A blog about my life, fitness and fun! (...and maybe a few cat pictures...)

A blog about my life, fitness and fun! (...and maybe a few cat pictures...)

Friday, January 27, 2017

Friday 5 - Updates on life & such!



Hey all! I am linking up with Running on Happy and Fairytales and Fitness for Friday 5 2.0!

Today I'm going to share 5 updates about what's going on in my life right now. I feel a little disconnected, and whenever I feel like that, and update is in order!

I will also tell you I am feeling very overwhelmed with just "general" life stuff right now. I feel like nothing in is order. My clothes aren't laid out for tomorrow, I need to run to the store, I have to shave my legs... OMG I need like 5 Ativan. AUGH! Okay, I hope I didn't stress you out!


1. Hablo un poco de espanol, pero quiero aprender mas!

One of my goals for this year is to learn Spanish. Thanks to an app called Duolingo, I have been slowly but surely learning to speak a second language. I spend at least 20 minutes a day studying, but sometimes I get addicted and do more.


But it's getting tricky! I am on the level where I learn past tense but I don't feel like I totally understand present tense yet!

I am also one of those people that ask WHY all the time. But in this app, you can't ask why. It's all in Spanish. You pretty much have to figure it out as you go along. But I will be honest, sometimes I Google my "WHY!?" questions.



All in all, I am really enjoying the learning process and I do feel like I am getting better. But I don't see myself being semi fluent for several years.

2. WOOT!

At the same time I started learning a new language, I started studying to become certified to teach PreK-4th grade. After lots of work, I am proud to tell you I have passed the three tests needed to become certified to teach in an elementary classroom!

So now this means I am certified to teach K-12 music as well as PreK-4th grade. I do not desire to teach in the regular ed classroom, but this second certification gives me job security. If music is ever cut from my school, I have something to fall back on.

3. Funny story!

As soon as I found out I passed my tests (which was RIGHT AWAY!), I felt like celebrating! What to do? The first thought that came to mind was to go to Giant and get one of their yummy rotisserie chickens. When I got home from my test, Paul and I jumped up and down and celebrated. Then he said, "You should do something to celebrate. What don't you go to Giant and get a rotisserie chicken?

BWAHAHAHA! How did he knows that's exactly what I was thinking!? (ps. Getting rotisierie chickens isn't our "go to" celebration meal. This was completely random!)

4. The cats go to the vet today. 

Paul had Stool Sample Duty. He sent me this picture and told me that one of the Tupperware containers contained poop. But which ones!?


5. This week's news has been enraging.

I am really struggling with staying engaged, because whenever I am engaged, I get enraged. It would be so easy to just turn everything off and not care. But... I can't do that. So how do I stay sane!? I keep seeing this meme on Facebook and am wondering how I can apply it to my own life...

What sorts of "flowers" are you planting for 2017?

Do you speak a second language?

What do you do to celebrate big accomplishments?

How do you deal with feeling overwhelmed? I have been feeling very overwhelmed just with "general" life stuff...

20 comments:

  1. Congrats on passing your tests and Im glad that Duolingo is working out!

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  2. Megan, great job on your certification. I think this is such a smart move for you and I am super proud of you. When I am feeling overwhelmed I talk to Rick about it. Mostly getting my thoughts out just helps so much and Rick is always so calm and just listens. Hang in there, girl. We usually celebrate by going out for a meal. We really love to cook at home so treating ourselves out when something special comes up is perfect. But I do love me some rotisserie chicken, too! LOL.

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    1. Thank you, Susan! I am glad you are able to talk with Rick and be calmed by him! Yesterday BOTH Paul and I were feeling overwhelmed so we actually were of no help to each other hahaha.

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    2. ..that's when you just gotta be OK with being grumpy and pouty!

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  3. Ha, No I don't plant flowers. He've planted mums and they actuaally came back up last year which I thought was amazing. We never cut them back down at the end of last year (like I guess you are suppose to) so I doubts they will come back again this fall.

