335. That’s how many days are left in the year. I question how long I will stick with the Blog 365 challenge. It has been a whole month, 31 days. Sometimes blogging is difficult to do. I feel like my mind is mush. So tired and my only desire is to curl up and sleep. My mind is so focused on school that it is hard to come up with something to write about. I could certainly write about school, but I am just not 100% comfortable with that. There are so many days when I just question the intelligence level of my students. LOL, frustration kicks in! They have a great inability to listen to instructions. I will say that I am very proud of them right now. We started a project this week and many have embraced the challenge. I’m looking forward to the presentations.

I often consider blogging about the news. Have you looked at the headlines lately? I want to secure my children in the house and never let them go outside again. The news is depressing. Really, pack the hand basket because the world is going on a trip. It is terrible really. I’ve started trying to read happynews.com at least once each day.

Thanks for stopping by. Maybe my brain will firm up and be less mush like soon. So tired.

The premise:
THE MOMENT OF TRUTH will put participants to the test — the lie detector test — to reveal whether or not they are telling the truth for a chance to win half a million dollars. The challenge is simple: answer 21 increasingly personal questions honestly, as determined by a polygraph, and win up to $500,000. This is the only game show where participants know both the questions and the answers before they begin to play. What deep dark secret will someone divulge for hundreds of thousands of dollars?

What would you do for $500, 000? Would you reveal your deepest, darkest secrets? Is it worth it to reveal potentially devastating secrets to your family and friends on national television? I’m just not sure that any amount is worth publicly destroying relationships.

With 40 to 50 mph winds we have had a breezy night. After spending the last couple of hours reading by candle light I’m ready for bed. Yes, candle light. We lost power. I don’t know why and since it is back on it really doesn’t matter. I must say, I truly appreciate modern conveniences and will now keep firewood on hand. It was getting a little chilly.

It’s manic Monday again. Feels like Thursday already. Got work to do so here’s the quick meme:

If you could have a servant come to your house every day for one hour, what would you have them do?
Laundry (fold and put away) on Monday and Wednesday. Grade papers Tuesday and Thursday. Massage on Friday. Volunteers?

Has your life ever been changed by an apparently random occurrence?
yes, seven months later I married that guy I met at the party…

You’re having dinner with several friends and acquaintances. They all criticize a close friend of yours (not knowing he/she is a friend). The criticism is unjustified. What would you do?
tell them they’re off base and probably missing information

—————-
Relaxing to the sounds of: Steven Curtis Chapman – No Greater Love
via FoxyTunes

Checking stats I noticed where someone found Kontansplace by searching for “terradactyl wallpapers.” I’m not certain what the correlation is but this is the post they ended up on. For lack of anything better to post I am reposting the September ‘06 funny, “Think before you speak.” Sage said it was “cutting edge for me.” Carmi thought “#4 is all most folks need to put a lock on the door!.” Others were appreciative for the chuckle. I simply found it highly amusing and a much needed laugh. So, meeting my 365 obligation I give you several reasons to think before you speak.

Disclaimer…could be offensive to some, but hilarious to others

Found this on a board I read. Doubt if any actually happened, however…funniest thing I’ve read in a while…

Think before you speak…

Here are six reasons why you should think before you speak -

Have you ever spoken and wished that you could
immediately take the words back…
or that you could crawl into a hole?
Here are the testimonials of a few people who did….

FIRST TESTIMONY:
I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow
and asked loudly,
“How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?”
I turned around and walked back out and never went back
My husband didn’t say a word…
he knew better.

SECOND TESTIMONY:
I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls.
I was unhappy with the women’s type I had been using.
After browsing for several minutes,
I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store.
He asked if he could help me.
Without thinking, I looked at him and said, “I think I like playing with mens balls”

THIRD TESTIMONY:
My sister and I were at the mall and
passed by a store that sold a
variety of candy and nuts.
As we were looking at the display case,
the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help.
I replied, “No, I’m just looking at your nuts.”
My sister started to laugh hysterically.
The boy grinned, and I turned beet-red and walked away.
To this day,
my sister has never let me forget.

FOURTH TESTIMONY :
While in line at the bank one afternoon,
my toddler decided to release
some pent-up energy and ran amok.
I was finally able to grab hold of
her after receiving looks of disgust
and annoyance from other patrons.
I told her that if she did not start behaving
“right now” she would be punished.
To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening,
“If you don’t let me go right now,
I will tell Grandma that I saw you
kissing Daddy’s pee-pee last night!”
The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange.
Even the tellers stopped what they were doing.
I mustered up the last of my dignity and
walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow.
The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me, were screams of laughter.

FIFTH TESTIMONY:
Have you ever ! asked your child a question too many times?
My three-year-old son had a lot of problems with potty training and I was on him constantly.
One day we stopped at Taco Bell for a quick lunch, in between errands
It was very busy, with a full dining room.
While enjoying my taco,
I smelled something funny,
so of course I checked
my seven-month-old daughter, she was clean.
The realized that Danny
had not asked to go potty in a while.
I asked him if he needed to go,
and he said “No”.
I kept thinking
“Oh Lord, that child has had an accident, and I don’t have any clothes with me.”
Then I said,
“Danny, are you SURE you didn’t have an accident?”
“No,” he replied.
I just KNEW that he must have had an accident, because the smell was getting worse.
Soooooo, I asked one more time, “Danny did you have an accident ? This time he jumped up, yanked down his pants,
bent over, spread his cheeks
and yelled
“SEE MOM, IT’S JUST FARTS!!”
While 30 people nearly choked to death on their tacos laughing,
he calmly pulled up his pants and sat down.
An old couple made me feel better,
thanking me for the best laugh they’d ever had!

