Engineer VS Educator

Unprofessional

2006-05-22T18:49:00.000-05:00

I am always amazed when I encounter someone who acts unprofessional in a work atmosphere. You would think after holding several part time jobs and two full time teaching jobs I would be used to running across that kind of individual in these situations. It boggles my mind that, especially in a student/teacher relationship, an employee could be calous and insensitive. I work with a class of special ed boys teaching Business English. They are seniors mind you, so they often have their own idea of what work they want to be doing. At times, this can cause a power struggle between myself and the young men. I always difuse the situation by explaining the assignment and it poignancy to real life while maintaining the upper hand. The other day my special ed teacher was gone from school. Her replacement happened to be a paraprofessional in the building. Having never worked with this woman before, I expected her behavior to be that of all others- professional, courteous and sensitive. She surprised me by ordering the students to work. She walked around the room demanding that they continue their progress. I felt as if she thought she should be doing my job in running the classroom. The thing you must understand about my students, besides that they are seniors, is that they all are special cases. It requires a lot of patience and good humor to keep them on task. For the most part, they work rather dilligently. However, there are days where they are a little more trying and require you to do a little bit of finessing. This woman should know that being that her job requires her to work with these kinds of kids on a daily basis. When you encounter these students with the type of attitude she displayed the other day, they complete shut down. They refuse to do work and get frustrated with their situations and limitations. I guess as a teacher you acquire a certain level of patience with kids. You come to realize that if you want respect to be gained in a classroom situation, you must exhibit respect for the students yourself. I was taken aback at her lack of effort as she actually argued with my kids about whether or not to do the work. Maybe you have run into this kind of person in your work situations. Although it does happen, I am still always surprised at it.

Funny Dancing

2006-05-18T22:26:00.000-05:00

Here is a video of a guy trying to dance while intoxicated. Watch him spill his beer all over the place. Here it is.

Funny

2006-05-12T19:56:00.000-05:00

Check out this video of this guy jumping off a ledge into a bush. Pretty funny stuff. You can find it here.

Time to Myself

2006-05-08T18:02:00.000-05:00

Wow! I never realized that running my own sports program would be so much work! This is crazy. Between making schedules, schmoozing parents, ordering camp stuff and writing checks, I have been booked to the max.

Not much else has been happening. Nick and I dethatched the lawn two weeks ago. The next time we need to do that, we will pay someone! We got a new computer, which I am really loving. I went home to see Timmy. What a doll!

Looking forward to a girls' weekend in KC soon for JT's wedding. I need some good drinking time with the old roomies. It should be fun!

Busy Bees

2006-04-25T13:20:00.000-05:00

Between Nick's working, cheer tryouts and household chores, we have been keeping busy. Sorry for the lack of posts. I swear we will return soon.

He has arrived!

2006-04-19T18:48:00.000-05:00

My godson, Timothy Edward Denison, was born at St. John's Mercy Medical Center on Monday, April 17th, 2006 at 7:13pm!

7 pounds, 2 ounces

19.75 inches

H & R Suck

2006-04-06T15:46:00.000-05:00

Well, after wondering why we owed such a huge amount. Nick took a look at the calculations himself. Turns out that it's not the IRS we hate, but H & R Block. Yes, they apparently decided to enter into our forms that we resided in MO for 100% of the year. That was obviously impossible considering we moved to MN in June. This small error in digits created a huge problem, starting with the fact that we didn't get our partial-year resident credit. After reworking the numbers, we discovered that the state of MO actually owed us $500! Now you know why I hesitated to call them accountants in the last post. Needless to say, we showed them the mistake; they rechecked the taxes and agreed with our tabulations. We are headed up there to sign the final documents and demand a refund of some sort. I just love paying $400 to screwups. Whoopee!

Spread the word:
"Whatever you do.....DO NOT GO TO H & R BLOCK!!!!!!!!!!"

