It's a Twister, It's a Twister!!

My facebook status today read, "What.A.Day."

And it was... Yikes... I am not even sure where to begin... Dorothy Gail would say, "Lions, Tigers, and Bears...oh my!"  If I were forced to say something  similar I would have to say, "Parents, Condoms, and Knives, OH MY!!"  

How does one respond to a parent who asks if I suspended her child who took a bag of pot from a shoe to brag to peers about possessing it as a way to punish her? Or respond  the two parents (CRAZY) who called to rat on the other one for a confrontation they had last night because their kids are stalking each other and trying to be facebook friends and got the police involved?  This in between having to walk two students to and from all of their classes, negotiating with teachers and students about many other issues, giving a kid detention for wandering the halls all the time and having him then tell his teacher I can shove the detention up my ass which then led to an in school suspension, leaving the school with the other assistant principal and school resource officer to find some kids who had left school grounds to smoke, having teachers trying to catch me in the halls as I am travelling through them to ask me about other kids, to learning that one of my students was found early this morning in a ditch, passed out drunk... and then the BIG item of the day... hearing that there was concerns about a student who had made some significant threats... and after searching him found condoms (one unwrapped... ewww), a razor blade, and two knives... followed by a...shall I say, less than efficient follow up with a state agency... and then a meeting with parents and some staff members that was out of control... including one staff member whose arms must be tired from throwing other staff members under the bus... All that and there are kids I didn't get to... 

It must be a full moon.  

Yes, what. a. day... I felt like Dorothy Gail up inside the cyclone... going in circles and unsure of where I would land...with a flying cow here or there...and  despite the craziness... I think at the end of the day my house landed safely...and think I avoided landing on the witch... though there are some parents... nahhh just kidding... 

and I am still happy... I love that every day is different... but also love that not every day is as crazy as today was...I am grateful.   

Last weekend in January

So after having been sick last weekend I was glad that this weekend I felt up for a bit of socializing.  On Friday after work I headed out to meet up with some of my old coworkers.  It was nice to see people and catch up... Some of my favorite people were not there and I missed them.  As much as I enjoyed seeing the people from my old job, it was a good reminder of how much I don't miss my old job.  I didn't stay too long because I needed to head back to go to some basketball games.  While I was watching the girls game one of the boys came up to me and had a big grin on his face and informed me I owed him a pair of socks... He's a kid who is on the jv team and swings up to join the varsity team as well.  His time on the varsity squad thus far is more about keeping water cups filled for the rest of the team.... on jv however, he is an integral part of the team.  He has amazing court awareness and is very strong.  He is a team player which I fin is becoming increasingly rare... One of the games I watched him play in was one in which he got hammered by a couple of players on the other team... and had he fallen when he got hit, he would have gotten an offensive foul, a charge, called against the other team... I had talked to him after that and told him he could have taken the charges and he kind of laughed... I told him that when I was in college my coach gave away pairs of socks for every charge someone took and made him the same offer... So even though I didn't see him take the charge, he did it!  I was excited that he was excited to tell me about it and today I bought him the socks he prefers.  I will give them to him tomorrow.  Other kids at the game overheard our conversation and some of the guys asked me how they could get a pair of socks!  (I must come up with more difficult tasks, socks of choice were pretty pricey!! $14 a pair!! Or.. buy a bunch of cheaper socks to hand out, not giving them choices!) Friday night I was planning on staying for both games, but at 9:00 I hit a wall and I was exhausted, so I decided to leave and come home to sleep.   Saturday I slept in, and after waking up enjoyed cuddling with the cats  and was happy to not have anywhere I needed to be.  Around 10:00 Jacey came by for a quick visit.  It was nice to see her.  It's really nice to have some 'family' so close.  Saturday afternoon I left here to head up to visit Meg.  She had invited me up for fajitas, margaritas, and canasta.  We had a great visit.  We realized that we hadn't seen each other since late spring!  That is awful!  We made up for lost time.   It was great to catch up and Meg beat me at a game of canasta... (Out of the 6 games we played!)  It was a lot of fun!
I got home today and did some errands, hit the gym, and came home.  It was nice to have a weekend that was friend focused.  I need to do that more.
Next weekend Jill is coming to visit.  I am excited to see her and am sure we will have some stories to tell!

