Required Reading, Summer Edition

Every summer I give my incoming students a few assignments to help them prep for the fall when they return- we call it summer work, aptly named. This summer I have some of my own to get through, besides working on forty letters of rec for upcoming scholarship and college applications (I will keep my juniors from last year and teach them as seniors next year). 

The first set of readings I have is for the actual work I assigned the kids. There are four poems they have to analyze by the usual suspects, like Dickinson. This is just a quick springboard into some analysis we are going to do the first two weeks of school. Then, I have to (re)read Othello, Hamlet, Julius Caesar, and The Tempest, since I gave them the option of picking one from those to do some work on. They'll have an essay or some sort of test when they return, so I need to actually read the plays so I can plan accordingly. Right now, since I haven't actually started yet, I'm excited! I teach Macbeth every other year right now, and when I used to teach a regular English class I did Caesar, but that's where my Shakespeare reading has lied since college. 

I am also advising four students' Extended Essays in English, which is a 3,500 word essay on basically whatever they want. I have one student comparing Anthem and Fahrenheit 451, another looking at magical realism in One Hundred Years of Solitude and Midnight's Children, and a student studying the graphic novels Blankets and Daytrippers (the fourth student is still narrowing down his choices). With the exception of the two graphic novels and Anthem, I've read the other selections, but I still like I need to reread in order to adequately advise. 

One one hand, this seems like a lot of required reading- four plays, four novels, and two graphic novels (and then two more, depending). But the plays and the graphic novels should move quickly, although the magical realism books are a bit more dense (but oh-so-good). I need to space everything out, though, so that I don't get bogged down at the end, but so I remember everything for when we start back in August. 

I was always the kid in high school that secretly loved summer work. When I was in eighth grade our pre-IB summer assignment was to read Jane Eyre and to do the infamous 175+ questions in the yellow packet that accompanied with it. Always a student at heart, I guess!

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. Day three of second semester: caught up on grading. This means I have graded 133 quizzes on their break-work reading, 133 Gregor from The Metamorphosis models (also from break), plus the accompanying reflection form, and 80 quick assignments from TOK. I have been utilizing every spare second at work and am sticking to my grading schedule. I am determined. 

2. I am hoping January isn't setting the precedent for 2017 in terms of domestic money-sucks. We have to replace our pool sweep, supposedly need several thousand dollars worth of repairs on our heater (this might be far less, from what my gut and uncle are telling me; I have a second opinion in the works for Monday), and our dog needs a currently harmless gum growth removed before it becomes too large and gets infected. 

3. My child is sitting on the ground threading pipe cleaners through a colander singing "Rainbow Connection." We are not used to all this rain (but thankful for it).

4. George Lucas has decided on LA for the home of his new museum and while I'm sure there are probably political or social or environmental reasons I should be angry I'm just plain excited. I think it's seven or so years away, but it'll fun to track the progress when we make our yearly or so visits down to Exposition Park for the other museums that are there. 

5. I am going to a conference Friday and Saturday and I get to (have to?) stay overnight. I'm of course a little excited because I'll have a lot of alone time, since the Friday session ends by three or four and I am not close to any of my colleagues from my actual site who are also attending. I am not exactly wowed by the city we will be staying in, though, so part of my feels that it's one big hassle to get everything squared away here at home for thirty-six hours away in... Cerritos. 

6. I just got Kafka by Robert Crumb and David Mairowitz, the short graphic biography of Franz Kafka, since I'm teaching him at school and have always meant to read more about his life story. Hopefully it's good and I can pass it along to my students to read for outside reading!

7. The knitting guy who makes himself sweaters to correspond with his travels is the best. I saw the article a few days ago, and when my husband sent it to me today he said that Sam Barsky is my "spirit animal." I don't think I'd take it that far, but he's still pretty awesome.

8. I had a really hard time getting through Obama's Farewell Address. Actually, I started crying before he started talking. If we were trading him in for someone else it would be a tiny bit better, but I have such respect for him and will miss his humanity, compassion, and humor.

9. I am still reading The Nix and am still a huge fan. I wish it was longer than 600 pages- it's that fantastic.

10. Last weekend my friend and I took Sawyer to Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, which I will now associate with the most aggressive ducks and squirrels I have ever seen. They were coming right up to us begging for food! This is why you DON'T FEED THE WILDLIFE!!!! The park itself is awesome- a true mile square of playgrounds, walking paths, golf courses, archery ranges, and sports fields. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

After a short break I am finally back! Link up, link back, say hi!

1. I took Sawyer on his first real hike today- he did almost three miles on his own, half of which was uphill. He was such a trooper and loved stopping to jump on rocks and collect little twigs. I look forward to many more in the future.

2. Kate's post on the most widely listed best-of-books is money, guys. She put it up a few weeks ago, but I'm just now catching up with life. Check it out.

3. Speaking of fellow bloggers, Brie is having her baby today! Stop by and wish her luck. Rory had a little one recently, too. You girls are all drinking the same water... 

