It was a good, although very busy week. We played our first official golf match Monday and my kids did great! They came in second by only one stroke so we have motivation this week! It was a fun match, we had rain and thunder and hail (yes, HAIL, in YUMA!) before we started but then the sun came out and it was actually pleasant to be outside. I walked the whole course, pulling my cooler, delivering water to the kiddos. Also, we had a ton of parents come out and walk the course with their golfers. One family even brought their three month old in a stroller, and their five year old, and just trailed their son - very cool!
It's been a very active week at school - we're getting ready for end-of-the-year assessments so I've been testing my kids' reading fluency speeds with daily three-minute drills which they've really gotten used to. We're also doing arts and crafts, aka poetry books. They've all written 29 various poems which they have to include in their book with a glossary of terms. This is worth 400 points (a totally random number I came up with) and they cannot pass our class without turning it in. We've been writing poems for over six weeks so it's a pretty big deal. I have a feeling there will be a few who don't turn one in and I have to steal myself to make those parent calls. Ah, parent calls, I had a rather unpleasant one this week. It's always fun to have a parent call you and yell at you rudely for treating their child horribly, because of course, as teachers, we treat all children horribly, we hate children, etc., etc. That's exactly why I work ten hour days trying to educate said children. Whatever.
Let's see, what else? Wednesday I actually got time to work in my classroom during the workday. This never happens. We've been having meetings and professional development every Wednesday (our kids go home two and a half hours before we do) since I can remember. So that was a nice change. I think I'm finally getting caught up from being gone on jury duty. Thank goodness!
Last night Ang and I saw Baby Mama, the new Tina Fey/Amy Poehler movie. It was very funny, well done and we saw it downtown for only $5 which was nice, with only four other people in the theater.
And then this morning Ang and I played golf at Mesa del Sol golf course with two guys from work. We had been asked to play in this charity outing benefiting a local child who has cancer. Our principal asked us to play, the school was going to get sponsors to show our school's support. With an entry fee of $500 per foursome, I was all for it! It was a beautiful day here, 68 when we got there and up to 96 by noon. They gave our impressive goodie bags (including my very own Sarah Farms t-shirt, I am pretty excited!), gave us a good Mexican lunch, and supplied breakfast and drinks all day. And it set me back only $4 for a bucket of balls this morning. Well worth it. Plus we had a lot of fun; we all played about the same and I had a lot of good shots. I even made a birdie on my own (it was a scramble) by hitting a tee shot on a par three about eighteen inches from the pin. Someday I'll get that hole-in-one, I will I will!
So those are just some tidbits from my week. I think things are going to go pretty fast from here on out. I give all you moms out there a hearty thank you from this particular kid because frankly, moms rock! All of you!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Sunday, May 04, 2008
UCLA here I come!
It's official folks, I'm going to UCLA in the fall.
I'm pretty excited. Nervous, sure, but excited. Way more excited than scared. At least I think so! Friday night when I got home from jury duty there it was: a large envelope. Yes, I'd already been rejected by UCLA once but that was the MFA program. Apparently I'd been accepted into their professional screenwriting program. All I had to do was sign the paperwork and send them a deposit. (I was glad not to have to resend all my supporting materials.)
So that's it, I'm enrolled. I think it's going to be a great opportunity. It's a year-long program, three quarters - fall, winter, and spring - from September to June. It's two nights a week, there's a lecture class and then a small group-type of class. At the end I'll get a certificate (there's even a ceremony) and walk away with two completed feature-length screenplays which is exactly what I want and need to break into this business.
So here we go folks, Ang is working on finding a school somewhere near UCLA (which is close to Beverly Hills if that helps you to locate it on the map) and I've been looking for apartments. Wish me luck!!!
I'm pretty excited. Nervous, sure, but excited. Way more excited than scared. At least I think so! Friday night when I got home from jury duty there it was: a large envelope. Yes, I'd already been rejected by UCLA once but that was the MFA program. Apparently I'd been accepted into their professional screenwriting program. All I had to do was sign the paperwork and send them a deposit. (I was glad not to have to resend all my supporting materials.)
So that's it, I'm enrolled. I think it's going to be a great opportunity. It's a year-long program, three quarters - fall, winter, and spring - from September to June. It's two nights a week, there's a lecture class and then a small group-type of class. At the end I'll get a certificate (there's even a ceremony) and walk away with two completed feature-length screenplays which is exactly what I want and need to break into this business.
So here we go folks, Ang is working on finding a school somewhere near UCLA (which is close to Beverly Hills if that helps you to locate it on the map) and I've been looking for apartments. Wish me luck!!!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
The Jury is In...Finally!
Three weeks, three full notebooks, eleven new friends, it's been quite an experience. And now that the admonition has been lifted, I can talk about it all. Not that anyone outside of the courtroom I've been in for three weeks really cares (and frankly a lot of us in that courtroom didn't care too much either).
I was Juror #4 on a civil case, a lawsuit, between a homeowners' association (a HOA as I quickly found out) and a developer. The HOA sued the developer because the condos built in the neighborhood did not look exactly like the condos that had been there for the past thirty years. They have been in litigation for over three years and as of last night, they could be in litigation for a while longer.
I haven't seen the condos in question because we were barred for going to the neighborhood however I have seen hundreds of photos. So many that by the end of the trial when the attorneys were quizzing various witnesses on which were old condos and which were new, I had the answer before the witness. In fact, I knew all the answers by that point, we all did. I was amazed by how much time was spent going over the same questions, over and over and over.
All through the trial we, as a jury talked, we talked about the evidence, we talked about the witnesses, we talked about the lawyers' haircuts and skirts, we talked about who we thought was lying and who we thought was telling the truth. We talked about our families, about where we were going for lunch, about what we'd seen on TV the night before, and what we did at our jobs. Within a very short period of time we knew a lot about each other. That was the great part about this whole experience.
It was also interesting seeing the inner workings of the legal system, especially when you combine personalities and real people's lives. There were times when the judge had to remind the attorneys to keep their tempers in check, there were times when the lawyers stumbled over their words, when the judge seemed to fall asleep, when the bailiff had to tell the plaintiff not to mumble curse words that the jury could hear, when the judge who had a habit of rocking back and forth in his chair nearly knocked down the flag behind him.
While it wasn't as exciting as most episodes of Law & Order, it did have a few moments. I liked watching the faces of the plaintiffs when a witness would get up on the stand and tell a story that completely contradicted what they had testified too. It was a game we played to keep ourselves awake, who's telling the truth today and who's not quite remembering it all. Then there was the moment, a week ago Thursday when the plaintiff rested and the defense attorney stood up and asked the judge for a direct verdict. That was the moment, had this been a movie, when every head in the courtroom would have swiveled around and said, "What?!?!?!" The jury was ushered out quickly and that afternoon the defense began. There would be no direct verdict for us, no matter how much we hoped and prayed at lunch that day.
We started as a jury of 12 but then Thursday morning we were reduced to 11. Juror #5 who sat next to me the entire time went to the hospital with a possible heart attack. He has severe back problems but had been managing his pain well and was very intent on doing his civic duty. Friday morning he called our bailiff and begged to come back in to finish the job. She couldn't allow him to do that but she did let us know he was doing well (blood pressure medicine snafu) and wanted to tell us how glad he was to have met us all. On Friday another juror wore a Hawaiian shirt, just like #5 always wore, in honor of him.
On Thursday at 4:30, we were sent in to our room to deliberate. We chose our foreman and we adjourned for the night. On Friday, at 1:30 we began again. Our foreman was a man who works for the federal government and who I bet is very good at his job because he was the best foreman we could have chosen. He wanted everyone to be heard and wanted to make sure we reached a fair decision. Before we began yesterday, he had us do an icebreaker - he had each of us go around the table (there were 11 of us at this point) and talk for 1-2 minutes (we were timed). I thought this was a very cool activity - it allowed for us to talk as a whole group, something that didn't often happen with that many people, and allowed for a little ease in the tension we all felt in wanting the case to be over and to do well at our task.
Then we began deliberating. We had 28 interrogatories to decide. Yes, 28 counts with 2 parts each. It was quite a process. First we did a blind vote and eliminated all those with a majority consensus (we only had to have 8 on one side of the issue to sign off). We didn't have a single count that was unanimous. So we started talking. We argued points of law, we argued emotions and feelings and interpretations. And I was really glad we weren't deciding something really important like life in prison versus the death penalty.
Twenty-five of our counts dealt with changes to the condos and whether or not they were made due to code or some other justifiable reason. We all agreed that each change had indeed been made but then there were a lot of different answers to why they were made. We'd heard from architects, engineers, real estate agents, contractors, builders, etc. and after a while it was hard to remember who said what and why. So we went to our notes. And we talked some more.
As a whole, we agreed that the developers had to make some changes to the buildings. Not all the changes requested by the HOA but a lot of them. Then we had 3 more counts to decide. We had to determine whether the HOA had acted with "unclean hands" - which we thought meant that hadn't been completely upfront with the developer and hadn't acted as fairly as possible when dealing with them. Then we had to determine "estoppel" - which we thought meant that even though the HOA had acted unfairly, the developer still had to make the changes and abide by the HOA's original building plans. Finally, we had to decide if the developer should receive an offset to recoup financial losses and if so, how much.
And then there was a lot more discussion. And we sent questions to the judge to try and figure out what unclean hands and estoppel really meant because we felt the jury directions were unclear. We got answers back an hour later that said reread our directions. Some help he was.
