Oof. School starts in two weeks. Yikes. This is that part of the summer I start playing games with the remaining time--two weeks is just like Christmas Break! And Christmas Break always feels like a LONG TIME after the first semester.... Next week, I will tell myself that one week left is just like Spring Break! And Spring Break always feels like a long time after the winter months.... And I will play this game all the way until Sunday night. When the game's timer officially runs out.
Until then, though, I have lists! Lists on lists on lists. Lists of Things To Do in the house, in the classroom, to the self. Before August 11th, my fridge will be stocked with back-to-school food, my house will be sparkly clean, and the car will be washed and vacuumed. The classroom will be unpacked and decorated (quite excited about decorating this year--purchased new stuff to beautify the room!), and my person will have new contacts, spotless teeth (dentist today), a fresh cut and color, a new pedi, and a fresh mani. All of these check-lists have been carefully bulleted in my new planner, and there is immense satisfaction in checking off the items.
And all of my teacher friends are feeling the panic, too--I'm eating at Thai D and seeing a movie tonight with the ladies of the faculty because WE MUST GO HAVE FUN BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT.
Every year, my resolution is to work sensibly and quickly--not allowing school to overtake my whole life; every year, I fail miserably! But this is the year! This is the year I find balance. Balance among all the spinning plates--scholar bowl, prom, ACT/PARCC, grading papers, copying papers, planning lessons, accomplishing my 40 Adventures.... 40 is an even, balanced sort of number. It could happen....
Until then, I will play my time games and entertain myself with making and checking off lists. No one likes a listless teacher. :-)
Monday, July 28, 2014
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Zip Zip!!
Today was a FANTABULOUS day. I am not even sure where to start. So SO many things to chat about! We'll start with the zipline experience, I think....
So I sent a text to my friend Jen, who has proven to be a person who is always up for an adventure, that said something like, "I think I need to zipline." I expected her response to be something to the effect of, "Sure! We'll chat about it when I get home from vacation!" and then we would peruse the Shawnee Bluffs website, consider our options, think about good dates, etc., etc. Instead, she wrote back, "Great! Tuesday!" Yikes! Better get my brave pants on. She is READY.
We settled on today, Thursday, for a day of great weather and free schedules, and it was an AMAZING adventure. Two days after I booked the three-hour tour (hm.... where have I heard THAT particular phrase associated with a particularly BAD tour experience...?) on the website, Jen met me at my house--earlier than I know she prefers to get up in the summer--and then we picked up her friend Devon, and we were on our way to Makanda into the wilds of the Shawnee Forest. Following the GPS lady's advice, we wound our way from paved to rock to dirt roads until we came upon the building where all the fun happens and prepared ourselves for this adventure in the treetops.
The building is actually quite nice--clean and comfortable, offering nice facilities (good for nervous bladders) and all the amenities to make a lovely day of ziplining. After signing our forms promising not to sue in case of lost limbs, possessions, or lives, we went outside to put on our gear and get our "class" on how to properly zip. We were given all manner of confusing straps and clamps and clips, a bottle of water, gloves, and a lovely yellow helmet, and a trusty guide trussed us all up in the safety gear. Then we all trooped down to the class area--a very gentle, mostly horizontal practice line to get us used to the feel of the zipping. All good! I managed to take off, put on the brakes with my leather gloves, and come to a stop as directed. Mostly. I actually gripped the wire with all my might, bringing me to a dead stop rather than a gentle slow-down, but no worries. I then got to practice pulling myself to the stopping point. Practice eventually made perfect....
Alrighty. On to the zipping! We all hiked over to the first bluff, and here I must admit that when I first conceived of the idea of zipping, I mistakenly thought the name of the company was Shawnee TRAILS Canopy Tour; it is actually Shawnee BLUFFS Canopy Tour. As in, rock bluffs. In the air. With valleys swooping into the bottoms. Where the trails are. We were in the CANOPY of the trees. So my first look at the first zipline took my breath away--literally. I was one of the last to go, and I watched all the other zippers coast off into the forest professionally and with little fuss. Must be easy, then! Not at all scary or terrorizing. There were children, even, on this trip. And one sort-of elderly fella. So my turn. I approached the little step stool, carefully not looking into the abyss below me, allowed Dustin to attach my apparatus to the line, check all the carabiners, and await word on his walkie-talkie that all was clear. Alrighty. All one has to do is to sort of sit in the harness; as long as one is on her feet, nothing happens, but as soon as her feet lift up, the zipping starts. Okay, then. Just sit. Mhm. It is one thing to watch the graceful ease with which everyone ELSE lifts their feet to zoom off into the distance, it is another thing entirely to actually lift one's own feet and trust this fella with the bleach-blonde bangs and hipster glasses and blasé attitude to know what he is doing with my safety. So deep breath. Aaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnndddddd sit! I'm doing it!!! HolycowI'mdoingit!!!! WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Careening across the valleys and streams and rocky bluffs! Weightless and free!!!!! Wind in my face!! Screeching like a crazed pterodactyl all the way across, but no matter!!!! I DID IT. Almost--my zeal to come to a stop actually stopped me a little ahead of the platform, but thanks to my attention in class, I knew how to hoist myself the last few feet to the goal. And then clung to the tree in the middle of the platform as my knees remembered how to hold up my body and my heart resumed its normal pace while everyone made such funny jokes about tree-hugging. Har, har. Whatevs. I survived! Kinda! One down, seven to go. And that, I was then told, was the baby one! The one to ease people into the process! !!!!!