Sinuses Schminuses

Staying home on Friday was a good decision.  I slept most of the day and left the house only to buy a humidifier and to get some food.  Saturday was more of the same.  I rested a lot and was up very little.  I think the antibiotics are helping.. but am not feeling as great as I think I should be feeling.  Yesterday and today I was able to do some cleaning around my house and I feel good about that.  Today was spent doing a lot of laundry... I left the house to go to my chiropractor appointment and on my way home, stopped at the bread store, where I had not been in a while.  To my pleasant surprise, one of my former track kids was working there.  She told me she has only recently begun working there and I hope to see her more often.  She is a sweet kid, struggling to find her path... It will be nice to get to see her once in a while.  She told me the days she is there and also told me about a punch card program they have there... where after buying 12 loaves of bread, the thirteenth is free... but wait, there's more!  On Mondays, one loaf of bread gets two punches!  Noted!  

My sinuses tonight feel so much better than they did Thursday.. but I feel like a kid who has been swimming and did a handstand or somersault in the water and got some water up my nose.  My energy is still low... this weekend once I decided to do something and did it I felt good, but then immediately exhausted... I am hoping tomorrow my energy is up... 

There is a chance of a snow day.. a small chance... and normally I would not want a snow day, but... an extra day of rest would not be something I would be opposed to.  

I hope I feel better... and hope that next weekend I can enjoy the weekend, being healthy... I have managed to stay active... though the level of activity has been minimal... it has involved pacing for 5-10 minutes at a time, walking to the store to buy some ginger ale, and dancing around as I was cleaning... and I have done 30 minutes a day of conscious activity... but I am hoping this week I can return to more workout based activity vs. just getting it done... 

Sick Day

Today I called out sick from my new job for the first time.  While I know my colleagues want me to be well and encouraged me to stay home and rest, I feel guilty.  There is a funeral today, for a parent of one of my students and I should go... but feel like my time outside of my house should be limited... I don't want to get others sick and also feel that if I stayed home from work, making an appearance at a funeral is probably bad form...

I started feeling bad on Sunday... worrying that I was getting bronchitis.  The cold air burned my lungs and my cough left my chest on fire for minutes after... then it began to become more of a sinus issue... and I knew I was done for.  The sinus infection I had this fall never really went away.  After the antibiotics I still felt stuffy and on many days have taken sinus medication ... I had called my doctor at one point and asked for another round of antibiotics and was told I hadn't given it enough time to really work through my system...

Yesterday I returned to the doctor and she agreed with me that the first sinus infection never went away completely and that this time, as I got sick, my sinuses were already vulnerable and got attacked... quickly... so she diagnosed me with another sinus infection... or sinus infection part 2.  This round there was more pain... and my eyes were watering... She prescribed a different antibiotic...and because I am allergic to penicillin the choices are limited... there is a chance that I may be developing a tolerance to the antibiotic she usually prescribes... and since it didn't work last time she felt she should try something else... she gave me the choice between two drugs, one of which can cause weak tendons in some cases people have ruptured their Achilles ... and I forget the side effects of the other, which sounded worse... so I opted for the tendon weakening medicine... she told me to be careful when doing mundane tasks... telling me that one of her patients sprained a finger putting his wallet back into his pocket... So I asked her about exercise and she told me that sticking to cardio for the next few weeks is probably smart, that if I do weight training to do minimal weight and reps... I asked her about snowshoeing and she said I should be fine if I don't do any jarring movements... hmm... me... jarring movements? That means that she would expect that there is some grace associated with my athletic ability.  So I guess we'll see what happens...