So we made our decision. Eight of us agreed that the HOA had acted with unclean hands and then we decided that that didn't mean they couldn't still enforce their rules. Later, we'd find out that this means we'd "split the baby" - apparently a legal term. We thought we were being fair. Throughout this whole trial I, along with many others, had talked about how we thought that all the parties were of equal fault, if they had all communicated better none of us would be there. So we wanted to make sure they knew our feelings - that we felt they all had played a part in this mess. Thus, we "split the baby" or the blame. Then we awarded an offset to the defendant, in our minds to cover the costs of making the changes we had decided upon. We awarded the developer $60,000. We came at this number several ways: several contractors had testified that it would cost between $16,000 and $20,000 per condo (and there are 3 in question) to make the changes the HOA wanted. Also, the defense had presented $120,000 as the amount that the developer lost during this entire ordeal. So we decided $60,000 would cover the costs of changes (and we knew that the developer, who is a member of the HOA, would pay a portion of this himself so we thought it was fair overall).
At 5:05pm we entered the courtroom for the last time. One juror was almost in tears. She was confused somewhat and didn't think we were being fair to the developer. She thought he shouldn't have to make any changes. While we all respected her right to her opinion, and told her that, we had 8 signatures on the verdict and we were good to go. Others didn't agree and just didn't sign. But we had a majority and that's all we needed. One juror was angry, she felt we were rushing and truth be told, we were. It was 5pm on Friday and everyone wanted to go home. And most of us didn't want to come back Tuesday (there were a few who did but they lost out). We did come up with the dollar amount in less than five minutes but it was a number we'd been talking about for a few days and those of us who signed felt we were doing good by the developer, and again, that we were splitting the blame.
So we went into court and the judge read our verdict. He was confused he said and just needed to check them again to make sure he understood. This is when I first realized something was off. Then he read them into open court - it took over half an hour. And when he got to the unclean hands bit, the plaintiff's attorneys started to react, mildly of course, but you could tell they weren't happy. We thought they'd change their minds when the next verdict was read, the estoppel, but no, they weren't. So then the plaintiff's attorney asked if he could poll the jury. So the judge asked each of us who'd signed if that was indeed our decision. That took some time. And then we were dismissed.
Here's two things I didn't know before my jury duty experience: 1)the court, including the judge, stands for the jury. I didn't think they stood for anyone except the judge. That was kinda cool. And 2)after the case is over, the lawyers want to talk to the jurors and we're allowed to. That was kind of interesting.
So we leave the building and the plaintiffs and their lawyers are waiting for us. The defense is long gone, probably to celebrate we find out later. And here's what we find out from the plaintiff's lawyer: When we handed down the "unclean hands" verdict, the ball game was over. That was apparently the only verdict that matter. Once it's determined that the HOA had unclean hands, they have no right to enforce anything. That means the developer doesn't have to make any of the changes we spent hours debating.
As a jury, we had no idea this verdict was so influential. We even asked for clarification and got none. We thought we were being fair and just by "splitting the baby". Apparently we were not. We essentially told the HOA they were wrong, we told the developer he was right and he could do whatever he wanted to his buildings and the future buildings he'd put up there (he owns 9 more lots in the neighborhood), and we gave the developer $60,000 just for the hell of it.
I was shocked. Four of us stayed around to talk to the lawyers (our foreman got caught right away and I didn't think it was fair for him to have to answer questions about the verdict all alone so I stayed) who were obviously baffled by our decision. Mind you, they had wanted to win outright regardless but once they explained to us what our verdict meant, we were completely shocked. And we told them that. And then we were asked for affidavits to that effect. So it might not be over for me yet. Gotta love civil cases.
Overall, it was an interesting experience. One I am ultimately glad I had. Am I frustrated at how slowly our legal system works? Yes. This case should not have taken this long to get through. It really shouldn't have. And it could have been settled long ago, before the first nail had ever been pounded had the whole group of people done their jobs better. But I met some great folks. I spent a lot of time talking to them. I got to sleep in for 9 days and exercise a lot more than I ever would have had I been going to school. I got money for mileage. I experienced one of Yuma's hidden treasures (the Garden Cafe). And I got a peak into the jury system, which really does seem to be one of the best ways to settle issues. Every single person in that room wanted to do the right thing and ultimately, to the best of ability, I think we did. We took the law, the facts and made a decision. And while everyone can't always get what they want, they did get a resolution.
And now I get to go back to my normal workweek. Pray for me. It's May. And if any of you know anything about school come May, you know what I'm talking about:-)
I was Juror #4 on a civil case, a lawsuit, between a homeowners' association (a HOA as I quickly found out) and a developer. The HOA sued the developer because the condos built in the neighborhood did not look exactly like the condos that had been there for the past thirty years. They have been in litigation for over three years and as of last night, they could be in litigation for a while longer.
I haven't seen the condos in question because we were barred for going to the neighborhood however I have seen hundreds of photos. So many that by the end of the trial when the attorneys were quizzing various witnesses on which were old condos and which were new, I had the answer before the witness. In fact, I knew all the answers by that point, we all did. I was amazed by how much time was spent going over the same questions, over and over and over.
All through the trial we, as a jury talked, we talked about the evidence, we talked about the witnesses, we talked about the lawyers' haircuts and skirts, we talked about who we thought was lying and who we thought was telling the truth. We talked about our families, about where we were going for lunch, about what we'd seen on TV the night before, and what we did at our jobs. Within a very short period of time we knew a lot about each other. That was the great part about this whole experience.
It was also interesting seeing the inner workings of the legal system, especially when you combine personalities and real people's lives. There were times when the judge had to remind the attorneys to keep their tempers in check, there were times when the lawyers stumbled over their words, when the judge seemed to fall asleep, when the bailiff had to tell the plaintiff not to mumble curse words that the jury could hear, when the judge who had a habit of rocking back and forth in his chair nearly knocked down the flag behind him.
While it wasn't as exciting as most episodes of Law & Order, it did have a few moments. I liked watching the faces of the plaintiffs when a witness would get up on the stand and tell a story that completely contradicted what they had testified too. It was a game we played to keep ourselves awake, who's telling the truth today and who's not quite remembering it all. Then there was the moment, a week ago Thursday when the plaintiff rested and the defense attorney stood up and asked the judge for a direct verdict. That was the moment, had this been a movie, when every head in the courtroom would have swiveled around and said, "What?!?!?!" The jury was ushered out quickly and that afternoon the defense began. There would be no direct verdict for us, no matter how much we hoped and prayed at lunch that day.
We started as a jury of 12 but then Thursday morning we were reduced to 11. Juror #5 who sat next to me the entire time went to the hospital with a possible heart attack. He has severe back problems but had been managing his pain well and was very intent on doing his civic duty. Friday morning he called our bailiff and begged to come back in to finish the job. She couldn't allow him to do that but she did let us know he was doing well (blood pressure medicine snafu) and wanted to tell us how glad he was to have met us all. On Friday another juror wore a Hawaiian shirt, just like #5 always wore, in honor of him.
On Thursday at 4:30, we were sent in to our room to deliberate. We chose our foreman and we adjourned for the night. On Friday, at 1:30 we began again. Our foreman was a man who works for the federal government and who I bet is very good at his job because he was the best foreman we could have chosen. He wanted everyone to be heard and wanted to make sure we reached a fair decision. Before we began yesterday, he had us do an icebreaker - he had each of us go around the table (there were 11 of us at this point) and talk for 1-2 minutes (we were timed). I thought this was a very cool activity - it allowed for us to talk as a whole group, something that didn't often happen with that many people, and allowed for a little ease in the tension we all felt in wanting the case to be over and to do well at our task.
Then we began deliberating. We had 28 interrogatories to decide. Yes, 28 counts with 2 parts each. It was quite a process. First we did a blind vote and eliminated all those with a majority consensus (we only had to have 8 on one side of the issue to sign off). We didn't have a single count that was unanimous. So we started talking. We argued points of law, we argued emotions and feelings and interpretations. And I was really glad we weren't deciding something really important like life in prison versus the death penalty.
Twenty-five of our counts dealt with changes to the condos and whether or not they were made due to code or some other justifiable reason. We all agreed that each change had indeed been made but then there were a lot of different answers to why they were made. We'd heard from architects, engineers, real estate agents, contractors, builders, etc. and after a while it was hard to remember who said what and why. So we went to our notes. And we talked some more.
As a whole, we agreed that the developers had to make some changes to the buildings. Not all the changes requested by the HOA but a lot of them. Then we had 3 more counts to decide. We had to determine whether the HOA had acted with "unclean hands" - which we thought meant that hadn't been completely upfront with the developer and hadn't acted as fairly as possible when dealing with them. Then we had to determine "estoppel" - which we thought meant that even though the HOA had acted unfairly, the developer still had to make the changes and abide by the HOA's original building plans. Finally, we had to decide if the developer should receive an offset to recoup financial losses and if so, how much.
And then there was a lot more discussion. And we sent questions to the judge to try and figure out what unclean hands and estoppel really meant because we felt the jury directions were unclear. We got answers back an hour later that said reread our directions. Some help he was.
So we made our decision. Eight of us agreed that the HOA had acted with unclean hands and then we decided that that didn't mean they couldn't still enforce their rules. Later, we'd find out that this means we'd "split the baby" - apparently a legal term. We thought we were being fair. Throughout this whole trial I, along with many others, had talked about how we thought that all the parties were of equal fault, if they had all communicated better none of us would be there. So we wanted to make sure they knew our feelings - that we felt they all had played a part in this mess. Thus, we "split the baby" or the blame. Then we awarded an offset to the defendant, in our minds to cover the costs of making the changes we had decided upon. We awarded the developer $60,000. We came at this number several ways: several contractors had testified that it would cost between $16,000 and $20,000 per condo (and there are 3 in question) to make the changes the HOA wanted. Also, the defense had presented $120,000 as the amount that the developer lost during this entire ordeal. So we decided $60,000 would cover the costs of changes (and we knew that the developer, who is a member of the HOA, would pay a portion of this himself so we thought it was fair overall).
