the 1st day of my 24th year

Yes, yours truly is 24. That is almost a quarter of a century. After the first day of my 24th year, I have learned a few facts that I will elucidate now & expand upon this weekend.
1) In New Orleans when they say "rainy season" they mean torrential downpours.

2) I have made a few amazing friends year that really make my life exponentially more manageable, enjoyable, hilarious, and amazing. Dinner with a few of them at Capdeville was delicious! If you are in NOLA, check it out in the Warehouse district.



2.a) You can live in New Orleans for a year and not make it to every restaurant you've heard rave reviews about. Luckily, I still live here.


3) No matter how far I am from them, I have amazing friends all over God's green earth that I would not change for the world. And, on top of that, I love that despite time zones, distance, and time apart, I don't love or appreciate them any less.

4) My family is my rock...even though JIMMY did not call me... :-(. He will realize it late tonight, but I'll be fast asleep.

5) Teaching middle schoolers is the toughest job I will probably ever have next to motherhood, but thats WAYYYYYYY down the rode. (Jeeze I said I was 24 not 42). But, both will probably be the most rewarding jobs I will ever have.

6) I am completely capable of making important life decisions. It took me a long time how to figure out the right way to explain it; however, after 24 years of reflection (I'm sure I was this deep in thought in my terrible 2s), I roughly know what I want out of life, out of love, and the little things that just make me happy.

Can't wait to debrief on week 2 of PD when I have some time. Good things are going on.

make your life transformational not just better than

back to basics

year 2 of teaching starts tomorrow. lucky me it just adult professional development so 6:00am school arrivals (which turned to 6:30 school arrivals by February) is not until 7:30am. SLEEPING IN! My last day of summer I spent going to Alley Oak Plantation. The 300 year old oak trees were breath taking, and they alone were worth the hour long drive out past Meterie. Then we did a little Target shopping for the essentials. After drinks at the Columns to meet and greet new staff, I headed out for my "last supper" of choice, Cochon, with my hot date (my mother). Yet another thing that Josh Besh put his hands on and turned to gold. I got catfish courtboullion. Yes it made the list of stuff cajun people like YUMMY.

Well Adam Sandler did always say it best...back to school back to school to show my dad that I am not a fool.

Crazy how i started this blogging business a year ago and only have a few posts. Hopefully I can maintain some persistence and regularity in my writing this year.

it's not a snocone

I asked myself a million times...what the hell is so great about a snoball? And, why do they even call it a snoball. It's a snocone for goodness sakes. I have had the ones outside audobon park which in essence (minus the atmosphere of the park which is stunning) is the exact same thing as the little snow-shack next to the monon in Indianapolis (no I am not knocking the snow shack for all you die hard fans. I too the popsicle lover enjoy the snow-shack).
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Okay, the park is beautiful (new orleans own central park), but back to the point. My mom convinced me that we had to go to hansen's. I had never been due to the lines but knew it was a new orleans institution. So after a lovely day of lounging at the JCC pool, I stood on the side of Tchopitoulas in my towel in sweltering heat for 45 minutes for a delicious Hansen's snoball. And, yes it was completely worth it! The building itself just screams, "don't judge a book by it's cover." Then again, a lot of places in New Orleans epitomize that saying. Here is a picture of hansen's

I go a small cream of chocolate and cream of coconut snoball. The heaven's opened and I was in a new a level of popsicle-eque euphoria. On top of combating my exhaustion from heat, this 72 year old institute was absolutely delicious. Like eating a frozen mounds bars but better. Hansen's Website. So the verdict is out, snocones are delicious, but snoballs and the experience and anticipation of waiting are doubly delicious. Sorry if you don't live in NOLA and can't try one for yourself.

my dear friend jill elise...

Well, this one is dedicated to you. After many many a discussion about the value of blogging, me singing her praises about her writing, and my general need to ask dumb (yes there are such a thing) questions, I have realized this is generally a fun way to remember things. And, since I am doing something I deem fairly unique in my life, even though thousands upon thousands are involved in the education movement in our country, I am going to write a bit about it. Surely, I will about other things since I think New Orleans is an absolutely AMAZING city. Yes my door is always wide open (metaphorically not actually because that is dangerous) to visitors. So thanks Jill. Yell at me when I do not keep up with this because I will get mad when I do not.

So, epic road trip back to NOLA, the Big Easy, the Crescent City, the Birth Place of Jazz. Obviously Maribeth is coming with me to enjoy my sampling of country music on the 12 hour drive and indulge in some of my favorite John Besh Restaurants. Yes I am in love with this man and his cooking




As far as my father is concerned, she is coming to make sure I don't try to work out or do any lifting or moving of things since I am still in the recovery stage. ALMOST 4 Weeks & my scar is pretty cool.

Well I am going to leave this post with some food for thought (no pun intended). This has been all over the news but it concerns me is and partially a reason why I am so eager to get better and back into good shape
GET HEALTHY