Tuesday

Use imagination photoshop to insert me sitting in the chair typing this blog......

I don't know how to unhide that Vista toolbar on the left of the screen, but If it wasnt hidden I would tell you all the temperature here. I think its about 40, at least in the morning.

Anyways I am back to sleeping and being a somewhat normal functioning human being. Yesterday I got home from work at 4:30ish. AWESOME. I was able to do tons of stuff, like sit on my butt and watch television.

The other day on the bus a woman came on with her toddler and baby in a stroller. She put the stroller in the handicapped section proceeding to sit in the seats right next to it with her other son. Woman two enters the bus and stands next to the baby in a standing spot. Looks down at the innocent little creature and apparently notices that his hat is not on correctly? Not sure, it looked fine to me. So woman two proceeds to adjust the babiy's hat, remove his scarf and put it back on, zip and unzip his jacket, and adjust the hat even better all the while talking to the infant. I thought this was an unusual scene. How would you react if someone just comes up and starts doing all this stuff with your baby? The toddler and I both looked at the mother of the child. Confused. The mother just looked back at her toddler son and gave him a reassuring smile. Woman 1 and Woman 2 didnt even talk? At least not while i was on the bus.

Thursday I am going to see the family in Las Rozas to celebrate Thanksgiving. :) I am gonna attempt to make a pumpkin pie.

Oh Happy Day

So the light at the end of the tunnel is finally here. NOT the one about death, but the other one in the expression "at least i know there is light at the end of the tunnel" Okay, I hear ya CONFUSING. I think by teaching english, my english is getting worse everyday. I start speaking in really wierd, made up phrases. By the way, and honestly I am looking for feedback on this..... What does "to get the short end of the stick" mean? According to one of my textbooks, I have misunderstood this my entire LIFE!

Anyways, back to my original thought. The intensive course (6-10pm) is ending TODAY. This means I can get home before 10:30 at night and go back to a somewhat normal life that involves sleep and a little more happiness. I can say it has been a good experience on account of not only the money, but also I have learned a ton. For example, yesterday I taught them the 3rd conditional- BET YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHAT IT IS. Well I do. I have also learned lots about many different random topics, do you know what a pit-crew does in the pit during a pit stop? Okay, maybe you do know this, well now I know too. I can break down the 30 seconds before the car stops, as well as the ten seconds during the stop.

Okay so back to life besides work.... last week I completed my participation in a particular climbing study that is being conducted in Madrid. It was pretty cool. The pictures tell the story, except they dont emphasize the fact that the man drew blood from my ears like 483670348 times, leaving them bloody and bruised. Okay, I suppose the pictures dont tell the whole story, but since my technical spanish is not very good, they tell you as much as I know about the story. Anyways, the man doing the study is Jorge, he's a champ and a firefighter.

This is a mask with oxygen tanks used to make you feel like a cross between a ninja turtle and darth vader when you are climbing: (It might also have something to do with monitoring your breathing)This measures your strength.... I dont know what the numbers really mean, but I got a 36 with my right and approx a 30 with my left. I am very right hand dominant:

This is a device used to poke your ear and make you bleed. Then you put the blood on a little ticket thing that goes in the machine. The device gives you back numbers. For example 6.8

Javi's been injured so we havent been climbing very much.

A plague went thru my house, but i didnt get it... I am healthy and stronger than ever. Sleep deprived, but super strong.

I broke the mailbox yesterday. Now I have a way of getting mail. This means I can now post my address........

C/Sisebuto 7, 1D

28011 Madrid, ES

Anyways, things here are on the upswing and starting to get cold. Check back soon, as usual I am making the resolution to write MORE often. I miss everyone. :)

Where do i go from here....

I took the weekend off to realign my inner chi. This included ordering out chinese food, watching some movies, (the strange case of benjamin burton and another one with Heath Ledger and some horses) and of course another trip to Ikea. It is becoming one of my favorite restaurants.

Anyways I finished my room. As usual, I will give out the disclaimer that the picture doesnt do it justice. The camera adds 10 pounds....

Anyways, I have to give out a special shout out to Javi. When I say that " I finished my room." We all know what that really means. Javi workd almost in a slave like manner. But not really, there was any whips or unruly orders or anything like that. I am a very kind-hearted order giver.

So sweet, right now I am sitting in my room at my little makeshift desk. When you come to visit, and you know who you are, you will be able to see it in person.

On that note, the one about persons, as you will notice there are some empty picture frames hanging on my east bedroom wall. I have a seperate set for the 3 little babes, but am taking entries to decide what will go in the frames. The deadline for submissions is Dec 25th. Well if they babies have thier picture taken together again this year, that would automatically win a spot in one of the frames.

Anyways, I am gonna get on with my life. Hello to everyone and thank-you for enjoying my blog.

My first paycheck.

The norm in Spain is to be paid monthly. This means a week ago I had one BIG FAT check..... what has happened to it? Well, you know how it goes.

I have been to Ikea 3x since this paycheck and to the "home depot" type place at least 2 times. Some highlights are my microwave, down comforter, full length mirror.......... You'll see the decked out pictures soonish.

On another note classes are going great. Last week I took one of my classes to a supermarket. I have also been able to watch a little bit of 'friends.' I also learned about the 10 seconds that a race car is in the pit....... and lots of other random stuff. Anyways between all the teaching I am busier than ever.

I am taking this weekend off to relax, organize my life a bit and catch up on work. Javi is also injured, which makes climbing less of a possibility anyways. Oh by the way, he is giving a big presentation in his gym about Red River Gorge. Pretty Cool.

Hmmm well a shout out to my mother because it was her birthday about a week ago and to my Nephew and Godson Henry because his baptism will be coming up here.


As usual.... pictures are on thier way.