A New Project

My friend Erin blogs about the books she reads. She is attempting to read and blog 100 books this year. You can see her site on my blogroll.

I really want to spend more time on this blog, and part of the problem is that I feel it has lost some direction. At first, the blog was a place for us to update about our home's renovations because so many of our friends and family don't live close enough to us to come and see it as it develops. But a combination of completing lots of our projects and a time crunch seemed to make this topic fade away.

Then I tried writing about our lives in general. Lots of things happened to us in 2009, and I was glad to see it go.

I found myself pretty excited to write about my summer reading list (so far) and here's what I'm throwing out for a new exploration: book reviews.

I just purchased the Barnes and Noble nook, and I'm super excited about reading so many books so quickly. Over our weekend adventure with Matt and Erin, we went to Ed McKay, which is the best used book store I've ever laid eyes on. It's my one must-see every time we are in Greensboro. I picked up some new books (to me) there, too. I'm consuming them so fast!!

So now I want to tell you, faithful blog follower, what I'm reading and what I think of it when I finish. I'm thinking I'll write about books on Wednesdays each week. What do you think?

An (Un)Eventful 4th of July

I've heard it said that we make plans and God laughs.

True story.

Johnathan and I had plans to spend the July 4th holiday in Atlanta, Ga. My friend David was going to be there for AP training all week, so we thought we would join him there for a few days and have a sort of mini-vacation. We had some financial setbacks that prevented that trip, and I was sad to tell David we wouldn't make it to ATL after all.

Instead, we decided late Thursday night that we were going to spend the holiday weekend in Greensboro with other friends. Let me stop here and say a little bit about this, because I know you're thinking who cares about what you did this weekend or when you decided it?!

I am a planner. I live by calendars and deadlines and plans. I like to know well in advance what's going on as much as possible, and I don't like unexpected events that could have been planned. Disorganization drives me crazy in my classroom and in my life. The chaos that sometimes surrounds my husband's family due to the sheer number of them can put me into a panic attack in no time.

I would have planned our trip to Greensboro for days. Worked on a plan for meals and spending and such. Instead, we packed the car, we left Macy with my mom and we left Friday afternoon.

I cannot even begin to say how enjoyable and relaxing the trip was. No traffic on the way or on the way back (interesting by itself since I-85 was a disaster area all weekend...guess no one used I-40 but us). We stayed up late geeking out playing Beatles Rock Band and catching up at a pub downtown. Saturday we slept late, shopped a little, took in a movie and grilled out back at the house where we stayed. It wasn't hectic, there were no plans.

It was just lovely.

In the world where we live today, there is so much uncertainty and conflict. I'm beyond thankful that when it comes to the precious friendships I have, there is neither.

My Summer Reading List (so far)

I love to read.

This is not news for anyone who knows me, works with me or has been in my class at WLHS. Summer is the part of the year when I catch up on all the reading I have missed out on during the school year and my grad classes.

I scoured the Books a Million close to our house and found some books I can't wait to start reading. In no particular order, here they are:

1. The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed, Judy Shepard: Sometimes I feel like I preach tolerance into a room so full of outside noise that no one hears. The Matthew Shepard legislation on hate crimes is incredibly important to me, so I'm excited I found this book.

2. South of Broad, Pat Conroy: I've never read anything by Pat Conroy, but people who are "book people" like me have raved about him, so here goes nothing! I love that this book is set in Charleston, one of my favorite places and a vacation destination this summer!

3. God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question: Why We Suffer, Bart D. Ehrman: Dr. Ehrman is one of my all-time favorite professors. His class at UNC is always full and draws lots of attention because of his controversial content. I have picked up each of his books as I've encountered them, and this one was in a clearance section :)

4. The Water is Wide, Pat Conroy: Again, I've never read anything by Conroy, but this is the book that seems to be the most popular. It's his first person account of teaching, so you know that's in my interest range. I was drawn to this one because of its subject and its genre. I can read lots of fiction, but sometimes a girl needs to broaden her horizons.

5. Eats, Shoots and Leaves: Illustrated Edition, Lynne Truss: Another book I've been after that I found on clearance. My inner nerd did a little dance when I picked this gem off the shelf. I'm hoping it will have some teachable content, too. No point in not getting as much out of it as possible!

On a side note, and I don't intend to use this blog for political purposes (though it's mine and I can!), the look I was given by the guy at the register was...interesting? quizzical? I don't know. Here's the scene that ensued:

Cashier:"isn't that Matthew book about a guy who got killed because he was supposedly gay?"

What?

"Um," I stammer, trying to police myself so I don't make a scene, "The Matthew Shepard legislation is about hate crimes." Good, PC answer.

"Oh..." he gives me that weird look again. "God's Problem, huh?"

"Yes," why am I defending myself at the book store?! It's my money!

"Dr. Ehrman was my professor at UNC. I have all his books."

"Hmph," he says. Can I just pay now?!

Note: no comments on Conroy, nothing on Eats Shoots and Leaves...just judge my politics and your perception of my religion.

Ahhh, life in the South.

