Tally so far:
Lawyer letters in mail: 3
Chiropractor letters in mail: 3
What a society.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Car Woes
What a week.
Last Friday was an absolutely lovely day. A perfect day for a cold drink after work and then some ribs for dinner. Ken and I had two separate cars and on the way home, I managed to get rear-ended by a crazy Hoosier driver. It's actually amazing that it took 8 months for it to happen. Seriously, I want to sit in on a driver's ed class in this state. What are they teaching?!
So the weekend started with a slight bump in the road since my car, while not terribly injured, is not legally driveable any more. I've spent the last two days picking up police reports and calling insurance companies. I have to say, both insurance companies have been absolutely amazing and I'll be getting a rental car today and the car should be taken to the shop as well. It's been very seamless so far and I hope it continues until my poor little car is okay again. My car has been slightly cursed lately --- a new timing belt at the 120,000 mile mark, 4 new tires, a rock to the window, and now this accident --- all in the last 3 weeks.
In other news, I've suddenly found a new hobby. Investing money! I rolled over my retirement money from teaching into an IRA and now I'm figuring out how I want to invest. It's a whole new world out there --- mutual funds, index funds, stocks, bonds. I actually find it all quite fascinating and am reading books, blogs and financial websites. I read Suze Orman's "Women and Money" in one sitting on Monday and she talked some sense into me.
Perhaps I'll become a financial advisor. Perhaps not.
Last Friday was an absolutely lovely day. A perfect day for a cold drink after work and then some ribs for dinner. Ken and I had two separate cars and on the way home, I managed to get rear-ended by a crazy Hoosier driver. It's actually amazing that it took 8 months for it to happen. Seriously, I want to sit in on a driver's ed class in this state. What are they teaching?!
So the weekend started with a slight bump in the road since my car, while not terribly injured, is not legally driveable any more. I've spent the last two days picking up police reports and calling insurance companies. I have to say, both insurance companies have been absolutely amazing and I'll be getting a rental car today and the car should be taken to the shop as well. It's been very seamless so far and I hope it continues until my poor little car is okay again. My car has been slightly cursed lately --- a new timing belt at the 120,000 mile mark, 4 new tires, a rock to the window, and now this accident --- all in the last 3 weeks.
In other news, I've suddenly found a new hobby. Investing money! I rolled over my retirement money from teaching into an IRA and now I'm figuring out how I want to invest. It's a whole new world out there --- mutual funds, index funds, stocks, bonds. I actually find it all quite fascinating and am reading books, blogs and financial websites. I read Suze Orman's "Women and Money" in one sitting on Monday and she talked some sense into me.
Perhaps I'll become a financial advisor. Perhaps not.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Back to the grind.
Five-day weekends are lovely.
Last Tuesday, I headed home for our guest speaking engagement on Wednesday at a local high school. Ken and I served on a panel of three with a Lebanese man who emigrated to the United States and is a successful local businessman. He actually showed us up since he had free taco tokens to throw around, knew the kids through his own children, and generally had some really interesting information regarding language. We were speaking to the French and Spanish classes and Ken and I tried to pass it off that knowing a language is very important, even though both of us stumble when it comes to taking up a new tongue. It was a nice day although students totally did not get our jokes. They did pay attention, however, and had some great questions at the end of each hour. Most revolved around Mr. Habeeb’s dreaming in English and how Ken and I have managed to finance our travels. I did meet two students who were both born in Okinawa, one of which did a lot of bowing and had a Japanese flag scarf tied around her neck. I pretty much just handed her a JET application.
On Thursday, Ken and I headed downtown to do the Chicago architecture river tour. I got some great shots and it was a beautiful day. The tour was really fascinating and worth the money! We ate lunch at Heaven on Seven and I had one of the best dishes of my life – shrimp and grits with cornbread. The grits. Doublewow. The shrimp. Wow. I also gained 5 pounds in 20 minutes.
Friday was spent with my mom working on our world famous lamb cake. This year, we went all out and bought tips and bags for the frosting. As a result, we ended up with a lamb that looked like it was “covered in potato salad.” (Quote – Mike) It was cute.
Saturday involved eating my weight in mashed potatoes at Ken’s house and then heading to a bar near my parent’s house with my parents and Brooke and Mike to hear my cousin play in a Nirvana tribute band. It was odd that he was playing in the Middle of Nowhere, Illinois, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity. This bar also broke all rules and allowed smoking which eventually did everyone in.
Sunday – church, ham, food, good.
Then after a great weekend, complete with $3 martinis and plenty of time with friends, I came back to work to find out that Thailand was experiencing another fabulous uprising. Perfect timing considering I currently have 76 students there for spring break. I got to spend most of yesterday putting out that fire and dealing with some anxious parents.
