Those in the Middle

Reasons why I love teaching Middle School:

1. J and E come to visit me at lunch each Thursday...just because.
2. M says to me that she thinks that a choir singing a pop song is just silly. We should do good chorus music because a choir singing a pop song would be like mixing golf with basketball...each are great...they just don't go together.
3. J being the only boy in my middle school chorus, but choosing to stick it out because he wants to sing...even though his voice is changing and has a range of about 5 notes. Boy do I have my work cut out for me.
4. C, S, and B doing their McDonald's rap in Spanish for me.
5. J answering a very detailed question just when I was starting to think that he wasn't really paying attention.
6. Having high expectations and never being disappointed.
7. T (a boy) showing off that he can sing higher than all the girls...and getting an enormous amount of applause for doing so.
8. Finish singing a song and have the entire chorus say "Wow...can we do that again"
9. Working on a song that was written by middle schoolers in response to 911 and having a great big discussion on how that song of hope and dreams could fit so many people in our country and around the world right now.
10. Anytime that I open my mouth to sing something I get thunderous applause.
    
11. E an R wanting to sing the harmony part even though it is tough. They just dig in and do it.
12. Having it be then end of class and they say "It is over...ALREADY???"
13. Watching students who only are in choir because they had to be, start to really dig what we are doing.
14. Knowing that I get to be a part of developing these all-to-soon to be adults.

It is a responsibility that I don't take lightly.


More Later

-A Ro

Adolescence Torture aka Human Development

It is so funny to me how one little change in routine can really set off a chain of events. The change in our routine around here is that Rich has had to work two late shifts. He is an air traffic controller and has had to work two 4:00 pm - 1:00 am shift. Everything around here has just morphed. So funny how that all works. The sad thing is I will not have seen him for about 64 hours. Maybe it is my mood that is getting things out of whack. Ah...love...

The good thing about all of this was that I got to have lunch with Rich and Andrew on Tuesday. We went to our favorite Sushi place. It was at lunch that Andrew told us all about his Human Development Classes' latest discussion. Now let me explain a little. Andrew is a freshman and takes a class where he and other freshmen, both boys and girls, sit around and have discussions about growing up, problems they may face, peer pressure, and other hot topics. Now I don't know about you but that sounds like torture. In fact remembering what it was like to be a freshman I think I would rather visit the dentist or gyno before going back to that time, let alone sit around and talk about those embarrassing topics. In fact thinking about it kinda gives me the preadolescence butterflies.

They had an activity the other day where the boys got together and had to list 10 advantages and 10 disadvantages to being a girl. Now we all know the REAL truth to this question as we have been around for a long time. Believe me I know these lists very well. The answers Andrew could remember really left me laughing...kind of. First of all Andrew admitted that they thought of quite a few disadvantages to being a girl and only three advantages...and he agreed that they were pretty lame.

Advantages

1. They don't have to work because they can stay home with the kids.
2. They don't have to do any sort of asking out on dates.
3. They don't have to pay for any dates.

OK really??? This was all you could come up with. Ah...such young naive boys.

They came up with 10 disadvantages which consisted of periods, childbirth, high heels, make up and pantyhose...well at least they know that being a girl isn't all sugar and spice.

Both Rich and Andrew agreed that they are really glad they are boys. Even though it means that they have to go to work, do all the asking out, and pay for everything. All the while us women sit around the house eating bon bons.

if only it were so...

More Later

-A Ro

The Random Dozen Saved You From A Peek Into High School Human Development Class

I was planning a post about my son's discussion with me about his Human Development Class...It has something to do with the boys and girls writing down advantages and disadvantages for being the opposite sex...it was very interesting to hear what they thought. However, I forgot about the Random Dozen...you may or may not want to come back tomorrow...could be interesting!!!

But for today go on over to Linda at 2nd Cup answer the questions and link up for the fun!!

1. Do you use the labels various charities send you as “free gifts?”
Do people still send things snail mail?? I really don't so I don't have any reason to use them. If I send something snail mail, I will use one of the ones that come with my checks...how boring is that??

2. What is your favorite time of day (or night) for skywatching?
I am always in awe of the sky and stars when it is clear and pitch black. I am really trying to love the early morning when I run...just not the same.

