Why my conservative Catholic colleagues should hate me today

Okay, okay, I admit it: sometimes I'm not a very good role model. I can't help it. It's just too hard to keep up the teacher mode all day long. Being all smiles, talking in high pitches, giving positive feedback with stern direction - it's exhausting. Have you tried it?

There is one class in particular that I tend to let my guard down too much in - 7th/8th grade band. There are only 8 kids in the class total, and I like all of them. Sure they don't ever practice and I've been pretty mad at them before, but all in all, they are one of my favorite classes. Earlier in the school year I got caught by one of the other teachers here cursing at my percussionist. I swear I had no idea that she was there. At least it was the gym teacher, and I haven't gotten any crap about it so I'm guessing she didn't say anything. And I wasn't cussing to be mean or anything. All the kids said that "Bob" feel down during gym and hurt his butt and that he was upset and crying so when he walked into the room, without thinking I said "Hey Bob, I heard you hurt your ass". Oh yeah. I said it. And immediately after, I realized what I had said and had an oh shit moment where I felt my job in danger and an even bigger shit when the gum teacher poked her head in the door with raised eyebrows.

But that was why my colleagues should hate me like 2 months ago. I digress.

So today I'm feeling kind of crappy and tired and I can tell that the kids are all out of it too. I'm in one of those "I don't want to do anything, when is this day over" kind of moods. So I'm sitting at my desk and the kids are setting up their instruments and talking about all kinds of stuff and then one of them brought up YouTube and random things on it and what would come up but unnecessary censored videos. And this is what I proceeded to watch with my whole class:







I'm a horrible teacher. But hey, my students like me. I just wish that they weren't all doomed to end up as close-minded as their families. I'm just the silly liberal. Still, you've gotta love the count!

School's out for never!

I don't know if word has gotten around to all the schools and teachers in Indiana, but the end of the world is coming. Now this won't be an instantaneous occurrence- no, it's going to be a slow and painful death. I'm talking, of course, about the ensuing abolition of half days.

Apparently, Dr. Bennett, Superintendent of Public Instruction, doesn't think that our kids are getting enough, well, instruction. As of next school year, there will be no more half days allowed in the school calendar. As it stands right now, schools are allowed to take 6 half days. We only take 2 here - the Friday before fall break and spring break. On this very day next year, the sacred day before spring break, all of us will have to pull a full day of school. Never mind that all of the teachers had a 12-hour school day yesterday because of parent/teacher conferences. And never mind that the kids have been little shits all week because they are already on break in their heads. Lets tack on a few extra hours to the babysitting that the teachers are already going to have to do for the kids that actually show up. We're missing so many anyway, because of families wanting to have a spring break that's longer than a week. And lets face it - I don't want to be here. I'm exhausted. Yesterday liked to kill me. I still need to grab a few things from the store and I haven't even started packing for Florida yet. And I have to change the title on my car before we leave and I have to have my suitcase packed and over at the in-laws by 6 tonight. I thank Jebus that today is a half day.

Tony is out of touch. He's gotten into a position of political power and I bet when he's making all these rule changes about how teachers have to do parent/teacher conferences outside of the 180 days of school even though they don't get paid a dime more and are already doing 12-hour days as the rules stand now, he's not thinking about how he would feel if he were teaching and actually had to follow the rules he's making. He was a teacher for 9 years. But his website doesn't tell you when those 9 years were. That's because it was probably a long-ass time ago and Tony is still trying to act like he is one of us.

I think the teacher's union needs to give him a swift kick in the ass. Or we could just force him to sub for all our kids the week before spring break and see if afterwards he still thinks that kids need that extra half day of instruction before break. The devil wears a tie, and he's taking over Indiana.

New Chick-fil-a location, same great taste!

Today is the grand opening of a new Chick-fil-a. Glory be! And it's close to my work! I was quite disheartened because earlier this week, I could have sworn that they were going to be open, but no, no they weren't. But today is the day and I will no longer have to go another weekday without the option of waffle fries and the best ever chicken sandwich.

