Doctor, Doctor give me some news....

Well....I'm now on month 6, going into month 7 of having some sort of sickness. First it was the rash on my wrist, then the rash on my legs/arms, then breathing problems, then the normal cold sickness, which then turned into acute asthmatic bronchitis, which went away for a total of 4 days and then came back, I have somewhat gotten rid of the cough, but still am congested at times and Tuesday brought on a whole new symptom that I've never had. It started with feelings of the flu, a fever, and then every joint in my body has swelled to maximum size. Every once in a while it will go down and I will actually be able to see a normal size. This comes with joint stiffness and pain - pain all over. It's all my joints - from my toes, ankle, knees, spine, neck, elbow, wrists, fingers - and it all hurts. So another trip to the doc tomorrow - this time I'm really not leaving until he agrees to either send me to a specialist, or run a load of tests. I just want to rule it all out so I can go on medical diagnosis, or they can use me as a story for House.
I'm all good and sure of getting better until someone brings up yet another disease or virus that it could be. I've heard so many. I've checked the webmd and it comes up with some crazy stuff as well. So - I'm just going to stand strong and make my dr. do something other than just treat the symptom - I really feel the need to find out what's going on, now.
I'm not going to school tomorrow because of the pain and the dr.'s appointment - I've moaned through the last two days. So I won't be going in to get weighed...so I won't have an official loss/gain - but I am going to weigh myself here at home in the morning and try to judge it off that. My scale and the nurses scale at school are off, but it's usually by two pounds so I think I can guesstimate that.

Anyway - prayers people!! I guess my good deeds are not enough.

In da Center...

This is a concern-full blog. I have been having a lot of struggle with my current position in my school district. I am currently teaching a Cross Categorical (many disabilities and levels) room in the middle school. I was hired to teach in their Emotional Disorder classroom - which as I understood it also had a classroom at the elementary and high school - making it somewhat of a district program. After my first year (most of my students were 8th graders) my students moved up to the high school and one by one, almost all of them were placed in outside placements because - they didn't have a self-contained classroom, nor anyone in place to support their needs. Also - the next year, they took my position away (totally, like it didn't exist anymore) and had me teaching something called Curriculum Support. Rather like a study hall for students in special education. Then this year, they gave me back my ED classroom, and when I got the kids, what I realized was it was a cross cat. room. AND what I have since found out is that the way it works in the elementary is that when they have kids that they just can't deal with elsewhere, they stick them in 'this' room - which when they get to middle school is MY room.
I'm not happy teaching cross cat. I would much rather teach curriculum; like reading, or be in a district with an actual ED program.
At this point - there isn't anything for me if I stay, no hope to be doing something I agree with or love. I also am not happy with the Special Education program that they have district wide. I do not think we are capable of serving kids that we should be able to.
I have no idea where I should go from here or if I should. I don't know what district would be better or more suited. I hand picked Center and am disappointed that it did not turn out to be what it was supposed to be. Do I get out and search for that? I'm not even sure if it exists. I just know I have to get away from the cross cat. room - I thought they were leaning away from that in education.
Also, my para put in her 2 weeks today. I'm dreading that. I don't really know who/what they will put in her place. I do know that it will make more work for me. But I also understand how stressful our room is and how she doesn't want to do it anymore. So I gave her my blessing - mostly so she wouldn't feel guilty. Her last day will be a sad day for me. Happy for her though.
I'm not really looking for any answers from my readers - but it's just helpful to get my thoughts out there.

Announcing....

I am finally at the ripe old age of 30 and before I turn 31, retiring from the every Friday afternoon 'Happy Hours' which are actually and usually from 3pm to 3am. Nothing good ever comes of them. I am not enjoying them nor having a good time. Thus the announcement of my retirement.

Thanks to my supporters over the years - may you still know my name and beverage when I walk in the door.
Kennedy's
Corner Cocktail
Johnny's (now Paddy O'Quigley's up north)
Tanner's
and 75th St. Brewery for being the good beer and good food break during the evenings.

Many thanks to all the schools I've working in for supplying me with the want/need to go to happy hour every Friday as well as the friends to go with.

1/25 Biggest Loser

The three day weekend threw me for a loop. I did not exercise as much as normal and I had too many beers over the weekend.

BUT....

I still lost 2 pounds. And so the grand total now is 17 lbs.

summer

I'm ready for summer. That is all.

New $$ Strategy

I'm going to try out a new money strategy for this month (remember I get paid only once a month). Here it is:

1. Only go out one night a week (I'm a normal 2-3 night outer).
2. Only go to Walmart/Target once a month, have a list and go by the list.
3. Start two separate funds, one for traveling and another for the house - pay them first.
4. Continue not to eat out for lunch or dinner (I've been doing this, working well in all ways).


I've started mapping it out and only come across one flaw - there's one week where I have 2 live band events and it's Valentine's weekend in which I like to take myself out - so that is really 3 events. That will be tricky....

Any suggestions or ideas or whatever - give me a post or email. This money stuff is always an on-going thing with me.

Tard Blog #3

This time, I'm the tard. A picture says a thousand words. This is the second day in a row (last friday and today) that I've had to break up a fight. Today though, I did not win.



This is after school - so I've gone all day with kids and stress and only a 20 minute break for lunch. The scratch itself is about 1.5 inches long. This is what happens when you break up a fight from the front, and not the back. Also, this is what happens when the student just keeps going and you are in the direct line of fire.

If you need a closer look:

1/18 - Biggest Loser

I lost 5 more pounds this week - total so far: 15 pounds.

Yay me!

Quote of the week.

'Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so?
There's a support group for that.
It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.'
--Drew Carey

Thought this was fitting for my week.

16.

