Amazon update and other ideas

I contacted customer service at Amazon. They are sending another copy of the book I ordered but did not receive. Yay for them! Yay for me!

The only irritating thing is that I really did need that book this week for a project my students are completing in my German class, and Amazon won't rush it out to me unless I pay extra.

I should just write my own teacher guides for teaching German and sell them through one publisher (or my mentor teacher and I can compile all of her materials from the last fifteen years). I already have prototypes of several of the product ideas I'd like to sell. There is no reason for foreign language teachers to have to make new items every year. There is also no reason to overcharge for relatively simple products that are just time-consuming to create. I think I could get this rolling fairly quickly, too.

I am realizing that my life has not been as boring as I previously thought.

This is not a complete list, but still some of the things that have shaped my life thus far...

Since the turn of the century, I have...

started and continued a wonderful relationship with a great man.
taken on leadership roles in a variety of organizations (in college and in my career).
earned my bachelor's degree in four years with two majors and a minor.
moved to another state and started a career.
made new friends (including people from all walks of life - even a coke-head or two! Trevor, in particular brings to mind many interesting tales).
adopted two cats
moved back to my home state and continued to carve out my career path
taken graduate courses at two universities and maintained a 4.0 graduate GPA (Western was decent - one class included a day of drinking and writing in Saugatuck! Ball State has awesome journalism courses!)
worked at four different schools, each with a very different emphasis on educational philosophy.
helped to plan my sister's wedding
stood up in a wedding
learned how to salsa dance
been a "regular" at several bars.
developed a taste for wine
been trapped in a public restroom with Reenee (there's nothing like screaming for help to an empty beach, right Reenee?)
been unsuccessfully pursued by several men.
taught English, Language Arts, journalism, percussion, and German
attended weddings of friends
thought I found God or some other deity.
severed ties to some friends who really aren't sincere (and I don't regret my decision)
lost God or whatever.
been accepted into grad school (my classes start in May at Eastern)
reconnected with many friends from the past (I visited with Krysten and Teresa a month or so ago. I went out to Boogie Fever with Reenee and Beck on Friday. I went to dinner with Will on Monday, which was totally cool! I haven't laughed so hard in a long time. I bumped into Noah in a random bar in Ypsi. I found Laura on MySpace.)
been published (and more is on its way!).
gotten engaged!!!
bought my very own washer and dryer set.
purchased two brand new vehicles.
left music and returned to it in full force.
have met one of my heroes - Desmond Tutu
have talked to Russell Simmons on the phone.
won a Smoothie-maker.
received a certificate of appreciation from the White House during Cheney's visit to Battle Creek.
attended the 2005 Kellogg's "World's Longest Breakfast Table" event where someone was shot.
Lost relatives.
Gained relatives.
had my car shot at (Gifford, Florida).
lost control over my brakes while driving in Florida (great story about seeking help from a "local").
lost total control of a car but managed to avoid several deadly possibilities and the car made it out in perfect form, too (miraculous story there - yes, I've spun out of control and ended up in a ditch without a scratch or bump on me or my car).
had to use self-defense moves I learned from a course in college.
injured myself during physical training
purchased a really good moutain bike (hills, here I come!)
been sexually harassed at work.
reported sexually harassment.
successfully rid myself of obsessive-compulsive tendencies (although a little too well...)
started doing photography again.
found and lost and found and lost and found inspiration for writing.
embraced growing older.
found myself enjoying who I am now.
starting focusing on the future.

I need to stop now. It's late and Jeremy is finally home. I need to go to bed.

Dinner Out!

I met Will for dinner tonight. I knew it would be a great evening of catching up, but I didn't expect for time to move so quickly. I was laughing so hard that my cheeks were cramping. I really haven't laughed like that in quite some time...perhaps since the last time Will and I spoke.

We spoke of who we were and who we are. He told me of being intimidated by me back in the day - I had decided to sit with him at lunch one day after never really speaking to him all the years our lockers sat almost next to each other. Although he was shy at first, a great friendship started. We have lost touch with each other several times, and I will not let that happen again.

Argh!

