As 2012 comes to a close, it feels right to talk about what I learned this year and what I hope for next year. 

1. We are capable of so much more than we realize. This year, I was able to run not one, but two half marathons. On February 26, 2012, I completed my dream of running the Disney Princess Half Marathon at Disney World. It was one of the happiest experiences of my life, despite the fact that I limped through miles 10-13 and could barely walk the next day. On May 5, I ran the Indy Mini Marathon with many of my best friends running it with me. There is something so calming about running, even when your body is screaming. If anything, I learned that we are capable of so much more than we realize. We're able to push ourselves past self-imposed limits -- physically, mentally, emotionally. It's true what they say... when there's a will, there's a way. 

2. Great things come to those who wait. For, quite literally, years, I have been wondering when I would finally meet the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life -- someone who would love me, support me, challenge me, nurture me, laugh with me, and be the other complete person I was looking for. I have found all of this, and more, in Dan. I knew before we even met... when we were talking on the phone before my first half marathon. He has been supportive and caring in every aspect of my life... running, teaching, and new undertakings. I spent the majority of my early and mid 20s wondering when it was going to happen, when I would finally find him. But what I have learned is that GREAT things come to those who wait. And there is a fantastic reason that I waited this long for this man. Great things are coming. 

3. Nothing in the world matters more than people. I have long boasted that I am surrounded by the best family and friends in the world. I really, truly believe this with all my heart. I am so lucky to be supported by loving, strong, hilarious people. They keep me young. They keep me honest. They keep me laughing. They keep me motivated. Nothing in the world matters more than people. Surrounding ourselves with positive, open, loving ones make life so much better. Very little else matters. People are instrumental to happy lives.

4. Kindness is key. Working with teenagers every day, I'm sometimes disappointed with their decisions. But, more often than not, I'm amazed at their kindness to one another, when talking about their families, and when making decisions that impact others. Kindness is key. Without kindness, love, and compassion, we're not going to make it very far. This year, I want to focus more on kindness -- toward others and myself. I often have the tendency to be highly critical of my own performance. But, kindness is something that should be present everywhere. Kindness is key. 

5. Everything happens for a reason. It may sound cheesy, but everything happens for a reason. Even the terrible things that happen in our lives help to teach us something, make us stronger, or rethink a current stance. This year, I'm planning a giant undertaking with my friend Erin. We came up with a book concept a few years back, and currently, we're in the process of copyrighting our manuscript(!!!!!!!!!!!!!)! This book is YEARS in the making, and takes many of the bad experiences we've had and turns them in to something positive. All of these things have led us to this place. And hopefully this year, we'll be seeing a giant payoff for our less than shiny moments. Everything happens for a reason. 

6. An organized life is a happy life. Besides stretching more, one of my biggest goals of 2013 is to get organized. My house is clean, but I'm a small-time hoarder and have lots of piles. My friend and coworker Ashley has started her own fabulous organization business and has truly inspired me to organize me house, one small chunk at a time. It's amazing how much better it feels to purge things that have no use, organize items so I can easily find them. There is something so cleansing about having things in order. An organized life is a happy life. 

2012 was one of the best years of my life. I have so much to be thankful for. And while in some ways I'm sad to see it come to a close, I simply cannot wait for 2013 and all of the wonderful things coming! 

It's the most wonderful time of the year

As I write this, the snow is blowing sideways. Presents are stacked everywhere around my family room. And I am in a food coma that, despite getting in a good run this morning, has lasted for three straight days. That, though, is not why it's the most wonderful time of the year. 

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were divided between my house, my parents' house, Dan's parents' house, and Dan's sister and brother-in-law's house. It was a lot of back and forth, loading, unloading, reloading, and unloading gifts, and snacking on delicious treats. 

It was the most wonderful two days ever. There's nothing more special than spending time with family. This year, I got to spend time with two families, two of the best families, in my opinion. On Christmas Eve, our families got to be together in Michigan, and it was absolutely perfect. We got to laugh and enjoy and be surrounded by love. Totally, totally awesome. 

There are so many things we all take for granted. Meals together. Story swapping. A goodbye hug. A hello smile. Having a whole day where those are the only things to focus on is perfection. 

With eyes on 2013, I know wonderful things are coming our way. Next year, I will watch at least six friends and family members marry, meet many new babies, and have countless experiences I can only dream about. I. Am. So. Excited! 

Pictures below of our holiday. I hope you had the Merriest Christmas yet! 

Dan made this awesome ornament for me, commemorating our first Christmas together. :)

We tried to take a cute picture near the tree. (What do you do with your hands?!)

Hellllllo Troy Polamalu! 

Dan was super excited about his new waffle maker, craft beer magazine, and Total Recall. 

Merry Christmas! 

Boys young and old looooove PS3. 

Naturally, one of the biggest hits of the day was... a giant box! 

Cole rocking his Steelers pajamas! 

It's the end of the world as we know it... and I teach high school

I hesitate to say this, but this week is one of my least favorite weeks of the entire school year. If you've never been a high school teacher, let me explain something to you. Something happens to teenagers this week. I don't know if it's in the water or in the air or a wire that is simultaneously tripped in all brains of teenagers, but kids go absolutely bonkers this week. To be fair, this is my second least favorite week of the year, followed only by the week before spring break. Are you surprised I didn't say the week before summer vacation? I like that week. Kids are excited to graduate. They get nostalgic about the school year and life in general. This week, there is none of that. 

