Road-Trip Louisville, KY

Recently, my family and I road-tripped to Louisville, KY for my grandfather's funeral.  Although a sad occasion, it was nice to see my mom's side of the family and just get in the car and go somewhere.  Mini, last-minute road trips can be really fun!  And this one was such.


For those of you that haven't headed down from Chicago to Louisville, it's a really easy trip. It's just 65 South to 64 West...and then YAY Kentucky!  Note, though, I-65 changes from 65 miles per hour to 55 miles per hour when you are within the 465 loop around Indianapolis.  Sadly, had to find that out the hard way a few years back...stupid Indy cops, lol.  However, if you ARE doing such a road trip, might I recommend a few fun stops on the way down??


1)  Winemac.  It's the Indiana stop where they also have the dairy farm you can visit.  It was closed when we went, but you can see the farm from the BP gas station and it's definitely huge.  It apparently has delicious dairy products to by, but you'll have to take that as hearsay as opposed to fact as I was not privy to a taste.  Personally I think it's a little creepy, but I also think the whole milking like an assembly line is a little creepy and morally wrong...but that's another story for another time.  From what I've heard, it's an interesting stop.


2) - my all-time favorite stop??  Exit 130 - Zionsville.  Go east on the exit and immediately to your right is a gas-station / Starbucks marriage.  Most brilliant idea EVER, and it's literally a mid-point stop, which means you'll need gas and mental stimulation anyways!  There's a drive-thru for the Starbucks too, if you're really lazy, but if you're already out of the car to pump gas, go walk in and take in the atmosphere, the smells, and the 5 minute break of amazingness.


Otherwise, the rest of the trip was fun.  We headed to Anchorage to spread his ashes at something like Owl Oaks golf course, which is gorgeous, and the houses of that town are AMAZING.  In fact, right next to my mom's old house is a house that is on the historic register.  It's a log cabin that has, what used to be, slave quarters next to it, and in the 1700s a young girl was scalped there by a native american.  So fun!  And all right in their back yard.  :-)  You should definitely take a look if you're in town.


For lunch around Anchorage (I believe it's in MIddletown) is a cute restaurant called Mimi's.  HUGE portions, delicious food, and even alcohol - perfect for post-funeral get-togethers.  The sandwiches are delicious, the fries perfect, and the petit-seafood alfreado just that....petit.  It was REALLY small, although probably what was a perfect portion for most normal and sane people, but it was beyond delicious.  I highly recommend it.


So, if you find yourself along these highways someday, hope you find a chance to stop and enjoy the scenery for yourself!

Make Your Own Handbag

Now that Christmas is over and you are officially out of money and in on new presents, it's time to think forward, think to the new year, and revive your wallet.

Unless, of course, you need a new wallet (or purse for that matter), in which case, I have an idea.  It's called Miche, and it's a new purse company that lets you customize the handbag and interchange faces to fit your needs and maybe even match your personality.  They have three sizes, called base bags, and their mid-sized bag also comes in brown.  

So, here's how it works.  You receive a base bag and then overlays, all of which is based in a magnetic system.  The coverings magnetize to the base bag and then you have a completed handbag.  You can also customize it by purchasing different handles for your bag, thus creating an even more, unique representation of you.  They're reasonably priced and can be purchased online or you can become a Miche Representative and run your own Miche business, much like Avon, Arbonne, or Lia Sofia.  

Enjoy a new bag.  It's a new year, a new you, and you deserve it.

Educational Case-in-Point

If you remember the article I posted on the failing US education system (yes, yes, I am fully aware I am part of said system), here is even More Evidence.  This time it's militarily focused.  1/4 of the students trying to enter the military actually fail the entrance exam of basic math, science, and reading questions.  Need I say more?


Go team U.S.A.  

Ye Old Advice

I love advice.  Do I always take it? No, but I enjoy seeking it out to see and understand other people's perspectives and points of view on a topic.  I always feel the more information I have the better I can be at making a good (or at least informed) decision.  Sometimes advice is boring and sometimes it is nothing different than what I already know or what I would tell someone myself, however, every now and again, I come across something new or interesting.


