Rediscovering the Blog

Well, it certainly has been FOREVER since I've added to this! Once again, you can thank my lovely sister for dragging me into the blogging world. She just started a new blog called Eli Shops (http://www.elishops.blogspot.com). It has wonderful tips about getting your Christmas shopping done easily, early, and with minimal stress.

Let's see, some life updates:

• I had a job teaching Spanish but lost it with budget cuts so I am back to substitute teaching. Hopefully something more permanent will come up but at least my mother will never kick me out:-)
• My sister is a sophomore at UCONN. She is in the honors program and is loving life up there in Storrs (when she isn't home...).
• One of my best friends is getting married in June so I will have another wedding to attend this summer.
• If anyone still reads this (doubtful but whatever), please pray for my sister's boyfriend. He is currently in the middle of Marine boot camp. He will come home December 17th.
• My grandmother turned 90 this year! She is doing really well:-) She did break her femur last Christmas but is now getting around her house with a walker and goes in the wheelchair when we go out. Pretty good for 90, right?! Pray for her too, please:-)

Sadly, after a year and a half, most of my news consists of a few mere bullet points. Whatever.

Okay, I am signing off now. Have a lovely day! Hasta luego!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Well, I've certainly been seeing green today! Everyone seemed to be decked out today, including me:-) I wore my sparkly shamrock earrings today simply because it's the only day of the year that they're appropriate. Not to mention my green top, pants with a green pinstripe, bracelet with a green stone from Ireland, and my celtic knot necklace (also from Ireland although I've never been; it was a gift). Well, I hope the luck of the Irish was with you today!

Things have been going pretty well lately. I've been working a lot! Seriously, almost every day. It's good experience and it's nice to be busy and feel like I have a normal job. I've put in a few applications for jobs but I haven't heard anything. Hopefully more positions will open up in the coming months.

Lizzy heard from UCONN's BFA program and it wasn't good:-( Apparently they only accept about 50 new students from all musical disciplines. This means that she was competing against instrumentalists and vocalists for these spots. She did write to the admissions office so she can be considered for regular, non-musical admission. We're pretty confident that she'll get accepted this way (she has a 4.0 and amazing test scores after all!). As for the rest of the schools, we are just waiting and hoping. Keep my little sister in your prayers please!

Interestingly, Lizzy is going to the New England Music Festival this weekend. She is one of only six students from her school. The concert is Saturday so we're looking forward to that:-)

That's really almost everything, I think. Buenas Noches y Hasta Luego! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

P.S. The Lenten Resoultions are still going on. It's hard giving up dessert! But we've been really good. We do cheat a little on Sundays after dinner because Sundays aren't counted in the forty days. But other than that, we're sticking to it! I'm not sure if we're loosing any weight though. I certainly don't think I have. But I'm not gaining any either. Plus, now that it's warmer (a little) and lighter later, I've been walking a bit more (including today). Wish us luck as we tackle a new week and the rest of Lent! I think we're about half-way through!

P.P.S. I think the people at Google/Blogger are going to think I'm nuts. I keep forgetting my passwords and having to reset them. I finally wrote it down! I guess I don't use it enough for it to stick. But tonight was the last time, promise!

Lenten Resolutions

So the New Year's Resolutions haven't been going that well but with Lent upon us we've decided, as a family, to make some changes. My mother wants to loose ten pounds and she's drawing the rest of us into her plan. We are giving up dessert. Except when it's that time of the month, then we can have chocolate. I don't want to loose ten pounds myself but between five and eight would be nice. So I'm going along with the dessert thing and, hopefully, I'll also get out my new sneakers and start walking more.

As for my other resoultions, it seems that they are going okay. I am definitely writing in this blog more frequently. I need to step it up a little in my regular journal (last entry Feb. 1st) but that's going pretty well too. The work/job stuff is fairly stagnant since there really aren't any jobs out there right now in education. But I have been substituting a lot so that's at least keeping me busy, paid, and in practice. I need to get my teaching portfolio together and order some of my graduate transcripts (although at $8 per it hurts a little to think about it. At least my undergraduate ones are free).

In other news, Packer is officially out of the program! He has hip problems, which are fairly common in labs, and he is really too much of a wimp to be a good service dog. But he will be put up for adoption (as long as someone is willing to pay for the hip surgery) and he will be a fanatastic pet. I'll keep you posted on him.

