"Going to The Chapel..."

Late this afternoon, Rhiannon and I met with the Pastor from the Church where we'd like to get married. Rhiannon is a member of the Church, and her parents were married there. Being that the Church that my family has been affiliated with for so long has changed drastically over the years, and not necessarily for the better, it was a no-brainer to me that we'd get married at Rhiannon's Church.

I was anxious going into this meeting because, obviously, I've never done this before. Luckily, the Pastor is so kind and warm that I felt extremely comfortable.

Today's meeting was pretty brief. We filled out a registration sheet of sorts with information about who would be attending the ceremony from our immediate families, who we've chosen to be on our sides, and other details. (He was even surprised at how organized we are and how much we've planned already! Obviously, he doesn't know us that well. HaHa!)

AND... The date is official! We will be getting married on June 26, 2010!

The part of the meeting that really made things sink in was when he began to describe the wedding ceremony. He went through everything that he's going to say... He talked about our vows, the exchanging of the rings, what we will be repeating back to him, lighting of the Unity candle, etc.

An amazing feeling came over me while this was going on...

I couldn't believe that this was really happening. It made me see how blessed I am to have Rhiannon in my life and how excited I am to marry her!

The meeting went by very quickly, and he asked us to call and schedule another one in January to talk about our relationship. He wants to know how we met, how we fell in love, what we fight/argue about, etc.

That's the part that's going to make me nervous... It's so weird to talk about all of that stuff. HaHa!

I can't believe how everything is falling into place. Wow! :-)

"Once Upon a Time, in Nazi-Occupied France..."

Last night, Rhiannon and I saw Quentin Tarantino's latest movie, Inglourious Basterds. We had heard many positive things, so we were very excited about seeing it. In all honesty, we both went into it knowing very little. We had only seen the trailer and the previews on TV, so we didn't really know the entire plot of the movie.

Here's a quick synopsis of the movie, taken from its official site...

In the first year of the German occupation of France, Shosanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.

Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish American soldiers to perform swift, shocking acts of retribution. Later known to their enemy as "The Basterds", this squad joins a German actress and undercover agent, Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), on a mission to take down the leaders of the Third Reich.

Fates converge under a cinema marquis, where Shosanna Dreyfus is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own...

Employing pulp and propaganda in equal measure, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds weaves together the infamous, oppressed, real, and larger-than-life stories of WWII.

Here's the trailer for your enjoyment:



My Thoughts on Inglourious Basterds:

• The performances are spectacular, especially from Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent. I'm thinking that some Academy Award nominations are deserved. (I read that Christoph Waltz won the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival, so you never know where that could lead...)
  
• Brad Pitt is terrific, as always. However, I was surprised that he wasn't the main protagonist and didn't have as substantial of a part as I had thought from seeing the trailer and previews on TV.
• I really enjoyed Mike Myers' cameo as General Ed Fenech. He is a great dramatic actor, so I'm glad to see when he gets the chance to show off his skills.
  
• Quentin Tarantino's script and direction are flawless. This is a fantastic piece of work!
  
• Even with that being said, the movie did feel a tad long at 152 minutes... (That's literally the ONLY downside to the movie.)
  
• The final showdown is extremely well done! (If only that occurred in real life and was written in our history textbooks...)

OVERALL RATING (Out of 05): 04/05

I truly think that this is a wonderful movie. In order to receive a perfect rating from me, I must LOVE every aspect of it. Being that it felt a little long to me, I can't possibly give it a perfect rating.

However, do yourself a favor... SEE THIS MOVIE!

Teacher Orientation Week

This past week, I went back to work for Teacher Orientation Week. If you don't know, I teach Fifth Grade at a private school that I absolutely LOVE! The administration, faculty, and staff as a whole are the nicest, most caring, and most supportive group of people that I have ever had the pleasure of working with in a school setting.

Throughout the week, I worked in my classroom and got things ready for last Friday's Orientation and next Tuesday, which is the first day of school. Over the summer, I worked in my classroom a lot, so my copies, laminating, bulletin boards, lesson plans for the first week, etc. were already finished. (I can't help it... I'm anal, and I like to get things done before the last minute.) So... Last week, I did some "little" stuff like fill out my gradebook, write my students' names on things, etc.

When I wasn't working in my classroom, I was helping my fellow co-workers with various tasks. I love being able to help with whatever I can, no matter what it may entail. (This is the main reason why I'm so glad that I finished the bulk of everything that I needed to do over the summer. I was being pulled all over that campus all week long, so nothing would've gotten done. HaHa!)

On Friday of last week, there was an Orientation for new and returning families to our school. Around 10:00 AM, the teachers opened their classrooms and welcomed in students and their parents to introduce themselves, show off their classrooms, and chit-chat about their curriculum and the upcoming school year. I had quite a crowd come to my classroom, and I loved visiting with each and every student and parent. I'm really looking forward to working together with the parents this year to make sure that their child has a successful year in Fifth Grade.

The highlight of Friday, I must say, was seeing some of my former students and parents. (It's so weird to think that I already have former students... I can't believe that I have one year of teaching under my belt.) The fact that they took the time out of their Orientation to visit me meant a lot. I was blessed to have such an amazing "first class" last year; I will miss each and every student and parent so much. In the same breath, I think that this year's class of students and their parents will be fantastic, as well. The ones who I spoke with and got to know seem wonderful. (Luckily, by working at a private school, I knew all of my students from seeing them around campus last year. I also know most of the parents from interacting with them at school functions.)

All in all, it was a wonderful week! I feel 100% prepared for the first day of my second year of teaching on Tuesday. I have many goals set for the year, including:

• To learn and grow as a teacher.
• Be a great role model to my students.
• Show my students that I enjoy teaching and enjoy being with them everyday.
• Ensure that my students know that I will not tolerate inappropriate or negative behavior.
• Communicate effectively with the parents.
• Be a team player with my co-workers.
  

I will, of course, write many blog entries about my job as a Fifth Grade teacher. There are certainly ups and downs, as in any profession, but teaching truly is a rewarding line of work. I absolutely love going to work everyday, and I can't wait for Tuesday!

The Emmys: Part V - Variety Series and Specials

You may be asking what I'm writing about after reading the title... Check out my previous blog entries regarding The Emmys to find out!

