Things I'm Doing Instead of Studying for the PRAXIS

For those of you who don’t know the rigorous process that aspiring teachers have to go to, I’ll let you know a little bit about the standardized testing portion.

 

1. Take the PRAXIS I or PPST:  This is the ACT-esque test that they make you take at the beginning of your program to make sure that you’re not a complete idiot and have the basic skills necessary for anyone who’s going to be around children.  I took this in July and passed with flying colors.  The only hard part was that they don’t let you use a calculator and I hadn’t done long division by hand since like 5^th grade.  Anyway, I got that test out of the way a while ago.

 

2. Take the PRAXIS II:  This is the test you take towards the end of your program, preferably before your student teaching.  This is where you demonstrate that you’re well versed in your content area, as well as important teachering concepts that apply to all subjects and grade levels.  For me, this means THREE tests.  And they’re like $130 each, so I can’t take them all at once, obvi.

a. The PLT: teachery stuff and educational psychology crap that we all need to know.

b. Theatre Content Area: I’m going to get certified in this subject too, so I’m a double threat.

c. English Content Area:  THIS is the one I’m taking on Monday night.

 

And THIS is what I’m doing right now instead of studying for that test.

 

Blogging:

 

Taking pictures of myself while blogging

 

Taking pictures of my coworker while blogging

 

Babysitting my Sims

 

Cleaning my desk.

 

Lol, just kidding.  Not cleaning my desk.

 

PHOTOJOURNALISM!!!

 

Duck face!

 

Dead face.

 

Getting excited for American Horror Story tonight!

 

Making sure no one’s watching me take pictures of myself.

 

Wrapping up this blog because I have other stuff to do.  But not studying.

 

Laters, baby!

My Blog Will Go On

So, my last three attempts at blogging have included an overly incendiary rant about a coworker that I despise, a reflection on the disappointed parents that I encounter daily at work, and…this one, if it doesn’t turn out.  Once again, I must apologize for my extended absence but the combination of writing papers for school, studying for the PRAXIS, work being hellish for the last couple of weeks and the fact that every blog I start to write inevitably ends three paragraphs later with me saying, “what the fuck am I talking about?” I’ve been pretty light on inspiration. 

Nevertheless, dear readers, you have stuck by me this long and thus deserve to have your appetites whet (whetted? whote?) 

I don’t like that phrase.  It sounds dirty, but it’s not. 

I’m going to resist the urge to go on a Lewis Black style screaming fit of rage rant and instead tell you about the stuff I’ve been super into lately and then give you a preview of blogs I want to write, so that way I’ll be forced to actually write them.  (You guys have to hold me accountable, okay?)

 

Sims Free Play

I made the rather unfortunate discovery that there’s a FREE version of Sims you can play on your phone or tablet.  I downloaded it for my iPad like four days ago and have done very little else since then.  It’s like crack.  Or meth because I think meth is more addictive and ruins your life even more.  If there’s an unlimited money cheat, I have yet to find it but it’s still taking over my life.  Yesterday I uttered the sentence, “No, I have to get home by six because I need to send my Sim to work.”  So yeah, that happened.

 Sometimes they have sex in the kitchen

I should also note that because I just started and am still earning money, all five of my Sims (all named after TV characters) sleep in the same room.  It’s awkward.  How would you like to sleep in the same room as your neighbors?  Not to mention, two of them are doing it.  (They’re whores.  I’ve only had the game for like 4 days, remember?)

 

Paradise by Coldplay

My sister will tell you that I go through “obsession” phases with songs where I basically enter a relationship with them.  When I hear the song, it’s like love at first sight and I immediately start playing it over and over and over and over again until I finally can’t stand it anymore and we “break up” which means I make a noise of disgust everytime it starts and then I skip to the next song.  Eventually, the song and I make up and we stay friends which means I’ll run into it on shuffle and it’s kinda awkward because it’s been a while but it’s nice to hear his voice again.

Right now, I’m in the pretty torrid part of the relationship with this song.  Things are hot.  I mean, there are a lot of bands I like and can get into in a pretty serious way (Foster the People, anyone?  I almost wore that CD out) but me and Paradise, I can see this relationship going the distance.

