Lucky 13

The winter break tends to be a holiday from everything, including the steady stream of TV shows I watch during the fall and spring semesters. While new episodes are on hiatus, here are some of the things, both brand new and old favorites, I'm loving right now in the pop culture world.

1. Once Upon A Time, seasons 1-5A

I. Love. This. Show. (Sue me...NetFlix eases the 'sting' of no new episodes. #firstworldproblems) With a basis in fairy tales, it's a beautiful story with tragedy & true love, hope & loss, and a tremendous cast & crew that seems to share the same passion for the the product that the fans have. A few of my favorites?

Adam Croasdell was a *tortured* (or deceptive...not sure yet!) Papa Hook in the latest episode. Even better than that? He is a lovely, humble person who interacts with his fans ALL THE TIME online. Can't beat that. 

Swoon! ☺️

And to continue with the swooning... 

Look left:

Look right: 

Straight-on now: 

Oh, yes...forgive me as I fangirl in a way that is far too embarrassing for a married mother (and yet, isn't that the glorious fun of escapist storytelling?!)

Yet another reason (of many!) I adore this show: Girl. Power. Leading lady Jennifer Morrison is strong, beautiful, and brilliant, serving as actress, director, and avid reader in her downtime. I want to be her when I grow up.

Okay, yes, fine, she's friends with him...so what if I want her glamorous-from-afar life?😉

2. Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King

Stephen King is my favorite author, and he has been for as long as I can remember. Each new release does nothing but reinforce my devotion. The stories veer from poignant to uncomfortable-to-read. Read it now. Take a sip with one story, or guzzle them all at once. Great company for a cold winter night.

3. Wild Wild Horses

WWH is an amazing band with a stunning new album, Demon Days, and an equally beautiful video compilation for the songs. Listen. Watch. Download. Repeat steps 1 & 2. You're welcome. (And Jennifer Morrison directed the videos; double-bonus.)

http://youtu.be/gwJ_LgYYvpU

4. classics by Steinbeck and Vonnegut

Of Mice and Men. East of Eden. Slaughterhouse-Five. Cat's Cradle. I get paid to read these books and talk about them with people. #winning

5. Two Brothers by Fabio Moon & Gabriel Ba

Daytripper was the first non-series graphic novel I ever read and loved. Even more impressive? It made me think, and feel, and yes, weep. Two Brothers is the most recently-released collaboration from these, well, two brothers. Read it and weep. Again...you're welcome. 

6. iZombie TV series

Based (loosely) on a comic book series, iZombie is an entirely different spin on the current pop culture zombie phenomenon. It's sweet, sexy (no, really), and irreverent while maintaining a sincere depth of heart. Plus, much like OUAT, the actors interact with the fans in a way that adds an additional layer of fun.

Don't tell me you don't want to hang out with them!

Again...swoon...in the nerdiest of nerd-girl fashions.

7. holiday viewings of It's a Wonderful Life and The Wizard of Oz

Okay, honestly, if you need clarification for this one, you're just past the point of understanding. Next!

8. Pinterest

A free website where I can collect recipes, outfit ideas, writing and teaching tips, and maintain a visual record of anything I deem desirable? (BTW: I may have a secret board entitled My Vices that is essentially a pinup wall for men I find very, very attractive. Maybe.) What  better way to mindlessly yet oddly productively pass the time?

9. OwlCrate

Books...delivered to my door...with book-related tchotchkes? My only complaint is that I didn't think of it.

P.S. My favorite read so far is A Madness So Discreet by Mindy McGinnis. Dark, thought-provoking, and pure twisted fun.

 

10. Holiday-Scented Spa Treatments 

I will never turn down a pedicure, a scalp treatment, or a massage. Throw in the seasonal scents of cranberry, apple cinnamon, or peppermint? A true treat yo' self experience.

11. Star Wars Mania

Confession: I've never seen Star Wars. Not a single one. Yet, for the first time, I find myself desperate to see the new film when it opens later this week. From there? I just may spend my Christmas break studying the Force.

12. Christmas Candylane at Hershey Park

I'm the first to admit that south-central Pennsylvania doesn't necessarily offer the most exciting nightlife. However, during the holidays, it does provide family-friendly affordable fun with carnival snacks, roller coasters, and a gorgeous lights display. It's a gem in my rustic corner of the world.

13. Netflix and Ch...inese Delivery ☺️

When temperatures drop and snow covers the roads, there's nothing better than being swept away in a movie or show while curled up with loved ones and a plate of General Tso's chicken. After all, some of the best stories are the ones we write for ourselves. 

I hope you take the time to get lost in some books, songs, shows, and experiences that keep you warm through the long winter months! Enjoy, my sweets.