Bloodsucking Bastards

2006-03-31T14:41:00.000-06:00

Oh, I just love springtime. The sun is shining and birds are chirping. April must be my favorite month, until this year! Just as the rest of the US population, Nick and I had our taxes prepared for the approaching April 15th (17th this year though, I think) deadline. Unlike previous years when we have filed on our own, we decided to let the professionals try a hand at it. Our returns were complicated after living in two states, owning two houses, working from the home and having four jobs between the two of us. After taking our taxes to H&R Block and waiting much too long might I add, we were saddled with the news that we would owe nearly $3000 between both federal and state. Nick says this is a bunch of bullshit, as we have always gotten money back. Okay. We are both fine and upstanding citizens of this country. Unfortunately, there is no deduction for moral fiber. The woman who prepared our taxes, I won't call her an accountant, suggested we have a child in order to get a deduction for next year. I believe she was being facetious. I guess I will just have to find some other way to stick it to Uncle Sam. Maybe I will burn my draft card. Oh, wait...

Catch Up

2006-03-20T15:30:00.000-06:00

Wow, I can't believe I have not posted in almost three weeks. Here is what has been happening:

Teaching is as busy as ever! I am trying to wrap up the third term.

Nick has still been studying like crazy. He is determined!

Our boys Varsity Bball team at Andover is going to State on Wednesday. To say the least, my girls are very excited to cheer at the Target Center . It should be fun to coach on the floor! Wish us luck!

I missed St. Patrick's Day! Hope everyone felt Irish at heart. I certainly supported my heritage by wearing my green and drinking some beer.

We saw a good flick, Failure to Launch. Go see it if you have a chance.

Drama, Drama...

2006-03-03T17:08:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I visited the dentist. This nice man informed me that I would be the newest candidate for oral surgery. Yes, that is right, at twenty-five I am finally having my wisdom teeth removed. Ironically, this comes at a time when many of my students are doing the same.

So, I was pretty anxious about the surgery considering I have never been 'under the knife'. Nick, on the other hand, didn't seem to think it was any big deal. This coming from a man who has never had said surgery. Anyway, after much consternation over when to schedule the damn thing, my husband decided to relay to me the fact that he believes I am "dramatic". It can be said that I do descend from a line of rather dramatic women. My grandmother tends to overreact about her dry mosticolli. My aunt freaks about her children getting sick. My cousin Annie and I have been known to move a crowd with our emotional appeals. But, really now, to shoot a comment like that at me in my hour of need was just too much. I will admit I have a flare for the Hollywood at times; however, I feel that his evident jab at my reaction to this perilous situation cut like a knife (no pun intended).

Well, at least he has offered to drive me to my surgery on Friday. Maybe he will even get me a Slurpee if I ask nicely and don't act too "dramatic". Hahaha. Kudos to you, Nick.

What's new?

2006-03-01T17:15:00.000-06:00

Well, I have been pretty neglectful of this blog lately. My time has been occupied with cheer banquet and tryouts. Things are a little crazy around here. Right now I am teaching The Crucible to my juniors. Sad to say, but I have never read it. The whole tie in to the McCarthy Hearings is pretty neat stuff. It should make for good conversation.

New Fave

2006-02-21T14:21:00.000-06:00

Here is my new favorite joke:

Q: What did the fish say when he swam into the wall?

A: DAM!

Hahaha! Well, at least my six and eight year old cousins thought it was hilarious.

Study, Study, Study!

2006-02-15T22:14:00.000-06:00

So, you may not see me post on here too often. Work is getting pretty busy, and when I am not working, I am studying for the fundamentals of Engineering Test. Some may refer to this as the EIT exam, or Engineer in Training. This is the first of two eight hour tests I need to take and pass in order to receive my Professional Engineering license. This is very important. So, the first test covers the general fundamentals of engineering topics; these include Math (Calculus though Differential Equations and Linear Algebra), Statics, Dynamics, Fluids, Thermodynamics, Electrical Circuits, Heat Transfer, Mechanics of Materials, Chemistry, Engineering Economics, Probability and Statistics and Ethics. I may have missed something, but that is the bulk of it. So, I bought this very large book that has over 1200 practice problems for me to work and learn from. It is pretty fun, let me tell you. So, that is how I have been spending my time. I just finished the chapter on Trusses; tomorrow I will learn about pulleys. After I pass this exam in April, I will have to wait about two months for my results. Then, I will begin studying for my PE test which is given in October. I can't wait until it's all over.