At 5:05pm we entered the courtroom for the last time. One juror was almost in tears. She was confused somewhat and didn't think we were being fair to the developer. She thought he shouldn't have to make any changes. While we all respected her right to her opinion, and told her that, we had 8 signatures on the verdict and we were good to go. Others didn't agree and just didn't sign. But we had a majority and that's all we needed. One juror was angry, she felt we were rushing and truth be told, we were. It was 5pm on Friday and everyone wanted to go home. And most of us didn't want to come back Tuesday (there were a few who did but they lost out). We did come up with the dollar amount in less than five minutes but it was a number we'd been talking about for a few days and those of us who signed felt we were doing good by the developer, and again, that we were splitting the blame.
So we went into court and the judge read our verdict. He was confused he said and just needed to check them again to make sure he understood. This is when I first realized something was off. Then he read them into open court - it took over half an hour. And when he got to the unclean hands bit, the plaintiff's attorneys started to react, mildly of course, but you could tell they weren't happy. We thought they'd change their minds when the next verdict was read, the estoppel, but no, they weren't. So then the plaintiff's attorney asked if he could poll the jury. So the judge asked each of us who'd signed if that was indeed our decision. That took some time. And then we were dismissed.
Here's two things I didn't know before my jury duty experience: 1)the court, including the judge, stands for the jury. I didn't think they stood for anyone except the judge. That was kinda cool. And 2)after the case is over, the lawyers want to talk to the jurors and we're allowed to. That was kind of interesting.
So we leave the building and the plaintiffs and their lawyers are waiting for us. The defense is long gone, probably to celebrate we find out later. And here's what we find out from the plaintiff's lawyer: When we handed down the "unclean hands" verdict, the ball game was over. That was apparently the only verdict that matter. Once it's determined that the HOA had unclean hands, they have no right to enforce anything. That means the developer doesn't have to make any of the changes we spent hours debating.
As a jury, we had no idea this verdict was so influential. We even asked for clarification and got none. We thought we were being fair and just by "splitting the baby". Apparently we were not. We essentially told the HOA they were wrong, we told the developer he was right and he could do whatever he wanted to his buildings and the future buildings he'd put up there (he owns 9 more lots in the neighborhood), and we gave the developer $60,000 just for the hell of it.
I was shocked. Four of us stayed around to talk to the lawyers (our foreman got caught right away and I didn't think it was fair for him to have to answer questions about the verdict all alone so I stayed) who were obviously baffled by our decision. Mind you, they had wanted to win outright regardless but once they explained to us what our verdict meant, we were completely shocked. And we told them that. And then we were asked for affidavits to that effect. So it might not be over for me yet. Gotta love civil cases.
Overall, it was an interesting experience. One I am ultimately glad I had. Am I frustrated at how slowly our legal system works? Yes. This case should not have taken this long to get through. It really shouldn't have. And it could have been settled long ago, before the first nail had ever been pounded had the whole group of people done their jobs better. But I met some great folks. I spent a lot of time talking to them. I got to sleep in for 9 days and exercise a lot more than I ever would have had I been going to school. I got money for mileage. I experienced one of Yuma's hidden treasures (the Garden Cafe). And I got a peak into the jury system, which really does seem to be one of the best ways to settle issues. Every single person in that room wanted to do the right thing and ultimately, to the best of ability, I think we did. We took the law, the facts and made a decision. And while everyone can't always get what they want, they did get a resolution.
And now I get to go back to my normal workweek. Pray for me. It's May. And if any of you know anything about school come May, you know what I'm talking about:-)
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Feelin' Good
I have two blisters on my left hand. They are pink and puffy and hurt a lot when I took a shower tonight. But I didn't mind really. Because these blisters mean I'm alive and active and doing stuff. And that's exciting to me. It's just like when my legs ache and my arms are sore after working out. Or when my stomach hurts from laughing too much. It feels good to be alive, to be out in the world.
The blisters appeared after I spent an hour of so hitting golf balls at the range this morning. Ang and I are playing in a charity golf outing in two weekends and decided we needed to practice a bit. Range today, a round next weekend. And the we came home and washed our clubs and washed the patio furniture and swept the patio. That felt good too, getting wet and dirty. And since I already had the sunscreen on (from golfing) I decided to sit outside and read a bit. And a bit turned into over four hours. It was great - seeing the kids from across the way eat popsicles and ride bikes, say hi to neighbors, hear the birds, etc.
All the laundry didn't get done and the bathroom didn't get cleaned and I didn't answer any emails or look for any jobs but guess what - I had a great day. And to me, that's what it's all about!
The blisters appeared after I spent an hour of so hitting golf balls at the range this morning. Ang and I are playing in a charity golf outing in two weekends and decided we needed to practice a bit. Range today, a round next weekend. And the we came home and washed our clubs and washed the patio furniture and swept the patio. That felt good too, getting wet and dirty. And since I already had the sunscreen on (from golfing) I decided to sit outside and read a bit. And a bit turned into over four hours. It was great - seeing the kids from across the way eat popsicles and ride bikes, say hi to neighbors, hear the birds, etc.
All the laundry didn't get done and the bathroom didn't get cleaned and I didn't answer any emails or look for any jobs but guess what - I had a great day. And to me, that's what it's all about!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
The Land of Hope
I feel like blogging even though I don't have much to blog about. I'm still a juror. We're going into our third week and I went into my third pad of notes yesterday. I write basically to stay awake and focused. But the good news is my trusty sub, Ryan, who can handle my children very well, has been there all along and will continue to be so that's awesome.
This week we had to say goodbye to a friend, Julie, who's husband is being transferred to Quantico near D.C. I know the drill, Marine families move all the time, but it doesn't make it any easier. We'll see her again for dinner at the end of May when she comes back through town but it's not the same as seeing her at the Y or going to lunch or hanging out in her pool with her kiddos. Just not the same.
We're still not sure what's going on with the big move. Ang has been applying for teaching jobs, and hearing back that info has been received but still waiting for more news. She's found one school she really likes and is thinking of driving up to L.A. to check it out. I, of course, can't go or I'd be thrown in jail. Yeah, yeah, service to my country, whatever.
However, we got our tickets to go to Michigan in June and we're very excited about that. And I know that whatever happens, we're going to end up exactly where we are meant to be, for "I've pitched my tent in the Land of Hope" (Acts 2:26, the Message). I just hope we have more than a tent to live in when we get there!
This week we had to say goodbye to a friend, Julie, who's husband is being transferred to Quantico near D.C. I know the drill, Marine families move all the time, but it doesn't make it any easier. We'll see her again for dinner at the end of May when she comes back through town but it's not the same as seeing her at the Y or going to lunch or hanging out in her pool with her kiddos. Just not the same.
We're still not sure what's going on with the big move. Ang has been applying for teaching jobs, and hearing back that info has been received but still waiting for more news. She's found one school she really likes and is thinking of driving up to L.A. to check it out. I, of course, can't go or I'd be thrown in jail. Yeah, yeah, service to my country, whatever.
However, we got our tickets to go to Michigan in June and we're very excited about that. And I know that whatever happens, we're going to end up exactly where we are meant to be, for "I've pitched my tent in the Land of Hope" (Acts 2:26, the Message). I just hope we have more than a tent to live in when we get there!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Another one bites the dust...
Here's the letter that came in the email at 11:59pm Friday night -
Did it break my heart? Yes. Was it completely unexpected. No. Do I have any idea what to do next? Well, I got the letter at 7am this morning and I decided to write. So I finished Molly's part of my novel. Two parts down, three to go. So I guess I'll just keep writing.
Dear Ms. Knapp:
Thank you for applying to graduate study at UCLA. We regret to inform you that you were not admitted. As you may be aware, UCLA receives many more applications than there are student places available. As in your case, each of these applications is carefully reviewed by departmental faculty committees. In this extremely competitive environment, many talented and promising students are not recommended for admission by these committees.
We understand that this decision is a disappointment. Should you wish to address
specific issues regarding your application, please contact the graduate program
to which you applied. Please accept my best wishes for success in all of your
future endeavors.
Did it break my heart? Yes. Was it completely unexpected. No. Do I have any idea what to do next? Well, I got the letter at 7am this morning and I decided to write. So I finished Molly's part of my novel. Two parts down, three to go. So I guess I'll just keep writing.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
11 new friends
Yes, it's true. I have 11 new friends. My friends and I have spent some serious quality time together this week. Yes, yes, I'm talking about jury duty. I got picked to serve on a jury for a trial that may last 4 more weeks. Yeah, fantastic. I only go Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday but that's enough. The upside is that today I didn't have to report until 9:30, which means I had about 3 extra hours this morning. I got to walk 4 miles, talk to both my mom and dad for a long time, and pick out my clothes in the sunlight while fully awake. So yeah, there's an upside to jury duty. Also, the people I'm working with are very nice which is cool. So I guess there are two upsides (can there be two? I guess so if I say so!).
In other news I am sick, again. I went to PrimeCare last night and got a Z-pack of antibiotics, Allegra D and cough syrup. And I have a toothache which sucks. I don't know if it's sinuses or not so I am going to see if it goes away tomorrow. Go figure, I was just at the dentist last week.
