Just Scribbling Away...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
-
Currently Listening
Art of Motion
By Andy McKee
see relatedCan't chat long...
Off to take daughter-child to first soccer practice (apparently my hubby hasn't noticed that it's still July, and this is a first practice for FALL youth soccer. Hel-LOOOO!!) What about summer vacation? What about the new Banzai Skimboard Slip and Slide in the backyard? Hey? Hello?
After practice, daughter-child and I are off to meet my dad for a special "Wall-E" event at a theatre near here. Not sure what will take place, but they're calling it a VIP Screening...should be interesting. This organization's special events have not disappointed yet, so I'm sure it will be fun. And seeing the movie again will be worth it enough.
Had an AWESOME trip to Disneyland. More on that later. Maybe even pix.
Sweet son has announced his intent to move out at the end of summer. More whining about that later, although I am so proud of his intent to return to school and his desire for more independence. It's what should be happening -- I just don't want it to happen.
Sweet son also turned me on to this Andy McKee guy -- totally love him! Beautiful guitar.
Accidentally watched way too much of "Dante's Peak" last night, which might be the worst movie on the planet. Hubby and I laughed our butts off. So terrible.
More later!
Sunday, July 06, 2008
-
Currently Watching
Cinema Paradiso (Two-Disc Deluxe Edition)
By Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale, Isa Danieli, Leo Gullotta, Marco Leonardi
see relatedWhy didn't I......???
Watched this last night, and am so glad I finally did, even if I am kicking myself for waiting 20 years to see it. Wish I'd have run out the minute it opened in 1988 and seen it, maybe a few times, and then I would have watched it over and over during the past two decades. Hmmph. I missed out. It's so sweet, and funny, and heartbreaking. I can't believe I was a film studies minor and didn't see this movie in college. Or at least around my college years. I'm so glad I didn't miss it altogether. And I'll watch it again.
Heading to Disneyland today with daughter-child for several days. Am meeting up with friends and family there, and will be doing all I can to not eat a steady diet of chicken strips and fries, which is what my daughter would eat the entire time if allowed. No way, Jose. Want to see a grown woman doubled over in pain? Okay, then.
So, off we go...see y'all next weekend!
PS: Absolutely LOVE the new Coldplay CD...it is awesome!
Thursday, July 03, 2008
-
Currently Listening
Soundtrack
see relatedWonderful Wall*E
Saw it. Twice. Loved it both times.
Masterful storytelling using so few elements.
Peter Gabriel song alone is worth the price of admission.
How can a robot break your heart?
We're off to fireworks block party tomorrow evening, after a visit with my dad for his birthday. Yep, he's a Yankee Doodle Baby. And next year's the big 8-0 for him, so we're just laying low this year.
Happy 4th of July, y'all!
Sunday, June 22, 2008
-
Currently Listening
Viva La Vida
By Coldplay
see relatedMeet Sluggo, the Teacher-on-Summer-Vacation
It's me, Sluggo, closely resembling something very slug-like.
My little sister and niece took off first thing this morning after being here a week. It's never long enough...I love having them here. We did all sorts of fun things, including dining at a fine little local bakery-cafe, seeing "Kung Fu Panda" and plenty of just down-and-dirty shopping. Was quite fun. But their departure means I have no excuse for not doing a number of more reality-based things, like, say, laundry and cleaning. Oh, yeah, and fun things like working on my independent study classwork and finishing my YA novel manuscript, which, despite their fun nature, I keep tending to put aside. And why the hell is that?
In other news, sweet son has fixed our computer, but I must go dig out MS Office disks (and where are they?) to be able to reinstall Word. And must beg best pal for Publisher disks, too, since it's church newsletter time again. Already. I also can't burn a CD, but I can't fix that...that's son's territory.
And, so, instead of doing any of those things, here I am, blogging, with really nothing too exciting to report. Bought new Coldplay CD, but haven't really listened to it in earnest. Love the title track...it's my fave so far.
It's hot here.
It's summer.
I'm tired. I got up way too early today.
Have a fine rest of Sunday...I think I'm off to nap. I will try to take viewable photos of our new sectional, purchased just before sister arrived...will try to share next time.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
-
Currently Watching
August Rush
By Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams
see relatedSchool's...out....for...(Alice Cooper, anyone?)
Graduations are over, school's out, and summer has begun. Had our retirement party for the kindergarten teacher I'm replacing, had a grad party to attend, a funeral tomorrow, and the dentist the next day. Not the most relaxing start to the summer, but after that, things will slow down and I'll be a slug.
Who am I kidding? I'll run around here doing crap all summer.
Not that I haven't done plenty of sluglike behavior today. Went to church, came home and spent plenty of quality time on couch with dog. A very important duty of mine. Sitting with the dog. Almost as important as feeding the family. And those pesky cats.
Watched the above movie the other night, and fell immediately in love with it, and especially its soundtrack. Bought soundtrack yesterday, had sweet son put it on my MP3 player today because our damned computer is down. Am speaking to you via the ancient laptop, which does this stuff just fine, but can't manage a CD or run Microsoft Publisher, two very necessary evils in my life.
So, I highly recommend August Rush, both to watch and listen to. Beautiful film.
Am still reading "The Soloist," which is great so far. More on that later.
OK, kids, gotta go finish paying bills.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
-
A Day of Endings
Wrote out my last 4th grade report cards today.
Took the final exam in my creative writing course today.
Cleaned out some more of my 4th grade stuff from my classroom.