And the next seven zips were all completely differing experiences--some were extra-tall (100 feet or more to the floor of the forest in some spots), some were extra-long (1000+ feet from platform to platform), some were extra-fast (speeds approaching 42+ miles per hour across the swooping zipline), and some were easy--short jaunts across from tree to tree. There was some hiking in the wilderness to get from one spot to the next; we traveled over rocks, dirt trails, and suspended bridges to achieve the next goal--stopping from time to time for pics (which are for sale when we return back to home base... of course... :-) ). The day was so beautiful--one of those days when Mother Nature is really showing off in southern Illinois; no humidity, temps around 77, a light breeze, and full sunshine dappling the ground through the leaves. We even saw a deer that had no worries about a troop of people squealing and crowing across the skies in the forest. She was taking a snooze, curled up in a little curved cleft in a rocky bluff.
Because each zip was really very different from the last, each had something new to offer. Sights, emotions, lessons, and challenges were unique to each experience, and I am so happy I did all of those jumps. I actually got pretty proficient at working my "brakes" (the leather piece on my gloves) and it took less and less time for me to convince myself to "sit" and just fly across the leaves and streams below. It is by turns exhilarating and terrifying, awe-full and breath-taking. Each and every leap brought a new adventure and a racing adrenaline rush, complete with wobbly knees and shaky hands and a huge smile, no matter how scary the initial "sitting" was. The wind was responsible for the water in my eyes, I'm pretty sure, but it could also have been the awareness that I am a lucky, lucky lady, alive, able-bodied, and brave on this day. Ready to take on my next decade of life with a confident leap. Zip zip!!!
Other awesomenesses to report today:
So I sent a text to my friend Jen, who has proven to be a person who is always up for an adventure, that said something like, "I think I need to zipline." I expected her response to be something to the effect of, "Sure! We'll chat about it when I get home from vacation!" and then we would peruse the Shawnee Bluffs website, consider our options, think about good dates, etc., etc. Instead, she wrote back, "Great! Tuesday!" Yikes! Better get my brave pants on. She is READY.
We settled on today, Thursday, for a day of great weather and free schedules, and it was an AMAZING adventure. Two days after I booked the three-hour tour (hm.... where have I heard THAT particular phrase associated with a particularly BAD tour experience...?) on the website, Jen met me at my house--earlier than I know she prefers to get up in the summer--and then we picked up her friend Devon, and we were on our way to Makanda into the wilds of the Shawnee Forest. Following the GPS lady's advice, we wound our way from paved to rock to dirt roads until we came upon the building where all the fun happens and prepared ourselves for this adventure in the treetops.
The building is actually quite nice--clean and comfortable, offering nice facilities (good for nervous bladders) and all the amenities to make a lovely day of ziplining. After signing our forms promising not to sue in case of lost limbs, possessions, or lives, we went outside to put on our gear and get our "class" on how to properly zip. We were given all manner of confusing straps and clamps and clips, a bottle of water, gloves, and a lovely yellow helmet, and a trusty guide trussed us all up in the safety gear. Then we all trooped down to the class area--a very gentle, mostly horizontal practice line to get us used to the feel of the zipping. All good! I managed to take off, put on the brakes with my leather gloves, and come to a stop as directed. Mostly. I actually gripped the wire with all my might, bringing me to a dead stop rather than a gentle slow-down, but no worries. I then got to practice pulling myself to the stopping point. Practice eventually made perfect....
