For all you nosy people 

Okay, someone thought that photo I had posted the other day was my wedding dress.  I had to wear some formal dress tomy friend's Installation back when I was in high school or college.  She was being installed as a princessor something like that.   That was not my wedding dress.

:shakes head:

:sighs:

Here are two photos from my wedding. (The quality is crappy/blurry onlybecause they were digital photos taken of the actual photographs. I am old, people.  The digital camera wasn't available "back inthe day."  HAHA.)

And now that you are completely bored.....get back to your homework.  lol.

BIRTHDAYS

Some people LOVE their birthdays.  I have one friend who countsdown the days until her birthday, to everyone she sees.  All Iever hear for about 30days is "It's XX days until my birthday." Seriously?  Yes, SERIOUSLY.  She is BIG on her birthdays.  And although I don't see her all the time anymore, Iam still thinking of her at least half the month of April. Conditioned response after 25+ years, I suppose.  For the record,there are only EIGHT more days until her birthday.  This is for you, girl!

We've been friends for over 25 years.  We've had our ups anddowns, but when I think of you, I pretty much think of the ups...and all the fun we have had throughout the years!  I can't imagine my childhood without you.  And since you've been around since I was 7, I am not sure it's possible to even try.  haha.


"You ain't no spring chicken anymore!"  ONLY A FEW MORE DAYS AND YOU'LL BE SUPER OLD!!   YUP, almost getting to the point when you'll have to say you are inyour MID-thirties.

And today I was reminded of my friend because of HIM.  Today, HE told me it was his birthday, so I told him I would wish him a Happy Birthday on my Xanga.  SO...

Cleaning out one of my email in-boxes...and this is what I found:

Quit Something

One of the single most important steps to realize a dream (or maybe even to have one), is to clear out some clutter and make room for new dreams. Say “no thank you” to something that no longer fulfills you or makes you happy. The power to change often begins with a decisive about-face.

-Marcia Weider

You know what I find amazing?  Even though the people aredifferent, lifestyles of college students will - more than likely - remain the same. As I was (cough cough) wasting time on myspace, I realized that photosthat my students share...could easily be substituted for photos of myfriends in college.  The people are different, but thescenarios?  Totally the same.  What makes it even more funnyis some of the attitudes/poses are identical: mooning the camera, silly expressions,not-so-glamorous late night shots, and so on.

I'd post them, but for one,these guys with whom I attended college are now accountants,journalists, animators, or advertising execs...what have you.  Ontop of that, one of my friends is a Catholic school VP, so I am unsureshe'd appreciate that either. LOL.  It would not be wise to beposting their not-so-professional selves online, even if they are just photos fromthe past.  Also, I am sure it would bite me in the a** aswell.  Hmmm...yea, I'll pass.  Maybe I can find a couple hereor there....but don't count on it. 

Talking to students online is also a trip.  Why they share stuffwith me is unknown, but I do appreciate the fact that students feelcomfortable enough to chat with me.  I'd share with you thedetails, but I don't want to break any confidences. 

Anyhow, I justthought it was funny.  Although I loved college, I am glad to bewhere I am now.  Plus, listening to the drama of college studentshelps me appreciate how far I have come...because really, when I heartheir stories, it just reminds me how stupid I was back then. yea, yea, I didn't say I wasn't stupid now.  I am just lessstupid.  And I am not saying my students are stupid, either.  What I amsaying (or trying to say...though not very well) is that people can actstupid...and college is a prime time to do so.

So, to all you students reading this, let me tell you a little secret.  Even if you think there's noway some of your teachers did anything stupid,  I am here to tellyou the truth: They more than likely did at least one stupid thing intheir past.  Trust me on this.  And if they didn't, they probably weren't truly living. 

Have a great weekend!

My grandmother -I called her Nana- wasn't the typical grandmother; an elderly woman wearing polyester while knitting booties she was not.  Okay, she may have been knitting booties, but she was wearing Ugg boots while she did.  Yes, she had gotten a pair of Ugg books for Christmas.

