Guilty feelings....

***A part of me thinks "well, thats the chance you take when living in a high-risk area like a city below sea level, a mansion on a cliff, a house on the beach where hurricanes hit yearly, or a neighborhood near a fault line. Sooner or later, levies will break, mudslides will cause your home to slip away, or your house will be cracked in two. Should the rest of America who chooses to live in safer places help flip the tax bill for people willing to take a chance to live in beautiful, scenic, warm places?" Sure there's the occasional tornado or flood, but there's just this small part of me that thinks this way. Sure I'm all about helping my fellow man, Mother Nature is quite the lady and maybe some places weren't meant to be habitated. Any thoughts?***

I need to Rant

I am already hearing critics of President Bush ( and a couple of teachers in my office) start ranting about how all our National Guard guys are over in Iraq, leaving nobody to help with emerency relief aid. You know what I said to the teacher? I said "There are 11,000 National Guard members in Louisiana and only 3,000 have been deployed to Iraq."

RANT ON:

Why is it NOW that Liberals are so up in arms about the National Guard? Just last year they looked down upon it and how it was for "draft dodgers" and "weekend warriors", but now they are the be all and end all of our military? Make up your damn mind.

Oh, and where the hell is the rest of the world? Huh, huh? I know its early, but I can't help myself. We are the most giving nation in the world and the first to give aid to countries that suffer natural disasters. Do you think we'll get relief from other countries? A couple, I'm sure, but lets see. Think Hollywood will to "Hurricane Katrina Relief Concerts" like they did for the Tsunami? I want to see an outpouring of generosity from Celebrities and musicians. I'm not holding my breath. I hope I'm wrong and I will gladly eat my words if other countries step up to the plate and tree-huggers like Bono, Dave Matthews, Leonardo DiCaprio, Angelia Jolie, among others get on the TV and ask for $$$ and donate some moola of their own.

RANT OFF

Katrina- Bush's Fault!

I'm just waiting for the libs to take that route. How will the left politicize and spin (no pun intended) Hurricane Katrina to benefit their cause?

Here's where I think they are going to go with this. After watching the coverage today and laughing over reporters being blown all over the street, they spoke about the environment's role in the devastation. I guess in the past several decades, Louisiana has lost over a million acres of coastal wetland that could have served as a "buffer" from the storm surges. Somehow that's going to be those nature-hating Republicans who don't give two sh*ts about global warming. Yeah, they'll use that one too...........I've heard in round about ways that its getting too hot down there in the Gulf and that caused Katrina to pick up steam. GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE.

Somehow, everything is President Bush's fault. I haven't heard it directly said yet, but its a matter of time. What is he, freaking Moses? He's that powerful he can conjure up storms to flatten and flood numerous red states? Pla-leeze.

On talk radio earlier there was an expert from Louisiana who said "the ring of high levees around New Orleans designed to protect the city will only make things worse in a powerful hurricane. Katrina is expected to push a 28-foot storage surge against the levees, even if they hold. Experts say water will pour over their tops and begin filling the city as if it were a sinking canoe," and went on then to say "that New Orleans could be buried under water for six months with tens of thousands of dead." Talk about seeing the class has half empty!

A caller phoned in and went on and on about how these affected areas will not have the help they need b/c the National Guard and Coast Guard are in Iraq. Sadly enough, none of this suprises me. I'm sure the rise in gas prices b/c of the gulf refineries closing will be used too.

I have also heard that the evacuation plan wasn't fair because all the "rich" people with cars got to drive out and all the poor people had to stay and ride out the storm at the Louisiana Superdome. They were pissed b/c "rich" people weren't bumming them rides. Hell no I wouldn't bum, umm, bums rides. Those bums are nuts down in New Orleans, I've been there and seen 'em. They're RAGING alcoholics, gambling addicts and the crime down there off of Bourbon Street is rampid. Maybe there are some nicer (or stupider) people out there that would help their fellow man. As for me, hell no.

HOW DO ALL OF YOU THINK THE DEMS AND THEIR LIBERAL MEDIA WILL SPIN KATRINA AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS AND BUSH?

gotta get me some of these

Isn't the above bumper sticker beautiful? I also would like to get this security sticker. If I was a robber, I'd steer clear of my house!

Republicans party too!

Our county Republican Party had its annual bash this week on a fun island in a big lake. We had to take a ferry over and the island came complete with bras and underwear hanging from the ceiling, Conch Republic-Key West flags, and huge fake palm trees (see below pic). Jimmy Buffett was blasting and for a moment I thought I was somewhere tropical. See, Elephants can have fun! I'm just glad some of those old people didn't donate their undergarments to the bar!

palm trees in Chicago??

Gotta love the fake palm trees on this island in a lake in the middle of Illinois. Nice touch.

Libs go too far

More and more frequently as of late, things that liberals have said and done make me sick to my stomach.

Code Pink Women for Peace have set up camp outside The Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. They are displaying signs with slogans like "Maimed for Lies" and "Enlist Now and Die for Halliburton" and have mock caskets with American Flags laid over top to signify those killed. Libs say "We support our troops, just not the war." My ass. Its absurd to picket outside a hospital where severely injured soldiers can look out the window and see and hear them.

