Psalm 23 for the Work Place

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.
He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.
He gently reminds me to pray and do all things without
murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.
He restores my sanity everyday and guides my decisions
that I might honor Him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails, system
crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks, gossiping
co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an aging body
that doesn't cooperate every morning, I still will not stop---
for He is with me! His presence, His peace, and His power
will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.
He claims me as His own, even when the company threatens
to let me go. His Faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check

His retirement plan beats any 401k there is!
When it's all said and done, I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer
and for that, I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!!

Now THAT'S a dog!

Techno-Clown sent me a link to something I might like, since I've been considering getting a new dog.

It doesn't seem very cuddly and affectionate to me.

Wildlife in Peril

Wildlife conservations are concerned after seeing this photo.


Animals that were formerly self-sufficient are now showing signs of
belonging to the Democrat Party... as they have apparently learned to
simply sit and wait for the government to provide for their care and
sustenance.

Not THAT kind of weird

Tonight's bible study was about Psalm 1 and how we're supposed to stand clear of the non-believers; in the world, not of the world, etc. First, I love that when my pastor was trying to describe "delight" he used Divinity candy as an example. He described them as "sugar shaped like a biscuit." He also said he "delights" in them like Jesus "delights in us." (Remember, this is the man that said God gave us taste buds so we can enjoy tiramisu!)

Then he talked about Christians who say they are more comfortable around non-believers because Christians are weird. He said (I loved this part) "DUH! We're SUPPOSED to be weird. Not, like, FROOT LOOPS weird."

I think I've finally found a church that feels like home!

What NOT to wear!

I saw these T-shirts for sale recently. I didn't buy any, but that's only because I"m on a budgget and already have more shirts than I can possibly wear.

"It's not a complex. You really ARE inferior."

"I can't remember if I'm the good sister or the evil one."

"Wait a minute. I need to put on my 'Gosh. I really care' face."

Celebrity Deathmatch - Idol Edition

If you've never seen the irreverent MTV2 show Celebrity Deathmatch you should. It's a Claymation parody/fantasy of two celebrities in an unltimate fight to the death.

I don't know if they've done this match-up yet, but I would love to see the American Idol edition of William Hung vs. Sanjaya Malakar.

The Boy Wonder

We had a band director meeting yesterday and when it was done, I went to a favorite watering hole with 3 of my favorite directors: Mary Poppins (who has a huge purse with anything you could ever need in it) and "The Georgia Rejectors" (husband/wife team who thought moving to Georgia might be a good idea, then thought better of it a year later). The Rejectors son "The Boy Wonder" was there as well.

After lunch, Mrs. Rejector and Boy wonder came back to play in the pool. She told me a few HI-larious stories about Boy's first day of school: (He's in 3rd grade)

1. The teacher was telling the students the rules and expectations of the class. She turned around and Boy was kicked back in his chair, his feet on the desk and his hands clasped behind his head. Evidently he is VERY confident about starting 3rd grade!

2. Again, her back was turned and when she turned around, she found that he had taken the tennis balls from the bottom of the chair legs (placed there to prevent scratching of the floor, etc.) and placed them over his ears.

She also told me a story about how the family was out shopping and she and Mr. were trying to decided which to buy for the Boy for Christmas: a Wii or an X-Box. They figured they would take him to the store, let him play with both and see his honest reaction to each.

As he was playing with the Wii, he suddenly threw the controller on the floor and announced, "I have to go to the bathroom!" which was immediately followed by "Oops. I just did!"

The Wii wins. If it can hold his attention stronger than his bladder's urge, it must be good.

This Just In...

Just released from PEZ USA is the new
Disney Fairies Series.

The first three characters released
are Fawn, Tinkerbell and Silvermist.

More Fairies are scheduled to be
released over the next year.

The unique iridescent wings are soft.

The set of all 3 Disney Fairies is $9.95,
sold MIP.

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PEZ USA also just released 2 new Pez
characters for the Winnie the Pooh
series - Buster and Darby.

Buster and Darby will soon appear in the
new TV show "My Friends Tigger & Pooh."

These two new characters are sold as
a set of 2 for $8.95, MIP.

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You can see pictures and order at:

The Burlingame Pez Museum

Food on a Stick

Sometime, somewhere I saw a list for "Food on a Stick" available at the Minnesota State Fair. Not sure I'm game for any of these:

Teriyaki ostrich
Corned beef and cabbage (yes, ON A STICK!)
Gator
Spaghetti/meatballs/garlic bread (Deep fried on a stick)
Deep fried Spam curds (even if these WEREN'T on a stick, it'd be interesting!)

Schoolhouse Rocks, old school means new

I went to an "end of summer" celebration for a summer school program that my school hosts. I was amused by two original musical selections there:

One was about algebra and was sung to the tune of Y.M.C.A.:
"It's fun to graph using Y=mx+b"

The other was a science tune. The hook was:
"D to the N to the A"

I still wanted to hear a little "Conjunction Junction" but alas....

Now back to your regularly scheduled blog

I have 3 choices in order to blog as regularly as I used to, now that my work location has officially "blocked" social networking sites.

1. Pay for Internet at home again

2. Blog by phone

3. Continue paying for T-Mobile Hotspot (MUCH cheaper than home service) and hitting up the Starbucks in town whenever I can.

As much as a pain #3 can be sometimes, I think it's actually the better option because it gets me out of the house with a purpose. We'll see how that works out.

How's the weather? How's life?

