Well, I am officially a substitute. I must say, it feels very strange to be on the other side of things. I've thought about how this job is actually quite counter to my personality. I am a total plan ahead, overachiever. With subbing though, I have no idea when I will teach. I don't know anything about the schools; I don't know where anything is and how to get there; I don't even know what grade I'll be teaching! When I signed up, I had no idea how competitive it would be. According to the district coordinator, there are NINE HUNDRED substitutes in their system.This has led to me only seeing two jobs even listed in the past nine days.
I had my first and only assignment thus far on Wednesday. It was a second grade class and the whole team had subs because the grade was having a "data day." Lucky for me, that meant I was able to talk to the teacher at the beginning of the day because they were on campus. It was also picture day, but she was there for that too. The day wasn't what I would call "fun," as Jamie asked me, but it was manageable. The sub plans said the class was supposed to go to the library for half an hour, but there was a mixup, so I had to fill in that time myself. Good thing I've actually taught before and brought along an emergency sub kit (containing books, games & post-its!) so I was able to fill that time. I was wondering, as the day went on, how non-certified subs make it through. Granted, I didn't do any actual "teaching"-- except one on one assistance-- but just knowing the little things that make a day run smoothly from my own experience was extremely helpful. The kids were sweet, but they were so noisy. I definitely had some deja vu, at times, from my own teaching days! Any class is manageable for a day though, at least after everything I've handled in my short four years.
I hope that my job volume picks up, or it's going to be a lonnnnng school year. If you know anyone that teaches in Lexington One, please let them know about me, so they can request me! That seems like it may be my only chance of really getting in there. I'm also looking maybe for tutoring/ babysitting/daycare opportunities, or anything else educational, so if you have any suggestions, let me know. I don't like being unemployed, mostly from the money standpoint, but also from the being bored standpoint. Although, it is way too easy to get used to not working!
Continuing on the career subject, I took the Praxis a couple of weeks ago to get certified as a reading teacher. Those scored come back mid-month, so I really hope to add that certification to my certificate! I'm betting on that either allowing me another job path, or just putting my resume at the top of others who are just certified in EC. I also babysat a couple of times for the first time in years, which was fun.
There are just so many possibilities out there, I hope God leads me where he wants me to go soon!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
Adventures in Couponing: CVS
Today was my first try at couponing for CVS. Honestly, it was a bit confusing. Not everything that was in the ad was clearly marked in the store and some products were beside sale labels that weren't actually on sale. Because of that, I ended up having to do some refunds/exchanges, so it took a bit longer than I anticipated. However, I ended up with some pretty good deals:
(2) U by Kotex Liners 60 ct
(2) Softsoap hand pumps 8-8.5 oz
(3) Stride Shaun White Whitemint 14 ct
Spent: $11.13
Saved: $11.12
The savings includes $6 in Extracare bucks, which I can use on my next CVS purchase.
I also had coupons for every item except for the gum, which really helped.
I did pretty well at Target and Publix too, with not a lot of items bought, but a good percentage of savings:
TARGET
(1) Olay Classic Foaming Facial Cleanser
(1) Nivea Touch of Sparkle Women's Body Wash
(1) Crest ProHealth Sensitive + Enamel 6 oz w/Bonus sample & savings booklet
Spent: $6.48
Saved: $6.24
I had coupons for each of these items.
PUBLIX
(1) PF Changs for Two
(1) head of Iceberg Lettuce
(2) Cucumbers
(3) Tomatoes on the Vine
(1) Wishbone Dressing
(1) Vlasic Stackers
(1) Emerald Nuts
(3) Uncle Ben's Ready Rice
(1) Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice
(1) Coke 1.25 liters
Spent: $19.83
Saved: $16.61
Good savings today! Yahoo!
(2) U by Kotex Liners 60 ct
(2) Softsoap hand pumps 8-8.5 oz
(3) Stride Shaun White Whitemint 14 ct
Spent: $11.13
Saved: $11.12
The savings includes $6 in Extracare bucks, which I can use on my next CVS purchase.
I also had coupons for every item except for the gum, which really helped.
I did pretty well at Target and Publix too, with not a lot of items bought, but a good percentage of savings:
TARGET
(1) Olay Classic Foaming Facial Cleanser
(1) Nivea Touch of Sparkle Women's Body Wash
(1) Crest ProHealth Sensitive + Enamel 6 oz w/Bonus sample & savings booklet
Spent: $6.48
Saved: $6.24
I had coupons for each of these items.
