New York, New York

James and I have created our itinerary for New York. It's funny, because I feel like like calling it "busy"  just doesn't give it any justice. I need a thesaurus for a better word.

I don't have anything good to wear. I really don't. I'm not just saying that. I think about going to Hedwig and the Angry Inch in any of my current outfits, and I grimace. That is what happens when you only buy clothes you can wear teaching. #teacherproblems

I wrote two blog posts on The Hot Dog Blog . They are pretty short, which I think is due to overstimulation. I'm too excited. There are too many things to think about. I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR. We are leaving in two weeks. I'm torn between buying a new outfit, and saving all the money for the trip.

James is going to write a daily update on the different activities we are going to be participating in. To my millions and trillions of readers, make sure you stay tuned for that. 

Update

The end of the school year has two very distinct feelings attached to it. One is panic. If you are in Grade 11 or 12, teach Grade 11 or 12 or know someone who is in Grade 11 or 12, chances are you are feeling the side effects of panic. Take a deep breath. This too, shall pass.
The other feeling is one of distraction. The side effects of distraction are procrastination, day dreaming and talking with ones friends when one should be doing other things.
I blame the sun. I don't think classrooms should have windows. The pull of the outside world is too strong. It is May, but in everyone's heads and hearts it is already June.

I looked at my last blog post, which I wrote before spring break. In some ways, spring break was a long time ago--in others it was just yesterday. I had a very productive time, I painted walls, slept a lot and starting Foundation Class with my puppy.

Easter weekend was pretty fabulous, also. I went to Disneyland with some of the boarding girls. I frolicked down Main Street. I hugged Goofy, and Minnie (Mickey was somewhat illusive) and I rode essentially all the rides. I finally experienced Space Mountain. The first time I went, it was closed. The second time, I left it until the last possible minute and it broke down when I was on it. Having rode it now, I don't really know how to describe it. It was kind of all a blur--not just in my memory but an actual blur. The ride was really fast.
The girls were all very well behaved. They were so busy doing what they were supposed to do to have any energy left to misbehave. They also rode all the rides. And acted like kids, which is awesome because now-a-days high school girls seem to think they need to dress and behave like adults.
I spend all my time acting like a kid, not just in Disneyland.

School is insanely busy at the moment. Outdoor Education week is coming up, where I get to go camping with a bunch of 13 year old girls for 4 nights. This may seem like torture to some, but I am excited about it. After Disneyland, I realized how vital it is to get out of the classroom and spend time with my students.

Enough bloggin' for now.

Drama Class

My drama class has been particularly successful this semester. I believe this is a result of numerous factors. 

1) I'm more experienced. 

2) I've relaxed a bit but also set stronger boundaries in terms of class etiquette (especially when it comes to electronics)

3) This semester my class list is primarily made up of students who want to be in drama, not students who couldn't get into photography. 

4) We are studying improv

5) I've been participating in games and activities (more fun for me!)

6) The grade 8's have joined and they are full of piss and vinegar. 

7) Slightly smaller class. 

8) Drama is the best. 

It is very good to feel successful. It wasn't as though I didn't experience success in last semesters class, but I feel as though this is now a course students look forward to participating in. I know I look forward to the periods I get to spend in the drama hall. 

We are going to be producing a one act play as well, which I am excited (and nervous) about. I'm wondering how to approach it though. I need something with an all girl cast, that allows for 20 students to participate. I think I may have to do short vignettes. Maybe about the treacherous jungle that is the hallway? I'm not sure. 

I've got some time to mull it over, though. 

Report Cards

Report Cards are only fun if you are in Grade 4 and Grandma gives you a toonie for every A you receive.

 Even then, it depends.

Why am I on my blog when I could be productive and edit the last of my report comments? The answer to that question is quite simple.

My head may explode.

Grades are so superficial. I think the one thing we (as teachers) should mark is effort and participation. That is how kids learn. If they don't try, if they don't buy in--they don't retain any knowledge.

