November, Plus October, Revisited

If you're new around these parts, each month I check in with the previous month's goals and masochistically give myself some more. What can I say? I like to at least partially feel like a failure at all times. It's humbling. Also, these posts are usually long because I am wordy and very rarely book-filled. You've been warned. 

October was a lot of fun- my mom came down and we went to my school's homecoming game, the pumpkin patch, and Newport to see a friend. I flew to Berkeley for the day to visit an old student and we spent the day walking and taking and going to museums (and I got to hang out in airports, which I weirdly love). Sawyer and I did the whole Halloween thing, decorating his door, cruising the costume and decor aisle at Target seventeen million times (his preference, not mine), decorating pumpkins and then trick-or-treating last night (he was quite the neighborhood hit as Chewbacca). But anyway, here's how I did with my goals:

1. See friends three times a month: Yup! I think I did things with like five or six friends throughout October, so I feel very socially satisfied. 

2. Log 50 treadmill miles: No, but... I still averaged over 13,000 steps a day. I probably got in 30 miles, and many of those have been in the past week because my new pair of Asics arrived. I switched back from Mizunos and it's like running on a cloud. I hate myself for not doing it earlier. Now I want to run every day! I don't have time, but I'm excited to be motivated.

3. Read 1,500 pages: Yes! I think I barely reached this, but like ten pages, but it still counts.

4. Track personal expenditures: No I actually did a good job for three weeks, but this last week I failed. I know I did spend quit a bit in the apparel category, though, since I bought a new dress from Anthro and running shoes. Oops. 

5. Travel: Yup I went on an airplane, granted to the Bay Area where I've been hundreds of times, but still, I got out of Southern California! Yay! We also went to Temecula, the wine country of this half of the state, for the pumpkin patch and Orange County a few times, so I feel like I have made an effort to venture away from home. It's actually made me want to travel even more... at some point today I asked myself "Is taking Sawyer to Banff practical for spring break?" Sigh. We'll see. 

6. 30 minutes of uninterrupted Sawyer time at least five days a week: Yes! I killed it here. I'd say pretty much every day, actually, and often more than thirty minutes. I suck at SO MUCH in my life, but I think I am a decent mom. 

7. Feel less nervous breakdown-ish about papers to grade: Yes! I am on the verge of freaking out about the stacks of essays again, though, so some damage control needs to be done asap. I got a ton of assignments graded and inputted into the gradebook over the past few weeks, so I am proud of that.

8. Ten TED Talks: No This is the second month that it was on my list and I couldn't do it. 

9. Start 2016 Year in Review book: Ha! No!

10. Throw our or donate 100 things: Yes! I think I need to do this every month, though. It feels so good to purge closets.

Now, for November (my favorite month of all!):

1. Watch 10 TED Talks: I am going to effing do this.

2. Not screw up Thanksgiving: We are hosting my husband's family and my brother this year, which we have done in the past. I took a break last year, but we're back in action. I actually don't mind, since I like having people over, but it's not exactly a meal you want to mess up.

3. Track core workouts: Does the expansion currently happening from the Halloween candy eating count for this? 

4. Run a 5k that I'm happy about: I'm doing the We Run This City one at UCLA on the twentieth, so I'm hoping I walk away feeling content with my time. I'm realistic and don't expect miracles, but I have some times in mind...

5. Attempt to potty train my kid (but be okay if it doesn't work out this time around): He's barely 2.5 and the whole home/daycare thing seems like it might be challenging. But we'll see!

6. Christmas shopping started: I want to at least have ideas for everyone on my list ready. 

Weekend Update

Monday Eve. Sigh. Here's the thing about Sunday night: it sucks if you had a great weekend and it sucks if you had a bad weekend. Either you don't want it to end or you want a do-over. Luckily for me, it was a good one (and oh-so-tiring... I need an extra day to sleep).

Friday right after work my mom came in from Modesto. Sawyer hadn't seen her since July and I was worried he might be confused since his other Grandma has been watching him for a few hours every Monday while I teach a late class. The fact that this other lady we also called "Grandma" showed up at his door didn't phase him at all- he probably just thinks all ladies over fifty that let him boss them around can be called "grandma" now. We grabbed some pizza for dinner and then went to the homecoming game at the high school where I work for a few hours.

["Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can't lose."]

I think it's really important for teachers to stop by activities like this once in awhile with their families- it humanizes us and shows that we are willing to spend some of our personal time supporting our school and students. Sawyer had a fabulous time watching the the game, the band, the students, and the class floats at half time. We were up by almost thirty points when we left at half-time, so that was a nice note to leave on.

