Saturday, November 21, 2009

Honesty is a Virtue

Ok so one of my dearest friends, Lara (Casey) Weaver, tagged me to do this.

10 Honest things about me:

1. I get my eyebrows waxed. I have since I was about 17. It is the one self-idulgent girly things I pay for. For example, I've only have ever gotten a manicure twice and it was for weddings and paid for by brides. I only get my hair cut or trimmed once a year at the most, honestly it is probably more like every 2 years. So the once a month eyebrow waxing is always a hilarious experience to go to at my small hometown salon and hear all the news of Sapulpa. I always enjoy it and always leave with a funny story to tell my mother.

2. I am going to admit it. I am a huge Twilight fan. So huge that I went with twenty other teachers from my school to the opening night premier last night. We pre-bought our tickets two weeks ago and then had reservations at Texas Roadhouse afterwards. It was the most fun I've had in awhile. It was fantastic. I am a huge fan in that I realize the ridiculous-girly-silliness that the books are but I also respect writing enough to see the impressiveness of how the author can completely pull you in. I was sarcastic and jaded at first, probably the first 4 chapters of the first book I was not that impressed and wasn't sure if I would keep reading--after the 5th chapter I couldn't come up for air for anything or anyone. All I have to say is: Team Jacob.

3. I don't take pride in my taste in music, but I am personally very happy with it. My Holly St. housemates in college had great taste and were all about it. I always just pretended (very badly I am sure) to know what they were talking about and listened to my country music to my heart's content. Country is my first choice when listening to the radio. A lot of that has to do with where I live, we don't have good radio stations. We have pop, rap (sort of), oldies and lots and lots of country, eventually you just have to give in because that is where your most options are.
My taste is also very random and has no continuity. This is the mix of songs I am listening to as I write this: Jack Johnson, John Mayer, Brad Paisley, Amy Whinehouse, Coldplay, Carrie Underwood, Damien Rice, Michael Buble, The Wreckers, The Fray, Tim McGraw, The Posies, Sara Bareilles, and Rascal Flatts. PS. I love love love Broadways and about 75% of the time am listening to Wicked or Aida on my itunes, on repeat.

4. I was hardcore into competitive drama, Lincoln Douglas debate, and public speaking all four years of high school. I spent most of my weekends at a a high school or college somewhere in Oklahoma competing. Our teacher and coach was and is one of the most influential people/women in my life. Ms. DeVilliers otherwise lovingly referred to by everyone as D. D taught me more tough love and genuine affection mixed with politics, case briefs, comedy routines, tearful talks, confidence, acting, speaking, blocking, boy advice, life advice, intense scolding, and millions of hugs. D deeply influenced who I am and how I represent myself. We were once working on a standard oratory and a piece of poetry I was going to do and I was young and just had not come into my own at all yet, after telling me everything I needed to work on and scolding me for not working harder at it D grabbed my face between her two hands and said, "Emily, your face is a gift from God and I am going to teach you how to use it". My senior year I qualified with 3 other teammates to compete at Harvard University in an international tournament in debate. I tromped around Boston competing in different buildings and we were rewarded with 4 days in NYC afterward. D is a brilliant woman and I hope to influence my little students half as much as she influenced hundreds and hundreds of students.

5. I was in FFA in high school and I took about 5 Ag classes. No I didn't have to work with cows or pigs. I gave speeches. I was recruited from drama/debate to be a part of their competitve speech programs. It didn't hurt that there were 3 new Ag teachers all under the age of 25 and all very cute to convince me. My first competition was for the Farmer's Credit Union and I spoke on the importance of the family farm. I won state. I have 500 dollars of savings bonds from the Farmer's Credit Union to prove it. My senior year I was on the Ag Issues team and we won state with our drama concerning the pollution of Oklahoma watersheds by Arkansas's chicken pollution runoff into those watersheds. Yea, we won state and competed at Nationals in Kentucky. I love the FFA, respect it, and will defend the quality of the program to anybody.

6. I want to be Paula Deen. I love to cook and have learned more about good southern cooking from that woman. I watch her show, read her books, and look at her website a lot. I am constantly trying some new Paula Deen concoction. So far my families' favorites are the Sweet Potato Biscuits, Homemade Mac and Cheese, Cheesy Biscuits, and her Gumbo.

7. For those of you who don't know I am a Junior High cheerleading coach as well as a 4th grade teacher. I went into the cheerleading incredibly skeptical and incredibly blackmailed by my good friend who is the other coach. But you know what? I like it. The girls are young and sweet and I feel like I can mold them not to be dumb and shallow. I can actually teach character and confidence through cheerleading. I also love doing the girly things and going to the games. Actually because of lack of help, the boys basketball coach told me that I needed to learn how to keep the books for the boys' games. So last week for four games in a row I kept the books. I did pretty dang good if I do say so myself. I have never paid so much attention to referees and calls in my life, but I am feeling more and more confident in my basketball knowlege and book keeping skills, not to mention cheerleading coaching.

8. I think about Lake City, CO more than is probably healthy. I am constantly wondering what is going on there, what the weather is like, and what my friends are up to. I also often think about dropping everything and moving up there and what that would be like. I was on the city's website the other day looking for a photo of the American Basin for my school desktop and the was a photo looking down Silver Street and I felt a sharp pain of oh that's home, that's where I should be at home. Hmmm.

9. I really want to go to Vancouver or Guatemala for spring break. I realize those are both random and very different places to want to go. But I want to splurge and take some type of international trip. In Guatemala I could see a lot of close JBU friends that I have been telling I would come visit for two years now. My college roommate and another close friend would possibly come from Costa Rica and El Salvador to visit me while I am there which also makes it more appealing. My friend Jake is working on his Masters in Vancouver and I would love to go visit him. My cousin is also working on a doctorate up there and I would love to have quality time with her. I have also heard Vancouver is incredibly beautiful and I would love to go to Canada.

10. I am reading the Chronicles of Narnia series to my class. We are on the Voyage of the Dawn Treader right now and it is fabulous. It is one of the most magical experiences. My parents read me these books as a child and I have loved them as an adult. Most of my students have had absolutely no exposure to them and only a few have seen the first movie. They are so into it. We live and breathe Narnia in Miss Pritz's class! We have a whole wall dedicated to our Narnia drawings. I end certain exciting chapters and the kids will say "NO! What happens?? You can't stop, keep reading!" At the end of Prince Caspian they cheered! I am loving it. You will hear and see more about that as we work through the series.

I don't really want to tag anyone but I would like to see Linda Wyman, Amanda Hartman, and Christina Carnes do this.