So… after almost a 4 month lapse in writing on here, I’ve decided that I really should write more often. It’s good for me… and stuff like that. Because I am quite lazy, I think I am going to post a list.

1) On June 5, I broke up with Adam after close to 3 years of being with him. This is the hardest thing I’ve had to do because I knew it would break his heart, he hadn’t done anything wrong, and I still love him, but I cannot keep going on in a relationship where I don’t feel the other person loves me *romantically*

2) I really enjoy rollerblading. I don’t know why people act like it’s such a hard thing to do. Shoot, if I can do it, it must not be THAT hard. I mean really.

3) Cake Boss, the new show about Carlo aka Buddy Jr. from Carlo’s Bakery in Hoboken, NJ is just… priceless. Maybe I love the accent… I don’t know.

4) I really wish I could bring Oreo into school and have him in my classroom. I think he would regulate quite well… give him a radio and a blue polo shirt…

5) I am totally looking forward to 16 days off (other teachers get about 9 weeks…but 2 weeks is better than none at all! See how I chose to call it “16 days” rather than 2 weeks… it sounds longer :)

6) I still want to swim from Cuba to FL with a shark cage around me.

7) I live in a town full of jerks.

8) I just so happened to meet this new awesome guy named Chris the day after I broke up with Adam… I feel like a dickhead, but I didn’t cheat on Adam so I don’t know why I feel sort of guilty about being so happy with Chris.

9) ShaqBron O’James bitches.

10) Wes hates Gran Torino, but something about Clint Eastwood talking about getting “babbling gooks” off his lawn makes me laugh really hard.

11) Making bracelets is just awesome. I kind of spend too much money on beads to make them. Anyone want to buy a handmade bracelet for $3?

12) “Toddlers and Tiaras” on TLC is like a car accident… it’s so horrible and people are getting hurt but I can’t look away.

13) I miss my mommie.

14) Ok seriously can we talk about Rasheed “Hockey temper” Wallace being on a team headed up by Doc “Hey wow I didn’t get a technical THIS game” Rivers… talk about civil war…

15) I really need a new cell phone… the sad part is I kind of only want a green one… I’ll likely settle for something else. lol.

16) I just bought a navy blue 2009 Honda Element which Adam named “The Lunch Box“

17) Who the hell kicks a door in to an apartment and kills a 19 year old pregnant woman?

18) Chris is in the process of moving into a house with his friends who are all musicians… I am so excited to hang out with him and other music people :-D

19) One of my students likes drinking blue raspberry juice, chocolate milk, and salt all mixed together.
I don’t ask either.

20) Breaking up with Adam, while extremely painful, is quite a relief because now when I look at him I don’t think “Why don’t you love me romantically?!!!!” and get all angry, I look at him and think “What a cool funny guy that I get to hang out with!” I’m able to enjoy what I love about him as a friend now that I don’t have to lug around all the resentment for our lack of romance.

21) I think I’m going to make an effort to watch more NHL games this year because I like hockey and Sue likes going and so that will be cool.

22) I’ve really enjoyed going to see Chris’ friend Ryan’s band Gumbo Boogie every Wednesday at Pelican Pete’s on Cortez Rd. in Bradenton.

23) Am I really 26? I feel like I’ve been through enough and look like I could be 45 but as far as my attitude and where I am in my life as far as marriage and family, I’d say I’m more 23ish.

24) Helen is going to India in around 6 weeks I think… I am so excited for her!

25) My brain is a blender that makes good smoothies.