4. It's so nice to be off for many, many reasons, but being able to cook legitimate dinners that require actual time has been downright satisfying. Last night I made this Roasted Tomatillo Chicken Enchilada Casserole last night (an old favorite of ours, but a bit labor intensive with all the roasting and food-processing) and tomorrow I am going to brave Slow Cooker Cabernet Beef Short Ribs with Mascarpone Polenta (as long as my bag of uncooked polenta arrives from Amazon on time, since my grocery store was out...). 

5. I don't usually get sentimental about celebrity deaths- I'm too emotionally detached to get super sad about people I don't know. But Carrie Fischer? Damn. Too soon.

6. After doing book talks with my students the week before finals, I was convinced by several students to read The Glass Castle, The House on Mango Street, and A Long Way Gone, all books I should have read but do not. 

7. I am currently about 70 pages into Brit Bennett's debut The Mothers and am thoroughly loving sassy Naomi and the intricacies of the Upper Room Chapel. 

8. I have to admit to being a little sad about packing away Christmas. This year was one of the best yet- having a toddler that is incredibly excited about every little aspect just makes the holidays that much better. We've had a lot of fun and it's been really special to see everything through his eyes.

9. I just finished listening to Lauren Graham's memoir Talking as Fast I Can and, in honor of Princess Leia, will start Carrie Fischer's The Princess Diarist next. Graham's was incredibly fun and super high nostalgia wise for Gilmore Girls lovers like myself.   

December, Plus November, Revisited

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It's six in the morning and I am the only person up in my house- Sawyer woke me up at 5:30 to tell me that a hangnail hurt and then went back to sleep (seriously), but I couldn't settle myself back down. Sigh. So, here we are. What better time for some quiet blogging? Or something like that... I am a few days late on this post, but that's because December is in full swing here! Before I talk about my goals for December, let's revisit November. If you're new around here, I use these posts as a way to keep myself accountable for being happy, productive, healthy, and sane. 

November-

1. Watch 10 TED Talks- Yes! Finally! I'll be doing a post on my favorite ones soon.

2. Not screw up Thanksgiving- Yes! I think, in terms of the food, this was my best one yet. I made a few subtle tweaks (between the brine and cooking my turkey upside it literally fell of the bone it was so moist... yup, still hate that word), as opposed to trying anything crazy new, and it was for the best.

3. Track core workouts- Nope! I will revisit this one soon.

4. Run a 5k I'm happy about- Yup! I ran one at UCLA a few weeks ago and I was able to run the entire time, despite the hilly campus. I will never be fast, but I was consistent and was even able to kick it into high gear for the last quarter of a mile.

5. Attempt to potty train my kid (but be okay if it doesn't work out this time around): Yes! We worked on it during Thanksgiving break and he was doing decently, but then had some tummy troubles for a few days that weren't conducive to the process and then, just like that, break was over. Christmas vacation is coming soon, so we will try again then. He's a little boy and he is barely two and a half, so I am not sweating it. 

6. Christmas shopping started: Yup! And almost done!

December

1. Stay 90% on track with my grading calendar- The semester ends on the 23rd and I have every single day mapped out in terms of what I need to grade to get it all done and not have an Everest-sized pile waiting for me during finals week. So far I have been on it!

2. Run an average of three times a week- (Or 13 times this month) Things have been a little inconsistent in the work out category for me, since I've been so busy. I need to remember that a twenty minute run in better than nothing at all.  

3. Finish my 2016 year-in-review book- This is going to be quite the feat, since the only work I have done on it has been uploading my January pictures to the site I use. They usually have really great deals for the New Years, though, so I need to catch up so I can take advantage.

4. Send out our Christmas cards- My husband will hopefully get the pictures taken and edited today, I can order the cards tonight or tomorrow, and then send them out by like the fifteenth. It's later than normal, but that's life.

5. Enjoy the season- I want to make sure we do a lot of fun Christmasy stuff, but also have time to enjoy being at home together and with the house I just finally decorated. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. I have revolutionized my way of living- I made a grading calendar. Why have I not done this before? I assign certain assignments to myself to grade and input each day so that things are now in much more manageable chunks. I'm still behind, but feeling like I am only responsible for so much on each day helps. I'm on day three and I'm actually ahead. 

2. Sawyer sleeps a million times better than he used to and since the time change he has been sleeping later in the morning to (he used to wake up before he needed to and now he's barely stirring as I go in to get him). Unfortunately, after crappy sleep for a few years now I can barely go two or three hours straight without waking up or becoming very restless. I don't want to take anything medicinal because I still need to be conscious in case he needs me and I typically end up really groggy when I have taken things in the past. After reading The Sleep Revolution and doing some additional research I found that tart cherry juice is a natural producer of melatonin and that some studies have shown it's effectiveness as a natural sleep aid. Last night I drank two ounces an hour before bed and slept for almost five hours straight. I don't know if it's a fluke, but I will definitely be trying it for a few weeks to see if it works. I have the data from by Fitbit to help me out, which I know isn't perfect but it's a least good for comparison reasons.