Luckily, today is the day that I have the most planning, and I was able to get out for lunch. I was honestly expecting to sit in line for quite a long time. But they were prepared! They had a manager out in the parking lot directing you to the drive through. Once in the drive through line, there were two people with menus and order cards to write down your order. Then they give you the card and once you get up to where you normally order through a speaker, there was ANOTHER person there, this one with a headset, that takes your order card, confirms the order with you, and sends it in. Then at the window, there is another manager helping to make sure the food gets out. I don't know how many times someone said "my pleasure" to me within that 5 minute period. I know that some people take issue with Chick-fil-a because of their open Christian affiliation, and I can't lie, I'm often angry when I'm craving it on a Sunday - but every Chick-fil-a I have been too has been a more pleasant experience than any other fast food chain, period.

I brought my meal back, sat down at my desk, and found that they weren't completely without fault. I had gotten a sandwich for one of my coworkers and she didn't want any pickles. Instead of no pickles, they gave me a sandwich with extra pickles. So I took that sandwich, then I opened the other one, took off the pickles, and closed the bag right back up. She'll never notice. Also, I have no straw for my large coke. (sad face) I've managed through, and I haven't even spilled anything yet!

Kudos for having the rabbit pellet type ice that is easy and fun to chew. It's my favorite kind of ice, and you really can't get it many places.

Double kudos for giving me a coupon for a free breakfast sandwich!

Now if only I didn't have a 12 hour work day. I mean, a chicken sandwich can only keep you happy for so long...

Ah, that takes me back

Have you ever had one of those moments where something - a taste, smell, feel, sight, sound (ok yeah, something from one of your senses) - takes you back to your childhood? Something that you had forgotten about, something small that doesn't really matter but once you experience it, you are completely caught off guard. That's what happened to me today when I chewed a piece of Fruit Stripe Bubble Gum.

My mom bought it for me and my grandma would even chew it with me. I had it all the time when I was younger. So many things from childhood aren't around anymore, or if they are, you have to hunt for them. I mean, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers and Duck Tales can still be found on YouTube and also can be illegally downloaded, but you can actually still get this gum in the store! I don't know why it's taken me until now to find and chew it again. I'm sure that not every store has it and aren't adults supposed to chew minty gum anyway? But for whatever impulse it was that made me buy it this morning, I am glad.

Now there is one thing that I remember from way back that is still true today: the flavor doesn't last long. After just a minute or two, you're chewing an old, virtually flavorless piece of gum. Not exactly a piece of Orbit! But man, for those first few chews - AMAZING. I've already chewed 5 pieces today.

Here's something that I don't remember them having but apparently they have had for a while: gum wrapper tattoos! What a freaking neat concept! Not only do you get 5 flavors in one pack, but you can tattoo yourself with each piece. I'll admit, I tried it a few times today. The first time was a complete epic fail. The next time I tried, you can kind of tell what it is. It's mostly a blob of blue green and red, but hey, you're not going to get tattoo parlor quality art on a gum wrapper!

I hope this stuff is still around when I have kids.

A+ to the Zebra. I freaking love that guy.

I've found blue bawls!

Since my post about my very favorite cherry berry 24-7 energy drink, I've tried quite a few other energy drinks just to see if I can find anything that could possibly match the deliciousness I find with my now everyday drink. Actually, the hubby drinks cherry berry now too. We look so silly at Walgreens, a hand cart full of every cherry berry they have in the refrigerated section.

The hubster had mentioned several times that his favorite energy drink is Bawls. Yes, they put a "w" in the name, but when you say it, it makes no difference in the pronunciation, which I'm sure was the intent. Their website claims that the name is symbolic of the "bounce" the drink gives you, but I honestly think it was for a few sideways questionably glances and some giggles. For the longest time, the only place around here that would sell the drink was Computer's plus, and Lord knows I hardly ever go in there, probably never if it weren't for my other half. I have always wanted to try it though.