Thanks!

2006-02-15T13:38:00.000-06:00

Even after a year of marriage and five years together, my husband still bought me flowers for Valentine's Day. What's more, he got them the day before, so I would get them in the morning. What a sweetheart! Sorry to embarrass you in front of the guys.

True; I am a Blue!

2006-02-12T10:01:00.000-06:00

BLUES are motivated by INTIMACY, seek opportunities to genuinely connect with others, and need to be appreciated. They do everything with quality and are devoted and loyal friends and employers/employees. Whatever or whomever they commit to are their sole (and soul) focus. They love to serve and will give freely of themselves in order to nurture others lives.

BLUES, however, do need to be understood. They have distinct preferences and occasionally the somewhat controlling (but always fair) personality of a confident leader. Their code of ethics is remarkably strong and they expect others to live honest, committed lives as well. They enjoy sharing meaningful moments in conversation as well as remembering special life events (i.e., birthdays and anniversaries). BLUES are dependable, thoughtful, nurturing, and can also be self-righteous, a bit worry-prone, and emotionally intense. They are like sainted pit-bulls who never let go of something once they are committed. When you deal with a BLUE, be sincere, make an effort to truly understand them, and truly appreciate them.

What Color Are You?
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Irish Joke "Three, Please!"

2006-02-07T12:49:00.000-06:00

An Irish man walks into a pub. The bartender asks him, "What'll you have?" The man says, "Give me three pints of Guinness, please." So, the bartender brings him three pints and the man proceeds to alternately sip one, then the other, then the third until they're gone.

He then orders three more. The bartender says, "Sir, I know you like them cold. You don't have to order three at a time. I can keep an eye on it and when you get low, I'll bring you a fresh cold one." The man says, "You don't understand. I have two brothers, one in Australia and one in the States. We made a vow to each other that every Saturday night we'd still drink together. So right now, my brothers have three Guinness Stouts too, and we're drinking together.

The bartender thought that was a wonderful tradition. Every week the man came in and ordered three beers. Then one week he came in and ordered only two. He drank them and then ordered two more. The bartender said to him, "I know what your tradition is, and I'd just like to say that I'm sorry that one ofyour brothers died."

The man said, "Oh, me brothers are fine - I just quit drinking."

An Evening Out

2006-02-03T11:31:00.000-06:00

Last night my husband and I attended a night out at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre with several of his customers/distributors. This was definitely a departure from anything I had ever attended. The cast succeeded in their rendition of West Side Story. Seeing such a large production on a small, thrust stage was pretty incredible; though I don't think Nick enjoyed it quite as much as me.

A Little Chuckle

2006-02-01T13:31:00.000-06:00

A man walks into a bar with a steering wheel in his pants.

The Bartender says, "Why do have a steering wheel in your pants?"

The man replies " I don't know but its driving me nuts".

Cathy, you better see this!

2006-01-30T12:03:00.000-06:00

Who is that attractive women on the right? God, we are cute!

First Day Jitters

2006-01-30T11:56:00.000-06:00

Today was the beginning of a new term. Although I have been teaching for three years now and have more experience in schools than I know what to do with, I still get nervous for the first day of a new quarter/semester. I guess I just psych myself out. I keep picturing these images of teachers being decimated by students- "kick me" signs, pinecones on the chair, paper airplanes, spitballs and missing materials.

No unruly children, no misuse of paper and my ass is still in tact- I would say I emerged relatively unscathed.

Response to "Gay Parents"

2006-01-27T15:19:00.000-06:00

It seems that once again my husband and I have vastly differing opinions on a subject. My take on the issue is: As long as kids have a loving home in which to thrive, who cares where that love is coming from? I would go as far as classifying a home which has both a mother and father as "traditional"; however, with the divorce rate at 50%, a vast number of homes are quickly becoming "nontraditional".

