Kook Tales ~ Tales of the Kookiest Kooks!

Lazy Saturday

2010-04-24T15:10:00.006-04:00

Things might get a little wonky around here.

2010-04-02T21:55:00.010-04:00

I'm on Spring Break (cue The Little Mermaid scene when Ariel gets her voice back) and I finally have time to make some of the updates that I've talked about for years. If you noticed, the URL has finally moved. Somewhere in that process a few of my sidebar widgets got erased. I plan to continue the updates over the next couple days so bare with me if things are a little unpredictable.

No Words Necessary

2010-04-02T21:40:00.005-04:00

LEGOs, World Domination, and Beach Boys

2010-01-26T18:37:00.007-05:00

Yes, I'm still catching up on holiday posts. One day I'll be on top of blogging but, as you and I both know, today is not that day. Tim & I headed out to see his parents for New Years at the beginning of the month! We arrived on New Year's Eve just a couple hours before the ball dropped. Our trip was filled with LEGOs (legi?), world domination games, and a Beach Boys concert... talk about starting the New Year out on the right foot!

If you ever wondered where Tim gets his knack for organization, rest assured he comes by it naturally. Before assembly started the LEGOs were sorted according to color. :o)

The piles didn't last very long however, we put together the entire Winter Toy Shop before breakfast the next morning.

Tim & I laughing at the LEGO-boy, it's a bit of an inside joke from our apartment-living days.

The next day Tim and his dad pulled out their old Axis & Allies game and the quest for world domination commenced.

I actually got several *very humorous* videos of their global conquests. They stayed up well into the wee hours of the morning battling over territories.

The next day I wore the shirt seen above. Upon seeing me that morning, Tim immediately requested that he be allowed to take a picture of me sitting in this chair. He quote was, "Where'd you go? I can't see you anymore." He's a funny guy that husband of mine.

The plan was to go see The Beach Boys play that day. Tim's parents went to see them perform a couple years ago and really enjoyed it. The concert may or may not have prompted me to edit my Freebie List to include John Stamos, who is known to periodically play with The Beach Boys. It was an edit that sadly went unfulfilled as he wasn't there on this particular night. Despite the lack of Uncle Jesse, it was still a great show!!

Living Things

2010-01-20T06:00:00.000-05:00

The kids are learning about living and nonliving things. It's a pretty simple concept in general... by first grade definition a living thing needs food, water, and shelter to survive; they're also able to change/grow and reproduce (if you ever want an interesting challenge, try to introduce the concept of reproducing to a group of first graders and see what colorful conversations can come about... at one point I actually had to cut off a child and redirect back to a less detailed explanation).

During our wrap-up for the day, one child raised their hand and asked, "Is the Earth a living thing?" What a great question!! The kids were pretty divided as to their beliefs so we spent some time discussing it. Some kids insisted that the energy from sunlight qualified as food (although not entirely accurate, I thought it was a great addition to the conversation); many thought that rain proved that it needed water; most agreed that the Earth needs space/shelter (i.e the solar system) and also that the earth constantly changes. Ultimately we decided that the Earth is not actually living. The main catalysis in their decision was that the earth doesn't make baby-Earths. Instead of being a living thing, we decided that the Earth supports living things by giving them what they need to survive. I was super excited at how in-depth this conversation was - it was awesome to listen to them work it out!

The Invasion: Another Belated Holiday Post

2010-01-18T11:00:00.004-05:00

My school district plans "weather days" into the calendar to compensate for time that might be lost to hurricanes during the year. These day are strategically placed around the holidays for dual purposes: for one, the days can be made up before state testing in the spring and, secondly, if there are no days lost to hurricanes we get an extended Winter Break. Since this year was lite on hurricanes in our area, we had the extended break! :o) All of this meant that I got out of school a week and a half before Christmas (I'm currently knocking on wood that next year we will be so lucky). That extra time came in handy because, as my mom said, "The Invasion" was set to begin on Christmas Eve (I mentioned before, our house is in-between my parents and my sister so to save on everyone's travel time this year we hosted Christmas).

We spent the week before Christmas having a non-stop cleaning marathon. The result was that our house was just as spotless as when we moved in almost four years ago. We were as ready as we could possibly be for The Invasion. My parents and Josh arrived on Christmas Eve (complete with an entire grocery store's worth of food packed into their truck - SCORE!). I gratefully turned my kitchen over to them for holiday cooking - have I mentioned that parents are the best? Sara and Dan arrived Christmas day (complete with an entire closet full of clothes for me to go through and "shop" - DOUBLE SCORE!).

Christmas was great. We visited, played games, and generally lounged around. It was awesome!! The day after Christmas we loaded up and headed to Fort Clinch for a little family excursion.

Shift Happens

2010-01-07T17:02:00.001-05:00

Notes from Beyond

2009-12-21T14:47:00.010-05:00

Tim went to college a few semesters before me. We affectionately refer to this time as his "BE" life (i.e. before Emily). During that time, he had three buddies that were like brothers to him - Charlie, Duane, and Damien. From the stories I've heard they had a lot of fun in those days. Eventually the group spread out and moved all over the state, but every once in a while when they were in town they'd meet up for a "boys' night". Each time they got together it was like no time had past, even as girlfriends (and later wives...) were added to the mix. A couple weeks ago, Charlie got married. It was a gorgeous ceremony right on the St. Johns River. Afterward Charlie and his bride sent a very nice thank you note that included a CD of pictures from our wedding.

Charlie, Tim, and Duane at our wedding.

As I was flipping through the pictures, I found one particular picture that might just be my new favorite. We were suppose to have the ceremony outside next to a gazebo. The wedding was held in July (i.e. the middle of hurricane season) and as it turns out there was a hurricane brewing across the state (which ended up dumping several feet of water under my parents house). Due to winds from this hurricane, the ceremony ended up being moved indoors. We still got pictures next to the gazebo (like the one that's been up for ages on the Kook Tales sidebar). They turned out beautifully, but in a couple of the shots you could see the wind blowing my skirt, crinoline and all, backwards. The picture below is now one of my favorites from the day. While most of our wedding pictures are reminders of how wonderfully perfect the day was, this one immediately took me back to that moment in time, imperfections and all.

Emily & Tim, July 2005

Move it or Lose it

2009-12-20T10:00:00.000-05:00

Since I got out of school, I've been slowly cleaning the house and finishing up holiday preparations for our upcoming guests (our house happens to be in the middle of my sister and my parents so everyone is meeting up here for the holidays). Meanwhile, Bella took over my spot on the couch and actually had the audacity to give me dirty looks when I picked her up!!!

The Belated Thanksgiving Recap

2009-12-17T14:19:00.028-05:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Partly for the simplicity of it. Sandwiched between Halloween & Christmas, it's refreshing to just get together with family and eat. Seriously, what's better than that? No glutton-fueled children begging for candy while running around in costumes that either have ten inches of fake muscle or way too much skin showing; no pressure to get just the right gift for everyone on your list. Just people you love and seriously delicious food. Sign me up!!

Tim & I went to visit his parents for Thanksgiving this year. We left all of our work behind, loaded the car and made the drive with surprisingly little traffic to compete with. Tim's dad is now working in Pennsylvania so the opportunities to get together with his parents have slimmed down a bit compared to the past few years. When we arrived we were pleasantly met with the aroma of Thanksgiving dinner in the air. We had a great time catching up and enjoyed more belly-laughs than we've had in a while.
The day after thanksgiving, we ventured down the the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. Tim was in HEAVEN! The museum is almost 300,000 square feet and there are airplanes in every direction... he literally didn't know which way to turn!

The family shot :o)
This plane, an A-7 Corsair II, is the plane Tim's dad wanted to fly in the Navy and is also the namesake of Tim's favorite plane, the F4U Corsair.

Checking out the exhibit on the USS Enterprise.

That's a Corsair in the background, Tim's absolute favorite airplane.

There was also one the floor... that he could touch!

We have about 15 variations of photos with Tim and this plane.
He talks about its curves like it's a woman.

Tim & his dad in front of a F-4 Phantom II,
another one of Tim's all-time favorite aircraft.

It may have been at this point in the day when Tim turned to me and said, "You must really love me to put up with airplanes all day." He then promised that I could pick out the next five Netflix movies. Score!

Tim's dad standing with a T-34, the same kind of plane that
he flew while he was in flight school in Pensacola.

Tim with his mom :o)

I crawled into the cockpit of this A-7 and it's a
wonder that I ever got out! They're tiny!!

This picture was taken in the Cubi Bar Cafe. It was originally from an Officer's Club located in the Philippines and was the actual bar on a base that Tim's dad visited with his Navy buddies. When the base closed down they tore it apart, shipped all the memorabilia to the US, and rebuilt it in the museum. They have a ton of squadron plaques that have pilots names and call-signs, including a pilot whose last name was Swift with a call-sign of "Not So".

Tim with a F4F Wildcat, the museum has three of them.
Tim really loves these classic WWII warbirds.

I jumped into the shot too!

Tim & his dad standing in front of the A-4 Skyhawk Blue Angels. There's one of these at a rest stop on I-10 that we pass all the time and Tim has told me the name so many times that I've memorized it.

For this photo, I was instructed to get the apple, the tiger, and the sharks mouth nose art in the frame. Tim tells me this is from one of the most famous and recognizable airplanes in the world, it's a P-40 that flew in the AVG Flying Tigers' Adam and Eves squadron in China.

This is us on what Tim calls the "business end" of the F-4. Tim tells me he could have spent the whole visit touching it. He insists on going back as soon as possible!