To make matters worse, approximately 50 percent of students are in an utter panic about December 21, 2012, which, at least for this year, makes THIS my least favorite week of the year. The "normal" amount of chaos has gone even MORE chaotic and the natives have gotten restless. I can't even put it in to words. The decibel level rises. The things students shout in the hall become more obnoxious. I literally field questions like, "Really, though, are zombies real?" and, "What happens if some people survive and others don't? Do I still have to, like, obey laws" I have to deal with statements like, "I'm not doing my required reading because there won't be time to finish the novel before the end of the world. Therefore, you can't test us over it." 

Today, though, I got a pop quiz turned in that made me quite literally laugh out loud. My students are reading Huck Finn, and today's pop quiz asked a question about what Jim reveals to Huck about his daughter. The student wrote a total BS answer, and then, left me a little note. You would have to know this student and his extreme sarcasm in all situations to truly understand the awesomeness, but I will share anyway. It reads: 

Dear Ms. S, 

Sorry about my answer. I'm drawing a blank. The world is ending Friday when sloths invade towns. Lots of bloodshed. 

Sincerely, 
(insert name here)

On that note, I'm off to the ND basketball game. Best of luck to you and yours with the sloths! 

On hope

Much has been written in the past few days about the tragic elementary school shooting in Connecticut. As a journalist, I could probably write a long commentary on the facts of this event, the inaccuracies in the reporting, and the fall out from those inaccuracies. But as a teacher, my heart immediately kicks in and sees this event from the perspective of an educator. 

On Friday, my CNN browser (which is always open at school) alerted me that there had been a shooting at a school in Connecticut, and that there were at least two injuries. Sadly, I clicked right past it, thinking it was sad, but looking for other news. By the time I clicked on CNN again at the end of my third hour class, the headline MASS KILLING was sprinkled all over the page. My heart immediately flew in to my throat as I thought about those involved. 

This situation is one that, as humans, we can all relate to. Maybe you're a parent of a young child, and thought about the parents of the school descending on that fire house, waiting for their children to come running out. Maybe this reminded you of another tragedy we've seen on TV, whether it was another school shooting, or something like 9/11. Maybe, like most people, you're just a human, and so that is why it hit so close to home. For me, it's being a teacher and imagining this situation in my own school that was so troubling. 

I teach on the second floor of our school in an interior classroom with no access to the outside. Our classroom doors have a window pane directly next to the door handle. We have a protocol in place and have practiced lock down drills within our school. And yet, I spent most of my prep period on Friday trying to figure out what I would do to keep my kids safe in the event of an emergency. I don't think my plan is fail proof, but it's a semblance of something I could hold on to. 

I thought about my students... 16, 17, 18-years-old with their whole lives ahead of them. And then I thought about the poor babies in that school... the ones who wouldn't know to run, wouldn't have any way to protect themselves, wouldn't, perhaps, realize the danger right around the corner. I want to believe those who passed didn't know what was happening, that they did so peacefully. And I want to believe that anyone affected by this tragedy will find peace and healing over the next several days, weeks, months, and years. But I just don't know if they will. 

There are so many injustices in this world, so many sad, terrible, preventable things. There are too many tragedies, too many lives lost way too young. But we have to have hope. There has to be hope for the future, for common decency, for the world, and for wonderful things to start happening. 

I still hope that there will be a day when peace is attainable around the globe. I realize this may be naive, but I'm okay with that. Because, to me, it's worth it to have hope. 

Mental health

Today was a first for me in my almost eight years of teaching. I took a day off. Not because I had an appointment. Not because I was sick. Not because I was out of town. I took a personal day... a mental health day, if you will. After a 14-hour grading session this weekend and a marathon that has been the 2012 school year, I needed a moment to breathe. 

I woke up at normal time. Typical. So, I got up, worked out, took a shower, and took my time getting ready. It was glorious having time to actually blow dry my hair on a Tuesday. Some of my dear friends (not that I'm naming names) showed up around 9:30, and off we went toward Grape Road to have breakfast, shop, shop some more, have lunch, and then come home. Besides the great finds (a $17 coat from Old Navy! 4 organizers from Bed, Bath, and Beyond!), it was nice to have a moment to sit with friends, relax, and enjoy a conversation without worrying about having to get a lot done today. Lovely, lovely day. 

It was really, really nice to have a day off. This, of course, begs the question, why do people tend to feel so guilty about taking a day off? For years, I have avoided taking even a single day for myself. My mom, also a teacher, has always told me, "Angela, they will survive without you. School keeps going when you're not there." And she's right! I'm hoping I'll cut myself some slack and remember in the future that it's okay to take a day off if it means I get to rejuvenate myself. 

Upon getting home tonight, I decided to cross something off my always growing 'Organize This' list. My sweaters have long been annoying me. They sit on the shelf in my closet. They fall all over. They are wrinkled beyond belief. And they have been impossible to dig through in order to find the sweater I'm actually looking for. Well, no more! I was able to get all the sweaters back in the closet (freeing up an entire drawer of space!), get the t-shirts out, and have everything in an order that makes sense. Hooray! 

Before: A Giant Mess

After: Organized! Happy! 

I wish I was a little bit taller

Today after work, I went to get a massage. Can we all just agree that massages are one of the very best things in the whole wide world? Okay, good. 

My masseuse is a lovely woman named Teresa. She lives in the town where I teach and does massages out of her home (not in a shady way, she has a studio, people). Anyway, every time I go see her, I feel like I need to apologize for something. After my two half marathons, it was a lot of apologizing for missing or blackened toe nails. Now, though, it's changed. 

Today, I had to apologize for my stress knots. To say that I get knots in my shoulders and back would be like saying peanut butter is just "okay." (Peanut butter is right up there with massages. They both go in the category of Freaking Awesome.) The knots in my shoulders get so large, they can physically be grabbed. There's nothing I love more than having Teresa work on them until they release (which, most of the time, they don't completely, but they're MUCH better afterward). 

