caught up after a day and a half and I want to say get well, stay warm etc~~~~

and Don't quit Emily. I was talking to a friend of mine who is a resouce teacher. Hat e to say it, but your situation has nothing to do with you. Sadly most of your kids are only at the survivor level of exsistance - if you have made an impression on one of them - then you have done an amazeing job. and She told me that there are a number of teacher s retireing in our town. ( PS if I remember correctly you did a really good job with the classroom in MA that you took over. Kristin is right, you need to find a better match)

billytea has the best romantic stories.

You're so totally Carrie Fisher. Like Carrie Fisher if she were blond.

Really?! No buns as headgear, though, please.

I love trying to figure out kids' brains. When I was little, I thought you could get money from McDonalds because I saw mom getting change.

I always asked my mom to put specific songs on when we were listening to the radio in the car. I mean, Mom controlled the record player at home, right? Kids' brains are funny.

I still haven't seen American Splendor. But oddly enough I turned on TBS yesterday and My Best Friend's Wedding was on -- he played a bellhop at the hotel who talks to Julia Roberts for about a minute. And look at him now!

Happy Anniversary, Deena and DH!

Kid's brain's are weird. I was an only child, and I did not live with a father growing up, and my grandfather and uncle we modest around me. When I was in second grade we went to visit family and they had a little baby boy. I was convinced that when he got older his penis would fall off and make hime look like me!

I always aspired to be a broad, but I think I am seen as a quirky wacky best friend. I am not sure what my recent fatness has done to this. I think it has made me seem motherly, which I am not. I am always amazed that people see me a nice, calm and uncomplaining, because I feel like I am a mean, upset complainer. Recently we had an activity at my office wherin we had to do something nice for one another. Another admin wrote me this lovely note about how I was always nice, kind, calm and uncomplaining about what I had to do. The only thing that I agreed with was kind, but I guess other people are not privy to your thoughts, and I am extra polite, even though I do have a reputation for speaking my mind that the other admins do not have-- that is, I will always present what I think is a better way to do something instead of just doing what I am told.

I have no idea what type I am. Sophia's second paragraph describes me pretty well too, except I don't think I'm seen as the "wacky best friend" type. No idea how other people see me. Recently I got all insecure and my ex reassured me that I was good-looking even without makeup (he thought I wasn't wearing any at the time, but I was; can guys really not tell unless it's like bright green or something?) and added that I was pretty when we were dating too even though I was fat then. @@ I said thanks. Perhaps I'm happier with my fantasies of how I am than I would be with knowing other people's opinions. Didn't Robert Blake say something like that?

It's right under the wire, but a happy anniversary to Deena and her DH. I hope the alternative plans went off without a hitch.

So, things turned out ok. Didn't take him nearly as long as he said (which to me means he had something in mind instead of driving around trying to figure it out). He replaced my fleur de lis earrings with ones that have backs instead of just the french wire. Plus a bracelet and necklace, Godiva, and a lotion and perfume set. Most importantly with a heartfelt apology, and a promise not to wait until the last minute or poorly plan stuff like this again. I reminded him we have a 10 year anniversary coming up.

He got to open his present. A set of silver engraved cufflinks. A long time ago, maybe around when his grandfather died, he'd mentioned his great grandfather had a set, and that he thought that was really cool, and he'd like to have some. He's also mentioned wanting something nice like that a couple of times.

Happy belated B-day, Maria.

Happy Anniversary, Deena and Deena's DH.

Happy Anniversary, Deena and DH!

Thanks Fred, and Maria! (I took too long!) and Andi!

The alternate plans went reasonably well. Aidan refused to eat meat, so was served pasta, so Kara decided she'd have pasta too, and then she told a long involved story, and then demanded that we make up alternate endings to roses are red, getting increasingly upset until I supplied her with the proper ending. THEN was told it had been a quiz all along. Then chattered on about her friends, and her "rescue center" play that she would have to start all over after dinner (though she hadn't done her valentines yet nor should it be time for bed and we're very mean). Aidan didn't want to sit in his chair, and ran around the table with spaghetti sauce hands, tickling everyone, "Are you ticklin' me? Are You? Ticklin? Me?" It's so adorable to hear him say it and he says it every time he tickles someone because I said it to him the first time I figured out what he was doing. Kara decided that it's "my and Aidan's anniversary too" (she's often planning to marry him) and said that she TOLD me not to marry a dragon (Greg, Chinese zodiac) and I really ought to break up with him.

I was tired and my foot hurt, so besides the roast, we just had the potatoes and some corn. No fancy salad, nor steamed green beans, and no dessert, but it went in, was tasty, and we were all pretty normal and therefore happy.

Now I'm trying to get some work done before I have to turn in my time tomorrow.

Aww. Kara playing eharmony!

Also love Goodfella Adian.