This Old House

I'll admit, our house really isn't that old, but it's approaching 23 years and every handyman that has visited likes to tell me that this is the age when things start to go wrong. Really? I would have never guessed. Our master bath is ripped up and unusable because of toilet problems, I am doing my laundry with a flashlight because the light won't come on in the basement, and the second story gutter is hanging off. My mom reminded me that things come in threes...at least I know what the three things are.

I can't begin to describe the relief that I felt when the handyman showed up today. He fixed my gutters and my heart began to soar. I have been e-mailing/calling the company since last Thursday, but I don't care about their poky service, it's fixed. I probably severely overpaid, but I don't care about the price, it's fixed. Bonus: The man was really nice. He even showed me how to fix the light in the basement and didn't charge. I may even be brave and fix it myself when we come back from vacation. NOTE TO SELF: Turn off #13 on breaker box before fooling with light. I may now leave for vacation with a peaceful mind. My house will be standing when I come home and the gutter will be secure in its place.

Some things I have learned so far about being a homeowner:
1) I need to expand my caulking and speckling skills and include some other home repair skills.
2) I need to meet more people in my area that know how to do repair work.
3) Maintenance and preventative care can never be underestimated.
4) Take care of things right away (this was a lesson from the bathroom).

Good Bye Olympus D-380

Dear Olympus D-380,

We must part ways. You served your time. I have many great memories preserved on film/computer becuase of you and for that I thank you. But I am moving on. In all honesty, your 2.0 effective megapixels no longer works in today's society, and I upgraded to a Cannon Powershot SD800 IS. Don't worry, though, you were my first digital camera and that guarentees a special place in my heart. Good work. I promise to find a nice spot in recycleland for you.

Your devoted owner,

Metacognitive

Good byes

I had to say goodbye to a dear friend today. Dear friend says it is not necessarily a goodbye, but a "I'll-REALLY-miss-having-you-in-Ohio". Regardless, it is a sad feeling. It got me thinking of all the goodbyes we say in life.

Sometimes they are not all sad. When a sales person leaves my house...good riddance. When a telemarketer hangs up the phone...thank goodness.

But often good byes are hard because we have to say them to the people we love. The time between goodbyes varies. People might see each other the next day, or they may not meet again until the next decade. Many times change often follows goodbyes and that is the most unnerving part. It is not necessarily that the change will be bad, but often we don't know how things will change. We only know that change is inevitable. The combination of change and uncertainty is what pushes us to the boundaries of our comfort zones.

Of course, the hardest goodbye is the one that is permanent. It is an experience that, unfortunately, none of us can avoid during our life time. These goodbyes twist our lives inside out.

And with that thought I came to this realization...I can handle saying "I'll-really-miss-having-you-in-Ohio" goodbyes because it is not permanent. Inevitably there will be some changes...a 1 1/2 hour is more likely to happen spontaneously than a 8 hour drive...but these changes are manageable. Hallelujah for e-mail, cell phones, reliable cars, and cheap airfare.

Baked Stuffed Tomatoes

I am back at it again...cooking...who knew I'd enjoy it so much. I got this great recipe out of our farm bureau magazine that we receive. I was a little nervous that T would not like it, but to my great surprise he loved it! And he informed me that he had heard from the Reds broadcasting team that cooked tomatoes were a great food to eat to reduce the chances of prostate cancer. Even better...thanks Marty and Thom Breneman. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 lb ground beef (I used a pound of ground venison)
1/4 cup of onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup of celery, chopped fine
2 T of butter
1 1/4 cups of water
1/2 cup of Grape Nuts cereal
1 t of salt (I used garlic salt)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop out tomatoes, reserving pulp. Brown meat in a skillet, remove and set aside. Saute onions and celery in butter until onion is tender. Add pulp and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil; simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, or until pulp is tender. In a bowl combine meat, cereal, remaining 1/4 cup water, salt and half of the sauce (I also added a little pepper). Place tomatoes in a shallow baking dish; fill with meat mixture. Pour remaining sauce over tomatoes, sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until tomatoes are tender. I served it with fresh green beans. Crusty bread would have been nice too, but I am trying to cut the carbs before vacation so that I can eat them on vacation. Weird how my mind works.
Thanks to Carolyn Tolonese for submitting this recipe! We thought it was delicious!

Camping

T. and I went camping this weekend with Cuz M and B-rent. Trophy Life joined us on Saturday.
Here are a couple of thoughts.

1) Cuz M and B-rent are amazing with cooking food at a campsite. We enjoyed french toast, pork tenderloin stuffed with garlic and rosemary accompanied with veggies and potatoes, sausage gravy and biscuits, and some other fare. I have informed them that for better or worse they are going to have to be present for all of my camping experiences.

2) There are many different kinds of people at a state park and every one is packed in close. Especially when a family of 16 shows up Sunday at the site next to us. Can't say I was sorry we were leaving just as they were arriving.

3) T and I have the coolest tent ever. It is equipped with a bay window. This is only our second time camping together and our first time in our new tent. I could sit in it for hours.

4) Cornhole will also be accompanying us on all our future camping trips.

5) My next camping purchase would be a cool flashlight. And then possibly sleeping bags because making the air mattress was not fun.

6) I am OK with not being totally clean.

