Getting My Zen On

For the past three Saturdays I have been going to an Ilyengar based yoga class. I've always been interested in doing some more yoga, but, time and money never seemed to line up. Now that I've made more time in my schedule to be a happier, less overworked human being I figured better late than never. To say this class has been doing great things for me is an understatement! My head feels clearer and my body feel better; it's as if I'm undoing the tension caused by life and the physical impact of dance and work.

Of course, Irish dance is my 'addiction' and thus I've been practicing more, taking private lessons, and gearing up for a feis September 17th in Oklahoma City. There will also be a couple of performance opportunities in the next two months which I'm going to do as well. I'm excited about the competition and performing, which is kinda new- typically I'm a nervous wreck with excited mixed in there! That began to change a couple of weeks ago, I was watching an interview with Jeff Bridges. He said something that struck me, "Have fun, but, don't take it too seriously."* Of course! I tend to take everything too seriously, and sometimes I miss out on enjoying activities because I so desperately want what I do to be perfect. This is silly of course, no one is perfect, yet I stressed myself out about every little move I did wrong in dance, and subsequently in life. I won't go into everything I view as incorrect, but, I have realized that I need to keep life and activities in perspective, because if I'm not enjoying dance, work, training Leo, etc., I truly am missing the point.

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It seems that getting in shape, mentally and physically, and enjoying it really has a multitude of benefits. Which I know you're thinking, duhhh!! Even I knew this, I'm really beginning to experience these much talked about benefits for the first time. I think life offers many challenges, some wonderful, some not so. But, if you work to keep happy, live life, enjoy what it has to offer and put things in balance it seems, at least to me, that even the not so fun challenges are much easier to face.

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How do you keep your life in balance?

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*Jon has dubbed this statement as the Tao of The Dude. I feel like I should ring a bell every time I say it now. ;-)

This School Week

Nothing terribly exciting report this week. Mainly I've been adjusting to my school schedule, subsequent fatigue, and Jon's new college schedule. Oh there was that whole tv thing, but, other than that things seem pretty mellow. Despite that, however, I must share with you some of the new, interesting, not so interesting, highlights of being back in school this week. And I know you are PUMPED for this right?! Am I right??!?! ;-)

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Saying goodbye to the summer sleep schedule and adjusting to the new one has had its ups and downs. The wake up time hasn't bothered me too much,but, the fact that the first two nights I couldn't fall asleep has. Oh and what's up with waking up at 3:15am thinking the alarm should be going off any minute? Really, body, really?

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Yesterday two-thirds of my school building had no air conditioning. Some sensor decided it had had enough with the Oklahoma heat and fried like an egg on asphalt (yes you can do that under the right circumstances). That was bad, obviously, but, what made it worse was the 106F temps yesterday. I think the teachers were about to die, or explode. The kids... well, they were sweaty and smelly, but, thank goodness there were no casualties.

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The assistant superintendent visited us today and was furious our a/c had not been fixed. He made some calls and the job was done by 10am. Where was he yesterday?

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I lost a student's brother after school. That was fun.

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I work in a kindergarten class that has the school's only vegan. Yes, a five year old is being made into a vegan by his mother. That's a new one for me.

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Leo has adjusted amazingly well. In fact, it's almost like he's 'home' in a way. He is comfortable, happy, and eager to be working and napping in class. It's awesome, and I'm one proud mamma.

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Despite overcrowding in one school nearby, and two fourth grade classes bursting at the seams at my school, the school district may cut positions based strictly on our enrollment numbers. No, not that we need these people in the office running things or that we desperately need another teacher to lift the burden off of the two with forty kids in their rooms, it's all based strictly on numbers. It really boggles my mind to say the least.

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I am glad to be back. Despite the insanity that being at my school brings, I'm happy to be back. My new piano lesson schedule is also working well so far. I'm still a little worried about this set up in the long term, but, so far I'm happy and still functional despite the getting-back-into-the-new-routine fatigue. To say I needed to feel like that this week is an understatement. I'm doing a mega happy dance about it, in my head b/c I'm too tired right now.

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Hope your week is going well also!! Bisous y'all!

Tv 'Stardom'

Well today was the first day back to school. It was great, despite my concerns and lack of sleep! Leo was amazing, and I was so surprised he got right back into the routine as if we never left. However, something happened to us today that was really, very unexpected.

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We ended up on local tv!!

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I was walking to class with Leo and we literally ran right into the camera crew who were interviewing my principal. Before you know it I'm getting reigned in to an interview, camera walking around with us, the whole shebang! Mind you they did get some details wrong... you all know Leo's a service dog in training, not a full fledged service dog, and he's being trained for physical disabilities, though he's rather good with the students! That said, I think those errors will go mostly unnoticed as how can you think about such details when that adorable face is involved?? Anyway, it really was an unbelievable experience for me. To get an opportunity to share what Leo and I do day in and day out is priceless, and I will NEVER forget this experience! We're really the lucky ones, Leo and I, to get the honor of helping children learn and feel better about their lives. That said, however, I'm glad many appreciate and enjoy what we do as well!

