GRE

I have been applying to grad schools. I am hoping to finish my Educational Administration degree in the next two years so I can further pursue School Administration. I really love my job.

My current hurdles are finding financial aid to go to TCU... it is dreadfully expensive and applying for school at UTA which is not my first choice. The program is a bit different and I have to take the GRE. Boo.

Have any of you studied for the GRE? It seems like a convoluted mess that has little to do with my future career but I am willing to do a lot to stay on track. I didn't realize my vocabulary was so abismal. I have a pack of 350 flash cards I am carrying around trying to absorb their meanings.

Aver...Hackneyed...Salubrious...Obviate...Alacrity....Shootme

I am also facing math again after a six year absence. That is, six years since I took the last standardized-so-I-can-be-a-teacher test. I had to get a GED math book to refresh my memory for that test because I hadn't had any since sophomore year of college...in 2001. Yes, children. I know that you were in diapers that year. If you ask me who Pearl Jam is again I may have to harm you.

I got through Math the hard way in school. I just didn't get it nor did I have any motivation. I am kicking myself now. How many times do I wish I had paid more attention in Punkin Moss's 9th grade Algebra class?? Oh yeah, you caught that did you? Her name was Punkin Moss...You can probably guess what a high quality teacher she was. It is hard to motivate your students to Mathematical excellence when they have no respect for you for showing up 10 minutes late to class because you were having a smoke break in your old suburban parked right outside the classroom door. She had a mullet too. Just saying.

It's not Punkin's fault though. I was never an ambitious student until I went to college. I was a late academic bloomer...but now that I want school to be my life I wish I didn't have that sinking feeling in my stomach when I open the GRE section on factoring.

Factoring? Sounds vaguely familiar.


(x+y)² is the same thing as x² + 2xy + y²?

It is?
Something about aluminum foil? But don’t forget to pay special attention to the signs!


Pos x Pos= Pos
Neg x Neg= Pos
Pos x Neg= Neg
Neg x Pos =Neg

This is not salubrious! It is tortuous. It is totally not germane. Am I using these correctly?

I'll be at Panera under a pile of old math books and vocabulary index cards.

Peace!

I'm Back

Apparently the Blogging trend rose in my group of friends in 2006 and died in 2008. However, I am deciding to be back.

I have a lot to say because I am a learner and there is a lot in my life I would like to keep up with. And since I sit in front of my computer for large amounts of my life, this should be the easiest way.

Just so there is something here, these are some movies and books I have seen/read lately:

Books:
Unwind--- weird sci-fi but so interesting. I couldn't put it down. I am sure the teenagers it was written for couldn't either.

Pillars of the Earth- I started this 1,000+ page book when I started a nutso HCG diet. It's massive length and stunning detail distracted me from the fact that I was only eating my own butt and 500 calories per day. Great book but scandaloso in parts. Sheesh.

The Help- I don't really need to say anything about this. The movie was actually just as good as the book . I think that's the first time I've ever said that!

Movies:

Drive- Ryan Gosling is nuts in this film. We like Independent films around here because we have seen everything under the sun and hate to smell the plot coming. My time is so precious lately that I just get up and walk away from movies that upset me or seem like they are going to disappoint. This one didn't.

One Day- Independent film let down. I have no idea what happened in the last 10 minutes but nothing could pull that movie up out of the dregs it had created....oh, and I can't stand Anne Hathaway

Midnight in Paris- My first Woody Allen film! I loved it! I particularly enjoyed the dialogue and how Allen made Paris a character. Beautiful and nonpredictable. Plus I really enjoyed seeing Rachel McAdams as a nightmare again. I missed her since Regina George.

The Ides of March- Ryan Gosling again. I swear I don't have a "thing" he just is working really hard these days. Great film... Good job George Clooney. It'll make you hate politics...wait, you already do.

The Descendants- on Blu-Ray... Loved it more the second time. "Sid" will make you laugh... a lot. You would think Matthew Lillard would but he takes a different role this time. I spent that whole day crying at the TV...I also saw the notebook that day... Gee! Maybe I do have a Ryan Gosling "thing."

Throwback::The Notebook- Nicholas Sparks, I only love your work when translated into movies. I tend to throw your books across the room in mushy disgust.

Way Throwback: Empire of the Sun... Christian Bale as a young child. He was just as disturbing then but I really love this movie.

Okay, That's enough for now. Making another Blockbuster run (yes, they are still in business) tomorrow because watching a slew of movies is how we Van Dycks roll on vacation.

