Ahhh... breathe...

Well, registration is over, thank god. I did exactly as planned - got to school about 7am, in the building and up to the MecaLab by 710, encountered first problem - MecaLab doesn't open until 730, waited, got in at 730 and got a seat. I continued to check my shopping cart and everything was still great. Registration started at 8 so by 7:56 I was constantly clicking 'Submit' on all my classes, well it finally accepts some of them about 8:03 but I had this damn ART class that conflicted with my other classes. My biggest concern was this Music class because there were only 2 spots left and both Bonnye and I wanted one. On the first click of trying to get ART out of the way so I could enroll in other classes, I saw MU drop to one spot left, and on the second click, it was gone. That fast. Bonnye didn't get in either.

In the end my schedules not too bad. I managed to get into 7 classes at TWU and have already signed up for 1 through RICH. I emailed the teacher of the MU class and he seemed really nice. I asked if he was planning on accepting Waitlisted students and he said that if all 3 of his classes filled up he might. Well, 2 are completely full but 1 still have 20 spots left to go. So, prob not. He did say that he was offering it in the Summer, which is good, but I have the slot open this semester, so I would rather take it now rather than sitting in the library doing nothing. Oh well.

Schedule starting Jan. 14th is as follows:

Monday: 8-11 (READ 3473) / 1-220 (EDUC 3003) / 230-350 (CSCI 3002)
Tuesday: 11-1220 (EDSP 4203) / at Richland READ 4463 (4-650)
Wednesday: 1-220 (EDUC 3003) / 230-350 (CSCI 3002)
Thursday: 11-1220 (EDSP 4203)
Online: HIST 2332 (at Rich), ART 3032 and EDUC 3001

In case you care what these capital 4 digit words mean - the actual classes I'm enrolled in are:
READ 3473 - Oral Language and Early Literacy
READ 4463 - Reading Assessment and Instruction
ART 3032 - Essentials of Children's Art
EDSP 4203 - Learners with Exceptionalities
CSCI 3002 - Advanced Computer Technology
EDUC 3003 - Learning Theory and Development
EDUC 3001 - Integrating Technology for Eff. Lrng.

Shitty things include: large break on Monday from 11-1, Tuesday altogether sucks ass, and driving 45 minutes each way just to go to one 1 hour and 20 minute class on Thursday.
Good things include: I am taking many classes that will help me have a small semester next semester (aka my last semester in class), I only have to wake up early one day (Monday) and I have Friday, Saturday, Sunday off! Can't beat that!

So, all in all, I'm pretty satisfied with my schedule. I would like to be enrolled in that MU class, but that means I'm in 9 freaking classes again and don't know if I really want that again. The READ's are pretty time intensive and I'm in 2 this upcomeing semester.

Trying to put pictures on all blog posts now. Here's another one from an application on the Mac called PhotoBooth. It's just a picture taker but you can apply neat things to the pics. This one is comic book. Pretty neat.

Lazy Day

Today there isn't much going on. I'm home by myself catching up on previous Nip/Tuck episodes and watching Harry Potter and also... most importantly, studying for my SCI 3003 test tomorrow. I feel like such a slacker not studying for it over the Thanksgiving break but I'm sure Dr. Jones knew this was going to happen, it was so ignorant to choose to do it after the break. We could of just taken the test and forgotten about it, but nooooo. Whatever. I'm studying now.

Tonight I am meeting Jack at Willow Bend when he gets out of work and we are going to have dinner with Howie and his momma for her birthday at Red, Hot and Blue. If they weren't going to a delicious restaurant than we wouldn't both going, but ya know we love meat and BBQ sauce.

Tomorrow is sophomore registration day. My plan is to leave the house at 615, but at school at 7am and in a seat in the Meca lab by 710. If everything appears to be good then I will continue studying for Science, but if my schedule gets full, then I will spend the time planning a new schedule. I have to remember to take my 'Folder of Wealth and Knowledge' (folder that contains all important documents regarding degree plan). I'll write tomorrow and let you know how everything went as far as registering and testing. Jack is off for the next 2 days, so I think we're going to go shopping for families Christmas presents. (Mom kindly gave me $500 to shop for other people with because she knows how much I love to buy people presents and how little money I have to do that with, I thought it was very very nice of her - even though her alterer motives were that most of the money will go towards her Christmas gifts).

