Is My Head Really THAT Small??

The first time I realized that I had a small head was while in college.  I was still living at home and my dad had salvaged some football helmets from a middle school thinking that my mom could use them in the dress-up area of her preschool.  My younger brothers were trying to put them on but they weren't going over anyone's ears.  I grabbed one and went to set it on my head...we were all quite surprised when the helmet plopped down to my shoulders.  And even more surprised when I could turn my head back and forth...without the helmet moving.


Now, fastforward a few years...as you know from my previous post, I am in need of glasses.  I have had my exam and yesterday (Black Friday) I went shopping for frames.  I took a friend with me and we went to four different places. During the course of the first three, we learned what shapes and colors to stay away from.  However, when we got to the fourth place, some of those shapes and colors were suddenly working.  Then I noticed that they seemed smaller.  So we went to the youth/kids area and suddenly everything is looking good...  Anyway, seems I have a lot more options on what looks good when the glasses actually fit my face.


That being said, I am buying a pair on Monday.

Getting Old...

Most of the time I can avoid the realization.  I have a job that allows me to play catch and four-square, sing silly songs, lead messy science experiments and sleep-in late in the summer.  On my own time I play computer games and go on adventures with my camera and exporations with my car.  Mostly, I don't have time to think about getting old...

But sometimes the realization smacks me in the face.

I have been getting headaches lately, that are directly connected to the times that I am reading, grading or planning lessons.  So, yesterday, I had my first ever eye-exam.  I need glasses.  Not just any glasses. Bifocals.  (Nothing says, "old" like bifocals...unless it's trifocals.) I need support reading and I have an astigmatism.

Now you might be thinking, "Nobody has to know you have bifocals...just get the no-line lenses."  But the doctor tells me that the no-line lenses cause waviness in your peripheral vision.  Since I am not willing to sacrifice any of my peripheral vision...in my photography or my teaching (75% of all inappropriate behavior in the classroom takes place in my peripheral vision.)...I find myself not only having to admit to myself that I am getting old but I also have to announce it to the world.

So, I will be out with all of the crazy people who enjoy shopping during the holidays, trying to find a pair of frames that will just say "old"...not "old nerd". 

By the way, this will take place on Black Friday.  Yeah.  I don't know what I'm thinking either.  If nothing else, it will give me something to blog about.

Just Plain Ugly

I can't tell you how stressed I am.  I wish I could.  However, doing so would be irresponsible and severely lacking in good judgment and self-control.  AND could ultimately lead to more stress if I ended up losing my job over a momentary "vent".  So I will stick to generalizations.

I am tired of working 12-14 hours a day to barely keep my head above the water. Sick of being micro-managaed. Frustrated with the fact that there is no communication but you can be reprimanded when you don't know something.  I seriously do not know how much more of this I can take before I break.

If I do break, I won't be the first.  Three others have already broken and moved on...

Long Time, No Post...

Hey all,

I'm still here.  I'm exhausted...but I'm still here.  I underwent a major career shift this summer.  It may not seem that way to some but believe me...major shift.  Last year I was a teacher.  I taught Bible/Christian Worldview and Logic to junior high students.  Two subjects I am passionate about to students just slightly younger than the high school students I thoroughly enjoy.

This year I am a teacher.  I teach Bible and Science to 4th and 5th graders, Spelling and Handwriting to 4th graders and Math to 5th graders.  I am still passionate about Bible but Science?... and Math?...not so much. Spelling was my very worst subject in school and I don't even know how to write in cursive...  It's killing me.

The amount of classroom management, procedures, directions, and guidance I need to provide this year has tripled.  Last year I was able to take students who had basic knowledge and lead them deeper.  This year I have to teach the basic knowledge.  I don't know how to do that. 

I am spending 70 to 90 hours a week at work so far this year.  I am really tired and do not have a lot of time for things like....blogging, let alone things that keep me calm...like photography, reading, or road-tripping.  I will try to check in now and again.

On a final note:
4th and 5th grade certainly provide a plethera of blog fodder...if I could just find the time to share...

Word of the Day

Today has been brought to you by the word "disintegrated" and the word "horizonical"....which needed to be disintegrated...