Today was one such day.  I read a copy of Real Simple, a lifestyle magazine while at the doctor's office this morning.  Granted, as most offices go, this edition was from early this year - June to be exact - but, then again, we are talking about doctors' offices.  They don't tend to rotate their reading material very often.  And, actually, it was a good thing too.  This particular article was written by Jancee Dunn, a New York City author, and covered the 10 best pieces of advice she received from her father.  They are as follows: 


1)  Hold hands while you Hast it out.  This is because when you're fighting, you don't become as angry when you're holding hands with someone.  As she says, "you'll feel goofy," but it works.  So next time you and your loved one fight, grab each other's hand, and you might find your fight is more manageable.  :-)


2 and 3)  Pay attention to anyone who wears a tool belt or Uniform.  (a) this is to help you learn how to do it so that next time you don't have to call mr. specialty man and (b) people in uniform (mailman, maids / janitors, etc) don't receive the credit they deserve for the jobs they do.  


4)  You can never have enough baggies.  Need more twist ties, shoe laces, electric chords/ plugs, or paper clips??  The more things you keep in "baggies" the less you have to buy later!


5)  You can't go wrong with Clint.  As her dad said, even the worst Clint Eastwood movies are better than some other great movies.  I'm personally not a big Clint fan myself, but you never know.  It might hold true.  Nowadays I usually go for Tom Hanks or an animated film.  Personally, when in doubt...Pixar is great.


6) Don't belittle the annual Sack Race.  It might be dumb when you hit puberty until you are 30, but those annual family traits are needed and meant to be held dear.  In my family, it's the annual bocci ball tournament at the Family Reunion, or the family member dressing as Santa to give out gifts to EVERYONE on Christmas Eve.  These are the things that keep family spirit and traditions going!


7)  Stop worrying.  Aah, the age old adage.  So true, yet so easily forgotten.  As one of the Bad Boys said:  "go woo-sah" something.


8)  Carry a Hankie.  They come in handy, and they don't disintegrate in your purse, as Jancee happily explained.  She also points out they can be used for the obvious cold, to dry your hands when those dang towels are out, or to wrap up something like a cookie.  However, sadly, ask a kid today for a handkerchief, and they look at you like you're speaking alien.  Sad, but true - someone needs to bring back the "hankie"


9)  No one's smarter than you.  As she says, even if you have no idea what's going on in a conversation, ask a question or for someone to explain further.  It's called the art of conversation, people, and most of the time, if you don't know something, chances are you're not alone.  Plus, when you ask people questions, they get to talk more about something they know or about themselves, and people always love doing that.  Then, afterwards, you now have more knowledge than you had before!  Ergo, don't stay silent simply because you don't know something.  That's now you learn.


10) You will want kids.  According to Jancee's father, you will, even if right now you abhor the idea, want kids someday.  Can't personally tell you what my take on that is, but it's worth mulling over.  


Maybe you, too, have some great pieces of advice that you've learned over the years.  Out of this list, #1 is my new all time favorite.  :-)  Spread the news, and start holding hands, people!!!

Christmas Movie Marathon

Merry Christmas season!  If you haven't already gotten your 'Holiday' on, might I suggest a few movies to help you get in the mood?  Here are some of my all-time favorite holiday movies.  The best part about movies is that you don't have to wait in long lines or fight crowds to watch them, you don't have to wrap them or hide them from the kids until Christmas morning, and they're great at lifting your spirit, getting you in the holiday mood, and/or transporting you back to the "days of yore" as your remember past times when you also watched these same movies.


Some recommendations:
Garfield's Christmas
A Charlie Brown Christmas (I will happily admit I love when the "schroeder" piano song plays on the radio)
A Christmas Story
How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  (personally, I prefer the cartoon version)
Elf** (one of my all-time favorites!)
White Christmas** (Another fav, and I love that it is still timeless and can connect with people today)
Love Actually ** (another all-time favorite, although I admittedly hated it the first time I watched it)


There are also the claymation movies and A Christmas Carol, regular, muppet, or theatrical versions.  I might even recommend some hot chocolate with a candy-cane stirrer.  Yum!  Happy Holidays!