3. Speaking of my Fitbit, my husband got me the Charge 2 for my birthday and it's so much better than the Flex. It's not too big and the information it provides is a dream come true. 

4. I just started Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance and am so far really interested. I thoroughly acknowledge the fact that I am comfortable and happy in my liberal, progressive, Californian bubble and need to see how others live in the US. 

5. This weekend we are in full Christmas mode! Friday night we are putting up the tree and Saturday I am taking Sawyer to a Breakfast with Santa event at Pretend City in Irvine. That night we are going to head to The Mission Inn in Riverside to check out their huge light display and then on Sunday we'll do some baking and more decorating. There are only three more weekends until Christmas weekend and I work up until the twenty-third this year. Womp womp. Holidays are SO much more fun with a toddler. I used to sort of see Christmas as a means to a break (which is still great and I can't wait for), but now it's all about the fun activities we can do with him during December. 

6. Sawyer is super obsessed with BB-8 from Star Wars and has likes to say hi to the inflatable one that's on display at Target for Christmas (we go to Target very often, so this has happened numerous times). Scott and I are vehemently opposed to lawn inflatables (sorry-not-sorry), but we decided that we'd compromise and get on for the backyard so it's not visible from the front but then Sawyer can enjoy it whenever he wants from the sliding glass door. 

7. I started listening to Laurent Graham's new memoir Talking as Fast as I Can and it's been the perfect cure for the sadness following being done with all the new episodes. 

8. I know that I'm not going to Vegas for two and a half months but I am already SO excited (my mom and I are going to a concert and my brother, who is probably too young for me to keep up with in that city, might come along as well).

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

[my quick day trip far away]

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1. Last Saturday I decided to take a super cheap, quick flight up to UC Berkeley to visit a student that I have been very close to for a few years (added bonus: her roommate is also one of my favorites). It would have taken my like seven hours to drive there, but the flight is an hour and the drive to the airport about the same. We walked around campus, went to a Cal art gallery, took the BART into San Francisco and went to the MOMA, and then hit up Fisherman's Wharf before it was fly home. And just like that I was home and in my bed by bedtime. It was easy, affordable, and so fun.

2. I think that a photographer should do a photo series on mom's when they are done getting ready for the morning, when they get home from work, and then when their kids finally go to sleep for the night. I swear, when I leave the house I'm a solid 6.75. By the time my kid goes to bed? A 2. 

3. The Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart cooking show? It makes me want cable again.

4. Next time you go to Trader Joe's get the chocolate pumpkin cookies with orange vanilla bean frosting. So good.

5. Tomorrow night is conference time. It's a very long day- I anticipate speaking to 100 families in about four hours. It's usually really, really nice too, though to touch bases with the families and to congratulate those doing well and to give those in need of some improvement some individualized tips. I always leave tired, but also pleased. Plus Friday we get to leave when the kids do for a minimum day to make up for the time. 

6. I have to get on the Hogarth train and pick up Hag Seed by Margaret Atwood and the other's they have put out. Being the completionist I am, I think I'd want to reread (or read) the Shakespearean plays first, though.

7. The Milk Bar ships their cakes. THE MILK BAR SHIPS THEIR CAKES. I have wanted to try one for ages! I've thought about trying to make me own, but I know it won't be the same. Unfortunately, said cakes, plus shipping and handling, end up equating to... a lot of money. But, if we ate PB&J for a week the grocery budget would cover it. Hmmm....

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8. I am nearly done with The Sellout by Paul Beatty for book club tomorrow and I have to say that it is one of the best satires I have ever read. It's shocking and timely and so well-written. It's most definitely not for everyone, but it's still an important read. 

9. This weekend I have absolutely no plans. Whoa. 

Have a great rest of the week!

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. Sloooooowest weeeeeeeek eveeeeeeeeeer. I'm looking forward to the weekend, and it hasn't been a bad week (so far) by any means, I just can't believe that it's only Wednesday. 

2. Roxane Gay is coming to LA in January and my friend and I are already stalking the Skylight site waiting for tickets to go on sale. She's coming out with a collection of stories that she's on tour, so that's exciting news in and of itself. 

3. I just got tickets for the three of us to go to a limited-time-only Pixar Exhibit at the California Science Museum in December (because that month isn't busy enough). It looks super fun and the tickets include entry to the shuttle- if you're local check it out!

4. I made these cookie bars (cream cheese + corn starch= so soft) and they were delicious (I used M&Ms and a cake pan instead, so they were thicker). I also made this gnocchi one-pot sort of deal as well, but subbed sausage for the chicken and it was really easy and good. 

5. I had no idea Maria Semple, author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette? had a new book out! I had a gift card to Amazon, so I ordered it the other day. It seems like a funny, quick read that will be at least a tiny bit relatable. 

