Well, I made it this far into the month without purchasing clothes, one of the items on my January challenge I figured I could do even injured. However, I did decide that it was high time to buy some undergarments. The bras I have currently I bought at Dillard's almost two years ago (I can't believe they lasted this long!) and I've been buying undies in 3-packs for quite some time. So, I decided it was time that I put on my big-girl panties. Hahaha.
Now, I certainly didn't spend any big bucks, and Kohl's was having quite a nice BOGO 1/2 off sale on certain brands. I got some undies at Tar-jay out of a 5 for $20 bin, but they are nicer than the Hanes that I have.
I don't know why I felt like sharing all of that. I don't normally share much about my shopping adventures. It can be an adventure...or rather a treasure hunt...when you wear a D-DD. I love the girls, but it can be a challenge to find the right bra to lock and load them in. I refuse to be the teacher that has to cross her arms when it's cold. I want the girls where they belong, strapped down, in, and practically immobile. When you teach teenage boys, this is not just a preference...it is a must.
In fact, the last time I bought bras, the lady asked me what I wanted and I said pretty much just that. "I want them locked down, strapped in, and I can't show when I'm cold. I teach teenagers." The lady said, "I understand. I know what you need." I liked the one I tried so much I just bought three of that same style in different colors and never looked back!
So, that was my day. I also got some awesome new mascara and finished up the bathroom painting. Currently laundry is running and I got to have lunch with H and FIL. Here in a minute I'm going to put together this week's plans for band and my graduate project. I'm just a bundle of productivity.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Constantly playing catch-up
Still no running. Still in pain. It was pretty unbearable yesterday. I think it was the seat at the movie theater.
H and I both felt sick yesterday evening. I think our lunch got to us, since we both had different dinners Friday night and it was too soon after dinner last night. I felt exhausted. True Grit was a great movie, though.
I slept probably 10+ hours the past two nights. I'm not sure what's going on with that.
This coming week, you probably won't hear from me much. Since H has all these fraternity meetings, I'll probably not be doing much in the way of cooking. I have tomorrow off so I'll probably just be cleaning house and playing Donkey Kong, while heating my poor hip flexor. I'm excited about having Monday off for MLK.
Tuesday night I am going to a meeting at a local Irish pub, which I'm excited about. The group I am meeting is gifting my band with flip folders for basketball games! Some of my students have been taping music to each others' backs. Now, if they would just buy the lyres for their instruments themselves...But, I get to eat at a place I've been wanting to go to for awhile. I haven't been in probably a year.
Thursday through Saturday I have a convention for music educators, so I have some networking and learning coming up. There are a few seminars I'm interested in. It's mostly seeing old college friends, teachers, and getting to dish about our jobs since most non-music people have no clue what we are talking about most of the time!
I doubt I'll get much in the way of working out in, as well. Walking for a while makes my hip ache and I'm getting pretty down in the dumps about it. Maybe I'll actually pick up those free weights and do something with my upper body this week like I've been meaning to.
So, if you haven't already figured out, my January "challenge" has been put on hold until further notice. I eat well most of the time, though this week is going to be kind of a bust. Since I can't run for now, I don't know when I'll finish C25K. January has ended up being far more busy than I expected, but that happens.
Anyway, there isn't much of a point to this post except to gripe about my injury and talk about work a little bit. Sorry.
H and I both felt sick yesterday evening. I think our lunch got to us, since we both had different dinners Friday night and it was too soon after dinner last night. I felt exhausted. True Grit was a great movie, though.
I slept probably 10+ hours the past two nights. I'm not sure what's going on with that.
This coming week, you probably won't hear from me much. Since H has all these fraternity meetings, I'll probably not be doing much in the way of cooking. I have tomorrow off so I'll probably just be cleaning house and playing Donkey Kong, while heating my poor hip flexor. I'm excited about having Monday off for MLK.
Tuesday night I am going to a meeting at a local Irish pub, which I'm excited about. The group I am meeting is gifting my band with flip folders for basketball games! Some of my students have been taping music to each others' backs. Now, if they would just buy the lyres for their instruments themselves...But, I get to eat at a place I've been wanting to go to for awhile. I haven't been in probably a year.
Thursday through Saturday I have a convention for music educators, so I have some networking and learning coming up. There are a few seminars I'm interested in. It's mostly seeing old college friends, teachers, and getting to dish about our jobs since most non-music people have no clue what we are talking about most of the time!
