Lottery winner? Not!

It's Saturday and there are a few snow flurries.

Fortunately, it is not snowing. I can deal with a flurry or two. I am still pondering how I am find an extra $7K....I have already cleaned under the sofa cushions in my own home and BP Grandmom's. I found 17 cents. It's now mine.

I may buy a few lottery tickets tonight. While driving over to BP grandmom's house, Tink was reading to me my lucky Year of the Rooster numbers. Perhaps I should play these numbers. After all, how does a person win the lottery? Is it ordained in heaven, random, or lucky? Once for a big jackpot, I placed my lottery ticket in the Bible thinking that I would have an advantage over the next person. BUT that was not the case. I did not even get one number when the winners were announced.

Face it. I am not a lucky person....except I won the weekly Biggest lower raffle two weeks ago and got a PowerBar. That's it. Nothing else. And so, I continue to think....need inspiration....

How is the big kid? Well, it is looking like he is going to cancel his law school interview in North Carolina next week. Whew! Am I glad for that one. Our great plan was to leave at 4 am on Monday, drive 8 hours, interview at 1:30 pm, then head home another 8 hours. Frankly, I was not crazy about this plan, but it was our only option. Air fare is outrageous, so we planned on driving my car since it has XM radio. But then, the big guy had a conversation with his old friend C, also a law student, who told him that he would have to start over if he headed to the south.

You see, he has lots of prep school friends and contacts in the northeast as well as his baseball posse and reputation. He would be crazy to leave it.....of course, his BP mom would be close by to drop off some food and drink when he needed it.

On a similar note, he is now giving pitching lessons at a near by facility. His roster is growing as is his reputation. So, if he stays nearby, he can continue to coach and teach pitching to his minions. It's funny how things turn out. He has begun to complain about parents and their unreal expectations. According to many of them, their child is the next Babe Ruth. My philosophy has always been, you do not know how good a kid is going to be until he or she is 14....unless you are little P.

Who is Little P? Well, Lil P is my neighbor. She's sweet kid around 11 years old, who loves Fiji Island...is that in the Balkans?  These kids in my neighborhood go on these exotic vacations while I have to Google them to see which hemisphere they are in....

I digress.....back to Lil P.

Lil P, besides being my cooking buddy, is a gymnast. She has been going to the gym 6 days a week since she was 7. Extraordinary, yes?

Anyway, P is good...real good...when I say 'good', I mean excellent....when I say excellent, I really mean awesome....like Gabby Douglas awesome. Lil P's parent fixed the basement and she has a section for the rings, balance beem, balance bar, and floor mats. There is not enough space overhead for the uneven bars. If there was, she would have them. Anyway, her dad occasionally posts her competitions online and I am floored by her abilities. The Big Kid and I watched her last competition on the uneven bars and let me tell you, I could not tell the difference between P and the Olympic team. Once she did a triple back flip for me in the yard. Perfect form and landing....she was scored a ten by everyone in the neighborhood except the Russian family on the corner....yep, Lil P is on her way.....somewhere.

Ok, time for me to grade some papers.

Peace!

Movin On....Bake Sale

Howdy! I'm back.....Before I get into the meat and taters of life, I wants to send a few shout outs....
First to the Baker's mom who fell and broke her hip. Get well! Hope you are back on your feet and dancing to the oldies soon!

Second shout out to my godson, Descartes. He is headed to Syracuse (early admission) to study philosophy. 

When one of my professors called me "esoteric", I looked up the word and decided that she had the wrong adjective to describe me. After all, I am the last person on the planet to be described as esoteric. Trust me. 

Then he wants to go to law school. This kid will achieve anything he sets his mind to....although, I gotta say.....philosophy was one of my worst courses. I could not think with the rest of them and needed everything explained to me in a concrete manner.

Ok, what else is new? Wellll......

Friday is weigh in for the Biggest Loser contest. Yesterday, I grabbed a hot soft pretzel at the student sale on campus. It was delicious! Hey, it was for charity.... and I have no regrets...although.....I am only down 1 pound in three weeks.

Since 5 pounds is my goal, I am on target. However, I stopped to weigh myself before the skills and drills class this morning and saw that I was up 0.2 pound. Uh....no....no way...So, I did what any other person would do....I took off my shoes, sweat shirt, and glasses. I also wore my lightest clothes and  weighed myself again....still did not drop anything......Then I headed to class.