Those Who Can, Do; Those Who Can't...

Why do I teach? 

Is it for the money? 😂😂😂

Oh, you actually need me to answer that? Yeah, it wouldn't appear so. 

FYI: No one - at any time or place - has ever entered the education field for the money. And if you wish to argue the point, send me to the person you know who HAS done so...I'd like to offer him or her a tissue to wipe the tears.

Is it for the glamour? 

After all, the hours are 7-3 with weekends, holidays, and summers off. Well, here's how I've spent my Saturday since 6am.

Now, I know you want to see one picture, top to bottom, of the whole stunning ensemble, but I just don't think you could handle it, sorry, dears! And isn't my husband one lucky (kind, understanding, possibly-going-blind) fellow?!!? 

To accompany my stylin' threads, I had a double-dose of caffeine...

...and one (embarrassingly small) portion of the plans I need to create and the papers I need to grade: 

So...glamour? Nope, not that either.

Is it for the extra time to myself and with loved ones? 

Brian and Grace took a multi-hour visit to his parents so I could work, so I haven't really seen my family this weekend, which also explains why I have no pictures of them from today.

As for time to myself, my respite from the marathon work session was the occasional 90s dance party in the midst of the steady stream of music pushing me through the papers.

The numbers are correct since I just let the music play continuously. Seriously -- marathon work session with sporadic dance moves which, conveniently, escaped being captured on screen. Imagine that!

Oh, and if you're laughing at my humble/retro/vintage/on-its-last-legs iPod...remember, it's not about the money! 😉

Okay, it's not money, glamour, or free time...so what is it? It's relatively easy to explain why I don't teach; it's not as simple to explain why I do.

Here are a few of the things that occurred while on the job within the past week:

A student from last year stopped to visit and thank me for encouraging him to take AP English this year because he loves the work he's doing.

During a fire drill, a former student - two stairwells down from me! - heard me laughing and stopped his descent to yell UP the stairs: "We always know if you're with us!" while shooting me a thumbs-up. (SIDENOTE: If you've ever heard me laugh, you understand. If you haven't heard me laugh, I'll spare you.)

Two current students stayed after class to share pictures of encounters with cast members from The Walking Dead and to get ideas for a zombie-themed birthday party, including the one girl's costume as a dead bride.

Another student built me a lounge seat out of textbooks and novels so I could be comfortable while watching student presentations. And by the way, it was delightful!

I have students (former and current) who call me mom, who drop in to chat, who ask about my family daily...I could spend hours sharing stories about the amazing kids with whom I have the privilege to work.

And what's more? I work with other professionals who do the same things for the same reasons: it is not just a job, but it is a passion.

So why do I teach? I'm afraid if you have to ask, you probably won't understand.

My Other Man

With his blond hair, light eyes, and -- let's be honest -- perpetual bad breath, he's not my "normal" type. Still, there's just something about him that's utterly irresistible:

Some people say that a dog is "just" a pet or "just" an animal, but Cash is the one of the most joyous parts of my life. He's amazing with my daughter...

...has won over Brian, who still says he doesn't like Labs but that Cash is "okay"...

...and is the world's best cuddler.

Diamonds, while lovely, aren't this girl's best friend: my sweet puppy dog is. My best bud, my first baby, and my model for how to live and love -- not too shabby for "just" a pet who's wiggled his way into all of our hearts.

 

Imagination is Most Important

There's a strange dichotomy in parenting a toddler and teaching adolescents. For all the wonder and enthusiasm I see in my sweet Grace each day, I see equal (or greater) amounts of cynicism and doubt in the teenagers I teach each class period. Which always leads me to wonder...what happens along the way? 

These are some of Gracie's current favorite toys:

The yardstick becomes a bridge for her plastic animals; the pompoms are used for, among MANY other things, a chance to "Try your luck!" (her words!) in a basket toss; the flashlight on the floor provides the circle she chases down the hall; the blocks and keys? I've yet to determine their sole purpose since they're so multi-functional in her world.

Then there are the majority of my students who, while kind and funny and SO DAMN smart, take enough time out of the things they actually care about to try to get me to tell them: THE RIGHT ANSWER!!! 

And it pains me because, as Grace demonstrates each moment of the day, it's not about being right. Rather, it's about embracing natural curiosity and the possibilities the world offers.

I stress the importance of thought and discovery, yet I suspect most kids in my classes simply hear:

Kids question me about my tattoos, about my use of a Twizzler as a straw ("are you 6?!"), and about my hair which, HUMILITY ALERT, looks better each day:

So...where does this predicament leave me? I suppose it leaves me human. I love my daughter and I love my students; I embrace their innocence and shed tears for their disappointments; and yes, I expect the worst while hoping for the best.