I doubt I'll get much in the way of working out in, as well. Walking for a while makes my hip ache and I'm getting pretty down in the dumps about it. Maybe I'll actually pick up those free weights and do something with my upper body this week like I've been meaning to.
So, if you haven't already figured out, my January "challenge" has been put on hold until further notice. I eat well most of the time, though this week is going to be kind of a bust. Since I can't run for now, I don't know when I'll finish C25K. January has ended up being far more busy than I expected, but that happens.
Anyway, there isn't much of a point to this post except to gripe about my injury and talk about work a little bit. Sorry.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Holy crap, it's Thursday!
So yeah....this week has been fast and slow at the same time! I have to be careful not to wish my life away, constantly wishing for Friday. There has been a lot of good Monday through Thursday, and I need to remember to enjoy that.
I signed up for my master's thesis project and got enrolled today. My band students are going to be guinea pigs, though they don't know it. Poor things. If things go the way I plan, however, my unwilling subjects will see and hear improvement in their playing. Hopefully lots of improvement. We have had lots of improvement before, but I plan to really buckle down.
No workouts this week, but eating has been okay. My hip is still bothering me quite a bit. I'm getting tired of it. Just when I think it's better, it gets worse again.
So, not much to report. I hope to have more soon, as I heal and can do more.
I signed up for my master's thesis project and got enrolled today. My band students are going to be guinea pigs, though they don't know it. Poor things. If things go the way I plan, however, my unwilling subjects will see and hear improvement in their playing. Hopefully lots of improvement. We have had lots of improvement before, but I plan to really buckle down.
No workouts this week, but eating has been okay. My hip is still bothering me quite a bit. I'm getting tired of it. Just when I think it's better, it gets worse again.
So, not much to report. I hope to have more soon, as I heal and can do more.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
This week's plan
This week shouldn't be too busy...no honor bands, no basketball games, no professional development trips. All of that is coming up in the near future, though! I have to miss four days of work this month. January is always crazy. The only thing I have this week is a prospective parent/student night at school Tuesday that I am planning on attending. It's good recruitment for me, I've done it a lot of times so I'm good with the tours. I like to help out where/when I can.
On the food plan this week:
White chicken chili, corn muffins
Chicken cacciatore (with some pasta for H)
Salmon croquettes, green beans
Salsa chicken, avocado/tomato salad
Baked lemon pork chops and brussels sprouts
Fun meal: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
One night is possibly a leftover night or sandwiches or something like that.
Lunches can be leftover chili or cacciatore.
I probably won't be able to run this week (and if it's going to be 8 outside, I don't really want to!) so I'm going to try some stretching and upper body weights. Things that don't use the hip flexor. I realized last night I've been slightly over-dosing on the ibuprofen. Evidently I'm not supposed to take more than 6 in a day, and I was taking 8. Not sure how much it's all even helping...I guess it's anti-inflammatory whether I feel pain relief or not.
The bathroom project is almost done. We need to find some wall art since the walls are so plain now. That paisley wallpaper made it impossible to decorate! I think I'll check out Ross or somewhere cheap. I also have a little more paint touch-up and cleaning to do, and we're still waiting on blinds. It's a tiny window. I love the light in there now. I can't wait until we can put the laminate flooring through other parts of the house because the cat room is the nicest-looking room (without furniture) in the house and we hardly even use it!
I've started planning what I want to grow in my gardens this spring and summer. I will need to buy some big pots, strawberry pots, and I have some other things around the house like baskets I'm going to use. I really want to do a better job at it all this year. I also want to grow more edibles, and will be doing a lot of that in pots. I think a big planter of lettuces sounds like a great idea!
No big plans for today except groceries, lunch with H, and some housework. It's too cold to do much else!
On the food plan this week:
White chicken chili, corn muffins
Chicken cacciatore (with some pasta for H)
Salmon croquettes, green beans
Salsa chicken, avocado/tomato salad
Baked lemon pork chops and brussels sprouts
Fun meal: Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans
One night is possibly a leftover night or sandwiches or something like that.
Lunches can be leftover chili or cacciatore.
I probably won't be able to run this week (and if it's going to be 8 outside, I don't really want to!) so I'm going to try some stretching and upper body weights. Things that don't use the hip flexor. I realized last night I've been slightly over-dosing on the ibuprofen. Evidently I'm not supposed to take more than 6 in a day, and I was taking 8. Not sure how much it's all even helping...I guess it's anti-inflammatory whether I feel pain relief or not.
