Killer-B

Las Vegas...

2010-08-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

This weekend is the Lady GaGa concert in Las Vegas. I am very excited to travel to Vegas for numerous reasons.

#1 It's been far too long since I have had a Vegas trip. The last time I was in Vegas ,I believe, was a stop on our way to our Mexican cruise.

#2 Leslie will be traveling with us to Vegas. Leslie moved to Pittsburgh a few months ago, so it will be fun to have her on this trip.

#3 We are staying at the Mandalay Bay Casino. I LOVE Mandalay Bay, but have never stayed there. I am thrilled to be staying in such a nice hotel.

#4 The Gypsy. This is one of my favorite places to visit in Vegas. A dive gay bar where craziness always ensues.

#5 The amazingly talented Lady GaGa who I know will not disappoint.

#6 Shopping. Vegas has some of the greatest shopping ever! Even just window shopping in Vegas keeps me content.

#7 A nice break before school begins. I start working full-time again on Monday. Vegas will be the perfect little re-energizer before I have to fully commit to the 3rd grade.

#8 Nora's. One of the finest Italian restaurants I have ever dined.

#9 Road Trip! I think the length of time it takes to get to Vegas is just right for a road trip.

#10 Getting the hell away from my old job and out of Utah! This is my last week of work at my "summer job" and I am thrilled to be saying "goodbye" by taking off two days and heading to LAS VEGAS! What a perfect way to end the summer!

Do You Believe in the Power of the Cookie?

2010-07-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I lunched at a little Chinese diner that I frequent. At the end of the meal our standard fortune cookie was delivered with the bill. I cracked my cookie open and read… “An Unexpected Payment Is Waiting For You.” Later that day, when I got home and checked our mail, I found a check from my school that was completely unexpected. Coincidence?

Turns out the check is my food stipend for my trip to Seattle…but still…how crazy is that? I should have bought a lotto ticket right then and there!

Update

2010-07-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

Apparently I do not have a faulty gallbladder. I spoke to my doctor and that does not seem to be the issue. SORT OF. My doctor said my gallbladder looked normal, but then proceeded to tell me I have something called "fatty liver disease." Usually this is caused two ways. #1 too much fat in your diet and #2 too much alcohol in your diet. Now, when I looked up fatty liver disease on the Internet I read that usually when the cause of this is pertaining to option #1 it means the person is Obese. I would say that I have a few pounds to lose, but I am no where close to being an Obese person. So...most likely #2 applies to me more. When we spoke my doctor told me to go easy on the fatty food and alcohol and we will follow up in 6 months and see if anything changes. I have noticed that when I don't drink, and I eat healthier and exercise that I do feel better. However, she said that the stomach pain I have been feeling for the last six months really shouldn't be attributed to this new finding, as fatty liver doesn't have any general symptoms, and most people don't know they even have it. So...now I have two options. Option 1...wait and see if it gets better. Option 2...go see a gastroenterologist. My dad has his gallbladder out a few months ago and nothing EVER showed up on his Ultrasound, so there is a slight chance it could still be gallbladder related. I think I'm going to try to live a healthier lifestyle and see if it gets any better. If not, it's off to the tummy doctor.

Ultra-Hell!

2010-07-20T12:30:00.000-07:00

I had the extremely unpleasant experience of having an ultrasound taken this morning. My ribs are still throbbing. The reason for this ultrasound is that there is a slight possibility I have a bad Gallbladder, and the ultrasound was our test to find out. Gallbladder. Ugh. Bane of my existence. Even the word Gallbladder is ugly. But I digress.

Now, when I hear the word "ultrasound," I think of delicate pregnant women, with their massive bellies, having cool jelly squirted onto their tummies, and then receiving a gentle massage by a plastic camera. The procedure seems calm, and soothing in the movies, and at the end of it all you usually find out something wonderful that goes along with your participation in the miracle of life. It's joyous, exciting, and pleasant.

My ultrasound however hurt like a MOTHER! First off, the jelly they squirt on you is hot. I didn't know this, nor did I prepare for it. I'm not sure if the jelly is always served warm, or if this particular tube had been recently heated in the microwave for that days usage, but when it shot across my stomach the fear of being scalded to death caused a scream to leap from my lips. "Oh, is that too warm?" The technician inquired.

Next, they had me lie on my side to begin the ultrasound. The camera they use moves smoothly enough across the skin, but when the technician finds an area she needs to photograph she digs the camera into your body, then asks you to take a deep breath and hold it. When this is being done against a fleshly part of your stomach, it is mildly uncomfortable. When it is being done to your rib cage, it makes you want to die. The worst part of it IS the fact that the technician asks you to take a deep breath and hold it. Easy enough under normal circumstances, but when you are already in pain, you are sort of holding your breath as a result of the shallow breathing you are naturally doing. Having to inhale deeply and then focus on holding it, while your ribs are being separated by a camera, makes it a tad bit difficult. Also, when the technician forgets to tell you to start breathing again (which happened on several occasions) it is rather unbearable. In fact, at one point, after finally picking up on my discomfort level, the technician asked if I was doing OK.

"Is this supposed to hurt?" I winced.

"Yeah, when I'm by your ribs it will be a bit uncomfortable."

"Oh good, because I thought maybe I was dying. Do you press that hard on pregnant women?"

"Well, we don't really need to see their ribs, so they generally don't complain." The technician responded with a smirk on her face that led me to wonder if she thought I was being a baby about it.

Finally, the most agonizing part of the whole ordeal is the fact that ultrasound technicians can't tell you whether they found anything or not. My own technician had to call in an older, more experienced technician, who then talked about how difficult it was to see anything in my body, which leads me to believe they didn't find what they were searching for. Unfortunately I have no idea because they can't read me my results, my doctor has to. So...until I hear from my doctor I have no idea what is going on. The Gallbladder saga continues.

At least the ultra-hell is done with. My bruised ribs will eventually feel back to normal. I hope.

Look What I Can Do!

2010-07-18T22:08:00.001-07:00

3 hours later and the new book case looks like this...

Yeah, I'm pretty handy. I did it all by myself!

1 1/2 hours after that and the book case looks like this...

Mad book shelf decorating skills right?

A day and a 1/2 later and the office looks like this...

AND THIS...

These are horrible pictures, especially this one, but at least you can the Robin's Egg Blue wall.

Home Office is coming along nicely.

Like a fish.

2010-07-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Swimming is hard. Especially when you have never had a lesson a day in your life. My parents believed in the "toss him in and let him figure it out" method. I hung onto the wall until I was 13 years old and taught myself how to swim. Lately though, I am on a bit of a health kick and part of that healthy lifestyle change means I am trying to take up swimming. I joined a local Recreational Center where there is a small gym (perfect for weight training), basketball court with indoor track (perfect for winter), classes like yoga and jazzercise (perfect for homos), and of course a pool with Olympic size lanes. Well, at least I think they are Olympic size. They seem rather large to me. I bought me a pair of nice goggles and a nose plug, which looks completely ridiculous on me, and I have been swimming twice. The first time I was completely comfortable as I had a lane to myself. I tried all sorts of different lap styles. The butterfly/frogger one, the going backwards type, the breast stroke (that's a real one right?), the go under water and just kick your feet while keeping your arms out straight, the swim as hard as you can and see how long it takes you to get to the end, 27 seconds btw. As you can tell, I have NO idea what I am doing. Last night when I went to swim the lanes were completely full. I debated leaving, but decided this might be a common occurrence at the pool and I needed to get over my fears if I want to become a person with a swimmers body, the ultimate goal. I sought out the kindest looking person, someone who would not yell at me, too much, if I happened to splash their face while flopping around next to them. It was a woman around my age with a nice smile.

I asked, "Mind if I share your lane?"

She responded sweetly, "Of course. No problem."

So far, so good.

When I entered the lane I said, "So, I'm not a swimmer, what is the etiquette for sharing a lane?"

"Well, you really just share sides if there are only two of us. I'll take the left if you want to swim right. If there are more than two then most people circle swim. There is plenty of room though for us."

"Great! Thanks." I replied.

I peeled the goggles over my noggin and onto my eyes, applied my ridiculous nose plug, and began my best attempt at looking like someone who can actually swim. When I got to the end of the pool my lane partner offered up a tip...

"You should try to focus on shoulder roll and keeping your body horizontal, not pulling with your arms or kicking with your legs. It will help with your resistance."

"Ok." I respond energetically. AND, even though I have no idea what she means, I take her advice as if I do, and on the next lap I try to focus on rolling my shoulders and not kicking my feet so much. This leads me to sinking directly to the bottom on the pool and then flopping heavily on the surface to get back into a stride. I pull myself together and attempt another lap.

More advice...

"It's more of a slapping technique. You cup your hands like reaching into a pickle jar, and then penetrate the water with your fingers angled down and fully extend your arm well beneath your head."

Fist off, a stranger said "penetrate" to me, which makes me giggle inside. But after listening to her advice I decide to try this pickle-slap method. More flailing ensued.

I am unrelenting, and give it another go. Even more advice.

"Try to keep yourself horizontal by keeping your head in line with your spine — you should be looking straight down."

This one seems doable. Keep your head down. Got it. I give it a whirl and end up swimming into the side of the wall.

"Watch out for that wall. It's tough when you are on the sides."

Look. I know this lady was probably a swim coach, or swam on a high school team. It was very kind of her to try to help me out. I'm sure by jumping in the pool and announcing, "I'm not a swimmer," I opened the flood gates for advice. However, this is a leisurely activity I am trying out. I wasn't prepared to take an official swim lesson. Even though I'm sure what she was saying would help my technique, without a proper hands on lesson I am completely lost. Thank God at that moment swim lessons began and they asked all adults to exit the pool. An energetic 5 year old jumped into our lane and began swimming the entire length at a rapid pace. As I was toweling off my swim partner nudged me and said, "See. Look how he slaps the water!"

I smiled, picked up my tee shirt, and walked away.

I saw an advertisement for adult swim lessons at the center. I may need to sign up for them if I am going to take this new goal seriously. I really want to continue swimming, but after last night's adventure I am beginning to wonder if people are watching me in the pool and thinking, "What is this dude doing? Why isn't he penetrating the water with his pickle-slap?"

Yes, yes...lessons may be beneficial.

Get It Together...

2010-07-06T16:36:00.000-07:00

Current Goals:

1. Become a swimmer-I got the goggles and nose plug and I actually swam for 20 minutes today. Go me!

2. Save money-I can't spend any money on myself until my trip to Las Vegas in August.

3. Floss and brush-I do this already, don't think I'm disgusting. I just need to work on the proper technique so my dentist will stop yelling at me.

4. Branch out musically-Thanks to a "mellow" night in St. George I realized that I need some new stuff on my ipod. Anyone with fantastic artists/songs send them my way.

5. Meditate-I had decided a long time ago I was going to try to meditate for one week solid. At the time I never made it come to fruition. Perhaps it is time to give it another shot?

6. Read more-With the start of book club this goal is well on its way to getting accomplished.

7. Drink 64 ounces of water at least 5 days a week: I definitely don’t drink enough water on a regular basis, and given there are so many health benefits, this will help me get back on the healthy rehydration train.

8. Get out more-What's happening out there that is cool and different?

9. Stop caring what people think-I don't want to be so paranoid anymore. I feel like it causes lots of anxiety and unneeded worry. STOP ALREADY.

10. Attain more tranquility in my life-With the accomplishment of said goals above this one will happen.

Out of curiosity I was reading about ways to obtain personal goals and I came across an interesting article. It is a list of "The World's Most Popular Goals." Check it out here.

Goals or a "Bucket List?" I'm not really sure.

Serena: Portrait of a Serial Killer (a series of e-mails)

2010-06-28T13:13:00.001-07:00

My dog is a serial killer. I've tried stopping her in the past, but a third victim was found this morning.

E-mail #1 From Me

-Serena killed another baby bird last night. That is the third baby bird she has killed. They keep building their nests in the trees above our “back yard” space and they fall out of the nests and can’t get out from inside the wall. She was playing with it last night, batting it back and forth and I made her stop. This morning when I watered the plants I found it’s dead little body.

E-mail #2 From Casey

-The bird was sick and injured. Serena was just putting it out of its misery. She was actually being very sweet.

E-mail #3 From Me

-Don’t stand up for her! She’s a serial killer! If you lie in a court of law you are an accessory to murder! I’m going to lose my husband and my daughter all at once! Oh lord! Who will take me in?

E-mail #4 From Casey

-Nobody because you’re a huge nerd!

E-mail #5 From Me

-If Serena kills anymore animals we are going to have to buy this sign for our yard…THAT MONSTER!

