Good Day Sunshine

Wow, I can't explain exactly why, but I am LOVING this day. The sun is out and it is gorgeous. I've gotten several errands accomplished and I'm looking forward (yep, I said it) to cleaning my house in just a little bit! I got to talk to Mike this morning and he's doing well. He was having some computer problems, but overall he's still doing well and staying positive. I sent him a care package a bit ago and it only took 5 days to get there - isn't that crazy!

I also know that one fellow JCCS1 person is home on R&R and I'm so happy for his girlfriend, Kym, that just the thought of her enjoying time with "her Mike" as we've come to call him puts a smile on my face. It seems like forever ago that "my Mike" was home on his R&R, but the up-side to that is that it makes his eventual homecoming feel closer! One of my other favorite Navy bloggers at The Desert Periscope is getting ready for his homecoming, which I couldn't be happier for him about. This small, unique community of JCCS1 sailors, families and friends has been invaluable to me during this deployment and I feel like their good news is "our" good news as well!

I still haven't chosen my candy bar yet. If you have no idea what I'm talking about you can read my last post, though it might not help clarify things. I am leaning toward the Kit Kat however and the 'powers-that-be' are really making it as an enticing of offer an as possible...throwing in a lot of options so it's looking like the KING SIZE version! I told them I'd give them a decision this week, so I'll keep you posted.

Anyway, I just wanted to post and let everyone know Mike is doing well. I hope you all enjoy the remainder of the weekend! If you need a little song to help you, take a verse from The Beatles...

I need to laugh, and when the sun is out

I've got something I can laugh about
I feel good, in a special way
I'm in love and it's a sunny day...

I love you Mike!!

decision making time - hungry anyone?

At my school we are on yearly contracts, so there is no tenure and you just don't necessarily stay in the same position forever. This, I have always thought, is a great thing. It alleviates complacence and allows us to follow our "passions" and remain interested, engaged and up-to-date. This is the time of year when everyone starts thinking about what they will be doing next year. It's a crazy time and brings a lot of stress that I am finding it hard to deal with. I know that my current problem isn't really a "problem" but I'm just having a hard time deciding what to do. I know there are people out there with no options, and I have several and I really do know how lucky I am, but you know how when there are too many options in the vending machine you sometimes just can't decide if you want a Snickers, a Kit Kat or a Butterfinger (yes, Mike, I know you always opt for the Butterfinger...) - well, that's what I'm facing right now.

I could stick with what I'm doing - the Snickers, in this case. It's always good, I always enjoy it and I know what I'm doing. I could opt for the Kit Kat which would have me doing something new and doing several things and not just in my one classroom. Or, I could go with the Butterfinger and take a position I know a lot about and while it's maybe not as "involved" as the Snickers, it still involves significant planning time. My conundrum is this: I have been apart from Mike for a year (or will have been) and I am interested in taking on a position that might offer me more "outside" (quality time, if you will) time to spend with him- so like this weekend that just passed, I would spend it with Mike instead of spending 6 hours planning on Saturday and another 6 on Sunday. The Kit Kat option is new and I fear that, while it would be fun, it would be just as much work and I might miss out on all the extras that come with teaching in a classroom (i.e. peer interaction, working with kids, etc.). There is one layer of the Snickers option that I'm just unhappy with, but it is something I could live with. The Butterfinger option would allow me to teach in my passion area, an area I'm really comfortable with and knowledgeable and excited about, but it comes with a lot of outside work - which is probably less than what the Snickers option has, but still...The other thing is I REALLY need to finish my flippin' dissertation and I think that I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that it is going to take me twice as long working full time (and I don't want to work part-time, but still).

Ok, so maybe I've taken the candy analogy a bit too far, but I'm clearly obsessing and stressing about this and on top of that, now I'm hungry!!!


I love you Mike!

Lest we never forget...

I return to posting today with the somber news that today in Iraq was a particularly harsh one, reaffirming the realities of war that I'm sure have hit home for all who have loved ones serving. I do not have much to say, other than that my thoughts and prayers are with everyone who has a family member or friend serving in Iraq and Afghanistan and my unending gratitude goes out to each and every service member who is risking so much for so many.


I love you Mike.

Happy Birthday!

Just wanted to wish Mike's mom, Mary Lou, a very happy birthday today!

Or, as her students might have said to her today (I think): Bon Anniversaire!!

I hope you enjoy your day!



I love you Mike!

For my Virginia Beach Blogger Friend :)

Kym,

Right back at ya! ;) You're the best!

Go Chargers!!!

I love you Mike!

Yay!

This might seem like an insignificant milestone, but if you look at the counters at the top of the blog you'll notice that now the "Time Left" counter is now LESS THAN the "Time in Sandbox" counter --- we have passed the halfway marker and I couldn't be happier!

We had a staff/planning day today to get ready for our respective intersession courses and our coming semester. My team-teacher/friend Amy and I are holding "High Tech High Iron Chef" as our intersession course. I went over to her house in Coronado last night and her husband taught us both knife skills...and we made homemade pasta and wonderful salads. I learned to brunoise, chiffanode, julienne, chop, mince and dice and I didn't cut myself once! I must say, learning to cook and cooking excellent, beautiful dishes is fantastic fun. I can't wait until Mike comes home and we can cook together!! This week our students will be making sushi (california rolls and such), risotto and homemade breakfast dishes (pancakes from scratch, etc.). Next week they'll be decorating cakes, working on their own knife skills with salads, making homemade ravioli and sauces and having an Iron Chef competition. The downside to this is that we have 40 kids, all day long, with no breaks and no prep periods...so it's going to be a crazy 8 days!!

Our first project of the coming semester is a HTH CSI project where our students will be acting as crime scene investigators, studying fingerprinting, DNA analysis, blood spatter patterns, paint and fiber analysis and criminal psychology. In my class they'll be studying major court cases in the U.S. and the history of detective fiction. We'll be reading several Poe short stories, some Stevenson, Dickens and some current works of mystery and detective fiction. They'll also be writing their own short stories and submitting them to a few writing magazines/journals. This is only and 8 week project and we'll end before spring break, so that'll make it a bit more manageable than our entire semester-long project from the Fall - ugh! Anyway, I'm sure I'll post more on both these things as they proceed.

I've heard from Mike in emails lately and he is doing just great, but still really looking forward to being home. I don't have a whole lot to share about what he's doing...other than the fact that he's had to give up his truck and is now on-foot for the remainder of his time there. I guess they needed it for training of some sort...or someone else needed it whose truck was used for the training, I'm not sure. Anyway, it's about a 1/2 hour walk to and from work every morning...and about a 15 minute walk to where he eats lunch...so he figures he's got a lot of walking ahead of him! He was talking about wanting to work out more while he was there - I guess he got his wish! :) He certainly doesn't need to lose any weight and he looks great, but I think the "fresh air" might be good...maybe? I am sure he'll be wishing for the truck back soon enough!

Well, I hope this post finds everyone doing well.

I love you Mike!

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone all the best for 2007!

I love you Mike!!