Archive for August, 2008

Differences Between Arizona and Alaska

August 29, 2008 at 12:26 pm · Filed under Living in Phoenix, My Crazy Mind, Observations

Haha.  I bet you think this is going to be some kind of a political post, don’t you?  Nope, sorry.  Not gonna say a word about McCain or his pick for Veep, Sarah Palin.  Read on for something non-political. :)

Kris wrote a post yesterday about August in Alaska.    It’s like we live in two totally different worlds.  Go read Kris’ post and feel sorry for her, then come back here and read mine, then feel sorry for me.  Go ahead.

You done?  Okay.  Here we go.  Right now, I am…

1.  Paying an arm and a leg to keep our little house cooled down to 83 degrees.  Yes, I said 83.  That’s cool for us.

2.  Opening the fridge to find Blanket (Dallin’s blanket) shoved in there.  He wants Blanket to be cold.

3.  Waiting for Ches’ stipend money to come in so we can finally do some back to school shopping and get Aiden some more shorts.  Even the thought of wearing jeans or pants to school makes Aiden cry right now.

4.  Trying to teach Parker to keep his shorts on.  The boy likes being half naked.  Who can blame him?  It’s just too dang hot to wear clothes.  I just have this modesty issue…

5.  Wondering if those brown patches on the lawn will ever be green, or if I should just get used to not having a lovely green lawn in front of my house.

6.  Wondering why my friend isn’t allowed to wear those cute, professional-looking dressy shorts to work, and why she has to wear pantyhose when she wears a skirt.  Did her bosses forget just where it is we live?

7.  Sitting under a ceiling fan, eating a large bowl of ice cream, and planning on what time to take the kids to the pool.

8.  Trying not to think about the fact that none of this is going to change until November sometime.

Technically, Kris and I live in the same country, but wow.  We live on two different planets!!  Most of you live in much more moderate climates.  Be thankful!!

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The Interview

August 27, 2008 at 5:16 pm · Filed under Life in general

The interview this morning went well. I was SO nervous. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve actually had an interview — a real interview! — so it’s really kind of hard to tell. Anyrate, I managed to find a decent outfit to wear and got someone to watch the kids. I found the school pretty easily, and I think it’s a nice school. I was given a tour of the school first (got to stop and say hi to the teacher that I already know there), then the director took me to her office so we could “talk”. I was asked a lot about my experiences and of course my teaching philosophy, and even though I had no idea what was going to be asked, I think I did well in my answers. I was honest, so what more can I do, right?

I got along well with the director. She interviewed someone right before me, but she said she just wasn’t sure about him. I guess he doesn’t have a lot of experience around young children, and she just didn’t get a very good vibe from him. She said she would check my references and let me know.

Oh, I was so embarrassed about my references. You see, something is wrong with our printer, so I couldn’t print out a resume (not that I have an up to date one anyway) or even print out my references (which is what she specifically asked for), so I had to hand write them out. That’s right, folks. I gave her a piece of notebook paper with the names and numbers written out. Could I look more unprofessional??? Good thing they seem pretty laid back at the school. Good thing I have good handwriting. She didn’t seem to mind at all.

So now… we wait.  And try to find child care for two days a week that is affordable so I’m not giving my entire measly paycheck to a sitter.

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Out of Left Field

August 26, 2008 at 2:28 pm · Filed under My Crazy Mind, music

I HAVE A JOB INTERVIEW TOMORROW!!!

I know you are all thinking “That’s great! You were looking for a job??” Well, I wasn’t. About a week ago, a friend told me they suddenly need a new music teacher at her daughter’s school. It’s a private school with preschool and toddler classes all the way up to grade 5. She sent me a link to the school’s website. From there, I discovered that I went to church in Tempe with one of the teachers. Awesome!! It took me several days, and I finally decided to at least take a closer, more serious look. So on Friday I emailed the director.

The director/founder called me a few hours ago and gave me more information about the school and the job position. It’s part time — 10 hours a week (9 hours of instruction, 1 hour prep). They prefer that I do 2 full days a week. That would be very doable in my book. It’s definitely preferable that a couple hours a day everyday… especially with the cost of gas. :) Most of the kids are kindergarten or younger, so it’s a lot of teaching enjoyment of music through movement and other creative pursuits. I think it would be a lot of fun, and I can use a lot of the materials I have left from my music ed classes (especially the elementary/general music class). Tomorrow I wll interview with her at the school.