7) Visit the bathrooms after 8 am and before 11 pm. The mosquito population seems to quadruple in the restrooms during the night hours.

8) I was disappointed that Randy and Rodney, our pet raccoons that B-rent mistook for dogs, did not show up for Trophy Life. She did have a cool rescue whistle that she found at Target for a dollar.

9) T is a pyro...in a non-scary way.

Any fun camping stories that you care to share?

Father's Day

Happy belated father's day to all dads out there. To my own dad...you're the best.

In honor of Father's Day and Saturday Circle Game that I missed this weekend (because of camping...more on that later), I want to know the best advice your dad has given you. Check the comments for my own dad's words of wisdom.

Caulking

Still not tired of it yet. Yesterday I put down blue tape before I layed down the caulk. Smoothed the stuff down with my finger and then removed the tape. Seriously, I should be a professional. It looks good! And it only took 7 minutes for one seam.

Day of Pampering

My SiL, LeAnn, and I decided last year that we were going to start an annual day of pampering to celebrate the end of the year. Last year's annual day of relaxation, however, cost us an arm and a leg at a local spa, so this year we were looking to get control of the cost. Our answer...one of the numerous Aveda Institutes in the country where they train students.

We started off the day by visiting a new, cute Chinese restaurant, and then headed down to the Aveda school. I will be honest that I was a little nervous about my first visit when the salon/spa asked me to sign a waiver releasing them from all responsibility. I read the release quickly but I remember seeing phrases such as "not responsible" and "damage and injury". We were determined to experience our day of pampering, though, so we forged ahead ignoring the scary jargon. We were very pleased with our services. My only complaint was that the woman working on my nails was not very gentle with my cuticles; I felt a little pressure and pull.

But that aside, I can't stop looking at my pretty fingers. It's been a while since they looked this good. And for only $15. I am too ashamed to tell you how much I spent on my toenails last year. Let's just say $15 is a steal. I certainly will be visiting the Aveda Institute again and I suggest that all of you who are fortunate to have one near by do the same. My next visit will include a facial. I can feel my muscle relax just thinking about it.

Mold, Mold, Mold

In the beginning...
I noticed our ceiling was discolored in a certain area one day in our kitchen. I tried to ignore it, but my eye kept coming back to the spot. A few weeks later as I was dutifully cleaning my toilet, I noticed water on our kitchen table that was directly below the toilet. Sure enough, the ceiling was damp and spongy. We called our home warranty company who sent out a plumber. The news, he told us, was that the former owners did not put the correct flange on the toilet when they put in our Pergo floors. Instead they put down two wax rings....and the wax seals had broken. The damage? No one would know until we ripped up our floors. Side note: our home warranty would not cover any damage since it was pre-existing.

Part 2
We ripped up the Pergo and the linoleum was underneath. We could see mold growing in the corners, but had no idea what to expect. The next night T ripped up the linoleum and we were greeted by the sight and smell of mold surrounding our shower and toilet. It smells bad.

Part 3
The plumber came back today. He was supposed to do some things, but by the sight of our bathroom he shook his head and called for re-enforcement. When we called T told them we found mold and a hole in our floor/wall, but apparently they needed to see for themselves. So now I wait for another company to call me. They are water, fire, and smoke damage control. They are supposed to tell me the extent of the water damage. The worse part of this whole thing...the former owners did all THREE bathrooms the same way.

Thoughts...
1) Oh crap.
2) I want to do things right in fixing these issues. Sounds cheesy...but I want to be a good steward of our home.
3) I will not lie...the potential cost makes me a little nervous.
4) I think I am taking this pretty calmly for the most part.
5) Note to self...I will never buy another home from the former owners.
6) I wonder what things we will screw up in the house? I'm sure there will be something that make the next owners scratch their heads.
7) I think I need to do some more caulking today. It'll make me feel like I am taking care of our home properly.
8) I think we might just re-do our bathrooom while we're at it. Wish we knew what we were doing. Loews? Home Depot? Can anyone help us? How do I know if we can trust the companies we are using?
9) I have a feeling there will be more blogs about experience in the future.

PRIDE

I am truly one that is deficient when it comes to repairs on my house. I am one of those people that called Gary, the repair man, at my old apartment when my outside light burned out (I could handle the inside ones - I am not sure what the difference was). Incidentally, I was incredibly proud of myself yesterday when I learned a new skill that is house related...caulking.

I invited one of my teacher friends, Tina, over to show me the new skill. Tina and her husband renovated a 70 year old home a few years ago and have, what I consider, fairly impressive repair skills. I bought Tina lunch...she showed me how to caulk. I am now an expert. OK...maybe not...but I did have visions of starting my own caulking business if teaching turns sour. If this happens be prepared, I will use my blog to market.

Afterthought: I am sure the novelty of this skill will wear off. Give me until window #7.
Afterthought #2: I also spackle (sp?) like a pro. Perhaps I can include that in addition to caulking on my postcards that I send out to future clients. Any possible names for the future caulking/spackling business?

Saturday Circle Game

Last week the fam and my very good friend, M from Trophy Life, went to a new, wonderful breakfast place. Once done at the new, wonderful breakfast place we were standing around in the parking lot talking about cars M should test drive and consider buying. Audi TTs, Camry Solaras, and various convertibles were discussed. Then Uncle D threw out the possibility of a Buick LeSabre. The Buick LeSabre is probably a very good car - however, not one that many 20 - 30 somethings are rushing out to buy...at least not that I am aware of. From there the conversation turned to possible vanity plates for M if she did pick the Le Sabre as her car of the future.

