Friday, August 31, 2007

Thursday, August 30, 2007

This is what no cable causes!

My DishNetwork is on the fritz and won't be fixed until TUESDAY (insert bitterness here), so that means I have to find new ways to keep myself occupied. I guess I can reveal one of my secrets that only a few of my close family members know:

I love cheesy Elvis movies! I'm sitting here right now watching "Blue Hawaii." This is my all time favorite Elvis movie. If you ever get a chance to see it, you should. It is the reason one of Elvis's most popular songs was recorded ("I Can't Help Falling in Love with You"). If you can't find it anywhere or don't see it on TV anytime soon, I'll let you borrow my copy. I still don't think anyone can sing like Elvis!

On another note, I no longer have purple or blue hair! I now have a normal color! YEAH! Now, hopefully, it won't fall out...

All I Have to Say...

...Is my God is amazing!

Stephanie, a friend I know from work, has this on her blog. Our youth group at Temple did a skit very similar to this one when they travelled to Cambodia. It's so amazing to me that dramas can convey so many emotions in a very short amount of time. I watched this with tears falling down my face (I know, nothing new recently, but this was because of His love for me rather than my self-pity!).

Monday, August 27, 2007

6 Days and Counting

Well, I'm obsessed. And this time it's not my hair or the horrible last few weeks I've had. Recently, I watched the movie "300." This movie is about 300 Spartans who took on King Xerxes and his tens of thousands of soldiers and won. I ran across this earlier today, and thought it was completely fitting. This was one of Darren McFadden's touchdowns during the Auburn game last year. Since the music was taken from a story about the unbeatable 300 Spartans (Troy's enemy), and we are playing the Troy State Trojans, it just made this neat little video even more awesome.


More Hair Fiasco

So, after washing my hair more in the last three days than I have all month long, my hair is no longer purple. It's blue; almost old lady blue. I know some of you think I am exaggerating, so I took pictures. Notice the blue tinge on my hair (and it's not a reflection of the wall color either)...

Saturday, August 25, 2007

The Hair Fiasco

So I should have known not to attempt anything drastic in the month of August 2007. Most of you know that I dye my hair. I am in no way a natural blonde. Since my roots were showing drastically bad, I knew it was time to touch it up. I went to Wal-Mart, bought the same product in the same shade I always buy, and proceeded to dye my hair. No big deal.

That was until I walked into the bathroom and noticed that the dye had turned to a light shade of violet rather than the normal light brown color as usual. I didn't panic. I started rinsing out my hair and completed all the steps like the previous 500 times I have done this. When I took the towel off to dry my hair, I noticed several purple streaks in my hair. A small amount of panic began. I jumped in the shower and began scrubbing.

And scrubbing.

And scrubbing.

After countless shampoos, deep conditioning treatments, and several conversations with expert colorists, I still have light lavender streaks in my hair. It isn't noticeable unless I point it out...but it's there... in all it's purple glory. I guess I should be happy this is the first fiasco I've had in twelve years of hair dye, but why did it have to be this month?

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Top 10 Reasons August 2007 Is Worst Month Ever

Here are the top 10 Reasons I will never remember August 2007 as the best month ever for me (and there's still a week and a half left!).

10. I didn't get a job.

9. The Razorback ticket office screwed up my tickets, so now I have to sit in the same horrible seats as last year.

8. I have cried more in the last two weeks than I have cried my entire life all because I didn't get a job.

7. I turned down a job in Newport in hopes of a position at Haas Hall that never came about, so I didn't get a job.

6. Gravette strung me along for a week, and I didn't get a job.

5. I auditioned for a choir, and, though I have a degree in voice, was told I wasn't good enough.

4. I still don't have a job.

3. Human Resources at the UA told me I didn't qualify for a job, even though I totally do, so I didn't even get to interview for a job.

2. Did I mention that I didn't get a job of any kind.

1. It's hot.

In the immortal words of my friend Erin: "Bitter, party of one!"

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Are You Ready for Some Football?

I know I am! And even more so after watching a preview of the football team, which has been ranked in the top 25 in several pre-season polls.


GO HOGS!





Do we have time for a movie montage? Well, you know...
(This is a little long, but it made me a wee bit happy to watch!)

Monday, August 13, 2007

It's official...

Gravette's out. They've offered the position to someone else blah, blah, blah...but I should definitely fill out the paperwork to be a sub! Well, that's what the principal suggested anyway.

