Oh, hi. So, March went by in a total blur. February was the month of being sick (the flu AND walking pneumonia) and March turned into a month of catch-up, grading, and stress. Stress in all parts of my life.
First, owning your own home is expensive, especially a home that needs work to live in comfortably. When we were originally approved for our mortgage, it was with a down payment assistance program from the state. We found out a week before our closing, after an audit from the state of Michigan, that we would make $900 OVER the max limit to qualify. And lost the $7500 in closing assistance we had been counting on (I still qualified for the Homes for Heroes program, which gave us a percentage of our closing costs back in a check a week after we signed). So, our savings went toward closing costs and money we were counting on to renovate the kitchen, etc was gone. Essentially in the months of January and February, all our money was going to fixing the kitchen so we could live in it comfortably. It was rough. And we fell behind in bills. We're still playing catch up, but the month of March was a bit miserable. It helps that Matt is starting his new (big boy) job on Monday with a huge increase in income.
But being an adult sucks. We've never been amazing at managing our finances, but we've gotten a lot better at it over the last few years, which is why we could even buy this house in the first place. But it brings back a lot of anxiety when we fall behind. Once we're ahead, I'll be good and things will settle. And realistically, we aren't in bad shape. We have debt (namely, Matt's student loans), but we are not in a bad position at all.
In addition to all that stress, work was crazy. Just crazy. I fell behind in grading and just couldn't catch up. I'm still not caught up, but I'm in the best position right now that I could hope for. I hit the point in my APUSH classes where I was just trying to keep my head above water in my grading to get to where I needed to be by Spring Break (we hit 1980-huzzah!). My other classes also seemed to be stressful and I was just doing my best to stay afloat.
I also got my new IFP installed (Interactive Flat Panel-a fancy Smart Board) and had every tech problem imaginable in the two weeks it's been in my room-dropping signal, freezing, booting me from my lecture notes, changing pen colors and widths mid-sentence, sound issues, etc. It's being permanently mounted over break, so hopefully that fixes some of the issues, but there were days where I was so frustrated because I just wanted to teach and my technology kept failing.
We're also in the midst of a renovation thanks to bond money, so our media center closed, reducing the number of computers we have for kids. I was also told a week into the month of March that I need to box up my room and tear things off my walls to prep for my room being painted over break. Seriously. So, I had to tear down everything, move furniture and pack up fragile items in my classroom so it can get painted. When I get back on Monday (the 9th) after break, I have no idea what I'm walking into. And I have to teach that day. So, yeah. I understand that they're trying to get smaller tasks done over breaks to reduce the work getting done over the summer (our roof was replaced last summer), but it had a big impact on me. With the technology upheaval, personal stress, and just my regular job workload, I was in a terrible mood for the last two weeks.
BUT! Our last day was Thursday and I spend Friday doing absolutely nothing. I slept about 15 hours Thursday night and spent Friday playing video games and watching Netflix. Seriously. Saturday wasn't much better. I did some things around the house I've been neglecting (laundry) and went to Target for some necessities, then just vegged around. I really needed it. But now I feel like I'm getting a cold. And it's cold and rainy in Michigan and we're supposed to be getting snow this week. Yay spring break.
I'm actually really excited to have the week off. We have boxes in the basement that I need to go through. I want to finish going through my book boxes and sorting-a lot will be going to school to go in my classroom library, which is pitifully small. Some will stay in boxes until we buy a couple more bookshelves in May (we budgeted it out for a big IKEA trip for a few things we need. The closest IKEA is an hour away). I told myself that once I have all my bookshelves, my personal collection has to fit on it. Extras go to school or get donated.
I'm also planning on finishing some decoration around the house. We haven't really hung anything on the walls, mainly because all that knick-knack stuff is still boxed up. I also just want to toss some things that we never use and declutter, so we'll see how that goes. I'm also planning on putting new fabric on our kitchen chairs, but that depends on what I can find at the store.
But I'm also just looking forward to reading, relaxing, and spending time with Matt. His new job will have him home a couple days per week, so he'll be around the house with me. Truthfully I'm hoping he'll carry boxes upstairs for me. ;) It should be a nice, relaxing week.
Well, we're off to Easter celebrations-first a breakfast at my parents', then brunch out with Matt's family. Happy Easter!
Showing posts with label Weekly Wrap-Up. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weekly Wrap-Up. Show all posts
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Weekly Wrap-up for October 4, 2015: On Being Busy and #15in31.
Hi everyone!
It has been a little while since I've done a weekly wrap-up kind of a post, so I thought it would be good to jump on this morning and catch up. I have a lot to get done today, now that I'm finally feeling semi-human, but I'm seeing this as a bit of a priority.
The truth is, during the school year, school and the work that goes into being a high school English teacher, takes precedence over everything else in my life. I determine what I can actually do at night based on what grading I have to do. I plan weekend activities around how much school work I have to do. It's really quite sad.
I have noticed that the last couple of years my at-home workload has gotten lighter. Probably because I am creating less new material to use in my classes (that's what happens when you teach a class multiple times-you have lots of things stored up, so you're not creating a lesson from scratch for every day of the week). I've also become a lot better about cramming in work at school and being more productive. That's hard for me because I don't really grade while the kids are working (I can't concentrate, and I inevitably get called on to help, which is fine because that's my job). In any case, I'm still working to create that work/home balance.
This year I made a goal to leave by 3:30 every day. That has yet to happen. Truthfully, I'm productive when I'm at the building after school. It's quiet because most teachers go home, and I have free reign of the copier! But I'm working towards getting my stuff done at school and bringing less home at night, with the exception of weekends. That's a hard balance, but I'm trying.
I'm telling you all this because for my own sanity, I do need to reestablish some time for myself, and that's the goal I have moving forward. I love my job, I'm good at it, but I need to spend some time doing other things.
The biggest thing that has fallen apart since getting a fulltime teaching job is reading. There are some days where I come home so mentally drained that the idea of picking up a book fills me with dread. That's when I binge-watch a show. But I'm okay with that. I'm not okay with going a month without picking up a book. So I'm trying to remedy that.
When the #15in31 challenge popped up in my Instagram feed, I debated for a moment before joining in. I know it's crazy. I rarely read 15 books in a month during the summer, so how would I do it during the school year? Ha! But why not try? So I am. I think this challenge is a great way to inspire myself to keep pushing forward with that work/home balance and jump back into the things I love doing-reading and writing about books.
I think it'll also serve as a great warm-up to November and NaNoWriMo. It's been a few years since I've participated, but I'm jumping in this year.
In any case, I had a great weekend of reading. Truthfully, the only reason it was so successful was because I was super-sick Thursday and Friday (I came home from school on Thursday with a 102 fever, so I called in for Friday and stayed in bed coughing and sneezing all day). But that meant a lot of time to read and relax and take a little pressure off myself. I ended up reading 4 books! You'll see reviews for them in the next couple weeks because I've already written them (look at me go!)
Anyway, I'm hoping I keep this balance going so that I can do more of the things I love doing. :)
Have a fabulous week!
It has been a little while since I've done a weekly wrap-up kind of a post, so I thought it would be good to jump on this morning and catch up. I have a lot to get done today, now that I'm finally feeling semi-human, but I'm seeing this as a bit of a priority.
The truth is, during the school year, school and the work that goes into being a high school English teacher, takes precedence over everything else in my life. I determine what I can actually do at night based on what grading I have to do. I plan weekend activities around how much school work I have to do. It's really quite sad.
I have noticed that the last couple of years my at-home workload has gotten lighter. Probably because I am creating less new material to use in my classes (that's what happens when you teach a class multiple times-you have lots of things stored up, so you're not creating a lesson from scratch for every day of the week). I've also become a lot better about cramming in work at school and being more productive. That's hard for me because I don't really grade while the kids are working (I can't concentrate, and I inevitably get called on to help, which is fine because that's my job). In any case, I'm still working to create that work/home balance.
This year I made a goal to leave by 3:30 every day. That has yet to happen. Truthfully, I'm productive when I'm at the building after school. It's quiet because most teachers go home, and I have free reign of the copier! But I'm working towards getting my stuff done at school and bringing less home at night, with the exception of weekends. That's a hard balance, but I'm trying.
I'm telling you all this because for my own sanity, I do need to reestablish some time for myself, and that's the goal I have moving forward. I love my job, I'm good at it, but I need to spend some time doing other things.
The biggest thing that has fallen apart since getting a fulltime teaching job is reading. There are some days where I come home so mentally drained that the idea of picking up a book fills me with dread. That's when I binge-watch a show. But I'm okay with that. I'm not okay with going a month without picking up a book. So I'm trying to remedy that.
When the #15in31 challenge popped up in my Instagram feed, I debated for a moment before joining in. I know it's crazy. I rarely read 15 books in a month during the summer, so how would I do it during the school year? Ha! But why not try? So I am. I think this challenge is a great way to inspire myself to keep pushing forward with that work/home balance and jump back into the things I love doing-reading and writing about books.
I think it'll also serve as a great warm-up to November and NaNoWriMo. It's been a few years since I've participated, but I'm jumping in this year.
In any case, I had a great weekend of reading. Truthfully, the only reason it was so successful was because I was super-sick Thursday and Friday (I came home from school on Thursday with a 102 fever, so I called in for Friday and stayed in bed coughing and sneezing all day). But that meant a lot of time to read and relax and take a little pressure off myself. I ended up reading 4 books! You'll see reviews for them in the next couple weeks because I've already written them (look at me go!)
Anyway, I'm hoping I keep this balance going so that I can do more of the things I love doing. :)
Have a fabulous week!
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Weekend Update for April 26, 2015: Readathon, Working Out, and School.
So, I participated in the readathon yesterday and while I didn't read as much as I intended, I still had a great time. I spent a lot of time cheering on blogs and on Instagram as an unofficial cheerleader, which was really fun and yes, time consuming. I've never signed up to be an official cheerleader, but for October, I certainly will. I had a blast. It was a great way to reconnect with the community!
I did read two full books-Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton and Anya's Ghostby Vera Brosgol. I also read 100+ pages in Mistborn and listened to 2 hours of Amy Poehler's Yes Please while I cleaned and did other things around the apartment (I have about an hour and a half left, so hopefully I finish it at the gym this afternoon). I'm really happy with what I accomplished yesterday, and while I feel guilty I didn't get a ton of grading done (actually...none), I have today to catch up. I needed the reading time!
And since I just mentioned the gym...
Matt and I are entering the third week of our "lifestyle change." Both of us are turning 30 this year (me in July, him in November), and we both need to make adjustments to how we eat, work out, etc. We made a game plan over Spring Break to join a gym, eat out less, and make smarter choices. For him, that mainly includes eating better. Matt isn't overweight, but he is diabetic and should be smarter about what he eats. His goals are just to eat better and gain some muscle. Oh, and to support me. :)
For me, I think I'm finally at the point where I want and need and understand the importance of shedding extra weight. I was also starting to reach a scary point on the scale. Coupled with a very "get it together" talk from my doctor, I'm finally emotionally and physically ready to make those changes. So, I finally set up my fitbit that I got as a present a couple of years ago, gave up diet pop and caffeine cold turkey, started making better choices about what I eat and when, and have been going to the gym a minimum of 3x a week. I already feel better about myself.
