Carpe You Some Diem!

Pringles, 2008

(another segmented post because my thoughts are all over the place today.)

So, I started taking an online graduate course called “Classrooms in the 21st Century” or something like that.  I have to admit, I really didn’t want to take the class.  It was a quickie class that I took so I could get some hours to recertify as a teacher in the state of West Virginia, and I sort of expected it to be another dry, pointless professional development course, created by someone who hasn’t set foot in a classroom in years.

Instead, the class has been a lot of fun!  So far, I’ve learned how to use social bookmarking, podcasts, and blogs to help my students learn.  That’s right — I’m learning how to take technology that I use and enjoy and make my classroom better with them.  I’ve also made some friends through the class, and I’m looking forward to getting back to school to use what I’ve learned.

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Tomorrow, I’m shopping some photos to a local gallery in hopes of getting a show in the near future.  Not holding my breath, but it would be cool.  I really like this gallery and think that what I have will be a good fit.  Let’s hope they think so, too.

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I met with some potential Roane Art Association members.  I am really pleased with the outpouring of support — there is a real need for some sort of visual arts group around here!  I am a little unsure about where to go with this, but there are some other visual arts projects in the works nearby that I didn’t know about that will make this a perfect time to form some sort of artists’ group.  The next step is to have an informal get-together with other artists and interested people and take stock of the people we have on board, their skills, and where we want to go from here.  I am actually feeling a little overwhelmed — my idea was originally to just get together and exhibit… but it sounds like people want more.  I’m probably going to be giving Jeff at Create West Virginia a call pretty soon, because he can probably give me some ideas.

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Today marks my first full week of doing the Jillian Michaels 30-Day Shred workout video.  I do the video every day, and I have to admit, I never took workout videos very seriously.  But I needed something to do when I couldn’t get to the gym, so I thought I would give it a try.  On the first day, the workout — on the beginning level — kicked my butt.  I really thought I was going to die.  But I stuck with it and did it every day.  One week in, and I’ve lost 2 pounds but can see enormous results!  I can now get through workout one without much of a problem, and I can tell a HUGE difference in the way my clothes fit.   Sweet!  24 pounds down, 54 to go… 

Yes, we bought a trampoline!  I feel so suburban, now!  As if the ranch-style home and minivan didn’t scream “soccer mom” before.   This thing is HUGE — so big, we had to special order it, but I wanted one big enough for all four kids to play on.  It really wasn’t very expensive, but it took forever to get here, and even longer to put together.  Here is the one we got.

This is crazy fun, though!  I wanted one of these soooooo bad as a kid, but that was long before you could just run out to the nearest big box store and pick one up.  It’s a heck of a workout, too!  I’ve been outside jumping with the kids, and my whole body is feeling the burn.  I’m really surprised that it’s THAT good of a workout — it doesn’t look like it would be! 

I’m also really impressed with the safety enclosure.  There is a nice mat that covers up all the springs so kids don’t get pinched, and the enclosure net fits inside that, hooking onto D-rings that attach each spring.  There is no way for a kid to get through the net, except at the “door,” which zips and clips shut.  It’s held up by big, padded tubes that bolt to the rest of the trampoline structure.  Once you’ve got it all together, there is no way for kids to get pinched or fall off the trampoline.  If, somehow, a kid tore through the net (really unlikely — it’s pretty strong and stretchy), they would most likely fall onto the mat, not off onto the ground.

We didn’t have a really flat place in the back yard for the trampoline, so we ended up putting it in the sideyard.  This works out really well, though, because it’s really shady there and much cooler than the rest of the yard.  Plus, that black trampoline surface gets really hot in the sun, so shade is a must!  I think the kids are going to have a lot of fun with this, all the way until winter!  When it gets too cold to jump, I think we’ll just cover it up with big tarps so it will last longer.  There is no way we’re going to take it apart and put it back together again!

I’m really happy with this!  I’m off to go play with the kids some more!

Well, it’s been a crazy week.  Mike is at a weeklong vacation training seminar and I’m home with kids.  I’ve kept them busy with some home improvement projects this week, but we’ve also had some fun outdoors.  My Dad gave us this old bike trailer when we moved to Spencer.  There really aren’t many safe places to ride bikes around here (to many narrow, hilly roads!!!) but we took turns riding up and down our street, and even going offroad, through the yard.  It was a lot of fun!  And boy, am I out of shape!  I remember taking a 16-mile bike ride when Isaac was a baby, and never really getting winded.  Not so much, now!  But then again, I had rented a really nice mountain bike with all kinds of nifty gears for hills back then, and this time I was riding a kids’ mountain bike with two gears… so I guess it’s time to buy myself a good bike.

