Vocabulary word of the week.

Next Saturday I will be taking two tests. These two tests are probably the most important test I will take as I near the completion of my school work and apply for my teaching certificate. The first test will be in the morning is a test covering general subject knowledge, your Basic English, math, social studies, science and the arts. In the afternoon I will be tested on my professional knowledge or what I know about being a teacher. That one is actually more difficult because all I know about being a teacher is what I have learned from book and a few in class practicums. I therefore have decided to look at the word, test, to see its meaning and origin.
Word: Test
Parts of speech: it is both a noun and a verb.
Noun
A series of questions, problems, or physical responses designed to determine knowledge, intelligence, or ability.
Verb
To achieve a score or rating on tests: tested high on the entrance exams.
Origin and history of the word.
It comes from the Latin word testu and testum.
(Side note. The more I look into the origins of our common words and see that they are taken very often almost verbatim from Latin the more value I can se in learning the language. My son’s school requires their students take two years of Latin and I am really beginning to see the value.)
So if you would all keep me in mind as I prepare for these test I would be most grateful.

And a weigh we go!

I was extremely busy and stressed last week what with studying for a final, starting my practicum helping my daughter with her school work we also has d a meeting with her teachers , an unexpected car break down and a sick son. He had a fever of 101 and was barking like a dog. He is better now and was back at school the next day. Despite all of that it was not as bad as I had feared when I stood on the scale this morning, I had stayed the same. I take my final this morning which I feel pretty good about, it will be al essay but I have studied well over the last week. Next week should be better I am hopping a new alternator will get the car back on the road, I will start preparing for next weeks AEPA examination and I will continue with my practicum which is going really well the teacher has awesome class room management skills and I will make better food choices and I am predicting a better result next week.

Thursdays and Friday's posts

Computer issues prevented me from posting yesterday , so here are Thursday's and Friday's posts.

Thursday
Wow I never knew that!
We don’t use only 10% of our brains after all, but in fact use 100%. This myth has been debunked by the people at Scientific American. It would not be very logical for 90% of our brains to be doing nothing most of the time. That would be a huge waist of energy and resources to support that much tissue if it wasn’t doing much of anything. So while it is comforting to think that the reason we haven’t accomplished all we would like to is because we have not been able to tap into the full ability of our brains the truth is we are using all of our brains and we had just better learn to deal with it.


Friday
What’s cooking?
This week I am going to share one of my favorite recipes when things get really busy.
Ingredients:
One phone book
One telephone
One finger
Directions:
Use the phone book to look up the number to the favorite pizza delivery place.
Dial the phone with your finger to place the call.
Once they answer be prepared to place your order. It is helpful to have planned this out before placing the call.
Now wait for the pizza to be delivered.
Prep time from start to finish varied depending on the time and day of the week, but it should not take more than 45 minutes to an hour before you are enjoying a piping hot delicious pizza.

Wednesdays’ poetry corner

I am much too busy to tell you how busy I am so I will let someone else tell you about their busy life.
This crowded life of God's good giving
No man has relished more than I;
I've been so goldarned busy living
I've never had the time to die.
So busy fishing, hunting, roving,
Up on my toes and fighting fit;
So busy singing, laughing, loving,
I've never had the time to quit.

I've never been one for thinking
I've always been the action guy;
I've done my share of feasting, drinking,
And lots of wenching on the sly.
What all the blasted cosmic show meant,
I've never tried to understand;
I've always lived just for the moment,
And done the thing that came to hand.

And now I'll toddle to the garden
And light a good old Henry Clay.
I'm ninety odd, so Lord, please pardon
My frequent lapses by the way.
I'm getting tired; the sunset lingers;
The evening star serenes the sky;
The damn cigar burns to my fingers . . .
I guess . . . I'll take . . . time off . . . to die.

Robert W. Service
Source: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-busy-man

Tuesday’s person of the week.

This week person of the week is my husband Duane. Actually, he is always my person of the week; I would be lost without him. His support and encouragement while I have been going to school for the last 2 years has made it possible for me to be so close to the completion. He is truly a wonderful man and I love him more then I can express. He is patient and understanding and has pitched in way more than his share picking up the slack while I study. And so I say to the person of the week; thank you Duane, with out you none of this would be possible.

Vocabulary word of the week

Busy.
Part of speech: It is an adjective, noun, verb, and adverb.
Origin: It comes from the Middle English word bisi or busi which comes from the old English word bysig.
Definitions.
This is a busy little word.
It is an adjective as in I am going to be a very busy person studying for my Arizona Constitution final, my AEPA exams, starting my practicum and lessons for my Math methods course as well as managed a household and help my daughter with her schoolwork. And don’t forget making time to exercise for the weight loss challenge.
It is a noun as in the busyness of studying will take up my blogging time.
It is also an adverb as in I will be busily engaged in my school work fro the next few weeks.
And finally it is a verb as in I will be busying myself preparing to take several examinations over the next few weeks.

And a weigh we go!

Today is the first official weigh for the weight loss challenge and here are my results. I am down 5 pounds. I think, my scale is sort of floopy and if you shift your weight at all it changes but I stood really still and it looks like five pounds so that’s what I am gong with. My success this week is not due to my being especially good, while I was good, it has more do to do with the fact that the Slim Fast I was having for breakfast for some reason has started to have very unpleasant effect on my colon. I will have to find something else for breakfast that treats my tummy better. I wanted to link this to all my other diet friends but I am still having trouble with blogger and have not had time to sit down and figure it out. I can download you tube but not pictures or links. Any way I hope every one had a good week and I wish you all success for next week.

What’s cooking?

After watching two days of the Republican convention and seeing McCain and Palin give incredible presentations, I am thinking that Obama has to be feeling pretty bad about now. And whenever I feel bad, nothing cheers me up like a good dessert. I suggest that Obama cheer himself up with a nice big piece of baked Alaska. The recipe is easy to follow and I am sure Michelle would be able to make it without any problem.
All you need is:
• 2 quarts vanilla ice cream, softened
• 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 8 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup white sugar
Then you do the following:
1. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
3. Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven according to package instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
5. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar until stiff peaks form.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to freezer 2 hours.
7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
8. Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Alaska-2/Detail.aspx
I am betting that after this delicious treat the Obama’s will be feeling much better. If not, they may have to break out the “Chubby Hubby” or “Chunky Monkey.”

i would walk 500 miles

I absolutely love this song!

Wow I never knew that!

I never knew that I could go from luke warm about the upcoming presidential campaign to being very excited about it. It’s all because of a speech I heard last night. Vice presidential candidate Sara Palin spoke during the Republican convention and she was awesome! She was eloquent, funny and right on the money.
There were so many things she said last night that really resonated with me but I especially loved it when she said and I am paraphrasing her that she was not going to Washington to gain the approval of the media but to serve the people of the United States. When she said “some politicians use change to promote their careers while McCain will use his career to promote change” I all but stood up and cheered. Obama may talk in platitudes about change but when Palin says we will drill, we will build power plants, give jobs to Americans, use clean coal for power, and to explore alternative power sources such as wind, I knew she was talking about real change and not just blowing smoke like we have heard so often from the other side.
From the time McCain won the nomination for president I was committed to voting for him, but I was not very enthusiastic about doing so. For the first time I am really looking forward to going to the polls in November and casting my ballot for both McCain and Palin. I truly believe that they are what are best for our country and that by electing them to office we will see great things happen in the United States of America. And what is so funny is I really think the Obama bunch is scared of Palin and they know they have just seen their chances of winning the oval office disappear. It is good to be a Republican