So, I know I haven't posted in, oh, months, but I figure that maybe I can do something different in 2011. I know, I know, how many times have I said that I'd post more, blah blah blah, but what's one more go, eh? To kick things off here in the final hours of 2010, here is a list of all the books I read, just as an fyi. ("BC" indicates the book read for my book club that month) Feel free to comment if you want to know how a certain read was! ;)
January
-Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffenegger (BC)
-Committed, Elizabeth Gilbert
February
-Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon (BC)
March
-The Lacuna, Barbara Kingslover (BC)
April
-Everything I'm Cracked Up To Be, Jen Trynin (BC)
May
-Water for Elephants, Sara Gruen (BC)
-Sarah, Marek Halter
-Riding Lessons, Sara Gruen
-Forrest Gump, Winston Groom
June
- A Very Long Engagement, Sebastien Japrisot (BC)
-Twilight, Stephanie Meyers
-Pearl of China, Anchee Min
-Shanghai Girls, Lisa See
-The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
-Sarah's Key, Tatiana de Rosnay
July
-Revolutionary Road, Richard Yates
-The Postmistress, Sarah Blake
-The Lost Summer of Louise May Alcott, Kelly O'Conner McNees
-Girl in Translation, Jean Kwok
-The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton
-The Scent of Rain and Lightning, Nancy Pickard
-The Help, Kathryn Stockett
August
-Better, Atul Gawande (CA Faculty summer read)
-Farm City, Novella Carpenter (BC)
September
-A Vintage Affair, Isabel Wolff
-The Book Thief, Markus Zusak (BC)
-The Dead Travel Fast, Deanna Raybourn
October
-Wicked, Gregory Magurie
-Day After Night, Anita Diamant
-Romancing Miss Bronte, Juliet Gael
-Loving Frank, Nancy Horan (BC)
-Mistress of Rome, Kate Quinn
November
-The Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd (BC)
-Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
December
-Let the Great World Spin, Colum McCann (BC)
-Cleopatra's Daughter, Michelle Moran
-Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
-Revolution, Jennifer Donnelly
Total for 2010: 38!
ciao
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
A Success Story (or two)
So, along with my cooking theme mentioned a few posts ago, tonight I will write about my two successes so far this week. I don't know if I've talked about my renewed interest in cooking; last year, I really wanted to cook more, but since I lived alone, it just seemed silly and wasteful. Now that The Boyfriend resides with me, however, I have been able to whip up delicious (and not-so-delicious) meals three to four times a week. On Sundays, I sit down and make up a menu for the week; this ensures that I don't overspend at the grocery store, since I go in knowing exactly what I need for the week. It's worked out pretty well so far and The Boyfriend and I have not been spending nearly as much as we had feared.
So anyway, the food. I did mention some failed gnocchi a while ago, so yesterday I decided to try again. Aided by a new recipe and a brand-new potato masher, I mashed and kneaded, rolled and snipped, until I got soft, pillow-like dumplings that actually tasted pretty good. I think I'll add more salt next time, and mash a bit more, since there were still some chunks of potato in the dough. It was, however, %1,000 better than the last attempt. I served it with vodka sauce (from a jar, unfortunately) and some steamed broccoli.
Today I made white-sauce lasagna. I'd only ever made lasagna once before, a month or so ago, and it came out alright. It was red-sauce, but had a bit too much going on and didn't stay together very well. I'm not a huge fan of red sauce in general, so maybe that's what I wasn't that big of a fan. Anyway, tonight I found a white-sauce recipe that looked good. Frozen spinach, ricotta, alfredo sauce, and portobello mushrooms; what could go wrong there? At first I was a bit concerned, because the recipe said to place the noodles on uncooked, but I decided it was worth one try just to see if it worked. That's what I really like about cooking; you can try it once and have it totally blow up in your face but then go back, figure out what might have gone wrong, and then try it again until you get it right. Endless do-overs! So, I spooned everything into my baking pan, and though the noodles weren't quite long enough, it looked pretty tasty. And let me tell you, what came out of the oven was a hot, gooey, cheesy pile of awesome. It wasn't too cheesy, like some white-sauce lasagnas I'd had, but it wasn't overly spinach-y, something I'd feared. It was, essentially, perfect. Go me.
I think this lasagna success story was especially welcome after an unsettling encounter I had with a Classics professor at BU on Monday, but that's a different story for another time.
If you're interested, the gnocchi recipe is here and the lasagna recipe is here. I didn't add carrots to the lasagna because that just sounds gross to me. Buon appetito!
ciao
So anyway, the food. I did mention some failed gnocchi a while ago, so yesterday I decided to try again. Aided by a new recipe and a brand-new potato masher, I mashed and kneaded, rolled and snipped, until I got soft, pillow-like dumplings that actually tasted pretty good. I think I'll add more salt next time, and mash a bit more, since there were still some chunks of potato in the dough. It was, however, %1,000 better than the last attempt. I served it with vodka sauce (from a jar, unfortunately) and some steamed broccoli.
Today I made white-sauce lasagna. I'd only ever made lasagna once before, a month or so ago, and it came out alright. It was red-sauce, but had a bit too much going on and didn't stay together very well. I'm not a huge fan of red sauce in general, so maybe that's what I wasn't that big of a fan. Anyway, tonight I found a white-sauce recipe that looked good. Frozen spinach, ricotta, alfredo sauce, and portobello mushrooms; what could go wrong there? At first I was a bit concerned, because the recipe said to place the noodles on uncooked, but I decided it was worth one try just to see if it worked. That's what I really like about cooking; you can try it once and have it totally blow up in your face but then go back, figure out what might have gone wrong, and then try it again until you get it right. Endless do-overs! So, I spooned everything into my baking pan, and though the noodles weren't quite long enough, it looked pretty tasty. And let me tell you, what came out of the oven was a hot, gooey, cheesy pile of awesome. It wasn't too cheesy, like some white-sauce lasagnas I'd had, but it wasn't overly spinach-y, something I'd feared. It was, essentially, perfect. Go me.
I think this lasagna success story was especially welcome after an unsettling encounter I had with a Classics professor at BU on Monday, but that's a different story for another time.
If you're interested, the gnocchi recipe is here and the lasagna recipe is here. I didn't add carrots to the lasagna because that just sounds gross to me. Buon appetito!
ciao
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Cooking
I am very seriously thinking about turning this blog into a blog about cooking. My life is so boring; what I cook every night is much more interesting. I hope no one minds when I start singing the praises of tomatoes or goat cheese.
ciao
ciao
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Failed Attempt
So tonight I tried to make gnocchi, one of my favorite Italian pastas. I have a recipe from the Italian women who ran my study abroad program, so I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, the potatoes I bought were too big - I needed boiling potatoes - and they didn't get soft enough when boiled to be mashed properly. This resulted in lumpy, chunky gnocchi, which was not good in the slightest. The tomato sauce that I made to go with it, however, came out perfectly. It's really very easy to make your own tomato sauce, as long as you have fresh tomatoes. You just saute an onion and some garlic in olive oil, then add fresh diced tomatoes and whatever spice you wish (I added fresh rosemary and some dried basil), then set the heat to low and cook it for about two hours, or until it thickens up nicely.
I intend to try gnocchi again - with the correct potatoes this time - soon, but for now I think I'll stick to recipes I know and have done before, at lest during the week. It's frustrating to go through all that effort when you're already tired from work just to have it not work out.
Today was a bit overwhelming for me. After looking at everything I needed for applications yesterday, I went to talk to a mentor about my resume, and whom I should ask for recommendations. Thinking about the whole thing, and trying to keep all the information in my head, just stressed me out incredibly. It's definitely going to be hard to get everything done on top of all my obligations at school. Hopefully this weekend I can get some stuff sorted.
ciao
I intend to try gnocchi again - with the correct potatoes this time - soon, but for now I think I'll stick to recipes I know and have done before, at lest during the week. It's frustrating to go through all that effort when you're already tired from work just to have it not work out.
Today was a bit overwhelming for me. After looking at everything I needed for applications yesterday, I went to talk to a mentor about my resume, and whom I should ask for recommendations. Thinking about the whole thing, and trying to keep all the information in my head, just stressed me out incredibly. It's definitely going to be hard to get everything done on top of all my obligations at school. Hopefully this weekend I can get some stuff sorted.
ciao
Monday, October 18, 2010
Apple Crisp and Applications
Yesterday, due to an excess of soft apples, I decided to try making apple crisp. I'd never done it before, but after looking at the recipe, I thought to myself, "How hard can this be?" That was until I opened my can of oatmeal. I only had steel cut oats; the recipe called for rolled. Well, I'd measured and mixed enough already, so why not just throw those steel cut babies in there and see what happened? The result: a slightly weirder textured apple crisp. At least it tasted delicious.
So, a while back, I talked about re-taking the GRE sometime in the fall. A few days ago, I decided not to. Though my scores aren't awesome, I really believe the strength of the rest of my application can overcome an average standardized test score. So, today I started looking at the M.A.T. programs I'm applying to in an attempt to get everything together so I can start getting that application together. I'd completely forgotten what a hectic/frustrating/complicated/confusing process this is. I only applied to two school in high school and neither was a huge effort. Now, I'll be applying to at least three programs, all of which require transcripts and recommendations which have to be obtained from a different state. *sigh* So many moving parts.
Also, my dad called me this afternoon saying I needed to get MA plates, since I've lived here long enough to count as a resident, and that if I didn't, I'd probably get pulled over. Great.
On a happier note, classes went well today. Gotta love those kids. :)
ciao
So, a while back, I talked about re-taking the GRE sometime in the fall. A few days ago, I decided not to. Though my scores aren't awesome, I really believe the strength of the rest of my application can overcome an average standardized test score. So, today I started looking at the M.A.T. programs I'm applying to in an attempt to get everything together so I can start getting that application together. I'd completely forgotten what a hectic/frustrating/complicated/confusing process this is. I only applied to two school in high school and neither was a huge effort. Now, I'll be applying to at least three programs, all of which require transcripts and recommendations which have to be obtained from a different state. *sigh* So many moving parts.
Also, my dad called me this afternoon saying I needed to get MA plates, since I've lived here long enough to count as a resident, and that if I didn't, I'd probably get pulled over. Great.
On a happier note, classes went well today. Gotta love those kids. :)
ciao
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A Quiet Sunday
Hey all!! I know I've been totally MIA recently, and for that, I apologize. I don't even have to excuse of having nothing to write about; last weekend was Parents' Weekend! It went well, and for those of you who remember my experience last year, that's saying something (a very nasty mother made me cry). My classes went well and the parent-teacher conferences were great too. It was such a relief to be able to speak frankly to parents about their child's progress and know that if things went badly I could handle it now. All the parents of kids who aren't doing well were wonderfully supportive and helpful, ready and willing to join me rather than fight me in helping their child.
I was very surprised when it was all over; it seemed to sudden! We had spent so much time gearing up for it and preparing, then, just like that, it's Saturday afternoon and you can go back to your regularly scheduled programming. I definitely felt that after-event crash, a slight feeling of melancholy that I seem to always get after something big has come and gone. I got over that quickly enough to find that I caught a cold somewhere between parents. Oh well, I'm surprised it took me this long to get sick.
Last night, The Boyfriend and I went out to Sel de la Terre to celebrate our one year anniversary. I don't really think of it as one year; we dated seriously in college then broke up the summer after senior year due to my own emotional confusion. I like to think of it as a one year reunion, a celebration of our decision to commit to each other, to make our relationship work in the real world. It is amazing how different a relationship can be when you're not retrained by a college campus. For us, different has been very good. :)
Oh, and Sel de la Terre is wonderful; go check it out.
I've been cooking a lot lately, and will hopefully post more about that later. Exciting events next weekend include: Wine Riot on Friday night, the symphony Saturday night, and book club meeting on Sunday morning. What an exciting weekend! I'll try to be better about posting more often.
ciao
I was very surprised when it was all over; it seemed to sudden! We had spent so much time gearing up for it and preparing, then, just like that, it's Saturday afternoon and you can go back to your regularly scheduled programming. I definitely felt that after-event crash, a slight feeling of melancholy that I seem to always get after something big has come and gone. I got over that quickly enough to find that I caught a cold somewhere between parents. Oh well, I'm surprised it took me this long to get sick.
Last night, The Boyfriend and I went out to Sel de la Terre to celebrate our one year anniversary. I don't really think of it as one year; we dated seriously in college then broke up the summer after senior year due to my own emotional confusion. I like to think of it as a one year reunion, a celebration of our decision to commit to each other, to make our relationship work in the real world. It is amazing how different a relationship can be when you're not retrained by a college campus. For us, different has been very good. :)
Oh, and Sel de la Terre is wonderful; go check it out.
I've been cooking a lot lately, and will hopefully post more about that later. Exciting events next weekend include: Wine Riot on Friday night, the symphony Saturday night, and book club meeting on Sunday morning. What an exciting weekend! I'll try to be better about posting more often.
ciao
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
A Real Question
Is it totally gross to be sitting on the couch in sweatpants drinking white wine?
...
don't answer that. ;)
ciao
...
don't answer that. ;)
ciao
Friday, October 1, 2010
Sweet October
I made it! A whole month without eating any sweets!! And it's FINALLY over!! This does not mean, of course, that I will revert to my sugar consuming days. I've learned a lot this month, especially that restricting your diet in a healthy manner is the best way to lose weight if that's your goal. I didn't work out once and lost two pounds. However, I also think that cutting something out entirely isn't very good, either, since you'd probably just become a bitter, angry person after a while. I would too, if I couldn't have Funfetti. So, that's that, and while I'm glad I did it, I'm glad it's over. I'll be having a celebratory ice cream with a friend later today, but I'll be sure to keep an eye on the sweets on my plate from now on. :)
ciao
ciao
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
A Quick Note
So, I feel much better this week; I think last week was just a hormonal super charge and everything was awful in every way. It really is hard to accept the fact that as a woman, your body is subject to fluctuations depending on the time of the month and so on. And nothing is worse than standing on that scale when you're already in a terrible mood and seeing that you've gained 4 pounds for no reason other than that of your gender. Lame pants.
But, I have been doing a lot of accepting this week. I've accepted the fact (I think) that I will never really weight what I want to, and that it may not be healthy for me to strive for that goal anyway. I looked up online, as well as in the Perfect Body Diet book, what my "ideal" weight should be, and it turns out that I am already there. I have lost about three pounds since I started this journey*, and it seems that I am not at a weight that is healthy and normal for me. Even though I haven't made my goal of losing 5-8 pounds, I've taught myself how to eat better and how to control my hunger and craving for sweets. I have two fulls days left in the "No Sweets This Month" challenge and while I am looking forward to being able to eat that food group again, I now know that I have the strength and will power to resist it, and have very clearly seen the results of not eating those things: I've hardly worked out at all for the past three weeks and yet I've continued to lost weight, all because I've cut out desserts!
Speaking of working out, I have admitted defeat to the school year business and am formulating a new plan that involves yoga twice a week and then slowly building up to lifting and then maybe to swimming. I don't feel the need to work out every day anymore, and I think if I tried to do that, it would negatively affect m job performance, but I do need some kind of activity on a regular basis. So we'll see how that goes.
So, I think the past 6 or so weeks have been an incredibly learning experience for me, and have really helped me figure out how to be a healthy, active adult. I just hope I can keep it up! I guess now I'll just have to blog about my regular life, but luckily for you, dear readers (if there actually are any of you!), my life has been pretty busy and fun lately, and will continue to be so into the foreseeable future. Be prepared for state fairs! new bars! new friends! and of course, the drama of being a high school teacher! :)
ciao
*In truth, I've actually lost about 6 pounds since May. I was very half assed about the whole thing until August, when I started being serious about eating right and exercising frequently. So, I guess it's not so bad... :)
But, I have been doing a lot of accepting this week. I've accepted the fact (I think) that I will never really weight what I want to, and that it may not be healthy for me to strive for that goal anyway. I looked up online, as well as in the Perfect Body Diet book, what my "ideal" weight should be, and it turns out that I am already there. I have lost about three pounds since I started this journey*, and it seems that I am not at a weight that is healthy and normal for me. Even though I haven't made my goal of losing 5-8 pounds, I've taught myself how to eat better and how to control my hunger and craving for sweets. I have two fulls days left in the "No Sweets This Month" challenge and while I am looking forward to being able to eat that food group again, I now know that I have the strength and will power to resist it, and have very clearly seen the results of not eating those things: I've hardly worked out at all for the past three weeks and yet I've continued to lost weight, all because I've cut out desserts!
Speaking of working out, I have admitted defeat to the school year business and am formulating a new plan that involves yoga twice a week and then slowly building up to lifting and then maybe to swimming. I don't feel the need to work out every day anymore, and I think if I tried to do that, it would negatively affect m job performance, but I do need some kind of activity on a regular basis. So we'll see how that goes.