Nana had more style than I had...in my whole life.  She'd wear jeans and a T-shirt or a stylish outfit...and either way, she looked great.  Her hair was always nicely done.  I remember when I was a kid, I asked her if she dyed her hair.  Why I asked?  I thought it was weird how she had light brown hair and the rest of the family had black hair.  How does that happen?  And I don't recall her having black hair...EVER.  So really, I thought it was real, her brown hair.  I thought she was something so special and unique...to be the only one in our family born with light brown hair! I just always thought she was sooo cool.

I loved going to her house when I was a kid.  She lived just three blocks down the street, so I'd walk down there to get my "hair done."  She was my stylist.  HA!  Nana would wash my hair, cut it, and then french braid it.  I always felt so special when she french braided my hair.  I considered a french braid an up-do and so princess-like.  My favorite hairstyle was a french braid over the top of my head and ending on the other side.  (see photo below)

As I got older, I learned what a die-hard shopper she was.  Most teens love to shop, and I was no exception.  However, I learned that Nana could outshop me anyday.  In high school, my mom and Nana had special dates together, ending with shopping at the Nordstrom Rack.  I went on a few of these...and was always ready to leave hours before they were.  While I was ready to pass out, they were still searching the racks for that special buy.  They took my daughter a couple times and turned her into a shoe queen.  My daughter loves shoes as much as Nana did.  In fact, they would send my daughter home with not one new pair of shoes but like three, four, or five pairs of shoes.

My grandmother has been an inspiration to me.  She raised five children...and I think raising one is hard.  She had so much strength and will.  She has always had a zest for life, learning a new language or exploring the internet.  I have received more e-cards from my grandmother than I have from anyone else.  She always found the cutest ones, the ones with an animated cartoon or a game to play.  I think each time she found one of those, she sent them to my daughter and me so we could play them together.

Nana, though very independent and hip, had a traditional side to her as well.  There were Chinese customs that I always had to follow, even when I didn't want to. After she came to my new house, I had rearrange some of my furniture.  I can't exactly remember why I had to, I just know that my bed wasn't in the "right" place and my daughter's desk wasn't facing in the right direction.  I moved them...and emailed her straight-away to tell her I did.  I'll have to read the Feng Shui packet she gave me for Christmas a couple years ago...so I know how to arrange any new furniture coming into the house.

I know how lucky I am to have known my grandmother.  I have memories of her from my childhood that I will cherish.  And she will always be with me.  Once in awhile, I hear her voice, making sure I am doing the "right" thing.  But what I will miss most is her laughter and love for life. 

I got this from a student enrolled in my class last semester.  Hope it makes you laugh!   We all need the laugh about this time of the year.  Justthink...in less than a week, you'll be on winter break.  In aweek, I'll still be grading projects and exams and recordinggrades.  Sigh.

But then...that's right!!!!!  5 weeks off, baby.  Oy, I need the break.

And now...for the funny. 

You know you're from California if:

  1. Your coworker has 8 body piercings and none are visible.

  2. You make over $300,000 and still can't afford a house.

  3. You take a bus and are shocked at two people carrying on a
      conversation in English.

  4. Your child's 3rd-grade teacher has purple hair, a nose ring, and is
      named Flower.

  5. You can't remember . . . . is pot illegal?

  6. You've been to a baby shower that has two mothers and a sperm donor

  7. You have a very strong opinion about where your coffee beans are grown,
      and you can taste the difference between Sumatran and Ethiopian.

  8. You can't remember . . . is pot illegal?

  9. A really great parking space can totally move you to tears.

  10. Gas costs $1.00 per gallon more than anywhere else in the U.S.

  11. Unlike back home, the guy at 8:30 am! at Starbucks wearing a baseball 
      cap and sunglasses who looks like George Clooney really IS George Clooney.

  12. Your car insurance costs as much as your house payment.

  13. You can't remember . . . .is pot illegal?

  14. It's barely sprinkling rain and there's a report on every news 
      station: "STORM WATCH."

  15. You pass an elementary school playground and the children are all 
      busy with their cells or pagers.

  16. It's barely sprinkling rain outside, so you leave for work an hour 
      early to avoid all the weather-related accidents.

  17. HEY!!!! Is pot illegal????

  18. Both you AND your dog have therapists.

  19. The Terminator is your governor.

  20. If you drive illegally, they take your driver's license. If you're 
      here illegally, they want to give you one.