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Wednesday Hodgepodge – October 19

Posted on October 19, 2011 by auburnchick

Whoop Whoop!  Link up with Joyce to join in the Hodgepodge!

1.  How do you typically react in a sudden, extreme, pressure-filled crisis?  Would we want you nearby in an emergency?

Oh, tough question.  I think it depends on if others are around.  If someone else is around, I prefer to let that person take the lead as far as handling the emergency.  Case in point:  A week before Super Sis got married, Chicky, all of maybe five, went running down the stairs and turned the corner a little too sharply, banging her head on the wall, splitting open her forehead, and causing massive bleeding.

I panicked.

That’s because other people were around.  The sight of blood makes me nauseous.

I did manage to get her to the ER, where the doctor butterflied her right up and sent us on our way.

Now, with that said, if there isn’t anyone around, I handle emergencies quite well.  Case in point:  When Rooster was little…early elementary…he came into the house one afternoon with his brand new Polo t-shirt (courtesy of a trip to the outlet mall the weekend before) covered in blood.  He was screaming.

He’d split his chin wide open when he fell off his bike and landed on a rock.

Ouch.

I very calmly said, “Well, Rooster, I think we’re going to let a doctor take a look at this.  Chicky, please run upstairs and get Mama a washcloth.  Rooster, we’ll buy you another shirt.  Don’t worry your sweet head.”

I then drove us to the emergency room, fought like a Mama Bear to get a plastic surgeon to sew up the cut even though our insurance company wasn’t going to pay for it (when an ER doctor says, “I think I can pull it together,” you run for another doctor), and almost passed out when he got several shots in the cut to numb him.

I handled myself brilliantly.

As far as whether or not you’d like to have me around in an emergency, you be the judge.

2.  Caramel apple-caramel sundae-caramel corn-caramel macchiato–of the four, which caramel treat would you choose? 

I’m going for an edited version…Salted Caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks…creme base (cannot stand coffee)…made with soy…hold the whip…add the toppings.

Tres yummy!

3.  Is there such a thing as destiny?  Explain.

Although I’m a reading teacher, I decided to look up the definition for destiny (there were no context clues in the sentence to assist me…LOL):

Destiny – The hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; fate.

Then, I wondered how, exactly, to define fate:

Fate:  The development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.

Do I believe in destiny?

No.  Not really.

In Psalm 139:1316, the Bible tells us that…

13You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body

and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!

Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

15You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,

as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.

16You saw me before I was born.

Every day of my life was recorded in your book.

Every moment was laid out

before a single day had passed.

So, I guess, in essence, you could say there’s such a thing as destiny…maybe…since God is an unseen force.  However, I do not believe in fate as it is loosely thrown around these days.  God controls the weather and that kind of stuff.  I believe that He set things up to work in a certain way and allows things to happen, but nothing happens without His knowledge or permission.  I also don’t believe that God controls us.

I believe that He can see our lives from beginning to end, and He knows the choices we will make.  Does He influence them?  If we let Him.  Does He force us into following His way?  Absolutely not.  Why would Jesus have had to die then?

Tough question, Joyce.  No easy answer.

4.  What’s your favorite piece of furniture?  I’m referring to something currently in your possession as opposed to something on your wish list.

My bed is my favorite piece of furniture.  Sad, eh?  I’m just so darned exhausted at the end of each day that it feels so amazing to lay my head down each night.  Getting up at the crack of dawn isn’t much fun either, so I live for the weekends when I can stay snuggled in, loving on my Mollly girl.

5.  Wednesday night marks the start of the 2011 Baseball World Series.  Did you know?  Do you care?  Will you be watching?  Ever been to a professional baseball game?  If you’re not an American, do you find the title “world Series” annoying or amusing?

I’ve been to a few games…the Atlanta Braves and the Florida Marlins.  Attending games is way more fun than watching them…most times.  Honestly, I’d rather watch NASCAR, which sounds crazy given that men drive around and around in circles, but isn’t baseball the same thing…men going around in circles?

