Amber27

By Amber27 on Dec 21, 2012 at 6:05 PM

Thanks for the good wishes! Things are going pretty well. Glad the world didn't end; would have hated my last meal to be Lean Cuisine!

By PrincessWordplay on Dec 21, 2012 at 11:13 AM

Hope the break is going well. You are missed. Happy holidays! http://cheezburger.com/6905197312

By PrincessWordplay on Mar 21, 2012 at 8:27 AM

Been missing you, how are things?

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 17, 2012 at 1:06 PM

helps if I remember the link, lol! http://www.hubworld.com/my-little-pony/shows/friendship-is-magic/videos

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 17, 2012 at 1:05 PM

Here you can see the latest episode plus clips of songs, characters and memorable moments from the series. I can give you a link to a site that has all of season one, however, there are nuisance pop-up ads to deal with.

By Amber27 on Jan 14, 2012 at 12:50 AM

I had a delightful morning - slept really late 'cause it was a teacher workday. Okay, how do I start learning about the 21st century pony culture? One good thing about the goth stuff was it didn't cost a fortune to shop at Hot Topic and PacSun! So you liked skin-tight jeans? You had plenty of company! I remember wearing jeans so tight, I had to carry pliers so I could zip them up! Think society as a whole is still basically confused about sexual identity. Most of us, gay & straight, eventually knew who they were because, like you, we felt both the emotional AND sexual attraction. An awful lot of people still believe that "gay" means fem guys and butch girls; maybe the fact that you didn't fit that stereotype is what confused your mom. Oh, hell! If I had all the answers I'd be typing this in a Trump Tower penthouse! Screw, that; I'd be in the White House!! Good morning & good night! Enjoy the rest of the weekend! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 13, 2012 at 12:54 AM

Thank you, I think Princess Celestia (my avatar) and I have a lot in common. Have you watched the ponies yet? It would probably help you out when subbing classes. Just a couple Friendship is Magic quotes will earn you the admiration of every brony and pegasister in the class! When I was high school age my parents would have been thrilled if I'd went into a goth phase. I typically wore Guess and Calvin Klein jeans painted on my ass and cropped tee shirts that barely met school dress code. As strict as my parents could be they were stumped on how to keep me "chaste and pure" and my rebellious teen self took that and ran with it. I get the feeling my mother is equally confused now that she knows my real sexual orientation. Then again, so am I. I have always found both men and women to be sexually attractive, but I seem to have an emotional void when it comes to the former. I guess there is no black and white when it comes to sexuality. Oh well, back to bed. Have a lovely morning!

By Amber27 on Jan 12, 2012 at 8:08 PM

Had to chuckle: with parents, it's either one extreme or the other! At least the "in laws" get along. Might have mentioned my kid went thru a Goth phase and wanted to pick up a few things at Hot Topic, circa late 90's. Since I wasn't about to give a young teen my credit card, I insisted on going with her. Ended up chatting with some of the people who worked there. They were really nice and very polite. My poor kid was thoroughly disgusted & accused me of having too much "fun." I realized much later that a little less enthusiasm on my part would have been appreciated. Ironically, I took a ton of shit from MY parents for letting her dress "like THAT!" BTW, like your new avatar! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 12, 2012 at 3:04 PM

Haha! Amber's parents are Lutheran (though they aren't overly devout) and my mother is Catholic. My father's family was also protestant, so Mother is used to "tolerating" it and therefore she and Amber's parents get on famously. Sometimes a wee bit TOO well, though. Amber has actually sat down with her parents and told them their gung ho support is a wee bit too supportive at times and it becomes awkward.