Amazon didn't include a book in my order, but they did include it on the accompanying invoice. If it were just a novel for me, I wouldn't be that upset. However, it is a book for teaching German, and I have been waiting a while for it. What an irritating surprise!

Does anyone know if they are good at fixing their mistakes or am I going to have to bitch-slap someone?

More cancer

My mother called me this evening to let me know that my Uncle Don may have cancer. He went to the hospital for a biopsy of a lump in his abdomen on Wednesday. He's been losing weight and this lump seems to have been growing larger.

I've lost a large number of my relatives to cancer. It's inevitable with our genes. I just hate that this uncle may pass soon. He is very health-conscience. He jogs the beach in Florida every morning, eats very healthy, and has a wonderful life. I grew very close to my uncle and aunt during the years I lived in Florida. Their house was almost like my parents' house - not in style or size but warmth and expectations. Uncle Don and my father are the most alike of all of my father's siblings (and he has four remaining siblings; he used to have six siblings). I saw these two somewhat as parents while I lived far away from my own; they saw me as one of their grandchildren (which is fitting, as my actual cousins are my middle-aged - I fit in better with their children, agewise).

And now, I am left with the task of finding focus to write lesson plans, grade papers, and getting geared up for another week of teaching high school students about purpose in writing. How do I separate myself? How do I simply do what needs to get done?

The Ides of March

Worked.
Went to rehearsal.
Planned lesson for tomorrow.
Still need to create a quiz for German.

No backstabbing.

Good times.

New Furniture

Jeremy and I went shopping for a new accent chair for our living room. I found one I really like at Art Van, and luckily, Jeremy likes it, too. I am hoping that we can go pick it up tomorrow. I am tired of our oversized furniture everywhere. I also think I have a plan for our oversized couch. Since we cannot afford a new living room set (I had my eye on a red loveseat and new end tables), I think I will buy new stuffing for the cushions, as well as some new accent pillows that will tie in the colors and the decor style.

New MySpace layout and other useless information

It's official...I'm totally addicted to MySpace. I decided to revamp the look. While it isn't as personalized as I would like, it looks much better than it did.

Does this really warrant a blog entry? No. I'm just having trouble finding my rhythm during my midwinter break, and my newfound inspiration is only leading to somewhat tawdry short stories and (extremely) short scripts, which I have no intention of sharing at this juncture. What I should really be focusing on is poetry - I need to start teaching poetry this coming week. I'd like to teach everything through a slam poetry approach, but I don't know if my school really embraces that. I should ask, but I am afraid of what I will hear.

I remember going to poetry readings as a teenager. Not a single one of my students has been to one (or no one is willing to admit they had attended one). If I had my own room instead of teaching from a cart, I think I would be able to convert the space into a coffee house and show them what something like that would be like. I found them exciting. I learned peoples' secrets and fears. I learned about perspective through others' metaphors.

I am considering asking James to come in to talk to my students about slam poetry. He has been involved with numerous slams in Kalamazoo and Battle Creek over the years, and I think his explanation and demonstration could really reach some of these students.

Any thoughts out there?

...

My mom was in a minor car accident this morning. We hadn't spoken since last weekend, when my mom and I argued about going to some stupid bridal show. She said the woman who hit her did not speak English well, and the woman's husband told her to get back in the car right after the collision. They then drove away. My mother was not able to get the license plate.

My mom is upset because her vehicle is still quite new. She bought one year ago yesterday. While that is terrible, I am just happy my mom is okay and that we were able to talk today.

I'm having a 'damn foreigners' moment. I live near many immigrants - mostly from India, as Canton is definitely a haven for Indians. They are quiet and reserved neighbors, but it takes them a while to grow accustomed to controlled traffic - I think they don't know all of the rules, but we isse them a license anyway. Traffic is very chaotic and unregulated in India, so daily, I see people driving through while children are crossing the streets. I see people pull out into traffic when there are no breaks in the line of cars (I've see several collisions near my complex).

I hope that my mom has her car fixed quickly and affordably.

The strangest part about my mom's phone call was that she was only calling to ask if I wanted the hockey tickets this weekend. She told me about the accident later in the call...and much later in the day. I've done the same to her, though. My dad and I usually wait until she is out of work for the day to tell her when something happens to either Autumn or myself.