But, my favorite part about the massage is when I get in my car afterward. Because that is when I notice that I've gotten taller. All of the sudden, my rearview mirror sits too low and I have to adjust it so that I can actually see out of it. I feel like the weeks or months in between my massages compact me, but having that massage helps me to lengthen back out. It's like adding an extra half inch to my frame! And besides, I always wanted to be 5'6".

Random acts of kindness

I simply cannot believe that December is upon us. I can vividly remember thinking about this Christmas in, oh, January or so, and wondering what it would hold for me this year. I'll save that for another blog post, though. 

Today, I have Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) on my mind. My dear friends Andrea and Kelly got engaged recently, and it was Kelly's RAK's two December's ago that brought him and Andrea back together. Kelly decided he wanted to do something nice each day for the month of December. This ranged from paying for a stranger's gas to dropping off a tricycle at a homeless shelter. Andrea helped him come up with ideas via Facebook, and the rest is history! But, this year especially, I am all over this Kindness idea. 

Tomorrow, my Finding Yourself In School club is going to a local business to paint a Winter Wonderland display for them. While not entirely random, I'm so proud of my students for wanting to make a positive difference in the community. It means so much to me to see teenagers wanting to do good for others just for the sake of doing good. 

Today, I was struck by a note in the Celebrations section of the South Bend Tribune. It was announcing the 85th birthday of a man and had a note that stated, "Please call me. I miss all my friends. Or please come visit me at..." I teared up thinking about this man in Lakeville... a man who seems lonely that he would give his address and phone number... a man who just wants his friends to spend some time with him. I kept thinking about my grandfather in his assisted living home, and my mother who goes to see him every single day, and all the other people there who don't have someone to come visit them. And it struck a chord with me. So, before my lunch started, I wrote the man a card. I wished him a happy birthday and told him that the students and staff of our high school were wishing him many more happy years. Maybe it's silly. Maybe it's silly that he'll get this card and think, "Why would someone I don't know send me anything? Idiots. I only wanted to hear from people I know!" But maybe it'll make his day, and that thought makes me really happy. 

I want to keep doing other RAKs throughout December, and have found a few really great web sites like this one. They're so simple and many of them are free and take very little time. If you can, try to do one this month too. Because there's no such thing as putting too much kindness out in to the world. 

Thanksgiving, the best holiday ever

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, which means my favorite holiday of the year is upon us again! Seriously, what's better than a day that is meant to be spent with family, eating a ton of food, watching football, and thinking about how blessed we all are? Not much can beat that. Okay, nothing can beat that. 

I hate to be sappy... actually, who am I kidding, I don't hate to be sappy. So, since I'm sappy, I feel like I have so much to be thankful for this year. Yesterday, with my very patient, very ready for break students, we sat in a circle on the floor and talked about what we were thankful for. It's always fun to hear what students will say. And they were grateful for some really great things. 

This year, some of my students also made Thanksgiving hand turkeys. We did this in my mentor group, and I have one student who has only been in the country a short time. He  took paper and drew his hand, but then I think he was TOTALLY lost on what he was supposed to do and ended up filling his hand in with geometric shapes. I guess I forgot that not every country teaches its children about hand turkeys.

I wish so much that I would take more time to reflect on what I'm grateful for. There is so much goodness in the world, but sometimes I feel like I get sucked in to the crud and let my focus and energy go there. It shouldn't, though. There's just too many wonderful things to be thankful for. I would make a blog list, but I feel like it might be pretty long, and I wouldn't want to bore you. :) 

Tomorrow, my parents, Dan, and I will get in the car, look through the Black Friday ads, and drive to Lansing, Michigan to see our extended family. There's nothing I love more than spending this holiday with this family. They are the best group of people I know, and I am so ready to hug everyone, see the babies, talk weddings, and get the latest updates. I can't wait to tell the stories we've all heard a thousand times (Dana is thankful for carrots!), watch the Lions, eat M&M's while we wait for dinner, and take one day out of the year where nothing else is more important than just being together. 

I hope you and your loved ones get to enjoy the day together. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! 

No work out + Stress = Crazy person

It is a truth I will now universally acknowledge that when I don't work out, I became a bat s*** crazy person. I know you believe this is an over-exaggeration. It is not. Seriously. 

On Saturday morning, I got up and went for a run at Lake Michigan. It was a glorious 43 degrees. The sun was shining. I saw three deer about fifteen feet away from me. No dogs tried to bite me. It was a good run. The rest of Saturday was spent running around... until I started to feel totally run down. Sunday was more running around and more feeling run down, so I didn't work out. I barely even walked... unless it was to get more cheese. Or cake. 

And by last night, I was a crazy person. 

I was crabby, emotional, and exhausted. For no real reason whatsoever. I was just being a crazy person. 

Today at work, it was a Monday. It's odd, because tomorrow is our last day of the school week before Thanksgiving break (Friday Tuesday?), so I was trying to be energetic and motivated but I wasn't having it. Tonight, I learned a couple of new routines before Jazzercise and then taught Body Sculpt class. And what happened? I felt AMAZING by the time it was over. Apparently, for me, the answer to dealing with stress, crabiness, anger, and being upset is working out the frustrations. Thank goodness for a solid work out to clear the brain and bring back some positivity. 

