It's a really good thing that I am leaving in a couple days for Erie...otherwise I am afraid I would spend too much time sitting here perfecting my ability to waste a LOT of time! Granted, I did do the following today: worked out at the gym...random housekeeping...started packing/laundering things to pack...but yeah, that's about it for my entire day. Oops. Well at least I always claim to work well under pressure...so tomorrow when I have to do about 73, 921 things to get ready for 2 1/2 weeks away, it should be no sweat. Except it is going to be in the 90s again, so there will definitely be some sweat. Ah well. A few days from now, I will be in my lovely little hometown enjoying my family and the 68 degree high! Break out the jeans and sweatshirts, my friends, we are going to pretend that it's autumn, and nothing could make me happier.

You need to go here.

Click on the picture and it will come up all big and happy-like.

Just a quick brag.

I have [somehow] successfully managed to exercise for 75 days in a row.

I am only 15 away from my goal of 90 days. It's been either cardio or weight training or a combo each day,
BUT
I think in mid-July, when I return home after 2 1/2 weeks of adventures, I will step up the exercise even more...and try to do 90 days of cardio in a row. [Is that even legal?]

That should take me to Saturday, October 13. I think.
19 days after that, Andrew and I will have our 4 year anniversary. [speechless]
13 days later, I will turn [gasp] 28.

Maybe my high school trig teacher was right, I should have majored in math! [kidding]

Water aerobics dilemma.

This morning I got up and went to a water aerobics class at the YMCA...so as I walk into the building, I see about 17 of my students who are there for summer camp. Nice. After putting my stuff in the locker room, I walk out to the pool [in my suit and a tshirt] and see a parent [of a couple of my students...oh and the wife of a school board member] sitting there. And the pool is full of kids. Awesome. Apparently the kids are supposed to be outside, but lucky me, the paint in the pool is peeling, and so the kids had to come inside today. [Really I don't think a couple of paint chips is going to harm anyone. That much.] So after a long time of standing there, talking to the aforementioned parent, slowly recognizing more and more students in the pool, and resisting the strong urge to run away screaming...the kids get bumped over so there is room for our class. Sweet.

So the class goes well, [though I am 40 years younger than everyone else in it], and I notice that some of the students I recognized may be recognizing me now, so I head back into the locker room.

Now for the biggest dilemma.

How can I possibly shower [and undress] and dress myself in a locker room swarming with precious little kiddies that I teach??? [And God forbid a boy comes through that locker room, at that point I would have to run away screaming, and probably quit my job as well.]

I decided to rinse of quickly in the showers, wrap myself in my [thankfully] huge beach towel, and then get dressed in the toilet stall. Except the toilet stall is SO tiny, that I barely manage to get my 'intimates' in place, and there is just no way I can manage my pants and shirt. So I have to walk through the locker room with my towel around me again but now with bra straps showing...and I manage to throw on my clothes at warp speed [and I am still praying that my little 1st grader didn't see anything of me she wouldn't normally see at school]...and I run out of the locker room and through the lobby and to my car...where I have a loud, hysterical dialogue about the experience...with myself.

All this for some quality physical fitness. Now the question is...do I dare go back again Tuesday morning?

I'm lame. And I have too much free time.

[And ew, I didn't put on makeup today.]

A great start to summer

I've made some really exciting plans in the last few days:

1. Modest Mouse concert on August 19! I actually got a ticket this time! Thanks to Jess for the presale password.

2. Tonight, on my way to a fabulous weekend with my sister and a dear friend's wedding, I get to stop and have dinner with a wonderful friend that I have not seen since October at her wedding! I am pumped.

3. I'm going to make a powerpoint show for my grandparents and parents for their joint 60th / 30th anniversary party...then I can burn it on DVD and they can watch it whenever. And I am going to take my parents basket [yes, basket] or photos and get them framed, or put into albums, and help them preserve their memories.

4. This is more of Andrew's plan, but I love it. He's made a nice chunk of change lately designing websites in his spare time...and we are going to take this 'extra' money and pay off some debts a whole year early...which makes the dream of owning a home that much closer.

Now I need to return library books, and clothes/etc at THREE stores...then go to the gym...PACK...and get on my way for my summer kick-off weekend!

drowning in donuts. what a way to die.

No lie...33 students over the last week have come to see me and give me a birthday treat...all the students whose birthdays actually occured during the last week [only 7] and the other 26 kids who have bdays in the summer but brought in fat, I mean treats, for the last week of school.

i've gathered quite the collection of school-made cupcakes [ick], MUNCHKINS [never want to see another one as long as i live], and assorted homemade goodies.

i've also taken WAY too many 'bites' of these sugary things.

today a kid came in with another box of munchkins [i swear dunkin' donuts makes so much frickin' money off my students' parents!] and i gave him a little present [an eraser, i think]. and then he left, and i did a victory dance for managing to avoid the sugar. then 2 minutes later, he comes back in, and says 'you forgot your donut!' and i said 'that's because i have eaten too many of them today!' But then when he gave me the puppy dog eyes i said 'oh, ok' and took a chocolate one, and took a bite of it. dammit.

thank goodness tomorrow is the last day, or this would be coming next:

MALE WORKER: You were out sick yesterday, so we got you a get-well cake.

FEMALE WORKER: It's carrot. It's good for you.

WORKERS (singing): Get well get well soon, we wish you to get--

ELAINE: Stop it! That's not even a song! I mean, now we're celebrating a sick day?

MALE WORKER: I think it's nice.

ELAINE: What? What is nice? Trying to fill the void in your life with flour and sugar and egg and vanilla? I mean, we are all unhappy. Do we have to be fat, too? Not you Becky, I know you have a slow metabolism. I don't want one more piece of cake in my office!

June?

I just simply cannot believe that it is June 8. I only have 3 more days of school left, and then I have completed 3 years at my school. Amazing. I am fairly sure I will continue to work there next year - the new principal alone brings so much promise. And the relationships I have built with students, parents, and other teachers just keeps getting stronger. I hate to leave it behind, though I know I will someday. Just maybe not as soon as I thought...and I think I feel OK about that.

I'm thrilled for summer. I have plans through the middle of July, and then a glorious month of freedom, which I hope will include some traveling, and perhaps whitewater rafting? I long for those spontaneous days of fun and freedom. They are almost here.

The Clash said it best.

Should I stay or should I go now?

If I go there will be trouble

And if I stay it will be double

So you gotta let me know

Should I stay or should I go?