The woman with the nice blue eyes standing next to me said that she lost 10 pounds in the last three weeks. Yikes! I am struggling over .2 pounds. Then I decided....

I would work out hard during class....not drink water....then go to the bathroom...then I walked to the scale for my official weekly measurement..........down 0.4 pounds! There you have it. Dehydration, an empty bladder, and all clothes including my knee brace off yields tremendous results on the scale.

What else is new? Well,, I am trying to figure out how to score $7000 for iPads for my little impoverished school in the city. They have a wish list on Amazon. They want bilingual books, math cards, flash cards and iPads. Naturally, I want to donate the iPads. They need thirty. It's $7000. What to do...what to do....

1. sell my Type O blood with only a few active platelets
2. Sell my hair....too short
3. Sell my car...mileage over 100,000 and the air conditioning does not work
4. Sell my first born to the gypsies...no one would want him
5. Start a BP mom lemonade stand in front of the house.
6. Get my shovel out when it snows and knock on my neighbors' doors....I will charge $1000 per driveway
7. Teach extra classes for overload pay (this would not work since I pay them to work)
8. Have a bake sale in the lobby of campus and sell  Betty Crocker cupcakes for $50 a piece......12 for $600.00 (a bargain, right?)
9. Sell grades in class for $1500.00 per A. An A minus would be $!000.00

Nope....my ideas stink. It is probably because I can not think in a philosophical manner. I need an idea...an inspiration....a sugar daddy or sugar momma....to win the lottery....to have a wealthy, long lost relative recover from amnesia and leave me with their estate in Hawaii and their stock portfolio.....Oh well.....something will come to me....or not.

Until then, we will plug along and do our best.

Time for me to grade some papers....or play Soda Crush on my tablet.....

peace!

Movin' On....working for a living

Good morning! This should be a quickie since it is a work day and not only do I have to teach a class but am scheduled for two meetings. This puts quite a damper on a relaxing work day since meetings have been designed to create more work.

This is my theme song......here are the lyrics:

Workin for a Livin

Huey Lewis

Somedays won't end ever and somedays pass on by,
I'll be working here forever, at least until I die
Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't
I'm supposed to get a raise week, you know damn well I won't

Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin' (workin')
Workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'

Hey I'm not complaining 'cause I really need the work
We're hitting up my buddy's got me feeling like a jerk
Car payment, insurance, alimony, rent
I get a check on Friday, but it's all ready spent

Workin' for a livin' (workin')
I'm workin' for a livin' (workin')
I'm workin' for a livin', livin' and workin'
I'm taking what they giving 'cause I'm working for a livin'.

Just an FYI....my salary was cut last year. The budget is tight since enrollment in most small overpriced private schools are down. Allegedly, I am supposed to work fewer hours for less pay. I am OK with this, BUT it seems that I should stop working from May 27 to August 27th yet am starting another class on May 28th....hmmmm....then I was asked to teach a class beginning mid July that ends September 1.....hmmmmm....let's see....cut my pay....make me work more....Is this what the women were marching for last weekend? Or am I am idiot for agreeing to not only take a salary cut but work all summer without pay? Let's go with the latter....I am an idiot.

On to the Biggest Loser....I lost a pound; Tink gained 2. We went with the name 25% Off and got an honorable mention in the name contest. I did win the raffle last week and got a power bar and yoga blanket. I was honored since I never win anything except the game of Clue. I can beat everyone including Colonel Mustard. He has no power over my prowess except when he holds the candlestick in the billiard room.

On Monday, Dr G and I headed to the inner city to perform scoliosis checks at an impoverished inner city school that finally got a nurse one day a week. While Dr G checked the kids out, I gave them a sticker. We met almost every child in the school. They were delightful. Each child had a smile and a look that could melt even the Grinch's heart. During this time, I became more and more humbled by the kindness of the staff and the innocence of the children. They were so grateful for something that I considered insignificant yet important. It was during this time, that we decided that we would help this little school any way that we could including provide them with some necessary health services, health teaching and screening, and equipment.

