R.I.P Roonie

While on a blogging roll...and since I'm not tired at all, I've decided to do a tribute to my precious Roonie. Who is Roonie? What are you talking about Coley? Well...if you don't know, Roonie was my beloved Toyota Corolla for 5 years.

We had some good times, Roonie and me. On December 7th, she came to her end. (Case believes that she might have wanted the end to come...I have to agree) Roonie decided to crash into a guard rail...bless her heart.

She got me from point a to point b and to point c, d, and e. We drove all around North and South Carolina. Trips to the beach, mountains, colleges, and took many trips to the park with children in tow. I loved her indeed.

I got her in October of '03. My senior year of high school. My previous car, Goldie (I like naming my cars), was totalled and we found Roonie shortly after. I loved that car. It might not have been the newest, but she took me all over! Great on gas, had awesome air conditioning, and very durable. I loved her.

I should've taken all the bad things as an omen. My sister ran into her back in May. She lost her atenna in '04. Many other things in between, but she didn't let that stop her from being the best little car ever.

It was a little bittersweet to get my new car. I stayed in the Toyota family. I'd like to think that she'd approve of my new car. I haven't found the perfect name for the new one. Maybe I'm still holding on to the memory of Roonie. Even the shiny appeal of a car that heats fast, has a radio, I can actually open it with a little remote without saying 'beep beep' pretending...I still miss the old girl.

So here's to you Roonie! I miss you!

About Me

I recently posted this on 'facebook'. I usually don't do things like this, but was intrigued by it. I decided to post it in my blog. I figure not all of us are on facebook and wanted to include it.

The deal is you put 25 'random things' about yourself. The hope is that you get to know each other better. On the book (facebook) you can tag other people and then they write their own note. So here is mine:

1. I teach English at Rockingham Co. High School. I aspire to be like the amazing teachers I’ve had in the past and the teachers I teach with now, they are incredible.

2. I love that I’m from the foothills of North Carolina and didn’t know how much I loved the mountains ‘til I moved away from them. I still and always will consider it 'home'.

3. I have a fear of goldfish (the actual fish, not bite-size snack). I was appalled when my mom decided to get an aquarium for our house one time.

4. I love taking pictures and have great confidence that my children will have well documented lives.

5. I love to travel. I have a life goal to visit all 50 states and 7 continents. One of the best experiences I have had in my life was when I went to Spain when I was 16.

6. Once when I was asked what the most interesting thing about me, I said that I lived with twins. I still think it’s interesting and miss living with my twins.

7. I adore my Granny and she is one of the only people I actually believe when she says, “It’ll all come out in the wash”.

8. Though I was not a good big sister when I was young, I’ve tried to make up for in recent years. My sister is pretty awesome and I love her very much. Siblings know your past better than anyone else!

9. My secret dream is to be a broadway actress.

10. I am left handed. My sister and aunt are too.

11. I am all about some pretty handwriting! I admit that I am a ‘font’ stealer (Case and Spring McKinney). I think it comes from my Granny, she has beautiful handwriting.

12. My guilty pleasure is watching “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy”. I know they are trashy…however… I think they are hilarious.

13. I LOVE music. I have almost 4,000 songs on my iPod. I also have amazingly random taste. When on shuffle, my iPod can go from playing Led Zeppelin to Reba McEntire to Lil’ Wayne to Dashboard Confessional to Judy Garland. I give all credit to my Dad.

14. On my 25th birthday, I want to go on a cross country trip and skydive.

15. I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It's the only reason I've gotten through some things in my life.

16. I love monograms and think that they will bring a touch of class to everything. I just put one on my car!!

17. I love quotes. I have 3 journals of them. I steal Caroline’s and copy from them sometimes.

18. Even though I am a good southern girl, I do not like sweet tea! I make up for it with my grit consumption.

19. I have to have the volume on my TV and radio and also the temperature in my apt and car on even numbers.

20. Cape Hatteras and Ocean Isle are my favorite places on Earth. There is a peace that only the beach brings to my life. I want to live there when I retire. My best memories from childhood stem from beach trips with my parents and sister to Cape Hatteras.

21. I am addicted to Target and Barnes and Noble. I make excuses to go into Greensboro just to go to them.

22. I am still dear friends with the first person I met in my kindergarten class :)

23. I still like for my Momma to take care of me when I’m sick. My Granny too!

24. I love being with my family and adore the newest member: Stevie Layne!

25. My best friends are some of the most amazing, wonderful people I know and I would be absolutely lost without them.

Am I A Real Teacher Yet?

I am still not doing the best job of keeping up with the blog. I am constantly trying to figure out how to balance everything in my life. Just keeping up with teaching is quite a task. I figure if something has to suffer...the blog might have to be it.

I finished with my first semester of students as a 'real' teacher. I still can't believe that I'm a real teacher. Whatever the definition of 'real' means. My first students have gone on and now I'm onto 'round 2'. My new classes seem pretty good. It's early in the game to make any predictions. Fingers crossed they'll be a good group.

I've learned so much in these past 6 months. (Whoa! 6 months!!) This time last year I was becoming a full time student teacher and now it's real! Earlier in the year (well technically it was last year, my years are measured by the school calendar, haha) I included a 'what I've learned' list. I've expanded...this is part II:

1) Teenagers are some of the most interesting creatures I have ever seen. They constantly make me ask myself, "Did I really act like that when I was their age??".

2) English teachers are funny. The people I work with never cease to bring humor into my life. There have been countless afternoons spent in one of our classrooms just laughing. It keeps me sane.

3) It's true. All you really needed to know...you learned in kindergarten. Sharing is still important (esp. with lesson plans!), kindness goes a long way, lunch time is the best part of the day, friends are the cornerstone of life, and when you finally get to see your Mommy, it's amazing!

4) I love making my students laugh. I tell the corniest jokes ever just to make them chuckle. They think I'm a dork, but the truth is, I love seeing their smiling faces.

5) Friends are essential. My group of girls e-mail each other daily and it has been one of the things that has gotten me through this sometimes really really hard year.

6) Family is crucial. I don't know where I would be if I couldn't call my Mom at night, just to hear her voice and know that she is right there, right where I left her in Morganton, and more importantly, her love is in my heart, and as corny as it sounds, carrying it around with me has made all the difference.

7) Copying Machines are of the devil. I strongly believe there should be a class in college devoted to how to un-jam, restock, compute, and figure out!!

8) I can't always see it, and I don't know that I have yet, but I have a feeling that this job is worth it.

I know I've learned more, but I can't think of anything else right now, haha. I am still learning. I think I'll be learning from this job 'til the day I retire from it or leave one! Haha, just kidding. But I am still learning, everyday, constantly.