Yesterday I was driving to school with a cherry berry in my purse thinking to myself that it was going to be one of those days where I needed more than one pick-me-up drink. A bad night's sleep almost always means a slow, miserable day of work. I stopped into this rinky-dink gas station, thinking I would try a Monster or other well-known drink I haven't tried yet. But what would you know, they had 10 oz glass bottles of Bawls! I was excited - it made my morning. It's my favorite color! My glasses at home are blue, my hutch decorations in the dining room are blue...

Bawls is absolutely delightful! It tastes like Mountain Dew and cream soda mixed together. Apparently this drink came about during a senior project in college where the creator was trying to make an energy drink that isn't heavy and nasty to ingest. He succeeded! I could drink it all day. It seems to me that people have gotten so creative with how to make energy drinks that drinks like red bull and the generics of that seem a bit primitive. I know that some people swear by it, but blech, go out and get yourself a tastier energy boost!

Now what really grinds my gears is that although there are 4 total varieties of the drink, the only one you can find around here is the original. They also have cherry, rootbeer and exxtra (which has 50% extra "bawls" to it). Why can't I enjoy what I'm sure are equal complements to the original? My only option is to buy them by the case online, and you only get one flavor in a case. Although I don't see my husband and I having any problem drinking all those bottles...nope. Goodness knows how much it would cost to ship a 24 case of drinks though. Why can't I just pick up each kind at Kroger? Is that too much to ask?

(You can't see it, but as I'm typing this, I have a pouty face :( over the fact that SOMEONE has decided to be super-selective over where these delights are sold. )


Well, I'm off to go retrieve my 16 oz can of Bawls from the mini fridge in the teacher's lounge (which I found at Target - hooray!) and get hoppin to the store to get beer and green food coloring. Happy St. Patrick's day!

You know what really grinds my gears?

Today has been so exhausting. And I still have a faculty meeting before I can even leave work!!! I really think that we should take a hint from some of the public schools around here. They start school one hour later once a week so that the faculty can meet and discuss any issues that need resolving. Yes, this would mean that we would have to meet more often, but it also would mean that we wouldn't be stuck after school indefinitely, all of us impatient and feeling close to loosing it. Buh. I hate the second Wednesday of the month. All of us dread it.

This morning was a bit of a cluster F*** here at school. There were so many kids that were absent throughout last week that there were a TON of makeup tests that had to be done. Our dear principle knew this. He KNEW this, and yet he didn't tell ANYONE beforehand that their plans would have to be changed. He pulled our computer teacher out of her class with no more than 5 min. notice and made her go in the art room. She didn't have any written out instructions or sub plans. And I was supposed to have two back-to-back art classes this morning. Did I get told that I would have to improvise in my music classroom? Haha...NO. My morning band class had just left the room and I was gathering up my gradebook and other essentials to switch classes when my 3rd graders waltz in to my music room saying that they are doing testing in the art room. My principle didn't even check to see if I was going to have class in there during that time. (insert growl here)

So what kind of art do you do in a room with no tables and no art supplies with no notice? Luckily my 3rd graders were finishing a project and all they needed to do was color in what they had stenciled the week before. But my 4th grade couldn't do art at all because we were supposed to be starting a new pencil sketch project, of which all of the materials were in the other room. So we sang a song and that ended up being bad because the kids testing next door could hear the piano and the singing. Apparently they had just started testing when I was in the middle of my band class. So obviously they were having trouble concentrating - I know I would if I were them! All of this because SOMEONE IN CHARGE doesn't know how to plan ahead. I'm not a very organized person myself, but you don't see me trying to be a principle either!

That set me off on the wrong foot for the rest of the day. I just didn't seem to have any patience and all the little things really got to me. The talking out, the touching and not keeping hands to yourself, the lying - BUH.

And now I have to sit for an hour and 45 minutes and listen to the principle at our faculty meeting. All I want to do is go home, get our of my dress clothes and veg out. I really hope that I don't take this bad mood home. Hubby - I'm really going to try to leave this funk at school. Know that I'm making an effort! I love you!

Who's watching the Watchmen? I am!