Saturday morning the three of us, plus my husband, made the forty-five minute drive to Peltzer Farm in Temecula for their pumpkins and fall activities. We were going to go apple picking, but it's a little late in the season for a drought-ridden California, so this ended up being perfect. This farm wasn't huge, but it also was much bigger than the smaller places near our house. Sawyer was able to ride a pony, spend a ton of time in a petting zoo that had baby goats, see some tractors, watch pig races (M.C. HAMmer was a winner), and pick out pumpkins They also had an ice cream truck, which was much appreciated because it was nearly 90 degrees by the time we left at 11. My younger brother and his girlfriend met us there as well, so it was a mini-family get together, minus my two sisters. 

Today was so much fun, too. My mom, Sawyer, and I met my friend who I have been friends with for like 25 years down at Back Bay Loop in Newport Beach to walk six miles (well, I pushed Sawyer in his chariot while he ate trail mix). It was definitely a good work out and I am so very, very happy to report that my toes cooperated the ENTIRE time. This gives me so much hope for the future... Anyway, after we walked we had lunch and then grabbed some cupcakes from Sprinkles. We came home and I realized that after 2.5 busy days after a crazy week and several nights of meh sleep that I was on the verge of collapse. So I did what any other person would do- I chugged Diet Coke and coffee, said good bye to my mom, and cried in the laundry room (for like ten seconds, and then I pulled my big-girl pants out of the dryer and cleaned the house, played with my kid, did laundry, watched the debate, made dinner, and did school work. BAM! YAWN! PASS OUT!)

Hope everyone is ready for Monday. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up, link back (please), say hi!

1. You know what's getting old? Taking the mature, high road in various arenas of my life. That seems to be the theme of my 2016, me opting to stay quiet and semi-classy, rather than not going off on people like I may want to. I can think of at least four BIG things I've chosen to "be good" about and it's killing me. And if I have to keep doing it, I think I should get... a prize. My tongue hurts from all the biting. 

Mini-rant over. Phew. 

2. I am reading Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg right now and am really, really enjoying it. It's very depressing, of course, since the book opens with a fire that kills a couple right before their wedding, as well as two other men, but I appreciate the multiple perspectives and thread of hope that is lurking in the background. 

3. I've wanted to take an Orange Theory class for FOREVER, but haven't been able to because the studio nearest me has a really horrible schedule and is thirty minutes to get to. I just got a flyer in the mail yesterday alerting me that they're putting one in the shopping center three minutes away from my house. I yelped with glee.

4. I think I found someone to do my next tattoo, so we're one step closer to that happening. 

5. I'm not sure how much longer I can resist the urge to buy this dress. I need another dress like I need a hole in my head, but I always buy something new for parent-teacher conferences, and they are just two or so weeks away... And this one is perfect for fall tights and boots. We all have our vices. Mine? Diet Coke and dresses.

6. I made these muffins over the weekend and they are delicious, even four days later. I'm not crazy for pumpkin like some of you hard-core PSL lovers, but I do enjoy a little here and there. The crumb topping on these was perfect (see picture above).

7. This weekend should be great. My mom is coming into town from Modesto on Friday and I think we are going to stop by the homecoming game at work for a bit. Saturday we are going to a pumpkin farm that has lots of activities for Sawyer, and then on Sunday we're meeting one of my oldest and bestest friends from elementary school to walk around Back Bay in Newport and then do brunch (or who are we kidding? We might just go to Sprinkles). I am going to get basically nothing done, though, so I really need to take advantage of the next two days. 

8. I have made an important decision. I am ditching my Mizunos and going back to Asics. I ran in a pair last night that are super, super old, but it felt like walking on a cloud. I'm sure basically no one knows what this mean. It's okay.

9. Confession: my new favorite running song is The Weeknd's Starboy. 

10. I just paid way too much money for three tickets for Day Out With Thomas. Yes, that's right, Thomas the MOTHER-EFFING Tank Engine. WHAT HAS MY LIFE COME TO? I need to plan something stat to counteract this. 

Top Ten Tuesday- Fall TBR

This week The Broke and the Bookish ask us what we will be reading this fall.  I honestly don't think I'll get through ten in two months (I consider December 1 the start of winter), but I guess one can wish. I'm horrible at predicting these things, but here are some guesses based on book club, what I'll be teaching, and totally unscientific hunches:

1. 'Master Harold'... and the boys by Athol Fugard- I'll be teaching this South African play (that I hate typing because of how it's punctuated and italicized) in about a month or so. 

2. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens- I am advising a student who is doing his IB Extended Essay on this and Great Expectations (which I am currently reading). I am not a huge Dickens fan, but I've never read it and probably should.