Wonder, enchantment, and surprise...these are the very fibers of our beings. If, as a 32-year-old married, full-time working mother, I can get lost in the world of stories, of fairy tales, of magic, then why can't we all? 

The answer is easy: we can.

It's a Small World

There's a lot of criticism about how technology and social media actually take away from our ability to communicate with one another. I even have this posted in my classroom:

Yeah, phones and texting can distract us from genuine interaction, and many apps and media outlets are there to simultaneously fuel our insecurities while stroking our egos. 

But it doesn't have to be that way. My favorite side-effect of the constant stream of communication is that it makes the world smaller...yes, smaller. Hear me out (and it IS true, y'know: bigger isn't always better!):

I have family across the country, and it's just not practical for us to visit one another.  Because of Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, though, my long-distance family has known my daughter from her birth up until my most recent pictures of her over the weekend...and they've never even met. 

Similarly, I've been privileged (tormented?) to see some throwback photos of myself that I'd long thought (hoped?) gone. 

(Psst...the cutie beside me? My cousin's oldest son when he was two; he's now a sophomore in high school...see how the cycle of nostalgic photos keeps giving, kiddo?!)

Then there's this gem, intentionally altered to protect elementary-school friends AND the integrity of my all-denim ensemble and slouch socks...brace yourself...

And it's not just my existing world that draws closer; the entire world and its awesome inhabitants have become my largest playground with my newest friends. 

My technology-driven world has involved a retweet from Neil Gaiman about social issues...

...discovering and Twitter-befriending an AWESOME band based in Ireland (and do give The Enemies a listen if you haven't already -- you'll be so glad you did http://theenemiesmusic.com/)...

...chatting with some famous folks who, it  turns out, are amazing at their seemingly-glamorous jobs while remaining humble, down-to-earth, and outright kind...

...and then there's Blogger: if you're reading this, you know what I mean. As long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a writer, but fear held me back with the excuse was that it was just too hard to get my writing out into the world. Suddenly, the chance to tell stories to the world became deliciously possible, and while it's still terrifying to share (my palms are sweaty each time I hit "Publish"), it's equally exhilarating. Turns out, I have readers in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Poland, Ukraine, Germany, Egypt...and I've only ever been to one of those countries (hint: it's where I am right now). 

Traipsing across the globe and telling stories are two of my greatest aspirations. Pretty great that I get to do both all at once, all through the magic of modern communication. Thanks for helping me travel the world, dear readers!

Just Another Day

In trying to do a month-long blog challenge, I've looked to various places for daily topics when I need a boost. Today's prompt is one I've been shying away from, and that's the very reason I chose to tackle it: what is something you struggle with?

Everything.

That smirk? It's real, sure, but it's a mask, too. Because there's a secret here: life is hard. 

Don't get me wrong. I love my family, I adore my friends, and I find fulfillment in my job. Where's the struggle in that? Well, the work. The love, the adoration, the fulfillment...they don't come easily. Each bit of joy or success requires effort. No one tells you that when, as a child, you're reassured that all your dreams can come true. Turns out, it's not all about kicking back and relaxing with a drink in your hand....much as I'd love that to be true. (FYI: This was my first drink at Sloppy Joe's in Key West, a popular Hemingway hangout...I revel in the boozy/literary connection!)

To be fair, I never expected life to be easy...for as long as I can remember, I've known life isn't simple. But the most troubling part, for me, is that I live in a near-constant state of uncertainty. Am I doing the best I can? Am I making my loved ones proud? Am I being true to myself? The easy answer is: I don't know. Life is a struggle, and I have no clue what the hell I'm doing. But the thing I do know is that life's a journey, and I'm a willing participant down that road.

I try to keep in mind that no one's life is easy, that no one gets a free ride. I struggle each and every day, and as an aspiring storyteller, I find comfort in that struggle. 

What I Said I'd Never Do

I cannot believe that we'll soon be celebrating our third Christmas with Grace. Three years may not seem like much in the grand scheme of things, but I can barely remember what life was like before Brian and I had our amazing little girl. Looking back on the last three years, I recall some of the things that I said, as a parent, I'd never do...

I'd never feed my child fast food.

I'd never use the television as a babysitter.

I'd never tolerate bad table manners.

I'd never let my daughter torment our pets.

There are plenty of things I said I'd never do that have become routine. Am I happy about it? No, not always. But it's all about perspective--I have stuck to my ideals on at least a few things:

I'd never let Grace feel that she is anything less than perfect just as she is, each weird...

...and wild...

...and wonderful part of her.

Nope, I'm not a perfect parent (nor do I think such a thing exists). But man, I sure am having fun learning along the way, and it seems like Grace is enjoying the ride, too...and I'd never trade that for anything.