Choices

Today I made a lot of choices.  Most of them were easy.  One or two of them took superhuman strength.

All in a day's work, I guess.

Chicken or Beef?

My daughters order pizza.  I knew better than to choose pizza.  I chose chicken.

Now to the preparation:  One chicken patty seasoned like a sirloin burger, the other like baked chicken.

 Chicken seasoned chicken on the left, sirloin seasoned chicken on the right.  Both broiled in the oven 6 minutes per side.  I just guessed with the time.  

Taste test winner:  Sirloin Ground Chicken Patty.   

(the one on the right)

 Chicken.  It's what's for supper tonight.

Chicken Burger and Sweet Potato Fries.

Believe it or not, I had this entire meal from refrigerator to table in the same time it took my daughters to  get take out pizza.  

I'm glad I made the right choice for today.

And I wish they were all this easy.

Lots of stuff

I need to do some laundry.

I need to vacuum this rug by the computer.

I need to "push play" on P90X.

I need to feed our pet.

I need to finish my resume.

But right now I'm reading blogs.

Do your standards bother others?

I'm not exactly sure that's what I mean.

Let me give you a few examples to better explain my question.

I do not gossip.  Yes, when I was younger I did.  But I realize now that it's not so much "the news" that is enticing.  It's the "us four and no more" attitude.  Some people get a thrill out of knowing the scoop and repeating it being sure to make it much more interesting with a little embellishment here and there.  It's also the "Look!  We are so much better than her" thrill some people get.  All that being said, I'm older and wiser and senseless talk is boring to me.  I'm just not interested.  And it really does make me think less of gossip girl.  So when it starts happening I casually walk away.  I don't make an announcement or a huff and a puff.  I just slip away.

Same thing when other subjects arise in conversation.  I'd rather not discuss politics, gun control, religion, money, sex or International Banking in a group of women.

Ugh.  There it is.  The women thang.

I think that's probably the crust of the pie.

Women.

I work with women.  All day everyday.  And I promise you there is back biting and gossip and attitude at every corner.

I CHOOSE to fly under the radar.  Or circle overhead.

Therefore I just do my job.  I force myself to be friendly and treat others with respect.  I fall short every day.  That's just about all I can do.  I want to be an encourager and a trustworthy listener.  I definitely can keep a secret because, if you recall, I'm a listener not a teller.  I don't tell.  Ever.

If you want to borrow or checkout something in my room, feel free.  I share.  You are welcome anytime.
If you want to rake somebody over the coals, I'm not your girl.

If you want to run go pick up a quick lunch while the kids are on the playground, I'll be happy to watch your brood.
If you want to go out after work, drink and flirt with men at the bar, and stay out until the bars close at 2am, I'm not your girl.

If you'd like to have a serious, mature, respectful conversation about a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then I will enjoy talking with you and listening.  Always listening.
If you want to make fun of denominations and disagree with everything that comes out of my mouth, then I'm not your girl.

It does matter what your children watch on TV
It does matter what you say about your husband.  (I never ever complain about mine to a group of women.  Ever.  And I'm sure he never complains about me)  We can complain to each other!
Remembering dates and keeping track does matter.
Yes, yes and yes.
Time to grow up.  Time to set some limits.



Where is this post going?  I have no idea.

Lately I've been frustrated with the antics of grown women.  I am frustrated that some have no limits.  Don't get nervous, I would never say anything directly.  I just think it.

What are the consequences for me?  An immediate shift in conversation when I enter the room.  I've been not invited.  You don't want me to list all the times I've been left out do you?  And honestly?  That's fine with me.  It's more of a big deal to others than it is to me.

But I still felt like blogging about it.

TGIF

I'm going for it

I have decided to start looking for another teaching position in another school.  Right now I am working in a private school environment and it's not a good fit.  I don't mind the "private, parent pay tuition" part.  What I do mind is the lack of accountability for curriculum and instruction.  I actually WANT to be held accountable.  I like structure, deadlines and procedures.  Doesn't everybody?  If you were assigning a class project, wouldn't you provide details and deadlines?  Uh, YES.  Because if you didn't detail the assignment, give the rubric and the date due then students would feel confused, frustrated and just blow off the whole darn thing.

And that's how it is at my current school.

I've told Ironman more than once, "if that's how the administration likes things to run, then that's fine.  But it's just not for me.  I have too much training, experience and expertise to settle for mediocracy."

So I have been working on my resume.  I had a working resume from several years ago.  Therefore I don't have to start from scratch.  I'm just tweaking it, polishing it, etc.