So, I think the past 6 or so weeks have been an incredibly learning experience for me, and have really helped me figure out how to be a healthy, active adult. I just hope I can keep it up! I guess now I'll just have to blog about my regular life, but luckily for you, dear readers (if there actually are any of you!), my life has been pretty busy and fun lately, and will continue to be so into the foreseeable future. Be prepared for state fairs! new bars! new friends! and of course, the drama of being a high school teacher! :)
ciao
*In truth, I've actually lost about 6 pounds since May. I was very half assed about the whole thing until August, when I started being serious about eating right and exercising frequently. So, I guess it's not so bad... :)
Monday, September 20, 2010
Week Six
Basically nothing to report. Utter failure in getting a consistent workout regimen going and I've slowly been replacing sweets with various other things in excess, mostly just bread. I'm incredibly frustrated with just about everything right now, especially the fickleness of the female body. That being said, I'm hoping for some clarity and motivation in the next few days so I can get myself back in gear, but for right now, I'll just keep the couch down, thank you very much.
ciao
ciao
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week Five
Well, considering that I didn't work out at all this week. I had planned on working out in the afternoon, but honestly, I was just too exhausted when school was over. Looks like it'll have to be 5:45am. I did, however, do a lot of walking, so I guess that counts as some physical activity. This week I'll be starting the work-out week on Wednesday, making Tuesday my day off. My reasoning is that I'm on dorm duty Monday night, which is why I'm up so late now, and getting up at 5:45am after being up till midnight the night before is never fun. I do feel more settled work-wise at school, so I'm excited to re-incorporate the gym into my routine.
As for the second week of no sweets, it hasn't been a problem! Of course, I did have a few sweet drinks this weekend, but I figure those don't really count. I haven't had candy, cake, cookies, even muffins, for two whole weeks now, and I don't feel like I'm really missing out. It feels good to take ownership like this.
It's definitely paying off because...
Stats for Week Five:
yards swam: 0
time spent at gym: 0 min
weight change: -1.6 (YAY!)
ciao
As for the second week of no sweets, it hasn't been a problem! Of course, I did have a few sweet drinks this weekend, but I figure those don't really count. I haven't had candy, cake, cookies, even muffins, for two whole weeks now, and I don't feel like I'm really missing out. It feels good to take ownership like this.
It's definitely paying off because...
Stats for Week Five:
yards swam: 0
time spent at gym: 0 min
weight change: -1.6 (YAY!)
ciao
Awesomeness
I have to say, this weekend was pure magic. After not doing anything super social for a while, I managed to pack it all in this past weekend. Here's the lowdown:
Friday night: I'm not one for big events on Fridays, mostly because I'm so exhausted from the work week. This was true this past Friday, so we kept it low key and went to the 99 bar and restaurant nearby. Our party included The Boyfriend, my neighbor on campus who is one of my best friends here, a couple that she was friends with from her work, and another girl my age whom I met through her mother who works for the school. We were a merry little company, getting a booth and ordering some drinks and mozzarella sticks. As the DD, I only had one very weak frozen strawberry margarita, which is probably a violation of my no-sweets-this-month rule, but I decided one wasn't going to kill me. (The Boyfriend and I have actually talked about what kind of drinks I'm allowed to have since then, so that's all been covered; they are wine, G&Ts, and screwdrivers. They have the least amount of calories) The 99 isn't really anything special, but we had a nice time just chatting and relaxing after the work week.
Saturday: After taking a nice long walk in the morning, I came back home to shower and eat so that The Boyfriend and I could go to the parade celebrating Concord's 375th birthday. I'm not huge on American history (I much prefer the ancient variety) but since moving here I've definitely felt a deeper appreciation for our nation's earlier years. Concord is the oldest continually inhabited English settlement in the country, having been settled in 1635, and played a big part in the Revolution (remember the battle of Lexington and Concord, anyone? Yeah.) So, curious to see the spectacle, The Boyfriend and I found ourselves on the side of the road cheering as men dressed up as Revolutionary militia walked by, complete with muskets and powder horns. It was pretty fun, especially since I love seeing people all dressed up in period clothes, and the bands were all very upbeat and cheerful, too.
That evening, I drove into the city to meet a friend for dinner in Chinatown. My mother had heard from a friend that this place had the best roast duck anywhere, so naturally I had to try. Chau Chow City definitely lived up to my expectations. I'm pretty picky about my Chinese food, and Asian food in general, being Thai and having traveled to China. I have a few places back home that I know are authentic and delicious, so I was hoping to discover something similar here. I am pleased to report that I did. I ordered the duck while my friend ordered the sole with black bean sauce, and both were terrific. I really want to go back with more people so we can try more things, so hopefully that happens soon. For the time being, I'm glad to have gotten a good duck fix.
After dinner, my friend and I headed into downtown to check out this bar called Drink. I had heard about it from a few people, all saying that they basically make you something on the spot based on what you like, so it sounded worthy of a night out. My friend and I were not disappointed! After a brief wait, the hostess showed us to a small space at the shelf since the bar was full then a few minutes later a bartender came up to us and asked us what he could do for us. My friend asked to see a menu and he just slapped his chest and said, "I'm it!" He told us that at Drink, they don't have menus and don't use pre-made mixes. They make all their syrups, bitters, and other mixes in house and create drinks based on recipes dating back to the 1800s. He then proceeded to ask us what we liked ("sweet, bitter, sour, citrus, berry...") and after getting the specifics, whisked off to mix up something magical. He returned with a raspberry gimlet for me and an Aqueduct for my friend. Both were delicious! They tasted so...authentic, with no overpowering sweetness that pre-made mixes usually have. The raspberry flavor was strong but not overly so and there was a nice aftertaste of gin. After a while, we were able to move to the bar and both ordered champagne cocktails. My friend received a French 75 while I got something with champagne, St. Germaine, grapefruit juice and something else. It was loud, so I couldn't hear the fourth ingredient or the name of the drink. (If anyone has any ideas, please post a comment!) Both were as equally delicious as the first drinks, and sitting there at the bar was fascinating since we got to watch the bartenders at work, whipping out several bottles at once to pour and mix and shake. I had a fabulous time, and even though the drinks were fairly expensive (about $11 each), it was worth it for both the atmosphere and the purity of the drinks they made. I can't wait to go back!
Sunday: Another busy day, to be sure. In the morning, I met some friends for brunch at Cafe Luna in Central Square, which was really fun. I had eggs benedict with bacon and was very happy both with the food and with the overall atmosphere of the place. After brunch, we watched the parade for the Cambridge Carnival International, which basically consisted of a bunch of groups dressed up in brightly colored feathers costumes. It was amazing. Lots of loud music, people dancing, and feathers everywhere! I think it was supposed to be a kind of Afro-Caribbean celebration. After the parade, there was a festival near Kendal, so my friends and I walked up and down the stalls, checking out all the food and items for sale. I was very tempted to try the curried goat, but had just spent all my cash on some beautiful jewelry made out of recycled paper by women in Uganda and sold through the Boston-based non profit, Project Have Hope. Check out the site; it's a wonderful cause and the jewelry they make is absolutely gorgeous, and really unique, too.
After the festival, I stopped by the Somerville Prospect Hill block party briefly to say hello to some friends and to climb to the top of the fort there, then headed home to feast on leftover duck. After dinner, I headed once more to Concord, to the public high school, for a fireworks show the conclude the weekend celebration. It was a great show, made better by the fact that I as sitting almost directly in front of the area where they were being launched. I love fireworks, and it was an awesome way to end a fabulous weekend.
ciao
Friday night: I'm not one for big events on Fridays, mostly because I'm so exhausted from the work week. This was true this past Friday, so we kept it low key and went to the 99 bar and restaurant nearby. Our party included The Boyfriend, my neighbor on campus who is one of my best friends here, a couple that she was friends with from her work, and another girl my age whom I met through her mother who works for the school. We were a merry little company, getting a booth and ordering some drinks and mozzarella sticks. As the DD, I only had one very weak frozen strawberry margarita, which is probably a violation of my no-sweets-this-month rule, but I decided one wasn't going to kill me. (The Boyfriend and I have actually talked about what kind of drinks I'm allowed to have since then, so that's all been covered; they are wine, G&Ts, and screwdrivers. They have the least amount of calories) The 99 isn't really anything special, but we had a nice time just chatting and relaxing after the work week.
Saturday: After taking a nice long walk in the morning, I came back home to shower and eat so that The Boyfriend and I could go to the parade celebrating Concord's 375th birthday. I'm not huge on American history (I much prefer the ancient variety) but since moving here I've definitely felt a deeper appreciation for our nation's earlier years. Concord is the oldest continually inhabited English settlement in the country, having been settled in 1635, and played a big part in the Revolution (remember the battle of Lexington and Concord, anyone? Yeah.) So, curious to see the spectacle, The Boyfriend and I found ourselves on the side of the road cheering as men dressed up as Revolutionary militia walked by, complete with muskets and powder horns. It was pretty fun, especially since I love seeing people all dressed up in period clothes, and the bands were all very upbeat and cheerful, too.
That evening, I drove into the city to meet a friend for dinner in Chinatown. My mother had heard from a friend that this place had the best roast duck anywhere, so naturally I had to try. Chau Chow City definitely lived up to my expectations. I'm pretty picky about my Chinese food, and Asian food in general, being Thai and having traveled to China. I have a few places back home that I know are authentic and delicious, so I was hoping to discover something similar here. I am pleased to report that I did. I ordered the duck while my friend ordered the sole with black bean sauce, and both were terrific. I really want to go back with more people so we can try more things, so hopefully that happens soon. For the time being, I'm glad to have gotten a good duck fix.
After dinner, my friend and I headed into downtown to check out this bar called Drink. I had heard about it from a few people, all saying that they basically make you something on the spot based on what you like, so it sounded worthy of a night out. My friend and I were not disappointed! After a brief wait, the hostess showed us to a small space at the shelf since the bar was full then a few minutes later a bartender came up to us and asked us what he could do for us. My friend asked to see a menu and he just slapped his chest and said, "I'm it!" He told us that at Drink, they don't have menus and don't use pre-made mixes. They make all their syrups, bitters, and other mixes in house and create drinks based on recipes dating back to the 1800s. He then proceeded to ask us what we liked ("sweet, bitter, sour, citrus, berry...") and after getting the specifics, whisked off to mix up something magical. He returned with a raspberry gimlet for me and an Aqueduct for my friend. Both were delicious! They tasted so...authentic, with no overpowering sweetness that pre-made mixes usually have. The raspberry flavor was strong but not overly so and there was a nice aftertaste of gin. After a while, we were able to move to the bar and both ordered champagne cocktails. My friend received a French 75 while I got something with champagne, St. Germaine, grapefruit juice and something else. It was loud, so I couldn't hear the fourth ingredient or the name of the drink. (If anyone has any ideas, please post a comment!) Both were as equally delicious as the first drinks, and sitting there at the bar was fascinating since we got to watch the bartenders at work, whipping out several bottles at once to pour and mix and shake. I had a fabulous time, and even though the drinks were fairly expensive (about $11 each), it was worth it for both the atmosphere and the purity of the drinks they made. I can't wait to go back!
Sunday: Another busy day, to be sure. In the morning, I met some friends for brunch at Cafe Luna in Central Square, which was really fun. I had eggs benedict with bacon and was very happy both with the food and with the overall atmosphere of the place. After brunch, we watched the parade for the Cambridge Carnival International, which basically consisted of a bunch of groups dressed up in brightly colored feathers costumes. It was amazing. Lots of loud music, people dancing, and feathers everywhere! I think it was supposed to be a kind of Afro-Caribbean celebration. After the parade, there was a festival near Kendal, so my friends and I walked up and down the stalls, checking out all the food and items for sale. I was very tempted to try the curried goat, but had just spent all my cash on some beautiful jewelry made out of recycled paper by women in Uganda and sold through the Boston-based non profit, Project Have Hope. Check out the site; it's a wonderful cause and the jewelry they make is absolutely gorgeous, and really unique, too.
After the festival, I stopped by the Somerville Prospect Hill block party briefly to say hello to some friends and to climb to the top of the fort there, then headed home to feast on leftover duck. After dinner, I headed once more to Concord, to the public high school, for a fireworks show the conclude the weekend celebration. It was a great show, made better by the fact that I as sitting almost directly in front of the area where they were being launched. I love fireworks, and it was an awesome way to end a fabulous weekend.
ciao
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Kids These Days...
Today, in my Latin 3 class, during an explanation of the Roman Forum, one kid said, "Oh, like the Roman version of Target?" Never did I think I would hear someone compare the Forum Romanum to Target. *sigh*
In my Latin 1 class, one kid had a shirt on with a picture of a glass of water with some water in it. Below the image, it said, "Optimist: the glass is half full; Pessimist: the glass if half empty; Engineer: the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
I think it's going to be a good year.
ciao
In my Latin 1 class, one kid had a shirt on with a picture of a glass of water with some water in it. Below the image, it said, "Optimist: the glass is half full; Pessimist: the glass if half empty; Engineer: the glass is twice as big as it needs to be."
I think it's going to be a good year.
ciao
Monday, September 6, 2010
Week Four
I can't believe it has been four weeks already! I have to say, I'm doing pretty well considering everything that's happening in my life right now. Well, mostly just one thing: school starting. Week Four coincided with the first week of school, which meant that towards the end I didn't go to the gym as often as I should have. Trying to deal with getting back into school mode and getting to the gym the appropriate number of times simply became exhausting. For this week, I've decided to work out when I can (in the afternoon) while I settle into the rhythm of school, then the next week attempt to implement my 5:45 am schedule*.
As far as eating was concerned, I'm pretty pleased with my performance there as well. I've been cooking almost every night for myself and The Boyfriend, with healthier, tastier results than what I would get in the dining hall. I also just really enjoy cooking (and eating!) and am excited to try out some new recipes this week.
The Boyfriend and I also made an agreement: remember when I talked about my sweet tooth and lack of self control? Well, this month, we decided that I would give up sweets completely, cold turkey, with a system of rewards and punishments in place to help keep me on track. For those of you who are questioning my boyfriend's character right now, please be aware that he only wants to help me in my quest; none of this is fueled by derogatory remarks about my body or eating habits from him. He just knows that I can't help myself when it comes to anything with sugar. :) Anyway, if I go the week with no sweets, we get to go to the movies (or something else fun that we don't usually do, like check out a new exhibit at a museum or go to an Italian festival) and if I do succumb to my own longing, I have to run for 30 minutes. Anyone who knows me knows that running and I are like oil and water; we just don't mix. Thus, it is a fitting deterrent. This week I succeeded in abstaining from sugar so we went to see Inception (finally), which I very highly recommend.
Though some people might hate the "cold turkey" attitude, I know that for me, it's the best method. It's too easy for me to go from "one dessert a week" to "Oh, it's just a small piece of cake, no big deal" every day. I've even done something similar to this before. My senior year of college, I gave up alcohol for the entire swim season. I figured, it was my last season, why not do everything in my power to make sure it was the best one? Of course, I ended up busting my shoulder up, but despite that injury, which kept me out of the water until January, I stuck to my goal and made it. I actually cried while I had my first sip of wine in February, since I knew that it meant that my last competitive season was over. Anyway...no sweets until October 1st, and who knows? Maybe I'll carry it beyond September.
Stats for Week Four:
yards swum - 3,000
hours spent lifting - 50 min
weight change - -.4 (yay!!)
ciao
* 5:45am may sound terrible, but I think it might be the only good time for me to get a solid workout in. We'll see how this week goes.
As far as eating was concerned, I'm pretty pleased with my performance there as well. I've been cooking almost every night for myself and The Boyfriend, with healthier, tastier results than what I would get in the dining hall. I also just really enjoy cooking (and eating!) and am excited to try out some new recipes this week.
The Boyfriend and I also made an agreement: remember when I talked about my sweet tooth and lack of self control? Well, this month, we decided that I would give up sweets completely, cold turkey, with a system of rewards and punishments in place to help keep me on track. For those of you who are questioning my boyfriend's character right now, please be aware that he only wants to help me in my quest; none of this is fueled by derogatory remarks about my body or eating habits from him. He just knows that I can't help myself when it comes to anything with sugar. :) Anyway, if I go the week with no sweets, we get to go to the movies (or something else fun that we don't usually do, like check out a new exhibit at a museum or go to an Italian festival) and if I do succumb to my own longing, I have to run for 30 minutes. Anyone who knows me knows that running and I are like oil and water; we just don't mix. Thus, it is a fitting deterrent. This week I succeeded in abstaining from sugar so we went to see Inception (finally), which I very highly recommend.
Though some people might hate the "cold turkey" attitude, I know that for me, it's the best method. It's too easy for me to go from "one dessert a week" to "Oh, it's just a small piece of cake, no big deal" every day. I've even done something similar to this before. My senior year of college, I gave up alcohol for the entire swim season. I figured, it was my last season, why not do everything in my power to make sure it was the best one? Of course, I ended up busting my shoulder up, but despite that injury, which kept me out of the water until January, I stuck to my goal and made it. I actually cried while I had my first sip of wine in February, since I knew that it meant that my last competitive season was over. Anyway...no sweets until October 1st, and who knows? Maybe I'll carry it beyond September.