3. The Sellout by Paul Beatty- This is our book club selection for work next month. 

4. Here I Am by Jonathan Safran Foer- I know this has received some harsh reviews, but I want to see for myself. Plus I am going to his reading later this week (!!!), so I'm sure I'll feel like I should.

5. Did You Ever Have a Family by Bill Clegg- I have had this for awhile and it's always one I almost grab to read. It does seem pretty depressing, though, so I'll have to make sure I'm not already in a crappy mood. 

6. This is the Story of a Happy Marriage by Ann Patchett- I think I might try to do a sort of author study of all her works, so this would fit in nicely. 

7. 13 Ways of Looking at the Novel by Jane Smiley- I have had this book for FOREVER and I know I could pull some thing from it for work.

8. Big Girls Don't Cry- The Election that Changed Everything for the American Woman by Rebecca Traister- I need to read this before the election. I feel like if Clinton loses this book will lose something, somehow. 

9. The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Mara- Short stories are great for busy times.

10. The Turner House by Angela Flournoy- Given current events this book seems timely and important. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

[mom, what is happening?!?!?!]

Link up! Link back! Say hi!

1. Dear God, I feel like I have been to hell and back. I'll spare everyone the details (and whining), but I had the worst stomach virus of my life over the weekend- I was just able to go back to work today. I lost seven pounds over the course of about thirty hours, let's just say, and eventually we all came down with it. An only semi-sick toddler when both parents are down for the count is HARD. But we are all basically alive now, although I'm still trying to get the guts to have a cup of coffee. I'm so very tired and need it, but am also so scared. 

2. Speaking of coffee, I finally did break and get a Keurig and it has made me so happy. We are best friends.

3. And because I was sick I was disqualified from the writing contest I had been taking part in, which is a bummer. I had planned on writing Saturday night or Sunday morning, since the deadline was that evening, but that certainly did not happen. I placed 10 of 32 in the first round in my group, with some really great feedback from the judges that I completely agreed with. I had written that short story in about an hour before it was due, so I had high hopes for actually putting in effort during the second round and scoring even higher. THE WORLD WILL NEVER KNOW.

4. It rained the other day. Here. In Southern California, during the drought, in September. I'd like to think it's foreshadowing a wet winter, but I'm more realistic than that. It was still nice, though.

5. Last Wednesday I went to the podiatrist to have my deformed toe looked at yet again and he said that he could fix it with surgery, no problem ("it's no big deal, we'll open you up here, put in a little screw here..."). But then he stopped himself and said we had one more hail-mary kind of option- a gel lined sleeve to straighten it out. He sent me home with a few with strict instructions to run and walk on concrete. I did both. My toe hurt very much still. I was sad, I as upset, I was disappointed. But then, the next day, I had a stroke of genius (for once). I also put a sleeve on the toe next to it and BOOM. It worked. I've run a few times with both on and picked up more of the expensive little guys today.

6. I then promptly signed up for the We Run this City 5k at UCLA in November, which is a charity competition where runners sign up to run for either UCLA or USC as part of rivalry week (go Bruins!). I did this a few years ago with my sister and it was a lot of fun. Hopefully my brother remembers to sign up so I have some company.

7. Kristen Bell's Emmy dress was so beautiful. I didn't watch the Emmy's and didn't really even look at the winners, but I follow her on Instagram and she posted a funny story about taping up her nipples to her shoulders so I had to investigate what was worth that sort of torture. The verdict? For that dress? You tape anything wherever they tell you to.

[source]

8. Do you follow Joy the Baker on Instagram? If you don't you should, mostly for her stories. She's been in London and I just love the stuff she posts. She so quirky and cute. 

9. On the way to work there's this little girl and her brother who walk to the elementary school who I see ever day. She's maybe in third grade and I notice that she's been reading as she's walking- it's something I would have done (and yes, a tad dangerous, too). Our district is in a low socioeconomic area, so people love to act like our kids don't want to learn or that they're not passionate readers. This little girl is just the exact opposite and I love her. 

10. I am so excited about Public School's collaboration with Fitbit. I didn't fall in love with Tory Burch's line, but this one is lookin' good. 

November, Revisited, Plus December

The last few months I've set some goals and have recapped how I've done on them at the end of the month. I was having a bit of a hard time at the beginning of the school year for various reasons, and it helped give me some direction. Plus, I love a good list and respond well to public accountability. And, like I've said before, this is more for me than anyone, but oh well. 

What I had planned for November:

1. Read five books- Nope! I only read three, and I'm quite upset about this. Grading, life, and exhaustion have been cramping my style in a bad way. 

2. Eat an new restaurant- Yup! A friend and our kids went to a place called Afters in Chino Hills and I ate this lovely concoction that consisted of peanut butter s'mores ice cream shoved inside a hot donut.