I just want to send a quick note to parents once a month being like "Yo. Your kid listens really well and she also gave a girl a hug when they were sad. It was pretty top drawer of her."

Isn't that enough? Why should I spend 20 hours over my weekend giving numerical value to each and every assignment a kid hands in? What does that number matter?

But I'm a hypocrite, really. When I was in University there were some ungraded courses. I hated them. "Why should I put in maximum effort if all I get is a pass or a fail?" I said. "Why not scrape by if that is all I require to move on?" I said.

I am a Grade junkie. Yet I want something better for my students. I want something better for my kids, if I have them.

I want school to be about the friggen journey, not the grade at the end of the tunnel.

This Teacher is Employed

If I had any readers, they might perhaps be wondering why I haven't written a word in the last... Three months?

Luckily I don't have any readers to disappoint so my absence has gone wholly unnoticed. 

Unless I'm wrong and somewhere, out there, there is a faithful fan to this weird little blog that has looked every day since July to see whether there is any new material. In that case, I apologize. And thank you. And question what kind of life you lead. 

This blog is not up to date. Reading back on my posts, I see that I announced my job as an intern at a local private school. 

I am not an intern. If I had followed through with that job offer my life would be entirely different right now. I would be living in a dorm, substituting in various classrooms and assisting with the arts at the school. 

This would have been a fabulous experience for me and would have had me well on my way to being a teacher in my very own classroom. 

Instead, I was interviewed and hired at another local private school to teach Drama, Social Studies and English. Therefore, I skipped a whole step in my life plan and am now a real live teacher. 

I teach part time in my own classes and am on call for the rest of the school day. 

I am very busy, and very happy. 

I have grand plans of posting about my lessons and learnings. I shall post pictures and tell all my classroom strategies. 

Stay tuned, or don't. I may be lying and won't post a thing. But I'll try my best to keep my word. 

In other news I've been listening to the audio book "Equal Rites" by Terry Pratchett. I'm finding it very funny, so I'm going to go do that now. 

Tootles. 

March Madness

As I wait for James to finish whatever he is doing so we can watch Indiana Jones, I have decided to write a post regaling you all of the ups and downs of March 2013.

I shall recount my tale in a way that goes positive, negative and then positive again. We learned this "sandwich" technique in school to use when talking to parents about naughty children, though most of the time I have no problem talking to parents so I haven't really utilized it too often. Anyways, here goes.

I have a job interview for an internship position starting in September. I really hope I get it because I would be much happier living where I am currently living. I have strong connections here and James is now working at a book store. I can't just drag him away from a job that benefits me in such a wonderful way. He gets discounts and he can set good books aside for me before shelving them. This is a very serious perk, and cannot be taken lightly.
The internship position is for the dorms, so my hope is that I will be able to teach and be a dorm mom at the same time.

I had to put my 20 year old dog down. This was one of the most difficult things I have done, as I had had her for 17 years. Having something constantly underfoot for that long means when it goes away, you are still tripping over something that isn't there. She was a wonderful dog, and she will be missed every day.
A week before putting Chippy down, I ran over a dog. It was very dark, and the dog was a black puppy. There was no way I could even swerve. This was clearly very traumatic for a dog lover such as myself. Luckily, the dog lived. However it may have to lose some of its toes. The owner is setting up a Facebook page for donations so I will be posting that soon. March was not a good month for me and my four legged friends. BUT in the process I found out James is secretly a superhero. My car is a Volkswagen beetle and when I pulled over on the side of the road the poor dog was still underneath the car because it is so low. James lifted the car off the dog and saved the day! He was also the most supportive when I was doing the ugly cry about Chippy. Which lasted roughly three days.

James has returned into the room and we shall start Indiana now, however I promised one more positive thing so I will say that I got to be a camp leader for a FULL WEEK! This means lots of funny stories to share, and also MONEY. Money for my credit card because it is very sad and needs some attention.