6. I also just downloaded Amy Schumer's audiobook, The Girl With the Lower Back Tattoo. I had reservations for a few reasons, but the first ten minutes I listened to today on the way to get Sawyer were entertaining.

7. Not only are there SO many books that are coming out of have recently, (I've had a post in my drafts on this for ages), but there are so many new albums coming out in the next few weeks, too! Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, The Naked and Famous, The Weeknd, Beck, and Metallica, just to name a few. Thank goodness for Spotify.

8. The other night I was so exhausted and just done with attempting productivity, that I just climbed into bed with my book and laid there and read for the first time in ages. It seems so simple and common, but it's been ages since I've read in bed and it was so very nice.

9. So, an old colleague that I am friendly with managed to convince me to try Rodan + Fields' eye cream with all of her pictures and posts. I sort of feel like I've joined a cult (but one with people with skin that's continuously improving). I've heard that there are a lot of aggressive R+F saleswomen, but she hasn't been so I decided to go for it. Fingers crossed I have the eyes of twenty-year-old in sixty days.

10. My Giants are out of the playoffs. Womp womp womp. But you know what's most important? That my "team" doesn't lose the presidential race. Speaking of that, a student asked me whom I was voting for the other day and I couldn't answer because of this very specific memo that was sent down to all employees from the district office. Not that I discuss politics often with my students, but the fact that there could be a doubt in their mind where I stand on the issue, and that I can't clarify it, irks me to no end. I'm sure they know, but I want them to know. But they can't. 

September Reviews

It was 93 degrees today, on September 30th. Every year it is this hot and every year we Southern Californians bitch and moan about how it's not fall weather and how we just wanna wear our hoodies. So there we are. Got that over with. 

This month was a weird one, reading wise (and maybe in terms of life, too, now that I think about it). I was reading multiple books at once for most of it and ended up coming to a conclusion that I already knew- I'm a serial monogamist in life and when it comes to reading. Four books at one time? No thanks. I did manage to finish three, though, all by female writers, all dealing with issues of race/ethnicity, but still very different. 

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt

640 pages

Harriet is a smart, sullen, sassy little thing, but for good reason. She has lived under the black cloud of her older brother's tragic, unsolved death since she was tiny. Her parents are separated, her mother is an emotional wreck nearly a decade later, and her older sister's main hobby is sleeping. So, she decides to solve her brother's case, which leads to an exploration of class, race, and family bonds. There are several side plots as well, dealing with her aunts, grandmother, and the housekeeper, but in the end everything connects in it's own way. 

Verdict: This book felt very reminscent of To Kill a Mockingbird- there was a Boo Radley, there was a Scout, there was issues of morality, there was a Southern-gothic kinda of feel. Unlike Mockingbird, though, The Little Friend is much longer and much denser. I liked it, I really did, but you know that feeling you get after eating a Thanksgiving? Like you've had too much of a good thing and you just want to get out of the house into the fresh air and walk away from the turkey? That's kind of how I feel about this book right now. 

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

219 pages

I've read this two other times before as a teacher and have written about it before, so I'll spare everyone the summary (I am teaching it right now). 

Verdict: I love the book and I love teaching it. I know there are issues with her potential misrepresentation of race relations and she has been accused of pandering to a white audience, and I this does bother me. But she did do a lot for African American writers, and African American female writers. So, at the end of the day this book raises many of points through it's content and context.

I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and Christine Lamb

368 pages

Given the media attention paid to Malala over the past few years, I'm assuming every know her story of being shot while on a school bus by the Taliban in the Swat Valley. Malala was a political activist with her father prior to her attack, and has been a voice for educating all girls, in all countries.

Verdict: I found this book to be incredibly interesting, both in regards to Malala's story and the region's politics and history. I went into the book thinking that there would be more on her attack and recovery, but that actually only ended up being the last fifty or so pages. 

1,227 pages 

September, Plus August, Revisited

[all of these, plus eat more ice cream. duh.]

Most of August was spent transitioning from the wonderful, glorious summer to the return of the school year. My goals were simple, but maybe not completely obtainable:

1. Be in bed 10:10 on work nights- I'd say I basically did this, at least 90% of the time. The problem? I'm not going to sleep, whether it's because I'm on my phone or I can't turn my brain off (<-- font="" this="" usually="">

2. An average of 12,000 steps a day- Thanks to the work Fitbit challenge group I'm in every week I am able to do this. Even with that many steps (or more) I still don't usually win! I generally come in third or fourth, since we have some super active people in the group, but it's motivating and fun.

3. Yoga three times a week- I started off doing really well here, but the heat has really put a damper on things, as has choosing cardio as my exercise of choice lately. 

4. Grade summer work- YES! I left work this week with it all in the grade book. Sadly, this is probably the fastest I've ever gotten it done.

5. Spend less money- This didn't happen for two reasons. The first is because I started buying myself things to make myself happier about going back to work. The second is because I had to spend $400 on new brakes. 