As I stated earlier this was the 3 victim in her murdering spree. The first time I caught her playing with a baby bird, she was pawing it with her huge monster paws, and treating it like a simple toy. I moved the bird up to the cement ledge in the hope of saving it's poor little life. Unfortunately it must have fallen back into our yard because I found it lifeless the next day. We had a dog psychic come and visit Serena (this was a funny birthday present for Casey) just a few weeks after this initial attack. The psychic, without knowing anything about this story told us, "Serena thinks it's funny you don't let her hunt. I see her playing with a small animal outside and you taking it away from her." Pretty crazy right? Yeah, this lady was good.

Even though it is a part of who Serena is, I still don't like that fact that she kills other animals. I guess no parent is thrilled to find out their child is a vicious killer. I will support her, but I won't allow her to play with baby birds and I will continue to put them up on the ledge.

Can We Talk...

2010-06-28T12:59:00.000-07:00

I saw the Joan Rivers documentary (Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work) this weekend and let me just say that it was hilarious. I remember watching Joan Rivers growing up. Her talk show was one of my favorite things to do in the afternoon after school. Wait, was it on after school, or was during the day and I only got to see it in the summer? Either way, my grandmother and I watched it together whenever we could. Joan Rivers and The Young and the Restless (but that is a different story for another time).

Joan Rivers is described as an Icon, and I could not agree more. The woman is 75 years old and as I sat watching her travel the country and work 2-3 shows a day I was exhausted thinking about it. You put me on that type of work schedule (a 29 year old) and I would pass out on you. It was amazing to me to see the dedication to her craft. It is very disheartening to me that someone who works as hard as she does, is still considered a bit of a joke in the entertainment industry. I hope that this documentary will make people view her in a whole new light. Maybe critics should watch what she has to offer with their grandmothers. Perhaps they'd form a bond?

slooooooowwwwwwww summer.

2010-06-25T09:31:00.000-07:00

Summer has been so slow. I have only done two simple summer things to date.

#1 Bonfire. Roasted hot dogs. Made smores. Had fun.
#2 Swimming. Indoors? Is that summer-y?

Our pool has yet to open. I have no idea why. We are in a HOA and pay over $3000 (as a building, not myself, oh I'd pissed) to run a pool for 3 months. It is now July and NO pool. Sad.

I do have some fun summer plans coming, a trip to St. George, Lady GaGa in August, a few parties. It just feels like it has taken forever to get here. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I am working at my old job this summer. Becoming a teacher was the WORST decision of all time when it comes to comparing these two jobs. I was perfectly content being miserable before I saw the light of teaching. Now that I have been educated on the job that I truly love doing, being back to my old position makes me want to scratch my eyes out. Honestly. It is the worst hell I can imagine. The money's good though.

I just need more pool time, fireworks, some Lagoon or State Fair or other type of environment that displays people with too much confidence rocking mullets and tank tops that expose nipples, before I really feel like summer has begun.

Thank goodness this weekend is the Arts Festival. Perhaps I will catch a glimpse of the Summertime I am in need of there?

Bring it.

The greatest thing I've ever heard (recently)...

2010-06-17T12:28:00.001-07:00

"Going to church makes you a Christian, about as much as going to a garage makes you a car." -Dan Savage's Mom

Loss

2010-06-17T10:28:00.000-07:00

Recently I've been thinking about nature of loss, and how we all want to deny to ourselves that it will ever happen to us. We want to believe that every love is our last love, that our dog will outlive us, that our job will continue to be a perfect fit forever, that our health will continue until we drop dead, which we won't ever do anyway, and that our friends will never move away or betray us or simply grow more distant over the years. Why is it that everything good in life has to come to an end? If you enjoy something, you don't want to see it end, but ultimately it does. A good book, an entertaining film, holidays, vacations, emotions, relationships. It is depressing to look at life as an endless series of loss. I believe this is why people live their lives with a sense of optimism. If not, can you imagine how hard it would be to get through a single day? I have never been a depressive type of person. But thinking about this sense of overwhelming loss in life, I can see why people would get stuck in that dark place. I'm reminded of a quote I read once. "A goodbye isn't painful, unless you are never going to say hello again." This is the perfect reason to live on optimistic life. Sure we suffer loss in life, but think of all the experiences we say hello to? Yes the vacation may come to an end, but there will be new places to explore. Yes we will lose friends along the way, but think of the possibilities of meeting new people who will inspire and change our life. Yes we will lose loved ones, but the human heart and soul are capable of recovering and feeling again. Love and loss go hand in hand, and no matter how much we avoid it, it is a part of the human experience. It makes us who we are, the good and the bad. Loss is the price we pay to experience happiness. Perhaps it is a fair trade?

What's new Seattle?

2010-06-16T14:07:00.000-07:00

My school is sending me to Seattle in August for a two day conference on our reading and math programs. Fortunately, I will arrive a day early and will be able to do some sight seeing. Now, I've been to Seattle once, it was about 7 years ago, and I saw the needle, I hit up a few popular bars/clubs, and I walked around the city. It was also a two day trip, so not a lot of time was spent. I'm wondering what I should do this time around? What has changed in the last 7 years? What are "must sees" or "dos" in Seattle? Suggestions please?

Schools Out For Summer...

2010-06-11T07:02:00.000-07:00

"No more pencils, no more books, no more student's dirty looks!"

This saying could not have been more true than on my last day of school. I do not know what it was (over stimulation perhaps) but my last day of school was horrific! Here I have spent four months working at changing the behavior and attitudes of my third graders, and on the last day they go and get recess taken away from them. Here's how it happened....

The last day for me was really a "fly by the seat of my pants" situation. We were doing school awards at 10:00, and classroom awards after that. I was told that if parents came to the awards ceremony they were allowed to take their child home right after. The students who stayed usually helped clean up and organize the room with you, it's called busy work, and it is much needed when children are restless. Well, that morning I had a student ask me,

"Mr. C are we going to make yearbooks that we can all sign?"

To me, this was the single greatest idea to EVER come out of a third grader's mouth on the last day of school! I LOVED IT and told the class to start working on their yearbooks. A simple fold of two pieces of paper, two staples, some markers, and voila! A yearbook they could have each student sign. FANTASTIC! I made myself a little year book, sat at the back table, and proceeded to sign each of my remaining student's books. It was great. They loved making them, and loved signing them, and it kept them completely quiet and working busily.

Well, later that afternoon, after our awards, I had one student who was signed out by his mother. However, he was still at the school watching his siblings "graduation" ceremonies. When I ran into his mother in the hallway later that day, she proceeded to hand me her son's yearbook and say,

"Would you open to page two and read please?"

I opened the yearbook and read in giant purple letters..."U SUCK!-Student's Name" (yes, this kid was dumb enough to have signed his hateful message) Needless to say, this parent was very upset. I reassured her that I would solve the problem and that we could make her son a new yearbook if needed.

After I got back to the classroom, pulled the student into the hallway, began having my serious discussion about being remembered as the "mean kid who wrote nasty messages in yearbooks" I discovered that this particular student was not the only child in my classroom writing "U SUCK" in their classmates books. Oh no, there were about 8 of these children running around, spreading their message of "suckiness." Not only did we have to edit (tear out pages) and have children rewrite positive messages, but my student's also had recess privileges taken away. Who loses recess on the last day of school? WHO? They hadn't done anything in four months severe enough to revoke recess, and ended up having it taken away the last day.

It came as no shock to me that on my last day I only received one hug from a student. It was not the greatest way to spend our last day together, but hopefully they learned from the experience.

So yes...my first "sort of year" is over with finally. Although it was a rough start, and bumpy along the way, I do feel like it went well. I have convinced myself that having a class from the start of the year will make all the difference in the world. Hopefully that is true. I had a great bunch of kids this year. It was just a lot of work to take over, and have them get used to my way of doing things. I learned so much from the experience, and I feel like I have really grown as a teacher. I hope that I don't "suck."

Bursts of laughter...and other noises.

2010-05-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

Why is it that I can't reprimand a student for farting loudly in class and disturbing everyone, without bursting into laughter myself. I know it is very disrespectful, and usually quit stinky, and that they shouldn't get away with it. Yet, every time it happens I can't help but laugh when I am trying to be serious.

The little stinkers.

Classic-al!

2010-03-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

The other day I thought it would be fun to introduce my class to Classical Music. We were working independently on some math assignment when I pulled up a little ditty by the wonderful Beethoven. I asked if anyone in the class could tell me who was playing over the speakers. Only one student raised his hand. When I called on him he responded, "It's Beethoven."

"Good job! How did you know that?" I replied.

"My mom makes me listen to this crap at home."

"Oh, ok."

Even though there were giggles and a few moans when I first put on the music, by the end of the song my students were intrigued, and a few of them even asked for more.

The next day, another male student of mine came in and said, "Mr. Christensen, my uncle played me some of that 80's music last night that you like."

"What music?"

"You know, the music you played for us in class yesterday. The old stuff from the 80's."

"Yeahhhhh...you are about 400 years off."

KIDS!

Funny things that happen at school...

2010-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

So the last time I wrote on my blog I was interviewing for a third grade teaching position. Since then, I got the job, I took over a classroom for a teacher who had to move, and I have been teaching for the last month and a half. I have decided that since my day is full of randomness, and crazy children, that I need to start using this blog to write down the funny stories, or comments I experience in my class. I'll still talk about life, but I really want to share the joy of teaching...which is freak children who crack me up!

Today we were talking about our vocabulary words. One of the words we were reviewing was the word "tough." To give an example I said..."Look at Leo, he thinks he's a tough guy." Leo then proceeded to show off his muscles...kiss each bicep on his tiny little arms...and make grunting noises like a professional wrestler. I then burst into uncontrollable laughter and called him a "little nerd" between wiping away the tears.

What does a job interview really say about you?

2010-01-23T09:55:00.000-08:00

I don't understand how asking someone a bunch of simple, standard questions (that the person already assumes they are going to ask, so they prep for them) allows an HR person to get to know the real you. I think it is interesting that by law you aren't allowed to ask the questions that would really help to show the true character of a person.

For example:

"Do you beat your wife and kids?"
"Are you or have you ever been an alcoholic?"
"Do you currently have a drug addiction you are trying to get over?"
"Have you ever worked as a prostitute?"
"Do any of the following apply to you: Kleptomaniac, Pyromaniac, Nymphomaniac?"

Don't you think a person who had to answer these question would be showing a lot more of their true nature than someone who tells you what their "greatest strengths" are?

Yet, we can't ask these personal types of questions because it is against the law and could be taken as offensive. However, you could still hire the crazy guy who does beat his wife and kids because he prepared ahead for the questions about how he uses "time management" and what "three words others would use to describe him." It is fascinating to me that we can't be more specific in job interviews. I have met some true crazies that HR has hired, and if they had been allowed to ask some of the above they would have saved themselves a lot of time and money.

BTW...this crazy person could just as easily be a woman who beats her husband and kids, but for my example I went with a man.

Brilliant!

2010-01-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

You know what I love?

Cardigans and TOMs shoes.

You know what is brilliant?

A wine decanter. It makes wine taste amazing!

You know what looks super dapper and makes you feel like an intelligent man?

Tying your own bow tie. None of this pre-tied nonsense.

You know what is super cozy and the perfect thing to wrap yourself in after a long day of work?

A blanket handmade by one of your best friends. It is my very own so Casey and I do not have to fight over the California Raisin blanket his next door neighbor made for him when he was six.

You know what makes me laugh so hard I can't hold back the tears?

Leslie. And the fact that she bought me a set of women's nightshirts from the DI.

You know what is thoughtful?

Friends who give gift cards so that you can buy whatever you want. AND...friends who listen to what you want and pick out something great. Also...friends who don't ask you what you want, but find you a gift you love.

You know what I got this year for my birthday?

All of the above.

Master Brandon

2009-12-30T14:51:00.000-08:00

Sometimes while I'm sitting at the computer, or watching television, or faking interest in someone else's conversation, it dawns on me. I have my Masters. It truly is an amazing feeling. Being the first person on either side of my family (with the exception of my Dad's Dad) to graduate from college was a huge accomplishment for me. Now, being the first person on either side (period) to graduate with a Masters is even more important. I am so grateful that I had parents who encouraged me to succeed in Education. It is my love of learning (even though Casey would disagree with that statement...he thinks I'd rather watch reality television than pick up a book) that has brought me this far. I just wish having your Masters was recognized somehow. If people with Doctorate degrees are called "Doctor," why aren't people with their Masters' degree called "Master?"In some ways, having the “Master” title might be more awesome than being called “Doctor”.

“Hello, I’m Master Brandon. Pleased to meet you.”

I feel like I've earned that title, and people should start using it. I also feel like I've earned the right to start wearing bow ties. And so I have been. A bow tie is grown up and sophisticated, just like a person with a Masters degree is.

From now on please refer to me as Master Brandon, especially if you see me in a bow tie.

I'm back...

2009-11-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

It has been far to long since I have blogged about anything to do with my life. This will be a quick catch-up blog for those who are interested.