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BTW forgive the many bum shots, the hair, and my stammering and overuse of 'like' and 'you know' It was humid and rainy today, and I so, SO was not expecting to do this at all!! Talk about thinking on the fly and then some!! At least Leo was as cute as ever and such a pro. So proud of him!!

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Enjoy!

Summer Send Off

Last night a few friends joined us in celebrating the end of summer, as well as the gainful employment of a friend (she was laid off earlier this summer), and the start of Jon's new career venture. We decided breakfast for dinner, dubbed 'binner', was the best way to go. I mean after all, who doesn't like breakfast in the Southern tradition of carbs and artery clogging goodness?

Homemade biscuits. That's right, from scratch folks. Thank you Alton Brown, and flour, for making this all possible. Oh and butter, butter, is important in making biscuits.

When there is meat and butter, or cooking of any form, there will be a dog nearby hoping against all hope that something will drop on the floor. Louie loves anything carbon based. Which means he never leaves the kitchen when anything is being cooked.

Mmmmm..... bacon.

Strawberries so sweet they didn't require any doctoring up whatsoever. It can't get more summery than perfectly ripened strawberries.

Can we say yum?

Of course, if your going Southern, and you have homemade biscuits, there must, absolutely MUST, be gravy. Preferably, sausage gravy with cream involved. Oh yeah... we went all out on this 'binner'.

And who doesn't like pigs in a blanket? Especially when they involved Havarti cheese and gourmet sausage. How could we refuse this non-traditional addition?

Mimosas. Made with real orange juice, which come to find out, means I will absolutely love drinking them. Sorry about the wine glasses, we don't have any champagne flutes around here, so, a little improv was required.

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We ate until we nearly exploded and drank through two bottles of champagne. All while watching a bootleg recording of the Book of Mormon. Not as good as seeing the show live (which if they come into town or we go to NYC I will SO pay to see it!), but, we didn't care as it still was brilliant. Such a fantastic evening and a perfect way to say adieu to summer.

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On a side note, I will say I'm sad to see summer go. Tomorrow I begin working back at the school I did last year. I'm looking forward to the kids, of course, and Leo will love being back. However, I wish summer was a little longer. I've gained so much perspective these past three months. Jon and I've talked a lot, begun planning things, figuring stuff out.... I can't help but worry that work will get in the way of all of that again and I'll end up like I was last year- just going, going, going never stopping and being worn out and miserable because of it. It's hard though. I don't make a whole lot of money at the school, but, I do need the insurance, and teaching piano lessons is smart financially, but, going between the two is a lot of work. I just wish I had more time to put things in order before I begin working full time again. Just so I could have some peace of mind that stuff is done, just in case I get too caught up in the work to survive mode. I hope I'm worrying over nothing. I guess we will see soon enough!

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Well, I'm going to end this on a happy note. Hope your summer is winding down nicely!

Good News Everybody!!

A couple of weeks ago, I made mention of some potentially exciting life stuff. Well, now I can share what's going on as the plans are in motion. A couple of weeks back Jon called me from work and asked what I thought about him working towards becoming a patent attorney. I didn't hesitate in expressing my 'approval', if you will, of that idea. Jon loves technology, new toys and such. He has always read blogs and articles pertaining to emerging technology from computer software to biotechnology. He also is artistically inclined to boot. This job field would allow these passions to merge with his schooling, not to mention, an increase in pay and opportunity as being a patent attorney is a fairly exclusive field within the legal world.

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Our excitement led to a LOT of research. Once again I say, thank God for Google! We found out that Jon would have to go back to school to gain enough science credits to qualify for the patent bar exam. The requirements vary, giving you three-four different science class combinations. Jon decided that eight hours of consecutive chemistry courses combined with twenty four hours of various biology courses would be best, and shorter option for him. It will take roughly a full year to get all he needs out of the way, if he went to school part time while still holding down his full time job.

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Next, Jon had to gain permission from his firm to be allowed some time to pursue this. Many classes he can take during the evening and there are even some courses that are offered for several hours on a Saturday. However, not all classes will be that convenient so he needs the ability to go to a morning or afternoon class during the work week. Much to our delight, Jon was given the green light to go for it. Fortunately, Jon works in the pre-paid legal division, so he isn't always having to worry about heading to court for stuff. He mainly deals with clients over the phone and writes a lot of letters on his behalf. Thanks to his ability to do all this quickly and well, gaining permission to go back to school was, to use the phrase, easy as ABC.

