But I wanted to go to the prom

So I was all excited to go to the law school prom. Unfortunately for me it is the same weekend that I have already made plans to return to Seattle for a fun filled birthday weekend (the big 3-0) for a friend. Sadly, I will just have to wait for next year's prom. I am pretty sure this clip (my favorite part from the movie Footloose) is exactly the type of hi jinx I will be missing out on. (Although I know my husband breathed a sigh of relief at not having to attend. He didn't even know it was going on, at least that is the story he is sticking to. Thank God the law school wives are on top of the school social calendar) Oh well, I will have a full year to look for a dress for Prom and to ponder the question; why does law school have a prom in the first place?

P.S. How can you not absolutely adore Footloose. They just want to dance... and when they do it is amazing. I have always had a special place in my heart for Kevin Bacon and this is why.

Super Off Task

I am in high procrastination mode since report cards are due on Thursday of this week and I have them most of but not all of the way done. I have to say that I am very excited to have an almost understanding of the new report card system but I am sick of working on them and don't want to do it anymore. I also wish that I could look this put together ever, especially when I am sitting at my desk.

Joy List

I made this list the other day when I was feeling blue. The health and wellness letter from my job suggested this as a way to improve my quality of life. These are some things that make me happy. I feel a little like Oprah if only you could find these in a bag under your seat.

Aveda hand relief

Aveda tea

That light feeling you get when you just got your hair cut (I just got a haircut. I cut off 10 inches and will be sending that hair to locks of love. Yay!)

A glass of wine - cab sav.

Arrested Development

30 Rock

Trying a new recipe-even if it doesn't turn out quite as well as I would have liked at least I tried.

Finishing a book - I will finish you Freedom. I finished the Bridge and I will finish you too.

Freshly painted nails -even better if someone else does it and not me but either way.

Finishing (not starting) a good work out - I could add just showing up at the gym.

Crossing something off of a to-do list

Laughing

A new (rap) song--with crazy slang that I have never heard of before - my current favorites are the bumble bee songs and the new Mike Posner (RandB? not rap) Bow Chicka Wow Wow. It makes me laugh just thinking about it.

Long weekends

Dancing without judgment-Such a rare occurrence for me unless it is me and Wii. I haven't found occasion to go out dancing lately.

Buying a great new stylish clothing item- lately it has been a discounted and stylish item

A clean house-even if I was the one who did all the cleaning. It is a great sense of accomplishment that I feel.

Arriving to your vacation destination - recently watched a video I made on our flip cam when we arrived in Hawaii and I sounded drunk I was so giddy from the excitement

Counting down to something fun or exciting- currently counting down to 1)Spring Break and celebrating Clare's 30th bday in Seattle. I am coming home! 2)Sorority IRD which I will be attending in Pullman with my mom. (Am I nerd or what). 3)Lacey and Kristin visiting in April.

A really good margarita and a designated driver

Restaurant chips and salsa

Not sitting in traffic or paying tolls - when I leave school it takes me 10-15 minutes tops to get home no matter when I leave. It is amazing and a perk of Spokane.

Recipe Websites I have been enjoying and learning from

I check these out almost every day in my Google reader (thank you Robbie for teaching me how).
Big Girls Small Kitchen I will say that is probably not what I would have named my own blog as it conjures images of heavy girls and fattening recipes (at least to me). However, I love the way that the recipes can be searched and am looking forward to trying a lot of the recipes. They have released a cookbook which can be ordered now. One (or both) of these ladies is friends with Robbie from College.

Keep it Skinny I love all the recipes that I have tried on this website and enjoy the pictures. Thank you to Michelle for sharing her sisters blog with me. I read it almost every day now.

Williams and Sonoma Warren has been mocking me because every time I come back from a cooking class I have bought some new little thing. It is easy to do because they use their products (which are pretty great) and they give a 10% discount after class. However, the website has a lot of great recipes and ideas.