3. What is the most adventurous you've ever been with trying a new food? (Keep it G-rated please)
Not quite sure how the answer to this one could be anything but G rated...this coming from a naive girl so...The most adventurous would be I tried raw fish sushi rolls...and I loved it!!! That is really as far as I will go.

4. Have you ever heard a rock sing? (Trust me, there's a reason for this one!)
Well I am a choir director, and if they do sing I need to find me some. I'll have the sopranos, altos, tenors, basses, and rocks...

5. If you could learn a language you don't presently speak, what would it be?
Italian for sure. I am an opera singer and can pronounce any word in Italian, just don't know what I am saying...not really much help these days...

6. Al Capone's tombstone read, “My Jesus, Mercy.” If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
Made Those Around Her Feel Loved

7. If you were a famous musician who was known by one name, like “Cher,” “Sting,” or “Jewel,” what would it be? It doesn’t have to be your first name, but it can be, if you’d like.
Well this is an easy one...A-Ro

8. Have you ever been inordinately “into” a television show?
OK I had to look up inordinately...but I do know who Hall and Oats are...LINDA I am inordinately into Chuck...I just can't miss it. As my son says "Tuesdays stink because it is the farthest day away from Chuck"...I concur.

9. When you sneeze, do you go big, or do you do that weird “heenh!” sound that makes people think you’re going to blow your brains out? Any other variation we should know about?
I go big and loud. After I sneeze it takes me a minute to compose myself. I also hiccup like a bullfrog...but that is another Random Dozen.

10. Do you still read an actual newspaper that you hold in your hands, or do you get your news elsewhere?
I get my news from the Internet, or the morning news show. I do, however, do the Sunday LA times crossword every week, and it usually takes me all week to do it.

11. Are you a good speller?
knope

12. At what time each day do you start thinking about Lost lunch?
I start thinking about lunch the second I finish eating breakfast...I kid...not really. I usually get hungry about 10:00 am...if I am with it I'll remember to put a piece of fruit in my lunch so I can nosh on that. That usually does it.


In Summary: I need to decide if I SHOULD use the labels I get, or if I am being PC in not using them. I really want to learn Italian but maybe I should figure out how to spell in my native language first...I have a great rock star name, but really need to find that rock that can sing. Mostly I need try to figure out what food I need to try that isn't G rated, 'cause it seems like I am missing out on something good.


More Later

-A Ro

Lemon Biscotti - My New Favorite (not too bad for you) Treat

It's no secret I like my sweets. I read somewhere that people should have sweets only two times a week. To that I say HA!! Please two times a week...I am pushing for two times a day.

This attitude has caused me to do one of two things, depending on where I am in the seriousness of my weight loss efforts. If I am in a place where the "I am beautiful at whatever weight I am" phase is in affect I just eat what I want, obviously. If I am in the "I need to lose 20 more pounds" phase then I scour my cookbooks and Cooking Light magazines for anything that is sweet but better for you.

Since I am currently in the "I need to lose 20 more pounds" stage evident by the 30 Day Shred sitting in my DVD player at the moment (I am on day 17 thank you very much)...I am searching high and low for the aforementioned sweets. This time I hit a jackpot. In fact we love these so much I have made them the last two Sundays.

Here is the cast of characters:

Lemon Biscotti with Sour Lemon Drizzle
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 t baking powder
1 T grated lemon rind
2 T fresh lemon juice, divided
1 T lemon extract
1 T vegetable oil
3 large eggs
cooking spray
2/3 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. 3. Combine, flour, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl. 4. Combine rind, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, extract, oil, and eggs.
5. Add to flour mixture. 6. Stirring until well blended. Now I had a moment of insanity the first time I made these and forgot that I had a Kitchen Aid mixer...duh Didn't make that mistake twice I assure you. The dough will be dry and somewhat crumbly.7. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 7 to 8 times. 8. Divide dough in half, and shape each portion into an 8 inch long roll. Notice the ruler...yeah I am neurotic like that...it is just the way I roll...get it...roll...

that is some funny stuff right there.
9. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness....no I didn't measure that...what kind of crazy person do you think I am...10. Bake at 350 for 3o minutes. Remove from baking sheet and cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

11. Cut each roll into 15 (1/2 inch) slices...OK I am that kind of crazy.12. Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce heat to 325 and bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, bake and additional 10 minutes. Remove from baking sheet, and cool completely on wire rack. My oven is older than snot so it doesn't bake too evenly, thus the dark ones and the not so dark ones...13. Combine 1 tablespoon lemon juice and powdered sugar.14. Drizzle over the biscotti.

