Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!

Today was the last Friday of the school year -- which is just insane. This school year FLEW! As did this week. I'm so happy it's Friday. Next week, we still have three days of school left, but they're all half days -- which is just awesome!

I plan on relaxing this weekend (in between grading some final exams) and maybe putting some work into my thesis so my committee leader doesn't kill me. Tonight the boyf. and I just plan on hanging out, maybe catch a happy hour somewhere. I kind of want to go out because I've been sick all week and I'm finally feeling like myself again. :D

Before I close, here are my answers to Lauren's fill in the blank for this week. Make sure to link back to her post if you want to play along, too!

1.  My dream vacation would be  a trip that takes me all over Europe -- especially France, England, Spain, and Italy -- for at least six months .

2.  The best trip I've ever taken was  when I went to Tokyo, Japan in 2008 with le boyf. It was a totally last minute trip, literally planned days before we left -- and it was the best trip of my life.

3.  The most important items to take on a road trip are water, snacks, music, and a good traveling buddy .

4.  The next trip I'm looking forward to is  my upcoming trip with le boyf. to Islands of Adventure in Orlando for the new Harry Potter section .

5.  If I had to pick one CD to listen to for a long road trip it would be a mixtape that includes Arcade Fire, Interpol, Grizzly Bear, plus some show tunes thrown in for good measure  .

6.  The biggest disaster I've ever encountered while traveling  was  not a disaster per se, but it involved a small commuter plane on the way back from the Bahamas and a bad rainstorm. I thought I was going to die for sure, but thankfully, I arrived in one piece. Other than that, I really haven't had traveling disasters (thank goodness).

7.  My favorite traveling memory is  the first time I went on a road trip with le boyf. We went to Islands of Adventure and Universal Studios, and I rode my first real roller coaster -- and was promptly sick afterward -- but le boyf. was amazing and took care of me. And now I love roller coasters. And him .

 picture via we heart it

So what are you doing this weekend, bloggy readers? Anything interesting? Let me know in the comments!

(Very) Happy Friday!

Happy, happy Friday! Why am I so happy this Friday, despite the fact that I have the head cold from hell and I'm dead tired? Because it's a long weekend for us in the states! And because I get to sleep in for not one, not two, but THREE whole mornings. And that makes me very happy indeed.

Tonight I don't have much planned. I was going to go see "Sex and the City 2" with some friends, but I came home from work feeling like such complete and utter crap, just congested and icky. So I just feel like staying in tonight, you know? Recharge my batteries and such.

Le boyf, may the fairies bless him, offered to take me to go see SATC 2, but I couldn't inflict that on him. Sure, he'll watch a scrap of an episode here and there with me no problem, but I don't think he could stand two and half hours of fashion porn. I just don't. So I'll have to see it later this weekend if not next week, drag my mom or something.

So Lauren from the little things we do is taking a break from blogging, which means no fill in the blank fun for today. Boo! Just kidding, Lauren, you deserve your break. I hope you're enjoying it! I also hope you don't mind if I create my own fill in the blank questions for today. :)


1. If I could go back and change one thing about yesterday, I would not hang up angry at my boyf. We got into a silly fight and I went to sleep feeling sad. I've heard it before and now I know it's true -- you should never go to sleep angry at a loved one!

2.This weekend, I plan on sleeping a ton, watching a movie or two in my jammies, hanging out with some friends, and working on the thesis.

3. The first time I kissed somebody, I was 16 and it was for a play -- Romeo and Juliet. I was Juliet, and a boy in the grade above mine was Romeo. He was also about a foot shorter than me and kept popping breath mints. Yeah, it was awkward.

4. If I were given the option to be extremely wealthy but never marry, or be poor but ridiculously happy in love, I would choose love, every time. I know they say that, "Love don't pay the bills," but to that I say, "Dollar bills don't keep you warm at night or hug you back."

5. My childhood was full of wonder and love, thanks to my incredible parents. Even though we had it rough during much of my childhood, having to endure financial struggles, they always strove for my happiness. I'll always be grateful to them for that.

6. The best thing about my room is my bookshelf, especially now that I've organized it! I can't wait to have a place of my own so that I can dedicate an entire room just to books. My very own library = love.

7. The song that never fails to bring a smile to my face is "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cyndi Lauper. I puffy-heart that song!

 picture via we heart it

Are you doing anything interesting this weekend? Let me know in the comments! And if you want to play along with my silly fill in the blanks, don't forget to link up below. :)

(Trying-To-Be) Happy Friday!

