Special Thx
From ice to spring in just a week
At the start of this week we were four inches deep in wet snow. Today? It was 84 degrees as we served chili mac to our homeless friends in Uptown. I really enjoy when it is our turn to serve. It is a great opportunity for the girls to get involved in the community, involved in the church, and serve others. Yes, there have been times when our financial means reflected a limited ability to purchase all our desires. In fact, we are not in a situation of frivolous spending right now. But, our girls have never truly experienced difficult times. It is a valuable lesson for them to serve others who are less fortunate, and it is in our own backyard.
I did want to share a few pictures I took Tuesday. We returned to school, snow still on the ground. It was on a two hour delay, but since it was Tuesday we were used to an odd schedule.
We attend only three classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, alternating odd and even On my planning period I decided to visit a few places on campus. We are fortunate to be on a college campus that has a wonderful lake for picnics and quiet time. I drove across and snapped a few.
On the drive…
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| From March Snow |
I pass an old church everyday and I am dying to pull over and explore. Unfortunately, I would probably be trespassing.
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| From March Snow |
The train tracks in front of our building…
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| From March Snow |
The college students had fun on their day off. There were sled marks and evidence of snowball fights, as well as Frosty.
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| From March Snow |
Visiting the lake I found most of the snow was untouched.
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| From March Snow |
The picnic stone lodge we use for special occasions:
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| From March Snow |
Over the river and through the woods…
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| From March Snow |
to Grandmother’s house we go…
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| From March Snow |
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| From March Snow |
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| From March Snow |
The snow is slowly melting…
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| From March Snow |
Kontan says…
Exploring the city with the fam is a great way to spend a beautiful day.
Random Questions Meme
Stealing a meme from Tense. It’s something to do while I wait for the Tween to get ready to spend her gift card.
How old do you look?
I don’t look my age, but I don’t know how old I look. With my students at mock trial competition a few weeks ago the coordinator asked me to get our teacher coach to register us. My students loved that.
Where do you live?
North Carolina
Are you waiting for something?
The Tween to eat. My new phone should be here by Tuesday.
What’s one pet peeve of yours that is not common?
Tense said: The sound of ice grating — especially when someone chews it — makes my skin crawl.
ME TOO! I also can’t stand chips crunching, smacking, or slurping.
Last text message you received, what’d it say?
A tweet from Nicole: “I want one blog skin that is exactly how I need it. When I customize them I tend to screw it up.”
Can you handle the truth?
Yes.
Did you cry today?
Nope
Do you hate the last person you had a conversation with?
Not at all
Do you want kids?
I’m good with two biological and the 90 or so that I teach.
Have you ever thought about converting your religion?
No. We did abandon the denomination version though.
Last shocking news you heard?
Tonight is Daylight Saving Time change / Spring forward (Same here, hard to believe spring is approaching so quickly. We just had the most snow we’ve seen in a while!)
What was the last thing you drank?
sweet tea
Last person you hugged?
The tween
Whom do you most look like in your family?
My mother.
Did you dream last night?
Jem says I did, but I don’t remember.
How many piercings do you have?
2, one in each ear.
If you could have something right now, anything, what would it be?
My husband to have his dream realized.
Does anyone call you babe?
Not often
Where does most of your family live?
B’ham area
Where did you grow up?
Alabama
Where do you want to go on vacation?
I would love to go to the mountains or to the beach. I’m not picky
Have you broken a bone?
no
What did you receive for Valentine’s Day?
I believe Jem cooked a wonderful meal.
Have you ever had a panic attack?
Yes
Can you sleep in jeans?
I can sleep in anything and just about anywhere.
What can’t you wait for?
Does it matter? I have to wait anyway. I am looking forward to spring break.
When’s the last time you told someone you loved them and meant it?
I don’t say it if I don’t mean it. Earlier today.
Have your parents ever smoked pot?
I’m certain that is the least of what they did.
Want someone back in your life?
If someone is no longer in my life there is a reason for it. I’m happy with life the way it is.
Are you good at giving directions?
Not very.
What do you order at the bar?
Rum and coke
When was the last time you cried really, really hard?
I guess January.
Whom was your last text from?
Twitter
Ever licked someone’s cheek?
LOL, yeah
What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter?
Apples
Where were you on July 4th, 2008?
AL
What body part(s) do you wash first in the shower?
Hair
Have you ever kissed anyone who’s name started with a D?
Don’t think so
Do you prefer warm or cold weather?
Warm
What do you currently hear right now?
Cars going around a track.
Does someone like you right now?
I’m pretty sure
Could you go out in public looking like you do now?
Sure
What are your nicknames?
Kontan is the only one I’ll claim here.
On the opposite sex,where do you like them to have piercings?
Nowhere
If you could go any place in the world right now, where would you go?
Greece
Have you ever made someone so mad that they broke something?
Don’t think so
What is your favorite color?
Green
If you could go back in time, how far back would you go?
No need to go back in time. I’m happy where I am.
Celebrating March
In celebration of March I am going with a green lucky theme. I hope it helps! 