Stats for Week Four:
yards swum - 3,000
hours spent lifting - 50 min
weight change - -.4 (yay!!)
ciao
* 5:45am may sound terrible, but I think it might be the only good time for me to get a solid workout in. We'll see how this week goes.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Back in Session
Well, the school year is up and running! Thank goodness too; last week was spent mostly in meetings, while I tried to get ready for the year and cope with my grandfather's faltering health*. I never thought it would be so hard to get my brain back into gear after three long months of mental inactivity; I'm pretty sure I had a headache every day last week and the first few days of this week.
Anyway, after two and a half grueling days of meeting with the full faculty, after helping a new crop of freshmen boarder girls get settled, the first day of school arrived. The funny thing about it was that I didn't teach! I happen to have Tuesdays off this year, so I got to witness all the first day hoopla but not participate, which was a bit anti-climactic. Yesterday, however, I had all three of my classes: Latin 1, Latin 3, and Greek 1. All three went smoothly, especially Greek, which I had been fretting about all summer. I think I have a good group of kids in each class, and am really excited to see how it plays out as the semester progresses.
Two anecdotes:
When one of my Latin 1 students from last year saw me, she ran up to me practically screaming my name and went babbling on about how she was really sad that I wasn't teaching her this year in Latin 2 and how she'd be coming to see me soon for help.
One of the girls who lives in my house, who is also one of my Latin 3 students, forgot quite a bit of stuff the first few days, and when her mom came by to drop some of it off, she came to my apartment. I wasn't home at the time, so she caught The Boyfriend instead, thinking that he was a member of the school staff. Tonight she came to drop off yet more stuff for this student and dropped off a huge basket of fresh veggies for us, fresh picked from her own garden. It was incredibly sweet.
ciao
* My grandfather died last Friday. It has been very hard, but thanks to the wonderful support system I have and the distraction of school, I've been doing ok.
Anyway, after two and a half grueling days of meeting with the full faculty, after helping a new crop of freshmen boarder girls get settled, the first day of school arrived. The funny thing about it was that I didn't teach! I happen to have Tuesdays off this year, so I got to witness all the first day hoopla but not participate, which was a bit anti-climactic. Yesterday, however, I had all three of my classes: Latin 1, Latin 3, and Greek 1. All three went smoothly, especially Greek, which I had been fretting about all summer. I think I have a good group of kids in each class, and am really excited to see how it plays out as the semester progresses.
Two anecdotes:
When one of my Latin 1 students from last year saw me, she ran up to me practically screaming my name and went babbling on about how she was really sad that I wasn't teaching her this year in Latin 2 and how she'd be coming to see me soon for help.
One of the girls who lives in my house, who is also one of my Latin 3 students, forgot quite a bit of stuff the first few days, and when her mom came by to drop some of it off, she came to my apartment. I wasn't home at the time, so she caught The Boyfriend instead, thinking that he was a member of the school staff. Tonight she came to drop off yet more stuff for this student and dropped off a huge basket of fresh veggies for us, fresh picked from her own garden. It was incredibly sweet.
ciao
* My grandfather died last Friday. It has been very hard, but thanks to the wonderful support system I have and the distraction of school, I've been doing ok.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Restaurant Day
Twice a year, Boston has this amazing series of weeks called Restaurant Week. Basically, a lot of restaurants all over the Boston area have a set of deals: $20 for a two course lunch and $33 for a three course dinner. For those of you who have experienced fine dining in Boston, you know that it is NOT cheap, so any kinds of deal is nice, and this is an especially good one.
Having missed it last year, I decided to try out a new place and take advantage of the deal. I decided on Lucca, in the Back Bay. The original restaurant is in the North End, but since they weren't participating in R.W., we headed to the new location near the Prudential Center. It was a nice place with a good vibe and friendly staff. I had bruschetta as an appetizer, rigatoni bolognese for my entree, and blueberry rhubarb crumble with ice cream for dessert (thus my +.2 for this week). It was all fantastic! Out of the three, I liked the bruschetta the best; it tasted like there was a bit of cheese in the tomato mixture on top, which I've never tasted before. The Boyfriend had an arugula salad, salmon, and semifreddo. All that was very delicious, as well. The salmon was perfectly cooked, very tender. Our other friends all ordered the veggie pasta for their entree, and that was very tasty, too. A good time was had by all, helped along by the two bottles of white. ;)
I would definitely go back to Lucca, though I would probably only order an entree since I'm on a budget. I'm a sucker for Italian food, so I would love to see what else they have to offer. In the meantime, though, I'll just remember it as a good night out with friends.
ciao
Having missed it last year, I decided to try out a new place and take advantage of the deal. I decided on Lucca, in the Back Bay. The original restaurant is in the North End, but since they weren't participating in R.W., we headed to the new location near the Prudential Center. It was a nice place with a good vibe and friendly staff. I had bruschetta as an appetizer, rigatoni bolognese for my entree, and blueberry rhubarb crumble with ice cream for dessert (thus my +.2 for this week). It was all fantastic! Out of the three, I liked the bruschetta the best; it tasted like there was a bit of cheese in the tomato mixture on top, which I've never tasted before. The Boyfriend had an arugula salad, salmon, and semifreddo. All that was very delicious, as well. The salmon was perfectly cooked, very tender. Our other friends all ordered the veggie pasta for their entree, and that was very tasty, too. A good time was had by all, helped along by the two bottles of white. ;)
I would definitely go back to Lucca, though I would probably only order an entree since I'm on a budget. I'm a sucker for Italian food, so I would love to see what else they have to offer. In the meantime, though, I'll just remember it as a good night out with friends.
ciao
Week Three
Well, Week Three of O:H was not the most successful. I blame it on the life around school picking up: students coming back, faculty meetings, lesson planning. I know that I am making excuses, but after a summer of sitting around not doing much, having to dive right back in to two days straight of meetings was a bit strenuous. I did, however, stay on top of my workout plan; it was just the eating that was the problem. I also discovered, on top of being stressed about school starting, that I have absolutely no self control when it comes to sweets. I already knew that to some degree, and this week proved it. Blueberry rhubarb crumble with ice cream, three berry tart, chocolate chip cookies...at least I'm aware of the problem; now I will just have to be extra conscious around meal times, though when I cook at home, these sweet treats won't be available. Another danger of eating out/not at home.
Goal for week four: avoid sweets! (still)
Stats for week Three:
yards swum - 4,600
hours spent lifting - 2hrs 15 min
weight change - +.2 (boo)
ciao
Goal for week four: avoid sweets! (still)
Stats for week Three:
yards swum - 4,600
hours spent lifting - 2hrs 15 min
weight change - +.2 (boo)
ciao
Monday, August 23, 2010
Week Two
Marginally more successful with Op: H this week. Still a few problems with the eating out, as well as feeling pressured to get something just because the person you're with is getting something (example: super sugary coffee drink from Bloc 11. I love that place, but man I did not need that coffee right before dinner), but otherwise, I feel like I'm doing well.
The Boyfriend and I have been planning out weekly dinner menus both so that we can save money at the grocery store by knowing what we want and so that we can be sure that we're eating healthily. Last week looked something like this: Thai chicken soup with rice, veggie fried rice, veggie lasagna, and black beans and rice. Unfortunately we ended up eating out Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, but I did my best to limit my intake and to make healthy choices.
In the workout arena, I went to the gym as many times as I said I would (pretty impressive, for me) and did basically the whole workout I said I would. I skipped an ab workout, which is stupid since that's the whole point, but I was wearing inappropriate shoes and didn't really have enough room to do the exercises recommended. Weak excuse, but here we are. In both the pool and the weight room I'm feeling stronger and more confident, and am generally enjoying myself. I think I've finally accepted that I'm no longer a competitive athlete, just a girl trying to stay active. And that helps, since if I hadn't, it would be around this time that I would be starting to quit. So, here's to a more successful week three!
Stats for week two:
yards swam - 4,500
hours spent lifting - 2 hrs 15 min
weight change - -.7 (yay!)
I'm even more optimistic because I definitely consumed more sugar than I should have this week, so if I can be more vigilant from now on, then man, who knows what will happen! :)
ciao
The Boyfriend and I have been planning out weekly dinner menus both so that we can save money at the grocery store by knowing what we want and so that we can be sure that we're eating healthily. Last week looked something like this: Thai chicken soup with rice, veggie fried rice, veggie lasagna, and black beans and rice. Unfortunately we ended up eating out Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night, but I did my best to limit my intake and to make healthy choices.
In the workout arena, I went to the gym as many times as I said I would (pretty impressive, for me) and did basically the whole workout I said I would. I skipped an ab workout, which is stupid since that's the whole point, but I was wearing inappropriate shoes and didn't really have enough room to do the exercises recommended. Weak excuse, but here we are. In both the pool and the weight room I'm feeling stronger and more confident, and am generally enjoying myself. I think I've finally accepted that I'm no longer a competitive athlete, just a girl trying to stay active. And that helps, since if I hadn't, it would be around this time that I would be starting to quit. So, here's to a more successful week three!
Stats for week two:
yards swam - 4,500
hours spent lifting - 2 hrs 15 min
weight change - -.7 (yay!)
I'm even more optimistic because I definitely consumed more sugar than I should have this week, so if I can be more vigilant from now on, then man, who knows what will happen! :)
ciao
Happy Anniversary!
Happy one year anniversary to me! I've officially lived here in New England for one year. It's a bit crazy to think about, especially because the weather could not be more different: last year one this day, it was the hottest day of the summer so far, well into the nineties with blazing sun; today, it's about 68 and rainy. Last year, I was a recent college grad, terrified of moving out on her own, of starting a "real" job. Now here I am, one year away from that terror, going into a new school year with a faint but tangible glimmer of confidence. I'm not that much more experienced, but it's better than nothing, and I'm definitely on my way to something more akin to adulthood. I do feel as if I'm moving farther away from my college self; I don't find the same jokes as funny or not, the same songs as good or bad, the same types of people as interesting, tolerable, annoying. So much can change in a few months yet sometimes it's hard to recognize it. I guess I've been trying hard recently to become the adult I really want to be, to lead the life I really want, so it's easier for me to sense where I've changed, and hopefully, matured.
I'm so excited for this school year; I can't wait to improve upon things I wasn't so good at last year and to try out some new ideas. I can't wait to form new relationships and strengthen old ones. It's funny how I see the beginning of the school year as the beginning of a new year, rather than in January, but that's how it's been for me my entire life. So now, at another beginning of another school year, I am excited to start the next year of my life.
ciao
I'm so excited for this school year; I can't wait to improve upon things I wasn't so good at last year and to try out some new ideas. I can't wait to form new relationships and strengthen old ones. It's funny how I see the beginning of the school year as the beginning of a new year, rather than in January, but that's how it's been for me my entire life. So now, at another beginning of another school year, I am excited to start the next year of my life.
ciao
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Nerd Alert!
In case you don't know, I am a huge nerd. That was probably obvious the minute you found out that I'm a Latin teacher, but I'll reiterate just in case. I had a conversation with a friend back in the fall about books we loved. Nerdy enough? I raved over Gone with the Wind, she confessed to only having seen the movie. We got to talking about her mom's book club, and the social venue it provided, and I thought to myself, why not? Why not combine three awesome things: reading, eating out at different places, and hanging out with friends?!
Result: back in January, I started a book club with four other friends. A different person picks a book each month, and we gather for brunch the last weekend to discuss. And we actually do end up talking about the book a fair amount, though of course we do gossip and share stories like anyone would expect of a group of 5 girls. Anyway, tonight we met to talk about Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer. The book itself was very interesting; a young woman and her boyfriend had just moved to a rather unsavory area of Oakland, CA, next to an abandoned lot, so they decided to start a garden there. The garden turned into a mini farm; she had chickens, ducks, turkeys, bees, and eventually, pigs, along with all the vegetables. It was a bit crazy, reading about how she harvested peas then witnessed a drive by shooting. I was impressed an somewhat inspired by her desire to grow most of her own food, but I have come to the conclusion that her way of life was just that, a lifestyle. Being that committed to harvesting your own food requires a level of commitment that I just can't have if I want a full time job, which I do (desperately). I would definitely want to plant an extensive garden if and when I acquire the space, but I feel that when it comes to meat, I don't have the time or energy or funds to invest. I definitely agree that animals should be free-range, hormone free, etc, but I think we live in a world now where it's ok to buy your food from someone else; we don't need to be that connected to our food anymore. So, though I admire this woman's gumption, I have no real desire to become a farmer myself.
Our little group had a good time talking about the book; this month's chooser is all about organic farming and gardening, so it was fun to hear her talk about something she's passionate about. We met at a great place called The Ginger Exchange, in Inman Square. It was a cool, hip sushi place that I would love to go back to, and we had a nice time catching up and talking about aspects of life other than where our food comes from. All in all, a nice evening spent with friends. And what could be better than that?
ciao
Result: back in January, I started a book club with four other friends. A different person picks a book each month, and we gather for brunch the last weekend to discuss. And we actually do end up talking about the book a fair amount, though of course we do gossip and share stories like anyone would expect of a group of 5 girls. Anyway, tonight we met to talk about Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer. The book itself was very interesting; a young woman and her boyfriend had just moved to a rather unsavory area of Oakland, CA, next to an abandoned lot, so they decided to start a garden there. The garden turned into a mini farm; she had chickens, ducks, turkeys, bees, and eventually, pigs, along with all the vegetables. It was a bit crazy, reading about how she harvested peas then witnessed a drive by shooting. I was impressed an somewhat inspired by her desire to grow most of her own food, but I have come to the conclusion that her way of life was just that, a lifestyle. Being that committed to harvesting your own food requires a level of commitment that I just can't have if I want a full time job, which I do (desperately). I would definitely want to plant an extensive garden if and when I acquire the space, but I feel that when it comes to meat, I don't have the time or energy or funds to invest. I definitely agree that animals should be free-range, hormone free, etc, but I think we live in a world now where it's ok to buy your food from someone else; we don't need to be that connected to our food anymore. So, though I admire this woman's gumption, I have no real desire to become a farmer myself.
Our little group had a good time talking about the book; this month's chooser is all about organic farming and gardening, so it was fun to hear her talk about something she's passionate about. We met at a great place called The Ginger Exchange, in Inman Square. It was a cool, hip sushi place that I would love to go back to, and we had a nice time catching up and talking about aspects of life other than where our food comes from. All in all, a nice evening spent with friends. And what could be better than that?
ciao
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Bell in Hand
Yesterday, The Boyfriend and I went into Boston for a fun Friday night and had a very nice time. We decided to check out the Boston Greenfest, which is going on right next to the Government Center T stop all weekend. Since it was barely 4:30pm on a Friday, the many booths and stalls were fairly empty, though the live music was already rocking on. We sampled some veggie samosas, which were delicious, and listened to a reggae band for a bit.
Feeling a bit disappointed in the 'fest, we wandered over to Faneuil Hall to find an ATM. On the way, we noticed a street lined with old looking pubs and taverns, most of them sporting signs claiming a beginning in the 18th or 19th century. Boston is an old city, something that always seems to surprise me, and here was yet another reminder of this city's importance in America's early history. Intrigued by these European looking places, we selected one to sample. The Bell-in-Hand claims to be the oldest tavern in America, established in 1795 by the last-known town crier, Jimmy Wilson. The architecture was interesting; the building sat with two roads on either side, so it had a sort of arrowhead shape. The walls were exposed brick with huge wooden supports. It was a nice place, with friendly waitresses and lots of beers on tap. The menu was extensive, though we were still digesting our samosas, so we ordered burschetta to share. We had a nice time nibbling on the bread and sipping our beers, covertly people watching, and just generally having a nice time. I would love to go back and try some of their other menu items; the House salad looked particularly good.
So, if you're ever in that area, go check out the Bell-in-Hand Tavern and add on to America's long history of drinking beer.
ciao
Feeling a bit disappointed in the 'fest, we wandered over to Faneuil Hall to find an ATM. On the way, we noticed a street lined with old looking pubs and taverns, most of them sporting signs claiming a beginning in the 18th or 19th century. Boston is an old city, something that always seems to surprise me, and here was yet another reminder of this city's importance in America's early history. Intrigued by these European looking places, we selected one to sample. The Bell-in-Hand claims to be the oldest tavern in America, established in 1795 by the last-known town crier, Jimmy Wilson. The architecture was interesting; the building sat with two roads on either side, so it had a sort of arrowhead shape. The walls were exposed brick with huge wooden supports. It was a nice place, with friendly waitresses and lots of beers on tap. The menu was extensive, though we were still digesting our samosas, so we ordered burschetta to share. We had a nice time nibbling on the bread and sipping our beers, covertly people watching, and just generally having a nice time. I would love to go back and try some of their other menu items; the House salad looked particularly good.
So, if you're ever in that area, go check out the Bell-in-Hand Tavern and add on to America's long history of drinking beer.
ciao
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Inspiration
This week has been a source of inspiration to me.
