Summer dayyyys...

On Saturday all my girls planned a river trip for my girl Jenny's birthday! We all headed out to the American river at about 11 on Saturday mornin, blew up a couple rafts and 10 of us cozied up with about 150 beers and set sail! It was a ton of fun! There were tons of people out there. Everybody rents a few rafts and ties them all together and floats down for a few hours. The water was a bit chilly so we weren't very excited when everyone else busted out their industrial home-made pipe water guns! Apparently it's the thing to do, just squirting and soaking innocent passerby-ers. We had a blast nonetheless. We went further down than most of the river-goers and ended up getting out down on Howe.

After a couple hours of rest and freshening up we rallied up for some dinner at Ernesto's downtown and ventured out to Devere's. Devere's was a fun spot, a cool pub atmosphere and it was pretty packed. After closin' the place down we were spent and ready for bed! But randomly, walkin home, we came across this cab pulling over that was jam packed full of people and a foot hanging out the window...who elses 4 inch heel is it than Becca Kenyon herself!!!! So as one can imagine, as we all recognized each other a lot of screaming commenced and we ended up hangin out with Becca and her friends for a bit. Overall it was a great day/night! :)

I can't hear you...

Lately I've been doing some "soul searching" I guess you can call it. I bought this book that totally drew me in called, 20 Something 20 Everything. The back cover reads:

Are you wrestling with a sense that you haven't done enough? Or you've done it all and don't know what's next? If you've ever wondered why you aren't enjoying the "best years of your life," and why your still mired in confusion about the choices you've made or need to make, this book is for you.

I'm about 65 pages into it and it is bringing me some comfort. It's all about women my age struggling with 3 big questions: Who am I? What do I want? How do I get it? I have literally been asking myself these questions lately, especially what do I want! The book talks a lot about expectations. We all have tons of expectations placed upon us by our families, friends and society. Additionally, we place a load of them on ourselves. I have been aware of my own stifling expectations for a while now. The author talks about weeding through the "externally driven expectations" to discover what you really want. Learn to listen to your 'inner voice.' Now this all sounds great...but boy is it hard to hear that inner voice. Sometimes I think that there are so many other peoples' thoughts, opinions, beliefs running through my mind I wonder if any of them actually are my own!!!!?? I am trying to discern what I myself believe about life and what is right and good, from what everyone else says. It seems like such a simple question ' what do you want?' You can come up with a list of things that you want for yourself, and that's a start, but then the next step is how to get there AND is it really what you want or what you should want!?! AHHHH...

As for now, my main concern is trying to listen to that inner voice. Thinking for myself. But when I try to really sit and think about it, it feels as though every thought I have can be traced to another source. Do I act on what I believe or do other people influence the choices I make? I have always been one to worry about what other people think. It is something that I am very disappointed about but it is hard for me to avoid and I am making a conscience effort to change. I have always envied people who are so carefree, unique and not afraid to be themselves in every situation. I'm not saying that every breath I take I am worried about what someone will think, but I am beginning to recognize the number of times I put other peoples opinions and judgments ahead of my own (or let them guide my actions and feelings). Kinda scary how much influence others have on us, or some of us...

Ergo, as I have said before, I am a serious work in progress. However, I think that I am on the right track...it begins with self-awareness and I've got a lot of that goin on right now.

Wow...it's been awhile

Just as I suspected, I haven't done a very good job of keeping up with this thing....

A lot has gone on since my last post. It seems like I have been making up for lost time in a way; a lot of drinks with a lot of friends, nights in downtown Sac, nights in downtown Roseville :P, Rollins Lake, trips to The City, Giants game, Lake Tahoe, a lot of fun!!! All in all this summer and being home has been everything I'd hoped it would be. I am still feeling good about my decision to move home.

That being said, I have been getting a few SoCal/San Diego withdrawals. As I continue to settle in up here I am reminded of the things I am so happy to have back in my life, but I am also reminded of some things that are no longer there. I guess these are natural feelings that come with all big life decisions.

Either way, I know that practically and economically being home is without a doubt the place I need to be in order to get established and ready for the life ahead of me! As I have discussed with several friends lately, now is a time when we are all reflecting on ourselves, evaluating our choices and deciding how we plan to spend our lives. Big things to think about!!!!! No easy task!

However, as much of a ridiculous planner that I am, I find myself again at a point where I really have no idea what lies ahead of me...job, romance, location.... and there is something exciting about that.

I just need to take it all in and be grateful for the opportunities I get and the love I have surrounding me!!!!

"Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still."

Geeze...that got pretty deep!