September

September is a long month, but we have a lot of fun things planned and the weather is getting cooler which makes me SO happy. I'm fine with the heat when I'm off during the summer and can hang out in the pool, but now that I'm at work I want to be able to walk to my classroom to the car without sweating, not to mention that I miss our long afternoon walks before dinner. Here's what I'm hoping will magically happen this month:

1. No social media, email, or blog-reading in bed at night: I don't care about texting, because there's an actual a purpose there (twenty-first century communication, thanks), but I'm done checking Facebook or answering work email when I get into bed at night.

2. Planks every day: Man, what sad excuse for abs I had at one point are long gone. I love planks because they work you core, arms, and legs, so you get so much bang for your buck. We'll see what I can do in a month. It's important to be in the best shape possible for the holidays, so when I let myself go to shit I am really just getting back to the shape I am in right now. If that makes sense. 

3. Watch 10 TED Talks: I love TED Talks, but for some reason haven't watched any for awhile. I don't have time to watch full documentaries right now, so this is the next best thing. 

4. Finish an audiobook: I have a serious Audiobook Situation right now, which maybe I'll post about later. But finishing one this month would be progress.

5. Sign Up for a 5k or a Toe Surgery (or both?): I have been buddy-taping my useless piece-of-shit toe to the one next to it so I can run and it's helped a tiny bit, but I'm done with the pain and the inconvenience. I see the podiatrist later this month and I refuse to leave without a plan. There's a a 5k I want to do at UCLA in November, so if I haven't had surgery (if I end up going that route) I'll do it, pain and all. 

August Reviews

August was a weird little hodgepodge of books, from Franzen to Harry Potter. My reading has obviously slowed way down since starting work (long gone are the seven books a month happy days), but I still managed to finish five this month. My thoughts:

Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

304 pages

The third book in his (allegedly) unintentional trilogy, is set during the Christmas holiday when a stranger comes into Daniel Sempere and his father's bookstore, insinuating a past relationship with Fermin Romero de Torres. Fermin then recounts his past experiences as a prisoner and how his identity was changed in order to ensure his safety once he escaped. Meanwhile, Daniel Sempere is worried that his wife is having an affair... 

Verdict: I though this book was definitely the weakest of the three Zafon books I have read. It was so incredibly rushed, and the beautiful writing at least partially absent. The whimsy was gone and I didn't enjoy reading it like the others. 

Purity by Jonathan Franzen

608 pages

Pip is a young college graduate living in the Bay Area in a squatter's home, wondering how she's going to pay off her debt and when the heck her mom will every divulge the identity of her father. She is recruited, basically, to work at a sort of WikiLeaks type place in South America, where she is then sent on assignment to Colorado. There she becomes weirdly involved in the marriage of two of the people that run the publication where she works (which is in and of itself a long story). The book, meanwhile, is split into sections that involve all these people, plus more. We're all over the world, all over the realm of reality, and all over every character in the book. There's murder, there's travel, there's sex, there's secrets, their tricky relationships, and whole lot more. It is a long book, after all. 

Verdict: This was my first Franzen novel, and I really ended up loving it. Of course there are flaws, and there are definitely sections that could have been condensed, but, nonetheless, I think I am definitely Team Franzen. The way he creates characters and a story is impressive and I appreciate his risk-taking. 

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling

320 pages

I discussed this book here. Spoiler alert: nothing special.

The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

240 pages

I have read this book five or six times now, and I am still teaching it in class. Please don't make me talk about it more than I have to. It's a classic. It's the ultimate coming-of-age novel. It's oh-so-risque for the fifties. He says "phony" seventeen thousand times. And so-on and so-forth. 

An Innocent Abroad: Life Changing Trips from 35 Great Writers by Lonely Planet 

320 pages

There really are some great authors in here- Ann Patchett, Dave Eggers, and Jane Smiley, to name a few. And the destinations? Pretty exotic, whether Burning Man, Yemen, Cuba, or France. And their life-changing moments vary too, from dramatic to more introspective.

Verdict: I have actually been reading this for months, an essay or two at a time. While I found some more interesting than others, as a whole the book was incredibly enjoyable. I can't wait to travel more, and this just fueled the fire. 

1,792 pages 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

["Hello, is it me you're looking for?"]

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1. I just spent way too long trying to figure out what filter to buy for our fridge. I hate those sort of necessary time-sucks that I feel like I should be able to do faster. 

2. They replaced the Coke machine at work with a water machine. If I wasn't so scared of the district powers-that-be I'd write a strongly worded letter in protest. It's not like I buy one every day or anything, since I bring my own, but the fact that it was there was very reassuring. I understand not letting the kids have them, but I'm a grown-ass adult and if I want to pour chemicals into my body that is my choice.

