lizartnotes

The Painted Boys And Why In-School Games Are Just Fine With Me.

2008-12-11T22:49:00.012-06:00

It strikes me as a bit ironic that when we are having a ball game during the school day my personal schedule gets more attractive. Isn't that weird? Let me explain why.

First I have more time in class with my students. Second, I don't have to do lunch duty. Third, we don't have to read for an hour in the morning. And last but not least I don't have to serve the two recesses I normally do. So from around about 7:00 am to about 12:00 noon I either have students in the room or I am teaching. Hard work, no breaks. I get a modest break to eat lunch (and run to the bathroom). Then we man the concession stand and sell refreshments. Again hard work and no breaks!

I was tickled when I could support our teams by providing paint and paintbrushes to some of our loyal fans. Since I had to man the concession stand I could only set out the supplies for the group and then I had to leave it in their hands and hope they could be responsible to behave and clean up after themselves. They did a great job- aren't they just beautiful?! Just another affirmation that HMS is just the best school!

It's Thanksgiving Time in Tennessee

2008-11-27T22:06:00.011-06:00

Oh Brother! You know it can be so easy to get drawn into the hub bub of the holiday season. the competition is outrageous...at the grocery store ...at the mall...just driving around. So it was with some trepidation that I got up this morning. We made the plans last night. Connell and Darrell were going to walk @ 8:00. I was headed out to Walmarts to get the last minute items for our part in the Thanksgiving dinner. As I was getting dressed and clean I had the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and i got to see many floats , balloons,and bands. They also had the cast from the Broadway musical "Mary Poppins". This was so pleasant and nostalgic that I was beginning to worry about when the stress would start. I started to dread going to Walmarts' because I thought it was going to be crowded and crazy. Welllllll....I pulled into the parking lot with ease and found a parking spot right next to the door.No Crowds! I thought that maybe I just missed the swarm well to make a long story short- I had a marvelous morning a great afternoon and then dinner at Candy's and Ronnie's where no stress showed up... but Carrie, Michael and those beautiful grandchildren did. So shame on me for expecting less and thinking I would have to settle when what I got was a day of beauty. I am thankful for the attitude adjustment, I am thankful there are still reasonable people out there and I am ever so thankful that I have the family that I do. Here are pictures of Connell and me with Carrie, Maddie, Michael David and Michael. No stress there!

2008-11-25T18:36:00.001-06:00

Tagged and Tagged Again

2008-11-25T17:39:00.003-06:00

OK Thank you Beverly, if I didn't love you I might take this personally, but seeing my lack of posts this is a good opportunity for me to get back in the swing...here goes!
Type only one word for each answer:

1. Where is your cell phone? bag
2. Your significant other?here
3. Your hair? rooty
4. Your mother? dead
5. Your father? dead
6. Your favorite thing? visual
7. Your dream last night? none
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your dream/goal? skinny
10. The room you're in? living
11. Your fear? stagnate
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
13. Where were you last night? home
14. What you're not? patient
15. Muffins/donuts? muffins
16. One of your wish list items? apple
17. Where you grew up? worldwide
18. The last thing you did? drove
19. What are you wearing? jeans
20. Your TV?visual
21. Your pet? obese
22. Your computer? adictive
23. Your life? wonderful
24. Your mood? happy
25. Missing someone? no
26. Favorite pastime? goofing
27. Something you're not wearing? hat
28. Favorite Store? walmart
29. Your summer? HOT
30. Your favorite color? purple
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. Last time you cried? unknown
33. Who will re-post this? unknown

FOUR THINGS
34. Four places I go over and over? church, Walmart, school, home
35. Four people who e-mail me? Beverly, Cellia, Louanne, Amy
36. Four of my favorite foods? sushi , chocolate, Mexican, bacon
37. Four places I would like to be right now? here, Hawaii, Busy Beads , bed
38. Four people I tag?Aurora , Cellia, Louanne , Tamara

A Bright Spot in the Universe

2008-11-15T09:51:00.006-06:00

This young women ,who is standing on my foot, is Abbey Francis. She shines very brightly in most every situation, although she has a terrible sense of direction. The past two Saturdays I have been able to web-quest her location and directions to her destination while on the phone with her. Talk about the blind leading the blind! Anyway, this morning Abbey is on her way to Belmont University for an introductory tour. With a small bit of luck (and web- quested directions) she is being shown the very best Belmont has to offer....I bet I get a call this afternoon so she can get home!