So, in honor of our discussion... what would your vanity plate be?

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER

Wahoo! I have completed another school year.

I have spent my first day of freedom cleaning dishes, removing old caulk from my windows, and counting change. Now I think I will work for an hour or so on school work for next year. I understand that this might odd since I was just celebrating my freedom, but I would rather do this work now than under stress of the beginning of next school year. I think I am starting to learn to practice preparation instead of procrastination.

By the way, I can't explain how nice it is that my schedule is not dictated by bells that ring twice every 40 or so minutes.

Chicken Broth Latte

I got this e-mail from my cousin the other day. I asked if I may share it, and she agreed to let me post it to my blog. Enjoy...I know I did. Sorry, cuz, that it was at your expense.

Well, tonight I inadvertently gulped down a huge swallow of a chicken broth latte! I would not recommend it under any circumstance. I was hungry for a chai latte and so I mixed up the concoction, prepared for the yummy goodness, and was greeted by a most horrible mixture of chicken broth and milk capped off with ice cubes. Apparently I grabbed my "organic chicken broth" which comes in a similarly sized box as chai, and mixed up the proper proportions of what I thought was chai and milk. Much to my surprise it was not. If you have ever gotten sprite when you expected water you will know how difficult it is to adjust your cognitions mid swallow. At leas sprite is a pleasant surprise, chicken broth latte is not. I couldn't run to the sink fast enough to spit it out that I partially spit some on my kitchen counter.

YUCK!!

Saturday Circle Game

School is almost out! And my thoughts turn to lazy days that include multiple nap times, lunch with friends, and spending time with family. So the circle game questions for this week...

What are your plans for this summer?

My response will be in the comments section.

I am married to the energizer bunny

I get home from an 11 hour day of work and make tacos from an Old El Paso Taco kit. I won't lie, I was pretty proud of myself seeing that I haven't cooked dinner in about 3 weeks. T comes home from a similar day at work. After some chit chat about our days I ask him what he wants to get done tonight. He lists things such as laundry, dishes, setting up our new mailbox, cleaning up the house, and doing garbage. Me? I want to sit on the couch and stare at something. It's now 9:00pm and in addition to the trip to the yummy custard place and the load of laundry I put in, I have sat on my couch and fixed my stare between the TV and my computer. T on the other hand is still outside putting up our new mailbox, probably scouting moles, and hopefully enjoying the great outdoors. The guy never tires. He's amazing.

Things you should know about short skirts

1) If your skirt is short and denim and you sit down, there is a good chance the skirt will not fall down by itself like normal skirts do when you stand up. I recently witnessed this at a restaurant. A girl in her early 20s flashed the whole restaurant when her itsy-bitsy skirt remained at her hips when she stood to leave. She corrected the problem quickly, but not quick enough.

2) Sometimes you may not be sitting on any fabric when your skirt is very short. Case in point, last year my friend at Trophy Life and I were at a college football game. The girl in front of us wore a skirt so short the pockets hung out of the bottom. When she sat down the bottom of her skirt was parallel with the top of the bleacher. It must have been cold.

3) Be prepared for short skirts to blow in the wind. I myself have never witness this, but I just heard two separate stories from eye witnesses this weekend that were flashed by short skirt wearers walking/bending over in blustery conditions.

Having said this...I think there are women who wear short skirts well. I just think a woman needs to be advised of the hazards before putting on her favorite mini.

Circle Game Saturday

This question is in honor of Two/Dos Pretzels new obsession over hard boiled eggs.

What would you choose if you only could eat one thing for dinner for the rest of your life?

I would have to pick quiche. It involves eggs and you can put different things into so that you have a little variety now and then.

HeHeHe

I almost forgot to tell you about the funniest part of my week...I still laugh out loud when I think about it.

We started the project presentations that I told you about (in an earlier post) in grad class this week. The first person got up and started talking about science, mathematics, technology, and our understanding of global warming. She began with a quick "pre-test" she created on her power point presentation. She asked us to pick all of the following answers that applied. Her question was what human actions contribute to the increase of carbon dioxide in our environment. One of her answers...the use of arousal cans. We sat in stunned silence as we registered her mistake. I almost fell out of my chair when my professor piped up and asked where he could find one of those cans. (We all agreed High Street would be the most likely place.)

P.S. I am positive she meant aerosol can. Good times in grad school.

Cirque du Soleil

Recently T took me to see a Cirque du Soleil performance as a late birthday present. It was great...just as I expected. This was my second Cirque performance and in my opinion it was as wonderful as the first. If you haven't seen a show, I would highly suggest it. It is a fabulous combination of fantasy, music, humor, and acrobatics. My favorite part was the women who performed on the chandeliers pictured above. It was absolutely, stunningly beautiful.

Back to Blogging

It seems as if it has been forever since I blogged. And I have missed it. I have missed writing about random things that happen in my day and miscellaneous thoughts that I have as I observe life. As I have committed myself to a partial solitary confinement this week and last, please know that catching a few minutes here and there to read comments that you have posted about former blogs has been a highlight.