Family Reunion

The middle of July marked my niece's first birthday and the first time in 11 years that my parents, brothers (and wives) and myself were all in the same room simultaneously.  It was so much fun.  Two and a half days of hugs and memories and laughter.  There were several memories shared that certain individuals had hoped would never be mentioned again. (Most of these involved flatulence and other bodily functions.)  There were also lots and lots of pictures.  The birthday party was enjoyed by all...my brother and sister-in-law put together an amazing cake.  The men played football in the heat and humidity while the more sensible women-folk cheered them on from the slightly cooler "veranda."  We all decided that we definitely get together more often than once a decade!

Lack of Blog Fodder...

So far my summer has been severely hampered by a lack of funds and a lack of transportation.  I have gone nowhere and done nothing.  Seriously.  However, I will be going to my niece's first birthday party next weekend...as will my entire immediate family.  This will be the first time in 11 years that we all have gotten together in the same place.  M & A are flying Mom and Dad to New Jersey this coming Monday and will head to Tennessee on Thursday.  T is flying into Baltimore on Thursday and he and I will drive down Friday morning...early.  Mom, Dad, Me, M & A, D & D & H (the birthday girl), and T...all together for two and a half days...it will be a blog fodder feast!

Jury Duty

I had jury duty yesterday.  This was my first time...I usually get out of the summons but this time I just postponed it until school got out.  So, I had no idea what to expect.

I woke up at 5:00am and left the house at 6:10am since I didn't know where I was going or how long it would take me to get there.  I ended up being perfect on my timing, arriving at the courthouse just 10 minutes prior to the 7:30am deadline.  It also put me in the first 25% of the jurors who were able to go through security without problem as opposed to the latter 75% who arrived between 7:30 and 8:00 and didn't get checked in until 8:30 or 9:00.

They started to assign us to groups by 9:30 or so and I found myself Juror #24 in the Purple Group.  But then I also found that I was Juror # 36 in the Red Group.  At first they told me that the computer thought I was two different people.  Umm. Ok.  But after the third or fourth person was assigned to the Purple and Red Group they realized it was a computer error.  A computer error that they have never had happen before.  And I'm thinking, "Great.  Everyone is going to think that this is my fault.  The one time that I actually have jury duty and the computer malfunctions."  I'm not making this up.  Anyway, they take all of the purple and red ticket back and after a few minutes they are re-assigned.  Now I am in no group.

A little after 11:00, the Yellow Group is given a 5-minute warning that their baliff is on the way and they should get ready.  It was very amusing watching 72 adults try to put themselves in numeric order....and then count...in numeric order.  Took them a couple of tries.  As soon as they left, an announcement is made that they need 35 juror...immediately.  I am now Juror #17 in the Hot Pink Group.  We are not given any time to get ready as our baliff was already there.  We go through the selection process and I am sitting on a jury panel.

It is a criminal case...marijuana...possession and possession with intent to distribute.  We had enough time to hear opening remarks and the prosecution's first witness before we broke for lunch.  About half-way through the second witness, I decided I better keep track of how often the prosecuting attorney said, "A moment of the court's indulgence."  I counted thirteen times...that is thirteen times that he got lost in his notes, couldn't find a note or just plain couldn't figure out what to say next. 

Then there were his "asked and answered" moments.  Like this one: PA: "Who are you imployed by?" W: "Prince George's County Police Department, eight years."  PA: "How long have you been there?"  W: "...uh...eight years."  Some of these were met with "objection" but others just slid by the defense attorney...or were ignored.  Personally, I think the defense attorney could have been the poster boy for the slogan "I'm not deaf, I'm ignoring you."  He looked completely bored through the whole trial.  He wasn't the only one...the security officer was so bored...HE...FELL...ASLEEP.  I kid you not.  Head against the wall, eyes closed, mouth open.   Thankfully he was not snoring...I would not have been able to rein in the giggles. 

Then the defense attorney stepped up to the plate.  In his opening remarks he was adamant that we know his client by name..."This is Devin...not 'the defendant'".   Yet every other time he referred to him, he called him "Kevin"...I guess it's close...it...rhymes.  And he kept getting his facts messed up.

There were so many mistakes and inconsistencies on both sides that it was hard to keep track of them all. 