Giving up the pop has been difficult. I mean...I would stop on my way to work EVERY morning to get a large diet coke from McDonald's. And I would also drink pop all afternoon and evening. It was awful. But I was scared to stop drinking it because of the headaches, etc. Now, it hasn't been as bad as I thought, but I definitely have had some withdrawal symptoms. My headaches haven't been awful, but I did have quite a few the first week. I think that I will eventually pull caffeinated tea back into my diet, but for now, I'm still staying away. It's been about 2 weeks. Best decision I've ever made.
Coupled with giving up pop, I started drinking a mess of water. And now that I'm drinking what I SHOULD be drinking, I'm noticing some huge differences. First, my skin looks and feels much better. I still have dry skin, but it's much better than it used to be. Second, my lips are not as chapped. I think I'm finally giving my body the proper hydration. I've also noticed that while I don't have caffeine coursing through my body, water does enough to perk me up in the morning. I'll take it.
Going to the gym has also been great. I haven't tried to push myself too hard to start, but there have been a few times I have pushed a muscle group and felt sore after (my non-existent abs still hurt from Friday). I forgot how much I like going to the gym. It very much gives me "Me" time to relax and go over things I need to do. I also use the time to listen to audiobooks, which is another way to cram in some reading. And I find that all of the things I learned when I worked with a trainer have come right back to me (I worked with a trainer leading up to my wedding. That's the last time I lost a significant amount of weight).
I also have a few current students who work out at the same gym and we run into each other often. I love that they are supportive and have asked questions about what I'm doing. To be honest, the first time I saw them I was self-conscious, but I quickly got over it. I'm okay with them seeing their overweight teacher making better decisions. One of them will often walk by me on the treadmill or elliptical and give me a good high five when he comes in. I'll take it.
Since making all of these changes about 3 weeks ago, I've lost 12 pounds. I know a lot of that was just water weight and the chugging of copious amounts of water, but it's a great start.
I know this is going to be a very long journey as I have to lose 100 pounds to get into the "healthy" range for my age and height. But I'm okay with that. I doubt I'll talk about it often, but might update from time to time. Because here's the thing...for so long I have let my weight dictate who I am and what I do. I don't want to be bound to that anymore. So I'm working towards making that change permanent. And just being a healthier version of who I already am.
Switching gears, school is about to wind up for some crazy. While I have no intentions of stepping back from blogging or taking a break, I know it's going to get crazy once May gets here-that's when our seniors have all their events, plus my National Board Portfolio is due (and I still have a lot to do). I'm going to do my best to get as much done during the week as I can so I have time to read on weekends, and I'm going to try and get some posts prescheduled, but if there is radio silence for a bit, know I'll be back hard core starting near the end of May. I'm not working this summer either, so I have a lot of reading plans in store.
Speaking of those plans...a couple years ago I hosted a long Victorian Event in the summer. Would there be any interest in that again?
Have a happy reading week!
I did read two full books-Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton and Anya's Ghostby Vera Brosgol. I also read 100+ pages in Mistborn and listened to 2 hours of Amy Poehler's Yes Please while I cleaned and did other things around the apartment (I have about an hour and a half left, so hopefully I finish it at the gym this afternoon). I'm really happy with what I accomplished yesterday, and while I feel guilty I didn't get a ton of grading done (actually...none), I have today to catch up. I needed the reading time!
And since I just mentioned the gym...
Matt and I are entering the third week of our "lifestyle change." Both of us are turning 30 this year (me in July, him in November), and we both need to make adjustments to how we eat, work out, etc. We made a game plan over Spring Break to join a gym, eat out less, and make smarter choices. For him, that mainly includes eating better. Matt isn't overweight, but he is diabetic and should be smarter about what he eats. His goals are just to eat better and gain some muscle. Oh, and to support me. :)
For me, I think I'm finally at the point where I want and need and understand the importance of shedding extra weight. I was also starting to reach a scary point on the scale. Coupled with a very "get it together" talk from my doctor, I'm finally emotionally and physically ready to make those changes. So, I finally set up my fitbit that I got as a present a couple of years ago, gave up diet pop and caffeine cold turkey, started making better choices about what I eat and when, and have been going to the gym a minimum of 3x a week. I already feel better about myself.
Giving up the pop has been difficult. I mean...I would stop on my way to work EVERY morning to get a large diet coke from McDonald's. And I would also drink pop all afternoon and evening. It was awful. But I was scared to stop drinking it because of the headaches, etc. Now, it hasn't been as bad as I thought, but I definitely have had some withdrawal symptoms. My headaches haven't been awful, but I did have quite a few the first week. I think that I will eventually pull caffeinated tea back into my diet, but for now, I'm still staying away. It's been about 2 weeks. Best decision I've ever made.
Coupled with giving up pop, I started drinking a mess of water. And now that I'm drinking what I SHOULD be drinking, I'm noticing some huge differences. First, my skin looks and feels much better. I still have dry skin, but it's much better than it used to be. Second, my lips are not as chapped. I think I'm finally giving my body the proper hydration. I've also noticed that while I don't have caffeine coursing through my body, water does enough to perk me up in the morning. I'll take it.
Going to the gym has also been great. I haven't tried to push myself too hard to start, but there have been a few times I have pushed a muscle group and felt sore after (my non-existent abs still hurt from Friday). I forgot how much I like going to the gym. It very much gives me "Me" time to relax and go over things I need to do. I also use the time to listen to audiobooks, which is another way to cram in some reading. And I find that all of the things I learned when I worked with a trainer have come right back to me (I worked with a trainer leading up to my wedding. That's the last time I lost a significant amount of weight).
I also have a few current students who work out at the same gym and we run into each other often. I love that they are supportive and have asked questions about what I'm doing. To be honest, the first time I saw them I was self-conscious, but I quickly got over it. I'm okay with them seeing their overweight teacher making better decisions. One of them will often walk by me on the treadmill or elliptical and give me a good high five when he comes in. I'll take it.
Since making all of these changes about 3 weeks ago, I've lost 12 pounds. I know a lot of that was just water weight and the chugging of copious amounts of water, but it's a great start.
I know this is going to be a very long journey as I have to lose 100 pounds to get into the "healthy" range for my age and height. But I'm okay with that. I doubt I'll talk about it often, but might update from time to time. Because here's the thing...for so long I have let my weight dictate who I am and what I do. I don't want to be bound to that anymore. So I'm working towards making that change permanent. And just being a healthier version of who I already am.
Switching gears, school is about to wind up for some crazy. While I have no intentions of stepping back from blogging or taking a break, I know it's going to get crazy once May gets here-that's when our seniors have all their events, plus my National Board Portfolio is due (and I still have a lot to do). I'm going to do my best to get as much done during the week as I can so I have time to read on weekends, and I'm going to try and get some posts prescheduled, but if there is radio silence for a bit, know I'll be back hard core starting near the end of May. I'm not working this summer either, so I have a lot of reading plans in store.
Speaking of those plans...a couple years ago I hosted a long Victorian Event in the summer. Would there be any interest in that again?
Have a happy reading week!
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Weekend Update for April 12, 2015: End of Spring Break and Reading Binge.
Hi everyone! It's hard to believe that we're halfway through the month already, isn't it? Since today is the 12th, it also marks that I have exactly 2 months until the end of the school year. Our third quarter ended before break, so we only have a short time left before glorious summer. :) I have a lot to get done in that time!
But I digress...this last week was my spring break. We had a little bit of a longer break since we had the Friday before off as well (it was our "Records" day). I had a lot of plans for over break-reading, doing some work on my National Board Portfolio, cleaning, and grading. To be honest, I spent a lot of time doing domestic things-doing a bit of spring cleaning, catching up on laundry, as well as cooking and spending time organizing some things that needed organized. I also read quite a bit (I think 4? Maybe 5?). I did a little grading...and read through some materials for my NB stuff....
Today, after I finish writing this entry, will be spent on a bit of a grading binge. I started a bit last night (and totally forgot how much I had to do). I have some things that NEED to get on third quarter, so those will be my priority. I also have....96 essays on The Crucible that I should get to soon.
But I did enjoy my break and spent it as a break. I needed it. I was feeling pretty negative before this week, so I'm ready to get back to work refreshed and ready to go. I also need to set a little more time aside for get my NB stuff done-I'm thinking next weekend will be spent catching up on that so I can enjoy the readathon the week after!
Speaking of reading, I read some good things this week. Here's the list (I had to double check on Goodreads to make sure I'm remembering correctly):
- Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall
- Fables Volume 3
- Landline by Rainbow Rowell
- Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver
- Fables Volume 4
Sure, 3 of them are graphic novels....but who cares? :) I also (finally) got a copy of Battle Royale by Koushin Takami yesterday, so I'm excited to read that as well. I didn't expect it to be as long as it is, but I'm sure it will be a fast read.
I really need to get back into some of the classics. I've been neglecting them the last month or so. I did start Lady Audley's Secret a couple weeks ago, but set it aside. I think that might be my next big read.
Anyway, the piles of grading are calling me. Have a wonderful Sunday!
Sunday, February 23, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for February 23, 2014: Done with Winter.
I love the winter. I really do. I love the snow and the cold and the layers of clothing I get to wear. As a teacher, I love the occasional snow day and the excitement of the kids the day before a big snowstorm. I love cuddling up under warm blankets with a cup of hot cocoa and bowls of hot soup.
But I'm done now.
This has been, by far, the worst winter I can remember. From below freezing temperatures, to massive piles of snow, the last two months have been a blur of never-ending snow, cold, and freezing rain. And while I'm not at all ready for the heat and summer months to get here, I'd be okay with slightly warmer temps (it did get up to 40 earlier this week. I actually drove home with my windows cracked to enjoy the "nice" weather).
I'm also quite sick of the snow days. We had Friday off....for "hazardous road conditions." That was our 7th snow day since January. I was actually mad when I got the call at 5 in the morning! Now it's up in the air as to whether we need to make up the day. We get 6 snow days built into our calendar year, so now we might have to stay later in June. And I know our district isn't that bad off-some schools have had 10 or more days!
Anyway, I'm looking forward to a change in the weather, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon (more snow this week....yay). I think the kids are looking forward to it too!
The good news is that Spring Break is looming and I'll be heading out to California with Matt and my parents to visit my sister Torrie. She graduated from college back in December and got another internship with Disney (she interned down in Florida a couple years ago). We'll be there for the week (Matt a little less because of work), so we're planning on hitting up the Hollywood area as well. It's dreams of warm California weather that are keeping me going. :)
In reading, I haven't been too focused. I'm still in the middle of a bunch of things, but I have plans to at least start The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata this week. The Classics Club issued a dare to read the novel, so I'm going to tackle it so I can dare others. :) It looks interesting and my copy arrived last week, so it'll be next up. I'm also trying to finish 7 Events that Made America America by Larry Schweikart, but it's going rather slowly....it has a very obvious conservative slant that gets distracting...I'll admit that I've skimmed a few passages. The ideas behind the book are interesting; however, so I'm not ready to declare it as DNF.
I also started the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire a couple weeks ago, and I've been meaning to finish it, so I assume that'll be next up. I ready to dive back in to Westeros after a month or so away from it. I think spacing out those books was a great idea, but now I need to make sure I finish through book 3 by the time the show premieres again in April.
I hope you all have a happy reading week!
But I'm done now.
This has been, by far, the worst winter I can remember. From below freezing temperatures, to massive piles of snow, the last two months have been a blur of never-ending snow, cold, and freezing rain. And while I'm not at all ready for the heat and summer months to get here, I'd be okay with slightly warmer temps (it did get up to 40 earlier this week. I actually drove home with my windows cracked to enjoy the "nice" weather).