3. Less Diet Coke, more water- Sorta! I have been drinking more water, lots of tea, fair amounts of coffee, but still quite a bit of Diet Coke. 

4. Make a new recipe a week- Yes! I made a chocolate cake in my Deep Covered Baker, a crock pot chicken and stuffing casserole, a few new things for Thanksgiving, and enchilada chicken soup last night. 

5. Start (lightly) training- Yes! I've been piling on the miles this month because of Fitbit competitions, both walking and running. Two weeks this month I averaged over ten miles a day- hey there, cardiovascular endurance! I've also started truly running- last Friday I did four miles straight, at a respectable speed, so I'm feeling motivated. I did 2.5 yesterday afternoon, as well, between grading and dinner. Unfortunately, I'm paying for it in extreme foot pain (they don't typically bother me too much while running, but later... wow).

6. Really try to finish NaNoWriMo- No! I'm really, really bitter about this. I wrote two short stories at the beginning of the month and nothing since. I'm not giving up, though.

7. Blog 17 times- Nope! Almost... Honestly, I'm surprised that I've posted as much as I have. 

8. Make a non-lame Christmas craft to make- Yes! Maybe it was a little lame, but I made this for Sawyer:

9. Reevaluate my fall/winter wardrobe- Sorta! I have definitely started buying things for colder weather... I still need to clean things out a bit, though.

10. Go out without Sawyer- Yes! My husband and I left Sawyer with a sitter and went to lunch for our anniversary. 

For December....

1. Not gain any weight- I bake a lot this month. A lot.

2. Go to yoga three times- This is pathetic, but it was more than last month. Once upon a time I went three times a week. 

3. Work on my 2015 book- I created a yearly book for 2013 (last year was Sawyer's baby book) and want to start doing it again. 

4. Read a graphic novel- I have read zero this year and it's an area I'd like to be better versed in.  

5. Pay more attention to the dogs- I used to walk my dogs for an hour a day... not so much now. While I can't commit to that, I'd like to walk them more, get Cordie groomed, and start brushing their teeth twice a week.

6. Salute the sun- I'd like to do some sort of sun salutation challenge, at home. The repetition is calming and it can be a really great work out. 

7. Make appointments- This one is SO boring (because the others are so terribly fascinating), but I need to get into the optometrist, dentist, podiatrist, and doctor in the new month or two.

8. Cards and thank you notes- I'd like to be good about actual paper correspondence this year, meaning holiday cards soon and thank you notes for gifts before New Year's.

9. Clean out every cabinet and drawer in the kitchen- There are thirty. This should obviously be great fun. 

10. Get out and have fun- I know this one is pretty generic, but I have high hopes for some outings planned with Sawyer, a quick getaway to Ojai with Scott, and seeing family and friends. 

Halloween 2015

A few snapshots from our fun yesterday: 

[the one time a year I use power tools]

[this was actually from our little session from last week]

[let's take inventory on the sidewalk in middle of the foot traffic]

[thank goodness I bought candy I hate, since we have TON left]

October, Revisited, Plus November

I'm a woman of my word (or at least I try to be), so when I posted some goals for October I said I'd publicly hold myself accountable. Honestly, this post is probably more for me than anyone else, but I already wrote the whole thing. So here we are:

1. Learn to turn the water main off- Nope! The weird noise went away and I stopped obsessing about my house flooding. I attempted to look at some pictures online for about three minutes, but I got bored.

2. Take Sawyer to do something autumn-ish- Yup! We went to a huge pumpkin patch with some friends, the Homecoming Carnival at my school, and then the fall festival at the place where he used to go to PT. 

3. Make plans to see friends at least once- Yup! I also had to reschedule some things from this month for next month, so I should be out and about quite a bit in November. I'm not ashamed to say that I'm one of those people that needs to interact with others. 

4. Do yoga or Piyo at least twice a week- Sorta! I've been pretty good about going to yoga on Saturdays and I've done Piyo like twice. Better than last month, but still lots of room for improvement, especially if I'm going to run again. 

5. Make a charitable contribution- Yup! A favorite colleague at work is doing a charity run, so I donated some money towards what he needs to raise. 

6. Leave at least 100 blog comments- Probably not! I started off really strong at the beginning of the month, but definitely tapered off as things got crazy. 

7. Make a new playlist- Yup!  I love seeing what other people are listening t, so, for your amusement/judgement:

8. Walk 80,000 steps a week- Yup! I was up around 90,000 once or twice, too. 

9. Hang you with my husband more- Sorta! I decided that every Thursday I'd play videogames (just the silly Lego ones) with him after Sawyer is in bed, but the past two weeks I was tied up. It's not like we don't see each other or anything, but actually putting down our phones/tablets and designating time to hang out is something to work on.