I'm a Kitty Cat and I Meow, Meow, Meow

2009-11-23T00:13:00.002-05:00

Teaching 101: Expect the Unexpected

2009-09-20T13:13:00.012-04:00

At the end of each day, I sign student's planners with their behavior grade for the day and call them to get their things ready to go. After calling each student, I sit down to read a chapter book (currently we're reading One Dark and Scary Night by Bill Cosby - the kids love Little Bill and it goes perfectly with the writing strategies we're talking about right now). On Wednesday, the following conversation ensued with a little girl in my class (let's call her Aaliyah):

me: *reading from the book*

Aaliyah: "Teacher, my sister put an egg in my backpack!"

me: *not really registering what she just said* "Aaliyah, please raise your hand or say excuse me before you interrupt the story."

Aaliyah: "But my sister put an egg in my backpack!" *holding open the front pocket of her backpack for me to see the RAW EGG THAT HAS BEEN SMASHED AND IS NOW A GOOEY-NASTY MESS*

me: "WHA??? Why would your sister do that?"

Aaliyah: "She was mad at me because my dad took me to the store, but made her stay home."

At that point I'm thinking that her dad must have let her buy a pony or something equally amazing at the store - what else would cause such a spiteful reaction from her sister? How does a child even come up with such a horrible idea?!?! A raw egg in my sister's backpack would never, ever, have crossed my mind!!!!! And if it had, I wouldn't have made it to see my next birthday.

The egg had been in there ALL day so it dripped in her cubby and left streaks on the floor from where she put the backpack down to put stuff up. We got the egg cleaned up (the whole while I'm seeing headlines flash through my mind for next week's newspaper, "Salmonella outbreak at local elementary school"). Then I had her take her planner back out so I could write a note to her parents. I told them (and her) that the backpack needs to be washed before it comes back to school. The next day she came without the backpack, but on Friday it returned and while she was getting ready to go she says, "Teacher I washed my backpack, but it still smells like my brother's feet."

So, yeah, expect the unexpected.

The One Where My Head Spins

2009-09-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

As you may have noticed, I've been MIA on Kook Tales since school started. There's a reason for this... I technically have 2 part time jobs along with my full-time teaching job. In addition to that, I'm also taking part in a book study and multiple training opportunities. All of that combined means that I hardly have time to sleep, much less blog. I hope to have things settle out a bit shortly so hang in there... I'll be back eventually!

Funny

2009-08-27T14:20:00.000-04:00

Can I take a message?

2009-08-19T18:46:00.003-04:00

Hi, you've reached Kook Tales. I can't come to the ~~phone~~ blog right now as I'm spending every waking moment preparing for school to start. After the beep, feel free to leave your name, ~~number~~ URL, and a short message. I'll get back to you as soon as I can and thanks for ~~calling~~ stopping by!

BEEP!

Gotcha!

2009-08-02T16:35:00.001-04:00

Thomas

Calling all Fernandians

2009-08-01T01:28:00.003-04:00

The Fernandina Farmer's Market has made #4 on a list of the top 100 farmer's markets (here). The farmer's market is ~~the only~~ one of the few things that can get me out of bed early on a Saturday morning in the summer. Being at the top of this list is quite an achievement seeing as we're not that big of a town, but they need more votes!! If you're local & enjoy the market, vote for it by clicking below:

Trainspotting

2009-08-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

I caught sight of this train while I was out & about...
a lone, little engine chugging along all by itself.

A Little Maru

2009-07-31T20:01:00.004-04:00

Annabelle

The One Where Pigs Fly

2009-07-28T14:00:00.001-04:00

My parents have amazed me over the past couple months. First they were able to download and share pictures from their vacation without any help whatsoever. Then they burned CD's of pictures at the Family Reunion to pass out so that everyone went home with some memories. And the next thing I knew, they were talking about making a website or a blog to share pictures from the reunion and family news.

Have I suddenly been swept into the twilight zone?

I still remember the day that my mom called me and my sister (both still in elementary school) asking how to turn on that new-fangled computer in her office at work. She was perplexed after hitting the button on the monitor and having nothing happen. After we stopped laughing, we explained that the switch was usually in the back.

Now these same people wanted a website - I think I just saw a pig fly by my window.

We've joined forces and created a blog for the Family of William David & Ida Gully Jarvis. These were Elliot's grandparents on his mother's side. Their decedents now gather once a year for a family reunion. The hope is to get it updated it with pictures and news from 2009's reunion and eventually open it up to other family members to upload and share as well.

I'm not really sure when it happened, but I turned around one day and my parents had actually entered the 21st century. Whoa!

Two Fuzzies

2009-07-27T23:58:00.009-04:00

Samantha

Thomas

Farewell Friend

2009-07-26T23:04:00.001-04:00

Remember I said that we took the TIE Fighter in for what we thought was just a coolant leak? Yeah, well, we clearly don't know very much about cars. It turns out that it had a "blown head gasket" (whatever that is). We were quoted a price that we couldn't justify paying. Without fixing it, the car has a limited number of days and could basically breakdown at any time. Tim was quite upset at hearing that his TIE Fighter was on its way out. When I say upset, I mean devastated... he moped. This was the car that he brought to college, the one that took us on our very first dates and the one that got us to our honeymoon on time. It wasn't until after he talked to his dad about it that he could actually hold an entire conversation without mourning the car. We decided to sell it. Tim's only request was to have one last photo shoot.

RIP TIE Fighter

Stalking a Timothy

2009-07-24T22:40:00.001-04:00

Tim feel asleep in the living room the other day. I noticed he wasn't wearing his glasses and I didn't see them on the table so I figured I should check to make sure he wasn't laying on them. As I crept around him looking for the glasses I was careful to be extra quiet. I didn't see them in the first go-round so I circled again. As I was doing this, he suddenly jolts awake and tells me, "I felt like I was being stalked like prey!" Finally, I got my revenge! You see, when I fall asleep in the living room I usually have the most frightening nightmares and then wake up to realize that he's watching Alien or something equally disturbing.

Filling in the Gaps

2009-07-19T18:49:00.009-04:00

This past week has been a busy one for us. Here's a little recap broken down, in no particular order, by the good and the bad (sorry, no ugly):

Good: Sam got over last weekend's betrayal pretty quickly.

Bad: Our car was leaking coolant and is currently in the shop. We'll find out more shortly.

Good: The truck came in handy for taking stuff to school.

Bad: I've been going into work for Curriculum Writing last week and this coming week.

Good: I get paid for it.

Good: While most schools are worrying about funding to keep the arts in school, our school is a Visual and Performing Arts magnet so we're guaranteed all of our resources (Art, Music, Strings, Dance, Drama, Creative Writing, PE and, of course, Media).

Good: I got to see Larry Bell speak again last Friday... so inspiring!!!

Bad: Due to the car issues and work, I had to miss the Family Reunion this weekend.

Good: Sara and I had our own little family reunion of sorts.

Bad: I hadn't gotten new jeans in a couple years and all of the ones I had were -ahem- tight.

Good: I went shopping for the first time in forever and got some new clothes.

Bad: Tim's xBox got the Red Ring of Death.

Good: We mailed the xBox in on Monday and heard back from them on Friday saying that it was on it's way home.

Good: Microsoft foots the bill.

Good: Thrillville: Off the Rails, the video game that was pretty hard to find, arrived in the mail.

Bad: I stayed up way too late playing and had to get up early the next day for work.

Good: We went to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Bad: They left out a lot of details from the book and it was a bit disappointing.

Good: It was still one of the best of the Harry Potter movies.

Good: Our clean house.

Bad: Cleaning the house.

Good: Listening to music while dancing around and cleaning the house.

Good: New glasses and contacts - YAY!

Good: Pre-tax Medical Flexible Spending Accounts.

You thought I was kidding?

2009-07-15T00:01:00.002-04:00

I happened to be in the kitchen while Tim was eating lunch the other day. Lately the cats seem to target his meals much more than mine. I attribute this to the training I received from the Dog Whisper marathon a few weeks ago. That's right folks, Cesar taught me to claim my space. Tim, however, has not fully mastered this technique. This is what I observed:

She's a Pistol

2009-07-12T00:40:00.006-04:00

We undertook something quite courageous this weekend. After the eye-incident last month, Tim and I decided that clipping Sam's claws couldn't be put off any longer. She had left the smallest little scratch on the crease of my eyelid and, needless to say, it was rather scary to think about what would have happened if she had cut just few centimeters lower.

First a little background knowledge is needed. When we got her, we took Sam to the vet for a routine check-up and asked them to go ahead and clip her claws while she was there. We picked her up later that day and were informed that she had been labeled 'feisty' on her chart... and that they were not able to clip her claws. At the time we thought, "Are you kidding? This sweet little lap cat?!" Since she was so little and she took to her scratching post so well, we didn't really worry about it much and figured the claws would help her defend herself against the dynamic duo, who have a habit of tag-teaming other cats.

Tim and I are pretty experienced as far as clipping claws goes. Sebastian was always clipped about once a month. Mainly this was because he was such a big guy that we thought he could seriously hurt Thomas or Annabelle if he got them pinned down (Thomas and Annabelle were declawed by their previous owner. Declawing is something that Tim and I don't agree with but, in their case, we didn't really have a choice). While Sebastian wasn't exactly thrilled when clipping time came around, he was easily manageable and would mostly just wait for us to finish.

That's not the case with Sam, however. The vet was right; she's a feisty little girl.

Tim's job was to hold her and my job was to do the clipping. In addition to our usual tool, the nail clippers, we added some new weapons to our arsenal: a sweatshirt and clean gardening gloves. Tim put the sweatshirt and gloves on to protect himself from the many pointy objects that protrude from our sweet little lap cat, and then we started the deed.

