Merry Christmas-New Years!

2015 is shaping to end well.   It is now December 27 and we are still spending time up in Waukon.   Mother Nature will determine exactly how much longer we are here but it's been a good visit.

A little bit of a change related to first meeting at LeAnn's on Christmas Eve Eve rather than coming directly to Waukon.   It made sense due to Mom's work schedule.   It was nice to eat a good meal together, watch our waiter run around like a crazy person, snack on goodies, and watch TV together.  
We did our usual 8pm Candlelight Service on Christmas Eve and watched a Christmas movie afterwards.   Alissa and LeAnn did a spectacular job ushering at the service.   No one was burned with wax this year.  

Christmas was wonderful like usual.   The reduction of presents and gifts didn't seem apparent.   The gifts were thoughtful though.    I have enough black licorice until March.   I was more concerned about Gavin liking his gifts as he's difficult to shop for and I still feel bad that I couldn't get my hands on his Xbox One.   Let's hope I can get one before his birthday.   Considering he's attached to his new furry blanket, apparently that was a good purchase too.

The Smith Christmas was a little bit lackluster energy-wise compared to other years.   I was the vocal side to the White Elephant gift exchange.    Alissa's boyfriend (Michael) joined us for the event.  

I'm still thinking about my New Year's resolution(s).   I would like to do something less predictable (e.g. lose weight, be more active, etc.).    And yes I need to work on those too, don't get me wrong.   I may try to do something more social in nature.   Developing a hobby or getting involved in a regular activity of some sort.    Just not sure yet.  



That's it for now!   I'll write a more in-depth meaningful entry in January.

The start of my 33rd year...

I have some time to kill before heading to a social gathering on campus.    Let's see if I can post a quality blog entry in 15 minutes.  

My birthday was great.   It was nice to be home and see family and be lazy.    I wasn't bummed to not stay overnight at Ron and Elaine's.   I slept much better going to Mom and Dad's on Thanksgiving Eve.   I also got to see Nicole while up in NE Iowa which was nice and she brought the fiance along too.   I wasn't a complete bum and did some work while in Waukon too.   And 33 feels no different than 32. 

I have made good headway with grading.   I finished some major assignments today.    I have about 65 unit plans to grade in the next two weeks.   My DMACC students also have to turn in their handbook assignments.   I'm fairly sure not all will submit the project too which will make grading less strenuous.  It seems that about six students have "checked out" and decided they were done learning for the semester.    Enjoy your Fs!

Finances are starting to worry me a bit as we end the year.   I had hoped to have more in savings by now but extra expenses have ruined that goal most months.   My main concern is Gavin turning 16 and our insurance changing for the car.  Not to mention that he does need his own vehicle too because my Ames schedule is progressively conflicting with his schedule. 

I sent some questions to my supervisor at the Red Cross and I am indeed laid off from all teaching opportunities at the Red Cross.   No more Babysitting Training.   No more CPR/First Aid.  They have fully contacted paid instruction to an outside company but instructors can still teach but only if they volunteer.    I still will teach classes at Iowa State University.   I need to ask more questions about how I'm supposed to be aware of updates and trainings so I'm still active for our needs on campus.   I have a feeling the answer may not be great.

I thought I had more enthralling topics to write about but I guess I don't.   I am excited to get a start on my new grading tasks this weekend as well as decorating for Christmas.   I wasn't fully into it last year due to the move and my emotional state.   I wish I had a Christmas tree.   I refuse to buy one at full price though. 

Time to head out!   And for your visual pleasure....

It Is Done!

It sounds like I just ordered a hit on someone through the mafia and they completed the job for me but my entry actually relates to my application to be advanced to a senior lecturer.  

Fingers crossed.

I feel a combination of relieved, happy, sick to my stomach, and exhausted.    It would be nice if the negative feelings would fade away so I can enjoy the rest of my Friday. 

Shortest entry ever!

Procrastination is My Middle Name

Greetings:

As my title states, procrastination and even prioritization has been an issue in recent weeks.   My application for promotion is due at the end of the week and I have SO much work to do on it.   Sigh.   But to be fair, I've also been working my butt off on grading too.    I almost wish I had waited to apply for promotion in the spring.

Other than being buried in work, life is pretty good.   Home life seems more relaxed since Gavin is done with football.   He lifts after school on most days but it's still easier to pick him up and transport him now.    I had to guess when he was done with football on many days which got irritating very quickly.   I am still waiting for his PSAT scores.   Anxious to see how he does on that type of testing since he should be thinking about the ACTs soon too. 

I am so ready for next week.    ISU is closed all week and I need Monday and Tuesday to catch up with work.   DMACC is technically in session Monday-Wednesday but I gave my online course a work week for a handbook they have to create.   I am hoping to be able to go to NE Iowa and not bring any work with me.   Who wants to grade on their birthday anyway?