So get to the deliberation portion of the schedule.  There is one juror who (reluctantly) tells us that this type of marijuana does not have a potent enough smell to rouse the suspicion of the cops...so they must be lying.   (Uh...OK.)   Another juror is sure that the cops are lying because when they gave their testimony and were asked, "On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the strongest, how strong was the smell of marijuana coming from the car?" one of the officers said "8" and the other one said "10"...so their stories didn't match.  (Seriously?)  Several of the jurors were convinced that Devin was smart and a smart person wouldn't consent to a search knowing that there were drugs in the car.  (I work with Junior High students that are smart enough to know that if you want someone to think that you are innocent of wrong-doing...you have to act like you are innocent...I mean COME ON!)  AND...everyone is talking at the same time.

Now, those of you that know me, know that I very often have something to say but I will rarely fight to be heard.  However, the forewoman was one of those people and she wanted to hear what I thought...was he innocent or guilty.  And here is the most difficult part of the whole experience.

He very well could be guilty.  I have no idea.  But I do know that they didn't prove that he was guilty.  The chain of evidence report stapled to the bag of marijuana didn't even have Devin/Kevin's name on it...it had one of his passenger's name as the owner of the drugs.  One of the reports had the wrong date for the incident.  There were no fingerprints taken from the bags of marijuana...even though they have that ability.  There was no cruiser cam video of the incident...even though they have that ability as well.  They proved that the marijuana was in his car but they did not prove that he "knew" about it or that he had the "intention of participating in the mutual enjoyment and use" of it.  When I was done speaking...there was a moment of silence as they all stared at me...then someone said, "ok.  Let's vote." 

I wouldn't mind doing it again but I can see that the experience could be very different...depending on the type of case you were assigned to.

Your Guess Is as Good as Mine...or Not...

I took a group of middle school students to New York for three days last week.  We had a blast!  The first day we spent the afternoon in lower Manhattan and at one point we passed a construction project.  One of the kids ran up to where I was and asked,

T: Ms. R...what is that?
Me: A building.
T: I know they are building a building but what is it going to be?
Me: How would I know?  I don't live here. Your guess is as good as mine.
T: I think it is a car factory.
(ok.  maybe not as good as mine...)
Me: It's probably not a car factory...considering we are in the middle of the financial district of New York City...
T: Oh, true, true.  Maybe it's a banana factory.

There is a moment of complete silence since I initially have no idea how to respond to this comment...

Me: A banana factory??
T: Yeah.  At least that way they don't have to melt the metal.
Me: How are they going to grow the bananas in that building?
T: Oh.  yeah.  I forgot you grow bananas.

The Perks of Still Having Tonsils...

I woke up this morning with a sore throat.  Both of my tonsils are swollen (yes, I still have my tonsils) as well as my uvula.  My second thought was, "Yeah! I can have ice cream today!"  (My first though was just plain, "Ugh.") So I start off my day with some coconut and pineapple Haagen Dazs ice cream.  My friend M told me that someone told her that "Haagen Dazs" was Swedish for "heart attack."



It's probably true.


Later, I had some Ben & Jerry's Phish Food...which I figure was more a more marketable name than "Sleep with the Fishes."


Right before bed I'm going for the raspberry sherbert...it's fat free.

Overheard Bits and Pieces

Today in Mrs. E's 7th grade Science class she was asked the following:

T: "If the sun is made up of that much helium...how come it doesn't foat away?"

(My immediate response was, "While saying, 'Bon Voyage" in a high, chipmunky voice...?'")



Sometimes you just have to shake your head and roll your eyes.

Pet Peeve

I have a pet peeve.  Well, I have several, actually, but I am only going to talk about one...



...people who drive their spiffy sports cars...10 MILES UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT!! 


I mean...COME ON!...I'm not asking you to break the sound barrier or anything...just go the speed limit.  Seriously!  It doesn't look right.  On the one had you are driving a machine that says, "Look at me...I am flashy...I am powerful...mere mortals wish they were me..." but your speed screams, "Look at me...I am in your way...I am inept...mere mortals would run me over if it were legal..."  What? Do you think that you need to go slow so that everyone can get a better look of you in your retirement fund?  Time to get over yourself...  Accelerate.  (It's the pedal on the right.)

Todays rant is brought to you by a 45-minute commute.

The Word of the Day

Today's word-of-the-day is brought to you by my 7th grade Algebra class.

The word is: 22th (pronounced Twenty-tooth)

Out of the Orange Excerpt
*slap* "When you're slapped by a woman you'll take it and you'll like it!" *slap* *slap*

Humphrey Bogart in the Maltese Falcon

My Mockiversary

About a year ago...little less...I had an epiphany.


