I refuse to allow my last post to be the last post of 2009. Even though the public education system in Texas might be quickly approaching self destruction does not mean good things are not going on in my life.
My sweet William is 8 months old and counting. We weren't sure how he would be after his grand, and dangerous, entrance into this world, but God is great and has helped my baby grow and be happy. Christmas was a blast as Will pulled tissue paper out of bags and chewed on wrapping paper. The toys he received were fine, but as with older children and cardboard boxes, Will much preferred the packaging.
For my husband, I got a Wii. It is amazing how happy a video game console can make a 40 year old man. My sister finally managed to get her hands on a Harry Potter game, so now Chris earnestly mixes potions, plays Quidditch, and duels other students from the comfort of his "wizarding chair."
One of my favorite gifts this year is a pair of TOMS Shoes. They are sparkly and white, and I like knowing that I have also provided a pair of shoes for someone in need. My sister received a pair of plain canvas ones and a bunch of fabric markers. The intention is that she will use her unmatched artistic skills to decorate her pair to match her personality.
As with every year, we spent tons of time with the extended family simply enjoying the food and company.
Recently I have also been introduced to a couple of cool sites for book lovers: Goodreads and Paperback Swap. The first is a great way to catalog books I've read or would like to read. The second is a fantastic way to exchange books you would like to get rid of for ones you want to read.
At Goodreads, I am a member of a couple of discussion groups. One in particular is for moms who love to read. They are posting up their reading challenges for 2010. I decided it was time that I also set goals for my reading. I love to do it but find I am sometimes at a loss deciding what to read. There are so many ways I could go about choosing books. One mom used the alphabet twice. She used it once for authors and once for book titles. This way she has chosen 52 books for her challenge. I'm not sure how confident I am in my reading skills to tackle a book a week, but I know I can probably read more than one book every two weeks (especially in the summer time when we're out of school). I landed on 40 young adult novels I will read next year. Tomorrow I will post my challenge!
For better or for worse 2009 is coming to a close. The highlight is of course the blessings of family and friends. Life is empty without those we love. May 2010 bring plenty of happiness and love your way!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
The one thing constant in life...
Once upon a time I truly believed that I could change lives. God gave me a gift, a love, a desire for teaching. I know that my vocation is to educate, to share knowledge and gain knowledge from those I teach. I just knew that as long as I achieved at the highest levels for my kids that I would indeed affect change. My students would not only learn the beauty of reading and writing they would also discover a part of themselves that would define forever the type of person they are meant to be. In my classroom we would explore, together, ideas and cultures that would reinforce the positive outcomes to making decisions with integrity. My students would understand that sometimes they might not like me because of a difficult assignment or strict guideline, but in the end they would come to realize that I do all that I do for their future. I must prepare them for an unforgiving and often harsh world. I must show them that they can be the bright spot in a gray situation.
I had to keep believing all of this or else the politics of the public education system would have destroyed me after my very first year. A system exists where people who have never stepped foot in a classroom, or are very far removed from the classroom experience, are making decisions regarding what is best for the students. Instead of raising expectations and lifting the students up to meet them, all standards are lowered and students are handed answers if they choose not to think on their own. No one trusts the educator anymore or her judgment on what her students are capable of. This same system allows parents to berate and batter the educator so that they cannot sue the school system when their precious darling does not get his or her way. This same system allows students to receive top marks with minimal effort for fear that a failing grade would damage a fragile ego.
All of this I could continue to let roll off my shoulders because my students would learn that they are better than the system and should not settle for those standards. My students would grow up and become the people that make the decisions, and they would remember what they learned and do their best to better the system for future generations. Eventually enough of my students would be making so many positive changes that someone would see that teachers really do know what is best for their kids and someone might just start listening to teachers.
This week for the first time in my teaching career all of the muck that I tried to keep out of my classroom was crammed down my throat without a care in the world for what I do. Of course I am hurt and will probably not be able to let this go easily. However, I know how my heart loves to spend time on that sleeve of mine. For perspective I went to the one person who is supposed to understand me as a person and why I do what I do. He would simply listen and help me sort my ideas so that any decisions I made regarding the path I just knew God was leading me down would be as sound as possible. What he made bluntly clear was that nothing I do will ever make a difference. It will not change anything about my school or my district let alone the state or nation. And he's right. I see that now.
Do I still want my students to succeed? Absolutely. Do I still love them with all my heart? Absolutely.
The realization for me is that: no longer will I be stupid enough to hope to mend such a broken system. I will simply "go in and do my job like everyone else" as it was put to me.