Teaching is Fun

I've been leading a drama club at the private school I did my final practicum at. We are doing the Lorax and it is going super well. The kids are all really talented, not to mention hilarious.

On Monday a grade four girl said "Kim, your boots are ATTRACTIVE". I then wasted a good two minutes just laughing and telling her how awesome she is.

I have an interview/work experience day at another private school next week! James and I went to a fundraiser for the independent school and I spoke to the principal. Networking certainly helps when it comes to working with private schools. I have been productive as well and am applying all over Canada AND THE WORLD!

And contests. I began entering them again. Which is actually what started this blog! Perhaps I will win another trip and I will regale you all with tales of my adventure. There is a Viking Longboat Cruise that I am really hoping for.

One of my friends may be going to work in China. I am sure she will have a blog, as we had one together when we went on our trip to Vietnam. Which was entirely too long ago.

I suppose that is all I have to say, for now.

French And Gym

I've been called in three times (so far) to teach at the private school I am employed at. Once, to teach grade 4 French. Which I do not speak. James is bilingual, and therefore would make a wonderful teacher as there is a great need for french immersion educators. But as it turns out I didn't need to speak any French. I was prepared to teach a French lesson. If you have never listened to "Je Suis Une Pizza", do yourself a favour and avoid it. It gets stuck in your head as soon as you hear the song title. Sometimes, I sing it when I eat pizza. Regardless, it made a good lesson. Theoretically of course, because I didn't end up having to teach anything french related. But damnit, I was ready. I even had little pizza print outs for kids to draw their favourite toppings on.

Basically I planned a lesson where I didn't have to speak a lick of French. Thank goodness for modern technology.

The other two shifts I have had have been for physical education. I am not necessarily the most physically active soul in the world, but I think I pulled it off. No serious injuries, and only a few tears. And the kids did alright too.

HAH! Oh, being a certified teacher means I get to have lame teacher humour, which is ever so fun.

I have been getting a lot more experience with the primary grades. Teaching kindergarden is both different, and oddly similar to teaching the intermediate grades. I also have subbed for the After School Care Program at the rec centre I work for during the summers.

One thing I've noticed about the younger children, is that they are hilarious without knowing it. Call me Cosby, but kids really do say the darndest things. I was playing with one particularly cute little gal and we were doing one of those puzzles that you dump all the shapes out and then put them in the appropriate places. This particular puzzle was vegetable themed and under each of the shapes was the name of the corresponding vegetable. Because Canada is bilingual, the vegetable name was in both english and french. I did my best to read out the french (as we established earlier, not my strongest form of communication) and we finished the puzzle.

The second puzzle was of the same variety, however it did not have the names of the food written underneath the pieces. Now, the young lady I was completing the puzzle with decided this time she would read me out the french and I would find the puzzle pieces. I thought this was interesting and was impressed that this five year old knew french.

She did not. But she sure acted like she did. "Kim, pass me the le sundaeee" which clearly meant sundae.

"Kim, pass me the applelooloo".

I tried my best to keep a straight face through this process. I do have to say, that I wish she was speaking real french, as it would have been one of the first times I understood a french conversation in its entirety.

All Graduated and Everything

Well, I did it. Five and a half years, an unspeakable amount of money owed to the government, and more than one tear shed... I graduated. I passed. My university feels as though I am fit to teach children.
Doesn't feel real. Probably because I'm still living as though I am a student. Perhaps I'll feel like a grown up after I get my first paycheck?

The Aftereffects of my Napping Addiction

Three hour naps are not good for my social life.

I'm supposed to be at an authors group at this very moment. I know what you are thinking, "authors? When did she become an author?" Well, mostly I go for the tea and company. I have always loved to write, hence why I keep this silly little blog going. Who doesn't have a half finished tome saved somewhere on their computer? I have a few, to be honest. They are located under funny little filenames like "I'm writing a book!" or "Stuff I do instead of homework!" or "This is rubbish!"...

