So, I'm in Maine! I added two states today (up to 27) - Maine and New Hampshire.

New York has totally kicked my butt - I can barely walk.

I went to the MoMA yesterday, which was so good I almost cried.

I've had sushi twice so far this week and both times it was super delicious.

...and I've gotten to see my sister and her family for the first time in years!!

So, tomorrow we move, and then the next morning I'm off to the east coast.
On the to-do list before I go:
*finish packing for moving (I type this at 1 am)
*um, move all the junk (we did hire movers)
*finish up things at school
*update my iPod. This is the most important on the list.

On the to-do list this week:
*sushi!
*MoMA!
*new sandals in Chinatown. I can't resist $5 sandals.
*NY bagel. My friend Liz went to NY and neglected this delight. I mourn for her.
*drive to Maine with my parents to see my sister and her family.
*study for the Praxis. Guh!!!
*take lots of pictures

I will miss my guys and my little girl. The boy skunk has needed lots of comforting lately, and will need even more after tomorrow. I worry that they'll think James moved without me, since I'll be gone for a week the day after we move. I would feel guilty, even, leaving now (due to the moving) if it weren't that I planned the trip before we knew we were moving.

Ah, school's out. This year flew by.

Looking forward to next year: teaching psych, NOT teaching math (maybe), staying in the same room, Liz just one door down (dance, magic, dance!), more photography, being a 3rd year teacher.

Within seven days, I will do the following: finish up the school year (two more days of inservice left), pack up and move to a new apartment, fly to New York. I'm afraid the skunks will think I didn't move with them to the new place, as I'm flying out the day after our stuff gets moved, and I'll be gone for a week. I'll miss the snuggles.

In other news: I gained back all the weight I lost this winter. I totally suck.

Emily P's dances

"Dance Move Burglar" by EUROMOTION

I worked too hard to create these moves
I won't sit back and watch you take them away
Report you to the dance police
They're going to make you pay

Hard labor
On the dance floor
It's the least that you deserve
Everybody work it hard labor style
I want to see it burn

Chorus
Stay away
I did not work this hard for you
Stay away
Dance move bur-g-lar
Repeat 3x

The twisted logic of a criminal mind
It is a victimless crime
To plagiarize my moves
The dance floor ultimately pays the price
Unless you innovate
Nothing will improve

The Ants in the Pants
and the Epileptic Twist
Everybody knows I made them what they are
You can try to emulate my Electric Crocodile
But you'll never be a star
Repeat chorus 3x

Yay for the weekend!
First, James and I went with some friends to a house right off the beach in Seaside. The weather was just right, and we took the beach cruiser. Riding that bike on the beach is perhaps one of the greatest joys ever. I also took my camera (of course), got a new tattoo (Ginkgo leaf/covert nerdiness warning!), and had tons of fun getting to know a few more friends. Although exhausted, it was a really fantastic way to spend a weekend.
When I got back I spent the night at home, then went on the MACA Junior's retreat in Magness Tree Farm, just up the road from Newberg. I opted not to take my camera but those at the school will see the video footage - woot!

Daniel

Bat for Lashes - New Music - More Music Videos

This song is like Robert Smith and Stevie Nicks had a baby, then hired a very sad Michel Gondry to direct it.

close your eyes...

Bat for Lashes - New Music - More Music Videos

Before you actually watch the video, may I suggest you listen to the song with your eyes closed? It's marvelous.
Then, watch the video - and Pow! Your life will never be the same!

A student made me this skunk hat.

It's the most glorious hat ever. The tail can also be worn down - it's held up in place by velcro. The ears are so cute! And the ear flaps are little skunk paws, even though you can't tell that well from this picture. I wore it all day!

Liz got a frog that is also la awesome.

Weekends with Hubby

The weather's been nice, and Hubby and I have spent more time both outside and reading - not necessarily at the same time. I took these last weekend when we went to the park to read, and the sun set just as we were driving home.

For sale: 1 skunk, descented. Eats a lot. FREE SHIPPING!














Just kidding, he's my little guy. See his milk mustache? This is his post-dinner nap.













And little girl. She's in her bathroom-cabinet hidey. I'm just glad I got this shot... I've never seen her so contorted!

Oh, how I love thee!

Upsetting news!

Okay, I realize this is actually old news. But I don't really pay attention to celebrity gossip and latest fashions. Still, I am horrified that I inadvertently did something that is now a new "Hollywood must-have."

Fact: My own tat is 5 years old. LiLo is WAAAY behind me.

Fact: I didn't do mine as a reminder of an asthma attack I had. That is weird.