I finished up with my student teaching. YAY! It was a wonderful experience in the long run. Even though it was one of the most stressful and difficult things I have ever had to do, it proved to me how much I love teaching. I had such an amazing class and each and every one of them touched my heart in some way. I could not have asked for more. They were a handful at times(to prove to me that teaching is hard work and you have to be a disciplinarian), they were hysterical at times (to prove to me how great it is to be around children all day), and they were challenging at times (to prove to me that I have to be on top of my game if I am going to succeed). On the last day of student teaching my kids surprised me with a tee-shirt that they had all signed the back of, a book of letters they had each written to say good-bye, and a little going-away party. Knowing I would be an emotional wreck by the end of the day, the last thing Casey had said to me that morning was, "Don't cry. It's not good for the kids." Well, I was doing quit well until my mentor had me sit in a circle of my students and asked them each to say one thing they liked about me. I was a mess by the end. They had the greatest comments for me...everything from, "You have the coolest shoes" to "You are the greatest teacher I have ever had." Needless to say the waterworks came and as soon as they all saw me crying, they started to cry. I made 22 8 year olds cry in a matter of seconds. I'm a MONSTER!

Since student teaching ended I've gone back to work full-time and am trying to substitute for my school district whenever possible. It is a great way to get your name out there and to network. So far I have been back four times to sub and it is going well. Substituting is far different than student teaching. As a student teacher the kids took me serious and treated me with respect. As a "substitute" all rules go out the window. Even the classes I taught as a student teacher treat me differently now. What is it about the word "substitute" and the need to push the boundaries of human decency? It is crazy what these kids will try to get away with. I'm not in love with substituting. Perhaps if the money was better I would try to do it more often, but for now once or twice a week will suffice.

Christmas is just around the corner and I must say that I am on fire this year. I already have Casey completely gifted and wrapped sitting underneath the tree with the exception of one additional gift I had to purchase because of poor decision making on my behalf. I'm still waiting for this said gift to show up at my door from China. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE gift wrap, ribbons, tags, and wrapping. Wrapping presents is therapeutic to me. It is honestly one of my great loves in life. I would love to work in the mall wrapping presents for people, but unfortunately the free gift wrap they supply you with is not up to my standards. I believe in beautiful packages...not paper covered in "Barnes and Noble" or "Layton Hills Mall" logos. It just doesn't do it for me. With that said this year I am hand making tags and doing a whole black and white theme for each gift. They look fantastic sitting together under the tree. Yes...my tree is up already! As controversial as it may sound, it has been up for almost a week now. We are hosting Thanksgiving this year for my family and I didn't have time to get it up the night before so that it could look festive for this lame holiday, nor would I have time to do it ON Thanksgiving (which is usually the standard) since we'd have everyone to deal with, and food to cook and clean up, so we put it up early. Besides, if I didn't have a tree then all of Casey's gifts would still be sitting on the new bench we bought for the kitchen. Not a cute look.

(Not mine...but you sort of get the idea)

Oh yeah...we updated our kitchen in the last few months. We finally got some color in there to help make our semi-newly painted cabinets pop. We went with a Restoration Grey and Blue scheme and it looks great. We also hung a chandelier, some new art work, and bought a bench and table to make the wall across from our dinning table a little more cozy and useful. The changes look great and we couldn't be happier with them. All that is left is new counter tops, a back splash, and updated appliances and the kitchen will be practically perfect. All in good time.

Well, there is not much left to talk about. At least not in this blog.

HaPpY hOlIdAyS fRiEnDs!

2 Reasons Why I Love Teaching...

2009-09-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

#1 The third grade teachers in my school teach rotations of science and social studies lessons. Today I had to go next door to teach my first science lesson to the other third grade classroom. When I was walking back to my regular classroom a student of mine said...

"Hey Mr. Christensen, how did your lesson go?"

My response to this completely adorable and totally off the wall question was...

"It went well buddy, thanks for asking!"

#2 I was teaching acrostic poems to my class the other day. Our first poem was an example based off of a story we were reading about penguins. P-E-N-G-U-I-N-S were the letters my class had to fill in with descriptions about the Antarctic birds. Later I had the class create a poem using their own names. I wrote my last name going down the white board as an example, and asked the students to help me think of clever, descriptions for myself. I told them I wanted to use things like onomatopoeia and alliteration. When we got to the letter "T" in Christensen I asked my students to help me. Their response was...

"T-alented, terrific, teacher!"

I swear I almost shed a tear! My students make me smile everyday! I love my job!

I loathe late work!

2009-09-18T16:08:00.000-07:00

So far student teaching in 3rd grade has been a blast. I am learning so much from this experience and I am very grateful to have such a wonderful mentor who is open and honest and knows what she is doing. It has been amazing to see her wonderful teaching skills at work and to gain such useful techniques for my own teaching experience.

However, I do have one major problem with student teaching so far. Late work!!! Well, actually, it's the way my mentor handles late work. I understand that you need to teach children to be responsible when it comes to turning in their assignments. I don't think anyone should get a free ride, so I agree that students need to be held accountable for getting their homework in on time. The problem that I am having with late work is that my mentor holds these fun projects over the student's heads in order to bribe them into turning in their work on time. I don't know how she normally carries out this plan, but because I'm in the classroom this is how it has taken place the last two weeks....

Mentor- (tells the students) "If you have all of your assignments turned in you get popcorn and a fun art project to work on this afternoon. If you don't...you are in for recess and you will sit and work until they are completed."

Me- (thinking to myself) "Oh, that sounds reasonable."

Students- (thinking to themselves) "OH MY GOD! I HAVE TO GET MY WORK DONE RIGHT NOW! IF I DON'T FINISH THIS MATH ASSIGNMENT AND TURN IT INTO THE CLOSEST OBJECT THAT RESEMBLES A HOMEWORK BASKET IMMEDIATELY MY LIFE WILL END!!!"

As you can imagine, this causes some major panic and drama for an 8 year old. For the next three hours all I hear is..."Do I have any missing work? What do I need to do now? I turned that in already, why don't you have it? I put that in the basket! I swear I've turned that in! What does it look like? What am I missing still? Can I have my fun project now? Why don't I get to work on the art project? "So and So" is eating their popcorn in front of me and it makes me sad! What am I missing still? Did you get that assignment yet? Can I start my art project now? What am I still missing? I'm done with that assignment where do I put it? Am I missing anything? Is this the right assignment? I can't find my assignment, can I have another one? Can I cross my name off the board and start my fun project?" ETC. ETC. ETC.

By the end of our "Fun Fridays" I want to blow my brains out! I don't understand what my mentor used to do before me to keep this process on track and running smoothly? Right now, they all come running to me with their questions because they don't want to ask her and be in trouble for not knowing what to do. My problem is that I can't handle 20 kids asking me questions all at once, and have to know what has and hasn't been turned in yet, and who is or isn't prepared, and which kids do or don't get to start the fun projects that we dedicate our "Fun Fridays" too! Right now fun Fridays are not much fun at all. In fact they are more like nervous breakdown Fridays for me. There has got to be a better way to handle this late work issue. I am open to any and all suggestions. PLEASE!!!! SHARE YOUR WISDOM WITH ME!

3rd Grade Shenanigans

2009-09-07T10:47:00.000-07:00

Student teaching is far more complicated than I ever thought. With all the lesson planning, paper grading, faculty meetings, and photo copying to accomplish it is amazing to me that I still have time to get in my 2 hours a night at work (my real job that actually pays me). The issue I have with student teaching is that you don't REALLY get to teach things your way. Sure you get to be in front of the class and be in charge of the kids, but you are basically a guest in someone else's house and they like things done their way. I understand this completely. I wouldn't want some "kid" coming into my well established classroom and making up a bunch of new rules, regulations, and rewards based on their own beliefs that alter what I have already taught. It is just strange to see things in the classroom that you are fundamentally against, and yet you have to carry them out because you are the "guest." It sounds like I am complaining about my placement, but I'm really not. I am learning so much from my mentor teacher. I know there is a rhyme and reason for the things she does, and for some reason, even when she pulls those cards or disciplines the kids, they come back the next day loving her. They are sort of like dogs in that aspect; you punish, but they still show you unconditional love.

My class is fantastic this year. I could not have asked for better students. The majority of them are super bright and have these fantastic little personalities that I can't wait to get to know better. Like every class though, we do have some low kids, and there are definitely some behavioral children, but honestly nothing you couldn't handle on a day to day basis. I really lucked out with this classroom. They are polite, well spoken, funny, and seem to enjoy both school and learning. It's going to be an exciting ten weeks. Well... eight actually. I can't believe it, I'm two weeks down already.

Moaning Myrtle(s)...

2009-08-03T08:34:00.001-07:00

I had two separate experiences with moaning woman on Sunday. For most men that sounds as if it would be a rather enjoyable afternoon, but for me it was just uncomfortable. Let me explain...

First, I had breakfast at Cafe Normandie on Sunday where I sat across from an older woman (mid 40's I'd say) who kept moaning every time she raised a leg, or stood, or sat, or even slightly moved her body; including raising her fork. I later learned (by the shear volume of her voice during conversation) that she had gone on an "intense" 40 mile bike ride earlier in the day. This I can only assume explains why she showed up to brunch wearing a hot pink and black sports bra. Her and her "girls" had a hell of a time working out that morning, and apparently she was feeling the results at brunch.

Later, I went to the Broadway Theater to see the film Food, Inc. and there was a woman two rows behind me who kept making moans of enjoyment at the fact that she was either sitting in a cool theater, eating a bucket of delicious popcorn, OR about to see a film she was very excited for. I couldn't really tell what the moans were about, but those are some suggestions.

For the remainder of my Sunday everything I did involved a moan of delight...

"Let's make some cookies."

"MMmmm okay!"

"Want to watch the new Design Star?"

"MMmmmmmm definitely."

"How do you feel about burritos for dinner?"

"MMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm sounds good!"

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. It got a laugh every time!

PRAXIS Makes Perfect!

2009-07-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

I am taking the PRAXIS on Saturday. This is the test that is required by the state of Utah for teacher licensing. If I happen to not pass the test I have the first three years of my career to retake it so that I am ensured a position and license. While studying for this test I have realized that no matter how prepared Westminster has made me for teaching in the classroom, they have done NOTHING to refresh my memory on the material we learn as children. I can't believe how much I have forgotten when it comes to mathematics. Some of the questions I am completely blown away by. Do you remember how to convert improper fractions? WHAT??? It has been quite the awakening for me to have to remember all of the different formulas for solving equations. It's not that I can't do the math, I just have to figure out how you do it.

Also, I have forgotten how ridiculous high stakes test taking really is. It has been years since I have had to take a bubble sheet test. The study book I bought gives you all of these suggestions for making the test taking experience as pleasant as possible. Suggestions such as...Read the newspaper everyday the week before, this will help your brain become used to words and sentences you may not be familiar with...Start an exercise routine and make sure you eat healthy the week of...Map out a route and conduct a dry run of the time it takes you to get to the testing center, this will ensure you know how to find your way and that you can arrive at the testing site (not the parking lot) at least 15 minutes before the testing begins. As helpful as these suggestions are, they really freak me out! Is this a test or a life style change they are asking for? I can't imagine the pressure today's students feel when taking high stake tests in school and knowing that they affect their future outcome.

Even though I am a little apprehensive about taking the PRAXIS I keep hearing that it isn't as bad as you think, and that it is quite easy to pass. I hope that is the case for me, and if it isn't, at least I have three years to work on it.

My Dog Is Cuter Than Your Dog...My Dog Is A Member Of The Honor Roll...My Dog Can Beat Up Your Dog!

2009-07-10T12:46:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would become one of those people. You know the ones. They are obsessed with how smart, cute, funny, personable, talented, attractive their dogs are. I had dogs growing up, my very own dog in fact, and I was never one of those people.

However, with the addition of Serena, our little Cocker Spaniel, I have totally become"One of THOSE people!" She's perfect.

BTW...everywhere we take Serena we hear, "Oh my gosh, she's so-o cute. I had a Cocker growing up." We've decided (and by "we" I mean my shit head friends who tease Case and I for how much we love S) that Cocker Spaniels were the dog of the 80's. Everyone had one "growing up," but how often do you see them now? (Oprah doesn't count)

She may be the dog of the 80's, but thanks to Casey and I the 80's are back. We are starting the new trend of Cockers as current pets. Jump on the bandwagon while it's still hot people!

2nd Proposal

2009-06-22T09:35:00.000-07:00

The ring...it's a much darker color in person.

So...Casey proposed to me this weekend. Well, sort of. I sent out a message saying that he did, and I got a lot of confused responses back. Mainly, "Didn't you already do that?"

Well, the answer is, yes I did. I guess I don't know what to call it. He gave me a ring in return for the ring that I gave to him. I've been responding to the confusion by saying that in our relationship we both have to ask, but really there was no "Will you marry me?" involved.