Last Tuesday, I headed home for our guest speaking engagement on Wednesday at a local high school. Ken and I served on a panel of three with a Lebanese man who emigrated to the United States and is a successful local businessman. He actually showed us up since he had free taco tokens to throw around, knew the kids through his own children, and generally had some really interesting information regarding language. We were speaking to the French and Spanish classes and Ken and I tried to pass it off that knowing a language is very important, even though both of us stumble when it comes to taking up a new tongue. It was a nice day although students totally did not get our jokes. They did pay attention, however, and had some great questions at the end of each hour. Most revolved around Mr. Habeeb’s dreaming in English and how Ken and I have managed to finance our travels. I did meet two students who were both born in Okinawa, one of which did a lot of bowing and had a Japanese flag scarf tied around her neck. I pretty much just handed her a JET application.
On Thursday, Ken and I headed downtown to do the Chicago architecture river tour. I got some great shots and it was a beautiful day. The tour was really fascinating and worth the money! We ate lunch at Heaven on Seven and I had one of the best dishes of my life – shrimp and grits with cornbread. The grits. Doublewow. The shrimp. Wow. I also gained 5 pounds in 20 minutes.
Friday was spent with my mom working on our world famous lamb cake. This year, we went all out and bought tips and bags for the frosting. As a result, we ended up with a lamb that looked like it was “covered in potato salad.” (Quote – Mike) It was cute.
Saturday involved eating my weight in mashed potatoes at Ken’s house and then heading to a bar near my parent’s house with my parents and Brooke and Mike to hear my cousin play in a Nirvana tribute band. It was odd that he was playing in the Middle of Nowhere, Illinois, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity. This bar also broke all rules and allowed smoking which eventually did everyone in.
Sunday – church, ham, food, good.
Then after a great weekend, complete with $3 martinis and plenty of time with friends, I came back to work to find out that Thailand was experiencing another fabulous uprising. Perfect timing considering I currently have 76 students there for spring break. I got to spend most of yesterday putting out that fire and dealing with some anxious parents.
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Speaking to the Masses
This week Ken and I are giving presentations to high school students regarding travel and living internationally. It took me some time to get my thoughts together, but now I think I have a pretty funny presentation.
Essentially I am relating the nasty side effects of prescription medications with the side effects of travel. In a purely humorous way, of course.
Here is my Top 10 list of the potential side effects of travel:
1. Weight Gain - nutella, Pocky, gelato, pretzels, fish 'n chips, Vietnamese coffee... time to get on the treadmill.
2. Loss of Appetite - yak momos; rotton meat, flies in soup, etc.
3. Shortness of Breath - Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, etc. will leave you breathless
4. Increased Urination - quick mention of Tibet... haha
5. Trouble Sleeping - mention of hostel experiences and overnight trains
6. Uncontrollable Outbursts - flashing peace signs in every photos, random Japanese being thrown in for good measure in a conversation
7. Restless Leg Syndrome - Where to next?
8. Dizziness and Disorientation - Some India photos
9. Unexplained fungal infections - with reference to the various wildlife encounters we've had
10. Dry Mouth - Avoiding giardia by not drinking local water
And a bonus - 11. An obsession with Hello Kitty.
Hopefully I can make it quite funny and not at all boring. My photos are quite priceless for some of the points.
The main point is that I should have been warned by my study abroad advisor and now that I am actually an advisor myself, the advice I give my students is to have a great time and love it all.
Anyways, this weekend was a good one. I did some spring cleaning, spent yesterday with a colleague and today was going to settle in for the Chicago Tribune crossword puzzle at the cafe. Imagine my surprise when I see that the Tribune has reformatted their Saturday paper and no longer has my favorite crossword. I'm not pleased.
Guess I'll just spend some time surfing the internet, hit Target and then watch America's Next Top Model for the rest of the afternoon.
Rough life.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
More Veggies
Ken and I also love these chips... Terra Chips. Try them! They're good for you!
Also, last night we had to say goodbye to another one of our plates. We're down to two and one has a giant crack. It's getting desperate. We need some 70s-style plates and we need them now!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Eat your vegetables. And lamb cake.
I have a new food that I am loving. I adore the Morningstar Asian Veggie Patties. Has anyone else tried these?! They don’t taste a thing like meat, but are absolutely delicious. I’ve tried the regular Garden Veggie patty and they’re good, but not as good as the zingy deliciousness of the Asian ones. I wonder which to try next…
Last weekend we headed home to see some friends, watch some high school baseball, eat chicken salad sandwiches and ended up hanging with the ‘rents for awhile. Brooke is getting married and Mom and I pored over the websites checking out gowns and getting excited for Brookie’s wedding! Yesterday we faced snow --- lovely --- and went through old photos in anticipation of….