Still no news on the other grad schools but Ang has been applying for jobs which is exciting. It'll help us figure out what areas to look into to find an apartment.
Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, I spent $511 last night. I bought my plane ticket home for vacation this summer. We'll be there for a month! So that's exciting.
Okay, I am going to go watch The Office, laugh, and veg. 'Night all!
In other news I am sick, again. I went to PrimeCare last night and got a Z-pack of antibiotics, Allegra D and cough syrup. And I have a toothache which sucks. I don't know if it's sinuses or not so I am going to see if it goes away tomorrow. Go figure, I was just at the dentist last week.
Still no news on the other grad schools but Ang has been applying for jobs which is exciting. It'll help us figure out what areas to look into to find an apartment.
Let's see, what else? Oh yeah, I spent $511 last night. I bought my plane ticket home for vacation this summer. We'll be there for a month! So that's exciting.
Okay, I am going to go watch The Office, laugh, and veg. 'Night all!
Monday, April 14, 2008
A day in the life of me
And oh! What a crazy day it was. It all began when I woke up at the ungodly hour of 4:54am. ONE freaking minute before my alarm was set to ring. I hate when this happens. I don't know why. I know it's only one minute but I feel cheated out of that one minute of sleep. Anyway, I got up, got my butt downstairs and proceeded to walk two miles with my friends on the old VCR while listening to a creative screenwriting podcast Q & A with Michael Moore on his Oscar-nominated film Sicko. Can I just say, "I love Michael Moore!" I loved Sicko and could listen to him talk for hours. And then I went to school.
Things went pretty well. We read and analyzed an Amy Tan essay entitled Fish Cheeks that I really like and I'm not sure the kids really get. But we plodded along. I got to deal with some snotty kids and some funny kids and all in all it pretty good day. We came home, changed into our golf duds (I wore my Tigers hat dad! even if it does have a gang-related D on it!) and headed out to practice.
Practice went well, we had 18 kids show which is great considering we're now meeting on Mondays and we lost our three 8th grade football players. The two pros who worked with the kids today went over etiquette and rules then helped them with grip and hitting. They seemed to love it which was cool to see. And as an added bonus Ang and I got to hang out and talk with another coach and a few parents. It was nice just being the chaperones today. That'll change soon enough.
And then our day got interesting. We left the course at 6:10 and headed toward downtown Yuma. A few weeks ago I got a letter to appear for jury duty and when I called to confirm today they said I did indeed have a trial scheduled so I have to appear at the courthouse tomorrow. Ang said she'd do a dry run with me tonight so I'd know where to park. On the way we decided we were very thirsty (it was 102 degrees this afternoon and our water bottles were empty 20 minutes into the 2 hour practice) so I pulled into the Circle K gas station just down the road from the course, the one next to my dentist office and across from the high school. We went in, got our diet root beers and went up to pay. The guy behind the corner looked at us and just started talking.
He said we should have been there a few hours ago, there'd been a shooting. From what he'd heard a drug deal in the alley gone bad and the guy who'd been shot had made it up to the front of the store. He kept telling us he had to clean up the blood, there'd been no one else to do it apparently. Ang and I didn't know what to say so we just listened, wished him a much better, and safer, night and beat the heck out of there. We jumped in my car and I squealed (yes, there were squeals!) out of there. We did note that the nearby dumpsters had been tagged to let us know which gang's territory we were in, not that it'll help us, but it felt somewhat comforting to know who's backyard we were squealing out of.
So anyway, I found the courthouse and parking lot and then we came home and frosted 60 cupcakes. Our kids are done with the AIMS testing tomorrow and we decided to give them a little good job treat. My sub will get all the glory for the cupcakes since I will be stuck in a courtroom but I am sure they'll still taste as sweet.
So now I am going to bed. I am exhausted, a little sunburned, and sore. I think the minuscule amount of jogging I did yesterday combined with my very bad habit of not stretching enough after working out has caused my legs to stage a protest. Let's just say walking up the stairs tonight was not a pleasant experience.
Oh - and to everyone who's sent encouraging words after my last blog, rest assured. I'm not giving up, it's simply not in me. I'll keep writing, I'll figure something out, I'll try not to make my grandmother cry again (I love you Grandma Cows - Happy Birthday tomorrow!), and I will succeed. That's all there is to it.
Things went pretty well. We read and analyzed an Amy Tan essay entitled Fish Cheeks that I really like and I'm not sure the kids really get. But we plodded along. I got to deal with some snotty kids and some funny kids and all in all it pretty good day. We came home, changed into our golf duds (I wore my Tigers hat dad! even if it does have a gang-related D on it!) and headed out to practice.
Practice went well, we had 18 kids show which is great considering we're now meeting on Mondays and we lost our three 8th grade football players. The two pros who worked with the kids today went over etiquette and rules then helped them with grip and hitting. They seemed to love it which was cool to see. And as an added bonus Ang and I got to hang out and talk with another coach and a few parents. It was nice just being the chaperones today. That'll change soon enough.
And then our day got interesting. We left the course at 6:10 and headed toward downtown Yuma. A few weeks ago I got a letter to appear for jury duty and when I called to confirm today they said I did indeed have a trial scheduled so I have to appear at the courthouse tomorrow. Ang said she'd do a dry run with me tonight so I'd know where to park. On the way we decided we were very thirsty (it was 102 degrees this afternoon and our water bottles were empty 20 minutes into the 2 hour practice) so I pulled into the Circle K gas station just down the road from the course, the one next to my dentist office and across from the high school. We went in, got our diet root beers and went up to pay. The guy behind the corner looked at us and just started talking.
He said we should have been there a few hours ago, there'd been a shooting. From what he'd heard a drug deal in the alley gone bad and the guy who'd been shot had made it up to the front of the store. He kept telling us he had to clean up the blood, there'd been no one else to do it apparently. Ang and I didn't know what to say so we just listened, wished him a much better, and safer, night and beat the heck out of there. We jumped in my car and I squealed (yes, there were squeals!) out of there. We did note that the nearby dumpsters had been tagged to let us know which gang's territory we were in, not that it'll help us, but it felt somewhat comforting to know who's backyard we were squealing out of.
So anyway, I found the courthouse and parking lot and then we came home and frosted 60 cupcakes. Our kids are done with the AIMS testing tomorrow and we decided to give them a little good job treat. My sub will get all the glory for the cupcakes since I will be stuck in a courtroom but I am sure they'll still taste as sweet.
So now I am going to bed. I am exhausted, a little sunburned, and sore. I think the minuscule amount of jogging I did yesterday combined with my very bad habit of not stretching enough after working out has caused my legs to stage a protest. Let's just say walking up the stairs tonight was not a pleasant experience.
Oh - and to everyone who's sent encouraging words after my last blog, rest assured. I'm not giving up, it's simply not in me. I'll keep writing, I'll figure something out, I'll try not to make my grandmother cry again (I love you Grandma Cows - Happy Birthday tomorrow!), and I will succeed. That's all there is to it.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The odds are not looking good...
Two down, two to go. Grad school letters that is. So far I've been rejected from UT Austin and now USC. The USC letter came yesterday. Every day on the way to the mailbox I pray the letters will be there. I pray they'll be acceptances. I prayed yesterday when Ang walked to the box. But the answer to my prayer was not what I'd hoped.
"Dear Ms. Knapp...after careful review of your application and supporting materials, the Admission Committee has asked me to inform you that your application to the Master of Fine Arts program in Writing for Screen and Television for Fall 2008 has not been approved, and we are not able to offer you admission to this program. We understand this must be very disappointing news. Please bear in mind that each year the university receives applications from many more students than it can accommodate. Admissibility is determined by the size of the applicant pool as well as student credentials. Unfortunately, as a result we are not able to offer admission to some students of significant ability and potential." And it goes on and on.... They encourage me to continue toward my educational and professional goals and they wish me luck.
Yeah, luck. Apparently that's what it takes to get into one of these schools. I knew I wasn't going to be a top candidate. I had lower verbal scores on the GRE than I'd have liked, I am older than most of the applicants I'd guess, and I do not have a background in fine arts. But damn it, I wanted this! I wanted one of the best film schools in the country to accept me. I wanted the chance to write all day and study this craft and learn. I've finally figured out something I want to do and now I don't know how to go about it.
At this late date I am guessing that UCLA will be a rejection too. My guess is that they send out acceptance letters first, then the others. And Cal State Northridge won't be deciding till the end of May, said their latest letter. So I don't know what to do now.
I cried yesterday, and again today. I'm frustrated and hurt and angry and disappointed and feeling very rejected. I literally don't know what to do. I'm just starting to get my financial legs under me and I was hoping there'd be student loans at UT or USC. I doubt there will be at the other schools. I started looking for jobs "in the industry" this morning and it was tiresome. "Must have 2-3 years experience at Disney, or in the industry, or with blackberries, or, or, or."
So what do I do now? Do I give up? Maybe it's been a pipe dream all along. Cut my losses and work on a teaching certificate? (Though I can't really afford that either and there are no student loans for those.) Go back to being a glorified secretary? I don't know. Ang and I are pretty committed to this Los Angeles move now, with it less than three months away but like EVERYONE'S been saying, it's expensive there. Frankly, it's expensive anywhere. So yeah.
For now I'm going to do the laundry.