I started my first online graduate class today.  It’s pretty fun, so far, although I’m just getting used to the program.  It’s a Web 2.0 course, which will show me how to use podcasts, blogs, and social bookmarking in my classroom.  I already do some of these things but I have been sort of feeling around in the dark with them, so I am excited to get to see how other teachers use them in their classrooms.  I would really like to learn how to design online “howtos” that kids can work their way through while learning Photoshop.  So, instead of going from computer to computer and repeating steps over and over, the kids could just click back a page or two, and follow instructions step-by-step.  Then I would be able to spend my time giving kids help with design and composition, rather than using up all my time on the basics.

Mike comes home tomorrow.  I hope he’s excited about the “new” hardwood floors.  I told him what we did, and he sounded pretty excited about it.  He thought the floors would need a lot of work, once we got them uncovered, and was definitely relieved to find out that they’re in near-pristine condition. 

Ferris Wheel, 2007

So, I’ve been thinking… and thinking usually gets me into trouble, but I do it anyway… that there are an awful lot of artists in Roane County who really don’t exhibit their work around here because there is no “art scene.”   We have:

Jeff Fetty
The Arabias
Michael Titus
Bryan George
and countless others I know who either don’t think their art is good enough to exhibit, or who are covered over with personal issues, or who just haven’t gotten around to exhibiting their art elsewhere.

And so, I thought, wouldn’t it be cool to start some kind of art group, get all these artists together a few times a year, and have art exhibits in Spencer.  And then, if we get enough interest, we could take those exhibits on the road to galleries, festivals, and museums throughout the state.  And then, maybe we could start an educational program to get artists into the county’s schools (because we don’t have art teachers here in the Elementary level, and students at higher levels are really not exposed to local art.)  And then maybe we could eventually get a grant to have a place to do all of this…  and … and…

Baby steps, Becky… baby steps.

So I got into contact with some local artists who think it’s a good idea, and so far, all the ones I’ve contacted are really excited about the idea.  The general consensus is “it’s about time we had some kind of local art scene!!!”  I think we’re going to have an informational “shindig,” present a rough idea for what this is and how it will work, and see what we can do to get this off the ground.  Who knows?  Maybe one of these days we’ll have a program like the Morgan Arts Council, which is my inspiration for the group idea.  We probably need a better name than “Roane Art Association,” too.  That’s just what came to mind for this post.

So, if you’re an artist within a 50-mile radius of Spencer, WV and are interested, email me at mamallama at gmail dot com.  Or, you may call me — I’m the only Rebecca Burch in the phone book.  Let’s get this thing started!

Olivia, 2008

Okay, I overdid it, yesterday.  Somewhere between the butt-kicking workout from the 30 Day Shred video to spending the day ripping up carpet, I seem to have turned my legs into Jello.  Painful jello.  They’re not wanting to hold me up, or even move, for that matter.  So, I’m taking it easy today.  Odd — I really expected my back to be the body part to get the angriest at me for overexertion.  My back is always the one to give me trouble — it’s like the big whiner that everyone works with.  It complains about everything.  My legs are usually good to go, though.  

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I am loving the new Beck release, Modern Guilt.   It’s on heavy rotation at home right now, and it was the soundtrack to my really great weekend.  Beck is known for incorporating some retro musical sounds into his work, but this album is heavier on the retro than most.  If it were playing in a coffee shop somewhere, I would think they had some really cool retro station on XM, playing rare B-sides by 60’s pop bands like the Association and The Chantays.  The song “Gamma Ray” sounds like straight-up surf rock.  It’s upbeat and really hard not to dance to.  it just sounds like summmer!  “Chemtrails“ almost sounds like the Fifth Dimension — it almost reminds me of music from the musical “Hair,” especially the last song, Flesh Failures, when the music ends, then fades back in for a guitar finale.  The song “Orphans” sounds like a lost Association B-side, remixed by Beck.  I find it ironic that the title is “Modern Guilt,” but the entire album sounds more old than new.  But then again, when I think of Modern Art, or Modern Decor, my mind goes straight to the midcentury — things you would find at The Purple Moon!  I really love this CD.  It just goes to show what an artist Beck is, because he can adopt a completely different sound from a totally different time period and still sound like Beck.

