Thankful and New Kids on the Block

Today is my birthday! And I think birthdays are really good time to remember what you are thankful for. So here are some things I’m thankful for this year (in no particular order):

 1)My sweet new job – Since starting last month I’ve been up to my elbows in the reproductive fluids of common sea stars, played movies in the planetarium, taken 2 trips to Potter Marsh, ridden around Anchorage in a charter bus looking at public art, and learned proper handling of reptiles. While Anchorage isn’t exactly where I’d like to be living, at least I’m doing what I’d like to be doing.

 2)Daylight – Alaska has two seasons: winter and not winter, or if you prefer, dark and light. It’s currently light season and when I went to bed at quarter to 11 last night, I didn’t need my light to read. And I think that’s pretty great.

First 10 pm sunset of the season

3) This kid (along with the rest of my family, but he’s certainly the cutest)

4)Yogurt Lounge – I recently tried this frozen yogurt place near my house for the first time. You serve yourself and then pay by the ounce. I mixed peanut butter and cake batter frozen yogurt and then put Reese’s peanut butter cups on top. And it was delightful. Next time I’d like to try red velvet yogurt with maybe cookie dough on top?

5)My fabulous friends – Last week when my friends asked what I wanted to do for my birthday, I enthusiastically asked, “Can we go shoot stuff?!” They responded with a resounding yes. Because they enjoy redneck-ness as much as I do. I’ve also gotten some amazing birthday cards, calls, texts, and Facebook posts from my Lower 48 friends. My friends are a bunch of weirdos, and I love them for that.

Here are a few other things I'm thankful for (that don't require explanation) - pork tacos with avocado, cast iron skillets, half price happy hour, Boyfriend by Justin Bieber, knowing how to walk in high heels, chocolate milk, nighttime cereal, leaves on the trees, melting snow, knowing which fork goes with which course, United States Postal Service, and massages 

This week's hot jam is Happy Birthday to You by New Kids on the Block. Because what else would it be?

Getting a job and The Cyrkle

Folks, I've been waiting a REALLY long time to write about this and it's finally time. I've gotten a job. It's not my dream job but it'll do for now. (With 14 million people out of work in the US I'm thankful for anything.)

Things that are great about my new job:
1. Regular pay checks- being a sub means never knowing how much you are going to work. I'm incredibly excited to have a regular schedule and therefore a regular paycheck
2. Benefits- In 90 days I'll be able to get sick again. (Actually, I could probably get sick now, because my wonderful and generous parents have been paying for my health insurance, but still)
3. Retirement- I want to retire now, but it turns out you have to save money and work for awhile before you can do that.
4. No parents, paperwork, or politics- As a teacher I loved teaching but hated dealing with parents, paperwork, and school politics. While I'll still be working in a school I won't have to deal with that business anymore
5. Paid holidays- 'nuff said.
6. And last. NO MORE SUBBING

When I started this blog, (side note- I hate the word blog) it was to keep me sane while I was subbing. Even though I won't be subbing anymore I'll still be writing. Because I like it and because it's always good to look on the bright side.

Let me preface this week's hot jam by saying I was a totally weird kid. (See Example 1.)

Example 1

When I was maybe 7 or 8 years old (about the time example 1 was taken) if you asked me what my favorite song was, I would have said Red Rubber Ball. While it sounds like something performed by Raffi, it was actually written by Paul Simon for the 1960's pop-rock band, The Cyrkle. My parents always listened to the oldies station when I was growing up, so that's what I listened to too. (In fact, I still listen to the oldies stations.) And I really loved nothing more than when this mid-1960's hit played. It was written by Paul Simon and made it to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Not that any of that mattered, even as a kid I thought it was cool/weird that they compared the sun to a red rubber ball and said there were more starfish in the sea rather than just fish.



Fun Fact: The unusual spelling of their name was suggested by John Lennon
Fun Fact #2: Tom Dawes and Dan Dannemann (seriously?), The Cyrkle's lead singers, went on to head their own advertising agency. Tom Dawes was the writer behind the famous Alka Selzter jingle, "Plop Plop Fizz Fizz"

More of a ska fan? Streetlight Manifesto did a fun cover of Red Rubber Ball on their album 99 Songs of Revolution