"Kevin Pannell, who was recently treated at Walter Reed and had both legs amputated after an ambush grenade attack near Baghdad in 2004, considers the presence of the anti-war protesters in front of the hospital 'distasteful.' When he was a patient at the hospital, Pannell said he initially tried to ignore the anti-war activists camped out in front of Walter Reed, until witnessing something that enraged him. 'We went by there one day and I drove by and [the anti-war protesters] had a bunch of flag-draped coffins laid out on the sidewalk. That, I thought, was probably the most distasteful thing I had ever seen. Ever,' said Pannell, a member of the Army's First Cavalry Division... 'You know that 95% of the guys in the hospital bed lost guys whenever they got hurt and survivors' guilt is the worst thing you can deal with,' Pannell said.... 'We don't like them and we don't like the fact that they can hang their signs and stuff on the fence at Walter Reed,' he said. '[The wounded veterans] are there to recuperate. Once they get out in the real world, then they can start seeing that stuff (anti-war protests). I mean Walter Reed is a sheltered environment and it needs to stay that way.'"

Libs, answer me this question: If you say you are in support of our troops and you being there is upsetting the troops thus hindering their recovery, why would you be there? Doesn't that go against the very thing that you are saying...that you support the troops but not the war? If you are against the war, go protest at a federal building somewhere, not a freaking hospital.

Libs, answer me just one more question: How can you stand hand-in-hand with Cindy Sheehan who called the terrorists "Freedom Fighters?"

Best game ever...and so telling

When I think about my elementary school days, one game comes to mind...Oregon Trail. I could tell way back then that I was a Capitalist Republican b/c I always chose to be "the banker" instead of the carpenter or farmer. I wasn't able to fix a broken axel on my wagon like the carpenter could...but I could afford to pay someone!! I bet if you were to have a bunch of people play, that you could tell who were the Dems and who are the Republicans.

I loved playing it on my Apple IIe and IIgs. I learned how to trade for clothing, that inclimate weather could slow your trip, that sometimes its better to pay the ferry to get across the river instead of trying to ford it and the oxen drown, and I got plenty of practice on how to write my own epitaph on a tombstone. Damn dysentery kept killing my family!

What a stroke of genius, a game that is fun AND helps you to learn. I wonder if you can still buy it anywhere that would work on our laptops of today.

Anyone else have fond memories of this game they'd like to share? SCROLL DOWN TO SEE PICTURES THAT MIGHT JOG YOU OLD MEMORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE DRANK AWAY!

Hilarous T-Shirts

Haa haaaaa haaa. Go to Busted Tees and check these out. I promise, you'll laugh your buns off. I like the "Second Amendment".....get it, right to BEAR ARMS?? haaa haaa. Its gold baby, gold.

like people group together

In my health class today I asked the kids divide themselves into groups of 4 for our project on different types of families. Bar none every group divided themselves racially...minories in groups and whites in the other groups. I have 32 kids in here right now.....one group of 4 is mexican and black boys, another is asian girls, some groups of all white kids and one group of all hispanic girls.

I wonder why this is? So many of these kids don't even know each other but when asked to get into groups, automatically segragate. It fascinates me. I am having them flex their artistic muscles by drawing their families in whatever way they would like. I'll post a couple of their works this weekend. It helps me to understand them and where they are coming from.

Tomorrow ought to be interesting here as well b/c its the 1yr anniversary of this kid who got shot in a gang fight. All hell broke loose here last year so we were issued a warning to keep our wits about us in case there is any retaliation. And people say teaching is easy! Dude, I'm like Michelle Pheiffer from Dangerous Minds!

Cindy Sheehan ramblings

"To expiate the pain of losing her firstborn son in the Iraq war, Cindy Sheehan decided to cheer herself up by engaging in Stalinist agitprop outside President Bush's Crawford ranch. It's the strangest method of grieving I've seen since Paul Wellstone's funeral. Someone needs to teach these liberals how to mourn. Call me old-fashioned, but a grief-stricken war mother shouldn't have her own full-time PR flack. After your third profile on 'Entertainment Tonight,' you're no longer a grieving mom; you're a C-list celebrity trolling for a book deal or a reality show." —Ann Coulter

"What kind of country do we live in where the craziest and angriest among us don't have full access to our commander-in-chief twenty-four hours a day?" —Patrick Hynes

"With each passing day Cindy Sheehan looks less and less like a grieving mother and more and more like a leftwing blogger... One half expects her to lead off her next morning press briefing with, 'I believe it was Michael Moore who once said...' As the second hand winds down on Cindy Sheehan's fifteen minutes of stupidity and the realization sets in among the Bush Haters that her mug is bound for George Bush's mantelpiece somewhere between Dan Rather and Joe Wilson, you can almost hear the velvet tones of Barry Manilow singing his 1970s hit 'I Go Crazy'." —Ben Stein

Iraq's new constitution

I was listening to a report earlier tonight about Iraq's new constitution and how it deals with 2 often conflicting worlds...........Islam and Western style Democracy.

For example, here are a couple things stated in the draft of the constitution:

"No law may contradict the principles of Islam"....then.....goes on to say "No law may contradict democratic standards...or essential rights and freedoms."

What about women? Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't Islam limit the rights of women?

I'm very interested in seeing how all this turns out.

Ousted!!!!

For the past year, my Alma Mater, Ohio University has been ranked the #1 Party School in America by the Princeton Review. The new rankings came out and we've dropped to #2....stupid Badgers of Wisconsin.

We also rank very highly in the following categories:

#2 Party School

#2 Their Students (Almost) Never Study

#14 Lots of Beer

#16 Lots of Hard Liquor


No wonder why I stayed there for 5 years and a summer. It was wild, crazy yet very beautiful and scenic. Ahhhh, memories. Guess I better get back to the 32 kids in front of me quietly working on their packets.

