Been awhile ....

Maybe now with the app I will actually remember to blog more regularly.  

So much has happened ~ so much.  

Both Luna and Chloe passed away. New dog in the house, Harlow.  She's a sweetheart.   I finally let someone break down my walls and am in a happy relationship with the most amazing man I've met, Bryon. Life is good.  

But this message a student wrote about me, just made it a bit better

You are an amazing person in my life.! I can truly call you a friend.. Its been at least 7 years since we've known each other. You ALWAYS came through for me when I needed it the most.. U have a great personality and you're always fun to be around. With that being said, I appreciate everything you've done for me. ♥ =)

Well then

Really.  It's been a full year since I've posted on here -- and a lot has changed
I'm at a new school, Calusa Elementary, and I'm there as the CIT (crisis intervention teacher)
Today was the first day of school with the kids and while it is SO diff than what I'm used to, I really liked it.  It will take a little bit of time to get into the swing of things and all, but I think this will be a good year!
Personal life, not much is different.  I've become the asst organizer for our MU group and really enjoy planning events.  Meeting a lot of nice people, and can't believe what a great group of friends I now have.  It's good 

Denial

I am complete denial - I refuse to believe I have to go to work in less than 12 hours.
Where oh where did the summer go?
It is going to be so hard to get up early again........at least we have 4 teacher work days before the kids start - they start next Monday, Aug 22.
I still haven't officially been told what my placement is for this year & it's frustrating to not know, especially when I have asked numerous times!!

So this week will be interesting and crazy. I also have an orientation at Palm Beach State College on Friday that I don't think I will be able to make due to Village "meet the teacher"
Blah!

3 months, 7 days............

Til my birthday!! Ha!!
Turning the big 33! I can't believe it

But the purpose of this is that in 3 months and 7 days, I will be spending my birthday at the Jay Z/Kanye concert in Ft. Lauderdale!!
This show is gonna be hot!!!!!!!!

Summer, Summer, Summertime......

I am soooooooo loving my summer break. I just love being able to lay around, sleep all day, watch movies, read books, etc - I don't have to get up and shower for anything specific!
It's fantastic and I am very bummed that I go back to work soon and all this relaxation will be over!!

I have been staying up super late and then sleeping super late, I don't know how I'm gonna get used to getting up at 6am again! That sounds so early right now, like if it was a school night I would have to be in bed already - at this time.

The dogs are gonna be sad too, because they're used to having me around all day :-)


oooooh! I went to Lil Wayne concert last night and it was SO great!! I was very happy - he is a great performer and put on a great show, with some awesome special guests - it was great!
He brought out Lloyd, Gudda Gudda, Jae Millz, Mack Maine, Corey Gunz - good stuff

Blahhhhhhhhhh

I hate today - today was one of those days - nothing at all went right, everything went wrong. Even things that shouldn't have felt wrong, did - everything....
Huge dislike - hope things change for tomorrow

Today was a fairytale

Driving long distance is not the most favorite task for me - we started in Tally this am and I drove 6.5 hours to get home with about 2 stops in there for gas and bathroom.
I had some good tunes going on - Pac, Jigga, Weezy, good stuff

Now I am home and I am so happy to see my babies, and they seem to be happy to see me! They're trying to get all snuggly with me on the couch while we watch mindless tv (oh, how I've missed it)

So I got to watch the premier of Project Runway, which was a-may-zing. I loved it!!
Then I watched the premier of LA Ink, and it was pretty good - for me b/c I like Kat Von D.
The thing is, the whole episode was about recapping her and Jesses's relationship and how they got engaged, however in a super awkward twist, Kat announced their broken engagement the day before the premier was to air. How freaking awkward to have that happen, and then to have to watch the premier where you're all giddy and happy with him.  I know many people have problems with both Kat and with Jesse, but I don't and I was happy for them and now am sad for them. Kat is obviously having a hard time adapting b/c she had to cancel a few appearances, which isn't like her.

Now I am onto Nick and Vanessa's big special wedding - or whatever it's called.
I can't be the first person to ask and wonder, why would people care to see Nick Lachey get married once, nevermind twice. Like why is his second wedding publicized and made into a TV special? Weird.
Well leave it to me, to be the jackass that is sitting here watching this show, and smiling and tearing up too - yep, I'm a sap!!
This Vanessa chick seems pretty cool - I can see why he loves her, and she is just enthralled with him. You can see it in the way they look each other, which is so nice since they've been together for awhile.
Happy wedding to them :-)

I have decided that besides using my Groupons that are already purchased, I will be staying in for the next month - I have ZERO dollars and I am really stressed about it. I know going out at night is a culprit, so I am not going to be going out. Kinda sucks, but I have to do it
I am also going to sell some bags and shoes........if anyone wants anything let me know.

Have a good night

College Life Part II.....

So, the college experience is over - it was good stuff - a lot of information again today. And I got to debate with the housing department as well. I think I won that one :-)

Today the students and the parents were split up for the whole day and the parent sessions were about things such as auxiliary services and campus safety. The students got the fun stuff like registering for classes and making their schedule!