 

American Horror Story

If you’re friends with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, you already know this.  (This is one of the reasons I love Twitter because I can live Tweet during the show and it’s almost like watching in a big group with the rest of the United States).  This show is just all kinds of mind-blowing, it’s got cute guys, plenty of excitement, tons of sex and it usually ends with me sitting on the couch wondering what the hell I just watched.  There have been lots of shows that I’ve found exciting and intruiging but American Horror Story is the only one that has actually made me shout out loud, “OH MY GOD, WHAT THE HELL?!”

Actual live tweeting event. 

I can’t imagine how that wouldn’t be enough to convince you to watch but if you need a brief synopsis, I’ll just let you know that even though most of the actors are present in both seasons, they play completely different characters and therefore, season 1 and season 2 have nothing to do with each other.  Two completely different stories.  Seriously, you should try out this show.  Season 1 involves a seemingly ordinary family who moves into a notorious “murder house” and becomes subject to all the horrors that lie within.  Season 2 takes place in an insane asylum during the 1960s where a perfectly sane reporter is being held against her will along with a really attractive man who is likely innocent but charged with murdering his wife, not to mention a Nazi doctor who performs unspeakable experiments on his patients and a bunch of nuns (possessed and otherwise) who are running around, wreaking havoc.

 

See?  Everyone's playing different characters, this season.  Except for Zachary Quinto who is, as always, playing an attractive male whose sexuality is questionable, at best. 

If THAT’S not enough to convince you to watch, you might as well just quit at life because I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you.  Basically, everying that Ryan Murphy is doing wrong with Glee, he’s doing RIGHT with American Horror Story.  Total clusterfuck from start to finish but in the best way.

 

Sherlock

You might want to stop the presses because with American Horror Story, Once Upon a Time, Doctor Who, etc, this may be the first show I’ve become obsessed with in a looooong time that’s not science-fictiony.  It does however have a hot male lead which I guess puts it right back in the same genre as all my other favorite shows.  (Why doesn’t Netflix have a Hot Male Lead category?  I have to find this shit on my own.)

 

Just like everything else that’s being remade, redone or rebooted these days, this BBC version of Sherlock Holmes is sexier, snappier and streamlined for the 21^st century.  The quintessentialy metrosexual Holmes, played by Benedict Cumberbatch (or as I call him, Ridiculous McSilly Name) is basically a fast-talking, arrogant, British version of Sheldon Cooper.  And Watson, well, I have to be honest, Benedict Cumberbatch is so flawlessly brilliant in his role that I really don’t pay much attention to Watson.

 

For you Doctor Who fans, you probably already know that this series is produced by the Moff and therefore you have no reason NOT to watch it.  Everyone else should know that it’s a really awesome mystery series that had me hooked from the very first episode when Sherlock said uttered the quote you see above.

 

Caramel Brulee Latte

If you haven’t tried this, then you need to get your ass over to Starbucks tout suite because it’s soooo good.  Nevermind that a triple grande costs me over $5, this thing is delicious.  Warm, winter happiness in a cup.

 

 

My iPad

I’m totally addicted to this thing.  It’s with me at all times, it’s next to me when I sleep, sometimes I’m even using it WHILE I’m using my laptop.  I don’t know how I ever played Angry Birds on my tiny iPhone screen or watched movies on it, for that matter.  I think I’ve said before (whether here or on Twitter or in a real-life conversation) that nobody needs an iPad.  It’s not necessary for anybody.  But if you have the means, they are SO MUCH FUN.

 

So, that’s pretty much everything I’ve been addicted to, recently.  I should also add that I have been crazy crazy busy lately.  Like I said, work has been a nightmare, I’m doing those big end-of-the-semester research projects for school, I’ve got a chapter I still need to edit for a client, a tacky Hanukkah sweater I need to decorate for a party this weekend and all kinds of other shit to do.  I will confess that the blog has taken a backseat to life but it meant a lot to me to see on Facebook that some of you guys missed it.  If that’s not inspiration to write, I don’t know what is.  If you’re tired of waiting for new blogs, you should make sure to follow me on Twitter so you can get daily doses of my hilarity.  The handle is @beckyb89.

