I couldn't wait to go to school when I was young. My Mom fed me plenty of pro-school propaganda, my favorite being 'The Berenstain Bears Go To School'. I insisted she read it to me the night before I started Kindergarten. I have friends and family members who are teachers now, and I have a great deal of respect for them. It's a profession that truly is a calling! In honor of the teachers of my past, I've decided to see what I can remember to share of them.
Kindergarten - My teacher called me Christe all the time, but she made school fun and exciting. When I started school in Bridgeport we had all day classes. None of this pansy half-day stuff they do now. It was a hardcore kindergarten. When our egg-in-an-incubator never hatched into a baby chick, she took us outside to crack it open and look at the 2/3 grown bird. It was a little gross. Apparently I was a holy terror and a bully. With the exception of the one time I beat that little boy with a block, I think Mom and Dad are exaggerating the facts. I don't remember being that bad!
1st Grade - There was a rumor going around school that the cafeteria was serving rattlesnake. I totally believed it and brought my lunch every day. I don't remember much of my teachers this year, we moved at the semester break so I only had each for a few months.
2nd Grade - Mrs. Lauterdale!! I LOVED this woman's class. My bookworm tendencies were encouraged and she was always enabling us push our abilities, no matter where we were individually. Our classroom was a portable building, and at some point a kitten took up residence under our steps outside. Even though it was 'illegal', she let us keep the cat in the classroom as a pet for a month till she found it a home. I will never forget that it took me 4 spelling tests to be able to get the word 'beautiful' down correctly.
3rd Grade - Mrs. Sowell. Mean, old, smelly Mrs. Sowell. I don't know how old she really was, but she looked about 100. She took away my 'self manager badge' for passing notes in class. She taught us how to quilt and churn butter. Probably passing on lessons from her childhood.
*At some point after being one of the last school districts in the nation to desegregate, Midland Independent School District (in all of its divine wisdom) implemented the 'cluster' system. This meant that all the 4th graders from 3 neighborhood schools across town attended school in the same place, the 5th at the 2nd school and the 6th and the 3rd school. Plus their gifted and talented program was a full 2 day curriculum housed in a school of its own. This all means that I spent a little over an hour each day being bused all over town in the name of 'a diverse classroom environment'. It also meant that while my mother had three children in public school, they all attended schools in different zip codes. Not the best system.
4th Grade - Rusk Elementary - The dreaded Mrs. Patrick, who openly lamented the days when she was allowed to beat her students. She assigned homework to be turned in on the last day of school. What a B*&$#! Mrs. White, my kind and motherly homeroom teacher, ripped up all of our homework pages that day. She stuffed them in a ziploc bag and put a post-it reading 'Have fun grading your papers' on the front. What a student advocate! She was definitely my hero. I won the school spelling bee that year. (Thanks, Mrs. Lauterdale!)
5th grade - Back to the neighborhood school - Mrs. Kelly! This was the first teacher who I feel really made a definitive impact on me. I truly developed an interest for science in her class and her teaching style really promoted creative and critical thinking. I had an affinity for science after that year. I lost a classmate and friend Julianne Powell that year to a horrible crime and tragedy, Mrs. Kelly did a great job of helping us to cope with the gravity and terror of the situation in a healthy way.
6th grade - My ghetto-tastic and terrifying year at Travis Elementary with Mr. Batey. Mr. Batey was a short, slightly overweight man with advanced male pattern balding and a very heavy early-era Burt Reynolds mustache. I sat next to a girl who cheated off of my Excel math tests. One day, I intentionally wrote the answers in reverse. When she got up to turn hers in, I fixed them. Got an A and nipped that little nuisance in the bud. Cheaters never prosper, you know. Mr. Batey was an unpleasant sort of fellow, but a decent teacher.
7th grade - moved to White Oak, America! Enjoyed most of my teachers but more than that enjoyed all of my friends and quickly acclimated to spending every weekend on a bus trip giggling, eating too much sugar and probably shrieking entirely too much for whatever sponsor was unfortunate enough to chaperone us. This was the first year where I felt like I had a modicum of autonomy in my class selection. I feel like I probably enjoyed them more just knowing that I had helped 'choose' them, insomuch as you can choose a middle school curriculum.
8th grade - back to the dust bowl to begin my tenure in Greenwood. Had a difficult time making friends and hated my parents for moving me away until I met the one and only Callie Thurman. Gotta love her. The only one of my educators that stands out from that year is my athletics coach. She offered zero inspiration and was probably most of what a coach should not be, at least to someone who wasn't particularly gifted in sports. I was a hard worker, but this was the year I finally admitted to myself that coordination is definitely not my strong suit. I quit playing for the school at the end of the year.
High school - Experienced a gamut of teaching styles and personalities.
Worst: HATED with a passion the teacher who cared a little too much what their teenage students thought of them. It's one thing to be compassionate and help a teenager deal with their angst. It's quite another to jump into the juvenile drama. It's strange to watch an adult who lives on that level. I wonder if high school teaching can be a draw to people who are prone to that?
Best: Mostly enjoyed my math teachers. Math isn't something that has ever come particularly easily to me, but they were all committed to helping me grasp the concepts. If I was willing to do the work, they were willing to work with me. In retrospect, I think that taught me quite a bit about human nature and work ethic. Mostly I mean by observation. Being there early every day and explaining the same thing to me (and the other kids who didn't quite get it) 15 times until we each had our 'lightbulb' moments required dedication and a true response to their calling. I definitely didn't see that same dedication in all of my teachers and certainly respected those who offered it.
In any case, I applaud teachers for what they do and all they sacrifice. I'd love to have a job with summers off and guaranteed holidays, but I just don't have what it takes to do the job.
Kudos and a happy school year! I'll try to stay off my phone around your buildings so I don't run any of your students over.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Post-Op Update
Well it's been 2 1/2 weeks and I'm alive! Everything has been so different from what I'd expected. I first have to say that my coworkers are amazing! I was well equipped with pajamas, socks, books and supplies when I headed in. Such awesome people! I was able to fly into Dallas a few days early to enjoy quality time with Stephanie and some other friends I hadn't seen in a while, which was nice.
The surgery went well, only 6.5 hrs as opposed to the estimated 8. I stayed in the hospital overnight, until noon the following day. As much as I didn't want to be admitted, I'm really glad I was - we'll just leave it at that.