Ken and I are speaking next week at an “International Day” at a high school. I thought we’d be chatting together with groups of 20, but we actually found out that we are members of a 3-person panel (separately) and will have about 100-120 students each hour. Right now we’re scrambling to put together a couple of PowerPoint presentations and trying to think about how to make it nice and flashy.
The good news is that because the presentation is on Wednesday and we have Good Friday off, once I add in a vacation day on Thursday, I have a five day weekend to look forward to. Mom and I are totally making a lamb cake again and I have a couple other cute little cake-related things that I’d like to attempt for Easter. I’m trying to figure out how to top last year’s lamb cake extravaganza. I need some cute candy and actual cake decorating supplies…
Last weekend we headed home to see some friends, watch some high school baseball, eat chicken salad sandwiches and ended up hanging with the ‘rents for awhile. Brooke is getting married and Mom and I pored over the websites checking out gowns and getting excited for Brookie’s wedding! Yesterday we faced snow --- lovely --- and went through old photos in anticipation of….
Ken and I are speaking next week at an “International Day” at a high school. I thought we’d be chatting together with groups of 20, but we actually found out that we are members of a 3-person panel (separately) and will have about 100-120 students each hour. Right now we’re scrambling to put together a couple of PowerPoint presentations and trying to think about how to make it nice and flashy.
The good news is that because the presentation is on Wednesday and we have Good Friday off, once I add in a vacation day on Thursday, I have a five day weekend to look forward to. Mom and I are totally making a lamb cake again and I have a couple other cute little cake-related things that I’d like to attempt for Easter. I’m trying to figure out how to top last year’s lamb cake extravaganza. I need some cute candy and actual cake decorating supplies…
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The New Face of Spinning?!
It has been a very traumatic week for me.
On Sunday (on a whim and feeling regret at how much junk I ate on Friday night), I started considering a bit of old-fashioned workout punishment for myself. I thought, “Hmmmm….maybe I should do a spinning class with Ms. X at 5:15 a.m. and start the week off right…” (Ms. X is not her real name. Obviously.)
So I pop on the computer and visit my gym’s website, bringing up the month’s schedule and I see that Ms. X is not teaching at 5:15 a.m. but some completely random name is there instead. I found this to be a bit startling and then when I realized that Ms. X’s name (which, again, is not Ms. X) was nowhere to be found on the schedule, I started to freak. I mean, FREAK.
You see, Ms. X is the most hardcore, craziest, most motivating spinning instructor ever. She makes my Thursday evenings both horrible (as I almost puke into my towel) and amazing (as I leave in triumph after surviving). She is the reason that I have to get dressed at work for class, drive like a lunatic and run in to claim a bike. She is one popular lady.
I was hoping against hope that she just decided to take the rest of the month off because her daughter is returning from the Peace Corps.
There were whispers at the gym and I kept trying to find out what exactly happened on Monday. And then yesterday the ax fell. A letter explaining that Ms. X has taken a different career path and they tried to retain her. (Doubtful.)
And now we’re stuck with mediocre instructors who smile during spinning and who think it’s really fun to know everyone’s names and keep saying, “You can do it! Don’t quit on me!” when the reason I want to quit is because I’m bored and not being challenged.
It has been a sad week. The question is… do I stalk Ms. X and switch gyms if I find her somewhere else?!
In other gym news, I have taken up Zumba which is a mixture of Latin dance (salsa, cha cha, etc.) and hip hop. It’s not the best workout and I look the fool, but they dim the lights and everyone looks just as white as me out there on the floor. It’s a mood-lifter and I’m starting to look forward to my Wednesday evening release through dance moves and Shakira music.
But it’s still not Ms. X.
On Sunday (on a whim and feeling regret at how much junk I ate on Friday night), I started considering a bit of old-fashioned workout punishment for myself. I thought, “Hmmmm….maybe I should do a spinning class with Ms. X at 5:15 a.m. and start the week off right…” (Ms. X is not her real name. Obviously.)
So I pop on the computer and visit my gym’s website, bringing up the month’s schedule and I see that Ms. X is not teaching at 5:15 a.m. but some completely random name is there instead. I found this to be a bit startling and then when I realized that Ms. X’s name (which, again, is not Ms. X) was nowhere to be found on the schedule, I started to freak. I mean, FREAK.