Back to the whole issue of napping though. I was exhausticated (that isn't a real word) at work today and when I got home I climbed into bed and immediately fell into a comatose state until 6:58pm, two minutes before I was due to arrive at said writers group. I then was famished as napping is hard work and needed to eat dinner. At this very moment I'm supposed to be lesson planning for my very full day tomorrow. I need to make a priority list, and force myself to do only the things at the very top of said list. That way I won't end up distracted on social media and stay up late AGAIN.

The list will go as follows:

1. Get off of blog
2. Go get school bag from living room
3. Open math book
4. Stare at math book for 15 minutes
5. Write math lesson
6. Take out Socials work
7. Write Socials lesson in 1/3rd of the time it takes to write math lesson
8. Panic that I am forgetting something
9. Give up on remembering what I've forgotten
10. Read and then sleep

Microscopes and Books

Long weekends result in short work weeks--meaning it is already Friday night and I have no idea how that happened.
Not that I'm complaining.

This week was filled with new and exciting teaching experiences for me. First of all, I took my grade six class into the senior school to conduct a microscopic experiment. I do have to admit, I was slightly terrified they would somehow find the chemicals and blow something up. I even made them sign a contract basically selling their souls to me before I would allow them to enter the lab. Turns out there was just the right amount of intimidation involved with travelling into the senior school that they were both excited, and well behaved. I had all types of comments, one of my favourites being "OH. MY. GOD. You HAVE to come look at this. Wicked. Wicked. SO wicked." This was uttered out of one of the boys in my class that doesn't usually participate too much in class discussion. He wanted to show me the slide of onion skin because he could see the cellular make up. I found it a) awesome he was so engaged and b) hilarious because I planned the lesson so I had already looked at all the slides.
It was also fun because due to my small amount of experience with microscopes I seemed to be able to find the specimen when kids were having trouble. I felt like a hero, swooping in to refocus the magnification to reveal something they had never seen before. I spent a lot of the class gloating "Yes, yes, children. I know I'm the best scientist in the world. Do try to keep your admiration to a minimum. I will sign your homework later."

Have I mentioned I am reading "Hannah and the Spindle Whorl" to the class? It is perfect for them as it centres around this 12 year old girl living in British Columbia. It is relevant, funny and the kids seem to really connect with the characters. I've been told that it is their "NEW FAVOURITE BOOK" and the "BEST BOOK EVER" and "SO FUNNY". Though they may be slightly hyperbolizing their immediate love for the book (they started saying these things after reading like 2 chapters) they do seem to genuinely enjoy it when I read. The book really is wonderful, so that helps.

If I haven't suggested this book as a good read, I would like to remedy that horrible oversight and do so now. It is truly a wonderful read that provides such a vivid picture of the West Coast of Canada. The 12 year old voice of Hannah is captured perfectly, and I'm so looking forward to reading the sequel. So are my students, it would seem.

Another book I've read recently that was quite enjoyable was also by a Canadian author. "Crystal Promise" is a urban fantasy novel. I shall try not to give too much away, but one of the things that I really loved about the novel was the fact that it was primarily character driven. Those are the kind of fantasy reads I like best. I am able to engage in the world and the way in which society functions within that world if I am attached to the characters. Basically, I have to want to play the game in order to follow the rules. Some fantasy/sci-fi books tell you the rules of the novel's universe before they have you hooked in any way. For me, those ones end up in the donation bin. I finished "Crystal Promise" in two days. I couldn't stop reading until one conflict or another was resolved. Read more about this novel on amazon, and then I suggest you buy it. Click here to be directly taken to the website.

I suppose that is all I have to say for this fine evening. The book I'm currently reading is part of the "Fablehaven" series, which are meant for 10-15 year olds. I pretend I read them for the sake of recommending them to children, but really I just like.