As a society, if we are not going to accept homosexual couples adopting/bearing a child, then we may as well discard all of the following families:
divorced/separtated parents
single parent homes
adoptive/foster families
children living with grandparents, aunts/uncles, other guardians
couples without children

Now how ridiculous would that be?

When will everyone wake up and realize that there are too many children out there without any kind of family at all to be selective about what a "family" should or should not be?

Gay Parents

2006-01-26T21:39:00.000-06:00

My wife decided to watch this show on MTV about kids whose parents are gay. I choose to write this post and read some things on the internet instead. I don't particularly care to hear about people who have to live with either two moms or two dads. Not because their parents got divorced or one died but because they choose to do so. I think kids need a mother and a father growing up. I think it is important. If things happen in ones life and there is divorce or a death, well then life goes on but to think that it is their choice.

Ok, let me have it. I know I am going to get it for this post!! I am going to run and hide now.

To My Brother-in-Law:

2006-01-26T11:52:00.000-06:00

Happy Almost 26th Birthday, Dave!

To My Husband:

2006-01-26T11:47:00.000-06:00

Happy 28th Birthday, Nick!

Bathtime!

2006-01-25T21:27:00.000-06:00

Leo, our ninety pound golden retriever, hates to take a bath. I really don't understand his disgust. If Nick offered to get in the shower and rub me down, I would jump at the chance. That was a little dirty, I know.

Symphonic Led Zeppelin

2006-01-23T11:33:00.000-06:00

Nick and I attended a concert given by the Minnesota Orchestra and a guest band/conductor on Saturday night at the Target Center. This six piece rock band (bass, drums, electric guitar, acoustic electric guitar, electric violin, singer) played 12 to 14 Zeppelin songs backed by a full orchestra. I have to say this was definitely something to see!

Nick enjoyed it too. I even had to stop him from singing along to the lyrics in order to preserve the listening pleasure of those around us.

PSH Class of 96 Reunion

2006-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here is some information from an email I got last week. I thought I would pass it along for those of you PSH Alum.

Hello Parkway South 1996 Patriots!

Save the Date! Our 10-year reunion weekend will be September 16, 2006!

Postcards will be mailed next week, but we need your help because we don’t have your confirmed mailing address. To make sure you receive information, please contact Varsity Reunion Services, our reunion coordinator, by calling 314.962-3212 or toll-free 1.877.844.1014 to give your updated address. You may also send a message by replying to this e-mail to cyndi@varsityreunions.com. Please be sure to include Parkway South 1996 in the subject line and your last name in high school, if different.

Please forward this message on to classmates you keep in touch with and be sure to make plans now to attend! We want to see everyone in 2006!

Your 10-year Reunion Committee,

Jacinta Witherspoon
Sabrina Baldwin
Myesha Russell

Tunes

2006-01-17T21:40:00.000-06:00

Maybe it is just me, but I am amazed at the limited musical scope my students possess. There seems to be three distinct groups- rap, country, and pop. I started thinking about this after making a joke to a boy in my tech writing class. He said, "We got trouble". After correcting his grammar, I asked him if he had "trouble right here in River City". He replied with only a quizzical look on his face. I thought that everyone would get this reference to The Music Man. Am I alone in my pursuits to give the rest of the world culture? I told the kid if he could name the work I was referring to, he could have ten dollars.

I have yet to hear an answer; so, I think my money is safe.

Comments

2006-01-17T17:19:00.000-06:00

Unbeknownst to me the comment moderation was enabled on our little blog so I had to go in and approve the comments. I fixed that problem now so you can all reply to our posts. Thank you so much for all your understanding in this matter.

Funny, I just did spell check on this post and the spell checker in blogger didn't recognize "blog." Ironic? I am not a very good speller if you haven't realized.

Another one

2006-01-15T00:43:00.000-06:00

I found another blog that is very interesting. It is Pete Townsend's blog! Holy crap I can't believe he has a blog. No need to explain Who Pete Townsend is or what band he is from. Check him out here.

