I forgot to mention that two weekends ago I went to a photography seminar led by Steve McCurry who is a famous photographer and probably best known for his photo of the "Afghan Girl." My step-mom is into photography these days and is a huge fan of his so she came into town for the seminar (and to see me) and I accompanied her. And let me tell you...it was pretty darn cool. I think everyone at heart at some time in their life has wanted to be a photographer, myself included, so it proved to be quite an exciting day.

He had a million fascinating stories of his experiences shooting for National Geographic. My favorite being when we was over in the cold snowy mountains of, I believe, Pakistan (or somewhere in that region.) He and his local interpreter had somehow scored a helicopter to take him up to where some fighting was going on (as in guns and soldiers.) He was instructed that he had 1 hour to take his photos and then the helicopter would be back. Well, when it came back exactly an hour later, he wasn't quite ready and had a few more pictures he wanted to take and asked the pilot if he could wait just a few minutes. Well, the guy in the helicopter got pissed and flew off...and didn't come back for 2 1/2 DAYS!!!!! Days!!! Just to teach "this American" a lesson. So Steve said he and his interp just had to rough it with these soldiers in the freezing snow and after 2 days went by, they thought the helicopter wasn't coming back at all so the soldiers (4 of them) and Steve and the interp trekked down the mountain with all of them tied into a long rope- so everyone was connected to each other with the rope around their waists. After 1/2 a day of going down the mountain, the helicopter showed up and flew them the rest of the way. Man oh man... He had a million stories like these.

After the seminar I bought a poster and had him sign it and inscribe it to me. All very exciting. If you have never seen his pictures before, definitely check out his website. http://www.stevemccurry.com

My school is having their annual bake sale this Saturday so on Friday I will be donning my apron and Betty Crocker hat. Any recommendations on what I should make? Favorite bake sale treats?

I googled bake sale pictures and THIS one, for some unexplained reason, was on page one. So I couldn't resist posting it. I guess this baby is really excited about cookies or something...

A 3rd grader's view on The Beatles

So, I'm in the van yesterday picking up the kiddies at school, and after my 1st pick-up, a 3rd grader, Sean, (who is a really great kid) asks me from the back of the van if I like The Beatles. A bit taken aback by his question, I tell him yes, and then ask where he's heard their music. He tells me his dad has some CD's that he borrows. (Very cool.) Then he asks if I like the song Yellow Submarine, that that is his favorite song. I tell him, good song but not my favorite. So we talk a bit more about songs we like, then, excitedly he asks if I like the song, Dr. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band......HUGE pause..... Did he just say...Dr. Pepper's? Wow... I decide not to correct him and tell him that indeed, I do like the song.

Content with my answer, he stops asking me questions and starts to sing (via choir boy voice) Yellow Submarine. About 10 seconds into it, he stops abruptly and says, Oh man! Yellow Submarine sounds just like London Bridges! Listen! Then he proceeds to sing clips of both songs, kind of morphing them to sound alike. Oooohhhh, it was all so very humorous.

It was twenty years ago today! Dr. Pepper taught the band to play!

U2!

Well, it is now official...U2 is the bomb. Hands down. They win the cake. The prize of the year. My undying love. The show last night...Rocked. Rocked like nobody's business.

I wish I could go again tonight But I will be attending another concert (Sigur Ros.)

Only one more thing to say: Larry, I know you're hot (really hot) and the best, kick-ass drummer ever! But, seriously...it's time to lose the mullet.

Remember this?

Jingle bells, Batman smells
Robin laid an egg
Batmobile, lost a wheel
and Joker got away, hey!


Yeah, that's what I heard on the van yesterday about 50 times. Man, when will that song ever die??!! I was always partial to the"and Joker took ballet," version, myself.

Ahhh, youth.

Monday Shmonday

Today would be a great day to miss work, rent a couple of scary movies or old black & white ones, order in some delicious food and just curl up on the couch with some bean dip and fritos relaxing while the rain falls.

Too bad that ain't gonna happen.

Just scored U2 tickets for next week.

Doing the happy dance.

Feel free to join in.

Walked into work yesterday and my boss tells me that

A) my co-teacher has sprained her ankle so I will be alone for a good chunk of the day with wild and crazy kids
B) Instead of having a (relaxing) planning hour as I usually do, I need to bleach and sanitize every single thing in my classroom because
C) a child was sent home Friday with scabies

Now that's what I call a Monday back at work!
(SCABIES!!!??? God help me.)

I can't get over this...

An excerpt from the book Freakonomics:

Some cheating leaves barely a shadow of evidence. In other cases, the evidence is massive. Consider what happened one spring evening at midnight in 1987: seven million American children suddenly disappeared. The worst kidnapping wave in history? Hardly. It was the night of April 15, and the Internal Revenue Service had just changed a rule. Instead of merely listing each dependent child, tax filers were now required to provide a Social Security number for each child. Suddenly, seven million children--children who had existed only as phantom exemptions on the previous year's 1040 forms--vanished, representing about one in ten of all dependent children in the United States.

Snarky!

I am off to the Chicago Antiques Market Fair downtown. I'm quite excited! Maybe I'll find a magic lamp with a genie, or an old locket that used to belong to a princess, or a picture with money hidden behind the backing. The anticipation is killing me! More than likely it will just be a bunch of overpriced crap, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. So keep yours crossed too, just not behind your back. That's just plain sneaky.

I'm tired of not sleeping well- no pun intended. For the past few nights I just toss and turn and wake up all night long and it seems like a I have a hundred crazy dreams. Anyone have any tips on sleeping better? I need the tips! Unless the tip has to do with warm milk. I do not need the warm milk tip. I do not like warm milk.

Labor Day Fun

Just got back from a love-eh-ly dinner with friends (chad & wendy). Had a lot of Sangria. Had a lot of fun. Had a lot of pictures taken of me for some reason. So...here I am, heavily under the influence of sangria, celebrating Labor day. (I loved not having to go to work, I won't lie.)

And, I love the sangrrrrrrrrrrrrrrria.

How did crochet clothing sneak back into our fashion world? This was a tragic trend of the 80's that needed to be buried for good next to all those Hammer pants. All I have to say is, Crochet, you were ugly then and you are ugly now and you will never trick me into liking you. Ever.

listening to Heaven by The Fire Theft


...it's the simple things that are so hard to grasp
can't find myself in all these days that pass
but i can find feel it when it shines
nevermind the way they shy
turning around along the trail
my whole world is falling in love with you
can't find the road that runs through
falling in love with you
can't find the road that gets through