in more often! :)

September Saturday

Hello! Greetings! Salutations!

Welcome to my three-day-weekend bliss. :) Not only do I not have to go to work on Monday, but there is also a game tonight at 6!!! Now, in an ideal world - I would be going to said game, but watching it on TV will have to suffice, since I do not have season tickets. (mainly because they are WAY WAY WAY too expensive)

Work has been bleeding me dry. All I do is work. I am there by 730 at the VERY latest, and I think the earliest I left this week was 430, but I averaged more like 530 or 6. I get home, eat dinner, and then am usually in bed - or on my way there - by 9. It's a sad existence.

Furthermore - I've decided to endulge my Big Brother 7 obsession by getting the live feed for the last couple of weeks. The people in these chat rooms are so vapid it's rediculous. So - I don't enter the chats, I just watch. Like a good little voyeur. It's really sad, I know... But I'm so interested. PLUS! One of my students looks and acts creepily like Dr. Will.

I get so tired of the people who watch BB7. They seem to be stuck in high school. They only want the popular, cheerleader/football player-types to win. They NEVER root for (or sympathize with) the nerd, or the mother of 3, or (god forbid) the older person. It sickens me to see how many BB7 fans are in love with Janelle. Here is the epitome of vapid. She's a one-trick pony, folks... She flirts. That is how she gets as far as she does in the game. Sure, she can win competitions... But if she didn't flirt with key men in the house - it wouldn't matter. And why people don't see that she was one of the first to betray her alliance is beyond me. She isn't loyal, she isn't particularly clever. She's manipulative, and a tease. And that's who America is chosing. Sad. Meanwhile - Dr. Will has been the puppet master all season long. He has orchestrated everything that has happened inside of that house from start to finish. Although he is not "America's Choice" to win - he should. He played the game every minute he was in there. Granted - he made Janelle think that he was interested in her - when he is not... Granted - he lied at every opportunity. But it is not his fault that people believed him. My theory - if you're playing BB - either lie 100% of the time, or don't lie at all. It is the people who only lie once or twice who are villanized.

And if you don't watch BB - you've totally lost interest in my blog. Oh well. It's pretty much the only thing I've got going outside of work right now.

Alex and I are doing fine. But not seeing much of each other - since he is taking some classes this semester, and I am working all the time. Two nights a week - we literally see each other for half an hour before I need to go to bed.

I'm going to go run some errands now. :) And continue to enjoy my time away from work. :)

Okay, okay.... I guess I'll post

*grumble*

But I'm tired, and I won't promise anything wonderful.

I've been SWAMPED! And by "swamped", I mean at work 10 hours a day. I even went in last Saturday. It's been a whirlwind. But, I can honestly say that after this first week, I feel like an old pro. I'm not apprehensive or nervous. I feel like I'm a good teacher, and I know what I'm doing. I admit there are still times when I won't know what I'm doing, but they will definitely be fewer and farther between.

I've got a good group of kids. There are a couple who are more high-maintenance than the others... But none are too much to handle. :) They are EXTREMELY hard-working. And, I was even able to have a silent classroom for the majority of the week. :)

In other news - I've started a side job... I'm selling Gold Canyon candles now. They are better smelling than Yankee candles - and more reasonably priced. I was a customer, and then my cousin Cathy (who sells them) convinced me that I should make money off of my addiction. And thus - a dealer was made. :)

So - if you want to order candles, I'm your girl. And you should see (and smell) the Fall and Winter line! YUM-O! In other "yum-o" news - it's my girl Rachael Ray's birthday. I know she doesn't read - but I'm sending her best birthday wishes anyhow. :)

I haven't had much of a life outside of work in the past couple of weeks. So there isn't much else to report.

Ciao

ASSIGNMENT

WATCH BLADE, THE SERIES TONIGHT ON SPIKE TV AT 9PM CENTRAL!!!

DO IT!

A week without posts

HECTIC WEEK!!! I spent 4 solid days last week on Marmee's party - then yesterday had to start setting up my classroom. Today was the first day we were required to be back at work. The kids don't have to be there until Aug 21st. And eventhough it is a lot of fun to be there without the kids - it still doesn't seem fair.

I am literally falling asleep while typing this.

Guess i'm on my way to bed.

I always thought Miranda and Steve were meant for each other.

Greetings my faithful!

Busy week ahead! My Grammy arrived today, and plans are starting to take shape for Marmee's upcoming party. (this coming Saturday, the 12th at 630pm - if you're in the area, SHOW UP!!! Email me for details)

So much to do to get ready for the party. I have a list a mile long of groceries and liquor and other crap to buy.

But I don't want to complain. The party should be great. I'm really looking forward to it!! :)

In other news - we learned this week that my thyroid is sluggish. Doy! I could have told someone that about 6 years ago. But I finally have a new doctor who was willing to run tests on me - and lo and behold, she discovered an issue. So I'll be starting some medicine for that. Hmm... It will be interesting to have a metabolism again. :)

I need to get some sleep. Alex is taking an intensive class this week. It goes Mon-Thu from 830am-730pm. But it's just one week. Anyhow, I have to get up in the morning with him and send him off to school. (How June Cleaver am I?) ANd then Grammy and I will hang out a bit. We're going to have to map out a plan of attack for this party. :)

Hope all is well out there with you. Drop me a line.

Pudding Pops!

Picture pages, picture pages
Time to get your picture pages
Time to get your crayons and your pencils!

Picture pages, picture pages
Time to get your picture pages
Time to let Bill Cosby do your
Picture page with you!!

Enjoy them!!

On our way!

On our way!,
originally uploaded by amberqt.

Here we have me, and my sweetheart in the Tulsa Airport on the way to Vegas!!

Aren't we the cutest couple you've EVER seen??? :)

Bellagio Water show

Bellagio Water show,
originally uploaded by amberqt.

This is also from our room. Bally's is accross the street from the Bellagio. We had a perfect view of the water show. Every fifteen minutes. :) (It was prettier at night!)

Fake Eiffel Tower

Fake Eifel Tower,
originally uploaded by amberqt.

If only this were a shot of the real Eiffel Tower in a hotel room in Paris. *le sigh*

Room with a view

Room with a view,
originally uploaded by amberqt.

This was the night view from our room down the strip. The building at the very end in the middle is the Mandalay Bay I think. You can barely make out New York New York, and just next to the Eifel Tower is, of course, the Paris casino.