Presidential Debate Drinking Game

I am honestly concerned about the upcoming election. I am taking the entire thing seriously. I will vote and am encouraging EVERYONE I know to vote. And, actually, I don't even care who you vote for, just vote!!!! So even though I care about who our next president is, the debates get a little boring, a little repeative, and a little silly...So, with all that said....................

Heather and I are sitting here right now watching the 2nd Presidential Debate. And we are playing a drinking game......what are we drinking on? I'm glad you asked.....

1) Every time McCain says "my friends." I think we've taken about 25 drinks on that one alone

2) Anytime Tom Brokaw reminds either candidate about the time limit

3) Name dropping.

4) When either candidate says something stupid (or, in one case so far, when one audience member asked a dumb question!). Examples: "I might need hair transplants soon," McCain. "That was a good question," Obama ('cuz what? On national TV he's gonna say "What a stupid question?!?!).

We were going to drink when they talked about the economy/money/finance issues, but we don't have enough alcohol in the house for that!

Just thought I would share some of my fun with you all! :-)

Books!

About a month ago I realized that I wasn't reading as much as I like to....crazy, I know! Those of you who know me, know that I read all the time so me not reading, kinda strange! I just have had soooooooooo much to do, that the reading was falling off. So the last month I've been trying to read more. Here are some of the books that I've been reading with a quick review of them.....Have you read any of these? What did you think about them? Any suggestions on other books I should read? Let me know!!!

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
I know that this was a huge bestseller a while ago, but I just got around to reading it. I loved it! It's a story about growing up, letting go, learning to deal with the truth, and keeping promises to friends. To me, a lot of the story is depressing (I cried!), but ends with a message of hope. It is set mostly in Afgahastan and much of the story contains flashbacks. I liked the writing and the story. I liked it so much, as soon as I finished it, I went to the school library and checked out Hosseini's second novel. Also, I know there is a movie version, but I haven't rented it yet....I'm going to though.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Yes, this novel is by the same author of The Kite Runner, and while the setting is very similar (Afganhastan 1970's - 2000's), the characters and the story are not. This story has two females as the main characters and it is their constant struggle to survive in an often harsh, male dominated society, while doing whatever they can to take care of their families. This story was a little more predictable than Kite Runner, but I still really enojoyed it.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Jacob is old and lives in a nursing home. When he realizes that the circus has come to town and is setting up the Big Top right down the street, a series of flashbacks about his early life as a member of a not-so-successful circus ensues. This wasn't my favorite novel (partly 'cuz I didn't like the ending that much...), but it was a good, quick read. Part of it is a little predictable, but overall the story flows well and I kept wanting to read 'just a little bit more' so I could find out what happens to Jacob, Rosie, Marlena, August, and the rest of the circus performers.


These is my Words by Nancy Turner
The subtitle for this novel is "The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine." The novel is set up just that way, as a diary. It starts with Sarah and her family leaving the Arizona territory to head for Texas. Along the way, tragedy appears and the family soon turns around and heads back to Arizona. They settle outside of Tucson and the rest of the diary entires include Sarah growing up, getting married, having children, and dealing with many of the early frontier day-to-day dramas. There is a whole entry about a serious monsoon that causes swarms of frogs and snakes to come up onto her front porch and try to get into the house!!! I really liked this historical fiction novel and the strong, independent Sarah....until the end. As the story draws to a close, Sarah becomes very infrequent at her writing. This by itself is not a problem. The problem comes when Turner (the author) decides to set up important events in Sarah's life by having her suddenly write in her diary for two days about nothing, and then on the 3rd day, a child is born, someone dies, etc. and then again, no writing for many months. Even with this issue, I truly did like the story and am waiting for the second section of Sarah's story to arrive via Amazon.

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
I love Jodi Picoult as a writer. If you haven't yet read anything by her, you seriously should...start with My Sister's Keeper though! Anyway...Change of Heart is probably one of my new favorite novels by Picoult. Her novels are always told from more than one point of view and the stories all intertwin. This one is all about a man named Shay, who is on death row for murder. There are several twists throughout the story and while you want to hate Shay for what he has done, you grow to like him. This story does have a bit of a religious twist (people believe that Shay is performing miracles while in jail and he starts to get national coverage for this, which causes a whole subplot to emerge...) but the religious side of the story is minor compared to the human nature/family issues side. Another great novel by Picoult....I'm gonna start another one by her this weekend! I'm excited!

Hebrews 11:1

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."