By Amber27 on Jan 11, 2012 at 11:11 PM

I would be like trying to stop my mom from worrying about everything. We are who we are. Not exactly profound, but true. It's obvious your mom knows whats what. Most parents accept and love you no matter what, but just don't want to discuss it. I like to think I'd be like Amber's folks and join PFLAG, march in Gay Pride, and try to fix you up with a nice Jewish girl! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 11, 2012 at 11:44 AM

Yes, yes indeed. In fact I had no intention of telling her (ever) but she managed to figure it out on her own. She told me that I look at Amber with the same look my father had always given her, and that's what gave it away. Never in a millennium did I think she would accept it, but she did. Amber's parents did essentially the same thing, though they posed it more as a question than a revelation. They also... Well, tend to be over-supportive. Like offering to by matching his and hers "Proud Parent of a Lesbian" tee shirts. That one really had us jumping up and waving our arms frantically. As for training my mother to be less intrusive, I think it's easier to just let her do her thing. It's endearing, really, and deep down I don't mind.

By Amber27 on Jan 10, 2012 at 11:11 PM

Hmmm. I doubt a demonstration would change her mind! Maybe a little talk about boundaries would help. Then again, so would changing the lock password! She does realize you and Amber aren't just "buddies," doesn't she? ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 10, 2012 at 1:52 PM

Trust me, she's ALWAYS been that way. As for showing up at a bad time, I'm not entirely sure Mother believes in the existence of lesbian sex.

By Amber27 on Jan 8, 2012 at 9:22 PM

So sorry about your Dad. Such a painful time. Maybe that's partly why your mom pops in whenever. In her eyes you're probably still a little kid, and in no need of privacy. My parents and I exchanged keys, but we usually call or at least knock first. Have you tried having a talk with her? Like Amber's explanation; "Jedi Mom Trick" indeed! I'd NEVER go to my daughter's place without calling first! Don't ever want to have her answer the door half-dressed and out of breath, stuttering something about it not being a good time! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 8, 2012 at 2:32 PM

My father passed away in 2010, but my mother is alive and well. She makes frequent appearances, mostly random and unannounced. During a moment of temporary insanity I gave her the code to the electronic deadbolts so now she just lets herself in. Amber says I fell victim to the "Jedi Mom Trick" and I think she's right. It's not that I don't mind seeing her, but a little preemtive phone call would be nice.

By Amber27 on Jan 8, 2012 at 1:06 PM

LOL! Don't know what made me run on like that! Just started remembering stuff and went from there. Hadn't really thought about the subject in ages. Since my parents live across the street, I should get more info for my family. Are your parents still with you? ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 8, 2012 at 9:38 AM

Goodness! It's going to take me a while to absorb all that! Will there be a test?

By Amber27 on Jan 8, 2012 at 2:02 AM

I spent the first five years of my life living in New York. My parents met at a party & married in 1947. They had a small place in the city. After my brother was born, we moved to Mt. Vernon. In 1955, my dad got a job offer in Miami so we all moved. With the exception of my mom's father, both sides of the family came to America with the first wave of immigrants after the Civil War. Everyone was from either Russia, Austria, or Hungary; there was a cousin in London. My mom's father's family left Russia (near what is now Poland) after the turn of the 20th century. Being Jews, let's just say they were "encouraged" to get the hell out of Dodge! My dad's mother was widowed with three daughters. All three "went to business" in their teens. My great grandma eventually remarried and things got easier. My dad's parents met thru friends and eventually moved to Peekskill, NY. My dad is an only child, but had lots of cousins. At 89, he's the only one left. He's had only one serious health problem, an emergency quadruple bypass in 2000 (he insisted on driving to the hospital)! He completely recovered but has severe arthritis so uses a walker. My mind should be as sharp as his! He does Sudoku and crossword puzzles every day. I'm lucky I can SPELL Sudoku! Mom's father became an ear, nose, and throat surgeon. His first love, though, was music. He played the violin and grandma played the piano. Grandma's sister was a concert cellist, rather unusual for a woman in those days. My great aunt and uncle were vegetarians and played tennis well into their 80's. Mom has a sister. She's divorced. My cousins are in their mid to early 50's now. Only one has a child, a very bright girl in her late teens. My mother had three cousins, all boys. I haven't seen them since I was a teenager. My mom had a lovely voice and we both used to sing to albums of classic show tunes. Did theater all thru high school and my first two years of college, then got into literature. The rest I think you know. Just realized I left out all the anti-Semitism we experienced in the South in the 50's & 60's. And the racism. All the public places & dept stores had bathrooms & water fountains marked "white" and "colored." I never had classes with African American kids till I was in college. And in high school, I got crap from a lot of my peers for bitching out the trolls who bashed my gay friends. Think that's about it. Want anymore details?

