I can't believe I made it through the school year. Right now it feels surreal. The realization that I have no marking, no planning, no quizzes/tests/labs/assignments/exams to write, no meetings to dread, no extracurricular activities to plan, and did I mention no marking, is mind-blowing. I can't believe I made it to here.
This week has been fun. At work, I got a lot of cleaning/organizing done. Teachers are packrats, because we're all afraid we are going to throw out a very important piece of paper that we'll need in the future (fuck, my mother, who has been long retired, still has boxes of papers from her teaching career in our basement). This year I decided to get rid of all of the binders in my filing cabinet that I haven't touched in a couple of years (essentially all my stuff from 2004-2011). It's kind of hard to throw away a nicely organized binder that I know I worked very hard on, but the curriculum is out of date, and I've already adapted what I could into the new curriculum. It was time to purge, and emptying all those binders left me with so much space to store the things I actually wanted to keep. My workspace will be far less cluttered next year.
On top of that, the evenings of last week were full of fun. I went to a super exciting Jays game for my friend Mathew's birthday. They blew a 6-run lead, but then were able to pull off a walk-off win in the ninth. I want the Jays to make the playoffs SO BADLY this year. It would be awesome.
Wednesday was a pool party, then Thursday night was graduation. It was crazy to think that it was my tenth graduation ceremony that I've attended for this school. Graduations are heart-warming, and such a blur. It's always hard to come to terms with the fact there are kids that I'm used to seeing on a daily basis who I will never see again. I tend to keep in touch with the ones that I am very close to (usually through extracurricular activities), but graduations make me think of a quote I once heard that went along the lines of teaching is a profession where you don't get to witness the results of your work. (That's the gist of the quote; I don't know exactly know where it comes from.) It's very true; I don't really know what happens to the vast majority of my students, but I do have faith that I was able to make a positive difference in their lives, to the best of my ability.
Today was our year-end staff party (or forced socialization, as I think of it). It was fun, and afterwards some of my friends and I went to a second location for more drinks, which ended up turning into some light shopping. I think our days of crazy year-end pub crawls are over, but that's okay. I was happy to find a cute new top at Anthropolgie, and the willingness of a friend with a car to take me to Target to stock up on kitty-cat supplies.
This week has been one of lots of indulgences. I look forward to using the start of summer (tomorrow) to reset and recover. I need to lay off alcohol. I love exploring new beer, and revisiting old favourites, but I have to lay off of it. I want to get my bike out, go for some runs, go to the gym on hot days, clean and organize my place, read, and relax. I'm trying to keep my socializing to a minimum for a little bit. I need some me time. On Sunday, I'm going to take myself to a play, and I've considered inviting a friend, but then I decided that after the past month of constant partying, I need some me time.
I've been listening to a lot of CHVRCHES lately. (I loved them live at Field Trip.) This song is where I'm at right now.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
You gotta feel it.
I splurged on some new vinyl last week. I got a used copy of Famous Blue Raincoat: Jennifer Warnes Sings the Songs of Leonard Cohen. My dad used to listen to that album obsessively when I was a kid, and I grew to hate it from sheer overplaying. Then, for my sixteenth birthday, he bought me that CD and I pretended to be happy, and I don't think I ever opened it because I swore I never wanted to hear those songs again.
Fast-forward to a thirty-four year old woman with a love for vinyl albums that remind her of her childhood (Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle), and I can't pass it up. Oh heck, finally, I like those songs again. It took a long time.
I also decided to pick up Kevin Drew's Darlings because it is my favourite album so far of 2014, and damn, if pink vinyl isn't sexy, I don't what is.
I'm listening to it now, as I write this post.
This weekend was my first wedding of the summer where I had bridesmaid duties. And holy heck was it a step back in time. It was for my friend Wendy, who was one of my friends from high school, and on Saturday morning, I had to have my dad drive me out to her parents' farm to get my hair and makeup done. I hadn't been down those roads in a long, long time.
My makeup and hair turned out quite well, as evidenced by this picture that I'm posting for pure vanity's sake. I was one of the first in the bridal party to get all done up, and then I had to the pressure to not mess it up for the next three hours. "Don't touch hair or face. Don't touch hair or face," was the chant running constantly through my head.
After that we took pictures in the sun by the farmhouse, then headed into Stratford proper for pictures in the park by the art gallery. Again, talk about a trip down memory lane. I worked at the gallery for one summer during university, and the last time I'd been to the scenic waterfall by the gallery was before my high school prom, where my friends and I got our pictures taken.