Till then I will continue studying my Science notebook and obsessively checking my Registration shopping cart...

My family

Isn't that sweet, my Jacky and our baby Lolita Bear.

Thanksgiving Lunch

Thanksgiving actually went really well, mom and dad spoke to each other with arguing or being awkward. We stayed till about 330 (eating lunch at 1) and then went on our way. Everything was really good, Grandma made turkey and stuffing, mom made sweet potatoes, fruit salad, cranberries and green bean casserole, and dad and I made mashed potatoes. Mom and I both brought dessert. I actually hand made Apple Crunch Crumble Pie. It was so good and I felt like such a good housewife being able to make something from scratch. Well... not all scratch. The top lattice crust is actually puff pastry, but I did slice it and place it myself. Jack cut all the apples for me, which was very very sweet. Everything came out really well it was just a little bit sour, because of the apples... but I didn't know how to fix it. Here's a delicious picture:



I went to Thanksgiving with my henna'd hand and everyone seemed okay with it. Dad and Grandma were a little strange but it's just temporary. Speaking of tattoo, mom decided to get her henna permanently tattooed on and Alex is actually getting his first tattoo tonight, just 8 days after becoming 18. I at least waited 5 months.

Henna Tattoo

So here are the pictures of my bandaged hand after I got henna'd. Here are the after affects:



It's pretty cool, but unfortunately it takes a really cool person to pull it off. I really don't think I'm that person. Lots of people look at it crazily, few actually say something about it but the ones that do, seem to like it. I'm still iffy, but I read up about removing said Henna - and it's basically not an option. To remove the henna is to remove the first dozen layers of skin... so I'll keep it.

Self Portrait

Taken in Photo Booth. Sweet.

Another boring day

Not much to say today. I stayed home most of the day while mom and Alex spent some quality time together, doing Geography quizzes, tests and my literature unit book assignment. I actually got a lot done and am very proud of myself. One more good day of solid school work should pretty well get through my Thanksgiving break to do list.

After testing myself until I was stupid earlier I decided to get out of the house and go to the henna tattoo place with mom. I didn't realize this was someone's actual home, but whatever. Mom got a really cool vine/leaf pattern covering her scar and then talked me into getting one too. I chose a very traditional bridal design on my right hand that goes up a little past my wrist. For optimal results you must leave it bandaged for about 12+ hours and then scrape the clay off and try to get as little moisture as possible on it. Since I decided not to shower today, I MUST shower tomorrow - which now means that, for optimal results, I need to have Jack shower me with my right hand hanging out of the shower... interesting. He said that'd he would do it though. I took some pictures of my now bandaged right hand and I'm really excited about seeing the results, hopefully optimal. I'm sure I will regret this on MOnday when I have to go back to my conservative school, but at the time I was thinking about I didn't have any more practicums, I have 6 days off school (even though this should last 21 days) and that it didn't matter what the school thought. I just hope I like it. I'll post final pictures later.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving! Good Food! Yay! My plan is to get up about 9am and thaw the pie dough, slice the apples and try and make everything without needing to wash my hands...

Thanksgiving Vacation

Well, today is day #1 of my 6 days off of school. I usually try to post everyday but I have really had nothing to say. Yesterday, Monday, I went to school till 1230, went to the dermo at 2 (Jack came with) and then had lunch at Chipotle about 330. And... I'm pretty sure that's it.

Today we got up and chilled around the house and then had lunch at Mi Cocina with Mom, Grandma and Alex. I have also been working on my Library Materials Literature Unit. A literature unit is a "theme" basically for a teacher's lesson plan. My unit is over the Solar System and I have to pick a grade level, I chose 2nd grade, and find books that go with my unit. They all have to be based on the Solar System and I need to find a variety that could be read before/during Math lesson, Social Studies lesson, Science lesson and Literature lesson. Very cool and very useful. The students are supposed to enjoy a single theme for the week and be better able to relate different subjects to one overall idea, such as the Solar System. Here are a few pictures of the painting process...







I am in love with my little moon. Alex said "Damn, that is the moon." I know. The pictures really don't do the Earth or moon much justice. It is by far my best arts and crafts project ever. Here are more of the final project: close up of the perfection that is my silver spray paint sprayed on via old toothbrush for that perfect uneven spray, and of the title...





