ten things tuesday

1. What are you confident about? my teaching

2. How close to perfect was today? it was a 7½ out of 10

3. When did you last sing out loud? this morning--Sirius radio has a U2 channel!

4. What was the last gathering you attended? book group on Friday

5. Did anything make you sad today? no

6. Did you show someone appreciation today? I did tell a student how much I enjoy having class with her

7. How many push-ups can you do? none

8. What is the last purchase you made? morning coffee at Dunkin'

9. Who is your most reliable friend? my bestie

10. What made you lose track of time today?

currently

I am...

Reading: The Poacher's Son.

Listening to: Watch What Happens Live

Loving: chatting with my sisters

Thinking: and over-thinking

Feeling: sleepy

Celebrating: the end of school

Grateful for: 5½ days of school left

Weather: it's 54 degrees and cloudy

Enjoying: Ritz crackers

A quote I want to share:

sunday stealing

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From Friday Five

1. Is there a smell that will immediately sicken you? liver and onions
2. When you want quiet, where do you go? home
3. Do you need/prefer total darkness when you sleep? no, although sleep masks are handy
4. What is your least favorite taste? sour or bitter
5. How heavily do you rely upon your sense of touch? heavily--touch includes pressure and as a knitter that's important
6. Do you mostly prepare your meals at home or do you eat out more? I get a lot of prepared meals from a local deli
7. Is there a time of day when you are more likely to buy food already prepared? dinner
8. What is your average weekly grocery bill (for how many people)? What is your total restaurant/fast food bill for an average week? groceries are $55-60 and restaurant/fast food is $30 (I included the deli)
9. What is your favorite meal to prepare at home? salad
10. What is your favorite meal to order in a restaurant? breakfast
11. Do you believe in fate? no
12. If Karma was to visit you now, would it be kind or kick you in the butt? it would be kind
13. Do you believe you have lived another life previous to this one? no
14. What do you believe in with an unshakable resolve? me
15. What one factor influences your life the most? $

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.

finished reading

It's a quirky coming-of-age story, although Eleanor is almost thirty. There will be much to discuss at book group Wednesday. I liked the consistency of the characters' quirks. I didn't like that it seemed to go on a bit.

From the publisher:

No one’s ever told Eleanor that life should be better than fine.

Meet Eleanor Oliphant: She struggles with appropriate social skills and tends to say exactly what she’s thinking. Nothing is missing in her carefully timetabled life of avoiding social interactions, where weekends are punctuated by frozen pizza, vodka, and phone chats with Mummy.

But everything changes when Eleanor meets Raymond, the bumbling and deeply unhygienic IT guy from her office. When she and Raymond together save Sammy, an elderly gentleman who has fallen on the sidewalk, the three become the kinds of friends who rescue one another from the lives of isolation they have each been living. And it is Raymond’s big heart that will ultimately help Eleanor find the way to repair her own profoundly damaged one.

saturday 9

It's Impossible

1) In this song, Mr. Como maintains it's impossible to ask a baby not to cry. When did you most recently hold a baby? Did you ask him or her not to cry? I know the most recent baby I've held was my great nephew but I can't remember when that was--and I didn't ask him not to cry becauase he's the most laid back and easy going kid ever

2) Perry Como was known for his casual, easy going style. Therefore people were surprised to learn that he could lose his temper. His long-time musical director reported that bad drivers really got under Perry's skin. What is one of your pet peeves? blackflies

3) Though Perry Como was born in Pennsylvania, he didn't speak English until he began grade school. His parents were Italian immigrants and the family only spoke Italian at home. Do you know any words/phrases in Italian? Per favore, Ciao Bella, Grazie, Prego, Scusa, Sì, No

4) He met Roselle, the girl he would marry, when they were both still in high school. Tell us about a high school classmate you were crazy about back in the day. I sent an anonymous carnation to my crush for Valentine's Day

5) When he was just 14, his father's ill health made it essential that Perry begin working after school to help support his family. He apprenticed to a barber but was so short, he had to stand on a box when he cut hair. Again, going back to school, were you taller than your classmates? Shorter? Or were you the average height for a kid your age? I have been the same height since I was in fourth grade--I'm 5'5"

