Gotta Face the Music; Getting Over Unhealthy Obsession

The new year is about making changes right?
Trying something new?
I decided that it was time to organise my CRAZY habits/obsessions.
Try and make sense of them all or heaven forbid,
try to understand WHY? And then hopefully (fingers crossed) overcome them?
One at a time, of course.
Let's not get too carried away now.

Name: Lauren Hilary Wells
First and biggest obsession? Ponies
How long? All my life.
How does this obsession challenge me/creates problem for me? 
I talk to them as if they are people.
Refer to them as gorgeous, honey or baby.
I stop whatever I am doing when I see them.
Sometimes I carry apples, carrots in my bag for weeks - at the odd chance I might run into one.
I would ditch a date with a man to spend time with a pony.
Sometimes I dream about them.

I am 29 years old, this is concerning...but heck, 
I just can't help it.

Do you know how to say hi to a pony?
If you are brave enough, you softly blow into their cute little nostrils and
if they blow back...YOU ARE IN!
Meaning you are friends forever and you must from there on out, carry
carrots in your BACK pockets - ha!

(I made that all up - please don't try it at home)

I swear I was doing research for my students yesterday and I happen to come across this!
Before I knew what happened, I had ordered one book for every student in my class.
Now all I have to do is make a connection between the
Industrial Revolution and colouring horsies...any advice?

Old wise men are found in all shapes and sizes.

(well, I like to imagine this of  course)

One of my favorite pictures - look at big kind eyes.

Pony bread - tastes WAY better than normal bread.

Yum - eh!

Emo pony.

Question: How does he know where he is going?

Don't answer that, dumb question.

Gone with the wind.

Clearly I need to go to Iceland to get over this obsession.

Yes - that is indeed what I will do.

Decided.

Although...this is gonna be a haRRRd habit to break.

UGH - I don't think I can do this...give up this love/obsession!

bahhhhhh!

What to do?

What would Rhiannon Say?

Special Note: This blog post would NOT have been written or inspired had I not

seen the photos taken by 

Natsha Nandabhiwat.

She is a skilled photographer that I have 

always admired from afar.

Her photos/work should be seen by more

and I hope one day

to repay her for her fine pictures. 

Thank you Natsha.

Be the Exemplar? Nawww impossible!

In my mind Christmas break is over.

Although technically we still have a long weekend left, I have to be back in front of the class next Monday 

and well,  

I'M FREAKING OUT!

So what better way to help a freak out by going to school and pretending to get ready?

It was the most unproductive day all year

What a terrible student I am.

Love drinking from other people's MUGS - hah! And the best part, people get sooo pissed. Yes, I am a little RASCAL!

No idea what the heck I am doing for my next unit - ugh! Maybe if I just sit here longer the ideas will just come to me?

Procrastinating much Lauren?

What?!? Are you dancing. to Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros "40 Day Dream?" Yes - indeed!

Did someone say daydreaming? Or SQUIRREL!?! SHOOT LAUREN, why are you so UNFOCUSED today?

I hate getting back to work - stresses me out.

Butterflies all over again.

Gulp.

Here's  to a New Year of learning...I mean teaching.

New Year - New Friends - More Healthy Gum Laughs

I need to stop meeting people who make me laugh.

It hurts my belly!

New friend (Max and Me).

BOOM!

(7 hours at a North End Coffee correcting student work will make anyone

crazy, not to mention after 5 different cups of coffee)

Happy New Year Ladies and Gentlemen!

Whether or not you're ready here comes

 - 2013 -

So...yeah.

Find something or someone that makes you laugh
and HOLD ON TIGHT!
(well, not too tight...choking can occur)

Dying for a Coffee Bear

So the other day, I did a typical Lauren Wells thing.

Went for a run, took a new route, got lost, phone was out of money, with no ID to 

allow me in any clubs to get water, use phone, ask for directions.

However,

I did have money on me (this is a first)

And just enough for a MUCH NEEDED COFFEE -ha!

I was hurting pretty bad (ran 42 mins longer than expected) and must have looked like crrrrap

because the guys asked me if I was okay and I just nodded a weak yes.

And then they served me this.

How did they know I loved Bear Cappuccinos?

 

 

 

Clearly, I didn't waste any time.

And now I am officially addicted to BEAR cappuccino's, especially when I look like this...ugh!

Take that Bear....funny part was? I was only 1 km away from home - what a ding-dong right?

 

 

Almost 5 months in Dhaka and I'm gifted enough

to still get lost.

Special you say?

YES INDEED, I AM SPECIAL.

Well...that's what Rhiannon would say.

Fact.

My Christmas Wishes to YOU!

A little late - as per usual but better LATE than NEVER!

The BEST Mug/Christmas Present any teacher could ask for ;-)

How Do You Make a Brick?

When you think you really hate your job...just watch this.

This is how brick builders start their day.
The process of making bricks begins with a mix of dirt and clay.
BOOM!

The the clay is then shaped and dried for approx 4 -6 days.
After that it's transported into a big oven thingy to bake for 21 days.

This is one that is getting emptied at the moment (notice color of brick change once baked)
but when bricks need to be baked workers will fill this space and cover the top with dirt.
The next picture demonstrates what baking bricks would look like.

Not much, right?
WRONG!
Ms. Wells ran over that and the bottom of my shoes melted.
There are bricks baking under neath there, the WHOLE LENGTH of this rectangular oven.
But how?
The workers fill three rows of brick, one row of coal and repeat over and over again.
And then they make sure that they have little "air ducts" the length of the oven to
pull the fire the whole way through...kinda jumps row to row.
(oxygen feeds a fire; learnt that the hard way ;-(

It floored me how friendly they were considering what they were doing and
for how long...the brick operation stays running 24/7.

So really, how can one complain about their job?
I certainly cannot.
(why didn't I know this when I was rowing? Or before I had to do a 2km?)

P.S. Sorry for the LACK and LATE entries but
GUESS WHO JUST FINISHED SCHOOL ???

YOUPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Thank gawd - I am a sick train wreck!

Here Little Piggy-Pig-PIG; Let Me OUT OF SCHOOL!

This is what school will be like the last day.

GET OUT OF THE WAAAAAAAAY!

(just not sure if it will be the students or teachers pushing more?)

2 MORE DAYS.

Ms.Wells