The Last Weeks Have Been Numbing....Literally

Well I'll explain the title first.  Since Monday, February 17 I've had a weird loss of sensation and numbness in my left index finger.   Everything else on my hand is fine...just the finger is acting up.   I woke up and noticed it felt funny.   I thought I slept on it wrong.   Nope.   I bit the bullet on Wednesday and went to the walk-in clinic to get a professional perspective.   The doctor was stumped but we are trying a two week Aleve regimen to see if there is some inflammation that is making a nerve unhappy.   I thought I had some improvement yesterday but it was just the fact my hands felt frozen and cold.    The numbness was back when I warmed up at home.  

I forgot to mention a really cool financial program Jon and I are participating in through our church.  It's called Financial Peace University and it's coordinated by Dave Ramsey.   I've known a few people/couples in past years that have used an envelope system for managing finances.   The program calls to the fact that you do have to use automatic withdrawal, online payments, and checks to pay for some bills.   For other areas, you are to use envelopes to manage cash.    I will be using an envelope for my personal spending money, groceries, and eating out.    I've also created envelopes that allow me to save month-by-month for my car insurance, Gavin's needs, etc.   The program's premise is that it's helpful to feel actual money and see it change hands.   It's very easy to swipe a debit card or credit card and not truly understand the debt it may be creating.   March will be our first month trying the envelope system.   I'm excited to get rid of more of my debt and be more efficient about the process.  

I see other perks developing from our involvement in the financial class.   It is going to cause us to shop using a grocery list.   If I only have so much cash to use on groceries and eating out, it will help prevent impulse purchases.   I'm even trying to be more mindful about left-overs and meal planning as the amount of food we waste is crazy.   If we have a better handle on shopping and food preparation, it will affect our health and weight loss too.  

One of my stressors is a professional development opportunity that I should be attending in April.   It is  the national convention for the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance.   It is in St. Louis.   My main concern is the funding I have through ISU.  I thought I had more funds available for professional development but as of now I have $315.00 and I don't know how far that will go.   I'm a slacker though and haven't scrutinized airfare options yet.   On the plus side, I can share a hotel room with a colleague and she's paying for that with her professional development funds.  I'll probably just make up the difference and use some of my tax refund to support the trip.   I want do more professional development on a regular basis so I'm teaching my classes well and it's a significant portion of my annual evaluation each year.

Thanks to Mr. Taxman, I'm paying into the state this year.   Fortunately, I am getting my typical federal refund.    It's going to help me set up a money market savings account (for the financial class), buy new tires soon, pay for some of that St. Louis trip, save up for Gavin's driver's education fee, and pay off more debt.   I will probably stash some away for vacation in August.   We plan to go to House on the Rock and bop around that part of Wisconsin and NE Iowa for part of a week in August.  

I'm in a mental slump right now because I have to stay in Ames until 10pm tonight because I"m teaching a portion of the DMACC coaching authorization seminar.   I shouldn't gripe though because it's good money.   I only teach it once in awhile but it gets old.   Teaching for 5 straight hours is never easy but depending on the class dynamic, things progress quickly.   I hope I didn't just jinx that.  I'm also the "hodge-podge" instructor as I have to cover topics that are mandatory but don't fit on other days very well.    I teach about moral development, cognitive development, social-emotional development, some legal information (liability/negligence), and physical development.    Oh yes, and I have to cover hazing.  Considering that it is supposed to snow this afternoon and/or evening, I am hoping I can easily drive home afterwards.   I am thrilled to sleep in tomorrow and we really don't have much planned at all for the weekend.  

Time to go teach!

*insert a well-thought out title*

Greetings:

Sadly I had hoped I the blog entry would be written hours ago but I successfully distracted myself with other tasks around the house.   I was advised to leave work early today due to the thundersnow and crazy precipitation.   It really wasn't THAT horrible but it was nice to get home early as Gavin was dismissed two hours early.   I don't think he'd want to walk home in the slushy mess.   The half-day allowed me to catch up with some laundry and prepare a wholesome dinner in the crockpot.   We had chicken taco chili for supper.    I made some pistachio pudding too but I'm waiting to ensure it sets.   I've never had it before...let's hope it's wonderful.

Jon and I are trying to be more regimented with Weight Watchers but with that being said, we didn't go yesterday to weigh-in.   I am seriously contemplating using the online program alone.   I really don't care for the meetings.   The leader is just too much.   I really don't see another time of the week to attend that works with my schedule either.    Sigh.   Either way something needs to kick for my motivation because it is L-A-C-K-I-N-G.   I've undone my weight loss from last year.    Some clothes are fitting more tightly.    I really need to dive head first into some changes.   

On a different note, I may be attending a conference in April in St. Louis.   I'm still contemplating.   I need to find someone to cover Swim & Gym for me.   Most of me really wants to go because I really want to do more professional development on a regular basis.   I'm also attending a conference in March too but it's located in Ames.   The St. Louis conference is for AAHPERD (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance).   The conference in March is called the Risky Business Conference.   Experts speak about the latest health concerns for youth.    I just need to organize some information so I can make an official decision for the St. Louis venture.

I have been reading more (thanks to the Kindle).   I read The Help since we recently watched the movie on the dish.   Like usual, the book is better than the movie.   I am currently reading Little Women because I remembered enjoying so much in my teen years.    I also want to read Why Teach?  In Defense of Real Education but I don't want to buy it on my Kindle.   I need to walk my butt into the Ames Public Library and borrow it soon.   I've read a sample of it though and it should be interesting.   It hits on the consumerism aspect of post-secondary education and how the business of college is changing the educational process.  

With Gavin now being 14, we need to figure out when to get him to a DOT station so he can try to take his exam for his driver's permit.   I want him to have that first because I sign him up for driver's education this summer.    Then again I may wait even longer before I sign him up for that.    We'll see.   When the weather isn't so cruddy, I am going to take him to some parking lots that are close to Saylorville Lake.   The parking lots are huge and usually vacant so it will be a nice place for him to practice.    I'm sure I'll find some logical blacktops and gravel roads too.  

OK, that's enough for now.   Hopefully I can boast some health-related success next time.