6) While taping his annual holiday special in 1971, he fell from a platform and broke his knee. He had to wear a cast and endure 8 months of rehab. Have you ever broken a bone? my left forearm

7) During the decades when he was a recording and television star, Perry Como was also an avid golfer. He was so popular that many of the best pro golfers of the day -- Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, etc. -- were happy to play with him. It's estimated that it takes about 4 hours to play 18 holes of golf. What celebrity would you most like to hang around with for four hours? I'd like someone with lost of fun stories like Carol Burnett or Dick Van Dyke

8) After he retired, Perry's passion switched from golf to fishing in the waters near Palm Beach, Florida. His catch of the day often ended up as his family's dinner. What's for dinner at your house tonight? I am returning from breakfast out--so dinner is not on my radar

9) Random question -- They say "birds of a feather, flock together." But that's not always true. Can you think of an area where you are out of step with most of your friends/family? I live by myself--and have for 23+ years

spontaneous fun

Spontaneous trip to the movies on this very hot and humid Friday night. My bestie and I went to see Book Club! A chick flick at it's best--the acting was so fun! Andy Garcia can be my pilot any day.

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 Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

From 6:44 (I am almost finished):

I was therefore in very close proximity to Mr. Raymond Gibbons, I noticed that he smelled extremely pleasant today--the peppermint, of course, but also a clean, soap scent--something almost woody like cedar. I hadn't seen him smoke a cigarette yet.

three on thursday

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Three things that happened today:

1) We had an unplanned fire drill that put us outside in 87 degree humid heat and direct sunlight for longer than fifteen minutes and I got a burn.

2) I completed ten out of twelve items on my to do list.

3) I got a stipend check in the mail!

unraveled wednesday

Join Kat @ AsKatKnits for some fun!

Knitting a great hat pattern called Excess. Unfortunately, I haven't been paying as close attention as I should and there are a few "design elements" but they aren't terrible. And I'm listening to Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. I'm loving this Malabrigo Finito yarn--I think the photo is quite accurate for color, I wish you could squish it.

ten things tuesday

Ten things:

1 — A favorite song: Someone New
2 — A favorite movie: Elf
3 — A favorite TV show: MASH
4 — A favorite book: The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny Brewer
5 — A favorite quote:

6 — A fun fact about me: I can only play one bingo card at a time
7 — A favorite flower: peony
8 — Something I crave: potatoes--mashed, fried, baked
9 — Pet peeve: blackfly bites
10 — A photo of me taken over ten years ago:
ACK! A friend of mine sent this to me--we had a very long bus ride, I think it was my senior year of high school, and were trying to make the time pass.

just finished

It's not high literature but it captured my fancy. It's the prequel to Practical Magic which I'm going to re-read.

From the publisher:

Find your magic

For the Owens family, love is a curse that began in 1620, when Maria Owens was charged with witchery for loving the wrong man.

Hundreds of years later, in New York City at the cusp of the sixties, when the whole world is about to change, Susanna Owens knows that her three children are dangerously unique. Difficult Franny, with skin as pale as milk and blood red hair, shy and beautiful Jet, who can read other people’s thoughts, and charismatic Vincent, who began looking for trouble on the day he could walk.

From the start Susanna sets down rules for her children: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats, no crows, no candles, no books about magic. And most importantly, never, ever, fall in love. But when her children visit their Aunt Isabelle, in the small Massachusetts town where the Owens family has been blamed for everything that has ever gone wrong, they uncover family secrets and begin to understand the truth of who they are. Back in New York City each begins a risky journey as they try to escape the family curse.

The Owens children cannot escape love even if they try, just as they cannot escape the pains of the human heart. The two beautiful sisters will grow up to be the revered, and sometimes feared, aunts in Practical Magic, while Vincent, their beloved brother, will leave an unexpected legacy.

currently

I am...

Reading: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine.

Listening to: a motorcycle roaring down the street

Loving: Maggie time--my parents are going to NYC to see our friend's play The Band's Visit and I've got the dog!

Thinking: about the end of the school year

Feeling: pissed off--I asked someone in my family to help me and they said no

Celebrating: Memorial Day

Grateful for: Service men and women who have given everything so I can be pissed at petty things (shame on me)

Weather: 63 degrees and cloudy

Enjoying: I'm learning some new knitting techniques and it's a fun challenge

A quote I want to share:

“Know that the only remedy for love is to love more.”