It's exciting, but it's weird. I've never been good with endings, and this is no exception. I don't want my writing course to end, and as excited as I am about Kindergarten, I'm having strange pangs about packing up my middle-grade books and clearing those bookshelves. I know I'll be more happy with my job change, a move to a grade level that I've loved in the past, but I'm no good with goodbyes or change-as-it-is-happening.
Time to dig in -- back to work on my YA novel, getting started on the independent study art class my hubby and I are taking this summer, and learning how to tile the bathroom floors in our house.
Bring on summer. I'm ready.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
-
Currently Watching
National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets (Widescreen)
By Maryellen Aviano, Glenn Beck, Susan Beresford, Nicolas Cage, Larry Cedar
see relatedAll things Indy (and Ben, and Tess....)
Saw the new Indiana Jones movie Friday -- and loved it! I think it's every bit as good as the last three.
And Memorial Day Weekend wouldn't be complete without buying "National Treasure 2," so we did that, too. And watched it. And loved it all over again.
Several of my old faves have also shown up on TV this weekend, too -- "Working Girl" and "Groundhog Day" to mention a couple. It's a rare day that I watch TV, so I guess I got lucky.
Cold, hard reality hits today, though -- report card time.
And I was having such a nice time, lost in all these other people's lives.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
-
Currently Reading
Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
see relatedAnd Now, For Something Entirely Different...
It's official!
Well, as official as it's going to get, apparently.
I'm leaving 4th grade and heading to....
KINDERGARTEN!!!
The longtime Kindergarten teacher who has been there 37 years is leaving, and I'm taking her place! No more essays to grade, no more social studies tests, no more teaching 4th grade math!
In case you can't tell, I'm waaaay, waaaay excited!
More later!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
-
Currently Reading
Al Capone Does My Shirts
By Gennifer Choldenko
see relatedWho knew?
If you recall, last week I was complaining that the book I ordered from Barnes and Noble.com was taking for-freaking-ever to get here.
Finally, on Friday when I checked the tracking, it said it was in my little post office. Woo-hoo!
However, it never appeared in my box on Friday. Or Saturday. Or Monday.
So Tuesday I politely grabbed the edge of the front desk at the post office and quietly asked, "What the hell?" while also handing the nice postal-worker-guy my tracking info.
They asked me what the package contained, and I told them a book. "The Soloist," to be exact. And I told them it had come to me from BN.com. I even told them it was a hardback. In case it mattered.
And the nice postal-worker-guy says, "Well, y'know, the box under yours, well, they're booksellers, did you know that?"
(Thinking: Ummm, NO, I didn't know and why does it matter? Where is my book?)
To which I replied, "Oh, no, I had no idea." (Who knew? Get on with it already!)
"Well, since it was a book, and they get a lot of books in the mail, maybe we accidentally put it in their box."
So, he says he'll call them.
And, lo and behold, they had my book, sitting in their happy little home, since they took it home with them, because I guess they get a LOT of books and one with someone else's name on it just didn't trigger a red flag.
I shouldn't be so catty -- I've taken home plenty of other people's mail that has ended up in our box, not realizing it wasn't ours until I got it home. So, I forgive the nice bookselling people.
But, GEEZ, I've been waiting two frigging WEEKS for this book that Amazon would have delivered in about an hour. OK, maybe a little longer than that. But quicker than BN.com. They are molasses in delivery.
However, I got thinking, after I finally had my book safely in hand: These nice people who accidentally got my book are booksellers, and I'm definitely a book buyer...maybe I need to drop them a line, in, y'know, the box under mine, and see if they sell used books to us local people. Maybe these nice folks can save me a bundle in shipping fees. Hmmm.....
I have not started the new book yet because I am currently reading the above-pictured book, which is just great so far. But my new book looks good as well, and I am fighting the urge to start reading them both at once. Never a good idea for me. So, I will be patient. Hell, I've waited two weeks, what's another few days!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
-
Culture shock
Just when you think your life is tough and you have plenty to complain about, someone comes along that makes you feel like crap for even thinking of complaining.
Enter my son's good buddy, 21 years old, who just got back from Iraq. Ramadi, to be exact, where his job was helping guard one of the entrances of the main base in Ramadi, enduring hours of sniper fire with no way to tell where it was coming from. No way to fight back. Just hoping you didn't get hit, and wishing you could fire back and do something about it. Every day. Every shift.
And I've been complaining that my 19-year-old leaves dirty clothing in a pile in the bathroom.
With four of my son's closest pals in the Marines, the abovementioned young man included, I am acutely aware of the dangers facing these guys. All war/Iraq/Afghanistan stories cause me to immediately resume actively worrying for all four of them. I pray for them, I think of them often. We send care packages and letters.
But having him stand in my own kitchen, where he used to stand and tell us what he thought of this or that teacher in high school, or what a goofball classmate did that day at school is a far cry from him telling us about his life-threatening job of the past 9 months. When the war and all its horrors are in your kitchen, it's here, it's present, it's real. Yes, we all worry about everyone's sons and daughters who serve, but somehow having one of them casually chatting in your kitchen about what he's seen in Iraq was more culture shock for me than I expected.
Call me naive. Call me clueless. They are often in my thoughts. But it's been a distant reality. Your son's buddy telling his own stories of his own experiences just brings it all home. In a big way. I'm just glad he's here to tell those stories, and that he's not another statistic.
Bring 'em all the hell home.
Chatboard (0)