Survival of the Fittest

Not quite the fittest, but I survived my first week back to work. Next Tuesday the students return and my room still needs some major  tweaking.  Since I invested so much time and moolah in my previous classroom aesthetics, I decided to keep my western theme. YEEHAW Y'ALL! 

Just a little preview...

Soooooo....I think I may start a educational blog spotlighting my adventures in teaching. Maybe...IDK.

I would love to blog more, but I'm tireder than a one-legged man at an a$$ kicking contest...sweet dreams peeps.  

A day late and a dollar short...

As usual, I missed Kenli's Friend Makin' Monday. When I read yesterday's topic, Inappropriate Questions, I thought to myself...YAAASSS, an opportunity for inappropriateness (something I excel at). So, let's get this party started! FMM veterans, you know the drill. FMM newbies, here's the deal: 

• Answer this week's questions on your own blog.
• Add your link to the comment  section of Kenli's blog, All the Weigh.
• Invite your blog readers to participate and add their link too.

Inappropriate Questions:

1. Will you vote in the upcoming presidential elections? 
Like I tell my kids and like my momma used to tell me, "People died so I could have the right to vote." So, YES. I plan to vote! Most of the time, I refrain from discussing politics. People can get downright ignorant. And far be it from me to end a political conversation with a karate chop to YOUR trachea because you tried to force YOUR political agenda on ME!

2. Do you say curse words? Like a trucker, but only with certain associates. Word to the wise, when using profanity, know your audience. I try not to curse on my posts, but sometimes the sitch calls for it...know what I mean? For instance, remember the time I got pissed at boot camp? Profanity...VERY NECESSARY!

3.Have you ever kissed a stranger? Hmmmm...define stranger...

4.If you could choose to meet only one fellow blogger in person right now, who would you choose?  TJ from TJ's Test Kitchen. Her food always looks resplendent. 

5.What is the most inappropriate pick up line anyone has ever used on you?  Okay, so...as most of you know, my name is Trina. Well, there's this rapper named Trina and her debut album is titled, Da Baddest Bitch. After the release of her debut album she became known as "Da Baddest Bitch." So one night while out with friends this dude approaches me:

DUDE: Hey
Me: Hey
DUDE: Blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda, yadda
Me: *pretends to be slightly interested*
DUDE: So what's your name?
Me: Trina
DUDE: Oh, so you the "Da Baddest Bitch" huh?
Me: O_o

6. Do you sing in the shower? Yes, the acoustics in my bathroom gives my voice an amazing tonal quality. Singing outside the bathroom, now that's a different story. Inside the shower,  I sound like Beyonce. But outside, I sound like a cat who's tail has just been rocked on with a rocking chair. 

7. How often do you get drunk? Not often enough.

8. Have you ever been fired from a job? Yes. Moving on...

9. Were you popular in high school? I guess. I cheered in high school for 3 years. 

Back in the day cheerleader tryouts consisted of campaigning, and auditioning  in front of the ENTIRE STUDENT BODY! The cheerleaders were selected by popular vote. Nowadays prospective cheerleaders audition in front of a small committee who then selects the cheerleaders. 

10. Who is your current celebrity crush?

WENTWORTH MILLER 

from PRISON BREAK (on Netflix)!!

and...

TAYLOR KITSCH 

from SAVAGES & FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS...also on Netflix.

Mmmmm...mmmmm...mmmm. I'd like to make a Trina sandwich with those two. Now it's your turn for some inappropriateness! Don't forget to link up! 

Grabbing the bull by the BALLS...

Since I failed to win the lottery or marry into money, tomorrow I return to work after a much deserved restful summer hiatus! YES, I plan to marry for wealth, not love. Pssshh...love is overrated. Been there, done that...got the shirt, the mug, the pen, the book, the hat, the bumper sticker, AND wrote the script for the Lifetime Movie. 

Thanks to my impending 40th birthday next year, I spent the majority of my summer internally wrestling with my demons. At the forefront...weight loss *heavy sigh*. After my MANY MANY episodes of Internal Dialogue Theater I came to a realization.

I am in the midst of a  MIDLIFE CRISIS, aka midlife transition. And I also just realized I do not know how to spell midst...thank you spell check.

I admit I spiraled out of control a few times this summer and engaged in some audacious behaviors like...well never mind that.  Anyway, in an attempt to rein in the madness I decided to turn this so called "crisis" into an opportunity. An opportunity to make some life-changing decisions and grab the bull by the balls. Or is it...grab the bull by the horns. Either way, I'm grabbing something...

So, life changing decision number #1, GET BACK IN THE WEIGHT LOSS GAME before I end up like THAT...AGAIN!

So, now what? 