Sam immediately knew that something was up and turned into a little Tasmanian Devil. She was growling and flipping and moving in ways that I never thought possible. Ultimately we got the job done, but we also got the cold-shoulder afterward.

I'm still amazed that the smallest of all our cats is also the most lethal.

Four More Years!

2009-07-10T16:43:00.003-04:00

Tim & I have now been married for 4 years, together for 5 years before that. That amount of time seems crazy - it simultaneously feels like the blink of an eye and forever.

In memory of our first married days together, here's the story of how our marriage almost ended right after it began:

We left on our honeymoon the week after our wedding. The goal was to drive down to Ft. Lauderdale, board the cruise boat and be on our way for a week of fun and no worries. The trip should have taken between 5 and 6 hours so the morning of our departure we were sure to leave plenty of time to get there. On the ride down we got STOPPED on the interstate due to, not one, but two accidents along the way. We ended up being almost 2 hours behind what we should have (i.e. cutting it very close). I'll be honest, the mood in our car was quite tense.

As we got into the area of the cruise terminal, we were both super stressed and afraid that we'd miss the boat, literally. Tim was driving like a maniac and I was on the phone with the cruise people trying to explain that we'd be arriving at any second. They were adamant in telling us that the boat could not be held for individual passengers and that if we didn't arrive in time we'd have to fly (at our own expense) to the first port of call to catch the boat there. We completely understood the cruise policy, but it only added to the seriously stressful mood in the car. As we pulled up, the cruise folks had several people waiting on the curb to take our bags and valet park our car so that we'd be able to make it on-board in time. Without their helpfulness, we wouldn't have made it. We ran aboard just in time and were actually standing right there when they pulled in the gangplank behind us. In that second, our mood shifted from incredible tension to complete euphoria. So, yeah, thank you cruise people, you saved our marriage!

We made it!!!

Our knight in shining armor
(i.e. the man who scurried us aboard)

Then we immediately called everyone we knew!

Finally relaxing!

Chocolate Cake for Breakfast

2009-07-09T14:36:00.004-04:00

When I woke up this morning, I heard Bill Cosby's voice in my head... "You're right, Bill, there ARE eggs in chocolate cake. And YES there's milk too! And wheat, Bill, don't forget about the wheat!"

Happy Birthday, Tim!

2009-07-08T13:12:00.006-04:00

The celebrations in our house continue. Thankfully, this year Tim's birthday has been much less eventful than last year. He got up and finished up work for the day and then we spent a relaxing afternoon at home together. Instead of a boring-ole two layer cake, he actually got two one layer cakes this year - one strawberry and one chocolate.

And now, in celebration of his 31 years on Earth, I give you 31 random facts about my husband:

31. Every year we go through the same conversation on his birthday; I wish him a happy insert-number-here birthday and he claims he's a year younger than he actually is. After I show him the math, he concedes.

30. He has a collection of Calvin and Hobbes books which he can relate to almost any life event.

29. He makes himself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch almost everyday.

28. Whenever I'm reading a Harry Potter book, he walks around the house for several hours saying, "'Arry 'Otter" in his best British accent and as loudly as he can.

27. He's very good at the guitar, self-taught, and can figure out how to play almost any song by ear. In college, friends used to sit around and name off random songs trying to stump him, it rarely worked.

26. He has one favorite dish at every restaurant we go to and he always orders it... for example, at our Mexican place he always orders the Enchilada Supreme; at the Loop he always gets a Loop and Cheddar.

25. He wears his knee brace almost all the time. I call it his Bionic Knee.

24. His favorite meal is steak with mushrooms and mashed potatoes. If you ask him if he wants a vegetable with that, he'll say "ehhh" so I'm guessing that's a no.

23. He has two 'man caves'. One has his weight bench and gym equipment. The other is filled with Star Wars and anime toys, most of which are unopened.

22. He loves watching The Penguins of Madagascar on Nickelodeon.

21. Every time we go on a trip, he uses the drive as an excuse to get fast food. Every. Time. It's like his reward for listening to my multi-hour-sing-along-marathons.

20. He'd leave every light in the house on if it were up to him. He calls me a vampire because I'm constantly turning lights off.

19. He purposely does things to embarrass me when I make him go shopping with me. He'll talk extra loud and say things like, "Did you see the lady eating Pringles in the middle of the isle back there?!" (to be fair, there was a lady eating Pringles in the middle of the isle).

18. He almost always forgets to turn his alarm off on Fridays so it wakes us up on Saturday morning (we need one for him that you can set for Monday through Friday).

17. He is a self-proclaimed WWII Aviation Enthusiast.

16. He can name almost any plane or helicopter that flies by.

15. He has a thing for cartoon women... Betty Rubble, Marge Simpson, Lois from Family Guy, anime girls, you name it.

14. He has a collection of almost 20 gray Navy PT shirts and sweatshirts.

13. His favorite band is Radiohead.

12. He actually enjoys reading text books. While I'm curled up with some good fiction before bed, he's reading about history or science from a text book.

11. He made most of the art in our house and especially likes making 3-D abstract pieces.

10. In college he collected candy wrappers for aforementioned art (everything from Starburst to Rolo wrappers).

9. His favorite video game on the computer is Civ.

8. His favorite video game on the xbox is Halo.

7. The clothes in his closet are separated by color (all the white t-shirts together, all the gray t-shirts together, all the jeans together, all the kackis together, etc).

6. He truly believes Disney is the happiest place on Earth and his favorite ride is the People Mover.

5. He does most of the dirty work in our house all by himself and without me having to ask - he changes the cat litter and also cleans up the occasional hair-ball.

4. He's a big history buff and actually tutored many people in college. Our friends would also invite him over before a big test and let him tell them all about whatever era they were studying. This was fun for him.

3. He's also a science buff - he can discuss String Theory for hours on end.

2. He's a cat person.

1. He's my total opposite, but also my best friend!

Impatience

2009-07-07T00:13:00.005-04:00

I'm always happy when the lilies start blooming again. In fact, I get so excited that blooms rarely remain on the plant for long.

Festivities for the Fourth

2009-07-06T15:23:00.024-04:00

Tim & I spent the better part of last week fighting off colds, but we were both well enough to go out and see some fireworks on Saturday. We headed to Fernandina to catch some of the Fourth of July festivities! They had a band and choir set up at the foot of Centre Street and fireworks were set off over the water. The fireworks were good, however we were in too much awe to catch the finale on camera. Oops! :o) The history of Fernandina makes it quite an interesting place. It's known as the 'Isle of Eight Flags' because it is the only place in the U.S. to have been under eight flags (France, Spain, Great Britain, Spain (again), the Patriots of Amelia Island, the Green Cross of Florida, Mexico, the Confederate States of America and the United States). It's also home to Florida's oldest surviving hotel (the Florida House Inn) and Florida's oldest continuously operating pub (the Palace Saloon).

Home Sweet...AHHH!

2009-07-02T13:32:00.001-04:00

Mandarin Oak Trees

You know all that talk about being 'inconvenienced' by going to that conference? Well I have a little confession to make - after being home all of last week with a healing eye, I started to get a little stir crazy! The first couple days I relished in my free-time and did little more than play with the cats, watch Oprah and read (I've actually read three entire books since getting out for summer). Then the decluttering bug hit. I spent the next few days doing things like washing curtains and table clothes, going through closets for donations, and filing away stacks of mail. By the time last weekend rolled around I wasn't really sure what to do with myself. This week I had a few objectives to complete so I was able to keep my sanity by getting out and about.

Hunting for Lizards

2009-06-29T13:50:00.004-04:00

Thomas & Annabelle on the prowl.

Wild Weather

2009-06-27T12:51:00.015-04:00

There was a waterspout on the St. John's River during rush hour yesterday. It never turned into a tornado since it stayed over the river, but there are tons of pictures here and here!

Photo by Lorishad

At Home with Annabelle & Thomas

2009-06-26T22:13:00.011-04:00

Eye of the Pantha'

2009-06-24T12:54:00.003-04:00

Meeting Sam

Samantha came to live with us back in December of 2007. We found her wandering the property at our friend's house. As the story goes, our friend had bought a bunch of plants from a nursery that was going out of business and brought them home on a flatbed trailer. This nursery had a little stray cat that they had been feeding for a while. Unbeknowst to our friend, that little stray cat had climbed on to the trailer and rode all the way across town including a trip over this bridge. Our friend called the nusery and found out that they had no plans for the kitty once it closed. Since our friend has two gigantic dogs, it was clear that she couldn't keep it. From the moment we saw her we knew she'd fit right in at our house. So began the taming of our wild kitty.

Wild Kitty

She came home and adjusted to indoor life pretty easily. At first she stayed in the garage, then she slowly began to roam downstairs, then moved up to the office and finally ended up claiming our room as her territory. Eventually she decided that the bed is a pretty comfy place to be. Now she goes to bed with us and wakes up with us every morning.

Relaxing at Home

It was during one of these cuddle-fests on Monday when things went terribly wrong. She was snuggled up on my tummy while I was reading in bed. She was completely calm and purring when suddenly thunder rumbled from an approaching storm outside (The only way you'd ever know she was a stray is that she is completely terrified of storms. If there is the slightest bit of rain or just a little thunder or lightning, she freaks out and hides). In the moment she heard that thunder, Sam did just that... she freaked out and turned into a ball of claws and hisses as she ran to take cover. Since she was tucked under the blanket, she apparently thought that there was only one direction she could run... that is, directly over my face. It happened so fast that I had no time to react.

The next morning

That's right, my cat gave me a black eye.

I need to wake up at what time?