As I've said in previous posts, I'm attempting to study daily for the GRE so I can take it in early September. For those of you who don't know, I'll be starting my second year of a teaching fellowship at a small prep school in the Greater Boston area, and I've decided that I'd like to get an Master in the Arts of Teaching (M.A.T.) so that I can continue in this fabulous line of work.
I have already taken the GRE; two years ago, the summer before my senior year of college. I spent a good amount of time studying, though not enough, and didn't do as well as I should have. I also abhor standardize tests. I do not take them well. I do not think they have any value whatsoever. They are simply a way for one company to make money (and cleverly done, I must say; make everyone think you have to take these stupid tests to be worth something, and oh yeah, you have to pay upwards from $150 to take them. kthanksbai). Anyone who knows me has heard me rail about the injustice of ETS. This week, however I had a revelation thanks to a new coworker and my grandfather.
Earlier this week, I went into Boston to meet with a new colleague over coffee (iced, since it's been sweltering lately). He is a new recipient of the same fellowship I have, so I felt it was my duty to meet with him and answer some questions. He is great and I think he'll have a great time teaching. We talked for an hour and a half about various things; the similarities between math and Latin, teaching methods, school drama. On my way home from that interview, I realized something: I'm not just taking the GRE because I have to. Well, I am, but my attitude about it is one of staunch opposition; I'm only taking it because I have to. Now, though, I suddenly understood that it isn't an obstacle on my way to grad school, it's a step. And since being a teacher is what I want to do, I need to do well on this test, I need to accomplish this task before moving on. I smiled as I drove home that day, filled with a Sense of Purpose I'd never really felt before, knowing that it all fit together and would, eventually, work out alright in the end.
My Sense of Purpose was strengthened by orders of magnitude yesterday when I found out that my grandfather, my mother's father who lives in Bangkok in the same house my mom grew up in, is dying. He had had an accident while we were all at the beach together; he'd tripped over a small step in his hotel room, fallen, and broken his leg. He did not recover well from the resulting surgery and is now basically on life support. My mother is flying back on Saturday to be with him and told me today, "They're basically keeping him alive until we [she and her sister, who lives in Atlanta] can get there."
This was an enormous shock to me and brought up a lot of emotions. I don't know my grandfather very well; the sheer fact that we live on opposite sides of the world made sure of that. I don't speak Thai, he doesn't speak much English. But he has been there throughout my life, a kind, old man who smiles at me and tries to speak to me in English. As much as I wish I could, I can't go with my mother to her father's funeral; none of my family can, because we all have things here that can't be neglected for three weeks. Life must go on.
How is this inspirational? My grandfather was a teacher. He moved to Bangkok from a small farming village in the north of Thailand to teach, and there he met his wife, my grandmother, who was also a teacher. Together they raised a family that happened to include my wonderful mother. Later he became the principle of his school and, by all accounts, was well loved by all who attended. When my mom told my grandfather that I had received this fellowship a year and a half ago, he was ecstatic. When we visited later that summer, he said, pointing to me, "You...teacher." And he smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen.
I cant' go to Thailand to honor my grandfather's life, so I will do what I can from here. I will work hard, do well on a test, and become a teacher.
As I've said in previous posts, I'm attempting to study daily for the GRE so I can take it in early September. For those of you who don't know, I'll be starting my second year of a teaching fellowship at a small prep school in the Greater Boston area, and I've decided that I'd like to get an Master in the Arts of Teaching (M.A.T.) so that I can continue in this fabulous line of work.
I have already taken the GRE; two years ago, the summer before my senior year of college. I spent a good amount of time studying, though not enough, and didn't do as well as I should have. I also abhor standardize tests. I do not take them well. I do not think they have any value whatsoever. They are simply a way for one company to make money (and cleverly done, I must say; make everyone think you have to take these stupid tests to be worth something, and oh yeah, you have to pay upwards from $150 to take them. kthanksbai). Anyone who knows me has heard me rail about the injustice of ETS. This week, however I had a revelation thanks to a new coworker and my grandfather.
Earlier this week, I went into Boston to meet with a new colleague over coffee (iced, since it's been sweltering lately). He is a new recipient of the same fellowship I have, so I felt it was my duty to meet with him and answer some questions. He is great and I think he'll have a great time teaching. We talked for an hour and a half about various things; the similarities between math and Latin, teaching methods, school drama. On my way home from that interview, I realized something: I'm not just taking the GRE because I have to. Well, I am, but my attitude about it is one of staunch opposition; I'm only taking it because I have to. Now, though, I suddenly understood that it isn't an obstacle on my way to grad school, it's a step. And since being a teacher is what I want to do, I need to do well on this test, I need to accomplish this task before moving on. I smiled as I drove home that day, filled with a Sense of Purpose I'd never really felt before, knowing that it all fit together and would, eventually, work out alright in the end.
My Sense of Purpose was strengthened by orders of magnitude yesterday when I found out that my grandfather, my mother's father who lives in Bangkok in the same house my mom grew up in, is dying. He had had an accident while we were all at the beach together; he'd tripped over a small step in his hotel room, fallen, and broken his leg. He did not recover well from the resulting surgery and is now basically on life support. My mother is flying back on Saturday to be with him and told me today, "They're basically keeping him alive until we [she and her sister, who lives in Atlanta] can get there."
This was an enormous shock to me and brought up a lot of emotions. I don't know my grandfather very well; the sheer fact that we live on opposite sides of the world made sure of that. I don't speak Thai, he doesn't speak much English. But he has been there throughout my life, a kind, old man who smiles at me and tries to speak to me in English. As much as I wish I could, I can't go with my mother to her father's funeral; none of my family can, because we all have things here that can't be neglected for three weeks. Life must go on.
How is this inspirational? My grandfather was a teacher. He moved to Bangkok from a small farming village in the north of Thailand to teach, and there he met his wife, my grandmother, who was also a teacher. Together they raised a family that happened to include my wonderful mother. Later he became the principle of his school and, by all accounts, was well loved by all who attended. When my mom told my grandfather that I had received this fellowship a year and a half ago, he was ecstatic. When we visited later that summer, he said, pointing to me, "You...teacher." And he smiled the biggest smile I had ever seen.
I cant' go to Thailand to honor my grandfather's life, so I will do what I can from here. I will work hard, do well on a test, and become a teacher.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Week One
So, this week wasn't exactly stellar in regard to my new get healthy plan. As I mentioned yesterday, The Boyfriend's parents were here visiting, and in addition to doing fun stuff like sailing and museum hopping, we also ate. A lot.
Before I get into the details of my culinary tour with The Parents, I should explain my Eating Philosophy. I very strongly believe that you should eat what you want, when you want, as long as it's in moderation and not *that* bad for you. So, I occasionally have ice cream and cookies, but I know those things will not exactly help me reach my goals, so I try (key word here: try) not to indulge my sweet tooth too much. I'm an advocate of simply controlling how much you put in your mouth (that's what she said. Ok, I did that on purpose). If you eat smaller portions of food that is healthy, you'll eat less and be healthier, right? So, as I explore cooking for myself and The Boyfriend, I try to keep things healthy and try to eat just one serving. I'm not a calorie counter; in fact, I detest it. I personally thing people who do that aren't really aware of *what* they're eating; they're just attaching a number to the problem. I'm also not so desperate to lose weight; I just want to eat healthily and have a healthy, Jessica Alba-esque body. Sure, being aware of the calories helps, but I don't have the time to measure out all my food then figure out how many calories are in each bite. Kinda takes the fun away for me.
And I LOVE eating. As you've probably noticed, it's a bit of a problem. But it's true: it's not just that I didn't stop eating as if I were working out three hours a day, it's also that I love food. All kinds of food! Thai food, Italian food, American food, Mexican food...I love trying new things and new restaurants, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a bunch of different things at the table so everyone can try something new. Luckily, The Boyfriend and his parents are like that too (honestly, I don't think I could date someone who wouldn't be willing to share with me). So, while we were running around Boston, we stopped to refuel at good places. Legal Seafood, Kushboo Indian, 9 Tastes, just to name a few. And we always ordered some type of appetizer to share. My main problem is that choosing something that's healthy when you're out to eat is a lot harder than just cooking something healthy at home. There are so many options! And you don't have to cook it! Plus if you just order a boring salad, everyone looks at you funny and then starts to think you have an eating disorder. So, I do my best to resort to Portion Control, but even that is difficult when you're sharing and appetizer and it's hard to gauge how much you're eaten by then time your entree comes out. Usually, for me, it's too late and after the first few bits of my main dish, I feel the tightness of overeating setting in. Not pleasant. Less pleasant when you're actively trying to get in shape and healthy.
So, we ate a total of seven meals with The Parents. Seven meals out in a week. That's a lot. Not to mention the fact that the days we went into Boston with them were days on which I skipped my workout. Oops. So, needless to say, week one was not a huge success. Good thing that this week is normal and I won't have anyone to blame for any failures but myself...hang on...
weight change: +.7
ciao
p.s. I feel like I should put my weight "change" in because it's the only measurable evidence of my success (or, in this case, failure). As I've said, I'm not huge on losing the weight, just on getting healthy. I could put my waist size up, but that's a bit too mortifying, even for me. ;)
Before I get into the details of my culinary tour with The Parents, I should explain my Eating Philosophy. I very strongly believe that you should eat what you want, when you want, as long as it's in moderation and not *that* bad for you. So, I occasionally have ice cream and cookies, but I know those things will not exactly help me reach my goals, so I try (key word here: try) not to indulge my sweet tooth too much. I'm an advocate of simply controlling how much you put in your mouth (that's what she said. Ok, I did that on purpose). If you eat smaller portions of food that is healthy, you'll eat less and be healthier, right? So, as I explore cooking for myself and The Boyfriend, I try to keep things healthy and try to eat just one serving. I'm not a calorie counter; in fact, I detest it. I personally thing people who do that aren't really aware of *what* they're eating; they're just attaching a number to the problem. I'm also not so desperate to lose weight; I just want to eat healthily and have a healthy, Jessica Alba-esque body. Sure, being aware of the calories helps, but I don't have the time to measure out all my food then figure out how many calories are in each bite. Kinda takes the fun away for me.
And I LOVE eating. As you've probably noticed, it's a bit of a problem. But it's true: it's not just that I didn't stop eating as if I were working out three hours a day, it's also that I love food. All kinds of food! Thai food, Italian food, American food, Mexican food...I love trying new things and new restaurants, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE having a bunch of different things at the table so everyone can try something new. Luckily, The Boyfriend and his parents are like that too (honestly, I don't think I could date someone who wouldn't be willing to share with me). So, while we were running around Boston, we stopped to refuel at good places. Legal Seafood, Kushboo Indian, 9 Tastes, just to name a few. And we always ordered some type of appetizer to share. My main problem is that choosing something that's healthy when you're out to eat is a lot harder than just cooking something healthy at home. There are so many options! And you don't have to cook it! Plus if you just order a boring salad, everyone looks at you funny and then starts to think you have an eating disorder. So, I do my best to resort to Portion Control, but even that is difficult when you're sharing and appetizer and it's hard to gauge how much you're eaten by then time your entree comes out. Usually, for me, it's too late and after the first few bits of my main dish, I feel the tightness of overeating setting in. Not pleasant. Less pleasant when you're actively trying to get in shape and healthy.
So, we ate a total of seven meals with The Parents. Seven meals out in a week. That's a lot. Not to mention the fact that the days we went into Boston with them were days on which I skipped my workout. Oops. So, needless to say, week one was not a huge success. Good thing that this week is normal and I won't have anyone to blame for any failures but myself...hang on...
weight change: +.7
ciao
p.s. I feel like I should put my weight "change" in because it's the only measurable evidence of my success (or, in this case, failure). As I've said, I'm not huge on losing the weight, just on getting healthy. I could put my waist size up, but that's a bit too mortifying, even for me. ;)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
People in Glass Houses...
So, in addition to my quest about getting healthy, this blog is about my doings and whatnot in the greater Boston area. This past week, The Boyfriend's parents came to town, and though this caused some upset in the Operation: Healthy area (more on that tomorrow), we managed to go into Boston a few times and have a nice time.
The two things we did that really stuck out were the two hours cruise aboard a 18th century- styled tall ship and the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
The tall ship cruise was through Boston Harbor Cruises, Liberty Fleet and we managed to get tickets for half off through Groupon, a worthy website offering all kinds of deals particular to your city. The ship was called Schooner Liberty Clipper, and was built in the '80s based on designs from the 1800s. It was enormous!! It had a motor, which was used to get out of the harbor, but from then on we sailed under wind power. Though the day had a pretty light wind, it was still cool to be inching along, knowing that it was 100% green power. It was especially cool because about half an hour out, we saw this big guy:
Apparently the Navy sometimes brings ships to Boston for about 18 months or so for repairs and then relaunches them to wherever those big things go. We just happened to be out on the day of a relaunching. It was amazing to see such an enormous ship, which moved so slowly getting out of the dock but then really picked up steam. Pretty cool!
Though you probably won't see a naval vessel pulling out of the harbor, the Liberty Fleet is still worth checking out. Be sure to go on a nice, sunny day, and bring a sweater, since it gets pretty windy and chilly out on the water.
Here's the ship we were on!
The other thing I would recommend is the Harvard Museum of Natural History. It is exactly how I would imagine a museum run by Harvard to be: small, in an old building, with artifacts and specimens cramming hundreds of shelves. The coolest thing was the exhibit of glass flowers. Basically, this father and son glassblowers teamed up with a Harvard botanist in the 1800s to create thousands of replicas of flora. Not just flowers, but grasses, trees, examples of pollen and reproductive systems blown up a thousand times. At first glance, everything looks so real; just like dried plants in a case. It takes a close look to tell that it's glass, and at that level you can really appreciate the detail in each piece. It was stunning.
This is just one example; head to the museum to see 4,000 others!
I have to say, despite the setback to my Operation, I had a really nice time with The Boyfriend and his parents. Hopefully this coming week can be normal and boring, especially in regard to my eating. ;)
ciao
The two things we did that really stuck out were the two hours cruise aboard a 18th century- styled tall ship and the Harvard Museum of Natural History.
The tall ship cruise was through Boston Harbor Cruises, Liberty Fleet and we managed to get tickets for half off through Groupon, a worthy website offering all kinds of deals particular to your city. The ship was called Schooner Liberty Clipper, and was built in the '80s based on designs from the 1800s. It was enormous!! It had a motor, which was used to get out of the harbor, but from then on we sailed under wind power. Though the day had a pretty light wind, it was still cool to be inching along, knowing that it was 100% green power. It was especially cool because about half an hour out, we saw this big guy:
Apparently the Navy sometimes brings ships to Boston for about 18 months or so for repairs and then relaunches them to wherever those big things go. We just happened to be out on the day of a relaunching. It was amazing to see such an enormous ship, which moved so slowly getting out of the dock but then really picked up steam. Pretty cool!
Though you probably won't see a naval vessel pulling out of the harbor, the Liberty Fleet is still worth checking out. Be sure to go on a nice, sunny day, and bring a sweater, since it gets pretty windy and chilly out on the water.
Here's the ship we were on!
The other thing I would recommend is the Harvard Museum of Natural History. It is exactly how I would imagine a museum run by Harvard to be: small, in an old building, with artifacts and specimens cramming hundreds of shelves. The coolest thing was the exhibit of glass flowers. Basically, this father and son glassblowers teamed up with a Harvard botanist in the 1800s to create thousands of replicas of flora. Not just flowers, but grasses, trees, examples of pollen and reproductive systems blown up a thousand times. At first glance, everything looks so real; just like dried plants in a case. It takes a close look to tell that it's glass, and at that level you can really appreciate the detail in each piece. It was stunning.
This is just one example; head to the museum to see 4,000 others!
I have to say, despite the setback to my Operation, I had a really nice time with The Boyfriend and his parents. Hopefully this coming week can be normal and boring, especially in regard to my eating. ;)
ciao
Friday, August 13, 2010
Operation: Healthy
So, about my brilliant plan to get my life back in order. As someone who is OCD about structure and planning yet unable to motivate herself, I decided to make a schedule for myself to implement when I got back from Thailand. Here's the skinny-
Primary Goals: to lose 5-8 pounds, tone upper body muscle
Secondary Goals: to create a healthy lifestyle by implementing a healthy diet and consistent exercise
Method: follow workout guideline in The Perfect Body Diet; keep a detailed food journal which records how much I eat, at what times I eat it, how I'm feeling, and the workout I did for that day
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a very active person. I swam competitively for 10 years, and will probably never be in that good of shape again. Once my competitive career ended in February 2009, I savored the freedom for a bit. Not having to work out for two hours every day was blissful. When I soon began to get restless, I found the transition to "normal people" workouts surprisingly difficult. My whole life I was used to pushing myself harder and harder, and the temptation to keep pushing myself that way was irresistible; it was all I knew. Being able to work out less was completely foreign to me. So, every time I started working out again, I got frustrated with my "failure" to be able to work out at the same level I had before, and would quickly, and simply, give up. That, coupled with the fact that I never really stopped eating as if I were swimming two hours a day, have led to a lifestyle (and body image) I'm not exactly thrilled with.