The bathroom project is almost done. We need to find some wall art since the walls are so plain now. That paisley wallpaper made it impossible to decorate! I think I'll check out Ross or somewhere cheap. I also have a little more paint touch-up and cleaning to do, and we're still waiting on blinds. It's a tiny window. I love the light in there now. I can't wait until we can put the laminate flooring through other parts of the house because the cat room is the nicest-looking room (without furniture) in the house and we hardly even use it!
I've started planning what I want to grow in my gardens this spring and summer. I will need to buy some big pots, strawberry pots, and I have some other things around the house like baskets I'm going to use. I really want to do a better job at it all this year. I also want to grow more edibles, and will be doing a lot of that in pots. I think a big planter of lettuces sounds like a great idea!
No big plans for today except groceries, lunch with H, and some housework. It's too cold to do much else!
Saturday, January 8, 2011
I'm here, I swear
So, hobbling along with my hip flexor aching. I've found that driving makes it hurt the most. And I had to spend a lot of time in my car for an honor band in a town about 45 minutes away. Ouch.
It was a crazy week. It all started with that iPhone alarm issue. Starting out a Monday like that just doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. As we were coming back from the honor band on Monday, my gas light came on and I discovered I had left my wallet at home. The kids didn't have any money and since gas is nearly $3 a gallon, I didn't have enough change to do any good. Pointless to pump half a gallon of gas. I made it home, barely.
The next morning, the kids left from their home and I left from mine in plenty of time for us to get to the honor band early so they could get warmed up. Wrong. There was a huge pileup that they got caught behind. I lead-footed us all the way there, but figured someone's late every year, and this year it just happened to be me.
That night, I totally screwed one of the kids over by getting my information wrong (the whole honor band was a clusterfuck of mis-communication, in my defense) and we didn't get back in time for the concert, so my freshman missed his performance. Once I figured out what happened, I made my way through the bowels of the performance hall to get behind the area where the performance was going on (so...many...stairs....hip...aching...) and I found him, with the most deflated, blank, devastated look on his face. It crushed me. My heart ripped in two. This is one of my very best kids...he practices, he's a great musician and only a freshman, he's bright, he's responsible...and I fucked him over. I couldn't help it...the tears started (freaking PMS didn't help there). I went and sat with another band director who tried to make me feel better but you know that never works. He was kind enough to post on my facebook the next morning that he hoped I was feeling better and that everything was okay. After the performances were over, I went out front to get some air and be in a dark area so people couldn't see my tear-stained face, and alternated between tearing up again and wanting to vomit. It came very close to that. There was nothing I could do to make it right. Nothing.
But, the kid wasn't mad. The parents weren't mad. It would have been so much easier had they been, but they had this whole "turn the other cheek" thing that I honestly just can't do, and so, I felt even worse because had I been the kid, I would have been PISSED beyond belief at my director! But, the kid said, "Eh, we weren't that good, anyway" in an attempt to make ME feel better. And my heart broke a little more.
Jokingly, they asked if the kid could skip the rest of the basketball game performances. Hahahaha. It's nice to put it all behind us. I told the kid he could hang it over my head and say, "Hey, Mrs. band director, you remember the time you screwed me over and cried like a big ol' baby?" and he thought that was pretty funny.
Then, I had to go back to work. It's so easy to forget how draining teaching can be, since you have to be "on" all the time. So, I'm pretty exhausted.
THEN, a teacher who is an avid runner, asked me how I was doing with the program. The last time she asked me, I was nursing that pinched nerve issue. This time, it's the hip. I explained that I was taking a break since I was injured but I'd get back to it soon. She said, "Maybe you should just try fast walking so you won't hurt yourself." I said, "I've not injured myself while running. Everything I've done has been an accident or just an everyday activity that went wrong." She just said, "Oh" and walked away. I don't really like being told what to do.
I'm accident-prone. I have at least one if not more bruises on my body at all times. I have at least one scratch on me, somewhere, pretty much at all times. It's just the way things are for me. I run into stuff due to poor depth perception. I've come to terms with it. It's a non-issue for me at this point in my life.
I wish I could say that I ate amazingly well this week, but I can't. I'm not even going to recall the atrocities that have occurred in my stomach. PMS week shall be over soon. Every day is a new day.