Here is the breakdown:

Calories: 91 Fat: 1.2g (sat. 0.3g, mono 0.4g, poly 0.4g) Iron: 0.6mg Cholesterol: 22mg Calcium: 23 mg Carbohydrate: 18.4 g Sodium: 39 mg Protein: 1.8g Fiber: 0.3g

Serve with a nice cup of warm tea...might I suggest Calm by Tazo...yeah that sounds just about right.

More Later

-A Ro

Project 365 - Week 5

It is that time again to take a peek into every one's week in pictures...go here to link up or to fulfill that need to see what others are up to. Here's my week.

Sunday

I Made It All By Myself

Bella went to an Art Show at the convention center with her dad. She got to go to a woodworking station and make this airplane for Rich. It really shows how her dad and I have handled things, that she is not afraid to tell her dad that she wants to make something for Rich. That really warms my heart.

Monday

Chuck, Chuck, Bo-Buck, Bo-na-na-na, Fo....

Monday night is Chuck night. We really look forward to it, and it is the ONE and ONLY show that we all watch together...to be quite honest with you is is the ONE and ONLY show that I watch...period. Notice that my son still does everything he can to not have his picture taken.

Tuesday

Come Here Muffin

These are two of my students. These are two normal high school students...I promise. These two students always make me smile whenever they come into my room. The girl is an upperclassman and the guy is an underclassmen. She thinks he is adorable in the underclassmen sort of way so she calls him muffin. He wears silly glasses that he doesn't need and has a smile that makes me glad to be his teacher. They both cheer me up every time they come into my room...oh wait I already said that.

Wednesday

Even When Sick He Laughs at Me...and Makes Me Laugh Too

Andrew was still really sick on Wednesday so I took him to the doctor. When I pulled out my camera to take his picture he was sitting on a hobby horse. You see we still go to the pediatrician so the waiting room is full of kid toys. He would not look at the camera...remember he hates to have his picture taken. When we were sitting in the exam room he decided to read all the signs in Spanish and then he read them with a Castilian accent. The accent that lisps all the 's's. I was laughing to hard my belly ached. God love him!!

Thursday

My Turn

I took Andrew out to lunch on Thursday. I started to take his picture and he said "Hey Mom, you always take our pictures for once let me take yours"....so he did. Now his inner dialog was "Hey if I tell her that she should have her picture taken then she won't take mine". Did I mention that he hates to have his picture taken??

Friday

Duck and Cover

We had an earthquake drill on Friday. My High School Chorus was in session when the alarm went off. We, obviously, don't have desks to get under, so my students were informed to put their heads and chest under their chairs. This scene totally cracked me up so I had to take a picture.

Saturday

We're Goin' To Disneyland!!!!

Here is my girl with her three BFF's. It was a birthday party...at Disneyland. My girl is lucky to have such generous friends, because her birthday parties will never be at Disneyland. The living room of our house...maybe.

In Summary: I really need to check my son's birth certificate...doesn't like to be the center of attention...wonder who his mom is?? I love my students and could probably blog entirely about them...and my daughter is blessed with good friends, who just happen to like Disneyland.

More Later

-A Ro

And the Winning Psychosis Is...

Yesterday I may or may not have been publicly ridiculed by Carpool Queen for the state of my Tupperware cupboard. What she fails to realize is the state of my Tupperware cupboard is really mild neurosis compared to what I am about to share with you.

You see I have this issue problem condition psychosis...about backtracking. Now I would guess that 40% of you (which in my case is about 3.25 people) don't like to backtrack. You might casually think about a particular way to go that avoids backtracking or possibly chuckle to yourself if you indeed ended up backtracking...However most of you are probably like the more reasonable adult that lives in my house, Rich, in you would backtrack if it meant that your route was quicker, in essence to be more efficient. Totally sounds like the reasonable way to do things, now doesn't it?

yeah...well, we all can't be REASONABLE now can we?

