Dancing Queen

I've always enjoyed dancing. In fact, in 6th grade, my friends and I formed a dancing group called the "Live Five". We made up dances to popular songs like Boogie Fever. And another friend had a huge basement with a concrete floor where we could make-up dances and kareoke. During jr high and high school I loved dancing to songs that had certain steps to them like The Hustle, Time Warp, or Rock Lobster. In college line-dancing became popular, which I thought was awesome. And at dances it was always more fun to dance with the guys who knew ballroom dances or western dances. Since college I have never really thought much about dancing until Dancing with the Stars began. Watching the show made me yearn to learn how to ballroom dance. So when a community class offered ballroom dance, I took it. In that class I learned the waltz and foxtrot with partners. Even though I could practice the steps over and over, I couldn't practice following the man's lead. For some reason, a part of me is drawn to learning choreographed dance moves, which must explain why I prefer aerobics to any other kind of exercise. With that said, I just started a new exercise regime using Dancing with the Stars work-out dvd's. On the dvd I started with, I am learning the waltz, cha cha cha, and jive. I am really enjoying the waltz and jive. I'm not sure my body is physically capable of doing the cha cha cha. Trying to rotate my hips in a figure 8, plus move my feet is very difficult!! Luckily, on this dvd, there is a slow-motion segment for those tough parts. I'm hoping with time it will get easier!And then I can become a dancing queen!

Night at the Movies

I love Netflix! You pay a monthly fee(anywhere from $5-$20, depending on the package you get). To have movies come to you through the mail and to return them through the mail is simply awesome! And the choices you have in programs is amazing! Not only can you get classics and recent movies, but you can also get television series or movies! The problem I see with Netflix is that I like to watch my movies as soon as possible. Hence, sometimes I get to bed later than I expect or I procrastinate other things I should be doing. I try to justify my watching the movies because I don't watch tv that often, but I've had to learn to control when I watch! I especially love the history and time pieces I see! There are a few movies that come out that I have to watch in a movie theater, but for the most part I wait for the DVD to come out now.

LOST

LOST is the perfect title for this tv show, because if you haven't watched it from the beginning, or you even miss one episode, you are lost about what is happening! The 5th season started last night! I turned off the ringers to my phones so I would have no interruptions during the 2-hour season premiere! There is just so much intrigue and so many unanswered questions that keep me coming back each season. And little by little you get some answers, but you add more questions by far. This show is as mysterious as getting a puzzle without a picture to follow. Each episode gives you a piece of the puzzle to start making connections in the story and with the characters. Eventually puzzles get finished, hence, LOST will end after Season 6. So by June 2010, I will know what the full picture looks like. This show is very unique in that way. Plus while you are watching it, you have to be alert or you miss some of the puzzle pieces. And then you can get confused quickly! So to keep on top of things, I always have to discuss the episode with another fan of the show or go to one of the LOST websites and read the comments and recaps.

Historic Day

Today America made history by having its first black President. It's amazing how far we have come in just 50 years! Since it was a historical event, I actually took the time to watch President Obama's oath and speech. I thought his speech gave hope to the people, and hope is what people need right now. One part of his speech struck a chord with me: "What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility...this is the price and promise of citizenship". We do need to take more responsibility being a good neighbor and guiding the destinies of our lives and world.

Reunion!

Some of you may know that between 1st grade and 8th grade my family moved 7 times. I lived in Alabama, Ohio, Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, Missouri and then Utah. So I've had lots of chances to make many friends. A few of the friends I tried to keep in touch with were Tara, Lisa, Cindy, and Beth. We kept in touch through letters then...you know those things before e-mail and texting. I slowly lost track of Lisa, Cindy, and Beth. A few years ago I got an email at school from an outside source and lo and behold, it was Lisa! She had found me by googling my name! And since I work in a school district my name appears with the district and a way to contact me! I was simply amazed she was able to do that! I can't tell you how happy I was to be in contact with her again! So of course I immediately tried it with Beth and Cindy, with no luck! So recently, I tried googling Beth again, with her maiden name, and this time I got a link to a high school reunion site. On that site they give you just enough info without registering. I found out her married name and where she lived so then I just had to google her name and the town's name. And because she is working in schools too, she was listed and I could contact her! It was so exciting! Also it was fun to read about her surprise at getting an e-mail from me! There is nothing more thrilling than getting an e-mail from someone you thought was gone from your life! This friend-finding quest is quite addictive! Since then I've located a few other friends too.

Teachers, Teachers

I get asked why I chose teaching for a profession or what's the best part about being a teacher. Of course I always answer: June, July and August! I do love that about teaching but I also love working with the deaf and hard of hearing population. I travel to a variety of schools daily. I work one-on-one with my students for a period of the day. Since hearing affects language, I work on skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and vocabulary. Each child has different strengths so their goals(which are decided every year) reflect those skills the child needs to be successful in the mainstream classroom and in life. I can work with K-12 students, but I prefer the secondary levels. It's always a bittersweet moment for me when a student graduates or no longer requires services. On one hand I'm so excited for their new independent lives, but on the other, I will miss the association I have with them!

Your mind is a terrible thing to waste

Every Tuesday for the next 14 weeks, I will be attending a 3 hour Writing Instruction class after school. It is part of a series of classes I've been taking the past few years that will allow me to get a Reading Endorsement...that means I would be able to be a Reading teacher at a school, if I wanted. But more important than getting an endorsement, these classes are so excellent! I learn about the most recent research and strategies which will help students learn the best. The info has helped me become such a better teacher! I think all teachers should have to take these classes to update themselves on better practices in their classrooms! These classes are the cream of the crop when it comes to professional development! It's like taking college courses without the tuition! But the homework load is like college too! But it's worth it because I learn so much and we get to practice what we are learning with our current students! I would love spending the majority of my time learning everything I could in this life! There is so much to know! The older I get, the more I realize how much I don't know.

The Perfect Combo

It was such a beautiful winter day today! For wintertime in Utah, it was a blistering 50 degrees. Some of the schools I work at have their heaters on full blast. I actually had to open a window to cool down the room! On my way home from work, I couldn't resist stopping at Keva Juice for a Berry Berry Good. Usually I visit Keva Juice during the summer months, but I was drawn to it today! And through some marketing ingenious, Great Harvest Bread is right next door to Keva Juice...they even have an adjoining door! So of course I have to step over to Great Harvest for a thick slice of bread, which isn't so bad for you, but then I have to smother mine with honey butter! It is the perfect after work snack to hold me over until dinner(I am done with work at 3pm). Yum Yum!

24

Tonight the tv show 24 returns! It's season 7! Last year we missed a season because of the writer's strike. I'm so excited to have some more Jack Bauer to watch! For those not familiar to the show, it is done in real-time...so each hour episode is an hour of the day and a season happens in just 24 hours. Jack Bauer is the hero of the show. He saves the country from terrorists acts with some help from his friends. It's very intense! There's not a dull moment in the show and each week you are riveted with the story and how quickly things change from one extreme to the other. I started watching with Season 4, but I had to watch the dvd's of the previous seasons so I would be up to par with all the characters. So for the next 16 weeks, my FHE activity will be watching 24 at 8pm on Mondays.