It was a realization of unfairness.  Why should I--just because I am single and content to be so--go without the things that most other women get to enjoy on their anniversary?  A special night out, expensive jewelry, a nice dinner or secluded get-a-ways.  OK, so I don't have a husband to surprise me with flowers or jewelry but...why couldn't I buy them for myself?  (I can't believe it has taken me this long to come to this place...)  So anyway, after some thought, I decided that my "mockiversary" would be on March 18 and yesterday was my first.

I kept it light...since I just got a brand new car on Valentine's Day and a brand new phone and a beach vacation President's Day weekend.  I took myself out to dinner and a movie and I had a wonderful time.  And since I had no idea what movie I was going to see or where I was going to eat until I got there, it was a nice surprise as well.

I'm Part Leprechaun...

I know it is not a Monday but I am sharing a memory in honor of St. Patrick's Day. 

The students that are currently in my sixth grade class are the same students that were in kindergarten the year I was Mrs. Jackson's (kindergarten) assistant.  It was a difficult year for me.  Mostly because I have a difficult time teaching foundational knowledge that needs to be learned by rote.  Playing and interacting with them was great but teaching them "short vowel sounds" and "counting to one hundred"...not my thing.

On St. Patrick's Day I decided to pull their leg a little...ok...a lot.  While Mrs. Jackson took them upstairs to visit the bake sale, I stayed behind to set the stage.  First, I locked the door, opened the emergency exit window and knocked over a few chairs.  Then I took $5.00 in pennies and scattered them all over the room and put a blue marble in each student's pencil box.  Finally, I stood at the door, listening for their return.  When I heard them outside the door, I started yelling, "Stop! No! What do you think you are doing? I'm not letting you go! You're mine now! etc."  Mrs. Jackson tries to come in and finds the door locked and starts pounding on the door yelling, "Ms. Janet?  What's going on?  Are you ok?" (She's was always ready to play along with my schemes...plus she had plenty of her own!)

I finally come and open the door and I stand there, disheveled and gasping for air.  I had never seen that class so quiet or their eyes so huge.  They didn't say anything.  Mrs. Jackson asks me what happened and I gasp out, "There...(gasp)...was a...(gasp)...Leprechaun...(gasp)"

The kids came into the room...sort of (they pretty much stayed by the door at first) and I told them what happened.  "I was going with you to the bake sale but I heard a noise in the classroom so I went back and there he was...just standing there...a Leprechaun.  I knew that if I could catch him he would have to give me his gold so I locked the door and chased him around the room.  He kept tripping over the chairs so I was able to grab him as he was trying to go out the emergency window.  But then he got loose.  He got away but I tore a hole in his money bag and his gold spilled all over the room!"

The kids still haven't said a word.

"You can keep whatever you can find..."  They still don't say anything but they do start scrambing around collecting pennies.

Finally, one boy asks, "What was he doing here?"

"I don't know," I said, "but I saw him messing with some pencil boxes."

They all make a run for their pencil boxes and discover little blue balls of glass.  "He left us this."

I gasp loudly and then, in my best "hushed-whisper-of-awe" voice I say, "Do....you....know...what...that...is??  That is an Imagination Ball!  The legends say that as long as you have an Imagination Ball you will have an ammmmmaaaaazzzzzing imagination!"

Soft "oohs" and "aahs" from the kids.


Now, I probably should have stopped here.  But no.  One of the kids says, "How do you know about the Imagination Ball?"

"I'm part Leprechaun.  Because my great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was a Leprechaun."

"No, he wasn't."

"Yes, he was.  His name was Littleberry Roach...and if that's not a Leprechaun name, I don't know what is."

"You mean your great-grandpa was green?!"

"Real Leprechauns aren't green...that's just in the movies.  Real Leprechauns look just like everybody else...they just have special skills."

"Do you have special skills?"

"Yes.  I can tell good stories and I can make people laugh."

GASP "It's true you guys!! She tells good stories!"

A Hallmark Moment

Ok. This is another installment of the "Out of the Orange" series of humorous one liners (remember...not all one liners are actually one line...).

Hallmark Movie

          "How could you do this?"

          "I was mad."                      

                 "At the school?"

          "At my parents."                    

"So why didn't you spray paint them?"