2009-06-20T16:12:00.003-04:00

This past week was suppose to be my first full week of vacation, instead it was spent sitting in a conference. Needless to say when I learned that I'd be there, I was less than thrilled (I actually had to wake up EARLIER than I would have for school). As it turns out, however, it was quite an inspirational week. The presentations were motivating, the content was tangible and the presenters were knowledgeable. Overall it was worth the sacrifice.

Some non-academic highlights from the week:

Upon arrival on Day 1 we found baskets of supplies on each table. As each table explored their new-found basket of fun, you could hear gasps and squeals all over the room. This was in response to the new packaging design for Post-its. Instead of the "gum-wrapper" opening style, they now have a perforated line down the middle and you simply bend the pack which rips the plastic along the perforation. While this may not sound thrilling to you... we teachers were abuzz with excitement!
Don't you just love swag?! I got free books(!), a lunch box, a blanket (don't ask... they had something written up about how teachers were like blankets), a flash drive along with some random office supplies, and a bag to carry it all. Score!
Most teaching conferences don't serve lunch, and if they do it usually leaves much to be desired. This conference not only served lunch, but also breakfast... and it was delicious (and also vegetarian friendly). I was beyond spoiled for the entire week!! My first day home, I tried to convince Tim that I needed my breakfast buffet pronto and lunch should be served promptly at 11:15. He handed me a PB&J sandwich and mumbled something under his breath.

Catzilla Strikes

2009-06-17T19:41:00.018-04:00

Tim picked up some beloved childhood toys the last time we went to his parent's house. This included his vintage Lego Monorail Transport System from the 1980s. To be honest, it never really stood a chance against Annabelle. She has, well, cat-like reflexes. It was knocked over within seconds and then she proceeded to roll around like a kitten.

"You're mine!"

"What? You didn't want me to attack it?!"

"If I just look cute they won't care."

No catnip was used in the making of these photos.

Togetherness

2009-06-16T12:00:00.006-04:00

Tim and I don't usually play a lot of video games together. This is mainly because we each like our own type of game. He's a first-person shooter kinda guy and I prefer to bang away on the drums. Every once in a while, however, you'll find our avatars in a party together. Last night happened to be one of those times. After being in a workshop all day, I challenged him to a game of Catan when I got home. Naturally, I won (but I play way more often than him so I can't really brag too much, plus he always whoops me when we play the real game).

Meet the Fuzzykins

2009-06-15T00:06:00.003-04:00

Annabelle
Also known as Bella-Belly (due to her penchant for laying belly up), Bella Maru (in honor of the mischievous Batz Maru), Bellatrix (after the wizardress in Harry Potter), and Bellapuff (I shouldn't even have to explain - it's all about the fuzz!).

Thomas
Also known as TomCat (his name is Thomas and he's a cat - 'nuff said), Buddy Kitty (because he follows us around like our best buddy), Tom-Bomb (after the stench that comes from his litter box) and Bombas (see the previous explanation).

Samantha
Also known as Sammy-Girl (obviously based on her name and gender), Samantha-Pantha (because she can be ferocious when she wants), Sam-Bone (due to the fact that her rear half kind of looks like she swallowed a ham bone) and Tasmantha (for her vocalizations... think Tasmanian Devil).

The Advantages of Living Near a Airport

2009-06-14T20:00:00.003-04:00

My parents recently took their first vacation that was just the two of them in many, many years (like since the early 90's). They went to California for ten days and in their usual style traveled all over (I was quite amazed after seeing their trip mapped out on an atlas - apparently they're better road trippers than I could ever claim to be). The best part was that they flew out of Jacksonville so they were able to visit us both before and after the trip. My brother drove them over on the way out and then stayed with us for a few days. We put him to work in the yard while he was here (thanks, Josh!). Then he drove back to pick them up last week. From the looks of the pictures my parents had a great time and we had two great visits with them in the span of a couple weeks; it was a winning situation for everyone!

Blame Tim

2009-06-13T23:53:00.001-04:00

If you come over for dinner and find this.

How I'd Like to Spend my Summer

2009-06-12T23:33:00.009-04:00

I got into scrapping during my senior year of high school (back before all the cutesy accessories were available), but I found during college that the time and energy required to complete a whole scrapbook was hard to come by. There were times that scrapbooks seemed to take over the kitchen table for weeks and months at a time. A few years ago, I started making cards instead. I like it better because I can get several done in a day and then put it all away. On my first summer day with nothing to do, I decided to celebrate by making Fourth of July cards. These are a few of them...

Schools out for Summer

2009-06-10T14:07:00.012-04:00

Today is my first day of summer break - YAY! As every teacher knows, the past couple weeks have been chocked full of busyness in preperation for this day. Last I spoke of school, I was filling in for a first grade teacher until she came back from medical leave. When that happened back in mid-March, I was moved to a safety-net position. This means that I was working with small-groups of students ranging from first grade to fourth grade that were in danger of being retained. My goal was to ramp them up enough to pass and be successful next year. The good news is that all but one was able to move on to the next grade-level and as for the one who stayed back, I really think that was the best decision for that child. Having taught mostly first grade before this year, it was really an interesting experience to see such a broad range of the elementary school years. I feel like every primary teacher should have the opportunity to work with various grade levels - it gives you a better perspective of where students are going and what is expected of them down the line. Now this being said, I always thought that I'd *love* dealing with small groups all day instead of a whole class. The reality of it was slightly different however. It's just not the same as having your own little 'family' of students that you spend all day with. Right now I'm sooo excited to return to first grade next year. I have so many ideas swimming around my head - I can't wait!! :o) I'm relaxing for the rest of this week and then I'm signed up for a workshop all next week. After that, my true summer will begin!!!

Our special little guy

2009-05-18T21:12:00.004-04:00

One year ago today our world was turned upside down. Sebastian wasn't just our pet, he was a full-fledged member of our family... one that went to bed with us every night and woke up next to us every morning. He lived with us through college, wedding planning, our first years of marriage and the move into our first home. He was our baby. We haven't been quite the same since that day a year ago, but we learned a valuable lesson about life... never take happiness for granted. As time goes by things get easier, I can now look at these pictures (without bursting into tears) and remember all the joy that Sebastian brought into our lives. Now when we battle air conditioners that never seem to work right and cars that won't start, we know that it's just not that big of a deal. One thing is for sure, however, we miss our little guy to pieces!!!

Sunday Car Troubles

2009-05-17T13:21:00.001-04:00

I've been saving my errands for Sundays lately. I find it's easier to spend Saturday doing chores around the house and finishing anything that needs to be done for the upcoming week at school. Then I wake up Sunday morning knowing that I only have one objective - errands. I'm much more motivated to finish them early knowing that the rest of the day is mine to be spent however I'd like (usually this involves at least one movie, kicking some Marble-butt on xBox and then a little reading in the evening). This Sunday, less than an hour after waking up, I was ready to set out to do those typical errands. My trip consisted of the pet store, the grocery store, the bank and then home. The pet store only took about 15 minutes (it would have been less but I spent a few extra minutes chatting up the sales staff and coo-ing over their cats up for adoption). When I returned to the car to drop my bags, my mind was calculating that maybe I'd be able to make it home within the hour. Then I went to start the car... nothing. I sat for a few minutes in disbelief and tried it again. Still nothing. At that point I called Tim to come get me and then went into the grocery store to finish errands (luckily everywhere I was going was located in in one giant shopping center). By the time he came to get me, I was finished with what needed to be done and he took me home. We got the car looked at and it turns out the battery had a "bad cell"... very good news considering the alternative would mean a problem with the alternator. It's fixed now and all is back to normal.

You're Appreciated...

2009-05-08T12:01:00.004-04:00

I received the following poem this week (accompanied by a swag bag of goodies!). I thought it was cute so I wanted to share it with all the other teachers out there:

When the days are long and the hours drag by,
When the clock seems stuck and time won't fly...

When classes are loud and phones keep paging,
When doors keep slamming and sharpeners are raging...

When the paper piles high and work is steep,
When desks are covered with stacks too deep...

When the a.c. won't work and rooms get warm,
When recess is scorching and sweat beads form...

When the kids are crazed and they've lost their minds,
When they fuss and they fight and they constantly whine...

When even our peers seem at wits' end,
When all of our feelings need to mend...

When just one more day seems way too tough,
When we're ready to say that we've had enough...

You still keep going and you don't give in,
You're focused and tireless and determined to win...

Please know that you're viewed with respect and awe,
Even when it's unspoken, you're admired by all...

For all that you do and for all that you are,
You're truly appreciated as a treasured star!

The First Post of Spring

2009-05-03T12:00:00.010-04:00

Following Tim's surgery last year, we kind of let the yard go. I'm very proud to say that we've spent a lot of time getting it back into shape the past couple weeks and are finally reaping the rewards. Once we made ourselves get back out there, we remembered why we enjoy it so much... it's some of the best quality time that we have together. There is no work, cell phones, video games, television, etc to distract us and honestly it requires a lot of teamwork to get things done. Among the changes, we pulled up the lantana from around the trees and consolidated it into the front bed. We also planted the magnolia trees (they're quite small so calling them trees is a stretch). Then we moved some of the flowering plants from the backyard into the front for a little more color. In added bonus, remember the mama Plover from last year? She's back and seems to be nesting again!!!

The Pantha

2009-04-30T20:01:00.000-04:00

Kitty-lates

2009-04-27T19:54:00.000-04:00

Thomas using pilates moves to stregthen his core
while Annabelle is completely oblivious.