Lizzy had her UCONN audition this past weekend. She seemed pleased with it. She's going up to Ithaca this weekend for an audition. Keep her in your thoughts! Both that she does well and that she doesn't freeze! Also, her musical was a couple weeks ago. She did a great job, as usual:-)

I think that's just about everything. Hasta Luego!

The Big 25!

Well, my birthday was a resounding success:-) I got to sleep late and hang around the house with Packer (our fourth NEADS dog, an adorable but whimpy black lab...today is his birthday, actually...1 year old!) in the morning. My father made pancakes which were delicious. My parents bought me a pandora bracelet which is very pretty and has some fun charms on it. My sister, little devil that she is, got me a ceramic box from Tiffany & Co. that looks like one of their blue boxes with the white ribbons. It's adorable and I love it but it means I'm really going to have to save my pennies for her birthday present. Fortunately, I have until August and since she's turning 18 (dear God, where did the time go?!) and graduating this year, I was going to get her something nice anyway.

Let's see, other than that things are going well. I'm subbing a fair amount which is good. I also put my application in to two more school districts for subbing. I just want to keep myself busy, you know? It's nice to have a few days off here and there but too many make me stir crazy. Besides, working makes me feel like a normal person with a job.

As for my resolutions, they're going okay. I have been posting on the blog more. I do need to update my journal though. As for being healthy, it's been so-so. Sweet treats have been calling to me a little too much. But I haven't been snacking, I basically only drink water (except for a glass of oj with breakfast), I've been pretty good at restaurants, and I've been staying away from chips. I do need to put the excercise thing into a higher gear though. I've been walking an average of once a week. Not bad, but could be better. I am looking for new sneakers though and, perhaps with some new footwear, I'll be more motivated to get out there. So, still a work in progress.

I think that's all for now. Hasta luego!

A Historic Day!

I've waited for this day for eight years! That's a long time to wait. Think about it. I was a junior in high school. I was only vaguely worried about college and the application process. September 11th had not yet happened. The ink on my driver's license was barely dry (I got it in the fall of that year). Today, I have not only graduated from college but I have also completed my Master's degree in education. I have lived in Spain and been to two other foreign countries (Italy and England). My sister was diagnosed with and survived cancer. She is now a senior in high school. On the one hand, it seems like so long ago but on the other it seems like yesterday. I still remember the sense of disappointment and embarassment after the 2000 election. But today, finally, that has been lifted!

Our new president, Barack Obama, was sworn-in today. I got to watch it live via the internet. It was a really cool moment in history. The smooth, peaceful transition of power from one person to another. And, more remarkably, the inauguaration of our first African-American president. It's truly remarkable and I'm so proud to say that I got to live through it and watch it. I wish I could have been in DC today but that was not going to happen. Thank goodness for technology:-)

I know that having a new president does not even begin to solve our nation's problems. But it does give me hope that this country will, however gradually, be on a new path. We will have to work hard and make sacrifices because change is never easy but, for what feels like the first time in eight years, we seem to be doing something right and something different. The same-old stuff from the Bush administration has felt stale for a long time. I don't think he's a bad person but I feel like he didn't see or acknowledge that things weren't going smoothly. Also, as an English major, I couldn't stand to hear him speak. It felt like he was going really slow with weird pauses and it made me feel like he was speaking down to the public. With President Obama, I at least feel like he can give a good speech and that he cares about this country. I do not know if he will turn out to be a good president but at least I feel like he will try. He seems intelligent and hardworking. I also rather enjoy listening to his speeches. I wish him nothing but the best. It's not an easy job at the best of times but I have hope that things will start to improve and I feel like we are in good hands. So, good luck President Obama! May God bless you and your family! And may God bless America!



P.S. Now, onwards to my own personal miletstone...my 25th birthday! Only five more days!

All of a Sudden it's 2009!!

I feel like I blinked from the last time I posted to now. Suddenly, almost two years passed! So many things have changed since then that I cannot even begin to document them or catch you up. Not that anyone I know reads this or even knows it's here.

Nevertheless, here's a snapshot of the things that have happened over the last year and half or so.