PUBLIX
(1) PF Changs for Two
(1) head of Iceberg Lettuce
(2) Cucumbers
(3) Tomatoes on the Vine
(1) Wishbone Dressing
(1) Vlasic Stackers
(1) Emerald Nuts
(3) Uncle Ben's Ready Rice
(1) Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice
(1) Coke 1.25 liters
Spent: $19.83
Saved: $16.61
Good savings today! Yahoo!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
New TV Review: New Girl, Revenge, Whitney
Have I mentioned how much I LOVE tv premiere month?!
New Girl, Fox Tuesday @ 9 ; Whitney, NBC Thursday @ 9:30
I put these two together because they are both single female lead comedies. New Girl basically hinges on whether or not you like Zooey Deschanel. If you like her, you'll like the show, and vice versa. I happen to be a big fan, so I really enjoyed the show. She's such a dorky, relatable character (at least for me) and the laughs were effortless. I think it's a really good followup to Glee.
Whitney, on the other hand took a little more warming up for me. It's shot in front of a live audience, which most sitcoms don't do anymore, so it gives it a completely different feel. The lead, Whitney Cummings, is coming from the world of Chelsea Handler and stand up comedy. Sometimes I felt like I was watching stand up, with one liners being flown from every direction, instead of a seamless story. It was sometimes funny, but I think they were trying much too hard.
Unfortunately, comedies focused on a single woman don't seem to last very long (Jenny; Kristin; Samantha Who?), so I hope at least one of these makes it to next season! If I had to pick only one, it would be New Girl, but I'm going to give Whitney another chance too.
Revenge, ABC Wednesday @ 10
I originally wanted to watch this just out of pure curiosity, but now I am SO excited about this show. It reminded me somewhat of The OC, in the fact that it was taking quite a storied place (The Hamptons) and imagining the lives of those there. It's scandalous and slightly trashy, but also very suspenseful. I'm already invested in the storyline and wondering what happened to Emily Thorn's father. As opposed to new show Ringer that I reviewed last week, these writers did a much better job introducing and establishing characters and plot that are somewhat complicated. I will definitely be tuning in next week!
Did anybody watch any of these shows this week? What did you think?
New Girl, Fox Tuesday @ 9 ; Whitney, NBC Thursday @ 9:30
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Whitney, on the other hand took a little more warming up for me. It's shot in front of a live audience, which most sitcoms don't do anymore, so it gives it a completely different feel. The lead, Whitney Cummings, is coming from the world of Chelsea Handler and stand up comedy. Sometimes I felt like I was watching stand up, with one liners being flown from every direction, instead of a seamless story. It was sometimes funny, but I think they were trying much too hard.Unfortunately, comedies focused on a single woman don't seem to last very long (Jenny; Kristin; Samantha Who?), so I hope at least one of these makes it to next season! If I had to pick only one, it would be New Girl, but I'm going to give Whitney another chance too.
Revenge, ABC Wednesday @ 10
I originally wanted to watch this just out of pure curiosity, but now I am SO excited about this show. It reminded me somewhat of The OC, in the fact that it was taking quite a storied place (The Hamptons) and imagining the lives of those there. It's scandalous and slightly trashy, but also very suspenseful. I'm already invested in the storyline and wondering what happened to Emily Thorn's father. As opposed to new show Ringer that I reviewed last week, these writers did a much better job introducing and establishing characters and plot that are somewhat complicated. I will definitely be tuning in next week!
Did anybody watch any of these shows this week? What did you think?
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
A cappella madness!
In honor of the advent of the third season of The Sing Off, I think it's time for some a cappella blogging!
For those that met me post-college, you may or may not know I was a founding member of USC's female a cappella group Cocktails. It was the most awesome experience and sometimes I want to go back to college just so I can be in the group again! I even pulled out some of our old DVDs to watch this summer, and channeled my inner diva during karaoke this summer ("Rolling in the Deep" anyone?). I wish there were enough alum around Columbia to start another group. If you'd like to check out the current incarnation of the group, they have tons of videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Cocktailsacappella
Here is one of my favorites:
On to The Sing Off -- this is THE coolest thing to happen to a cappella. I am so excited that they expanded it into a full season this year instead of just a holiday miniseries. This competition has done so much to further the awareness of a cappella. The only thing that bothers me is that they keep referring to it as "voices only," which is technically correct, but I think people can learn a new vocabulary word.
As I was watching last night, I was trying to pinpoint why this show (other than the obvious reasons) seems so different from other singing reality competitions. I decided that this show is completely positive. They don't show the groups during auditions, and thus ridicule them (which is key since many college groups have frequently rotating members). They allow all the groups to sit by the stage and watch each other. The groups are all incredibly supportive of each other, standing ovations and all. I think this gives it a different feel from all of the others.
