Please don't ever become a stranger
I. Am. So. Damn. Tired.
(pardon my French)
I am, though. I feel like everything is go, go, go, all the time, and I'm constantly stressed and exhausted, physically, emotionally, spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically...
School is draining. I've finally got my two behavior kids mostly under control, although the pandering I have to do to Special Kid With Special Dad alone is enough to drag a person down. But Johanna is gone now and her replacement is... Well. He's a significant source of stress. On the plus side, his incompetence is bringing Laurie and I closer together. In case you were wondering, complaining is good for the soul, and sometimes is the only thing keeping us afloat.
I did manage to plan the next two weeks at school. Laurie told me that should make me feel good, but I told her it really meant I would have nothing to do when I show up in the morning, during planning time, or after school. But at least I have it done.
I've also got a million things going on in the evenings, one of which is NaNoWriMo. I'm 25,000 words into this year's story, and I tell you what, it's kicking my butt. It's all I can do to keep up with the 1,666 words per day goal. Usually I'm ahead, but this year I'm pretty much exactly on goal. This story might suck (sorry Emily), but at least I will get it written!
Have I mentioned this year's theme? The first year we did romances, last year we did LDS romances, and this year we're doing each other's romances. Since all four of us have zero prospects in real life, we have to write fictional stories for each other. :) Aleah is writing my story, and while I love her, she's not exactly known for finishing NaNoWriMo. I figure I'll be lucky if my story gets 1,000 words (just like real life! (The people I actually like laugh when I say that. The ones I don't like give me a sympathetic look, and then I have to roll my eyes becuase I'm full of Christian charity and goodness)).
The GOOD news:
1) I don't have to go anywhere for Thanksgiving for the first time in thirteen years. I'm so happy I could cry.
2) I forgot to do something on Monday, and when I realized it last night I cried myself to sleep, but I was able to get it all worked out today, meaning I don't have to do the walk of shame. (Can't talk about it until after Christmas, though, at which point I can confess my sin in whole).
3) TAYLOR HAS NEW MUSIC OUT. I bought her album and have listened to it nonstop since Friday. There are a couple of songs I don't like, but I like all the rest of them, and there are a few I LOVE.
4) I discovered that closing my bedroom door at night traps the heat in my room, making it slightly warmer. Score!
5) Chopped all my hair off again. Boys haven't noticed ("What boys?" Eli asked. "I KNOW BOYS" I defensively replied, then listed all four of them); all the women tell me it's cute.
6) Curled my hair today for school. When grownups give you a compliment, it's layered behind overthinking. "Will she think I like her? Will she understand I'm only saying this as a friend? She knows this doesn't make us friends, right? If I say this, will I have to compliment her again? If I compliment her, do I have to talk?" etc etc. Not chilren. My kids loved my hair so much they were practically quivering to tell me when I picked them up in the morning. Children compliments are the best because they're honest and true and full of love and are said exuberantly because "I FEEL THE THING AND NEED YOU TO KNOW NOW." One child compiment is greater than a dozen adult compliments.
7) I cooked on Sunday. Yes, on purpose. Stroganoff is my favorite. (I have a lot of favorites.)
8) Agents of SHIELD - I love Fitz. He's the Peeta Mellark of the Marvel Universe.
9) Ruby invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner and I want to go so bad. Money and distance are not my friends right now.
10) It's Colonial Tax Season in 5th grade! Pain and suffering are part of the class again! (well, more than usual)
I should be in bed already, but I've had another full and busy day and wanted to jot down notes (see: above) before hitting the hay. And before someone says something asinine like "go to bed early tomorrow!" I can't. I have a thing tomorrow evening (thing = watching Justice League with Samwise) and a thing Friday evening (hanging out with my new friend! We get to find out if we really like each other) and a thing Saturday evening (football game in the afternoon and Kjersten's bday that night) and a thing Sunday (Writing party becuase NaNoWriMo) and a thing Monday evening (FHE because that's my calling now) and....and then I can rest. Except that I have to get up early on Wednesday because I told a friend I'd come hang out with her at 8:30 a.m (yes, I hate myself) before....
Before.
So Johanna has had this tradition for a while where she goes to the India Palace buffet the day before Thanksgiving. I've gone with her for years, but haven't the last 2 - 3 years because I've been out of town. Knowing I'd be in town this year, we decided to go together this year. But then she went and got married and moved far away. I'm still going, but with Samwise, and anyone else we can convince to come with us, and I'm going to have to pretend like I'm not missing her. I'm good at pretending, though, so I'll pull it off. I just don't want to have to.
Taylor Swift's new song New Year's Day makes me think of Johanna. "Please don't even become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere." It just has a wistful feel about keeping a relationship. Yes, there will be parties and fun and raucous good times, but I'll be helping you clean up all the messes when it's over. "I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day."
Anyway. Those are my disjoined thoughts. I'm going to bed now.
