years later...

Sunday, Apr. 09, 2006 - 5:54 p.m.

yes yes, I know. I'm a horrible blogger. what the hell have you been doing since january, you may be asking? well...here's a recap, buckle up...

teaching, coaching softball (and playing) every free minute of my life, doing lessons and getting a year's worth of National Honor's Society shit up and running in 2 months. that might not seem like a lot - but i still had to make time to grade papers (which i should be doing now), see my boyfriend, go home, redecorate...on top of school consuming my life completely and only averaging 4-6 hours of sleep a night. still going strong..

roughly 30 days of school left. that's what is keeping me going

let's see. in february, i had the biggest scare of my life. a lump on my breast, and the doctors strongly felt it was cancer. i had a mamogram, ultrasound...both of which showed a fiberous mass - not a liquid mass that could easily be taken care of. so after 2 weeks, i got those results. went in the next week for a tissue biopsy. cali and brian went with me. i wasn't scared...i was just angry at the whole matter. it hurt so bad. i can't even describe it. it felt like they were pulling muscle from inside my boob from my stomach and up my shoulder. it hurt...that's all i can say. it hurt like a bitch. and if the lump didn't already hurt, it sure as hell did that day. after another week, i got those results back. a month. a full month of me stressing and blowing up on people, freaking out, and not knowing what was next for me...to find out its just a fiberous tumor and not cancer. thank god it's not cancer...but i still have to go for a surgical consult. i'm not really happy about it, but better safe than sorry i guess. thank god it's not cancer...

softball has consumed every last available moment of my life. playing on monday nights on the disney league, coaching 5-6 days a week in practice and games. it's insane. my jv team did phenomenal though for a first year. finishing with a 500 season. those girls...through ups and downs, devastating losses, close games, and spanking other teams, just rocked thier season. i couldn't be happier. i love coaching softball. love it love it love it. the varsity team is doing just as well and thier season isn't over yet - so softball will continue to consume my time until may. ah well. it's a good thing.

national honor society has been a pain in my ass. from angry parents, angry students, getting jerked around from headquarters, faculty mistakes...we finally had 2 successful service projects and induction ceremony...less sams club misspelling 'round' and 'school' on the cake. nevertheless, the induction went on without a hitch. it was great. we have a great group of kids. they are eager to work and take charge in the community. these kids are the ones that will make ohs a better place

the semester is coming to a close and i have senioritis. i'm so ready for things to be over. i'm really half-assing a lot of things. not by choice, but because i've had to sacrafice a lot to fit everything into my schedule - mainly my sleep - in order to just be like a day ahead of the kids. i should be a week or more. but, alas, no luck there. what are you gonna do? keep doing what i'm doing - value the fact that we are a collaborative team and take full advantage of the help i'm getting from my department. and hope to god that it's sufficient enough to keep me afloat until i can get some time.

i booked the rock boat vi for next january. i'm so excited. we are going to 2 islands in the bahamas. me, robyn, brian and grace. cali and tony, carolyn and a whole bunch of people will be there. it's going to be crazy. crazy. i can't wait

i went home for spring break. seriously, came home on saturday - fell asleep on the couch at 7, went to bed at 9:30, and woke up in the same place that i laid down in at 10am. i was dead to the world. my mom, i guess, tried to wake me for church - she said she had to check that i was breathing i was so dead. that week at home was great. it was just what i needed. went out with gary again - just a nice evening at a bar watching the illini game. talked and caught up - he thought i looked amazing. of course you do! he still can't believe that i lost all this weight only by eating right. i'm active too - don't get me wrong. but i don't go out of my way to work out. anyway, it was fun - and we planned our next outing for this summer. gross burgers and moonburgers! mmmm gross burger! emma started walking. she's the cutest girl in the world. she's growing so damn fast, it kills me. joshua is getting big as well - he wanted me to meet his kindergarten teacher. she was very sweet and he was so proud to show me around. ah, illinois elementary schools in small rural communities. thank god someone is educating today's youth like they should...in my opinion at least...