I'm also quite sick of the snow days. We had Friday off....for "hazardous road conditions." That was our 7th snow day since January. I was actually mad when I got the call at 5 in the morning! Now it's up in the air as to whether we need to make up the day. We get 6 snow days built into our calendar year, so now we might have to stay later in June. And I know our district isn't that bad off-some schools have had 10 or more days!
Anyway, I'm looking forward to a change in the weather, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen any time soon (more snow this week....yay). I think the kids are looking forward to it too!
The good news is that Spring Break is looming and I'll be heading out to California with Matt and my parents to visit my sister Torrie. She graduated from college back in December and got another internship with Disney (she interned down in Florida a couple years ago). We'll be there for the week (Matt a little less because of work), so we're planning on hitting up the Hollywood area as well. It's dreams of warm California weather that are keeping me going. :)
In reading, I haven't been too focused. I'm still in the middle of a bunch of things, but I have plans to at least start The Sound of the Mountain by Yasunari Kawabata this week. The Classics Club issued a dare to read the novel, so I'm going to tackle it so I can dare others. :) It looks interesting and my copy arrived last week, so it'll be next up. I'm also trying to finish 7 Events that Made America America by Larry Schweikart, but it's going rather slowly....it has a very obvious conservative slant that gets distracting...I'll admit that I've skimmed a few passages. The ideas behind the book are interesting; however, so I'm not ready to declare it as DNF.
I also started the second book in A Song of Ice and Fire a couple weeks ago, and I've been meaning to finish it, so I assume that'll be next up. I ready to dive back in to Westeros after a month or so away from it. I think spacing out those books was a great idea, but now I need to make sure I finish through book 3 by the time the show premieres again in April.
I hope you all have a happy reading week!
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for February 16, 2014: Valentine's, Reading, and Meeting Mascha.
This was an incredibly long week considering I wasn't at school on Monday (huge flare-had to go to the doctor for shots) and we had a half day/PD gig on Thursday. It seemed like things were never ending and there was just too much going on! First, I was not feeling well to start the week, and didn't really start to feel like myself until Friday. Then, our cat Sparty had a lump under his chin that seemed to appear overnight (it turned out to be an abscess-he's all better now). THEN, my car was hit by a student in the staff parking lot between our half day of testing in the morning and PD meetings on Thursday (the car and student are fine-it was just a big mess).
So I entered this weekend exhausted and ready for a break. And believe it or not, we have a 4-day weekend for President's Day and our "Mid-winter" break. It seems as if we've had more days off than school (6 snow days post-Christmas break), but I'm not going to complain too much. I needed this little break! I have some things to finish planning so I can get to our Spring Break at the end of March without too much stress.
I am shocked it's mid-February though...where is this year going?
Anyway, a highlight of my week came on Thursday. Matt decided he would rather take me out to dinner then instead of Friday. He had to work Friday and didn't want to go out super late (he generally gets home on the weekends at 7:30/8). So, we went out Thursday to "celebrate" Valentine's Day. We've never been super big for celebrating things like that. I mean, we usually go out to a nice dinner, but that's about it. We don't really exchange gifts or partake in any of that....but he really surprised me on Thursday and I rather liked it. ;) He bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers-with lilies! My favorite! Then we went and ate at our favorite restaurant in Downtown Rochester and there he surprised me with a beautiful bracelet. I was a bit shocked, since dinner was definitely enough. It's beautiful and I wore it Friday. :)
The kids were also especially cute on Valentine's Day. Since I work in a high school, you can bet there were a million grand gestures of affection going on. Girls walking around with bears, roses, chocolate....you name it. I also loved that quite a few kids bought Valentine's cards and passed them out. I also had way too many heart-shaped cookies and candies. It was a very warm and loving day for everyone involved and I think the kids needed that bit of fun to break up the stress of school.
Since it was such a long and tiring week, I decided I needed some good reads for the weekend. I headed off to the bookstore to pick up a couple of newer releases to keep me company-Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I read books by both authors this summer that I absolutely loved, so I knew I needed to read these (I read Winger and Eleanor and Park). I plopped down on the couch yesterday to settle into Grasshopper Jungle and read it in one long, luxurious sitting. My thoughts will be posted on Thursday. I barely started Fangirl earlier this morning, so I'm going to settle in for a little bit to read more this morning/early afternoon.
Tonight, we have a family dinner at my mom's to meet my brother's girlfriend, Mascha. She's from the Netherlands and is here for a couple of weeks to meet everyone and spend more time with my brother, so it should be a fun meal. :)
I hope you all have a happy reading week!
So I entered this weekend exhausted and ready for a break. And believe it or not, we have a 4-day weekend for President's Day and our "Mid-winter" break. It seems as if we've had more days off than school (6 snow days post-Christmas break), but I'm not going to complain too much. I needed this little break! I have some things to finish planning so I can get to our Spring Break at the end of March without too much stress.
I am shocked it's mid-February though...where is this year going?
Anyway, a highlight of my week came on Thursday. Matt decided he would rather take me out to dinner then instead of Friday. He had to work Friday and didn't want to go out super late (he generally gets home on the weekends at 7:30/8). So, we went out Thursday to "celebrate" Valentine's Day. We've never been super big for celebrating things like that. I mean, we usually go out to a nice dinner, but that's about it. We don't really exchange gifts or partake in any of that....but he really surprised me on Thursday and I rather liked it. ;) He bought me a beautiful bouquet of flowers-with lilies! My favorite! Then we went and ate at our favorite restaurant in Downtown Rochester and there he surprised me with a beautiful bracelet. I was a bit shocked, since dinner was definitely enough. It's beautiful and I wore it Friday. :)
The kids were also especially cute on Valentine's Day. Since I work in a high school, you can bet there were a million grand gestures of affection going on. Girls walking around with bears, roses, chocolate....you name it. I also loved that quite a few kids bought Valentine's cards and passed them out. I also had way too many heart-shaped cookies and candies. It was a very warm and loving day for everyone involved and I think the kids needed that bit of fun to break up the stress of school.
Since it was such a long and tiring week, I decided I needed some good reads for the weekend. I headed off to the bookstore to pick up a couple of newer releases to keep me company-Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith and Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. I read books by both authors this summer that I absolutely loved, so I knew I needed to read these (I read Winger and Eleanor and Park). I plopped down on the couch yesterday to settle into Grasshopper Jungle and read it in one long, luxurious sitting. My thoughts will be posted on Thursday. I barely started Fangirl earlier this morning, so I'm going to settle in for a little bit to read more this morning/early afternoon.
Tonight, we have a family dinner at my mom's to meet my brother's girlfriend, Mascha. She's from the Netherlands and is here for a couple of weeks to meet everyone and spend more time with my brother, so it should be a fun meal. :)
I hope you all have a happy reading week!
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for February 9, 2014: Stress.
This week was a big pile of stress at work.
It was our first whole week of school in quite some time, so that in and of itself was a bit draining. Then, Monday morning, my co-teacher for the AP U.S. History class I teach called to tell me she wouldn't be in. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, except that it was her week to deliver content (we alternate weeks being the "lead" teacher. Whoever is leading delivers the main content and whoever isn't just acts as support-it makes our lives easier and it livens things up for the kids). So, Monday morning and my first hour prep were spent scrambling to reacquaint myself with the content-Gilded Age Politics-and pull an activity together. She was also out Tuesday and Wednesday, so I scrambled quite a bit.
I also had a challenging week with my 11th graders. We're pulling away from the literature units we did first semester (we read The Catcher in the Rye and Night) for some heavy writing units-Argument and Research. They were not so happy about the adjustment and what that meant for our time spent in class (because of the nature of the course, we spent a lot of time reading our novels in class, in addition to discussion, etc. They aren't used to homework!). Nevertheless, we got through the week and will get through the next few rough ones as well...we have the ACT test coming up in a few weeks, so I'm preparing them for that. Lots of impromptus and practice tests are in the future...
My sophomores started reading Of Mice and Men this week, which they are not too happy about. I'm trying to push more of the actual reading onto their shoulders so we can discuss and do other activities in class and they don't like it. In reality, as sad as it sounds, I'm trying to make up for the time we lost due to snow days, etc. They'll be okay, I think!
To compound all those issues, our gradebooks at school weren't ready until Friday afternoon. Thankfully I'm a pen and paper kind of girl, so I keep a paper gradebook as well. I was able to pass some things back before they were ever put in the computer, but it was still a pain to have that lingering over my head...and having kids ask why their grades weren't updated!
On top of all of that, I am lucky enough to have a local college student coming in to observe my classes (and me) once a week for third quarter. She's finishing her senior year and will be doing her student teaching next year, so my classroom is a place for her to start trying some things and interacting with my kids. She shadowed me all day on Tuesday and got to experience the full craziness of my day. Because I have prep first period, I go the rest of the day at warp speed! The kids were also crazy on Tuesday, so she got to experience that as well! I hope that she learns something from me and my classroom.
Besides school. I've been aching something fierce all week and by the time I got home Friday night, I was done. I collapsed in bed for a few hours, got up to eat dinner with Matt, then passed out some more. Yesterday was spent in a daze-sleeping, watching TV, and reading just a little (it hurt to hold the book open). I'm feeling a little better this morning, and once Matt gets up, we're going out to breakfast and then shopping for some things we need-laundry detergent being the number 1!
Reading has fallen a bit to the side. While I like Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy and it's short, I haven't been motivated to pick it up this week. It requires a bit more of my attention. Yesterday I was in need of some comfort, so I grabbed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone off my shelf and I'm already 1/3 of the way through it. I've been meaning to reread them, so I think I'll try and do that slowly over the course of the year.
Anyway, I hear Matt stirring, so I'm going to encourage him to get up a bit quicker-I foresee a delicious Sunday breakfast in our future. :)
happy reading!
It was our first whole week of school in quite some time, so that in and of itself was a bit draining. Then, Monday morning, my co-teacher for the AP U.S. History class I teach called to tell me she wouldn't be in. Normally, that wouldn't be a problem, except that it was her week to deliver content (we alternate weeks being the "lead" teacher. Whoever is leading delivers the main content and whoever isn't just acts as support-it makes our lives easier and it livens things up for the kids). So, Monday morning and my first hour prep were spent scrambling to reacquaint myself with the content-Gilded Age Politics-and pull an activity together. She was also out Tuesday and Wednesday, so I scrambled quite a bit.
I also had a challenging week with my 11th graders. We're pulling away from the literature units we did first semester (we read The Catcher in the Rye and Night) for some heavy writing units-Argument and Research. They were not so happy about the adjustment and what that meant for our time spent in class (because of the nature of the course, we spent a lot of time reading our novels in class, in addition to discussion, etc. They aren't used to homework!). Nevertheless, we got through the week and will get through the next few rough ones as well...we have the ACT test coming up in a few weeks, so I'm preparing them for that. Lots of impromptus and practice tests are in the future...
My sophomores started reading Of Mice and Men this week, which they are not too happy about. I'm trying to push more of the actual reading onto their shoulders so we can discuss and do other activities in class and they don't like it. In reality, as sad as it sounds, I'm trying to make up for the time we lost due to snow days, etc. They'll be okay, I think!
To compound all those issues, our gradebooks at school weren't ready until Friday afternoon. Thankfully I'm a pen and paper kind of girl, so I keep a paper gradebook as well. I was able to pass some things back before they were ever put in the computer, but it was still a pain to have that lingering over my head...and having kids ask why their grades weren't updated!
