It's raining in Shanghai

BIG NEWS

Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:30:42 GMT

So I have big news. I am going to be moving out in a month! Today, Dean, and my mom, and I looked at my relative’s townhouse. Dean had not seen it, but my mom and I have because it used to be a place for family gatherings. Hopefully, now it can be again.

It’s in Lombard, just north of the Target by Yorktown Mall, by 22^nd and Meyers (Fairview).

It’s roughly 1,700ft with the main floor and a full basement. Right now it has a master bedroom and two spare bedrooms, but we will probably turn one of the bed rooms into a computer and art room. Since this is a townhouse of a relative who died, we can keep whatever furniture we want. It’s part of a Homeowner’s Association, so there are some rules that we have to follow and pay a fee for every month, but the fee does include for shoveling, salt, and lawn care.

Dean and I are just so excited because now we can finally be on our own. Living with my parents has been very nice and we know that we appreciate the opportunity. We need to move out so that we can actually be a couple living together rather than me living with my folks and Dean living with our family.

So we sign the lease on November 2^nd. We might be able to start moving our stuff over there sooner. My relatives are going to have the place touched up and some small repairs made so if those are done sooner than expected we can move in.

I hope that we can get settled quickly so that we can start setting up for Christmas and New Years. We might even have Christmas at our new house! I am mega-stoked about that.

School Starts Soon

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:30:43 GMT

School starts again soon. We still have to get our boxes and then unpack our room, which will be a big hassle.

Just a few things to finish up before the summer is through. It's been a pretty good summer so far.

Goin' on a Bear Hunt

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:23:03 GMT

I'm going to San Diego this Friday. I will be back in IL on July 9th.
My mom, my aunt, and I will all meet up in San Diego for 4 days then my mom starts her NEA convention there and my aunt comes back to IL. So I will be on my own during the days after the 30th. I am very much looking forward to this trip. Oh and did I mention that I will be taking a train ride back home from Los Angeles by myself. I got a roomette and will enjoy the scenery and people-watching on the 52 hour train ride.

When we first started planning this trip, I was just going to let the trip take me where ever and I did not want to plan activities and mini-trips. However, I looked up the San Diego Reader, since I am a fan of the Chicago Reader, and found some really neat activities. Some of them are attending concerts at Balboa Park during the National Organ Festival, going to farmer's markets-especially in Little Italy and in the Mission district, going to the Birch Aquarium, beaches, and a bunch of restuarants that I looked up from "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives".

I don't know how connected to the Internet I will be. I'd imagine that the hotel will have a computer with internet, but since I am not bringing my notebook, I won't hit up the Wi-Fi spots.

I'll be taking loads of photos, sending texts, and sending out lots of postcards!

Summer list 2009

Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:56:06 GMT

In addition to this, Maggie, Dean, and I are planning on going to the Indiana Dunes for a beach day trip. We are going to try and go a couple of times this summer since it's so easy to get to and it's a lot of fun. And if anyone is up for any camping...I'm looking at you Callan, then lets get together and plan something.

May
Cougars Game
Taco Nite
Garrett Popcorn trip to Chicago

June
Science and Industry Museum
Springfield Diner and Sightseeing Trip
Oberwise Factory
Kite Festival
Taste of Chicago

July
Art Institute of Chicago
Fermi Lab Tour and Bison Trip

August
Shopping in Winnetka

Tedium

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:48:57 GMT

I've been going through my music on the downstairs computer. I think it's an act in tedium but I still enjoy it none the same. I've got about 20 gigs of music and I am quite sure that I will end up deleting about a fourth of that, in fact, I hope that I will. I've dug up some great tunes and podcasts that I didn't even remember having. I have found loads of files that I think that I should like but I know that I will never listen to, so I am deleting it.
Once I finish with this computer, I will start to work on the upstairs one.
Right now, that is what's going on in my life. ... Not too much. I am counting down the days until spring break-9 more!

Dianer's

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:27:35 GMT

I went to Dianer's house this weekend. It was mega-fun. A bit better than the week was.
I was driving home on Thursday afternoon and a lady rear-ended me. She cracked the bumper. So we went to the police station to file a report. Now I have to file it with the insurance people and stuff. Thankfully no one was hurt or anything.

Birthday is next week as is the last day of school before break. This should be a good (but busy) week. Dean and I are going to Twisted 15, the first night which features Saliva, Theory of a Deadman, and Hollywood Undead. That will be Tuesday.

