To blog or not to blog, that is the question.....

So, I haven't been around for the past 4 months... well, I've been around, just not blogging. I used to love my blog - writing stories that I knew would make people laugh - and loved getting comments from friends and strangers - it was encouraging!

Here are some reasons I think that I'm blogging less than I used to:

1. Lack of Material - Since I've moved to a small central Texas town, my adventures are somewhat limited. I started blogging about books I read and movies I saw to fill my blog, but it was boring. So I stopped.


2. My job - Being a principal doesn't really allow me to say what I want all of the time, I have to worry about potential backlash. (Trust me, there are so many stories I WANT to tell, but CAN'T.) Sometimes I wish I had a different job so I could write more.


3. Time - This year, for whatever reason, my job was my life. It almost killed me. I'm hoping that year two will be a little more merciful on my time and energy and I'll feel like blogging more.


4. Lazy - When I'm not working, my ass is on the couch. I've been on some great trips and I've not blogged about any. I've gone to see some cute towns and NADA. So I'm going to try and work on that.


5. Loss of Blogging Buddies - I had a group of friends that I shared blogs with and we would talk about our writing. One passed away a little more than a year ago of cancer and another one hasn't posted in as long as me. I miss having that connection.

Will I continue to blog? I hope so. I love writing and I still have it on my bucket list to write a book. Blogging is just such a fun way to write and share information.

So what do you think? Should I blog or should I go?

What the hell is going on in education?

I've been watching the news and reading the papers daily. The budgetary crisis faced by the Texas legislature is about to seriously impact education in Texas. And that is some scary stuff. We are talking furlough days, closing schools, cutting salaries and RIFfing (reduction in force) teachers. I don't know the actual impact in my current district (they are still trying to figure it out), but I can imagine it's going to be a much different picture next year than it is this year.

I began my career in education in 1992 and I have never seen anything like this in the 20 years I've been an educator. I thought I was in a career that was untouchable because there are always children that need to be taught. Now I'm nervous and I have constant headaches, neckpain, and stomach aches as I watch what is unravelling around me. What does it mean to me? What does it mean to the teachers at my school? What does it mean to the children at my school?

And it's not just Texas. I heard on the news today that the school district that serves Providence, RI is laying off ALL 2000 teachers to maximize cuts. They will more than likely bring some back (Ed.'s Note: WTF? Aren't there still school aged children in Providence, Rhode Island?), but this will allow them to make the cuts needed.

Don't forget about our friends in Wisconsin..... teachers there had massive "sick-ins" to skip school so they could go protest the possible dissolution of collective bargaining in that state. They had a conference day off to attend professional development, but most chose to go to the capital and protest. The governor wants to dissolve collective bargaining because of the costs to the already financially troubled state.

What does this do to teacher morale and productivity?

And most importantly, what are we doing to our kids?

The Runaways (2010)

I'm home sick today. I've been up since 2 AM, vomiting like a crazy lady. The bug has been going around the school, so I guess it's my turn. Since I haven't been sleeping much (about 3 hours a night for the past week), it's all come to blows today. I've spent most of the day in bed, sleeping and trying not to throw up again. I HATE throwing up!!

So to give me a break, I decided to watch one of my Netflix movies (which I've had since November, isn't that bad?). I select "The Runaways," which is the story of the 1970's punk rock band The Runaways. This girl band was founded by Joan Jett and Sandy West. They added Lita Ford and Cherie Currie. There were several bass players, but in the movie they were played by one character.

I liked the movie. I always thought I should have been born in 1960 instead of 1970 and this movie reminded me of that. I loved the music (maybe not all of the fashion). You see how young the girls were (16-18) and that maybe they weren't equipped to handle the fame and pressure. Cherie left the band and a few years later, the band broke up. Only Joan Jett and Lita Ford really continued with their music careers after The Runaways. You learn at the end that Cherie Currie is a chainsaw artist in the San Fernando Valley now.

If you like this time period or this type of music, then this is a great movie to see!! You'll catch yourself singing along!

Mo's Review:
"The Runaways" (2010): 4 out of 5 stars

True Grit (2010)

The Oscars are just a week away and I still have a few more films that I want and need to see. This was one of them. I hesitated to see it because I have gotten mixed reviews from several of my friends.

So I headed to the Chestnut Square today to see this movie. I love that you can do a movie and snacks for like $12 - the price is right!! The theater is not the fanciest, but it's functional!

True Grit is a remake of the film with John Wayne, but it's very different. It's more based on the book (which I've purchased and plan to read soon). It was a great story about a young girl, Mattie, who hires Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to help her find the man who killed her dad. Texas Ranger LaBouef (Matt Damon) is also searching for the same man, so they work together and they don't. Matt Damon is great in this role.