On top of all of that, I am lucky enough to have a local college student coming in to observe my classes (and me) once a week for third quarter. She's finishing her senior year and will be doing her student teaching next year, so my classroom is a place for her to start trying some things and interacting with my kids. She shadowed me all day on Tuesday and got to experience the full craziness of my day. Because I have prep first period, I go the rest of the day at warp speed! The kids were also crazy on Tuesday, so she got to experience that as well! I hope that she learns something from me and my classroom.
Besides school. I've been aching something fierce all week and by the time I got home Friday night, I was done. I collapsed in bed for a few hours, got up to eat dinner with Matt, then passed out some more. Yesterday was spent in a daze-sleeping, watching TV, and reading just a little (it hurt to hold the book open). I'm feeling a little better this morning, and once Matt gets up, we're going out to breakfast and then shopping for some things we need-laundry detergent being the number 1!
Reading has fallen a bit to the side. While I like Under the Greenwood Tree by Hardy and it's short, I haven't been motivated to pick it up this week. It requires a bit more of my attention. Yesterday I was in need of some comfort, so I grabbed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone off my shelf and I'm already 1/3 of the way through it. I've been meaning to reread them, so I think I'll try and do that slowly over the course of the year.
Anyway, I hear Matt stirring, so I'm going to encourage him to get up a bit quicker-I foresee a delicious Sunday breakfast in our future. :)
happy reading!
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for February 2, 2014: On Inspiration at Lovefest and a New Kitchen.
I was intending to write this post last night, but by the time I got home, I was just exhausted by an eventful week and crashed in bed for a good 12 hours.
We had 2 more "cold" days this week, which put a real wrench in plans to get our second semester underway. Monday the kids had a half day to take the last 2 exams for first semester, then we were off both Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday ended up being the first day of second semester. Insanity. My classes this semester haven't changed at all. In fact, my schedule stayed exactly the same-the sames classes during the same hours. The kids are all mixed up; however, and I don't think most of them are too happy about it. I also have some fairly large classes. Both of my sophomore American lit classes are at 36, which is the largest class size we can have. The classroom I teach those classes in is also a bit small, so they're cramped. And very unhappy about it. *sigh* It'll work out.
I managed to get all my classes started before being gone on Friday for a scheduled field trip with the theatre group. Every year, they attend a festival nicknamed "Lovefest" to present a short piece (about an hour). They've been going for the last 6 or so years, and it seems to be an event that the kids all look forward to. Initially, I wasn't attending, but after a parent had to cancel a couple weeks ago, I was asked!
The weekend was an amazing experience. We left Friday morning on a bus (25 kids and 4 chaperones including myself and the theatre director) and found our way north to Bay City. After checking in to our hotel and relaxing for a bit, we headed over to the school for the first night of performances. In total, there were ten schools in attendance, including all 3 of the schools from my town. The whole auditorium was filled with great feelings of support and excitement.
There were many amazing performances (including our own), and after each, the school would go into another room to hear from a responder about their piece-things to improve, etc.
The first night we saw 3 of my favorite performances-The Yellow Boat, Wit, and Metamorphoses. The Yellow Boat was the first piece of the festival, and it was so touching. I wasn't familiar with the show before it started (I think that had I been, I wouldn't have cried). The boy playing the main character did a fabulous job capturing his youth and spirit. Metamorphoses was just a beautiful piece. They had music in the background during the entire performance and also incorporated a lot of lyrical dance and movement into the piece, which made it breathtaking. I also loved the mythology of it-it was just fascinating.
My favorite piece that we saw all weekend was definitely Wit. If you're unfamiliar with the play, it's about a woman dying of cancer...but it was so much more than that. The girl playing the lead role was simply amazing. We all took down her name so we'll know her later on in her career. Her performance was very real and raw....just a gorgeous show.
After out performances, we came back to the hotel where the kids burned off their energy and we eventually came around for room checks.
We performed the next morning (Murder by Poe) and the kids did fabulously well. Our costumes were a hit and our kids delivered an excellent performance (they best they'd done it!). We then spent the rest of the day watching the remaining plays and the snow piling up outside. The last piece for the even was awards, and I really loved the fact that they gave awards for each show-so no one show outshone the rest. Two of our actors were recognized, as was our costume designer. After awards, we piled back on the bus for a very long, draining ride home. The roads were pretty bad but we made it safely.
In all, it was an incredibly inspirational weekend for me. Not only did I get to spend some time with some amazing teenagers, but I also got to see their talent and drive. I ate breakfast yesterday morning with two of our seniors, and we talked about their plans for next year. Their passion for what they do was so pure and raw...I just felt drawn to it.
And watching pieces of literature being performed further pushed me into acknowledging that I have to take a chance on my own writing and at least try. I think this was the push I needed to finally go after my own dreams and passion. I'm grateful for that.
Aside from all of that excitement, we also had some craziness at home, Our complex finally decided they were going to upgrade our kitchen and bathroom cupboards and cabinets, so we had to clear everything out for them to get started on Thursday. I came home last night to find it all done (and a very WHITE kitchen), so now I need to put it all back together-there are dishes and bags of food from our pantry all over the floor of our living room. I'm also very excited for our new stove/oven, since our old one was probably from the 70s and didn't work so well. It'll be nice to use new things!
In any case, I haven't done much reading and I am out of pre-scheduled posts. I have a few things in draft, but I'm not sure what time I'll have in the next couple of days to get those in publishable shape. So, it it's quiet this week, that's why. :)
Have a happy reading week!
We had 2 more "cold" days this week, which put a real wrench in plans to get our second semester underway. Monday the kids had a half day to take the last 2 exams for first semester, then we were off both Tuesday and Wednesday. Thursday ended up being the first day of second semester. Insanity. My classes this semester haven't changed at all. In fact, my schedule stayed exactly the same-the sames classes during the same hours. The kids are all mixed up; however, and I don't think most of them are too happy about it. I also have some fairly large classes. Both of my sophomore American lit classes are at 36, which is the largest class size we can have. The classroom I teach those classes in is also a bit small, so they're cramped. And very unhappy about it. *sigh* It'll work out.
I managed to get all my classes started before being gone on Friday for a scheduled field trip with the theatre group. Every year, they attend a festival nicknamed "Lovefest" to present a short piece (about an hour). They've been going for the last 6 or so years, and it seems to be an event that the kids all look forward to. Initially, I wasn't attending, but after a parent had to cancel a couple weeks ago, I was asked!
The weekend was an amazing experience. We left Friday morning on a bus (25 kids and 4 chaperones including myself and the theatre director) and found our way north to Bay City. After checking in to our hotel and relaxing for a bit, we headed over to the school for the first night of performances. In total, there were ten schools in attendance, including all 3 of the schools from my town. The whole auditorium was filled with great feelings of support and excitement.
There were many amazing performances (including our own), and after each, the school would go into another room to hear from a responder about their piece-things to improve, etc.
The first night we saw 3 of my favorite performances-The Yellow Boat, Wit, and Metamorphoses. The Yellow Boat was the first piece of the festival, and it was so touching. I wasn't familiar with the show before it started (I think that had I been, I wouldn't have cried). The boy playing the main character did a fabulous job capturing his youth and spirit. Metamorphoses was just a beautiful piece. They had music in the background during the entire performance and also incorporated a lot of lyrical dance and movement into the piece, which made it breathtaking. I also loved the mythology of it-it was just fascinating.
My favorite piece that we saw all weekend was definitely Wit. If you're unfamiliar with the play, it's about a woman dying of cancer...but it was so much more than that. The girl playing the lead role was simply amazing. We all took down her name so we'll know her later on in her career. Her performance was very real and raw....just a gorgeous show.
After out performances, we came back to the hotel where the kids burned off their energy and we eventually came around for room checks.
We performed the next morning (Murder by Poe) and the kids did fabulously well. Our costumes were a hit and our kids delivered an excellent performance (they best they'd done it!). We then spent the rest of the day watching the remaining plays and the snow piling up outside. The last piece for the even was awards, and I really loved the fact that they gave awards for each show-so no one show outshone the rest. Two of our actors were recognized, as was our costume designer. After awards, we piled back on the bus for a very long, draining ride home. The roads were pretty bad but we made it safely.
In all, it was an incredibly inspirational weekend for me. Not only did I get to spend some time with some amazing teenagers, but I also got to see their talent and drive. I ate breakfast yesterday morning with two of our seniors, and we talked about their plans for next year. Their passion for what they do was so pure and raw...I just felt drawn to it.
And watching pieces of literature being performed further pushed me into acknowledging that I have to take a chance on my own writing and at least try. I think this was the push I needed to finally go after my own dreams and passion. I'm grateful for that.
Aside from all of that excitement, we also had some craziness at home, Our complex finally decided they were going to upgrade our kitchen and bathroom cupboards and cabinets, so we had to clear everything out for them to get started on Thursday. I came home last night to find it all done (and a very WHITE kitchen), so now I need to put it all back together-there are dishes and bags of food from our pantry all over the floor of our living room. I'm also very excited for our new stove/oven, since our old one was probably from the 70s and didn't work so well. It'll be nice to use new things!
In any case, I haven't done much reading and I am out of pre-scheduled posts. I have a few things in draft, but I'm not sure what time I'll have in the next couple of days to get those in publishable shape. So, it it's quiet this week, that's why. :)
Have a happy reading week!
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for January 26, 2014: On the Cold, A New Semester, and Whitman.
I've been so absorbed in finishing up some prep work that I almost let the whole day go by without posting! Whoops!
I guess my schedule is a little off because we had Friday off (a cold day....). And while I would like to say that I was super productive this weekend...I wasn't. I've been feeling pretty achy, so I took the time to relax a bit, organize some things around the apartment, and do hardly anything. :) It was lovely.
There is talk that we may not have school tomorrow because of the cold....if so, that will be our 5th day off from school since we returned in January! eek! We're also at that point where we're "out" of snow days and any more means we'll make it up in June. And, if that happens, it means our last two exams will be pushed back AGAIN. I feel for the kids-to prepare and be ready to take exams on Friday, and then to have them looming all weekend? Eek. No thank you. I guess we'll have to see what happens.
Truth be told, I honestly don't mind the cold or snow. I actually quite love it. My only complaint is that since trading in my Jeep last winter (last March I think!), my new car, a 300, is TERRIBLE in the snow. It's days like today that I miss my Jeep ever so much. :/ At least our lease is up in just one more year-I'm definitely getting another Jeep! I miss the way it just ran through everything!
Anyway, assuming I go back to school at some point in January, we'll be starting a new semester. I'm excited to have my kids mixed up (my classes stay the same-they just move around a bit to accommodate some of their other classes). I need the change, and so do they! I'm also getting a few new kids. Last year, because I gained new sections of classes, I had a LOT of new names to learn second semester. This time, I have 10? That should be easy! I guess I'm lucky to have pretty much the same kids-we've really connected this year, so we can continue on that route!
I did find out that both of my American lit (sophomore English) classes are huge-36 kids each. I'm not entirely thrilled with those numbers, especially since second semester is a little more intense than first semester in terms of projects and grading. I guess I'm going to have to get more creative.
Besides schoolwork and cleaning, I've spent some time this weekend revisiting some favorite poems. There's something about the cold that pulls me to poetry. This morning I settled in with Whitman's "Song of Myself" and was reminded of just how much I love it. I think I'm going to put Whitman beside my bed for some nighttime reading this week.