I'm Back

I have been inspired by my friends Sarah's recent return to blogging. She is extremely busy with wedding planning, school things, and the rest of her fun life so if she can do it so can I. I also was inspired by my friend Michelle's recent blogaversary celebration. She is an avid blogger which is something that I suppose I will aspire to. I am also inspired by my recent acquisition of a desk and office chair. I purchased these items (on sale) and put them together myself in the guest bedroom at our house. So now Warren has his office to work in and I have a place to work as well. I also have a place to spread out my piles of bills, mail, and school stuff so that the dinner table can remain clear and can be (hopefully will be) eaten off of.

I was just looking at my last post. That was only 6+ months ago and some things have changed, I have tackled some things on my list and some things have stayed the same. First, school. Warren has been working so hard. He spends a great deal of hours studying and although I know that this is valuable time spent and that it is important I still miss him. My own school days are far less brutal then they were at the beginning of the year but are still emotionally and physically taxing. I am enjoying what I do more and more each day but feel increasingly disheartened by the current state and direction of education. Each day I read article after article about the lack of funding, faith, and respect that the American public has in the educators that I consider myself proud to be a part of. I have tried to do my part by remaining informed and by advocating for education funding to my (new) legislators but it all seems trivial and hopeless. Every day I see first hand poverty on a very real scale. The well being of children and their future input in society hinges on the answers to educational/societal problems. It is far more complicated then getting rid of "bad" teachers and unions. The answers are harder to find than that and I am so angry that the person who is in charge of the "education overhaul" is, as far as I can tell, not really looking at the the whole issue and definitely not in touch with what is happening in the classroom. Oh well, that is another rant for another day. I will say that I did a little research into an Ed.D program that would equip me for studying educational policy. I doubt that would feel less hopeless but it does sound intellectually stimulating and challenging in a different way.

Here was my former upcoming things to do list and the progress I have made on it.
Find artwork/something to put up on the walls of our apartment- I have found some but am having trouble committing to anything on the wall. This is probably some form of denial about living in Spokane. Oh well, I still have three years to hang things up.
Find new recipes to try- I have been trying a lot of new recipes. I have been attending some free technique classes at Williams and Sonoma with some friends (see below) and bought a new Recipe book called Weeknights Fresh and Fast which I enjoy. I also just ordered The New Abs diet cookbook. The recipes look fairly quick and healthy.
Steal my mother in law's copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking-didn't do it, will leave this on my to do.
Find the perfect chair to sit and read in the bedroom, outdoor furniture, side table and lamps- So my parents have promised us a chair that should work nicely in the bedroom but the weather has been terrible and that transfer of goods has not happened. I like my new desk. I don't know how much we need the other things. My parents have also promised Warren and I (rather generously) an electric bbq that they won (actually bought but saying he won makes my dad feel better about buying things at auctions) so I am looking forward to that addition as the weather improves. (Thank God that that is happening. Warren and I went for a nice 4ish mile, hilly run today and it was great.)
Make friends- How sad that I had to write this but I am happy to report that I have met some wonderful people in Spokane. I really enjoy my new coworkers and have been hanging on the weekends with some teachers/law school wives who have recently relocated to Spokane from various locations. It is nice to be able to commiserate with other people who understand exactly how you feel. The only down side to hanging with them was learning that they make lunches for their husbands and feeling guilty enough to start doing that for Warren too.
Bake french bread- Still no french bread either

Next on my to do list:
Finish the Franzen novel Freedom. I have been getting a lot of reading in which is good. I keep hating Franzen and his characters but I hate to give up on a book. Also I think that there is a really interesting narrative thread that is based on population control. I am more interested in that than his unlikeable characters.
Exercise more. I have recently fallen off the band wagon. 1 (excuse): It is hard to find parking in the dumb Y parking lot. 2 (excuse): bad weather/dark 3 (fun fact): I bought Just Dance for the Wii and have had a lot of fun getting my cardio on that way 4 (fun fact): I bought calm, fun, sexy yoga and stuck to that for a while. I will try to get back on that wagon too. I did sleep better.
Quit watching so many tv shows on the Wii/Netflix instant viewing. I am embarrassed even mentally listing the amount of television series I have devoured over the past few months. Only Warren and the computer know the extent of my shame. Recommends: Weeds, Arrested Development, Greek, and Veronica Mars.
Try to not get so worked up about the state of education/the world. It only leads to anger and high blood pressure.
P.S. I typed in adjustment image to google and got a lot of crazy things. I finally settled on this because I think of myself as a nerdy asian (as described in the name of this image).

