A day for ME

Yesterday, when I woke up, I decided that I would go to work and ask for the next day off. I was exhausted and had yet to take a day off just to relax. I took two days in February to see the groundhog in Punxsutawney, PA, but it wasn't relaxing. We were on the road for five hours and then out and about all sleep deprived day.
Today, I slept in, granted till 8, but much longer than work days. I went outside to read and get tan. It was so nice. I went back inside to work on my paper, then outside again to read and think of more ideas for my paper.
I went to my friends house to say hi and she invited me to dinner. In the afternoon, I went out to get my allergy shot and run a few errands. Overall I had a nice day.
I don't know I don't take more days for myself. I really should have more "me" days. I feel like all I do is run around. I haven't had a free weekend in months and won't until at least July.
Now, I'm back home and I need to do the touch ups for my literature review. I got a good amount done today and feel good about taking the day off.

Procrastination

This week is going to be a busy one as usual. I still have homebound instruction, but for only two days. I am going to the northern PA mountains for Memorial Day weekend. There isn't internet service at the house so I must get my Literature Review done by Thursday evening or go searching for internet while I'm up there. I don't even get cell phone service up there.
Here's the thing; I still have no idea what to write. I've been processing it in my head for the past few days and haven't figured out how to start it. I know once I get going, I should be okay. I've read a few articles about reading and writing, but I haven't had that moment of inspiration that tells me it is what I want to write about.
It doesn't help much that most seasons finales are this week. I am addicted to NCIS. I love the show and the chemistry of the characters. I wish I could be Ziva for one day.
So here I am writing on my blog with the hope of getting some ideas while I type. I hope I get inspired very soon or this week will be a very long one.
I hope to add some more pictures to my blog this week. I love taking pictures. I enjoy taking landscapes and nature more than people. I do take a lot of pictures of my students and create a photo show every year for the families. I allow my kindergartners to use my old digital camera for a feature I call, "If you give a kid a camera." They get some great and funny photos of themselves and objects in the room. It's amazing how many kids take a picture of the clock.
Well, I should stop procrastinating and get on with this paper.
Until I've reviewed literature....

Donna

My love for baseball!

My love for baseball began in 1993 when I first moved to Smyrna, Delaware. I live in the middle of nowhere. When I first moved here, cable tv didn't reach us, nor did any delivery. I started watching baseball on regular tv every Sunday and the Phillies were a winning team. They made it to the World Series that year, but lost to the Toronto Blue Jays. I was sold on baseball.

After many poor baseball seasons, the Phillies started building winning teams around 2004. 2008 was the big year. The city of Philadelphia had not seen a championship team since 1983 and this year was promising. The city was hungry for hope and for a team to root for. I watched most games on tv in 2008 and when the Phils won the East, I was extremely excited. I watched all of the post seasons games and watched as the phillies advanced to the World Series. My best friend and I met to watch the game at a local restaurant. It made us closer friends.

On the night the Phillies had the chance to win the World Series, my friends and I walked around the city of Philadelphia. I never saw so many happy and excited people. I never saw so many people wearing Phillies Red. It was amazing. I was so used to Philly being "Eagles Country". We situated ourselves in a local bar and watched the game. Then the rain came. They kept the game going until it was tied and postponed it two days. Two Days we had to wait for the rest of the game.

We met again at the same bar to watch the final three innings of the game. It was nerving and exciting. We didn't know what would happen if they actually won. We were so used to losing. Then it came, top of the ninth, Phils winning and the perfect closer, Brad Lidge pitching. He hadn't blown a save all season. One out, then two... Then he strikes out the final batter and the Phillies were World Series Champions. We, like so many other people marched down Main Street Manyunk. The city was lit. Fire engines roared their horns, police were working overtime. Everyone was friends with everyone. It was a miracle. For that moment, everyone forgot the economy problems and were celebrating.

Days later, I was still in disbelief. I thought someone would overrule it and the Phillies wouldn't be Champs anymore. The parade was broadcasted on every local TV channel. I bought so many Phillies World Series Champs shirts. I gave my students Phillies Phanatic sheets to color. It was a great few weeks after the world series.

Two years later, the Phils are still doing well. I've been traveling to see my team play. Last year, my friends and I went to Toronto for a Phils game. My best friend and I went to Washington DC over Spring Break to watch the Phillies play the nationals. My fiance and I are going to Pittsburgh over the summer to see the Phils play.

People think it's crazy, but I tell them, "Most intellectuals and academics prefer baseball over any other sport."

Well... the Phils are about to play.

Until the next inning.

Donna

Spring Excitement

I've been a busy person lately. I decided to provide homebound instruction to two students for three days a week. It doesn't give me a lot of time for myself or to work out, but I enjoy working with a different age group. I never realized how hard 3rd grade math is. I really don't know measurement conversions and was ready to look it up on the internet when comparing gallons to quarts to cups to pints. The other student I work with is a kindergartner and the younger sibling of the 3rd grader. She was in my classroom until her brother was placed on homebound and she was placed with him.
As for my life: my boyfriend of almost two years proposed last weekend while we were in the PA mountains. His family has a place in Eagles Mere, PA which is north of the Poconos. We went for a hike and went to get the camera out for a photo and out came a ring. I am very excited to be engaged, but not ready for wedding planning.
We are going to a wedding today for one of our mutual friends. I was friends with the groom in college and my fiance met him after college. The funny thing was Carl and I didn't actually meet each other until we both went to a wedding of another college friend of mine who was good friends with him. It's so weird how our paths never crossed.
This must be the year for the wedding. We already have four invites this year. Two are an airplane ride away.
I recently decided to start roller blading again. I haven't tried it in years. There isn't a lot of paths to blade where I live, which is why I am so glad to be moving to PA.
Until the next post,
Donna