Never thought I'd see the day....

When regular unleaded gas topped $3.00. In downtown Chicago I saw regular gas for $3.09. The highest price for regular gasoline is $3.49 in Long Beach, CA and the cheapest $2.14 in Wyoming.

I remember the days of $1.00 gasoline. Drill Alaska!!!! Please dear God! We will take care of the caribou and keep them warm!

Click on the link below to find out where to get "cheap gas" (I just this term very loosely).

Gas Buddy

renewed hatred

After watching "Inside 9/11", I have a renewed hatred for terrorists. I have always hated them and would kill them all with my bare hands if given the chance, but this show was amazing. I hope they rerun it so you can all see it. It was as straightforward and non-political as it possibly could be and I greatly appreciated that. Hearing President Bush's words that night saying how we will go after terrorists and those who harbor them............thats what we are doing right now! President Bush is doing exactly what he said he would do. Can anyone honestly say that there were NO terrorists and no terrorist training camps in Iraq?

I physically cried watching the special tonight. They played answering machine messages that people trapped in the upper floors of the WTC left to their loved ones. One guy said something like "baby, its me, I'm trapped in the north tower and I don't think I'm going to make it. I love you so much. Please tell the children I love them." There were few messages like that and I just lost it. Could you imagine how awful the wives felt that didn't get to that phone in time? It all gives me the chills and breaks my heart.


BUT......As 9/11 creeps closer, the more pissed off I get. Osama Bin Laden states "We see no difference between the military and civilians." Its just repulsive. I haven't heard from my Marine friend in almost 2 weeks. It went from several times a day to nothing. I hope everything is okay. I hope I would have heard from a mutual friend if something were wrong. Say a prayer for him.

then get the hell out

Cindy Sheehan said "This country is not worth dying for." Apparently your son felt differently, otherwise he wouldn't have enlisted post 9/11. I bet he is spitting nails up in heaven at all you are doing down here on earth. If you don't think this country is worth it, then get the hell out. Every time you open your mouth you are spewing garbage that is hurting our troops over there.

A fabulous evening

Last night was definitely one of the best evenings I've had in a good while. My friend from college was in town with her boyfriend who's brother lives here. Him and his friend have sailboats docked at the "Chicago Yacht Club" and their was a party for the "47th Annual Air and Water Show." It was fabulous. People dressed casually with racoon eyes who have been out racing in regattas all day, pilots in jumpsuits, and I even saw one of the Blue Angels. I have become a boat person this summer so I was in heaven. I looked fabulous too. I wore a cute, flowy white skirt with light green and pink stripes, a green tank top and pink sandals. I fit right in :)

One of the guys we were with has a beautiful 37 foot sailboat and he took us out for a late night sail. He's a trader downtown and has a couple boats, must be nice! We went out and found the perfect spot to watch the fireworks from Navy Pier. I swear I could have died happy right then and there. To be out on the peaceful water, watching fireworks with the backdrop of the city of Chicago on a cool night was almost too much. I went up the the front of the sailboat and just took it all in.

Man, its fun hanging out with rich, older men! I didn't pay for a damn thing. Usually when I go out with people my age, we're in the cab throwing ones around and buying our own beers. Even though I was the 5th wheel the entire night with 2 loving couples, I still had a blast.

We went to a yuppy bar called Tilly's and then to an all night jazz/blues club that felt straight out of New Orleans. People of every color, all tapping their feet, clapping and throwing back beers, ribs, catfish and potato skins. I was too drunk to drive home so I crashed at their hotel with my friend and her boyfriend. The Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue is gorgeous...complete with marble floors, 15 elevators, chandliers and a ceiling that could rival the Sistine (sp?) Chapel. The view of the harbor and the lack was amazing.

We got up the next morning and I headed home, but had to stop at Millenium Park to splash around in the artsy fountain. What a great time and I loved seeing my old college friend. Its exactly what I needed after this tough first week of school.

eerie

I'm still watching "Inside 9/11" and check this out. Sept. 6th there was this freshman kid from Pakistan who was sitting in his freshman English class staring out the window. When the teacher asked why he was distracted, the kid points to the WTC and says "do you see those two buildings? They won't be standing there next week." The teacher dismissed the comment and the FBI verified the conversation took place but had no idea how he could have known the attack would take place.

"Inside 9/11"

I'm watching "Inside 9/11" on the Geographic Channel right now. Its fascinating so far. Its a 2 part series with tonight about the history of muslim terroriests and the planning of 9/11. Now they are talking about the Radical Muslim Fundamentalists...showing videos of meetings with one guy saying "Blood must flow, there must be widows and orphans." There are groups all over this country calling for Islam to rule the world. This is scary as shit.

Its making my stomach turn right now and my heart is racing.

Steel Cross and flag at Ground Zero

Steel Cross and flag at Ground Zero
Originally uploaded by Matt B..

the picture says it all

World Trade Center

World Trade Center
Originally uploaded by ronallan.

NEVER FORGET

9-11 Attacks: Able Danger

9-11 Attacks: Able Danger
Originally uploaded by petefrt.

so true

I heart football

Its 10:15pm and I just got home from work. Thats right, 3rd night in a row....I don't know how "C" put up with me for 2 years. This is ridiculous. However, with that being said and the fact that I'm exhausted, it was fun. We had 6pm freshman, 7pm sophomore, and 8pm varsity football scrimmages. I just love football and love being on the sidelines. Granted its not my beloved Green Bay Packers, but I really like it anyways. No major injuries, just some muscle strains, jammed fingers and minor cuts and bruises.