It was a crazy week. It all started with that iPhone alarm issue. Starting out a Monday like that just doesn't bode well for the rest of the week. As we were coming back from the honor band on Monday, my gas light came on and I discovered I had left my wallet at home. The kids didn't have any money and since gas is nearly $3 a gallon, I didn't have enough change to do any good. Pointless to pump half a gallon of gas. I made it home, barely.
The next morning, the kids left from their home and I left from mine in plenty of time for us to get to the honor band early so they could get warmed up. Wrong. There was a huge pileup that they got caught behind. I lead-footed us all the way there, but figured someone's late every year, and this year it just happened to be me.
That night, I totally screwed one of the kids over by getting my information wrong (the whole honor band was a clusterfuck of mis-communication, in my defense) and we didn't get back in time for the concert, so my freshman missed his performance. Once I figured out what happened, I made my way through the bowels of the performance hall to get behind the area where the performance was going on (so...many...stairs....hip...aching...) and I found him, with the most deflated, blank, devastated look on his face. It crushed me. My heart ripped in two. This is one of my very best kids...he practices, he's a great musician and only a freshman, he's bright, he's responsible...and I fucked him over. I couldn't help it...the tears started (freaking PMS didn't help there). I went and sat with another band director who tried to make me feel better but you know that never works. He was kind enough to post on my facebook the next morning that he hoped I was feeling better and that everything was okay. After the performances were over, I went out front to get some air and be in a dark area so people couldn't see my tear-stained face, and alternated between tearing up again and wanting to vomit. It came very close to that. There was nothing I could do to make it right. Nothing.
But, the kid wasn't mad. The parents weren't mad. It would have been so much easier had they been, but they had this whole "turn the other cheek" thing that I honestly just can't do, and so, I felt even worse because had I been the kid, I would have been PISSED beyond belief at my director! But, the kid said, "Eh, we weren't that good, anyway" in an attempt to make ME feel better. And my heart broke a little more.
Jokingly, they asked if the kid could skip the rest of the basketball game performances. Hahahaha. It's nice to put it all behind us. I told the kid he could hang it over my head and say, "Hey, Mrs. band director, you remember the time you screwed me over and cried like a big ol' baby?" and he thought that was pretty funny.
Then, I had to go back to work. It's so easy to forget how draining teaching can be, since you have to be "on" all the time. So, I'm pretty exhausted.
THEN, a teacher who is an avid runner, asked me how I was doing with the program. The last time she asked me, I was nursing that pinched nerve issue. This time, it's the hip. I explained that I was taking a break since I was injured but I'd get back to it soon. She said, "Maybe you should just try fast walking so you won't hurt yourself." I said, "I've not injured myself while running. Everything I've done has been an accident or just an everyday activity that went wrong." She just said, "Oh" and walked away. I don't really like being told what to do.
I'm accident-prone. I have at least one if not more bruises on my body at all times. I have at least one scratch on me, somewhere, pretty much at all times. It's just the way things are for me. I run into stuff due to poor depth perception. I've come to terms with it. It's a non-issue for me at this point in my life.
I wish I could say that I ate amazingly well this week, but I can't. I'm not even going to recall the atrocities that have occurred in my stomach. PMS week shall be over soon. Every day is a new day.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Derailment
So, the injury I have, according to the health and phys ed teacher at my school, is a hip flexor strain. I'm screwed. Evidently this is kind of a serious deal, from what I've been reading. I'm going to have to push back C25K a bit until I get this under control. I guess I'll focus on upper body weights instead.
Not like I could have ran this morning, anyway, since my stupid iPhone alarm didn't go off. it worked fine for me for my previously set 6:45am alarm, when I take my pills. But, the new alarm didn't work. I don't know what I'm going to do in the morning...oh, I can use Sleep Cycle, a really cool app that I have. It has an alarm! Problem solved :P All of that is to say that I didn't have time to do anything except scramble to work.
I guess for now, I'll focus on eating along the guidelines I set for myself and do upper body weights, and maybe ab work, until I feel my lower body has healed.
I am just an injury magnet, aren't I?
Oh, the best thing ever was said at my table at our meeting this morning. A teacher's phone started to vibrate, loudly and obnoxiously on the table. Honestly, this was the strongest phone vibration I've ever heard. The department head looked at them and said, "Good grief, girl, that's a big vibrator!" I lost it. The head of school was up there talking about something important and our entire table was just giggling away. I love my department head. She's awesome.