Bad Habits are Hard to Break

2009-04-21T21:27:00.002-04:00

One of the things that I definitely took for granted while living with my parents and in the college dorms was having all my meals made by someone else. I didn't even realize the work that can go into meal planning and preparation until I had to start doing it all for myself... I now fantasize about having a personal chef!! I'd even consider entering into a plural marriage if it meant that someone else would do all of the cooking (the cleaning would be nice too). As things stand, I cook almost every meal. From time to time, usually when Tim sees that I'm not feeling well or I'm super stressed about something, he cooks dinner. But usually it's either me cooking or a "fend for yourself" kind of night. On those nights that we fend for ourselves, Tim relishes in having meat (something I don't cook). His latest favorite is actually tuna. It's quick, easy & there are many things that he can do with it. He makes a mean tuna casserole-type-thing that he likes a lot. The downside is that he's not the only one who likes it... the cats are especially intrigued by this dish as well. As a result, they have an increased interest in the kitchen in general. It started slowly - at first they'd come running whenever they saw a can - but now it's to the point that anytime you cook anything, they not only come running, but they try to hop up on the counters and sniff around. Keep in mind that these cats never had any interest in "people food" until the past few weeks. Although Tim insists that it's cute, I maintain it's a bad habit and it's annoying. It's not that I don't relish in every bit of attention that our cats give us, it's just that somewhere deep in my esophagus I think I have a hairball building up.

Thomas checking out the cabinet after it was left open.

Shell Point Beach

2009-04-08T16:09:00.003-04:00

Sunday was a little cloudy, but was a great day for gallivanting around on the golf cart. We rode all around Shell Point for the usual tour and stopped by the beach for a little while.

Spring Break Adventures

2009-04-07T17:52:00.005-04:00

The last weekend of my Spring Break, Tim & I slipped over to Shell Point to visit my parents (it also happened to be my mom's birthday!). Since the previous week was full of overcast skies and stormy weather, we were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful weather on Saturday. We, of course, took advantage of that and spent some time out on the boat! The boat just gotten it's annual check-up (it's cared for it as well as us kids), so we had to go to the ramp to drop it in the water before heading out. The ramp was a bit crowded when we arrived (for those who may find themselves in a situation like this in the future and don't know yet, boat etiquette dictates that you launch/load your boat and then get out of the way... apparently not everyone got this important lesson before being allowed to purchase a boat. Its pretty lame to sit waiting on others who are all loaded up but continue to lallygag around in front of the ramp... that's my opinion anyway). Once we got in the water, it was a great afternoon! We came home quite hungry (being on the boat for the afternoon will do that to you) and enjoyed dinner at one of the few restaurants around Shell Point that cater to vegetarians. As usual I came home with well over 200 pictures. I tried to choose a few to post, but it was too hard... so I'm posting a bunch!

Can you hand me a paperclip?

2009-04-02T09:54:00.000-04:00

Thomas helping out around the office.

Before the rain came

2009-04-01T16:48:00.004-04:00

Yesterday's sunset

To the Air Conditioning Units of the World:

2009-04-01T15:51:00.010-04:00

Why, oh why, do you hate us???

In the past year, we've had to fix the A/C in our home (both units) and the TIE Fighter (our reliable old car). My ride home in our new car has been unpleasantly hot for the past couple weeks but I didn't think much of it. When we got in to go on a six hour road trip last weekend, however, it was clear that no air was being conditioned. The trip was postponed and we took the car in today. We were hoping it just needed a little Freon and all would be back to normal. That was not the case. Apparently the compressor is leaking and, as you might know, they aren't the cheapest to fix. Grr!! No air conditioning and leather seats don't mix well with hot Florida afternoons...

Embracing My Randomness

2009-03-31T15:58:00.004-04:00

I'm sure I should be updating you on my life, but honestly the past few weeks have been a bit of a whirlwind. I'm officially a full-time teacher again, but this also means that I came back just in time for spring madness - FCAT week, third nine weeks grades, two field trips and countless assemblies. At the end of all of that was... Spring Break! YAY!! :o) In honor of Spring Break, I give you some randomness:

In it's two years of existence (this month is the anniversary, by the way) Kook Tales has been visited by someone in every state in the US... except North Dakota!! I'm currently convinced that no one actually lives in North Dakota.
My newest TV-related obsession is Friday Night Lights. I know I'm a little late finding this show but I love, Love, LOVE it!!
I've been known by the following nicknames throughout my life: Meme, Clover, Noodle, Rudy and Em.
I'm a top 300 Marble Blast player (out of over 23,000 total players).
I can't wear earrings. I've had my ears pierced countless times in my life, but I have cysts in my ears that cause them to get infected really easily. For the longest time, I could only wear 14K gold loops (this sounds crazy, but I promise it's the truth). When I was in college I finally gave up and my ears have been without holes ever since. In fact, I was wearing clip-ons on my wedding day!

Talk Me Down

2009-03-30T20:26:00.015-04:00

It may not come as a big surprise to anyone reading this but my local pet store is like a home away from home for me. Some people have gyms or bars where they walk in and are greeted with an outcry equivalent to what Norm would experience on Cheers, but for me that special little place is the pet store... everyone who works there, from the cashiers to the managers, know me. They always say hi when I walk in and remember to ask about our cats (sometimes by name). I think at this point, my mugshot might actually be included in their orientation for new hires!

This particular store partnered up with our local humane society and always have a few cats available for adoption. My first stop when I walk in is always to visit these cats. I like to think that a friendly face and a few loving scratches might just help brighten their day.

Today, however, I got more than I bargained for. I walked up to see a big guy named 'Cody'. He's an older cat and is a fluffy, gray tabby. In other words, he'd fit right in with our herd!!!! Apparently his owner recently past away and that's when he and his sister went up for adoption, she was adopted out earlier this week. Cody stole my heart from the very first glance! I gave him some scratches and ohh-ed and ahhh-ed for a couple minutes, falling in love with him more and more every second. He was soooo so sweet, super friendly and very social. Every ounce of my being wanted to snatch this cat up and take him home with me today. I had to call Tim to talk me down. I told him if he couldn't list ten reasons we can't get another cat right there on the spot then I'd be coming home with a new friend today. Unfortunately he talked me off my ledge and listed eleven reasons.

Samantha

Thomas

Annabelle

The Night Sky

2009-03-19T18:56:00.009-04:00

Joe came to visit last weekend and brought his latest gadget... a telescope! We set up in the back of the neighborhood where there are still a bunch of empty lots and not much ambient light. We had a great time (in our PJ's) spotting various objects in the night sky. We were able to lock on to Saturn (which we both gasped at - you could actually see the rings!!), M42, Beetleguise and Rigel. It was super cool!!

Thomas Dexter Cat

2009-03-13T21:58:00.000-04:00

I've officially given Thomas a middle name...
a very appropriate one I might add.

Thomas is *extremely* dexterous.

He's been known to fetch and open catnip containers. He finds the highest places in the house to climb, he open doors, and then he's usually ready fetch some more. Dexter is perfect!!

I didn't think it'd happen quite this fast...

2009-03-09T19:00:00.002-04:00

I was activated to start subbing last week and called my old principal to let her know I was available - she put me to work the very next day! I've said before that going into my old school is like going home and its so true. I walked into the building to a barrage of hugs and smiles. There are, of course, many new faces but I knew I was home.

It turns out the same day I started, they found out that the teacher I was subbing for will be out indefinitely on medical leave. She asked if I could fill in until she gets back and, of course, I agreed! After a rocky first day (the teacher is on short-term disability right now and left rather abruptly so there were no sub plans, it took a little while to figure out the schedule & routines for her class), but I found my grove again on the second day and things went quite smoothly. By Friday, I was feeling very sure that I wanted my own classroom again so I talked to the principal first thing that morning. She was quite happy to hear this! On the spot, she basically offered me a job to begin immediately. After talking with Tim on the phone, I accepted and called HR to find out what needed to be done. She came into class about 8:30 that morning and let me know that she had also called HR and that I was on the "fast-track" to get my paperwork through district. As soon as the paperwork is cleared, I'll be back again as a full-time teacher. Whoa!! :o)

Thank Goodness

2009-03-08T18:49:00.009-04:00

We got a call early last week that Tim's mom was going to the emergency room! She was feeling under the weather since our visit the week before and had felt progressively worse through the following weekend. It was a terrifying moment in time while we waited to hear what was going on! She was hospitalized all week until they could operate, the surgery took place on Thursday and they kept her in the hospital until yesterday for monitoring. After quite a week, she was finally able to come home and is resting up & doing well!!!

Traveling Kooks

2009-03-06T11:43:00.033-05:00

Tim & I made the trip to Mobile the weekend before last. Often when we travel it's a little stressful because we're dealing with working on the road, but not this time. We finished most of our work before we left and were able to enjoy some down time with his parents. We did a little puzzle-building, ate some great home-cooked meals, and just generally got away from the daily grind for the weekend! We also got to see Tim's dad's new office space (I think it's funny because if you hear Tim tell the story of moving furniture from the house to the office, the "big heavy credenza" might as well have been a mountain but it was no big deal to his dad). We also drove to New Orleans for a day-trip on Sunday with Tim's dad (his mom wasn't feeling well and stayed home to rest up). Driving into NOLA is an eye-full and we're always amazed at how many reminders of Katrina still remain. Upon arriving Holly & Paul treated us to an awesome breakfast and a tour of the on-going renovations to their 100 year old house (the addition looks amazing!). We were also introduced to the Wii (and were promptly put in our place when we both got whooped by Will)! Kate was talking up a storm and went through her school notebook, telling about her paintings and pictures of her class. It was super cute!!!