Things are going very well with Dan too.  It turns out that I need someone that is as quirky and goofy as me.   Tomorrow is four months since I've met him.  It truly seems longer which I take as a good sign.  I am hoping to introduce him to some family now at the end of 2015 or as 2016 begins.  He and I went to see "The Martian" and it was a pretty decent movie.   I still plan on reading the book some day.

Gavin and I are doing a good job of plugging away through our Netflix list of movies too.

"Rendition":   Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Withersoon.   Women's husband is detained as a possible terrorist.   It was OK and kept my attention but I'm not a huge fan of that type of movie.   It had two story lines and showed how they were connected by the conclusion of the movie so that was neat.

"Wish I Was Here":  Zach Braff (Scrubs) is the main character about a family struggling with money but also dealing with a terminal cancer situation with a grandparent.   It had interesting comedy and I did really like it.

"Boyhood":   I was really surprised by this movie.   It won major awards.   It really doesn't have any famous people in it.   It follows a boy's life from like 5 years old until college.   As Gavin and I were watching it, we were wondering how they found actors that looked so similar as the boy ages in the movie.   Turns out the director used the same kid throughout the movie and took 12 years to create the film.   No wonder the kid continues to look the same as he ages.

"Men, Women, and Children":  we actually saw the preview of this before watching "Boyhood".   Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner are main characters.   The foundation of the movie is on technology and how it affects relationships.   I was surprised by the nature of the sexual situations but in the long run, it made sense to include them in the movie.

"Birdman":  I was intrigued about this movie as it was supposed to win a lot of awards and I hadn't seen Micheal Keaton in a movie for a long time.   It's centered on a broadway show and an actor struggling with the decrease in popularity.   It alludes that he's a super hero (Birdman) as that was his first acting gig and was super popular in the 90s.   It was rather confusing at times and was WAY too long.    Don't bother with it.

"St. Vincent":  It was nice to see Bill Murray in a movie again.   It was pretty funny but there were serious parts too.  He ends up babysitting for a single mother and helps the boy cope through a divorce situation.   He's also dealing with his wife dying from Alzheimer's and his own health problems too.

"The Giver":  the book is better.   Decent job with trying to relay the message from the book but definitely liked the book better.   Jeff Bridges did a great job and most of the acting was decent.    I guess they tried making this book into a movie since the 90s. 

"John Wick":  I was interested to see if Keanu Reeves was still a decent actor since he's not appearing in many films anymore.   The film was excellent but had a very sad beginning.   It's like "Kill Bill" but with a male lead actor. 

"Whiplash":  This movie was up for major awards so I added it to our list.   It's about a man going to a post-secondary music school that focuses on jazz.   He is striving to be a great drummer.   The main teacher (the dad from Juno) is a very difficult teacher and some awful things happen in the movie in regards to deception.   There are scenes where the drummers have to practice so much their hands bleed.   Yikes.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas":  I wished I had read the book before the movie but reading for pleasure isn't doable at the moment.   It was a good movie with a sad ending.   It relates to World War II.  It turns out that some of the wives of German officers didn't fully know what was happening in the concentration camps.   The movie shows one of those wives realizing what is happening at a local concentration camp and their son never fully understanding the purpose of those sites.   I assumed that everyone was in the loop in regards to the camps' purpose so it was an interesting perspective.

"Gone Girl":  I saw this in the theater and wanted to see it again for the heck of it.   Gavin thought it was good and really twisted...because it is.   I still need to read the author's second book. 

"A Million Ways to Die in the West":  The dude that made Family Guy created this movie and it was actually pretty funny.   Lots of crude humor though.  I liked it more than I thought I would.

"Sex Tape":  Cameron Diaz movie.   It was 'meh'.   Another one of those sexually-based comedies that tries too hard.    Moral of the story:  don't film  yourself having sex with your Ipad and let it automatically sync to "the cloud".

Don't get me wrong, we aren't sitting around just watching movies.   Some movies are from September and October.   We are currently waiting to receive "Babel" and "The Constant Gardener".

I've been working on this for two days.   Time to finally hit 'publish'.

Yawn

I'm not sure what is going on lately but I am consistently tired.  I'm relaxing and taking it easy in the evenings and still feel pretty wore out in the evenings.   I even go to bed early but sadly I usually don't fall asleep quickly.   I have one more class to teach today and I'm honestly looking forward to going home and taking a nap before I pick up Gavin from football. 

My need to hibernate later is a great transition into my next topic.    Time for some tattling on myself so I can hopefully get myself back into gear with good choices.  

1.  I am not being nearly active enough on a regular basis.   On most days I do hustle and move a lot at work but I'm pretty sedentary in the evenings and on weekends.   The approaching winter weather isn't going to help that.  I am hoping to play some more tennis before Mother Nature interferes.

2.   I am eating out way too much which is bad for the waistline but also bad for my budget.   I did some thoughtful grocery shopping yesterday which is going to promote more meals being made at home.   A cranberry pork loin is on the menu for an upcoming day.    I cancelled my Weight Watchers subscription.   With my budget, I don't see the logic in handing them money each month.  

