Broken

I finally broke something - my arm. I did it falling on the ice... again. I should relish in the unintended foreshadowing. But I'm not.

And I'd really like to tell you all about my fun adventure - for real - but I literally have no use of my left arm. This takes too long. :) You people should all call me. But give me a lot of time to get to the phone. If I tense up my shoulder on accident, my whole arm spasms. I gotta do everything really deliberately. And I still live alone for the next ten days, so I have to learn to do everything one-handed. Why didn't I listen better when my mommy taught me to tie my shoes with one hand?!

Boo.

I Just Want To Know... I Think

Okay, so one bad part about shows being all delayed here is that you can always look online to see the episode guides and it sort of ruins the suspense. But I still like knowing how movies and shows end. It doesn't spoil it -- it just lets you wonder how you'll get from where you are to the end. In my humble opinion.

I was watching Grey's Anatomy tonight (like every Monday). This made me want to just find out what happens. A) I realised I missed all of Season One. I need to remedy that ASAP. I mean honestly. B) There are no good episode guides. They're all mysterious and vague. I wouldn't be reading them if I didn't really want to know what happened. Don't say "pertinent mystery guest"; just tell who the devil it is. I want to know. I think. :)

Well, the only plot line I am really insatiably curious about is Denny. Does he die? I really, really don't want him to. I think I might love him. (In that TV character/fake person, etc. way.) I think I want to know. I am almost positive I want to know.

So, dear TV addicted friends, who watched the finale of Grey's and can tell me if he lives or dies?! Whew. I already feel better knowing the answer is close. :) Help me, dear friends, help me.

Ice, Ice Baby

It was frosty this morning. Enough to leave frost on everything. I got up early. For some reason. (I'm currently exhausted.) I decided with all my free time, I'd return DVDs, books from the library, AND get some groceries. I know. So productive. Well, I started the trek down my icy hill. Ice. Hill. Clutzy Annika.... can you see where this is going?

Well, I made it down the first half pretty well. There are some stairs involved there, but they were icy. Then, after the stairs, I remembered I'd need to whip out the ice feet. You know, that funny walk you do when it's super icy out - silly, but effective. So I'm doing that and concentrating like a banshee (they concentrate!). Well, I get to the street I need to cross, and I see a car that has slid into the two inch ditch between curb and street. This is complicating traffic to a distressing degree. I manage to cross the street, almost step onto the curb and whammo - I'm down. Right in front of the car that went off the road. So people are flocking to me, yelling, "Are you alright?!" Sigh. So embarrassing. I jumped up, assuring people I was fine and joining in on the chorus, "Can you believe how bad the roads are?"

But seriously, I'm from Wisconsin. And I slipped on the ice. In the middle of a friggin' road. I have shamed the whole state, I think. The worst part is, I was in such a hurry to have me not be the centre of attention as the girl that fell that I didn't notice til I got all the way down the hill that my ankle hurt. And my bad hips (whatever - so I'm 80) must have been affected as well. So I have a sore right ankle and sore left hip, just to keep things interesting.

There was also no time to take groceries back to the flat, so I had to trudge into work with bags in hand. And a bruised ego. :) But luckily, everyone understood. Most of them had had to wait hours to come into work because the roads were even worse, especially farther out of town. So while I complain about the lack of snow, I probably wouldn't be able to leave my house without a sled in hand.

Wait, that could be fun.

More Pictures!

I know I suck about putting pictures up in a timely fashion, but here are some more pictures from when the fam was here. This picture was just a stop on the side of the road. Awesome, no?

Me falling off the giant concrete Kiwi, Leif looking shady behind me.

Dad and Leif with the giant Kiwi. Shady was Leif's theme of the day.

Oh, Queenstown. So pretty.

Like Clockwork

You know how after finals, your stress levels go down and you get sick? Well, I figured I would try to combat that by starting the second job (well, starting with real hours instead of a bit of training) the day after finals got done. Well, I had to take Nyquil last night, slept for 13 hours, took a red pill (some kind of cold something my mommy sent me) today and am exhausted.

Luckily, I adore meaningless tasks (for real - no sarcasm!) and I get to do data entry and filing all day. It's soothing. And I work in a proper office with a proper desk. That's mine. Ooh. I'm moving on up in the world. :)

Song and Dance

When I was little, my cousin and I used to do little song and dance things that my poor family had to watch. Sometimes they were plays, sometimes there was music involved. Who knew that style would be good later in life? At the sorority we had to do several things like that (thank God for my childhood experience!!). And this music video (pointed out to me by the lurvely Lisa) demonstrates the Fatboy Slim-like style music video. I dig it. Who knew my talents as a choreographer might actually be of use to someone some day? I think I could make this stuff up!!