2008-11-10T21:46:00.007-06:00

The Diet goes ON.

2008-11-10T21:33:00.003-06:00

Just a short note about the nutrisystem diet. I am still on it . I have eaten "regular" food and I seem to be able to control my intake,but then I go right back on it. At this moment I have lost an honest 11 pounds. And that is without any exercise! I know I have a long way to go but this morning, for the first time, I could tell that my clothing was more comfortable! yea!

My New High Tech Life!

2008-11-10T20:38:00.000-06:00

I realize that my blogging has reached an all time low and it makes me feel inept. I remember in days, not so long ago, I seemed to have significantly more time than I do now. That is strange because I am still at the same job in the same place...how did I do it before? Well never mind there is no help for that, but let me share the Coolest thing I have recently added to my life...an i phone! Yep, I now have one and it scares me to say it because I am afraid that someone will want to come and take it a way form me. You know that the prices have gone down and the i phone is now cheaper than many other types of phones- but above and beyond that I LOVE IT! If you have an opportunity to play with one, do! My i phone has an i pod in it along with a GPS. I can access my face page, my email, and if I could figure out what my user name is for blogger I could be blogging from it...you just can't believe it. This phone has 16 gigs of memory and runs with 3 gigs. It is fast and fun and did I mention that I LOVE IT!

Delila Move over...

2008-10-17T02:19:00.001-05:00

Well it finally happened! Connell cut his hair. Even now it was not his idea-no the powers that rule the Opryland Hotel told him to cut it. Now I just wonder how some of those girls in the kitchen look with their hair cut above their collar. This was a very traumatic event for my dearest friend- he has always been a good sport about losing his hair-as long as he could hold onto what he had- I really like it ! I think Connell is looking good! Now Eddie wants to get his do done too.

I Live by the Scale...

2008-10-15T09:37:00.003-05:00

Ok so yesterday I got a bit flustered. We were rushing around and I hadn't eaten yet. dum dum dum... Well surely I could come up with a reasonably fast lunch...possibly portable. I got my little book out and started to plan -cross-eyed. I realize that I couldn't do a total lunch all that portable, but my snack (apple and low fat cheese) and a lunch replacement bar I could manage. Off we flew with fruit and dairy all the way...snacking snacking snacking. When we got home it was too late to eat lunch (I didn't get to that lunch bar) so I ate dinner (Cheese ravioli in sauce, snap peas, and just a bit of Parmesan cheese) yummy! I was now missing lunch and I was to have some dessert before bed. I chose that lunch bar instead of dessert (I guess I could have had two?) and went to bed nervous because I had gotten off schedule. Totally expecting that I not be happy on the scales this morning (I mean seriously just HOW long has it been since I got happy stepping on a set of scales?) I stepped on -wait a minute I hadn't had my morning constitutional-that could mean extra weight! No, be brave, I told myself, and stepped on....WOW I lost 4 pounds!

First Day "Under My Belt"

2008-10-14T10:03:00.006-05:00

Drum roll.....Cymbals ta da!
I got through the first day with nutrisystem....but I don't think my dress size has changed. Darn I guess this is going to take some commitment-pooh! Well I hardest thing I had to do was to resist the temptation to snack mostly allday. Of course after the sun went down it just got a LOT harder! I am just such a stress eater and I don't know exactly what I am stressed out about must be that I am on nutrisystem- humm no wonder they are so successful. Here is my new best buddy- Don't leave home without it....

8 Things

2008-10-14T00:32:00.003-05:00

8 TV shows I love:

1. House! Just love the mean old pill popping genius doctor-teacher.
2. Bones! Intellegent, beautiful and toally a science nerd! She's got some kinda jewelry!
3. Craig Ferguson-(sp?) Just love him...I KNOW!!!!!!
4. The Sunday Morning Show (ch. 5) there is always a segment that makes me cry.
5.Antiques Roadshow- brush up on your skills...find a treasure!
6.The Mentalist- it's a new one but I do like it.
7. CSI Las Vegas- I'd take a road trip with Gill Gresham!
8. Oprah- yup got to say I have learned a great deal from the girl...