6.  Sounds that take me back to my childhood are…

Church bells.

I attended a small Baptist church in Alabama, and the church bells use to ring every day at a certain time.  You could hear the bells around town.  When I hear this sound today, I am reminded of a time when life was lived at a much slower pace.

7.  On average, once you’ve linked your Hodgepodge post to mine, how many other participant blogs do you visit?  Do you ever come back to the Hodgepodge later in the day or even the day after to read posts?

Ok…last year, I made it my mission to read most of the links posted.  I had more time…I don’t know how with teaching five grades and going to school full-time.

Since starting my year as an intensive reading teacher, I’ve been swamped.  I feel like I’ve got a bit more to prove, so I’m putting in even more time, leaving smaller amounts of time to visit a lot of blogs.

One rule of thumb for me is always visit those who visit me.  It’s a courtesy.  My goal is to visit nine or ten teach each week…combining my visits with “back at ‘ya’s” and “hola new friends.”  I typically visit late on the day of the Hodgepodge, after I’ve gotten home from work and can settle down for a bit.

8.  My Random Thought

I’ve been talking about teaching a lot lately.  That’s because it’s taken me on such an emotional roller coaster ride!  The last few days, I’ve really cracked down on my kids…not letting them get away with anything.  It’s my attempt to restore full order.  We’re almost finished with the first of four nine-week terms, and I honestly did not see the time go by.  Of course, that’s probably because I’ve been at training for much of it, but that’s beside the point.

I see so much trust in my kids’ eyes.  I simply cannot let them down by allowing the unwise choices that others make to go by.

Yesterday, one of my students told me, in a fit of frustration, “Mrs. AuburnChick, you’re the only teacher who follows all of the rules.”

In other words, I’m the most strict.

I had to remind her and myself that I’m not doing this because I’m on a power trip.  I’m doing this because life has rules that we have to follow…for a purpose…to maintain order and lead productive lives.  My classroom is a microcosm of the real world…a safe place yet one where students are expected to follow rules, accomplish things according to certain procedures, and be productive in the process.

Then, I sat down with my kids…the class that won the pizza party the other day…and told them that they might not count themselves lucky to have me as a teacher, but they should.

I love them.  I genuinely care about them.  I want them to succeed and believe that they will.

Guys…the trust that emanated from one of my student’s eyes was too much for words.  This gal has a rough, rough exterior.  I treat her with kid gloves because I know that it won’t take much to break her, and I won’t be the one to do it with a flippant attitude.

Trust is probably one of the hardest things to get from a student and one of the easiest to lose.

It’s also one of the main things that will help us, as people who are privileged to work with children, truly leave a lasting impact on their lives.

I think I’m feeling the weight of this responsibility, and the emotional ride is scary, to say the least.

I’m in it for the long-haul though and am so grateful to be doing what I’m doing.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 8 Comments »

Labor Day Hodgepodge

Posted on August 31, 2011 by auburnchick

Hey, hey, hey!  It’s time for the Hodgepodge!

Joyce, you rock!  Thanks for all you do to keep this fun meme going each week!  Now, on to the questions!

1.  Do you think the world became a more dangerous place on September 11, 2001, or did we just become more aware of the danger?  How has your own life changed as a result of that day?

Oh my…loaded question, Joyce!

I do not think think the world became a more dangerous place on 9-11.  I think that this was the first major event of its magnitude to hit this side of the world.  This kind of violence had been occurring for centuries.  However, I think that once the terrorists saw that they could penetrate America’s defenses, it made us more vulnerable.  That is what was so dangerous about that day.

I’m not sure how much my life has changed since that day.  It’s a difficult thing to measure.  I think I grew to realize just how quickly life can be extinguished and how heroes are born of adversity (think of United 93).  I think that I became a lot less naive that day.