I came home after my doctor's appointment and took the first pill and then laid down to rest... and fell asleep for about 4-5 hours... when I woke up my sinuses were very full and I tried to rest more... and later, close to midnight I guess... my sinuses hurt, not just the pressure I have felt in other sinus infections, but pain... and my eyes were watering like crazy... not sure I have experienced that before, where my eyes watered from full sinuses... seeking relief I got up, cursing the fact that there was nobody here to do it for me, and made myself some chicken soup... well ok so it was chicken ramen noodles... the closest thing to chicken soup I had here... hoping that the heat would help clear the sinuses... and  it helped a little, but the pain kept me awake for a while... but when I did go to sleep, I guess around 3 a.m. I slept and slept well, until about 10:00 this morning... I woke up being able to breathe through my nose more easily than I have in days... and part of me wonders if this was just a bad cold, something that rest would take care of or if it is something that requires medication... I will continue taking the medicine because I do not want to feel like I felt last night again...

I hate being sick.. I am a lousy patient... It's one of the few times I dislike being single and living alone...Because I have felt so crappy this week, my place is a disaster... and definitely don't have the energy today to clean... I do think, however, that I have the energy to go buy a humidifier... which I think will help me get through the rest of the winter...

The silver lining, if there is one... the cats are happy to have had me home so much this week... and I have managed to keep moving.. to keep up with the 100 day challenge... though the last couple of days has been miserable and has involved short periods of pacing after getting up to get a drink or do something else... and don't tell, but I miss it... miss walking around my neighborhood and the gym...

Oh... I ordered a couple of t shirts too... One says, "World's Tallest Leprechaun" and the other says, "Does this make me look short?"

Off to get a humidifier and some sinus meds (doc said keep taking the sinus OTC meds too...)
... unless I decide to take a nap first...

Compartmentalizing

I judge.  Probably too much.  When I catch myself judging I try to think about where my life is and where the judgement comes from... and maybe need to be more cognisant of that...

When I have been, or am, concerned for people... I don't keep my mouth shut... so when people offer me their input, I get their reasoning.  I understand that people want what is best for me, or at least what they think is best for me.

I can't say that it doesn't hurt.  I can't say I don't feel judged...

I like to think that I choose the people in my life carefully... that I lead with my heart... and despite the walls I have built so strong I do let people in.  Though tonight find myself instinctively looking for my mortar and trowel....

Some of my decisions are not understood by people.  And part of me feels defensive about that... while another part of me says, of course you don't understand... there are so many reasons why you can't/couldn't... and wonder if time has been taken to even try...

My instinct... is to do better at compartmentalizing... something in my life I have never been good at... people in my life know about other people in my life... I share with people... obviously, you are, after all, reading this on a blog...

Part of me feels like I need to defend myself, defend the choices and or person/people that are being judged, ... but know that I won't... because I know my reasons behind my choices... I know, clearly, what is in my life and maybe even more clearly about what is missing...

Much of my life is an open book, here on the surface for people to see... there is still much more to it...

I'm not mad... I know that true friendships at times are uncomfortable... that pushing each other is part of the agreement... I want that, welcome it... know that concerns have been noted... and chances are good that I will continue to be stubborn, to dig my heels in, and not listen... and hope that while it doesn't make sense, perhaps from where you sit... you continue, or begin,trying to understanding why from my seat... it does...