My self - imposed solitary confinement has come about because of a grad school project. It is a project that looks at how science, mathematics, and technology effect our understanding of quilting...yep, you heard it correctly, quilting. Yes, it is crazy, and I have been consumed by it for the past two weeks. I even had to get a little tutoring help in chemistry from a science teacher/friend at work. (Side note - Chemistry is a lot more interesting than I remember from high school!) Now the project is 95% done and I am relieved. I must admit, though, I had fun. But as the old adage goes, all good things must come to an end. And in this case, I am MORE than OK with that.

Happy Mother's Day

To my own Mother - Thank you for all you have done. You are a wonderful mother and friend.

To Mama S - Thanks for being a great MiL and for raising a wonderful son.

To all the other mothers out there that are not my own, but are dear to my heart- I hope you have a wonderful day. You deserve it.

Circle Game Saturday

A dear and beloved friend is moving out of the heartland soon. This circle game is in honor of her upcoming transition.

What place in the world would you like to live for a period of time? Maximum of four locations, please :).

My locations will be in the comments section.

The Forever Stamp

The USPS has raised its rates again for the 13th time in 32 years. The new rate for a first-class stamp is $0.41, up $0.02 from the $0.39 we currently pay. The new rates take effect on Monday, May 14th (better get yourself to the post office).

Good news! The United States Postal Service has come up with a great idea for any disgruntled customers out there who are tired of buying the $0.01 and $0.02 stamps to make up for their under priced stamps. Introducing...the forever stamp. Buy it for $0.41 now and use it any time in the future no matter what future rate hikes we might endure. Thanks USPS...good idea. No more throwing money away by doubling up on the $0.37 stamps or spending frustrating minutes trying to figure out where I put the $0.02 stamps from the last rate increase. FOREVER stamps here I come!

Life is good

I am content.

Thank you, A, for this wonderful bear hug.

Amused

My dad sent my mom, my brother, and I an article today from the New York Times that talked about the essential items needed for a kitchen and how much (or little, actually) you should spend on them. I am amused by this article for two reasons.

1) I am not sure that I've ever seen my dad hold a pot besides to dry it after it was washed. (No offense, Dad. It's just that the kitchen never seemed to be your realm, I picture you more in the electronics area...perhaps that's changing?) So I was shocked when the article was not his typical math/science/world event article that he usually sends to us but instead was a cooking/kitchen article. It gave me a small chuckle. I do appreciate the fact that even though he was probably not interested in the article, he sent it on to the three of us knowing we probably would be.

2) I never realized that I was a kitchen essentials snob until I read this article. (What does the author mean that a $10 plastic handle knife is ok? I've ALWAYS heard one should go with the stainless steel.) The aritcle was certainly informative and interesting, although I am not sure I can break out of my ways. My favorite quote: "The point is not so much that you can equip a real kitchen without much money, but the fear of buying the wrong kind of equipment is unfounded. It needs only to be functional, not prestigious, lavish or expensive." Thank you, Mr. Bittman. Point well taken. I will try to remember this in the future and break free from my kitchen equipment bias that I seem to possess. Click here if you are interested in reading the rest of the article.

HAPPY COOKING!

Favorite Cartoons

As a math teacher, I love the cartoons by S. Harris. Click HERE to see more of his work. At some point I would like to buy some various prints to decorate my walls. I know, dorky, but I can't help it. It's my nature.

Confessions

1) I really enjoy my job, but I have started a countdown for summer.

2) I have a love-hate affair with Ann Taylor. Love the clothes and the fit, hate the prices.

3) I bought candy for my students for field day tomorrow...I ate some already.

4) I've turned the air conditioning on in my car already.

5) A student "passed gas" (loudly) in my class today. After several attempts to keep a straight face, I had to laugh. I couldn't help it...I also couldn't look at the student for the next 5 minutes for fear that I'd start laughing again.

Book Review - Einstein's Heroes

Ever have those feelings of "I wish I would have paid more attention in (fill -in the blank with a high school/college subject)________________________ class"? If you've ever had those feelings about science or math, I've got the book for you. I will not pretend it's another Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia. It is probably not a book that you'll stay up until 3 in the morning to finish. However, it does a very good job of making math and science discoveries interesting. It has a nice combination of personal stories intertwined with the nitty gritty details of science and math. One does not feel as if she/he is laboring through a 300 page physics text with no pictures, and one does not need to be a PhD to understand the phenomena being described. So, if you'd like some good, educational reading this summer, pick up Einstein's Heroes by Robyn Arianrhood (yes, I spelled this last name correctly). If you do, let me know what you think. Happy reading!

Circle Game Saturday

I spent 30 minutes of this gorgeous day inside cleaning our shower. I got out the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser, got out the clorox (sp?) shower cleaner, and even got the old toothbrush out to scrub the caulking. It needed it, but I hated doing it. In fact, cleaning is always something I am glad I did but never enjoy doing.

In honor of my sparkling (kind of) clean shower...here is the circle game question. Format is different. It's fill-in the blank this time.

"I'd rather kiss a pig than clean _____________________."

For me...I'd rather kiss a pig than clean my refrigerator. It's messy, cumbersome, and it never seems like a good time to do it.