You see, Ms. X is the most hardcore, craziest, most motivating spinning instructor ever. She makes my Thursday evenings both horrible (as I almost puke into my towel) and amazing (as I leave in triumph after surviving). She is the reason that I have to get dressed at work for class, drive like a lunatic and run in to claim a bike. She is one popular lady.
I was hoping against hope that she just decided to take the rest of the month off because her daughter is returning from the Peace Corps.
There were whispers at the gym and I kept trying to find out what exactly happened on Monday. And then yesterday the ax fell. A letter explaining that Ms. X has taken a different career path and they tried to retain her. (Doubtful.)
And now we’re stuck with mediocre instructors who smile during spinning and who think it’s really fun to know everyone’s names and keep saying, “You can do it! Don’t quit on me!” when the reason I want to quit is because I’m bored and not being challenged.
It has been a sad week. The question is… do I stalk Ms. X and switch gyms if I find her somewhere else?!
In other gym news, I have taken up Zumba which is a mixture of Latin dance (salsa, cha cha, etc.) and hip hop. It’s not the best workout and I look the fool, but they dim the lights and everyone looks just as white as me out there on the floor. It’s a mood-lifter and I’m starting to look forward to my Wednesday evening release through dance moves and Shakira music.
But it’s still not Ms. X.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Girl Time
On Friday, I headed over to Valpo for some girl time with Tammy, Carly and Laura. We gorged ourselves on junk food, decided that mojitos and sangria can now substitute for candy, and got out "Girl Talk." And --- OMG --- Tammy had to call a boy (oooooohhh!!!!) and tell a joke. And then we had to whisper secrets. And I'm pretty sure at some point in the evening I was hee-hawing like a donkey.
Yes, it was classically fun and it was decided that these evenings should really become a staple in life. And wearing the plastic zit stickers is still superfun.
I'm at work a bit early today because my car is in the shop. I think it's time to get cracking.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Wanted: Awesome vintage-y mod plates with lots of orange, yellow, brown, etc. Would love doves, apples or peacocks. Or paisley. I love paisley.
Anyone have parents with such plates lying around?
The ones we use (direct from the parents and the 70s) are cracking and falling apart. We need new plates! But we want to keep with the vintage vibe.
Anyone have parents with such plates lying around?
The ones we use (direct from the parents and the 70s) are cracking and falling apart. We need new plates! But we want to keep with the vintage vibe.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Ring of Kerry - Dear to my Heart
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
I’m wearing green, I’m sporting my Ireland socks, I blared some Chieftains on the way to work, and I briefly considered having lunch at the Irish bar next door. I love Ireland!
Of the places that I’ve been, Ireland still holds a magical place in my heart. Maybe it’s “Foxy Mike,” perhaps the little leprechaun man on the boat, or the live music and Baileys at the pub… Whatever the reason, I still consider Ireland to be near the top of my list. I was thinking yesterday that I should really send a letter to the study abroad office at Valpo and explain what a difference studying in England made in my life. I know that most of my fellow Cambridge-ites still have the travel bug and I really should warn the students that I send to Australia that going abroad can be damaging to all future career goals and general direction in life. But, I consider myself blessed to have been where I’ve been and to have the desire to trek to more places.
Back to Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day, though. We’re living here in the Land of the Fighting Irish and it’s 70 degrees out. Ken and I were originally planning on having a quiet evening in because from what I hear, the pubs and bars are madness. We plan on celebrating on Saturday when things have died down a bit and I fully intend to hit the restaurant next door and enjoy some lamb stew with a big pint of cider and maybe a couple of hits of Ken’s Guinness.
I made Irish soda bread on Sunday and although it was edible directly out of the oven, it wasn’t fantastic and I knew it would be a weapon once it cooled down. I’m not feeling lofty enough to try to make corned beef and cabbage at home.
Hope everyone has a great day and enjoys a bit of luck and magic!
I’m wearing green, I’m sporting my Ireland socks, I blared some Chieftains on the way to work, and I briefly considered having lunch at the Irish bar next door. I love Ireland!
Of the places that I’ve been, Ireland still holds a magical place in my heart. Maybe it’s “Foxy Mike,” perhaps the little leprechaun man on the boat, or the live music and Baileys at the pub… Whatever the reason, I still consider Ireland to be near the top of my list. I was thinking yesterday that I should really send a letter to the study abroad office at Valpo and explain what a difference studying in England made in my life. I know that most of my fellow Cambridge-ites still have the travel bug and I really should warn the students that I send to Australia that going abroad can be damaging to all future career goals and general direction in life. But, I consider myself blessed to have been where I’ve been and to have the desire to trek to more places.