So Excited

While on yesterday's topic of adulthood - I'm officially an adult. Not only have I blown my nose is quiet public, but I have a business lunch. Kind of. The new job is having a lunch do where the whole "team" can get together to celebrate me coming and mourn several others leaving. A paid for, two hour, gourmet (kind of) lunch. Me. Teachers don't do these kinds of things. I didn't think I'd ever get to be so... business like.

Granted, these are laid back people who will probably be wearing jeans and someone will probably spill something down a shirt or two (I'm banking on me), but it's still dignified!!

Also, I am excited because tomorrow is the last day of freaking exams. Amen, my brothers and sisters.

Adulthood

I figured out the defining characteristic of maturity and adulthood. It took a while, but I am sure. It's the ability to blow your nose in public. Especially quiet public.

I remember when I was younger in school; I wouldn't blow my nose in the classroom. You would use a tissue to wipe, but never blow. If you were going to do that, then you went to the toilet. As I got older, I would do the timid blowing. No gross sounds, if avoidable, but stops the necessity of sniffing. Now, as I watch these exams, kids will generally just blow their noses. There is no snickering, no looking, they are adults. But a "mature student" was just honking away in my last exam. I mean, honking.

No one looked except for me though, which I guess makes me the immature whippersnapper giggling when someone blows their nose.

Coolest Wound Ever

I just discovered an injury I didn't know I sustained while at my soccer game. This is understandable, given the hail and rain that served as an appropriate distraction. I have several places where the wet ball hit wet skin and left red circles, indented with the ball lines.

The one I didn't know I had is awesome. Three distinct scratches (from fingernails) up my upper thigh. I don't remember this happening, but it looks gruesome. If it was in a decent location, I would put a picture, but it isn't - so I won't. But what kind of rough game are you playing where someone draws blood on your thigh and you don't notice?

Actually, I'm pretty sure the nicest girl on the other team did it because I was playing near her most of the game. Funny.

Philosophy 101 and the Left Hand Door

The trouble with being an exam supervisor is that kids make the same mistakes all the time, but it's because they're new to the room, the exam process, etc. You can't blame them, but it's still really annoying. For instance, there is a table that we use to do some paperwork. After days of telling people repetitively, "Please don't put anything on this table. Please don't put anything on this table..." I had the brilliant idea of us just forfeiting that table for one on the other side of the room. Now, students still put their bags and coats on that table too. Now, they don't know that we use it. How could they? But having to say it 47 times every exam period still gets old.

There is only one set of doors they're allowed to use. They are allowed to leave when they are finished with their exam. But we lock the right hand door because it's really loud. It slams shut, whereas the left hand door just softly swings shut. Most of the other classes have had some troubles. When the right side is locked, they look a little stunned, but then try pushing the left side and lo and behold - they get out. Phil101 was different. First, the first three people struggled and futzed so much that they actually did lock both doors. After I helped them, one said, "Jesus. Why would you lock us in?!" Sigh. Yes, we care not for fire hazards and enjoy watching you fumble. Then a girl walks over, fumbles and unlocked the right hand door, walked through, and let it audibly and disturbingly slam. I walked right behind her (I was on my way to help) and relocked it. The next girl walked through and unlocked the door again. This happened three seconds later, literally. Frustrated, I relocked the door. The next guy just plainly couldn't get out. I had to write a sign that said, "Push this door to exit. Cheers." Because, come on. These are 19 and 20 year olds at the youngest and they don't know how to exit a room. And no one had troubles like this besides Phil101.

Only one more kid had troubles, but when I went to help him, he tried to explain he couldn't read English very well. Yes, the exam was in English.

8 Days and Counting

There's been no nap for 8 days. Eight. That's a long time for this nap addict. But saying that, I might have time for one this afternoon, and you can bet I'll jump into bed if I can.

I've decided that I should have changed my major way back in the day. I should be in travel/marketing. I like to plan trips for people. I really do. Having the fam here a little bit ago helped me to realise I actually do like making plans for others. (Now, I know I am control freak. What I mean to say here is that I can actually create plans around other people's idea of fun. Like, they also enjoy me planning things. Key difference.) And just think. I could travel around to places and then people could come to me and say, "What should I do in Rome?" And I can say, "Rome? Well, let me tell ya..." That way I could get a different taste of many hot spots too. I could do Europe as a backpacker, do the outdoorsy thing too. Then I could do the more refined, artsy way -- working my way through art galleries, museums and wineries. Then, I could go the family route and see that realm too. So then, I could meet my clients and see what kind of a tone they want for their trips. If it's calm and relaxed, flexible? No problem. Jam packed with events and itineraries? Done. A little bit of everything? Sure.

You'd travel, you'd help other people travel, you'd get to meet so many people. Why did I want to teach again? Stupid "noble" careers...