i'm worried about my brother. he's bigger than he's ever been. he has so many health problems, and emotional problems, that he is just miserable and doesn't see the reward in doing anything about it. it drives me insane. he's my best friend and i would think...i would hope...that me (being just as lazy as him for the most part) taking charge of my life like i have and losing 25 pounds, that he would take that as, 'hey, i can do that too and not compromise my love of food'. i don't know. i'm just worried to death that he'll drop dead at work or at home from so much stress, all because he doesn't take care of himself...and his kids won't have a dad...and i'll lose my best friend and my protector all in one swoop...

my dad is retiring in june. they are getting ready for retiree life - a new truck and are looking into campers. my parents are so funny. after all these years, they are finally doing for themselves. it's about time. they are having so much fun doing it.

the day before i left home, i went to lisa's in indy. grace had been there since wednesday and she didn't know i was home for spring break. lisa and i planned a surprise... iwould come up on st. paddy's day and just surprise grass...i haven't seen her since new years. so we got there (my mom and i) and grass was at the gym. when she got back, i hid in the bathroom and waited on her to come in. i stood in the closet door and heard her talking to lisa and lisa kept saying 'well we have to go, so get in the shower'. grass came in the bathroom and sat her things down but didn't look up or turn on the light and went back out...lisa goes 'yeah, whatever..seriously, i want to leave in 40 min, get your shower!' and grace turned the light on and was still talking. she started to shut the door and turned around and saw me smiling in the doorway and she goes 'OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!?!?!' she hugged my mom and i and just couldn't believe it. The rest of the night she said 'i can't believe you're here, i need to call my mom and tell her'. we had a crazy st paddys day. we started the bar crawl at 2pm. 3 bars in all...not a lot, but it was so damn crowded. all downtown indy. the night ended with my grass, lisa, clive and some other people i didn't really know...they were all drunk at this irish pub next to hollywood bar and filmworks. it was a tent party with a cover band and all kinds of things...we were there until oh 11pm before we decided we had to get home. it was so effing cold - and i got sick. but oh well..it was so fun. it was the first time i'd ever been out to a bar on st paddys day, believe it or not.

i was nominated for the warren tracy beginning social studies teacher of the year in florida. it came to me at such a great surprise - my assistant principal nominated me, my department seconded unanimously, and my principal backed it completely. i was so shocked. i don't think i will be the final recipient seeing as they gave me the entry a week before, with my 'official letter of eligibility' missing...at any rate, I was nominated and that's such a great feeling. i'm really a teacher...and a good one...and a coach, and an nhs advisor, social studies tech guru...and 50 thousand other things that i do at that school.

robyn and i took a road trip to atlanta back in march to see the fray. we spent the weekend with her friends ryan and jeff and had a great time. it was crazy, the fray was amazing...and it was effing cold. but it was a good cold. i miss the cold.

brian and i are doing great. i couldn't ask for a better boyfriend. we do have our differences and challanges have come up...but we are so good together and have such great communication, that it's never been a problem. we talk though everything. he can read me so well. i love him more every day. he's so thoughtful and caring. he's amazing...and he makes me so happy. he and robyn moved into a house just 10 minutes away from me. it's such a beautiful place. the division it's in is it's own little city...or will be when it's finished. it's very cool. it's so nice to have him that close...especially with the limited time i do have. i try to make time for him...but usually i'm worrying about what i should be doing. at any rate, him close, or far away, this is working...and we are both in it for the long haul.

jill and i just redecorated the apartment. still red and black and vintage/retro. but it looks classy now...and like we are adults. it looks amazing. target is such a great place!!! seriously, our apartment looks so hot. hot HOT. we even have our own artwork on the walls...which just breeds its own hotness on top of the already intense hotness that is our bitchin apartment. hahaha it really does look fantastic. and it looks like it's supposed to - a classy vintage look. vintage, vintage disney...and 100% bitchin! yesss

um, i think that's everything. in a nutshell at least. ooh i saw ben harper, and i saw stephen kellogg and the sixers too. i will be seing train and imogen heap as well in may. yeah, that's it now. hehe

savor this blog, who knows when the next will come...if ever!

rockin the new decor...at robot speed

2006...thank god it's no longer the year of cock!