3. It has taken me thirty-two years, but I think I've finally learned to deal with the people who just don't understand me and how my life works sometimes. I am not a complainer by any means, but we all have our days or the things in our lives that just get to us. For example, I have one friend, whom I am not interested in abandoning, but this person is the type who will always, always remind others that "it could be worse" when they share a problem. While this is true, sometimes it's just not the right time. So, after years and years of trying to get this person to get it, I've simple stopped trying and am more strategic about what I talk about with the friend. Or I have another friend who sort of adds to my anxiety and I walk away from divulging my stresses feeling even more worried. Again, strategic discussions. And so on and so forth, depending on the person. You can't make people understand things that they simply cannot or won't, and at that point you have to accept it on whatever level is comfortable for you. THE END. 

4. Ohhhhhhh the Feelin' Good Spotify Playlist is the best. I also discovered their running playlists that match you step counts. So cool.

5. I started Donna Tartt's book, The Little Friend, and can already tell fifteen pages in that it's good. I want to be her when I grow up. 

6. I saw this cookie recipe today and have built it up so much in my head that I will surely be disappointed when I make it (hopefully) this weekend.

7. Yesterday was the seventh day of the school year, the fourth day with students, and the first that I finally felt like I wasn't going to lose my shit when I got home. My students are great, but I have a modified schedule this year that requires I stay very late on Mondays to teach a special class (my mother-in-law has been kind enough to get my son after school and watch him, since she is a teacher too). There have been some other behind-the-scene little issues at work and at home that I've been hammering out too, but I finally feel like I will maybe not die this school year. There is hope, guys. 

8. Sawyer likes to make his little stuffed pig and stuffed Santa do naughty things and then put them on time out. I have a future evil mastermind on my hands. 

Have a great week! 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. I've been back at work since Monday, and students start tomorrow. If I could just hang out with them all day and talk about books and write, then it would be okay. Unfortunately, despite the general public thinking the profession is just one big summer vacation, there's a crap-ton more to it that drives me to the brink of exhaustion and insanity. 

2. Speaking of that, this is the last night I won't be behind at home and work for the next ten months. Oh, the anticipation. I cannot wait to feel like a partial-to-full failure all day every day! I promise, I'm not as cranky as it appears. At least not on the outside. 

3. I've partially jumped on Snapchat-lite aka Instastories. It's fun but a lot less intimidating and confusing.

4. I've started the new Harry Potter and I'm having trouble with the play format. It's simply not the same, and while I knew that going into it I'm still having trouble adjusting.

5. I'm late to the party like normal, but I finally listened to the Chainsmokers album and am a fan.

6. We don't have cable or satellite, so it takes more of an effort to watch The Olympics, so I simple am not even trying. These next few months between missing the games and all the political debates I will be missing it a little. 

7. Last weekend we took the train to San Juan Capistrano and had lunch and went to this sort of petting zoo on steroids. See cow above. 

August Goals

I think falling back into a good routine is something really important as I start this school year on Monday -gulp- so I thought I'd get back to some basics, both at home and work. 

1. Get into bed by 10:10 Sunday-Thursday nights- I get to sleep in until 5:20 or 5:25 now (as opposed to 5 last school year), and Sawyer is sleeping better (knock on wood), so I'm hoping this will allow me to get close to 7 hours a sleep a night (as opposed to six broken hours like last year). In reality, by the time I fall asleep and turn off my brain probably a little less, but it's something to start with. 

2. An average of 12,00 steps a day- I feel best when I move. Which leads me to...

3. Yoga three times a week- Whether it's 20 minutes of restorative before bed or a full 90 minutes in a class on the week, I want to start the school year with consistent habits. I am going to subscribe to the Down Dog App and eventually I'll review it on here. 

4. Grade summer work- I donotdonotdonot want to start September with my student's summer work packets hanging over my head. 

5. Spend less money- July was a bit expensive (within reason), so I'd like to just chill a bit when it comes to spending. A lot of it was just because we went and did so much, which I don't regret, but I wasn't able to meet my savings goals for the summer, so time to get back on schedule.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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ETA: I'm using this for The Broke and the Bookish's Top Ten Tuesday on 7/12; it's a "ten fact about yourself" sort of deal, so I thought my weekly post (with Linky! Play along on Wednesdays!) would work. Thanks for stopping by! 

1. Our Fourth of July weekend was pretty great. There were walks, a lot of pool time, a minor league baseball game with fireworks, and so much food. 

2. I finished two books today- Imagine Me Gone by Adam Haslett and and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's We Should All Be Feminists. Both hit home in different ways and I'll hopefully get some posts up on both soon before all the thoughts and opinions and emotions I have swirling around in my brain are gone. 

3. If I am being completely honest, I have to admit that I am surprised I have not given into Snapchat yet, since I was staunchly against MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogging, and Instagram, yet found my way to all of those. 

4. I love my tailor. She's this older Polish lady that is incredibly reassuring and fixes everything I take to her brilliantly. I wonder if she'll be my therapist too. Strangely I feel the same way about the plumber and the pool guy. 