I'm also in the middle of Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy. I'm hoping to finish it early this week since my grading will be light. I'm not sure what might be next...perhaps the next in A Song of Ice and Fire? Or any other suggestions?
Have a wonderful week and happy reading!
I guess my schedule is a little off because we had Friday off (a cold day....). And while I would like to say that I was super productive this weekend...I wasn't. I've been feeling pretty achy, so I took the time to relax a bit, organize some things around the apartment, and do hardly anything. :) It was lovely.
There is talk that we may not have school tomorrow because of the cold....if so, that will be our 5th day off from school since we returned in January! eek! We're also at that point where we're "out" of snow days and any more means we'll make it up in June. And, if that happens, it means our last two exams will be pushed back AGAIN. I feel for the kids-to prepare and be ready to take exams on Friday, and then to have them looming all weekend? Eek. No thank you. I guess we'll have to see what happens.
Truth be told, I honestly don't mind the cold or snow. I actually quite love it. My only complaint is that since trading in my Jeep last winter (last March I think!), my new car, a 300, is TERRIBLE in the snow. It's days like today that I miss my Jeep ever so much. :/ At least our lease is up in just one more year-I'm definitely getting another Jeep! I miss the way it just ran through everything!
Anyway, assuming I go back to school at some point in January, we'll be starting a new semester. I'm excited to have my kids mixed up (my classes stay the same-they just move around a bit to accommodate some of their other classes). I need the change, and so do they! I'm also getting a few new kids. Last year, because I gained new sections of classes, I had a LOT of new names to learn second semester. This time, I have 10? That should be easy! I guess I'm lucky to have pretty much the same kids-we've really connected this year, so we can continue on that route!
I did find out that both of my American lit (sophomore English) classes are huge-36 kids each. I'm not entirely thrilled with those numbers, especially since second semester is a little more intense than first semester in terms of projects and grading. I guess I'm going to have to get more creative.
Besides schoolwork and cleaning, I've spent some time this weekend revisiting some favorite poems. There's something about the cold that pulls me to poetry. This morning I settled in with Whitman's "Song of Myself" and was reminded of just how much I love it. I think I'm going to put Whitman beside my bed for some nighttime reading this week.
I'm also in the middle of Under the Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy. I'm hoping to finish it early this week since my grading will be light. I'm not sure what might be next...perhaps the next in A Song of Ice and Fire? Or any other suggestions?
Have a wonderful week and happy reading!
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for January 19, 2014: Exam Week.
This past week was a long one. Coming off of 2 1/2 weeks off from school (because of our snow days) and a measly 2-day week the week before, 5 days of school was trying for teachers and students alike. But, we managed to push through and now I am trying to avoid a very big pile of grading (I'm not exaggerating, I have a plastic crate FULL of things to grade). And while this coming week is exam week and I know I can use that time to grade, I really need that time to prep and plan for the second semester. As soon as I publish this post, I'm heading over to the library to get some work done. I'm so much more productive when I'm there!
Besides the fact that it was a very long week, I did get a lot accomplished. I spent a good deal of time yesterday grocery shopping and cooking. I've been meaning to make some things to stick in the freezer for those days when I'm not feeling good and don't feel like cooking (more often than not, I pick up food on my way home on those days...which means I'm not eating particularly well...). So, I bought doubles of a few things and managed to double up on some casseroles to shove in our very small freezer. I also bought a rotisserie chicken, which I shredded and turned into a big batch of chicken salad for lunches this week. I often just bring a salad and yogurt for lunch, but I'm getting pretty tired of that and thought that some chicken salad with grapes and walnuts would be a nice change!
And this morning I made up a big batch of broccoli-cheddar soup, so we have that for this week as well. In all, I feel quite accomplished and I'm happy we have some food put away. It's so easy to fall back to what is easy (and crappy) to eat, so now we have some good options waiting for us. It's a good preventative measure, especially if and when my Lupus flares up again.
Besides the cooking extravaganza yesterday, I spent some time organizing a few of our cupboards, including the dreaded tupperware cupboard. I don't know about you, but it always turns into a disaster with lids all over the place and containers shoved every which way. I tossed some that didn't have their lid (or vice versa) and reorganized so we can actually find what we're looking for.
My next big thing to organize is my book closet. I have about 15 boxes of books in my closet, and while I culled them a couple of years ago, I think I need to dig back in and re-cull. I know for a fact that there are a bunch of textbooks in there that I've had since college. I need to just sell them to amazon and get what I can for them to get some more space for storage. I'm pretty content with my collection now. There are quite a few things I wish could be on shelves, but we don't have the room for any more bookshelves. And I know there are many things I will never read or don't want to look at again-why am I holding on to them? I'm hoping to do this in a few more weeks when we have a long weekend.
In reading news, I decided to start Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. I adored An American Tragedy when I read it a few years ago, and this title has just been sitting on my shelf. I really didn't want to start another challenge book so soon, so after looking around, this title jumped out at me. As of this morning, I'm on page 314, so you can tell that its going well and that I REALLY like it. I can't wait to see where the story goes, and I can't wait to tell you all about it.
After I finish it, I'm not sure what I'm going to read next. I'm thinking of reading a Thomas Hardy (because for some reason, Sister Carrie makes me want to read him?), so I might grab one of those off my shelf-maybe Tess or Under the Greenwood Tree. I also feel a pull to Vanity Fair, so we'll see what my mood says once I finish Sister Carrie. Any other recs for me?
Anyway, I best be heading to the library before all the good spots are taken. ;) Have a fabulous reading week!
Besides the fact that it was a very long week, I did get a lot accomplished. I spent a good deal of time yesterday grocery shopping and cooking. I've been meaning to make some things to stick in the freezer for those days when I'm not feeling good and don't feel like cooking (more often than not, I pick up food on my way home on those days...which means I'm not eating particularly well...). So, I bought doubles of a few things and managed to double up on some casseroles to shove in our very small freezer. I also bought a rotisserie chicken, which I shredded and turned into a big batch of chicken salad for lunches this week. I often just bring a salad and yogurt for lunch, but I'm getting pretty tired of that and thought that some chicken salad with grapes and walnuts would be a nice change!
And this morning I made up a big batch of broccoli-cheddar soup, so we have that for this week as well. In all, I feel quite accomplished and I'm happy we have some food put away. It's so easy to fall back to what is easy (and crappy) to eat, so now we have some good options waiting for us. It's a good preventative measure, especially if and when my Lupus flares up again.
Besides the cooking extravaganza yesterday, I spent some time organizing a few of our cupboards, including the dreaded tupperware cupboard. I don't know about you, but it always turns into a disaster with lids all over the place and containers shoved every which way. I tossed some that didn't have their lid (or vice versa) and reorganized so we can actually find what we're looking for.
My next big thing to organize is my book closet. I have about 15 boxes of books in my closet, and while I culled them a couple of years ago, I think I need to dig back in and re-cull. I know for a fact that there are a bunch of textbooks in there that I've had since college. I need to just sell them to amazon and get what I can for them to get some more space for storage. I'm pretty content with my collection now. There are quite a few things I wish could be on shelves, but we don't have the room for any more bookshelves. And I know there are many things I will never read or don't want to look at again-why am I holding on to them? I'm hoping to do this in a few more weeks when we have a long weekend.
In reading news, I decided to start Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. I adored An American Tragedy when I read it a few years ago, and this title has just been sitting on my shelf. I really didn't want to start another challenge book so soon, so after looking around, this title jumped out at me. As of this morning, I'm on page 314, so you can tell that its going well and that I REALLY like it. I can't wait to see where the story goes, and I can't wait to tell you all about it.
After I finish it, I'm not sure what I'm going to read next. I'm thinking of reading a Thomas Hardy (because for some reason, Sister Carrie makes me want to read him?), so I might grab one of those off my shelf-maybe Tess or Under the Greenwood Tree. I also feel a pull to Vanity Fair, so we'll see what my mood says once I finish Sister Carrie. Any other recs for me?
Anyway, I best be heading to the library before all the good spots are taken. ;) Have a fabulous reading week!
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Weekly Wrap-up for January 12, 2014: A "Snowy" Week and Getting in the Groove.
How is everyone doing this fine Sunday morning? I'm typing this up quickly before packing up and heading to the library to get some work done! I find that I get a lot more done when I step away from the distractions of cuddly kittens, books, and a comfy couch.
This week was supposed to be our first week back at school, but we were hit with that nasty weather that plagued the Midwest starting on Sunday. We ended up having three snow days! It was a bit crazy, but I was glad for the first couple. I came down with another case of walking pneumonia (which I think I mentioned last week), so I would have been home Monday anyway). Having some extra time off allowed me to rest and relax a bit more from the safety and warmth of our apartment.
The weather was definitely COLD. It read negative 35 here at points, and the snow was crazy. The roads were still horrible when I finally left the house on Wednesday to escape to my mom's for a few hours. Thursday morning also was a bit of a harrowing drive, since there was still a lot of ice! But, I got a lot done in those 3 days, and it was nice to only have 2 days back before this weekend. :)
The kids were happy to be back, but with finals coming up in just another week, we're all feeling a bit pressured to get things done and get to review. I'm also excited to get to second semester content in my American lit class because I have a lot of fun things planned for them. I've been working all year to revamp some lessons and pull in some fun activities, and the kids are truly enjoying the class. AP U.S. is getting closer to their exam and my co-teacher is nearing her due date. She'll be leaving me in early April, so the last month before the exam will be spent with a sub!
In any case, I still have a lot of school work to get done before the semester ends and not enough time to do it. I'm only slightly regretting my super relaxing Christmas break, but I really did need that time off to recharge. My work will get done when it gets done. :)
In terms of reading, I finished A Game of Thrones yesterday morning. There is a post scheduled to go up on Wednesday. It's the first book I finished for the year, and it was a doozy. I also moved on and started A Moveable Feast by Hemingway last night, inspired by my reading of The Paris Wife. I'm not far into it, but I'm enjoying it.
Anyway, I best get to the library to get a good table. I hope you had a wonderful week with great reading!
This week was supposed to be our first week back at school, but we were hit with that nasty weather that plagued the Midwest starting on Sunday. We ended up having three snow days! It was a bit crazy, but I was glad for the first couple. I came down with another case of walking pneumonia (which I think I mentioned last week), so I would have been home Monday anyway). Having some extra time off allowed me to rest and relax a bit more from the safety and warmth of our apartment.
The weather was definitely COLD. It read negative 35 here at points, and the snow was crazy. The roads were still horrible when I finally left the house on Wednesday to escape to my mom's for a few hours. Thursday morning also was a bit of a harrowing drive, since there was still a lot of ice! But, I got a lot done in those 3 days, and it was nice to only have 2 days back before this weekend. :)
The kids were happy to be back, but with finals coming up in just another week, we're all feeling a bit pressured to get things done and get to review. I'm also excited to get to second semester content in my American lit class because I have a lot of fun things planned for them. I've been working all year to revamp some lessons and pull in some fun activities, and the kids are truly enjoying the class. AP U.S. is getting closer to their exam and my co-teacher is nearing her due date. She'll be leaving me in early April, so the last month before the exam will be spent with a sub!
