See-ya Suzuki!

Well its been coming for months now, but we've finally said adios to the Suzuki. In a way it was a bit bittersweet as the Suzuki was my very first brand new car, but one look at our new wheels and I didn't even look back to say goodbye.

I started thinking about trading in about a year ago, but I didn't really need to, and as it was, I was "under the water" on my current car loan..not a fun place to be. So we decided to wait, and I've been keeping my eyes open ever since. Last fall when I was on the road all the time, I had the opportunity to try out lots of different rental cars. Some I liked, some I hated, and one I loved, the Camry. I only had it for one week, but at the end of it I knew I would be buying a Camry in due time, much to my little brother Rick's dismay as I had taught him that Camry drivers are the devil and that I would never in my life be one. (Next time you get cut off or almost hit, look closely, I bet its a Camry :) ).

At any rate, we really started shopping back in February. We ended up at a few different dealerships, and finally found my car. However, either our calculator was on its last leg or we'd had a few too many beverages before crunching numbers, and financially it just wasn't the right time.

So, we waited. The Suzuki plugged along, shaking just a bit when over 65mph, just passing inspection, and essentially doing its duty to get me to and from work every day. Then last week Jim got the "new" car itch once again, plugged some numbers, and figured out exactly what we could do.

Then it appeared. The perfect Camry. The car I've been dreaming of for months. It was fully loaded, low mileage, in our price range, and in New Hampshire. Jim called the dealership, and told them we'd be down the next day.

Saturday morning we woke up extra early, cleaned out the Suzuki, and headed south, very excited. We pulled into the dealership, shook hands with the salesman, and were crushed when he told us the Camry had sold the night before. They called Jim's work...on a Saturday morning...to let us know we shouldn't make the trip.

So, heavy hearted, we headed north. We knew that Evergreen Subaru in Auburn had a Camry, although not as loaded and at a higher price as the one in New Hampshire, but we decided to go check it out. Jim got his Subie at Evergreen and has been extremely impressed with their service and salesmanship, so we liked the idea of supporting the dealership. We got there, tried out the Camry, and were sorely disappointed. It was obviously a smoker's car, and not in great shape. Disheartened, I didn't even know if I wanted a Camry anymore. We were about to leave when the nice salesman invited us to just take a walk around the lot to check out Subaru's. I didn't figure we'd find anything we could afford, until he pointed out a nice, BIG, 2006 B9 Tribeca.

This is the part of the story where I realize this is getting ridiculously long. So, I'll speed it up.

We test drove it. We liked it. We bought it.

It's awesome.

So, here you have it. My 7 passenger, fully loaded, gets the same gas mileage as Jim's Impreza, monster of a vehicle. And it only cost a few dollars more than the Camry.

Is it just a teeeeeeny bit ridiculous?? Oh sure. Does it have everything we could possibly need now and for the next 5-10 years. It does. I couldn't be happier with our choice.

Come on over and I'll give you a spin. Heck, bring 6 of your friends, because I can fit them too :)

Ahhh Summer

Dare I say it? Or even think it?? It seems summer is here at last! The past two days have been in the high 80's, my dog is panting like a madman, and the ice cream shop on the corner has a line halfway down main street. I am in my glory.

Its funny how every February and March we all feel like it won't happen. The sun won't shine more than 10 minutes. The snow won't disappear. Those nano-buds on the trees won't ever grow into full-fledged leaves.

But ever year it happens. The snow disappears. The grass turns green almost overnight. Evenings are spent walking amongst smells of burgers on the grill and fresh cut grass. We take it for granted, and before we know it, its gone , and we are longing for it once again.

So my pledge to myself this year is to take it all in. Embrace summer. Throw my window down. Let my hair blow free. Soak in the sun. I encourage you to do the same, because November will be here before you know it and you'll wonder where this amazing time went.

Shout Out!

This one goes to my hubby...who has just submitted his first ever professional book review, and is featured on the NACADA (National Academic Advising Association) website. Check it out!

If selected, he will be published in this fall's NACADA journal. Nice job babe!

It only took four years...

...but I finally got to go to a Kenny Chesney concert.

Let me back up just a bit.

I've always like Kenny Chesney songs, but it wasn't until 2006 that I really started liking both his music, and him. Maybe that's when he started getting really popular, or maybe its when I realized that all of my favorite songs were by the same person, but at any rate, there is no question that that's when I became a huge fan. I remember when I was teaching in Braintree, and my Housemaster knew how much I loved Kenny because he was a fan too. He bought the new Kenny CD, which came with a calendar poster. He called me into the office to tell me he'd gotten me a present and gave me the poster. I promptly hung it in my classroom and made all 150 of my students ooh and ahh at it the next day. (Yes, I really am that dorky).

So upon realizing my newest obsession, I learned that he would be playing at Gillette Stadium that summer. Of course, I got online as quickly as I could to find out what day it was so I could be first in line for my tickets.

It was the day I was the Maid of Honor in my best friend Jen's wedding.