It's time for the categories dedicated to variety series and specials...

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series

• Late Show with David Letterman
  
• Real Time with Bill Maher
  
• Saturday Night Live
  
• The Colbert Report
  
• The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
  

I'm not avid watchers of any of these shows. In fact, I've never seen Real Time with Bill Maher. If I had to choose one, which I do for the sake of this blog entry, I'd probably go with Saturday Night Live. It's still very funny, and the cast members are extremely talented.

Who Should Win: Saturday Night Live
Last Year's Winner: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Special

• Chris Rock: Kill The Messenger
  
• Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch
  
• Ricky Gervais: Out of England - The Stand-Up Special
  
• The Kennedy Center Honors
  
• Will Ferrell: You're Welcome, America: A Final Night with George W. Bush
  

I've only seen Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch, which was absolutely hysterical. I'm really pulling for her to win because she's a talented comedienne who deserves all of the accolades that she's received. Plus, her show, Kathy Griffin: My Life on The D. List, is one of my faves! (I must say, too, that I love Will Ferrell. Unfortunately, I don't get HBO, so I haven't seen his special, which, I'm sure, is hilarious!)

Who Should Win: Kathy Griffin: She'll Cut a Bitch
Last Year's Winner: Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project

Well... There you have it! Five blog entries dedicated to The Emmys... I can't wait to watch 'em and see how I did with my choices.

Thanks for reading!

The Emmys: Part IV - Mini-Series and Movies

You may be asking what I'm writing about after reading the title... Check out my previous blog entries regarding The Emmys to find out!

It's time for the categories dedicated to mini-series and movies...

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini-Series or a Movie

• Kiefer Sutherland - 24: Redemption
• Kevin Kline - Cyrano De Bergerac (Great Performances)
  
• Brendan Gleeson - Into The Storm
  
• Ian McKellen - King Lear (Great Performances)
  
• Kevin Bacon - Taking Chance
  
• Kenneth Branagh - Wallander: One Step Behind
  

I haven't seen the performances from Kiefer Sutherland, Brendan Gleeson, Ian McKellen, or Kenneth Branagh. Kevin Kline is always fantastic, and he's extremely funny in Cyrano De Bergerac. However, I am rooting wholeheartedly for Kevin Bacon. His performance was fantastic in Taking Chance. Plus, he doesn't get a lot of acting accolades, and this one he actually deserves.

Who Should Win: Kevin Bacon (Taking Chance)
Last Year's Winner: Paul Giamatti (John Adams)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Mini-Series or a Movie

• Chandra Wilson - Accidental Friendship
  
• Shirley MacLaine - Coco Chanel
• Drew Barrymore - Grey Gardens
• Jessica Lange - Grey Gardens
• Sigourney Weaver - Prayers For Bobby

I haven't seen Accidental Friendship, but I can imagine how great Chandra Wilson is in it! Shirley MacLaine, as always, was wonderful in Coco Chanel, except I don't understand why she didn't have a French accent... Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore were BRILLIANT in Grey Gardens, and Sigourney Weaver was exceptional in Prayers For Bobby. This is such a strong category; I wish that all of them could win. However, I think that this category belongs to Drew Barrymore. Her performance is beyond fantastic. As you watch Grey Gardens, you see that she IS Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale. If she doesn't win, I'm going to be EXTREMELY upset!

Who Should Win: Drew Barrymore (Grey Gardens)
Last Year's Winner: Laura Linney (John Adams)

Outstanding Made For Television Movie

• Coco Chanel
  
• Grey Gardens
• Into The Storm
• Prayers For Bobby
• Taking Chance

I didn't get to see Into The Storm; I'm still waiting for it to be released on DVD. The other four are great movies, with Coco Chanel being my least favorite, but not by far. Grey Gardens, Prayers For Bobby, and Taking Chance are fantastic! I'd love it if all three could be awarded the Emmy. I feel, though, that Grey Gardens takes the cake. It's SO good!

Who Should Win: Grey Gardens
Last Year's Winner: Recount

Outstanding Mini-Series

• Generation Kill
• Little Dorrit

Okay... Umm... I haven't seen either one. I can't really make a decision in all fairness.

Who Should Win: N/A
Last Year's Winner: John Adams

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Mini-Series or a Movie

• Ken Howard - Grey Gardens
• Len Cariou - Into The Storm
• Tom Courtenay - Little Dorrit
• Andy Serkis - Little Dorrit
• Bob Newhart - The Librarian: Curse of The Judas Chalice

I've only seen Ken Howard's performance, and, in all honesty, it doesn't deserve an Emmy. Once again, out of fairness, I can't possibly pick my choice to win.

Who Should Win: N/A
Last Year's Winner: Tom Wilkinson (John Adams)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series or a Movie

• Jeanne Tripplehorn - Grey Gardens
• Shohreh Aghdashloo - House of Saddam
• Janet McTeer - Into The Storm
• Cicely Tyson - Relative Stranger
• Marcia Gay Harden - The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler

Like the previous category, I've only seen one performance, Jeanne Tripplehorn in Grey Gardens, and she doesn't deserve the Emmy either. I hate to say it, but I can't fairly pick my choice once again.

Who Should Win: N/A
Last Year's Winner: Eileen Atkins (Cranford)

Wow... Out of six categories, I can only pick my choices for three of them. I want to be fair... I'd love to just pick a name, but I can't if I haven't seen the performance or the movie.

If you take anything away from what I've said about these categories, please see Grey Gardens. You won't regret it!

Taking a Break...

I'm taking a break from my blog entries regarding The Emmys to do something else...

I'm going to post trailers to six upcoming movies that I'm really excited about seeing. I'll include some information about each one, as well, including the release date. (This will be a recurring thing, so look forward to future entries with plenty of movie trailers!)

Sit back, watch these trailers, and enjoy yourself!

These are in no particular order...

It's Complicated


Release Date: December 25, 2009
Director: Nancy Meyers
Cast: Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, and Alec Baldwin (Need I say more?!)

The Blind Side


Release Date: November 20, 2009
Director: John Lee Hancock
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Kathy Bates, and Tim McGraw

The Lovely Bones


Release Date: December 11, 2009
Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, and Stanley Tucci

Nine


Release Date: November 25, 2009
Director: Rob Marshall
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Stophia Loren, and Stacey Ferguson (Out of those eight, six have won Academy Awards. That's reason enough to see this movie: The amazing and talented cast!)