New Beginnings...

I can't believe it but it is almost back to school time. I am feeling a little like a child about to start a new school. As a teacher I know how scary it can be to be in a new and unknown place and as a recent transplant to an eastern Washington town (some might call it the Inland Empire and some might call it a city) I know how scary that can be too. I no longer have television. There goes my career as a Gossip Girl blogger. Now I am going to resign myself to blogging about something really boring, something like my life. If you were one of my "many" followers that was interested in my commentary on television I am sorry to disappoint. I have recently relocated, unfortunately it is not out of the country, so expat doesn't really describe me. However, I think I will stick with the name, perhaps the tv will come later.

Since moving approximately 21 days ago I am mostly settled in my house (which is about three times as large as my old place. Thank you cost of living). I am in transition. This means that you are confused, in a new place and wondering how the hell you got here. My answer being: I am a supportive wife. I have been spending time doing a lot of activities including spending time setting up my new classroom, reading, working out, and watching instant Netflix. My husband (who I am already exceedingly proud of) is already busy with law school. He is a committed studier even though school has not started and will not for a few more days but I foresee a lot of time alone and have a vested interested in being settled and finding things to do that make me happy. Here are some suggestions about what to do if you find yourself in a similar transitional phase.

Recommended reading, viewing, and activities for people who are in transition like me:
My Life in France by Julia Child - read this book and be inspired to eat, cook, and try new things. Be careful, you will be hungry the entire time. I love how in love with each other Julia and Paul are. It is beautiful. I love how adventurous she is and I also want to bake French bread.
Julie and Julia- the perfect companion to reading My Life in France.
Away We Go- John Krasinzky and Maya Rudolph are lost and looking for the place they should settle. Written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Veda
TRX- a new workout class I am taking at the YMCA. You use your body weight and straps from the ceiling. I was sore only hours after completing my first class.
Spokane Indians Game-pretty fun if you don't get rained out. Most shocking thing that I saw was a sign that said "stop Obama." I also overheard a man talking about asians. "Some type of asian, Japanese or something." Especially offensive to me because I am some type of Asian. Where am I? I am chalking these two things up to anomaly and moving on.
Wii - with Wii fit and Netflix instant viewing. Beware of the Wii fit board who will tell you about your weight...whether or not you want to hear it.
Weeds- I love it. Nancy Botwin starts
to get a big annoying towards the end of season 3 but everyone is quirky and makes me laugh.
Arrested Development- what fool decided that this show should no longer exist. A fool. I laughed hysterically, out loud, alone, on a number of occasions while watching this.
Pinot Grigio- it's hot here so a nice light white wine is ideal.
Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner- interesting read and without an agenda...not a self-help book but helps you to take a step back and reevaluate the way you look at it.

Any other suggestions of reading or viewing for people in transition (aka people who are lost or starting over)? I would love to hear them.

Upcoming things to do:
Find artwork/something to put up on the walls of our apartment
Find new recipes to try
Steal my mother in law's copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Find the perfect chair to sit and read in the bedroom, outdoor furniture, side table and lamps
Make friends
Bake french bread

Okay friends here is your assignment. Please offer my suggestions about anything that will make things helpful or more enjoyable. I will really appreciate it especially if you have book suggestion (only upbeat...nothing depressing).

THE FINALE- I can't believe this is really goodbye.