I don't really like westerns, but I loved this movie. I thought it was great. Jeff Bridges is great (of course, I still think about the Against All Odds Jeff Bridges) but I do like his older, rougher side. And it's not a new western unless you have Josh Brolin in it.

The girl who played Mattie was incredible - she is only 14? Wow!!!

If you haven't seen True Grit, go for it!! You'll love it!!

Mo's Review:
"True Grit" (2010): 5 out of 5 stars

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

I'm excited that I've been able to join a Book Club! I love reading and I love talking about books with people who love to read. So this was the first book since I've joined the Club.

I don't always like to read dog books (like Marley & Me) because they usually make me cry and get upset. I can't imagine anything happening to Maude, nor do I want to.

This story is unique in how it is presented - it's the story (of multiple lives) of a dog. The dog first is a stray and you learn what happens to him. The dog is then reborn to a new family. The dog has two more reincarnations and the last one is so poignant and a great way to end the story.

I laughed and I cried while I read this book - I knocked it out in two days because I couldn't put it down. If you are a dog person, then this is a great read for you.

Mo's Review:
"A Dog's Life" by W. Bruce Cameron (2010, 319 pages): 5 out of 5 stars

Just Go With It (2011)

I love Adam Sandler. I've seen practically every movie he has ever done. I know that he isn't an incredible film maker, but he makes movies that are funny and make me laugh. I still love to watch "Billy Madison" every time it comes on the TV.

Just Go With It is the story of plastic surgeon Danny Maccabee (Sandler) who wears a wedding ring to get him girls. When he meets a girl that he really likes, the ring works against him. He enlists the aid of his office manager, played by Jennifer Aniston, to help him get divorced so that he can move on with this girl.

Jennifer Aniston is in so many movies, but she never plays anything but the same character. I could think of other actresses that would have been funnier in this role. The actors that played the kids are cute and funny.

Do you want to see a funny, mindless movie that makes you laugh? Here it is! Enjoy with some popcorn and a beer - it's a good use of a lazy day.

Mo's Review:
"Just Go With It" (2011): 5 out of 5 stars

I don't understand Girl Scout Cookies in Central Texas....

So this is my first Girl Scout cookie experience in Central Texas. One of the bonuses is that you can start getting cookies in January, where in North Texas, you can't score the goods before February.

But I was surprised when I got the order form. I was actually confused. The names didn't make any sense to me. These are not the same Girl Scout cookies that I ate back at home. Or are they?

Let's do some examples:

North Texas: Samoas
Central Texas: Caramel deLites
Why the name change? I'm a little confused - why can't they have the same name? Why does the Central Texas name more descriptive?

North Texas: Trefoils
Central Texas: Shortbread
Okay, I was a Girl Scout in the 70's. They were called Trefoils then and they still are in N. Texas. Central Texas again states the obvious, duh.... we know they are shortbread.

North Texas: Tagalongs
Central Texas: Peanut Butter Patties
Now that just doesn't even sound good. Get me some "Peanut Butter Patties!" They are Tagalongs!! My post from a couple of years ago would not be near as funny if I had called them Peanut Butter Patties.

North Texas: Thin Mints
Central Texas: Thin Mints
Well, here we go - a name that's the same. But the cookie is thin and mint flavored, so I guess North Texas acquiesed to Central Texas here. Maybe so they wouldn't feel so bad that they have such simplistic names........

I'm sorry, as a Girl Scout alumnae, I will use the appropriate North Texas cookie names. Does anyone else think this is as weird as I do?

Rabbit Hole (2010)

I'm still on my quest to see all of the Oscar nominated movies. Since this is one is an artsy film, it's a 80 mile round trip from my house to the only theatre in NW Austin that shows this fillm. Do you see my dedication to the Oscars?

I should have known that this wasn't going to be a feel good kind of movie. It's the story of Becca and Howie Corbett (Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart), a couple who is still grieving the loss of their child, Danny, who was hit by a car. Becca and Howie choose very different ways of dealing with their grief, but the question is, can they come out of it together and rebuild their lives?

Kidman (who is not my favorite actress) did a good job as the repressed and angry Becca. I loved Aaron Eckhart in this role as well - why wasn't he nominated for an Oscar? Dianne Wiest is fabulous as Becca's mother, who has also lost a child of her own.

This move is heart wrenching, but beautiful. It's accurate as it shows other uncomfortable with how to talk and deal with the Corbetts, not knowing what to say, some even pulling away from them because it's too hard to engage them in conversation.