I am going to try to enjoy the rest of Spring Break.

Blessings!!

Drive Your Teacher Crazy

These are just a few things that make be a bit batty. I know I did them as a student and wondered why my teachers were high strung.

Here are some sure-fire ways to drive your teachers crazy.

1. Hand in homework at random times during the day when you happen to see your teacher walking by. This will increase the likelihood that she will lose it before grading it and she will have to give you a 100.

2. Yell "What?" every time you get behind taking notes during lecture.

3. When the teacher asks you a question, look at him/her blankly and say, "Huh?"

4. Raise your hand and just start speaking before anyone calls on you.

5. As soon as the teacher walks into the room get ten friends to come up and ask the teacher questions about stuff she is probably just about to explain to the class. Do this before she has a chance to put any books down.

6. 5 seconds before a test ask the teacher "Does spelling count?" (As a teacher I always ask back, If I say, "yes" will you make the effort to spell it right? Does it magically help you spell? I don't get it.)

7. Drum on everything...especially during lecture.

8. As soon as the teacher turns around, mumble to your neighbor.

9. Freak out every time the teacher assigns something that looks hard. Don't take the time to see if this is true and NEVER, I repeat, NEVER read the directions. Just start writing and complaining.

10. Ask, "Is this going to be on the test?" or "Do we need to know this?" about every new concept. If the teacher says it won't be on the test, put down your pencil and stare at the wall. If the teacher says it will be on the test then slow down the whole lecture by asking her to repeat every sentence three or four times.

What is a name?

Names I could never give to my children:

Girl names
Hayley Hay
Bailey Hay
Autumn Hay
Summer Hay
May Hay
June Hay
April Hay
Violet Hay (just odd)
Anything that is an adjective.

Boy names
Mario Andret Hay
Roland D. Hay

Can you think of any others?

Needles to say, Amy is in pain!

Let us tell the tale of a seemingly ordinary night gone awry!

T- 4 minutes until The Office season premiere, Amy is cleaning out some random drawers in her bedroom when she finds herself in excruciating pain in her left foot. She jumps off of that foot to feel the same pain in her right food. She falls to the ground, bleeding from the right foot and bewildered by a long piece of sewing thread hanging from her other foot.


Apparently she has stepped on a sewing needle, dull side first, which has broken off in her left heel. The broken half which remain in the carpet punctured her right foot. After pulling on the string for a few minutes she screams in pain and she and her husband realize the string is attached to the deep end of the needle. OUCH.

They rush to Urgent Care while Tod, Tygre and Patrick are left behind to TiVo the Office. Amy is terribly depressed to miss the season premiere but sees the importance of removing foreign objects from her body.




The Urgent Care Doctor says he has about a 10% chance of getting out the needle. Amy passes and makes an appointment with the podiatrist for the next day. The podiatrists says he can get it out. The nurses giggle at her X Ray. Amy has a VERY painful local anesthetic which almost makes her lose her breakfast. After making an incision and prying open her foot the doctor digs for 20 minutes then declares defeat. He needs a live action X Ray to see where the needle is moving. He bandages her up and schedules a real surgery for Monday and writes a very nice prescription for the pain.

Poor Amy hobbles home...afraid of becoming like Dr. House popping Vicodin with every stabbing pain.

The good news is that if you put her in a pool she can point North!

Virtual Makeover

If you have a minute you should play around with the Virtual Makeover on my Mary Kay website. It is pretty fun. I mean, look how beautiful I made my husband!
If you do a virtual makeover I will give you 20% off of your next purchase!
Order online and get free shipping!
I am really trying to jumpstart my business so any purchases can help. Plus, if you don't like what you bought, you'll get a 100% refund. That is the Mary Kay way!

Hard, Hard Week

This week has been a total mess. We went to Norman last weekend for the holiday and right before we were planning on leaving I got the news that one of our key guys in our ministry from Seminole State college was killed by a drunk driver.

I was devastated. Brandon was so young! He was a leader this summer at Falls Creek and it has been a big shock for everyone.

It is such a comfort to know that Brandon was living his life for Jesus and that I'll see him again.

Please be praying for his family and for the family of his girlfriend who is at OU Medical Center in pretty bad condition. She is healing faster than expected but still has a long road to go. I am pretty sure she doesn't know about Brandon yet because she has been unconscious most of the time.

Brandon,
We'll miss you terribly. You are incredibly loved!

Amy