The Movement of Spanish Dance

This is more of a play on words if you will.  Yes, dancing, Spanish or otherwise, is movement, but I also mean the spread of its visibility across the world.  I've already talked to you a little about flamenco and the Spanish gypsy, but now I want to show you more.  More dancing!  More Spanish! ... olé!!!


I should probably thank DWTS (that's dancing with the stars for any non-viewer) for making ballroom dancing alone so popular, but for also shedding some light on some really great Spanish dances.  "Caribbean secrets" if you will, as many of the dances originated from that area.  Some of the ones I include in that statement are:  salsa, merengue, bachata, rumba, and cha-cha.  While each have slightly different backgrounds and have different varieties and "flavors" based on the actual country being discussed, the basic gist of their history is about the same.  Most of these originated from the Caribe" (Caribbean) as a mixture of Spanish, native, and African dances, which itself was a result of hundreds of years of slave trade, immigration, and colonization.  If that doesn't make sense to you, take a moment to watch the dances or listen to the music.  Most of them have similar sounds and beats, are happy and upbeat (rumba might be the exception as it's the 'slower' of the ones listed).  


However, do not make the mistake of thinking these dances are reserved for the ballroom!  If you haven't visited a latina-club before, and you like this kind of dancing, take yourself on an adventure!  They're fun, and way more casual / street dancing than what you'd find in your standard ballroom class, although basics are still basic, steps wise.  A good example?  The dance movie Dance with Me with Vanessa Williams and Chayanne.  The Club Azucar scene is great!  

But let's switch gears.  I have a new favorite dance to watch and try to learn.  TANGO.  That's right.  Tango!  Say it with me "T-A-NGO" (at least, that's what you have to keep saying to yourself as you learn the basic step...according to Antonio Banderas in Take the Lead.  In this movie, he shapes up a group of detention-hall banned kids via ballroom dance.  One dance, the dance he uses to capture their attention (*quick eyebrow raise*), is of course TANGO.  HOTT.  


I love tango.  I love it because you put up one of these pictures like the one here by Fabian Perez, and by the position of the subjects alone people already know it's a tango. They look at it and, taking a quick gasp, go "ah! Tango!"  It originates in Argentina and is such a unique dance because there is so much involved.  It's not just a dance of love, but a dance of passion, lust, sex, jealousy, flirtation, and desire all wrapped up in one.  The movie, Moulin Rouge, did an awesome scene with it to the song "Roxanne".  I'm in love, but it kind of captivates that intense emotion and eerie air all at once.  The music is equally unique, often with violins, guitar, and sometimes piano, flute, etc, and it is popping up in all kinds of movies, besides just the ones listed above.  It's also been in: Scent of a Woman, Evita (as one would absolutely assume), Another Cinderella Story (with Selena Gomez), Shall We Dance, Out to Sea, Frida, and even True Lies.  


I think it's fair to say, dances certainly "get around".

Pomegranate

It's that time of year again!  Pomegranate time!!  I love this little fruit and it always in season in the winter.  You've probably seen food advertisements or displays in food magazines announcing how you can use this delicious red fruit in holiday displays and delicious dishes.  Maybe you already know of this fruit from the variety of juices available at markets, but if you haven't tried the actual fruit itself, well, you're missing out.


For starters, it's a big red ball, just in case you are one of the numerous people who don't know what it looks like.  Inside, the pomegranate seeds are attached to walls of skin like honeycombs.  They're difficult to pull out, and it's best you wear old clothes or an apron, as their juice will definitely stain anything it touches.  However, the seeds are worth the work.  I've been told halving the fruit and soaking it in water can loosen the skins, but I can't seem to get that trick to work.  Regardless, the seeds are delectable.  I spent most of today picking at them all day.  They have a "punch" if you will, when you first bite into them - an explosion of flavor that is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.  


If not alone, they're great in cereals, oatmeal and jams.  I've enjoyed them in salads and fruit dishes, floating around in champagne like strawberries, and even topping rice pudding and yogurt.  I even introduced my boyfriend to them, and he's converted!  I recommend you do the same, but try them now, while they're in season.  They're no good after the winter season is over.  Fine eatings to you and yours.  If you're not a big fruit person, they're always great as holiday decorations!!