Day 53

After a good night last night I hoped to sleep in... and I did... after an early morning/late night phone conversation with a friend of mine... I had sent a text to him earlier in the night and he didn't get it until almost 2 a.m. for some reason and thought that I had just sent it and after it woke him up, he thought I must be up and called.  It was nice to chat, but gave me even more desire to sleep late today.  I woke up and guessed that it was about 8:30... I was surprised with I looked and it was 8:53.  Ahhhh.. .nice... I then made myself some scrambled eggs and then got back into the warmth of my bed as I watched the Sunday morning show on CBS that I enjoy... and surfed the net a bit as I relaxed... and then decided that I needed to get going and get to the gym... While I did get my activity in yesterday by walking around a lot and also dancing at my friend's bday party... I wanted today's workout to be a little more intense .... I wanted to do the elliptical machine and set a goal for myself to do two miles in 28 minutes... which, for runners is a slow pace, a very slow pace... but I am not a runner and I have no desire to be  a runner...I decided that after warming up on the rowing machine I would need to keep my pace on the elliptical right around 4.5 mph to meet my goal... and at times I went well above that and here and there dropped down to 4.3 or 4.2... but when all was said and done I did two miles in 26:30... and I was pleased.  I stayed on the elliptical for a bit longer to cool down and then did some weight training with my legs... It felt good.  I think that I am ready to start intensifying my workouts a bit and commit to doing a bit more than 30 minutes a day... Not sure if I told you, but Jacey is also doing the 100 day challenge!  She's doing great!
I had worn a shirt to the gym today that i haven't worn in ages.  It is a black t shirt and in big white letters says, "I'm with Shorty"  and there is an arrow pointing to the left... Sis got it for me at some point.  It has been a shirt I wear as I am lazing around my house, doing chores, and when I go to the gym... Today, as I was doing some of the weight machines for my legs I got up to get some paper towels to wipe down the machine and a guy who was on the machine close to me stopped his workout, smiled and said, "That's a great shirt."  Fun!   Following the gym I stopped at the grocery store and because I had not zipped my coat my tshirt was still visible... (and I was wearing shorts because it was warm enough to leave the gym that way) ..and as I was picking out some veggies, a man smiled and said to me, "Nice short..and by nice short I mean shirt."  We joked about the importance of having a sense of humor in life.  It was nice.
Maybe I need some other tshirts to wear to the gym... will have to think of some good sayings....One that comes to mind is this piece of art  Sis had made for me years ago, which is not hanging in my office... it's a square canvas and has pictures of each of my nephews doing a pose that is attempting to make them look bigger than they were at the time, and the canvas says. "When we grow up we want to be tall like Auntee...."  That would be a cute tshirt, with the image of course, and maybe a conversation starter.

I am happy that I have made it to day 53... and look forward to the next 47 opportunities to be active... and when that comes it will be March 1st and the days will be longer, and kayaking season will be closer... and I will be healthier... I am healthier than I was 53 days ago...

I also look forward to continued growth in my life, in many areas.

Got an idea for a tshirt saying for me to help me start conversations with people at the gym and elsewhere? Leave a comment!

Double booked...

It has been a "school weekend"... lots of school events.. last night a basketball double header, this morning a track meet, and tonight a school dance, the winter ball.  The only one I absolutely had to attend was the dance.  And wouldn't you know I was double booked... one of my friends from my old job, someone I kayak with, is turning 50 and her husband had planned a surprise party for her tonight... and I really wanted to go... so.. I went to the school dance and left part way through to head to the bday party... and I am so glad I did... Oh.. this is me after I got home and had taken my hair down... thought I would take a pic since I was a bit dressed up.  

The bday party was a lot of fun.  It was at a hotel, in one of the ballrooms.  I think it was a great idea, to have it there... and wonder... when I turn 40 (of course many many years away since I am still 25... have been 25 for a long time now...)  should I have a shin dig like that? I would love to have many of my friends all in the same place, dancing and laughing... I would love it...as long as I wasn't the center of attention!  I got to see some former coworkers and we all danced a bit, and got caught up, it was nice.  There was an older man there who approached me and I recognized him, but couldn't place him... but he told me he missed seeing me... he was someone who I would see often in the mornings on my way to work when I would stop at the grocery store to pick up things for my classroom or a muffin for breakfast... he and I would often get there as the store was opening and would walk into the store together and make small talk.  It was so sweet that he said he had missed me and had been wondering where I had disappeared to since he hasn't seen me in the mornings.  Cute!  

