MOVING DAY!

Hey y’all—I’ve moved over to a new host and all that jazz!  My site is still www.justatitch.com; however, you’ll need to alter your feed.  A word of warning: PLEASE USE THE BUTTON.  If you try and add me to Google Reader, it’s still not quite fixed.  But, if you click on the big orange button and add me that way?  You’re golden.

Hope you like the new look as much as I do!

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

So, over the next few days, I’m going to be re-designing my blog.  It’s been fun being over here at WordPress.com, but I think I’m ready for a more “grown-up” look.  After seeing Moose’s adorable new design and having her give me a bit of a G-chat pep talk, I think I’m ready!

If you happen to stop by in the next few days and find me not “here” do not fret—I shall return, and hopefully, will look a lot prettier, too!

Finally, if you here screaming, crying, see curly hair being torn out or gnashing of teeth, it’s me.  Sorry.  Blog redesigns are a huge pain in the butt!

I’ll be posting Andrew and I’s Fun Friday over at Style Lush tomorrow, but that’s probably about it until I get everything else set up…

Catch ya on the flip side!

Yeah, I know I’m a weirdo.

This morning, as I drove to work, I was thinking about my mile-long to-do list and how grades need to be finished and I have a million holiday projects to start on and I was freaking out, because I knew there was something that I had forgotten.  Something important.  A phone call?  A birthday?  A work project or conference?

It wasn’t until I was G-chatting with KK when it struck me that yesterday was a VERY SPECIAL DAY that I forgot to acknowledge on this blog, and at all.

Yesterday marked 12 years since I have last vomited. 

I know I’ve joked from time to time about my vomit phobia, but it’s real, y’all.  Like, legit.  If I so much as feel the urge coming on, I LOSE MY MIND, and engage in my steps of prevention, which are as follows:

STAGE ONE (early nausea):  Immediately begin rememdies of Diet Coke and gum, to settle the stomach.  DON’T PLAY.  Most nausea can be warded off completely if you stay ahead of it.  This is key.

STAGE TWO (feeling really, really queasy):  Continue with Diet Coke and gum and/or Altoids.  Find source of cold water, a cold pack, etc. and apply it to inside of wrists, face, and most importantly, BACK OF THE NECK.  You want to lower your body temperature, STAT.  Again, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE.  I also begin a few rounds of positive thoughts here.  My mantras: “I am feeling FINE!” and “This too shall pass, you are stronger than the nausea!”

STAGE THREE (it’s real bad, yo):  GET THEE INTO A COLD BATH.  Don’t mess around.  Run the cold water.  Get your whole head under that faucet, making sure cold water is on the back of your neck.  Expert tip: DO NOT DO THIS IN A FULL BATHTUB.  Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, will push you closer to the brink of barf than inhaling the water.  Trust me on this one.  Also?  Begin singing, thinking even more positively and generally thinking about anything BUT how ill you feel.  And wait it out.

This method works for me, guys.  Swearsies.  And it’s a time tested method, which had withstood some nasty food, bad medications and wayyyy too much alcohol. 

Is it weird that I honor my No Vomit Anniversary each year?  Probably.  Do I care?  NOT AT ALL.  I plan to make this a life-long thing.  Please do not scare me with pregnancy tales and the like: I AM STRONGER THAN THE NAUSEA.

Things That Are Weird

Things that are currently weirding me out:

• In the continuing adventures of Amy Goes To The Dentist, I spent my day off in a dentist’s chair, in a magical world I can visit only with the help of my special friends Valium and Nitrous.  I got a final crown put on, and can I just tell you how weird it is to have a brand new tooth?  It matches my other teeth!  It’s made completely of porcelain, and it feels like it belongs in my mouth!  I keep licking it with my tongue.  It’s weird to me that new teeth can be made at all, and then come live in my mouth.
• I was scheduling some future events yesterday, when I had to write 2010.  Twenty-TEN.  It’s so weird to even write that, as it seems 2000 was just a few years ago.  Also, there is no verbal abbreviation for it, you know, something like “Back in ’03…”  I think you have to say “2010″ every time.  Not sure if I like that one bit.
• This whole “midweek day off.”  Today feels like yet another Monday.  Not cool, day off.  BUT…I did sleep ’til 8 am yesterday, so I can’t really be pissed off.  Still, I find myself wondering what day it is and what I should be teaching and AHHHHH!
• I was reviewing a list of attendees for a conference I am going to next week, and noticed that one of them is a teacher from my ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.  When I was in 6th grade, I got to go help out in the special education class a few times a week instead of being in my class.  Apparently, the teacher of this class is teaching a program that I coordinate at MY school.  This means that I am now a colleague of someone I haven’t seen since I was twelve and mullet-coifed, acne-ridden and bespectacled.  I am hoping she’s forgotten who I am, as to avoid awkward 6th grade reminiscing.
• My level of excitement regarding “New Moon” coming out, and my date with Gina to go see it!

What seems weird to you this week?

Don’t tease me about my hobbies…

Last night, as we were sitting on the couch, Andrew peered over my shoulder to see what I was looking at.  This brings me to my first tangent: IS THERE ANYTHING MORE ANNOYING THAN PEOPLE READING OVER YOUR SHOULDER?  Judging by my use of caps, I’m going to say not, but seriously?!  It’s a constant battle.

