Back to School 07

Classroom decorated? Check.
Roster & schedule in progress? Check.
Lesson plans written? Check.
Aspirin at the ready? Check.
The only thing missing? The students.
I'm so not ready!!!! =)

Middle Name Meme

Thanks to the effulgent Krista Leigh for tagging me for this middle name meme. Funny how tough this was…I blame it on being on summer vacation! Sadly, my brain only has the weekend to get back up to speed! Yikes!

You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

1) Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

2) When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.

3) At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

J – Jetta driver (blue). Fun to drive & don't I look cute in it. =)

A – Animal lover. Especially my Bernie & Gracie, despite the fact that they cost me $220 in vet fees yesterday. Grrrr.

N – Nap Lover. Two years ago my mom told me she was going to get me a gift for my favorite hobby. The gift included mattresses and iron headboard/frame. The hobby? Napping, thank you very much! =)

E – Educator at an Elementary School which is finally accredited.

L – Listening to music. I don’t particularly care for listening to people talk, but I love listening to music! This next week holds at least three concerts! Subsequent early mornings may require the following…

L – Lattes (actually non-fat iced caramel macchiatto, but it’s not an L…) My next thought was liquor!

E – Ellie’s mom. One day. =)

This is almost as bad as coming up with a singles ad! Don’t think I’ll get any hits on this one either!! Haha=)
Jenny, Lisa, Debbie, Donna, Sara, and Joannah (if you have time while planning your wedding!)and Shannon... are you all game? And if any of you haven’t done this and would like to, leave me a post so we can head on over to your blog.

You Say It's Your Birthday...

Happy Birthday to my one and only brother, Shane!

If everything goes as planned, Shane will be accompanying me on my "vacation" to China to get Ellie. He'll be there to carry luggage, block bicycles on the street, pre-taste strange food, video/take pictures, barter, carry packages, run to the store, let me nap... Yeah, he's gonna be the best uncle evah!!! =) You rock, Shane!
It's 29, right?!!?

AFTH families In China

Best wishes to these families (with my agency) as they are united with their daughters sometime today! Doodlebug, Elizabeth and Ju-lie.
These families received their referrals June 6th. How many weeks til travel was that?! But the time has finally arrived!

18 Months since LID

Crazy, isn't it?

The Lie Revealed

I served the pianoman, B*lly J*el, alcohol back in the 90’s.
Yep, back in ’95. Who knew I might be considered an enabler? He came to see Phantom with his young daughter Ale*xa Ray (now a musician). He seemed to prefer the bar over the show. Hmmmm.
Here is a picture of me with another big fan of my bartending skills!

I've entered & finished two half-marathon races. Amazingly yes. Thought I'd try for one more at the end of this summer, but since the heat wave last week, I've gotten lazy. Really lazy. Yeah, be thankful there's no actual picture of me sweatin' it out! =)

I was an extra in Kick boxer 2: The Road Back and met the lead, Sasha Mitchell, who later went on to be a regular in the TV show, Step by Step.They filmed on my college campus and being a drama major, thought it would be fun to go. BORING!! I did find out that “career extras” are total weirdos!! My friend Angelique and her father went. He is a very extroverted and entertaining man and he found his way over to Sasha. We followed of course! Can't find a picture yet in the pile from college...

I spent several weeks taking dance lessons at the Am*erican Ballet Theater studios in NYC.Yeah. Not one of my brightest moments! I thought it was funny that several of you determined this one to be false! Does my profile picture just scream ungraceful / non-dancer?! You know it! If I had spent less time at Serendipity eating frozen hot chocolates I coulda been a contendah...not! Anyway, when I was an undergrad, UC Irv*ne had a singing/acting/dancing semester in NYC program so technically we just used AB*T studios as my friend Michele reminded me (she was there and danced amazingly, BTW!) Altogether it was an awesome opportunity. I was critiqued by Ut*a H*gen and Elisabeth Soderstr*m and I was a bull in a china shop dancing for well known choreographers. Totally Humiliating!







I had dinner with Ma*ura West/“Carly” from As the W*rld Turns. What an uncomfortable conversation/dinner that was! Back in 96, when she was married to her first husband (a non-famous, nice guy) he was best man at the wedding I was in. As Michele commented, her wedding! The rehearsal dinner was beautiful, the soap star...not so much. Sorry if this burst any bubbles, Krista. At least maybe her devious soap character is not a stretch for her, right?! =) No personal pictures of Maura, just a lovely picture of Michele & Tony (and Maura's ex...)

I’ve partied with the boys from Better Than Ezra down in NOLA.I’ve been to NOLA several times, thanks to my friend Angelique (partner in crime from the Kickboxer movie) living there. Although *she* has met up with Kevin & the boys several times, I never have. She was nice enough to get their autographs for me, though. The one which would have been the most fun was the lie! Most unfortunate! I did hang out with Queensryche at a post-show event though...


