Saturday 9: Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

 

Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

Saturday 9: Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, BJ Thomas sings that he knows it won't be long until he finds happiness. What are you looking forward to today? What's going to make you smile?  I am filling this out on Thursday night, but I am looking forward to seeing my mom tomorrow (Friday) and I am picking up Josh from work so she can see him too.  I am also looking forward to sleeping in a little this weekend.

2) BJ Thomas met his wife Gloria at a bar. She was there with his drummer, but BJ let his friend know he felt a connection to Gloria and was going to drive her home. BJ and Gloria were married for 50 years, until his death. Have you and a friend ever found yourselves attracted to the same person? If yes, how did you handle it?  no

 

3) This song is from Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, which has been called "the most entertaining Western ever made." Do you enjoy Westerns?  I like them.

4) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is one of the most popular movies Paul Newman made, but he liked to say his "favorite role is philanthropist." He raised an amazing $500 million for children's charities through his Newman's Own brand. The most popular Newman's Own product is salad dressing. What flavor of salad dressing would we find in your kitchen right now? Ranch

 

5) Burt Bacharach won the first of his three Oscars for this song. Yet 20th Century Fox originally wanted to cut the song from the movie, maintaining that that song and the famous "bicycle sequence" between Paul Newman and Katharine Ross were anachronistic and made the movie too long. Burt and the movie's director George Roy Hill fought for it, insisting that it helped define the optimistic character of Butch. Tell us about a time you were glad you stood your ground.

6) Edith Head also won an Oscar for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. She said that Robert Redford, who played Sundance, presented a wardrobe problem. His jawline is too strong so she had to create special wider-brimmed hats to balance it. If you could magically change one of your physical features, which would you choose? And which feature would you never change?  I would want to be thin again...so get rid of my belly fat.  I would want to keep my eyes.  I like my smile too.  I had a student tell me this week that he liked it when I smiled at him.  My students are 5 years old.  Precious. :)

7) In 1969, when this song was a hit, The Beatles played their last concert on the roof of Abbey Road Studios. When did you last climb onto the roof?  I have never been on the roof of my house.  I think I have only been on part of one roof.  I went to visit a friend at college one time and you could climb out on their roof, so I did that.

8) Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys mysteries sold at a brisk pace at Christmastime 1969. They're still popular today. Were you a fan?  I have never read those.

9) Random question: Do you consider yourself old fashioned?  maybe a little, but my son Josh is old fashioned. :)  I think that is so cool.

Tuesday 4 Meme- Spring

 

Spring

Hello and  welcome back to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

1. Spring cleaning is a very old tradition.  Some say it began with Passover and removing leaven from the home and the fact that windows begin to be thrown open.  What Spring cleaning do you do?  I do my deep cleaning when I get out of school in May, so the Spring cleaning is the same as always with exception to the lawn.  We start picking up sticks and rocks, sweep, run the leaf blower and start mowing.  Then once school is out, I start doing more cleaning where I am throwing things away.

2. Does daylight saving time make any difference in your life for good or bad?  This year it made me really tired.  It never has before.  I love having the longer days once the time changes.  I think the more sunlight I get, the happier I am.

3. Do you have a spring reading/watch list or perhaps a 'to do' list?  I read a lot during Spring Break.  I did have a list of books.  Now, I will start planning for summer, which will include more romance books...lighter reading.

4. The "peepers" are back here by the water. There are thousands of this itty bitty frogs(the size of a finger nail) peeping like loud birds.

What signs of spring are showing up in your neck of the woods and what Spring flower is your favorite to see blooming?  We have had daffodils and crocus bloom already and the trees are starting to get tiny leaf buds.  This is a nice time of Spring...the mosquitoes are not back yet.  They start showing up in May and that is when I have to stay inside.

