I had been "looking forward" to having some pictures taken yesterday at my birthday party. For months I've been putting off looking "good" because I figured "I'll have some decent pics taken on my birthday." Well, hopefully no one will notice that I still don't have any pictures from 2009 posted anywhere because we didn't get many taken yesterday. I (stupidly) forgot my camera at home when we left for the restaurant in the cold, snowy mess that surrounded West Michigan last night. Miserable driving, partly because of conditions and partly because Michigan drivers are morons.
We bought a cake, but it's still sitting the kitchen unopened and uneaten. It was a nice birthday, though. Thanks for those who came out to help celebrate.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Blogs
I wish more people I used to know had a blog. Blogs are am amazing way to feel like one hasn't lost touch with someone even though one may never want to see the other party again. I don't like losing touch with people, although sometimes it's in everyone's best interests or is fairly unavoidable. Blogs are a great link to the past somehow, even though they're generally about the present. I often remember what I liked about the person to begin with. Sometimes, though, I read a post and wonder if we'd get along now--political posts mostly.
Is is stalking to occasionally check someone's blog that one knew years ago? Is it stalking if one used to date that person? I hope not, because I get a kick out of blogs.
Is is stalking to occasionally check someone's blog that one knew years ago? Is it stalking if one used to date that person? I hope not, because I get a kick out of blogs.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Life....
There's just too much to write! Maybe taking 2 1/2 months to update this wasn't a good idea....
First (and at the forefront of my mind right now) is that fact that I'm underemployed next semester. I have my 2 classes at Aquinas and 5 hours in the writing center. I cannnot pay the bills with 2 adjunct classes. Grand Valley didn't warn me when they hired me for the fall that they offered significantly fewer sections of the class I teach in the winter. I lost both sections. I've applied to other colleges, who have thus far either politely or impolitely declined my services. I won't mention names, but I will mention that it makes me feel like crap. I guess I don't interview as well as I thought I did. So, I'm feeling pretty crappy right now and am desperately wondering what I will do next semester (and next summer, but that's a completely different subject that I won't get into right now).
I'm convinced that I'm going to have to get a "real job." Boy, do I not want a "real job." I've never done 9-5 particularly well. Hmm, I guess I've actually never really done 9-5, except for 2 summers working at a bank. I guess I just figure that since I haven't really done 9-5, I won't LIKE 9-5. However, steady income and steady work would be a trade that I'm willing to make at this point. I can't stand this feeling of not pulling my weight in my family.
Teaching 4 classes this semester has been rough at times, but with all the time I spend at home on the couch, it feels much less...stressful than a "real job." It's the students that create the stress. They're so needy and demanding. I do not remember being 1/10 as needy and whiny in my college experience, but that was 10 years ago, and this generation is quite a bit different.
I'm thinking about going to library school, but cost is the biggest problem right now. I'd need some serious scholarships, as I am completely unwilling to take out another dollar in student loans. I will already be paying on my student loans longer than we'll be paying for our house. I like the idea of working with students one-on-one, and working at the library in college was one of my favorite jobs. There's a lot for me to like about the idea.
And now to the embarrassing part of the post: what I've been reading. I needed something to listen to the car a couple of months ago, and my choices were Little Women, Danielle Steel, and Twilight. I cringed and picked up Twilight. The woman who read the novel bugged me at first, but I eventually got used to her. Even listening to it, I could tell that it's not well-written literature, but I stuck with it. I got to the end and was only slightly ashamed. Then a few weeks later, I found that I was interested in what happened next. This is about the time all of the New Moon hubbub was starting. So, I reluctantly went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy (and held my head in shame as I went to the check out counter). I read it in 3 days and a week later went to get Eclipse (I bought the new John Mayer cd at the same time and was wondering if I'd fallen into a time warp. I felt like I must be 16.). I read Eclipse in 2.5 days and went to the store immediately to buy Breaking Dawn in hard cover, which I said I wouldn't do. I was finished with Breaking Dawn in less than 48 hours.