I really enjoyed most of the first eight groups. Yellowjackets, AfroBlue and Vocal Point more than represented for the college scene. As for Delilah, I was kind of annoyed at first that previous contestants were back, but then I found out they were all in college when they performed before, and have now formed an alumni group, so it's okay :-) I was pleased to finally see a group (Urban Method) do a rap song, which was decent. I only disagreed with one of the choices they sent home: Kinfolk 9 should have been eliminated instead of Cat's Pajamas. I'm going to wait to pick a favorite until the second bracket performs next week.
Oh, and the addition of Sara Barielles is STELLAR. I called that from the first season. She was in a group at UCLA and I actually have a recording of her singing "Gravity" with her group Awaken. I'm pretty sure that was the first recorded incarnation of the song. Anyway, I'm glad they put someone with true a cappella ties on the panel.
Well, that's my schpiel for the moment. Did you watch? Who was your favorite? What did you think of Sara? Comments please!
For those that met me post-college, you may or may not know I was a founding member of USC's female a cappella group Cocktails. It was the most awesome experience and sometimes I want to go back to college just so I can be in the group again! I even pulled out some of our old DVDs to watch this summer, and channeled my inner diva during karaoke this summer ("Rolling in the Deep" anyone?). I wish there were enough alum around Columbia to start another group. If you'd like to check out the current incarnation of the group, they have tons of videos on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/Cocktailsacappella
Here is one of my favorites:
On to The Sing Off -- this is THE coolest thing to happen to a cappella. I am so excited that they expanded it into a full season this year instead of just a holiday miniseries. This competition has done so much to further the awareness of a cappella. The only thing that bothers me is that they keep referring to it as "voices only," which is technically correct, but I think people can learn a new vocabulary word.
As I was watching last night, I was trying to pinpoint why this show (other than the obvious reasons) seems so different from other singing reality competitions. I decided that this show is completely positive. They don't show the groups during auditions, and thus ridicule them (which is key since many college groups have frequently rotating members). They allow all the groups to sit by the stage and watch each other. The groups are all incredibly supportive of each other, standing ovations and all. I think this gives it a different feel from all of the others.
I really enjoyed most of the first eight groups. Yellowjackets, AfroBlue and Vocal Point more than represented for the college scene. As for Delilah, I was kind of annoyed at first that previous contestants were back, but then I found out they were all in college when they performed before, and have now formed an alumni group, so it's okay :-) I was pleased to finally see a group (Urban Method) do a rap song, which was decent. I only disagreed with one of the choices they sent home: Kinfolk 9 should have been eliminated instead of Cat's Pajamas. I'm going to wait to pick a favorite until the second bracket performs next week.
Oh, and the addition of Sara Barielles is STELLAR. I called that from the first season. She was in a group at UCLA and I actually have a recording of her singing "Gravity" with her group Awaken. I'm pretty sure that was the first recorded incarnation of the song. Anyway, I'm glad they put someone with true a cappella ties on the panel.
Well, that's my schpiel for the moment. Did you watch? Who was your favorite? What did you think of Sara? Comments please!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
New TV Review: Ringer, Up All Night
Two new television shows premiered this week to big hype, so I thought I'd write some musings on both.
Ringer The CW, Tuesday @ 9 pm
I mainly decided to watch this show because everyone was so excited about it, and the concept seemed fairly intriguing, if somewhat confusing. Well, I ended with mixed emotions. At first, I was actually kind of bored. There was so much going on and I couldn't figure out who was who. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays twins on the show, and when both sisters were on screen at the same time, the photoshopping/green screening was so obvious that it became distracting. The backgrounds during some scenes were also clearly created from a computer, especially when they were on a boat. I'm hoping they fired the technical director from the pilot and maybe it will get better. I just wasn't that invested in the what was going on... then the last five minutes happened. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who still wants to check it out, but those last few minutes will make me at least give the next couple of episodes a shot. ** Sidenote: ABC Family is doing the twins switching places concept much better right now with The Lying Game. I recommend checking that one out (Mon @ 8).
Up All Night NBC, Wednesday @ 8 pm
Let me just start by saying that this will be coming on opposite one of my favorite shows, The Middle. However, the pilot premiered after America's Got Talent last night, so I was able to watch it. I was very excited for this premiere, based on actors alone: Christina Applegate (loved Samantha Who) and Will Arnett. How can you go wrong? Jamie watched this one along with me, and I think it's safe to say we both enjoyed it. It had laugh out loud moments, which I think will increase and I think lots of people will be able to relate. Obviously I'm not a parent yet, but I know enough of them to know how true to life these situations are. Maya Rudolph as the over the top talk show host (Applegate's boss) is just an added bonus. I am hoping this show will be On Demand because I will definitely watch it again. You should too!