This morning I enjoyed going to the track meet.  It was weird though... in a couple of ways.  the location of the meet was in the town where I used to teach... and in the fieldhouse where I used to coach....  As I was there I missed, in a way, coaching... (but later, after standing around for a while remembered how sore my back would be at the end of those meets,I don't miss that!)  The kids seemed happy to see me at the meet, the coaches were also pleased.  I also got to say hello to some of the coaches from other teams that I used to talk with when I was coaching.  It was nice.  One man, a coach, asked me where I had been and if I would ever return to coaching, disappointed when I said I doubted it... 

After coming home from the meet I was in a bit of a funk... still mulling some things over... which may or may not end up in a blog entry..... but I wasn't all that excited about having to leave my house... but as it worked out it was a great night.  The kids were so cute all dressed up... and I am so glad I went to the party for my friend.  There were a lot of people there I didn't know but talked with and it was great.  

I am looking forward to some down time tomorrow and sleeping in... late...I hope!  

Good Night! 

A Nice Note

Along with one of my colleagues, we have started a 'club' for seniors who are at risk of not graduating.  They stay after school one night a week with me and usually one other person... we provide food and drinks and a quiet place where they can get work done and get some help.  

Monday, one of the kids who comes every week, one who has a habit of often checking in with me, just because...came to my office.  He calls me lieutenant for some reason... he says it's because he wants to go into law enforcement and you always gotta look up to the lieutenant... anyway.. he comes in and reports that Tuesday was his birthday, but that he would still be coming to out program.  

So... I bought a small cake, the $3.50 Pepperidge Farm Cake from the freezer section... figuring it was big enough to share with a few kids who may want some... 

When I brought the cake into the afternoon group, I kept it in the box and shared the story of how Mom and I had the same birthday and how much I loved that.  I said that as a kid my mom made fancy cakes, barbie doll cakes, etc... but as I got older, Mom decided that she didn't want to bake on her birthday so we began buying pepperidge farm cakes... 

So today he brings me this:  

It was cool... neat that he wrote a thank you note and also cool that he referenced my Mom... 

Active

Yesterday a friend of mine had invited me to go to the movies with her and a couple of her friends.  They were going to go see Les  Miserables... and while I liked the film, I didn't want to see it again, yet... and told her I was grateful for the invitation, but would pass this time but that I hoped she and I could see each other soon... she offered for me to bring my snowshoes to her house today to trod around her yard and have lunch.  Being unsure about how I would feel after yesterday's adventure, wondering if I would be sore I asked if we could play the snowshoeing by ear but still get together.  She then suggested yoga.  You may remember I have found a place to do yoga that I didn't hate... yet there is still part of me that has this weird block about it... Yoga looks relaxing, but is a lot of work... but I agreed to go and we planned on having lunch afterwards.

I woke up this morning and there was a dusting of snow.  and it sounded windy.  I got myself ready and headed to the yoga studio where I ran into a parent of one of the kids in my school.  My friend arrived and we began catching up a bit... she has some tough things going on in her life.  The yoga class began and I am envious of the people for whom these movements and poses are easy.  Eventually perhaps, if I go more often, the moves would become less fragmented... At the beginning of the class, the instructor asks us each to think of an intention... something we could apply to the class, to something for the week ahead or the year... an intention... I like that... my intention was to make it through the yoga class without feeling like a circus elephant balancing on a bowling ball.  I doubt I will ever be an elegant yoga- doer.  I stretched and sweat and managed to not feel like a pachyderm... I modified some of the moves... like kneeling... in some of the movements you are supposed to sit on your feet while kneeling.  My left knee, my pvns knee, doesn't bend far enough for me to do that.  I modified as needed and the instructor at one point came over and asked if I wanted a suggestion for a modification and I did... she had me move to a position where I was on my back with my legs in the air bending one knee over the other in a way to get a similar stretch... it was nice.  Following yoga I do feel good, my body feels like I have lengthened and stretched it... so then we went to lunch at a nearby restaurant.  It was nice to spend time talking with my friend and hearing all she is enduring.  She asked me how I was doing and my hopes for 2013.  I told her that I was hoping for more happiness... and told her I was doing well.  I also hope that in 2013 I embrace things that take me a bit out of my comfort zone, like snowshoeing and more yoga... she told me about an author she enjoys reading... whose name escapes me at the moment... but one of this person's message is that the things in life from which we grow the most are the challenges/activities/adventures about which we have both excitement and a bit of fear... I like that... and think I need to use that in 2013.