P.S. As a side note...I badly burned a pot this week for the first time in my life. I didn't put much water on the green beans and then covered them with a lid. 30 minutes later when I dished out the beans the bottom of the pot was BLACK! We were able to scrub off the charred mess, so the pot looks normal. Is it still safe to use? I didn't melt off any protective covering that will poison us or anything, did I?

Curry-Cajun Spiced Chicken

I've found another recipe I like. I have to, once again, give a hand to my Menno folk who created a recipe book that I am currently investigating. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Yields 6 servings.

1/3 c of honey
3 Tablespoons water
3 Tablespoons prepared mustard
2 Tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
2-3 teaspoons Cajun or Creole seasoning
2-3 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced, or garlic powder
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, or about 1 1/2 pounds
hot cooked rice

In 3-quart rectangular baking dish, combine honey, water, mustard, margarine, Cajun seasoning, curry powder, lemon juice, and garlic. Mix well.

Add chicken breast halves, turning to coat. Arrange in single layer.

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for about 30 minutes or till chicken is tender and no longer pink.

Serve chicken and pan drippings with hot cooked rice.

YUMMY!

ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!

Free next Friday night? Come hear the Boondogglers play! Check out their link on the left.

Get out the Map

Today I took the long way home from meeting my family for lunch because I could. I did it because I needed the reminder that as I grow older and my personality and sanity seem driven more by routine and to-do lists, I can still be (or become, depending on your view, I guess) a spontaneous person. I didn't completely ignore the big highways, but I did not confine myself to them. I got off the highway and visited a college I had never seen before, drove past a couple places that I never knew existed, took some highways that I typical don't drive, and took the "country" roads around my city. It was a beautiful day and a great reminder that I love maps and lazy Sundays. Maybe I should plan more outings like this for myself...but then again that might take away the spontaneity...

Quote of the Day

"...Higher education — especially at the graduate level — involves learning more and more about less and less until one knows everything about nothing."
- David Barash, University of Washington (not a unique quote to him...just found it in one of his papers)

Circle Game Saturday

My birthday is soon. I might blog about it later because it's a weird one as far as ages go, but in honor of getting older here is my circle game question...What age do you feel? Forget your chronological age...

Me? Energy-wise I feel 23 years. My self-image unfortunately does not match my reality. Is that normal?

NPR

I have been exploring the AM dial and lower numbers of the FM (Thanks, Brent and M). I have been entertained by the various talk shows, but I am always drawn back to NPR. It's amazing how much smarter I feel just listening to NPR for 5 minutes in my car. Perhaps smarter is not the correct word, perhaps I feel more exposed to my environment ....more cultured...even if it is sometimes related to the absurd. For instance on my 22 minutes drive home from work tonight I learned three interesting things...

1) There is a book on the best seller list called "The Black Swan". I am not sure of the content, but the author is a professor at the school of uncertainty at U Mass. Huh?!?! Seriously, is someone pulling my leg? Did my not-so-good hearing fail me in that moment?

2) The "grime" is a new music scene springing up in England. It's a combination of rap, techno, and dance hall with an English accent.

3) A man in Nevada (Dr. Hope) has been selling plots of the moon for the past 26 years. He has a couple billion to sell and he has sold $9.3 million dollars worth so far. He plans on building an edifice near the Sea of Tranquility that will house the Galactic Government. Awesome. Any takers?

Ah...Too Be Young Again

Since the beginning of November I have had constant hip pain and sporadic back pain. Finally after pitifully limping around one weekend in March, I decided to go to my trusty nurse practitioner who referred me to a "spine specialist". The spine specialist told me I had something similar to tendinitis and gave me the fashionable SI Loc pictured above.

Here are the lovely advantages of wearing the SI Loc...

1) It seems to be helping, although there are some days that seem better than others in regard to pain. (Unfortunately yesterday and today were not some of them.)

2) It's a constant hug.

Here are the unfortunate disadvantages of wearing the SI Loc...

1) It does not fit nicely under the dress clothes I wear to work. Everyday I have to wake up and make the decision as to whether I am going with function or fashion.

2) No woman wants more "girth" around her middle section.

3) I am a restless sleeper. I toss and I turn. Unfortunately as tight as I may tug on the SI Loc before I go to bed so that it says around my hips, it never stays in place. It usually creeps up somewhere around my shoulders by morning. It's not a pleasant thing to wake up to.

But regardless of the disadvantages...today I make a vow to wear my SI Loc 23.5 hours a day as my doctor told me to. I am tired of pain and I realize that in order to fix this thing, I am going to have to do as I am told. I will try to swallow my pride and pick function over fashion every day until the six weeks is up. For those of you that I see and talk to, please keep me accountable. Thank you in advance for your help.

Sadness

I am very saddened by the events that occurred in Blacksburg, VA at Virginia Tech today. My heart goes out to the victims, families, students, and community.
As I walked across my seemingly serene campus today, I tried to picture what it must have been like, but my brain refused to create the scene of something so horrific. I can not imagine the terror. I take for granted my safety when I am walking around the university of which I attend part-time. I think occasionally about my personal safety when walking alone in the parking garage but never in my wildest dreams do I concern myself about my safety when I walk into my classroom. Instead I think of it as an academic haven...a place to share my thoughts with people who are interested in similar topics. That image of the classroom - as a place of comfort, of community, of safety - has been shattered for the students at Virginia Tech. My thoughts will be with them all in the following weeks.

