New Year's Resolutions

I've become cynical. Some of you that read this frequently may find that hard to believe. How far would I have to travel to BECOME cynical, you ask. Not very, but the point is, I'm there. Resolutions at New Year's are notoriously broken. So, why then do we set them every year? Why even bother? We know we aren't going to do what we say we are going to do - unless it's a resolution like "I'm going to start to go to the gym." because after one visit, whether or not you ever return, you have met your resolution and started to go to the gym. :) (You could take this one step further and leave the house to go to the gym, then end up shopping and eating out because you did, essentially start to go to the gym.) So, in the spirit of New Year's resolutions I'm recycling past resolutions for this year.

1. Lose 15 pounds

2. Start running again (making #1 SO much easier)

3. Keep my floor clean (which hopefully will be easy once I clean it tonight)

4. Learn Spanish

5. Learn to play the piano

6. Get better about keeping in touch with friends and family

7. Eat better

8. Help out more around the house

9. Save money

10. Be more patient

Maybe this time around, these resolutions will actually get crossed off the list of things to do. I hope you all have a great New Year and keep every resolution you set in 2005.

Hey Everyone!
I've been meaning to write and see how everyone's holiday went...and to send the remainder of my Christmas Cards, but I've been temporarily replaced by some bug. The Physician's Assistant at my Doctor's office took some of my symptoms over the phone from my mother and told her I had a "virus". Mom thinks it might be more like the flu. I think my soul has been sucked out by one of the ghosts from "A Christmas Carol". In any case, I have to go back to work tomorrow, so I'm hoping I start feeling more like myself.

My Christmas was good. Got a DVD player for my room, complete with Netflix. I've very excited about this. My sister (and Trish) are addicted to Netflix. We had a full 20-30 minute conversation about it on my last day as a "real" person Thursday. I really should go online and start my list of movies I want them to send me. I mean, how wonderful for a lazy person. Not only do you get mail with your name on it (that you actually want to receive, as opposed to those junk mailings that pretend to know you), but you don't even have to drive the 5 minutes down the road to the local Blockbuster to see a movie...OR...remember to return it the 5 minutes down the road when you are done. Just stick it in the little envelope they send you and place it in the mail. This is great! Now, I just have to set up the DVD player. Hmmm...that seems like alot of work for a lazy person. :)

I also got an apron from Paula Dean's restaurant/store signed by Paula Dean's sons. Or as mom says, my future husband and his brother. She thinks Jamie is just great (I've only seen one Paula Dean show...her wedding...so it's hard for me to say.) and would be perfect for me. I'm surprised she didn't kidnap him and have him jump out of a present at Christmas for me. Dad said the night they ate at the restaurant in Savannah, they bought the apron and asked Jamie to sign it. They talked for a long time and when his brother showed up, he signed it as well. Dad said they were great and they all talked for a long time. My Aunt Lois talked to them for even longer than my parents. How wonderful, even for Southerners, to take the time to talk to people and enjoy people as they did!

I know I got some other things, but my mind is a bit foggy. Well, it's time to go take a little nap. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I'd love to hear what fun gifts you all got. Feel free to email me. I'm very bored when awake! :)

In preparation for the ever-getting-closer holiday, A few of my favorite Christmas quotes.....

"So Mr. Fancy Claus, remember me? My name is Rerun. What happened to all the things you were going to bring me for Christmas last year? Kind of forgot, didn't you, huh? I don't supposed you'd care to explain, would you, huh?" -A Charlie Brown Christmas Rip-Off Cartoon.

"I was, uh, just decorating my Christmas tree and I was wondering, is there a trick to stringing cranberry sauce?" - The Bob Newhart Show

"I really hate to have to say this, but it's the thought that counts.
Yeah, and these are the results of a really cheap, crappy thought!" - NewsRadio

"Oh My God, I'm married to The Grinch! I'm Mrs. Grinch!" - That 70's Show

"I'm telling you Tommy, that Santa's a bad guy! He's always watching you, keeping track of everything you do and then, in the middle of the night he breaks into your house with a big bag full of who-konws-what!" -Rugrats

"Look Doris, someday you're going to find that your way of facing this realistic world just doesn't work. And when you do, don't overlook those lovely intangibles. You'll discover those are the only things that are worthwhile." – Miracle on 34th Street

"No, for three reasons: A, I'm not that lucky. Two, we use smoke detectors and D, we live on the most boring street in the whole United States of America, where nothing even remotely dangerous will ever happen. Period." – Home Alone

And finally.....