I still don’t know if I want to do this , mostly for two main reasons: A) My specialty is actually secondary music — I teach band to junior high and high schoolers. 2) I’m not sure if it is worth it to pay for day care for my two boys who are at home. I have NO idea what to pay someone to watch my boys (and I would much prefer to have a friend watch them than to send them to say, Kindercare).

Anyway, wish me luck. Especially as I hunt for some clothes to wear TO the interview. Oh man, I need to lose weight!!!!!!

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Just Another Manic Sunday

August 25, 2008 at 12:07 am · Filed under Church, Family

Ches and I “got” to speak in church.  We’ve been in this ward for what?  3 months?  So I guess it wasn’t super quick, but since our last Sunday in the old ward was the last time we spoke, it really didn’t feel long enough.  The theme was “My Soul Delighteth in the Things of the Lord” which is a talk given by Susan Tanner in last April’s General Conference.

Everyone be proud.  I did not give any parables from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and I did not take up so much time that Ches didn’t get to do much more than bear his testimony.  I think this was one of the worst talks I’ve ever given.  I just wasn’t prepared like I should have been.  I did learn from the scripture study and the little preparation I did, and I only hope my talk was beneficial to someone.

The good thing about speaking in church is that we were actually there on time.  Yay!  And I didn’t get up at the crack of dawn to get us all there.  Of course, I forgot to put diapers and wipes in the bag, and only realized about 1 minute before Sacrament meeting began.  I didn’t think it would be too big a deal, but right after we took the Sacrament, we realized Dallin wet through… a lot.  I don’t know how he did that.  Maybe he sat on his cup?  All I know is he was soaked and we had no new diapers, no wipes, no clothes to change him into, and neither of us could leave to run home and change him.  So the poor kid had to stay like that the entire hour.

We had a miracle with the behavior of our kids… both Dallin and Parker fell asleep while I was speaking.  Last night Ches asked what we were going to do with the kids while we spoke (it’s hard enough to handle them with both of us there, but when one has to get up to speak… we’re talking major trouble here) and I joked that we feed them a lot of Benedryl  before church.  Well, I guess we didn’t need it.  Both boys actually got up kind of early, and since we don’t start church until noon (ie, naptime), they were pretty tired.  Aiden drew pictures the entire time (mostly of Spiderman, Darth Vadar, and explosions), so we were good.

After Sacrament Meeting, Ches took Dallin home for a change and I took the other boys to nursery and primary.  It all seemed to work out.

The rest of Sunday was normal:  starving children, clothes thrown about as they change into play clothes, fights over who’s turn it is to play on the computer, discussions on what movies to watch, dinner preparations, then the whole bedtime ordeal.  Bedtime is a post unto itself.

Now, wasn’t this the most boring thing you’ve ever read?  Oh well.  I guess it just proves that things are getting back to normal in the Chocolate Phoenix household. :)

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Don’t Hate Me, But…

August 20, 2008 at 12:52 pm · Filed under Books, Observations, TV

I don’t think the Twilight books are really all that. Don’t get me wrong. I love them. I’m anxiously waiting for my turn to get “Breaking Dawn” from the library and trying not to run across spoilers. I love Edward and can’t wait to see the movie this December because I think Robert Pattinson will make an excellent Edward, no matter what a lot of other people say.

But all the comparisons to Harry Potter? Sorry. I love Harry Potter more than just about anything. I’m not an uberfan (I don’t know McGonagall’s middle name, for example) but I love everything to do with Harry Potter and the magical world. I get totally lost in that world. I dream of witches and wizards. I wish I wasn’t a muggle. I wish I could have gone to Hogwarts (so I also really wish I was British!!). I have taught my kids who to properly pronounce words like “ridikulus” and “levicorpus” and how to do a good “swish and flick”. Aiden’s favorite thing is to point a wand at his brothers and yell “Expelliarmis!” The Harry Potter world is very real in my mind. Forks, Washington, seems like a nice town (I love the Pacific Northwest and all the rain. Seriously.), but it’s not all that real to me. I could see myself being friends with Bella (we have that clutzy thing in common. heh), but I would be intimidated as I’ll get out by the Cullens. The Twilight world is fun for me to visit as I read, but I don’t get stuck there as I do in the Harry Potter world.