I Can Do Bad All By Myself


Release Date: September 11, 2009
Director: Tyler Perry
Cast: Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Gladys Knight, and Tyler Perry

Alice in Wonderland


Release Date: March 05, 2010
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway

I hope that you enjoyed this! If you hadn't seen these trailers before, I'm glad that I could be the first to show them to you.

What are your thoughts on these six movies?

The Emmys: Part III - Reality

You may be asking what I'm writing about after reading the title... Check out my previous blog entries regarding The Emmys to find out!

It's time for the reality-related categories... (As you know, I'm not a huge reality fan, so this ought to be interesting!)

Outstanding Host For a Reality or Reality-Competition Program

• Ryan Seacrest - American Idol
  
• Tom Bergeron - Dancing with The Stars
  
• Heidi Klum - Project Runway
  
• Jeff Probst - Survivor
  
• Phil Keoghan - The Amazing Race
  
• Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio - Top Chef
  

I've never seen Top Chef, and I saw a few episodes of Survivor and The Amazing Race way back in the day. I've just started watching Project Runway, and I've seen a handful of episodes of American Idol. Dancing with The Stars is one of my favorite shows, as you know, so my vote is for Tom Bergeron! He's hilarious and quite entertaining throughout the show. Plus, he's hosted countless other shows, including Hollywood Squares and America's Funniest Home Videos. He deserves this Emmy!

Who Should Win: Tom Bergeron (Dancing with The Stars)
Last Year's Winner: Jeff Probst (Survivor)

Outstanding Reality-Competition Program

• American Idol
  
• Dancing with The Stars
• Project Runway
• The Amazing Race
• Top Chef

Rather than be redundant, I'm just going to say that I want Dancing with The Stars to win this year because it's a highly entertaining show! (For more of an explanation, please see my previous blog entry dedicated to this year's line-up of celebrities, as well as what I wrote above.)

Who Should Win: Dancing with The Stars
Last Year's Winner: The Amazing Race

Whew! That was easy! I'm glad that those are the only two categories because, in my opinion, reality shows shouldn't be garnering a lot of award attention anyway. HaHa!

The Emmys: Part II - Drama

You may be asking what I'm writing about after reading the title... Check out my previous blog entry regarding The Emmys to find out!

It's time for the drama-related categories...

Outstanding Drama Series

• Big Love
  
• Breaking Bad
  
• Damages
• Dexter
  
• House
• Lost
• Mad Men
  

This isn't a good category for me because I haven't seen Big Love, Breaking Bad, Dexter, Lost, or Mad Men, and I've only seen one episode of House. No matter what, I'm rooting wholeheartedly for Damages, which is one of the best shows on television! If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and rent the DVD's.

Who Should Win: Damages
Last Year's Winner: Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series

• Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
  
• Michael C. Hall - Dexter
• Hugh Laurie - House
• Gabriel Byrne - In Treatment
• Jon Hamm - Mad Men
• Simon Baker - The Mentalist

Another hard category... I haven't seen any of these shows, except for the one episode of House. With that being said, I would love to see Hugh Laurie win because he's fantastic on that show. (That's not just from the one episode either; I've seen many clips.) However, I think that someone else, like Jon Hamm, will win.

Who Should Win: Hugh Laurie (House)
Last Year's Winner: Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series

• Sally Field - Brothers & Sisters
• Glenn Close - Damages
• Mariska Hargitay - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
• Elisabeth Moss - Mad Men
• Holly Hunter - Saving Grace
• Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer

I haven't seen Mad Men, Saving Grace, or The Closer. The other three are actresses on three of my favorite shows! Glenn Close won last year, but I would love for her to win again. She wows audiences each week as the vicious Patty Hewes on Damages. In the same breath, Sally Field is amazing as Nora Walker on Brothers & Sisters, and Mariska Hargitay is great as Detective Olivia Benson. It's a tough choice, but I'm staying with Glenn Close...

Who Should Win: Glenn Close (Damages)
Last Year's Winner: Glenn Close (Damages)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

• William Shatner - Boston Legal
• Christian Clemenson - Boston Legal
• Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
• William Hurt - Damages
• Michael Emerson - Lost
• John Slattery - Mad Men

I'm split evenly again... I haven't seen Breaking Bad or Mad Men, but I love Boston Legal and Damages. (I'm so upset that Boston Legal was canceled, by the way...) I thought that William Hurt did an excellent job as Daniel Purcell on Damages, and I love William Shatner and Christian Clemenson on Boston Legal. It's hard for me to choose in this category for some reason. I'm stuck between William Hurt and William Shatner. I'll go with William Shatner because he won't get another chance to win... (I'm pretty sure that he already won an Emmy in the past for portraying Denny Crane on Boston Legal. Oh, well...)

Who Should Win: William Shatner (Boston Legal)
Last Year's Winner: Zeljko Ivanek (Damages)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

• Cherry Jones - 24
• Rose Byrne - Damages
• Sandra Oh - Grey's Anatomy
• Chandra Wilson - Grey's Anatomy
• Dianne Wiest - In Treatment
• Hope Davis - In Treatment

I've never seen 24 or In Treatment... You already know how much I love Damages, and Rose Byrne is terrific as Ellen Parsons. I'm also a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy and would love it if either Sandra Oh or Chandra Wilson won. Being that Chandra Wilson has won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her portrayal of Dr. Miranda Bailey, I'm going to choose Sandra Oh for her brilliant portrayal of Dr. Cristina Yang because I don't think that she's won before, and she should be rewarded!