8 things that happened today....

1. Had a Mamogram (oh joy oh fun!)nothing compares to having to act as if it is totally normal for your breast to be whinched up in the death grip of a large x-ray machine.
2. Missed my second 1st appointment with Dr. Pettel.
3. Met Clarksville High School's Art Teacher at Busy Beads. She gets $30 per student and actually has regular classes and no recess!
4. Started reading Twilight while waiting for my mamogram.
5.Started with Nutri-System-That's right cracked out the box of stuff and tried like the dickens to eat right.
6.Made the decision to NOT go to Greenvile but to poke around in Guthrie, Henrietta, possiblity Pleasent View.
7.Got to deliver all the terrible, addictive, fattening food to Brittanny
8.Went shopping for all the little do-das that I need to put my diet into action.

8 things I'm looking forward to....
1. Losing 60 lbs!
2. Buying new clothes to go with al my old favorites
3.Making some jewelry and finishing Twilight....oh yeah I'm also pretty excited about Angie Woodall's Fly Lady classes! There's a raspberry to all of you who would not touch my plead for help in class room organization!\
4. Finishing this thing and going to bed.
5. Going back to Hawaii someday!
6. When I realize what I have done wrong.\
7. Wearing fall clothes
8.Becoming all I can be.

8 people to tag-Who made up this stuff?

1.Louanne Brown
2.Mary Melton
3. Cellia Scott
4. Laurie Knight
5 Sarah Anderson
6. Mrs. Anna
7. Carrie wood
8.Abby Francis

There now It is done and so am I ....gone to bed.....ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzz.....

I am Thankful for Food too !

2008-10-05T22:35:00.006-05:00

O.K. sisters, friends, neighbors, and all people who are dissatisfied with the way they look- here I go ...I'm taking the plunge! So if you see me out in the world somewhere trying to sabotoge my diet would you please just tell unh,unh,unh- whoa there don't do it , STOP- it's not worth it!!! I hope this will help to get me back to a healthy weight- now I guess I' ve got to figure out a time to excercise...andy suggestions?

2008-10-04T21:31:00.003-05:00

My Great Disarray.

2008-10-03T20:28:00.006-05:00

I had some great surprises at the start of this year. Cheatham County offered an in service that was actually interesting and pertained to my area and the participants received a digital camera! A nice digital camera. Anyway, I handed it to members of my morning Graphics Team who by some insane coincidence wanted to catch some images to use on a Graphic Team blog. So in viewing these sweet little bits of freshness, it occurred to me that I need some organizational skills with a heavy emphasis on storage techniques. It did not help much that sweet Nichole is able to plan temple trips months or weeks in advance- I would guess I have became a fly by your seat kind of gal. I need help! I hate the confusion and the disarray. I have traffic flow of @ 100+ working Middle School students daily, so cleaning is not a huge priority on the part of the students ( it is for me but I am but one, lonely and confused). Did I mention I need help? I am not a natural organizer and I suffer from pack ratitus- some of us call it recycling which every well meaning teacher in the school contributes to. Soooooooo if you have advice-PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!

There is a Quilt on my Ceiling!

2008-10-02T13:25:00.002-05:00

This is the world I live in most of my time...here is a picture of my classroom....more specifically the ceiling of my classroom. There have been times when I thought this room was sort of cold...not any more- I have got a patch work quilt on my ceiling! Each tile is the work of two students collaboration. We pluck them from the ceiling turn them over clean them paint them white and then do a back ground color, then it is off to the idea library to get a new idea....here have a look!

Next we start in the chairs!

Oh The Games We Play!

