Do something

I applied for and registered my teacher certification today and realized that it's finally Summer vacation.

I gotta do some shit.

#1. Craft some stuff

I have some old rainboots that are broken that I want to repurpose...soooomehoooowww. I also really want to learn how to sew. I'm not talking making my own clothing. Just fixing or sprucing up (buttons back on, sleeves adjusted, hemming, etc...).

#2. Read some serious shit

 These are just the books that I pulled from the books in my room. There are several more out in the living room. I've started 4 of these already and put them down in favor of other things for school.

Bottom to top:
- Maus II
- The House of Silk
- The Complete Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes
- The Long Afternoon of the Earth
- The Witches of Eastwick
- Homo Zapiens
- From the Dust Returned





#3. Become Super Awesome Teacher-Lady

While I'm applying for jobs in every direction, I'm working on my own personal professional development. I've found Pinterest to be an excellent source of information, along with the monthly subscription to English Journal and English Bulletin.

In addition, when Jay and I were out in Carthage on a photo shoot in an old house, I found this little gem:

"A Progressive Course in English for Secondary Schools"

Oh you better believe it. I've perused it and I like what it has to say. It's like the 1910 version of Diana Hacker's writing guide.







Just today I've already started on #1! I made a magazine rack out of an old wire hanger. DO somethin'.

My Fashion Post

I dressed up TWICE this weekend.

And I liked it.

For the last few years I've been a t-shirt and jeans/shorts kinda girl. They're easier and I don't have to keep my legs clenched together when I sit. After 9 months of dressing up 5 days a week for 8 hours or more of that day, looking nice has rubbed off on me (I say that sitting here in plaid shorts, a tank and a gauzy top...still an upgrade from high school).

Last weekend I confessed to some friends that I follow a few fashion blogs. You wouldn't think so looking at me, but it's true. My favorites are Kendi Everyday, EmilyAnneStyle, A Pretty Penny, and Yours Truly, x. Every single one of them is a powerful woman, an excellent writer and a snappy dresser.

On Saturday we went to a wedding. And we looked good.

The watch, tie and fancy shirt do it for me every time.

He doesn't believe it, but he really is that handsome. Shall I pour on some more sap?

Dress: Target
Bag: Target
Belt: Thrifted
Necklace: Jay found the charm randomly and I found a cord for it
Shoes: Can't see them but they're from Target

Probably the first picture of us together since our wedding...in October.





Continue to follow this blog (I have a GREAT idea for a new comic...retail-centered...you'll love it) but I've started another one: "Poetry is Lame": A Poetry Blog which will be updated on a regular basis.

Do Work

I have the day off today, which. is. awesome.

What's NOT awesome is that I've spent the last 3 hours watching an episode of The Simpsons, House and Sherlock. I know full-well that there are things that I need to do before "Easter Weekend" begins. I have a really hard time focusing on...well...anything. Even now, Sherlock is on my laptop screen and I'm blogging on my tablet.

I've also taken the liberty of drawing for you again. Here's what my mind is like most of the time:

I don't know how to fix that. I know what I need to do, the execution is a little elusive. I love watching people be productive on TV though. It makes me feel productive too.

What do I need to do to focus? I mean, what does focus even look like? I keep expecting something like this to happen to me once I achieve that Nirvana of productivity:

Still waiting for that damn rainbow.

I Got My Hair Cut...Wanna See?

{March 15, 2012}



















{The next day}

















{Gotta Love Bathroom Shots}











{My original goal was to get a haircut that was low maintenance. If I didn't care about looking like a girl, this WOULD be low maintenance. I've started making time to curl it every day.}

My Process:

• Night before, shower
• Spritz my hair with a concoction I discovered here at a fellow blogger's blog.
• Spend 15 minutes the next day curling it, spritz one last time and I have curls all day which is impossibly incredible given how unyielding it was in junior high and high school

{Because of the recent heatwave, sometimes the bangs need to be pinned back. Glad I can still do that!}

I'm pleased overall, though because my face is kind of androgynous (I make a really cute boy by the way, I've been told so by someone who saw a picture of me and thought I was a boy) I have to put forth the extra effort everywhere else to make sure there isn't any question as to my sex.

Just Checking In...

Seeing how you're all doing...you know...catching up...making sure everything's...cool.

