Day 207: Extreme Couponing

Armed with an envelope full of coupons, I entered the grocery store prepared for monumental victory. I had near me two eager 10 yeard olds to scout out the products and deliver the goods. Our first stop was the baking aisle where we secured a variety of Martha White goods which I vowed to try for the first time. Our excitement could no longer be contained when we realized we were getting blue berry muffin mix for only 50 cents! Imagine the decline of our spirits when we had to pass on  Purina dog chow for  $3 (with our coupon and store clearance) because we just don't have a dog. With a rekindled spirit, we marched to the cracker aisle where we matched our coupons with more than a half dozen cracker brands. I reminded my young assistants that it matters not what we don't normally eat stoned ground peppercorn thins, the only thing that matters is the price. I knew we couldnt have a repeat of the Purina episode.  It was finally time to check out, and see our hard work materialize in a numerical savings. After some time, and the sweet delivery of coupons, I walked out of the grocery store with a savings of $13 and more crackers, muffin mix, and canned biscuits than will ever need.

Day 206: Memorize all of the presidents

As I enter adulthood, I know the importance of keeping my mind active and sharp. Rather than complete a  crossword or Soduku,  I memorized  all of the presidents in a quiz offered on Smithsonian.com. After several attempts and hours, I can proudly say I was able to list all of the presidents (even the more obscure Polk, Harding, Hayes, Fillmore, Garfield, and Chester Arthur) in less than 3 minutes.  With this knowledge I plan to do little more than possibly impress my 5th grader.

Day 205: Finish the scrapbook

I finally completed the scrapbook I have been working on all year. It is 25 pages that cover the year 2010. It includes our annual New Year's at the beach, Mardi Gras, a trip to Disney and Atlanta, the Hangout Festival, family portraits, a recital, football games, school pictures, motorcycle riding, plane riding, pool days, Easter, Halloween, Christmas, our birthdays and other parties like girls night out and my parent's anniversary. Whew! I'm tired from listing this, making the scrapbook, and doing all of that in one year!

Day 204: Paint Pottery

After several hours painting at the pottery store, I can now cross paint pottery off of my list. I am proud of the platter I created; I chose to paint the words "have fun yall." Unfortunately, sometimes people have to be gently reminded of this very simple- yet very important rule. I certainly had plenty of fun while creating this masterpiece.

Day 203: Personality Profile

Every few years I retake the Myers/Briggs personality test. And each time the results are the same.  I am an ESFJ. In short, I am extroverted, sensitive, restless, and somewhat bossy and talkative.  The only change in the results in the last ten years is that I score more strongly in each component of the ESFJ. I was certain my husband would find these results absolutely fascinating. I was most perplexed to see his renewed interest in Law and Order as I read to him from the appendix of the book.  He even declined an offer to take the 70 question profile test himself! Fortunately for him, I was able to discern his personality type without a test.  I simply found the opposite profile of me. Even this, he didn’t find interesting.  However, despite his disdain for psychoanalysis found in a $12 book from Amazon, I love my INTP.

Day 202: Write poetry with students

This week, my creative writing classes are completing a poetry unit. Each day, I read some of my favorite poems to them and then provide them suggestions, “prompts” to get them started. I must admit reading and writing poetry with young people can be a pleasant way to spend the day. I have done this unit for years. The primary difference this year is I have challenged myself to write poems myself. So each time I have given them a “prompt” I provide my own examples.  Poetry is very difficult for me because it mandates such brevity and precision; I have a penchant for the wordy and over developed. Nevertheless, I attempted it and here is a sample:

Watching him design and build

Tiny villages for

Yellow dinosaurs and   firemen with

Red painted d smiles.

I am just a silent onlooker

In his world

Where a deflated Spiderman sleeps quietly

And a green tractor makes idle threats

To a pile of wooden blocks.

I stand silently and unnoticed

 Thankful

Time stands still for us both.

Day 201: Cupcake Shopping

We treated ourselves to a box of cupcakes from one of the area's cupcake stores. For $13 I got 6 cupcakes! I don't think I will make this a habit even though everyone seemed to appreciate the dessert. Ansley maintains that when she grows up she wants to own a cupcake store. I hope her cupcakes are more affordable.