I had to keep believing all of this or else the politics of the public education system would have destroyed me after my very first year. A system exists where people who have never stepped foot in a classroom, or are very far removed from the classroom experience, are making decisions regarding what is best for the students. Instead of raising expectations and lifting the students up to meet them, all standards are lowered and students are handed answers if they choose not to think on their own. No one trusts the educator anymore or her judgment on what her students are capable of. This same system allows parents to berate and batter the educator so that they cannot sue the school system when their precious darling does not get his or her way. This same system allows students to receive top marks with minimal effort for fear that a failing grade would damage a fragile ego.
All of this I could continue to let roll off my shoulders because my students would learn that they are better than the system and should not settle for those standards. My students would grow up and become the people that make the decisions, and they would remember what they learned and do their best to better the system for future generations. Eventually enough of my students would be making so many positive changes that someone would see that teachers really do know what is best for their kids and someone might just start listening to teachers.
This week for the first time in my teaching career all of the muck that I tried to keep out of my classroom was crammed down my throat without a care in the world for what I do. Of course I am hurt and will probably not be able to let this go easily. However, I know how my heart loves to spend time on that sleeve of mine. For perspective I went to the one person who is supposed to understand me as a person and why I do what I do. He would simply listen and help me sort my ideas so that any decisions I made regarding the path I just knew God was leading me down would be as sound as possible. What he made bluntly clear was that nothing I do will ever make a difference. It will not change anything about my school or my district let alone the state or nation. And he's right. I see that now.
Do I still want my students to succeed? Absolutely. Do I still love them with all my heart? Absolutely.
The realization for me is that: no longer will I be stupid enough to hope to mend such a broken system. I will simply "go in and do my job like everyone else" as it was put to me.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Did I Miss Anything?
It is the end of the first semester and part of a teacher's responsibility, in our district, is to decide who is exempt from the semester exam. Students lose their exemption if they have been absent, tardy for an excessive amount of time, failing for the semester, or have been placed in an alternative school setting for behavioral issues. Now, there are some circumstances where a student might have what is known as an "excused" absence. This means that even though s/he did not attend school that day they are still eligible for exemption from the semester exam. Some examples are school sponsored field trips, college visit days, and doctor's appointments as long as you spend some time in class before or after the appointment.
Everything seems simple enough until students start complaining: "No one wants us here if we're sick, but we are punished if we don't come to school" or "I was bettering my future by looking at my post high school options. Why do I have to take a test?" or "It's not my fault the school scheduled the competition during the school day." Taking an exam is not a punishment. If you miss class, you miss lessons. Sometimes the best discussion is rather impromptu and cannot be duplicated in make-up work. When a student is out of the learning arena a gap is created that must be filled. Semester exams are meant to test those students that had gaps to ensure that they were properly fixed.
Honestly, I don't believe any absence should be excused. If parents, teachers, and students have problems with competitions and other co and extra curricular activities taking place during school hours, perhaps there needs to be some adjusting elsewhere. One of my favorite poems is "Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom Wayman. I think he sums up many of my feelings on the matter.
Everything seems simple enough until students start complaining: "No one wants us here if we're sick, but we are punished if we don't come to school" or "I was bettering my future by looking at my post high school options. Why do I have to take a test?" or "It's not my fault the school scheduled the competition during the school day." Taking an exam is not a punishment. If you miss class, you miss lessons. Sometimes the best discussion is rather impromptu and cannot be duplicated in make-up work. When a student is out of the learning arena a gap is created that must be filled. Semester exams are meant to test those students that had gaps to ensure that they were properly fixed.
Honestly, I don't believe any absence should be excused. If parents, teachers, and students have problems with competitions and other co and extra curricular activities taking place during school hours, perhaps there needs to be some adjusting elsewhere. One of my favorite poems is "Did I Miss Anything?" by Tom Wayman. I think he sums up many of my feelings on the matter.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Wild Things, You Make My Heart Sing
To celebrate my 29th birthday yesterday, my husband and I experienced Spike Jonez's beautiful interpretation of Where the Wild Things Are. Of course this has been a long awaited event since in the early days of the usual summer box office bonanza when we caught our first glimpse in a preview. From that point on tears coated our eyes every time a promotion for the film aired on television.
When a movie of this magnitude is released, I try to avoid any type of reviews because I do not want anything to mar my own opinion of the film. Unfortunately, I was forced to make an exception in this case because I accidentally caught a couple of seconds worth of opinion on NPR in my husband's car (not a station I choose to listen to personally because it bores me). The review was negative, so I balanced it out by reading the linked article in this blog. I am very glad that I did.
The movie is a leap into the psyche of a child, but then again so is the book. The problem is that many people never think beyond Max's brief stint with the Wild Things and their notorious "rumpus" before longing to be back home with a warm supper. However, on a subconscious level what we are being told as children is that releasing our Wild Things every now and then is okay if we learn how to tame them (even if it is only temporary). As an adult I find myself occasionally wanting to cause "mischief of one kind or another" when I am frustrated or hurt or angry. But because I had Max as a child, I learned that there are healthy ways to "rumpus" without causing serious destruction.