The day after surgery the doctor was impressed with my status - a combination of his skills, good care by my personal nurse (Cam), my determination and of course all the prayers from everyone at home. We stayed with Graden's grandmother for the first week following the operation. Sandra was a complete Godsend, so gracious. I took her sweet poodle Coco for a walk every day, and tried to be as active as possible.
Everyone (including myself) has been amazed at how little bruising I had. Just a little green around my mouth for a few days. Especially with my light complexion, they had warned me to expect significant bruising, under my eyes down to my neck and chest. It really is remarkable how little showed up. I did swell up, but not as badly as I could have. Everyone keeps telling me how great I look, but I still have a long way to go. Surprise, surprise...I'm a little impatient. It will take 6 mos. to a year before things are settled completely. I'll probably be in braces for another 6 mos. before things are exact, I'll know more about that by Tuesday.
I've been back and forth between Dallas and home, the most recent trip being complicated by the ridiculous ice storms in the DFW area. Luckily we were able to stay with an amazing family in Denton that helped us out immensely, thank you Noahs! We wound up having to leave Mom's new car at the airport - we'll fly back in on Monday for the splint removal (thank GOD) and drive home then. Hopefully by that point the roads will have cleared up.
So remember how I've been eating whatever I pleased in anticipation of significant weight loss? As it turns out, that's only if you ignore the doctor's instructions. He told me to drink 3 Ensure Plus every day, so I did. As it stands today, I've lost exactly 2 pounds. I'm not exactly complaining, I'd take this over malnourishment any day...but it is a little inconvenient in the whole jeans department. Soooooo I'm doing modified Jillian Michaels workouts and progressive elliptical stints to try and work up my endurance. This in anticipation of the P90X workouts I plan to start on Wednesday. *sigh*
Eating has been...interesting. I'm up to soft mechanical foods, hopefully moving to more solid things once the splint is gone and the orthodontist replaces things on Tuesday.
I go back to work on the 15th, hopefully that transition will be smooth and manageable. Thank you to everyone for the concern, flowers, prayers, diversions and humor, it's been very much appreciated!
The surgery went well, only 6.5 hrs as opposed to the estimated 8. I stayed in the hospital overnight, until noon the following day. As much as I didn't want to be admitted, I'm really glad I was - we'll just leave it at that.
The day after surgery the doctor was impressed with my status - a combination of his skills, good care by my personal nurse (Cam), my determination and of course all the prayers from everyone at home. We stayed with Graden's grandmother for the first week following the operation. Sandra was a complete Godsend, so gracious. I took her sweet poodle Coco for a walk every day, and tried to be as active as possible.
Everyone (including myself) has been amazed at how little bruising I had. Just a little green around my mouth for a few days. Especially with my light complexion, they had warned me to expect significant bruising, under my eyes down to my neck and chest. It really is remarkable how little showed up. I did swell up, but not as badly as I could have. Everyone keeps telling me how great I look, but I still have a long way to go. Surprise, surprise...I'm a little impatient. It will take 6 mos. to a year before things are settled completely. I'll probably be in braces for another 6 mos. before things are exact, I'll know more about that by Tuesday.
I've been back and forth between Dallas and home, the most recent trip being complicated by the ridiculous ice storms in the DFW area. Luckily we were able to stay with an amazing family in Denton that helped us out immensely, thank you Noahs! We wound up having to leave Mom's new car at the airport - we'll fly back in on Monday for the splint removal (thank GOD) and drive home then. Hopefully by that point the roads will have cleared up.
So remember how I've been eating whatever I pleased in anticipation of significant weight loss? As it turns out, that's only if you ignore the doctor's instructions. He told me to drink 3 Ensure Plus every day, so I did. As it stands today, I've lost exactly 2 pounds. I'm not exactly complaining, I'd take this over malnourishment any day...but it is a little inconvenient in the whole jeans department. Soooooo I'm doing modified Jillian Michaels workouts and progressive elliptical stints to try and work up my endurance. This in anticipation of the P90X workouts I plan to start on Wednesday. *sigh*
Eating has been...interesting. I'm up to soft mechanical foods, hopefully moving to more solid things once the splint is gone and the orthodontist replaces things on Tuesday.
I go back to work on the 15th, hopefully that transition will be smooth and manageable. Thank you to everyone for the concern, flowers, prayers, diversions and humor, it's been very much appreciated!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Life Lately
Lately, things have been crazy. Life has been ruled pretty much by work, Cameron's wedding stuff and preparation for a future surgery.
As far as work goes, I've been considering creating an anonymous blog to scream to the world at large about my frustrations. I'm currently working at two very different facilities, so as you can imagine my soap boxes have been piling up. After working for a few wonderful institutions where patient care came first no matter what, it's frustrating (to put it lightly) to be back in the 'real world' of health care where things are largely budget driven. Sadly, the projections of change due to the health care legislation have contributed to the bleak outlook of things in hospital land.
Cameron's wedding. *sigh* If I wasn't sold on the idea of flying off to get married at some remote location before, I'm definitely there now! ;) It's no surprise that the thing is going to be huge. Our family is huge, so a big wedding is pretty much a given for anyone who goes the traditional route in that crowd. She's super excited and so am I, but there is sooooooo much to do! I keep creating projects and adding things to my to-do list, but I'm excited about all of them so it keeps me positive, even when things get down to a wire on deadlines!
Surgery. Some people know what's going on, some don't - I'm going to be having surgery some time between November and January. The story of how it came about is long and convoluted, so I'll just tell you what's wrong and what they're going to do to fix it!
Things wrong with Stacie's face:
1) The septum in my nose is deviated and has a bone spur, which prevents me from breathing normally (or much at all) through my nasal passages.
2) My TMJ joints show signs of arthritis and wearing down of the condyle. The left joint is partially displaced while the right is completely displaced, has a bone spur and fluid buildup.
3) My upper and lower jaws are too far back into my head, and the lower jaw is short and at a sharp angle. This restricts my air flow to 1-1.5 mm where a normal person has around 11mm. THIS is why I sleep with my mouth wide open and never on my back....cause otherwise I'd suffocate. It's also why I click in my sleep. My lower jaw keeps my tongue so far to the back of my throat that it actually obstructs my airway. Crazy, huh?
How they want to fix it:
1) Surgically straighten the septum of my nose.