I'm pretty sure all Stratford wedding parties get pictures taken by the waterfall. While we were leaving, another wedding party showed up, and we joked that we should have a rumble with them Anchorman style. I have to admit that, or at the very least a dance-off, would have been hilarious.
We made yet another scenic stop for pictures, then it was off to Tom Patterson island where the ceremony occured. I was beat by the end of the long day in the sun. After that, was the reception one town over, in the community hall of Shakespeare, Ontario. Again, that building is a blast from my past because I'd been to various parties in that hall in my younger years.
I had a rather fun time at the reception, even though I was too sun-tired to do much drinking. I still had fun, and danced to country music despite myself really hating country music. When in Rome, right?
Watching all of your friends get married and have babies is kind of weird. I'm often glad that I have my big city-dwelling life of freedom, fun, travel, and selfishness, but at other times it's really hard because I feel that everyone has gotten an invite to a party, but not me. There days I'd really like to go to that party, you know?
However, my girl Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley, which is Miss Rilo Kitty's namesake) has a new song out that completely summarizes my feelings on this matter. And, I get to see her at the beginning of July at the Toronto Urban Roots Festival with my dear friends Eric and Paul (who will get me drunk). That's way more my style than diaper changes.
On the train to and from Stratford, I devoured Jennifer Weiner's new novel All Fall Down. I've been reading her books since the late nineties, and I've recently come to really appreciate her through her Twitter presence. Not only does she post hilarious tweets about the Bachelor/Bachelorette (and makes me feel slightly less guilty for my guilty pleasure), but she's also very vocal about gender inequity in the publishing industry. She was in town this evening for a talk/book signing. I went, and really enjoyed myself. She is a witty and interesting speaker, and really fun. Yay!
So, those were definitely a few fun-filled days. Tomorrow I'm excited to go to the Jays game for my friend Mathew's birthday. Also, only four more days of going to school for meetings and cleaning, and that's it. I can't wait for my low-key July to start!
ps Can you tell that I can put so much more effort into blogging when the marking and prepping part of school is over?
pps Also, this video of a man catching an owl with a swiffer is one of the best things on the internet ever.
Fast-forward to a thirty-four year old woman with a love for vinyl albums that remind her of her childhood (Bananarama, Belinda Carlisle), and I can't pass it up. Oh heck, finally, I like those songs again. It took a long time.
I also decided to pick up Kevin Drew's Darlings because it is my favourite album so far of 2014, and damn, if pink vinyl isn't sexy, I don't what is.
I'm listening to it now, as I write this post.
This weekend was my first wedding of the summer where I had bridesmaid duties. And holy heck was it a step back in time. It was for my friend Wendy, who was one of my friends from high school, and on Saturday morning, I had to have my dad drive me out to her parents' farm to get my hair and makeup done. I hadn't been down those roads in a long, long time.
My makeup and hair turned out quite well, as evidenced by this picture that I'm posting for pure vanity's sake. I was one of the first in the bridal party to get all done up, and then I had to the pressure to not mess it up for the next three hours. "Don't touch hair or face. Don't touch hair or face," was the chant running constantly through my head.
After that we took pictures in the sun by the farmhouse, then headed into Stratford proper for pictures in the park by the art gallery. Again, talk about a trip down memory lane. I worked at the gallery for one summer during university, and the last time I'd been to the scenic waterfall by the gallery was before my high school prom, where my friends and I got our pictures taken.
I'm pretty sure all Stratford wedding parties get pictures taken by the waterfall. While we were leaving, another wedding party showed up, and we joked that we should have a rumble with them Anchorman style. I have to admit that, or at the very least a dance-off, would have been hilarious.
We made yet another scenic stop for pictures, then it was off to Tom Patterson island where the ceremony occured. I was beat by the end of the long day in the sun. After that, was the reception one town over, in the community hall of Shakespeare, Ontario. Again, that building is a blast from my past because I'd been to various parties in that hall in my younger years.
I had a rather fun time at the reception, even though I was too sun-tired to do much drinking. I still had fun, and danced to country music despite myself really hating country music. When in Rome, right?
Watching all of your friends get married and have babies is kind of weird. I'm often glad that I have my big city-dwelling life of freedom, fun, travel, and selfishness, but at other times it's really hard because I feel that everyone has gotten an invite to a party, but not me. There days I'd really like to go to that party, you know?