Back to Ireland and St. Patrick’s Day, though. We’re living here in the Land of the Fighting Irish and it’s 70 degrees out. Ken and I were originally planning on having a quiet evening in because from what I hear, the pubs and bars are madness. We plan on celebrating on Saturday when things have died down a bit and I fully intend to hit the restaurant next door and enjoy some lamb stew with a big pint of cider and maybe a couple of hits of Ken’s Guinness.
I made Irish soda bread on Sunday and although it was edible directly out of the oven, it wasn’t fantastic and I knew it would be a weapon once it cooled down. I’m not feeling lofty enough to try to make corned beef and cabbage at home.
Hope everyone has a great day and enjoys a bit of luck and magic!
Friday, March 13, 2009
I blame the leprechaun for the missing posts...
So if I borrow a cute background "a la Kimi," I guess I better put an actual post on my blog! How in the world did 2 months pass so quickly?
What's new? I'm back from Oz and surprisingly, I still really enjoy my job and plan on keeping with it. I'm not even itching to do anything new, although getting a permanent position in Sydney would be nice. :)
I had a great time in Australia as was to be expected. Besides working with 200+ students, I also spent time with my colleagues who are based in Sydney. It was a nice mix of being really busy and stressed and then having a few hours here and there to sit by the Harbour, eat a baquette, sip on an Orangina and watch boats come in and out. Or catching up with Ken's old friend, dining on 1 kilo of prawns early in the morning and chatting about this and that. Then there was the delicious Japanese food available near the student's hotel. I really love Sydney. It's an amazing city.
Being back with Ken in the States is great too, though. We haven't done anything very exciting as of late, but we're ready for some great weather. This weekend I'm at home dog-sitting The Izzy and have plenty of time on my hands. I'm going to start planning our first-ever herb/easy veggie garden. I'm thinking ... Basil.... Cilantro... Tomatoes... hot peppers.... But what other herbs? Anyone had any success with anything? Remember, we're dealing with a small little deck off of an apartment.
We've been spending a lot of time at a local cafe, eavesdropping on conversations and drinking lukewarm coffee. The evenings are spent watching Rambo and weirdo documentaries. Is warm weather on the way or what?!
I've been updating my 101 list here and there and am crossing off some more items soon, including the slumber party one, the dress-up dinner (thanks to 1/2 gift certificates through the radio), some more recipes, and maybe breakfast with Grandpa this weekend. I'm going to try some Irish soda bread this weekend, I think, as a test run. If it works, I'll make it again for Tuesday.
This was a random entry.
What's new? I'm back from Oz and surprisingly, I still really enjoy my job and plan on keeping with it. I'm not even itching to do anything new, although getting a permanent position in Sydney would be nice. :)
I had a great time in Australia as was to be expected. Besides working with 200+ students, I also spent time with my colleagues who are based in Sydney. It was a nice mix of being really busy and stressed and then having a few hours here and there to sit by the Harbour, eat a baquette, sip on an Orangina and watch boats come in and out. Or catching up with Ken's old friend, dining on 1 kilo of prawns early in the morning and chatting about this and that. Then there was the delicious Japanese food available near the student's hotel. I really love Sydney. It's an amazing city.
Being back with Ken in the States is great too, though. We haven't done anything very exciting as of late, but we're ready for some great weather. This weekend I'm at home dog-sitting The Izzy and have plenty of time on my hands. I'm going to start planning our first-ever herb/easy veggie garden. I'm thinking ... Basil.... Cilantro... Tomatoes... hot peppers.... But what other herbs? Anyone had any success with anything? Remember, we're dealing with a small little deck off of an apartment.
We've been spending a lot of time at a local cafe, eavesdropping on conversations and drinking lukewarm coffee. The evenings are spent watching Rambo and weirdo documentaries. Is warm weather on the way or what?!
I've been updating my 101 list here and there and am crossing off some more items soon, including the slumber party one, the dress-up dinner (thanks to 1/2 gift certificates through the radio), some more recipes, and maybe breakfast with Grandpa this weekend. I'm going to try some Irish soda bread this weekend, I think, as a test run. If it works, I'll make it again for Tuesday.
This was a random entry.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Put another shrimp on the barbie!
Yep, I'm heading out of the awful winter mess for Australia next month. I'm leaving on February 12 and heading back on March 1. Hopefully by then we'll just have a couple more snowstorms to endure and the end will be in sight.
Basically I'm going to be flying into Sydney a day before my students arrive and I'm going to assist with their orientation. Besides important things like giving them cell phones and teaching them how not to offend the locals, I'll be going with them abseiling in the Blue Mountains and cruising on the Harbour. We'll be hitting the zoo and petting koalas and kangaroos. In fact, I hope to eat kangaroo on this visit. Especially since all my meals will be comped.
