montreat

So happy
just to
be away
in this
special place
of mine
and ours,
but His
of course.

so gross

Is there anything more barf-inducing than an 'about me' that reads:

I am married to the most wonderful man in the world! He is my light and my life! I love my life! We are so blessed!!!

Puke, puke, puke.

wg

a word to the wise

It took me a very long time to get to a place where I am happy without you. We will either be 100% or we will be nothing. If you didn't mean it, I'll let this one slide. I can overlook an emotionally fueled decision. They are kind-of my specialty.

This better not be an I-just-ended-one-relationship-let-me-go-back-to-another scam. I am not your ego boost. I am not your option.

So let me 'warn' you: go big or go home. I do not have the time or the patience for anything half-hearted.

WG

and then some

I took 20 of my students to the University of Florida last Saturday. We were invited to a Journalism conference. The kids were great. They sat in the workshops and took notes; they kept calling the presenters "Professor" and asking tons of questions. I was like proud mama duck, watching all her little babies quacking around the college classroom like they belonged there.

Then, we went for the campus tour.

It started on the lawn, or the "Green Banana", which is a long stretch of grass in front of the Reitz Union. There I am, with 20 thirteen-year-olds in tow, and stretched out in front of us is a 20 foot banner screaming:

SEX ON THE LAWN!

Oh. My. God.

As alumni, I know that Sex on the Lawn is a safe-sex health fair put on by Planned Parenthood. I once volunteered for the event and was concidentally hit on by a lesbian during my shift. Ah, memories.

However, I know that all those teenage eyes are zeroing in on the words SEX! Before any questions came come up, I say, "Ok guys, I know you see the sign, and I just want to remind you that this is a school for those eighteen and older. I want you to know that this is an event to promote safe sex, not just sex."

"But, Ms. L? Why did they name it that?"

"Well, why do you think they gave the event that name?"

"To make people come?"

(Stiffling giggles) "Exactly. Remember - we just learned about a marketing campaign?"

"Ahh, okay..." they mutter. Still whispering and giggling. But moving on.

I take a deep breath and center myself. Ok. Crisis averted. I am not going to lose my job.

Then we round the corner and see a wall of SEX ON THE LAWN fliers advertising Condom Races and Vagina Coloring Contests!

I didn't know what else to do. I broke into a jog and shouted "Avert your eyes! Just don't look at it! Keep moving!"

Even some things are too awkward for this working girl.

isn't it ironic?

Don't you think?

i am the cure

I did it! I ran the Breast Cancer 5k Race for the Cure with my sister, Janine, this past Saturday. I beat my time from last year by five minutes. I really like doing this event; it's the second year in a row I've participated. Sometimes I think the pink ribbon has become a little too mass marketed, but on the whole, there can't be anything bad about bringing attention to the disease. I wish I had done more of these events when I was younger. There was something overwhelmingly healing about running and seeing all those survivors .

wg

the eternal student rears her pretty head

I miss school.

You might be thinking: Um, you're a teacher. How can you miss the place you go every day?

But, I do.

I miss thinking, learning. I miss the challenge. I miss discovering something new.

I don't miss eating junk food, being poor, or working full time while taking 17 credit hours. I don't miss wanting to curl up in a ball and die and the end of every semester. I don't miss the lingering adolescent emotions that make you want to curl up in a ball and die, either.

I love learning - shouldn't I want to learn about learning? Shouldn't I get my master's degree in education? But my heart belongs to my words. I want to prove that my talent didn't go to waste. I want to see a book with my name on the cover.

I can't do it without help. I need a push, a deadline, and most importantly, a teacher.

Dilemma: either enroll in a 50K writing program over three years while teaching OR take two years off from teaching and enroll in graduate program.

What ever will I do?