3.  I am not reading for pleasure anymore.   I have so many books sitting around (sorry LeAnn) and need to start reading a couple again.   The sad thing is that I do really want to read them but I just don't have the mental energy on most nights.   And if I do have a lot of energy, I usually devote it to grading.  

And finally, I'll end with some good news.    I am pretty pleased with how I'm handling my workload and organization with both jobs.   Now I do have a buttload of grading to do all the time but I feel pretty calm & collect when it comes to starting each week.   I'm doing a good job of coming in early or staying a little bit later on most days to work on "extra" tasks so I'm caught up or slightly ahead with some of my duties.  

I guess that's all for now! 

Yippee It's Fall!

I am very happy that it's October.   I love this time of year.   I need to make more time to enjoy the weather as well as fall-based activities.   I want to visit a local orchard one of these days.   I just never remember to stop by it when I'm driving home.   I'm also bummed because you cannot pick your own apples anymore.   I'm a weirdo and picking your own apples is fun.   I'm excited for Halloween at the end of the month too.   I didn't do much with the holiday last year because I was in such a funk.   I actually decorated this year.   It would be neat if I could go trick-or-treating with Dan and his son(s) but that hasn't been determined.   I miss having a young kid for that very reason.  Never mind Tooth Fairy duties and Santa Claus, I miss picking out his costume and taking him out for candy.

Work is going OK.   There is an ebb and flow of workload.   I made some good headway over the past weekend and into this week.   I'm taking a break from grading at the moment because my brain feels fried.   I can't be fair and accurate if I can't think straight.   I'm surprised I'm making sense in this blog.   I am doing some different things in my health classes at ISU.   The big change is that I no longer have a midterm exam or final exam.   I'm only using quizzes throughout the semester.   Both are methods courses and I thought that more interactive and pedagogical-based activities would be logical in class time and for grading purposes.   I wrote some quizzes today too and that's another reason why my mind feels like mush.   DMACC is going OK.   Many of my students aren't doing squat in my online class so they aren't going to like the midterm grade they earn.   Plus if they haven't been active in weeks, I can still remove them from the class.   I have to finalize all that over the weekend.   I taught a few weeks ago for the Red Cross but I'm not doing much for them.   I have an online training with them next week.    I was told I was needed to teach some classes in November but they are no listed on the assignment calendar.   Shrug.

Things with Dan are going very well.   They are going very well with little to no work.   It's been an odd mindset because I spent years thinking like this:

"A, B, and C are wrong with this relationship.    What do I need to do to fix those issues?"

It's an odd mindset because I'm not in continuous repair-mode.   It was bad enough back in the day when I was the only one putting effort into repair mode.    Not having anything to repair is dandy.   I've spent more time with his kids.   I'm still nervous about my presence with his 13-year-old son but interactions so far have been fine.   Hanging out with his six-year-old is a piece of cake.

He's been working a lot...I'm talking major over time which is great for his financial needs.   It works out well too because my hours can be intense on some days too.   It's been fantastic seeing someone that enjoys their line of work too.   He's passionate about what he does.   He enjoys helping others and is selfless about it.

Needless to say, my relationship status will be changing soon on my Facebook page.   I'm taking my time with the process.   I am honestly tempted to change it on November 4 since that is officially a year since a difficult but necessary change happened with the previous relationship.   (Dan suggested that and it's growing on me.)   Either that date or on my birthday.   Shrug.

Today is Gavin's last football game of his sophomore year.   It's been an up and down season.   He's been decent in most games.   The team as a whole struggled with their offensive line and defense for much of the season.  He'll continue to practice into November with varsity but it's unlikely he'll play in any remaining games.  He got another academic award for his high GPA and surprisingly lettered in academics too.   The assembly was during school this year which bummed me out.   He acted like it's no big deal anyway.

I think that's it for now.  I need to teach in 30 minutes.   We are doing a mock "Pharm Party" in my health class.   Yes, I'm officially one of those weird health teachers.   Weird teachers are more memorable anyway.

Another Blog Will Come Soon...

The laptop is currently being fixed and a new blog will be posted within the week.    I was correct in that my hard drive took a dive.   It pays when you son is friends with the computer shop owner...got a 20% discount.   :)

In general things are going well.   More details later!

Another Semester Has Started

One week down at ISU and about the same time completed for DMACC.    I feel the first week went relatively well.   I am still behind with prep work though but that's the norm.    I'll make good headway and immediately have more tasks to work on so it's a constant game of catch-up.   I need to accept that I guess.     My elementary-based health class and elementary-based PE classes are going well.   I am struggling with my secondary-based health class.   I've had many of the students in past classes and it's difficult to get the motivated about the content.   Most are seniors too so I'm not sure if they are in "just get me through these last classes" mode.  

I am only teaching one class for DMACC and right before the semester starts my boss hands me a new edition of the book.    I have to go through my guiding questions for every chapter and make updates.   Would have liked the book in maybe June (when she first got it) so I had time to work on those tasks early.   And of course I have a handful of students not participating in the course yet which is normal.   I get to kick out students this week though if they aren't active.