Anyways, I happened to be looking at a list of the people I follow on Twitter, which prompted the following exchange:

ANDREW:  “You follow Taylor Swift?!”

ME:  “SHUT UP!”

ANDREW:  “It’s okay, millions of LITTLE GIRLS follow Taylor Swift!”

This, my friends, brings me to something that is perhaps a bit troubling: my weird, adolescent-esque hobbies and musical interests.  I like to think I’m semi-hip when it comes to music.  I can name-drop a few indie bands, I genuinely enjoy music and I certainly try and expand beyond the Top 40 stations.  BUT.  I have to admit that there’s more Miley Cyrus on my playlist than I care to admit, and that I love Taylor Swift.  I think that Taylor is more in touch with her feelings than many adults are.  Plus, I’ve seen her interviewed and she seems extraordinarily eloquent for 19.  Most importantly?  Her songs sound good being belted out in my car.

Sadly, Taylor Swift is not my only adolescent-ish interest.  There is my really embarrassing, slightly creepy love for new teen it-boy Justin Bieber‘s adorable little teen love songs.  I realize that the Twilight phenomenon has swept the nation, nay, THE WORLD, but let’s be real: it’s a little embarrassing to be containing your excitement over “New Moon” along with the students you teach.  I watch America’s Best Dance Crew.  I really, really, really enjoy “your mom” jokes and other phrases that only 14-year-old boys think are funny.

Sometimes, like when your boyfriend catches you following along to Taylor Swift’s tweets, or you hotly contest Jacob vs. Edward, being into such youthful things can be embarrassing, but truth be told, I like it.  It keeps me young and fresh and fun.  A little light-heartedness never killed anyone.

I can’t be the only one, right?!  What “childish” musicians, books, shows are you still into?

*Please let the record show that I do draw the line at items of clothing displaying Disney, Looney Toons and other cartoon characters.  That’s not fun—that’s just plain weird.  Sorry to offend my Disney-wearing readers.  I still love you.  Just not your Mickey Mouse sweatshirt.

Things I’d Rather Be Doing…

Today has basically sucked, for a variety of reasons, several that are totally my fault.  Sure, I could spend my time thinking of ways to make it better, and consoling myself with the knowledge that other people have it worse, but instead, I’ve been fantasizing about things I’d rather be doing than teaching and coaching Academic Pentathlon:

• Sitting near the ocean, preferably on a warm, white beach with a book and a drink.
• Lying on a massage table, having someone gently work out the knot that’s been making it impossible for me to turn my head for the past 4 days.
• Laying on my couch with my cat and my boyfriend.
• Playing a game or eating dinner with my family.
• On an airplane to Europe.
• In a swanky bar with my girlfriends.
• On a cruise to a fabulous beach with Andrew.
• Sitting in a San Francisco coffee shop.

Sigh.  Instead, I’ll sit here in Room 45 for another few hours.

Where do you want to be today?

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

CHRISTMAS!

I was raised in a family where Christmas was a big deal.  The weekend after Thanksgiving was reserved for Christmas Preparation: getting a tree, decorating the entire house inside and out so that it resembled a Winter Wonderland.  When both my brother and I lived at home, and were around most nights, we’d do Christmas devotions, a little story and prayer about the season.  My mom bought us Advent Calendars with little chocolates behind the doors, and every night, we’d guess the shape that lived behind each door.  Our family shared so many special nights laughing together and hanging out together—the Christmas season’s memories are some of the fondest memories of my childhood.

The older I get, the more excited I get each Christmas season.  I love just about everything about the holidays: the bright lights, the colors, the joy and pleasant feelings that fill the air.  It makes me happy to think about what to get my family, the fun times we’ll share, the treats and fun and the chilly nights I’ll spend with some of my favorite people.  I live near (basically, in) my hometown, so friends from all over come home.  Truth be told, I’ve had Christmas music on in my car for the past 2 weeks.

There are many little holiday traditions I’ve started, in addition to those that my family still celebrates.  Every year, after I’ve finished my Christmas shopping, I like to go to Nordstrom, get a Mocha Blanca and listen to the piano player and watch people shop.  I try and see the Nutcracker if possible.  I love to get coffee and drive around looking at the Christmas lights nearby.  I play Secret Santa with people at work, and spend mornings bundled up making Christmas cards.

This year, I’m looking forward to some new Christmas traditions.  I FINALLY live in a place where it’s my own and I can put up a tree.  I am going to attempt stockings for me and Andrew.  And, perhaps most excitingly, Andrew and I will be spending a day in San Francisco.  We have some plans in the city on a Friday, and are staying overnight to enjoy the holiday decorations in Union Square and beyond.  I literally can’t wait.  I have a few other hopes and dreams up my sleeve, including some cookie recipes and other treats.

As cliche as it may be, to me, the holidays just feel different.  Sure, there is Black Friday insanity, grumpy people, insane parking, but for the most part, I feel like the world is a lot nicer.  And I try to make the most of it.

So, your turn…I’m curious: what are YOUR holiday traditions?  Anything I should add to mine?