Alrighty. On to the zipping! We all hiked over to the first bluff, and here I must admit that when I first conceived of the idea of zipping, I mistakenly thought the name of the company was Shawnee TRAILS Canopy Tour; it is actually Shawnee BLUFFS Canopy Tour. As in, rock bluffs. In the air. With valleys swooping into the bottoms. Where the trails are. We were in the CANOPY of the trees. So my first look at the first zipline took my breath away--literally. I was one of the last to go, and I watched all the other zippers coast off into the forest professionally and with little fuss. Must be easy, then! Not at all scary or terrorizing. There were children, even, on this trip. And one sort-of elderly fella. So my turn. I approached the little step stool, carefully not looking into the abyss below me, allowed Dustin to attach my apparatus to the line, check all the carabiners, and await word on his walkie-talkie that all was clear. Alrighty. All one has to do is to sort of sit in the harness; as long as one is on her feet, nothing happens, but as soon as her feet lift up, the zipping starts. Okay, then. Just sit. Mhm. It is one thing to watch the graceful ease with which everyone ELSE lifts their feet to zoom off into the distance, it is another thing entirely to actually lift one's own feet and trust this fella with the bleach-blonde bangs and hipster glasses and blasé attitude to know what he is doing with my safety. So deep breath. Aaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnndddddd sit! I'm doing it!!! HolycowI'mdoingit!!!! WWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! Careening across the valleys and streams and rocky bluffs! Weightless and free!!!!! Wind in my face!! Screeching like a crazed pterodactyl all the way across, but no matter!!!! I DID IT. Almost--my zeal to come to a stop actually stopped me a little ahead of the platform, but thanks to my attention in class, I knew how to hoist myself the last few feet to the goal. And then clung to the tree in the middle of the platform as my knees remembered how to hold up my body and my heart resumed its normal pace while everyone made such funny jokes about tree-hugging. Har, har. Whatevs. I survived! Kinda! One down, seven to go. And that, I was then told, was the baby one! The one to ease people into the process! !!!!!
And the next seven zips were all completely differing experiences--some were extra-tall (100 feet or more to the floor of the forest in some spots), some were extra-long (1000+ feet from platform to platform), some were extra-fast (speeds approaching 42+ miles per hour across the swooping zipline), and some were easy--short jaunts across from tree to tree. There was some hiking in the wilderness to get from one spot to the next; we traveled over rocks, dirt trails, and suspended bridges to achieve the next goal--stopping from time to time for pics (which are for sale when we return back to home base... of course... :-) ). The day was so beautiful--one of those days when Mother Nature is really showing off in southern Illinois; no humidity, temps around 77, a light breeze, and full sunshine dappling the ground through the leaves. We even saw a deer that had no worries about a troop of people squealing and crowing across the skies in the forest. She was taking a snooze, curled up in a little curved cleft in a rocky bluff.
Because each zip was really very different from the last, each had something new to offer. Sights, emotions, lessons, and challenges were unique to each experience, and I am so happy I did all of those jumps. I actually got pretty proficient at working my "brakes" (the leather piece on my gloves) and it took less and less time for me to convince myself to "sit" and just fly across the leaves and streams below. It is by turns exhilarating and terrifying, awe-full and breath-taking. Each and every leap brought a new adventure and a racing adrenaline rush, complete with wobbly knees and shaky hands and a huge smile, no matter how scary the initial "sitting" was. The wind was responsible for the water in my eyes, I'm pretty sure, but it could also have been the awareness that I am a lucky, lucky lady, alive, able-bodied, and brave on this day. Ready to take on my next decade of life with a confident leap. Zip zip!!!
Other awesomenesses to report today:
- celebratory lunch at Russell Hill Winery! We three zippers enjoyed a terrific lunch--lovely turkey and asparagus panini for me, sangria, spinach and artichoke dip, and a mocha/coffee cheesecake to finish, eaten outside in the sunshiny breezes. Delightful!
- delivery of wireless printer! Am fancy. I could print from RIGHT HERE on my bed if I wanted to.
- arrival of Lilly Pulitzer agenda! So pretty and preppy! Can't wait to schedule my next thirty-seven adventures!
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Zen and the Art of Shopping
Oy. Three weeks. Three weeks! Three weeks of summer vacation stand between me and the start of school. There is a panicky need to fill the three weeks with lounge time in the pool, efforts to check off to-do lists, and as much pre-start-date curriculum work as I can stand. Other teachers will know what I mean, but I wonder about people whose work goes all year round... when do they put together yard sales? When do they move the furniture and clean behind it? Hm. Grand mystery of universe, those people. :-)
This week has been spent with the usual to-do list stuff: taking clothing to the alterations place, paying bills, considering the back-to-school bulletin board, etc., but there has been some fun stuff, too! My mother and her friend and I went shopping at the outlet mall in Tuscola--two things I love: a road trip with the GPS lady, and shopping. Spending the day with my mom and her friend was a truly pleasant way to use one of my waning days of freedom, and I'm glad we all simultaneously had the time to go--especially on a rare mid-80's, non-humid July day in southern Illinois.