So, I moved on, and only slightly lamented as I stood by my best friend's side on that gorgeous July day. (Kidding Jen!) I was determined to make it the following year.

The next February I was riding to work when the DJs on my local country station said that following the break they were going to announce the date of the Kenny concert at Gillettte that summer. My heart was pounding the entire time, praying it would be on a day that I could go. They came back on and...

It was on my wedding day.

Did I think about it on that beautiful July day in 2007? I actually think I did. Don't worry, I was happy to be where I was, and knew there would always be next year.

But no, alas, next year's date fell on July 27th, our anniversary weekend, and we had planned a week long road trip to Wisconsin. As chance would have it, we chose not to go on our trip, but something told me not to try to find tickets. My mother-in-law had her brain aneursym that weekend and we spent it at Mass General.

So by this point, I figure this is a hopeless goal. Maybe Kenny and I were just never meant to be. But this summer....we only have one wedding. One weekend planned. One Friday night. Just. One. Day.

Kenny Chesney's Gillette Stadium Show is Friday, August 14th. The night of my one wedding.

I think I almost cried when I heard the date. Actually, I don't care if you laugh at me, I know for a fact a tear dropped down my face. Never in my life have I wanted to go to a concert so badly. Not even when I was 19 and ridiculously obsessed with Blink 182 (yes, it was a phase), did I want to see them in concert as badly as I wanted to see Kenny.

I gave up. The stars were just not aligned.

So you can imagine that when I heard that he would be playing at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut in April I was only slightly perked up at the idea. It was only 3 weeks away, I was sure tickets were sold out, and something would come up that would keep me from this concert I wanted so badly. I called Jim from the car, he looked up the show, it was indeed, sold out, and I let it go.

Twenty mintues later, my husband called me back. He had just bought me a pair of floor seat tickets.

I cried. Surprisingly not because I was finally going, but because of the ridiculous amount of money that was just dropped on the tickets. But I will say, I got over that very very quickly and turned all of my excitement towards the upcoming show.

The concert was this past weekend. I won't lie, I held my breath the entire way to Connecticut, praying something wouldn't go wrong with the car, or the venue wouldn't catch fire. But we made it, and I can say with utmost confidence that it was the best concert I've ever been to, and probably the best I'll ever go to...until I see him again that is. It was unbelievable.

I was worried about having floor seats and being too far back to see, but the way the stage was set up, we ended up only being about 50 feet from him when he was at the front of the stage. And the best part was that he entered the concert on a swing that lifted him up over the crowd, and started just two rows behind us. It could not have been any better if it were a dream. (Ok, that's a lie, in a dream I'd be on stage making out with him and touching his sexy man arms, but you know what I mean).

Now, I know Kenny's kind of a petite guy. And I really thought that once I saw him in person I'd get over my obsession with his looks. I thought for sure that up close, he just wouldn't do it for me. I was so wrong. My friend Angie and I stood there and just STARED at him, speechless for so much of the show. He is absolutely incredible. His energy was unreal, his voice was incredible, and he really is an amazing performer. At the end of the concert he did something I've never seen an artist do. The lights came up, and he stayed on stage and signed autographs. I thought it was incredibly humble and really showed how much he appreciates his fans.

I'll leave you with some of my favorite pictures from the show. If you ever get a chance to go to a concert at Mohegan Sun, do it. The venue holds about 10,000 but feels so small, and I don't think there's a bad seat in the house. I'm so glad I didn't see him at Gillette Stadium. This experience was better than I could have ever imagined.

I guess everything really does happen for a reason.

Our New Toy!

For months now, Jim has been showing me links and pictures of a digital SLR camera. I've always loved photography, but have never had the tools to really get into it, and the idea of having a nice camera was extremely exciting to me. However, as is the case for most of the world right now, money is tight and I refused to entertain the option of spending a significant chunk of money on a new camera.

Until last week.

I finally gave in. Jim wasn't giving up, and Best Buy was having a pretty sweet deal, and what the heck, I know I'll use the camera for every penny its worth. So, we splurged. Introducing my new Nikon Digital SLR D90....a.k.a. I have no clue what to do with this thing.



I've never seen so many buttons on a single gadget in my life. The manual is over 200 pages long. There are numbers in my viewfinder that I have no idea what they could possibly mean. But I absolutely love it. I've had so much fun in the past few days playing around with the settings and taking pictures of ridiculous things just to see what all the settings do.

To give you an idea of how ridiculous this camera is, here is a a picture I took with it of the orchid plant in our office.



And here is the same picture, taken with my little Sony Cybershot pocket camera, taken with the same setting.



Unreal right?

I can't wait to learn more about it, and really start taking nice pictures. In the meantime, here are some of the VERY amateur fun shots I took in the past few weeks!

Its a Rough Gig....Really

So, as you already know, my job involves an extensive amount of travel, mostly in the fall, but a bit in the spring too. While it is hard being away from home for extended periods of time, especially in the fall when you've been traveling for literally 13 weeks straight, there are some definite perks to the gig. Usually when I travel, I shack up in a Hampton Inn, near to whatever schools I'll be visiting on the trip. Hamptons are great. In the past few years they've really done a lot to upscale the brand, and I have yet to be disappointed with a hotel. The breakfasts are great, the beds are super comfy, and the staff are always really friendly.