I am not a born comic book nerd. I have not read Watchmen a thousand times and I have not been waiting for years for the film to come out. I didn't know much of anything about it until my husband started talking about it. He told me that I had to see the movie with him when it came out, but that the only way I had a chance of understanding it was if I read the book first. I wasn't sure if the whole thing would really appeal to me, but I wanted to give it a shot. We went to Borders to get a copy and I began to read.

*Warning* This blog will not be an egotistical comic snob/nerd/geek ranting about how they never should have done the movie. Aren't there enough blogs like that already?

Although the whole comic book layout threw me off at first and it took me a while to really get the hang of reading and absorbing all of the content, it took me less than a week to finish it. At the beginning I was constantly asking my husband questions and going back and re-reading portions to try to fully understand what was going on and who was who. There were a lot of street faces and masked faces to match up. The funeral scene was a particularly confusing part for me. They would show a frame or two of a face and then flash back.

This is one of the reasons that I really liked the movie. For me, the movie made parts of the book make so much more sense. It was easier to recognize right off the bat the faces in the movie. During Comedian's funeral in the movie, I found myself going, "Ooooh, NOW that makes sense!" Not out loud, of course, because everyone hates a movie talker. The hubby was a trooper, by the way, not getting to see the movie at midnight because of me. No way I could have functioned at work the next day on 3 hours of sleep or less. But it turned out well, actually, because we went the next day right after school and there was only about 20 people in the theater with us. Plus, the tickets are always cheaper during the day.

I am so glad now that I read the book first. Not only has it opened my eyes to graphic novels, but it made me appreciate and enjoy the movie so much more. My sister-in-law's boyfriend went to see the movie before reading the book and he said that it wasn't worth the money he paid to see it. He's much more enthusiastic about it now, since the hubs explained the story to him and allowed him to loose MY copy of the book! This book definitely merits another reading for sure. Can't wait to get my book back!

I do have to say that after reading the book, I was very aware when small parts were left out of the movie. This didn't really bother me though. I was more surprised that I was able to pick up on the small details. It was almost as if I could see the pages of the book in my head.

My one big beef: Ok so I'll admit, this is a silly thing to complain about. But the one thing that really made me mad at the movie was the scene where Night Owl and Silk Specter are down in his... office? Lair? Owl cave? He lets her try on his goggles and after she puts them on, she says, "This rocks". No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This was not what she said in the book. And even if they were taking liberties here, they should have taken into account that she would NOT have said something rocks in the 80s. Buh. Shame. (I told you it would sound silly)

So, if you haven't read the book or seen the movie, who are the main character? From top to bottom, left to right:

• Rorshach - real name Walter Kovacs - played by Jackie Earle Haley
• The Comedian - real name Edward Morgan Blake - played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan
• Dr. Manhattan - real name Jon Osterman - played by Billy Crudup
• Silk Spectre II - real name Laurie Juspeczk - played by Malin Akerman
• Nite Owl II - real name Dan Deiberg - played by Patrick Wilson
• Ozymandias - real name Adrian Veidt - played by Matthew Gowe

So here's how I see the characters:

Ozymandias is an egotistical jackass. "I think so much of myself that I am going to put a hit out on ME and then kill my own assassin." He might be considered the smartest man in the world, but I bet his real manhood is lacking. He was probably really mean in high school, too.

Dr. Manhattan is an asswipe. He's pretty cool before he accidentally gets destroyed and put back together as the only superhero with powers in the story, but after he turns my favorite color, he goes on my shit-list. He doesn't see humanity for what it really is. Plus, anyone who would multiply himself so he could do something else while still doing Laurie is a total dumb ass. Really? You can't take 20 minutes to get it on? It's not like you don't have one! Even standing outside in Antarctica your junk is hangin just as low. Put it to actual use!

The Comedian is a mean-ass. He tries to rape the original Silk Spectre (Laurie's mother), he impregnates and then kills a women in Vietnam, and has a very all around twisted sense of humor and justice. This can't be the same guy who plays Denny on Grey's Anatomy! Of course, it's his death at the beginning of the story that sets everything into motion. He gets killed by Adrian because he figured out that turd's plan.