As we were shopping (me for--ugh--back-to-school outfits, mom and Bev for more pleasant purposes), it occurred to me what differences there are among people and the items they determine to be worthy of purchasing. What was absolutely irresistible to me was completely disregarded by the others, and vice versa. I am finding lately that what is irresistible to me is mostly preppy and sort of Hamptons-y (even though I have never, ever been there). I love all things monogrammed. I cannot pass by a sweater set or a pencil skirt. If there is a tailored, crispy white button-down shirt, I will have it. And the thing is, I know I have loved these looks for my entire adult life, but I haven't been buying these outfits for the last decade or so--or if I did, I didn't feel as good about it as I did yesterday. Just lately, it has occurred to me that I am free to purchase whatever I like, and it doesn't really matter what anyone else likes instead. And getting dressed these days is an activity that brings me intense satisfaction and pleasure, rather than nervousness and doubt. Change is good. Shopping is good. And feeling comfortable in one's own skin and with one's own taste is really good.
Every now and then, there are perks about aging and experiencing life that make me immensely grateful NOT to be twenty again.
This week has been spent with the usual to-do list stuff: taking clothing to the alterations place, paying bills, considering the back-to-school bulletin board, etc., but there has been some fun stuff, too! My mother and her friend and I went shopping at the outlet mall in Tuscola--two things I love: a road trip with the GPS lady, and shopping. Spending the day with my mom and her friend was a truly pleasant way to use one of my waning days of freedom, and I'm glad we all simultaneously had the time to go--especially on a rare mid-80's, non-humid July day in southern Illinois.
As we were shopping (me for--ugh--back-to-school outfits, mom and Bev for more pleasant purposes), it occurred to me what differences there are among people and the items they determine to be worthy of purchasing. What was absolutely irresistible to me was completely disregarded by the others, and vice versa. I am finding lately that what is irresistible to me is mostly preppy and sort of Hamptons-y (even though I have never, ever been there). I love all things monogrammed. I cannot pass by a sweater set or a pencil skirt. If there is a tailored, crispy white button-down shirt, I will have it. And the thing is, I know I have loved these looks for my entire adult life, but I haven't been buying these outfits for the last decade or so--or if I did, I didn't feel as good about it as I did yesterday. Just lately, it has occurred to me that I am free to purchase whatever I like, and it doesn't really matter what anyone else likes instead. And getting dressed these days is an activity that brings me intense satisfaction and pleasure, rather than nervousness and doubt. Change is good. Shopping is good. And feeling comfortable in one's own skin and with one's own taste is really good.
Every now and then, there are perks about aging and experiencing life that make me immensely grateful NOT to be twenty again.
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Oy.
Update. Determined that it would be a good idea to uninstall all Sony software and start from ground zero. No progress. Back to waiting for Kobo to call back. Currently waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Kobo promises a call within 20 mins, but I'll be watching the phone for the next. Several. Hours. Ugh.
BFF's
I need to share that I love my ebook. My ebook is perfect. Parfait. It has all the features a perfect ebook should have: it is not in color--a soothing paperwhite sort of look instead, it has page-turning buttons so I don't have to swipe, its battery lasts for days even though I read for hours at a time, I can play music with it and have several of my CD's embedded into it, it has an SD card with space for unlimited books, and it has a stylus with which I can highlight, write notes, and erase notes. There are further lovelinesses about my book, but you get the idea.
Sadly, with my newest purchase, this Dell computer on which I type as we speak, I am having issues downloading books onto my beloved Sony ereader. Sigh. I am able to purchase books, I can see the books, but my ereader will not connect to my new computer. They are incompatible so far. I'm hoping that this is similar to when you meet someone new and that person rubs you the wrong way but later on, after repeated meetings and conversations, you realize that person is actually pretty awesome but you just had an unfortunate first meeting.
In order to facilitate this relationship between my computer and my ebook, I've spoken to Stephen J from Kobo books in Canada multiple times, for at least an hour each time we chat, and also to someone whose name is incomprehensible from Sony, for at least half an hour each time we chat. Neither of these fellas has been able to make my computer accept my book and vice versa. Until today.
Today, my computer and my book are GOING TO BECOME FRIENDS. I just know it!! I'm going to go to the gym, have a lovely lunch, and get back on the phone with tech support. And today is the day they accept each other. Stay tuned.
Sadly, with my newest purchase, this Dell computer on which I type as we speak, I am having issues downloading books onto my beloved Sony ereader. Sigh. I am able to purchase books, I can see the books, but my ereader will not connect to my new computer. They are incompatible so far. I'm hoping that this is similar to when you meet someone new and that person rubs you the wrong way but later on, after repeated meetings and conversations, you realize that person is actually pretty awesome but you just had an unfortunate first meeting.