Then there are the comparisons of Edward and Bella to Buffy and Angel. Ummm, hello? There is no comparison! The only thing they have in common is that he is a vampire and she is a mortal girl. End of all likeness. Angel is a vampire with a soul on a quest for atonement. Buffy is “like a superhero or something”, being The Slayer and all. She has super human skills that came with the calling of The Slayer. And the point of her existance is to slay all the vampires. Edward is a vampire with a concious, not a soul. Quite a difference in my book. Bella is just a girl… an every day, totally normal girl (which is why we love her!).

Anyway, which do you love more? “Twilight” or Harry Potter? Or Buffy? Or is there something else?

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Early Detection

August 19, 2008 at 2:04 pm · Filed under The 3 Day, health

I just wanted to add my prayers to the millions of other people for Christina Applegate who recently announced her battle with breast cancer. Three weeks ago she had a double mastectomy and says she is 100% cancer free. YAY! Christina (yeah, I’m on a first name basis with her. Gotta problem with that??) is only 36, which seems awfully young, but because of her family history she has been diligent in her checkups and such, and through early detection was able deal with this at a very early stage.

You all know that I am doing the 3 Day Walk here in Arizona to raise money for research for a cure. I have learned quite a bit since becoming involved in this cause. Breast cancer does not know age. At my Getting Started meeting, I was told stories of women of all ages who were diagnosed with breast cancer. I think the youngest was 19 (don’t quote me on this, however). Breast cancer is not just for old women, so waiting to get a mammogram at age 50 or whatever should NOT be an option, especially if you have any risk factors. My grandmother had breast cancer, so while my likelihood of getting breast cancer isn’t as great as say, my own mother’s, I also know she was not the first in the family.  It is still important for me to be checking. Breast cancer also just isn’t for women. According to the Susan G. Komen website, 1.4 of 100,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. It may not seem like a lot (especially in comparison with the 124 out of 100,000 women), but I just want to let you know it IS there. Breast cancer is a very real thing, not just something that happens to other people… to old women that we don’t know.

Anyway, I just wanted to throw out that my thoughts and prayers are with Christina Applegate and her family as well as a number of other people that are fighting this disease in one way or another. It’s refreshing to hear such a positive outcome of a scary situation, and I love that Christina has kept a good sense of humor and a positive outlook.

Oh, and I’m desperately needing donations for my 3 Day Walk!  My goal is $3000, and so far I have raised $550.  I have a long way to go, I know.  You can donate online or you can send in a check.  Go here, to my personal site, to do just that.  Thanks!!

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Sore Loser

August 14, 2008 at 2:36 pm · Filed under Rant, The Olympics

We don’t have cable right now. We don’t have an antenna, either, so we don’t even get basic channels like NBC or PBS. I’m liking the fact that we are no longer so dependent on the nightly TV schedule, but there are things from TV that I miss.

I miss the Olympics. I absolutely love watching the Olympics. Yes, I know I can watch stuff online, but my PC is a dinosaur and it takes soooooo long for anything to load, then the quality is just bad… Ches’ laptop is with him most of the time, so now that school has started I just don’t get to use that as much as I used to. Therefore, I have not watched anything from the Olympics this year. I have been reading things online. News stories and the like.

I read this article today. I have seen the headlines and read some other stories about the questions people have of the correct age of the Chinese women gymnasts. I’m not here to debate on whether these girls are 14 or 16 and whether or not there is some kind of cheating going on.

Instead, I want to commend the American Gymnasts for being such gracious “losers”. Sure, they wanted the gold, and probably any other day would have won it. It’s too bad Alicia Sacramone had such a bad day, but doesn’t that happen sometimes? Even to the best? Alicia and her teammates accepted the silver medal with dignity, as they should. They were not up to snuff. They didn’t earn a gold medal, and they know it, and I appreciate their sportsman-like behavior.

