(no subject)
Good morning Mr. LJ!
Today is February 2nd, which marks exactly two months and one day since we've moved in to our condo. Things have been going very well. In two months, we've turned the place from an empty and spacious space to a home. We both have a lot of stuff (cue the George Carlin segment about "stuff"), but it's finding its place. I've assembled my music corner which consists of multiple guitars, my keyboard, my 15 watt Crate amp (my first amp ever), my Boss multi-effects pedal, a violin (which I cannot play very well aside from a few stray notes here and there), and my laptop with all the connections I need to record into Garageband. I am beginning the search for an external hard drive because I've had the recording bug lately - especially to create a full-length Christmas CD - and recording onto my laptop hasn't been good for business. I record a lot and it takes up a lot of space over time, and I think it's been slowing my laptop down. The external hard drive is my next "big" purchase for this music corner. I am aiming to spend under $100 for it.
Otherwise, all is working pretty well. Music projects have been getting a bit out of hand, but what is life without some sort of hectic schedule? I force some fun into my schedule, whether it be music, date night, shopping, or some music stuff? I admit that being a part of three bands/music projects may be a bit much (my own project aside), but music is one of my passions. I need to keep it sharp and keen!
I have had some good fun having the full kitchen at my disposal! For Christmas, Catelin bought me a fully stocked spice rack. From there, I've been practicing my culinary skills. I came in with a handful of staples in my repertoire, but as the weeks (and now months!!) go by, I'm pushing myself to try to make new things. I bought a Crock Pot, which is pretty awesome. I've stepped my marinara sauce up a notch by infusing some red wine and balsamic vinegar in it. I've tried my first oven roaster chicken, which has become one of Cate's favorites. Whatever I make, I always try to lean towards the healthier version of it. I've kept my college weight off since college. Even during these two months, I've maintained my same weight watchers goal weight, so I must be doing something right. It's probably the vegetables with every meal, even if it may seem a bit excessive. Beef stew chock full of vegetables? Why not make a vegetable side dish with it?
Work has been going very well. Over the last two years at Lawrenceville and SBHS, I mentally/emotionally kept myself distanced from my peers because I always felt I was not going to be there the following year. This year, I've abandoned this thought. Despite my non-tenure tracked position, I am not worried about next year. I love my co-workers and they keep me sane in this rather isolating profession. I've mentioned before that I'm more comfortable and confident in the classroom than I have ever been. Last week (January 26th) marked the 4 year anniversary of my student-teaching starting date. I miss Pitman! Well, that may not be true. I miss the way I felt there - the self-discovery, the newfound confidence, and the moment when teaching just clicked.
I'm amazed at how far I've come in four years. From time to time, I still look back on the journal I kept during student teaching. I am still considering going back to school to earn a degree in administration and supervision. While I am not excited about more student loans and the plethora of coursework and papers, I would eventually like to climb that ladder and make that difference on a higher scale. More on that later, though.
I wish I had more time and patience to read. I have quite a few books I want to read, but I'm so inundated with reading (novels, plays, essays, assignments, etc) at work that when I have some time off, I just can't bring myself to read. I miss my summertime pleasure reading, even if it is a book that I have to teach come fall. Here is part of my list of books I really want to read asap:
The Wizard Of Oz - Baum
Enduring Love - McEwan
The Last Days of Krypton - Anderson
Life Of Pi - Martel
Lord of the Flies - Golding
127 Hours - Ralston
The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald (before the movie comes out)
The Time Keeper - Albom
Anyway, peace out LJ world and the three of you who still read this.
Today is February 2nd, which marks exactly two months and one day since we've moved in to our condo. Things have been going very well. In two months, we've turned the place from an empty and spacious space to a home. We both have a lot of stuff (cue the George Carlin segment about "stuff"), but it's finding its place. I've assembled my music corner which consists of multiple guitars, my keyboard, my 15 watt Crate amp (my first amp ever), my Boss multi-effects pedal, a violin (which I cannot play very well aside from a few stray notes here and there), and my laptop with all the connections I need to record into Garageband. I am beginning the search for an external hard drive because I've had the recording bug lately - especially to create a full-length Christmas CD - and recording onto my laptop hasn't been good for business. I record a lot and it takes up a lot of space over time, and I think it's been slowing my laptop down. The external hard drive is my next "big" purchase for this music corner. I am aiming to spend under $100 for it.
Otherwise, all is working pretty well. Music projects have been getting a bit out of hand, but what is life without some sort of hectic schedule? I force some fun into my schedule, whether it be music, date night, shopping, or some music stuff? I admit that being a part of three bands/music projects may be a bit much (my own project aside), but music is one of my passions. I need to keep it sharp and keen!
I have had some good fun having the full kitchen at my disposal! For Christmas, Catelin bought me a fully stocked spice rack. From there, I've been practicing my culinary skills. I came in with a handful of staples in my repertoire, but as the weeks (and now months!!) go by, I'm pushing myself to try to make new things. I bought a Crock Pot, which is pretty awesome. I've stepped my marinara sauce up a notch by infusing some red wine and balsamic vinegar in it. I've tried my first oven roaster chicken, which has become one of Cate's favorites. Whatever I make, I always try to lean towards the healthier version of it. I've kept my college weight off since college. Even during these two months, I've maintained my same weight watchers goal weight, so I must be doing something right. It's probably the vegetables with every meal, even if it may seem a bit excessive. Beef stew chock full of vegetables? Why not make a vegetable side dish with it?
Work has been going very well. Over the last two years at Lawrenceville and SBHS, I mentally/emotionally kept myself distanced from my peers because I always felt I was not going to be there the following year. This year, I've abandoned this thought. Despite my non-tenure tracked position, I am not worried about next year. I love my co-workers and they keep me sane in this rather isolating profession. I've mentioned before that I'm more comfortable and confident in the classroom than I have ever been. Last week (January 26th) marked the 4 year anniversary of my student-teaching starting date. I miss Pitman! Well, that may not be true. I miss the way I felt there - the self-discovery, the newfound confidence, and the moment when teaching just clicked.
I'm amazed at how far I've come in four years. From time to time, I still look back on the journal I kept during student teaching. I am still considering going back to school to earn a degree in administration and supervision. While I am not excited about more student loans and the plethora of coursework and papers, I would eventually like to climb that ladder and make that difference on a higher scale. More on that later, though.
I wish I had more time and patience to read. I have quite a few books I want to read, but I'm so inundated with reading (novels, plays, essays, assignments, etc) at work that when I have some time off, I just can't bring myself to read. I miss my summertime pleasure reading, even if it is a book that I have to teach come fall. Here is part of my list of books I really want to read asap:
The Wizard Of Oz - Baum
Enduring Love - McEwan
The Last Days of Krypton - Anderson
Life Of Pi - Martel
Lord of the Flies - Golding
127 Hours - Ralston
The Great Gatsby - Fitzgerald (before the movie comes out)
The Time Keeper - Albom
Anyway, peace out LJ world and the three of you who still read this.