In any case, I still have a lot of school work to get done before the semester ends and not enough time to do it. I'm only slightly regretting my super relaxing Christmas break, but I really did need that time off to recharge. My work will get done when it gets done. :)
In terms of reading, I finished A Game of Thrones yesterday morning. There is a post scheduled to go up on Wednesday. It's the first book I finished for the year, and it was a doozy. I also moved on and started A Moveable Feast by Hemingway last night, inspired by my reading of The Paris Wife. I'm not far into it, but I'm enjoying it.
Anyway, I best get to the library to get a good table. I hope you had a wonderful week with great reading!
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for July 14, 2013: Organization.
Hi everyone! When this post goes live, I'll actually be out of town (I'm a sneaky one). Matt and I will be traipsing along somewhere near Traverse City today (we came up here for a wedding on Saturday). Nevertheless, I have a question I've been meaning to ask, and perhaps you can help me!
I know I have talked about book organization before. However, I'm looking for some ideas from you about my shelves. As of right now, I have 5 shelves. 4 are big, full-sized beasts, and I have one tall, skinny shelf. 2 of my shelves are in our living room and they house all of my classics. The other 3 are in our second bedroom/office and have a mish-mash of YA, Science-fiction, Fantasy, History, and random other books I didn't want boxed up anymore.
Here is my problem.
Since I started collecting the new Penguin English Library books, my classics collection has grown...a lot. In fact, since I started blogging, my classics collection went from about half a big bookshelf to filling 2 big shelves (and then some). Right now, I have my clothbounds and PELs separated out from the rest of my classics-they look very pretty all together on the shelf-but they are growing as I continue to acquire and now I don't have room for all my classics in our living room. So what gets moved to the other bedroom? My classics are mainly organized alphabetically by author, so should I just take my poor end of the alphabet classics and moved them out? Or should I take a big set of titles (like my Shakespeare-which takes up a whole row...and then some) and move them over? WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
And second problem...
My shelves in the second bedroom are also overflowing...which is a surprise to my husband...I mean, where are all those extra books coming from? (*whistles innocently*). I need to put some books away in a box to clear room for the classics moving in, and to get rid of the excess double stacking. But what do I put away? Should I keep old favorites on the shelves just because I love them? Or should I just keep unreads out so they taunt me into picking them up?
See, this is a very serious problem. :) I need your ideas! How do you organized your shelves? Be super specific and help a girl out!
Thanks in advance for all your help!
(And I'll be back in person on Wednesday). :)
I know I have talked about book organization before. However, I'm looking for some ideas from you about my shelves. As of right now, I have 5 shelves. 4 are big, full-sized beasts, and I have one tall, skinny shelf. 2 of my shelves are in our living room and they house all of my classics. The other 3 are in our second bedroom/office and have a mish-mash of YA, Science-fiction, Fantasy, History, and random other books I didn't want boxed up anymore.
Here is my problem.
Since I started collecting the new Penguin English Library books, my classics collection has grown...a lot. In fact, since I started blogging, my classics collection went from about half a big bookshelf to filling 2 big shelves (and then some). Right now, I have my clothbounds and PELs separated out from the rest of my classics-they look very pretty all together on the shelf-but they are growing as I continue to acquire and now I don't have room for all my classics in our living room. So what gets moved to the other bedroom? My classics are mainly organized alphabetically by author, so should I just take my poor end of the alphabet classics and moved them out? Or should I take a big set of titles (like my Shakespeare-which takes up a whole row...and then some) and move them over? WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
And second problem...
My shelves in the second bedroom are also overflowing...which is a surprise to my husband...I mean, where are all those extra books coming from? (*whistles innocently*). I need to put some books away in a box to clear room for the classics moving in, and to get rid of the excess double stacking. But what do I put away? Should I keep old favorites on the shelves just because I love them? Or should I just keep unreads out so they taunt me into picking them up?
See, this is a very serious problem. :) I need your ideas! How do you organized your shelves? Be super specific and help a girl out!
Thanks in advance for all your help!
(And I'll be back in person on Wednesday). :)
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for June 23, 2013: On Grandfathers, Babies, Organization, and Books.
Today marks 10 years since my paternal grandfather passed away after a battle with cancer. It was just a couple weeks after my high school graduation, so the time period has always remained fresh in my memory. Many of my pictures from my senior high school events-prom, graduation, my graduation party-all show my grandfather's slow deterioration.
I never knew my maternal grandfather. He passed away before I was born, so my Grandpa Fred was something pretty special. He was a great man, and we all loved him dearly. I think about him, and my Grandmother Kay (who passed away a couple years after he did) regularly. I wonder what they would think of where I am now.
Matt and I were talking about Grandpa this morning. Matt was lucky enough to know my Grandpa (we've been together almost 11 years), so he has some memories. He was at the funeral with me and shared those thoughts and memories. And he agreed, it doesn't feel like it's been 10 years.
But to bring things full circle, my cousin Kate had her second son this morning-Sawyer James. James was my grandfather's middle name, so it was a touching tribute to him. My brother and his wife gave their daughter Zoey the middle name of "Kay" in memory of my grandmother. I love that we can honor our relatives in such a way. And little Sawyer made today a much more special day.
Switching gears...
I've been out of school for a week, and I haven't been all that productive. :) I got sick on the last day of school (what I thought was a cold-turned out to be a sinus infection and a double ear infection), and I'm still fighting it off. It settled in my chest, so I have an icky cough that just won't go away. So, all the cleaning and organizing I wanted to bust out in my first week off just plain didn't happen.
I did make a huge list of all the things I want to get done this summer. A lot of the list includes cleaning and organizing. I've gotten to the point where I just don't see why we have so much STUFF. Our apartment isn't super tiny, but it also isn't big. But we have too much crap everywhere! Our storage unit in the basement is pretty full (although, most of that is Matt's...I have no idea what's down there...), so that definitely needs to be cleaned out this summer. I'm at the point where if we haven't used or needed something in the almost 3 years we've been living here....why do we have it? I'm ready to dump, donate, and rediscover.
Today's agenda includes scrubbing down the bathroom and starting to go through the closet out here in the living room. We don't really use our closet all that much...and it's a big one! So I want to dig through and see if there is anything in there worth keeping, or if I can toss whatever I find in the dark corners. :)
I'm also planning on settling in with On the Road. I started it last night and while I am only 20 or so pages in...I'm not a fan of the style. At all. Perhaps it will grow on me, but I'm kind of doubting it!
I have finished a number of books in the last couple of weeks, so it seems my reading has picked up again. Granted, much of what I've been reading is light and fluffy, but I'm craving some classics. For example, right now I really want some Steinbeck, and I've been eying The Grapes of Wrath all morning. We'll see what happens. But, I do have plans to start reviewing and talking about books in more detail....starting with Stephen King's Under the Dome. I flew through all 1100 pages this past week. It was the first big King novel I've read, and I was definitely a fan!
Anyway, those are my plans for this week. I'm excited to be blogging again, even if it has taken me a lot longer to write this post than I remember...I've lost the writing touch! I hope you all have an excellent week!
I never knew my maternal grandfather. He passed away before I was born, so my Grandpa Fred was something pretty special. He was a great man, and we all loved him dearly. I think about him, and my Grandmother Kay (who passed away a couple years after he did) regularly. I wonder what they would think of where I am now.
Matt and I were talking about Grandpa this morning. Matt was lucky enough to know my Grandpa (we've been together almost 11 years), so he has some memories. He was at the funeral with me and shared those thoughts and memories. And he agreed, it doesn't feel like it's been 10 years.
But to bring things full circle, my cousin Kate had her second son this morning-Sawyer James. James was my grandfather's middle name, so it was a touching tribute to him. My brother and his wife gave their daughter Zoey the middle name of "Kay" in memory of my grandmother. I love that we can honor our relatives in such a way. And little Sawyer made today a much more special day.
Switching gears...
I've been out of school for a week, and I haven't been all that productive. :) I got sick on the last day of school (what I thought was a cold-turned out to be a sinus infection and a double ear infection), and I'm still fighting it off. It settled in my chest, so I have an icky cough that just won't go away. So, all the cleaning and organizing I wanted to bust out in my first week off just plain didn't happen.
I did make a huge list of all the things I want to get done this summer. A lot of the list includes cleaning and organizing. I've gotten to the point where I just don't see why we have so much STUFF. Our apartment isn't super tiny, but it also isn't big. But we have too much crap everywhere! Our storage unit in the basement is pretty full (although, most of that is Matt's...I have no idea what's down there...), so that definitely needs to be cleaned out this summer. I'm at the point where if we haven't used or needed something in the almost 3 years we've been living here....why do we have it? I'm ready to dump, donate, and rediscover.
Today's agenda includes scrubbing down the bathroom and starting to go through the closet out here in the living room. We don't really use our closet all that much...and it's a big one! So I want to dig through and see if there is anything in there worth keeping, or if I can toss whatever I find in the dark corners. :)
I'm also planning on settling in with On the Road. I started it last night and while I am only 20 or so pages in...I'm not a fan of the style. At all. Perhaps it will grow on me, but I'm kind of doubting it!
I have finished a number of books in the last couple of weeks, so it seems my reading has picked up again. Granted, much of what I've been reading is light and fluffy, but I'm craving some classics. For example, right now I really want some Steinbeck, and I've been eying The Grapes of Wrath all morning. We'll see what happens. But, I do have plans to start reviewing and talking about books in more detail....starting with Stephen King's Under the Dome. I flew through all 1100 pages this past week. It was the first big King novel I've read, and I was definitely a fan!
Anyway, those are my plans for this week. I'm excited to be blogging again, even if it has taken me a lot longer to write this post than I remember...I've lost the writing touch! I hope you all have an excellent week!
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for May 4/5, 2013: Chaotic.
It has been a busy and hellish couple of weeks, and quite honestly, I don't see an end to this until June.
I've been in the midst of a flare since early last week-swollen and achy joints, weird rashes, and some other oddities. My hip gave out on me one morning and I actually fell and conked my head (I was fine). But my joints have just been all kinds of angry at me. It's becoming quite noticeable (to the point where students are asking if I'm okay), and I'm not sure what to do about it. I don't feel like I need to tell my kids about it, but they're probably a little weirded out by a 27 year-old hobbling around. Anyway, it got so bad that I took Thursday off to relax my joints and take it easy. I just couldn't make it through the week.
But, we only have 28 school days left...that's CRAZY. Where has this year gone? And while I am excited to be nearing the end (spring is IN THE AIR), I'm also sad to be saying goodbye to my first official year. I'm not sure what I'll be doing next year, and looking back, I enjoyed my classes this year. Our school is growing (we're gaining a LOT of students next year) and there are no more spare classrooms. I actually get bumped out of my room for the last two hours of the day, and I think it's going to be worse next year. I really don't want to be teaching from a cart (and the idea of having to walk around the school is making my joints and achiness a bit nervous), but I am definitely low man on the totem pole. I also don't know what classes I am teaching. I think they're trying to get me more English, but we'll see what happens.
I'm also just looking forward to the summer. I'm not going back to the park this year, which was a huge and somewhat scary decision. Part of it is that I don't think I can physically do the job anymore (right now the idea of lugging trash around and chopping trees gets me all freaked out), but I also just need a break. I need some down time to take care of some things other than work! I already have plans to get back into some serious reading (I'm going to treat things as if I was in school-deadlines for books, blog posts, etc) as well as some writing. I'm also going to help out with our district's Summer Music Theatre program and do some curriculum planning for our American Literature course. I'll be busy enough without the park to worry about.
