Work It Out

I’ve been paying close attention lately to the fitness lingo that instructors tend to use. For some odd reason, I am intrigued by what pops out of their mouths while everyone is dripping with sweat and grunting (just for the record, I don’t grunt).

The other morning, I was inspired to use the off-white gym towel after being told to “towel off.” Sure, I guess if you put it that way, I would love to brush off this annoying sweat that keeps dripping into my eyes.

During spinning class, the instructor often invites us to keep our “feet to the beat.” I really like this, because I can jive a little as I search for the beat to the song. And, yes, I sing along quietly if I’m enjoying the tune.

Then, I remembered the good ole fitness guru Denise Austin. She is one nutty lady. I tried a few times to get into her videos, but she’s a little too out there for me. Her famous line while doing squats, “If you don’t squeeze it, no one else will!” makes me giggle.

It really doesn’t matter what a fitness instructor is yelling, as long as we can all leave saying that we really worked it out!

Freshen Up

Every once in a while, I have a flat out bad day. Yesterday was one of them. Nothing good. Nothing bad. Just unseen frustrations stemming from lack of sleep and annoyances. Nothing was going my way. My brain was running a mile a minute, mostly about things that I have little or no control over. Even as I share this with you, I'm getting tired and anxious.

Needless to say, I threw a pity party and invited everyone. Luckily not very many people showed up, because it didn't turn out to be very fun. If you received an invite, I'm terribly sorry. Sometimes they get sent out by accident.

In times like this, I turn to these words...

The fact is, I have a wonderful life that shouldn't be overshadowed by bad days. I am able to put yesterday to bed and start fresh. My pity party is over. I have cleaned up the leftover confetti and streamers. It's time to freshen up and take on a new day.

My Favorite Movie Date

I’m coming out of the closet… the movie buff closet, that is. I love movies. I love reading about actors and watching trailers. I love researching soundtracks; IMDB (Internet Movie Data Base) is bookmarked on my computer.

The best part of my inner movie addiction? I do it solo. I love going to movies all by my lonesome. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I’m anti-social. I will never turn down a friend that asks to catch a flick. I’m just not afraid to head to a matinee alone on a lazy Sunday afternoon .

Confession: Sometimes I even put on nice clothes, grab some candy at Target, and savor every sip of the theater’s overpriced Big Gulp (you know if you order the 64 oz. soda for five dollars, you get a refill… and you pee every seventeen minutes).

People often ask me if I feel weird going to movies by myself, especially on Friday or Saturday nights. My response is always, “Heck no!” If I felt weird, I wouldn’t do it. I also add that most people I know aren’t at movies on weekend nights, so it’s not like I run into anyone. Even if I did, it wouldn’t bother me one bit. I’ve learned to be quite independent over the years… and I love it.

As selfish as it sounds, my favorite movie date is me. There are no awkward silences, no arguments, no talking… just peace. And I never have to wonder if I’m going to get a kiss at the end of the night.

Hungry? Pay For a Snack

Last weekend, when I was so patiently serving a couple of nim-rods at the bar, I was asked: “Do you have any snacks back there?” Ahhh… snacks? Like teriyaki beef jerky? Or Funyuns? The answer: “No, we have a menu.”

I realize that certain bars and restaurants offer Gardettos or a mixture of cashews and pecans, but have you ever stopped to consider how much of a pain in the ass for the servers? I worked in a place that served popcorn. Honestly, I should have just thrown a couple bags on the floor, because by the end of the night there were kernels everywhere.

And how about cleanliness? I am not a germaphobe; however, these bowls of snacks are disgusting. You should be especially careful if the snacks are located near a restroom… just saying.

Lastly, mindless eating starts to make me sick. Most likely I’m already eating and drinking enough at a restaurant. There is really no need to shove my face with greasy potato chips or sugared almonds. Completely unnecessary.

Here’s the plan: eat before you come, or pay for dinner. It’s really not that hard. I have a friend that shoves her purse full of snacks. I about died when we were out at the bar, and she busted out string cheese. Beer and cheese; where are the crackers and salami?

Educational F-Word

A couple of weeks ago, at a meeting for student teaching, my supervisor noted that “flexible is the new f-word.” I couldn’t help but chuckle to myself, mostly because of the truth behind the corky statement. Time and time again, lesson plans change; schedules constantly move around throughout the day. Flexible truly is the name of the game in education.

I was reminded of this again as I attended two more meetings this past week. There is no static way to reach students. There is no golden ticket to ensure learning for each individual. The truth is, we all operate differently. Not only do our methods of teaching need to be flexible, but also, our communication with colleagues and administration. Just like our students, these people are different as well. Instead of discounting others’ ideas, we should be flexible and embrace them.

Easier said than done, right? It’s difficult to set aside past conversations; we don’t want to admit that someone else may have a better approach or method. Because teachers are such passionate people, they have a hard time embracing new ideas. They want to be the ones that find the educational diamond in the rough.

I’ve got news for y’all. It’s never going to get figured out. There are always going to be students that don’t get “reached” and never work to their full potential. I’m not trying to be a downer, just a realist. Therefore, as teachers, we need to be flexible as we work to communicate with one another. Always, always remember the educational f-word. 

Late Harvest Waves

Here in Iowa, the farmers are out in full force. There are combines, tractors, plows, you name it all over the county roads and highways. This makes travel seemingly difficult at times. It’s easy to get a bit of road rage as Farmer Joe putts along, traveling from field to field. It just comes with the territory.

I was driving home from school the other day, when I met a big truck on the highway. The man behind the wheel threw up a finger at me… no, not that finger. He passed me saying “hello” with the good ole “farmer’s wave.” Now, if you don’t know what that looks like, it’s just a nod of the head as the index finger leaves the wheel saying, “hey there.” Quite friendly, if you asked me.

This is just one of the perks of living in rural Iowa. Because everybody knows everybody, I suppose it would be rude not to wave. Growing up, I was always waving. I waved at my neighbors, friends, and strangers passing through town. It really didn’t matter; it was just a habit I have become accustomed to.

The farmers are spending late nights in the fields wrapping up this year’s harvest. They are putzing along the highways, waving at every car in sight. Welcome to your average Iowa fall harvest.

I'm Over Being a Hater

Happy Halloween hangover! I hope y’all have tons of sugar in your bellies! I actually had a pretty “normal” amount of candy yesterday. And by normal, I mean way too much. Typical Anna. Some day I may learn; however, I heard yesterday that people with a sweet tooth tend to have much sweeter personalities. Explains it all.

I have a confession. As of yesterday, I was Halloween Hater. I was the girl that glared as I passed Halloween Bootique in the mall. I was the girl that cringed at the sight of scary masks and witch hats. I even found myself hatin’ on little munchkins for dressing up like devils and princesses.

But I’m here to tell you, I’m done be a Halloween Hater. In fact, I’m even done being a costume party hater. I realized that I have no reason to hate Halloween. I have no reason to hate girls that dress up in skimpy outfits parading around the bars. I have no reason to hate guys wearing Scream masks and carrying around fake blood. Honestly, I don’t really care if people decide to dress up. Whatever floats your boat.

But I do have to make one point. Adults need to be very cautious about when they decide to partake in Halloween festivities. Moms: you don’t need to dress up to take your kids trick-or-treating. It’s weird. Teachers: no face paint or masks or weird little headbands. To the remaining adults: just because it’s Halloween doesn’t mean you have free range throw on a witch hat and act “spooky.” Not normal.

So maybe I have a little bit of Halloween hate still in me. I suppose there’s always next year.