Saturday 9: The Rocky Road to Dublin

 

 

Saturday 9: The Rocky Road to Dublin (2008)

 
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is about a young man who leaves home to seek his fortune. How old were you when you first moved out on your own?  I was 17, just starting college.  I turned 18 in September, but school started in August.  I lived in the dorms that year.

2) He leaps onto a ship but the captain makes him sleep in the hold with pigs. Have you ever taken a cruise? (If so, we hope you had better accommodations.)  I have never been on a cruise.

 
3) This recording of the song is by The High Kings. Well established in Ireland, their career reached new heights in March 2012. Right after playing for the Lord Mayor of London's St. Patrick's Day celebration, they flew to Washington to perform for President Obama at the White House St. Patrick's Day concert. Tell us about a time when you were so happy, you had to pinch yourself to make sure you weren't dreaming.  When I became a mom, when I got my teaching job, when I got married, graduation from college.  The big moments in my life.

 

4) This song was chosen because Friday was St. Patrick's Day. Do you celebrate this holiday?  Not really.  If I am going to be out, I will try to wear green.

 

5) Leprechauns are a symbol of St. Patrick's Day. These small Irish fairies are said to live in the forest, guarding their gold. Do you often wear gold?  Not really.

6) McDonald's has made Shamrock Shakes a St. Patrick's Day tradition. McDonald's began adding the drive-thru window to their restaurants in the 1970s. Would you rather order from the restaurant counter or the drive-thru?  I like the drive thru for fast food.

7) A four-leaf clover is considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm?  I don't think so.

 

8) Thinking of Lucky Charms, they are magically delicious. What breakfast cereal is in your kitchen right now?  I don't think we have any cereal.

  
9) Random question: Think of your upcoming week. Which day will be the busiest?  It looks like Thursday may be my busy day.  We are meeting for Pre-K graduation.

Tuesday 4 Meme- Saint Patrick

 

Saint Patrick

 It's time once again for Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

Since Saint Patrick's Day is March 17 it might be nice to talk about it.

1. Do you celebrate the day and is it more secular or religious for you?  I wear green, but that is about it.

2. Americans eat corned beef and cabbage but it's not traditional in Ireland at all.   In my  house its Colcannon and Beef Stew or Cottage pie (shepherds pie made with beef instead of lamb).. which is more realistic and far less salty.  Do you make special meals for holidays?  What will you make for St. Patrick's Day?  I make special meals for some holidays, but not St. Patrick's Day.

3.  Do you have much green in your wardrobe? Does the color look good on you?  Not really.  It was my favorite color in college and I had a lot of Hunter Green clothes/shoes/coats...but I do not have much green now at all.

4. In school we put up giant green shamrocks and Leprechauns. We made green paper chains to decorate our classrooms.  What do you do to decorate?  I do not decorate my house at all.  The kids made shamrocks at school and they are hanging in the hall.

Saturday 9: Wagon Wheel

 

Wagon Wheel

Saturday 9: Wagon Wheel (2013)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week, Darius Rucker sings about hitching a ride to reach his lady love. Have you ever thumbed a ride?  no, that has always been scary to me.

 

2) Along the way, he loses his money in a poker game. Successful poker players are good at bluffing, or misleading others about about their cards. Are you good at bluffing, whether at cards or in life?  not at all.

 

3) Darius began has career as the lead singer of 90s soft-rock band Hootie and the Blowfish. Today he's a country singer. Let's say you're stuck in traffic and only one radio station comes in clearly. Would you prefer it play soft rock or country?  soft rock

  

4) Darius Rucker will be on tour throughout 2023, playing dates all over the country and making a couple stops in Cancun. Have you ever visited Mexico? If so, where did you go?  no

5) Darius has lent his talents to fundraising for The First Tee, a non-profit that teaches children "life lessons, self-confidence, and resilience through golf." Did you participate in organized sports as a youngster? If yes, what did you play?  I was in track and cheerleading

6) A big sports fan, he has six TVs in his home so he can watch several games at once. His largest set is 70". When it comes to TV screens, do you believe bigger is better? Or are you just as comfortable watching from your laptop or phone?  I like to watch on a big screen.  I will watch on my phone if I have to, but I do not like it.  My son is totally fine with watching shows on his phone.