― Alice Hoffman, The Rules of Magic

sunday stealing

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Stars Ablaze

1 - Do you ever wish you were someone else? no

2 - How old are you? 52 years 6 months and 29 days

3 - Age you get mistaken for: 35-ish

4 - Your zodiac/horoscope and if you think it fits your personality: yas

5 - What did you do on your last birthday? I traveled to Central Maine for a workshop

6 - What is one thing you would like to accomplish before your next birthday? I would like to be credit card debt free

7 - What is your hair color? strawberry blonde

8 - Have you ever dyed your hair? yes, but it's been 5 or so years

9 - What is your eye color? dark green hazel

10 - If you could change your eye color, would you? I would like greener eyes

11 - Do you wear contacts/glasses? glasses

12 - Your opinion about your body and how comfortable you are with it: I am who I am

13 - Have you ever considered plastic surgery? What would you alter about your body? my eyelids are drooping

14 - Do you have any tattoos? I have six

15 - Do you have any piercings? juse my ears

16 - Left or right handed? right

17 - Do you drink? seldomly

18 - Do you smoke? not since December 27, 1998

19 - Do you have any pets? dust bunnies--they are very tame

20 - Do you have any “rules” about food? not really

blogoversary

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.

need to get out more

I spent the afternoon at a track meet. It meant a lot to my students that I went. But I didn't go for them. I went because a chum of mine, who I haven't seen since 1994 was there, cheering on her daughter. Sarah got in touch with me earlier in the week to say she'd be there and it would be great to meet up. And it was great!

We became friends when she was teaching at the middle school--I was student teaching and she was teaching science. She had been so lonely and homesick until we met and I introduced her to my friends and suddenly we were a gaggle of young women on the town!

It was fun to reminisce and catch up. Her life has been filled with family (ten kids!) and she has returned to teaching this year so we had lots and lots to talk about.

I bumped into a few former students at the meet--and we posed for photo ops. And my student-athletes were so excited I was there for the final event of their high school career--and we posed for photo ops.

What a whirlwind.

saturday 9

G.I. Blues
Memorial Day is a federal holiday that honors men and women who served and died in the United States Armed Forces. We want to make sure that message is not lost this weekend.

1) Are you a veteran? Are there veterans in your family? Do you know anyone who is active military? (We are grateful and want to hear about it.) My Pennsylvania brother in law served in the Air Force for six years and my Virginia brother in law was a career military man, retiring after 28 years.

2) In this song, Elvis sings about marching, and complains that the Army doesn't give Purple Hearts for fallen arches. Do you have any aches or pains to report this morning? no *knock wood*

3) This song is from the 1960 film of the same name. In the movie, Elvis is in The 32nd Armor Regiment of the United States Army. That's the same regiment he served with in real life. He had the 32nd written into the script as a shout-out to the soldiers he came to know, but realized he'd likely never see again. Is there an old friend you're missing this weekend? so funny you should ask--I spent some time this afternoon at a regional high school track meet (I know, right?) hosted at my school at the invitation of a chum of mine that I haven't seen since 1994! We stood in the sun and watched all the runners, hurdlers, and jumpers while catching up. I got to meet two of her ten children. (TEN???)

4) Memorial Day kicks off the summer season. What's your favorite picnic food? plain potato chips

5) Let's celebrate the Memorial Day holiday with ice cream. What's your favorite flavor? Cone or cup? I plan to have some Ben & Jerry's peanut butter cup later--in a cup, although I do love a sugar cone!

6) This marks the weekend when Americans step up their outdoor activity and do things they may not have been able to do during the winter months. For example, when is the last time you applied mosquito repellent? today!

7) Or swam? uh--it's been more than a decade

8) As you answer these questions, is there an air conditioner or fan on? neither, but the windows are wide open

9) Random question: How do you define success? when I'm satisfied with whatever it is

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 The Rules of Magic.

Ever since coming home, he'd been running away from himself, and drink was one way to do that. There were pockets of magic in some of the tavern's booths, where plans had been hatched long ago. It was a good place to have a mug of ale and disappear.

three on thursday

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1. There are 12½ days of school left.

2. The first day of school is in 83 days.

3. I can't wait for vacation.