It's going to be lovely to get out of Indiana and into beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Sydney, but it's also going to be tremendously hard work with extremely long days and hundreds of slightly spoiled college kids to keep track of. I can't wait to meet some of them, especially the ones who call me day in and day out.
I've been told by my co-workers to insist on an afternoon off so I can at least spend a few glorious moments basking in the sun and jumping into Bondi or Coogee Beach.
Work is incredibly busy since all of these students are leaving next month and they are starting to pack. "Should I bring my hair dryer?" "How do I call home?" "Do I really need khakis?" "I have an arrest violation and my visa isn't approved!" (True story)
Things at home are good except this weather. It's incredibly frustrating and the snow never seems to end. The highlight of the upcoming week? The Killers concert in Chicago! YES!
Hope all is well with each of you. Will finally have some fun photos soon!
Basically I'm going to be flying into Sydney a day before my students arrive and I'm going to assist with their orientation. Besides important things like giving them cell phones and teaching them how not to offend the locals, I'll be going with them abseiling in the Blue Mountains and cruising on the Harbour. We'll be hitting the zoo and petting koalas and kangaroos. In fact, I hope to eat kangaroo on this visit. Especially since all my meals will be comped.
It's going to be lovely to get out of Indiana and into beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Sydney, but it's also going to be tremendously hard work with extremely long days and hundreds of slightly spoiled college kids to keep track of. I can't wait to meet some of them, especially the ones who call me day in and day out.
I've been told by my co-workers to insist on an afternoon off so I can at least spend a few glorious moments basking in the sun and jumping into Bondi or Coogee Beach.
Work is incredibly busy since all of these students are leaving next month and they are starting to pack. "Should I bring my hair dryer?" "How do I call home?" "Do I really need khakis?" "I have an arrest violation and my visa isn't approved!" (True story)
Things at home are good except this weather. It's incredibly frustrating and the snow never seems to end. The highlight of the upcoming week? The Killers concert in Chicago! YES!
Hope all is well with each of you. Will finally have some fun photos soon!
Friday, January 02, 2009
2009 - Year of the List
I have done a horrible job of updating this blog. I’m surprised blogger hasn’t closed my account!
Things are going well in Indiana. Ken and I have basically been splitting our time at the apartment during the week and near our hometowns on the weekends. For January and February, it is our goal to stay put a bit more and get to know the surrounding area a bit more. I think some cross country skiing is in our future.
With the new year comes new resolutions. My 101 list is up in September 2009 and I am currently trying to get a ton done quickly in January. So right now, I am making my tub slippery with exfoliating body wash, running to the bathroom because I’m trying to drink 8 glasses of water a day, chugging huge glasses of water to take my horse pill of a multivitamin, and burning a nice doublewick candle to relax. I have also contacted some guy to help me set up an IRA and am making a visit to the bank today to continue with my savings plan.
There are some items that should be easy enough to complete, like eating a hot dog in Chicago. I’m thinking a trip to a pre-season Detroit Lions game should be cheap and could be easily coupled with a trip over the border to Canada. I’m heading to Australia next month and if they send me to Brisbane, I can count it as a new state (Queensland).
Last year I made a fitness related goal of working out at least 20 times a month. I was supposed to reward myself with a delicious treat for achieving 20 and then give myself $5 to spend on cute workout wear for every day above 20. I made my goal every month except April (12) thanks to India and December (19) thanks to bad weather and too much going on. I’m proud of myself! And I never did the treats/money thing either. It was all willpower! This year, my goal is to increase my strength with more weight-related exercises.
Since this is my last year in my 20s, I plan to try to make it memorable and to make it count for something. Crossing off items off of my 101 list will help and I have some other ideas of how to make it better. Brooke gave me a great book of crafts and I’m going to try to be artsy for once in my life. I also have a big trip planned (in my mind at least) and will reveal it once it all comes to fruition. I’m also thinking of starting some volunteer work next month and Ken and I are exploring our options. I want to give blood once a year has passed since India --- apparently they still have malaria in India or some jazz like that. I also need to start working on my next 101 list!
I’ve had a bit of a lull at work compared to the past couple of months (hence the Friday morning blog post). It will pick up again next week and will continue until my students (and me!) leave for Australia in February.
Hope you all are having an excellent ‘09 so far! I have updated my 101 blog and will continue to do so at a more regular rate from now on.
Things are going well in Indiana. Ken and I have basically been splitting our time at the apartment during the week and near our hometowns on the weekends. For January and February, it is our goal to stay put a bit more and get to know the surrounding area a bit more. I think some cross country skiing is in our future.