• I finished graduate school!! I completed my M.A.T. at Sacred Heart University! I'm just waiting for the paperwork to come through from the state and I'll have my teaching certificate! This of course means that I'm now looking for a job in a very bleak economy...oh well!
• My sister is now applying to colleges. She applied to Ithaca, Easman School of Music (Rochester), UCONN, NEC, and Yale. Wish her luck!
• Speaking of my sister...She has had much musical and academic success lately. She has gone to Eastern Region, All-State, is in her school chorus (and had a mighty fine solo too!), she has been in a bunch of plays (my personal favorite? Pride and Prejudice....Mrs. Bennet), and she'll be going to the New England Music Festival in March. She also got some AWESOME SAT and SAT II scores! 780 crticial reading, 700 writing, 580 math, 680 U.S. History, and 800 Literature!
• We are on service dog number four! Captain graduates and was placed. We had Mernie (Golden retriever, labrador mix...WONDERFUL dog! Seriously, the best EVER!) for a few months and she is now paired with a woman in Mass. Packer, a black lab, is our current dog.
• I went to my first wedding of friends from college. It was beautiful and I wish them all the best. Of course, this is probably a sign that we are all growing up! Now, if I could just find someone for me so mom gets off my case...
• I cut my hair! It has always been long and curly but, over the summer, I got it cut so it's just about shoulder length. I really like it this length. Plus, I think the curls are even better:-)

Okay, I think that's more or less everything of interest.

Now, it's a brand new year so it's time to come up with a few resolutions.
1) To write more frequently in my journal and on my blog. I'm not going to say everyday because I'll never do that. But I'm thinking once a month for the journal instead of three or four times a year. As for this blog, I'll try at least once every two or three months. Hopefully, I'll make it part of my routine and I can make it more frequent as the year goes on.

2) To be healthier. I am, compared to some, a pretty healthy person but I think I do have some work to do. This means, typically, excercising more and eating less. Excercise 2-3 times per week (and not just in the summer when it's nice!). Maybe start taking the Monday night class with mom again. Onto food and eating! Consistently try to make good choices. Examples: no second helpings at dinner,no soda, no chips, no butter on bread/muffins, etc., no dessert or sweets after lunch, and trying to be better at gatherings where there are appetizers (if I must have some, put a few on a napkin/plate and eat only the ones on there). Now some of these, I am pretty good about (i.e. no soda and no chips) but others (appetizers...they always do me in!) I really need to work on.

3) To make good career choices. I know I'll be job searching this year (actually, I already am) so I'll need to make good choices. I'll need to prepare properly and thoroughly for interviews (learn about districts, prepare my portfolio, etc.). Paitence, flexibility, and perserverance will also be key in the process. I will also need to pick a position that I think will be a good fit and commit to it totally.

I think those are more or less reasonable resoultions. Hopefully, I'll be able to keep them or at least work on them and improve my situation.

I think that's everything! Hasta luego!

P.S. This time next week, our new president will be sworn in! Buena Suerte Presidente Obama!

Almost a Year!!...Oops!!

Buenos Tardes!

It has been almost a year since my last post (ten months and two days if you're being persnickety) and, for that, I implore you to accept my apologies. Although, at this point, I doubt that anyone reads this. Especially since none of my friends know this exists and since my family probably assumes I gave it up a long time ago.

Reading my last post is like reading something from a lifetime ago. I'm going to give a summary (hopefully as brief as possible....be forewarned though, I'm a verbose English major!) of what I've been up to since last fall and how things have changed since then.

The year at the nearby high school went pretty well overall. We had a rocky start because there were so many staff changes in our room but they eventually got ironed out. There were definite ups and downs but, for the most part, the year was a good one.

At the end of the year, I made the decision to leave in order to pursue my Master's and teaching certificate. I'm officially enrolled in (and starting) my M.A.T. at Sacred Heart University! As a means of gaining further experience and a break on the tuition, I'm interning at a high school during the day. The good thing is that SHU has a campus at the school where my internship is so logisitically things will work out very, very nicely. Tomorrow is the first day of school at the high school (I went in today and yesterday to get aquainted with the school and my colleagues) and my graduate classes start September 10th. Wish me luck!

In other news, Henry graduated in March and was placed with a young boy who lives in Minnesota. Evidently they love him and we're very happy knowing that he's helping someone. In November we got a second dog who is still with us now. His name is Captain and he's another yellow lab. He is much more mellow than Henry and, generally, a little easier to manage. We'll have him for a few more months until he too goes to "boot camp" and graduates. He has been an absolute joy and it will be much harder to see him go because we've had him for so long already.

I think that's just about everything. I'm going to be very busy with the internship and classes this year so you may not hear from me for awhile. I'll try but I can't make any promises until I know what the work load is going to be like. Well, hasta luego!