5. So I wrote about a pedicure-related incident awhile ago, and today it was surprisingly made right (basically, about two months ago I went in and the pedicurist accidentally took a chunk out of my toe that ended up taking about six weeks to heal). I mentioned it in passing when I went back today (it was a different technician), just so she wouldn't do anything to that toe. She asked for details and I brushed it off, glossing over what had happened but that it had finally gotten back to normal and that I know accidents happen. When I went to pay they didn't let me! I was so surprised (and tipped accordingly). I guess so often I'm used to having low expectations when it comes to these sorts of things that it was just a nice little treat (Orchard Nails in Corona, for any local people). 

6. While I was in Tahoe a few weeks ago I was sitting on the patio waiting for my colleagues to join me for dinner reading The Girls when a fairly graphic sex scene came up. Here I was, surrounded by teachers drinking the free wine and beer at cocktail hour discussing test scores, curriculum, and innovative educational practices and I'm reading about a fourteen-year old being taken advantage by a cult leader. Then, today, I was reading Imagine Me Gone at the nail salon and the scene where Alex has his first very passionate, intimate sexual encounter with his soon-to-be-boyfriend came up. The juxtaposition between what we are reading and our own personal setting is so interesting, when looked at, and isn't just isolated to sex.  Nonetheless, reading sexual material in nonsexual environment is both sort of awkward and fun, in a rebellious sort of way.

7. My students are receiving their AP and IB test scores this week and the "thank you for helping me pass" emails are always nice to read. My AP Language scores for my sophomores were a tad higher than I thought they'd be and the IB ones are still trickling in, but so far so good. I hate that I feel  at all validated by test scores, and I am lucky to work at a site that neither penalizes or congratulates teachers based on them, but it's nice to see the kids be successful and to know that I'm at least headed in the right direction with my teaching. Plus, the kids get college credit and when universities are so impacted and tuition so costly, every little bit helps.

8. On the audiobook front, I just finished The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan (co-authoring seems hard for fiction, by the way) and began AWOL on the Appalachian Trail by David Miller today. The Royal We was light, fluffy, and entertaining- perfect for driving. 

9. Since coming back from Tahoe I really want to plan a longer, bigger trip for the three of us, or even just Sawyer and I if Scott doesn't want to go, or can't (he hates flying very much and his job can be demanding). I've been fantasizing about a long weekend in Portland or even somewhere like Denver. I just want to go. Plus I think Sawyer could handle two or so hours in a plane at this point, provided there were plenty of snacks and Zootopia on the iPad. This summer is probably too close to ending to make it possible now, but maybe later in the fall.

10. Hey, how about that Gilmore Girls subscription box? I must admit to setting an alert on my phone to sign up for the September one. $30 is a bit much to commit to the whole year, but I think one would be fun. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts- Tahoe Edition

[from my walk/hike the second day]

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1. I just got back from Lake Tahoe last night, so instead of doing a separate post I decided to just use this one. I went with a few colleagues for work for IB training and the specific workshop I attended with my good friend was focusing on something called the Extended Essay, which is a 4,000 word essay our kids write on pretty much anything they're interested in. It's an area of weakness at our site, so the two of us have been tasked with sort of revamping this part of the program.

2. I left on Saturday, after a very hectic day. I was supposed to leave for the airport at 10 in the morning to fly up with the others, but Sawyer wasn't feeling great and I had to take him to urgent care. It was one of those "you have to make the call RIGHT now" sort of situations and so I opted to take a later flight that left at four so I could get everything sorted out with him. We got him fixed up perfectly and he was completely fine by the time I left of the airport, so that really was the most important thing. My day of travel ended up much longer than originally planned, though, including a three-hour layover in Oakland and an hour drive from the Reno airport to Lake Tahoe in the pitch dark at 10:30 that night when I finally got arrived (I also had to pay for the rental since the district will only reimburse one car and obviously that goes to the people that made the correct flight). But, everyone was safe and happy so we'll call it a win. Plus I finally got to try Fenton's Creamery on my layover after hearing about it many times before from Bay Area friends.

[this was me, for hours]

3. The workshop itself is great- IB trainings are the best professional developments I've ever gone to. Our instructor was knowledgable, the other participants were smart and interesting, and it cleared up some questions we had. I love hearing about where people are from- at our table alone there was a teacher from The Cayman Islands, a teacher-librarian from a prestigious private school in Manhattan, and a woman from a small town close to where I grew up). 

4. It was also a little overwhelming- we have our work cut out for us (we are also taking over a new class, on top of this and teaching English, but I'm not thinking about that right now). But my philosophy is that as long as we are making improvements and setting a few attainable goals to focus on we are headed in the right direction.

[Lake Tahoe, from Tahoe City]

5. I have come to the conclusion that I am a good traveler [pats self on back]. I deal with roadblocks, I'm flexible, I enjoy taking in the local scene, and I am cool with letting others do their own thing. I stay positive and am always just thankful for an opportunity to get out of the area where I live. And I never panic about getting lost (go-go Google Maps!). Granted I'm probably a pain of the ass when I am actually home, but when I leave I'm your girl to hit the road with.