Well, I think that this is the 3rd or 4th year that we've lost teaching time BEFORE Labor Day due to tropical weather. Tropical Storm Fay blew through here yesterday and today and our first two days of school (orientation days, actually) didn't happen. Monday we were supposed to dedicate the new community center (read: gym) so now that has to be rescheduled. We're on for tomorrow, but I have NO idea what we're doing, nor am I going to great lengths to figure it out. I'll deal with it when we get there. This year is going to be a hectic one, as I'm teaching 6 instead of 5 classes, and they are periods 4,5,6,7,8,9 with no break, followed by clubs/lessons/parking lot duty until 6 PM. I'm off 1,2,3 so I'll have to eat lunch 3rd (at 10 AM). The extra duty pays $7K, so I look at it as this: the school is paying me to lose weight! No more grazing in the cafeteria!

My other hope is to get as much done as I can during my 3 planning periods and go home at the end of the day. No late nights in the office! With no convention and fewer home repairs (don't get me started on the roof leak in the cabana!) this could be the year I actually get a life!

We'll see!

In Shock

As I mentioned yesterday, I had lunch with a group of teachers I used to work with in the public school system. After dining, we went to my house to sit and chat. One of the ladies passed away suddenly this morning.

You just never know.

more travels in store

I made a last-minute decision to go see Songbird perform in Santa Fe this weekend. I have a squillion airline miles, so even with the last-minute booking fees, a ticket to her performance and the shuttle to get me from the airport in Albuquerque to Santa Fe, the journey is only $175. Plus I'm staying with her - saving on hotel.

I can easily spend more than that in one weekend at home!

Conservative Judaism

I had lunch with my Jewish mother today. (because even Christians need one.) We used to work together and now she lives in Vegas. She told me a tale from her synagogue that had me in hysterics, although she was more confused than amused.

She teaches at the synagogue and helps with their drama department. For Purim this year, she prepared a little play with her kids but was upstaged by the Neil Diamond impersonator that they hired to sing "They're coming to America." Then she told me about the Mexican rabbi there. I promised I would not use his real name, but suffice it to say that it was something very similar to "Fernando Goodstein." She goes to the Torah class that he teaches and she was surprised when he left out parts pertaining to homosexuality. While she does this herself because she's a Reformed Jew (which means she chooses what to believe), she questioned why a Conservative Jew would do the same. He said that as long as both partners are Jewish, keep Kosher and honor the Sabbath, it's ok.

I chuckled to myself. I wanted to ask if it was ok to murder or steal if you keep Kosher and don't do it on the Sabbath.

I LOVE liberal logic!

Lucy Ricardo Reincarnate

My mom is a certified dingbat. Remember how last year she sent my birthday e-card early, but it said, “Hope you HAD a great birthday” and then sent me a PAPER card in the mail that arrived 6 weeks late because she put the wrong address on it and it got returned to her because she couldn't find my address even though I have lived in the same house since 1991? Tonight I called to ask her for her neighbor/best friend’s phone number. She gave it to me. It was wrong.

Electronic dating – what it says and what it means

One night, Songbird and I were having a “guy” discussion. What we’ve figured out is that evidently, when posting a profile on an online dating site, things get translated into “guy” speak, which we don’t understand. Through our research, we have come up with a sort-of translation dictionary. It has not been edited for accuracy, but if you’re a guy and want to weigh in, you are more than welcome:

Profile says: I want someone to watch ESPN and snuggle
What it means: I’m into one night stands and kinky sex.

Profile says: Looking for a nice normal girl
What it means: I’m into one night stands and kinky sex.

Profile says: Looking forward to great conversation
What it means: I’m into one night stands and kinky sex.

This was actually my favorite quote from Waiting.

"So, you know when you’re walking past a group of people, you hear them laughing you sometimes get that paranoid self-conscious feeling? Maybe they’re laughing about you when they’re really not? Well, in your case, they really are."

Sometimes, that is SO true!

The advantages of senility

It was movie night on Friday and Waiting was the "view du jour."

This scene made you laugh and cry at the same time. It was also one of few that had no obscenity.
-------
Monty: How are you doing today?
Customer: Oh, I’m slipping gradually into senility
Monty: Really, Do you consider that a good thing or a bad thing?
Customer: Well, it’s a mixed bag. It’s good in the sense that I can take walks in my underwear. I can give small children the middle finger. But as long as I look happy while I’m doing it, people just assume I’m senile.
Monty: Yeah, so what’s the bad?
Customer: Well, sometimes I give small children the middle finger and don’t realize I’m doing it until someone slaps me. So I really am going senile.
Monty: Alzheimer’s can’t be all that bad. You get the chance to meet new people every day.

REAL family time

I came back from Orlando late Tuesday as I had lessons to teach on Wednesday. As of this morning, Dave is still with us. He had a "rally" day on Tuesday, up and out of his bed, in a wheelchair, eating cheetohs and singing with friends. Now I guess he is sleeping more and more. I pray that he's not in any pain and that he slips away quietly surrounded by family and friends.

While I was up there, I spent an evening with Songbird's parents. They have an empty nest while she is in Santa Fe singing with the opera. Her brother recently re-enlisted, so they enjoyed having a "youngster" in the house. We went to dinner, then sat home and talked about life and everything - something that my own family doesn't do easily. The next morning, we had breakfast and watched some tv. We all laughed when Sesame Street came on and for once, her dad didn't channel surf. We watched in non-stop. It's been a long time since I'd seen it, but it's hipper than I remember. Then we balanced things out by watching Jerry Springer and Price is Right (channel flipping, of course. They were on at the same time.)

I felt home!