Did anybody else watch? What did you think?
Ringer The CW, Tuesday @ 9 pm
I mainly decided to watch this show because everyone was so excited about it, and the concept seemed fairly intriguing, if somewhat confusing. Well, I ended with mixed emotions. At first, I was actually kind of bored. There was so much going on and I couldn't figure out who was who. Sarah Michelle Gellar plays twins on the show, and when both sisters were on screen at the same time, the photoshopping/green screening was so obvious that it became distracting. The backgrounds during some scenes were also clearly created from a computer, especially when they were on a boat. I'm hoping they fired the technical director from the pilot and maybe it will get better. I just wasn't that invested in the what was going on... then the last five minutes happened. I'm not going to spoil it for anyone who still wants to check it out, but those last few minutes will make me at least give the next couple of episodes a shot. ** Sidenote: ABC Family is doing the twins switching places concept much better right now with The Lying Game. I recommend checking that one out (Mon @ 8).
Let me just start by saying that this will be coming on opposite one of my favorite shows, The Middle. However, the pilot premiered after America's Got Talent last night, so I was able to watch it. I was very excited for this premiere, based on actors alone: Christina Applegate (loved Samantha Who) and Will Arnett. How can you go wrong? Jamie watched this one along with me, and I think it's safe to say we both enjoyed it. It had laugh out loud moments, which I think will increase and I think lots of people will be able to relate. Obviously I'm not a parent yet, but I know enough of them to know how true to life these situations are. Maya Rudolph as the over the top talk show host (Applegate's boss) is just an added bonus. I am hoping this show will be On Demand because I will definitely watch it again. You should too!
Did anybody else watch? What did you think?
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Chart Flashback
I was reading Entertainment Weekly this morning and came across their Billboard chart flashback from this week in 1999. I'd like to share that I proudly own nine of these ten songs!
1. Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos"
2. TLC "Unpretty"
3. LFO "Summer Girls"
4. Christina Aguilera "Genie in a Bottle"
5. Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines "Lost in You"
6. Santana f/Rob Thomas "Smooth"
7. Smash Mouth "All Star"
8. 702 "Where my Girls At?"
9. Destiny's Child "Bills Bills Bills"
10. Sugar Ray "Someday"
My faves: "Bills Bills Bills"- I bought the single of this and WORE IT OUT
"Smooth"- Still makes me wanna dance (and we all know I don't like to)
"Genie in a Bottle- Hello? It's Christina!
Any guesses as to the song I don't own?
1. Enrique Iglesias "Bailamos"
2. TLC "Unpretty"
3. LFO "Summer Girls"
4. Christina Aguilera "Genie in a Bottle"
5. Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines "Lost in You"
6. Santana f/Rob Thomas "Smooth"
7. Smash Mouth "All Star"
8. 702 "Where my Girls At?"
9. Destiny's Child "Bills Bills Bills"
10. Sugar Ray "Someday"
My faves: "Bills Bills Bills"- I bought the single of this and WORE IT OUT
"Smooth"- Still makes me wanna dance (and we all know I don't like to)
"Genie in a Bottle- Hello? It's Christina!
Any guesses as to the song I don't own?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Reasons Why...
This weekend rocked!
- Out of town excursion: Lake Keowee in Seneca
- Old friend sightings: We stayed in a friend's parents' lake house. Many of these friends I hadn't seen since our wedding!
- Gamecocks win: Wasn't the prettiest win, but we pulled it out
- Birthday cake: Ivy's birthday provided an excuse for homemade vanilla cake with chocolate icing. Yum!
- Bonfire: Fun times sitting out at night around the fire swapping stories
- Grilling: Hot dogs and zucchini are more fun when they're grilled!
- Sitting on the dock of the... lake: fun in the sun
Family Ties Part II
This summer I spent a ridiculous amount of time with my Netflix Instant Viewing account. One of the things I watched was the entire series of Family Ties. That's right, all seven seasons. After Jamie came in several nights in a row to me watching, he inquired as to why I was watching this particular show. Then I reminded him that Family Ties debuted in 1983... I wasn't born until the next year. Therefore, I had never actually seen an episode of the show. My mom had happened to mention that she thought I would enjoy the show, so when I saw it was on Instant Viewing, I decided to give it a try.