Our trip happened to correlate with two things (both equally awesome): Mardi Gras & a visit from Tim's childhood best friend and his girlfriend (more on that later). This was the first Mardi Gras experience for both of us. The parade route is literally just a couple blocks from Holly & Paul's house so we had a home base & a bathroom (which we learned are both very important things to have access to). Since we were lucky enough to be with locals, we were given a brief run-down of Mardi Gras etiquette before leaving - the eye contact, the nod, the throw and the thumbs up. Finally we got bundled up (it was cold!) and headed out for the parade. We were especially amazed to watch Paul's catching skills, all while he was balanced on the ladder-seat-thingy. Tim & I were not so brave, we stayed planted on the ground & caught our throws from there. The picture above shows Will's most coveted catch... a sword! He was very proud of it and literally wore it for the rest of the day. We spent much of the afternoon resting up and looking forward to meeting up with Matt and Sarah later in the day.

Just Meant To Be

2009-03-06T08:00:00.009-05:00

A couple weeks ago Tim had a dream so vivid that he told me all about it as soon as we woke up. In the dream, he was hanging out with his childhood friend, Matt. He said they were hanging out just like old times but they were all grownup and it was super life-like. The very next day, Tim's sister got an email from Matt saying he and his girlfriend, Sarah, would be in New Orleans for Mardi Gras - freaky! Keep in mind that the last time they were in contact was when Matt stumbled on a Cold Spaghetti post talking about our wedding - the day before our wedding actually took place!!! One thing is for sure... these two are cosmically connected in some way. We had been planning to go to New Orleans the weekend before they were suppose to be there so we decided to put the trip off until the next weekend. The stars aligned and we were all able to meet up at Holly and Paul's place!! It was the first time that they each got to meet the female-counterpart in the others life, as well as the first time for me and Sarah to meet the childhood friend that we've heard about for years. Matt and Sarah are living in California and doing very well. From the time they got there, it was like everyone had known each other for years! It's always fun to catch up with old friends! :o)

My motivation for getting out of bed

2009-02-28T06:46:00.002-05:00

I washed down my breakfast with a couple Thin Mints today...
not my proudest moment, but oh-so-enjoyable! :o)

Timily Through the Years

2009-02-27T23:37:00.008-05:00

I'm feeling a little nostalgic...

2002: Looking quite young.

2003: In Pensacola for a friend's wedding.

2004: In the Grand Canyon on a trip with Tim's family.

2005: Our wedding rehearsal dinner.

2006: Signing papers for our house.

2007: This is one of three pictures of us together during 2007... only three!!!

2008: In North Carolina with my family last December.

So begins another chapter of our lives

2009-02-26T20:55:00.005-05:00

I haven't been posting for the past few weeks for many reasons, one of which is that we've been incredibly busy but another is that I've been a little preoccupied... I've found myself thinking about teaching a lot recently. It has been in the back of my mind for a while now, but the final straw happened when talking with some former co-workers, I found that I was slightly jealous of their classroom stories & was wishing that I was back in the classroom. At that point, I knew I had to talk to Tim. I sat him down a couple weeks ago for "the talk." I basically told him that while I *love* working for his business, I still miss teaching. I proposed a few different ideas which basically consisted of me continuing to work with his business in various ways but also getting back in the classroom. My thoughts about teaching are pretty idealized right now so I'm thinking I need a little reminder before jumping back in wholeheartedly. We've decided that I'm going to Sub until the end of the school year and then decide from there what we want to do, but most likely I'll be returning to the classroom next year. Needless to say, I'm quite excited!

You know you've missed 'em

2009-02-25T20:41:00.001-05:00

Thomas

Annabelle

Samantha

It hurts... deep down, it really hurts

2009-02-24T11:38:00.002-05:00

I'm not sure if this is a real training video (although the YouTube account that posted it says it is), but I find it to be quite insulting.

The video instructs Game Stop employees on how to talk to women. They divide women into two categories: the "Deer-in-Headlights" (i.e someone who is so lacking in knowledge of video games that they are immediately overwhelmed just by walking into the store) and "The Hunter" (someone who is going in to search for one particular game, which they were probably instructed to get by their child or husband, and basically block out everything else in the store). Their recommendations for dealing with these rogue women shoppers include "a personal approach, good listening and knowledgeable suggestions delivered in a friendly, unassuming way." Seriously, Game Stop? It seems to me that the video should be encouraging those recommendations for shoppers of both genders.

Just so you know, there are lots of gamer chicks out there that actually *gasp* know something about video games. They know the titles that they like, they know when the release dates are and, yes, they are card-carrying Edge members who read Game Informer every month. I know many of these women because I play with them online almost everyday. As one of them, I'm rather insulted that Game Stop believes any woman walking into their store couldn't possible know anything about video games. And furthermore, that women would only begin to care if they could lose weight or get a free subscription to a magazine that will turn their brain to complete mush.

Personally, I'm quite shocked. The fact is, my local store actually treats me like... a human, one that happens to like to play video games. That is, no differently than they treat the hoards of males that frequent their store on a daily basis. So Game Stop, what's with the corporate-instituted sexism????

On a Break

2009-01-24T13:49:00.007-05:00

I'm taking a break from Kook Tales for a little while. I'll be back when the mood strikes me, but I haven't been feeling it very much lately. I have high hopes of a redesign & possibly a URL-move in the near future, but I'm not making any promises as to when it will happen. In the meantime, feel free to click around & thanks for stopping by!

Feeding my Rockstar Dreams

2009-01-08T12:46:00.037-05:00

Exhibit A: The extremely cool microphone stand that Tim got me for Christmas (this way I can assault your ears with drumming and singing at the same time - you may want to bring earplugs if you plan on visiting in the next few weeks. Also, notice size of the box behind it? Yeah, that's the one it was shipped in. They really couldn't find a more appropriately sized box?).

Exhibit B: The most awesome fake-band ever... complete with back-up guitar & groupie!!!

The Greatest Action Figures Ever!

2009-01-07T12:00:00.005-05:00

My sister showed up at Christmas with these and needless to say the house was divided on who the better protein really is...

Mr. Bacon vs. Monsieur Tofu
"Only one can remain at the top of the food chain!"

Christmas in the Mountains

2009-01-06T14:30:00.019-05:00

Tim & I are back from our holiday travels and are super excited about the New Year (good riddance 2008, you suck)!! I was lacking in the holiday cheer department last year so I'm hoping to eventually cram it all in...

In the first leg of our holiday travels, we drove up to North Carolina. My family was up there for my sister's graduation (YAY SARA!) and got a cabin on Powder Horn Mountain near Boone. It's a wonder that Tim & I made it alive... those mountain roads were pretty ominous to two Floridians driving after dark (I had flashbacks to Space Mountain, age 6).

The cabin was adorable, made you feel like you were miles from everything and was perfect for lounging around with family. There were games to be played, deer to spot, old home movies to watch, and sibling pandemonium around every corner! The first day was a bit foggy (our own white Christmas of sorts), but it cleared up shortly after and revealed absolutely wonderful views! I also thoroughly enjoyed spending time in the Hot Tub (although my dad & brother were the only others brave enough to get in; everyone else preferred to stay bundled up) and the night sky was so clear that star-gazing was an added bonus!

I also learned a lot about ladybugs. They apparently like to make winter homes in cabins made out of lighter colored wood. The first day, I thought the ladybugs were cute. After two days of them being everywhere (they numbered in the thousands), they didn't look so cute! I know they're suppose to be good luck, but sometimes I think a little luck can go a long way... One last bonus of the trip was that the family got to meet my sister's boyfriend, Dan (the one she's been practically inseparable from in recent months despite living 3 hours away from each other). The report is all good - he held up quite well in our kooky family!! He was very nice, plays xbox and even got Sara playing boardgames *gasp*. Most importantly, they seemed very happy together! All around it was a very fun adventure and a great chance to catch up!!

Powder Horn Mountain

What Cats Do Best

2008-12-17T00:32:00.004-05:00

Samantha

King of the Road

2008-12-16T15:49:00.002-05:00

There are presents to be wrapped, laundry to wash and bags to pack. I'll worry about all that later though, because this is hilarious... I promise, all I did was hit next!!!!

The Rules:
1. Put your iPod (or media player) on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN, NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS! (If a song comes up twice, you can cheat & move to the next song.)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Here Comes the Sun ~ The Beatles (how optimistic!)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Stellar ~ Incubus (aww...thanks guys!)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Joyful Girl ~ Ani Defranco (kid you not, that's what came up!)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Swinging on a Star ~ Tony Bennet (that's great!)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
FutureSex/LoveSound ~ Justin Timberlake (uhhh... no comment)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Beautiful Day ~ U2 (should I be insulted?)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Under the Bridge ~ Red Hot Chili Peppers

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
Heaven Beside You ~ Alice in Chains

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Parden Me ~ Incubus (as in... parden me, it will remain a secret!)

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN?
Strawberry Fields Forever ~ The Beatles (really? but I like strawberries!)

HOW WILL YOU DIE?
Last Beautiful Girl ~ Matchbox 20 (ha!)

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Shadow Boxer ~ Fiona Apple

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
Garden Grove ~ Sublime

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Paranoid Android ~ Radiohead

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Ten Minutes ~ Get Up Kids (is this my personality or my attention span?)

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Least Complicated ~ Indigo Girls

WHAT IS 2+2?
Learn to Fly ~ Foo Fighters

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
As Is ~ Ani Defranco

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Airbag ~ Radiohead (very appropriate from many different reasons...)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
What Goes Around Comes Around ~ Justin Timberlake (I promise, this thing is on shuffle!)

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Galileo ~ Indigo Girls (apparently my eyesight is well on it's way!)

