Exhaustion

I feel like I am running on empty. I am so ready for summer. My lessons are becoming uncreative and I even get bored listening to me lecture now. Which is weird because parts of speech usually thrill me.

Probably one reason why I feel so run down is that the only time I get to relax (the weekend) I am busy non-stop. It is totally one thing after the other since about 6 weeks ago and for at least the next 4 weeks.

Here is my weekend run down from April 12-June 14 because that is all I can remember. I will be brief for each weekend.
April 12 - Easter weekend
April 18- ESL family day (took 47% of my energy since Feb)
April 25-5k, birthday party, another birthday party, concert
May 1- Mini Relay for Life, bridal shower
May 10- Mothers Day weekend and Philly trip
May 16- Relay for Life- about 10 hours sleep over 3 nights (where I am now)
May 23- Virginia for 3 days, wedding
May 30- Massachusetts, throwing a bridal shower/catering
June 5- Hershey Park/in charge of ESL picnic at the park (more planning)
June 14- Courtney's grad party/catering

Not that anyone cares about any of this. But I had to make this run down for my sanity. So if I have been antisocial lately, it is because of the lack of sleep/time. M-F =school, grading, menu planning, and gym. Sat + Sun= totally chaotic always. Don't get me wrong, all of these -well most-are really exciting events. I am very excited for this upcoming weekend. I finally FINALLY get to spend THREE days with my boyfriend. Also get to see one of my best friends, Matt, get married to the sweetest girl. :)

So, I am thankful that God has blessed me with the opportunity to participate in/plan so many events; however, I may go to bed at 9 tonight.

Germapalooza!

Sometimes I wonder why I chose to work around a bunch of germy kids. I don't think my students were ever taught to cover their mouth when they cough, or to not sneeze in someone's face. This sounds drastic, but my students are hacking all over everyone. I may get swine flu. Today I spent an extra 15 minutes at work sanitizing! Yay for Chlorox wipes and Lysol spray!
At the middle school, my room is the size of some people's bedroom closets. I have no window, curtains for walls, and one table. There are 9 of us in there at one time daily. This makes me freak out about illnesses. With this swine flu "scare," I took the time to teach my kids how to stay healthy-wash hands, don't touch your face, etc. Then I asked what we could do as a class to stay healthy. My adorable little girl from Thailand raised her hand and said, "Keel all da peegs." That was my written version of her cute accent. I told her that I wasn't planning on killing any pigs. Today 2 boys blew their noses and left the dirty tissues on the table that we all sit at. I think this means they didn't get it.

Love in Any Language

This past Saturday, I was invited to a Burmese birthday party at one of my student's houses. She was turning 20, and I knew that it was important for me to attend. If I didn't attend, this could be seen as very rude in their culture. She wanted met to bring my family, but only my mom could come. It turns out that we were the only Americans there. It also turns out that I now have new goals and dreams for my future. Let me explain....first of all, I was expecting to just sit and socialize (with my mom in English) and watch them play the guitar and sing. It was way different. The food spread was amazing, they were so happy and welcoming, and we played games that made me laugh until my sides hurt. Even the adults were playing games like musical chairs, get the water bottle, a version of hot potato, and "Boot, Shoe, Die!" It was inspiring to see how much fun these people could have with just a water bottle! They waited on my mother and me hand and foot. It was so funny. They would move our chairs from out of the sun so the sun wouldn't be in our eyes every time the sun shifted. They even bought Diet Coke because they knew it was my favorite and poured and delivered me like 3 glasses throughout the party.

Another interesting thing was that they didn't have presents. I brought a cross necklace and a pink bracelet for her, but no one else brought anything and my gift was hidden immediately. They appreciated my gift, but birthdays are more of a religious celebration. The prayers that they said in the Karen language were so beautiful. Then they played the guitar and sang "Lord I lift your name on high" as well as songs in their own language.

So all of this to say, that the Burmese Karen are some of the most inspiring, loving, generous, and beautiful people! I had so much fun! My new goal/dream for the future is to adopt one of the Burmese refugees one day. The Karen have such tragic histories, but are wonderful people! I am so blessed to work with them! Today, I had the privilege of welcoming 2 new Burmese refugees into my middle school class! How exciting! Below are some of the pictures from the party (my favorites).



She is beautiful!

Another adorable little baby...her name is Peaceful.

Little Stephen...the birthday girl's nephew

Ok I will probably post the rest on facebook, because this is taking forever and I am a busy girl! :)

A Few Updates...

Eye-I am not blind. I never found the contact, though. I waited until my eye wasn't swollen anymore to see if the glassy look went away and it kind of did. I have looked everywhere at home and can't find it. Took a sick day Tuesday from work. Wednesday I went in and Earl said, "What the hell happened to your eye? It looks kind of funky." My students told me that I should have stayed home Wednesday too because I looked "ugly." Little darlings.

Earth Day- I have been teaching my students this week how to "go green!" When I collected one of the worksheets that I made, which asked them what they would do to on earth day to "help the earth" Eh, one of my 9th graders, wrote, "I will use a the toilet papper in bathrom." Hmm...so what does he do when it's not Earth Day? Maybe we shouldn't go there.