The orientation I run prior to the semester at ISU went fairly well.   Most of our new TAs are proactive and absorbed the information well.   I have a couple that are struggling.   One is new to the country so I understand he is getting acclimated to how things function on an American college campus.   The other should be able to handle everything but she just seems horribly disorganized and all over the place.   She's older than me and it seems odd that I need to give her strategies for organizing herself better.

Things are going pretty well with Dan.   It's honestly nice to have fun again with life and be social.   When I think about the start of the semester last fall, it's a complete 180.   I remember really struggling last year because my motivation was at zero.   I was unhappy at home and it seeped into my work life too.    It's nice to have a new energy.    It's nice that I know I get to see someone periodically that wants to hang out with me and looks forward to it.   As more time passes, I feel more and more stupid with staying with the ex for so long.   So many red flags that I ignored or just accepted.    It is true...there is someone out there that truly jives with your personality and outlook on life.   No one should sell themselves short.  

Gavin and I were in movie marathon this weekend:

"Chef"--a chef out in LA freaks out and loses his job.    He returns to Miami where the food truck business reinvigorates his love for cooking and food.  It also involves his relationship with his ex and his son.   Jon Favereau is the main actor in it...I can't remember why I added it to Netflix but it was decent.

"The Fault in Our Stars"--oh my God, what a good movie.   I did not expect to like it so much.    I do still plan to read the book.   Very sad story but told with appropriate emotion.   Great casting.

"Rudy"--an old school movie from the early 90's that I've been meaning to see since...the early 90's.   It's actually based on a true story.    Kid from a low socioeconomic status wants to go to Notre Dame badly and play football.   Doesn't go to college immediately after high school.   Ends up at a community college close to Notre Dame and transfers to the school of his dreams.   Gets to play in one game.   Great motivational movie.

"Godzilla"--I wish I had seen this in the theaters.    It didn't get great reviews but I did really like it.    It was an interesting update to such an old movie premise.   The special effects were pretty decent too.   As I watched the movie, I kept thinking the main female character looked so familiar.   It was Mary Kate and Ashley Olson's little sister that is also into acting.   She really does resemble them.

"Neighbors"--stupid, stupid, movie.   Don't get me wrong, I like my crass comedies but this one tried too hard to be funny.   I guess I'm not impressed by movies that center on marijuana comedy too.   (Other than Dazed and Confused)   Sadly I think Seth Rogan is going down the same path as Kevin James and will make crappy movies for a period of time.  

Just a mention to "The Sixth Sense" as I caught most of it on TV last night.   I had not seen that movie since it first came out.   I forgot how good it is.  

I also watched "The Crow" today too since I was reminded I owned it last night.    I forgot how much I liked that movie too.    I am tempted to buy the soundtrack on Itunes.   I used to own it on, umm cassette, and honestly think I listened to it so much that it broke.  

The month of September will be relatively low key.    My paychecks in August sucked and that's an understatement.   I don't have any fun money or extra money so we'll have to appreciate the simple things until the end of September.  I am grateful my car payment has dropped a bit each month since I paid extra in previous years.

That's enough of an update for now!

Vacation Time!!! Ha Ha Ya Right.

I'm technically on vacation this week and next week.   Yet, I just finished an online training for the Red Cross.   And I taught a babysitting course for them yesterday.   Time off, ya right.   I have a training with them tomorrow too in the frick'n evening that I'm not happy about.   I had much better plans for the evening that have to be postponed now.   Strike 100 for the Red Cross.   I cannot wait to resign from that organization.  


I am impressed that LeAnn continues to read.  I need to get back on a schedule with reading since I have several books sitting around in my bedroom.   I'll give some feedback about some movies though since Gavin and I are trying to be diligent with Netflix.   I also saw "Trainwreck" in the theater and was pretty pleased.    I don't think it was as good as "Bridesmaids" but I did like the serious parts of the movie and her humor jives with mine nicely.   It was nice to go to a movie while on a date too.    I couldn't have seen that movie with Gavin anyway...super awkward.  


Movies from Netflix:


"Salt"---Angelina Jolie movie about Russian spies and shenanigans.   The plot twist was pretty good.    We both liked it.  


"Anchorman 2"---not sure if I've written about this one, sorry if it's a repeat.    But that being said, maybe we all need another reminder about how blah the movie was.   It was not a good sequel.  


"Blue Jasmine"--honestly added this to my list because it won awards so I figured it would be OK.   It was very boring.   The main character is struggling because she's lost her lavish lifestyle after he husband is imprisoned and she is single.   It's supposed to be one of those stories where she learns a lesson about selfishness I guess but really doesn't.


"Transcendence"---I really liked this Johnny Depp movie.   The evolution of technology and the loss of control makes the story a little scary.   It was done very well though.  