 

Last but not least, some topics I want to get writing on.  Let me know if any of these sound interesting.  Socially Awkward Situations, My Dream Wedding, Planning a Trip to London, Something About Full House.
 

Thanks for reading, everyone!

 

Beck

Being Thankful and Stuff

I put off writing this blog as long as I could because, well, I couldn’t figure out how to be sincere about it without sounding trite like the end of a Full House episode where the sappy music plays and Danny reminds the girls how lucky they are to have each other.  I haven’t figured out how to do that, so we’re just going to have to make it through.

 

The number one thing that I’m thankful for is that I am in a much better place in my life than I was this time last year.  That’s a broad way of putting it, so I should probably break it down.  The following are not in any particular order, just the order in which they occur to me.

 

My Family: This one probably goes without saying but family is placed prominently on the list because there have been specific instances in the last year during which I genuinely thought I was going to lose my mom, my dad and my brother.  If your name is Megan and you work with me, you’ve probably had to talk me down during all three of those crises.  It would be super awesome if we didn’t have to go through another year like that.  In the meantime, I am so thankful that we’re all still here and in good health, with affordable health insurance, unlimited cell phone plans that allow us all to keep in touch and the ability to follow our dreams (to be a teacher, a nurse, a financial wizard, a man of faith and the best mom on the planet).  Most of all, I am thankful for the abudance of I’m-about-to-pee-my-pants moments of laughter that we have shared this year and every year in the past.

 

Ace: I couldn’t speak about my family without mentioning about our new addition.  This puppy has brought so much extra joy, laughter and puddles of urine to our family, which is probably why I talk about him and post pictures like he’s my son or something.  He’s only six months old, so Acey may not be the best behaved of all the dogs in the world, but he is certainly the most beloved.  I’m thankful that he has joined the family, even with those first sleepless nights we had to endure, the dozens and dozens of accidents in the house and the fact that this little terror will eat anything—including and especially the contents of the garbage.  Nevertheless, I think we’re all very glad that Acey is with us.

 

My Job:  Some days it’s a little easier to wake up than others but 9 times out of 10, I’m happy to go to work in the morning.  That alone is something to be thankful for, I think we can agree.  Student loans are a heartless bitch but I’m thankful for the ability to fulfill my obligations by paying them.  In addition to that, I love my crazy students and (some of) their parents.  I love my coworkers and all the fun shenanigans and gossip we provide for each other.  I love that my job has given me the inspiration and the tools the pursue becoming a teacher.  Middle schoolers are some of the most hilarious, frustrating, endearing, infuriating little people you will ever deal with, but my job has kind of made me love them.

 

My Friends: They say that some friends come and go.  This has been a painful lesson to learn and unfortunately I’m still learning it, but I am thankful for the friends I have made since last Thanksgiving.  No matter what shit might be going on, I have a contact list full of people that I can call or text and know that they will care.  My best friend from high school and I still gmail chat at work all the time, my boo always makes me laugh, I got to spend 4 days in D.C. with two of my favorite coworkers and my hoebag is probably the best mentor I’ve ever had.  I also don’t know what I’d do without everyone else that encourages me, goes out to drink with me, helps me kill zombies on my iPad or just shoots the shit at my desk with me.  They make my life a hell of a lot more fun.

 

 

Gwen:  Gwen, my 2006 Ford Fusion (named after Gwen Cooper, the ass-kicking main character from Torchwood), is the car I’ve dreamed of buying ever since the first time I laid eyes on a Fusion.  I am so happy to finally have her but more importantly, the peace of mind that she brings me.  It is so nice not to worry about whether your car is going to make it from point A to point B or if it’s going to start when it’s too cold outside or if the engine’s going to die if I’m at a red light and I’m not revving the engine continuously.  (True story.  My first car, Todd.)  I love my car, it works well and it’s paid off.  I’m thankful for that!

 

As far as things go, it’s been a pretty awesome year.  I’m pretty happy with the way things are going in my life.  I still hemorrhage money like nobody’s business but I have a family that’s awesome, I job I like, friends I adore, more material possessions than I know what to do with and the resources to continue my education.  Hopefully by this time next year, I’ll be finishing up my student teaching with job prospects and a husband.  Okay, maybe not a husband.  That would be nice though.