This movie, while a sad story, is really driven by characters. These are characters you want to know and understand. And you want to know what will happen to them.... will they make it?

(Ed.'s Note: I was able to stop by Texadelphia for some dinner and some quasi for my Super Bowl watching party -yummo!!)

Mo's Review:
"Rabbit Hole" (2010): 4 out of 5 stars

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, that is for sure. I've read several of her books and I have a few others on my nightstand pile. This is one of her older books, a book that I found at The Book Basket (Bastrop's wonderful bookstore where you can trade and buy used books, perfect for a book nerd like me!). Besides, I'm going to Pennsylvania for Spring Break and we are hoping to take a day trip out to Lancaster County and see the Amish, so this book was especially appealing to me. I looked at it as some legwork for my upcoming trip.

This book did not disappoint. It's the story of an Amish girl, Katie Fisher, who has been charged with killing the baby she gave birth to that no one knew about. It's a study of how the Amish live and believe, how the Amish and the "English" interact, and about wanting forgiveness and acceptance.

Ellie Hathaway is a big city lawyer who has taken a break and ends up being the lawyer for Katie. Her story is detailed and rich and you see how Amish life can soften the edges of a tough career woman.

Picoult does more than just tell a story, she develops characters that you want to learn more about and understand. Katie and Ellie are as different as two can be, or are they? Are the Amish as pious and perfect as we may think they are? More importantly, what happens to Katie when she goes to trial? Guilty or innocent?

As with most Picoult books, there is a surprise waiting for the reader. Those who are familiar with her books know this, so you start looking for signs along the way as you read. But it still will be a big surprise for you when it happens.

Having heard her speak and knowing the amount of time and effort she puts in her books, this one did not disappoint. I would highly recommend this book to others to read!

Mo's Review:
"Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult (2000, 405 pages): 4 out of 5 Stars

Blue Valentine (2010)

I'm on a mission to see as many of the Oscar-nominated movies as I can. I do this every year, but this may be the first year that I'm actually ahead of the curve!

Being new to the Austin area, I am still learning my way around town, so I was glad to find the Regal Arbor 8 Cinema - this is where the more artsy films are shown in Austin (kind of like the Angelika in Dallas). (Ed.s Note: If there are other theatres like this in Austin, I would like to know - I love artsy movies!)

Blue Valentine stars Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling as a married couple. It's like a side by side story - one side is their coming together and falling in love, the other side is the unraveling of their marriage. These two sides go back and forth throughout the movie until at the end, you have a full understanding of their relationship.

It's not a feel good movie and it's hard to watch at times. Having never been married... if that is what being married is like, then I'm perfectly content to stay single. However, Williams and Gosling are excellent in their roles. What I liked most about this movie is that I kept coming back and thinking about for several days, which is why it took me a few days to blog about it.

If you like character studies and don't mind dark - this is a great movie. Not my favorite movie I've seen, but a good one nonetheless.

Mo's Review:
Blue Valentine (2010): 4 out of 5 stars

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg

My commitment to read more in 2010 is going strong as I've finished five books so far this year. I'm really making time each night to read and it's been enjoyable.

This book is a character study of five different characters as they prepare for their 40th high school reunion. Candy is the hoochie girl with the unhappy marriage and a secret. Lester is the nerdy vet with a big heart. Mary Ann was the outcast who just wanted a friend and to be accepted. Pete learns that just because he was the big jock in high school, it doesn't matter now. And Dorothy is going to the reunion with one thing on her mind - what happens when she doesn't get what she wants?

Berg does a good job of creating the characters and it is interesting to see how they interact and how the reunion changes them. This was a good book, I gave it three stars because I liked it. It wasn't the best book I read, but it was enjoyable.

Mo's Review:
"The Last Time I Saw You" by Elizabeth Berg (2010, 241 pages): 3 out of 5 Stars

You Can't Make This Shit Up

So I was running late to work the other morning (not sure I should mention that on here, huh?) and I was watching Good Morning America.

They had a lady who was on because a security camera video of her texting and then falling into a fountain had gone viral on You Tube. You can see the video here.

So she was on Good Morning America because she was so embarrassed and they were considering SUING. SUING? Why? Because you were an idiot and you didn't pay attention and fell into the fountain?

The plot thickens when it's later revealed that she's been arrested for identity theft and theft of credit cards. She actually left Good Morning America to go for a court appearance on the theft charges......

She's so worried about her feelings after falling in the fountain - but does she even consider the feelings of those that she has stolen from?

People never cease to amaze me....