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Beautiful Disaster ~ 311 (sounds about right...)

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
What I Got ~ Sublime (hmm...)

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU?
Steppin' Out with my Baby ~ Tony Bennet (sounds like a yes to me!)

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Clint Eastwood ~ Gorillaz (I must be really tuned into Dirty Harry)

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS?
King of the Road ~ Dean Martin

Number One

2008-12-15T12:00:00.003-05:00

It's fairly common knowledge that Jacksonville is the largest city (by land area) in the contiguous United States, but it seems the city now has a new claim to fame... as the #1 Least Lustful City in America. Quality Health News just released a list of the "10 Most Sexually Active Cities in America" accompanied by the "10 Least Lustful Cities." Their findings were based on Census birth rates, Nielsen data on contraceptive sales, CDC birth and fertility rates, sales of sex books on Amazon and sales from nationwide "erotica outlets" (click the link above to see if your city was ranked too).

I find the fact that Jax is the number one prudish city to be quite interesting since it was set to be home to the movie industry until Hollywood took over in the 1920s (read more about Jacksonville's film history). For whatever reason, that made me (incorrectly) think the residents might be a little more progressive towards sexuality. It also makes me wonder what the movie industry would be like if it were still the hub... would today's entertainment be more uptight or would the residents be more liberal?

toys, toys, toys

2008-12-14T13:23:00.010-05:00

I have to admit, I've been seriously slacking in the blogging department lately, but honestly it's allowed me to spend more time in the real world... something I really needed to do. Until I get my typing fingers back, I leave you with these:

Friendly Flutterby

2008-11-14T11:49:00.002-05:00

Virtual Reality

2008-11-11T16:00:00.008-05:00

My rockstar had a makeover -

How awesome is that shirt?!?

Fair Warning: It's loud!!

Nine in the Afternoon by Panic at the Disco
played by me on *expert*

Sir Thomas

2008-11-09T16:50:00.008-05:00

The Veggie Files

2008-11-03T12:30:00.009-05:00

I've been vegetarian for well over a decade (ovo-lacto to be specific).

My mom is fond of telling the story of "my switch." It was the weekend before Thanksgiving. A delightful meal was in the cabinets waiting for preparation. Family was on the way. Everyone was excited.

It was this precise time that I chose to walk into the living room and drop a bomb on my mom, "I think I want to become a vegetarian." Silence. I could see it in her eyes, her mind was racing... at the time, I didn't know why, but later I would learn visions of the upcoming Family Feast were running through her head... turkey, ham, pot roast. She finally spoke, "Can you wait until after Thanksgiving?" I agreed, & for one more weekend I feasted on the best home-cooked meats & vegetables. The following week, I took up a vegetarian lifestyle.

My parents were hugely accommodating... becoming quite creative with meal solutions, learning the fine art of tofu, & even pointing out to my southern grandparents that "yes, bacon fat is considered non-vegetarian." I am forever grateful for my parents support in letting me make that decision.

You may have gathered from the article I posted a while ago... I am proud of my food choices, and I don't consider being vegetarian secondary to an omnivorous diet. There are several standard remarks when I first tell people I'm vegetarian. Everything from, "Why?" to "What do you eat?" to "I knew someone who was a vegetarian until they got sick from it." The occasional, "I bet I can get you to eat meat again," and sometimes the more sympathetic, "I don't eat much meat either."

While I am very happy to share my food preferences with folks, I find myself between a rock and a hard place in some of these situations. You see, I know being vegetarian is the right decision for me, but I also realize that I've made a personal choice that not everyone feels is necessary. I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm not a militant vegetarian & I have absolutely no intentions of trying to take over the world (just wanted to get that out on the table now). I do, however, believe that a vegetarian diet can be a completely healthy option. If I'm willing & the resources are available to me... what place does anyone else have in questioning my preferences?!? If I said my favorite color was green, would I need a composed thesis explaining my choices? No, I wouldn't.

This post has very little point.... just something I've wanted to get out for a long time.

Sibling Love

2008-11-02T12:00:00.001-05:00

Thomas & Annabelle

A Little Taste of Fernandina

2008-10-30T22:30:00.004-04:00

This is a really cool video that talks a little about the history of Fernandina. By the way, we've never been to Moon River Pizza & I'm not sure that I'll be stopping in any time soon (Earl breathes all over the pizza.... eww!).

The Art of Science

2008-10-30T10:51:00.015-04:00

After a couple years in the classroom, I attended a in-depth, week-long seminar on 'Teaching with the Brain in Mind' (if you're a teacher, or just interested in the brain, Eric Jensen is awesome!). During that week, I developed a greater love for teaching than ever before - and that says a lot!

I processed my experiences into a few guidelines that made my job much easier on a daily basis. As a first grade teacher, I got the incredible opportunity of teaching students *all* the subjects. That being said, I think every teacher has a favorite subject, one that they really look forward to during the day. Before that year, I had always considered myself a literacy teacher first and foremost. After all, this was first grade, the five components of reading were woven into pretty much everything we did. The following year, I kept up with my beloved literacy instruction (and all the other subjects as well), but also became very passionate about teaching science. Word spread quickly around school that the first graders in Room 41 were learning and loving science (a subject that although represented in the Sunshine State Standards, is not on first grade report cards and therefore often overlooked). In the hallways I was known as 'The Butterfly Lady'. We even had several other classes visit our room to see what kind of crazy experiments we had going on (the kids thought it was super-cool when a class of fourth graders walked in one day during a lesson). The other first grade teachers approached me to see if I wanted to departmentalize the following year so that I would be teaching science to all the first grade students. This was an exciting proposition, but I wasn't quite ready to give up the other subjects & my own little 'family' of students.

So all of this is really just to tell you about The Bubble Artist aka Keith Michael Johnson (update, you can also check him out here). If I were still in the classroom, I would be doing anything and everything I could (asking for donations, writing grants, submitting to Donor's Choose) to get this guy to do a presentation!

He uses a great childhood love (bubbles!) to explain things like the states of matter, force & pressure, etc. I'm a firm believer that children can grasp most concepts quite accurately without having it presented to them like watered-down-mush. In first grade materials, it's sometimes hard to wade through the mush & find meaningful lessons. Keith's presentation, however, is both meaningful & developmentally appropriate. Whether knowingly or unknowingly, he follows every rule of 'Teaching with the Brain in Mind'. He is SO engaging and fun that students are guaranteed to have a fantastic time... and also walk away with a better understanding of science concepts.

I mention this now, even though the man has been doing these presentations since I was 5 years old, because he's been everywhere I turn lately. First he appeared in one of my favorite magazines last summer. Then this past Sunday, I happened to catch him on the Discovery Channel. I tip my hat to this man, not only did he make a lifetime career out of doing something he loved... he also brings out that passion in his audience. That, I believe, is the mark of a great teacher.

My Fuzzykins

2008-10-29T11:49:00.011-04:00

Annabelle

Decidedly Positive

2008-10-28T16:00:00.012-04:00

The following are reasons why the year 2008 is my least favorite:

our cat died
my husband had to have surgery
the a/c broke (both units!!)
our truck won't start
his cell phone is still broken
our hot water heater is broken

I'm beginning to wonder if one of us unknowingly walked under a ladder, broke a mirror & opened an umbrella indoors.... all on the same day. Saying we are stressed is an understatement. We've both lost weight, probably due to the extra calories we burn up worrying (most would be happy to drop a couple pounds, but honestly Tim & I need every pound we've got). Talking to a friend (who was acting as a pseudo-counselor) last night, we were reminded to "think positively & positive things will happen." Wise advice! So today, I'm sending positive thoughts out into the Universe:

I am happy because anything we go through, we go through together.
I am happy because we have family & friends that love us unconditionally & support us in whatever we do.
I am happy because we have our cats to remind us what's really important in life.
I am happy because we have a beautiful house in a great neighborhood that we wouldn't trade for anything (does anyone else hear Talking Heads when you read this bullet?)
I am happy because we both work in a job that we love & it allows us to be at home together & exercise our creativity.
I am happy because we have electricity.
I am happy because my birthday is next week.
I am happy because our problems, for the most part, are temporary.
I am happy because we're still breathing.
I am happy because we get to see family for the holidays.
I am happy because a stranger, out of the blue, gave me a compliment last week.
I am happy because I know we are blessed with so many good things in life that it’s ridiculous not to be.

One more - I am happy because Joe sent us this:

My Favorite Felines

2008-10-26T14:24:00.010-04:00

Annabelle, Thomas, Samantha & Sebastian... all together!

How I know that I live in the South

2008-10-25T08:00:00.008-04:00

DCPS made it on Dentention Slip this week with an on-going, controversial proposal to change the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School (the school board will be voting on Nov. 3rd at 6:00 p.m. and the public will have a chance to voice their opinions, but arrive early if you want to speak!!!).

The Story:
It all started two years ago when, Steven Stoll, a professor of sociology at FCCJ presented research on Forrest to the School Board. In his words, "This guy owned and sold human beings and was one of the most successful slave traders in America. During the Civil War, he butchered and executed black soldiers in cold blood. And after the Civil War, he became the first Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan and instituted segregation in the south." Many in support of keeping the name cite both history & heritage as their main reasons for doing so. Others question if it will lead to changing the names of other historically-referenced schools. (Source)

Here's how I see this:
Our history is not without flaws. Those making decisions in the 1950s (when Forrest High was founded) were both mere-humans as well as a product of their society and times. Keep in mind that fewer than one in five African Americans received a high school diploma in the 1950s. Today the make-up of Forrest High includes: 4% Asian, 54% Black, 8% Hispanic, 4% Mixed and 29% White. While many see the naming issue as trivial, I don't believe that it is. I've written before about the implicit racism that exists in our society. I believe that something is very wrong when the majority of students attending this school walk by a statue of a man that believed they were property to be bought & sold.