I'll tell you what happened...

Saturday night I was exhausted and went to bed around 11:00. At 2:00 am I was having a very strange and vivid dream. I felt something tugging at my finger and it startled me awake. When I opened my eyes I saw Casey hovering over my face and felt him holding my hand. I immediately reacted by shouting, "What the fu** are you doing?" and pulling my hand away violently! He had honestly scared the crap out of me! He said that he was just trying to say goodnight. Well, I thought that was odd and responded, "Why were you holding my hand? What are you doing?"

Casey was trying to put the ring on my finger so that I would just wake up and it would be there in the morning. He was pissed that I had woken up and caught him in the act because he had been practicing and never had I awoke before this. He was so mad at me for waking up this time, and since I wouldn't drop my questioning of what he was doing, he just gave up and said, "Here! Goodnight!" and slid the ring on my finger.

So...call it what you want, but I have a ring of my own now...AND...a proposal story that involves the "F" word! How romantic!

Mam, I'm sorry but you need a license to operate that pregnancy...

2009-06-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

I am a firm believer that people should have to require a license before they are able to breed. They should have to take parenting courses, and fill out some type of paper work that proves they will be able to raise a child in a comfortable upbringing. I have been bombarded this week by stories of people having children out of wedlock with numerous partners. On the radio, in magazine articles, and a particularly close-to-home story of a co-worker of mine. I think it is fantastic if you want to have a child because you have all the love and means that it takes to raise them. I don't really care how you go about procreating in those particular cases. But when you get pregnant intentionally to trap a man, or the make yourself feel better about the life you are living, or because you are some skeezy guy who doesn't want to wear a condom it is a sad sad situation for that child. I can only hope that one day I will be able to be a father and there are people running around out there getting knocked up, or knocking people up for sport. It is ridiculous. I think that being a parent is the hardest job in the world...shouldn't you have to meet certain qualifications before you are allowed to enter that career? Think about it.

Summer Life...

2009-06-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

Things have been going pretty well since getting back from my Mexico trip and being cleared of the Swine Flu. I didn't catch it, praises!

I finished my intense semester of the MAT program with a 4.0 still, thank you very much. I rock!

I was able to have a few weeks off to enjoy the start of summer. Very nice.

BUT...it didn't last. I had to begin my Diversity class, the LAST official MAT class that I will have to take. From the end of June on out it's just STUDENT TEACHING REQUIREMENTS and that's it! Woot Woot!

I received my placement for student teaching and I am going to be working in a 3rd grade class in the school district I was really hoping for. I am excited, but a little worried about my Mentor. She was not so thrilled to be mentoring me, particularly because I was a Westminster student, whom she referred to as "slutty good-for-nothings" because of her past experiences with inappropriately dressed and disorganized student teacher alumnae. Thank you ladies. I think by the end of our conversation she had warmed up to me a little bit, but I really couldn't tell considering the fact that the last thing she said to me was, "I don't want to see or hear from you til August 24th." Which just happens to be the first day of school. We'll see how it goes.

I was able to break away for a quick New York trip with my best friend Leslie, and some new friends from school. That was pretty damn exciting! We had a fantastic time exploring the city, shopping, eating, and witnessing many acts of depravity while visiting a NYC dance club! Good times.

I have been trying to enjoy as much of this summer as I possibly can. Spending some time in St. George, attending the annual PRIDE fest activities in the pouring rain, walking the dog at night, and reveling in the fact that it is BBQ season and we tend to have some crazy BBQ's in my little group of friends, has made this summer pretty fun so far.

I must say though that I am sick to death of the rain. When is the warm summer weather going to arrive? Last night was the Kelly Clarkson concert and we were soaking it up all night...not her spectaclular voice...but the freezing cold rain. No more rain. "I can't stand the rain...wikki wikki!"

Paranoid Much?

2009-04-30T09:02:00.000-07:00

When did my life become the storyline for a bad "Made-for-Television Mini-Series?"

"A group of education students travel to a third world country where a mysterious pandemic breaks out. No one has the answer. No one has the cure."

What a Circus...

2009-04-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

Last night was Britney's Circus concert and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed myself! It was a fantastic show. Britney looked amazing and the costumes, the stage, the dancers and the circus performers were all awesome to watch. My one gripe is that I wish Britney would put her whole heart into performing the way she used to. I was a little disappointed in her lack of enthusiasm while on stage, and wish she was her old self again. With that said she still did a great job! It was fun to see her perform again, and as always she is a wonderful entertainer. I loved the set list, and I really enjoyed a few spectacular moments throughout. One highlight was when Britney was lifted into the air and spun around while sitting on a human couch made of two buff dancers. I also loved her Marilyn Manson "Sweet Dreams" montage video. Classic Britney...looking very innocent while strutting around in underwear as a giant orgy of dancers bumps and grinds behind her. It was really hot!

Britney's Opening Outfit!

Britney Flying High Above The Stage!

The Stage From Our View!

My Favorite Outfit! Stripes, Fedora, Sparkles!

"Sweet Dreams" Montage

Britney In The Cage...

She Looks FANTASTIC!

Our seats were amazing also! We were kiddie corner to the stage on the front row of the first balcony. I am kicking myself today for not taking my camera with me because I would have gotten some amazing photos. I did have my cell phone, but with no zooming action it looks like we are way further away then we actually were. I loved the show though and I would see her again in a heart beat. Hopefully she will learn to love touring again and put her all into the next show!

An Engagement Story

2009-04-02T16:49:00.001-07:00

I had decided that after dating Casey for six years this May it was time we moved to the next step. I did what any normal man would do and tricked Casey into a jewelry store to find out what kind of ring to buy and what the correct size would be. This was not an easy task, but with some help from my friend Melanie, and under the disguise of Pearl Necklace shopping, we got the deed done.

I bought the perfect ring for Casey and had been holding onto it for about 4 weeks. My plan was to pop the question on our six year anniversary in a big memorable fashion, but the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to do something extravagant. I really wanted to just catch Casey off guard and have it be that much more of a surprise. I decided on Friday that Sunday, March 29th would be the day I would ask.

Sunday morning I awoke with the intention of asking first thing. Usually on Sunday mornings Casey is on the couch snuggled up in his California Raisin blanket watching political shows like "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." My idea was to surprise him during this perfectly mundane routine. However, I woke with the worst sore throat of my life (thank you Graduate School Colleagues) and I was worried I would not be able to make my big surprise happen. I decided to go back to bed and do it at a later time.

Two hours later, my throat still sore but a lot less swollen, I got up and brushed my teeth (you can't have morning breath when you propose) put on clothes (you can't be naked either) and stuck the ring box in my pocket. I went to the couch where Casey had fallen back asleep watching his "shows," and nudged him awake.

"Hey, move over. I want to lay with you." I said sweetly.

"NO! Go to the other couch." Casey responded.

"No, c'mon, I want to lay with you?" I whined.

"NO! Leave me alone. Go over there!"

It is super funny when you hear this part of the story, but I knew this would happen. It was my plan all along actually. You see, Casey is a brat, and I knew there there would be no sharing of the "sweet spot."

I said, "Fine, I'm just going to lay on you then."

I lay down with the ring box positioned to dig into Casey's leg.

"Ow, ow ow! What the hell is in your pocket?" Casey cried out!

"What? Oh, this?" I responded, while pulling out the ring box.

Sitting up, Casey looked at the box nervously and then shoved me in the chest and shouted "Shut up!" just like Elaine on Seinfeld. Casey then asked, "What is that?"

"Open it." I replied.

"Are you serious?" Casey asks once the box is opened.

"Will you marry me?" I counter.

"Are you serious?" Casey questions again?

"Absolutely. Of course I am." I say.

"Yes." Casey says, as if the question didn't even need to be asked.

This was followed up by trying on the ring, a kiss, and then a few more "Are you serious-es?" and some "What does this mean-s?" and then another kiss.

SO...We're engaged. The surprise went perfectly. I am lucky to have someone who loves me unconditionally. The date is sometime May 2010.

Excitement is in the air...

2009-03-04T08:16:00.000-08:00

Life is pretty fantastic right now! I woke up with a new spring in my step this morning and I wanted to share some reasons for it. There is a lot that I am excited about, and with excitement in the air I always feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. Here's a list of what I am excited for:

*My clean car, it has been months since the "mouse" has sparkled.

*Spring and warm weather, it is so nice outside right now. I love driving around at night with my windows down, it feels awesome!

*Britney's concert, I can't wait! It looks like so much fun!

*Student teaching applications, this means I'm almost done with my program.

*The Jonas Brother's song "Lovebug." I know it's totally lame, but I love that damn song!

*Casey's Kindle. Despite my complaining the thing is actually pretty cool.

*Lesson planning. I'm finally at the stage where I'm ready to teach in my first grade placement.

*Kelly Clarkson, her album comes out next Tuesday and I just bought concert tickets.

*New York in May.

*My 6 year anniversary. Wow!

*Wicked.

*Mexico...sort of. I'd be more excited if I knew a certain someone was going. Hint, hint!

*Summer. Swimming, shorts and flip flops, tan, lounging, vacations, no school, Sugarhouse Park, walks @ night, hot days, warm nights, fun parties, bbq's!

*A change of wardrobe. I get sick of wearing sweaters.

*Gossip Girl, when oh when is it coming back?

*Camping! I am determined to get Casey camping in the woods this summer. None of this KOA nonsense!

*MY CAR IS PAID OFF IN APRIL!

*Having my nights free again. I can't wait for May when I no longer have night classes.

A Blog By Nate

2009-02-27T15:02:00.001-08:00

So lately my cousin has been sending me lists of "Things that Must Go," via text message. I decided I would put one of his items on my blog because I thought it was funny...

"Things that need to go part two...I'm driving down the road and I see a license plate that said "2kwl4u," basically saying, "Too cool for you." I could understand this on a Bentley, but on a KIA with cheap decals of flames on the side and a tribal skull license plate cover that was purchased at an Auto Zone. C'mon, people! I see this all the time...personalized plates on piece of crap cars. LOL. I don't know though, maybe it shouldn't go because it makes me laugh every time. I saw an El Camino once with a license plate that said "paid4" on it. I was surprised at this because I never thought anyone paid for those. I always looked at them as more or less a curse that somebody had given to you as a last resort so you wouldn't need to ride the bus. Hmmmm...anyway...things that need to go." -By Nathan

Happy Lent

2009-02-25T09:37:00.001-08:00

I am aware that I am not Catholic, but that doesn't mean that I can't participate in a little tradition now and then. I am talking about the Season of Lent. Lent is a forty-day period of fast, prayer, reflection and sacrifice before Easter. Traditionally you skip Sundays when you count the forty days, because Sundays commemorate the Resurrection, so technically Lent begins on the 25th of February, Ash Wednesday, and ends on 11 April 2009, which is the day before Easter. In the Roman Catholic Church, Lent officially ends at sundown on 9 April (Holy Thursday), with the beginning of the mass of the Lord’s Supper. I honestly don't know all the details about this holiday, but it doesn't keep me from participating. I think it is good to sacrifice something now and then, so that you are aware of going without. Even though in the past I have given up silly things (like french fries, or eating at Arbys) I have also made some pretty big commitments, like the year I did absolutely no shopping unless it was a necessity. This was really difficult for me. I couldn't buy cd's, or i-tunes songs, or clothes, or anything that didn't involve food and shelter items.

This year Casey and I decided we are giving up eating out for Lent. No breakfast, no lunch, no brunch, no dinners, no nothing for 40 days. Just home cooked meals. I am determined to make it the for the entire long haul, but I think it is going to be difficult, but isn't that the point.

I want to be a 1st grader again!

2009-02-20T14:43:00.000-08:00

Today was my second experience at first grade and I must say that it went much better this time around. I am now known as Mr. Chen to my students. Don't ask me why? They just thought it was hysterical when a student called me Mr. Chen, instead of Mr. C, by mistake. It was actually the Asian boy in the class that pointed it out, saying, "ha ha ha Mr. Chen, that is so funny!" The students continued to call me Mr. Chen no matter how much I protested. I am hoping by next week they will no longer remember this new nick name, but I highly doubt it.

This class is a lot of fun I must admit, but I am still having severe classroom management malfunction. They all seem to have the attention span of a nat, and cannot stay quiet for longer than 30 seconds of instruction. They are intelligent kids and seem to understand what I am teaching, even with the surrounding chaos, but they make me nervous and seem really unruly in my eyes. I guess they are all used to it and I am the one who will need to adjust to the way they do things.

These kids crack me up! They do and say some outrageous things. Today, during their bag pipe lesson (yes, these kids learn about bag pipes), the guest speaker was explaining kilts to the students and he said, "Now the most important thing to remember is that this is not a dress." One of the boys from my class (who is slowly becoming my new favorite) shouted out, "But it's a man skirt!" The entire first grade (all three classrooms) erupted into an uncontrollable fit of laughter! I couldn't even keep a straight face after hearing this zinger and busted out laughing myself.