Nothing else has been going on. I'm still not reading a great deal. Be the time I usually get to bed and pull a book out, my eyes start closing by the second page. I've been devoting a lot of free time to planning and prepping (it seriously takes so much time), so I just keep pushing through. I know that next year won't be nearly as bad because I'll be starting with everything I'm doing this year. That's what I keep telling myself anyway. The only problem is that I don't leave enough time for grading and right now I am under a huge pile of projects and book reports that I have had for FAR TOO LONG. There are just not enough hours in the day.
So, bear with me. I'm itchy to dive into blogging, but life has gotten in the way. Sometimes I think it would just be easier to delete the blog and be done with it....but I do love it. I miss it. I miss you. Someday...
I've been in the midst of a flare since early last week-swollen and achy joints, weird rashes, and some other oddities. My hip gave out on me one morning and I actually fell and conked my head (I was fine). But my joints have just been all kinds of angry at me. It's becoming quite noticeable (to the point where students are asking if I'm okay), and I'm not sure what to do about it. I don't feel like I need to tell my kids about it, but they're probably a little weirded out by a 27 year-old hobbling around. Anyway, it got so bad that I took Thursday off to relax my joints and take it easy. I just couldn't make it through the week.
But, we only have 28 school days left...that's CRAZY. Where has this year gone? And while I am excited to be nearing the end (spring is IN THE AIR), I'm also sad to be saying goodbye to my first official year. I'm not sure what I'll be doing next year, and looking back, I enjoyed my classes this year. Our school is growing (we're gaining a LOT of students next year) and there are no more spare classrooms. I actually get bumped out of my room for the last two hours of the day, and I think it's going to be worse next year. I really don't want to be teaching from a cart (and the idea of having to walk around the school is making my joints and achiness a bit nervous), but I am definitely low man on the totem pole. I also don't know what classes I am teaching. I think they're trying to get me more English, but we'll see what happens.
I'm also just looking forward to the summer. I'm not going back to the park this year, which was a huge and somewhat scary decision. Part of it is that I don't think I can physically do the job anymore (right now the idea of lugging trash around and chopping trees gets me all freaked out), but I also just need a break. I need some down time to take care of some things other than work! I already have plans to get back into some serious reading (I'm going to treat things as if I was in school-deadlines for books, blog posts, etc) as well as some writing. I'm also going to help out with our district's Summer Music Theatre program and do some curriculum planning for our American Literature course. I'll be busy enough without the park to worry about.
Nothing else has been going on. I'm still not reading a great deal. Be the time I usually get to bed and pull a book out, my eyes start closing by the second page. I've been devoting a lot of free time to planning and prepping (it seriously takes so much time), so I just keep pushing through. I know that next year won't be nearly as bad because I'll be starting with everything I'm doing this year. That's what I keep telling myself anyway. The only problem is that I don't leave enough time for grading and right now I am under a huge pile of projects and book reports that I have had for FAR TOO LONG. There are just not enough hours in the day.
So, bear with me. I'm itchy to dive into blogging, but life has gotten in the way. Sometimes I think it would just be easier to delete the blog and be done with it....but I do love it. I miss it. I miss you. Someday...
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for April 21, 2013: Drained.
I am sure I'm not alone when I say I am feeling drained from the events of the past week. It has been a very emotional week from the events in Boston and Texas, and I'm hoping we all get some good news this week. :)
I've also had a lot going on at school, so perhaps that is adding to my feelings of being drained. While my kids have been working pretty independently on their research projects, I haven't gotten nearly as much done as I planned. I've been trying to concentrate on prepping the remainder of my history lessons for the rest of the year, but now I'm behind on grading...it's a never ending cycle of paperwork! I have managed to create the notes sheets for my history class through almost the last chapter-only 3 sections to go (I use column notes-first column has questions, the second is for students to fill in as they read the sections on their own, the third column is for them to add additional information when I lecture or when we have class discussions. They work really well and the kids like them). That's a big relief, but now I need to finish my lecture powerpoints and find some creative things for them to do!
I'm also digging around to find some new stories and material for my American lit units through the end of the year: Post-Modernism, Science Fiction, and contemporary lit. If you have any ideas, please share!
In reading news...well, let's be honest. There is no reading news. This Side of Paradise and Anna Karenina are still sitting on my nightstand. I simply don't have the time right now to read...I've resigned myself to being okay with not finishing anything else this month. I probably won't have spare time until the middle of May (when all my english class projects are done) to dive into some reading. Oh well. I have enough of a backlog of books to post about that it should be fine. :)
It is also looking more and more like I won't be working a traditional job this summer. I had originally planned on going back to the park part-time, but I don't think my health is going to let me. I think I might be working for our Summer Music Theater through the end of June and the first week of July, so that will be enough to get me through the summer. :) I'm really just looking forward to some time off. I have a writing project knocking around in my head that I would like to finish by the time school restarts in September, and of course, lots and lots of books.
Anyway, I need to edit some posts for this week, and then I have piles of grading and planning to do. Have a lovely week!
I've also had a lot going on at school, so perhaps that is adding to my feelings of being drained. While my kids have been working pretty independently on their research projects, I haven't gotten nearly as much done as I planned. I've been trying to concentrate on prepping the remainder of my history lessons for the rest of the year, but now I'm behind on grading...it's a never ending cycle of paperwork! I have managed to create the notes sheets for my history class through almost the last chapter-only 3 sections to go (I use column notes-first column has questions, the second is for students to fill in as they read the sections on their own, the third column is for them to add additional information when I lecture or when we have class discussions. They work really well and the kids like them). That's a big relief, but now I need to finish my lecture powerpoints and find some creative things for them to do!
I'm also digging around to find some new stories and material for my American lit units through the end of the year: Post-Modernism, Science Fiction, and contemporary lit. If you have any ideas, please share!
In reading news...well, let's be honest. There is no reading news. This Side of Paradise and Anna Karenina are still sitting on my nightstand. I simply don't have the time right now to read...I've resigned myself to being okay with not finishing anything else this month. I probably won't have spare time until the middle of May (when all my english class projects are done) to dive into some reading. Oh well. I have enough of a backlog of books to post about that it should be fine. :)
It is also looking more and more like I won't be working a traditional job this summer. I had originally planned on going back to the park part-time, but I don't think my health is going to let me. I think I might be working for our Summer Music Theater through the end of June and the first week of July, so that will be enough to get me through the summer. :) I'm really just looking forward to some time off. I have a writing project knocking around in my head that I would like to finish by the time school restarts in September, and of course, lots and lots of books.
Anyway, I need to edit some posts for this week, and then I have piles of grading and planning to do. Have a lovely week!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for April 14, 2013: Musings and Chores.
It was a crazy first week back from vacation, but I was productive and things are going well. My sophomores are in the midst of their American Author research project and my history classes are finishing up the Great Society with LBJ (we start the Civil Rights Movement on Wednesday). Now that we are on the other side of Spring Break, there is an end in sight. :)
This weekend was filled with a lot of chores, so I'm just sitting down to get a few things set for the week. I spent yesterday relaxing and taking care of a few things around the apartment (my knees/hips/ankles have been killing me this week, so minimal walking) until Matt got home. We went out to dinner and decided to go see Jurassic Park in 3D at the theater. :) It was a lot of fun. I'm still a bit amazed at how good the special effects are 20 years later. I jumped in a few parts-dinosaurs in 3D are a bit frightening!
Today we slept in, went to get brunch, then I went grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping on Sundays, but we had nothing in the fridge and I'm sick of quick meals. I stocked up on pantry staples and came home to a scrubbed out fridge (thanks Matt!) and a clean apartment. I've been cooking and prepping things for the week since then, including doing a few more loads of laundry. Chili is bubbling in the crockpot and I have chicken marinating in the fridge (with plans to grill it up tonight for salads throughout the week).
All in all, it has been a very relaxing weekend after a stressful week. I am looking forward to this week, especially since I will have a bit more time IN school to grade and prep. With my English kids researching throughout the week, I have some time to grade their projects!
I'm also hoping to get in some reading at night. I was planning on finishing This Side of Paradise this weekend, but I seem to have run out of time. I'm sure I'll read a bit tonight, but not enough to finish. :)
Alright, time to change the load of laundry, stir the chili, and get that chicken cooked. Hope you all have a great week!
This weekend was filled with a lot of chores, so I'm just sitting down to get a few things set for the week. I spent yesterday relaxing and taking care of a few things around the apartment (my knees/hips/ankles have been killing me this week, so minimal walking) until Matt got home. We went out to dinner and decided to go see Jurassic Park in 3D at the theater. :) It was a lot of fun. I'm still a bit amazed at how good the special effects are 20 years later. I jumped in a few parts-dinosaurs in 3D are a bit frightening!
Today we slept in, went to get brunch, then I went grocery shopping. I hate grocery shopping on Sundays, but we had nothing in the fridge and I'm sick of quick meals. I stocked up on pantry staples and came home to a scrubbed out fridge (thanks Matt!) and a clean apartment. I've been cooking and prepping things for the week since then, including doing a few more loads of laundry. Chili is bubbling in the crockpot and I have chicken marinating in the fridge (with plans to grill it up tonight for salads throughout the week).
All in all, it has been a very relaxing weekend after a stressful week. I am looking forward to this week, especially since I will have a bit more time IN school to grade and prep. With my English kids researching throughout the week, I have some time to grade their projects!
I'm also hoping to get in some reading at night. I was planning on finishing This Side of Paradise this weekend, but I seem to have run out of time. I'm sure I'll read a bit tonight, but not enough to finish. :)
Alright, time to change the load of laundry, stir the chili, and get that chicken cooked. Hope you all have a great week!
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Weekly Wrap-Up for April 7, 2013: End of Break.
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| Sparty helped me organize my PELs |
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| Tigers Game! |
I spent 12 hours yesterday prepping and planning for the beginning of the new quarter. I'm aware that 12 hours is ridiculous. I was busy making lectures, powerpoints, reference sheets, notes handouts for my history classes, and a bunch of random things. But at least I woke up this morning knowing that I am prepped for the first week back (and then some). My history classes are learning about JFK and LBJ this week, and my sophomore English classes are diving into their American author research project. At least with my English classes working in the library, I'll have more time in class to get some grading done (as a general rule, I don't really grade during the school day that often. I'm too busy helping students or running around to concentrate on grading-I usually just bring assignments home or stay after for an hour or 2 to catch up-I don't have a planning period during the day, so that's what works for me).
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| My niece, Zoey. We went shopping this week! |
Anyway, I'm going to be heading to the library this afternoon to settle in and get my grading done. I get too distracted at home, so that always works for me. :)
In reading and blogging news, I've spent some time this week getting some posts prepped and ready to post. You'll see a few pop up! I'm trying to catch up a little on the backlog, and it may take me through the end of the month to be caught up (assuming I don't read anything else in the meantime). I'm hoping I can dedicate myself to getting back in the swing of things without feeling too overwhelmed. I also want to finish up some books that have been lingering, so I am going to focus on finding that balance.
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| Dickens! |
I hope your week went well and that you have warmer weather than Michigan (seriously, a week into April and we're still hovering around freezing? That's crazy, even by Michigan standards).
Happy Reading!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for February 24, 2013: Busy, Busy.
I'm gearing myself up for the next few weeks of total insanity at school and for other things taking place outside of school hours. This coming week is our Charity Week and with that comes a lot of crazy activities during the day. It should be a great event and the kids will be super into it. I'm hopeful we make our fundraising goal. :)
Additionally, this week will be our first FULL week of school since the first week back from Christmas vacation. In the weeks since then, we've had half days, snow days, and scheduled vacation days every week. This week is going to drag on...