Since that day, I have learned a lot more about Middle Eastern people.  I never knew, on that day, that I would one day work with and teach people of Arab descent.  These were some of the kindest and warmest people I’ve ever known.  Ultimately, I learned that you can’t take things at face value and accept others’ assumptions.

Ultimately, my eyes were opened, and I now view the world with glasses that are a little less rose-colored.  It’s a shame in some ways and enlightening in others.

2.  Did you think your parents were too strict when you were growing up?  How about in hindsight?

My mom was strict in ways she should not have been and not strict enough in other areas.  I knew that back then, and I know that in hindsight.  I was, for the most part, a good girl.  I made straight A’s and never got in trouble at school.  I was once grounded for a year for staying too long at a friend’s house after a sleepover.  I was not allowed to sleep over at anyone’s house that entire next year.  Overkill?  You betcha.

3.  Share one random but candid fact about yourself?

Really Joyce?  I share random candid facts about myself daily!!

Ok…here’s something.  I rarely eat three meals a day.  I usually only eat one.  I don’t snack often either.  For the record, I’m quite content with that and simply not that hungry most of the time.

4.  Would your nearest and dearest describe you as simple or far too complicated.

Oh, by far, I am a simple one.

As one of my students told me last week, PSYCH!!

The Mr. made a comment about something yesterday evening, and I went a little LOCO on him.

Yeah.  I’m a bit complicated at times…especially if I haven’t knit in a while.  For the record, I haven’t knit in almost three weeks.  This is not good.

5.  What is your favorite stadium or carnival food?

I love boiled peanuts!  They must be done in the South, though.  Nobody makes boiled peanuts like Southerners!

6.  Tornado, hurricane, earthquake…how many of these natural disasters have you experienced?  Which event do you think would be the scariest?

Gee, thanks Joyce.  I’m typing this a few minutes before I head to bed, and now I’m going to have nightmares.

I’m not kidding either.

I’ve been through many a hurricane.  Hurricanes are fascinating storms.  I haven’t experienced a tornado directly; however, when Hurricane Katrina came through, I was on the dirty side…which meant loads of tornadoes around town.  The uncertainty of tornadoes frightens me the most.  I have recurring nightmares about these storms.  I’ve never been through an earthquake.

7.  Labor Day weekend is approaching, so a work-related question seems appropriate.  Growing up, did your parents assign you regular chores?  Were you paid for doing these chores?  If you’re a parent, do you assign chores to your own children?  Why or why not?

Did I have chores?  Ha!  The Mr. could not even count the number of times he had to wait until I finished my chores.  I lived in an old-style plantation home, so there were always lots of things that had to be done…loads of dusting, vacuuming, washing floors…you name it!!  I was the oldest, and I got stuck doing so much work!  My least favorite chore was the ironing, which I don’t do anymore.  My stepdad had been a Navy guy, so I had to iron EVERYTHING, including undershirts.  I hated washing day. I did get paid…$3 per week…not nearly enough, if you ask me.

As a mom, I have assigned chores for my own children.  When they were very young, I attended a parenting seminar that advised parents to require chores as a way of being part of a family and pitching in.  I got serious about the chore assignments when I worked part time during the summer and the kids were home alone (don’t judge…they were old enough, and I was less than a half a mile away).  I needed to keep my kids busy!  They washed, dried, and put away dishes, swept, dusted, scooped dog poop, and washed and dried clothes.  Because the kids fought over who had done what, I created a spreadsheet that they signed off on each day.  I never paid my children to do chores.  I gave them allowances that were separate from the chores.  If they didn’t do their chores, they didn’t get to play with their friends or watch TV.

8.  My Random Thought

I’m midway through my second week of the new school year.  The kids have loosened up, and I have toughened up.  I’m starting to think there’s wisdom in the advice I either read somewhere or that someone shared with me:  “Never smile the first month of school.”

Huh?  I can’t help it!  I love these students.

But alas, I smiled…a lot that first week.