6. Between the two free afternoons I hiked/walked about twelve miles from the hotel where we stayed to Lake Tahoe and on part of the lake path. The first day I was with my friend and the second day I wanted to go back, so I went alone. Unfortunately, I didn't want to check baggage so I went without hiking or tennis shoes and did all of this in my Toms. My feet, whose shortcomings I think I've sufficiently bitched about before, were pissed. They made me pay dearly for this by yesterday afternoon, but it was worth it. There was no way I was going to Lake Tahoe and not taking advantage of the scenery.

[it's so ugly there, God]

7. I had a few hours in the evening on Sunday and Monday to myself and was able to finish The Girls by Emma Cline and start The Vacationers by Emma Straub (two very different books). 

8. I missed my home and family, of course, but I really did enjoy the brief time away. I slept better than I have slept since having Sawyer- no joke. I didn't have to vacuum, feed dogs, unload the dishwasher, change diapers, cook dinner, or do any other the other domestic tasks that I have to each day. I was able to sit down and read for an hour straight without being interrupted and was able to get through several meals without stopping to help someone else. I know this probably sounds self-indulgent to some, but I frankly don't care. I desperately needed a few days to myself and it was just what I needed to recharge. 

9. I think part of the reason why I was content to leave and be alone for three nights was because things were fine at home. Scott had Sawyer during the weekend and they had a blast going to the toy store and eating McDonalds and watching Zootopia. My mother-in-law came over Monday and Tuesday and the two of them got along like gangbusters. I left six or so pages of notes and was available all day to text. Everyone, and the house, stayed in one piece.  

10. Our trip back was a little long, since there was a bit of a storm going through parts of Nevada. Our flight from Las Vegas back home to Ontario (as in Ontario, California not Canada) was late to board and then we sat on the plane for quite a while (first because they were behind loading luggage because of the lightning and then because some sort of wind pocket was noticed as we were taxiing). Eventually we got home and Sawyer was so excited to see me, and I him. 

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts

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1. This past week has been quite a busy one (hence the lack of posts). Sawyer and I went to visit my family in Modesto for three nights and we're finally back in the swing of things here. We actually had a lot more fun than I anticipated; the 6.5 hour drive up Friday went really well and after we checked into our hotel we headed downtown for the annual American Graffiti Parade. There were over 1200 classic cars, one of which belonged to my mom's boyfriend, so Sawyer had a blast. Saturday we drove to Sacramento to visit the California Train Museum, which I had initially decided on primarily because of Sawyer's current obsession, but we all enjoyed it. The next day we went to a car show that had the cars from the parade and just hung out. I made my family go to all the old places I loved to eat at and enjoyed watching Sawyer ham it up for his doting audience. The ride back wasn't near as stellar, but my friend Val was a godsend, between her patience and willingness to play with an emotional toddler. 

2. A week or so ago I watched the Macbeth movie that came out last Christmas and was fairly underwhelmed. It was visually very appealing, and the score was fitting, but there were some liberties taken with the story that I didn't love.

3. A few months ago I optimistically bought three pairs of shorts from Loft that were a teeny tiny bit too snug- I'm happy to say they now fit juuust right and I just bought several more. Victory is mine.

4. Actually, considering the lunch that I just had they may not fit anymore... My husband is home today and we dropped Sawyer off at daycare for a little while so we could go out to lunch alone and I feel like an Oompa Loompa. It was nice to sneak away, though, since it's really rare that we're able to do that in the middle of the day during the week.

5. I know it's summer and I live in a warm place, but the upcoming weather is horrible. I am ever-so-thankful for a working AC, solar panels, and a pool. 

6. Brie's book club over on her blog voted to read The Royal We by Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan for their next selection. Given that I have a million books to read right now, and that this really isn't necessarily something I'd choose to read, I thought about waiting until next month. But then I had a genius idea- I'd listen to it. This was the perfect solution- while it's not exactly high-brow lit, it's entertaining, perfect for summer, and the narrator is decent. 

7. I made this Mascarpone, strawberry, mint and honey tart that I found over on The How Sweet It Is blog last night. It was really easy and perfect for summer.

8. The generous gift card my seniors got me for Barnes and Noble was burning a hole in my pocket, so I went book shopping yesterday. Man, I miss those kids, and not just because they fueled my addiction.

9. Someone tried really, really hard to bait me today on Facebook this morning by saying that feminism and racism are non-issues and that people are just "sheep," giving into mainstream media by caring about gender and racial equality. Whoa, let's back that 1950's misogynistic, bigoted train up, shall we? I briefly gave my two cents but eventually closed it out by saying that I refused to argue with people I don't know (it was someone on my brother's post). I felt pretty mature, since I could have gone to town on the young man (and really, really wanted to).

10. I'm headed to an actual yoga class in a studio tomorrow for the first time in a looooong time. Pray for me.