Nite Owl II, don't be so hard on yourself. He's a-okay in my book. Even though he dresses as my childhood terror, his intentions are in the right place and so is his heart. I wish I had all his money! But unlike Ozy, Dan doesn't let his money turn him into a douche. He took in Laurie, put it IN Laurie and busted Rorscache out of prison. Don't let your impotency define who you are, Dan!

Silk Spectre is a cutie. I don't know why she stayed with Jon for so long. He seemed to take away her independence. Aside from beating up a few prisoners in the jail, though, she really doesn't bring too much to the "hero" label. Although what she doesn't whoop ass, she totally makes up for with that HOT sex scene with Night Owl. (Cue porn music) Thanks for showing us your boobies, Laurie! If that scene doesn't put you in the mood, your libido needs a serious check. Hurray as well for about the only happy part of the ending - her and Dan stayed together. Now, if she could just get him to put the toilet seat down...

Oh yeah, and she's the daughter of the Comedian. She doesn't find out until after he's gone.

Rorshach is the ultimate bad-ass of the movie. But he had to have a totally screwed up childhood to get that way. I was super pissed when I read the book and then again viewing the movie that he dies at the end. I get that it's because of his manner and character and that he being who he is couldn't just let it go that so many people died and the real reason had to be kept a secret. But still! Does the guy ever get to have even one ounce of happiness in his life EVER? I have to admit though, it threw me off at how much the black on his mask moved around in the film. It really distracted me from what was going on. Rorshach is essential to the story, because he is the one who brings everyone together. If he hadn't been sneaking into people's houses and scaring the shite out of everyone, who knows what would have happened.

The alternate ending to the movie...
I honestly don't see why it was necessary. Bazillions of people dying all over the world because of what they believe was Dr. Manhattan? Or half of New York by a giant squid alien? I suppose Dan Phillips from his article on IGN was right when he says that it would have taken too much time to set up the actual ending in the movie. (You can read his critique here: http://comics.ign.com/articles/960/960199p1.html) Let's be honest: if the movie were much longer, we'd be getting into Titanic length and everybody knows that's a no-no!

If the movie seems too dense and depressing for you, let's cheer it up a bit:

Surely the Charlie Brown version would be way different, don't you think?

Watchmen is one of those stories that you can read over and over and notice new things every time. I very much approve.

It's time to flop!

Yes, the time has finally come to flop - flip flop! Today was the first day of 2009 that I got to wear my flip flops outside. It was a good feeling. My feet are tired of wearing socks and being cooped up in shoes. Slipping my flops on gives me high hopes that spring is almost here and the end of the school year is near. Spring break is two weeks away, and I am super excited about that too.

I believe that the high for today was 75 degrees and it has been absolutely pleasant outside. I have been trying to take advantage of that, seeing as how it's supposed to rain for a good portion of the next week. The hubby and I took our puppy (ok, ok, full-grown doggy), Oreo for a walk around the neighborhood. I've felt a bit guilty not walking her recently, but it's just been so freaking cold; don't believe me? Ask me how much the gas bill has been the past few months! Anyhow, she was really good, walking with us, sniffing things that only puppies can seem to smell. She's so tuckered out now, completely out, laying in the middle of the living room floor.

So I'm sure that for more than just me, warm weather means painted toenails and lots of different flip flops to match any outfit. But what about those tan lines that we all get once the summer begins? What if you could go topless?


Someone has actually taken the time to figure out a flipless, flopless flip flop. Apparently the secret behind these is a water-based glue that sticks to the soles of your feet. Huh? Yeah. I thought that they might be a one time use only kind of flop, but you are supposed to be able to wear these for a full summer season. Maybe I'm just an old-fashioned kind of girl when it comes to summer footwear, but I just can't see myself being very comfortable going topless. I would feel like I should have a backup pair of shoes, and I would constantly be checking to make sure my shoes were still there.

On the up-side, if you are set against those pesky foot tan lines or are getting a pedicure these "shoes" could be beneficial. I think these are pretty big in the UK, but can you even find them anywhere in the US?