 
7) In 2013, when "Wagon Wheel" was popular, fans were flocking to the movie theater to see Catching Fire, the second in the Hunger Games series. Are you a Hunger Games fan?  yes

8) Also in 2013, the word "selfie" was added to the Oxford Dictionary. Do you take a lot of selfies?  hardly ever

  
9) Random question: If we paid you $5,000, would you get Saturday 9 tattooed on your right forearm?  no, I have zero tattoos and I am good with that.

We got our classrooms moved over to the intermediate school (I am sharing a room with the other pre-K teacher).  The classroom is nice and the staff have been great there.  I have managed our schedule so we do not have recess at the same time.  That way we are able to get some real teaching in during those times.  It has worked out ok.  We have one week down.  Next week I have a teacher conference in Lake of the Ozarks called Young Years.  There will be children's authors there and sessions on a lot of different topics.  Then Spring Break.  I am looking forward to some rest.  I will not get home until late next Saturday (the conference is 4 days)...so I will see you all the following week.

Saturday 9 -- Mahler: Symphony No. 8

 

Mahler: Symphony No. 8

Saturday 9 -- Mahler: Symphony No. 8 (1968)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Mahler's No. 8 is sometimes referred to as "Symphony of a Thousand" because it was scored for a large orchestra and choral force. Do you often listen to classical music?  Not as often as I would like to.  There used to be a radio station that played it here and I listened, but there is not one now.  I need to find a station on an app or something.  Classical music is so beautiful and relaxing.  You can almost see the story it is telling.

2) This piece has solos for each of the main vocal ranges: soprano, alto, tenor, bass. Do you know which range your voice is in?  alto

3) Historians tell us Mahler kept fit by swimming and riding his bike along the Alpine trails. What's your favorite form of exercise?  I like to walk and lift weights.  I haven't done either since covid.

4) Mahler could be difficult to work with because when it came to his music, he was a stickler over even the most minor details and wouldn't give an inch. Would you rather work as part of a team or on your own?  I used to like to work by myself, but I am definitely a team person now.  I love listening to other ideas and putting together a good plan.

5) This week's featured artist, Leonard Bernstein, said his father didn't want him to pursue music. Instead the elder Bernstein wanted his son to either join the family business (a beauty supply company) or become a rabbi. Did your family try to influence your choice of career?  no

6) Bernstein's best-known work is West Side Story. Without looking it up, can you name a song from this beloved Broadway classic?  I Feel Pretty

7) Born in Lawrence, MA, Bernstein "went home" when he performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood in Lenox, MA. Tanglewood has played host to a variety of musical artists. In 2022, Ringo Starr, Bonnie Raitt, and James Taylor all performed there (with James Taylor scheduled to return this summer, as well). What's the first concert you ever attended?  The Beach Boys

8) In 1968, when Bernstein released this album, a sitcom called Mayberry R.F.D. premiered. It was a spin off of the highly successful Andy Griffith Show, which ran from 1960 to 1968 and is still broadcast and streamed today. Were you an Andy Griffith Show fan?  YES!  Loved it.  

9) Random question: When people ask for your advice, what do they usually ask you about?  questions about education and how to teach things.   Also, teachers handle a lot of behaviors that children exhibit.  Sometimes that can be difficult to get right.  I get asked strategies to try to handle student behavior also.

Sunday Stealing- Birthday Meme (Bev's 80th Birthday!)

 

Birthday Meme

After 80, every year without a headstone

is a milestone!

To celebrate my birthday (Today), here are some questions

 related to age:

Also, check out the "gift" that Ned put together for me. 