Summer Playlist

You know, there is just some music that must be played in the summertime. I am one of those people who needs her music to match her mood. So, here's my summer playlist for 2010 (thus far)

• Alejandro, Lady GaGa: I really like the almost 80s/90s vibe a la Ace of Base this one has. Oh, and the line "just light my cigarette and hush" is pretty awesome :)

• California Girls, Katy Perry: What's not to love about this song? Except for the fact that I would NEVER rock the Daisy Dukes and Bikinis on Top. Favorite line: "Sun kissed skin so hot it'll melt your popsicle"

• Whataya Want From Me, Adam Lambert: I have loved him since American Idol. He's fierce!

• When We Were Beautiful, Bon Jovi: From the album "The Circle". Has a really nice vibe for driving.

• Fast Cars and Freedom, Rascal Flatts: one of my all time favorite songs by this band. SCREAMS summer!!

• Piece of Me, Britney Spears: Come on, is any summer playlist complete without something from everyone's favorite pop star train wreck?

• Fearless, Colbie Calliat: This song really helped me get through Johnathan's initial diagnosis and treatment. I've included it here as a reminder of how far we have come as a family and how strong my husband is and will continue to be.

• Like a Prayer, Glee Cast Version: 2 things I love combined: this classic Madonna tune and my favorite show on television. And, the mix itself is actually amazing!!

• Battlefield, Jordin Sparks: Another American Idol alum I love. This girl has some serious pipes! This song has an awesome bass and was made to be turned up LOUD!

• Gasoline, Rob Thomas: Rob Thomas is good in Matchbox 20, and just as good as a solo artist. This song has some great lyrics and shows off his vocals nicely :)

What are YOUR summer hits? Leave them in the comments!

Sweet Summer

I did it.

I finished another school year!! *cue applause*
WOOHOO!!

I have to admit, I'm a little pleased with myself. A lot of change has happened this year both personally and professionally and I think I've grown because of all of it, good bad and ugly. I'm really grateful to have a fabulous teacher and friend on each side of me on the hall :) I am slowly defining who I am as part of the faculty and even though it's been slow going, I think it's finally developing.

Graduation is tomorrow (Saturday) and I will get to see some of my honors students as Junior Marshals and the group of Seniors I taught this year will be doing the walk. I'm incredibly proud of them for coming this far. It wasn't easy for some, but thank goodness they made it!

I have a lot of plans for the summer travel-wise. I hope to get back to a few hobbies (ha! who ever knew I had any?) that have fallen by the wayside in the last couple of years. Sad, I know :( Hopefully I will be reconnecting with writing, scrapbooking and of course I'll be reading books! Maybe I will even get around to writing about some of the hobbies I undertake. We'll see ;)

I think this is the beginning of a fantastic summer.

Stealing from a colleague..

In my profession, stealing is completely acceptable in terms of activities and lesson ideas and general know-how. Today I'm stealing an idea from colleague on the English hall and fellow writer over at Box of Chocolates (see the blogroll).

We are SO close to the end of the year, so I think in this post I'm going to do 5 stressors and 5 smileys about the end of the school year:

5 Stressors

• The seniors thought it was a good idea to paint the spirit rock like a KKK member.
• I'm out of copies on the printer/copier on my hall.
  
• NOW the kids care about their absences and tardies...where were they the rest of the semester when I hassled them about it?
• Three students had to go to the office first thing this morning because they won't stop throwing things in my classroom...they've been mistreating another teacher in the building for weeks and I am NOT her.
• I have to get grades finished, attendance reconciled, appeals filled out, sit on the attendance committee, AND finish my product of learning for grad school by June 3.

Whew, that felt good :)

5 Smileys :D

• I have managed to keep my room in some sort of order in the chaos that has been the transition into my new role as yearbook adviser.
• I feel that overall the school year has been a success.
• Senior awards day and Senior picnic = a fun Friday this week!
• 3 day weekend, thank you Memorial Day!
  
• The end is in sight!!

I'm feeling pretty good today, and the kids are tame aside from this morning's incident. Thank goodness for an AP who isn't afraid to dish out punishment!

Disconnected

That's how I'm feeling right now. I want so desperately to feel connected to something...anything! I've fallen out of touch with my blog (and thus the 8 people who "follow" it). I'm in the throes of finishing grad school (yippee!!) but am exhausted with the workload. There are so many changes going on in my life that I feel apart from it...

Does that make any sense at all?

I usually like to post things are happy or positive or exciting, but that just isn't me right now. I'm in a place that feels dark, but not necessarily scary. I think that maybe I'm just in a transition where I'm not sure where to go from here. Work has been really stressful lately in terms of the kids getting antsy for their summer vacation (and the teachers too!). Testing is about to start which means training and odd school hours and shifts and duty schedules and it all makes me want to scream! I am so on board with the things my colleague writes over at Box of Chocolates (see the blogroll and check it out). Sometimes I really envy her commitment to writing on her blog and sharing what's going on with work and life and such.

I think I'm getting a glimpse of a precious moment in my life where I can slow down and reflect on what has gone on in the last few years of my marriage and career. Let's hope this time is fruitful and prompts me to write more and be more transparent.