Spotlight of the Week - berylayn!

Hey guys, thanks for a great week - I had a blast! Y'all had some great questions that really made me think!

This week I'm passing it on to my own personal mentor, Beryl! She doesn't post THAT much (at least in comparison), so this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about her!

Here are my first questions:

1. What do you think is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?
2. If you had to invite any 5 people to a dinner (past or present), who would it be and why?
3. What is your favorite flower?
4. What is your favorite chocolate/sweet?
5. Do you collect anything - and if so, what?

Can you tell I chose some of those questions because they gave me the most trouble?! Enjoy!

Congrats! Standard questions from me.

1. Where were you born?

2. You are in Virginia now, right? What do you like about your state or what don't you like?

3. Do you like to travel? What's the favorite place that you have visited and where do your want to go that you haven't been to yet?

4. Does your kitty play with turds?

Thanks so much Ari! I am flattered to be chosen and I am hoping that I can answer questions half as good as you did. TCS member a tough. And you chose some of the toughest ones to start me off!

1. What do you think is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness?

I think my biggest strength is caring for people. I am always trying to making sure everyone is trying to have a good time or everyone is happy or pleased or whatever. On the flip side this can be my greatest weakness as well. Sometimes, I care too much that I can put other's feelings before my own, or take things too personally when I am lashed out at.


2. If you had to invite any 5 people to a dinner (past or present), who would it be and why?

This is such a tough one!! First of all my grandmother on my dad's side. Everyone tells me we are so alike, but she passed away when I was about 7 or 8 so I never knew her THAT well. Second, I would invite my dad because I am sure he would like a chance to see her again. Third, I would invite whoever the Disney teacher of the year was for the current year becuase I'd want to soak up any and all advice about how they do their job. Fourth, Deborah Gibson, does anyone remember her? She was a singer back in the 80's who's now gone on to acting and broadway. She was my childhood idol. And last, hmmmmmm, perhaps Jimmy Fallon. He was hysterical on Saturday night live and I had such a star struck crush on him when I was in college.

Haha, not a very profound dinner table I know. But it would be interesting nonetheless.


3. What is your favorite flower?

I love gerbera daisies (they come is so many colors and are so cheerful!), and I also love red roses because Brendan gets them for me every year on Valentines Day.

4. What is your favorite chocolate/sweet?

Anything! haha, not really though. I love the chocolate cheesecakes from the 'Cheesecake Factory'. They are so decadent but so good!

5. Do you collect anything - and if so, what?

I am not a big collector of anything. I am embarassed to say that when I was in High School I collected Beanie Babies. There still must be hundreds of those things at my parents house!

1. Where were you born?

I am a native Virginian born and raised. I have lived in towns all within 20 miles of each other and all about 40 minutes from Washington DC.

2. You are in Virginia now, right? What do you like about your state or what don't you like?

yup. still in VA. I love having all four seasons here. even though I HATE winter, I don't know what I'd do without it and without snow days that get me out of work. I also love that everything is so green here. There are trees everywhere and its fun to watch them change colors in the fall.

What I don't like - TRAFFIC. I live in the fastest growing county in the USA. The cars are a nightmare and driving can be no fun.

3. Do you like to travel? What's the favorite place that you have visited and where do your want to go that you haven't been to yet?

I LOVE traveling. One of my favorite places to go is DisneyWorld. I just never get tired of going there. I also love San Diego, CA. There was a time in my life I wanted to move there. Ireland is also beautiful. So green! I can't pick just one place.

I have not been oversees much. I would love to go to Isreal, Italy, and Australia before I die.

4. Does your kitty play with turds?

That made me laugh so hard I almost spit out my coffee. Unfortunately yes she does. For those of you not in on the joke, see this thread

poopy apartment

Hi Berylayn Congrats for the nomination!!!!!!
Let´s see... hummmmmm

1.- Can you speak spanish?
2.- Do you know MÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]xico?
3.- Do you like the Mexican Cuisine? ( have you ever try sometime?)
4.- Do you have indoor plants?
5.- Wich brand do you buy for your kitties?

Have a nice Weekend!

Thanks for the questions! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend as well! Lets see here...


1.- Can you speak spanish?

No, and I wish I could! It would be so helpful for teaching. I have a student this year who moved to the US from Chile and all she spoke was Spanish at the start of this year. Fortunately I have a teaching assistant who speak fluent Spanish so she has helped this student immensely with feeling comfortable in our class.

2.- Do you know MÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]xico?

I know of Mexico, I crossed the border once while visiting San Diego to go to Tijuana, but I have never gotten the chance to sight see or visit all of the wonderful places in Mexico I have heard so much about. I love to travel so perhaps one day I will get there!

3.- Do you like the Mexican Cuisine? ( have you ever try sometime?)

I love Mexican food, but have never really tried traditional mexican. I eat at Americanized Mexican restaurants all the time. My absolute favortie type of food!!

4.- Do you have indoor plants?

I am not so good at caring for plants. I love them and I wish I had the time and patience to put them in my house but I would probably kill any house plant I would even attempt to care for.

5.- Wich brand do you buy for your kitties?

Food Brand I buy Nutro Nautural Choice Kitten Food Dry and the Authority Chicken and Rice wet food. No complaints from Eb yet, so that's good.

Congratulations berylayn!

My question is: What is your "dream" job?

Originally Posted by yayi

Congratulations berylayn!

My question is: What is your "dream" job?

