Help.

As you know, my life-saving medication--Darvocet--has been withdrawn from the market.  I've looked around and found a few email addresses of people/organizations that can possibly fix the problem.  If you have a few minutes, it would mean a lot to me if you would shoot these people an email.  I'm trying to email them every day that I get a chance.  I have all of the email addresses and more info on my other blog.  Here's a link:


http://whenlifesaheadache.blogspot.com/2011/03/emailing.html

Thanks for your help.

Bingo.

Some of my Phi Lamb sisters and I went to a nursing home today and played bingo with some of the residents.  I was a little nervous about it because nursing homes can be depressing.  I actually really enjoyed it though. 

The first lady I talked to asked me if I was coming back on April 20.  When I asked why she said, "That's the day I'm getting married.  This is my fiance," and she pointed to the man sitting next to her. 

"Oh, congratulations!  What are you going to wear to the wedding?" 

"I'm going to wear my purple dress that I've never worn before.  He really likes purple, and I do too."

A little while later a lady came in and asked for somebody to help her catch up with the rest of the group, and I volunteered.  She was the sweetest old lady ever.  I moved a chair to her table, and she moved her walker out of the way and tried to scoot her chair closer to me.  (Don't worry; I told her to stop and moved my chair instead.)  She told me more than once how glad she was that I was helping her.  One time she looked at me and said, "I am so proud of you."  We had little prizes for winners, and she won a necklace and a Diet Coke. 

She told me, "Thanks for helping me.  I never would have won this Diet Coke without you." 

"Yes, and your necklace too!"

"Oh, I forgot about my necklace!  I'm so proud of this necklace.  Isn't it pretty?

She forgot about her necklace and then remembered again about three different times.  Every time she was so excited about it.

She also made sure I had bingo chips to play with so I could help her.  When I pointed to a number for her to put a chip on, she grinned and reminded me that I have chips.  One time this happened I laughed and told her I forgot I had them.  She said, "I put them there when you weren't looking!"  She also moved the bingo card between us so that I could play too.  So.  Cute.

There was another lady sitting at our table.  She wasn't quite as happy.  Every time somebody at one certain table won, she'd say, "They're cheaters over there.  They always cheat.  I never cheat.  You're watching me.  If anybody says I'm cheating you know I'm not because you've been watching me."  She also complained about other people being too loud and about the girls not calling the numbers fast enough for her.  She did tell me when we were finished that she "immensely enjoyed it."  She was quite the character.

I really enjoyed spending time with these ladies.  Sort of makes me want to hang out with old people more often.  Sort of.

Student teaching.

My lack of blogging over the past month and a half has been mostly due to my student teaching.  I'm teaching all senior English classes at the local high school, and it's keeping me quite busy.  I enjoy it most days.  I've read so many research papers I can write MLA citations in my sleep.  (No, really, I see them every time I close my eyes.)  I have managed to never ever have to go to the cafeteria.  (I don't even know where it is.)  And I've taught my mentor teacher how to use a computer.  (Actually, we're still working on that.)

Overall it's been a really good experience so far.  I have a good relationship with my mentor teacher.  I don't think I could have asked for a better one.  She really helps me out, she's super organized, and she's as sarcastic as I am.  What more could a girl ask for?  I like the kids too.  There are a few who get on my nerves and a few I just really can't understand, but I still like them.  The best news I have about my semester is that my little head has tolerated it far better than I expected.  I still hurt most days, and I have to go straight to bed when I get home lots of times, but I've also had several good days.  It's made me feel confident that I can have a job one day and even be able to enjoy it.

All the single ladies.

I recently ran across a bit of wisdom for all of us single ladies.

My sorority is doing a Bible study about women of the Bible, and it's really fantastic.  We only got one book for each group, but I took the only extra one we ordered (presidential privilege, I guess), so I've been reading ahead.  I love it.