It's not very good writing, but it's very compelling. I'm not a book critic, just a lit. major, so I don't know how to critique modern writing. I'm embarrassed by my near obsession (it was temporary, don't worry!), but I still couldn't stop reading. I've been trying to figure out why, and I've come up with a theory. Each of these books is about impossibly beautiful, impossibly rich, impossibly learned and talented immortals. It's an appealing subject matter. I've done plenty of reading about fairly regular people. My interest was piqued by a much more glamorous group of people. I'll admit, I wouldn't mind being beautiful, rich, learned and talented. Heck, I'll take any of the above. I was fun, mindless reading, and I was entertained for days. Reading books for class takes 3 times longer; it was really nice to read for fun, to read so quickly, and to not have to concentrate on any nuances/symbolism/hidden meanings. And the obsession is over now. I will not drag my husband to see New Moon--at least not at the full price theaters!
First (and at the forefront of my mind right now) is that fact that I'm underemployed next semester. I have my 2 classes at Aquinas and 5 hours in the writing center. I cannnot pay the bills with 2 adjunct classes. Grand Valley didn't warn me when they hired me for the fall that they offered significantly fewer sections of the class I teach in the winter. I lost both sections. I've applied to other colleges, who have thus far either politely or impolitely declined my services. I won't mention names, but I will mention that it makes me feel like crap. I guess I don't interview as well as I thought I did. So, I'm feeling pretty crappy right now and am desperately wondering what I will do next semester (and next summer, but that's a completely different subject that I won't get into right now).
I'm convinced that I'm going to have to get a "real job." Boy, do I not want a "real job." I've never done 9-5 particularly well. Hmm, I guess I've actually never really done 9-5, except for 2 summers working at a bank. I guess I just figure that since I haven't really done 9-5, I won't LIKE 9-5. However, steady income and steady work would be a trade that I'm willing to make at this point. I can't stand this feeling of not pulling my weight in my family.
Teaching 4 classes this semester has been rough at times, but with all the time I spend at home on the couch, it feels much less...stressful than a "real job." It's the students that create the stress. They're so needy and demanding. I do not remember being 1/10 as needy and whiny in my college experience, but that was 10 years ago, and this generation is quite a bit different.
I'm thinking about going to library school, but cost is the biggest problem right now. I'd need some serious scholarships, as I am completely unwilling to take out another dollar in student loans. I will already be paying on my student loans longer than we'll be paying for our house. I like the idea of working with students one-on-one, and working at the library in college was one of my favorite jobs. There's a lot for me to like about the idea.
And now to the embarrassing part of the post: what I've been reading. I needed something to listen to the car a couple of months ago, and my choices were Little Women, Danielle Steel, and Twilight. I cringed and picked up Twilight. The woman who read the novel bugged me at first, but I eventually got used to her. Even listening to it, I could tell that it's not well-written literature, but I stuck with it. I got to the end and was only slightly ashamed. Then a few weeks later, I found that I was interested in what happened next. This is about the time all of the New Moon hubbub was starting. So, I reluctantly went to Barnes and Noble and picked up a copy (and held my head in shame as I went to the check out counter). I read it in 3 days and a week later went to get Eclipse (I bought the new John Mayer cd at the same time and was wondering if I'd fallen into a time warp. I felt like I must be 16.). I read Eclipse in 2.5 days and went to the store immediately to buy Breaking Dawn in hard cover, which I said I wouldn't do. I was finished with Breaking Dawn in less than 48 hours.
It's not very good writing, but it's very compelling. I'm not a book critic, just a lit. major, so I don't know how to critique modern writing. I'm embarrassed by my near obsession (it was temporary, don't worry!), but I still couldn't stop reading. I've been trying to figure out why, and I've come up with a theory. Each of these books is about impossibly beautiful, impossibly rich, impossibly learned and talented immortals. It's an appealing subject matter. I've done plenty of reading about fairly regular people. My interest was piqued by a much more glamorous group of people. I'll admit, I wouldn't mind being beautiful, rich, learned and talented. Heck, I'll take any of the above. I was fun, mindless reading, and I was entertained for days. Reading books for class takes 3 times longer; it was really nice to read for fun, to read so quickly, and to not have to concentrate on any nuances/symbolism/hidden meanings. And the obsession is over now. I will not drag my husband to see New Moon--at least not at the full price theaters!
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