Thursday and Friday are the Winter Parties at school. The Thursday one is actually at school and the Friday one is held at the school we visit on Fridays for our lunch outings. They are hosting it but we are bringing the food. I think we'll bring spaghetti and meat sauce, cookies, a pasta salad, candied carrots, and corn casserole. I think we'll play some games and decorate cookies.

I think we're going to have a Willowbrook Vision Winter Break (aka The Thank-Gawd-The-Kids-Are-Gone) Party on Friday the 19th. I hope that it turns out. It would be awesome to just hang out with the people from work and not talk about work.

The CHRISTMAS TREE is UP! It looks so lovely and makes the season more special. I think that I am going to Edwardsville for Xmas which means I'll come back a billion pics of my aunt's dogs and cats. I hoping for a good mix of practical stuff and fun stuff for this b-day/Xmas.

I am also hoping that this mysterious pain (that looks a lot like Fibromyalgia) won't show up for Xmas time. I've got a follow-up appointment with the doctor the 23rd and hopefully she can prescribe something for when I do get pain in the joints in my arms, shoulders, and back. It could be worse at least I think I know what triggers the pain-cold-and that the pain is not constant.

I voted!

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 03:44:17 GMT

Yes I did.

For Obama of course.

Also, I voted 'no' on keeping any of the district judges in. I don't know any of them but I don't really like incumbancy so out they go.

I didn't get an "I Voted" sticker because a little boy took the last one... and he didn't even vote!

There were no lines and I felt very AMERICAN yeah!

This weekend. doo wa doo

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 00:56:12 GMT

This was a girls-only weekend! Dean was at ISU for a boys weekend with Erik and Ken was in Minnesota with his sister for a re-enactors meet-up. I went out to dinner with Mags on Friday and then we had a ball at the library reading the Consumer Reports. Saturday was just as relaxing. Maggie came over again and we went to Cici's Pizza Buffet. I had the macaroni and cheese pizza, buffalo, along with old stand-byes. I will have to say, yes, the mac and cheese pizza was pretty good. Anyone who doesn't like it is a COMMIE. True Americans love the mac pizza! USA USA

I also started 3 new painting projects while watching "To Kill a Mockingbird" for the 6th time. I'm not sure why I love that movie. Every frame is superb. I also felt great starting new art projects. I have about 5 projects waiting downstairs to be finished. I always start a project but I never seem to finish. So I am glad that I get to scratch some projects off the list.

Dean and I went to dinner with his sisters and mother. We went to Cracker Barrel and we all had really good food.

Wedding Weekend Sept

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:42:18 GMT

So Dean and I drove down to Edwardsville to attend the wedding of my cousin Jason and his new bride, Sara. We skipped out on the rehersal dinner and enjoyed the nice room we had at the Hampton Inn.
The wedding was beautiful on Saturday afternoon. Sara's dress was gorgeous with lots of embroidery and sparkles. The family's and party's colors were a magenta/pink and purple. It was not as gaudy as it sounds. Very tasteful.

Instead of birdseed, rice, bubbles, or flower petals, they chose to have the guests hold sparklers and party poppers when the new couple left the church. It was a nice idea, and Sara still says that she liked it, but gee wilikers, it was smokey! and my dad had a little burn on his thumb.

The reception was nice expect for the dj. Sara and Jason found him on the internet and he started out ok with Weather Channel music but then it turned into lame dentist-office soft rock followed by MTV r & b.
Dean and I never did dance. So he totally owes me one!! But my dad and I danced to "Layla" by Eric Clapton in the beginning and it was nice.

The food was really good, buffet-style, and the cake was small but most guests took the cupcakes they served. There was mint-chocolate, peanutbutter, carrot cake, regular chocolate, and red velvet.

We had a luncheon today at the couple's house with both families. It was nice, just regular picnic fair.
Dean and I then ditched that party and went to see Dianer and Tom at ISU. Dianer had to ditch us for her date with Carrot Top, her new beau. Tom, Dean, and I played Munchkin, which I bought at Borders earlier. It was really fun once I understood what the heck was going on. The first time I played, it was noisy and hard to understand the directions.

It was a pretty good weekend, but now I have work tomorrow and I'm afraid to check my work e-mails right now. eep!

CALLAN, when are you free for camping? Dean and I are totally in for a camping trip soon before it gets too chilly.

Let's go surfing now!

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 04:01:13 GMT

Maggie and I went to Indiana Dunes State Park and had a whale of a time! Also, the water gave us really soft skin, so there ya go.
The water was so clear and the temperature was perfect. The drive wasn't bad and I think that we're going to go again soon.
We did hike up one dune but it was really hard and I don't plan on doing that any time soon.
The lake was fun to swim in and we found a matchbox car and a fishing lure.