I am overwhelmed.

https://padlet.com/exactly12/happy-80th-birthday-to-bev

-b28tqqlsjk16wq1

Click below to visit Bev's padlet birthday party from Ned or

use link above!

Go Wish Bev a Happy Birthday!

Happy 80th, Birthday, Bev!!!

1. What is the best thing about your birthday?

I enjoy the birthday wishes.  I hear from friends that I do not hear from every day.

2. What is your favorite thing to do for your birthday?

Maybe go out to eat.  The kids make a big deal out of my birthday at school and that is fun.

3. What’s one thing you learned in the past year?  patience

4. What do you wish for in the next year?  better days at school

5. What’s the best thing about turning a year older?
another year wiser?

6. What was the most fun thing you did in the last year?

Karl and I went to Silver Dollar City where Josh works for a fun evening.

7. If you could understand any animal, which would it be?
My dog.  I would love to be able to communicate with dogs.

8. What is something that used to be hard, but is now easy?

teaching

9. If you could only keep one thing in your room, what would it be?
My bed

10. Which person makes you laugh the most? Why?
Lately, our dog Meisha.  She is always doing something silly.

11. If you could go back in time, when and where would you go?

I would go back to about my 30th birthday in 2000.  Josh was 2 years old, my mom and dad 

are still healthy.  My Grandparents were still living.  I was still thin.

12. If you were to bury a secret treasure, where would you bury it?

In my backyard.

13. What is your favorite memory?

Josh as a little kid.  Every memory.  Disney World was fun memories.

14. How have you helped others lately?

helping with planning for the move at school.

15. If you had to repeat a day over & over, how you'd want it to go?

Saturday 9: Saturday Night's Alright

 

Saturday Night's Alright

Saturday 9: Saturday Night's Alright (1973)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) In this song, Elton John tells us it's 7:00 PM on Saturday evening and he's ready to rock with his friends. What will you be doing at 7:00 this evening?  Saturday evening I will probably be watching tv.  Maybe a Hallmark movie or watching something I have DVR'd over the week.  Possibly reading.

 

2) His sister is ready to party, too. The lyrics tell us she looks cute with "a handful of grease in her hair." What haircare products would we find in your bathroom right now?  My naturally curly hair requires a lot of products to keep it from looking frizzy.  I have some argon oil, curl cream, styling gel, freeze spray and hair spray.

3) He sings that by Saturday, he's had it with the aggravation and discipline of the past week and now he's ready to cut loose. How did last week treat you?  It was ok.  We have started taking things off the walls in the classroom and Monday we will start packing up things that are going to storage and things we are taking, but not using right now.  The week was fine.  I am feeling the stress though.

4) This Saturday night finds Elton and his friends "packed pretty tight" in their bar of choice. Agoraphobics have a hard time feeling safe in busy, crowded places. How about you? Are you comfortable in a crowd?  I am not a fan of crowds.  I can handle them at church and school, but to choose to be in a big crowd, I will probably pass.  I can do baseball games.  It depends on what I am willing to do I guess.

5) The lyrics were written by Bernie Taupin, Elton's frequent collaborator. Bernie ranks this near the top of his favorite Elton John records. What's your favorite?   I can't pick.  I think Elton John is one of the most talented performers there is.  I love so many of his songs.  I can't pick a favorite.

6) Elton has turned his bad eyesight into a hobby, claiming that over the years he has purchased well over 200,000 pairs of glasses. Do you wear glasses? If so, how many prescription pairs do you own?  yes, I wear glasses.  I have 2 pairs of bifocals and 3-4 pairs of reading glasses.  Sometimes I think I can read better with readers than my bifocals.  I also found some sunglasses on Amazon that have my far away prescription so I can wear sunglasses without paying a lot of money.  Thank-you Amazon.

 

7) Elton once had to cancel an international tour because of an emergency appendectomy. Do you still have your appendix?  Yes, I do.