2) He doesn't want to do anything about this. I was told that jaw surgery can only improve upon 2 things; range of motion and level of pain. I have a full range of motion, and while my jaw does pop I don't have any pain at all...so he recommends leaving it alone. Because it's probably arthritis related, (helloooooo ankylosing spondylitis!) it may come back at some point in time. There's no way of knowing if/when, and I may very well live the rest of my life and never have any problems. That's just fine with me, because my health insurance doesn't cover TMJ issues anyway.
3) This is the fun part. So, remember when I had braces for those FIVE LONG YEARS of my life? Better yet - remember when I had to wear HEAD GEAR to sleep in? Yeah....we're basically going to have to surgically UN-DO that little mistake. I guess having a short jaw isn't that uncommon, but mine is significantly more severe than most. When I had braces they tried to remedy the problem by pulling my top jaw back into my head, supposedly to make the short jaw less noticeable. (thus the head gear) Now they want to surgically cut my upper jaw into pieces to move it forward and reattach it, then lengthen and change the angle of my lower jaw.
So the good news is that they can fix #1 while they've got me under and my jaws off my face for #3. The bad news gets its own paragraph.
I have to wear braces again. For 18 months. Frown-y faces. They have to move the roots of my teeth around so that things don't get jacked up when they saw my face into pieces...plus after they move things around my teeth will need to be repositioned. Today I went and got spacers. Braces go on in T - 7 days. Un. Pleasant. I'll whine about it for a while, but I'll get over it.
My surgeon is pretty amazing, his name is Dr. James Bates. I'll be having the surgery in Dallas some time between November and January. It should last around 6 hours, I'll be in the hospital for 1-2 nights if all goes well. Recovery is pretty intense. Afterward I'll look like I was in a head on collision and then somebody drug me out of the car and beat me in the face with a baseball bat. I wish I were exaggerating. Think nose job meets wisdom teeth meets severe allergic reaction? I'll be really weak and really swollen and really bruised for a long time. Liquid diet for a couple weeks (we're talking Ensure through a squirt bottle), then soft diet for a while after that. As long as they make some of it chocolate flavored, I should be fine. Out of work for 4-6 weeks, and total recovery will take around 6 months. That's for the bones to re-set and the residual swelling and bruising to go away.
So that's my story....pretty much all I know for now. I've had a lot floating around in my brain space and I've had some friends asking what the story was on the surgery, so here we are. I've found myself up too late again, I think I'll go get some sleep. AND I just realized that I've yet to post a blog about Tessa and how she came to me :) Soon, I promise!! G'night!
As far as work goes, I've been considering creating an anonymous blog to scream to the world at large about my frustrations. I'm currently working at two very different facilities, so as you can imagine my soap boxes have been piling up. After working for a few wonderful institutions where patient care came first no matter what, it's frustrating (to put it lightly) to be back in the 'real world' of health care where things are largely budget driven. Sadly, the projections of change due to the health care legislation have contributed to the bleak outlook of things in hospital land.
Cameron's wedding. *sigh* If I wasn't sold on the idea of flying off to get married at some remote location before, I'm definitely there now! ;) It's no surprise that the thing is going to be huge. Our family is huge, so a big wedding is pretty much a given for anyone who goes the traditional route in that crowd. She's super excited and so am I, but there is sooooooo much to do! I keep creating projects and adding things to my to-do list, but I'm excited about all of them so it keeps me positive, even when things get down to a wire on deadlines!
Surgery. Some people know what's going on, some don't - I'm going to be having surgery some time between November and January. The story of how it came about is long and convoluted, so I'll just tell you what's wrong and what they're going to do to fix it!
Things wrong with Stacie's face:
1) The septum in my nose is deviated and has a bone spur, which prevents me from breathing normally (or much at all) through my nasal passages.
2) My TMJ joints show signs of arthritis and wearing down of the condyle. The left joint is partially displaced while the right is completely displaced, has a bone spur and fluid buildup.
3) My upper and lower jaws are too far back into my head, and the lower jaw is short and at a sharp angle. This restricts my air flow to 1-1.5 mm where a normal person has around 11mm. THIS is why I sleep with my mouth wide open and never on my back....cause otherwise I'd suffocate. It's also why I click in my sleep. My lower jaw keeps my tongue so far to the back of my throat that it actually obstructs my airway. Crazy, huh?
How they want to fix it:
1) Surgically straighten the septum of my nose.
2) He doesn't want to do anything about this. I was told that jaw surgery can only improve upon 2 things; range of motion and level of pain. I have a full range of motion, and while my jaw does pop I don't have any pain at all...so he recommends leaving it alone. Because it's probably arthritis related, (helloooooo ankylosing spondylitis!) it may come back at some point in time. There's no way of knowing if/when, and I may very well live the rest of my life and never have any problems. That's just fine with me, because my health insurance doesn't cover TMJ issues anyway.
3) This is the fun part. So, remember when I had braces for those FIVE LONG YEARS of my life? Better yet - remember when I had to wear HEAD GEAR to sleep in? Yeah....we're basically going to have to surgically UN-DO that little mistake. I guess having a short jaw isn't that uncommon, but mine is significantly more severe than most. When I had braces they tried to remedy the problem by pulling my top jaw back into my head, supposedly to make the short jaw less noticeable. (thus the head gear) Now they want to surgically cut my upper jaw into pieces to move it forward and reattach it, then lengthen and change the angle of my lower jaw.
So the good news is that they can fix #1 while they've got me under and my jaws off my face for #3. The bad news gets its own paragraph.
I have to wear braces again. For 18 months. Frown-y faces. They have to move the roots of my teeth around so that things don't get jacked up when they saw my face into pieces...plus after they move things around my teeth will need to be repositioned. Today I went and got spacers. Braces go on in T - 7 days. Un. Pleasant. I'll whine about it for a while, but I'll get over it.
My surgeon is pretty amazing, his name is Dr. James Bates. I'll be having the surgery in Dallas some time between November and January. It should last around 6 hours, I'll be in the hospital for 1-2 nights if all goes well. Recovery is pretty intense. Afterward I'll look like I was in a head on collision and then somebody drug me out of the car and beat me in the face with a baseball bat. I wish I were exaggerating. Think nose job meets wisdom teeth meets severe allergic reaction? I'll be really weak and really swollen and really bruised for a long time. Liquid diet for a couple weeks (we're talking Ensure through a squirt bottle), then soft diet for a while after that. As long as they make some of it chocolate flavored, I should be fine. Out of work for 4-6 weeks, and total recovery will take around 6 months. That's for the bones to re-set and the residual swelling and bruising to go away.