Now, I don't like to think of myself as a quitter. I'm more of a starter- I like to start things then just have a small problem seeing them through. Now that I've accepted the fact that I will never truly swim like I did in high school and college again, however, I am determined to develop a healthy, normal lifestyle.
Along with this new zeal for physical health, I've been trying to shape up my mind as well. I plan on taking the GRE in a few weeks, so I've been attempting to get in gear and study for that every day, as well as really accept the fact that school is starting in two weeks and I really need to get some lesson planning done. I think all this, the physical and mental health, goes hand hand, and it's hard for me to have one without the other. So, here's to the last two weeks before school starts, and to seeing if I can get something great started - and stick with it.
ciao
P.S. I in no way have body image issues, think I am seriously overweight, or want to cut back my eating just to achieve a number on a scale. I just want to be consistently healthy, which I don't think I am right now, and if getting a better bod is a result, all the better! :)
Primary Goals: to lose 5-8 pounds, tone upper body muscle
Secondary Goals: to create a healthy lifestyle by implementing a healthy diet and consistent exercise
Method: follow workout guideline in The Perfect Body Diet; keep a detailed food journal which records how much I eat, at what times I eat it, how I'm feeling, and the workout I did for that day
Anyone who knows me well knows that I am a very active person. I swam competitively for 10 years, and will probably never be in that good of shape again. Once my competitive career ended in February 2009, I savored the freedom for a bit. Not having to work out for two hours every day was blissful. When I soon began to get restless, I found the transition to "normal people" workouts surprisingly difficult. My whole life I was used to pushing myself harder and harder, and the temptation to keep pushing myself that way was irresistible; it was all I knew. Being able to work out less was completely foreign to me. So, every time I started working out again, I got frustrated with my "failure" to be able to work out at the same level I had before, and would quickly, and simply, give up. That, coupled with the fact that I never really stopped eating as if I were swimming two hours a day, have led to a lifestyle (and body image) I'm not exactly thrilled with.
Now, I don't like to think of myself as a quitter. I'm more of a starter- I like to start things then just have a small problem seeing them through. Now that I've accepted the fact that I will never truly swim like I did in high school and college again, however, I am determined to develop a healthy, normal lifestyle.
Along with this new zeal for physical health, I've been trying to shape up my mind as well. I plan on taking the GRE in a few weeks, so I've been attempting to get in gear and study for that every day, as well as really accept the fact that school is starting in two weeks and I really need to get some lesson planning done. I think all this, the physical and mental health, goes hand hand, and it's hard for me to have one without the other. So, here's to the last two weeks before school starts, and to seeing if I can get something great started - and stick with it.
ciao
P.S. I in no way have body image issues, think I am seriously overweight, or want to cut back my eating just to achieve a number on a scale. I just want to be consistently healthy, which I don't think I am right now, and if getting a better bod is a result, all the better! :)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Baaa -or- On Being a Sheep
So, I mentioned in my last post that I was trying to put some structure back into my life. This may come as a surprise to those of you who know me, since I am kind of a structure-oriented freak. The truth is, it's a lot easier to keep a good schedule while in school, at least for me, since I was swimming competitively at least two hours every day but Sunday. I had to get my studying done between classes and practice, or right after dinner; I had no other time to do it. So, in high school and college, I was the master of time management. I had specific amounts of free time in which to complete my studies, and since I'm a big nerd, I did. But I also had one other factor of motivation: adults. In school, there are numerous people telling you what to do just about all the time. Your parents, your teachers, your coaches, sometimes even your friends. Some people hate it. Some people, like me, thrive under it. I am at heart the laziest person on earth. And yet my swim coaches from high school say that I was one of the hardest working swimmers they ever had. Why is that? Because I respond really well to other people telling me what to do. In other words, I am a sheep.
In sixth grade, my mother took me to my first swim practice on a club team. I don't remember her asking me if I wanted to swim competitively; she just took me to the high school where the team practiced and dropped me off. I did what she told me to do and walked into that pool room where I would spend most of my high school life. I loved swimming, don't get me wrong, but I never initiated the joining of the team, and the only reason I did so well was because I did what my coaches told me to. I swam faster when they wanted me to swim faster. I changed my stroke if they told me I needed to. I swam events I hated because they said it "would be good for me." (Still waiting to see how that mile was ever good for me, Wolf.) And when I did well, I gobbled up the praise of my coaches like a fat kid with cake.
Ok, let's be honest here. I didn't get moderately good at swimming simply because I'm good at following directions. I fell in love with swimming almost instantly. I poured years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, into swimming and I totally adored it. I will never, ever regret those Saturday mornings or Friday evenings I sacrificed to the pool, the times I couldn't hang out or go to the movies "because I have swim practice." But I honestly believe that I would never have gotten to the level I did without the motivation of my coaches.
So now that I am without a coach to kick my ass into gear, I have fallen behind on...everything, at least in my opinion. I hate wasting time, I hate feeling like I haven't accomplished anything during the day, I hate not being productive. I actually get upset at myself at the end of the day if I don't get certain things done. It's a bit manic, but as someone once told me, "everyone has some kind of crazy." Despite this crazy hatred for not being productive, I seriously can't seem to get anything done unless someone else is telling me to do it. Even this blog post is a procrastination tool for the lesson planning I should be doing for the school year that starts in, oh, 14 days.
14 days! That's just two weeks! Holy shit, where did the summer go?! Even the looming school year, even my job is not a big enough motivator. It's too vague and far off. (Pfft, am I really saying that two weeks is far off?! See how crazy I am? I'm arguing with myself. In my blog.) My vague idea of what I'll do and my confidence in my knowledge is essentially what's keeping me from getting any real preparation done. Without someone to say to me, "Give me your lesson plans for all your classes for the first semester by Monday," I have no reason to get it done in advance. I'll just struggle through day by day and kick myself for not doing it earlier. And I know that now. Isn't that sad?
Wow, this post became way more of an introspection about my habits than a post about my (hopefully) successful new way of life. I guess you, anxious reader, will just have to wait for my next post to read about what I have deemed "Operation: Healthy." (And believe you me, it's a really, really clever name.)
ciao ciao
In sixth grade, my mother took me to my first swim practice on a club team. I don't remember her asking me if I wanted to swim competitively; she just took me to the high school where the team practiced and dropped me off. I did what she told me to do and walked into that pool room where I would spend most of my high school life. I loved swimming, don't get me wrong, but I never initiated the joining of the team, and the only reason I did so well was because I did what my coaches told me to. I swam faster when they wanted me to swim faster. I changed my stroke if they told me I needed to. I swam events I hated because they said it "would be good for me." (Still waiting to see how that mile was ever good for me, Wolf.) And when I did well, I gobbled up the praise of my coaches like a fat kid with cake.
Ok, let's be honest here. I didn't get moderately good at swimming simply because I'm good at following directions. I fell in love with swimming almost instantly. I poured years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, into swimming and I totally adored it. I will never, ever regret those Saturday mornings or Friday evenings I sacrificed to the pool, the times I couldn't hang out or go to the movies "because I have swim practice." But I honestly believe that I would never have gotten to the level I did without the motivation of my coaches.
So now that I am without a coach to kick my ass into gear, I have fallen behind on...everything, at least in my opinion. I hate wasting time, I hate feeling like I haven't accomplished anything during the day, I hate not being productive. I actually get upset at myself at the end of the day if I don't get certain things done. It's a bit manic, but as someone once told me, "everyone has some kind of crazy." Despite this crazy hatred for not being productive, I seriously can't seem to get anything done unless someone else is telling me to do it. Even this blog post is a procrastination tool for the lesson planning I should be doing for the school year that starts in, oh, 14 days.
14 days! That's just two weeks! Holy shit, where did the summer go?! Even the looming school year, even my job is not a big enough motivator. It's too vague and far off. (Pfft, am I really saying that two weeks is far off?! See how crazy I am? I'm arguing with myself. In my blog.) My vague idea of what I'll do and my confidence in my knowledge is essentially what's keeping me from getting any real preparation done. Without someone to say to me, "Give me your lesson plans for all your classes for the first semester by Monday," I have no reason to get it done in advance. I'll just struggle through day by day and kick myself for not doing it earlier. And I know that now. Isn't that sad?
Wow, this post became way more of an introspection about my habits than a post about my (hopefully) successful new way of life. I guess you, anxious reader, will just have to wait for my next post to read about what I have deemed "Operation: Healthy." (And believe you me, it's a really, really clever name.)
ciao ciao
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Redemption
Inspired by my friend over at http://livingpoorbutnotbored.blogspot.com/, I have decided to attempt a return to the land of blogging. I know I've been sadly absent from this lovely little site of mine, but now I am trying for a comeback. So...
This summer has been fantastic. I got to see a good friend get married at the beginning of June, sit around on my ass all day for the rest of June, and visit Thailand and Cambodia with The BF in July. As much as I loved the wedding and the sitting around being a bum, my trip to Southeast Asia was definitely the highlight of the summer.
This trip was very different from the trips I've been making with my mom for the past few years. Since high school, my mother and I have basically been going to visit her family in Bangkok on our own, since my father says he is too old to make the trip so often anymore, and my brother apparently had better things to do. On these lovely mother-daughter trips, I spend most of the time sitting quietly at the table, eating, while my mom chats with her friends in Thai. I don't speak Thai and hardly understand it, so during those three weeks, I speak a maximum of three paragraphs. It's not bad, though, since I use that time to think, and in between meals, write, and read. So, since my dad, brother, and The BF came on this year's trip, it was drastically different from years past.
Our first few days in Bangkok were quiet. We got over jet lag, ate some good meals, did a little sight-seeing. My mom and I took The BF to see the Grand Palace and the Teak Palace, two of my favorite Bangkok landmarks. Then, we went to Cambodia, to see Angkor. The intricate complex of temples was one of the most amazing, magnificent things I have ever seen. As awful as it sounds, I never think of Southeast Asia as having an illustrious history, but here were these huge temples with gorgeous, intricate carvings all over them and they were simply beautiful. We spent three days climbing up into the towers, crawling over the steps, and sweating the entire time. I don't think I've ever been so hot in my life, but it was totally worth it. :)
After Angkor, we went to the northern province of Khon Kaen in Thailand to visit another one of my mom's many friends. We had a good time, eating and socializing, as well as a little sight-seeing. We saw a Bronze Age archaeological site, of particular interest to The BF, attended a Buddhist ceremony (celebrating something like Christian Lent), and drove through some gorgeous mountains for a scenic lunch by a reservoir (with cattle!).
The last week of the trip was spent on the beach in Hua Hin, which was wonderful. We sat by the pool all day and ate amazing, fresh seafood at every meal. The BF and I went to an elephant village where we got to ride one into the mountains a bit, which was fun. We also got to go kayaking out on the ocean, which was really cool, since I've only ever kayaked once before, and that was on a river. The weather was great and the hotel was beautiful! Yay beach!
Now I'm back in Concord and am starting to get ready for the next school year (did I ever mention that I was rehired?!). I am so excited for this coming year, since I'll be able to improve on my mistakes from this past year, as well as try out some new things. I have a pretty rigid schedule for August, including lesson planning, studying for the GRE, and working out every day, so we'll see how that goes. Here's to posting more often!!
ciao ciao
This summer has been fantastic. I got to see a good friend get married at the beginning of June, sit around on my ass all day for the rest of June, and visit Thailand and Cambodia with The BF in July. As much as I loved the wedding and the sitting around being a bum, my trip to Southeast Asia was definitely the highlight of the summer.
This trip was very different from the trips I've been making with my mom for the past few years. Since high school, my mother and I have basically been going to visit her family in Bangkok on our own, since my father says he is too old to make the trip so often anymore, and my brother apparently had better things to do. On these lovely mother-daughter trips, I spend most of the time sitting quietly at the table, eating, while my mom chats with her friends in Thai. I don't speak Thai and hardly understand it, so during those three weeks, I speak a maximum of three paragraphs. It's not bad, though, since I use that time to think, and in between meals, write, and read. So, since my dad, brother, and The BF came on this year's trip, it was drastically different from years past.
Our first few days in Bangkok were quiet. We got over jet lag, ate some good meals, did a little sight-seeing. My mom and I took The BF to see the Grand Palace and the Teak Palace, two of my favorite Bangkok landmarks. Then, we went to Cambodia, to see Angkor. The intricate complex of temples was one of the most amazing, magnificent things I have ever seen. As awful as it sounds, I never think of Southeast Asia as having an illustrious history, but here were these huge temples with gorgeous, intricate carvings all over them and they were simply beautiful. We spent three days climbing up into the towers, crawling over the steps, and sweating the entire time. I don't think I've ever been so hot in my life, but it was totally worth it. :)
After Angkor, we went to the northern province of Khon Kaen in Thailand to visit another one of my mom's many friends. We had a good time, eating and socializing, as well as a little sight-seeing. We saw a Bronze Age archaeological site, of particular interest to The BF, attended a Buddhist ceremony (celebrating something like Christian Lent), and drove through some gorgeous mountains for a scenic lunch by a reservoir (with cattle!).
The last week of the trip was spent on the beach in Hua Hin, which was wonderful. We sat by the pool all day and ate amazing, fresh seafood at every meal. The BF and I went to an elephant village where we got to ride one into the mountains a bit, which was fun. We also got to go kayaking out on the ocean, which was really cool, since I've only ever kayaked once before, and that was on a river. The weather was great and the hotel was beautiful! Yay beach!
Now I'm back in Concord and am starting to get ready for the next school year (did I ever mention that I was rehired?!). I am so excited for this coming year, since I'll be able to improve on my mistakes from this past year, as well as try out some new things. I have a pretty rigid schedule for August, including lesson planning, studying for the GRE, and working out every day, so we'll see how that goes. Here's to posting more often!!
ciao ciao
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Gotta love Massachusetts
The other day, I was about to cross the street, using the cross-walk like a good pedestrian. A large SUV slowed and stopped for me, and as I walked out in front of it, waving in thanks to its driver, another large SUV came hurtling out of nowhere, around the one that had stopped. Its driver, on his cell, of course, had decided that it would be a good idea to speed around the stopped SUV, and he narrowly missed hitting me. He didn't even stop, though; he merely swerved a bit then sped on around me, throwing me a nasty glance, as if I'd been the one who had inconvenience him.
Man, I love Massachusetts.
More to come about the end of the year, my recent visit to Ohio, and summer life in general.
Man, I love Massachusetts.
More to come about the end of the year, my recent visit to Ohio, and summer life in general.
Monday, May 31, 2010
BIX: Evening #3
Last night was pretty cool, though to be totally honest, the venue was so hot, I only stayed until 11. The band was totally awesome though; check them out at http://www.myspace.com/babysodaband
There were a few funny moments, mostly an older guy who was creepily hitting on me and another older guy who yanked the shit out of my shoulders. Oh well.
Not sure if I'll go to the dance tonight, but if I do, I'll certainly post an update!
Happy Memorial Day!
<3
There were a few funny moments, mostly an older guy who was creepily hitting on me and another older guy who yanked the shit out of my shoulders. Oh well.
Not sure if I'll go to the dance tonight, but if I do, I'll certainly post an update!
Happy Memorial Day!
<3
Sunday, May 30, 2010
BIX: Evening #2
There was an afternoon dance in Boston Common yesterday, and I have to say that most of the exciting things from yesterday happened then...
* finding parking in downtown Boston when we had no quarters. Always fun.
* listening to music provided by about 12 people all playing ukuleles
* Lindy-Bombing the gazebo
* the parade of zombies that just happened to invade downtown Boston. A bit scary, to be honest
In the actual evening...
* THE BOILERMAKERS!!!!! They are so fantastic, and I think that last night was the best I've heard them play yet.
* various people dressed up for the theme of "Masquerade"
* a hip hop performance to Justin Timberlake's "Carry Out." HOTT.
Two more nights of BIX dancing to go!!
<3
EDIT: * I won a t-shirt in the raffle!! yay!!
* finding parking in downtown Boston when we had no quarters. Always fun.
* listening to music provided by about 12 people all playing ukuleles
* Lindy-Bombing the gazebo
* the parade of zombies that just happened to invade downtown Boston. A bit scary, to be honest
In the actual evening...
* THE BOILERMAKERS!!!!! They are so fantastic, and I think that last night was the best I've heard them play yet.
* various people dressed up for the theme of "Masquerade"
* a hip hop performance to Justin Timberlake's "Carry Out." HOTT.
Two more nights of BIX dancing to go!!
<3
EDIT: * I won a t-shirt in the raffle!! yay!!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
BIX: Evening #1
Some highlights from the first night of BIX: The Boston Independence Exchange -
* a girl dressed in a floor length white gown complete with corset, face make-up, and elaborate hair accessory
* a rocking band called the Fried Bananas
* when the guy with whom I was dancing told me I was buff and asked if I worked out or lifted weights or something.
