Confessions of a Fauf

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Toasts All Around!

I did it! I've kept my New Year's Resolution! I started this week with still a fourth of my book left. I panicked for a moment when I realized I had only till tonight at 11:59 to finish it in order to keep my New Year's Resolution. But with the support of my hubby and good ol' Fauf-determination, I finished it last night! I don't know if I was more excited to finish the book and find out the end, or to keep my resolution! Oh well, I'm quite excited. And now I get a little day off, then tomorrow starts book #3 for Feb (to be announced).

Book Review:
The Mysterious Benedict Society, a children's novel. Basically it's about these gifted orphans who get hired by this genius who needs to overthrow his twin brother from taking over the world. The evil twin has set up a school to mask his operation of using children in his evil schemes. So our gifted youngsters (the MB Society) enroll undercover to discover the villain's plot and thwart him.

It was good, the characters were memorable, but it was a little slow. The author could have sped things up more. The last few chapters were the best. And with the villain escaping there could be a sequel, although I don't think the author was THAT good to pull off another book. But it was for the most part entertaining. And the last revelation delighted me so much, I laughed out loud and smiled every time I thought about it. It was ridiculous!

Fauf's overall rating: B

(No, I don't use any ridiculous food-ratings that some bloggers do. JK)

Friday, January 25, 2008

R.A.I.N.

Here's another four-letter word to add to the list:
RAIN!
Wow, has Santa Maria ever had this much rain? I'm asking all you natives, because I've been here only a year and half, and so far this is the first major rain I've experienced here. I know it's great for the land...blah...blah...blah (Hey! Another four-letter word!) But it's not all that great for 22 little third graders who have energy! Luckily this was a short week with Monday off and Friday being a 1/2 day. We've done exercises in class and played four-corners and board games, but even that gets a little old after four days. Oh, well, it's the weekend and let's just pray the rain moves on by Monday or I will have to do some serious brainstorming on how to keep my students moving and happy. Any ideas? Here's my brainstorming list as of now:

Set up an obsticle course with desks and chairs and textbooks (could be messy)
Time relay races ATOP the desks (I'm sure that would get me fired.)
Build a fort in the story corner (There's probably some law against building fortresses during wartime)
Set up a miniature golf course with books and thumbtacks (dangerous?)

I'm out....

Friday, January 18, 2008

F.O.U.R.

What has my life been about lately? Well, I think it can be summed up with a list of four-letter words. That's right, you read correctly, four-letter words. You may be thinking some new ill thoughts about Fauf and her confessions here, but let me just remind you that Fauf is a truth-speaker. Would you want a confession full of lies? Didn't think so. Here you are about to read yet another true confession of a Fauf. And those confessions contain some four-letter words.

iPOD: so my dear husband spoiled me and got me the new iPOD Nano for Hanukkah. But with that glorious little device came some problems. This confession is not about to be boring, so I will spare you the details and just say that FINALLY it is set up and ready for use. (Yes, a month after unwrapping it!)

Ross: I don't know what it is, but lately Ross Ghellar has been cracking me up on "Friends". It seems like each season I love a different Friend. Season 5 is usually Chandler. Season 3 was Monica. However, this is the first time I'm actually voting Ross!

Cozy: the Nest has been really cozy lately because of the cold weather, espcially our cozy bed. So getting up is hard and going to sleep is easy.

Work: teaching has been busy, but really great lately. This week we focused on Martin Luther King Jr. If you haven't yet, you need to think about him during this 3-day weekend. He kinda was amazing. My kids wrote their dreams for the world, inspired by his great speech "I Have A Dream". Some of them blew me away. So cool.

Book: Yeah, I haven't really gotten to my book as much as I hoped. And it's actually a pretty long one. I'm thinking I might have to carry this book over into Feb. and revise my New Year's Resolution!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Resolving to Make a Resolution

A confession of Fauf: I don't usually make resolutions, I make goals. And for some reason because I call them goals I end up accomplishing them more often than if I called them resolutions. I have always been a goal-minded person, so setting goals for each new year works for someone like the Fauf. In the past I've sat down every New Year's Eve and made my goals. And I put them into categories (being a very organized Fauf and all). The categories were usually the following:

Spiritual (in which I might set a goal of improving my prayer life, or going on another mission trip.)

Academic (usually having something to do with completing a degree, etc.)

Financial (like pay off my credit card or something.)

Personal (Write more, paint more, learn to cook, etc.)

But for some reason this year, I just didn't do that. I don't know if it's because now that I'm married, life is simpler and I just didn't need to categorize my life anymore. Or perhaps because I have reached that age (25) where I am more content with my life. Or maybe I've actually reached all those goals and see no other goals I need to meet! I really don't know what it is.

On the contrary, this year I did something new for Fauf: I made a resolution! I'm sure I should have more than one, but this was the first one that came to mind and might be the only one I need this year: I have resolved to read at least one book a month. I'm always saying I need to read more and there are always all these titles I want to explore. So there's my resolution. I've kicked off the year with a children's novel called "The Mysterious Benedict Society". In addition, the reason I am claiming this resolution on this blog is to have some accountability. If I do not post a blog at least once a month that features a book review, then you have every right to call me out on it. There.

Happy New Year!

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Before and After

This blog contains 2 parts: the first being a celebration of the New Year, and the second being a reflection of the old year.

Happy New Year, welcome 2008, hooray, blah blah blah. Yes, I'm excited, but honestly there's not much to say on this topic of this brand new year, because after all it's not nearly old enough to have anything exciting happening in it yet. It's kind of like a newborn; you're excited it's finally born, you marvel at how cute, etc. but then after that there's not much to say about it--it's quite boring. I have to say though, so far these first few hours of the New Year have been fulfilling, starting the year 2008 off right. I slept in, watched an old black and white, ate fig Newtons and Cheez-Its for breakfast, and played a round of Scrabble with my love. Then I started a load if laundry. Rock on 2008!

Goodbye old year of 2007. I believe that this part of the blog will be more exciting because there is much more to discuss regarding the old year. It's like a toddler who is learning to talk and is exploring the world around them--they're so interesting and exciting! So just to recap the old year, here is a list of my favorite things in 2007:

Winter: engagement, Gilmore Girls marathons with roomie Jenn, Feb. date on a train to Santa Barbara, buying my wedding dress.

Spring: engagement, walks to IHOP for dinner with roomie Jenn, surprise bday party in my classroom, mailing the wedding invitations.

Summer: the Nest, Disneyland with roomie Jenn, welcoming baby Toey into the world, that glorious wedding day, suicidal Billy.

Autumn: marriage, Mon. nights with roomie Jenn, my delightful students, watching Halloween movies, boof

Winter: marriage, Christmas in the Nest, watching 30 Rock with roomie Jenn, using my cookie spritzer press, sleeping in