NEW BLOG ALERT!

I have another friend that just joined the blogging world. I can't wait to read it! Check her out at http://aimlessoasis.blogspot.com. I'll also be added a link to the left.

Circle Game Saturday

This question is in honor of friends Missy, Sherri, Michelle, Tamara, and my SiL, Jessica , who all completed the C. half marathon today. *You all made me VERY proud! Good job, ladies!*

Question: What is your proudest achievement?

My answer...it differs depending on my mood...but starting graduate school is my current answer.

Stoplight

Call me boring, but I love routine. And I am not the best with adjusting to change in my schedule.

For the past 7 months, I could predict which stoplights I would have to stop and at which stoplights I could pass on through without braking on my way to work. It never changed.

Until last week. Early one morning on my way to work, I started slowing down at my first predictable stop, but I was thrown off. The light never changed, I went through, and I was left befuddled. I am sure the driver behind me must have been honking and furious as I slowed down from 50 mph to 15 mph in the face of a green light. But I didn't hear them. My world was thrown off. And it happened again two days later. My morning routine has been altered. No need to worry, though. I will preserver and find new patterns that I can rely on. It's my nature.

Mole Man

My husband is obessed with our lawn. His obsession is not the "roll, seed, and aerate the grass" type obsession (Yes, T, I am making a reference to you). Instead my husband is obsessed with catching the moles that make the unsightly tunnels through our yard. Nothing could make his day better than ridding our yard of one of the pesky vermits. I swear, rain or shine, he is out perusing our yard for new tunnels and checking his trap to see if he caught one of the elusive critters. Today was his lucky day. He comes home from work ...I, of course, am asleep on the couch taking my (almost) daily nap. He is hungry and he's trying to push me out the door. "Wifey, let's go." I move slowly, I'm not feeling the best today. He resigns to my sluggish manner and decides to change his clothes and check his mole trap. I finally gather myself together, grab our coupons for shopping and open the door to the garage. When I step into the garage I am shocked to see T. kneeling over something that is blocked from my view with his cell phone camera aimed at the unknown object. "Stop, Wifey, I don't think you want to see this" he tells me, "I got one!" I know what he's talking about so I shut the door and let him bask in his glory while he cleans up the poor rodent and proudly sends the picture to his dad. I putter around the house until I feel a safe enough time has elapsed for me to enter my garage again. This time when I open the door he is still standing there admiring his kill. When he sees me he starts punching his fist in the air in a victory dance. "This is my fourth one, Wifey. It's not as big as the others, but that's not what matters. Do you want to look at it?" "No, please clean it up," I tell him. But curiosity gets the better of me and I look after he assures me there is no blood and guts. "Oooo, it's cute," I say. T is offended, he feels like I have taken the mole's side and he lets me know. He finally gets the lifeless mole cleaned off our driveway and we get in the car to run our errands. In the car he is still celebrating. "Four! Wifey! I owe all of my success to my dad and mole man on the internet." He is still beaming hours later...and I have to admit, as cute as the little guy was (the mole) I am not saddened by the fact that he will no longer turn our backyard into his wonderland of fun. So the moral of the story...moles of our neighborhood beware...my husband is on the prowl. It is best, for your sake, to pick another yard.

Math History Monday

I love my grad class...
Why I love my class REASON #1. Tonight we talked about the first discovered artifact that signals mathematical thinking. It is called the LeBombo bone and was discovered in 1970 in South Africa. The bone is from a baboon and has 29 distinguishable notches carved into it. Scientists date it back to 35000BC. They also believe that tool might have been created by a woman who was tracking the lunar phases (29 days) in relation to her menstrual cycle. Could it be that women were the first mathematicians?
If you are interested in more information on ancient mathematical artifacts (you know you are...don't deny it!) head to www.wikipedia.com. P.S. Picture is of the 2nd oldest known mathematical artifact.

Why I love my class REASON #2. I swear this quote came out of one of my fellow students' mouths..."Scientist have to play within the realm of reality. If our concept of reality changes, scientist have to change. Mathematicians, on the other hand, can ignore reality completely. Reality does not exist. They can play in Euclidean land forever". I LOVE IT! (Euclidean is the geometry we all learned in high school)

You have one month to get ready

Come join the fun! The Boondogglers will be back at Mickey's on May 4th. Check them out at www.myspace.com/boondogglers or at the link provided on the left. Don't miss out!

What is WRONG with me?

I cooked again last night and it's not even spring break. I loved the recipe. Easy and yummy. That is all one can ask for.
I have to give appropriate applause to my Mennonite folk recipe book from CMF that provided me with this recipe. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 T of taco seasoning
1-2 T of vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
1 c chunky salsa
3/4 c peach preserves
Cooked rice

Directions:
Place the chicken in a large plastic bag. Add taco seasoning and toss to coat.
In a skillet, brown chicken in oil.
Combine salsa and peach preserves, stir into skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes until meat juices run clear.
Serve over rice.

NEW BLOG ALERT!

This is my cousin Brent. I am not allowed to call him B. Read his blog and you'll find out why.

He is hysterical, I laughed out loud already when reading his first blog entries. Check him out at http://arghitsdrivinmenuts.blogspot.com or the link provided on the left.