With the new year comes new resolutions. My 101 list is up in September 2009 and I am currently trying to get a ton done quickly in January. So right now, I am making my tub slippery with exfoliating body wash, running to the bathroom because I’m trying to drink 8 glasses of water a day, chugging huge glasses of water to take my horse pill of a multivitamin, and burning a nice doublewick candle to relax. I have also contacted some guy to help me set up an IRA and am making a visit to the bank today to continue with my savings plan.
There are some items that should be easy enough to complete, like eating a hot dog in Chicago. I’m thinking a trip to a pre-season Detroit Lions game should be cheap and could be easily coupled with a trip over the border to Canada. I’m heading to Australia next month and if they send me to Brisbane, I can count it as a new state (Queensland).
Last year I made a fitness related goal of working out at least 20 times a month. I was supposed to reward myself with a delicious treat for achieving 20 and then give myself $5 to spend on cute workout wear for every day above 20. I made my goal every month except April (12) thanks to India and December (19) thanks to bad weather and too much going on. I’m proud of myself! And I never did the treats/money thing either. It was all willpower! This year, my goal is to increase my strength with more weight-related exercises.
Since this is my last year in my 20s, I plan to try to make it memorable and to make it count for something. Crossing off items off of my 101 list will help and I have some other ideas of how to make it better. Brooke gave me a great book of crafts and I’m going to try to be artsy for once in my life. I also have a big trip planned (in my mind at least) and will reveal it once it all comes to fruition. I’m also thinking of starting some volunteer work next month and Ken and I are exploring our options. I want to give blood once a year has passed since India --- apparently they still have malaria in India or some jazz like that. I also need to start working on my next 101 list!
I’ve had a bit of a lull at work compared to the past couple of months (hence the Friday morning blog post). It will pick up again next week and will continue until my students (and me!) leave for Australia in February.
Hope you all are having an excellent ‘09 so far! I have updated my 101 blog and will continue to do so at a more regular rate from now on.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Long Overdue
It's been awhile! I finally uploaded a few photos from the Fall/Winter. (The poor Mac is still out of commission.)
I went to Vegas with Amy last weekend and we had a great time in Sin City. We took some time to lose $15 in the slots, ate sushi at an Okinawan-owned restaurant, previewed a pilot TV show, checked out the lions of the MGM Grand at our hotel, and walked until our legs and feet were screaming in protest. Vegas had a dust storm one of the days and on the day we left, there was a threat of unprecedented snow. All in all, it was nice to finally witness Nevada for the first time. If I go back, I want to stay at the Paris Hotel with its crepes and pastries and good coffee!
Work has been incredibly busy thanks to all the students getting ready to leave in February and parents realizing that they have to pay for it all.
Hope you all are doing well!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tagged by Carly---
Carly "tagged" me to tell everyone 7 strange/random things about myself. It took some time to come up with anything, but here goes---
1) I'm a morning person. I used to love sleeping in, but over the years, I have gradually become fairly alert in the morning. I enjoy heading to the gym before work, I don't mind getting up early to sit and drink coffee, and I've been known to annoy Ken with my perkiness. Staying up past 10 p.m. makes me want to tear my eyeballs out.
2) I have a bizarro crush on Anthony Bourdain. Possible cocaine addict? Check. Skinny jeans? Check. Sarcasm and cynicism? Check. All the makings of true love.
3) My all-time favorite song is "Yellow" by Coldplay. It reminds me of England, it's Chris Martin at his best, and hearing it live is amazing.
4) I have my PADI scuba diving certification, yet I have never actually gone on a dive. Ken bought me my lessons for Christmas one year and little did he know, I find the whole thing absolutely terrifying. It induces terror through clausterphobia and the fact that I could get tangled up and die. I can handle snorkeling, though.
5)My perfect Sunday afternoon (something I live for) is a cup of tea (with milk and sugar), some little cookies in a cute dish, the Chicago Tribune Saturday crossword, and a marathon of America's Next Top Model. Nothing in the world is better.
6) I sweat more than anyone I know. More than almost all men. It's gross, but at least my sweat doesn't stink. And I honestly think I'm healthier for it since I release so many toxins.
7)I love oatmeal. Love it. I eat it every day. I could eat it for every meal. If we went to IHOP, I would probably still eat oatmeal. My cholesterol must be record-breakingly low.
And that's me. I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving!
Oh --- and I tag Juhi, Brooke, Ken, and Laura.
1) I'm a morning person. I used to love sleeping in, but over the years, I have gradually become fairly alert in the morning. I enjoy heading to the gym before work, I don't mind getting up early to sit and drink coffee, and I've been known to annoy Ken with my perkiness. Staying up past 10 p.m. makes me want to tear my eyeballs out.
