sick

As much as I hate to admit it, I must. Hi, my name is Natalie and I'm sick. Ugh, who has time to be sick? With Relay for life bake sale today, Feist concert for Valentine's Day tonight, end of course testing, church rehearsals, Relay for Life this Friday, and Ben's graduation on Saturday, and my job...ugh,  I don't have time to be sick. Today I am home attempting to get better and stressing on how much we need to get done and I'm too tired to do it. As we are getting ready for Ben's graduation, I have been scanning pictures of Ben in my computer and came across this one.

Ugh, who can feel bad when you see this? The goob so little, brown and cute. Not 100% better but this certainly helps!

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

tyra took over

*Warning* Blog written under the influence of lots of medicine, will not take responsibility for content.my sick couch

Day 3 of couch bound has completely taken over and any shred of the normal Natalie waved bye bye long time ago and a new stage of crazy mixed with boredom and a dash of smoker's cough have created a smog of delusion and meltdown. For the last week I've lived on the "sick couch" (when we were young and we got sick, Mom would put a blanket over our couch and bring all of our comfy pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, orange juice, etc and create a sick ouch and we almost always felt better...this sick couch was not nearly as good as Momma's) and the lack of stimulation is really starting to get to me. I get so bored I decided I need to clean or cook and then after a little task such as showering or warming up soup, sickness takes over and I feel like I've ran a marathon and I sit down and the cycle starts all over again! Facebook and my regular blogs are not enough to keep this "eternal learner" occupied for this many days so one would think I would take this opportunity to read an actual book...ehh no. I thought about it many times but then I remembered this story on head trauma on NPR about a girl who had a concussion and went back to school right away and the doctor said her brain actually needed down time. Now, I know I've had no brain trauma (eh...) but I find in these times of tribulation it is better to be safe than sorry. So I've been stalking like the best of them hopping from one blog to the next. Like with everything else in life there are major trends in the blog scene. One of the bigger blog trends I've found recently is the "at home fashionista". I just made that term up but seriously these ladies are everywhere snapping daily pictures of the bold prints, neon colored jackets and skinny belts. And while I think most of their outfits are daring, eclectic and blog worthy... their awkward poses...maybe not. It's like everyone doesn't want to admit that they too have watched 50 billion hours of America's Next Top Model and is doing their best to nail the pigeon toed look or the vogue shrunken shoulders. I mean I have been more than guilty of this sin but perhaps some people look like they're taking themselves too seriously? I also wonder who takes these pictures of them? I can only imagine asking P to take pictures of me attempting to model everyday in the freezing cold and him laughing the first couple of days and then eventually get really fed up with the whole situation and him either praying I'd forget about the new burst of creativity or attempt to teach me to use the self timer. Or maybe, deep down I'm a bit jealous that I don't have the ability to remix my wardrobe and the commitment to chronicle it everyday :)

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

10!

Today was snow day number 10 and although I did not get to enjoy the free day normally because of my bird flu, I did enjoy not having to take another sick day. Then the day got even better. Parts of middle Tennessee have been declared a natural disaster already. (insert giddy school girl laugh here) Why would I be excited about a natural disaster? Only because that means we wouldn't have to make up snow days! WHOOP! I looked on the metro facebook page and rumors are already flying about the possibility that we might not have to make up all these snow days. I can only imagine this is what winning the lottery or fitting into your skinny jeans everyday must feel like. The mysterious force that controls their facebook page said it is not a guarantee... but the eternal optimist in me just knows that means it's at least a possibility! It's not that I don't want to work, it's just that I really like getting paid when I'm at home not working even more. Honestly, the make up time is a joke anyway. After May 1, middle school consists of movies, odd and humiliating teacher vs student basketball games, often painful talent shows, and of course more movies. They've got to be saving loads (technical data here) of money on electricity, food costs, support staff, water etc on the days were are not there so really aren't we just doing our part to balance the budget if we don't go back? Everyone wins.

For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

best diet ever

well I finally gave in and went to the doctor. Being a nurse's daughter I skipped any desire to want to help others, bandage gross wounds, or see blood on a regular basis but I did retain the ability to diagnose myself. I just knew I had a little cough or cold and it would be fine...but for the first time in my life I was wrong.. (I'll wait for the shock to set it) I have bronchitis and am hacking enough to put the longest of smokers to shame. So I've been home, sleeping, watching television, sleeping, facebooking, sleeping, etc. On a positive note I will be so skinny after this whole episode so whatever. Nothing tastes... or feels as good as skinny!

In other news, thankfully I have not been featured on any news programs because I returned with all my students and the field trip downtown was a success. How I managed to keep up with all my students and catch the city bus while being this sick is beyond me. Although it was totally freezing I think the students enjoyed riding the city bus. Some of my students are so hilarious and were entertaining the fellow passengers on the bus and a lady on the bus grabbed my arm and said, "bless your heart, these kids are just too much, you're a special lady"! I wanted to tell her about a million stories but I bit my tongue and just smiled. The only downside was that after the show the usher would not let my students out of the theater and we missed our bus back to school. If I were by myself I would have totally showed out but since I was the one in charge and supposed to be the "example" I told the usher we would miss our bus etc and she rudely brushed me away and say, "they're will be another one". Ugh. I almost had a panic attack but I knew there was not another bus for 45 minutes and then my students would miss lunch. Luckily I pulled out the Iphone and text a friend who rides the bus a lot and found a new route. I mean, what did we do before the cell phone? I would of been downtown, with my choir trying my hardest to read a... map. Oh Lord, we would be in Oklahoma by now.

Well my cough medicine is kicking in and I'm almost asleep. For Natalie's News this has been, Natalie-Corinne.

wide open mouth

So it's happened twice... not just once, twice. I've bragged about my ability to not get sick because I am around kids all the time and my immune system is a solid block. Then some cosmic force gets sick of all the drama in the Middle East and decides to wreck some good old fashioned common cold possibly flu havoc. Prior to this winter I have not been really sick for 3 years...and then I started to brag about it and now every snot nosed, germy, unwashed hand transfers every possible germ into my failing immune system. Even worse I cannot take a sick day. Being the over achiever I've planned a field trip so I have to go to work AND to save money I decided to take the city bus so now we have walk blocks... in the cold. Normally I totally wouldn't care about this at all and would look forward to gallivanting around the city but my fever, aching body, cough, and lost voice do not bode well for taking kids on the city bus downtown. As my Mom would say it is time to buck up and do and I will take those kids on the best field trip ever in America...or just attempt to not lose anyone and end up on Nancy Grace. Whatever the case, we will make it and then I will collapse...

Wish me luck! For Natalie's News this has been a sickly, Natalie-Corinne.

common cold

There is nothing common about the cold. I can never remember thinking snot running out of your nose is "common". My sad immune system is trying its best but I think the cold is out to get me. I am determined to make it and not take a sick day this early. What to do? Oh I found out. This magical device...the movie. Ah yes the movie. I told my students, "your teacher feels awful so you're going to watch a movie and be quiet please" and OMG it worked. They were silent like little angels and watched Sister Act II. As I looked around and saw all of their attentive and quiet faces I thought surely tv cannot be that bad for you, look at this!!! I have not looked up any factual information and do not plan on doing so but ehh what's a couple of brain cells? I am gladly giving them away for the wonderful trade of silence. It is truly glorious! It is really cute to see the reaction to this movie from the students. The younger ones want to get up and dance and clap with the songs. Some of my students are very funny. For example today a student raised his hand and said, "you know that storm Ike? Where Tina?". ha. Love it. Well I should get back to work. I hope everyone has a wonderful day! For Natalie's News this has been Natalie-Corinne.