I just got back from my first professional sporting event ever in Florida :) My best friend Sue took me to see the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team play the Atlanta Thrashers for my birthday.
It’s weird… it’s not like I’m terribly old I suppose, but this year, for the first time ever, I am actually kind of dreading my birthday. I guess it kind of reminds me about how I’ve really not lost any weight since last year… 8 lbs. I’ve furthered my career a whole lot but honestly, I’ve not stopped to smell the flowers at all. Tonight I realized how much there really is to do in Tampa and how I’ve lived right near there for like 2 years and I’ve seriously only been there once recreationally (the other times were airport trips.)
Right now I’m watching “Dark City” from 1998 starring Jennifer Connolly and Kiefer Sutherland. I hadn’t heard of it until I haphazardly came across it on netflix. I’m not sure how I did, but I did. It came out the year before the Matrix and it seems to possibly have influenced it a bit… it’s a weird ass movie. I’m about 20 min in and I like it so far.
That’s about all I have to report right now. I’m always really busy and pretty lonely…

26) I really wish I could show my students Eddie Izzard because he is so funny and makes you want to learn more about history. Alas, I can do no such thing as he says “fuck” far too frequently though it is done in an incredibly witty fashion.

27) I have an insatiable case of techno joy. I just got a new laptop and I named it “Deathstroke” because I have a newfound unhealthy obsession with DC Universe vs. Mortal Kombat on PS3.

28) I refuse to not see good in people. This can often be mistaken for naivety, however I would argue it is merely a function of my positive outlook on life.

29) For some reason, I really like buying two of the same product at a time at the grocery store. I think this has made me an especially good target for buy one get one free deals.

30) Spicy food makes me feel alive. The fact that wasabi is a fantastic color is also helpful.

31) I borrowed an anthology of African literature from my new coworker about a month ago and I read the first page of a James Weldon Johnson article and had and ADHD moment and have not continued reading the rest of it since.

32) I have never done any sort of drug with the exception to those prescribed to me by a Dr. Even then, I took them only as directed.

33) By the same token, I am the only person I know over the age of 18 that has never smoked marijuana or cigarettes. I used to be proud of this, but the older I get, the more I feel oddly ashamed of it.

34) I sat next to Syesha Mercado’s sister earlier today at my friend’s wedding.

35) I have absolutely no idea why my grandmother, a highly intelligent, cultured, and choosy democrat, has chosen to date an old drunk republican with an assault charge over the last few years.

36) I often wish I had more contact with my family. I can’t discern whether our lapse in contact is due to the fact that they are busy, a lack of interest in maintaining a relationship with me, or both.

37) I am slowly coming to the conclusion that I will probably never have a “life-long” romantic relationship.

38) I really REALLY miss Rina Edge, Erin Bressler, Anna Brody, Adrienne Best, Serina Lidder, and Rachel Morgan-Wall (yes, I know it’s Butler now but you’ll always be Morgan-Wall to me)

39) I’m just so busy I feel like I never get the time to do anything as well as I would like to do it. I just feel burnt out and unnoticed.

40) I wish I had more friends with whom I could discuss NBA basketball in depth.

41) I think Daylight Savings Time is the most ignorant, asinine invention ever. If people are putting this much thought into what kind of light is outside, why are they not putting this much thought into education and health care?

42) For some reason, I really hate watching local news on TV. It usually pisses me off. I usually get my news online from as many sources as I can find.

43) Artificial banana flavored food pisses me off.

44) I often wonder if the Copernican Theory of Heliocentrism is also wrong.

45) My coworker recently suggested I check out this “clothing optional” camping festival thing near here and that it was a good place to make friends. I am unsure how I feel about this suggestion.

46) I was pleasantly surprised to read earlier today that Pope Benedict XVI recently said that evolution was G-d’s tool for creation.

47) I see no real problem with using swear words as long as they are not used in an accusative way. For example: If someone said to me “What the fuck is going on here?” I would take no offense in the use of “the F word.” However, if someone said “You’re a bitch,” I would likely take offense to that as the swear word is directed “at” me.

48) I welcome the fact that our country has a growing number of hispanic people.

49) The highlight of my day so far was overhearing an intelligent conversation about David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs, and how gay people deserve civil rights.

50) I am an green fire-breathing dragon from another planet masquerading as a human on earth.

1) I live in Bradenton, FL with my boyfriend, my dog, and two cats. In other words, I have 4 pets.

2) I have been dating my boyfriend Adam for 2.5 years. This is longer than I’ve ever dated anyone and I’m not sure how I feel about that.

