Do I really look that old?

Apparently I must look really old. As you may remember, I teach junior high. And I just recently turned 31. So today a mother comes it to talk to me about her son's grade. As we're talking, my computer screen saver comes on. Of course my screen saver is pictures of Camden so I can see his cute face all day long. The mother looks at the screen saver and then says to me, "Is that your grandson?"

What the freak? Do I really look that old? I think I need to start saving for some plastic surgery so I don't look so ancient!

Can't. Fight. The. Addiction

It's one of the most wonderful times of year for me. Nope, not the start of school. Christmas is still pretty far away. So what could it be that has me so excited? It's time to buy Camden his fall and winter clothes!

Never mind I've bought clothes in advance and have a closet full appropriate for all seasons. It doesn't seem like enough. I must still feed my addiction and buy more clothes for Cam on eBay!

I can't help it. I love to dress my child. I love to look for him. And I love eBay. So I shop, and shop, and shop some more. Somebody stop me!

To end with, one cute picture of Camden. This was his first pudding experience. He decided it was so good he had to pick up the bowl and lick it.

A Tribute to Astrid Elizabeth Sohan

I don't think anybody will forget the emotions they felt on September 11, 2001. With shock and horror, we watched the events unfold. For many of us, we didn't know anybody hurt or killed in the attacks, but we were affected anyway. I cried for the loss of life, the children without parents, the widows and widowers, the loss of a son, a daughter, a spouse, a friend, a sister or brother. Now that five years have passed, many of the emotions and feelings at the time of the attack have subsided, but the memories of the people whose lives were tragically taken live on. I am honored to participate in remembering the 2,996 people killed in these attacks. Today I honor and remember Astrid Elizabeth Sohan.

Astrid Elizabeth Sohan was 32 on September 11, 2001. She would have turned 33 on September 25th. She worked for Marsh & McLennan, World Trade Center #1 on the 95th floor. She began working for them in 1996. Her commitment to excellence and many talents helped her rise quickly through the ranks. She was a vice president and project manager at the time of her death.

Astrid was born in Georgetown, Guyana. She and her family later immigrated to the United States. At the time of her death, she was living in Freehold, New Jersey with her fiance. They had begun to discuss wedding plans in August of 2001.

Astrid was very energetic and could not sit still long. Five times she enrolled in college and five times she dropped out. She would rather learn through doing than through sitting in classes. She went to work learning computer operating which led her to manage the technical support department at Marsh & McLennan.

Astrid loved to shop and her salary from her job allowed her to do that. "Expensive clothes," said Clive Sohan, her father. "Ann Taylor. Talbots. Shoes — she had too many." From her mother, Barbara Sohan, a dressmaker, Astrid learned about tailoring and natural fabrics. She liked simple leather pumps and classic tailored suits. She liked to purchase only quality items.

Astrid loved to help others and solve issues. She was kind and vibrant. She was also very thoughtful. Her pastimes included shopping, traveling, dining, and being with her family and friends. She also loved tennis.

The morning of Sept. 11, she made three phone calls after planes had struck the towers.
The last call was to her parents, to tell them she loved them. "To know her," they said, "was to like her."


Sources:
http://www.legacy.com/Sept11.asp?Page=TributeStory&PersonId=111529
http://www.september11victims.com/september11victims/VictimInfo.asp?ID=2514
http://memorial.mmc.com/pgBio.asp?ID=257

My Life Monday - Week 9 - a little late

I'm so sorry I am late with this! I really meant to be on time this week. But it was my birthday Monday (31 now!) and my boys kept me spoiled and busy all day long. Tuesday I was out of town for a burial and the rest of the week has been catch up at school. It's been crazy! We switched to a new curriculum this year at school, so I've been reorganizing and reformating everything I do. Plus we switched from a trimester system with only 5 classes a day to a semester system with 7 classes a day. I now have 180 students in a day instead of 120, which means more students and less time to grade in (our prep hour got cut by 25 minutes). I'm finding it's taking me longer than I plan to do anything with the changes. I know it's all excuses, but here I am, just a few days late! Without further ado . . .

I've had many fun jobs over the years. Some I've liked, some I've hated, and some have been the means to an end. So in all its glory, my jobs!

Arctic Circle - I worked here for about a year and even was employee of the month once. I had my picture on the wall for it and everything. I got fired a few months later for calling in sick to be with a friend whose mother had died that day. Nice huh? They were notorious for firing people for no real good reason.

Little Caesars - Yum, I still like their pizza. I worked here for about two years and became a shift manager. I cracked my tail bone working there because I ran out to see something funny (can't remember what now) and I slipped where somebody was mopping. It hurt like a bugger!

Cement Company - I worked as a day laborer for three summers here to earn money for college. You had to be related to somebody who already worked there (my dad as head chemist) and they paid you good money for the time to do crap work. I wore full coveralls, steel toed boots, and a hard hat. I spent my days shoveling, jack hammering, sweeping, painting, and generally dying of the heat and hating the job. I would NEVER, EVER want to do this work again! It sucked, but it paid for college. I wish I had a picture to show you of me in my full gear. I got second degree burns my last summer there. They had me work in an area shoveling cement dust (which is highly acidic) and then moved me to a wet area. The water mixed with the cement dust, rubbed on my ankles all day long, and left me with nifty scars on each ankle. My sister got them worse than me and had to go to daily whirl pool baths for several weeks to treat it. I seriously have never done so much physical labor in my life. I learned to drive big machines like front end loaders, operate a jack hammer, paint under a kiln that radiated 400 degree heat (and I got to do that in August in Idaho - what fun!), scrub tile with hydrochloric acid, and so many other such jobs.

Sales person - I worked at the jewelry Walmart counter for two years, which I loved. I loved the discounts and the people I worked with. I quit because of a psycho stalker who also worked there. I then worked at ZCMI in the juniors section until I graduated college. I did really well with commission sales most of the time there and averaged a decent amount per hour.

Teacher - What I do now! I love it most of the time. This is my ninth year teaching. Every day is a new adventure! I love my students and my subject. I'm so glad I went into teaching. There are challenges and times I want to strangle a student or two, but I enjoy almost every day.

Mom - This is my real full time job and it's the best job in the world. It's the most difficult with the most challenges, but it also brings the most rewards and joy. I'm grateful every day to have this job and be a mom! Camden is a great son and I am thrilled to be his mother. This is by far the job that I love most.

Share with me your jobs! If you did this on time, post your link now! For next week, I'm participating in 2996 in honor of 9/11. Feel free to join us if you so wish. If not, do your own thing and leave a link anyway!