Planning on a Long Marriage, That's what I'm Planning

I'm not what you would call a planner. I'm real good with just "going with the flow," "seeing where things take me," and I'm a notorious "it'll all work out kind of girl." Now Bear, exactly the opposite. He likes to make plans like weeks, months, sometimes even years ahead (He already planned an event on facebook for 12/22/12; the day after the world is supposed to end. You should come it's sure to be a blast.) ♪ Tonight we're gonna party like it's... two thousand twelve♪  (Prince) nope doesn't sound right.

I try to be supportive of the planning. Every week, we plan what needs to be done on the weekend, and every week when the weekend comes, I have every intention of accomplishing all the planned things that need to be done, but the weekend is just not long enough! Between reading, and movie watching, and eating (because you know calories don't count on the weekend,) all the other things just don't seem to get done.

Oh yeah, there's this other difference between Bear and us that seems to play a tiny part in what gets accomplished and what doesn't. You see, I'm an avoider, a procrastinator, a professional theresalwayssomethingbettertodothanclean-er. Yup, you heard me right. I HATE Cleaning! Let me repeat: I HATE CLEANING! But I love the Internet, I can't help it, I do. ♪ I hate myself for loving you, can't break free from the things that you do♪  (Joan Jett)

It's really a problem. I try to limit my time on-line, but there's always "just one more thing" or "just another 5 minutes." So this weekend while I found one more thing that had to be done right then: Bear mopped the floors, did the laundry, washed the rugs, took out the trash, marinated the chicken, loaded the car for Goodwill, and, swept the patio!  No Ladies, you can't have him ♪ The boy is mine, not yours, he's mine ♪ (Brandy/Monica)

I'd like to say that this was all because my back was flared up this weekend, which it was, but, it wasn't. Nope, I have to admit that he just cleans more. He does, I admit it. There, I said it.  "knowing's half the battle" *said in my best GI Joe voice* and I'm okay with winning half the battle. Because "it will all work out," "the chores will wait for another day," "our house is not dirty it's lived in" though that might be because of Bear cleaning. :o)

Now to plan for this weekend. There is so much to do around the house. We really do need to minimize. We have yet to get in the attic. It's my turn to plan and everything will be done! I'm jumping on board and there will be no Internet until the day is done!

Because this weekend we'll be in St. Augustine for our 18th anniversary, well, unless he plans to kill me first. ♪ I used to love her, but I had to kill her ♪ (Guns-n-Roses)

Follow-Friday Me: Teachers!

Happy Friday Everyone! I am so excited to be the winner of space #7, which is just like being #1, only with some wicked awesome people in front of me, over at Friday-Follow Me. If you haven't checked out the site yet, what the heck are you waiting for?! Get over there! ♪It's unbelievable, oh!♪ (EMF) No! Wait! Not yet! I meant after you read my post! Geez!

I don't normally rant, but today, it is very necessary.

I want to talk about teachers. Not the good ones that take time with your kids, and try to find new and creative ways to teach, no not those teachers, those are awesome!

The other ones! You know the ones, the ones, that think teaching means the opportunity to make up for all their years of unhappiness by making the lives of others miserable. ♪Hey, teachers, leave those kids alone♪ (Pink Floyd)

These are usually the teachers that complain that they're not making enough money. Well, take the amount of money they make per year, and divide it by the amount of hours that they actually teach, and you'll find they're making pretty damn good money, for a job with no real accountability. It's real easy for them to blame the kids for being unable or unwilling to learn, rather than blaming themselves for being unable to adapt their teaching style.

I remember having teachers ask if there were any questions, and then when I asked, I was told "if you read the book, you'd understand." Well, I didn't understand, so now I'm asking! And, it hasn't changed with my children. They've both had teachers tell them the same thing, and one even had a teacher tell them that Freshmen are dumb and immature and she couldn't wait to teach upper-classmen. Only to have that same teacher, later treat her the same way as a junior. And, this is the daughter that is in the top 10% of her class! Certainly not because of help from her teachers!

Administration; they're even worse. It took a week of repeated phone calls and e-mails to finally get a response on what they can do to help since she's been out of school for a month with Mono!

I realize there is a shortage of teachers, so there isn't much that can be done, but with unemployment what it is, I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that would make better teachers, and administration, even without the college degree. Just because you got a degree in education, doesn't mean that you should be doing it!