"Deck the halls with boughs of horry, ra ra ra ra ra, ra ra ra ra." - A Christmas Story

Happy Birthday Mom! (And Mrs. Archambault! :) )

Ever have a day where you're just overly sensitive to everything around you? Not just emotionally, but physically? Lack of sleep or perhaps, I should say the intense need to be asleep usually does it for me. I wasn't really feeling good this morning. It's that time of year and I'm never quite sure if it's sinus or a cold, but it definately is that time of year. When my alarm went off this morning I SO wanted to reach over and sleep the whole day away. Given that my boss is out of work today, I knew that wasn't an option, so I dragged my pitiful little self out of bed. The littlest thing today was magnified by ten. The radio, kids talking/whining, whirlpool whirling...did I mention the kids? They just kept coming. Our 8th period lunch in the Training Room looked like the Vera Wang Wedding Dress Sale. People everywhere pushing and shoving to find space or to get what they needed.

And so many questions! I think their teachers need to let them ask more in class. Insane things, like "What should I do for my injury? I know you said 'ice bag' but that's not what you want me to do." or "Am I done icing yet? It's been 4 hours." Stupid things like that. A couple times I had to bite my tongue (and this question gets me every time) when they say, "You know how you said I sprained my ______? I don't think that's it. It really hurts!" I'm sure my comforting, motherly response (in my head of course) of "No, you're right. You're only a 16 year-old with no idea what your _____ really is. I, however am probably wrong given that I've seen 20 of those so far since September AND that I have years of school and experience and a degree that says I know what the heck your problem is!!!" made them feel so much better. :)

Anyway, 10 hours since my alarm first rang I'd love to say I'm headed home to crawl into bed (which I never wanted to leave in the first place!), but we are taking mom out to dinner for her birthday. (Oh, did I mention that after 2 weeks or more of searching I still have nothing to give her tonight? ) I hope you all are having a wonderful, non-noise or kids filled day! :)

"And I was at Bloomingdale's this morning waiting on line to buy wrinkle cream, and this Jennifer-Love-Michelle-Sarah-Felicity looking thing bumps into me and says, 'Excuse me, ma'am'." - Grace Adler

Lately, I've decided I can sympathize with Grace. Every day, at least 15 times I day, I hear "Miss Van Hee...". Now, I am thrilled that most of our high school athletes have finally learned my name but every time I hear it lately, it shocks me. I'm never really quite sure I should answer. Am I really a Miss? I always just look at them stunned for a minute until I realize that the Miss Van Hee they are talking to is me. My mom used to say to all my friends, "Please call me Linda. Ms. Van Hee is my mother-in-law." How goofy, I thought. You've been Ms. Van Hee for years! I try to remind myself that for 29 years I have been Miss Van Hee, also. So why is it so startling that the "Miss Van Hee" they are speaking to is me?

Somehow, I have evolved into those people in high school I thought were really old. I do remember saying once that 30 was "really old". I was 8. To an 8 year-old 30 is well, old. As in almost time to leave this earth old. Please write out your will and don't forget to put me in it, old. Or If you die, do I still have to come to class? old. Now, I AM that old person!!!! As I've said before, working in a high school constantly reminds me of being in high school. I remember things that happened, crushes I had, sitting in classes. I remember the tension of getting tests back, the struggle to fit in and find your place and how very out-of-it our teachers and principals seemed. To me, it seems like just yesterday, not the 12 years ago it actually was. How did we get from "just yesterday" to old? More importantly, how do we convince ourselves that it wasn't just yesterday AND, still keep the idea that we are not old? Most of the teachers/coaches I am friendly with are younger than me. Not by much, a couple years, but still younger. The kids love them, and yet I bet they sometimes think "My Gosh, they are so old!".

I've decided for this reason, I shouldn't get married any time soon. (Not that there's prospects, but the ideas there...sometime, I would be married.) If I have such a hard time adjusting to being called by my OWN name, imagine trying to answer to one that's new! :) Plus, as the old saying goes, it's hard teaching old dogs new tricks. Well, I'd better run. I think my mom's here. I hear someone yelling for "Miss Van Hee".