Who Should Win: Sandra Oh (Grey's Anatomy)
Last Year's Winner: Dianne Wiest (In Treatment)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series

• Edward Asner - CSI: NY ('Yahrzeit')
• Ted Danson - Damages ('They Had to Tweeze That Out of My Kidney')
• Jimmy Smits - Dexter ('Go Your Own Way')
• Ernest Borgnine - ER ('And, in The End')
• Michael J. Fox - Rescue Me ('Sheila')

Being that I've only seen Ted Danson as Arthur Frobisher in Damages, I have to choose him to be fair. However, if I had seen the other performances, I'd probably still choose Mr. Danson because I was bummed that he didn't win last year's Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Who Should Win: Ted Danson (Damages)
Last Year's Winner: Glynn Turman (In Treatment)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series

• Sharon Lawrence - Grey's Anatomy ('No Good At Saying Sorry (One More Chance)')
• Ellen Burstyn - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ('Swing')
• Brenda Blethyn - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ('Persona')
• Carol Burnett - Law & Order: Special Victims Unit ('Ballerina')
• CCH Pounder - The No. 01 Ladies' Detective Agency ('The Boy with The African Heart')

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the performances from Brenda Blethyn or CCH Pounder. Sharon Lawrence was wonderful as Robbie Stevens, as was Ellen Burstyn as Bernadette Stabler. However, this category belongs to Carol Burnett's absolutely marvelous performance as Birdie Sulloway. She was so good, and it's a role that you've never seen her do. I will be shocked if she doesn't win...

Who Should Win: Carol Burnett (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)
Last Year's Winner: Cynthia Nixon (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit)

Wow... Looking back, I can see that I saw almost NOTHING when it comes to the nominated dramas. Where was I on that?!

The Emmys: Part I - Comedy

As you know, I'm a huge fan of television. What you may not know is I'm also a huge fan of award shows. In preparation for most award shows, I try to become familiar with as many nominees as possible. This makes watching the award show more enjoyable because I can honestly see whether or not a winner deserved to win or if the politics of Hollywood prevailed.

The Emmys is one of my favorite award shows to watch, since it's an award show dedicated to television! Two of my favorite things! :-)

This year's nominees were announced over the summer, and I've been trying to watch as many television episodes, made-for-television movies, etc. as I can to look at each category in a fair way rather than just rooting on my favorite celebrities, which I tend to do anyway. HaHa!

(Just to let you know, I do not subscribe to HBO or Showtime, so I miss out on a lot of great television! I'm trying to save money... The sacrifices one makes! HaHa!)

I'll be utilizing my blog as a means of laying out my thoughts on the nominees, as well as disclosing who I think should win. I don't like to pick who I think will win because I don't want to jinx anybody. Plus, I haven't seen everything, so my choice wouldn't be 100% accurate.

Let's begin with all of the categories related to comedy...

Outstanding Comedy Series

• 30 Rock
• Entourage
• Family Guy
• Flight of The Conchords
  
• How I Met Your Mother
• The Office
• Weeds

Okay... Let me preface my thoughts on this category by saying that I've never seen an episode of Entourage, Flight of The Conchords, or Weeds, and I've only seen two episodes of How I Met Your Mother, which were the ones with Britney Spears. With that being said, I'm a HUGE fan of 30 Rock, Family Guy, and The Office. To be honest, any of the three could win, and I'd be happy, but I'm really pulling for Family Guy. The only other animated series to be nominated in this category was The Flintstones in 1961. I think that it's a very clever and hilarious show, and I would love if it made history by winning. However, I can see this nomination as just a way of showing that the voters want to be seen as more hip this year... Something else, I'm sure, will win.

Who Should Win: Family Guy
Last Year's Winner: 30 Rock

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series

• Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
• Jemaine Clement - Flight of The Conchords
• Tony Shalhoub - Monk
• Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
• Steve Carell - The Office
• Charlie Sheen - Two and a Half Men

I've never watched Flight of The Conchords, as you know, as well as Monk, The Big Bang Theory, or Two and a Half Men. Therefore, I'm only familiar with Alec Baldwin and Steve Carell, who I think are brilliant in their roles on their shows. Mr. Baldwin won last year, so I think that it's Mr. Carell's turn. He's hilarious on The Office and hasn't been rewarded like he should be! Perhaps, the voters will agree...

Who Should Win: Steve Carell (The Office)
Last Year's Winner: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series

• Tina Fey - 30 Rock
• Christina Applegate - Samantha Who?
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures of Old Christine
• Sarah Silverman - The Sarah Silverman Program
• Toni Collette - United States of Tara
• Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds

I've never seen The Sarah Silverman Program, United States of Tara, or Weeds, as you know. I absolutely love the other three shows. Tina Fey won last year, so I don't think that she'll win again. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has previously won for The New Adventures of Old Christine. Personally, I'd LOVE to see Christina Applegate win because Samantha Who?, unfortunately, has been canceled. She was wonderful in the show, and it would be a great way to close that chapter in her autobiography. HaHa! (Even without seeing United States of Tara, I think that Toni Collette could sneak in and win because she portrays a woman with multiple personalities, and she's a brilliant actress anyway!)

Who Should Win: Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
Last Year's Winner: Tina Fey (30 Rock)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series

• Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
• Jack McBrayer - 30 Rock
• Kevin Dillon - Entourage
• Neil Patrick Harris - How I Met Your Mother
• Rainn Wilson - The Office
• Jon Cryer - Two and a Half Men

As a reminder, I haven't seen Entourage or Two and a Half Men, and I've only seen two episodes of How I Met Your Mother. (Could Neil Patrick Harris win? He is hosting the show, so you never know!) Based on that, I honestly think that it's going to come between Tracy Morgan and Jack McBrayer because 30 Rock has proven to be an Emmy favorite. Both are hilarious on 30 Rock; however, my vote is for Jack McBrayer who is priceless as Kenneth Parcell. (I must say that it's interesting to see Jeremy Piven's name missing from this list. He has won for Entourage many times, so it shocked me to see that he wasn't even nominated this year!)

Who Should Win: Jack McBrayer (30 Rock)
Last Year's Winner: Jeremy Piven (Entourage)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

• Jane Krakowski - 30 Rock
• Kristin Chenoweth - Pushing Daisies
• Amy Poehler - Saturday Night Live
• Kristin Wiig - Saturday Night Live
• Vanessa Williams - Ugly Betty
• Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds

I've never seen Pushing Daisies or Weeds, and I'm not an avid watcher of Saturday Night Live. I am familiar with the work of Amy Poehler and Kristin Wiig on the show, though. Both are hilarious, and Kristin Wiig could certainly win in the future. Once again, 30 Rock could prevail and award Jane Krakowski for her hilarious portrayal of Jenna Maroney. However, I have wanted Vanessa Williams to win ever since Ugly Betty premiered. She is absolutely fantastic and deliciously evil as Wilhelmina Slater!