"Noah"--I had held off on seeing this for years because of the mixed reviews.    I can see why some religious groups were not happy with the story.   I do feel it was accurately depicted though in terms of Noah having survivor's remorse and struggling with his mission from God.   It was rather long but I liked it in general.


"Pearl Jam Twenty"--I first saw this by accident on VH1 one night and for some reason really liked it.  I wasn't even a Pearl Jam fan back in the day but after learning about the backstory and history of the band, the group has grown on me.    I could honestly watch this documentary every month.    Weird I know.


"The Railway Man"--This movie was added because Colin Firth is a nice actor to look at and I like his other movies.   It was actually based on a true story.   The main character was actually a POW in World War II and he's struggling with PTSD.    He goes back to his prisoner camp to get revenge but ends up forgiven one of the main men that tortured him.   Some parts are very difficult to watch considering what was done during torture but a very good story in general.


"Maleficent"---Yes another Angelina Jolie movie but I was curious to see how the "Sleeping Beauty" story was depicted from the villain's point of view.    The ending was done very well, I don't want to give it away if others want to see the movie.    Of course Maleficent's anger stems from a man being a jerk.   Go figure.  


We are pretty excited to see family this weekend.   It will be fun to celebrate Mike's wedding.   I doubt anything will get too wild.    I'm also looking forward to the upcoming Czech Days activities too.   Always nice to see so much family prior to a new semester starting.  


I am still seeing the new gentleman that was mentioned in a previous blog entry.   His name is Daniel but goes by Danno.    I find myself calling him Danny or Dan though.    Still trying to figure out what to address him by.   He actually came up to ISU with me today so I could do a few things in the office.    I've really never had coworkers meet boyfriends.    I think Jon went to one Christmas thing for work and many people commented they didn't remember what he looked like.   It's nice to be seeing someone that is genuinely interested in what I do for work and wants to attend future social activities with me.    It will feel odd not trying to "sell" or talk him into going with me.   He works at the Lutheran hospital in Des Moines and helps kids/teens with behavior and mental concerns.    Very commendable work considering how stressful and trying that type of sociology work can be.    I'm sure the more I continue to see him, the more I'll reveal in this blog.   Baby steps.  


Ok, this is officially long enough now.   Time to find a funny phrase or picture.  

The End is Here....And I Wish I Felt Better

July 30...last day of Summer Youth Fitness.    Typically I'd be jumping for joy and attempting back flips but I feel awful today.    If I remember correctly, lower back pain can cause other issues so that may be why I feel so nauseated and gross.   For the last two hours I've had the "hot and cold"feeling which isn't fun when I'm running all over for the camp.    Coincidentally we've had a decent number of injuries within the first hour of the program so I feel like a nurse.    Nothing like dry-heaving when you're trying to make a kid feel better.    It's amazing how a Band-Aid causes crying to stop for a child though.

I am counting down the hours until 5:00pm so I can go home, shower, and crawl into bed.    I don't feel tired thankfully but I just want to lay and be still.    Part of me wonders if my body recognizes the program is over and all my stress from the past eight weeks is in full physical effect.   The Family Night event went fairly well.   Hy-Vee catering was extremely late bringing our food though so I'm working with them to compensate money for our stress last night.    My favorite conversation with them last night (at 5:40pm)--"Our fruit trays have not arrived yet."   "Sorry to hear that but they aren't supposed to be delivered until 5:15pm"   "Umm...do you own a clock?"

In theory I have the next two weeks off from work but I will be doing some prep work for the fall semester.    I also need to finish prep for the graduate student orientation process too.    Luckily I can do most of it from home.    Gavin will be busy with football obligations so our ability to leave Ankeny is limited.    It bums me out the new semester will be starting so soon.    I don't feel like I get much of a summer anymore.

Things are going very well with the new fella in my life.    It's a new relationship so I'm not going to jump to conclusions but it's very nice to be seeing someone that is so compatible with my interests and likes.    I've looked forward to seeing him in the past couple weeks.   I must say that it's nice to have someone so kind and considerate in my life too.    Sad to say but I wasn't used to having that type of personality in my life in the past years.  

I guess that's all I have to report on for now.    I'm curious about how much I currently weigh but don't have access to the calibrated scale at work.   Most of my clothes are getting big on me so I have that reassurance.   Another nice perk with the new guy....he likes to be active.    I'm hoping to play more tennis in general during the month of August.  

Excitement and Progress

Time for another update.   As I stare at the calendar I'm rather bummed that the end of July is approaching so quickly.    The summer camp ends next week so I'll have time off prior to the semester starting but it will feel odd to not be swamped with work.   But I guarantee I'll be back to complaining about my workload by August 24.    My energy level is still pretty elevated so my productivity at work is fabulous.   I must have been a total slug in the winter months because I'm getting a lot of positive comments from coworkers.  