However, my girl Jenny Lewis (from Rilo Kiley, which is Miss Rilo Kitty's namesake) has a new song out that completely summarizes my feelings on this matter. And, I get to see her at the beginning of July at the Toronto Urban Roots Festival with my dear friends Eric and Paul (who will get me drunk). That's way more my style than diaper changes.
On the train to and from Stratford, I devoured Jennifer Weiner's new novel All Fall Down. I've been reading her books since the late nineties, and I've recently come to really appreciate her through her Twitter presence. Not only does she post hilarious tweets about the Bachelor/Bachelorette (and makes me feel slightly less guilty for my guilty pleasure), but she's also very vocal about gender inequity in the publishing industry. She was in town this evening for a talk/book signing. I went, and really enjoyed myself. She is a witty and interesting speaker, and really fun. Yay!
ps Can you tell that I can put so much more effort into blogging when the marking and prepping part of school is over?
pps Also, this video of a man catching an owl with a swiffer is one of the best things on the internet ever.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Head-spinningly busy.
Right now, I am sitting on my couch watching the Jays game trying to break in my shiny Michael Kors heels that are my official 2014 bridesmaid shoe. I don't think sitting and watching baseball will make the shoe more comfy, but it can't hurt right?
I feel like I'm in the calm before the storm. The next week and a half will be crazy. I've got all of my term marking done (yay!) and just have three sets of exams to go (two still to be written). Then I'll do my report cards and the academic portion of this school year will be over. I've got the next three days to do that.
On top of that, I need to buy a pair of blingy earrings to go with my bridesmaid's ensemble, get my fingers and toes done, and pack my bag to head to Stratford on Friday night. My friend Wendy's wedding is on Saturday, so that will be a crazy day.
I'm back in Toronto late on Sunday night, and then it's into my last week of work. I will have mainly cleaning to do, so not that bad. However, I have a lot of fun stuff to do on top of the year-end clean.
Monday - an author I really like, Jennifer Weiner, will be signing copies of her new book at the Indigo at Bay/Bloor. I am going to go to that.
Tuesday - year-end student council party, then the Jays' game in the evening in celebration of my pal Mathew's birthday.
Wednesday - graduation brunch, then pool party at my friend Nadine's
Thursday - graduation. Always a long night.
Friday - LAST DAY! Then, night out with colleagues.
However, I have very little planned past that. Which makes me happy. I need to to a clean-eating cleanse and get back into a regular workout routine. I've had a bad June, but summer will give me a great opportunity to reset my fitness goals.
**I feel like this blog post is more of a reminder to myself of what I need to do over the next week-and-a-half than anything.**
I feel like I'm in the calm before the storm. The next week and a half will be crazy. I've got all of my term marking done (yay!) and just have three sets of exams to go (two still to be written). Then I'll do my report cards and the academic portion of this school year will be over. I've got the next three days to do that.
On top of that, I need to buy a pair of blingy earrings to go with my bridesmaid's ensemble, get my fingers and toes done, and pack my bag to head to Stratford on Friday night. My friend Wendy's wedding is on Saturday, so that will be a crazy day.
I'm back in Toronto late on Sunday night, and then it's into my last week of work. I will have mainly cleaning to do, so not that bad. However, I have a lot of fun stuff to do on top of the year-end clean.
Monday - an author I really like, Jennifer Weiner, will be signing copies of her new book at the Indigo at Bay/Bloor. I am going to go to that.
Tuesday - year-end student council party, then the Jays' game in the evening in celebration of my pal Mathew's birthday.
Wednesday - graduation brunch, then pool party at my friend Nadine's
Thursday - graduation. Always a long night.
Friday - LAST DAY! Then, night out with colleagues.
However, I have very little planned past that. Which makes me happy. I need to to a clean-eating cleanse and get back into a regular workout routine. I've had a bad June, but summer will give me a great opportunity to reset my fitness goals.
**I feel like this blog post is more of a reminder to myself of what I need to do over the next week-and-a-half than anything.**
Monday, June 16, 2014
Lazy Weekend.
I did a little bit of socializing this weekend, and went to see Maleficent which I loved. But other than that, my weekend was filled with marking, with reading breaks in between sets. (I'll confess: the reading breaks were probably longer than the working times.)