Jonez takes all of this about the book and forays it to the screen flawlessly. The cinematography is stunning, and the choice to make the Wild Things "real" is the right one. Regardless of the slightly terrifying aspects of the Wild Things I still could not help but fall in love with them. My own cynicism and devious self doubt that often dances around when I want to try something new will now be crowned my "Judith moments."
Would I recommend this movie to my friends and family? Only if they understand a few things: 1. I do not believe this to be a children's movie. It may have been packaged that way, but many younger children may become bored with the pacing of the film 2. Expect to see an "artsy" film. This is cinematic art. Whatever notions a person might have before need to be set aside if they do not include going to see an artistic movie 3. A person will either be in love with the movie or hate it completely. I do not believe there will be much gray area where a person would think it is an alright movie. (Actually, I've been joking that the only people who don't like the film do not have either the intellect or inclination to want to experience the deeper levels. But really, that is partly true.)
Definitely read the linked article before seeing the film. Although the idea that we are looking into Max's psyche is pretty obvious, Mary Pols does a wonderful job of describing what to expect when walking into the theater.
<i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>: Sendak with Sensitivity
When a movie of this magnitude is released, I try to avoid any type of reviews because I do not want anything to mar my own opinion of the film. Unfortunately, I was forced to make an exception in this case because I accidentally caught a couple of seconds worth of opinion on NPR in my husband's car (not a station I choose to listen to personally because it bores me). The review was negative, so I balanced it out by reading the linked article in this blog. I am very glad that I did.
The movie is a leap into the psyche of a child, but then again so is the book. The problem is that many people never think beyond Max's brief stint with the Wild Things and their notorious "rumpus" before longing to be back home with a warm supper. However, on a subconscious level what we are being told as children is that releasing our Wild Things every now and then is okay if we learn how to tame them (even if it is only temporary). As an adult I find myself occasionally wanting to cause "mischief of one kind or another" when I am frustrated or hurt or angry. But because I had Max as a child, I learned that there are healthy ways to "rumpus" without causing serious destruction.
Jonez takes all of this about the book and forays it to the screen flawlessly. The cinematography is stunning, and the choice to make the Wild Things "real" is the right one. Regardless of the slightly terrifying aspects of the Wild Things I still could not help but fall in love with them. My own cynicism and devious self doubt that often dances around when I want to try something new will now be crowned my "Judith moments."
Would I recommend this movie to my friends and family? Only if they understand a few things: 1. I do not believe this to be a children's movie. It may have been packaged that way, but many younger children may become bored with the pacing of the film 2. Expect to see an "artsy" film. This is cinematic art. Whatever notions a person might have before need to be set aside if they do not include going to see an artistic movie 3. A person will either be in love with the movie or hate it completely. I do not believe there will be much gray area where a person would think it is an alright movie. (Actually, I've been joking that the only people who don't like the film do not have either the intellect or inclination to want to experience the deeper levels. But really, that is partly true.)
Definitely read the linked article before seeing the film. Although the idea that we are looking into Max's psyche is pretty obvious, Mary Pols does a wonderful job of describing what to expect when walking into the theater.
<i>Where the Wild Things Are</i>: Sendak with Sensitivity
Monday, September 21, 2009
Fall Television Line-up
With summer over many children drag themselves back to school and begin the countdown again to summer. However, with the coming of fall comes also new seasons of favorite series. The two most anticipated by me are The Big Bang Theory and House. Long have I awaited the further adventures of the socially retarded but always entertaining Sheldon and the lovably aloof but always fascinating House. My DVR is set and I am ready to watch.
Now, the topic of new shows this season that interest me and why I will or will not watch them. Let's look at the show that has potential: Flash Forward. Who wouldn't be interested in a show that predicts the future through a mental blackout experienced by everyone in the world? I can think of two reasons why I will not be tuning in: Lost and Heroes. Both of those shows had excellent set-ups and the first few seasons had me chomping at the bit for more. It just is not possible to sustain that level of interest. Lost turned out to be incredibly boring when plot lines were dragged out and questions went unanswered. No suspense was kept up, so I quit caring about the adventures of a bunch of deserted losers. The fault in Heroes lies in that the world can only be in peril once in a while. How many times am I supposed to worry about Earth's fate? Besides, the minute Heroes turned into X2, I quit because Hugh Jackman does it so much better.
Two shows I plan on creating permanent places for in my DVR: Glee and Modern Family. From the first minute of Glee I was hooked. The idea behind the show and the incorporation of music make for an entertaining hour of television. Modern Family does not start until this Wednesday, but I have a feeling it will quickly become a favorite. Unfortunately, neither show will have staying power. Why do I say this? Pushing Daisies, Arrested Development, Firefly. These too were unique ideas with sophisticated dialog and comedy. A majority of television watching America is too thick or deficit in attention for shows like this. I will do my best to enjoy Glee and Modern Family until the dreaded word of their cancellations reach my saddened ears.