2008-10-01T20:44:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking lately (got to stop that!) about all the hoops we so willingly jump through. We as a middle school , had gotten the word that we were to have a visit from the grand pooh-pas...the SAC Committee! DUM DUM DUM.....So we dug up our offending totally ugly bushes in the front and laid fresh sod. Our wall space was filled to capacity with art and time-lines and special projects. Teachers were gussied up with hose, heels and for myself I came doning long pants, real shoes and a light weight jacket- didn't want to make my principal look bad! As a school at the last faculty meeting we decided that our code would be "Mrs. Anna would you please come to the office?" announced boldly over the intercom so all of the teachers and staff would be alerted to the arrival of THE COMMITTEE...! We were given cheat sheets(4-5 pages) to study so if we were caught out in the hall and asked about the county's new School Improvement Plan we would feel comfortable in our answers. In short we were ready! So shortly after 12:00 noon...the alarm when out....Mrs Anna came to my room to make sure I heard it (didn't want to get caught in the hall). My Vice- Principal even left me a voice mail that I had packages in the front office ( that minx -like I was actually going to the front office-I didn"t care what was in the front office I wasn't going to get caught out in the hall!) Well.... I found out today we had no SAC Committee Members cross our threshold! Not even the idea of a breath of a mirror image of a committee member!!!! All those HOOPS! All that frantic who-who ....Why .... why do we do this!? Can't we just be GREAT as we are???? Well I suppose we did get rid of those nasty bushes....

2008-09-18T19:29:00.001-05:00

Create your own family sticker graphic at pYzam.com

The Big Bash

2008-09-12T23:14:00.007-05:00

It's Friday and the 5th and 6th graders are just humming with excitement...after school comes the Bash! And oh don't they feel so grown up and isn't it good to be a middle schooler today! They were lined up on the walls and told to sit until they got their packets and wrist bands.Then on to the bash! Here they can have their faces and hair painted, do the karaoke, and any number of cool events. At 5:00 the 7th and 8th graders come in for their dance.

Finally Some Good News!

2008-09-10T17:47:00.007-05:00

As you all know I have been having the hardest time adjusting to my new role at school as playground monitor and it has been wearing on me mostly physically (I mean when your in the mental shape I'm in, why bother?)And as you know I have been whining pretty good about it - so here is some good news, actually some great news...several years ago we had a lovely Spanish teacher who hailed from Spain. Our county was participating in some sort of cultural exchange. So when Ms. Benito arrived she was naive and need help to acquire an apartment and transportation. These duties fell to our Assistant Principal Mr. Davidson. He had a tiger by the tail. Ms. Benito was young and wished to absorb American culture and was very vocal about it,not very patience and extremely stubborn(the qualities of successful people?) Ms. Benito went roaring around Nashville in her car(did she really have a license?)She constantly complained about her apartment and the students, and her schedule,etc....but we tried to make her welcomed and feel a part of HMS. She moved on after a year but those of us who knew her will never forget her! I got a letter yesterday all the way from Madrid, Spain from my old friend. She wrote to tell me that she has joined the LDS Church and wanted me to know that she was now SISTER Benito! The Lord works in strange ways!

Football Time in Tennessee

2008-09-04T20:40:00.026-05:00

Well today (Thursday) the day was devoted to FOOTBALL! Starting with the faculty encouraged to wear our new football shirts to everyone having a different schedule. The lovely young lady to the left is Chris Griffen. Probably can't tell but she is a hoot! Part of our duties today were to sell ticket at the gate. It was hot and we had not thought to bring our "sun-brellas" like we normally do,so Mrs Chris just adapted!
Here are the teams on the field! Looks a little big for middle school -but there you go..We played Sycamore and beat the snot out of them~ Oh yes at tidbit for those who care...we have now had the 5th snake sighting sliding around the school... it is just a little bit worrisome!