Well, I don't think that we will be able to find these things in Target, but there are certainly plenty to choose from on the web. All you have to do is type a Google search for topless flip flops and a ton of sites come up. It seems that the average price for a pair is about $12 plus shipping. Part of me wants to get a pair just so that I can review them and see for myself if these are really "freeing" for your feet.

Maybe eventually I'll purchase a pair of these barely there flops, but for now I'm just as content as can be knowing that the time is drawing near when I can wear my flip flops every day. Stay away, cold weather!! My toes are ready to wiggle!

Child-proof bottle of morning crap

It didn't take me long to get curious about what other beverages are out there for my morning consumption. While at Walgreens this morning, I happened to notice another line of drinks in the refrigerated section on sale. These were not energy drinks, but caffeinated little cold lattes. "Why not?" I thought to myself. I picked up a vanilla chai latte, which sounds delicious, doesn't it? I LOVE chai lattes and often make them for myself and my husband at home. Why not give this little cold bottle a go?

The drink is made by Deerfield Trading Company and I honestly don't even know if they have a website. I couldn't find it when I was searching, although I really didn't look very long since the internet is being sketchy and seems to get to choose which web sites I look at. The bottle is 11oz compared to the 16 oz I get with my cherry berry. Thank goodness the bottle wasn't any bigger. The only reason I drank all of it even in its small size was because I didn't want to waste my money. I've had chai made with powder that tastes better. My initial reaction to the first taste was "BLECH!" This is after I spent a good 3 minutes trying to even open the thing! First you have to tear away the plastic on the outside. The once you unscrew the lid, there is a hard plastic coating OVER TOP of the aluminum seal! I had to get my scissors out and stab at it. On two different occasions, little pieces of plastic shot up and hit me in the face. Maybe I was having a blonde moment, but I honestly did not see any other way of doing it. There wasn't a tab hanging over to pull the piece under it back or anything. I could have opened 20 Tylenol bottles before I could have gotten into this dag-on bottle.

Like I've already mentioned, once the bottle was completely free and ready to drink from, nothing good resulted. I don't really know how to describe it except for NOT GOOD. I would not recommend that anyone get any flavor of this line of drinks. It almost tasted gritty but yet somehow slimey at the same time. And the aftertaste is no picnic either. Thank goodness I had still purchased a cherry berry as well. This latte may have 6g of protein within it but I'd rather eat eggs and turkey bacon. I really tried to give this beverage the benefit of the doubt, but it just couldn't deliver anything worth drinking. Walgreens, I think you need to stop claiming this as an exclusive because no one should drink it!

All you need is four chords

Being such the music nerd that I am, I had to literally laugh at loud at this video. This is so clever! My music theory professor could go on all day about how lame and watered down popular music is, but not until now do I really see that perspective. Don't get me wrong - some of these are catchy tunes that you could hear me singing to from time to time quite uncontrollably - still, I give this guy kudos for such a great melding together of 4-chord songs. Enjoy.

Yummy energy

It all started a few Monday mornings ago. My husband had the stomach flu (that I gave him that my kids at school gave me) and I had just had a very restless night of sleep. Fearing that I might not make it through the day, I stopped by Walgreens on my way to school. I remembered that they had these energy drinks that were pretty good because I had tried one over the summer before a very early morning to Holiday World. I bought a can, hoping that it would still be as good as I remember. And it was.




24:7 is a brand of energy drink that you can only get at Walgreens. I don't really know why. You'd think that these would sell a lot better if you could pick them up at a gas station or Walmart. They have quite a few different options, but the one that I really like is their Cherry Berry. It has a lot of cherry, a little bit of berry, and a sour kick to start off your day. I have had one every morning for at least the past 2 weeks now. It's a quick-forming habit that is a bit more expensive than starting my day with a can of coca cola though. Their regular price is $2 a piece. Walgreens has them on sale this week 2 for $3. I'm hoping to stock up for the next week or two before the sale ends this Sunday.