In case you're wondering about this post's title (and why my mood over on the right sidebar is listed as sad), I got some bad news today at work -- my students' FCAT Reading re-take scores came in, and not as many students passed as we had hoped. The majority of my students did improve, but still... I was counting on more passing. High School students in Florida cannot graduate without passing this exam, and since I teach juniors, the pressure is really on my kids.

I am trying to be positive about this, trying to focus on the growth and the fact that most of my students did improve. The fact that they will most likely pass on their next attempt. But still -- I am sad. :-(

To distract you and me, dear reader, from all this sadness, here's Lauren's fill in the blank for this week. It's another themed one: fashion! Enjoy and don't forget to link back to Lauren's post if you play along.

1.  One fashion trend I really regret is the "roller coaster" of hair I used to do to my poor bangs in the late 1980's to early 1990's. What was I thinking?! Crazy.

2.  The one thing that always completes any outfit is  accessories -- whether it's a fun pair of earrings, a colorful bangle or watch, every outfit always needs a pop of color to complete it.

3.  I would describe my personal style as  eclectic. I've been called everything from elegant to quirky. I guess what I wear depends on my mood. I tend to wear mostly pants, not favoring skirts or dresses all too much. I love cardigans and headbands and accessories in general. I'm drawn to more muted colors, blue and purple especially.

4.  My fashion muse is  Keira Knightley. That girl can do no wrong in my book.

5.  If I could own one designer piece of clothing it would be a classic Chanel purse, you know the quilted ones? That would be awesome .

6.  I would love to raid the wardrobe of  Keira Knightley or Cate Blachett .

7.  Today I am wearing  some jeans, kitten heels, and a boat-neck yellow tee with a gray cardigan. Bummy outfit, I know, but it's Friday and I tend to dress casual to work on Fridays. Tonight I'll probably wear jeans, some heels, and a dressier top since I'm going on a date with le boyf. :-D.

 picture via we heart it

What are you doing to celebrate the fact that it's Friday, bloggy friends? I think I might convince the boyf to take me for some frozen yogurt. I'm in the mood for some comfort food!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, everyone! I am ecstatic today, because for once I don't have a heavy load of work to do this weekend. Just a few stacks of assignments that are easy to grade and some lesson plans for next week. But that's it. Can I get a woot-woot! :-D

Other things making me happy today:

• I got my Brown Paper Packages gift in the mail today from my exchange partner, Jodi Cosper. I received a beautiful scarf, two inspiring books, a $10 Starbucks gift card, some yummy shower goodies from Origins, and some Jiffy Pop popcorn. Thank you, Jodi!!! You spoiled me, girl! Thanks also to Cole for thinking of this exchange idea in the first place.

 

 {The Jiffy Pop does not appear in the above picture because it was eaten shortly after 

the box was opened and before I could remember to include it in the picture. Oops.}

• I am also happy because something else wonderful came in the mail today: the new Sookie Stackhouse book, Dead in the Family! I can't wait to start reading it...

 

• What's most making me happy this weekend is looking forward to spending time with the boyf. I want to have a Harry Potter movie marathon with Ricky because he's recently begun reading the series for the first time. I can't tell you how happy that makes me, bloggy readers. :)))))

Speaking of reading, Lauren's fill in the blank for this week is all about books! Click here if you want to play along, and here are my answers...

1. My favorite book growing up was The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
 

2. The funniest book I've ever read was  this book of punchlines I had when I was a little girl. I lost the book, which is just as well, because if I read it today, I would probably think it was incredibly silly. But I still remember it fondly .
 

3. The one book that has truly changed my life is  The English Patient. This was the book that solidified in me the desire to want to be a writer. I first read it at the age of 18 and I've reread it every couple of years since then. (I'm also doing my master's thesis on it!) .
 

4. If you're looking for a real "tear jerker" you should probably read Atonement by Ian McEwan. No book has EVER made me cry like that book did .

5. If I could meet any author living or dead I would want to meet Shakespeare. I have so many questions for him! I want to know if he really was as prolific as he seems to have been, or if he had other(s) helping him, and I want to pick his brain to learn what inspired him to write so many beautiful sonnets and plays . 

6. The next book on my "to read" list is  Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris (see above :-D) .

7. If I was snowed into  remote cabin in the woods and could only choose three books to bring with me I'd bring  my complete collection of Regency Romance novels by Patricia Veryan. Is it High Literature? No. But those books sure do help pass the time!

picture via we heart it

 

What are you doing this weekend? Let me know in the comments and don't forget to enter my giveaway! :-)

Happy Friday!