Our (Lack of) Standards

I teach.  Ergo, by definition I am a participant in the upbringing and education of today's students and tomorrow's leaders, educators, inventors, writers, politicians, lawyers, etc.  You might be able to see why, therefore, I became immensely disturbed upon hearing the following bit of news this morning on the radio:

US Students are falling behind their international counterparts in Reading, Math, and Science

I had two questions after hearing that:  How far behind?  And Why?  The "why" part leaves something to be desired, as there can be multiple interpretations and just as many actual reasons as there are speculative theories.  I happen to have some of my own, but we can save those until later.  I think the "How far" is much more important at this juncture.  It should also be noted that 15 year olds were the ones surveyed and the survey consisted of 41 different countries. 

I have found two websites with good, informative explanations.  The first is on Info Please.com and shows the upper and lower rankings of a country based on 2003 test scores.  For example, the US varies between 29th and 31st in Math with Honk Kong, China securing the 1st position, trailed closely by Finland and South Korea.  In Reading, Finland secures spot numero uno closely followed by South Korea again and then Canada.  (Or northern neighbors seem to know what they're doing).  We, sadly, fall into 12th place but can fall as far back as 23rd, depending on what section of the country you are analyzing.  Lastly, in Science, Finland is AGAIN in the top spot trailed only by Japan and then Hong Kong.  We fall 20th-27th. 

In the other online posting, The Washington Post, things don't look any better, and this is a survey of 15 year olds from 2006 of 30 different countries.  In Science, we were 17th out of 30, and 24th out of 30 in Math.  In fact, with regards to Math, we tied with two other countries (the names were not given in the article) and were only ahead of four other countries.  Rather pathetic, if you ask me. 

There's also an article on Great Schools.org that goes into further depth on their perceptions of why Finland does so well in comparison to the world.  Take it for what it's worth.

I've also heard it rumored that US students rank highest in self-esteem.  I'm still working to find the evidence to back it, but it really wouldn't surprise me.  We've become a society of "every student gets a medal if not a trophy," of "well, it's okay, you can have 3, 4 or 10 chances," of spoon-feeding information, and of parents bailing out their children into the upper twenties.  What are we doing to our kids?  When do they have to learn some responsibility and hard work?  I can't imagine it's all the school system's fault.  Things are relative and connected, and you can't really and truly fix one without addressing and tweaking the others.  However, regardless of where we start, reform or dire attention is clearly necessary.  Accion is needed.  Playing the blame game?  Not so much. 

When Perspectives Change

I hate winter.  In case I haven't said that already, I really do.  I hate winter.  To me, the only time it should ever snow is when you're on a mission to ski or snowboard, and there is never a reason for it to be below freezing - ever.  Point blank.  Punto.


When I was little, eight I think, I told my mom I was moving to Florida because I hate the cold.  The obscene dislike for snow and cold hasn't changed, but my moving to Florida has.  I grew up.  Responsibilities showed up on my doorstep as quickly as the days changed, and I started to realize the whimsy of the childhood ideal of moving had fine print attached.  


At first, I found a job and felt I was just biding my time until I could decide where to move and / or find a job in a different, hopefully warmer city.  Then, something amazing happened, things changed in my life that made me start to enjoy being here.  I had a revelation at work today, walking through the halls of my school freezing, having to do with acceptance.  It hit me that, although I'm cold more often than not, the cold is temporary.  Normally I can find myself in warm houses or warm cars, after the heat has kicked in of course, and that even though winter may be four months too long, I love Chicago, and the only other place I would want to live right now (NYC) is just as cold in the winter.  So, really, I'm not getting away from the winter or the cold anytime soon.  The best thing to do?  Buy a heavier coat, start enjoying preppier clothing, like button-up shirts under cashmere sweaters, buy waterproof boots and warm mittens instead of the non-waterproof suede shit, and start enjoying all the things that make you happy about where you are instead of wishing yourself away to somewhere else.