Back to the movie. Maleficent from Disney's Sleeping Beauty was my favourite villain as a child. I was super excited when I heard they were making a movie about her. I think they did a really great job. Angelina Jolie is superb, and I liked the story. Perhaps the reason I liked Maleficent as a child was because I knew there was a backstory. Kudos to the writer. Also, I believe that this generation of little girls is being better served by fairy tale movies (Frozen is another example). Instead of romantic love being the thing that conquers all (and let's face it, it's usually love-at-first-sight based upon appearances), it's a deeper kind of non-romantic love that's saving the day nowadays. Thumbs up.
When I got home from the movie, I spent some time watching clips of the classic Maleficent on YouTube. I love when she says to her henchmen that they are a disgrace to the force of evil.
Seriously, I think I'm going to go see this movie again, because it's so visually stunning that it rocks on the big screen.
In other throwbacks to things I liked when I was younger, I just finished reading the latest Stephen King novel. In the past few years, I've really come to appreciate King as a writer. His latest, Mr. Mercedes, is a page-turner, but I feel that his best work is done when he writes plots set in the 50s/60s/70s. Some of the dialogue he uses in a contemporary setting feels a little bit off.
Sadly, my lazy weekend has come to an end, and it's back to school. Ten more days of work though, so I can't complain one bit.
Back to the movie. Maleficent from Disney's Sleeping Beauty was my favourite villain as a child. I was super excited when I heard they were making a movie about her. I think they did a really great job. Angelina Jolie is superb, and I liked the story. Perhaps the reason I liked Maleficent as a child was because I knew there was a backstory. Kudos to the writer. Also, I believe that this generation of little girls is being better served by fairy tale movies (Frozen is another example). Instead of romantic love being the thing that conquers all (and let's face it, it's usually love-at-first-sight based upon appearances), it's a deeper kind of non-romantic love that's saving the day nowadays. Thumbs up.
When I got home from the movie, I spent some time watching clips of the classic Maleficent on YouTube. I love when she says to her henchmen that they are a disgrace to the force of evil.
Seriously, I think I'm going to go see this movie again, because it's so visually stunning that it rocks on the big screen.
In other throwbacks to things I liked when I was younger, I just finished reading the latest Stephen King novel. In the past few years, I've really come to appreciate King as a writer. His latest, Mr. Mercedes, is a page-turner, but I feel that his best work is done when he writes plots set in the 50s/60s/70s. Some of the dialogue he uses in a contemporary setting feels a little bit off.
Sadly, my lazy weekend has come to an end, and it's back to school. Ten more days of work though, so I can't complain one bit.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Sigh of relief.
And my expectations were exceeded. Thank goodness we won't have to ride the provincial election roller-coaster again for four years, and an education-friendly party was elected.
Goodbye Tim Hudak. You've created at least one job: leader of the Ontario PC party.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Nighttime/Anytime (It's Alright)
Six nights out in a row.
Good times, but I'm tired.
As I walked home tonight in the warm weather in my new turquoise wedge shoes from an open-bar year-end celebration sponsored by my union, I thought about how you know, I'm 34 and kind of a mess somedays, but I like my mess, and I'm making a difference in the world and that's okay. And I have the best group of friends that anyone could ask for, and that's the best.
Good times, but I'm tired.
As I walked home tonight in the warm weather in my new turquoise wedge shoes from an open-bar year-end celebration sponsored by my union, I thought about how you know, I'm 34 and kind of a mess somedays, but I like my mess, and I'm making a difference in the world and that's okay. And I have the best group of friends that anyone could ask for, and that's the best.
Wednesday, June 04, 2014
Hazy, like a Tokyo summer.
Why did I wait so long to get the album Thrash Rock Legacy by Canadian supergroup The Mounties, which consists of my beloved Hawksley Workman, Hot Hot Heat's Steve Bays, and Limblifter's Ryan Dahle?? I loved the song they released last year (Headphones), so why I didn't grab their album when it was released in March is beyond me.
But, I righted that wrong this week, and I'm loving it. I think Tokyo Summer is going to be my summer jam.
I'm feeling like I'm getting life a little bit under control. I've been tackling my marking pile and have all of my exams written. Last night I had a "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!" evening and I feel better about my clean apartment. I got to take my new vacuum cleaner for a spin, which made me feel old to be excited about a new vacuum cleaner.
Right now I'm watching the Jays vs. Tigers game and then I'm going to go to bed early. That's how I roll these days.
But, I righted that wrong this week, and I'm loving it. I think Tokyo Summer is going to be my summer jam.