I'm also pretty pleased because I'm not having such a rotten time meeting new people.   I've met a new fella that is pretty darn compatible so it's been fun getting to know each other.    I'm trying to keep my feet on the ground but it's been such a nice change.   It's really opened my eyes to situations I should not have tolerated in past years.   You don't need to sacrifice or change yourself.    I'm finally able to be myself and not worry about judgment.   It's a much needed relief.   More to come when/if the relationship progresses...

I had my second visit to the dentist for my periodontal procedure.   The first one was a delight on July 8 compared to what I went through yesterday.    They had a hell of a time getting my mouth to numb and I had to get stuck seven times.   By that point I had too much septocaine in my system and it made me super nauseated.   It would be AMAZING if I never get a cavity again or need the periodontal work done so I never need to deal with needles being jammed into my gums.

I officially received my teaching schedule for the fall.   It appears I am teaching a health methods course on MWF for elementary education majors.   I'm teaching a health methods course for secondary teachers on TR.    And I'm teaching the physical education methods class for elementary PE on MW.   I'll also run Swim & Gym again on TR afternoons.    I get to come in late on Tuesdays and Thursdays because I don't teach until 1pm on those days.    Supposedly I'll be teaching a Monday night course for DMACC and one online class.   We'll see how enrollment pans out.   Not holding my breath.  

Gavin's doing well with his job.    He worked his first overtime yesterday.   His main complaints are standing most of the day and the rash he gets from the corn stalks.    He's doing really well with waking up at 5:45am.   Most days he's actually up before me.    We are curious to see how far the job goes into August.    We'll have conflicts with football then.    Sigh.  

I guess that's all for now.   I feel like a warden today with how often I'm walking around and checking on naughty kids.    Time to make another round through the building.

Yup, Still Hate Needles

Greetings:

All kinds of good things going on lately.    I had a physical at the end of June and had a full lipid panel done to see what my blood can tell me about my health.    My cholesterol was over 200 last time I had it checked and I am down to 170 which is in the healthy range.    I was shocked to see such a drop but happy at the same time.   My triglycerides have dropped a lot too and are in the healthy range.   They are in the higher end of that range so I can still improve.    I've been out of the range in past years so it's another good change.   The blood draw process sucked and it sucked more than usual.   Usually I'm whiny and it hurts but it's over pretty quick.    This time they had a hard time getting my veins to cooperate and I got stuck a lot.    Then I got the awful "hot-cold" feeling and turned very white.    I ended up staying at the appointment for an extra 30 minutes because I had to drink apple juice and get rid of dizziness.    Stupid needles.

I've started the periodontal process at my dentist which also involves needles and lasers.  I was pleasantly surprised by how much I didn't hurt the day after because the staff forewarned me of how sore I'd be the next day.    The injection sites hurt from the numbing process, that's it.   Only needed one dose of ibuprofen.  

The 4th of July was pretty decent.   I am pretty pleased with the amount of fun I'm having this summer.   It has been so much easier to be active and go out and do things.    I've been pretty mum about things but at this point I'm being more open about the fact that I've been treated for depression since last November.   Actually back in 2014 it was called dysthymia.  (I like how my computer keeps trying to correct that word and turn it to "hysteria".)  Dysthymia is a low level depression that results in poor self-esteem and motivation.    Back then I was put on generic bupropion to try and get my neurotransmitters back on board.    Sadly I think I dealt with that issue since probably 2013.   Earlier in 2015 I was placed on generic Prozac too.    I wasn't too thrilled about that as I wanted to be off the other med as soon as possible.    I begrudgingly started taking the second medication.    I was shocked after about 10 days as I felt completely different.    I have so much energy.   I'm sleeping well.   And best of all, it's really curbed my appetite.   I rarely feel hungry and when I do, I feel satisfied pretty quickly.    At my physical, I had dropped about 20 lbs in one month.   I could handle more months like that.

I was happy we went to the zoo and happy it wasn't too hot.   It was also fun playing tennis and volleyball.   I found out that a person can pop a vein.    Luckily it was fine by the next day.    I think the next big venture will be to travel to Waukon for a gathering with my high school friends.    It will be nice going up a lot in August too.

I'm curious to see how our summer program runs this week as it's supposed to be wicked hot.   I'm grateful the temperature is supposed to drop as the week progresses as we don't have access to our gyms Tuesday-Thursday.    But the gyms will be very warm too so you can't really win no matter where you are for the program.  

Gavin starts his job tomorrow.   It sounds like he will work partial days tomorrow and Tuesday because of the heat.   I've been emphasizing the need for him to develop a routine so his lunch is made at night and he gets to bed early enough so he can function at 5:45am.   Part of me wants to head to work after I drop him off at the bus but I'm betting I'll go home for a bit before heading to ISU.  

That's it for now!

Feeling Good

Greetings:

I'm feeling fantastic.    The past week or so has been wonderful in regards to my sleep, work, and energy levels.  I was bummed to have to work yesterday (Saturday) but the day went well.  It's becoming more and more difficult to work for the Red Cross.    It's easy money, especially in the summer but the administration is not up to par.  I'm on probation because I haven't taken a class that's rarely offered in Iowa.    Shame on me.  