In other news, the most fantastic holiday ever is this week! More on that later! :) 

Life is short but sweet for certain

It has been a tough week. The other day, I actually clicked on my high school friend Jeannie Hayes' Facebook profile. Why, you ask? Because I was looking to see how many likes Jeanne Claude Van Damme had to prove that even if I was old, people knew who he was. Jeannie had just posted some pictures from a breast cancer walk she had done with some friends. In the next day or two, I started to see more things about Jeannie appear on Facebook... but they were things I didn't want to see.

Jeannie was someone who always had a smile on her face. She quite literally exuded enthusiasm for all things. We had a few classes together in high school -- I vividly remember a picture of she and I outside near the lockers of an English class we had, but for the life of me, I can't find the picture right now. She was an on-air personality at WREX in Rockford and her dream was to work for Oprah. 

So, when I started seeing posts about Jeannie being gravely ill, I was worried. On Wednesday night, I got a message from Jeannie's friend Kim explaining that Jeannie had felt sick over the weekend, went to the doctor on Monday (and was sent home with an antibiotic), and on Tuesday, was so sick that she had to call 911. She lost consciousness on the way to the hospital and never regained it. At the hospital, she was diagnosed with acute leukemia. It also became apparent that she had serious brain swelling near her brain stem and went in to emergency surgery. 

As Thursday rolled around, the news became worse. It was apparent that Jeannie's condition had deteriorated tremendously. Late that evening, Jeannie passed. 

So many things have come from this, I'm not even sure where to start. Everyone I have talked to who knew Jeannie, even if only briefly, has been tremendously impacted by her and her passing. I've been able to reconnect with old friends and tell them how important they are to me. It's made me say "I love you" a little more often, and offer hugs and a listening ear a little more willingly. I think this has made all of us step back and realize what really matters in life. Lately, I've been so stressed about work and the new teacher evaluation system, and in all reality, in the end, those are NOT the moments I'll be remembering. I don't want to take a second for granted. I want to teach from the heart, but mostly I want to soak up times with those I love and experience everything the world has to offer. Jeannie did just that... and she'll never be forgotten. 

Click here to learn more about Jeannie

Dreadmill intervals

When I left work yesterday, it was dark and dreary. This made me want to do nothing but curl up in a ball on the couch next to Dan, eat ice cream, and watch the election results (YAY Glenda Ritz!). Instead, I went to the gym. Upon my arrival at the gym, I sat for a solid thirty minutes talking to Janet BEFORE getting on the dreadmill. 

To spice it up, I decided to do intervals. I figured this would help pass the time. Okay, okay, if I'm being totally honest, I also cut ten minutes out of the original 45-minute work out due to a serious case of getting hangry. But here's what I DID do: 

Minutes                             Speed
0-4                                     4
4-9                                     6.5
9-13                                   4
13-22                                 6.5
22-23                                 7
23-24                                 8
24-26                                 6 
26-27                                 8
27-28                                 7
28-30                                6
30-35                                4 

All in all, 3.3ish miles in 35 minutes and the time really DID go quickly. I think I needed it after a long week of final projects, finals, and the end of first trimester at school. I'm aiming to do another treadmill run tomorrow before Jazzercise, as I don't know if I'll have any time to work out this weekend (more on that later). 

To be fair, AFTER running, I did end up on the couch eating ice cream curled under a blanket next to Dan. So, I won on both accounts! 

Also, my students are awesome, and have made some seriously kick butt final projects. I know I had little to do with their actual creation, but it makes me proud to know them. 

Organization and old age

My friend and coworker, Ashley, is one of those organizing gurus everyone wants to be. Her classroom is adorable. She has cute, clearly labeled baskets for all of her assignments. Everything on her desk is in the appropriate place. And she makes it look easy! Ashley recently started Clean Slate Organizers, her brand new business (you can check it out here on Facebook!). And, it's also inspired me to start organizing. 

I've always been semi-organized. Everything is in its place. It's just... cluttered. I have lots of piles. And, I hold on to things for way too long. So, Ashley's influence has rubbed off, and in the past few weeks, I've been able to organize the table in my hallway, my book shelf, my kitchen junk drawer, and my school bag. It's such a great feeling to see the small changes and declutter the junk. There's a looooong way to go, and a definite organizational system that needs put in to place, but this is definitely going a long way to help with No Negativity November. 

In other news, I was yet again reminded today at school that I. Am. Old. My students did a novel study, and in one of the questions, I asked students to cast the characters in the movie version of their novels. I was trying to give examples, so I said, "Well, you know, if one of your characters is a really tough, macho guy, you'd want to cast someone like... John Claude Van Damme!" Apparently, this made me 1,000-years-old in the eyes of my students because NONE of them had a clue who I was talking about. I found myself having to back track and say, "Van Damme? No? Okay... Vin Diesel?" Some of them knew Vin Diesel. Horrible, horrible example. 

Hi. High schoolers have no idea who I am.

No Negativity November

I know everyone says this, but I really can't believe it's November. This year has been absolutely flying by. And now that we're heading in to the holiday season, it's bound to get even busier and go even faster. 

I've seen a lot of people doing the thankfulness month on Facebook. I think focusing on things people are grateful for is so important. There's not enough gratitude out there in the world. And what does it hurt to be grateful, and to tell those we're grateful for? 

Lately, I feel like there's been too much negativity as of late, at least on my end. With the pressures at school, my lack of sleep, and being pulled in so many directions, it's been difficult to keep my morale up. While I maintain a positive attitude as often as I can, I know there are moments I slip. So, therefore, I'm dubbing this month No Negativity November. 

Every time I feel a negative thought, moment, or phrase coming to mind or mouth, I'm going to attempt to stop it in its tracts. I will not, will NOT succumb to complaining. It does very little good and does nothing for my morale. So, I'm not doing it! 