Today, my friends, is a sad day for the world. The Hills will not continue. This is it.
Here is what has been happening over the last few episodes. Kristin Cavalari is now the central figure in the Hills cast. This entire season has made me long for the days of LC. (whose literary masterpiece I will be reading poolside next week on my Hawaiian vacation). Lo has been more involved, she and Stacy the Bartender (who may no longer be a bartender) move the plot along by asking questions of the more interesting characters at lunches and in bars. They help the viewers to understand the inner feelings and motivations of characters. (I realize I am giving them a lot of credit here. I don't need to hear them say it, they are motivated by fame and immediate gratification, but it is still helpful.) Lo has been dating a boy, Scott, who asks her to move in with him. Stephanie Pratt seems quite rational and responsible (this is not a sarcastic statement), since her DUI, she no longer drinks and is mourning the loss of communication with her crazy brother and sister-in-law. She is looking to find a guy who is okay with the fact that she isn't going to drink and party. Hard to find in LA? Spencer and Heidi have been sporadically on the show. Spencer is totally nuts and loves him some crystals. His spiritual advisor, or the like, has told him the crystals will help him to stay calm, but he has been having some serious rage issues. Heidi has totally cut off her family and looks no longer human.
Audrina has been dating Ryan Cabrera, a musical star (okay he is a musician) but Justin Bobby is still around. JB had a briefly dated Kristin but that didn't work out. She went back to being friends with benefits with Brody. Brody continues to be a source of entertainment and fun on the show. He has a lot of fun dudes (Sleazy T, Frankie, and Charlie) for the girls to hang with and a parade of girlfriends for Kristin to be jealous with and yell at (head shaking back and forth and pointing). The trips this year included a boat outing for Audrina's birthday, a trip to Vegas, and a Costa Rica trip.
Up to Finale there is a red carpet and the most annoying VJ ever. She makes everyone feel really awkward, especially me. The real questions I have as this show begins is about the appearance of Heidi and Spencer will I get one last glimpse of them? They aren't at the red carpet. I guess I will have to buy a tabloid magazine.

On the Finale:
We need to understand that the girls are growing up and moving on. The show begins with a discussion about the mid-twenties life crisis. Lo wants to get married and make babies. Stephanie is really happy. Audrina wants to find herself without a man and Kristin is heartbroken. What can she do to make a change and grow?
Go to Europe of course. (I am quite perplexed by this solution.) She has a really awkward conversation to invite Brody to her going away party. Brody refuses to go and support her going away but shows up in the end. They have a sad tearful goodbye but seem to end on a high note. He also comes again to send her off to the airport. He feels responsible for sending her away. Stephanie is in love with a motocross racer named Josh and they seem really cute together. They make a cute couple and even have a DTR (define the relationship). Lo's boyfriend essentially proposes to her but without the ring. And Audrina moves out of Hollywood and to the beach.
The final thirty seconds is a montage of the girls with pictures of them today and in the past. Then back to Brody staring at the car as Kristin drives away. Then the scenery behind is pushed away to reveal a TV set in the background. What does it all mean? Was it all a lie? Wow! Thanks for blowing my mind MTV.

The best part of the whole evening was the return of the aftershow ( I love those Canadians. What will happen to them? What kind of a job will they get next. Will they get deported back to Canada? I don't hear anyone talking about closing that border or building a fence.)
Other highlights included Justin Bobby and Audrina together one last time, Jessie (Canadian hostess) in a very strange green cutaway dress, and Holly and Stephanie sharing information about Spencer and Heidi. There was also a sad video montage of her before Spencer. Neither sister knew whether or not the rumors about Heidi and Spencer divorcing are true. I totally forgot how they disappeared from the show. Remember how Heidi accused the producer of sexually harassing her. Some snooping around on the TMZ website told me that perhaps they are divorcing/legally separating and that Heidi might have a reality show in the works with Jen Bunney. Kristin and Brody together one more time talking about how happy they are about the ending. And then finally LC. She was proud of her experience on the Hills and all that she learned. I also learned that she has published 4 books, who knew. She is adorable and lovely as ever. The after show wrapped it up with one last montage and a picture in picture of the cast and crew giving hugs ( I really liked this.)

I am now going to indulge in some reminiscing of my own. How strange to think that I have been watching this show for the last 6 seasons (four years). That is quite a commitment on my part. However, I am glad that it is coming to a close now as I am closing in on my thirties. It is probably time for me to stop watching MTV and who knows if I will even have it when I move.

Here is a special treat for sticking with this long post. From NY Magazine: Where will they be in 50 years! What genius came up with this idea?