Oh Friday, you have never been more appreciated than you are today. It has been such a sucky week, I swear. On Tuesday, I was so sure it was Thursday. I walked around almost the entire day, secure in this false knowledge.

Needless to say, I was not a happy camper when I later realized it was only Tuesday.

But finally, finally, it's Friday. Rejoice! Today I'm going to the salon with my friend right after work so she can get her nails done and I can get my hair all prettified. I've been flirting with the idea of getting some nice, side-sweepy bangs, but I was also thinking of growing my hair out, all one length, so I'm not sure... Stay tuned.

After our salon visit, we'll most likely grab drinks and dinner before going to see our friend from work perform at a belly dancing show. How cool is that?! I wish I could belly dance!

Alas, Monsieur Boyf will not be joining me tonight because he is stuck at home with the mystery virus I had last week. Poor thing. Please send him some get well thoughts.

Before I close, here are my answers to Lauren's fill in the blank for this week. This time the theme is movies. Yay! :-D

1. My absolute favorite movie of all time is "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind." I knew, just 15 minutes into that movie, that it would be magical. And I was right.

2. My favorite movie as a child was the second "Indiana Jones" movie, the one with Shortstop and Kate Capshaw? Loooved that movie. I would watch it on TV every time they showed it.

3. The best movie quote ever is from "The English Patient" when Katherine writes a letter to Almasy that reads, "We die containing a richness of lovers and tribes, tastes we have swallowed, bodies we have plunged into and swum up as if rivers of wisdom, characters we have climbed into as if trees, fears we have hidden in as if caves. I wish for all this to be marked on by body when I am dead. I believe in such cartography - to be marked by nature, not just to label ourselves on a map like the names of rich men and women on buildings. We are communal histories, communal books. We are not owned or monogamous in our taste or experience." That part is so romantic, it never fails to make me cry.

4. My favorite actress is a tie between Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep. Love them both. My favorite actor is Ewan Macgregor. I lurve him. Like a lot. Especially in "Moulin Rouge," my favorite of his roles.

5. The movie I could watch over and over is any of the Harry Potter films. Those movies are addictive -- every time they come on TV (usually the ABC Family channel), I'm compelled to watch them, despite the fact that I own them all on DVD.

6. My favorite movie genre is romance. I'll watch anything romantic, even if it's got a tragic ending, though I like romantic comedies best.

7. A movie I'd like to watch this weekend is "The Young Victoria." I got it last week and it's been sitting all lonely and unwatched next to my nightstand ever since. I'm dying to see it!

 picture via we heart it

So what your plans for the weekend? I plan on catching up on some grading (and sleeping!).

Happy Friday!

Hey, you got two posts in one day from me, you lucky readers, you. (In case you missed it, I posted the new trailer for "Eclipse." You're welcome.)

I went back to work today after the flu from hell. I went to sleep last night feeling a bit sick to my stomach still, what with the food orgy I had yesterday afternoon when I mistakenly thought I was all cured, but I woke up a lot better. Not 100% myself, but better. To be on the safe side, I didn't eat much for lunch today -- just a cheese stick, one of those peel-away ones that are so fun to eat [ETA: I meant string cheese. Hello -- how could I forget that?! Thanks, Hanny!], and a jello cup. In hindsight, maybe that wasn't such a great idea, because I came home STARVING. Still, I will try to keep myself in check this weekend and not overdo the eating like I did yesterday. Indigestion = no fun.

For this weekend, I have planned a whole lot of nothing and that is A-okay with me. I just want to sleep. Is that so wrong?

Today's fill-in-the-blank fun is all about music, yay!  If you want to play along, make sure to link back to Lauren. 

1.  One song that always takes me back to my youth is  "Chiquitica" by ABBA.

2.  My first concert ever was   some concert a local radio station (Y-100) was giving to promote local artists. It was the mid 1990's and I was still in high school, and needless to say, it wasn't very memorable -- I can't even remember one artist .

3.  If I could create my dream music festival I'd want these bands to be there:   U2, Bjork, Tori Amos, PJ Harvey, Radiohead, Interpol, The New Pornographers, REM,  Grizzly Bear, The Cure, The Beatles (hey, it's a dream, right? :D) .

4.  The best make-out/"boot knocking" song ever is  anything Brazilian -- that country produces the sexiest music, hands down .

5.  The best concert I've ever been to was   U2, during their tour for the album All That You Can't Leave Behind. They played an awesome mix of new and old music and oh, it was just wonderful. I still get chills, remembering that show.