LAST BUT NOT LEAST TESTIMONY:
This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days
and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will,
in the future, likely think before she speaks.
What happens when you predict snow but don’t get any!
We had a female news anchor that,
the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn’t,
turned to the weatherman and asked:
“So Bob, where’s that 8 inches you promised me last night?”
Not only did HE have to leave the set,
but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!

Now, didn’t that feel good?
Pass it on to someone you know who needs a laugh and remember we all say things we don’t really mean, so think before you speak.

We’re all in this together
High School Musical

Every six months or so I get restless. Djembe has learned to humor me during these times. He will rearrange the furniture or help me paint. He even broke his arm because of me. (Curious? Read about it here and the miserable ER visit here.) OK, not because of me…the TV mounting was not ALL my idea. Anyway, he is Mr. Wonderful when it comes to dealing with my latest whim.

Today I had the grand idea to switch the music room and the living room. The catalyst for this decision was the fact that the living room wall is shared with the shower wall in the bathroom. If someone is taking a shower it is all you can hear, and if someone wishes to enjoy a relaxing bath all they can hear is the TV. The other reason, I like the fireplace and want it to get the respect that it deserves instead of sharing the glory with Jem’s awesome TV. I was very surprised when Jem agreed that it was a good idea. Despite the hours that the transition required I must say it was not just a good idea, it was great. The living room will now close off. It is a cozy space, very relaxing. The den is just as relaxing. It needs one more chair, but that is not essential to enjoy the serenity of a relaxing workspace and fireplace. (I am such a pyro.) A couch and my comfy chair are sufficient for now. The PC is in here as well. I must say, it works. I’m just thankful that I have someone willing to appease me. I am still going to petition for his drum stuff to accent the office den. I really liked having a music room.

Everyone worked together today. There were tense times when the girls insisted on being under foot. They did their part though. They cleaned their rooms and worked on getting their clean clothes folded and put away. I like when we are working together. These days it is essential.

Hope your weekend is grand.

—————-
Relaxing to the sounds of: Steven Curtis Chapman – Live Out Loud
via FoxyTunes

What do you do on a cold Friday evening when your brain feels numb and you are ready to curl up and sleep? Visit blogthings and complete a meme. This one was easy. You type in your name it gives you a bunch of bs. Easy enough… Strangely, it isn’t too far off base.

What Kontan Means

You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge – meaning you don’t spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you’re snobby or aloof, but you’re just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless – and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You’re most comfortable when you’re far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are usually the best at everything … you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic “Type A” personality.

I’m so unmotivated so here is a summary of my blog tour of the world…

My first stop is not too far from home, Southern Blog has organic suds to give away. Just decide what you would do with a million dollars, post a comment, and wait for your name to be pulled in the drawing. I would get out of debt and save for the girls’ college. You?

Next up, my high school buddy at A Ball of Yarn and a Remote Control has an adorable pic of his cat. He’s also started a sweater that looks like it holds promise. I’m impressed, no talent patience when it comes to knitting.

Across the world in Kuwait I visit Nicole. She always has great pics to share. I’ve completely fallen in love with her dogs and today is not a let down. It’s a close up of her yellow lab (?) who strongly desires to chase the cats. The pic is so vivid you can see sand crystals on his nose! Nicole takes awesome pics.

After Nicole I come back to the states to visit Sage. He still has a post about cornbread. Love the stuff. Sage always has great books and recipes. I’ve tried his recommended books and love them, and one of these days I’ll try the recipes.

The final stop before putting my kids to bed is fellow teacher and 365er, Tense Teacher. I love to stop in and visit because it’s either a fun meme or a cracked up story that I can relate to. Today is a miscellaneous cracked up story. TGIF (tomorrow)

Off to tuck kids. Happy day.

OK, quick edit. Upon the direction of Tense I went to visit Karen and laughed harder than I have laughed in a long time. If you need a good fart post, stop by.

Glitterfy.com – Glitter Graphics

I love the windy day Pooh cartoon. Today is Wednesday, but it feels like Thursday to me. Slightly depressing. I feel terribly guilty for wishing life away, but I’m ready for this school year to be over. It isn’t that it has been a terrible year. It really hasn’t been. The students are better than what I had before, even if they are less capable. Well, let me say less motivated. I don’t know, maybe even not that. The last group was pretty unmotivated. I don’t know what the issue is. Maybe they are all average and below where before they were average and above. Either way, I feel like I’m pulling teeth many days. I still like to teach and I like teaching these students, most days. What gets me down is not having a classroom. It is SO much harder than I ever thought it would be. I thought, get organized and make it work. That is true, but there is no settlement.

I am not the only floating teacher in this world. I am not the only floating teacher in my building. There are schools and teachers that have it so much worse. I know this. It still doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Bright side…there is one.

I have a job. I have a job using my degree. I have a job that I care about.

For this, I am thankful.

You Belong in Fall

Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times… You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you’re carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you

This works. I love the fall. It if one of my favorite times to be outside. Not too hot. Not too cold. Beautiful colors. I don’t like the wind when it blows my hair around and there isn’t a thing I can do about it, but that is any time of year. What is your favorite season? If you take the quiz, did it match?