Sooooo, the moral of the story is....I have absolutely whored myself at work during this first week back to school. I've barely gotten any sleep and have to be back at practice in a few short hours. BUT, when you love your job (most of the time) it somehow makes the long hours bearable.

Are we in the USA? I can't tell.

Our new classrooms have no American Flags. I can't tell if we are in the US or Mother Russia. When we say "The Pledge", the kids stare at a blank white wall. If I have to draw one with markers, I will :)

round 2

I just got home from work. Lets see, we had a torrential downpour this afternoon which caused a flood in our PE offices, field house and our athletic training room. I'm talking like the Mighty 'Ole Miss was roaring down the hallway. Sooo, our PE classes sat in the cafeteria.

Then we had a head coach's meeting tonight and us athletic trainers needed 2 minutes to say a few things and then go b/c the agenda really didn't apply to us. What does the AD do? He makes us wait 2 hours and then puts us at the end when everyone is pissed and ready to go home. Sweet.

Tomorrow, I'll be at school till well after 10pm......no wonder why I can't keep a relationship or see my friends! At least Saturday night, I get to see my good friends from college and party in the city! Heee hee, I'll probably poop out at 10pm and head back up north.

The only thing that kept me going today was.......warning this is pathetic......BIG BROTHER. I love this show, it makes me laugh my ass off and right now I am kicking in the air and clapping. Ahhhhh, lol, sometimes you just gotta roll with the punches.

Libs disgust me

I finally got home and started watching TV. What 2 things did I see covered? One, Cindy Sheehan and her commie hippie posse down in the great state of Texas. I found out that Ben, of "Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream" is down there with her. I just went to my freezer, took out my "Chocolate Fudge Brownie" little ice cream I keep for a lonely evening and proceded to throw it away. I don't plan on buying that commie ice cream ever again.

Thing #2 that pissed me off is Hollywood, big shock. There was a special film industry (actors, directors, producers) screening of the last movie that our great President Ronald Reagan acted in. The movie is called "The Killers" and apparently in the movie Reagan's character is shot and killed. What did the crowd do, you may ask........they broke out in a cheer and clapped. When his name flashed on the screen at the beginning of the film, they booed.

Disgusting.

Oh, by the way, the National Geographic Channel is having a 2 part special on 9/11 coming up this Sunday and Monday evenings. Maybe this will jog some people's memories of why we are fighting the War on Terror.

Try being a teacher

Well, I did the best I could under the circumstances. My classroom looks remotely managable now and while I won't be getting home till around 9pm, at least I can sleep a little more soundly.

Those of you who say teachers don't work enough and have no right to complain b/c we have 2 months off in the summer....shove it. I work my balls off for at least 12 hours every day. You try keeping 32 thirteen and fourteen year olds in their seats, hanging on your every word, and occasionally throw yourself in harms way when several gang bangers decide to have at it in your class. Try dealing with parents who nag you numerous times a day, keeping up with hundreds of papers that need to be graded, fighting for one copy machine thats being used by the entire Math, Science, Language, and Health departments.

Try teaching Health, PE. and Driver Ed. Can you say the words "clitoris", "herpes", and "ejaculation" without turning red? What would you do if a girl came up to you and admits she might be pregnant and you are the only person she's told? What if a girl rolls up her sleeves and shows you all the razar scabs from when she cuts herself? How do you tell a young guy who's brothers, father, and grandfather are in a gang to stay away? These are things I have dealt with in just my first year of teaching alone.

Try teaching PE. I have 38 sophomores each class period that are bouncing off the walls b/c its almost the end of the day. I have to corral them into lines, get them to follow instructions, play an actual game with good sportsmanship without killing eachother, and explain to the parents why their kid got a "C" in PE.......she's lazy and unathletic. Its no picnic keeping 38 kids afloat, literally, in swim class. They like to cannonball on eachother, dunk the "uncool" kids, try crazy stunts on the diving board and splash and mess with the kids who can't swim.

Finally, try teaching DRIVER EDUCATION. Would you want to get behind the wheel with a kid who doesn't know the gas from the brake? That goes 25 on an "on ramp" to a major interstate? Every Driver Ed. teacher I know has more gray hair then they should for their age.

I understand I'm not teaching AP Calculus or Chemistry......and there's no way in hell I would ever try. Most of my friends are Math teachers and I have the utmost respect for them. I just get pissed off when the other departments crap on us like our job is soooo easy. Teaching is NOT a piece of cake and not everyone can do it. Just like I could never be a lawyer...I'm not built for that.

Soooooo, the next time you crap on a teacher for having the summer "off" (a lot of us teach summer school, are on committees and write curriculum), think about the crap we go through all year long. It ain't all movies and free days.

meh, me want to go home

I'm still here and working hard. My classroom is finally looking like a classroom. I will post before and after pictures soon. The football coaches that share this room with me better be grateful for all the work I've done to make this place warm, inviting and primed for molding the leaders of tomorrow.

Good thing I don't have any pets because I think it would be considered "animal cruelty" to leave them for this long. Ranting Republican said I can't have dogs.....there goes my dreams of a Great Dane named "Striker" or "Rueger" or a Pug named "Gizmo" or "Nemo."

still here

I'm still here at school, and to quote Homer "Me so Hungie." Someone bring me food!!!

cracking the whip

I'm still in my classroom...blah. It was my day off from practice today so I only had to be there until 5pm......some day off, eh? So I'm up here working my buns off in my classroom without much hope of getting out of here any time soon. I also seem to have lost a lot of my papers/worksheets/tests on our server and it has me very upset. I worked hard creating all those powerpoints and other handouts and now I have to freaking redo everything.