In order to facilitate this relationship between my computer and my ebook, I've spoken to Stephen J from Kobo books in Canada multiple times, for at least an hour each time we chat, and also to someone whose name is incomprehensible from Sony, for at least half an hour each time we chat. Neither of these fellas has been able to make my computer accept my book and vice versa. Until today.
Today, my computer and my book are GOING TO BECOME FRIENDS. I just know it!! I'm going to go to the gym, have a lovely lunch, and get back on the phone with tech support. And today is the day they accept each other. Stay tuned.
Thursday, July 17, 2014
A Bump in the Road?
This week has been spent eating, eating, eating. I am not, mind you, complaining about this, as I quite enjoy eating, but it has felt like a lag in The 40 Experiment. Hm. Anyway. A list:
Monday: Started off all organized and busy! Went to gym, Krogered, baked a cake, and cleaned house. Sounds v. domestic and mature, no? No. I did all this work in panic mode at breakneck speeds on Monday, mainly because I was the grasshopper who played all last week. I was meant to host Book Club at my house on Monday, and I LOVE hosting things at my house! Giddy at the thought of entertaining, I planned to get the house all dolled up and to bake a cake, and to be showered and polished and fresh just in time to open the door with gracious open arms. This is not *entirely* how it went. First of all, the trip to Kroger is especially irritating (as most trips to the grocery store are) because #1, I was starving--one of EVERYTHING in the basket, please; #2, my Kroger is being renovated, which is a fancy word for egregiously disorganized; #3, I went after the gym, so my sweaty self dried off in the artic blast of the A/C in the store. Hmph. Plus I forgot eggs. Dadgummit. On to unpack and clean house! Easy, but time-consuming. Baking! I had selected a delightful strawberry cake and strawberry frosting to make, and it was deeeelish, if I do say so myself. Ahem. I've been eating it for breakfast ever since then, must admit. :-) Shower! What to wear?? Finally, the hour arrived, and my Book Club arrived... to my locked and unfriendly door. Oopsie. Ah, well. After that, we chatted about the book, and traveling, and husbands, and friends, and the book a little more, and food, and kids, and.... Like we do. :-) Love those ladies!! Good time had by all. And I kept my cake.
Tuesday: Dinner at my friend Jamie's new house! She and her hubby just bought a new home in Carterville, and she invited me over to see. :-) We had chicken tenders and fries, and she let me hold her baby boy and eat as many blueberries as I wanted. We watched The Bachelorette and snarked about all the people on there (as one must), and then her husband, who works at channel 3 came home with three friends in tow--one of whom was Emily from the evening news! With the long blonde hair and big jewelry? She's funny! And she didn't freak out about being vomited on by baby boy (secretly delighted that baby boy chose not to vomit on self and selected Famous Lady instead--not proud, but still delighted)! Fun night.
Wednesday: Today, my first friend Jason (I've had to break him from introducing me as his "oldest friend." *slants eyes in Jason's direction* One would think THAT would be a no-brainer. Oy) and I met at high noon at Panera--our appointed time and place for meet-ups to discuss church, books, comic books, and life in general, but today we had a mission: we were creating curriculum for next year's church camp. It's going to be brilliant, if I do say so myself. But. As it was high noon, and we were at Panera, I had a lovely Caesar salad and ham and swiss sandwich. And a baguette. And hibiscus tea. Then, later that evening, I met up with my friend Tammy, who has the good sense to teach English at Herrin High School (opposed to some other subject or at some other school), at the Frenchman's Widow in Herrin. I like that place! It's small, kind of hole-in-the-wall, the seating is limited, but has delicious food. They do bottomless wings on Wednesdays, and there's a whole menu for other stuff, but you really want the French Dip Sandwich. Do yourself a favor--go on some night that is not Wednesday (hordes of Herrinites--room at the bar only! But I think there might be a garden coming soon), order a refreshing mojito, chat a bit, order a French Dip, and send me a thank-you note.
Nothing New to report this week, sadly, but I surely feel fortified for whatever newnesses I can think of for next week! Today is Be Good Day, so I've had chicken salad and cherries (those Ranier cherries that are yellow and red! LOVE these. Like cherry-flavored candy) and have plans to make some BBQ chicken for supper. With a salad. Because I'm eating my veggies. :-) We won't talk about breakfast....