The first couple of episodes were a little slow going, but I quickly got wrapped up in the characters and stories. I like that so much of the day to day of it involves the politics of the parents vs. the children. I can't really think of any shows that handle that so much today. It's also a clever, funny show. So many times, I go back and watch old 'family' shows and they're just so much cheesier than I remember (I'm looking at you Full House!). Thankfully, this show does not fall into that category. I also enjoyed the fact that it had so many actors "before they were famous." Geena Davis, Courtney Cox, Tom Hanks, and even a five-year-old Joseph Gordon Levitt graced the screen during the years. There was also a really quirky casting choice that I don't think could ever happen now: the same actor played FIVE different characters through different seasons. It was always a background role, but viewers would call out producers in two seconds if they ever tried to do that now. And obviously it was more apparent to me since I was watching the seasons within days, and not years. Still interesting though.
As I watched, I tried to think what show in the 90's or 2000's would compare to Family Ties. What I came up with was Home Improvement, which made sense to me, since that used to be my favorite! There were no political undercurrents, but the feel of the show and the family situations and issues were very similar. Which brings me to this picture....
"Entertainment Weekly" is doing a reunions issue and Home Improvement happens to be one of the shows featured. I am SUPER excited about it, because I used to be obsessed with Jonathan Taylor Thomas. This photo shoot was apparently the first time the rest of the cast had seen him since he left the show in 1998.
In honor of his reappearance and 30th birthday, the website TooFab! did a photo gallery of 90's heartthrobs then and now, so I would like to share:
Teen Idols- Then and Now
Enjoy! Who were your faves?
The first couple of episodes were a little slow going, but I quickly got wrapped up in the characters and stories. I like that so much of the day to day of it involves the politics of the parents vs. the children. I can't really think of any shows that handle that so much today. It's also a clever, funny show. So many times, I go back and watch old 'family' shows and they're just so much cheesier than I remember (I'm looking at you Full House!). Thankfully, this show does not fall into that category. I also enjoyed the fact that it had so many actors "before they were famous." Geena Davis, Courtney Cox, Tom Hanks, and even a five-year-old Joseph Gordon Levitt graced the screen during the years. There was also a really quirky casting choice that I don't think could ever happen now: the same actor played FIVE different characters through different seasons. It was always a background role, but viewers would call out producers in two seconds if they ever tried to do that now. And obviously it was more apparent to me since I was watching the seasons within days, and not years. Still interesting though.
As I watched, I tried to think what show in the 90's or 2000's would compare to Family Ties. What I came up with was Home Improvement, which made sense to me, since that used to be my favorite! There were no political undercurrents, but the feel of the show and the family situations and issues were very similar. Which brings me to this picture....
"Entertainment Weekly" is doing a reunions issue and Home Improvement happens to be one of the shows featured. I am SUPER excited about it, because I used to be obsessed with Jonathan Taylor Thomas. This photo shoot was apparently the first time the rest of the cast had seen him since he left the show in 1998.
In honor of his reappearance and 30th birthday, the website TooFab! did a photo gallery of 90's heartthrobs then and now, so I would like to share:
Teen Idols- Then and Now
Enjoy! Who were your faves?
Monday, September 12, 2011
I'm Audi 5000...
Here is the newest member of the Cashatt household. Jamie traded in the Audi for a BMW. The only stipulation from me is that the car payment be less than his previous one. Mission accomplished!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Bookworm!
One perk of not having a job to prepare for this summer has been that I've actually gotten to read! I seriously haven't read this much (for fun) since I was in college. I averaged about a book a week. Here is a list, along with a few thoughts of what I've read in the past three months.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Best book of the summer! To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and once I heard people comparing the two, I knew I must read it. The themes of this story are so universal and the 1960's are one of the most interesting time periods in history to me. I can't really say enough to do this story justice, so if you haven't read it yet, go do yourself a favor!
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
These books were by far the most exciting. There was hardly ever a dull moment (except maybe in the third one). Perfect summer reads in my opinion. I flew through these books, hardly able to put each down once I started it. Definitely recommended!
Girls in Pants and Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
These are the third and fourth books in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I read the previous two a few years ago and had never finished the series, until now. As I was reading them, especially the fourth one, I felt a profound sense of deja vu and couldn't figure out why, but later found out the second movie was based on these two books. (Whew!) These are also fun summer reads, and make me feel like a teenager again :-)
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Okay, I think this may be one of those love it or hate it books, and I can't say that I loved it. I found the main character to be very unlikable (and don't you want to like the protagonist?) and annoying. I also disagreed many of her views on religion and spirituality. She seemed to come from the point of there being a universal God and one can get there however they please. Can't say that I was pleased about that. That said, I enjoyed maybe the last fifty or so pages of the book, when she actually did something for somebody else. Still, I wouldn't really recommend this book. I actually liked the movie better (weird!).
Others I read:
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Alborn- Reminded me of my dad. Read it in a day.