3) My real boyfriend is a 4 year old Jack Russell mix named Oreo. He could be the most ridiculous, excited dog ever.

4) I have 7 cousins: Samantha, 28; Dave, 26; Barton, 24; Katie, 17; Lindsay, 16; Lauren, 14; and Joey, 13. I have not seen Samantha in 10 years and I have not seen Barton in almost 20 years.

5) Until this past weekend, 2 of my younger cousins did not know that Samantha and Barton are their siblings.

6) I have an irrational fear of dropping important possessions like my ring or my cell phone down drains.

7) After teaching “at risk” children for the last year, I don’t believe I will ever desire to work with “regular” kids again.

8) I really wish Jamiroquai would hurry up and come to the US already.

9) I still have an Ohio license plate even though I’ve lived in Florida since March 20, 2007.

10) I was a total asshole in college and I hope that some of the people I went to school with will still be my friend.

11) I absolutely detest Christmas for a wide variety of reasons with a passion that burns deeply within my soul.

12) I have a Cartman watch engraved with my name. I’ve had it for 7 years and I rarely take it off. I’m on my 3rd watchband. If I were a South Park character, I think I would be a cross between Kyle, Wendy, and Tweek.

13) I just auditioned to sing the national anthem at McKechnie Field for a Pittsburgh Pirates spring training game. I should find out soon if I made it.

14) My dream is to open my own school in Akron and I have the whole concept and building layout completely mapped out in my head already.

15) I really wish my mother would have more self esteem. She really has no idea what a bad ass she is.

16) I am extremely particular about how I arrange items; especially in my closet, in my shopping cart, and in my freezer. If things are not arranged the way I prefer, I feel extremely tense.

17) My best friend is a (somehow single?) witty blond 5th grade teacher of 100% dutch heritage who has 5 dogs.

18) I am a recovering alcoholic. My sobriety date is September 27, 2008.

19) I have loved the Cleveland Cavaliers since January 1988 when I went to my first game at the Richfield Colosseum. My favorite Cavs are Mark Price, Zydrunas Illgauskas, and, of course, LeBron James.

20) I like Snyder of Berlin’s Hard Sourdough Pretzels so much, I am currently pondering having them delivered on auto-ship in bulk from Amazon.com.

21) I absolutely love classical music and rap. My favorite rapper is Nas because he a skilled poet who writes personal and meaningful lyrics in addition to having good diction and catchy, distinctive delivery. I really want to meet him. My favorite composer is Ludwig van Beethoven because he was fucking crazy and then he went deaf and kept writing this ridiculous powerful syncopated music. It is a shame I cannot meet him in this life.

22) The Boston/Rhode Island accent is the most hilariously endearing thing I’ve ever heard…possibly because it’s SO fun to imitate.

23) I am perhaps unhealthily obsessed with the color green and I have been for almost 10 years.

24) I have a pretty severe case of ADHD that was misdiagnosed until I was 24. It has taken me over 3 hours to compile this list because I can’t sit still long enough to type it.

25) The happiest moments of 2009 for me so far have been opening the locket my sister Helen sent me in the mail and reading number 25 on Helen’s list because for some reason I just now realized that she loves me too.

I think Beyonce should’ve worn these shoes in the Single Ladies video.

These shoes are just awesome.

Someday, they will be mine.

For some reason, this week has been CRAZY at the facility. There is so much to worry about and so much to take care of! I refuse to let it completely defeat me. I adore my job but the organization here can be a little sketchy here at times.

Just to give you some idea, here is a true story that happened to me yesterday. After I practically ran out of school about 4:30pm yesterday, I got into my car and went to Publix because I was out of yogurt and Slim Fast. After meandering around the aisles and imagining how yummie waffles would be, I bought my Slim Fast, yogurt, ok and some sherbet too, and left. I took my rainbow reusable bags out to my car with my Slim Fast 12 pack and I drove away.