Leaving the restaurant met with sunshine.  The sky had cleared and it was warm.  (Warmish, for winter anyway!)  and I decided to stop at the place that ha been my backup snowshoe location for yesterday... and explored a bit.  I think it will be a nice place to go and I hope to get there maybe next weekend, if weather cooperates.  I am going to be a bit picky about when I go.  I don't want to be cold.  Then once I got home I decided to go for a walk.  I wanted to go someplace where I could buy smartwool socks for my next snowshoeing adventure.. and when the running store closest to my house didn't have any I decided to walk to a store that was a bit further from my house.  And, I decided to wear my new boots to see how they worked and to break them in a bit.  I was pleased that they were very comfortable and supportive and I think they will be better for snowshoeing.  I'm not sure how far I walked, I would guess probably 2.5 miles or so, but as I got close to home I could feel my legs getting a bit tired... I think more from the yoga than from the walking... It felt good to be active today and if I don't sleep tonight, something is definitely wrong!

I hope the weekend was filled with adventure for those seeking adventure and relaxation for those who wanted to relax... I feel lucky I got a bit of both!
2013 is off to a great start!

Embracing Winter....

There are 73 days until spring.  I am already ready for spring.  The snow can melt, the daffodils and tulips can begin popping up any day now... but in the meantime... I do have a goal for myself for the winter... to embrace it.  In an effort to do that I bought myself snow shoes.  I bought them without having spent time snowshoeing, trying to have a little 'faith' that it would be something I would enjoy.  

We have had a couple of snowstorms and there has been plenty of snow.  I have been waiting to try my snowshoes until I got some new boots, boots that I thought would be better than the other winter boots I bought last year.  Ironically, they were waiting for me on my doorstep when I returned from today's adventure!  This last week was freezing cold.  REALLY freezing cold.  I managed to get my 30 minutes of activity in every day, but the weather did deter me from walking outside.  (By the way, today was day 45!!)   I had told myself that if the temperatures came up this weekend that I would give the snowshoes a try.  I debated about whether or not I wanted to go solo or with someone.  A few of my friends have offered to go with me and I am sure it would be fun to go with someone, but I am such a novice that I didn't want to slow people down...  So I decided to go solo.  

I got a later start than anticipated as I slept in and also had a hard time figuring out where I wanted to go.  But... I eventually got ready to go.  I went to a place whose gates closed at 4:00 and I didn't arrive until about 2:00.  I took my camera with me.  I think that if I have an opportunity to take some pictures it would be a way to help motivate me to be outside in the cold.  And combining my camera with snow, and in this case the ocean, and snowshoes, proved to be a lot of fun.  Yes, me, winter, something fun, outside... the possibilities are endless!!!  

So here is a shot of my feet in my snowshoes for the first time... (There is a similar picture at the end of the trip... and you may notice a couple of differences.... )  

The place that I decided to go is an island.  The trail goes around the island and there has already been a lot of traffic on the trails, so they were very packed down... truth is, the snowshoes were not needed to access the trails, but there were a few places where I went a bit off trail and got to experience a variety of terrain... 