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Last we had to figure out a cost effective way of doing this. Though our Alma Mater offers all the courses Jon needs and is easy to get to, it's impractical as it is expensive and Jon isn't going after another degree, just some classes. We decided that going to the local community college downtown, near Jon's work office, was the place to start. Once he got his basic requirements out of the way, he will attend an Oklahoma public university that has a satellite campus in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma- a 20 ish minute drive away from our house. We've already been in contact with them and they have informed us that whatever credits Jon takes at the community college will be accepted, no problem. Both of these options won't cause us a lot of financial distress even when you take getting books into account. Jon's father has even offered to chip in for some expenditures if need be.

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So we are good to go! I'm so, so excited and nervous about this. It is about time that we start taking the steps to being productive adults! This process will take probably up to a year and a half as Jon has to, obviously, get the requirements and then take the grueling exam and pass that. I think he's up for it, as Jon is not one to commit lightly to anything. I'm hopeful that this won't be too difficult of a journey, and that cutting back on my after school piano lessons will help us during this 'phase'. I may even have to cut back more, but, we're going to see how things go through December and go from there. But hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

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Anywho, that's the big exciting news that I was holding back. Wish us, mainly Jon, lots of luck! School starts next week!!

Lazy Sunday Finds

Yesterday I spent the majority of my day on the couch. It wasn't planned that way, it just happened. I know, I know... we've heard this before, right? Well, I promise, this time it was for a good reason. Promise. See, Saturday I finally went to a yoga class with Jon. It was fan-freakin'-tastic! We were both so mellow, we were practically catatonic. It didn't last long as I agreed to help out at a sleep over that evening. A sleep over that involved five tweens and two teenagers. What was I thinking??

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So between extreme sleep-deprivation and soreness, oh and a nasty case of PMS, I spent most of my time bonding to my sofa. I needed to clean, help purge and organize the office, etc etc but, instead I surfed the internet and found some fun websites and a very thought provoking article. And of course, I must share with you all because I love you THAT much! Sharing is caring after all.

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Seductively French- A website and business started by a woman from Arizona who loves all things French. Dangerously beautiful things to look at.

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My French Country Home- Noticing the French theme? This is a blog of a UK expat, married to a Frenchman, living in the country, fixing up her home, garden, cooking, going to brocants, and sharing all of what she sees and does via gorgeous photography. Her garden has actually inspired me to work on our yard and lack of garden; even Jon loves the look of her garden and we've agreed to use it as a template for our home. I'm actually excited and have recruited a friend to help me get the beds ready for spring when fall sets in. If you know me, I rarely get excited by yard work- as in hardly ever. I blame years of weeding flower beds that never looked beautiful, so, what was the point?

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Moving Abroad. The Cons- Technically published today, but, it fits with Sunday stuff so there. Jon and I have been talking a lot about future plans and what not (post about those little gems coming soon), and of course, I love the thought of moving abroad for a little bit and have been throwing that idea out quite a bit. He's a bit more hesitant, which I understand after reading expat blogs and experiencing being a foreigner living in Japan. That article explains what could go wrong with a move abroad, especially a poorly planned one. I wonder what my expat blog friends think though. Is this article spot on? Are they missing something? Are they unjustly demonizing expatriation? Please share your thoughts! I'm eager to hear them.

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Alrighty, I'm off to be productive! So much to get ready before school starts and I'm working full time hours again. Does it ever end?? Love you guys and hope all is well where you're at!! Ta ta!*

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*I can't believe I just typed, 'Ta, ta!' on my blog. It feels so wrong, yet, what else was I going to type? So conflicting... ;-)

It's HOT

The remnants of our lawn. This photo has NOT been altered, it really looks like that.

Last year I had an entry griping about the hot weather and how it, plus my non-airconditioned tank (ie my old car), led to a bout of heat exhaustion. Well, last year's summer weather seems mild compared to this summer. It has been hot, and I mean HOT! That last sentence is an understatement, and you'll know why in a moment.

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How hot you ask? Take a gander at this article. Oklahoma has had the hottest July ever on record, no, not just for the state, but, for the whole US of A. Now, I know my freezing friends in parts of Europe would like some of this warmth, and I get that. But, believe me when I say, you do NOT want this kind of heat. It's dangerous and miserable. There's nothing about temps over 110° to enjoy. I've had to limit the amount of time the dogs are outside, take Leo on alternative routes to get into the car because the parking lots are so hot his paws could get burned. Sometimes it takes 30 minutes to an hour (depending on if there are stops or not) to cool off the car. I drink up to two liters of water a day, especially if I have dance or have errands to run. I've even had to resort to closing the doors around the house to help keep the front room cool at the hottest time of day when the sun is beating down on the west side of the home and that particular room; usually the room would warm up three degrees if I didn't take this step. Do I even need to go into how beyond grateful I am that I bought a new car that has a/c right before this hot summer started? Yeah, didn't think so!

