It's Been a While

Soooooooooooooo...it's been a while, huh? 

I told myself when I started this blogging adventure that I wouldn't take large amounts of time off. That was before my life took over. Lately it's been one thing right after another. New job, stressing about new job, sleeping as much as humanly possible, stressing about life, death in the family...etc, etc. I just couldn't keep up, and you can forget about getting inspired to write during all of it.

Times they are a changin'...

I'm back baby! And I'm preparing for my return to the UK in just under three weeks! It's so close that my pre-packing stress is starting to sneak in. 

Be prepared for more posts, packing lists, and shorts vlogs/ random diary updates from my trip. Until then thanks for waiting for me. I promise to be much better now.

Here's a picture to apologize for my naughtiness. Happy Summer!

It's a Pizza Burger from Tik Tok Diner in New Jersey. It's a regular hamburger with pizza sauce and mozzarella as toppings. I'd never had one before but you can bet that it'll be the only way I take my burgers from now on. 

DIY Bleach Design T-Shirt

It's DIY time!

I'm getting ready for an upcoming trip and I needed some new, really cheap, but still cool shirts to pack. Here's what I came up with. It's easy, creative, and you only need a few supplies.

If you want to learn how I made this Doctor Who inspired shirt, just keep scrolling, scrolling...scrolling.

What you will need:

• 1 cheap 100% cotton t-shirt (color of your choice)
• 1 Bleach pen
• Clear contact paper (optional depending on your design)
• Stencil (It's very easy to free- hand a design, but this one required a stencil.)
• Running water
• Exact-o knife

Step 1:

Cut out your stencil and place it on the contact paper. Tape it down so that it won't move around. Once you have it secured, start cutting your design into the contact paper using your Exact-o knife.

Step 2:

Peel the paper backing off of your cut-out stencil and place onto the t-shirt (sticky side down.) Make sure the stencil is firmly stuck to the t-shirt.

Step 3:

Use the fine tip of your Bleach pen to outline your design and fill in any open spaces. Wait 30 minutes after finishing before washing off the bleach. The longer the bleach sits the lighter the design becomes.

Step 4:

Quickly wash off bleach with cold water, this is so the bleach doesn't run. Use hand soap to wash all remaining bleach off. Then wash separately in cold water with washing detergent. Let it dry, and you're done!

Tada! All done!

If you tried this for yourself, please send me pictures!

Miscommunication is Key

I used to never subscribe to the thought that everything happens for a reason. I just thought we made the good that came out of every situation. I've always thought this way until recently...

Here's a little back story:

I recently switched from iPhone to Blackberry. In the process I've hit a wall with Apple sending all text messages to me through iMessage and therefor not sending me text messages at all.

Miscommunication is key:

Last Saturday I had planned to go to lunch with a couple of friends that I had not seen in months. Unbeknownst to me there was a group text message sent out, a week prior to the event, cancelling our meeting. Did I receive said cancellation? No (gashdarn you Apple!!!)
It just so happens, I didn't find out our outing was cancelled until I was half way to our meet up. I was really bummed and refused to let Apple ruin my day. So, I sent a text to another friend in the area that said I was free, and this is what happened instead...

We went to an air show.

I had my very first helicopter ride.

View from above.

We went hiking around an island in the middle of a man made lake.

Did a little caving,

and saw some intense wildlife...like this turkey vulture.

We ended up going to an air show nearby where I had my very first helicopter ride and made a new friend, got lunch at a really good barbecue place, ate by the water, and had a few epic run ins with wild life.

It was pretty much one of the best days of my life. I'm glad that everything does happen for a reason.

Things They Don't Tell You About Being a Teacher

•  As soon as you start teaching you will become at least 40 years old to every student, regardless of your actual age.

• Sometimes your most troublesome students become your favorite success stories.

•  Sleep becomes a distant dream, except for School Holidays, where sleep becomes your only plans for the three day weekend.

•  Students will do just about anything for stickers...especially high schoolers.

• "Free Days" are a double edged sword. Weigh your options carefully. Is a day outside really worth hearing "Dooooooo We Haaaaaaaaaaaave Too?" or "Can't we just go outside?" every day for the rest of the semester?

• The school secretary is your best friend. They will save your life millions of times. Just start buying double Mother's Day cards from now on.

• Don't show weakness. Students to weakness is like dogs to bacon. They can smell it from a mile away during a tornado on a dairy farm. Fake it till you make it, just don't show weakness.

• You don't actually get summers off. Sorry about this one. Really and truly I am very sorry. You know all of this professional development that you have to do? Guess when it takes place. That's right! Summer time. Also school starts almost a full week earlier for teachers at the end of summer. Oh, and who do you think decorates the classrooms? Yep...that'll be you again. Enjoy your maybe three straight weeks off, where you will undoubtedly be unable to sleep anyway.

• Teacher work days are a joyous occasion, staff development days are much less anticipated.

• Some days you will have moments where you see all your hard work make a difference. When you have a moment, you'll know.

• You made the right choice becoming a teacher.