I need a beer. Its early still, only an 11 hour work day, this is nothing!

No voice

Teacher Tori has no voice. Too many kids! Teacher Tori needs a water stat. Off to practice for another 5 hours.

Random thoughts........

I have to credit Cindy Sheehan with one good thought...I would love to stop paying taxes! Sign me up!!

I also love Larry Mattlage who is firing off his shotgun signifying the opening of "dove season." He's just expressing his freedom of speech. Can I come fire my guns too?

Rush called the people sitting in the ditch with her: "a hundred peaceniks, a hundred long-haired, maggot-infested, dope-smoking FM types." haaa haaa haaa.

What really frosts my Wheaties is how Liberals thrive on America failing. They would love nothing more than for Iraq to fall apart, gas prices to skyrocket, for the deficit to increase, and job creation to come to a screeching halt. Frankly it makes me sick. I bet if we actually caught or killed Osama Bin Laden, the Dems would think "oh SH*T, that will make our bids for seats in 2006 a bit tougher."

How can a party be happy about our country doing badly?

Whew, that was expensive filling up my car tonight! $2.85 a gallon for regular.

flag

flag
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

The flag flying above the NAVY Band. Isn't it beautiful?

navyband

navyband
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

I went to see the Great Lakes Naval Base Military Band. It was beautiful.

Why do we torture ourselves?

I broke up with my boyfriend in May, yet I check his blog every day. Why? We IM'ed tonight and I started crying....why? My friend asked me what would I do if I ran into him randomly....I said "I'd probably throw up." Why? I broke up with him, yet I haven't gotten rid of a single thing of his our anything that reminds me of us. I was unpacking a box that I havent gotten to since I moved and it had a couple t-shirts and swim trunks of his. I just held them in my hands and spaced out for a while.

He told me he doesn't read my blog b/c it makes him want to be with me. I believe him that he's stopped reading. Part of me wishes he would so he can know whats going on with my life, but why is that? But its probably for the best he doesn't.....he's a Democrat and would most likely think "thank god I'm done with this Bush-loving, Bin Laden loathing, Elephant-crazy Republican!"

We dated for basically 2 years and its probably good we broke up when we did b/c I have basically no good memories of us in my new house b/c we ended it right when I was moving in. I don't have to look in my kitchen and remember us making cheese and crackers, or walking into my bedroom and remembering......ummm, I'll leave it at that. He's moving into a new apartment so hopefully that will help him start fresh. Man, breaking up sucks.

He did give me a nice pep talk about my first day of school tomorrow. He's still so kind after everything we've been through. I just hope he's happy.

Have any of you ever done things like this? Do you still wonder how your ex's are? What they're doing? Is that normal? Do you want to see or talk to them, very well knowing its going to upset you?

Marine update

So I've been emailing almost daily with my Marine friend over in Iraq. He got a few days off after 20 guys in his battalion were killed in the past 3 weeks so he had more time to email. But now he's back to the "daily grind" and now I get worried when time goes by without an email. Its silly, I know, you all don't have to tell me. At least he's out there doing some good in his last month there. I'm just glad I got to email with him in the first place!

my saturday

I went out last night to the Cubby Bear to hear this one man show. His name is Pat McCurdy and I was up on stage with my fellow teachers singing and dancing to "Sex and Beer." Good times. He's a commie though and sometimes Its funny, all the girls that went out last night are single and every guy that came out with us is either married, engaged or in a serious relationship. Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

I got to bed around 2:30am but had to be at work by 7am for football practice. Yaawwwwn, I'm dying right now. I cleaned up bloody noses, sent a kid for x-rays for a possible fracture, steri-stripped a finger laceration, helped with rehab for a Acromioclavicular separation, and had a kid with an LCL sprain. All and all, it was a busy day.

Went to the outlet mall with Ranting Republican, out to dinner with the fam and just finished watching "HIDE AND SEEK." Creepy movie and I watched a good bit of it between my 3rd and 4th fingers! All and all it was entertaining I guess.

Tomorrow......we are going to dinner at this great outdoor restaurant and watching the NAVY Military Band play Patriotic music at the local town square. It's one of my most favorite things to do in the summer. All the people in this really nice neighborhood grab their "foldy chairs", kids run around and there are Veterans everywhere. My favorite part is when the band plays the anthems for each branch of the military. When a Veteran hears their branch's song, they stand and everyone applauds. I always wear sunglasses b/c I get completely choked up! They are mostly old WWII guys who are soooo cute, some Vietnam vets, and I'm sure there will be some Vets of Iraq. I always say "thank you" to every Veteran I talk to there. I got pissed off a couple years ago when there were people passing out HOWARD DEAN literature. Are you freaking kidding me? Have you no scruples? A guy who is Anti-Military and speaks out adamantly against the War in Iraq in the presence of men who served in Iraq. I've never seen such dirty looks in my life! Lets just hope its a nice day tomorrow and I'll be out there in my Red, White and Blue.

GO PACK GO

So my beloved Green Bay Packers pulled out a win on Thursday night, woo hoo! We had tickets to the game but I had my own football team to tend to. Brett Favre looked as sharp as a tack (and hot as all hell), and his backup Rogers did alright too.