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock- Young adult novel with some Romeo and Juliet-ish subtext. Would like to read the sequel.
Monkey Town by Ronald Kidd- Historical fiction about the Scopes Monkey Trial from a teenage point of view. First book I read this summer, which set a nice tone.
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd- Only one word for this book: strange. Go read The Secret Life of Bees instead!
That's it for now. Leave your own recommendations or tell us what you read this summer in the comments below!
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Best book of the summer! To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and once I heard people comparing the two, I knew I must read it. The themes of this story are so universal and the 1960's are one of the most interesting time periods in history to me. I can't really say enough to do this story justice, so if you haven't read it yet, go do yourself a favor!
The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins
These books were by far the most exciting. There was hardly ever a dull moment (except maybe in the third one). Perfect summer reads in my opinion. I flew through these books, hardly able to put each down once I started it. Definitely recommended!
Girls in Pants and Forever in Blue by Ann Brashares
These are the third and fourth books in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I read the previous two a few years ago and had never finished the series, until now. As I was reading them, especially the fourth one, I felt a profound sense of deja vu and couldn't figure out why, but later found out the second movie was based on these two books. (Whew!) These are also fun summer reads, and make me feel like a teenager again :-)
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Okay, I think this may be one of those love it or hate it books, and I can't say that I loved it. I found the main character to be very unlikable (and don't you want to like the protagonist?) and annoying. I also disagreed many of her views on religion and spirituality. She seemed to come from the point of there being a universal God and one can get there however they please. Can't say that I was pleased about that. That said, I enjoyed maybe the last fifty or so pages of the book, when she actually did something for somebody else. Still, I wouldn't really recommend this book. I actually liked the movie better (weird!).
Others I read:
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Alborn- Reminded me of my dad. Read it in a day.
Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock- Young adult novel with some Romeo and Juliet-ish subtext. Would like to read the sequel.
Monkey Town by Ronald Kidd- Historical fiction about the Scopes Monkey Trial from a teenage point of view. First book I read this summer, which set a nice tone.
The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd- Only one word for this book: strange. Go read The Secret Life of Bees instead!
That's it for now. Leave your own recommendations or tell us what you read this summer in the comments below!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Parents and Teachers, Teachers and Parents
My news feed was blowing up last night with people posting this CNN article, so before you read my musings, check it out if you haven't already:
What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents
I don't know that I have a ton to add, but I really agree with a lot of what he's saying. And unfortunately, I've had to deal with most of the situations he writes about. I resigned from my school of four years for a myriad of reasons (which I won't air here), but parental issues were definitely a contributing factor.
EXCUSES: Parents are full of them. I understand the need to protect a child, I really do. However, not allowing students to take responsibility for their own actions is NOT helping them. They will grow up thinking someone is always going to bail them out for mistakes and wrong choices. I can't even begin to count how many parental excuses I've heard. My favorite is when a child would get in trouble for not being able to keep his hands to himself and it was always another child's fault. Then I get to explain ever so nicely, how the first child is actually the instigator the majority of the time. UGH.
PROSECUTOR: These were my least favorite parent interactions. The parent whose child accused me of telling her to "get your a** in line." The parent whose child accused me of "bullying" her, then told the mom not to say anything. The parent, seriously misinformed, who emailed the district office and told them I "lost" her child and didn't know where he was. The parent who claimed his child was being bullied by other students, even though it was the other way around. I could go on and on and on.
EGGSHELLS: Honestly, I wasn't too happy when parents came to visit during the school day. Most of them didn't want to help, they just wanted to sit and stare and point out things that the other students were doing wrong. Talk about walking on eggshells! I'm a nervous person anyway, so that didn't really help much.
The bottom line is, teachers teach because we WANT to. We are not out to "get" your student. We want to teach them as much as we can, without being torn apart for every decision we make. It makes me cringe when I see acquaintances on Facebook complaining about their child's teacher. If they even had an inkling of what that teacher goes through in a normal day, they would think twice about airing their grievances-- at least I hope they would.
I didn't really mean to unload like this, but I applaud Ron Clark for having the courage to speak out about this. And for giving me the courage too!
Teachers? Thoughts?
What Teachers Really Want to Tell Parents
I don't know that I have a ton to add, but I really agree with a lot of what he's saying. And unfortunately, I've had to deal with most of the situations he writes about. I resigned from my school of four years for a myriad of reasons (which I won't air here), but parental issues were definitely a contributing factor.