First and foremost, I must stop succumbing to the F**k IT Fallout Effect! I falter one time, and say to myself, "F**k it! I quit. I'll pick up where I left off...tomorrow." And the fallout, one bad behavior snowballs into an avalanche of F**k its! And the next thing I know, I find myself eating sour gummy worms for dinner...true story.

Instead of falling prey to the F**k It Fallout Effect, I need to WORK ON the following:

• STOP. STOP and think. STOP criticizing myself.  STOP and realize I made a faux pas. It happens to everyone.

• ASK. Ask myself, what did I learn from my faux pas and what do I need to do differently to make my healthy lifestyle change WORK?

• FOCUS. This weight loss undertaking requires dedication and commitment. Consequently, I need to stay focused and not surrender at the first sign of trouble.

• EXONERATE. The most important aspect of any weight loss plan, forgiveness. I need to remember, in the event of a faux pas, I MUST exonerate myself, not dwell on my mistake(s), and KEEP IT MOVING.

Check it out I created my own acronym...SAFE. 

• STOP
• ASK
• FOCUS
• EXONERATE

O_o I just glanced at the clock and it read 1:48 AM. I wholeheartedly appreciate my summers off, but as summer progresses, I fall into a routine of languidness which drastically alters my schedule. As a result, I stay up until the break of dawn and sleep til noon or later. I wonder if any other teacher suffer from Summers-Off-Screwed-Up-Sleeping-Pattern Syndrome.

I digressed. Back to the subject at hand...

Damn grabbing the bull by the horns. BALLS. I choose BALLS...more aggressive. And I need to be MORE aggressive in my ATTACK this time. My 40th birthday approaches and I WILL BE...

FORTY, FIERCE & FABULOUS!

Did you read my last post? FYI, It's pretty cool.

Steppin Up!

BOOM!! Wassup Ya'll?



LOL! So, Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaassuuuuuuuuuuuup? Long time no blog. Tell me, how's goes it with YOUR on-going weight loss tug-o-war? Me comci, comca. Hitting ya with a lil francais. I took French in high school...not very useful in Texas.

Sooooooooooooo...I half-assed blogged last week...better than nothing. Right?

This summer I decided to take a blog break. Obviously.  I needed a break for two reasons:

Number 1...My weight loss efforts appear to be stalled out. Not sure when my brain, motivation, and stomach plan to come on-line and work in concert together. I get tired of blogging about failing and who enjoys attending WHINE & cheese parties? Not me. So, rather than whine about my struggle or blog about mundane crap  I decided to take a break.

Number 2...I also decided to use all of my extra time this summer to pimp my kids. For you new followers, you may not know this, but...I am the mother of two dance BEASTS! See for yourself.

You can call ME the ORIGINAL DANCE MOM! As their "MOM-ager" I scout for opportunities to encourage them to grow as dancers. Well, my scouting efforts payed off. While stalking people on Facebook I ran across a post from a local Houston dance studio...SoReal Studio.

Long story short, SUMMIT entertainment chose  SoReal Studio to host a flash mob for the movie, STEP UP REVOLUTION! My boy's auditioned and and got the gig! Check out the movie trailer for the latest installments of the STEP UP franchise!

The Flash Mob turned out to be one of the most rewarding experiences EVER for my boys, as well as myself. The boys met one of their dance idols, world renowned, So You Think You Can Dance Emmy-nominated choreographer...Travis Wall.

HOW FREAKING COOL IS THAT????!!!

I think meeting Travis Wall excited ME more than the boys. Of course they played it cool. Me, not so cool. I stalked him ALL DAY like a TMZ reporter. I think I embarrassed my kids, but who cares y'all...TRAVIS WALL! 

They also met Misha Gabriel, one the stars from the movie.

And here they are with Channing Cooke from  So You Think You Can Dance.

In a matter of days the boys learned the flash mob choreography and perfected the number under the tutelage of Travis and Channing. Travis flew to Houston the day of the flash mob and cleaned the piece. While Travis worked with the dancers, the local news station stopped by and featured the flash mob story TWICE.

Of course I informed EVERYBODY...friends, family, haters, etc! I sent out a mass text telling everyone to tune in to FOX news. After the story aired my phone BLEW UP with text messages and Facebook comments about the flash mob!

Well without further adieu...the STEP UP REVOLUTION FLASH MOB! The first video features the kiddos at practice and the 2nd video features the dancers performing the flash mob in the 200 degree Houston weather.

For their efforts, SUMMIT Studios rewarded the dancers with a special 3-D advanced screening of the movie:-)

...GOOD TIMES! THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR OUR SUMMER!

Ready Or Not...I'm not.

I quit...everything. Ask me about the last time I worked out? G'Head...ask? Yeah....I cannot remember O_o  Ask me about my diet. No don't do that...you do not want to know. With amount of slacking achieved this summer I win the GOLD medal in the LAZY OLYMPICS.