* when a guy spun me out into the arms of another guy who happened to just be walking by, who then proceeded to dance with me before spinning me back to the guy I was dancing with in the first place.
I love swing.
<3
* a girl dressed in a floor length white gown complete with corset, face make-up, and elaborate hair accessory
* a rocking band called the Fried Bananas
* when the guy with whom I was dancing told me I was buff and asked if I worked out or lifted weights or something.
* when a guy spun me out into the arms of another guy who happened to just be walking by, who then proceeded to dance with me before spinning me back to the guy I was dancing with in the first place.
I love swing.
<3
Friday, May 21, 2010
Unbelievable
Something amazing, crazy, and seemingly impossible is happening:
Today is the last day of classes.
I can't believe it. It feels like I've been here forever, or like I just moved in.
I am so excited about next year.
Today is the last day of classes.
I can't believe it. It feels like I've been here forever, or like I just moved in.
I am so excited about next year.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Displacement: Part Two
So, I spent the rest of the Rome trip trying (and pretty much succeeding) to not think about my apartment-turned-swimming pool. When I got back, however, I was faced with the reality- I had, essentially, nowhere to live.
The school had set up the "nanny apartment" for me while I was gone. Now, let me explain. The nanny apartment is a mid-sized room with a bathroom on the second floor of the apartment part of the Headmaster's house. This is confusing, I know. Basically, the Headmaster has a huge house, but the third floor of it is made up of four apartments for faculty. Under these -real- apartments, but not part of the Headmaster's house, is the nanny room. It's used usually for people coming to stay for a short period of time. I had heard all about this space from others who had stayed there, so when I found out that it was my turn, I decided that I'd stay with Chris in Somerville instead. So, after he picked me up from the airport, Chris and I headed out to Concord, where I saw the ruins of my apartment for the first time. The floor had been completely ripped up, furniture stacked on top of each other piled into corners. I almost wept at the sight, though the good thing was that there was no standing water. Then. So, I grabbed some clothes and we headed back out to Somerville.
I spent the week there, commuting 45 minutes each way. It was strange- I'd been living on campus the whole time, and now I had to get up earlier and spend a significant amount of time in the car before getting to work. I definitely felt more isolated from the community during this time, which I really didn't like, in addition to the fact that half my stuff was still in my place on campus. So, after a week, I decided that I didn't want to commute anymore, so I moved into the nanny room.
I say "moved into" because, by this point, my apartment had about three inches of standing water in it again. It hadn't stopped raining since we had gotten back from spring break, and it didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. So, to prevent all my clothes, etc, from getting moldy, I moved everything perishable into the nanny room. That was definitely tons of fun, since I had to wear big rubber boots the whole time, wading in and out of my place, and that room was barely big enough to hold everything.
By now, I despaired of moving back in before the end of the year. The head of operations kept telling me, "Next week! We'll get you in by next week, I promise," but it kept on raining. I became used to spending every weekend with Chris, getting out of Concord - and the nanny room - whenever I could. Finally, however, the rain stopped. My apartment slowly started to drain, and now all we waited for was for the place to dry out completely before work could start.
And start it did! Last week, the operations crew was able to start putting the new floor in. They raised it an inch or so, just in case, and are going to put a pump in outside my door, just in case. This past Saturday, I moved all my stuff back in. The new floor is beautiful, and I am just so happy to have my place back. There is still a bit of work that will be completed tomorrow, but other than that, I'm back in and snug as a bug in a rug.
I'm just praying that it never rains again.
The school had set up the "nanny apartment" for me while I was gone. Now, let me explain. The nanny apartment is a mid-sized room with a bathroom on the second floor of the apartment part of the Headmaster's house. This is confusing, I know. Basically, the Headmaster has a huge house, but the third floor of it is made up of four apartments for faculty. Under these -real- apartments, but not part of the Headmaster's house, is the nanny room. It's used usually for people coming to stay for a short period of time. I had heard all about this space from others who had stayed there, so when I found out that it was my turn, I decided that I'd stay with Chris in Somerville instead. So, after he picked me up from the airport, Chris and I headed out to Concord, where I saw the ruins of my apartment for the first time. The floor had been completely ripped up, furniture stacked on top of each other piled into corners. I almost wept at the sight, though the good thing was that there was no standing water. Then. So, I grabbed some clothes and we headed back out to Somerville.
I spent the week there, commuting 45 minutes each way. It was strange- I'd been living on campus the whole time, and now I had to get up earlier and spend a significant amount of time in the car before getting to work. I definitely felt more isolated from the community during this time, which I really didn't like, in addition to the fact that half my stuff was still in my place on campus. So, after a week, I decided that I didn't want to commute anymore, so I moved into the nanny room.
I say "moved into" because, by this point, my apartment had about three inches of standing water in it again. It hadn't stopped raining since we had gotten back from spring break, and it didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. So, to prevent all my clothes, etc, from getting moldy, I moved everything perishable into the nanny room. That was definitely tons of fun, since I had to wear big rubber boots the whole time, wading in and out of my place, and that room was barely big enough to hold everything.
By now, I despaired of moving back in before the end of the year. The head of operations kept telling me, "Next week! We'll get you in by next week, I promise," but it kept on raining. I became used to spending every weekend with Chris, getting out of Concord - and the nanny room - whenever I could. Finally, however, the rain stopped. My apartment slowly started to drain, and now all we waited for was for the place to dry out completely before work could start.
And start it did! Last week, the operations crew was able to start putting the new floor in. They raised it an inch or so, just in case, and are going to put a pump in outside my door, just in case. This past Saturday, I moved all my stuff back in. The new floor is beautiful, and I am just so happy to have my place back. There is still a bit of work that will be completed tomorrow, but other than that, I'm back in and snug as a bug in a rug.
I'm just praying that it never rains again.
Displacement: Part One
So, I mentioned in my last post that a lot has happened since we returned from that fairy tale land called Italy. In order to fully understand, however, we have to go back in time a bit...
When I met up with the kids in Rome, they told me that they were so happy to be there, since it was sunny and it had been raining in Boston all the week prior. Chris had mentioned this as well, but at the time, I thought nothing of it. A few days later, however, while Jamie and I were frantically trying to figure out what we were doing the next day, she got a call from our head of Operations at CA. Jamie talked to him for a bit, laughed, then passed me the phone saying, "He needs to talk to you." Feeling a bit of foreboding, I took the phone.
"Hey Ploy, how are you?"
"I'm fine..."
"Hey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news when you're on a trip like this, but I just wanted to let you know that, you know, we've had a lot of heavy rain here in Concord..."
-insert uncomfortable squirm in my belly-
"...about 10 inches in the last weekend alone, so yeah, the river is flooded and I just need to let you know that right now there are about 3 inches of standing water in your place."
-insert my stomach dropping out my butt-
"So, don't worry about it, we've moved all your furniture, and you were so great, cleaning up before you left, and you did everything right, leaving us your keys and telling us where you were gonna be and everything will be fine..."
-insert the beginning of a cold sweat-
"... and we've got the nanny apartment in the headmaster's house all ready for you when you get back, I'll leave the key in your mailbox."
"Uhh, well great, thanks for taking care of that for me..."
"Yeah, don't worry, we've got it under control. We'll call if anything else happens."
Anything else??
I put down the phone, look and Jamie, and figure that all I can do is laugh with her.
When I met up with the kids in Rome, they told me that they were so happy to be there, since it was sunny and it had been raining in Boston all the week prior. Chris had mentioned this as well, but at the time, I thought nothing of it. A few days later, however, while Jamie and I were frantically trying to figure out what we were doing the next day, she got a call from our head of Operations at CA. Jamie talked to him for a bit, laughed, then passed me the phone saying, "He needs to talk to you." Feeling a bit of foreboding, I took the phone.
"Hey Ploy, how are you?"
"I'm fine..."
"Hey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news when you're on a trip like this, but I just wanted to let you know that, you know, we've had a lot of heavy rain here in Concord..."
-insert uncomfortable squirm in my belly-
"...about 10 inches in the last weekend alone, so yeah, the river is flooded and I just need to let you know that right now there are about 3 inches of standing water in your place."
-insert my stomach dropping out my butt-
"So, don't worry about it, we've moved all your furniture, and you were so great, cleaning up before you left, and you did everything right, leaving us your keys and telling us where you were gonna be and everything will be fine..."
-insert the beginning of a cold sweat-
"... and we've got the nanny apartment in the headmaster's house all ready for you when you get back, I'll leave the key in your mailbox."
"Uhh, well great, thanks for taking care of that for me..."
"Yeah, don't worry, we've got it under control. We'll call if anything else happens."
Anything else??
I put down the phone, look and Jamie, and figure that all I can do is laugh with her.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Italia
I know this is a very belated post, but things here have been crazy hectic since I got back (more on that later). For now, here is a general summary of our trip:
Four days spent in Rome, running around, doing everything possible, including: the Forum, Colosseum, The Borghese Gallery, the catacombs, and lots and lots of gelato.
A whirlwind 48 hour tour of Campania including: the Naples Archaeological Museum, Herculaneum, Paestum, and Pompeii. This tour also included a terrible bus driver and an awesome tour guide.
Basically, the trip was a total success. The weather was literally perfect the entire time; high 50s to low 60s and sunny, ever single day. The kids were great; really well behaved, enthusiastic, and interested. And chaperoning was totally fun- I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I guess I didn't think rooming with Jamie would be as fun as it was. It was almost like we were back in high school, giggling over events of the day as we tried to put together tomorrow's agenda, staying up way too late given the amount of walking we had done and the time we had to get up in the morning. And the other chaperon, David, was completely awesome as well, taking a back seat kind of approach, letting Jamie do all the big talking and planning but being a constant, positive presence among the kids.
*I meant to come back to this post and finish it the next day, but alas, life happened*
Anyway, the trip was fantastic and I'm really glad I got to be a part of it. I feel a lot more connected to the upper level Latin students, which is good, and I also feel more connected to CA in general. It's hard to imagine that we were in Italy this time last month!
Four days spent in Rome, running around, doing everything possible, including: the Forum, Colosseum, The Borghese Gallery, the catacombs, and lots and lots of gelato.
A whirlwind 48 hour tour of Campania including: the Naples Archaeological Museum, Herculaneum, Paestum, and Pompeii. This tour also included a terrible bus driver and an awesome tour guide.
Basically, the trip was a total success. The weather was literally perfect the entire time; high 50s to low 60s and sunny, ever single day. The kids were great; really well behaved, enthusiastic, and interested. And chaperoning was totally fun- I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I guess I didn't think rooming with Jamie would be as fun as it was. It was almost like we were back in high school, giggling over events of the day as we tried to put together tomorrow's agenda, staying up way too late given the amount of walking we had done and the time we had to get up in the morning. And the other chaperon, David, was completely awesome as well, taking a back seat kind of approach, letting Jamie do all the big talking and planning but being a constant, positive presence among the kids.
*I meant to come back to this post and finish it the next day, but alas, life happened*
Anyway, the trip was fantastic and I'm really glad I got to be a part of it. I feel a lot more connected to the upper level Latin students, which is good, and I also feel more connected to CA in general. It's hard to imagine that we were in Italy this time last month!
Friday, March 26, 2010
From the Other Side of the Pond
So, regrettably, I am back in the States now. And so much has happened since I got back, I don't even know where to begin.
The rest of my time in London was lovely. I spend a long, long time in the Parthenon room, staring at the Elgin Marbles and just feeling so encompassed by time and space...it was beautiful. I also spent quite a bit of time in the rest of the British museum, mostly looking at the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian stuff. Fantastic. I also: toured the Tower of London (creepy and fascinating), briefly poked my head into the Tate Britain, had a fabulous and expensive afternoon tea (scones with clotted cream and jam = <3), perused antiques at Portobello Market, wandered the National Gallery and ate fantastic Chinese food with my host.
So, the morning of the day I was to fly to Rome, I decided to walk around Hyde Park a bit, since I figured I wouldn't have to head out to the airport till noon. (This reasoning hinging upon my taking the Tube to Victoria Station to get the train to Gatwick) I had a lovely walk; the weather was sunny and beautiful and the flowers and trees were just starting to bloom. I leisurely made my way back to the apartment around 11:30, had a quick lunch, and was out the door at noon. Exactly as planned. Except the Tube between High Street Kensington and Victoria was closed. Which meant that I had to take a bus. Which took forever. Which meant that I didn't get to Victoria until 1:00pm, and then to Gatwick until 1:30, then to the proper terminal until 1:45. For a 2:05 flight. I ran to the ticket counter, desperate, throwing my passport down gasping, "Please tell me I can still get on this flight!!" The attendent took my passport, clicked away on the computer, then looked up at my sadly. "I'm sorry miss, but this flight has just been closed." At which point I burst into tears.
Fast forward a few hours and many tears to my on a bus to Heathrow. Basically, the next flight to Rome wasn't until the next morning at 7:30 and was out of Heathrow, and since I would have to get there so early, I decided it would make the most sense for me to just stay at a hotel near Heathrow. Unfortunately, this ended up costing me close to $500. Live and learn, eh? So, after a fairly depressing night alone in the Holiday Inn, I successfully boarded the flight heading to Rome.
But the fun doesn't stop there, folks! In fact, it only gets more exciting. As I was flying over the Continent, Jamie was taking the kids through the Vatican Museums. And, after lunch, she had somehow managed to book a super exclusive tour of the ancient catacombs under St. Peter's Basilica. And when I spoke to her on the phone from my hotel room the previous night, she said, "We'll be in the Square until 1:30. We have to meet the tour guide at 1:35, but we can wait for you until 1:30." So, that meant that I had to somehow get myself from the airport, through customs, to the hotel, drop off my bag and to St. Peter's Square, before 1:30. My flight, of course, was late taking off, and we landed in Rome at 11. Ok, two hours, I can make it. Getting through customs was a breeze, 11:15, ok, I can make it. Baggage claim, forever! 11:45, shit, I don't know if I can make it! Leonardo Express, 30 minute train to the central train station, leaving at 12:05, crap, there's no way I can make it now... Taxi to hotel, check in at 1:00, St. Peter's is only a half hour walk? OK, I can do it, I can't make it...speed walking to St. Peter's, chanting, I can do it, I can do it...At 1:20, I burst into the Square and look wildly around for Jamie and the kids. I don't see her, but I continue to circle just in case, but after a few minutes, it's obvious they aren't there. Oh God, you didn't get me here on time just to have me miss them, did you?! I made my way slowly towards the Basilica, on the side where the restrooms are, thinking my efforts futile. And then, like a ray of sunshine, I saw David, the other chaperon, and, I kid you not, I jumped into his arms. I made it!
So, I met up with the group in time for the tour, a little sweaty and out of breath, but there. And boy, was it worth it. The ancient necropolis was probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen in Rome. Totally awesome and indicative of the melding of time and religions and people. It was so amazing, so stand there in front of what they think are St. Peter's bones. So yeah, it was worth the run. :)
More about the rest of the trip soon!
The rest of my time in London was lovely. I spend a long, long time in the Parthenon room, staring at the Elgin Marbles and just feeling so encompassed by time and space...it was beautiful. I also spent quite a bit of time in the rest of the British museum, mostly looking at the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian stuff. Fantastic. I also: toured the Tower of London (creepy and fascinating), briefly poked my head into the Tate Britain, had a fabulous and expensive afternoon tea (scones with clotted cream and jam = <3), perused antiques at Portobello Market, wandered the National Gallery and ate fantastic Chinese food with my host.
So, the morning of the day I was to fly to Rome, I decided to walk around Hyde Park a bit, since I figured I wouldn't have to head out to the airport till noon. (This reasoning hinging upon my taking the Tube to Victoria Station to get the train to Gatwick) I had a lovely walk; the weather was sunny and beautiful and the flowers and trees were just starting to bloom. I leisurely made my way back to the apartment around 11:30, had a quick lunch, and was out the door at noon. Exactly as planned. Except the Tube between High Street Kensington and Victoria was closed. Which meant that I had to take a bus. Which took forever. Which meant that I didn't get to Victoria until 1:00pm, and then to Gatwick until 1:30, then to the proper terminal until 1:45. For a 2:05 flight. I ran to the ticket counter, desperate, throwing my passport down gasping, "Please tell me I can still get on this flight!!" The attendent took my passport, clicked away on the computer, then looked up at my sadly. "I'm sorry miss, but this flight has just been closed." At which point I burst into tears.
Fast forward a few hours and many tears to my on a bus to Heathrow. Basically, the next flight to Rome wasn't until the next morning at 7:30 and was out of Heathrow, and since I would have to get there so early, I decided it would make the most sense for me to just stay at a hotel near Heathrow. Unfortunately, this ended up costing me close to $500. Live and learn, eh? So, after a fairly depressing night alone in the Holiday Inn, I successfully boarded the flight heading to Rome.