So that's my story....pretty much all I know for now. I've had a lot floating around in my brain space and I've had some friends asking what the story was on the surgery, so here we are. I've found myself up too late again, I think I'll go get some sleep. AND I just realized that I've yet to post a blog about Tessa and how she came to me :) Soon, I promise!! G'night!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Things that make life worth living
Okay so maybe this isn't a real true substantial blog post, but I don't know what to say. Literally. As a diversion, I've decided to compile some of the little things that have made me happy lately.
-Mom's clam chowder
-Red Raider football!
-The boots Dad bought me to keep my feet warm because I'm too stupid to pack something other than flip flops
-Live music I can sing/dance like an idiot to
-My friends. Especially the ones who sing/dance like an idiot with me. And especially the ones that let me crash at their place with little more than 24 hrs notice!
-My family....immediate and extended. They're way fun.
-Rice krispy treats. (Not the pre-packaged kind.)
-Potatoes. Don't laugh. I'm totally serious. Anything potato and I'm a happy kid.
-Taking the football pot. FINALLY!
-Clean sheets
-Slowly purging my closet of clothes I'm unlikely to wear, yet hang on to for YEARS on end.
-Long socks
-The Notebook. Totally girly cliche but that movie is always good!
-Finally owning Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin. Now I need the Christmas special.
-Candles
-My snooze button
Holy bejesus why is the air conditioner on when it's like a two degrees and wet outside!? My happy thought train has just skipped track and is now a massive pile of really cold wreckage. Time to adjust the thermostat and burrow.
G'night, friends.
-Mom's clam chowder
-Red Raider football!
-The boots Dad bought me to keep my feet warm because I'm too stupid to pack something other than flip flops
-Live music I can sing/dance like an idiot to
-My friends. Especially the ones who sing/dance like an idiot with me. And especially the ones that let me crash at their place with little more than 24 hrs notice!
-My family....immediate and extended. They're way fun.
-Rice krispy treats. (Not the pre-packaged kind.)
-Potatoes. Don't laugh. I'm totally serious. Anything potato and I'm a happy kid.
-Taking the football pot. FINALLY!
-Clean sheets
-Slowly purging my closet of clothes I'm unlikely to wear, yet hang on to for YEARS on end.
-Long socks
-The Notebook. Totally girly cliche but that movie is always good!
-Finally owning Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin. Now I need the Christmas special.
-Candles
-My snooze button
Holy bejesus why is the air conditioner on when it's like a two degrees and wet outside!? My happy thought train has just skipped track and is now a massive pile of really cold wreckage. Time to adjust the thermostat and burrow.
G'night, friends.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The stars at night....
The stars at night really ARE big and bright, and they're one of the things that I love about being back in Texas.
I'm officially a resident again! I've received my last paycheck from Colorado, moved all my belingings (despite a noncompliant radiator in the Penske), unpacked (most of) those belongings, registered my vehicle, obtained a drivers licencse and plan to begin work on Tuesday.
It's been an exhausting week, but things have finally begun to fall into place. I complete my errand-running tomorrow and am looking forward to Josh's and my first regular life-in-the-same-place dinner date tomorrow night.
So far I'm still in a bit of a haze. Lots of mornings I wake up wondering if I really made all those decisions or if it's just been a strange dream. Having sister time, seeing family and being closer to Josh have all been really great things. I'm definitely excited to see how the work scenarios are going to unfold!
I'm officially a resident again! I've received my last paycheck from Colorado, moved all my belingings (despite a noncompliant radiator in the Penske), unpacked (most of) those belongings, registered my vehicle, obtained a drivers licencse and plan to begin work on Tuesday.
It's been an exhausting week, but things have finally begun to fall into place. I complete my errand-running tomorrow and am looking forward to Josh's and my first regular life-in-the-same-place dinner date tomorrow night.
So far I'm still in a bit of a haze. Lots of mornings I wake up wondering if I really made all those decisions or if it's just been a strange dream. Having sister time, seeing family and being closer to Josh have all been really great things. I'm definitely excited to see how the work scenarios are going to unfold!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Barf
I'm picking up my belongings and moving them 650 miles south in eight days. I cast Josh in the role of 'muscular/automotive support' before he really knew what hit him. I still don't think he grasps the scope of his duties in this scenario, which prompted a conversation today about next weekend's schedule. When exactly will we be leaving? How is this whole packing/loading/moving thing going to happen? Where will we park a truck that large outside of my building? Will my car actually clear the tow ramp? Etc. etc. etc. He remained positive and chipper throughout the entire conversation - while I interjected a series of heavy sighs every few words. I was beginning to become seriously concerned about the strain that this scenario is capable of putting on our relationship.
Me: I don't think you understand how much stuff I have...I just see you getting really frustrated with me because of the whole thing.
Josh: I know. But I'm looking forward to it.
Me: (confused silence)
He proceeded to tell me how he's so looking forward to spending an entire day with just me and him in the van together, and how he's sure we'll probably get stressed at some point during the whole ordeal, but he bets it'll be really funny later because everything I do is 'cute'.
There are three parts of me that responded at that point. The first part coughed 'bullshit' under my breath and rolled my eyes at having landed in one of those romantic comedy relationships that I don't think exist on a real level. The second part melted into a puddle of helpless girlishness with heart-shaped cartoon eyes and reverted to my 13 year old self writing 'Stacie Haile' in curly cursive all over the pages of my Trapper Keeper. The third just gave a blank stare, thinking that he's completely out of his effing mind and only I would fine someone that crazy.
I'm not sure which one to go with at this point, but until things go south I'm all about the puddles.
Me: I don't think you understand how much stuff I have...I just see you getting really frustrated with me because of the whole thing.
Josh: I know. But I'm looking forward to it.
Me: (confused silence)
He proceeded to tell me how he's so looking forward to spending an entire day with just me and him in the van together, and how he's sure we'll probably get stressed at some point during the whole ordeal, but he bets it'll be really funny later because everything I do is 'cute'.
