The first week.

I have officially transitioned from Liberty to Frontier with no real scars and, even better, the first week of school has come to an end-YAY! Only about 40 more weeks to go. If kids think they have a countdown until summer vacation, they've got nothing on the teachers. Everything already seems monumentally easier this year-perhaps it's because I have only only prep (CP economics-I pick up honors next semester) as opposed to the five I had at Liberty (five different levels and subjects=five different lesson plans). Big thumbs down to that. A few of my classes are ridiculously large (43 students, Governor Schwarzenegger? That's awesome!) but the kids are great; similar to Liberty's clientel (i.e. rich and white) but not as many of the spoiled snobs with the ipods, $200 jeans, and fancy cell phones that can mow your lawn. Teaching the exact same subject and level from the first to the last bell can make me feel a bit crazy at times ("did I already say that?" has become a common phrase) but it makes preparation much easier. It also means that by 7th period it is very easy for the kids to get me off track-they enjoy it.

This is a lie.

I'm in love...

Kiss it, France.

Amazing. If you did not see the men's finals in the 400 relay, find it on youtube, tivo, whatever. Amazing.

One down...

It's fun to live vicariously through Olympic competitors and to pretend that I'm involved in their quest for gold when really I'm just trying to run a few miles everyday in preparation for a half marathon. I had my sights set on the St. George marathon with Peter and Nathan but did not get it. In hindsight, that's the best thing that could've happened, although I'm sure my siblings would have enjoyed fighting over my sweet ride. In conclusion, U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!

For Mason!

We are neither the first nor the last to make these jokes, but it never gets old...and Mom hates it.

Tyra Banks is an idiot.

"Michelle Obama, you're one hot mama," Tyra Banks says in the new issue of Harper's Bazaar.
And, as for Barack's wife, Michelle, Banks says, "With Barack Obama, his becoming president is them becoming president because Michelle was there from the beginning. Without Michelle, he wouldn’t be there.”
What does Tyra want from the possible First Lady?
“Oh, I want her to not take herself too seriously," she says. "She’d need to know how to take a fierce picture, but at the same time be able to eat fried chicken, have grease on her fingers, and be okay with getting photographed like that, too. I’d want her to feel like every child in America is hers – to have a true connection.”

Hmmm...

Why do we need to send our kids on fried chicken picnics with our leaders? That is not their job. I know I am now giving Obama coverage, but what is with every flippin' magazine featuring him or his family in some stupid fluff article? How is knowing that his wife enjoys shopping at Target (she's just like me! I am SO voting for Obama!) or where they went for their anniversary translate into "leader of the free world"? We'll no longer be able to shop at Target if he wins and our paychecks go to support deadbeats who buy cell phones and crack when they should get some health insurance for their kids or pay the electric bill.

This rant was brought to you by Candice for McCain (even though his wife freaks me out).

Um, no.

I went to my first yoga class yesterday and, while it was challenging, peaceful, and I am feeling sore in different muscles, it's not really my thing. I prefer more energetic working out, like kickboxing or trying to not die on the elliptical while the front desk guy at the gym changes the TV channel from Law and Order to SportsCenter-NOOOOO!!!. The class was a mixture of pale women who recycle and hang out in coffeeshops, and women with nasty acrylic nails and big fake boobs. You know, all that makes Bakersfield the great place it is. The girl leading the class started off the session massaging some mint lotion into our shoulders, though, and she has inspired me to do one thing: find a doctor on my insurance plan that does massages. So all things considered, a good hour and a half. It's just hard not to laugh sometimes when people take stuff like that (refer to above picture) so seriously.

1800 mg of ibuprofen in the last 24 hours.

Jordan, Mason, Dave Lewis, Mac (Jordan's swim buddy) and I decided to be active yesterday and spent 5 hours enjoying the rock wall at Action Sports. Clayton Davis works there and got us all harnessed up and ready for a good time. It was my first time and I loved it-my cheap self is even thinking about investing in an annual pass. In the middle of the rock wall area is a boulder with different "problems" marked, and I did the beginner level fairly quickly. And then I met my nemesis: level V0 with the blue tape. The boys all did it quickly and each of them spent time coaching me through, not understanding why I could not get to the top-I blame my short stature. Right before we were about to leave, I finally made it halfway up, at which point Mason coached me to the top. YEA! I think they should have a man selling "I made it to the top" shirts up there, just as at Yosemite. (Keep in mind the boulder is about 10 feet high.) Seriously, though, it gave me quite a feeling of accomplishment, and I was happy to not have nightmares of blue tape taunting me. We left for 2 hours while they had a rock wall birthday party, trying to relax and come to grips with the fact that we could already feel the soreness in our bodies-the workout is fantastic/kill me now. We continued until the place closed and I conquered a few more bigger climbs (big for me). I am excited to go back and highly recommend it to anyone in town.

Funniest. Show. Ever.

If you have never had the opportunity to experience the magic that is "Arrested Development," I strongly encourage you to buy/borrow/rent a season or two immediately (currently on sale at Target). It is a travesty that crap shows like (insert your own crap show here) continue to air, and yet this was cancelled by Fox after only three seasons. Seriously, you will not regret this decision. I'm not telling you anymore until you get rid of the Seaward.