Home Sweet Home

After 6 years of living on my own and out of town I am back home in the Rock living with my parents!!!! It still hasn't sunk in that I'm here for good...at least for now? It does feel good though, and its great to be back just as summer gets underway! It's nice to see familiar faces...pretty much everywhere I go.... and I am looking forward to Rocklin summer nights, days on the lake, being close to old friends and family, trips to Tahoe, weekends in The City, and watching my lil bro start high school. 

It's good to be home.

What i'm going to miss about San Diego...

As the move back home steadily approaches I find myself soaking up the beauty of SD and trying to remind myself why I am leaving this place...

I am going to miss:

1) GORGEOUS views of the ocean from all over the place

2) Living 6 blocks from the beach

3) Cars, trucks and SUV's with surfboards hanging out the window or racked on top

4) Walking down to a street lined with bars full of young party goers feet from the water, any day of the week (heavy drinkers in PB)

5) Beach cruisers cruisin down the street all day everyday

6) Morning bike rides down the boardwalk

7) Going to beach just because there's nothing else to do during the day

8) Hearing my neighbors gearing up for a another night out

9) Big freeways with at least 5 lanes

10) Driving an average of 80mph on the freeway, right along with everyone else

11) The fog rolling in over the coast in the evening

12) Wet suits...on surfer boys or hanging off balconies

13) Naturally sun-bleached blondes

14) The downtown city scape, especially at night

15) Real, good mexican food!

I'm A Teacher!

I got the job! The interview I had last week for a summer school position at Rocklin High...the principal called today to tell me the I got the job!! I was SHOCKED! 

The interview went alright but I didn't feel that great about it. Plus two of the other interviewees were teachers at Whitney High School. So I left the interview thinking, naturally they would hire the experienced teachers over me! Apparently not!?!?!? I couldn't believe it.

I will be teaching both sessions of U.S. History at RHS summer school! Ahhh! I am so excited! 

Slowwww Down

I am sitting here subbing for my first Math class. The class is called Algebra 3-4, so these kids have taken Geometry, Algebra 1 and are now in Algebra II. This school is a very good school, lots of high achieving kids. Looking at the class I am assuming their advanced sophomores.
I ask one of the girls sitting by my desk if they are sophomores and she says "We're freshman"! What!?! "In 3-4?"
"Yeaa, we have a lot of over achievers here. We like to take calculus when we're sophomores!"
I'm like geeze..."So what do you do for the rest of high school?"
"AP Trig or Stats. There are some 8th graders in Calculus too!"

Hold the phone! This is getting ridiculous! I'm all for advanced placement and getting ahead but at some point it has to stop. I mean kids are going to be taking AP (college courses) in Junior High and upper elementary?! What is the good in that? I guess this might just be the way of the future but its seems a little crazy! From what I've seen at this high school, the problem I have with AP is that kids are so concerned with getting as many AP credits they can, the highest grades, to get into the most prestigious schools, they are bypassing some of the fundamental benefits of their education because they are inundated with AP classes. Enjoying their high school experience, socializing, and most importantly taking time to enjoy the learning process. I was that kid that wanted the grade, not gonna lie. I worked hard for my grades but I didn't mind. Being on the other end of it now, I want to see kids getting something out of it more that just the grade. Even if it is just a little curiosity for a topic or a skill that will help them become a better communicator or thoughtful person. So maybe that's what we should be emphasizing...
Deep...I know. ;)

My First Job Interview!!!!

Ahhh! I'm a big kid now! I have my first teaching job interview on Thursday! When I was home for Spring break I got all of my sub paperwork done for Rocklin Unified...just so happens that same week an opening was posted for a Social Science Summer School teacher at Rocklin High! It was only open to "In-House" applicants, meaning you have to be an employee of RUSD to apply. Well, being a sub, I am now "in-house" so I applied, what the heck! Turns out I was selected for an INTERVIEW!!! Who'da thunk? 

Needless to say I am pretty excited! I might finally get to be an actual teacher!!! I am excited/anxious for my interview and excited/anxious/nervous/scared/overwhelmed/insecure/determined/worried.... about maybe getting the job! Mind you this isn't your average high school class. It's a semester taught in 4 weeks...everyday...6 hours a day in one class! eeEEkkK!  (with the kinds of kids that fail classes, by the way) So it will be a challenge(to say the least)! Even so, I am ready! If nothing else it will be a good learning experience! Ahh! Wish me luck!

Vegas Babyyyy!

Well my lil sis turned 21 last thursday and to celebrate I went to Vegas with her and some of her friends! It was fabulous! I had a feeling that goin to Las Vegas with these girls would be an experience...and it was! Becca had some connection so the first night we got dinner, comped, at Tao and escorted to a table on the dance floor! Then Friday we went to the pool party at Tao beach which was hoppin. 