Too bad noone has taught Bela and Martha Karolyis about proper sportsmanship. They can’t be happy with second place. Oh, no. They have to look around and bring down everything and everyone around them. I think we’ve all known people like this. They are never happy with what they have because they are too busy trying to blame everyone else for one-upping them. Perhaps the Chinese are cheating. I don’t know. I don’t care. The IOC says they accept the passports and documents showing the grils’ age to be 16, so we should to. Nothing in this world is perfect, and not everyone is honest. But to make the Americans look and feel worse about not getting gold because you’re accusing another team of cheating or accusing officials of purposely delaying Sacramone’s floor routine just to shake her up is just plain wrong.

It’s almost as bad as this guy. Ara Abrahamian won a bronze medal, and wasn’t happy about not getting gold, so he threw his medal on the wrestling mat and walked away.

Excuse me. You are an Olympic athlete. You just got a medal. I know you have worked hard and your goal was to get the gold, but guess what? Not everyone can win. There is one gold medal, and you just didn’t get it this time. Get over yourself and be grateful for the experience you had. Be grateful that you got any medal. Be grateful that you were even able to attend and compete in the Olympics. That in itself is a high honor that few in the world will ever get. This man disgraced himself, his teammates and country, his sport, and the Olympics in general because he decided to act like a two year old and throw a temper tantrum.

The Olympics are about unity and sportsmanship, not about individual egos (which is why I have very little patience for people like Bode Miller). The Olympics is the ultimate time to show what it is to lose with grace and dignity. Since when is getting ANY kind of a medal a bad thing??

I’m glad Abrahamian quit. If only we could get rid of the Karolyis’ (She is the US national team coordinator, he is an NBC commentator). We don’t need that kind of negative influence around. What kind of a message are these three people sending out to the general public? You don’t win, so throw a fit and try to bring everyone else down? Take an example from the American gymnastic team… gold isn’t everything. Accept your medal with a smile. We’re proud of you for just being there. At least I am!

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Don’t Know What To Say

August 13, 2008 at 9:42 am · Filed under My Crazy Mind

I want to write. I want to talk about so many things. But I can’t. It all comes out wrong. I’m angry. I’m tired. I’m hot. I’m miserable. I’m frustrated. I’m afraid. I’m lost.

So while I work through this awefulness inside me, just know that I’m still reading your blogs and thinking of each of you, even if I don’t comment or if I don’t really put anything up here. I’ll be back, eventually. Don’t give up on me. I just need to straighten my head out and get back to being normal, or something close to it.

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Underestimated: An Update on Overrated Things

August 7, 2008 at 1:06 pm · Filed under Family

I have the best husband ever. Ever. He knew how much I wanted to go with him on the field trip today and to see the DCI quarterfinals broadcast live into movie theatres. He knew how hard I tried to find a sitter. He knew I was willing to sacrifice once again (even if I was completely unhappy about it). He decided to do something about it. Ches found me a babysitter: a student from last year that has graduated and hasn’t left for college yet. She is apparantly “awesome” and “the boys will love her. They’ll have a lot of fun with her.” She will be at our house for about 8 hours, babysitting. How we are going to pay her is beyond me (I think it may involve taking out a small loan from the bank!!), but what matters is that because my husband loves me so much, he found a solution and now I get to go!

I have completely underestimated him. It never occured to me that he would be so thoughtful and take matters into his own hands. I mean, I always knew he was a nice guy and that he loves me, but you know… finding a babysitter is usually the mom’s job, not the dad’s. And since it is his school kids going, he has to think about them. He went above and beyond just to make me happy. Yup. I love him!! Now I must reciprocate to show him how much I appreciate him!! :D

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Overrated

August 6, 2008 at 3:21 pm · Filed under Rant

Marrying someone who has the same interests as you is so overrated. You wanna know why? Because while it’s nice to have things to share when it is just the two of you, once you marry and have kids you never get to do those things together anymore. You can’t find a sitter to save your life, so when there is a big deal that both you and your spouse want to attend, one of you has to end up staying home. And since your husband’s job has to do with that particular interest, who gets to go to the big deal? Not you. Your husband. I’m completely jealous and upset and I feel like a 3 year old. I want to stomp my feet and yell and cry and whine, “It’s not faay-yerrrr!” because honestly, it’s not fair. It’s not.

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