I was flipping through a playlist I had made and I decided I wanted to hear “2 of America’s Most Wanted” by Tupac and Snoop Dogg. As I turned it up loudly, I rolled the windows down and came to a stop surrounded by many other cars as we all approached the light at 51st St W and Cortez Rd. Just then, a stereotypical looking snowbird couple in a silver minivan pulled up next to me and the female rolled down her window. “Excuse me, ma’am” she said with a concerned look. “You have a SlimFast container on top of your car.”
“Thank you so much, ma’am. It’s been a long day.” I sighed too tired to even be embarrassed about my clueless error. I put my car in park and stepped out of my car in the intersection to notice all the people had been staring at me. “It’s been a long day.” I said to the woman who pulled up next to me following the silver van.
“I hear that.” She said sounding deflated.

It’s so weird that our society seems to need a collective mental health day. Everyone is has been burning the candle at both ends for so long that everyone seems so zoned out. I’m not sure I can remember the last time I wasn’t exhausted. I would just sleep more, but I have this irrational fear that I’ll never get to have fun if I sleep too much. It’s kind of weird.

I want to see some iPod or iTunes lists, people! I want to see what kind of random mess other people listen to!

I’ve been thinking a lot about music lately. So I decided to post this, in all it’s odd, random glory…

The 23 most played songs on my iPod since between April 15 and today.

23) Little L – Jamiroquai
22) Once Again – Cypress Hill
21) As – Stevie Wonder
20) Da Rockwilder – Method Man & Redman
19) Get Em High – Kanye West ft. Talib Kweli & Common
18) Paul Revere – Beastie Boys
17) Good Day – Nappy Roots
16) The Watcher – Dr. Dre
15) You Give Me Something – Jamiroquai
14) Still Here – Girl Talk
13) Single Ladies – Beyonce
12) The World Is Yours – Nas
11) Get Loose – Lil Mama ft. Chris Brown & T-Pain
10) How Do You Want It – Tupac
9) Runaway – Jamiroquai
8) Forgot About Dre – Dr. Dre & Eminem
7) A Milli – Lil Wayne
6) N.Y. State of Mind – Nas
5) Blue Magic – Jay-Z
4) Fuego – Kumbia Kings
3) Black Republicans – Nas ft. Jay-Z
2) Got Yourself A Gun – Nas
1) Ella Me Levanto – Daddy Yankee

Please respond with your list… I am very curious to see other peoples’ lists!

So tomorrow morning the Oscar nominations are going to be announced. The following lists reflect my best guess for who I think the academy will pick.

Best Picture:
Frost/Nixon
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Best Actress:
Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road
Angelina Jolie – Changeling
Meryl Streep – Doubt
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Gets Married
Kristen Scott Thomas – I’ve Loved You So Long

Best Actor:
Brad Pitt – Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Dev Patel – Slumdog Millionaire
Frank Langella – Frost/Nixon
Mickey Rourke – The Wrestler
Sean Penn – Milk

Our old pal Oscar...what a stiff bastard.

I guess we’ll find out tomorrow morning how right or wrong I was :)

Today is a special day.

Today is Martin Luther King Day.

Ok… so what does that mean?

The sad part is a lot of my kids new that Dr. King was a black man who was killed a while ago and that all the other kids didn’t go to school today….and that was about it.

I informed them that Dr. King continues to be an important influence in our society because his influence helped all people, more specifically the black community, gain further acceptance in our society.

Right now I am watching a documentary about a special education teacher named Elaine Hall who created The Miracle Project. Ms. Hall gathered 5 children with autism and their families and over a 6 month period, developed a musical performance. It is called Autism: The Musical.

I would HIGHLY recommend watching it.

I think the most important thing to remember about today is that we are ALL people.
All of us. Everyone. White people. Black people. Brown people. People with blue eyes. People with black hair. People with kinky hair. People with no hair. People with no legs. People from Alaska. People from Germany. People with Muscular Dystrophy. People with Autism. People who use wheelchairs. People with Bipolar Disorder. People who are homeless. People who are atheists. People who are Jewish. People who are lawyers. People who are waitresses. People who wear glasses.
ALL of us.

Wow. What kind of bitch sent this video into ebaum’s world. Just wow.