A Much Needed New Blog

Since I've been sort of stalled out on this blog so much lately, I decided to start anew! Not that I won't still be posting listlessly here (doesn't that sound enchanting!) but I needed a blog where I could post about things important to me. This new change coincided with my discovery of the Clark County Library, so I have created this wonderful piece of blork (get it? Blog = work. What can I say...it's been a long day). View this masterful return to my reading roots at...

A Much Needed Literary Time Out

Enjoy, and test out my suggestions if you dare.

The Tragedy of Teaching

There are many lovely perks to this oh-so-wonderful job, but just for a moment, let me tell you about the Tragedy of Teaching. The tragedy is that no matter how many outstanding, intelligent, well-behaved children you see in one day, if those two or three jackasses decide to be a jerk to you, then that's all your mind has the power to remember for one day. I had a great day today until my last hour, when this little trio decided that it was their time to speak their mind. Not on my time, trio. So that's the tragedy.
I think I'm running into this tragedy this year because my goal for the year was to start off on more of a hard line, in order to bring more sanity to my springtime madness! And so far it's great, but it does mean that I can't ignore these outbursts like I may have done in the past. It's a tragedy. And it is a tragedy that any parent would sanction their children's behavior in this manner, but that's another post entirely. No more to be said, because it's time to cheer myself up.
Buckwalter is making his infamous chili recipe, inherited from Mr. Ed, and it smells SOOO good -- we also have discovered the wonders of Lucerne Sharp Cheddar. And the ecstasy of Von's M&M cookies. Anyone who comes to visit us will be made to partake of these delicacies. So soft, so gooey, only half-cooked like any good cookie should be.
Also, I've discovered a new author (well, new to me) that I'm in love with. Margaret Atwood is amazing. I read "The Blind Assassin" last month, and immediately after finishing it, wanted to read it again. We've got our library cards for the good old library here, and it's been a joy. I'm currently reading another Atwood book -- "Alias Grace" and am stunned by her complexly constructed prose. We also checked out "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" and the third season of South Park, with "Bye Bye Birdie" on request. I love the library. I had forgotten how wonderful it could be, but I just love to walk up and down the aisles and look at the spines, reading the titles, smiling at some that I know or find funny, and kneeling down for a closer look at those that intrigue me. The quiet, the calm, and the books -- definitely a refuge that I have missed since college.

Get to Work!

Well, just like I thought I would, I spent my entire summer knitting and watching TV and sitting by the pool. Not a bad summer break. But I always have such high hopes, plans for the coming school year. In June, I am all prepared to plan for the fall, but first...a little me time. And then suddenly, here I am -- one week before returning to school, no planning done, and ready to move into our new house. If you haven't checked out the new house in awhile, make sure you do so, because these Nevada construction workers are magicians...POOF! We own a house!
Our visit to MN was a great success...lots of fun to see family and friends. Thanks to those of you who were able to make some time for us in your schedules!
Right now I'm sitting in the library of the local University waiting for my pal-o Buckwalter to finish his meeting. He's starting his new job! Hooray! Happy days are indeed here again!
It's always nice to be returning to a school rather than making a whole new jump...I feel excited about the approaching year and my new room, new kids, new ways of doing things, but not in the frantic way I felt last fall. This fall, I have a plan, and if I can't think of anything new for right now, that's okay -- the failsafe ideas are always there.
Also, I am reading a book that I am in love with, called "Get To Work: A Manifesto for the Women of the World" by Linda Hirshman. It is fabulous, and a very convincing argument about why it is no longer feasible for women to be staying at home. She has a plan for how to get women into the workforce, and makes great philosophical points on why it is important for women to...get to work. I love it, and I am aware that there are those of you out there who do not agree with me on this point. That is one reason why it is so refreshing to have a piece of literature to point to. She makes many points which you cannot shrug off with the often used, "Feminism is about choice/It's my choice." I love it, and I plan to give more thoughts on it at a later time. Feminism needs a change, baby, and that change will come if I have anything to do with it! Which I may not, but by God, I will try.
Anyway, enough tirade for today. Buckwalter will be appearing shortly, and then we'll voyage across Tropicana to meet our second set of visitors in the past two weeks! It has been a busy August, but it will prove to be a busier and more exciting September! Happy Fall to you all!

(By the way, we have been noticing a change in the weather here -- even though the temps are still in the 100s, the air is a little lighter, and the sun not so strong. It's amazing how changes in seasons happen everywhere by their own rules. Fun!)

Our house!

Like Buckwalter has already said (doesn't it seem like he beats me to the punch every time? Grr...) we bought a house! You can look at its progress here. We'll keep you informed on all the important information.
Also, tomorrow we leave for MN. We are ready, and excited to go, but I think both of us are, on some level, unaware that we're taking a huge car trip tomorrow. Not sure what the deal is with that, but I have a feeling the reality of it all will kick in some time around Grand Junction at Chili's. Yum.
To all of you in MN land -- we're looking forward to seeing you! You have been missed this past year! Hooray for short visits! See you on the other side!
And, for a parting adorable picture, feast your eyes on this cute button of a kitty:


Yes, she crawled up into that position all on her own. What a sweetie.