Pajama Party

I finally realised what was bothering me about how the kids dress for finals. No pajamas. Not even in a 9.30am exam. Kids are dressed, including hair accessories, hair gel, makeup -- one guy even had on alligator skin boots.

Sign of the Apocalypse

I don't hate Paris Hilton's song. It must be the end of the world as we know it.

Cry Babies

Supervising exams isn't much different than teaching daycare. I have to deal with so much... childishness. :) Which is fine because I missed it, but still. Today a kid wandered into his exam 15 minutes late and started whinging because he couldn't get his printer to work (they had to turn in an essay with the exam). I gallantly volunteered to print off his paper in lieu of a morning tea break (Hey, he was cute. It must be nice being hot. People do anything for you.). When I brought him his paper and his usb drive, he barely looked up from his exam paper and muttered some kind of grunt. I said, "I'm sorry, I didn't hear you. What was that?" Then he reluctantly pulled his head up and said thanks. I was ready to take it away again. Jerk.

Then, we require the students to not leave out of a certain set of doors. We solve this by having me stand in front of them. I had a student basically keep trying to run into me. When I wouldn't move, he said agitatedly, "Um. Excuse me?" (I know I look young, but I was wearing the official nametag and had been the person to pick up his exam from him.) I informed him that I was actually standing there for a reason and he was to use the other doors. The second after he walked away, a girl came and tried the same maneuver. Goodness sake.

They also like to complain that we have to accompany them to the toilet. Yeah, I'm not so thrilled about that either, buddy boy. Especially when I have a phobia of hearing other people pee. And we have to tell them 47 and half times to write in information on the back of their test booklets. They sit and complain about how long the process is taking, but when you get to them, they haven't realised that they were supposed to fill that part in. What did you think everyone else was doing?

Fortunately, I miss it enough and it's a short enough term job for me to find it nothing but funny. You just have to shake your head and laugh at the kid who walks into the exam, completely empty handed and says, "Do you have a pencil I could use? And a calculator? And... do we need anything else?" Now, many of them come prepared, take their exam, and leave without incident. But they're boring. :) So kids don't grow out of being toddlers. Who knew?

High Heels

I like high heels. I remember when I first started teaching, my supervising teacher said, "You'll wear those for the first day or so. Then you'll stop because you've learned." Well, I doubted her. I mean, high heels are never more comfortable than flats. They just never were. But I wore heels to go out in. I wore heels on new year's eve a couple years ago to disaster, but I still wore them. I just like them. I like the sound they make, I like the way they make my legs looks, I just like them. I wore them for supervising today and I felt like a grown up.

But they hurt. My point has always been that I can just take them off. If that is somehow against the rules and my bratty students are going to tell on me, I'll just sit down (typically on school furniture like desks, so if the tattle tales are going to rat me out for no shoes, they'd probably rat me out for desk sitting; I guess I'd stick to sitting behind my desk). I don't always wear heels for teaching or life. Sometimes I feel grubby and sometimes I can pull off my super cute flats. But I'll never give up my heels.

It reminds me of a girl that I knew at uni. She was older than me and always represented that polished (but still fun and a little quirky) femininity. She wore heels with everything. Once, while sitting near her feet, I noticed that her feet were disgusting. Callouses, blisters, bandaids everywhere. But her shoes were gorgeous and you couldn't really see the grossness from a distance. We made eye contact as she caught me eyeing her feet; she gave me a knowing smile. I liked to think that the look meant that she would sacrifice her poor feet for her shoe passion. But I have a feeling that it was more a "look what we women have to do for beauty", which I don't like as much. But that picture of her was still a sense of grace under pressure. She pulled off this polished look while her feet were oozing. I don't need ooze and I don't need to look that polished, but I do like the idea that she'd rather look great while letting her feet earn their callouses than be comfortable in ug-o shoes.

I hope that even while I teach, I don't ever say, "Well, who am I trying to impress?" Because I don't wear heels now to impress. I wear them because they're hot.

Update & I Have OCD

Well, there have been many internet issues lately, so I apologise for all these delays. But here goes a bunch of catch up.

Sitting through exams is hellish. And that's just when you're taking them. But sitting through while everyone else gets to do stuff is even worse. I realised I really do have mild OCD because I count stuff. I like to see how many left handed people are in the more creative fields vs. the more analytical fields. I count the number of boys and girls, the number of people who use pencil and those who use pen. I count how many sneezes and coughs happen as the exam period goes on. I see if students who sit in the front or the back are more likely to finish early. I especially like when there are a couple different exams in the same room. That way you can analyse them as groups against each other as well. You get the idea. Such counting can keep me occupied for about an hour. Unfortunately, exams are either two or three hours, but hey, at least I killed an hour.

Naturally

I've been trying to post stuff for days. I don't know what the problem has been. Sometimes, blogger, sometimes my network. Ugh. Well, updates are forthcoming, but of course, the first time it works is when I have to leave in 5 minutes to go supervise more exams. Of course. Updates are on their way...