I'm in a blogging rut as is evidenced by my digital disappearance. I've been over at Twitter, being another mindless, tweeting drone like the rest of humanity. I do enjoy it as an art form, being able to make my thought super-precise or run the risk of never getting it out there. Did you know that the Library of Congress is logging tweets into America's history? Like...every tweet by anyone ever. It's true. Don't believe me? I wouldn't either. But it is true.

Unit and lesson planning has consumed my life, as it should. I begin teaching 3/4 of my classes on the 23rd and then I incorporate world lit on the 30th. I'm excited and rearing to go. A bit apprehensive of what happens after all of this. Looking for teaching positions within a 100 mile radius and so far I have come up with 2 for now. Maybe in the summer things will open up.

I'll be really sad if I feel the need to get rid of yet another blog. Holy Matrimony! has suffered a hiatus as well, since I'm married and our lives have pretty much gone back to normal. Maybe I could post a couple of date-night stories when we have them.

Now I'm just speculating as I type, which is a good sign that the blog post is over.

Part Of My Problem

This is an older story, but it's still applicable:

Me [on the phone with a friend who is coming in from the other side of the country to be at our wedding]: Well I have rehearsal until around 4:00 and the bus doesn't come until 4:45 sooo...if you wanted to pick me up...

Friend: Sure, we can make that happen.
[conversation ends. I'm in the car with Jay, by the way]

Jay [feigning hurt]: I could have picked you up.

Me: Did you want to? I can tell him he doesn't need to. I can do it right now.

Jay [continuing to feign hurt, really obviously]: Oh no! No don't worry about it! It's fine. I guess you just don't want to see me! [or something to that effect]

Me:...you know...sometimes when you are pretending to be mad, I think you really are mad and you're just pretending to pretend to be mad.

Jay:..........what?

Me: [repeats phrase...several times]

Jay:....You THINK too much!

And I do. That's part of my problem. I operate on that level of social scrutiny (paranoia maybe?) 24/7. It's exhausting and I would just LOVE to stop...but it's harder than it sounds.

How To Terrify Your Roommates

Yesterday I rode a city bus for the first time in my life. I've ridden buses before, don't mistake me. When I was in middle, junior and high school, a bus came to my house every day to pick me up. But the city bus system is much more daunting. There's much more planning involved, and map reading, and time-table-figure-outing. I'm not a cartographer! How could I possible figure all of that out? Well, it took some help. My roommate offered to ride a bus with me from school to home to show me how it's done. She spared $2.00 to help me out and I really really appreciated that.

However. I was anxious about my first bus ride. Waiting for it kind of sucked and there was a Red B bus that came before the Red B bus that I needed to be on and it caused me all kinds of inner turmoil: What happens if I get on the wrong bus? What if I miss the last bus of the day? What if...what if...what if...?

I also never know how much something I am going to say will offend someone and that's thanks to the lack of filter from my brain to my mouth. My mind moves much faster than whatever conversation is happening at the time and often I can't communicate what's going on in my head at the same speed in the conversation.

For instance, Nicole was explaining to me that the seats at the front of the bus are reserved for handicapped and the elderly, so I should give up my seat if one of them comes on. The first thing that went through my mind was, of course, the Rosa Parks incident that was drilled into my 99.9% white school every February. She refused to give up her seat to stand for a white man, etc...Civil Rights...etc...we all know the story. It was unfair and horrible the way African Americans were treated before they were finally given their civil rights and I remember as a kid I couldn't believe human beings could be so cruel to one another.

Except the conversation broke down like this:

Nicole: Not everyone does this, but make sure that if you're sitting at the front of the bus you give up your seat for someone in a wheelchair or an elderly person.

Me: What am I, a Black person?

...


Now, I know. Open mouth, insert foot. But I just wasn't able to tell myself to shut up before it fell out. I realized as soon as I said it that I very much should not have. So I tried to lessen the blow by looking at Zach and saying, "That was my Rosa Parks joke. Did you get it?" laughing the whole time. Zach stayed rigid and just didn't quite look at me.

As we departed the bus and walked to our building, he gave me a bit of advice, "For future reference, no Black jokes on the bus."

Noted.

P.S. I am not racist. Just underexposed and sheltered. Also, my first bus trip was a success and so was my second on my own. ^_^