And here is the actual final project... (well, minus the list of books included in my literature unit)




Cool, huh? I try to post everyday, but sometimes I really don't have anything to say - at all! We'll see if I do anything tomorrow worth writing about.

Alex's Birthday "Party"

Well, last night was ... interesting. Before heading to GatSplat I called dad to make sure he knew the directions. I informed him that mom and Alex made a reservation at PF Changs for 730 and he went berserk. Apparently, he thought we were going to go to dinner about 530 instead of 730 so he planned a date for 730. He was really angry because no one informed him that we'd be eating that late and yada yada. I wasn't nice at all about it because it wasn't but 2 weeks ago that him and I had this conversation about mom being a selfish bitch and complaining that Al's bday was on a Saturday, Saturday = date night. He was actually sitting on the phone contemplating what he was going to do... go to Alex's birthday dinner or go to his date. I said "Dad, your not actually thinking about this are you?!" I was so pissed that he could be that selfish! He apparently called his date and told her he wouldn't be able to meet her until later. At paintball he kept checking the time and being really pushing about leaving early to go to dinner. At one point I said "Dad! It's Alex's fucking birthday!" I informed him that everyone had other plans, things they'd rather be doing but it was Alex's birthday, he wanted to eat that late so that he could have plenty of time to play paintball. He wasn't the only one not wanting to be here, he was just the only one bitching about it like a selfish asshole! We left early because we didn't realize how disgusting you get with paintball grease all over you. I was disgusting so we went to mom's apartment (this was dad's first time there and he made zero comments about it, which Grandma and I thought was rude) to clean up a little bit. Then - the best part - we went to dinner, got there about 730, seated about 740, ordered food, it came about 8, dad left at 815. He just said "Well, I'm leaving." I thought it was so fucking rude and if he brings it up today I will let him know it. And I hope he does bring it up.

Overall, paintball was really fun. We all had a great time and loved seeing Alex be the best at yet another sport. He has a cult following of little boys up there that just love everything about him. It's really cute. I got to see the "hot russian chick" and I have to say I was a little disappointed. She was really good at paintball though. I did get hit several times but I actually got out of there without any bruises. Several shots on the hand, one ball exploded on my neck (actually didn't hurt as bad as you'd think), one square in the face (thankfully I was wearing a mask), quite a few on my arms and the most painful was on my thighs. Yet, no bruises. I had my personal proudest moment there too - it was just me and another guy, last ones out, and we were hiding behind blow up things on opposite ends of the "rink" and we both kept standing up and shooting at each other then ducking down. It went on for a long time and on my last shot, with my last paintball, I shot him. It was beautiful. And everyone cheered! It was awesome! Here are some pics. First one is mom in her mask standing on the side lines and then Alex playing on the professional team being a pro with those stances.

Today is the Gee Family Thanksgiving. I keep saying "thanksgiving at grandma's" but... grandma died last year and I don't why I can't grasp that enough to not say it every damn time it comes up.

What I did today...

Today was pretty productive and has gone by pretty fast. I went to Hobby Lobby (I had forgotten how expensive their stuff is) two separate times today and I also went to WM and the library. I got all the supplies necessary to build my 3D model of the Earth and Moon and I also got a really cool piece of paper for the cover of my end of year portfolio.



Not a great photo, but it shows the necessary stuff. I bought that paisley black and white paper at HL and then printed dark red vertical PORTFOLIO but the red looked really bad because you could see through it. So I reprinted it in black, it looked better but the bottom part should say 'Early Elementary Education Samantha Gee', but printing it twice made it extremely blurry. I think I'll leave it because my name is on the inside plenty. I just have a weakness for paisley. I should of put my name closer to the bottom... oh well.



I love this picture of Lola. I never get good pictures of Lola because she's not as still (or pretty) as London. This picture shows her overbite, she definitely needs braces, poor puppy. For some reason that corner of her teeth ALWAYS sticks out, no matter what... strange, but she's still my baby Lolita.

To Do

Kind of a strange self-portrait but one of the only ones I've taken since getting my new camera.

To Do Today:
Return Books to Library
Get new books for Presentations
Go to Wal-Mart
Get Alex's gift for bday party tomorrow
Go to Hobby Lobby and get supplies for Literature Unit project
Make Alex's card? Print pictures at WM?