Every once in a while I get a flash in the back of my head, "What if it's not greener on the other side"  Go away Mr. Doubt.  I'm not especially looking for greener, I'm looking for a better fit.  My plan is to have my resume complete and spiffy by tomorrow evening.  Tuesday afternoon I am going to drop it by several schools.  I hope they file it away and actually remember it when hiring season comes.   In fact, after spring break I am going to mail my resume again to the same schools with a cover letter explaining that I'm still interested.  I haven't seen an announcement of a spring job fair but if they have one, I will be the first one in line.  I am looking forward to it.

Public schools offer more money and better benefits.  I would be thrilled with both.

It's not all doom and gloom in America's schools.  Teachers aren't there for the money.  I could make more money cleaning hotel rooms.  (I said that recently and Ironman  said he did NOT want me taking a job at a hotel.  I did entertain a house cleaning business, though, as I enjoy cleaning and organizing.)

I will let you know.

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Saturday was my weigh and measure day.  As you recall I began P90 workouts in December before Christmas.  That's right.  I did not wait until after the holidays.  That's how determined I was.   Every Saturday I weigh and measure.  Do you want to know the stats?

Weight:  I've lost 7 pounds.  Hey, I'll take it!
Inches:  17 1/2.  YES  SEVENTEEN AND A HALF!!  I've lost 6 inches across the middle.
I've lost 1 1/2 inches in each thigh.  I've lost 1 1/2 inches in each KNEE.  Isn't that wild?  My knees have gotten thinner and shapelier.  Yes, MY KNEES!  Ha  Let's keep going.  I've lost 3 inches in my waist, 2 inches in my hips, 2 inches in my chest, and 3/4 inch in each calf.  My arms have stayed the same which surprises me but let me tell you this, they are firm.  I see definition and muscles that make them look like somebody else's arms!   Today is Day 43 (I think.  I don't have the calendar right here)  I just know that I'm right at the half way point.  I'm not stopping now.  I have to see how far I can go!

Woop Woop

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Friday Feelings

Hello blog.

Today is Friday.  Let me repeat that.  TODAY IS FRIDAY!!  And to make it even nicer, today is Friday before a 3 day weekend.  

Whew.

Things at work are as crazy and strange as ever.  Yesterday was particularly chaotic.  The teacher I am partnered with is a difficult one.  Personalities don't clash as I can control my side of that.  But the training and methods sure do.  Chaos begats chaos.  That is fo' sho'.

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Dancer Girl's science fair project was a monster.  We didn't anticipate it to be such a booger.  We never got it to operate correctly.  She built a model wind turbine with magnets and bare copper wire.  The actual turbine spins beautifully when you turn on the fan.  The frame is sturdy and it's neato mosquito.  But one little thing:  no matter what we tried we could not get the magnet field to produce any electricity.  Nada.  We tried everything we knew.  The Engineer spent hours on the internet looking for advice.  He even got his physics textbook for help.

Since today is the fair, we had to throw in the towel for now.  Last night Dancer Girl was preparing her display board and I got the idea to google our dilemna.

"What should I do if my science fair project fails?"

Bingo.

I located a blog from a young lady in high school with just that problem.  She actually won her school science fair with a project that didn't work.  YES!  I couldn't wait to read her post.  She explained that it's not the successful project that makes the fair, it's your presentation and proving what you learned.  She provided 5 questions to ask yourself as guidelines for your presentation before judges.  So Dancer Girl and I read through them, thought about the answers and D.G. typed them up as part of her display. We also added that we will continue to tweak this turbine until we FINALLY get it to work and then we are going to bring it back to school and show everybody!  She was happy.  I was happy.

My daughter also googled and found a quote from Thomas Edison about failure and added it to her board.  Brilliant.

Interesting, but out of all the science projects I've done over the years this one was the most educational for all of us.  That's a good thing.  (But the best thing is that it'll be over with today at noon!)

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The Engineer returned to college yesterday.  He also has been approved and recommended for graduation in May.  WOOP!

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Speaking of graduation, my P90 workouts are going strong.  I've heard about exercise endorphins but I've never experienced the surge until I began working out to these DVDs. I.am.hooked.   The results are fast just like the advertisements boasts.

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Now to today's dilemna:

There are some forms to be completed by my partner concerning some special services for a child in our class.  They have been on her desk for over a week.  The Occupational Therapist came by the school Tuesday to get them and I was embarrassed to tell her they were incomplete.  In fact, they had not even been opened by Mrs. S.  O.T was very nice about it and said she didn't really need them until next week and that she would be at our school anyway, so she'd swing by and get them then.  She told me it would be Tuesday morning.