Does anyone else know any blogs of famous people or their kids?

Check this out!

2006-01-15T00:28:00.000-06:00

I came across this blog a few weeks back and I have to share with everyone else. The author is the son of the Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. His name is Justin and the name of his blog is Rock and Reel. He is a film maker who grew up in the world of rock in roll and the Grateful Dead. It is pretty intersting. Lots of nice photos and stories of the band and Jerry.

Futhur Bus

2006-01-13T22:12:00.000-06:00

Well, I have not posted in a while and for that I apologize. I have been inspired to post a link to a nice story about the Furthur Bus. Ken Kesey and his merry pranksters traveled around in this psychedelically painted school bus during the 60s. Then the bus sat for many years; now a guy is attempting to have it restored. Here is a picture of the bus I found in its hayday.

And here is the bus in a swap in Ken Keseys family farm.

Now it is being restored, hopefully. I don't know how they could restore something as deteriorated as that, but who knows. Here is the link to the article.

Revised courtesy of Nick's grammar consultant Erin

Where has the time gone?

2006-01-12T14:14:00.000-06:00

Realizing my obligation to appease my everloving fans (insert your snickers here), I have once again logged on to post. I guess time just got away from me. That's a lie. Actually, I have been reading this great book every spare minute of my day. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is a fabulous novel that weaves the intense dedication to family with growing desire to be in control of your own destiny (Maybe I should write for book jackets.). She raises all of these questions about stem cell research and medical emancipation for miners- heavy topics. I picked this book up over the break after hearing many people rave about it. I recommend this to everyone. Although, I will say it does appeal more to the female population. Next up is The Poinsonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, something I may have to teach next semester. Anyone ever read it?

2005-12-24T12:41:00.000-06:00

Whenever any celebration which warrants presents rolls around, I have a difficult time holding on to the gifts I buy for people. I am one of those who love to put a ton of thought into purchases for others. After I get home and wrap them, I just cannot wait to give them out.

Nick and I arrived at my parents house around 3:30am on Friday. We decided to drive all night instead of departing in the morning- a wise decision which resulted in me sleeping while Nick drove. It also gave us an extra day to hang out with family. As soon as we had unloaded the car, we hit the sack.

Upon awaking the same morning, I immediately wanted to distribute the items I had bought my family. My mother, however, is a stickler for doling out presents on Christmas. So, I was able to give a few, but the majority will have to wait until tomorrow morning.

On another note, I received a fabulous honor last night. My cousin asked me to be her baby's godmother. I am ecstatic about my new role in little Baby Denison's life. I am truly blessed.

Bored!

2005-12-20T21:37:00.000-06:00

I really hate this time of the programming season when every show I love has either had its season finale or is in reruns; Survivor is over, and My Name Is Earl won't be back until January. What am I supposed to do? I guess I will be reduced to Food Network holiday specials and repeats of Full House on Nick at Nite. Don't you just love that little Michelle? I wonder if she ever went on to do anything else...

Leo the Dog

2005-12-17T13:40:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture of Leo our Golden Retriever. He is a very nice dog, and as I said before, he loves to play in the snow.

The Great White North

2005-12-17T13:35:00.000-06:00

When one refers to Minnesota as the "Great White North", they really mean it! Here is a picture of our house. The rest of the area looks pretty much the same.

Snow and more snow

2005-12-15T20:29:00.000-06:00

It snowed for just about the past forty eight hours here in the twin cities. We got about 8 inches altogether. It was pretty nice except for the fact that I am getting old and all the shoveling has made my back a little sore. I am not 16 anymore shoveling snow for 20 bucks a driveway. Boy was that fun. Now, I have to get out there a few times a day so it doesn't pile up too high. I will take a picture tomorrow so you all can see how magnificant it looks. It is pretty. The dog loves it. He goes out in the back yard, takes care of business, then begins to dart back and forth hopping all around running at top speed. Earlier today he just decided to take a rest and lie down right in the snow. It was pretty funny. I guess with that heavy coat on he enjoys the cold and wetness. Maybe I will provide a picture of Leo as well.