Bring on a month of positivity, baby! 

An open letter to anyone who has ever been educated

This blog is dedicated to anyone in Indiana who has ever been a teacher, married a teacher, dated a teacher, been friends with a teacher, known a teacher, or been taught by a teacher. Or, if you can spell the word teacher. This blog is for you too. 

My friend Shannon had a quote by Carl Jung up today on her away message status: "What did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes? Here is the key to your earthly pursuits." This struck a GIANT chord with me. 

As a child, I used to play school for hours. HOURS, people. I would literally go through an entire school day. I would "teach" different subjects -- math, letter writing, drawing, and, naturally, recess. My brother used to HATE playing with me because I really would make us play for an entire school day. He'd be bored senseless while I'd be just getting started. I loved playing school. 

I don't think there was ever a doubt in my mind that I would become a teacher. It was the only career that ever made sense to me. I never really even considered other options. There's something about knowing that I get to pass on my passion for learning and caring for others that makes me love my lot in life. I don't know what I'd do if I wasn't a teacher. I've never even considered it. 

To say that teachers in Indiana (and, I'm sure, elsewhere) are under an exorbitant amount of pressure right now would be a giant, GIANT understatement. You see, we are stressed. I will spare you all the details, but what it boils down to is turning our students into numbers so that we can show that we are, of course, fantastic teachers, and they are, of course, learning all sorts of things.  I find a lot of fault in this system, for so many reasons, but mostly because I don't think learning can be calculated by turning kids into digits and percentages on a spreadsheet. I think learning -- real learning, not memorization -- is hard to quantify. Therein lies the problem, of course, because how do you really measure learning? 

Because of this, I have felt more stress in my job this year than ever before. I feel more stress this year than when I was advising both the newspaper AND yearbook WHILE getting my master's. That is some serious pressure, people. 

I don't have a solution to this problem. I don't know what the right answer is. And as much as I would like to shut my classroom door and do my very best to educate intelligent, well-rounded, and well-spoken students who can articulate their ideas, I can't ignore what the state is mandating we do. So, I try my best to stay positive. I put in extra hours at work looking at spreadsheets. I think about how I will revamp my tests. I neglect time with others, or, hell, even down time for myself, so that I can understand what SLO and IGM are and what Common Core Standards are asking me to do. I go in earlier. I stay later. I try to contain my frustration because cluing the kids in isn't fair (because, damnit, it's not their fault that all of this is happening). 

The one consolation in all of this, is, like my coworker Erica has pointed out, we're all in this together. We're all trying to figure this out with little guidance and a lot of pressure from the state. We're trying to keep our chins up when others are interested in beating us down. We're doing our very best. And I just pray it's enough.

One of my former English teachers, and someone who inspired me to become an English teacher, had this up as her away message tonight on Facebook. I have never EVER been one to spout my political views, but I ask you, if you vote in Indiana, to read the post below and get educated about Glenda Ritz. I truly believe she will work with teachers, not against them, to help make education in Indiana top notch.

"If you have ever been my student or if you were ever a student of any teacher, please read this: Even if you are voting Republican, PLEASE split your ticket to vote for Glenda Ritz for State Superintendent. She is a friend of teachers who

 will work hard to keep class sizes small and make sure standardized test scores are not the only measure of teacher effectiveness. I don't think I can last four more years under the current superintendent Bennett. Above all, VOTE!"

40s, Netflix, and a shout out

This, you see, is a three part post. 

Part I: The Running Part

Earlier this week, I was elated because I wore capris and a short sleeve shirt to work and was too warm on the way home in the car. Then Friday happened. Quite literally, overnight, the temperature dropped in to the 30s, signaling that, yes, winter is coming. It was quite a blow to my holding-on-to-summer ego. My skin feels drier, my head is stuffier, and my joints are achier. I loathe winter. But, today, I was reminded why I love the 40s. 

The 40s are easily my favorite temperature to run in. The air is crisp (but not too cold in the lungs). I don't sweat to death and need to replenish fluids every five feet. And, it's just bitey enough that my joints don't feel the small beating they're taking. I can just run without worrying too much about being too hot or too cold. And it felt really good to get a run in today, considering all I've been living on this weekend is a diet of sweets (hello, Halloween candy), cheese, and apples and caramel dip. Delish! 

Part II: The Netflix Part

So, Dan recently resubscribed to Netflix, and I'm sad to say, I've become addicted. Do you KNOW how awesome Netflix is? It totally solves the problem of there's-nothing-on-television AND I'm-too-cheap-to-pay-for-that-channel. 

Our most recent obsession is The Tudors. Yes, I realize this show came out, like, ages ago, but I'm too cheap to pay for Showtime. So, we've started watching it now. We're three episodes in I'm obsessed. The other day, I actually watched half an episode on my phone while Dan was at work, just because I wanted to see what happened next. Obsessed, I tell you. Why did I never know the beauty of paying $8 a month for all this awesome entertainment?! 

Part III: The Shout Out Part

I just have to mention that three of my running heroes (Teresa, Sherry, and Meredith) ALL completed 26.2 in October! Seriously, amazing work there, ladies! 

Wants and needs

Hello, warm snap! Lovely to see you! I'm planning to take full advantage of the next two days of 70+ degrees. Who doesn't love some warmth in the midst of fall? 

Yesterday I got home from work and I was itching to run. This is something that hasn't happened for me in a long time. I wanted to run. I forgot how awesome it feels to want to put my feet to the pavement. 

So, I went tearing through the subdivision for two whole miles before I had to leave for Jazzercise class. It wasn't the long, slow run I was craving, but it was a nice little jaunt nonetheless. 