There are three parts of me that responded at that point. The first part coughed 'bullshit' under my breath and rolled my eyes at having landed in one of those romantic comedy relationships that I don't think exist on a real level. The second part melted into a puddle of helpless girlishness with heart-shaped cartoon eyes and reverted to my 13 year old self writing 'Stacie Haile' in curly cursive all over the pages of my Trapper Keeper. The third just gave a blank stare, thinking that he's completely out of his effing mind and only I would fine someone that crazy.
I'm not sure which one to go with at this point, but until things go south I'm all about the puddles.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
How to properly flatter a stranger
I'm stressed. It's no secret. Read anything I've written/posted on any public networking forum in the past few weeks. Hell, listen to the tone of my voice and it's pretty evident. For an even better demonstration, go ahead and be the bearer of bad news and see how I react toward you (With the possible exception of Amber who has an uncanny knack of delivering it with flair, assumedly because she's so well versed in the art.)
I feel like I have no release valve up here on my own and see myself cracking at the slightest provocation. For example, I practically burst into tears this afternoon when Josh's excuse for ignoring my blatant text appeal for an 'I love you' was simply the fact that he was busy working. Under normal circumstances, such a scenario would not evoke so strong of an emotional response. Today, it absolutely did.
Not long after that I found myself walking in a ghetto industrial area of Denver (If you're familiar, Evans between Monaco and 25. Sadly that's not nearly close to the worst place I've been streetside in the past couple weeks) looking for the body shop where I could retrieve my car when a motorcyclist flew by me yelling 'OWWWW BABY!'
My first reaction was to give him the one finger salute and reply with a solid "F&#* YOU AND THE HORSE (or bike as the case may be) YOU RODE IN ON!"
Seeing as I was completely unarmed I refrained, but was seriously irked. I got the car, gave it some gas and headed home. Finally. On the brighter side of things, the cherry limeade that the accident splashed all over the interior had been completely detailed away.
Anyhow, two lights away from my destination (read: snacks couch and TV) a silver car pulled up next to me with a goofy freckled high school kid holding up a napkin with the words 'Can I have your number?' scratched in barely legible print. He rolled his window down and yelled 'how are you!?' We had a nice little exchange where I thanked him for the compliment and we went our separate ways. And just like that, my day got a whole lot better.
Now if only I knew where the office staff delivered the package containing my replacement cell phone, cause it definitely isn't in this apartment. *sigh*
I feel like I have no release valve up here on my own and see myself cracking at the slightest provocation. For example, I practically burst into tears this afternoon when Josh's excuse for ignoring my blatant text appeal for an 'I love you' was simply the fact that he was busy working. Under normal circumstances, such a scenario would not evoke so strong of an emotional response. Today, it absolutely did.
Not long after that I found myself walking in a ghetto industrial area of Denver (If you're familiar, Evans between Monaco and 25. Sadly that's not nearly close to the worst place I've been streetside in the past couple weeks) looking for the body shop where I could retrieve my car when a motorcyclist flew by me yelling 'OWWWW BABY!'
My first reaction was to give him the one finger salute and reply with a solid "F&#* YOU AND THE HORSE (or bike as the case may be) YOU RODE IN ON!"
Seeing as I was completely unarmed I refrained, but was seriously irked. I got the car, gave it some gas and headed home. Finally. On the brighter side of things, the cherry limeade that the accident splashed all over the interior had been completely detailed away.
Anyhow, two lights away from my destination (read: snacks couch and TV) a silver car pulled up next to me with a goofy freckled high school kid holding up a napkin with the words 'Can I have your number?' scratched in barely legible print. He rolled his window down and yelled 'how are you!?' We had a nice little exchange where I thanked him for the compliment and we went our separate ways. And just like that, my day got a whole lot better.
Now if only I knew where the office staff delivered the package containing my replacement cell phone, cause it definitely isn't in this apartment. *sigh*
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Public Transit
I'm all about doing your part for the environment, but I will NEVER AGAIN rely on public transportation on a regular basis if I can help it.
The past couple weeks have been excruciating, and the things that I've witnessed on the bus are unbelievable. Really, it's only been the afternoon/weekend bus rides that have frightened me. I guess the weirdos aren't up at 7AM riding around Denver, although my morning commute today starred an underage-looking guy with an open Budweiser. Quite frankly I'm amazed that I don't have hepatitis and haven't been asked to be a police witness for any 'incidents'.
btw...I'm twittering now and I need some friends, so hit me up!
The past couple weeks have been excruciating, and the things that I've witnessed on the bus are unbelievable. Really, it's only been the afternoon/weekend bus rides that have frightened me. I guess the weirdos aren't up at 7AM riding around Denver, although my morning commute today starred an underage-looking guy with an open Budweiser. Quite frankly I'm amazed that I don't have hepatitis and haven't been asked to be a police witness for any 'incidents'.
btw...I'm twittering now and I need some friends, so hit me up!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Like I didn't have enough going on already...
I apologize to those of you who may be reading this and feel that they deserve a phone call to learn the following…
I officially quit my job in Denver today and I’m moving to West Texas in July.
There are lots of reasons, but the main three are;
1) I have been offered a business proposition and a full time job that I feel are promising ventures (more on that at a later date)
2) I have fallen for a guy 650 miles away, and I feel that it’s important to see where things are headed in that department...which makes the job opportunities close to Midland particularly convenient!
3) Although I love the lab here, I do not love what I do at the lab here. When I weigh all the options, it isn’t enough to keep me from accepting other offers.
Things have all developed rather quickly! A family friend approached me with a business offer and I have decided that pursuing it would be a positive thing. Additionally, Medical Center Hospital in Odessa was looking to hire someone for their microbiology department. The position interested me because they're initiating their first DNA test for infectious disease and there’s room for advancement within the department. I like micro beause it's one of those sections that’s never short on tests to perform and analyze. I guess I’m mostly looking forward to being cross trained and multi-functional within the lab! Another bonus is that the hours are 6:30 – 3 which affords a good amount of time in the afternoons/evenings to take care of my responsibilities at the business.
Quitting my job at The Children's Hospital was incredibly difficult because this is a position that I hoped I would be happy at and stick with for at least a few years. I love the people here and I will miss them – but after weighing all my options I feel that I’ve made the right decision. It’s definitely the right thing for me, and ultimately I’m replaceable at the lab. I do feel badly about leaving them shorthanded until they find someone else, but I let them know as much in advance as I could.