A Plethora of Precipitation

2005-12-14T18:49:00.000-06:00

Today the Twin Cities area received nearly seven inches of snow. It has yet to stop, and we are scheduled to get a few more inches tonight. Okay, so at home, which I consider to be St. Louis, this snowfall would have shut down the city. Schools would have closed; businesses would have shut their doors. People, in general, would have hid safely in the comfort of their own homes until they were sure the streets had been plowed AND salted twice over. However, in Minneapolis people were out in full force. Everyone went to school and work today- I even saw kids walking home. Businesses welcomed the snowcrested customers. What gets me most of all is that everyone was just expected to leave for work three hours early. They even suggested on the news that it would take commuters three times as long to get to work. You should have seen it: Seven-thirty this morning, bumper to bumper traffic as far as the eye can see. I saw a Geo Metro blast through a snow drift as if it were a 4x4 Jeep. It seemed as if every AWD vehicle on the road, except mine, had a snowplow. I just don't know if I will be able to deal with all of this precipitation. Maybe these Nords are built for this weather. I, on the other hand, am a dainty Irishwoman who doesn't believe she will survive up here long enough to see Spring (Which in Minnesota isn't until June, I think.). This town is mad.

Radiohead

2005-12-11T10:37:00.000-06:00

When we are in the car, sometimes we play this game where we switch the radio station to see if I can sing along with every song we hear. Really, I can do it with just about every station- classic rock, soft rock, oldies, alternative, country, rap. It is especially fun with XM radio. Nick seems to think it is very interesting that I recall the lyrics to just about every song I hear, even if I only listen to it once. I don't really understand it either. I remember the words to 70s songs my parents used to play off their records on Saturdays but I can never find where I put my keys.

I also have this issue with singing songs in my head. I will wake up almost every morning singing a tune to myself. Nick will ask where I got the song. Thinking I heard it the day before, I try to recall. It seems I don't even have to hear it in the recent past for it to become lodged in my brain.

I think Nick is amused with my "talent", but he would prefer I remember important things like square roots or the arc flash hazards of circuit breakers.

Oh, lord...

2005-12-09T14:26:00.000-06:00

If by sing you mean something OTHER than moving air through your vocal cords in a melodic fashion, then you are right my friend.

This man is truly tone deaf.

Time for a new post

2005-12-08T18:17:00.000-06:00

So, thanks to Juan pointing out that I haven't posted in a while I guess I'd better write something here. What to write? Well, my wife keeps wanting me to go to the doctor. For what you might ask. Well, for a check up. I am a perfectly healthy adult but I haven't been to the doctor in years. Sure, I went because I hurt my shoulder a few years back but that was just for my shoulder. Apparently, when one gets to be in those "adult" years it becomes more important to go to the doctor for some kind of check up. It is all fine and dandy but I have always gone by the old, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." But, to make Erin happy I will oblige and go see the doc. I will just have to say thank God I am not at that age where there will be any prostate checking going on. I am not looking forward to that one bit. That is all I have to say about that.

One more thing, Erin loves it when I sing. You should ask her how good of a singer I am. I think I will try out for the next American idol.

Thank heaven for little girls...sometimes.

2005-12-08T11:31:00.000-06:00

For those of you who don't know, I am the head cheer coach at the high school where I teach. I often find that, with these particular girls, the parents are quite overbearing in matters which, I believe, the girls should be able to take care of themselves. For example, several of these parents call the principal of the school every time something does not go in favor of their daughter. I am really astounded at their lack of maturity. Fortunately, nothing complained about has directly involved me. I would have been embarrassed if my mother or father would have attempted to fight my battles in high school. At a certain point, like after eighth grade, kids need to learn about maturity and how to deal with adult situations. I wouldn't be surprised if some of these parents still call other parents when their kids are mean to their daughters. My fear is that these girls will attend college in the coming years, and mommy will call the professor to say that "Suzy" had so much homework that she couldn't possible finish her project. Or better yet, daddy will call the boss at "Lucy's" job to say that she has a sore throat and won't be able to come in. Perhaps I am exaggerating slightly. I just worry how these girls will survive when the big, bad, real world comes to devour them. Having no kids of my own but having been a young adult once, I now pose this question: When is it time to let your kids take the reigns and learn how to deal with situations?

