Becoming Older

It's official, I'm getting old. This morning on my way to work, I heard the local "semi-oldies" radio station play Love Shack. As the dj introduced it, he said, and I quote, "Here's an OLD classic from the B-52's." Then they followed it up with "classics" from U2's The Joshua Tree. Needless to say, by the time I made it to school, I was starting to feel a little blue. In a fit of desperation, I quickly turned it to The Point, the alternative station, to see how out of touch I really was. Ah, sweet relief, a song from 311 followed up by The Urge! I'm not so old, they're still playing the music I listened to a few years ago on 105.7! Yay!! Then the dj comes on and refers to the selections as "classics"! ARGHHH!!! Fast forward to later this morning. A student who is shall we say, a bubble-gum chomping, hair-twisting, preteen comes into the room to deliver a note to us. We have the radio on to a "current" station that is playing Gwen Stefani. "Um, who is this?" (student) "It's Gwen Stefani." (Me) "OH MY GOD! You know who Gwen Stefani is?" (Student) "Yes, I know who Gwen Stefani is." (Me, very patiently) "Isn't this song, like, from some, like, musical-thingy?" (student) "She sampled and changed a line from a song from the musical Fiddler on the Roof." (Me, to a student who has that glazed look in her eyes) "Oh, are you sure this is Gwen Stefani?" (student) "Yes, I'm positive." (Me) With a puzzled look, the student responds, "But you're OLD!"

In the movie Parenthood, there is a great scene where Diane Weist's character is dealing with her rebellious children who just don't get that she used to be a teenager. In the scene, she says a fabulous line that goes something like, I was at Woodstock! I peed in a field! After today, I can relate!

Corn Nuggets

If you attended Southeast in the 90's, you may remember the restaurant Mr. B's which served a late night breakfast buffet that we frequented regularly. Many was the night that I sat down to a plate of scrambled eggs, corn beef hash, and the ultimate- CORN NUGGETS!!! As if creamed corn wasn't bad enough for you, the corn nuggets were like battered globs of creamed corn deep fried. Unhealthy, yes; delicious, you bet! As we all know, all good things must come to an end. My college career ended and I moved back home, Mr. B's went out of business, and the corn nuggets were no more....until this evening. Kenny's brother, Mike, told me that there is a restaurant in Marthasville called The Outfield where you can order the corn nuggets. As a matter of fact, he was about to order some to have with his burger in place of french fries. We were invited to stay, but Kenny and I wanted to come home and finish pulling all of the ivy from underneath our deck. However, Mike and Michelle assure me that the corn nuggets are like I remember them from Mr. B's. I think I will be making a trip over that way again shortly to procure some of the corn nuggets. It will mean more time on the treadmill, but for that creamy corn goodness, I'll put in the extra time.

Good News (For a Change!)

In education, they always tell teachers to sandwich bad news between good news. In keeping with my profession, here's the good news! Congratulations go out to Kenny's brother Mike and sister-in-law Michelle on the birth of their second son today! Lukas came into the world via c-section today. Both mom and baby are doing well. Congratulations and welcome to the world!

Update on Sebrina

More prayers and thoughts are requested for Sebrina and her family. She just received word this evening that her Uncle Ray passed away tonight. He had cancer and had been very ill for a long time. As she said, "You get finished crying for two and another one hits." In case any of you from Malden are wondering, this was Diane's husband and Pimpa's son-in-law. They were living in Florida. Diane was unable to come in for Pimpa's and Janice's funeral because Ray was so sick. Please remember them. She appreciates all who came to the visitation and funeral as well as all of the kind gestures, prayers, and cards the family has received.

Yard Work and Busybody Neighbors

Okay, we have officially met our busybody neighbor. Here's a brief synopsis: Finally got to mow the yard yesterday afternoon. It was getting tall b/c we have both had meetings on nights when the weather was good and were free on the days it was raining or too wet to mow. Due to the excessive length, there was quite a bit of grass clippings. Before we had the chance to go to Lowes and buy a rake, here comes the neighbor across the street, who is elderly, with a lawn bag. I went in to shower and change to go buy a rake and a weed eater and before I could get finished, she's back wanting to help us rake, looking in our windows and talking about how she hopes we're more friendly than the last people who lived here, who apparently didn't socialize much. I guess I now know why they let the hedges grow so large. She might be one of those neighbors who watch EVERYTHING that's going on in the neighborhood with binoculars. I guess everybody has one of these neighbors in their neighborhood. To be more charitable, I think she lives alone and is probably lonely, but it's a fine line between friendly and letting them invade your life. We'll keep you posted.

On a funnier note, I think the kids who live next to us fit one of the following descriptions: 1)brave 2)very talented on a skateboard or 3) not too bright. These boys are always on their skateboards. The other day as I was coming home from work, I saw one of them skating down the hill between two houses, jump off a retaining wall, and go flying over three of his friends who were sitting in a line below the retaining wall. They are always doing stuff like that, so I guess I've found my entertainment in the neighborhood! I really have no room to talk. When my brother and I were kids, we managed to flip my dad's riding lawnmower. But I can still laugh and prepare to dial 911 if they get hurt!