Who Should Win: Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty)
Last Year's Winner: Jean Smart (Samantha Who?)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series

• Steve Martin - 30 Rock ('Gavin Volure')
• Jon Hamm - 30 Rock ('The Bubble')
• Alan Alda - 30 Rock ('Mama Mia')
• Beau Bridges - Desperate Housewives ('The Best Thing That Ever Could Have Happened')
• Justin Timberlake - Saturday Night Live ('Justin Timberlake')

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Justin Timberlake as host and musical guest on Saturday Night Live, which stinks because his past appearances have been hilarious! All of the men who guest starred on 30 Rock were hilarious, and Beau Bridges was so touching on that special episode of Desperate Housewives. It's hard to choose because I enjoy all of the nominees... However, I'm going to go with one of my faves!

Who Should Win: Steve Martin (30 Rock)
Last Year's Winner: Tim Conway (30 Rock)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series

• Jennifer Aniston - 30 Rock ('The One with The Cast of Night Court')
• Elaine Stritch - 30 Rock ('Christmas Special')
• Gena Rowlands - Monk ('Mr. Monk and The Lady Next Door')
• Betty White - My Name is Earl ('Witch Lady')
• Tina Fey - Saturday Night Live ('Presidential Bash 2008')
• Christina Baranski - The Big Bang Theory ('The Maternal Capacitance')

I didn't see the episodes from Monk, My Name is Earl, and The Big Bang Theory. I only saw a few clips of Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live, so I'm glad that I saw how brilliantly funny she was as Sarah Palin. It wouldn't surprise one bit if she won! (Plus, the voters could reward her for this and allow someone else to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.) I really wish that I would've seen Betty White's performance because she's one of my faves! Elaine Stritch is always hilarious on her recurring role as Colleen Donaghy, and Jennifer Aniston was hilarious as Claire Harper. Still, after all is said and done, I laughed the most at Tina Fey spoofing Sarah Palin. Even if you're a supporter of Sarah Palin, you have to admit that Tina Fey was hilarious!

Who Should Win: Tina Fey (Saturday Night Live)
Last Year's Winner: Kathryn Joosten (Desperate Housewives)

There you have it! Those are my thoughts on the comedy-related categories of The Emmys. Look for future entries on categories relating to drama, reality, mini-series and movies, and variety series and specials.

My Summer 2009 Playlist

Music is one of my favorite things... Each morning when I turn on my computer, I open iTunes and minimize it for use throughout the day. Whenever I sit down at the computer, I immediately maximize iTunes and find something to listen to. I need music to function!

As Madonna says, "Music makes the people come together." (That was so cliche... Whatever! HaHa!)

For as long as I can remember, when summer rolls around, I've always put together some sort of "mix" tape, C.D., playlist, etc. I listen to it all summer long and memorize all of the words... It's just something that I love to do and have done it for so long.

This summer is no different. Being that I don't listen to the radio a lot because I can't stand commercials, I'm usually "behind the times" when it comes to the newest singles from artists. (I'll usually start listening to a song after it's been overplayed on the radio. What can I say?!) However, I feel that my playlist for this summer is pretty current as it includes the newest single from most of the artists.

The following is a list of my favorite songs from the summer in no particular order. If you haven't heard any of these songs, do yourself a favor... Preview them on iTunes, download/buy them, and enjoy them just as much as I do!

My Summer 2009 Playlist:

01. "I Gotta Feeling" - The Black-Eyed Peas
As soon as this song starts, I start bopping my head. I just can't help it. With simple lyrics that are pretty easy to memorize after a few listens, this makes for such a fun sing-a-long! It's also a great way to either start your day or start your night out on the town!

02. "Waking Up in Vegas" - Katy Perry
Being that I love Las Vegas, I was bound and determined to love this song. Listen to this and try not to dance in your seat during its chorus. It's fantastic! (Also, when you go to Las Vegas and hear the slot machines chime, you'll immediately think of the beginning sounds of this song!)

03. "Celebration" - Madonna
In my opinion, you can't go wrong with Madonna. I own every one of her albums, and I am eagerly anticipating her new greatest hits compilation, 'Celebration', which hits stores in September. This is the new single from that compilation, and it sounds a lot like "old Madonna" from back in the day. It's pure dance music, and it's great!

04. "Change It" - Dolly Parton and Cast of 09 to 05: The Musical
I love me some Dolly Parton, and I enjoy this song because of it's message. "Nothing's going to change if you don't change it!" It's very uplifting, and you can't go wrong with Dolly Parton, who is always wonderful and still sings so beautifully!

05. "Straight Through My Heart (Soldier Down)" - Backstreet Boys
I am a huge fan of Backstreet Boys, and I don't care who knows it. HaHa! Thanks to my best friend, Sarah, who always bought their albums for me, I have grown up listening to them. Their newest single from their upcoming album, 'This is Us', is fantastic. It's got a great beat and a chorus that constantly pops up in my head.

06. "Sweet Dreams" - Beyonce
Try to listen to this without breaking it down! If you've seen the music video, you'll see that even Beyonce can't help herself! It's got great lyrics and an awesome beat. Definitely download this one!

07. "Battlefield" - Jordin Sparks
OMG! I love this song! This is another one where I'm constantly dancing in my chair. This past American Idol winner does a great job on this song, and I'm looking forward to seeing her perform it live when she opens for Britney Spears next month in Miami.

08. "It's Amazing" - Jem
This could be an old song... I'm not entirely sure. I heard it on the trailer to Julie & Julia, and it was so catchy that I kept singing it for days. I finally looked for the name of it, downloaded it, and I LOVE IT!

09. "Please Don't Leave Me" - Pink
As soon as this song starts, you'll like it. It's catchy, and Pink sounds great. I really do enjoy it! It's the third single, I think, from Pink's newest album 'Funhouse', which is a great album.

10. "It's a Business Doing Pleasure with You" - Tim McGraw
By chance, I happened to come across this on iTunes this past week. I'm a huge fan of Tim McGraw, so I immediately downloaded it. It's a very catchy, clever, and humorous song, in the spirit of "Back When" off of his album, 'Live Like You Were Dying'.