The school that I am at is amazing. Today I was shown my classes's science fair project and it is the same work I spent last semester teaching to fourth graders at a completely opposite school. My school is so far from Title One I was shocked walking into it's prestigious surroundings. It is strange how blatantly obvious it is that funding effects education so dramatically. The fourth graders I worked with had nothing, and the science project we did with them was completely over most of their heads. My first graders are reading and writing at a higher level already and we aren't even half-way through the school year yet. Their classroom is full of manipulatives, they have constant parent volunteers and support, there are tons of books for them to choose from, and that type of accessibility to learning in our school systems really pays off.

The reason I say that I want to go back to first grade is because I experienced a Friday in the life of my students. They came to school at 8:30 and spent the first 15-20 minutes learning about their art project for the day...then it was another 20 minutes of free reading and being read to...next was singing practice for their big program, followed by centers (where they actually had to work on some math), recess, bag pipe lessons, brunch (not lunch, BRUNCH, because today was their early out day), another recess, probably more art (I'm not sure as I had to leave for class) and then they get to go home at 12:45 OR they get to load up on a bus and hit the ski slopes for their school provided lessons.

Oh what a life. I guess if I can't be a first grader again I will just have to try to get a job teaching in a school with this sweet of a set up!

Fingers Crossed!

I think I'm starting to like first grade afterall. I still have a lot of work to get done though, so we'll see how it goes.

It's Official...

2009-02-10T06:23:00.000-08:00

I'm fat!

No. Really. I must be because I met my first grade class yesterday and after spending a good 25 minutes distributing a make-up math test to a student whom I thought I was building a rapport with, he decided to shout out to the entire class, while turning in his completed test, "What are you lookin' at Chubby?" (Picture a really mean 7 year old with a Bronx accent as you read that line in your head, cause that's what he sounded like).

Yes, I know children can be brutally honest at times, and in the past their remarks about my bald head, or the occasional acne, or the fact that boys are not supposed to have earrings, have stung a little, but this was a brand new blow to my ego that I was NOT expecting! I guess it's a good thing he used the word "chubby" instead of "fatty" since fatty would obviously mean I am having a problem with Obesity, whereas Chubby infers I merely have a few pounds to lose.

Needless to say I was completely thrown off guard by this remark and had absolutely no response back to this child whom had just verbally assaulted me on my first day. Thank goodness my mentor teacher gave him a stern, "What did you just say? We do not talk like that in this classroom. He is a teacher in this class and you had better show some respect. Now go apologize." (ha ha ha Vengeance!)

So, first grade is not off to the best start. I knew it was going to be different from my last experience of having a class full of, what I now look back upon and realize were perfect third grade students, but I had no idea it was going to be this different. I'm not sure if it is the age group, or the school I'm at, or my mentor's teaching style, but these kids sort of frighten me. I have never seen such a rambunctious class before. They talk all day long, they do not stay in their seats, they are constantly leaving the classroom at whim, and they just seem to be all over the place. My mentor did warn me that they were "highly unruly" today, but I am worried my classroom management skills may not be up to par. I'm going to have to start looking into ways of keeping 24 seven year olds in check at all times. Any suggestions are highly encouraged.

Even though the kids were a bit of a shock I can tell that there are some definite good eggs in the bunch. I may have been thrown by my first day experience, but I still have hope. There are quite a few bright students whom I'm really looking forward to working with, and getting to know better. It's funny how you seem to gravitate to the two polar opposites when you first meet a class. You instantly learn the names of those students who are going to make your life difficult, and also those who are going to help you to remember why you got into teaching in the first place. But don't worry, that doesn't mean I leave out the kids in the middle. In fact, it is the kids in the middle that usually impress me the most.

My last blog said "Watch out 1st grade, here I come," but now that I've experienced my first day I'm going to have to change that motto to, "Better watch out for those crazy first graders." Wish me luck!

1st Grade Watch Out!

2009-02-06T10:18:00.000-08:00

Well, I got my new placement for the semester and this time I am moving down. From 3rd to 1st grade that is. I am super excited for the change since 1st grade is one of the areas I am highly interested in teaching. I had such a great experience in my 3rd grade class last semester that I have been leaning towards that, but it is such a difficult curriculum. Cursive, multiplication, division, Native American studies...Holy Cow it's a lot to learn/teach. Who knows, maybe I'll end up in the middle like my friend Jessie and I'll teach the 2nd grade. Only time will tell.

500 Days of Summer

2009-01-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of seeing another fantastic Sundance film this weekend. It was called "500 Days of Summer." I have attached the synopsis of the film and I must say that it was pure entertainment. GO SEE THIS MOVIE! It was heartwarming, funny, creative, thought provoking, well acted, and wonderful. Also, Joseph Gordon Levitt stayed for this afternoon showing to discuss the film afterwards. Pretty cool in my book.

The freshness of Marc Webb’s love-me/love-me-not love story is epitomized by its perfectly framed tag lines…Boy meets Girl—Boy falls in love—Girl doesn’t. What else can you say about a postmodern love story? Not only is this delightfully surprising dissection of a romance structured so that it catches us continually off guard, but the classic tale of love unrequited is turned as topsy-turvy as a Shakespearian farce. Directed with verve, pace, and confidence by first-time filmmaker Webb and replete with Los Angeles settings that are distinctive and interesting, 500 Days of Summer never descends into ordinary romance. The typical premise of the love story—that we want what we can’t have—is fueled by a role reversal (it’s the woman who doesn’t want to commit) and energized by dance numbers, split screens, and two dynamic performances from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. That Tom, a hapless greeting-card copywriter, and the alluring Summer, his temporary office mate, fluctuate between the highs and lows of infatuation, dating, sex, and separation is the conventional aspect of an unconventional tale of self-discovery and relationships. For a new generation of storytellers, 500 Days of Summer is destined to be a template for the future of romantic inspiration.
CAST
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel

Photos

2009-01-21T15:41:00.000-08:00

Hey friends, so I have pictures up on Facebook of my Mexican Riviera Cruise if any of you are interested.

FYI

Rudo Y Cursi

2009-01-17T01:38:00.000-08:00

Casey scored some premiere tickets for a Sundance film tonight. We went to the new Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna film entitled "Rudo Y Cursi." It was actually a really fantastic film about two brothers who make it big in Mexico City as soccer players. The film was introduced and followed up with a Q&A by the directing/producing team that made such films as Babel, Pan's Labyrinth and Y Tu Mama Tambien...AND...Gael Garcia himself was there! OMG! He is super short in person.

I highly recommend this very entertaining film when it hits regular movie theaters, especially if you are as big of a fan of GGB as I am. Here's a synopsis if you are curious.

Y Tu Mamá También costars Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna are reunited on the big screen in Rudo y Cursi, a delightful romp of a comedy drama deftly directed by Carlos Cuaron.Beto (Luna) and Tato (Bernal) are a pair of rivaling, dim-witted brothers who work on a dusty banana ranch and play soccer for their local team. Beto, a goalie whose hot temper on the field earns him the nickname of Rudo, dreams of becoming a professional soccer player, while Tato wants to be a famous singer. They both share the dream of building a big house for their mother, Elvira, but all of their desires seem completely out of reach, that is, until a talent scout, Batuta, discovers their skill on the field. To Beto’s chagrin, it is Tato, whose curlicue field play earns him the nickname of Cursi, who is chosen to become a star player. Not to be bested, Beto scores a goalie position on a rival team, further intensifying the competition between them. But success makes the brothers confront their own personal demons and sets them on a chase for more than just soccer balls.Cuaron keeps the energy high and the laughter rolling even as he crafts a moral into the story. But even if the dueling brothers do find a way out of the banana ranch, will the banana ranch ever find a way out of them?
CAST
Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Guillermo Fracella

A New Year Cruises On By

2009-01-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

I don't know about everyone else, but I can't believe we are already into 2009. I guess having Christmas, New Year's, and then a next day departure for a 7 day cruise made the beginning of 2009 fly by. I haven't blogged since before Christmas so I have a lot to catch up on.

Christmas- Christmas was really fun this year. It seemed to go by super fast, but it was memorable. We had a very family-oriented Christmas this year, spending time with both my family and Casey's on more than one occasion. Normally this is something that drives me insane...family dinners full of screaming nieces and nephews, my moody brothers, and Casey's insanely loud siblings, but this year I was quite surprised by how nice everything was. It was really pleasant to be surrounded by both of our families and I felt grateful to have so many people in our lives who care about us. I was also spoiled with lots of great gifts, including clothes, shoes, and a laminator (thanks Mom and Dad).

New Years- We rang in the New Year with a bang as usual. We began the night with a fantastic dinner at Cafe Molise, and ended it with Fireworks, Champagne, and an annual middle-of-the-street sparkler dance by our good friend Darrell. It just wouldn't be New Year's without sparklers and dancing! Happy New Year!

The Cruise- January 2nd we took off for our 7 day Mexican cruise. We drove to Vegas where we spent the night at a friend's house after dinning at a local sports bar and watching the U of U game. GO Utes! The next morning we were up bright and early in order to make it to L.A. where we departed for the open water. This was my first cruise, and before hand I didn't realize that once you are on that ship, there ain't no where to go! You are STUCK on that ship. Everyone always talks about how much fun cruises are, and although I did have a lot of fun, I don't know that I would do another cruise. The food was not all that great, the entertainment was terrible, and being on a ship for two days straight after all of our Mexican ports were finished with, got a little old.

With that said, I'm not trying to be a complainer, the trip was still a blast. Mexico was a lot of fun and every port we went to was something new and exciting.

CABO- We first stopped in Cabo San Lucus. It was an overcast day and it wasn't super warm, which was a little disappointing, but pulling up to the port and watching the famous Arch go by definitely got me excited to leave the ship. Once we were on land we decided to take a glass bottom boat tour of Lover's Beach and the surrounding area. We had been warned not to take the glass bottom boats since you really can't see anything, and although that turned out to be true (other than some coral and a few tropical fish) it still only cost us $10 and we did get to see quite a bit of the surrounding area, including pelican perches and a colony of sea lions. We also had the option of being dropped off on Lover's Beach for an hour to frolic in the sand and sea. After exploring the caves and swimming in the ocean our hour was up. Once back on shore we decided to walk around the port area and explore Cabo a little bit. I must say that I wasn't all that impressed with Cabo. I thought the city seemed really dirty and super congested with local merchants selling crap. I'm sure there are much nicer areas to visit, but we didn't have time to find any of them.

Mazatlan- Our second stop was my favorite day of the entire trip. Mazatlan was very different from Cabo, including the much needed warmer weather. We got off the port and a large group of us (18 to be exact) decided to hire a personal chauffeur for the day. Humberto had "the biggest van in Mazatlan" and he was willing to be our private driver for a very reasonable price. We hired him and took off to see the city. After exploring the "old town" we went and watched cliff divers risk their lives for a few tips from the American tourists. We saw statues and old churches and went shopping in the markets...but the best part was the hours we spent at a resort swimming in the pool and laying on the deck that overlooked the ocean. Humberto was in cahoots with this hotel and we were able to take full advantage of the bar, pool, and facilities that lay right on the beautiful beach side.

Puerto Vallarta- Our third and final stop was Puerto Vallarta. Although Mazatlan was my favorite day of fun, Puerto Vallarta is definitely a city I would like to travel back to and stay awhile. We ended up going to the Blue Chairs section of the beach and hanging out for quite awhile playing in the ocean and being trashed by the massive waves. After we were done with the sand and surf we walked through town admiring the city and its old-world charm. Puerto Vallarta is really beautiful. We met a very sweet American from Milwaukee who lives in PV during the winters to escape the cold. After offering to take our photo he struck up a conversation about the city he loves, the best hotels and bars to visit, and why we should come back and visit again. We asked him for a recommendation on a restaurant for lunch, and instead of giving us the name of something to find, he walked us four blocks down the street and pointed it out directly. The restaurant was amazing Mexican food and the strongest Margaritas I have EVER consumed. After walking and shopping for a few more hours we headed back to the ship exhausted.

The cruise was a great experience, and I am glad I had it. It was an amazing time and we had a great group of people to hang out with; 28 is quite a large number to try to organize, but it seemed to work out really well in the end. Variety is the spice of life afterall.

What's Next- So...no more holidays, no more cruises, no more fun to look forward to. I am back to school and work and the mundane, and my memories of better times will have to suffice until I get another break away from all the stress in my life. Poor me! I do get to visit Mexico again real soon though. My school is traveling there in April on a teaching trip. We will be in Cuernavaca teaching in the local schools and staying with Spanish speaking families. I was a little nervous about this trip, but now that I have experienced more of Mexico (other than TJ) I am really looking forward to it.

