The Teaching Nomad

The garden of a non-gardner/plant killer

2010-04-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

Well, my husband and I are trying our hand at trying to actually grow some plants out on our meager little porch. Ideally we would like to have a big tree on the other side that blocks our view of the ever so wonderful Jack-in-the-Box. But here are the beginnings:

That would be the mint, catnip, rosemary, lavender, oregano, and thyme. Although our catnip is missing a good portion of its side leaves from a neighborhood moggy. Actually there was a good week where it went untouched. And then one day it happened....the leaves were missing. The plant has gotten over the trauma, although I am not sure that I have! The rest are all doing fairly well. But as I stated in the title...I am a plant killer. Not on purpose. I don't set out to be intentionally harmful to plants. However it just happens. I forget to water them. And then I try to over compensate which is often worse than forgetting to water them at all.

And this, this is the beauty of them all. My sister-in-law bought to many tomato plants for herself. So we, by default, received some as a gift in possibly the coolest planter ever. It is called a Topsy Turvy planter, and now I may actually be able to have fresh tomatoes on the little porch in the front. If you see the crazy lady with 50 topsy turvy's on her porch that is me...and that is because I am no longer a failed gardner....so here's hoping!

Blog-o-mania

2010-04-10T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have become obsessed! I went from being a partial blog reader to researching the various blogs that are popular. I was looking at all of them, and then I literally had to make myself stop! It all started a couple of days ago when I was home for the day. I was looking at a recipe on Pioneer woman and I decided to wander further on that website than that recipe page, which I had not really done before.

Well, needless to say that was the start of something really good or really bad, depending on who you are. If you are my husband, you are probably not enjoying that I spent hours reading one blog. To my credit I was reading the Black Heels to Tractor Wheels Saga....who could blame me?

Well countless hours later I finished reading and became enthralled with finding various other blogs. Since my mind is always focused on food, I decided to look for a new food blog. And then I also found a book blog, a photo blog, a travel blog, and it just kept going. So after finding all of those new things to read the only thing I have done so far is make a new recipe. Maybe next I will read a new book.

And thus begins my healthy (of course) blog obsession!

I am Winky...Roar!!!!

2010-04-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

Hi,
My name is Winky. I am a cat, if you can't already tell. Not only am I a cat....I am an amazing cat, awesome cat, fearsome cat...need I go on? Well for starters, I came from Hawaii. I don't really know how i got there, but I was there for the first few years of my life. To be honest I can't remember very well, and the vets have no idea how old I am. Apparently you need more than two teeth to tell a cats age. How was I supposed to know...like I said I am a vicious cat, those teeth were all lost for good reason.

Wait, I didn't say I was vicious??? Well I am! See?????

So a little more about me?? You shouldn't have asked! Well, I can't hear (fortunately my new owners taught me to type). My new mom figured it out when I slept through her vacuuming the house. Oh yes, I am missing a piece of my tongue as well. I would prefer to say, that that piece of tongue instead misses me.

I also only have one eye. My other one was lost. Unfortunately, this was during one of those times that I don't remember so well. I have a hard time catching the string in front of me, but I am so cute it almost doesn't matter.

But you know what I found out the other day? My mom goes around to different classrooms telling kids stories about me. Apparently they all want to meet me, but I tend to like staying home. I am a little bit of a recluse. But not many recluses can claim celebrity status throughout multiple classrooms in one city. I have even had pictures drawn of me. Some were a little more realistic then others, but I am all about art interpretation!

Well, it was great meeting you. And now you can thank me for giving you another one-eyed Winky to think about!

What a Week

2010-02-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

Tristin's Birthday went absolutely wonderfully. I was able to make a delicious paella, have Spanish wine, an awesome salad, and a great desertish platter. What made it really special was just being together!

Pondering...

2010-02-08T13:13:00.000-08:00

So after much time, thought, and effort, I have decided to start a master's program in education. I had my first class this past Thursday and it was really great. Although I am nervous about this whole new phase I am more excited than anything else. Although I would love to get a full time teaching position, I feel like my time will come, and I am not sure if it is with this current economy.
So to better serve myself the master's program and various other hobbies are keeping my mind out of the current state of things. But it doesn't take much to get my mind out with my new and wonderful husband to make me smile when I am down, my crazy cats run around and just make me laugh, and inventing new recipes helps me to keep my focus on things that are positive (so that I don't get down on myself).
So here is to a new road with school and a new marriage!

I am a serious blogger....can't you tell?

2009-09-13T21:23:00.000-07:00

So after a few long months, all I have to say is WOW! This has been a wonderful, frustrating, eye opening, scary, financially strapped summer.

I moved up to the woods where I don't have cell phone reception, which can be both a blessing and a curse. It is amazing to have the peace and quiet but then when you need to use the phone, you can't. Or when you tell people over and over I don't get cell phone reception where I live, and they still get upset that you don't answer your phone. Hmmmm....

Moving has also made me understand myself better as well as my future husband. We are learning how to better communicate as well as work our schedules together. We are finally starting to get better about talking about our finances together. This is always challenging. Finances can be the cause of a lot of problems so I think it is best to be open about it. So we are definitely working on it.

Now after finally getting used to the summer, having a sugar daddy and looking for jobs, I am back to subbing again. It is bittersweet really. I am thankful that I have the work, but I would really love a full time job. The thought of having my own classroom makes me so excited, but this may not be my year. There is still hope.....

Well I will try to be better about this blog thing. I like having an outlet...

At last...