Every once and awhile though, I get a trip that makes the beds at the Hampton Inn look like the wrong side of the tracks in a big city. When I found out that New Jersey was part of my territory, for example, I wasn't terribly excited about it, (although it was still a billion times better than hearing I had Connecticut...no offense Nancy), but when I found out that my week in Jersey included a stay in Atlantic City, all of a sudden Jersey was the hot destination of the fall.

Before I really jump in, I feel the need to offer a disclaimer, in light of the lovely economic state we all find ourselves in. When we stay at these nice places, we get a killer rate. Often times its even cheaper than a night at the Hampton.

Ok, disclaimer over. So, in November, for my second to last week of travel, I was off to Atlantic City. I'd never been before, and really didn't expect it to be much excitement at all. But when I drove into the city and saw all of the casinos, and outlet shopping, I knew I'd found the Vegas of the east coast. To make matters even better, when I checked in at the Bally's Hotel and Casino, the nice man behind the counter informed me that they had sold out of the room I reserved, so I got a free upgrade. And by upgrade I mean a room overlooking the city and the ocean, with a full granite bathroom with a deep tub, stand alone shower, and very plush king size bed. I looked it up online. My $130 room would have cost me $450 on any other day.

This week was my second "I love my job and the places it sends me" experience. Every year, guidance counselors from around the state of Maine convene at the Samoset Resort in Rockport. My pictures don't do it justice, and I'm sure this place is absolutely incredible in the summertime. Set on a golf course, it overlooks the ocean, and has a 7/8ths of a mile breakwater with a lighthouse on the end, that you can walk out too. The food was amazing, my bed was unreal, and I am in the process of begging my husband to take me back for our anniversary this summer.



Next week I'm off to Boston. The host hotel for the event this time is the Seaport Hotel. Have I mentioned I love my job????

I'll be sure to post pictures. :)

In Memory

I don't even know how to begin this post. I think its because thinking about the events of this past week is hard to do, but at the same time, I feel that writing about Nate is one way that I, among the hundreds who know him, can honor the time I was lucky enough to have with him.

If you don't know the story, Nate was a senior at Hampden Academy. On Sunday night he went missing, and his body was found yesterday afternoon, near a gravel pit that every H.A. student has visited at least once in his or her life. As of right now, the cause of death is unknown although there is significant speculation that he was intoxicated, took pills, and killed himself.

This is so hard to wrap my head around, because this is not the Nate Clark I knew. Let me back up just a bit.

When I was a junior in high school, a good 11 years ago, I got a role in a play for the Winterport Open Stage. One of my castmates was Dan Clark. Dan and I became friends while doing the show, and I soon became a regular babysitter for his two sons, Ben and Nate, then 4 and 7 years old respectively.

I think I fell in love with these boys the second I met them. Having little brothers the same ages as Ben and Nate I could easily relate to them, and they were the cutest kids ever. Nate was a little bit older, so he'd help me out with Ben, often translating for me as Ben was a little behind in his speech. These kids were my buddies, and I looked forward to every chance I had to babysit them.

After I went to college, I would only get to see the Clarks every now and again, usually at a ball game of some sort, as Rion and Nate often were on the same team. I remember one time I came home and took them out to the movies to give Danny and Denise a break and hang out with the kids. My absolute favorite memory of Nate was from my freshman year in college. I was home on break, and the boys had a basketball game at the elementary school. I remember walking in and Ben running right up to me to give me a hug. I went and sat with Danny and Denise. Only a minute or so later, as the players were running across the court, did Nate spot me. He stopped dead center, in the middle of the game, waved at me, turned around, shook his butt at me, and kept running. The other team scored, and as they headed back to the other end of the court, he did it again. And again. And again. We were dying laughing. He was such a goofball. Thats just how these kids were. We always had so much fun.

Eventually I lost touch with the Clarks as I got more involved in college and the kids grew up. I always kept an ear out for how they were doing though, and my mom would keep me updated as well. A few years ago they welcomed another son to the family, and last year Danny and Denise decided to split. I think this was hard on the boys, but especially Nate. I don't know why he did what he did, and I don't want to put blame anywhere, but I just wish he knew and could understand that things aren't ever as bad as he appeared to think they were.

I think the most heartbreaking part of the whole situation is remembering Nate as a little kid. He was so happy, and funny, and just a blast to be around. I never in a million years would have imagined that it would end like this for him. Its so hard to wrap my head around it all. My heart breaks for his family, his friends, and the entire H.A. community, which has lost more than its fair share of students in the past two or three years. I don't think the Clarks know how close to my heart their family has always been to me. Some people truly do leave a stamp on your life, and my time with their family is one I will never forget.

God Bless you Nate. Rest in peace. Thanks for the memories kiddo.