Monday: Started off all organized and busy! Went to gym, Krogered, baked a cake, and cleaned house. Sounds v. domestic and mature, no? No. I did all this work in panic mode at breakneck speeds on Monday, mainly because I was the grasshopper who played all last week. I was meant to host Book Club at my house on Monday, and I LOVE hosting things at my house! Giddy at the thought of entertaining, I planned to get the house all dolled up and to bake a cake, and to be showered and polished and fresh just in time to open the door with gracious open arms. This is not *entirely* how it went. First of all, the trip to Kroger is especially irritating (as most trips to the grocery store are) because #1, I was starving--one of EVERYTHING in the basket, please; #2, my Kroger is being renovated, which is a fancy word for egregiously disorganized; #3, I went after the gym, so my sweaty self dried off in the artic blast of the A/C in the store. Hmph. Plus I forgot eggs. Dadgummit. On to unpack and clean house! Easy, but time-consuming. Baking! I had selected a delightful strawberry cake and strawberry frosting to make, and it was deeeelish, if I do say so myself. Ahem. I've been eating it for breakfast ever since then, must admit. :-) Shower! What to wear?? Finally, the hour arrived, and my Book Club arrived... to my locked and unfriendly door. Oopsie. Ah, well. After that, we chatted about the book, and traveling, and husbands, and friends, and the book a little more, and food, and kids, and.... Like we do. :-) Love those ladies!! Good time had by all. And I kept my cake.
Tuesday: Dinner at my friend Jamie's new house! She and her hubby just bought a new home in Carterville, and she invited me over to see. :-) We had chicken tenders and fries, and she let me hold her baby boy and eat as many blueberries as I wanted. We watched The Bachelorette and snarked about all the people on there (as one must), and then her husband, who works at channel 3 came home with three friends in tow--one of whom was Emily from the evening news! With the long blonde hair and big jewelry? She's funny! And she didn't freak out about being vomited on by baby boy (secretly delighted that baby boy chose not to vomit on self and selected Famous Lady instead--not proud, but still delighted)! Fun night.
Wednesday: Today, my first friend Jason (I've had to break him from introducing me as his "oldest friend." *slants eyes in Jason's direction* One would think THAT would be a no-brainer. Oy) and I met at high noon at Panera--our appointed time and place for meet-ups to discuss church, books, comic books, and life in general, but today we had a mission: we were creating curriculum for next year's church camp. It's going to be brilliant, if I do say so myself. But. As it was high noon, and we were at Panera, I had a lovely Caesar salad and ham and swiss sandwich. And a baguette. And hibiscus tea. Then, later that evening, I met up with my friend Tammy, who has the good sense to teach English at Herrin High School (opposed to some other subject or at some other school), at the Frenchman's Widow in Herrin. I like that place! It's small, kind of hole-in-the-wall, the seating is limited, but has delicious food. They do bottomless wings on Wednesdays, and there's a whole menu for other stuff, but you really want the French Dip Sandwich. Do yourself a favor--go on some night that is not Wednesday (hordes of Herrinites--room at the bar only! But I think there might be a garden coming soon), order a refreshing mojito, chat a bit, order a French Dip, and send me a thank-you note.
Nothing New to report this week, sadly, but I surely feel fortified for whatever newnesses I can think of for next week! Today is Be Good Day, so I've had chicken salad and cherries (those Ranier cherries that are yellow and red! LOVE these. Like cherry-flavored candy) and have plans to make some BBQ chicken for supper. With a salad. Because I'm eating my veggies. :-) We won't talk about breakfast....
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Whadyaknow?
So as it turns out, new things happen to me kind of a lot. This past week, I've been superbusy (like regular busy but with a cape! Just kidding--the kind of busy that leaves a person too exhausted to type at the end of her day), so I didn't really plan a New Event to take place. However, in the meantime, these are the activities that took up my week:
On Monday, I twirled fire batons for the first (and if we're being honest, probably last) time! I had no intentions of twirling fire batons, but this is how that came about.... I have a friend named Jen, who has a friend named Rachel, and Rachel has twirled batons of all sorts since she was little--on teams, even, that competed--and she dared Jen to twirl fire batons. Jen, never one to back down from a dare, agreed to do this, and I, being nosy, wanted to see this go down. Jen and Rachel and assorted other teachers from our faculty also wanted to see this fire baton twirling extravaganza, so we went to record this (for Twitter, Instagram, school announcements, anywhere we can think of to share this feat) at Rachel's house. And lo and behold, she did indeed set not one but TWO batons aflame and proceeded to flip them around and toss them and look, in general, like a bona fide professional. And then it was Jen's turn. Just so you know, when one stops twirling a fire baton around in fast circles, the flames get BIGGER. Like Jen's eyes when she took the fiery baton into her grip. But she did it! All the while, dancing and spinning about, squealing with delight! And then, THEN, she handed--or moved close to me in order to hand--this flaming stick of doom to ME. No way, Jose. But eventually pride and curiosity (fancy name for nosiness) won out, and I took the baton from her. And made tiny twirls--mostly to keep the flames low. Kind of screeching the whole time, as it turns out (I don't remember making the pterodactyl noises, but on film, they can clearly be heard). So thus concludes the manner in which I twirled fire batons.