2009-06-05T20:25:00.000-07:00

So here I am writing yet again. After substituting for 2.5 weeks in a high school history class. It was quite an interesting experience, although I have to say that it did get a little repetitive after a bit of time. But there is always that saying, "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." I had a job until the end of the school year, which is more than a lot of people, and I was requested for it.

But now after working almost every day since January, I have not school anymore. What's a girl to do? I have decided that I would like to start a masters program, but I decided a little to late, and I missed the application deadlines. But I have been contacting the programs to see if I can take one or two classes before enrolling. That would be perfect and would help me to reach my goal, which is to have my masters before I am 30.

So since being out of school I have been able to relax a bit and work on things that needed to get done, like Tristin and my wedding website: http://www.evanandtristin.weddingwindow.com/
I have also been doing a lot more cooking lately as well as trying a gluten free diet. I have realized that gluten an I don't agree to much, but so many yummy things have gluten....like apple pie!!!! But I have found it like a fun challenge.
Food and I have this relationship....I like it and it likes me. It is quite revolutionary really. So I am trying to come up with some new recipes and put them up here.

Well I think this is a pretty impressive entry for myself. I am trying here, one small step at a time.

The worst blogger ever....

2009-04-30T12:41:00.000-07:00

So I know, I know. Blogging isn't my thing. But let me try to get better at this. I need to just make time and now I have download an app for my phone, so now I can try and do it without always having to be on my computer.
In other news....I am engaged! Well not like two days ago, more like two months ago. That is how good I am at blogging. We have the date: December 20. We have the place: Casa Feliz, in Winter Park, FL. We have the caterer and the music. Now we just need to work towards the flowers and dresses along with everything else.

Of death and dying...

2009-03-20T22:35:00.000-07:00

Death, even when expected, is never easy.

Ode to the best pizza ever...CHEESEBOARD!!!!

2009-02-03T20:40:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but there are days that I just think to myself, "Oh, how I would love a piece of pizza." But the thing is, is that when I crave pizza I don't crave just any pizza, I crave the best pizza, Cheeseboard (http://cheeseboardcollective.coop/Pizza%20Collective/z.htm). Unfortunately, it is not that close to my house, so I have to eat some pizza from Trader Joe's. But this never truly takes away my craving for Cheeseboard.
Once you have had this you will understand. It is an addiction. It is a craving. it is a delight. It has this following of "Cheeseboard-ites" or people who will go out of their way and just come there by themselves, and you can tell, because they are often there with this look of extreme hunger.
To make a long story short, if you ever have the privilege to be in Berkeley, Cheeseboard should be on your list of places to stop.

Ah, what tired can feel like.

2009-01-21T18:24:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas I was able to see my friends. Good friends are excellent to have. Those friends that make two years apart only seem like minutes. Although we had been apart for 2 years, it felt like no time at all had passed. We caught up, laughed and again laughed so hard we cried. It was an amazing vacation.

Now I have been home for a while and have been working. After a week and a half of subbing I truly feel like I am back in the saddle. There is nothing like throwing yourself right back into things. Hopefully substituting will be enough to keep me afloat, but I guess I will find out as time goes on.
I had a wonderful birthday weekend with Tristin. We went out to eat and then went salsa dancing. It was such a great weekend, the hardest part is when it ends! But, that is how it goes.

Life Continues

2009-01-09T16:41:00.000-08:00

It is a little surreal being back in California after such a wonderful vacation at home with my family. It is nice to be able to forget about things, even if it is just for a little bit, and relax.
But after all the relaxing, you have to come back to life. Sometimes it can feel almost like a giant belly flop back into it. Although I was able to not quite belly flop back into life, I still have the same problems that worry most people: money, work, and the future. These things have been weighing on my mind quite a lot lately.
Like where do I want to work? With what age? Will I get hired with all the job freezes that have been going on? Will I have enough money to pay rent? Where will I be in the next year? Will I still be in Northern California?
These questions have been weighing on my mind with quite a few other pivotal ones. But do we wait for them to be answered? Do we be proactive? Is there such a thing as being to proactive?

Let's Start the New Year Right

2009-01-01T13:51:00.000-08:00

There is something about the beginning of the year. Even if you have been really good health and fitness wise, you still feel like you can be better the next year. Although I am not a huge fan of New Year's resolutions, there is something to be said about being able to start off off with a clean slate and fresh start.
This past year I did not set up any resolutions to follow, but I managed to finish an intense teaching credential program in a year.
But now that I have crossed that hurdle what is next? What non-resolutions will I give myself?

I will join a gym. I will become super fit so that everything fits me better. I will eat out less, and save money more. I will try to keep up with this blog. I will be able to run a mile non-stop. I will get a teaching job. I will be the best me I can be. I will practice Spanish more. I will go to Boston. I will read more. I will take dance classes. I will go camping and hiking. I will go to Yosemite.

Well although they are not resolutions, I think I have created quite the to-do list for myself. There is something about to do lists that are awesome. I don't know if it that I can cross things off as they get done, or that I can see where I am heading. But either way I love to-do lists!

Not everyone has to start the year like this, but however you start it, I hope that everyone has a wonderful one with family, friends, and loved ones.

A Time to Live

2008-12-29T20:22:00.000-08:00

After a very tough and strenuous year, I have finally finished my multiple subject teaching credential. I often wished that I had written down all the experiences that I had, but it is never to late to start. So now I am going to make a blog of the good moments the not so good moments and everything in between. This picture is celebrating the culmination of my year!