Canvas Bag - Take Two

I did it. I remembered my canvas shopping bags. I can't say it's the first time I went shopping since the last canvas bag blog, but it doesn't matter. I remembered to take the things out of my trunk and use them. Day 1 of my 27 days of forming a habit. The trick now - put them back in my trunk so that I may have them for the next trip. And for the record, I am pretty sure I saw the cashier cussing under her breath as the bags refused to stay upright in the grocery loading position (just as my friends had reminisced on the earlier blog). I wonder just how many cashiers I will be able to annoy on my mission to rid the earth of my plastic bags.

Teaching - It's the Career for Me

Today was tough. Getting up at 5:45 am to work a job that I haven't done in a week is not a pleasant feeling. I considered begging my husband to figure out a budget that would allow me to stay home with...myself, I guess, since we don't have kids. Once I got to work, though, it felt right. I love talking with the students. They make me laugh, and I hope that every once in a while I can brighten up their day too. And, of course, I hope that when they leave my classroom they feel that they have received a quality education that prepares them to think.
I didn't always feel this positive about teaching. My first two years of teaching were shaky. I didn't know if I could handle the responsibility. I frequently commented those first two - three years that I felt like the oldest 23 year old in the nation.
Right now it is the right place and the right career for me. There are the ups and downs, but that's not unique to teaching. I am happy to be doing what I do, and I am proud to be teaching where I teach.

36 Sports in 36 Months

Calling all OSU fans! My cousins M and B had a great idea. They wanted to support all Ohio State athletes by attending all 36 varsity sports at The Ohio State University. I hopped in on the fun, and the idea became attending all 36 varsity sports in 36 months. M made the great shirts we are wearing in the picture with Jim. We are also planning on making scrapbooks and keeping a blog of our experiences. You can find the blog at http://osuchallenge.blogspot.com. (Link will also be provided on the left).

GO BUCKS!

Quote of the Day - I love to be human

Foreword

In my past few months as a graduate student, I have read many, many papers - as all grad students do. Many have been dull, some have been entertaining and enlightening, few have inspired and energized me. In fact this might be the first one that truly made me excited. And it made me excited about nothing in particular...just excited to be able to experience the world. I read this paper and felt like I wanted to go out and paint or invent something...anything. There are two quotes from this wonderfully idealistic paper that I wanted to share. The second one is lengthy, but I feel worth the read.

1st Quote

"The richness of human life is that we have many lives; we live the events that do not happened (and some that cannot) as vividly as those that do; and if thereby we die a thousand deaths, that is the price we pay for living a thousands lives" (Bronowski, p. 25, 1977)

2nd Quote

"I have described imagination as the ability to make images to move them about inside one's head in new arrangements. This is the faculty that is specifically human, and it is the common root from which science and literature both spring and grow and flourish together. For they do flourish (and languish) together; the great ages of science are the great ages of all the arts, because in them powerful minds have taken fire from one another, breathless and higgledy-piggledy, without asking too nicely whether they ought to tie their imagination to falling balls or a haunted island. Galileo and Shakespeare, who were born in the same year, grew into greatness in the same age; when Galileo was looking through his telescope at the moon, Shakespeare was writing The Tempest; and all Europe was in ferment, from Johannes Kepler to Peter Paul Rubens, and from the first table of logarithms by John Napier to the Authorized Version of the Bible" (Bronowski, p. 29, 1977)

Circle Game Saturday

We skipped a week, so I had to make sure we played this weekend. Don't forget the rules...Everyone has to play. Even you circle game haters. Sticking to the theme of domesticity...

What is an item in your kitchen that you could not live without?

For me, it's my automatic egg boiler that my MIL (mother-in-law) got me a few years ago. As an egg lover, it is absolutely wonderful. I get 18 eggs at a time; 9 stay raw and 9 go into the Egg Head (that is truly it's name). The part I love...you have to poke a tiny hole in the eggs before you boil them, so you always know which are cooked and which are not. Instantly I have breakfast for a few days, all the ingredients I need to quickly whip up egg salad, and an automatic salad garnish. Love it! Your turn.

Can't help it, it is my geeky nature

This is too cool. Saturn has a weather pattern that has formed itself (a while ago) into a hexagonal shape. Click here for the story.

See, there is math in nature. Math is not an innovation that humans dreamed up so that they may torture their youth. (I truly believe some peoplel in society feel that way...unfortunately).

It's the thought, right?

I was excited Monday. At the end of my grocery shopping excursion at Giant Eagle I ran into some canvas shopping bags.

"That's it!!" I thought to myself.

Canvas shopping bags...it's the item I am going to add to my life for Lent. (See blog from February.) I know...sounds silly and trivial. But, although I do little to actually reuse, reduce, or recycle, I am interested in environmental issues. I felt canvas shopping bags were something I could successfully add into my life routine while doing my part to reduce the number of plastic bags I use. I think I will be successful with adding this habit into my life...it just isn't going to happen today.