"Dear Ms. Knapp...after careful review of your application and supporting materials, the Admission Committee has asked me to inform you that your application to the Master of Fine Arts program in Writing for Screen and Television for Fall 2008 has not been approved, and we are not able to offer you admission to this program. We understand this must be very disappointing news. Please bear in mind that each year the university receives applications from many more students than it can accommodate. Admissibility is determined by the size of the applicant pool as well as student credentials. Unfortunately, as a result we are not able to offer admission to some students of significant ability and potential." And it goes on and on.... They encourage me to continue toward my educational and professional goals and they wish me luck.
Yeah, luck. Apparently that's what it takes to get into one of these schools. I knew I wasn't going to be a top candidate. I had lower verbal scores on the GRE than I'd have liked, I am older than most of the applicants I'd guess, and I do not have a background in fine arts. But damn it, I wanted this! I wanted one of the best film schools in the country to accept me. I wanted the chance to write all day and study this craft and learn. I've finally figured out something I want to do and now I don't know how to go about it.
At this late date I am guessing that UCLA will be a rejection too. My guess is that they send out acceptance letters first, then the others. And Cal State Northridge won't be deciding till the end of May, said their latest letter. So I don't know what to do now.
I cried yesterday, and again today. I'm frustrated and hurt and angry and disappointed and feeling very rejected. I literally don't know what to do. I'm just starting to get my financial legs under me and I was hoping there'd be student loans at UT or USC. I doubt there will be at the other schools. I started looking for jobs "in the industry" this morning and it was tiresome. "Must have 2-3 years experience at Disney, or in the industry, or with blackberries, or, or, or."
So what do I do now? Do I give up? Maybe it's been a pipe dream all along. Cut my losses and work on a teaching certificate? (Though I can't really afford that either and there are no student loans for those.) Go back to being a glorified secretary? I don't know. Ang and I are pretty committed to this Los Angeles move now, with it less than three months away but like EVERYONE'S been saying, it's expensive there. Frankly, it's expensive anywhere. So yeah.
For now I'm going to do the laundry.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Boredom
It is day three of the hallowed AIMS test - that's the Arizona state standardized test for those of you who either a)don't know me well or b)care! And right now I'm going on hour four of sitting in a room with 23 students who have to try as hard as they can to be silent. And for some of them I think it uses more brain power than taking the actual test. We've been done testing for about 45 minutes now but until the entire school is done we wait. And wait and wait. What makes it worse is that we have missed our usual lunch time by about 20 minutes already and they're hungry. Frankly, I am too. I'm hoping they don't hear my stomach growling.
Four of my students are engrossed in a book which is awesome. Others are browsing my "big books" - the Ripley's Believe It or Not, my Book of Weird Animals, etc. Some are sleeping (we have had different snorers each day, today's was the loudest and I think the snickering woke him up). Others are perfecting their sign language and note-writing techniques. Some are staring blankly into space. I know that feeling well. I have to be on high alert, watching them test, waiting until they raise their hand to signal they need a Kleenex or a new pencil or have a question.
In the meantime I've answered some emails, been told I have to sub during my only plan this week, and started the new John Grisham novel. I tried writing - I reread some of what I've recently written but I can't get lost in that world when I am so obviously stuck in this one.
So we wait. With growling tummies, anxious feet, and tired looks. TGIF.
Four of my students are engrossed in a book which is awesome. Others are browsing my "big books" - the Ripley's Believe It or Not, my Book of Weird Animals, etc. Some are sleeping (we have had different snorers each day, today's was the loudest and I think the snickering woke him up). Others are perfecting their sign language and note-writing techniques. Some are staring blankly into space. I know that feeling well. I have to be on high alert, watching them test, waiting until they raise their hand to signal they need a Kleenex or a new pencil or have a question.
In the meantime I've answered some emails, been told I have to sub during my only plan this week, and started the new John Grisham novel. I tried writing - I reread some of what I've recently written but I can't get lost in that world when I am so obviously stuck in this one.
So we wait. With growling tummies, anxious feet, and tired looks. TGIF.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Oh you!
So I blogged last night then went to bed to read. I started with my Bible passages for the day, some of the Old Testament stuff is pretty dry and I was getting tired. Then I got to the New Testament and bam! God really wanted me to wake up. Here's what I read:
From Luke 12: Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Yeah, that woke me up alright. I know I have to be patient and I know I am not supposed to worry but I am not and I do. And I often need reminders to stop, listen, pray, and be patient. I've been restless lately and I think it's because my faith has wavered. I'm trying to do it all on my own, which isn't what God wants from me. So he sent a little wake up call last night. And just as I was sitting there thinking how little relevance the Bible held for me at that moment. He's a pretty cool guy;-)
So I'll wait. Ang started looking at apartments last night and I really don't know how to afford living in L.A. but I am confident we will. I am confident that we'll prosper and have great adventures and learn and do God's work. I know our time here in Yuma is coming to an end. I know there's more out there. But for now I wait. Your move God.
From Luke 12: Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
Yeah, that woke me up alright. I know I have to be patient and I know I am not supposed to worry but I am not and I do. And I often need reminders to stop, listen, pray, and be patient. I've been restless lately and I think it's because my faith has wavered. I'm trying to do it all on my own, which isn't what God wants from me. So he sent a little wake up call last night. And just as I was sitting there thinking how little relevance the Bible held for me at that moment. He's a pretty cool guy;-)
So I'll wait. Ang started looking at apartments last night and I really don't know how to afford living in L.A. but I am confident we will. I am confident that we'll prosper and have great adventures and learn and do God's work. I know our time here in Yuma is coming to an end. I know there's more out there. But for now I wait. Your move God.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Wrench
Yeah, a big old wrench, that's what I got today when I opened the mail. See I've been putting my plans for the future on hold until I find out if I've gotten accepted to any of the Los Angeles grad schools I've applied to. Ang has been too - she's moving with me and we're waiting to find out where I'll be "stationed" before we make any big plans when it comes to apartments, jobs, etc. All that small stuff.
Well today I got a letter from Cal State Northridge that says they have all of my required applications materials (that I submitted over 5 months ago) and they're reviewing them. And they'll start sending out admission status letters the week of May 19th, 2008. That's right folks, over a month from now. It was bad enough that the last week of March/first week of April came and went without any letters, as had been promised by all the schools' websites but now I have to wait another 6 weeks or so. I just don't get it...
I had a dream last night, and I woke up really excited. I'd prayed last night for God to let me know what He wants for me, where He wants me, etc. And then I had this dream that ended with me getting an acceptance letter from USC (my number one pick and the best screenwriting school in the country) that was signed by the university president and he'd written "Why not?!?!" after his name. I have no idea if the university president is a man and no idea why he'd write such a thing but I was elated!
And then I got the Northridge letter. I haven't gotten any others - still waiting on USC and UCLA but I am getting very anxious. As I watched Channel One News with my kids today and listened to seniors talking about getting a thin vs. a thick envelope in the mail regarding their college acceptances I empathized. Although I feel like I should be past this point. I just want to write. And I am not sure if I'm supposed to find another way to do it but I thought this was a pretty good way. I mean, if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer or an electrician or a chef you go to school, learn the craft, and then make your way through your career. I've finally figured out something I really want to do and now I just don't know how to get there. I've been listening to screenwriting podcasts when I work out this week and these writers talk about how you just have to do it, sit down and write. And I think yeah, well you're getting paid three-quarters of a million bucks to just sit down and write. And you don't have to go to work and deal with 13 year olds for ten hours first. I know I shouldn't complain, I have a job and I'm grateful for that but I want more. And I pray to God He shows me the way. Or at least points me in the direction of a cheap apartment in a good neighborhood in L.A. (I know, I don't ask much!).
Ang asked today what I'll do if I don't get in to any schools. This has been in the back of my mind since I started the process, I am realist, I know my chances are slim. I had a great writing score on the GRE but not stellar verbal and quantitative scores. I am sure there are people with better resumes and pedigrees wanting the slots at the schools just as much as me. And maybe even some of them can pay for the tuition up front. But I do know I want to write. So I did what any writer would do in this situation. I turned inside myself and started something new. In my case, notes on what I hope will become a new screenplay. So I guess, wrench or no wrench, I'll just keep pluckin' along!
Well today I got a letter from Cal State Northridge that says they have all of my required applications materials (that I submitted over 5 months ago) and they're reviewing them. And they'll start sending out admission status letters the week of May 19th, 2008. That's right folks, over a month from now. It was bad enough that the last week of March/first week of April came and went without any letters, as had been promised by all the schools' websites but now I have to wait another 6 weeks or so. I just don't get it...
I had a dream last night, and I woke up really excited. I'd prayed last night for God to let me know what He wants for me, where He wants me, etc. And then I had this dream that ended with me getting an acceptance letter from USC (my number one pick and the best screenwriting school in the country) that was signed by the university president and he'd written "Why not?!?!" after his name. I have no idea if the university president is a man and no idea why he'd write such a thing but I was elated!
And then I got the Northridge letter. I haven't gotten any others - still waiting on USC and UCLA but I am getting very anxious. As I watched Channel One News with my kids today and listened to seniors talking about getting a thin vs. a thick envelope in the mail regarding their college acceptances I empathized. Although I feel like I should be past this point. I just want to write. And I am not sure if I'm supposed to find another way to do it but I thought this was a pretty good way. I mean, if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer or an electrician or a chef you go to school, learn the craft, and then make your way through your career. I've finally figured out something I really want to do and now I just don't know how to get there. I've been listening to screenwriting podcasts when I work out this week and these writers talk about how you just have to do it, sit down and write. And I think yeah, well you're getting paid three-quarters of a million bucks to just sit down and write. And you don't have to go to work and deal with 13 year olds for ten hours first. I know I shouldn't complain, I have a job and I'm grateful for that but I want more. And I pray to God He shows me the way. Or at least points me in the direction of a cheap apartment in a good neighborhood in L.A. (I know, I don't ask much!).
