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mornings are not my forte

At least there was no traffic this morning. Everything else about my pre-noon Thursday absolutely, positively sucked. Slept in--kept snoozing that damn alarm. Rebuffed lovey-huggy hubs--possibly hurting his feelings. Forgot gas tank was on empty--running even later, thirty-five minutes to be precise. So late, that I had to park in the pay-by-the-hour lot and cross my fingers that I have enough cash to cover it. The yummy scone I had grabbed in a mad rush to get out the house ended up as crumbs all over my dark blue coat. At least the freeway was sunny and dry, and the drivers, though confounding as ever in their persistent choices to clump together in packs, riding each other's asses in a way that will almost certainly end in a large accident, were not too annoying. 

Mornings are not my forte. How about you? Do you have cranky, not-so-awesome mornings? How do you shake your crabbiness in those instances?

winter reading list

AH. The dark days of winter have settled in nicely. I'm sure that, if you are anything like me, you are trying to stay warm and cozy and, if you are very lucky, curl up with a good read. Here is what I've got going this winter...what are you reading these days?

It is my second-go-round reading this excellent apologetic piece by Tim Keller. His articulation of "the reason for God" spans many disciplines, from philosophy to archeology to physics, to address issues of doubt and belief. If you haven't read this, do. It is an intriguing read for any thinking person who considers their existence, their place in the universe. 

Some of my friends are going through Kim Gaines Eckert's book together. In its very first chapter, Eckert declares that it is meant to be experienced "in community." So, we're taking her up on that. We're planning our second meeting to discuss chapters three and four in March, and I'm eagerly anticipating another great evening of wine, cheese, and reflective conversation!

The hubs got me this for Christmas, because he heard this on NPR and thought of me. How sweet! As I've begun delving into the first few chapters, I'm impressed by Homan's deft writing style, and the fascinating content that she explores. As a former ballerina myself (who is always a dancer in my heart!) I am eating this book up like I would a cup of fresh gelato in Rome. Pass the spoon! 

music and book and green tea therapy

I just pilfered the Half Japanese record Charmed Life from the hubs' itunes this week. I'm completely obsessed with this album right now! The first song is a particular jump-starter for me lately:

• Said And Done by Half Japanese

 

More Half Japanese music on iLike

I don't really know why. I mean, I know that the groovy, rockin' beat and crazy-sounding horns are really "this moment" for me. I'm officially back to work--grappling with traffic on my commute, planning classes and helping my students figure out their blog posts and readings, helping them grow as writers. Trying to dodge a lot of the grumbling and now-naked politics that's been stripped open because of the construction on campus: two major buildings getting renovated. Which is fantastic. But, we're all at "camp" in our make-shift offices and classrooms, and no one is very happy about it.

So, I try to listen carefully to my colleagues, try to smile a bit more and hang out just being there with them. All of us displaced academics who are trying not to freak out, while simultaneously helping our students not-freak-out and maybe, just maybe, teaching them stuff, too.

Which is why reading this book again has been amazingly calming. Parker Palmer's book, The Courage to Teach, is one of those C.S. Lewis-type books for wisdom written down in a surprisingly elegant way. Like when he says:

"As good teachers weave the fabric that joins them with students and subjects, the heart is the loom on which the threads are tied, the tension is held, the shuttle flies, and the fabric is stretched tight. Small wonder, then, that teaching tugs at the heart, opens the heart, even breaks the heart--and the more one loves teaching, the more heartbreaking it can be."

Sigh. So true. In honor of that knowledge, and the fact that as a willing member of this heart-broken society, I need to find healthy, non-grumbling ways to manage stress, I've composed a short stress-busting list.

I could...

• appreciate clouds more, especially since their so beautiful this time of year.
• ...get excited about scarf-season!
• drink more green tea~I've been savoring this kind lately...
• talk to my mom more...I always feel better after I talk to her.
• or, I could run away and become a diver in Japan. 

