Flattery will get you everywhere.

So, Rachel was awarded the "I <3 Your Blog" award. And I was like, "Oh, I'm glad I didn't get that, so I don't have to do the survey." And then she gave it to me. But, since I am in her top seven blogs, and flattery gets you everywhere with me, I'll do it too.

But first, a story of flattery getting you everywhere. So, last year one of the kids in my afternoon class said, "Miss Fletcher, I like your hair." I said, "Oh, A+ for you!" So then all the kids started complimenting me. And I laughed and we went on with what we were doing. But from then on EVERYDAY as I stood at the door when they came in, like ten kids would give me compliments: "I like your hair, earrings, shoes, shirt, necklace, etc." Or "You look pretty today Miss Fletcher." It was totally my Daily Affirmation with period 4 time.

Okay, now the survey. You can only answer in one word:

1. Where is your cell phone? purse
2. Where is your significant other? lost
3. Your hair color? blonde
4. Your mother? funny
5. Your father? missed
6. Your favorite thing? socializing
7. Your dream last night? work
8. Your dream/goal? NBCT
9. The room you're in? Mine
10. Your hobby? reading
11. Your fear? kittens
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? beach
13. Where were you last night? walking
14. What you're not? quiet
15. One of your wish-list items? Scrubs
16. Where you grew up? California
17. The last thing you did? parked
18. What are you wearing? clothes
19. Your TV? off
20 Your pet? nope
21. Your computer? empty :(
22. Your mood? Tranquil
23. Missing someone? Several
24. Your car? dirty
25. Something you're not wearing? shoes
26. Favorite store? Limited
27. Your summer? Fabulous
28. Love someone? indeed
29. Your favorite color? Impossible
30. When is the last time you laughed? Today
31. Last time you cried? Thursday

Here are the rules of the award:
* Display the award.
* Link back to the person who gave me the award. (Which involved me learning to link. I will use that more often now!)
* Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
* Put links to those blogs on mine.
* Leave a message on the blogs of the people I've nominated (which...I'm not doing!).
* Bask in the glory of my freshly fed and watered narcissism as I enjoy my award!

Here are my favorite blogs:
1. Erin-I get so excited when my bloglines account tells me Erin posted a new one, that I save it for last and look forward to it as I read everyone else's.
2. Natalie-I love the cute pictures of the kids, her stories, her depth, and feeling like I'm still connected to her!
3. Polly-see number 2.
4. Julie Martin-Who probably doesn't know I read her blog, but she is such a good writer and a wise woman. I love it. And the pictures of her dead plants.
5. Melanie-See 2 & 3. Same reasons.
6. Nicole-who doesn't love photography? And Nicole for that matter!
7. Adri-who lets me have a say in picking the name of her bike. And my vote won. :)
PS-Rachel, I also enjoy your blog, but I figured you already won the award, so I would spread the love around.

And thus ends my longest blog ever. Good night.

Quotables

Things I like to quote:

Brandi Carlile songs:
"And I think the world of myself, but the world doesn't think much of me. As long as a day is full of time, there will always be room for your hand in mine."

This David Sedaris quote (among many others):
"Potential boyfriends could not smoke Merit cigarettes, own or wear a pair of cowboy boots, or eat anything labeled either 'lite' or 'heart smart.' Speech was important, and disqualifying phrases included: 'I can't find my nipple ring.' All street names had to be said in full, meaning no 'Fifty-ninth and Lex' and definitely no 'Mad Ave.' They couldn't drink more than I did, couldn't write poetry in notebooks and read it out loud to an audience of strangers, and couldn't use the words 'flick,' 'freebie,' 'cyberspace,' 'progressive,' or 'zeitgeist.' The could not consider the humans scalp an appropriate palette for self-expression, could not own a rainbow striped flag, and could not say they 'discovered' any shop or restaurant currently listed in the phone book. Age, race, and weight were unimportant. In terms of mutual interests, I figured we could spend the rest of our lives discussing how much we hated the aforementioned characteristics."

Back-to-school shopping

Well, I am back to work next week. And, I have once again made my resolution to dress more professionally this year. You know, jeans only on Fridays, but still dressed up. Don't wear flip-flops. The usual. I think I did a better job overall last year than in the two years prior. And right now, I am very gung-ho to dress well at work. It is because I haven't worn my "work clothes" in three months, so I am excited about them right now-and totally ready for my fall wardrobe as well. But then come January, when I've worn every sweater and every pair of slacks 8 million times...

Being a teacher is strange, because it's not an office job-you need to be able to move around, be on your feet all day, and be around dirty, sweaty kids. But, you are also expected to dress somewhat professionally. I've heard two main theories on this:

1. Teachers want to be respected as professionals, just like any other dignified job, but then they don't dress the part. They show up in jeans and t-shirts and wonder why they're not taken seriously.
2. Teaching is a tough job with not too many perks-the fact that you can get away with more casual dress is a perk, so take advantage of it.