I was visiting the doctor (story for a later blog) today and then headed in the grocery store. I had my mantra..."Don't forget the canvas bags...Don't forget the canvas bags." Of course, you know what I do...I forget the canvas bags in my trunk. Somewhere between picking up the jar of mushrooms and the bottle of Windex, I remember the bags. For a moment, a brief moment, I envision myself leaving my very full grocery cart in the aisle so that I can quickly snatch the bags from the back of my car. Alas, my desire to do my part for the earth was overcome by the fear that my grocery cart and everything in it would be captured and put away before I could return. So I will save practicing my new habit for a later date. It will happen. Fly Lady, author of Sink Reflections and my personal home organizing hero, told me it will take 27 days to develop a habit. I guess the 27 days starts to tomorrow.

Beef, Tomato, & Noodles

I loved this recipe. It was easy, tasty, and made leftovers for two lunches. A normal sized crock pot is sufficient. Give yourself 6 to 8 hours to let it sit and cook. Sorry, veggie friends, this recipe is not for you. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs stewing beef, cubed
1/4 cup flour
2 cups stewed tomatoes (if you like chunks), or 2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup water
12 oz bag of egg noodles

Directions
1. Combine meat and flour until cubes are coated. Place in slow cooker.
2. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and onion. Add water.
3. Cover. Simmer on Low 6 - 8 hours.
4. Serve over cooked noodles.

SPRING BREAK

I love the fact that because of my profession...teaching...I will enjoy "Spring Break" until my 50's. I am not doing anything outrageous or taking any trips that require me to leave the state. Instead I am enjoying the fact that I may go into work without anybody else there; I may enjoy my friends and family without worrying what papers I should be grading; and I am enjoying the fact that I have the urge to do domestic things. Watch out kitchen! HERE I COME!

N. Ireland Peace Talks

I have to admit that after my three months in N. Ireland in the year of 1998, I have not kept up well with the peace process. However, whenever I see headlines I eagerly read them. Today, good news was announced. After years of turmoil, the country of Northern Ireland has come up with a plan to share power between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Union Party. The road to healing for this country has been a long one and at least the parties have decided to walk the road together...although not necessarily hand in hand. I hope for patience and perseverance for the people of that beautiful country. Here's the article if you are interested in reading.

Battery Blues

I went to take a picture of my 3 hour old nephew on Monday. The batteries in the camera that I had not picked up for about a month were dead. So in the age of technology, I turned to my trusty back up - my razr cell phone. Of course - batteries were too low to take a cell phone picture. AGH!

Why is it that I feel like I have bought 390,561 AAA batteries and cannot find ANY of them. Anyone have a good method of keeping these necessary but annoying things organized? Will we ever be free of these pesky things?

FISH TACOS

I recently read my friend's blog at Dos Pretzels regarding fish tacos. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my co-workers. I told them I really enjoyed fish tacos. (Breaded fish, guacamole, tomatoes...it goes on and on...I love it!) They thought that the concept of fish in tacos was the most disgusting thing they had ever heard of. Your opinions? Yay or Nay for the fish taco?

Welcome, Xavier!

I recently visited my brand new 9lb, 21 in. nephew. He's a cutie! His mom and dad are doing well. His older sister is already learning to share (she put her favorite blanket over him and let him "hold" her new paintbrushes she got from NaNa and Poppa). Pretty good for a two year old.

Circle Game Saturday - One Day Late

Sorry it's a day late - but I had a good excuse. I was celebrating a beloved friend's birthday.

So here it is...

In honor of St. Patrick's day....What are your family roots? German, Italian, Hungaria (inside joke - let's just say that it's a good thing I teach Math and not geography)? And...Do you have any traditions that stem from family origins? This answer may have several parts to it and feel free to share more than one.

I am a European mutt. On my mom's side I have Irish, Welsh, Swedish, and I think a little French. On my dad's menno side we have a little French (I think), German, and some Russian. Any one of my family members is free to add, delete, or correct this list. As far as traditions...my cousin A. makes some YUMMY swiebach (sp?) - type of bread and my uncle D. always makes great pfernessee (sp?) for Christmas. There might be some more - but that's currently all I can think of.

Nicknames

My mom had five other siblings in her family. One of her siblings produced a boy and four girls all with names starting with "K" (they are my first cousins). I always find it amusing that these four women who are in their mid 30s and 40s are still referred to as "the girls". Even my cute, little cousins who are 7 and 11 year refer to them as "the girls". And if I had to take a wild guess, they will be affectionately known as "the girls" for the rest of their life.

Anyone else have affectionate nicknames for family members?

SUPER DUPER EXCITED

Tomorrow my brother and sister-in-law go to what is supposed to be their last doctor's visit before their little bambino is born. I am super excited. Boy? Girl? No one is sure yet. Either way, I can't wait to welcome little Xavier or little Keri to our family. This will be our fourth neice/nephew, and they all make T. and I very happy. Above are our nephews on T's side.

I *LOVE* Airports

I love airports! They are the best place to people watch. I think the true personality of people appear when they begin to rush, squeeze, and politely step their way into Southwest's "A", "B", and "C" lines. My heart always goes out to the mother and/or father with young children who inevitably end up in the "C" line who are forced to beg and barter so that they don't have to sit seven rows away from their five year old. And I am amazed with the man who, out of hundreds of seats, has to sit right next to me. Does he have no sense of personal space? And my last observation...what crazy restaurant puts raisins in their yogurt parfait. I was so dissapointed...I thought they were blueberries. It was a sad discovery.