Let it snow!

2005-12-05T12:04:00.000-06:00

While my husband was off schmoozing with bosses and colleagues, Andover, MN received about four or five inches of snow. I don't think we had a day last week that didn't have at least flurries. I guess this is baptism by fire for the new Minnesotans.

It's not all bad. On Saturday, Nick and I were leaving to go Christmas shopping and ice skating. Aren't we cute? Anyway, I was the first to step into the garage. As the door finished its whining on the cold track, I walked out into the cold, overcast day. Then, I heard it. Silence. The snow was falling in huge flakes and not a soul was around. It was beautiful. I immediately called my mom to inform her that her favorite time of winter had come to Minnesota. Sorry she had to miss it.

All By Myself

2005-11-30T11:38:00.000-06:00

Can you hear the sappy Celine Dion song in the background? That's my anthem this week; throw your damn hands up! Leo and I are going it alone with Nick in San Antonio. I despise being in an empty house alone. I have always had roommates- parents at home, Panhel house girls, Lu and Lauren, now Nick. I guess I should have lived alone before I got married.

I wig myself out about things when I am home alone. Did I lock all of the doors? Turn off the stove? What was that noise? Is the shadow by my closet something real? I pray for the moment my eyes adjust to the dark after turning out the light, just so I can make sure there really is no one standing over me at the foot of the bed. Yes, I am afraid of the dark. I have gone to sleeping with the kitchen light on when Nick is out of town. Pathetic, I know. Nick will never let me live this down.

I guess you just get used to the companionship. Without Nick around, there is no one to push me to work out, watch Lost with me, or come home to after coaching. Not that I would want just anyone, mind you. Over the past year, I have gotten used to him being around. I miss him when he's not. I guess I'll keep him!

In Response to my Husband...

2005-11-29T12:04:00.000-06:00

I would like to concur with the sentiment about having a good time in the STL. We were running nonstop, but it was well worth the time with family and friends. Thanks for a fabulous weekend!

In response to what my husband said about my suitcase. I have never owned, nor do I now own, bricks, which could be placed in my suitcase. Why would I bring bricks when I have thirty sweaters that need to make the trip? Let me tell you about having to lug a million things on trips. It is not easy to look this good. It takes hours of preparation, not to mention preservation. It seems to me that the real issue here is the shallowness of the male species. In my opinion, if men would accept women as they are, we would not have to make ourselves over for the world. Although, I would probably still wear lip gloss- God's gift to women.

Maybe Nick should think of it this way: I would not pack all of that stuff if I didn't think that his BIG, STRONG, RIPPLING muscles couldn't handle it! Right?

And that is how it is done, ladies! You've got to finesse them a little bit. Wax their masculinity, and they will carry anything for you!

Bricks

2005-11-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

Well, Erin and I had a nice break. We left early Wednesday morning for STL to visit family and friends for the Thanksgiving holiday. Boy are we both worn out. It was a good time but very busy.

I have to write something here about packing. How is it that my suitcase can weigh in at about 1/10th as much as Erin's? When I was loading the car I literally thought she put bricks in there just to give me a work out. I think I threw my back out lifting the thing into the trunk. To my dismay, I looked inside and found it packed with enough to last about a week. I later learned that she needed all those "outfits" for different occasions. Shoot, I had a couple pairs of jeans, some shirts and two pairs of shoes. Of course, I don't look nearly as pretty as her, neither do I want to. I guess if she keeps looking as good as she does then she can pack whatever she wants even though I may not understand what it is all for.

Bandwagon

2005-11-21T22:48:00.000-06:00

I saw everyone having so much fun with these church signs I just had to join in. Warning: I wasn't feeling that creative. Enjoy!