Waiting for their next escape...

2008-10-25T05:00:00.001-04:00

Thomas & Annabelle

Maybe I'll Get A Postcard

2008-10-24T12:00:00.004-04:00

My body is ready & able, but I think my brain is on vacation today. So instead of that riveting entry on neuroscience that I had planned, I turn to my favorite subject, something that I don't really need a brain to write about... myself.

I am: industrious; open-minded; sometimes silly; vegetarian; a red headed stepchild; on my second career

I like: cats; card-making; Rockband; smoothies; people-watching; butterflies; catography

I think: at my best while alone in the car & listening to the radio

I have: a half read book on my nightstand; long layers & wispy bangs; a sticker collection

I have no: patience with adults

I wish: the world had a remote control

I hate: Gene Simmons; dirty dishes; the phone

I miss: my furball; being a kid with no responsibilities

I fear: free-falling; public speaking

I hear: a kook call - "Kooooo-kuu!"

I watch: Project Runway; anything on the Science Channel; Bill Maher; Chelsea Lately

I smell: lavender & baby powder, mixed with a little salt in the air

I crave: the fuzz (and by fuzz, I mean that which belongs to my cats); chocolate ice cream; pineapple with cheddar cheese; boiled peanuts; blackberry jam (not all at the same time)

I search: for my house keys at least 3 times a week

I wonder: how each decision I make will affect the rest of my life

I regret: nothing, in theory... except maybe the time I ran out of ice cream & decided to eat the hot fudge anyway

I love: family; cats; true friends; my house; laughter

I ache: after drumming for too long

I believe: humans are unnatural; the date revolves around sleep

I dance: to J.T. while cleaning the house

I sing: slightly off-key & really loudly

I cry: at TV shows and the occasional commercial (I get it from my mom)

I fight: my inclination to yell obscenities at people with McCain/Palin bumper stickers

I lose: hair clips; hair bands; basically anything that goes in hair

I could: eat an entire tray of brownies by myself

I never: go on Tower of Terror

I always: type 'time' when I try to type my husband's name... then backspace the e

I confuse: affect & effect

I am scared: sometimes, I'm leaving it at that

I am happy about: my life

I can usually be found: at home with my kooky husband & our cats

Oh So Lovely

2008-10-20T16:54:00.000-04:00

The Orchids are still in full bloom & have even sent up more buds! Just about every other day I decide that I want to clip 'em & bring 'em inside. I haven't actually brought myself to do it yet. Does anyone know if the flower stays around as long once it's been cut?

Interrupting Sam's Bath Time

2008-10-18T10:27:00.007-04:00

Notice the freckle on her eye, remind you of anyone... Mom?

Politics & Me

2008-10-17T23:37:00.011-04:00

I grew up in a house that emphasized being active in politics, not just in theory, but in everyday practice. I've not said much up to this point on Kook Tales about the election or the candidates, but I imagine that if you know me, you know that I have been enthusiastically awaiting every debate, spending hours on YouTube following the candidates speeches & have read just about every word on both of their websites (that's quite a triumph - politicians are wordy).

Things you should know:

I'm registered as an Independent. I made this decision for one reason - my vote is not guaranteed to anyone based on their party affiliation.
I'm about as liberal as they come, and I make no apologies for it. I'm currently in the process of convincing my "life partner" (i.e. my husband) to join me in demanding a civil union when they become legal in Florida.
If you don't agree with me, I'm fine with that. I might attempt a joke or two, but I will also uphold your right to voice your opinion. I expect the same consideration in return.

My first election was two days after my 18th birthday in November of 2000. That also became my first taste of frustration with American politics. At that time, I found myself at the heart of the biggest and most costly political disaster in my lifetime. Any optimism that I held toward our political process was stolen from me on January 8, 2001. On that day MY Representative stood in front of both the House & Senate and voiced MY concerns. As you probably know, those concerns feel upon deaf ears in the Senate (and don't for a second think that I've forgotten that two of those 'deaf' Senators are currently running for President!).

By the time the 2004 election rolled around, I had a renewed sense of patriotism & a desperate need to have my voice heard. Following that election, frustration was no longer a strong enough word. My feelings toward politics & American voters have become both cynical and untrusting (love you, but collectively - you suck!). I loathe politicians, and I find their vulgar name-calling & vicious attitudes demoralizing. Something about the ease with which they spout those empty, rehearsed lines of rhetoric - echoing everything they believe will get them elected while utterly ignoring what's best for our country and it's citizens.

Despite my unsettled feelings toward politics, I find that (again!) I have a renewed sense of importance over this election. If the United States is ever going to become that vision of stability and compassion that I see in my head, I know it's my responsibility to take part in creating it. Americans need to unite, not based on their religious beliefs or political affiliations, but on our commitment to our nation. We need to recognize that our strength comes from our diversity, and this diversity supports the checks & balances that are necessary in politics.

In the past, I've always dedicated my votes to someone. In 2000 it was my American Government teacher, and 2004 was for my parents. This year, however, my vote is dedicated to Stephan Baldwin.

Stephan, honey, I'm canceling you out!!

I mailed in my absentee ballot today. With great pride, I darkened the bubble next to Obama's name and then said a little prayer to the Universe. You see, I grew up with the self-centric view that America was great. Slowly but surely, I've come to the realization that we are no longer the country that our founders believed in; the land of opportunity. This thought above all others is what scares me.

I don't think anyone could say it better than this....

Inneresting

2008-10-17T20:00:00.000-04:00

Some stats on Florida, the election & voters (Source):

"According to the Mortgage Bankers Association, in the second quarter of this year, 6 percent of Florida's residential mortgage loans were in foreclosure, leading the nation."
"The I-4 corridor is to political consultants what Gettysburg is to Civil War buffs—a slice of land where battles can be forever studied and re-enacted. Running from Tampa on the Gulf Coast through the theme parks of Orlando to the Atlantic beaches of Daytona, this is where more than 40 percent of the state's voters live. Of them, 20 percent are independents with the rest almost evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans."
"In modern Florida history Democrats have always maintained a voter-registration edge over Republicans, but many of these Democrats are conservatives who have helped put successive popular Republican governors—Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist—in office and have no trouble crossing party lines to cast a presidential vote."
"Two-thirds of Floridians aren't from Florida, and, like good Floridians, most of my breakfast mates are originally from someplace else. This transience is another factor that makes Florida's voters so hard to pin down. Stanley Smith, a professor of economics at the University of Florida, estimates that almost 20 percent of this year's Florida voters will be new voters—either they've arrived since the last presidential election, or they've become old enough to vote."
"As the Washington Post points out, as of Sept. 1, more new Florida voters registered as independents (155,000) than as Republicans (129,000), and newly registered Democrats exceeded both of those combined (316,000)."
"In Florida every group is touted as the one that could tip the state: blacks, Hispanics, Jews, retirees, white women, young people."
"Charlie Crist made it legal for ex-convicts to vote, and since then about 120,000 have had their voting rights restored. As University of Florida economist David Denslow observes, "Most felons are not Republicans. If they are, they've retired to Bermuda."
"Obama's strategy to turn this state back to the Democratic column for the first time since Bill Clinton won in 1996 is to never leave Florida voters alone for a second. He's going to spend almost $40 million here; McCain's campaign is spending $25 million—many millions of which it thought it would be able to spend elsewhere. Obama has about 50 field offices; John Kerry had 14 in 2004. In the first week of October, Obama poured $2.8 million into television advertising in the state; McCain spent $623,000."
"Both the Realtor and the political scientist believe that it's McCain's and Obama's job to convince Florida voters that they can stop the roof from caving in. "Unless we get real estate moving again," says Lynn Mooney, "it doesn't matter who's in office." Or, as Richard Scher puts it: "The whole state floats on real estate. The winner will inspire confidence about fixing the real-estate collapse."

A Message for Sarah

2008-10-17T14:41:00.004-04:00

An effort to post something

2008-10-13T18:56:00.000-04:00

I know it's October & bright-primary-colored cards are kinda out of season, but I found some Little Miss Stickers/Mr Men stickers the other day & once I saw Little Miss Giggles - I knew it *had* to be made into a card for my sister...

Reason #578 on why cats are like kids

2008-09-30T18:00:00.003-04:00

One minute their getting loved on...

The next minute they're distracted by
something shiny dangling nearby.

Just don't make it a habit...

2008-09-29T11:46:00.007-04:00

"xBox will be offline for 24 hours on September 29th for updates."

It was somewhat surreal at first but then the reality began to sink in: "Really?!? They'd cut us all off, I mean, just like that - offline!?!" I began to exuded panic and confusion while also keeping enough coherence to plot exactly how I'd make Microsoft pay for the lost hours. Tim, on the other hand, got very calm and quiet. He seemed to withdraw into his own mind: "They've done it before... there's nothing you can do, nothing but wait..."

I felt like I was trapped in that South Park Episode, but I was determined to call their bluff. I played and waited for it... a part of me in denial that the time would actually come. But sadly, 5 minutes after they said it would happen, it did - xBox went offline. Over 200,000 players booted off Halo 3 alone.

I'm pretty sure most held candle-lit vigils directly following the blackout.

Around the Corner

2008-09-28T01:12:00.002-04:00

I'm getting so excited!!! The last few months of the year mean one thing for me... card season! :o) I made my Halloween cards last night.

The Cat Bowl

2008-09-27T13:04:00.010-04:00

Sam thinks she should have a bowl like the bettas.