2) I have a bizarro crush on Anthony Bourdain. Possible cocaine addict? Check. Skinny jeans? Check. Sarcasm and cynicism? Check. All the makings of true love.
3) My all-time favorite song is "Yellow" by Coldplay. It reminds me of England, it's Chris Martin at his best, and hearing it live is amazing.
4) I have my PADI scuba diving certification, yet I have never actually gone on a dive. Ken bought me my lessons for Christmas one year and little did he know, I find the whole thing absolutely terrifying. It induces terror through clausterphobia and the fact that I could get tangled up and die. I can handle snorkeling, though.
5)My perfect Sunday afternoon (something I live for) is a cup of tea (with milk and sugar), some little cookies in a cute dish, the Chicago Tribune Saturday crossword, and a marathon of America's Next Top Model. Nothing in the world is better.
6) I sweat more than anyone I know. More than almost all men. It's gross, but at least my sweat doesn't stink. And I honestly think I'm healthier for it since I release so many toxins.
7)I love oatmeal. Love it. I eat it every day. I could eat it for every meal. If we went to IHOP, I would probably still eat oatmeal. My cholesterol must be record-breakingly low.
And that's me. I hope everyone had a very happy Thanksgiving!
Oh --- and I tag Juhi, Brooke, Ken, and Laura.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
November, November, November
Thanks to my office computer, I can finally throw up a little bit of an update. (And resisting urge to check how many new messages are in my inbox. It's the weekend!)
The last few weeks - months! - have been madness as far as how busy work has been and how busy our weekends have become. Last week, my friend from Okinawa, Amy, made the long voyage to South Bend. I know that she immediately fell in love with Michiana for the lovely weather we've been having lately. (Rain and wind = unhappy Rachel) We drove to Chicago on Saturday and made our first stop at the Museum of Science and Industry. I hadn't been there in quite sometime and it was enjoyable. The best part were the baby chicks in the hatchery. With some astronaut ice cream for a souvenir, we headed downtown towards Michigan Avenue. It was November 8 and it was already positively crazy! Luckily for us, we found some sushi to enjoy and shared some laughs over some Okinawa memories. The rest of the weekend was spent visiting some restaurants/cafes in South Bend and watching Ken yell at the TV for Sunday football.
Work has been incredibly busy as I keep working with the students who will be traveling to Oz in February. Basically, I take them from applying to picking courses to applying for their visas to working on their housing to setting up spring break trips to setting up cell phone plans and everything in between. Meanwhile, emails roll in and parents start calling with really long lists of questions. Each day goes quickly and I'm really enjoying the job. And, like I posted earlier, they finally officially approached me about going to Australia in February, meaning I will be meeting these kiddos I talk to every day!
Ken and I celebrated our five year anniversary and are going to be heading to see Neil Young in December. I'm also getting together with the Valpo girls again for some Christmas shopping. Aaaand, Amy and I are going to Vegas in December for a long weekend. There are no signs of slowing!
Hopefully, I will someday get around to getting my computer fixed.
The last few weeks - months! - have been madness as far as how busy work has been and how busy our weekends have become. Last week, my friend from Okinawa, Amy, made the long voyage to South Bend. I know that she immediately fell in love with Michiana for the lovely weather we've been having lately. (Rain and wind = unhappy Rachel) We drove to Chicago on Saturday and made our first stop at the Museum of Science and Industry. I hadn't been there in quite sometime and it was enjoyable. The best part were the baby chicks in the hatchery. With some astronaut ice cream for a souvenir, we headed downtown towards Michigan Avenue. It was November 8 and it was already positively crazy! Luckily for us, we found some sushi to enjoy and shared some laughs over some Okinawa memories. The rest of the weekend was spent visiting some restaurants/cafes in South Bend and watching Ken yell at the TV for Sunday football.
Work has been incredibly busy as I keep working with the students who will be traveling to Oz in February. Basically, I take them from applying to picking courses to applying for their visas to working on their housing to setting up spring break trips to setting up cell phone plans and everything in between. Meanwhile, emails roll in and parents start calling with really long lists of questions. Each day goes quickly and I'm really enjoying the job. And, like I posted earlier, they finally officially approached me about going to Australia in February, meaning I will be meeting these kiddos I talk to every day!
Ken and I celebrated our five year anniversary and are going to be heading to see Neil Young in December. I'm also getting together with the Valpo girls again for some Christmas shopping. Aaaand, Amy and I are going to Vegas in December for a long weekend. There are no signs of slowing!
Hopefully, I will someday get around to getting my computer fixed.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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