Don't Make Me Use My Teacher Voice

So not much has changed since my last post. I'm still an Assistant Teacher, and I still love it!

This past week was a bit of a struggle since my lead teacher was out most of the week. Substitutes can be a nightmare! One of the substitutes this week asked me as soon as she got there, "Where do I sit?" It was like Ohhhhhhh boy. And go figure, she did all of her "work" from a chair. It was not a good day. The other sub was okay. But suffice it to say that I will be VERY happy when my lead teacher is back tomorrow. Happy! Happy! Joy! Joy!

The hubby and I went to Kersey Valley Spooky Woods last night. That was an absolute blast! It was way better than last year too. I screamed so much it was ridiculous. I think I actually wet my pants a little bit. haha The Zombie laser-tag hunt at the end was fantastic. I could have shot zombies all night! I didn't really like the fact that I was being shot from who knows where, though. I suspect that the family from Deliverance in front of us was accidentally shooting us as well. Hey! We're supposed to be on the same side! I also really wanted to sneak through the corn field and find a good spot to shoot at the snipers on the castle tower. teehee

Coming up we've got a 5k next weekend and I have NO idea how thats going to play out. I haven't run in forever and I woke up Saturday with some sort of sciatic issue. Soooo this should be interesting! And we might go to Castle McCulloch's Bear and Fear Bash that night. We'll have to see if we're still feeling up for it at that point. Then in November we're heading to NYC for Thanksgiving (PUMPED!) and Indiana for Christmas. So we have a lot to look forward to!

I'll try to post more but I usually don't have much to report.

From the Zombie Trenches,

-G♥

I am LOVING my new job! Working full-time for the first time in years sure is tiring though. But I really couldn't have asked for a better situation. I'm paired with a great teacher, I'm loving Kindergarten, and my co-workers are sooo helpful and supportive!

I haven't felt this happy and generally satisfied for a long time. Its nice to feel like you have a purpose and you're making a difference. I'm also learning a lot at work. This coming week all of us will be starting a Guided Reading block which I'm tremendously nervous about. Its new to all of us and I'm one of those people that hates going into situations blindly. Being a bit of a perfectionist I like to know the ins and outs of things before diving into them. Soooo...I've asked about a thousand questions this past week. But I think I'm as prepared as I can possibly be for the week ahead and I can always tweak my methods if need be. Its also comforting that all the other teachers/staff are going to have to feel their way somewhat blindly through this task. But overall I'm really happy with my job.

In other news, hubby and I have planned a Thanksgiving trip to NYC (our city!) and I'm SO excited about it. It hit me that we'd be there ON Thanksgiving day for the first time and I immediately started jumping up and down saying, "WE CAN GO TO THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE!!!!!" So that's what we're going to do. I'm STOKED, can you tell? I only wish we had children to take with us so they could enjoy it. But I guess I can be a little kid myself about something like this. And of course we'll get to enjoy the sights and take in a Broadway show like we usually do. It will be great to get back to the city we love so much!

The only other thing that's going on is that Bob and I have registered for a Halloween-themed 5k on Oct. 29th. This should be fun because some of his family has also entered and we're going to try to dress up. So on Friday I managed to get back to my 5k distance and I'm going to try for it again today. Fingers crossed!


-G♥

I think I might just be the world's worst blogger. I mean really. I'm just indecisive. First I'm updating this and then I decide I want to join the Navy again and I'm updating my blog about that. But hopefully my mind is set. Let me update about what's been going on in my life the last several months.

As of the latter part of last school year I was completely, and utterly fed up with my after-school position. I felt it was going nowhere and my boss was becoming increasingly more difficult to work with. I was grateful that I had been offered a tutoring position and was able to do that for a few hours every morning and actually get some classroom experience. Then that ended abruptly when the kids tested late in the school year. At that point I had come to the point where I had interviewed for the same after-school position at another school to escape conflict with my boss. That didn't pan out so I decided that if I had to return to the same position in the Fall I would likely have to find work elsewhere.