Ang asked today what I'll do if I don't get in to any schools. This has been in the back of my mind since I started the process, I am realist, I know my chances are slim. I had a great writing score on the GRE but not stellar verbal and quantitative scores. I am sure there are people with better resumes and pedigrees wanting the slots at the schools just as much as me. And maybe even some of them can pay for the tuition up front. But I do know I want to write. So I did what any writer would do in this situation. I turned inside myself and started something new. In my case, notes on what I hope will become a new screenplay. So I guess, wrench or no wrench, I'll just keep pluckin' along!
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Weekend Update
It was good to have a few days to get reacclimated to Yuma after getting home from Texas. It's been fine, all the laundry is done, the fridge is full, etc. but I'm still not ready to go back to work. But what's new! I am so thankful for the two week break though, I feel it really energized me and got me into a better mindset. By that last week before break, I was very stressed out. In the past few days though I've gone to a pilates class, walked 8 miles, done toning exercises, eaten 3 bell peppers, 2 quarts of strawberries, almost a pound of carrots, and relaxed. I feel better already!
Still no news on the "letter" front yet. My parents ask every time one of us talks to them if I've heard from anymore schools yet and we say no. I smile because they have to know that they're my first call when one comes. Especially if it's an acceptance! The decisions were supposed to have been made by now - letters to come at the end of March/beginning of April but nothing yet. The websites haven't been updated either. My dad reminded me that 'no news is good news' so here's hoping!
So tomorrow we head back to school bright and early. I think my kids will be ready but tired, this was fair week in Yuma which keeps them all busy and out past their bedtimes. That's okay with me though, tired kids and quiet kids! And Wednesday we start the AIMS tests so life will be very quiet for five days after that!
Oh yeah, did I mention I got summonsed for jury duty again?!?!?! Seriously, if it weren't for Ang and I, I'm not sure who'd they'd get to be on all these juries that get cancelled the night before! I'm to report a week from Tuesday, we'll see if it pans out this time. I'm sure my bosses will be impressed if I do get to go, that's an AIMS day and they can't have subs in the rooms for testing, they have to have people who've signed confidentiality agreements, etc. So we'll see what transpires before then.
What else? Oh yeah, we saw 2 movies this weekend: Leatherheads and Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns. Both great movies, well worth the ticket price and the 2 hours spent in a darkened theater. We went to the mall Friday night (no more shootings lately, thank goodness!) and downtown last night and yes, we were spotted by children. And I was doing my best TMZ impression, I had my Detroit Tigers hat on and everything and I was still loudly acknowledged!
Ok, guess I should get ready for tomorrow. Have a great week everyone and to those of you up north, congrats on spring finally making an appearance, even if it was a few weeks late!
Still no news on the "letter" front yet. My parents ask every time one of us talks to them if I've heard from anymore schools yet and we say no. I smile because they have to know that they're my first call when one comes. Especially if it's an acceptance! The decisions were supposed to have been made by now - letters to come at the end of March/beginning of April but nothing yet. The websites haven't been updated either. My dad reminded me that 'no news is good news' so here's hoping!
So tomorrow we head back to school bright and early. I think my kids will be ready but tired, this was fair week in Yuma which keeps them all busy and out past their bedtimes. That's okay with me though, tired kids and quiet kids! And Wednesday we start the AIMS tests so life will be very quiet for five days after that!
Oh yeah, did I mention I got summonsed for jury duty again?!?!?! Seriously, if it weren't for Ang and I, I'm not sure who'd they'd get to be on all these juries that get cancelled the night before! I'm to report a week from Tuesday, we'll see if it pans out this time. I'm sure my bosses will be impressed if I do get to go, that's an AIMS day and they can't have subs in the rooms for testing, they have to have people who've signed confidentiality agreements, etc. So we'll see what transpires before then.
What else? Oh yeah, we saw 2 movies this weekend: Leatherheads and Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns. Both great movies, well worth the ticket price and the 2 hours spent in a darkened theater. We went to the mall Friday night (no more shootings lately, thank goodness!) and downtown last night and yes, we were spotted by children. And I was doing my best TMZ impression, I had my Detroit Tigers hat on and everything and I was still loudly acknowledged!
Ok, guess I should get ready for tomorrow. Have a great week everyone and to those of you up north, congrats on spring finally making an appearance, even if it was a few weeks late!
Friday, April 04, 2008
Texas Style
Whew! We are home, after 13 days in that huge state of Texas. Yeah, it's huge, it took us two days to drive through it. And we had issues while driving, namely with a police officer who believed that he needed to pull us over for going three (yes, three) miles over the speed limit. Yes, cruise was set, and yes, it does indeed fluctuate. Yeah, whatever. Anyway...
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Tuesday we had to leave but it was a sweet goodbye (if there can ever be such a thing). We slept in, everyone, even the kids, and then we ate chocolate chip pancakes and played "store" with Hannah and David. While we packed the car David picked flowers for us and Hannah helped get Speedy and Gertie (our cars' beanie babies) ready for the drive. We hugged and smiled and promised to be together soon. A promise I know we'll all keep. And until then I'll keep all these pictures and memories close to my heart. God is good, all the time!
We had such a great time in Texas, both sightseeing and just hanging out. We went to the Blue Bell Creamery where they make some tasty ice cream. We hung out in the gardens, toured the plant, saw them making ice cream and of course, ate ice cream! 
We went to church three times which was something I really enjoyed. The focus of two of the sermons was forgiveness and it really got us to thinking, and talking. It was awesome to have such great conversations full of love, laughter, and friendship.
We also did some dancing. Saturday night we headed out to Hulaballoo, an old diner where a benefit was going on for a mission team Jamee's mom is a part of. They had this great band, Texas Twister, who played covers from the 60s, 70s, 80s, etc. It was great to dance and enjoy each other's company. Also, we got to hang out with some of our new friends: Angie and Justin. Very cool!
And then there was Monday. Monday was our last day in Texas and we made the most of it. We went to the George Bush Presidential Library at Texas A & M University which was very cool. Justin met us there and we had a great time learning all about President Bush and his accomplishments and about history as well. We laughed a lot, especially after we were ushered into a tent that served as a replica of barracks from the first gulf war. The older woman who'd led us quickly through the museum to the tent told us to go in, sit down, and be quiet. I felt like I was back in elementary school! We got to sit in a replica of a situation room, fly a (video game) plane, and had the opportunity to purchase replica needlepoint bags just like Barbara Bush had made during her husband's campaign speeches (we declined). All in all, well worth the trip onto campus! And it was very cool to touch actual pieces of the Berlin Wall.
Then Monday night we participated in our last Supper Club. Supper Club is a product of Jamee's awesome brain in which she invites friends and family to come and share in a meal once a week to encourage the building of community. We loved Supper Club and were glad to get to enjoy it twice over our visit. Ang and I took charge and made mom's famous taco rice, which was loved by all. It worked out well, Justin brought queso (which, regardless of the crap he took for bringing it, was eaten heartily by all), Angie brought chips and guacamole, and Aggie Sarah brought cookie dough. And we all ate too much!
After dinner we headed outside where we engaged in a little sky soccer - a game invented by Angie and Hannah which has a lot of guidelines and no rules and involves a giant ball. I'm pretty sure by the end of the game there were no children involved and the tall people were enjoying themselves a little too much! Then we followed Hannah's lead and laid down on the grass to look at the stars. We did some "camping" and laughed and laughed and laughed. Really, I don't know when I've had such a good time. It's amazing how quickly you can forget how difficult life can be, all the stressors of your life, and just give in to something as simple as lying down and looking up at all the God has created. What an awesome night!
Tuesday we had to leave but it was a sweet goodbye (if there can ever be such a thing). We slept in, everyone, even the kids, and then we ate chocolate chip pancakes and played "store" with Hannah and David. While we packed the car David picked flowers for us and Hannah helped get Speedy and Gertie (our cars' beanie babies) ready for the drive. We hugged and smiled and promised to be together soon. A promise I know we'll all keep. And until then I'll keep all these pictures and memories close to my heart. God is good, all the time!
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Girls' Night Out - Cousin Style!
We're still hanging out in Texas and last night we had a free evening (well it was free of short people) so Angela, Jamee and I headed out on the town to enjoy a hibachi dinner (thanks Mom and Dad, we all love you!!!).
We had a great time browsing shops (Charming Charlies is full of great fun jewelry and purses), Old Navy (which I decided I am just too old for I guess, because I am not a 13-year-old girl who can or should wear tube tops and see through blouses), and Target (75% off Easter fun, love that! And converse dress shoes, I am in heaven now, and I will be getting another pair ASAP).
Then we came home and hung out. Life is good in Texas. And tonight we're heading to a benefit at a diner called Hulabaloo to hear some good music! Yee haw!
Monday, March 24, 2008
Easter week
I've decided that I'll spend this Easter week (I'm looking forward, even though I know the holidays are all done now) counting my blessings. Here are just a few that popped into my head this morning as I ate strawberry chex (which leave pink milk in the bowl, my favorite!) and drank coffee with fat-free hazelnut creamer (might turn me into a coffee person just yet!).
1. Angela and I made it to Texas right on schedule. We left Yuma at 3:30pm Friday and got to Bryan, TX at 7:30pm Saturday, just in time for pizza and chi-chis (pina coladas) with the Bricks!
We had a pretty uneventful trip with stops for gas and food and lots of sleep and listening to a good book on the old iPod.
