Super Special Travel Plans!

When I was an undergrad, I completed a Group Independent Study Project (GISP) on children's literature. What does this mean?

(a) I got college credit for reading Harry Potter
(b) I wrote literary analysis on Mary Anne Spier and Logan Bruno
(c) At age 20, I had a sleepover party and played the Sweet Valley High board game
(d) I made some excellent lifelong friends
(e) All of the above, and then some!

It was one of my best college experiences, mostly because I've stayed in touch with the other women in the GISP. After graduation, we continued to have semi-regular reunions. But then people started moving away from the Providence area. Now, we are spread throughout Boston, New York, Washington, and Alaska. So when we want to get together, we have to have a Super Special.

Those of you who read the Baby-sitter's Club books know the term "Super Special." They were the thick white books chronicling the club's group vacations. The GISP had our first Super Special last year, when everyone flew out for my wedding.

Starting tomorrow, we're on our next Super Special: GISP Alaskan Adventure! I can't wait. Everyone's been joking that, if our vacation runs true to the BSC model, we will care for adorable toddlers (and meet equally adorable men with accents) on our trip.

I am more than happy to do without both kinds of adorable. I am just excited to hang out with my friends and see Alaska!

I'm sure I'll have all kinds of pictures and stories when I return. For now, I leave you with an image from the first GISP Super Special:

Cute Couch Potatoes

The men in my life know how to relax!

Clearly, I need to learn from them.

Summer Breaking Point

Hi there!

After five months of neglecting this blog, I figured it was time to post something new. Rest assured, dear reader: my absence is not a sign of sloth. Rather, I've been running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. The reason for this post? I've finally reached my breaking point.

Ah, break. It's such an interesting word. As a teacher, I am currently on summer break. But is that "break" as in "vacation," or "break" as in "to smash violently; to reduce to pieces"?

Good question. I'll let you know when I have an answer.

Here it is, only July 9th, and I already feel like summer has slipped through my fingers. All told, I've got ten glorious weeks to myself. But two of those will be devoted to teacher training. And I have tons of planning to do for next year.

That's right. I've got my dream schedule for the '09-10 school year. But with great opportunity comes great obligation: I've got tons of planning to do. Don't get me wrong: I'm really excited about next year. But I've been working every day and I still feel behind the eight ball. That closet picture? Yeah, those are the materials I brought home for summer review and revision.

And that's just the teaching job! Most of you know that I have a second ambition: to be a published novelist. Well, technically it's an ambition. At this point, I'm wondering if it's really just a pipe dream. I never seem to find time to write. I don't know whether that's because I'm lazy, busy, or scared. Maybe I just don't want to do this anymore, and I haven't admitted it to myself yet. Though I haven't been writing much, I have created an Excel spreadsheet to track all aspects of my non-progress. According to Excel, at my current rate of progress I won't finish my manuscript until March 18, 2010. Yes, I am an anal-retentive freak show: I've found a way to make computers criticize my snail's pace of composition.

So, we get to the crux of my breaking point: I want to hone better discipline as a writer. I want to feel further ahead in my planning for next school year. And I want, at some point, to relax. But I really don't think I have time to accomplish all of those goals, and I don't know how to pick and choose between them.

And oh, yeah. Minor detail: I'm a wife now. I hate the fact that this salient point comes at the end of the post. I don't want my marriage to be an afterthought. I don't want to hit my one-year anniversary (coming up soon!) and wonder why I wasted my entire honeymoon phase on lesson planning and creative angst. This is my summer break. I want to date my husband. I want to woo him with wonderful dinners and walks in Priest Point Park. I don't want him staring at the back of my head every night, wondering why I'm still busy writing vocabulary quizzes even though school's not in session.

When does it end? Better question: how do I admit that it never ends, so at some point I just have to take a break and/or stop?

How do women do it? How do we balance day jobs against personal relationships? When do we find time for our own individual dreams?

I've got a few weeks off from the daily grind, and I'm hoping to find a bit of peace. If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Friends @ Wedding, Part II

And now for a video montage (so much easier to make on my new laptop!)

More Wedding Pictures

Yes, there are still more wedding pictures in the vault! You've yet to see the family photographs, and I'm determined to put together a Mike and Katie montage. But for right now, I'm going to share some great photo collages of our friends.

Here are the SU MIT graduates (and spouses):

Now for some of my favorite Eleise pictures:

And last but not least, the GISP (children's literature, Brown University... good, good times).

Our Honeymoon

I know this is ridiculously out of order, and that Mike and I have now been married for over six months... so it seemed like the perfect time to tell you about our honeymoon! (Does that mean that the wedding posts are over? Oh, no! That would be too logical!)

Mike and I did something lovely for our honeymoon: we took a whole week off, and we spent part of it at home. We got married on a Saturday, hosted a brunch on a Sunday, and didn't leave for Cannon Beach (Oregon) until Wednesday.

You don't need the details of our mushiness. Suffice to say that we had an excellent time. We spent a lot of it lazing around and just enjoying one another's company. There were also long walks on the beach and some truly excellent food. We took a trip to Astoria in search of Goonies memorabilia and ended up discovering the Lunar Boy Gallery. Artwork for our home--what a great souvenir! (Real paintings, not just poster prints sold in the college quad! It's like I'm a real grown up at last...)

Last but not least, what coastal trip would be complete without a stop in Raymond (Washington) to mock the rusty two-dimensional statues?

The Year Without Pants

Confession: I am absolutely infatuated with my brother's kids. Thanks, Dan and Renae, for giving me such adorable kiddos to spoil!

Yesterday was L.'s first birthday: cupcakes, party hats, and hours of play time! B. and I played "Toe Monster," a game that involves him running about and me crawling after him, trying to touch each of his tiny little toes. R. took a flying leap at me, and seemed pleased that I fully committed to rolling all the way back with him in my arms. At least, my assumption was that he was pleased--why else would he keep doing it until I was exhausted?

Meanwhile, Uncle Mike helped A. to compose a percussion masterpiece: yes, they were bouncing Mr. Potato Head parts back and forth off the top of a drum.

Niece L. watched all the crazy antics from the safety of her dad's arms, where she was glued for most of the party. I think all the birthday antics (to say nothing for guests) were a little overwhelming. That shy girl is such a cutie!

"Shy" is not a word I would apply to my nephews, especially since they've developed a delightful new habit. This involves stripping down to their diapers (although R. has grown adept at stripping completely, a habit that I'm sure his parents just love). I, of course, find this hilarious--especially when they grab the Swiffer after getting naked. These little guys could come clean my floor any time!