Now, let me build the backstory on this a little bit before anyone jumps to conclusions. I have always butted heads with controlling people because I hate to be controlled and I don't submit to them. However, I learned a long time ago that I was always going to come into contact, and sometimes work with, those kinds of people and in a school-setting I had to choose professionalism and biting my tongue, over verbalizing my frustration with people like my boss. So believe me when I say...I had bitten my tongue, put on my happy face, and persevered through a lot of pretty awful behavior and attitude towards me on her part. Through it all I maintained my professionalism. The strange thing was always that I would hear from someone here and there how she was really impressed with me or didn't want to lose me. Which was funny because...you sure could have fooled me! And meanwhile the teachers, staff, students, and parents at the school seemed to like and appreciate me. So....I endured.

And...

It payed off! At the end of the year I was offered a teacher's assistant position in Kindergarten with a FANTASTIC teacher! It wasn't until the end of the summer that it was confirmed so I spent my summer preparing elsewhere in my life. In February I had decided that, because the teaching avenue wasn't working out and I still thought about it all the time, that I would start training again for the Navy. I got pretty far into it. I had lost about 25 lbs and toned a good bit. I made new Navy friends. And then on my first teacher work day that all came crashing down in the most pleasant way. I felt like I was back where I belonged.

My heart is in teaching. I love being in a school. My co-workers are fantastic and some of them are downright hilarious and ALL of them have been extremely welcoming, warm, friendly, encouraging, and supportive of me under this new position. To top it off I was paired with a fantastic teacher who is extremely positive and appreciative towards me and we work really well together.

So...I feel really bad about turning my back ONCE AGAIN on the Navy, but I feel like this is really where I belong. I will always have a fondness for the Navy and be supportive of the women I've known who have given so much to join. But it doesn't look like its in the cards for me. So I told myself that if the teaching thing was going to work out for me then that would be the situation where I would want to really settle down and try to start a family. So...fingers crossed that thats in the future for us.

So the positive side is that I'm really, really happy with my job. I mean, I absolutely LOVE it! The downside is that I sort of fell off the exercise wagon when I started and now I've had a terrible cold for over a week. But I'm starting to get over it so its back to the gym and running for me! And on the teaching front, by the end of the year I should feel comfortable taking the PRAXIS exam and getting certified in Elementary. I feel really confident that my future is at this school so...I'll keep everyone posted.

Have a great school year!!


-G♥

The count-down is on!! There are officially only 11 days until I face the Greensboro Gobbler and all of its hills and challenges.

I've been training for about a month straight now and things are going marvelously. I recently had some really rough setbacks for about 3 straight runs. It was SO discouraging! I don't actually recall all of the reasons for stopping short of my goals on those days, but I do know that the setbacks were much more mental than physical in nature.

Here is a breakdown of my mini-goals thus far:

• My first mini-goal was to make it up the first big hill at the start of the race. That was all I managed for that day. It was less than 1/4 mi. It was pathetic!
• My second mini-goal was to make it up the hill and then to the dog park at Country Park. Thats about 1/2mi. It doesn't sound like much but it was tough. Actually when I did it I felt so good that I kept running around the bend and down the hill. I ended up doing closer to 3/4mi that day and was ecstatic!
• Since then I'm conquered the biggest hill in the park.
• I managed to get completely around the first lap (1.5mi) which was the outdoor equivalent to the longest distance I ever ran on a treadmill. That was awesome!
• After that I made it totally around and back up the first hill and felt awesome walking back to my car that day.

Then, FINALLY, yesterday...after many setbacks and disappointing runs..I made it around the lap, up the hill and to the dog park. 2 miles baby! WOOT WOOT!