    Congrats on being preK-4 certified. Did you take the Praxis test at one of the computer testing sites? Is that how you knew you passed right away? I have several certs too and they have definitely come in handy. All mine were paper tests though and I did have to wait several weeks to see if I passed.

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    1. I took three PECT tests on a computer. I actually did it at HACC which has a computer testing center. I was very nervous! It is hard to sit and concentrate for so long for all three tests.

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  4. Yay!! I do duolingo too!! It's so much fun. I know a little bit of Spanish, enough to function in restaurant and store situations, but not enough to converse. I started duolingo when I got back because I had a very hard time in Patagonia with their Spanish (they spoke way too fast). I've always wanted to learn Spanish.

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    1. I am sure I am going to have trouble when it's time to actually talk with *real* people. My app talks to me but the app talks at a normal speed (and I have the option to slow it down) and they enunciate really well!

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  5. If you want a good laugh, follow Berkeley Breathed's Bloom County on FB. The creator goes after everyone politically, but yesterday's was a doozey. It lets me laugh at stuff going on.

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    1. Thanks for the tip! Just started following them. Colbert and Samantha Bee have gotten me through some tough times...

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  6. Ask me anytime you have questions... I will do my best to help you.. except if we are talking about beber and bebe, because apparently for me, there is no difference. Start watching TV in Spanish, it will help. It will take some time, but you are trying and that counts A LOT!

    I hope you have that poo container labeled!

    Congratulations on your new certification!

    I was feeling overwhelmed yesterday, when I heard the announcements of the wall. It scared me and I was just kina staring into empty space at work. Then I just listened to my happy music for a while. I'm still with the whole I'm not going anywhere mentality!


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    1. I was thinking of maybe starting with some children's books in Spanish or some children's TV shows. I figured they would talk slower. :)

      I am so sorry you are feeling overwhelmed and that Trump has decided to demonize immigrants. He acts as if they all murder people. And so many people don't realize what he is doing... Trying to make us afraid of people who are different from us! Actually, he's MAKING us think immigrants are different from us, when they're not. I mean, look at me and you. We have A LOT in common!

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  7. That comic about planting seeds actually made me angry the first time I saw it because I just wanted to be like "I'm fucking planting seeds too, but they're not going to bloom until 2020 and this comic makes me feel like I should feel bad for being angry!!!!" lol. I obviously need a break. This week was the longest, most painful EVER I feel like, and most of my colleagues agreed. I'm just mentally exhausted.

    I love that you wanted a rotisserie chicken for a celebration! I buy two every Sunday and completely debone them and have been using that for my "meal planning" by separating them into 5 containers for the week.

    Congrats on getting your certification for K-4!! I get what you mean about having job security...it's good to make sure you've got something to fall back on just in case. I hope they don't cut the arts from public ed. but I wouldn't be surprised...

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    1. I have no idea what my coworkers think... I don't talk about politics at work. Actually I do have one friend that I talk to because we are on the exact same wave length!

      Thank you! I am tickled to have an extra certification! I don't ever want to be hung out to dry due to only being able to teach music. I hope they never cut the arts but it wouldn't surprise me.

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  8. Really cool news about your teaching certification. I can't believe how random that rotisserie chicken thing is! You guys are hilarious!!! I understand why you're feeling so overwhelmed. You guys are in a very very tough situation. I really feel for you so, so much. When I feel overwhelmed, I do things that give me a sense of autonomy or control over my life (run, pluck my eyebrows, meal-plan, etc) and then I focus on the things that I DO have going for me. I try and stay as positive as possible.

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    1. You know I did two of the three things you suggested! Today I ran AND got my eyebrows waxed. :) I normally do things I can control too, like pack my lunch and lay out my clothes for the week.

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  9. Congrats on passing your tests!!

    How did the kittens do at their vet visit?

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    1. They did a good job. They're sooooo tired today from the vaccines.

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  10. Paul sent me a close up in a snap. WTF? I love my cats but I don't need that!

    What are stupid cowboy books? I think my Jonbenet blogs is the equivalent of your cowboy books!

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