The Principle Centered Life

2008-09-01T00:56:00.004-05:00

The mentoring program at school for anti-social kids is using Sean Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It is right on target. He says that instead of centering our lives on work, heroes, friends, stuff, etc. We should have a principle centered life. Principles like honesty, service, love, hard work, respect, gratitude, moderation, fairness, integrity, loyalty, and responsibility. it takes faith to live by principles, especially when you see people around you cutting corners,and being dishonest or even selfish. But you will never regret living a life with and holding to your principles.
The one book that has truly made such a difference for me is The 4 Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. I have to admit I heard about the book on Oprah but it was way before The Secret. and all that hokus pokus stuff. Anyway, The 4 Agreements are ones we make with ourselves to help define us as human beings. The agreements are:
1 Be Impeccable with your word
2 Don't take Anything personally
3 Don't make Assumptions
4 Always do your best.
These simple little "rules" have helped me more than I can say. Not that I am sucessful everyday. When dealing with students, or my dear Connell, or even Eddie the obese Jack Russell for that matter- If I start to get frustrated I try to back up and think why am I reacting that way? It usually boils down to me being territorial or taking something way too personal because I feel insecure about whatever is going on. Most of the behaviorial issues in my class are due to the same silly things and if I can take a student out in the hall and reason things out and let them know we are on the same side, the problem disappears.
I tell my students that they won't ever get in trouble for being too nice, and that there are enough people in the world willing to tear us down and find fault but in class we are going to build each other up. I also feel we spend way too much time and attention on dealing with people being offending by silly little things. We as a nation have become too accommodating to those who are easily offended and have traded our some of our principles just so we don't create contention. I say lighten up! Get over yourself! People are not sitting around plotting your demise. Love yourself and love those around you, especially the ones that are a little harder to care for...

2008-08-31T08:30:00.004-05:00

Well here we are fur sitting again. This time we have our grand fur baby "Scooter". Scooter is a toot! He is just a bit misbehaved...

for example, he evidently does not recognize his name, and tends to run the other way when called -go figure. He is a cute little mosquito of a dog that reminds me of a vampire bat and it's a good thing I like bats!

Back to School

2008-08-27T21:45:00.006-05:00

I just want to write a line before I die and perhaps I am being hasty in my comments. I have been at the same job now going on 11 years in all that time I have constantly said that I have the best job, worked with the greatest people and that the hour commute was worth it because of the atmosphere! This year my job has changed...
I get to teach for 2 hours a day the rest of the time I am ....
watching other teachers students on the playground (1 hour a day) and
babysitting them during lunch (30minutes) every other day.
2 days a week I teach reading for 1 hour.
2 days a week I have Graphics team but it will be a different group each day.
On the days I am not doing lunch duty I will be mentoring 6 students.
And for the students who can not attend Graphics team during the school day I have opening up the art room at 6:45 to 8:00 for those who need a bit of art in the morning.
The time on the playground is killing me. We get to watch the total 6th grade class and the total 5th grade class(@150 students each) . Yesterday a sweet redheaded girl was running on the track , fell, and slid. She skinned her knee to the bone. It was bad...it grossed me totally out! Now I know that no one could have prevented the accident- but when I think that the child could have gone into shock, or what if I couldn't get the office on the phone or worst yet what if it had been me to fall?( I've fallen and I can't get up!) I am totally out of my comfort zone! I told the coaches as I was rushing to my next assignment "That's what you get when you send an amateur in to do YOUR job!" I guess we are whittling down our numbers one student at a time....

Sumertime

2008-08-10T06:30:00.005-05:00

I don't know how this summer has been for you but around here it has been a hoot! Let's see...we

Finally received and planted our upside-down tomatoes.

I learned how to use Photo Story instead of Blogging for an in-service.

Got turned on to the Wii culture.

Visited Carrie in Pensacola, Florida.

Got to bead in the mountains with the most fabulous women.

Jared got married to lovely Skylar.

Got to help out behind the scenes at Lauren Boarders Wedding.

Got to helped with other Hospice Volunteers to create a paper quilt.

Went to see the Emma Smith Story in Nashville.

Started a Low Glycemic Diet.

Learned and started to text and blog

Went back to school....

I am sure there are many more things that I will be glad to add later but for now here we are. And what did you do on Your summer vacation?

Lauren's Wedding and Frankie

2008-08-06T20:44:00.008-05:00

Well July is gone and with it we saw Lauren Boarders get married. The Bride was beautiful the groom -lucky! Stephanie Lantham was the photographer and I know she got some really good shots. I only have a few from when we decorated. I got to help a bit with that lovely shin-dig...and met the most incredible women named Rory. She is a blogger and in Young Women. Check her blog!
Now, if perhaps you also got to attend you may have missed see a few of my kin...
It just happened that Ronnie and Candy Austin took off across the country in a 16 person van and packed their kids and their kids kid too. They headed west...and among the passengers on that fateful voyage (cue the Gillian's Island theme) were Pat and Macy Moore. Those two were just made for the West! I am so sure they enjoyed themselves! They do have 3 fur babies who got left behind and this brings me to my point-which is.... that we did a small amount of dog sitting. Jenny Rae Farley did most of it during the week, and while we never ran in to each other at the Moore Home, I could tell she was doing a good job- we had a tiny bit more difficulty. So if you are wondering why the title and what in the world do these pictures have to do with each other-well this is the way my life runs and I love it. OK here are the fur babies /\ this is Frankie the bulldog. And these two are \/Lu-Lu and Ernie... Hey wait a minute...Ernie's showing off his best side!Talk about three individuals!