Then, a couple of days later, I went to play golf with the ladies who do the scramble on Wednesday mornings at the Energy golf course. I enjoy golf, really. When the weather is nice (80's), and I'm wearing my favorite outfit (darling golf skirt and lavender shoes), and it doesn't take too long (9 holes), and the sun is out, and I'm hitting well (making contact with the ball and sending it forward), and I can have a cheeseburger with the fixins when I'm done. So all of these conditions met on Wednesday, and I even had a supply of pink balls to chase around, and life was sweet. But! On THIS Wednesday, I outdrove my mother for the first time! Wooooo-hooooooo! She plays rabidly--anytime she can be on a golf course, she is on a golf course. She has taken lessons, bought a membership at Pine Lakes, purchased allllll the golf equipment, and she practices with my dad all the time. And my drive outdrove her drive. Neener, neener. :-)
But Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were spent preparing for a yard sale with my bestie, Michele. She and I always swear that THIS will be the last yard sale EVER, but we pretty much do one every year. Nothing new happened here--we priced, organized, sold treasures, and then, on Saturday at 3:00, we delivered our unpurchased items to Goodwill.
Sunday, though, brought another new event--Michele and our game-night group went to Walker's Bluff to see Pat Benatar in concert! While I have been to concerts there, I'd never seen Pat Benatar, so I feel this counts. It was great--we went to IV's for dinner first, and then hauled our lawnchairs and equipment to find a good spot on the lawn at Walker's Bluff (scored seats right on top of a little incline--perfect!--up high enough to see, and no one can set chairs on the incline, so there was some space in front of us). The heat was pretty intense; it has been in the 90's for a couple of days, but two little rain showers sort of cooled things down to about 86 with some significant humidity. We had umbrellas and water bottles, though, and battled the heat until the concert started. I will tell you that at 61, Pat Benatar still does a GREAT show--tons of songs and great stories about her career with her husband, who has been in her band since 1979. This show was her 35th anniversary tour for her band, and her 32nd anniversary year with her husband, who co-writes many of their songs. So glad we went! Great time had by all! Even BETTER time had by the people in front who were GIANT FANS of Pat Benatar's. They knew every word to every song and even had little spontaneous interpretive dances to go along with the music, inspired by either immense love of Pat or immense quantities of Walker Bluff's finest vintages. People-watching is amazing at concerts, fairs, and airports. I highly recommend it as a pastime.
So even though my week had pretty mundane plans set in the beginning, it turned out to be a pretty great time. Lots of time spent with my favorite people, lots of great food, lots of new memories, and some feelings that if my life continues with these friends and families, 40 isn't going to sting too badly.
On Monday, I twirled fire batons for the first (and if we're being honest, probably last) time! I had no intentions of twirling fire batons, but this is how that came about.... I have a friend named Jen, who has a friend named Rachel, and Rachel has twirled batons of all sorts since she was little--on teams, even, that competed--and she dared Jen to twirl fire batons. Jen, never one to back down from a dare, agreed to do this, and I, being nosy, wanted to see this go down. Jen and Rachel and assorted other teachers from our faculty also wanted to see this fire baton twirling extravaganza, so we went to record this (for Twitter, Instagram, school announcements, anywhere we can think of to share this feat) at Rachel's house. And lo and behold, she did indeed set not one but TWO batons aflame and proceeded to flip them around and toss them and look, in general, like a bona fide professional. And then it was Jen's turn. Just so you know, when one stops twirling a fire baton around in fast circles, the flames get BIGGER. Like Jen's eyes when she took the fiery baton into her grip. But she did it! All the while, dancing and spinning about, squealing with delight! And then, THEN, she handed--or moved close to me in order to hand--this flaming stick of doom to ME. No way, Jose. But eventually pride and curiosity (fancy name for nosiness) won out, and I took the baton from her. And made tiny twirls--mostly to keep the flames low. Kind of screeching the whole time, as it turns out (I don't remember making the pterodactyl noises, but on film, they can clearly be heard). So thus concludes the manner in which I twirled fire batons.