My third period class took advantage of my smiling self and tried to run rough-shod over me.

On Monday morning, they met with a new me…a tougher me.

I’ve gotta whip them into shape so they won’t distract each other during class!!  Wish me luck.  Or rather, maybe you should be wishing THEM luck!!  😀

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 11 Comments »

Random Dozen

Posted on August 25, 2010 by auburnchick

I am loving having Linda back!  Please join in the fun.  Just copy the questions, answer them on your own blog, and visit Linda to link back!

1. What is your favorite Mexican dish?

I really love nachos.  I don’t know authentic this dish is, but when I think Mexican, I instantly want nachos…loaded.  But, truth be told, my absolutely favorite part of a Mexican meal is the chips and salsa that are served before!  I can make a meal out of them!

2. When you were a kid, did you get started on your homework right away after school, or did you procrastinate?

I am a nerd.  I will admit that I eagerly went home and started the work immediately.  Plus, I had no social life to speak of, so what else was I going to do?

3. What is your favorite store for home furnishings?

I haven’t bought home furnishings in a long time, but when I did, I loved Rooms to Go.  The furniture wasn’t too expensive, and the payment plans were awesome!  The Mr. and I always took advantage of the various “Wait to Pay” deals.  We used that time to earn a penny or two on our money and then pay off the bill when it came due.  We furnished quite a few rooms this way, and we still have the furniture!

4. When you were young, did you like school lunches?

I think I was too poor to buy the lunches.  I distinctly remember eating quite a few bologna sandwiches.  I will tell you one thing.  The smell of the lunchroom always made me nauseous, so that probably played a role in me not hounding my mom for lunch money.

5. Is religion a crutch?

I think it can be for many people.  We always need to inspect our motives and thought processes to ensure we aren’t using religion as an excuse for things.

6. In your region, what is the “big” (most popular in the community or state) high school sport?

I live in the South where football is King.  Baseball runs a close second.

7. Do you consider yourself rich?

I am rich in non-monetary ways.  I have an abundance of blessings, including my family and, quite simply, the Lord’s presence itself.  Although I only have a few close friends, they are extremely precious to me.

8. Which of these would you have the best chance for success in administering:
A) CPR
B) Heimlich Maneuver
C) Changing a flat tire

Well, knowing my penchant for fixing things, I’d have to say changing a flat tire.  Of course, I am so petite, that I am positive that someone would see me struggling with the tire and stop to help.  So, in that way, I would also be successful!  heehee

9. Which dance would you prefer to learn & why:
A) Salsa
B) Hip Hop
C) Waltz
D) Swing

Although I am, at times, delusional and think I can shake my hips like Shakira, I am also realistic enough to realize that I would probably be better off learning the Waltz.  It is a beautiful dance.  Plus, it doesn’t require moves that I would hurt myself executing.  I do tend to be accident-prone.

10. What’s the worst news you’ve ever delivered to someone?

When Chicky was in 9th grade, she got hurt during a soccer game.  The MRI was not conclusive, so we opted for surgery.  I was in the recovery room as she awakened from anesthesia, and the first thing she asked was if her ACL was torn.  I had to answer in the affirmative and watch as she sobbed.  My heart broke for her.

11. Name something you learned in college that had nothing to do with classes or academics.

Tough question!  Especially for a gal who did not get to go away to college like most kids.  I guess the biggest lesson I learned was always make sure I have my shoes on when I leave the house.  Allow me to explain.

After high school, I attended a junior college that was located 45 minutes away.  Every morning, I met a group of friends at the halfway point, and we carpooled the rest of the way together.

One morning, I woke up late, dressed in a hurry, and hopped in the car.

It wasn’t until I got ready to jump in my friend’s car that I realized I had forgotten to grab a pair of shoes.  I had, in fact, driven barefoot.