 

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  I hope you all have a great holiday, eat tons of food, drink a whole bunch and kill some bitches to get a 32 inch TV at Walmart!  Isn’t that what Thanksgiving is all about?

 

Becky

Movies/TV Shows I Like but No One Else Seems To

I don’t think I have terrible taste in things.  Well, except we’ve already discussed that I love ugly baby names and the guys I’m attracted aren’t usually handsome in the traditional sense, but it’s not like I’m just a freak who likes weird shit.  Well, maybe I am.  Anyway, here is a list of movies and TV shows that I really really like, but I think I’m the only one who does.

Pan Am: This show kind of fizzled out, halfway through the first season, (Some people would argue that it fizzled out before the first episode even aired), but I kind of liked it!  It was cute, it was mindless, it was a period piece which means I already love it.  Christina Ricci was charming and the one guy who played the pilot was hot.  (Because apparently they let 25 year olds fly commercial airliners in the 1960s.)  They tried to introduce some lame espionage plot that just ended up being so bizarre because the show barely made it through a handful of episodes, but I still enjoyed watching this fluffy little show.  If they could have gotten rid of the political parables and just written more about Colette (cutest flight attendant ever!) this show might have made it!  Well, probably not.  But it was a fun blend of soap opera drama and frivolous fun.

Stage Beauty: I never would have even known this movie existed if we hadn’t watched it in my Restoration Drama class in college, but I frickin loved it and now I watch it on a pretty regular basis.  It takes place in the 1660s, before women were allowed to act on the English stage and supposedly tells the story of Edward Kynaston, who was a real life actor and one of the best players of women that ever lived in the time period where women were just beginning to appear in plays.  Bonus points for Rupert Everett playing Charles II, probably my favorite role of his, to date.  Again, this is a period piece, but it’s also hilarious and it’s got all the trappings of a romantic comedy.  People compare it to Shakespeare in Love, but for some reason, not very many people have seen this movie.  I would highly recommend giving it a try, if you’re into that kind of thing.  For example, I think my cousin Teresa would love it.

Torchwood: My geeky, sci-fi vice.  For those of you who don’t know what Doctor Who is, it’s a science fiction show.  For those of you who don’t know what Torchwood is, it’s a super sexed-up version of Doctor Who.  Seriously, it’s true.  One episode deals with an alien that feeds off “orgasm energy” and has sex with and kills as many people as possible.  Then Ianto has sex with a Cyberwoman, Owen has sex with a lady from the past, Tosh has sex with a chick who’s actually an alien and Jack makes out with his old friend.  His name is John.  There’s some fun, actiony stuff that happens too, but all you need to know is that everyone is bisexual and they’re all sleeping with each other.  That said, it’s a totally enjoyable and campy show.

Orphan: Omg, I freakin love this movie. I seriously watch it every time they play it on cable. A dysfunctional family adopts a sweet little Russian girl to heal their heart following a miscarriage, and it turns out that little girl isn't actually a little girl. She is a full grown woman with some disorder that makes her look like a kid. Oh and she is also a psycho killer. Everybody got that?  As if the premise alone wasn't enough to make you love this movie, maybe the awesomely bad dialogue will: "I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING MOMMY!!!!"  This whole movie is a giant train wreck from start to finish and I love it!  Seriously, watch this movie. Watch it.

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo: Everytime I mention this train wreck of a show to someone, I'm disappointed to find that everyone else claims that they have never seen it. I don't know if they're lying or if I'm truly the only one who watched this show religiously. Everyone will claim that this show is everything that's wrong with America. I say pish posh. First, there's June: the bastion of graceful motherhood. She has a brood of classy daughters who participate in such activities as farting at the dinner table, smelling each other's breath, and getting pregnant at 17. Even though Glitzy the pig is probably the smartest member of the family, i would still rather spend a day with this family than with those awful Kardashians.