Talk about bad luck............Chicago Bear's QB breaks his ankle and is out 3-4 months. First year out, he broke his fingers, second year he blows out his ACL and now this year......damn he's got bad luck.

Go Pack Go! I was at Lambeau Field last week for training camp and there was a smell of "Superbowl" in the air. I just pray that Grady Jackson and Walker sign!

The Flag Song

Thanks to one of my fellow bloggers for giving me this link.

This is called "Don't burn that flag. Don't make me kick your butt."

I'm a big ball of anger

I have come to realize lately, that I have a lot of anger when it comes to terrorism, President Bush-hating and the Anti-American sentiment. It gets to the point where it puts me in a bad mood and I physically want to hurt some of these idiots I hear babbling.

Upon reflection, I believe that my higher than normal rage has to do with recent conversations with my 2 students who's brothers each died in Iraq and emailing with my Marine friend who's batallion has taken a major hit in the past couple weeks. When I see how devestated my students are about losing their brothers, yet they still support our cause and want every one of those terrorists slaughtered. One girl told me how her brother's friends who served with him cannot look or speak to her b/c her looks and voice resemble her brother. They have flashbacks when they see her of pressing the back of her brother's head to keep the blood from gushing. I knew that kid when he was a Senior, I went to his wake and my blood pressure instantly rises and I get upset.

Then I think about my Marine friend who I'm sure will never be the same. I got a couple emails from him today and he seems to be in good spirits, considering the horrible fire fights he's been in lately. I was watching "The O'Reilly Factor" tonight and they showed a clip of a terrorist holding a gun with his face wrapped in cloth blaming the West for everything wrong in this world. Yeah, I've heard this before and I'd like to kill him with my bare hands.....but the worst part is that he was speaking in PERFECT ENGLISH. I think he's an Aussie. It was especially disturbing to hear these words in English and I wonder how this "man" and I use that term loosely, came to feel the way he does. Then I think about how I'd pay $$$ to see someone blow his brains out on that video.

Another thing that has me fired up tonight is this liberal pinko commie who was posting garbage on my sister, Ranting Republican's website. He went on and on about Marxism and about burning the American Flag. I love that flag and if it were socially acceptable, I'd drape myself in it 24/7. Ranting and I were talking earlier and think that if we saw people burning our flag, that we'd go and beat the ever-living piss out of them and get arrested. Seeing our flag being burned makes me want to cry and fills me with a rage that could rival anyone else's. My sister and I are in agreement that there shouldn't be a constitutional ban against flag burning but that doesn't mean we are in support of it. That flag and every soldier that has died fighting under the Red, White and Blue, gave their lives for the very freedom that allows you to do that without fear of prosecution. Do that in a few countries in theMiddle East, I DARE YOU! See what happens to people who don't have freedom.

The idiot that posted on her blog is against Capitalism and basically is an "Anti-American" in my eyes. Like Ranting said to me earlier, if you hate our capitalist society, then you shouldn't accept a single dollar that is a result of it. If you love Marxism so much, get the hell out of the United States, we don't want you.

I just don't understand how these morons like Howard Dean and many on the left can be so against the War in Iraq. My brain is unable to grasp the concept, and believe me, I've tried. I don't understand how people can believe that freedom is wrong. I believe it all boils down to people hating ANYTHING that President Bush believes in. If Slick Willy stood next to Bush in full support, that might help, but its the Bush-haters that fuel all of this. Get over it, you lost the election!

So, to sum up this post, if I see you burning an American flag, talking ignorant senseless garbage about President Bush, or saying anything bad about our soldiers in Iraq, I'd be careful around me right now or you may never live to blog again :)

Barney!!!

THANKSGIVING 003
Originally uploaded by Sea Bean.

This really made me laugh out loud!

fascinating

Green vs. Tan: rout
Originally uploaded by ranjit.

This picture is so interesting!

headaches and heart rates

Yes kids, Teacher Tori is working again, summer is over. In the past 3 days I have worked about 30 hours. Physicals were a nightmare, I did over 120 Blood Pressures and my stethoscope was so tight in my ears, I swear I am leaking gray matter. By the end, I'd take a deep breath, put them on, wince in pain, take the BP and rip them off. If I could see inside my own ears, I bet they'd be bruised.

Our school has been under construction all summer so I decided to check out my new office and classroom yesterday, it nearly gave me a coronary! I used to be in the Math office, so some of my stuff is still there, more of my stuff is in the old Health and Business office...all of this was to be moved to my new office that was just built.....nope. Then I went to check out my brand new classroom......its not mine anymore. They moved my office to the second floor b/c my classroom was down there, but they moved my classroom back UPstairs so now I'm in the Math hallway far away from my office. WTF? BUT, none of my stuff is in my new classroom, its all still in my old health classroom from last year. Those freaking movers the school hired have shit for brains and the work ethic of my lazy doberman Cana.

So its chaos there, pipes and pieces of stuff I dont even know from what everywhere, not sure how we are going to start teaching on Monday. So that didn't help my stress...then....
Then today, first day of Football 3-a-days. I'm all sorts of pissed off right now. My resting pulse right now is 92, not good. I worked 9 FREAKING HOURS in the 90 some degree heat all alone. I hauled around 10 gallon coolers filled with h20, taped up and fixed up dozens of athletes and got puked on. Yes, these dumb ass kids didn't condition this summer and didn't eat breakfast so when they had to run a lot, the puke just started flying. I got pop tarts regurgitated all over me.