Oh yeah...and my Birthday is on Saturday! Even though I'm not REALLY looking forward to turning 28...I'm sure it will be fun!

Let it Snow, Let It Snow, Let it Snow...

2008-12-16T09:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it is finally looking like December outside. I usually hate the snow on days like this, when I have to be driving in it, but after a month of looking at dead trees and ugly grey sky I say "Bring it on!"

This is such a fun time of year. I love Christmas! Even though I have been super stressed with school, homework, finals, my job, remodeling, Christmas shopping, and spreading holiday cheer, when I look out the window and see the world covered in white it helps me to be a little more peaceful and relaxed inside. Finals are almost over, Christmas is around the corner, and soon I'll be in Mexico saying goodbye to the white outside and soaking up the warm sun. It's hard not to be excited about this time of the year, even being as busy as I have been.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and it has been hard to remember all of the good things in life being bogged down by stress, but this is definitely the time of year that I reflect on what I am grateful for....so I wanted to make a reminder list of everything good in life...

*My Health

*My Love

*My Family

*My Friends (Both New & Old)

*My Home

*My Career (Future Career)

*Britney Tickets

Remember the good things in life and be appreciative for what you have.

Happy Holidays!

Please explain to me...

2008-12-09T12:55:00.000-08:00

Can someone please explain to me how studying the hallways and cafeteria of a school that I will NOT be teaching at in the future is going to help me become a better teacher? How is taking photos of the surrounding area of a school going to improve my cultural sensitivity skills? Why is it important to understand what a business merchant in the local area thinks about the community they live in? I do not get the connection between this very long, very detailed assignment that took me over 10 hours to complete and kept me up til 4 am last night, and my future career as a teacher. Maybe it's because I am running off of 3 hours of sleep AFTER a day of waking up at 6:30 for work (at my real job), leaving two hours later to teach (my wannabe job) for 8 hours, then hitting school for 3 hours, and back to home for 6 hours of homework.

I don't know...my brain might just be fried right now and I will understand the significance of all of this busy work after finals, but somehow, I doubt I'll make the connection even then.

2008-12-07T11:44:00.000-08:00

Final

adj.
Forming or occurring at the end; last: the final scene of a film.
Of or constituting the end result of a succession or process; ultimate: an act with both an immediate and a final purpose.
Not to be changed or reconsidered; unalterable: The judge's decision is final. See synonyms atlast¹.
n.
Something that comes at or forms the end, especially:
The last or one of the last of a series of contests: the finals of a state spelling bee.
The last examination of an academic course.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin fīnālis, from fīnis, end.]
finally fi'nal·ly adv.

They are approaching fast!

Day O' Britney!

2008-12-02T08:12:00.000-08:00

Not only did Britney's awesome new cd come out today, but her concert tickets for Salt Lake City (yes, she is coming to my home town) went on pre-sale this morning. I thought I was screwed when I tried to buy two and kept getting an error message saying I had to have a "password" for the pre-sale.

"Password??? What do you mean I need a Password??? I didn't see anything online about a password!!! Where the hell is the Password?!?"

Luckily, her tour information was up and running this morning on her website and three minutes after tickets went on sale I was able to find that coveted password. Long story short! I am in Section 3 of the Lower Bowl and so excited I could scream!!! The concert is two days before I leave for my Mexico trip so I am sure I will still be beaming on the flight!

To quote my friend Melanie after an exuberant night of partying...

"This is the greatest day of my life!!!"

"The greatest amount of wasted time is the time not getting started."

2008-11-29T17:25:00.000-08:00

pro·cras·ti·nate (pr-krst-nt, pr-)

v. pro·cras·ti·nat·ed, pro·cras·ti·nat·ing, pro·cras·ti·nates

v.intr.

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

v.tr.

To postpone or delay needlessly.

[Latin prcrstinre, prcrstint- : pr-, forward; see pro-¹ + crstinus, of tomorrow (from crs,tomorrow).]

pro·crasti·nation n.

pro·crasti·nator n.

I'm screwed if I don't start on my homework. I'm just saying.

I'm Thankful It's Almost Over.

2008-11-26T07:31:00.000-08:00

So you know how everyone rips on how they hate Halloween and how Halloween is no fun or just a "slut holiday" (as I heard numerous times this year)...AND...remember how I defended Halloween cause it's one of my favorite holidays?

Well, I'm about to rip on Thanksgiving for all you turkey lovers out there. I know there are a lot of you too because all I ever hear this time of the year is how wonderful Thanksgiving is, and how excited you all are for pie.

I'm sorry, but I just don't get it people. Just thinking about it causes fear and loathing to resonate through me. I do not like this holiday, not one bit. I associate this holiday with the way I look at the world right now. Everything outside is ugly, we are between fall and winter and everything is brown and dead. Thanksgiving is ugly. People talk about this holiday as this great time to spend with your family and how heart-warming it is and how we should be thinking about all that we have in life (which I do agree with, that is the one good thing about Thanksgiving, but only if you truly take the time to do this, and I don't believe that enough people do). When you actually think about it though, Thanksgiving is really about spending a lot of money to prepare a meal that takes hours of work and cleanup and is over in a 1/2 hour. All that hard work and prep and it's done in 20 minutes and then people watch football (which I hate).

Thanksgiving has never been anything but stress and fighting in my family, which I know is the reason I don't like it, but over the years my feelings have only become stronger on this subject. Every year we fight about who's house we should go to because our family's never coincide with rotations, so someone is always left out. This year we decided we are doing both, which means a lot of gas and car travel, and a lot of eating.

And speaking of eating, what is with the food at Thanksgiving? I hate Thanksgiving food. Pumpkin pie is the grossest thing on earth (pie in general is just plain wrong), turkey is blah and boring, candy yams with marshmallows burnt on top is disgusting, and stuffing that you eat out of a bird's ass? What is that about? The only thing I can handle on Thanksgiving is mashed potatoes, ham, and rolls...AND most people think ham at Thanksgiving is weird, so unless I'm with my family and I specifically tell them to buy a ham, I am screwed. See, I don't even like all of the warm comfort food that this damn holiday provides.

I know I'm a complainer and it's not a very good attitude to have towards this time of reflection and thankfulness, but I really wish I could just stay home with a stack of DVD's and an afternoon on the couch wrapped in a blanket in nothing but my undies and t-shirt. That's my idea of the perfect Thanksgiving. I'd be very thankful if I could just do it my way. However, since I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, and I DO want to be a part of the celebration, I will put on my happy face, travel to the family, and pretend like I enjoy their cooking.

Happy Thanksgiving Friends!

5 Things I Love...BLOG TAG

2008-11-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

5 TV Shows I Love to Watch:

1) Gossip Girl
2) Ugly Betty
3) Grey's Anatomy
4) What Not To Wear
5) Divine Design (zwee daaa bab bab dweee daaaaa)

5 Favorite Restaurants:
1) Cafe Molise
2) Trio
3) Arby's
4) Cafe Trang
5) Confetti's

5 Things That Happened Yesterday:
1) Bought New Car Key Hooks
2) Finished Painting the Living Room
3) Put Up My Christmas Tree/Decorations
4) Ate Krysta's Yummy Dinner
5) Got Caught up on 90210 (I've missed so much)

5 Things I Love About Fall:
1) Colorful Leaves
2) The Transition to Sweaters
3) Scarves
4) The Smell
5) That the Heat is Finally Over

5 Things On My Wishlist:
1) There is this REALLY Cute Vest & Cardigan at Urban
2) Money for my Cruise
3) New Art for the House
4) I-trip
5) The Britney CD

5 People I Tag:
1) Lindsey
2) Halley
3) Holli
4) Allisen
5) Allison

My Weekend in Retrospect

2008-11-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

So...initially I thought I had a pretty mundane weekend. I mean, no parties, no dancing, no drinking, no big plans. However, looking back on all the stuff I actually did this weekend I can see that it was quite fun and exciting. Allow me to take you through it a day at a time.

Friday night I was dying to go see Happy Go Lucky and I had e-mailed basically everyone I knew and told them I was planning on seeing this movie and invited them to come along. By 12:00 on Friday I had about 14 people on board. Then at about 6:00 when I checked my phone I had 3 voice mails and about six text messages all from people with good reasons (nice excuses) as to why they couldn't make the movie. It ended up being just a few of us who went, but it was great company. As for the movie, here is my quick review:

(POPPY: SALLY HAWKINS)

Go see this film! I L-O-V-E-D it! Remember how everyone was in love with the character of Juno when they saw the movie. "Oh she is just so cool and so sarcastic and how great would it be to have her personality," and blah blah blah. I personally did not care for Juno all that much. It's a cute movie and Ellen Page did a good job playing the sarcastic teen, but I just felt like the dialogue was forced and that no one is truly that sarcastic, especially a 16 year old pregnant girl. Anyway...enough about Juno, my point is that Sally Hawkins (Poppy) in the film Happy Go Lucky is my version of Juno. I would LOVE to have a personality like hers. She is completely sarcastic and totally quick witted in a completely honest and unapologetic way, all the while making you fall in love with her "annoying" charm and sincere personality. The character of Poppy is so realistic and so well acted that it does not feel like you were watching her on film. This movie has so much character, is full of memorable lines, is quite surprising, and will make your cheeks hurt from smiling. It is a must see.

Saturday rolled around and it was a pretty uneventful morning. Grocery shopping, running errands and cleaning the house. Then Casey got the idea to drive down to Carmax and see what was available. Well, four hours later we were out the door in his new Audi A4. I've attached a photo of what it looks like. 4wd, heated leather seats, sun roof, 5 disc cd player, adjustable driver and passenger air system, the works.

(CASEY'S NEW CAR)

Later that night we went to a lecture series on independent journalism and got to watch Anderson Cooper give a talk. He is very witty, and very sincere when he speaks. It was really enjoyable.

(ANDERSON COOPER LOOKS GOOD IN A SUIT)

Sunday was another movie day and we went to the new 007 film. I really enjoy Daniel Craig as James Bond but this movie was not as good as Casino Royal. It was non-stop action, but the story line wasn't all that great, and the villain wasn't all that mean. He was sort of a nerd-0 and really not that much of a match for Mr. Bond. Still, if you want an action film that will entertain you, this one is pretty incredible.

(BOND, JAMES BOND)

Sunday night we had to dismantle our entire living room, including all electronics and our entertainment center, so that we could get ready for our new carpet to be installed today. It has been months and we are finally having new carpet laid. I am so excited! I also got a call today that our cabinet model is finished, so the kitchen remodel should be well on it's way by the end of the week. New carpet and new kitchen cabinets! The anticipation is killing me.

I'll have to upload pictures when we are finished with all the work.

So a recap of my weekend: I saw a great movie and saw a good movie, met Anderson Cooper, helped buy an Audi, got to hang out with Friends, and I'm getting new Carpet and a new Kitchen. Pretty exciting stuff.

Twilight Insanity

2008-11-14T08:57:00.000-08:00

Yes I am a fan of the books and yes I'm excited for the movie (mainly to find out if it sucks or not) ...but is all the hub bub really worth what people are making it out to be? I mean...people out there are going insane over this movie.

And is this guy REALLY all that cute? Seriously? Look at his crazy ass hair? C'mon!

MA-Donna!

2008-11-11T10:55:00.000-08:00

{Road Trip}

So it's my first day back to work after a fantatstic weekend in Vegas seeing Madonna in concert and hanging out with friends. We had a blast shopping, drinking, eating, and enjoying sin city at it's finest. We had a great room at the Tahiti Village Resort (a timeshare I booked through a coworker of mine) which included 1 and 1/2 kitchens and a master bath the size of a bedroom, with a huge jetted tub and steam shower, and I took full advantage. I miss taking baths. The bath in our condo won't even fill with enough water to cover your nipples.

{Tahiti Village}

Vegas was a "trial run" of traveling with friends for the first time. I have a cruise to Mexico coming up in January and all of these friends will be stuck on a boat with me for 7 days. It's a good thing we now know that we can survive one another while on vacation. Let's hope that none of us get sick of anyone and throw themselves overboard. You know, road tripping for the first time with friends allows for many opportunities to get to know one another on a whole new level. I shared, friends shared, we all shared TMI.

Madonna put on an awesome show as usual. This was my third time seeing her and although it was not my favorite concert of hers, it was still pretty darn amazing to be in the same room with such a huge star. Every time I see her I am a little aw struck. The show was very 80/90's rock inspired with a touch of boxing in the mix. My favorite part was the Britney video section, of course.

{Madonna Getting Crazy With a Car}

{Madonna & Britney Together Again}

Shopping in Vegas is always fun and this trip was no exception. I found a few things that I really love and can't wait to wear. H&M is such a great store! Sweaters, scarfs, bracelets, cologne, gloves...that's pretty much everything I bought.

{You Like My New Sweater}

The other great part of the trip was that I got to see my friend Jessie. She is such a sweetheart and it is always so much fun being able to hang out with the SSTVG.