10. Do things to de-stress at work- It's complicated. But I love my students very much and I enjoy what I do. No job is perfect and accepting the things that are hard along with the things that are great will get you far... most days. 

I'd say that October was a much better month than September, although there have been some bad days and a moment or two where I thought someone had knocked me upside the head with a two-by-four out of basically nowhere. But anyway, I do have to say putting things down like this made me prioritize better and just work harder on certain things. And because I was able to do that I felt happier in general. Naturally this must be replicated.

So, things to work on for November:

1. Read five books- I haven't been reading quite as much as I'd like lately (do we ever, though?).

2. Eat at a new restaurant- We used to do this once a month. Then the child happened; there's no reason we can't still. 

3. Less Diet Coke, more water- Nooooooooooooooooooooooo. But yes. 

4. Make a new recipe a week- I'm in a cooking rut. I try to cook five nights a week, so this has made meal time a bit of a chore.

5. Start (lightly) training- While I'm not going to go balls-to-the-wall on half marathon training it's would be a joke to assume that I'd go in without some sort of base mileage. I want to be that person, who just goes for it, but I'm not.

5. Blog 17 times- I just pulled that number out of my ass, but ever since this school year started my posting has suffered a little bit.

6. Really try to finish NaNoWriMo- Who the hell knows what will happen.

7. Find some sort of not-lame Christmas craft to make- I don't have a ton of Christmas decorations, but I tend to think simple, homemade ones are the nicest. This will unfortunately mean a trip to Michael's, which will take a year or two off my life.

8. Reevaluate my fall/winter wardrobe- Last year I was trying to finish losing pregnancy weight and the year before that I was actually pregnant, so I'm frustrated with my closet. It won't exactly be freezing here, but I do need things and to get rid of those articles of clothing I won't wear anymore. 

9. Go out without Sawyer- We're long overdue for a night out without the little munchkin. My birthday is this month, Scott's is next, and our anniversary is next week, so maybe we can lump it all into a night out in the next few weeks. 

10. Throw out or store a bag of junk a week- I'm a minimalist and with the holidays approaching it's time to downsize. 

Lately...

[sleep depriver, time sucker, heart snatcher]

Reading... Lots and lots of student work. Both of the classes I teach had tons and tons due (my fault) the last few weeks and I got buried, right in time for parent-teacher conferences. And I'm still not caught up! On the book front, I just finished Michael Ondaatjie's Running in the Family with my seniors, and am thirty or so pages into The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up, by Joseph Appel, for a student's project that I'm advising. 

Coveting... Sleep. It's been a rough few weeks (months?) and I'm beat. I was hoping to put a dent in the deficit last night, since it was Friday, but Sawyer woke up three or four times and then was ready to go at 6:30 (he's usually up once, none when he's not teething). Timing wise, this has been more unfortunate than normal since things that probably shouldn't be so stressful are more so. This too shall pass. It always does. 

Playing...  Guitar Hero. Why is it so addicting? Why did my husband choose a weekend where I have tons to do to buy it? How many songs do I have to play until my hand gets used to it again? . A brave soul also tried to teach me how to play chess last week, and while I know more now than before, I still am pretty abysmal. I also just bought Bananagrams and haven't even opened it.

Writing... Oh wait, I'm not. Obviously not quality blog posts, nor on any sort of projects. And I thought I was considering NaNoWriMo. Hilarious. 

Hoping... that my podiatrist will shoot up my toe (and maybe ankle) with Cortisone when I visit him on Wednesday. If I leave without a game plan I'm firing him... again. 

Resisting... buying dresses. Apparently I have enough to get me through almost three weeks of work without repeating. How did this happen? In all fairness, many of them won't work for winter tights and sweaters, so just maybe a few more?  

Looking... forward to Halloween. I usually am indifferent, but this year Sawyer will be able to trick-or-treat and appreciate my awesome pumpkin carving skills. We're going to try to take him to the local park tomorrow in his costume to take some pictures, which is always fun (knock on wood). 

Pouting... about the fact that we aren't going to be continue our "traveling for Christmas" tradition that we adhered to for several years and were adamant we'd continue to do so after Sawyer. The real issue now is not having care for the dogs, though, as opposed to being unable to leave with a kid. 

Winning... our weekly Fitbit challenge for either the second or third week in a row. I'm trying to be a humble, gracious winner and not talk about awesome- I'll stop.  