Long Weekend Laziness

Long weekends are most delightful. Here I am, sitting in bed, while my brother and dad are off to work. I know it's not very nice, but there is something satisfying in that.
I'm not even sure the last time I wrote. I'm completely aware I could go look at my last post, however in the spirit of long weekend laziness I'm not going to.
School has been amazing. I'm two weeks into teaching and I've honestly loved every minute of it. There was this one math lesson I would rather not speak of, but other than that working at the school has been a dream. I'm already attached to the students and the staff. I now would love more than anything to be hired there in January. It would be so nice to work at a school I know with kids I know and actually make money teaching.
Disneyland is slowly creeping closer. I have to say that I'm far too excited for my own good. I fear I may get overstimulated upon arrival to the park and trample some small child in pursuit of Mickey Mouse. That would not look good.

The Ability to Breath and the Other Things I Took For granted When IHad My Health

As day 3 of being sick in bed comes to a close, I cannot help but wonder--shall my health ever return? It is hard to remember what life was like when I could breathe out of my nose. Ah, the good old days.
In all seriousness though, I really want to be better so I can get to teaching. I'm suppose to start tomorrow but with the blessing of both my sponsor teacher and my supervisor, I'm staying home.
I suppose another day of bizarre NyQuil induced dreams and books for preteens it is. I also spend a lot of time on etsy and Pinterest looking at things I cannot buy.
I did splurge and purchase a boxed set of the book series "Fablehaven" which is written for the age group 9-15 year olds. I, at 23, find them delightful. The Percy Jackson series is shaping up to be quite enjoyable as well. I keep telling myself I read them so I can chat with the kids but that is only half true. They bring me joy. Deep down I'm just a 12 year old badly dressed preteen with thick eyebrows and no boobies that believes in magic and secretly thinks there is a possibility Santa is real.
Speaking of Santa! Christmas is on its way! I know I know.... Halloween blah blah blah. I think I'm kind of like a department store in that I start preparing for one holiday before the other is even finished.
Anyways, before I start sounding like a crazy person high on cough syrup (or is it too late?) I'm going to leave and fall into a slumber. Goooooooodniiiiiiiiiiiiight Neverland!

NyQuil and Cuddles Cure Everything

My immune system is not as steeled to kid germs as those teachers that have been working for years. I fear the cough, sneeze and sniffle. Rightly so, it would seem. I've come down with the plague. I laid in bed all today as a result. I was supposed to teach a class at the rec centre this weekend and have had to call in.
I am not an incredibly touchy person. I suppose it depends on the situation. That being said, when I come down with even the mildest of colds, all I want to do is cuddle. I think it is a case of wanting what you can't have. And I certainly do want a hug, and soup.
My dad did bring me home raspberry ginger ale. He is a good man.
Other than this not so unexpected illness, things are pretty darn good. I'm settling in nicely at my practicum school. The kids are awesome (their germs are not) and I begin actually teaching on Monday which I am thrilled about. I was almost getting bored with all the observation. Though it is cool to see my sponsor teacher work.
Did I mention she has a Scottish accent? It is delightful.
My etsy team (etteam) has asked it's members if they would like to write any blog posts for us. That blog has 900 plus followers, which is a bit more of an audience than this little guy has. I attempted to begin a post and got shy. If anyone wants to check out that blog go to etsytreasuryteam.blogspot.com
Perhaps I will give writing a post another shot tomorrow. What with the fact that it is highly likely I will be spending it in bed with only books and tea to keep me company. Though I love my books, they don't cuddle very well.
Maybe my cat will grace me with his presence. Only on his terms, of course. I would cuddle my dog except she is very very smelly. Like fish and poop. She is still cute though, despite being roughly 900 years old in doggy age.
The NyQuil appears to be working its sweet, sweet magic. Thank goodness for modern medicine.
Night, y'all.

The Art of Procrastination

I am very skilled in the art of procrastination. The process involves making a list of things to do, going from most important to least important and then working my way from the bottom of the list to the top.

For example, writing this blogpost is at the very very bottom of my list. In fact, it shouldn't even be on my list. It should be on my "things I do that aren't helpful to my future in any way possible" list.

