Huh?

I really love this picture template option, but why won't it show the whole picture? I do like the blue sky, though. Spring can't come fast enough.

I need to vent.

I hate fees. I think they are stupid. Most of the time. For example: when I was at the U, I was always frustrated when I would study the tuition schedule to see a "utilities fee" or a "building fee" because, for real? What the crap does my tuition pay for? Don't even get me started on the athletic fee. Pretty dang sure that football pays for itself. But really, what does my $2500 in tuition pay for if not utilities and buildings?
Anyway. I am a member of Golds Gym. Like a fool, I signed up for the 3 year program, paying a lesser amount if I pay in 6 payments rather than monthly. And I did this twice. But it wasn't until this second time (It's been one year) that I have had to pay the "facility maintenance" fee. Again, what does my membership payment go towards? They graciously put up a poster that shows what they spent the fee on, things like flatscreen tv's for individual machines (which I do like) but why isn't that just part of my normal membership payment? What will be next? A chlorine fee? An extra-jets-in-the-hot-tub fee? I would feel so much better if you just added a couple bucks to the monthly price instead of randomly pulling extra money out of my account without warning. Gosh, I shouldn't say without warning, because I was notified by the scrolling words at the bottom of the Gold's channel that I NEVER watch that it would be withdrawn this month. So I ask at the desk when it will be taken out. She says it was taken out on the 5th. Really? I ask. She swears to it. I ask if it's possible they would combine my charges since I paid for the year in advance. She asks for my card to check. She informs me that it will be withdrawn on Monday. Nice. Thanks for the warning. Maybe they could tell people. I suggest that she inform someone that it would be nice to know these things in advance so people don't overdraw their accounts. She reminds me that it was taken out on the 15th of January and July of last year. I calmly tell her that I don't remember random fees withdrawn six months ago. She'll pass on my suggestion to her manager.
Really? Really. BUH.

Hello, 2011!

I am super stoked for this year. 2010 was great. I bought a house. I bought a washer and dryer. I pay utilities. It was big. Oh yeah, I turned 30. I joined a bowling league. I started my second year of teaching. I watched all six seasons of "The Office." I ate a lot of Cafe Rio. I lost 25 pounds. It was probably all from the Rio.
Now, I'm looking forward to this new year. Monday, we're starting "Romeo and Juliet." I won't lie, I'm a little nervous. I registered for a triathlon. I'm super excited. I have a plan. You can come to my reveal party. Tentatively scheduled for summer 2011. I'm buying a hot dress and killer heels. I'll probably go on some dates. Which would mean that this year, I plan on putting myself out there. I'm a lot nervous for that. But I can do it. And it's gonna rock. So. Bring it!

I'm an English teacher.

I just noticed that the title of my post says "mockinbird" rather than Mockingbird. Awesome! At least I didn't write Mockinjay, as I almost did many times.

To Kill a Mockinbird Anyone?

If you have read or are familiar with this great classic, you will really enjoy this essay. It was written and turned in FOR REAL by one of my cute students who was just so preciously confused.

"Bob Ewell, Mr. Cunningham, and Atticus Finch are way different people and their different personalities. Bob Ewell is 50 something years old man and is married his wife named Barbara Ewell. Mr. Cunningham is the same age as Bob Ewell and isn’t married and has one child named Walter Cunningham. He is the same age as Scout Finch, he does work for Atticus Finch by chopping down their wood. Last but not least is Atticus Finch and he is also about the same age as Bob Ewell and Mr. Cunningham, he has 2 kids named Jem Finch and Scout Finch, he used to have a wife but his wife died in a car accident, he also has a housekeeper names Calpurnia who helps them doing the children’s chores and makes them breakfast in the morning when the kids are off to school.

Bob Ewell and Mr. Cunningham were very prejudice against black people and that Bob Ewell’s wife was cheating on him with Tom Robinson, Atticus Finch is defending Mr. Tom Robinson while he is in court. While they were in court they asked Tom Robinson and Barbara Ewell questions on how Mr. Tom Robinson held down Barbara Ewell and raped her. The jury in court where saying that Tom Robinson is defined Guilty and they were supposed to send him to jail but someone shot him when they got the chance to put him into the jail cell, the person who shot him ran off so fast they can barely see him, like is was invisible. Atticus Finch went to tell Tom Robinson’s wife that he had been killed and the wife almost fainted and she was crying really bad and she told Atticus to come in and tell his father what happened to his son about when he got shot when he was about to go to jail and he seemed okay but he was sad too. Then Mr. Finch went home and went to bed. The next day they had another court jury and Mr. Finch had to still defend Tom Robinson and they called up Bob Ewell and told him to write his name on a piece of paper, so he did. After he wrote his name he asked why he had to do it and Judge Taylor said that the person whop raped Mrs. Ewell was left handed and Mr. Ewell was left handed, after he wrote him name they told him to sit down and the called up Tom Robinson and also told him to sit down, when he sat down Mr. Finch started asking him questions like “Did you rape Mrs. Ewell”? And he said “No” and they asked him another question “Did you by any change try to hurt Mrs. Ewell while you raped her”? And he said “No”. Then he told him to sit down and the court jury was over. The next day another court jury began. Tom Robinson went up again and the jury kept asking him questions like “Did you beat her when your rapped her 2 years ago”? He said “No”. Then Mrs. Ewell went up again and they asked her more questions like “Did you have an affair on your husband”? And she all of a sudden burst into tears and ran out the door but luckily Mr. Heck Tate caught her and told her to sit down. Mr. Finch’s kids were sitting up on the balcony with a bunch of more black people that were friends with Tom Robinson. Scout and Jem’s friend Dale fell asleep but Tom Robinson’s father, then soon enough the jury was over again and began the next morning, but luckily the court jury was very fast and quickly over with because Mr. Finch’s kids were getting really tired. The jury eventually thought Mrs. Ewell was guilty but she ended up being innocent and they told her to go home with her husband. The next person up was Heck Tate. He told the jury and the judge of what happened that night he saw Tom Robinson rapping Mrs. Ewell. He had a very convincing story but that still didn’t cut and the jury thought he was innocent and he went home. But when he started going home he saw Atticus Finch walking past the jail cell and Mr. Heck Tate was wondering why he was still there even though Tom Robinson was dead. And that is all about my essay."

No need for a Title.

I really like the ocean. And Tracie. And I'm pretty sure that soon after this picture she lost those cute sunglasses in the great abyss.

What the??? Sorry. Tracie THURSDAY!

Not that anyone looks anymore. I know, I know, we're all busy.