*snicker*

Moments from Mondays Gone by...

This morning, as I was reading through some of the blogs that I follow, I noticed that there were a couple of stories involving dogs.  That got me thinking about the dogs we had growing up so I have decided to share a "dog" memory.

Now, we had several dogs growing up and they were all unique...but there was one dog in particular...well, he was special...

His name was Zach.  Zaccheus, actually, because when Dad brought him home the only thing we had to tie him to was a Sycamore tree.  He was a black lab puppy that, before we knew it, turned into a black lab dog.  He was strong and full of energy...uprooting the young Sycamore tree, then tipping over the big swing set (the next thing he was tied to) and then separating the porch from the house...

But before I share this particular memory, I must preface it by saying:

I have a temper.

Some people hear me say that and are shocked.  "I've never even seen you get angry," they say.  That's because I am Christian ADULT who believes in practicing self-control.  But seriously, I have red hair...and I'm Irish...it's kind of a no-brainer.  However, I did not always practice self-control.  In fact, when I was young, I very rarely practiced self-control.

So anyway, I am coming home from school one day (I was about 12) and it was a bad day...maybe...at least I like to think I was already having an awful day because it makes my reaction seem a little less...insane...
Zach is all excited because now there are kids and kids means he will be let loose and he can play.  Even as it was happening, I knew that he didn't do it on purpose, but... he was soooo excited to see me and he's barking and jumping around and (when I got close enough) putting his paws on my chest and trying to lick my face...and he bit me.

It was just a nip, really.  But, evidently, it was enough, because...









I bit him back.





Yes.  I grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and chomped.  Through the haze of my anger I hear my mother yell, "Janet Lorraine Roach! Get that dog out of your mouth!"  Or something to that effect.  Zach and I stood there looking at each other with petulant glares before each going to our separate rooms to sulk although my sulk lasted a lot longer than his did.  That is one of the best things about a dog...they don't hold grudges.  Still to this day, I wonder what the neighbors were thinking?...





Oh. And if YOU are wondering what I was thinking?...well...I wasn't.  Eventually, I learned to control my temper but I just have to chuckle sometimes, because, when I get angry, my first reaction is still wanting to "bite" something.  But I stick to gum these days.

Out of the Orange

Out of the blue (idiom), a phrase describing an unexpected event

 
I have an odd collection....ok, maybe two...but the collection I'm talking about here is my collection of one-liners.  You know...those clever, witty and funny lines in a movie, TV show or book that come out of the blue and make you laugh and start to plan how you can work it into your own everyday conversations.  (Come on...I know you practice...)  I keep my collection in an orange book (Out of the Orange) and everytime I hear or read something that makes me laugh, I grab the nearest pen and jot it down on whatever is handy...scrap of paper, napkin, my hand...until it finds its place in the book.
 
Anyway, I have decided to periodically share them with you.
 
Disclaimer: Not all one-liners are actually one line.
 

Stargate Atlantis

                                                                                      "That's strange."
                                                "Define 'strange'."
 

"You don't know the meaning of 'strange'?"

*snicker*

Overheard Bits and Pieces

Yesterday in 7th grade Bible class I am teaching about Israel's captivity to Assyria and Judah's captivity to Babylon with this result:

Me: Nebuchadnezzar captures King Zedekiah, pokes his eyes out and drags him to Babylon to be a slave.
T: Eeeewwww! They poked his eyes out??!  But wouldn't his eyes bleed to death?
R: (dramatic sigh) He was already dead!
Me (to T): That's not the right way to use that phrase...
Me (to R): He wasn't dead.  They took him to Babylon to be a slave.
K: What's he going to do?? He's BLIND! He can't do anything.
R: (dramatic sigh) He can talk!
Me (in my head): Yeah. They capture the king of Judah and take him to Babylon to serve as a talker.
O: But how did he grow his eyes back?!
K (to O): You can't grow eyes!  You can get new eyes today but they didn't have that technology back then.
O: But...then what did they do...with like...the holes?
Me: Probably nothing.
T: Eeeewwww! They didn't even put like...rocks or something in them???

Don't you wish you had my job?

Trying to Catch My Breath

I can't believe that it is February! Wait! I can't believe that February is more than half over! I certainly don't have any pictures to show for it.








I started the year off with an ear infection that prevented me from getting outside...







Then we were into mid-terms and semester report cards...