Tomorrow, my students are holding a pretzel sale  to benefit the tiny bilingual school. After my impassioned plea, they are also dedicating their fund raising activities to benefit the school. This shows you how good people are when they are given the opportunity to give and serve. many of us want to help but have no idea how to.

During February, they are sponsoring a toothbrush and toothpaste drive, then they will go in and teach the children how to brush their teeth and wash their hands. To answer your question, "yes, most kids and adults know this...." BUT how many of us actually take the time to sing Yankee Doodle while brushing our teeth. Raise your hands.....be honest....That's what I thought.....

OK, I have to prep for class. Yes, I do prepare even though I have been teaching this course for years. I have to stay ahead of the curve. On one of my evaluations, a student mentioned that I gave her a headache in class each week. I should invest some money in Tylenol if this is the case. She also suggested that I "dial it back a bit."

Dial what? She wants me to alter my personality in class, lecture, then leave. OK, got it. That sounds like a real fun class.

Off to read....prep....and try to lose another pound. Peace!

Happy 90th BP Grandpop....movin' on to the next decade

Good morning! It is two days after BP GrandPop's 90th birthday. Yep, he has hit the 90 mark with the intense help of BP Grandmom. 

She has been his private duty RN for years and has kept the little guy movin' on....a little wobbly these days...but movin' on.....

He is the guy who spends three hours a day saying his prayers. He has a little case in which he carries them with him wherever he goes. I can feel the prayers in my life as he has dedicated himself to faith and family. What a guy! He was also the man who was called the "Quintessential Catholic gentleman." This is a great description of the little guy who has been a big presence in our lives.

On to my trip south..or actually...non trip.

The day before we were to leave, the big kid was sick again. This is 8 straight months of illness with short periods of improvement. He has seen every specialist and had his tonsils out, an endoscopy and biopsy, multiple blood tests and cat scans.  Nothing. For his last appointment with the GP, I went with him to discuss his case with the doctor. I asked for a few more tests to be done and a referral to an allergist. Fortunately, his allergist appointment was on Tuesday afternoon and I was once again...a presence.

As he gave the allergist his history, I filled in the blanks with information about his childhood which was basically benign.....however, the MD was able to determine a plan to assess his symptoms using allergen skin tests and a pulmonary function test. The results were staggering.

He was given 41 skin tests to measure sensitivity from trees to pollen to mold and dust. Of the 41, 24 were grossly positive. Then he was given the pulmonary function test in which he basically failed.

The results are conclusive. He has a plethora of allergies...trees....grasses.....pollen....and so on. He will be tested on latex and foods next round. Also, he has moderate asthma, in which the MD remarked "I do not know how you played baseball at the level you did with untreated asthma."

Yikes! This is when I say: "There is nothing beyond the reach of determination."

I asked the MD if he should quit his job since the environment serves as a trigger. After all, last week, his manager asked him to leave the building and sit in his car for 15 minutes to see what happened. This non scientific experiment showed that when he returned to work, he was able to breathe. The MD answered my question with "yes, he should quit..." Which leads me to the next conundrum....

He refuses to quit. His response was "let's see if my new meds will help me to breathe while I work."

And there you go, folks. He is a guy who does not ask for nor take directions well. I am polishing up my "I told you so" retort for when he comes home after a long day of not being able to breathe.

Another point I want to make is that he took a LSAT course, four graduate courses, worked, and took his LSATs twice with little to no oxygen. Sheesh. Can you imagine what he can do if his oxygen saturation is within normal limits? Nice, huh?

OK, I gotta work. Students are waiting for grades....not so patiently....and I have to start thinking...really thinking....ouch....my brain hurts.

Peace!

Movin on...first weigh in

Mornin'....Yesterday the rubber hit the road, when we had to be weighed in to earn a point for our team, "25% off" (name selected by moi). Tink was down one half pound in 4 days, whereas I dropped a whopping 0.2 pounds. I actually smiled that I dropped anything since my diet this week consisted of sneaking the leftover pizzelles. Yes, I hid my consumption from Tink who is watching me like a hawk. She is headed back to work next week, so I have some breathing room. However, we are now out of pizzelles. The trainer at the gym said "Keep up the good work, in a month, you will have lost a whole pound." Message received.

