Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Get your motor runnin'

I’m used to friends and family—you know, people who have actually RIDDEN with me—giving me shit about my driving*. I’m not so accustomed, however, to getting it from strangers.

*And again, I don’t know WHY. Let the record show that I haven’t been in a car accident (caused by me) since 1995, and I haven’t even had a ticket since 2006 (and that was a really gay one—getting into the turn lane too soon).

Anyway, I was at the tire place today, getting two new front tires. (Since I’ve never rotated my tires, my front tires were worn down to the cords, while my back ones were practically brand new.) While the guys were working, I wandered over to the grocery store and the nail place, for a much needed eyebrow wax. When I returned, Benji (my tire guy) and 2 other guys started in on me almost immediately.

“Hey, Speed Demon is back!” called Benji from under my car.

I tried to look both innocent and offended. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“Oh please,” one of the other guys said. “No one’s tires can look like this unless they’re hauling some ass.”

“I’ve never seen a woman who rides their tires so hard,” added the other guy.

“Oh, and also?” added Benji. “Some people actually slow DOWN for speed bumps.”

“I do!” I exclaimed.

Benji just raised an eyebrow at me.

“Well…the big ones,” I muttered.

“ 'Cuz your alignment is shot,” he went on. “You’re a teacher, right?”

“Yeah,” I said.

“Are you actually running over small children in the parking lot?”

The other guys, of course, found this to be hi-LAR-ious.

“Your car is totally out of whack,” he added.

I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my grin. "Okay, I get it," I answered.

As I was leaving, I heard Benji yell, “Remember….speed bumps are your friend! And slow down!”

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Family, work and God

On a lark, I typed "Krzys" into Facebook the other night...there are a LOT of people, it turns out, with Krzys as a first name (Krzystof), but not too many with the same last name. I found a couple, though, and I've been emailing with a guy named Jerry, who is a few years younger than me and a lawyer in Ohio. We are trying to find a common link--we know that, with this last name, we HAVE to be related somewhere down the line....we just don't know how far back we have to go to find the link. It's still pretty interesting, though, since it isn't every day that either of us "meet" someone with the same last name as ours.

In school-related news, there may be a change coming for me for next year. Remember when I was given the opportunity to switch to middle school language arts last year? Well, that choice has (tentatively) presented itself again. Although I felt very good about my eventual decision to stay in 5th--and I would be more than happy to do it again for yet another year--I have to say that the fact that this chance has come up for the second year in a row makes me wonder if it's some kind of sign/signal. I will also say that if I DO make the switch, it's because the principal wants me to be one of the middle school lead teachers for next year. (Our MS is growing, and she thinks it may be time for 2 leads rather than 1.) If I'm definitely offered a lead position, I'll absolutely make the switch. (She hasn't decided for sure if she's doing that yet for next year, but she's definitely leaning towards it.) Otherwise, I'm not QUITE as sold on it but am definitely tempted.

Anyway, all be decided in the next month or two, so I'll let you know.

Last, I went to a new church last weekend, a Presbyterian one, and I LOVED it. I think it's definitely my new church. I can't say I'll go every single week (I didn't go today, for example--but it was really rainy and yucky outside and I force myself to leave my nice warm bed), but I do want to attend much regularly than I have been recently (which would be never). Everyone was really nice, the sermon was very interesting and relevant and I felt this odd feeling of at-home-ness there that I've never experienced in a church before. (Plus, no one died, which has become a factor in my church-hunting.)

Tuesday, April 06, 2010

Easter and stuff

Hello, everyone. I hope you all had a blessed and/or fun and relaxing Easter, depending on your religious beliefs. =-) Mine was actually great; spent the day with friends. Easter wine (which was just regular wine consumed on Easter), a fancy dinner (well, for us) and cornhole were all a part of the day's festivities. Oh, and my non-cooking ass was promoted from bringing cheese and crackers to deviled eggs. And they turned out really good!! (Is it bad to eat deviled eggs on Easter? Ha.)

As many of you know, I had a rather eventful Easter morning. I went to church (which is noteworthy in and of itself), but while I was there, an older (I think) gentleman crashed or coded or whatever. They had him in the room where you usually take crying babies and wiggly kids, so of course there was a huge glass window looking into the worship area. They closed the blinds while they were working on him but not all the way, and I had a clear shot into the room. I of course tried to focus on the service, but it was virtually impossible with everything going on. And can I just say, it was very unnerving that they even continued with the service. I mean, I know Easter is an important one, but you had a gathering of 300+ religious souls and a man literally dying in the next room. Shouldn't we have stopped and, oh, prayed for him? Anyway, I could see volunteers giving him CPR and then the medics when they got there. They were still working on him as they hurridly wheeled him out, but it didn't look good. Many of you have asked what ever came of that situation, and I don't know. I watched the news that night but they didn't say anything, and I'm checking the news websites now; I'll let you know.

So that's about all right now. Spring Break so far is fab; pool time with friends, reading, watching movies....*bliss.* Will probably hit the beach one day this week, too. Weather is perfect....85 and sunny. How are all of you?

Thursday, April 01, 2010

Happy April Fool's Day!

Yesterday was the last day of school for the students before Spring Break. Teachers still had to report, even though our grades were due yesterday and most of us are pretty much caught up on our paperwork. So our day has been spent socializing and counting down the hours till our official SB "meeting" at Pott's at 2. A bunch of teachers who are slap-happy and bored? Oh, and April Fool's Day to boot? You know no good could come from this.

Well, yours truly happened to come across a website listing office April Fool's Day jokes. Here's the one I decided to pull on Hot Teacher (my skydiving buddy), who has been gone on "lunch" for like an hour and counting.

Tidal Wave: Take about 20 (or more) paper or plastic cups, place them on the victim’s desk and fill them with water. Then take a stapler and staple them all together. You can also put the cups on the floor blocking their door, or just about anywhere.

We (I recruited 3 assistants) only did it with 10 cups, since he could have walked back in at any minute. and we taped them all together (a combination of duct and packing) instead of stapling them, which wasn't working so well.

Here's the finished product. Oh, and the part of the door that just happens to be showing above our handiwork? Well, that's just the icing on the cake.