It's lazy but Gavin and I are making a habit of watching movies for entertainment.    I watched "Nebraska".   It's completely in black and white.   Older man who's lost his independence due to old age thinks he's won a sweepstakes and is adamant to go to Nebraska to claim it.    The story brings up family issues and history.   It was OK, I'm not entirely sure why it won awards.   "Gravity" was very good.   They did well with the psychology of the matter.    As I stated on Facebook, I do not want to be an astronaut.   It seems pretty far-fetched that she survived.

We also saw "Jurassic World" not too long ago.   It was good.   I read about the movie and learned they made a point to make it seem like it follows the first movie and doesn't refer to any of the other two that were created (and bombed).   I didn't like the choice of the main female actress (Dallas Bryce Howard).   I think it's because she's played negative roles in other movies.   And the fact she ran around all the time in high heels?   What bullshit.   You know damn well she would have twisted her ankle pretty damn quick and a dinosaur would have eaten her.

I spent time today going through more boxes.    I still have a lot of paperwork to sort through.   It gets really boring.   I did get pictures and stuff hung up.    I think the placement looks good.  It was also therapeutic to remove someone's picture from some of the frames and rip them up.  

I thought I had more to report on but I really don't.   But hey, I blogged again.

Oh, yes Happy Father's Day!

Not a Bad Week

The first week of Summer Youth Fitness is in the books.    It was the best start we've had with me as the director so I'm happy about that.   Not many snafus or issues.    I did have some parents make some suggestions for our drop off and pick up procedures which irritated me as I don't think they understand what it takes to organize almost 120 children at one time.   I guess I should appreciate their concern but at the same token, just go with what has worked for years.

I'm having to hire two more people to help assist with activities as I had one person quit the week before we started and another cannot read his academic schedule apparently and can't come to work on Mondays and Wednesdays.    Factor in people missing due to planned vacations and unplanned issues, it won't hurt to have a couple more people on staff.

I start teaching my health course at ISU on Monday.   It's a tiny class again.   I think I had 9 students last summer and I currently have 7.   They can't cancel it because everyone is a teacher ed student and it will screw up their plan for student teaching and graduation.    Six of the students are seniors.   I'm excited for the small group.   I'm going to try some new tactics as I have been considering some changes in the past year.   I guess one plus is that my grading load will be low,

I have been plugging away at Netflix.   We watched "12 Years a Slave" recently and it was pretty decent.   Of course I prefer the book but the movie did a decent job capturing the character's history.   I had forgotten it was a true story.    Sadly Brad Pitt is hardly in it.    I also watched "Labor Day" today.   It was pretty good.   I did not like the ending.    Our next two movies are "Nebraska" and "Gravity".   "Nebraska" won awards so it was appealing however a preview was provided before "Labor Day" and it didn't really spark my interest.    I'll still watch it, maybe I'll be surprised.    I wish I had seen "Gravity" in theaters.    Something tells me it would be better on a the big screen.

I failed to mention I did start dating again.   No worries, I'm not anywhere near being swept off my feet.    I guess I'm mainly curious about what it's like now that I'm older.   It does feel odd to be with someone for so long and have to go back out and meet new people.   First date was with a guy named Keith and it was meh.    He had an odd sense of humor (laughed a lot of things that really didn't need to be laughed at) and he got weird about physical activity.    I don't like always going out to eat on a date especially since I'm on a strict budget.   I also don't like movies on a date because you can't talk.   So he and I went on a walk at Saylorville Lake.    I'm not sure how far we walked (I don't feel it was that far) but he didn't seem thrilled about a mile into it.   Toward the end of it as we were returning to the parking lot, he made a comment about how we should have turned around sooner.   I was wearing flip flops for Pete's sake and it wasn't that strenuous of an activity.    Maybe he had the same feeling as me during the walk and that was his way of saying we should have cut the date short.

I think that's enough of an update for now!

Now it Feels Like Summer

Summer Youth Fitness has started!    Year number five in regards to me directing the program.    I was so happy with the first day.    A few issues but nothing major.    I was crazy busy like usual but everything was under control.   I plan to still hire a couple more assistants though.   Definitely needed.  

Next week I start teaching a class in the mornings prior to the children's program.     As of today I only have seven students!!   I used to have more but enrollment has dropped.   Had it dropped earlier in May, the class would have been canceled.   I still need to work on my syllabus and work on my prep.  

We've been making good progress on our Netflix list.   We recently watched "The Book Thief" which was OK.   I still want to read the book.    Also saw "Philomena" which was an interesting true story.   We're currently watching "The Butler" which I like due to the historical significance.    It's also a true story.    We also have "12 Years a Slave" on the way.    I really liked the book so I'm hoping the book meets expectations.  We also saw "Her" which was interesting.   I did not like the ending.

Gavin was hired to work for Monsanto which is exciting.   He'll have orientation later in the month and he'll start working officially after July 4th.   He's pretty excited to make his own money.  