We ran to another friend’s house where I had to settle for a pair of boots that were a size too small.  I was mortified!  I was wearing a pair of shorts, so the little black boots stuck out like a sore thumb.  I was already geeky and very unsure of myself.  I’m sure I looked very strange limping my way to my classes with that stupid pair of boots on in the middle of summer.

Lesson learned.  I never forgot my shoes again.

12. New variation on an old question: If there’s a song in your head that just won’t get out, what is your favorite (or most repeated) line in that song?

Today, the Beatles’ song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was running through my head.  I think I started singing it (out loud) when one of my classes started complaining about the work I was giving out.  I do not know any of the lyrics except the famous line that matches the title.

Yeah, I’m sympathetic like that.  heehee

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Random Dozen

Posted on February 16, 2010 by auburnchick

Yay!  Time for the Random Dozen!  C’mon…join us…you know you wanna!!

1. If you could compete in one Olympic event (not necessarily winter sports) what would it be?
Is dancing an event?  LOL!  Seriously, though, I LOVE the Olympics!!!  I can’t pick just one event, so I’ll select one for Summer and one for Winter since I’m dreaming anyhow.  I have always loved gymnastics and thus would compete in gymnastics.  For the Winter Olympics, I’d compete in ice skating.  Yeah, I know…both are subjective, but hey…I’m used to being judged that way already (aren’t we all?).  And yes, I realize the image of me attempting to compete in either sport is comical, to say the least!

2. Do remember a specific Olympic moment from the past?
Heck yeah…LOTS of moments!  I remember Nadia winning gold in the 70’s, Mary Lou Retton and her Crest smile as she completed the perfect vault, and Kerri Strug’s heroic run on a hurt ankle to secure gold.  I remember Greg Louganis’ horrible accident on the diving platform, from which he rebounded and won gold.  And who could ever forget Dan Jansen’s heartbreaking fall in a race he competed in the evening after his sister passed away.  I think the world cried for him.  I know I certainly did.  I remember rooting for him four years later, only to see his heart broken yet again, as he failed to obtain a medal.  However, I remember his triumphal victory during his third Olympics, when he, at last, won a gold medal.  His story is the ultimate Olympic story.  LOADS of memories!!!

3. Have you ever known anyone who competed in the Olympics?
No.  But, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of the soccer gals who plays on Chicky’s team winds up playing at Olympic level one day.

4. If everyday activities were Olympic-worthy, which activity would you have a gold medal in?
Being on the computer.  Nuff said.

5. Do you know anything about your ethnic heritage?
I think so.  I was born in Canada to a French-Canadian mom and a Parisian (as in France) father.  One of my grandparents was from Germany, and the other from Austria (their parents hated each other because that was in the day when those countries were trying to overthrow each other…think World Wars).  My other grandparents were from Canada.  I’m cool.  I’m European.  Yeah…aren’t we all in the end?

6. Do you enjoy sleeping late?
Heck yeah!  Any day I don’t have to set the alarm, you’ll find me in bed until 9 or 10am.  I’m starting to become a night owl…hence the late mornings.

7. Have you ever performed CPR on anyone? Do you know how? (Yes, that’s two, I know. Whatevs.)
I’ve never performed CPR, but I sort-of know how.

8. Name one country you’d like to visit and explain why.
Two countries:  Israel – because of my Christian history and love for the Jewish history that precedes mine, and Italy – because of the art and richness of history in that one country.

9. Have you ever fixed up a couple romantically?
No.

10. What is the last book you read?
Friday Night Knitting Club – I didn’t like the ending one bit.

11. What Olympic story are you tired of hearing about?
The gal who showboated during the snowboarding event last Olympics and lost out on the gold.  Man, but I know this has got to make her feel bad every time she hears it!  Give the girl a break!

12. What is your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant?
Not one favorite!!!  Since getting my teeth pulled, I’ve become a big fan of soup.  I love the baked potato soup at a restaurant we had a soccer fundraiser, and I love the roasted tomato soup at another local restaurant.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 13 Comments »

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