2. We had a great hotel room in El Paso. We were worried because the first 10 of so motels we stopped at had no vacancies but we finally found a room at a Marriott which was really nice for a good price. We slept well, and quickly, and then got on the road again bright and early!
3. We had a great worship experience with the Bricks at their church Sunday morning and got to praise God with a ton of others which is something I've been missing. Add that to the whole, God died and rose again for my salvation and I am truly blessed beyond belief.
4. We got to help the Easter bunny make Hannah and David's baskets and hide their eggs and attach yarn to the baskets to make a maze all over the house to lead them to the baskets. It was a fun night/morning!
5. We had a wonderful Easter lunch (and dinner) with the extended Brick family which included ham, pineapple dressing, asparagus, poke cake, and angel food with strawberries. I ate way too much and enjoyed it all!
6. I got the chance to have a long long nap Sunday afternoon which was a great way to recover from the hellish week I've already forgotten all about. Except that Friday I got a wonderful gift. A student of mine who's been very troubled all year, emotionally and scholastically, ran into conferences to present me with 4 books his family had purchased for my classroom from the book fair. He was so excited to give them to me and I was so excited he'd thought of me and the class. Very cool indeed.
7. Today I got to wake up to the sound of little ones watching Sesame Street and wanting to curl up with me in the lazy boy. As soon as bath time is over we're going to the Blue Bell ice cream factory for a tour and then we'll have a picnic lunch at a park. How much more blessed can I be?!?!?
8. Oh yeah, I am spending the week with one of my favorite friends, Jamee. I am so grateful that she and her family have opened their hearts and their home to Angela and I. I'm going to enjoy every single moment!
1. Angela and I made it to Texas right on schedule. We left Yuma at 3:30pm Friday and got to Bryan, TX at 7:30pm Saturday, just in time for pizza and chi-chis (pina coladas) with the Bricks!
We had a pretty uneventful trip with stops for gas and food and lots of sleep and listening to a good book on the old iPod.
2. We had a great hotel room in El Paso. We were worried because the first 10 of so motels we stopped at had no vacancies but we finally found a room at a Marriott which was really nice for a good price. We slept well, and quickly, and then got on the road again bright and early!
3. We had a great worship experience with the Bricks at their church Sunday morning and got to praise God with a ton of others which is something I've been missing. Add that to the whole, God died and rose again for my salvation and I am truly blessed beyond belief.
4. We got to help the Easter bunny make Hannah and David's baskets and hide their eggs and attach yarn to the baskets to make a maze all over the house to lead them to the baskets. It was a fun night/morning!
5. We had a wonderful Easter lunch (and dinner) with the extended Brick family which included ham, pineapple dressing, asparagus, poke cake, and angel food with strawberries. I ate way too much and enjoyed it all!
6. I got the chance to have a long long nap Sunday afternoon which was a great way to recover from the hellish week I've already forgotten all about. Except that Friday I got a wonderful gift. A student of mine who's been very troubled all year, emotionally and scholastically, ran into conferences to present me with 4 books his family had purchased for my classroom from the book fair. He was so excited to give them to me and I was so excited he'd thought of me and the class. Very cool indeed.
7. Today I got to wake up to the sound of little ones watching Sesame Street and wanting to curl up with me in the lazy boy. As soon as bath time is over we're going to the Blue Bell ice cream factory for a tour and then we'll have a picnic lunch at a park. How much more blessed can I be?!?!?
8. Oh yeah, I am spending the week with one of my favorite friends, Jamee. I am so grateful that she and her family have opened their hearts and their home to Angela and I. I'm going to enjoy every single moment!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
A blog slacker
I know, I know, I haven't been blogging enough. And I would be writing more except this week several things have been going on. One, I got sick. Again. I know! I am so done with sickness. It's the sore throat and a lovely phelmy cough this time. And then we have had three days of parent-teacher conferences this week. That mean Wednesday was a 12-hour day at school. Ugh. Today was only 10 and 1/2 hours but it was still long. And tomorrow we only have conferences until 2:30 so that's exciting. Oh yeah, and then we have spring break! WOO HOO!
Ang and I are leaving tomorrow at 2:30 for Texas. We're going to spend Easter and the following week with Jamee, John, Hannah, David, and Olivia. We can't wait!!!!
Okay, I've had some of Grandpa Mac's cough syrup and now I am heading to bed! Love you all.
Ang and I are leaving tomorrow at 2:30 for Texas. We're going to spend Easter and the following week with Jamee, John, Hannah, David, and Olivia. We can't wait!!!!
Okay, I've had some of Grandpa Mac's cough syrup and now I am heading to bed! Love you all.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Mental Health
I am a big believer in the tenet that if your mind is not well, you are not well. Over the past few weeks I have been stressing. It's just life, and I realize this. It's my first rejection from film school, it's not knowing about the others schools, it's the realization that I am indeed moving to Los Angeles, in just a few months. It's work which is getting busier and exponentially more stressful - kids with drugs, pregnancy scares, black eyes, claims of harassment and bullying, kids running away, parents pulling kids out to home school them, etc. Add in the fact that I was sick for over a month and just now finally feel better and you've got the makings of a good, old-fashioned breakdown. Oh, and add in the fact that I can't seem to lose any weight and even with spinning 3 days a week and weight classes, nothing seemed to work. Not Weight Watchers, not anything.
So I took today off. I was feeling exhausted and beat down. I have been going to bed by 9pm most nights, physically exhausted after 10 and 12-hour workdays. Report cards were done Wednesday, we start AIMS prep with the kids Monday, golf is going well, so I knew today was the day. Luckily my trusty sub accepted the job and I got to stay home (of course it took me 2 hours after school yesterday to prepare for my day off but that's beside the point).
And I feel better. I feel as if my mind has cleared some. I got up and cleaned out my inbox, cleaned some of the house, emptied the dishwasher, walked 4 miles with my VHS friends, did laundry, rested, watched 15 minutes of a really dumb reality TV show, downloaded Sense and Sensibility on audio book, and began to write.
I am working on Molly's story, for those of you following the (slow) process of my novel's creation. And I feel like I've been at a standstill for a while with her but I think I'm getting through it which is awesome. For those of you who want something to read, let me know and maybe it'll provide me with the peer pressure I need to get going and finish it already!!!
This will be another busy week, I am not naive. And I know one day off won't take away all the stress in my life. But I feel better, happy, and I am glad for that. We have conferences next Wed., Thurs., and Friday so those will be very long days (12 hours for a few). And then we're going to drive to Texas to spend Easter and a week with Jamee and her family which I am so excited about. I know it will be just what I need to relax and enjoy life for a while.
Some other things I figured out today:
- I think I need to quit the YMCA. I've loved going there, and loved spin but my back has been bothering me a lot lately and I know I need to focus on other types of activity. So I am going to save my shekels (the Y's not cheap) and use my walking tapes and try to get to yoga class at the yoga studio once in a while. I wish there were more aerobic classes at the Y, I could take but they are mostly during the day when I'm at school. So we'll see what happens.
- I have changed my eating habits and I am thankful for that. While I ate mini eggs and jelly beans this week, and enjoyed pizza last night, I'm also eating fruit and vegetables and maintaining my weight (but not losing, we'll focus on the positive for today I guess).
- There are free audio books on iTunes if you go to iTunes University and don't mind that it's not a celebrity reader.
- I miss the people at my job when I'm not there, but not really the job.
- Diet Coke gives me headaches. I've been drinking a lot of it lately (it was really cheap a month ago and Ang and I stocked up) and I finally realized today that that's the cause. I've been working on it for a while. So no more Diet Coke, at least not in vast quantities, and not for a while.
- I miss having people over to my house so I am going to fix that tomorrow by having 3 girls for work over for dinner!
-That I need to forget about the bill and turn the AC on when it gets to be 92 degrees outside.
- That I miss golfing. Coaching has reminded me of the sport I used to love to play. The kids were great Wednesday, we had only 24 come back (I had to kick several off the team that afternoon at school for grade and behavior issues - and yes, there were tears, and yes, they came from boys). We sent 10 out to play the course and they came back with awesome scores. And we kept the 14 in and did driving range, chipping, and putting practice and they did so great. We had one girl's 7 year old brother join us too and we just had fun. We're off for 3 weeks (conferences and spring break) but I really can't wait for our next outing!!!
So this turned into a really long blog, thanks for listening:-)
So I took today off. I was feeling exhausted and beat down. I have been going to bed by 9pm most nights, physically exhausted after 10 and 12-hour workdays. Report cards were done Wednesday, we start AIMS prep with the kids Monday, golf is going well, so I knew today was the day. Luckily my trusty sub accepted the job and I got to stay home (of course it took me 2 hours after school yesterday to prepare for my day off but that's beside the point).
And I feel better. I feel as if my mind has cleared some. I got up and cleaned out my inbox, cleaned some of the house, emptied the dishwasher, walked 4 miles with my VHS friends, did laundry, rested, watched 15 minutes of a really dumb reality TV show, downloaded Sense and Sensibility on audio book, and began to write.
I am working on Molly's story, for those of you following the (slow) process of my novel's creation. And I feel like I've been at a standstill for a while with her but I think I'm getting through it which is awesome. For those of you who want something to read, let me know and maybe it'll provide me with the peer pressure I need to get going and finish it already!!!
This will be another busy week, I am not naive. And I know one day off won't take away all the stress in my life. But I feel better, happy, and I am glad for that. We have conferences next Wed., Thurs., and Friday so those will be very long days (12 hours for a few). And then we're going to drive to Texas to spend Easter and a week with Jamee and her family which I am so excited about. I know it will be just what I need to relax and enjoy life for a while.