While I was running, though, I got to thinking about wants and needs. There are many, many days where I feel like I need to do things. I need to go to work. I need to clean the house. I need to pay bills. I need to eat healthy things. I need to drink caffeine. I need to buy shoes. Okay, that's a lie. I want to buy shoes. 

It's funny when we feel like we need to do things. I don't know about you, but a lot of the time, the things I feel like I need to do, I don't actually have to do at all. But, there's always that pressure to get things knocked off the checklist. 

I feel like I'm in a much better place when I want to do things. I want to go to work. I want to clean the house. I want to eat healthy things. I want to pay bills. (Okay, that last one was another lie). I want to go for a run. 

Today after work, I didn't want to go for a run. So, instead, I went to get a pedicure to make my running feet pretty and then decided to park it on the couch. And for once, I've decided that's okay. It's okay to want to not push myself 24/7. And it's really nice to be finally learning that. 

These are a few of my favorite (new) things

Oh, hello. I'm writing you from the couch, where I'm feeling, kind of miserable. In second hour, I got really hot (which, if you know anything about me and school, you will know that I am NEVER hot). By fourth hour, I needed to lay down. And in fifth hour, I was so dizzy, I think my kids thought I was nuts. 

I went to Jazzercise, took a 3o-minute rest, and then taught a 30-minute Express class. Now I'm home, tired, and planning to go to bed WAY early tonight so I can teach Jazz tomorrow morning and teach all day. :) Thank goodness for weekends! 

This post, though, is not about feeling sick. It's about a few of my favorite new running things. Here they are, in no particular order:

Zone Perfect Dark Chocolate Bars

These are SERIOUSLY yummy. They taste like a candy bar but still have 12 grams of protein for 200 calories. The almond one is ah-ma-zing and has turned into my favorite after school snack.

Fuel belt Revenge Arm Bandit 7 ounce water bottle

I can't run (or, go anywhere, for that matter) without water. I need to know that I can have something to sip on close by. This is my favorite new bottle, because I can throw it on my upper arm and go. I don't have to worry about it bouncing around and it doesn't leak. Hooray! 

Epsom Salt

Bursitis, be gone! Arthritis, be gone! Achey muscles... you be gone too! Once a week, I've been indulging in my Epsom Salt bath. Maybe it's just a placebo effect, but I really do feel better after I take one. Just a cup or two and ten minutes in the bath will do the trick. 

Asics Running Socks

By far, my favorite new find are my Asics running socks. They're moisture wicking and really comfortable. They're labled R and L because each sock comes with built in supports for right and left feet. Genius! But, do you want to know what my favorite part about them is? THEY WERE FREE! My parents have been long time fans of Menards. It might even be their favorite store. So, a few weeks ago, my mom called to tell me Menards had these socks on sale for $6.99, but you got the full amount back in a rebate. She bought me three pairs, and when I saw how awesome they were, I got four more! That's SEVEN new pairs of running socks for FREE! Happy camper. :) 

Got any new and awesome things to share? 

World Arthritis Day

Friday, October 12, was World Arthritis Day. This is a cause so near and dear to my heart for so many reasons. But, instead of telling you statistics, I'm going to tell you a story. (YAY, a story!)

For weeks now, one of my junior students has been struggling with not feeling right. She's been to the doctor many times now... at first, they thought kidney stones, but ruled that out. Now, they're throwing around scary terms like MS, fibromyalgia, and lupus, but no action is being taken. She's getting skinnier by the second and, what's worse, she looks miserable. About a week ago, in class, I brought up my RA and other autoimmune diseases when I was leading a class discussion about what defines us. I told my students that I have RA, but that it doesn't define me -- it's a part of me, and I could have let it really shape me as a person, but I've learned to live with it, good days and bad. 

On Friday, World Arthritis Day, my student came up to my desk and asked if she could talk to me. Ever have one of those defining moments where you KNOW this is powerful? That was Friday for me. She sat down and told me how awful she feels, how miserable she is, how she's hurting and sad and scared and doesn't know what to do next. I literally catapulted back to 12 years ago... I swear it was me sitting on the opposite side of my desk. Mostly, she told me how alone she felt in all of this. 

At that moment, it didn't matter what my class was doing (they were working on speeches, by the way, and were engrossed in their work). It didn't matter what my lesson for the day was. It mattered that I could support this child going through something terrible. It mattered that I could tell her, "I've been where you are and I know how this feels but it's going to get better." It mattered that I could say, "You are not alone in this." She cried. I cried. My class either was or pretended to be oblivious (bless them, little angels). 

Autoimmune diseases, especially juvenile arthritis and other juvenile diseases, can be so isolating. Kids shouldn't get sick. Period. But they do. And feeling sick and alone is even worse than just feeling sick. So much, I wish I could take the pain away from my student, take it on me so she wouldn't have to feel it and all the repercussions from this right now. I told her it was okay to be sad and hurt and angry, but it still doesn't make it any better. 

Something good DID come out of it, though. My student sent me an email over the weekend saying she'd talked to her mom and her parents are going to take her to a specialist. She sounded so much more upbeat in her email, and her last line was, "Thank you again for everything. I can't remember the last time I felt good talking to someone." 

If someone in your life is struggling with a disease... arthritis, autoimmune, or otherwise, I urge you to give that person a hug, ask how s/he is doing, and remind that person, whether verbally or otherwise, that s/he isn't alone. 

Heroes

This weekend, I had the privilege of running five miles of the Chicago Marathon with Teresa and Dave. I wish I could put into words how awesome this experience was! At mile 25, when they could have been in terrible moods and ready to quit, they kept pushing. If that doesn't make a hero, I don't know what does! 