6.  A memorable musical moment for me was  seeing my favorite band U2 perform on TV for the first time. The song was "New Year's Day" and although I was a wee little slip of a girl at the time, I knew Bono was the man for me.

7. The song on my iPod that's getting the most play these days is "World Sick" by Broken Social Scene. 

picture via we heart it

Wow, practically all my answers were about U2... I guess you know who my favorite band is, huh? ;) So I'm curious -- who's your favorite band? Let me know in the comments and have yourself a great weekend!

Happy Friday!

picture via we heart it

What a long and crazy roller coaster of a week this has been, bloggy readers. This week started out really well -- I had a lot of great things making me happy, such as new music and beautiful weather. I wrote a book review on an awesome new book series I'm totally digging, and I did some bloggy redecorating. But there were some low points, too -- I was buried in paperwork all week, trying to get all the grading done before the end of the school term (which is today), and more importantly, the Florida Senate passed a bill that threatens the future of public education in my state -- not to mention my livelihood as a high school teacher in a public school.

Boy, am I glad that this week is over, especially since I am now officially on spring break! My plans for the next week? Lots of sleep, possibly going to my lady doctor (eep!) and the dentist (double eep!!), plus working on my thesis.

But for now, how about some fill in the blank fun?

1. The best piece of advice I was ever given was that I'm the only one who can make myself happy.

2. If I had a million dollars to give to one charity I would give it to the Haitians -- I worry that others have forgotten about them when they are still suffering and in need of our help .

3. If I got to choose my "last meal" it would be some crunchy French bread, some yummy Manchego cheese, steak frites, creme brulee, and a tapioca pearl drink (Who cares about the calories?! It's my last meal! :D) .

4. My hair is not as wild as it used to be ever since I did the Brazilian keratin treatment, and to tell the truth, I kinda miss the wildness -- it won't curl anymore =( .

5. If at first you don't succeed try, try again -- practice makes perfect, don't you know.

6. I have always been very patient with everyone -- except myself. I need to learn to get better at this.

7. Oh....and by the way.... I have absolutely nothing to grade this weekend for once in a veddy, veddy long time, and I feel absolutely wonderful about that.

Want to fill in your own blanks? Go on and post 'em on your blog, but don't forget to link back to Lauren!

What are your plans for this weekend? Whatever you do, I hope you have a (insert super awesome adjective here) weekend! :-D

It's fill-in-the-blank time again!

I missed out on yesterday's fill-in-the-blank fun because I was too busy gabbing about my favorites, so I'm making up for it today! :-)

picture & fill-in-the-blank prompts found here

1.  One thing I MUST do before I die is publish a book -- this is my lifelong dream. So far I've sent two query letters, which were summarily rejected, but I will keep on trying.

2.  I would rather teach high school students than elementary or middle school students (and I know this from experience!) any day.

3.  If I could give my younger self one piece of advice it would be to have more confidence in yourself -- you have everything it takes to make yourself happy, you just don't know it yet.

4.  If I won the lottery tomorrow I'd  get my family and me out of debt, buy a beachfront apartment in Miami, and put the rest into savings for the proverbial rainy day.

5.  The best surprise ever was when I realized I was falling in love with my boyfriend, Ricky, who went to my high school and who I never really looked at -- until college.

6.  My biggest fault is  I am impulsive. I often make split-second decisions without fully thinking them through, and while the gamble sometimes does pay off, more often than not, it doesn't.

7.  My biggest strength is patience -- the irony of it is that I am more patient with others than with myself.

Want to play along and fill in your own blanks? Just post it on your blog and don't forget to link back to Lauren!

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday, dear bloggy friends! As I wrote in my Facebook status a few minutes ago, I have absolutely nothing planned for this weekend and I'm absolutely okay with that. I just want to SLEEP.

I know that I've neglected this here blog all this week. Want to know why? Here, I'll show you:

Yep, the Olympics has been pretty much sucking up all of my time these past two weeks. I'll watch anything -- skiing, hockey, speed skating, heck I'll even watch curling. But my absolute favorite Winter Olympic sport is figure skating.

Last night was the ladies' final figure skating program, and the girl I was rooting for, Kim Yu-na of Korea, won! So happy for her. I just think she was the best skater out of the bunch, and she combines grace with skill in a way that is truly gold medal worthy.