11. "Already Gone" - Kelly Clarkson
The music may remind of you Beyonce's "Halo", which is because both are written by the same person, I believe, but that doesn't take away from how beautiful this song is. I've been a huge fan of Kelly Clarkson, even from American Idol days, so almost anything that she releases is good in my book.

12. "Cue The Rain" - Queen Latifah
I absolutely love Queen Latifah, and this is such a wonderful song. This is another one where you can't help dancing while listening to it.

13. "You Belong with Me" - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is just irresistible it seems, and so is her music. This is an adorable song, and she's got a wonderful voice that shines on this song. The music video is great, too, if you get the chance to catch it.

14. "Hey, Yo!" - Brooke Hogan and Colby O'Donis
I hate to admit that I like this song because I think that Brooke Hogan isn't the best of singers. However, after hearing it, I couldn't stop humming it... Luckily, Colby O'Donis brings some experience to the song and adds some necessary talent. HaHa!

15. "Closer" - Sugar Ray
I was surprised to see that Sugar Ray had a new album, 'Music For Cougars'. I previewed the tracks on iTunes and really enjoyed this one the most. It's pretty catchy, and Sugar Ray still sounds great after all of these years.

16. "So Fine" - Sean Paul
As soon as I heard "Get Busy" some years ago, I became a fan of Sean Paul. "Temperature" came after that, which I also loved. Now, "So Fine" is here, and it's in the same realm as the aforementioned songs! Wonderful!

17. "Fire Burning" - Sean Kingston
Here's another one that got stuck in my head so many times that I broke down and downloaded it. I'm glad that I did because it's become a favorite of mine this summer.

18. "21 Guns" - Green Day
One of the only good things to come out of Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen is this song, which is featured on the soundtrack and throughout the movie.

19. "Know Your Enemy" - Green Day
When Green Day was on Saturday Night Live, they sang "21 Guns" and this song. It's very repetitive, but that's what made it appealing to me. I couldn't stop singing it...

20. "Obsessed" - Mariah Carey
I downloaded this without hearing it because I like Mariah Carey a lot. It's certainly not her best song, but it's catchy, and I enjoy it.

21. "Her Diamonds" - Rob Diamonds
Here's another song that I heard a few times and finally downloaded it after not being able to get its chorus out of my head.

22. "LoveGame" - Lady GaGa
Surprisingly, I became quite the fan of Lady GaGa this summer. With "Just Dance" and "Poker Face", I kept thinking that me liking her was just a fluke. It was really this song that cemented me becoming an actual fan.

There you have it! My playlist for summer 2009! Each song is great in its own way, and I look forward to the upcoming albums that will house some of the above songs.

Let me know your thoughts, and include some of your favorite songs from this summer in a comment. I love checking out artists that I may have never of or songs that I may have missed when I do actually listen to the radio. :-)

My Academic Camp... In Retrospect

Today was the last day of my academic camp that went for two weeks in June and this week. Looking back, I certainly have some thoughts on the future of Mr. Aubrey's Awesome Academic Adventures.

Here's a quick recap from a previous entry:

The first week was a total waste of my time. I pretty much babysat three girls for eight hours. The academics that I had planned went right out the window due to only having three students who would've finished everything in minutes rather than hours...

The second week was better because I had more students and less time. If I remember correctly, there were about eight students, and I only had them for four hours rather than eight hours, so things ran extremely smooth. The academics that I planned worked well, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

Now, onto this week...

I was shocked to discover throughout the week that I never went below fifteen students each day. All of the academics that I planned went so well, and this week really got me back into the swing of things after enjoying sleeping in, taking a break from lesson planning, and not having to discipline children with a management plan.

My boss inquired today if I'd be interested in doing this again next summer. This caused me to break the whole three-week experience down by pros and cons.

The Pros:

• Getting back into teacher mode!
• Teaching in general! (After all, I love my job!)
• Interacting with children of all ages.
• Receiving assistance from Nic and Taz, who alternated days this week. (It was nice having another "grown-up" in the classroom with me, even if they both just graduated high school. HaHa! They're great, though, and help out a ton!)
• Hanging out in the Office when time allowed and laughing my ass off with Tami, Mary, Janet, Christina, and Paulette. (It's great being around them before the stresses of work take over!)

The Cons:

• Not having a management plan... (You really can't create and maintain an effective one with just three weeks that are spread out.)
• Having to discipline children of all ages... (It's much easier sticking to one age group with one management plan.)
• The first week in general...
  
• Not being able to use the restroom regularly the first two weeks; thanks to Nic and Taz, I could leave when needed this week...

I must include what Tami told me this afternoon about what some of the parents have said to her regarding my academic camp.

One of the times that I stopped by the Office today, Tami told me that she spoke with some of the parents this morning as she was helping some students out of cars. The parents thanked her for offering an academic camp so close to school beginning to help their children get back into school mode. They also praised me and said that they're children have really enjoyed spending the week with me!

This, of course, made my day and helped with my answer to Tami's inquiry...

After thinking about it, I told Tami that I would love to do it again next summer, but I will only offer it during the week of Vacation Church Camp, where I would welcome students for four hours in the afternoon, and the week in August before Teacher Orientation Week.

She understood completely why I didn't want to repeat what I went through with the first week, which was right after school ended.

So... There you have it! I offered my time for an academic camp without knowing how it would turn out, and it was an overall success! It just goes to show to always try and see what happens! You never know how things will turn out. :-)

I Have Proof... I Met Bette Midler!

After not having the best day at my academic camp due to children who don't feel like listening, my downer of a mood completely turned around when I got home...

I walked in and saw a FedEx envelope from Las Vegas. I knew that it contained my pictures with The Divine Miss M.! I quickly cut open the envelope and was so excited to see the two pictures that Rhiannon and I took with Miss Midler on August 11. (They were nice enough to send us two copies of each picture!)

I immediately ran outside and showed my parents, who happen to live next door, and my second family, The Nevads, across the street! Once again, I was floating on that cloud, reliving the moment that has clouded my head ever since.

Once gravity brought me back, I did a series of things:

• I scanned the pictures...
• I uploaded them to Facebook...
• I updated my profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter...
• I synced my iPhone with the pictures and changed its wallpaper...
• I changed my desktop on my computer...
• I added it to the header of this blog...
• I included them in tweets on Twitter...
  

