I'm so back!!!

Well, folks, it's been a long time, but I've finally found a way to get around the sill blocks at school--which means that my blogging days are not over after all. You should expect something new and exciting in the near future!!!

Pain in the b*tt...

So...I have once again taken up exercise. I gave it up in 1996. It was a conscious choice. I quit the soccer team and decided that I didn't need to exercise ever again. It just seemed like a silly waste of time to me. Not only did I give up exercise, I think I may be one of the only people to ever actually actively campaign against it.

Let me explain my reasoning for such seemingly illogical campaigning (there happens to be a lot of scientific research to support exercise). When I spoke out against exercising, I wasn't saying we should all be lumps on the couch. Physical activity, in my young mind, was perfectly acceptable. Things like frisbee or football or soccer are virtuous and lovely and should be sought after. What I personally found to be completely silly was exercise isolated from any type of sporting event or game. Running isn't fun. If you think it is, you are lying to yourself. It hurts. It makes your lungs burn and your legs tired. You get sweaty and smelly, and if you're not careful your toe nails will turn black and fall off. Soccer, on the other hand, is fun...and if you have to do some running as part of the victory process, so be it. But just running? Such a thought makes reason stare.

So, flash forward from 1996 about 5 years. At the end of my mission, I started setting goals. Missionaries do crazy things like. I decided that maybe it was time for me to be "fit" again. Something about serving the Lord heart might mind and strength. When I got home I joined a gym, and I have actually been a member pretty much ever since that time. It turns out that all those scientists are right. Exercise does make you feel better. As my HEPE teacher at BYU always hoped for me, I have learned to "reap the benefits" of exercise.

Why on earth am I pontificating on such a random topic? You all know me and probably realize that when I say that I have taken up exercise, I mean that I work out once a week--twice a week if I'm lucky. I am certainly no rambo barbie. After a 2 month spell with no gym membership (I thought that I could save money and do step aerobics alone in my bedroom. That was a joke...), I went back to Gold's yesterday and gave them a ridiculous sum of money so that I can run and not go anywhere, and then lift some heavy things, all while enjoying the latest music videos. As part of getting the membership, I also had a workout with a personal trainer. I don't know what this says about me, but she had me do a lot of exercises that worked me glutes...and today my bum is very sore. That is all.

Thoughts on exercise? Please share!!

Reasons why my blog has been so ignored...

I started this blog with such good intentions. I intended to update it every week. I intended to never run out of witty topics about which to write. I intended to build up my fan base with my consistency. Obviously, that didn't happen. I'm not saying it's never going to happen. It just hasn't exactly worked out the way I first intended. As I have learned from my students, there really is an excuse for everything. So I would like to share with you, my excuses for why there have been so few updates in the past few months.

10. Summer Vacation
I believe I have mentioned before that the best part of my job is that I get the summer off. That means I am allowed to pretty much take the month off of all my responsibilities. I don't have to work, write blogs, shower...okay, I still shower during the summer (especially after a few good hours baking in the sun).

9. Multivariable Calculus
My summer vacation was already disrupted by the fact that I had to take 8 credits of math. Who does that? And who can write witty blog entries when one's mind is full of vectors and permutations? Those words by themselves just sucked at least 3 creative sentences out of my head.

8. Sleep
When given the choice of writing my blog or going to bed, my bed always wins. In fact, there are very few things that I would actually choose above sleep. Hmmm...maybe that's why I'm still not married...and it gives me serious concerns about motherhood.

7. Exercise
Yes, I did give up exercise in 1996. I thought that I would never do it again. I was an outspoken crusader against the ever-popular trend. However, it turns out that you really do have more energy if you work out consistently (and by consistently I mean once every 10 days). The problem is that if I squeeze in a workout, that squeezes out something else...and I've already mentioned that something else is not sleep.

6. Book Clubs
I currently belong to several book clubs. They are aLL wonderfuL, aLthough I cLearLy have a favorite. Some of my other book clubs actually expect me to read the book. I know. High maintenance. Actually, I quite enjoy it, but it does take away time from other things I could be pursuing.

5. Dating
Actually, this is taking up no time at all, but I'm sure if I didn't have to even think about it, I'd have more time for my blog.

4. TV
Did you know that the average American watches an average of 4.5 hours of TV everyday. I kind of hate to admit this, but I've recently been getting frighteningly close to that average. You never plan to sit down and watch hours of TV. You turn the TV on while eating dinner, and then you are so exhausted, you decide just to veg for a while...and all of a sudden it's bed time (see #8)...One more day without updating the blog.

3. Pure exhaustion
I've decided that for teachers, September is basically like living through a month-long Monday morning. I've been so overwhelmed by getting into the groove of a new school year, that I come home and crash on the couch and don't have the energy to move again for hours. (See #4). It doesn't help that I'm teaching 3 different subjects, am in charge of the Geometry curriculum team and am helping with NHS. I know. We're all busy, but if you can't gripe on your own blog...

2. Internet Filters
Fairfax County Public Schools decided that blogspot was inappropriate material for young minds, and I think it's great to protect our students. However, it has made it much more difficult for me to keep up my fantastic blog.

1. Everything Else
Besides the above-mentioned, in the last month I've also been to North Carolina and Boston (entries to follow). I was in a car accident on the way to Boston, and my car is still in NJ. My cousins came to town. I helped with my nephews when my sister-in-law went to the hospital and helped again when the new baby went back to the hospital. I've also done various home decor projects including finally hanging my curtains...so you can see there's clearly not been time for blogging. But I have reset my goals, and will hopefully be more consistent in the future.

