I don't mind the hustle... it's the bustle that gets to me.

I am the Queen of Procrastination. Well... maybe I'm the Princess. (According to my first graders, princesses are cuter than queens. And it's a well-known fact that six-year-old girls are the leading authority on all things trendy.) There are nine days until Christmas, and just today I started my Christmas shopping. I have to admit... my heart just isn't in it this year. About a month ago, my family started asking me what I want for Christmas, and I wasn't able to give them much in the way of an answer. It was easier when I was a kid. Books, toys, clothes, tapes. Now that I'm older and have my own money, I buy what I want when I want it. I download my own music. I choose and buy my own clothes. So I couldn't think of anything I really needed.

I also have no idea what to get my family and friends. Today I hit Target, hoping to get some gift ideas - and maybe even a gift or two. I didn't do too badly, all things considered. I managed to get something for my mother, my father, my brother, a cousin, my work pollyanna, and my friend pollyanna. I'm not done, but at least it's a start. There are a few people I still need to buy for. I have friends who get me a present every year, and of course I have to reciprocate. I never know what to get them, so I have to go out and look for something that isn't too similar to something I got them in years past. And I try to get all creative. One year it was homemade baked goods, packaged neatly in a decorative basket. One year it was a movie theme - popcorn, giant candy bars, movie theater gift card. A nighttime theme - flannel pjs, mug, hot cocoa mix. (You know me and my themes.) It seems like gift cards are the "easy way out," but I feel like it's so impersonal. I like buying and wrapping gifts. I don't want to just shove a gift card into an envelope. I want ribbons and bows, gift tags and tissue paper. The only gift that was easy to buy was my pollyanna gift, because the person wrote down exactly what to buy. Done and done.

Screw it. If I can't find anything, everyone's just getting a bottle of booze and a hearty "Merry Christmas!"

Bah humbug :)

light it up

I was cleaning out my closet last weekend and I found a shitload of votive candles that I bought and never burned. They were all stored together in one box, thus rendering their scent indeterminable. They all smell like potpourri, no matter what their individual labels read. Then there are those sans labels. It's like the mystery flavor Dum-Dum lollipop... is it apple? rose? mango? grandma's kitchen? Damned if I know.

As a teacher, I get about a gazillion candles as gifts every year (they're as popular as dollar store religious figurines or mugs filled with those foil-wrapped strawberry candies that no one likes), and I don't burn them as often as I used to. I decided that they were going to waste sitting in the box, so I pulled out a few that looked Christmas-y (clove, pine, hollyberry) along with a few of the mystery scents, determined to finally get my money's worth.

So now I'm sitting in my room with three votive candles lit (plus a pillar candle that's been collecting dust since a former student gave it to me two years ago). I've got the lights off to better appreciate the candles' glow. It's rather nice, actually. Soothing. Relaxing.

There's just something about votive candles that makes me nostalgic for college. Reminds me of sitting in my dorm room, listening to Counting Crows ("August and Everything After," most likely)... or in the living room of the apartment at La Salle, talking on the phone to my boyfriend-at-the-time and listening to Fiona Apple ("Tidal"), after my roommates had gone to bed.

Good times. Good times indeed.

It's over!!!

Well, friends... it's official. As of tonight, I am DONE GRAD SCHOOL!!! One hundred percent completely FINISHED!!! WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOO!!! (And there was much rejoicing.)

wednesday night

Oh boy, am I ever thankful. After months of busting my ass for my reading clinic for grad school, I only have TWO DAYS LEFT!!! Next week is IT. And then I'm done. Not just done class, but done grad school. Whoo-hoo!!!

Wednesday night I decided to throw caution to the wind and actually go out. I've been a hermit lately, staying home to either work or sleep. I figured I deserved a night out. And since MK offered me a ride, I was free to enjoy a beverage or two (or three). MK picked up me and Sam, and we met Rich, Heather and Karen at the Blarney on South Street. It was completely empty, which shocked me, given that it was the biggest party night of the year. So we snagged the big table in the back and ordered up a round.

After we had been there about an hour, we noticed a man walking toward our table, presumably heading to the bathroom. He kind of slowed down and stared, smiling, when he passed our table. We all noticed it and thought he might be interested in one of us - possibly Karen, since he seemed to look at her specifically. He came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and walked back to his seat at the front of the bar. A few minutes later, he came back again, this time holding his drink. He stood by our table, smiling and watching us for several minutes without saying a word. It was a bit creepy. I mean, if he was trying to talk to one of us, he could have used any number of opening lines... "Sounds like you ladies are having a good time," or "Hi, I'm fill-in-the-blank," or whatever. Instead, he just stood there. Eventually, he walked back to his seat.