My issue problem condition psychosis lies much deeper than the chuckle or the "thinking about which way to go"...I obsess about it. Every time I get in my car to go somewhere new, leave a parking lot, or have to walk across campus I consciously think "which way would cause less backtracking" and if I have no choice but to backtrack it really gets to me.

Today, however, two of my issues problems conditions psychoses came into conflict today.

and you thought I only had one...you have NOT been paying attention.

Issue Problem Condition Psychosis #1 - I hate driving, I hate traffic, and I am always in a hurry to just get home. I love my friends, I love helping them out (God knows they have done there share of getting me out of some tricky situations)...I am all about helping others and NEVER feel like they need to return the favor...I would do just about anything for just about anyone. So today Bella's friend who lives in the same town as we do needed a ride home from school..."of course" I'll do it. So we are coming home our usual way and I am starting to try to figure out the fastest way to get her home so I can go get home quickly.

However...

Issue Problem Condition Psychosis #2 - Clearly the fastest way to get her to her house is to take the freeway and to traverse across our little town quicker than the side streets. However, I will indeed have to backtrack about 1/2 mile to get to the freeway.

I know...you are SO wondering which of my issues problems conditions psychoses came out on top???

Well it took a lot of concentration, talking to myself, and really trying to figure out how much backtracking would actually occur and then a lot of concentration, talking to myself, and deep breathing to actually backtrack to the freeway to allow myself to get home quicker.

Yes, you heard it...I backtracked for the sake of efficiency...

See I am a strong person...I don't let my issues problems conditions psychoses control my life...no sir-ee bob...not me!

However, I did have a secret weapon in the attack...Rich and my long awaited beef stew were waiting for me at home.


It's OK to have some help with these things...whatever gets you to the finish line...I always say.


More Later

-A Ro

The Big Picture Beef Stew

I got a new cookbook. It is put out by Cooking Light and it is more of a how to book. And the pictures are just beautiful.

I love to cook and bake, and am always looking to learn new things. This book really inspired me to re-think the way I do things.Within each section it has a recipe that goes along with what it is trying to teach you.

This week as I was frantically carefully putting together my menus for the week, I remembered this beef stew recipe I saw and decided to try it. I decided to try it on Wednesday night.

I must not have had my thinking cap on.

Now I have always had a little trouble with the big picture in life. I mean I tend to not think about the long term and live in the moment. Now that is good when you are trying to live life to the fullest, but not so good when you need to be somewhere and decide 20 minutes before you have to walk out the door to pull out everything in your closet to "re-organize" it.

So my menu planning is sorta like that..Oh this looks good...oh I have nothing to eat on Wednesday...OK...

Sounds like a good plan...right now...but looking at the big picture?

Not so much

You see I have rehearsals on Wednesday until 5:00, I have to round up my kids, and drive home. This puts me home at oh...5:45ish.

I get home to find Rich chopping onion, potatoes, carrots.

Truth be told, I realized that I must have help chopping and called him in a panic, of course he was more than willing to help.

I change my clothes, roll up my sleeves, and get that recipe started...clock says 6:00 and stomach is growling.

Saute mushrooms - check
Saute onion and garlic - check
Dredge beef in flour - check
Cook beef until brown - check
Add wine and de-glaze - check
Add beef broth - check
Reduce heat - check
Simmer 1 hour - WHAT???

OK...OK...relax. This puts us eating at 7:25 we can certainly munch on something to tide us over...deep breath...keep going.

Stir in potato - OK
Stir in carrot - OK
Simmer uncovered another hour - Oh CRAP!!

Me: Uh...honey...

Rich: Yes, beautiful (his usual pet name for me, isn't he sweet)

Me: Uh...we have a slight problem with the Beef Stew

Rich: What is it my love and soul mate (OK he didn't really say that)

Me: Uh...it isn't going to be ready until...uh...bedtime...ha...ha...



So I offered to go to Subway and he started heating up leftovers.



I really need to work on big picture things.



I'll have to add that to my ever growing list as I am eating Beef Stew...tomorrow.

More Later

- A Ro