Friday night the girls had a friend who was doin some promotional event and we were invited to roll into a new club at NYNY called Rok. We walked right in front of the line and into a huge private table area with yet again free bottle service! After that our group jumped into a limo with some hockey players from Canada and they drove us to XS a new club in Encore. It was huge and crazy...that was a lot of fun too. Saturday we went with the same promo group and were escorted into the Wet Republic pool party at MGM and into a cabana! That was a fun day, chillin by the pool, so many beautiful people, gorgeous weather! :) On our way home we stopped at another pool called Bare in the Mirage which is topless so that was interesting!

Saturday night we met up with some NFL players (typical) and they took us into XS again and we sat at their table. Right across from our table was the American Idol judges!!!! I took a picture with Simon and gave a "what's up dog" to Randy!! I couldn't believe it!

Overall it was an awesome and exhausting weekend!! Each night we got in about 4am so I probably got about 8 hrs of sleep total.... Becca and her girls know how to do Vegas right! Everything was free, didn't pay for a drop of alcohol were treated like celebrities...haha it was great. I feel bad for guys in Vegas, unless your a high roller it would suck!

Good Call

I have been back home in Rocklin for a week now, enjoying spring break with the fam. It has been really nice being back. I love my parents' new house, with its cozy open kitchen and beautiful backyard that opens up to the golf course! Being here has totally reinforced my decision to move home. I realize how much I love and miss Rocklin and just NorCal in general!! I can't wait to move back for good in June! :) Obviously living with my parents isn't the ideal situation, but I am actually looking forward to it (since I haven't really lived here for almost 6 years!) and especially the part about saving lots of money!!!!!

So... I am excited and happy and I am looking forward to a great summer with those good old warm summer nights and being close to all the people that I care about! 

I Can Read!!

I have never been much of a reader. I barely read what was required of me in high school and college and have really never been able to sit down and read for fun. I always get bored and uninterested and find something better to do. This is no longer the case. Well, I finally started the Kite Runner about a month ago and all of my substitute teaching has given me ample time to sit and read. I really liked the Kite Runner and the day I finished I went out and bought Khaled Hosseini's second novel A Thousand Splendid Suns. I blew through it in a week. Now this may not be a big deal for some avid readers but this is unheard of in my world. I loved A Thousand Splendid Suns. I couldn't wait for a chance to open the book again and found myself thinking about it and the characters throughout my day. I really felt for the people of Afghanistan and experienced a range of emotions as I read. The hardships and constant fear they live with day to day...the realization that they are people not unlike us who value their way of life...and learning about the Muslim culture and the importance of honor, self- discipline, loyalty and family. It all elicits so much respect for these people we know so little about. I keep thinking how important it is for us as Americans to really understand them and other people from that part of the world as we continue to pass judgement and impose our beliefs and "guidance" onto them.

Needless to say, I highly recommend both books!

A Fun Little Weekend

Last weekend was an eventful one for me! On Friday night Brian and I went to Rascal Flatts!!! Which was a lot of fun! It was just the two of us but we had a great time! I love it when he wears his hat! :) Jessica Simpson opened the show and she actually did a pretty good job.

Then on Saturday I went up to LA to hang out with Erin and Jenny, who came down to visit. We had a great night out in downtown LA! We had a delish breakfast on Sunday and did a little shopping. It was really good to see them!

Pink Friday

So today was 'Pink Friday' where teachers and educators all over CA wore pink to protest the $8 billion dollar cut to education and the 26,000 teachers getting pink slipped this week! :( Pretty darn depressing... So many people are being affected by this horrible deficit and economy! Today at the lunch table in the teachers lounge, and all this week, it has been really grim. Basically all young and new teachers are seriously looking at not having a job this fall. Its all a seniority/bumping game, if you have been teaching basically less than 10 years then you may very well get bumped by a more experienced teacher who got cut from their position. Administrators and counselors are also being bumped back down to the classroom! :(

Needless to say...it's not looking too bright for brand new teachers like me. :/ I might be subbing for a loooooong time! ....sigh.... Just gotta stay positive!!!

I'm a Blogger!!??!!

Welp, I have decided to create a blog! I don't have the most exciting life...but i'm pretty over myspace and I guess I kinda want a place to express myself and blab a little bit! :) I figure this is something I would be more likely to use in the future as my life continues to change. I am excited and I hope I have enough to say to make this thing worth while! We'll just have to see..

So if you care to read about me and what I am doing or whatnot, I'd love to share! 

...Thanks for reading! :)