Done with my first bout of teaching

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:59:02 GMT

So I'm done with summer school. I can recite "Green Eggs and Ham", I have stories about being thrown up on, being cussed at in 2 languages, and navigating a wheelchair in busy environments but I wouldn't want it any other way.
These kids were great. When the were good, they were all very good. And when they were bad...well let's just say that it could have been a whole lot worse.

Le Sigh

Sat, 02 Aug 2008 01:59:01 GMT

Post I wrote July 17th but never posted:

So last week, I was thrown up on by my medically-fragile student. He had emergency surgery and is now back in school. That was fairly unpleasant but not as bad as yesterday.
So I've got Student A "Joe", new to our district, lives in residential care, ball of energy, bright, and very strong-willed. I've also got Student B "Sam", strange home-life, foul-mouthed history since he was in preschool, and terrible behavior problems to others and himself.
Joe has been saying a certain phrase with a "cuss word" when trying to get out of work. The staff is ignoring this in an attempt to fade the behavior. Sam can't understand why Joe gets away with swearing and he wants to misbehave, too. Sam sings during Circle Time then when confronted swears in English and Spanish at any staff member and starts hitting himself and others. Other staff members pop into the room to try and set-up rewards for good choices with Sam but he won't be bargined with, he is on a roll.
So another staff member and I force him to walk down the hallway at arm's length to prevent kicking but he still scratched and pinched. A third staff member takes down the student for 10 minutes. While she calms him down, I run and get his behavior plan to see what we should be doing. "Put student in a room by himself. He should be calm in 20 minutes". So yeah, where am I going find an empty room in this already packed school? I'll kick out a speech teacher. She and I clear her room of all posessions and then I drag the now screaming and violent student into her little office. So 40 minutes later, we emerge with a new awe for this kid's gift with bad words.
It was just so draining. Hearing a student that distraught for an hour kills you inside. It is a hard time to shake out your memory. We all tried our best so that no one would get hurt and we succeeded this time. The other students fed off this out-burst during Circle Time and I heard later from the other staff members of the room that Joe was terrible, too.
All of the staff in my room were drained. These kids put you on edge and force you to run dozens of scenarios in your head every minute. Each consequence that you put forth must be appropriate, worthwhile, empowering for the student, and safe. That is hard to think of for some of these guys sometimes.
Having gone through all of that, I go back every day. Luckily, I teach summer school and only see my guys from 9-12 for a month. I'm not sure that I would want these kiddos for a whole day for a whole school year. Not right now, I'm not ready. But one day, I hope to be.

Nooooooooooooo

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:13:26 GMT

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7468681.stm

George, no! You were awesome. Your albums were awesome.

That is all.

New Dog tomorrow

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 07:51:01 GMT

Our family is getting a new dog tomorrow. We are adopting it from the local humane society. I am excited but this experience also brings back memories of my first dog, Zachary. I have spent more than half of my life with a companion that is now gone. This new one will never replace him, nor is he meant to.

The little mannerisms that I developed when living with Zachary have never fully disappeared. Like when I drop food on the floor, I always expect him to come running from the other room and eat it. Zachary always sat in the living room with a clear view into the kitchen. I always shot him looks when I had a treat just for him. I could also peek around the corner and see him there. After he died, I would look to his spot and it would remind me that he was gone. If he showed up one day in that spot again, I would not question it. I would hug him as I always did, call him Mr. Furry-Pants, and he would follow me to the ends of the earth.

Coming home everyday is the hardest after he died. Walking up the deck, fumbling for the keys, and not having someone on the other side nearly busting down the door to see you broke my heart for the longest time. I still hate coming home to an empty, quiet house where there is no one eagerly waiting on the other side. Sure, half of the time Zachary was asleep in the other room when I would get home but he woke up to the sounds of the door closing and come bounding through to greet you.

As I grew older, I appreciated him more and more. Now with my new wisdom, I will appreciate this new bundle of joy and feel grateful for the opportunity.

Fun was had. Lemon bars were served and free balloons for Mom.

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:52:44 GMT

So last week, Dean and I traveled down to Dianer's neck of the woods. We had 2 action-packed days. We played one of Dianer's video games, Obscure. I think that it took longer to define the word "campy" to Dean than actual game play. The game is campy and fun. The 2 player aspect is hard to manage but it just adds to the novelty of the game.
We also played with Dianer's menagerie. I liked the guinea pig and beardo dog, Pepper, best. The kitty liked me.
We had lunch at a lovely Chinese buffet and saw a glimpse into the diverse world of East Peoria.