Then, a couple of days later, I went to play golf with the ladies who do the scramble on Wednesday mornings at the Energy golf course. I enjoy golf, really. When the weather is nice (80's), and I'm wearing my favorite outfit (darling golf skirt and lavender shoes), and it doesn't take too long (9 holes), and the sun is out, and I'm hitting well (making contact with the ball and sending it forward), and I can have a cheeseburger with the fixins when I'm done. So all of these conditions met on Wednesday, and I even had a supply of pink balls to chase around, and life was sweet. But! On THIS Wednesday, I outdrove my mother for the first time! Wooooo-hooooooo! She plays rabidly--anytime she can be on a golf course, she is on a golf course. She has taken lessons, bought a membership at Pine Lakes, purchased allllll the golf equipment, and she practices with my dad all the time. And my drive outdrove her drive. Neener, neener. :-)
But Thursday, Friday, and Saturday were spent preparing for a yard sale with my bestie, Michele. She and I always swear that THIS will be the last yard sale EVER, but we pretty much do one every year. Nothing new happened here--we priced, organized, sold treasures, and then, on Saturday at 3:00, we delivered our unpurchased items to Goodwill.
Sunday, though, brought another new event--Michele and our game-night group went to Walker's Bluff to see Pat Benatar in concert! While I have been to concerts there, I'd never seen Pat Benatar, so I feel this counts. It was great--we went to IV's for dinner first, and then hauled our lawnchairs and equipment to find a good spot on the lawn at Walker's Bluff (scored seats right on top of a little incline--perfect!--up high enough to see, and no one can set chairs on the incline, so there was some space in front of us). The heat was pretty intense; it has been in the 90's for a couple of days, but two little rain showers sort of cooled things down to about 86 with some significant humidity. We had umbrellas and water bottles, though, and battled the heat until the concert started. I will tell you that at 61, Pat Benatar still does a GREAT show--tons of songs and great stories about her career with her husband, who has been in her band since 1979. This show was her 35th anniversary tour for her band, and her 32nd anniversary year with her husband, who co-writes many of their songs. So glad we went! Great time had by all! Even BETTER time had by the people in front who were GIANT FANS of Pat Benatar's. They knew every word to every song and even had little spontaneous interpretive dances to go along with the music, inspired by either immense love of Pat or immense quantities of Walker Bluff's finest vintages. People-watching is amazing at concerts, fairs, and airports. I highly recommend it as a pastime.
So even though my week had pretty mundane plans set in the beginning, it turned out to be a pretty great time. Lots of time spent with my favorite people, lots of great food, lots of new memories, and some feelings that if my life continues with these friends and families, 40 isn't going to sting too badly.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Construction Zone
Anyone driving through our area (ahem, Marion, I'm looking at you) knows that southern Illinois is finding itself under a bit of construction. Old, comfortable roads are being replaced with new lanes, confusing signs, and sudden lane ends where there were lanes before. This is one part delightful, as traffic presumably will flow better when it's all done, and ten parts disconcerting and alarming, as one currently cannot count on knowing how to navigate to one's intended destination.
So.
I'm turning forty in August (the 31st, just to be clear. Allllllll the way at the END of August), and I have found myself disconcerted and alarmed by this development. I was just turning thirty not too long ago; where did the time go?? And now I have to figure out how to navigate a whole new decade. Without clear signs. Or any indication of which path is best.
So.
I'm going to put myself on a path of my own making; my goal, over the course of this year is to try out new ideas and plans that I've never done before. I need some things to look forward to, and I'd like 40 things to look forward to--over the course of this year, I'll be merging out of my comfortable lane into one that will take me to new places.
Thus far on my list I have these items: I want to go to a movie by myself, cook something from Julia Child's French cookbook, and take a class to get better at photography. I have no desire to, like, leap out of airplanes or wrestle crocodiles or live off the grid, but I would like to branch out a little bit and bring a bit of newness to my new decade. Suggestions are welcome!*
*I reserve veto power. Seriously. I will not be leaping out of any planes.
So.
I'm turning forty in August (the 31st, just to be clear. Allllllll the way at the END of August), and I have found myself disconcerted and alarmed by this development. I was just turning thirty not too long ago; where did the time go?? And now I have to figure out how to navigate a whole new decade. Without clear signs. Or any indication of which path is best.
So.
I'm going to put myself on a path of my own making; my goal, over the course of this year is to try out new ideas and plans that I've never done before. I need some things to look forward to, and I'd like 40 things to look forward to--over the course of this year, I'll be merging out of my comfortable lane into one that will take me to new places.
Thus far on my list I have these items: I want to go to a movie by myself, cook something from Julia Child's French cookbook, and take a class to get better at photography. I have no desire to, like, leap out of airplanes or wrestle crocodiles or live off the grid, but I would like to branch out a little bit and bring a bit of newness to my new decade. Suggestions are welcome!*
*I reserve veto power. Seriously. I will not be leaping out of any planes.
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