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I have a new food obsession.  A friend of mine who is a caterer mixed watermelon and bleu cheese for a wedding reception salad.  That’s it.  Two ingredients.  And it is pure bliss.  It’s also pretty diet-friendly, as long as you don’t go crazy with the cheese. 

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Speaking of fruit, my house has been a haven for fruit flies.  The little buggers are hard to get rid of, but I learned you can trap them.  Take a glass, put a piece of fruit inside, and cover with plastic wrap.  With a toothpick, punch a tiny hole in the top.  Make sure that the ragged edges around the hole point downward, into the glass, not up.  The fruit flies go in, but they can’t find their way out.  Bye-bye fruit flies!

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I can’t decide whether to take up the carpet in the living room or not.  My legs hurt like mad today, but I would really like to get it done this week if I’m going to do it, and we have plans on Friday.  I think I’ll do it.  If I do, you know I’ll take photos.

I’m all about the makeover right now.  I blame the diet.  I have all this energy all of a sudden, and all those projects I’ve tucked away in the back of my mind are getting done. 

Here is my dining room circa 2003: 

It really hasn’t changed much.  It hasn’t changed much since the 1970s, actually, except that it became a TV room for a short time.  Needless to say, it’s a little dated.

I decided to spiff it up a little by ripping up the carpet to expose the beautiful, honey-gold colored hardwood floors underneath.  I have no experience with flooring, but a friend suggested that I ditch the carpet, and told me that it’s really easy.  So I went to some DIY websites to figure out what I would need to do, and it’s seriously easy!  I got it done in a day, with time left over to serve dinner in here afterward.

You start in a corner, and pry up a little bit of the carpet to see what condition your floor is in.  I was lucky that there was a big void in the edging where Mike put a door in, so I could pull the carpet up really easily from that point.  Be careful around the edges of the room — there are usually tacks there.  Ouch!

Next, you get some pliers, grab a corner, and start pulling.  It’s tricky to get it started (you may have to remove moulding… I got lucky) but once you get it started, it’s easy.  Oh, and you probably want to move all of the furniture out of the room beforehand.  This wasn’t an option for me, so I did half the room, scooted the furniture, then did the other half. 

As you pull up carpet, WEAR A MASK!  Nobody warned me about the dust that gets trapped in the carpet and carpet padding.  Eyewwwwww!  Not good!  Also, it helps to cut the carpet into pieces as you pull it up so it’s easier to haul out, unless you want to save it for another use.   If you’re cutting it, cut a few small pieces to use to slide between furniture legs and the floor.  This will protect the floor and make furniture easier to move back into place.

Once the carpet is up, use a small crowbar to pry up the firring strips with tacks.  A flathead screwdriver works well to pop any staples out of the floor.  You may have to scrub the floors at this point — I’ve heard of a lot of people having trouble with carpet padding that disintegrates and adheres to the floor.  The best cure for that is a steel scrubber (like Chore Girl) and hot water with a little dish soap.  I didn’t have that problem, though — it all came up beautifully.

Last step — sweep up the majority of the dust (there will be a lot!!!) then go over the floor with a damp dust mop until you get the floors clean.  (You may need to re-varnish or re-wax your floors at this point, if they are scratched and/or worn.)  Then put your furniture back and enjoy your room! 

My oldest son, Isaac, helped with this project.  The two of us got it done in notime, with nice, long breaks to give our backs and knees some rest.  We really had a lot of fun working together.  He’s turning into quite tha handyman!  It was such an easy project, we will be tackling the living room, soon!  But not before I tackle that ugly wallpaper! 

I just realized that I haven’t written about my diet in a while, so…

That’s me, in a photo taken at a time when I felt the most attractive.  I was about 15 pounds lighter than I am, now, although not as fit, really.  I had been through a really depressing time and had lost weight simply because I didn’t feel like eating… not a healthy way to lose weight (and probably why it didn’t stay off, also!)  But I had never been thin — had never felt good about my appearance until then, so I felt like a goddess.