EXCUSES: Parents are full of them. I understand the need to protect a child, I really do. However, not allowing students to take responsibility for their own actions is NOT helping them. They will grow up thinking someone is always going to bail them out for mistakes and wrong choices. I can't even begin to count how many parental excuses I've heard. My favorite is when a child would get in trouble for not being able to keep his hands to himself and it was always another child's fault. Then I get to explain ever so nicely, how the first child is actually the instigator the majority of the time. UGH.
PROSECUTOR: These were my least favorite parent interactions. The parent whose child accused me of telling her to "get your a** in line." The parent whose child accused me of "bullying" her, then told the mom not to say anything. The parent, seriously misinformed, who emailed the district office and told them I "lost" her child and didn't know where he was. The parent who claimed his child was being bullied by other students, even though it was the other way around. I could go on and on and on.
EGGSHELLS: Honestly, I wasn't too happy when parents came to visit during the school day. Most of them didn't want to help, they just wanted to sit and stare and point out things that the other students were doing wrong. Talk about walking on eggshells! I'm a nervous person anyway, so that didn't really help much.
The bottom line is, teachers teach because we WANT to. We are not out to "get" your student. We want to teach them as much as we can, without being torn apart for every decision we make. It makes me cringe when I see acquaintances on Facebook complaining about their child's teacher. If they even had an inkling of what that teacher goes through in a normal day, they would think twice about airing their grievances-- at least I hope they would.
I didn't really mean to unload like this, but I applaud Ron Clark for having the courage to speak out about this. And for giving me the courage too!
Teachers? Thoughts?
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Adventures in Couponing
I've been wanting to write about couponing, but wasn't sure how to approach it. However, after today's haul, I have to share!
For me, couponing goes all the way back to when I was little. My dad used to do the grocery shopping for our family and he ALWAYS had coupons. I remember him cutting out stacks and his little coupon folder he had-- and now that I think about it, it occurs to me that I may have the same one! I have no idea about his strategies: stacking coupons, matching sales, etc, I just remember the kitchen bar being covered in coupons!
So, I guess it was inevitable I would end up in the world of couponing. Back around March or so, I randomly started receiving coupons in the mail. I still don't know how it happened, but that started the ball rolling. At that point, I was only shopping at Wal-Mart. It's across the street from our house, and I am all about convenience, plus the fact that's where I had done all my grocery shopping since I went to college. A few weeks later, I started to look around at "Southern Savers," which I had heard much about. There I discovered printable coupons! I honestly didn't know there was such a thing, but it was an exciting discovery. For the next couple of months, I used them when they matched stuff already on my list. I had read that grocery stores were really the way to go, but didn't have the time to match up everything during the school year.
In June though, with the prospect of no job, I decided to get serious about saving. I chose Publix as my store because that is where I had heard the most people talk about saving a ton. Kroger pops up every once in a while too. My weekly grocery budget is about $75 and it is amazing how much farther I can stretch that now!
Here are some things I do to get the most out of my saving.
1. Keep a running spreadsheet of Walmart prices to make sure something that is "on sale" somewhere else can't be bought at a cheaper price there.
2. Sign up for the Southern Savers "Coupon Advisory" newsletter. She sends out a list of new printable coupons daily so I never miss one!
3. I have two lists: one for Publix, which consists of ONLY things on sale, and I try to have coupons for as many of those things as possible; the other list is of needs, things we've run out of, and I get those at Walmart, because they'll be cheaper than something not on sale at Publix. Some weeks, such as this one, I have an extra list for Kroger. I only go there if they have super cheap deals or a large number of items on sale I would buy. Since I do my shopping all in one day, it's kind of out of the way and not worth it otherwise.
For proof of savings, check out what I got at Publix this week:
1 Breyer's Blast Ice Cream
1 Mott's Strawberry Applesauce 6 pk
2 Bird's Eye Steamfresh Frozen Vegetables
2 Boxes of Cheez Its
1 Box of Wheat Thins
5 Bags of Chex Mix
2 Tomatoes
4 Kraft Salad Dressings
4 V8 Splashes
2 Jars of Mt. Olive Pickles
3 12 pack bottles of Lipton Citrus Green Tea
PAID: $35. 68
SAVED: $52. 79
That's 60 %! $39.79 of those savings came strictly from the items being on sale. I had $13.00 worth of coupons.
If you want to try couponing too-- and I highly recommend it!-- here is what you should do.
1. Go to SouthernSavers.com. At the top, click on her "Learn to Coupon" tab. That is really all the basic information you need to get started. She even has some videos, if things aren't clear. Make sure you sign up for the "Coupon Advisory" and "Daily Deals" newsletters. This way, you don't have to constantly check the site to see what's new.
2. Pick one store to focus on-- I am partial to Publix. I NEVER shopped there before I started couponing because they were so expensive. Their "buy one get one free" sales can't be beat though! And the cool thing about those is that you don't have to buy two. You can buy one and get it half price.