But the fun doesn't stop there, folks! In fact, it only gets more exciting. As I was flying over the Continent, Jamie was taking the kids through the Vatican Museums. And, after lunch, she had somehow managed to book a super exclusive tour of the ancient catacombs under St. Peter's Basilica. And when I spoke to her on the phone from my hotel room the previous night, she said, "We'll be in the Square until 1:30. We have to meet the tour guide at 1:35, but we can wait for you until 1:30." So, that meant that I had to somehow get myself from the airport, through customs, to the hotel, drop off my bag and to St. Peter's Square, before 1:30. My flight, of course, was late taking off, and we landed in Rome at 11. Ok, two hours, I can make it. Getting through customs was a breeze, 11:15, ok, I can make it. Baggage claim, forever! 11:45, shit, I don't know if I can make it! Leonardo Express, 30 minute train to the central train station, leaving at 12:05, crap, there's no way I can make it now... Taxi to hotel, check in at 1:00, St. Peter's is only a half hour walk? OK, I can do it, I can't make it...speed walking to St. Peter's, chanting, I can do it, I can do it...At 1:20, I burst into the Square and look wildly around for Jamie and the kids. I don't see her, but I continue to circle just in case, but after a few minutes, it's obvious they aren't there. Oh God, you didn't get me here on time just to have me miss them, did you?! I made my way slowly towards the Basilica, on the side where the restrooms are, thinking my efforts futile. And then, like a ray of sunshine, I saw David, the other chaperon, and, I kid you not, I jumped into his arms. I made it!
So, I met up with the group in time for the tour, a little sweaty and out of breath, but there. And boy, was it worth it. The ancient necropolis was probably one of the coolest things I have ever seen in Rome. Totally awesome and indicative of the melding of time and religions and people. It was so amazing, so stand there in front of what they think are St. Peter's bones. So yeah, it was worth the run. :)
More about the rest of the trip soon!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A Quick Report
Hey all, I am alive and well, not that anyone reads this anyway. haha. I'm in Rome for one more night, and since I have to pay for this internet, I am going to update in full when I get home. So, keep an eye for the full story of: how I missed my flight to Rome, how I eventually made it to Rome and met up with the group, and how a week in Italy with high school kids is actually totally awesome, even if you can't drink.
Stay tuned...
Stay tuned...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Mind the Gap
So, a bullet list-
Spring Break, Day 3; England, Day 3; Oxford, Day 3;
-or-
March 9th
*Ashmolean Museum- the museum of art and archaeology in Oxford. It was really great; the theme was Crossing Cultures, Crossing Time, and each floor told how each culture across the world influnced others. Very interesting, with lots of cool stuff to see.
*Botanic Gardens- a nice garden, though admittedly, it would have been nicer in June. I saw Tolkien's favorite tree and some cool cacti in the greenhouses.
*Afternoon Tea with Noon- lovely, lovely, lovely! I had a "classic cream tea" which involved clotted cream, jam, and scones, and was very delicious and truly delightful.
*met up with some Classics students/friends of Noon's for free drinks after a lecture, and ended up spending the rest of the night hanging out with them. Very fun!
Spring Break Day 4; England, Day 4; London, Day 1:
-or-
March 10th
*Had full English Breakfast with Noon (fried egg, sausage, baked beans, bacon, mushroom, tomato, toast and tea)
*Caught bus to London, and, after some difficulty, successful navigated the Tube to my mom's friend's NICE flat in Kensington
*practically passed out before and after dinner (at a lovely Thai place called Monkey and Me)
Spring Break, Day 5; England, Day 5; London, Day 2:
-or-
March 11
*Westminster Abby- gorgeous!!!!!! I was so in love I spend 2 hours walking around, and happened to see two people who work at CA. Small world!!
*Saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment
*London Eye - pretty cool but not worth £17.88
*Globe Theater- awesome, awesome, awesome! Saw more CA people and had a tour of the old Rose theater with them. The Rose was uncovered in 1987 (a bunch of actors slept on the site to convince the government to make it into a historical site)and is the only surviving Elizabeathen theater. After that I had a tour of the Globe, which is actually a reconstruction built only with tools and materials used in that time period. So cool!
*currently at the apartment getting ready to sleep!
So, things in London are going fantastically! I am in completely love with the city already and can't wait to see more tomorrow!
P.S. BRITISH MUSEUM TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Spring Break, Day 3; England, Day 3; Oxford, Day 3;
-or-
March 9th
*Ashmolean Museum- the museum of art and archaeology in Oxford. It was really great; the theme was Crossing Cultures, Crossing Time, and each floor told how each culture across the world influnced others. Very interesting, with lots of cool stuff to see.
*Botanic Gardens- a nice garden, though admittedly, it would have been nicer in June. I saw Tolkien's favorite tree and some cool cacti in the greenhouses.
*Afternoon Tea with Noon- lovely, lovely, lovely! I had a "classic cream tea" which involved clotted cream, jam, and scones, and was very delicious and truly delightful.
*met up with some Classics students/friends of Noon's for free drinks after a lecture, and ended up spending the rest of the night hanging out with them. Very fun!
Spring Break Day 4; England, Day 4; London, Day 1:
-or-
March 10th
*Had full English Breakfast with Noon (fried egg, sausage, baked beans, bacon, mushroom, tomato, toast and tea)
*Caught bus to London, and, after some difficulty, successful navigated the Tube to my mom's friend's NICE flat in Kensington
*practically passed out before and after dinner (at a lovely Thai place called Monkey and Me)
Spring Break, Day 5; England, Day 5; London, Day 2:
-or-
March 11
*Westminster Abby- gorgeous!!!!!! I was so in love I spend 2 hours walking around, and happened to see two people who work at CA. Small world!!
*Saw Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment
*London Eye - pretty cool but not worth £17.88
*Globe Theater- awesome, awesome, awesome! Saw more CA people and had a tour of the old Rose theater with them. The Rose was uncovered in 1987 (a bunch of actors slept on the site to convince the government to make it into a historical site)and is the only surviving Elizabeathen theater. After that I had a tour of the Globe, which is actually a reconstruction built only with tools and materials used in that time period. So cool!
*currently at the apartment getting ready to sleep!
So, things in London are going fantastically! I am in completely love with the city already and can't wait to see more tomorrow!
P.S. BRITISH MUSEUM TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A Day of Wandering and Irishmen
...well only one Irishman. Anyway...
Spring Break, Day 2; England, Day 2; Oxford, Day 2
-or-
March 8th
After sleeping off two pints of cider, I managed to get myself out of bed only to find that there was no hot water. Not a good start to the day, especially for me, who needs a shower in the morning in order to function. Blah. Anyway, after begrudgingly getting dressed, I headed out into town. Noon had left earlier for seminar or tutoring or something, so I was on my own that morning. I wandered down Cowley, almost got hit by a car trying to cross the street (look right first!), and picked up some delicious pizza to munch on while I wandered.
I walked all the way down High Street- as far as I could go before having to cross another street- before turning down some unknown road. I walked and walked, taking in the gorgeous Gothic architecture and running down the batteries on my camera. I saw the place where three Catholic bishops were burned at the stake for defending their faith. I saw a huge round theater with carvings of heads all around it. I wandered into the University Cathedral, and paid 3 quid to walk up to the top of the tower. The view was stunning- I was lucky that it was really sunny out- and I spent quite a while up there taking pictures and enjoying the view.
Travelling alone is definitely really nice. I can just wander in and out of places on my own whim, and stay for however long I want. It is also rather lonely, since I have no one to talk to or express opinions about what I'm seeing. Or someone to make snarky comments too, which I want to do alot, given the pretention of most Oxford students, Noon included. But for the most part, I have been enjoying this time to myself in which I can do whatever I want. It's a nice break from the constant hectic surroundings of school.
Anyway, after the tower, I met with Noon at Christ Church and we walked down by the river for a while before going to get tea. We ended up just getting cake since his favorite tea place isn't open on Monday's, but it was still delicious. After that, we came here (the Classics Center) for internet, then walked back to the graduate common room of Christ Church where I was left. Noon had a dinner to go to and had called a friend to see if he would like to hang out with me that evening while Noon was busy. We both thought that this friend, and Irishman, would be in Oxford by 6, so I waited in the common room for a text that didn't end up coming till 7:30. After many confused texts between Noon and myself, we figured that Paddy would not be in Oxford till later and that I was to meet him at a cafe at 9:30.
Fast forward through a rather boring dinner to 9:30, when I sat in the cafe with a drink and was approached finally by the myseterious Paddy. He bought us a bottle of wine and we started talking, and he was very nice and polite, though about halfway through a sentence, he took my hand which lay unassumingly on the table and started holding it and stroking it. Naturally, this caught my rather off guard, and I did my best to maneuver my hand back to myself. Paddy, however, was not deterred; he put his hand on my arm, or touched my hand that help my wine glass, he even at one point took both my hands in his and kissed them. Now, I am not used to this very forward attention from men I don't know, and, in addition to the wine, I had no idea how to react. I did my best to make it impossible for him to touch me, but he was clever as well. I texted Noon for help, and he hastily told us to come to the common room and hang out with him and his friends. As we walked over to Christ Church, with Paddy's arm tight around my waist, I told him firmly that I had a boyfriend to whom I was very devoted. He didn't seem phased at all, and refused to relinquish his grip on me. When we finally made it to ChCh, I was able to escape him in the midst of other people, and severely chastized Noon for leaving me alone with him. We ended up spending the rest of the evening in the common room with Noon and a few of his friends, all of whom were drunk and quite hilarious. Around midnight, after kebabs and a taxi ride, I collapsed onto the couch and into a deep sleep.
I have a bad feeling that this is not the end of Paddy, since he is in Oxford for the next few days and also lives in London. We'll see what happens next!
The plan for today is to visit a museum or two, see the Botanic Gardens, then get "proper pissed" tonight with Noon and Co, since I am heading into London tomorrow. Should be a lovely time! :)
Spring Break, Day 2; England, Day 2; Oxford, Day 2
-or-
March 8th
After sleeping off two pints of cider, I managed to get myself out of bed only to find that there was no hot water. Not a good start to the day, especially for me, who needs a shower in the morning in order to function. Blah. Anyway, after begrudgingly getting dressed, I headed out into town. Noon had left earlier for seminar or tutoring or something, so I was on my own that morning. I wandered down Cowley, almost got hit by a car trying to cross the street (look right first!), and picked up some delicious pizza to munch on while I wandered.
I walked all the way down High Street- as far as I could go before having to cross another street- before turning down some unknown road. I walked and walked, taking in the gorgeous Gothic architecture and running down the batteries on my camera. I saw the place where three Catholic bishops were burned at the stake for defending their faith. I saw a huge round theater with carvings of heads all around it. I wandered into the University Cathedral, and paid 3 quid to walk up to the top of the tower. The view was stunning- I was lucky that it was really sunny out- and I spent quite a while up there taking pictures and enjoying the view.
Travelling alone is definitely really nice. I can just wander in and out of places on my own whim, and stay for however long I want. It is also rather lonely, since I have no one to talk to or express opinions about what I'm seeing. Or someone to make snarky comments too, which I want to do alot, given the pretention of most Oxford students, Noon included. But for the most part, I have been enjoying this time to myself in which I can do whatever I want. It's a nice break from the constant hectic surroundings of school.
Anyway, after the tower, I met with Noon at Christ Church and we walked down by the river for a while before going to get tea. We ended up just getting cake since his favorite tea place isn't open on Monday's, but it was still delicious. After that, we came here (the Classics Center) for internet, then walked back to the graduate common room of Christ Church where I was left. Noon had a dinner to go to and had called a friend to see if he would like to hang out with me that evening while Noon was busy. We both thought that this friend, and Irishman, would be in Oxford by 6, so I waited in the common room for a text that didn't end up coming till 7:30. After many confused texts between Noon and myself, we figured that Paddy would not be in Oxford till later and that I was to meet him at a cafe at 9:30.
Fast forward through a rather boring dinner to 9:30, when I sat in the cafe with a drink and was approached finally by the myseterious Paddy. He bought us a bottle of wine and we started talking, and he was very nice and polite, though about halfway through a sentence, he took my hand which lay unassumingly on the table and started holding it and stroking it. Naturally, this caught my rather off guard, and I did my best to maneuver my hand back to myself. Paddy, however, was not deterred; he put his hand on my arm, or touched my hand that help my wine glass, he even at one point took both my hands in his and kissed them. Now, I am not used to this very forward attention from men I don't know, and, in addition to the wine, I had no idea how to react. I did my best to make it impossible for him to touch me, but he was clever as well. I texted Noon for help, and he hastily told us to come to the common room and hang out with him and his friends. As we walked over to Christ Church, with Paddy's arm tight around my waist, I told him firmly that I had a boyfriend to whom I was very devoted. He didn't seem phased at all, and refused to relinquish his grip on me. When we finally made it to ChCh, I was able to escape him in the midst of other people, and severely chastized Noon for leaving me alone with him. We ended up spending the rest of the evening in the common room with Noon and a few of his friends, all of whom were drunk and quite hilarious. Around midnight, after kebabs and a taxi ride, I collapsed onto the couch and into a deep sleep.
I have a bad feeling that this is not the end of Paddy, since he is in Oxford for the next few days and also lives in London. We'll see what happens next!
The plan for today is to visit a museum or two, see the Botanic Gardens, then get "proper pissed" tonight with Noon and Co, since I am heading into London tomorrow. Should be a lovely time! :)
And So It Begins...
I now have time to write out a longer account of my adventures thus far...
Since my flight out on Saturday (the 6th) wasn't until 6pm, I spent the morning with Chris, ice skating at Kendall Square, having lunch, finishing laundry. It was really nice out so we had a nice time. I got to the airport way earlier than necessary, as often happens, then uneventfully flew over to Heathrow and nabbed a bus to Oxford.
Spring Break, Day 1; England, Day 1; Oxford, Day 1
-or-
March 7th:
After a 45 minute ride through beautiful country side, I arrived in Oxford around 8:00am. The sun was just coming up and since it was Sunday, no one was around. It was rather strange, walking down a road that was completely empty and silent. But I guess that on a Sunday at 8am, I wouldn't be on the street, either. So I found Noon's house without any trouble and let myself in. He was in Cambridge giving a paper or something, so I just went into his room and collapsed on the bed. I slept for about 4.5 hours- the sleep of the jet lagged.
Noon came home around 3 and found me awake, clean, and already aquainted with his housemate Tom, who was kind enough to make me some delicious instant coffee. We had a glorious reunion full of hugs and swinging around- its hard to believe that I haven't seen him in 3 years! It was really great to finally see him again.
We decided to go and get some food- Chinese at a place called the Rice Box- then we walked up into town. Noon showed me his college, Christ Church, and we had a lovely time walking around, chatting and taking in the place. It is so beautiful it's hard to imagine people actually studying here. It's like something out of a movie or book (we did in fact see the dining hall that is used as the Great Hall in the Harry Potter films). Everything is so...English!
After our walk, we went home to hang out with Tom for a bit before heading out to a Portuguese place for dinner. After dinner, we went back home, picking up two bottles of wine on the way, and prodceeded to drink quite a bit. We then went out to a pub to meet another friend, Barnaby, where we drank some more. I have to say, I am very proud of myself, since I was very jet lagged and haven't had that much to drink in ages. I held it together quite nicely.
Around 1am, we staggered home, and that was my first day in Oxford!
Since my flight out on Saturday (the 6th) wasn't until 6pm, I spent the morning with Chris, ice skating at Kendall Square, having lunch, finishing laundry. It was really nice out so we had a nice time. I got to the airport way earlier than necessary, as often happens, then uneventfully flew over to Heathrow and nabbed a bus to Oxford.
Spring Break, Day 1; England, Day 1; Oxford, Day 1
-or-
March 7th:
After a 45 minute ride through beautiful country side, I arrived in Oxford around 8:00am. The sun was just coming up and since it was Sunday, no one was around. It was rather strange, walking down a road that was completely empty and silent. But I guess that on a Sunday at 8am, I wouldn't be on the street, either. So I found Noon's house without any trouble and let myself in. He was in Cambridge giving a paper or something, so I just went into his room and collapsed on the bed. I slept for about 4.5 hours- the sleep of the jet lagged.
Noon came home around 3 and found me awake, clean, and already aquainted with his housemate Tom, who was kind enough to make me some delicious instant coffee. We had a glorious reunion full of hugs and swinging around- its hard to believe that I haven't seen him in 3 years! It was really great to finally see him again.
We decided to go and get some food- Chinese at a place called the Rice Box- then we walked up into town. Noon showed me his college, Christ Church, and we had a lovely time walking around, chatting and taking in the place. It is so beautiful it's hard to imagine people actually studying here. It's like something out of a movie or book (we did in fact see the dining hall that is used as the Great Hall in the Harry Potter films). Everything is so...English!
After our walk, we went home to hang out with Tom for a bit before heading out to a Portuguese place for dinner. After dinner, we went back home, picking up two bottles of wine on the way, and prodceeded to drink quite a bit. We then went out to a pub to meet another friend, Barnaby, where we drank some more. I have to say, I am very proud of myself, since I was very jet lagged and haven't had that much to drink in ages. I held it together quite nicely.