Curious about what other people thought of this drink, I browsed the internet the other day. To my surprise, I did not see one person who wrote positively about it. Maybe these people are hard-core energy drinkers, I don't know. I personally can only drink a Red Bull if it has Jager in it. I crave the taste of my cherry berry and am always a bit sad when it's gone. Some people said that they did not like the drink because it was too sour. I guess if you don't like sour, this drink isn't for you. I quite enjoy it. The cherry flavor within is unique - often times if I am drinking something cherry-flavored I end up feeling like I am drinking cough syrup (blech!) 24:7 has a cherry flavor that although very distinctly cherry, it does not remind me of childhood agony.

Another complaint is that it leaves your mouth dry afterwards. I'm no expert, but from the few other energy drinks that I have tried, they all do that. Energy drinks tend to dry you out (haha, sorry, my mind went in the gutter). This isn't something that would make me want to stop drinking it though. I have a 32 oz Rubbermaid water bottle that stays on my desk and after I finish my morning boost, I fill that up and drink water for the rest of the day. It used to be that I would drink 3 diet or regular cokes throughout the day. I don't really know which way is better or worse for you. The Cherry Berry does have 60g of sugar. Then again, diet sodas may give you cancer someday. (Does Aspertame really contain rat poison? Ugh!) I personally would rather be obese than cancerous.

What about the energy? I do have to point out again that I am not an expert on these drinks. Maybe I'll get bold (or bored) one day and do a comparative study. The first day or two that I drank these, I was NOTICEABLY more energetic, peppy and positive. My kids at school noticed. My husband noticed. He noticed so much that he said I should keep drinking the Cherry Berry because I complain about work less. I've found out, however and quite unfortunately, that drinking it everyday desensitizes me to the effects somewhat. While I still get a boost from it, I'm not bouncing off the walls like I was the first time I drank it. I suppose that's how our body does with everything though. I mean, right now if I were to drink a margarita, I would be tipsy. Give me one everyday for two weeks though, and I'm sure I'd have to up the number of salt-rimmed glasses full of frozen limey delight that I consumed. Just like I said with my tea obsession though: aren't there worse things to be into?

Oh no! My Cherry Berry is almost gone as we speak! Maybe if I could just sneak out of work and get another one...

Thank you, ISTEP testing, for allowing me the time to be able to blog at work! Wait, did I say blog at work? I meant, um, planning for the rest of the school year!

Obsessed with tea

(I found this great photo at netcharles.com)


I love tea. I'm not talking about the tea bags that you get at Kroger or sweet tea at McDonalds (although who can resist a large sweet tea with their double cheeseburger?!). No, I'll admit that I am a bit of a tea snob. Since I have experienced the joys of loose tea leaves, I will never again be satisfied with your regular grocery store tea selection.

Now, if you live in Southern Indiana and would like to try some tea the old-fashioned kind of way, the best place to go is Jewel's House of Tea on Eastern Blvd in Clarksville, IN. They do keep some strange hours that vary from day to day, so if you do want to venture there, check out their hours first:

jewelshouseoftea.com

On their website they also have their list of teas, which they update whenever they get in new flavors or take anything off on their website. The people who own and run the store are a really nice couple and they will be very patient with you while you try to decide what you want.

Another great perk: you get a repeat customer card that they stamp every time you buy a bag of tea or other accessories. 10 stamps and you get a free bag of tea of your choice! Not many places still do this kind of thing.

Now when you first look at the menu of teas and their prices, your initial reaction might be that they are too expensive. This was what I thought at first too. But not only are you getting a higher quality of product with a MUCH wider selection, the tea lasts forever. Seriously. You could probably make 20 POTS of tea (yes pots, not cups) with one bag. And they are delicious.

So what all have I tried?

almond cookie
coconut
ginger peach
summer breeze
sweet cranberry
winter blend
earl gray creme
pumpkin
chocolate strawberry (Valentine's Day exclusive! Yummy!)
after dark (A must-have for night time decaf drinkers)
lavender sunset
spearmint
spring cherry
white monkey (plain green tea, funky name!)
rainbow roobias
immunity booster (I don't think they carry this one anymore)

These are all the ones that I own and drink at home so far. There is not one that I dislike. I am almost positive that you can find something that would strike your fancy. They've got black, white, green, herbal, decaf... - and if you need help selecting what's best to fit your needs they will help you.