Cooking School- I had a horrible week at work. It started on Monday with the eye issues so I was so unprepared all week for lessons. Coworkers were so frustrating and students were difficult. I am getting 2 new students Wednesday, which resulted in me not getting a lunch break today and giving them a tour of the school that lasted 2 hrs. All this to say that last night, my mom came down and we went to Cooking School and had a great time!! I won a ticket for a free sub at Subway, and I LOVE free things!

5K run- In less than 10 hrs. I will be doing a 5K Race Against Racism. Excited, but, what was I thinking giving up Saturday morning sleep in time to go run!?!?!

Evil Eye.

From 3:30 until now (11pm), I have been consumed with eye issues. I thought my contact fell out after work while relaxing on my bed, but I never found it. I looked in the mirror and it was still in my eye. I tried for 3 hours straight to get it out. With no luck, I had to have my aunt drive me to the eye doctor at the mall. I have serious fears of the eye doctor-errr..any dr. for that matter. I have refused eye drops at every visit because I am a wimp. Well tonight, I received more eye drops than one can imagine...dye, numbing, flushing out with saline solution....all to be put on MORE drops which I must give myself hourly! I paid 38.00 for them to tell me that there is no contact in my eye.

False. I am almost positive I see/feel a contact in my eye. If my eye has no scratches (which it didn't) then why do I have such localized pain and see a circle off to the side of my iris. Of course, being that I am a complete hypochondriac that gets panic attacks, I can't sleep. It looks like tomorrow may have to be a sick day. I can't even see out of my one eye and look dreadful, not to mention the fact that I will be exhausted.

It scares me that if I do have a contact in my eye and the dr. didn't see it... If it is that stuck, then how would they remove it? It is like suctioned to my eye. I realize that I am completely rambling now- this is nerves. And living alone.

So anyway, hopefully I will not wake up blind.
Good night.

Another music blog. So uncreative.

There are so many songs that remind me of people. It is so weird that you can listen to a song and it will take you right back to that moment when it was popular and it usually reminds you of someone. It also slightly amazes me that you can listen to a song for the first time in 10 years and remember every word of the song. What if I would rather use this brain space for something better/more productive like the facts I need to know for a quiz or some more interesting grammar rules. Anyway, just for fun, I thought I would write down the names of some of the songs that remind me of people. You may not know anyone on the list, but if nothing else, maybe I will get a great song! stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Also, you should know that I don't know the real names of most songs.

1. "Drowning" Backstreet Boys- Dancing with Ed McGinley at the winter semi-formal (10th grade) holy crap this was so exciting!!!
2. "Apple Bottom Jeans"- My mom
3. "Thong Song" Sisqo- reminds me of Corey in 8th grade. Flirting era.
4. "Crazy" Gnarls Barkley- Corey II. This time our roadtrip to Alabama- 2006 when we fell in love "for real".
5. "Wide Open Spaces" -Dixie Chicks- my dad. He got the CD stuck in my car's CD player (it is still broken years later)
6. "Sexy Back"- JT-when I actually drove. And I thought I was so hot behind the wheel with those crazy bug-like sunglasses (college jr. year)
7. "Vindicated" Dashboard Confessional- Katie Dekis- roomies soph. year when we made up a ballet dance to this song in the dorms.
8. "Collide" Howie Day- Chris Ventura. yikes!
9. "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" - this was my cell ringtone for most of college. It got sooo annoying.
10. "When 2 become 1" Spice Girls- John Scarangello...one of my first dates in 6th grade. I was in my chubby stage and wearing bike shorts and a man's Nike shirt in the back of his mom's jeep on the way to the movie theater. I had matching blue nail polish and enormous round glasses.
11. "S.O.S" Jonas Brothers- my fav. student Gabriela and her obsession for Joe Jonas.
12. "Banana Pancakes" Jack Johnson- Earl. The coolest teacher in the world.
13. "Graduation" Vitamin C -8th grade graduation when we all sobbed our eyes out because we were emotional to move to the school 5 minutes away and spend 4 more years together.
14. "Bump, Bump, Bump" B2K- Stefan..the amusement of dating someone in ESL when I was in high school. I asked for John Mayer's CD for Christmas and he thought B2K was what I meant.
15. "Will you be there" (Free Willy Song) Michael Jackson - Trish...and I have no idea why.


So I wonder (not to sound vain) but I just wonder if any songs make people think of me and if so which songs. I wonder if anyone from middle school/hs/college hears a song and is reminded of me. Hmmm...

Bordering Insanity

Last night I was watching American Idol. (why do I always feel like I should defend myself for watching that show when 36 million votes come in? I don't know why I watch it- I guess it's entertaining) Lady GaGa did a live performance, and let me tell you how creeped out I was. Her song is over played, but still fun to sing along to; however, last night, I was seriously scared. The intro was so weird and do people seriously find that outfit she was wearing fashionable? Who decides that stuff? Her hair was creepy, too. Then when she started to dance it looked like a dog when it has seizures. This is when I decided that my dancing isn't that bad...and I could probably be famous if I wanted to be a singer/dancer. Anyway, I am sure you could watch her performance last night on Youtube or something. It was so freaky, yet so many people went CRAZY when the performance was over.

Oh! Oh! Oh! I forgot...she was wearing a zipper around one of her eyes.