Monday, September 26, 2016

"Much Ado about Nothing"

Hello!!!!!!

How is everyone?  We are doing pretty good.
I have taken on what feels like a Herculean Task this semester.
As you might know, I am working on my Masters in English degree at WKU in Kentucky.
This semester I became a full fledged Grad student by taking the GRE and passing the English and the writing.

The semester started in August and I took only one class, because that is all I can afford - thanks Progressive for this semester... (You can call me on that one... lol)

I go to my first class and get a phone call the next day offering me the Graduate Assistant spot that had opened up.  As I had JUST begged all my teacher friends to write recommendation letters so that I could become a Graduate Assistant.  You know, those annoying graduate level students who teach the 100 level English classes or are teaching the labs for your 150 student math class.  Yup, me.

Well, I'm several weeks in now and I must be crazy. I really only need to survive this semester and next semester and then I am free to relax again.
I'm teaching three FULL 90/91 classes at Sky.  (Asked not to do that next semester.)
AND I'm now taking 3 classes  - as that is part of the Grad Assistant deal - AND I have to work in the writing lab at school.

I am sorry to share to all my friends that I no longer work at the mall (good thing I got out when I did.)
Soooo, I no longer have that fabulous discount. Boooo.  

Life is hard and Tom is not thrilled with my hours or crankiness. I often have the urge to say, "I'm too old for this shit."

Anyway - we are surviving and Kayaking is very much on the back burner for the next 9 months. I think we may survive.......

But, Friday night we saw a play. I was soooo happy - Shakespeare is my main man.
Western Kentucky University presented - "Much Ado about Nothing."

"Much Ado about Nothing" is such a funny play, I still love "12th Night" but "Much ado" has some good stuff.

The student actors did a good job. It was Friday and probably their first real night. They did not have the awareness to slow down a little and breathe while the audience is laughing. More than a few lines were lost in the laughter.  Also the beginning was a little fast, so the first set of snipes out of the main characters were lost.
The poor guy playing the town sheriff had the attitude, but not the line delivery. Some of the words were not as clear, so the audience could not tell that he was using the wrong words in a very wrong way - which is why he is supposed to be so funny.

If I had not seen the movie several times, I do believe I could have been as lost as some other ladies at intermission. It took Tom about 15 minutes to catch up to what in the world is going on.
It is hard for the actors to remember, most people have never read the play and need you the actor to get all of it across.
 I'm sure the rest of their shows could only get better.  They did a great job.

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

2016 New Year

Happy New Year

    We survived the annual trip to Michigan. We stayed 2 whole weeks and tried to see as many people as possible.  Weather grounded us for one day, but overall it was a successful visit.  Thank you soooo much to everyone who invited us to their homes to hang out and play games. It was also really great to eat dinners with so many people.  Too often our trips to places includes us spending tons of money on eating out.  We went out about 3 or 4 times and those were nice too.  Boston Market was one place we had to hit.  I can not believe how much we miss that franchise down here.  KFC doesn't do it for me as well.
  
   I finally spent a little time to add up how many miles I kayaked in 2015.  I thought I had done a few more, but no - it was only 357 miles.  100 of that was on the Paddle Georgia trip in June.  We did that 100 miles over the course of 7 days.  Tom and I are going back this year (if we get in) and plan to take Uncle T with us too. 
 
   I finally figured out how their Canoe-a-thon fundraiser works.  I ask all of you for money and if I hit a certain amount -  NEXT YEAR 2017 - I will get a special code that makes it possible for me to get on the trip automatically and I do not have to worry about fighting everyone else for a spot.  I am NOT asking for anyone to pay my WAY on this trip.  We only wish to give the group some money - as they do an AMAZING job and they support education and stewardship of the lakes and rivers in the State of Georgia.  They have worked hard to help clean up a few bad spots that industry had made a mess of on the rivers.  They have also done some major work to create good maps and books about the rivers in Georgia and all the places people can paddle.
   So, PLEASE - donate a few dollars-  Like I'm selling you candy - because this is very much candy to me.  It's all online and easy to do. 
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/TammyFrederick/paddle-georgia-canoeathon-2016

Plans for 2016 -  

    That is a really good question.   Tom has his job and things are going well.  It looks like we will be here a few more years and I am happy about that.  I still love working at the community college.  This is my 8th semester teaching here. Things are going to change some over the next year, so I had to decide what I was going to do.  It looks like I am going back to get a 2nd Masters Degree.   This time in English.  I have a ton of stuff to do before I'm completely in the program, but that all should start in the fall.  I'm scheduled for a class that starts later this month.  Hopefully that goes well.

   We haven't made vacation plans - except for Paddle Georgia, Basically because our tenants are moving out at the end of January and we really need the house to sell quickly.  We are hoping that it will sell once they move out.  Hopefully we will not have to do a bunch of work to make it look decent.  And Hopefully they will not leave it a mess.
     Please let there not be a TON of snow in February this year. I'm sure we will have to make more than one trip back up to Michigan. Let's not make that be our epic snow journey.

Star Wars.........

      Have you seen it??  Are you going to???  Do you even care??
It was great.  I'd love to go on about it - but several other people do a really great job.  One guy tore apart a stupid click bait article on it.  That was a fun read.
It is enjoyable. :~)

Have a great day.