Moving all the time

And now that we're back from the magical land of enchantment that is New Mexico, we're set to go off to the land of 10,000 lakes in about a week and a half. How time flies.
Speaking of how time flies, I do not appreciate the fact that Target already has up their back to school display. Not cool. I had to shield my eyes when we walked by on our way to the envelopes.
Newest book for me is "Our Lady of the Forest" by David Guterson, which Buckwalter assures me is both wonderful and depressing. I finished up "Stars and Bars in NM, and it was great! Recommended by me, definitely.
I'm excited to visit MN, but it also makes me feel nervous. There's a feeling like you have to return to the place you left triumphant, or at least better off than you were. I really liked living in MN, but I have a bad taste in my mouth still about all the junk we had to put up with career wise. At least I don't have to see anyone from my old place of employment -- that's positive. And we get to see many friends and family! Hooray! And we get to bring all those boxes that didn't fit on the truck one year ago home finally. One year....I remember having to send those boxes home with my Mom and wondering how exactly all this would turn out one year hence. And it seems to have been good! It just leaves me wondering where all that time went, and how different everyone will look after one year.
I don't think I've changed too much...but I'll let you be the judge of that.
And once again (or perhaps for the first time?) let me comment on the Red Rock Buffet: not worth it. When compared to the buffet at the Suncoast, it is more expensive for the same food. The desserts include gelato, which is a great end to a buffet, but doesn't equal the extra money you spent. When you walk into the Suncoast, the food is better than you expected from the decor. When you walk into Red Rock, the food is quite less than you expected from the hip, savvy decor. I guess not everything is about atmosphere. Of course, the Red Rock does create wonderful conversation stimulation, as witnessed here. But could Buckwalter come up with something as genius as this without the lines at Red Rock? I think we all know he could.

Off we go

I'm really enjoying this "taking the summers off" thing. The great benefit of all the drama I had to deal with during the school year. Soon, Buckwalter and I leave for Las Mananitas, bringing the Boo (that's our cat) in tow. She so enjoys a nice drive in the MINI -- after she realizes that we're not abadoning her and stops yowling in that animalistic deep tone that only a scared beast can produce. That only takes about an hour to clear out of her system and then she'll just nap. I hope.
I just completed a book loaned (or "borrowed") to me from Chairwoman Mau. It's called "A Great and Terrible Beauty" and I enjoyed it very much. Good story, fun characters, delicious details. And yes, it's about the girl in the corset -- looks comfortable, doesn't it?
But I probably shouldn't have finished it up quite so quickly, because I have no idea what I will bring to read with me to Las Mananitas! Oh horror! Me without a book is a travesty that the world should never know! Seriously, though, I've been having a lot of trouble finding books to read lately. I have some pop fiction/horror/fantasy books that I love to read, but they're hardly something I can take out in public. It just seems to be a problem I'm having lately -- all these books, and nothing to read. Most of the books I've read lately seem to bunch together into several groups -- books that have a good plot, characters, etc. but I can't help feeling like I've read before, mainly because the plot is so similar to other books, like the one I've just finished, which (although very fun and enjoyable) owes a lot to "His Dark Materials." It's like Phillip Pullman meets Charlotte Bronte (pretty good combo, actually). However, you can only read so many similar books in a row. Then there are the group of books that are too literary for their own good -- books that I'd need a seminar class to make much sense of or understand properly. Although edifying, this is too much work for a summer vacation. And then there's the third group -- books that have a lesson to teach me about the state of the world. These can be great, but I really have to hit them at the right moment or I end up bored and listless, turning pages and skimming just to see if anything of any interest will ever happen. Usually the answer is no. Also not for a vacation.
So I guess this little run-on filled explanation leaves me with two choices -- buck up and bring those trashy novels out into the public view (which is not appealing -- as a former English major, aren't I supposed to become filled with bile at the sight of a horribly written book? Apparently not. I must admit, even though poorly written, they can be a lot of fun.) My other option? Fall back on William Boyd -- "Stars and Bars." I think I know which one will make me feel a little more like an intelligent human being and less like a simpering adolescent. Even though I love the adolescents and all their simpering, I don't really want to embark on that odyssey again. Wish us safe travels! And those of you in the MN area, we are coming to town soon. If you wish to see us, an email should probably be in order so that we can make sure there's a chance! (I'll be sending some out next week, too!)

I'll make you hot as Las Vegas weather...

It's been awhile, but that's what happens at the end of the school year...your mind becomes complete mush and you keep repeating this mantra over and over: "Oh yeah! I have to do that soon!" And then soon becomes never, and you all know that tune.
But here's my thrilling news. The weather today? A high of 106-108. The problem at school today? The air conditioning broke down. Never fear, flock -- the Madame is placed in a part of the school where auxilary power is used, and therefore, her air was only down for about 1.5 hours in the morning. But the Madame had to transport some materials to other parts of the school during prep, and oh my lord, it was toasty. And by toasty, I mean ungodly hot.
When we moved here, Buckwalter postulated that the summers might be like the winters in MN -- and I now believe that to be true. You don't want to go outside. You don't want to do much of anything except stay inside where it's nice and cool and you have popsicles and Bomb Pops in the freezer and ice cold water in the fridge. Cause let me tell you -- it is hot. Yes, folks, hot. That's really the only word for it. So I'm about to go enjoy a banana popsicle, and watch some Family Guy and keep knitting on my lightweight cotton/silk yarn. No wool here.