I’ll have to go out this weekend and find a four leaf clover for Jem. He has a pretty big appointment coming up. I’m praying everything works out like we have been hoping.
Maybe I should find one for me too. He’s going to give me a smirk when he reads this and finds out the gadget geek in me didn’t resist the new LG Incite. I’ll gladly (and with minimal tears) let him have it if he likes it. Although I have a crackberry in mind for him.
So glad today is Friday. Sadly, our girls have school make up day tomorrow. Happily, I have the morning with Jem all to myself. I’m really looking forward to it and I’m even willing to get up before 9 AM in order to make the most of the morning. (I do plan on taking an afternoon nap.)
Just a few minutes left in lunch, three classes, and WEEKEND! It’s a BEAUTIFUL afternoon and I look forward to enjoying it.
Thursday Thoughts
- I’m too reserved.
- Blogging with my husband would be fun for me…not so much for him maybe, but it is something I have thought about. Now that he knows maybe he would take me up on the offer.
-Moving to NC was a leap of faith but I am so happy we made it. It isn’t easy. Things haven’t worked out like we thought they would, but I am truly happy here.
- I miss being within a few hours of my family and hope that we can visit over spring break.
-My students are awesome but there are days when I find their inquisitive nature annoying. It’s thrilling that they truly WANT to learn, but it’s also a challenge. They look at history with an arrogance that surprises me. Failing to realize that hindsight is 20/20 they just KNOW they could do it better.
- I would like to teach college again.
- Mock Trial competition is 2 1/2 weeks away. My team is a little over confident. I hope it doesn’t bite in the butt.
- The purging of my thoughts has come to an end. I have to play teacher now.
My Blog’s Name
Inspired by Annie who referenced Reba I decided to explain where my blog’s name came from. I may have done something similar in the past, I’m not sure. You’re welcome to kill a few minutes searching the archives…or you can just continue reading.
July of 2005 I decided to blog in an effort to keep my sanity. When it all started I was a teacher, a mother, a wife, and a grad school student. Life was a little stressful and this was a way to just get it all out. My blog’s name is Kontan’s Place. Not very original or creative. For a long time I participated in forums as happytchr. I teach, and most days I’m happy about it. For whatever reason I decided I wanted a new name. It may have been my blog debut on Bl@gg3r. Either way I needed a name and happytchr wasn’t “doing” it for me. On the forum I had posted to the point that it would not have been difficult to figure out who I was in reality so I needed a new persona. A life changing experience for me was spending a week in Haiti. (The journal and pics) I decided it would be cool to use the Creole words for happy teacher. Eh…too long. I simply went with happy and my Kontan persona was born. On the original blog platform I used kontansplace. After playing with several platforms I finally settled on WP and my own URL, kontansplace.com.
Lately I have toyed with a new URL. What I want to use is already taken by an a cappella singing group so I’m giving serious thought to a few others. I may keep the Kontan name though, I kind of like it.
Try planning
Yes, last night our schedule for today was posted and it was only for first and fifth periods, no third. After several requests the schedule was readjusted to include our regular Tuesday three period day with 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Great for me, I didn’t lose my planning. For some, you would think their world just stopped spinning. “OMG what AM I going to do with 3rd period. We weren’t supposed to have it today! Woe is me…Wooooe.”
Try planning and if you weren’t ready for it, wing it!
No we weren’t supposed to have our regular scheduled classes today. So what. You are not a newbie teacher and should KNOW what direction to go. Find something for them. If you truly have nothing free time. No loss, you weren’t supposed to have them anyway. STOP freakin’ complaining! The schedule works great for those who planned to teach this week. Part of teaching is being flexible. Be able to adapt to change otherwise you are going to need a few sanity boosters. Geesh.
Oil and Water…
The saying is that opposites attract. I wouldn’t say that Jem and I are truly opposites, but in our hobbies we are. Let me explain the similarities first. We both love music, a good wine, and . . .er . . . I’m thinking. I don’t know. There are probably other things. I’ve taken to keeping up with Auburn football, but I’m not totally interested in sitting through watching the whole game on TV.
Our hobbies, or other interest, not so similar. I like to be outside, go hiking, and explore new trails. Jem is over all of that and gets very little enjoyment out of it. I like to sit down and finish a book in one sitting. Jem likes to read, but he doesn’t read feverishly until the end. Jem likes NASCAR. I have no desire to sit through a race, much less a weekend racing marathon. The place we differ the most? Technology. I am a gadget geek. I love technology. A new phone, new computer, new software…I’m all about it. It fascinates me to be able to create something with new software for my blog, or to find a new plug-in or computer tool. It’s fun for me. I love to learn all the ins and outs, short-cuts, and extensions. Jem wants to be able to the basics and leave it at that.
We have common ground, and we often find it. The tech thing for him is like the NASCAR thing for me. We don’t understand the others fascination with the hobby. It doesn’t matter as long as we appreciate the fact that we are different.
Now…I have a book that is waiting to be finished.
Inspiration for this post:
. . . a new phone gadget that I probably don’t need but think is totally cool.
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