Do You Have a Sister Stidsen?

2008-08-03T21:30:00.015-05:00

For those of you who have never met "Sister Stidsen" - let me try to describe my observations of her!
Sister Stidsen was a fiery Brazilian women of authority and bearing. She had a lovely accent and a quick mind. I believe she had an opinion on most ever issue and was generous in sharing that opinion with you in a very direct and logical way. I was never offend by anything she did or said quite the opposite, but I was influenced by her devotion to truth and righteousness. Her devotion to God, her devotion to Family, and her devotion to those around her. She was a religious scholar. She was faithful in her reading of The Book of Mormon, The Bible and any other book of scripture that she felt was pertained to her salvation and knowledge of God. She was willing to take it upon herself to tell you if you were messing up, and what you needed to do to fix the problem. She could be your biggest fan and confident. She was magnificent. She was funny. She was so special and she was infinitely cool! I hope to goodness if you don't know someone who can be honest and kind to you, that you will seek them out, or discover them swiftly, in those little corners where we hid those gifts that are good for us. I am going to miss Sister Stidsen-even though she hasn't been in our ward for quite a while-but you better believe that there will be a roar and a shout in Heaven tonight! The Saints have been waiting along time to see her again!

One Little, Two Little, Three Little...

2008-07-30T00:11:00.003-05:00

We are the Harpeth Indians. Named for that auspicious tribe that inhabited the banks of the river of the same name. That river flows through Kingston Springs where the other part of my life takes place. I am the Art teacher in the Middle School and it brings me great joy most days. However when my Principal Shannon Schliwa came and asked me to take on a new project I had my doubts. It all started with this bat problem we had in the school.... Bats and Middle Schoolers really don't mix and to tell you the truth if the kids had been a little quieter or the bats made less guano the two would have never run into one another. Bats are nocturnal and if left undisturbed they will hang folded up, upside down all day, flying out at night to gleefully scoop up bugs and such. Anyway I digress... They had to "remove " those bats-for safety sake, and because the bats had moved into pockets in the cinder box walls, specialists were alerted. I had visions of "Men in Black" sporting shades with greasy hair and tied up wing tips-but the truth is I never saw the specialists. I did however see the traps they set and the bats that were caught up in them. There was also a large size bat vacuum that was to suck the varmints out of there hiddie holes. It was truly bizarre see one of them- furry rodent with floppy leather ears crawling around on the gym floor using it 's folded leathery wings to scoot with. He looked up at us on this occasion and made a sad little bat noise. All his family and friends were caught up in the cage but he had managed to stay awake and escape. They seemed to be cheering him on in their little batty screeches and cries. For all his bravery he was still just a small pitiful rodent forcibly removed from a good home into the strangely flat and slick environment of the gym floor. On closer inspection we could see he had somehow picked up a piece of silver duck tape and it was clinging to his fur. Whether he was trying to free himself from the tape or his situation, he was extending his pitiful little nubby winglets out on the floor in front of himself and then scrunching himself up to that point and then starting again. Bats obviously were not meant to walk. It was such an obviously difficult and awkward movement for him but he slowly made ground and the tape fell away. Suddenly freed, he soared majestically up and off into the air. DRAMA! Women react hysterically to the most unusual things. I have actual seen grown women stand on chairs at the sight of a tiny little mouse! WELL.....you can well imagine the effect this bat had on my colleagues. They went slap wild! What I thought it was fascinating was causing great disstress tothese adventure seekers! I couldn't bring myself to watch my little friend for trying to witness the dramatic hissie fits being performed in ritual on that gym floor. I never did get to see just where he went or if he escaped. It was much later when the gym was declared bat-free but still could not be used until the guano had been removed. Which brings me finally around to the point of all of this....To clean the gym they brought in a lift to reach up into the rafters. This lift was sort of like a combination of scaffolding and a cherry picker and it ran around on big fat wheels. It was through this large piece of equipment that Mrs. Schliwa thought we had a large opportunity. 20 feet up on the far wall of the gym was the Indian crest of the school. The head of the Indian must have been about 3-4 feet tall, and had originally been done with an air brush. My job if I decided to take it (can't you hear the Mission Impossible theme now?) was to crawl up the ladder to the top of the platform, lift it up 20 feet in the air and repaint the crest-Ha ha ha talk about the fear of falling! And to make matters worst I had never painted a portrait before-let alone one of a "Native American"So summing it up...I was to paint a realistic 3-4 foot Indian head (among other details) using skin tones I had no experience mixing or using, 20 feet in the air, on a platform that swayed in hula-like movements. Strong prayers were offered before I began. I think there are good reasons there are no photographs taken of me while the work was being done...fear comes across pretty strong in pictures! Once I got going it turned out to be quite invigorating- no chance of falling asleep - fall yes- asleep no!! When it was all said and done with I knew the hand of God was in the work....surely he did bless me with enough of a gift that I can be proud of job we did...Now if I only knew where they took those little bats....