Then we have testing next week, so of course that is screwing up our schedules and throwing everything off. Ugh, it's going to be a miserable push.
Besides all of that, we have conferences after school in the next couple of weeks, more PD, and the end of third quarter is fast approaching. This school year is FLYING by, isn't it?
Matt and I will also be headed to see the Muse concert this Saturday, which is something I have been looking forward to for months. :) We're also in the process of leasing a new car, since the lease on my Jeep ends on the first of April. We've already been in to a dealer this past week, so we've made the decision about what we're getting (Chrysler 300). Now we just have to do all the paperwork, etc. I don't enjoy that part of the process, so thankfully Matt is taking care of it. :)
With all of that going on, I doubt I will have a lot of time to read. I just collected a set of essays, so there goes my free time. I'm still hopeful that I'm going to get through Anna Karenina before the end of the month (so I can start A Modern March with nothing lingering).
Anyway, I hope you're all in the middle of some fabulous books. :)
Additionally, this week will be our first FULL week of school since the first week back from Christmas vacation. In the weeks since then, we've had half days, snow days, and scheduled vacation days every week. This week is going to drag on...
Then we have testing next week, so of course that is screwing up our schedules and throwing everything off. Ugh, it's going to be a miserable push.
Besides all of that, we have conferences after school in the next couple of weeks, more PD, and the end of third quarter is fast approaching. This school year is FLYING by, isn't it?
Matt and I will also be headed to see the Muse concert this Saturday, which is something I have been looking forward to for months. :) We're also in the process of leasing a new car, since the lease on my Jeep ends on the first of April. We've already been in to a dealer this past week, so we've made the decision about what we're getting (Chrysler 300). Now we just have to do all the paperwork, etc. I don't enjoy that part of the process, so thankfully Matt is taking care of it. :)
With all of that going on, I doubt I will have a lot of time to read. I just collected a set of essays, so there goes my free time. I'm still hopeful that I'm going to get through Anna Karenina before the end of the month (so I can start A Modern March with nothing lingering).
Anyway, I hope you're all in the middle of some fabulous books. :)
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for February 3, 2013: February Reading Plans.
Between school, Matt's illness last week, and the stress of just keeping up with everything, this week went by rather quickly. I'm actually a bit behind in grading and planning, so today's post will be on the short side.
The only school-related thing I'll mention is that we're in the midst of The Great Gatsby and while not all of my students love the novel, there are a few who do! I've been trying to get them to see some of the smaller details as we go along, which is helping them understand the bigger ideas. I'm sure that when we finish the novel on Tuesday/Wednesday, I'll have to help make those connections.
In terms of my own reading, it slowed down a LOT from where it was at the beginning of the year. I did read Alexander's Bridge this past week, and obviously I am in the middle of The Great Gatsby with my students, but reading has taken a little bit of a backseat (and will until I catch up on some grading). I do have some things sitting on my desk that I want to get to before my Modernist event kicks off in March. I'd really like to finish Forster's A Passage to India, which I started last JUNE and haven't finished yet. There is also Anna Karenina, which I started early in January and set aside for a few weeks. Ideally I'd also like to read a Dickens novel (A Tale of Two Cities) in honor of his birthday month, but that isn't a priority.
I'm also extremely focused on my Willa Cather Project. I've finished 4 titles so far (of the 7 books I've finished this year), and I don't see an end in sight. It feels good to be experiencing her work one right after the other, so I imagine I'll dive into O Pioneers! this month, as it is the next title on the project list.
Anyway, a stack of papers to grade and some breakfast is calling to me. I hope you all have wonderful reading week!
The only school-related thing I'll mention is that we're in the midst of The Great Gatsby and while not all of my students love the novel, there are a few who do! I've been trying to get them to see some of the smaller details as we go along, which is helping them understand the bigger ideas. I'm sure that when we finish the novel on Tuesday/Wednesday, I'll have to help make those connections.
In terms of my own reading, it slowed down a LOT from where it was at the beginning of the year. I did read Alexander's Bridge this past week, and obviously I am in the middle of The Great Gatsby with my students, but reading has taken a little bit of a backseat (and will until I catch up on some grading). I do have some things sitting on my desk that I want to get to before my Modernist event kicks off in March. I'd really like to finish Forster's A Passage to India, which I started last JUNE and haven't finished yet. There is also Anna Karenina, which I started early in January and set aside for a few weeks. Ideally I'd also like to read a Dickens novel (A Tale of Two Cities) in honor of his birthday month, but that isn't a priority.
I'm also extremely focused on my Willa Cather Project. I've finished 4 titles so far (of the 7 books I've finished this year), and I don't see an end in sight. It feels good to be experiencing her work one right after the other, so I imagine I'll dive into O Pioneers! this month, as it is the next title on the project list.
Anyway, a stack of papers to grade and some breakfast is calling to me. I hope you all have wonderful reading week!
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Weekly Wrap-up for Janaury 27, 2013: The Nightmare.
I had really big plans for this week-starting my new classes, beginning discussions on World War II and The Great Gatsby (I was SO EXCITED to talk about the green light).
All of that was thrown away when I came home on Wednesday to find Matt in bed shivering and looking horrible. I woke him up to talk to him and learned that he had been vomiting since BEFORE he went to work the previous day (Note: On Mondays and Tuesdays, we work opposite schedules. He goes to work at 4 in the afternoon and works through the night). So, Matt had been getting sick for over 24 hours.
I let him sleep for a couple hours, then woke him up with a hot bowl of soup. It didn't go well. He couldn't keep it down, and looking at him, I just knew something wasn't right. We decided to go to an urgent care facility a little down the road to get him looked at. I was concerned about his blood sugar level, since he is a type 1 diabetic. I was right to worry. After they got us into a room, I mentioned his diabetes, which got them moving (I should have mentioned it when we walked in). They tested his sugar and he couldn't even sit up. His sugar was at 402 (which is HIGH). Immediately they told me to take him to the hospital, so over to the ER we went.
After being admitted, they took us back almost immediately to a small room and got him hooked up to IVs, etc. His blood sugar was higher, he was still getting sick, and it was horrible. He was so dehydrated that they couldn't get into his veins to give him medicine and insulin. At one point, his blood sugar was so high (over 500) that when the nurse asked him to identify me he said, "I have no idea."
They made the decision to put him into the ICU after that, so we traveled upstairs. The meanest nurse told me to go "Wait somewhere" while they set him up. At that point, it was super late, I was alone, hysterical, and just wanted my husband to be okay. I may have lost it a bit in the waiting room, and eventually she came to tell me I could come see him.
It was so scary to see him hooked up to a lot of machines. They were worried about his heart rate since it was so high. But at least he was awake and talked to me a bit. The room had one chair, so I sat down and settled in for the night. I kid you not, that mean nurse told me at least ten times to go home (Matt agrees that she was really rude). I was not about to leave my husband alone in the ICU. Thankfully, another nurse brought me a blanket and tried to make me comfortable so I could sit with him during the night. I slept a little, but woke up every time they checked his sugar. At around 5, I snapped awake and Matt was awake too. He looked so much better, so we talked for a little while. I had to run home to feed the animals, call in for a sub, and sleep for a couple hours.
I was back by 9:30, and they decided to move him out of the ICU since his sugar level stabilized. At that point, it sank in he would be okay. From there, we spent the next two days waiting for his other levels to regulate themselves and getting some food in his stomach (he hadn't kept anything down since Monday night). He was finally able to come home Friday.
I am so glad to have him home. He feels a million times better, and it's great to see him looking like himself. He has a lot of bruises on his arms from all the needles and bloodwork, and the tips of fingers are bruised from them testing his sugar so much.
I feel really drained (emotionally) from everything that happened, but I am so grateful for my co-workers. They really helped me pull together lessons and make sure the subs were comfortable with my classes. The media specialist, a good friend of mine, stepped in and taught my history classes on Friday so the kids would have a break from book work.
The kids have also been quite sweet. I posted on my webpage that I wouldn't be in, simply saying my husband was in the hospital, and I've gotten some very concerned and sweet e-mails hoping he gets better.
I'm so happy to have such a warm and supportive group of people around me, but most of all, I'm glad Matt is home with me and on the mend.
All of that was thrown away when I came home on Wednesday to find Matt in bed shivering and looking horrible. I woke him up to talk to him and learned that he had been vomiting since BEFORE he went to work the previous day (Note: On Mondays and Tuesdays, we work opposite schedules. He goes to work at 4 in the afternoon and works through the night). So, Matt had been getting sick for over 24 hours.
I let him sleep for a couple hours, then woke him up with a hot bowl of soup. It didn't go well. He couldn't keep it down, and looking at him, I just knew something wasn't right. We decided to go to an urgent care facility a little down the road to get him looked at. I was concerned about his blood sugar level, since he is a type 1 diabetic. I was right to worry. After they got us into a room, I mentioned his diabetes, which got them moving (I should have mentioned it when we walked in). They tested his sugar and he couldn't even sit up. His sugar was at 402 (which is HIGH). Immediately they told me to take him to the hospital, so over to the ER we went.
After being admitted, they took us back almost immediately to a small room and got him hooked up to IVs, etc. His blood sugar was higher, he was still getting sick, and it was horrible. He was so dehydrated that they couldn't get into his veins to give him medicine and insulin. At one point, his blood sugar was so high (over 500) that when the nurse asked him to identify me he said, "I have no idea."
They made the decision to put him into the ICU after that, so we traveled upstairs. The meanest nurse told me to go "Wait somewhere" while they set him up. At that point, it was super late, I was alone, hysterical, and just wanted my husband to be okay. I may have lost it a bit in the waiting room, and eventually she came to tell me I could come see him.
It was so scary to see him hooked up to a lot of machines. They were worried about his heart rate since it was so high. But at least he was awake and talked to me a bit. The room had one chair, so I sat down and settled in for the night. I kid you not, that mean nurse told me at least ten times to go home (Matt agrees that she was really rude). I was not about to leave my husband alone in the ICU. Thankfully, another nurse brought me a blanket and tried to make me comfortable so I could sit with him during the night. I slept a little, but woke up every time they checked his sugar. At around 5, I snapped awake and Matt was awake too. He looked so much better, so we talked for a little while. I had to run home to feed the animals, call in for a sub, and sleep for a couple hours.
I was back by 9:30, and they decided to move him out of the ICU since his sugar level stabilized. At that point, it sank in he would be okay. From there, we spent the next two days waiting for his other levels to regulate themselves and getting some food in his stomach (he hadn't kept anything down since Monday night). He was finally able to come home Friday.
I am so glad to have him home. He feels a million times better, and it's great to see him looking like himself. He has a lot of bruises on his arms from all the needles and bloodwork, and the tips of fingers are bruised from them testing his sugar so much.
I feel really drained (emotionally) from everything that happened, but I am so grateful for my co-workers. They really helped me pull together lessons and make sure the subs were comfortable with my classes. The media specialist, a good friend of mine, stepped in and taught my history classes on Friday so the kids would have a break from book work.
The kids have also been quite sweet. I posted on my webpage that I wouldn't be in, simply saying my husband was in the hospital, and I've gotten some very concerned and sweet e-mails hoping he gets better.
I'm so happy to have such a warm and supportive group of people around me, but most of all, I'm glad Matt is home with me and on the mend.
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