3. Remember that most grocery stores (not Food Lion) will double all coupons up to 50 cents. That means you can get a dollar off one item if your coupon is for 50 cents. I have also heard that Bi Lo is now doubling coupons up to 60 cents, but haven't tried it out for myself.
4. DON'T buy it just because you have a coupon for it! I made that mistake a little at first, but quickly corrected it.
Anyway, although it takes some time, it's SO worth it! I get so excited about grocery shopping now, knowing that I'm saving so much money! It took me about six weeks to start saving more than I was spending, and just about every week I do that now at Publix. I am by no means an expert, but if you have any questions, please let me know and I will be happy to help! Happy couponing!
For me, couponing goes all the way back to when I was little. My dad used to do the grocery shopping for our family and he ALWAYS had coupons. I remember him cutting out stacks and his little coupon folder he had-- and now that I think about it, it occurs to me that I may have the same one! I have no idea about his strategies: stacking coupons, matching sales, etc, I just remember the kitchen bar being covered in coupons!
So, I guess it was inevitable I would end up in the world of couponing. Back around March or so, I randomly started receiving coupons in the mail. I still don't know how it happened, but that started the ball rolling. At that point, I was only shopping at Wal-Mart. It's across the street from our house, and I am all about convenience, plus the fact that's where I had done all my grocery shopping since I went to college. A few weeks later, I started to look around at "Southern Savers," which I had heard much about. There I discovered printable coupons! I honestly didn't know there was such a thing, but it was an exciting discovery. For the next couple of months, I used them when they matched stuff already on my list. I had read that grocery stores were really the way to go, but didn't have the time to match up everything during the school year.
In June though, with the prospect of no job, I decided to get serious about saving. I chose Publix as my store because that is where I had heard the most people talk about saving a ton. Kroger pops up every once in a while too. My weekly grocery budget is about $75 and it is amazing how much farther I can stretch that now!
Here are some things I do to get the most out of my saving.
1. Keep a running spreadsheet of Walmart prices to make sure something that is "on sale" somewhere else can't be bought at a cheaper price there.
2. Sign up for the Southern Savers "Coupon Advisory" newsletter. She sends out a list of new printable coupons daily so I never miss one!
3. I have two lists: one for Publix, which consists of ONLY things on sale, and I try to have coupons for as many of those things as possible; the other list is of needs, things we've run out of, and I get those at Walmart, because they'll be cheaper than something not on sale at Publix. Some weeks, such as this one, I have an extra list for Kroger. I only go there if they have super cheap deals or a large number of items on sale I would buy. Since I do my shopping all in one day, it's kind of out of the way and not worth it otherwise.
For proof of savings, check out what I got at Publix this week:
1 Breyer's Blast Ice Cream
1 Mott's Strawberry Applesauce 6 pk
2 Bird's Eye Steamfresh Frozen Vegetables
2 Boxes of Cheez Its
1 Box of Wheat Thins
5 Bags of Chex Mix
2 Tomatoes
4 Kraft Salad Dressings
4 V8 Splashes
2 Jars of Mt. Olive Pickles
3 12 pack bottles of Lipton Citrus Green Tea
PAID: $35. 68
SAVED: $52. 79
That's 60 %! $39.79 of those savings came strictly from the items being on sale. I had $13.00 worth of coupons.
If you want to try couponing too-- and I highly recommend it!-- here is what you should do.
1. Go to SouthernSavers.com. At the top, click on her "Learn to Coupon" tab. That is really all the basic information you need to get started. She even has some videos, if things aren't clear. Make sure you sign up for the "Coupon Advisory" and "Daily Deals" newsletters. This way, you don't have to constantly check the site to see what's new.
2. Pick one store to focus on-- I am partial to Publix. I NEVER shopped there before I started couponing because they were so expensive. Their "buy one get one free" sales can't be beat though! And the cool thing about those is that you don't have to buy two. You can buy one and get it half price.
3. Remember that most grocery stores (not Food Lion) will double all coupons up to 50 cents. That means you can get a dollar off one item if your coupon is for 50 cents. I have also heard that Bi Lo is now doubling coupons up to 60 cents, but haven't tried it out for myself.
4. DON'T buy it just because you have a coupon for it! I made that mistake a little at first, but quickly corrected it.
Anyway, although it takes some time, it's SO worth it! I get so excited about grocery shopping now, knowing that I'm saving so much money! It took me about six weeks to start saving more than I was spending, and just about every week I do that now at Publix. I am by no means an expert, but if you have any questions, please let me know and I will be happy to help! Happy couponing!
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