Notes From the Liquor Cabinet

10.10.2010

let me tell you about my drive to work

I have a 45 minute drive to work that I love.

Yes, I hate having to get up at 5am but I need that time before work, to put in the simplest form, to wake up.

On my drive to work, a few things happen...

I leave my apartment at approximately 6:30am (sometimes earlier, sometimes later). At about 6:35am, my dad calls me. I'm usually merging on to 280 at this time into the rush of morning traffic. After a short chat, I either start drinking my coffee or I have a touch of road rage... usually caused by people not using their blinkers, slamming on breaks, or just driving like insane people. Nothing major.

After I make it through malfunction junction, I am speeding up I-65 to the Mt. Olive Road exit. Depending on the time I leave, I could possibly get behind one bus that picks up three girls and then has another stop for a little girl that waits with her mom and dog at the next stop sign. The bus turns off shortly.

From there to my school, I have the chance to get behind one more bus that picks up students from a run down grocery store that the parents drive to and wait for the bus.... why don't they just drive the extra 3 miles to the school? That confuses me. But the bus turns left and I keep going to school.

The whole time I'm on Mt. Olive Road (10 miles), I pass 9 churches, cows, horses, miniature ponies, goats, and many stray dogs.

My favorite part is reading the church signs... one of my favorites has been "Gophers are the devil's postman." I have no idea what that means.

9.09.2010

big boy birthday

it's boomy's first birthday!

and it was a circus!

and he was the ringleader

there were presents

and cake.

yum?

and party animals

and clowns!

happy birthday to my favorite nephew!

8.29.2010

last weekend

after a super long week at school, greg and i decided to meet in auburn for a 24 hour vacation. it is not quite halfway but pretty convenient for both of us. we didn't do any planning but after calling everyone we knew in the area, bed and breakfasts, and hotels... we finally found room in the inn: the hilton garden inn.

we bot arrived late afternoon/early evening on saturday and went to dinner at one of my fav's, amsterdam cafe! we elected to sit outside (we didn't want to wait for a loud table in the crowded inside). outside was quiet... and hot. and there was one fan on the whole porch. greg tried to convince the waiter to move it after a selfish family moved the only fan to point only on them.

after din din we went to visit one of greg's good buddies that interestingly enough lives in my old apartment (next door to greg's old apartment). it was surreal.

on sunday we went to brunch at hamilton's and greg got a massive omelet. he's crazy about his protein. then we went to the prize of opelika, angels flea market and antique mall. it opens at 1 on sundays. we got there a little early bc we had nothing else to do. apparently, people plan their sundays around the opening of angels. when we pulled up, there was a line of eager people at the door. greg and i marveled at the sight and estimated the number of smokers in the bunch.

we tried to hit the whole store but it is nearly impossible in the time frame we gave ourselves, an hour and a half. but greg did score some super vinyl records and i got some metal birds. it is one of our auburn pastimes.

i love my barry manilow!

overall, it was a short but fun weekend. felt very vacationy. greg and i hadn't seen each other in three weeks so any time together was worth it. the whole weekend we talked about how much we love auburn and how it was the perfect location for our 24 vacation.

oh, i forgot to mention that a lady walked in on me in the bathroom at starbucks. i could see everyone ordering in line... that's how wide open she opened the door. when she finally closed the door and i composed myself again... i walked out and told her to "watch out... apparently the door doesn't lock."

8.16.2010

lessons i've learned in school... this week.

1. 5am comes really early.

2. 8th graders don't think i'm funny.

3. apparently rulers are the new slinky. attention parents: don't spend money on gaming systems, buy a $1.99 ruler!

4. 5th graders are kindergarteners in disguise.

5. it's not a good sign when a parent gives you every contact number, email, or address they have. or when they say "he's being tested."

6. read vitamin labels before taking them at night... especially the kind with caffeine.

7. reading bad spelling can make you a bad speller.

8. saying something once is not enough, twice is not enough, thrice... still not enough.

9. hide yo wife, hide yo kids, and hide yo husband....

8.15.2010

it only took me a month

what up, y'all!

i had to take a month long hiatus. sorry!

but this is what I have done in the last month...

moved

threw a baby shower

went to a couple of weddings

a lot of meetings

early mornings, late nights

wrote lesson plans for 9 grades

started school!!!

here are the afters of my classroom transformation... my mother still has the before pictures.


view to the door from my desk


from my desk to the front

another wall

view from the door and yes the whole room was that yellow

bulletin board that im really proud of :)

kiln "room"

ahhhhh!

i'm still weirded out that i am the teacher. what? i felt like i was "playing school" on wednesday. i haven't given any spankings yet... just a couple of "talking to-s."

and you can see my classroom blog at cornerartk8.blogspot.com

ok, so i'll try to be better about posting now that i'm getting things under control... but thanks for your patience! ha