And then there was the car accident...







Yes, two weeks ago I was involved in a car accident. My car "Ursula Sinead Popodopolis" was a total loss. I didn't even get pictures of that... My shoulder is still bothering me some but that is the extent of my injuries...I'm thankful that I wasn't a total loss. Actually, I am thankful for a whole lot in this situation.

Had I been 6 inches farther down the road my door would have collapsed in on me.  After the lady ran into me I ricocheted off her vehicle through two lanes of traffic.  There was no one next to me or behind me so I didn't hit anyone on my way through the lanes and I didn't get hit by anyone else.  I hit my shoulder but I didn't hit my head.  I was driving a Toyota so my car was worth $1000.00 more than what I owed on it.  The lady that hit me was honest with her insurance company so there was no "fault" dispute.  Ten days after the accident I was in my new car.  To borrow one of my favorite quotes, "God is...God is...God is God, you know?!"




So, I have a new car and the upcoming weekend is supposed to be warm (mid-50s) and sunny so I am headed to the Outer Banks this weekend. Maiden Road Trip for Shamgar "Chuck" O'Malley...







I am hoping that by choosing a tough and manly name, people will be less likely to run into my car. So I have christened my new car Shamgar "Chuck" O'Malley. Shamgar...as in the guy who is only mentioned in one verse of the Bible, Judges 3:31, yet killed 600 Philistines in one day--with a pointy stick. Chuck...as in Norris. And O'Malley...representing my inner banshee and every Irish curse connected to my heritage.







Anyway...time to get on with the journey.

You Know Those "Search Overload" Commercials?

This is part of my Bits 'N Pieces series...

You know those "search overload" commercials where someone asks an innocent question and suddenly everyone around them is offering random, meaningless information?...that is my 7th grade class.

T: It would be a lot more interesting if they dropped a super ball off the building on New Year's Eve instead of a ball on a stick...
C: When people fall off buildings they go like this (followed by mad flailing in his seat)...
R: Why do they always dance like that in Bollywood movies?...
G: Did anyone see Indian Terminator?

I am so glad that their words do not have actual mass...I would come home with a concussion on a daily basis.

R: Why do you want to know who was burping in Justin's face?...
T: I said G was talking about reproducing in space...
G: No. I asked if you could produce food in outer space...

Somebody just shoot me now.

Why Isn't This on the Radio?....oh.

So I am on my way to work this morning when I hit the parkway (which you cannot see until you are already committed and on the ramp) which is a parking lot.  I think to myself "hmm. I didn't hear anything on the radio about an accident..." I sit there...and sit there...and sit there. For 40 minutes I'm sitting there and every 10 minutes I hear the traffic report and there is absolutely no information on what is going on.  Finally, I get to where I can see the situation.






There are two trucks with lighted arrows, directing everyone into one lane.  There are three cars on the side of the road with their emergency lights on.  There is a couple of pieces of clothing in the middle of the unused lane...just clothing...











...and a dog....














...standing...












....on top of the clothing...













...with a couple of people kneeling in front of him.


No wonder it was not mentioned on the radio.  Everyone who normally calls the radio station took one look at the situation and thought..."how in the world do I explain this?!"

I Love My Mother

It is bitterly cold here in DC. The kind of cold that kills people...



Ok. So it's not "the coldest it's ever been" or even "as cold as it gets some places" but it is cold enough.  Cold enough to burn your face and numb your limbs.  Cold enough to freeze your lungs in place and frost your eardrums. 


And while my face is chilly and my knees are numb, the rest of me is like toast...because I'm wearing my coat....that my mom bought me.

I love my mom.

Refections? Or Not...

I am sitting here watching the Rose Bowl Parade and looking over blogs that I follow and reading facebook statuses...

There is a whole lot of reflecting going on.  I suppose that is natural but I have never really gotten into the whole "refecting over the last year as you bring in the new one".  I don't know why.  Maybe because reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future is something I do regularly throughout the year.  Some of my reflection times happen at regular intervals...like June 5, August 31, and March 18...but there are other times of reflection that are brought about by random events.

a memory
                                                   a thought
                                                                                                  a picture
                                    a conversation
                                                                  a sound
               a smell

You get the idea.  Anyway, as far as I can recall, 2010 was pretty good.  I will reflect in detail later...right now, I'm enjoying the parade.