Can you tell that I was excited to get this picture? For a LONG time, none of the above will change. A picture with Bette Midler standing next to me will be hard to top! :-)

Now, for your viewing pleasure...

And... Just because I've always dreamed of this moment:

Let The Planning Begin...

Being that Rhiannon and I are now engaged, it's time for the wedding planning to commence! I'm beyond excited! I've been looking forward to this for a LONG time!

Rhiannon, like most women, will do most of the hardcore planning, especially the dresses, flowers, and such. (I'm not too good at that. HaHa!) I'll help with all of the decision-making, though, after she's narrowed her choices down to two or three. (We suck at decision-making anyway, so this ought to prove to be interesting.)

I don't want to come across as a man who's just going to sit back and let his bride-to-be do all of the work. Not at all; that's not how I am. (If you know me well, you know that I will certainly put my two cents in, whether it's asked for or not!) I just know that Rhiannon will get more of a kick out of looking at thousands of flowers, colors, dresses, etc. than I would. That's just not my style. HaHa!

We have set a tentative date of June 26, 2010. Here's hoping that our bridal party and guests don't have plans for that weekend yet. :-) (If they do, they need to cancel and be available for our big day!)

We've already started putting together a guest list. As of now, it has almost 250 people on it! I've got a rather large and rather close family, and we both have oodles of friends from all aspects of our lives, including family friends, high school, college, and work. The hard part will be narrowing the list down to a reasonable number. After all, we're not extremely wealthy people, so we can't afford to invite everyone that we know! (As much as we would love to, by the way!)

We're looking into two churches: St. Joseph's Episcopal in Boynton Beach and First United Methodist in Boca Raton. We're going to check on the specifics that each church offers and go from there. We're pretty much set on having the reception at The Elks Club because they offer a fantastic room with a dance floor, stage for the D.J., well-stocked bar, and plenty of room for tables. However, we don't know the price of everything yet, including the option of having an open bar.

We've also been thinking about honeymoons... One of the good things about getting married over the summer is that we'll both be able to take a week or two off and enjoy a honeymoon right after getting married. Our absolute dream honeymoon would be a two-week stay in Europe, where we can travel to as many places as we can in that time period. However, if we can't find reasonable rates, we're interested in California or Hawaii.

As you can see, we have a lot of work ahead of us, so we're trying to pace ourselves and get as much done as we can without going crazy!

How Can Reality Be So Addicting?!

I'll be honest. I'm a HUGE fan of television!

My TiVo always has something on it because I'll find things to record when my favorite shows are airing reruns. I'll search for reruns of some "classic" shows from the past, anything where my favorite celebrities appear as guest stars, etc. just to fill up my TiVo's To Do List.

Continuing in the honest spirit, I'm not a huge fan of reality shows.

Don't get wrong... When I do catch one, it's extremely hard to turn off. It's not because it's entertaining. Believe me! It's like a train wreck. You want to look away because it's so awful, but you just can't. No matter how hard you try to flip the channel, you're sucked in to see how it ends.

Still being honest, the only reality shows that I do tend to flock to are ones that deal with celebrities.

Don't ask me why. I have no idea! My two favorites are The Celebrity Apprentice, due to always finding the craziest celebrities to participate, and Dancing with The Stars, for its entertaining host, judges, professional dancers and, I must say, the dances themselves.

Speaking of Dancing with The Stars, the new line-up of celebrities for its upcoming ninth season was just announced this week.

I think that it's my time to weigh in...

Aaron Carter: Seriously?! He was famous when he was a child, and he's remained semi-famous for being Nick Carter's younger brother and appearing on a reality show a few years ago on E!. (For those of you who may not know, Nick Carter is a member of Backstreet Boys.) We'll see how he does... I'm sure that he'll be able to catch on quickly to the routines, but I'm not betting on him lasting too long.

Ashley Hamilton: All together now... WHO?! Well... Come to find out, he's George Hamilton's son. (George Hamilton appeared on Dancing with The Stars in its second season.) From what I've read, this gentleman has written songs, done stand-up, and been in television and movies. He will certainly have to prove himself to get past the elimination rounds in my opinion.

Chuck Liddell: Being that I'm not a UFC fan, I have never heard of Mr. Liddell. According to what I've read, he's the "face" of Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as an icon of Mixed Martial Arts. He's also appeared in several movies, but who hasn't nowadays? He could have a good following to help keep him in the competition, but we'll see how his footwork is on the dance floor.

Debi Mazar: I LOVE HER! She's already one of my faves... She's been in several movies, like The Doors, Batman Forever, Bullets Over Broadway, and The Women, as well as in Madonna's music video for "Music", among others. Currently, she's on Entourage, and I read that she was once Madonna's make-up artist. (She and Carrie Ann Inaba, one of the judges, should reminisce about working with Madonna, since Miss Inaba was a back-up dancer for Madonna years ago.)

Donny Osmond: I can't lie... I'm dreading him. He was annoying when Marie Osmond was on in the fifth season by being all of the entertainment news shows' "special correspondent". It almost felt like he's already been on this show. Be prepared for cheesiness, and, perhaps, he'll faint and fall over like his sister did so famously! (That's awful, Kyle... Be nice!) I'm sure that he has quite the following, so he'll probably last for a while whether he's good or not.

Joanna Krupa: Once again, I have no idea who she is. Apparently, she's a famous model and has appeared in several movies and television shows, such as Las Vegas and, most recently, The Superstars. (Do you see what I meant by who hasn't been in movies and television?!) From what I can remember, the models who appear on this show usually fare well and are very graceful. We'll see if she continues that trend.

Kathy Ireland: As I just said, the models seem to do well on this show. I'm excited to see her for some reason. She seems like a great person with all that she's done in her life: She runs a billion-dollar empire while juggling marriage and motherhood. Besides being a model, she's also an actress, author, and, from what I've read, a Sunday School teacher. How cute is that?!

Kelly Osbourne: I can't lie... I'm really anxious to see her in action! She had such a potty mouth on The Osbournes, so I'm interested to see if she gets stank with the judges. How priceless would that be?! Also, will Daddy and Mama Osbourne surprise us all and be present in the audience? Ratings could soar even higher with an appearance by Ozzy Osbourne! HaHa!