To Do During Thanksgiving Break:
Finish GEOG tests/quizzes
Complete book logs/presentations
Make MATH/READ portfolio
Last L/S
READ essay and final reflection
LS Literature Unit Project
Study for SCI and MATH tests
Determine registration ...

Long night

So last night wasn't bad - when I met Jacky in the parking lot to head to Fireside Pies, I was bitchy to him. I informed him that taking my car to the car wash was now on his list of husbandly duties. I was being bitchy and annoying and he was asking me what's wrong and I told him that I didn't always have to tell him everything that was wrong with me, people are allowed to be upset sometimes. Then he informs me that again it is part of his husbandly duties to figure out what's wrong and try and make it better. I thought that was sweet, those husbandly duties are starting to pile up I think.

We met Vicki and Kyle (can't ever remember his freaking name) at Fireside Pies. It was delicious, but I ate wayyy too much, and then Vicki ordered dessert! Geez. It was very good though, one of the better places they've taken us in quite a while. The point of this meeting on our side of the world (they live about an hour away) so for Jack to look at their Mac and try and get things straightened out. He did of course but I was forced to sit and make small talk with Vicki while he dealt with Kyle and the computer. The strangest thing happened! All of the sudden I felt a major onslaught of diarrhea! It was intense and the only thing I could do was go to the bathroom! I felt bad because Vicki had to use the bathroom before they left and despite the facts that I flushed many times and left the window open to try and get a breeze going, I'm sure it still smelled. Oh well, it is my house, right?

Then Jacky and I stayed up for an hour or so just talking about Science, genetics, plagues and useless body parts. It was very interesting. Once we got in bed he told me that I had a hidden "smart" side that I've been keeping from everybody. On one hand that's true - I don't like to put in my comments too often because being genius's like Jack and Howie are, they always have a retort that makes my comment feel small (does that make any sense?). But on the other hand he is wrong, but I haven't always known this information and hid it from him, I am just now learning about it in SCI 3003 class and then researching it more because I find it incredibly interesting. I'm kinda weird like that.

Today is Alex's 18th birthday! I am very happy for him. It is Jack's duty today to get Alex in the referral program at Apple and then ask Casey (the boss) when the next hiring is going to be done. Hopefully it's soon because we are all really counting on Alex getting a job there. He could make a career out of it like Jack has. And they'll get to see each other more often and have lunch together. I think it will be great! So... we'll see. Tomorrow is the big paintball party and dinner, I think it's at PF Changs. Sounds great to me! I sent him a text saying Happy Birthday. I think I'll hand make a card and I need to get out to Obscurities or just Hot Topic and buy him some earrings for his bday gift. That's what he said he wanted.

Strange mood-swing...

I am so angry all of the sudden. I just got home from sitting at the car wash for the past hour, which annoyed me. I'm never going back to a car wash again, Jack needs to be the husband in this situation and take it for me. I hate them, I never can understand what they tell me to do, and I never have gotten the 'put your car in neutral and take your foot off the brake' thing - it's just not natural. And now I find out that skipping Library Materials on Wednesday was a very bad idea. I knew we'd be turning in out Historical Fiction book presentation, which isn't a big deal, but I didn't think that she'd be explaining our HUGE projects that are due in December. I completely forgot about that and now I'm fucking lost. I completely missed the most important day of the entire fucking semester... great. I just emailed her, but I wouldn't blame her if she just said "Figure it out yourself... you should of come to class." What could I say? I think it will be pretty easy to figure out and there are at least 2 more class days before it's due.

Did I even tell you about the Junior/Sophomore registration fiasco?! I had a tragedy on Monday that is so bad and irritating that I don't even think I'm going to mention it. I'll just say that I won't be registering on Friday with the Juniors, instead I have to wait until fucking November fucking 26th and register with the god damn sophomores. I'll get classes, but they'll be scattered all over the fucking place...

And fucking Six Feet Under season 4 won't fucking download - god damnit!

Outdoor Pictures

So I finally got some time to play around with my camera and I really love it. I think I have an eye for seeing cool things to take pictures of I just need some practice getting things to look right. I'm really trying to take pictures holding the camera rather than on a tripod. If taking a still picture is just too hard I may have to use one, but I would really rather not.