Now, the topic of new shows this season that interest me and why I will or will not watch them. Let's look at the show that has potential: Flash Forward. Who wouldn't be interested in a show that predicts the future through a mental blackout experienced by everyone in the world? I can think of two reasons why I will not be tuning in: Lost and Heroes. Both of those shows had excellent set-ups and the first few seasons had me chomping at the bit for more. It just is not possible to sustain that level of interest. Lost turned out to be incredibly boring when plot lines were dragged out and questions went unanswered. No suspense was kept up, so I quit caring about the adventures of a bunch of deserted losers. The fault in Heroes lies in that the world can only be in peril once in a while. How many times am I supposed to worry about Earth's fate? Besides, the minute Heroes turned into X2, I quit because Hugh Jackman does it so much better.
Two shows I plan on creating permanent places for in my DVR: Glee and Modern Family. From the first minute of Glee I was hooked. The idea behind the show and the incorporation of music make for an entertaining hour of television. Modern Family does not start until this Wednesday, but I have a feeling it will quickly become a favorite. Unfortunately, neither show will have staying power. Why do I say this? Pushing Daisies, Arrested Development, Firefly. These too were unique ideas with sophisticated dialog and comedy. A majority of television watching America is too thick or deficit in attention for shows like this. I will do my best to enjoy Glee and Modern Family until the dreaded word of their cancellations reach my saddened ears.
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Psych Strikes Back...again
I absolutely love Psych. As I've mentioned in a previous entry, I refuse to support the rip off show The Mentalist because it shows how stupid people are to avidly watch a show that is a pathetic "carbon copy" of a superb original! Please enjoy the following:
Monday, August 17, 2009
Summer 2009 In Review Part IV: Being a Mommy
Well, my summer has officially come to an end. Tomorrow at 8 A.M. I am back at work for the new school year. Usually this day is welcomed with open arms because I have worked all summer planning for a fantastic new year. However, this year brings some mixed feelings. I love what I do and the kids I teach, but this year I must leave my four month old baby at daycare so I can continue to make a living. Does this mean I would prefer to be a stay at home mom? Sometimes. Things I am going to miss:
1. Sitting in bed feeding Will while watch The Golden Girls
2. Napping on the couch with Will curled up on my chest dozing
3. Meeting Chris for lunch with Will
I have discovered that being a mommy is as cool as I thought it would be. I cannot imagine my life without my precious baby boy. Even though I want more children, it is hard to believe I could love anything more than I love Will. Watching him grow is going to be a great adventure. Thank God that my job is actually quite conducive to raising a child. I will be able to always share in Christmas and Summer Vacations with him. My work day is done at 4 P.M., so I won't be rushing around when I get home to get dinner ready and Will bathed. There will actually be time to play:)!
So summer has been fantastic and with that I wish all students and teachers successful school years!
1. Sitting in bed feeding Will while watch The Golden Girls
2. Napping on the couch with Will curled up on my chest dozing
3. Meeting Chris for lunch with Will
I have discovered that being a mommy is as cool as I thought it would be. I cannot imagine my life without my precious baby boy. Even though I want more children, it is hard to believe I could love anything more than I love Will. Watching him grow is going to be a great adventure. Thank God that my job is actually quite conducive to raising a child. I will be able to always share in Christmas and Summer Vacations with him. My work day is done at 4 P.M., so I won't be rushing around when I get home to get dinner ready and Will bathed. There will actually be time to play:)!
So summer has been fantastic and with that I wish all students and teachers successful school years!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Summer 2009 In Review Part III: Shopping
It turns out that I have this not so great habit of shopping when I start to get really bored. Now that summer is coming to an end, I am anxiously awaiting returning to work. Not that I wouldn't love to stay home with my baby, but my house is clean and everyone else I know or could visit works. Since I have nothing better to do, I have been shopping every day for the past couple of weeks. My husband repeatedly mumbles that it is time for me to go back to work:).
Actually, I enjoy shopping during the day. The crowds are small and salespeople are more attentive and friendlier than when they are dealing with tons of people. I have also been watching more than a fair amount of What Not to Wear, so I am trying to hone my skills at finding clothes that are age appropriate and flatter my figure. Things I've learned: 1. fit to the largest part of the body and tailor everything else down 2. accentuate the narrowest part of my torso so I look more hour-glassy 3. long skirts will make me look shorter because I am already short, so I've had a few skirts shortened up to my knees. If only someone would hand me a credit card with $5000 on it...
Shopping has also turned out to be very therapeutic when I start stressing about the upcoming school year or am overwhelmed with my little one. I figure most shrinks make a couple hundred dollars an hour and my shopping comes to a hundred or so dollars over a few hours, so I am actually saving a lot of money on therapy!