Later, Karen and I headed for the unisex bathrooms. On our way back, Rich warned us that one of the toilets was clogged. I waited while Karen used the bathroom first. Socially Awkward Guy came back and stood outside the bathrooms with me. I kicked the door and said, "Hurry up, bitch!", just to be funny. He said, "If you're in a hurry, there's another bathroom." I explained that it was clogged. "Oh," he said. "I heard you say you were in a hurry, so I just thought I'd let you know." Oooookay.... was this guy for real? No "hello," no introduction... he opens with bathroom-related conversation? Smooth talker. After the bathroom pleasantries were out of the way, he did finally introduce himself. A few awkward minutes of small talk followed. ("What are you doing out tonight?"... "Having a few drinks with my friends"... " etc, etc...) Luckily, Karen came out of the bathroom at that point, so she got stuck with him while I used the facilities. He spoke with her for a few minutes (not sure what they talked about, though), and then when we went back to our seats, he walked with us and stood by our table again for a few seconds. Then he walked away. And that was the last we saw of him.

Not to get all Jerry Seinfeld on you, but what's the deal with guys? I mean, seriously. That has to be the second worst opening line that I've ever heard. (I'd repeat the first, but the person who used it reads my blogs... ). I know it's not easy to talk to the opposite sex. Believe me, I know. My middle name is chicken-shit. But I would never approach a guy with bathroom-related conversation. Sheesh. A little effort, a little common sense... is that too much to ask for?

busy girl

Hi friends!

Okay, so I haven't been writing much lately. I've been trying to prioritize (snort of laughter at me doing anything organized), and sadly, blogging hasn't been high up on the to-do list. I've been inundated with school projects and work responsibilities and (ahem) parties. Parties out the wazoo. (Is that how you spell "wazoo"?) In the past 3 weeks, I went to two Halloween parties (both of which required costumes), saw "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in New Hope, saw a viewing of "Teen Witch" at the Trocodero, and went to a horror movie party. Good times, all around.

Last night was the horror movie party at MK's... sans horror movies. We sat around the fire pit, made s'mores, drank apple wine (although some opted for brandy in a flask), bonded over Abba, looked up TV theme songs on YouTube, and watched "The Tick" while reclining on the uber-soft leather couch. Highlights from the evening include throwing cinnamon sticks on the fire, testing the futon, leaving Erin myspace comments, and having group sing-alongs of "Take a Chance on Me" and "Afternoon Delight" and "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." (Although, I think that last one was a solo effort by yours truly...)

Anyhoo... it's Sunday... and for me, that means sitting in my pajamas catching up on classwork. Loads of fun. And while this has been a fun distraction, it's back to work for me.

My Day

The Lows

~I had two near-breakdowns today (one in the morning while I was rushing around getting ready for work, and one about 20 minutes ago). I'm not a crier and I almost cried twice today. I haven't been this stressed and overwhelmed since... wow, probably since my first year of teaching.

~One of my students had his own breakdown. He's on meds for something... maybe anger management or oppositional defiance disorder (I feel like I should know this, but I don't. Bad teacher.) and he has these "episodes" at least once a week. Today's tantrum was actually his second one this week, and I was just NOT in the mood to deal with him.

~The button cufflinks on my brand new shirt fell off today. Shoddy workmanship. I had to MacGyver it by using the thread that was still attached to hold the buttons together. Surprisingly it held for the rest of the day.

~I looked at my calendar and saw the obscene number of projects that are due for my class in the next few weeks. Will December never come???

The Highs

~I got a 98 on my last clinic observation (for grad school). Two down, one to go!

~I got my grade changed on a major project... went from a 95 to 100! (My supervisor made a mistake and I called her on it. I'm a bitch like that.)

~People kept complimenting me on my hair. (Thanks, Nat! It's been a week and I'm still lovin' it!)

~The Flyers won!

~Tomorrow is Friday.

stayin' alive

It was SUCH a long day at work. I wanted to blog about it on my teacher blog, but I'm just too tired and annoyed to even deal with it. So I decided to blog here instead. About absolutely nothing.

Currently, I'm watching "Dancing With the Stars" (my total guilty pleasure show). Waiting for Mario Lopez to dance again. Mmmm... Mario Lopez... When did he get so damn good looking? It's either the dancing or the dimples or the whole Hispanic thing. Or some combination of the above elements. Whatever it is, it works.
Anyway.

I had a full day of work (which was exhausting... and I had several incidents which left me drained) followed by a grad school class. In between work and class, I was walking across campus freezing my ass off and thinking about how nice it would be to curl up on the sofa, wrapped in my chenille blanket with a glass of wine, listening to Aqualung. (If you've never listened to his CD, go download! It's some amazing music.) It was enough to make me wanna turn around and go back to my car. Alas, I could not afford to skip school.

Of course, now that class is over, I'm not drinking wine or listening to Aqualung. I am wrapped in my blanket, but I'm watching TV and killing brain cells on myspace. As per usual.

I've got nothing to say, but it's okay. And if I think of something more interesting to write about, I'll be back. But don't count on that.