Regretting... my dietary choices lately. I've actually been able to drop a few pounds this month, because I'm simply eating less and being more active. The problem is that what I am eating isn't exactly all quinoa and kale. It's more like ice cream cake and Cheesecake Factory. Chased with Diet Coke and Starbucks. So fine, maybe I'm only consuming 1600 calories or whatever, but it's mostly carbs of the refined sugar sort (the best kind). And tomorrow will be icing on the cake, so to speak, since my friend and I have a cupcake date. I'd like to say that I'm going to make some changes, but I don't think I'm ready to commit. 

Wondering... where the heck El Nino is. I want to wear sweats and hoodies now. Also, do kids under the age of like eight or nine really want to play organized sports? Or do their parents just sign them up?

Planning... on what to make for Thanksgiving (a month away!). I honestly have no clue what our plans are, but one thing is for certain: I'm not hosting and I'm not driving far. If it's just us and my brother, I'd be okay with it. And if that's not what we do, I'm still going to make a feast the night before so I can finally try out the recipes I've been wanting to do for years but haven't, since I've played it safe for all the guests we've had (I actually really like having people over, but it's just not the year for it; I'd rather have a party with friends). 

Wishing... for a night out. Like a legitimate night out, not just a dinner at a local place. Or maybe a weekend away, with my husband or friends (or by myself). I have cabin fever, can you tell? I want to get dressed up and be distracted. I'd love to go to a concert or another Derby Dolls bout or a try a new restaurant in Orange County or LA that is not family-friendly. We're trying a new sitter soon, so if that works maybe we can get out a little more often. We'll see. 

Amused by... The bored pictures of Hillary Clinton at the Benghazi hearings. Not that it wasn't a serious situation, because it was. But come on. Come on. 

I'm not sure if this "lately" thing was started by someone? Should I be giving credit? I've seen other bloggers do it but have not seen the source. Let me know. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

Link up, link back, etc... 

1. If you read a blog post and instantly think "eff you, shut up" it's time to unfollow (as my number of followers dwindles...)

2. I think there may be some of my colleagues that think I'm getting a divorce (I'm not). I've had a lot of trouble wearing my rings since giving birth to Sawyer, as I have a severe allergy to whatever metal is under the white gold. I have to have them re-dipped every 6-8 weeks, which is pretty costly. People  I barely know seem to just all the sudden seem to be asking about him and are apparently just now realizing I didn't change my name. It's weird. I don't really care, I just don't love the notion that people are discussing my personal life behind my back. 

3. I finally bought a lawn gnome. Don't tell my husband (so, the like two of you that read and know him I will figure it out!)! If he finds out I put it in the yard I might end up getting a divorce after all... He's a little on the smaller side, so I'll have to find him a big brother eventually.

[Hello, new friend!]

4. This last Friday I went to urgent care to get my asthma inhaler refilled, since my doctor won't do it without an office visit. I've been using one Sawyer had for bad chest cold, but I have to admit I don't have it controlled well at all. It would almost be easier if it was just wheezing, but instead it's a sudden tightness in my chest and the inability to get a full deep breath in (no, they are not anxiety attacks... I know they sound like it). This is super hard during the day when teaching and needing to talk a lot. My students, husband, and son also make me laugh frequently, which sadly also aggravates it. I talked to the doctor for a bit and while he did give me what I needed for the short term, he said that I needed to get my allergies and stress under control. Ha! I was born with allergies and stress. I came out of the womb sneezing and over-analyzing worse case scenarios. I was tested for an ulcer in kindergarten I was such an anxious little child. Anyway, I guess I need to go to my regular doctor for a pulmonary function test (in my free time...).

5. Apparently out district must have changed their IP address or done something differently with the servers, because I can now detect traffic from our schools on my blog. It was a good reminder to mind my manners, I guess. It also spurned a middle of the night "oh my god do I need go back through and delete posts like last time?" mini-freak out, but that was interrupted by my kid, who has been getting up again because he hates me and doesn't want me to ever get a good night of sleep for the rest of my life. 

6. Anyone an Orange Theory fan? There's a new studio not too terribly far away that I'm tempted to check out. Will I die? Will I love it? Will it cry? Will you go with me and do slightly less better than I so I don't feel stupid?

7. It is impossible for me to talk about asteroids and not refer to Armageddon. 

8. This weekend will be fun; Friday I'm taking Sawyer to the homecoming carnival at our school, Saturday I have yoga and then we are going to the fall festival at the ranch where his old PT place did hippotherapy, and then Sunday possibly to Irvine Regional Park with friends. It's been so nice to be back at yoga, even if it's just once a week. The instructor is insane, though, and I feel like it's getting worse each week. It's funny as hell after the fact, but in the moment I hate her so much (I will not do "ommms" ever, nor will I say "I love myself" or "give a big dorky smile" with my eyes closed). 