Job Update

I still haven't heard anything from Haas Hall yet, but I'm not giving up. I have completed a couple of applications for secretarial jobs at Springdale and Rogers, and I've gone ahead and sent over an application for a job at the Walton College. I am trying very hard not to get discouraged. I know God has placed some amazing people in my life, because every time I start to feel the least bit overwhelmed, some one is there saying something encouraging! You all don't realize how much those few little words mean. I will try to keep you updated should there be any breaking news...

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Praise Him in the Morning...

Isn't there some verse that says we are supposed to praise God in everything, through the good and the bad? We'll here's my best...

About a year ago, I saw Jeremy Camp at the AMP here in Fayetteville. He is truly one of my all time favorite performers. I always hate going to concerts because people never sound the way they do on their recordings. Jeremy Camp is not one of those performers. I think I actually liked him better live than on his recordings! Anyway, this video is from one of his live shows, and the song, "Give You Glory," is off his "Beyond Measure" album. I love this song; it's so uplifting, and I really need the encouragement that it and a lot of people are giving me right now.

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Still no word...

I still haven't heard anything from anyone. I did notice there was a secretary job at Bentonville High School...

Monday, August 6, 2007

I'm So FRUSTRATED!

I got a call tonight from the principal at Gravette and he said that they have decided not to recommend any teacher to the board for hire for the music position tonight. He said they have decided to wait to make sure all the paper work is on file before any contract is offered. I jumped through all their stupid hoops today and did exactly what they asked. What I don't understand, Newport told me this would be no problem, so why is Gravette making it so difficult?

I feel like everywhere I turn doors are slamming in my face. I just don't know how much more rejection I can handle. I get my hopes up and even beginning thinking about the future, and then all of the sudden, it all comes crashing down around me. I just want a job. I just want to teach music. I'm good at it. Why can't they see that?

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Priceless? I don't think so...

$250 for the cost of three different Praxis II exams.
$63.57 for the cost of one night at the Days Inn in Russellville.
$45 for the cost of gas for a trip to Russellville.
The mind-numbing, hand cramping pain these exams cause me...Priceless???

I've talked with several people about this, but here's my official gripe. I find it very ironic that in order to be licensed by the state of Arkansas to teach children about music, I must pass 5 different Praxis exams. These tests, which cost between $75 and $125 a piece, are to test my knowledge of the area I will be teaching as well as my knowledge of teaching skills and my ability to read, write, add, and subtract. What I don't understand is that I have just spent a good portion of my life attending a STATE school where the STATE mandates the curriculum. I was awarded a DEGREE for the COMPLETION from this STATE university, for which I paid a rather hefty sum and will continue to be paying for a while. It seems to me that if I complete the educational requirements for a diploma from this school, run by the STATE, that I should be considered competent and ready to begin sharing the knowledge gained at this institution. However, some highly educated, reasonably sane business man created the idea that in order to allow these graduates from STATE institutions to share their knowledge, they must first pass an exam that he charges a kagillion dollars to take. Personally, I think we over test. But, until I get my license, I have to follow the rules.

Friday, August 3, 2007

Answered Prayer?

So, I interviewed with the Gravette Elementary principal this morning. I think we chatted/interviewed for almost an hour. He even commented that my portfolio was probably the most well-put-together portfolio he had seen. Yeah!

After the interview, I headed back to Fayetteville to join the office gang for our annual staff retreat. I missed the Razorback transit ride from the Business Building to the Boys and Girls Club and the first half of the UGPO Olympics! I did get to compete in a couple of events (the CD-Discus throw and the Office Chair relay). We had a blast. In the middle of the final event, the Dolly Obstacle Course, Mr. Vanderpool called me again. He asked if I could drive back up to Gravette and meet with the superintendent. SO, I did. And I think I got the job! Pray that everything works out with the Department of Education and my provisional teaching license. I am really excited about this!

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Prayer? Yes please.

I have an interview tomorrow with Gravette Public Schools for a K-2 Elementary position. Yeah! I'm really excited about this too. I spoke with the principal, Mr. Vanderpool, and he said he's already called a reference of mine, even though this reference is not on my reference page. Who was this good Samaritan!

I am also preparing to take three of my Praxis II exams on Saturday. I'm driving down Friday night to the thriving metropolis of Russellville to take these dreaded exams. So, I need your prayers once more. Please pray that a) I will recall all the information needed to pass these tests with flying colors, and b) that the interview goes amazingly well and I get a job offer. I'll keep you all posted.