ten things tuesday

Ten things I'm loving now:

1)  The fan.  It's about 79.7° in the living room but the fan makes it more comfortable.

2)  Target swing dresses with flutter sleeves.  Why, yes, I do have every color.  Today is olive green.

3)  Scoring Advanced Placement US History exams.  Although this morning I dozed off (before I turned the fan on--it was stuffy in here!) but I have more than 30 hours.

4)  Reading.  My libraries keep getting in the books I request and I've got 5 or 6 new releases signed out.

5)  Keeping up with a couple of my 21 in 21 goals--like making my bed daily and buying flowers, using my pneumatic pump regularly, contacting my family every week (that's the far-flung nieces & nephews).

6)  The Calm app and the Headspace app.  I love them both and listen daily to short meditations or sleep meditations.

7)  My therapist.  She's an excellent fit for me--she gets me and relates well.  I wasn't sure I would like to use a website but there are so many ways to communicate, it's comfortable.

8)  Loading my DVR with shows I will binge watch when I finish scoring exams.

9)  I had some excellent customer service over the past few days--scheduling appointments, checking insurance, and so forth.  Such friendly voices.

10) This song.

currently

I am...

Reading: Advanced Placement United States History exams (APUSH) for the College Board and I'm loving every minute of it

Listening to:  the fan

Loving:  the transition to summer vacation

Thinking:  right now--not much

Feeling:  happily content

Celebrating:  I had a very laughter-filled visit with my parents yesterday, after a delicious dinner out with my local sister

Grateful for:  time

Weather: it is 80° and sunny--really quite a beautiful day

Enjoying:  fruit infusions--especially the Lemon Strawberry, Lemon Raspberry, and Orange Pineapple

A quote I want to share:

self-care sunday

 

💙💜💖💓🧡💛💚

Physical = took stretch breaks and walked around during my breaks from scoring exams

Emotional = metacognition--I was thinking about my thinking

Spiritual = spent some time meditating

Personal = graded AP US History exams all day and took nice breaks

Social = invited my local sister to dinner at the Rusty Crab and spent time this evening with Dad

Household = washed the dishes

Pampering = bought me flowers

summer survey

S U M M E R S U R V E Y

Pool OR Jacuzzi: pool.
Ocean OR Pool: the ocean.
Ice cream OR popsicles: Ice cream
Lemonade OR iced tea: I mix the two together
tennis shoes OR flip flops: oh, it depends
Fans OR Air conditioning: Air Conditioning
Sprinklers OR slip n slide : sprinkler.
Water Balloon fight OR Watergun fight: I'm a lover, not a fighter

Y O U R F A V O R I T E S U M M E R . . .

Drink: Iced coffee or sparkling water
Food: strawberries or salad
Song: Can't Stop The Feeling
Hang out: the porch
Camp: I don't have one
Holiday: Solstice
Vacation: taking random road trips

L A S T S U M M E R :

Where did you go: nowhere
Who did you hang with? no one
Did you do anything illegal: nope
Did you go to a concert? no 
What was your best memory: to be totally honest, last summer was a lot of nothing

T H I S S U M M E R :

Where are you going: a girlfriend getaway in July
Name five things you're most looking forward to this summer :
1. knitting a baby blanket
2. getting Book Bingo
3. random road trips
4. a couple of workshops
5. recovering from the pandemic school year 

sunday stealing

 

Click the icon to play along

Love Me Some Surveys

1. Ignoring nutrition, could you live off veggies for the rest of your life? yes

2. Elaborate on a way you have volunteered? I serve on the Library Board of Trustees a community position I've held for almost a decade

3. Can you walk in heels, or do you feel awkward in them? I am awkward

4. Any TV shows you sit down weekly to watch? I don't watch TV when it airs thanks to my DVR and OnDemand

5. Will you tell someone if there’s something in their teeth? yes

6. Do you ever actually make your bed? yes, it was a New Years resolution and I've kept it up

7. Do you make an effort to eat healthy? half-hearted effort

8. What kind of booze did you last take shots of? tequila

9. What’s something you want to purchase next time you’re at the mall? I can't think of anything

10. What were you doing at 10:00 this morning? scoring Advanced Placement US History exams

11. What do you miss the most about your past? not worrying about pandemics, vaccinations, and public safety

12. Last time you were really happy? now

13. Did you get a full 8 hours of sleep last night? yes

14. Have you spoken to your mother or father today? we exchanged emails

15. Are you good at filling awkward silences? yes

postsecret

 

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

saturday 9

 

Papa, Can You Hear Me?