9. I did a bad thing last weekend that involved Anthropologie and their 20% off dresses sale. I actually feel like a total uppity asshole when I shop there, but I just can't help it sometimes. Plus there's a tree in a glass enclosure at the one I go to, which is pretty cool. 

10. I'm about to start a book blindly. A student is doing an extended research paper regarding post- and pre- 9/11 literature and he found a book called The Man Who Wouldn't Stand Up by Jacob Appel. I honestly don't even know what it's about, so this should be interesting. Or not even close. I'm also rereading Michael Ondaatje's Running in the Family, which is a structurally complex memoir that my students seem to hate, at least right now. I love that there's very little available online for it, so they actually have to read for once and not BS their way through it with the help of the internet. But, if we're being honest, few of the works we read senior year knock me off my feet. Maybe someday we'll get to redesign the curriculum...

Doing October

September has been hard in many ways, some routine and some not so much. This month is consistently hard every year; I guess the reality check of summer ending sets in and the heat usually peaks. Combined with other life things it just seems like a long, difficult thirty days every year. 

But now it's October.

I've allowed myself to sort of wallow in the woe that is September for the last thirty days and it's now time to pull myself out of the funk. So, I need a plan to have fun and be productive. Yes, people who love lists plan out their fun. I can't help it. 

So I sat down and put together a plan for ten things that I need to do this month to feel better about life, in various areas. And since I'm highly competitive and respond very well to public accountability, I thought I'd share:

1. Learn to turn the water main off- I'm still abnormally paranoid about a water leak, so I think this would at least help ease my mind. Plus it seems like something a homeowner should know how to do.

2. Take Sawyer to something autumn-ish- I guess like a pumpkin patch or a festival or apple picking? 

3. Make plans to see friends at least once- This is something that's key to my mental health. And not just go to the same yoga class kind of outing, but something  that requires something besides stretchy pants and a quick nap at the end (not that there's anything wrong with that- maybe everything in life should end with a nap).

4. Do yoga or piyo twice a week- I've got the cardio down, but I feel stiff and like I've lost a lot of my old flexibility. Plus I just bought a new mat, so I need to use it.

5. Make a charitable contribution- I've bought enough random stuff for myself lately and feel sort of guilty (this is probably motivated by the amount I spent at Ulta the other day). I'll probably donate to Planned Parenthood or The Sierra Club or The Nature Conservancy.

6. Leave at least 100 blog comments- I feel really guilty about my lack of participation, while still enjoying what people write and hoping they'll comment on what I post.

7. Make a new play list- Every morning I get so bummed out in the car when I'm scrambling to put on music for the commute in. I've been listening to the same five songs for a month or more.

8. Walk 80,000 steps a week- This means lots of afternoon walks which helps everyone be happier. Especially since my kid is now like a dog and brings me my shoes around five-o-clock and points to the door and yells "go" until I give in. 

9. Hang out with my husband more- It's hard with a full time job and kid and I know I've been slacking. And by slacking I mean choosing to read of surf the internet during the hour of free time I have at night. I could at least watch one of those shows we are slowly getting through or -gulp- play videogames with him on occasion. After over ten years of togetherness I'm lucky to have a guy that still wants to hang out with me. 

10.  Do things to de-stress at work- This will mostly come from unburying myself from the stack of grading and getting my materials organized for this month. I hate the feeling of knowing I have a ton to do and now knowing where to start. 

Onward and upward. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

It's Wednesday! Time to link up, link back, and say hey.

1. Yesterday a student gave me an awesome collection of succulents to add to the ones I already had. I decided to transplant the ones I had to some legitimate pots that I actually went to Home Depot for the other day and am pretty proud of my efforts. Day two in their new homes: everyone is still alive. 

2. When I was at Home Depot I wandered around the store for a really long time looking for a lawn gnome. I didn't want to ask someone, which I normally have no problem doing. I just know lawn gnomes are a little... weird and I'd much prefer to maintain the illusion that I'm just some young(ish), average-looking, clueless homeowner who needs something very practical and normal, like light bulbs or picture hanging thingies. So, I'll just have to order one (or fifteen) on Amazon.

3. After the Home Depot I went to the expletive-expletive-expletive podiatrist for my horrible and mysterious toe pain. I guess I have some structural issues, which is a nice way of saying I have a "mallet toe" (anyone who is reading that has never before is probably pretty weirded out by the lawn gnomes and deformed feet at this point). But, the symptoms I'm experiencing are more in line with nerve damage. So, he taped up my foot and told me to leave the tape on for three days without getting it wet (I had scheduled a pedicure for after the appointment, so this was very irritating news) and, the real kicker, I am supposed to stop whatever I am doing as soon as the pain starts and mark on my toe where exactly it bothers me with a Sharpie. Sure. Completely reasonable. And then the tape fell off later that day and I could have gotten my mother-effing pedicure. 