 

8) In 1973, when this song was popular, M*A*S*H was at the top of the ratings. Who is your favorite M*A*S*H character?  I did not watch MASH, I was young when it was on and I have never watched re-runs.  I would probably enjoy them.

9) Random question: Who is the wisest person you know?  My dad when he was living.  Ya know...Josh is very wise.  He is impressive to listen to.  I will say him...if you are new here, that is my son.

Tuesday 4- Valentine's Day

 

Valentine's Day

 Hi and welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.    

Happy Valentine's Day!    

$24 billion dollars are spent on Valentines Day gifts!  145 million cards are sent out and the average spent on gifts is $197.50 per person.

1. As a kid did you exchange Valentines at school with the other children?  Yes, I had a red and white polka dot box with pink hearts on each side of the box with my name on them.  

2. Do you have special traditions for the day or does it pass on without much hoopla? no traditions.  Sometimes we will go out to eat.

3 Today is the number one top day for flower and candy gifts.  The only other holidays that approach it are Christmas and Chanukah.  Do you ever receive candy, jewelry or flowers for the day?  Which is your favorite?  The kids at school typically give me chocolate and Karl gives me flowers.  He got me pink roses this year.

4. Zoos and  Pet rescues will name cockroaches or unpleasant animals after your ex and issue you a certificate.  They will even write your ex's name in cat litter for you.   What do you think of this "tradition"?  I think that is a waste of time.  I don't think of my ex's.

Sunday Stealing- 7 Layer Meme

 

7 Layer Meme

7 Layer Meme

 

LAYER 1: Tell us your...

* Eye color:   Green

* Hair color:  Dark Brown

* Height:  5' 4"

* Righty or lefty: righty

LAYER 2: What's...

* Your heritage:  I am adopted, so not sure

* The shoes you wore today:  Saucony tennis shoes

* Your weakness: hate trying new things

* Your fears:  public speaking, losing loved ones

* Your perfect pizza: canadian bacon and hamburger thick crust

* Goals you’d like to achieve:  make it through the school year in the combined

class I will be teaching in with 34 kids ages 3-5 years old.  It will not be easy.

* Your first waking thoughts: what do I need to do today

* Your best physical feature:  eyes, smile

* Your most missed memory: memories with family that has passed dad, grandparents

also memories of Josh when he was really little.

LAYER 3: Do you...

* Smoke:  no

* Cuss:  when I am really stressed or angry

* Sing:  love to sing

* Do you think you’ve been in love: yes

* Did you go to college: yes

* Liked high school: yes

* Believe in yourself:  yes

* Think you’re attractive:  not anymore

* Think you’re a health freak: no

* Like thunderstorms: yes

* Play an instrument: no

LAYER 4: In the past month have you…

* Drunk alcohol: no

* Smoked:  no

* Done a drug: no

* Made out: private

* Gone on a date: no

* Gone to the mall:  no

* Eaten an entire box of Oreos: no

* Eaten sushi: no

* Been on stage: no

* Been dumped: no

* Gone skating: no

* Gone skinny dipping: no

LAYER 5: Have you ever…

* Played a game that required removal of clothing:  yes

* Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: yes

* Been caught “doing something”: no

* Been called a tease: yes

* Gotten beaten up: no

LAYER 6:

* Age you did get/hope to be married: I got married at 27

* How do you want to die: in my sleep

* What did you want to be when you grew up: in the medical field (research)

* What country would you most like to visit:   all of Europe, all of the countries

LAYER 7: Now tell...

* Name a person you could trust with your life: My husband Karl

* Name a favorite CD that you own:   The Cars

* Number of piercings: 5 in my ears (3 in one and 2 in the other, but I no longer wear earrings

* Number of tattoos: none

* Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper:  I am not sure, I was in 

the newspaper some when I was in school for different things and when I got married

and had a baby.

* Name a past experience that you regret: :  being mean in school, I was not a bully, but

I said some means things a few times.