Hello there.
It’s been a while. I’ve been busy and when I have had time to sit down and write, somehow I find my mind drifting to other things with nothing left to trickle from my fingertips. But Thursday was the first really gorgeous day of the year, and it was a day that made me feel like just about anything was possible, so here I am. → continue reading
While Chris watched the weatherman warn us of New Year’s Eve tornadoes, I created a calendar for the month of January. Then I wept. Actually, I wept before all that happened. Now I’m just trying to calm the impending panic attack.
I’m taking a J-Term class, the second-to-last elective I have in my program. It’s on Paulo Freire, possibly the most important critical pedagogue who ever lived. My professor is an expert on him, and he’s incredibly intelligent. This means his classes are quite heavy on reading and theory–well over 800 pages for the month-long course. This also means I’ll be traveling north for two weekends this month.
We also have a grant application due at the end of the month for desperately-needed pre-operation money for the charter school, which we’ll need to have done well before that in order to revise after receiving appropriate feedback. We’re going to New Orleans for three days to visit high-performing charter schools.
I’m also writing five paid blogs posts per week and working at Kitchen Conservatory.
In short: I’m stressed.
I write this because this is my way of telling everyone I know “no”. I won’t be going out except for a very few pre-scheduled activities. I can’t do lunch. I can’t do coffee. I can’t grab a drink. If it’s not on my calendar as of right this second, it’s not happening. I’m not saying this to act self-important or snobby. I’m doing this because I have to put my head down and get shit done, and I can’t apologize for it. I just have to do it.
So I’ll probably be even more scarce around here than usual. I’ll be scarce everywhere except my couch, the library, and whatever coffee shop in which I’m working. But I still love you. I still love this space. But IS BIDNESS TIMEZ NAO. And I literally don’t have time to have a Jessie Spano-esque breakdown.
Send coffee. And cheese. See you in February.
Happy Monday. I have a good feeling about this week. I promise, more posts this week.
1. The satisfaction that comes from checking everything off on one’s to-do list.
2. Our hardy little aloe plant, Malcolm, that survived Neko’s puppyhood with new growth all over.
3. The genius of this scene in Freaks and Geeks, from the episode where Bill’s (Martin Starr) mom (Claudia Christian) starts dating his gym teacher (Biff from Back to the Future).
4. My cast iron skillet, which is seasoned so well I’m proud every time it easily wipes clean.
5. A small chocolate flourless torte made by Kelly at work last night. Rich and velvety and slightly woody from rosemary ganache. Perfect late-night snack after work.
I started a new part-time gig at a local kitchen shop that also offers cooking classes. All I do is prep the kitchens for classes, assist chefs who are teaching, and clean up during and after the classes. It’s a sweet gig for several reasons: → continue reading
The charter school is coming along exactly as planned (insert evil mustache-twirling maniacal laughs). A few weeks ago, we had our review for the first of two planning grants. This involved submitting the first incantation of our business plan, as well as an in-person interview where our four founding members defended said proposal in front of a group of people. It also involved me squeezing into “business attire” that I didn’t exactly try on before I bought it and consequently ended up feeling like Joan Holloway.
The Bad News (because I’d rather get it out of the way first):
When I left my job helping unqualified people become underwhelming teachers (I KID, at least five of them were competent. Ashley, you’re one of them), I went to work with a friend, helping her with the small business she owned. When I started working with her, we set a three-month trial period, at the end of which either of us could withdraw from the arrangement, no hard feelings. Unfortunately, due to a really crappy economy, she really couldn’t afford to keep me after three and a half months, which I expected. Therefore, as of Friday, I have no substantive incoming coming in regularly.
Which kind of sucks. → continue reading
Greetings from my couch! On a Thursday! At 1:34 PM! Goren and Eames send their regards. Benson and Stabler, too.
Monday started my new work situation. Technically, it started Tuesday, because Monday was my new boss’s birthday, and when you are your own boss, you don’t work on your birthday. Tuesday and Wednesday, I spent a good portion of the day with my new boss, working with her on learning all the new skills that come along with a new job. → continue reading
First things first: happy 29th birthday to my husband Chris. I could wax poetic and write something touching but he doesn’t roll like that in the public sphere of the interwebs, so I’ll keep those sweet nothings between him and me, mmmkay?
Second, I promised on Friday some big news today. That prompted e-mail from my mother threatening that if she had to hear from my blog that I was pregnant there would be hell to pay. But no, I’m not pregnant, as anyone who saw me swilling beer at various Holly Hills establishments this weekend is probably relieved to find out. I did, however, as of 9:12 this morning, put in my notice at work.
Didja hear me? I QUIT MY JOB, Y’ALL. → continue reading
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