Where are the papers?  Right where I left them.  Unopened.

And so I've decided to wait until this afternoon.  Mrs. S. is taking this afternoon off.  If the papers are not completed by the time she leaves I'm going to do them.  Yes it may cause problems.  But I'm telling you, I do not want to be embarrassed again when it's time to turn them over to the specialist.  Monday is a holiday.  They must be completed today.  (back in the fall she was given papers to complete for the same student and never did it.  The Director came by and we filled everything out together so they could be turned in on time)  It's this kind of irresponsibility that is driving me bonkers.

What do you do when a coworker is inefficient (to say the least)?  

Wednesday - the worst day of my week

I guess everybody has one day of the week that is their favorite.  Friday?  Saturday?  Sunday?  Yes for me.  All 3 of those.  But when it comes to the WORST day of the week, for me it's definitely Wednesdays.

And today is Wednesday.

The ice storm wasn't as bad as predicted so schools are open.   We don't do ice well here in Louisiana.  But today will start out cold and the ice should melt by 2pm.

Off to work I go.

Wednesdays are loonnngggg days for me.  After school today Dancer Girl and I are going to run some errands to buy the final touches for her science fair project.  Then this thing will be OVER.  Complete, turned in, science fair is Friday.  D.O.N.E.  Thank goodness The Engineer was here to help us.  It was a monster.

College App deadline has passed.  So the last minute scramble to get everything turned in with I.T. girl is complete.  Now we await the decisions.

Ironman and I bought a dishwasher yesterday.  It is set to be installed next week.  I KNOW!!  Why does it take so stinkin' long?  We'll see how this one works out.

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Today is Day 32 of P90 workout schedule.  It's amazing the results I'm seeing in 30 days.   Amazing.

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Last night I made pizza with cauliflower crust.  I found the recipe online.  You brown the cauliflower in a skillet until crisp.  It took about 15 minutes.  In the bowl of a cuisinart you put 2 eggs, 1/2 cup cornmeal, seasonings, and the crisp chopped cauliflower.  It comes out the consistency of cornbread batter.  I poured it onto a pizza pan covered with parchment paper.  Baked it for 20 minutes.  The crust was golden brown and crispy.  Ironman topped it was vegetables, etc.  Verdict?  The consistency was nice.  I like thin and crispy and that's how it was.  The taste was just okay.  And the smell?  I could not eat it because of the smell.  It smelled like, well, cauliflower!  Ironman gobbled it up.  

I wonder if you could use any old vegetable with similar results minus the smell.  Would carrots work? Carrot pizza crust?  I should experiment.  Let me jot that down on my to do list.  

I also made pizza crust from Vegan for Carnivores cookbook which is my go to recipe.  Came out perfect and tasty.  My kids ate that, of course.

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Let my Wednesday begin!

Sears - we are never, ever, ever getting back together

Do you know what just happened?  I CANCELED my order with Sears for a new dishwasher.  And sistah, I NEED a new dishwasher.  This one I'm  about to blow up  tolerating has been on the blink for months.  We had a repairman take a look and he told us flat out it's not worth fixing.  It would cost just as much to fix it as it would to replace it.  And even then I waited several months.  It was holiday time and I just couldn't swing the money.

On January 5 we had no choice.  The crazy thing was leaking.  It began making a loud rumbling sound during the dry cycle.  And the worst thing of all:  Our dishes came out dirty.

Goodbye Mrs. Dishwasher.

Or so I thought.

I went to Sears.  Identified a Kenmore, reasonably priced (cough cough) dishwasher.  Good.  Deliver it, please.  Oh, it'll be a week.  This dishwasher is not in stock here but we will ship one here and someone will notify you when it arrives in the store.

Okey Dokey

Thursday, January 10 I called to check the status.  I was told the dishwasher was set to arrive in my friendly neighborhood Sears by Monday.  Someone will call you to schedule delivery.

YIPPEE

Well, it's Monday.  AND it's MY BIRTHDAY PEOPLE!  I called Mr. Sears to inquire about my order.  The box has been LOST.  The dishwasher is misplaced.  They have no idea where it is or who is washing dishes with it.  All I know is it's Not me!

The young man with the strong accent assured me that someone will email me with the status within 48 hours.

48 hours?  I don't think so.

Goodbye.  I called back and canceled my order.

Tomorrow Ironman and I will go buy a dishwasher and bring it home with us. We will not buy it from Sears.