This is my new favorite Bible verse. It was in one of the lessons from church today and as I was sitting in church with my family, listening to the guy read this verse, I kept thinking to myself how much I love going to church. I love our great band and singing along with our awesome songs. I love P.T. (Pastor Thompson) and his totally relevent sermons. And I love sitting in church with my whole family!

So...in other words, I'm going to try to quit being selfish on Sunday mornings. I'm going to try really hard to get my lazy butt up out of bed to go to church so I can enjoy it even more!

Update

It's been awhile since I've done this so...........

*School is good. It's going very quickly and I can't believe that we did progress reports for 1st quarter already. I like my kids; they are great. The student teacher thing....it's a learning experience and honestly is making me a better teacher. It's not bad, honest. The whole situation is just different than what I thought it was going to be and not teaching "my kids" takes some getting used to. Oh, and I love teaching mythology!!! Seriously - my favorite class!!!!

*My shoulder is so fantastic I can not even put it into words. The pain that I had before the surgery is GONE!!! G-O-N-E!!!! I'm at 10 weeks since the surgery and am at about 80-85% recovered. I'm still weak in that arm, but the strength is coming back slowly. My range of motion is also about 85%. That all is awesome and I am not complaining, but the problem is that getting back that last 15-20% will probably take another 4-6 months. Crazy, huh?

*The friend situation....it's funny to me how the Lord provides when you need things. Crazy stuff has happened since the end of school last year and some people I haven't been in touch with in FOR-EV-ER are now back in my life, while other friends are drifting away. And there are new friends! YAY! It's a weird thing because part of me misses the "old ways" and another part of me is so totally glad that things have changed.....weird how that works.

*My family........in case you all don't know, I love my family!!! I had a great summer and spent tons of time with Callie so having her back in Tucson is tough but she's kicking ass down there! My mom has been so helpful with all sorts of stuff - my shoulder and the teaching abroad stuff just to name a few things. And of course, Heather.....seriously, her moving in with me had to be one of the absolute best things to happen in my life!!! We have so much fun and we get along amazingly well! The rest of my family is great too....don't be hurt if I didn't mention you! :-)

*And last, for those of you who don't know, I'm working on getting hired to teach abroad next year. This is something I've thought about for a few years and I've come to the conclusion that I really just need to do it!!! And so that's what I'm doing. I still am in the "planning" stages....working on getting all the info/stuff I need (transcripts, letters of rec, proof of certificates, etc.), improving my resumes, filling out applications....etc. My goal is to be working somewhere in Europe because Europe is so "small" and on long weekends I would be able to jump on a train and go see other countries. However, I really want to do this and would take a job anywhere. So if you don't mind, help me out and say a prayer for me that this works out! Then get your passport and come visit me!!!!

Summer is quickly drawing to a close....

I will totally admit to being lame, but I am excited to go back to school, and no, not just for the paycheck. I really want to get back into a routine, see the kids, hang out with my friends..... I am NOT excited about the work, grading papers, the meetings....

This year is going to be so different, I just know it. First, it's my 4th year at Skyline, which honestly seems unbelievable. I literally cannot believe I've been teaching for 8 years!!!!!!!!! Anyway, 'cuz it's my 4th year, all the kids who were my first class graduated and are gone. So while there are a lot of kids still at SHS who I totally like and think are awesome, it just isn't the same as that group of kids I started with.

B) and maybe the biggest thing, is that I have a student teacher this year. We just had a meeting today to start planning things and I think she's gonna do a good job. Her name is Tami and she subbed all of last year while going to school at The University of Phoenix at night and online. I really think that having her in my classroom is going to help make me a better teacher. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm good (or I wouldn't've gotten her in the first place), but this is gonna help me. I am concerned about giving up control of my classroom, of my kids. You all know that I am a super laid back, go-with-flow kinda teacher, but the thought of someone else actually teaching my kids.....kinda scares me! LOl

And thirdly, things happened during this summer that changed me. There was family stuff and friend stuff, and while the details are not important, the outcomes are. I am different. The things that I want now, that I am looking forward to, are totally different than they were 8 weeks ago. I won't lie. I'm a little.....IDK, anxious I guess (scared is too strong a word here) to start the school year. But I am also hopeful, always hopeful....

So the downhill slide begins....this time next week I'll be back at school for sophomore orientation. This time in two weeks I'll be tired of back to school meetings. This time in three weeks I'll be exhausted and my throat will be killing me from all the talking and explainging and syllabus-going-over. OMG!!!! I so am not ready for all of this!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL But, whether I'm ready or not, here comes year 8 of my teaching.....