16 Things it took me 50 years to learn

by Dave Barry, Nationally Syndicated Columnist



1. Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

2. If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be "meetings."

3. There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."

4. People who want to share their religious views with you almost never want you to share yours with them.

5. You should not confuse your career with your life.

6. Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance. (This one is very important)

7. Never lick a steak knife.

8. The most destructive force in the universe is gossip.

9. You will never find anybody who can give you a clear and compelling reason why we observe daylight savings time.

10. You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.

11. There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age 11.

12. The one thing that unites all human beings, regardless of age, gender, religion, economic status or ethnic background, is that, deep down inside, we ALL believe that we are above average drivers.

13. A person, who is nice to you, but rude to a waiter, is not a nice person. (This is very important. Pay attention. It never fails.)

14. Your friends love you anyway.

15. Never be afraid to try something new. Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark . A large group of professionals built the Titanic.

16. Thought for the day: Men are like fine wine. . . They start out as grapes; and it's up to the women to stomp the crap out of them until they turn into something acceptable to have dinner with.

Sweet story

Today was not my day. I had at least 30 people asking me to do something. I gave up my plan time to help someone out, unbeknownst that I would have such a bad Monday. By lunch time, I was grumpy and hungry. But without food, because I forgot to bring my lunch today. I don't have any funds to go get something - nor should I because I dived right off the wagon this weekend.
I must have mentioned something about it while I was teaching my class and when I picked them up from lunch one of my sweet girls came running at me. She handed me this little paper holder with cake and 2 chicken nuggets all wrapped in napkins. Then she handed me her juice and said, "There Ms. Steen, I saved some of my lunch for you so you wouldn't be hungry." So sweet I teared up. It was a bright spot in my day.

Autism

I got this on my myspace in bulletin. Thought I would post it on here. I'd like to see more research and support for autism. It's diagnosis is increasing and the spectrum seems to be spreading from very serious (non verbal etc.) to very functional but quirky. It affects me daily, I teach 2 children correctly diagnosed within the autism spectrum, but there are more that are, but are not diagnosed.

AUTISM MOVIE


The band 5 for Fighting is donating 49 cents for every time this video is watched. The proceeds go to fight Autism give it a watch and pass it around.

Biggest Loser

We are doing this weight loss deal at work and every friday we get weighed by the nurse. (She took all our current stuff the friday before last). So Friday was our first weigh in and guess what...I lost 10 pounds. Way cool huh?! I always lose a lot the first week. And then it goes down hill from there.

New Orleans: New Years Eve

I most looked forward to New Years Eve. We got a lay of the French Quarter, and I felt good about seeing other parts of New Orleans (Garden District). I was terribly excited for NYE though. I had a good outfit all picked out. I had bought a shiny pink shirt for $4, and then got another good deal on some shoes $8, and bought some jeans for $30 - it was a great inexpensive outfit! To top it off Celinda bought us boas and the one I ended up with matched perfectly and looked fantastic. Here's some pics of us on Bourbon St. The night went accordingly - to dinner, back to the room to get dressed, out to Molly's on Toulouse, then down to Jackson Square for fireworks and ball dropping, then to some more bars and clubs, then around 3AM we ended up at Cafe Du Monde. It was an entire night of good times. The best NYE I have ever had.


You can have your drinks on the street!! I loved that.


Best friends!!


Eating beignets at Cafe Du Monde.


The crew!

New Years Celebration: New Orleans

It's another really late night. I had to work until 8:30 then come home, eat, workout and return phone calls. I wanted to add some more of my fun trip. Sorry it's coming in such a choppy manner. Photo's then captions.


Jackson Square


Cafe Du Monde - this is where we ate beniets and drank coffee around 4 AM after new years eve


A brass band - we saw a few of these. This one I missed, but Brian got a picture. I was in the bathroom. I think we were around the Market - which was just a really cool outdoor market with lots of 'junk'. I bought an alligator head (small one) as my souvenir and named it Molly after my favorite bar in NO.


From the St. Louis Cemetery #1. Brian took this and then digitized it. I thought it turned out wonderful, beautiful. The tombs above ground were so weird. I was really intrigued to learn that they are all family tombs, and what happens is that after the person decomposes they just kind of push them to the back to make room for the next deceased in the family.


We went on a trolly ride to the Garden District (where all the big beautiful houses are). This is a self taken portrait. I will continue with the Garden District tour tomorrow and will definitely get to the actual New Years Eve photo's I know everyone is waiting for.

New Years Celebration

I found myself in New Orleans for New Years this year. I went with college friends, the same people I normally spend New Years with. It was a destination birthday party. I was really concerned about whether or not it would be a good time. I spoke to many people regarding my feelings. I kind of feel like I've been growing away from some of the people involved. When we all go out, I never get called - they always call Brian and usually Brian calls me to let me know (petty, I know). I just felt kinda out of the loop - also they are all coupled and I'm still single. I think the real deal is probably that they think I'm always busy - which they are pretty right. Plus my bestest is an old friend of the group that was outed a long time ago because for a period of time she had verbal diarrhea and said things aloud that probably didn't need to be said.
ANYWAY - back to New Orleans (NO). It was the best time. I really rocked it out. It was like a well prepared meal - not over done, but not underdone either.
I'm going to post some pictures - I'll put captions underneath. I have other pictures and will post those later. It's getting late, but I wanted to get some pics on here for my mom and others that might not see the pics till later.


Waiting in line at Mother's to get lunch! We had just gotten there.


Me at Muriel's where we went for our nice dinner. It was really wonderful!


There are so many more - I'm overwhelmed and just need to go to bed. I promise to post many more later and tell more stories. It was a really good time and I want to share that with you.