I think the girls who earned 2nd and 3rd place deserved their medals, too, especially Joannie Rochette of Canada, who got the bronze. If you didn't know, her mother passed away last weekend, and she had to make the heartbreaking decision over whether or not to compete in the Olympics. She decided to compete in the end, and I admire her so much for it. You could see the emotion welling up in her last night, both when she completed her program and when she received her bronze medal. I felt my eyes welling up in sympathy, watching her. If there's such a thing as heaven (and I hope there is), I'm sure her mother was smiling down at her last night.

As fun as the Winter Olympics have been, I'll be relieved to resume a more normal sleeping pattern next week! Going to sleep past midnight almost every night has been killer.

When I wasn't watching the Olympics this past week, I was reading The Hunger Games, The Swan Thieves, and Eat, Love, Pray. (All three are great -- click on the individual titles to learn more.) And when I wasn't reading, I was grading my students' work. I've been very industrious this past month as far as my work goes. Earlier this school year, I was having issues grading and planning for the three preps I teach: English III (for FCAT retakers), AP English Language, and SAT/ACT Verbal. And the more stressed I got, the more I just let the work pile up in frustration, which of course would only stress me out more. It was a vicious cycle! But I finally found a way to break free, and I'm so much happier for it. What's my secret? It's so simple, it's almost silly -- just divvy the work up and do it in stages. One day I'll grade just English III work, the next day I'll just grade AP English Language, and I'll save SAT/ACT Verbal for the third day. It's been working fabulously for me thus far.

Well, before I close, I'll leave you with my answers for this week's Fill in the Blank series. If you want to play along, just make sure you link back to Lauren's post!

1.  When I'm nervous I bite or tear at my nails. Not good for my manicure!

2.  My favorite item in my closet is  my purple flats. They are super comfy and super cute, so it's a win-win. (Go here to see them.)

3.  Listening to music is my favorite thing to do when I need to relax.

4.  My favorite childhood memory is  spending the summer at the beach with my family and cousins -- we used to spend two weeks staying at a hotel in Miami Beach, just soaking up the sun and relaxing. I miss that!

5.  Something you may not know about me is that I don't drive -- in fact, I hate driving and can't wait to move somewhere with decent public transportation .

6.  A true friend  will share both tears and laughs with you .

7.  Something I hope people think of when they think of me is that I am kind. This is a trait I value highly in others and try to emulate in my own life .

 

 Have an awesome weekend! :-)

Some fill-in-the-blank fun.

Here's some fill-in-the-blank fun for you, courtesy of the lovely  Lauren from the little things we do Be sure to post your own answers and then link back to her blog!

1. I am hoping my Valentine's day this year includes something handwritten and maybe some pretty flowers.

2. My biggest guilty pleasure is  Starbucks.

3. I am most proud of  my students -- I love watching them grow and learn.

4. If I could choose one outfit to live in it would be my dark wash jeans and my kitten heels -- they're so comfortable without sacrificing style.

5. People are sometimes surprising, but always interesting.

6. I would rather  make the best of a situation than suffer for no reason.

7. I love my  boyfriend more than  sleep, chocolate, or books (which is saying A LOT if you know my love of sleep, chocolate, and books(!!!).

 picture found here

Happy Friday!

 picture found here

This is my 500th post, which is insane. I began writing this blog a little over a year ago, starting out with just a handful of readers. Now I have 100+ readers, which is also insane. (And not a little intimidating, I will admit.)

Thank you to those of you who have stuck with me through all the Lolcats, the favorite lists, and all the random rants. And as for my new readers, please leave me some comments so I can get to know you, too. :D

So it's Friday! (Yay!!!!1) And it's also Super Bowl weekend (Yawn.), which apparently has all of the male contingent very, very excited. The majority of my male high school students today were practically bouncing in their seats. Honestly, I hope the Saints win just because New Orleans has had it so rough -- they deserve some happiness. But otherwise I could care less. Basketball is more my thing...

Here's a little "Fill in the Blank" fun for you before I go, inspired by Lauren from the little things we do...  Happy Friday!

1.  If I had two hours to myself today, I'd spend it curled up in bed reading .

2.  If I could travel anywhere today, I would go to Paris, France .

3.  The night I first kissed Ricky (aka the love of my life)  is my happiest memory.

4.  Sometimes you're  focused  other times you're floating.

5.  Beauty is inside the hidden moments that no one else sees but you.

6.  I would be embarrassed if anyone knew that I don't drive and that in fact I HATE driving.

7.  Love at first sight is not something I believe in -- I think love is something that grows with time.

P.S.) I'm in the running to receive an educator's grant that will help me pay for my students' books. Please vote and help me win! Thanks!