There was, of course, a number of idiotic parent questions today, however the best one came during the campus safety presentation. Now this mother had asked this question yesterday and the Dean didn't even know what to say in response other than, "this would be a good question to ask during the campus safety presentation tomorrow" LOL!!
The head of campus police is there and talking about how the campus is safe and there isn't really any campus crime, etc. Very clear cut, easy information.
When it came to Q&A time, this one parent says her daughter is a commuter student and she (the mom) is really worried about her driving back and forth to class each day, more so worried about the drive home. So the police officer is telling the mom that there is a "service" where the student can be escorted to their car, plus there really hasn't been any problems on campus at all - the campus is kind of tucked back in one area of the city, so no one is really on the campus if they don't need to be.
So then the mom asks if the student can carry a small key-chain with mace on it, or is that considered a weapon. The police officer's response is pretty much the same - which makes sense to me (and the other people there....), but the mom continues and says her main concern is her daughter driving back home after the classes; not the campus safety, but the actual drive - like while she is in her car driving.
Dude!! Seriously!! I am like, dumbfounded at this because I cannot fathom what in the hell a campus police officer is going to do to help this mom/student when she is on regular public city streets and/or highway.
I mean, what can he do? He is not too quick to reply, but when he does, he suggests she contact some kind of neighborhood patrol to help, b/c again, what can he do?
So as I think about this, I am wondering, what did she want? If she is that worried about her daughter driving, then maybe she shouldn't be a commuter student - then she wouldn't have to drive? This conversation threw me for a loop because I just don't understand where people come up with these questions!!
It boggles my mind that people think things, never mind saying them out loud. But whatever.

The students had an awesome day of sessions (from what I hear) and from how it sounded at check-out, they were excited to have met each other and exchanging contact info and I heard a lot of "I will friend request you on Facebook!" Pretty cute.

We drove to Tallahassee tonight. Just got to the hotel. Ready for a good night sleep and then the rest of the drive tomorrow - 6 hours or so I believe.....this trip has been awesome so far, but I miss Luna and Chloe and can't wait to see them and to sleep in my bed!!

College Life....

So here I am, in a little dorm room on the University of West Florida campus - home of the Argos. (don't even ask me what an argo is).

There are so many things to bring up here - so this is going to be a bit random.....first off - dorms. DORMS!

I am 32 years old and sleeping on a single bed with a mattress that has the thickness of a cardboard box, in a dorm. The bed is killing me - (between sitting in the car for 10 hours and sleeping in this bed, my acupuncture appointment is going to be very well needed on Monday - I already cannot wait!!), but the dorm room is actually quite nice!!
Dorms have come a long way since I was in college.....there isn't even a communal bathroom anymore - haha! Each room (at this college) has it's own private bathroom!! Now they say the downside to this is that the students (2-3 in a room) have to clean the bathroom on their own. Are you kidding me? Clean your own bathroom or share with an entire floor of teenage girls......hmmmm......not a tough choice!!

Ok so I have a private little room with a private little bathroom (and it comes with a microwave and fridge!) and I'm thinking - this isn't so bad! I could do this college thing! Then there are the slams of other doors in the middle of the night, and the late night chatter and laughing in the hallways -- ok if this was really where I was living it would piss me off, but since this is orientation, to hear the excitement of the freshman is actually amazing!

Day 1 of the orientation - so today was the first full day of orientation and it was so packed with information my head was spinning! There was a joint parent/student/family session in the morning and then the families were split up from the kids until dinner. - Oh I will have to tell you about dinner later!

So I am in the family sessions, and I am sitting in there trying to take notes as fast as possible, and trying to really process everything that I am hearing. I am looking around at the parents in the room with their blank stares, and I am wondering - "does anyone in here know what the fuck is going on?"
Of course people do, but it's a shocking moment, when after hearing from everyone under the sun that "students do not have a curfew in the dorms", one parent raises her hand to ask not one, but TWO stupid ass questions!!

1. Do the kids have curfew on campus?     - Um, hello. This is stupid for the obvious reason stated above. We have already been told this by the Vice President, the Dean of Student Affairs, the Director of Housing, and the orientation guides. DUH!
 
2. Well, so if my son is leaving campus, doesn't he have to check out with someone and then check in again when he's back? Are you saying he can just come and go as he pleases?   - Well. Surprise Surprise.....it's college!! Do these people seriously think that on top of educating the students, living with the students, keeping an eye on the students, growing the students, etc. that they also have a damn sign in sheet? Come on now!! Like seriously - come on - I did not just hear that question come out that lady's mouth!!

OK - so her questions got me, but then we have, what to me is the best question of the day........ready?

"Does this college offer a car service to the airport so my son can fly home when he wants?"

Hold on - WHAT. THE. HELL. DID. YOU. JUST. ASK...???? I couldn't even help the face I made - a car service? To the airport? Is this college or is this a damn hotel?! Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!

Whew. Anyways -- so this is how the sessions go all day - info thrown all over and then parents asking the exact same shit that was just presented. I mean, I sat in there feeling like the smart kid that paid attention in class. . . and we all know that is NOT the case!!! :-)

So financial aid, housing, transitioning to college - you want to know? I can tell you! I can tell you anything you want to know about UWF!! Well, maybe.....   
Eating in a college cafeteria is the freaking single most dangerous thing in the world if you are trying to watch what you are eating. I mean, could there be more food in one place? And you can eat as much as you want? As many times as you want? And there is ice cream cones? I can scoop the ice cream myself? Damn. Bad news for the diet but good news for the foodies!!
The items to eat were pretty good - I was disappointed in the lack of veggie options, or even chicken options (since I only don't eat red meat/pork), but I was good.

There is so much more going on tomorrow, I just can't wait to stand in line with the parents at the housing office to find out when I can find out if my student is off the waiting list and actually in a dorm!! Because when they suggested to the parents to start looking at off-campus housing and/or hotels for the students that aren't assigned dorm rooms, well you know that's when I had to get up and walk to the front to ask this woman wtf kind of crack she was smoking!! I'm gonna send a kid 10 hours away to college to live in a HOTEL? I think not. Get your shit together UWF. Come on now!

Ok, so I am back to the dorm room ---- nice and cozy (trying to imagine being cozy) and ready to go to sleep and wake up to a bright day in Pensacola, filled with tons of more information and fun.
I am so glad I did this trip - the experience is great, but to experience it with Vanessa and see her excitement and happiness, it's so nice.