This was a great first adventure because it was along the shore of the ocean... the calm ocean.  (in a bay) 

The light was very pretty.  The sun was lowering in the sky and the trees provided a lot of shadows...

I liked the bark on this tree... texture...

One of the things I don't like about winter is the lack of leaves, the lack of green and other colors on the branches... but there are beautiful things to see... without the leaves, there are details that can be seen, which are hidden by the leaves...

There were places where the snow was covered with shells of pine cones... I think the squirrels have been busy! 

In such a peaceful place, this was an odd sight: a fire hydrant.  

Looking out at one of the forts in Casco Bay...

A breakwater... 

I walked out onto the breakwater a bit and looked over the sides.. and in the side covered by shadow, there was this ice formation that was beautiful... 

There is beauty in winter... but if you remind me that I said that.. I may deny it! 

The rocks along the shore had some interesting colors...

At one point I took the snowshoes off, to descend some of the stairs to take some pics of the rocks.. and when I put my snowshoes back on... I put them on opposite feet... with the buckles on the inside of my feet... and it made it so much easier to adjust things... One would think I would have known that... but... the snowshoes don't seem to have a right foot and a left... Ha ha... trial and error!!! 

I thought it was pretty cool to be snowshoeing with seagulls... whenever I think of winter activities, the ocean has never been a part of the picture... I like that I can be active in the winter by the water... and once I feel like the ponds on which I kayak are solid enough... I think I will be snowshoeing on them! 

There were a few of these swings along the trail.  

As I got to this point and realized the sun was getting lower I panicked a bit... I realized that It was 3:09, that the gates for this island close at 4:00 ... and at this point...pun intended, I id not know if I should keep going forward or backtrack to make sure I would get out on time... I tried to factor in the time it took for me to take pictures.. and decided I would go back the way I came... and try to pick up the pace and try not to take pictures... which was hard! 

As you can see... I didn't do so well with the no more taking pictures piece! 

So I tried to go a bit faster... and definitely worked up a sweat...there were also some inclines... which helped with getting a workout. 

On my way back I came across this couple.  They were quite elderly... the woman, on the left, was healthier than the man she was with... they would go a few steps, take a break, and go a few more.  At one point they stopped and hugged as he leaned on her for a rest... it was beautiful and sad...all at the same time... She seemed knowledgeable about snowshoeing and offered me some tips as I shared it was my first adventure.  She suggested I move my foot further forward, and it seemed to help.  Trial and error.... trial and error... I did find I stopped several times to adjust the snowshoes... I do think that the other boots will be better because of their tread and shape... we'll see... even with the annoyance of readjusting, I enjoyed it. 

There was part of the trail that was open, into a field and I did get to break some trail... which I liked.. it was definitely more of a workout, but I enjoyed how it felt.  

A happy snowshoe-er!  (Must also note that the bomber hat is AWESOME!!  Thanks Santa & Mrs. Clause!) 

On the right feet... I think! 

I am excited about snowshoeing.  I think that it is going to be a good way to be active and a way for me to get to some beautiful places this winter that would not otherwise be accessible.  I hope we have some more snow... (WHAT?? Who said that??)  so that the lakes get frozen and create more places for me to explore.  I also hope that we have mild days so that it is not bitter.  I think it will also create another way to spend time with people!  

YAY!  Snowshoeing!  Something new!!!  

Misjudging a book by its cover...

I love Broadway.  I just do.  I love the music, the performances, the atmosphere... even the shows I saw on Broadway that were not my favorite (Dame Edna, Swing, and Hair...)  I loved... because of the experience, because of the artistry, because of the spirit of Broadway.  