Dianer needs to get her keister up here and we can have fun to TEH EXTREME.

Then we went to Dave's and we all played Magic and I used my new non-confusing deck. I was pleased. With the first deck Dean made me, I got frustrated at every turn because I couldn't for the life of me understand and juggle all of the cards directions. It was discouraging. But now with my shiny new deck that I helped Dean make, I have a bit more confidence. Playing was actually fun for once. It was also nice to touch base with Dave.

Up to the Highest Height

Wed, 28 May 2008 04:06:51 GMT

Let's go fly a kite!
My best friend and I had wanted to fly a kite for a long time. We even bought a cheap-o one at the supermarket months ago. So we finally flew one today. That one turned into two kites. We bought another cheap-o one, a diamond-shaped beauty with Hello Kitty on the face. It had two long, plastic pink tails. Well, that kite was a stinker and took a lot of work to get it to leave the bounds of the earth.
After dinner, we our luck improved.
We bought a bigger one, for 50 more cents bringing it to a grand total of $2.99 from Target.
This new one was a triangle with a spinning tail, low and high wind modes, and a new sense of hope.
Just after we set the new one up, it leapt into the air and stayed above our heads for an hour. This was a Hello Kitty one, as well but this time she was piloting an airplane.
We shared turns flying the kite at 9 at night. Marge Simpson said, "There's something about flying a kite at night that's so unwholesome."
I think that she's wrong. It was fun. The car lights shining off the plastic kite gave it a lovely gleam. It was quite windy and it made the kite have a delicate rustle to it.
I would love to continue this pastime. It was very relaxing. It seemed like the kite was flying just for you and it gave my friend and me time to clear our heads and just have some good, clean fun with no strings attached.

Dream-Sharing Time!

Fri, 23 May 2008 04:56:28 GMT

I did have an entry half-written about how stuff is kinda crazy and up in the air right now, but f that s. Dream time!

So this dream happened this morning.

Ok so Dean and I were at a movie theater with Jeff Hsu from North (I’m not sure why he was there). We went to see a movie and on the way out we see some other people who say that this new Jet Li (I don’t even really like him) movie was really good and we should join them.

So while we’re waiting we go to the aquarium in another wing. We look at sea cucumbers, sea stars, and a manta ray and sea star in the same tank. I go off and see the dolphin but the water is running low so they pick it up and move it to another tank.

So here is where it gets a bit dreamlike and weird. So I go and see the dolphin and get to walk up on the platform where the trainers stand and direct the dolphins. There is also a water balloon elephant. It’s a tiny elephant that’s the size of a watermelon, sparkly clear turquoise, and has a balloon-like exoskeleton and liquid inside. It’s the cutest thing ever and I play with it but something happens and a bit of its trunk falls off. It gets scared and runs away, into the crowd. I jump out of the tank and chase after it.

I got outside in a neighborhood I’ve never seen but kinda like mine. I lose the elephant but come up to this huge, gothic-style house with lots of tiers in the yard that go up to it. KimFromCalifornia comes out and invites me inside. I say no thanks and she takes me to the narwhal tank at the aquarium and says that every year they cut off the horn and the new one that comes out is very sharp. Then I see the water balloon elephant in the tank. I jump in, avoid being speared by the narwhal, and rescue the elephant. I return him and then KimFromCA gives me some segments of narwhal horn. But it’s made of fibers pressed together and you can run your fingers over the fibers and sparkly dust jumps out. I take the segments and go see Dean and Jeff and we run into Lester from North. He joins us and he has a mullet. I see Sue and Sil, my aunt and uncle, as we go into the theater, give hugs then go.

Then I woke up. I felt very satisfied. I ran over the dream again after that. I was surprised how much it worked out, how much I remembered, and how long it was.

Man, I totally wish that a water balloon elephant was real.

Graduation 2008, baby!

Tue, 13 May 2008 15:05:34 GMT

I graduated this past weekend. It was nice to see the fam and Dean, Dianer, and Maggie came to lunch in Mahomet with me. We played Rock Band on Friday night before the graduation ceremony.

Carbondale, a dale full of carbon.

