Paid to blog?

Well, this sounds too good to be true and I'm not holding by breath or counting my chickens or any of that good stuff, but in the near future I might be getting paid to blog.

I've always wanted to be paid to write, and I've said here a million times it would be a dream come true to get paid to blog, and now it's a tiny, minor possibility!

Alcatraz, not just the school but the entire facility, has a wonderful marketing plan and branding and all that good stuff! It's fairly new, but it's going along well. We also have a company blog and I've written for it several times. The director of marketing calls and asks me to come up with something for the blog because she likes my writing style and my energy.

Yesterday she called to see if I would write something and then she asked if it would be something I would be willing to do on a semi-regular basis. She said she'd like to do a series on a couple of specific topics and thought it would be great if she could hire me part time/ freelance to blog for the company. She said if it all works out, I'd start as part time and then as her position evolved, then so would mine- into something full time. But the outset would be hired to blog for the company.

YES! Now, that's what I'm talkin' about!

So, keep your fingers crossed. She doesn't have a deadline for this plan, but she's one of those people who gets what she wants, and she WANTS this. I'm totally psyched!

Maggie

Can't shake the blahs

Yesterday I wrote about not knowing where all my time went this week.

And I have to say, I need some time to breathe.

I don't know what's going on with me lately but I just feel like I need some time to ... to myself. This sounds totally bitchy, I know, after coming off a month long break but for some reason, I've felt overwhelmed lately.

There's been turmoil with Mac, leaving for school. It hasn't been pleasant and I feel turned in so many topsy-turvy ways because of this.

I also feel all consumed by work when I go home at night. I worry about the kids, about a new program I've been put in charge of, about testing the kids, and anything else about work I can seem to worry about.

For some reason I can't even seem to convey here what I mean to say. I just know I can't seem to settle my brain and I feel completely not at ease, or full of unease.

Am I just unhappy? Someone suggested I'm depressed. I am tired all the time, it seems, for no good reason, even when I get tons and tons of sleep.

I don't often feel like this, so full of drudgery. I don't really want to read, craft, talk, clean, write, cook, do laundry, hang out... I just don't want to do anything, really.

Ugh, I hate feeling so blah, so tired, so uneasy, so no time to myself.

Whining once again,
Maggie

Computer suckage

I can't believe it's been a whole week since I last blogged. I have no idea what happened. Actually, I do know what happened and I'm so sorry. After a month of vacation and then going back to work, and getting off work at 4pm and home by 430pm, my day feels shot. Getting back into the groove to cook and clean in just a few evening hours and then having time to blog doesn't seem to be jiving.

My other big issue is that my laptop seems to be dying a slow death. It can be one for 10 minutes then shut itself off. It can be on for an hour before it does. No one seems to know what's wrong. So all the evenings when I would crash on the couch and grab my trust steed of a laptop are now gone. I have no money to replace my trusty steed so now I have to... well, to hell with the analogy- I can't easily blog.

And that SUCKS!!!!!!!!

I've vowed that since it's my weekend to be the receptionist at job number 3, I'm going to write several post and get them scheduled.

The other part that sucks about the slow demise of trusty steed is that I can't easily respond to lengthy emails nor can I read blogs at my leisure. Ugh! I have no idea how I'm going to resolve this issue!!! Steal a laptop, maybe?

Other than computer issues and trying to get my back to school groove on, I'm also trying to get Mac ready for school, which emotionally seems draining. In all honesty, other than being exhausted at the end of a work day and feeling like doing nothing except be a slug, I'm really not sure where my week went...

I vow to do better. I said that last week, I know.

Maybe this time it'll actually happen!

Mags

A coffee confession

Okay, I love Starbucks. You know I do. Venti Peppermint Mochas are a food group for me, and are a vital part of my existence. I even have friends bring me this beverage if they're coming from the nearest Starbucks, which is 20 minutes away. If they barista makes it extra hot (or the hottest brewable temperature without curdling the milk) then it's drinkable temperature when it gets to me. In short, I love Starbucks.

I even love to get my favorite drink all year long. It's been so hot this summer that I've tried some variations in a cold form, like in a blender and iced. They're okay but nothing to write home about. A hot venti, Peppermint Mocha with whip is the best. It makes me happy. It's reliable. It's good. It's bliss.

So I have a confession. I live 20 minutes from a Starbucks but about 6 minutes from McDonalds. And I have 2 special drinks I like to get from their McCafe menu. The hot drink is a passable substitute from my Starbucks favorite. When I want something hot I get a hot caramel mocha with whip. It's not anywhere near as good at my Starbucks beverage, but it'll do in a pinch. I'm also going to admit it's a cheaper drink, so I don't mind having it. I've also figured the best way to get a drink that's a good substitute is to NOT try and order the same thing as I get at Starbucks, but to get something else that's good. A caramel mocha serves that need.

Then there's the McCafe cold drink. As I just said, I can't find a cold drink at Starbucks that I like other than unsweetened black ice tea (I've tried all kinds, by the way, not just my favorite) with mint. McDonald's, on the other hand, has a delicious cold beverage: a caramel Frappe. I don't even like caramel drinks but at McDonalds I do. And the caramel frappe is AMAZING.