Vegas was wondeful! Watch out Mexico, you're next!

{iiiiiii}

Wicked!

2008-10-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

I was able to score some Wicked tickets this morning on a pre-sale and I just wanted to say how excited I am!

Woot Woot!

The Countdown Has Begun...In 5,4,3,2 and...

2008-10-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

Not everyone knows this about me, but I am pretty much fanatical about a certain pop star from the south who had a huge career, then went a lil' crazy, then went a lot crazy, then hit rock bottom, and is once again picking up the pieces of her shattered life. Yes, I am a Britney fan! A BIG one. I must admit that during the heyday of her "dark period" I found myself getting sick of the constant crazy, but I remained a true fan and tried to stick up for the poor girl.

The last few months have been such a great period for this woman. A hit single, three VMA's, a SUPER hot video, a new album, a normal life again, a rumored tour, and she is trying to be a good mom. Say what you will about Britney, but I love her! Crazy and all! And come December 2nd I will be in the midnight line at Walmart picking up the new album.

I know, I know, I'm a slave for this woman!

33 DAYS AND COUNTING...

I heart Halloween

2008-10-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

I know that there are a lot of people out there that are just not into Halloween, but I am not one of them. Next to Christmas I think it is the best holiday of the year. I love the fall weather, the pumpkin carving get together with friends, the scary movies and haunted houses, and most of all, seeing how excited kids get when they talk about what they are going to be for Halloween. It is such a fun holiday. You get to be scared and excited at the same time, and you get to play dress up on numerous occasions throughout the month. Halloween is not to be taken seriously and everyone should look at it as just plain fun.

Enjoy tonight as much as I know I am going to.

Happy Halloween!

"One of you will be in...And one of you are vout!"

2008-10-27T20:25:00.000-07:00

LeAnne may have won Season Five...

But I kicked ass in our play at home version!

*This is the search for the next big fashion designer…12 designers, three finalists, and one winner… Three designers will make their runway debut at Olympus fashion week… And the winner of “Project Runway” will receive everything they need to start their own label… For these twelve contestants, “Project Runway” is the chance of a lifetime...*

So...this year my good friend Nick decided to hold a little design competition amongst friends during the Project Runway Finale. We each got to choose our models, pick our materials, and come up with our own designer gowns. After the judges voted (we each got a say), we narrowed it down to the three best designers, and yours truly won this year's fierce competition. Not only does my model get a spread in Elle magazine, but I also won a Saturn and $100,000.00 to start my own line. (Actually, the prize was a used DVD, but at least I got to pick first.) Woot Woot Heyyyy!

The Competition...Pretty Stiff...

The Final Three...

The Winning Design...A one of a kind Brandon Christensen.

Auf Wiedersehen

Paris, finalement!

2008-10-27T07:11:00.000-07:00

For Casey's birthday this year we threw a "Paris" themed party. I had promised two months ago to show off the pictures of the decorations and the party, but I'm just barley getting them uploaded. The party was very "Black Chandelier" inspired. We had black porcelain animals, framed pictures of Paris, and candles everywhere. There were lights hanging from the trees, blankets for a picnic dinner, and an outdoor movie theater set up showing French films. The night was perfect and everyone had a great time. C'était un parti fabuleux!

The pictures can be found on my Facebook account, so if you want to see them I'm afraid you'll have to go there. For some reason they will NOT upload to my blog for me. Damn Technology!

OMFG GG!

2008-10-20T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have a new drug. I can't help myself. I'm a total addict. Gossip Girl is the best show to hit the airwaves since Sex and the City parted ways.

I didn't watch the first season because I assumed a show on the CW would be lame. I mean, I haven't been interested in anything on that network since the first season of Felicity aired. But, somehow I got a whiff of what Gossip Girl had to offer (via season two premier), and it intrigued me enough that I had to check it out.

Long story short, I'm through with the first season (thank you Netflix), caught up on the second, and I can't get enough! It amazes me how much this show can entertain, and shock at the same time. The scheming, the fighting, the love stories, it is a must see.

I highly encourage you to check it out if you, like I once was, are a doubter.

Eggciting!

2008-10-16T10:24:00.000-07:00

So...I taught my first Science lesson yesterday and I must say that it went over well. The kids really seemed to enjoy learning about the Scientific Method, and they LOVED my egg experiment...How can you tell the difference between a raw egg and a hard boiled egg without cracking them?

Two things that I can say I need to work on when it comes to my teaching style are discipline and remembering names! I am horrible at both. I think that if I were in the classroom more I would pick up on each students name. I mean, I've only been to visit them three times and so far I have more than half the class down...but little Jacob keeps getting called Joshua, and I can't help but mix up Tiffany and Britney. As for discipline, it is so hard for me to be strict with the kids and try to keep them on task and focused. I just don't have it in me to say "1, 2, 3 Eyes On Me..." or any other ridiculous focus rhyme. In fact, when I got to the breaking point and almost used the said technique, I stopped myself and asked the teacher if there were any techniques she used to keep the class under control. Her response was, "They can just tell by the tone in my voice." Well, that's nice and all, but how do I keep 24 students from getting too rowdy while holding a dozen raw eggs in their deviant little hands?

Luckily, my students are lil' angels and we only had two accidental broken eggs. Not too shabby considering the possible outcome.

I'm gonna make it after all...(Toss Hat Into Air & Twirl)

2008-10-09T06:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I taught my very first lesson in this Elementary Teacher career I've been workin' towards. It was on Adjectives/Superlatives and I helped with some Halloween poetry ideas. Overall I must say the lesson went really well. The kids had fun, I had fun, the assignment got across to at least 80% of the class, and I learned a lot about teaching 3rd graders. The one flub I had was when my mentor teacher asked me to use the overhead projector to get my point across, but being that I was an overhead projector virgin, I had NO idea what I was doing. It took a third grader to show me how to turn the machine on, and an entire class of third grader's to barade my overhead skills in order for me to get the technique down correctly. Who knew something as simple as an O.P. (overhead projector) would be so difficult?

Afterwards, I went to class and proceeded to tell one of my professors about the wonderful teaching job I did on my first lesson. I was super proud and enthused to finally have one under my belt. My confidence was raised and I was excited to brag about how well it went, how much fun I had, and how I couldn't wait to teach the next one. The professor, however, proceeded to say, "That's good. I'm sure that will help you to decide if teaching is something you really want to do."

WHAT?

Of course it is something I really want to do! Why else would I spend hours upon hours of my life sitting through classes, reading chapters of books, writing response after response, killing myself trying to make a full-time work and full-time school (I'm technically a part-time student, but with teaching the hours really add up) schedule coincide, willingly give up television, free-time, and social events, let my house cleaning and cooking skills go to pot, and surround myself with children who are the most brutally honest and terrifying human beings on earth??? What do you mean, "IF TEACHING IS SOMETHING YOU REALLY WANT TO DO!?" Damn Straight it's something I want to do, and I'm determined to be good at it!

In all actuality I didn't truly take offense to what my professor had said, she didn't mean it the way it came out, she was proud of me and the fact that my lesson went over well. However, it did make me wonder what all my professors say about me when they have their meetings and discuss who is excelling and who is annoying in the program? Hmmmmmm?

I'm sure I'm excelling. I mean, c'mon, I'm good at this. My first lesson killed! I think I'm gonna like teaching after all.

I can spell a word, B-A-L-D! You're Bald!!!

2008-10-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

Yes I am aware of the fact that I am a bald man who shaves his head. Yes I am aware that I occasionally have acne breakouts. Yes I am aware that I have an earring and boys aren't supposed to wear earrings. What I wasn't aware of is how brutally honest children are in pointing out all your personal flaws. Is this an occupational hazard or have I just ran into a bunch or tactless 10 year olds?

Stress Mess!

2008-10-03T07:07:00.000-07:00

Things I am currently stressing over:

*Grad school
*Homework
*Placements
*Shadowing children (don't worry, it's not illegal, it's an assignment)
*My first teaching lesson (It's on Wed!)
*6 hour Saturday morning science conferences
*Moldy Cabinets
*Annoying property managers
*Insurance Agents
*Saving money $
*Preauthorizations
*Not being able to find jeans
*When I will get to watch Gossip Girl, 90210, and Ugly Betty
*The giant pile of laundry that is sitting in our room unfolded
*5 A.M. work out sessions
*Power 90
*Getting sick
*Weening myself off of my coffee habit
*Facebook (why is it so complicated and unorganized)
*Halloween birthdays (there are 7 of you people again, I thought July was my only big birthday month)
*Meaning of life

Goodbye RENT

2008-09-22T14:32:00.000-07:00

It's official. RENT is finished on Broadway, and to say goodbye they filmed and are showing the last stage show in movie theaters across the nation. Some friends and I are going this Wednesday and I have a feeling it is going to be pretty emotional for me. RENT was the first show that really made me think about my own life and inspired me to be 100% ok with myself. It holds a very special place in my heart and I am sad to see it leave. Until the revival.

If you've never seen this show, GO SEE IT while you can!

525,600 minutes. 525,000 moments so dear.

The Flooding of 2008

2008-09-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

So...I had a big surprise on the morning of my first day of class. Our condo was flooding. The pipes from the apartment above us were leaking, and then by the time anyone got around to looking at the problem they had burst, and now we are in hell dealing with the mess! We have had to find contractors who can fix the damage that is in between the sheet rock in our walls and in our ceilings, and our carpet and some linoleum has to be replaced. It has been a huge mess and a huge hassle and we haven't even began the construction process yet. FUN!

I just wanted to post some pics of what we're dealing with.

Flood 2008 is the nightmare of my life right now.

It's Called Integrity and Kindness People...Try It!

2008-09-11T06:43:00.000-07:00

in·teg·ri·ty (n-tgr-t)
n.
1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.
2. Honesty
3. Moral soundness

kind·ness (kndns)
n.
1. The quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic

I don't claim to be perfect, in fact, I know that I am far from it. But what is with the lack of integrity and kindness now-a-days? I mean, we're not in high school anymore, being mean to someones face for shits and giggles is no longer appropriate behavior, it wasn't even OK to do it then, but at least I've learned that important lesson and I have matured past that. I am constantly bombarded by people who don't take responsibility for their actions. They make a rude comment, or act in a mean-spirited way towards another human being, and then act as if saying "I'm Sorry" or "I'm Just Kidding" in a condescending tone absolves you from your bad behavior. There is sarcasm (which I frequently bestow upon others) and then there is just plain, flat-out meanness which is a bunch of fuckery! There is no excuse for it anymore people. If I catch you pulling this kind of crap, I'm going to call you on it.

Death By Field Trip!

2008-08-29T07:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my first Social Studies Methods class and I have to say that it did not go over very well with me. It started out ok, although we learned that the teacher does not like interruptions of talking, sarcasm in comments, or when I personally make choices for other students in the classroom (yes, I was yelled at about this last night). The class itself seems like it will be interesting. However, as soon as our professor mentioned we'd be going on a field trip I knew it was all down hill from there. Don't get me wrong. Taking a class of 3rd graders on a field trip will be a lot of fun and is something I am looking forward to. I think it is going to be awesome to get out of the classroom and be with kids while they explore (for instance) the downtown City Building, but having to do this activity in Grad School tends to make me feel like I am wasting my time (it is a three hour class) and tuition money (it's very expensive at Westminny). The highlight of the trip I must say, was when our professor ran a red light, slamming on the breaks and hurling all 11 students (including myself) forward to the front of the van. She then proceeded to back up out of the intersection so that waiting cars could pass. When the light changed to green and we started pulling forward, to all of our surprises, the van jetted in reverse, again causing all of our hearts to leap into our throats and passionate screams of terror to escape our mouths. One student even shouted "We're all going to die!" The professor forgot to return the van to drive from the previous backing up.

All and all it was an interesting first class, and although we laughed it off (calling it the Final Destination Field Trip), and our professor was able to smile at her embarrassing mistake, it was STILL a tad bit frightening.

The best part of last night though was that at the end of our class we were given our elementary school assignments and our co-teaching partners, and I am completely happy with both. The school I will be teaching at this semester is in my old hood, which is exciting. I also lucked out and got a partner I think will be a lot of fun to get to know and to work with more. It was a lot of information to take in, and a bit overwhelming, but here we go! Game on! Watch out 3rd grade this student teacher is on his way to SCHOOL YOU!

Ohhhhh the horror!

2008-08-25T07:48:00.000-07:00

So...school starts on Wednesday and I am beginning my Methods courses. This means I get to go and actually teach in a classroom. I am super excited for the experience, but super nervous at the same time. I know it's horrible to admit this, especially since children can smell fear on a new teacher (they are like bloodhounds that way) but kids are a little intimidating. I am hoping this experience goes well and that I don't come to the realization that children are just plain frightening and I really have no desire to spend my days and nights worrying about how to mold our future leaders of tomorrow. But if that happens, I will be grateful that it is happening sooner rather than later.