I'm feeling like I'm getting life a little bit under control. I've been tackling my marking pile and have all of my exams written. Last night I had a "CLEAN ALL THE THINGS!" evening and I feel better about my clean apartment. I got to take my new vacuum cleaner for a spin, which made me feel old to be excited about a new vacuum cleaner.
Right now I'm watching the Jays vs. Tigers game and then I'm going to go to bed early. That's how I roll these days.
Sunday, June 01, 2014
And you all want the the lovely music to save your lives.
1) I booked all of my train tickets (Prague -> Vienna -> Munich -> Brussels -> London) and all of my hotels the other night. Now just to start researching what to do in all of these cities.
2) On Friday, I was feeling the need to just stay in and do nothing. So I did. And I treated myself to watching some really awesome (in the bad way) television. If you were a girl growing up in the 80s/90s, chance are the first sex you ever encountered in literature (I use the term loosely) was in V.C. Andrews novels. I know it was for me. Well, actually I read about sex first in the novel Spike based on Degrassi Junior High. But there was much more detail and creepiness in V.C. (Not that all sex is creepy... Just V.C. Andrews incestuous sex.)
Lifetime made two TV movies based on the first V.C. Andrews series, Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and I watched them both on Friday and holy heck did I enjoy them in a "goodness this is so bad and so wrong and so creepy and so good" way. The last half hour Petals on the Wind is LEGENDARY. I don't want to leave any spoilers, but man I will never look at donuts in the same way again. Also Heather Graham plays the awful mother, and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn is the evil grandmother.
3) Saturday - went to Burlington/Hamilton for my friend Wendy's bachelorette party. Pedicures, a sixteen-course Greek feast, and dancing at a country bar were the orders of the night. And yes, if you take me to a country bar, the only way I can deal is by ordering doubles all night.
4) Today - Jays game! After two losses, my boys are back on track. I'm happy and a little bit red from the sun.
5) Tonight - a little bit of marking and a lot of procrastinating. I'm overwhelmed by life, and I have a bad habit of DOING NOTHING when that happens. Tomorrow will be productive, I swear.
This week is going to be demanding work/life-wise, and I have a really fun weekend coming up. Pre-weekend, I'm going to see Sloan play at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Friday night, my pal Vern is coming down to join to me to see THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS (Jays vs. Cardinals) at the Skydome. On Saturday, I'm picking up my pal Matt from Winnipeg at the airport and it's Field Trip weekend for us!
Good times ahead. Hope there are good times ahead for you too. :)
2) On Friday, I was feeling the need to just stay in and do nothing. So I did. And I treated myself to watching some really awesome (in the bad way) television. If you were a girl growing up in the 80s/90s, chance are the first sex you ever encountered in literature (I use the term loosely) was in V.C. Andrews novels. I know it was for me. Well, actually I read about sex first in the novel Spike based on Degrassi Junior High. But there was much more detail and creepiness in V.C. (Not that all sex is creepy... Just V.C. Andrews incestuous sex.)
Lifetime made two TV movies based on the first V.C. Andrews series, Flowers in the Attic and Petals on the Wind, and I watched them both on Friday and holy heck did I enjoy them in a "goodness this is so bad and so wrong and so creepy and so good" way. The last half hour Petals on the Wind is LEGENDARY. I don't want to leave any spoilers, but man I will never look at donuts in the same way again. Also Heather Graham plays the awful mother, and Oscar-winner Ellen Burstyn is the evil grandmother.
3) Saturday - went to Burlington/Hamilton for my friend Wendy's bachelorette party. Pedicures, a sixteen-course Greek feast, and dancing at a country bar were the orders of the night. And yes, if you take me to a country bar, the only way I can deal is by ordering doubles all night.
4) Today - Jays game! After two losses, my boys are back on track. I'm happy and a little bit red from the sun.
5) Tonight - a little bit of marking and a lot of procrastinating. I'm overwhelmed by life, and I have a bad habit of DOING NOTHING when that happens. Tomorrow will be productive, I swear.
This week is going to be demanding work/life-wise, and I have a really fun weekend coming up. Pre-weekend, I'm going to see Sloan play at the Art Gallery of Ontario. Friday night, my pal Vern is coming down to join to me to see THE BATTLE OF THE BIRDS (Jays vs. Cardinals) at the Skydome. On Saturday, I'm picking up my pal Matt from Winnipeg at the airport and it's Field Trip weekend for us!
Good times ahead. Hope there are good times ahead for you too. :)
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