On to the big kid, he has received an invitation for an interview for a law school in North Carolina. They want him to visit campus this week. Since the drive is 8 hours in length, I do not want him to do it alone.

Yes, once a momma...always a momma, even when your baby has graduated college and is applying to law school.

Sooooo, we are leaving late Tuesday afternoon for a 10:30 interview on Wednesday, then coming back home. I am taking my car since it has XM radio and heated seats (which are essential for when the right leg begins to numb from driving without stopping).

When I drive long distance, I actually prefer to have Tink with me. She opens my chapstick for me, keeps me entertained, and has a supply of Skittles or Swedish fish when I need a quick sugar high. Since I am now a biggest loser, I need her more than ever since the big kid will sleep the 8 hours that we are on the road. I guess I will have to keep my chapstick and granola bar next to me since I doubt if the big guy is going to help me out. Yes, he will drive, but he has a tendency to....how do I say this delicately.?......speed, get miffed at the driver in the other lane, and turn off my radio stations. Unacceptable. I keep to keys and the driver's seat to maintain my sanity. Keep your fingers crossed, while he is in his interview, I have to find a Starbucks, grab their WIFI, and let you know how it goes. By the way, Panera also has free WIFI and its coffee is cheaper.

And so, that's about it for now. I have a mountain of work that keeps piling up since I am not doing it. Yet, it is my own fault, since I am choosing other activities besides completing my work which is a disadvantage of working at home. Another disadvantage is having a fridge and pantry full of food that I like. Why? Well, since I do the shopping, I select healthy and BPM favorites such a Pepperidge Farm goldfish, Greek yogurt, granola bars and clementines.

Eating one a day is considered healthy. However, eating all of them before noon is not. And so, it is time for me to think and work...think some more....more some more......

Peace!

Movin' on...choosing a team name.

Greetings! I could not post yesterday because I had to work on campus. Yes, I do work at home, but I had to physically be on campus and show myself to a room filled with students. I also had multiple meetings and was running on a low tank of gas. Somehow, all goals were achieved except I forgot to pick up a bottle of wine for my one glass to drink at my own personal happy hour. To clarify, happy hour is the first hour I am home from work. Then it can turn into happier hours or not so happy hours. At least, I am ready for whatever comes my way.

Anyway, I was on the run yesterday because I had to start my day out in the gym.

Since Tink and I are trying to be the biggest losers, I had to be a good role model. However, we cannot agree on a name. here are some of the finalists:

25% off
25% down
Thick and thin
Cereal Killers (Tink's favorite)
Trimstones
No Weigh
Tried and Tased
Go down
Eight too much
One weigh
In it to thin it
Less is more
Calorie Killers
Waist management
Shrinking violets
Withering a weigh
Flab-u-less


Whaddya think? Can Tink and I agree on a name? Did the other teams go to the same website to find their names too? Stay tuned. I am headed to the gym tonight and will select a name for the contest. Hopefully Tink will like it.



How is the southern house? Hmmmmm...well, it seems that the landscaper changed his estimate. Dad spoke with him and asked to revisit the prices and what he was going to plant. We do not need a 50 foot replacement palm tree for a 20 foot one. Also, when Hurricane Matthew roared through town, several trees were knocked down and left in the yard until FEMA picked them up. There was a huge tree that was hollow inside. I wonder how many other trees next to the house are hollow?

Also, Barney Fife is getting the permits to begin demolition. I watched a HGTV show with the cute Texas couple a few days ago. He said that his favorite day after his birthday and before Christmas was "demolition day".

I am sure that this couple really loves each other but I give them props and a shout out for working together and not killing each other. This is absolutely something I could not do, that is...work with my spouse...'nuff said.

back to demolition .....I am sure that taking a big hammer and ramming it through a wall can be quite cathartic. I have always wanted to do that, but have never had a chance. OK, let's put that on my bucket list. Bucket list item 1: Take a sledge hammer and ram it through an existing wall. Drop it, then walk away and let someone else clean up.

As far as Bucket list item 2 is concerned, I don't have another. I guess the sledge hammer is the only thing that I really want to do. Yep, that's all. I am a pretty simple girl.

Now that the semester has started, I am on the clock, so I gotta go....

Peace!