We woke up bright and early on Sunday at Lisa's and traveled to the two mile marker. We arrived just in time to see all the wheelchair participants come by. They were followed shortly after by the leaders of the elite group (who, by the way, hit mile 2 at 9 minutes and 20 seconds -- insane!!). They were followed by the rest of the elite runners and then... about 43,000 other people. There were people everywhere -- obviously, the runners, but moreso, there were people -- spectators galore! 

I'll write more inspiration later, but, for now, a pictorial! 

So many runners at mile 2! 

Andrea and Lisa with the super cute Teresa and Dave sign! 

Me and D at McDonald's before mile 13 :) 

The halfway point! They're smiling! 

Mile 25! They looked fantastic and were doing great! Heroes, people! 

Tranquility (An ode to being Type A)

Today at school, I introduced the Benjamin Franklin Planner project to my students. Essentially, my students pick one of Franklin's 13 virtues and try to improve upon it over the course of four weeks. Most students tend to lean toward procrastination, order, or frugality. I've decided this year, I'm doing it along with them. I, however, am focusing on tranquility. 

Last week, I got an about.com email with a quiz called, "Are you Type A?" You can find a link to said quiz here. It asks questions like, "Are you often in a hurry?" (Answer: Of course), "Do you grind your teeth at night?" (Answer: Ask the mouth guard I've chewed through), "Do you find it difficult to sit in traffic?" (Answer: Dan would say YES), and "Do you often multitask?" (Answer: You mean, since I'm grading papers WHILE taking this quiz?)

I mean, I've always known I was Type A. I'm someone with a chronic need to overachieve. I'm on every committee possible. I have three jobs. I spend my day trying to cram stuff in. I get excited when I get to cross things off my to-do list. I go to bed planning how best to finish things tomorrow. I rush from work to the gym from the gym home to grade from grading to TV watching while lesson planning. I even rush to bed, like the opportunity will go away if I don't get there RIGHT THEN. 

It's exhausting. And it is the opposite of tranquil. 

So, along with my students, I've decided I will spend the next four weeks forcing myself to be tranquil. I will try my best to focus on one task instead of 20. I will listen intently to conversations instead of making to-do lists in my head. I will try to simplify as much as I can so that I can actually enjoy life. Dare I say it, I might even try to get bored now and again and NOT fill that time with a million other things. I'm going for tranquil here, people. 

It's never too late to learn, right? 

Third time's a charm? That's S#@&.

Greetings, all! What have I been up to the past week? Well, I've decided that if I live at school, I can probably finish everything the state is asking of me to do this year as a teacher. Probably. I've been buried in reading, grading, college recommendation letters, editing, newspaper layouting, and, to top it all off, today I was handed 82 lovely Extended Definition essays to read. I've honestly been going in earlier and staying later then ever before. So, alas, work is keeping me busy. 

Additionally, my left knee has been angry at me. I was able to get in super short runs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (HELLO beautiful weather), but my IT band was screaming at the end of the Sunday run. Although the weather is perfect, I decided not to run on Monday and went for a long walk at Notre Dame yesterday with Krissi. Hence, where the title of this blog post comes from. 

I've long been contemplating when and where my third half marathon will be. While I absolutely adored the Princess Half Marathon last year, I'm not sure I'll be able to do it again this year. The race is in February, which would mean time off of work and a trip to Florida. I'm very much hoping to head to Germany for spring break this year to see Lynny. And in May, I'll be traveling to the Outer Banks to see Teresa and Dave tie the knot. So, three flights and three major expenses in three short months seems a bit out of the question for my bank account right now. 

I'm pretty sure I want to run another half, mostly because I think I've been continually getting faster the last few months and want to see what I could do in a long race. But, I haven't even looked in to other races yet. It's on the to-do list. 

I was thinking about this yesterday when I realized a run was out of the question and a walk was more up my alley. Luckily, Krissi was free, so we met at the bookstore to take a stroll. I love my walks with Krissi. When we lived together, we went for walks constantly. They were therapy for us -- walking, talking, complaining, laughing, and a lot of dreaming. Yesterday's walk was no different. 

And, on our return to the cars, as we walked under a beautiful tree...
...a bird pooped directly on my head. It wasn't a lot. But it was enough.

I have to note that this is the THIRD time this has happened to me now. Years ago, a seagull got me when I was at the beach. In February, on the exact day I ran my half marathon, a bird got me at Epcot. And yesterday marks my third such run in with bird feces. Ick. And ick some more. 

I'm told it's good luck to get pooped on. I think some poor sap made that up to try to save face after being the target of a bird full of business. 

I handed Krissi a leaf and asked her if she could take care of it. She did me one better -- when the leaf wasn't working, she used her own bare hand to scoop the poop. That's friendship, people. 

So, after the third time of being a bird target, I'm left wondering, when will the third half take place? I don't know yet... but I'm hoping that good luck will abound. 

A funny thing happened on the way to the gym

Yesterday after work, I was feeling seriously ambitious. I'd been able to knock a lot of work-related things off my to-do list during the day, and could afford to take a little more time for myself last night. I had to teach Jazzercise at 5:30. So, I had almost two hours to kill. 

That morning, feeling ambitious about my day. I'd packed running clothes. When I walked out of the house, it was overcast, cold, and rainy. Perfect day to snuggle with the covers... not the perfect day to take off for a run. At some point, I convinced myself that I would run inside on the dreadmill. 

One of the things I dislike about my classroom is that it doesn't have windows. I know that seems trivial, but there is something incredibly odd about literally not having a clue what is happening outside of the cement walls of my room. In the department office where I eat lunch, there is one window... it looks directly onto the roof of the school. The view is not so awesome, but at least I can see what the weather is doing. 