Now, does this always work?  No.  People move and change their lives because they really need a change.  Maybe it's a new job, a new boy/girlfriend, or just a dire need for a change of pace, and it's important to accept the need for those things and follow them in the direction they take you.  It's equally important, however, to realize that no situation is perfect, and that, so long as you are happy in most of your life (maybe it's for one of the same three reasons listed above), the things that you saw as monumentally "bad" might now seem like only minor complications.  Plus, that's why God invented vacations, for when you really really do need to change things up a bit.  

Memory Lane

It's Christmas time!  Aside from the snow, this is my favorite time of year.  I officially started turning on the Lite FM Christmas station over Thanksgiving break, when the weather turned cold enough to suggest snow and I was on vacation, which I decided was a signal for me to transition passed Thanksgiving and into Christmas.





I noticed something this year though.  I have responsibilities.  (Don't cry for me.  Don't pity me.  And if you've said "well duh," know that that's what I say to myself all the time!)  However, it was the first year that the reality of my life hit me.  The day after Thanksgiving 95% of all my Christmas shopping was done, my Christmas cards had been signed and sent, and I do not own Christmas decorations, as it is not my place to decorate.  I suddenly was happy to have all my Christmas "responsibilities" out of the way, and that knowledge made me take a step back.  I was excited to be done.  The idea of having no other holiday obligations until Christmas itself actually made me happy, and that threw me for a bit of a reality check.  It is not that the joy of the season is gone, but the whimsy, the idealism, and the ease has changed.

Now, I have responsibilities.  I have a job to go back to on Monday, I have bills to pay every month, I have car payments, insurance payments, and credit card payments to make, gas and groceries to buy, and a savings account to maintain so that I can accomplish things in the future.  I have family parties to schedule, doctors appointments to schedule, work emails to address, errands to run, and food to make daily.  No more are the days of having Mom and Dad drive you to the next family party or prepare your meals for you, you have no more completely empty weekends to fill with sleepovers and movie marathons on the couch, and the general fantasy of the season has changed from a naïve whimsy to an enjoyed quick vacation.  


It was then, wrapping the last present for family and helping my boyfriend set up his own Christmas tree that I remembered with longing and fondness of the Christmases of my childhood.  I used to spend an entire weekend with my Aunt, making gingerbread houses and watching the claymation holiday movies.  I spent a Saturday with my mom making hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies, watching White Christmas while they baked, and finished the night with a full family marathon of The Santa Clause, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Garfield's Christmas, and A Charlie Brown Christmas.  We used to put up decorations one weekend and spread out shopping and wrapping over the remainder of the weekends, listening to Christmas music while we worked, reveling in the holiday and the joy.  There were snowmen to build and Christmas cards to open, and there was always someone else to make sure you had the work done or got where you needed to go.  It wasn't a holi-DAY but a holi-month.


It is times like that that I miss, and times like now that make me appreciate how truly amazing the Christmases of my childhood were.  They were magical and memorable, never to be truly replicated but always to be admirably remembered.  So, I hope that you are finding your holidays enjoyable, and if you have kids or little nephews and nieces, remember that these are the Christmases they will look back on someday and wish that they, too, could replicate.

According to Jordan

Maybe you've heard of it, maybe you haven't, however, according to Jean Twenge, a psychology professor for the San Diego State University, we are looking at the "Age of Entitlement".  Or, to put in simpler words, a time when people believe that everyone gets a trophy, a gold star, a pat on the back, and a raise just for being, well, themselves, even if the effort put forth is barely passing or simply mediocre.  One of the best places to look at such trends is within school systems, parent complaints, and kids' sports teams, but we won't delve into that realm for now.  Happy hunting on your own.


No, today, instead, is about a different genre - professional sports.  Sadly, I will admit I do not know the ongoings of the recent Lebron James fiasco, other than it has to do with him making bad choices and there being backlash.  However, what I do love is this VIDEO!!!! that Michael Jordan put out in response to the recent Lebron James scandal.  Yes, I said scandal. I don't know if it really is, but the word just makes everything sound more important, urgent, and juicy!  Ergo:  Scandal.  


LOVE this video, however.  Michael Jordan really hit home on the concept of perseverance, dedication, commitment, overcoming obstacles, continuing even when things look dismal, and totally shat (lo siento much if that somehow offended anyone) all over Lebron.  LOVE IT!  Take a look for yourself.