Life goes on

Someone recently told me this...Alison, life goes on...and yes, indeed it does. Indeed it does. Why the cryptic beginning to the blog? I'm making some life changing events. Just like Fergie with the Black Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani before her and Joey McIntyre of New Kids on the Block before them, it's time for a solo effort. Some of my blog fans have said, "Al. You should do your own blog, because seriously, we need more of your blogs in our life." I shimmied away from the idea but today is the day. I am fully embracing it. Bring on the newness. I will still blog on Mate TV from time to time. This is where I got my start. Thank you Mate TV. And thank you, fearless blog fans for encouraging me to branch out into the world of blogging solo.

I've already started blogging on the new site. Ch-ch-check it out.
www.bellafrench.blogspot.com

I ain't no hollaback girl,
Alison

Camp Faris in Session

Hello all you blog readers. Just wanted to keep you posted. I am in Greenville, SC until 7-7-07 (the big wedding date) for "Camp Faris". That's what my Dad calls it. You see, my parents REALLY love me. They are so excited to have me home, living in my house and doing everything with them. But let me tell you, it's pretty intense. I wake up in the morning whenever I want...which is nice...and then Mom and I get in the car and proceed to run about 159 errands. Most of these errands have to do with the wedding and others are just errands I make her take me to do. Today, I faxed resumes to schools where I'm trying to get a job and mailed Mate her wedding gift since I accidentally left it in the car last weekend. UGH. Anyhoo, this errand-running goes on pretty much all day, and includes a lunch break of some sort. The lunch break includes partaking of SWEEEEET tea that I continue to drink for the rest of the day. Because that's healthy. This girl is putting on the pounds. Usually, late afternoon, the matriarch of Camp Faris...Mrs. Rita Smith needs some time to herself, so Faris, the princess heads to workout or naps. So, the last part of the day at Camp Faris that is noteworthy is that I am learning how to cook. You see, this girl only knows how to cook a few select things, so my mom is teaching me how to cook whole meals of food. What's funny about this teaching experience is that we're trying to simulate what it will be like in my new house. For example, I don't have a microwave, so I have to make accomodations for that...I only have one oven and Mom has two. I can't cheat or else I won't have a clue how to do it come July 14th or whatever. Camp Faris finishes up the day with family time. Dad comes home and we eat whatever I've cooked. The other night he almost cried because Mom and I didn't have time to cook dinner and we had to go to the Cracker Barrell. Then a long walk follows with our imaginary dog and last night we even went to TCBY and Baskin Robbins (for mom) afterwards. Tonight was a little different because we went to the Greenville Drive baseball game. La dee da. All you need to know is that I am having a great time at Camp Faris! Duh, the world is revolving around me for a whole month...who wouldn't like it? ;)

I know it's exciting and I know that you're dying to know more...but sorry. Tomorrow night is my bachelorette party and this whole weekend is Caleb's in Charleston, so perhaps there will be stories to tell pretty soon. Until then...

Faris

whoop whoop!

Who's getting married this week??? ME!!! I have more to post but it's 7:45 and I need to get ready for work. Damn the man, making me work on my "wedding week" :)

As one of my coworkers obnoxiously says every 5 mins,
SMOOCHES!!

Wait for another post from me latra,
Al

Alright, I'm back for the rest of my post!!
So, a couple weeks ago, I was at a really poopy sales training in Augusta, GA for a couple of days. On the real, it sucked. This woman just read out of the sales manual to us for TWO STRAIGHT DAYS. At one point I grabbed a plastic knife left over from lunch and started hacking away at my wrists...I digress, back on course. One of the most RIDIC things they tried to instill in us was how to "close the deal". They said, when we are in a meeting with our client and we're trying to reel in the little fishies, to pull out a calendar and put a big X on today and then a big X on when we are coming back in for the completed contract. Can you imagine? If someone showed me a calendar and started x-ing out the days, I would say um Hello...get out of my office you sales neophyte! And I would most def. use that word because I think it's awesome and I can't ever find a time to use it. Thanks. But, I did put a big X on today and then a big X on my wedding day to show how close it is!! I've decided to include that in this post
.

Woooooooow, aren't you impressed that I'm using something from my sales training? This is how Alison closes the deal. Try to find a man in whatever account I'm trying to close, smile a lot, flirt, show some skin, flash the contract. Holla if you got a dolla!!

Alright. So...there are a lot of things you have to do before you get married. I got my eyebrows shaped and cleaned up, my hair highlighted and touched up a little, I still need a manicure and pedicure and...OH! I've been whitening my teeth!! Here is a picture of my nice, white smile. (Think Ross in that epic Friends episode)



Smooches!
Alison

Moving on up

Moving can be fun, especially if you have advanced notice. In my case, I've will have had about 7 months to get ready for my big move to Augusta. It's fun because I've known my address for that long too. I already know it and it's fun to write it on stuff that I know won't be coming for a few weeks/months. So, lately I've been going through all of my belongings and deciding which things are worthy enough to make the big move and which things I have to say goodbye to. Last night, I said goodbye to a real telephone (like the kind you plug into the wall in your house...omg!), lots of trinkets because I hate trinkets and luckily Caleb does too, and other random things like a Mancala game and one of those squishy things that I used to use to avoid having sore wrists while typing. Last weekend, I graduated from Georgia with my Masters, so earlier this week I had the joy of throwing out allll of my notes and readings from the past two years. I held onto a few key readings that I think will help me if I ever find myself in a debate about bilingual education or confronted with some other topic of debate--because when you get into an argument, you go back into your notes and pull out readings (*note sarcasm*).