1) The song begins with a prayer to "God, our Heavenly Father." Do you often pray? no--not in a religious sense

2) This song is from the movie Yentl. Set in the early 1900s, it tells the story of a Polish girl determined to receive a religious education, even though the custom of the day banned girls from studying the Talmud. What subject do you wish you knew more about? I'm curious by nature and like to look things up--so, the most recent was how to use an air-fryer

3) It took Streisand more than 15 years to get Yentl made. Studios initially rejected the project, telling her that audiences no longer want to see musicals. Then, because it centered on Judaism, she was told it was "too ethnic." But Yentl was a success at the box office, becoming one of the most profitable movies of the year -- and since Barbra was producer, director and star, she enjoyed those profits. Tell us about a time you're glad you stuck with something. I'm glad I didn't give up on teaching during the past school year, the struggle was real

4) The movie, and this song, were so popular that they earned a parody on The Simpsons. (See it here.)  That video has had more than 250,000 views. Before the Yentl parody, what's the last YouTube video you watched? a TEDtalk about being in a mental hospital that I will probably use with my psychology classes

5) Barbra Streisand's father died suddenly, the result of complications after an epileptic seizure, just after her first birthday. He held degrees in both English Literature and Education and was a school superintendent. Do you know anyone who made a career in education? why yes, yes I do--my dad and stepmom were both career educators, my bestie is, and most of my friends are in related fields.  And then there's ME!

6) Sam's own father wasn't an educator, but he is crazy about the local library. He's there so much the librarians greet him by name. Do you have a library card? I have two library cards--one was my Christmas present to myself to the Brooklyn Public Library and it was the best gift I've given myself--between that and my local library, I have not paid for a book that I've read this year!

7) For family barbecues, Sam's dad proudly dons his "Kiss the Chef" apron and mans the Weber. What's the last thing you cooked on the grill? I cooked asparagus on my Foreman Grill

8) He takes his grilling very seriously and jealously guards his marinade recipe. Do you have a recipe you're willing to share this morning? I will share my favorite dip:

Cuppa-cuppa-cuppa

1 c. Hellmann's mayonnaise (brand specific!!!)

1 c. chopped onion

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together and bake for 20 minutes in a 400° oven

9) Sam's father hates it when his daughter swears. What's the latest curse word you used? (It's OK, we don't blush easily.)  when someone did something questionable--"What is this fuckery?"

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules: 

*Grab a book, any book. 

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.) 

*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) 

*Post it. 

I'm reading Standard Deviation by Katherine Heiny.

From page 35:

Graham regarded her silently for a moment.  "Did you talk to anyone besides the assistant cubmaster?"

"Hmmm?" Audra peered at him, her eyes beady with tequila.

"I said, did you talk to anyone?  Did you network?"

She looked thoughtful.  "Well, yes, there was a woman at the beginning of the party.  I can't recall her name, but she had wild frizzy black hair.  Did you talk to someone like that?"

Graham shook his head.

"I must say, I found her quite---intrusive," said Audra, who had once interrupted a complete stranger on a crosstown bus to say that the symptoms she was describing sounded like bacterial vaginitis.  "She kept asking what Matthew's issues were, what medications he takes."

friday 5

 

Heights

1. What’s the best non-animated movie musical you’ve seen in the past several years? Hamilton and The Greatest Showman
2. How are you most likely to pass the time during a lengthy blackout? knitting and/or reading
3. When were you last in a swimming pool? probably 10 years ago
4. What do you remember fondly about the neighborhood where you grew up? the neighborhood was filled with families and kids that were all around the same ages as me and my sisters so there was ALWAYS someone to hang out with and some shenanigans
5. What language did you study in school, and what’s something you remember how to say? I studied French and remember a good deal of it--"laissez le bon temps rouler!"

three on thursday

 

Click here to join in

Thing one:  it doesn't feel like summer vacation yet.

Thing two: I was asked to mentor a new teacher.  This is how I was asked:

"I was wondering if you would have any interest in serving as the new teacher mentor for __________.  You are someone who does things the right way, and I think you have a lot to offer to any new colleague.  No pressure, but let me know if you are interested."

Thing three: my sunburn is peeling.  There's some itch, some soreness, and lots of flaky, awful-looking skin.  I'm self-conscious about it.

wordless wednesday

 

unraveled wednesday

      

Join Kat @ AsKatKnits for some fun!

I started listening to Dead Center by David Rosenfelt and started knitting a Garter Rib Baby Blanket  (Rav link) for my bestie because she's going to be a grandmother!

w.w.w. wednesday

       

 

  

 Welcome to WWW Wednesday! Hosted by Taking on a World of Words.

• What are you currently reading?   The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary and Dead Center by David Roselfelt and The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

• What did you recently finish reading?   The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson and It's In His Kiss by Julia Quinn

• What do you think you’ll read next? I'm not sure