I wanted to be a W*orld Cup cross country skier. I lived in Norway for several years when I was growing up and absolutely loved to ski. Thought this would be the best job ever! Obviously that fell by the wayside...not so much snow here in this part of Virginia! Good grief all the snow makes this picture blinding.
Thanks for playing, everybody! Kind of fun to reminisce.

Spot the Lie

I finally figured out a few tidbits for this game. Thank goodness I don't think these are the highlights of my life! Just fun facts...well except for one!
Can you find the one that is false?

I served the pianoman, B*lly J*el, alcohol back in the 90’s.

I've entered & finished two half-marathon races.

I was an extra in Kick boxer 2: The Road Back and met the lead, Sasha Mitchell, who later went on to be a regular in the TV show, Step by Step.

I spent several weeks taking dance lessons at the Am*erican Ballet Theater studios in NYC.


I had dinner with Ma*ura West/“Carly” from As the W*rld Turns.


I’ve partied with the boys from Better Than Ezra down in NOLA.


I wanted to be a W*orld Cup cross country skier.

Welcome...

Sophia Unadel!!! Jenny, Dave & Davey will be bringing home baby sister in the next day or so. Sophie was born just after the calendar date flipped to the 9th, our aunt Roberta's birthday, which is funny as Davey was born on our Uncle Bill's birthday.






And to think that I once mentioned adopting from China would probably be the most efficient, predictable way to go!

Simpsonized

After several failed attempts, I have managed to become somewhat Simpsonized like Alison & Mali. Alison's character is a pretty good match! My hair color is kind of seaweedy. I'd better go see my hairdresser before school starts.

If the weather cooperates (i.e., sauna like conditions subside) I'm thinking about lawn tickets for the upcoming Def Leppard, Styx, Foreigner concert. All those good ol' songs...Urgent, Cold as Ice, Hot Blooded, Pour Some Sugar on Me, Hysteria, Too Much Time on My Hands...the hit list goes on and on! Anybody interested in joining the fun?!

I failed...

TEST FOR SMART PEOPLE
The following short quiz consists of four (4) questions and your responses will tell you whether you are qualified to be a professional.
Scroll down for each answer.
The questions are NOT that difficult. But don't scroll down UNTIL you have answered the question!


1. How do you put a giraffe into a refrigerator?


The correct answer is:
Open the refrigerator, put in the giraffe, and close the door. This question tests whether you tend to do simple things in an overly complicated way.

2. How do you put an elephant into a refrigerator?


Did you say, Open the refrigerator, put in the elephant, and close the refrigerator?

Wrong Answer

Correct Answer:
Open the refrigerator, take out the giraffe, put in the elephant and close the door. This tests your ability to think through the repercussions of your previous actions.


3. The Lion King is hosting an animal conference. All the animals attend except one. Which animal does not attend?


Correct Answer:
The Elephant. The elephant is in the refrigerator. You just put him in there. This tests your memory.


Okay, even if you did not answer the first three questions correctly, you still have one more chance to show your true abilities.


4. There is a river you must cross but it is used by crocodiles, and you do not have a boat. How do you manage it?


Correct Answer:
You jump into the river and swim across. Have you been listening? All the crocodiles are attending the Animal Meeting. This tests whether you learn quickly from your mistakes.

According to A Consulting Worldwide, around 90% of the professionals they tested got all questions wrong, but many preschoolers got several correct answers. Anderson Consulting says this conclusively proves the theory that most professionals do not have the brains of a four-year-old.

Happy Birthday...

to my SIL, Dannette! Love and wonderful birthday wishes to you as you celebrate today (and tomorrow)!

August Referrals

Looks like referrals are arriving for those logged in through 11/21/05. Wonderful news for those families! Another 7 day bunch. Pretty much on target with expectations.

August 1st

Three weeks of summer vacation at last! It is also Happy 1/2 birthday to me! Yep, half a year has gone by since my birthday and finding out my dossier was through the review room (finally). Unfortunately it has been another 6 months of just existance, not living. For a few months now I've been going out on a limb, so to speak, to actively bring some fun and purpose into the daily routine (both work and personal). And yet nothing is panning out. I can't seem to figure out how to jump back into the land of the living! I pretty much have another year to go before I have a little one to take care of. A whole year of choices for me and "free time" to do whatever, whenever in my work & social life. And yet I'm stuck in the status quo. Not that I should complain about the status quo, ya know? It's "perfectly fine" to quote my 3 year old niece. Trouble is, perfectly fine is not working. But s'ok, just a lil' pity party. =)

On to other things. The other night I heard Bernie whimpering supposedly over an animal she found in my garden...ok, more appropriately termed an area of wild plant growth! Yesterday I went out in the daylight to check out the spot. I saw movement and almost fell into the tall plants! Thankfully my brother came over to investigate further. He determined that the animals are bunnies! They have burrowed into the dirt surrounded by lots of tall leaves & flowers. Shane helped barricade off the area so Bernie & Gracie will hopefully stay away from that area for the next month or so til the bunnies realize they'd better hop over to the next dog-free yard.