I guess that's the big updates for now.  

Time is Running Out

Yup, pretty soon the summer camp will be upon me as well as the course I'm teaching for ISU.   It's been nice having some downtime here and there.   I find it difficult to not work at times but at the same token I feel like I could have been more productive in the past weeks.   I have several tasks I need to do around the apartment and I keep dragging my feet.  I'm rather bummed that DMACC didn't pan out for me but I guess that's one evening I don't have to race back to Ankeny to teach.    It wasn't always pleasant to be hot and sweaty, race home, and get to campus on time in a presentable condition to teach.  

I'm not as confident about my staff for the summer program this year.   I would really like another life guard on staff but no one has applied for a month but I'm going to keep the job position open throughput the summer to see if someone comes out of the woodwork.    I've learned a lot in the last five years so that will help me structure the orientation I'm holding on Monday for all staff.   I've also decided to have a meeting for group leaders alone as well as a meeting for aquatic staff alone.   I'm also doing some different things this summer with the integration of more health, weekly awards for the children, and some Jump Rope for Heart activities.  

We've been cruising through Netflix at a better pace in the past months.   We watched "Her" today, which was interesting to say the least.   I hated the ending.   Not entirely sure why it got so much praise.    Next is "The Book Thief".   I have 48 other movies on my list too so that should keep us busy this summer.    I am grateful that renting DVDs has stayed affordable.   I pay $12 a month to have 2 DVDs at one time.

I've had concerns about my energy levels and my doctor has advised that I take Vitamin D in a pretty high dose for the next month and try to get more exposure to sunlight.   I'm taking 5,000 units a day to see if that helps perk me up.   Lord knows I'll need energy next week and through July.

I thought I'd have more excitement to write about but I'm drawing a blank.    But hey, at least I'm blogging regularly again!

I Hate Money

I hate it.   I thought I had finally figured out my budget for the summer and then the car acts up today.   I am so  nervous to find out what is wrong with it tomorrow.    I know I've been pretty lucky to not have car problems in  years but the timing is horrible.    It feels really odd to not have a Plan B either since I used to have another vehicle to use if mine wasn't available.   It could have been worse though.   It could have acted up when I was on the interstate.   Or even on one of the major roads in Ankeny.    I was shocked we made it to the dealership without the engine dying.   And yes I do have money in my savings account so I can pay a bill as long as it's not too outrageous.   Depending on how much the repairs cost it could significantly gouge the money I have to draw from when things get tough in June, July, and August.   I need to get my butt in gear and find a part time job.

Time for an Update?

Well I've been reminded that I haven't done much with this blog since the snow was flying in February.   In all honesty, I didn't think I had anything worthwhile to blog about.   I don't think I have anything worthwhile to blog about today.    I'll do what I do best...bulleted items in no particular order.

• The semester is over.   I was slammed with grading, which is normal but I did a better job of spreading out the tasks so I didn't have as many super late nights.   It was nice.  
• I taught an online class for high school students for the first time (DMACC).   It was OK.    I need to figure out a way to do a vocal recording of a lecture on the online site, I think that would have helped those students.   The class turned out to be a bell curve with grading.    One kid bombed it, most were average, and I think two ended up with As.   
• I'm supposed to teach two classes for DMACC this summer.  Not holding my breath as enrollment is super low.   I'm expecting an email early this week from the deans at Boone and Ankeny to tell me that I'm not teaching for them.   (Just checked enrollment while working on this and my class sizes are even smaller....sigh.)   It irritates me as DMACC is usually the source for my car payment and anything that Gavin needs.  
• I am SO unhappy with my current appearance.   I had to by some shorts this weekend so I had nice summer wear for the youth program.   I was pleased with the selection but not thrilled by how I looked but I haven't have clothes that cooperate with warm weather.    Maybe if I get my ass in gear, they'll get loose over the summer and I'll be happier.  
• I meant to attend a Weight Watcher's meeting this week.   I came home early on Wednesday and dozed off and when I woke up, it was too late to attend.   Completely forgot about an option on Friday.   Sigh.   Maybe this week.   I am always tired lately.   I can understand that though as my mental energy is zero.    It connects to physical energy.  
• Now that it's nice out, I'm realizing how much I like the location of our apartment.   It's usually beautiful when the sun is setting and living so close to a lake with a walk/run path is nice.   I should probably use that walk/run path huh?  
• I've been trying to be more social.   I've made some realizations this semester in regards to those I work with.   I really don't want to hang out with many of them outside of work.   I've noticed that a lot of them with small children hang out (thanks Facebook) so I don't even get asked to many things anymore.   I've also noticed that a lot of people talk about work and research during social events.    Meh...that's the last thing I want to discuss.  I have other people I've become friends with in Ankeny and Des Moines but I'm usually not motivated to go out.   Not super interested in bars and those scenes.  

OK, that's enough random things for now.    Going to try and blog at least once a week.    Hopefully that will help me get my butt in gear for the goals I have this summer.