hello chaotic self...

(at least i have a cute doggie who snuggles with me :) )

It's been quite a while since I've felt like myself- since my body has waged war on me, really.
Why? I don't know. I exercise, eat right, haven't globetrotted anywhere in these last few months, pretty much no stress (yeah, yeah, insert world's smallest violin here, I know...)

Oh, one cause of stress: my book coming out in bookstores, see here

To make matters- interesting- it started to hurt my entire body when typing so I was inspired to visit my Mom's Holistic Doctor.

Monday was my first time receiving acupuncture. I was not relaxed, and almost immediately I got a case of the itchies. In my ear, on my cheek, on my forehead...but the doc told me not to move.

So, I didn't.

The second part of my therapy is tea. The tea is geared toward my 100 ailments- she gears them individually towards each patient and they have an almost immediate effect. However-

it's gross. Vile. Ew.

The doc told me to just suck it down and not think about it. Twice a day until this coming Monday.

I finished my third cup today.

I've had a disgusting cramp in my leg- which could be any number of things but other than that, I've been feeling a teeny weeny bit better.

I'll catch you up ASAP!

Hope you're all feeling wonderful and please shoot me 'feel good' vibes :)

Love me,
the globetrotting gamine

movie madness

In December, LML and I were away.
I'll admit- when we're away, we don't tend to say we are.
I like my private life- just that way. private.

So, while we were on holiday, on a beach somewhere...
we made a list of all these movies we'd have to catch once being home for a while.

(and duh- i always travel with more than one notebook and oodles of pens)

my list look something liked this....

1. Larry Crowne
2. The Help
3. Super 8
4. Midnight in Paris
5. Crazy Stupid Love
6. Secretariat
7. Water for Elephants
8. all the Paranormal Activities
9. Eat Pray Love (again)
10. Hot Tub Time Machine
11. Take me home tonight
12. Dinner for Schmucks (I'm sure I didn't spell this correctly)
13. Life as we Know it
14. My soul to take
15. Morning Glory
16. Black Swan
17. How do you know
18. Hangover 2
19. The Rite
20. The Roomate
21. Just go with it
22. Unknown
23. Hall Pass
24. Adjustment Bureau
25. 50/50
26. In Time
27. Tower Heist
28. J. Edgar
29. Immortals
30. Jack and Jill
31. Descendants
32. Hugo
33. Week with Marilyn
34. Beastly
35. Paul
36. Red Riding Hood
37. Bridesmaids
38. Art of Getting By
39. Bad Teacher
40. One Day
41. Horrible Bosses
42. Dream House
43. Our Idiot Brother
44. Don't be afraid of the Dark
45. I don't know how she does it
46. Let me in

Obviously, we've been away and busy in the last two years.

The chunk of time that we've been stationed in one locale, we've adjusted the list a few times.

Now, it looks like this...

1. Larry Crowne
2. The Help
3. Super 8
4. Midnight in Paris
5. Crazy Stupid Love
6. Secretariat
7. Water for Elephants
8. all the Paranormal Activities
9. Eat Pray Love (again)
10. Hot Tub Time Machine
11. Take me home tonight
12. Dinner for Schmucks (I'm sure I didn't spell this correctly)
13. Life as we Know it
14. My soul to take
15. Morning Glory
16. Black Swan
17. How do you know
18. Hangover 2
19. The Rite
20. The Roomate
21. Just go with it
22. Unknown
23. Hall Pass
24. Adjustment Bureau
25. 50/50
26. In Time
27. Tower Heist
28. J. Edgar
29. Immortals
30. Jack and Jill
31. Descendants
32. Hugo
33. Week with Marilyn
34. Beastly
35. Paul
36. Red Riding Hood
37. Bridesmaids
38. Art of Getting By
39. Bad Teacher
40. One Day
41. Horrible Bosses
42. Dream House
43. Our Idiot Brother
44. Don't be afraid of the Dark
45. I don't know how she does it
46. Let me in

Here's the math...

The price of a movie in New York is approximately $10 (and I'm being nice). 

Together, if we'd gone to see every movie on this list, we'd have spend over $900. (um, holy crap?)

That's a whole vacation (or more than one vaca, depending where you're spending it) for two!

Since we've been back, we've accomplished 21 movies on this list- roughly. 

That's still $420 dollars saved.

We've seen all these movies in the last few months at the expense of the wonderful people over at our present 'cable company'...which is not time warner, cuz they blew chunks.

Our favorites out of these 21 movies:

1. Hangover 2
2. Paul
3. Hot tub time machine
4. bridesmaids

As I'm a girl, to my list I'm adding:

5. The Help (which was "OK" to LML but "Boring.")

6. Midnight in Paris (which was about the plight of a writer--LML understands me, but not other writers. LOL)

7. Jack and Jill (I love Adam Sandler...LML chuckles at a few lines. I would love Adam Sandlers career- so I always closely pay attention.)

Thus concludes our list of movie madness so far. Help us add to it :) e-mail  me at whosthatgamine@gmail.com

LOVE ME,

the globetrotting gamine

sick, sad world: board of education edition

gripes i have:

• i get a job as a school counselor at the nydoe and the principal threatens my tenure and job about 10 months after he hired me.
• constant harassment that no one calls him on because everyone was "afraid" of him.
• the reason he wanted me gone? i quote: "you're a good guidance counselor, but i want you gone. if you go now, i'll give you a good recommendation."
• the fact that there was no reason i was fired? oh yeah-
• and the fact that the form i was "discontinued" with clearly stated at the top: NOT FOR GUIDANCE COUNSELORS

let's continue:

• my " hearing " takes place on november 12, 2008 at 65 court street.
• principal does not show
• principal calls in late
• case is NOT thrown out- conspiracy theory? wait- it gets better...
• the superintendent's/principals representative at the hearing states repeatedly for principal to STOP TALKING!!
• don't worry- everything is on tape, recorded.
• i order the tape BEFORE i LEAVE 65 court street.

UFT and DOE tells me:

• Once I receive the results, I can take it to court.
• December January February, etc...go by. No results. NONE.
• over TWO YEARS later, my lawyer FINALLY REACHES them!!
• the case stands.

isn't that weird?  it gets EVEN BETTER!

I STILL HAVEN'T RECEIVED THE TAPE!

Really, DOE? You have the children's educations at heart?

Why don't all staff undergo mandated counseling before they are hired- ESPECIALLY PRINCIPALS AND SUPERINTENDENTS?!!

or maybe, you can answer me why i still don't have the tape that i could have proceeded to a court of law with?

maybe you can tell me why i had to get my LAWYER to actually receive the results, 3 years later?

has this happened to anyone else? i'd like to start a club.