Some other things I figured out today:
- I think I need to quit the YMCA. I've loved going there, and loved spin but my back has been bothering me a lot lately and I know I need to focus on other types of activity. So I am going to save my shekels (the Y's not cheap) and use my walking tapes and try to get to yoga class at the yoga studio once in a while. I wish there were more aerobic classes at the Y, I could take but they are mostly during the day when I'm at school. So we'll see what happens.
- I have changed my eating habits and I am thankful for that. While I ate mini eggs and jelly beans this week, and enjoyed pizza last night, I'm also eating fruit and vegetables and maintaining my weight (but not losing, we'll focus on the positive for today I guess).
- There are free audio books on iTunes if you go to iTunes University and don't mind that it's not a celebrity reader.
- I miss the people at my job when I'm not there, but not really the job.
- Diet Coke gives me headaches. I've been drinking a lot of it lately (it was really cheap a month ago and Ang and I stocked up) and I finally realized today that that's the cause. I've been working on it for a while. So no more Diet Coke, at least not in vast quantities, and not for a while.
- I miss having people over to my house so I am going to fix that tomorrow by having 3 girls for work over for dinner!
-That I need to forget about the bill and turn the AC on when it gets to be 92 degrees outside.
- That I miss golfing. Coaching has reminded me of the sport I used to love to play. The kids were great Wednesday, we had only 24 come back (I had to kick several off the team that afternoon at school for grade and behavior issues - and yes, there were tears, and yes, they came from boys). We sent 10 out to play the course and they came back with awesome scores. And we kept the 14 in and did driving range, chipping, and putting practice and they did so great. We had one girl's 7 year old brother join us too and we just had fun. We're off for 3 weeks (conferences and spring break) but I really can't wait for our next outing!!!
So this turned into a really long blog, thanks for listening:-)
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
100, 43, 39, 30
These numbers have been significant the past two days. Here's why:
100 - We started our golf season Tuesday at lunchtime with a meeting. Over 100 kids showed up to my classroom that usually seems insane with 30 people in it. We managed to get rid of about 40 kids by the time the meeting had ended. We sent kids with failing grades and without afternoon rides back to class. Then we shouted over the others and tried to scare them into deciding if golf was really for them. Most decided it was. Even the kids we fight with every single day. So Ang and I got ready for our first practice with much anxiety. How many would show?
43 - It turns out that some of the group really was serious. Yesterday we had our first practice at the course. When we got there at 1:45, there were already 10 kids there. Some with golf clubs and championship t-shirts. Some with baggy pants and iPods. All had a lot of energy and loud voices. By the time we got started just after two we had 43 kids around us. We ended up sending 4 home, they'd walked to Jack in the Box and hitched a ride with another parent and their own didn't know where they were. These are some of our troublesome kids so we were not sad at all to see them go. That left us with 39 kids and 2 adults. On a public golf course that was swarming with snowbirds. Yeah. But it went really really well. We split up into 3 groups and had the returning 8th grades take one group to the putting green to do a little putting clinic. Then Ang took a group and went over etiquette while I took the group who'd never been on a course before. I told them about clubs and balls and tees, they all got to hold a club and practice gripping it. Then we took a walk out to the first hole and explored a little. They were surprisingly excited to be out there. What surprised me the most was a few of the kids who I never thought would come out for golf.
There was Eric - my student who dresses as if he's straight out of the 1950s. He cuffs his dark jeans and rolls his white tee-shirt sleeves. And he secretly likes being called a greaser. He wore a Johnny Cash t-shirt to the course and a hat that I'm sure my grandpa wore 40-some years ago. And the pickup truck his greaser brother picked him up in was straight out of the 50s. Then there was Kevin - Ang's kid with the mohawk who I met Monday in detention where he wrote an excellent essay about skate park rules. Then there was my student Kayla who I didn't even realize was at golf meeting. Apparently she's been playing golf since age 3 and has won several city championships. Yay girl power! Next was Derrick, a special education student I knew only from the constant reprimands I seemed to have to give him during our hour and a half together. However, as we waited an extra half hour for his ride (and others), Ang told me what a good kid he was and we got a chance to talk and I realized that one-on-one, he really calmed down and seemed super sweet. There there were the only other 2 girls who showed who have never touched more than a mini-golf putter. And on, and on....I can't wait to see who sticks it out and who comes back next week.
It was also great to see our 8th graders who have grown up a lot in the past year. They acted very proud when asked to run the putting clinic. But my favorite was when JD came over and said, "Ms. Knapp, the one in the orange shirt just won't listen to me!" I secretly smiled and hoped they now realize a little of what it's like to be the one in the front of the room yelling all the time!
30 - that's miles per hour, as in how fast the wind was throwing sand at us while we were on the course. I could barely hold onto my etiquette packet or clipboard of permission slips. Needless to say, I went home and straight into the shower!
So yeah, golf season has begun. And were counting on adding another trophy to our collection!
100 - We started our golf season Tuesday at lunchtime with a meeting. Over 100 kids showed up to my classroom that usually seems insane with 30 people in it. We managed to get rid of about 40 kids by the time the meeting had ended. We sent kids with failing grades and without afternoon rides back to class. Then we shouted over the others and tried to scare them into deciding if golf was really for them. Most decided it was. Even the kids we fight with every single day. So Ang and I got ready for our first practice with much anxiety. How many would show?
43 - It turns out that some of the group really was serious. Yesterday we had our first practice at the course. When we got there at 1:45, there were already 10 kids there. Some with golf clubs and championship t-shirts. Some with baggy pants and iPods. All had a lot of energy and loud voices. By the time we got started just after two we had 43 kids around us. We ended up sending 4 home, they'd walked to Jack in the Box and hitched a ride with another parent and their own didn't know where they were. These are some of our troublesome kids so we were not sad at all to see them go. That left us with 39 kids and 2 adults. On a public golf course that was swarming with snowbirds. Yeah. But it went really really well. We split up into 3 groups and had the returning 8th grades take one group to the putting green to do a little putting clinic. Then Ang took a group and went over etiquette while I took the group who'd never been on a course before. I told them about clubs and balls and tees, they all got to hold a club and practice gripping it. Then we took a walk out to the first hole and explored a little. They were surprisingly excited to be out there. What surprised me the most was a few of the kids who I never thought would come out for golf.
There was Eric - my student who dresses as if he's straight out of the 1950s. He cuffs his dark jeans and rolls his white tee-shirt sleeves. And he secretly likes being called a greaser. He wore a Johnny Cash t-shirt to the course and a hat that I'm sure my grandpa wore 40-some years ago. And the pickup truck his greaser brother picked him up in was straight out of the 50s. Then there was Kevin - Ang's kid with the mohawk who I met Monday in detention where he wrote an excellent essay about skate park rules. Then there was my student Kayla who I didn't even realize was at golf meeting. Apparently she's been playing golf since age 3 and has won several city championships. Yay girl power! Next was Derrick, a special education student I knew only from the constant reprimands I seemed to have to give him during our hour and a half together. However, as we waited an extra half hour for his ride (and others), Ang told me what a good kid he was and we got a chance to talk and I realized that one-on-one, he really calmed down and seemed super sweet. There there were the only other 2 girls who showed who have never touched more than a mini-golf putter. And on, and on....I can't wait to see who sticks it out and who comes back next week.
It was also great to see our 8th graders who have grown up a lot in the past year. They acted very proud when asked to run the putting clinic. But my favorite was when JD came over and said, "Ms. Knapp, the one in the orange shirt just won't listen to me!" I secretly smiled and hoped they now realize a little of what it's like to be the one in the front of the room yelling all the time!
30 - that's miles per hour, as in how fast the wind was throwing sand at us while we were on the course. I could barely hold onto my etiquette packet or clipboard of permission slips. Needless to say, I went home and straight into the shower!
So yeah, golf season has begun. And were counting on adding another trophy to our collection!
Saturday, March 01, 2008
My first film school response...
"Dear Sarah, We have concluded our review of applications for the Master of Fine Arts in Screenwriting program at The University of Texas at Austin. We regret that we are unable to offer you admission for Fall 2008. The applicants for our program were exceptionally competitive this year, resulting in many well-qualified applicants being turned away. Our decisions are the result of an extensive review of all the applications and supporting materials, assessing qualifications as well as fit for our program. We wish you well in your future pursuits. Thank you again for your interest in our program."
This is the email I got yesterday, almost a month ahead of schedule. There were transcript issues, them not getting them six months ago but I placed calls and emails and who knows whatever came of all that. I never actually got to talk to a real person. Also, they had a lot of hoops to jump through and by golly, I jumped, well I thought. But in the end, they didn't want me. Simple as that.
I was sad when I read the email though when I saw it in my box, I guessed what is was. I figure if I get an acceptance it'll come via post. But who knows. Austin had been forth on my list of four schools but it still would have been nice to have been wanted by them.
Three more schools to go, here's hoping I don't get three more letters like this one...
This is the email I got yesterday, almost a month ahead of schedule. There were transcript issues, them not getting them six months ago but I placed calls and emails and who knows whatever came of all that. I never actually got to talk to a real person. Also, they had a lot of hoops to jump through and by golly, I jumped, well I thought. But in the end, they didn't want me. Simple as that.
I was sad when I read the email though when I saw it in my box, I guessed what is was. I figure if I get an acceptance it'll come via post. But who knows. Austin had been forth on my list of four schools but it still would have been nice to have been wanted by them.
Three more schools to go, here's hoping I don't get three more letters like this one...
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