Bron's Blog II

Just When You Think There's Nothing To Post

Someone hits you with a meme. (Someone else tagged me with this one about a month ago.....I remember 'cause I wrote it down so I wouldn't forget. Then I lost the paper I wrote it on....she is a frequent commenter...if I'm talking about you, speak up! And I'm sorry it took so long.)

This is the "pick up the nearest book meme":

Um....oh, crap....this will be a long one...

"Where, as was the ordinary practice, it was the saints that were said to have performed some miracle, unless it was the qualified as really the act of god through the intermediary, it seems reasonable to assume that the words were sometimes meant as used, and the saint was seen as acting of himself or herself. Of an infinite number of illustrations, a bronze stamp may be instanced, to be used in the manufacture of clay lamps, inscribed with the words, "Receive, O Saint, the incense and heal all," where the holy Symeon is addressed, and a picture drawn of the suppliant with censer in hand; or the sixth- and seventh-century lots may serve, surviving on papyri from Antinoe and Oxyrhynchus and inquiring about people's individual concerns from "the all-conquering God of Saint Philoxenus" or "of Saint Kollouthos"; but sometimes, instead, the inquiry addresses the saint unassisted. Before as after Vigilantius and Faustus, there were even openly expressed perceptions that conflicted with the with the sole divinity of God; for, says Augustine, "I know many people are worshipers of tombs and painted representations."
- Christianity & Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries

I lead an exciting reading life...I know you're jealous....

The "Six random things about me" meme:

1. I'm addicted to Netflix - I'm up to 6 movies home at a time. I love watching TV series episodes one after the other. Currents favs: Shark & Boston Legal (James Spader is to die for.) I think people who say TV rots your brain are simply misinformed. ::Wink::

2. When I sleep on my back, I have to sleep with my arms crossed over my chest, a la' vampires. Seriously. I have to. I seem to remember as a small child thinking that my heart would beat out of my chest if I didn't. From such small things are obsessions born....

3. I can't stand it when drivers sit at an intersection after the light turns green. GO already!

4. I really dislike shopping with other people. It drives me nuts to "spend the day at the mall" window shopping. I'm more of a surgical strike type. Get in, get what I need, and get the hell out.

5. I would rather clean toilets all day long than do dishes. I can't stand to have my bare hands in dirty dish water so I have to wear rubber gloves at all times...even for the transfer of dishes from sink to dishwasher. If I don't have gloves or one has sprung a leak, the dishes don't get done!

6. I'm a control freak. For example, I need to be in charge of the TV remote. Always. I start to hyperventilate if I don't. (see #1.)

I'm not tagging, but if you want to play, go for it!

Lightning, Thunder & Rain - Oh, My!

The first thunderstorm in months hit early this morning. The thunder woke me about 2 AM - yay! I really do love NM - the desert, the high desert, the mountains - but I love rain even more. Maybe I appreciate it so much since it's such a rare event? Regardless, we won't have to water the garden for a day or two. :)

I went with a group of 500 7th graders to a field trip yesterday. A movie in the gym for a couple of hours, then the park for water games for over almost 2 hours. It was cloudy & windy - not the best weather for kids to be getting wet! But everyone seemed to have a good time, the whole turning blue thing notwithstanding. I, however, was exhausted and achy by the time I'd stopped by the grocery store & got home. I went to bed early!

Poor Dylan, who has inherited my chronic insomnia, went to bed at 6:00 - a first for him. But I don't think he's slept more than a couple of hours a night for the last week so he was truly spent. Once he turns 18 he'll be able to start sleeping pills too but until then it's generic fixes (no lights in the room during the night, stopping video games 1 hour before bed) and a sleeping pill based on melatonin. None of which work, of course. Sigh.

Anyhoo - I knit another inch on my sweater, but I'll spare you a picture until I have something more than stockinette to show. So, just to post some pics, here's a beginning line up of my summer reading:

I've already begun Roma - it's looking good. :) Here's a bit of American history for me to brush up on:

(And yes - I'll be reading NM history too. No way would I take the New Mexico Teacher's Assessment for my license without studying first! But that's still months away....)

I'm finally going to read Shelby Foote:

I've been a Civil War junkie for years.

Right now I'm going through a GED Math workbook to find what I'll need to know for the Basic Skills test. I "confabbed" with a woman who took it recently and she was invaluable giving me hints & insights. :) Everything is multiple choice except the essay portion, and math counts for 37% of the test. They give you all the formulas, so all you need to remember is what to plug in & where. :) I've taken the GED workbook pretest and whizzed through 95% of it. I'll make sure I've got the other 5% down before the test!

It's not that I'm worried - most say this basic skills test is middle school level rather than high school - but my last standardized tests were the ACT & SAT.... 30 years ago. So it never hurts to review. :)

Regarding the California trip: Doug is taking his Dad & the boys to Fresno, but they'll only be there one night flying in & then flying out. He's driving on to the coast & then to Yosemite. They have to take my FIL's roommate with them, but she'll be picked up by her son (a professor at Fresno State) and visit with them the entire 6 days.

I have to stay home because the NM Basic Skills test is only given once this summer - June 7th, the day before they get back. Plus I have two classes while they're gone and I can't afford to miss even one. But that's actually fine with me - 6 days to myself will be a rare treat!

Only 8 1/2 Days To Go

...in this school year.

But really, who's counting?

My stomach is definitely feeling better - I guess I just needed to take it easy for a day or two. Here's my sweater progress - I'm finished with the cables:

I had a very productive meeting over the weekend with a woman who's already had a semester of the alternative licensure program. (Her daughter & I were in the same creative writing class.) She's already taken the NM basic skills test and gave her daughter and me pointers as to what to expect & what subjects are covered. I'm not truly worried - it's supposed to be a GED level test but some say it's actually middle school level - but it never hurts to be prepare. :) After all, the ACT and SAT were :::cough:::: 30 years ago :::cough:::

That test is one of the reasons I can't go to California with Doug & the kids. It's only offered on June 7th this summer and I HAVE to take it. They are flying back on June 8th. Plus I have class every Mon & Wed. - missing just isn't an option in this program.

The NMTA in my content area DOES concern me. Since leaving college (heck, even IN college) I've concentrated on Medieval history with just a smattering of other subjects thrown in. (Like the Civil War.) I know next to nothing about NM history which I know will be at least 1/4 of the history test. It's taught in 7th grade at all the middle schools here. It's ironic that even though I won't be teaching history, I need to get my license  with it.

Unless I manage to pick up another 6 hours of English credits somewhere. Hmmmmm....

Have a great Monday!