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What a hard question! I wish I could say I am doing my dream job. I have wanted to teach since I was 15 years old, which I am doing now, but now that I am teaching I don't know that I can see myself doing it forever. So perhaps it wasn't my real dream.

I think I would really love to own my own business. Either my own coffee shop or card/craft store. Opening a business is hard work though are there aren't any promises that you'll be successful so I don't know that I'd ever try. But I think it would be fun to have my own store that I built from the ground up.

Originally Posted by berylayn

I think I would really love to own my own business. Either my own coffee shop or card/craft store.

Click to expand...

Let's do it together - I always kinda wanted to have my own coffee shop!

Originally Posted by pinkdaisy226

Let's do it together - I always kinda wanted to have my own coffee shop!

Click to expand...

Oooo, yay! When we both get tired of being teachers we'll do it.

What sports do you like to watch?

Are you a dreamer or a realist? Or both?

Have you ever stood in a waterfall?

Do you cry at movies?

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

1. Do you drink alcohol?

2. Do you watch reality t.v?

3.Anything that annoys you in public e.g. people who don't say sorry when they bump into you?

What sports do you like to watch?

I am not a big sports fanatic. However I enjoy going to more fast paced sporting events. Hockey and Basketball games are always fun to go an watch. I enjoy football every once and awhile too.

Are you a dreamer or a realist? Or both?

I would sayI am a little of both. I am definitely a dreamer and my mind tends to wander a lot about what the future holds and things I'd like to do an accomplish in my life. On the other hand I am a realist in that I tend to be pretty practical in the way I give advice to others and live my life.

Have you ever stood in a waterfall?

No I have not! But I am sure it would be an amazing experience.

Do you cry at movies?

Not very often. I will get teary eyed, but I don't think I have ever sobbed at a movie. I am not a big crier in general.

Congratulations!

Thanks!

1. Do you drink alcohol?

I have my moments. Every once and awhile i enjoy a glass of wine with dinner, or I'll drink socially at a party. I haven't drank to get drunk in a long time though.

2. Do you watch reality t.v?

OMG I watch TOO much reality TV. The show Survivor got me hooked, then I watched the first seasons of American Idol and the first season of The Apprentice. I've seen many of the reality TV shows at least once. My new show to watch is The Biggest Loser and its really the only reality TV show I am watching regularly at the moment.

3.Anything that annoys you in public e.g. people who don't say sorry when they bump into you?

There are plenty of things but I am having trouble thinking of one off the top of my head. I guess one is when people are not really paying attention and walk in a door you are about to go into but don't hold it open for you. Also, slow people annoy me. The ones who take up a whole aisle and don't move when you're obvioulsy trying to get around. Just little pet peeves. I am sure I have more. I just can't think of them.

Originally Posted by berylayn

What a hard question! I wish I could say I am doing my dream job.

I have wanted to teach since I was 15 years old, which I am doing now, but now that I am teaching I don't know that I can see myself doing it forever. So perhaps it wasn't my real dream.

I think I would really love to own my own business. Either my own coffee shop or card/craft store. Opening a business is hard work though are there aren't any promises that you'll be successful so I don't know that I'd ever try. But I think it would be fun to have my own store that I built from the ground up.

Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. I agree that being your own boss is the best job.

Miss Beryl! This is quite nice getting to put you in the hotseat. So tell us....


Baltimore Orioles or Atlanta Braves?

Which era in history would you liked to have lived through?

What would be the perfect evening for you?

Which of Ebony's Secret Santa gifts are still in one piece?

Baltimore Orioles or Atlanta Braves?

I am definitely an Orioles fan all the way. I loved when my daddy would take me out to Camden Yards to spend quality time with him and watch them play.

Which era in history would you liked to have lived through?

This is a toughie. Especially since I am not a history buff and history was my worst subject in school. However I think I would've been neat to grow up during the greek/roman empire. I did spend a lot of time studying the history then. Some very interestng things were reported to have happened, I would've loved to be there to witness it all!


What would be the perfect evening for you?

This is a very open ended question! I love leisurely summer evenings, when I don't have to work, I love taking walks when the sun is setting and then just curling up on our porch or on the couch to read a book and enjoy some iced coffee. Just something where I don't have any obligations to fufil and I can relax.


Which of Ebony's Secret Santa gifts are still in one piece?

lol!!! good question!! Well definitely not the food (its already long gone, eb loved it!), not that cat nip...

hmmm, she LOVES her purple cat tail chaser thing. Brendan and I throw down the hall and then she runs after it. We're currently trying to teach her to fetch it and bring it back to us. so far that has been a failed attempt. She's too lazy. She'll run after it, sit down and look at it, and then look up at us to come get it for her. silly girl.

Originally Posted by berylayn

Baltimore Orioles or Atlanta Braves?

I am definitely an Orioles fan all the way. I loved when my daddy would take me out to Camden Yards to spend quality time with him and watch them play.

Click to expand...

Good job! That's the correct answer. You get the refrigerator behind door #2 for that one!

oooooooo yay! I didn't realize there were prizes involved with that one. You just made my daY!

Beryl -- Congratulations! Here are some more questions for you:

1. What grade/ subject do you teach? Why did you choose that particular grade and/or subject?

2. Do you have any brothers or sisters?

3. What is your favorite Washington D.C. monument?

4. What is your favorite Washington D.C. museum? (Hirshorn, Air & Space, etc.)

5. Where did you get Ebony? What made you decide to choose her?