Next on the blog docket: being a mom.
Actually, I enjoy shopping during the day. The crowds are small and salespeople are more attentive and friendlier than when they are dealing with tons of people. I have also been watching more than a fair amount of What Not to Wear, so I am trying to hone my skills at finding clothes that are age appropriate and flatter my figure. Things I've learned: 1. fit to the largest part of the body and tailor everything else down 2. accentuate the narrowest part of my torso so I look more hour-glassy 3. long skirts will make me look shorter because I am already short, so I've had a few skirts shortened up to my knees. If only someone would hand me a credit card with $5000 on it...
Shopping has also turned out to be very therapeutic when I start stressing about the upcoming school year or am overwhelmed with my little one. I figure most shrinks make a couple hundred dollars an hour and my shopping comes to a hundred or so dollars over a few hours, so I am actually saving a lot of money on therapy!
Next on the blog docket: being a mom.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Summer 2009 In Review Part II: Daytime Television
It has become clear to me that I do not look forward to entering retirement age. Some people would think that is quite an obvious statement for someone in her late 20's. However, my reasoning may surprise a few people. It is not that I am afraid of getting old or do not look forward to a nice, long career as an educator and retirement at the end of that career. The truth is that there is nothing good on television during the day.
Of course all programming is formatted to the older crowd. Despite the occasional OxyClean commercial for the stay at home mom, it is obvious that daytime television is meant for the senior bunch. I wish I had a nickel for every ED remedy pitched my way and for every time Alex Trebeck sold me life insurance that would accept me regardless of my current health condition.
Fortunately, both The Hallmark Channel and WE TV have been showing The Golden Girls practically non-stop. They are the first things I watch in the morning and then again in the early afternoon and then again before bedtime. (Unfortunately, they show the same episodes at the three separate times of the day.) Stations need to show more movies during the day. Not that I didn't love Home Improvement in its hay day, but two or three episodes in a row of shows like Sister, Sister or Full House or NCIS or MASH, etc. becomes very monotonous.
I suppose I should read more because I do enjoy good books. It just seems that the minute I really start to get into the story I doze off or my baby needs me. The television is divided into nice little 30 minute or hour intervals, so my attention can be held between baby feedings.
Stay tuned for Part III: Shopping...
Of course all programming is formatted to the older crowd. Despite the occasional OxyClean commercial for the stay at home mom, it is obvious that daytime television is meant for the senior bunch. I wish I had a nickel for every ED remedy pitched my way and for every time Alex Trebeck sold me life insurance that would accept me regardless of my current health condition.
Fortunately, both The Hallmark Channel and WE TV have been showing The Golden Girls practically non-stop. They are the first things I watch in the morning and then again in the early afternoon and then again before bedtime. (Unfortunately, they show the same episodes at the three separate times of the day.) Stations need to show more movies during the day. Not that I didn't love Home Improvement in its hay day, but two or three episodes in a row of shows like Sister, Sister or Full House or NCIS or MASH, etc. becomes very monotonous.
I suppose I should read more because I do enjoy good books. It just seems that the minute I really start to get into the story I doze off or my baby needs me. The television is divided into nice little 30 minute or hour intervals, so my attention can be held between baby feedings.
Stay tuned for Part III: Shopping...
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Summer 2009 In Review Part I: Movies
The summer movie season is a favorite of mine because studios seem to save the big blockbusters for this time of year. I am sure they figure people want to be in from the heat, or maybe it is because kids are not being "entertained" at school and can spend their money on two hours of big screen fun. As a science fiction/fantasy fan, this summer was going to be especially great for me with X-Men Origin: Wolverine, Star Trek, Transformers 2, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
The first on the list for me was Wolverine. Talk about a disappointment. I love the X-Men films, and as a fan of Hugh Jackman, was stoked to see him in his own movie. It was so incredibly boring and predictable. I was really looking forward to seeing Gambit be a part of the storyline, and he was only in the movie for maybe 10 minutes. Here's the big shocker: Wolverine is so hardened because his girlfriend is murdered. But of course, we have to erase his memory so that it makes sense in the other movies. I think X-Men has officially worn out its coolness-jumped the shark-if you will.
In a not so surprise move, I saw 17 Again with my best friend. Always a sucker for teeny/romantic comedy movies I was pleasantly pleased with this film. I actually thought it would be pretty predictable and did not think Zac Efron could carry a movie. I figured he only had the role because he is the en vogue male star for teens at the moment. Not to mention that Matthew Perry, who used to carry his own films, received very little credit for his part in this film. Talk about something to see. My level of respect for Mr. Efron shot through the roof after the courtroom scene when he professes his love to his wife. Holy cow! He can actually act. Seeing as I had just had a baby and my best friend was still pregnant, this was quite an emotional time in the movie for both of us.