While I’m excited about the upcoming changes, I’m also incredibly nervous - mostly because I’m a planner and life virtually never happens according to my plans. With everything that’s been going on lately I’m just about at my breaking point. My sanity comes from the fact that I’m taking these steps to make myself happy, but the thought of re-planning everything that I thought I had settled is overwhelming and intimidating. I’m trying to take things day by day. To be fair, I realize that life is generally what you make it. To a large extent these changes have come about due to my own choices. I have gotten some comfort in the midst of all my stress by realizing how naturally things have fallen into place to make these opportunities available. I’m thankful for my time here in CO and I’m excited to see what Texas holds. It’s hysterical – Midland is just about the last place on earth I ever thought I’d choose to be, but I’m genuinely excited!
I officially quit my job in Denver today and I’m moving to West Texas in July.
There are lots of reasons, but the main three are;
1) I have been offered a business proposition and a full time job that I feel are promising ventures (more on that at a later date)
2) I have fallen for a guy 650 miles away, and I feel that it’s important to see where things are headed in that department...which makes the job opportunities close to Midland particularly convenient!
3) Although I love the lab here, I do not love what I do at the lab here. When I weigh all the options, it isn’t enough to keep me from accepting other offers.
Things have all developed rather quickly! A family friend approached me with a business offer and I have decided that pursuing it would be a positive thing. Additionally, Medical Center Hospital in Odessa was looking to hire someone for their microbiology department. The position interested me because they're initiating their first DNA test for infectious disease and there’s room for advancement within the department. I like micro beause it's one of those sections that’s never short on tests to perform and analyze. I guess I’m mostly looking forward to being cross trained and multi-functional within the lab! Another bonus is that the hours are 6:30 – 3 which affords a good amount of time in the afternoons/evenings to take care of my responsibilities at the business.
Quitting my job at The Children's Hospital was incredibly difficult because this is a position that I hoped I would be happy at and stick with for at least a few years. I love the people here and I will miss them – but after weighing all my options I feel that I’ve made the right decision. It’s definitely the right thing for me, and ultimately I’m replaceable at the lab. I do feel badly about leaving them shorthanded until they find someone else, but I let them know as much in advance as I could.
While I’m excited about the upcoming changes, I’m also incredibly nervous - mostly because I’m a planner and life virtually never happens according to my plans. With everything that’s been going on lately I’m just about at my breaking point. My sanity comes from the fact that I’m taking these steps to make myself happy, but the thought of re-planning everything that I thought I had settled is overwhelming and intimidating. I’m trying to take things day by day. To be fair, I realize that life is generally what you make it. To a large extent these changes have come about due to my own choices. I have gotten some comfort in the midst of all my stress by realizing how naturally things have fallen into place to make these opportunities available. I’m thankful for my time here in CO and I’m excited to see what Texas holds. It’s hysterical – Midland is just about the last place on earth I ever thought I’d choose to be, but I’m genuinely excited!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
VEGAS, Baby!
My best friend in all of eternity is getting married in THIRTY days. I'm pretty stoked for impending nuptials, but also for our weekend in Vegas. Unfortunately Steph and the other bridesmaids' weekend started about...9 hours ago. I just received a call detailing the fun I've missed out on so far feel like a total sad loser. DON'T WORRY, I'LL BE THERE SOON!! Stephanie (the accountant, mind you) just called me 'Biznatch' in her Redbull/Vodka induced state. I don't think she's called me that since the 6th grade. We're going to have fun, we girls. It's difficult to anticipate times rowdier than our last trip together, but I'm certain that we're up to the challenge.
I'm off to pack!
I'm off to pack!
Monday, May 4, 2009
She was passed around like a bottle of Crown, but she was always sweet to me...
I'm listening to Casey Donahew and talkin to friends I haven't heard from in a while.
Y'know what sucks? Having to sign into AIM so that someone can IM you pictures of the guy she's crushing on. Pictures that may or may not have been pirated from his Facebook profile. Slightly creepyish, I know, but it's more about us than it is about him! (egocentric much? what's new?) In all honesty though, I want to be clued in to what's going on in her life, and she wants to update me! How else are we supposed to do that from a distance?
I miss being close to my friends. Sadly, everybody's so spread out that I'll never have my solid group in the same place. It makes me especially sad that they're all so far from Denver. I am thankful, however, that most of them are AT&T customers :)
I certainly hope there isn't anything to that cell phone/brain tumor thing because if there is, I'm utterly screwed.
Y'know what sucks? Having to sign into AIM so that someone can IM you pictures of the guy she's crushing on. Pictures that may or may not have been pirated from his Facebook profile. Slightly creepyish, I know, but it's more about us than it is about him! (egocentric much? what's new?) In all honesty though, I want to be clued in to what's going on in her life, and she wants to update me! How else are we supposed to do that from a distance?
I miss being close to my friends. Sadly, everybody's so spread out that I'll never have my solid group in the same place. It makes me especially sad that they're all so far from Denver. I am thankful, however, that most of them are AT&T customers :)
I certainly hope there isn't anything to that cell phone/brain tumor thing because if there is, I'm utterly screwed.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Dry County?
I would like to bring the following to everyone's attention:
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2009-05-01/letterfromlubbock.php
The best are these quotes from my beloved LBK's spiritual leaders.
“I have struggled to find in Scripture ‘Thou shalt not ever take a drink,’” he told them on the Sunday I visited. “I wish I could point to words that said that. I can’t.”
"David Wilson, the pastor of Southcrest Baptist Church, told me that he believed Jesus had turned water into unfermented wine"
Hilarious.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2009-05-01/letterfromlubbock.php
The best are these quotes from my beloved LBK's spiritual leaders.
“I have struggled to find in Scripture ‘Thou shalt not ever take a drink,’” he told them on the Sunday I visited. “I wish I could point to words that said that. I can’t.”
"David Wilson, the pastor of Southcrest Baptist Church, told me that he believed Jesus had turned water into unfermented wine"
Hilarious.
Monday, April 13, 2009
My Little Sister
I've been missing some important people quite a bit lately, one of them being my super adorable little sister...so I decided to share some favorite quotables of my favorite person! Cam can always can make me smile, and if you've met her then you understand why!!