What about you? When things are spinning crazily and you feel the need to beat the stress, what do you do?

summer is a balloon

Wow, how did it get to be SEPTEMBER? Already???

This summer has existed with all the joy and rarity of a hot-air-balloon sighting. So many things going on, so many changes, so much color and...life! Well, let's see...to recap:

My little sister got married (*so* SO happy for her and broseph!)

                                                  

The weekend after her beautiful wedding, Jake and I drove to Philadelphia for a quick getaway...that was cloaked in the disguise of the Council for Writing Program Administrators conference, which I presented at. My first ever national conference--it was nerve-wracking, but exciting! My presentation went well and then we went to museums. But, you already know about that...

The weekend after that, I took the Megabus to Chicago to help my dear friend and glom pack all of her belongings into a truck, and then we drove it all back to Michigan. Two. Days. Later. Talk about exhausted! But man, my quads and lower back got a workout...

It was the hubs' and my 2nd anniversary! The official gift of the 2nd anniversary is "cotton". My mom got us matching v-neck t-shirts. Aw. 

My summer of teaching in the SIP program came to a close...and just like that, summer seems to be over, drifting away like that hot-air balloon we spotted behind our apartment, into the sunset...

phil-A-delphia freedom

Last  weekend we were in Philadelphia, me for the CWPA conference, Jake for a weekend away to sketch and write. I did have Elton John stuck in my head, as well as lots of ideas about writing and rhetoric and education. It was, my friend Jen and I decided, an immensely intellectual weekend. 

But it wasn't all conversations about pedagogy. Jake and I squeezed in some time to bash about the city, and it was great! We saw lots of cool architecture, and some historic sites. 

Having been to Philly before for a printmaking conference, Jake had scoped out some stuff for us to do. He took me to a swanky little martini bar with a live jazz band. We sipped cold drinks while this gal in a blue dress belted "The Best Is Yet To Come". The cutest part was how proud my husband was to show me around; he was a very good tour guide. 

We walked through city center and checked out some parks and the profusion of modern sculpture, and then hit up Chinatown to see the arch. We wandered into a tiny Vietnamese shop and purchased spicy barbeque meat kabobs for a dollar while the proprietor chatted us up, explaining how he developed his spicy sauce recipe while holding an entire cooked fish. We ended up at a Belgian pub for mussels, belgian fries and the most complicated beers ever. 

Before leaving on Saturday, we hit up the Philadelphia Museum of Art, which was so cool. It is seriously so huge, there is so much art to see. Jake was excited to see the Marcel Duchamp pieces, and it was interesting to hear him describe them to me...like having my own personal curator guiding me through the exhibit! 

All in all, it was a great trip. Aside from the massive amounts of driving there and back again...This weekend promises more of the same, as I trek out to Chicago to help Jen move. After that, I may just swear off road trips for life...or, until the next cool opportunity comes along.

does this guitar make me look fat?

via uulyrics

Whew. It has been a little while since I've written~sorry for the delay, everyone! Over the past few weeks, I've been trying to squeeze the very most out of my summer that I could...because today I'm back to work! (do you hear the song "back in the saddle again"? it's running through my head...)

But the last weeks of summer were totally sublime! They've included:

• touring Traverse City wine country with my mom and sis
• biking along Lake Michigan
• falling for some new books
• meeting Doug, of Hot Doug's fame
• trying out XOCO, the new Rick Bayless restuarant
• Discovering "Chicago's Premier Dive Bar"
• trying a new yoga class
• meeting up with the girls for brewery/swirlberry girls' nights!

I definitely will be writing more about these experiences, but I had to jot this quick list, so I don't lose any them! More detailed posts to follow...

Anywhoo...today was my first day back on campus, teaching writing for the Summer Incentive Program here at Eastern. It went great. My students are splendid, and I felt like even though we went over LOTS of stuff, they hung tough and I think that bodes very well for the next few busy months.