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 7, 2012 at 9:41 AM

Yes, I grew up in Malahide, a coastal suburb in Co. Fingal, just south of Dublin's ninth district. Your neighbour isn't the only one to marry an Englishman! Genealogically speaking I am half Irish, with the remaining half being mostly British with a sliver of Welsh. My mother was born and raised in a rural area in Co. Galway. My father grew up in Bristol, a city in the West Midlands of the UK. My parents both attended Uni in Birmingham, fell in love, and were married, much to the horror of both their families. They bought the house in Malahide the year I was born, where we lived until 1992. The harsh political climate combined with increasing terror activity from the IRA had them concerned for the safety of our family, so when my father landed a job in the US, off we went. Now it's your turn. Do tell :)

By Amber27 on Jan 6, 2012 at 10:23 PM

Good thing I didn't know your SOB History teacher. He'd be singing soprano for sure! Hate bullies, they're all cowards at heart! Sadly, we've all had teachers like that. With me it was my 6th grade teacher. With my daughter, her French teacher. We lovingly referred to her as "psycho bitch." Fortunately, she was fired a year or two after my daughter moved on the high school. So you're from Ireland! It's definitely on my bucket list! One of my neighbors came over from there but she was already an adult. She grew up in a farming community near Dublin. She married an Englishman, which is probably why she left! Wish you a great weekend, too! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 6, 2012 at 3:54 PM

I think things vary greatly from state to state. Here, public teachers get 403b AND pension, plus great medical and dental that up until this year they were making 0% contributions toward. Now they need to meet in the middle when it comes to premiums, still not a bad deal in my eyes. It's a good union, but like most barrels it has a few rotten apples. Like I said, it protects lousy teachers from getting fired. My American History teacher in high school used to literally bully me. Having come from Ireland, I didn't have the comprehensive background that the average student who attended primary school in the US would. A good teacher would have suggested tutoring and extra studies - something the assistant principal and principal eventually did. This guy was just a jackass - constantly calling on me in class to answer obscure questions an immigrant wouldn't normally know - and they weren't in the current textbook either. He called me stupid, said I was unwilling to learn, and assigned me to the back row of the class because I "obviously didn't care". My mother's complaints to the school and the school board netted only written disciplinary warnings and an apology. One of the board members confessed to my mother that he was a terrible teacher, his students scored the lowest in the district in standardized testing on the subject, and that they desperately wanted to fire him but the union stood in the way. As Paul Harvey used to say, now you know the rest of the story. Have a wonderful weekend :)

By Amber27 on Jan 6, 2012 at 12:00 PM

Agree, but without the unions, most public school teachers would probably be making a lot less and have no benefits! It's the old double-edged sword. In many ways, private schools are so much better. You make less money, but there are pluses. Contracts go from year to year, like any other position should, good benefits, and classes are capped at 18-20. Usually there's no mandatory retirement, either. One of our teachers finally left at 86 and only because of her arthritis. Quite a few are well into their 70's. As long as you do your job well, are fair, and willing to accept suggestions for improvement and embrace the new technology, you have nothing to worry about. Kinda like the regular world! Meanwhile, we're doing okay, not like so many people who are practically homeless. I have a lot to be grateful for! Happy Friday! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 6, 2012 at 8:28 AM

Why do they HAVE to pay you more? Is that a union rule? It seems unfair that you cannot accept a pay cut to get your foot in the door. know here the teacher's unions are very poor. They do nothing to prevent bright new teachers with low seniority from getting laid off while protecting high seniority ones who do a terrible job and DESERVE to be fired.