On a whim, my husband and I decided to see The Hangover. Although there was a bit more male nudity than I prefer, I laughed from the minute the movie started until the credits finished rolling. I did not expect much more than crude bathroom humor. It was nice to see that the film actually had a point and some intelligence behind a lot of the dialog and characters. My favorite part being the allusion to Rain Man when two characters came riding down the escalator. The only thing I wondered about was whether or not any of my teenage students had seen Rain Man and would truly appreciate the genius behind that scene.
Never seeing an episode of Star Trek in any of its forms, I was hesitant to see the film. I feared that I would not understand why the origin of the Enterprise was worth making a movie about. I also could not understand why they would cast someone as gorgeous as Chris Pine to play Kirk because William Shatner has never struck me as attractive. The movie immediately made it to my personal top ten favorite films list. It had the perfect balance of action, character development, humor, etc. I also adore Zachary Quinto and loved seeing him play Spock. The Kirk inquiry was also answered when I watched an episode of the original Star Trek. William Shatner was incredibly handsome in his younger days! Who knew?
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen did not make it on our list of must sees after we read a few reviews of the movie. This broke my heart because the first one was so good.
Of course everything led up to the most exciting movie of the summer: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Being an avid fan of the book series, my skeptical eyes were more than pleased with this movie! I absolutely loved it. I saw a lot of my students within the various characters because this film really focuses on being a teenager. For this reason, my husband did not like the film. He wanted a lot more action. However, his cousin made a great point in stating that we need to really feel for the characters now so that what comes in the final installment really hits hard. I totally agree and cannot wait to see the movie again and possibly in 3D.
Well, there are all my opinions on the movies from this summer. Part II will be written tomorrow and focus on daytime television during the summer.
The first on the list for me was Wolverine. Talk about a disappointment. I love the X-Men films, and as a fan of Hugh Jackman, was stoked to see him in his own movie. It was so incredibly boring and predictable. I was really looking forward to seeing Gambit be a part of the storyline, and he was only in the movie for maybe 10 minutes. Here's the big shocker: Wolverine is so hardened because his girlfriend is murdered. But of course, we have to erase his memory so that it makes sense in the other movies. I think X-Men has officially worn out its coolness-jumped the shark-if you will.
In a not so surprise move, I saw 17 Again with my best friend. Always a sucker for teeny/romantic comedy movies I was pleasantly pleased with this film. I actually thought it would be pretty predictable and did not think Zac Efron could carry a movie. I figured he only had the role because he is the en vogue male star for teens at the moment. Not to mention that Matthew Perry, who used to carry his own films, received very little credit for his part in this film. Talk about something to see. My level of respect for Mr. Efron shot through the roof after the courtroom scene when he professes his love to his wife. Holy cow! He can actually act. Seeing as I had just had a baby and my best friend was still pregnant, this was quite an emotional time in the movie for both of us.
On a whim, my husband and I decided to see The Hangover. Although there was a bit more male nudity than I prefer, I laughed from the minute the movie started until the credits finished rolling. I did not expect much more than crude bathroom humor. It was nice to see that the film actually had a point and some intelligence behind a lot of the dialog and characters. My favorite part being the allusion to Rain Man when two characters came riding down the escalator. The only thing I wondered about was whether or not any of my teenage students had seen Rain Man and would truly appreciate the genius behind that scene.
Never seeing an episode of Star Trek in any of its forms, I was hesitant to see the film. I feared that I would not understand why the origin of the Enterprise was worth making a movie about. I also could not understand why they would cast someone as gorgeous as Chris Pine to play Kirk because William Shatner has never struck me as attractive. The movie immediately made it to my personal top ten favorite films list. It had the perfect balance of action, character development, humor, etc. I also adore Zachary Quinto and loved seeing him play Spock. The Kirk inquiry was also answered when I watched an episode of the original Star Trek. William Shatner was incredibly handsome in his younger days! Who knew?
Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen did not make it on our list of must sees after we read a few reviews of the movie. This broke my heart because the first one was so good.
Of course everything led up to the most exciting movie of the summer: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Being an avid fan of the book series, my skeptical eyes were more than pleased with this movie! I absolutely loved it. I saw a lot of my students within the various characters because this film really focuses on being a teenager. For this reason, my husband did not like the film. He wanted a lot more action. However, his cousin made a great point in stating that we need to really feel for the characters now so that what comes in the final installment really hits hard. I totally agree and cannot wait to see the movie again and possibly in 3D.
Well, there are all my opinions on the movies from this summer. Part II will be written tomorrow and focus on daytime television during the summer.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
No Bright Light or Flashes of My Life
Two weeks ago I was 29 weeks pregnant and slowly swelling Violet Beauregarde style. My knees were giving me some trouble on my joints because of the water weight. A few days prior I had my check-up and everything was fine, so I assumed this was normal pregnancy swelling. I made a call to my doctor at the end of the day expecting to receive a prescription to help relieve some of the fluids. Instead, I had to have my blood pressure taken by the school nurse to find it had risen to 150/110 for some reason.