I think that moving is really good for the soul because it forces you to revisit memories that you may have suppressed or haven't fleshed out completely. My favorite thing I found was a box with all of my diplomas, awards, test scores, academic and athletic letters from high school, and so many other cool things from my life. "You vain goat!" is what Mama Fay would say.

Top 5 things I found last night when packing:
5. Box of wrapping paper, gift bags, and tissue paper that my mom gave me when I went to college (just so I would be prepared for special events!)
4. My CPR book. I really need to brush up in case I'm able to help in an emergency situation.
3. Some of the tapes that Mate and I used when we recorded "letters" to each other when I was in Costa Rica and our whole Senior year.'
2. A print of the bell tower that one of my youth leaders gave me when I graduated. She was a very special blessing to us in high school.
1. Baggie of tickets....everything from movie tickets to football tickets to concert tickets (think Dave Matthews in high school, Britney Spears, etc.), Falcons, et. The cool thing is that now I've added many more like the SEC championship and the Masters!

Are you moving this summer?

-FBS

Juniors Decision

Yeeeflippinhaw!!! Dale Junior has left his diddy's racin' team and is gone to another one!!!! Well I'll be gosh deeerned, where is he gone? I bet his diddy is flippin' over his grave.

Well, I just HAVE to know where he's going and I'm so glad that this piece of "news" is covered by all of the major network news this evening and on all of the radio stations.

Blah.
Blah.
Blah.

**I was forced to go to the above race where I am pictured. I documented the hilarity with a picture then promptly put in my earplugs and went to sleeeeeeeeep.

I got tagged!

I'm moving to Augusta in 2 months! It's really exciting. I'm job hunting right now and that's always time-consuming, confusing, and kind of fun too. It's fun to think about a new routine. Am I weird? Things I'm looking forward to: a shorter commute, teaching younger kids maybe?, getting to know a new school community, and starting a fresh school year. The beginning of the year is so fun. Fresh clean school supplies. Pretty, clean notebooks. Drew, you're probably the only one still reading.

I have been tagged by Merritt to do a thingy.

Here are the rules: Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. You need to choose 7 people to get tagged and list their names.

1. I always think of weird/scary ways that I might die (i.e. the bridge I'm running on might collapse; a plane might crash on my car; tuberculosis; etc.). It's a terrible habit and not very faithful of God's promise to me.

2. I drive 90 miles a day total commuting to and from work. And I only work part time. I leave between 5:35 and 5:55 each morning. This morning, I had the joy of waking up at 6:20. That was an adrenaline rush.

3. I was obsessed with shoes when I was a little girl. When people asked my best friend Margaret Dennis and I what our favorite things were, she always said "horses" and I said "shoes". I wanted to swim in a pool of shoes.

4. I think it's really scary when someone is dressed up in a costume or wearing a mask. The Smurf at Carowinds did me in as a child.

5. My family's birthdays are on the 1st, 10th, 20th, and 30th of different months.

6. I really like to have pictures up everywhere. On my wall, in frames, on my computer background, on the screensaver, on my bathroom mirror, you name it. Caleb has already warned me that he has different tastes and doesn't quite foresee the large amt of pics in our new house. :(

7. I love Sonic grilled cheeses, Chicken Express custard, TCBY, Bojangles cinnamin biscuits, Duke's sandwiches, and a smattering of other unhealthy treats.

I tag...Mate, Charlsie, and Drew!

XOXO,
FBS

QUESTIONS QUESTIONS MORE QUESTIONS

Okay, I'm just going to post something to stop the hate. I am sitting here fielding so many questions...SO...MANY...QUESTIONS. Somedays, I wish I could not have any questions directed at me by my students. I mean honestly, it gets REALLY tiring to answer so many questions. And sometimes there isn't a simple answer. Like, "Ms. Smith, I turned in this movie poster and you gave me a 0, why?". Well, I don't know. It's Friday. You got a 0. That's life. You didn't turn it in. And I don't want to spend the next 10 minutes looking for it or otherwise explaining to you that you can't turn it in now because it's been more than the 5 days after the due date that you can turn in late work. No, I didn't lose it. You just didn't turn it in. Teachers don't make mistakes, just students. :)

Just now, "Ms. Smith, what time do we get out of here today?". Well, that's an easy one. Quick answer, and I'm back to my blog. Some days the questions don't bother me. Other days I want to scream.