I felt awesome!! I'm so proud of myself and I'm just reflecting now on how far I've come and how hard I've worked to get to where I am. Man, its been tough! This is definitely the physically toughest thing I've ever done. I've never exercised so much in my life and I'm absolutely loving it.
The great thing is that I'm also seeing all sorts of side-effects from all of this running. Wonderful things! I'm toning up all over. I feel like I might actually be able to meet my belly-button one day! haha
I'm actually enjoying my exercise. Well actually..I need to clear that up. I saw a shirt the other day that sums up my attitude when running. "I Love Running. I Hate Running. I Love Running. I Hate Running." LOL! Thats ME!
Also, my moods have been much brighter and merrier. I actually read a while back that when you run, Serotonin is released and its a mood balancing chemical in the brain. Nice, huh?

I still have a lot of tweaking left to do until the race. I think the keys to success yesterday mentally were perseverance and prayer (LOTS of it!) and physically, was that I carb-loaded a bit before running. I don't feel like I ate the best carbs for me ( I had some cheese and crusty Italian bread with an olive oil bread dip for lunch) so I'm going to do some research on the recommended pre-run foods, and then I'm going to keep running. I have 2 more runs to the dog park planned and I want to fit in 2 complete 3ks before the race and give myself about 3 days to rest before the race as per my husband's advice.


So...11 days Gobbler. Me and you. I'm going to beat you down and then I'm going to go to Grandover Resort bask in the glory of mountains of gourmet food!


PEACE!


-G♥

Dear Santa,

Look....I've decided to start a little early this year because you're going to need some time for these things. Here is the Ringle Family Christmas list.

• Daddy Ringle needs some new clothes because he's shrunken so much in the past year its like trying to keep a sock on a flag pole. The incredible Shrinking man needs some new jeans, some socks without holes in them and some new running digs. He would also like to have a weeks worth of no red traffic lights so he can just get on his way and never have to wait. Thats sort of hard for him, Santa! ;)
  

• Guinness Ringle needs an endless supply of nummies and an indestructible chew toy. Santa...I suggest a tractor tire. Please check the local junk yards at the North Pole. It will take him at least a couple of weeks to destroy that. Another suggestion might be a stainless steel fridge or car bumper. I think these things might take a while for him as well. Guinness also needs a new shamrock-shaped dog tag because his current one has the wrong phone number on it.

• Luna Ringle would like for Guinness to stop trying to eat all of her kitty toys so she could actually get to play with them. She would also enjoy some more cans of Fancy Feast. Particularly the "gravy" kinds. Luna could also use a new pretty kitty collar because hers is getting a little frayed.

• Mama Ringle could use a giftcard to Victoria's Secret for Christmas. She's in dire need of some new (and nice!) undergarments. She believes that she's been patient long enough. She would also like to get an acoustic guitar and learn how to play it in the coming year, and tickets and transportation for ANY U2 show in 2011. She would also love a little extra help in the diet & exercise dept. Running is going well but she could use a little more motivation and energy.
  

But more than anything, Santa...The Ringle Family would like to be surrounded by family and friends this Christmas. We'll make our home as warm and welcoming as possible if we can fill it with loved ones.

Please? KThanx.

-G♥

When You Start Out The Climb.



My apologies for the lack of updates recently. Last week I had an incredibly busy week. My mornings have been spent training...Allow me to explain....

On October 10th I started training at Country Park for the Greensboro Gobbler 5k. I did one 5k last year in March and made it probably less that 1/4 of a mile before having to give up and walk the rest. My finishing time was 45 minutes. Boo hiss!!

Recently I began walking at Country Park and one day I was thinking about the Gobbler and suddenly thought, "Hey! I'd like to do that!" So then it became a goal.

I started by trying to make it up the first big hill and a little ways after. My first day I made it about .17mi. It was awful. Then I walked the remainder of the 5k distance. Then I was able to make it about .25mi.

After that I had a break-through. I told myself that I would try to make it to the dog park which is about 1.3mi into the course. I way surpassed it and went about 1/2mi instead. I felt awesome and walked the remainder of that lap.