Room by Emma Donoghue

This may be one of the most thought-provoking books that I have read in a long time. My friend Lisa has previously read this book and I kept talking to her throughout my reading of the book - you couldn't help but want to talk about the book.

I really don't want to say too much about this book, because the reader needs to come in with a clear mind in order to really have the a-ha's that I had. So I will simply restate what I've seen on Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble.com.

Jack is a five year old boy who has lived in Room with his Ma for his entire life. It is his entire world, but it is his Ma's prison. They fear nightly visits from a man named Old Jack. What happens when Jack and Ma are able to escape Room and come to know what is called Outside?

This is an eerie topic, it echoes the Jacey Duggar story a bit, but it is so well written and so thought provoking - it makes you really think about what Jack might feel like and how he can process his new world.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to read!!

Mo's Review:

"Room" by Emma Donoghue (2010, 321 pages): 5 out of 5 Stars

The King's Speech (2010)

As you can tell, I love movies!! I consider myself to be a movie buff and I've been lucky to have a variety of friends who like to see different genres of movies.

As the Oscars approach, this movie kept coming up as a potential nominee for Best Picture as well as Best Actor for Colin Firth. (Ed.'s Note: I have a thing for Colin Firth. Some weird, bizarre, nerdy British thing.....)

So after a Sunday of shopping at my beloved Southpark Meadows, I headed to the theatre to see this film.

I loved this movie!! It was funny, witty, and touching. I learned more about the modern British monarchy than I had known. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter were all fabulous - I can see why this movie has generated such an Oscar buzz.

Colin Firth is Bertie.... son of King George. King George dies and his brother David is supposed to become king - however, he's in love with Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee. He abdicates, thus leaving Bertie, now known as King George VI, to take the throne.

No big deal, right? Bertie has a horrible stammering problem. He can't speak and they've tried everything. His wife finds Lionel Logue, an Australian who works with speech disorders. Bertie reluctantly tries working with Lionel. That is the basis of the film.

Bertie is the father of the current Queen Elizabeth of England and the great-grandfather of Prince William. This story is so well told, it was hard to believe it was a two-hour film.

Mo's Review:
The King's Speech (2010): 5 out of 5 stars

Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah

One of my new favorite authors is Kristin Hannah. I love her books!! Several of them I have read in one day, the only reason this one took me a few days was that I had a busy jam packed couple of days.

This book is the story of Julia Cates, a psychiatrist who has been publically humiliated following the actions of one of her clients. She heads home to Rain Valley and her sister, Ellie, the chief of police. One day Ellie gets called to town to find a feral child in the trees, clutching a wolf puppy.

Will Julia be able to help this child? Are the sisters able to reconnect and understand each other? And what happens when the child's history is revealed?

This was a great book, very interesting. The description and dialogue is engaging and you are dying to know what happens to all of the characters.

If you are looking for a good book to curl up on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate and your Snuggie, this is the book!

Mo's Review:
"Magic Hour" by Kristin Hannah (2006, 391 pages): 5 out of 5 Stars

Am I getting old or is technology making me a dinosaur?

Several of my friends posted the link to this article, Things Babies Born in 2011 Will Never Know. At the beginning of the article, it referenced another article from the Huffington Post, You're Out: 20 Things that Became Obsolete This Decade. So here's the things that are obsolete or will be by the time kids today grow up:

• VCRs/video tape- when I moved to Bastrop, I sold all of my VHS (what was left, I had maybe 20-30 tapes that I hadn't watched in at least 3-4 years) to Half Price books - I don't even own a VCR anymore
• Travel agents - I remember when we went to Vegas in '93, we used a travel agent. And I've never used another one since. You can schedule tour companies, hotel, airfare, everything on the computer.
• The Separation Between Work Life and Personal Life - isn't that truth? So many people can work from home (I wish I could!) and with iPhones, we are never far from work. I'm always checking work e-mail, texts and voice mails and dealing with work issues.
• Forgetting - With the Internet recording our every move, you can't really "forget" anything. People can find out and learn a lot about you by googling you!!
• Bookstores - I have a Kindle and I love my Kindle. I have many books stored on my Kindle. But I still love buying books - there is something about holding a new book, ready to read. I love going to the bookstore and reading book jackets and selecting my next great read. But I still do subscribe to several magazines still (5), not sure about giving up on those
• Watches - the article says that people use their computers or cell phones to find the time. That may be true, but I like wearing a watch and I can't imagine not having one. I'm not sure that this is going away as quick as they think - watches have been here FOREVER!!!
• 1-900 Phone Sex Lines - gee, can't say that I'll even notice it's disappearing since it was never anything that I used!!
• Maps - I have an travel atlas in my car, but I usually use my phone to help find places and get directions to them
• Phone calling - people are using texting and Facebook more than just calling people and talking. Depending on who I'm talking to and what we are talking, at times I do prefer texting to talking. I often e-mail instead of calling as well. And now there really isn't any long distance either with digital phones and cell phones.
• Newspaper Classified Ads - people use Craiglist and other avenue to sell and buy things. Plus newspapers are becoming obsolete themselves. I've quit subscribing and find most of my content online or on my iPhone instead.
• Dial-Up Internet - I remember when I got my first computer with a modem in 1995. It took forever to connect to the Internet and it was soooo slow!! Less than 10% of people use dial up Internet anymore. Another dinosaur!!
• Encyclopedias - Some schools don't even use encyclopedias anymore. With so much content online and with Wikipedia, there really is no need for encyclopedias. I loved our set of World Books that we had at our house - I will keep them when my Mom tosses them because I can remember the hours I spent reading and researching with them.
• CDs - Many CD stores have closed and most people do their music digitally. I still have many CD's, but I've also sold a ton of them and keep most of my music managed on my iTunes. It's hard to think CDs are gone, because they don't seem like they've been here that long in the first place.
• Landline phones - Most people just use a cell phone as their major form of communication. For the last two years before I moved to Bastrop, I only used a cell phone. The only reason I have a landline know is because I could get my bundle (cable, Internet, phone) cheaper if I did all three. And it does help when my phone is a little spotty. But I rarely use it and I don't have any kind of voicemail on it.
• Film and film cameras - Again, digital has taken over. But I think there will still be a segment of society that will use film cameras for photography as art.
• Yellow Pages and Address Books - I've got a yellow pages, but they also send a CD that I could load the yellow pages on my computer, but I usually just google a place on my computer or my phone if I need to find out something. And I store all of my addresses in my phone rather than trying to keep up with a paper address book.
• Catalogs - I still get my fair share, but definitely fewer than I used to receive. You can go online and see everything you need to see.
• Fax Machines - there really is no reason why we still have these, but we do... it make take a little more time for these to die out.
• Wires - With everything going wireless, do we really need wires? I think not. They are a pain. But I still have wires on my TV and cable box. I think some wires may be a necessary evil!
• Handwritten Letters - When was the last time I wrote a letter? My XMas letter is typed, my cards are ordered online and my b-day greetings are usually sent by text or on Facebook

So what do you think? What else may become obsolete?

The Fighter

Apparently, I am on a roll when it comes to the movies. (I saw 7 during Christmas break!) And of course, when I get my Entertainment Weekly with the 25 movies I need to see before the Oscars (and I've only seen 8), I realize I have some more work to do!!

I love Marky Mark - and I think he's a pretty decent actor. I saw him on Ellen and I know he put a lot of time (years) and effort in preparation for this movie. It showed. But I think Christian Bale may have stole the show.

Micky (Wahlberg) is a fighter from Lowell, MA who isn't making much of his career. His mother and brother Dickie (Bale) don't do a great job of managing him and he keeps ending up in bad situations. He has an offer to go and train in Vegas, but turns it down to be with his family.

Dickie was famous for a fight he had with Sugar Ray like 10 years earlier, but now he is an unreliable junkie. Micky starts training with others but can't be around Dickie.

Throughout this, he has his girlfriend, played by Amy Adams. I was kind of impressed at how good Adams was at playing a low rent kind of girl.

The story is good and the acting is compelling. I can see why it's getting nominations and being recognized. It was one of my favorite movies that I did see on my break and I would highly recommend it to others.

Mo's Review:
The Fighter (2010): 5 out of 5 stars

Welcome to 2011!

A belated happy holidays to all!!

I did it again..... I started blogging strongly, then I ended the last two months without a word. It's been a busy fall and early winter here. I've meant to do a lot of things, but I've been hosting company, travelling, and getting to know both Bastrop and Austin better.

This is a big year...... travels (Philly, NYC, Charleston, Memphis, The Keys), school (waiting to hear if I get into the Ph.D. program and starting my superintendency classes at Texas State), work (continuing to work with teachers and students to improving our school), and personal (friends to make and enjoy, spending time with family, books to read, movies to see, sushi to eat, ).

Each year, I promise to do a better job with blogging and I will continue to do that. I do think that things are finally settling here and it feels good.

(Ed.'s Note: Notice I'm ignoring all of the talk about resolutions. My resolution for 2011? No resolutions!! Or actually, just to live the hell out of each day!!)