I have to say it's a better cold drink than any cold drink I've ever had at... *gulp*... Starbucks. I feel totally unfaithful to Starbucks but I had to say it. I had to confess. And I want to say it's this only drink. Not better than my soul mate, Peppermint Mocha, but better than any cold drinks.

And I feel better.

And I promise, I vow, as soon as the cold temperatures come back, I'll go back to being faithful to Starbucks, my one true love.

Mocha maven,
Mags

Whew---- one week down!

I can't believe I've been away from here all week. I am so sorry, if anyone cares! We went back to school on Monday and since then it's been go- go- go!

Mac is getting ready for college, along with all my back to school drama. He's a lovable pain in the ass right now.

Daddy-O has another ear infection, which worries me.

Lest we forget the insufferable heat attacking the Midwest right now which sucks, and getting into the routine of getting up early, going to bed at a normal time, cooking, chores and financial worries, it's been a looooooooooooong week.

I was so ticked off on Monday because we have some "old guard" teachers who think our new discipline policies are stupid and won't comply. We have new teachers who are learning. Our construction isn't done yet. Just lots of back to school issues, like so many other schools suffer.

I also took a 3rd part time job- I'm overseeing lunch period for our students who live off the grounds but attend our school. I'll do this everyday, and get paid $15 per 90 minutes (or $10/ hour!). I have 4 kids, and they're pretty good. I also decided to oversee the literary magazine, co chair the prom, be the sponsor for the art club, and direct the school play in the fall and the musical in the spring. Yes, I have lost my ever-loving mind. The only things that could save me from this fate would be a handsome Irishman to whisk me off to the Emerald Isle, marrying Johnny Depp, a new job, or death.

I also got in a new shipment of new books, had to do bulletin boards, schedule all the English classes to visit the library, oversee all the new student testing, AND I have girl's PE locker room duty. Oh, and I met with students who wanted to check out books- you know, regular library stuff which is... oh, just MY JOB!

Sorry I was out of the blogging loop. I'll try to get back in the groove. I sure did love my month off, and miss it already. But I really love my job and is was good to be back with my students!!!

Hope you had a good week. Tomorrow is going to be "read other blogs while doing laundry" day.

Kisses,
Maggie

Drinking meme

1. Beer, wine, liquor, mixed drinks – rank them

a) mixed drinks, then wine, then liquor and lastly beer

2. How often do you drink?

Not often enough.

3. Favorite scotch?

Johnny Walker Blue

4. Favorite whiskey?

Jack Daniels

5. Favorite tequila?

Jose

6. Gin?

I don't care for gin

7. Vodka?

Gray Goose

8. Rum?

Malibu

9. Red or white?

White

10. Best wine ever?

Angioletta Muscato

11. Favorite type of wine?

Angioletta Muscato

12. Favorite every day red?

I'm not a fan of reds, but Robertson Winery makes a nice sweet red, if I must

13. Favorite every day white?

Angioletta Muscato

14. Best value white?

Angioletta Muscato- it's a lovely Italian wine that I can get for about 10 bucks a bottle

15. Do drink boxed wine?

I have in the past

16. Fastest to getting drunk?

vodka

17.Are you quiet, silly, or what when you are tipsy?

usually very silly

18. Ever do anything your regretted while drunk?

I have a list

19. Favorite beer?

MGD lite

20. Favorite food while drinking?

fried and greasy

21. Favorite cordial?

Crème de menthe

22. Favorite ‘desert drink’?

Lemon Drops-- you mean having booze for dessert, right?

23. Favorite morning libation?

Morning Glorys

24. Favorite bar?

anywhere with a good loud cover band, fun people and cold drinks that are cheap

25. How old when you had your first booze?

I think I had a sip of beer on Race day when I was a kid but to actually drink drinks or order my own drinks, I was legal- age 21

26. “Not for me”

Scotch

27.Do you own a cocktail shaker?

Yes, and it's pink!

28. Martinis – gin or vodka?

Vodka, dirty, three olives, no onions, shaken not stirred

29. Ever been in a bar fight?

Nope

30. An amusing vignette involving booze:

Well, there are many... kissing strangers over a pool table, taking a "friend" home, throwing lettuce, drunken singing when there was no karaoke, singing when there was karaoke.... there's a long and embarrassing list...

Let the school year commence

I'm back at school. Today. Right now!!! (okay, if you're reading this after 3:45pm EST then I'm not there, but I was otherwise!) Today and tomorrow are teacher days and we have students on Wednesday and Thursday. We are now officially starting year- round school. We also now no longer have school on Fridays. This week is a 2 day with student week.

I can't believe my summer vacation is over. I'm working on "blogger appreciation gifts" and don't have them all done yet (but be watching your mail!). I have a stack of books not read. I have two quilts not finished. I have recipes not tried. Ugh. The list goes on and on.

I'm going to be really good at being retired.

But on the good side, I do love my job so it will be good to get back into a routine and to see the kids. I have some magic up my sleeve for the library and I have a nice, long, fun list of things I want to do this month with the kids. Well, the next few months, anyway! So, it's not really all about complaining about the end of summer,

I prefer to think of it as being in mourning. I have on my favorite black t-shirt...

Mags