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:49:09 GMT

    So I cruised on down to Carbondale for the weekend. There I met Ames and her coterie. We watched Terminator 1 and my fav, Terminator 2! What made T2 even better was that I got to play with one of Amy's friend's snake, Mercutio. He was a cute little orange snake with a penchant for crawling down your leg.
    Then we zipped over to a neat little Japanese place where we stole an extra bowl of soup. What naughty creatures! I got chicken stew with 2 fruit salads and a fried tofu. The stew was really good and everyone else enjoyed their sushi.
    Ames and I went grocery shopping and then went and watched "Stardust" her friend's house. I had been meaning to see that movie anyways and I'm glad that I eventually saw it because it was really entertaining and very cute.
    After a brief sleep, 9 hours or so, Ames and I, along with 3 other friends, went hiking on Trillian trail in Makcanda outside of Carbondale. The scenery is very pretty and the rock formations are similar to those at Starved Rock. I'm sure there is a geological reason for this but all I remember from Geology at ISU is cleavage and oxbow lakes.
    We got sherbet in the hippy town and walked through a really neat garden with paths and different little ponds. This place even had frogs, which is a good sign.
    So we ate at a pub and off I drove back up to Downers Grove which lacks in all of these things. Oh well, I do plan on visiting Ames again this summer and go camping if the bugs aren't too bad.

Chinese Acrobats

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 21:15:54 GMT

I saw them.

After lunch in the teacher's lounge, an announcent was played requesting all of the students in the building we shared with a special school go to the gym for the Chinese acrobats.
So all of the teachers and receptionists got up and went, too.

They were cool.

A weekend without shoes is a weekend well spent.

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:03:12 GMT

So this past weekend was awesome thanks to the beautiful weather. Dean and I spent all day Sunday outside mostly doing yard work but then we played catch, which was fun and I only got hit a couple of times!
I didn't have to wear shoes or sandals on Sunday or Saturday. It was so much fun to run around, rake, and clean the fish pond without icky shoes.
We started watching the Birdcage but stopped and moved on. I will finish it on my own later.

We blasted through a couple of levels of Armadillo Run but did not get to make a Bing Bang Boing game.

We made CORN CASSEROLE and it was awesome. We ate some right after it came out of the oven after a nap.

This weekend, Dean will continue to help me re-learn basic catching and throwing skills while I will immerse him in the wonderful world of Braille.

There are 23 school days left until I am done and that is a scary but awesome and exciting thing!

This weekend!

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:52:12 GMT

So this weekend will be refreshing after this ho-hum of a week. Actually I shouldn't be posting right now because I have a billion lesson plans to type but oh well.

TO DO

Bake 6 cakes for my mom because she told her church that she'd bake some

Play Armadillo Run

Make a Bing Bang Boing game with Dean (and it will look bitchin!)

Watch a movie that I haven't watched in forever ... I'm thinking Perceval or the Birdcage.

Make CORN CASSEROLE Yeah baby!

Vladimir Putin was asleep one night

Sun, 30 Mar 2008 08:45:01 GMT

Vladimir Putin was asleep one night
He dreamed that Josef Stalin came to him for a chat.
Putin asked him, "Great Leader, how can I make Russia a better place?"
Stalin replied, "Volodya, you must kill all dissenters and get three thousand white mice for the Kremlin."
Putin asked, "Great Leader, why the mice?"
Stalin laughed out loud and said, "I knew you wouldn't ask me about the first part."
- The Librarian 03/29/08, 18:42

A response to this article: http://www.poe-news.com/stories.php?poeurlid=000075695

Ew

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:08:15 GMT

    So I'm trying to have a nice evening, watch a bit of "Twilight Zone", have some Mountain Dew, chat to a few homies, and eat pie, but nooooo....my folks are BOTH sick with this nasty flu that is going around. This is worse than my flu from a few weeks ago and they both have it.
    So now it seems that I am running the house. But the upside is that I got to go grocery shopping. So besides the bananas, rice, and Gatorade I picked up Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans!   They are fairly awesome. I was going to get the Starburst Jelly Beans but I went out on a limb.

Pink = AWESOME
Green = Yum
Orange = Good
Red = Really good
Purple = Ew

    I'm going to Champaign/Urbana and Mahomet this weekend for Easter. I foresee it as being wonderful because my aunt will come up from Edwardsville and we will see my Great-Aunt and Uncle since his cancer treatment. I think it will be good for everyone to re-connect and share a lovely meal.
    Having said that, I'm bringing the Easter Egg dying kit I got from the craft store. I'm guessing we're gonna make a mess and some beautiful eggs.
    I hope that my folks get better so that we can all enjoy this weekend.

And now you know....

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:44:48 GMT

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vreYGatbpWI

That is full of lols, right there.