Obviously, I did not realize what the blood pressure rise actually meant, so I stupidly drove myself to the hospital (let's not dwell on what would have happened had I stroked behind the wheel). While filling out the usual paperwork in the Labor and Delivery part of the hospital, I figured it could not be that big of a deal because no one was rushing to look at me or anything.
They put be on a blood pressure monitor and seemed only slightly concerned that my BP was elevated. The doctor on call even came by and calmly told me that the goal of the evening would be NOT to deliver a baby. At that point I began to panic. What did that mean? I couldn't deliver my baby 10 weeks early! After a couple of hours of monitoring my BP, the doc broke the news that the baby had to be delivered. I called my husband through tears to tell him just to head to the hospital after work (he had already asked if I wanted him there and I told him that I didn't think it was any big deal...well I was wrong). Things felt a little better once my husband arrived because he was the only calm, familiar face in the room. However, things went from bad to worse and at 7:50 P.M. they rushed me into emergency surgery. At 8:26 P.M. I was a new mom.
The first two days in the hospital was mostly a blur because of the dreadful magnesium sulfate trudging through my system. Two and a half days into my hospital stay they let me move out of 24 hour watch into a normal post partum room. One day after that I was ready to be sent home. Then an accidental blood draw proved to be a life saver. Two days after I was moved out of 24 hour care, I was moved right back. My condition is known as H.E.L.L.P. (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme levels and a Low Platelet count). Usually a person will start to regain platelets and the liver enzymes will go back to normal. However, mine began to crash AFTER starting to go back to normal. It turns out that I could have died TWICE. Fortunately, my doctors and nurses took great care of me and eventually I began to recover. Eight days after admitting me, I was discharged to go home. Currently I'm taking two different BP medications and being forced to stay home and "relax" (though most of the time I feel unproductive and useless).
As for my baby boy, he was born a fighter and continues to amaze everyone. He was breathing on his own the minute he was born. Of course there was usual stuff the docs and nurse had to do to guarantee his lungs developed normally, but he quickly went from intubation to SI-PEP to oxygen tubes to nothing at all. His IV has also been removed. The only tube left is the feeding tube. At 2 pounds and 10 ounces, my baby is super tiny, but I have a feeling he will be a chubby, healthy baby in a couple of months.
The most difficult part of all of this is having to leave my baby at the hospital. Sure I get to see him everyday, but I feel incomplete because he is across town instead of across the hall. All day long all I think is, "I want my baby." It's one thing to have to wait for him if he is still inside of me, but now that he's here I hate having to wait to bring him home.
All in all I know that God is good because my baby and I are doing well and survived a very traumatic ordeal. Honestly, I never was afraid to die. Perhaps it was because I did not have a true grasp on the situation or whatever. All I kept hoping was that if someone had to die that it would be either my baby or me and not both my baby and me. I could not stand the thought of what the loss of both of us would do to my husband or family.
For now I am just taking it day by day...
Obviously, I did not realize what the blood pressure rise actually meant, so I stupidly drove myself to the hospital (let's not dwell on what would have happened had I stroked behind the wheel). While filling out the usual paperwork in the Labor and Delivery part of the hospital, I figured it could not be that big of a deal because no one was rushing to look at me or anything.
They put be on a blood pressure monitor and seemed only slightly concerned that my BP was elevated. The doctor on call even came by and calmly told me that the goal of the evening would be NOT to deliver a baby. At that point I began to panic. What did that mean? I couldn't deliver my baby 10 weeks early! After a couple of hours of monitoring my BP, the doc broke the news that the baby had to be delivered. I called my husband through tears to tell him just to head to the hospital after work (he had already asked if I wanted him there and I told him that I didn't think it was any big deal...well I was wrong). Things felt a little better once my husband arrived because he was the only calm, familiar face in the room. However, things went from bad to worse and at 7:50 P.M. they rushed me into emergency surgery. At 8:26 P.M. I was a new mom.
The first two days in the hospital was mostly a blur because of the dreadful magnesium sulfate trudging through my system. Two and a half days into my hospital stay they let me move out of 24 hour watch into a normal post partum room. One day after that I was ready to be sent home. Then an accidental blood draw proved to be a life saver. Two days after I was moved out of 24 hour care, I was moved right back. My condition is known as H.E.L.L.P. (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzyme levels and a Low Platelet count). Usually a person will start to regain platelets and the liver enzymes will go back to normal. However, mine began to crash AFTER starting to go back to normal. It turns out that I could have died TWICE. Fortunately, my doctors and nurses took great care of me and eventually I began to recover. Eight days after admitting me, I was discharged to go home. Currently I'm taking two different BP medications and being forced to stay home and "relax" (though most of the time I feel unproductive and useless).