*Disclaimer*Some names and events may have been changed to protect the innocent.

2008-07-28T00:01:00.001-05:00

100 Things You Might Not Know About Me

2008-07-14T22:57:00.000-05:00

1.While I was trying to set up this blog I got lost(from Gmail) and couldn't find my way back
for 2 weeks!

2. I secretly want to be a computer geek.
3. When I am alone in the car- I sing !
4.Driving by yard sales causes me physical pain.
5. I swam backstroke on a swim team when I was starting High School.
6. When I was in High School girls could not wear pants to school.
7. I love ABBA's music
8. I saw Glen Campbell in concert.(see #47)
9. iphones fascinate me.
10. I believe that electromagnets could be used as an alternative energy source.
11. I had a wicked stepmother who had surprisingly good taste.
12. I can not spell worth a toot. Thank you spell check!
13. I am suspicious of jobs listed in the classified ads.
14. I believe in fairies...I was a lovely purple fairy for many Halloweens.
15. When I was in 3rd grade I wanted to marry Jesus.
16. I captivated by the art of adornment...design, make and wear jewelry. It's all good!
17. White Chocolate cake with white chocolate icing is my absolute favorite.
18. My Mother's name was Jenny Lynn Greer York and she left this earth when I was 3.
19. People who knew my Father tell me I look just like him.
20. I have no desire to go to Europe.
21. My High School art teacher was a drag queen in Nashville on the weekends.
22. I love staying up late at night-but I feel guilty the next day.
23. People who knew my Mother tell me I look just like her.
24. I consider it a luxury to piddle!
25. I get my best ideas in the shower.
27. I have a younger sister who earned a PHD, sings opera and teaches voice in San Diego.
28. I have been married 3 times.
29. When I lived in San Antonio we had scorpions in the garage!
30. I HATE CALVES LIVER!!!!
31. When I was in 4th grade my Father brought home a shark he caught in the ocean.
32. I love a mystery but I'm not too keen on surprises.
33. I use to smoke cigarettes back in the dark ages and now I can't stand the smell!
34. I love to camp.
35. I LOVE Connell Austin and I always will.
36. I am not motivated by money,but sometimes I wish I were.
37. I have a Tarzan fetish.
38. I am addicted to point and click escape games!
39. I never had trouble losing weight until I hit 40.
40. I grew up thinking that McDonalds' and ice tea were good for you.
41. I have always wanted to fly...not in a plane...just in the air.
42. I have a terrible fear of falling...as my friend Beverly puts it.
43. In my 20's I lived in Hawaii and sold fur coats for a living.
44. Streaking was the rage when I was in college.
45. Time is not my friend.
46. I sometimes wonder if I lived alone would I could I be more organized?