That’s me at Easter — my heaviest.  I was exactly 22 pounds heavier than I am right now.  I had to dig for a photo of me at this weight because I avoided the camera pretty hardcore.  I also avoided mirrors, going out, dressing up, and any other activity where people’s attention would be focused on me… except teaching, but that’s kind of unavoidable.

Teaching is the thing… it’s a sedentary job.  I don’t sit all day, really — I move around my room like a pinball in a heated game, and answer rapid-fire questions all day with only two short breaks … so by the end of the day I am usually exhausted.  But I don’t get much real exercise during the school day.  I like walking at lunch (especially in the winter, because I am apparently solar-powered and don’t do well when I miss all the day’s sunlight while I’m at work) but I am usually so busy that I don’t want to leave work, even to go eat lunch with friends.  Keeping my current momentum going once school starts is going to be a challenge, but working out gives me energy, so it will be a worthwhile lifestyle change to make.

I am not losing weight quickly, but I am pleased with the results so far.  I started out on the 5-Factor Diet, but ditched it because the website is quirky and I have a lot of friends who are doing Weight Watchers.  So I joined WW, and like it so far — it’s sort of like training wheels for a better lifestyle.  It’s not something I feel the need to stay on forever, but the points system and diet/activity tracker were a good way to get started building a better lifestyle.  I’m still on it, if only for the tracker… I’ve found that I will not make bad food choices because I really just don’t want to have to log those foods.

I have also been going to Curves 3 times a week, which was a great way to get started getting into shape.  Curves gets some results, but I’ve found that I get better results by adding some workouts at home.  Curves really didn’t do much for my “hello, I’ve had four children, can you tell?” belly, so I bought the video workout Perfect Abs by Meghan Williams, which is just a straight-up workout for abs.  The DVD includes 9 different workouts of varying intensity, so I don’t get bored.  The workouts are quick and I’m getting impressive results in a really short period of time!  Mike noticed the smaller belly within a week, and I really look like I’ve lost more weight than I have because of this drastic reduction of post-baby-pudge. 

After having such luck with Perfect Abs, I decided to try The 30-Day Shred by Jillian Michaels, who is best known as one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser.  I want to be a big loser, too, so I purchased the video on Amazon, and it arrived over the weekend.  I tried this workout for the first time this morning, and was pretty sure I was going to die.  Unfortunately, when you feel like you’re ready to die, that means that you’re doing it right, so I expect this video to become a favorite, also.

Food-wise, I haven’t done anything too earth-shattering.  Eating well is a no-brainer — eat more fresh veggies and fruit, get plenty of protein, and avoid fats, but be sure to get some dairy and “good” oils.  Oh, and pay attention to those portion sizes — learn what one portion of a food should look like.  (Hint — any portion you get at a restaurant is more like 2-3 portions!)  This is easy to do in the summer, when I’m home, but very difficult when I am teaching.  School cafeteria food = lots of carbs, not so much veg (even at my school, which is trying to go healthy.)  So I am going to have to get in the habit of packing fresh salads and wraps, lowfat yogurt, and other good diet picks the night before.  Luckily, Hungry Girl keeps me happy and well-fed with great recipes and product reviews in her newsletter and cookbook.

So, I feel pretty confident about my extreme self-makeover.  It’s not quick, and it’s not easy, but it’s easier than I thought it would be, and I’ve experienced bigger gains than I thought I would.  I’ve never really been fit, so though I’m not losing pounds as quickly as I wanted to, I am starting to see a really dramatic change in my shape as I gain muscle and tone.  More than that, I have so much more energy, sleep better, and feel better about myself — and I’m feeding my family better foods and encouraging them to get more exercise, too.  I am about THE LAST person to ever jump on the fitness wagon, so I really think anybody can do this.  You just have to want to.  It’s kind of sad that it took me this long to want this for myself.

Cannon, 2008

I found this cannon at the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, Florida.  That’s a whole lotta artwork going on for a gun, huh?  You just have to love the Spanish.  They have style..  or, at least, they did when this cannon was made.

This week is going to be a busy one.  Mike is off for a week-long AP Training near Morgantown, and I’ve got a lot of projects to keep me busy until then.  First of all, I’m going to rip up the carpets in the dining and living rooms and clean the hardwood floors.  The dining room is a must — if it goes well, I’ll do the living room, as well.  I plan to do an extreme home makeover in our ugly dining room; a project I’ve been contemplating for a really long time!