The Village: I’m a big fan of M. Night Shyamalan fan even though everyone says that his movies after Sixth Sense are crap, I think The Village is far superior.  I won’t spoil the big “twist” for you, but I think one of the reasons people were so disappointed with the film was because they were waiting for the twist and then when it came, their minds weren’t blown.  The movie itself is so good and because the twist comes in the last 8 minutes or so, it barely even registers on my radar.  The acting is great, the music is sublime and visually, it’s just beautiful.  Give this movie a try.  It’s one of my favorites.

Well, dear readers, perhaps I will revisit this topic some other time. I'd like to think of more examples but Sarah is home right now and we're going to go watch some Kevin Hart comedy. Let me know if there are any tv shows or movies that you adore but everyone else seems to hate. I'll talk to you soon!

Thanks for reading

Becky

Quotes That Inspire Me #1

Hey, everyone.  What does an awesome, fun 23 year old do on a Saturday night?  Well, dear readers, right now I am lying flat on a couch because my back hurts because I have been curled up in a ball right here  all day, finishing Season 1 of American Horror Story.  And by “finishing,” I mean, I watched three and a half episodes last night and the other nine and a half today.  I’m not sure which hurts more: my back or my brain.  Let’s just say that’s a pretty intense TV show.  At least, I found it that way.  I won’t be able to stop thinking about it for a while.

Anyway, I figured I’d start this new mini-series that I’ve been thinking about for a little while.  I’m going to tell you a little bit about the quotes that inspire me.  Some of you may find this interesting, some of you may find it extremely dull.  That’s okay.  I’ve just been staring at the ol’ 55 incher for the last eight hours straight and I need to do something else for a while.

Interestingly enough (or maybe not so interesting) the quote that I’m starting with is not my number one favorite.  I’ll share that with you another day, but today, I kind of just want to write something quick and not spend a really long time bogged down in what I’m trying to say.  So, embarassing as it is, here is one of the quotes that inspires me.  It’s a quote by Taylor Swift, of all people.

“Real life is a funny thing.  In real life, saying the right thing at the right moment is beyond crucial, so crucial in fact that most of us start to hesitate for fear of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time.  But lately what I’ve begun to fear more than that is letting the moment pass without saying anything.  I think you deserve to look back on your life without this chorus of resounding voices saying ‘I could’ve but it’s too late now’.  So there’s a time for silence and there’s a time for waiting your turn, but if you know how you feel and you so clearly know what you need to say, you'll know it.  And I don’t think you should wait.  I think you should speak now.”

So, now that you know the quote, let me tell you a little story.  It’s the story of a girl who, when she was thirteen or fourteen years old, met the boy of her dreams.  And she spent the next eight or nine years refusing to say the words that her gut was forever telling her to say.  And for a long time, it hurt.  A lot the hurt was probably that girl’s fault because even though you know exactly what you want to say, actually saying it is the hardest thing you will ever try to do.  And now it’s far too late.

Speaking about myself in the third person is getting really tedious, so I’m just going to drop it now.  I’m referring to myself.  I think that was pretty obvious, though.

The story has a happy ending, though.  Even though I spent years of my life torturing myself because I refused to cut and run but also refused to tell him that I was head over heels, ass over elbow, crazy, stupid, write shitty poetry in love with him, it’s a mistake that I will hopefully never repeat.  I guess I won’t know until I’m put to the test, again.

I guess the point I’m trying to make is that it’s not worth it to waste one minute of your life on a boy who won’t look at you twice.  You either need to speak now and get it over with, or you have to accept that you’re always going to be hanging on every word and every stupid little glance until one of you taps out.  And take my word for it, the former, however agonizing, has got to be better than the latter.

I’m sure I’ll fall in love again, someday.  At least, I hope so.  I don’t think I’ve gotten to experience the fun part of it yet.  Honey Boo Boo’s mom has a boyfriend for crap sake.  Those two-headed siamese twins are engaged!  If that’s not a case for true love, I don’t know what is.

Nobody likes putting themselves out there for rejection, but sometimes, if you want to get an answer, you have to nut up and speak now.  And even though I may not be able to take my own advice, this quote inspires me anyway because now, whenever I refuse to speak, it’s a good reminder to try harder next time.

Thanks for reading, friends.

Becky