The course is really hilly and very challenging. Its actually much more challenging than the course I was on for the last 5k. So this will be quite an accomplishment. My furthest distance ever (when I was running frequently) was 1.5mi.

Yesterday I surpassed that by running the entire first half of the 5k. Around 1.6 miles. This after a long break from running and many challenging hills. When I was running 1.5mi 3x a week it was on a treadmill on a 0% incline. So this has been a huge accomplishment already for me and I'm super proud of myself.

So after my run yesterday I officially registered myself for the Gobbler on Thanksgiving Day (Nov.25th). This also happens to be 2 days after my birthday and I think its going to be a fabulous gift to myself to accomplish my goal. I NEVER thought I could run a 5k but I've totally GOT THIS!

Also, as an extra incentive, my husband has made reservations for us at the Grandover Resort after the race. They're going to have this huge lavish buffet and I'm going to find some pumpkin pie and DEVOUR that bad boy! I'm gonna be like King Kong, climbing on that table and jumping around with my pumpkin pie and my ridiculously overloaded plate of delicious food.

My husband broke this surprise to me in an e-mail the other day and included at the end, "Remember...non-finishers eat at K&W". LOL

I guess I won't be a non-finisher then!

I'll keep you posted on my progress..



-G♥

The Cologne-

This story has gone unmatched since it occurred. I mean…really…well you’ll find out why..

At the other school I used to work at I had this sneaky little kid in my group named…well..we’ll call him ‘C’. Whenever ‘C’ was up to no good he’d give me shifty eyes to make sure he wasn’t going to get himself caught. That of course always tipped me off that he was doing something he shouldn’t be.

One day during snack I catch ‘C’ sneaking something out of his backpack at the table. He throws shifty eyes my way and then quickly stashes the item so that he won’t be caught. However..I did see it. In fact, I did a complete double take thinking surely I did not see what I thought I had.

I say, “Um…I don’t think so. Hand it over.” He does so very reluctantly. Since I had already caught a glance of this item I can’t, in hindsight, believe that I dared to touch it. I guess I was really trying to talk myself out of seeing what I saw. But no…I took it. And in my hand now was a small bottle of KY lube.

I pulled ‘C’ aside and calmly asked, “What is this?” because I was dying to know what he thought he had. “That’s my cologne.” And sure enough I had caught sight of him dabbing something on his neck at the beginning of the day. So ‘C’ had been dabbing lube all over himself all day before I confiscated it.

“’C’? Where did you get this?” Guilty look. “My Aunt’s drawer.”

At this point I’m absolutely biting my lip and its nearly bleeding. I wanted so bad to lose it. I shuffle over to my boss and show her. “’C’ has stolen some…erm…’cologne’ from his aunt’s drawer and brought it to school with him.” I had to go to where she was so that the kids wouldn’t see me totally lose it. Then, when trying to find something to store it in, a co-worker of mine grabbed a latex glove and stuffed it into one of the fingers. So now I’m carrying a bottle of lube around stuffed into the finger of a glove so that it totally looks like a condom and I’m wondering if things could possibly get any more inappropriate. I put it on my boss’ desk so that she could speak to whoever was picking ‘C’ up that day.

The funny thing was that the Aunt was supposed to pick ‘C’ up that day, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. Instead I led his mother to my boss’ office so that we could speak with her. Now this is her sister’s…um..goody. My boss handed her the glove and she says, “Y’all got me all worried about what’s in here!” The way she opened the glove had me rolling all over again. My boss has this look on her face like she’s not sure how to approach this conversation, but she says, “Um…’C’ thinks this is cologne…..I’m not so sure.” The Mom sort of pried it open with both hands and looked down into it and then quickly shut it and looked up biting her lip, trying not to laugh. “No. I’m not so sure it is either.” We all died. Poor ‘C’…his mother will have dirt on him for the rest of his life!

Gotta love kids…Even the shifty-eyed ones!