I'm not even dressed for the day. It is 12:30 in the afternoon and I'm currently sitting her in my housecoat. I'll probably succumb to a nap fairly soon as well.

The things I DO need to complete are as follows, I must write four lesson plans, one unit plan and an "assessment overview". Though, because these things are not due until Monday morning, the pressure is not quite enough to kick my butt into gear.

I'll probably finish the book I'm reading instead.

On a similar note, math planning is my nemesis. I hope that teaching math will go better than the planning has. I've stared at the math textbook for many-an-hour to no avail. It isn't even hard; that isn't the problem. It is that I find it painfully boring. I should have done it first and gotten it out of the way. But no, instead I finished every other unit plan I needed to and left math for the bitter end. And I do mean bitter.

I'm housesitting tonight so hopefully seclusion will help in the process.

In other news, Christmas is approaching nice and quick. I'm going to try to get some new etsy items up (ornaments etc) in order to boost my sales. We will see how it goes, if not I'll just hang the dang things on my own tree.

I'm also participating in the National Novel Writing Month (as I don't have enough to do already) if you want to check that out click here.

That is all for today. My math book is staring at me.... Perhaps I will open it and try again.

Working Hard for No Money

With my first week of practicum officially behind me, I am that much closer to graduation. Decidedly more important though, I am that much closer to going to Disneyland.
There were many wonderful things that occurred last week. For one, I met some really awesome kids. Two, my sponsor teacher has helped me immensely already. Three, they feed me lunch every day and there is free coffee in the staff room. This is very important to me as I love both food, and coffee.
I also get to teach some pretty awesome material. I'm not sure if I'm more excited about the fact that I am doing a language art unit on a book authored by a good friend of mine OR that I am teaching about Cambodia and Asia. Any excuse to talk about the trip in 2011 (was it really that long ago?) is good for me.
I'm reading a Percy Jackson novel now as per request of my students. I'm told it is da bomb.
I got to go to music class with the students as well and sing lion king songs. Not even coffee cheers me up like a lion king song.
Anyways I figured I would give a brief update on everything that is practicum. Now I must slumber.

Quarter Life Crisis

It has happened. I've moved home to live with my Father and Brother. I couldn't put it off any longer. I finished the classroom portion of my degree and there was nothing I could do about it.
There are bonuses to living at home. The groceries, for example. There are also down sides to living at home. My brother eating all the groceries, for example.
Apparently living away from home for five and a half years means you accumulate some stuff. Now, I'm trying to fit all of that stuff into my box of a bedroom. I'm starting to forget what my floor looked like. But hey, at least I can't see the dustbunnies any more.
Planning for my practicum has begun. This, I am excited about. January, when I'm unemployed, 23 and living at home--I am not excited about. But let us take one step at a time.
I have a grade six class at a private school. This will be VERY different from my last practicum. Which is a good thing. It is important to vary ones experience.
I started writing a book. Perhaps this is why I haven't been writing many blog posts. Of course I always seem to have a half finished novel on the go, so really it should make no difference.
I get to teach my friends book for a novel study in my class. This, ladies and gentlemen, is really really cool. A) Because it is a good book and B) Because I get to bring in the author and be all like "This is my friend, she wrote a book". Click here for a link to Hannah and the Spindle Whorl.
Anyways, I am going to try to have a little nap. But before I do, I would like to say that I AM EATING TURKEY TONIGHT! It is Canadian Thanksgiving. Turkey is my favourite. In a couple of hours I shall be bursting with turkey goodness and it shall be delightful.