Louie Vito: I have no idea who he is. According to what I've read, he's a professional snowboarder who's favored to make the 2010 Olympic team. He'll certainly have the stamina and drive to do well in the competition based on his occupation, so that'll be entertaining to watch. I'm sure that the younger ladies will be fans of his, as well. He's also very young, so he and Aaron Carter will probably be in competition with each other.

Macy Gray: "I try to say goodbye, and I choke... I try to walk away, and I stumble..." I wonder if they'll play that song when she's eliminated. (HaHa! I'm cracking myself up over here!) All kidding aside, I'm anxious to see how she does. She's had some good songs, like "I Try", which I quoted a second ago, and was good in Training Day. None of that matters now... We'll see how she shakes it on the dance floor!

Mark Dacascos: I, once again, said, "WHO?" after reading his name on the press release. Come to find out, he's the host of Iron Chef America on Food Network. I love that show! (Evidently, I don't watch it enough, since I didn't recognize the host's name!) He's also a Kung Fu Champion, so I can already foresee some of those "moves" in a dance routine or two. We'll see how he does and how long he lasts... Won't Bobby Flay miss him?

Melissa Joan Hart: She's adorable, and I enjoyed watching her on Clarissa Explains It All and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch back in the day. She'll bring the charm and grace, I'm sure, to her dance routines. I would assume that she still has a good fanbase, so they should help her stay in the competition for several weeks. If not, she could, as she did in her former television show, conjure up a spell and guarantee her stay! (That was lame, I know...)

Michael Irvin: The football player! Every season has one; this season, it's a former Dallas Cowboy. Football players have gone both ways on this show. In past seasons, Emmitt Smith won the "coveted" mirrorball trophy and Jason Taylor was in the final two. However, Lawrence Taylor didn't do so hot... It's a hit or miss with athletes, especially football players, so we shall see...

Mya: She should bring the sexiness to the Latin routines, or that's what expected, I'm assuming. She's a gifted singer and was a great part to the ensemble of Chicago. Plus, she was apart of the fantastic collaboration in Moulin Rouge's remake of "Lady Marmalade". I think that Pink, Christina Aguilera, and Lil' Kym, who was on last season, should reunite with Mya to perform that song on one of Tuesday's The Results! Who's with me?!

Natalie Coughlin: Another athlete... She'll be this year's Shawn Johnson. She's an Olympic gold medalist for swimming, so it'll be interesting to watch how she competes this year. Like last season's Shawn Johnson, dancing will be quite the adjustment. If she stays around long enough, we could see a dancer blossom, perhaps, as Shawn Johnson did. Remember?! One never knows, so we'll just have to watch...

Tom DeLay: Another staple in the Dancing with The Stars line-up is the "elderly" person... We've seen George Hamilton, Jerry Springer, John Ratzenberger, and, of course, Cloris Leachman. Now, it's a politician's turn! Evidently, his nickname is "The Hammer", so I can foresee some ridiculing coming from either the judges or some cast members. It's all in good fun, I'm sure!

As of now, these are my thoughts on this season's line-up of celebrities. As I've thought in the past, most of them are has-beens trying to revitalize their floundering careers. In other ways, they're celebrities who are trying to lose weight or just prove that they can compete in a dance competition.

This show is mindless entertainment, but that's what makes it fun for me. The dances are extremely entertaining, and you can't help laughing during the judges' critiques sometimes. Between the bickering between the three of them and some of the things that come out of their mouths, you're bound and determined to crack up.

I suppose that it's not technically a reality show; it's more of a fun competition show. It still falls in the "reality" category in my mind because it's not scripted.

Do yourself a favor and watch Dancing with The Stars. Even if you don't like any of the celebrities competing, you'll find yourself rooting for some of them as the show progresses. It's amazing to see the time and effort that's put into the weekly routines.

I always love to see those success stories, as well... The ones who started out terrible and worked their asses off to become fantastic!

Dancing with The Stars premieres on Monday, September 21 at 08:00 PM on ABC.

Mr. Aubrey's Awesome Academic Camp

A quick back story...

My school has a Summer Camp that's offered throughout the summer... Obviously! This summer, there were three weeks where the Summer Camp wasn't being offered: The first two weeks after school ended and this week, the week before Teacher Orientation Week. After hearing that my school was receiving several phone calls and e-mails from parents who worked and needed a place to send their children during those three weeks, I volunteered to put together an academic camp, so the school had something to offer for the entire summer.

The first week was $200 per child for the week; the second week was $100, since it was only for half-a-day. (The third week would go back to being $200 per child for the week and $100 if the child belonged to a working faculty member.)

The first week was, I hate to say, a complete waste of my time. From 08:00 AM - 04:00 PM, I pretty much babysat three girls for the entire week. What happened to all of those parents who needed something available?! My lesson plans went right out the window, and I was trying to find ways to keep them busy. We played board games and computer games on the SmartBoard. While those were somewhat educational, since the students had to use logic and critical thinking skills, I obviously didn't feel like the "academic" part of my camp was coming through.

The second week, my school's church was offering Vacation Church Camp in the morning, so I offered my academic camp from 12:00 PM - 04:00 PM. I had about eight students a day, which was much better than the week before. I could actually do activities and teach something each day. We still played some games, but I feel that it was much more effective than the previous week.

Now, onto this week...

After having such a wonderful summer vacation, I went back to work at my academic camp this morning. I was nervous because I wasn't really sure who had signed up over the long period of time between my last week of camp and this week. Plus, a three-year-old and four-year-old arrangement had been added by my boss to help with those who needed a place for their little ones.

I was shocked to find out that I had FIFTEEN students today! Everything went extremely well. My extremely detailed lesson plans worked perfectly, and I had plenty of time to complete everything. Thankfully, I had Nic to work with the three-year-old who came today, as well as assist me in anything that I needed him to do. He was a lifesaver!

I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow and for the rest of this week. I have Nic and Taz alternating days, so I'll always have an extra set of eyes and hands to help in any way.

This whole thing isn't just about the money either. (Although... That's definitely a plus!) It's really helping me get back into the swing of things. It's actually getting me excited about the first day of in school in two weeks. Woo Hoo!