47. I have seen Fleetwood Mac, Yes, James Gang, Joni Mitchell, 3Dog Night, BillJoel, Lynard Skynard, Leo Kottke, REO, John Mayall, Crosby,Stills,Nash and Young, Neil Young, John Cougar Mellencamp, Cindy Lauper, The Bangles,Kansas, Barry Mantello, Jimmy Buffett, Emerson Lake and Palmer,Jackson Brown,Genesis, Foreigner,Journey,HarryChapin in concert ...and probably a few more.... I love rock and roll!

48. I can roller skate but I can not water ski. (you can tune a piano but can you tune a fish?)
49. When I entered the 8th grade I was placed in advanced French because I had taken 6 years of Spanish. "Que"(K) means what in Spanish. "Oui" (we) means yes in French. I failed miserably.
50.I attended a dance in college where 2 other girls were wearing the same formal I was.
51. I am the worlds worst at keeping in touch with others. see #100
52. I have 5 incredible step children, who although I wasn't there when they were born I'd claim everyone of them as my own.
53. I was raised by my Maternal Grandparents from the time I was in 8th grade.
54.When I was in High School the girls all worn mens' Levi jeans. They were just beginning to put out Chic jeans.
55. At my first boy-girl dance I wore short white gloves and ringlets.
56. In college we never dreamed it would cost more than $10.00 to go to ANY concert.
57. I can still remember the day I walked into a record store and all the records were gone -they only sold CDs!
58. In 3rd Grade JFK was assassinated and people cried in the street. All the TV coverage was in black and white, gratefully.We were never the same after that.
59. I have never had a good sense of age-mine or anyone elses.
60. I terrible time listening to people who don't give me the same respect.
61. In 3rd grade I saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in black and white and my life changed forever.
62. I have never been to a hockey game.
63. I am a P.A.D.I. Dive Master.
64. I started at Murray State University straight out of High School. I was 17 and it was the first time I had ever been away from home longer than a week.
65. I sang in the choir in High School
66. I was President of my Pledge Class at Murray State for ADPi.
67. I won a ride in a hot air balloon. The operate told me if I didn't bend my knees when we landed I would have broken legs. Talk about a heighten sense of fear!(see #42)
68. I get motion sickness. Totally barfy man!
69. I have and inquisitive mind. It prevents me from taking anything at surface value.see#78
70. I was there the day that Mtv came on the air. Oh Martha Quinn where did you go??
71. I broke my arm in front of the army hospital in San Antonio,TX.
72. I saw the USS Alabama go through the locks of the Panama Canal.
73. I like to fish.
74. I enjoy my own company and keeping myself entertained. It doesn't take much.
75. They removed my tonsils in 1st grade and it was a dreadful experience.
76. We lived one block from Tennessee Tech Training School and we walked to school in the first and second grade.
77. I took the Evelyn Woods Speed Reading Course.
78. I am easily distracted.
79. My intentions are always good....
80. The only tennis shoes for girls when I was in school were Keds. We wore Bass Wejuns.
81. When I was a teenager the only hair products we had were hairspray or Dippidy Do.
82. I have never been locked up in jail.
83. I was an antiques dealer for several years.
84. I had my car stolen while I was out scuba diving.
85. I have grand spurts of creative inspiration when it comes to cooking.
86. My Grandmother took me to the doctor for poison ivy when I was in High School. I was so totally covered in it he accused of running through the woods naked...the only thing that saved me was that my Grandmother had it too.
87. They invented Pantyhose after I started High School.
88. I started to seriously listen to music the summer of '67.
89. I was the bridal consultant at Lee's Bridal for about 3 years.
90. I love horseback riding.
91. I have had 2 total hip replacements.
92.Yes, I do believe I could do a better job than the current President...that doesn't mean I want the job.
93. I love to knot pearls. Shoot I just love pearls period ,,,I'm a pearl girl!
94. I saw Yul Brenner live in "The King and I".
95. I bought a Wii Fit on the advise of a friend and now I am stiff as a board- it is a good thing.
96 I HATE Rap Music. It was made up for people who can not sing. You call that music???
97. I have owned 6 Volkswagens --- the only nice thing Hitler ever did.
98. At one low point in my life my nickname was "Lizard"
99. I take rejection VERY poorly!
100. I am pretty prompt answering email but, I can never find a stamp....I have the hardest time sending letters through the mail.....whew!