"Did you really hit a kid in the head with a brick when you were little? Because one day, in Tuesday/Thursday school, I threw a big rock over my shoulder and hit this little black boy in the head and he started bleeding. Then he told on me and I went to the principal's office - and hid it from Mom and Dad till I was in junior high. Hahahaha man we are SO sisters. Was the little boy black? Just curious...."
"Don't move to Minnesota. Because it's so cold in Minnesota that you'd freeze to death. And everybody knows that freezing to death is like ..... the fourth worst way to die."
"I think a good dating rule would be that if he cheated on me or treated me like shit or broke my heart I could run him over with a car. I think that's a good rule."
"Did you really hit a kid in the head with a brick when you were little? Because one day, in Tuesday/Thursday school, I threw a big rock over my shoulder and hit this little black boy in the head and he started bleeding. Then he told on me and I went to the principal's office - and hid it from Mom and Dad till I was in junior high. Hahahaha man we are SO sisters. Was the little boy black? Just curious...."
"Don't move to Minnesota. Because it's so cold in Minnesota that you'd freeze to death. And everybody knows that freezing to death is like ..... the fourth worst way to die."
"I think a good dating rule would be that if he cheated on me or treated me like shit or broke my heart I could run him over with a car. I think that's a good rule."
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Why not??
Just checking to see what's new in your life...found yourself a girl yet?
Eh, not a stable one.
...Meaning you've found a booty call?
Why must you label everything??
Eh, not a stable one.
...Meaning you've found a booty call?
Why must you label everything??
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Redemption
I found my silver lining! The awesomeness of today's skiing has vastly surpassed the suck of Thursday and Friday's work commute.
Today was by far the best experience that I've had on the slopes all year...with the possible exception of the time I spotted Jesus skiing down Peak 9 at Breckenridge. That was pretty awesome, too.
Speaking of Jesus and Breckenridge experiences....when I die I hope that one of my friends immortalizes their love of my memory in sharpie on the inside of a bathroom stall, right next where someone wrote 'Jesus is life' -- and a second someone crossed out Jesus to replace it with 'weed'.
I'll also have you know that the first time I typed that sentence it read 'if I ever die' and memory was spelled with an ie. It's been a long day and my brain is tired!
Today was by far the best experience that I've had on the slopes all year...with the possible exception of the time I spotted Jesus skiing down Peak 9 at Breckenridge. That was pretty awesome, too.
Speaking of Jesus and Breckenridge experiences....when I die I hope that one of my friends immortalizes their love of my memory in sharpie on the inside of a bathroom stall, right next where someone wrote 'Jesus is life' -- and a second someone crossed out Jesus to replace it with 'weed'.
I'll also have you know that the first time I typed that sentence it read 'if I ever die' and memory was spelled with an ie. It's been a long day and my brain is tired!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Blizzard!
It snowed a TON today in Denver. The road outside my balcony looks like an ice skating rink. Seriously. It does.
Whenever I see massive amounts of snow like this I'm reminded of The Shining. Before moving up here, that was the only way I was familiar with the concept of being snowed in. I actually remember being in the 7th grade when the film's remake came out as a television series. It was a big three day event. I watched the entire thing at my neighbor Whitney's house and just about wet my pants every night when it was time for me to walk the 20 yards from her door to mine in the dark. When there's this much snow out I half expect to see Brian Hackett from Wings jump out at me with an axe and a tepid Jack Nicholson impersonation. I don't know. My mind goes strange places sometimes.
Maybe I'll take a picture tomorrow morning before I slide to work on the ice and post it up here for you. In all honesty though, the chances of me a) getting out of bed early enough to play photographer and/or b) actually remembering that I made a halfhearted blog promise - are slim to none. My apologies to you blog followers at large. You can get on the weather channel and watch some Denver area webcams. If you're up around oh-six-hundred Mounain Standard, think of me. I'll be wrapped in a blanket and peering between my blinds, cursing not only my small car, but mother nature herself...and the plow drivers whose maps apparently don't include the large street adjacent to my complex. I'd hate to leave them out.
Whenever I see massive amounts of snow like this I'm reminded of The Shining. Before moving up here, that was the only way I was familiar with the concept of being snowed in. I actually remember being in the 7th grade when the film's remake came out as a television series. It was a big three day event. I watched the entire thing at my neighbor Whitney's house and just about wet my pants every night when it was time for me to walk the 20 yards from her door to mine in the dark. When there's this much snow out I half expect to see Brian Hackett from Wings jump out at me with an axe and a tepid Jack Nicholson impersonation. I don't know. My mind goes strange places sometimes.
Maybe I'll take a picture tomorrow morning before I slide to work on the ice and post it up here for you. In all honesty though, the chances of me a) getting out of bed early enough to play photographer and/or b) actually remembering that I made a halfhearted blog promise - are slim to none. My apologies to you blog followers at large. You can get on the weather channel and watch some Denver area webcams. If you're up around oh-six-hundred Mounain Standard, think of me. I'll be wrapped in a blanket and peering between my blinds, cursing not only my small car, but mother nature herself...and the plow drivers whose maps apparently don't include the large street adjacent to my complex. I'd hate to leave them out.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Irritated
With myself. For two reasons:
1) I insist on checking into any story that pops up on my facebook feed about people who annoy me. I honestly don't have a clue why I do this. While most people avoid people they don't agree with/don't get along with, I seem strangely drawn to them.
2) Although I have about 5 loads of laundry and 2 sinks of dishes to do, I decide to take on projects like organizing my desk drawers ... and uploading old pictures ... and ... blogging.
*sigh*
1) I insist on checking into any story that pops up on my facebook feed about people who annoy me. I honestly don't have a clue why I do this. While most people avoid people they don't agree with/don't get along with, I seem strangely drawn to them.
2) Although I have about 5 loads of laundry and 2 sinks of dishes to do, I decide to take on projects like organizing my desk drawers ... and uploading old pictures ... and ... blogging.
*sigh*
Monday, February 9, 2009
Nevermind the silver lining 'cause the clouds are fine.
It takes a special person to parallel their life to a pan of brownies. I'm that kind of special.