The first Broadway show I saw in NYC was Les Miserables in 1998 I think... Sis had a conference in NYC and somehow I ended up going with her and while she was at the conference I spent time with a friend of mine.  It was my first time in NYC.  Our tickets were, if I remember correctly, in the last row of the balcony... I had never really seen professional theater... and as the show began, I could feel the music from the orchestra in every fiber of my being... and as Jean Val Jean appeared on the stage and began to sing about his prison term...."Look down, look down, don't look 'em in the eye..look down look down, you're here until you die...." He was marching on a part of the stage that rotated... in a circular motion and I was mesmerized.  I fell in love, with Broadway.  

Since that time... I have seen several shows... Rent of course, Chicago, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Swing, Dame Edna, Hair, Wicked...Oh and the Off Broadway show, Naked Boys Singing! (Hysterical by the way!)  And I have seen the movies that have been made after the Broadway versions including Chicago, Rent, and most recently Les Miserables.  

I was a bit apprehensive to see Les Mis because I loved it on Broadway so much... but since it had been so long since I had seen it I decided I would go...  I saw it with Sis, on Christmas day.  At a small theater about a mile and a half from her house.  We walked to the theater and am glad we didn't arrive any later than we did.  To my surprise the place was packed.  Who knew so many people went to the movies on Christmas Day? I had heard that Anne Hathaway was going to play Fantine.  I was skeptical.  I picture Anne Hathaway as the Princess in the Princess Diaries, not as a desperate woman who, to support her child, ends up selling her body.  I had more confidence in her acting abilities than in her singing, but I was pleasantly surprised.  The other performers did well also, though I think Russel Crowe 's singing was not as good as it could have been...while I respect the need for big names in a film, I would have loved to see a Broadway performer get their film debut... Anyway... this is not a movie review... I misjudged Anne Hathaway's abilities... and today I misjudged one of my students.  

There is this kid, who sits with another kid at the same lunch table.  I would not classify them as friends... they are two 'outcasts' who have found each other's company tolerable, and are often engaging in other activities while sitting there...gaming... music, etc... One of the boys, I will call, Mikey is a student with special needs, a very typical tall lanky goofy awkward boy trying to grow facial hair... the other, who I will call Darrell, is a kid who is hairy, bearded, whose hair is so long it covers his face... overweight... and they are kids I say hello to whenever I see them at lunch.  I try to engage them in conversation and often do so successfully.  One day, Darrel appeared in my neighborhood... he was sitting outside a church that is close to my house and I was surprised by his presence in my life outside of school... he was waiting to go to a youth group activity, waiting for his ride as well as the youth group leaders.  He was there with a few other kids one parent.  

Today, as I walked by their table I asked them what they had done over vacation and they both responded with 'not much.'  So I dug deeper and asked if they had seen any movies... I assumed they were both movie buffs... Darrel said he had seen a movie and when I asked him which one I expected him to name the newest terminator  type sci fi film or star wars or the like... and he said, "Les Miserables."  I tried to prevent my eyes from bugging out and from contorting my face into a confused expression... and asked him what he thought of it.  He began telling me about specific scenes and comparing them to a live performance he had seen somewhere... he compared the voices of the main characters in the movie to other actors he had seen.  At this point, wanting to be part of the conversation Mikey asked what movie we were talking about and I told him Les Miserables, and when he asked what it was about, I was attempting to say the French Revolution, Darrel interrupted me and corrected my description, saying it was about post revolutionary France... and as he described the plot, starting with why Jean Val Jean was serving his prison term (stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's child)  I started singing, softly yet overly dramatic, the song that starts the musical...Look down look down... and Darrel stopped talking and looked at me with the biggest smile and said, you know the songs, and I said I did and that I found it hard to watch the movie because I wanted to sing along.  He laughed and said HE had felt the same way!!  WHAT? Darrel? My outcast gamer likes Broadway? I LOVE IT!  He went on to tell me that he skyped with one of his female friends before going to the movie and as they skyped they sang the songs, each taking on parts of different characters!  

How fun!!!  I would not, in a million years, pegged that kid as a Broadway fan.  I love that my paradigms can be challenged and shifted.  Yahoooooooooooooo! Love my job!