"Hold on to the memories/they hold on to you." ~~Taylor
(pardon my French)
I am, though. I feel like everything is go, go, go, all the time, and I'm constantly stressed and exhausted, physically, emotionally, spiritually, ecumenically, grammatically...
School is draining. I've finally got my two behavior kids mostly under control, although the pandering I have to do to Special Kid With Special Dad alone is enough to drag a person down. But Johanna is gone now and her replacement is... Well. He's a significant source of stress. On the plus side, his incompetence is bringing Laurie and I closer together. In case you were wondering, complaining is good for the soul, and sometimes is the only thing keeping us afloat.
I did manage to plan the next two weeks at school. Laurie told me that should make me feel good, but I told her it really meant I would have nothing to do when I show up in the morning, during planning time, or after school. But at least I have it done.
I've also got a million things going on in the evenings, one of which is NaNoWriMo. I'm 25,000 words into this year's story, and I tell you what, it's kicking my butt. It's all I can do to keep up with the 1,666 words per day goal. Usually I'm ahead, but this year I'm pretty much exactly on goal. This story might suck (sorry Emily), but at least I will get it written!
Have I mentioned this year's theme? The first year we did romances, last year we did LDS romances, and this year we're doing each other's romances. Since all four of us have zero prospects in real life, we have to write fictional stories for each other. :) Aleah is writing my story, and while I love her, she's not exactly known for finishing NaNoWriMo. I figure I'll be lucky if my story gets 1,000 words (just like real life! (The people I actually like laugh when I say that. The ones I don't like give me a sympathetic look, and then I have to roll my eyes becuase I'm full of Christian charity and goodness)).
The GOOD news:
1) I don't have to go anywhere for Thanksgiving for the first time in thirteen years. I'm so happy I could cry.
2) I forgot to do something on Monday, and when I realized it last night I cried myself to sleep, but I was able to get it all worked out today, meaning I don't have to do the walk of shame. (Can't talk about it until after Christmas, though, at which point I can confess my sin in whole).
3) TAYLOR HAS NEW MUSIC OUT. I bought her album and have listened to it nonstop since Friday. There are a couple of songs I don't like, but I like all the rest of them, and there are a few I LOVE.
4) I discovered that closing my bedroom door at night traps the heat in my room, making it slightly warmer. Score!
5) Chopped all my hair off again. Boys haven't noticed ("What boys?" Eli asked. "I KNOW BOYS" I defensively replied, then listed all four of them); all the women tell me it's cute.
6) Curled my hair today for school. When grownups give you a compliment, it's layered behind overthinking. "Will she think I like her? Will she understand I'm only saying this as a friend? She knows this doesn't make us friends, right? If I say this, will I have to compliment her again? If I compliment her, do I have to talk?" etc etc. Not chilren. My kids loved my hair so much they were practically quivering to tell me when I picked them up in the morning. Children compliments are the best because they're honest and true and full of love and are said exuberantly because "I FEEL THE THING AND NEED YOU TO KNOW NOW." One child compiment is greater than a dozen adult compliments.
7) I cooked on Sunday. Yes, on purpose. Stroganoff is my favorite. (I have a lot of favorites.)
8) Agents of SHIELD - I love Fitz. He's the Peeta Mellark of the Marvel Universe.
9) Ruby invited me over for Thanksgiving dinner and I want to go so bad. Money and distance are not my friends right now.
10) It's Colonial Tax Season in 5th grade! Pain and suffering are part of the class again! (well, more than usual)
I should be in bed already, but I've had another full and busy day and wanted to jot down notes (see: above) before hitting the hay. And before someone says something asinine like "go to bed early tomorrow!" I can't. I have a thing tomorrow evening (thing = watching Justice League with Samwise) and a thing Friday evening (hanging out with my new friend! We get to find out if we really like each other) and a thing Saturday evening (football game in the afternoon and Kjersten's bday that night) and a thing Sunday (Writing party becuase NaNoWriMo) and a thing Monday evening (FHE because that's my calling now) and....and then I can rest. Except that I have to get up early on Wednesday because I told a friend I'd come hang out with her at 8:30 a.m (yes, I hate myself) before....
Before.
So Johanna has had this tradition for a while where she goes to the India Palace buffet the day before Thanksgiving. I've gone with her for years, but haven't the last 2 - 3 years because I've been out of town. Knowing I'd be in town this year, we decided to go together this year. But then she went and got married and moved far away. I'm still going, but with Samwise, and anyone else we can convince to come with us, and I'm going to have to pretend like I'm not missing her. I'm good at pretending, though, so I'll pull it off. I just don't want to have to.
Taylor Swift's new song New Year's Day makes me think of Johanna. "Please don't even become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere." It just has a wistful feel about keeping a relationship. Yes, there will be parties and fun and raucous good times, but I'll be helping you clean up all the messes when it's over. "I'll be cleaning up bottles with you on New Year's Day."
Anyway. Those are my disjoined thoughts. I'm going to bed now.
"Hold on to the memories/they hold on to you." ~~Taylor