Kids are scary! Wish me luck.

Magic Pants!

2008-08-20T09:56:00.000-07:00

Has anyone seen a little film by the name of "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants: Part 2?" If so, I'm curious to know your thoughts.

Apparently these pants and the miracles they are capable of creating have extended to spontaneous abortions. Seriously! If you have not seen this amazingly awful film...please rush out and let me know what you think immediately!

We saw this movie last night at the Drive-in theater for a friend's birthday party, and let me just say that I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more, I smell Oscar!

Shout Out!

2008-08-19T12:41:00.000-07:00

To the best lil' design assistant anyone could ask for!

Merci Melanie!

Les Grèves de Planificateur du Parti de Nouveau!

2008-08-19T10:25:00.000-07:00

Bonjour Amis,

Casey's Birthday is coming up and he decided he wanted a "Paris Themed" party. Now, me being the perfectionist I am, I couldn't just plan something simple with French food and French music, so instead we are going ALL out! This party is going to be a Parisian Wonderland! We are doing it in the backyard of our friends home and we are planning on wrapping his trees in white lights, and setting up an outdoor movie theater using a projector and a white sheet. We will be showing Amelie, Paris, je t'aime, and of course a Madonna concert. There are white and black blankets for dinning and movie watching, and each contains a Framed photo of Paris and candle centerpieces. There will be flowers, and fancy Paris bottles, and black lacquer animals courtesy of the D.I., spray paint, and a very numb index finger. The whole party is very Black and White French Forest! It is going to be awesome and I promise photos as soon as the event is over with!

I just wanted to brag a little because I can't believe how cute everything is turning out. Stay tuned!

SCHOOOOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!

2008-07-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

"NO MORE PENCILS, NO MORE BOOKS, NO MORE TEACHERS DIRTY LOOKS!"

At least not until the end of August! Thanks goodness for Summer Break!

NOW, how do I convince my parents that I need to go "Back-to-School Shopping" at 27 years old?

Event Planner 4 Hire

2008-07-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

After the success of Sara's "Harajuku Girl" surprise party I have decided I am going to offer up my party planning services to those less fortunate than I when it comes to event planning. Sara had NO idea there was a surprise party in the works, everything went off without a hitch, the food turned out fantastic, the decorations were perfect, and the party was kah-wah-ee (that means "Super Cute" in Japanese)!

So, if you have any special events coming up...Weddings, Birthdays, Funerals, Baby Showers, Sweet Sixteens, Bar Mitzvahs, "Sex and the City" DVD Release Parties, Masquerades etc...and you need to make it extra special, please feel free to call. I don't come cheap, but can you ever really place a price tag on God given talent?

While I'm at it, I might as well mention that you can also hire me for any of the following special talents:

Personal Styling (both Ladies & Gents)
Christmas Present Wrapping
House Cleaning
Invitation Design
Personal Chef
Stain Removing
Car Detailing
Baby Sitting
Closet Organizing
Killer Lesson Plans
Gardening
Stick Shift Lessons
And Ballot Box Making

I look forward to working with you all.

Mandatory Saturday Thoughts...

2008-07-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

It is 8:21 on Saturday morning and I am at work. I've been here for two hours already. How did this happen to me? True, I'm typing a blog instead of actually working, but still, I'm at work nevertheless, on a Saturday... Working... Saturday..............

Work.

This is ridiculous!

Anywho...I am sitting at my desk putting in my mandatory 5.5 hours and I am completely overwhelmed by the constant list running in my head of all the things I need to improve upon in my life. This list consists of tasks that I have either never been able to accomplish in my time on this earth, or things I used to be quite proud of and have slacked on over the years.

Task #1- Save money.
This is a simple task for most people, people who realize the importance of retirement, and having a large savings account in order to fall back upon in times of hardship. For me however, saving money has always been a struggle. There are just too many clothes, nights of fun to be had with friends, or vacations to be taken. My case in point...we are planning a trip in November to see Madonna, then in December it is Christmas, which I usually spend way too much on, and following Christmas in January is a planned cruise to the Mexican Riviera. So, I have to save my money in order to be able to afford all of these exciting trips and holidays that I will inevitably be spending all of my savings on. It's a vicious cycle people.

Task #2- Get my ace in shape.
With said cruise, one needs to have a nice cruise body, and that is my latest goal in life. This cruise is my current motivation to get my butt on that treadmill, to eat healthier, to get back the body I am comfortable with, and to be able to parade myself around the lito deck in a speedo. Not that I would EVER wear a speedo in public, but having the confidence to be able to is my new goal.

Task #3- Stop being such a Douche.
I'm a bitch. It's true. No one would argue with this fact. I talk shit, I'm rude, I dislike most new people I meet, and I have a hard time staying positive. But I have decided that I need to stop all that nonsense. It is becoming important to me to be aware of the negativity I possess and to become a better person. Someone who is less judgemental, kinder, and more open to new people and new experiences.

Task #4- Get that freckle checked out.
Not really a whole lot of explanation needed. I have an appointment on Wednesday.

Task #5- Focus on School.
When I first started my Grad program I was completely gun hoe and ready to learn everything there was to know about becoming a teacher. Now that I have been in the program for a few months the focus is waning a little. It's not that I've lost any interest in becoming a teacher, or in learning, but I think it is the fact that I really don't like having just one class that cuts into the middle of my day and I have to drive to twice a week. I am sure that once I start up again in September the focus will return (this is me being more positive people) but until then, I need get my shiz together and make the best outta the class that I got.

Task #6- Work on friendships.
I have the best friends any guy could ever ask for. But that fact that I have quite a diverse set of friends makes it hard to spend as much time as I would like to with all of them. I am trying to find a way to build upon my friendships and reconnect with everyone who is important in my life.

Task #7- Be a better boyfriend.
Having someone love you unconditionally, outside of family members, is the greatest gift a person can receive. When you find that person who loves you for you, it is your responsibility to do everything you can to make them happy, to treat them with respect, and to shower them with kindness at all times. I give my partner a lot of shit, I take him for granted, and sometimes I don't treat him the kindest. But I love you, and if you are reading this I think that you are the BEST! I WILL do better.

Well, those are the changes I am working on in my life right now. If you have made it this far in reading my random thoughts you are probably asking yourself, "What the hell does this have to do with me and why do I read this blog crap?"

My answer to that is...Maybe you are someone who has too much free time on your hands and perhaps you should make a list of your own of things to improve upon. I.E. find some new hobbies so that you are not wasting your time reading about how screwed up Brandon's life is?

Really though, this list is for myself. If I write it all down then it is easier to work at accomplishing these goals. I appreciate the fact that you care enough to read my randomness, and if you have any helpful suggestions for me I am all ears.

AND NOW...back to work...on a Saturday.

Drinks + Fireworks + Birthday Parties = BEST 4TH EVER!

2008-07-06T10:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend may have been one of the greatest Fourth of July's ever! After a wonderful dinner with friends (my BBQ pulled chicken sandwiches kicked butt), we made the LONG journey to SH park for the festivities. Fireworks, friends, and fun times ensued. This is completely corny, but there really is something magical about looking at the person you love in the glow light of fireworks. All my life I wished for someone to share holidays and special occasions with, but for some reason the 4th has always been particularly important. There is so much excitement building up to the fireworks show, and for me they are so beautiful to watch while laying in the park under the stars. Enjoying that moment with someone I love is the best feeling, and the last five years have been wonderful.

So I know I bitched about all you July birthdays, but there are definitely some perks to being able to celebrate the lives of so many different friends. Mainly the plus side involves free food, lots o' drinks, and good company. This Saturday was no exception. We celebrated a 30th birthday party of one of our closest friends and I must say it was off the hook! Fo shizzle! I may or may not have done some things that I may or may not regret, but it was well worth it.

P.S. "I have Dallin's bracelet and I'm not giving it back!"

A VERY Happy Halloween!

2008-07-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

This post is a little shout out to all those sex crazed parents who were doing it in October during the 80's. That's right, parents like sex in October, it's a fact. I have 9 birthdays in July, which leads me to believe that the thought of dressing up in Halloween costumes and gorging ourselves on candy leads to sex, which then leads to birthdays in July. 9 in fact!!! July birthdays include my little brother's, which means that even MY parents were horned up on the festivities surrounding Halloween! SICK!

So for all you July birthdays out there, I just want to tell you that I am completely broke this month because I have had to spend all my money on birthday presents for you, and all because your parents couldn't keep it in their costumes! Thanks. You know who you are!

Looking Forward To, Loved, Sick Of...

2008-06-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

This has been one hectic summer already. There is so much to look forward to, so much I have already done and loved, and so much that I am sick of. I thought I would make a little list of my Summer Treats and Summer Stinks:

Loved So Far...

"Sex and the City" I'm still talking about it
"Kung Fu Panda" this is a must see
"Priceless" Audrey Tautou is gorgeous
Reading Cooking Lite
Brunch w/Friends outside on patios
The new "Monet to Picaso" exhibit at UMFA
Swimming at Melanie's G-ma's pool
Blogging

Looking Forward to...

Madonna in November
The big Feist/Birthday/Celebration Weekend
The Farmer's Market
Wall E
The Art's Festival
Swimming at Melanie's G-ma's pool
School Ending
Starting my Methods Courses in September
July Birthdays (there is a TON!)
Camping in Bear Lake
The Fourth of July
MAW Rubber Ducky Derby
Blogging

Things I Hate...

Math Homework
Class Twice a Week
Work
Power 90
Sweaty Pits

First Lady

2008-06-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Last night Casey was unanimously elected to be our condo association's Treasurer. I guess that makes me the first lady of the Treasurer? I am sure you are all concerned about the time I will be spending pursuing this new role in my life, which is to serve the common man, to bring political comfort to the people, and to better America, but I want you all to know that I will remain the same Brandon I have always been. This new political position has not, and will not go to my head. I will still make time for all my friends and family.

Patterns Schmatterns

2008-06-17T09:41:00.000-07:00

I began my new math class yesterday and all I can say is I have ZERO motivation so far. This is my "finals" week in the other two classes I have, and not only do I have a paper due in each, but I have 25-30 pages of reading every night on top of that. So-o to go to a math class and find out she wants us to do 22 pages of reading, two homework assignments, and a paper on our math experiences by the next time we meet, makes me want to shoot myself! If only I can make it through this week! Please, please, please let me make it through this week!

On the brighter side...

This math class seems really interesting. It is all about learning how to teach math to students. I am a little worried that it will take a lot of math skill, which I don't have, but hopefully I will be able to pick it up. I haven't had to think about math in over 7 years? Holy cow! It's been that long! Oh Crap!

I'll let you know how it goes.

My New Fashion Icon

2008-06-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

I love Ellen Degeneres, but before TiVo, I rarely had the opportunity to watch her show. Post TiVo I have found that Ellen has a fantastic sense of fashion, that is, for a boy. Please don't get me wrong, I am not making fun of Ellen in any way, shape, or form, but c'mon. Ellen dresses just like me. Now, with that said, there is a certain femininity about the way she dresses, but there is that same femininity in my clothing. Sometimes she pairs a little ruffle with a suit jacket, which only under the right circumstances would I ever do, but sometimes she throws that female aspect completely out the window and dresses like a guy. I've attached photos of what I am talking about so that you can see where my inspiration is coming from. Plus, who can't help but love how funny Ellen is?

"I’m a godmother, that’s a great thing to be, a godmother. She calls me god for short, that’s cute, I taught her that."- Ellen

The 13th

2008-06-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Heads up today to all those Paraskevidekatriaphobics out there.

"Paraskevidekatriaphobics — people afflicted with a morbid, irrational fear of Friday the 13th."

Coffee + Crisp White Polo = Catastrophe

2008-06-13T10:22:00.000-07:00

Why is it that when you feel super confidant and you think you look great and you are wearing your new crisp white polo, that your bottom lip becomes a non-functional piece of skin & allows you to leak coffee down the front of your shirt? Shit, Damn, Hell!

Is this the kind of lame stuff I'm supposed to blog about???? Just curious.

Testing the Waters...

2008-06-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been inspired by numerous people to start my own blog. I've done the MySpace, I've done the Facebook (hate it by the way), and now I am doing the Blogspot. I am testing the waters to see how this goes. So far, I have enjoyed the process. Thank you Sara for the creative blog name, you "kill" me with your quick wit. I can't wait to sign up for your "Become a Blogging Expert" class that I am sure you will be teaching in your bedroom on Saturday mornings while Tex plays with a ball in a nearby room. Thank you Mel for the blogging encouragement, I wouldn't have had the guts to do this if it wasn't for you. Thank you others for the inspiration to finally fulfill my dream of becoming an internationally recognized blogger. This is my new goal in life. Let the games begin.