The main motivator for this project is the “bordello wallpaper” that I’ve really hated since we moved in: 

If anyone hears of an “ugly wallpaper contest,” call me!  I know this one would win!!!  You don’t know how much I hate this wallpaper.  It’s gotta go.  But it’s put on right over bare drywall, so there is no peeling it off… it’s going to have to be scraped off and the wall re-floated.  And since I don’t have the time or the expertise to do that, nor the budget to hire a professional, I’m going to slap a few coats of primer down and paint it.

I also have a wall of paneling to work with.  It’s good paneling… if there is such a thing.  I really don’t love it, but Mike is against painting it, so I’m not gonna.  I might talk him into it, eventually, though.  The woodwork, including the paneling and floors (once we get the carpet off), is all sort of a warm, honey-toned maple, and I recently saw a home decorating show where that color of woodwork was paired with a warm, medium-value grey wall with cream-colored accents and I love that look, so I’m going to go for it.  The kitchen, which is visible from the dining-room is already painted in a creamy-natural color, so it will all look very nice together.

Wish me luck… I’ll probably have sore knees and a bad back next time I post, but my dining room is going to be gorgeous.  Bye-bye, bordello wallpaper!!!

Tap Room, 2008

It’s been a really busy day…  a really busy summer, actually, but an especially busy day.  I’m too tired to write an actual post, so here’s what’s in my head, in bullet-list format:

♥     I went to the Hansford Art House exhibit this evening, and really enjoyed it!  I love this kind of “guerilla exhibit” where artists gather at a location (usually someone’s house), throw some art on the walls, put out some food and invite the world in.  Gallery receptions are nice, but there’s a certain energy at these less-formal exhibits that I really love.  I had a great time and got to hang out with new friends and old.  My brother, Ricc, went with me, and I think he had a really good time, too.  I get up too early to stay for the after-reception performance by rapper Mewl, but if it was anything like the exhibit, itself, it’s sure to be impressive.  I’ll write up a better review of the show in the morning, when my brain doesn’t feel like jello salad.

♥   I went to get an iPhone this morning but they were sold out.  I tried another location and was told that I could order one.  (The first location wouldn’t take orders.)  So, I did that, and I’m glad, as it sounds like there has been iChaos with activating the things.  People who can’t activate them are calling them iBricks.  That makes me giggle.  Not really… I’m sure it’s frustrating, but what can you do?  In a few days, the iChaos should wear off and things will be iFunctional again, and by then, I won’t have to worry about it.

♥  My current cellphone is old.  It’s about a year old, and I got it free with my plan, which means it’s probably about two or three years old.  I always get the free phone.  Free phones are free for a reason… it’s been a year and my stupid phone is so obsolete that I can’t find a charger for it.  I left my charger at my Mother-in-law’s house in South Carolina and the battery on my phone is dead, so I’m phoneless until I either find a charger or she mails it… or my iPhone comes in.  :)  It will be nice having a good cellphone, but the real kicker is combining 3 things I carry all the time — camera, phone and iPod into one gadget.  Add internet and GPS and I’m quite giddy about this thing.

♥   Have you ever noticed that there is an inverse relationship between the number of NASCAR stickers on a vehicle and the speed of said vehicle?  Seriously.

Fragile, 2008

I just saw a commercial urging kids to “Go outside and play an hour a day.”  At first, I didn’t think anything of it, but then it started to bug me that we have to urge kids to go outside and play.  When I was a kid, I would wake up early, inhale a bowl of cereal, and then run out the door, not to return until hunger pangs or my Mom made me come back inside.  There were all these cool spots in the neighborhood to play — down by the creek; at the big “half pipe,” which was really just a big, dirt ditch where kids would do tricks on bikes; at “Daredevil’s Hill,” where we would fly down the hill on our bikes and the truly brave would go hands-free…  Being a kid was synonymous with being outdoors all the time — on bikes, in trees, and usually covered in dirt.

My kids enjoy playing outdoors, most of the time, but I do have to occasionally pry them away from the various electronic entertainment items in our home.  It’s hard to get them interested in climbing trees when they can explore islands on the Wii, and watch TV on the internet.  But I have found that I am more likely to get them outdoors if I join them and act as tour guide for the great outdoors.  Nature walks, canoe trips, bike rides, and hikes are family favorites, and so far, there hasn’t been any whining about boredom.