Opinion: White tats of letters really don't look good. White ink is too difficult to work with for you to get the preciseness you need when doing lettering. Many tattoo artists won't even do white tattoos (fact).



















Fact: taking this picture by myself was extremely difficult with a bulky and large camera. Also, I realized that this is the first time I've seen my own tattoo the correct way (i.e., not reversed in a mirror). This is the first picture I've taken of it.

Skipping school!

So, I skipped Thursday and Friday to come up to CdA for Janneke's wedding! Here are some pics to satiate the CdA crowd:

I "helped" with the flowers the night before, and took a bunch of pictures of the festivities. Also, I stayed with a family friend (thanks Paula and Jim!) and had the opportunity to see a turkey... well, it's best for my squeamish/vegetarian friends to not look at the bottom picture.

So: Finally got the little backyard-patio area fixed up. I knew it had potential. James built the planter boxes last fall and I planted a fern, three hostas, pansies, and a few mystery plants in there. Everything that should have survived, did! Hoorah for me. Also, I added more pansies, some petunias, a whole bunch of strawberries, and a whole bunch of nasturtium seeds. Those will come in about two weeks, and I even got pink ones. Yay! Also, I have peppermint, rosemary, honeysuckle, carrots, some flowering groundcover, and a whole bunch of mystery bulbs that haven't bloomed yet. Not pictured: bbq and several spiders.

































For my birthday James took me to Crate and Barrel to pick out a vase. The first moment we walked in the door I caught site of this cool 60's looking blue one that I could swear my great-grandmother or somebody in my family once owned. I needed it immediately.













I picked some of the flowers that I had planted a few years ago at my in-laws. The pink tulips are the largest I have ever seen, and I took this picture for comparison: that's my camera lens cap. The tulip is almost as big as my hand. Ginormous!




























And the yellow and red ones are some of the prettiest I've ever seen. I got lucky with those bulbs.

Hilarity. And music.

Springtime! Hoorah!
Friday we had a half day at school. It was great, especially since my prep period was one of the two classes scheduled. Most of us on staff went to Golden Valley Brewery afterward and enjoyed some foods and drinks. Hilarity ensued.
Then, after school, Liz and I did some gardening. We found curry plants, which we found fascinating, as you normally don't find curry in the gardening section - it smells so strongly! Our fingers even smelled like curry long after we'd touched it. I found this super weird succulent that feels like worms. I got some carrot seeds, and nasturtium (pink?!), and more strawberries, and another hosta.

Enjoy some Postal Service!

If you haven't seen "Lazy Sunday," well, here it is.

do yourself a favor

...and listen to Heavy Metal Drummer, by Wilco. Actually, listen to this whole album. Several times. I've had it for years, and I've never gotten sick of it, not once. Also, become familiar with the song "Jesus, etc." Video below.



...and I link this next one for two reasons: first, you get to listen to "Heavy Metal Drummer." Second, this was clearly made by five punk teenage boys, but it has good production value for highschoolers. Seriously, I can only hope my kids will be able to pull something like this off. I genuinely enjoyed watching it. Also, we at the school have already begun discussions about some sort of music-video contest. This is an exemplar.

Still super sick. My voice is slowly coming back, but my throat still kills me... and I've a pretty bad cough at night, and I'm running out of my precious Vicodin. :( I did manage to escape bedrest for a couple of hours on Saturday to take some pictures with Liz - we went to Bald Peak State Park outside town and took some shots. It was pretty hazy, unfortunately, but here are a couple 180 degree views - one looking south/southwest, the color one looking northwest. You can't see very well, but the color one was a shot of Mt. Saint Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson. You could see all four, it was awesome.

I'm going to crawl back into bed.

PS: Happy birthday, Dad! I hope you had sushi.

Guh, I'm totally sick again (worse than ever this time), and miserable, and out of it. A few days ago I even dug out my stash of Vicodin from last year because my sore throat/coughing was keeping me and Hubby up... only five left, but the doctor gave me a new prescription today (I was also glad that I had made the right call with the Vidocin, considering she wanted me to continue it. Oh, Vicodin, my best friend!). I did luck out, though - after I went in to work and realized that I can't effictively teach with zero voice (hardly a whisper), I managed to find a sub for the afternoon. Then, my doctor just happened to have an opening at 11. Good news: not strep, but definitely something nasty, and she says if it continues to get worse I need to go to the ER. Gah!

Side note: it's embarrassing running around in public with no voice. Trying to get someone's attention? Forget it. Filling a prescription? They think you're a junkie. This checkout lady at Fred Meyer's self-check-out was so incredibly rude/condescending to me, and I really wanted to tell her off, but I couldn't! Torture, I tell you.

The kids are being super sweet about it though. I love my kids.