The Craziness

I've gone over the deep end. Sure I've had some setbacks. Tooth problems. Job interview. But really, why can't I finish off the Kabul workshop? I'm almost done wockawockawocka, but I'm not done. And I'm almost getting complacent about not done mode. I was really trying to finish today but I couldn't get any good ideas. Maybe tomorrow, the ideas will come.

The Summer

Even though I've been working hard writing the workshop, I'm still enjoying summer mode. Today I've not showered, and I drove #1 son to work in my jammies. I more fully appreciate how some citizens in this great land of ours just "let themselves go." It would be so easy to stay in sweatpants bedhead mode for all time. #1 son says I don't really look that bad, but he may be enabling me, I'm not sure. This is probably how it starts.

The Happiness

Met with Mitz yesterday and come to find out, the workshop I've been designing is over the top conceptually. I must pare down, but I have a pare down plan. I'm feeling better about it all since I went out to breakfast with JW, bought some clothing, and then bought some shoes. Everyday should begin like this I believe.

The Hoosier

Because I couldn't sleep last night, I listened to about 8 hours of talk about Michael Jackson on PRI. I wondered why no one was interviewing Paul McCartney. Paul and Michael wrote and sang some songs together and I liked the video they made with Linda, long time ago. My favorite Michael songs are probably the Jackson 5 songs. One bad apple don't spoil the whole bunch, girl. Et cetera.

I'm back to liking the workshop a little. It doesn't have specific parts any more. It's just a string of more and more activities. I can't seem to get it to settle down and be a workshop.

The Series

I've not been taking many pix lately, so I was excited to begin a new photo essay today called, "Man Going To China." After snapping the initial shot, Husbandman asked that I not take any more pictures. I explained to him about the "Man Going to China" series and after giving it some thought he told me I could take one more photograph and that would have to be it for the series.

I told him that 2 pictures really didn't make for much of a series. But H wasn't feeling it, so the shoot shut down for the day. As you can see from this second shot, the series could have been fantastic.

That's just how it goes sometimes in the world of semi-professional photography.

The Parts

I'm on part 2 of the workshop.  It has 6 parts.  I think I'm going to make great headway today.  

The Films

We might see UP tonight.  Or a documentary called One Giant Leap.  Really not sure. 

The Texts

Teendaughter's trip west for orientation brings scary thoughts front and center.  Lucky for us, she started the trip at Janet's house, so she was able to catch her breath before venturing across the bay.  Once she left Janet and fam, though, I started to worry.  Will she be able to transfer on BART?  Will she be able to follow the map Husbandman made for her to get from BART to the dorm?  Will she make a friend or will she be all alone, morose, in her dorm room?  Come to find out, everything worked out great.  Though I texted her 10 times for every one she returned, we were able to relax when we received the following text in the evening, "Going out for Thai with dorm girls.  College is fun!"  

  

I hope she can get her classes scheduled today.  

I would text #1 son at lacrosse camp, but he got tossed in a pool last week with his phone in his pocket, and now he's gone rogue.  

Anyway, the point of all this rambling is this:  Big shout out to the inventors of texting.  Job well done.  

The Artist

On Friday I watched a beautiful documentary on Emile Norman.  I found his story v. inspiring.  He seemed to have a cheerful nature. He worked every day on his beautiful art. He had a great love for his partner Brooks Clement.  He loved hiking around on his 150 acres in Big Sur.

     

After watching the PBS documentary about Emile, I truly feel that if I could move to Big Sur, I could be more cheerful, loving, productive and adventurous.  Until I can make that move, I'll muddle along here, as best I can.

The Slow

I'm trying to wake up, but it's difficult, so I thought blogging might help. 

 Someone in our town is shooting other people in our town with BB's.  10 people have gotten shot with BB's.  It's a rude thing to do, and could be very dangerous.  As Husbandman said this morning, "What if someone got hit in the eye?" 

Combo of coffee and blogging is getting me to the point where I may put on my shoes.  Once the shoes are on, I'm basically good to go.

The Comment

  Jessie's wedding?  Best wedding ever.   Spending time with SavvyMom and her family?  Best weekend ever.  I miss the two little sons.  My house felt so quiet today.  Probably because it was empty, except for me.  And I was napping on the couch.      #1 son's in sailing camp. Teendaughter is gainfully employed.  Husbandman is off saving the planet with partial differential equations.  

     Savvymom understands my need to check my email every 15 minutes or so.  I was so excited to click on to my edublog to find that one of the peeps had commented.  "Woohoo!" I yelled.  "Peep comment!"

   But... sad news, instead of a "reunited and it feels so good" kind of comment, I was disprited to read the mean spirited directive, "You bitch!  Suck balls."  It kind of hurt my feelings to tell you the truth.  But then we went to the zoo and I just let it all go.  I have hardly thought about it since.  

    I'm trying to decide if I want to apply for a literacy coach job.  It's only a one to two year gig, but it might be a nice break from peeps telling me to suck balls.  I'll probably apply and then figure out what to do later, if I get the job.  I heard today that many people are applying.  Not sure what I want to do, but I'll keep you posted.  

    Today smartiepants Sarah M. came over to teach us about podcasting.  We made a trial podcast here.  It's pretty good.  Give us some feedback, but please, let's be civil.  Remember, it's nice to build people up, rather than tear them down.  KIND and TRUE!  How hard can that be?

The Decisions

At the immunization clinic,  RN pulled up information about medications needed for travel to Kabul.  Basically, you need everything if you're going to Kabul.  I'm now protected against typhoid, hepatitis, polio, dysentery, and malaria. When she got to rabies, I said, "You know my friend said that it's not really necessary to get that one."

Staring into my eyes, RN said, "They have packs of wild dogs running around."

"Well, maybe I should get it then."

"It costs 700$."

"Okay, I won't be getting it," I told her.

"If you get rabies, you're going to have to get someone to get you QUICKLY to Western Europe.  And you're going to have about 15 shots once you get there."

 "Do they still give rabies shots in your stomach?"

"No, the butt."

"Okay, I'll pass on the rabies shots," I decided at last.  

It was stressful making so many decisions, but now that part is over.  And I can go back to the Grisham novel.

The Turtle

A snapping turtle tried to pull down a gosling yesterday, over at Mitzi's pond. Luckily a guy named Todd was there. Todd grabbed a big pole and wailed on the turtle with forceful vehemence, rescuing the gosling, who came ashore to rejoin sibs and honking parents. Falling in line, the gosling walked with a decided limp.

The Summer

The ending to the school year isn't a pleasant time. I came home kind of down and out several times last week. My fantastic parents were here and my mom tried to cheer me.
"Your work must be rewarding in a lot of ways," she told me as I stared into oblivion.
"It's not really that rewarding."
"Well, the kids learned so much this year. You've got to be happy about that."
"Actually, there really wasn't that much learning," I answered flatly.

I'm feeling much better and brighter now that summer has arrived at last and I can be more upbeat. As MoodyGirl said in her farewell speech on the final day, "We had our times. We all said things we didn't mean."

Now I'm looking forward. Today I have 2 meetings connected with my trip to Kabul. And I need to get a haircut at some point.