Saturday, Jan. 21, 2006 - 11:47 a.m.

Yeah, the year of the cock SUCKED. but let me tell you how much this year hasn't sucked so far:

Christmas at home rocked my world. I got to see the hottie lawyer boss 3 times - and at the time i couldn't figure out why we didn't hook up. weeks later, i can tell you why - read on, and you'll find out too

My family was amazing. I saw people i haven't seen in years. it was so nice. it was a great christmas. it was Emma's 1st christmas - and she loved it. Josh got a 4 wheeler - he was hysterical riding it. Miss Emma will be walking before you know it though.

My family all thought I looked great - but thought I was doing it for a guy. Nope, not for a guy - for myself. And I hit my 10%. The sky is the limit now. Junior's 13? yeah bitches, not since i was 19 years old. My goal is a Juniors 11.

As with every vacation, it ended too soon. And I was very sad to leave - crying as usual....especially when Josh says 'Auntie, when will i ever see you again?' ugh. It's so hard to leave those kids.

Got back with a couple days to spare and prepare for school. I went home with work and good intentions - but nothing ever got done. Got back and freaked out because i had nothing planned. As usual. Today I need to plan like a madman, I don't know how I'll get anything done though...my mind is miles away :)

Um - okay this gameshow on Discovery Channel 'Cash Cab' is the coolest show ever - next to Myth Busters. But who can go wrong with winning money or blowing shit up? Awesome

I got a lot of new music for Christmas and and and a DVD burner. Yet, i haven't made any dvd's yet. I want to be able to have like a whole day to do it right...read the book and all that stuff.

School is once again kicking my ass. But softball is off full force again - and it's going swimmingly. Disney slow pitch will be starting again soon, and i can't wait for that. And i might be on a staff league at school - so who knows how thinly i can spread myself.

jogill got hired at my school, so that rocks my socks. she's so happy, and getting married...i couldn't be happier for her

i started hanging out with robyn in a realm outside of school - and she and her friends are the coolest people i've ever met. such a great group of friends and they seem to have accepted me - they rock...seriously. i can't remember the last time i had so much fun, talking about nothing and dancing like idiots...and robyns roommate is amazing.

brooke moved out by me to an adorable apartment down the street. it's awesome to have her close - it's so much easier to hang out.

carolyn went on the rock boat - and i'm still upset i couldn't go...shooting for next year!!!! anyway, i told her to find dave tamkin, meet him and fall in love with his music - and apparently, she did and she told him about me - and he didn't put 2 and 2 together until the next time he saw her...and he goes 'well i found my friend Amy Jo's blog and she said so many good thing about me...i just love her...is that the same Amy?' and well, YES it is...and carolyn was like 'i didn't realize you called her amy jo too!' anyway, she loves dave tamkin now! and I'm sooooo happy he got on the boat - he deserved it! What a great great musician!! Dave Tamkin rocks!

so last weekend, i hung out with brooke and then met robyn and brian (her roomie) at this indian restaurant, and let me tell you, it's not my favorite food - at all...bleagh. but anyway, they came back to my place and brought their guitars...jammed out until midnight. they are really really good. i can't wait until they start playing shows again - i'll definitely be there. found out that brian really likes counting crows...

jill loved them. she was like 'anytime your friends want to come back and play, they can'. the next day...brian asked me out on a date - jill goes 'i was wondering when that would happen' why don't i pick up on things?

brian is adorable - we went out last night, he brought me flowers, took me out, held my hand, we talked for hours, watched great movies - and he kissed me...and quite frankly, i don't want to jinx this. he's smart, he's a musician, he's catholic, charming, and loves counting crows....i couldn't ask for anything else...hehehe we'll leave it at that.

so today, i have so much to do - and no motivation for it - other than if i don't do it today, i have no other time to do it - because i'm going out tonight and won't be home at all tomorrow. i'll be seeing Wicked in Tampa...and a lot of brian. I don't know which I am more excited about?!?!?!?!

Until next time....

so glad it's not the year of the cock anymore...at robot speed