reedy's rambles

Dear Students,
I know how you feel. I know the breeze blowing in through the window carries the promise of spring and is asking for your hand. I know the blue sky seems more important than conjunctions. I know that bird staring in our window has more to say to you than this video on Africa. I too wish we could pack up our books and just go outside. I know how you feel. I really do. And I am so afraid to tell you, but someday you will know how I feel. And you'll have to stay inside too (at least for the next 2 hours and 35 minutes).
Love,
Ms. Reedy

I bought a couch this weekend. And a chair. With my tax refund. I have never had new furniture. My excitement is overwhelming. It will take 8 weeks to come in. The suspense is killing me.

Today I could go for a LaBamba burrito, a conversation with Szoke, a nap (with the windows cracked, burrowed under flannel sheets and heavy blankets), updates on random people (anyone know how April Murphy is doing?), topped off with a glass of wine and some lavender dark chocolate.

I can barely contain my excitement because I get to visit SoeYun in April, Sosa is (keep your fingers crossed) coming in May (shhh don't tell Joe), and we are going to Puerto Rico in July.

How I am keeping the winter blahs away:
Trying to fit some kind of pink into every outfit (it has become a game for me each morning),
"Spilling" a little Bailey's into my coffee and/or hot chocolate,
Calling my 89 year old Grandma just to gossip about our family (who she's seen dancing on her ceiling and who we speculate is having extra-marital relations),
Pretending that I live at the Botanical Gardens,
Planning (far off in the future) vacations, and
Drinking lemonade.

Laughing to myself today:
* Chewing clove gum reminds me of good times, and it makes me feel sneaky in my classroom
* We learned that Eros was the god of love, to me it is a gay club in Puerto Rico with sweaty male strippers.

Valentine's Day Tribute.

I started this blog a couple of minutes ago.

It was a tribute to my friends and what I love about each of them, but here's the thing, the main reasons were the same. I love them because they are firecely loyal. They know my faults and still love me. They can handle me when I am obnoxious, contemplative, inquisitive, or any combination and still love me. They've helped me out of ditched I've dug myself. They've trusted my decisions. They are people I am proud to be counted as their friends. I wouldn't trade them for the world and I would lay my life down for any of them, for all of them.

They live here in St. Louis, in Illinois, in Florida, and in Puerto Rico, and if they aren't your friends too, you should be extremely jealous of me.

In the Past Tense

Ate sushi
Browsed in an international grocery store
Looked at couches
Exchanged blenders
Walked around the park with my parents and dogs
Bought a new black shirt and khakis
Finished I Am David
Called my sister Theresa to ask her about sparkly Reeboks
Laughed when she called the shoes "ghetto fabulous"
Confused whether that was a good thing or not
Listened to Maroon 5 in the car with Dad
Talked about God with Joe
Sang along with Adam Duritz
Thought about this list
Realized today is complete.

Tonight I am making Key Lime bars and trying to not put myself to bed before 9:00 P.M. Missouri's website said that my refund check was issued today. I am so excited because I really could use the money. I am absolutely the worst at budgeting money. I have no financial sense whatsoever. I regret that. I regret that I didn't learn how to budget money at an early age. I wish that I was a saver. I really do.

Part of me is just so glad that take out retirement money without my permission (Missouri teachers have their own retirement fund, we don't pay into SS). I am also thankful for budget billing for my electric bill, although it does scare me that I am "86.75 behind in budget billing." They are so going to ask me to pay that someday soon. Also, I am so nervous that my car insurance is due in March again.

And all I can plan for? July's trip to PR, which was quoted in Glamour this month as the most blissful place on earth. When I in my excitement, mentioned this to my co-worker, she said, "Huh. That really surprises me." She just tried to irritate me. She makes these snide comments to everyone and then acts surprised if anyone's feelings are hurt.

Today, one of my students' vocabulary words was disciple, which was defined as "a follower of a teacher." A student mentioned that Jesus had 10 disciples. I corrected him that it was 12. He looked at me, and let me know that I was wrong because he knew that Jesus had 10 disciples. At this point, several students came to HIS rescue agreeing with him that they were all sure that Jesus had 10 disciples. One kid even said, "Ms. Reedy, my granny's got one of those pictures where all those disciple guys are sitting around Jesus where his head is all lit up, and I know there's 10 guys because she's had it forever, and I am always looking at it."

I sat down and proceeded to tell them that they were about to learn something new about Ms. Reedy. I told them I also had a degree in the Bible, and that I was absolutely, completely sure that Jesus had 12 disciples. My students looked puzzled at me, but accepted that Jesus must have 12 disciples (see that Lincoln degree was worth something). At this point another student looked at me and asked me, "Did you have to go to church a lot?" We all laughed and our discussion progressed to detest and despise and whether cauliflower was grosser than broccoli, which it is. It is a good thing that my attention span matches my students.