So what do you need in order to enjoy loose leaf tea? First, you need a tea kettle. Any kind will do. I have an electric one from Target. It's red and shiny and one of my favorite gifts from my wedding registry. You fill it up with water, plug it in, flip the switch and in less than 5 minutes you have boiling water. AND it automatically shuts off once it boils.

Now, you can put your tea leaves directly into the kettle as long as it has some kind of filter so that you don't pour the leaves right back out into your cup. I use a different pot because I don't want my nice kettle to get stained with tea. I got a small ceramic one at Old Time Pottery for $2. It doesn't have a wire mesh filter (probably the best kind) but it does have small holes covering the spout to prevent too much coming out.

Warning: when dealing with loose tea leaves, I think it is impossible to get a 100% clear cup of tea. Tiny pieces will more than likely go into your cup. But if you give it a moment, they will sink down to the bottom and shouldn't bother you. If the thought of a few stay pieces of tea floating in your cup is unbearable to you, there are accessories to prevent this and/or get the leaves out. Just peruse a google search and you'll surely find something that will work for you.

If you don't have a proper tea pot, you can still use loose tea leaves. You can go to the grocery store and buy a tea ball - it's a little metal ball that opens in half for you to put your tea leaves in. Then you close it and hang the metal string over your cup and pour the water over it. Also at Jewels or online, you can find all kinds of neat gadgets and cups. They can be on the pricey side, and my method works for me, so it's no big deal.

I love to make a pot of tea every day. Sometimes I add sugar, milk or honey, but often times I drink the tea straight because they have such great flavors anyway. My husband didn't like tea at all until I made him try some of these. Now he loves it. Granted, he adds quite a bit of sugar, but that's ok! Everyone has his or her own tastes. His favorite is the coconut tea. He also likes when I mix the coconut and almond cookie together. I couldn't tell you what my favorite is. I guess that depends on the time of the year and the time of day. In December, I loved the winter blend, pumpkin and almond cookie. If it's night time, I want something decaf, like the after dark, lavender or spearmint. In the morning I love sweet cranberry, ginger peach and chocolate strawberry. You really can't go wrong.

It's such a treat for me to be able to make a trip to Jewels and pick out a few new teas. I love it. When people come over to my house, they tend to make fun of my tea collection sitting on the kitchen counter. Then again, they also get excited when they get to pick out what kind of tea they want to try. It's almost like I have a mini store in my house. Maybe I should start charging by the cup...

I've also started to experiment with which tea flavors work well for iced tea. My husband's mother gave me a tea maker for Christmas and I want to put it to good use. It seems a bit superfluous though, seeing as how I could achieve the same outcome using a coffee maker. Also, the first time I used it I made a HUGE mess because I didn't believe the markings on the pitcher that only wanted me to put in a little bit of water. "That's not enough!" I thought. I was wrong. Apparently there are holes on the front and the back of the maker to ensure that you do not put too much water in. Oh well. We learn from our mistakes and hope that not too many people witnessed them. I tried Earl Gray (or is it grey?) but for some reason, this tea just does not have the same effect when cold. The whole time I was drinking my iced earl, I just kept thinking that it should be hot. They told me at Jewels that peach ginger, cranberry and summer breeze are particularly good iced. I haven't tried them yet, but I trust their taste. Once it gets warm enough outside to take my dog for a proper walk without freezing my tush off and I'll start trying to find the perfect iced tea for summer. I'll still probably drink hot tea all year though. I love it too much to take a leave from it when the weather turns hot.

Sitting down to a nice cup of hot tea in my favorite polar bear and penguin mug makes even the crappiest day a bit better for me. And we all need that. I'd much rather be obsessed with tea than addicted to something else! Now I'd better get to work finding a spring/summer mug or I'll be drinking out of my favorite winter mug all year. Anyone know where I can find one with animals?