Sunday, January 31, 2010

texting with my sister

Her: Wish I had someone to do something with tonight.

Me: I know. I love being single but after last night, I'd go for a boyfriend myself.

Her: Boyfriend? What's a boyfriend.

Me: Supposedly, they are mythical creatures who select one woman and spend time with just her. They have a magical horn called a 'penis'.

Her: A 'penis' you say??? Never heard of it...

Me: They come in all shapes and sizes. That's where the boyfriends keep their brains.

Her: Hmm, sounds like a fascinating yet somewhat daft species.

Me: An endangered species at that. Perhaps you should study them when you get into Harvard.

Her: Indeed.

:) wg

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

an awesum definiton

Recently, two of my favorite blogs changed their titles. I still save them in my bookmarks with the original names, but I like watching over the years as the titles and blogs reinvent themselves with the changing lives of my friends.

Not me, though. What started as "The Sum of Awe" will stay that way. You might wonder what it means, or how I got the idea. You may not care, but I will tell you anyway.

Not shockingly, I was inspired by something I saw at Montreat. What I interpreted as a simple spelling mistake on a powerpoint slide (awesum as opposed to awesome) turned into my simple goal in life.

Steve, the master behind our AV crew at the conference and without whom the conference could operate, explained that he spelled the word wrong on purpose.

"Something is awesome because it is made up of all things awe-ful. Full of awe. To be in awe is great. The sum of awe - all that awe together - is even better."

And that's why I'm constantly searching for awesum moments. Surges of "I can't believe this" coupled with "this is so amazing". Orgasmic life moments, minus random men and/or batteries.

So thanks for keeping up with me, as I tell you about my days - good, bad and awesum. The sum of awe may find me at moments few and far between, but each one is always worth it.

wg

Monday, January 25, 2010

for the record...

I love my sisters, hate cancer, appreciate veterans, believe in Jesus, wear mostly pink bras, want world peace, and pretty much life a wonderful life. I thought you might want to know, since I am not going to be reposting that information as a facebook status.

why my job rules

My job is awesum because I work with amazing kids who raised $1000 for Haiti in two days, but mostly, my job is awesum because of the extreme awkwardness I encounter on a daily basis.

Example:

Me: Why are you making this hard?
8th grade boy: Huh?
Me: This project. You know, this thing we've been working on? You're making it too hard.
8th grade boy: Too hard?
Me: Yes. Your project is getting too hard. Hard?! I mean, difficult! This whole thing is too difficult!!
8th grade boy: That's what she said.

Good awesum grief.
wg

Sunday, January 24, 2010

a very happy ending to a very crappy week

This week feels as if it's taken forever. Puck's death has left me pretty devastated. This crazy blitz of emotion - heartbreak, guilt, relief, emptiness - makes me feel like a soup sandwich.

I wanted to return to work mainly for the distractions. It was my plan to just go through the motions. My only goal was making it to the weekend without crying in front of my kids. This is not typical of me. I always try to give my best at work. But all I wanted to do was get through the week. Just teach, go home, sleep, repeat.

Guess again.

Within minutes of walking into my classroom, I received a phone call to let me know that - yay - I'd been selected for a teacher of the year observation and - boo - they were coming tomorrow. Tomrrow, as in, the next day. Tomorrow, as in, less than forty-eight hours after this personal tragedy of mine. Grrrreeeaaaatttt.

Luckily, my amazing intern stayed late to help me prepare. The observation group came to watch, it felt strange, then they left and I got an email saying I didn't make it to the next round.

Admittedly, I was disappointed. I really wanted to impress my principal and make my colleagues feel validated for voting me as their Teacher of the Year. It reminded me of when I was young and my teachers kept testing me for the Gifted Program. Three times, they tested me. I'd always score just a few points under the IQ requirement. I was smart, but not smart enough. The absence of that enough haunted me for years. And here it was, trying to creep back into my career.

Well, maybe not.

As you may or may not know, I'm applying to a graduate school to get my MFA in writing. In order to complete my application, I had to contact my old professors for letters of recommendation. One of the letters had this to say:

Lindsay's strengths lie chiefly in her intelligence, which is considerable, her insight into human nature, which is even greater, and finally, in her writing, which ranks in the top 1% of students I've taught in a career spanning over a quarter of a century. She is easily one of the most talented, conscientious, and intelligent students I've had the pleasure to teach - and her sensibility is as sensitive and inquisitive as it is adventuresome. I cannot recommend anyone more highly for any program.

Ha. I guess to some people, I am smart enough.

wg

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

buddy

Dear Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I tell you my beloved Puck left this world yesterday. He was just shy of fifteen years old.

Puck was my reward from my dad for making straight A's in 7th grade. That was the last time I ever got an A in math, but Puck was worth the work. To know Puck was to love him. He barked a lot. He smelled. He peed on people's feet. Wonderdog he wasn't, but he was special to me.

Puck was a loyal companion and the greatest love of my life. He protected me and made me feel safe. He loved belly rubs and cat food. And I will miss him terribly.

Thank you for being a part of his life.


With love,
wg

Sunday, January 17, 2010

&...

We went to the vet. I was hoping for more time. He's getting worse.

I'm so conflicted - I want to just carry him around in my arms until he just passes away on his own. I would do anything for him. I know that's selfish. It's no way for him to live, not being able to walk.

Puck will let me know when the time is right. I just love him so, so, so much.

wg

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

new obsession

Love eating? Me, too. Love writing? Me, too.

Did you know that you can do both?

www.yelp.com - so awesum

My sister has used Yelp on our past two vacation (Boston and Jensen Island) to find great restaurants and activities. After the infamous Three Dessert Birthday Dinner in Boston, I became a rookie yelper. I'm now addicted!

I figure this addiction is better than, say, my Jersey Shore obsession?

:) wg

Friday, January 1, 2010

my puckers...


is sick.

He can barely walk. He still has a good appetite; he still begs for cookies. After fourteen years, the stubborn old man would still do almost anything for cookies.

He just can't walk. It's breaking my heart. My whole heart.

:( wg