Around 1am, we staggered home, and that was my first day in Oxford!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Hello From Across the Pond!
Hey all, I made it safely to Oxford after a very uneventful journey. I don't have much time, but I thought I'd just drop a note in to say hello. I have been wandering around Oxford and it is so gorgeous! Hopefully I'll have time for a more detailed post later!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
A Sigh of Relief
So, that meeting I mentioned on Monday?
Peter: "So we'd really like to renew your fellowship for next year, if you are interested."
me: "Yeah! Totally!! Awesome!!"
That's literally what I said. So yeah, I have a job for next year!! Hurrah! I feel a bit guilty because the school when through a major budget cut this year which resulted in not a few "position eliminations" and I mean, why should I, who has only been here (and teaching!) for one year be able to come back over someone who has a lot more history with the school? I know it's different because I'm on a fellowship with a different budget, but still. I am, however, mostly extremely excited about getting to teach another year, getting to continue strengthening my relationships with the kids I have now, getting to stay in the greater Boston area. I'm so happy!! Now all I have to do is hope that Chris gets into BU or Tufts so he'll be around too...
Here's to further employment!! :D
Peter: "So we'd really like to renew your fellowship for next year, if you are interested."
me: "Yeah! Totally!! Awesome!!"
That's literally what I said. So yeah, I have a job for next year!! Hurrah! I feel a bit guilty because the school when through a major budget cut this year which resulted in not a few "position eliminations" and I mean, why should I, who has only been here (and teaching!) for one year be able to come back over someone who has a lot more history with the school? I know it's different because I'm on a fellowship with a different budget, but still. I am, however, mostly extremely excited about getting to teach another year, getting to continue strengthening my relationships with the kids I have now, getting to stay in the greater Boston area. I'm so happy!! Now all I have to do is hope that Chris gets into BU or Tufts so he'll be around too...
Here's to further employment!! :D
Monday, March 1, 2010
eeeeeeee!!!!!!!
From the Dean of Faculty:
Hi, Ploy. I have what I hope will be good news about next year that I'd like to talk about tomorrow. Can we find each other briefly, either before school or during break?
please god may this be him asking me to stay another year!!!!!
:D
Hi, Ploy. I have what I hope will be good news about next year that I'd like to talk about tomorrow. Can we find each other briefly, either before school or during break?
please god may this be him asking me to stay another year!!!!!
:D
Here Comes the Sun...
...not really, but what is coming is way more important: Spring Break! Only 4 more school days till a lovely, long (18 days!) break. And boy, am I making use of those 18 days!!! I'll be in London for the first week, just visiting on my own, then in Rome for the second week, helping to chaperon the school Latin trip. I am SO excited!
I've never been to London before, so I can't wait to explore the city. I'm going on my own, which makes me even more excited, but mostly just nervous. I'm excited to expand my independence, but nervous about managing such a big, vibrant place on my own. I think it should be ok though, since I'll be staying with my friend Noon in Oxford for the first few days, then with a friend of my mom's in central London for the remainder of the trip. I have a general idea of what I want to do (British Museum, duh!!!!), but I'm looking forward to being able to just wander around. eek!!! It should be awesome!
Rome will be, of course, fantastic. I'm excited to be chaperoning- I think it'll be great to see Rome through fresh eyes again, and maybe even discover something new. There are 14 kids going, and two other chaperons, so it should be a good trip. I can't wait to be back in Italy! And this time we're going to Herculaneum, where I've never been before, so that should be really cool. I'm a little worried about the eating situation, though, since Jamie, who is leading the trip, hasn't left much time for eating, or much money. It will definitely be interesting. I'll probably just end up eating a lot of pizza. haha.
I'll try and blog every other day or so, just to let everyone know how the trip is going, but I'm not bringing my computer so I might not have internet access at all in Italy. We'll see though!
Here's to making it through 4 more days of school!!
I've never been to London before, so I can't wait to explore the city. I'm going on my own, which makes me even more excited, but mostly just nervous. I'm excited to expand my independence, but nervous about managing such a big, vibrant place on my own. I think it should be ok though, since I'll be staying with my friend Noon in Oxford for the first few days, then with a friend of my mom's in central London for the remainder of the trip. I have a general idea of what I want to do (British Museum, duh!!!!), but I'm looking forward to being able to just wander around. eek!!! It should be awesome!
Rome will be, of course, fantastic. I'm excited to be chaperoning- I think it'll be great to see Rome through fresh eyes again, and maybe even discover something new. There are 14 kids going, and two other chaperons, so it should be a good trip. I can't wait to be back in Italy! And this time we're going to Herculaneum, where I've never been before, so that should be really cool. I'm a little worried about the eating situation, though, since Jamie, who is leading the trip, hasn't left much time for eating, or much money. It will definitely be interesting. I'll probably just end up eating a lot of pizza. haha.
I'll try and blog every other day or so, just to let everyone know how the trip is going, but I'm not bringing my computer so I might not have internet access at all in Italy. We'll see though!
Here's to making it through 4 more days of school!!
Monday, February 22, 2010
More Musings on Life...
A few days ago I wrote about turning 23. Today I write about adjusting to life out of college in general. It's definitely along the same lines- trying to fit into a new environment, finding my place within it and not losing my sense of self. I think the thing that strikes me most is the different sense of community I have here at CA. In college, my sense of place within the community was secure. I was a swimmer, a very integral member of a team. I had all the bonuses of a team - the almost automatic friends, the sense of a greater purpose, the support system. I was also a member of the Classics Department, and that had it's own bonuses, as well- the feeling of family, the knowledge that your peers were as dorky about the same things as you were, and intellectual stimulation. Those two groups became my families at Oberlin, my communities that defined my experience there. (Swing dancing almost had that sort of significance, but I hated almost everyone involved at the end of senior year, so I don't count it as much. haha) I had friends, I was learning lost of awesome things about the world and myself, and I felt like I truly belonged.
And then I graduated.
It's amazing how quickly things can change! I am no longer a competitive swimmer or a Classics major, two things which defined my character and allowed me to get the job I now have. I no longer have two huge families whom I see every day, who are always checking up on me, who are involved in almost every minute of my life. Now, this isn't exactly a bad thing; it is nice to live alone (GOD, I love living alone!), not to have people ask me where I'm going or what I'm doing all the time, to be able to just have some space to myself. However, I did lose an enormous support system, not just my peers but the mentors I had in my professors, my boss at the library, and my coach, the indomitable Mark Fino. These were people who truly cared about me and my well being, who asked how I was doing and really wanted an answer, who pushed me to be the best I could be. I'm not saying that there aren't people in the CA community who care about me, but there is no one with whom I have such a close relationship yet.
"Yet" is the key word there. I was at Oberlin for four years, and I saw all the people I mentioned above almost every day. For four years. It was almost impossible for us not to form some kind of connection. There are days here where I don't see Jamie, the other Latin teacher, or my other friends in the faculty, and the fact that I may not be here next year, and certainly not for more than two years, almost disallows that kind of connection to form; we just won't have to time.
It's been difficult for me , learning to adjust to living life on my own. Because that's what I'm doing. I'm learning to live without the constant support of adults because, frankly, I am an adult now. Now I'm the one mentoring students, dispensing advice, dealing with conflicts. It's been difficult, knowing that the students look up to me and see me as a person of wisdom, when I still feel the need to run to Kirk's or Mark's office so I can burst into tears about a stressful day. I hope I am learning gracefully, figuring out how to survive without someone asking me every day, "How are you? Everything ok?" because I truly want to be one of those people that kids come to because they know they can count on them. I want to be like Mark Fino or Kirk Ormand, who spent countless hours comforting me, not even needing to say anything while still letting me know that they understood what I was going through.
So, here's to being an adult, figuring out new support systems, and becoming an expert at life.
And then I graduated.
It's amazing how quickly things can change! I am no longer a competitive swimmer or a Classics major, two things which defined my character and allowed me to get the job I now have. I no longer have two huge families whom I see every day, who are always checking up on me, who are involved in almost every minute of my life. Now, this isn't exactly a bad thing; it is nice to live alone (GOD, I love living alone!), not to have people ask me where I'm going or what I'm doing all the time, to be able to just have some space to myself. However, I did lose an enormous support system, not just my peers but the mentors I had in my professors, my boss at the library, and my coach, the indomitable Mark Fino. These were people who truly cared about me and my well being, who asked how I was doing and really wanted an answer, who pushed me to be the best I could be. I'm not saying that there aren't people in the CA community who care about me, but there is no one with whom I have such a close relationship yet.
"Yet" is the key word there. I was at Oberlin for four years, and I saw all the people I mentioned above almost every day. For four years. It was almost impossible for us not to form some kind of connection. There are days here where I don't see Jamie, the other Latin teacher, or my other friends in the faculty, and the fact that I may not be here next year, and certainly not for more than two years, almost disallows that kind of connection to form; we just won't have to time.
It's been difficult for me , learning to adjust to living life on my own. Because that's what I'm doing. I'm learning to live without the constant support of adults because, frankly, I am an adult now. Now I'm the one mentoring students, dispensing advice, dealing with conflicts. It's been difficult, knowing that the students look up to me and see me as a person of wisdom, when I still feel the need to run to Kirk's or Mark's office so I can burst into tears about a stressful day. I hope I am learning gracefully, figuring out how to survive without someone asking me every day, "How are you? Everything ok?" because I truly want to be one of those people that kids come to because they know they can count on them. I want to be like Mark Fino or Kirk Ormand, who spent countless hours comforting me, not even needing to say anything while still letting me know that they understood what I was going through.
So, here's to being an adult, figuring out new support systems, and becoming an expert at life.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
On Getting Old But Still Being Young
I know the title for this post sounds a bit melodramatic, but to be honest, I've been a bit melodramatic lately. Of course, I'm usually always pretty melodramatic, I guess, but this melodrama leans more towards the philosophical what-is-the-purpose-of-my-life kind. Since my last post, I have decided to read applications for an admissions committee, finished a hectic season of assistant coaching skiing, and turned 23. Basically, I was incredibly busy and because of this, became incredibly stressed out, on top of the fact that I was not yet fully recovered from the death of my beloved Westie.
Honestly, I think it was the "turning 23" along with the lack of sunlight that pushed me over the edge into this gloomy, moody attitude. Getting older doesn't seem to be fun for anyone, and on top of everything else that was going on in my life, I became one of those people who feared the seemingly insignificant change of numbers. I freaked out a bit when I turned 22 as well, thinking once that I was actually turning 21 (I maintain that it was because I hadn't had a drop of alcohol in about 5 months, but hey, whatever), and just imagining with horror all the terrible things that would happen to me once I became a "twenty-something." Well, turns out 23 is just as scary. Now I am no longer a young "twenty-something," but a "twenty-something" who is rapidly approaching 25, and for some reason I am convinced that 25 is when everything in your life should be figured out. The rational part of me knows that this is very untrue, but the subconscious part of me things that I should be married with a study job, house and kids by then. Of course this is not going to happen (Chris gets pretty prickly whenever I mention the "M" word) but I feel like I should at least have a steady job! Of course, in times like these, no job is steady. We had a very, very scary faculty meeting two weeks ago about how the budget needed to be contained and how there would be "position eliminations" before spring break. I know that my position is only meant to be a year, but the phrase "position elimination" filled me with dread. I am hoping to stay for another year, but if not, if every school is having as much financial trouble as CA is, will I be able to find another job? So much uncertainty makes me absolutely crazy. Along with the fact that I'm two years closer to 25, and seven years closer to 30, after which NOTHING exciting happens!
That's not true, of course, but thus my melodrama.
I think that turning 23 was so stressful because I've had to act so much older than I am for the past five months. I'm only 8 years older than the youngest students here, 4 than the oldest. That's not a lot of time between them and me. And I feel it, every day. I also feel the gap between myself and my colleagues, most of whom have Masters degrees, families, and at least 5 years of teaching under their belts. It's so hard to bridge that gap sometimes- usually I can hold my own, joking and conversing and getting along, but then someone makes a comment about a song from the 70's, or a movie from the 80's or even a TV show from the early 90's, and I have nothing to say in response, because "oh yeah, you wouldn't remember that" or "were you even alive then?!" With the students, it's a constant battle not to lapse back into the ease and comfort of my college days, when I could say and do anything without too many horrible (or job threatening) consequences. I want these kids to like me, but I want, and need, them to respect me as well, to see me as one of the teachers, not a slightly older version of themselves. Needless to say, this need to straddle two age groups is taxing, and I eventually felt like I was acting all the time, pretending to be someone I'm not, and age that I am not. The week of my birthday I broke down and cried for no apparent reason, crushed beneath the emotional burden of the death of my dog, the demands of my job, and fitting in my own self between the lines.
I'm doing better now, partially because ski season is over and I have much more time to myself now, and partially because I've accepted the fact that I am an adult now, and that I do have to start acting like one. This doesn’t mean, of course, that I can't go out and "act my age" - whatever that means. I'm beginning to understand the importance of balance in my life- I was so used to the college environment, where you could be yourself and still get everything done, but now I'm learning that the professional life and personal life do not and should not mix. Hopefully separating the two becomes easier with time.
p.s. This post was meant to be about my musings on life in general but became a post about how I dealt with turning 23. More to come on the rest of those musings about life.
p.p.s. I do have to say that I did have a very lovely birthday- I had a nice dinner party on Saturday with a bunch of friends and a home-cooked meal, and then on Tuesday, my actual birthday, my friend brought me flowers at work, which was really very sweet. :)
Honestly, I think it was the "turning 23" along with the lack of sunlight that pushed me over the edge into this gloomy, moody attitude. Getting older doesn't seem to be fun for anyone, and on top of everything else that was going on in my life, I became one of those people who feared the seemingly insignificant change of numbers. I freaked out a bit when I turned 22 as well, thinking once that I was actually turning 21 (I maintain that it was because I hadn't had a drop of alcohol in about 5 months, but hey, whatever), and just imagining with horror all the terrible things that would happen to me once I became a "twenty-something." Well, turns out 23 is just as scary. Now I am no longer a young "twenty-something," but a "twenty-something" who is rapidly approaching 25, and for some reason I am convinced that 25 is when everything in your life should be figured out. The rational part of me knows that this is very untrue, but the subconscious part of me things that I should be married with a study job, house and kids by then. Of course this is not going to happen (Chris gets pretty prickly whenever I mention the "M" word) but I feel like I should at least have a steady job! Of course, in times like these, no job is steady. We had a very, very scary faculty meeting two weeks ago about how the budget needed to be contained and how there would be "position eliminations" before spring break. I know that my position is only meant to be a year, but the phrase "position elimination" filled me with dread. I am hoping to stay for another year, but if not, if every school is having as much financial trouble as CA is, will I be able to find another job? So much uncertainty makes me absolutely crazy. Along with the fact that I'm two years closer to 25, and seven years closer to 30, after which NOTHING exciting happens!
That's not true, of course, but thus my melodrama.
I think that turning 23 was so stressful because I've had to act so much older than I am for the past five months. I'm only 8 years older than the youngest students here, 4 than the oldest. That's not a lot of time between them and me. And I feel it, every day. I also feel the gap between myself and my colleagues, most of whom have Masters degrees, families, and at least 5 years of teaching under their belts. It's so hard to bridge that gap sometimes- usually I can hold my own, joking and conversing and getting along, but then someone makes a comment about a song from the 70's, or a movie from the 80's or even a TV show from the early 90's, and I have nothing to say in response, because "oh yeah, you wouldn't remember that" or "were you even alive then?!" With the students, it's a constant battle not to lapse back into the ease and comfort of my college days, when I could say and do anything without too many horrible (or job threatening) consequences. I want these kids to like me, but I want, and need, them to respect me as well, to see me as one of the teachers, not a slightly older version of themselves. Needless to say, this need to straddle two age groups is taxing, and I eventually felt like I was acting all the time, pretending to be someone I'm not, and age that I am not. The week of my birthday I broke down and cried for no apparent reason, crushed beneath the emotional burden of the death of my dog, the demands of my job, and fitting in my own self between the lines.
I'm doing better now, partially because ski season is over and I have much more time to myself now, and partially because I've accepted the fact that I am an adult now, and that I do have to start acting like one. This doesn’t mean, of course, that I can't go out and "act my age" - whatever that means. I'm beginning to understand the importance of balance in my life- I was so used to the college environment, where you could be yourself and still get everything done, but now I'm learning that the professional life and personal life do not and should not mix. Hopefully separating the two becomes easier with time.
p.s. This post was meant to be about my musings on life in general but became a post about how I dealt with turning 23. More to come on the rest of those musings about life.
p.p.s. I do have to say that I did have a very lovely birthday- I had a nice dinner party on Saturday with a bunch of friends and a home-cooked meal, and then on Tuesday, my actual birthday, my friend brought me flowers at work, which was really very sweet. :)
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