I really like how this one turned out. I had the camera on "Close Up" mode and I really like how it blurs out the background but keeps the subject sharp. I thinks its focused on the water rather than the leaf, but I still really like it. Not bad for a first attempt.



I really like this one too. I am standing at the base of a big tree and shooting straight up. I didn't really catch it in the picture, but the sun was shining really cool through the leaves. Immediately after this I walked over to the edge of the pond and a red turtle was sitting on the drain, I started to move closer to get a picture and he dove in the water. Too bad. Maybe he'll be back out later.



Here's a picture of London and Lola. I really liked this because Lola's head is kind of cut off and I thought that made it interesting. I took lots of the dogs laying in the sun this morning and I experimented with 'Aperture' mode. I like this mode too but I can't really tell the difference between this and normal mode.



Anyways - pastas boiling... more pictures to come.

Up way past my bedtime...

Well, today Jacky bought me the Nikon camera I have wanted forever. It's amazing, intimidating and very rockstar cool. I'll post my first rockstar pictures of the dogs and of Alex's 10pm hockey game. I'm home now after exotic dance class and his hockey game and I'm a little wired... Jack is already asleep, which I'm pretty sure has never happened before. I really do not remember a time that I stayed up later than he did. He was very tired this evening and didn't feel like coming to the game with me.

As for now - I'm going to make some hot tea and go to bed (possibly with a granola bar) and I'll write more tomorrow. I for sure want to post more pictures since I have the new badass camera.

It's been about 8 hours since the purchase and I regret it a little. We didn't have that kind of money to spend in the first place, and even though he pinky promised, I could tell that Jack was unsure about it too. I think we will both get a lot of use out of it.. and blah blah more excuses why I argued that we should buy it. I hope I don't bite myself in the ass later when it is sitting in the closet collecting dust... I do have 14 days to return it (with an $80 restocking fee). I really do love it dearly though.

Living vicariously though a blog...

So... I mentioned this blog that I've been reading lately and I think I've become slightly obsessed. Maybe that's not the right word for it. The blog is written by a woman whose 27 (I think) and has the most adorable life. She's beautiful, has a perfect loving husband and an absolutely adorable 3 year old daughter. Her blog is about the things she did that day, her huge family, and all the arts and crafts that her and her daughter do. She has an SLR camera and takes amazing photos of her daughter in perfect angles with perfect light. I have read nearly all of her 300+ posts over the last week and she lives the life I always pictured I would have but I guess I'm not pretty enough to be her, I'm not old enough to have the children she has and the life experiences that have made her her and I'm not humble enough to live the perfect life she lives. I love reading her blog and living vicariously though it. She's amazing and a wonderful mother and wife. She had a second baby just as beautiful as the first and will probably have more in the future. It's weird how much I think about them, I find myself thinking during the day about what they are doing and checking her blog frequently for news of it.

I feel very strange about this... like I'm a stalker or something. I wish I were as creative as her, she makes some amazing things and gives them away occasionally on her blog, just for posting a comment. I think I might keep an eye out for one of these giveaways and try and win something. The the perfect picture of a housewife (she even wears an apron!).

I really think this is the last time I will ever bring this up.

SLR "Rockstar Photographer" Camera

So... I've wanted one of these cameras for a very long time. When I worked at Inspirations Nick bought one for the hell of it and I would take it home most weekends and play with it. I felt like such a rock star photographer. And I've been reading this blog about this perfect little family and the mother/wife takes fucking fantastic pictures with her SLR camera and I REALLY want one now. I wanted one when Jack and I started taking about both of us getting iPhones (they came out on June 29th but I bet we were already talking about it last Christmas) and since the iPhone and the camera are both $500-$600 each I decided just the iPhone. Well, now I want the camera again. I guess I could ask for it for Christmas... but that would be all of my christmas and there's other stuff I need/want... like groceries. I guess I really don't have a need for one of these until... IDK wedding or honeymoon or pregnant. I mean what else am I going to take pictures of... me and Jack and the dogs? Yea I guess I could and then I could make a kick ass scrapbook. That would be nice. But we really don't have the money to buy the camera and we especially don't have extra money lying around for me to buy scrap-booking supplies. Maybe I should try and find a used one of these on Craigs List or something... that would be cool. Anyways... today is Saturday, I don't have to be at class until 10am this morning because we are just working on our group projects today, which is fine, but it better not take more than like 2 hours, tops.