Mikey

2005-11-21T17:45:00.000-06:00

A big thank you to my brother for a whole lot of useless information that no one needs to know. If you would like some little known facts on either Chuck Norris or Mr. T, you can copy and paste the links below. I always knew younger siblings would come in handy for something! I guess this is what he has been doing instead of homework. Love ya, bro.

little known facts about Chuck Norris

little known facts about Mr. T

for website w/ even more facts

Links edited by Nick - Erin's HTML consultant.

On the Seventh Day...

2005-11-20T21:03:00.000-06:00

On the Seventh Day, God rested. He saw what he had done and thought it was good. But God was slightly bored on the Seventh Day. He apparently invented football to make all men happy. At least that is what my husband believes- the Bible according to Nick.

I guess while I was out shopping for those gifts Nick so easily forgot, the Rams decided to suck it up today. So, I called Nick on my way home to ask if he would listen for the garage door and help me in with the plethora of boxes I had in the car. He reluctantly agreed; right then I knew something was amiss. His tone of voice and lackluster attitude (not that he jumps at the chance to help me into the house- read below posts) told me that today's football game did not go according to plan.

As we brought the goods in, Nick was sullen and frowning. Like the intuitive woman I am, I inquired about the Rams' loss. He confirmed my suspicions. For pretty much the rest of the night, he has been downtrodden. He didn't even smile when the family got their house on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. How is it that a loss by a football team could so affect his attitude? I don't understand it! I can watch a heartwrenching Lifetime movie about a girl who got pregnant, gave up her child, then searched for her years later only to die before concluding her search and come away from the viewing experience without a negative attitude. What is the emotional connection between men and football?

Gifts and such

2005-11-20T20:17:00.000-06:00

There are those things about being married that I would have to say make one person, "the other half," a better person in one way or another. Like it or not, we are at least a little better in some ways because of that "significant" other known as a wife. I have to admit, I am horrible about remembering to get people gifts for birthdays and other occasions. Christmas is easy because everyone celebrates Christmas on the same day. Birthdays, on the other hand, are on all different days. That is why we have wives I guess... so they can help us remember things.

Right and Wrong

2005-11-20T08:03:00.000-06:00

My mother always taught me there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Can I help it if I am so close to perfection? Actually, the real reason I do not need his assistance in putting the groceries away is that he just shoves them into the pantry. Because we have limited space, the items need to be arranged in a neat, organized way. Besides, I am always concerned that the lady from 'How Clean Is Your House?' is going to show up on my doorstep. You can never be too cautious.

Groceries

2005-11-19T17:17:00.000-06:00

I understand organization as much as the next guy but there is a time and place for it. When one gets home from the grocery store and attempts to place food and other items the in the appropriate places, refrigerator, freezer and pantry only to find out that they are being put into the wrong places it kind of makes on think, "Ok, well then, you put them away." So, I get to place the groceries in the kitchen and she gets to put them away in their appropriate place. The nice part about that I guess is that I can let her do the organizing and I will do the eating! Works for me.

The Honeymoon is over!

2005-11-19T17:02:00.000-06:00

Ah, yes, the honeymoon was fantastic, but that is in the past! Now we are down to the nitty gritty- the everyday living. So, Nick likes to sleep on my pillows. God love him; I would share just about anything with him but not my pillows. It's not that he's a drooler; I just perfer to keep my pillows to myself. I don't believe that this makes me selfish, just choosey. You know, like the Jiff moms. Some things are sacred in a marriage, and my pillows are one of those things!

The Honeymoon

2005-11-19T15:38:00.000-06:00

Here is a picture from when we were in Hawaii for our honeymoon. Boy was it nice there. It was just a tad bit warmer than Minnesota at the same time of year. This is the panaramic view from the top of Diamond Head on Oahu.

Here you go...

2005-11-19T11:12:00.000-06:00

The first post is always fun. With the anticipation of what a new blog will turn into, there is excitement in the air. The premise of the posts here are geared toward the wonderful experience that is marriage. At 11 months and 2 days, marriage is as exciting as ever but there are always those little things that make it that much more interesting.