"did you ever know that you're my hero"

8:51 pm: phone call from claires

c: "ams, the metra was supposed to come at 8:42. it's not here"

me: "claires, its only 8:51...nine minutes late is totally on time for the metra."

c: "is it weird that there is nobody else here waiting?"

me: "well it is 9 pm on a saturday night...why would any one be riding the metra now?"

c: "its dark. and I'm IN THE SUBURBS"

me: "ok claires call nick on his phone mine is dying and Im driving"

after discussing if claires knows how to read the metra schedule we decide to do a quick internet search for the metra schedule ourselves...thank you data plan that save me money AND saves the day.

of course there are no red lights to be found, and so frantically search the internet while driving and dodging the multitude of cops that lined oakton. finally handing the phone over to nick.

nick: "does this thing scroll sideways?"

me: "no. why?"

nick: "well there was a 7:42 metra....and the next one's not till 11:12"

c: "what? but I read the schedule"

nick: "there was one at 8:42 AM"

frantic map scrambling...megabunny taxi is on its way. to retrieve claire from the *gasp* SUBURBS!

9:45 arrive at the glenco station to pick this up.

c: "thanks guys"

me: "no prob. we'll have a metra schedule lesson and a discussion about the difference between AM and PM when we get home"

c: "guys it's confusing"

confusing? you be the judge....when would you catch the metra?

feelin' guilty

my phone was taken....or even better snatched, off my desk by a student of mine determined to make my life miserable.

I tried requests, i tried threats, I tried scaring them with police action, i tried guilt, I even said fine keep my phone, just give me back the sim card that's useless to you, no luck, devil children who steal things have no desire to return.

I told my senior homeroom on friday and they made me an honesty box, so people could return it unidentified. they carefully designed the box hole so it would be large enough to fit my phone, but small enough that no one could reach back in and steal it back.

sadly no luck. but it would have been really cool if it had. :( Friday Im off to buy a new phone and say good bye to all the pictures and photos collected on my phone. This is what I get for not getting the free one.

SLINKS!

add some lighting wire, vinyl tubing, a screen door spring, brown leggings and a brown shirt, tan gloves and mittens, green materials, some stuffing, and a couple of yards of tan and brown felt....and what you do get ???

SLINKS! aka my contribution to the science department does toy story....halloween 2009.

the whole group:

Slinks's favorite cowgirl Jessie

and favorite cowboy, Woody.

.

puke and rally

during my years as a notre dame student I noticed many of my fellow classmates were good fans of an old fashioned puke and rally. where you've

been partying too hard, (hence puking) but not learning your lesson and thus going back for more.

I was never one to do this, (never really did the puke part required for a puke a rally) but I now seem destined to experience it on a weekly basis thanks to this years football team.

they like to start strong. then give up for awhile. and then finish strong. four of our five games this year have literally come down to the last seconds. 3 of them turning around thanks to a strong rally following a dismal second and third quarter.

being an ND fan is not for the faint of heart. it is however, for the crazy fun characters that we met at the ND club game watch for the USC game. allow me to introduce my favs:

exhibit 1: rediculously drunk girl. having a good time and giving out free hugs and high fives after only a bloody mary. trying to get the bar to participate in uniform cheers one beer later. and the beers kept coming.

exhibit 2: adorable old man with a fabulous hat. not a ND alum...but a HUGE ND fan. claires wanted his hat. in all honesty we all did.

FEAST!

when the science department has department meetings we eat.

when I have food duties for science department meetings we feast.

phone conversation i had the night before my turn:

caller: how is your evening going?

me: good good, just cooking a feast for my deparment meeting tomorrow.

caller: oh should i call back later?

me: no it's ok. I'll still be cooking then. I did say feast after all.

and feast we did.

with peanut butter pumpkins

pumpkin cheese cake

pumpkin pie trail mix

apple cider

orange pop

pumpkin log

and sweet potatoes.

spirit week 2009

ever so long ago we had spirit week at my school. like a good teacher with sprit I complied.

well monday I did not....but I did wear a res t-shirt

and tuesday my walk-a-thon shirt...as we walked to the movie theater and saw fame.

then wednesday...TOGA day! and sadly I didnt take pics.

then thursday....grade school day. (well high school day for me...since I have nothing with me of the supercat or eagle days) i rocked the skirt, with sweatpants on since the skirt just wasnt as long as it used to be, the white polo, pigtails, kairos cross, and STA class ring.


then friday...would you still be my friend if I dressed like this. my wacky day outfit from the summer with some fabulous improvement: a horrendous tie from nick, and my half kitted hat atop my head.

thank you (practice) ACT

my students are taking a practice ACT...Im supposed to be studying for a genetics test I have to take this afternoon. which means that Im bored, and will post blogs instead. blogs about all the things i havent blogged about in ever so long. bear with the entourage of entries that may follow. Im trying to get caught up.

which is apparently the theme of my day....since this is my route.

first stop delish german bakery so I can use my groupon before it expires and get my 3 FREE DANISHES (even though the lady didnt believe me it was thursday).

then off to school...for 4 hours of working/studying/staring at students who are cowering in the face of the ACT.

next stop genetics test...aced the last on in 20 min. so this should be quick.

the off to the north shore performing arts center to get tickets to DANCE SLAM 2009

and then REI for my FLEEEEEEEECE! (to be paid for my giving up my saturday morning to procter a REAL ACT

home via sam's for some much needed gas (hopefully there won't need to be an additional stop on the side of the road when i've run out of gas) and then home to do laundry. this is my drive: