Some do live

soon, tokyo, soon.

2009-08-15T17:41:32Z

Well, I officially leave the state of wisconsin in 2 hours and the united states in 2 days. THANK GOD. Yesterday was my last day of teaching summer lessons and it couldn'tve gone fast enough. I sent out a proposal to shorten the summer from 8 weeks to 6 weeks. 8 weeks is just too much. I've had no time to really relax or do anything fun this summer. We also need to change the marching camps, but that's no biggie.

Mom came up yesterday and we went into la crosse so I could get new luggage seeing as how my suitcase is woefully small. We hit the library and target while we were at it. She stayed over and we watched Miss Pettigrew lives for a day. Super cute movie. amy adams is hilariously bad at acting yet somehow amazing. ps mom makes the BEST artichokes!

So i'd best go brush up on my Japanese!

Lever pins and patience

2009-07-24T15:41:09Z

Where do I even begin? I haven't posted since student teaching a year and a half ago. But somewhere I lost the drive to spill my guts. And connections. Living in the middle of nowhere has done not so good things for me. Sure it's quiet and I get plenty of rest, and my puppy-child loves it and can run anywhere (sans one hit-by-car incident), but I've somehow completely embraced hermit-ness. Sure I see friends, like the new neighbor with the crazy terrorist dog, and friends from La Crosse, but I mostly just go home and sleep. Summer doesn't help with this 8 week summer school lesson schedule. I spend most of each lesson wanting to throttle my beginner students. I have lost every shred of patience I once had. Sure, I was southern smackdown in my day, but once College was over and I didn't have anything more to prove, I was chill. Now, I spend more time fixing their damn instruments than teaching them how to play it. You'd think I never spent the full 2 lessons discussing instrument maintentnce. Now I'm fixing the SAME lever pins, stuck mouth pieces, bent keys, and utterly destroyed reeds they INSIST on playing on. *shudder* So here's my plan. Leave MFE every weekend. Go canoeing. Hike Hike Hike. Pretend the RedBox machine in Viroqua doesn't exist. Take deep breaths before each beginning lesson. BUY A HOUSE.

So from now until my Japan trip (It can't come soon enough) I pledge to GET OUT OF THE DAMN HOUSE.

woo hoo!

2008-06-10T00:13:29Z

This is coming to you live from my new computer :) I caved and bought myself a late graduation gift. however, This computer is take two. The first one I brought home had malfunctioned speakers. oops. anyway bestbuy gave me a new computer with no fuss. Good for them. First relatively good experience i've had with them.

As for the dell, erin's taking it to Japan so she'll have a confuser to get her through her banishment.

salutations from a substitute teacher

2008-06-05T18:19:45Z

kindergarteners=guinea pigs. no seriously, have you ever lined kindergarteners up, told them a joke, and listened to the laughs? i kid you not. guinea pigs. I have been the sub for a particular kinderclass from hell three times. Each time I go home and crash. How do these teachers do it every day of their lives? And the sad thing is, these kids have already learned how to talk back. Oh hohoho were they in for a surprise.

Still no word on the job situation. I've had several interviews and each school says the same thing (if they get back to me at all) "we're looking for someone with experience". no shit. Plus it really doesn't help that i look about 12 years old. I was asked yesterday (subbing at a middle school) if I was a high school guest tutor and that they weren't allowed in the staff room. I've tried short hair. Then I really look young. I'm trying long hair now. still, not working. ah well.

And for anyone as in love with tsubasa reservoir chronicles as I am, squee about lil syaoran jr. that was too cute. go CLAMP go.

le sigh

2008-05-23T18:55:37Z

Had 2 interviews this week. Hopefully they'll actually call back even if I didn't get the job. Just common courtsey, west allis. Ever heard of it?

First one was in Cambridge and I'm not what they're looking for. They don't know what they're looking for. The middle school band director was pushing for a hard ass and the choir teacher was pushing for a love n logic kinda gal. Sorry, I'm not either of those. I'm a band director. Anyway, 2nd interview was in Westfield, an hour north of here. Lovely, beautiful town, lovely beautiful staff, lovely interview. They had a lot of candidates though, and the whole "no experience" thing is really kicking my ass. They seemed excited in my marching/pep band experience.

So in between waiting for news and work at the pharmacy, I'm still subbing and getting a little tired of it. I'm physically tired of it, my throat is raw (yum elementary school germs) and working until nearly midnight to teach at 7:20 is kicking my ass. Luckily, I have monday off everything to breathe and sleep and play with puppies. The fam is in Texas so i'm here dog/house sitting. Flying over memorial day weekend to go see relatives I've never met in 90 degree humid weather was not my idea of fun so I'm sticking around here.

DONE

2008-05-01T20:02:41Z

I had my interview today :) I was one of 5 candidates chosen from 48 applicants. (Crossing fingers that it wasn't a courtesey interview 'cause I knew the principal's daughter...) But it went well. Answered waaaaay too many questions, many of which went in circles...but it went well overall.

It was amazingly sunny/warm when I walked into the school (on time!!) and gross cloudy rainy dark when I left. Bad omen?

some_do_dream @ 2008-04-29T11:38:00

2008-04-29T16:40:54Z

I got an interview!!! here

I know the principal through the oboeist in the UW-L orchestra. This may only be a courtesey interview, but hell, I'll take what I can get.

Thursday, May 1st, 12:45 pm. WISH ME LUCK!!

yes, it really was that funny

2008-04-15T22:04:00Z

Best part of my day:

I subbed for Band today, and while on a beak in between lessons, one barisax player dared a clarinet player to play einekleinenachtmusik (as cheezy as mozart gets) with swung 8th notes.

yeah, i'm still laughing about it.

let the move begin

2008-04-14T19:08:54Z

So we have a storage facility. Which means lots of packing and hauling. But I get to drive the trailer :) I have this weird guy-thing where I love driving different vehicles. I love it when dad gets a new rental car because i get to try it out. My favorite: dodge avenger.

anyway, lots of subbing days coming up. tomorrow= high school band. yay! AND i get to work with a friend from church. niiiice. They're keeping me busy in waunakee. AND tomorrow is payday. AND next wednesday is walgreens payday. score. things are looking good :)

in the mean time: school is for losers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzpD6OogahQ

ROCK ON.

hearts n fluffy bunnies for all

wah!

2008-04-12T17:41:59Z

My LJ AWOL-ness aside, it's time for a lovely vent. I am currently listening to the sounds of massive amounts of water being pumped from my basement. Mom and dad are both out of town so I get to deal with two rather flirty flood service workers. Not that they're not nice and working hard, but I'm really having a hard time dealing with this. Last time I was involved with flooding, major health concerns put me and a whole group of high school kids under a quaranteen and the fact that the water is not going down, but infact coming up, I'm freaking out just a little.

Dad is entirely too calm, when I can contact him in his meetings. He must be resigned to the fact that this house hates us. I'm in for a VERY long month of moving, hauling, packing...just to clear out our pack-rat basement because let's face it, this family is clinically pack-rat-deranged. We can't throw out ANYTHING. Well, now we have to. great. and it's going to be wet, and mouldy, and smelly. damnit. My neigbor suggested water draining from the gutters isn't getting far enough away from the house so I packed my little saturn as full of plastic tubing I could from home depot, and sawed it into pieces to extend the gutters. I felt sooo out of place in home depot, wandering around, totally lost, until some poor sod took pity on me.

At least my sister-in-law invited me out last night. I had a lot of fun and probably the best peach marguarita I have ever had. mmmmm. Let's hope things brighten up a little.

lax

2008-02-26T16:55:50Z

So I'm in la crosse all this week substituting for my former student teaching school. It's been interesting so far because I've already
a. gotten 4 kids detention because they didn't show for chamber group because "I wasn't in the band room". (was too)

b. organized a field trip for friday since the basketball team is going to sectionals

c. show down with ladybug. she's been naughty...

i'll be here till friday folks

kristin goes up north

2008-02-10T16:35:45Z

I decided it was going to be a fabulous idea if I took a little end of week/weekend trip to see friends in Lax and allison in the cities. Much fun ensued in La Crosse. Got signed up to sub at Aquinas for a week at the end of Feb. $$$. excellent. Then spent a nice, lazy relaxing evening making chicken kiev explode in a variety of sounds and watching Devil Wears Prada.

Headed up to Ham Lake to see Allison. Almost died on the way up, but no worries. There was a patch of ice 20 miles north of Rochester and was nearly the end of me. Somehow...SOMEHOW...my breaks did not lock entirely, sawing the wheel back and forth saved my life by angling the car just enough to miss an SUV that surely would have been the end of me, and my engine shut off. I spent almost half an hour working up the courage to go above 45 after that. Once I got 5 miles north, everything was clear as day, no more ice. I just had to find the ONE patch of ice on highway 52.

But it's been worth it up here. Saw Allison, got a tour of her school yesterday morning, and we braved the Mall of America. It was fun. Got all kinds of new clothes for teaching, shoes, books, and bath stuff at the Basin. LOVE that store. Anyway, we declared war on allison's GPS system because it didn't recognize the address we needed: The studio Hilary interns at so we spent about 10 minutes calling Hil, hanging up, messing with Gertrude (the gps voice) and calling back until we made it, no wrong turns. Allison and I are good like that. Plus, she has this amazing Map of the cities in her car.

So we made it and we had a blast ripping seams, sewing buttons, tacking down horrific applique and tearing pockets and name tags off lab coats. So much fun that we're going back today. It's going to suck because of the wind-chill advisory (the high isn't even above 0) but no worries. I'll take off back to scum prairie around three so I won't spend all night on the interstate, assuredly covered by ice...

stay warm lords n ladies

some_do_dream @ 2008-01-24T14:59:00

2008-01-24T20:59:40Z

so I have this bad habit of ignorning people's posts and comments and just looking at their icons. i suck at keeping in touch...

life is good

2008-01-24T19:01:20Z

So I'm back in Sun Prairie, finally having completed my student teaching. I got an "S" as my grade, whatever that means. Hopefully it means I'm done FOREVER with mr. flaver flave and the La Crosse area. Coming home has been awesome. I get to see my 19 month old niece every day and my brother and sister-in-law. I have an office, well, half of one at least, with my own drawer, cabinet, and bookshelf. I just got signed up for my own car insurance which was super cheap, and a new non-student credit card. with perks.

And let's not forget the homemade food. I love my mommie.

I've sent out a few applications for some jobs in southern Wisconsin and I'm getting set up to substitute teach as soon as my license application is approved. Please let it be soon...

I'm still working at Walgreens, only now I'm a pharm tech at the madison East Wash store. So if you're bored on the East side on the first or third weekend of each month, come see me ;)

And last but not least, I'm back home with my baby. Since we fitted Lady with a shock collar, she has been super well-behaved. I've only had to shock her twice. She responds really well to just the negative noise. It's sad though, because it scares the wits out of my parents' dogs too, not just mine. But just so long as everyone's behaving...

Well, it's off to do more un-packing/organizing...

this is it

2008-01-19T12:26:39Z

Well lords and ladies, today I move. My bags are packed and all that jazz and my dad will be here in about 40 minutes to start loading everything of allison's to ship her off to the cities. Then we head back to La Crosse to get me moved to sun prairie. I finished student teaching yesterday with a very sour taste in my mouth. Leave it for the last day for FlaverVaver to show his true pervert colors. Lewd comments which are still making me fume aside, I have the feeling I will never contact him for help EVAR, even though he nearly fell over himself trying to be of assistance. I only thank god my cooperating teacher was who she was.

Deep breath. Life sucks, I've always known this. so deep breath.

Well, breakfast, then last minute packing and I'm off to see the wizard.

I sooo dare you

2008-01-18T12:40:17Z

I dare you to tell me you feel nothing from Mozart's Dies Irae. Even if you DON'T know what the words mean, I still dare you to blast it and come away whole.

Here it is:

2008-01-15T21:02:38Z

Time for one last freak-out moment of student teaching.

In order to get a grade, I have to meet with my supervising and cooperating teachers for one last "here's how ya did" meeting. They were scheduled for today and tomorrow at my 2 different schools. No problem. Until I get an e-mail from my HS teacher saying she is very ill, will not be in. Lovely. So I run a quick e-mail off to my supervising teacher informing him that today is not good, how about thursday? He does not receive it, of course. So at our appointed time, in walks the supervisor and I must inform him, not today please. Thursday? Yes.

Phone call from cooperating teacher: am in hospital. life sucks. not allowed back until Monday.

momentary spasm

I will not be LIVING in la crosse on monday.

So I'll be giving a final BY MYSELF tomorrow and HOPEFULLY, we can all meet on Friday after school.

deep. breath. okay. go.

this is me being bored before school....

2008-01-10T12:26:05Z

85 words

Touchtyping

I would like to thank the international school of aol instant messaging for this. Couldn't have done it without you.

OFFICIAL STUDENT TEACHING COUNTDOWN: 7 days

Today's a middle school day but the excellent thing is, NO 8TH GRADERS TODAY!!! They're all off to a career day and well darn. the one grade that I could do without with all its attitude and sneers.

My 6th graders are cute except for a select few and my high schoolers make me laugh so hard, but my 8th graders "think they're too cool but have no clue" to quote allison.

So, today's agenda will consist of putting grades in the computer and a few 6th grade lessons. I think I can handle that ;)

family christmas

2007-12-24T16:28:37Z

So we celebrated christmas last night since my brother's family went to the cities for their christmas. i raked it in. not as much as my niece, because she got a zillion gifts, but still a lot. I was super excited for my new purple columbia jacket. this thing is luscious. My dad put together a whole mondo tool box with the kinds of tools i'd need to repair instruments, music stands, lockets.... the list goes on. there's a lock on it i intend to use. it's really heavy. there were some graduation gifts too so that was fun. Ladybug got new toys and treats and had a blast. she's got gift-unwrapping skillz. she was such a good girl too. she's in moose's house right now and he's very upset. sad.

I hope everyone has a fabulous christmas!!!

lah lah lah

2007-12-15T23:50:19Z

movie marathon check

snuggly puppy check

pedicure check

best saturday ever.

wooo interview

2007-12-13T17:03:07Z

I had my first interview yesterday. I drove about 3.5 hours to get from LAX to Orfordville, WI. Don't ask. I about tore my tires to shreds when I hit where the ice storms had been. The ice on the highways was still like little daggers just waiting for some poor college student to destroy their car. I survived. Dad leant me his GPS system and Gertrude guided me safely to the little high school.

I got grilled about myself and educational philosophies n what not by NINE people. 2 students, the choir director, a concerned parent, the elementary band person, a new english teacher, and 2 principals. Whew. I was a LITTLE nervous. It went really well though. I don't THINK I rambled too much, but you never know. I used a lot of examples from student teaching and clinicals and so I think I got a point across. We'll see. there were about 5 or so candidates. I think

I drove up to sun prairie (about 50 minutes from orfordville) and my parents took me out for and AWESOME dinner. AFter dinner, i was too tired to drive back to LAX so I stayed there and got to sleep in my own bed...until 4:30. I brought Ladybug down to SP with me so she had a play date with Moose. She was TIRED. on the drive back up this morning, she hardly moved until we got off the interstate. I almost fell asleep though.

So now I'm at Aquinas being bored until my teacher comes back from running errands.

Still not 100 percent sure if this is REALLY the job for me but it's a starting place for sure.

:(

2007-11-24T23:07:18Z

Okay.

Scratch last post.

It's not the flu.

It's pnemonia.

PNEMONIA. who the hell gets pnemonia on Thanksgiving? apparently, i really pissed off the karma gods.

i got a shot of ass kicking antibiotics in my butt (holy cow that hurt), hard core codine cough syrup, and another 5-day antibiotic course. After the shot, they had to watch me for 30 minutes to make sure I didn't react it was that hard-core. AND they took chest XRays. do you know how hard it is to "take a deep breath...release it...take another deep breath...and hold...." when I can't take a deep breath without coughing, you can imagine how long the very patient XRay tech sat there waiting for me to stop coughing.

at least i got a good dr and an amazing nurse. the nurse cracked me up. She came in all smiles to check on me after the shot and asked if she minded if she looked at my xrays. She was psyched when I said yes. Wicked! was her response. The Dr was really nice too. He was super nice and listened to EVERYTHING I said and in no way treated me like the village idiot. He laughed when he asked me if I'd been around anyone sick and I told him I was student teaching. That'll do it.

So now i'm sitting here roasting since I still have a fever but life is good with codine cough syrup and tv videos.

stay healthy, folks

yuck

2007-11-23T18:10:47Z

throwing up just sucks.

throwing up thanksgiving dinner blows.

Throwing up thanksgiving dinner with about a gallon of tropical fruit punch is just downright horrific.

don't ANYONE get the flu over thanksgiving. and that's final.

promised pictures

2007-11-19T01:35:26Z

so I'm finally getting to posting the pictures since I had to work. I'm only posting a few. I took over 75 and if you really really must view all 75, let me know and I can send you a link.

and random cuteness:

that's all for now. ttfn

halfway done!

2007-11-18T19:49:08Z

Student teaching is a little over half way done. thank god. Things are going well but i'm still tired of half-teaching knowing they're not MY kids or MY band class. anyway, it'll happen some day.

Aquinas won state football and the pep band got to go play at the game. Ms Wenzel and I were on tv under my big white/red fleece blanket I made my freshman year while Hilary and Shelby sat talking to my mom/playing with the then puppy. Ah memories.

Friday Ms Wenzel and I were dragging we were so tired. Where do high schoolers get this kind of energy? Saturday I had to get up and help run a workshop for my 8th graders for the Nutcracker suite. Erin was sweet and came and helped out with the low brass. I took the flutes as usual and we talked of hippie flowfer walzes and stalin marches. like they know who stalin was. whatever. not important.

After the workshop I worked 2:30 to 10 and hated myself. the south side walgreens makes me want to throw things. I work there again today.

But to make up for the frustatingness of work, I took Ladybug on a hike this morning on the La Crosse Great River Trail. I got a ton of super cute pictures and some video.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ladyspringer

said video.

i'll post pics later.

When we got back bug was soooo dirty I threw her in the shower with me. she looked depressed all wet but at least she's clean. It's a little chilly in the apartment so now she's all burritoed up in a fleece blanket on the couch sleeping off her big morning.

Monday I'm heading down the sun prairie for the rest of the week and i'm a little pumped. bug and moose haven't seen each other in a while. it's about time.

hugs n bunnies