So wisdom.  Abigail.  To refresh your memory, Abigail was married to a mean man.  David and his friends were hanging out on Mean Husband's land and helped take care of his sheep.  Because they'd helped him out, they asked for a little reimbursement.  Mean Husband didn't like that idea.  So David and company got mad and decided to do what any well-meaning and underpaid group of guys would do--kill Mean Husband and his entire family.  Some of David's company who weren't so fond of blood went to Mean Husband's wife, Abigail, and warned her of the situation.  Abigail went to David with all sorts of goodies and begged him to spare her husband.  Needless to say, David obliged.  Mean Husband died, and David married Abigail.

So how does this apply to single ladies?  Abigail was married, and to a jerk at that.  My great Women of the Bible book says this:

"Abigail reminds us that women should not hide their strengths in an effort to be acceptable to men.  Many weak men want women who are less intelligent and less confident than themselves.  In hiding their strengths for fear they will put off potential dates or marriage, many women disguise the very qualities that might make them attractive to stronger, confident, godly men."

So be encouraged, fellow single gals.  It's okay to turn down the mediocre guys.  Be strong and confident and you'll attract the strong and confident men.  I think that's worth waiting for.

I miss break.

I miss break already, and all I've done is drive to Starkville and hang some clothes up in my closet.  I've never been a big fan of sharing a bathroom with two teenage boys and living out of a suitcase, but today I kind of miss it.  I miss having no stairs.  My apartment is on the second floor and just walking down and back up taking the dog out wore me out.  Speaking of the dog, I also miss my dog not being crazy.  It's like she's never even been here before.  She forgot she's lived here since July with the exception of the past month.  She growls at the roommates' dog and won't leave my side.  Even as I type she's curled up next to me.  I also miss not waking up until 9 or 10.  I would say I miss Mom cooking for me, but my roommate cooked for me tonight so I can't complain there.

There are a few perks to school starting back though--probably the most exciting being my bed.  I love my bed, especially after sleeping in Mason's for a month.  Boys don't have fluffy beds with lots of blankets and pillows.  It will also be nice to be in a routine again.  I kind of miss that about school.  That's it.  I can't think of any more perks about school starting back.  None.  Two pros to three cons isn't bad, I guess.  I'll enjoy it more once it starts, I'm sure...  Won't I?

Too busy for blogging.

I've neglected my blog for nearly a month now.  I've missed it.  And I know you've missed reading about my life.  Here's a quick rundown of what's happened since the last time we talked--or interacted via blog, I guess.

• My sweet friend Michele came and stayed a weekend with me.
• I introduced my mom to the game Guess Who.
• I spoke at Phi Lamb initiation.
• I won a $5 gift card in a group debate in one of my classes.
• I went to a pain management doctor.
• I wrote 7 papers.
• I recorded a video podcast at a recording studio.
• I had no social life.
• I spent all my "free time" doing homework.
• I tried to go to a movie but had to leave after 30 minutes.
• I tutored middle schoolers.
• I went to a Christmas party. (I'm not contradicting my no social life statement; it was for Phi Lamb)
• I finished 3 books and started 2 others.

And the rest is all a blur.  (I've spent lots of the month on pain meds.)  The good news is only one more week until Christmas break!

Books.

I finished two books yesterday.  I love finishing books.  I always feel so accomplished; not to mention it means I get to start another one.  The two books were Ford County Stories by John Grisham and Catalyst by Laurie Halse Anderson.

The John Grisham book was really good.  I'm normally not a big fan of the type of stories John Grisham writes, but this was great.  It's a collection of short stories, which made it really fast-paced and easy to read.    All of the stories are about small town Mississippi, and as much as I hate to admit it, they often hit close to home.  The setting was familiar and the types of people were like people I know or have met.  I highly recommend it.

Catalyst is a young adult book.  It didn't start out so great, but once I got into the meat of it, it was really good.  It turned out to be quite a touching story.  It's about a pastor's daughter who is a senior in high school whose dream is to get into a certain college; it's all she thinks about.  Then her neighbor--and meanest girl in school--has to move in with her because her house burns down.  The main character learns that life is about more than her selfish dreams.  Like I said, touching.