cicada...secada...let's call the whole thing off

ok, so...it's been awhile since my last post; some people might blame president bush for this type of thing, but the blame totally lies with me. apart from being busy getting started back up with school, my back pain flared up again. after procrastinating and putting off the physical therapy, i reached the point where i realized it was foolish not to go sooner (the point where i was trying to maneuver a way to roll off of the bed into a semi-standing position).

the worst part of feeling poopy is that it's rough on the dogs because they want to play, but it's been difficult to get down and do the fun stuff with them, so thankfully it's getting better with the p.t.

all i've been hearing the past few days is hurricane this and hurricane that. sorry, but we've had a drought here in tx and in the dallas area, it's like day 42 of 100+ weather this year. i was so thrilled to hear the thunder the other morning and see the lightning, just to realize it had passed us by to the north and west. boo. so as i drove toward school, i got like 20 drops of rain on my windshield. i was so disappointed that i turned on my windshield wiper wash a few times and pretended i was driving in the rain.

 i am fascinated by cicadas. these guys are so loud! there is a link if you want to know a little more about that go here . at kamp there were cicadas everywhere-one summer one of my friends caught 3 of them (and held them in her fist until she could throw them out the window-asking if we wanted to make a necklace out of them first. gross). but i looked more closely at one and realized that they are beautiful! for something so perfect, there must be a creator-artist! check out the wings-they are perfectly symmetrical and so intricate like stained glass! then on his head and upper body there is a distinct color of camouflage! i am amazed! so as you can imagine, i was ecstatic to find this little guy!
            

this little guy was sitting in the landing on the 2nd floor when i came home today. he was dead (i figured that out because he was laying upside down, legs in the air). so i picked him up (like any normal human being would) and brought him up to my apt. as i unlocked my door, i couldn't help but think, 'what if he was just unconscious and he wakes up in my apartment because he was revived by the air-conditioner?' i then had to find a place for him that the boys wouldn't get curious. and guess what!? after i got the documentation i needed, he flew away kinda like the wasp from awhile back...(if you will recall, the wasp did NOT really fly away...he fell away over the balcony-albeit gracefully).

i remember the first time i heard about cicadas and i didn't know what they were and the only connection i was making was good ol' jon secada -until someone said it was like a locust. hmm..not sure which i prefer listening to more.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BMAYES! i was thinking about making a cicada necklace for you...

if you hear the shrill song of the male cicada, go the other way...that's the mating call and you don't want to be mistaken for a female cicada!
julie

if only chocolate relieved backpain!

this has been my life the past 48 hours...

yesterday and today have been a little rough-we've gotten together to work on our curriculum calendars for school next year, and it's actually been kinda' nice for pre-planning purposes. we've met at starbucks yesterday and today-which has been nice to keep the caffeine flowing. it's also been great just to have adult conversation!  today was especially nice because we went to maria's house for a home cooked meal (and who doesn't love that?!); and it was fun just being around family interaction.

tomorrow we'll hit panera and hopefully grind out another couple weeks done. it really is a pretty grueling process trying to figure out how we can work together creatively throughout the year, especially knowing that things will probably have to change by the 2nd half of the year anyway. i like panera for the free-flowing coffee! (they used to have this german chocoalate danish that was heavenly, but i haven't seen it in awhile).

the unfortunate part in all of this is that a terrible back pain has returned. the last time i had it this bad was a couple of years ago and i literally had to roll out of bed and and drive to the clinic to get a shot from the doctor. well, it's 2 years later, and the doctor i went to left her practice, so she referred me on to the doctor who worked with her. i never went to him, and actually one of my friends at school said she used to go to him and their family didn't like him-rude, terrible bedside manner (not that i plan on EVER being in a bed near him).

so yesterday and today i was walking slowly and stiffly like frankenstein's monster. in fact, i was thinking about investing in a cane because it hurt so badly! i've been walking like an 80 year old, trying to figure out how to do it inconspicuously-which is a little difficult-i'll stop and look at art-work or out the window, or whatever, but i'm afraid the expression on my face betrays my actions.

i just watched extreme couponers and WOW! that was crazy-nuts! i cannot believe how much they save!!! i'm intrigued (uh oh). now tiaras and toddlers is on, and it is ridiculous! it actually makes me slightly queasy to my stomach and a lot annoyed by the way these parents let their daughters act, dress and walk all over them! yuck. chaco just called them something that only a dog can get away with saying.


don't be a pain-there's already enough to go around~
 julie