4. Also, while we're on the topic of things pissing me off, the annoying weird water main noise that disappears for months and then comes back has resurfaced. Two of my good friends have had issues with water damage lately and I'm terrified that I'm going to come home from work and my house is going to be flooded. I don't even know how to turn off the water. Or the electricity. Or the gas. I don't know how to do anything. I am useless.

5. Onto happier things. Sawyer's Halloween costume (Max from Where the WIld Things Are) came the other day and he looks ridiculously adorable in it. Like so cute I want to dress him in it every day and just have him live in it, until he grows out of it and I order the next size up for him to continue to wear 24/7. Until kindergarten, at least. 

6. It's basically fall:

7. I've established the fact that I'm basically pretty cheap but occasionally I'll get these ridiculous ideas of things to binge spend on. This time it's matching Star Wars pajamas from Hanna Andersson for Sawyer and I (my husband declined a pair). I haven't ordered them yet, since the price is beyond absurd, but I haven't forgotten about them:

8. I'm currently finishing Mindy Kaling's Why Not Me? and while it's funny and entertaining I think I much prefer listening to her books.

9. There's a college fair tonight that all my students are going to tonight and I seriously considered going when I found out there was cake. This desperation stems from the fact that I decided when I went grocery shopping over the weekend to not buy anything sugary to snack on and now want to cry. It has curbed my snacking considerably, so I better lose five pounds by Friday.

10. I went to yoga last week and the teacher is crazier than normal (maybe it was the moon... she kept talking about that). She tried to make the front row turn around to face the back row, where I was, and mimic their dance moves. Come again? I am here for the work out. I want to do reverse the warrior and do pigeon prep. The woman across from me looked at me expectantly and I shook my head. Nope. She started doing this arm-swaying routine that reminded me of this high guy in tie-dye that I saw a concert once. I crossed my arms and glared. I was prepared to tell the instructor, who is also the owner of the studio, that I'd blast her on Yelp if she tried to make me do anything but I think she knew better. It's all in the eyes.

Have a great week!

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

[do not be fooled; it was 104 earlier and is now a mild 90. Gross]

Link up, link back (please and thank you!), and say hi!

1. There are thunderstorms going through my area of Southern California right now and everyone is going batshit crazy. Traffic is a nightmare, the social media posts are aplenty, and the National Weather Service hit all of my kids' phones during fifth period with flash-flood warnings (precautionary, not likely). The real threat? Fires from lightning strikes.

2. I thought my dream app had finally been invented and emailed to me- something that can run in the background and tell me how much time I spend doing what on my phone. Turns out their privacy agreement gives them carte blanche to basically hack into your phone and take all your info. Thanks, but no thanks.

3. I think someone trying to be sneaky and wheel-and-deal behind the scenes to screw me over an itsy-bitsy tiny bit. I know, oh-so-vague. Two hints: they're not family and they will not win. I hope they're reading and get paranoid. "Is she talking about me? No, she can't be talking about me. How would she know? There's no way!" 

4. I'm obsessed with the Athleta catalog, both because I want to look like the models and because the clothes are super cute.

5. Some of my current seniors that I had back when they were sweet baby sophomores were telling me today how terrified they were of me two years ago. I am of course pleased by this (although it's not really new information), but I don't fully comprehend why. Because I don't hold their hands through assignments? Because I don't put up late work or excuses? Because I've got a pretty mean look I can throw out?

6. I just started TC Boyle's San Miguel and am kicking myself for owning lsome of his other books and letting them sit on the shelf. I've read a few other books by him and have seen him speak twice and am never less than very impressed. Maybe I'll binge read Boyle. Is that a thing? Like how I want to sit my ass on the couch and watch every single episode of Sons but instead reading book after book by an author? Fact: Jax is eighty-seven times more attractive that TC.

7. I tried to subtly hint to my husband last night that I'd like to somehow go see Elton John at Cesar's Palace next month, while he's still alive and performing (Elton, not my husband) and I failed miserably. "You should go with your mom" he replied. Sigh. My mom lives six hours away and has to work. And before you mock my love for Elton, we grew up listening to him, so I'm a big fan of his old stuff. I danced to "Tiny Dancer" with my grandpa at our wedding.

8. I canceled my subscription to The New Yorker. I failed. 

9. This was hilarious, although not advised. Scott and I could have never pulled this off. 

10. The crazy kid and I had a rough (rough --> polite understatement) night last night and I have consumed approximately 1,000 milligrams of caffeine today. I am SO AWAKE and yet SO TIRED.