Flow

I write a lot. Whether it is journal entries, my attempt at the next best seller, school work or on here, I tend to have an affection for expressing myself through the written word.
I even write bad poetry. That is how dedicated I am.
Will it ever go anywhere? Hard to say. My greatest dream is to be "discovered" and hired to keep a travel blog as I get paid to explore strange and exotic places. This greatest dream is placed with my other greatest dreams like becoming a (paid) actress. Or eating whatever I want and not gaining any weight. That too, is a dream.
Anyways, it isn't really that I wish to have any of my work go down in history or be recognized as genius. I'm fairly content in enjoying the process of writing, or acting, or creating artwork. Those things are what ground me and make me happy.
We learned about this term "flow" in class the other day. Surprisingly I had never heard of it before. Flow is something everyone has experienced. What best explained it for me is when I get so wrapped up in the act of something that everything else becomes background noise. It's that moment when you look up at the clock and realize its been 3 hours and you had no idea.
I have been in this. Musicians often feel this. Gamers. Painters.
Flow is the adult equivalent of learning through play. How could that not be an attractive notion to me? After all I just a big kid.
I suppose since in actually tired at midnight for once I will take this opportunity to sleep.
Short and sweet, this post was.

Having Fun and Getting Paid

I started the job! Training week has come and gone, and so far it has felt a lot more like school than it does a job. And we all know that I'm kind of weird and love school, so that should be an indicator of how it went. There was a bit of repetition simply because a lot of the most recent theory about child care is focused on A LOT in the education program. However, there were so many moments during the week that we were playing a game or running around and I had that moment of "I'm getting paid for this?" that it made up for the repetition.
Starting Tuesday I actually get to hang out with kids, which is awesome. I also get a free gym and pool membership AND there is a library right there that rents video games and movies as well as books. So its kind of excellent that I have these things available for my pleasure during my break.
I also found out I have a friend that lives 2 minutes away from the centre, with a couch, so I may frequent her house during my break... I did say that I work split shifts, right? So I have time to kiiiiiill.
How is the card business, you ask? Going very well. I'm just trying to get as much of it set up so I can just do minimal upkeep when I return to school in the fall.
Hold up, did you know Colin Farrell is in the new Total Recall? As in the movie that Arnold Schwarzenegger was in back in the day? Who will be seeing that? OH, ME. I also want to see Batman, Spider Man and The Hobbit. Some may say that my movie tastes are a bit inconclusive to my gender... Oh well.
I'm hoping to have some funny kid stories to recount after next week. I need to keep things confidential so no names or any way that the kids will be recognized as an individual, but I'm sure I can have a stuff kids say update, because those are always fun.
I'm off to craft now. My brother is currently in Disneyworld with his girlfriends family (lucky little...) and will be there for his birthday. I am going to make him a bat cave sign for the garage door (he lives in the garage with the spiders) and have it be magnetic and there for when he gets home.
So I must do that today! And then I get to see Torrie. I'm hoping we can go to the Raptor sanctuary that is in our town tomorrow so I can take some wicked pictures of eagles and things.
Merry Sunday World! And Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians out there.

Thanks A Lot

Hostel World emailed me today. They wanted to let me know its been one year since my trip.
THANKS HOSTEL WORLD LIKE I DID NOT KNOW!
I'm definitely getting the travel fever. I only have to sell.... 300 cards or so and then I can go somewhere. I'm thinking Disneyland. Or if I sell more perhaps I could go to Eurodisney. Or Disneyland in Hong Kong. Or Disney something.
Start work not tomorrow but the next day, which will be a lot of fun I feel. Got my criminal record check done yesterday. Should be clear. I don't remember committing any crimes.
I've been seriously thinking about what I'm going to do after graduation. Will it be overseas? Will it be the great white north? Either way I think I will be getting a dog because these options sound lonely.
Perhaps things will change in the next 4-12 months and I will get on the TOC list. That would be very nice.
Not that I wouldn't want to go elsewhere to teach. I think it would be an adventure, for sure. We will see I suppose.
But I am getting a dog. Yep. There is a puppy in my future. Torrie wants a German Shepherd, which I endorse completely.
Mostly I just wanted to complain about that email telling me I need to go on another trip. So I did that.
If anyone wants to support these dreams, you could buy some cards or prints. I wouldn't mind that at all. Not. At. All. Etsy!