To all the teachers, out there: Take the summer to get your much needed break, and then in the fall; Please, Teach because you want to, not because you can.

♪School's out for Summer No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher's dirty looks♪ (Alice Cooper)

Three Things Thursday: I splurge

Joining in on Three Things Thursday, today, since I'm late, (which really is quite normal for me, so really, I'm on time) I figure this is a real easy post to join in on. So here goes.

What are three things you splurge on?

1. Starbucks! I know it's more expensive than other places, but I don't care, I love it! (plus, I don't drink coffee daily, so it really is a splurge :D )

2. Makeup: ♪Wake up grab a brush and put a little makeup♪ (System of a Down)  I'm not a lipstick girl, but I love my eye shadows. Usually glittery or shimmery. They're just so much fun! There is nothing like a lunch break at Sephora for a mid-day makeover stress relief! ♪Oh make me over I'm all I wanna be♪ (Hole)

3. Books! ♪Take a look, it's in a book♪  (Yeah, I learned to read from a rainbow.) Well, now that I have my Nook, (another splurge) I get the digital ones, so really I'm saving, but I love to curl up with a good story! ♪The neverending story ohoh oh ohoh oh ohoh oh ♪

So what are your splurges? Link up at:

Wordless Wednesday: Iced Cold Coffee

This is the picture message I sent to Bear last week when I bought this most awesomest (totally a word) cup. Why would you send a picture of a cup you ask? Because last summer, I wanted it so bad, and it was sold out, everywhere!

Everywhere, except E-bay! Where some enterprising people were smart enough to get in on the craze and sell the cups for more than twice the retail price. And, Bear knew I wanted one so he was prepared to pay $30 for one for me. And, I almost let him! But, I just couldn't let him pay that much for a cup. I just couldn't. *sigh*

But now, it's Summer again, and Starbucks has this cup well stocked, and I feel like I got mine on sale because I only paid retail! I never pay retail, I'm all about the bargains, but in this case, I feel like I got the best deal ever! It just goes to show that sometimes you just need to have patience. ♪Have a little patience, yeah yeah♪ (Guns-n-Roses)

And, ♪you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need♪ (Rolling Stones)

And, I totally need iced coffee in this really cool cup!

Post it Notes: Hurricane Season

Since, I live in the (not so sunny during hurricane season) Sunshine State, hurricane season is a big part of our lives. ♪We had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun♪ (Terry Jacks)

June 1st, the official start of Hurricane Season. This means that all event planning, concerts, barbecues, weddings, etc... will all come with the unspoken understanding that even if it's a "rain or shine" event, that you shouldn't be out there in your best summer whites when the rain is coming sideways and the wind is blowing from all sides!  ♪ Here I am, rock me like a hurricane♪  (Scorpions)

This year, with that fabulous gift BP gave us, we are all wondering what a hurricane will mean to the Gulf Coast ecology if the oil is not cleaned up, which of course, it won't be! So, we know the coast will be damaged, and we know it will take years to recover. What my child wants to know is:

And what I want to know is:

Anyway, back to hurricanes. I have to admit one of the things I love about hurricanes is watching the news to see where it will go. I am always in awe of Mother Nature's power when I see the images of where it has been. ♪ Thunder and lightning, and everything that is frightening♪  (Eddie Floyd with some lyrical liberties of my own)And, there is some excitement around the possibility of it coming close enough to get some time off work, but we hope that it dies out before it actually hits.

If you're in a hurricane prone area, it's important to plan ahead. Don't wait til the last minute to check through your supplies from last year, and see what you need to replenish.

• I'm sure you drank all your water, by now, so, make sure to buy more to have on hand.
• Check your flashlights to make sure they still work. 
• Make sure you have a radio to dance to, (and for important announcements, of course)
• Have an evacuation route planned, and have cash on hand. 
• Make sure you have a plan to entertain the kids, (and yourself,) ♪ Here we are now, entertain us♪ (Nirvana) should there be a power outage, ex: board games, books, crayons, paper, arts and crafts supplies.

Put these things together with the rest of your emergency supplies, so you'll be prepared and you won't have to fight the crowds at the store when the first storm watch is announced. Have a safe and happy Hurricane Season.