As for my baby boy, he was born a fighter and continues to amaze everyone. He was breathing on his own the minute he was born. Of course there was usual stuff the docs and nurse had to do to guarantee his lungs developed normally, but he quickly went from intubation to SI-PEP to oxygen tubes to nothing at all. His IV has also been removed. The only tube left is the feeding tube. At 2 pounds and 10 ounces, my baby is super tiny, but I have a feeling he will be a chubby, healthy baby in a couple of months.
The most difficult part of all of this is having to leave my baby at the hospital. Sure I get to see him everyday, but I feel incomplete because he is across town instead of across the hall. All day long all I think is, "I want my baby." It's one thing to have to wait for him if he is still inside of me, but now that he's here I hate having to wait to bring him home.
All in all I know that God is good because my baby and I are doing well and survived a very traumatic ordeal. Honestly, I never was afraid to die. Perhaps it was because I did not have a true grasp on the situation or whatever. All I kept hoping was that if someone had to die that it would be either my baby or me and not both my baby and me. I could not stand the thought of what the loss of both of us would do to my husband or family.
For now I am just taking it day by day...
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Death match: Psych vs. Mentalist
My husband and I are huge fans of USA's show Psych. We've followed the adventures of Shaun and Gus since the very beginning. Each episode is comically packed with quick wit, 80's movie trivia, and random humor. Perhaps one of the top episodes contains Shaun and Gus auditioning for an American Idol type show dressed as Michael Jackson and one of the singers from Tears for Fears. If you have cable and haven't checked this show out, you must do it next Friday. Actually, rent the previous seasons AND THEN check out the current one.
Here's were I really was hacked with new television programing. Some network airs a show called The Mentalist. What is that show exactly? A BLATANT RIP OFF OF PSYCH! Someone thought he would be clever and turn the idea of a person with keen observation skills who passes himself off as a psychic into a drama. Guess what moron, it's been done and done better in Psych. How you haven't been sued or hunted down by an angry mob for stealing such a great idea is beyond me. I refuse to give your pathetic show the time of day because I adore what has been done with Psych. I hope your mentalist doesn't make it past season one because everyone realizes how much better Shaun and Gus do things!
The best part about my rant? In last week's episode of Psych, Shaun makes his own "shout out" to the show when Gus is reminding Shaun that he'll have to make some quality time up with his dad. Shaun responds with something to the affect of: "I'll bring over some big league chew and we'll watch a couple of episodes of The Mentalist." Ha ha ha! Take that you sitcom thief! Psych knows what you are trying to do!
I'm awaiting the death match when Shaun and Gus will be victorious!
Here's were I really was hacked with new television programing. Some network airs a show called The Mentalist. What is that show exactly? A BLATANT RIP OFF OF PSYCH! Someone thought he would be clever and turn the idea of a person with keen observation skills who passes himself off as a psychic into a drama. Guess what moron, it's been done and done better in Psych. How you haven't been sued or hunted down by an angry mob for stealing such a great idea is beyond me. I refuse to give your pathetic show the time of day because I adore what has been done with Psych. I hope your mentalist doesn't make it past season one because everyone realizes how much better Shaun and Gus do things!
The best part about my rant? In last week's episode of Psych, Shaun makes his own "shout out" to the show when Gus is reminding Shaun that he'll have to make some quality time up with his dad. Shaun responds with something to the affect of: "I'll bring over some big league chew and we'll watch a couple of episodes of The Mentalist." Ha ha ha! Take that you sitcom thief! Psych knows what you are trying to do!
I'm awaiting the death match when Shaun and Gus will be victorious!
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Family First
January is half way over and that means I'm a smidgen closer to the 13th of July. If I'm really lucky, it might be sooner than that before I get to meet my very first child! Although being pregnant is the coolest thing I've ever been a part of, the one thing that has been truly emphasized through this process is the importance of family.
My family is incredibly close, and growing up we always had stressed to us that family comes first. When the rest of the world turns its back on you, you can always count on family to set you right back on your feet. As a teenager, and even a young adult, it was frustrating to me when my mom would give her "back burner" speech when I chose to spend more time with my friends than my family. It has only been through the grace of maturity that I see the point she was trying to make:
Two days ago my sister, an incredibly talented artist who is hoping to get into the Interior Design program at UNT, started a mural on the nursery wall. I was eager to help with some aspect that wouldn't screw things up too badly. She kindly obliged and allowed me to help pencil the sketch onto the wall. We talked and joked and were just like we were as kids. I truly love my sister and am so glad she is the one decorating my baby's room. Even though I have some pretty amazing friends, nothing could come close to that kind of time spent together.
No matter where my life sends me, I know where home is and who will always be waiting to greet me there: my family.