Teaching is Fun

Things I've learned from my first session of exam supervision:

• I do miss being in front of the classroom.
• Even though they are all practically my age, it really does feel natural.
• Watching people take tests is super duper boring.
• I already got two girls yelled at. Oops. I could have sworn they were allowed to leave.
• We were actually instructed to tell the students to sit on the desk and swing their legs over rather than have the people next to the stand up when they leave.
• I get to read all the tests for a billion subjects I know nothing about. But I know the answer to number ten on one of the anthropology tests is shellfish.
• A boy asked me if he could borrow a rubber. I thought he was hitting on me until I remembered that that's what they call erasers. Freaks.

No More Naps

I have tried to give up napping. Many times. Here are the facts. Until I went to university, I did everything. Like, every extra curricular, every AP class, every everything. I had no time. And if I did manage to scrape together time, I'd hang out with friends. When university started, I spent all year doing way too much (though much of that was social ;) ), and the summers working 14 hour days. Busy, busy was the bee.

Then grad school. I heard that it was going to be all hard. It's not. Now, that might be my area of specialization (education is not known for being a hard degree...), it might be the NZ attitude for education, it might be that I'll kick myself later for not putting in a lot of hectic hours on my thesis (though I am working steadily, if not intensely). I am only allowed to work a few hours a week. So I nap. A lot. I feel guilty even saying that I nap probably 5 out of 7 days a week. But I do. I have my afternoons open so I read and if I fall asleep, I fall asleep.

Well, due to higher financial needs (stupid air fares), I have been pursuing more job opportunities. Besides the extra hours that I mentioned in previous posts, I will spend the next two weeks performing as an exam supervisor. It'll be oh so much fun. Because I said I would be available all the time, they set me up with even more hours. I have to be there a half hour ahead of time, then for two or three hour increments every day except Sundays. Every morning and afternoon. And I still work my lunch time reception gig. And I will put in the hours at the second job here in the building too. So. Cold turkey on the naps, I guess. I bet they'd frown on me napping during exams.

And you know I'll take an extra long nap today. I mean, honestly.

Coolest Ad Ever

The new adidas campaign. It's weird, but I dig it. The black one is scary, but this is my favourite.

More!

I can't remember if this is the upclose picture or not. Either way, a penguin did come this close to us. We were in a hide, so I am so totally sure it had no idea we were there. I mean, what are you Mr, a penguin or a ham? :)

This is my favourite accidental find of the trip. We had some extra time due to a hot air balloon cancellation. Since we had another day, we decided to drive somewhere and get on the water. It was one guy running the boat and then my fam. It was great. And this was my favourite view. I am sure there are 47 million pictures of this, but you can see why.

Heredity

So I inherited a lot of crap characteristics. Instead of my mom's flawless teeth, I got my dad's messed up ones. I inherited both of their noses (on top of each other, created the "noble nose"), bad eyesight from both, weird stomach noises from my mom, etc. But one thing I didn't think I inherited was peeing habits. While my family was visiting in my tiny flat, I realised that they all pee in the middle of the night (thankfully, in the toilet). I do not. I sleep until morning and then pee. Well, the past two nights in a row, I've had to get up in the middle of the night. What the heck?

I did have some soda the first night, which is abnormal for me. Usually I have a natural cutoff of fluids a couple hours before bed anyhow. Well, now I have to watch my fluid intake like I'm a three year old conquering bed wetting. I suppose it's probably not so bad to get up and pee in the middle of the night. But my flat is freezing. Like literally. This morning there was frost on my windows. Inside and out. I don't use heat. So, it's friggin' freezing. The toilet seat is even more cold as a cruel twist of fate.

It reminds me of a standup comedian I heard once who talked about being excessively drunk and pondering whether or not to go to the toilet. The brief logic was, "...well, it'd be warm for a little while..." I laughed hysterically. But that logic didn't phase me for a second last night. It'd probably freeze in the bed. This story has taken a turn for the worse...

The real point was that I had to drag myself up out of bed into the frigid air to the frigid bathroom and back to the bed. No fluids after dinner I guess. Because I'm a three year old.

Some Pictures!

While I am still trying to get the pictures from the parents' camera to my computer (ah the bliss of technology), I do have these few pictures of the trip. :)

This is the fam enjoying one of the wineries on the wine tour we took Queenstown.

This is my pretty mommy enjoying the sun in the hot air balloon!

This is my family shortly after we WON our soccer game!! Yes, I look like poo and the fam looks a bit frozen, but I still think we won because they were there.

Those are the only ones I have right now, but don't worry, I'll post some more choice ones as they come to me. And hey! Maybe I'll even update my friggin' picture website! :)