By Amber27 on Jan 5, 2012 at 9:59 PM

Your new avatar is great! The problem is public school funding has been cut to the bone, classrooms are way overcrowded, & they'd have to pay me more because I have an MA plus a separate BS in Secondary Edu. If, by some miracle, I were to get hired, I'd be sent to a school downtown or further, which means a two-hour commute each way, not counting the nights I'd have to go in for activities, conferences, etc. Ordinarily, I'd just wait for something to open up closer to me, but the county is notorious for blacklisting any teacher who refuses a position for at least one year. They'll never admit it, of course, and go try to prove it. The good news is there's another private school opening this year that's reasonably close. I even know some of the people there. They've already got copies of my resume, so we'll see what happens. Meanwhile, Miami's in such bad shape economically that they tried to reduce police salaries 5% which of course didn't fly. Now they're talking layoffs. These men and women put their lives on the line everyday and are understaffed as it is. Keep in mind millions of dollars have been spent on stadiums and 40 times that on various ball players. To be fair, many of these guys do a lot to support the poorest communities and all have charities. It is what it is, as the saying goes. Happy Friday! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 5, 2012 at 1:00 PM

Oh no! I lived in Miami for a year, don't you dare tell me there isn't a need for English teachers. They may not desire to PAY for them, but there is definitely a need. Let me tell you a story. I had a neighbour in my building who one day casually announced "Laws be comin' roun' hurr". I eventually figured out he meant the police had been in the building investigating something. This was not the only instance where I was hit with a string of Urban-ish, not by a long shot. Trust be, Miami needs you, senior citizen or not! Do I have to come down there and say that to the Miami-Dade School Board myself? I'll do it!

By Amber27 on Jan 4, 2012 at 11:12 PM

Yes, I'm a sub. Just no need for English teachers here, especially when they're over 60. Sounds old, but I honestly don't feel it. You're right, of course, about exercising. Could never run much, even in my teens and 20's, due to mild asthma. It's gotten a lot better over the years, but left me without a lot of wind. Wait - I have TONS of wind, just comes from the other end! (tacky, tacky). I also quite smoking (in 1974) and only drink coffee when I'm working. Even gave up soda, although I did have a diet coke on New Years. I'm one of only two people on all sides of the family who's got that rotten fat gene! Bought a walking tape last week. The act of BUYING the tape hasn't burned any calories; guess I gotta actually exercise for that to happen! Ah, well. If I were skinny, then I'd be perfect, and everybody would hate me. Sounds like you get enough exercise so you can splurge - hope you enjoyed that burger and shake 'cause you EARNED it! Love to you & Amber! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 4, 2012 at 5:56 AM

Oh, are you a substitute? You really should exercise more, it's good for you. I set aside an hour a day, I have to or I get... you know... that nasty f word. I can't drink, quit smoking and avoid caffeine, so I'll be damned if I am giving up sweets and red meat! Unfortunately that means I have to jog off those extra calories... Doesn't matter, had cheezburger and shake!

By Amber27 on Jan 3, 2012 at 3:31 PM

Between the antihistamines (allergic to cats!) and Type 2 diabetes, I don't drink either. If I feel unusually frisky, I'll have a ginger ale. So wild & crazy! Your friends sound great! Didn't get called today, so mom dragged me to the gym. Have already hit the Advil! Serves me right for being a lazy bum! Hope going back to work today wasn't too painful for you. At least it's a short week! Hope it's a good one! ;3

By PrincessWordplay on Jan 2, 2012 at 10:06 AM

We had a small party here at home. I was totally shocked when everyone announced they were abstaining from alcohol because I wasn't able to join in (I take medication that reacts VERY poorly, as in coma or death poorly). We all had a fantastic time Sipping N/A champagne and making resolutions we will never keep. Thanks for asking :) Are you headed back to work tomorrow?

By Amber27 on Jan 2, 2012 at 9:50 AM

Hi! Was thinking about saying hello & wishing you & Amber a Happy New Year! Did you do anything special? We stayed close to home; gotta be crazy to drive around here on NYE! Will pass on your offer of collectables! Have a great week! ;3