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Last spring, Jon and I were talking about fixing up the lawn and the garden beds, but, time got away from us and it never happened. I was frustrated about that, but, now I'm SO glad we didn't do a damn thing. Yes, our yard is a major disaster, the lawn is dead despite seeding, fertilizing, and having the sprinkler system going three times a day. No worries, a couple of weeks ago we called it's time of death, and started conserving water. We wouldn't have been able to save any new plants and flowers, and I'm glad we didn't end up losing the time and money. Sad, but, true.

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Fortunately, there's an end in sight. Today the temperatures could stay under a hundred and tomorrow promises a storm and cooler temps. Many Facebook statuses have been anticipating the sweaters needed for low 90° highs. The nice part about a sweltering summer is the fact it will end at some point. And I'm trying all I can to repeat that to myself and not be so frustrated, annoyed, etc with this heat.

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Well Poop

I went back to my amazing opthamologist today for a check-up. My vision hasn't gotten dramatically better, nor worse, since I last saw him in May so I figured things were probably kosher in my defunct eye. I go in, get my crazy eyes on (ie dilated), and wait for the doc to show up. It's always busy there and so I knew it'd be a wait. No big. He comes in and starts looking at my eyes. The right one is looking good, the retina is still a bit swollen, and a cataract has formed, which we knew would happen, but, all in all a good report.

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Then he takes a gander at my left eye, which is now my 'strong' good vision out of eye. He notices that I do have some pretty good lattice degeneration going on in there. I'm thinking, "Ok, is this a problem?" and well, yeah it kinda is. Normally, this eye disease is simply monitored. If a hole and/or tear begins to form then they go in with a laser to fix things. Often, this eye disease does NOT lead to a retinal detachment in most patients; and as Wiki so kindly informed me only 40% of patients with retinal detachment have this issue, which is surprising to me, I figured it'd be higher. As my other eye had the same degeneration and we all know what that led to. So, my doc gives me the option of surgery to laser the weak tissues so as to anchor them in place and ideally prevent detachment. But, of course, there's a catch. There's always a catch...

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The surgery would not guarantee my retina in my left eye will not detach; in fact, it could lead to a detachment if my surgeon were to miss a 'weak spot' that wasn't obvious to him during the surgery. That said if we were to leave my eye be and just watch and wait, I could get a detachment as, obviously, these things tend to happen- with me. So there ya have it. FUN

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My surgeon said it's optional right now and I'm inclined to wait, at least for a little bit, before diving on into surgery. It's not ideal, but, I don't want to risk having two surgeries in one eye! We already have to go there with my right one, and it's not as if having eye surgery is a 'have four eye operations and get the fifth one free' sort of deal. Good news is, I am far more educated about the signs of retinal problems now. If anything at all were to go amiss, I know to contact my doc immediately.

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Here's to hoping my eye will just stay the way it is, at least, for now and if it decides to go, well, let's pray we get to it before my retina detaches. Fingers crossed on this one!

I Giggled

Follow this link to view this video of Matt Damon telling off a reporter and cameraman from a Libertarian organization during a rally for education earlier this week. I laughed, a lot, and even cheered. Keep in mind tenure for teachers most definitely has some issues and yes, there are some bad teachers out there no doubt. What I love about Matt's response though, is that he points out tenure isn't the issue and the problem with the US education system is actually a multitude of complex problems. LOVE IT! And it's cool that Matt Damon's mom is a teacher and he was sticking up for her, and the multitude of great teachers out there who spend countless hours and their own money to try to educate children despite a broken system. Bravo, Matt... bravo.

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We'll be back to our regularly scheduled program of the ongoing 'Great Purge and Reorganization Fest of 2011' soon. I know you guys are excited!! ;-)

My Messy [Current] Reality

Here are the promised pictures of what purging and reorganizing has been like around chez moi. I'm not going to type much because I just got back from my first Irish dance class in a month, so, I'm a wee bit... oh how do you say... out of it!

Enjoy!

Of course, where there are bags and boxes and rustling of items, there must be a cat in the middle of it all. Tibby obviously doesn't see a problem with this, and I failed to negotiate a border treaty with him. Ah well, at least he was cute about it!

I managed to consolidate four file folders into two, numerous college binders into one, and so on and so forth. I felt the rainforest sob, I did. Thank goodness for recycling to ease my guilt.

Today's effort resulted in about a hundred dollars worth of pots and pans to donate (there are more bags and boxes btw). The shelves have more room and are cleaner to boot. Can I hear an 'HALLELUJAH!!"?

The result of Jon's efforts in the garage, and my clearing of baskets, folders, one closet, and three large tubs. The garbage men are going to HATE us...

We're going to need a [MUCH] bigger bin.