Low and behold, when I walked out of work yesterday, it was absolutely beautiful. The sun was shining, there was a good breeze, and it was mid-60s. A run outside would have been MORE than feasible. 

And yet, I CHOSE to go to the gym and hop on the dreadmill. I CHOSE to go on the machine that takes me nowhere. 

I think, maybe, I just wanted to be in a place yesterday where, for a little while, I didn't have to think. Running outside, while wonderful, forces me to think. Which way do I want to go? Am I running fast enough? What IS that in the road ahead of me? Are there cars swinging too close? How many miles am I going to do? Did I just get a rock stuck in my shoe?

Yesterday, for whatever reason, the dreadmill offered me a blissful brain break, something I'd been craving. I turned on the machine, started at the TV, listened to my iPod, and got totally lost in the run. Before I  knew it, four miles had passed, and it hadn't even been a struggle. It was a weird reprieve from the insanity of the week thus far... one that I desperately wanted. 

Kilometers for Cam

Yesterday morning started early for us. Dan and I were signed up to run the Kilometers for Cam 5K in St. Joe, Michigan. The run raised money for a 6-year-old boy, Cameron, who has Progeria. Want to know more about Cam and Progeria? Go here. The race was an important one for a lot of reasons. First and foremost, it's a fantastic cause and a great way to raise funds for a disease that only affects 90 children worldwide. Secondly, the race was sponsored by Whirlpool, so we went to support Dan's work too. Third, it's where Dan grew up, so it was neat to do a race up there. 

But my favorite reason for running the race (besides the really awesome Johnson & Johnson swag bag!) was because I finally got to meet my friend Sherry! Sherry and I have talked at length on my blog and on Facebook about running. She's signed up to do the Goofy Challenge in Disney in a few months, and we've talked at length about running Disney. We've been able to chat with each other in times of running sickness and running health and have been able to support each other through the ups and downs. She was the one who told me about Kilometers for Cam, so it made it extra special that we met at this event! Here we are in the worst picture ever! 

I am ghostly pale and awkward in the sun, looking at Dan. Sherry looks normal, but is looking at her husband, Don. :)

So, maybe not the best picture ever, but it's still photographic proof that we've now met! 

The weather was perfect (I will run in 50 degrees ANY DAY over the summer temps) and the course was nice (Starting at the carousel, up the bluff, through downtown St. Joe, then back down the bluff, along Lake Michigan, down the pier, and back to the carousel.). I even PRed by a few seconds, despite not having run much in the past week or so. All in all... it makes me really excited for cooler running temperatures and to figure out what race (and length!) is next. Stay tuned! 

Marathoners and Ironwomen: Some serious inspiration

In the event that I haven't mentioned this before, I have some of the kindest, coolest, funniest, most wonderful people in my life. I mean it. They're giving, loving, and strong. And today, I'm focusing on four of them. 

The marathoners:
As a junior in college, I lived with Teresa and Meredith. Meredith was the only runner of the three of us at that time, but since then, we've all been bitten by the running bug. I ran my first half marathon with (well, in the same race, anyway) Mere and my second half marathon with (well, in the same race, anyway) T. I've been lucky enough to share my enthusiasm for running with both of them. And now, both are training for their first ever full marathons. I was talking to Teresa via email the other day, and she mentioned how her 18-mile run hadn't gone as well as she'd have hoped. But then she said something so profound, it really made me think. Her fiancee (who is also running the marathon) said, "There was a time when you couldn't run a mile. Now you can run 18!" And it's true! That is something to be so proud of! So when she runs the Chicago Marathon in just a few weeks, I'll meet her at mile 20 and cheer her on until mile 26 when she takes the rest of the journey herself. I am so, so proud of both of them! 

The Ironwomen: 
I have previously written about my aversion to completing a sprint triathlon. Essentially, I am afraid I will be knocked out during the swim by a swift kick to the head and will never get the chance to complete the rest of the race. Also, it's hard! But two of my other favorite people, Krissi and Christa both have the honor of calling themselves Iron(wo)men. The thought of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and THEN running a full marathon is quite literally more than my brain can comprehend. Working out for 11 or 12 or 17 hours is an INSANE feat, and one these two accomplished with ease... or, maybe not ease, but they made it look easy! 

To say I'm proud of my friends would be an extreme understatement. I am more than just proud of them and they are more than just my friends: They are my inspiration to work a little harder and to do a little better. 

Seasonal treats

It is (almost) officially my second favorite season of the year, and I, for one, am getting incredibly excited about fall. I love how the air feels a little crisper on fall mornings. I love going for a run or walk in the evening and not feeling like I could sweat to death. I love how the school supplies are purchased and the students are back in the swing of school. I love seeing  gourds for sale in stores, pumpkins on porches, and, of course, the seasonal treats. 

It's been awhile since I wrote a food blog, but I am a sucker for a good seasonal treat. In the fall, almost anything with the words apple or pumpkin get my heart pumping a little faster. (This is ironic in that I HATE pumpkin pie, but like other pumpkin flavored foods.) 

This year, I've discovered a new fall favorite and an old favorite that I think will make the season even better. The new white chocolate Candy Corn M&Ms have become a permanent fixture in my eating rotation the past few days, which is probably going to do little for my waistline and behind. And my old favorite, the Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino is back too! I'm a sucker for anything sweet and salty in the same bite (or sip, in this case). I plan to consume no less than a dozen of these things over the course of the season. 

Try them. Weigh in. And enjoy the season!