Not like I could have ran this morning, anyway, since my stupid iPhone alarm didn't go off. it worked fine for me for my previously set 6:45am alarm, when I take my pills. But, the new alarm didn't work. I don't know what I'm going to do in the morning...oh, I can use Sleep Cycle, a really cool app that I have. It has an alarm! Problem solved :P All of that is to say that I didn't have time to do anything except scramble to work.
I guess for now, I'll focus on eating along the guidelines I set for myself and do upper body weights, and maybe ab work, until I feel my lower body has healed.
I am just an injury magnet, aren't I?
Oh, the best thing ever was said at my table at our meeting this morning. A teacher's phone started to vibrate, loudly and obnoxiously on the table. Honestly, this was the strongest phone vibration I've ever heard. The department head looked at them and said, "Good grief, girl, that's a big vibrator!" I lost it. The head of school was up there talking about something important and our entire table was just giggling away. I love my department head. She's awesome.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Weekend absence
Please excuse my absence this weekend. A nice couple (band parents) came and remodeled our bathroom! They stopped by Friday to check it out and then worked a lot of yesterday and almost all of today. All that's left is little stuff--wall plates (on order), re-hang doors, and put up new blinds. And give the shower a good scrubbing because it looks grubby next to the sparkly-clean rest of the bathroom. It's so much brighter!
I wish I had before pictures, but it honestly was the place where paisley went to die: hunter green, navy, and burgundy paisley. So dark, so awful. The trim was a taupey-gray that was too dark for such a small space. It's all like new now!
I'm also still nursing that damn injury and my upper back is hurting quite a bit. I feel like I need H to pop it for me, and I will be bugging him very, very soon. Like as soon as I'm done with this blog posting.
Oh, and I will hopefully have time soon to type up the letter that the guy found in the attic while working on the ductwork and electrical: It's from the mid-late 80's (the mention of a Stevie Ray Vaughan tape gave it away) and talks about college, boys, small penises, and the Bible. Seriously. It's an interesting read. We have to wonder how in the hell it got up there! So, be looking for that relatively soon, dear readers. It's pretty fun.
Off to have some chili and watch 30 Rock Season 2.
Oh, and by the way, here's what I accomplished over break:
I finished week 5 of C25K
I organized 3 very disorganized closets
I watched both seasons of Dead Like Me, and the movie (unfortunately...the series was SO GOOD and they totally ruined it)
Cleaned a lot
Studied scores for band
Read some of an interesting book about food from about the 1800s through WWII in America
Saw my sister several times
Saw my in laws several times
Put pictures in frames in my office and the cat room (small projects are getting done!)
Tried several new recipes
Did a lot of research over various things
Stripped a lot of wallpaper
Made many trips to Home Depot
Bathroom was renovated
I think it was a productive break!
I wish I had before pictures, but it honestly was the place where paisley went to die: hunter green, navy, and burgundy paisley. So dark, so awful. The trim was a taupey-gray that was too dark for such a small space. It's all like new now!
I'm also still nursing that damn injury and my upper back is hurting quite a bit. I feel like I need H to pop it for me, and I will be bugging him very, very soon. Like as soon as I'm done with this blog posting.
Oh, and I will hopefully have time soon to type up the letter that the guy found in the attic while working on the ductwork and electrical: It's from the mid-late 80's (the mention of a Stevie Ray Vaughan tape gave it away) and talks about college, boys, small penises, and the Bible. Seriously. It's an interesting read. We have to wonder how in the hell it got up there! So, be looking for that relatively soon, dear readers. It's pretty fun.
Off to have some chili and watch 30 Rock Season 2.
Oh, and by the way, here's what I accomplished over break:
I finished week 5 of C25K
I organized 3 very disorganized closets
I watched both seasons of Dead Like Me, and the movie (unfortunately...the series was SO GOOD and they totally ruined it)
Cleaned a lot
Studied scores for band
Read some of an interesting book about food from about the 1800s through WWII in America
Saw my sister several times
Saw my in laws several times
Put pictures in frames in my office and the cat room (small projects are getting done!)
Tried several new recipes
Did a lot of research over various things
Stripped a lot of wallpaper
Made many trips to Home Depot
Bathroom was renovated
I think it was a productive break!
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