Now you know what deep and weighty matters are occupying my time. What keeps you from getting to the stuff you plan on getting to? I love comments!!!

Coming soon...

To my adoring fans: I must apologize emphatically for so long ignoring my blog. I promise an update is coming very soon. Just to whet your appetites, I wanted to let you all know that I am currently formulating a three-part entry in my mind. I should probably use my brain-power to write the actual entries rather than this teaser...but it's good to make people wait sometimes. I guess you could say that I'm playing hard to get, but don't worry, not too hard to get...

Flat irons and jeans

I will depart momentarily from my usual format to share a few random thoughts. Lest you think you are about to read something deep and important, please be warned that these thoughts are merely random and actually quite superficial. First of all, I've decided that there are some things that it is worth paying a ridiculous and exhorbitant amount for: flat irons and jeans.



I recently bought a new flat iron, and I will admit that I did indeed pay a ridiculous amount for it, but the dividends have greatly overshadowed the cost. It's sad to admit the effect that multiple bad hair days can have on your self-esteem. In a perfect world, even people with bad hair would feel good about themselves, but this is not a perfect world, and I have known my fair share of bad hair days. But all of that has been put to an end with the purchase of my new flat iron. It smooths and straightens like I never thought possible. My confidence has increased threefold due to the fact that I'm no longer walking out of my apartment looking like a fuzzy bush.


Now let's talk about the importance of good pair of jeans. My favorite place to shop for jeans is The Buckle, and if you are over 5'10" and haven't shopped there yet, please do yourself a favor and enter the abundant world of long jeans. I bought a new pair of jeans a few weeks ago, and it is now unpleasant for me to wear anything else. The new ones just look so cute...or maybe they don't even look so cute, but I FEEL like they look so cute, and so they make me happy.



These random thoughts came to me as I was thinking about some of the little things in life that I am grateful for and make me happy. There are lots of actually important things that make me happy as well, but I chose to feature the insignificant today. What insignificant things make you happy?

Reasons why T-Birds are the Best!

I was recently reminded that Timpview High School really is a world class institution. And no, it's not because of its world-class band program (although Mr. Fullmer would probably like to think so). You'd think that nine years later, I would have maybe let go of some of my high school pride, but I find that my orange-and-blue flame grows brighter by the year. Here are some of my reasons why:

10. T-Birds are EVERYWHERE. Here in the DC Metro area there are quite a few of us. We even had a sweet Timpview-Only party a few months ago. None of us actually knew each other in high school, but because we were all T-Birds at one time, the room was filled with love.

9. "That's alright. That's okay. You'll all work for us someday." Yes, this really was one of our cheers. Some people thought that only snobs would have a cheer like this. I think it is just a sign of our confidence in high-quality education we were receiving. And it's a snappy rhyme.

8. Rosalie Mackay. As a history teacher myself, I would just like to say that I learned more in AP US History with Miss Mackay than I did in my college US History classes. Also, I have such fond memories of Miss Mackay grabbing my ear and dragging me out into the hall. I doubt I really deserved such treatment. Sure, I was talking and not paying attention, but then I never paid attention in Government. And then when I went to point out to someone in the hall how to get to a different classroom, she thought I was trying to sneak away.

7. Stud Wall. Every T-Bird knows exactly what I'm talking about: the wall in the commons where the guys who thought they were really cool sat during lunch. I just think it's fantastic that it had a name. And I think it's fantastic that that name spanned generations of T-Birds.

6. Stoner Hall. This is where my locker was freshman year. That is unrelated to the fact that it was called stoner hall.

5. Alan Myrup. He looks like Rick Moranis, but teaches biology.

4. The Timpview High School Band. Let me paint you a picture...was a phrase often used by our band director, and was usually followed by some type of speech meant to convince us that people involved in band are the best people in the world. Most of the other kids around the room were eating it up. Not me. I was laughing at the ridiculousness of all his statements. That's probably why he didn't like me very much. I'd also like to say right here and now that I was "in" the band, but not "of" the band. An important distinction. But I couldn't write about Timpview without some sarcastic comment about the band program.

3. The Stereotypes. Timpview has the reputation of being the "rich-kids school." I just take this as a sign that other people wish they could have gone to Timpview. People only hate that which they want to be a part of, but aren't. If you look at the economic standings, all the high schools in the area are pretty much the same...so I can think of no other reason besides jealousy for such cruelty toward T-Birds.

2. The Journalism Lab. I spent many a happy hour in that tiny closet. The highlight was perhaps the time we were there working late, and my mom tried to give me a swirlie in the faculty bathroom. It's a good thing that it was locked! (You may or may not be aware that The Thunderbolt is an award-winning newspaper. We took state every year for about 5 years in a row.)

1. Timpview Car Wash. Okay this really has nothing to do with the high school itself, but I have some very fond memories at this car wash. Homecoming 1995...that's all that I need to say.

This entry was inspired by my recent trip home, where I was surrounded by T-Birds and reminded how much I love them all! So, now I need your comments. What is your favorite thing about Timpview? Who is your favorite T-Bird? What is your favorite thing about T-Birds? Please share.

The "L" in all its glory. I promise an update of the blog next week when I finish my classes!!