I normally don't complain like this on my blog, but I needed to rant about something other than politics. I went and got a "Culvers Chocolate Shake" and thats helping. If you don't know Culvers, its a midwestern food chain so don't worry about it.

When I'm having days like this I try to remember how lucky I truly am. I have a house I love, friends and family I adore and a job that I mostly love. How many people can say that they love their job? I am damning it to the fiery depths of hell right now, but I'm there for the kids so I keep it together and smile for them. They are so pumped for a new season and they get me excited too. Its all the other crap that brings me down.

This may sound corny but when I need a gut check out on the field or in the classroom, I look at the American Flag. Somehow those red and white stripes and 50 stars make me smile. I'm proud to be serving my country by being part of our public education system helping mold the minds of tomorrow. Republican minds, hee hee hee, well I try anyways. I think about our soldiers over in Iraq that would give anything to be back in United States instead of being shot at by those %$#$%#$ turban-wearing $#%$*^ Allah-worshiping mother @#$%@#5,and sweating half to death in those sexy camos. Suddenly, my day gets a whole let better.

What do you guys use as a "gut check" when you are having a bad day? What pulls you up and gets you through it. Besides the thought of mounting bills on your kitchen table, what helps you get through the tough stuff instead of going all Columbine on people? I would like to know.

inspirational quote

I'm having trouble getting my body clock back to normal after the summer. I can't shut my mind off. I can't sleep so I just pulled out my old journals and started reading. Some go back to 1997 and I have older ones up in the attic of my old house. On the cover of my 2003 journal, it says this quote with a butterfly on it:

"This lifetime of yours.....
Does it blossom?
Is it fun?

Does it glow at the center like a miniature sun?

Does it find its own meaning in the great scheme of things?
Is there joy in it?

Beauty?

Does your life have wings?"


Can you answer yes to all of these things? I think I can answer "yes" to all of those. Maybe now I can fall alseep.

funny stuff

George Bush the Ragdoll (yes I love President Bush, but pretend its Osama's face. Use your cursor if he gets stuck!)

Porcupine vs. Pitbull (dogs are my favorite animal but its kind of amusing anyways)

-Courtesy of my brother Crossingguard69.

The Marine is okay :)

I got in contact with my friend and he said that my friend the Marine, was slightly injured during an explosion, but he's okay. He has been promoted to squad leader. I wanted to send a care package but was told it would not get to him in time, which is good b/c that means he's coming back to the states in not too long. I got his email that he can check out there so at least I can send some kind words his way. Isn't it funny how you can email troops in the middle of Iraq in a warzone? Gotta love technology.

So I just wanted to thank all of you for your kind words and prayers.

marine

marine
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

Another pic I was sent. I wonder how many of these guys were killed by those terrorist bastards.

Marines

marines
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

My friend is in this picture, taken in Iraq. Hope you're safe!

Girls, um, yeah, damn, thats all I can say. Nothing like a man holding an M-16 and draped in ammunition to give me that special feeling.

My Prayers for a Special Marine

I had this friend I met in my 5th year of college. He was part of the College Republicans and lived with a couple of my friends who held political office. Those 3 guys really made my last year of college, when most of my friends had already graduated, truly great. We all went to Washington DC, toured the museums, monuments, and even got pulled over at the Pentagon. We went shooting and blew up pictures of Osama Bin Laden and my best friend and I went skinny-dipping with them our last night in Ohio. I ended up having a crush on one of the guys and we started hanging out right after I broke up with my BF of 8 months. I remember this one time we were at the bar drinking and my ex came in after a pub crawl and starts yelling at me. His eyes got really big, he stood up, got in his face and let him know that you do not talk to a lady like that and almost fought him. He was taking classes, working for the Ohio Republican Party and in the Marine Reserves. He is one of the funniest guys I have ever met. I was, and still am, a sucker for a man in uniform, especially the blue dress Marines outfit with the sword. My sister, Ranting Republican, is more partial to the Air Force jumpers.

We only started talking about a month before I moved back home to Illinois so nothing really materialized. He was the last person I said goodbye to before I left town and I've seen him only once since then. We kept in touch every 6 months or so and then lost touch for a while. He was basically the guy in charge for voter turnout in Ohio when he worked for the Bush Cheney 2004 campaign. Thank god he did a great job and we won the state!

Anyways, that was just some background because I found out not too long ago that he was deployed to Iraq. Its funny how knowing someone who is over there humanizes it for you. Democrats say to me sometimes "you'd feel differently about the was if someone you cared about was over there in harms way." You know what, I don't feel differently and I'm sure he is proud to be there and believes in our noble cause.

A couple weeks ago 6 Marines were killed from his Ohio Batallion, and last week, another 14. For a few days they didn't release the names but when they showed each fallen soldier's name and picture on the news, I held my breath, letting it out little by little as each strange face passed by. As far as I know, he was NOT one of the brave men killed. I also felt very selfish because each of those soldiers was someone's husband/son/brother/cousin/friend, etc. I'm sure these boys were his friends. I decided I want to send a care package but am having a hell of a time finding out where to send it to. I contacted his 2 old roomates from college and am awaiting their responses. Any advice?

So if any of you have a spare second, or could close your eyes right now and just say a tiny prayer for "Teacher Tori's Marine friend", that would be great. He's a great person and while I haven't seen him in a good while, I'm sure not much has changed. Thank you.