On a side note - it's Saturday, I took my last birth control pill on Sunday and I usually start bleeding on Thursday, but I haven't as of this morning. I take the first pill of the new cycle tomorrow... I've never actually skipped an entire period... interesting.

Just blogging away

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"Post page element"

Does anyone else have problems every time you try to post page element? It's worked for me a total of like twice, and you see the 2 ones I managed to post... the skull pic and the counter worked after much effort... but nothing else has worked. Laaame.

Registration is fucked up

Registration is so fucking lame. It seems that schools try to make taking more than 1 class at a time difficult. The degree plan is set up so that you must take this class before these 5 classes and you can't take these 6 classes until you've been accepted to the Teaching Program but you have to complete an entire list long of requirements before applying to the Teaching Program. I've only made it more difficult on myself by taking classes from 2 different schools and transferring credits back and forth; which confuses the advisors just as much as me. At the present time I am fucking stressed out about registering on the 16th for Spring 2008 classes because here's the problem: I have to be accepted to the TP to register for EDUC 3003 and 3001, but before being accepted I need to take EDUC 2003. I am taking 2003 this winter at Richland but it won't be completed and on my transcript until almost the time Spring starts... do you see the prob here? It needs to be completed AND on my transcript to register for the other 2 classes NEXT WEEK. I'm not totally for sure that it won't let me register, but my advisor just informed me that I will be dropped at the very beginning of the semester if it's not on my transcript. Jesus christ this couldn't be more difficult. And to make matters worse - TWU registration is on the 16th but Richland registration isn't until the 20th... if I can't sign up for the classes that I want for winter I need to completely rearrange my schedule so that I am able to take those classes another time...

I have seriously put way too much thought into this. But it really looks like I'll have 16 hours (I know it doesn't sound like much but it's actually 7 classes) this semester, about 13-16 hours next semester (and anything that didn't fit in this semester) and then... it's STUDENT TEACHING and masters classes! Yay! I'll have 36 hours of Master's level classes to take after all this. Hopefully I can take 18 hours each semester and get it over with in 2 semesters. That is my plan for the next... 2 years. God I hope I survive.

Chillin with the meatloaf vapors...

Well, tonight I made that homemade meatloaf I've been craving. Unfortunately it was average at best, and I can feel what small amount I ate rising up my throat begging to be purged. Maybe it's because I'm sitting near the kitchen and the leftover's vapor is wafting near my nostrils, IDK, but I really think I'm going to vomit. I also made dessert - vanilla pudding, sliced strawberries, and angel food cake - also unfortunately average. And that was after I was bombarded by ants trying to beat me to the cake. Not a great turn out.

Howie is here, chillin. Which is... ya know. His birthday is on Friday and we're driving to bum-fucking-Egypt to eat as some shitty hole-in-the-wall Italian place. I was promptly reminded that it was not my birthday and I had no say in the dinner choice. Laaaame.

Tomorrow is back to school. That is fine, I'm ready for it because there's only 5 weeks left. Something cool about tomorrow is that Exotic dancing class starts again (not at school). I have taken the Core moves twice and next on the list after Chair, is Props. Chair should be fun but I really don't know what to expect. It's been about 2 months since the last Core moves so my ass and leg muscles are probably out of shape. I need a beverage... I seem to have this feeling quite often when Howie is over.

Obligatory Halloween Photo

Well, I know it's custom to posts pictures of yourself dressed up for Halloween because there's not another night of the year that you actually get to wear lingerie out in public and blend completely in. Well, I didn't dress up, and if I did I wouldn't have gone out in public and I sure as hell wouldn't of taken an pictures. But, I did go over to my dad's house on Halloween and we roasted marshmallows... so here is a pretty cool picture of me... roasting a marshmallow, taken by my dad. Cool, huh?

I really can't believe that it's already November. It's crazy how the time flies. Next on the agenda is a couple of friends birthday that fall simultaneously within the next 2 weeks, then my brother's 18th birthday (I think we're all going paint balling), then Thanksgiving (all 4 of them), then Jack's birthday, then Finals and school ends, then Christmas and winter classes. Whew.