This afternoon I was attacked by a particularly demanding chocolate craving and decided to bake myself some brownies. Er, more truthfully I decided to mix up some brownie batter and dip my finger into it a few [dozen] times until the craving was satisfied, then bake the remainder. I suspect that I may have needed a serotonin surge after the emotional roller coaster that was The Secret Life of Bees* this afternoon. In any case, I'm always torn when it comes to baking things. I live alone, and really don't need an entire pan of brownies (tray of cookies, loaf of sweet bread, etc.) sitting on my counter - mostly because I have absolutely no self control. Anyhow, I managed to miss the timer and burned them beyond the point of salvage. As sad as it is, I inadvertently spared myself the guilt associated with an empty 9 X 13 pan, soiled spatula and scattered chocolate crumbs. All in all, I think that the situation worked out for the best. The chocolate demon had been silenced without leaving me victim to a weak resolve in the face of temptation for the next 3 days. (and that's probably a high estimate)
I suppose the point of sharing the story was that it made me think how often things in life seem to work out for the best, even if the outcome isn't something I had planned on. Come to think of it, the best ones never are what I expected. Obviously you can never be sure how alternative endings may have played out, but when the ending I wind up with fits under the 'happy' category I see no point in second guessing it. Without getting into too much detail, I'm happy to share that it seems I'm able to dust off my happy category and fill it with a few more items from my personal life than I have in a long, long while...and that makes me more cheerful than a bowl of brownie batter ever could.
*I loved Loved LOVED this movie. I almost opted out of it because I typically (with the exception of Chicago) dislike Queen Latifah films - but it was really great!
This afternoon I was attacked by a particularly demanding chocolate craving and decided to bake myself some brownies. Er, more truthfully I decided to mix up some brownie batter and dip my finger into it a few [dozen] times until the craving was satisfied, then bake the remainder. I suspect that I may have needed a serotonin surge after the emotional roller coaster that was The Secret Life of Bees* this afternoon. In any case, I'm always torn when it comes to baking things. I live alone, and really don't need an entire pan of brownies (tray of cookies, loaf of sweet bread, etc.) sitting on my counter - mostly because I have absolutely no self control. Anyhow, I managed to miss the timer and burned them beyond the point of salvage. As sad as it is, I inadvertently spared myself the guilt associated with an empty 9 X 13 pan, soiled spatula and scattered chocolate crumbs. All in all, I think that the situation worked out for the best. The chocolate demon had been silenced without leaving me victim to a weak resolve in the face of temptation for the next 3 days. (and that's probably a high estimate)
I suppose the point of sharing the story was that it made me think how often things in life seem to work out for the best, even if the outcome isn't something I had planned on. Come to think of it, the best ones never are what I expected. Obviously you can never be sure how alternative endings may have played out, but when the ending I wind up with fits under the 'happy' category I see no point in second guessing it. Without getting into too much detail, I'm happy to share that it seems I'm able to dust off my happy category and fill it with a few more items from my personal life than I have in a long, long while...and that makes me more cheerful than a bowl of brownie batter ever could.
*I loved Loved LOVED this movie. I almost opted out of it because I typically (with the exception of Chicago) dislike Queen Latifah films - but it was really great!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Eternal Optimist
While I can be somewhat cynical, I realized this weekend that deep down inside I'm still at least part optimist. I'm reminded of that line in Hitch where she's 'a realist masquerading as a cynic who is secretly an optimist'. I'd typically choose the word realist for myself, but on Sunday I rediscovered my inner optimist.
I had an impressive pile of ironing accumulating, so Sunday afternoon I settled in for some quality time with my midget-sized ironing board and Cinderella (the animated version). Twelve shirts, three skirts and four pairs of slacks later I watched Cinderella cling blissfully to the prince just after they fell in love during a single moonlit dance. (On a realistic note, I'd personally want to at least see how the guy fares in daylight before expressing the sentiment - but apparently Prince Charming was just THAT good.) The clock tolls twelve, and she completely freaks out - at which point I think WAIT! If the guy's TRULY in love with you, he won't CARE that in about thirty seconds you'll be transformed back into the scullery maid and your servants are about to undergo some horrifyingly freakish conversion! JUST STAY THERE! Spare yourself the angst of being locked in the west tower while your one chance at happiness rests in the hands of 2 mice...one of which is arguably mentally delayed!
I've only seen the movie about a zillion times, yet there I sat...unable to iron o(r move for that matter) willing Cinderella to explain herself to the Prince with everything in me. I watched and hoped she'd wise up before fleeing down those stairs. (Without tripping, by the way. In glass heels. Had this been my fairy tale I'd have lost the slipper, tumbled down 3 flights and broken a leg before hobbling home. The girl's talented.)
I guess the upside to becoming so emotionally invested in a fairy tale is that I ultimately get to witness the happy ending and celebrate all over again with her.
I'm such a dork.
The ironing still isn't complete, but the pile has been reduced to a manageable height. With that admission I'm off to check some more things off of my 'to do' list before I lose all motivation. Happy Tuesday!
I had an impressive pile of ironing accumulating, so Sunday afternoon I settled in for some quality time with my midget-sized ironing board and Cinderella (the animated version). Twelve shirts, three skirts and four pairs of slacks later I watched Cinderella cling blissfully to the prince just after they fell in love during a single moonlit dance. (On a realistic note, I'd personally want to at least see how the guy fares in daylight before expressing the sentiment - but apparently Prince Charming was just THAT good.) The clock tolls twelve, and she completely freaks out - at which point I think WAIT! If the guy's TRULY in love with you, he won't CARE that in about thirty seconds you'll be transformed back into the scullery maid and your servants are about to undergo some horrifyingly freakish conversion! JUST STAY THERE! Spare yourself the angst of being locked in the west tower while your one chance at happiness rests in the hands of 2 mice...one of which is arguably mentally delayed!
I've only seen the movie about a zillion times, yet there I sat...unable to iron o(r move for that matter) willing Cinderella to explain herself to the Prince with everything in me. I watched and hoped she'd wise up before fleeing down those stairs. (Without tripping, by the way. In glass heels. Had this been my fairy tale I'd have lost the slipper, tumbled down 3 flights and broken a leg before hobbling home. The girl's talented.)
I guess the upside to becoming so emotionally invested in a fairy tale is that I ultimately get to witness the happy ending and celebrate all over again with her.
I'm such a dork.
The ironing still isn't complete, but the pile has been reduced to a manageable height. With that admission I'm off to check some more things off of my 'to do' list before I lose all motivation. Happy Tuesday!
Saturday, January 3, 2009
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