I think I fall somewhere in the middle. I don't wear t-shirts and try to look nice on the days I do wear jeans. But, I have been known to throw on my converse and a Carnegie Drill Team sweatshirt every couple of months. But, I always admire the female teachers who dress professionally everyday. In the same way I admire people who blow-dry their hair everyday: I'd like to be like them, but it's probably not going to happen.

When will I learn...

...that I should really bring a notebook or journal on the airplane? Something about being on a plane turns me into a writer. If I ever take writing up as a career I plan on just flying back and forth between cities. I would be incredibly prolific.

I have notes galore for an essay on break-up music (inspired by This American Life, and of course, my life.) All were written on the back of my boarding pass while on the airplane from Minnesota. Coming soon to a blog near you.

Cindy's Wedding...

...was a blast! My personal highlight was catching the bouquet! As you may know I am a seasoned wedding guest, but this is the first time I've ever caught the bouquet. This may explain this picture (I am in the pink):


But, I like this one. :)


And, this one makes me smile...I love these roomies!

My grueling Mexico schedule...

7:00-Be woken up by dogs. Mumble "go away Buddy/Davis." Go back to sleep.
9:00ish-Get up and eat breakfast
10:00-Go for a walk on the beach with the dogs.
11:00-Lay out/swim in ocean/read/iPod
1:00-Lunch
2:00-Play games/read/veg
4:00ish-shower
7:00-dinner
8:00-campfire, s'more it up
9:00-board/card games
11:00ish-bed.

Lather, rinse, repeat. It was fabulous and relaxing. No TV, internet, or anything to do but hang out and have fun.







So, I am still learning to put pictures in here. Please don't judge my lack of captions or proper spacing!

Mexico Books

While in Mexico on vacation I read the following books...

1. The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel
This was actually a reread-I read it the first time all in one sitting (403 pages) while on the flight back from London. So, I was excited to read it again and savor it a little more (this time over two days). I think my favorite story is The Harvest, which breaks form to tell the reader how the narrator changes a story when it is written down. The ending of The Uninvited is perfect. And if you don't tear up at "In the Cemetery Where Al Jolson is Buried," then we might not be able to be friends anymore. I know this is not interesting unless you know these stories...so maybe you should go and read this book.

2. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris
Okay, I confess this is also a reread. I just read this one like a month ago too, but as the great literary critic Erin Fletcher says, "You know, he's funny." I love reading David Sedaris because I actually laugh out loud, garnering strange looks from those around me. I love the story about looking for dingos at the zoo.

3. Unless by Carol Shields
Becca brought this one, and I really enjoyed it. Basically it's about a woman whose daughter has become homeless. The narrator is a feminist writer, which is pretty much the author. There was some great stuff about reading in there-she responds to a woman who says, "I love reading cookbooks more than anything else" by saying, "Maybe if you read novels you'd be more interesting." This, however, is my favorite quote from the book:
"She had become conscious of the lifelong dialogue that goes on in a person's head, the longest conversation any of us has. Oh hello, it's me again. And again. The most interesting conversation we'll ever know and the most circular and repetitive and insane. Please, not that woman again! Doesn't she ever shut up? (This is why I read novels: so I can escape my own unrelenting monologue.)
Oh, that is so me.

4. Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Erin gave me this one for Christmas and I could never get into it, until I started over in Mexico-then I couldn't put it down. It's written as a long, rambling letter from an elderly pastor to his young son, who he knows he will not live to see grow up. I was amazed at Ms. Robinson's ability to write from the point of view of a 76 year old man in the 1950's midwest. I kept forgetting that it wasn't a real letter. The novel has a slow, rambling feel, but it's beautifully written, and has some great thoughts on religion and spirituality, etc. Two of my favorite quotes:
"Adulthood is a wonderful thing, and brief. You must be sure to enjoy it while it lasts."
How great is that? You always hear that about childhood, but our adult lives are also fleeting-value your life.
"It is one of the best traits of good people that they love where they pity. And this is truer of women than of men. So they get themselves drawn into situations that are harmful to them. I have seen this happen many, many times. I have always had trouble finding a way to caution against it. Since it is, in a word, Christlike."

5. Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Okay, to be honest I'm only about halfway through this one. I brought it because I've never read it and I bought it like two years ago, hoping to cross it off the "Books Someone Should Have Made Me Read In School" list. I figured the lack of TV in Mexico might force me to read it. But, as Erin pointed out, the fact that I reread a book I just read a month ago before this one should tell you something. It's good. But it's so not my genre. And I kind of feel like I know where it's going. I think it's interesting and probably has good things to say about society. It would be good to discuss the symbolism of it in class. But, eh. I am going to try to finish it this weekend. Also, it's about a big group of thirteen year old boys left to their own devices. I can pretty much tell you how that's going to go, and I don't enjoy reading it any more than I like seeing it at work.

Thank you for indulging me, blog readers. Or skimmers, as the case may be for this one. Coming soon, my Mexico trip, with pictures!
G'night.