My last night of freedom

Well, as of 1pm on Monday, I am no longer on Summer vacation. I know most of you will think "ooooh poor teacher who's been off for 2 months. I was very busy this summer taking a class, teaching summer school, working on my new house and boating up in Wisconsin.

I have to work with our team doctors to give physicals to our student athletes. No I will not be doing the "turn and cough" test, more likely I'll be taking blood pressures and writing in charts. Then Wednesday I start 3-a-days for football, Teacher Institute Day on the 15th, then the little darlings come the 16th for their first day. Its funny how my life does a 180 in a matter of a day. I go from having no worries, to working my ass off for at least 12 hours every day.

Overall, I had a great summer. Moving into my new house was the best part and the break-up was by and far the worst part of it. But I have a great family and great friends who scraped me off the couch and helped me smile again. I went line dancing, bar-hopping, golfing, boating, and found the small pleasures of gardening and watering my lawn.

Politics have also been a big part of my summer. The Republican golf tournaments, horse race outings and minor league baseball today, as a matter of fact. They are such great people and I just love being around them! When I first started teaching we had this huge group of single friends. We all dated each other, went out and partied all the time and there wasn't a Friday that went by where we all didn't go to happy hour. Now, almost 4 years later, virtually everyone has paired off or gotten married. I've been to a few of their weddings and will be in one next summer. So I barely saw the group at all now, especially when my 2 best guy teacher friends both have girlfriends and the 4 of them have their little group. So, basically, 2 other girls and I are "the single girls" and have paired off to explore the crazy single life. The crazy , expensive single live that is exhausting and tiring. It sure can be fun though!

I do love my job and after spending some time at Lambeau Field watching Packers training camp over the weekend I am ready for football season. I guess I'm ready to start teaching Health and PE again and my blog will start to venture over from the political side to the teaching side. I like to tell stories of my teaching and athletic training adventure. But I will not forget about all my elephant, and donkeys too I guess.

Gumby

Gumby
Originally uploaded by raygan.

3,000 HITS ON MY BLOG....I'm doing a happy dance like Gumby!

Paul Hackett is a Hack

There was an election in my former state of 5 years, Ohio yesterday. It was for a seat vacated in Congress. The DEMOCRAT running, Paul Hackett did lose to Republican Jean Schmidt by 4,000 votes. This is a very Republican district but Hackett really wasn't even running as a Democrat!

You know the Democratic party is in disarray when he won't even say in his TV commercials what party he is affiliated with. Yes he did serve in Iraq, and I do respect that. Just watch the video and let me know what you think. Is it misleading? Hackett called President Bush the "most dangerous man in the world" after calling him a "son of a bitch." There are other beefs I have with him as well. And this asshole had the nerve to use President Bush's own words in his political ad. Good thing he didn't pull the wool over anyone's eyes and did not win the election.

The only place I could still find the video was here Paul Hackett's Campaign Ad. You have to click on the picture of him and it will play as a Real Audio file. Its worth watching, trust me.

Alright, back to my vacation, its too pretty out here on the dock to get pissy at liberals.

Bravo President Bush, Bravo!

Congrats, John Bolton, to your appointment at the United Nations. Yes I have ZERO respect for the UN, yes I think we should kick their asses out of New York, and yes, I think we should pull out all together. However, with that being said, if we have to be a part of it, we need a kick-ass guy in there and Bolton is the man for the job.

Because of Democrats "cock-blocking" him (sorry for the language, but it seemed fitting), he was filibustered and prevented from getting an up-or-down vote. We've been without an Ambassador for six months. I applaud President Bush for taking the iniative to appoint him during the recess. I don't know what the libs are whining about, its totally constitutional and has been done in the past. (Clinton made 140 recess appointments)

Rush summed it up perfectly today:

"Democrats don't like Bolton, by the way, because he's tough. They don't like Bolton because the United Nations is an enemy of George W. Bush, is a friend of the Democrats, and as such anybody that's going to reform an enemy of George W. Bush is an enemy of the Democrats -- plus they don't like his mustache."

My sister, Ranting Republican and I were talking earlier and heard it said that Bolton shares many of the same views with President Bush and will make a great "Good Cop Bad Cop" scenario. Bolton gets to be the "bad guy" by saying and doing all the things that our administration would like to do to that corrupt-ass group of people and President Bush gets to watch.

The UN needs A LOT of work and I doubt Bolton can do it all. If only we can get Kofi Annan the hell out of there, and prosecute all the oil-for-food evildoers, then maybe, just maybe the UN might be worth saving. But then again, if we got rid of every corrupt country in there, it would only leave a small handful of countries left!

To learn more about the UN, read my sister's blog entry on it from earlier in the summer:

CORRUPTION AND GREED- THE UNITED NATIONS

ewan-mcgregor-13

ewan-mcgregor-13
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

So you think they look alike?

chip1

chip1
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

I was just watching Moulin Rouge. I have always thought that "C" looked just like Ewan McGregor. You be the judge.

(p.s-not one of his better, happier pics, just one that was easily available)

water

water
Originally uploaded by Toribear5.

Where I will be for the next several days....relaxing on the boat before 2-a-days for football starts.

How Liberal/Conservative are you?

Thanks to Anti-Liberali for the link: How Liberal/Conservative are you?

Here is how I faired:

Your Political Profile

Overall: 90% Conservative, 10% Liberal
Social Issues: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal
Personal Responsibility: 75% Conservative, 25% Liberal
Fiscal Issues: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Ethics: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal
Defense and Crime: 100% Conservative, 0% Liberal